How the Axis could have won. Allied AAR RTW

[n0kn0k]

Not sure what you mean as i'm a young lad playing with 3d units only. I know very little of the counters. [;)]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: n0kn0k

Not sure what you mean as i'm a young lad playing with 3d units only. I know very little of the counters. [;)]

warspite1

Listen laddie don't you adopt that tone with me - you should respect your elders and betters.... oh and GET OFF MY LAWN

[:D]


What I mean is, the BEF is the army. Sure it has army level units but its strength is the Corps (and divisions within) that make it up. So why in this game can the BEF (army) have the same strength as a corps?

[warspite1]

So - WHY do you swap out the armies for Corps? Aren't these essentially the same thing?

[warspite1]

One thing I think needs some attention is the way the reports are presented. Because of the alternate turns the happenings that take place in the Axis turn are not included in the summary one can call up using the l hot key.

Also the MPP for the Allies comes up when the Allies finish their turn - but presumably relates to the next Allied turn. If so this should be reported with the rest of the Allied reports at the start of their turn.

This came up as I ended my last turn. I had to quickly take a screen shot before it disappeared and the AI carried on with the German turn.

[warspite1]

14th April 1940

All sorts going down now [X(]

- The Allied Flotillas in the North Atlantic are hit by Rough Seas - I think one of them had a reduction in strength points as a result.

- USSR have successfully researched Advanced Aircraft

- The Home guard replaces the LDV

- The US operate Cash and Carry with the British - cheers [:(]

- WSC orders Operation Valentine - a landing in the Faroes.

More on these to follow.....

[warspite1]

25th April 1940

United Kingdom and France
The destroyers fail to find the U-boats - and to compound matters, the units of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla have suffered storm damage (strength reduced from 10 to 9).

The elite troops that assisted the Finns are back in the UK. For 10 MPP each these can be sent to Narvik to try and take back the town from General Dietl's 3rd Mountain Division.

The Allies - for their own reasons both agree - the British because this sort of thing excites Churchill and the French because they are keen to take the war away from France.

The British sends the Home Fleet to sea to the Norwegian Coast. (No idea if this is needed or affects the Narvik operation but seems like the right thing to do).

The Home Fleet - Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Forbes
BB - Nelson (Flagship) Rodney
CV - Glorious, Courageous
CL - 2nd Cruiser Squadron (Southampton, Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham)
DD - 2nd Destroyer Flotilla


Fighters and Swordfish on CAP - we don't want another repeat of Juno [:(]

[n0kn0k]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: n0kn0k

Not sure what you mean as i'm a young lad playing with 3d units only. I know very little of the counters. [;)]

warspite1

Listen laddie don't you adopt that tone with me - you should respect your elders and betters.... oh and GET OFF MY LAWN

[:D]


What I mean is, the BEF is the army. Sure it has army level units but its strength is the Corps (and divisions within) that make it up. So why in this game can the BEF (army) have the same strength as a corps?

Ahh i get it now dear sir. [:)]

The BEF is just an army unit in this case. Try to rightclick the counter and check the properties.
Both might have strength 10 on the counter, but since an army is bigger, their fighting capability stats are higher.
Just look at the picture. I've added a corps stats on the right.
So they each have the same number of points, but an armies point is effectively worth more.
With unit upgrades those stats increase even more.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: n0kn0k

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: n0kn0k

Not sure what you mean as i'm a young lad playing with 3d units only. I know very little of the counters. [;)]

warspite1

Listen laddie don't you adopt that tone with me - you should respect your elders and betters.... oh and GET OFF MY LAWN

[:D]


What I mean is, the BEF is the army. Sure it has army level units but its strength is the Corps (and divisions within) that make it up. So why in this game can the BEF (army) have the same strength as a corps?

Ahh i get it now dear sir. [:)]

The BEF is just an army unit in this case. Try to rightclick the counter and check the properties.
Both might have strength 10 on the counter, but since an army is bigger, their fighting capability stats are higher.
Just look at the picture. I've added a corps stats on the right.
So they each have the same number of points, but an armies point is effectively worth more.
With unit upgrades those stats increase even more.

warspite1

Mmm a) thanks for all your help here b) I don't think that is a great design feature though... good job I'm having a blast [:)]

[warspite1]

25th April 1940

France and Belgium
The Belgians survive and a big shout goes out to the French IX Army, holding the northwestern Ardennes sector, who have taken a bit of a pasting but in doing so have allowed the Western Allies to maintain their line unbroken. Their place in the line has been taken by 2nd Corps.

The Germans used infantry and Fallschirmjager only, keeping the panzers back for the big breakthrough no doubt....

The French use all their MPP to rebuild and reinforce. The Belgian defenders of Brussels are almost out of time and so the French do not throw good money after bad in reinforcing this unit.

United Kingdom
The British build their first tank unit and reinforce O'Connor in the desert.

USA
An Escort Carrier is built and the remainder saved

USSR
The USSR MPP is pathetic! - suffice to say there is nothing to spend their 38 MPP on....

[n0kn0k]

Mmm a) thanks for all your help here b) I don't think that is a great design feature though... good job I'm having a blast

It's more like Panzer General and Civilisation this way.

Knowing 10 is the maximum you can strengthen up to makes it easier to keep an overview on what you have to reinforce and what not.

There is an exception though for some units. With each experience point you can overstrengthen a unit 1 point also.

And with time you will know in general how "good" a corps will do vs a tank unit with upgrades etc. It's part of the depth in the game.

For me as a casual wargamer (mostly turn based fantasy games here) it's a lot easier to follow then some of the more complex games around.

[warspite1]

25th April 1940

United Kingdom
In moving the turn on the British have a decision to make. Do they wish to occupy Iceland for 25 MPP?

Yes. I think that makes sense.

Soviet Union
The Soviet MPP goes negative as the decision is made to make preparations for war in winter.

[warspite1]

6th May 1940

France and the United Kingdom
The Germans take Belgium and really hit the British and French hard.

II Corps, was destroyed north of Sedan in a concerted attack by panzers and infantry and the 2nd Army was pushed back further widening the newly formed breach in the Allied lines.

On the Allied left flank the BEF and II Corps were mauled, as were the fighter units sent up to assist them.

[warspite1]

17th May 1940

A lot going on! The German convoy route change may have caused a fatal bug. When I click on the convoy map the game crashes. I shall ignore this for the moment and see what happens.

Not happy to see Italy preparing to enter the fray - maybe they will join the Allies like in WWI? Let's hope not....[:D]

[warspite1]

17th May 1940

United Kingdom
The British get a new fighter unit that is placed near Oxford. The BEF has been brought up to strength (and further reinforcement in Egypt too) but nothing can be done about the drop in readiness. Can the Germans exploit this?

France
The French Army now has a tank unit - placed near Paris. The French make the decision not to re-cross the Meuse at Sedan. Instead they will try and use the river line (7th Army)/Verdun (Reserve Corps) to try and hold the line and contain the breach...

[warspite1]

17th May 1940

United Kingdom and France

I order the 2nd Submarine Flotilla to the Skaggerak.... dangerous waters!

The Home Fleet nears Narvik.

There are two U-boats at least at sea. One appeared off Halifax and showed itself. Having done so, I attacked with the two flotillas that could reach. The U-boat wolf pack has taking a beating - but dished out some punishment too...

Further to the northeast the 1st Destroyer Flotilla came across another U-boat wolf pack and came off sightly worse. Testing times for the Allied navies! Sadly I cannot show the convoy map, because the game will crash, but here is the situation off Halifax.

[warspite1]

17th May 1940

United Kingdom and France

With the news that the Italians are preparing for war the British decide to send a garrison to Malta. The Mediterranean Fleet are out in force to ensure it reaches its destination.

Mediterranean Fleet - Admiral Andrew Cunningham
BB - Warspite (Flagship) Barham
CV - Ark Royal, Eagle
CA - 3rd Cruiser Squadron (Berwick, Exeter, Kent, York)
CL - 4th Cruiser Squadron (Ajax, Neptune, Orion, Penelope)
DD - 3rd Destroyer Flotilla


[On board the bridge of HMS Warspite]
Admiral Cunningham: "Pass a message on to the rest of the fleet no.1"
No.1 "Sir"
Cunningham: "Tell them the fleet is to head directly for Malta to ensure the arrival of our precious cargo. Meanwhile the Old Lady will head directly for Taranto to sink the Italian Fleet".
No.1 " Aye, aye sir".



The modern French Force du Raide takes up station north of Tunis:

Force du Raide - Admiral Marcel-Bruno Gensoul
FB - Dunkerque (Flagship) Strasbourg
CA - 1st (Heavy) Cruiser Squadron (Algerie, Suffren, Foch, Dupleix)
CL - 2nd (Light) Cruiser Squadron (Gloire, Georges Leygues, Montcalm, La Galissonniere)

[balto]

Excellent. I have never followed any of your AARs over the years. This is my first and I love your style. Anxious for more. Thanks

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: balto

Excellent. I have never followed any of your AARs over the years. This is my first and I love your style. Anxious for more. Thanks

warspite1

I don't blame you [>:] I'm boring myself writing this stuff


[:D]

[warspite1]

Zut Alors! That went well [8|]

[warspite1]

Note: I am a bit fed up with the alternate go malarchy - just fiddly to keep things in order - and so to simplify matters I will just comment on the Allied go and work in stuff that happened in the AI phase during the commentary.

8th June 1940

United Kingdom
The question is - bring under-strength ANZAC units to Cairo now or leave until late 1941(?) when fully formed. Well that seems a little extreme bases on reality - maybe its a game balance thing.

Either way I say Yes.

Another decision hot on the heels of this one. Do I want to spend 60 MPP to beef up British Somaliland? I will say yes to this ensure national morale is not affected by an invasion of Sudan.

Oh and another one....

Soviet Union
Do I want to annex the Baltic States and get an increase in my rubbish income. Er that would be Yes....

Wait up there's more!

Do I want to annex Bessarabia at a cost of 15 MPP. Again I say yes. It means Romania moves closer to the Axis camp but come on, a deal is a deal. I told Adolf that the I wanted Bessarabia, if he chose not to take me seriously that is his problem.