Best Games for Encirclement Mechanics?

[Don Czirr]

Hey Guys,

I saw Rick B comment in another thread that he had seen some good / large scale encirclement activity in Kharkov 42.

What other games are good for those types of operations?

I'm guessing Smolensk 41 (for the Germans) and Minsk 44 (for the Russians) ?


Looking forward to exploring this type of warfare in PzC ... (deep penetration with armor, tightening the noose and killing off surrounded pockets)

[Strela]

Hey Guys,

I saw Rick B comment in another thread that he had seen some good / large scale encirclement activity in Kharkov 42.

What other games are good for those types of operations?

I'm guessing Smolensk 41 (for the Germans) and Minsk 44 (for the Russians) ?


Looking forward to exploring this type of warfare in PzC ... (deep penetration with armor, tightening the noose and killing off surrounded pockets)

That's the whole premise of Korsun '44.....

David

[76mm]

I've played the Smolensk 41, Moscow 42, and Minsk 44 campaigns, all of which have encirclements of one kind or another.

I found Smolensk to be the most fluid by far, because both sides have open flanks and there is no continuous front line ( at least in the game I played!). I played the alt campaign hot-seat against myself, I don't think the AI could cope with the situation.

Moscow 42 is good as well, although the movement is more plodding because of the snow, and as Sov you have to break through the initial German lines.

Minsk 44 I didn't care much for; it was tough for me (as Sov) to break through the initial German defenses, and then movement is channelized along a few roads with lots of river-crossings. I think the game would be a lot more fluid without the "auto bridge demo" option, or maybe toned down; I had lots of blown bridges and had huge traffic jams build up while I was rebuilding them.

I don't have it, but I expect that Kharkov 43 would also be good.

[burroughs]

Hey Guys,

I saw Rick B comment in another thread that he had seen some good / large scale encirclement activity in Kharkov 42.

What other games are good for those types of operations?

I'm guessing Smolensk 41 (for the Germans) and Minsk 44 (for the Russians) ?


Looking forward to exploring this type of warfare in PzC ... (deep penetration with armor, tightening the noose and killing off surrounded pockets)

That's the whole premise of Korsun '44.....

David

Anybody has mentioned Stalingrad '42 in the meantime since Korsun '44 was?

[Don Czirr]

Thanks for the input thus far Guys .... especially 76mm - with the perspectives of how encirclement worked out in a few different games.

This has been intriguing me for some time now - is pulling a "Guderian" really possible / practical in this system.

Seems it may be ...

I only have Budapest 45 atm - and a lot of those battles are more like Bulge mechanics : Get the best paths through the forest - get to objective / supply source etc ....

The Soviet Prelude scenario looks like it may have potential for ZOC-it and Pocket operations ....

Lots of normal foot soldiers (where the Hell are my lend-lease trucks !) and a few tank groups spread along the front ... Fixed at first and not up at the front line

So - I'm thinking to try a blitz - massively beat on the Infantry guarding either side of the Primary and Secondary roads .... open a space ... let the tanks through to roam in the rear areas .... let remaining Infantry beat up on the defenders who hopefully become Isolated and / or Low Ammo ....

Sounds good on paper ... but to hoof it all the way up to Budapest in 90 turns?

No wonder the Soviet Commander gave Stalin a hassle ...

In any case ... any other suggestions on good Games / Scenarios - most definitely welcomed ....

[Landser34]

I would say the best encirclement games are the Eastern front games even Rzhev 42 and Kursk 43 even though most think of them as defensive battles and Stalingrad if they went according to the plan they where to be big encirclement battles.