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Tweedledumb -> First PBEM game to go the distance (January 1942) - don't underestimate the winter! (3/20/2016 6:22:45 PM)
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My PBEM buddy and I just completed our first game (of about 20 total games) which went all the way to the end of January 1942 to determine a victor.
I was the Germans, choosing to Support Hitler. All Status Quo pre-game options for both sides.
The Germans were able to fairly easily capture Rostov as the Soviets didn't commit any non-conscript armies down South. By mid-October they also ground their way into Moscow with stiff resistance. In the north, AGN was unable to get within three hexes of Leningrad before running out of steam (most divisions were bled white). The Finns had an two armies against them so couldn't help much.
By November there was a front running from near Leningrad to Kalinin-Moscow-Ryazan-Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad-Rostov.
During the winter, the Germans diverted PzG One to take Sevastopol.
In October, we discussed whether the Soviets should concede but decided that we should play it out and see what winter brings. Boy, did we learn a lot!
As the Germans, I chose to be a total Nazi, gaining the support of not only Hitler but Goering, Himmler and Goebells (sp?). I was able to convince Hitler to make Winter Preparations, but made, in hindsight, the mistake of saving 10-12 Prestige Points by having the first Winter Equipment start to arrive on December 8th when I could have had it on November 8th. Bad, bad, decision!
Winter is horrendous on the Germans. They cannot move much, if at all. Morale plummets to nothing. I saw one Unit Report where the AP penalty for Severe Weather was -130AP!!!
By mid-December the Soviets were rolling between Ryazan and Kharkov. I eventually lost the entire 2nd Army and 6th Army by the end of January. The Soviets re-took Moscow in January and had penetrated to Vyazma, Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk. Fortunately, I held on to Rostov and Sevastopol was captured early in 1942 to preserve the victory.
What we learned from this game was that it is more imperative to keep your army (both sides) intact before winter than to hold onto any preconceived geographic objectives. The Soviets CAN stretch out and destroy the Germans in December and January. The Soviets lamented their lack of tanks in their counteroffensive just as they did historically! Keep 10 tanks divisions in reserve for winter!
This experience just confirms that DC:Barbarossa is the single most immersive computer wargame I have ever played.
Thank you, again, to Vic and Cameron.
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