No chance for a Barbarossa Blitzkrieg?

Using the Update Kit and the most recent "published" ETO rules.

I foresee the Axis getting stalled very early, still, due to the Soviet advantages that still exist (or were put in for some reason). The Mech Corp trade for a 4-5-4 and 1/2 EP can really put the hurt onto parts of the advance. However, it is that in conjunction with the revised Soviet card draw of only 2 small cards on July '41 turn. Consider a most recent game, using the free set-up restrictions per ETO scenario book.

Turn 1 - Average Axis Player causes around 9-11 PPs of damage. Soviets start with Great Patriotic War and Enduring Deprevations in hand and spend 13 PPs on Turn 1 . Soviets flip some key positioned Mech units into 4-5-4s plus get EPs back. Soviet has +4 PPs overall (13 - 9 = 4) so far. Also get to increase their PPs due to Soviet Production Phase, well over 100PPs

Turn 2 - Soviets play Enduring Deprivations in Axis supply step ... all those isolated Soviets remain. Axis face stiffened line due to more 8-4s and 4-5-4s, so Axis cause on average 5-8 PPs. (Soviets select GPW (again since it is a Set Aside from last turn) and Militia Mobilized and play BOTH to flood the front). Twelve (12) Corps are placed, plus 14PPs to spend. More Corps and flipping all those 4-5-4s to 8-4s. So Soviets get 26 more PPs. Advantage now Soviets + 25PP (26-5+4=25PP) and it is only turn 2. Soviets played 3 cards on turn 2 alone.

Turn 3 - If the Axis have managed to move their front past Minsk, then only the armor is supplied due to the 12 hex HQ range (as it is still to early to jump the HQ forward) and are facing OOS Axis infantry and supplied Armor. GPW in two turns has allowed 3 Yaks onto the mats due to the replacement allowed per the card. *IF* axis can manage 8 PPs, Soviets respond back with 14 more PPs. Soviet advantage now +36PPs by turn 3. (However, if not this turn, by the next turn, Axis will be limited to no more than 3-5 PPs damage, as all units are 4-5-4s and 8-4s... and prospects for breakthroughs are slim.

You may quibble with the amount of PPs an Axis player may cause in these or subsequent turns, but I think most will be hard pressed to overcome the numbers with a competent Soviet player. Add to that the Enduring Deprivations which left a solid Soviet Force with no chance of reduction (as opposed to 50%) to your rear behind your thrusting armor, you can imagine the wreck to any time table.

Proposal to correct this imbalance - it comes down to the cards and what is available. The "at Start" for the Soviets should either be no cards (so they can't select GPW) or allowed only Scorched Earth. Axis success hinges upon a strict timetable, and allowing the Soviets a free turn when all there Isolated units remain is just nasty. Additionally, Soviets should be allowed to pick 2 Small Cards on their Turn 2. It should be only 1 card. Getting 36 PPs in two turns will stop any offensive.

Just some thoughts.

Brian

17 Comments

cohen

Dec 13, 2019

Definitely a positive change to remove the Enduring Deprivations. To me it was a -must pick-. It's not only that your Isolate Troops did not suffer attrition, but also your OOS troops were in supply and could attack normally!

sielski

Replying to

For me, it wasn't the ability to still attack. In Barbarossa, I welcome Soviet attacks, because that has a good chance to whittle their units one step PRIOR to my turn. The major advantage was for the Isolated units to be immune to their roll. So If I isolated 6 full strength Armies, and I expected on average half of them to be reduced ... well, you do the math ... your time table is screwed. And given the huge Soviet ability to replace losses opening months, the static line forms very quickly.

Gordon Johansen

Jan 25, 2020

I'm not sure if it would do much due to the large number of Soviet Amies but I wonder if large units that are removed from the map due to isolation should be placed on the turn track to go into the force pool one year later? Corp could perhaps be out for 1-2 seasons.

Alan Emrich

Jan 26, 2020

@Gordon Johansen, I don't think that would make a difference even worth bothering about. The Soviets have SO MANY EXTRAS that the net effect will only be that their Force Pool becomes a bit neater.

Gerald Johnson

Dec 07, 2019

The early Russian small cards add interest and options but except for Militia Mobilized, not too much power. An early upgrade of a Pe-2 so it can intercept out of reserves can worry the Luftwaffe a bit. Cavalry Mobilization may help to get that "Finger of Life" to the trapped front line troops. In the end it usually just give the G