Slitherine

August 21, 1941

Situation Report

Most of the Allied North African force is destroyed and the remaining allied units from the Middle East are setting up a defensive line on the eastern side of the Nile river. Carrier and destroyer groups continue journey to the Mediterranean to aid our forces in the Mediterranean. The allies are in the preliminary planning stages of "Operation Torch", the seaborne invasion of Libya.

September 10, 1941

The cool fall winds begin to blow as a true world war looms on the horizon...

North America and Africa

The Royal Navy in the Atlantic now consists of 1 carrier and 2 destroyer groups, signifying the beginning of a newer, stronger British Navy. We are still not strong enough to take on the large Kriegsmarine submarine and commerce raider force, but if we somehow had the massive American fleet on our side, we could crush this Nazi menace. If only...

The now much weaker Allied forces in North Africa dig in near Alexandria, waiting for the inevitable...

September 30, 1941

"We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down..."

Operation Barbarossa

At 0600Z the German attack on our glorious motherland began! Unfortunately our border garrisons were quickly overrun and destroyed but every step these these Nazi tyrants take in our territory, they will pay in blood! We will defeat these fascist invaders, for the Motherland!

Opening Attacks

Northern Front


Southern Front


Strategy
“He who defends everything defends nothing.”

Our forces are falling back all across the front line and will be forming a double defence line to the west of Leningrad (slight mistake in the following map), Smolensk, Bryan, Kursk, Kharkov, and Rostov. We will garrison all cities to the west of this line with infantry corps to slow the Nazi invaders until winter. Our strategists are puzzled why the Germans would launch an invasion so late in the year, june would have been more suitable. As a result these beasts will get to taste the wrath of Mother Russia's winter, let them come! Our two strategic bomber units will be rebased in the Crimea to bomb enemy oil facilitates in Romania and then evacuate if the front lines become to close. Although Soviet leadership is confident of victory, if any of you neutral nations have any tips or suggestions, the Red Army would gladly hear them!

Strategic Map

MrPlow wrote:September 30, 1940Our strategists are puzzled why the Germans would launch an invasion so late in the year, june would have been more suitable. As a result these beasts will get to taste the wrath of Mother Russia's winter, let them come! Our two strategic bomber units will be rebased in the Crimea to bomb enemy oil facilitates in Romania and then evacuate if the front lines become to close. Although Soviet leadership is confident of victory, if any of you neutral nations have any tips or suggestions, the Red Army would gladly hear them!

Strategic Map

Given the extremely late launch date, watch for him to keep his main force just west of the Russian border when winter's about to strike. That way, most of his army can avoid the nasty 35-point whack to Effectiveness. If so, you should be able to hold onto or re-take in a winter offensive some of those western PP sources--but just for the winter; don't try to hold them long term! (I'm just talking about places like Dnepropetrovsk, which he might not even get to at this rate.) If he leaves an opening, you should consider invading Finland. Be careful--don't do it if he's ready for it, but if he's left his guard down you can take advantage of the timing--with winter on the way he can't afford to be too ambitious.

Finally, plan to make the most of the winter respite: invest in labs, move your units into stable positions--try to get them into place in a single move in order to minimize Effectiveness loss and maximize entrenchment--and buy maybe two commanders, and keep them safe! [Very safe!] I would spend pretty liberally in the next few turns in order to achieve all of this, but plan ahead. Winter will last 5 turns. Once winter comes, the clock starts ticking. With Britain so badly crippled, you can expect the Murmansk convoys to get hit pretty badly. You need to be sitting on a big pile of PP's at the end of the winter, 'cause come spring it's clobbering time.

MrPlow wrote:

I'm glad to see you finally made the switch to NATO symbols.

ftgcritt2 wrote:

MrPlow wrote:

I'm glad to see you finally made the switch to NATO symbols.

to ftgcritt2: You r kidding right?

to MrPlow: Don't be timid, now is the time to STRIKE - Cut off the salient in the north and destroy the Nazi Horde!

KingHunter wrote:
to ftgcritt2: You r kidding right?

to MrPlow: Don't be timid, now is the time to STRIKE - Cut off the salient in the north and destroy the Nazi Horde!

MrPlow I am confident you are smart enough not to follow this advice.

ftgcritt2 wrote:

KingHunter wrote:
to ftgcritt2: You r kidding right?

to MrPlow: Don't be timid, now is the time to STRIKE - Cut off the salient in the north and destroy the Nazi Horde!

MrPlow I am confident you are smart enough not to follow this advice.

Can you tell us why it's not sound?

KingHunter wrote:

ftgcritt2 wrote:

KingHunter wrote:
to ftgcritt2: You r kidding right?

to MrPlow: Don't be timid, now is the time to STRIKE - Cut off the salient in the north and destroy the Nazi Horde!

MrPlow I am confident you are smart enough not to follow this advice.

Can you tell us why it's not sound?

Sure can: In a few short turns, Russia is about to enjoy a 35-point whallop to every Axis unit within Russian territory. It makes no sense at all to counter-attack before that takes place, with the possible exception of Finland, as noted above, and then only if the opportunity presents itself. To counter-attack before the snow falls is to leave units open to strikes by a much more powerful foe, and it leaves you with fewer weapons when the moment does arrive.

Looking at the picture, germans have few armors (only 4) and mech (only 1). Russians have way more armor already at starting barbarossa.
He also has not an impressive air. and he has tons of infantry. Germany OOB reflects the huge losses in PP he had to take UK. He also split the armor. It's also 30th of september. he has 4-5 turns before winter.

So personally i would defend on Dniepr and also pskow. All his infantry is slow and won't attack very well. and he has too few armors andl airpower to actually breakthrough (and by splitting his armors and airpower, he also has no chance to make good progress at least in one part (south or center).

Don't give germany all the space you normally give in barbarossa in a PBEM...cause in this game germany is weaker, its OOB of battle is full of infantry and no armor/mech and it starts in september. so you must make germany pay for this.

October 20, 1941

"The Red Army and Navy and the whole Soviet people must fight for every inch of Soviet soil, fight to the last drop of blood for our towns and villages...onward, to victory!"

Союз Советских Социалистических Республик

The invasion of the glorious Soviet Union continues unabated, though we are inflicting heavy casualties to those fascist dogs as they come! The coming bitter winter and brilliant advise from Soviet Advisors has persuaded the Red Army in moving the front line further west along the banks of the Dnieper. Here the Red Army will make its stand, using the defensive benefits of the river and strength of the people. As a result, the magnificent Soviet cities of Pskow and Kiev will remain in Russian hands, allowing these civilians to remain free from Nazi oppression. Our new glorious weapons; the Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik bombers, Yakovlev Yak-1 fighters, and T-34 tanks are being shipped from the factories in the east, and will soon reign death upon the enemy! Our strategic bombers in the Crimea are laying waste to the enemy's oil production because as our western "allies" so thoroughly proclaim, this is the Nazi beast's greatest weakness. Glory to the Motherland and death to Germany!

Revised Defence Plans


Western Powers
In the west, rested and repaired planes of the Royal Airforce bomb and strafe enemy naval forces off the coast of Newfoundland, resulting in minor damage to a destroyer force. The United States continues it's massive Naval and Arms construction, preparing for a war it may or may not enter. Enemy forces begin conducting a minor offensive towards Egypt and although Allied commanders are not immediately worried, they wire requests for reinforcements which they know may be needed soon. A CV and destroyer force enter the Mediterranean, reinforcing the blockade of Axis North Africa.

Remember the two Achilles heals of the Germans ... (1) oil & (2) manpower. And ... it's a long war and you have 3 1/2 years to go.

When does USA enter the war ?

December 1941 +/- 1 turn.

I suppose, I tend to be more aggressive and with the advantages of winter I would have my forces ready to chop the Germans to shreds.

KingHunter wrote:I suppose, I tend to be more aggressive and with the advantages of winter I would have my forces ready to chop the Germans to shreds.

My personal playing style for the Russians, and the Allies in general, is that I would take what was given to me but wouldn't try for too much in 1941 - 1942; especially if it involved significant risk to my air or armor. The Russians still need to be able to make it through and survive 1942 with their armor and air relatively intact in order to gain and maintain the initiative in 1943 and beyond.

One lesson that I've learned the hard way from playing Staffuenberg (Borger) & Happycat (Jim) is patience. I've learned that waiting and being well prepared for an offensive as the Allies is much better than launching one in order to meet a historical or self imposed timeline. Now this doesn't mean that there isn't a time and place for an immediate and decisive response to an Axis incursions into a critical area such as the Caucuses. However; I view this as a counter offensive (i.e., response) versus a planned and well prepared general or limited offensive.

At this point in this, and most games, if Russia loses their armor and air then it's pretty much checkmate for the Allies. As it stands now the Allies, who have a up hill battle, still have some chance of winning. Whether that's 10%, 25% or 30% I don't know. But for me I would want to maximize my chances and, even if I didn't "win", see how close I got. For example, our the Allies able to free England? Are they able to free France? Do the Russians have the Germans on the run but just ran out of time getting to Berlin? While these are losses in some way they would represent a moral victory of sorts (at least for me they would).

Also, just think how much you'd learn about the game and you opponent if you play it out to win or get as close to winning as you can.

Thanks Ronnie - Your points are well considered - Perhaps I will ponder this direction.

It seems axis player have had enough time for a more or less well prepared barbarrosa but I keep thinking axis will have lack of oil within a short time...

November 9, 1941

"The Russian colossus...has been underestimated by us...whenever a dozen divisions are destroyed the Russians replace them with another dozen."

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

The attack on mother Russia continues as we inflict great losses on the enemy. The Fascist pigs will soon be at the Dnieper Defence Line where they will meet the full force of the Red Army. Our first air battles with the enemy Luftwaffe begins to slowly attrit their airborne strength as ours grows by the day! Reinforcements continually flow in from the East, as we strengthen and fortify our defensive line. We will soon use these infantry reinforcements to fill in the holes in the lines, and allow us to withdraw our valuable tank and motorized assets for an effective counter-attack if the need arises. Unfortunately it seems Minsk will fall soon, allowing the enemy more efficient supply lines and railroad capacity, but we will not fail! We will not let Mother Russia down! For the Motherland!

Frontlines


North American and Africa

The waters around Canadian North America are safe for the time being as the Royal Airforce begins effective anti shipping and submarine patrols. Also, North America (including the "neutral" US) now boasts a strong Airforce, Army, and Navy that will be used as soon as possible. With this in mind, it is now decision time for the Western Allies. This strong force can be used to retake England or to strengthen threatened North Africa and the Middle East. Although limited in supply, the Afrika Korps advances towards Alexandria where our limited Allied forces will attempt to hold the city and surrounding area. At the moment Allied High Command is leaning towards sending a strong force into the Mediterranean from the Red Sea using the Suez Canal. The ultimate objective would be to retake all of Africa and prevent it's use as a Nazi springboard into the Middle East. However, Allied Command is curious what our trusted advisors think, would liberating England be a better use of Allied assets?

Afrika Corps Advance

If you can in time I would reinforce Egypt. I wouldn't necessarily make it my focus but I would try to get enough forces in there to keep the Axis from taking the middle eastern oil fields. If you win, one reason will be that the Germans ran out of oil. Letting them get to the Iraqi oil fields will be a big boost to their shrinking oil stockpile and be a big setback to the Allies.

If possible I'd try to get some air (fighters first then tactical bombers) along with ground reinforcements. A couple of things. The African transport loop will dump your transports into the Red Sea. If the Axis have air in range (and it doesn't look like he does at the moment) he'll be able to hit your transports. That's something to keep in mind. The other thing is that you can unload your transports directly from the Red Sea. This is especially valuable for air but is also useful for ground units. This tactic allows them to disembark two turns earlier, keeps them out of the Med (via Suez Canal) and safe from pesky u-boats and other predators. But only the first two transports to enter the loop in a given turn will be adjacent to land hexes and; thus, able to unload that. turn they. The subsequent transports that turn (if any) won't, however; you can move them next to land and unload them the next turn. Thus, keeping them out of the Med.

I've found that a numerically inferior ground force can hold if they have air superiority. A tactic I like to use in this case is to use air to degrade my opponents air and try to preserve my ground forces. Unless something is very attractive I don't attack with the ground units. If you have a tactical bomber you can use that to attack a valuable target (e.g., tanks corps). His fighter will intercept which in turn will be intercepted by one of your fighters. Both sides will lose steps. Now, if you have a fighter in range of his fighter base you can hit it on the ground and inflict (hopefully) more step losses. In addition to inflicting step losses on his air that he must repair you also inflict 1 to 3 step losses on his tank corps, which will also takes an efficiency hit. In effect you've degraded his ability to attack and in effect put him on the defensive without ground to ground attacks. But be cautioned, you need about a two to one advantage in fighters and enough PPs and more to repair your losses to reasonably carry this off.

Now in your case with the loss of the UK you probably don't have many PPs to spare. So I'd probably only use my air defensively to hold the oil fields which is far more important than holding the Suez Canal. While it's loss is definitely an inconvenience you can still use the "other transport loop" to Kuwait if necessary.

Also, in Russia, I would keep him out of the Caucasus oil fields at all costs. You lose these and you've lost the game, uh I mean the war. I'd keep an I eye on the Axis and be prepared to defend those oil fields at all costs. Don't overlook the possibility of an amphibious invasion to get at them. You don't need to redeploy forces if there isn't a threat just be prepared to get them there if one does materialized. Also, don't throw away the Russian Black Sea fleet because you think it's useless because it's not. The Russian BB in Batumi and the Romanian DD on patrol nearby (or vise versa) can help you kept an eye on things.