AAR - PBEM Game "Case Geld"

[Becket]

Correct...those stacks were mostly infantry and militia units, but armor is always shown "on top".

[Becket]

Okay, so, more on the Soviet turn.

What a difference research makes! Prior to bringing my infantry and armor attack & evasion levels up, attacks against German positions were very difficult, as I usually needed to throw overwhelming force at an area in order to succeed. This turn, I was able to attack 4 provinces because (a) they were fairly lightly defended and (b) I didn't have to commit everything to one attack.

The turn opened with Leningrad in a perilous situation, as the forces in Baltic and Velikie Luki may have been sufficient to force a Soviet retreat if paullus attacked next turn. The easiest way to remove that threat was to take back VL, which I did using a huge militia force, and a couple of units from Leningrad. Then, I took back lightly-defended Belorussia with forces from Kursk. Finally, Kiev and Odessa only had 9 German units total against the 12 Soviet units in Kharkov, so I was able to split the Kharkov forces and take both provinces.

Supply remains critical. I built 20 supply this turn and increased my armor evasion to a best-on-the-board 9, but 20 supply is a pitance (the Germans have 99!). Several units were lost in this turn's attacks, but a lot of new units came online at the end of the turn.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Paullus "planted" no less than 3 sub flotillas off the Canadian coast. Nothing short of nuclear depth charges or Russian Cold War nuclear-tipped torpedos would help clear the Canadian coast this turn...

But, we don't have to use the Canadian ports. Even though US is frozen, I can get supplies to UK using US ports, but I have to use British transports for that! Transport fleets produced in US are frozen, until that country is in war.

Now, I actually have enough transport fleets in UK to make link to either US or the Middle East and get another "freebie transport" turn, but I didn't do that. Good situation in the Med is life saver for UK. Since I control the Med, and Germans fight with the Russians, UK can sustain themselves for now without imports. That means no offensives, not much of an industry production (UK is low on resources as expalined previously) but who cares. Once I get ASW values of LR air and DD fleets to 3 and 2 respectivelly I can try killing subs for real.

In the Med we started liberation of Libya, destroying militia unit there. No screenshot this turn nothing much to illustrate...

O.

[Drax Kramer]

ORIGINAL: Becket

Correct...those stacks were mostly infantry and militia units, but armor is always shown "on top".

LOL! This reminds on the story about "Panzer Army" who had one panzerkorps with only one panzer division. This division was, of course, comprised of one panzer and two motorised regiments, but one out of two panzer battalions was back in Germany to receive new tanks.

Thus, "Panzer Army" got its proud label thanks to single panzer battalion.


Drax

[paullus99]

Germany - Fall 1941

"We're Back!!!"

After a delay (computer issues here at home) - I'm back up and ready to go. Our first priority was to stabilize the situation on the Eastern Front & not allow too much damage to be done during the winter turn (which will give my esteemed colleague an edge in combat). We launched several spoiling attacks along the front & managed to do quite a bit of damage, especially in the south.

Romania is now out of danger (for the moment) & forces have actually been reinforced to allow for more extensive offensive operations in the coming year.

In the Atlantic, we took advantage of the Western Allies lack of transport by positioning our subs along likely convoy routes, making him have to come out and fight me if he wants to get his industry fed with resources & supply.

In the Med, the Italian Navy is back out in force & we collected the resources from North Africa we need to feed our industry for another year. If he wants to dig me out, its going to cost him....

All in all, we are very happy with the turn.

[Holz]

Any chance we could see the current production screen? It's hard to tell how many of any unit types there are when you can only see the top of each stack.

Also, it looks like you've transferred some tactical bombers up to the eastern front (though this could just be an illusion created by stack visibility). I wonder why they were in Italy for so long. It seems like you would want to have as much aircraft (espcially ground attack aircraft) as you could spare for the eastern front, where all the action is right now. I'm assuming the aircraft has to already be in place at the front line in order to be used in offensives that turn.

This game has been very interesting so far, and it looks like it will be alot closer than the last 2 were.

[paullus99]

I've altered my strategy somewhat in this game (for both better & worse) - I believe that airpower is one of the keys to keeping the Western Allies off balance (in both the Atlantic & Med). I probably should have transferred air East a little earlier, but I wanted to put the Western Allies in as big a hole as I could manage - once their economy hits its stride, it will be impossible to keep them from moving on me, unless I create problems for them now.

I'll try to post a production screen when the turn comes around again.

[MButtazoni]

Fall 1941 - Japan

not much to report (again)
- damaged 3 CH Infantry that keep tryinf to sneek up on my Chinese conquests.
- redeployed more "stuff" to French Indochina
- sent my carriers on a "training" mission

here's a snapshot of the Force Pool Summary. looks like Oleg does not want to repeat his mistake of running an empire on no transports this game.

[Oleg Mastruko]

OK, here we go again...

Becket entered a busy phase at his work, with lots of travelling, so on his wish I took over the Soviets as well, so now I control all Allied sides. Frankly, you can expect some confusion on my part in the next turns because: a) I took over the Soviets from another player, and b) this PBEM has so many long pauses and, coming from TOAW/UV/WITP PBEM world I am not used to that. So even looking at WA dispositions I ask myself "hmm, what exactly I planned to do with *that*?" cause I don't remember...

OK, in SU I haven't done any attacks this turn, Becket did a good job on tank research so I have to produce more of those. It's a relief when you don't have to think about producing the zillionth transport fleet, and can concentrate on land things for a change.

As WA, yes, I have to produce zillion transport fleets per turn, but I totally forgot what I wanted to do with some of my plans. I guess I wanted to take Libya? So I did that. Italian fleet sortied to the Central Med (is he planning return to North Africa??) so I countered that with my Alexandria fleet. I "lost" the battle and had to retreat back to East Med, but his losses were bigger than mine (1 BB damaged, 1 DD lost vs. 1 BB damaged and 1 DD damaged for me). I don't think it's encouraging for him if he plans to return to NA, but we'll see. He did manage to effectivelly bottle up the Med from te west using his subs though. Commonwealth r00lz and is helpful (India supplies), but I need America at war, and fast...

No doubt many observers will find my not wanting to attack GE subs turn after turn, and not reopening the Atlantic routes turn after turn, cowardly, but I can live with that. Yes, Brit production is low (read: non existent) because of that, but what the hell. I see no reason to lose 2-3 DD fleets and 3-6 transport fleets per turn just to re-open Brit production and supply Gib, since I judge UK itself in not endangered. Realistic or not? I'm neutral right now on this issue, Joel will have to decide about that.

O.

[paullus99]

Germany - Winter 1942

Looking to forestall any thoughts of a Soviet Counteroffensive this winter, I ordered OKH to launch a blistering series of attacks on Soviet frontline positions. We were able to reconquer Belorussia & Vela Lukyie (sp? I know), Odessa fell & Soviet positions in Kiev were substantially weakened.

Additional forces were moved to the front lines in anticipation of the Spring campaign season & more vital troops were made ready (and tanks off the assembly lines).

In the Med, we were happy to have repulsed the Allied attempt to push our Italian allies back to port, while an additional sub was put to sea to join them.

In the Atlantic, not much to report - the wolf packs have maintained position & will be reinforced shortly. If the allies want to reopen their supply lines (and they will probably wait for the United States to become involved) - it will be a bloody battle. So far, so good.

[MButtazoni]

Winter 1942 - Japan

Well it's the historical turn to attack the WA but with England isolated it proabably makes more sense to keep the US units locked down in the US and out of the game a little longer to give Germany a better chance against the Soviet Union.

so i wait...

[Oleg Mastruko]

Absolutely nothing of interest to report. During Soviet turn we did minor attack on a less important part of the front (between Moscow and Leningrad) and failed. Tried again and failed again. We could have taken the province if we really wanted to, but it wasn't all that important. Yes this goes against one of the most important proinciples of warfare and WAW - concentration of forces - but what the hell.

As US we made one ASW attack with LR aircraft and - failed. But our LR air reached 3 ASW so we may start producing ASW aircraft en masse and employing them. In Med, we maintain our fleet as silent threat to Axis forces.

All in all it's almost as if peace agreement has been reached. Something tells me itchy Japanese are going to shatter this idyllic atmosphere soon.

O.

[paullus99]

Germany - Spring 1942

We weathered our first winter in Russia without too much trouble. The Red Army pulled back from some of the more exposed positions on the front lines, which we moved up to occupy. We also launched an attack north of Moscow, severing another rail line & destroying a vital resource objective. Otherwise, our forces are concentrated again to begin offensive operations in the Summer.

In the Med, we launched our U-Boats on a concentrated attack on the British Eastern Med Fleet - destroying or damaging an aircraft carrier and a heavy fleet, leaving a single heavy fleet in its place.

Nothing much to report in the Atlantic, the shipping lanes are still closed. We anticipate heavy fighting in the near future, but we are satisfied with the conduct of the war so far.

[MButtazoni]

Spring 1942 - Japan

The Emperor informs me that the US would like nothing better than to join this war, so i think i will wait at least another turn before i wake the giant.

Here is my "foward observation post" in French Indochina [:D]

[Oleg Mastruko]

Soviets: we eliminated German Kalinin-Yarosavl salient, destroying 1 or 2 INF units. Front is stabilized, but we are careful not to overextend ourselves, and with our limited supply situation, decided against further offensives this turn.

WA: Japanese didn't attack, US is not at war, so our options remain limited.

O.

[paullus99]

Germany - Summer 1942

Twin offensives on the Eastern Front have seen the conquest of Kharkov & Smolensk (eliminating two powerful Red Army concentration). Army Group South is now poised to advance into the Caucausus or towards Stalingrad in the Fall, while we are now at the gates of Moscow in the center of the line.

In the Med, not much action except for the damaging of the last English Heavy Fleet, cementing our control of the Med for the time being.

In the Atlantic, not much to report - our subs remain on station & have been reinforced in case of American action.

[MButtazoni]

Summer 1942 - Japan

i finally decided to attack the Westerna Allies. The Pearl Harbor airstrike netted me 3 (of 4) destroyed Heavy Fleets. Other damage across the Pacific was 3 Light fleet and 5 Transports destroyed, 4 Transports damaged. I took the 10 resources (and repaired them) in the Phillipines/Borneo/Sumatra region as well.

Here is a screenshot of the Pearl Harbor Attack:

[MButtazoni]

and here is South East Asia:

[Oleg Mastruko]

Coordinated Axis attacks are no coincidence. Well at least US is finally in war.

In USSR I evacuated Crimea, moved some factories behind the Urals, and recaptured weakest German-held province: Velikie Luki (picture). I transferred some troops from Russian Far East to Europe. Now that the Japanese showed their hand vs. US I DO think they are not going to attack Mother Russia from the back. I might be wrong though, but then it's free for all.

I need to produce more Panzers.

WA. Well I finally have my LR air ASW where I want it (level 4) so I now start mass production of LR air and war vs Uboats. In this turn I destroyed 1 flotilla (with my single LR air unit). Put many things into production. Reopened supply lines to UK and sent some units and supplies to Limeys (also allowed them to use North American resources and thus restart their own production).

O.

[paullus99]

Germany - Summer 1942

We recommenced offensive operations on the Eastern Front, driving the Red Army completely out of the Ukraine (and moved towards the Caucausus Mtns), capturing the Crimea & launching a Panzer strike to isolate Leningrad to the North.

Not much happening on the Western Front - more subs are taking up positions against the Americans, though with their new ASW technology, we don't hope to last in the Atlantic for too much longer.