RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (Full Version)

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Reconvet -> RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (11/10/2012 1:51:05 PM)

Soviet moves: South of Kharkov


[image]local://upfiles/37285/5E090223D7E34853A6D85403A5E053F5.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (11/10/2012 1:52:08 PM)

Soviet moves: Crimea

Keeping Sewastopol supplied even over a few turns is impossible at the current state of the game. So I evacuate what I consider the most valuable units and set all the other formations there on disband. Might be considered gamey, but if no sailing boats get used to bring in supplies then all sailing boats are probably used by hungry soldiers trying to get to restaurants on the mainland...

If disbanding units here is considered gamey then letting Axis planes sit idly on their airfields and sink supply ships by doing so has to be considered exploiting an existing poor game mechanism too. Axis planes should have to fly, use up readiness and ammo to interdict supplies, that's not the case right now. Supply interdiction really needs a workover!


[image]local://upfiles/37285/17808C669D65414D8F07C0D3A910E4CE.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (11/10/2012 1:53:09 PM)

Overview of Kharkov front region after soviet moves


[image]local://upfiles/37285/859EB0C951EB42E2A0F48736158C74C8.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (11/10/2012 1:54:04 PM)

And to finish this turn report:

Some losses stats.


[image]local://upfiles/37285/4965855F44BB460BB19751192869FE96.jpg[/image]



schascha -> RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (11/10/2012 5:13:55 PM)

Your AAR is suuuperb !![sm=happy0065.gif]

Which software do you use ?



Josh -> RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (11/10/2012 6:58:53 PM)

+1 to the above, a nice read. What I am most curious about is your "potential problem nr 1 and nr 2"  now these could be a real problem very soon. It would crack the whole front open. 



Reconvet -> RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (11/10/2012 10:08:35 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: schascha

Your AAR is suuuperb !![sm=happy0065.gif]

Which software do you use ?


Thanks, dito to Josh. [:)]

Well, if I name products here it's simply because I like working with them, not because I make money in any way for naming them.

I'm using Snagit to take screenshots first when I get a turn in and watch the battle history. Really comfortable to take multiple screenshots without the need to save them manually or to go to the desktop between screenshots.

Then I use Photoshop Elements (v11) because it offers great options to organize and edit these screenshots. Snagit offers some of its functions too, but I just like Photoshop's options for working with layers (which allows easy merging of several pictures), for editing pictures and for saving them in a web-friendly format and data-size.

Then I use Snagit again for illustrations, it has way nicer arrows, text options and other gimmicks than Photoshop. So I use these two tools because I haven't found other software which can do by itself what these two offer me.



Reconvet -> RE: May 16th 1942 / Turn 3 (11/10/2012 10:18:07 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Josh

... What I am most curious about is your "potential problem nr 1 and nr 2"  now these could be a real problem very soon. It would crack the whole front open. 


Tearing up the southern part of the Izium salient is how I'd react as Axis player here, I agree. Question is if I can threaten Kharkov so much that he has to send his reserves and replacements there to keep me from seizing it, or if he feels safe enough to divert these assets to try and cut off the Izium salient or vital parts of it.



Reconvet -> RE: May 18th 1942 / Turn 4 (11/15/2012 12:32:07 PM)


May 18th 1942 / Turn 4/ Clear weather

Axis moves:



[image]local://upfiles/37285/97D79F1DA7604E52BA5BAE37A2CC4129.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 18th 1942 / Turn 4 (11/15/2012 12:33:13 PM)

Quite a surprise to see transport planes fly recon missions:


[image]local://upfiles/37285/98EC7B90DAEF4AB98A530F2D43631EBA.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 18th 1942 / Turn 4 (11/15/2012 12:34:09 PM)

Soviet starting situation on turn 4

Both of my Kharkov spearhead armies still suffer from poor readiness and are low on ammo. In future games I'll pay closer attention to readiness and supply of each unit before I move them or let them attack, especially on mud turns. It takes real long for units to regain attack fitness if you let them fall below 80% readiness and a supply stock lower than 1, because anything lower than 80%/1s will suck out all supply for readiness recovery. I am far from happy with how supply use is coded here, who needs soap when you are running low on ammo…

In addition to supply issues my spearhead army south of Kharkov - 6A - falls victim to an ugly command&control penalty. Minus 54 AP means no attacks with this army this turn, meaning Bonners gets more time to beef up his defenses at Kharkov.


[image]local://upfiles/37285/E740C3ED11954B18824490E47CA07AC9.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 18th 1942 / Turn 4 (11/15/2012 12:34:52 PM)

Soviet offensive moves


[image]local://upfiles/37285/FE69B4E9A38249A0B48250EB6AD403BC.jpg[/image]

***** Edit: Forgot to mention what kind of love Stavka dished out for playing the card: All 6A units got +7 morale / +24 readiness.



Reconvet -> RE: May 18th 1942 / Turn 4 (11/15/2012 12:36:32 PM)

And an overview of developments around Kharkow (map at the end of the turn):

[image]local://upfiles/37285/5E4DCE11746D4EDD9C12913C4F6A2912.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/22/2012 10:35:10 PM)


May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 / Clear weather

German offensive moves north of Kharkow:




[image]local://upfiles/37285/AD4DD287274F4859A763AD42B19D836D.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/22/2012 10:35:46 PM)

German offensive moves south of Kharkov


[image]local://upfiles/37285/1B3B37D579F04E718E0E6BFF86F6F127.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/22/2012 10:36:54 PM)

Soviet starting situation on turn 5

This turn both my spearhead armies fall victim to command&control penalties. Offensive potential for my 6A is down 62% this turn, 20% minus for my 28A. That's the second turn in a row for 6A, plus the mud turn, which means in 3 out of 5 turns my efforts to take Kharkow have been severely restricted by random game mechanics.

How on earth am I supposed to take Kharkov with such a bunch of looney leaders? At least Stavka should recognize that delays caused by them are not my fault and give me more time to take a major prestige objective when such c&c penalties or muddy weather are dished out. War with politicians and weather gods is really hell...


[image]local://upfiles/37285/9ECF1F084D9F45AA822DF827047E4883.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/22/2012 10:38:21 PM)

In addition to the c&c chaos Stalin thinks it funny to dish out additional offensive minor objectives lying way out in the pampa or behind lines protected by SS-Elite-Divisions, while all available resources have to be used to have a minimum chance to take the main objective (Kharkov). Consequence of this: By early june I'll be down to zero prestige points. Trappenjagd can only be played with dismissal off right now (1.04beta) because dishing out new orders by high command (Stavka/OKH) really needs a workover. As I've suspected by the way, that's why dismissal is off in this game and will stay off for future games until Stalin's situational awareness has significantly improved...

At the current state of the game in Trappenjagd Soviets will have to play with zero prestige from early june until they can draw defensive orders, which can only be the case after they have lost Rostov or Voronezh (normally Millerowo should remain defendable longer than Voronezh).


[image]local://upfiles/37285/79A873A311594022999DFDFB7F06A930.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/22/2012 10:39:52 PM)

Soviet offensive moves or whatever was more or less reasonable...


[image]local://upfiles/37285/596038B683D646B5B910E228973AC82F.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/22/2012 10:40:48 PM)

And some ponderings over the map at the end of the turn:


[image]local://upfiles/37285/9931B4E2ECDA479EABF4A2E030706063.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/22/2012 10:41:40 PM)

Last thoughts for turn 5:

Supply-wise I'm starting to get worried. Stavka's supply stock keeps dropping lower and lower. I wonder if the losses on the supply-sealanes to Kerch and Sewastopol will let me run out of food, soaps and ammo across the whole front all over the mainland map…


[image]local://upfiles/37285/7A4FF740F11E4E58897AE846A03AF045.jpg[/image]



wallas -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/23/2012 12:27:19 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Reconvet

Trappenjagd can only be played with dismissal off right now (1.04beta) because dishing out new orders by high command (Stavka/OKH) really needs a workover.



Liquidsky and I are at Oct 1 1942 and we are playing trappenjagd original version and I am at 49 prestige as the russians using dismissal. I dont agree with your assessment. Once you hit zero you have three turns to get to positive and ambition gives you 1 prestige as soon as you play it. I also saved my prestige point and hoarded them to prevent dismissal. With dismissal off your game would turn into a route as you attrition the germans forces to death, and it would be august before they have recovered. Think of dismissal as a script to keep the game somewhat historical, and to maintain play balance.

How I see it



LiquidSky -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/23/2012 2:07:40 AM)



There is a big difference in our game though...I started the Russians at Strategic Position level 4 instead of 5. (or was it 5 instead of 6? anyways, it is one lower). Which means every mission the Russians get in our game is a defensive one, not an offensive one. Which means no chance of dismissal, unless the Germans push hard and take territory through may/june. Without that change, every Trappen game will end in a Russian dismissal, unless they take Kharkov....and even then that may only delay dismissal until July.




Reconvet -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/23/2012 10:18:47 AM)

As LiquidSky said: In your game you very early started to get defensive goals because your modded starting strategic position allowed for this. I only drew offensive ones, most of them ridiculously out of the way behind strong German divisions.

My suggestion for Soviet orders in Trappenjagd would be that they can't get additional offensive minor orders until they have taken or have failed to take Kharkow. After not taking Kharkow they should start to get defensive orders, which would make the game playable for the russian side with dismissal on. Not getting defensive orders inevitably has to lead to an early dismissial. I have yet to see an AAR where this is not true.

Not all people are willing/capable to modify game files to prevent an early dismissial, so I really hope that the dismissal mechanism will be looked at and implemented via an official patch.



Bonners -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/23/2012 12:14:07 PM)

Having now read this I can see why we played with dismissal rule off. I could basically have sat around and done little of nothing and you would've still ended up getting dismissed. I've put some thoughts on this in the 'Suggestions for next update' thread, would be really interested to see what you think.

Love the AAR, really good read and informative diagrams, it actually makes the Axis look half way competent[:D] Reading this now I remember how desperate I was to try and keep the bridgehead over the river south east of Kharkov, just couldnt get enough forces there in time.

Could those Axis forces to the South of Kharkov really be in the wrong position?[;)]



Reconvet -> RE: May 20th 1942 / Turn 5 (11/23/2012 1:38:26 PM)

Thanks, and I will try to invoque more memories in the coming days/weeks. [:D]



Reconvet -> May 22 1942 / Turn 6 (11/23/2012 1:43:23 PM)

May 22 1942 / Turn 6 / Weather: Mud again...

German offensive moves:

Axis has a deadline for taking Kerch, so Bonners feels obliged to attack on a mud turn.


[image]local://upfiles/37285/A10C24BCDB484C4E98787EB12140D372.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 22 1942 / Turn 6 (11/23/2012 1:44:23 PM)

Soviet starting situation on turn 6:

Mud and c&c penalties for both my offensive armies turn any plans to attack into wet dreams. South of Kharkow I let my artillery lose on an Axis hex, only to realize that just a single tank brigade had enough movement points to participate in a ground attack. What a stupid waste of shells…


[image]local://upfiles/37285/C304431AECCD40A88C0E55550F66E3C4.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 22 1942 / Turn 6 (11/23/2012 1:45:29 PM)

So my offensive moves this turn can be summed up with one word: Nada…

Bonners has had ample time to beef up his defenses at Kharkow and prepare his counteroffensive. Seems like my attempt to take my main prestige objective has come to an end, killed by 2 mud turns and too many c&c-penalties. I guess my next major offensive will have to wait until october/november '42. Time to start a controlled retreat out of the Izium salient and to evacuate valuable assets from the Kerch peninsula (especially HQ-units and artillery).

Losses this turn:


[image]local://upfiles/37285/6248935BE7324EF1A17748B9F3F875BD.jpg[/image]



Reconvet -> RE: May 22 1942 / Turn 6 (11/23/2012 1:47:03 PM)

To finish this turn report a look at the supply situation. I have no explanation why Stavka sends out less than what was requested. After all the Stavka supply stock seems to be a reserve to cover requests which are higher than what is sent down from Moscow. And how much is lost due to damage in Kerch and due to supply interception on the sealanes is simply a mistery to me.

I haven't even bothered to keep track of what arrives at Sewastopol. Units there went out of supply turns ago as I had no inclination to expose my miserable fighter force to Axis airbase raids, and without fighter cover Sewastopol simply can't be kept in supply.


[image]local://upfiles/37285/4BF759C9A1944758B65E88D2C938B0EC.jpg[/image]



Bonners -> RE: May 22 1942 / Turn 6 (11/23/2012 2:36:41 PM)

We're playing the normal supply rules, so isnt the supply out request to cover all troops including those in the Crimea? Does that supply still count in the supply out request even though it is not received?



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