Supply : Here is the result. Panzers out of fuel.
The germans should be unstoppable in this scenario. This has been a month of war and I think that some days you have to consider to cease the offensive just to reorganise the units, give them some rest if needed. Like in the real war. We have gamers the habbit of attacking without interruption or our troops need some rest sometimes !.
Olivier has asked me to post my thoughts on the game from a German perspective. The scenario we chose was no Dyle plan and extra BEF divisions and 300 Spitfires. To balance the game the Germans were given extra days to complete their task. I had decided to try and destroy as many Dutch units as possible without enduring to many casualties rather than try and capture VPs. This worked well and they capitulated quickly with only 1% German casualties. I attempted to do this with the Belgians which was not as easy: they were better prepared and had dug in. I had decided not to assault Brussels but bypass it. I knew that it would eventually fall without wasting many Germans lives on it. I decided to push hard in the south near Reims which caught Olivier unawares, but all my mobile units were concentrated in the centre (a mistake as when I pushed him back I did not have fast moving units to capitilise and the French had many tank units in that area to defend. I held back attacking the BEF in the centre because I was using my air support to attack further south and I was aware that the BEF artillery could do a lot of damage without being under attack from my luftwaffe. Everything was going reasonably well however I made the dreadful mistake of not moving my main HQs forward along with the army HQs and Corp HQs. Of course the whole army became low on supply and lost efficiency. What was an exciting game for both of us with only 3 VPs to capture went a bit flat when the Germans were incapable of making any headway. As always it is a game of what-ifs. Olivier had made the mistake of not having his airforce set to interdict so the Luftwaffe were bombing with impunity. How different could it have been if the Spitfires and French fighters were in the air earlier in the battle. My own thoughts are that the Germans really needed to make a major breakthrough immediately after the Belgians surrendered. Not an easy task with Olivier at his defensive best. My reason for this assumption is that when the allies were pushed back further into France the frontage they had to defend narrowed, and the nearer they were to supplies and fresh troops. (They received regular fresh divisions from Paris which could be moved quickly into place). If the Germans had normal supply it is possible that the BEF could have collapsed in the last week. Perhaps we will have to have a rematch to see if the result would be different.
thank you two for a great game and a very enjoyable aar.
Olivier again stopped a german player. makes me almost want to challenge him on this scenario.
Thanks to Kolinsky. I had a great time defending my home country ! Keunert, I would be pleased to defend it again against you this time. Don't know if you want to play a variant. I would like the variant "900 Somuas have been built in 1938 and are at the disposal of the french army" [:D] and the one "The Maginot line has reach the Channel"
if i can take the italian attack variant plus the tiger is built in 1940' variant. i will look at it and send you a pm later today.
you have made a great game.
I think the scenario provides a really interesting glimpse of possibility. Maybe if the Dyle Plan had been avoided and the French acted as you led them here, the front could have remained stable...
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