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Historically a piece of AGN went for this city. In my game i dont know why did they did when they could have just gone from Riga to Pskov to Lenningrad and maybe V.Luki.

Eventually you should take it, but there's no reason to hurry there.

Is there a risk that the Russians will use it as a bridgehead and move forces into the rear areas ? If they dig in there, will it need larger forces to remove them, best do it early. [:)]

ORIGINAL: Rasputitsa

Is there a risk that the Russians will use it as a bridgehead and move forces into the rear areas ? If they dig in there, will it need larger forces to remove them, best do it early. [:)]

Yes.

You have to take it.

I think you take it, but you don't make it a huge priority and send a pile of troops up there. Historically, I think the Germans used too many troops to clean that area out and it delayed the infantry on its advance to Leningrad, which is the objective you must keep in mind at all times for AGN. I used 1 corps and really only 1 division over that way.

One of the advantages in cleaning it out is you can then use sea movement to get reenforcements up towards Leningrad much faster if Leningrad is a objective for the 1941 campaign. AGN must have additional troops at some point if they are going to crack Leningrad (I think you set up 3 city cracking infantry corps and go to work while the rest try to keep the Soviets busy east of the city).

Taking Tallin allow to receive supplies and fuel by sea, thus helping your troops near Leningrad.
For some reasons Riga is not supplied by sea before you take the peninsula south and north of Gulf of Riga (circled in red), I suppose ships cannot pass thought ZOC. So I find it is faster to take Tallin first.
Otherwise not taking Tallin means your troops are far from railroad to be enough supplied

Good to know. I missed the sea supply aspect but took it anyway because I do not like supplied Russian combat formations in my rear area...

Also, be sure to clear out the Baltic Islands! Word is that if you don't the dastardly commies will use them as a bridgehead to strike you from the rear during the winter! (bit gamey if you ask me, but there it is)

I don't find it gamey at all, historically the soviets used every oportunity to launch amphibious attacks, from Norway to the Crimea.

ORIGINAL: notenome

I don't find it gamey at all, historically the soviets used every oportunity to launch amphibious attacks, from Norway to the Crimea.

Really? So the Soviets, in the desperate winter of 41, with Leningrad under siege, could have launched an amphibious invasion 300 miles behind German lines, through the (mostly) German controlled waters of the Baltic? Even if they were able to land numerous divisions in the Baltic Isles, how would they have kept them supplied? Messenger pigeons?

Anyway, it's gamey but no big deal if the AI does it. But, during blizzard turns you really don't want to have to deal with it so clear out those Isles while you can! (trust me, blizzard is a bi***)!

Well historically speaking the Germans and the Finns mined the area heavily. In addition the Luftwaffe took a very heavy toll of Soviet shipping. An invasion of the islands wasn't realistic early on in the conflict. Here is a sample of what would happen if you invaded those islands in 41! So yes invading those islands in 41 is gamey becase historically it couldn't of been pulled off without the Soviet navy being slaughtered.

http://www.ask.com/wiki/Soviet_evacuation_of_Tallinn

I have not checked, but the game should not allow naval supply/movement to most of those ports during winter months since most of that area is closed to ice anyway, but I have a feeling that this part of the game was not high on the list of stuff to work on when they were making the game.

Mines and such totally closed down the Baltic fleet for much of the war (not to mention the blockade made it tough for the ships to have the fuel to go to sea anyway).

Well considering that the Soviet Baltic fleet has been totally ignored so far in this game I would say you are right. however as the Soviet player I surely do miss those two WW1 battleships. Sitting in Kronstadt their 12inch guns were a real benefit to the defenders of Leningrad.

Simply this, don't leave a port behind your lines, Baltic or Black sea...

Sound advice to be sure.

Pity we can't amphib a german division to Talinn and seize it early on...

Well it would be interesting trying to get by the Soviet Baltic fleet. Even though their BB's are WW1 vintage they would be hard to get around.

Good thing I just captured it in my PBEM. I assumed I was already getting supplies through Riga, but I was wrong. My worn out panzer divisions will finally get some new tanks.

I really like the shipping aspect of this game as in the first turn I can evacuate some units by sea and have them live to fight another day. What is even more interesting will be to see the effect of beach head supply situation, if applicable, to units under siege in Odessa and Sevastopol. Assuming you can garrison these places with troops that have good enough morale and time to refit, it would make taking these locations a interesting ordeal as they would be in supply from the sea.

Yep

In RL the Germans struggled to get torpedo boats down the Danube so they would have some naval capability in the Black Sea to interdict night time supply.