TAIFUN (Axis) vs crispy131313 (allies) 1939

[Taifun]

November 17th 1941 Army Group South
The Soviet troops defending the Rostov bridgehead are gone and we advance in good weather unopposed towards the Maikop Oil Field.
The town of Kotelnikovo is captured, widening the attack front towards Stalingrad.

[Taifun]

December 9th 1941
In clear frozen weather the final offensive takes place. The town of Rzhev is finally captured, securing the northern flank, and the town of Ryazan falls also securing the eastern flank.
With the help of many Luftwaffe bomber units and artillery support the Northern hex of Moscow is captured!
Next turn the Siberians will arrive from the Far East… much is expected of Zhukov.

[Taifun]

March 25th 1942
The German swastika flag flies over the Kremlin! Stalin left the city and our diligent Gestapo agents are analyzing tons of documents found in the basement. The Soviet troops are now concentrated around Volkhov in the far North, Stalingrad and defending the approaches of Grozny in the Caucasus (62 land units at the end of the turn). The Siberian troops arrived almost in time to defend the Capital... now those troops are massed around Stalingrad.

[Taifun]

At this point I will analyze the overall economic situation of the War (March 25th 1942).

The German economy has collected a total 26731 MPPs (12476 MPPs since Barbarossa), lost 9591 MPPs (5677 MPPs since Barbarossa, 1970 MPPs of those in a single turn due to the Russian Winter) and spent 4500 MPPs in research (1550 MPPs since Barbarossa).
The British Empire economy has collected 9809 MPPs (2877 MPPs since Barbarossa), lost 6928 MPPs (including minors) and spent 2775 MPPs in research (1175 MPPs since Barbarossa). They got 4794 MPPs trough convoys losing 633 MPPs to U-boots (1924 MMPs vs 253 MPPs lost since Barbarossa a 12% total lost in this period).
The USSR economy has collected 13487 MPPs (9782 MPPs since Barbarossa), losing 11931 MPPs. They invested 2575 MPPs in technology (525 MPPs since Barbarossa). They got 1068 MPPs trough artic convoys losing 517 MPPs to U-boots (A 33% total lost in this period).
The USA economy has collected 6491 MPPs and invested 3125 MPPs in technology (48%).

As we can see, Germany is the country that spent the most in technology withy 4500 MPPs. This represents 17% of the total MMPs collected since the start of the war in 1939, and kept investing after Barbarossa since 13% of the MMPs collected since were reinvested.
The USA is second with 3125 MPPs followed by the USSR with 2575 MPPS. The USSR spent in technology 6% of the MMPs received since the German invasion.
The British empire collected only 2877 MPPs since Barbarossa (1/4 of Germany’s total) and made a big effort trying to catch up in tech development since they invested a whopping 41%.

The U-Boots are starting to do a great deal of damage. None have been lost so far in war and they managed to sink 1150 MPPs since 1939. Damage to the Soviet bound convoys is big, sinking a good 33% MPPs of the goods sent from GB. They are already at level 3 vs level 2 Antisub destroyers.

The Soviet have lost 11931 MPPs worth of troops, a 121% of the total MPPs collected since Barbarossa, meaning that they are losing more MPPs than they collect. Here is attached a total count of the lost units so far:

[Taifun]

The armies of the Ostheer received their supplies from depots behind the front by means of road or rail (and, infrequently, by air). Prior to the start of the campaign, German logistical planners had concluded that the Army’s supply system could sustain an advance of up to 500 kilometers beyond the frontier, to the line of the Werstern Dvina and Dnepr Rivers: beyond that point, however, requirements could not be projected. Because it would take time to bring rail line inside Soviet territory into working order, the delivery of supplies during this first, decisive phase of operations was to depend mostly on motor (truck) transport across Russia’s thin road net. Upon reaching the Dvina-Dnepr line at the latest, the Ostheer would be dependent on the smooth functioning of the railroads for resupply. The assumptions made by German planners proved hopelessly optimistic, in this case, that they would capture intact extensive chunks of the rail infrastructure in Europen Russia, thus enabling the Germans to operate them unaltered with captured locomotives and rolling stock, while reducing to a minimum conversion efforts from the Russian broad gauge to the narrower German gauge. Damage to the infrastructure, either by deliberate Russian action or as a result of ground combat or Luftwaffe bombardment, was greater than anticipated, while the Russians managed to evacuate most of their locomotives and rolling stock, compelling the Germans to commit massive resources of their own in an effort to restore the rail system to a functioning state.
All told 35000 km of the Soviet railway would be converted to the narrower German gauge, at a rate of 10-12 km a day by a company of German railway troops. While the railroadtroops labored feverishly to convert the rail lines and, thus, move the railheads forward, their efforts sufferer from critical shortages of manpower and materials, rendering rapid progress impossible.

In my game against Chris I captured 80% of the towns and cities at level 5-6, and I was able to operate, in the same turn that those localities were captured, new troops forward. I always found this odd and utterly unrealistic!! The scorched earth policy of previous versions was better. I suggest to damage at least to level 2-3 all localities captured to simulate this destruction to rail lines and infrastructure. How can I operate troops deep in the Caucasus in 1941 ? Thousands of km from the initial German border IN THE SAME TURN THAT THE TOWN WAS CAPTURED?

[Scottydawg]

I am in full agreement with regards to OP movement and realistic scorched earth. However, we all have the same playing field right--and this game is an absolute blast to play--right? Unequivocally yes!!!

(Ahem...)However, if I were to gripe about realism (...I have no room to gripe and am currently getting my butt handed to me by two of you--you know who you are!), I would have to bring up the following:

AAA Units
Only the larger industrialized majors were able to field dedicated corps-level AAA units. This was due to many factors such as engineering, cheap resource acquisition, infrastructure, etc.. Only Germany and UK had large scale AAA units at war's start. France and Italy, within the scope of the game, never would have. The first Soviet AAA division wasn't formed until 10/1942.

Royal Navy Aircraft Carriers
(My biggest realism peeve) CVs of the Royal Navy developed and maintained a strict doctrine of directly supporting the surface combat fleet. They also jealously guarded their interest (as they saw it) of specialized aircraft procurement. In short, the Fleet Air Arm was an underfunded and pigeon-holed identity throughout the war. It is this very autonomy of procurement that limits the progression of UK naval A/C and the CV ships themselves, which were never comparable with their U.S. brethren of 1944-45 (the spitfire was a horrible carrier A/C, as were most inline engine and all narrow-landing gear A/C). Not even close. Therefore, the idea that 4 to 5 Illustrious class CVs can wreak absolute havoc on land installations, with hundreds of destroyed aircraft and tens of thousands of tons of supplies obliterated it utter nonsense. Great fun, but nonsense.

[Scottydawg]

Oops..

[Elessar2]

Yes, for the World map at least British CVs should probably be knocked down some on their base stats as compared to the US/Japanese flattops, given the UK's provincial and doctrinal constraints there.

[Taifun]

I agree with both of you about the CVs, check in the forum the discussion about "Carrier air Power"...

May 8th 1942
Army Group South is now split in 2 Army Groups. The one assaulting Stalingrad is the more powerful one: led by 4 HQ , it counts with the assistance of 8 bomber units plus 3 artillery units. After heavy tank combat we are reaching the big City outskirts.
In the Caucasus a Second Army Group is pushing in difficult terrain towards the Grozny Oil field. The Soviet defenses are stiffening in the area, with many new units arriving every turn. The Red Army now has level 3 infantry weapons.

[Taifun]

After many months the inactive North Africa front suddenly awakens. Mussolini arrives Tobruk by plane April 16th (bringing with him his white horse) and launches the Afrika Panzerarmee under Rommel towards the main El Alamein Allied line of defense. The Allied Inf Corps south of the rail station is severely hit… but with no axis artillery support the frontal attack will be a bloody affair.
2 carriers are identified defending the ports and helping with the air defense of the area. The Luftwaffe has complete air superiority in this theatre of operations. (Level 3 vs level 1)

[Taifun]

May 8th 1942
The Yanks arrive [X(]! In a surprising amphibious operation a whole US Army Group coming from the Suez Canal area attack the rear of the Panzerarmee Afrika!! Both forward HQ are destroyed and the Luftwaffe is severely hit on the aerodromes! Rommel himself escapes [;)], but the situation is a complete disaster for the attacking units near El Alamein. They end the turn with no supply at all and with no leaders. Sidi Barrani and Mersa Matruth are both lost… Some of attacking USA troops end the turn out of supply also.

It is a very bold and clever attack by USA Army planners, and totally unexpected by us. Our intelligent agents suspect that these USA units boarded transports back in the State ports before the US entry in the War… (to be confirmed) and I personally think that no USA troops should be allowed to move before their country entry in the war due to the strong Isolationist movement (food for thought).

[Taifun]

May 30th 1942
The Panzerarmee is almost annihilated by the Allied forces coming from the El Alamein area… one Italian Army, the Afrikakops tanks, and the German mot Inf corps are destroyed as well as a fighter group and the tactical bombers… a complete disaster! Next turn the remaining Axis troops: the Italian Ariete tank cops, another Italian Inf Army and the German antitank unit will be destroyed, and many thousands of additional prisoners will rejoin their comrades in prison camps near El Cairo.

Mussolini quietly leaves the area by plane and the white horse is sold to local Arabs…
After many months of inactivity, our offensive could not have been more poorly timed!

[crispy131313]

ORIGINAL: Taifun
I personally think that no USA troops should be allowed to move before their country entry in the war due to the strong Isolationist movement (food for thought).

The US did wait until they entered the war to board transport. I think placing these units in port would set off isolationist movements.

[Taifun]

Thank Chris, !

[Taifun]

May 30th 1942
In the far North of the Russian Front the Finns are holding the line around Leningrad, unable to advance towards the NM town of Volkhov, greatly reinforced by Soviet units.
Army group Center is rearming and getting ready to start a new drive East towards Gorky.

[Taifun]

June 21st 1942
The big city of Stalingrad is under heavy assault and will fall finally July 19th, the Soviets taking a heavy moral blow.

[Taifun]

July 19th 1942
The Soviets attack Iraq and capture the Capital in one quick turn. After near 2 years the Iraqi convoys resume again towards England!
Syria is attacked from Palestine…
The Eastern Mediterranean is now firmly held by Allied forces, having dealt the Regia Marina heavy blows in the area.
The Axis control Tunis and Libya.

In the Caucasus region the Grozny oil field is now in our hands, but the town of Georgiyevsk refuses to surrender and hinders our supplies forward…

[Taifun]

August 2nd 1942
The Yanks invade Casablanca and Algiers, taking effective control of the western Mediterranean. We almost intercepted the amphibious US troops with heavy elements of the Kriegsmarine near Gribraltar. Our High Seas Fleet (including the brand new German carrier Graf Zeppelin) was screening several U-boots that were attempting the entry to the Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of Gibraltar was surprisingly heavily defended with Royal Navy units including 2 carriers, at least 4 destroyers plus several heavy ships. A series of naval battles took place in this area and we lost a number of our ships including an Italian Battleship, an Italian heavy cruiser, the German Battleship Tirpitz plus damage to several other ships. To our credit we destroyed 2 destroyers and heavily damaged 2 others and sunk a British heavy cruiser.
It was an Axis strategic victory: we fulfilled the main objective of the mission as several of our U-boots successfully entered the Mediterranean Sea, but suffered a tactical defeat: the Regia Marina is now reduce to a shadow of its previous strength…

[Taifun]

August 16th 1942
Our Axis forces in Libya, after being annihilated, have been greatly reinforced with new units. With the support of the Luftwaffe, General Rommel launched a surprise attack towards Sidi Barrani destroying the unsuspecting US Inf Corps garrison. The Allies retreated avoiding battle and Mersa Matruth is now again in our hands…

[Taifun]

August 30th 1942
We continue to advance in all areas of the USSR. The Soviets are not able to stabilize the fronts. At the end of this turn they counted 52 land units (31 the British and 15 US) vs 115 Germans and 18 Italian.

Our forces in the Caucasus keep their advance towards the Baku oilfields. The going is slow but every turn we get nearer this key region of the USSR. The main problem here is the low supplies as only 1 rail line is available… The city of Saratov, upstream of the Volga river north of Stalingrad, is now in our hands and armored troops keep advancing northeast towards their new Capital Kuybyshev…