1x1 Total War Tim-Forwarn45

[Forwarn45]

A small Japanese counter-strike locates one carrier group and damages it.

[Forwarn45]

A couple heavy fleets sail forward and manage to avoid being damaged by a Japanse heavy bomber protecting this light fleet.

[Forwarn45]

With both Axis powers still alive, I thought I'd show you the lost/damaged report to date - sometime near the end of the WA turn. Both Tim and I have fought quite an air war as you can see from the large casualties. Tim invested more heavily in armor than I did - and I suffered more infantry casualties - although I think the WA total is skewed by the fall of France. At sea, much of the Allied losses have been from air attacks. Supplying Scandinavia and the Dutch East Indies for all that time was brutal to the allied transports and escorts as they were exposed to constant attack. We also lost a fair amount of transports to subs - particularly later in the game when the u-boats returned. Something funny is the Russians never built another heavy bomber - and it survived all the way from '41 until it was damaged in Tim's counterrattack last turn! I think some of Tim's bomber groups have similar stories. Meanwhile, both Tim and I went through our fighter forces several times over.

[GKar]

Oh, the suspense! This AAR is a great one. [8D]
I thought it was game over for the Allies when the first D-Day failed, but now it's still undecided.

[Timmeh]

Spring 46

Surprised my Germans stuck around another turn! but the point is really mute there and they will fall now that spring is in the air, Generals Chaos and Disarray last seen on a slow boat to South America just as leaves started budding ( and mysteriously glowing in the dark ) in Berlin.

The only issue left to resolve will remain the status of Japan as this turn they were reduced to 13 PP with the transport link removed in the south China sea. If you notice the missing rail link in China (across from Formosa) you'll realize to recover any RP south of that, transports are required. It would certainly seem Forwarn45 is aware [;)].

Bombers are dispatched and we send the Heavy fleet packing and we re-establish the 19 PP of glory days gone by. I hope to survive into the summer turn but to do that I needed to pull all my ships back into the Yellow sea (2x2x2 CV/BB/DD). Enough fighter cap is sent to ensure none of the 6-8 heavies in the area can overcome the region, with the two cag I have left in the area we should be able to hold it and stay above 10 PP.

Near as can be figured the wallies have 3 experienced CAG they can send but with most of the DEI and all our forward islands still controlled, the wallies cant get any other support air in range yet. It gives us hope to hold on one more turn and after that its one more for the victory ? [&:]

[Forwarn45]

Well I fell short this turn, it looks like. I'm expecting the game to end next turn - Summer, which will mean a draw. Anyway, things start off well enough with Germany falling. I have to say there was something very satisfying in making it to this point - after all those years of struggle against Tim's evil armies. [;)]

[Forwarn45]

I ponder how to get Japan below 10 and can't quite figure out how to make it happen. We advance, however, seizing Hokkaido - a useful base. We also end up taking Singapore, Indochina, the Phillipines, and Formosa in the South. Strong land, naval, and airforces of the various Allied powers are in striking range of the remaining territories. What had hampered me with Japan the last few turns was the fact that I had to take down most of my transport chain to do the amphibious invasions (and reinforce) against Germany. I only reestablished a link between the US, England, and the Dutch East Indies in Winter. Anyway, all eyes are now on Japan as we approach the end.

[Timmeh]

ORIGINAL: GKar

Oh, the suspense! This AAR is a great one. [8D]
I thought it was game over for the Allies when the first D-Day failed, but now it's still undecided.

I certainly reget the Denmark debacle, after the failure in France I put a little too much faith in the two arty there[:-], that and the fact I didn't spot the island that turn and force myself to stare at the heavies rebuilt there... to even match casualties with an attack into Rumania at that point and just hold the line may have ended up with Germany in this same position anyway, but I'm still left wondering... The image of Russia pushed all the way back to Odesa at that point in time was too tempting and it burned meh as I played it way to aggressively after playing the entire middle portion of the game rather passively, timing is everything or so its said! Full credit to Forwarn45 for showing patience through those lean years upto 44' and even taking advantage of low transport numbers to tech them to 6 amphip cap!



Summer 1946

Japan

With Germany's demise at the hands of the Allies and the introduction of long range bombers to the region, Japan has no choice but to capitulate. With efforts to rid the airfields of bombers this turn a failure, Japan is doomed. After Forwarn45 makes it official in his summer turn I look forward to his synopsis and offer a congratulatory hand shake on what I think has turned out to be a real sisterkisser ( draw [;)] )

[JagdFlanker]

a great read! dying to get the game so hopefully i get it soon.

out of curiosity i guess you didn't choose the option to do russia vs Wally after the axis fall - if you do do you need a 3rd player to play russia, and then when the axis fall he is dropped from the game?

[Timmeh]

Your right about the 3rd player, Although it would be a stinker postion this game [:D], if I was playing two people they could decide to continue fighting with the Russians initating hostilities the turn after Japan surrenders ( Fall 46' in this game, and contining till fall 48', another 10 turns with the end date turned on).

Russia assumes the axis role, but would've been a cakewalk this game...

[Forwarn45]

The game comes to a close with heavy bomber attacks from the WA forcing a lone Japan to surrender.

[Forwarn45]

And it seems fitting that it is a draw! Given the time of surrender, the rules indicate this would normally be an Axis marginal victory - but the Allies received a favorable one-level shift because the Axis didn't achieve the (lower) high-watermark of 67.

[MrQuiet]

Japan does not get a chance to repair? and/or reconnect resources?
 
-MrQuiet

[Forwarn45]

Nope - Japan surrenders at the end of whatever player's turn it is when this happens. There was actually a chance it could have been the Soviet turn or the Chinese turn. I think it's pretty tough for Japan once they get the bomb - but remember that Manchuria has a factory so resources connected to it count even if the mainland is cut off.

[Forwarn45]

A few final thoughts. First off, it was a tough game! [&o] I think I played OK in the period from 1939-1942 - although the Russians weren't quite prepared for the German invasion. In 1942-1943, I think more long-term planning was called for. In vanilla WAW, the US economy gets going quickly after war begins although Southeast Asia quickly falls. I thought that would happen and the US would crank up to 3x production, but I shouldn't have! I think I was right to hold onto part of the Dutch East Indies as it held Japan back and made it easier for me to attack when the time came. But I exposed a lot of transports when I probably should have been more careful, let India's infrastructure collapse, and didn't give enough lend-lease to Russia to allow it to fully rebuild it's infrastructure. Also, I was vulnerable to the super-sneaky uboats (evasion 4) when they appeared + my bomber force was a little weak to support landings in Europe. And I almost forgot about those German jets, which really gave the WA a headache until we finally upgraded!

After D-Day #1 failed, I also thought there was a good chance I couldn't get Germany. When the opportunity to take Denmark and Poland came, I had to do it - although this meant almost entirely dismantling my transport chain to Africa and Asia! (Again, more transports would have helped.) And the next turn, I had to keep the transports in Europe to do the combined attack from Poland and amphibious invasion into East Germany. It's interesting because I think this was the key to taking out Germany, but left me vulnerable against Japan and completely unable to advance there. One turn, I connected my 2 transports to Australia just to maintain the semblance of activity and get a few supplies. Perhaps if I had sent some heavy bombers in that direction in Winter, I could have still made it in Spring. Anyway, there are a few things I would do differently + probably Tim feels the same. But the game was definitely a lot of fun and I enjoyed doing the AAR!

[Timmeh]

Whimsical Epilogue

My Germans seem quite content in creating their own delimas this game and I certainly should've made Forwarn45's attacks from the north more of a sweat inducing activity but failed to get my timing down, unlike my opponent [&o] . I think more consideration was required for really making the most of Germany's window of opportunity, and I learn a few tough lessons.

I had fun teching AA to 9 attack and I have to wonder if it was worth it though, the delima early on is the spending cap so I think it results in more overall units getting attention. I was dismayed that even after realising that I inadvertantly stunted wallied growth until 44' that he so seemlessly overpassed my tech levels at the end and proved the difference in cappin' Germany when He did. A testament to make a plan and stick to it !

As with most German defeats to the wallies it usually contains the " oh for a time machine and an arty unit " lamentations [:'(] this one is no different...



With Japan I was confident I could force significant effort or Germany surrender after I settled into defending the Russian coast. At the time it seemed the least worst thing I could do was invade Russia and I pulled it off for the most part by the seat of my pants. ( no plan stands up to enemy engagement they say " - - ")

My goal was to take 6 cag into pearl and hold the DEI's but that blunder that did allow Japan a certain guarenteed longevity also detracted from IMO a better Japanese 'gaming experience' [8|]. I felt quite stagnated unable to break out of the DEI's and with such low production it seems I was trapped into a certain monotiny each turn. Not so boring but more a feeling of futility as I could never hope to amass enough to do anything but what I ended up doing, which was kinda like ' put yer head here....and wait ' [:D]


Great game Forwarn45 [8D]

TIM
(disgraced beta- tester [;)] )

[Grifman]

Nice AAR. Enjoyed it a great deal. Thanks.

[GKar]

It's a draw! Sounds fair enough for a well played game and interesting reports from both sides. [:)]

[JanSorensen]

Well played and well written. I certainly take my hat off for you two. Thanks for doing this.

[Willburn]

Well played. Fun to read.