Tourney game amadeus (Axis) vs Mika (Allies)

[LLv34Mika]

Late December 1941

The defending line in Egypt is getting thinner and thinner. Already had to fill an empty place with a AA unit to keep the Germans away a bit longer. With the loss of Gibraltar the supply situation changed to his advantage.


To my big surprise the Iraqi unit was moving south to stop the incoming British two towns south/southeast of Baghdad. Very strange... just walked around the garrison towards the capital. Will be interesting if there is another unit (maybe air unit?) waiting. Anyway... a second unit just arrived at the port so the surrender of Iraq should be a matter of a few turns from now. Iraqi convoys expected to sail again in Spring 1942.

Speaking of convoys:

Two German subs left the ports going north to raid the UK/USSR convoy line. My North Atlantic task force consisting of several destroyers (ASW upgraded to 1) and some carriers was just sailing back from Narvik/Murmansk where they sunk a sub that was spotted by intelligence earlier this year. More ships from the British Island coming for help. Let's see if he can slip through my blockade of destroyers. Maybe one sub can get back to a port.

Another ship/sub seems to raid the canada/UK line again. I'm not sure if that are the subs/ships that are already in pipeline when you start the game or if he bought some more ships/subs. Buying them might be a very big mistake after losing so many ships and subs earlier in the game. At the moment it is too easy for me to sink his ships and the once powerful Kriegsmarine has no more chance to deal with the Royal Navy AND US Navy. So any investment is a loss here.

Just attacked parts of the Spanish/Italian fleet near Portugal. Portugal will surrender next turn but if he tries to sink my ships (put some cheaper ships ahead) I'm pretty sure I can kill whatever is floating there. More ships are waiting. That might sound as a warning but I think he has no use for his ships anyway. But maybe I'm wrong and he keeps his ships away from battle for now to help defending Italy later. I can live with both decisions... I'm just greedy for the many NM points you get when you sink a ship

In the East it is very quiet at the moment. Snow is falling and the power of both sides is reduced. Still producing many many units every turn and waiting for the Sibirians. Deploying new units every turn now while losing maybe just one or two. The power of the Red Army is increasing every turn.

It will be a VERY contesting year 1942. The USA joined the war very soon and will start sending troops and planes the next turns. The three allied Powers are collecting more than 1700MPPs every turn. I think Amadeus will have to do some risky moves this year or the economic power will crush him if it takes too long to make significant progress.

But he will see. He made some good progress in Egypt and southern Russia. He is far from being defeated and I expect some new weapons as soon as the weather gets better again.

[Amadeus]

ORIGINAL: LLv34Mika

The three allied Powers are collecting more than 1700MPPs every turn...

I play this game for some years now but cannot remember an income at this high level.

[LLv34Mika]

more than 1800 now
USSR infantry was upgraded to level 2

[LLv34Mika]

April 1942


+++ BREAKING NEWS +++

Germany declared war on Vichy France! It is treason then. Contracts signed with Germany are not worth the paper they are printed on.

Egypt had to surrender after the British retreated towards Iraq. That is the only good message in North Africa. The Iraqi garrison that stopped the approaching British really left the capital undefended. The British Corps simply walked around the unit and then into the empty capital. Iraq had to surrender. The convoys are sailing again.


A German U-Boat will be sunk the next days. It keeps diving and diving and diving and even though my destroyers have ASW level 1 I only deal 1 damage or nothing at all if the unit is damaged or the supply/morale is too low. That is pretty annoying.


The eastern front is very interesting right now. The Axis advance will continue as soon as the weather gets better. I'm curious how successful it will be. The Russian troops got new infantry weapons (tech 2) and the sibirian troops and tanks arrived at the battlefield. For the first time the Red Army is not just doomed to die trying. First counter attacks already destroyed an Italian and one German Corps. Almost no own casualties. Looks very promising and I am sure that will cause some headache for Amadeus. Now he can not just advance but has also keep in mind that eventual counter attacks really can hurt his armies.

The USSR already has more than 70 units on the battlefield. The Germans have 120.

BUT!!! The Allies are collecting more than 1900MPPs now every turn. New record when it comes to industrial production!

[Amadeus]

ORIGINAL: LLv34Mika

At the moment the USSR are on industrial tech level 4 and the last chit is invested too.

Now I understand what is going on about industry level. For me it makes sense now. And I will learn my lesson because I earn 1200 mpp with Germany and about 150 mpp with Italy at the moment. Mika plays hard in a tactical way but was inactive in a strategical way. Otherwise I were not able to conquer many countries till now.

My Axis is still on the march. GB cannot stop or slow down the forces in Egypt. Thus I still have a chance to turn the tide.

[LLv34Mika]

I think it is the other way around

my strategy was to set up for a economic advantage. That was VERY active concerning a strategy. The tactical thing was my problem. I'm just sitting around getting killed here and there so gar. Without those investments in industrial technology I would have better tanks, better AA, maybe even better infantry but I would have more of them!

But I agree... you still have a chance. But it is not getting easier with every turn we make because of my strong industry.

[LLv34Mika]

German and Italian forces advancing beyond Egypt. British retreat to Iraq waiting for areas with lower supply.

Another sub encircled in the Atlantic ocean. Expected to be sunk the next turn..

Russia is defending with heavy losses! German troops advance, supply is getting a bit lower but they are coming closer to the important oil fields in southern Caucaus. Still trying to do a counter attack if there is an occasion. Unfortunately I can not kill more than one Corps/Army every turn but that is better than nothing. Compared with 1941 it is much better when the Red Army couldn't even kill a single unit.

As it seems the assault on Mosow has started too. It should take some time for the Wehrmacht to fight through the fortifications.

Industrial production hits a new high when 1939 MPPs were produced.
Next step is reducing German income to make it even worse.

[Amadeus]

Here are 2 pics: Russian units are decreasing

[Amadeus]

Russian income is decreasing

[LLv34Mika]

Indeed... Russian income is decreasing slowly since more and more towns are conquered and most important the first ressource (oil) was captured too. But it will still take a while until the income drops so far that I can not replace the losses anymore. At the moment Russia is replacing the losses AND builds new units.

Despite the marginal loss of income in Russia the total income of the allies hit the 2000MPP mark.

Another Italian battleship (heavily damaged with str 1) was sunk in a port. The Axis have so few ships left that the battle at sea can be considered as won.

In Russia German paratroopers made a very unlucky attempt to get behind enemy lines. They dropped next to an A unit AND directly ON another unit. The paratroopers suffered heavy losses two times and barely survived the landing. Finally they were destroyed easily.

I also think that Russian fighters see better results now. As it seems the German Luftwaffe had to compensate more losses than I thought.

Everything looks fine so far. Just have to keep the Germans away from Iraq now.

[LLv34Mika]

The tide has turned again as it seems...

Amadeus conquered Leningrad very early, now Stalingrad has fallen and Moscow is almost encircled and will not see 1943 as it seems.

We have end of September 1942 and the German Wehrmacht is confronted with first resistance but is still making progress. A total of 6 tanks and 1 heavy tank unit were destroyed, most of them in the last weeks. That will slow down further progress but it is pretty sure that all these units will come back after the winter. Some of them were low on supply when they were destroyed.

The USSR still has most of its tank force ready to strike and I still have the feeling that the Germans have more and more problems. But as said before, they are still advancing.

But not in Iraq!
In Iraq the combined attacks of US and British troops and air force forced the Germans to retreat. Now I feel the pressure. I will use my strategic bombers to reduce supply and advance with my infantry. I hope to be back in Egypt by spring 1943. The Germans will need their Luftwaffe somewhere else next year so there won't be too much resistance. And even if there is resistance, there are just too many bombers, the Germans can't intercept them all. Iraq is safe, the convoys are sailing and another sub was sunk north of GB.

A last one seems to swim in the icy sea north of Archangelsk/Murmansk. No big threat to the convoys.
Even tough allied income is decreasing it is still very high (above 1900MPPs).

This winter will be the turning point again. The soviet research is doing well and they expect to have new weapons by next year. With all the troops repaired a big offensive can be expected. It is a MUST anyway.

A very thrilling situation in this game... Germany captured most of the objectives but winter is coming and the western allies are getting stronger every day. The production lines are filled and next year will show who of us can make it.

[LLv34Mika]

+++ Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad are conquered +++

The Germans are a giant step closer to victory! Now everything depends on the British. The last submarine is sunk, the Atlantic Ocean is safe and convoys are helpint as much as never before.

The Soviets still hold the Kaukasus and are doing pretty well. General von Rundstedt's HQ was attacked

In Iraq the Germans made an offensive they might regret. The Germans lost a full strength tank unit and an army was almost destroyed (Str 1). Since the army is out of supply the movement is restricted and allied bombers will finish the job very soon.

All depends on how fast the wallies can gain ground now! USSR is still on the retreat so the only chance is that UK and USA do something.

[Taxman66]

This is saddening, given all the MPP preparation that the USSR had before Barbarossa and income after it started.

[KorutZelva]

ORIGINAL: Taxman66

This is saddening, given all the MPP preparation that the USSR had before Barbarossa and income after it started.

Indeed yet at the same time this was the type of evidence I was hoping the tourney would gather. [:)]

The fat lady hasn't sang yet but it might be one of those game where had Manchester been the victory city instead of London the final outcome might have been different. [:)]

[LLv34Mika]

yup... that's true

Now I need a long winter and as much rain as possible! I know I would win this game but there is nothing the allied player can do against bombers destroying any unit in London and then drop a paratrooper. I could easily take back the capital but the game would be over.

That's what Sugar said. The Russians can't do a scratch and by 1942 all three objectives are captured. Maybe early 1943 if you are slower. Now my Red Army is at full strength and the game is in danger of being over before it begins (for me).

I didn't think that I did too much wrong or made big mistakes. Maybe the one or other stupid move in North Africa. At least in Russia is was doing well so far destroying a big part of the German tank force. In Africa I'm marching east again but I fear that I will miss all my objectives by just a few turns.

On the other hand the early attack on Yuguslavia had no advantage for the Axis (nothing I could see) but made the USSR very very strong. I still think that this was a very very big mistake. But it doesn't seem as if that would change anything.

But let's see how that works out. Maybe I am lucky and get snow and rain until april/may. In that case all my offensives might take back one of the important cities (Moscow, Stalingrad or Cairo).

[Taxman66]

Given the events, and mobilization/MPP head start and accumulation, it should never have come to loosing the 3 Soviet victory cities. Probably shouldn't have lost any of them.

[LLv34Mika]

Amadeus did a pretty good job. But I can't think of anything I made totally wrong in the east. My research was very fast, I already reached INF 3 in winer 42/43, my tanks are level 4 and I have all of them I can produce... same with mechanized. Only 4 armies and 3 corps missing.

I have more units and research than ever but could only stay and die until fall 42 and then it was too late.
Now my British just liberated Syria, I'm still moving forward. Only ONE German ship and THREE Italian ships left. All other ships are sunk!

The British Island is full with units, I have all air units I can buy (except of maritime bombers... but well, there are no ships so why should I build them?) but I still have to fear to lose that game.

That are the victory conditions and we all know it so this shouldn't sound as if I would complain about it. What I think is that this is the thing that needs some rebalancing. It would be something different if the USSR would have only 30 - 40 units left and the British have no chance to defend. But here it is clear that the massive air force of the British AND USA can crush any axis attack that might come.

As said many times before. Capturing AND holding London would be enough for me in that situation. I think I could make it with ease. If the Germans would need Manchester too it would be even more unlikely.

It is March 1943 now and I don't know what weather conditions we have in Europe. All I need is rain on the continent and/or in UK. With no fighter/bomber support Amadeus can not win this game. Impossible. But if there is an early spring and sun my London AA unit will be bombed out in one or two turns and then this game is over (unfortunately because it would be thrilling to see how fast I could gain ground... and if I could make it to Berlin in time).

If you ask me (as said in other threads) the British just need one or two mines somewhere in UK, the destroyers and carriers should do more damage on subs (would be even ok to increasy the dive chance to 50% on the other hand) and there needs to be more morale drop during the soviet winters for the Wehrmacht to slow them down a bit.

I attach some screenshots of carriers/destroyers trying to attack a sub. Clear weather, calm seas, a carrier with over 100% readiness and morale attacking a sub with 3 supply and 3 strength but still no damage at all. Of course my carriers are set to tactical/naval. Considering that planes were the biggest threat for subs (even a machine gun or small cannon is enough to damage the hull of a sub preventing it from diving too deep) that is not very fair. On the other hand it might be ok for me to change the sub attack value vs carriers to an even higher value (carriers can not turn tight enough to evade incoming torpedos, they have no depth charges, they are not as fast as destroyers,...) After the first carrier was sunk by a German sub the British changed their tactics and did not hunt subs with carriers anymore. But (land based) planes were still the biggest threat.

Anyway... still curious what will happen but I wouldn't bet too much money on myself.

[room]

Well if the weather is withy you, the re is a chance to retake Cairo before London Falls and then it's not over anymore...

[Taxman66]

You need CVLs vs. the subs, CVs aren't that good against them.

I wonder if you're better off with an Army in London vs. an AA. I think the Army with lvl 2 AA actually has a slightly higher bomber defense than the AA does, and the AA can always fire from an adjacent hex. Not that it really matters vs. the massed Luftwaffe.

The other option is to get London up to the highest level AA as possible. But if you're preparing London for that and researching AA to level 4 or 5, it's kind of a defeatist strategy.

[Sugar]

If allied airforces are so strong, why can`t you destroy the Luftwaffe?

In case of the defense of London: place an AA in the city, an as many as possible adjacent, all linked to the best HQ.