How the Axis could have won. Allied AAR RTW

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

10th February 1940

I thought the attack on France had started, but it looks like the Luftwaffe have just started the softening up process.

.....

Interesting, certainly confirms that the AI is adaptive as in my test etc they went for a full invasion in late Jan 1940. Certainly indicates you can't simply expect the AI to keep to a fixed timetable in its strategic choices.

I was suspicious as some moves (like the subs to raid the Canadian convoys) were being made at the same stage as you are reporting them.

Another bonus for what is shaping up to be a really engrossing game.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

2nd March 1940

United Kingdom and France
The Escort Flotillas continue their searching in the North Atlantic. Sadly I had moved all units except one - and the last one I moved came across the German U-boats. Unlike previous combat when I have come across subs, this time the combat took place immediately and the destroyers took a pasting. I have checked the manual but I cannot see what caused this. Whatever it was, the French 2nd Escort Flotilla has been badly mauled...


Merde!

The U-boats got the drop on the destroyers, instead of the destroyers getting the drop on the subs?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

2nd March 1940

United Kingdom and France
The Escort Flotillas continue their searching in the North Atlantic. Sadly I had moved all units except one - and the last one I moved came across the German U-boats. Unlike previous combat when I have come across subs, this time the combat took place immediately and the destroyers took a pasting. I have checked the manual but I cannot see what caused this. Whatever it was, the French 2nd Escort Flotilla has been badly mauled...


Merde!

The U-boats got the drop on the destroyers, instead of the destroyers getting the drop on the subs?

warspite1

Yes - but I would like an explanation for why. Maybe there is one but I have done all the word searches I can think of in the manual but cannot see what exactly happens.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: warspite1

10th February 1940

I thought the attack on France had started, but it looks like the Luftwaffe have just started the softening up process.

.....

Interesting, certainly confirms that the AI is adaptive as in my test etc they went for a full invasion in late Jan 1940. Certainly indicates you can't simply expect the AI to keep to a fixed timetable in its strategic choices.

I was suspicious as some moves (like the subs to raid the Canadian convoys) were being made at the same stage as you are reporting them.

Another bonus for what is shaping up to be a really engrossing game.

warspite1

When did they take Warsaw in that game?

[warspite1]

23rd March 1940 - ITS WAR IN THE WEST!

Its all kicking off chez Europe.

The British and French arrive in Finland. The Finns are feeling more warm and cuddly towards the west - but Stalin has got a right cob on. The Western Allies morale increases.

But Hitler decides he can wait no longer.


We're coming for you, we're coming for youuu,
Benelux countries,
we're coming for you.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: warspite1

10th February 1940

I thought the attack on France had started, but it looks like the Luftwaffe have just started the softening up process.

.....

Interesting, certainly confirms that the AI is adaptive as in my test etc they went for a full invasion in late Jan 1940. Certainly indicates you can't simply expect the AI to keep to a fixed timetable in its strategic choices.

I was suspicious as some moves (like the subs to raid the Canadian convoys) were being made at the same stage as you are reporting them.

Another bonus for what is shaping up to be a really engrossing game.

warspite1

When did they take Warsaw in that game?

the third turn, so not that different to your experience

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: loki100




Interesting, certainly confirms that the AI is adaptive as in my test etc they went for a full invasion in late Jan 1940. Certainly indicates you can't simply expect the AI to keep to a fixed timetable in its strategic choices.

I was suspicious as some moves (like the subs to raid the Canadian convoys) were being made at the same stage as you are reporting them.

Another bonus for what is shaping up to be a really engrossing game.

warspite1

When did they take Warsaw in that game?

the third turn, so not that different to your experience

warspite1

Interesting, I wonder why the Germans have waited so long?

[warspite1]

23rd March 1940

As expected the Dutch cannot hold on (and neither can the Luxmbourgers), and both surrender.

The Belgians are still in the fight but have taken some losses.

The Germans hit the convoys again....

More of which in a minute.

[xwormwood]

The DD ran into the sub, and that is what the game calls a surprise contact.

Surprised Units – are those that bump into
previously unseen enemy units during their
movement. They can defend themselves but any
remaining APs will be automatically lost

6.2.5. Surprise Contact
Fog of war provides a special combat feature that
occurs when a unit moves adjacent to a hidden
enemy unit. A message denoting Enemy Contact!
will appear when this happens. These encounters
will only result in combat if it favors the hidden
unit; otherwise, the moving unit may still attack
normally.
If the contact results in combat, then the hidden
unit (which counts as the attacker) has its readiness
increased by 25% for the combat calculation.
Additionally, the hidden unit’s combat losses will be
25% less and the moving unit’s combat losses 25%
more than they would otherwise have been.
When a surprise contact occurs at sea, the
enemy contact adjustment for the attacker only
applies when calculating attacker losses and does
not apply when calculating defender losses. For
example, if a Battleship is moving and there is
enemy contact with a Sub, the Sub becomes the
attacker. The Sub will still take 25% less damage
when calculating its losses but it will not inflict 25%
more damage on the Battleship. An encounter at
sea still favors the hidden unit, but the impact is
reduced.
Special surprise encounter effects apply to
Paratroops. For Paratroops landing on a previously
hidden enemy unit, only the Paratroops will take
losses from the surprise encounter and then
they will attempt to land in an empty adjacent
hex. If successful, the Paratroops can land and
hex. If successful, the Paratroops can land and
fight normally; otherwise, but if there is no
empty adjacent hex then they are shattered and
destroyed. If Paratroops land adjacent to a hidden
enemy unit, there is no surprise encounter and
the unit can fight normally. In other words, the
advantage in this case goes to the Paratroops.

[warspite1]

5th April 1940

United Kingdom
The British have a decision to make re the Local Defence Volunteers.

For 35 MPP we can turn the well meaning, but untrained rabble that is the LDV, into:

THE HOME GUARD


As the newly installed Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said: 35 MPP? - never has so much been spent on so many to help so few*


* Not really chaps - just mucking [&o]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Xwormwood

6.2.5. Surprise Contact[/b]

warspite1

Thank-you [:)]. I need to be more inventive in my searching. I assumed this would be covered under combat - not movement [:(]

[warspite1]

5th April 1940

So let's see a summary of what just happened between 23rd March and now:

I was hoping to benefit from some of the Dutch Navy - there was a DD that was not touched. But it looks like its either gone German or been destroyed.

[warspite1]

5th April 1940

The rain may not help the French and British take up positions. I did not really think that through....[:(]

...Good job I never liked the Dyle Plan or the Breda variant really [;)]


It's Raining Again,
Oh no my loves at an end....

[warspite1]

5th April 1940

Meanwhile.... for a more succinct summary, try this:


The Military Activity Summary. Like Ronseal, it does what it says on the tin [:D]

[warspite1]

5th April 1940

United Kingdom and France
The 2nd Submarine Flotilla is placed back on patrol off Norway.

Those pesky U-boats are proving somewhat vexatious to the spirit.

The poor French 2nd Escort Flotilla ran into the wolfpack again and got severely mauled. The 3rd (Canadian) Escort Flotilla was called to the scene but the U-boats departed once more. The French need taking out of the line so the 4th Canadian and 1st British have been called in to help the search.

[warspite1]

5th April 1940

France and Belgium
Right then, what to do about the Battle for France? Some potential good news is that the German IV Corps, southeast of Brussels, has been heavily hit in the initial assault. Although the main focus is on creating a defensive line, this is too tempting to pass up.

First Army's III Corps, consisting of the 1st Moroccan and 2nd North African Infantry Divisions, head north to an area south of Brussels, there to launch a limited attack over the Dyle to try and push back the German IV Corps. Although the Germans hold, the German corps is seriously weakened and the 35th Infantry Division loses over half its strength in beating off the determined French attack.

[warspite1]

5th April 1940

United Kingdom, Belgium and France
The British and French then concentrate on forming a cohesive line along the Franco-Belgian border. The French concentrate the last of their MPP on bringing whatever units (including the Belgians in Brussels) up to strength. The fighter group remains on the ground (as do the bombers due to the lack of air support) and is upgraded.

The Allies try and form some kind of reserve using the:
- British III Corps (south of Calais)
- French II and Reserve Corps (at Sedan)
- XLIV and IX Corps (Nancy)

[warspite1]

5th April 1940

United Kingdom
The UK seem to have a nice wedge (technical term) of MPP but cannot spend anymore on research as they have met their maximum.

Building a fighter unit and an MTB unit are therefore the order of the day. The XII Corps in Egypt are also further bolstered, as is Gort in France.

[n0kn0k]

Bring your HQ's up to strength and attach them to the frontline units. Don't bother with the maginot line. One trick i always use is to swap out the armies from the maginot line for corps before the war starts.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: n0kn0k

Bring your HQ's up to strength and attach them to the frontline units. Don't bother with the maginot line. One trick i always use is to swap out the armies from the maginot line for corps before the war starts.

warspite1

Why is there a separate counter for Gort and the BEF and the Corps please??