SS Core run through 39 to 45?

[milliethedog]

The Long War
Tatsinskaya

Field marshal Level, Starting Points 60437
After Replenishment and re-enforcements 59092 points

Core
5x SS GebirgsJager and SDkfz 250/251
1x SS MG 42 and SDkfz 250
2x Panzer II Flame used as Recon
1x Panzer IIG
3x KV 1B
1x KV 1A
2x KV 1C
2x M4 (r)
3x SS Panzer III M upgraded from L
2x SS panzer III N
9x SS Panzer IV G
2x T34/40(r)
3xT34/41 (r)
8x SS 17cm K18's and SDkfz 7's
4x SS Sig 33
1x Su 122 (r)
!x BA 64 (r)
4x Fw 190A
1x Bf 109G
4x Ju 87D
1x Ju 87B Recon
2x Bf 110F
3x Ju 88A

I knew this would be a hard game as I have not over strengthed any of my infantry or Panzer III's or IV's and there are lots of big, bad soviet tanks out there. I deployed my core into my normal 3 kamf's but this time all 3 were on the defensive from the start. All 3 hard key positions to hold and with the help of my trusty Ju87's they just held on.

Kamf 1, Held Naumov, then take Yanov, Lubyanoy, Nikolarv and its air field.

Kamf 2, they held Gornyatskiy, then they take the 5 air fields and re-take the 6 towns in the centre.

Kamf 3, withstand the attack at Litvinovka, they then advance and capture Malokachalin, Kezinka, Bystryy and then finaly Morozovsk and its air field.


This was not as easy as this makes out, the centre only just held out, the Ju87's made the difference between failure and success. I held the soviets and then recaptured the air fields and 4 of the 6 towns by turn 10. At that point the Tiger becomes available.... over the next 3 turns I upgraded my Pz III's and Iv's for Tigers. Yes I know 13 Tigers but what the Hell, that's what I have been saving points for ! The tigers made all the difference allowing me to clear the rest of the battlefield. I hung on to the last victory hex until turn 22 to maximise the points .

DV after 22/22 with 46691 points and no core losses. The huge point drop was because EACH Tiger cost 1053 points to upgrade, Ah the cost of the SS.

1942 is finished...... Now for 43 !
Martin

[goose_2]

Hi Goose,
I will post Tatsinskaya to end 42 and then show the Total core plus stars and Hero's for the start of 43.

Martin

Thanks and Merry Christmas

[shawkhan2]

Are you playing with the softcap on? If so I find this performance amazing.

[milliethedog]

The Long War
1943 The Core at the start

Field marshal Level, Starting Points 47320
After Replenishment and re-enforcements 47103 points

39th SS Gebirasjager 2 star 1 Hero Attack +2 Initiative +3
2nd SS Gebirasjager 4 star 3 Hero Attack +3 Initiative +3 defence +1 Movement +3
6th SS Gebirasjager 4 star 2 Hero Attack +4
4th SS Gebirasjager 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2
5th SS Gebirasjager 3 star 2 Hero Spotting +1 Initiative +1
35th SS MG 42 2 star 1 Hero initiative +3 Movement +2

15th SS Tiger 3 star 2 Hero Attack +1 Defence +1
16th SS Tiger 3 star 2 Hero Attack +1 Defence +3
7th SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
1st SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2 Defence +2 Spotting +2
23rd SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
43rd SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
22nd SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2
34th SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
29th SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
19th SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2
28th SS Tiger 1 star 1 Hero Attack +1 Defence +1 Initiative +2 Movement +1 Spotting +1
55th SS Tiger 2 star 1 Hero Attack +1
20th SS Tiger 4 star 2 Hero Initiative +1 Movement +1
31st SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +3
24th SS Tiger 3 star 2 Hero Defence +2 Movement +1
3rd SS Tiger 3 star 2 Hero Attack +3
47th SS Tiger 0 star 0 Hero

41st SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
21st SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
39th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
26th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1
12th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Attack +3
25th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1
40th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Attack +2
11th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1

14th SS Sig 33 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
60th SS Sig 33 2 star 0 Hero
13th SS Sig 33 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
61st SS Sig 33 2 star 0 Hero Movement +1

31st Bf109G 1 star 1 Hero Attack +3 Defence -2 Initiative +3
10th Fw 190A 4 star 2 Hero Defence +1 Spotting +1
18th Fw 190A 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2 Defence +1 Initiative +2
30th Fw 190A 2 star 1 Hero Attack +3 Defence -2 Initiative +2
9th Fw 190A 4 star 2 Hero defence +3 Initiative +1

Recon Flight 1 star 1Hero Attack -5 Defence -2 Spotting +2
8th Ju 87D 4 star 3 Hero Attack +4 Defence +3
27th Ju 87D 4 star 2 Hero Attack +3 Defence +1
18th Ju 87D 4 star 2 Hero Attack +3 Defence -2 Initiative +3
8th Ju 87D 4 star 3 Hero Attack +1 Movement +1

25th ME410A 4 star 2 Hero Attack +3 Initiative +6
38th ME410A 0 star

33rd Ju 188 2 star
44th Ju 188 1 star
32nd Ju 188 2 star

I sold off all my captured Russian equipment, 5x T34, 6x KV1, 2x M4, 1x Su 122 and 1x BA 64 to finish re-enforcements and upgrades with 47103 points

Now to Fight in 1943......

Martin

[milliethedog]

Casualty and Kills up to the end of 1942

PC42.jpg (108.36 KiB) Viewed 3213 times

[milliethedog]

These are the game settings that I play on, they are the default on starting the game, if that helps. I have never adjusted them and to be honest I do not know what would be the effect of dabbling with them.

Game rules.jpg (151.22 KiB) Viewed 3212 times

Martin

[milliethedog]

The Long War
Karkov 43

Field marshal Level, Starting Points 47320
After Replenishment and re-enforcements 47103 points

Core
5x SS GebirgsJager 43 and SDkfz 250/251 upgraded from 39
1x SS MG 42 and SDkfz 250
18x SS Tiger I upgraded from PzII's, PzIII's and PzIV's
8x SS 17cm K18's and SDkfz 7's
1x Su 122 (r) captured during game
4x SS Sig 33
4x Fw 190A
1x Bf 109G
4x Ju 87D
1x Ju 87B Recon
2x Me 410A upgraded from Bf 110F
3x Ju 188A upgraded from Ju 88A

I upgraded all the Panzer II's, Panzer III and Panzer IV's to Tigers, I regret upgrading all the Pz IV and PzIII during the last game as I have to upgrade the PzII's as they will not last 2 minutes in 43 and now 18 tigers do seem an over kill. Originally the core is split into 2 kamf but they then split and rejoin the groups several times as they attack, pin down and take flags.

Kamf 1, Approximately half the core hold Kramatorsk and clear everything south of the River Donets, The bulk of the core (leaving 4 Tigers and 4 K18's to guard the crossing) then push along the south bank of the Donets leaving a Tiger and a K18 to cover each of the crossings that they clear. They take Balakliya and hold the crossings at 22/17, 21/13, 24/21, 30/24, 21/10 and then at the last few turns cross the Donets and take Severodonetsk with its air field.

The other half of the Core are in Kamf 2 with the 4x Sig 33 and 2x K18's clear all Russian forces south of karkov, they clear and take Krasnopavivka, Maghivka, Krasnohrad and its air field. Then they take Vodolaha, Opishnya, Okhtyrka, Bohodukhiv, Zolochiv and then siege Karkov. After destroying all units in and around Karkov I leave 1 infantry unit to sit beside the Key flag in Karkov to allow every other flag to be taken, before winning the game. All the enemy units north of the Donets are destroyed and all flags taken by turn 19 of 20 and the infantry unit takes karkov. As before my Ju 87's and new Me 410's are vital to break the backs of the many soviet tanks sitting across the Donets. I Found 5 BA 64's and got 4 to the safe zone by the end.


DV after 19/20 with 47339 points and no core losses.

Martin

[TSPC37730]

I regret upgrading all the Pz IV and PzIII during the last game as I have to upgrade the PzII's as they will not last 2 minutes in 43 and now 18 tigers do seem an over kill.

During my play throughs & I've preferred to leave some tanks as Pz III's & Pz IV's so I can upgrade them when the Panthers are available. Generally, I upgrade tanks with attack heroes to Tigers & those with defense heroes to Panthers. If I'm lucky enough to have one with a movement hero I save that one to upgrade to a Tiger II.

IMO your original tanks from '39/'40 should be upgraded twice. Once to Pz III's or Pz IV's and then later to Tigers/Panthers/Tiger II's. You might save some prestige by trying to avoid the upgrade but you'll ultimately lose it in losses.

[milliethedog]

Hi TSP,
I normally do, but this is the first time I have tried Nico's SS Mod and as everything SS is 50% dearer, I thought I would need every point. I also used PzII's as recon and flame panzers for the first time as when I started there was no SS recon available. I also upgraded the Arty to SS when that became available.

Martin

[goose_2]

The Long War
1943 The Core at the start

Field marshal Level, Starting Points 47320
After Replenishment and re-enforcements 47103 points

39th SS Gebirasjager 2 star 1 Hero Attack +2 Initiative +3
2nd SS Gebirasjager 4 star 3 Hero Attack +3 Initiative +3 defence +1 Movement +3
6th SS Gebirasjager 4 star 2 Hero Attack +4
4th SS Gebirasjager 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2
5th SS Gebirasjager 3 star 2 Hero Spotting +1 Initiative +1
35th SS MG 42 2 star 1 Hero initiative +3 Movement +2

15th SS Tiger 3 star 2 Hero Attack +1 Defence +1
16th SS Tiger 3 star 2 Hero Attack +1 Defence +3
7th SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
1st SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2 Defence +2 Spotting +2
23rd SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
43rd SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
22nd SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2
34th SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
29th SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +1
19th SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2
28th SS Tiger 1 star 1 Hero Attack +1 Defence +1 Initiative +2 Movement +1 Spotting +1
55th SS Tiger 2 star 1 Hero Attack +1
20th SS Tiger 4 star 2 Hero Initiative +1 Movement +1
31st SS Tiger 3 star 1 Hero Defence +3
24th SS Tiger 3 star 2 Hero Defence +2 Movement +1
3rd SS Tiger 3 star 2 Hero Attack +3
47th SS Tiger 0 star 0 Hero

41st SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
21st SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
39th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
26th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1
12th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Attack +3
25th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1
40th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Attack +2
11th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1

14th SS Sig 33 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
60th SS Sig 33 2 star 0 Hero
13th SS Sig 33 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
61st SS Sig 33 2 star 0 Hero Movement +1

31st Bf109G 1 star 1 Hero Attack +3 Defence -2 Initiative +3
10th Fw 190A 4 star 2 Hero Defence +1 Spotting +1
18th Fw 190A 3 star 1 Hero Attack +2 Defence +1 Initiative +2
30th Fw 190A 2 star 1 Hero Attack +3 Defence -2 Initiative +2
9th Fw 190A 4 star 2 Hero defence +3 Initiative +1

Recon Flight 1 star 1Hero Attack -5 Defence -2 Spotting +2
8th Ju 87D 4 star 3 Hero Attack +4 Defence +3
27th Ju 87D 4 star 2 Hero Attack +3 Defence +1
18th Ju 87D 4 star 2 Hero Attack +3 Defence -2 Initiative +3
8th Ju 87D 4 star 3 Hero Attack +1 Movement +1

25th ME410A 4 star 2 Hero Attack +3 Initiative +6
38th ME410A 0 star

33rd Ju 188 2 star
44th Ju 188 1 star
32nd Ju 188 2 star

I sold off all my captured Russian equipment, 5x T34, 6x KV1, 2x M4, 1x Su 122 and 1x BA 64 to finish re-enforcements and upgrades with 47103 points

Now to Fight in 1943......

Martin

Thanks for laying this out, but I am going to cry a bit of a foul when it comes to these heroes you have laid out here:
41st SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
21st SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
39th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
26th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1
12th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Attack +3
25th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1
40th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Attack +2
11th SS 17cm K18 4 star 1 Hero Range +1

14th SS Sig 33 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
60th SS Sig 33 2 star 0 Hero
13th SS Sig 33 4 star 1 Hero Movement +1
61st SS Sig 33 2 star 0 Hero Movement +1

No way was that spread handed out randomly, because that is about the best group of heroes one could ever get for artillery units.
I know because I cried a little inside when I have lost my +3 Att arty and my +1 Range arty but hey I still have that +1 Spot arty

I guess you must replay your rounds depending on the hero you get, that is strategic but I feel it would make the game tedious and lack some of the random excitement you get when you actually get a decent hero on one of your good units.
For example:
Super excited when I got my 2nd hero for Oleh Dir in Stalingrad as a +3 Def and then even more excited when his 3rd hero finally came in as a +3 Att hero.
That kind of random blessing becomes oh so sweet when you are fielding a few worthless ones like my +1 Spot AA and +1 Spot Arty.

You take the good with the bad which makes the good feel that much more fun to play with.

Just my thoughts.

Will you be going the way of Oboyan as I would love to see another day by day comparison of what that outstanding army does on that cluster that ended up being my first Marginal Victory in my Blind Playthrough?

Thanks

[goose_2]

These are the game settings that I play on, they are the default on starting the game, if that helps. I have never adjusted them and to be honest I do not know what would be the effect of dabbling with them.

Game rules.jpg

Martin

That looks like Field Marshall setting to me.
Man I wish I knew how to post graphics and stuff.

[milliethedog]

Hi Goose,
I gave up trying to manipulate hero's along time ago, The arty hero's are what I got, they might be great but if you look at my tank hero's or my Fighter hero's they are really poor! If I wanted to get better hero's it would be on my tanks, fighters or Ju 87's. The K18's already have a range of 4, there is no real benefit for range of 5 as any target you hit would be behind at least 2 ranks of enemy, I would rather have attack +3 in that case. As it happens 3 of the K18's got bonuses for hitting the same target ! first time that's happened to me, all triggered at the same time!

I will happily do a step by step walk though of Oboyan for you.

Martin

[goose_2]

Hi Goose,
I gave up trying to manipulate hero's along time ago, The arty hero's are what I got, they might be great but if you look at my tank hero's or my Fighter hero's they are really poor! If I wanted to get better hero's it would be on my tanks, fighters or Ju 87's. The K18's already have a range of 4, there is no real benefit for range of 5 as any target you hit would be behind at least 2 ranks of enemy, I would rather have attack +3 in that case. As it happens 3 of the K18's got bonuses for hitting the same target ! first time that's happened to me, all triggered at the same time!

I will happily do a step by step walk though of Oboyan for you.

Martin

Thanks buddy for doing a step by step of Oboyan I need to learn how and what to do when/if I play that scenario again, even though the plan is to try it on Manstein level. Not sure if Decisive Victory will be possible, but watching the slow methodical way Night Pheonix has learned to play his Rommel playthrough gives me hope.

You have been truly blessed with your awarded heros with arty. I have never upgraded my artys past 15cm strength, I may not be getting the most kills, but it is where I am at, now that I am in Breslau I ended up buying 4 green 10.5 cm arty's to fill in additional gaps in my defense, along with 7 Volkssturm thanks to your and TSPC's great suggestion.

I am actually at the point where I am ready to be done with my current playthrough and ready to start a new one with my Blind Playthrough in Afrika Korps at Rommel level.

Starting in 2017!

So much fun so little time with this great game.

[captainjack]

Late 1940, my first artillery hero (from 5 units with near enough 200 kills each) is +1 spotting - I disbanded it in disgust! I like your heroes better.

For me, early on, move is better than range for artillery as you can keep up with infantry while deployed. It is a bit less useful when mobile artillery becomes available in the later game, although the greater ammo supply of towed artillery means it isn't always a simple replacement. However, a Stug with Range 2 or any of the rockets with range 3 is very handy, so I can find a use for both. .

[milliethedog]

The Long War
Belgorod

Field marshal Level, Starting Points 47739
After Replenishment and re-enforcements 46239 points

Core
5x SS GebirgsJager 43 and SDkfz 250/251
1x SS MG 42 and SDkfz 250
1x T34/41(r) captured during game
18x SS Tiger I
8x SS 17cm K18's and SDkfz 7's
1x Su 122 (r)
4x SS Sig 33
4x Fw 190A
1x Bf 109G
4x Ju 87D
1x Ju 87B Recon
2x Me 410A
3x Ju 188A

This is an interesting game, a mix of attack and multiple defence. I use 2 Kamf, 1 simply goes up and down the Donets, the other basically covers the entire map completing a complete circle by the end. these tankers get refuelled several times.

Kamf 1, The smaller Groups job is to clear the West bank of Russian troops and then to hold each of the bridges that cross the Donets. These crossings are consistently under attack but are heavily defended by Arty and AA making forcing your way across too costly for me to try. This Kamf take the crossing at 20/23 then Luk'yantsi and the bridge at 20/17. Moving north they secure the crossing at 19/10 and then hold, destroying all soviet equipment with Arty and Ju 87's at that crossing. When the second Kamf take Belgorod, Kamf 1 then attack down the east bank of the Donets joining up at each crossing point with the defending panzers and arty. This flank was rolled up all the way down through Ziborovka, Murom and its airfield and lastly Vovchans'k and its airfield.

The bulk of the Core are in Kamf 2 move north clearing all soviet units from the field to Belgorod, my Ju 87's and Me 410's are used to reduce or destroy soviet armour units in advance, although they are under constant pressure from the soviet air force. On the way to Belgorod they take Prudyanka and the airfield. Zhuravlevka, Shchetinpvka, Bessonovka with its air field and then the 3 flags at Belgorod. Kamf 2 cross the Donets and clear everything on the rest of the map, joining kamf 1 taking Yastrebovo and its air field, then Churaevo,Shebekino,Vanyki and lastly Burluk.

DV after 19/20 with 46559 points and no core losses. The soviet air force is all over this game and constantly re-appear causing damage.

Martin

[milliethedog]

The Long War
Orel

Field marshal Level, Starting Points 46959
After Replenishment and re-enforcements 45901 points

Core
7x SS GebirgsJager 43 and SDkfz 250/251, 2 awarded during the game defence +2,spot +1,initiative +2 and defence+2 attack +2 initiative +3
1x SS MG 42 and SDkfz 250
1x T34/41(r)
18x SS Tiger I
8x SS 17cm K18's and SDkfz 7's
1x Su 122 (r)
4x SS Sig 33
4x Fw 190A
1x Bf 109G
4x Ju 87D
1x Ju 87B Recon
2x Me 410A
3x Ju 188A

Like the last game this is a 2 Kamf game, the twist being the amount of rail transport you can/have to use. I start with the Ju 87's deployed in the west as they are key to taking care of the partisans, I also have 6 tigers deployed in the city/station hexes as I want to move them to Nizhnee-Mukhanovo and its station, Zakromskiy-Khutor and station, and Shokhovo and its station.

Kamf 1, with half the core, has to clear the partisans allowing trains to pass, The Ju87's followed aby arty, tigers and inf obliterate the threat and allow rapid advancement to back up the rail deployed tigers. I pull the rail tigers and any aux troops back over the river to the west bank, giving me an easy defensive position and a kill zone. once the arty, inf (+2 additional awarded) and tigers take care of some pesky Para troops, they retake the towns on the East bank and then advance taking Alekseevka, Baranovskiy and its air field then the siege of Pozdeevo.

Kamf 2 holds Orel, basically a line of tigers backed by heavy arty and Fw190A's is almost impossible to defeat, then they move out taking Setuka with its air field, Neplyuevo, Stanovoy, Putimets, novopetrovea and then siege at Medvezha and its air field for the win.

DV after 13/19 with 46044 points and no core losses.

Martin

[milliethedog]

The Long War
Kursk from the south
Yakovlevo

Field marshal Level, Starting Points 46959
After Replenishment and re-enforcements 45901 points

Core
7x SS GebirgsJager 43 and SDkfz 250/251,
1x SS MG 42 and SDkfz 250
1x T34/41(r)
18x SS Tiger I
5x SS 17cm K18's and SDkfz 7's
3x SS 21cm MRS and SDkfz 7's
1x Su 122 (r)
4x SS Sig 33
4x Fw 190A
1x Bf 109G
4x Ju 87G upgraded from D
1x Ju 87B Recon
2x Me 410A
3x Ju 188A

Like the previous 2 games this is a 2 Kamf game,

Kamf 1, with 6 Tigers, 3 arty and 2 infantry plus an Aux AA. take 3 turns to get through the earth works and then attack North to take Kiselevo and the Airfield, Rzhavets, then crosses the Donets taking Luchki and the airfield.

Kamf 2 again take 3 turns to fight through the earthworks, in all cases minefields are worked around as I have no pioneers to destroy them. They then take Severnyy, Dragunskoye and the air field, Stroitel and then on to the siege of Yakovlevo and its air field for the win.

DV after 17/20 with 46281 points and no core losses. The earthworks caused real problems with out pioneers. the Ju 87G's roam the battlefield after the fighters and Me 410's have destroyed the soviet airforce, they destroy or reduce the soviet armour that they find, making life very easy for the tigers to mop up. No real issues after the earthworks.

Martin

[milliethedog]

The Long War
Kursk from the south
Oboyan

Field marshal Level, Starting Points 46651
After Replenishment and re-enforcements 44852 points

Core
7x SS GebirgsJager 43 and SDkfz 250/251,
1x SS MG 42 and SDkfz 250
1x T34/41(r)
18x SS Tiger I
5x SS 17cm K18's and SDkfz 7's
3x SS 21cm MRS and SDkfz 7's
1x Su 122 (r)
4x SS Sig 33
4x Fw 190A
1x Bf 109G
4x Ju 87G
1x Ju 87B Recon
2x Me 410A
3x Ju 188A

I have been asked by Goose to do a Turn by Turn move through of this battle, rather than just repeat what I have done before, now that I have learned how to post screen shots I thought that I would post the deployment and then each turn for each Kamf. This way you will see all the units and their strengths etc at the end of each turn and can follow exactly how and where I go.

Kam1 set up

Kamf1 setup.jpg (183.65 KiB) Viewed 3122 times

kamf2 set up

kamf2 setup.jpg (162.66 KiB) Viewed 3122 times

Martin

[goose_2]

Beautiful just beautiful can you indicate what cities your next to or seize when you take a city so I can compare.
Thanks
This is so much fun

[TSPC37730]

Late 1940, my first artillery hero (from 5 units with near enough 200 kills each) is +1 spotting - I disbanded it in disgust! I like your heroes better.

I have to agree that this is probably the best course of action. Picking up a second artillery hero will likely take YEARS, yet experience is relatively easy to come by. I'd even go so far as to suggest disbanding the unit mid-scenario & on the spot & replacing it with another unit from your core or with a newly purchased unit. Better to start fresh & hopefully work towards a first hero on that unit that will hopefully provide you with a real & useable benefit.