How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (Full Version)

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FriendlyKomissar -> How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (2/10/2018 6:37:21 PM)

Good day comrades,

While there are other topics on defensive strategy around Barbarossa I have some questions about after that.

Normally the axis player makes the usual gains, and ends up with a line around the historical December 1941 positions.

Now lets present the strategic situation. The Axis forces usually outnumber the Soviet Army. There are usually around - 80 to 120 axis units (possibly more if Spain has gone over to the Axis). Soviet stuff will just be coming on line so it is not too unreasonable to expect a force of around 60 units.


What I have encountered now in several games, that once the German offensive really starts up in 1942 there is no real way to stop them.

Once the Axis player gets into a rhythm of knocking out 5 to 9 soviet units per turn that is game over.

Even with 800mmp (i.e. the western help has given it a major boost), after reinforcing the damaged units it is only possible to replace 4 or 5 destroyed units at best.

If the axis player keeps this up for 3 turns half the soviet force is knocked out and usually cut up into pockets. This not to say the USSR is defeated outright, they will certainly hold on until 1943 or even in extreme cases until 1944 but the defence is more or less broken, and when Germany secures the majority of the resources in the east the west is powerless to interfere.

The question is, what is the best way to break the rhythm and establish a solid line again? Once a game reaches that point is there any way to recover the situation or would it just be better to admit defeat?




sPzAbt653 -> RE: How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (2/10/2018 9:15:23 PM)

This might only apply to 653N as I don't play the stock version, but perhaps some of this might help you:

You must build more Soviet Infantry than the Axis destroys each turn. This is the first priority, don't spend on anything else until this is done.

Do not spend on reinforcing units unless you can get them out of harms way to recover their lost Morale and Readiness, otherwise they are dead anyway and you have wasted MPP's.

Do not place newly arrived units in the front line, they need a turn [at least] to gain Morale and Readiness. Otherwise, same as above, they are dead anyway and you have wasted MPP's.

Your mission is to hold on until the WAllies can open a 2nd Front. Only then should you spend on Research [except Infantry upgrades, which you should start as soon as you can afford it].



Sugar -> RE: How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (2/11/2018 3:35:12 AM)

1. Imho, in this game a defense is impossible, only delay action may buy some time.
2. The only solution is to counterattack, causing significant losses to the enemy.
3. SU won`t be able to counterattack successfully without sufficient research, unit-types and numbers.
4. Sovyet corps and garrisons aren`t able to do damage in any attack in 42, they're obsolete.

If under no circumstances the Sovyets will be able to stop the Axis, what`s the point in defending the key cities by losing many units without doing any damage (unless randomly), thereby training the Axis troops to 3 star, losing 20% of NM in average, wasting tons of MPPs and neglecting research?

I refuse to do it this way. What I`m doing is:
- gather all troops except corps and garrisons around Leningrad
- build a defensive parameter 3 hexes deep into the swamps and Volchow
- focus on research
- attack the Finns from the start. Even if I won`t be able to reach Helsinki, they're no longer a threat, leaving the space to withdraw, should Leningrad fall. Therefor it`s necessary to implement winterwar and not to send an expedition corps.

The swamps around Leningrad are not suitable to counterattack, this will occur around Moscow with the arrival of the Siberians, since the forrests are providing air def.-boni.

And last, not least: don`t you ever lose Cairo. The Brits can afford to lose their Island, but not Cairo.




Leadwieght -> RE: How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (2/16/2018 3:07:33 AM)

Sugar,
I largely agree with your analysis. Leningrad is the only one of the three main Russian objective cities that the Axis has a realistic chance of taking by the end of 1941, so the Russian player has to defend there most strongly. Moscow is a bit too far and there's lots of good defensive terrain for the Russians, and Stalingrad is out of reach until mid-1942 for even the most successful Axis offensive

As for counterattack possibilities, I have sometimes had good success in the Rostov area in the winter of 41-42. The Axis forces tend to be spread much thinner there than on the Moscow front and the Rumanian and Hungarian armies are easier to kill. Also the terrain is more open, making it harder for the Axis to entrench. And if there's also more room for the Russians to give ground, if they need too.

The main thing is to survive the onslaught in 41 and then force the Germans to SPREAD OUT by threatening the flanks of their spearheads.
This can be a combination of genuine threats and bluffs. In some sectors, just advancing a Russian Corps or a couple of Garrisons will force the Axis to peel off units from his main attacks, just in case there's more muscle behind the Russian probe.






James Taylor -> RE: How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (2/16/2018 4:02:06 AM)

It is imperative for the USA / UK conglomerate to land in 1942 somewhere bordering the western Med. / eastern Atl. if things are going bad in USSR.

UK may have only a token contribution as it is a must to drain Axis MPPs in Africa.

Forget a "solid" defensive line in Russia. Defend the Axis supply givers(towns & cities) and only attack those Axis units <5 supply leapfrogging east constantly to keep your units >= to 5 supply.

Rebuild lost units that had >= 5 supply while researching infantry and anti-air to keep a constant supply to be placed every turn. That means keep a reserve in the build Q ready to deploy.

Towns and cities with anti-air tech level 2 coupled with units also teched to 2 will degrade Axis air attacks significantly. Maximize aa tech and infantry tech(both should be 2 by late 41) during the repurchase cycle for all units placed into the main Axis thrust corridors.

The repurchase phase is the cheapest time to max tech upgrades for units.



Leadwieght -> RE: How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (2/16/2018 12:56:56 PM)

Agree with that as well, Sea Monkey. I have even launched premature invasions of France or the Low Countries in 1942. They usually get driven back to the sea, but they can save Moscow by diverting Axis assets in the crucial good-weather months.

Strangely, what I personally find hardest to counter as the Allies is not a Wehrmacht offensive in 1942 , but a highly teched-up attack in 1943. When the Germans have level 4 tanks and level 3 Tac Air, it becomes very difficult, for me at least, to prevent them from making major gains or even knocking Russia out entirely. Same is true in the Western Desert.



James Taylor -> RE: How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (2/16/2018 3:23:22 PM)

No doubt Leadweight, the teched up Germans can be a great dilemma for the Allies going into 43 / 44.

All the more reason why to build a superiority in Allied intel.



PvtBenjamin -> RE: How to break the 42' blitzkrieg? Eastern Front. (2/16/2018 7:38:20 PM)

Why don't you two guys get a room together.

[sm=00000947.gif]


I'm going on the basis that you are playing an experienced player who wipes out all USSR reinforcements (except Leningrad) on the first turn.

If so, listen to Sugar.



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