Thoughts in AXIS AI Game November 1942

[bodmerm]

I survived Blizzard pretty well (-500'000 men) but lost approximately 16 hexes with AGC but almost nothing in the north and south. It seems to be wise to retreat and only hold strong points for one or two turns. As such, I never got outfanked (yes, it is AI) and it was ok for me. In spring and summer I took Smolensk, Orel, Kursk and Rhzev back and came close to Moscow (5 hexes). In the north I never was able to seize Leningrad, unfortunately. In the South I took Rostov and Voroshilovgrad and some terrain across the Manytsch. However, I have too few reliable troops to go for Stalingrad.

Several things I wanted to discuss with you guys. First, I saw that seized big Soviet cities almost always keep eing bdamaged (Kiev 98%) a year after I conquered them. Consequently, no man power drain from these cities for my faction. So such cities seem not to be valuable in term of benefits for the axis? Especially when factories were meoved eastwards before the capture. Second, partisans are rather annoying than anything else. Tehy pop up and disappear when apporached by a security squad. Only micromanagement but no benefit for gameplay. Third, I keep destroying Soviet forces (my losses 1.8 millions, theirs 6.9 millions by turn 67) but they get more and more men (7 millions now, guns (70k) and afv (11k) as well as planes (11k). I expected to give them more problems with manpower as farther I advance... Is it different when you get Leningrad and Moscow?) Fourth, the AI doesnt seem to use their planes properly. I always interdict like hell but rarely get interdicted myself or shot down.

Share your experiences with me as Axis against the AI in 1942. Thanks. As the game stands now I expect huge attacks in 1943 which will force me to retreat...

[karonagames]

Are you playing on Normal? To get the AI to switch over to the offensive, you need to give her some help. You can change the bonus setting every turn if you want to. One option would be to change settings to 95/105 in favour of the AI, then increase in 5% increments every 6months.

On normal, even in 1943 she can be outmanoeuvred and pocketed.

[Angelo]

ORIGINAL: bodmerm

I survived Blizzard pretty well (-500'000 men) but lost approximately 16 hexes with AGC but almost nothing in the north and south. It seems to be wise to retreat and only hold strong points for one or two turns. As such, I never got outfanked (yes, it is AI) and it was ok for me. In spring and summer I took Smolensk, Orel, Kursk and Rhzev back and came close to Moscow (5 hexes). In the north I never was able to seize Leningrad, unfortunately. In the South I took Rostov and Voroshilovgrad and some terrain across the Manytsch. However, I have too few reliable troops to go for Stalingrad.

Several things I wanted to discuss with you guys. First, I saw that seized big Soviet cities almost always keep eing bdamaged (Kiev 98%) a year after I conquered them. Consequently, no man power drain from these cities for my faction. So such cities seem not to be valuable in term of benefits for the axis? Especially when factories were meoved eastwards before the capture. Second, partisans are rather annoying than anything else. Tehy pop up and disappear when apporached by a security squad. Only micromanagement but no benefit for gameplay. Third, I keep destroying Soviet forces (my losses 1.8 millions, theirs 6.9 millions by turn 67) but they get more and more men (7 millions now, guns (70k) and afv (11k) as well as planes (11k). I expected to give them more problems with manpower as farther I advance... Is it different when you get Leningrad and Moscow?) Fourth, the AI doesnt seem to use their planes properly. I always interdict like hell but rarely get interdicted myself or shot down.

Share your experiences with me as Axis against the AI in 1942. Thanks. As the game stands now I expect huge attacks in 1943 which will force me to retreat...

1) The cities are for determining victory points at games end and to deny industry to Soviets.

2) I keep a least a garrison of 100% in larger cities and I have few if any problems with partisans.

3) The Soviets have endless manpower, you have to force a decisive victory to crush Russia. ( 290+ victory poubts?)

4) Working as designed.

The 500K germain causulties seems quite low, I've had over a 1 million by the end of the first winter. Which version are you using?