Men of Steel - RO large scenario AAR

[Oberst Hausser]

This is not an AAR in the sense of turn by turn description but an overall feel of the game...

There are 4 big problems ( mostly for the German).

1) The Russian sector has ALL the advantages, fortified external factory walls ( +4 TEM), no advance in CC and
a NON rubbled factory that will make any German attack a bad idea.

1. The German does not have enough FP the counteract the above.
2. The Russian has a big game changer ( 200mm rocket)
3. Russians have molitov ( though changing it to elite units only helps here)

If the Russian is smart enough ( not too hard) there is no way the German can get behind the lines, there is also no Stuka, which is extraordinary as
these were in abundance.

So the game goes like this:

Initially the German -as in RB - can choose where to attack and can quickly get about 20 stone locations- 6 -8 turns. However,
losses to the Russian in manpower will be manageable by this point the German will be finishing phase one - the exploitation phase - and all non-
reinforcement forces will be committed. There is no time to pussyfoot around !

By this point the German will also have chosen 1 of 3 options to the overall attack - either knowingly or unknowingly..

1. primarily a factory one ( given 1 and 4 above not recommended)
2. 50% factory directed , other ( ie flanks, main other buildings)
3. 30% factory 70% outer envelopment's ( while maintaining a factory defense)

Factory attacks as in RB always play into Russian hands as 6-2-8's come into their own.

So phase 2 - up to turn 12 - will get another 30 stone locations and it is this part that needs a cool head and as many AFV as possible.

The balancing act now begins, the German will at this points have the necessary "win" - 50 stone locations - BUT will be spread out and the Russian will
be able to concentrate reinforcements faster.

As I used tactic 2 above the German will need to DEFEND the factory gains he made, the Russians can usually organize a good fallback strategy so he will have more forces (usually 628's), from a reinforcement group and initial game. If the German at this point looses his ONLY OBA ( 100mm) it is already game over, by turn 16 the Russian will have regained enough stone locations to give the German little chance of regaining at this point.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Add Stuka to Ger OB - I recommend 2 random turns 1-6, 7-12) with 3 Stuka with bombs
No Molitov
Swap Stug B for Stug G or Pz IV long
Swap all 8-0 for 8-1
Add German 80mm or 100mm OBA

swap all 447 reinforcements for 548.

PS: The German 20mm AA are about useless in this battlefield.

Hope this help newcomers in understanding this painful scenario.

 

[jrv]

By my count if the Germans expand their perimeter one hex, they gain 24 stone locations. If they expand the perimeter two hexes, they gain 64 stone locations (including the 24 at distance one). They have 21 turns to move two hexes, slightly under 11 turns per hex. The Germans have thirteen DCs with which to create breaches in fortified buildings, never mind using AFVs to do so. The 20LAA guns can set up in something like X18 or V18. A twelve up three isn't going to set the world on fire, it is true, but it is a credible attack. The really hard question is whether the German player should suggest Up Front or Axis and Allies to play after his victory.

JR

 

[Oberst Hausser]

The really hard question is whether the German player should suggest Up Front or Axis and Allies to play after his victory.

?????? Have no idea what this means.

By my count if the Germans expand their perimeter one hex, they gain 24 stone locations. If they expand the perimeter two hexes, they gain 64 stone locations (including the 24 at distance one).

That presumes a " factory attack"- the MOST DIFFICULT.

The Russians have molotov.

Go figure.

 

[Oberst Hausser]

This does not play as a historical game the factories can almost be considered big bunkers with the added embarrassment that
the exterior walls (in Men of Steel) are all fortified !!

I am not talking about any CG which should mirror what was a "swirling battle". I am also at a loss why MoS
has a sudden death VC (50stone locations). That has always been a lazy way( albeit quick) to make a scenario IMHO
I can only hope that the CG does this justice.

Where are the Stuka's !!, No ability to CC in a lot of factories due to fort rule.

Score 6/10 . Excellent map.

 

[jrv]

The Russians have molotov.

Not super-clear about why you are so afraid of molotov. A successful MOL usage adds four FP to an attack. It is never doubled. It is not four FP for every unit. Just four FP. TEM applies to it, i.e. it isn't a FT. In one-in-six attacks the unit successfully using the MOL is broken. It's a moderately dangerous anti-tank weapon, granted, but for example vs a fortified stone building (the factories are just as fortified for the German as they are for the Soviets) a twelve FP up four attack might become a sixteen FP up four attack. That's better than nothing, but somehow it doesn't fill me with dread. Perhaps I'm missing something.

JR

 

[RandyT0001]

This thread probably should be moved to ASL Reviews.

 

[clubby]

This does not play as a historical game the factories can almost be considered big bunkers with the added embarrassment that
the exterior walls (in Men of Steel) are all fortified !!

I am not talking about any CG which should mirror what was a "swirling battle". I am also at a loss why MoS
has a sudden death VC (50stone locations). That has always been a lazy way( albeit quick) to make a scenario IMHO
I can only hope that the CG does this justice.

Where are the Stuka's !!, No ability to CC in a lot of factories due to fort rule.

Score 6/10 . Excellent map.

Just to add to this old AAR, the VC are not sudden death. It's greater than 50 than they started with at game end. So they can't just take 50 over 21 turns, they can't lose enough to subtract from their gains to put them below 50.