Hello everybody. I'm playing a Vassal Tite game with a fellow wargamer. We are both beginners and tried our hands with the Barbarossa scenario. I was too cautious with the german and by August, the Red Army was able to mount counter attacks and we decided to throw the towel for this one.
We plan to go for the whole she-bang this week. I will play german once again.
If you want to follow this game and give us some advice, you can go here:
https://marsbellator.blogspot.com/
Hi,
I am a little late to the party, but I would like to take contact with you Jérôme in order to may be share and play some TiTe if you want.
Also, after reading the first two AR, I have a question that bothers me : Why the russian player did not "cover the front line" (113.5.2) in his setup ? Is there some special rule about this ?
Thanks :)
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Bonjour,
Je suis un peu en retard mais j'aimerai prendre contact avec toi Jérôme afin d'échanger et pourquoi pas si tu le souhaites faire une partie de TiTe via Vassal. Je voulais t'écrire directement par mail mais je n'ai pas trouvé ton adresse. Si tu es interessé n'hésiste pas à me répondre ici, je te laisserai alors mon adresse mail afin de poursuivre l'échange.
Just an observation:
With two new players, the Soviets have the edge as the Germans need to learn their tools and be bold gamblers with them. That is the Axis path to success.
But the Axis will learn their tools after a game or few, and they will learn to apply them smartly with devastating effect. At this point, the Axis have the edge.
Harder to learn in the face of that Axis onslaught is effective Soviet defense. It really takes some experience to figure out, but once you do, the edge shifts back to the Soviets.
I hope that makes sense!
The Soviet play will not have a line of 8-4s in every hex. Maybe every other and they might not be 8-4s. You have a few turns when the Germans have a supply issue. Fall back towards Leningrad but make him fight for the swamps. Play ring around the Panzer and see it you can make it die or at least waste on some supply drops.
In the south, you can hide behind the river and try to stay out of his HQ attack range when possible. If the middle of the map is not packed with Soviet units, the Soviets might have paid too high of a price in units early in the war.
In the first weeks of the war, the Soviets must try to run with every unit possible. As the Germans move up supply, the Soviets run back some more.
Two new players starting out is easiest on the Soviet but as the Germans learn to attack wiser, the Soviets must also learn to stay alive better. Maybe those Soviets need a few improved positions each turn. You learn with game after game not turn after turn. It is not easy to come back if you have had 10 steps leave the map.
Count the Soviets steps on the map after their turn. If they are under 75, think run unless you must fight. Losing steps to delay a HQ move, sometimes is the right thing but sometimes it is just losing steps.
The game follows on. We are now at the end of July. The soviet needs advice. The german army is in the outskirt of Leningrad. You can see the situation in the AAR and give some advice to Stalin ( as dangerous as it can be ). Help will be welcome ;)
Outstanding game yesterday! You can see how Barbarossa can be launched with a BOOM by having Army-size German units making the initial assault and then breaking them back down into Corps as the line spreads out. :D
Fun time, Thank you for sharing your game. Ready to watch turn 2 soon.
There are many of us Johnsons. Send a wave to gerald.johnson59
The story board for the Soviet card play has the Militia Mobilized played July I and the EM card played August I.
The Improved Positions can only be changed to the 2 shift Fortified markers with card play. They are special as are the 3 Strength Garrison that do not retreat also needing card play to flip.
Jay
GMT wants an update kit, so an update kit we will make. See you tomorrow morning (my time) on v1.1 of Vassal! If you would like to chat on Skype with Jay and I, that would be great. You can find me on skype as AlanEmrich [Irvine, CA].
Hello gentlemen. Thanks for all this input. By the way, my name is Jérôme. Angel and I will be very pleased to have two guests tomorrow around 20h00 ( Paris hour ). We will begin the whole campaign.
During our first game, the card "Emergency Mobilisation" wasn't picked by Angel. He choosed instead to take the Militia and some Improved positions. I guess that Emergency Mobilisation must be the "no brainer" choice for July in most of the games.
Angel has a question: could an improved position be upgraded to fortified position ( the level 2) without a card ?
Second question: are you going to make a second edition or just an update kit ? I would prefer the later, it would be an heart-breaker to put aside this beautiful stuff.
Thanks! If I'm aware and awake, I will try to attend. :D
No problem for me. I'm from France and playing with a guy called Angel in Madrid. So i don't know if our playing time will be compatible with yours.
For now, we're playing vanilla, with the box rules without modification.
I will post here about our next session.
Yes, if you don't mind spectators, I would love to watch, if you're okay with that! :D
Do you have a set time when you will be online?
My first look of Thunder in the East was on Vassal when we were able to watch a game with Alan and Jeff moving the units. I missed the beginning and the Germans were near Moscow and it was still midsummer.
I would check-in on their weekly gaming and Moscow did not fall. The Soviet line thickened and started to move forward. In the end, Russia was cleared in time for a win.
Are you using the new Updates rules ? I am at hobbitjay@aol.com
We're playing live on Vassal. Thanks for the advice
Are you playing with logfiles or live on Vassal?
Try placing the Romanian HQ in Iasi (8457) and a German HQ in Lublin (7547). They cast a nice supply shadow. July I or II, look to relocate a German HQ so the countdown can start for your attack on Kiev. In the north, hope for Polotsk (8738) but settle for Rezekne (8435) when the time feels right.
If the Soviets have a forward position again the Romanian line, send Germans south to make them pay.
Think how to get behind the Soviet units not attacking the closest units. Now attack them and have the retreats kill additional steps.
The later part of July might have much of the front line at the edge of supply. Many units can be clearing the south where you have supply. Army Org can be valuable to supply that September attack when the Soviets are getting thin. Try not to use it early.
TiTE is not a game that is easy to play right out of the box. You have done well but, there is always more to learn.
Barbarossa is the Germans going for broke and killing every Soviet step you reach. :D