Adventures in Italy

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the west side just before I ended the turn. I've surrounded a small Axis
stack and I think I can destroy it next turn; that wlll facilitate more attacks.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: devoncop

ORIGINAL: MikeJ19
Guys,

This is so much fun. I know that I have said it before, but I am really enjoying the discussion on this thread.

Well done!

Thanks Mike

Its a very different way to do an AAR with both players contributing simultaneously but I think it really works as both of us are similar in being open about all the choices the scenario offers.

It has about 75% of the fog of war that would usually apply but is none the worse to play from my point of view. I learn so much more than I would otherwise have done as Larry is such a font of knowledge.

I really like the way Ian and I are sharing this AAR with both our points of view. It's a much better AAR than it would have been I think. And I'm not playing to "win"...I'm helping Ian get used to the way TOAW IV works and how to play this game. I think Ian is doing a really good job staying in my path and holding me back. This scenario isn't "fair" but it is one of the better scenarios. This is my first time through this version of the scenario so I'm trying to learn how to play it too. Also, the readers have expressed to me that they really like the "over my shoulder" style of writing it up and I like it too because I can tell which ideas are bad ones if I just type out the plan first. I get to view it as the readers would and if it doesn't pass the smell test i start over with my plan. Some of our readers are experts at warfare and just need to adjust to the game mechanics to really shine. I love reading the AAR's of players who know what they are doing. They make it look so easy to do what they are doing that it's inspiring....the readers want to try it too. I usually learn something from reading AAR's. I hope Ian is still having fun because this scenario isn't designed for the Axis player to have much fun as it's his stuff that's getting destroyed and his units that are getting pushed backward. His air force has largely disappeared by this time in the game. Which reminds me...I need to do some airfield strikes to whittle down the competition.

[DanNeely]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

ORIGINAL: devoncop

ORIGINAL: MikeJ19
Guys,

This is so much fun. I know that I have said it before, but I am really enjoying the discussion on this thread.

Well done!

Thanks Mike

Its a very different way to do an AAR with both players contributing simultaneously but I think it really works as both of us are similar in being open about all the choices the scenario offers.

It has about 75% of the fog of war that would usually apply but is none the worse to play from my point of view. I learn so much more than I would otherwise have done as Larry is such a font of knowledge.

I really like the way Ian and I are sharing this AAR with both our points of view. It's a much better AAR than it would have been I think. And I'm not playing to "win"...I'm helping Ian get used to the way TOAW IV works and how to play this game. I think Ian is doing a really good job staying in my path and holding me back. This scenario isn't "fair" but it is one of the better scenarios. This is my first time through this version of the scenario so I'm trying to learn how to play it too. Also, the readers have expressed to me that they really like the "over my shoulder" style of writing it up and I like it too because I can tell which ideas are bad ones if I just type out the plan first. I get to view it as the readers would and if it doesn't pass the smell test i start over with my plan. Some of our readers are experts at warfare and just need to adjust to the game mechanics to really shine. I love reading the AAR's of players who know what they are doing. They make it look so easy to do what they are doing that it's inspiring....the readers want to try it too. I usually learn something from reading AAR's. I hope Ian is still having fun because this scenario isn't designed for the Axis player to have much fun as it's his stuff that's getting destroyed and his units that are getting pushed backward. His air force has largely disappeared by this time in the game. Which reminds me...I need to do some airfield strikes to whittle down the competition.

Multiplayer AARs definitely have the potential to be much more interesting than single sided ones.

One approach I remember from the ACOW/WarfareHQ days ~15 years ago that seems to've gone out of style has been delayed posting. Keeping the AAR thread 2-4 turns behind the actual game let both sides participate on the thread with much less breaching of the fog of war because any looking over the shoulder data would generally be safely out of date by the time it was exposed.

[MikeJ19]

Dan,

If I ever feel like doing a MP game, that would be brilliant. It is so interesting watching Larry and Ian discussions about the game, but I would find it hard to do it in a game I was playing, especially if I was trying to get the other player to do something specific. Posting a couple of turns off would solve that.

I need to remember this.

[larryfulkerson]

Posting a couple of turns off would solve that.

I can start doing that if you really want to. Right now I'm
busy helping Ian learn the game system and the goal isn't to
win, it's the process, the gameplay that I wish to showcase.
The tips and tricks and insider procedures and tactics that
might make for a better game. When I moved my first units to
Toulon I didn't make a big deal about it right away and the
OPSEC was sufficent for my needs and it worked out
alright. Ian is doing just fine and is a good opponent and
is doing a pretty good job of it. And I appreciate him being
a good sport about eveything.

[devoncop]

16th July 1944

A historic day in the epic struggle for Italy as the Gustav Line gave way across the whole of the centre as US, British and Indian troops launched well co-ordinated assaults. The remnants of the line are now streaming back to the hopefully safer environs of the mountains to the north of Avezzano, Celano and Soulmona. The newly arrived and fresh LW Sturm Division is sent the same way to try and add some resilience.

There is now the problem of the eastern approach to Rome.....what spare units I had in the eastern suburbs are diverted across to form a thin line and a decision is made to send the most powerful unit the Germans possess, the Heavy armour Sturm Regiment of Tiger II's, Panthers and numerous other big beasts across to try and help the eastern defence of the capital. This has weakened the southern defences just as intelligence has advised a huge armoured attack may be imminent there but needs must. To try and disrupt any such attack a heavy bombardment, taking out over 80 25pdr guns was undertaken against supporting Allied artillery in the South.

In the far north the arrival of a new Jager Division is the only encouraging development along with some much needed engineers. It is evident given transportation problems that they need to flesh out the Gothic fortified line rather than suffering repeated interdiction in trying to help the chaos in the far south.

As for the "delay" idea...I like the immediacy of the reports personally (and it makes it MUCH easier for my addled brain to do the report after I just sent a turn in !) but as always thanks to all for the positive feedback.......now back to some crisis management

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like when I got the moves from Ian just now. The red dots in
the middle areas were moving north during the playback and he's leaving a skeleton
staff and moving everybody else. This may be a good time to do the giant push and
attack with everybody on the front lines along the length of it to keep up the
pressure and maybe force a retreat. It could happen.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a report on the location, mission, and condition of the air fleet right now.
I've got a squadron of P-40E/N's that came up missing five of it's planes this turn
and I had it flying INT missions and it obviously came across a hard case. Maybe
he struck an AA unit during the INT frenzy that happens at the end of each Axis
combat round. I think it's going to need some rest with it comes out of reorg.

[larryfulkerson]

There's trouble brewing near Briancon, France. I've got an outpost up there and
the Germans are approaching and the supply level is so low up there that I'm going
to withdraw and let him have it. So I'm thinking I'll build a small screen somewhere
on the road leading north from Toulon and see what develops.

[larryfulkerson]

This is the west side as it looks right now. I've defeated the German defenders
in the slot to Rome and I'm advancing there. On the coast I've started my attacking
to see if it's possible to force that crossing as well and I've gained a hex or two
so the push is working out so far. I need to keep up the pressure to see if I can
get a general retreat started.

[devoncop]

19th July 1944

All kinds of mayhem in the centre and as I thought the decision to reallocate the heavy armour has now allowed the N2nd New Zealand Division to storm Cisterna, the cornersone of the defence line SE of Rome. In an strategy worthy of the "Grand Old Duke of York" marching his troops up to the top of the hill and then marching them down again, the unit is ordered to race back to try and halt the NZ attack...[8|]

Larry has evidently been as good as his word and devoted more of his fighter bombers to interdiction which was horrendous even in the north this turn.

I have pushed forward with the Monte Rosa Division towards Briancon with Artillery and Jager Infantry support just to see what is up there...

Several bridges are blown by the retreating German survivors of the central defence line between Tivoli and Rome ( I really need the Allied supply to fall) and a successful though futile counter attack on a US Recon unit SE of Valmontone pushes it back off the river line.

I notice the British Division...I believe the 46th... has now reached my line on the French Italian border south East of the Alps and throw some artillery shells as a greeting in their direction.

Finally another strong Jager Infantry Division arrives destined for the Gothic Line but makes slow progress due to my ever present "friends" in Allied Bomber Command.....

[MikeJ19]

Larry and Ian,

As for posting, this is obviously working for both of you. So, stick with it. My thoughts were more about future games if I ever play multi player and a way to have both of us posting without giving away too much.

In this case, you are both having fun and learning. As am I.

Have a good day

[larryfulkerson]

I finally found a good place to do my airfield strike. I found an airfield that had
at least one Axis plane, two is a bonus, and no AA present. So I launched all the AS
I could round up for the occassion and they did the job. I lost 20+ planes destroyed
but it's worth it to get rid of some pesky bombers. Next is the fighters.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: MikeJ19
Larry and Ian,

As for posting, this is obviously working for both of you. So, stick with it. My thoughts were more about future games if I ever play multi player and a way to have both of us posting without giving away too much.

In this case, you are both having fun and learning. As am I.

Have a good day

I fully understand the need for OPSEC and in almost all games it's prefered because it's a must have for a good game but as you have observed Ian and I are in "teaching mode" and we're playing a friendly game, a beer and pretzels game, definately not a tournament game.

Which brings up another topic....the ladders for TOAW IV games. Is that what you call them now, ladders? Or brackets? The ranking of players in a list, a public list. Does the gaming community want to put together a tournament? Just a thought.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the west side after two combat rounds. Lots of German units have disappeared
and it appears that the path to Rome is almost open for the Allied units and they
are pressing pretty hard. I'm doing three-dot attacks but the losses aren't spectacular
yet just more than a two-dot attack might have. Slightly higher than "normal" losses
would be. I'll show you.

[larryfulkerson]

One of the drawbacks of doing airfield strikes is the losses you sustain doing it.
Here's a British squadron flying Spitfires that's missing nine of it's planes and
it's in reorg now. Other squadrons have sustained losses and this one is the only
one that went into reorg. I still have no idea what caused it to go into reorg....
maybe it failed a morale check or something. I may have to rest this squadron for
a bit after it graduates from it's reorg.

[devoncop]

23rd July 1944

So the chaos continues....

The relatively good news is that the Allied attacks on the French/Italian border by the British 46th and 56th and US 91st Divisions against 856th Infantry Division and 15th Panzer Grenadier Div were beaten off west of Savona and a few more bridges were blown as the units in the East made their way North.

More good news is .......er....nope...that's just about it ! [:D]

The fate of Rome now seems sealed within the month. KG Baumer lunched an attack against 1st US Armoured Division CCB in front of them and found over 300 supporting tanks piling in to help them out along with a similar number of fighter bombers.
Amazingly only 7 tanks were lost on each side before the command and control confusion in German High Command was reflected in a failed proficiency test....

Two Jager Divisions are almost in place at the Gothic line but many more troops will be needed if the line can prove worthy of its name. I now send more and more urgent memo's to Jodl for reinforcements...

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the T110 front lines as I received the moves from Ian. I'm not seeing a lot
of Germans near the Gustav Line this turn. I see a large hole in the Germn lines.
I'll have to explore that further.

[MikeJ19]

Larry,

The ground North of Rome is a little more open with lots of towns and East-West roads. Hopefully, you can keep Ian off balance with too many different problems.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: MikeJ19
Larry,

The ground North of Rome is a little more open with lots of towns and East-West roads. Hopefully, you can keep Ian off balance with too many different problems.

Mike, my friend, that's a great idea. I'm going to promote you to be my operations officer congratulations and welcome aboard. Too many different problems coming up. I think I can do that. Lots of divisions going in different directions from Rome spreading out converting roads and rails. That's going to be the problem you know: supply. There's no way to repair all those rails at anywhere near the speed needed to keep up with the various front line groups that there's going to be. I'll have to mostly concentrate on one main one heading north and make do for the others I'm guessing. Depends on the speed of the advance and where the rails go on the map, etc. Thanks for posting. I appreiate it.