What's your favorite Attack or Defensive strategy in Red Barricades?

[Gunner Scott]

Having played a ton of RB CG's and encountering the various ways people attack or defend, I figured I would start a thread on how we all either defend the barricady or attack into the barricady. What I think is such a cool aspect of RB is the options bothsides have when either attacking or defending, much like chess believe it or not. You have opening gambits, defensive gambits and so much more, I don't think there is any other CG (maybe Hells Bridgehead) that has such a wide variety of opening moves or defensive riposte's as RB does.

There are so many ways to attack in RB, there is the halftrack Blitz, there is the armored Blitz, there is the Turtle (Taylor) attack, there is the infantry attack (lots and lots of infantry). As for defense, you have the meet them at the beach head defense (upfront with KV dug in tanks), burn and run defense, the slow fallback defense.

So which do you like to use as either the Russians or Germans?

Scott

 

[Ganjulama]

There is only one way to attack in RB--The Attack Without Mercy .

Seriously though, I'll comment later when I have time. I just wanted to say something so I can follow the thread.

 

[Honza]

IMO the opening is the most difficult bit for the Germans. They have to enter with very little TEM. They have a few wooden buildings and stacks of shellholes and debris for cover - while the Russian usually has more infantry and stone buildings (some of the fortified). So once the Germans are safely onboard I can settle down. I usually go for a slow and steady attack, taking the odd idle day here and there to boost the numbers and keep the ELR in good order. But to be honest I'm still a novice to this great CG.

 

[Helmseye]

Having played a ton of RB CG's and encountering the various ways people attack or defend, I figured I would start a thread on how we all either defend the barricady or attack into the barricady. What I think is such a cool aspect of RB is the options bothsides have when either attacking or defending, much like chess believe it or not. You have opening gambits, defensive gambits and so much more, I don't think there is any other CG (maybe Hells Bridgehead) that has such a wide variety of opening moves or defensive riposte's as RB does.

There are so many ways to attack in RB, there is the halftrack Blitz, there is the armored Blitz, there is the Turtle (Taylor) attack, there is the infantry attack (lots and lots of infantry). As for defense, you have the meet them at the beach head defense (upfront with KV dug in tanks), burn and run defense, the slow fallback defense.

So which do you like to use as either the Russians or Germans?

Scott

I have to admit I have only played as the Russians

I have seen quite a variety of attacks and so far managed to fend them all off.

Overcast weather is a big friend of the Russians due to less stukas!

but personally I have found that so far mu stategy being quite aggressive and always opting for the initiative from time to time has worked well for me especially not being afraid to CC

but learning to keep conscripts away from CC capture has also been a big plus!

 

[Carln0130]

Played it to death in the day. The big CG that is. The only way to attack in my opinion is to attack every day, without letup. Grind the Russian elr to 0. They go from Elite to 1st to conscript. The Germans Elite, to first, to second to conscript and that extra stop along the way is huge. The Russians eventually get ground into the dust. You end up with a huge portion of the map with a badly reduced Russian reeling. Take a break, if you must for a date, but best to just keep pressing. The Russian ends up defending off board. I have not seen this approach lose yet with several playing.

 

[Bryan Holtby]

Half squads and tanks. I would rather loose 3 tanks than half a coy of 467's. I also believe the ELR run is the way to win for the Germans, once ELR's hit 0 its time to bring on the 838's. The only date suitable for a pass is the day prior to or the day of the entire board edge being available for German entry.

I feel the ELR game is so powerful that the rules need to be reworked to prevent it.

 

[Gunner Scott]

I think the ELR game is overrated, having to dig out Fanatic Russians from the factorys with 447's or worse will not work, and if you do take an idle day as the Germans, I as the Russians would conduct a night attack, so you may have driven my ELR to 0, but so will I by attacking at night and driving the Germans ELR to 0. I think going that route against a newer Russian player might work, but against a seasoned Russian player will not work.

Scott

 

[RRschultze]

Half squads and tanks. I would rather loose 3 tanks than half a coy of 467's. I also believe the ELR run is the way to win for the Germans, once ELR's hit 0 its time to bring on the 838's. The only date suitable for a pass is the day prior to or the day of the entire board edge being available for German entry.

I feel the ELR game is so powerful that the rules need to be reworked to prevent it.

You need to play this CG utilising the 'Leaflet House Rules' that fixes the ELR issue and forces the Germans to take an idle day every six days. There are a few other subtle changes as well which include Russian conscripts not having support weapons but having more of them, big reduction in HMG's for both sides to reduce those kill stacks.

In my opinion its the only way to play this beauty!!

 

[Philippe D.]

and if you do take an idle day as the Germans, I as the Russians would conduct a night attack

I'm curious about this part, how do you know in advance that the German will go for an idle day? Are there signs at some point that let you know that they'll take it?

 

[Eagle4ty]

I certainly do like the burn & run policy, as the initial terrain the German must traverse is the best killing ground the Russians will encounter except in the mid south. The ability to easilly prevent the ht blitz by putting a trench or A-T ditch in a critical juncture really makes this tactic specious at best. The best friend of the Germans is Smoke (Bn Mtrs) at first and Hvy Arty on light attack days or in "Beat Down Days". Also, the Germans (and to some extent the Russians) must buy an Elite unit at least every other day. Both sides must must be very careful to husband a few Inf purchases for the last Game Days unless they opt for an early PMC knockout blow or they will find themselves too weak infantry weak to continue. we have instituted a few optional (House) rules for Dug-in Tanks (ala VotG) for retaining their BMG as a removed LMG as well as defining Stone Rubble as Route/Rally/Ambush Terrain and modifying the Blaze Removal to allow for Gutted non-factory buildings (ala FB) as opposed to simply making them Rubble Locations, though this has only been thrown around as a potential rule for our next encounter with this excellent CG.

 

[RobZagnut]

As Germans two pincer attack starting from the far left flank (just right of the Volga) and the far right flank. Have a long line of 14-15 stacks of mostly dummies and a few HS, squads and an 8-0 in the middle that Assault Move, Advance. To keep the Russian units in the middle from reinforcing either flank.

 

[bendizoid]

As Germans two pincer attack starting from the far left flank (just right of the Volga) and the far right flank. Have a long line of 14-15 stacks of mostly dummies and a few HS, squads and an 8-0 in the middle that Assault Move, Advance. To keep the Russian units in the middle from reinforcing either flank.

That's what stukas are for.

 

[Proff3RTR]

Two up bags of smoke and go left flanking, smash in the Russian right flank along the Volga, mask on the German right with a Company sized force and keep working your way down the shore line., Then roughly CG date 5 or 6 attack from the German right flank and cut down Diagonally across the main Factories heading for Work Hall 6E (largest Factory building in the South East corner).
once you have got this sorted out, take your time, try to limit losses and squeeze Ivan out of his locations and into the Volga.

 

[Helmseye]

so my experience of chatting to RB players is that the germans rarely win, from the amount of german strategies offered is that a false assumption then?

talking about the whole CG

 

[Philippe D.]

My one and only attempt at a CG, more than 20 years ago, was aborted due to lack of time, but by the time we stopped it (after something like 5-6 dates I believe), the Germans seemed to be at a distinct disadvantage - they had failed to bleed the Russians hard enough, were facing huge numbers of defenders in Factories, and, IIRC, had a lower ELR.

I don't know what my (German) opponent's strategy was, nor exactly what mine was, though - this was a long time ago, and we were far from expert strategists. Mine looked like "bleed 'em and hold to those factories", I think.

 

[bendizoid]

My favorite is the halftrack blitz attack on day one (if the Russian doesn't stop it with a few roadblocks or AT ditches). If the German gets lots of Stukas it can be difficult for the Russian to move reserves and stop breakthroughs. Chaos ensues.

 

[Proff3RTR]

so my experience of chatting to RB players is that the germans rarely win, from the amount of german strategies offered is that a false assumption then?

talking about the whole CG

This all depends on the first 2 or 3 CG dates, you need to inflict heavy casualties on Ivan and manage to limit you own.

 

[Gunner Scott]

Yes, against a newbie Russian opponent that tactic might work, on the other hand a good Russian player will have his 45LL up on the 1st level of the chemists house, maybe a few roadblocks and an artillery observer up on factory O7 rooftop ready to bring down some pain.

As for the night attack option, if the Russians have the attacks available and the German go idle, then the Russians can elect to declare a night assault. The sewer attack at night will really have German player pulling his hair out.

Scott

My favorite is the halftrack blitz attack on day one (if the Russian doesn't stop it with a few roadblocks or AT ditches). If the German gets lots of Stukas it can be difficult for the Russian to move reserves and stop breakthroughs. Chaos ensues.

 

[Tater]

German
Attack from the NW corner along the A row. Double smoke barrage E/F/G hex row. Drive hard for the C13 building and the F5 corner area. If I blow through the C13 building I just keep driving south along the board edge. Armor and MMG/HMG position to clear the Ruski mortars from the roof as well as suppress Ruski death stars. If possible I try to get a HMG upstairs in F5/6. The Stukas are doing what stukas do...hinder movement and hammer cupolas...if any.

Beyond that I am aggressively feeling out the Ruski position and looking for opportunities to cut rout paths.

The usual Ruski mistake is to not layer the defense with mutually supporting hard points. This results in a piecemeal defense that leaves Ruskis isolated and when they break they usually have no where to go. The Ruski has to time his withdrawal pretty tight. To soon and the Germans bum rush his whole line...to late and he has no rout paths.

Russian
I drive a stake in the ground at each end of the perimeter. Lots of fortifications and lots of bodies. I want to drive the German into the center areas if possible where all my FP can come into play. It also forces the German to move further to gain any ground. If I can jam the German at the corners he will likely bunch up and my OBA will have a better chance of catching more squads in lower TEM.

After day 1 it becomes a case by case decision for both sides. The perimeter, casualties, CPP, etc will determine the strategy for the next scenario. Overall, the German must be aggressive and I recommend never going idle. As the Russian you have to layer defense and know when it is time to fall back a few hexes.

 

[Paul M. Weir]

so my experience of chatting to RB players is that the germans rarely win, from the amount of german strategies offered is that a false assumption then?

talking about the whole CG

My father who was a doctor used to say that if there are a multitude of 'cures' for a syndrome then there is no real cure.