A few questions

[PzB74]

1. HQ Buildup - can this be done (with any effect) before railroads have been fixed?
In the attached screen I've pushed my panzers into Pskov, my railroad division is still working past Riga.


I've used airtransports to lift in fuel, but not as much as is needed.
So how long do I need to rest my panzers in order to get them and their HQs filled up again?

- Would appreciate if someone can describe a "perfect" HQ buildup in the early German Barbarossa campaign.
- Please also add a few examples of when not to use HQ buildup


2. HQ movement; I move my corps HQs within 5 hexes of their command units - but when do you move the Air bases and their HQs?
- I'm unsure if it's wise to move these units forward before railroads have been fixed.

3. German leader replacements.
Does anyone have a "shortlist" of poor commanders that should be replaced asap?
I tend to start with Panzer Corps commanders with less than 7 in skill.

4. I struggle with effective air field bombing missions in the first turns of the game.
Some airports are overflowing with enemy ac but even repeated 80+ bomber strikes fail to damage them.
So I run out of strikes and can't get a really whopping casualty rate.

[morvael]

1. The new HQBU rules in 1.08 are much more flexible. Make sure your units are within 6 hexes of the HQ, the HQ is within normal supply system range (25 hexes, 100 MP), and each unit has at least 1 MP. That way they will be eligible for buildup, but obviously you would get more supplies when the HQ would sit directly on a railhead, and all its units would be immobile for a turn. This is just a way of making sure more supplies will reach units at a cost of more trucks used and AP spent. On the other hand they won't perform miracles if your units are very far and the supply system is struggling (truck shortages etc).

Do not use HQBU if you're short of trucks, or if you don't have a clear goal for units doing HQBU (surround enemy forces, capture important city). Better to advance at steady speed, without outrunning rail system and then having to do a HQBU just to restore the ability of units to move. There must be a clear purpose for doing a HQBU so that it pays off.

2. Only the airbases with transports have to be kept close to railhead. Other airbases will work at some distance from it (just like units). Airbases do not suffer penalty when they resupply individually, not through their parent HQ, so they can be spread out outside HQ range. Obviously do not move too far, as you will put them out of supply range and do not risk them being overrun by enemy units.

3. Unit box (and tooltip) in 1.08 show averaged leader rating - IMHO for Germans the poor ones are those below 5.5 in Infantry Corps and 6.0 in Panzer Corps. Higher levels (Army, Army Group, O.K.H.) should focus on commanders with high morale rating, other are not so important.

4. I think there are special tactics for turn 1 bombing (and destruction of VVS in general), maybe someone will help you there. When an airbase has a lot of damaged aircraft it's best to displace it by moving land unit next to it, during that process it will lose a lot of planes.

[PzB74]

Thx morvael!
Updating my questions a bit as I go...takes a little time to formulate properly.
- When should I build up a Panzer Gruppe instead of a Panzer Corps HQ?

E.g. I would like to cut of Leningrad early and make sure I get started reducing the forts there.

Hm, thx - the air transports close to railhead is important then!

[morvael]

I don't think a HQBU of a higher level unit would be ever required, unless you keep your reserves there and specifically want to increase their stocks. HQBU is executed only for combat units attached directly to given HQ, so if you have a PG with 0-2 units attached directly and 3 corps each of 3 units, only those "0-2 units" would take part in HQBU when within 6 hexes of PG HQ, not those attached to corps.

Always make sure your HQs end the turn within the limit of the supply system (25hexes/100MP, do not count hexes to-be-repaired during next logistics phase), and that the combat units are within supply range of their respective HQs (5hexes/25MP). Otherwise you will get little to no supplies and your MP will suffer. Moving one more hex in a turn, and then being forced to move 10 hexes less in the next turn is a trade off that should be reserved only for capturing really critical targets (closing a massive encirclement, capturing Moscow or isolating Leningrad or crossing big river). You can try to send fuel to such units using aircraft but it will be difficult in the first phase of the war due to long distances between airbases with transports and panzer troops. And if you do, make sure an airbase is in or next to such unit/HQ (army airbases are best for this), as this results in the removal of very high penalty of fuel actually delivered vs dropped.