PzC Tournament - Smolensk '41 - invitation

[Lethal]

Thanks Lethal, that sounds interesting. But I would just like to make some, hopefully constructive, comments on the optional rules for the tournament.

1) The Automatic Defensive Fire is not needed as this is only used for Phased Play. It does no harm in normal PBEM play but that is because it does nothing.

2) Neither scenario uses Explicit Supply so Virtual Supply Trucks would make more sense. Makes no real difference for these two scenarios, but I just mention it.

3) The use of the three alternative fire resolution rules (Indirect Fire, Air Strike and Direct Fire)  however is a game changer. In a nutshell these three rules all ramp up firepower as a function of the total stacking size of the unit or units in the target hex. The increase starts above 1/6th of maximum stacking and goes up linearly until firepower reaches 6 times normal at maximum stacking. Below 1/6th it scales down towards zero as stacking approaches zero. So these rules dramatically change the results, particularly if all three of them are used together. And the effect will not be the same for both sides. For example, Air Support is predominately Axis. Given that neither of these scenarios was tested with these rules I suggest the balance will suffer. I would also suggest that 'realism' may also suffer. My view is that these rules work best with scenarios that have below average unit densities. I agree with the concept that density should be taken into account but I just cannot swallow the 6 times maximum. Of course, historical accuracy is harder to determine here as both these scenarios are hypothetical (Mogilev was bypassed and most the German units depicted either crossed the Dnepr north of the map area at Shklov or south of it at Bykhov).

4) The use of the Alternative Assault Resolution rule as has a big effect. Neither scenario was tested using it.

I appreciate that balance is less important if players have to swap sides and play the same scenario again but it is still good to have a balance if you can.

Apart from that I wonder about the using "Encirclement of Smolensk - Optional Parachute Drop" in a tournament given the size of this scenario? 

Cheers,
John

Thx for the input.
I will pass it to the tourney admins.

L