The Flanks of AGC

[CatSoup]

so after taking smolensk AGC's flank become extremly exposed. Do you guys commit your armor to Velikie Luki to the north and push toward south of smolensk while the infantry catches up?

[Jango32]

It would depend on the difficulty I suspect. On normal difficulty, I managed to grab Smolensk with 7th Panzer and Panzer-Lehr on turn 2 because the Soviets left gaps in the land bridge, and I managed to reach Lepel and Polotsk on turn 1 with Schmidt's corps.

On turn 3 I formed pockets with Manstein's corps and Schmidt's between Pskov, Vitebsk and Velikie Luki (taken on that turn), and I used the second half of PzGr 3 with a PzGr 2 corps to encircle everything to the west of Roslavl, to the south of Orsha and to the north of Rogachev. The remainder of PzGr 2 went south for Gomel and attempt a link-up with PzGr 1 at Chernigov, though that happened later - initially encircled the Pripyat by going southwest of Rechitsa.

The remaining turns were used to rest the infantry catching up and eliminating the big pockets formed; as well as forming another pocket of opportunity by eventually linking up at Chernigov. Afterward I started advancing Panzergroup 2 towards Bryansk from Gomel & Smolensk and half of PzGr 3 pressed on towards Vyazma/Moscow.

Turn 8 starting situation in the northern side of Army Group Center.

[Bamilus]

I try to grab Velikie Luki early for that reason and also because it becomes way harder to take after first few turns if you give Soviets a chance to fortify in that terrain.

If you focus on taking that and Pskov early then you really won't have issues with your flanks.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: Bamilus

I try to grab Velikie Luki early for that reason and also because it becomes way harder to take after first few turns if you give Soviets a chance to fortify in that terrain.

If you focus on taking that and Pskov early then you really won't have issues with your flanks.

would agree with this. V-L is the only decent depot on that rail line so if the axis controls it the Soviets will struggle to do much, if they control it they can make mischief on the hinge of AGN/C with some ease.

[CatSoup]

Your troops are so spread out o-0, i split my guys into battalion to cover a full line when i end turn. you are not afraid of getting cut off? This i what my AGN/AGC looks like after some movement in T4. I am now afraid of attack with Pzg 2 and pzg 3 now because the huge wall of russians...not sure what to do

[Jango32]

Because I am on normal difficulty and semi-regularly make pockets, so far the AI has had to abandon a defensive line more often than not. If you're playing on 110 settings for the AI then my lines would indeed be exposed due to that unlimited admin movement.

Even so I don't think you need to cover every single hex because of ZoC rules.