Having a detailed discussion, and post play break down in the Central Austin Wargamers forum about Victory Roads….
We may need to go again! Or at the very least Pete is going to man up and go solo!!
The Soviets believe they can do better and we all proposed means and methods to do so:
A group idea – where the Russians get in all the all the attacks they can at 2-1 (maybe 3-1) all along the front on the opening two or three turns. They will take heavy losses but it should bleed out the Germans. The alternative is what I [Brady] think Austin [dufus in Soviet cap from earlier posts] was going for: high-odd attacks at key locations along the front and try to get a massive breakout going. But no attack should ever go higher than 6-1. Get all the 5-1/6-1s to min-max loss/exploits you can and try to make that breach in the line.
As the Germans, delay-delay-delay then deny-deny-deny. Delay along the line. Deny the key roads and junctions. (That forces the Russians to go “off-road” when exploiting and then they have to spend MPs on terrain before they can get back on the roads. Any counter attack should, as you suggested at the table, hit hard and then pull the striking force into the reserve during the Exploit.
The Germans also think they can reduce the loss count in early game, and have more gas left in the tank to beat the historical result. If the Germans can last until the big reinforcement push Turn 14-15-16 then they are likely to hold out all things being equal.
What have been your experiences?
I’m launching the attack again, solo! If I remember, I’ll drop in and post some notes over the weekend as to how it is looking.
I’m positive the opening Sov attack can go much better – but what it means in the long term is yet to be seen.
First try solo : horrible opening offensive
Second try (4-player) : better but still fell short of Minsk
Third try :