Lessons Learned: 1939 Campaign

[bcgames]

As the Axis Player, pay close attention to hex possession/zones of control in Poland. In my current PBEM game, the Poles skippity-do-dah'd their mountain corps into Austria. I didn't see that coming. In a second PBEM game, I followed this potential Allied model and launched Polish corps through as many holes I could find in German lines--into Prussia and Austria. Fortunately, my opponent was able to counter these goofy moves by causing Poland's surrender.

So...pay attention to ZOCs and take Warsaw as rapidly as possible to prevent/reduce the impact of--Polish invasions of Germany, Prussia, or Austria.

PBEM WarPlan Newbie.

[AlvaroSousa]

Yea you need to use ZoCs and have reserves.

[bcgames]

Understand submarines. I lost all of my U-Boats as the Axis Player and have no idea why. Still don't. They were just reported as lost--don't know where, don't know how. Hard copy of the game and game manual is in the mail. Maybe hands-on beats .pdf in understanding how these things happen. We'll see. Having fun though.

[bcgames]

PBEM Axis: You're going to get an airborne unit ~first week of June 1940...you need to build air transport units to carry it around.

[Michael T]

If it's our game you refer to about your sub losses it was because you made the same mistake I did. Which was not to put them in Raider mode. But you also left them adjacent to the UK coastline. So doubly bad. The entire Home Fleet sortied and annihilated them.

[bcgames]

Lesson learned...Raider Mode!

[AlvaroSousa]

lol. You park your subs in shallow water you can expect to be blown up.

[bcgames]

Nibble away at the outskirts...while powering up for France.

Not sure this is a winning strategy, but you can take Poland in several turns...then refit/re-deploy. Take Denmark...then refit/re-deploy. Take The Netherlands...then refit/re-deploy. Take Luxembourg...then refit/re-deploy. All before May 1940. No problem.

I haven't figured out how to do Norway yet...or Eben Emael for that matter...but I think you need to build an air transport unit very early in 1939 if you want to use paratroops in Spring/Summer 1940. Dunno.

We'll see.

[AlvaroSousa]

German starts with air transports.

[bcgames]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

German starts with air transports.

Indeed. I was expecting an air transport counter. Shame on me. The right answer is: Airborne units need air transport points AND must be at EXACTLY 100% efficiency...not 99.9%--100%. This rule needs to be re-looked; this is a dumb mechanic with no reason presented. I think airborne units need to "jump-in" when the Player wants them to do it--regardless of the efficiency. The game designer needs to find a fast exit from making a decision that actually belongs to The Player.

[bcgames]

France 1940 historical is not a thing. The Axis Player will accelerate the whole timeline so fast that counter-factual becomes a thing very rapidly. If you elect to play the Axis along an historical timeline, you will find the Allies are accelerated along the same line of "I know history". In my last and final PBEM game, we are in The Man in the High Castle mode. Interesting but distant from history. Losing enthusiasm.

[bcgames]

Michael T has kicked my ass. Allies invaded Italy in 1940...Italy surrenders. I'm out. Good job.

[Michael T]

Don't be harsh on yourself. The game has some balance issues. Hopefully they will get ironed out eventually. Thank you for the game [:)]

[bcgames]

Your game was well played and well won. Thank-you for the opportunity to play.

[Worg64]

ORIGINAL: bcgames

France 1940 historical is not a thing. The Axis Player will accelerate the whole timeline so fast that counter-factual becomes a thing very rapidly. If you elect to play the Axis along an historical timeline, you will find the Allies are accelerated along the same line of "I know history". In my last and final PBEM game, we are in The Man in the High Castle mode. Interesting but distant from history. Losing enthusiasm.

Its good and well if its possible to make a game historical or close to it.
But in a strategic game with its huge depth like this, it is just not possible really, unless you play against a opponent where both of you try its best to achive just that.

A opponent will just not make the same descions they did historical. The production and diplomacy differs. The choice in science investment differ. The choise of invasions and battle plan differ. The possibility to avoid historical blunders is so big. Any player will have its own solution to win and most of the time that will not be historical.

I play wwII games because I CAN make the ending different and better (hopefully).
If I just want a historical copy or near so I might as well watch a documentary movie, no disrespect toward you wanting a historical game.

[AlvaroSousa]

I reduced the Italian surrender from squiring 10 morale to getting 30 morale. So it will take several cities to do so. If that doesn't work I will lower it more.

If there is unrestricted paratrooper ability then you just jump every turn like a teleporting alien. That was discovered in beta. The amount might be modified to maybe 95% but I have to test it out myself.

[Numdydar]

Most games require a turn to 'set' the para to Jump status. Then they can jump the next turn. I always thought this made sense as the majority of the time para units were just specialized ground troops. So it should take some 'time' to transport them to airfields, get the planes ready, etc.

[AlbertN]

It's just Italy being far too weak compared to the Allies - and so full of ports ...
Obviously one would say, Germany may intervene. But since there are even talks of nerfing German rails.

[AlvaroSousa]

I just tested paratroopers in a 1940 scenario. It doesn't take long to get them to jump status and 100% even without supply trucks.

I moved them up and waited. took 3 turns for them to be 100%. Setting them on a 9 map supply helps also.

[Michael T]

10 was too low. 30 is too high. They will hang around now for much longer than historical. You need to add a bit of flesh to the surrender rules. Basing them on this one number is overly simplifying the whole thing. They surrendered historically when they lost North Africa + Sicily + Southern Italy. Work from there.