Tyrone (Axis) vs Michael.

[AlbertN]

The Luftwaffe problem I widely and broadly pointed out already.
First time I see the French planes disbanded as in all my games it's having more fighters than Germany that does the trick.
Strategic bombing persists to be a problem with no solution since with that range, the British strat bomber can hit -anywhere- they want.
Submarines for the Axis are useless pratically - your analysis is correct. For the damage they take and all, they're not worth the cost. If I get asked 'Would you prefer a Submarine or a Large Corp', considering how hard is Soviet Russia, infantry corp would be my answer by default. No brainer!

In one of my game thes poor, single Luftwaffe fighter at the Westfall got pounced by the whole of the Allied airforce and lost like 15+ health on Allied turn1. (Except the Strat Bomber)

[Michael T]

So far, as of 29 March 1940, production losses for the Reich due to strategic bombing of the Ruhr stands at 647, plus a further 340 even if I were to halt it completely at this point.

[tyronec]

So far, as of 29 March 1940, production losses for the Reich due to strategic bombing of the Ruhr stands at 647, plus a further 340 even if I were to halt it completely at this point.

Yes, pretty brutal and I don't think Axis can do much about it.
In my parallel game as Allies I have chosen to bomb Axis fighters with my medium bombers, just another way of dishing out a lot of production hits at a critical time for Axis.
Time will tell if these early moves by Allies are a game winner or if Axis can take the hit and still make a competitive go of it.

[AlbertN]

Looks at the positive side ^^ Axis won't have panzers, so won't have oil issues! [;)]

[tyronec]

The weather clears and some action.

France. Win five battles, the lead Panzer corps is fairly fresh so hope it can withstand the counter attacks. Was surprised at making so much progress, with a double line of French units plus the BEF (complete with panzers) was thinking maybe a couple of hexes a turn.

Denmark. Using three infantry corps in relay take Copenhagen, so Denmark gone.

Losses are OK, some good hits against the RAF. The Danes were heavy going.

[Flaviusx]

The flipside of all this Allied bombing action is that imo it is also making them weaker on the ground. A lot of production that would otherwise end up in new French corps is instead going into French air.

As for the British, this has to be impacting their own builds.

I get all the complaints about this early allied strategic bombing, and I myself believe the UK bomber should be put in the build queue to delay its deployment...and yet, when I get a chance to play the allies, I don't really plan to do any of this stuff the way I'm seeing in these recent games.

I much prefer what my opponent did as the Allies in my game and am going to copy his strat, lock stock and barrel.

[tyronec]

IMO Michael has played a very effective game.

The goal for the Allies in 39/40 has got to be to do as much damage to Axis as possible, while retaining enough strength to protect the UK and Cairo. Am a newcomer to this but would think a loss ration of 3 Allies for 2 Axis in combat, or equivalent in production, is a good exchange.

The whole point is that way you restrict German production and so they are invading Russia with a weaker force. From looking at other AARs it seems to be difficult for the Western Allies to get good use for all their forces in the mid to late game. Air is going to be facing more AA and ground have the problems of getting a large army into action on the continent with enough supply.

[Flaviusx]

He has for sure, and yes, the lost production hurts and will have ongoing effects on the German army.

But there is more than one way to skin that cat.

If France falls quickly, Germany can make up for all of this to a large extent, and maybe even turn it around if the British are too fragile after their efforts in the air. The BEF in France is a hostage to fortune, too.

[AlbertN]

I am convinced Strategic Bombing is the way to go. Especially as the Luftwaffe is impotent if the Allied fighters are in range.

[Chocolino]

Will be interesting to see if the heavy British involvement in France will affect your time table significantly. One would think that the Germans welcome the chance to inflict heavy losses on the UK without having to deal with the logistics/supply effort when you have to do it in N. Africa or England instead.

I am also playing an Allied game right now - but my strat. bomb results are not even close to the ones in this game. I have to actually rest at least every other turn to rebuild the Hvy. bombers. But then I have not used tactical bombers.

[Michael T]

Note, that intruding Panzer in the screenie above was sent packing back in to Belgium minus about 18 steps.

[tyronec]

Not nice to my poor Panzer.[:(]

Cold weather so can just attack the same hex and put an infantry in this time.
OOps, where did that come from in the middle of the screen...

[tyronec]

Previous turn was mud.

Weather clears, solid advance in France.
Yugoslavia invaded.

[tyronec]

Solid advance in France, 4 hexes taken.
Just a couple of hexes forwards in Yugoslavia.
Am still down 40 production from bombing even with just the heavies still at it.

[tyronec]

Heavy attacks by the Allies in France, they succeed in advancing two hexes and in the process kill an infantry corps and overrun a fighter.

We counter attack and using the paras kill two French Corps and the British tank, but are looking a bit exposed.

[tyronec]

France. Lost another corps, but the paras escape OK. Moderate advance this turn.
There are two French tank corps, Michael has been busy building.

Yugoslavia. No combat yet.

[tyronec]

France. Kill two corps, still heavy going.

[tyronec]

Yugoslavia. First combat, kill two half armies.

[AlbertN]

Players should start using the Italian Option game - too easy for Allies now to know when Italy can come to war and adapt accordingly.
If they underman the desert sector (like bringing WDF to France) they should be possibly suffer an Italian offensive there.

[Almeron]

The french has two armored unit in time? Your opponent really focused to gain them before Paris could fall? What hapened? Skipp the reinforce in 39, and disbanded the air forces covering the looses?