Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (Full Version)

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SGHunt -> Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 9:52:13 PM)

Well - here goes. I am going to ignore my shame and ignorance, and have a go at a scenario to show how a new boy learns the ropes. I want all the advice I can get, and I hope you will learn some stuff with me.

I will try to post lots of screen shots to show what I am trying to do/explore behind the map, as it were. Please let me know if this is too much or too little. It will be slow for sure!

Here's the opening position - notice how few admin. points I have!


[image]local://upfiles/33891/F243F09A5B1645F9BE35C537293F6B6D.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 9:56:25 PM)

So I check out my leaders, starting with von Leeb at AGN. Look at the cost to dismiss him (and I have 9 Admin Points to play with!)


[image]local://upfiles/33891/AE317FDE53254201AD6262190AEBEB4A.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:00:26 PM)

Here's the fort levels I'm facing. Time for some air recon and pound those airfields using the AI.

[image]local://upfiles/33891/F06E1A35DB5242799DF55E0A43AFA7D7.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:04:59 PM)

Kaunas air base took over 130 aircraft casualties on the first bombing run alone.



[image]local://upfiles/33891/DB75E3216AAF4B83AA10329E1CE33322.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:07:39 PM)

Here's the air losses after the first wave of attacks - I'm pretty pleased with these [8D]


[image]local://upfiles/33891/CA4AA6FEF29A4E1C87820EAA59E8073C.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:21:36 PM)

So here's the plan - red inf corps, black are the mech/pz corps. One inf. corps up the the coast into Courland, then my double envelopment/hell for leather to Riga and Daugavpils. The whole scenario is about capturing Lenin's city, so that's the overall strategic plan - capture Leningrad double quick. Simple, innit?

[image]local://upfiles/33891/66ED1790CDC245CC8226E39BD2DD5908.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:24:45 PM)

BTW - here's my reinforcement schedule - just a couple of infantry divisions really, plus some shilly-shallying with the Finns.

[image]local://upfiles/33891/7AE8675FF877446FA9E0292F24BF2E42.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:27:15 PM)

Oh yes the Finnish front

[image]local://upfiles/33891/17D52BD230744DC9AA55AFD691E6D168.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:34:49 PM)

First assault going in with an extra Pioneer battalion assigned for the close work! This battalion was with the Division's HQ unit but I want to be sure with this attack, because I'll be embarrassed it if fails!


[image]local://upfiles/33891/069A33B163F144F1A331A93B416F7873.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:37:32 PM)

I needn't have worried!!



[image]local://upfiles/33891/F03A043D43B64D8ABC12B2F3EDB6EAF0.jpg[/image]



Pipewrench -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:44:52 PM)

great work.. keep it up



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 10:45:31 PM)

123rd ID makes its Mum proud, and clears the whole of the forward area in front of Kaunas by itself (OK, the LW helped but only with fighter cover - they made a lot of kills too!)


[image]local://upfiles/33891/5DFB0363FCEF49418ADC4201E7211662.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 11:02:15 PM)

Recon shows an armoured unit across the Neman, 32nd reinforced with STuGs and Flak cross the river and drive what turns out to be the 2nd Tank Division away from the main line of advance and destroy 122 AFV's. An Iron Cross 1st Class to the commander of the 600th Assault Gun Battalion?


[image]local://upfiles/33891/37C8C9DA9FD24EF9987F927FE3A206FA.jpg[/image]



Fred98 -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 11:05:46 PM)

What are the round graphics, with tank, aircraft and aircraft/camera  inside.

-



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 11:11:14 PM)

121st attacks in support of the 123rd and shatters the 202nd Motorised Div. And now SWMBO (as BigA so succinctly puts it!) summons me to be husbandly! More just as soon as I can manage it...




[image]local://upfiles/33891/AAA9622857904BE2941DD7A8BA252216.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/15/2010 11:13:49 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe 98

What are the round graphics, with tank, aircraft and aircraft/camera  inside.

-



Tank is ground battles, air base attack and air recon respectively - there's a function key to toggle on. Very useful because there's a roll over showing the damage etc

S



jomni -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 2:14:22 AM)

Just wondering if the game retains the movement plotting mechanics of the original.
I found that very annoying and clunky.



critter -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 2:51:19 AM)

Great start Von J. Don't worry how it turns out.
If the truth be known we'll all have many restated games before we get it right.
You talk about Admin pts to replace your leader. What are your choices?



Sabre21 -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 4:58:59 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe 98

What are the round graphics, with tank, aircraft and aircraft/camera  inside.

-




Those are Battle Sites Joe. Each combat plus air transport and air recon missions generate those icons (pretty easy to figure which are which). When you go into that mode (currently F11), then they are depicted on the map allowing you to review what has occurred. Those on this screen are Axis, Soviets are different colored. You will be able to see attacks from both sides on your current turn that include your opponents last turn afterwhich they reset so you only ever see one full turn of icons.

Here is an example of the pop-up that appears at the top of the screen when you L-click on one of these icons. This one was a German attack onto a Soviet Tank division on turn 3 of the 41 Campaign.

Andy

[image]local://upfiles/3042/14DF5E5484BD4EA693A452480B0EE0AC.jpg[/image]



Sabre21 -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 5:22:40 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: critter

Great start Von J. Don't worry how it turns out.
If the truth be known we'll all have many restated games before we get it right.
You talk about Admin pts to replace your leader. What are your choices?


Hi Critter (nice name)

Admin Points can be used for a number of things. Each turn, depending on difficulty level, each player gets a number of ap's that can be spent that turn or saved up to a given limit.

They can be used to place units in a static mode or reactivate them from a static mode. You can use them to change out leaders of various ground and air Hq's, reassign formations to different Hq's, reassign support units to Hq's and in some cases to division (German) or corps (Soviet) formations. They can also be used for building fortified zones and for the Soviets creating an assortment of units. You can also "motorize" infantry formations for that turn to get them to the front (or rear) quicker, but that eats up a bunch of points. I might be missing some of the things they can be used for but that's the bulk of them. Since we are still in alpha, some of these may get modified and new ways of using them may be added in.

Andy



critter -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 5:44:45 AM)

What are your leader choices? Since this is a 41 AGN sen. Can you choose any leader? Manstein? Or only those not in command in other jobs?
Whats the cut off point? How bad does your leader have to be that it makes sense to change him vs use your points to further attack?



Lützow -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 9:23:40 AM)

Is that a smaller scenario, restricted to Heeresgruppe Nord?



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 11:32:26 AM)

Joe

Here's the after battle report of the Mot Division I just shattered. Note relative casualties. Please note that some 6000 men, 45 guns and 45 afvs escaped from this battle - no doubt to reform and get thrown into my path at some later date!


[image]local://upfiles/33891/2A4C64D94C14460A94C8FE6EE72EDAB9.jpg[/image]



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 11:42:44 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: jomni

Just wondering if the game retains the movement plotting mechanics of the original.
I found that very annoying and clunky.


I am informed that there is no original! This is a unique, once in a generation new game! (And it is reeling me in good and proper [;)]

To answer your question, no clunky movement plotting: you move and fight with as many action points as you have, in any order you choose and you can go back to units you have already moved etc until they have no more points left. It's really easy to use.



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 11:45:27 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Lützow

Is that a smaller scenario, restricted to Heeresgruppe Nord?


Yup - see the name of this thread! This the Road to Leningrad scenario (and I'm playing it on normal settings, with FOW for both sides). You see the darkened hexes at the South of the overview screen shot? That's the edge of the playable map.



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 11:49:51 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: critter

What are your leader choices? Since this is a 41 AGN sen. Can you choose any leader? Manstein? Or only those not in command in other jobs?
Whats the cut off point? How bad does your leader have to be that it makes sense to change him vs use your points to further attack?


I don't know really, Critter, except that my choices are limited. The three support units I have attached to combat units have cost me an admin point each.

Here's a shot of the choices to replace a Corps Commander (this was before I used my points! The cost to dismiss this corps commander would have been 9 points ie ALL my points this turn, so clearly not worth it, although I would love to have Model in the thick of things, in charge of an infantry corps). I'm only really interested in Leaders Armour/Infantry rating so far - that's the second pair of M I in the table. I know Initiative matters a great deal too. Advice welcome here![;)]


[image]local://upfiles/33891/1AB2C849EC524B5EB00E2A16ECCADE89.jpg[/image]



ComradeP -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 12:22:36 PM)

Stuart, I completely missed that you are now an official tester, so first of all: congratulations!

As to the AAR: Is there any incentive for the Axis player to widen the front as much as reasonably possible (in order to create a bigger ring around Leningrad), which was a significant flaw in the historical plan and in my opinion the main thing that slowed the final advance to Leningrad to a crawl compared to the initial advance. For once, the Soviets could use backhand blows of their own, more or less sending 8th Panzer and most of 3rd Infantry (mot) back to the drawing board during the battle for Soltsy, to name one example.

If the Axis player can decide to go "Leningrad or bust" and just focus on a narrow front, the advance to Leningrad could be a lot easier than it was historically.



jaw -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 1:22:43 PM)

Just to clarify, the ratings reading left to right are:

P = Political

M = Morale

I = Initiative

A = Administrative

M = Mechanized (Armor)

I = Infantry (Ground)

A = Air

N = Naval

V = Victories

D = Defeats



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 1:25:45 PM)

Pieter

Thank you!

I can go as wide as Kabozha and even furtherEast up in the North, and to Rzhev, to Torzhok and Vyshny Volochek in the East but I won't want to!  [;)]  This is only 15 turnsI agree with creating a wide Eastern flank as far as I can, but just taking Leningrad with these forces is going to be tough enough.   If I can take (and hold) Velikie Luki and Novgorod I shall be very pleased  - I gather these are key 'swing' cities in this scenario.   If  I can hold them both I should be in a good position to win, I am told!

But these are questions for much later
Stuart



SGHunt -> RE: Road to Leningrad AAR (for Beginners) (7/16/2010 1:28:55 PM)

Jaw

Thanks to you also - so Morale is kind of important too (oops!) but it only influences the morale of the combat units - it does not define it: these units have their own morale rating.

S





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