Quickest way to take down Odessa?

[M60A3TTS]

If the port has 70-80k defenders, what's the quickest practical way to take the fort down?

[Kursk1943]

I got the best results by using 9 German divisions of 11th Army, moving them as fast as possible to Odessa. Naval interdiction using Fliegerführer Ostsee or Romanian Ar Command very early. Additionally the standard procedure for taking city hexes: lots of artillery, preferable the very heavy ones, lots of pioneer battalions (at least 4) and preferable some Stug battalions. I don't use Romanian divisions, they take very high losses and become unready fast.

[carlkay58]

The following is a list of considerations for Odessa:

1) Odessa is a high priority Soviet supply depot. This means it will be the primary source of supply for the Southwestern Front. Which implies it will empty itself out supplying the Soviet defensive line in the south.

2) Taking advantage of #1 means that you need to isolate Odessa by land AND sea on the same turn - usually about turn 5 if you are only using the Rumanian and 11th Army infantry - depending on Soviet defensive efforts.

3) So you need to have everything in place by the end of turn 4 for both a good naval interdiction force and to isolate it by land.

4) On turn 5 you plan a Naval Patrol Air Directive to isolate Odessa, making sure it will fly in both enemy and friendly air phases. The Fleiger Fuerher Ostsee AOG from Luftflotte 1 is a good basis with some possible fighter support and use some Axis bombers with a naval load (if possible). Then you go all out to isolate Odessa. The larger the pocket the better.

5) Remember to keep the Naval Patrols flying - against the Soviet AI you will rarely see any resistance. If you have a human Soviet player they had better be contesting your Naval Patrol or it will be easy to maintain the blockade.

6) Use a turn or two to get troops into position and maxed out CPP. This gives some time for the Soviet supply depot to empty out. The more Soviet units isolated in and around Odessa the faster the depot will dry up.

7) Do an all out assault (usually turn 7 or 8). This could carry it on the first try, if not then do another assault on the same turn. It should be easy going from here on in.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

If the port has 70-80k defenders, what's the quickest practical way to take the fort down?

Check my AAR's Bobo (page 9 of that AAR) & Gunnulf (page 11 of that AAR)


But in a nutshell I only needed the following

1. Rest the Germans to 90-100 CPP
2. Attack from all sides
3. Have a few more Germans or Rumanians in Reserve for good measure

I didn't even need to do all the other crazy stuff that was posted. But of course you can do it the traditional way that everyone else does

[2ndCav]

I've taken it once, once on turn 5, I fly all of Luft 4 on naval patrol starting turn 2. I have seen the AI contest Odessa with fighters and it can be painful, have had some big hits at times. But I have not mastered controlling my air force manually yet.

Usually always have it turn 7. I use 5-6 German and a chunk of the Romanians.

[OberGeneral]

Some more ideas here:

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=5021904