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Hail and well met Grognards and Dabblers alike!

I bought this game six months ago (I played the original a bit) and it was just too much to even get started on but I managed to lose my job here a few weeks back and finally had the time to really jump in and learn how to play. Tried a few smaller scenarios and did OK so jumped in and tried the GC as the Axis. I was able to fight effectively but had no idea how to manage supplies or even build tracks manually so the offense lost steam quick. I resolved to figure out logistics, and restarted with a basic understanding of rail construction, air supply, and HQBU and things are going much better. I also looked over some Axis AAR's and adopted a MUCH more cavalier style with my Panzers as really the Soviets are completely inept early on (really they can't muster any sort of counter attacks til at least turn 5 it seems to me). This did seemingly bite me in the butt at one point as a panzer+moto division got 'sixed' (surrounded on every side and attacked) in a mismanaged right hook near Ilmen. But they just routed right back to the nearly Corps HQ and reformed with no loss of morale and even got fully resupplied... I am sure you have to be more careful later on but it seems to me. Anyhow here is what I have done by close to the end of my turn 11:

AGN had an astounding inital success, taking Pskov turn 2. The Stavka rushed major reinforcements there to try and save Leningrad and my attack slowed quite a bit. We pushed north to Novgorod and tried to anchor our flank on the Polist while attempting a right hook which was brtually counterattcked as described above but I simply reformed my panzers and sent them on a left cross along Luga pocketing a good 10 divs which were quickly dispatched, this is where it stands now, think I have a shot at taking the city still before the winter?

Hmm seems like I can't post pics yet? Anyhow... AGC did well, I made sure this time to not strip off/divert any corps to help AGN. I swept forward to Minsk quickly but did not stop and made sure to establish solid bridgeheads over the two major rivers on the way to encircle Smolensk before running low on fuel. We waited a bit for the infantry to rush up and got into a bit of a slugfest in the rough terrain but the Pocket was completed around turn 7. He did manage to break the pocket in one spot and half the encircled troops did a congo line back to Moscow, but I got the rest. Even better tho, the attack so completely disrupted his front lines that he still really hasnt been able to reform them, and he seems simply low on divisions in the Center, with a huge gap south of Moscow right now that gives me optimism I can make it to Tula before winter!

AGS did its thing, big Lvov pocket, the onwards to the Don. Just completed the Kiev pocket tho it wasn't that large as he had pulled back most of his troops behind the Don. The Rumanians did sportingly well and easily took Odessa then Nikolev, currently attacking towards the Crimea, supporting the Kiev pocket, and simultaneously trying to take Dnep (Im a bit late there). I do think I have a good shot at Stalino before winter which would be great. I think if I can take Leningrad and knock out a lot of factories, '42 will prove decisive.

Anyhow I have a thousand questions about this game (so much to figure out) but at the same time sometimes its better to just do your own thing a bit and experiment. Once in awhile you even figure out things that no one else thought of as people settle on a 'best strategy'. You can always go back later and imitate other folk's tactics. One thing I tried for example was while waiting for the builk of AGC's infantry to force march up towards Smolensk was HQBU 4th Panzer army and do a 1 turn on 'refit'. Not only did they get geared up to spearhead the pocket, but I got a couple nice messages like '10th Panzer div has been upgraded to Pz-IVf' in my turn report! And now as I sit on turn 11, the Panzer Div's involved are all nice and full on their TOE's and sporting mostly Pz-III's with a good 2-3 dozen IV's in each div. Most excellent!

Try taking Leningrad before the winter as top priority. That way you will be able to use the finnish troops to hold a part of your lines. You will really need it, especially if you chose harsh first winter (although the game default is mild winter, so if you didnt uncheck anything you will be fine).

Yeah thanks that was #1 on my goal, it looked great right off as I took Pskov turn 2, but Stavka (the AI) rushed a ton of help in response and it became a bit of a slog. I am up to Turn 14 and have my infantry surrounding the forts S of the city, need to try and clear the way up to the Lake ports and assault, I should be ok as I have close to 20 Inf div's ready for the attack with the Pz army moving to cut off their ports...it's gonna be a bit close tho. What is going much better is the chaos south of Moscow, Tula just fell (factories!) and he remains unable to reform his lines...