How to take or surround Lenningrad? Help

[atheory]

I've read AARs and the other posts and when I see screen shots of axis forces outside lenningrad or even at Lake Ladoga by turn 6/7, I am frustrated in that I have been unable to achieve such a result.

I can Pskov on turn 2 and usually Novgorod turn 4 or 5, but after that the russians have built up soo many units that it becomes a crawl for me to advance.

I advance my infantry as fast as I can and I've tried to push my panzers without infantry support and wait for support to arrive. I just can't find the right fix I guess. I've attempted Air drop and HQ buidups as well.

I play GC on Normal.

So any helpful words/tips?

Thanks in advance
Josh

[2ndACR]

I have the same issue, but this time I have 9 Div advancing along the coast that are pounding anything they meet to sand. Almost the entire 16th Army is up there.

I am getting ready to shift my armor south of the lake near Novgorod and try a east shove and then race to lake lake lagoda. Will see how that works out. Maybe I can un-hinge the Russian line some that way. We will soon see.

[mavraamides]

ORIGINAL: GrauWolf80

I've read AARs and the other posts and when I see screen shots of axis forces outside lenningrad or even at Lake Ladoga by turn 6/7, I am frustrated in that I have been unable to achieve such a result.

Wow! Lake Ladoga by turn 6/7? That is impressive. I've played this 3 times now and won 2 minors but never got near Lake Ladoga by then.

I would guess at turn 7 I would normally have Novgorod, started an encirclement of Lenny and probably picked up a couple of the southern targets. At that point it has become a grind for me but I can take enough to win.

[karonagames]

Some of the older AARs were done before swamps were buffed up. Since then progress in the Leningrad has been much slower, and more historical results are being achieved. Leningrad can still be captured, but the additional resources needed, means progress in other sectors will be less. All part of the self-balancing process, which is such a great feature of this game.

[heliodorus04]

I have my first scenario/first AAR here, though I'm not sure if it's "good"

You've done better than I have on a couple of counts.  Are you doing proper 2-turn encirclements (encircle on turn X, and then attack isolated units on X+1)?  Are you flying fuel to key units?  Are you making a point to build your controlled rail units as efficiently as possible?

Are you staying in command at all times?

The one tricky part that I'm trying to understand right now is the effect that Unit Fatigue has on supply recovery.  The manual says fatigue limits movement (at least) and perhaps I'm wrong, but I thought I read something about Fatigue having an impact on the ability to draw supply (maybe something related to motor pool or support elements, I am uncertain as I read various bits of manual so often).

Most importantly, are you moving in such a way that you have wide swaths of friendly-converted hexes for your infantry to advance behind?

You MUST make the movement of the Infantry easier by using motorized elements to convert hexes and open a friendly movement path.  The subtlety of which units you move first matters a very great deal.

[2ndACR]

I have a grand campaign AAR going that shows my northern front area. Turn 10 and I have basically blasted thru across the board. I use the slinky method. Blast a hole with infantry, plunge deep with armor, infantry follow. Rinse and repeat. I try to blast 4 hex holes so my armor can shoot thru without hitting ZOC.

I really try to not over extend and get cut off. Slow but methodical is my way. Only when I see a huge advantage will I allow my armor to go more than 1 turns advance from my infantry lines. I call it the "POW, off to the races" moment. And I have just created it in my game.

I build a rail head to Pskov and that becomes my main rail head for the north. I then backfill from there.

[atheory]

My initial encirclements are great and i've gotten so effecient that by turn 3 i've peaked at destroying 82 russian units. My russian units destroyed per turn typically run like this

Turn 1 : 20
Turn 2 : 50-62
Turn 3 : 65-82
Turn 4 : 30-48
Turn 5 : 20-30

results vary with each game of course

AGS does what it wants, only AGC suffers as i advance towards Lenningrad. Vitbesk and Smolensk aren't exactly high priority targets. Crossing at Gomel or near is AGC priority which then can either swing north towards Smolensk or south and encircle more Russians around Kiev if the situation allows.

I've always had the Russians build a fortified line just east of lake ilmen and I wonder if this is because I am advancing too fast towards Lenningrad. The turn 4 buildup by the russians seems to hit me hard there each time and now i'm pondering if I delay taking Pskov until turn 3 or 4 that it might force the Russians to deploy units elsewhere in what they might deem are more important areas.

I've always kept HQ's within range. built the rail as fast as I could.