MM (Axis) vs Nirosi (Allied) Nirosi welcome

[MagicMissile]

Nice AAR! Thank you for doing it. I will take advantage of this post to formally ask MagicMissile to stop sinking Allied escorts every turn! It is rude

No problem they are kind of fun to do . Add whatever you want.
My subs are suffering more losses the last couple of turns but hopefully I will sink a lot more before the end *Evil cackle*.

[MagicMissile]

This mod looks very nice in play!

Try it, it is very good.

Yes I like it a lot too. Maybe Panzermike can help out with the WP2 map, I hope so anyway.

[MagicMissile]

I will be following your game with great interest as I still haven't figured out how to survive with the Russians. Even 36 strength point armies retreat at odds of 2-1 so I always end up with units being surrounded.

I hope I can show how to do it we will see. Is it in 41 or 42 you have most trouble?

[canuckgamer]

My thinking is that if the Russians can hold on to 2 of the 3 major cities and the Caucasus oil fields in 1942, the Allies have a chance, especially the oil fields. In our previous PBEM the Axis took all 3 cities and the oil fields. When winter hit in this game I held all 3 cities and Sevastopol. He continued attacking in the Leningrad area during the winter when it was snow and ended up cutting off Leningrad just as winter ended.

In this game I built and placed a number of coastal defence units but it didn't help Leningrad or prevent him move adjacent to Sevastopol. Unlike the first game I have not disbanded Russian air units to gain PP.

Looking at comments in this thread it makes sense for the Russians in 41 and 42 to back up so that their front line is never in direct contact with the Axis. That way Axis units have to expend terrain and ZOC cost to move adjacent limiting their attacks. Ideally this tactic allows the Russians to still achieve the objective I stated above. By then the UK and USA should be able to apply pressure in the west.

[MagicMissile]

My thinking is that if the Russians can hold on to 2 of the 3 major cities and the Caucasus oil fields in 1942, the Allies have a chance, especially the oil fields. In our previous PBEM the Axis took all 3 cities and the oil fields. When winter hit in this game I held all 3 cities and Sevastopol. He continued attacking in the Leningrad area during the winter when it was snow and ended up cutting off Leningrad just as winter ended.

In this game I built and placed a number of coastal defence units but it didn't help Leningrad or prevent him move adjacent to Sevastopol. Unlike the first game I have not disbanded Russian air units to gain PP.

Looking at comments in this thread it makes sense for the Russians in 41 and 42 to back up so that their front line is never in direct contact with the Axis. That way Axis units have to expend terrain and ZOC cost to move adjacent limiting their attacks. Ideally this tactic allows the Russians to still achieve the objective I stated above. By then the UK and USA should be able to apply pressure in the west.

In general I expect to lose Leningrad in 41 and Moscow in 42 and manage to hold on to the oil. But if you have fought to much forward then I understand you have had some trouble. Knowing when to retreat and how much is the trick to learn .

[MagicMissile]

End of 1940

1940 comes to an end in both games. Nothing going on. Africa is silent. Germany is building up in the east. Only BoA goes on. I have sunk a lot of escorts which hopefully will delay the UK landing ship building program.

Here are the casualties in both games. As can be seen I am a little bit ahead in both games having inflicted more and taken less. I dont think it is a game changing difference. I tried to calculate the cost to replace all losses and realised I dont know how much it costs to replace 1 strength point anyone remember?

Other thing to note is that my German airforce Shot down almost 2:1 vs UK and France airforce whereas my UK and French only lost 1:1 vs German airlosses. Not quite sure why the huge difference. I dont do anything special but in general I turn off the German airforce on the allied turn. A part of it is Nirosi said he did something with the French airforce he was not happy with.

I am surprised to see 24 Naval losses for the UK. I dont really remember what they are or that it was so much. I lost quite a few sub factors defending Malta and some UK naval losses in England I think but I cant quite get it to 24. The Netherland fleet was sunk too maybe that one counted as UK. The cost of that is some Italian airlosses bombing Malta.

Except the losses the only other difference at the end of 1940 is that my Axis have taken Bulgaria.

Casualties.png (473.3 KiB) Viewed 752 times

[ncc1701e]

This mod looks very nice in play!

Try it, it is very good.

Yes I like it a lot too. Maybe Panzermike can help out with the WP2 map, I hope so anyway.

Time to upgrade, V4 is now available.
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 5#p5058545

[Nirosi]

The Netherland fleet was sunk while still Dutch, so it probably show up under Dutch loses.

I believe the 24 UK loses are about 65-35 subs in Malta (as once I did 7 [4 and 3] without sinking any and latter on did more damage and sank one) and some ships in the UK just after the fall of France.

[ncc1701e]

End of 1940

1940 comes to an end in both games. Nothing going on. Africa is silent. Germany is building up in the east. Only BoA goes on. I have sunk a lot of escorts which hopefully will delay the UK landing ship building program.

An all in Barbarossa, perfect. Russia don't stand a chance.

[Nirosi]

My goal with USSR is simple : not to lose Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad in 1941. I therefore expect to do great! After that we will see...

[ncc1701e]

@MM, could you please also monitor the oil stockpile of Germany? Perhaps not post it before game ends but I would be interested to know the oil stockpile at the beginning of Barbarossa, end of 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944. Does Germany need the oil fields of Baku? That is my question.

Thanks

[ncc1701e]

Please also track Soviet based land/air experience. I will do the same in my AAR.

[MagicMissile]

@MM, could you please also monitor the oil stockpile of Germany? Perhaps not post it before game ends but I would be interested to know the oil stockpile at the beginning of Barbarossa, end of 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944. Does Germany need the oil fields of Baku? That is my question.

Thanks

Absolutely I will do that, no problem. I have a little bit of stats already. In all games I have never seen German oil not being at 100% at the start at Barbarossa the amount something like 700. I have always wondered at the huge difference between the 39 campaign and the 41 campaign. In the 41 campaign start the Germans have 32% 252 oil.

I am playing one game with Hadros now and I am very low on oil actually. I think last turn of August it was down to 80. I think I have used the navy too much.

I have not in any game been down to 0 oil. So Baku I would say is not necessary but with Baku obviously you could field more arm/mech corps and use them.

[MagicMissile]

Please also track Soviet based land/air experience. I will do the same in my AAR.

Yes will do. In general I feel land xp speed is kind of ok but airforce seems a bit too slow.
A bigger problem is that only units actually fighting and taking losses are the ones increasing in xp and it is kind of hard to get all units into the fight. So in 43 onwards some units are good but many are still really low. I usually have to take units off the line disband them and build new but maybe that is the way it is supposed to work.

[MagicMissile]

Ok back to the game as it has progressed a bit.

This is my standard defense of Africa. I stole it from HarryBanana I think. It is very good. The Axis fight with 7-8 supply and the Uk at 0-1. It requires a huge UK army including at least 2 preferably 3 arm corps , airplanes, supply trucks and the Royal Navy. The result is that Africa becomes a total standstill until the UK can gather the required resources which usually takes a long time.

So I have been thinking if there was any way one could try to make Africa more active. I think supply restrictions are a little bit too harsh so I have been thinking of some kind of offensive chit like World in flames has. It shuld increase the effiency a lot maybe up to 120-130% or so, so units can actually fight for a while before they have to retreat and recover. That would be a bit like the real war in Africa. I am thinking maybe it should only be able to be played in Africa or maybe it could replace supply trucks altogether. Idea play it on 1 HQ and either all units or x units within range gains a big boost to their effiency. It would be pretty powerful so would have to be pretty expensive. Just an idea.

Anyways so far no action in Africa all eyes are turning to the east...

Africa March 41.png (1.08 MiB) Viewed 695 times

[MagicMissile]

May 9 1941

Invasion of the Soviet union starts... partially in rain . I had two turns one in March one in April with completely cold weather all over the front. I should have started on one of those turns. But I have done so many early invasions and I know that they are good. I wanted to test the balance with a standard invasion in May but of course I got a rain turn which in all honesty is a pretty large chance so not that surprising just annoying when I did not take advantage of the cold turns .

My general idea when I start Barbarossa is I have 14 arm/mech corps usually 11 German and 3 italian. When it comes to the Italians I dont know if it should be considered a little bit gamey or not. But you dont really have the time to build enough German mech and inf units so it makes sense to use the Italians too. So I build 1 extra armour with the Italians which is kind of modest I would say you can probably build at least 2. In return for the Italian arm/mech units digital Adolf send 1 mech and one inf corps to Africa to safeguard Tobruk. See earlier post on defense of Africa.

I have 5 units south of the Pripyet 2 German and 3 Italian and the other 9 North 3-4 go for Leningrad and 5-6 go for Moscow and the 5 in the south go straight for Kiev. I hope to maybe pocket some Soviets in the pripyet if I can connect with the units going for Moscow and Kiev. After that if I think I have a chance I combine the 5 from the south with the units that go for Moscow and those 9-10 will try to get to the capital . If I think I cannot then I turn the southern armour south with the aim to get Kharkov/Stalino and so on. That is my Barbarossa plan in general.

Here are the forces and casualties up to the invasion of the Sovietunion.

My German forces are very standard for me around 1500 points at Barbarossa all units not in Garrison mode are fully upgraded. Because my subs got off to a good start I build a little bit more than I usually do I am aiming for 12.

Stats.png (347.88 KiB) Viewed 673 times

[MagicMissile]

May 9 1941

In the North not much progress because of the weather.

May 9 north.png (2.13 MiB) Viewed 672 times

[MagicMissile]

May 9 1941

In the south a little bit better as can be seen pushing for Kiev.
On the Italian forces one can add that the eastern front in 41 is an awesome learning ground for Italians kicking around those weak Soviet corps they can gain a huge amount of xp and come summer of 42 these units are usually better than anything the allies can put on the map with xp around 55-60ish add the elite improvement and they can get up to 23+ strength. One maybe could consider some kind of xp roof on various nations since it is a bit silly that the Itlaians will be second to none bar the Germans but I guess one could also maybe say that the Italians cannot build any arm units either but one doesnt want to limit the players too much. Difficult choice.

May 9 south.png (1.19 MiB) Viewed 671 times

[MagicMissile]

May 23 1941

In the North I approach Riga and Minsk and make a small pocket. Almost historical .

May 23 NOrth.png (1.4 MiB) Viewed 670 times

[MagicMissile]

May 23 1941

In the South I get another small pocket.

May 23 South.png (1.29 MiB) Viewed 669 times