Slitherine

This turn we have still SW weather in USSR, meaning no ways to attack Leningrad.
Also Morris starts to deploy troops near city, troubling paradrops.
(I had tested 1 turn conquest without paradrops many times in hotseat, and odds of success are slim. Cutting the fortress
of supply with 2 paras seems crucial here)
Its all sad and we have to cancel operation.



German air and ground units start to leave Finland and should be used elsewhere.

Nothing else, but convoy attack this turn.

USSR expected now to enter war right after Morris' turn.

You seem a little bit weak on the eastern front?

I am happy with my forces on the east. Keep in mind, that I will redeploy all this good troops from Finland and also some units will be produced in summer.

The Soviets are no threat in 1942. It will take Morris several turns to upgrade and redeploy his troops and stockpile some oil. Don't expect much action before the winter. The Soviets are simply too weak.

For the Leningrad assault I've found if you use 3 German Inf for the assault against the GARs (backed with TACs as needed) and two German Mechs with +1 leaders, one of whom is Manstein, and they all reside long enough in Mansteins glow to gain high efficiency it is almost guaranteed. Sometimes it fails on the first assault but on the second or third should be successful. The Russians can keep moving new MECHs in (guards probably) but if you keep hitting it , it will fall if you fail on the first time. The only way to stop is if the RUssians put lots of FTRs there and if you don't have fighter support you are in trouble. Takes a huge commitment of air.

Schnurri wrote:For the Leningrad assault I've found if you use 3 German Inf for the assault against the GARs (backed with TACs as needed) and two German Mechs with +1 leaders, one of whom is Manstein, and they all reside long enough in Mansteins glow to gain high efficiency it is almost guaranteed. Sometimes it fails on the first assault but on the second or third should be successful. The Russians can keep moving new MECHs in (guards probably) but if you keep hitting it , it will fall if you fail on the first time. The only way to stop is if the RUssians put lots of FTRs there and if you don't have fighter support you are in trouble. Takes a huge commitment of air.

When I tested in hotseat soviet initial defenders survived at 2-3 steps, rarely 1 step. And if better unit (like mech) replaces them, I suggest, results will be even worse.
But I didn't had Manstein, I had Kleist and Dietrich, though 1 of mechs was SS.

Plaid wrote:

Schnurri wrote:For the Leningrad assault I've found if you use 3 German Inf for the assault against the GARs (backed with TACs as needed) and two German Mechs with +1 leaders, one of whom is Manstein, and they all reside long enough in Mansteins glow to gain high efficiency it is almost guaranteed. Sometimes it fails on the first assault but on the second or third should be successful. The Russians can keep moving new MECHs in (guards probably) but if you keep hitting it , it will fall if you fail on the first time. The only way to stop is if the RUssians put lots of FTRs there and if you don't have fighter support you are in trouble. Takes a huge commitment of air.

When I tested in hotseat soviet initial defenders survived at 2-3 steps, rarely 1 step. And if better unit (like mech) replaces them, I suggest, results will be even worse.
But I didn't had Manstein, I had Kleist and Dietrich, though 1 of mechs was SS.

Manstein is too expensive for you !

Morris wrote:
Manstein is too expensive for you !

Actually I recruited him. He is just not in Finland.

Plaid wrote:

Morris wrote:
Manstein is too expensive for you !

Actually I recruited him. He is just not in Finland.

looking forward to meeting him in east front ! Good luck to this great general !

Now weather goes fair, but USSR still neutral.
We have little to lose - it is DoWed for humble 10 morale loss, still better, then nothing.

Offencive started all across the front, securing some border cities. Now Morris can't use them to rail units, while preparing
his own offencive.







I am a bit concerned about my leading HQ armour in souther sector. This unit was used to kill soviet mech near Vinnitsa,
but now it can be attacked from 6 direction, if Morris decides to do so (and have enough troops in this FoW).
It will be sad to lose Manstein like this, but atleast soviets will pay - they have low effectiveness and many german
troops are around.

Still, soviets expected to retreat - not to counterattack. Thats exactly what we need by the way. No real offencive plans
for summer campaign - we will secure couple more objectives and switch to defence.

What do you plan to take? Odessa is a no-brainer... Riga (2 PP)? Minsk (railway)?

Odessa and Minsk considered unworthy. Don't want to enter SW zone just for couple of 1 PP cities.
We will grab Riga and start entrenching.

Plaid wrote:Odessa and Minsk considered unworthy. Don't want to enter SW zone just for couple of 1 PP cities.
We will grab Riga and start entrenching.

Remember though that Odessa is not in the SW zone--it is below the SW line. Even holding it for only a few turns would yield some benefit at low cost to you. And Morris would not be able to use it as a rail hub.

As expected, no counterattack this turn. Soviets retreat all over the front.

Few more cities captured and dozen of units (mostly garrisons) destroyed. Its time to pick defencive positions now.





Western allies started full-scale air and naval attacks againts my troops in France. Nothing we can't repair for now.



More then 40 PPs of convoy cargo sunk this turn.

Some movement in northern part of eastern front. Probably allies will attack here even before winter starts. If so, I would be quite happy
as I have adequate forces to deal with them. Luftwaffe also positioned in area to harass soviet armour and help in defence, if needed.





In the south no impressive soviet forces, but still we retreat to our defencive positions. Killing all this garrisons is really pointless -
they are useless on offence anyway, while we will lose few steps.



Even more interesting, looks like western allies going to land in France again (!). This time it will be quite hard for them to get
any port.



20+ PPs of convoy cargo sunk.

No allied offencive neither in Russia, nor in France.

We continue to prepare our defencives.
In the east most likely nothing happens until the winter, we will harass soviet armour with our TACs a bit.
During winter major offencive expected in Poland/Lithuania area, other sectors looks calm for now.







In France I am not sure, if Morris is going to land, or he is just fine attacking my troops with his air and naval assets.
Anyway, its probably good idea to hide my italian armour units from his bombers - looks like perfect target for them.



50+ convoy PPs sunk this turn, though counterattack from 1 US DD expected.

Much to my surprise Morris launched attacks with his weak corps units (4 attack 3 defence, no upgrades above default).
I don't even see point killing them, they are literally kill themselves. Still was tempted to destroy one of them
(no casualties taken at all).
Luftwaffe TACs injure some serious damage to red army tank units.





In the south things look quiet for now, but additional soviet tank units already deployed here. Offencive aswell?





In France I finally decided to withdraw my italian armour formations. They really can't fight back against allied air strikes
with their red effectiveness. Probably after repairs this tanks will fight somewhere in Romania.
Still I have reasonable force availiable and allies have few fair turns remaining to land.
(They also lost good deal of effectiveness, while spending turns in transports).

20 PPs of convoy cargo sunk.

Hmm, strange... Maybe Morris is just testing ground a bit? He may want to force you to spread your forces over a wide area and exploit potential weak points.

Little action this turn.

Minor offencive in Finland - destroyed 1 garrison and trapped 2 more.



In other section of front mostly air attacks. Also destroyed 1 corps, which breached my line near Lvov. Line is fixed now.





Still no landing in France. Now I am almost sure, that it will not happen this year.

This turn Morris initiated low effecient infantry attacks all across eastern front.
I guess he is trying to drain German PPs and MP this way, but I can't say that it is very effective. Also our units gain
free experience from this attacks.





I finished off couple of most damaged soviet units, but generally they are killing themselves anyway, so why bother.





In France allied transports spotted near Calais fortress, so dutch garrison quickly moved to protect this installation.
Personally I think, that allies will not land at all, but who knows. Probably they even can overwhelm this garrison with 0
entrenchment and destroy fortress, but it changes little. It is not supply source even.