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Playing Axis vs. AI and now merging beat-up Ger divs to keep others at max strength. Getting 15,000 man divs. Figure I can split to 5,000 man regiments if needed, but like the simple punching power of full strength divs. Anticipating withdrawals and defensive strategy coming in '43/'44 will be simpler and effective.

Thoughts (merge or no-merge?)

I think like a lot of things in this game, there isn't a set right way or wrong way with strategy and to a point, the matter of degree may well matter more. (IE, how often are you merging divisions together).

For the Axis, once a counter is gone through disbanding/merger, its gone. You can never get it back. It is also true during the course of a normal game that there is no way the German replacements can keep up with the amount of counters they have. Indeed, this revisits one of the issues the Germans faced during the war and that is replacements vs raising of new units. Hitler in particular would insist on using a fair number of replacements to raise new units vs those replacements going to exisiting units. Others on the German general staff did not want to see new units, but would have rather seen all the production/replacements go to exisiting units.

I would be careful of doing this too much because while it is desirable to have stronger units overall, there is something to be said about numbers (extra units, even weak ones, can be used to dig new lines of fortifications, etc). Also, you can have strong units in place and in some cases, it won't matter on defense when the Russians use 3+ arty divisions, 5-7 rifle corps and some other units to pound a hex. If in fact this happens, the unit at full strength may fight better and cause the attackers some extra losses, but it will take a ton more losses itself because more is there to lose.

My general feeling would be it is ok to do this some, but not a ton and you have to be careful of where you have your full strength units, etc.

Thanks Klydon, for your thoughtful and prompt reply.

I'm doing this now in the Case Blau scenario and will see how it goes. Often, cannot manage to double/triple up mergable divisions, so might never do too many anyway.

Was hoping to hear from some who does this, or knows not to.

U should know that playing Case Blue the experience will be different than if u played a GC to summer of 42. Not that, that helps u in playing the Case Blue scn. Ur starting with the historic '42 OOB in Case Blue scn naturally. The amount that the german divs that are runned down is different than playing the CG. This means the "to merge or not to merge" considerations is a bit different in the 2 experiences. Just as a caution. Klydon do give sound advice overall on the issue.

Kind regards,

Rasmus

I recommend this not be done until the end game when your fornt is much shorter. A low fatigue division at 20 % TOE is better than a regiment. I use 10% Pz Divs with high morale and MP's as hex flippers. Sounds gamey but the whole "true CV" of a Pz Div and breakdown rates is so strange that I have no issues with some payback.

Good point about the depleted PzDivs-hex flippers. Regiments can't do that, nor accept support units. So far my experience in Case Blue has not yeilded all that many merged divs, so perhaps a moot point.