Fulkerson of Ketza vs Fulkerson

[larryfulkerson]

This is how it looked before I ( Soviet ) moved anything in turn two. In turn 1 William ( Ketza ) captured everything important and
isolated everything else. Truly a great job. I'd like to know step by step how he did that. I've practiced turn 1 Axis moves and have
never even come close to this result. Wow. And here in turn two he has zoomed forward isolating and threatening thrusts in multiple
directions. [ Sorry I didn't have the state of mind to capture a turn one screenshot. I was in a state of shock and awe. ]

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the turn 3 front lines before I moved anything. Notice how I'm attempting to use the checkerboard defense in selected areas
of the map. It's still very early in the game and no reinforcements from the far east have had time to reach the front lines yet. So the
checkerboard defense is all I have left to use. Not enough units to try a carpet defense anywhere.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the turn 4 front lines before I moved anything. Now that the rail is cut between Lgrad and Russia Lgrad is doomed. It's just a matter of time now.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the turn 5 front lines before I have moved anything.

[TulliusDetritus]

Did you not cut his AGN panzers off on turn 2? From the screenshot I think it was more than possible [:)] And perhaps even the AGC Panzers could have been cut off. If you didn't, then yes, that's a free ride for him [X(]

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the turn 6 front lines before I've moved anything.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
Did you not cut his AGN panzers off on turn 2? From the screenshot I think it was more than possible [:)] And perhaps even the AGC Panzers could have been cut off. If you didn't, then yes, that's a free ride for him [X(]

I'm kind of new at this. Can you tell?

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the turn 7 front lines before I moved anything.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the turn 8 front lines before I moved anything.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
Did you not cut his AGN panzers off on turn 2? From the screenshot I think it was more than possible [:)] And perhaps even the AGC Panzers could have been cut off. If you didn't, then yes, that's a free ride for him [X(]

I'm kind of new at this. Can you tell?

Sure [:)] Don't forget isolated units = LESS fuel and supplies. They would NOT have advanced = you would have bought one turn.

I very much suspect a similar movement was possible in the center, to isolate his other DANGEROUS spearhead [:)]

[larryfulkerson]

Here's how it looks now in turn 9 before the Soviets moved anything.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
Sure [:)] Don't forget isolated units = LESS fuel and supplies. They would NOT have advanced = you would have bought one turn.
I very much suspect a similar movement was possible in the center, to isolate his other DANGEROUS spearhead [:)]

Thank you very much for that insight. I hadn't even thought of that. I was busy running away everywhere and didn't notice the possibilities.

[TulliusDetritus]

You're welcome [:)] The problem is this might cost you Leningrad and perhaps Moscow. You are allowing him to do what he wants [8D]

[Aurelian]

I learned the hard way not to run. Sure, you keep your losses low, but so does he.

You have to slow him down so you can get defense lines built in front of Lgrad and Moscow.

You have to be willing to take losses.

There's a time for checkerboard, linebacker, and carpet defenses. The trick is to know which to use, and when.

Something I'm slowly learning[:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

Yes, it's true that the cemetery is full of heroes and that those who run away save their lives and might fight later but during the Blitzkrieg you should try to stop the fascist hordes. If you don't the outcome is pretty obvious: Siberia in the bag too [8D] I like to think I am really in charge of the whole thing. Leningrad and Moscow must NOT surrender (as per history).

[Klydon]

May want to keep an eye on when you get re-enforcements. I notice that most everything around Moscow is attached to the Moscow military district, which means that HQ is really overloaded. You also have the Reserve Front that came in the turn after that and you could have attached a lot of those Stavka re-enforcements to the Reserve Front. It also looks like Western, Bryansk, and North Western Fronts are under manned as well as far as troops attached. While none of these things will stop what is going on as far as the German push goes, it is something important to learn about.

[DTurtle]

The thing is, you have some 50-70 or so divisions sitting around Moscow not helping the fight at all - until and unless he runs into that line and attacks straight into those defenses.

You are basically fighting with one or two hands tied behind your back - no wonder he is able to break through and exploit almost at will.

You have to get those forces out of Moscow and into the fight (especially the South) otherwise you will find out that you still have Moscow but have lost the rest of the map. You can - in one turn - take two thirds of those forces and rail them around the penetration at Kharkov and start pressuring him there. He will not be able to fight very well as his supply lines should be quite long because of the fast advance.

[Da_Huge_D]

Let me put some reference picture. Here's game im playing as soviets; It's turn 7 and look how stabile things are. Every front have its 'own' territory (see color codes) and they're very clear looking, and also i like to keep em historical lol. In this situation my supply works like charm. You should keep your fronts at size 3-5 armies, and every army at size 9-10 divisions + some tanks + cavalry. Also keep in eye of SU's and evade using units in combat who are straight assigned to STAVKA.

[hfarrish]

I'll second all this - after losing big on round one you need to pick your spots to reorganize, and make sure they are not so far back from the front line that you give up everything for free. In the South, you always have enough units to plant one on every motorized/panzer unit and give him headaches for months. True, you will lose guys but it will give you time to build up a line on the Dnepr up to the Smolensk landbridge. There, it is key to build a line several units deep, which will take him some time to work through and also give you opportunities for counterattacks. You also want to make sure to build a strong line from Novgorod NW along that river that runs up to the west of Leningrad. You should have enough units to both annoy him on the front (knowing you will lose a lot of the guys) while building reasonable lines in the rear. It will take him sometime to reorganize once he hits these lines, since he will be out of supply and you will be dug in. Oh yeah, always stick units in the swamps guarding the Crimea...my opponents have always eventually broken through but far too late to seriously challenge Sevasopol.

If you pull that off, you can still lose here and there (maybe Leningrad, maybe some in the South, probably not Moscow) but you won't get totally thrashed in 41. Also - don't worry too much about reorganizing your command structure in the front, but try to get army HQs along your lines to the rear and build at least two RR construction brigades per...these guys will speed your digging in while providing essential RR repair support when you switch to the offensive.

[Bamilus]

Larry Fulkerson AAR - definitely will be following this one