T1-T2 Axis Thoughts and General Strategy
Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:08 pm
I've played a few games, messed around with Carlkay's saves, and read a ton of posts here (super helpful), but have some questions/guidance on T1 + T2 for Axis. I'm going to list what I've been trying out and areas I struggle with and would appreciate feedback if I'm making dumb decisions (and yes I know each game is different with the variable reserve status and morale and weather, but talking in general). Sorry, this will be a long thread!
This is assuming a historic first few turns (i.e. I'm not going to send 4th Panzer Group south turn 1) and AI morale 110 (so Soviets can reform lines easier) with FOW on.
Overall Questions/Thoughts:
1. There's a lot of corps attached to each army and some have only so many divisions that each corps would average 2-3. Is it better to instead of a few super corps, at least the start, to take advantage of a better leader and concentrate SU's? Meaning, have 9/9 command capacity and leave other corps empty or maybe 1 division until you need to branch out as you get further.
2. I used to set everyone to 0 SU level and bring all the SU's to OKH to then re-send out manually, but typically find it easier to just move SU's from the wealthy beginning corps/armies to the ones that need more. Off top of my head I know there's a corps in the 9th army that has an insane amount of SU's given it's size. Not sure if this is optimal but I try to ensure each infantry corps has at least 1 artillery, 1 AA, and 1 engineer, at a minimum.
3. Speaking of SU's, is it better for infantry corps to have artillery over motorized corps (if you have to pick)? 1st Panzer Group has lots of artillery in the motorized divisions, but wondering if it makes sense to share that wealth since there's many starting infantry corps that are lacking artillery.
4. I think it makes sense in general to use infantry to punch the hole so motorized divisions don't have to take ZOC MP penalty (I know there are T1 special rules), but what about for converting enemy territory? I used to move all my infantry first, then motorized, but lately I've switched to infantry punching the hole with motorized moving forward and converting hexes which allows my infantry to move even further up.
5. Due to regiment MP penalty, I find it best to keep units as a division and then breakdown near last end of their move. Not sure if optimal or if anyone has any thoughts (vs splitting up and taking territory with beginning MP). Obviously depends where you're at and sometimes you just want to fan out and take as much as you can, but I find the regiment MP penalty and inability to convert adjacent hexes to generally be too negative.
6. Generally I only use panzers to attack weak infantry/airborne/security/fortress units. Even low CV tank enemies eat up my tanks. I think I attack too frequently with motorized divisions, in general. I feel like it sucks having to use CPP to take out a fortress unit but sometimes you have to.
7. AP I use for depots/priority repairs on first 2 turns. After that I prioritize dismissing bad corps leaders (PG infantry corps prioritized first). I have set 11th Army on assault in first 5 turns but not sure if that's worth it. Haven't replaced any army leaders except 11th Army eventually.
8. Haven't been using air transports to resupply much, at all. Seems like supply is so precarious early enough that I don't want to take away from depots to air resupply.
AGN:
1. There's 2 Corps attached to OKH/AGN in this region. I typically assign one to 18th and one to 16th Army.
2. T1 - 18th army goes west of Baltic swamp area, 16th goes right. One motorized division goes left and takes Riga, other goes right and crosses river, trapping Soviets.
3. My biggest problem with come T2 and T3 is Pskov and Velikaya river. I can get near Pskov by T2 but it just feels like that river line is also super well defended and the mountain/heavy forest going down to Velikiye Luki means my 4PG and 16th Army (and parts of 9th) just get bogged down. I feel like getting Pskov super early and trying to circle around the river (clockwise) to pocket AI or force them to move back is the most important part of AGN. I haven't had success yet in getting Pskov early enough or forcing AI off that river/mountain line quick enough.
4. 18th army will eventually push to Narva, 4PG can either head east/SE from Pskov or push north to Leningrad, 16th army pushes north/NE to Leningrad.
AGC:
1. There's 3 corps in this region attached to OKH/AGC and one or two aren't activated until T2/T3. I typically put these 3 corps in 2nd Army and then attached 2nd Army to AGC, even though it puts AGC over command capacity.
2. T1 9th army goes north of Bialytosk pocket (basically going east from their starting point). 4th army goes southeast/east of pocket. I use the 3 corps in 1 to basically just ZOC the pocket T1 and blast small units. Leave bigger units for T2+T3 cleanup. 3rd Panzer seals northern pocket at Minsk while also pushing to Daugavpils. 2nd Panzer seals southern pocket at Minsk, some fan out east towards Dnepr.
3. T2 try use PG's to trap units around Vitebsk/Smolensk land bridge. I usually don't have an issue taking Vitebsk T3 or Smolensk by T5/T6, but I find the push to Gomel and beyond to an absolute slog, since I typically send my PG's to the Smolensk land bridge (or north of it), rather than crossing the Dnepr farther south.
4. I typically avoid Pripayet for most part, other than the edges. Use the security divisions to take as much of swamp as I can before they withdraw. However, I do usually have to send a 6th Army division or 2nd Army division to clear out the last few units on a later turn.
5. In my games the 9th Army ends up getting stuck in the forest/swamp past Vitebsk/Dauga and pushes towards Velikiye Luki and meets up with southern part of 16th Army. 4th Army ends up east of Dnepr. 2nd Army above Pripayet and below 4th. 3PG north of Smolensk and 2PG east of Smolensk, but haven't tried sending 2PG south as was done historically. Seems very hard to take Orel on time if you don't do this movement but not sure if it's worth it.
AGS:
1. Lots of units get reassigned so 17th army isn't over capacity. Usually puts lot of infantry to 1PG so it's well stocked.
2. Reassign all Rumanians out of 11th army. This leaves 11th army a little bare, but I try to send most reinforcement divisions first 5-6 turns to the South and add them to 11th Army.
3. T1 basically take Lvov, trap units west with 17th army. 6th army heads east/SE, slowly. 1PG just fans out, usually east/NE of Lvov to avoid activating the SU front. T2 I can meet up with Rumanians to seal a big pocket and can usually get some more pockets in T3 as I push east to Tarnopol and others.
4. Overall, 6th army ends up south of Pripayet marshes and around Kiev. 17th Army south of that. 11th army south of that. I typically have used 1PG to help take Kiev early and then move it further south to push to Dnepro. Doesn't seem that hard to take Dnepro in general, but Stalino and Rostov seem harder to take.
This is assuming a historic first few turns (i.e. I'm not going to send 4th Panzer Group south turn 1) and AI morale 110 (so Soviets can reform lines easier) with FOW on.
Overall Questions/Thoughts:
1. There's a lot of corps attached to each army and some have only so many divisions that each corps would average 2-3. Is it better to instead of a few super corps, at least the start, to take advantage of a better leader and concentrate SU's? Meaning, have 9/9 command capacity and leave other corps empty or maybe 1 division until you need to branch out as you get further.
2. I used to set everyone to 0 SU level and bring all the SU's to OKH to then re-send out manually, but typically find it easier to just move SU's from the wealthy beginning corps/armies to the ones that need more. Off top of my head I know there's a corps in the 9th army that has an insane amount of SU's given it's size. Not sure if this is optimal but I try to ensure each infantry corps has at least 1 artillery, 1 AA, and 1 engineer, at a minimum.
3. Speaking of SU's, is it better for infantry corps to have artillery over motorized corps (if you have to pick)? 1st Panzer Group has lots of artillery in the motorized divisions, but wondering if it makes sense to share that wealth since there's many starting infantry corps that are lacking artillery.
4. I think it makes sense in general to use infantry to punch the hole so motorized divisions don't have to take ZOC MP penalty (I know there are T1 special rules), but what about for converting enemy territory? I used to move all my infantry first, then motorized, but lately I've switched to infantry punching the hole with motorized moving forward and converting hexes which allows my infantry to move even further up.
5. Due to regiment MP penalty, I find it best to keep units as a division and then breakdown near last end of their move. Not sure if optimal or if anyone has any thoughts (vs splitting up and taking territory with beginning MP). Obviously depends where you're at and sometimes you just want to fan out and take as much as you can, but I find the regiment MP penalty and inability to convert adjacent hexes to generally be too negative.
6. Generally I only use panzers to attack weak infantry/airborne/security/fortress units. Even low CV tank enemies eat up my tanks. I think I attack too frequently with motorized divisions, in general. I feel like it sucks having to use CPP to take out a fortress unit but sometimes you have to.
7. AP I use for depots/priority repairs on first 2 turns. After that I prioritize dismissing bad corps leaders (PG infantry corps prioritized first). I have set 11th Army on assault in first 5 turns but not sure if that's worth it. Haven't replaced any army leaders except 11th Army eventually.
8. Haven't been using air transports to resupply much, at all. Seems like supply is so precarious early enough that I don't want to take away from depots to air resupply.
AGN:
1. There's 2 Corps attached to OKH/AGN in this region. I typically assign one to 18th and one to 16th Army.
2. T1 - 18th army goes west of Baltic swamp area, 16th goes right. One motorized division goes left and takes Riga, other goes right and crosses river, trapping Soviets.
3. My biggest problem with come T2 and T3 is Pskov and Velikaya river. I can get near Pskov by T2 but it just feels like that river line is also super well defended and the mountain/heavy forest going down to Velikiye Luki means my 4PG and 16th Army (and parts of 9th) just get bogged down. I feel like getting Pskov super early and trying to circle around the river (clockwise) to pocket AI or force them to move back is the most important part of AGN. I haven't had success yet in getting Pskov early enough or forcing AI off that river/mountain line quick enough.
4. 18th army will eventually push to Narva, 4PG can either head east/SE from Pskov or push north to Leningrad, 16th army pushes north/NE to Leningrad.
AGC:
1. There's 3 corps in this region attached to OKH/AGC and one or two aren't activated until T2/T3. I typically put these 3 corps in 2nd Army and then attached 2nd Army to AGC, even though it puts AGC over command capacity.
2. T1 9th army goes north of Bialytosk pocket (basically going east from their starting point). 4th army goes southeast/east of pocket. I use the 3 corps in 1 to basically just ZOC the pocket T1 and blast small units. Leave bigger units for T2+T3 cleanup. 3rd Panzer seals northern pocket at Minsk while also pushing to Daugavpils. 2nd Panzer seals southern pocket at Minsk, some fan out east towards Dnepr.
3. T2 try use PG's to trap units around Vitebsk/Smolensk land bridge. I usually don't have an issue taking Vitebsk T3 or Smolensk by T5/T6, but I find the push to Gomel and beyond to an absolute slog, since I typically send my PG's to the Smolensk land bridge (or north of it), rather than crossing the Dnepr farther south.
4. I typically avoid Pripayet for most part, other than the edges. Use the security divisions to take as much of swamp as I can before they withdraw. However, I do usually have to send a 6th Army division or 2nd Army division to clear out the last few units on a later turn.
5. In my games the 9th Army ends up getting stuck in the forest/swamp past Vitebsk/Dauga and pushes towards Velikiye Luki and meets up with southern part of 16th Army. 4th Army ends up east of Dnepr. 2nd Army above Pripayet and below 4th. 3PG north of Smolensk and 2PG east of Smolensk, but haven't tried sending 2PG south as was done historically. Seems very hard to take Orel on time if you don't do this movement but not sure if it's worth it.
AGS:
1. Lots of units get reassigned so 17th army isn't over capacity. Usually puts lot of infantry to 1PG so it's well stocked.
2. Reassign all Rumanians out of 11th army. This leaves 11th army a little bare, but I try to send most reinforcement divisions first 5-6 turns to the South and add them to 11th Army.
3. T1 basically take Lvov, trap units west with 17th army. 6th army heads east/SE, slowly. 1PG just fans out, usually east/NE of Lvov to avoid activating the SU front. T2 I can meet up with Rumanians to seal a big pocket and can usually get some more pockets in T3 as I push east to Tarnopol and others.
4. Overall, 6th army ends up south of Pripayet marshes and around Kiev. 17th Army south of that. 11th army south of that. I typically have used 1PG to help take Kiev early and then move it further south to push to Dnepro. Doesn't seem that hard to take Dnepro in general, but Stalino and Rostov seem harder to take.
