Matrix Games Forums

Hi there, I have been pondering on how to apply deception and misdirection in game, I have some ideas but I am wondering if anybody has any tips on how how to fool a human oppoenent

Lowlander

Hide a shed load of tank brigades in non clear terrain. That'll make him think your building up for the big push.

As the Soviet, always try to hide your cavalry in woods.  Cavalry is your best mobility unit in 41 and can threaten supply lines when used in the right time/flank of an advance.  Hide 'em!

As the Axis: rested and well fueled armor/motorized can travel long distances. Have them close at a section of the line as a threat and break through/exploit 10 hexes away. Sometimes, you can make your opponant over protect a region and you can encircle them there.

For the Soviets, deception can be pretty easy because unit size is often not displayed for units some distance away from the front, as the detection level isn't high enough. As such, the Axis player has no idea whether he's facing brigades, divisions or corps or whether that threatening build-up of Tank units is a diversion using Tank brigades or a Tank army (not to mention that you can essentially hide an army in just 4 hexes for divisions and 2 for corps, although stacks can be an obvious sign of a build-up). It might even be a better idea to keep units in the open, as when you place them in non-clear terrain the enemy can think you're really hiding something. Of course, you can also use this to your advantage.

The Axis player can also split up mobile divisions to make it look like there's a Panzer army somewhere whilst in reality there's just a division or two.

The Soviets also have such a high rail capacity that you could theoretically just rail Tank armies around, like Flavio did in a game with Bob.

Yeah, gotta love that Russian high speed bullet train. Make a break thru somewhere and you will face 20+ div the next turn.

Naval transport. You'll never see it coming.

Oh, there is that one too. But never looked to see how many he can actually "ship" in 1 turn. But I have seen some massive rail movements.

RECON where your not going

Yeah I had thought about the Recon anywhere except where your attack is going to be..

Thnaks for all your replys

Post an AAR announcing your plans in precise detail, and then do exactly the opposite.Works every time.[:D]

I have found that as the Soviets, you can load up a striking force on trains, let them sit on the trains some distance back and then next turn rail them in, unload and attack. That way your attack force will not be obvious at all, and even if detected, the point of attack can be along a very long length of front. I think I remember reading something about the Soviets doing just this before Uranus, and I was pleased to discover that it works in the game too.

I agree with the last post. Pile a whole Soviet army on railroad tracks just behind a portion of the front (about 10 to 12 units), perhaps 20 hexes from where you want to launch your offensive. Next turn rail them to the breakthrough area and start them on their way. If you have two or three armies doing this, they can threaten nearly the whole front line. Your opponent will probably assume they will detrain and move forward behind the part of the front they are currently parked. And if you have extra RR capacity at the end of the turn, let them take a short trip to another RR siding in a different region.