Frustration

[MarkWayneClark]

OK, to TRY to get into the game and understand it, I am playing what I thought would be the easiest scenario possible: '43, as the USSR, on easy. No matter what I do, Germany just shreds me. On its first turn, Germany nearly always destroys my front line air force on the ground (keep in mind, I didn't place the planes there, the scenario begins with them there) and takes a region, usually Kursk or Smolensk. One out of four times it loses that/those battles, but it doesn't matter.

Apparently, according to this scenario, the USSR did no production in its prior turn, because I have no units waiting in reserve behind the lines. But that I suppose is neither here nor there.

Whatever I do in my first and second turns, it is wrong. If Germany makes its way into Kursk, then I am facing a German army that threatens four of my provinces. I can easily counter attack to shore up my lines, but there is no way I can hold it into the next turn. I am just throwing those units away. Same with Smolensk, though on a slightly less disastrous scale. But if I hold tight and do nothing, the army in Kursk will punch the line on the next turn.

If Germany's first turn goes horribly and they lose the one (or two) battle(s) they attempt, I face the same dilema: push my lines forward, or wait. Only it does not matter what I do. Germany's next turn will inevitably to pour a super-stack of some 30 units into the weakest point on my line, which no matter what is going to be at least five provinces from the Baltic to the Black Sea. I don't have enough units to defend that line at every point from a 30 unit stack, or even a 20 unit stack. So I will get whupped.

And here's the really great part: whatever Germany has left in that stack after the battle will be impossible to defeat in my next turn. I just now faced a situation where Germany had an 18 unit stack on Smolensk, mostly infantry and militia, with a little armor, and I poured 32 units in there, armor, artillery, infantry, lots of planes and the combat analyzer said probability of success ... zero.

WTF? I want to like this game. I really do. I have read the rules. I think that I understand them. But every time I have tried to actually play I just get crushed. I have tried Germany, China, and now the USSR, all on advice from others they are good ways to start and to learn. But I am not learning. I am just getting crushed. If I can't win under such ostensibly easy circumstances, what the hell am I doing wrong?

[MarkWayneClark]

Crushed again.

If I play cautiously and husband my resources, not wasting them on offenses that will be easy prey to counter attacks, I lose. If I take advantage of "dead zones" and gaps in the line, and move ahead, I lose.

WTF? This is on EASY! And the game is supposed to be (from what I read) balanced AGAINST the Axis. So, again, WTF?

[Rangers5thCoE]

Are you purchasing units and placing where you can AND upgrading the unit powers as well before Germany attacks?

[Rangers5thCoE]

I like to purchase many inf/milita, some tanks, upgrade signal intel + research; inf & tanks, (need good balance). You'll always lose the front line but you can stop Germany from advancing.

[MarkWayneClark]

For the moment, actually, I have the computer doing my production.

When you say "you always lose the front lines" what do you mean?

I tried encirclement, BTW, but I did not have enough units to defeat the stack, and by the next turn, it had broken out.

Thanks for your help.

[krafen73]

Try to play the germans and see what the russian AI do.

[MarkWayneClark]

No doubt, they will kick my @$$, but still, that's a good idea. Thanks.

[MarkWayneClark]

OK, I got to Berlin finally. I feel a little less stupid now.

[a511]

Good to know that u got to Berlin finally. The game is pretty "historically accruate" and GER army is still pretty strong in the eastern front, the key is to out-produce GER and kick the GER army out of RUS and go all the way to Berlin!
 
I think the problem is u left the production to the AI ... since u have already master the basic move and attack, I think its time to get familiar with the production, the '39 scenario (thats where most of the pbems get started, at least the pbems i have played so far) and the adv supply (if u have not done so previously).
 
a511