The Next War 1979 Expanded ( Beta 1.0 ) Damon v. larry

[mussey]

ORIGINAL: Hellen_slith

Hi, Larry! I am sure you have already discovered this, about the "pre-turn" and declaration of hostilities ... but I have found that, when WP "declares" they must still wait one more turn for NATO to gather their wits. IOW, unlike most other scenarios, you'll be limited to borders while I (NATO) set up my defense.

So, if you choose "tension", even when you declare "war" I will still have one more chance to get my AAA / aircraft in place (along w/ other things LoL) ... looking forward to it!!

Truly a monster scene ... I ran through a quick WP move myself, would up w/ over 6000 on the playback.

I am sure yours will reach 10K or more. Ok, then, Commander Comrade, I look forward to your move!

D

After release of Beta, I tweaked GT #2 so that the WP suffers a 24hr movement penalty (to reflect assembling/de-assembling to/from motor pools); while NATO suffers a 48 hour movement penalty to reflect 24 hrs of delayed reaction plus the 24hrs to mobilize. In 'Tension' of multiple turns this has little impact, but in 'Sudden War' it creates some havoc. There is also a 2% chance of that each formation may be unable to move that turn. This may not seem like much, but in my tests with multiple formations it usually results with several being affected.

Though unlikely in NIE (Natl Intel Est)documents, 'Sudden War' is my most favorite because WP can put NATO on its heels and capture key points quickly for future waves, and take advantage of the 25% shock that first turn of war. (NIE predicted a higher probability of 3-8 day mobilization so that Front HQ's could be established, and another front to be added in E. Ger., most probably the Northern/Polish Front).

If Larry is WP, he has some crucial decisions to make. He will set the pace for much of the game as each Military District mobilizes a Front for the 2nd and 3rd waves. Where will he deploy them?...

[mussey]

when I unboxed that sweet sweet game back in 1980 or so, and started to break apart the air units to place them ....

Yes, those counters. The tactile sense of holding/placing/sorting them I miss the most, until my cat started making moves for me...

I remember most how the air rules rocked my world, and allowed me to grow as a gamer.

Though never deployed overseas, I remember the nervous excitement I had while attending college when Brezhnev died, and how it would affect the stakes of the Cold War and this game, as I WAS PLAYING IT! Surreal.

[mussey]

ORIGINAL: Zovs

Ah you should have asked me, I created PDF that includes the errata, lol. I have it on my local HDD.

That is beyond way cool. Now that was a game manual!

[cathar1244]

until my cat started making moves for me...

Should have let the cat continue. They're born soldiers, after all.

Cheers

[Zovs]

ORIGINAL: mussey

ORIGINAL: Zovs

Ah you should have asked me, I created PDF that includes the errata, lol. I have it on my local HDD.

That is beyond way cool. Now that was a game manual!

Thanks, I can send or share a copy if any interest.

[mussey]

ORIGINAL: cathar1244

until my cat started making moves for me...

Should have let the cat continue. They're born soldiers, after all.

Cheers

She created hairballs, and furballs. My wife would egg her on to move the counters, so a conspiracy of sorts was in the works. [8|]

[mussey]

ORIGINAL: Zovs

ORIGINAL: mussey

ORIGINAL: Zovs

Ah you should have asked me, I created PDF that includes the errata, lol. I have it on my local HDD.

That is beyond way cool. Now that was a game manual!

Thanks, I can send or share a copy if any interest.

Thanks for your generous offer, I too have an electronic version. But yet, like the counters, I still enjoy the hard copy with my notes and highlights peppered throughout.

[Hellen_slith]

Just got through watching the playback of Larry's move #2 as WP (6848 movements, took about 30 minutes for the full playback).

Seems like he might be pushing the Fulda Gap along with an end-run around Austria. I was a bit surprised by so much naval movement west of Finmark ... I was expecting those naval forces to concentrate more on North Germany / Copenhagen ... but that's ok, less pressure on me there LoL (as if Larry doesn't apply enough pressure as it is!!)

He is a tough player, very aggressive, so it is going be a challenge for me to hold him back if I can.

The NATO shock penalty is pretty tough to deal with right now ... more than several WG formations are still organizing on my edge of the map, and that puts an additional onus on me. BAOR seems solid and up for a fight, so I am gathering their air power to hope to interdict some of his movements around the Fulda Gap while US gears up REFORGER.

Seems like I have drawn the "full NATO" card, so all of the Danes / Italians are in it from the get-go. Looks like he might try to open up Austria though, so I am keeping an eye on that area.

Trying to think up a different strategy here for NATO ... last time against Larry, in the NATO 1962 scene, I "castled Queen-side" w/ the French. Not sure if that will work here, but the French and Dutch look like they might be able to turn a trick or two on this NATO move.

Looks like it is going to be a hell of a fight!! Good luck, Comrade Larry!!

[larryfulkerson]

Looks like it is going to be a hell of a fight!! Good luck, Comrade Larry!!

And good hunting to you my friend. May the wind always be at your back. May the rains fall gentle upon your fields.

[Zovs]

Wow, so your really not named Larry!

[mussey]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Looks like it is going to be a hell of a fight!! Good luck, Comrade Larry!!

And good hunting to you my friend. May the wind always be at your back. May the rains fall gentle upon your fields.

Comrade Larry fought WW1, et al, and now resurrected for the 'War of NATO Aggression'.

[mussey]

Soviets have a multitude of strategic options at their disposal:
- x6 AB Divs.
- x4 plausible reserve Fronts, each with several land Armies, and an Air Army. In wartime, they most likely arrive/fight as their own formations:
- Northern/Polish Front is the most immediate with x2 Polish Armies under the former SNGF with its assets.
- Baltic Front
- Belorussian Front
- Carpathian Front
- (Kiev and Odessa Fronts are included but you may want to negotiate how they are used, since they most likely would have been deployed against Greece & Turkey).
- Navy: both Northern Fleet (Murmansk), and Baltic Fleet (Kalingrad).
- Once W. Berlin falls, the 20th Gds Army is available, possibly delayed by rest/resupply?

NATO has a lot of ground to defend, from Norway, through Denmark, W. Germany, to Austria (if invaded). If properly deployed, the x6 Soviet AB Div.s can create massive havoc, but limited to drop one AB Div and several Special Forces Bns per game turn. They can fly a long way.

Here are some NATO observations:
- US reinforcements begin arriving almost immediately by several modes:
- US 2nd Fleet with x4 Carriers arrive in a special sea box, combined with 2nd Mar and 82nd AB divs (combine with mobile/marine units of other NATO members), can counter Soviet moves into Norway or northern Germany.
- REFORGER (Return 0f Forces to Germany) arrive automatically to propositioned depots located in Mannheim and Pirmasens, Germany.
- Land reinforcements that arrive either in England or Rotterdam, NE.
- 3rd USAF to airfields in England.
- These include an additional Corps (III) that most likely would help the Bremen area. If they arrive in time...
- Denmark is probably lost. If so, southern Norway and northern Germany/Netherlands are in grave peril. (grave, is there any other kind?)
- Austria (if invaded) needs to retreat rapidly and try to link with advancing Italian and other NATO units.
- France has x3 very small Corps and where they are deployed is crucial. (Bavaria?)

There's more, but this is a good start that hopefully sheds light on the situation.

[Hellen_slith]

Gen. Meyer is called upon to command E-FORGER. WG Pres. Scheel, on the verge of retirement, declares Hamburg an "open city."

NATO ground forces move to secure BRHDs. BAOR is seen on the move.

All across Western Europe, eyes are turned skyward watching a virtual international air show.

Refugees panic (again) as all civilian air traffic over WG is grounded.

The world is once again at war.

[Hellen_slith]

NATO has moved. An essential bridge for WP was destroyed in Czechoslovakia by US F-111s, in an effort to slow down the rail there.

Hamburg: I have found that trying to defend Hamburg is always a lost cause in this scene, so thus the NATO move to declare it an open city. I hate to see it reduced to ruins for a lost cause, so I decided to let Comrade Larry have that point, in the hope that any other forward movement West fr. Hamburg will be hindered enough to allow me some much needed time for regrouping on my side, while he just uses supply to race forward.

NATO has a lot of points (victory points, that is) that can be sacrificed for the higher cause at this time, and Hamburg was one of them. I also wanted to try something a bit different in that area ... so, we shall see, there, what our Communist friend does with the opportunity.

US V Corps has established positions around Fulda Gap, trying to slow him down there, too.

Notes: I had two CTDs during my turn, the first was negligible (having saved my move prior) but the second CTD, I lost about 30 minutes of work there, so that was frustrating, but I think I recovered my movements there.

NATO air is not too bad at this point: flying mainly from England right now, until I can secure some more SAMs closer to the front.

Well, I would post a screen shot of the action, but my internet is a bit wanky until Wednesday when we are supposed to get new hardware, so ... until then ... the West holds its breath!!

D

[larryfulkerson]

New moves from Damon and the front lines are changing. I've cleared out Berlin and repaired the rail there and I'm in the process of moving a lot of the second wave troops to the southwest. I'm invading Austria with the Checks and the Poles and whoever else is there to help out. I may be winning the air war, I'm not sure. Damon is busy making MLR's and rushing troops to meet the Soviets. I'm not seeing a lot of broken bridges but it's early still. I'm thinking it's about time to launch the special forces into his backfield to see what kind of havoc I can cause. I've got some heli-borne troops and some paratroops to deliver some troops in the far west, way behind everybody. Maybe I can capture his supply sources.

[larryfulkerson]

I thought I ought to fly some paratroopes to the top of Norway and I grabbed some bases and an airfield. Then I flew some Mig-21's up there for a CAP. I'm thinking of moving some of my Backfire bombers up there for their anti-naval skills. The idea is to move south capturing bases along the way. As long as there is a way to get some supply to go down there. Everything depends on supply.

[larryfulkerson]

I've been moving units and the front lines have changed. I see Damon has moved his reserves toward the front lines in the middle and there's considerably more NATO troops there now. It's too early to tell who's winning. NATO is going to get a lot of reinforcements from the US and that will change things. I haven't moved all the units yet and the first combat round hasn't been resolved. The electricity went off and I lost about an hour's worth of work. I've since learned to save more often.

[Zovs]

Looks like a good build up and a massive fight about to happen...

[Hellen_slith]

Here's a look from my side of the board at the end of NATO turn 3, with a general idea of where I've put NATO (for now ) Italians / Aus etc. in south, Fr / US around Fulda, a mix of WG / Belgium / Dutch around center and BAOR trying to hold most of the north. I was surprised at the unexpected Norway Irregulars that showed up (I guess an event happened) but that freed up some Norsemen to float to Bremerhaven.

Lots of interdiction on me that move, lots of air show ... unit report estimated WP lost ~900 air units (damaged or destroyed), I lost ~350 ... Interesting game!!

[mussey]

Norway Irregulars that showed

Not thru Events, just normal reinforcements (Norwegian Home Guard).