AAR - PBEM Game "Akula"

[Moranga]

Nice

[Oleg Mastruko]

Germany supply situation is catastrophic, but he again wreaked havoc with his subs (subs don't need access to supply to move) in the Atlantic. Right now we consider it nuisance, cause we'll be transferring our naval assets to Pacific starting this turn. We'll let the Soviets finish off the Axis in Europe. More or less. Perhaps not. Who knows.

We did Taranto again, this time sinking his BB.

In the long-neglected Pacific Japs are roaming free. His subs are indestructible and my (improved) DDs suffer damages whenever they try to clear the conwoy routes. I guess I can't complain since I wanted to do the same to him (ie. overwhelm him with subs). Right now I'm abandoning everything in Pacific but Hawaii, and am bringing naval stuff from the Atlantic. I can't supply Hawaii until I clear the sub menace on my West Coast, and I don't have any tools for the job (DDs are damaged or destroyed). I managed to do a conwoy linkup over Alaska and reinforce Hawaii, but it's only a matter of time until IJN supersubs cut this route as well. Anyway, I don't think Hawaii are in any immediate danger of occupation.

Panama Canal is going to busy in the coming months. Up to now I always started my turns doing things in Europe, neglecting Pacific, but that'll have to change.

Man I'm totally outta destroyers...

My sub fleet managed to sink one of his transports (laden with troops? Maurice, was this intended or just an oversight on your part?) in South Pacific.

Edit: pic shows reinforcing Hawaii via Alaska and North Pacific, with his indestructible subs lurking near Seattle and California.

Oleg

[MButtazoni]

JA super subs? i've only had 1 research result on them. they just start pretty good.

it was definately an oversight leaving a unit on a transport. i'll have to load my production save and take a look where it was.

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: MButtazoni

JA super subs? i've only had 1 research result on them. they just start pretty good.

it was definately an oversight leaving a unit on a transport. i'll have to load my production save and take a look where it was.

You get special bonus if you find one of MY transports with INF unit on it (there was one - and it was my oversight, but that unit is now unloaded).

O.

[MButtazoni]

i saw it on my turn, wasn't it a militia? (or that maybe was an AI game)

i think what happened was i undid a reinforcement to Rabaul and the unit did not end up back in Korea where i sent him from. after iawhile i gave up looking for him. looks you found him first (and last [:-])

[MButtazoni]

Spring 43 - Japan

I sunk another 3 subs and 3 Transports (+ 1 damaged Transport) this turn. that puts the WA at 20 Transports (which i believe is his achilles heel right now, that's why i keep hunting them down).

here is the Force Pools at the end of the JA Sp43 turn:

[YohanTM2]

Let's go boys, summer holidays are no excuse. We need more AAR information or Matrix needs to release the product [:D]

[paullus99]

We crush AGS & AGN - news at 11 [:D]

[neuromancer]

Two Thoughts:

1. Soviet Union - Holy Armour Batman!

2. China - Supply? We don't need no stinkin' supply!



Of course, relatively speaking the Germans could be saying the same thing.

[paullus99]

Akula lives!!!! I ran into some minor problems opening the save, but Maurice fixed the problem & we're back.

Soviet Union - Spring 1943

We completed our liberation of the Ukraine this season - eliminating Army Group South completely (including a substantial amount of German air). Supply & transport difficulties have prevented us from moving the bulk of our forces into Eastern Europe, but a realignment in our production should allow for further offensive actions against the Germans next season.

Our allies are still having major difficultes with U-Boats, but our land campaign should put the war back on track.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Used some supply produced in India to send to Chinese via Ledo road. My Atlantic subs are arriving in Indian Ocean and DEI, attacked one transport fleet there, and sunk it. I guess this will force IJN to move some ASW assets in this, western sector of his empire.

I totally goofed with DDs and transports, and underestimated Axis sub threat (ironic, since it's subs that I planned to unleash on him!). Very st00pid of me. Heavy bombers seem totally useless vs. subs - I never saw any success using them. To admit the truth, I didn't research their ASW capability (but I do now).

What (unexpectedly) saved my ass somewhat is the supply I hauled from ME and India into the Med.

This allowed us to take South Italy. Remains of Italian fleet seek refuge in the Adriatic, but the Rooskies and the guy in my sig are not very happy about it. Italians, surrender already! I guess Raeder took command of the remanining Italian ships. We took Western France this turn as well, and Holland too (using the Paradrop vs. defended coast rule, one of my personal favs).

Ah, I guess we'll have to finish the Germans ASAP, so as to remove his *#$% sub flotillas from the map. Berlin here we come.

I managed to reopen some sort of conwoy route in the North Atlantic and bring supplies and troops from US to Europe, but far from satisfactory. German subs will feast on my poor transports in the very next turn.

Pacific. Hawaii are cut of from the mainland but I have large forces there so they'll have to take care of themselves for now.

Loose lips sink ships, and I am of the opinion I babble here far too much, giving hints to my enemies perhaps more than I should, but this AAR has marketing and educational purpose I hope [:D][:D]

No screenshot this turn cause I am angry at being unable to kill the damn Axis subs, and don't want you to see how Axis subs rule the sea.[:@]

O.

[MrSloth]

Not sure when it changed over but I am really liking the new and improved UI. The new color scheme just seems to fit the game a lot better then the old one IMO. I see there are more buttons and some changed graphics also.

[YohanTM2]

If Germany dies I assume the game is done as the forces against Japan will be way to much for them to handle alone.

Do I hear the Russian shipyards springing into action?

[Oleg Mastruko]

Russian shipyards! Now that would be interesting!

Unfortunatelly for Allies, SU can declare war on Japan only on historical date (Summer or Fall '45 - don't remember which for sure) but not earlier, OR if the Japanese player is uncautious and leaves Manchuria under-garrisoned (requirement is that Japanese have at least three units as garrison there).

So, it's obvious WA will have to deal with Japanese alone for some time. That's why I am *trying* to leave ETO, and transfer my assets to the Pacific, but it's not that easy....

O.

[MButtazoni]

Here's something that might make your staging into the Pacific a little harder: [:D]

For 3 turns i drooled over those 2 Indian factory regions but i always had other things i had to do (mostly hunting down WA Transports) but i finally had a chance and had my units staged properly to jump into India; and not a moment too soon, you had moved into Burma with nothing but evil intent [:-].

I bombed the Burma units (2 Arty destroyed) and I bombed China as well (1 Inf and 1 AA destroyed); at sea i sunk 1 Light Fleet, 1 Sub, and 1 Transport and damaged 2 Transports and 2 Subs.

BTW, I think the Japanaese are a blast to play...

[paullus99]

Soviet Union - Summer 1943

Although we were able to capture both East Prussia, Austria & Albania, supply & transportation issues have left many of our units immobile this season. A major change in production should help for the future, but the Reich may be able to hold on a little longer before the bulk of our forces come into play.

[Oleg Mastruko]

The situation I'm in... is somewhat frustrating. I'd want to move my assets to Pacific, but can't. Each turn is struggle to re-open the transport routes, vs. swarms of Axis subs. German Reich might be shrinking on land, but his subs are strong as ever.

Japanese attack vs. India wasn't as surprising as it might seem, though. I've been expecting it for some time. Anyway, it's encouraging to see Japan put up a bold fight [:D]

This turn we commisioned more DD and transport fleets, thus managing to re-open the US-Europe route, and US/UK-Mediterranean route as well and bring some supplies etc. This enabled us to move two CV fleets via Suez canal and attack and sink two unescorted IJN transport fleets in Bay of Bengal (pictured below, after the actual battle). We hope the hurt is felt as far as Tokyo. Prior to CVs moving we had to attack IJN sub patrolling near the Red Sea with DDs.

Using heavy fleets (CVs and DDs are badly needed for more important tasks) we finished off the remnants of Italian fleet in Adriatic (1x heavy, 2x light, and 1x transport fleet IIRC). Most of those were only damaged, but unable to retreat (unable to trace back the supply route to nearest friendly port) they were destroyed.

With Med cleared we *finally* move some assets in Indian ocean to be used vs. pesky Japanese.

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

This is the production capability/victory score screen. Allies outproduce Axis exactly by 4 to 1 which is IIRC borderline between draw and marginal Allied victory (or is it 5:1 ratio?).

Anyway, black dots on seas on world map represent German subs (note one near Australia - he must have forgotten it [:D]). Line of green dots accross Atlantic is my conwoy route to Europe reopened this turn.

Panama canal is contested area. You currently see green dot there cause my subs outnumber Japanese 2:1 but there is IJN sub flotilla lurking there waiting for ships to cross from the Atlantic.

Oleg

[MButtazoni]

Fall 1943 - Japan

Japan wins the first Carrier Air battle of the war in the Indian Ocean! I sent my 4 CV's adjacent to the WA fleet (2 CV's 1 Heavy, 1 Light and 1 Transport) and damaged the 2 CV Air and the Heavy Fleet. then i sent in 3 LS and 1 Sub and they damaged the rest of the WA fleet. i suffered 2 damaged CV Air.

I also destroyed the three Infantry in Rangoon and took the Region (lack of supply on his part helped me win this battle).

Here is the Force Pools at the end of the JA turn, Fall 1942. I'd like to point out that the JA Fleet is as big as the entire WA Fleet currrently [:D] but i see a lot more WA ships coming [&o]

[Oleg Mastruko]

Good to see little yellow men so jubilant (excuse my non-PC remark [:D]). Really, though I wish to crush the Japanese, part of me is very happy to see that even with Japan (that is usually considered to be hardest to play) this game can be enjoyable and successful, and that Japanese have more options than is usually thought. Of course, you have to be expert player like Maurice.

But WA's production will make long term resistance futile...

This post is technical note - I had problems with my mail account Lawrence (and may still have them) - if you sent me your turn in past several hours, it may have been lost so please resend...

Oleg