difficulty attacking as Soviets in Moscow 42

[76mm]

I am certainly no expert and am also pretty new to the game. I share your pain with attacking as Sovs, it can be tough. Here is what I do:

1) As you say, focus arty on one hex in an "attack zone" and pound it until it falls. Sometimes it seems like a hex is invulnerable to arty file, and I'll shift the focus to another hex, where I might have better luck. I guess it is pschological to some extent, but it sure seems like when I attack a hex, if I get "no result" a couple of times, I'll get a similiar result if I fire on the same hex ten more times, so often I'll move on to another hex...

2) I try to move a single Sov unit next to a German one to see what happens before moving in with a stack. Sometimes the first unit triggers heavy defensive fire and arty and takes a pounding, and the next two battalions have an easier time. I also try to spread an attack across at least three hexsides so it is harder for the Germans to hit all of my units. Also, I try to avoid moving next to hexes with more than one German unit, it can just be too painful. Pick on the single-defender hexes to open a hole and bypass the better-defended hexes. Also, personally I try to avoid using ski battalions to assualt, they are too valuable as "breakthrough" troops, so I try to hold them back for that.

3) I never fire with Sov units before an assault--all it does it trigger a withering defensive blast that might disrupt all of my attackers. Other than indirect fire and air, I always assault with no other prep (no AT gun firing, etc.). I'm using the "delayed disruption reporting" rule which is kind of fun, as you have to guess whether a German unit might have disrupted based on the pasting it is getting.

4) I had the same question about the alternate assault rule; I've kept it off, hopefully won't screw things up too badly.

My very general approach is to attack whereever I can put 4-8 Sov units against a single German unit; eventually the German line breaks in a few places and then I focus on widening and exploiting those holes rather than beating my head against whatever strongpoints remain on the frontline, which are bypassed and surrounded. I'm about 18 turns into the grand campaign, so it is early to tell how this will work out.