Klyuchi – Attrition (a tutorial)

[Dog Soldier]

09:00 11 July 1943, Soft Conditions, Day, Visibility One Kilometer

Most German units are in the 80% strength range. The exceptions are the ones holding positions on the southwest slopes of 226.6. Two of these platoons are down into the 60% range of strength. Not a good situation if I want to hold that sector against a Russian assault in a few turns. I am not even thinking about taking any victory locations from the Russians on the right. I want to place more smoke each turn there to help protect my troops from the Russian return fire in their turn. I decide I cannot as I need to reserve some smoke for the advance into the open that I much eventually make to grab those victory locations on the left.

Without any recon assets on the front line to spot Russian hiding in ambush, smoke will be my only defense when my troops leave their trenches and go over the top.

On my left flank the Russian defender’s fire is beginning to slack off some. I would like to move out in the next turn or two if I am to get to those victory locations and have time to dig in to hold against a possible Russian counter attack.

In this image at the end of Axis turn five, I am using the highlight High Density Stacks option to show where the Germans have more than half the stacking limit in a position. This is a new feature. It is best used at the beginning and during your turn to avoid bunching up too many units to make a tempting target for the enemy in his turn.
My two stacks highlighted here are in improved positions in the village. With a 40% reduction to incoming fire, I am feeling the over stacking detriment is worth the trade off to have fire superiority in this sector. Russian units north of Klyuchi are being decimated trying to maintain their grip on the victory location there.

This has been a particularly bloody turn as casualties rise for both sides.


Dog Soldier