Army Group South Initial Opening

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Gefreiter Wardstein
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:32 pm

Army Group South Initial Opening

Post by Gefreiter Wardstein »

Dear All

Some advice from my esteemed colleagues is needed regarding the Lvov pocket. Is it better to achieve this on the opening turn where the pocket is smaller, or alternatively move east with the panzers to Rovno on turn 1 and then south on turn 2 in an attempt to bag more?
heibernt@hotmail.com
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Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:18 am

RE: Army Group South Initial Opening

Post by heibernt@hotmail.com »

ORIGINAL: Gefreiter Wardstein

Dear All

Some advice from my esteemed colleagues is needed regarding the Lvov pocket. Is it better to achieve this on the opening turn where the pocket is smaller, or alternatively move east with the panzers to Rovno on turn 1 and then south on turn 2 in an attempt to bag more?
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As a Soviet player im hardly the expertice in this, but i would strongly recomend that youll make the Lvov pocet in your first turn. Youll have to break the railline at Tarnopol anyways (or else your opponent will just rail ut all the units there). I wolud say you have three goals in AGS the first turn; seal the Lvov pocket, seal the Kovel pocket and activate the rumanians. SW front will then be so reduced in strength that only a skirmishing defence is possible before Dneper. Some deep pz breakthroghs, and youll pass the Dneper on t6.
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2ndACR
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RE: Army Group South Initial Opening

Post by 2ndACR »

The Lvov opening is a great move but highly hated by the Russian players.......You can always just cut the rail junction south of Tarnopol and then bag even more units on turn 2. It is a variation of the Lvov opening and works very well. That forces the Russian to walk out.

I always take Rovno turn 1 and do the limited Lvov now a days. It allows me greater flexibility over all.
timmyab
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RE: Army Group South Initial Opening

Post by timmyab »

It's kind of swings and roundabouts really.If you don't cut the pocket off completely then you'll get held up on turn 2 because of the power of some of the Soviet units in the area.Soviet units escaping from Stanislav and Chernovtsy are also going to make a nuisance of themselves.You wont bag any more units against a good player by delaying, they'll be long gone by the time you get there.Having said that though, you might be able to pin the units to the SW of Rovno more easily with a delayed Pocket.It can be done anyway but usually needs a strong Southern opening.On the plus side, you can push further East on turn one.It also depends on how much armor you commit to the South.With a weak Southern opening (1st pz group only), you wont have the strength to seal the pocket effectively on turn 1 anyway.Another thing, if you're going for a turn 1 pocket then make sure that the seal is tight otherwise you wont feel the benefit.
Personally I favor the turn 1 pocket mainly because I like to send 1 or 2 panzer divisions from 48th pz corps South through Rumania towards Kishinev on turn 2 so as to get 11th army moving fast.
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Ketza
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RE: Army Group South Initial Opening

Post by Ketza »

Turn one is the way to go. If you delay it a good Soviet player will escape with some very good units.
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Q-Ball
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RE: Army Group South Initial Opening

Post by Q-Ball »

I would do it turn 1. To do that, you will need to use a Pz Cp from Pz Gp 2; I use the one with Das Reich Division in it. You will run into some strong resistance north of Tarnopol, but once you clear Tarnopol it's smooth sailing.

I also add to the Lvov pocket by pocketing the Mech Corps and friends around Kovel. These are powerful untis, and good to get off the board. You can do this without using any Panzers, provided you use the Cav Division.

I don't think taking Rovno is as important turn 1. You can flank the Russians out of there anyway, and the Soviets have to be careful not to get motorized units pinned against the Pripet marshes, and not be able to rail them out.
Farfarer61
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RE: Army Group South Initial Opening

Post by Farfarer61 »

If you want to save the Cav Div for AGC, GD Regt can isolate Kovel. Its parent corps is likely going south anyway to do the Lvov pocket. Sometimes GD can get pushed away, but this is even better as those vehicle-heavy Mot Divs and Armour were probably used to do it, so you can bag them next turn. Increasingly I think the whole darn game is all about trucks. As a Sov player I wish they would stop sending me Matildas and Valentines and Stuarts and P39's and Spitfires, and just send trucks instead - only trucks.
Gefreiter Wardstein
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Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:32 pm

RE: Army Group South Initial Opening

Post by Gefreiter Wardstein »

Many thanks for the feedback guys. Most helpful
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