How is African Campaign?

[Texican]

I don't want to stir up a lot of vitriol, but in past games like this, nothing was going on in the Mediterranean as all the action was in France or Russia.

Does the AI focus any kind of German effort in Africa? In other words, will there be battles in Libibya? (And plesse, no vitriol).

[Footslogger]

In addition, with there be an Afrkia Korps? Can Malta be taken by Rommel's forces? If so, will the Germans be able to take the middle east and replenish it's oil supply?

[gwgardner]

Yes, to all those questions, except the vitriol.

Convoys are critical to the Axis effort there. Malta is a big thorn in the Axis side, but can be taken by the proper kind of assault. Sometimes.

As historically, Tobruk is critical - the only useful port between Alexandria and Tripoli.

And if the Axis does take Egypt, it is possible in this game to fight all the way to the underbelly of Russia, or into Persia.

[Texican]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

Yes, to all those questions, except the vitriol.

Convoys are critical to the Axis effort there. Malta is a big thorn in the Axis side, but can be taken by the proper kind of assault. Sometimes.

As historically, Tobruk is critical - the only useful port between Alexandria and Tripoli.

And if the Axis does take Egypt, it is possible in this game to fight all the way to the underbelly of Russia, or into Persia.

Players might do that, but are you saying the A.I. will do that? (i.e., put panzers in Afrika and give a good fight and support to the theater.)

[doomtrader]

It might do that.

[Texican]

ORIGINAL: doomtrader

It might do that.

I hope so. IMO, one of the cornerstone misses of European Theater Strategic gaming is the Mediterranean gets abandoned, and a UK player rolls through to Tripoli unopposed in early '40.

They got to have a way of coding emphasis, maybe code a minimum emphasis to keep some German mech units rolling down there or something.

[gwgardner]

Don't get carried away in expectations of what the AI can do in NA - after all, the real Germans and Italians couldn't put much there due to logistics.

Even as a human player, you are limited by your transport capacity for supply to Africa. The more units you put in Africa, the more transports you need. Put too many troops there, and your supply goes down the drain because you can't build enough transports.

[doomtrader]

Saint words gwgardner.

A lot depends how well the Brits are going to be prepared in NA.

[Footslogger]

Well Rommel had major supply problems, due mostly to Air attacks from Malta.

[doomtrader]

IIRC he uses more trucks to transport supply than to transport troops.

[gwgardner]

In this game so long as Malta is in Allied hands, the Axis is likely to feel the pinch.

[Texican]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

In this game so long as Malta is in Allied hands, the Axis is likely to feel the pinch.

As long as the Axis AI sends German troops down to N.A., the theater will be interesting. In a lot of other games, the AI will deploy a bunch of Italian units at the start, but that's all the effort that will ever exist down there.

Bottom Line: I'm looking for a good fight in the desert; going to hit the Jerries for six!

I'm sure I'll find out soon enough if I purchase the game.