Back in the East STEF78 (Axis) Oshawott (USSR)

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 3:30 pm

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

why switch over fighters to me-109 g-2 ? the f-4 is very good until the G-6 arives .

Effectively I have both fighters in my pool

The choice can be discussed but I like the high climb rate of the BF109G2 even if I'm not sure how it wor for combat results.

ks

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 3:36 pm

ORIGINAL: jwolf

Stef, why so suspicious? I'm sure all those new artillery divisions are just arriving for a friendly handshake.

If you call it handshake,it's better not to meet you!![;)]

jwolf · Post by **jwolf** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 3:54 pm

It appears that you will be in for a very rough winter against a Red Army a year or more advanced compared to historical.  You mentioned earlier that no hex in clear terrain can be held, even with a level 3 fort.  It looks like you were right, unfortunately.

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:14 pm

ORIGINAL: jwolf

It appears that you will be in for a very rough winter against a Red Army a year or more advanced compared to historical. You mentioned earlier that no hex in clear terrain can be held, even with a level 3 fort. It looks like you were right, unfortunately.

And we are only late 1942....[:(]

And soviet's 1943 army is twice powerfull...

morvael · Post by **morvael** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:27 pm

I like Soviet 44 army, though panzers in reserve and 3-deep lines of forts spoil the fun immensely.

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 6:53 pm

ORIGINAL: morvael

I like Soviet 44 army, though panzers in reserve and 3-deep lines of forts spoil the fun immensely.

Against soviet 44, there is nothing to do, even forts and reverve activation aren't enough.

CV of 3 rifle corps stacks are often > 75

And russians can afford higher losses...

But enjoy, we are in 1942!!! [:)]

loki100 · Post by **loki100** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 3:51 am

ORIGINAL: STEF78

ORIGINAL: jwolf

Stef, why so suspicious? I'm sure all those new artillery divisions are just arriving for a friendly handshake.
If you call it handshake,it's better not to meet you!![;)]

...

oh, they just want to play, but don't know their own strength [8D]

smokindave34 · Post by **smokindave34** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:47 am

ORIGINAL: STEF78

ORIGINAL: morvael

I like Soviet 44 army, though panzers in reserve and 3-deep lines of forts spoil the fun immensely.
Against soviet 44, there is nothing to do, even forts and reverve activation aren't enough.

CV of 3 rifle corps stacks are often > 75

And russians can afford higher losses...

But enjoy, we are in 1942!!! [:)]

Once the axis lines are shortened (in '44 - maybe '43 for you sorry to say) I have NOT put my panzers on reserve in most cases. Why have them commit to battles you are mostly likely to lose even with them engaged. Keep them rested in level 2 or 3 forts in the second line of defense to prevent any Soviet breakthrough. If you prevent any significant encirclements you will be able to make it a slow, tough slog to Berlin.

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 1:16 pm

ORIGINAL: loki100

oh, they just want to play, but don't know their own strength [8D]

feeling like a punching ball [:(]

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 1:21 pm

ORIGINAL: smokindave34

ORIGINAL: STEF78

ORIGINAL: morvael

I like Soviet 44 army, though panzers in reserve and 3-deep lines of forts spoil the fun immensely.
Against soviet 44, there is nothing to do, even forts and reverve activation aren't enough.

CV of 3 rifle corps stacks are often > 75

And russians can afford higher losses...

But enjoy, we are in 1942!!! [:)]

Once the axis lines are shortened (in '44 - maybe '43 for you sorry to say) I have NOT put my panzers on reserve in most cases. Why have them commit to battles you are mostly likely to lose even with them engaged. Keep them rested in level 2 or 3 forts in the second line of defense to prevent any Soviet breakthrough. If you prevent any significant encirclements you will be able to make it a slow, tough slog to Berlin.

I will have to shorten my lines faster than expected.

It's already done in the north. I've falled back to the Pskov/Narva line

2 other areas are not far from cracking...

I will try your idea... in 1943.[;)]

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 1:33 pm

Turn 77, 3rd december 1942

Leningrad

Grinding continues, level of forts decreases...

Smolensk

Another sector that becomes worrying

Center

???? what was the aim of Oshawott? He allowed me a large number of successfull attacks

I haven't seen such a battle report for a long time

jwolf · Post by **jwolf** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 2:07 pm

ORIGINAL: STEF78

???? what was the aim of Oshawott? He allowed me a large number of successful attacks

Good question. I would like to hear Oshawott's view of this move. He is about 6-8 turns behind you in his AAR. I have been very impressed with his strategy and tactics, everything carefully considered and calmly holding back from moving into territory he can't hold. So this seems very uncharacteristic of him and I wonder what he had in mind. Maybe there was a wild drinking party in the Kremlin?

smokindave34 · Post by **smokindave34** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 4:12 pm

ORIGINAL: jwolf

ORIGINAL: STEF78

???? what was the aim of Oshawott? He allowed me a large number of successful attacks

Good question. I would like to hear Oshawott's view of this move. He is about 6-8 turns behind you in his AAR. I have been very impressed with his strategy and tactics, everything carefully considered and calmly holding back from moving into territory he can't hold. So this seems very uncharacteristic of him and I wonder what he had in mind. Maybe there was a wild drinking party in the Kremlin?

Could be he is allowing these attacks in an effort to deplete your manpower pool. Sapper did this against me very effectively. I felt great about all the successful attacks I was making and after about 8 turns my manpower and armaments pools were at zero.

Flaviusx · Post by **Flaviusx** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 5:21 pm

Oshawott has at this stage built up an insurmountable lead in replacements and is leveraging said lead. Personally, I would be resigning here as the Axis. This game is over barring some incredible brain fart on the part of Oshawott -- which will not happen. He is far too smart for that. This game has become a spreadsheet exercise.

Oshawott · Post by **Oshawott** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 6:36 pm

Could be he is allowing these attacks in an effort to deplete your manpower pool. Sapper did this against me very effectively. I felt great about all the successful attacks I was making and after about 8 turns my manpower and armaments pools were at zero.

That is basically what I am going for. My manpower pool is already way above 1 million. My armament pool was above 800k before I built 9 rocket launcher divisions. Now it's above 400k. The units affected are all mostly 45 morale units so it doesn't matter if they get defeated. The only downside is that his troops gain morale.
I should actually be even more aggressive and always stay in contact with the German troops. Attrition doesn't matter to the Russians at this point but it matters greatly to the Germans.

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:38 pm

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Oshawott has at this stage built up an insurmountable lead in replacements and is leveraging said lead. Personally, I would be resigning here as the Axis. This game is over barring some incredible brain fart on the part of Oshawott -- which will not happen. He is far too smart for that. This game has become a spreadsheet exercise.

Oshawott has won this game. Not only in december 1942, this game was already lost for the germans at 80% at the end of turn 17. It was fully lost early may 1942 after my defeat at Orel.

So if I was reasonable I would have given up in October 1941
If was logical, I would have done it in May 1942

But I continue, and will not give up.

Why?

The question is: why are we playing wargames? It's a loss of time, money and it's seen as weird (or fascist) by the majority of the population.

In my case I play wargame because I like history and military history, and because I find wargaming fun.

Of course I prefer winning than losing but I'm not only focused on my win/loss ratio. If so I would be playing against AI, or cheating.

In the particular case of this game, I find it fun (very fun in fact!) at the moment and my opponent is a fair and reliable player, so I will continue. I've learnt a lot from his gameplay.

I'm perfectly aware that it's more a case study than a game but who cares?

Naturally, if tomorrow, Oshawott tells me that he founds this game boring, I will stop immediatly

Another important point, I like sharing my success, my mistakes, my doubts and my hopes in this forum: so thank you to all persons who read, reply and comment this game, even if they disagree my point of view!

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 6:26 pm

Turn 77

My fighter-bombers, some kills, serveral losses and a loss of morale

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 6:30 pm

Turn 78, 10th december 1942

My line is heavily weakening in the north

Time to fall back

smokindave34 · Post by **smokindave34** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 7:45 pm

You seem to have a lot of units broken down into regiments - is there a reason for this?

charlie0311 · Post by **charlie0311** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:01 pm

stef, your statement of, philosophy I guess, is he best thing i have ever seen on these forums.

Except, the quote from Sherman, and wheat's attempts at wit, on no, wait, all of my stuff's even better.

Osh almost chose me, but he picked you instead, very good choice