game?

[RufusTFirefly]

Hello guys,
really would like to play this latest version. But as I have taken SU in 3rd Triumph game, where I am already playing GB/Commonwealth, it might be too many games at same time.
Participating in five games at the moment.
So I want to finish one of these before I start anything new and step out here.
Have fun and enjoy this game, we will meet in another game somewhen later, Rufus

[hatemf90]

Ok we have vacancy, ironduke since you posted first, you still up for playing this? only the Britain/France is left. If not then falco takes it.

[falco148]

Rufus was going to play Britain/Commonwealth/France was he not?

That should leave room for two more players (or even three if u separate France).

Of course Ironduke has first call here. If he wants to play all three as Rufus was going to do thats OK too.

[ironduke1955]

UK would be fine but if that steps on toes then whatever is available would be OK.

[hatemf90]

ORIGINAL: falco148
Rufus was going to play Britain/Commonwealth/France was he not?

That should leave room for two more players (or even three if u separate France).

Of course Ironduke has first call here. If he wants to play all three as Rufus was going to do thats OK too.

Well Rufus was going to take them but he dropped, read his comment above. Also there no point really in separating France since they both basically fight together.

So Im not sure how that leaves more room for players? the list now is:

USA - LJBurstyn
Britain/France - ironduke
Germany - hatemf90
Axis minors - DRommel
Russia - mooney

ORIGINAL: ironduke1955
UK would be fine but if that steps on toes then whatever is available would be OK.

No toes, france/britain etc is yours.

[hatemf90]

oops, double post.

[falco148]

so who is playing Commonwealth?

[hatemf90]

It looks like I have to mention them all each time since this creates confusion, the UK, France, Commonwealth factions are played by the same player, this is what I ever meant since the start.

[ironduke1955]

Sounds great pencil me in with the relevant powers and invite to dropbox and I am good to go. Couple of must do tips for the powers I am playing, would be nice just so I don't ruin the game with a huge error due to a gap in my knowledge of the MOD.

[falco148]

No confusion here. I meant its possible to have 8 or even 9 players in this scenario. Hell you can even have the Germans played by two players (Regular army & SS). In fact it probably
would be more historically accurate if it was. It also would be more historically accurate for the British, Commonwealth and French to be played by separate players rather than one
single commander.

However you've obviously made up your mind about the matter so I wont burden you with any more of my inane comments on the subject.

[hatemf90]

ORIGINAL: falco148

No confusion here. I meant its possible to have 8 or even 9 players in this scenario. Hell you can even have the Germans played by two players (Regular army & SS). In fact it probably
would be more historically accurate if it was. It also would be more historically accurate for the British, Commonwealth and French to be played by separate players rather than one
single commander.

However you've obviously made up your mind about the matter so I wont burden you with any more of my inane comments on the subject.

I wouldn't mind to have 8-9 players, 1 for each tiny faction, but the problem is with this many players the game will be painfully slow and will eventually die out, out of boredom of waiting for your own turn, this isn't fair to the German and Russian players who have to put a big effort to play this map right, the ideal number in my experience is 5 players.

Also I want to add if there is demand for another Triumph I would join it, just not with Germany/Russia.

[ironduke1955]

However you've obviously made up your mind about the matter so I wont burden you with any more of my inane comments on the subject.

You miss read the gist of my comment which was I am happy with whatever is decided, and have no preference.

Just my twopence on sides British and Commonwealth historically were under one command, the French most definitely were not but some cooperation was attempted.

Hatem's point to slow play due to numbers yep that true but for my part I will play the turns same day with the odd exception.

[icym]

ORIGINAL: ironduke1955

Sounds great pencil me in with the relevant powers and invite to dropbox and I am good to go. Couple of must do tips for the powers I am playing, would be nice just so I don't ruin the game with a huge error due to a gap in my knowledge of the MOD.

Here are few:

1. Prioritize the improvement of British ore. Just like Germany and Russia, Britain can't achieve full production (especially of ships, which need a lot of ore) until the ore mines are upgraded.
Add destroyers to the ASW hex. To maximise British ore send one or more destroyer groups into the ASW hex. In the May turn the loss is usually around 900 ore and 3000 oil (the number of German subs that start in the SW box does randomly vary a little at the start of the game). The exported amount cannot be changed until the US enters the war and is allied with Britain, so use 900 as a baseline in early 1941. Britain can hopefully produce more destroyers than Germany can subs. Try and add enough destroyers to progressively reduce the losses over the next few months; the the ore lost can drop to 750, 600 or lower over time.

2. The distance you can direct production and have all of it arrive is around 115 hexes. This means that of production sent to the Med (usually to Auchinleck) 25% won't make it (the balance remains in the factory/city that produced it).
Factories and cities in the North (Glasgow/Belfast) exceed 115, so it’s best not to send production from there to the Med (only 50% will arrive).
Use the oil can icon to check supply lengths from the originating source if in doubt.
Should supply run low in the Med, the British HQ in SW England (Falmouth) contains 2 convoy ships. Supply can be transferred from there to Gibraltar and subsequently on to Egypt without incurring distance penalties.
Note that if Germany directs some production to the Med, as they should, they will suffer the same 25% penalty.

3. German begins with a few torpedo bombers based in an airbase near Brest, NW France. They can interdict supply/production headed south from Britain. It is worthwhile putting 3 or 4 navy supply blocks going NW from that airbase to divert production and supply out of the torp bomber's intercept range.
Be wary of adding too many navy supply blocks as a way of trying to avoid wolf packs at sea - if the supply path becomes too convoluted the supply getting through will exceed the 115 limit and drop down to 50%.

4. Either Britain or Germany may attempt to revive the Battle of Britain. Direct new air production to the north of Britain, out of range of attack by German aircraft.
Build enough aircraft for Britain's defence along with flak to protect your airbases and city-based air. Somewhere around 5 flak will usually be enough to discourage the Germans from becoming too aggressive.
Note that flak only provides defence against air attack directed on their own hex.

5. Blockade the Straits of Gibraltar to stop German or Italian ships getting from one front to the other.

6. Be wary of leaving large fleets at sea. If the Axis get lucky and your fleet is within range of sea mines, you could lose a lot of ships (doesn't happen often but it has can).
Note that the Straits of Gibraltar hex (15, 105) is immune from minefield attacks.

7. Grab Persia. The country will surrender once Allied forces get close to Isfahan. The oil wells there will make Britain less reliant on US oil.
And don't forget to develop the oil well in Iraq (127, 105).

8. After Persia capitulates, consider taking out Lebanon/Syria. It can take a turn or so to get the required forces in position to attack. Britain can then play the Occupy Vichy Colony card which determines if the colony will become Axis or Free French. There is an 80% chance the Colony will align with the Axis.
The colony will fall when Damascus is captured. The terrain when attacking from the south isn’t all that great, so it can take a couple of turns. Germany or Italy have a narrow window of opportunity to contest the attack by landing forces there, their presence will make the British offensive a lot more difficult.
When Damascus falls, Britain can then play the Vichy Colony captured card which will transfer ownership of the entire colony back to France. If Germany or Italy have intervened and they have >50 power points in the port just north of Beirut, the Axis will retain control of that port, which gives them a base from which to draw supplies.
The tangible gains from Syrian occupation are not that great, but it removes the threat of having to worry about two-pronged attack on Egypt/Suez.

9. Britain can increase the chance of French partisan activity through use of an action card. It is worthwhile paying the cost, especially if Germans are playing their card which increases partisan activity.

10. In December 1941, remember to ask the US for an alliance. They can declare war and accept your offer in the same turn. This gets the Br-US alliance off to a flying start. It is fine to ask Russia for an alliance as well. You can't do much to help them but it's fun to be able to see how they are fairing (probably not terribly well in 1941!).

11. It is highly recommended to play any scientist cards you receive on one of the British research centres. Each scientist generates 50PP per turn. In the long run this is better than playing the card on your Capital for an instant 400PP.
Keep a garrison on your research centres in case the Germans conduct a bombing raid. Scientists are hard to kill but they are not invulnerable.

12. Have land garrisons in ports containing ships or coastal airbases. Germany can't do much directly against Britain but if they scout out a port/airbase with inadequate ground forces they might conduct a small amphibious invasion (I know, I've done it, it's fun - but not for the British).

14. The CW is split between Canada and Australia/New Zealand. Be careful when directing production, if you accidently designate an Australian HQ to receive Canadian Production (or vice versa), it won’t arrive because the distance is too far. Australia doesn't have a lot of territory for building factories; you can ship engineers to NZ and build a factory there.

15. The Aussies in North Africa don't fight terribly well against the combined German/Italian forces. Move the British in Egypt towards the front.

16. In July 1941 the Canadians receive a free shipyard construction point, build it as soon as you can.

17. Most CW production can go to Britain. By early 1942 they should have enough forces available to make an offensive if any attractive options present themselves.

18. Britain can make themselves a nuisance by blockading Oslo, especially if an invasion of Norway is contemplated. Try conducting recon to see how strongly the country is garrisoned.

19. The Germans will likely put U-Boats in the Atlantic to intercept supply and production. You can return the favour by building some submarines and using them to interdict German/Italian supply and production going to North Africa

20. A few technologies are more expensive to research in early 1941 or at the start of each new year. They are: Rifle, Artillery, Fighter, Medium Bomber, Dive Bomber, Light Tank and Medium tank.
The research card shows both the current and basic cost for these techs. It is up to the player to decide if they want to pay the premium to research them early.
Do not research techs in advance of when you can build them (e.g. don't research Flak III until 1942).

Hope some of these ideas prove helpful.

[falco148]

ORIGINAL: ironduke1955

However you've obviously made up your mind about the matter so I wont burden you with any more of my inane comments on the subject.

You miss read the gist of my comment which was I am happy with whatever is decided, and have no preference.

Just my twopence on sides British and Commonwealth historically were under one command, the French most definitely were not but some cooperation was attempted.

Hatem's point to slow play due to numbers yep that true but for my part I will play the turns same day with the odd exception.

Sorry Ironduke....my comments were directed at Hatem, not you.

[ironduke1955]

Thank you icym no excuse for getting it wrong (Dang)

1. Ok pretty much the same as my first game with the Soviets.
2. So you can get production to the Middle East Egypt by staging by Gibraltar
3. Sea supply blocks that's a term I have not heard before
4. Something to bare in mind
5. Will do historically accurate
6. Yes something I wary of from GD1938
7. Noted
8. Yes Vichy is problematic for the British
9. Noted
10. Noted
11. Noted
12. Noted
14. Noted
15. Noted
16. Noted
17. Noted
18. Noted
19. Noted
20. Noted

May be the most comprehensive reply to a info request I have ever received [:)]

[falco148]

ORIGINAL: hatemf90

ORIGINAL: falco148

No confusion here. I meant its possible to have 8 or even 9 players in this scenario. Hell you can even have the Germans played by two players (Regular army & SS). In fact it probably
would be more historically accurate if it was. It also would be more historically accurate for the British, Commonwealth and French to be played by separate players rather than one
single commander.

However you've obviously made up your mind about the matter so I wont burden you with any more of my inane comments on the subject.

I wouldn't mind to have 8-9 players, 1 for each tiny faction, but the problem is with this many players the game will be painfully slow and will eventually die out, out of boredom of waiting for your own turn, this isn't fair to the German and Russian players who have to put a big effort to play this map right, the ideal number in my experience is 5 players.

Also I want to add if there is demand for another Triumph I would join it, just not with Germany/Russia.

Actually I've played this scenario several times now and its my experience that its the people playing the major powers that cause the most delay. They play a bit
when their turn arrives, save it, play it later, save it again and so on and so on.

Anyway I've said my piece now. Have a good time all.

[ironduke1955]

British French and Commonwealth turn 1 completed Germans up.

[hatemf90]

icym: in this game the submarines in the atlantic have 0 supply and are low readiness, is it supposed to be like this?

[icym]

I assume you are referring to subs in the SW hex and not subs out at sea?

Others have raised the same question, so I will try to clarify.

The way SW/ASW works is that subs/destroyers assigned to this duty are sort of "off the grid". They are restricted in their ability to move and attack any easy targets and still get back to the SW/ASW box for duty there.

The important point is that their lack of supply and action points have no effect on their ability to sink ore or oil and when sub/destroyer losses are calculated at the start of the turn their readiness and AP also do not matter (it is only the number of subs vs. the number of destroyers that figure in the loss calculations).

Even tech levels do not count - although they probably should - but in practice I have found the Axis/Allies keep close to parity on their research.

It is only a nuisance if you want to pull subs off of SW duty and deploy them elsewhere. Then they are reduced to "limp home" mode until you get them to a port, or transfer supply to them while they out at sea.

Maybe play for a while and let me know if you find it a major annoyance.

[hatemf90]

Thanks, will do.