Russian opponent wanted

[WarPig]

WiR 3.3

Haven't play this game before against anybody. I need some input.

[matt.buttsworth]

I would be happy to play you as Russian.
Standard house rules.
But I do not want to play version 3.3. Version 3.1 is bug free and blizzards are not catastrophic so they can be played. 1941 winter for German is unplayable with blizzard combat in 3.3.
My own rules I like - keeps game simple and may produce a good game are:
standard house rules +
no special supply
Germans use air supply as much as they want (Russians cannot in this version. Bugger)
Combat during blizzard 1941
After blizzard no ground combat in snow or mud until summer 1942 comes so that Germans can properly recover to create a long game.
(Usually a good Russian siezes the iniative in blizzard and attacks from then on till end of game, game ending Spring 1943.)
Otherwise if you prefer - set German withdrawal at start of blizzards - 3-4 squares - normal conflict after that.

If you want any advice about the game please ask as I have played it a bit.

Matt

[WarPig]

What's the difference between 3.1 from 3.3 besides the blizzard problem?

Do you happen to have the 3.1 zip?

[matt.buttsworth]

Yes I do have a zip and can send it to you if you want.
The three main differences are (including blizzard):
- 3.1 functions much better in 1941 blizzards without using special supply (I do not want to use it),
- the difference between heavy and medium/light tanks is still there so you cannot mass produce heavy tanks (production after changing factories also tends to increase more to maximum),
- Russian air lift does not work, so surrounded cities cannot be supplied by airlift. A minor problem I had hoped they would fix, but they have not.
So do you want a game? Would you like me to send you a 3.1 zip file?

[WarPig]

Please do send it.

Do you have my email address? If not, it is aportillo@nxn-software.com

[Ed Cogburn]

Originally posted by matt.buttsworth
But I do not want to play version 3.3. Version 3.1 is bug free and blizzards are not catastrophic so they can be played. 1941 winter for German is unplayable with blizzard combat in 3.3.

Its only "unplayable" because you refuse to use special supply for some reason. Its very playable for everyone else. Stop confusing people and spreading FUD.

[matt.buttsworth]

Ed,
I have always respected your comments.
After Ric having clarified the blizzard readiness levels - basically 50% to avoid shattering - we instituted special blizzard rules with Germans being advised to make maximum use of special supply and airlifts to boost readiness over 50%.
Perhaps as German I could have done a better job. I am not sure.
In one game, my opponent tried to do, and mainly survived with severe but playable losses - he pushed too hard in November and did not dig in.
In the other game, my opponent dug in very early, (August with some units), but then despite my advice, did not use special supply and airlift resulting in the disaster.
He now does not want to play blizzard and we are resting through the blizzard turns.
The problem I have discovered, is that if you make a concentrated attack as Russian, preferably with a breakthrough shock army and two support armies to maximise odds, and break through the defences, on the second continuing attack (66) you will almost always shatter the German who's readiness has already fallen because of the blizzard retreat.
If you can do this 5-8 times up and down the front, not unplayable, the German losses are huge, and their dug in front line is gone.
(I am a very good Russian blizzard player).
By contrast, in 3.1 without special supply, sometimes the Germans held, sometimes not, but when you continued the attack, they almost survived, so that multiple attacks on one unit would not inevitably shatter the defender.
Even if you are advancing to the enemy in 3.3 and the second attack is not co-ordinated, the effect of repeated attacks on a unit with initially high readiness will cause a shatter by about the third attack.
One attack wir 3.3 works well with special supply,
three repeated attacks or
one continuing attack, advance attack,
and the defender shatters almost every time.

It is bad unless you stop continuing attacks as Russian, but that prevents breakthroughs, encirclements, destruction of defence lines, etc.
So that is why I prefer Wir 3.1.
If other players prefer Wir 3.3 good for them.
I hope you now understand my problems with Wir 3.3 blizzard.

Matt