How the Axis could have won. Allied AAR RTW

[warspite1]

25th August 1940

United States

And the US too.

[marklv]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

11th August 1940

United Kingdom
The British are asked if they would like to support the Free French. This is a no-brainer but the notes contained an odd line. Lorraine is an old battleship?? Anyways... I of course say yes - especially the way Colonel De Gaulle handled those Somuas!

There is also another no-brainer. Do the British want to take over France's orders for aircraft? Er yes please. It'll cost 25 MPP and they are probably rubbish - but its numbers I need right now!

Not being able to display the REAL WW2 German flag really detracts from the historical value of the game. I can see why they do it - displaying the swastika would automatically make the game illegal in several countries, including Germany itself, but even so!

[warspite1]

25th August 1940

United Kingdom
One of the German wolf packs, strangely appears off the Shetlands. I dispatch the 1st and 2nd Destroyer Flotillas to investigate but neither can reach. Meanwhile the badly mauled 4th Flotilla makes port in Northern Ireland.

The Canadian flotillas maintain their vigil in the western Atlantic.

The 2nd Submarine Flotilla goes back on patrol in the confined waters of the Skaggerak.

[warspite1]

25th August 1940

United Kingdom
I upgrade many towns and ports with AA weaponry - including Malta, Alexandria, London and Gibraltar. The garrisons in London, Belfast, Malta and Egypt are also upgraded.

In the Western Desert the British start to mass on the border. Attacks still look out of the question - as does shore bombardment.


Pull up to the border baby,
In your long black limousine....

[warspite1]

25th August 1940

Allies
The Allies reject any notion of surrender. The war continues....

[warspite1]

25th August 1940

United Kingdom

Decision time again. In line with my previous rationale I say yes to Operation Menace. The Royal Navy gather what ships it can spare for the operation under the command of Vice-Admiral John Cunningham.

[warspite1]

25th August 1940

United Kingdom
Our diplomatic efforts against Spain are having some effect (10%), although Operation Menace proved something of a flop and the battleship Resolution is torpedoed in the process.

[warspite1]

8th September 1940

From the limited amount that my border guards can see, the Germans appear to be moving units east of the San River. Stalin is being kept up to date with these developments, although he seems to be completely relaxed about it.....


Lots of border shifting shenanigans in the Balkans... Don't worry guys, Adolf will mediate on your behalf.

[warspite1]

8th September 1940

United Kingdom
Some of the reinforcements mentioned previously start to arrive.

The Canadian 1st Infantry Corps is placed in Halifax and a garrison for Alexandria arrives in Egypt.

More MPP (50) are spent trying to entice Spain toward the Allied way of thinking, while the remainder of the British MPP are spent on further upgrades of ports and ships.

Soviet Union
The 1st Engineers arrive in the Soviet Union and are placed in Vinnitsa. There seems to be nothing for the Soviets to upgrade or reinforce at present.

USA
The US research armoured warfare and aerial warfare.

[warspite1]

22nd September 1940

More German movement in the east detected, this time around the Bialystok salient. Stalin makes polite enquiry of Adolf Hitler, who explains that the troops are being placed in the east outside of British bombing range and er they are on manoeuvres getting ready for an attack against the UK. Content with that explanation, Uncle Joe sits back in his chair, cigar in hand, a wide, self-satisfied grin emerging from ear to ear.

Apparently in the Far East the Japanese have march into French Indo-China.

[warspite1]

22nd September 1940

United Kingdom
Some more, much needed reinforcements arrive, including two new infantry corps and some tanks.

IV Corps - based in London
V Corps - based in Bristol
XXX (Armoured) Corps - Bedford

The British continue trying to upgrade and reinforce whatever they can. Elements of the Mediterranean Fleet are upgraded as are a couple of British destroyer flotillas (and I start making arrangements for others to head back to port for similar treatment).

The 2nd Submarine Flotilla continues to do sterling work in the Skaggerak and another 12 MPP are destroyed.

United States
The US get a CVL in Boston.


The British defences are looking a little better than they did a few turns ago...

[warspite1]

14th October 1940

Strange turn. Nothing much happened really, no reinforcements, little military activity and no decisions.

The Germans finally decided to do something about the 2nd Submarine Flotilla, which was set upon by two ASW units, but managed to dive before the second attack hit home. Interesting though that the one attack by the Germans was far more costly (3 points) than anything the British have achieved against the German u-boats.

As for MPP spending. The US spent on research, the Soviets are still in saving mode and the British are still upgrading and reinforcing whatever they can.

The 1st Canadian Infantry Corps is on its way to Blighty. Meanwhile in Narvik, Rupertforce finally got to the coast but I was only able to put it on Amphibious transport. Lets see how that works out....

[warspite1]

5th November 1940

United Kingdom
Mmmmm - an Italian human torpedo attack reduces the 4th Cruiser Squadron to strength 5..... I am beginning to sense this game is somewhat loaded in the Axis favour. However I will try and keep such thoughts to one side - its far too early to jump to conclusions...

No.13 Fighter Group has formed and is in Scotland having completed its training. It will head south to Newcastle in due course.

[warspite1]

5th November 1940

Hungary joins the Axis.

United Kingdom
The British continue their policy of improving existing units rather than buying new. The Mediterranean Fleet sails for Libya and pounds the Italian army with limited results (although the port of Bardia was damaged courtesy of the 8-inch guns of the 3rd Cruiser Squadron.

USSR
The Soviets research advanced tanks.

[warspite1]

27th November 1940

AI turn
The U-boats are back [:@]

Romania joins the Axis. The troops are delighted and want to know when they get to invade Hungary.....

The Italian HQ in Libya moves away from the coast.

The German build up in southeastern Poland and elsewhere in the east continues. Intelligence also reports a Panzer unit in southern Hungary.


Voroshilov to Stalin: "Hey Vozhd, the commander of the fort of Przemysl reports that he has spotted at least three German corps on either side of the San River.
Stalin: Really? Tell him he's imagining it.
Voroshilov: No, he's really quite insistent!
Stalin: Have the commander of Przemysl shot at once.

[warspite1]

27th November 1940

United Kingdom
The British receive a brace of armoured carriers - HMS Formidable and Indomitable arrive in Scotland. Really annoying that there isn't enough space to re-name stuff properly [:(]

In the Med the 1st Submarine Flotilla and the 4th Cruiser Squadron are reinforced.

USSR
The Soviets receive an additional destroyer flotilla for their Black Sea Fleet.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

5th November 1940

United Kingdom
Mmmmm - an Italian human torpedo attack reduces the 4th Cruiser Squadron to strength 5..... I am beginning to sense this game is somewhat loaded in the Axis favour. However I will try and keep such thoughts to one side - its far too early to jump to conclusions...

No.13 Fighter Group has formed and is in Scotland having completed its training. It will head south to Newcastle in due course.

Could it be that it is loaded in favour of the AI?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

5th November 1940

United Kingdom
Mmmmm - an Italian human torpedo attack reduces the 4th Cruiser Squadron to strength 5..... I am beginning to sense this game is somewhat loaded in the Axis favour. However I will try and keep such thoughts to one side - its far too early to jump to conclusions...

No.13 Fighter Group has formed and is in Scotland having completed its training. It will head south to Newcastle in due course.

Could it be that it is loaded in favour of the AI?

warspite1

Possibly which is why I don't want to jump to conclusions. But so far we have the Kriegsmarine and RM with a full complement of BB (not so the RN) the losses incurred by British naval units appears greater than the equivalent attacks by German units, and now the human torpedoes have had a huge success in Egypt. I wonder if we see Royal Navy midget submarines in play?

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

5th November 1940

United Kingdom
Mmmmm - an Italian human torpedo attack reduces the 4th Cruiser Squadron to strength 5..... I am beginning to sense this game is somewhat loaded in the Axis favour. However I will try and keep such thoughts to one side - its far too early to jump to conclusions...

No.13 Fighter Group has formed and is in Scotland having completed its training. It will head south to Newcastle in due course.

Could it be that it is loaded in favour of the AI?

warspite1

Possibly which is why I don't want to jump to conclusions. But so far we have the Kriegsmarine and RM with a full complement of BB (not so the RN) the losses incurred by British naval units appears greater than the equivalent attacks by German units, and now the human torpedoes have had a huge success in Egypt. I wonder if we see Royal Navy midget submarines in play?

think there is also a random element at play. I had a similar attack and lost a single strength pt, so it seems as if the attack is scripted for that turn but the outcome is random?

I've also lost units due to making mistakes - eg the Hood to a sub attack. Ok I now know what to look out for but one reason for taking an early game as far as possible is to work out both consequences of early choices and avoidable errors. So you might be seeing the outcomes of less than optimal choices? Not of course that you would do such a thing [;)]

edit: but, I've wasted a lot of MPP by simply selecting the wrong transport options, you seem to have managed this much better, hence an impressive build up in the UK.

One thing I noticed is the German AI seems to make a binary decision post-France (ie USSR or UK). If the former you don't even face an air attack on your industries, it just goes passive in the West.

edit 2 - another eg of random outcomes - my sub raiding off Denmark was attacked and over 2 turns I lost 2 SPs, would guess that the combat was basically similar to yours, so no reason to suspect the difference is gameplay related.

[warspite1]

27th November 1940

United Kingdom
The RN cannot locate the U-boats causing the damage but the searching continues. Reinforcements are being readied for the Mediterranean - both land and sea (and air if I can manage it).