Bob Flemin's AAR se!

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Myrddraal

I hate to say it, but you're royally screwed in Egypt... the key there is to hold the Suez. If the Turks can outflank you (as I see they've done) you're stuffed.

Your only hope in that theatre is to wait it out, perhaps, once your remaining troops are defeated, the Turks will leave it with only a small garrison. Then you can launch a surprise naval attack with British (and French?) colonial troops from the south. Alternatively, you could try to put pressure on them by attempting a naval invasion elsewhere. Gallipoli maybe?

warspite1

Gallipoli? That sounds like the perfect place for an amphibious landing [;)]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Myrddraal

I hate to say it, but you're royally screwed in Egypt... the key there is to hold the Suez. If the Turks can outflank you (as I see they've done) you're stuffed.

Your only hope in that theatre is to wait it out, perhaps, once your remaining troops are defeated, the Turks will leave it with only a small garrison. Then you can launch a surprise naval attack with British (and French?) colonial troops from the south. Alternatively, you could try to put pressure on them by attempting a naval invasion elsewhere. Gallipoli maybe?

warspite1

Gallipoli? That sounds like the perfect place for an amphibious landing [;)]

warspite1

Joking aside, can you do amphib landings against an enemy shore in this game?

[Myrddraal]

Yes you can, but it is very hard to pull it off. Some advice if you're going to try it:

a) Remember that coastal cities have 1 hex LOS. The enemy can see you coming if you try to land directly in a city.
b) Always, always bring a supporting navy with you. This will be essential to keep your beach-heads supplied.
c) The number of troops you can land simultaneously depends on your transport capacity.
d) Units in transport ships get serious efficiency penalties if they spend a long time transports. Eventually, if they spend way too long in transports they also start to lose hp.
c) Supply is key. Amphibious attacks can only be at full supply on coastal hexes. To go any deeper in land, you'll have to capture a town. The easiest to capture are coastal cities as you can provide supply to your attacking forces, and bombard with your Battle-fleet (Battleship unit). If you succeed in this (which can already be a challenge enough) your forces will still be on half supply as they push in-land, so the defender will have a big advantage.

Basically, if you're considering it, make sure you prepare well, and don't try it on a strong enemy.

So taking Egypt for example. Your best hope would be to try and land from the south with as many troops as you can simultaneously, bringing your navy from the north to support. If you can clear the Suez, try to fortify it and provide your northern and southern units with supply from the sea. Then it would be a case of trying to take Cairo, to restore your full supply. This will be the hardest part in all likelyhood, and might cause you pretty heavy casualties.

Try it if you dare

[Lord Zimoa]

Basically only the British and preferable in support of the French can pull it off here... but victory is sweat when it succeeds!

I would stabilize the Western Front as much a possible by the French and prepare your British to recapture Egypt when it is unguarded later on with French Naval support.

I bet the Ottomans, once Egypt taken, transfer their troops to eg. The Caucasus to harass Russia.

So if you can surprise them with only a Garrison in Cairo... but they will reinforce and be back, so maybe think of a tactical retreat out of Egypt and come back in force later.

Still bugger to loose Egypt for the Empire this soon in the game.... What would Allenby have done...

[warspite1]

Turn 16 - 16th January 1915

I have generally sought to tidy up the front and repair units as per the screenshots above. Lets see what happens now....

[warspite1]

Turn 17 - 4th February 1915

What happens is pretty rubbish [&:]

I have lost my Garrison in Egypt - just the Western Desert Force left.

In southern Russia the Turks are surrounding Sarikamish, but at least my Garrision unit appears strong there. I march my two other Garrisons in the region toward Batumi and sail the Black Sea Fleet to have a look at where the Turkish unit went.

In northern Russia/East Prussia I at last have some tangible success. The German unit 4 hexes east of Konigsberg got himself surrounded and I have removed him from the board.

Emboldened by this development I send my Baltic Fleet to Koenigsberg and find a German fleet at sea. What ever it was is now no more as my ships despatch their German adversary to the bottom of the Baltic.

Further south I try and tidy up and repair as best I can.

Serbia

The AH are now applying real pressure on my front line around Belgrade and I do not have enough repair points. Not much I can do here but await developments.

France

I try and re-organise my line after the Germans pushed me back west of Strassburg.

[Myrddraal]

The AH are now applying real pressure on my front line around Belgrade and I do not have enough repair points. Not much I can do here but await developments.

Do you have spare transport capacity / naval dominance in the med? If so, it might be worth considering sending the British Malta garrison to help in Serbia. It might not seem like much, but the Serbs are generally strapped for cash and any additional units make a difference.

[warspite1]

Turn 18 - 18th February 1915

Great Britain - Egypt

The Western Desert Force is no more.....[:(]

I move a Garrison to Cyprus - not sure why, but may be a future springboard for the re-conquest of Egypt.

Caucasus

Having said my Garrison looked strong - its just been attacked from all sides and about to disappear. I place a Garrison in Tiflis and an Infantry in Grozni.

East Prussia

My confidence that I was about to cause the Germans problems was entirely misplaced. A load of Germans appear and attack my forces. No choice but to pull back - Koenigsberg a distant memory.

My Fleet is set upon by a German fleet and takes massive losses. I try and get back to Riga and use my totally useless British sub to inflict some damage on the German ships.

More repair work in Serbia in an effort to hold the line.

The British get a Cavalry reinforcement and I load an Infantry and Garrison onto transports for passage to France.

I buy a Garrison with the French and repair the battered front line.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Myrddraal

The AH are now applying real pressure on my front line around Belgrade and I do not have enough repair points. Not much I can do here but await developments.

Do you have spare transport capacity / naval dominance in the med? If so, it might be worth considering sending the British Malta garrison to help in Serbia. It might not seem like much, but the Serbs are generally strapped for cash and any additional units make a difference.

warspite1

I used the Malta Garrison for Cyprus. Won't my transports get creamed in the Adriatic?

[Myrddraal]

If you try to sail deep into the Adriatic, yes. If you have your French fleet there, you can blockade the entrance to the Adriatic and land reinforcements in the southernmost part of Albania. It'll be a bit of a trek through the mountains, so it'll take a while to get your reinforcements to the front, but still more useful than sitting in Cyprus I think. You should be able to keep the Austrians penned in the Adriatic, so you don't really need to garrison you Mediterranean bases.

[warspite1]

That's annoying. I sent my Red Sea convoy back south (as Suez was lost) but at the end of the last turn, it auomatically sailed back to Suez again [&:] Does that mean I can never sail this unit back to Blighty via another route?

[Myrddraal]

Sorry, you can't. Convoys automatically move every turn (unless they have nowhere to go. Forget that convoy, it's lost.

[Lukas]

When the suez is lost, convoys will no longer spawn in the Red Sea. The one that's still there 'starve' at 1 HP per turn. So if you can recapture the canal in time it will continue to sail toward the Uk again.

[balto]

Very informative AAR. Just like everyone, we are all trying to get used to this new game.

I have never went beyond the turn that Turkey enters because that is when everything seems hopeless for the Allies. With me, everytime I restart as Allies, I never truly learn a lesson or what I can try next time. I started off super-aggessive, then passive, then in-between. But I am not a very good wargamer, so I suspected it could be me.

As I read your AAR I find that I am asking myself the same questions such as, "If I were Warspite, what would I do differently next time." I do not come up with an answer.

I will keep trying, but perhaps the CP is too overpowered in the 1914 scenario. It is probably too early to tell. This weekend when I have much more time to devote, I am going to try the CP and see if I can spank the Allies as the AI CP has been spanking me.., or is the AI is just that good?. I guess we will all find out.

[warspite1]

Turn 19 - 4th March 1915

As I place a Garrison in Cyprus (while debating Myrddraal's advice) my eyes fall sadly on the land mass to the south [:(]

CAIRO!!

[CarnageINC]

Thanks for the AAR Warspite, I decided to get the game based off it actually. I'm a Axis kinda guy and I've played a few turns as the Central Powers. I gotta hand it to the AI, it does a real good job of strategy. I played until the Italians joined in and found myself overwhelmed by a flood of Russian and Italian troops on all fronts. I think I'll start a CP AAR in a bit to show the other side.

[warspite1]

Turn 19 - 4th March 1915

..sorry, where was I?

In the Caucasus I've lost Sarikamish to the rampaging Turks!! However I WILL get it back. My Infantry heads for Batumi, while two Garrisons guard Tiflis.

In the Baltic my sub and the remains of the Russian Baltic Fleet see off the second German fleet.

Near Koenigsberg, my troops smack the German Infantry probing (good word!) toward Riga.

All I can do in Serbia is repair some Garrisons..

In France I seem to have a choice; stay where I am or move back on hex and form a behind the Rhine? I choose the former.

[warspite1]

Turn 20 - 18th March 1915

I change my mind in Southern Russia. The Turk leaves an inviting Garrison counter southwest of Tiflis, so I re-direct my anger on him and cause some damage.

Further north, the Germans have left me alone around Kovno and so attention turns to Brest-Litovsk. I launch my artillery at the eastern most German unit and follow this up with a pounding from both Infantry and Cavalry units. That should keep him quiet for a while [:)]

In Serbia there is a breach in my line southeast of Belgrade and I have nothing to plug it with. Mmmm maybe putting a British Garrison in Serbia is a good idea...

The French are really suffering now.. I need to attack but there are no obvious choices.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: CarnageINC

Thanks for the AAR Warspite, I decided to get the game based off it actually. I'm a Axis kinda guy and I've played a few turns as the Central Powers. I gotta hand it to the AI, it does a real good job of strategy. I played until the Italians joined in and found myself overwhelmed by a flood of Russian and Italian troops on all fronts. I think I'll start a CP AAR in a bit to show the other side.

warspite1

Glad I could help!

It would be good if you do a CP AAR so I can see what the hell I'm up against [:D]

[warspite1]

Turn 21 - 1st April 1915

Right April Fools Day, and this is where I make a fool out of you Fritz!

In The Caucasus I cancel plans for Batumi and decide to reinforce success. I smack the Turk Infantry and Garrison making for Tiflis, and place a new Garrison outside that city.