Targeting Leningrad, again
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Continuing my cycle of new games and hard games and short games, I'm following France '40 up with Target Leningrad. This will be my second play. Most of the rules are familiar from Battle for Moscow and Objective Kiev. I seem to learn something new every time I play these games, especially when I play solo and work very carefully through the rules as I play.
I'm not really planning on doing a blow-by-blow, but I will illustrate specific situations which would be useful for playing against opponents.
Turn 1
Germans open with a bang:
The first combats were to take out the Soviet Mechanized forces, both of which suffered from high odds and being single step. So they go back into the replacement pool.
The third battle was 56 Panzer Corps taking on a full strength Soviet
army, in this case, the 11th. The odds were 2:1 with 1R for German air
and a roll of 5 for EX. Because German 1st Corps and 41st Corps had
already advanced, the 11th Army was subjected to a second step loss
retreating through either EZOC, hence, to the replacement pool for that.
For a bit of lagniappe, 10th Corps attacked 34th Army, rolling a 3 for
an EX and forcing a retreat. While it's sad to lose 2 steps in a
single combat as the Germans, it's probably worth it as there is nothing
in the Germans way for an advance to Leningrad.
The Soviets are surely in the hurt loacker here. For special movement, the mechanized move to Leningrad. No combat interest for Soviets this turn. For regular movement, all units move east as far as possible, with the intention of impeding the German advance with EZOCs, etc. Kind of speed bump technique, but I think that's what the Soviets actually had to do.
Turn 2
German panzers knocking on Leningrad's door. They really swooped fast.
However, the Russians aren't rolling over. They're making it tough on the Panzers which are way, way out in front of the infantry support.
Germans are close to Leningrad, but about to get into some serious trouble. There is a lot of game left to go.
Turn 3
Mostly positioning, Germans chewing away at the infantry trapped behind the front:
Germans are going to attempt to cut off the east edge Soviet entry point. This is where I'd like to have some breakdown units for the Germans.
Turn 4
Turn 5
Turn 6
Note that the Russian are in a real bind as they cannot add replacement strength to a unit which is in a German EZOC.
Turn 7
Turn 8
End result: draw, as Leningrad is forced into isolation from EZOC established by 1 Infantry Corps.
AAR
Unlike Battle for Moscow, Soviet units "behind the lines" pose a much greater threat to the Germans. In that game, it's not necessary to eliminate Soviet units behind the lines as there are enough German units to isolate from communication, and they can't get replacements. In this game, Soviet units left behind can occupy cities which the Germans have passed, thus spoiling German victory conditions.
Blunders
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Replacement on German panzer when in ezoc. In this case I don't think it mattered as the corps could have moved one hex off, replaced, moved back.
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Both panzer corps attacking through same hex side. While this did eliminate a soviet army, it probably wasn't very effective.
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Germans should have attacked Leningrad on Turn 6, as soon as they could get a 2:1, maybe even a 1:1.