Road to Moscow part 1 B/snafu vs LarryFulkerson

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the movie showing the advance of Brian's Axis forces from turns 0 thru turn 2.
I as the Soviet only had a handfull of units to move on turns 1 and two so I didn't have much to do and we're able to move this game along pretty quickly. And I have it relatively easy since 90% of my units are in reserve and can't move at all.

Brians comments from turn 1 ( via email ):
I tried to punch ahead as far as I could go with plans to surround overrun units and mop them up in turn 2. worked pretty good I think--but 1st plan of attacks in turn 2 ate up all my combat runs so left me out of position on some things.

First turn also tried to evap as much as I good of your airforce--(seen in playback-you were able to get a few out of harms way)--2nd turn ending before I planned nixed my planned airfirldraid raids of your in range air units. although lucky i placed them on respective missions before I resolved all attacks--you should see a little more interdiction this turn.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the relative production rates of the Axis and Soviets....you can see that they are the same but the Axis is producing Heavy Rifle Squads and the Soviets are producing Rifle Squads.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the some of the Soviet losses so far:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what the Axis has at the start:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what the Soviets have at the start:

[B/snafu]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson
........since 90% of my units are in reserve and can't move at all......

[:(]And I thought my walkover would continue over orange and red health units[:D]--looks like I might hit a wall after all.

First, I want to thank larry for taking me on with his busy Fite game ongoing.

This is a nice short scenario that's helping me work on my movement & attack mechanics.

Currently, I'm trying to develope two seperate armored spearheads to punch through and gobble up as much ground as I can. Been moving my units to their max allowances and risking leaving them in mobile status not dug in at the end of the turn due to the current weakness of any local russian units. Also concentrating on airfield attacks and evaping as many of larry's air units as I can in the first few turns.

Only worries I might have is that I devolve into a broad front attack over the turns (as I am prone to do in most of my past operation games I've played) instead of the strong punches I want to create. That and also using too many units mopping up overrun units instead of concentrating on pushing ahead. Could keep me from obtaining the objectives I need. Although, hopefully due to the small turn limit and scope of this scenario-it might not factor in as much as a longer & larger scenario would.

Don't know how to make screenshots yet--but basically---at the end of turn 3---lost 572 heavy rifle squads--but have 649 replacements on hand-w/rate still at 50----most other losses have been minimal in the double or single digits if any. 19 destroyed aircraft to 427 russian--12% air superiority and 1% indterdiction.

[Levelworm]

To make screenshots, goto "Play"->"Game Options"->"Advanced Game Options", find "Movies", turn it on. The game engine should record the game (as a pic file under /Saves in your TOAW directory) every turn, you can make screenshots from these pictures, even movies(Like Larry did as above).

Good luck!

[larryfulkerson]

I like to use the "Print Screen" Button to save "game in progress" shots. I've boxed it in red where it is on my keyboard. Then I start an instance of MS Paint and paste the image so I can crop it, edit it, save it, etc.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: B/snafu
...Been moving my units to their max allowances and risking leaving them in mobile status not dug in at the end of the turn due to the current weakness of any local russian units.

You should be safe doing this for the early part of the game since most of my units are in reserve status and can't move. Also, I'm trying to pull back everything that will move to the Minsk area to try to build a front line of sorts rather than attack everything German that I can.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the Axis moves for turns 1 thru 3:

[B/snafu]

Thanks for the tips on the screens guys. Although, I did not read larry's post close enough--forgot to paste the screen capture in paint--just assumed hitting the print key while in the screen would show it in the save file like the movies. Try to get it on the next turn.

turn 4--the spearheads are forming up---still easy going for me so far--although (for lack of technical terms) my lead units are starting too go orange while I've noticed the few front units of larry's still in contact are uping too yellow. But, got a motor corps coming up behind (only reserves) that has had no contact yet--going to try to keep it in reserve until I hit Larry's reserve line or, too keep things moving along the roads,-- use it to leapfrog and take over the spearhead while I rest the front line corps. My heavy rifle losses still don't outnumber the replacements I have on hand.

During turn 4-- was able to evap larry's remaining in range air units that I can see on the map. now- I have a descion to make--with complete air superiority--I usuall place my bombers on interdiction and rarely ever use close support (worried using the aircraft will help burn my turn). In this scenario--due the small map size and with larry's reserves mostly in reseve status right now just making a rear defensive position (i.e. not moving them foreward) too me it seems interdiction missions won't be too efective. worried though that close support missions might give me uneeded losses for minimal results.

Any opinions on the use of air in this situation?? (don't think larry will mind as this is basically a tutorial game too learn)

Also, hopefully larry will get a chance to actually get some "moves" opportunity--worried your going too get bored larry[:)]. Imho-This first installment of the road to moscow series gives the axis side a great oppurtunity to practice your "movement" technique--but not sure of the playability for the russian side.

[Karri]

Interdiction and bridge bombing, with occasional CAS when you absolutely need it. The main job for your airforce should be to make sure his airforce ceases to exist...but apparently you ahve done that.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: B/snafu
Any opinions on the use of air in this situation?

Um....In the early part of this scenario my units are frozen in position and interdiction wouldn't be of much utility so your air force should concentrate on the Soviet air force. I'm beginning, in turn 4, to have a handfull of units that can move and so interdiction might be more useful to prevent me from building up a front line somewhere.

Also, hopefully larry will get a chance to actually get some "moves" opportunity--worried your going too get bored larry.

Not bored yet, I've still got my FITE contest going although Karri is beating the shit out of my dudes.

Imho-This first installment of the road to moscow series gives the axis side a great oppurtunity to practice your "movement" technique--but not sure of the playability for the russian side.

The Russian side is just there for the Axis to practice on it seems. Maybe the other parts of the road to moscow series are more "playable".

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the Axis moves from turns 2 thru 4:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the supply situation of the Soviet side. If it's this bad for the Soviet side the Axis side must be really really bad.

[B/snafu]

Thks for bringing up the supply issue larry--I keep forgeting to even look at that. Actually, does not seem too bad on that end for me.

Shot at 2007-07-22

[B/snafu]

Axis Losses so far near end of turn 5-(1 minor combat round after this shot):

Shot at 2007-07-22

[Veers]

ORIGINAL: B/snafu

Thks for bringing up the supply issue larry--I keep forgeting to even look at that. Actually, does not seem too bad on that end for me.

Shot at 2007-07-22

You're maximum supply is 27 and you're units appear to be in hexes with 6 or 9 supply. I don't know if I'd call that 'not bad'. However, it is of little importance. In this scenario you must attack with no regard for losses or your state of supply.

[B/snafu]

Larry confirmed to me that that my turn 4 finished off the russian airforce[:)]. In turn 5 moved my bombers up to advance airfields but left them on rest to get them out of the yellow. My fighters are still at top level but left them on air superiority since thats what I would usually do if I wasn't sure if my oppenent had any air left--so no interdiction this turn to interfere with larry adding to his dogpile at minsk.

Actually will probably have to use some of my bombers for cas when I get to larry's reserve line--as my front spearhead corps are getting worn down. The balance has tipped on my heavy rifle squad losses--losses finally outnumbering my on hand replacements.

Turn 5 finished with most of the remanants of the russian front line troops evaped and the roads have seemed to open up-----just hope I have the time left to reach all my objectives (showing 8 turns remaining i think and I am not moving as fast as I started).

[B/snafu]

ORIGINAL: Veers
You're maximum supply is 27 and you're units appear to be in hexes with 6 or 9 supply. I don't know if I'd call that 'not bad'. However, it is of little importance. In this scenario you must attack with no regard for losses or your state of supply.

Thks veers,
Still new to this-- so that's why I thought it's alright--better than larry's except for front line hexes--that's why I'm glad larry brought it up--something else I need to bone up on for when I get to larger scenarios.

I believe I might have spent too much time and units surrounding and mopping up the overrun front line instead of racing most of them to the front (I'll know when I hit his minsk reserve line)---I guess in a larger situation as fite or so--reserves coming on would handle the mop up after the breakthrough but since the small turn limit here with no reserves to appear--Figured I needed to evap all of them to avoid line cuts.