WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH
RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH
Interesting and well written report (I like those messages to FDR 
) but it is also obvious that Germany lost this war already in 1940 .
What is striking is how much time it took to destroy France . What is also striking is how the screen shots show only too few Panzer units on the front (what explains the slow progress) .
There seem to be only 2 Panzerkorps (those from Poland certainly) and they are engaged in the wrong direction (Amiens - Lille) instead of Chalons-Verdun .
So that begs the question what has Germany produced between september 39 and may 40 ? It should have produced AT LEAST 3 motorized units (Panzers and mech infantry) .
With those 3 additionnal mechanised units engaged in the Chalons gap, Paris is reached latest in July and France falls in July or latest August .
Of course the delay and the lack of Panzers shows then even more dramatically in Russia where the German don't even manage to conquer Kiev and Smolensk in summer 41 .
Your friend has probably mismanaged the German production priorities .
) but it is also obvious that Germany lost this war already in 1940 .What is striking is how much time it took to destroy France . What is also striking is how the screen shots show only too few Panzer units on the front (what explains the slow progress) .
There seem to be only 2 Panzerkorps (those from Poland certainly) and they are engaged in the wrong direction (Amiens - Lille) instead of Chalons-Verdun .
So that begs the question what has Germany produced between september 39 and may 40 ? It should have produced AT LEAST 3 motorized units (Panzers and mech infantry) .
With those 3 additionnal mechanised units engaged in the Chalons gap, Paris is reached latest in July and France falls in July or latest August .
Of course the delay and the lack of Panzers shows then even more dramatically in Russia where the German don't even manage to conquer Kiev and Smolensk in summer 41 .
Your friend has probably mismanaged the German production priorities .
RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH
Yes, well written AAR. But as Vonik said, it was clear from halfway 1940 that the Germans were much too slow in France and were going to lose.
RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH
Thanks guys. What's funny is that he thought I left the three French Armies near Lille as "bait." I didn't. I just swarmed all over the one exposed Panzer unit and destroyed it, then he shifted his attack towards the sea instead of taking Paris (which I do not think I could have stopped at that point). I wish I was as cunning as he thinks Instead I kicked myself for losing those three armies, but, in the end, their sacrifice may have saved me. It gave me time to re-organized and re-evaluate my position.
Then I think he miscalculated in fighting the Royal Navy one-on-one before it was supplemented by the USA. It could not have ended worse for him. Without losing a single vessel I have, to date, if not wiped out the German High Seas Fleet (and the Italian Navy, although the French lost a BB there), the German Navy can be, by my calculation, at best a nuisance. Yes, the RN took a lot of damage in the fight, but at least I don't have to rebuild anything.
He has always (from his mouth) planned on a very long campaign. Therefore, by his own admission he went too heavy on technology too early. He admits he should have waited longer and taken care of the West first.
On the Eastern Front, the early parts which we now both feel free to discuss, he kept units back away from the border to avoid early detection. That only succeeded in having his units too far from the front line to engage the Russian Mech units that arrive at the time on the German invasion of Russia, and are completely indefensible. So I still have ALL OF THEM! UPGRADED!
I have made mistakes as well, but given the Axis timetable, I can better recover from mine.
So he is not going for a "win," but would be satisfied with a Stalemate. After this game we will switch sides and play again and, if that ends up in a Stalemate, we will have a relative impartial judge to declare the overall victor.
I have, along with this HTH matchup, only played "Italy only" and "Russia only." So me taking over as the German Player will be unique, as will the Allies for him. We both agreed to not "run a simulation" as we both think that takes some of the fun and "surprise" out of a virgin meeting. You only get that once.
We both think this new experience is what makes this game so much fun. Yes, it is not the exact historical path the countries took at the time, but we both think what we have done, with the parameters I set forth in my first post, were all possible.
FYI, we have never had to summon our "referee" to make a ruling
Much is at stake. A free dinner at a Pub in Upperville Virginia for me (the Hunter's Head Tavern), or a free dinner at a German Restaurant (the Rheingarten in Stafford Virginia) for him.
I love English beer on tap with bangers and peas. NO MERCY!
Instead I kicked myself for losing those three armies, but, in the end, their sacrifice may have saved me. It gave me time to re-organized and re-evaluate my position.Then I think he miscalculated in fighting the Royal Navy one-on-one before it was supplemented by the USA. It could not have ended worse for him. Without losing a single vessel I have, to date, if not wiped out the German High Seas Fleet (and the Italian Navy, although the French lost a BB there), the German Navy can be, by my calculation, at best a nuisance. Yes, the RN took a lot of damage in the fight, but at least I don't have to rebuild anything.
He has always (from his mouth) planned on a very long campaign. Therefore, by his own admission he went too heavy on technology too early. He admits he should have waited longer and taken care of the West first.
On the Eastern Front, the early parts which we now both feel free to discuss, he kept units back away from the border to avoid early detection. That only succeeded in having his units too far from the front line to engage the Russian Mech units that arrive at the time on the German invasion of Russia, and are completely indefensible. So I still have ALL OF THEM! UPGRADED!
I have made mistakes as well, but given the Axis timetable, I can better recover from mine.
So he is not going for a "win," but would be satisfied with a Stalemate. After this game we will switch sides and play again and, if that ends up in a Stalemate, we will have a relative impartial judge to declare the overall victor.
I have, along with this HTH matchup, only played "Italy only" and "Russia only." So me taking over as the German Player will be unique, as will the Allies for him. We both agreed to not "run a simulation" as we both think that takes some of the fun and "surprise" out of a virgin meeting. You only get that once.
We both think this new experience is what makes this game so much fun. Yes, it is not the exact historical path the countries took at the time, but we both think what we have done, with the parameters I set forth in my first post, were all possible.
FYI, we have never had to summon our "referee" to make a ruling
Much is at stake. A free dinner at a Pub in Upperville Virginia for me (the Hunter's Head Tavern), or a free dinner at a German Restaurant (the Rheingarten in Stafford Virginia) for him.
I love English beer on tap with bangers and peas. NO MERCY!
