MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR)

[Red Prince]

One final thought on the "you did what!!!" concept:

When I was in the early stages of recovering from pneumonia, I had very little energy so that I rarely managed to get more than an impulse or two done each day. Some days I couldn't even complete that much of the game. That meant there was more time for discussion at crucial points in the game before I moved on to the next impulse or phase.

Now that I'm on the mend, I'm getting a lot more done each day. This means I have less opportunity to get advice from the gurus. I want to get as far into this game as possible before it is released. That means picking up the pace so that I can get in a full turn every few days . . .
-----
Note: Please do not calculate the number of turns left to try to figure out when this game is going to be released. This is only one of the projects I'll be working on as I get better.
-----
. . . and that means I'm going to be making a lot more moves that trigger a horrified response. Sorry, but it can't be helped. If I want to finish this game by the end of March or the beginning of April, for example, that means I'll need to average a full turn every 2 days. With the documentation and AAR that I'm creating to track bugs and show images of the progress, I don't know if that's possible. Between now and then, I'm hoping to learn a few things, but I'll probably have to learn from mistakes that get pointed out. It would be nice if they could be pointed out before the fact rather than after the fact, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be pointed out!

One request I do have, which nobody needs to follow (though it would be nice), is that if you post about building strategies, as many have, please review my End-of-Turn reports to check gearing limits and available BP. I have been very careful to include builds, gearing limits, and available BP for each nation each turn. It gets very frustrating to be told I need to build "a lot of cheap land units, some FTR-3s with pilots, and some TRS, AMPH, NAV and armor" with the CW . . . when I know that I've only got 19 BP to work with each turn:

Each FTR-3 w/Pilot = 5 BP
Each TRS = 2 BP/3-4BP
Each AMPH = 3 BP/4BP
Each NAV = 2-4 BP
Each ARM or MECH = 5-6 BP
Each "cheap land unit" = 2-3 BP

If I build one of each per turn, that totals anywhere from 19-26 BP, depending on which unit and which cycle (for naval units). But most of the posts haven't been asking for just one of each . . . they want several of each every turn, and then get mad at me for building incorrectly. So, please do the math before telling me I'm wrong. It's so early in the game that there isn't enough to go around. Nothing I can do about that.

[Klydon]

I agree with freezing the assets.

The Axis have every reason to be very happy with this last turn. That is a lot of dead Chinese and CW units for very few Axis units.

As far as the initative goes, that is going to present a future issue for the Axis. Fortunately for them, they lost it at a good point since it is basically over in Morocco and there isn't much going on elsewhere. The Allies will be able to get their fleets out first this turn for a change.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

I agree with freezing the assets.

The Axis have every reason to be very happy with this last turn. That is a lot of dead Chinese and CW units for very few Axis units.

As far as the initative goes, that is going to present a future issue for the Axis. Fortunately for them, they lost it at a good point since it is basically over in Morocco and there isn't much going on elsewhere. The Allies will be able to get their fleets out first this turn for a change.

Depending on the Initiative Roll [;)]

[Centuur]

The CW should become worried about a Sealion next spring. To prevent one, the CW needs to get air superiority over the Sea. So FTR3 is a priority. Also: empty the MIL pool to strengthen the defenses (I don't know how many are left in there, but among them is the London MIL and that's a very nice unit to have).

At this point I would build 2 FTR3 with Pilots, 2 MIL and spent the rest on repairing ships and/or building convoy points (try to even them out). Exception: if there is a TRS to complete in the construction pool, I would opt for finishing that unit instead of the repairs or convoy points. If there is a CV without a plane, you might go for a CVP too (however, that depends on the availability of a pilot).

Next turn it's time to start building NAV.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

The CW should become worried about a Sealion next spring. To prevent one, the CW needs to get air superiority over the Sea. So FTR3 is a priority. Also: empty the MIL pool to strengthen the defenses (I don't know how many are left in there, but among them is the London MIL and that's a very nice unit to have).

At this point I would build 2 FTR3 with Pilots, 2 MIL and spent the rest on repairing ships and/or building convoy points (try to even them out). Exception: if there is a TRS to complete in the construction pool, I would opt for finishing that unit instead of the repairs or convoy points. If there is a CV without a plane, you might go for a CVP too (however, that depends on the availability of a pilot).

Next turn it's time to start building NAV.

A lot of CVP have been lost, so there are many CV without aircraft. I need to boost Pilot production. I actually have a fairly large reserve pool at the moment for some reason. Well, I also have 3 pilots there, too, from planes that got shot down. I think a TRS might have popped into the construction pool. If not, I think it will after this turn. Convoy points aren't actually a problem. I didn't mention this at the time, becase it didn't seems so important, but I (as the Italians) "let" almost all of the Greek CP escape to Bombay, so I've got enough . . . just need to get them into position is all. (See? I do "cheat" on the Allied behalf now and then). [;)]

[Red Prince]

Another question: should I boost the Freeze Assets (7) +3 to be sure to get a chit moved? Or should I just let it play out and go for Repair Western Allied ships if it doesn't move one? I'm guessing the answer is boost it, but both would be useful at the moment.

It's nap time for me. Tomorrow I probably will finish the End of Turn sequence, but won't dig into the next turn yet . . . might not even schedule my builds. I should probably take a day off, anyway.

Keep discussing, harassing, and praising everything I do in the meantime. [;)] All of it has value.

-Aaron

[USSLockwood]

Exactly, although I don't deserve the entire blame. The original CW player bailed after playing for
one day (he was more of an RPG'er than a wargamer- I guess there weren't enough elves in the game
for his taste) and I inherited the situation.

[Orm]

Lower the posibility to get a chit. If you do not get a tension chit then pick a second option aimed at Japan and increase the chance to get a chit on the second roll.

[composer99]

It's the end of Jul/Aug 1940. Germany has 1 AMPH, 1 TRS, and 1 ATR (as well as a fair few SCS for division invasions) to attempt a Sealion. Because of the lead time to build TRS and AMPH (6 and 8 turns, respectively, translated into 12 and 16 months), there will be no opportunity for a Sealion IMO in summer 1941, especially if (a) the CW builds a few more corps (which we know it will) and (b) the US gets in.

Also, if I were the USSR in this situation and saw a '41 Sealion coming, I would seriously consider trying to break the pact offensively and go to war with Germany myself.

As far as US entry goes, I am torn between suggesting Freeze Japanese Assets with a view to boosting tension (because the US needs tension in the Ja pool) or to avoid tension to give the US a chance to get the oil embargo off (given that the Japanese army is still deep within China, this could hamstring Japanese oil-dependent operations).

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Orm

Lower the posibility to get a chit. If you do not get a tension chit then pick a second option aimed at Japan and increase the chance to get a chit on the second roll.

You can't increase the chance on the second roll because it is an action against both. <-- Edit: sorry, I thought repair allied ships was the one suggested as next. Nonetheless...

Go with a guaranteed chit move. Any time you can take the dice out of an equation that is supposed to equal success - do so.

[composer99]

Also: if the weather is good in Sep/Oct 1940 and the Communists are all crushed, surrender China IMO.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

ORIGINAL: Orm

Lower the posibility to get a chit. If you do not get a tension chit then pick a second option aimed at Japan and increase the chance to get a chit on the second roll.

You can't increase the chance on the second roll because it is an action against both. <-- Edit: sorry, I thought repair allied ships was the one suggested as next. Nonetheless...

Go with a guaranteed chit move. Any time you can take the dice out of an equation that is supposed to equal success - do so.

I actually checked the relevant rule before I made my post and I still got it wrong. [:(]

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: composer99

Also: if the weather is good in Sep/Oct 1940 and the Communists are all crushed, surrender China IMO.

Really? I was curious about this. It probably would make things difficult on the Japanese, but for how long? Most of the troops are on or near the rail lines now, so while it might be slow, they should be able to get wherever they are going fairly quickly . . . 2-3 turns, whether that is Siberia or to prepare for war with the CW is yet to be determined. Personally, I'm thinking the USSR.

Here's a question, though. Wouldn't this actually help the Japanese to some extent? Any reserve units go back to the reserve pool, meaning they can be called out again when Japan next goes to war. If they are deep in China at the time, it could be a mere impulse or two and suddenly they appear in a more convenient location. True, they might be disorganized at the time, but if timed correctly with a DOW on the USSR, that shouldn't be a huge problem.

Also, if China looks like it's going to have to surrender, does the USSR send troops back to the Japanese/Manchurian border? or does it rely on reserve and MIL units to hold the RP and cities?

[Orm]

Also, if China looks like it's going to have to surrender, does the USSR send troops back to the Japanese/Manchurian border? or does it rely on reserve and MIL units to hold the RP and cities?

USSR should rely on militia, reserves and reinforcements against the Japanese.

I do not think it is time to surrender China.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Orm

Also, if China looks like it's going to have to surrender, does the USSR send troops back to the Japanese/Manchurian border? or does it rely on reserve and MIL units to hold the RP and cities?

USSR should rely on militia, reserves and reinforcements against the Japanese.

I do not think it is time to surrender China.

I think composer99 meant at the end of the S/O '40 turn, which could leave the Japanese in a situation which would force them to either DOW the Soviets in the winter months when they have very few impulses per turn to relocate units . . . or to boost US Entry a lot by making a DOW on France or the CW.

[composer99]

It's contingent on how long it takes the Japanese to finish off the Communists.

Unless Japan is active they get 1 rail move per impulse. Unless the turns go very long many units can remain stranded when war begins elsewhere.

Also, the units that go back in reserves end up coming back disorganized. Sure, they come back disorganized in Japan, ready for redeployment once they are reorganized, but either Japan has to spend a whole turn at war with someone with a good chunk of its best units (the 8-3 INF, 6-3 MAR, Tokyo MIL, and a few others) out of action, or it needs to use its HQs to reorganize them. In either case, long delays are imposed, which may give the Allies time to get some defences organized (or even some counterattacks).

[morgil]

The annoying bit is not a newbie making mistakes, god knows I have done all your mistakes, and more too.
Everybody has done them starting the game.
Also, defending is a lot harder than attacking, and ship movement is mindboggling at first.

However, I like to pride myself of that I havent done the same silly mistake impulse after impulse after impulse.
There are a few very basic rules in WiF that will prevent sillyness, and you should by now try really hard to follow them.
1. Any blue port you have, or plan to have ships in must have a unit stacked with them and aircover.
2. Any important unit, like HQs should if possible be stacked with another unit, and have aircover.
3. Dont stack your entire bombforce in one hex, within striking distance without aircover.
4. Dont singlestack units in the plains if you can avoid it.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The occational speedbump is acceptable, but if you are loosing units faster than you are building them, it is a one way street.
And if you have to loose a unit, pick a cheap one that you can rebuild.
5. Forests is the poor mans aircover.
6. Blackprint units flipped and out of supply is worth just about nothing.

If you dont learn this by the next few turns, Barbarossa will take about 3 turns and SA and India will be done just before 1942 Sealion.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: composer99

It's the end of Jul/Aug 1940. Germany has 1 AMPH, 1 TRS, and 1 ATR (as well as a fair few SCS for division invasions) to attempt a Sealion. Because of the lead time to build TRS and AMPH (6 and 8 turns, respectively, translated into 12 and 16 months), there will be no opportunity for a Sealion IMO in summer 1941, especially if (a) the CW builds a few more corps (which we know it will) and (b) the US gets in.

Also, if I were the USSR in this situation and saw a '41 Sealion coming, I would seriously consider trying to break the pact offensively and go to war with Germany myself.

As far as US entry goes, I am torn between suggesting Freeze Japanese Assets with a view to boosting tension (because the US needs tension in the Ja pool) or to avoid tension to give the US a chance to get the oil embargo off (given that the Japanese army is still deep within China, this could hamstring Japanese oil-dependent operations).

Sigh, remembering build times is always difficult.[:(]

I do hope that the US has started all its TRS and AMPH units. The Marines will be needed but they take relatively less time in production (says he without looking it up[:D]). Without sea lift the massive US build up will just sit in America doing nothing.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: composer99

It's the end of Jul/Aug 1940. Germany has 1 AMPH, 1 TRS, and 1 ATR (as well as a fair few SCS for division invasions) to attempt a Sealion. Because of the lead time to build TRS and AMPH (6 and 8 turns, respectively, translated into 12 and 16 months), there will be no opportunity for a Sealion IMO in summer 1941, especially if (a) the CW builds a few more corps (which we know it will) and (b) the US gets in.

Also, if I were the USSR in this situation and saw a '41 Sealion coming, I would seriously consider trying to break the pact offensively and go to war with Germany myself.

As far as US entry goes, I am torn between suggesting Freeze Japanese Assets with a view to boosting tension (because the US needs tension in the Ja pool) or to avoid tension to give the US a chance to get the oil embargo off (given that the Japanese army is still deep within China, this could hamstring Japanese oil-dependent operations).

Sigh, remembering build times is always difficult.[:(]

I do hope that the US has started all its TRS and AMPH units. The Marines will be needed but they take relatively less time in production (says he without looking it up[:D]). Without sea lift the massive US build up will just sit in America doing nothing.

Oddly enough, my choice to build a MAR for the USA a few turns ago was one of the things that generated some slight criticism. [:)] It's actually scheduled to show up at the start of S/O '40. The USA at this moment has an AMPH in the Construction Pool, another completing its first cycle in J/F '40, 1 x AMPH and 5 x TRS in the Force Pool. The reason I haven't managed to build out the pools yet is that I didn't scrap any of the 3 range TRS to start the game (based on earlier comments from either this thread or the development forum -- can't remember which right now). And, of course, there are the 4 TRS that the USA starts with, so by mid-summer 1941, I should easily have at least 5 TRS and an AMPH to start with, plus I intned to build the next MAR as soon as I can, as well as all MAR Divisions.

The CW also has a TRS in the Construction Pool to finish with its BP this turn.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: morgil

The annoying bit is not a newbie making mistakes, god knows I have done all your mistakes, and more too.
Everybody has done them starting the game.
Also, defending is a lot harder than attacking, and ship movement is mindboggling at first.

However, I like to pride myself of that I havent done the same silly mistake impulse after impulse after impulse.
There are a few very basic rules in WiF that will prevent sillyness, and you should by now try really hard to follow them.
1. Any blue port you have, or plan to have ships in must have a unit stacked with them and aircover.
2. Any important unit, like HQs should if possible be stacked with another unit, and have aircover.
3. Dont stack your entire bombforce in one hex, within striking distance without aircover.
4. Dont singlestack units in the plains if you can avoid it.
   The occational speedbump is acceptable, but if you are loosing units faster than you are building them, it is a one way street.
And if you have to loose a unit, pick a cheap one that you can rebuild.
5. Forests is the poor mans aircover.
6. Blackprint units flipped and out of supply is worth just about nothing.

If you dont learn this by the next few turns, Barbarossa will take about 3 turns and SA and India will be done just before 1942 Sealion.

Most of these I've already learned, but have not already successfully put into practice. I've made a few mistakes with each, I think. The one I tend to forget most is that forests are prefered for HQ's and LND locations.

I try not to single-stack in plains, but sometimes movement restrictions and/or the need to ZOC the enemy overrides this one. In the Barbarossa scenario, you have to start with 20 Soviet units within a few hexes of the German borders of Poland and Rumania. That's not the case in a full game, so before that time comes, I'll be reviewing the Soviet AIO thread and asking about proper withdrawal and starting defensive positions for the USSR.

(Another argument in favor of the possible surrender of China -- if Japan selects the USSR as its next prey, that gives the Soviets an easier time of preparing its defense successfully.)