Tyrone (Axis) vs Cohen

[battlevonwar]

His easy take down of France left a free hand to steamroll anywhere he pleases with extra time to kill. I wonder had Heavy Rain and Snow kept the Axis in check had things been different? That and British Armor in France as tyronec mentions? He could even do Barbarossa '41. "Guesstimation" this is the optimal Axis outcome of 1940. . . Vichy/Spain/Greece/N.Africa possibly Axis MidEast. . .

P.S. Kennon add up the Cash, Free Range on Raiding Atlantic Trade, possible Oil and no Italy to Garrison at all(actually easier to garrison Spain/N.Africa I would think but Egypt cannot be left to breath?)

ORIGINAL: kennonlightfoot

First, I would like to know how you got the "Round" icons for the air units?
I haven't found an option setting for that.

Second, thoughts on whether conquering Vichy France (and NA, etc) is a good idea?
What does Axis gain? Does it stretch the Italians to much having to cover all these conquests?

[MorningDew]

ORIGINAL: kennonlightfoot

First, I would like to know how you got the "Round" icons for the air units?
I haven't found an option setting for that.

Have you looked at any of the mods available?

[tyronec]

First, I would like to know how you got the "Round" icons for the air units?
I haven't found an option setting for that.

They are one of the many mods from the mods folder, can't remember which one I'm using. Had my computer wiped a couple of weeks ago and had quite a job finding the same unit mod again, some of them are not great because they have changed the colours to make some countries the same.

I invaded Vichy to give two rail links to Spain, it is a bit thin just using the Atlantic line with partisans always popping up.

Originally had no intention of invading Spain or any of Vichy but when France was abandoned by the UK it gave me a lot more time to take out the Western Med (even with worse than average luck with the weather). Hope I have judged it right.

Not sure what my opponents strategy is, he posted that he wanted an AAR, perhaps he could give some insight from the other side.

This turn am just advancing in Spain, looking to assault Madrid in a couple of turns.
Africa is going slowly, not many combats. Will just work my way up to Algiers and then assault it, then turn to the Atlantic coast.
Greece has proved more difficult than expected, the 1 turn delay to using ports really upset my schedule and am getting no naval intercepts which allowed another unit to come down and defend Athens. So will take a few more turns but is not costing many losses.

Am killing about 100 PPs a turn in the Atlantic, taking Spain will help and if Gibraltar falls may be able to close down the S. Atlantic convoy.

[tyronec]

Spain - no combats, just advancing on Madrid.
Africa - advancing on Algiers.
Greece - no attack on Athens yet.

[tyronec]

Set up to attack in Spain, Algiers and Athens for next turn.

[tyronec]

Spain falls. Am using Corunna as a sub. port so can get them back out in one turn.
Algiers falls, taking a British corps in the process.
UK have moved a tank corps into Athens, strikes me a high risk as have 3 units set up to attack and a lot of aircraft. Should be attacking next turn.

[tyronec]

October was all mud.

November get one clear turn and push down towards Gibraltar.

Athens still not taken, weather issues.

German surface fleet has sailed, in total sank about 35 MM in November.

[battlevonwar]

British didn't fight in France but fighting hard and well for the choke points in the Med, I'm sure it's just a matter of time but all the time is a delay in and 'price' for whether Barbarossa happens or not, hmmm...

[tyronec]

British didn't fight in France but fighting hard and well for the choke points in the Med, I'm sure it's just a matter of time but all the time is a delay in and 'price' for whether Barbarossa happens or not, hmmm...

Disagree with your analysis.
There is no threat to Barbarossa, it will be weaker than in my game vs MM but primarily because I have invested in subs and rather than any action by the UK.
Greece will fall in time, so Yugoslavia will join Axis.
I have the extra production and VPs from Spain, Vichy France and N. Africa. to offset the recent combat losses.
UK are losing quite a few units AND their Merchant Marine is being trashed, even more serious when Gibraltar falls.

The Allies need to hold out longer in France. Then they must hold Spain. Putting resource into Greece or N. Africa is a distraction which weakens where the main effort should be in Spain.

[tyronec]

Athens taken, so Yugoslavia joins Axis.
Gibraltar taken, with I think 3 UK units being lost in the process.
No combat zones left so maybe things will be quiet until Barbarossa.

Italian navy set to sortie out to the Atlantic. UK merchant fleet is down to 100 so think they are losing some production.

Losses to date. There has been roughly parity with Axis/UK losses since the fall of France so has been a good payoff for taking Vichy France, N. Africa, Spain and shortly Portugal as against just going for Greece which would have cost very little on it's own.

[Flaviusx]

UK merchant marine situation is super bad. You may well cripple them with just that alone.

[battlevonwar]

+2

Was hoping the UK could hold onto Gibraltar longer or Greece. Zero UK merchant Marine, doesn't need to be invaded, just ignored.

[Michael T]

Your opponents view that the game is so biased toward the Allies is not holding much water ATM.

[battlevonwar]

Yes but had he fought for France ... Spain may have been impossible and Greece expensive.

The same amount of casualties taken by the Allies at this point could of been taken by July/August 1940 in France itself. Therefore Spain and Greece together would be an expensive adventure. I wonder if tyronec would have launched Spain invasion if that was the case? It can 5-6 game turns to repair a battered luftwaffe/wermacht. Leaving operations into '41 only?

ORIGINAL: Michael T

Your opponents view that the game is so biased toward the Allies is not holding much water ATM.

[tyronec]

Your opponents view that the game is so biased toward the Allies is not holding much water ATM.

I would have conceded as Allies once Gibraltar went but his decision to continue or not. Am expecting a Barbarossa that is already loaded in Axis favor.

[AlbertN]

The real problem is how Naval business works.

The Royal Navy is unable to catch the Axis fleets - to the extent that there is a landing in Newfoundland now.
To have more BBs or CVs matters nothing when fleets zap across ocean, and all the results are 'Enemy Fleet not found'.
And once a port is taken that is in permanent supply. Even if there is the whole ocean in the middle.

[tyronec]

The real problem is how Naval business works.

The Royal Navy is unable to catch the Axis fleets - to the extent that there is a landing in Newfoundland now.
To have more BBs or CVs matters nothing when fleets zap across ocean, and all the results are 'Enemy Fleet not found'.
And once a port is taken that is in permanent supply. Even if there is the whole ocean in the middle.

Would agree that this game has shown up a few difficulties with the naval war.
My surface fleets have been able to avoid the RN by ending their moves out of attack range.
Sub war is difficult to counter in '39/'40.
On the other hand Carriers are a bit of a super weapon. In one attack they moved next to a port and sank the sub there despite 6AA defending. If they lose a few aircraft in the process it costs them nothing. I have not even tried to attack a carrier because even with a large fleet of battleships the chances are you will not find them, and using aircraft to attack is generally poor odds of finding and no certainty of a result.

[AlbertN]

That's because of the CVs having no cost for planes. When I bombed that base with the AntiSom Heavy Bomber, it took a beating.

Carriers are indeed extremely hard to catch by surface fleets - I do agree with that. BUT as it is now my fleets are simply not catching yours.

I pointed out long ago how fleets zap across the seas - and it does not help that it's 1 move to follow up and 1 move to 'hope to catch them'. Whilst raiders use 1 move, and have guarantee to catch convoy.

I am not complaining about Gibraltar or else that is land related. That Greece is invaded is perfectly fine for me, and so that Yugoslavia gets into Axis. Spain may backfire later on as it dilutes the beaches Axis has to defend - and it was my fault to have left Azores (Should have declared war on Portugal and invaded Azores, but seeing that air do not find either submarines, probably I was overstimating their use).

Canada invasion may be next issue. USA has not batted eyelid on the invasion of Newfoundland.

[tyronec]

Well at least the Naval interdiction is working, you sank a couple of Italian landing ships this turn. Think you have probably killed my prospects of a serious Canada take over but that I could sail 3 corps across the Atlantic without being spotted it not right.

Naval warfare has always been a problem for land wargames and Warplan does it better than most, not convinced it does it well enough yet for a WIP game.

[tyronec]

A CLEAR turn and Barbarossa begins.
Not much combat as the Soviets are back from the border, Italians take a couple of empty ports on the Black sea.
Germans are not up to full strength, still a few Panzers in the build queue; but with mixed weather in April & May can just get the border rail captured.
Soviets are all Mech. and Cav. so far.

Madness in the Atlantic. The convoy to the Pacific has been closed for some time, it is impossible for the UK to protect it with a couple of battle fleets in Gibraltar. Italians have invaded Canada, taking one port. British had enough fleets to stop them taking another and I lost a couple of infantry corps to interdiction.
Merchant Marine is down to 63 but I cannot really use a Canadian port for refueling as the carriers are going to bomb them to bits.
IMO this area of the game with Axis invading across the Atlantic without naval control doesn't work.