Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (Full Version)

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smokindave34 -> Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/17/2013 10:16:24 AM)

My campaign against "The Pro's" is nearing the bitter end so it's time for another shot at victory in the East. Sapper222 will be my opponent. This will be my fourth campaign as axis with two of them going the distance and one currently in March '42.

A few strategic objectives:

1) Take Leningrad - this will allow me to free up the Finns during the blizzard (along with the obvious manpower loss for the Soviets)
2) Capture as many Soviet units as possible. I learned this the hard away against the Pro's. I captured <1 million Soviets during summer '41 and never recovered. I ran into a wall of Soviet units in '42 which made it very difficult to push the Soviets east.
3) Capture as many manpower centers as possible in an attempt to keep the Red army OOB as low as possible.

Turn 1 AGN:

As much as I enjoy this game I really don't enjoy turn 1 as Axis, maybe since I repeat the same moves every time or maybe since I'm just not that good at turn 1! A decent opening by AGN however Sappers Riga defenders repulse two hasty attacks by my panzers (with pioneers) and Riga holds.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/81276BA28A53499C81063A8E0A4F1ADF.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/17/2013 10:17:50 AM)

AGC:

Fairly standard opening by AGC.



[image]local://upfiles/27926/0B413F4484A0481087056646F6964945.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/17/2013 10:20:03 AM)

AGS:

I boned up the AGS opening and Sapper will open the pocket next turn. Hopefully Sapper will use this opportunity to commit some forces to re-open the pocket and I'll be able to trap them turn 2 (I doubt he will but I'll try and be optomistic).

[image]local://upfiles/27926/56E34628B1F84E2F8C18556DD90FFEE6.jpg[/image]



sillyflower -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/17/2013 11:25:26 PM)

Good luck Smokin' May you trash all other Soviets. You do, however, have to get better at the die rolling than you did at Riga. Did you not have Manstein in command range when you attacked it?

Your norther opening needs to be worked on. if you plough up the middle as you did, lots of commies rout out which makes your job taking L'grad much harder.



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 1:25:29 AM)

Thanks Sillyflower. It was Reinhardt in XXXXI corps who failed to take Riga - he will be closely watched for the rest of the campaign!




smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 1:26:55 AM)

Turn 2 - AGN

Sapper makes me pay for not taking Riga and opens a supply route for the few units I did have in the pocket. I decide to bypass Riga for this turn and move my best infantry divisions east for the assault on Pskov.



[image]local://upfiles/27926/AB0F139645ED4816B01840363C2939E7.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 1:30:24 AM)

AGC

Sapper put a lot of units in the landbridge and left just a handful of units in the poor terrain SW of Velike Luki. I decide to send XXIX panzer corps north of the Dvina to try and capture the good defensive terrain and also put some pressure on his Pskov line from the south.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/122C89DE55DF4769B805B6127C5DBD62.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 1:35:03 AM)

AGS

Sapper is heading for the Denpr while leaving some pickets to slow me down. I suspect he is transferring units north to defend Leningrad and Moscow.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/47D94698396C4201941B423783BC5F5D.jpg[/image]



bigbaba -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 3:00:05 AM)

about riga:

if you add a pionier btl. to each of the 2 attacking PD one of your hasty attacks takes the city normaly.



Disgruntled Veteran -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 3:28:35 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

about riga:

if you add a pionier btl. to each of the 2 attacking PD one of your hasty attacks takes the city normaly.


He mentioned that he did. I however have never lost the Riga battle more than 1x. Shame he missed that one.



bigbaba -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 4:40:44 AM)

oh didnt saw that. hmm then its strange and maybe extremly bad roll.



Peltonx -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 9:17:57 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

oh didnt saw that. hmm then its strange and maybe extremly bad roll.


A new twist to game.

I have been testing some new openings and taking Riga is much harder using the standard set-up.

Yes in the past 1 or 2 HA and you had the city, but there is a close to 50% chance you will fail now doing all 4 HA's.

I found an easy fix.



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 10:17:37 AM)

Each panzer division had a pioneer attached - and two hasty attacks failed. My biggest disappointment from turn 1. However we march on to Pskov.....



timmyab -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 1:16:24 PM)

I Think there's a good case to be made for not assaulting Riga.It's an unnecessary diversion.I've taken to screening it with a broken down 36th mot div while the rest of 41st pz corps gets on with the more important job of sprinting East.
For example, like so.



[image]local://upfiles/36871/474CBFC0835D4DCFBD74592C0ED07BE6.jpg[/image]



Ketza -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 6:25:01 PM)

Attacking Riga is a waste of MPS with a chance it may not even fall and mess up your pockets. Better served to just screen it.



Disgruntled Veteran -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 10:17:19 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Ketza

Attacking Riga is a waste of MPS with a chance it may not even fall and mess up your pockets. Better served to just screen it.


Its far more of a diversion if he digs in with 3 divisions in a light urban hex. One that is shielded from the South by a big river. For me its Riga at all costs.



Michael T -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/18/2013 10:29:31 PM)

I would rather have the Soviet pile troops in to Riga than have them between me and Leningrad. Once Leningrad goes Riga is then toast. I have seen my Soviet opponents reinforce Riga after I bypass it only to then evacuate the place once Leningrad is in peril. I don't wast my time at Riga anymore.



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/19/2013 12:19:57 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Michael T

I would rather have the Soviet pile troops in to Riga than have them between me and Leningrad. Once Leningrad goes Riga is then toast. I have seen my Soviet opponents reinforce Riga after I bypass it only to then evacuate the place once Leningrad is in peril. I don't wast my time at Riga anymore.


So you don't run your AGN rail line through Riga? That seems to be the most important factor for me getting the rail line up to Pskov then Leningrad.



Michael T -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/19/2013 12:57:27 AM)

No rail thru Riga.



Peltonx -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/19/2013 1:52:20 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: smokindave34


quote:

ORIGINAL: Michael T

I would rather have the Soviet pile troops in to Riga than have them between me and Leningrad. Once Leningrad goes Riga is then toast. I have seen my Soviet opponents reinforce Riga after I bypass it only to then evacuate the place once Leningrad is in peril. I don't wast my time at Riga anymore.


So you don't run your AGN rail line through Riga? That seems to be the most important factor for me getting the rail line up to Pskov then Leningrad.


Lol I pointed this out 6 months ago.

Moron after moron kept ignoring me but whats new.

MT's rail line exposes Leningrad and Moscow.



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/19/2013 9:42:30 PM)

Turn 3 AGN

I decide to hold off on Riga until next turn - I felt it was more important to get I corps and II corps as fas northeast as possible to get ready for the assault on the Pskov line. Time is of the essence here. Recon didn't show any defense in depth here and hopefully my move north by 3rd panzer group spread out sappers lines enough to make to things easier on the approaches to Leningrad. LVI corps manages to reduce a level 2 fort across the river which should help matters next turn.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/22B9F73722E84DF5B96416F0D253A13D.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/19/2013 9:47:37 PM)

Sapper is a very aggressive Soviet player. He is constantly attacking even when the odds are not in his favor. The 20th motorized division pays the price for advancing too far on its own and sapper surrounds and routs it - a rude awakening for sure. I didn't think I put it out too far and thought it was safe in light woods and with a Jagdpaner support unit attached. I'll have to be a bit more careful going forward.

Looks like sapper moved units from the landbridge north to offset my move north by 3rd panzer. I'll have to see how Sapper responds next turn here. I don't want my mobile units getting stuck in the poor terrain but if I can thin him out at Pskov and the landbridge it should make my infantrys job a bit easier to punch a hole in his lines.

Another move sapper makes that I haven't seen before is he is using his airforce to drop supplies to most of his front line units. I didn't get a screenshot but there a lots of supply drops along the front. I increased my intercept rate to try and counter this.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/0D325CEEE6EE49A99663408DBBB2E067.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/19/2013 9:53:00 PM)

AGS

Not much to discuss here - Sapper is for the most part behind the river and I use my panzers to flip terrain to allow the infantry to make a quick advance next turn. I moved pioneers from 17th army to 6th army to support the assault on the river line in the next few turns. I also replaced some of my 6th army corps commanders to try and help support a quick advance across the Dnepr.

I'm also hoping to force Sapper to spread out his forces here as well so that he can't concentrate his forces in one spot. Well see if it works.....

[image]local://upfiles/27926/C67B53A662DB4BC2B10501D5B1953798.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/20/2013 10:57:31 AM)

I'm struggling to get my fighters to intercept all those supply drops that Sapper is making. I've cranked up my intercept to 150% but still I get no planes to fly - any thoughts? My airbases are still relatively far back as I'm keeping them close to the railheads so that I can fly supplies to my panzers but I would have thought I'd get some fighters up to intercept his transports.



Flaviusx -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/20/2013 11:23:24 AM)

Jack it up to 300 and put in some new air commanders in key areas.



821Bobo -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/20/2013 11:46:43 AM)

You dont need to keep all airbases close to the railheads, just the ones with transport/bomber planes that are flying fuel to your spearheads. Make same fighter only airbases and move them to the front.



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/20/2013 8:39:59 PM)

Thanks Flaviusx and Bobo - I'll give these a shot. Hopefuly the Soviet transports will start falling from the sky in large numbers.



Michael T -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/20/2013 8:53:13 PM)

I create one Flieger Korp that is purely fighters and keep it up close to the front. The rest hang back within 5mp of a railhead as nothing more than flying fuel cans. Hopefully in WITE 2 the Luftwaffe might be worth using as bombers. Stukas these days are useless as they get shot down in droves from turn 2 on.



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/20/2013 9:36:31 PM)

Thanks Michael - I'll plan on getting the fighters close to the front when my next turn gets back from Sapper.



smokindave34 -> RE: Smokindave vs. Sapper222 (No Sapper) (6/20/2013 9:43:06 PM)

Turn 4

Overall not a very good turn. I'm getting flashbacks of my game against Sillyflower and Sean - large defensive CV's of all the Soviet units and every battle seeing Soviet reserves activate in large numbers. I've learned to counter them somewhat (Move a unit adjacent to any Soviet units in the vicinity of the attack, attack with greater than 2 to 1 odds, and only use hasty attacks in open terrain) but this certaninly slows down my drive east. I lost 14 battles this turn - mainly because I was to stubborn to stop my hasty attacks but next turn I will certainly dial them back. I want to keep my morale up if at all possible.

AGN:

I expected to see Sapper hold onto the Pskov line but he pulled his troops north a bit to the swamps. Recon still didn't show much defense in depth here so I'm hoping to make good progress now that my infantry has caught up. I decide to give 4th panzer group the week off to refit. I want them in top shape once my infantry start opening holes in the line (I hope!).

3rd panzer group really struggled to open up some space en route to Velike Luki. A lot of my hasty attacks failed here so next turn I'll use 2nd army to help get things moving again.



[image]local://upfiles/27926/32EA7BC2ED64444CBC0DF09CF6F2929B.jpg[/image]



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