GD1938 Game 6

[Jonathan Pollard]

The Chinese government is pleased to announce that Chile has joined the confederation of nations willing to stand up against the Yankee imperialist threat.

[ironduke1955]

The Soviet Union launched its long awaited offensive against the Germans on the Eastern Front. The reasons require little explanation the Germans have crushed Poland Influenced the following countries Turkey Finland and Rumania. No offer was made to share in their spoils and a overture by the soviets was snubbed out of hand. Threats have been made of a undiplomatic nature unfounded accusations of lying have been made directed at the Kremlin that have proved unfounded attempts to besmirch the good name of the Soviet Union have been made at every opportunity. So war it is to the death.

The Offensive was launched first by the Ukranian Front Under Georgii Zhukov who broke through the German Czech Command and captured his objective Lvov. Markam Popov Commanding the Bylorussian Front broke through the German 3rd Army and elements of OKW and took his objective Vilnius. 2nd Army and Leningrad front commanded by Alexandre Kusnetsov Broke through the German 3rd Army and OKW to take its objective Konigsberg. The Soviet Air force gained air mastery roaming as far as Warsaw. Losses were lighter than expected the only losses reaching parity were armor with the older soviet models proving not up to the task. These are quickly being replaced with the new T34 1941 models. Some 32 of the newest german 109's were shot down twice as many as the Soviet Yak DD.

[cpdeyoung]

GOWN welcomes the mighty Soviet Union to the fray!

In support of the brave Red Army we went all out this turn on the Iberian front, the Turkish front and in air and
naval attacks.

In the Med we amphibiously assaulted Palma and Sardinia, capturing Palma, and half of Sardinia. However we suffered
a grievous setback when we attempted to take Marseilles. We thought to slip into an undefended city, but on landing
found a German and an Italian division there. Our troops caused very light damage to the enemy but we were destroy-
ed. in a remarkable psychological quirk the survivors hallucinated and thought they were assaulting Dieppe on the
Atlantic coast. Doctors have no idea why this delusion occurred.

In Spain we captured Valencia, and Madrid, and caused considerable damage to Axis units. We did find a large concen-
tration of German artillery, really massive, along with a strong panzer division on the northern coast. Analysts are
wondering if they Germans will be able to leave these forces in the West, or if they will head for the Eastern Front.
We would not be sorry to see them go.

Strategic bombers attacked Naples and suffered heavier losses than expected. Strategic bombing is proving expensive.

On the Turkish front we attacked out of Lebanon isolating a Turkish cavalry force. The Red Army is to the north of
our forces, and we left the USSR an attack path.

Naval forces of the Royal and Republican forces destroyed a U-Boat wolf pack.

Here are the loss statistics for the month :

[cpdeyoung]

The Franco-British command has released a map of the situation in Spain :

[Twotribes]

Sorry guys a bit depressed and unable to do my turn, I will do it sometime in the morning, sorry.

[ironduke1955]

Sorry to hear it, I hoped you are not depressed because of the game. Take it from me as a ex chess fanatic, lose a game learn from it reset the pieces and play again. Only way to improve.

[ironduke1955]

Leningrad Front captured Stettin and is now 200 KM from Berlin, Ukranian Front have taken Poznan, Bylorussian Front Have taken Warsaw, Rumanian front are Engaged in a war of attrition with the dogged German Rumanian Army.

[Twotribes]

Is there really any reason to continue? I can probably slow down the allies but I have nothing to stop the Soviets in the east.

[ernieschwitz]

Maybe I made the soviets too powerful... Or at least able to plot a course that makes them very powerful...

[ironduke1955]

Claus is looking at this now I feel the problem first of all may be qualatitive in the 1941 the Soviet army was huge but you could argue that its quality was 50% efficiency, the Germans quality much higher. My army Quality is currently equal to the Germans I have done nothing to earn this. Their could be a argument for making 100% combat efficiency almost unattainable for any power since it would represent perfect doctrinal and training perfection. Factories I suggested having upgradeable cities rather than factories. With a higher cost to raise GDP.

[ernieschwitz]

I am thinking of making some changes, because the way this game has turned out, but I want to know for sure what the different players think, and what they experienced.

Some of the changes I am considering:

- Less staff for the Soviets, making them start at 50% staff or so, could be a somewhat interesting change. Currently they start at 75% staff.

- A card that needs to be bought for quite a few PPs to increase the quality of the Soviet Forces. Not quite sure what shape or form this is to take at present, so ideas are welcome. Maybe something along the lines of the Break Isolationism card, where you get 1% each time it is played.

- More nerfing of soviet troops, to the point where they are 75% effective (although i don´t like this since non-soviets controlled by soviets are at 80%).

- Starting the Soviet Union at 50% economic efficiency, instead of 80%.

Any other ideas?

[Twotribes]

You know I think the Soviets should not have more PP then the Germans at start but this may not be the game to see if that is right, remember we waited till 1941 for the Soviets to become active. That allowed all that PP to be used to build things that might not have happened if war had happened sooner.

[ernieschwitz]

Yes, Twotribes, I realize that...

But Ironduke has some points, that I think are valid, especially that he didn´t really have to do anything (or much) to increase the quality of his troops. I think that I need to change that, at least.

[ironduke1955]

The mechanism by which the Soviets changed their military doctrines was in effect the war with Germany. So 50% to 75% ? efficiency of Soviet forces until they are involved in a major war with a opponent such as Germany.

The Soviets failed badly against Finland but defeated the Japanese in 1938 truth is the Japanese were not that great either. So Soviets 75% efficiency versus Japanese 75% ?

Finnish 100% efficiency ?

[Twotribes]

You massed tanks against the Japanese, again because you had so much PP. The Japanese only had type I tanks and type II light tanks. I had to balance supplies with creating better tanks. My anti tank guns were only type II as well and not very many.

[Twotribes]

Remember the type I Japanese tank is not very good against other tanks as well.

[ernieschwitz]

Well clearly the for Russia card is going to change.

I think I will make it a 5% quality increase in efficiency, and over 5 turns... Perhaps turning it off again when the invaders have been thrown out of Russia proper.

[ironduke1955]

I have suggested removing factories and having upgradeable cities and making it harder to increase GDP I have 10+ factories that's 6,000 production per factory 60,000 total.
Moscow has 20,000 production so in effect the Soviet union has 3 additional capitals. Its not that the Soviets have to much PP only that production is perhaps to cheap to obtain.

Japan did lose a short land war against the Soviet Union. This created complacency in the Kremlin and Improvements in Tokyo. But also a beliefe that a land war against the Soviets would be unwinnable.

And to be honest the Japanese have a lot more to gain from a strategy of Naval based conquest Oil and Coal resources are abundant and the western allies constitute much less of a problem militarily than a land war against the Soviets or the Chinese for that matter.


And when I say that the western allies constitute much less of a problem militarily that is not a reflection on any particular player of the Western Allies, but a assessment of the lack of resources available to the French and British in the early stages of the war considering the demands of the European theatre.

[cpdeyoung]

Why would we not continue the game?

I was having a great time, and invested 60-80 hours into this game. I know China has played well and probably wants to play it out too.

Are we not playing it out? Is the Soviet Union about to win?

Chuck

[Twotribes]

Depends on the Soviets victory conditions but he will have Berlin and most of Germany in 2 to 3 turns.