Minsk ´44 - 5th GTA is Commited

[Fhil]

Looking for an experienced opponent willing to play the following scenario from Minsk ´44:

0627_01a: 5th GTA is commited (44 turns).

I will play any side, though mind that the Axis player will have some hard times in this one  

If you´re interested, it´ll be best to reply here, first comes first takes.

[Gunther Sheepdog]

Hi Fhil, I'm interested.

[Fhil]

Hi Fhil, I'm interested.

Hi Gunther,

still interested?

[Ricky B]

Hey Fhil-

Curious, did you two actually start the game up?

Rick

[Gunther Sheepdog]

Hi Fhil, I'm interested.

Hi Gunther,

still interested?

Yes, of course

[Fhil]

Hey Fhil-

Curious, did you two actually start the game up?

Rick

Hi Ricky,

no, we didn´t start it yet. You wanted to play too?

[Fhil]

Hi Fhil, I'm interested.

Hi Gunther,

still interested?

Yes, of course

Please contact me at fhilsoad at gmail dot com.
Looking forward.

[Ricky B]

Hi Fhil, thanks for no time for a game right now. I was just wondering if there was a break in play after starting or if the game was still getting arranged. Good gaming to both of you.

Rick

[Kool Kat]

Looking for an experienced opponent willing to play the following scenario from Minsk ´44:

0627_01a: 5th GTA is commited (44 turns).

I will play any side, though mind that the Axis player will have some hard times in this one  

If you´re interested, it´ll be best to reply here, first comes first takes.

Gents:

I just ended a frustrating and demoralizing game session (only 14-turns into it) as the German in the 5th GTA is Committed.  

The Russian forces were commanded by a long-time and respected opponent who has fought me in other 50-turn + campaign-style scenarios.

I consider both of us to be equally skilled players who both know our ways around the PzC virtual battlefield.

From the start, the German has hundreds of units that were in precarious positions that were quickly surrounded and then obliterated by the Russian forces.

Aside from extracting some mobile units - Stugs, ATs and motorized infantry, the rest of the foot infantry were doomed. I lost hundreds of units and there was absolutely nothing I could do to either improve on the situation or to save any of the foot infantry.

The entire northern area of the battlefield cannot be defended because the German lacks enough troops to plug the gaps. All German units guarding major objectives in the northern sector start the game fixed and never release until attacked by enemy units.

Also, all SS reinforcements start the game fixed and do not release until half the game is over. By that time, it is too late to stem the Russian steamroller. In any event, I suspect these reinforcements would have made little progress against the hordes of Russians.

The only "salvation" the German had was to make a stand along the major river that runs north-south for 1/3 of the map, hope the wired bridges drop and wait for the release of the SS reinforcements.

However, by the time I called it quits, my Russian opponent had quickly breached the river in the north, a key wired bridge did not blow, my SS reinforcements were still 1 day turn away from being released and the German had suffered nearly 9,000 troop losses!  

I made the above comments to state this... the Axis experiencing "hard times" in this scenario is a huge understatement!

Now, if ALL Axis units on board would start "unfixed," that would allow the German player to establish some rudimentary defensive lines - especially in the north sector and west of the main German lines. That would make for a more interesting game and give the German player a glimmer of hope. Even in an "unfixed" German unit alternative scenario, the German would still lose hundreds of units in the east simply because the foot infantry cannot retreat fast enough to avoid being overtaken and obliterated by the advancing Russians.

So, in the end, as the German in 5th GTA is Committed, I was kept unbalanced, always in scramble mode to plug large gaps, watching helpless as huge pockets of Wehrmacht units were surrounded and obliterated, retreating columns mercilessly bombed by waves of Soviet bomber fleets, Russian armor and cavalry units running unchecked in the German backfield, hundreds of Russian artillery inflicting numerous casualties, etc. with no real counters at my disposal.

Yes, it may have been historically accurate, but it sure ain't fun to play the Germans and be on the receiving end!  


I will not be investing my game time in this scenario again.

[Gordons HQ]

Looking for an experienced opponent willing to play the following scenario from Minsk ´44:

0627_01a: 5th GTA is commited (44 turns).

I will play any side, though mind that the Axis player will have some hard times in this one  

If you´re interested, it´ll be best to reply here, first comes first takes.

Gents:

I just ended a frustrating and demoralizing game session (only 14-turns into it) as the German in the 5th GTA is Committed.  

The Russian forces were commanded by a long-time and respected opponent who has fought me in other 50-turn + campaign-style scenarios.

I consider both of us to be equally skilled players who both know our ways around the PzC virtual battlefield.

From the start, the German has hundreds of units that were in precarious positions that were quickly surrounded and then obliterated by the Russian forces.

Aside from extracting some mobile units - Stugs, ATs and motorized infantry, the rest of the foot infantry were doomed. I lost hundreds of units and there was absolutely nothing I could do to either improve on the situation or to save any of the foot infantry.

The entire northern area of the battlefield cannot be defended because the German lacks enough troops to plug the gaps. All German units guarding major objectives in the northern sector start the game fixed and never release until attacked by enemy units.

Also, all SS reinforcements start the game fixed and do not release until half the game is over. By that time, it is too late to stem the Russian steamroller. In any event, I suspect these reinforcements would have made little progress against the hordes of Russians.

The only "salvation" the German had was to make a stand along the major river that runs north-south for 1/3 of the map, hope the wired bridges drop and wait for the release of the SS reinforcements.

However, by the time I called it quits, my Russian opponent had quickly breached the river in the north, a key wired bridge did not blow, my SS reinforcements were still 1 day turn away from being released and the German had suffered nearly 9,000 troop losses!  

I made the above comments to state this... the Axis experiencing "hard times" in this scenario is a huge understatement!

Now, if ALL Axis units on board would start "unfixed," that would allow the German player to establish some rudimentary defensive lines - especially in the north sector and west of the main German lines. That would make for a more interesting game and give the German player a glimmer of hope. Even in an "unfixed" German unit alternative scenario, the German would still lose hundreds of units in the east simply because the foot infantry cannot retreat fast enough to avoid being overtaken and obliterated by the advancing Russians.

So, in the end, as the German in 5th GTA is Committed, I was kept unbalanced, always in scramble mode to plug large gaps, watching helpless as huge pockets of Wehrmacht units were surrounded and obliterated, retreating columns mercilessly bombed by waves of Soviet bomber fleets, Russian armor and cavalry units running unchecked in the German backfield, hundreds of Russian artillery inflicting numerous casualties, etc. with no real counters at my disposal.

Yes, it may have been historically accurate, but it sure ain't fun to play the Germans and be on the receiving end!  


I will not be investing my game time in this scenario again.

Kool Kat,

I think Minsk 44 was at the time of its release, a long overdue PzC game which addressed the many other PzC's, which were not really much fun to play as a Russian player. The only other similar one that comes to mind previous to this titles release was Stalingrad 42.
If you wish to play this title as the Axis then you have to accept the historical situation as it was at the time, the same as the Russian players have had to do with most of the other PzC titles.

Cheers,

Gordon