AAR - PBEM Game 2 (The FIRST public AAR)

[neuromancer]

ORIGINAL: MButtazoni

too bad i suck.

We don't want to know about your personal life.
[:'(]


Kidding! Kidding!

[Becket]

ORIGINAL: Count Bobby

The Axis made two very bad mistakes:

-They shouldn´t have attacked USA one minute earlier than necessary. Why give them extra production? The WA were out already, so why let them back in? [8|]
-They *should* have attacked Russia, grabbed a few victory point locations before US entry, and won. No need to care about the later Russian counterattack, if you have already won.

If I were a conspiracy theorist, I´d say that "amazing comeback" was staged to make things seem more balanced. [:'(][:D]

I think the Axis was resource constrained and had to make a move...whether the SRA or USSR was the appropriate move, we shall debate after seeing how it ends. One thing this PBEM is teaching is: don't assume anything based on one turn! [:D] (I would insert a comment about MB's strategy here, but he's really black and blue at this point [;)])

[IDrinkBeer]

Oleg,

What turn did you decide to build the 10 factories? How long do they take to complete?

I'm going to assume that you started them after you saw that the German player had a pre-disposition to "Sea Lion" England over and over again. [:D]

I would think that given a normal German build-up and Barbarossa launch building factories like you did would be suicidal. Although, maybe that was your strategy all along. [;)]

Unless a whole bunch of factories come on-line soon for Germany it looks like curtains for the 3rd Reich...

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: IDrinkBeer

Oleg,

What turn did you decide to build the 10 factories? How long do they take to complete?

I'm going to assume that you started them after you saw that the German player had a pre-disposition to "Sea Lion" England over and over again. [:D]

I would think that given a normal German build-up and Barbarossa launch building factories like you did would be suicidal. Although, maybe that was your strategy all along. [;)]

Exactly, that's what I was about to post. I gambled from the start - putting some factories into building queue in Ural regions, instead of military units, thinking (gambling, in fact) that German player won't be attacking USSR before he clears whole of the Europe, Africa etc.

Now those factories are paying dividends... [:D] (Not "dividends" in capitalist sense, of course. [:D])

BTW you can see how long would it take to produce anything on the production screen. Little "ghost" units show when the unit of certain type would be scheduled to be produced. Note that little "ghost" factory is always 6 seasons away. Tanks are 4 seasons (turns) away, INF 2 turns, Tac Air (Sturmoviks, Stukas) 3 turns etc. CV fleets take the longest time to produce - they are 11 seasons away (!!). Good thing I don't have to even think about these [:D]

Oleg

[IDrinkBeer]

BTW you can see how long would it take to produce anything on the production screen. Little "ghost" units show when the unit of certain type would be scheduled to be produced. Note that little "ghost" factory is always 6 seasons away. Tanks are 4 seasons (turns) away, INF 2 turns, Tac Air (Sturmoviks, Stukas) 3 turns etc. CV fleets take the longest time to produce - they are 11 seasons away (!!). Good thing I don't have to even think about these

Cool, I was going to ask about those units. Now I don't have to....[8D]

[mavraam]

CV fleets take the longest time to produce - they are 11 seasons away (!!).

If the American player starts a CV build on his first turn, how many turns after his normal starting time (post Pearl Harbor) would they be available? 11 turns is just shy of 3 years. I guess you better start building them early or not at all!

Also, what kind of impact do cariers have on naval combat. I always thought that both A&A and HOI dropped the ball big time on the dominance of cariers.

[MButtazoni]

it should be noted that units are produced at a factory. there is only 1 frontline (bordering the Axis) factory for RU, so all his units are being produced in the rear and he cannot move them til 43 or the Axis attack. so the axis can attack most RU border regions with the at start RU forces up til 1943.

this game is far from over...

[Becket]

All will depend on paullus's ability to blitzkrieg fast and deep into Russian territory, then hold.

Hope the updates continue over the weekend, happy holiday weekend to all!

[MButtazoni]

actually paullus and i both are unavailable this weekend. the turn is with me and i'm heading out in an hour. i'll report back wiht my turn monday night.

[Joel Billings]

One important note. The Russians have been cranking out units, but not researching much from what I've heard. They start weaker than the German units. As more units are produced, the amount of research needed to upgrade goes up. With all the units already on the board or in production, if research hasn't happened yet, it will be very expensive for the Russians. No one has posted (at least for a long time) the weapons ratings for the ground weapons (infantry, artillery, armor) so they could be very different from player to player. The Russians could have twice the units with half the defense rating. Could make for an interesting battle once the Great Patriotic War begins.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Since Paullus and MB will be travelling we can discuss various strategies, and post more screenies, to pass the time until they return [:D]

This here is one of the rarely posted screens but very useful, and also very nice with lotsa colorful flags 'n' stuff [:D] (All my screenshots are scaled down to 70-80% so bear that in mind).

This is "region info screen" where you can see various stats about regions. Since in our game there is no FOW you can see stats for every region that is in the game. Perhaps it will be that way even with FOW implemented since these are regions not military units - I don't know.

Country icons in top left corner work as "switches", so for instance, as you see, I switched ON only China and Neutral countries for this screenshot (deliberately so, not to let you all see what REALLY useful regions have, and so that you can admire various countries' flags that you rarely see otherwise [8D]) GE, JA, RU, and US regions are switched OFF so you don't see them on the list here.

Icons in top row are used for sorting, as in most Windows apps. So you click on a factory and immediatelly see the list sorted by the number of factories in the region etc. Nice to look at, and also very useful. [8D]

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

Joel mentioned research which could really prove decisive in any game. But, luckily for me as USSR in this game, German player seems to have researched mostly his weapons to be used against Western Powers, namely subs and fighters.

This is "Weapons parameters" screen (it's probably not the "official name") but let's call it that for now.

Icons on top of the screen depict main weapons systems, and that is from left to right: CV fleet, Heavy (BB) fleet, Light fleet, Sub fleet, Transport fleet, CV air, Fighter air, Tac Air (Stukas, Sturmoviks and light bombers), Heavy air. Second row: INF, Militia, Mech, Arty, AA, Paras, Supply, Factories, Railways, Resources.

As you see we picked Fighters (slightly highlighted, and I also outlined it in purple for better visibility). Purple numbers (I also highlighted them in purple circles for better visibility) are used to show that the value has been improved through research.

So we see, German player has improved Speed for his fighters (I am NOT sure right now but I think fat arrow to the left signifies speed) from one to current value of 2, and also anti air value of his fighters to 7. He is also working on their evasive capabilities (6, with test-tube thingie, to the right). Americans are also working on anti air values of their fighters, but it is safe to say German fighters are the best on the planet right now. Whether that will help them or not remains to be seen [:D]

Other countries don't care all that much about improving their fighters (only producing them [:D]). I am following wise words of the komrade Stalin - "quantity has a quality of its own!"

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

Now lets see about subs.

Again we see that German scientists and engineers have been busy at work improving their subs' torpedo attack capabilities (thru meticolous research, they reached value of 3, in purple, and also highlighted with purple circle) and also their evasive capabilities (again purple value of 3, highlighted with purple).

US have been researching evasive capabilities for their subs but this effort is still far cry from what Germans have been doing.

Again, in this particular game this is good for me (as USSR) because I don't care that much for Nazi subs

PS. Always bear in mind these values you see are from ALPHA version of the game, and they will be tested and balanced through playtesting etc.

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

Now the really important thing - infantry [:D]

All major powers have been researching various INF capabilities, but there were no scientific or engineering breakthroughs - ALL values are at their starting... well, starting values. USSR is closest to do something about evasive capabilities of their infantry (yellow half full test-tube thingie*), but they are still full two points behind German infantry in that aspect.

* - what's the proper english term for this thing?

Oleg

[MButtazoni]

* - what's the proper english term for this thing?

it's a Flask, Oleg.

...anyone still feel the need to compare this game to Axis & Allies?

[Oleg Mastruko]

Mechanised (or armored) forces.

We (USSR) improved anti land attack capabilities of our tanks, and are continuing to improve them, but are STILL lagging behind Germans in this aspect (7 to 8). Germans again improved evasive capabilities of their tanks, and are continuing to improve them.

Americans are trying to invent Sherman Firefly but they better leave that to emigre British engineers doing what they can on their test grounds in New England [:D]

Oleg

[neuromancer]

That 'test tube thingee' looks like a 'beaker' to me.

Don't ask me why it is called that, it just is.


Strangely enough, I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone actually ever use one in real life.

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: MButtazoni

* - what's the proper english term for this thing?

it's a Flask, Oleg.

Thanks.

I thought you went AWOL? [8D]

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

OK, final post in this "chapter" on research. Lotsa "flasks" or "beakers" on this one

(BTW I thought "beaker" is the thingie on top of babies' bottles that looks like pacifier, rubber thing with small hole in the middle to help them suck the juice or milk or whatever is inside?)

OK doesn't matter, this is how I (USSR) (mis)use what research points I have available. We've already seen this on other screens so nothing clever to comment on this one.

Note several interesting details though - for instance only Transport fleets can "research" amphibious capabilities!

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: neuromancer

That 'test tube thingee' looks like a 'beaker' to me.

Don't ask me why it is called that, it just is.

Strangely enough, I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone actually ever use one in real life.

What, you mean I can't invent 75mm KwK using this thing? Or Me-262?

Strange [:D]

O.