Grand Campaign V1.00

[macroeconomics]

Just to show how quickly matters can change in ToF. The very next turn after the previous screenshot, which showed the Germans in complete control in Britain, the Luftwaffe spotted what looked to be a RN SS in the Channel. The first Luftwaffe bomber found out that was inaccurate as it was shot out of the sky by carrier based air. As was the next bomber. And the next. In all 12 failed bombing attempts. 12 step losses of Luftwaffe bombers. To add to Germany dismay, the Luftwaffe's attacks on RAF fighters also produced dismal results. The RAF shot down about 10 German fighter step losses and suffered only one loss themselves. The Luftwaffe will be out of action for the next week to replace losses.

But matters can change quickly indeed in ToF. In step the Italians. Where half a dozen German bomber squadrons could not, the Italians did. Their two bomber squadrons flew 4 missions, penetrating heavier carrier air defense than the Germans faced, shooting down three carrier fighters and sank a CV, 5 CAs, 4 SSs and damaged over a dozen other ships. I didn't see that coming.

[Greyshaft]

Your screencap at the bottom of page two says the Kreigsmarine has 5BB and 27CA ... does that include captured French ships?

[macroeconomics]

The Soviet winter offensive has begun. Because of the Soviet early entry, I don't think this winter campaign will necessarily be indicative of how a Winter '41 campaign might play out. The unit densities are lower, the tech levels are lower and importantly, the Germans are closer to their Western Poland & Prussian supply lines.

But for what it's worth, the first thing I noticed is that Soviet units move faster than German units do now. And the Soviet infantry corps that used to have a 65% effectiveness is now at 100%. Which translates into a 3-2 Soviet infantry corps now looking like a 5-2 one. Which is as good as my tech level 1 German infantry corps which rates as 5-1 in this winter weather. So the Russians will start to attrition you. Even your panzer divisions. But your big tech 2 infantry corps are still tougher than the opposition as long as you keep them fully reinforced.

I've pulled about half of the level 2 panzer divisions out of Russia and back to Poland to be upgraded to corps status. They'll be ready to go come March. I'd like to upgrade the remaining panzer divisions but some of them are in the south buttressing the Rumanians, who I don't think will handle this winter very well.

Dominating the center of the front are the Kiev fortifications. In ToF, Kiev not only has the Dnieper river helping it, but it has a bevy of level 3 fortifications and two giant lakes anchoring the north and south ends of its river line. An impressive construct. My plan is to secure the two lakes regions before the spring and then attempt a big encirclement of Kiev come springtime.

Here's the situation in the north, with Riga recently captured and the Soviets getting frisky north of the Dvina River.

[macroeconomics]

Here's the southern sector:

[macroeconomics]

Stalingrad Winter 1940 style.

Just before the onset of winter the German 19th Motorized Korps was one of the units operating in the Rumanian sector. It helped clear the area around Odessa and headed east. Seeing an opportunity it dashed ahead and seized the undefended city of Kryvyi Rih (Kryvoi Roi). Its supporting Rumanian units followed, but once winter set it, they were smashed by swirling hordes of Soviet tank divisions. And although the Motorized Korps still drew good supply from the city, it lacked the speed to make a getaway. Soon the followup Soviet infantry surrounded the city and assaulted from six sides. The German defenders repulsed the assault, but won't be able to withstand another one. The lead spearheads of the German relief force, backed by 6 panzer divisions will attempt to reach the surrounded defenders. I don't think they will make it...

[fvianello]

Really nice, I like this unexpected twist in usual, boring WWII plot!

[BletchleyGeek]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx
I'm okay with this. It doesn't have to be WitE, which, point in fact, I'm taking a break from. It's a grand strategy title with the big picture in mind.

I'm sad to read this [:(]

[gwgardner]

I'm really enjoying your AAR. I've never tried Sealion in this game. I'll have to do that next time.

With regard to Sweden coming in on the Axis side, I don't think that is too far-fetched, as the Germans were able to apply immense pressure on the Swedes - witness the Swedes granting the Germans use of their RRs for troop movements.

[macroeconomics]

Some snippets from other fronts before we get to the main course:

Finland - Finns had advanced over the Neva River, east of Leningrad. Soviet offensive has now vitrually eliminated this bridgehead, but Finnish forces remain in good order here. Heavy skirmishing around Petsamo, but again Finnish forces appear sufficient to hold that northern city.

Sweden - Has 1 fighter wing near Riga helping the Germans. It's seen action one time.

Sea Lion - Recon indicates RN still has over 60 CAs. Germany has abandoned running convoys across the channel. Too many transport losses. Besides the invasion forces can use local supply from major English cities. British ground forces snuck back and took Leeds. But it is surrounded once again and should fall soon. One hex of Liverpool has been captured and the other besieged. British heavy units sighted - 3 level 1 armor corps which attacked and badly dented a panzer division. Then the big German tech 3 panzer corps came and cleaned them up. RAF now operating from Northern Ireland.

Egypt - Cairo almost surrounded. Some light British forces appearing on the map from the southern Nile. May be event triggered forces returning from conquest of Ethiopia (Italy got an event that it had lost that colony). Recon indicates British forces have heavily garrisoned the Suez canal region.

Balkans - Bulgaria has entered the war as an Axia ally. Both it and Hungary are gearing up for a fight with Yugoslavia. About 10 Italian corps are in the Trieste and Albania regions to assist. Am hoping no German forces will be required here.

Riga Sector of Eastern Front - Soviet attacks here have ceased. German infantry in a tight line. No hex in the line can be attacked from three sides. Soviets form an identical line three hexes away and a standoff ensues. Reminds me a lot of the old Drang Nach Osten/Untentscheiden monster board game by GDW.

Minsk Sector - Germans advancing slowly. Using a tech 2 panzer corps to pick off weaker Soviet infantry units.

Gomel Sector - Gomel garrison, is the only Soviet unit here. Weak German infantry units advancing in a bid to surround the frozen garrison.

Southern Sector - It's not good. Cue the YouTube Hitler rant video.

The panzer relief force pounded its way towards Kryvoi Roi and after two weeks of fierce fighting actually linked up with the beleagured motorized troops. Then bad went to worse. Although they held out longer than expected, the 19th Motorized Korps was destroyed after 3 waves of attacks, two on the final turn. And then the Soviets followed that up by hitting the lead German panzer division (one of the units created from the captured French tanks) from four sides and forcing it to surrender! The rest of the relief force is also virtually surrounded.

But even on the darkest days, sometimes a ray of sunshine appears. When the following German player turn begins, I notice that all of the Soviet forces in this sector have reduced combat factors. The end of snow weather? No. It appears that they are all now drawing local supply from Kryvoi Roi. Which, because it had been besieged for three turns had a local supply value of 1. So now all the nearby Soviet units have a supply value of 1 and an efficiency of 28%. Vengeance is forthcoming!

Still from an objective viewpoint, this sort of situation might warrant a look from the devs. I don't think those troops should have been penalized in that manner. At any rate here is the situation at the start of the German turn:

[Lascar]

I am surprised to hear that the Germans no longer need supplies coming through ports in Britain to remain supplied. Are they receiving full supplies from captured English cities?

Historically this seems unlikely. Even after the Allies had liberated most of France they still depended on key ports, such as Antwerp, for supplies from the U.S. and Britain to sustain there forces. Certainly, the Germans are not going to get munitions and other equipment specific supplies from British sources.

[macroeconomics]

No, the efficiency of the German troops in England is lower now that they have to rely on local supplies. And the local supply level appears to bleed downward the more you use it. But at this point I need to spend my PPs on upgrading armor divisions to corps. I can't afford to spend them on replacing sunk shipping. So the German troops in Britain will have to do with lower supply. If they keep on capturing new cities this will have less of an effect. But as they move into Scotland which has fewer (and smaller) cities it may become a problem. Hopefully British resistance levels will continue to drop.

[macroeconomics]

On units gaining experience - All that follows are my guesses on how it works, none of it is proven.

From what I can see, a unit gains from participating in a battle at the rate of 1xp per step loss caused to the enemy. It loses 1 xp for each step of replacements it receives. So if a fighter squadron shoots down 1 step loss of enemy fighters and loses one step loss in casualties, its experience will be unchanged (after it takes replacements). This dynamic can make it difficult to build up xp on new units. The solution is to "train" your units on easy battles initially. This is easier to setup if you have a cadre of high experience units to undertake the more difficult missions, leaving cleanup duty for newer units. For each type of unit, these are what I consider easier battles:

Fighter squadrons - air superiority missions against weak enemy fighter squadrons (when your squadron is at least twice as big in strength points)

Bomber squadrons - bombing large infantry units in the open when they don't have fighter cover

Ground units - attacking at overwhelming odds.

It's quite difficult given their low movement speeds for infantry to participate in lots of high odds attacks. Plus infantry get a lot of attrition losses. But your panzer divisions and corps can accumulate experience fairly easily. Right now I have several armored unts with 30-40 experience. Because it has outright destroyed several enemy units, my tech level 3 armor corps in England now has experience 100! And both Italian tac bomber units in England have experience >70 despite needing to be almost completely rebuilt - a result of the multiple hit bombing runs they inflicted on the Royal Navy.

[Lascar]

ORIGINAL: macroeconomics

No, the efficiency of the German troops in England is lower now that they have to rely on local supplies. And the local supply level appears to bleed downward the more you use it. But at this point I need to spend my PPs on upgrading armor divisions to corps. I can't afford to spend them on replacing sunk shipping. So the German troops in Britain will have to do with lower supply. If they keep on capturing new cities this will have less of an effect. But as they move into Scotland which has fewer (and smaller) cities it may become a problem. Hopefully British resistance levels will continue to drop.

Thanks for the explanation. Your AAR is much appreciated and is really giving me, and I trust others, a good impression of ToF.

One other question related to invasion supply. Do ports have different supply capacities for funneling supplies from overseas or are all ports simply generic and equal in their capacity? In other words, would Dover be able to supply as many Germans units as London?

[macroeconomics]

Lascar, I know that ports have different ratings. From what I understand those ratings affect how many (and which type of) ships may enter them and what kinds of fleets can form there, although I confess to being somewhat ignorant of how that works.

All cities, including ports, have different local supply ratings. And as I indicated previously those ratings are not static. For example when the German 19th Motorized Korps was surrounded in Krivy Roi it initially supported a 20 local supply rating. But after a three weeks of being surrounded, it was down to a rating of 1. I believe that a city's local supply rating will affect all nearby units, but that also implies that the city you are near is important. Thus none of the German heavy ground units are drawing local supply from London. Instead they are drawing supply (foraging? looting?) from places like Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.

W.r.t. your direct question of whether there is a limit to the amount of supply that can be directed to a particular port, I think the answer is that there is no limit. Rather the limit is based on how many transport points you place in your convoy, not on the destination port size. However I don't think this is a big realism issue for Sea Lion campaigns. Realistically given the no stacking rule, a German bridgehead restricted to Dover isn't going to have more than seven or eight units anyway. By the time you get to a force structure as large as the one I currently have in Britain, you will be in control of other ports such as London or Southampton.

[Lascar]

ORIGINAL: macroeconomics

Lascar, I know that ports have different ratings. From what I understand those ratings affect how many (and which type of) ships may enter them and what kinds of fleets can form there, although I confess to being somewhat ignorant of how that works.

All cities, including ports, have different local supply ratings. And as I indicated previously those ratings are not static. For example when the German 19th Motorized Korps was surrounded in Krivy Roi it initially supported a 20 local supply rating. But after a three weeks of being surrounded, it was down to a rating of 1. I believe that a city's local supply rating will affect all nearby units, but that also implies that the city you are near is important. Thus none of the German heavy ground units are drawing local supply from London. Instead they are drawing supply (foraging? looting?) from places like Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.

W.r.t. your direct question of whether there is a limit to the amount of supply that can be directed to a particular port, I think the answer is that there is no limit. Rather the limit is based on how many transport points you place in your convoy, not on the destination port size. However I don't think this is a big realism issue for Sea Lion campaigns. Realistically given the no stacking rule, a German bridgehead restricted to Dover isn't going to have more than seven or eight units anyway. By the time you get to a force structure as large as the one I currently have in Britain, you will be in control of other ports such as London or Southampton.

I see what you mean. However, in the case of the allied 1944 campaign in France. The allies had real supply difficulties (especially fuel)until they finally captured Antwerp. Even with the many other French ports that were operational in late '44 they had supply bottlenecks that were not significantly relieved until Antwerp became operational. So in a later France '44 campaign all the allies would have to do is capture Cherbourg, for instance, and just send convoys there and be able to logistically support all their forces in France if I am understanding this correctly.

[macroeconomics]

Is this the end of the beginning? Or the beginning of the end?

[macroeconomics]

Or perhaps it is neither. There was no visible effect. Britain continues to fight, at least for now. Still, I'm transferring a panzer division out of England and back to France. It can be upgraded to a corps there. If Britain continues to fight when the unit is finished upgrading (about two months), then it can go back across the Channel. Meanwhile one of the leading German panzer divisions in Scotland has its combat value down to a puny 3 points - due to lack of supply. The big tech 3 panzer corps is still at 22 combat value, so it will lead the advance.

In Russia, snow is rolling over to rain. In ToF, weather is calculated for each hex. About half of them are snow and the other rain in northern Russia. In southern Russia, the hexes are about 10% snow, 60% rain, 30% clear. So weather zones of some sort appear to be in existence. Or at least weather is not uniform regardless of latitude. We certainly haven't noticed any snow in Egypt!

[macroeconomics]

I should make one other note. A turn ago, I loaded the game and noticed that Great Britain's difficulty level was still at "Normal" not "Easy" as I had intended it to be after the fall of France. I'm not certain how this occurred. But apparently it has been this way for a long period of time. I've switched the difficulty for Britain back to "Easy", but I don't think this will have much effect given most of Britain's PPs are probably coming from its colonies at this point. That does take quite a bit of the halo off Germany's Sea Lion exploits.

[cherryfunk]

I have to say, these scripting bugs have put me off starting a campaign.... hopefully they get fixed.
 

[macroeconomics]

I don't know that it is a bug. After all it did say that Germany would "propose" that England become an allied state. It's possible England declined. Or maybe they are just thinking it over. I could read the script files and find out, but I'm trying to keep that to a minimum for this play through. I do think that if I want to continue the offensive into Scotland that I will need to resume running convoys. All the German combat divisions in lower Scotland have values of 1-3 now. That's not going to get anything done.