Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

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governato
Posts: 1318
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Location: Seattle, WA

RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by governato »

Noo. Do not disband them Some Axis Armies that historically had many infantry divisions get extra 'Reserve' units. Check their proficiency, they are quite good, although not as good as your 1941 infantry...

One of the major problems for the Axis is crack units losing their high proficiency when they take in too many green replacements and revert to 'untried' status.
It's a great feature of TOAW actually.
Cfant
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Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:16 am

RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

Thanks. [:)] I wondered, they have prof 75 - much better than the russian reserves, but the name was confusing. I thought, the RL german reserve bataillons were used to train the reinforcements of the first-line-units, but seems I was wrong. More troops are very welcome :)

Really enjoying the scenario [&o] and always waiting for the next turn! [:)]
Cfant
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Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:16 am

RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

Not much action at the moment, the Russkis run for Moscow, reorganising my troops overhelms the rail system and some small skirmishes near Moscow. Only the Caucasus sees the Wehrmacht rolling, Novoskirwhatever shall fall befor Rasputiza to starve out the (sadly few) Crimean defenders. Now a new questions bothers OKH: What means "far away"-hexfields at Baku? Will this influence my advance? I'd like to take Baku with little forces commited to this task. Would mean -10% replacements for Uncle Josef [8D]

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sealclubber
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by sealclubber »

Great AAR, thanks Cfant! Looks like you may push the Red Army as far back as is possible in the scenario without invoking a sudden death victory. That's going to be a long slog back for the Red Army!

Interestingly enough in my 4 games of EF neither side has blown bridges by air. On the winter shock bonus: I think the negative shock might be harsh due to the reorg. I'd personally rather see something like a huge Axis supply penalty (on the scale of 50%) and 120% Soviet shock (with no Axis shock penalty).


Cfant
Posts: 484
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:16 am

RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

Thanks :)

Sudden Death won't happen, we decided to neglect this houserule. We both want to see a fight to the death [;)]
I bombed the bridges in our first game a lot. Impossible to defend against it, Fabio will most likely forbid it in his next update of the briefing. [:)]

@Fabio: My opponent still has 14.000 rail capacity. Shouldn't it be 8000 after the fall of Leningrad? Second question: Is Baku a 100% Supply point?

Edith: Do I see this right: Baku is a 50% Supply-point, so can't be starved out, but will loose a war of attrition?
governato
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by governato »

ORIGINAL: Cfant2

@Fabio: My opponent still has 14.000 rail capacity. Shouldn't it be 8000 after the fall of Leningrad? Second question: Is Baku a 100% Supply point?

Edith: Do I see this right: Baku is a 50% Supply-point, so can't be starved out, but will loose a war of attrition?

- Railway capacity recovers...

- Baku: yup 50% supply. 'far away hexes' means air units can't bomb (same for 'reserve airfields' on the east and west side of the map).


Fun game! Amman just sent me Turn 44..are you still complaining about blizzard? ;).
Cfant
Posts: 484
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:16 am

RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

Fun game! Amman just sent me Turn 44..are you still complaining about blizzard? ;).

No, now I'm complaining, that Baku is so strong defended [:D]

But honestly, you were right of course [:)] The winter-offensive is a problem for the german, but bears some risks for the Russians either. [:)]

Thanks for the answers. Stay tuned - I have played turn 45 yesterday - the battle of Moscow has begun. As has the battle for Stalingrad. [:D]
Cfant
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

The Russians stop my advance at Baku. Not nice, Mr. Soviet! [:@] No chance against these unit. Well, Baku won't run away. By the way, german ingenieurs only need a few month to build a railroad hundreds of miles through the caucasus. [8D] Supply there will improve soon.

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Then - it's time! Case Blue as announced - the offensive to take Stalingrad and encircle Moscow!

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Two weeks into the offensive (May 31th, 1942), Stalingrad is taken. (well, case blue gives 15% shock for 3 turns, and it costs you -2 supply for the rest of the war. Not sure if it is a good choice...)

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Aaaaaaand it's over. At least the Wehrmacht could win a lot of ground at the Moscow-theatre. After the fall of Stalingrad, the Soviet launched a lot of attacks along the whole front. Maybe they want to prevent the troops at Stalingrad to be used at Moscow. Having only few and weak troops there, the Russians gained ground and destroyed some units, incoming german and allied reinforcements turn the tide and make the Soviets pay for their attacks. [:)]

End of June, the situation at Moscow is comforting. OKH is confident to win this battle.

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SMK-at-work
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by SMK-at-work »

ORIGINAL: governato

I will add a short post on the scenario thread to that extent and modify the pdf accordingly: no bridge blowing from air units (currently air units are allowed to blow bridges until turn 13). I think at this scale
it's just too gamey.

To be fair, the Russians used their Zveno "parasite" combo of a TB-3 and 2 x I-16 bombers to attack Romanian bridges and docks - flying possibly 30 missions with pretty good success and more airframes being requested for conversion to the combination as late as August 1941!
Meum est propisitum in taberna mori
Cfant
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

The world watches the largest battle in human history: The Battle of Moscow.

Situation on June, 21th, 1942 (the war is one year old now :))

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On 5th of July, much blood was shed, but little gains made:

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July, 19th, 1942: It's done! Moscow is surrounded. Sadly a bataillon of paratroopers was shot down over Moscow, nur survivors [:(]

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Two weeks later, the Russians are still green in readiness. OKH becomes suspicious... yepp, there is a supply point in Moscow [:'(] This paper is found by Field Marshall Cfant on his door next day, when he enters his office in the OKH:

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Early August, it's obvious: The Soviets want it the hard tour.
Three times, the defenders of Moscow hold out, then the resistance is broken: German troops hold their parade on the Red Place, the Kreml is in germand hands!

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Cfant
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

The rest of the year is easily told. A quiet north, nice to do your duty there. Good supply thanks to rail, but no fighting at all [:)]

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Other rules we have in the region of Heeresgruppe Mitte. After a refreshing-break following the victory at Moscow, OKH looks greedy for Gorki on the eastern border of the map. Sadly the Red Army is not willing to cooperate. Es takes until November, 22nd, 1942, to come near the city. [:@]One more goal is to cut off the southern forces of the enemy (by a breakthrough at Arazama).

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Even this is a long way to go. It takes us until December, 27th. In the meanwhile, we play Stalingrad in Gorki. It is, after Baku, the second defeat of the Wehrmacht in this war. Other then in Baku I can use artillery and airforce, but my opponent has 2343 trillion artillery behind the city (which has extreme defensive-boni). End of January 1943, OKH gets back its common sense and cancells the offensive. I mean - who would ever need this stupid city. [:o]

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Cfant
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

Well, we have 1943 - and some kind of patt. 1942 was a very successful year though, seeing the Caucasus, Stalingrad and Moscow in german hands, where they belong [;)] Other big goals? Hm, Baku, Gorki, Murmansk, but the Red Army is no longer my private punching ball, but a formidable force, at least in the defensive. Conquering the last cities would be an unsure operation, and, even more important, extremly costly. So it might be the last big operational goal of the Wehrmacht: The destruction of the southern cauldron, in which about 8 armies of the Soviets are trapped.
Well, we don't write 1941 anymore. It's costly, slow and depressing. We even loose a tank division and some other units. You see here some Hungarians trapped, two failed rescue-attampts later, they were gone. Well, well... However, on March, 7th 1943, OKH gets the situation under control. With their supply gone, the Russians are doomed.

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I didn't believe it any longer, but winter is over, Rasputiza too - on April, 25th 1943, the battle in the south is over. Victory. Expensive one, but this I won't tell the german people, smart as I am [:'(]

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However, although casualities are heavy, we now have more men under weapons than ever. [:)]

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Will I go to the offensive once more? Maybe. Maybe not, not sure yet. First I will defend. May the Russians come to me and bleed out, hey, it's their capital which is occupied, not mine [;)] Sadly, the eastern map-border must be heavily guarded, as Russian reinforcements spawn every few turns. Won't help them, they have no supply, but it's so it's a short guest appearence [;)]

And that's the situation, end of April, 1943:

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Cfant
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by Cfant »

Peace! The war is over!
My opponent sees no longer a chance to become offensive - so we agreed to end the game :)

That's it, guys. Back to the studio. [:)]

Edit: Good moment to end a war. It's D-Day memorial day [;)]
SMK-at-work
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RE: Eastern Front '41-'45 PbEM - Axis on tour

Post by SMK-at-work »

I think your opponent did well to last this long!! Well done!
Meum est propisitum in taberna mori
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