Objective Kiev 11
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Now that I know how to win this as the Germans, it's time to figure out how to win it as the Russians, or at least how to force a draw.
The Soviets initially put 4 armies on the Polish line, constrained by the limitation that two armies cannot set up next to each other. This allowed the Germans to punch through at 0304, after eliminating the Soviet mechanized units at 0305 and 0403, with ending positions as shown on the image below.
However, on the Soviet Rail segment, this position allowed the Soviet 6th Army to move from 0406 to 0405 which EZOCS any retreat by the German panzers.
Here is the situation after Soviet Rail segment:
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The Soviets have doubled attack strength for all mechanized on the first
turn, so it makes sense to use it. Note the the 2, 4, and 8 mechanized
attacking 14 Pz Corps were moved into place blind, the Soviet player
(me) did not know what the strengths of these units would be. As it
turns out, the doubled strength totals to 36, which is 3:1, reduced to
2:1 with 14 Pz in wooded terrain, and the Soviets roll a 1 for DR.
14 Pz is eliminated.
It will take two turns to get 14 Pz back to full strength as it has to come back in at half strength on its replacement turn.
Sweet result for the Soviets.
In the end it did the Soviets little good, as the Germans booted them
out of Kiev on the last turn. They did survive it despite being
surrounded on 5 sides, because there were 3 steps: 2 for the Soviet
Army, 1 step for mechanized unit. The result was DRL, the second step
loss from retreating through EZOC, but there was 1 hex not EZOC'ed which
allowed the mech unit to survive. Not that it mattered for the win.
Here's the final result:
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