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horza66 -> RE: 1.05.37beta KLilly vs Fulkerson T99 (11/3/2011 2:21:16 PM)
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Larry,
A few detail things I think that might help you:
1) It looks like you have a single defence line in significant portions of the front. You're also strongly stacked. I may have missed it, but did you merge all your rifle brigades into divisions? I find a mass of these useful in '42. Firstly to carpet in front of a German assault, and secondly to help form a fort triple line. Two lines of brigades, behind the main line, all digging like fury with the backing of a mass of construction battalions in the Army HQ. When the Germans form up to assault (you have to recon heavily every turn), the main line retreats a step and a brigade advances into the forward fort to form a skirmish line. If the assault point is perfectly clear you can reinforce the skirmish line with a division as necessary - you want the German infantry to have to use up a deliberate attack on the skirmish line. The main line will get hammered back by the second wave of deliberate attack, but will hopefully just retreat into the third line. At this point he's likely going to need to commit panzers to breach the third line, severely reducing his exploitation MPs. On the turn after the assault the rifle brigades move to carpet the spearhead, choking it as you move in the Reserve armies to swamp, and the Shock armies to hit the spearhead and swap men for tanks.
I'm not sure whether you can find the units to move to a triple line defence very easily, but it should be doable over the course of the winter - you can expect a repeat of Operation Zitadelle, and you're going to need to absorb and throw it back to be able to move on to the offensive in '43.
2. Glad you're tidying up the VVS. With a bit of love and cultivation they can grow into a real Triffid for the Germans to deal with. I withdraw everything to rear areas in '41, putting all the biplanes into National Reserve as effectively training units. Once I have 200+ fighters with experience in the 60s I'll upgrade (always use manual upgrades) and commit them to a sector. Assuming they're holding their own as air cover I'll then do the same for any decent Shturmoviks and bombers in that sector. Take another evening and review what you have. Retire poor units into reserve, and try and ensure you have 200+ decent fighters and 200+ IL2s per front. There's nothing worse for exploiting panzers than being interdicted every hex by hundreds of FBs.
3. I realise the mud turns are a bit boring, but your sake and for that of the AAR you should take a close look at the length of the front. You should be trying to identify any opportunities for victories you can find. Attrition is the key here - hit him anywhere you can, even if it leads nowhere. Get your victories for Guards promotions, and for a decent kill ratio. He doesn't have enough units to cover the front anyway - force him to leave no weak points and gaps will start to open up.
I think you liked my aphorism about the Germans using Finesse, and the Soviets Mass - that's from the bad old days of pushing counters around the Fire in the East board. Here's another one : in 1942 the Germans can win Anywhere, but not Everywhere. The trick is to make sure you're winning battles where he is not.
I'll be interested to see what KLilly has planned for the Snow. The temptation will be strong to get a breach and another pocket before the Blizzard conditions slow down his panzers. (Bear in mind he *must* keep getting pockets to prevent you just steamrollering him with sheer numbers). You should be ready with reserves to meet that threat. I'm very suspicious of his voluntary withdrawal in the North. It didn't shorten his line that significantly - like Admiral Akbar, I sense a trap.
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