RCW 2 problems about Perm

[Strategiclayabout]

Hi ,

Playing RCW with SCGC WWI break 1.02

1)

- There is something strange with the terrain south west of Perm.

The mountain tile has a river flowing from a lake on its south east side.

Then that side should be either blocked by the lake or protected by the river.

- However, the tile properties show river only defends the east corner (pic1).

Therefore units attacking from the forest tile south of the Perm don't have river penalties (pic2).

- The thing is Perm being already very hard to take, more penalties for attackers will be a problem, leading to point 2) .

2)

- I tried various strategies to take Perm and came to the conclusions it's not a viable strategic choice unless Reds offer it on a silver plate.

*

Kolchak took the city in December 1918, ingame it's nearly impossible to take it before summer 1919 against AI, you have to besiege the city. And against humans, unless Reds don't do anything to defend the city (and I see no reason to do so) it won't fall at all or very late.

*

Humans playing Reds have only one 5 step division in front of the city at start but can easily operate another division in the city on turn 1. If you put the starting division on the mountain tile SW of Perm, Whites can't even reach the city on their first turn.

*

Laying siege is possible against AI because it doesn't guard the moutain tile SW of Perm so Whites can push a detachment there and advance further to cut the railroad. But with 4 AP for infantry, you'll need to put your HQ in front of Perm to give enough supply for that unit to have 4 AP and advance on the next mountain tile.

*

I'm not sure it's worth the time lost even for the 475 MPPs bonus in free units (heavy artillery + armored train). Better advance full speed on Kazan and Moscow.

*

- So I would like to hear your opinions about Perm in RCW, fellow players, what do you think ?

- A fake event window I made to highlight the situation :cool: :

Thanks for reading (and sorry for the wall of text).

[Bill101]

Ah, I thought I didn't recognize the event image just above!

Can you email me the original to me please? To: bill.runacre@furysoftware.com.

I must admit that I have lost the place in previous games, but that might be due to not considering its retention a high enough priority when the Whites are advancing en masse everywhere else. Hence I left one unit to defend it, and that obviously isn't enough.

I'll take a look at the terrain as I think we just need to add a little river to it.

[Strategiclayabout]

Haha sorry for that,

Just wanted to make one for fun, pic sent anyway .

Thanks for your answer, I remember it was the same in the official AAR, Perm fell quickly.

On the other hand, luring the Whites to go for Perm by not reinforcing it can be see as a strategy to delay them for Reds.

[Strategiclayabout]

Hello again ^^ ,

- After trying several more things for Perm, I think a simple way to balance things would be to put starting supply in the city to 2.

- It would be historical given the sorry state of Lashevich's Third Army as reported by Comrade Stalin himself:

Report to Comrade Lenin by the Commission of the Party Central Committee and the Council of Defence on the Reasons for the Fall of Perm in December 1918

http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1919/01/31b.htm

"The morale and efficiency of the army were deplorable, owing to the weariness of the units, the result of six months of continuous fighting without relief. There were no reserves whatever. The rear was totally insecure (a series of demolitions of the rail way track in the rear of the army). The food supply of the army was haphazard and uncertain (at the most difficult moment, when a furious assault was launched against the 29th Division, its units were in action for five days literally without bread or other food)."

[...]

"On December 6 Lashevich (army commander) appealed to the Eastern Front for reserves, pleading the hopelessness of the situation, but Smilga (Eastern Front) replied: "Unfortunately, reinforcements cannot be sent." On December 11 Trifonov, member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Third Army, informed Smilga (Eastern Front) over the direct wire: "It is very probable that we shall be forced to abandon Perm in the next few days. All we need is two or three firm regiments. Try to secure them from Vyatka or some nearby point." Reply of Smilga (Eastern Front): "Reinforcements cannot be sent. Commander-in-Chief declines to help."

[...]

"And the 3rd Brigade of the 7th Division (three regiments) promised by the centre arrived in Glazov only in the early part of January, when Perm had already fallen."

(Glazov being between Vyatka and Perm)

- A chance to storm the city for Whites by delaying their march on Moscow:

* it would prevent Reds human player to operate and reinforce significantly units there for a short time window, allowing Whites to have a chance

* Reds 13th rifle division in front of the city (with 5 steps) will have 3 AP and 1 supply with 4 choices on first turn:

1) entrench = better defensive bonus but 2 white corps will be able to attack next turn

2) fall back to Perm = better defensive terrain (river+city) and supply (+1), only 1 white corps and 1 detachment will be able to attack next turn

3) flee to Vyatka = abandon Perm but no white unit will be able to attack next turn, however supply will be 0

4) advance 1 tile towards Ekaterinburg = 2 white corps able to attack, unit will be lost but Perm won't be blocked by ZOC next turn (lucky 5-0 kill on first strike unlikely)

- A costly MPP strategic choice to make for Reds on turn 1:

* infantry units operated to Vyatka (17 MPPs for div. 40 MPPs for corps) on turn 1 would have 3 AP at 5 supply and be able to force march 6 tiles towards Perm on turn 2

(if Perm has two white units adjacent, it will then need two more turns to reach it but on turn 3 it will be able to secure the railroad west of the city)

* with an HQ operated to Vyatka (64 MPPs for a lvl4), that infantry unit will have 4 AP, Perm would be in forced march range if not blocked by 2 enemy ZOC

(that's where option 4) above can be interesting)

* if city tile is blocked by ZOC forced march will still allow that unit to secure the railroad west of city by turn 2 and enter Perm on turn 3

* on turn 4, Perm would be at 5 supply, allowing Reds to operate units there, closing opportunity window for Whites (unless Reds just give up the city)

* as Reds have 100 MPPs on turn 1, it makes for interesting choices when the fall of Perm can give free units worth 475 MPPs to Whites

Thanks for reading .

[Strategiclayabout]

Something just flashed in my mind :

Another possible thing to do is to let Whites play first instead of Reds but Perm will be lost on first turn with near certainty and it will have consequences on other fronts, so I'm more cautious about this one.