For the Infallible GröFaZ - Axis 1941 GC Team Game

[Beethoven1]

This is an AAR for a 4 player vs 4 player team game. The game is being played on the "War in the East 2 Strategium" discord server where a couple of other team games are also taking place with Russian players on both sides. But in this game, one side (us, playing the Axis) are an international group of English-speaking players.

The players are:

Axis:

Beethoven - Chief of Staff
Jango - Army Group North
Hardradi - Army Group Centre
Bread - Army Group South


Soviets:

Shaggy - High Commander Red Army
StHead - Commander of the North-West Front
Violet_Amethyst - Commander West Front
господин - Commander of the Southwest and Southern Front



Updates will be posted with a delay of a few turns, so that we can show our units. The game is currently on turn 1, just finished the Axis air phase, so there will be an interlude until we can do a significant amount of updates.

However, we can go ahead an post the Axis Air phase, which Hardradi did (and did an amazing job with). As Chief or Staff, I will generally be doing the air on other turns, but Hardradi did the turn 1 air due to his greater skill and devotion.

As a result of that skill, we have already destroyed well more than 5000 Soviet aircraft. In particular, 5,427 (!!!). This came at a cost of 250 Axis planes and 78 of our pilots:



Hardradi has been awarded an Iron Cross for this superb accomplishment:



And has also been awarded the Honour Goblet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehrenpokal_der_Luftwaffe



With the destruction of the VVS already accomplished, we are now ready to similarly destroy the Red Army with help from complete air superiority provided by the Luftwaffe. Our plan calls for the complete and total destruction of the Red Army in the border regions, which will be accomplished by a massive and coordinated Blitzkrieg attack. Within two weeks or so, we expect the entire Red Army to have been captured, killed, or wounded, with the exception of a handful of stragglers. With no Red Army left, we will then simply walk to Leningrad, Moscow, and Rostov, which will be undefended as a result. Accordingly, the war will probably be over within as little as a month or two, with the Soviets begging for another Treaty of Brest-Litovsk like they did in the last war, as our troops quickly advance without opposition. However, we have made plans for the war to last as long as half a year, until winter sets in, simply because we are careful and meticulous planners who take into account all possible contingencies.

[Beethoven1]

However, I will post a map showing the front lines without any units in real time for the first few turns. Then once we are far enough ahead, I will go back and post screenshots showing the units in the initial turns.

[Beethoven1]

Feldmarschall Bread has completed his Army Group South Opening. And what an opening it is! It is an opening which sets, in many ways, new standards for Army Group South Openings. As far as I am aware, no player has ever managed to do an opening quite like this (at least not shared in an AAR):



The Infallible GröFaZ is said to be ecstatic, and increasingly sure that the war will be all but won within a few weeks.

Not only is the northern part around Rovno encircled, but also Axis mobile formations have reached the brink of the Romanian border, and done that to the east of Chernovtsy rather than to the west of it. This means that, although the pocket to the Romanian border has not technically been sealed this turn, there is no rail line out which the Soviets can use to escape, because the rail line just north of Romania is ZOC locked. Due to the (more realistic) change that you can no longer disband units or send them to reserve if they are within 8 hexes of the enemy, this should also mean that all the units inside should be unable to really escape, although some of the units may not technically be "isolated" yet. In addition, the Kovel pocket remains to be sealed by Army Group Center.

Due to this opening, we should end up destroying a greater than usual number of troops of the Southwestern Front, although it will take a turn or two longer to finish the job. This is important because many of the Southwestern Front troops start with high morale and can become very good units later in the game if they are not destroyed early on. The only real downside to this opening is that it unlocks the Southern Front. However, we would rather destroy more Southwestern Front troops with high morale than keep the Southern Front locked and destroy a few more Southern Front divisions with low or average morale.

By the time the pockets are cleared, most likely on turn 3, there should be only a handful of divisions, not more than an Army or so in strength, remaining of the original Southwestern Front.

Accordingly, Bread has been awarded an Iron Cross:

[loki100]

seriously impressed both with the air phase outcomes and that performance in the south

good to see these multi-player games on the go, think there is then sometimes more innovation on particular sectors as the player(s) can give it more careful attention?

[Beethoven1]

ORIGINAL: loki100

seriously impressed both with the air phase outcomes and that performance in the south

good to see these multi-player games on the go, think there is then sometimes more innovation on particular sectors as the player(s) can give it more careful attention?

GröFaZ

The air phase bombing was 100% Hardradi, because he has been reading closely the turn 1 air thread (I have not looked at that at all).

The south opening was more collaborative, with GröFaZ and other players making suggestions and discussing on discord chat, but with Bread ultimately putting it all together and executing it. Der GröFaZ in particular wanted to cut to the Romanian border at the particular location where we did, because. You can also cut to the Romanian border a bit further to the west, and if you do that you can isolate the trapped units, but doing it this way should ultimately get more units (albeit with at least an extra turn required to isolate them) and also prevent any from being able to escape by rail. And Bread in particular was able to make it work so that the units near Rovno could not only be retreated, but actually outright isolated (albeit with a pocket that might be re-opened). But similarly, this should ultimately get more units even if it takes one more turn to complete. Overall you might possibly end up getting more units with a different opening, with also getting some southern front units, but I think what makes this so good is that it should end up getting almost all of the high morale southwestern front units, which are a lot more valuable than just any old unit.

[Beethoven1]

Another report just in fresh from the front. Army Group North's 3rd Motorized division has seized Daugavpils and shattered the 201st Airborne Brigade. We have crossed the Dvina.



Looks like it is about time to freshen up another Iron Cross for issuing to Feldmarschall Jango.

[Beethoven1]

Since there is some interest in the south encirclements, I will share this. This is NOT a screenshot from the current game, it is from an earlier test game that Bread did in preparation. The final version that he did in the game is a bit different, more refined, and has different units in some different places etc. But this just gives an idea in very general broad terms of what it looks like and what is possible with this sort of opening in the south.



And here is also another earlier testing attempt that goes fully to the Romanian border, but does so further to the west and isolates it. Although obviously the isolation would be broken without more units there in this case. You can see the difference in going towards the Romanian border and ZOCing the rail line, that gets about 5-6 more units (which can have good morale if the RNG gods smile upon them):

[Beethoven1]

Across the Dvina, the 1st Panzer division encountered a very weak Soviet rifle division with a CV displayed of 0.2 (although the actual battle displays it a bit higher). The Soviets were attacked, and they shattered. Germany took 0 casualties of any sort.

Zero.



The superiority of the German soldier is clear from this result. It is increasingly obvious that the war will be won within a few weeks. We are issuing so many iron crosses that the iron mines in Germany are starting to run low on iron, and the economic ministry has requested that we consider plans to start making military medals out of some sort of less valuable material.

[Beethoven1]

Breaking news from the front! German mobile forces have reached the gates of Vitebsk and have begun breaching Soviet land bridge defenses. Smolensk is now expected to fall within a few days at most. Intelligence indicates that the bulk of the Red Army has been destroyed, and they have very few reserves who can stand between us and the vast Russian hinterlands.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Beethoven1

Feldmarschall Bread has completed his Army Group South Opening. And what an opening it is! It is an opening which sets, in many ways, new standards for Army Group South Openings. As far as I am aware, no player has ever managed to do an opening quite like this (at least not shared in an AAR):

There are many examples that go way back to the Early days of WITE1 of openings like this shared many times in AAR's. I believe EwaldvonKleist said MichaelT was the first to do it long ago in WITE1. There are variations of it posted in other AARs throughout WITE1 and WITE2. But this opening done in this picture test game is decent but has many flaws in my eyes. But you said there is a refinement done for the game so I will wait to see that.

[EwaldvonKleist]

Without combat delay and swamp hexagons placed by insidious map designers pockets can become so much bigger: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3075748

The WitE2 version here looks leaky but there will probably be a tight version developed soon. This one already looks very nice. You are doing a good job for the preservation of the endangered extended lvov species.

Good AAR so far!

[Beethoven1]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

There are many examples that go way back to the Early days of WITE1 of openings like this shared many times in AAR's. I believe EwaldvonKleist said MichaelT was the first to do it long ago in WITE1. There are variations of it posted in other AARs throughout WITE1 and WITE2. But this opening done in this picture test game is decent but has many flaws in my eyes. But you said there is a refinement done for the game so I will wait to see that.

I am aware that people have done similar openings in WITE1, but this is WITE2, not WITE1 and is a separate game with different rules for movement and various different mechanics. AFAIK for one thing it is easier to do in WITE1.

My point was that, while people have done large Rovno pockets and people have also done the Romanian border thing (talking about WITE2), nobody has previously managed to do both of those at the same time in WITE2 in any AAR that I am aware of. Although even when people have done the Romanian border thing in WITE2, AFAIK nobody did it to this part of the Romanian border this far to the east. Instead, when people went to the Romanian border, they did it further to the west (as in the second screenshot), which traps fewer units, but isolates them.

Truth be told, part of the reason for that is that prior to this new patch, this would NOT have been a good opening, because without the rule that you can't send units to reserve or disband them unless they are more than 8 hexes away from the enemy, all of the units trapped south of Lvov could simply have been rescued and magically escaped by hitting the transfer/disband buttons (since they are not technically "isolated"). However, with the new patch those units should not be able to escape, which makes this now a viable opening.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Beethoven1

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

There are many examples that go way back to the Early days of WITE1 of openings like this shared many times in AAR's. I believe EwaldvonKleist said MichaelT was the first to do it long ago in WITE1. There are variations of it posted in other AARs throughout WITE1 and WITE2. But this opening done in this picture test game is decent but has many flaws in my eyes. But you said there is a refinement done for the game so I will wait to see that.

I am aware that people have done similar openings in WITE1, but this is WITE2, not WITE1 and is a separate game with different rules for movement and various different mechanics. AFAIK for one thing it is easier to do in WITE1.

My point was that, while people have done large Rovno pockets and people have also done the Romanian border thing (talking about WITE2), nobody has previously managed to do both of those at the same time in WITE2 in any AAR that I am aware of. Although even when people have done the Romanian border thing in WITE2, AFAIK nobody did it to this part of the Romanian border this far to the east. Instead, when people went to the Romanian border, they did it further to the west (as in the second screenshot), which traps fewer units, but isolates them.

Truth be told, part of the reason for that is that prior to this new patch, this would NOT have been a good opening, because without the rule that you can't send units to reserve or disband them unless they are more than 8 hexes away from the enemy, all of the units trapped south of Lvov could simply have been rescued and magically escaped by hitting the transfer/disband buttons (since they are not technically "isolated"). However, with the new patch those units should not be able to escape, which makes this now a viable opening.

It is an old strat renewed however you look at it suffice to say.

I do believe releasing the Southern Front is not a viable option, at least for me, but is debatable based on your strat in the South. Not saying it is a bad thing but a consideration for cutting off the Lvov pocket to the Rumanian border needs to be analyzed. I personally think keeping the Southern front static is much better. But time will tell. It might be better based on trucks captured at a minimum

[Beethoven1]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

It is an old strat renewed however you look at it suffice to say.

I do believe releasing the Southern Front is not a viable option, at least for me, but is debatable based on your strat in the South. Not saying it is a bad thing but a consideration for cutting off the Lvov pocket to the Rumanian border needs to be analyzed. I personally think keeping the Southern front static is much better. But time will tell. It might be better based on trucks captured at a minimum

The opening is the correct opening, bestowed upon us by the Infallible GröFaZ, and is a manifestation of his world-historical genius. It is to be expected that some elements of its genius escape the comprehension of ordinary men, but the GröFaZ is no ordinary man. As such, your Wehrkraftzersetzung and Hetzerei has no effect on the German foot soldat. The German soldier pays no heed and simply marches forward, into the Steppe, onwards to victory.

In seriousness, If you don't release the southern front, I think that will get roughly these units to be doomed (maybe plus or minus one or two divisions).



Count that up, that is:

5 NKVD security units
1 Mountaineer division
3 Infantry divisions
2 cavalry divisions

That is a total of 6 actual divisions and 5 NKVD border guards (however much you want to value those).

But all or almost all the other southern front units can, at least potentially, be saved by the Soviets if they do the right things. We will find out if I did the right things to do that in my game against jubjub soon; he did not unlock the southern front.

Now compare to the units that should be doomed by cutting to the Romanian border in the Khotin/Lipcani area (I am not counting the 2 mountaineers and security unit to the far west, since those ought to be doomed anyway):



Count those up and what do you have?:

2 AT brigades
1 Infantry division (same hex as the AT brigade, not visible)
5 Tank divisions
1 Mech division
3 Mountaineer divisions
2 NKVD border guards

That also includes about 4,000 trucks, many of which Germany can capture (at least in the save I looked at, maybe that is partly randomized, I don't know).

And in addition, any units that happen to rout down there should be doomed. Most of those that rout down there would probably be doomed in any case most of the time, but you can get some to escape sometimes.

That is a total of 10 actual divisions and 4 non-divisional-sized counters, as compared to roughly 6 actual divisions and 5 non-divisional-sized counters that are doomed by not unlocking the southern front.

That seems like more to me. And the more important part is not just the number of units being higher, but the morale. The doomed Southwestern Front units can include some very high morale units. You can very easily get quite a few 60+ morale divisions from there, as I have in my game against jubjub. If and when my 68 morale Soviet unit, along with my several other 60+ morale units are (hopefully) beating up on some Panzer divisions a couple turns down the road, I bet jubjub will regret not doing this. We'll have to wait and see though.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

The numbers are skewed, but I have to head out for a bit. We can continue when I get back. A good analyze is a good thing just don't know if you would like to continue here or in a new thread. Let me know.

[Beethoven1]

A different thread is probably better, and we can put a link here for anyone reading later who wants to follow up on this tangent.

[K62_]

IMHO unlike the initial air attacks it takes until T3 or T4 to evaluate the opening ground move.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Beethoven1

A different thread is probably better, and we can put a link here for anyone reading later who wants to follow up on this tangent.

Sounds great! You want to start or me start when I get back?

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: K62

IMHO unlike the initial air attacks it takes until T3 or T4 to evaluate the opening ground move.

100% correct . But should be a good discussion.

[Beethoven1]

Final Axis advance at the end of turn 1:

As you can see, we are already about half way to Moscow and Leningrad, so it appears we will reach both within a week or so. Rostov is slightly further, so, it might take slightly longer.



We have already inflicted 365,000 losses upon the Red Army, and will inflict hundreds of thousands more as soon as the pockets are cleared. By the end of next week, the Red Army will have been all but totally destroyed, with the exception of a few stragglers.



Plans are being made for a tremendous victory parade which will soon be held in Berlin.