New Triump of the Reich Game 2

[DRommel]

Now I see German turn3 in the dropbox

[LJBurstyn]

HI there. In order to "remember" my passwords I've written a text message and placed it in my Saved Game folder. I am doing this for all my games...no more trying out old half remembered passwords hoping to hit upon the right one. Well patiently (is that right--it's the only spelling the spellchecker gives me) waiting for my turn (not).

My cat has a new toy...unfortunately it is also a part I need to put something together...now where did she take it (too big for her to eat)--it would roll just right for her to bat it around until it lodged under something.

[ernieschwitz]

Yes. That is the correct spelling. A+

Hope you find your cat's new toy

As for the passwords, I am considering that too...

[falco148]

German file turn.2 is in folder now.

[LJBurstyn]

Found it after spending most of the day on my hands and knees looking for where my cat batted the part under everything...found it laying on the floor in a corner right out in the open...did not see it at first because it was brown and my rug is brown and my eyes are not that good at seeing things that a similarly colored.

Posted this because I am bored and waiting for the pharmacy to open to go pick up a prescription (Lumigan--eye drops). No turns to play...

[DRommel]

Russia turn uploaded

Italian forces are going on the offensive in N-Africa.
We congratulate our fellow allied airmen for not intercepting our air raids.


Axis dow Russia and promptly pays a visit by art and air.

All quiet on the Finnish front.

[DRommel]

Russians are up

Italian forces continue their offensive in N-Africa. Lots of Allied units got hit.

Axis attacks Russian units in the Karpedian mountains and shells the Russian Fleet of the coast.

All quiet on the Finnish front

[DRommel]

Italians
A victory for our courages air-force. They destroyed an Allied fleet of the coast of Sicily.
In North Africa we continue to attack

Axis
An other victory, this time our air-force and navy where able to sink the Russian Black see fleet.

Finland:
all quiet

[DRommel]

Italians:
Another victory for the Italian armies. A combined operation of air and see forces sunk a combined fleet of GB and Free France forces. Also the Italian army landed on several shores in N-Africa, taking some coastal airfields who where not protected and surprised the planes on the ground. We also landed on Corsica witch turn to the Free France side.

Axis:
Following the sinking of the Russian black sea fleet, the Axis fleet conducted some naval landings on the Crim Peninsula. Also our army keeps up the pressure towards Odessa.

Finland
All quiet

[LJBurstyn]

December 1941.

The USA allies with Britain and the Commonwealth. But the USA does not enter the war as of yet. The attack on Pearl Harbor came as a complete surprise and we must weigh our next actions carefully. All resource centers are at full production. And we are building units now.

[DRommel]

Italians:
We restarted our assault on the enemies positions on the route to Cairo and with success. Many units took a serious blow and we could take a fortified hex. Our amphibious landing is disrupting the supply lines over land of our enemy causing now much of their supply is lost on the sea.

Axis:
We follow the retreating Russians on the banks of the Blacksea and pressuring towards Odessa. Our airforce is continuing to attack the Russian armies with success. Our units on the Krim or holding on until relief arrives.

Finland:
All quiet

[DRommel]

Italians;
continue to attack GB forces in N-Afrika, more landings on the coast of Egypte

Axis;
Mud hinders our air and land attacks, still we managed to liberate Odessa and do more landings on the Krim

Finland:
All Quiet

[RufusTFirefly]

Hello guys,

just wanted to play next turn, but then closed it without doing much.
It is turn 10 and Axis has already lost the game. Quite frustrating.

First I was absolutely ethusiastic about TotR. But the longer I play the more disapointed I am. Very sorry to say this, Ian. I really appreceate the work you have done. You have created a great scenario. But ther is one significant weak point that has become a fun killer for me. The scenario is not ballanced.

Ironduke is an excellent player. I knew it would not be easy to fight him. He is playing very well! But I was surprized to see a heavy breakthrough through my lines that early in the game. The screenshot shows where the Russians advance. Nearly the whole frontline is secured by fortifications. But even if not, Rusian forces outnumber the German forces to an extent that I would be lucky if I were able to keep my lines. Instead I guess the breakthrough will widen up and not more than a handful of tunr and the way to Berlin is open for the Russian forces.

I am playing another game. It is the first TotR that we started here. We are playing turn 57 now, it is end of 1945. Axis is beaten and retreating for more than 20 turns now. But Germany is still holding ost of France, recaptured Denmark and is fighting heavily against SU in Poland. Danzig has just fallen and German forces have evacuated Warsaw this turn. I might survive another twenty turns and have offered to play til Berlin is taken. Although the game is lost for Axis it is a lot of fun.

But to realize at turn 10 that the game is definately lost is anything but fun.

The reason why balancing cannt work is the production capacity. Germany, GB and SU start at same level. So right from the start it is a relation of 1:2. Meanwhile at turn 10 US production has raised above the level of German production. Italy and Commonwealth are nearly equal in production, so situation of Axis wont look better taking these side into account.

Like to read some comments of players participating here or in other games.

[RufusTFirefly]

Comparison of production from turn 1 to 10.

[DRommel]

sorry to hear you quit Rufus
But I told you in the beginning that your Barbarossa wasn't going fast enough to get the Russian bear on his knees.
and yes in my current game (turn6) as Germany I feel also that Russia is coming to fast at full production. In numbers but also in quality, Assault guns, Engineers, level II infantry and fighters, all come in fast and no militia. Also the building of many fortified places is pretty hard. In that game (turn 6) I did put everything on going fast despite that it already gets hard to even get to Kiev let alone Moscow. For now we are still moving forwards but for how long.

Hopefully my next game that is just getting underway ,the new upgraded version where building fortified places is harder, will be a little better.

[ironduke1955]

I am enjoying the scenario so far playing the Soviets is a bit of a beast, compared to the GD1938, I am not making the same mistakes that the Soviets made historically I give ground where I can't hold and dig in where I think I can, this helps to keep encirclement's down to a minimum most of the initial Soviet rail capacity went on railing armies out of potential pockets. Those armies instead of being lost can be added to fresh production and Siberian reserves. The amphibious landing to the south are a nuisance but containable. Juergen is playing extremely well initial losses were very high, and I missed things like upgrading resource production which could have been fatal, as to the current Soviet offensive its winter and there was a comparable offensive Soviet at this time on the Russian front I am more conservative with Russian lives but generally its not inconceivable that this is how the war on the Russian front could have developed with a more competent Soviet command, and however good Juergens play is and believe me it is very good its a lot harder for the Germans if the Soviets are not committing historical blunders. So this may be a case of proof of accuracy of the Scenario rather than a lack of accuracy due to a unhistorical result after all to follow history I would have to make the same mistakes as the Soviets.

[DRommel]

I hope we will someday cross swards Ironduke. In the new version building fortified hexes is hard and that will help me as the German player.
Also historical I think, the Russians got first inexperience troops (militia) until first winter and later they got troops and equipment matching that of the Germans. I think even before Stalingrad they had not sufficient numbers of good troops or material to match the Germans But they had the weather on their side.

[icym]

Thank you all for your comments.

It takes a while to figure out how best to play each Regime and experience does help.

For Germany, the first important thing is to get off to a good start on the Russian front. In my latest game these were the Russian/German losses in June 1941:

Infantry: 2403/856
Soft Mobile: 31/1
Artillery: 93/3
Armour: 69/18
Fighters: 48/8
Non-Fighters: 12/2

Following those losses, the Russians have to retreat, seeking to delay the German advance by taking good defensive positions, especially behind river lines. Russia has also been forced to use fairly low experience recent builds to hinder the Axis advance. Meanwhile the Axis, who control the air, continue to gain experience and it is this, more than numbers that gives Germany the edge in the opening year or two.

Admittedly, German advance in the scenario is slower that it was historically, but all my attempts to speed it up resulted in Russia getting swamped. For comparison, in my game in August 1941 the Germans are 4 hexes from Minsk and it will fall in either September or October. Germany/Italy is also threatening to over-run the Med (and they actually did so in my last game).

From the production graph, I noted that German production was around 800,000 and noticeably below Russian production. At the same stage in a previous game, German production was 1,276,900 and was a little above Russia. This probably relates to developing ore mines quickly and building factories as allowed by construction points.

Construction points are a recent addition and addresses the fort-fest that Russia could indulge in early in the game.

Nonetheless, it is entirely possible that some further balancing is required. I look forward to all comments and criticisms and will take them on board.

[DRommel]

Hi ICYM
In my game, see "thirdtriumpgame" on AAR forum, I have Minsk surrounded and reached Kiev in August but those loss ratings are not so good for me.
but as you can see on the pic there are not only al lot of number of Russian troops already in place but their quality is also good (inf II, Fighter II) and they fortify fast. Addressing the building of fortified hexes in the latest update will help but slowing the upgrade of the Russian forces is in my opinion also a good thing.

[LJBurstyn]

It might be interesting to include some mechanism that makes the staff of Russia stupid for the first few turns--negative morale and combat bonuses--or requiring the Soviets to hire all new Generals after the purges. This would give the higher ranking Soviets a penalty for the purges that happened before the war. Not sure this is doable but it might help. Also increasing research cost for the Allies (purges in Soviets Union--lack of foresight for the West)--or give Germans high bonuses for research the first few turns...

I am playing the USA in this game and I think the automatic increase in production without me spending a "dime" is not accurate. I can see it being out of my control before the war engulfs the USA but afterwards I can see production advances costing me PP. I can see fast production increases until I reach 50% than slower and more costly increases after that...it costs more to go from 99% to 100% than 40% to 50% production in the real world.