Matrix Games Forums

Hello,

I'm a newbie with this game, and on my first attempt at reaching Smolensk, I had no problems up until turn 7 (August 3rd), reaching the edge of Smolensk with the bulk of the army group. On turn 7 though, a lot of my mobile units had around 50% fuel and ammo, which isn't enough to operate with. I kept my HQ's to within 5 hexes of their units, but I was stretching things with the rail head, which I had advanced (a double rail line via Vilnius) to within 4 hexes of Minsk. I also built depots in Vilnius, Minsk, Balbasava, and Vitebsk. I had in an earlier aborted start to the game tried to advance the rail to Minsk from Brest Litovsk, but it was going to take way too long. Note with the line I have going to Minsk, I used 4 FBDs to do it, which seems a bit extreme to me, but I can't see how it can be done otherwise.

Thoughts on this? Where am I going wrong? I know historically the Germans took Smolensk around this time, and were within a couple of weeks ready for their next offensive, so it must be possible with the game mechanics? Note also I have had no problems in the north and south, making great progress with both.

Cheers, Mark

I find that the double rail line along the north bank of the Dvina is easier to get going early than the rail through Minsk. Might just be how I structure my attack, though. I have yet to be persuaded that Leningrad's 36 points are worth fighting for.

I think the attraction of Leningrad is you basically gets to win the northern front and free up a lot of troops