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rkr1958 -> RE: Global War AAR in Pictures (3/31/2016 1:48:14 AM)
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I wish to thank Generals Centuur and Cohen for the time they’ve taken to prepare their observations and recommendations on on-going combat operations. Hopefully I can adequately address all items in both their combat reports.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Centuur
You can use the ART to strike the Italian units in Eritrea, together with two INF that will do the trick, with shore bombardment added. There's no rush here too. Also, the CW should not be losing units in Egypt at this time. It's enough to keep the Italians busy by being able to move when you want. The time when you need more land units in India, Singapore and Australia is slowly coming. Clear the Italians out of Etritrea and Somaliland and you've done enough, especially if you add the Ethiopian forcepool with their HQ to aid the defense in that region.
It's the same as a "fleet in being". A small but good presence in Sudan and Ethiopia is good enough to keep the Italians waiting. Attacking means you are committed and that's something the CW should avoid in 1941 and 1942. Orders received and understood. Will carry out to the best of my ability.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Centuur
On the Soviet front: the south is as good as it can get in this situation. The north however: why is Koniev still in Smolensk? Those units are needed upfront.
Last line of defense before Moscow. Protecting two disorganized Soviet bomber units.
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ORIGINAL: Centuur
Apart from that, you are slowly creating distance between the Luftwaffe and the frontlines, that's good. But I would advice you not to use the Soviet bombers for ground strikes, since when you are on defense, it is usually better to use them for ground support instead...
Even when there’s a chance to disorganize Germany HQ or armor units?
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ORIGINAL: Centuur
Thing is: an addition of three combat factors when you are on defense is far more effective than a ground strike which is always a gamble with the die roll.
When you are attacking, grounds strikes are better if you want to attack stacks which has about 1,5 times or more combat factors as compared to the tactical factors of the plane you want to use. So ground strikes when on the offense, especially against strong stacks, and ground support when on the defense?
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ORIGINAL: Centuur
I don't know how many factories you've railed out exactly, but if you've still got the blue one in Leningrad, it has to go next impulse (I believe Kiev is emptied by now, hasn't it)? The Leningrad raillines are easily cut off after Pskov is gone, and that will be the case after the next Axis impulse (two disorganised MIL isn't much of a defense, I'm afraid). “
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ORIGINAL: Cohen
Germany should be able to sever Leningrad already by attacking Novgorod with 3 units (1 Mech-DIV and the ARM by Vitbesk).
Yes, I’m afraid that I waited one turn too long to rail the blue factory in Leningrad out. Looking over the situation I’ve decide that the Germans will try to Novgorod, cut the rail line and trap the blue factory in Leningrad. The Soviet staff officer in charge of organizing and prioritizing military rail has been “relieved” of his duties by no other than Premier Stalin. This officer was order immediately to the city of Novgorod and to assume command of all city defenses there. Stalin personally told Novgorod’s new city commander to either hold the Germans off and get the blue factory out or die trying. The last point Stalin emphasized before sending him off was that failure to do either would be most unpleasant for him and his twenty closest relatives.
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ORIGINAL: Cohen
Also Germany should evaluate carefully how to play it out, it could be worth to use an O-Chit to reorganize all of their HQ after they waste them next impulse to reorganize planes.
Germany used their second and last o-chit 2 impulses ago to reorganize all their HQ units.
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ORIGINAL: Cohen
To put it in simple terms, Vitbesk at the present is a juicy target with 2 Soviet planes grounded down. And Kiev can be in reach too. Rommel should be placed in place where there is the 8-4 SS Mot (assuming you play with the Railroad movement bonus) to reorganize 2 planes (make sure to have 1 air action for the Ju52 to help reorganizing). Probably you can only have the Ju88 and He111 reorganized (seeing you do not use variable reorganization cost) with 3+1 reorganization points, but they can strike both at 2 factor Vitbesk. (That is if you have 2 impulses; to have 3 would be better but one is never sure). The ENG unit is freed up after it seizes Minsk - and assuming you use the O-Chit to reorganize your HQ, Rommel should go and provide its HQ-Support (not sure where Guderian is at the moment).
In the north, only Rommel is organized. Guderian was used last impulse to reorganize 3 ground units so that the Germans could continue their push. The Germans also have the Ju88 available, which means that in the north they have a total of 4 reorg points left. My plan was to use them for ground units in order to keep the offensive going. For a land action, 4 reorg points = 4 ground or 2 air units.
With the exception of trying to take Novgorod next impulse and trap the Soviet blue factory in Leningrad, the Germans plan on making only high odds attacks until the chance of the turn ending is 50% or higher.
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ORIGINAL: Cohen
Do not attack Pskov that Impulse (hopeing to get another one) - do Novgorod and Minsk AND place units to the sides of Vitbesk to threaten infiltration to the sides of it - 2* stack. You can just leave 1 unit at the front hex.
Do 2 good attacks that won't stop your units from going on operating. Do not send the MIL unit north but have it closeby Pskov (You'll want to use it next impulse on it - Estonia can wait).
Orders received and understood. Will carry out to the best of my ability.
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ORIGINAL: Cohen
This impulse Germany can blitz the hex south of Kiev and open the way for it as well - with a big gap in the Soviet lines. They've a plane in range for Kiev once reorganized too (Which the southern HQs can do). Place your MECH / ARM units in the hex west of Timoshenko and blitz hard (so they can advance 2 hexes). This is the "safer" way to do it.
I like the safer way …
quote:
ORIGINAL: Cohen
Though if you love some risk (not sure which are the odds though) you can maximize your frontage of attack; having an assault on Kiev (depends if you can sensibly succeed at it) using Von Bock as HQ support (and as HQ in combat to deny the City bonus - but I suspect the attack would be just a +6 +7 about if the other Soviet unit in Kiev is organized). And you can blitz the 4-3 stack west of the triple resource with all your mechanized forces and as much as you can throw at it (Including Von Rundstedt in the attack for the +1 of ARM in plains). IF both attacks are successful you'll place OOS both Soviet stacks in the middle (Given they'll move 1 unit 1 hex backward to give supply - but it's a free unit disrupted) and the German ZoC will prevent them to move further away, which means they'll be anyhow pocketed and butchered the next impulse of the month (if there is one).
Move the 1-3 onward, the SS one. It's a loss soaker. But I like this way too … I’ll just have to see what odds I can get and decide then. Most likely I’ll choose the first option (i.e., Blitzing Timoshenko) but I may change my mind. Another option is to Blitz Timoshenko and assault Kiev. This would break the north flank of the Soviet forces in the south.
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ORIGINAL: Cohen
In the north Minsk and Novgorod can easily fall - and Rommel should be placed in a position to reorganize planes that can hit Vitbesk too the next impulse. (Assuming there is one). Von Rundstedt should help the Blitz with its panzer bonus, but keep the HQ bonus to reorganize (You have only 1 hex which gives him range to reorganize both the visible planes in your screenshot - which is South-West of Timoshenko). You do not need more attacks there - better to do 1 whhich is good and have your army still operational. Make sure to bring some units (eventually even slow ones as the Munich MIL) in the hex north of Kiev. Though if you plan to use the O-Chit to flip all your HQs you can do some math and see if Von Bock (unless there are other German planes to be reorganized) can do something good with its HQ support.
O-chit(s) gone and Guderian in the north disorganized. Will use Von Rundstedt for Blitz but not HQ support. Will save him for reorganization.
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ORIGINAL: Cohen
Erasing Soviet fighters would help the Luftwaffe greatly - especially after their air debacle in the opening of the turn. Pratically in the north you want in next Axis impulse to crash Minsk and Novgorod and prepare the lace for Pskov and Vitbesk.
Secured Novgorod you can use these units to attack Pskov maxing out what you can from non river hexsides; and eventually sneak to the sides of Vitbesk unless the Soviets evacuate it. (Soviets probably would reorganize the planes in there though to save them at this stage but using Konev at the maximum distance and not lose them). Good advice.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Cohen
May / June did not favored Axis and in Jul / Aug they've not advanced much alas for now - only a long and healthy turn can save them imo. The Luftwaffe burnout in the 1st impulse did not helped either - I rarely use Ground Support at all in Russia unless I am attacking a special hex (Forcing the Dnepr for example when heavily defended but usually an O-Chit does the trick there with the ENG unit doubled up to allow 2* river crossing with no penalty).
Once next turn hits - Sept / Oct you risk to lose the momentum due to bad weather - hence it's relevant to weight the O-Chit usage in a way or another.
I guess it all depends on how long the turn last. But the success of the German advance so far seems to me as mirror their historical advance. Even so, I guess the fact that they eventually lost the war speaks for how good that was.
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