Turn 50: New Plans
The entire game so far has been a total shit show. Not only have I made disastrous decisions, missing both opportunities and important messages and circumstance, I’ve also been sickeningly unlucky, paired with some good luck on Wills part particularly in the diplomacy department. The entry of Spain on top of everything else may very well be a death blow to the campaign.
This turn followed suit in terms of my own never ending supply of incompetence. I hadn’t even realized Iraq was actually in the war, and have thus completely failed to move the unit stationed there. I think it’s been like that for 20 odd turns or so. The message was missed in the slew of other information, and a country on war footing is graphically indistinguishable from a neutral one (barring clicking on cities and reading the “100% axis leaning”). So yeah. That sucks.
In general I find the UI and message prompting in this new game the worst aspect of it, among many other interesting improvements. It’s an overall downgrade where everything is noticeably harder to follow and distinguish. I -never- made these kinds of mistakes in the old games, even as a complete newbie.
As of right now the game looks well and truly lost due to everything compounded. I’ll play on through 42 and see if it’s worth continuing. But, I’ll make a serious attempt until then.
Well then. Let’s see if we can change the tune of this AAR a little bit.
NorthEast Front
The Axis are pressing in on all sides at leningrad. With the Soviets losing the winter war and their extremely low income they have limited forces at hand. The only thing keeping the Axis now is the weather. Leningrad is going to fall quickly in the spring, and maybe even before then.
Seeing as Vorzilov is at risk of being cut off inside the pocket I moved him out this turn, and spotting a paratrooper near Leningrad I reinforced Volkhov and Novgorod.
Another issue is that the finns are advancing way north, having cut off Murmansk and closing in. I failed to place defenses here, and one of Wills corps slaughtered the first Garrison before I could react. Bad times.
SouthEast Front
In the south the Germans have started digging in near Kursk, Dneptotovsk fell last turn, and the last Army is cowering in its’ fortifications.
With the low readiness and around the Axis lines, as well as widespread damage on display here, I sense a possible opportunity. It’s december, and the Russian winter event is bound to start kicking in soon. I really should have prepared this much sooner, but my brain has been on full tilt, let’s try to fix that.
Unfortunately, perhaps on purpose, Will has declined to advance far enough to trigger the Siberians early, that leaves me with few offensive units to work wit, and few HQs as well. Regardless, I am assembling a small strike force around Orel, perhaps to continue south before reinforcing. I need to do some kind of damage following the winter effects to blunt the coming summer offensive of 42.
