War in the East

[szmik]

Problem is why he would want to punch a hole there   To kill some more Russians and what else? There're no manpower centers or industry worth the effort.

So the problem is that the USSR is defending Moscow strongly in 42?  But isn't that what they actually did?

Moreover Axis just don't have enough counters to spread frontline too much.

Also a problem I recall casually from the histories.

You're correct, but what's your point?
I just don't see the reason to go the route indicated by Drakken. That's just playing in the hands of Soviet player, when your offensive is driven by the weakness in his line. Valid strategy against AI, but not against human.

[Drakken]

In several AARs I read, I see "checkerboard defence" mentioned often, but I haven't found any definition for it.

What does that mean? How it is more effective than going for a linear front? Is it why I often see Russian lone counters scattered two to three hexes apart and deep over an area in early campaigns?

[Ed Anger]

This game is giving me a severe murder boner. I imagine each pocketed soviet unit full of Ide's, each clutching a bag of Reese Cups.

[FunkMonk]

This game is giving me a severe murder boner. I imagine each pocketed soviet unit full of Ide's, each clutching a bag of Reese Cups.

But is your cock Panzergruppe 4?

[Ed Anger]

This game is giving me a severe murder boner. I imagine each pocketed soviet unit full of Ide's, each clutching a bag of Reese Cups.

But is your cock Panzergruppe 4?

Heeresgruppe Mitte.

[The Brain]

Heeresgruppe Mittens.

[Tamas]

I bought it 

Appears to be surprisingly easy to manage compared to the scale.

[Ed Anger]

Turn 2 and I've hit the point where I start thinking I'm running the panzers into the ground. I don't want to restart this fucker. 

[Ideologue]

This game is giving me a severe murder boner. I imagine each pocketed soviet unit full of Ide's, each clutching a bag of Reese Cups.

But is your cock Panzergruppe 4?

4. Panzerarmee.  Changes to the OOB are important.

[Ed Anger]

How....small.

[Ideologue]

How....small.

I'm thinking the Steppe Front might be more appropriate anyway.  I'm a grower, not a shower.

[Ed Anger]

Budenny's 1st Red Cavalry Army.

[Ed Anger]

I just need 1 more panzer corps and a couple of Infantry ones.

The AI doesn't seem bad so far. It worked itself out of a pocket that was forming at Smolensk.

[11B4V]

In several AARs I read, I see "checkerboard defence" mentioned often, but I haven't found any definition for it.

What does that mean? How it is more effective than going for a linear front?

Defense in depth, maybe. Hedgehog type defense?? Doesnt sound new. People been using it in board wargames for a long time. Good in TOAW3 too.

Is it why I often see Russian lone counters scattered two to three hexes apart and deep over an area in early campaigns?

Maybe to slow down explotation.

[Tamas]

I just need 1 more panzer corps and a couple of Infantry ones.

The AI doesn't seem bad so far. It worked itself out of a pocket that was forming at Smolensk.

Yeah, altough it must certainly be helped by me jumping into the GC after like half an hour of dicking around in smaller scenarios I am learning the ropes while storming through Russia. It has been given a suspiciously easy time for the Finns so far though.
It is something like end of July and I am at the gates of Kiev, but gotta' go a way until Smolensk (still have that other big city to capture west of it). After the initial run back, the AI has formed a defensive line all along the front, probably I wasn't fast enough in forming pockets, though I have several hundred thousand PoWs.
I am in a surprisingly good shape supply-wise, considering that I read the supply rules after several turns of the GC, but what I intended to be my Moscow spearhead is very low on gas at the moment.

So the point is, that I bought this because I knew I would succumb eventually, and I can't really expect Matrix to decrease prices more in the next 15 years. But it has been surprisingly fun and engrossing so far.

Now all I have left is to somehow make the AI drive all the Romanians into the Black Sea.