Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: KWG

July

I have an armor ID exposed outside Messina. No doubt Pelton will trash them next turn.

ORIGINAL: Seminole

I have an armor ID exposed outside Messina. No doubt Pelton will trash them next turn.

Probably not.
You're sitting in rough terrain and he likely only has the Schmalz PzG Bde in Messina with a routed and non-routed Italian sidekicks.
The ZOC movement costs to cut you off and attack would likely preclude getting back into Messina.
I bet he sits tight and waits for you to force him out.

More broadly think you are right to emphasis the mindset of caution and only moving when your air power can really support your ground operations. What is not clear is whether such a methodical approach may end up grinding the Germans down so you can cut loose or if its too conservative a strategy? But given the disasters in a few other AARs of taking chances and over-extending, think you have made the right choice.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: obvert

Having not played this game I'll ask the most inane questions. How do you know how your settings are working or not working? Is it simply chance, and whether yours have intersected with your opponent in a positive or negative way for you, or can you end up reading his positions and intentions better through extended recon in particular ways?

In other words, where do you control what happens in the air war and how much is just chance?

Well, comparing to AE you have even more control over the air war. But due to the 1 week turns much will be left to the AI. I find this especially frustrating when you suffer heavy losses.

For example in my AI game I just sent a deep strike into Germany to hit a V-weapons factory. On the way there I suffer multiple intercepts losing a lot of planes (40+). But due to the week long turn I had specified the strike to go on for 3 days...so I suffer the losses for 2 more raids.

Recon works pretty much as it does in AE but with a lot more FOW. Its pretty hard to pinpoint units and get a good ID. I like that. [:)] But here again I don´t like the lack of control due to the week long turns. Since the air phase week is executed with all missions being planned at the same time you will to an extent act blindly.

I can guess my opponent may be using certain airfields and order a recon package on Monday and then followed up by strikes for the rest of the week. If the AF turns out to be empty they will bomb an empty AF...quite annoying. But it goes both ways and can get still get decent results using priorities.

All in all I think they have made a very good job with the air war. Its A LOT better then AE in pretty much every aspect. Except naval interception... That portion is pretty much an insult to the rest of the game. That will change once they get the naval module in place no doubt so I guess they just threw something in there in the meantime.

For example in my AI game I just sent a deep strike into Germany to hit a V-weapons factory. On the way there I suffer multiple intercepts losing a lot of planes (40+). But due to the week long turn I had specified the strike to go on for 3 days...so I suffer the losses for 2 more raids.

Do you notice larger bomber concentrations having more combined protection, or is there a threshold where it doesn't really matter?

ORIGINAL: Seminole
Probably not.
You're sitting in rough terrain and he likely only has the Schmalz PzG Bde in Messina with a routed and non-routed Italian sidekicks.
The ZOC movement costs to cut you off and attack would likely preclude getting back into Messina.
I bet he sits tight and waits for you to force him out.

ORIGINAL: loki100

I'd go with this, he can't create a situation for a rout, pushing you back will cost him fatigue, so I'd suspect he'll sit tight.

More broadly think you are right to emphasis the mindset of caution and only moving when your air power can really support your ground operations. What is not clear is whether such a methodical approach may end up grinding the Germans down so you can cut loose or if its too conservative a strategy? But given the disasters in a few other AARs of taking chances and over-extending, think you have made the right choice.

ORIGINAL: obvert

Week long turns might make me crazy!

Can you just set the strikes for one day, not three? Seems for big Rhur valley industry that is well guarded this might be good policy, just in case. Also it means he still has to guard it, but you can then set a bunch of other missions at higher frequency elsewhere.

Do you notice larger bomber concentrations having more combined protection, or is there a threshold where it doesn't really matter?

Do you feel you have enough recon assets to really get a view of at least the main area you're concentrating on?

ORIGINAL: Helpless

For example in my AI game I just sent a deep strike into Germany to hit a V-weapons factory. On the way there I suffer multiple intercepts losing a lot of planes (40+). But due to the week long turn I had specified the strike to go on for 3 days...so I suffer the losses for 2 more raids.

One way to setup reaction to such events is to set minimum AC requirement for the AD, so it would cancel next days strikes in case of heavy losses.

ORIGINAL: soeren01

If you have problems hitting something with Bomber Command night attacks, try staying within oboe range.

17.3.4.1. OBOE Radar Targeting System
OBOE ground radar allows better night bombing of
factory targets when bombing within 27 hexes of any of
the following four locations 58,183 – 76, 182 – 87,180 –
90,170. This capability exists during for the entire game.

ORIGINAL: meklore61

I'm not sure that slow and methodical will work either. If you can't build up some positive vp's in '43, you can't afford to attack when you land in France, and your losing men just being shipped thru friendly sea lanes. Your absolutely correct about WA air power, and no invasion should land without it. The axis air force has more than enough planes to ruin a halfassed invasion, and the WA cannot afford to screw up, so go all in or don't go.

Its a black day for Bomber Command when 169 bombers fail to return. We do inflict some damage though so its not totally in vain.