For Clown and Country - Bozo (Nazi) vs. Stef78 (USSR) - Stef welcome

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Bitter End
Random Weather
Mild Blizzard
Russian Attack bonus
No Paratroopers etc. etc. etc.

Great Leader Bozo says farewell to his troops

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 1

Heeresgruppe Nord

I took these screenshots on the second turn. I ignore Riga and cross the river at Daugavpils. I double team FDBs and the rail line in Kaunas is already repaired. Second Corps crosses the river at Kaisiadoris. The pocket didn't hold which I expected. The path towards Daugavpils is clear. Next turn I will reseal the pocket and move 1st and 2nd Corps towards Pskov.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 1

Heeresgruppe Mitte

Again, I took this screenshot on the second turn. Mobile forces push past Minsk and ZOC lock the units in the city. He breaks the center pocket which is annoying but not tragic because most of the path is clear for the infantry to follow. Next turn I will reseal the pocket and immediately attack the land bridge. I'll build the rail line to Minsk for a couple of turns and then rail the FDB towards Daugavpils.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 1

Heeresgruppe Süd

Standard Lvov pocket but with as little extra troops from army group center as possible. I believe I use two Panzer Divisions less then Pelton. Over the next turns I will assign all divisions from army group center to army group south. This will leave me with one empty corps which I will use as a mobile gas station. The screenshot is from the start of turn two which means that the pocket could not be broken. The way he moves his troops is very smart. This will slow down my infantry.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 2

Heeresgruppe Nord

Pocket resealed. Riga ignored. Velikaya crossed. Moderate resistance. FDBs will now split. One goes to Daugavpils and the other one to Minsk. Third FDB will be railed towards Daugavpils soon. Then, one FDB goes to Pskov and the other one towards Smolensk.

On turn one I concentrated all Ju-52s in two air fields of AGN. Fuel is now being delivered by air to HQs of army group north and center. Later, however, I will use Ju-52s exclusively to fill empty Panzer HQs with gas. This is the most efficient way as the Ju-52s only have to travel one hex.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 2

Heeresgruppe Mitte

Pocket resealed. Minsk surrounded. Land bridge is already gone. From turn two on I will make full use of the Luftwaffe to soften up target. This is incredibly effective. With two attacks I can often disrupt 12000 Russian troops. The only problem is that you have to keep an eye on the fuel supply of the air fields. So you have to move them back to the rail line at the end of the turn.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 2

Heeresgruppe Süd

Flimsy pocket south of Vinitsa. But I am able to encircle one of those 55+ morale Russian infantry divisions in the swamp. I will not use any Ju-52s for fuel deliveries in the south. Everything is concentrated in the center.

[Farfarer61]

Succinct AAR Ty. Lvov Pocket seems very efficiently done i.e. better than me. Riga, when playing Sov I sea transport in INTO Riga as long as able to dick the Ger around. Similar with Sov AF, in this case I don't send them all back to school, but to your rear, (no pun intended).

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 3

Heeresgruppe Nord

Expanding the bridgehead. Second Corps is joining the fight. Fuel is still being delivered by plane but this will stop next turn.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 3

Heeresgruppe Mitte

Rushing him at the land bridge already paid off. There are many low morale divisions in this area and combat is relatively easy. I make full use of the Luftwaffe. Each ground attack is supported by two bombing runs.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 3

Heeresgruppe Süd

He was able to break the pocket and cut off some of my mobile divisions. They will rest now and do an HQ Buildup next turn. The other mobile units advance further east just enough so that the infantry can follow.
Empty HQ from army group center is sent north to be used as mobile gas station.

[Manstein63]

[quote]ORIGINAL: Bozo_the_Clown

Turn 1

I double team FDBs and the rail line in Kaunas is already repaired.

What version are you playing? For when I tried to do the same in my game with Michael T I could only get 5 hexes from the existing rail-head before rail conversion stopped. also you are using empty HQ's as fuel depots, I thought that had been nerfed as well?
Manstein63

[Bozo_the_Clown]

What version are you playing? For when I tried to do the same in my game with Michael T I could only get 5 hexes from the existing rail-head before rail conversion stopped. also you are using empty HQ's as fuel depots, I thought that had been nerfed as well?
Manstein63

We are using the newest version delivered through Steam (1.09).

First you move FBD4 and then FBD2. FBD2 reaches Kaunas with 1 MP and is able to repair the rail line.

I pointed out the HQ gas station trick about 6-9 month ago before I went on a long break. Nothing has been fixed. You just have to watch the MP of the HQ you deliver fuel to. But that's not a problem in the center, at least not in this game.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

I just want to point out how important the Luftwaffe is for my game play. The Ju-87 are now really powerful and effective. On turn one I use them exclusively to bomb airbases. You get much better results then with long range bombers. I destroyed 4000 planes on turn one which is more then enough.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

An example of a typical bombing run.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 4

Heeresgruppe Nord

I am able to encircle Pskov. 2nd Army is arriving to cover the flanks and help out in the center.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 4

Heeresgruppe Mitte

I continue my advance in the center against heavy resistance. All infantry will be funneled through the land bridge. I use one infantry corps north and south for flank protection.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Turn 4

Heeresgruppe Süd

Now I do an HQ buildup (not last turn) with a corps consisting of four Panzer divisions. A motorized division reaches Nikolaev. One German infantry corps is tasked with capturing Odessa. The Romanians will assist.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

The Finnish comrades are joining the fight. I will be able to capture two good Russian divisions.

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Lvov pocket still alive. Two annoying mountain divisions are invading Hungary. Later in the game three mountain divisions will auto surrender. I have never seen this before.