Lance did some exhaustive study of the weather, and we have a much richer Weather Table. There was a chance for rain and overcast to slow the Axis. By using two D6, and creating four blocks of rolls with varying probabilities, it was possible to introduce more nuance of probability for weather types. Overcast has a 1/12 chance on a roll of 2 or 3 in July and August (instead of Rain, which is too much trouble). Overcast means no CS. September brings a 25% chance of Inclement Weather (Rain or Mud). These results hurt CS, slow movement, limit Air recovery, and void Mobile Supply and Motorized LOC's through Leg ZOC's. In my current solitaire, it is Sep 3, '41, and the Germans were able to do a lot, thanks to Cloudy Weather. All three HQ's went into Attack Mode, and the Mechanized units remain in Supply up to 12 hexes out from the HQ's. The Germans were behind schedule, but rolled well and got some BT's. They would like to have an HQ closer to the front, so I am thinking of Relocating on Sep 4, using Army Organization on Oct 1 (when it can be drawn), hoping for a delayed Rasputista, and pressing on. With luck, Oct 2 will allow the Generals to be played, but that depends on the weather. Winter Prepping now costs two months of cards, and allows a build-up of Russians since HQ's must remain in Balanced Mode. I think they need to take Dnepropetrovsk, and maybe more, before it becomes really difficult--Frostbite will have to be endured.
I really like the way the new weather table works even though my luck is equally bad with it. It feels much better, especially with the new Rasputia rules. One thing I note in your picture is that you have minor allies scattered all over the map. This just feels wrong to me since Storyboarding is so important in the design. Only the Spanish Blue division ever operated in the north (mostly by Leningrad). We have used a house rule to keep all minors in the south. The map split works well for this. It forces a concentration of the Rumanians and Hungarians and gives that minor weakness in strength that may lead to a Stalingrad result. You can certainly stack Germans with them to beef them up but I'll bet the tendency is to slowly bleed off the Germans to non-quiet sectors where you can use them better.
To Make Gordon Happy:
ETO: Thunder in the East 1942-7-1: Case Blue v1-5
ARMY GROUP NORTH – cannot deploy further south than hex row XX35
1 x German FL 1-4 Inf. Division [Spain: Blue]
Minors have intrinsic penalties for not operation within the range of their national HQ or within their Home Territory. Spreading them willy-nilly creates an opportunity for your opponent (when it can be exploited). Consequently, they tend to "bunch" around their HQs (or, when in trouble, at least "orbit" them to get replacements).
Just because something didn't happen doesn't always mean it couldn't happen. There was no particular political hue and cry to have the small Axis nations operating in Russia south of the marsh. Heck, in ETO they don't even have to operate in Russia at all -- the entire West Wall could be populated by Hungarians and Romanians (but, ultimately, this might make things easier for the Allies).
Hi Gordon, I admit that having Minor Allied units strewn out is a bit unusual, and can understand housing a fix, or simply adjusting one's play. Regarding your tendency toward poor luck with weather, which I have had for decades (though I do well with ground combat), I have sometimes put a limit on it's variability--though I like the possibility of weather extremes in some of my plays. For example, one could decide in advance that there will be between one and two poor weather results before the Autumnal Rasputista--rerolling when necessary in late Summer. There is still variety of outcomes, even when doing this.
I suppose that is one way to do it but I hate to go down that road. It's probably better when playtesting though. I find it's more fun to play on when the opponent is getting more upset than you are by your bad luck. They tend to get sloppy and you can usually come back from it.
I have never had a Campaign game reach late '42 and still be competitive. In 31 Barbarossas, I have sometimes stopped for other reasons, but more than half were due to my winning or losing too big (or one side of a solo). If you want a game to go long and be remotely close (and I think be more interesting), you will have to be very patient if unwilling to take moderating steps, unless you are very fortunate. I understand that some players don't mind lop-sided or even hopeless situations. For them, things are simpler.