Matrix Games Forums

On 3 Jan 2019 I have restarted this scenario after the latest update.

The initial setup:
-> I plays vs myself
-> All the new rules are on
-> Intelligence is on low (decreased from medium)
-> If in the result of a battle the enemy is destroyed or had to withdraw but the attacker had not been able to move onto the hex the defender cannot move into the hex next turn. This is the rule I have always used playing boardgames and there is a clear logic behind it. In reality there are no hexes or movement points. The fighting is done in the perimeter and once the enemy is overrun the perimeter is secured. Therefore I think it makes a lot of sense to cheat the engine by introducing this rule.
Special House Rule for T1&T2
-Soviets are limited in movement. They cannot do strategic movements.
Special House Rule for blowing up bridges
-Bridges can be blown by dug up units or any frontline unit. Not dug up HQs, MPs, Flaks etc cannot blow up bridges. This represent the historical approach. I find this rule extremely important as this prevents players from blowing up multiply bridges while moving an AT supporting company or a HQ Staff unit.




OKH (Germans)
I have decided to do a rush for bridges on Berezina and Dvina rivers (Riga-Pskov line) and to rush for Svislach river (south of Minsk) bypassing Minsk and pincering with most of my Motorized and Panzers for Smolensk.
The ultimate goal is Moskov, secondary objectives are Kiev and Leningrad.
The above 80% Pz and Mot thrust should allow for hitting the Soviets before they be able to organize defence.

General remarks
1. Player should always use the power of encircling of the enemy. I have found it to be the key to delivering devastating blows and creating gaps in enemy lines. Divide your units into 3 and use them for encircling the enemy. Thus you will be able to get the bonuses from attacking from all sides (or at least 4 sides) plus the encircled units will be much easier to be destroyed.
2. Plans are useless but planning is the key (plus using the center of gravity theory).
Plans usually crumble the moment they are started being executed. However all the planning is the key. The good planning provides for an exercise of logistics and both strategy and tactics. Where to best hit the enemy? How to best do it? What means are necessary to deliver?
And what are the alternatives?
3. Being flexible. So your master plan went to hell as the bridges were blown by the enemy and the Panzers were bogged into some unimportant mop up fighting? What to do now you may be asking yourself. Adopt, adapt and improve maggot! Check point 2 above, gather the means to execute the new plan and prepare for another failure. Repeat the exercise till you drop

A little important explanation on combat phases.

Example of encircled combat. As you get extra shift for attack from multiple directions (at least from 4 or opposites) you might be tempted to add as many units as possible. While this would be generally a good thing in a normal hex game in TAOW 4 you might get severely penalized for doing so.
You need to pay attention to the Time expended trackers as adding each units might consume some of the time.

Hope this will save you some headaches



PS. Normally in FITE2 you should be getting 4-5 phases per turn.

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Hi Gliz, for the sake of completion, maybe upload the imgs from the other thread onto this one? How do you feel the campaign is coming along?

I'm waiting for the update as the FITE2 is bugged (scaling problem which makes units 10-20% than in reality). Hence for now it is dropped.

The next version of FITE2 is ready. You go to the original FITE2 page and scroll down. I'd like to
see how you do....are you going to restart soon?

I have restarted with the new update. Will need to clean up this thread.

So I'm in turn 6 and already have crossed Dvina in 3 points, closing on Pskov and bypassed Minsk from South.
From Soviet perspective not much could have been done about it. The rail transport capacity is so low that I barely can harass the advancing Germans. Lines (if you can call them that) are so thin that if Germans attack they punch right thru and then they can advance fir 60-80km uncontested.
What I found inyeresting with this approach is that Germans are on initiative and have almost full flexibility. I think I should be reaching Smolensk in historical timeframe.
Please remember that I have send only one Pz Div North and one Pz Div and one Mot Div South. The rest is flanking towards Smolensk. The sheer power of those thrusts is devastating to the enemy.

I will pick it up from turn 5.
What happened before turn 5? The AG Nord und AG Mitte have crushed the Soviets and their armoured and mechanized elements have rushed towards the bridges on Desna, Dvina and Berezina bypassing Minsk in order to shock the STAVKA.
The effects were quite devastating. Here is the main axis of the early advance - bypassing Minsk

Turn 6 is more success for ze Germans. I must say the concept of the brutal armored fists flanking Minsk from both North and South worked out perfectly well. And STAVKA has it easier as it is aware of German plans (playing against myself is proving to be a challenge).

North of Minsk seems like a harder nut to crack. Soviets already are setting up defensive lines.

The Soviet strategic overview. To be frank it is not looking good. Lines are thin or non-existing. I need to play delay game for next 3-4 turn to survive. If Germans break through they may easily reach Smolensk and Velkiye Luki in no time.

Status: Turn 7 (11 Jul 1941)
Main observations:
1) German concentration of armoured and motorized forces is a key to rapid advance. The fast combined recon elements can rush at speed to key bridges bringing disarray to the enemy.
2) Speed is the key. Forget about taking any transport hubs, do not get your Pz/Mot Div committing into much of a combat. They need to be on the go until they drop.
3) Germans have 8-10 first turns to make as much as possible of the element of surprise (before the Soviets get a grip). In those turns Soviets do not have enough units to withstand concentrated German attacks.
4) Germans need to go for bridges on the Dvina, Berezina or any other rivers on their main axis of attack (I'm rushing towards Moskau).This way not only they secure the easy crossing for the infantry and armour but also are cutting off the enemy defensive lines and creat havoc.
5) The longer the Germans can thrust and rush the further they will advance. Soviets cannot defend the whole front. They will have to commit someplace. Naturally the Soviet player will think of protecting hubs. Which means that Germans will have it easier to get them bridges. If the Soviet player decides to defend the bridges he will not have enough means to protect Minsk, Riga or Zhytomir which is also serving Germans well. 6) In my opinion it is better to bypass main pockets of resistance and rush as far as possible for as long as possible.

-So how is the German offensive going?
-So far so good [:D]

Losses as by the start of 11 Jul 1941

Soviets
Planes: 2958
Tanks: 6954
Recon AC 1438
Artillery: 6057
AT guns: 2785
MG/HMG teams: 12188
Inf squads: 48184

Germans
Planes: 135
Tanks: 123
Horse teams: 388
Recon AC: 23
Artillery: 252
AT guns: 359
SS teams (incl. Cav): 67
Inf squads (incl. Cav & Rec): 757
Inf LMG squads: 4968
MG teams: 558