approaching Winter of 1941

[pbhawkin1]

Hi all,
So in my first ever game playing the 41 campaign it is 25 Sep 1941 and my Axis forces are just past Rzhev
near Moscow, they are at the gates of Kharkov and 10 hexes or so away from Stalino in the South, But faced
with a solid barrier of units around Leningrad up to 4-5 hexes deep.
Soviets have lost 2 million men and Germany about 200 thousand.
I am playing the AI.
After having read a lot of comments and threads I believe (please correct me if I am wrong) that I should aim
to be 5-6 hexes past where I want to be in Feb 1942 to allow for Soviet Winter offensive?
I should also try to pull armour into urban areas.
I have reduced the SU's (AA, AT, MG, ART, RKT etc) TOE down to 75% but will make it 50% before Winter.
I won't build fortifications.
Do I try to hold a solid line or have large 'Hedgehogs' as my defensive plan?

any suggestions much appreciated.

[Farfarer61]

Well, play as if you were against a human. Try and take Moscow but be prepared to abandon it without regrets.
1941 is all about capturing surrendering Sov forces, destroying ARM etc.