AAR Jon vs Soviet AI 41

[janh]

Wow, this is an amazing operational speed.  Almost at the gates of Moscow, Leningrad, Sevastopol and Kharkov by 9/4/41.  What difficulty level are you playing on?  Seems easier this time for you than in the last DAR a while ago?

[british exil]

Jon has a fiercesome reputation in the Soviet Army, they will rather surrender than fight him.
LOL

Mat

[PyleDriver]

Well it was established when I started I shouldn't be playing on normal...I will say the AI didn't make blunders. It could have made a few more deeper defensive lines. Its defense of Leningrad is good and is forcing me to take the ports...All in all the AI is much much better than WIR ever was. It should give you guys thousands of hours of enjoyment, it has for me.

[PyleDriver]

T13 BAR Moscow... Just when you think I'll walk into Moscow, air recon shows they recovered and once agian formed the line. These guys never quit, they produce like rabbits...lol...

[PyleDriver]

T13 BAR Kharkov...This is interresting, Kharkov has the largest T-34 factory (over 60 a week). All of a sudden ten armor brigades spring out of nowhere to provide a screen of the city...Hum, wonder what they have...lol...

[sitito]

Excellent advance general!!! can't wait to put my hands on it! I believe that in my life I have never had so many anxiety for playing a game!!!!!

[SGHunt]

ORIGINAL: PyleDriver

These guys never quit

I know just how feel, Jon - I keep thinking they are out for the count, and then a complete new line is formed. Where do they all come from?! Where do they get the boots, let alone the hardware?

Howsoever that may be, I think this may be the quickest ever capture of Moscow (I didn't get it all until turn 23 BTW!)

S

[PyleDriver]

Well Stuart Moscow hasn't fallen yet...You have to remember I've tested this game now for 28 months, with over 4000 hours in. So, I better have learned something...I will add I still love it, it helps being absorbed with the war in Europe in WWII...I really hope Gary and Joel choose to go for the War in the West next...

[janh]

ORIGINAL: PyleDriver
I really hope Gary and Joel choose to go for the War in the West next...

If they do that, hats off. Just please add a real, dynamic scripting language for AI, so it will be better and more systematically improvable than WITP-AE AI. Then this would be the most awesome project ever!

[PyleDriver]

T13 Leningrad... The pressure on Moscow is to much as reserves are pulled there. 4th PzG breaks open the front and should isolate the city next week. As is, supply is strained now as their railhead and overland then sea route is very long...

[SGHunt]

That's luverly!   A very fine lunge, sir.   That Mot Div sitting on the railway is in peak condition and ready to receive the worst the Russians can throw at them, and Totenkopf providing that protection to the flank.   Nothing the soviets can do about this surely?    Leningrad kaput!   (BTW - what are those para's doing up North?)

[PyleDriver]

Stuart I have been moving one division a week into the area the last month. The 22nd Airlanding Division was one I pulled from 11th army and moved north. Its an elite division and I'm bent on taking Leningrad. After the crossing of the Volkhov I decided an airdrop wasn't needed and thru them into the advance...Btw you got to love where my railhead is now...Another note, once the city falls I have two free armys (18th and 4th PzG) as the Finns will fill the void. This is huge!

[Captain B]

Jon, are you playing with historical or random weather? General Mud comes mid-October? That leaves roughly 4 turns to get 18th and 4PzG where they can do some damage. Are you now going to swing 4th PzG towards Moscow from the north?, force march, or rail your units to AGC? With three PzG approaching on three axes, where will the AI choose to defend?

That posting about "replayability"...let's see 4 PzG now has the freedom to do just about anything it wants...unlimited choices, unlimited variants.

Man am I salivating.

When you take the last port next turn, how long til you force the assault on Leningrad?

[PyleDriver]

Capt, theres really no time left for 4th PzG and 18th army. They most likely be pulled (via rail) into reserve and respond to any threats the winter brings. You are correct I have about 4 weeks of good weather left to complete my actions. I dont attack in mud. I choose to shorten the lines and dig in...As far as Leningrad out of supply, it may take the four weeks I have left to get the finns in postion, if I'm lucky...

[PyleDriver]

T13 Moscow...Plans are laid. AGC will attempt a double envelope of Moscow. I am short on time as the weather looms...

[PyleDriver]

T13 center south...Without armor 2nd and 6th armies grind forward. Orel and Kursk are their goals...

[PyleDriver]

T13 south...Kleist still presses as his PzC's fan out.

[PyleDriver]

T13 Crimea...LIV corps and the Rum 3rd army rush into the Crimea...

[PyleDriver]

T14 DAR Moscow...The power is sprung at their capital. Hoth and Guderian are flanking the city. OKH sent the XL PzC (yellow circle) from Germany to insure the capture before the weather hits...

[The SNAFU]

PD, thanks for the AAR. Always very interesting.
 
In the South, with just 2 panzer and 2 infantry divisions strung out for more than 100 miles down to the Azov coastline you must be fairly certain the Soviets have nothing of consequence in front of you. What intel gives you that much confidence?