AAR - PBEM Game "Case Geld"

[MButtazoni]

Fall 1942 - Japan

i spent the turn consolidating my supply situation and bombed some Indian units. here is the Force Pool screen at the end of the JA Fall 1942 turn:

[Oleg Mastruko]

Up to this date I wrote only positive stuff about this game, but in fact there's this one aspect of WAW I absolutelly hate. This game awards extremely aggressive players. You must constantly attack attack attack attack. There's no such thing as "prepared defence" in WAW. There's no such thing as any defence in WAW. It may, or may not suit your style of play but that's how it is. Aggressive attack is best form of defence in this game. If you just stay, thinking how nice your defence looks on the map, players like Paullus or Becket will come with massed attack next turn and your pretty "defensive armies" will turn into dead binary 1s and 0s.

Personally, I prefer defensive wargaming (unless I play early war Japanese in WITP or early Germans in operational-level WW2 games or Soviets in WW3 ) so in WAW, after some time, I tended towards more "philosophical", naval oriented sides like WA (the fact WA is also a production behemoth helps too ). But frankly today I'd prefer to play even the Japanese rather than Soviets or Germans. Germans are hardest side to play, and Soviets are not as hard as Germans strategically, but this constant need to attack attack may not suit everyone's style of play (it does not suit *my* style). It forces cautiuos and defensive players like myself to attack against their nature and better judgement.

Japanese rely on their navy, they can always kick China ass if needed, and they decide when will they enter the war. With some tricks they can survive well into the game, and even until the end of war.

I absolutely dread German-Soviet slugfests on the Ostfront, and decided I'll never play Soviets or Germans again in a 4-player PBEM if I can choose. Now, Komrade Vlasov's... I mean Becket's treason left me with BOTH SU and WA under my control in this game. I wanted to avoid that, but what the hell...

OK, so that's the short expose for today's turn(s).

I HAD to make myself more aggressive otherwise Paullus panzer crews would be bathing on the coast of Caspian sea very soon, and Caucasus resource and production centers would be turned into smoking heaps of charred iron (and ore and whatnot). So I launched Operation Pluto (Mars, Uranus... you get the idea). I'd skip the exact descriptions of each of the attacks but one look at the map Paullus posted above, and this map below will give you some idea. Paradrops, and tank armies were used to defeat German infantry, and cut off German Panzer spearheads, and leave them unsupplied.

This turn is good representation of the kind of warfare WAW "promotes": very aggressive land attacks whenever possible.

WA, next turn I get 5 sub killing LR air units from prod queue, turn after that 1, then 7. Single LR air unit I have damaged a sub this turn, and another was damaged by DD. When I clear the Atlantic of German subs I may think of some offensive actions. This turn I reopened supply lines to UK and invaded Morocco (using British troops).

O.

[Drax Kramer]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko

Up to this date I wrote only positive stuff about this game, but in fact there's this one aspect of WAW I absolutelly hate. This game awards extremely aggressive players. You must constantly attack attack attack attack. There's no such thing as "prepared defence" in WAW. There's no such thing as any defence in WAW.

I guess you put some artistic exagerations in this description, but if you reconsider the course of WW2 you'll see that passive stance rarely, if ever worked for long periods of time (remember, a turn is three month long).

There were several chances for French and British to counterattack German panzer divisions during 1940 campaign. Unfortunately, Allied generals were timid, defensive minded and let Germans get away with their risky operational plan.

Soviets, on the other hand, constantly counterattacked throughout 1941. True, they suffered heavy losses, but in process inflicted serious casualties on German spearheads who eventually arrived at the gates of Moscow with 50% of effectives on average. Soviet continued with counterattacks until Kurks, when they took the initiative in their hands.

On the tactical and operational level, Germans were the masters of counterattack. There are numerous accounts of British and American commanders describing German prowess in organising counterattacks with ad hoc kampfgruppen who often pushed back Allies from the recently won positions or bought time for other German units to pull out of encirclement or something similar.

As a playtester you have infinitely better insight in game mechanics than I, but perhaps the game isn't so far from the historical lessons as it seems on the first sight.


Drax

[Oleg Mastruko]

No argument from me Drax, I wasn't commenting on "historical lessons", just on my style of play. I don't like those heavyweight Tyson vs. Holyfield fights with deadly blows being exchanged with brute force on strategic level. It does not suit me. I was fortunate and did well in this turn but I was not entirely happy because this wasn't fighting "on my terms". In operational-level wargames it's different: you plan your offensives, need to think about making the offensive battles fluid, panzer spearheads, breakthroughs yadda yadda On strategic level its just trading blow for blow, province for province, like in boxing match. Some like it, some not.

WAW is excellent in that it allows 4-player games (ever from the start of beta testing I repeat that 4-player PBEMs are my favorite way of playing this game) so every player may find the sides he likes and that suit his style of play. This, for me, is GREAT feature, but in this particular game I'm left alone to play both Allied sides.

My current order of preference is: WA, Japan, SU, Germany (but if you let me play Germany, Axis is doomed [:D])

O.

[MButtazoni]

Winter 1943 - Japan

Well i've never tried an invasion into Australia (even against the AI) so what the hell, let's see how it goes.

[MButtazoni]

here is the Force Pool and Production Queue summary. i've circled numbers that i felt were important in the current game.

[IDrinkBeer]

Wow, that's a lot of subs....

What level attack and evasion are they at??

Even more important, what level is your ASW and what are you using for your ASW units??

[MButtazoni]

i didn't check the WA and GE units but my (JA) sub attack will be at a 4 next turn (it's currently 6/7 on research).

i know the WA are using Heavy Bmbers as an ASW asset in addition to his Light Fleet units.

[Oleg Mastruko]

SU. Paullus did clever thing. In previous WA turn I reopened Arctic route to bring supplies to SU, and unloaded it (the supplies) in Murmansk and Archangel regions. He noticed that so he cut thru my defences in the north, brought the needed supplies to the lone Panzer corps you see on screenshot above and attacked Archangel region, destroying lots of US/UK supplies there.

I saw the possibility for doing exactly that in the previous turn but had no choice. I assume it must have cost him dearly, though, in his own supplies etc. Anyway, lucky for me I unloaded some od the supplies to Murmansk too. So at the start of my turn I had situation where 90% of Russia had almost no supplies but small Leningrad-Murmansk pocket had some. So I attacked Vologda province from Leningrad, took it, repaired railway there (only halfway) and brought Murmansk supplies to the rest of Russia.

Supplies were badly needed because I wanted to crush his very strong southern pocket (see screenshots above). I threw *everything* I had on that pocket, spending every last supply unit on that operation (except one or two supply units). So I took the pocket, and had no more supplies to do anything else.

WA (oh how I love to play WA compared to SU!). My sub killing LR aircraft started cleansing the Atlantic of German subs, destroying or damaging three flotillas in the process. I can easily reopen the Arctic route and send supplies to SU, but then again Soviet North is not exactly well defended, and placing any supplies there may just be an invitation for Paullus to try to capture them next turn.

Japanese invasion of Australia, though interesting on the map, does not concern me one little bit. I think it's just a waste of valuable resources for the Japanese, and since there are no political considerations in this game, he can have all of Australia for himself and rename it into New Manchuria for all I care [:D] I did attack, and damage, his air unit there with my Aus fighters.

When I decide to strike, I'll go thru Burma and Central Pacific or something like that. Sneaky Japanese managed to sever the transport link between Egypt and India using his subs. This link is usually very important in my plans, but I think IJN subs will bask in Arabian Sea sun only till my LR bombers come there.

Knowing that *nothing* is important for WA as much as transport fleets I decided to "stockpile" some US transports while still in the peacetime. So I think I have enough transport fleets sitting in various harbors around the globe, so as to be able to reopen any route, any time I might need it (yes I learned my painful lessons)

So, well, although I don't care that much for the Aussies [:'(] I reopened US-Aus route (IJN does not have that many subs to controll all of Pacific).

Funny I can't bring supplies to Murmansk this turn, for no reason? I assume it's a bug, but since I relied on WA supplies as Russian, I guess this bug may have grave consequences next turn! There is some supply produced in SU itself, but not nearly enough!

O.

[IDrinkBeer]

Funny I can't bring supplies to Murmansk this turn, for no reason?

It's winter. You can't drop off supplies in the winter....

[paullus99]

Germany - Spring 1943

The situation on the Eastern Front dictated that we once again go on the offensive (for the third straight year). Realizing the dire supply situation Russia was finding itself in, we took this opportunity to attempt to cut off the Red Army from outside supply assistance.

First, a major assault was launched in the north, capturing Leningrad (activating our Finnish allies) and also sweeping through Murmansk. In the south, AGS captured Kharkov (again) and we were able to repair enough rail to use our infantry corps in the Crimea to storm into the Kuban & capture Grozny (destroying vital Russian resources).

As the Western Allies continued their buildup in the Atlantic, forces were sent to bolster our defenses & additional subs were moved into position to interdict possible resupply efforts to aid Russia. 1943 has started off with a bang!

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

In the south, AGS captured Kharkov (again) and we were able to repair enough rail to use our infantry corps in the Crimea to storm into the Kuban & capture Grozny (destroying vital Russian resources).

Is this bug, or just gamey tactic, or both? [&:]

My understanding of the "ferry rule" (represented by dotted arrows between Krimea and North Causacus) is that you need to control both areas to be able to move units left and right freely, otherwise regular amphib invasion rules apply? If so then this is bug. Germans just walked over Kerch strait as if it's bridge.

Bug or no bug I think Maurice you should treat this as undesirable and something to avoid, no?

O.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko

ORIGINAL: paullus99

In the south, AGS captured Kharkov (again) and we were able to repair enough rail to use our infantry corps in the Crimea to storm into the Kuban & capture Grozny (destroying vital Russian resources).

Is this bug, or just gamey tactic, or both? [&:]

My understanding of the "ferry rule" (represented by dotted arrows between Krimea and North Causacus) is that you need to control both areas to be able to move units left and right freely, otherwise regular amphib invasion rules apply? If so then this is bug. Germans just walked over Kerch strait as if it's bridge.

Bug or no bug I think Maurice you should treat this as undesirable and something to avoid, no?

O.

Yes, the rule was supposed to be that you must control both areas to move. This is a bug. It appears to have been implemented so that you can move as long as there are no enemy units. This was found 4 days ago and is on the bug list (0171).

[MButtazoni]

Spring 43 - Japan

well i continued my attack into Australia and attacked (from the air) the Chinese that keep trying to sneak up on me in Asia.

[Ancient One]

Why is Australia made so worthless (I assume from what I've gathered)? It should be at least as valuable as India.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: Zagys

Why is Australia made so worthless (I assume from what I've gathered)? It should be at least as valuable as India.

Hardly worthless, it has 4 resources, 1 factory and 1 military population point. Add to that the 2 additional resources in New Caledonia and New Zealand. Greater India and Ceylon have 6 resources, 2 factories and 2 military population points. Non of these areas are worthless.

[Ancient One]

ORIGINAL: Joel Billings

ORIGINAL: Zagys

Why is Australia made so worthless (I assume from what I've gathered)? It should be at least as valuable as India.

Hardly worthless, it has 4 resources, 1 factory and 1 military population point. Add to that the 2 additional resources in New Caledonia and New Zealand. Greater India and Ceylon have 6 resources, 2 factories and 2 military population points. Non of these areas are worthless.

Oh, well that's good. I just thought so because Oleg seems completely unconcerned about losing it.

[paullus99]

Well, the Allies have so many resources (as long as they have the shipping to reach it) that losing India or Australia is not losing the war (or denting production) - it just stretches the field a little bit & makes Japan that much stronger on the way back.

Unless you get very lucky, the Allies will bury you in production by 1944 - the key is to maximize Axis production for the longest possible time, giving you a chance in the late war years. Trust me, better that Axis production is larger than Allied production be smaller.

[SeaMonkey]

I'm wondering, has any of the testers seen a scenario develop where the USSR has been defeated and Japan is on the ropes, the W.Allies make a successful return to the continent, assuming the European Axis have vanquished the Allies earlier.

[paullus99]

Check out our first public AAR - I conquered England twice (Japan went out early unfortunately) & pushed Russia back to the Urals, yet the WA were able to clean my clock in 1944.