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Q-Ball -> RE: Blizzard Battles (2/3/2012 4:44:04 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Q-ball, I'm surprised you are only getting 106k men/turn with all of that real estate.


Moscow isn't full repaired yet; Baelfiin did take it in the Summer of '41.

By the time it is, probably the Donbas will be gone, but I'll still be about the same number of Manpower

I did think it would be higher, though, since Leningrad area is untouched.



Tophat1815 -> RE: Blizzard Battles (2/3/2012 5:19:40 PM)

What are your fort lvl around Moscow and Leningrad?



Q-Ball -> RE: Blizzard Battles (2/5/2012 8:42:32 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Tophat1812

What are your fort lvl around Moscow and Leningrad?


Generally lvl 3 on the frontline, and mix of 2 and 3 behind it. Along the Neva, we are working toward lvl-4 on the backdoor hex.

T-57: 7/16/42

Part way through Summer, and the Donbas is clearly Baelfiin's target #1. I do not expect to hold it much longer, but I am hoping to drag this out and cost him enough losses that he will halt after taking the Donbas bend up to the Donets bend.

This turn, he pocketed 10 divisions; we opened one pocket temporarily.

The last couple turns I spent about 200 APs or so changing-up the command structure. It's still not perfect, but I want to keep hoarding APs; first for Mech Corps and Artillery Divisions later this year, then for Rifle Coprs. At each point, I want to accumulate 500 APs. At this point, I have 275.

Donbas Area:

One narrow pincer continues due east toward Rostov; a strange advance, though he took a couple swamp hexes adjacent to Rostov. We did manage to hit his flanks, and disrupt some airbases.

I am very aware that he might attempt a big pocket around the Donbas. I concentrated my strongest units in the area between the two pincers, rather than on the outside of the bulge. Even still, if he goes just a little more in my rear like this, I'll have to just give up the Donbas, which is what he wants me to do. Not worth a giant pocket.

SW Front is actually having a rougher time, having units gobbled-up. We are transferring reserves from other fronts and areas, and also activating some "shell" units to build.

C and C:

It hasn't been too bad changing the C and C. The biggest effect is the increase in number of Armies. Some of these armies have to be assigned to MDs or STAVKA, and these 2nd-class armies have green SU's, and bad leaders. They are the B-team, but it's all I got.

[image]local://upfiles/6931/726FA49FBAF34330A87D4334A28C4C4E.jpg[/image]



sillyflower -> RE: Blizzard Battles (2/5/2012 11:07:42 PM)

I always thought that the mini seaborne invasion was B's speciality, so you have hoist him with his own petard.[:D].

What are the losses like? His panzers are showing low CVs. In our game ( teaching old dog new tricks AAR) I found that attacking in '42 used them up quite quickly.



Q-Ball -> Down and out in the Donbas (2/6/2012 8:39:35 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: sillyflower

I always thought that the mini seaborne invasion was B's speciality, so you have hoist him with his own petard.[:D].

What are the losses like? His panzers are showing low CVs. In our game ( teaching old dog new tricks AAR) I found that attacking in '42 used them up quite quickly.


See shot below on seaborne invasions; I think they are mostly a waste, but Baelfiin is sure guarding the coasts against such a move. That's OK by me.

RE: Panzer strength, they look weak; 6-8 across the board. Alot of that is probably fatigue and whatnot, he probably needs to pause a bit after liquidating Stalino. I expect one more big push this summer.

T-58: 7/23/42

Strong move this turn around Stalino; I am going to lose a bunch of units, plus a major population center. Oh well.

I think I have the offensive contained in front of me, though; I can live with Baelfiin biting-off units here and there, which he continues to do, but I think I have enough down there to stop a runaway. I should survive the summer in pretty decent shape, though Manpower production is declining, due to Manpower loss. I expect to be under 100K when Stalino falls.

Reserves

Alot of Soviet players talk about Reserve Armies. I don't have reserve armies. I do have RESERVES. Not sure if my method is better, but let me know what you think.

I tend to rotate units alot; I want all front-line units to be high-40s+ in morale, which means allowing them to sit 10+ hexes behind the front. When I send low-morale units back, i tend to flip them to STAVKA (now, a M.D.). Sometimes they are also somewhere useful to dig while they are training. When I have a need I find units like this, put them on a train, and send them. They don't find an Army HQ until they get to the front.

I will also take good units from quiet sectors, and replace them with GREEN ones; high-morale, but low-experience ones that I probably JUST set to REFIT from shells. They can sit and train in a quiet sector, while also digging or maintaining a trench, and the more experienced unit will head to the critical area.

By doing all this, I am constantly funnelling 3-4 CV Rifle units to the Donbas; most are around 50 morale and 40s in experience. I want higher-experience units to inflict more casualties on the Germans. If a unit routs, I generally send it back, attach to STAVKA or MD, and let them gain morale again before setting to REFIT. All these units don't have an ARMY HQ until they get to the battle area and find one.

The only exception is that I do have fully-formed TANK armies, that I am now sending.

Alot of this is to keep AP expenditure low, and absolutely minimize the switching of Army HQs from one front to another. That is expensive.

I have 300+ APs currently, and I am building up to 500 for September, when I want to create Mech Corps and Artillery. I want to have 500 again when Jan '43 hits, and I will create Rifle Corps in droves.

[image]local://upfiles/6931/15E173C9CF9F4CFA8645FFA58BEB3281.jpg[/image]



Q-Ball -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/8/2012 2:50:24 PM)

T62-8/25/42

I haven't posted in a couple turns, but not much is happening. That in itself is interesting!

After cleaning-up the Stalino pocket, and clearing those cities, Baelfiin seems to have halted the summer offensive. His Panzers were looking a little cooked, but I am still surprised so far.

There is still September, so he may be resting awhile before continuing, but we are also using the break to train and build morale. The Red Army is over 7 mil now, and we have formed 4 Tank Armies.

I can't tell yet if this is an operational pause, or if Baelfiin has handed-over the initiative. At this point there isn't alot I can do with it, other than start building Rifle Corps and Artillery, in preparation for a push sometime in 1943.

I will post a map and OOB at the end of Summer, but not alot of updates if the Sitskrieg continues until Mud season.

I think Baelfiin should keep pushing, though the silver lining for him is that the Wehrmacht is quite large; 3.8 mil, and if we sit here for a few months, he might approach 4 mil. That would be a tough nut to crack!

The Panzers I can see seem distributed in Corps-size group around the front, mostly in the South. I can see maybe 12 divisions, so that's an incomplete survey. At least one is on RESERVE status, which I found out the hard way when my Rifle units were mowed-down in an opportunity attack.......

Anyway, we'll see if this holds. If it does, we will seek "opportunity" attacks, but no major offensives, not until I have more guns and Corps



Alikchi2 -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/10/2012 3:09:37 AM)

This is a really fun game to follow, keep it up!



Farfarer61 -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/10/2012 4:10:17 AM)

Reserve Armies

I adopted the use of a Reserve Front , or at least flexible-ish Front sitting on rails, entrained and optimized. This usually ends up the Voronezh Front, then later the Steppe Front in 43 . Also there is de facto unassigned STAVKA reserve Guards front worth. In 1942, against a good german, you will burn up reserves to save your Red A*se. Be offensive in 43, but never stop being paranoid :)



Q-Ball -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/11/2012 4:18:20 PM)

T-72: 10/29/42

Yes, that much time has passed! Virtually no action since early August; in fact, no attacks at all in 2 months.

This is OK by my, we are building Artillery Divisions and Mech Corps now, and using APs to build all kinds of SUs.

Red Army:

I have built over 100 Sapper Regts; everyone gets a Sapper eventually, so may as well have them trained!

I have only built a few Guards Rifle Corps; I am saving up 500 Aps for Jan 1, and I am going to go crazy with Rifle Corps then

At the moment, we have approx. 460 Rifle Division equivalents. I think we will keep it there for now, we certainly will not build more.

I have built 12 Artillery Divisions, and plan to have at least 4 Artillery units (Breakthrough, Rocket, or otherwise) per Front.

I would like to build more Guard Heavy Tank Regt, but trying to conserve vehicles



[image]local://upfiles/6931/B1A1FA6E3D814E8DA578AA4A5DC6A5B4.jpg[/image]



randallw -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/11/2012 9:03:42 PM)

Looks like all manner of hell will break loose once winter comes?



JAMiAM -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/11/2012 9:30:15 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

T-72: 10/29/42

Yes, that much time has passed! Virtually no action since early August; in fact, no attacks at all in 2 months.


Wait...I thought you guys were playing War in the East. Not sit around and picnic all summer long in the East...[:D]




Flaviusx -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/11/2012 9:37:40 PM)

This one has turned into a turtle, yeah. It's going to be a while before Q-ball can really crack the Axis line, I doubt much will happen over the winter in the absence of large numbers of combat ready rifle corps and artillery divisions. Baelfin is settling in to play a Ketza/Idaho style game near as I can tell. He doesn't have an amazing amount of territory to give up, though.



Q-Ball -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/11/2012 11:12:26 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

This one has turned into a turtle, yeah. It's going to be a while before Q-ball can really crack the Axis line, I doubt much will happen over the winter in the absence of large numbers of combat ready rifle corps and artillery divisions. Baelfin is settling in to play a Ketza/Idaho style game near as I can tell. He doesn't have an amazing amount of territory to give up, though.


T-75, 11/17/42:

It will take a bit to crack the Germans; the Wehrmacht is strong, and well-dug in.

Things are starting to pick-up a bit on both sides, though.

Artillery:

I already built 12 divisions, and plan to have at least a dozen more. I think I will hold off on buying too many, though, until I get the Breakthrough Divisions. I don't have the ability for a major offensive anyway right now, but I would like to get my Artillery trained-up, by shooting at Germans!

Sevastopol:

2 Panzer Corps cleared Sevastopol, routing all the units to the Caucausus. The garrison collapsed fairly quickly considering.

Russian Attacks:

With the Panzers in the Crimea, though, we are launching some "practice" attacks. These are not offensives, more attacks to build morale, and start bleeding the Wehrmacht. There was MUD in Central Soviet, but we put together 4 attacks in North Soviet, 3 of which were successful.

I had Tank Corps with the MPs to exploit gaps further, but I declined for now.....no sense getting them routed when I don't have the ability to sustain an offensive.

[image]local://upfiles/6931/8769B9EC125A4211AFEC29F6B1E51159.jpg[/image]



Klydon -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/12/2012 12:10:50 AM)

Guessing the Axis are hoping the Russians get a little too brave and commit some of their elite forces allowing him to strike a hard backhand to encircle and wipe out those units or at least severely maul them.

I think Q-Ball is on the right track. You don't really show a huge force, but rather just make an attack here and there and not really push things too hard. Just bleed the Germans as much as you can through attrition and those several attacks until you get built up enough forces that not only can you take the offensive someplace, but that you have enough that you can deal with whatever he plans on doing in response.

Letting the swamps freeze in winter and then going after units in them may not be a bad ploy either and might catch a German off guard.



Q-Ball -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/15/2012 6:49:05 PM)

T-77: 12/3/42

I didn't post a map, because the front isn't moving much. Baelfiin pulled back a couple hexes here and there, and in front of Stalino, but the actual front lines are going to be static for awhile. I'll post a map at end of winter, but don't expect alot of movement.

That doesn't mean there isn't action, though. I don't have the strength for a full-out offensive, but we are starting to attack targets of opportunity along the line.

As soon as Panzers show up in a particular sector, it's pretty much unassailable until I have more Rifle Corps (I am holding-off on building wholesale and hoarding APs for January, so I only have some Guards Corps).

So, I am doing more "hit and halt"; find a single infantry unit that looks vulnerable, hit it, and disperse the assault units when the Panzers show up and go back to the defensive.

I made 4 attacks this last turn as an example; 3 succeeded, and in all cases I had a Mech Corps or Tank Corps "along for the ride" to build morale. One failed spectacularly when Panzers in Reserve broke it up, inflicing 7,000 losses and costing me 300 tanks. This is typical for losses at this stage.

My tank losses in particular are steep last couple turns; almost 1600. This is partly because I am using Tank Corps as assault units, to build their morale, and because I don't plan to exploit anyway. Also, about 1/2 those are the highly combustable T-60.

Ultimately, I don't care about Tank losses, as we have 1000s in the pool, so whatever. But it shows the ferocity of some of these combats.



Flaviusx -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/15/2012 6:55:43 PM)

As boring as this is, it's the smart way to play under the circumstances. Patience and planning for 1943 will pay off in the long run. A pre 43 Red Army doesn't have the chops to crack open an Axis turtle. Stalingrad 2.0 can only happen with generous Axis cooperation and overextension and mostly this never happens. (Very few people have dared to take the oil plunge...wisely so.)




juret -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/15/2012 10:17:22 PM)

problem with WITE is that stalingrad never happens and axis players now their units will get weaker and soviets stronger so they stop attack.
but soviets dont stop attack when its their turn :)



randallw -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/15/2012 11:13:19 PM)

It'll be too late for them to be effective this winter, but ski brigades have been available to order up for a few months.



Q-Ball -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/16/2012 3:55:30 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: randallw

It'll be too late for them to be effective this winter, but ski brigades have been available to order up for a few months.


Ski Brigades? I don't build those at all. The only benefit they confer is better movement in the Snow, but their combat value is so negligible, I don't think it matters.

Mountain Divisions are useful in Snow, and I tried to keep them out of harm's way in 1941. The only ones I lost were the 6 or so that start along the Hungarian border, which are pretty much doomed if your opponent does a Lvov pocket.



Seminole -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/16/2012 4:07:47 PM)

quote:

Ski Brigades? I don't build those at all. The only benefit they confer is better movement in the Snow, but their combat value is so negligible, I don't think it matters.


"Newly created Soviet Ski units receive a morale bonus over the current national morale based on the date as follows: +5 in Sept 42, +10 in Sept 43, and +15 in Sept 44."
"Ski units will have their combat value (CV) doubled in snow and tripled in blizzard"

Haven't used them myself, but they have some other attributes besides better snow movement.
They can't be combined into divisions, can they?



JAMiAM -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/16/2012 4:28:36 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

As boring as this is, it's the smart way to play under the circumstances. Patience and planning for 1943 will pay off in the long run. A pre 43 Red Army doesn't have the chops to crack open an Axis turtle. Stalingrad 2.0 can only happen with generous Axis cooperation and overextension and mostly this never happens. (Very few people have dared to take the oil plunge...wisely so.)


I did so once, and very nearly captured Baku. The only thing that prevented me from doing so was the surrender of my opponent...[:(]



Q-Ball -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/16/2012 4:44:26 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Seminole

quote:

Ski Brigades? I don't build those at all. The only benefit they confer is better movement in the Snow, but their combat value is so negligible, I don't think it matters.


"Newly created Soviet Ski units receive a morale bonus over the current national morale based on the date as follows: +5 in Sept 42, +10 in Sept 43, and +15 in Sept 44."
"Ski units will have their combat value (CV) doubled in snow and tripled in blizzard"

Haven't used them myself, but they have some other attributes besides better snow movement.
They can't be combined into divisions, can they?


I'm glad someone around here is reading the rulebook![:D] I didn't know that about Ski units, the CV-double/triple thing. I knew about the morale, but that makes them similar to Mountain units, who also get a bump.

Still, even at Triple CV, the Ski Brigade will get to about the equivalent of a Rifle Division. Not enough, IMO, to make it worth it. The Soviet army is about MASS, and on-map Brigades don't really fit with that.

That Wehrmacht Ski Division, though, I have never seen it in Blizzard, but I guess that unit becomes a beast in Blizzard; right?



Flaviusx -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/16/2012 4:52:54 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: JAMiAM


quote:

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

As boring as this is, it's the smart way to play under the circumstances. Patience and planning for 1943 will pay off in the long run. A pre 43 Red Army doesn't have the chops to crack open an Axis turtle. Stalingrad 2.0 can only happen with generous Axis cooperation and overextension and mostly this never happens. (Very few people have dared to take the oil plunge...wisely so.)


I did so once, and very nearly captured Baku. The only thing that prevented me from doing so was the surrender of my opponent...[:(]


James, you are welcome to try it against me.



randallw -> RE: Down and out in the Donbas (2/16/2012 6:09:51 PM)

No, the ski brigades can't be combined.

One small extra bonus from them is that they convert to mountain brigades, beginning in early 1945...of course you have to last that far.



Q-Ball -> Attacking the Eastern Wall (2/19/2012 7:43:33 PM)

T-79: 12/17/42

The assault against Baelfiin's "Eastern Wall" continues. It's really a series of attacks here and there, as I don't have the strength to mount an offensive. Baelfiin is doing a good job in putting up defenses; in most places, like in front of Stalino, it's just unassailable right now. But we are able to pick a few spots.

We are using alot of Artillery; we have created 20 Artillery Divisions so far, and I will create more eventually, 3-4 per front at least. (I want to leave a few slots for the Breakthrough Divisions).

We are also committing tanks; alot of this is to build morale in my Tank units, but also because Tanks are pretty disposable right now, as my pools are filled with all types. Losses don't matter, really.

I lost another 850 this turn; I suppose that is more than I am producing, so I shouldn't be so cavalier, but it would take many turns of this to really create a problem. And alot of these losses are T-60s, which I would like to burn-up and replace anyway.

Attached are examples of combat against the Eastern Wall; at this point, it's limited attacks everywhere, until I get more Rifle Corps.

At this point, I will hit January of 1943 with 500 APs, and at least 70 Sapper Regiments in STAVKA. I plan to immediately spend those 500 APs on about 40 Corps plus Sapper attachments. That should get us rolling a bit more.

[image]local://upfiles/6931/8A51F657BFA44570B4FD85722CFE2957.jpg[/image]



Flaviusx -> RE: Attacking the Eastern Wall (2/19/2012 11:34:53 PM)

Q-ball, the 42 arty divisions do upgrade to breakthrough divisions.



Peltonx -> RE: Attacking the Eastern Wall (2/20/2012 12:45:56 AM)

nice AAR.

This game is following the game I have vs 8421, very close to historical.

It will be interesting to see how 43-45 turns out.

Good Luck.

I will be following closely as your 15 turns ahead of us.

Who is "we"?

Hehehe

JK

AP's are really the key, if you can get the SHC player behind the 8-ball with them or he spends them on wrong things you can win as GHC player.

3 ways to win.

1. Armament crunch
2. Manpower crunch
3. AP crunch

All things being equal none of the 3 happen, all things being not so equal at least 2 of 3 happen.

Pelton



Q-Ball -> RE: Attacking the Eastern Wall (2/20/2012 4:47:51 PM)

12/24/42

I didn't know about the upgrade to Breakthrough Divisions; I should look at the TOE! That will simplify things.

I plan to build about 24-30 Artillery units, including maybe 6 Rocket divisions, though they take forever to fill-out.

I still have almost 500 APs, and plan to spend a bunch on Rifle Corps in first part of 1943. In the meantime, I am spending on Artillery Divisions, a handful of Guards Rifle Corps, and swapping out SB-2s and MIG-3s for newer types (the old fighters are all long gone)

I am also starting to disband Construction Bdes; eventually, I plan to have 2 per front, but that's it. And those will be there just for RR Repair.

Baelfiin's Tactics:

Baelfiin hasn't done a ton of counterattacking. He did smack-back a Tank Army that moved into a clear hex, but other than that, he is not trying to counterattack and throw me back. Instead, he is giving ground a bit, or plugging holes.

In a couple places, I destroyed the forts and left a hole, like that shot above of the Hungarians. In this spot, Baelfiin moves a whole Panzer Corps, which cannot be moved, even with no forts. Those units then re-build the fort, and re-occupy the hex. So it goes.

At this point, given the low-intensity of my attacks, he can afford to plug every hole with Panzers and force me to move to another spot. So, I won't really make progress, just kill some Germans and train my guys.

I think Baelfiin is correct to not do any counterattacks, other than what is really necessary to keep a line rather than abandon a bunch of forts. Unless he pockets Soviets, those attacks are not very profitable.

I won't be able to crack this line until I have alot more Rifle Corps. We'll see what progress I can make once I am there.



sillyflower -> RE: Attacking the Eastern Wall (2/20/2012 6:55:42 PM)

This is playing out like my game with B except I'm German.



Klydon -> RE: Attacking the Eastern Wall (2/20/2012 10:15:52 PM)

I think you are doing the right thing. Move troops up, blast, move back. Rinse and repeat. You are building experience and moral which will come in handy later on.



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