Case Blue: Blind Sniper (Axis) vs Krupp_88mm (Soviet)

[Blind Sniper]

Hello all,

I will try to write an AAR for my first campaign game, my opponent will be Krupp_88mm and this game will be a learning experience for both.

Settings:
FOW ON
High Command Rules ON
Dismissal Defeat Rule ON
Axis Minor Rules ON
C&C Rules ON

All the rest OFF

Using the beta patch 1.01

Any comments, hints or whatever are very welcomed [:)]

[Blind Sniper]

[:D]

[Blind Sniper]

First thing to check: REPS tab.

We have three high command orders:
- take Voronezh by July 28 (8 PP)
- take Millerowo by July 30 (8 PP)
- take Rostov by August 5 (8 PP)

and another minor order:
- take Kushevskaya by July 16 (4 PP)

I'm not happy with the command given that I have very few turns to take the city and I have to come through Rostov first.

[Blind Sniper]

Not so bad, good amount of tanks.

[Blind Sniper]

Time for OKH, first I changed the replacements at 25%, in this way all units on the map will have the same setting, I want to controll my limited resources.
Then I played Personnel card on XXXX Corps, Stomme's staff now has 52 experience points and +6% as combat bonus.

This Corps is very good but not so much his commander, therefore after his last order (card Attack on 3rd Panzer Division) he felt ill (maybe heart attack) and Erhard Raus took the command.

COM: +30%, MOR: +20% all stats over 70 but Organisation (no problem given that all his cards don't use this stat).
Total a wonderful +97% combat bonus.

Edit: 5 Political Points spent

[Blind Sniper]

Looking the Axis OOB we quickly discover that our troops are in good shape but far from an optimal situation, before to start we need the following replacements to fill the ranks:

- Infantry (first line): 69500
- Cavalry: 900
- Gun: 885
- Tank: 280
- Air: 120

[Grotius]

I'm looking forward to this! I will follow with interest.

One question. How does setting OKH's replacement request to 25% "even things out"? Does that automatically set all units' replacements to 25%? Then you increase to 50% those units that are hurting most?

[Blind Sniper]

Another officer think that his place is far from the front, Erich Straube handovers the XIII Corps to Joachim Lemelsen, another good officer that increase the combat bonus to 85% and can play good cards; +5 PPs spent.

I'm still not happy with my Generals and Richard Ruoff is the right man in the wrong place, better sent him to command a Corps, Josef Harpe took the 17th Army (interesting Strategic cards); +5 PPs spent.

Now we have the IV Corps that is very important for my plans, therefore Ruoff will be the new commander and Viktor von Schwedler will join the Fuhrer Reserve; +5 PPs spent.

Ok, I spent 20 PPs so far, 35 left.

[Blind Sniper]

ORIGINAL: Grotius

I'm looking forward to this! I will follow with interest.

One question. How does setting OKH's replacement request to 25% "even things out"? Does that automatically set all units' replacements to 25%? Then you increase to 50% those units that are hurting most?

Yes all units down to 25% and then I will select the specific unit to send replacements, it is more tedious but I absolutely want to avoid that infantry fill the ART, HQ and so on ranks.
Manpower will follow the offensive units, the others can wait.

[Alikchi2]

Really enjoying your discussion of PP use, this is something I don't think about as much as I should.

[Micke II]

ORIGINAL: Blind Sniper

Looking the Axis OOB we quickly discover that our troops are in good shape but far from an optimal situation, before to start we need the following replacements to fill the ranks:

- Infantry (first line): 69500
- Cavalry: 900
- Gun: 885
- Tank: 280
- Air: 120

How do you get this interesting screen ?

[Blind Sniper]

Really enjoying your discussion of PP use, this is something I don't think about as much as I should.

Thanks, of course I don't have idea if is it worth spent points for Leaders or if better to play cards like reinforcements.

How do you get this interesting screen ?

Under the tab STATS (top of the screen near OOB), I don't remember the correct menu, have to check this night.

Edit: found it, STATS -> Regime Statistics -> Replacements Requested

[Blind Sniper]

I don't like how my airforce is placed, I think is better to split it to cover all the map and therefore I created four hypothetic Luftflotte that will follow the Armies.
Given that the air units don't get malus or bonus from their HQ I will reassign them to specific HQs just for my pleasure.

North sector, 4th Army
FIG 115 (three units), LB 125 (four units), CAS 70 (two units)

Central sector, 6th Army
FIG 80 (two units), LB 120 (four units), CAS 70 (two units)

South sector, 17th Army
FIG 105 (two units), LB 130 (four units), CAS 70 (two units)
Plus Italian unit with 50 FIG and 35 LB, I think I will use this unit to hit enemy airfiled

Crimea sector, 11th Army
FIG 100 (two units), LB 100 (three units), CAS 110 (three units)
Maybe too many CAS and FIG here...

[balto]

Looking forward to this one.

I was surprised the AIR was not tied to HQs because the AIR provides the HQ Power in the details and it sort of make sense to have them tied to HQ etc.., But it certainly is easier manage that way.

When you did all of the HQ changes, I am pretty sure you lost all the Command Points of the Commanders you replaced. So I am thinking you are not only paying signficant Politcal Points, you are also losing about 10 Command Points. It will be interesting to see how that works out for you. I assume you used some of the Command Points before retiring them.

[Blind Sniper]

Yes, before to change the commander I play a card, all points left are lost.

[Blind Sniper]

Ok, stop to talk and start the war! [8D]

I attacked his airfields with a good result, I lost 25 fighters for 160 enemy aircrafts shot down.

Now time to attack the enemy lines, I will start from the North sector.

I don't want to attack the 13th Army around Livny but focus on 40th Army instead, more easy as target and if lucky I could pocket most of its divisions.

I managed to encircle Tim with 5 units inside and destroy almost three whole divisions.

[Blind Sniper]

Here the same tactic, ignore the 21st Army and attack the more weak 28th Army units.
VIII and XVII Corps opened the way for the XXXX Corps that was able to push its Panzer divisions destroying almost 5 divisions and a tank brigade.

Note: the Soviet artillery required an incredible amount of units to retreat it [X(]

[Blind Sniper]

Here the final situation in this sector, not everything go well and I suffered some setback, two or three very costly in losses.
Anyhow my losses so far are 3000 men, 15 tanks and 5 guns against 23500 men, 25 tanks and 250 guns for the Soviet side.

[Grotius]

Good stuff. I haven't tried any airfield attacks yet. Did you use fighters only, or bombers as well? How many did you use per airfield attack?

[balto]

Great!