Slitherine

In my experience the German player has very limited options once the Russian Juggernaut is in motion, tactical counterattacks are limited to the front line crowded with Russian units and strategic counterattacks have no purposse at this stage.Supermax line is relatively easy to break and once it is broken any tactical retreat will be very hard, and a new solid defensive line difficult to establish. A line farther back is much stronger, more economical and you can place your fighters very much forward within the Central European weather zone, all those advantages I think more than make for the additional flexibility of the forward defense, but in any case we will see how the game developes.

Aryaman wrote:In my experience the German player has very limited options once the Russian Juggernaut is in motion, tactical counterattacks are limited to the front line crowded with Russian units and strategic counterattacks have no purposse at this stage.Supermax line is relatively easy to break and once it is broken any tactical retreat will be very hard, and a new solid defensive line difficult to establish. A line farther back is much stronger, more economical and you can place your fighters very much forward within the Central European weather zone, all those advantages I think more than make for the additional flexibility of the forward defense, but in any case we will see how the game developes.

Well well. Did i say that i was going to stay in these positions for the whole game?

The full intent of my strategy remains to unfold, but i am very confident that i will get thru winter 1942 totally unscated with my total air superiority (15 FTR, 8 TACS) and my 100 and over effectiveness(+ organisation lvl 5). Zechi was probably expecting me to attack deep into russia since i can only see infantry. So until such time that hes got some TAC that he can escort and some tanks that can breakthru, i dont see him get to anything solid appart from local breaktrough in the 42-43 winter.

The for 1943 we will see. I might duke it out a little bit in the summer if Zechi gets agressive, and then spend the 43-44 winter in nice and cozy polish german houses...

Did i also ay that my manpower is still in at something like 950? This means a lot of troops and boots on the ground. I can have a LOT of losses till the end of this game.

Certainly Zechi is playing into your hands by attacking so early, he should have waited until winter 42 to get a decent airforce before attacking Finland. Russians the first 2 years should be conducting air operations only in winter

Aryaman wrote:Certainly Zechi is playing into your hands by attacking so early, he should have waited until winter 42 to get a decent airforce before attacking Finland. Russians the first 2 years should be conducting air operations only in winter

Well he is annoying nonetheless. I will be evacuating Finland shortly with my airforce. I dont intend to defend the country too hard anyway, i prefer it reverts back to neutrality. I want my airforce in the 5-supply zone and in germany, thus improving replacements experience.

Yes, that is a sensible decission, if Zechi had waited for winter to attack Finland IMO it would not be worth defending with German Air Force, but since he rushed to it you did right fighting his very much inferior Air Force in summer time.

Looking good max, i doubt that he will get anywhere with UK and US before 44. All you have to do is stop the Russian bear. May i suggest that you build german mechs instead of inf. You got plenty of oil for the rest of the game and they don´t use much. They use less manpower to form than inf and resupply. You have probably reached the limit already so perhaps you should put them on the front line so they take the heavy blows instead of infantry.

This only works if you have got a reasonable PP and can afford building mechs, by doing this you actually transfer some PP to manpower, save 20% atlest and also get more firepower on the field against the attacker. Might be handy in the long run...

Crazyg

Crazygunner1 wrote:Looking good max, i doubt that he will get anywhere with UK and US before 44. All you have to do is stop the Russian bear. May i suggest that you build german mechs instead of inf. You got plenty of oil for the rest of the game and they don´t use much. They use less manpower to form than inf and resupply. You have probably reached the limit already so perhaps you should put them on the front line so they take the heavy blows instead of infantry.

This only works if you have got a reasonable PP and can afford building mechs, by doing this you actually transfer some PP to manpower, save 20% atlest and also get more firepower on the field against the attacker. Might be handy in the long run...

Crazyg

Well, Craz, you might just be right...

I still wonder what kind of damage the Russians can do right now in 1942, with most of my troops at 102-104 effectiveness. I am still building up airpower and naval power (10 german FTR so far) and need to fill ITaly with troops. The longer Zechi wastes time in Italy, thee better.

I will definitly heed your advice on building more mehcs.

supermax wrote:

Crazygunner1 wrote:Looking good max, i doubt that he will get anywhere with UK and US before 44. All you have to do is stop the Russian bear. May i suggest that you build german mechs instead of inf. You got plenty of oil for the rest of the game and they don´t use much. They use less manpower to form than inf and resupply. You have probably reached the limit already so perhaps you should put them on the front line so they take the heavy blows instead of infantry.

This only works if you have got a reasonable PP and can afford building mechs, by doing this you actually transfer some PP to manpower, save 20% atlest and also get more firepower on the field against the attacker. Might be handy in the long run...

Crazyg

Well, Craz, you might just be right...

I still wonder what kind of damage the Russians can do right now in 1942, with most of my troops at 102-104 effectiveness. I am still building up airpower and naval power (10 german FTR so far) and need to fill ITaly with troops. The longer Zechi wastes time in Italy, thee better.

I will definitly heed your advice on building more mehcs.

Don´t think you have that much to worrie about in 42. Without airpower he won´t be able to accomplish much with infantry even though skillful attacks. With tanks he can cause some damage but it seems you can easily knock em out with Luftwaffe and your own tanks. The hardest for the russians here and the key is to gain airsuperiority. Max fighters are 9 before penalty for Russia and you can muster up 18 in toatal across the map with majority of them facing Russia, add to that tech superiority for atlest another 2 years. It seems that he has spend some on Inf, wich is a vaste at this time.

Looks like you have forced his hand, he needs to start pounding on the Axis wall, go after your infantry and weak spots in the line, that is the only way he can cause some havoc and start draining on german manpower. In the meantime build up his airforce. The longer he waits the lesser chance he will have, to reach Berlin.

Crazygunner1 wrote:
Don´t think you have that much to worrie about in 42. Without airpower he won´t be able to accomplish much with infantry even though skillful attacks. With tanks he can cause some damage but it seems you can easily knock em out with Luftwaffe and your own tanks. The hardest for the russians here and the key is to gain airsuperiority. Max fighters are 9 before penalty for Russia and you can muster up 18 in toatal across the map with majority of them facing Russia, add to that tech superiority for atlest another 2 years. It seems that he has spend some on Inf, wich is a vaste at this time.

Looks like you have forced his hand, he needs to start pounding on the Axis wall, go after your infantry and weak spots in the line, that is the only way he can cause some havoc and start draining on german manpower. In the meantime build up his airforce. The longer he waits the lesser chance he will have, to reach Berlin.

I agree with everything except for that last statement, Zechi needs to get a decent research level for aircraft before commiting to a full attack, he should wait until next winter, when he can also attack Italy with the allies.

Just a small point - but why not reinforce the Bulgarian division in Brest-Litovsk - the cost is minimal (1pp at most) and it will help allot in keeping them afloat for a few turns.

afk_nero wrote:Just a small point - but why not reinforce the Bulgarian division in Brest-Litovsk - the cost is minimal (1pp at most) and it will help allot in keeping them afloat for a few turns.

True

I want to rail it away soon however!

I wonder if he has taken a look at the forces sheet and seen your massive Kriegsmarine, cause it is very strange that he doesn´t liberate England? That is the only way to victory since the english must be brought back in the game to have a chance at all.

Crazygunner1 wrote:I wonder if he has taken a look at the forces sheet and seen your massive Kriegsmarine, cause it is very strange that he doesn´t liberate England? That is the only way to victory since the english must be brought back in the game to have a chance at all.

Well, thats exactly my thoughts... HE shouldnt be nagging at Italy right now. But all the better i wont see his fleet in force at least before 1943, and by then i'll have 10 subs, 6 DD, 5 BB, 2 CV, maybee more if i can launch more in the production queue soon.

Crazygunner1 wrote:I wonder if he has taken a look at the forces sheet and seen your massive Kriegsmarine, cause it is very strange that he doesn´t liberate England? That is the only way to victory since the english must be brought back in the game to have a chance at all.

Maybe he read my last AAR and saw how hard it is to retake England against a good player.

joerock22 wrote:

Crazygunner1 wrote:I wonder if he has taken a look at the forces sheet and seen your massive Kriegsmarine, cause it is very strange that he doesn´t liberate England? That is the only way to victory since the english must be brought back in the game to have a chance at all.

Maybe he read my last AAR and saw how hard it is to retake England against a good player.

Haha....nice to have you back Joe, hope to meet you soon