Aircraft and Mechanized Movement

[Wolf]

   I have able to play a bit of the European Game over the last week or so, and I am having a good time with it.

I am currently involved in a playtest of Fall Barbarossa, with the Germans jumping in Early in Spring 1941.

I just finished the regular movement/combat, and am well into the Mechanized Movement phase.

Now, I feel I have a good grasp on how the Offensive aircraft work in combination with mechanized movement/combat, being able to move one area from where they participated in the Normal Combat phase, to aid in Mechanized combat.  No problem there.

I am reading/playing that a Returned result, either from Air Combat or AA fire, means Done for the Turn.  I have been "landing" those aircraft, and inverting them to mark them as Non Operational.  I hope this is correct.

My question comes from Defensive aircraft in Mechanized movement.

In the initial attack, I had all my me 109's do airbase attacks on the Russian aircraft spread along the border.  Two of those aircraft got off completely unscathed (rolled an 11 and a 12).  After the single round of combat, they scooted back to Smolensk.

There was a Bomber and a Fighter already there.

Now, since the Bomber and Fighter previously did not take part in battle, they are available, I assume, to interfere with Guderian's Mechanized Push into Minsk.  What about those two fighters that fled their Bases being overrun?  They suffered no negative effect from combat (meaning they were not returned or destroyed).  Can they participate?

By the way, this is a lot of fun...

[Mark]

Glad you are enjoying the game and the system - please let us know how your invasion of Russia progresses and if the Soviets manage to avert collapse in the Winter!

If the planes did not suffer an adverse combat result, it can participate in the mechanized phase - so the two planes that withdrew from the border battles are allowed to join the fighter and bomber in Minsk during the mechanized movement phase.

The updated rules now state the following:

Planes that suffered an ‘R’ (return) result during the regular combat phase are not allowed to participate in combat during the mechanized movement phase.  If the territory they were retreated to is attacked, planes that were returned are simply retreated again up to their range to another friendly territory/carrier. If planes were retreated along with ground units as part of a regular movement phase battle, they may still move to an adjacent territory to support a mechanized battle during this phase.

[Wolf]

Mark,

Thanks for the reply.  Confirms pretty much what I read from the rules...

It is not looking good for the Soviets.  With the extra two move/attack options afforded by attacking in Spring '41 instead of Summer '41, Guderian has a Panzer Armee just outside Moscow at the Start of Autumn '41, and another Armee is just outside Leningrad.  In the south, Odessa has been occupied.

I do want to state that the dice have loved the Germans, and hated the Russians.  Except for a single combat in which Guderian was given a bloody nose, the Russians have not been able to do much damage to the Germans.  They now have 4 full Panzer Armees, with only 3 Panzer Commanders to go around.

I will post a full write-up when I am done...

[Mark]

Sounds good - Are you using the Soviet set up attached?  The original set-up had the Russians pretty understrength for the Spring 1941 scenario and it was revised I think about a year ago -

[Wolf]

Yes, that is the one I was sent when I ordered the game, so I have the most current.

Truthfully, this is not what I would call an accurate test.  I am only actively playing the Eastern Front, with the rest of the Map "at rest".  I have given the Germans a 15PP hit for supplying the rest of their army, but perhaps that is inadequate.  I believe I will increase the "hit" in Spring 1942, as Germany begins to need to defend against the UK and the US.

I guess this is really a test of "How Bad Can It Be?"  I want to see what it takes to slow down the German Juggernaut. If the Germans are allowed to REALLY focus, it can be quite bad.  With the British able to snipe at Germany's heels, a raid to Norway, a Dieppe style raid, really giving the Italians grief, etc, that might pull some Air assets and a few divisions away from the Eastern Front.

I do see, however, some "cracks" beginning to appear.

Guderian's Panzer Armee is really way out in front, by himself.  The large Infantry Armees are quite a bit further back, not benefiting from the Mechanized Movement.  Reinforcements appearing in Germany, and needing to be railed to the front is beginning to slow things down.

I fully expect Guderian to get mauled taking Moscow.  I expect him to take it, but I expect he will pay dearly for it.

And, my first T-34's are showing up.  The Soviet Strategic Reserve will make its appearance at the end of Autumn, which will help.

Oh, and what is that line?

Ah, yes.  "Winter is coming."