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End Turn 5

My opponent is using a defensive tactic I term the 'swarm'. Basically he 'swarms' my lead units with as many guys as he can. So far I have found it ineffective and leading to a high loss rate for him. He also tends to have a front line of full strength units with no real depth. Strong but brittle. This has resulted in quite a few useful encirclements.

I actually reached Vyzama on turn 4 but rather than go directly for Moscow this turn I decided the Red Army needed a little more thinning out first and surrounded his units between Vyzama and Gomel. Besides my infantry needs to catch up.

Things got a little bogged down in the North but I intend to ramp that up soon. His massive loss of full strength units across the rest of the front will begin to tell in this area eventually.

Good progress in the South. Although a slip of the mouse will mean he can re-establish contact with the Kiev pocket which was created on turn 4.

So far 19 Arm captured or surrounded. There are 16 in D-Town but I am not prepared to count them yet as he will most likely push back LAH.

AGC

AGS

Losses

Up to your old tricks? Anyone who thinks that the game is unbalanced in favor of the Soviets still has much to learn and consider.

Up to your old tricks? Anyone who thinks that the game is unbalanced in favor of the Soviets still has much to learn and consider.

So much has to do with the players. He said his opponent was putting his units up front on a platter and creating no depth allowing him to run free.
Into Poltava and Vyazma on turn 5?! He can't be paying much EZOC costs.
Is this your opponent's first game vs. a human?
These are how valuable lessons are learned though...

The swarm is for 1942. In 1941 you must use the picket and the tar baby.

Not like I did not warn. tm.asp?m=3024844

I forgot to mention his first line of defence after 22 June was not met till Smolensk in AGC, that's a pretty big runaway and mostly why I was in Vyzama on turn 4.

No blockers at all? What did he do with all his NKVD?

You have to picket the whole Axis front line. One unit every three hexes, consisting of the most expendable units you've got. ZOCs on everything. Main line of resistance further back based on terrain features. Single units on the MLR, mostly (Pskov and the Dnepr south of the Pripyet are exceptions to this, at least temporarily.) Then put some stuff further behind that, to work on the next MLR. Never give up territory for free. Never overcommit to holding it, either. The panzers will just clear lanes and the infantry will get in your face amazingly fast.

There was the odd crap tank div and some inf between Minsk and Smolensk, no serious opposition though. Most of the security guys were up north.

ORIGINAL: Marquo

Up to your old tricks? Anyone who thinks that the game is unbalanced in favor of the Soviets still has much to learn and consider.

.
It really is who you play.

On balance only about 25% of the SHC players I play know what they are doing.

8421 clearly is a top russian player, along with Kamil and Hoooper. Others simply have played poor german players and are over confident in thier "game". Once they face a good German player as there are very few they don't do so hot. Most of those guys ajust there games and do fine next time around.

MT is clearly one of the best, he can ajust to who he is playing on the fly.

If the SHC player does not have a very good understanding of the game mechanics he will get schooled.

Spank some SHC butt MT

There is still hope for the dark side

Pelton

"It really is who you play"

Yes it does; it most certainly does; which is why many of the discussions about balance, etc. are like so much hot air.

End Turn 7

Shame on me for using the odd HQ BU.

92 Arm locked in.

My opponent is considering his options at the moment. He accepts he made some early errors. He may concede, but has not decided yet.

From my experience the game is effectively over. But he may yet play on. We shall see.

AGC

AGS

AGSS

Losses

My opponent has conceded. I don't hold that against him. He will learn from this.

Makes sense, he'll learn.

The 1941 Soviets are really tough to play against an opponent who knows what he is doing. Trust me, I think I generally know what I am doing at Soviets, and I am getting smoked in my game vs. JAMiaM.

Either the the logistics of this game needs redone and badly, or playing the Soviet in 1941 is a puzzle few have solved; I suspect it is some of each.