Strange German strategy(s) that worked and observations
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 5:31 am
Dateline: Oahu, September 1953.
The brave American garrison was easily defeated by a marauding combine of the German Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarines. Although no formal surrender had been offered, it seemed pointless to continue to plot attacks against isolated islands and the Victoria redoubt. The war was over for all intents and purposes.
I have to say that the AI in this game plays really well but I've found a few weak spots that can be exploited. The game I am discussing was at normal difficulty level and I actually almost lost to the WA in late '45! I had no Auto Victory and No Time Limit set.
So here's my random list of stuff that worked....FWIW:
* German fighter speed: You must increase it early to get range on the UK. Without better speed (read: range), the Luftwaffe bombs England without air support and gets torn to pieces.
* Make it expensive for WA air: I loaded fighters and flak into France and the Netherlands and made it expensive to bomb me. Keep a flak or two and/or a fighter or two in Germany to fend off the strategic bombing.
* Create a fleet of HBs who's sole job each turn is to knock out WA transports. Fighters with increased range can help (see point 1).
* Sortie your German fleets and subs only where they can return to safe harbour or you're reasonably certain that WA forces can't get them on their turn.
* Make an effort to get troops down to North Africa to take Egypt even at the expense of a Yugoslav or Spanish incursion. Protect your Italian subs until you have Egypt, then send them rampaging into the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Lots of transport booty to be had, yar yar.
* Throw as many points into Tank research as possible. Yeah, like you didn't know that already [;)]
* You have to play military judo against the Russians since they will soon outnumber you. It's important that you attack them first as the German player. A good strategy is to go toe to toe in Eastern Poland with them and then use armor to exploit into their rear. Also, make sure you have a ton of armor in East Prussia so that you can exploit an infantry win into the Baltic States with an armor attack on Leningrad.
* Russians part 2: If you break through Leningrad, exploit like hell in subsequent turns into as many northern areas as possible. The AI will go nuts and try to counter by stripping the front and making a few overwhelming attacks against the salients. That's OK....everytime it does that, it exposes another group of forces to be slammed by the Germans.
* Russians part 3: At some point, you'll be in the position to surround Moscow. Do so, but make sure your forces are evenly divided in the surround as to not present too tempting of a counterattack target. On your next turn, attack with vigor into Moscow. Even if you lose, the AI will think twice about counterattacking out of the garrison.
* Russians part 4: If you've taken Moscow, then allow your existing forces to run across the frozen wastes and slowly break down the rest of the Soviets. No rush. Take your time. Put all new builds into defending against the WA.
* And as to the WA: They've probably invaded North Africa by now and are running around willy-nilly in NA and the Middle East. Fine. Let 'em. Just try to keep Egypt if you can. When the AI exposes transports in the Med, sink 'em. Keep Italy fairly well-guarded.
* WA part 2: At some point, the WA will invade Western France. Let 'em. Only keep the minimal air defences and some arty there. When they do invade, immediately pull back your forces from the rest of France and the Netherlands. The units in the Netherlands and Eastern France retreat into W. Germany, and the Southern French run into N. Italy.
* WA part 3: If you're lucky, the WA AI will split their forces in Western France and send almost equal forces to Eastern France and the Netherlands. Perhaps also a token force to take Southern France. Now ya got 'em [:)]. Slam into the Netherlands force with your W. Germany forces but leave as many armor untis out of the attack as possible. If you win, move the armor into Western France which the AI will usually leave unguarded. Meanwhile, attack Southern France from N.Italy. Again, military judo.
* WA part 4: If everything has worked to this point, the AI will freak and you're in the perfect position to annihilate the WA invasion force. If you've kept your air force up, after this time keep bombing them in the UK while slowly recovering NA and the Middle East.
Whew. I'm tired. Too much typing.
The brave American garrison was easily defeated by a marauding combine of the German Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarines. Although no formal surrender had been offered, it seemed pointless to continue to plot attacks against isolated islands and the Victoria redoubt. The war was over for all intents and purposes.
I have to say that the AI in this game plays really well but I've found a few weak spots that can be exploited. The game I am discussing was at normal difficulty level and I actually almost lost to the WA in late '45! I had no Auto Victory and No Time Limit set.
So here's my random list of stuff that worked....FWIW:
* German fighter speed: You must increase it early to get range on the UK. Without better speed (read: range), the Luftwaffe bombs England without air support and gets torn to pieces.
* Make it expensive for WA air: I loaded fighters and flak into France and the Netherlands and made it expensive to bomb me. Keep a flak or two and/or a fighter or two in Germany to fend off the strategic bombing.
* Create a fleet of HBs who's sole job each turn is to knock out WA transports. Fighters with increased range can help (see point 1).
* Sortie your German fleets and subs only where they can return to safe harbour or you're reasonably certain that WA forces can't get them on their turn.
* Make an effort to get troops down to North Africa to take Egypt even at the expense of a Yugoslav or Spanish incursion. Protect your Italian subs until you have Egypt, then send them rampaging into the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Lots of transport booty to be had, yar yar.
* Throw as many points into Tank research as possible. Yeah, like you didn't know that already [;)]
* You have to play military judo against the Russians since they will soon outnumber you. It's important that you attack them first as the German player. A good strategy is to go toe to toe in Eastern Poland with them and then use armor to exploit into their rear. Also, make sure you have a ton of armor in East Prussia so that you can exploit an infantry win into the Baltic States with an armor attack on Leningrad.
* Russians part 2: If you break through Leningrad, exploit like hell in subsequent turns into as many northern areas as possible. The AI will go nuts and try to counter by stripping the front and making a few overwhelming attacks against the salients. That's OK....everytime it does that, it exposes another group of forces to be slammed by the Germans.
* Russians part 3: At some point, you'll be in the position to surround Moscow. Do so, but make sure your forces are evenly divided in the surround as to not present too tempting of a counterattack target. On your next turn, attack with vigor into Moscow. Even if you lose, the AI will think twice about counterattacking out of the garrison.
* Russians part 4: If you've taken Moscow, then allow your existing forces to run across the frozen wastes and slowly break down the rest of the Soviets. No rush. Take your time. Put all new builds into defending against the WA.
* And as to the WA: They've probably invaded North Africa by now and are running around willy-nilly in NA and the Middle East. Fine. Let 'em. Just try to keep Egypt if you can. When the AI exposes transports in the Med, sink 'em. Keep Italy fairly well-guarded.
* WA part 2: At some point, the WA will invade Western France. Let 'em. Only keep the minimal air defences and some arty there. When they do invade, immediately pull back your forces from the rest of France and the Netherlands. The units in the Netherlands and Eastern France retreat into W. Germany, and the Southern French run into N. Italy.
* WA part 3: If you're lucky, the WA AI will split their forces in Western France and send almost equal forces to Eastern France and the Netherlands. Perhaps also a token force to take Southern France. Now ya got 'em [:)]. Slam into the Netherlands force with your W. Germany forces but leave as many armor untis out of the attack as possible. If you win, move the armor into Western France which the AI will usually leave unguarded. Meanwhile, attack Southern France from N.Italy. Again, military judo.
* WA part 4: If everything has worked to this point, the AI will freak and you're in the perfect position to annihilate the WA invasion force. If you've kept your air force up, after this time keep bombing them in the UK while slowly recovering NA and the Middle East.
Whew. I'm tired. Too much typing.
