Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Gary Grigsby’s War in the East: The German-Soviet War 1941-1945 is a turn-based World War II strategy game stretching across the entire Eastern Front. Gamers can engage in an epic campaign, including division-sized battles with realistic and historical terrain, weather, orders of battle, logistics and combat results.

The critically and fan-acclaimed Eastern Front mega-game Gary Grigsby’s War in the East just got bigger and better with Gary Grigsby’s War in the East: Don to the Danube! This expansion to the award-winning War in the East comes with a wide array of later war scenarios ranging from short but intense 6 turn bouts like the Battle for Kharkov (1942) to immense 37-turn engagements taking place across multiple nations like Drama on the Danube (Summer 1944 – Spring 1945).

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Hardradi
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Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Hardradi »

I haven't played an extended campaign yet, only Road scenarios as I am still getting comfortable with the game.

I am on my second attempt at Road to Smolensk. By the end of turn 3, in the north I have reached and crossed the Dvina west of Polotsk with the 3rd PG. The 4th PG has reached the Berezina River and forward elements have taken Mogilev.

Again I am facing supply and fuel issues in both the PG's, critically in the forward units. Last time I played this scenario I was halted at the Dvina and Dnepr unable to attack because of supply problems. Division details indicate that they are all in supply.

Am I pushing too hard? Should I wait a turn at Minsk before proceeding?

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FelixCulpa
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by FelixCulpa »

Hi Hardradi,

Love to know the answer to that one! Currently having the same issue!
Kronolog
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Kronolog »

That's what happened to the Germans historically. You'll have to extend the rail-lines further into Belorussia to alleviate the supply situation.
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Blind Sniper
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Blind Sniper »

I'm playing it right now in a PBEM game, simply you cannot avoid it but you can try to mitigate the situation.

Air drops and HQ build up can give you enough points to push forward but if your infantry is too far you can risk to be encircled.
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Numdydar »

Which is why they turned south to help with the Kiev pocket [:)]
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by heliodorus04 »

On Turns 1 & 2 you are operating in an 'over-supplied' situation.
To deal with this, try to fly Fuel supply missions with your Ju52 force. Fly to the Panzer HQs. It helps, even if it's not perfect.

As someone else said, you need to advance your rail lines, and in most cases from a 1941 start, the route has one path that is 'optimal'. For the road to Smolensk, you want to run along the Baltic Rail line area, because it converts so much more easily than elsewhere.
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Hardradi
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Hardradi »

FelixCulpa it looks like we have got some answers. [;)]

Kronolog a couple of weeks in though? I have been following this part of the campaign in several books and they are not mentioning it in this specific area. I can only see references to spare parts shortages for Panzers. Thanks, it looks like optimising the rail is the one of the ways to go.

Thanks Blind Sniper I was wondering if I was dealing with a poorly designed scenario or if I was missing something. I will give your tips a go.

Numdydar if I can get to Smolensk first. [:)]

heliodorus04 I will try these tips. There is another detailed thread about rail repairs that I can draw upon. Cheers.

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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Meyer1 »

ORIGINAL: Numdydar

Which is why they turned south to help with the Kiev pocket [:)]

Not really, moving south instead of east didn't do nothing to improve the supply situation.
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Blind Sniper »

Hardradi I'm a newbie too, my hints come from rulebook/other players comments, still learning when is the right moment to use them [:)]
Later I will post a screenshot of my game if interested.
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Numdydar »

Actually is did as it allowed the rail heads in the North to catch up. It also reduced the change of getting cutoff and the supply lines from being degraded further.

So the push South was due to supply versus going forward and risking isolation.
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by FelixCulpa »

Thx for the advice to date.
It is definitely a supply issue. My knowledgeable opponent has snuck units behind my lines and placed them on rail hexes - thus blocking supply.
As the German player turn Rail Damage on and off, you may notice areas that have no rail damage where there should be, if these are behind your lines the odds are that there is a enemy unit of some type blocking the line - and your supply.
I am still too new to know if these units can be para-dropped in. I know some scenarios have partisans that could do this role.
I use the SEC units to patrol rail lines.
Need to read up some more on supply!
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by loki100 »

ORIGINAL: FelixCulpa

....
It is definitely a supply issue. My knowledgeable opponent has snuck units behind my lines and placed them on rail hexes - thus blocking supply.
...

that sort of thing happens, first time I played Road to Leningrad as the Germans against an experienced opponent I managed to lose Riga [:@]
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Blind Sniper »

ORIGINAL: FelixCulpa

Thx for the advice to date.
It is definitely a supply issue. My knowledgeable opponent has snuck units behind my lines and placed them on rail hexes - thus blocking supply.
As the German player turn Rail Damage on and off, you may notice areas that have no rail damage where there should be, if these are behind your lines the odds are that there is a enemy unit of some type blocking the line - and your supply.
I am still too new to know if these units can be para-dropped in. I know some scenarios have partisans that could do this role.
I use the SEC units to patrol rail lines.
Need to read up some more on supply!

No paradrop, normal movement. I think you forget to send some unit there after the 16th Army withdrawal.
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Blind Sniper »

PBEM game, here my situation at turn 7 before moving all stuff, supply network



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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Blind Sniper »

North Area, Panzer unit supplied with the normal process

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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Blind Sniper »

South Area, HQ build up from previous turn, maybe Smolensk is not encircled this turn but can be in the next one.

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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by FelixCulpa »

Chapter 25.1.1 Critical Factors - Supply
What does FBD stand for?
Obviously a supply/rail factor(?)
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by swkuh »

Feldbaudivision, or, in my English, Field Building Division... 1, 2, 3, 4 from getgo and a 5th in '42. Don't know if game is historically correct as to function and number of units, though.

Axis player uses them to build rail network where best suited.
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Blind Sniper »

ORIGINAL: FelixCulpa

Chapter 25.1.1 Critical Factors - Supply
What does FBD stand for?
Obviously a supply/rail factor(?)

FBD= Feldeisenbahndirektionen

This unit is necessary to repair the rail road.
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RE: Supply issues - Road to Smolensk

Post by Hardradi »

Hi Blind Sniper,

Here is my railroad position at turn 7. This is non-PBEM Road to Smolensk scenario. I railroaded one of by FBD units to the north to take advantage of the Baltic railroads. I still had supply issues with the 2nd Panzer Group in the south. My air supply didn't work very well and I missed about 1 or 1 and half turns of movement. The 3rd Panzer Group in the north was ok with supply but just didn't have the punch to take the area north west of Vitebsk.

I ended up in a draw. Next time my Panzer Groups will forms fists instead of fingers and I will see how that goes. This appears to be a lot tougher than the historical accounts. For example, I read that 3rd PG was easily able to send a Panzer Division to Velikie Luki and take the city but in this scenario that area is a major soviet strongpoint.

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