I’m engaging in a campaign game with a new opponent. He will be the Soviet player.
I have my handy dandy summary sheet, a pdf of the rules [as the game is in storage and we are off to the races.
As many who have played before know the games opening turns can be vital to the German effort and devastating if played well by the Soviet.
I suspect it’s a false assumption that the best thing the Russian can do is lay back and take it like a man. My defence strategy is usually bloody and attritional. By leaving units who cant be over run in armoured ZOCs this slows down the enemy and forces him to attack piece meal.
This worked against a methodical German attacker. How it would work against a hyper aggressive German attacker remains to be seen. In any case, I’m the ‘other’ bad guys the Axis.
My goal is simple, find highest odds attacks near to or adjacent to each other and blow a hole! Use our ‘advance anywhere, any direction rule’ to confound the retreat and attempt to breach River lines before the Soviets can properly build a fortification line.
In the North we had a few good 4:1 and a 5:1 attack. Then a follow on 5:1 which caused the retreat of units also. This shrunk the window and the space for a structured line of defense in the Soviet first turn. They placed a fortification in front of Voronezh, and attempted to build a ZOC bond line.
In the South we cracked the fortifications and pressured Voroshilovgrad and attacked near Taganrog. My aim in the South is to puncture that Rostov location quickly, and set myself up to then determine to we go full bore Causcasus’s or drive on Stalingrad?
I do not think the Axis can win the long game. They can force an auto victory early if they are deft AND lucky. That is going to be our ultimate goal.
In Axis Turn 2 we storm the line, he had one or two units sub optimally placed.
So the one attack allowed us to advance and breakthru attack. Which then put 4th panzer behind the enemies 27th Tank Corps with no where to go and a +2 to exit my ZOC. Without much around we spread out, increasing the perceived threats VP locations. Where really all I want is across that damn river and adjacent to Voronezh, so I can attack that hex, which has armour in that wont be doubled when I attack!! The unit in full retreat will need to pull back 2 more hexes where it goes could be important. Hex 2504…is Not where we want him!
In the South…well bust my nut. We have less great choices. I risk it all on two 3:1 attacks and both come up Exchange!! I was so hoping to take Voro this turn. The only good news is the SS chaps and Italians drive a wedge and force the Soviets to collapse south. Not enough to make a disaster for him, but pressure enough.
Our push on Rostov goes ok, as we jump the enemy off the fortification line but, that’s about it.
We discovered some errors. That were significant. Restarted then I FUB’r movement on opening turn, ignoring the TM movement requirement. So..now we have started AGAIN!! LOL.
I wish the deice got better each time 😉