Sorta Noob Questions

[jimkehn]

Ok so I am not completely noob but sometimes I feel like one lol. Having started out toooo many years ago with boardgames like Russian Campaign and Third Reich, and my all time favorite TSR's WWII ETO, I am experienced at wargaming but this game is deceptively deep, which I can appreciate. A lot of nuances that arent obvious when you first start out. I got frustrated with the game my first attempt, as I spent MONTHS attacking France (as Germany) an still hadnt reached Paris. I have spent some time this go round watching WW2 Boardgamer0100's tutorials on Youtube (a shameless plug), and feel I have a better grasp and things are going much better in France this time. (wondering if anyone has conquered France in 3 turns.....6 weeks). I have a couple quick questions (with many more to come as I move through the game).
1. Supply. In my quest for France my main Schwerpunkt is directly thru the ardennes and Bee Line for Paris. I am leaving some infantry back to screen Belgians from flanking my spearhead and a more gradual degrading and defeating Belgian forces. Not much hurry here. My question is, All supply is generated in the capital, so if I take Brussels Belgian supply will stop? But, since Antwerp is level 9 Fort will they be able to be supplied through Antwerp from Allied Supply sources?

2. Liege is a tough fortress. If I do individual air strikes on his ground forces (mission mode in addition to full support missions), do they deteriorate entrenchment levels? I am sure they will reduce effectiveness even though they may not be reducing Strength .

So far this game is captured my interest and I cant wait for the next iteration.

Oh just for fun....is it possible to get to Stalingrad by the winter of '42...or at least adjacent to it?

Thanks for any help and advice in advance

[stjeand]

First off welcome...

The "standard" attack into France goes as follows.
Turn 1...smash Belgium and/or Netherlands.
IF you do not take out Belgium turn 1 they should fall turn 2.
Then you should move onto France...

Back to your questions.

1. When you take Brussels, the Belgium will surrender and all their forces will disappear. This gives you a rail line into France for supply.
IF you leave Brussels is it a supply source so yes it will provide full supply to any units.
The main issue you have if you do not take out Belgium is you need forces to keep them at bay as well as it is unlikely that you will be able to get full supply through Belgium via rail. You can do it but you need a rail line back to Germany.
what you have to practice is taking Belgium in 1 turn, which is possible or 2 at most.
Same with the Netherlands...which should always fall in 1 turn.

2. Air strikes do not deteriorate entrenchment but do reduce effectiveness which does reduce overall strength...
Once Belgium falls, when you can get 2 Infantry corps to attack Lille...they line up...hit 2 or 3 times...then fun back and let the armor roll in and push the unit out. That is the normal method of attack for Lille. Sometimes you can get 3 units against it...if that is the case it is likely infantry will be able to push the unit out.


And yes you can get to Stalingrad by winter of 42...I have been in the Urals before at that time...

[jimkehn]

"The "standard" attack into France goes as follows.
Turn 1...smash Belgium and/or Netherlands.
IF you do not take out Belgium turn 1 they should fall turn 2.
Then you should move onto France..."

So I am assuming you experienced guys bypass Liege for the most part and try to get a three hex frontage on Brussels. And yeh I realized after I had posted that once Brussels falls they will surrender and there are no more Belgian troops in France to be a nuisance. I still dont think France is doable in three turns. Some of you may remember TSR's ETO. When Germany would declare war on a minor nation they got a huge "Blitzkrieg" bonus. Maybe some of you remember what it was. I am not sure if it was an extra offensive (You had to spend offensives to move and attack). But I am thinking they got a free move and attack to start the turn....then they got their normal Breakthrough....movement phase...combat phase....exploitation phase. I dont think it applied to France though because they were already at war with France but I dont remember it being hard at all in ETO to take France timely. And I wonder if some sort of surprise attack is needed in Russia that first turn to duplicate Guderian and Hoths advances? Having not been there yet, I wouldnt know lol.

Also, has anyone taken France and low countries in 3 turns? I think it near impossible.

[stjeand]

Yes few attack Liege...normally you run through the south with armor and get two against Brussels and capture it.

2 is enough if you can get them there in one turn...
I always have trouble but many can take Belgium in one turn along with the Netherlands. I normally take 2...but have done it in 1 before with some luck.

Honestly what I did was build up to the attack on France, save the game and just play it over and over until I figured out the Netherlands / Belgium take out...

An no...it is impossible to take France in less they 3 months...

IF Germany gets France that quickly the game would be over. They would walk through Yugoslavia and Greece and be all over Africa with tons of troops to early.

Yes, not historical but better for game play.

[jimkehn]

Thanks StJeand,
well it has taken me numerous turns!!! lol.....but...on the same turn I attacked Poland I saw the PP in Luxembourg and decided it was free money. Little did I know Belgium would declare war on ME!!! Being surprised this could happen, I didnt garrison his border and he walked in with two infantry and took Cologne!!!! hahahaha....so I railed stuff back as fast as I could and took Poland in two turns (Denmark also), isolated those two units, garrisoned the border and went in to Belgium as the rain fell. Then heavy rain with no air support....I just bypassed Liege and got a three hex frontage on Brussels. Due to rain/mud, low effectiveness (yes I had trucks but not enough, plus the battle and movement took it out of em), and just bad luck I think it took three turns to reduce Brussels. I thought well having those two infantry in Germany wasnt ALL bad as I could starve them out without spending effectiveness or losing manpower. Anyway two turns after Belgium surrendered, I am preparing for war with Netherlands and garrisoning French border now with infantry while armor is in second line rebuilding. Supply trucks are arriving daily, and waiting for warmer weather and faster replenishment. Another Armor XXX is on the way as well as another Stuka. More subs coming also. Fun stuff even if I am not doing very good at it lol.