Axis Turn 1: Achtung Panzer!!
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The time is nigh... the Fuhrer has decided to go forward with Fall Weiss, the invasion of Poland, and call the Allied forces' bluff straight in their face.
We expect neither France nor Great Britain to make reality of their "promise" to defend Poland; even if they do, Poland will be done before they can even react.
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The first days of the invasion went like a charm: Von Kuchler's troops have already surrounded the Modlin army, which was battered by both III Army and Tactical Bombers. Forward elements are already within 20km of Warsaw facing the fortified positions in Modlin. Meanwhile, von Rundstedt's Army Group has wiped out the Lodz Army and left the Krakow Army severely weakened.The Corps on its left wing went North to help close the pocket surrounding the Poznan Army, while Von Bock's troops pushed it back on the Warta River.
Lodz and Torun have both fallen. Only XIVth Army and the Slovakian Corps have encountered stiffer resistance but managed to surround the Karpaty Army nonetheless. XIV Army has started the Offensive on Krakow against 10th Mechanized Corps, garrisoning the city.
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Just in case Great Britain decides foolishly to declare war on us, we dispatch all our 4 U-boat units currently available toward the North Atlantic at cruise speed to cover their sea routes, even through the Channel. All of them are now in position to strike. Also, a Deutchland-class Heavy Cruiser is already in the Atlantic, ordered to raid unsuspecting merchants in the middle of the Atlantic.
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Italy is not in war yet. However we get prepared, just in case. All standing units are ordered to go south towards Sicily, while we invest in Naval Warfare technology to boost the mighty Regia Marina, whose role is give support across to Libya and wrestle control of the sea to the Royal Navy. Our strategy, when the Duce decides to join us into the war, is to concentrate on the Mediterranean Sea and go straight for the British across Egypt.
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Italy gets a measily ca. 70 MPP per turn. It would be best invested for now in Technology, to narrow the gap between the British and the Italian forces.
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Germany, however, will go all mobilization, building as many Tanks and Armies as possible. We starts with 50 MPPs only on the first turn, so we spare them for the next turns.
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I can't enjoy WWII games anymore. Hits too close to home.
Quote from: Valmy on August 16, 2017, 10:23:38 PM
I can't enjoy WWII games anymore. Hits too close to home.
Don't worry, odds are good my 1000-year Reich will be wiped out when the Soviets come. :console:
Allies Turn 1: Great Britain, France, and Canada declare war. Traurig!
Well, the Fuhrer was wrong (not that I would say that to his face): Great Britain and France are now at war with the Reich.
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Even more surprisingly, the mighty Dominion of Canada quickly jumps on the bandwagon and declare war against Germany. Usually, they do so on the Allies' Turn 2 or 3.
Convoys are thus immediately formed, starting from Halifax, to supply Great Britain with war materials. But one of our U-boat units is aready in the area, on the hunt for precious Canadian contraband like deer meat, poutine, and maple syrup.
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On our side, we got the offer to immediately muster Lt.-General Kurt Student's 7th Flieger Division at half-strength, but with an immediate bonus of 50 MPPs to invest where I want. If I say No the unit will come later at full strength, but without a MPP bonus. Thus I accept the offer, since it will allow me enough MPPs to build a Tank on the next turn, and a new Paratrooper unit deploys at Breslau, near the Polish border.
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On the Eastern front, the Polish land units in the vicinity of Warsaw attempts to retreat in good order, aiming to build a defensive concentration around Warsaw. If hugged together with Warsaw being the biggest source of supply for Poland, it will provide supply through rails to units in its immediate hexes, even if surrounded. I will have to cleave through piecemeal and aim directly on Warsaw with all available units, while bombing Warsaw with all available Tactical Bombers.
Moreover, All land units except Cavalry and Artillery with 5+ Strength have a ZOC; they lose it when it decreases under 5. I will have either have to waste an Infantry attack to bring their strength down and elimitate their ZOC for other units, or ignore them and consume more APs to move around.
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Also, Poland enacts Operation Peking: the evacuation of Polish destroyers to Britain before they could be seized or destroyed: A DD becomes freely active to the Allies on the map for patrol.
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At the end, a big 52 MPPs has been denied to the Allies on the first turn, thanks to our U-boats and surface raiders. That is 52 MPPs Great Britain will not be able to spend anywhere this turn. :menace:
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THis game is really pretty well done. I was initially turned off by the "strength point" mechanic, but it is actually pretty clever how it is implemented. Why oh why isn't there a way to play against another human????
Well....apparently there is PBEM. Must update.
Sorry, don't mean to hijack your AAR....
Quote from: Berkut on August 18, 2017, 06:14:07 AM
Well....apparently there is PBEM. Must update.
Sorry, don't mean to hijack your AAR....
Yes, PBEM+ is available through the Slitherine server system. No need for email files. If you want to play by PBEM, I am your huckleberry. :)
From what I gather, we are now at 1.09 Beta and it plays much more different than version 1.0. There are still some pretty minor, debatable balance issues left to iron out, but the developers are quite listening to the player base (perhaps a little bit too much, IMHO).
Thanks for sharing this. I'll be watching this going forward.
Well this looks interesting.
Worth getting on steam yet, or maybe direct from them?
Quote from: mongers on August 18, 2017, 10:33:55 AM
Well this looks interesting.
Worth getting on steam yet, or maybe direct from them?
It is definitely worth getting it on Steam, even if the scenarios and mods are found on the Matrix Games forum.
Quote from: mongers on August 18, 2017, 10:33:55 AM
Well this looks interesting.
Worth getting on steam yet, or maybe direct from them?
If you get it from the Matrix store, you can use the serial number you get as a Steam key to unlock it there as well.
Quote from: Drakken on August 18, 2017, 11:12:07 AM
Quote from: mongers on August 18, 2017, 10:33:55 AM
Well this looks interesting.
Worth getting on steam yet, or maybe direct from them?
It is definitely worth getting it on Steam, even if the scenarios and mods are found on the Matrix Games forum.
Are you doing the base '39 scenario then, or something else? Any mods?
Quote from: Berkut on August 18, 2017, 02:32:40 PM
Are you doing the base '39 scenario then, or something else? Any mods?
The base '39 scenario with no mods, as I have the game only since Sunday and I am still learning the ropes.
Quote from: Drakken on August 18, 2017, 11:12:07 AM
Quote from: mongers on August 18, 2017, 10:33:55 AM
Well this looks interesting.
Worth getting on steam yet, or maybe direct from them?
It is definitely worth getting it on Steam, even if the scenarios and mods are found on the Matrix Games forum.
Thanks for that , I'll give it a go a the weekend. :)
Quote from: Tamas on August 18, 2017, 12:03:02 PM
Quote from: mongers on August 18, 2017, 10:33:55 AM
Well this looks interesting.
Worth getting on steam yet, or maybe direct from them?
If you get it from the Matrix store, you can use the serial number you get as a Steam key to unlock it there as well.
Good to know. :cheers:
Axis Turn 2: Warschau... auslöschen.
Message from Oberkommando der Wehrmacht: The Fuhrer wants to cut the head of the Polish chicken to end the war in a speedy manner. Ignore all pocketed troops and concentrate on Warsaw at all costs.
The Luftwaffe first brings hell from above with all available Tactical and Medium bombers to flatten Warsaw, before Von Kuchler's 3rd Army, supported by XXI and Wodrig's Corps, detaches from the surrounded Modlin Army and slice intead east behind the Vistula. After brushing aside the lone Narew Corp in the way with its ZOC, 3rd Army slides in and begins a devastating assault of the city from the North.
By the end of this sickle stroke operation in their rear, Warsaw is all but empty - We need only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down! :menace:
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Alas, all Von Kuchler's forces are spent. Orders are given to Von Rundstedt's 4th Panzer and XIII Corp to charge full speed ahead and kick in the door at once. The little Polish Corp in the way does not put a desperate fight: After its remnants are pushed inside the Capital by both Infantry and Panzers, 4th Panzer finishes it out and seizes the city.
Warsaw is now in ruins. All that remains now is clearing those pockets and seizing as much territory east before Stalin wakes up. 14th Army destroys 10th Mechanized Corps and seizes Krakow, while 10th Army annihilates the Silesian defences in Gletwitz, avenging our martyrs lost in the despicable and cowardly attack by the Poles on our radio station. The Polish Carpathian Army being solidly caught in a pincer bind, weakened and demoralized, the Slovakian troops are ordered to probe eastward. Finding Przemysl Lemberg empty of any garrison, the city is now back into Austro-German hands.
Unless the Polish remnants decide to stubbornly refuse to surrender and die instead (chances are very low. Usually, taking Warsaw should suffice to make them surrender), this should be the formal end of our military operations in Poland. However, the Reds have not made their move... yet.
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Meanwhile, in France... all quiet on the Western Front. Not a single poilu is risking going for a walk through the Siegfried line, even if the Saar is wide open in front of them. Keep that picture in memory... it will barely change until Winter to Spring 1940.
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In the Atlantic, all my u-boat fleets and the Deutchland-class heavy cruiser are in place, raiding the convoy lines of the enemy. Both the normal lines from Canada and Britain's imperial colonies are covered by at least one raider. This will force the British to commit significant naval resources to hunt them down.
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No Infantry unit is in the pipeline in the future. I will need to purchase some very soon. However, as mentioned on last turn, I purchase 1st Panzer (Tank) here.
I also purchase 386th Security Unit (Garrison). The reason why I buy the latter is because I must keep 2 units within 10 hexes of Warsaw, otherwise the USSR's mobilization will steadily increase. 100%, Stalin immediately declares war. At 80%, the clock starts ticking towards an unavoidable declaration of war. I do not want to commit a whole Corp to hold that hex, ehre it could be used elsewhere, so this second Garrison will keep looking out on the Soviet border.
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Finally, nothing much in Italy. No spending of MPP, and I move the Italian army units south closer to the Napolitan ports. In time, they will all go in Libya to seize Egypt and start reconstituting the Roman Empire.
I cannot use Force March on HQs, so it moves slow. But since I have all the time needed until Italy joins the war, I might as well move them like this. Transports cost MPPs to use as an Action... and Italy gets very few MPPs at start. So no wasting MPPs when there are no emergencies.
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might put it on my wishlist then
Yeah, make sure you keep a flow of new unit production going Drakken. Russia is dark and full of terrors.
Allies Turn 2: The Fourth (and Final) Partition of Poland
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Molotov is putting pressure on Hitler to respect our Non-Accession Pact of this August, meaning ceding back Lemberg and those Polish territories that would be included in the Soviet zone in Eastern Poland. In exchange, We will receive a decent tribute monthly compensation of 25 MPPs if we accept. Saying No means that the whole of Poland is up for grabs, but this would massively piss off the Soviets - and help precipitate an early war with Russia.
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I have no intention of going to war with Russia anytime soon ... well, not before 1941. So I'll say Yes.
HOWEVER, I have something plan in mind which will throw to the usual WWII narrative in a spin. Let's say this: no honor among thieves. I do not intend to let Russia run around and grab everything in th East. But more on that next turn.
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We receive over 300 MPPs in Plunder from the Poles, plus their Production bases that will supplement my war effort towards the West. France and Britain are shocked by Poland disappearing so quickly from the surface of the Earth, rather than pinning my troops in the East while they do whatever they had in plan not to do. This hurts France's National Morale, and France reinforces their units on the Maginot line while the BEF arrives on French soil in reinforcement.
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Politically, massive tears are shed by the proto-SJWs in the West about the supposed "betrayal" of Stalin invading Poland (YOU DON'T SAY?!). British Communist Leader Harry Pollitt steps down in reaction, while there is widespread dismay among the Bolshevik-lovers in France: politicans, intellectuals, and workers unions alike. Will those minions follow Stalin's bid? Will the weak French government go so far as to strike back?
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Nothing much from the Allies within my FOW. All that's important for me is that none of my raiders were found by the British in the Atlantic. Again this turn, they free to wreak havoc on Britain's so-called lifelines unmolested.
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This is good: Since the beginning of the war, more then half of Britain's MPPs have been lost thanks to the pressure of my U-boats. Right now even Italy produces more net MPPs than Britain! There is no way the British will be withstanding this for long without sending all their DDs to fight in the Atlantic, so each turn of maintained pressure means a net win for me.
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Now that Poland is done with, time to set our eyes on France...
Sure you can beat up on a few Poles but can you overcome the genius of the legend that is Maurice Gamelin?
Those are some seriously overpowered U-boats! I think it was March of 1940 before the Germans were able to get a ninth U-boat continually on patrol.
Quote from: grumbler on August 19, 2017, 09:58:34 PM
Those are some seriously overpowered U-boats! I think it was March of 1940 before the Germans were able to get a ninth U-boat continually on patrol.
Thankfully for the Allies, I will not able to sustain that pressure for long for various reasons in-game:
a) British, French, and Canadian DDs
will try to find me. The game reports possible sightings with a '?' on the map, representing 'SOS from attacked shippings'. When they do find me eventually, they will either damage me or force me to dive and go in Silent mode.
b) Because of the above, I would be foolish to stay immobile. So for survival I need to move my units each turn. Obviously following the lines will get me to hit an enemy DD patrol face to face, so it is recommended to get off the line for a turn, then go somewhere else along the line. This means, one turn without that u-boat raising.
c) All naval units, including u-boats, have a supply rating that decreases with each attack or action. The lower the supply, the less effective the u-boat gets.
d) Due to range limitations, U-boats take several turns to return to base in Germany to repair or resupply. It means that there will be happenstances that all my u-boats will be off the hunt.
e) There is a Hard limit of the amount of units I can field, submarines included. I will never be able to have more than a dozen of u-boats on the map if I really decide to spend my MPPs to purchase all of them.
I believe this balances out the early war in the Atlantic. This is also why getting the pen in Saint-Nazaire becomes so important, plus the various supply bases made available by neutral Spain after the fall of France.
Quote from: Valmy on August 19, 2017, 01:29:14 PM
Sure you can beat up on a few Poles but can you overcome the genius of the legend that is Maurice Gamelin?
Against the AI? Easily. :frog:
This, however, does make me reflect on how I would play France in PBEM. In hindsight the 'sickle stroke' plan is so obvious, I would be an idiot to jump into Belgium with my crack troops and not defend the Ardennes. I expect my Languish opponent would know that. So how would an invasion of France play out? Would it mean a replay of the Schlieffen plan? Or the Axis going through Switzerland instead?
Perhaps, also, I would be more proactive rather than sit and wait for Poland to get gobbled and see my Nationale Morale plummet. Perhaps investing chits to get Belgium to join the Allies before May 1940 would be worthwhile, but that costs MPPs and the results are random. Raids over the cost of Germany, maybe? Hell, even perhaps flat out declaring war to Luxembourg and Belgium might be considered. In the end, France needs to get some room to bypass the Siegfried line if it wants to interfere with Germany.
Yeah, I played out the Axis campaign a bit, and then restarted once I made enough critical errors (like getting a Panzer Corp sunk on the way to North Africa).
The only major issue I have with the game is that inter-turn interface kind of sucks. It takes a really long time, and there are important events that pop up at odd moments.
Quote from: Berkut on August 20, 2017, 05:48:05 AM
Yeah, I played out the Axis campaign a bit, and then restarted once I made enough critical errors (like getting a Panzer Corp sunk on the way to North Africa).
Why send a German Panzer unit in NA? Axis gets the Afrika Corps through a Decision event. :lol:
Any serious campaign in NA requires the utter destruction of Malta so that you have advanced cover from Sicily to Tripoli.
I didn't know at the time that Afrika Corps would just be magically built IN Africa!
Quote from: Berkut on August 21, 2017, 11:34:30 AM
I didn't know at the time that Afrika Corps would just be magically built IN Africa!
Yeah, I find that iffy too. The Axis player does not need German troops magically appearing in the desert. As in real life, they should be diverting troops, under their Hard Limit, from going to Russia to do so.
I'd be fine with a Free HQ with Rommel instead, though.
Axis Turn 3: Go west, young men!
Now that the land of the Martis has been eradicated from the surface of the planet, we must now plan how we'll deal with our enemies in the West. But first, let us establish our current order of battle on the ground in the East :
HQs = 3 Units - 2 x Rating 6 (Von Kuchler, Von Bock), 1 x Rating 7 (Von Rundstedt)
Armies = 5
Corps = 10 + 1 Slovakian
Tanks = 2
Fighters = 3
Tactical Bombers = 2
Medium Bombers = 1
Paratroops = 1
For the incoming offensive on France, we will have no choice but to go through Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg. There is just not enough room to do otherwise. Considering what is already in the pipeline OKW planners have come with the following mimimum distributions needed to wage a successful campaign against the Allies:
Netherlands = 2 Armies, 3 Corps, 1 Tank, 1 Medium, 1 Fighter, 1 Paratroops (HQ Von Kuchler)
Belgium (Liege) = 2 Armies, 3 Corps, 1 Tank, 1 Tactical, 1 Fighter, 1 Paratroops (HQ Von Bock)
Ardennes = 1 Army, 2 Corps, 3 Tanks, 1 Tactical, 1 Fighter (HQ von Rundstedt)
Luxemburg + Northern Maginot = 2 Armies, 1 Corps, 1 Tactical, 1 Fighter
Total:
Armies = 7
Corps = 10
Tanks = 5
Fighters = 4
Tactical Bombers = 3
Medium Bombers = 1
Paratroops = 2
Immediate steps are taken to build 18th Army and 21st Panzer, both with the latest technology in Advanced Weapons and Tanks with most of my Plunder and MPPs, leaving me 74 MPPs to spend this turn.
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However, I will not spend those to refit those units just yet. Instead, I immediately start to move them westward via Forced March to their destination, as time is of the essence. Forced March doubles my Range for free, but can significantly decrease the Readiness and Morale of my troops. I do not expect any offensive from the West soon, so I take this rather safe gamble. They will have more than the time needed to rest while they are refitting.
The alternative would be to use Operate, which allows me to strategically redeploy a unit anywhere in my territory for a significant amount of MPPs.
Until my Garrison arrives next turn, I keep the Slovakian Corps behind in Gorlice, with 10 hexes of Warsaw.
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Meanwhile, I refit all my troops on the Siegfried line to match the French refitting their own Maginot Line. I also redirect my u-boats and raiders on other lines or elsewhere, aiming to confuse the inevitable British.
Italy-wise, moving my troops south continues. I also spend 125 MPPs on 'Improved Warfare' research, which improves the Morale of all my Infantry and Cavalry units except Partisans by 10% per level. We hope to make our Italian troops more prepared and adapted to fighting the British when we restore our Empire.
'Improved Warfare' being a Doctrine, it is a passive bonus to all units of a given type. Other research results might require to invest MPPs in upgrading individual units.
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Finally, I got this possibility to offer the Bolsheviks in USSR that we exclude Lithuania from our Sphere of Influence, in exchange of the Soviets drawing back the border from the Vistula-San River to the San-Bug river. This would draw the line away from Warsaw (it is currently right beside it) to the the Bug River.
However, I value Lithuania more than a few pieces of empty land that will become ours anyway when we settle our scores with Russia... and so I say No, fully intending to annex Lithuania and piss the Russian just a little bit under their nose. :cool:
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These seem to be decently written options, so clearly "deads" Tamas was not involved in writing them. :lol:
Allies Turn 3: Chamberlain to Daladier: Let's make war on Germany... by pissing off Russia and the US at the same time
Nothing much of note on the battlefield from the Allies, the most noteworthy event being that the Royal Navy has sent raiders of their own minelaying against our iron ore shippings from Norway. This will have to dealt with in due time... say April 1940.
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Our moves in the Atlantic have paid off: None of my raiders have encountered any enemy ship on anti-submarine duty this turn. We are keeping on winning the Tonnageschlacht, and the more experienced my u-boats and raiders become, the higher the toll on the Allies.
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If the reports from Abwehr are exact, Britain has got around a measily 20 MPPs from their convoy lines this turn! At this rate, we are soon to strangle the United Kingdom into submission. :pirate
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This pressure from the tonnage losses of British shipping is getting heavy on British public opinion. To relieve the tension, London has decided to go against its own treaties with its former possession, the Irish Free State. Someone (most probably Churchill) has ordered the ports of Cork and Waterford to be seized at once for resupplying the convoy escorts, despite Irish neutrality and prior agreements made with the Irish touching the Treaty Ports. And we all know how Churchill loves the Irish Free State and Eamon de Valera.
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Taoiseach Eamon de Valera has made a vibrant protest of this breach of Irish neutrality, which was picked on by the Ambassador of the United States - and Irish himself - Joseph Kennedy. This has angered public opinion in America, many of them coming from the Old Country and who are naturally sympathetic to the Irish cause.
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Meanwhile, the French government has decided to strike against the Bolshevik fifth column by outright banning the Communist Party and arresting thousands of known sympathizers, ideologues, sycophants, and all agents of the Comintern in France, to the outrage of the Soviets. This will distance Russia even more from the Western Powers, who are already incensed from the recent Russian cooperation on the Polish question.
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They should have done that. The freaking Communists were Nazi fifth columnists thanks to the non-aggression pact.
Quote from: Valmy on August 22, 2017, 10:51:18 PM
They should have done that. The freaking Communists were Nazi fifth columnists thanks to the non-aggression pact.
Actually, they did, Daladier, of Munich conference fame,
décret-loi 26 September 1939.
Incidentally, some useful idiot named Guy Môquet later was branded a
résistant due to post-war politics and all he did was parroting the PCF line about the capitalist war, as per Nazi-Soviet Pact Moscow guidelines. Vichy just used the Daladier law banning the PCF, law used to arrest his father.
Back to topic, on attend la suite Drakken, continue. :)
Axis Turn 4: October Mudfest
Shitty weather this turn. Europe is covered in mud, with rain pouring on the continent from Brest to Moscow. Only the British Isles, Spain, and the Italian peninsula are unaffected. This does impact the movement of my troops westward, exhausting them a bit more with each Forced March.
We are glad, however, that the bulk of the Wehrmacht is now half-way through Germany. We should start placing our OOB for Fall Gelb by the end of 1939.
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We have also a report of where the British raider, a submarine, might be on the Norwegian coast - northwest of Bergen. Too far away to safely make a sortie, too small to really sting our war economy. So the Kriegsmarine is ordered to ignore it for the time being.
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No buying of Units this turn for Germany, as we want to spare to buy a Medium Bomber unit next turn. It will be needed in our incoming operations against France and Belgium as it is the only Bomber with De-entrenchment value.
However, since Iraq is supplying war material to Britain we decide to invest in a diplomatic chit to put pressure on the King of Iraq to stop its war contraband. Each chit on a Minor costs 50 MPPs to invest, and has a 5% change to trigger successfully each turn. If successfuly, it could move Iraq's support away from the Allies, and perhaps even towards the Axis.
We see also the results of the Allies recent diplomatic blunders last turn. US support towards the Allies has decreased all the way down to 17% (from 22%), compared to 20% for USSR. Somewhat minor for the Soviets, but this might save us some precious time with the US when they get uppity against the Reich.
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I also begin a Research line for Naval Warfare in Germany, to prepare against an eventual confrontation with the Royal Navy that is bound to happen if we intervene in Denmark and Norway. Costs only 100 MPPs, which leaves us 74 MPPs. This surplus should be enough for our purchase next turn.
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Nothing much in Italy. Only Graziani's HQ is slowly reaching Naples. No spending as I have 100 MPPs in bank and I spare it for starting the Italian Infantry Weapons Research project. After that, I will start Reinforcing my Armies and my Tank Unit and start moving troops in Egypt. :homestar:
Quote from: Valmy on August 16, 2017, 10:23:38 PM
I can't enjoy WWII games anymore. Hits too close to home.
Play America or the UK
Allies Turn 4: Intermission
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Absolutely nothing of note on the Allies turn - except a contact with a Mohawk-class Destroyer rushing westwards, north of Tobruk, that was sighted by our neutral Italian submarine. Where the hell is the Royal Navy? Are they on strike? Was Churchill kidnapped by a pack old, sex-crazed spinsters?
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Oh yeah, and Stalin was really not pleased by the French government banning his useless Western minions the French Communist Party. Their mobilization rating has decreased yet again to reach a low 16% - even lower than the US. :lol:
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That means that yet again, for another turn, our raiders are free and unmolested in the Atlantic. If this continues it will not be the hunter-killer fleets that will put a stop to our Happy Times, but my ships' own lack of supply forcing me to order them to port.
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Axis Turn 5: Drang nach Westen
We reach the middle of November 1939, and the first units from Poland are finally reaching the Western borders. In the next few turns, we will begin refitting our battered troops to gear up for Fall Gelb. II Corps is now on the Dutch border, while both 3rd and 4th Panzer are now poised to strike through the Ardennes and Luxemburg.
Our Luftflotte have also reached the Western zone while our Medium Bombers are placed near Arnhem. Unfortunately, our Strike Range is currently at 9, barely away from the English Isles. Instead, we'll batter the Frogs' production cities instead.
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As planned, a new Medium Bomber unit is ordered produced by the Reich's industries. They are expected to be come available in June 1940 - a bit late for France, but will surely useful when we get to Paris.
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In the Atlantic, Deutschland has finally encountered an enemy vessel, 300+ km from the coast of Portugal, identified as a French Terrible-class destroyer squadron. Salvos were exchanged up-close with minor damage inflicted to the French squadron. While it was bound to happen one day this, hopefully, will attract the attention of the Royal Navy assets currently in the Atlantic, away from my submarines.
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In Italy, having misscalculated the amount of MPPs I would get this turn we barely miss having enough MPPs to invest in Infrantry Weapons. This will wait next turn. In the meantime I refit my Ariete Tanks unit from 3 to 5 to buff it up a bit.
Meanwhile our submarine fleet reports that a British heavy cruiser is sighted nearby the aformented Mohawk-class destroyer squadron. Are they sortieing away from Alexandria, or going toward Gibraltar? Mystery... The Leonardo da Vinci (yeah, it's the sub's name) is ordered to go west along the Mediteranean convoy line to picket a few hexes East of Malta.
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Ende for now.
Meanwhile, down in front of us on the Maginot line...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p24JGbCOTM
BUT WHAT ABOUT BENGHAZI?
Allies Turn 5: Talvisota!
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Soviet troops have penetrated Finnish borders south of Petsamo and in Suomussalmi, while the main thrust in Karelia seems to have been stopped in front of the strong Mannerheim Line. Unfortunately, because of the FOW we cannot witness the Soviet worldwide humiliation invasion. We have to evaluate from partial briefs and reports.
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This drives the Soviet mobilization dips even lower, at 12%. Stalin really knows how to make new friends, maybe I should extend an offer of alliance against the West! Seriously, this buys us even more diplomatic space to take in Lithuania in 1940 without pissing too much the Bolsheviks.
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Finally, the Allies have spotted one of my u-boats 100 km West of Vigo. U-47 has endured a barrage of depth charges from Light Cruisers and Destroyers alike, but with minor damage.
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This, however, has distracted it from raiding and afforded some relief to the Allied war effort. U-47 will have to go into silent running next turn if it wants to survive, and all my ships are getting short of supply.
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Quote from: Oexmelin on August 25, 2017, 02:44:30 PM
BUT WHAT ABOUT BENGHAZI?
Private Guido is quitely eating his overcooked pasta under a palmtree with his favourite camel.
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Axis Turn 6: O Tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine Blatter!
Unfortunately for our Luftwaffe, Winter has arrived. Heavy snowfall and early ice has pinned our aircrafts to the hangars, thus unable to make any sortie away to France. Lucky them. <_<
We use this break to start massing our troops nicely along the Westen borders. I direct my Armies along the main arteries, while Corps will cover the flanks and the rear with the goal of further softening and isolating weakened enemy units after the main Armies hit them.
My two Tanks units are now right in front of the Ardennes, ready to strike as soon as the order is given. 3 more will come to spearhead our offensive - one in the Netherlands, one in Belgium, and the last one as backup in the Ardennes.
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I also puirchase 17th Army to complete my ordnance for Fall Gelb. The next turns will be solely dedicated with refitting my troops, with the upgrade of equipment when affordable. Priority is given to front troops (Tanks, Armies) and also to Medium Bombers, as they will be needed to soften Entrenchment values of the French defenses - and to weaken secondary strategic objectives.
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All that I need for France is now in the pipeline and will be on-field by April 1940. Thus, as historically, I plan the beginning of operations against the Western powers on May, 1940.
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U-47 is switched to Silent mode and escapes by going north. All my raider units start slowly going northward to head port. That said, I am considering staying them even on low supply, put until Jaunary 1940 before Norway is seized. I do not want to allow a Turn in which English convoys go to port totally unmolested - plus it draws British assets away from the North Sea.
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Italy can now beginning researching more advanced Infantry Weapons, although those are active Technologies: This means I will have to spend MPPs to upgrade each unit individually when the time comes.
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Allies Turn 6: Admiral Graf Spee, We Hardly Knew Ye
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The good news is, that this is only a fluff historical event. Heavy Cruiser Deutschland is alive and kicking in the North Atlantic. :)
Aside of that, Russia has been officially kicked out of the League of Nations for Stalin's invasion of Finland. Look on this historical picture how much these League of Nations representatives seem they care. The panic is palping.
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If an British CVE-based fighter did not attack U-30 twice, on the convoy line from South America and the British colonies in the Carribean this turn, we would believe it is Russia which is at war with Great Britain and France, not us.
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Admiral Squee!
Axis Turn 7: Looking forward the Summer 1940
We have refitted most of my units that were in position up to maximum strength. Cost me all of my current MPPs left, and still some are left to be reinforced. Meanwhile, my three HQs are slowly crawling toward our massed troops, which means I will not need to spend MPPs to Relocate them faster.
Because of the snow, we still cannot launch the might of the Luftwaffe in the air to soften France's rear area. Let's home the tents on the Western front are heated. <_<
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Our raiders are almost all lined onto the supply line from Canada, concentrating to claim as many MPPs as possible to English before beginning to return home. U-47 has pulled out of Silent mode and it is now back on the hunt, too.
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Graziani's HQ is now ready to be moved in Naples, ready to be transported to Tobruk next Turn. HQs are critical in regions with abysmal supply lines like Africa, so Italy needs 1, even 2 HQs to chain-line supply if it wants to have a fighting chance in Egypt.
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Next Turn, we enter 1940. I promise you, the war will soon pick up. :menace:
Quote from: Drakken on August 27, 2017, 05:15:24 PM
Next Turn, we enter 1940. I promise you, the war will soon pick up. :menace:
True. Right now it has been like a logistics simulator. :D
Excited to see more action.
Quote from: garbon on August 27, 2017, 05:34:21 PM
True. Right now it has been like a logistics simulator. :D
Excited to see more action.
They did not dub it the
Sitzkrieg for nothing.
What is the restriction on non-German units operating against the Soviet Union, if any?
Seems like another WW2 game that just doesn't get naval combat. Not only are U-boats way OP in 1939, but the supreme commander of Germany is having to tell them when to run silent, run deep and when to resupply.
I will be interested to see how the game handles the battle of France. It's probably more important to get that right than naval operations, anyway, because if it cannot handle France it likely cannot handle Russia, either.
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on August 23, 2017, 06:18:16 AM
Quote from: Valmy on August 22, 2017, 10:51:18 PM
They should have done that. The freaking Communists were Nazi fifth columnists thanks to the non-aggression pact.
Actually, they did, Daladier, of Munich conference fame, décret-loi 26 September 1939.
Incidentally, some useful idiot named Guy Môquet later was branded a résistant due to post-war politics and all he did was parroting the PCF line about the capitalist war, as per Nazi-Soviet Pact Moscow guidelines. Vichy just used the Daladier law banning the PCF, law used to arrest his father.
Back to topic, on attend la suite Drakken, continue. :)
He gets unfairly tarred by that. Like he could have stood alone against Germany with both the British and his own military telling him to cave. I mean there is political courage and then there is suicide. He wanted to and might have even done it until his Airforce came with that scaremongering stuff.
Anyway I look forward to the genius of Maurice Gamelin putting the Axis in their place.
Allies Turn 7: All Frozen on the Western Front
Winter keeps on not giving for the Allies too, as nothing happens on the map. North Atlantic is battered by storm and high seas around the British Isles, which hurt the visibility for surface vessels hunting my u-boats. None encounter my raider fleets.
In other news, both Russia and France are gearing up their industrial and military mobilization. This means that for France, more of their production centres start raking in MPPs, while in Russia they get some more troops and MPP production as well.
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Also, the Polish I Corps gets formed in France from remnants of the Polish Army to help defend the Hexagon, with the spirit of Napoleon's loyal Polish Cavalry - that we will soon be crushing under our Panzers' tracks. :menace:
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We get two decision events before our turn.
The first, as expected, is the option to annex Lithuania next Turn, right under Stalin's nose. It takes me five microseconds to say Ja!, because Russian mobilization is so low currently that even a 10% jump is not that scary right now.
Plus by joining the Reich's protectorate Lithuania will supplement my MPP production each turn, so the vig's nice enough to risk pissing off Stalin.
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The second one offers me to convert the hull of Graf Zeppelin to an Aircraft Carrier for a measly 200MPP paid over 8 Turns. It will arrive only in January 1942, but i will come fully equiped.
At that price given that I take Lithuania, it is rather a bargain and I want to have some naval muscle to compete with Britain in the North Sea. Germany does not suffer any lack of MPP from it, so Ja! for me again. :cool:
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Quote from: Habbaku on August 27, 2017, 05:44:51 PM
What is the restriction on non-German units operating against the Soviet Union, if any?
USSR can only join the war against Axis. At 0%, it simply means that Russia will take longer to join the war.
If Germany sits on its ass, it is ineluctable that USSR will intervene and declare war against Germany when it has more troops. I'll have to check the exact rules, but IIRC when USSR has a ratio superiority in troops its mobilization starts ticking toward 100%. This is realistic with Hitler's real fear of letting Stalin reorganize and rearm on Germany's rear, and it encourages the Axis player to go for Barbarossa on Germany's own terms.
Quote from: grumbler on August 27, 2017, 07:24:55 PM
Seems like another WW2 game that just doesn't get naval combat. Not only are U-boats way OP in 1939, but the supreme commander of Germany is having to tell them when to run silent, run deep and when to resupply.
It's a computer board game, not ASL. To me it strikes a nice balance between an outrageously simplified game like Axis & Allies and an horrifyingly complicated game like WiF. And IMHO, against an Allied player who knows the Allies' early limitations, but also its early strengths, I would not be able to play like I do, because odds are he would not allow me to. As you can see, Germany is very vulnerable in the West while all troops are stuck in Poland...
With each individual attack there is a chance that the defending submarine dives on its own and start running Silent. Plus, running Silent prevents from raiding and decreases range, but decreases chances to be spotted by half. Still, they can be spotted and attacked even in Silent mode.
Quote from: Drakken on August 27, 2017, 10:10:56 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on August 27, 2017, 05:44:51 PM
What is the restriction on non-German units operating against the Soviet Union, if any?
USSR can only join the war against Axis. At 0%, it simply means that Russia will take longer to join the war.
If Germany sits on its ass, it is ineluctable that USSR will intervene and declare war against Germany when it has more troops. I'll have to check the exact rules, but IIRC when USSR has a ratio superiority in troops its mobilization starts ticking toward 100%. This is realistic with Hitler's real fear of letting Stalin reorganize and rearm on Germany's rear, and it encourages the Axis player to go for Barbarossa on Germany's own terms.
That isn't at all what I was asking. :unsure:
I'm asking what restriction there is on Axis minors sending troops to fight the Soviets.
Quote from: Habbaku on August 27, 2017, 10:44:02 PM
Quote from: Drakken on August 27, 2017, 10:10:56 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on August 27, 2017, 05:44:51 PM
What is the restriction on non-German units operating against the Soviet Union, if any?
USSR can only join the war against Axis. At 0%, it simply means that Russia will take longer to join the war.
If Germany sits on its ass, it is ineluctable that USSR will intervene and declare war against Germany when it has more troops. I'll have to check the exact rules, but IIRC when USSR has a ratio superiority in troops its mobilization starts ticking toward 100%. This is realistic with Hitler's real fear of letting Stalin reorganize and rearm on Germany's rear, and it encourages the Axis player to go for Barbarossa on Germany's own terms.
That isn't at all what I was asking. :unsure:
I'm asking what restriction there is on Axis minors sending troops to fight the Soviets.
Sorry. None, AFAIK.
Is it feasible to just send the majority of the Italians off to fight the Soviets in hope of a faster knock-out, then? :hmm:
Quote from: Habbaku on August 27, 2017, 10:52:40 PM
Is it feasible to just send the majority of the Italians off to fight the Soviets in hope of a faster knock-out, then? :hmm:
If he is willing to give up Lybia and leaving Italy vulnerable to an Allied invasion doing so, sure.
Quote from: Drakken on August 27, 2017, 10:10:56 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on August 27, 2017, 05:44:51 PM
What is the restriction on non-German units operating against the Soviet Union, if any?
USSR can only join the war against Axis. At 0%, it simply means that Russia will take longer to join the war.
If Germany sits on its ass, it is ineluctable that USSR will intervene and declare war against Germany when it has more troops. I'll have to check the exact rules, but IIRC when USSR has a ratio superiority in troops its mobilization starts ticking toward 100%. This is realistic with Hitler's real fear of letting Stalin reorganize and rearm on Germany's rear, and it encourages the Axis player to go for Barbarossa on Germany's own terms.
The allies seriously contemplated bombing the Soviets because of their invasion of Finland. Can that happen?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 28, 2017, 12:40:01 AM
The allies seriously contemplated bombing the Soviets because of their invasion of Finland. Can that happen?
Fortunately for the Allies, not in the base game.
However, I am sure it has found its way into one of the more serious mods. I'd have to look in Fall Weiss II.
Quote from: Valmy on August 27, 2017, 08:55:36 PM
He gets unfairly tarred by that. Like he could have stood alone against Germany with both the British and his own military telling him to cave. I mean there is political courage and then there is suicide. He wanted to and might have even done it until his Airforce came with that scaremongering stuff.
Anyway I look forward to the genius of Maurice Gamelin putting the Axis in their place.
Yeah Chamberlain and Lord Halifax on one hand, and the French top brass on the other are more to blame. This anecdote supports it: when coming home from Munich, Daladier expected to be insulted then was surprised to be applauded, he mumbled "Ah les cons! S'ils savaient".
QuoteAprès la signature des accords, à son retour en France, Daladier imagine qu'il sera hué pour avoir cédé à Hitler, les accords de Munich octroyant aux nazis une partie de la Tchécoslovaquie sans contreparties significatives, hormis des promesses de paix. À sa grande surprise, il est acclamé à sa sortie de l'avion au Bourget par une foule qui le perçoit comme le sauveur de la paix. Il aurait alors marmonné devant le diplomate Alexis Leger : « Ah les cons ! S'ils savaientn 1. » Dans ses Mémoires, Daladier dira de façon plus modérée : « Je m'attendais à recevoir des tomates et j'ai reçu des fleurs. »
It's wiki, but I have seen from other reputable sources.
Reminds me of a EU French forumer nicknamed Supergamelin (sic). I asked him once what would be his super Saar offensive but got not real answer. :(
Axis Turn 8: Setting up the chessboard
We are now February 10th, 1940. Late Fall and Winter turns skip faster, counting for 21 days each turn compared to 11 days for the remaining of the year.
Most units on the Western front are now refitted and ready to strike as soon as good weather sets in and my new units are available. And they are starting to arrive: Already, 18th Army and 1st Fallschirmjäger are now ready to be deployed.
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I displace two Corps towards the rear and place both of them in vicinity of Cologne. Student's Paratroops will fly and jump in the Netherlands, while 1st FSJ will jump behind Belgian lines, hoping to cut their supply lines in the rear. :cool:
I also take the occasion that my airplanes being stuck in hangars to spend MPPs to upgrade all my Fighters to Advanced Aircraft, plus and my Medium Bomber to Advanced Ground Weapon 1 in preparation for the coming invasion. This is with the British in mind, in case I decide to go for Sealion...
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Moving around my u-boats, some of them toward the North Sea, U-32 has fallen straight into a Polish destroyer that fled to England after Operation Peking. Exchange of fire scratching the u-boat, but U-32 was able to move a few hexes away. However, the Allies are now alerted and will have a region to concentrate their naval might to search for u-boats.
Plus, now U-32 is away from the convoy lines - they have to be on it or one-hex away to raid.
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In Italy, I receive the only units being produced at the start of the game: Gariboldi's shitty 4-rated HQ unit (Graziani's 5-rated) and I Corps, not even at full strength.
Pipeline is now empty: Good luck, Raviolis. <_<
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I move Graziani's to BENGHAZI!!!!, aiming for Mekili as the main HQ and supply base because Tobruk is too vulnerable to naval bombardments. Meanwhile, Gariboldi will head to Albania for some 'leisure vacation' in Tirana, Albania. :shifty:
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Quote from: Drakken on August 27, 2017, 10:21:18 PM
Quote from: grumbler on August 27, 2017, 07:24:55 PM
Seems like another WW2 game that just doesn't get naval combat. Not only are U-boats way OP in 1939, but the supreme commander of Germany is having to tell them when to run silent, run deep and when to resupply.
It's a computer board game, not ASL. To me it strikes a nice balance between an outrageously simplified game like Axis & Allies and an horrifyingly complicated game like WiF. And IMHO, against an Allied player who knows the Allies' early limitations, but also its early strengths, I would not be able to play like I do, because odds are he would not allow me to. As you can see, Germany is very vulnerable in the West while all troops are stuck in Poland...
You don't need ASL to have realistic strategic naval combat. In fact, your comment seems to support my idea that there is far too much supreme commander control over naval operations than ever existed in reality.
Quote
With each individual attack there is a chance that the defending submarine dives on its own and start running Silent. Plus, running Silent prevents from raiding and decreases range, but decreases chances to be spotted by half. Still, they can be spotted and attacked even in Silent mode.
You don't need ASL-level detail like this in a strategic game, is all I am saying. I think it is likely that the AI is so bad at naval combat because it can't handle this level of detail. As a supreme commander, you might have an input on how much of the war effort would be used to build submarines, and that would be it. You'd never know what submarines would be running Silent, because they wouldn't be radioing you and you don't have telepathy.
As I said above, this isn't a crucial part of the game (likely why they designed it so sloppily), but it makes the whole game sound suspicious if the Germans can stop 50% of the British imports in 1939. Historically, that number was a bit more than 2%. If the designers were willing to allow that easily-checked part of the design miss so badly, what else did they get wrong?
I don't really mind the "effectiveness" angle in that it is an abstraction. The UK gets some number of "MPP" per turn to spend on the war effort, and the Germans can interdict some amount of that. What does that really represent? I dunno. It doesn't really matter - it is just something to make the Brits respond in a manner other than "Don't care".
I give them props for trying to get some kind of represenation of the Battle of the Atlantic into a strategic game though.
I don't even worry about the level if control really. Hell, the Wehrmacht High Command wasn't telling particular Corps what hex to go to, and how to attack, and all that either.
What I don't like about it though is much worse than all of that.
It isn't any fun.
The naval convoy thing I mean. It is really fiddly, in that you have to shuffle your subs around every single turn. Forget one turn? They are going to be pounced on. And it is REALLY easy to forget. There is a lot going on elsewhere, and that stuff is important. Once you invade the USSR, the stupid subs are a distraction, and one that is really easy to forget, with disastrous results.
And the thing you have to remember to do every turn is move them back and forth, hopefully in a kinda randomish manner. It is like remembering to water the plants. There isn't really any *game* there. It is a combination of tedious and yet very important not to forget.
Quote from: Drakken on August 28, 2017, 12:58:04 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 28, 2017, 12:40:01 AM
The allies seriously contemplated bombing the Soviets because of their invasion of Finland. Can that happen?
Fortunately for the Allies, not in the base game.
However, I am sure it has found its way into one of the more serious mods. I'd have to look in Fall Weiss II.
Well damn, I was wrong. The Allies can choose to intervene in the Finnish Winter War. :)
QuoteDE 204 – France: Send an Anglo-French Expedition via Norway to Support Finland?
§§ Event fires: On the 20th January 1940 when Britain and France are Allied and not surrendered, Paris is in Allied hands, and the USSR has launched the Winter War against Finland.
§§ Cost of accepting: 150 MPPs, with the costs shared equally between Britain and France.
§§ Yes: The expedition has a 50% chance of reaching Finland in time to provide them with enough support to withstand the Soviet onslaught. If so, this means that the USSR will not gain any Soviet territory as a result of the conflict, and the USSR will move 8-12% towards the Axis.
§§ For their decisive action in helping defeat aggression against a neutral country, France and the UK would both gain 500 National Morale points.
§§ The close relationship created between Finland and the Western Allies will swing Finland 25-35% towards the Allies. This will give Finland a pro- Allied leaning, so if the Axis wish her to assist them in their conflict with the USSR, then they will almost certainly have to use diplomacy to obtain her help.
§§ The Anglo-French expedition will return to Scotland at the start of April 1940, with a French strength 8 Special Forces unit of Chasseurs Alpins deploying at Dundee with Full Research, while a similar British unit (called Rupertforce) will deploy at Inverness.
§§ If Germany invades Norway via DE 643 or DE 644 then the Allies will have the opportunity to send these units to Narvik to attempt to recapturethe town. This opportunity will not exist if this expedition
That was what Daladier tried to do and what brought down his government.
Allies Turn 8: Deutschland über Alles!
The Royal Navy finally catches the Deutschland 300km WSW from the Irish coast, gathering together a motley crew of Canadian and French destroyers, plus a British Light Cruiser. The battle was fierce, but despite heavy damage the advantage still lies with Germany: More damage was inflicted to the Allied ships, and Deutschland will be able to escape next turn if I am careful. :)
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The Allies decided to intervene to defend poor little Finland against Russian aggression through Norway. Howver, this initiative transformed into a colossal failure. They could not reach Finland in time and Mannerheim was forced to sue for peace. Russia gains Eastern Karelia and the port of Hanko.
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France sentences 37 Communist members of the National Assembly to prison sentences for spreading defeatism and advocating that we stop going against their Comintern puppet masters.
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Profiting from Stalin's attention all with the Allies intervening against him in Finland, I finaly strike and occupy Lithuania. Stalin is alarmed that Lithuania is slipping away from his fingers, but his Mobilization remains at 20% - somewhat manageable for now.
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Then, Britain itself profits from going through Norway to help Finland and grossly violates the neutrality of Norway by seizing the Altmark in Norwegian waters. Hitler is incensed, and plans are drawn to speed up operations toward Norway and Denmark.
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Norway and Denmark are soon to be dealt with, once and for all. GRÖFAZ decided so. :menace:
Operation Weserübung will cost us 140 MPPs next turn, then 90 MPPs the turn afterwards. The amount will be deducted from my monthly tab.
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Iron ore imports from Norway? :angry:
How about through Norway, retarded Nazi scum.
Quote from: The Brain on August 30, 2017, 01:10:24 AM
Iron ore imports from Norway? :angry:
How about through Norway, retarded Nazi scum.
Well, Swedish iron ore is coming to Germany
from Norway. This is technically true. :P
As an aside, Sweden does provide a neat 25 MPPs per month to Germany too, through direct convoys. However, sometimes their harbors freeze out and become unworkable, and convoys cannot leave. This winter, from November onward I received 0 MPPs from Sweden because of this - more than 100 MPPs wasted because Sweden has allowed an icebreaker gap.
GRÖFAZ is considering sending you an icebreaking ship - with a full invasion army. :mad:
Quote from: Drakken on August 30, 2017, 08:13:58 AM
Quote from: The Brain on August 30, 2017, 01:10:24 AM
Iron ore imports from Norway? :angry:
How about through Norway, retarded Nazi scum.
Well, Swedish iron ore is coming to Germany from Norway. This is technically true. :P
As an aside, Sweden does provide a neat 25 MPPs per month to Germany too, through direct convoys. However, sometimes their harbors freeze out and become unworkable, and convoys cannot leave. This winter, from November onward I received 0 MPPs from Sweden because of this - more than 100 MPPs wasted because Sweden has allowed an icebreaker gap.
GRÖFAZ is considering sending you an icebreaking ship - with a full invasion army. :mad:
Icebreakers? Is the Norway route already closed?
Axis Turn 9: Gearing up for Totaler Krieg
Plans for Operation Weserübung submitted by OKW have all been approved by the Fuhrer: Denmark and Norway will both be German next turn. However, the Fuhrer has come with a surprise plan of his own: Starting Fall Gelb while Norway and Denmark are being invaded, to totally seize the initiative and overwhelm the Allies on the whole front!
Impossible, you say? Well, three more Panzer units are available to be deployed, plus a new Tactical Bomber unit. Two Panzers are assigned to support operations in the Netherlands and Belgium, while the last one goes to complete our ordnance in the Ardennes. Furtheremore, both our Paratroops units are ordered to prepare for dropping next turn.
With this daring goal in mind, OKH comes with a plan to implement "Sickle stroke":
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Luftwaffe units are all ordered to weaken French units on the borders at the hinge point with the Maginot Line, while Epinal is bombed to damage their rear supply. French interceptors come in to defend, but they are battered away.
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We also plan in the longer term, by beginning Research on our Industrial technology to gear up toward total war. Better Industrial Tech means more net MPPs per turn! Goebbels is adamant, this is necessary to get ready for Totaler Krieg.
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We also send a diplomat to negociate a closer cooperation agreement with Finland, now that the Allies has abysmally failed to help them defend their sovereignty. If the Allies cannot support them, we can. :cool:
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Finally, we order our damaged u-boats and Deutschland to return to base - and resupply in German-occupied Norway. :menace:
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Allies Turn 9: Nothing much
British Light Cruiser and French Destroyer pursue Deutschland on a northern course, successfully inflicting some damage. Being out of supply our Heavy Cruiser is out of ammo except for defensive fire, so we will not be able to send our own broadsides on the British cruiser. :(
We have no choice but to seek disengagement.
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Rainy weather over the whole Western front, all is quiet. For now.
That is all.
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My plan is working perfectly!
Axis Turn 10: Götterdämmerung
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The code word is given and resonates on all German Heer, Luftwaffe, and Kriegsmarine radios:
Fall Gelb.
On April 14th, 1940, Germany declares war on the Kingdoms of Netherlands and Belgium, plus the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg.
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By the Fuhrer's birthday party six days later, they are on the verge of total annihilation. By complete surprise, all three capitals are now under the boots of the German armed forces. Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag, Herr Fuhrer!
Netherlands:
Recon show that the Dutch's main Army is positioned in Rotterdam, and north of The Hague, while the Dutch Royal Army headquarters are situated in The Hague itself. No defence on the border itself.
Seizing the initiative to exploit this gaping hole on their flank, II Corps maneuvers to swerve around the Dutch 1st Army's exposed left flank and wipes out the Dutch HQ from the capital, forcing the government and Queen Wilhelmina to flee in a panic. General Student's 7th Fallschirmjäger jumps over the now defenseless city. They take some heavy casualties due to bad landings, but they seize the capital.
Meanwhile, the main Wehrmacht forces, supported by 1st Panzer and one of my Tactical Bombers, savages 1st Army away from Rotterdam, retreating into Antwerp. 1st Panzer pursues and cleans the Dutch remnants, allowing XIII Corps to seize the city and its vital ports. Now, only II Corps and the Dutch Air Force remains totally isolated around Amsterdam, without any access to the Antwerp ports for relief.
Belgium:
The famed fortress of Eben Emael does not even resist a single frontal assault from the full 18th Army, utterly overrunning the place, while 8th Army deals with the 1st Army holding the border in Liege. 1st Fallschirmjäger seizes the undefended Mine city of Mons, cutting Brussels from its supply line from France.
The way to Brussels now open, 5th Panzer rush to link up with the Fallschirmjäger, attacking in concert together with VIII Corps to concentrate massive firepower on the Belgian capital, which is seized by the latter after a token resistance from poor Leopold III's troops. Only II Corps remain on the other side of the Meuse, north of Sedan.
Ardennes:
4th Panzer and 10th Army destroys the French corp in Briey, which is occupied by the Panzer Corps' motorized elements. Not only we occupy its huge mining infrastuctures and thus deny it to France as a MPP source, but we are now outflanking both the Maginot line and Verdun.
21st Panzer bursts in front of Sedan, defended by II Corps which is well entrenched and offers a frantic resistance against Stukas, Messerschmitts, Panzers, and proud Heer troops from 14th Army. II Corps is battered, and yet still holds the German tanks from crossing the Meuse - for now.
However, Western Belgium seems empty of defenders, and we are now passed the Dyle. France's border in Belgium are in front of us, with the plat pays to Ypres, then Calais, seeming totally undefended. Yet we expect the BEF to come there quickly, Gamelin is so predictable. Like a broken woodclock.
Ah, and Luxemburg falls too. They did not show up. :P
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Having now more space we receive 17th Army and S.G.51 Medium Bombers. The former is placed in Comblenz while the latter is stationed right behind the Siegfried line. All Luftwaffe elements are ordered to move in the same area to give maximum coverage over the rear of the Maginot line.
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Due to MPPs being allocated to the operations in Norway and Denmark, not much MPPs are left for me to spend this turn. I decide to send a diplomat to meet Eamon de Valera to attempt to steer Ireland further toward the Axis.
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Meanwhile, Italy decides to get riled up for total war too: We invest also in Industrial Research to beef up our net MPP income. :punk:
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What? What happened to Plan D Gamelin? Ah well at least this means he has plenty of reserves to plug that gap.
Quote from: Valmy on August 31, 2017, 11:39:30 PM
What? What happened to Plan D Gamelin? Ah well at least this means he has plenty of reserves to plug that gap.
Well... you know what they say: When you hit the bottom of the barrel, the only way left to go is up, right? :P
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Quote from: Drakken on September 01, 2017, 08:23:37 PM
Quote from: Valmy on August 31, 2017, 11:39:30 PM
What? What happened to Plan D Gamelin? Ah well at least this means he has plenty of reserves to plug that gap.
Well... you know what they say: When you hit the bottom of the barrel, the only way left to go is up, right? :P
Hey remember when the Germans suckered all the French into Belgium so they could be cut off by Sickle Stroke? Well this time Gamelin is having none of it you boche scum.
You are walking right into his trap. This is basically the Third Battle of the Marne.
Allies Turn 10: Aftershock
In the space of a single turn - 11 days - five sovereign states have been cleared from Europe's map, which is increasingly German. The US are outraged by this act of so-called "aggression" even when, in fact, the neutrality of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg was acting a shield in favour of France.
But Washington does not listen to our arguments - instead they quickly their Congress pass the Cash and Carry Act, allowing Britain and France to purchase US-produced escorts, which is a gross violation of their own Neutrality Act. Such steps can quickly bring our two powers to a state of war which the Fuhrer does not wish.
(https://i.imgur.com/RZMiyNF.png)
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Meanwhile, the sudden annexation of Denmark has put Iceland's government into disarray. Rather than to answer to our mighty patronage, protests and riots have engulfed Reykjavik to a state of anarchy.
(https://i.imgur.com/JgUqCVd.png)
In Norway, the resistance gets organized as they sabotage the railways while retreating in their northern woods. Meanwhile, fierce combats in the fjord of Oslo sinks the Heavy Cruiser Blucher, while inflicting heavy casualties their invasion force.
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The roads of Belgium towards the French borders are clogged with refugees, hindering France's supply lines. The sudden surrender of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxemburg means ALL their troops are demobilized and removed from activity, leaving only French and BEF troops there to try to block the German onslaught. Uncertainty about the Battle of France hurts the popular morale in both countries, but especially France. Lower National Morale means their troops will now fight increasingly like Gamelin - feebler as it continues.
(https://i.imgur.com/XcszxjA.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/PYE1mcb.png)
To fill the gap quickly, two French and BEF Corps rush toward Ypres, while another Corps is moved to defend Nancy. The BEF I Corps attempts a quick attack on XIII Corps in Antwerp, but they are easily push back. Rather than obviously counterattacking on the weakened 4th Panzer in front of Sedan to dull my spearhead tip, Gamelin has the brillant idea - totally borrowed from 1914 - to attempt to pierce the Siegfried Line by attacking V and XXVIII Corps on the Westwall. Obviously, this was a failure which achieved nothing for the French but to incure needless casualties.
(https://i.imgur.com/Yk5IyMU.png)
From the British Isles, two Strategic Bomber units supported by escorts launched a vicious bombardment of Antwerp. However, this aims to draw our interceptors into air battle, which results in inflicting fighter casualties and and damaging Antwerp's production and supply sources. The French Navy also parks a submarine nearby, preventing that we use the Schelt ports to our advantage as another nearby supply line.
(https://i.imgur.com/e0XrQBC.png)
Two Destroyers unit have spotted U-35, but failed to inflict it any damage. All remaining units in the Atlantic are ordered in Norway to resupply and rearm.
(https://i.imgur.com/NbGnUMw.png)
Churchill has been active on the Allied diplomatic front: London's representatives have misled the Swedish government with this lie that Sweden might be the next target! This has chances to stop their supply or iron ore and ballbearings to our factories, and thus no more MPPs from them. :(
(https://i.imgur.com/WQ2cuR6.png)
Furthermore, the Amiralty has amended their convoy lines to adapt against the u-boat threat. All lines are to go to Liverpool, making it easier for their hunter-killer escorts to cover space to find us.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ldk5dRX.png)
Last but not least, Il Duce sees now where the win blows, and Italy declares war on the Western powers by joining the Axis. A bit earlier than expected, but they are there.
(https://i.imgur.com/5nvDagK.png)
Your bravado is just an attempt to obscure your increasing doubts as the mighty French Army heroically holds the line!
Once again the British bullydog has showed its fangs. Sweden doesn't take kindly to being slapped around like a cheap whore.
Axis Turn 11: Verdun is the new Black
Gamelin's defensive line along the Meuse to Verdun completely collapses: The hinge holding the Maginot line is blown off.
France loses two whole Armies plus a Corps trying to hold at the Meuse. The concentration of Lufwaffe bombers and Panzers proves too much, and 3rd and 5th Panzer successfully crosses the Meuse at Sedan, annihilating the French 9th Army and II Corps at Sedan. Meanwhile, French's 2nd Army holding Verdun is destroyed by 21st and 4th Panzer, capturing the mythic city and reaching the outskirts of Nancy.
The loss of Verdun might prove an absolute shock to the French people and cause widespread panic. The less the French fight, the faster this campaign will end.
5th Panzer reaches the Marne River, while 14th Army and I Corps are rushed with Forced March to exploit the hole in the French line between Lille and Reims. Capturing Reims would open the road to the Channel towards Amiens, then Calais. Another option being considered is going for Châlons, then swerve behind Paris to surround the capital and annihilate any unit defending it.
In the North, a concentrated effort from 1st Panzer, 4th Army, and II Corps leads to the destruction of BEF's I Corps. One of my secondary aim is to prevent the BEF from escaping France at all cost, or at least destroy as many British units as possible. Because yes, the AI will reproduce Dunkirk if it gets desperate.
(https://i.imgur.com/hVb2iFW.png)
Italian 5th Army arrives from Tripoli by naval transport, while 10th Army advances toward Sidi Barrani to probe the British line in Egypt. The Regia Aeronautica moves from Sicily toward Libya, aiming to move to Egypt and give aerial support.
(https://i.imgur.com/RFIk9wC.png)
Gariboldi heads into Tirana, while the whole Regia Marina goes toward the Adriatic Sea strait to prepare for eventual sorties. No attempt will be made by Italy to grab territory in France, as it is useless. Mussolini decides to concentrate on Egypt and prepare an invasion of Greece.
(https://i.imgur.com/v3aiPte.png)
The overtaking of the Low Countries has netted up about 200 MPPs in Plunder, which we spend on our first Mechanized Unit, plus another Army. Garrisons in Narvik and Oslo are also reinforced, since we have learned that the Anglo-French expedition in Finland has come back. They might try to seize Narvik away from us.
We also spend a Diplomat chit to Sweden, to correct the damage done by British on our mutual relations.
(https://i.imgur.com/63Pfanq.png)
Finally, two of our U-boats reach the ports of Bergen and Stavenger. The new U-35 is also laid in Cuxhaven, ready to leave next turn.
(https://i.imgur.com/W3GqVzf.png)
Allies Turn 11: Collapse
Verdun falling in German hands demonstrates that the Maginot line has been completely useless in stopping our offensive. The Maginot line left outflanked and exposed, our panzers stand around 80 km from Paris in front of the Marne river. The possibility of utter defeat creeps on the defencing forces: The morale of the French forces cracks with panic spreading among the French people.
(https://i.imgur.com/j7gnUnH.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/NITBAPG.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/eH9oq1O.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/8HfjAqp.png)
Gamelin seems to read that the left flank is now impossible to hold. He decides to abandon Ypres to retreat towards Calais and behind the Somme, leaving I Corps in Lille as a blocker to attempt to bide time. Counterattacks are attempted on the Reims salient, with decent casualties especially on the exhausted, weakened Slovakian Corps, but they prove ineffective in creating a hole in the salient.
Same with 4th Army attacking the exposed XXVIII Corps in Saarland, which ends up costing more to the France than to us.
Finally, the British BAF tries launches a bombing raid on Brussels, costing us 2 MPP from the damages caused to the local industries.
(https://i.imgur.com/05UAhJ8.png)
In retaliation of the fall of Denmark, Britain greenlights Operation Fork. The Royal Marines disembark in Reykjavik and occupies Iceland, which now joins the Allies.
(https://i.imgur.com/9v65AM2.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/KY7Nled.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/gd5QBpV.png)
They also decide to enable the Emergency Powers Act, which leads to our friend Sir Oswald Mosley being put into an internal camp for the duration of the war for sedition and promoting treason.
(https://i.imgur.com/x2z1PPT.png)
Italian researchers report a breakthrough in Naval Warfare research! They have discovered new improvements in doctrine, to use their naval forces in warfare against the British in the Mediteranean. Meanwhile, ANZAC troops now join the war with the Western Desert Force in Egypt, which are deployed to defend Sidi Barrani.
(https://i.imgur.com/7zhDEX0.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/XIniTFl.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/18AMIE5.png)
Axis Turn 12: Knocking on Gamelin's Door
Recon shows OKW that the area south of Calais is free of any enemy presence. Immediately, orders were given to 1st and 7th Fallschirmjäger to drop there. The road between Amiens and Calais is denied between to the BEF. 3rd Panzer is rushed from the Verdun area to go link up with the paratroopers, trapping the French 1st Army in Calais with 1st Fallschirmjäger closeby threatening its ports. Sorry Winston: No Dunkirk for you. :nelson:
Orders from OKW are confirmed by the Fuhrer: The BEF are to be destroyed in detail before they can escape. However, 7st Fallschirmjäger being understrength, no assault was made on the British 1st Army this turn.
The French holdouts in Lille, Reims, and Châlons were destroyed piecemail, allowing the creation of an immense salient deep inside French territory. Our Corps are immediately rushed into the pocket to fill any possible hole that might lead to a French counterattack. While Auxerre is threatened, even worse for the French our Panzers are now passed the Seine, Both are poised to strike toward Paris, with very few defenders within sight. Only the Groupe de Bombardement airbase and the French Army HQ under Huntzinger are blocking the way to the French capital and its Army garrison.
(https://i.imgur.com/KXdVpRn.png)
The Regia Aeronautica is now reaching Lybia, while Italian 10th Army and IV Corps arrive in Tobruk. The Ariete Tank Division is fully reinforced to be shipped to Africa as well, while the Leonardo Da Vinci is placed as picket northeast of the Tobruk harbor to spot any Royal Navy presence coming to intercept reinforcements.
(https://i.imgur.com/gt6fw4n.png)
U-37 exits Cuxhaven but is quickly spotted by the French battleship Dunkerque up in the North Sea. Meanwhile, I redirect U-47 towards German ports for refit, while U-32 is sent at cruise speed back into the Atlantic at 9 Strength.
(https://i.imgur.com/m7bEHT2.png)
Finally, a Panzer unit is purchased by the German Army, and my last diplomatic chit is sent to Switzerland to try to sign a cooperation and treaty agreement with the ever-neutral country.
(https://i.imgur.com/8ceO0jm.png)
These games are always the same damn thing. The Germans do not even have to bother with a plan they just walk straight at the French and they collapse. No plan or strategy required even to beat the French with exactly the plan they expected Germany to use.
I mean I understand why that is but it makes it look like the French stood zero chance of even slowing the Germans down.
Quote from: Valmy on September 03, 2017, 09:54:29 PM
These games are always the same damn thing. The Germans do not even have to bother with a plan they just walk straight at the French and they collapse. No plan or strategy required even to beat the French with exactly the plan they expected Germany to use.
I mean I understand why that is but it makes it look like the French stood zero chance of even slowing the Germans down.
Yeah it's pretty close to impossible to have a good simulation of the West in 1940 in a full WW2 game.
What are some good 1940 only games today btw? Board or computer.
On paper, France was more than a match for Germany - comparable number of men, equal number and better tanks, more guns, good defensive ground behind different rivers. To every observer, realistically, they should have mounted a much fiercer resistance and stopped the Germans in Belgium.
However for various reasons, they have not:
- Very predictable defensive plan - basically a modified reshoot of 1914
- Very poor planning, for example not foreseeing that the Ardennes might be vulnerable, or stopping to build the Maginot line to the channel coast to mollify Belgium
- Deficient command, control, and communication at the operational level
- Political division, which had an influence on morale and fixated their planning on the defensive.
- Germany had more airplanes that France and the BEF combined, and thus had air superiority which allowed free combined-arm support
- Misadapted or obsolete elements in land doctrine, for example no concentration of armored divisions or continuing to build schedules based on marching time, and not on motorized time
How exactly would you simulate any of these above in a computer game, without putting artificial hurdles on any player? Hindsight 20/20 makes it very hard to satisfactorily represent what happened in France in 1940. Germany declaring war on the Lower Countries is as predictacle as it gets, and if allowed to reorganize no sane human player would leave the Ardennes defenseless. Most French units are, in fact, very well-entrenched on French soil, even behind Belgium. Toe-to-toe, with the same National Morale, France units are equivalent to German units - and with entrenchment and favourable grounds.
Personally, I think this game does it rather well. Events are scripted in such a way that it encourages going through the Ardennes, because it is the only way to trigger the French loss of morale events. If I do not go for the Ardennes with a superiority in tanks and airplanes from the get-go, it will be a very tough fight ahead. However, can you really ask the German player not to go through the Ardennes in 1940? No Ardennes means no outflanking of the Maginot line, which artificially plays into the Allied Player's hand.
I tried DOWing the Low Countries right after Poland with the idea of wrapping them up that summer/fall. That didn't work out so well.
In honor of the French people in this dire hour, I'm watching "Is Paris Burning?" :frog:
Allies Turn 12: Joseph does Tallinn
General Rommel is already starting to ponder whether his dear wife will like a pair of luxury shoes from Paris, as a gift for her belated birthday this June the sixth. He promises to himself that he will offer her a new pair. each year. :P
(https://i.imgur.com/tULXC5F.png)
Meanwhile, Stalin seizes the occasion to take Europe doggystyle, by invading the remaining Baltic States while all the eyes of the world are on France's struggle for survival. Latvia and Estonia are now under the Bolsheviks' thumb, only Lithuania is safe - with us. :shifty:
(https://i.imgur.com/f84OzoI.png)
On the Western front, the Allies attempt a desperate assault on 1st Fallschirmjäger south of Calais to break out of the pocket: Strategic bombers, tactical bombers, BEF, even 1st French Army trying to annihilate our paratroopers. To no avail, 1st Fallschirmjäger still stands.
(https://i.imgur.com/QwjUEB6.png)
Meanwhile, U-37 is barely out on her first tour that she is literally savaged by the hunter-killers and Escort carrier of the Royal Navy off the Danish coast. Left a sieve barely holding afloat, she is forced back to Cuxhaven for severe refit. :(
(https://i.imgur.com/64DGVdA.png)
Speaking of subs, our Kriegsmarine naval engineers have found a way to improve on the defective TII torpedo and improve on the current Type VII model, i.e. Advanced Subs. Orders are given to refit all our submarines with these recent advances next time they dock.
(https://i.imgur.com/fBRXMkh.png)
Our diplomats have also succeeded in making President de Valera more aligned to our cause in Ireland by a whooping 14%, doubling their relative support. The Irish are really pissed at the breach of the Treaty Ports, and popular movement is pushing to consider joining the Axis.
(https://i.imgur.com/5D7qmjR.png)
They all vote for Jeb Bush in there? :hmm:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuxhaven
Axis Turn 13: Paris is burning
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f4/e4/f8/f4e4f85e4f5a7aecbda2992e6413d184.jpg)
After Goering has ordered the concentration of all flying bombers toward Paris to reduce the stiff resistance fron entrenched French defenders pinning 8th and 14th Armies, plus 3rd Panzer, Paris finally falls when its garrison is shattered. 5th Panzer is given the privilege to enter the capital.
In the North, the main core of the BEF is nigh-on surrounded by 4th and 17th Armies with 1st Panzer swerving around to attempt the pocket. Only 7th Army's heroic resistance saves the BEF from complete encirclement in the battle for Arras.
Our last Medium Bomber is now out of the industries. We lay it in Mainz, even though the war might be effectively over.
The question now is, do we propose terms to end the war now or we go for all-out annexation? Surrender is not assured: Even with Paris now in our hands, there is a chance France might win its roll and refuse to surrender. Each remaining French unit gives a few % boost to resist the roll to surrender.
(https://i.imgur.com/46mVbnb.png)
In Africa, 10th Army cautiously advances toward Siri Barrani. Meanwhile the Ariete Tanks are forced to make a stop in Taranto because our transport's reach is too short to reach Tobruk in one turn - I do not want to risk it being sunk by a raid by the Royal Navy. So I tuck it safely amidst two Battleships.
(https://i.imgur.com/fKHSTK1.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/7vCpssV.png)
Now that we have an available diplomatic chit, I send a diplomat to Stockholm to reassure King Gustaf V that this idea of annexing Sweden is total nonsense. :cool:
(https://i.imgur.com/g1e571o.png)
Ok now just move Renauld to Algeria to keep up the fight!
Or is Daladier still in charge :hmm:
Whichever.
As per your question I think you should encourage Petain and Laval to do their treason. Vichy is not going to cause you much trouble. But hey France fighting on would make me happy so whatever :P
Quote from: Valmy on September 07, 2017, 10:25:12 PM
As per your question I think you should encourage Petain and Laval to do their treason. Vichy is not going to cause you much trouble. But hey France fighting on would make me happy so whatever :P
Vichy France is officially neutral, it is not part of the Axis. Yet. :menace:
Two good arguments in favour of Vichy France... is that I need the Saint-Nazaire pens for my u-boats, if I want to keep the pressure. This port is special because it has all the advantages of a German port, right in the Atlantic. With Advanced Sub I can do a lot of damage to the British war effort.
Also, it significantly boots Spain's pro-Axis stance, which will open u-boat supply ports in the Atlantic. I will use those to springboard my u-boats to mine the Canadian straits near Halifax.
If I keep the war going on, it means that I will need to drive to Bordeaux or break their Morale to 0%. This can take a while, where my units can be better used elsewhere.
Allies Turn 13: Merde!
Well fuck. Shit has just got real. I just got served the Word of Cambronne. :frog:
Despite the fall of Paris, and to the Fuhrer's complete and utter dismay, Paul Reynaud and the French government refuses to surrender. :wacko:
Just like in 1870, the capital has moved to Bordeaux. Despite their abysmally low Nationale Morale (now at 18%) and the hit on British morale now that Paris is in German hands and the Battle of France is on the verge on being lost, Paul Reynaud assures Winston Churchill that France still has some willingness to fight it on.
(https://i.imgur.com/SZfigFp.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/K1pz95K.png)
The French units in front of Rouen retreat towards Normandy, while the BEF reinforces itself to serve as a blocker to stop me from pursuing. The RAF savages 1st Panzer on the estuary of the Somme River, while the elements of French Navy bombards 1st Fallschirmjäger resting in Dunkirk.
Furthermore, the Armies on the Maginot line stay put and fight fanatically, counterattacking at large on the front with mediocre results. While they are threatened to be pocketed, they fight fearlessly to defend the mère-patrie from being overwhelmed on their right wing.
(https://i.imgur.com/zqQhOH6.png)
In Egypt, a counterattack from the Desert Rats, supported by airplanes from a nearby Carrier, absolutely cripples the Italian 10th Army, which will be forced to retreat back behind Bardia. Further reinforcements are mobilized from deeper in Egypt, which does not sound good at all.
(https://i.imgur.com/PnsaM7u.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/dZ5olgI.png)
U-32 and U-35 are spotted by Royal Navy and French escorts, which sortie in mass to attempt to destroy the latter from all sides. U-35 is almost sunk by the Irish coast and will be forced to return to harbor ASAP.
(https://i.imgur.com/PhDa4A4.png)
In a bit of peripherical news, Franco seizes the opportunity from the chaos after the fall of Paris to invade and occupy the International Protectorate Zone of Tangiers.
(https://i.imgur.com/WiVZu23.png)
And... in a wee bit of good news, we improve our Anti-Tank Weapons by 1 thanks to our German researchers at Krupp. Not that it will be useful for now... since the French have no real Tank Group facing us.
(https://i.imgur.com/KWydcNy.png)
Vive la France!!11
Maybe you beat France too quickly and they did not have the chance to recall Petain from Spain? :hmm:
Axis Turn 14: Caging the Lion of Belfort
At the meeting at the Berghof following the refusal of the French government, Hitler and his OKW staff has gathered to decide on what to do next following the success of Fall Gelb.
Rather than rush toward Bordeaux, which we expect to be strongly defended with all its retreating units, instead it was decided to go for the French's weakened jugular:
1. Veer to overtake NM Objectives of Lyon, then Marseille.
2. Thrust through Nancy, Epinal, and Belfort to cut off the supply lines in the undefended rear of the Maginot line. Finally, we will launch a final offensive to destroy the units holding the Maginot line and annihilate them.
3. Order Von Kuchler's Army to annihilate the BEF Army, then push towards Rouen and Orleans to create a secondary front along the Seine River.
With this, we hope that France's weak National Morale will fall down to zero, forcing a surrender through unwillingness to fight.
(https://i.imgur.com/lqIGdUO.png)
The Luftwaffe craps a shit load of bombs on the Corps holding Nancy, after which XII and I Frontier Corps weaken it enough to remove its Zone of Control and destroy it. This allow 4th Panzer to speed through Epinal and capture Belfort. The Maginot line is thus completely isolated from the French mainland. XIV Corps then moves from the Siegfried line to deny the Briey mine to the French.
Alongside, Von Rundstedt's 3rd, 5th, and 21st Panzers rush along the Auxerre railroad and captures Dijon, aiming to lunge towards Lyon supported by 8th Army. This keeps options to bring reinforcements to the Maginot pocket if they start to move back.
In the North, 1st Panzer finally completes the Amiens pocket. Von Kuchler's army completely and finally annihilates the trained, experienced English BEF army right there and then. Calais is overtaken, while we push towards Rouen intending to be a pinning front in the North, while we do the same in front of Orleans.
(https://i.imgur.com/xdbtjlo.png)
In Norway, a British Salmon sub is spotted in the Skaggerak. I send my Destroyers to attack it and push it away from my Norwegian convoy line, while blocking the path in case the British attempt a sortie.
(https://i.imgur.com/OOTvtC0.png)
On the African front, 10th Army retreats behind the line to recuperate. We also reinforce the African Army by transporting the Ariete tanks, 1st Army, and XXIV Corps through Tobruk.
(https://i.imgur.com/IKN8Wr0.png)
Italian researchers also strive to improve our Aerial Warfare doctrine to contend with the RAF in Italy.
(https://i.imgur.com/yJniQ4y.png)
Super Gamelin aurait-il gagné ?
La suite SVP !
Allies Turn 14: Cheese-eating surrender monkeys
July 14th, 1940. The Bastille has fallen.
The Raynaud government is deposed, a new regime dissolving both the National Assembly and the IIIrd Republic. Seeing the writing is on the wall and that if things continue, France will utterly disappear from the face of the Earth, the new French government does no longer want to fight and sues for terms.
(https://i.imgur.com/OcbPloV.png)
Magnanimously, we offer an armistice to the new Chef de l'État français, Maréchal Philippe Pétain, which he accepts to prevent the utter destruction of France. On my side, if I had said no I would have needed to invade all the way to Algiers, and this would have taken at least until Late 1940. So instead Vichy France is created in the game, which starts back officially neutral as a Minor with the remaining "temporarily" occupied until the war is over. :frog:
(https://i.imgur.com/T0vc5UK.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/urVeMty.png)
HOWEVER.. we annex back Alsace-Lorraine and destroy the Maginot line. Take that, Clemenceau. :moon:
(https://i.imgur.com/p3oNfDr.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/VPo7a8G.png)
Algeria, Tunisia, and Syria all declare their allegiance to the continued French State.
(https://i.imgur.com/hatPVw9.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/m3oBlek.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/NYM20H0.png)
Britain recognizes the Free French while the so-called "De Gaulle" foolishly claims that France will continue to fight. Meanwhile, the fall of France drives Spain further in favour of the Axis and they open up channels to export wolfram ore to us for our war industries.
(https://i.imgur.com/egQkNxh.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/rIRIVBO.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ApI3kSY.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/SBQ4xkp.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/YCR0aXn.png)
The war continues, however. The British send their Strategic Bomber to bomb Loos, which costs us 4 MP. However, our Fighter force is now completely free to concentrate on protecting the skies from the Royal Air Force.
(https://i.imgur.com/fP07FTF.png)
In Egypt, it seems the British retreats and abandon Sidi Barrani. A British destroyer and an Escort Carrier spot the Leonardo da Vinci and attack it, causing serious damage. The Carrier also sends his airplanes to bomb Bardia and the Italian Corps resting there.
(https://i.imgur.com/zJLPmtM.png)
Finally, in the Skaggerak strait the British Home Fleet makes a small sortie of another Carrier and a Light Cruiser against our Destroyer fleet, nearly sinking the Z-2 fleet. The British sub escapes in the North Sea, but to what price?
(https://i.imgur.com/zqQ7d5P.png)
Don't ask me why, I always find that picture surreal.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZOBjmTA.png)
La suite !
Axis Turn 15: Situation Assessment
Now that France has been dealt with time has come to make a decision on my strategic aims. It is certain that Britain will not sue for peace, and there certain situations I will have to deal with in short order.
a) Sealion
As the moment, Germany has no Research level in Amphibious Warfare or in Logistics. That means that, as per the rules, I can only field and troops in two amphibious transports at a time, which is the default for Germany.
Even if I invest MPPs to increase my Logistics, Amphibious Warfare, and Long Range Aircraft to cover a large span of the British mainland, this would take me weeks, even months to wait here on the coast. Because of this, we are not prepared at all for going Sealion unless I discover that a port is left completely empty. Unfortunately, the current range and position of my fighters does not allow me to recon further than the Channel and London, and that area seems pretty much covered. It would also need significant investment of my Luftwaffe there, instead of being useful elsewhere.
(https://i.imgur.com/FxdzcxN.png)
Which leads me to go for... the Soviet Union. So the great drive East begins... :menace:
(https://i.imgur.com/COJk2kQ.png)
b) Malta
That spot of rock land right between Libya and Sicily is a constant harassment for my supply lines in Africa. Any serious operation in North Africa requires the reduction of Malta.
Trouble is, a British AA force is planted right there. Regia Aeronautica is far too weak to handle this all by itself, and the presence of that AA would kill any paratroopers immediately dropping there.
So either I leave my Luftwaffe in France for something uncertain - and even foolhardy against Britain, or I deal with Malta. I choose the latter, so I relocate all my Medium and Tactical Bombers to Sicily, plus 7th Fallschirmjäger near Catanzano.
Even then, it will take me quite a while to reduce Malta. Easily until late Fall 1940. I will need the help of the Regia Marina for this.
(https://i.imgur.com/n52nhSJ.png)
c) Yugoslavia and Greece
In time, Mussolini will declare war on Greece. This is pretty much inescapable, but since I have hindsight I will come in prepared. Terrain in Greece is harsh, and even with German troops it will be a long drawn slog due to bad terrain. Thus, I reserve 2 Armies, 3 Corps, and 1 Panzer Unit to go toward Trieste first, then Albania.
Plus, Yugoslavia willl most probably fall under the Allies' spell sooner or later in early 1941. So while all troops will go eastward toward the Soviet Union about a quarter of them will place themselves on the Yugoslavian border to invade it as soon as they start acting weird.
d) North Africa
Toe-to-toe, the Italian Army alone is nowhere strong enough to deal one-on-one with the British Desert Force. Plus, with the fall of France I was dealt shitty hand diplomacy-wise: Vichy and its territories are all VERY neutral towards the Axis. They will be very hard to drive to our side to flank the British in North Africa, even in Syria.
I expect them to be very-well entrenched. Nonetheless I send the Ariete tanks to probe as far as possible, but they stumble on the Desert Reconnaissance force and O'Connor's HQ by surprise. I bring in the rest of my Italian Army and deal significant damage to the HQ but not enough to destroy it. Meanwhile the Ariete division captures Sidi Barrani and inflicts some good damage to their Recon, making it to our advantage for now, while IV Corps threatens a flanking maneuver south of Mersa Matruh.
Leonardo da Vinci retreats to Syracuse while Regia Aeronautica retreats in the rear to refit. I also move Graziani's HQ from Albania to Egypt. I plan instead to send in Von Rundstedt to assist operations in Greece.
(https://i.imgur.com/nhh91z2.png)
I also decide, when Rommel arrives to bring in 2 more Armies, 1 Fighter, and 1st Fallschirmjäger from Germany to North Africa with DAK and Rommel later. 1st Fallschirmjäger is relocated in Brindisi to first refit, then help out in Greece when it'll start.
e) Kriegsmarine
While returning to Cuxhaven to refit, U-30 spots the British Carrier Glorious escorted with a lone Destroyer Squadron. I order the Kriegsmarine to sortie and destroy that Carrier at once. The battle was fierce but unfortunately Glorious escapes destruction by a hair. :(
Deustchland docks in Bergen for resupplying, while U-47 moves through the Channel to dock at Brest before going to the Atlantic. Meanwhile, U-37 is drydock for improvement to Advanced Subs.
(https://i.imgur.com/YTNGem6.png)
The remaining U-boats are in disarray, only 1 u-boat is left in the Atlantic to raid the British lifelines. U-35 escapes in Silent mode to go for the French coast to refit in Saint-Nazaire.
f) Spending
After Strategic Reallocation of my Bombers, Germany has a dizzying 1366 MPPs left to spend after plundering France. The vast, vast majority will go to raise Infantry for Russia. Armies first, then Corps second.
I buy this a whooping 5 Armies, then 1 Corps to go East. :cry:
(https://i.imgur.com/6Opfye9.png)
It has been like two weeks and all we get is a "situation assessment".
History will record the Axis failed because leadership got distracted and did other stuff like surf the internet and post on languish. :(
Quote from: alfred russel on October 02, 2017, 04:58:17 PM
It has been like two weeks and all we get is a "situation assessment".
History will record the Axis failed because leadership got distracted and did other stuff like surf the internet and post on languish. :(
I got distracted both by real-life stuff, two PBEM games of SCWWII and retaking learning to play WITE by PBEM as the Soviets. Gave myself a little break :blush:
Eagerly awaiting your next update :)
Quote from: crazy canuck on October 19, 2017, 10:24:42 AM
Eagerly awaiting your next update :)
I can provide your update:
August, 1940. The Axis war machine grinds to a complete halt, as German leadership becomes preoccupied with the 2017 Catalonian Independence Movement.
:lol:
I am glad to see that my humble AAR is rousing such passion among you guys. :lol:
Real life has overtaken me. But do not worry, I do intend to continue. Plus the game has had quite a few patches these last few weeks that, hopefully, we will see the AI act... different.
Currently 25 % off on Steam, for those interested, till the 23rd.
Quote from: Drakken on October 20, 2017, 07:59:43 AM
But do not worry, I do intend to continue.
:thumbsup:
I think I picked the wrong AAR to read. What is going on in this game???? I will likely never know. :(
Yes, the game had had numerous updates and game changes when I came back to continue the AAR, so I was forced to give it up. :(