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My campaign against "The Pro's" is nearing the bitter end so it's time for another shot at victory in the East. Sapper222 will be my opponent. This will be my fourth campaign as axis with two of them going the distance and one currently in March '42.

A few strategic objectives:

1) Take Leningrad - this will allow me to free up the Finns during the blizzard (along with the obvious manpower loss for the Soviets)
2) Capture as many Soviet units as possible. I learned this the hard away against the Pro's. I captured <1 million Soviets during summer '41 and never recovered. I ran into a wall of Soviet units in '42 which made it very difficult to push the Soviets east.
3) Capture as many manpower centers as possible in an attempt to keep the Red army OOB as low as possible.

Turn 1 AGN:

As much as I enjoy this game I really don't enjoy turn 1 as Axis, maybe since I repeat the same moves every time or maybe since I'm just not that good at turn 1! A decent opening by AGN however Sappers Riga defenders repulse two hasty attacks by my panzers (with pioneers) and Riga holds.

AGC:

Fairly standard opening by AGC.

AGS:

I boned up the AGS opening and Sapper will open the pocket next turn. Hopefully Sapper will use this opportunity to commit some forces to re-open the pocket and I'll be able to trap them turn 2 (I doubt he will but I'll try and be optomistic).

Good luck Smokin' May you trash all other Soviets. You do, however, have to get better at the die rolling than you did at Riga. Did you not have Manstein in command range when you attacked it?

Your norther opening needs to be worked on. if you plough up the middle as you did, lots of commies rout out which makes your job taking L'grad much harder.

Thanks Sillyflower. It was Reinhardt in XXXXI corps who failed to take Riga - he will be closely watched for the rest of the campaign!

Turn 2 - AGN

Sapper makes me pay for not taking Riga and opens a supply route for the few units I did have in the pocket. I decide to bypass Riga for this turn and move my best infantry divisions east for the assault on Pskov.

AGC

Sapper put a lot of units in the landbridge and left just a handful of units in the poor terrain SW of Velike Luki. I decide to send XXIX panzer corps north of the Dvina to try and capture the good defensive terrain and also put some pressure on his Pskov line from the south.

AGS

Sapper is heading for the Denpr while leaving some pickets to slow me down. I suspect he is transferring units north to defend Leningrad and Moscow.

about riga:

if you add a pionier btl. to each of the 2 attacking PD one of your hasty attacks takes the city normaly.

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

about riga:

if you add a pionier btl. to each of the 2 attacking PD one of your hasty attacks takes the city normaly.

He mentioned that he did. I however have never lost the Riga battle more than 1x. Shame he missed that one.

oh didnt saw that. hmm then its strange and maybe extremly bad roll.

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

oh didnt saw that. hmm then its strange and maybe extremly bad roll.

A new twist to game.

I have been testing some new openings and taking Riga is much harder using the standard set-up.

Yes in the past 1 or 2 HA and you had the city, but there is a close to 50% chance you will fail now doing all 4 HA's.

I found an easy fix.

Each panzer division had a pioneer attached - and two hasty attacks failed. My biggest disappointment from turn 1. However we march on to Pskov.....

I Think there's a good case to be made for not assaulting Riga.It's an unnecessary diversion.I've taken to screening it with a broken down 36th mot div while the rest of 41st pz corps gets on with the more important job of sprinting East.
For example, like so.

Attacking Riga is a waste of MPS with a chance it may not even fall and mess up your pockets. Better served to just screen it.

ORIGINAL: Ketza

Attacking Riga is a waste of MPS with a chance it may not even fall and mess up your pockets. Better served to just screen it.

Its far more of a diversion if he digs in with 3 divisions in a light urban hex. One that is shielded from the South by a big river. For me its Riga at all costs.

I would rather have the Soviet pile troops in to Riga than have them between me and Leningrad. Once Leningrad goes Riga is then toast. I have seen my Soviet opponents reinforce Riga after I bypass it only to then evacuate the place once Leningrad is in peril. I don't wast my time at Riga anymore.

ORIGINAL: Michael T

I would rather have the Soviet pile troops in to Riga than have them between me and Leningrad. Once Leningrad goes Riga is then toast. I have seen my Soviet opponents reinforce Riga after I bypass it only to then evacuate the place once Leningrad is in peril. I don't wast my time at Riga anymore.

So you don't run your AGN rail line through Riga? That seems to be the most important factor for me getting the rail line up to Pskov then Leningrad.

No rail thru Riga.

ORIGINAL: smokindave34

ORIGINAL: Michael T

I would rather have the Soviet pile troops in to Riga than have them between me and Leningrad. Once Leningrad goes Riga is then toast. I have seen my Soviet opponents reinforce Riga after I bypass it only to then evacuate the place once Leningrad is in peril. I don't wast my time at Riga anymore.

So you don't run your AGN rail line through Riga? That seems to be the most important factor for me getting the rail line up to Pskov then Leningrad.

Lol I pointed this out 6 months ago.

Moron after moron kept ignoring me but whats new.

MT's rail line exposes Leningrad and Moscow.