MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR)

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

wasn't there a set of CW convoy set-ups made for the AI one could use as a time-saver?

I agree, the Chinese need to double-stack for safety. Chengchow is worth defending though, with two units it might take the Japanese several impulses to take, perhaps only in 1940 if they focus on the North Monsoon zone for the first winter of the game. All that time is additional defense for Si-An. Also China needs to be very careful with the MIL units that can't be replaced as their home city is controlled by Japan; using them on low-threat hexes and as emergency reserves. I would save their only fighter for defense against strategic bombing in Chungking.

There is/are setups, but I decided to try somthing a little different with this one, avoiding as much as possible the Japanese Navy:
-----
By the way, the verdict is pneumonia. [:(]


You'll notice I'm short 3 CP in Cape St. Vincent, and 4 CP short in Bay of Biscay, but I should be able to get those from the minors that the CW aligns in S/O '39.

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

I'd also like to throw my 2 cents in saying that I'd recommend a double-stack ZoC defense, possibly punctuated by mobile units (the Japanese can't hope to cover everything either) Remember, the Japanese planes have awful Tac factors, the chances of risking both guys to flipping are pretty small. I do have a bunch of ideas for a Chinese setup, but with the new map and all, I'd really rather want to wait before I get my chance to play with it before suggesting anything possibly idiotic.


Scrap wise, I probably wouldn't bother with the Sparviero, but that's only because I can't *ever* remember building an Italian carrier anyway

I'm not sure I'd scrap the French 75 mm. He's just as strong as his equivalents in the AT and AA fields, and field guns are always nice, especially on the Italian front.

For the Soviets, I like to keep the 3-1 but also get rid of the 4-5 MOT, and the trio of 3-3 inf. They might be useful later on, but you don't have enough build points to max out the force pools in the event of either the '41 or '42 attacks anyway; and I like having the stronger factors for both greater strength when the blitz comes, and a better chance during any attacks I might make on Romania, Finland, or Persia. (and I hate MOTs, but that's just me)

I also scrap the 5-4 MOT with the CW a lot. I mean, he could be real nice later on, and I realize that, but doing so insures you start with the two strong ones; since they're often your mobile reserve in those critical early game turns, and do things like conquer Portugal and fight in North Africa, even an extra factor or two can be worth it, IMO.


Convoy wise, if you don't have one set up already, I can put one together in about an hour if you want me to. Food in Flames (I never actually played with it myself ) gives you a bonus for directly importing a resource to the UK from each of India, Australia, and South Africa, right?


EDIT: NVM about the convoy thing; I hadn't refreshed since the time Red Prince uploaded his post

EDIT #2: You can save a convoy point going by the west coast of Australia, shipping through Cape Naturliste, SE Indian Ocean, SW Indian Ocean, Mozambique Channel, and then up the coast of Africa, instead of going through the Panama Canal. I'm also a little unclear as to why you have 4 CP in the Indian ocean and 4 more in the Azanian Sea. Is there some bonus you get for shipping all 4 Indian resources directly to the UK? I am teh n00b when it comes to Food in Flames

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

I'd also like to throw my 2 cents in saying that I'd recommend a double-stack ZoC defense, possibly punctuated by mobile units (the Japanese can't hope to cover everything either) Remember, the Japanese planes have awful Tac factors, the chances of risking both guys to flipping are pretty small. I do have a bunch of ideas for a Chinese setup, but with the new map and all, I'd really rather want to wait before I get my chance to play with it before suggesting anything possibly idiotic.


Scrap wise, I probably wouldn't bother with the Sparviero, but that's only because I can't *ever* remember building an Italian carrier anyway

I'm not sure I'd scrap the French 75 mm. He's just as strong as his equivalents in the AT and AA fields, and field guns are always nice, especially on the Italian front.

For the Soviets, I like to keep the 3-1 but also get rid of the 4-5 MOT, and the trio of 3-3 inf. They might be useful later on, but you don't have enough build points to max out the force pools in the event of either the '41 or '42 attacks anyway; and I like having the stronger factors for both greater strength when the blitz comes, and a better chance during any attacks I might make on Romania, Finland, or Persia. (and I hate MOTs, but that's just me)

I also scrap the 5-4 MOT with the CW a lot. I mean, he could be real nice later on, and I realize that, but doing so insures you start with the two strong ones; since they're often your mobile reserve in those critical early game turns, and do things like conquer Portugal and fight in North Africa, even an extra factor or two can be worth it, IMO.


Convoy wise, if you don't have one set up already, I can put one together in about an hour if you want me to. Food in Flames (I never actually played with it myself ) gives you a bonus for directly importing a resource to the UK from each of India, Australia, and South Africa, right?


EDIT: NVM about the convoy thing; I hadn't refreshed since the time Red Prince uploaded his post

I always build the Italian CV (with German help), which is why I scrapped the dinky one. I debated tossing out the 3-3 Soviet INF, but decided against it. If I'm going to run a Close the Med again, it likely means a '42 Barbarossa, so I might not be harmed by keeping them around. Similarly, I kept the CW MOT because I got burned by a lack of units last time. I have units in position to get the London MIL & the 7-3 white print over to Gibraltar the impulse after they arrive, so I'm not worried about that yet. (Except as Germany).

The difficulty with seting up CW convoys comes from the fact that it isn't at war yet, so all of that oil takes up convoys to get to production facilities when you'd rahter save them . . . but you can only save one until the 2nd impulse, so it gets a little confusing where you need to place your convoys to make sure everything is going where you want it.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge



EDIT #2: You can save a convoy point going by the west coast of Australia, shipping through Cape Naturliste, SE Indian Ocean, SW Indian Ocean, Mozambique Channel, and then up the coast of Africa, instead of going through the Panama Canal. I'm also a little unclear as to why you have 4 CP in the Indian ocean and 4 more in the Azanian Sea. Is there some bonus you get for shipping all 4 Indian resources directly to the UK? I am teh n00b when it comes to Food in Flames

This was so I could send the Malayan RP to India, and then the Indian RP to the UK . . . . doesn't really matter how it works. I just wanted as few convoys in the vacinity of Japan as possible. Same reason for sending the Aussie RP through Panama.

[brian brian]

you're thinking too far ahead on the CW convoys....the whole Indian Ocean gets shut down temporarily by a good Japanese player anyway

you need a convoy point (or a French one) in the Red Sea to supply Egypt even if it isn't moving a resource

I scrap that French 2-2 Gun. The anti-tank assets are far more valuable. I even use a CW loan to build the 1940 AA unit. Priceless on the 2d10 table. I also keep the US 'magic transport'. It's cheaper, and it gets stuff to Europe (eventually), and is a re-org point. I never scrap any Western Allied lift. They can afford it all, and use it all too. I keep the Japanese ART, they need every Ground Strike roll they can get in the mountains of China, even a 4BP one, and which doesn't count against action limits.

I keep the 3-3 Soviet INF. Every warm-body helps against a '41 Barb, even the 2-1 GARR (always lives in Lodz under my command). The key is scrapping them after first loss and always improving the average quality of the Russian army. (So the 4-factors go too, and eventually the 5-factor). If you don't, and just keep building them, you will suddenly discover the great funneling as you approach central Europe and you will have far more units than you can ever use again. Spend the surplus from having a smaller INF pool build-out on O-Chits, you'll need them.

An Italian CV is great fun IF they can break out of their 'lake'. It is nearly useless in the Med itself, vs. the same BPs spent on land-based air. I sometimes lay down the Aquila on the first turn. If the Italians can't be the wandering bag-lady pushing a shopping cart on the Axis team, who can? The Graf Zeppelin is also great fun and just it's existence on the board can be a subtle pressure on the CW. The Japanese will applaud.

Your Axis strategy is one of eating the whole cake. I like the optimism. But Gibraltar, Suez, and aligning the Middle East all in time for a 1941 Barbarossa shouldn't be all that probable against good Allied play.

CW Transport set-up was mentioned....I find the CW has little choice but to be ready for a France First with their TRS set-up. Sending two White Print / Elite to Gibraltar is certainly "safe" but is a bit of overkill really. All the CW has to do is keep a close eye on Italian lift and landing capacities and defend accordingly. The anywhere at-start British INF and a gun is more than enough to defend against what Italy can throw at the Rock at-start = 2 land + 2 SB = 4 : 16 = 1-4 = -4 on 2d10 = success on 19 or 20 only, IF everything survives the Royal Navy, which will have an impulse to respond before three Italian divisions can actually land (not possible on a Combined). Almost any two units the CW can deploy there will be enough until the Axis get AMPHs or MARines in range. I would rather use the White Print in Malta with an early TRS move. (Hint: use Gort to re-org one or two of them in France for additional lift on the first turn).

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

you're thinking too far ahead on the CW convoys....the whole Indian Ocean gets shut down temporarily by a good Japanese player anyway

you need a convoy point (or a French one) in the Red Sea to supply Egypt even if it isn't moving a resource

I scrap that French 2-2 Gun. The anti-tank assets are far more valuable. I even use a CW loan to build the 1940 AA unit. Priceless on the 2d10 table. I also keep the US 'magic transport'. It's cheaper, and it gets stuff to Europe (eventually), and is a re-org point. I never scrap any Western Allied lift. They can afford it all, and use it all too. I keep the Japanese ART, they need every Ground Strike roll they can get in the mountains of China, even a 4BP one, and which doesn't count against action limits.

I keep the 3-3 Soviet INF. Every warm-body helps against a '41 Barb, even the 2-1 GARR (always lives in Lodz under my command). The key is scrapping them after first loss and always improving the average quality of the Russian army. (So the 4-factors go too, and eventually the 5-factor). If you don't, and just keep building them, you will suddenly discover the great funneling as you approach central Europe and you will have far more units than you can ever use again. Spend the surplus from having a smaller INF pool build-out on O-Chits, you'll need them.

An Italian CV is great fun IF they can break out of their 'lake'. It is nearly useless in the Med itself, vs. the same BPs spent on land-based air. I sometimes lay down the Aquila on the first turn. If the Italians can't be the wandering bag-lady pushing a shopping cart on the Axis team, who can? The Graf Zeppelin is also great fun and just it's existence on the board can be a subtle pressure on the CW. The Japanese will applaud.

Your Axis strategy is one of eating the whole cake. I like the optimism. But Gibraltar, Suez, and aligning the Middle East all in time for a 1941 Barbarossa shouldn't be all that probable against good Allied play.

CW Transport set-up was mentioned....I find the CW has little choice but to be ready for a France First with their TRS set-up. Sending two White Print / Elite to Gibraltar is certainly "safe" but is a bit of overkill really. All the CW has to do is keep a close eye on Italian lift and landing capacities and defend accordingly. The anywhere at-start British INF and a gun is more than enough to defend against what Italy can throw at the Rock at-start = 2 land + 2 SB = 4 : 16 = 1-4 = -4 on 2d10 = success on 19 or 20 only, IF everything survives the Royal Navy, which will have an impulse to respond before three Italian divisions can actually land (not possible on a Combined). Almost any two units the CW can deploy there will be enough until the Axis get AMPHs or MARines in range. I would rather use the White Print in Malta with an early TRS move. (Hint: use Gort to re-org one or two of them in France for additional lift on the first turn).

Item 1: with the optional rules I've chosen, all I need is to prevent Italy from entereing the Red Sea, of just stick a few SCS of my own in it.
Item 2: I'm not using the 2d10 CRT
Item 3: With Germany going headlong into France, there is really little the BEF can do there except die. Concerning Gibraltar, you are still working under the belief that I am using the 2d10 CRT. I'm not. That changes things a lot. Plus, Italy is not the main threat to Gibraltar -- Germany is.
Item 4: I am "hoping" for a late '41 Barbarossa, but not expecting it.
Item 5: In order to replicate the conditions of the previous game, I can "cheat" whenever I damn well feel like it.

This last item isn't condoning cheating. I am just irritated to have spent 2 1/2 months working on it, only to lose everything. If my goal is to test how a Close the Med works and how an early US War Appropriations changes things, well by golly, I'm a'gonna cheat to get that done.

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

Pardon me, I'm still not following why you're transporting massive amounts of resources from India instead of just shipping over the far less CP expensive ones from Canada. If the 4 CP in the Carribean are shipping 1 res from Australia and the three from Venezuela, then you're only adding 1 resource from Canada, and they're your easiest ships.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

Pardon me, I'm still not following why you're transporting massive amounts of resources from India instead of just shipping over the far less CP expensive ones from Canada. If the 4 CP in the Carribean are shipping 1 res from Australia and the three from Venezuela, then you're only adding 1 resource from Canada, and they're your easiest ships.

Gimme a sec, and I'll give you a breakdown of where everything is going: (to be edited)

Okay, let's start with the 3 RP from Australia: 1 goes to Melbourne, 1 goes to Montreal, and 1 goes to the UK (by way of the Panama Canal)
Next, let's look at the Venezuelan Oil: all 3 are going to be shipped by way of the USA to be saved in Canada
The Estevan Oil in Canada stays there to be saved, while 4 of the 5 RP get shipped across the Atlantic to the UK, the last one going to Toronto

Moving to the East side of the map, the 2 Malayan RP use up the Indian factories, which means those 4 Indian RP need to be shipped to the UK. I take the long route, because I hate trying to keep convoys safe in the Med. Along the way, those 4 RP meet up with 4 more in the Gulf of Guinea (2 from South Africa, 1 from N. Rhodesia, and 1 from the Belgian Congo). In Cape Verde, you have 2 more to ship, from British Guyana and Dutch Guyana.

That's why I say there are 3 CP missing from Cape St. Vincent and 4 from Bay of Biscay. They'll be needed.

So, I've left out the Oil in Port of Spain, the Oil from Persia, the Oil in Burma, and the Oil from the NEI. Well, all can be saved in place or in nearby locations. In fact, I set up a French CP in the Caribbean so the CW could ship the Port of Spain oil to Martinique.

Does this explain my reasoning?

[Titan]

Is there an option to have hex's under ones control shaded instead of the flags, the flags i find look abit distracting and busy. That would be my preference anyway plus the nice art works gets abit less obvious with those flags.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Titan

Is there an option to have hex's under ones control shaded instead of the flags, the flags i find look abit distracting and busy. That would be my preference anyway plus the nice art works gets abit less obvious with those flags.

Well, there are two things for that. First, you can always turn the flags off. Second, the closer you zoom in, the less "busy" they seem to be:

[Red Prince]

Everyone interested in this project, please pardon me if I get (or sound) grouchy. I get sick maybe once every 2-3 years, but when I do it is usually pretty bad, and i'm one of the most ornery sick people you'll ever run into.

With pneumonia, if you've never had it, every morning you wake up in a panic that lasts fro about 15 minutes while you try to get oxygen into your lungs. This usually means non-stop deep lung coughing while you are trying to inhale a puff or two of Albuterol (which does a wonderful job of clearing your lungs -- if you can keep it in). During these 15 minutes, you feel like you are going to suffocate to death. Not particularly pleasant. And, if you are like me (an evil smoker), you have to limit yourself to 2-3 cigarettes a day. That can put you a little on edge.

So, my point is that I am going to try to continue to be as helpful and responsive as I can during my illness. It gives me great pleasure to work on MWiF and to respond to questions both visually and philosophically. However, if I grump a little (or more than a little), please forgive me. My computer problems have also been an aggitation, and with limited energy, there is little I can do to completel the massive projects I had planned until I am well again.

None of this means you shouldn't argue with me or question my idiotic moves (oh, boy, are you gonna rip apart my Japanese setup). It just means that you shouldn't be phazed if my responses are slightly less jovial than normal. It's not eye surgery or a kidney stone (though I've been through that), but I may have just come off a coughing fit so violent that I ended up vomiting. That tends to take a little bit of my joviality away, ya know. I'm also having a lot of difficulty eating, and if you've read/seen Harry Potter (7th book/movie), you know that a hungry man is a grumpy man.

I'm doing my best, because I know this is important to you while you wait for the time when you can finally play MWiF for yourself. It's important for me, too, to keep my spirits up.

On that note, I want to thank all of you who have been active participants, and also those who just look in to see how things are progressing. It's very encouraging.

-Aaron

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: michaelbaldur

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

* Delay Defence

I like that you have put the HQ in the Russian zone .... I always build the HQ with cw later in the war ......

If Poland is conquered, how can you build the polish HQ later?

Although it's sort of cheating, I've decided to use this Delay Defence when I set up Poland (even though I haven't even finished setting up Germany yet). Mostly, it's because the idea that Michael presents intrigues me about the CW having the ability to build an extra HQ later on. I've tried a number of Polish defensive positions in my games, and none of them last until N/D '39, so I figure I might as well try something different this time.

As I said, it's cheating, but my goal is to try to get into a similar position I was in previously when everything went the way of the dodo, so letting Germany remain strong supports that position.

As I said, I do want input from all of you, but at the risk of sounding crass, I'd like that input to be directed toward the goals I have put forth . . . rather than "other" things I should do. Feel free to state your ideas, but be aware that I do have an agenda. [:)]

[Red Prince]

The order of events I need to follow to get the Balkans the way they were before (they way I want to play them) is:

• Ge/It both DOW Greece
• Germany aligns Bulgaria (the 3-3 INF can take control of Salonica, allowing Italian units to move there)
• Germany DOW Hungary
• USSR claims Bessarabia (perhaps stupidly), but Rumania allows the claim (preferably in '40)
• Germany then Denies the claims by both Bulgaria and Hungary
• Germany aligns Rumania as a Full Ally during the next Axis DOW step
• Germany and Italy continue to pound on Greece, if it isn't already conquered
• Once Italy controls Athens, it can align Yugoslavia[/u]
  This then gives both Italy and Germany a good set of ports to transport units to Syria (which Italy has hopefully conquered, too), and the German attempt at sliding i the back door of the USSR can continue.
  
  So, here is the likely choice for a defense of Hungary:
  

  ORIGINAL: peskpesk
  
  * Capital defence 39+ B
  
  

  This depends somewhat on where the German troops happen to be at the time of the DOW. If there are few troops in Austria, this may be a better choice:
  

  ORIGINAL: peskpesk
  
  * Capital defence 39+ A
  
  

  I haven't even looked at the options for Greece yet.

[Red Prince]

Based on what I think I understood by reading what Peter wrote, the Netherlands will be using the "risky" Border Defense:

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

* Border Defence

[Red Prince]

As for Belgium, I can't really find anythng that lists an effective defense if Germany holds Rotterdam, so I'm going to go with the River Defense, I think . . . perhaps the City Defense instead, but I intend to get Germany units into Rotterdam if it kills me (or them, as it were), so this is what it will look like:

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

* River Defence

For all of these, please make suggestions and objections. The only one I'm going to stick to for certain is the Polish setup, because I want to play with Michael's idea of the HQ being rebuilt.

[Red Prince]

Finished setting up:

New Game for 09.02.05

US Entry Markers:
2 to Ge/It Pool: (2238 [4], 2075 [3])
1 to Ja Pool: (2688 [4])

USA scrapped 8 units (FTR-2, 5 x CVP-0, TRS, SUB)
USSR scrapped 5 units (FTR-2, TRS, 2 x GARR, MOT)
Italy scrapped 6 units (2 x FTR-2, CV, TRS, SUB, ART)
Italy plans to take Corsica and Syria early, then focus on Greece, in order to align Yugoslavia

Nationalist China scrapped 3 units (FTR-2, LND-3, CL)
Nationalist China set up an extremely forward defense

CW scrapped 12 units (6 x CVP-0, 2 x CVP-1, LND-3, TRS, 2 x SUB)
Liner set up to deliver Sydney MIL to Singapore
TRS set up in London and Brisbane to deliver white print Reserves to Gibraltar
HQ-I Gort set up in Portsmouth to reorg the white print units, along with a TRS to worry the Germans
CW needs 3 more CP in Cape St. Vincente, 4 more in Bay of Biscay

France scrapped 10 units (4 x CVP-1, 2 x LND-3, FTR-2, TRS, SUB, ART)
With 2 TERR in Syria, the INF can be moved to Nice
CP in Caribbean is to get the Port of Spain Oil to Martinique and a US OIl to Guadeloupe
The East Coast, N. Atlantic, and Bay of Biscay CP are to get either RP or Oil to France istslf from the USA
The INF Division in Nice is in case France gets surprise on Italy and can invade somewhere

Japan scrapped 11 units (4 x CVP-0, 1 x NAV-2, 1 x LND-2, 3 x TRS, 1 x SUB, 1 x ART)
Japan plans to begin with a Land Action to try to break part of the southern line, then switch to the north

Germany scrapped 9 units (3 x FTR-2, 2 x TRS, 3 x SUB, 1 x INF)
Germany is set up to obliterate Poland, smash Hungary, crush the Danes, roll slowly through Netherlands and Belgium, and then take on France.
In the meantime, they have a lot of plans in the Balkans.

As is standard for S/O '39 of a Global War, here is the weather:

[Red Prince]

I finally got around to looking at the options for Greece, and as it turns out, the one that Peter "recommends" for the situation I have in mind is the one I typically use:

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

* Rear defence 39/40/41

[composer99]

For Belgium given you expect Germany to hold Rotterdam I suggest two units in Antwerp and 1 in Liege.

Really, as long as Germany has the strength to secure Antwerp on the surprise impulse and has units in place to secure the Belgian resource hex, there is no real chance of stopping the Germans from getting across the Maas & the Dyle rivers.

But the above set-up at least slows down the seizure of Brussels. And if they flub the Antwerp attack, then the other Allies can even still get in there and slow them up even further.

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

If it's not too late to change the convoy setup, I would like to recommend the following.

Keep the way you're shipping the Australia resources, one to Canada and one to the UK (cost, 15 CP)

Ship the 3 Venezuelan oil and the 5 Canadian resources to the UK cost (27 CP)

Two from British Guyana, across Cape Verde, and then up Cape St Vincent and the Bay of Biscay (cost, 8 CP)

One from India, around the coast of Africa (cost, 8 CP)


Ship 3 from South Africa, through the gulf of Guinea and up the coast (cost, 12 CP)

This gives you full production for only 70 CP. For oil....



Put two CP in each of the Bay of Bengal and the East Indian Ocean; this lets you both ship the two NEI oil to India, and to trace directly to the Burmese oil. Unless you lose Kuwait (or the soviets invade) you can rail the Buesher oil directly into Egypt or Kuwait and use that for reorg, (you'll need a CP in either the red sea or the persian gulf. This nets you full production, 4 oil a turn for reorg, all 3 food in flames countries (I think I'm doing Food in Flames right, but I'm not entirely sure) You'll have 7 CP to either help the French with or hold in reserve, plus whatever you pick up from the minors.


Don't worry too much about what this leaves open to the Japanese, they're not going to declare war on you before the Germans attack the Dutch and the Belgians, which frees up two more resources that are easy ships, and the CP to use them. You can then abandon your operation with the NEI if it feels too hot and just trace drectly to the British Guyana oil, or do the thing with shipping the Venezuelan oil to canada. You can also attack Portugal for their resource. (Won't work if the Germans go into the Med, but setting up, the British have no way of knowing that.)


Hope this helps somewhat.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: composer99

For Belgium given you expect Germany to hold Rotterdam I suggest two units in Antwerp and 1 in Liege.

Really, as long as Germany has the strength to secure Antwerp on the surprise impulse and has units in place to secure the Belgian resource hex, there is no real chance of stopping the Germans from getting across the Maas & the Dyle rivers.

But the above set-up at least slows down the seizure of Brussels. And if they flub the Antwerp attack, then the other Allies can even still get in there and slow them up even further.

That's a good point. I'll probably change my plans when I get that far. It also might depend on the weather . . . dunno.