Newbs in the East: Psych0 (Axis) vs Drakken (Sov) - SOVIET RETURNED - NO AXIS

[Telemecus]

Drakken

Actually I wanted to say really well done. You can see how you've gone from a scared Soviet apprentice to really some good thought and planning on how to play as Soviet. The important thing too is you are asking the right questions. HardLuckYetAgain is a very good player, whatever he says about himself! [:)] His advice and that of others is very good - and is particularly good against very good Axis players. But the sort of things you are talking about and are planning are the things I remember and I think all of us went through- and are appropriate for Axis players at the same standard. So do not get disheartened, I think you are doing well.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Telemecus

Drakken

Actually I wanted to say really well done. You can see how you've gone from a scared Soviet apprentice to really some good thought and planning on how to play as Soviet. The important thing too is you are asking the right questions. HardLuckYetAgain is a very good player, whatever he says about himself! [:)] His advice and that of others is very good - and is particularly good against very good Axis players. But the sort of things you are talking about and are planning are the things I remember and I think all of us went through- and are appropriate for Axis players at the same standard. So do not get disheartened, I think you are doing well.

I'm really not that good of a player, just crazy ideas. Other players here are far better than I.

But I concur with Telemecus that you are doing well. Keep up the good work!

[WingedIncubus]

T3 - Northern Sector

All remaining units around the Pskov area are ordered to head north to file, as planned, a 2-3 defensive line in the woods north of the Shelon river and the town of Seredska. The fresh 31st Army is called by from Moscow in to reinforce the line. 9th NKVD Border Regiment hides in the wood to serve as a wavebreaker for the eventual advance of the panzers toward Leningrad.

41st Rifle Corps, reinforced by 181st Rifle Division on its left flank, is ordered to stand behind Porkhov and the Shelon, while 52nd Rifle Corps remains behind in Staraya Russa to keep building a reserve line in favourable terrain.




All Leningrad PM Rifle Divisions are ordered to remain in the rear south of Leningrad to assist in building as many fortifications as possible. A vast number of Fortified Regions are also built there in support, emptying my AP allotment this turn. Moscow will be next on Turn 4.

[WingedIncubus]

T3 - North Centre Sector

I abandon my line on the lower Dnepr to move the bulk of my sector northeast, towards the upper Dnepr area, blocking the sector in front of Vyasma. This also has the advantage that I reduce the length of my line in favour of width. I am not willing to abandon the Smolensk area too quickly, though. Smolensk is a nexus of roads and a formidable cauldron, like Pskov. Thus I build a new defensive line behind the Sozh river.

The reason is, by taking Vitebsk and moving pass its axis north of the city, my lecture is that psych0 has not ordered a HQ buildup last turn. Thus I want to force him into a decision:

a) either "waste" a turn to wait for his infantry and/or make a buildup from afar, which would allow me to fortify for one or more turns and bring in even more reinforcements to reinforce the upper Dnepr in front of Rzhev,
b) or advance now, with limited fuel, ever further from his supply lines and infantry, and end up nose first on my first line. This would telegraph its axis of advance. [:)]

I leave a strong division in Velikie Luki to block that rail line, but the bulk of the 51st Rifle Corps is moved back behind the Dvina, to prevent encirclement and cover my right flank for future reinforcement. Even though the terrain is very rough, I am still not acquainted on how fast would Panzer and Motorized Divisions move in such terrain.

[WingedIncubus]

T3 - South Centre Sector

The northern part of the sector looks very strong here. We even have a width of three strong counters in the landbridge between the Irpen and the Ros rivers.

However, the southern part of the sector is more porous. However, thank fully the divisions of III Panzer Group is spreaded evenly and almost all are in contact with my troops. I can afford some friction and casualties right now, he cannot. Thanks to my recon and contact with their divisions, I was able to identify the most dangerous-looking German units CV-wise. And from there, attempt to complete at least a second layer of counters in my rear locally, to soften the blow across the Ros river.




14th Panzer Division looked very vulnerable, so I decided to launch a limited, yet savage Deliberate counterattack on it with 164th Rifle Division in an attempt to cause irreparable damage on his unit's AFVs. They barely held (if I had the Attack + 1 bonus I would have won IMHO), yet we kept the advantage in CV. Even if I cannot see the casualties because of FOW, my fingers are crossed that the German damage and casualties will be important.

[WingedIncubus]

T3 - Southern Sector

Psych0's Panzer Group is pretty well lined up in front of Nikolaev to prevent any breakout from the southern pockets.

I move all possible units behind the Yuzhny Bug river, while I bring 9th Rifle Corps from Crimea + 157th Rifle Division from the North Caucacus to patch up the holes in my line around Nikolaev.

[WingedIncubus]

T3 - Evacuation and other considerations

Leningrad - Moved to Chelyabinsk

BA-10 x 5
KV-1 x 6
T-50 x 2

Mogilev - Moved to Ufa

HI x 3 (All)
Armament x 3 (All)

Kiev - Moved to Chlakov

HI x 2
Armament x 2

Kirovograd - Moved to Chlakov

HI x 3
Armament x 1


Furthermore, remember that I noticed that psych0 did not move any of his airbases from the very rear? Well, no interceptors were in sight when I launched air attacks this turn. The German airspace was devoid of any cover: It seems his troops are now passed the range of the Luftwaffe's interceptors. So, this turn I have launched a systematic campaign of TAC-bombing over the whole front - any and all panzer, motorized, and HQ divisions were boomed and zoomed in priority, plus Infantry divisions within range if affordable - again and again, relentlessly, until I had no longer any bomber available to launch.

There was FLAK remaining, and it was quite effective in inflicting numerous casualties on my plane. but I fear them less than Messerschmidts. As much as it tires the Germans and lowers their morale, it is worthwhile. [:'(]

[Nix77]

One small bit of advice: try to keep all your frontline combat units under army command (or corps at summer '41). They'll get the benefits of the army commanders and support units and can hold the ground much better.

PS. Not sure if your white units are under Stavka armies, that's an OK strategy too

[WingedIncubus]

Yes, all the white units are currently assigned to Stavka until I can spare the AP to reorganize. [:)]

[timmyab]

I'll offer some advice as that is the stated aim of this AAR.

The Leningrad defense looks vulnerable to me right at it's center. You probably wont find panzers in the city next week but I wouldn't totally discount it.

Good decision to back off in the center, but the flanks are hanging a bit. He's a long way away though so it may be ok.

The South is strong but a little too close to the Axis front line for comfort. I would have retreated it back behind the Ingul and sent a couple of armies to the Central and Northern fronts.
There was also a good chance to cut off his pz corps in the far South this turn.
Another tip is to convert the axis controlled hexes to the West of Nikoleav. This is particularly useful for slowing down infantry and low morale armor.

[WingedIncubus]

ORIGINAL: timmyab

I'll offer some advice as that is the stated aim of this AAR.

The Leningrad defense looks vulnerable to me right at it's center. You probably wont find panzers in the city next week but I wouldn't totally discount it.

Uh-oh. Am I done if it happens?

Really, I could not really spare any troop counter this Turn, if I wanted to start building forts in Leningrad and Moscow right now. Maybe I could have brought the Leningrad PM Divisions in the rear to pad it some more?

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Drakken

T3 - South Centre Sector

14th Panzer Division looked very vulnerable, so I decided to launch a limited, yet savage Deliberate counterattack on it with 164th Rifle Division in an attempt to cause irreparable damage on his unit's AFVs. They barely held (if I had the Attack + 1 bonus I would have won IMHO), yet we kept the advantage in CV. Even if I cannot see the casualties because of FOW, my fingers are crossed that the German damage and casualties will be important.

How did you come to the conclusion that 14th PZ Regiment was vulnerable?


When I attack with the Russians there are some key indicators to look for. The 1st is the soft factor of "fuel"(yes even for infantry). Red is a good indication that the unit has moved a great deal and thus fatigue is high, making the unit easier to retreat when attacked. The second soft factor I check for is supply of the unit. When the Germans attack a lot or far from railhead their supply state worsens and easier to get a retreat. Red & yellow supply state is good indication you will get the unit to retreat. The 3rd thing I look for is when not attacking with the Soviet +1 you want to have 2x the combat strength of the face value of the unit you are attacking at a minimum with an above average leader(1x the combat strength if you have Soviet +1 attack). If you know the leader you are going up against on the German side and he is good you will want more combat strength. 4th is can you get a decent bombing run on the hex (even if you bomb with all bombers at night time) to get more disruption on the hex prior to attacking? 5th Do you have reserves set up behind the line to assist (and get wins for guard status) in the battle? (Reserves should have low fatigue to have a chance of activating along with a good initiative leader) The 6th thing is are my units I'm attacking with fatigued? Even if you have 2x the combat strength and your units are highly fatigued you probably wont win. That is why I love setting up defense a turn or two in advance thus you wait for your prey and pounce on him

As Sun Tzu says, "Whoever is first in the field awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted"

P.S. All the above assumes you have good command and control in place.

[WingedIncubus]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

How did you come to the conclusion that 14th PZ Regiment was vulnerable?

I noticed that this particular unit had a lower Defence CV (x=5 if I remember correctly). My 164th Rifle Division had a higher attack CV which was almost double of my opponent's, so I figured I had an opportunity to make a local counterattack there, since attrition is my friend.

I am using Jison's mod, so Factors are instead indicated by the dot at the right of each counter.

[timmyab]

Uh-oh. Am I done if it happens?

I wont beat about the bush......yes, because most of AGN will then be moved South and have about ten weeks to support the attack on Moscow which would almost certainly fall. It's tough to recover from losing both of the big cities in 41. You need to keep AGN fully occupied for most of the Summer to prevent this.

Your position around the Velekiya after the Axis turn two looked ok to me.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Drakken

T3 - North Centre Sector

I leave a strong division in Velikie Luki to block that rail line

Where is his rail conversion line at the moment?

If you are still on turn 3 this is just a waste of a "strong" division that will be needed later imho. By the time the Germans needs to convert this hex that good division will have been surrounded and forced to surrender long ago and those that surrendered will probably be put to work on converting the rail in the hex for the Germans ;-P

leave a unit you are willing to lose that is low in morale, low in squad experience or depleted imho. If that strong unit meets that criteria then great, just my 2 cents.

[Nix77]

ORIGINAL: Drakken

Yes, all the white units are currently assigned to Stavka until I can spare the AP to reorganize. [:)]

Directly under Stavka = bad thing if it's on the front line. You should have a closer HQ with support units for all the units that are about to see combat. Assigning from Stavka down in the chain doesn't cost APs, if you have armies with command capacity available (you should have at this point).

What I meant with "under Stavka armies" is an army HQ assinged directly to Stavka. You can have this kind of "floating" armies if you're not yet sure how you'll be setting up your fronts. Assigning a Stavka army to a front afterwards doesn't cost AP either.

Juggling with the Soviet command structure isn't a simple thing, I feel like I'm beginning to "get it sorted" some time around the first winter, so 1941 is kind of chaos. It helps if you make a preliminary plan how you assign the armies and fronts to prevent unnecessary unit shuffling. 3-5 armies per front, where to have the shock armies when the winter hits etc.

[WingedIncubus]

ORIGINAL: Nix77

Directly under Stavka = bad thing if it's on the front line. You should have a closer HQ with support units for all the units that are about to see combat. Assigning from Stavka down in the chain doesn't cost APs, if you have armies with command capacity available (you should have at this point).

What I meant with "under Stavka armies" is an army HQ assinged directly to Stavka. You can have this kind of "floating" armies if you're not yet sure how you'll be setting up your fronts. Assigning a Stavka army to a front afterwards doesn't cost AP either.

Juggling with the Soviet command structure isn't a simple thing, I feel like I'm beginning to "get it sorted" some time around the first winter, so 1941 is kind of chaos. It helps if you make a preliminary plan how you assign the armies and fronts to prevent unnecessary unit shuffling. 3-5 armies per front, where to have the shock armies when the winter hits etc.

By that I meant "Armies under Stavka", not Divisions assigned directly under Stavka. [:'(]

[tyronec]

That attack you made against the Pz regiment, there was no 'Fog of War', you damaged 7 panzers and caused 0 casualties.

[Neogodhobo]

dont know how to delele messages.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Neogodhobo

dont know how to delele messages.

In Mother Russia "message" delete "you"!