Ash V Will: SC2:WWI edition (CP - Ash)

[AshFall]

Heya all!

Myself and my long time opponent and friend Will are at it again in this new version of SC:WWI. We'll do a classic "both perspectives" AAR, with a gentlemans agreement not to peek.

I'll do the AAR entirely in a google doc to avoid all the hassle with these forums, so just follow the link!

There will be an index over all the turns, so you can always jump to the latest one in the list.

If you comment on the AAR, please start your comment with the turn number you're referring to!

Also, please dont reveal any information from the other side if you read both!

I hope someone will get enjoyment out of our efforts, despite both of us still being noobs.

Let's get it on!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q1I ... sp=sharing

[AshFall]

Turn #1 is up!

I'm not sure what to do with the german navy, or the Austrian one. We'll see what I can come up with.

[BillRunacre]

Great to see you're doing another AAR together! [:)]

[AshFall]

ORIGINAL: BillRunacre

Great to see you're doing another AAR together! [:)]

¨
Hey Bill!

Happy to see you're still interested in reading.

Been a long, long time since the first one. Must have been when the game first came out, like... ten years ago? weird.

Let's hope it's a good one!

[AshFall]

Turns 2 and 3 are now up

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q1I ... sp=sharing

[AshFall]

Turn 4 and 5 are up.

Any tips and ideas for Will in this situation are very welcome.

[redrum68]

Well, I do think CPs focusing on Serbia/Russia initially is the best opening as the French front is too narrow and stalls quickly.

I'm surprised how fast Serbia fell and my guess is they defended too aggressively and should have ceded hexes to avoid losing their units so fast. CPs can kill Serbia eventually if they choose and the choice IMO is whether to use the units there vs using them in Russia but given how fast Serbia collapsed in this case it was definitely worth it.

In terms of what to do with Entente at this point, I'd probably try to do the following:
- Play aggressively with France trying to trade units with Germany to force them to spend more money there while also putting money into research to get trenches/artillery
- Russia needs to defend as much of its territory as possible while getting trench and industrial and only trade when they are getting better than 1 for 1 since they need to buy time for the rest of the Entente nations to join the war and pressure CPs in other areas
- Russia should also replace a few of their worst starting generals
- There are a bunch of wide open German NM cities west of Warsaw that Russia should use cavalry to snipe
- Not sure about Warsaw without seeing his situation as you want to try to hold it as long as possible but don't want to lose tons of units there either

[BillRunacre]

ORIGINAL: AshFall

ORIGINAL: BillRunacre

Great to see you're doing another AAR together! [:)]

¨
Hey Bill!

Happy to see you're still interested in reading.

Been a long, long time since the first one. Must have been when the game first came out, like... ten years ago? weird.

Let's hope it's a good one!

Yes, it was about 10 years ago... seems like longer in some ways! [:D]

[AshFall]

I've talked to Will and said that he can comment here as well as long as he doesnt read the AAR doc, that way we can get a better conversation about the montenegro gambit .

[Will952]

Struggling to see the counterplay to this opening - particularly in Serbia. Germans and Austrians running roughshod down there and within 3 turns have the whole Balkans wrapped up! Not sure what else I could've done there...Desperation has led me to a DOW on Belgium to open a new front.

[Bavre]

Just a small remark: cutting the rail lines to Poland north and south of the swamp is not as useful anymore! In the last patch Warsaw was given primary supply, so the Russian will not suffer supply loss.

Oh and about Serbia: as soon as you see Germans showing up in force there, just run your Serbs into the mountains near Uskub. Trying to face a huge AH+German force anywhere else ís suicide, but in the mountains they will survive until cannons come along.

[AshFall]

Turn 6 is up!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q1I ... sp=sharing

[AshFall]

ORIGINAL: Bavre

Just a small remark: cutting the rail lines to Poland north and south of the swamp is not as useful anymore! In the last patch Warsaw was given primary supply, so the Russian will not suffer supply loss.

Oh and about Serbia: as soon as you see Germans showing up in force there, just run your Serbs into the mountains near Uskub. Trying to face a huge AH+German force anywhere else ís suicide, but in the mountains they will survive until cannons come along.

Thank you! Will pointed this out to me when accomplished as well, heh, that just means I have to take Warsaw! Easy peasy right!? [:'(]

[AshFall]

Turns 7-8 are up

[AshFall]

I actually did this in one game as the Entente against the CP using the Montenegro/Albania gambit.

The swift collapse of the Rest of Serbia brought Bulgaria in by late 1914, and even with the four full strength serbian corps entrenched in the mountains the enormous force of Germans, Austrians and newly joined Bulgarians from the east slaughtered Serbia and had it surrender before New Years eve 1914. Sad days.

In short, retreating to the mountains doesnt seem to work against this strategy.

[AshFall]

ORIGINAL: Bavre

Just a small remark: cutting the rail lines to Poland north and south of the swamp is not as useful anymore! In the last patch Warsaw was given primary supply, so the Russian will not suffer supply loss.

Oh and about Serbia: as soon as you see Germans showing up in force there, just run your Serbs into the mountains near Uskub. Trying to face a huge AH+German force anywhere else ís suicide, but in the mountains they will survive until cannons come along.

The above was in reply to this of course.

[Bavre]

ORIGINAL: AshFall

I actually did this in one game as the Entente against the CP using the Montenegro/Albania gambit.

The swift collapse of the Rest of Serbia brought Bulgaria in by late 1914, and even with the four full strength serbian corps entrenched in the mountains the enormous force of Germans, Austrians and newly joined Bulgarians from the east slaughtered Serbia and had it surrender before New Years eve 1914. Sad days.

In short, retreating to the mountains doesnt seem to work against this strategy.

No, no, that's not what I meant. If the CP throws plenty of units at Serbia, they will of course die. But the longer they hold out the longer the CP units will be tied down. Plus if Serbia surrenders in winter the fallout for Russia will be considerably less severe.

[AshFall]

ORIGINAL: Bavre

ORIGINAL: AshFall

I actually did this in one game as the Entente against the CP using the Montenegro/Albania gambit.

The swift collapse of the Rest of Serbia brought Bulgaria in by late 1914, and even with the four full strength serbian corps entrenched in the mountains the enormous force of Germans, Austrians and newly joined Bulgarians from the east slaughtered Serbia and had it surrender before New Years eve 1914. Sad days.

In short, retreating to the mountains doesnt seem to work against this strategy.

No, no, that's not what I meant. If the CP throws plenty of units at Serbia, they will of course die. But the longer they hold out the longer the CP units will be tied down. Plus if Serbia surrenders in winter the fallout for Russia will be considerably less severe.

Ah yeah, true enough!

Troops railing in from Serbia during winter wont be attacking much that year, but will on the other hand be good and rearing to go in spring...

[Bavre]

Yes, plus Serbias end has dire immediate consequences for Russia: invading Huns get another unit morale boost plus Russia looses (iirc) 2500 NM. If that hits during fair weather ...

[AshFall]

Will has been busy with real life these past few days, but things are ticking along!

Turns 9 and 10 are up, and things are heating up in the west!


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q1I ... sp=sharing