Newbie: Which PzC game to begin?

[76mm]

You can definitely create large encirclements, even if the units will not be "isolated"...after throwing a loose cordon around a bunch of enemy troops, you can gradually tighten the noose until isolation. In particular, Russian troops move slowly enough that it is hard for them to escape German in their rear, especially if the Germans occupy the relevant roads/bridges.

[Drakken]

You can definitely create large encirclements, even if the units will not be "isolated"...after throwing a loose cordon around a bunch of enemy troops, you can gradually tighten the noose until isolation. In particular, Russian troops move slowly enough that it is hard for them to escape German in their rear, especially if the Germans occupy the relevant roads/bridges.

Thank you.

I hadn't thought about "tightening the loose" to be honest. I'm too used to the WITE method of encerclement, just lance your Panzer groups around and meet somewhere behind, cutting through their rear ZOCs.

Do playing small scenarios H2H count to get out of bootcamp?

[Ricky B]

And these 100 hexes in line were ALL occupied contiguously by at least one unit?! Or where they spaced with each of their ZOCs covering one another's ZOC?

It's hard for me to visualise it, yet.

They were spaced, but the ZOCs connected. It only takes a ZOC from a unit to block supply and so force isolation. And yes, an enemy ZOC occupied by one of your units will allow supply through that hex anyway, if that opens up a supply route.

[Drakken]

And these 100 hexes in line were ALL occupied contiguously by at least one unit?! Or where they spaced with each of their ZOCs covering one another's ZOC?

It's hard for me to visualise it, yet.

They were spaced, but the ZOCs connected. It only takes a ZOC from a unit to block supply and so force isolation. And yes, an enemy ZOC occupied by one of your units will allow supply through that hex anyway, if that opens up a supply route.

Thanks. Now I understand.

Another newbie question: I'm currently playing the Operational situation no.2 as the Germans. Several of my infantry units are in neighboring hexes holding the higher ground to Soviet enemy troops. When I want to open direct fire, however, nothing happens and I get the following message "Maximum range exceed by 1 hex", even though they have no fatigue, full movement, no travel mode, and A quality. I've checked the weather; normal and clear.

What causes this? When I put "Maximum range" under the Shade category the unit I want to fire upon lies indeed within their range. I've searched the manual, but found nothing on the subject. So I am very confused.

The current situation below, the units are in red circles :

[Ricky B]

Right click on the units that won't fire and see what it shows. I would guess the adjacent Soviet stack contains only armor and the German units have a Hard rating of ?/0. The number after the / is the range, and is likely 0 for this game (from what I remember this rating is in the designer notes for the original game). So your units may only damage the tanks by assault. Try it and see how it works.

Rick

[Drakken]

Right click on the units that won't fire and see what it shows. I would guess the adjacent Soviet stack contains only armor and the German units have a Hard rating of ?/0. The number after the / is the range, and is likely 0 for this game (from what I remember this rating is in the designer notes for the original game). So your units may only damage the tanks by assault. Try it and see how it works.

Rick

Assault works, but I suffer enormous casualties for nothing much. I take I must either attack them from higher ground, bring in armor, and/or find ways to disrupt them?

[Ricky B]

Higher ground may help, Stukas, or attack elsewhere. Your goal would be to avoid fighting the Soviet armor head on with your infantry - if you can isolate them they will be much more vulnerable. Once they are isolated they will disrupt more easily and then they can be easily destroyed.

Rick

[Drakken]

Higher ground may help, Stukas, or attack elsewhere. Your goal would be to avoid fighting the Soviet armor head on with your infantry - if you can isolate them they will be much more vulnerable. Once they are isolated they will disrupt more easily and then they can be easily destroyed.

Rick

Thanks. :)

Finally achieved an Axis Major Victory with your counsel. I kept my Infantry to deal with other Infantry and Cavalry units on Russian left flank, and concentrated my Armor to face Russian tanks and pin them down while my right flank surrounded them.

However, I have been imprudent, I hadn't thought of the possibility of some of my own panzers being isolated. On turn 6 (on 7) fresh Motorized and Tanks Battailions popped North of one of II/25th Panzer and 37th Recon Battalions, isolating them. Thank God the scenario ended soon after that, They would have been slaughtered. I should have moved at least one unit to keep its flank guarded. The more you learn...

[76mm]

However, I have been imprudent, I hadn't thought of the possibility of some of my own panzers being isolated. On turn 6 (on 7) fresh Motorized and Tanks Battailions popped North of one of II/25th Panzer and 37th Recon Battalions, isolating them. Thank God the scenario ended soon after that, They would have been slaughtered. I should have moved at least one unit to keep its flank guarded. The more you learn...

That's why the Smolensk game is so fun--both sides inevitably have open flanks and very little info about where the enemy is coming from--can lead to some nasty surprises...

[Drakken]

I have been playing around with the various Optional Rules, especially the Manual Defensive Fire. I find that they give a much more satisfying experience.

However I have a question: I understand, from the rules in the manual, that units transfering from Travel Mode to Deployed Mode under the "Deploying" status will suffer the same Travel Mode maluses when attacked under Defensive or Offensive Fire. Am I right to understand that it would better for me to choose positions 1-2 hexes away from the enemy vanguard's ZOC, then move in on the next turn's Movement Phase when the Deploying status disappear?