Did the Gold Treatment help with Minsk 44 ?

[Kool Kat]

To me this is my favorite east front game The Russians finally got a pretty much one sided game like most of the other ones heavily favor the Germans .I love being able to pummel the Germans under an artillery barrage then send in the infantry to grind them under and race armor around their flanks and trap them.

That does sound like a refreshing perspective and may be a good pick to experience some mechanics of the Soviet Deep Battle doctrine. 

The challenge in such I game I would think, would be to fine tune turn limits / scoring ....

Landser - in a PBEM game, would a competent German player have a chance with any of these scenarios? Or do they all seem too one sided?

Gent:

Here's my analysis of various Minsk '44 scenarios.

Rating Scale:

 = Poor
 = Fair
 = Good
 = Very good
 = Excellent


Minsk '44


0623_12a: They Stood at Orsha (HTH) 

Axis player must defend a wide front against overwhelming Russian units and firepower (Infantry, armor, artillery and air power). German must NOT go head-to-head against the Russian forces, but strategically give ground and hope the wired bridges get blown along the Dnepr River. Giving ground, successfully blown Dnepr River bridges and the short scenario time frame (18 turns) are the only real hope for the German player to delay the Russian horde. Very tough scenario for the Germans to even reach a Draw. Not a balanced scenario. But after all, the Minsk '44 game subtitle is "The destruction of Army Group Center!"


0624_23a: The Bobruysk Bypass (HTH) 

Russian enjoys overwhelming numbers in armor, infantry and artillery units, and controls the tempo of the scenario. Once the Russian Pliev Cav-Mech Group Reserves release, the German will be hard pressed to slow the Russian steamroller offensive. The German better quality morale units, distance to the major objectives and difficult movement limiting terrain (marsh, swamp, forest) will help slow, but can't stop the Russian bear. The German must trade territory for time and then make a final stand east of the major objectives; Gardi, Goduny, and Kurin (150 pts each) and Molseyevka and Oktyrbrsky (200 pts each). Between equal skilled players, a Russian Minor Victory is achievable and a Major Victory is reachable dependent on how quickly the German defense lines collapse. Still, the Bobruysk Bypass is an exciting and fast paced scenario that reflects the desperate titanic East Front battles of 1944 with the Russian Army ascension and the once proud German forces in decline. A recommended Minsk '44 scenario!


0629_02a: The Last Ditch Effort (HTH) 

The Russian player does not have enough turns in this scenario to secure either a Minor or Major Victory against even a moderately competent German opponent. The difficult terrain (woods, swamps, rivers) with few paved or secondary road networks and potential for soft ground conditions will hinder any Russian offense more so then the Germans. After the initial breakthrough the German defensive lines, the Russian faces a slow, long slog through difficult terrain before he can close with the final German defense positions on the Pitch River. The 500 VP objective at Marina Gorka is completely out of reach and might as well be removed from this scenario. The scenario needs to be re-balanced with the addition of 3-5 turns that would make play optimal. It would force the Germans to play a little more aggressively and forward while giving the Russian a realistic chance to get the majority of his troops into battle for the decisive clash on the Pitch River. Could be a close run and exciting scenario with just a little re-work on the turns. Recommended Minsk '44 scenario with the caveat that it's not a balanced match between two evenly skilled players.


0623_13a: Over the Pronya (HTH) 

There is a delicate game balance provided the German player retreats skillfully and launches localized counterattacks cautiously against the overwhelming Russian forces. Between equal skilled players, the scenario is balanced. A recommended Minsk '44 scenario! 

I played this scenario twice; once as the German commander and once commanding the Russians. The key to a Russian victory is the successful preservation and rapid deployment of the three Russian platoon bridges "over the Pronya." The Russian player must deploy at least one bridge unit to keep his infantry units, who have been ferried over the river in earlier turns, to avoid becoming isolated from supply. Also, the Russian armor must use the platoon bridges to cross the Pronya River.

As I wrote in an earlier review, there is a delicate play balance provided the German retreats wisely from the overwhelming Russian artillery, armor and infantry and makes limited, but judicious counterattacks. In both my games, a winner was decided only in the last few turns. This scenario has good replay value and there is more to it then at first glance.

As an aside, I believe a female Russian soldier is depicted on the platoon bridge unit in the PzC Gold Version! Pretty cool!


0627_01a: 5th GTA is Committed (HTH) 

This scenario was a terribly one-sided affair that featured overwhelming Russian forces versus German units that were either fixed and / or in precarious positions that are quickly surrounded and then obliterated by the Russian forces.

The entire northern area of the battlefield cannot be defended because the German lacks enough troops to plug the gaps. All German units guarding major objectives in the northern sector start the game fixed and never release until attacked by enemy units. Also, all SS reinforcements start the game fixed and do not release until half the game is over. By that time, it was too late to stem the Russian steamroller. In any event, I suspect these reinforcements would have made little progress against the hordes of Russians.

The only "salvation" the German had was to make a stand along the major river that runs north-south for 1/3 of the map, hope the wired bridges drop and wait for the release of the SS reinforcements.

Now, if ALL Axis units on board would start "unfixed," that would allow the German player to establish some rudimentary defensive lines - especially in the north sector and west of the main German lines. That would make for a more interesting game and give the German player a glimmer of hope. Even in an "unfixed" German unit alternative scenario, the German would still lose hundreds of units in the east simply because the foot infantry cannot retreat fast enough to avoid being overtaken and obliterated by the advancing Russians.

Scenario is not balanced and between equal skilled players, a Minor or Major Russian victory would be the expected outcome. Not a recommended Minsk '44 scenario.


0623_10a: The Long Left Flank (HTH) 

German player must trade space for time while forming a defense line on the Obol rail line. It is a grave mistake for German commanders to defend in place as the overwhelming Russian forces will destroy any stationary defense lines in 3-5 turns. Care must be taken to use the scarce German mobile units (Stugs, cavalry, and AT guns) to defend the 150 VP hexes (Ulla, Zapruch, and Vishnevka) and 250 VP hex (Beshenkovichi). If the German defense line falls back in relatively good order, only Russian mobile armored units may make it to these rear VP hexes. Can be a tense and exciting game provided the German player gives ground as needed and keeps a defense only mindset. There will be little opportunities for German attacks in this scenario. Against equal skilled players, a Russian Minor Victory is achievable and a Draw is also a possibility.

[Don Czirr]

Nice summary KoolKat - thanks.

Sounds like things are a bit too slanted in Minsk for the Soviets in terms of VPs / turns.

I think I may start looking at Korsun or Kharkov '43 for my Soviet strength fix for the mid / later war period ...