How to possibly save the Soviets. (stjeand as Axis)

[sveint]

February 27, 1941

We continue our offensive but take more losses than the Axis. Ground experience is now 50%.

[ncc1701e]

So, everything is fine? Except Moscow and Leningrad have fallen.

[sveint]

ORIGINAL: ncc1701e
So, everything is fine? Except Moscow and Leningrad have fallen.

No, I've seen it all before. In the summer of 42 (while the Soviets have 5 move armor) the Axis finishes off the Soviet Union. There is no defensive terrain east of Moscow, nothing to stop them.
And this with more than adequate forces in the west.

[sveint]

March 13, 1942

The UK is finally giving the Axis a beating on the Egyptian border. The Soviets build an army.

[sveint]

March 27, 1942

We build a new army and start repairing our air units.

[CrackingShow]

Its a shame that balance has so many holes! I was starting to really enjoy this game.

[Harrybanana]

Getting to 50% experience by the Spring of 42 will certainly help you. Are you still receiving maximum Lend Lease? Personally I would not bother repairing or upgrading the air units. Just build armies; with 50% experience they should have a strength of 11 or so.

Please post screenshots of current Forces and Casualties.

[YueJin]

This really brings home to me just how game changing disbanding all the air is. By the spring of 1942 my USSR frontline is full tech armies with 10+ armour corps in reserve. There's thousands of production points sitting in those useless units that need to be put to work, keeping them through 1941-43 is like tying both hands behind your back against a heavyweight boxer. You can rebuild the USSR air force in 1943 with far more efficient ground attack units and when you have enough production to maintain 1943 tech interceptors that actually trade semi-well into the Germans.

[sveint]

ORIGINAL: CrackingShow

Its a shame that balance has so many holes! I was starting to really enjoy this game.

You won't notice this until you are quite experienced, so don't despair.

I'd say it goes like this:
New players - "Wow Soviets are tough, no way I can win as Axis"
Played a few games - "This game is fairly balanced"
Experienced players - "Barbarossa 41 wins every time"

[sveint]

ORIGINAL: Harrybanana

Getting to 50% experience by the Spring of 42 will certainly help you. Are you still receiving maximum Lend Lease? Personally I would not bother repairing or upgrading the air units. Just build armies; with 50% experience they should have a strength of 11 or so.

Please post screenshots of current Forces and Casualties.

Agreed on the air units but I'm trying to not completely minmax and play somewhat realistically. Note also that stjeand is doing the same, I almost think he has a little too much in the west.

[sveint]

ORIGINAL: YueJin

This really brings home to me just how game changing disbanding all the air is. By the spring of 1942 my USSR frontline is full tech armies with 10+ armour corps in reserve. There's thousands of production points sitting in those useless units that need to be put to work, keeping them through 1941-43 is like tying both hands behind your back against a heavyweight boxer. You can rebuild the USSR air force in 1943 with far more efficient ground attack units and when you have enough production to maintain 1943 tech interceptors that actually trade semi-well into the Germans.

I've tried disbanding the air force and against an experienced opponent it doesn't matter. Play a game against Harrybanana or anyone, you won't have any reserves. 10+ armor corps? Your opponent failed miserably.

[sveint]

April 10, 1942

The Soviets are still receiving max lend lease, currently 152 resources per turn.

As can be seen from total losses, the Battle of the Atlantic has been extremely fierce.

[sveint]

I park all my air units in the Urals, and set them to no reinforcements. (Sorry I won't go as far as to disband them).
We receive one fresh 43% experience army.

No more attacks, time to see what the Axis has in store for us in the summer.

[sveint]

Egypt has been eventful lately, with heavy losses on both sides. Overall a good thing for the Soviets.

[sveint]

Also I'd like to remind anyone reading this that we didn't get surrounded or lose any pockets of units in 1941 (unlike historically). And still we are losing badly.

[ncc1701e]

Yes, I provoked a little by saying this before. [:D]

[sveint]

May 8, 1942

The Allies invade Vichy North Africa, seizing three empty ports and hoping to draw off some Axis units.

The weather clears in Russia but the Axis forces are apparently still resting.

[Harrybanana]

ORIGINAL: sveint

April 10, 1942

The Soviets are still receiving max lend lease, currently 152 resources per turn.

As can be seen from total losses, the Battle of the Atlantic has been extremely fierce.

2200+ Force Strength and only 1500 Casualties for the Russians by the Spring of 42 is actually pretty good I think. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like very much of that strength is in Armour or Mechanized units. I am surprised that Germany has 1900+ Force Strength; I never seem to be over 1800 by early 1942.

[Harrybanana]

I have compared this game to my AAR with MM where I was the Allies and there are several similarities and differences. In my game the Russians at this time had a Force Strength of 2363, compared to 2242 in this game. So not too much difference. The Germans in my game had a Force Strength of 1751; compared to 1935 in this game. So that is about a 10% difference. Russian Casualties in my game were 1609 compared to 1491 in this game. Surprisingly, even though the Russians took more casualties in my game their Experience only went up 12% compared to a 20% increase in this game.

In both games the Russians were in trouble in the Spring of 1942, but the game was not yet lost. I got lucky with an early conquest of Italy. Sveint definitely has a more difficult task in his game.

[sveint]

May 22, 1942

Panzers break through, overrunning two armies. Game is for all purposes lost by now.
I could have retreated when the weather turned but... we're already far to the east.

Situation before my moves: