Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: LiquidSky



Fortifications up the maximum entrenchment level of the hex. They, in themselves, don't give you any extra protection. So it is a very very bad idea to build them on the front lines, as the units will not gain much in the way of extra entrenchment (unless they are already at the max for the hex.) In order to bring down entrenchment level, all you need is artillery. I used 100 stacking points of artillery to absolutely rip one down to near nothing in my game. (was built in a plains hex).

Best place to put them is in the city hexes behind the lines...like Stalingrad. Or behind a river. Note you cannot fortify a vp hex, but the other hexes are fair game for your leaders with the fortify card.

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ORIGINAL: Bonners

26th July - the true cost of Rostov

Well, I will receive my first significant prestige points next turn with managing to hold onto Rostov until the start of this turn. But the true cost of this is revealed. The German panzers continue their thrust to the south east and reach the railway line, swatting aside any Soviet units in their way. This means that the 56th army is totally trapped in Rostov with no way out, another 60k troops will soon meet their grizzly end. Once the encirclement is completed the whole of the Caucasus is an open door, there are no more troops to defend the line.

Elsewhere on the front there are no units left to hold the line as it rapidly stretches. As a defensive line we are now looking at Stalingrad and the Volga as my troops retreat as fast as possible to escape the trap of the Don bend, further north I am clinging on to the Don in places but there is nothing available to counter attack so once the Germans breach it will be full scale retreat.

Realistically I think my objectives now must be to try and hold onto one of the Black Sea Ports on the western front. In the centre I dont think I will get my lines together enough to hold Maikop, but may look at the possibility of making a stand around Grozny. Apart from that it is trying to hold Astrakhan to make sure my entire southern front is not cut off along with my oil supplies. Realistically Stalingrad cannot hold, but I shall make a stand there with infantry units only to give me time to hopefully build up a line behind the Volga and maybe around Astrakhan to keep supplies going to the Caucasus.

Troop numbers are not looking good, the unfortunate truth is that overall numbers will drop below 300k once the encircled 56th army meets its fate.

The only bright spark I can find is reading a bit of history, this was around the low point for Soviet forces, so I am still optimistic that I will hold the advance at some stage. The lack of prestige means that the most I have been able to do is build a fortification each turn, with holding Rostov I will hopefully have a few more turns of these before the minus prestige from the 'no step back' order begin to dig in.

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ORIGINAL: Bonners

This means that the 56th army is totally trapped in Rostov with no way out

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ORIGINAL: wallas

Bonner run for the mountains in the Southern caucasus the open terrain is lost. Plug up any road or rail line leading into the moutains. Make your new front in the narrow strip along the caspian sea with the moutains to your left and protect Baku. Put an army is astrakhan and defend it. The rest of whats left in the south put behind the major river infront of stalingard, and defend stalingrad with at least 1 division in each hex. Your in dire straights and need to take drastic measures.

How I see your situation,

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ORIGINAL: Bonners

The Rostov armies get totally cut off by the Germans this turn; the transports turn around as the Germans are quick to cut access to the coast so a seaborne evacuation is not possible. The troops sit tight awaiting their doom in Rostov safe in the knowledge that their sacrifice will not be forgotten by Mother Russia. It will also gain me two more days for the Germans to get the rail net up and working.

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ORIGINAL: James Ward

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bonners

The Rostov armies get totally cut off by the Germans this turn; the transports turn around as the Germans are quick to cut access to the coast so a seaborne evacuation is not possible. The troops sit tight awaiting their doom in Rostov safe in the knowledge that their sacrifice will not be forgotten by Mother Russia. It will also gain me two more days for the Germans to get the rail net up and working.

You can try to disband the Rostov armies and maybe get some troops out that way. They are toast anyway you look at it.

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ORIGINAL: Bonners

That is a really good idea, but a bit too gamey for my liking. If I was in this situation against the AI then I'd give it a go.

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ORIGINAL: James Ward

You can try to disband the Rostov armies and maybe get some troops out that way. They are toast anyway you look at it.

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ORIGINAL: Bonners

I think you're spot on. The only bit I'll struggle with is plugging the roads on the way to the mountains. I think the best I can manage is to blow the bridges as I dont really have units to spare to do last stands on the roads. Time will have to be my plug on the roads.

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ORIGINAL: wallas

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ORIGINAL: James Ward

You can try to disband the Rostov armies and maybe get some troops out that way. They are toast anyway you look at it.

excellent suggestions but does that work if no port or no supply ?

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ORIGINAL: wallas

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ORIGINAL: Bonners

I think you're spot on. The only bit I'll struggle with is plugging the roads on the way to the mountains. I think the best I can manage is to blow the bridges as I dont really have units to spare to do last stands on the roads. Time will have to be my plug on the roads.

I use rail as the russians more for getting away from the German front lines then railing units to the front line.