The Road to Where : Allied perspective

[balto]

Chuck, I do not understand your box above in Southern France.  If you lose Paris, France falls.., right?  If that is correct, why are you worried about Southern France?

[cpdeyoung]

19400509 : GB : The world's sorrow at the German incursion into neutral ground, shock at the inhumanity of the terror bombing of Rotterdam, and general disgust at Nazi aggression has drawn scrappy Portugal into the Allied camp. Spain is obviously turning to the Axis, and peninsular combat may be at hand. We move to prepare for the assault, and the 10th "Orange" Infantry returns to the continent.

France : We move naval units about to address the threat in the Med. In the north we upgrade three divisions to level two. In the south we build another level one division. We avoid Belgian territory as the fate of Brussels seems sealed.

Belgium : The remaining Belgian troops are dissolved and King Leopold and his government seek to accomodate their new masters.

Portugal : We move an infantry division to Gibraltar.

Neutrals : USSR : some infantry builds. We have had advisors in Greece for some time hosted by the Êïììïõíéóôéêü Êüììá ÅëëÜäáò (Greek communists), and in conjunction with the KKE we now increase our support for the Greek Army. USA : Look on the European situation with fear and resolve.

[cpdeyoung]

Balto,

Actually France can fight on beyond the fall of Paris. You are offered the chance to fight to the bitter end. This peeves the Germans greatly as they have thoughts of lebensraum in the East by then. In general small countries fall when you capture the capital, but if any victory point city is held by that nation they can fight on. Weird to capture Bratislava, and see Slovakia fight on because they control Marseille.

Chuck

[balto]

Thanks. 
 
How about the Netherlands "Orange Division" and the 24PP transfer work?  You disbanded the Netherland forces, for PP, and then transferred that to GB?  Is that what you did? 

[cpdeyoung]

Balto,
 
Yes, a PP convoy from Amsterdam to London, which went because Amsterdam was still untaken.  I call the unit 10th "Orange" Infantry, but, of course, it is just a British unit.
 
Chuck

[cpdeyoung]

19400516 : GB : We pulled one unit back for reinforcement, and presented a line of three corps for the next turn when the shock of the fall of the Low Countries comes. We sent a garrison to Gibraltar to replace the Portugese.

France : Realign the units in the South to get ready for the British to pull in line. Convert a division to corps, and get ready for trouble.

Portugal : Move the unit at Gibraltar, on its way to England.

Neutrals : USSR : build some more units to flesh out a line. USA : Watch and wait.

[cpdeyoung]

Some notes before the deluge : I have made two mistakes, and a hasty turn.  The mistakes were the fiasco with the "No city for deploy" in the Netherlands, and the Portugese division in Gibraltar.  Both are probably best classified as "minor".  The hasty turn was the previous 5/16/1940 turn.  I was under time pressure, trying to get the turn out in a quick break from work.  When playing the AI I allow do-overs, but in play against a human I do not.  I am not greatly pleased with my stance in the northwest, and Gary has proven a methodical craftsman.  I exect great pressure on France, and I really expect to be challenged to hold it long enough to give the Soviets and Americans a chance to build up.  I do fully expect to hold until Fall, and against the AI I would, but against Gary is another matter.
 
This game is fun when played against a human opponent.  In both games I am in the fun is evident.
 
Chuck

[Redd]

Hey CP! Just wanted you to know someone else was reading. Love the format. Will be checking this space every day after work, so keep the reports coming. Sometimes I'm not sure what I like better, playing the games or reading the AAR's. Thanks for taking the time.[:)]

[cpdeyoung]

19400524 : GB : The Gibraltar fiasco is sorted and we have a British division there now. This is a good thing as Franco is foaming at the mouth. The Spanish have always hated our presence in Gibraltar and now see their chance. They are close to getting in the big show (96). We send some reinforcements to Portugal, and they have a division cross-training near Portsmouth. We take the far left of the line against the Germans.

France : We held Lille, but a massive wedge, very skillfully assembled is just east of the city. This will be able to wear us down, but hopefully our lines will hold. We convert one corps, and build a level 2 division. The holding will be hard indeed.

Portugal : We await British aid, and have a division there to train and aid in the defense of the island.

Neutrals : The USSR and USA have words over the help to the Greeks. A compromise is reached when the Americans agree to take on some of the Soviet burden. The aid is now flowing to the Left and Right-Center in Greece. The Red Army builds up the western front, but not in massive force.

[cpdeyoung]

Some notes, after the breach of the border : First I want to thank Redd for the kind remarks. It is good to know you are watching.
 
Gary is doing what the AI would never do and concentrating a very powerful force.  I need to contain it and there are so few units.  He came very close to a marvelous coup in Spain, where German influence put Franco to the 96% entry point.  It would have caused diversion of resources if Spain entered now.  This is something I will remember for my Axis play.
 
Chuck

[Magpius]

These AAR's are restoring my faith in the game.[8D]
Quick questions...(as I only play solo). When playing pbem, what do you see of the opponent's turn, is it animated or static?
How do you know what's shifted?

Looking forward to seeing this game through to completion!

---

-happy new year to all

[cpdeyoung]

Agent S,

There are some issues with what you can see, but by examining the results you see  before you, and looking at the reports you get some idea.  The first player in each turn sees more than his opponent, and needs to share things that are imporant.  It is interesting to see what you can determine. For example in one of the two games I am in now there has been naval combat. I could see my losses, but not his.  Was I doing well in relation to him?  He withdrew from combat, so, just as in real life I had to draw my own conclusions.  PBEM is new in this game, and I am sure it will get attention.

To answer your question you do not see the opponents turn, only the results.

Chuck

[cpdeyoung]

19400601 : GB : We shift units about in France to contain the German wedge. We pull the Corps back one hex and advance the divisions to replace them. we shift units to the point of the wedge. We land one division in Portugal. In the desert we pull back a bit to prevent Italian recon from seeing our assets.

France : In conjunction with the British we screen the point of the wedge, and pull back a bit to straighten our lines. In the South we rationalize our poitions.

Portugal : We move a division near the Spainish border to see one of their units.

Neutrals : USSR builds some more units in the line on the western border. I want a good screen there, but I can see from the combat in France that we will be facing hammer blows if Germany turns on us. USA : Watch and wait.

[cpdeyoung]

19400608 : GB : Disaster, the Germans have changed their axis and sent their panzers to the coast behind our forces west of Lille. We decided to bite the bullet and disband multiple units slipping the men through the sparse german line, but losing our equipment. We have established a line, but our faith in it is less than strong. We are holding with the French, and looking for time , if not victory.

France : Using our strategic movement we pulled the Corps from Lille before the lines solidified. Our lines are division level where we need strong corps, but we do not have them. We are begging the Americans for forces, supplies, support!

Portugal : Wondering what we have gotten into.

Neutrals : Watching with grave concern, but the Soviets are looking on their pact partner's gain with equanimity, and the USA is not ready to enter another European War.

[cpdeyoung]

Some notes, after a bad blow : Gary's drive to the coast caught me being too optomistic, and I paid.  I have played against the AI too much and for some reason thought I was going to hold France.  Memo to self, If the Germans cannot take France there is a big flaw in this game.  One must do as well as one can, in the expectation that we will be cast from the continent.  Gary is going to give me nothing, and I cannot expect a Dunkirk.  I had better make sure the British are ready to defend themselves alone.

Added notes : Gary and I had a email glitch somehow, and I redid my turn, and the new version looks a lot like the snap in the last post, but with some differences. I have calculated the costs of disbanding my units in the pocket.

1 Corps strat moved. No cost.
1 Division strat moved. 60 points of strat purchased. 28.5PP for the StratMovePoints (60 - 31.5) for the division).
1 Corps disbanded. 78.75 - 18.75 = 60PP lost.
3 L2 divisions disbanded. 94.5 - 22.5 = 72PP lost.
1 French Corps strat moved. No cost.

So of the seven units in the pocket I recovered three, and 41.25PP, with a strat move point for 36 net PP. PP equivalent loss is 132PP.

The only way to think of the units getting out of the pocket at these costs is to imagine how thinly screened the Panzers would have left the southern wall of the pocket, over the eight days.

[cpdeyoung]

19400616 : GB : The German pause lets us straighten our lines, including pulling some divisions from the south, but no one feels confident any longer. We have to think of defending Portugal too, which seems very tough just now.

France : We try and anticipate the next German thrust. Will it be toward our rich resources, toward Metz, toward Paris, straight south towards Tours and Dijon? The mobile Germans can pretty much choose, and we can hardly maintain our line. The British move from the South is a bother, where will we find the troops to meet advancing Italians.

Portugal : One division garrisons and trains in England, the other is digging in near Lisbon

Neutrals : Wait and watch.

[cpdeyoung]

19400624 : GB : The staff are stunned by the rapid German advance upon the North. We scramble to get holding positions in the middle of the country. In North Africa we advance upon the Italians there.

France : Our main issues are now in the South where Italy invades.

Portugal : Our division in southern England is caught up in the scramble.

Neutrals : Stand in awe!

[cpdeyoung]

Some notes on disaster : Ok, so I have been playing against the AI a bit too long!  Gary has played this perfectly. I did have troops in Edinburgh, but he drew them off with his hammer blows in France.  I have never had fleet units in the North Sea, but it is clear they are very necessary.  I still do not know if Gary came by sea or air, but the consequences are the same, and they are significant.  I have not yet seen a German unit in Great Britain, but the captured territory is clear enough.  I will try and stabilize the situation, and can only hope to hold out.  The huge Panzer Korps which are no longer visible in France may be in GB soon, God forbid.  This has been a very powerful learning exerience for me, and should present all you readers with a huge inducement to get into a PBEM game ASAP!  Mr. Gardner I salute you, and hope to defeat you yet!
 
I have to travel a bit and will not be able to get another turn out for about five hours.  I know you are all anxious, remember, you too can play PBEM!

[cpdeyoung]

19400701 : GB : This was a tough turn, as would be expected. We moved forces up to Manchester and the center of the country. Our forces discovered three German infantry divisions, and we screened them.  We place two motorized divisions near the front to exploit any gaps as the German pull forces forward. We believe there may be a Fallschirmjäger unit in  Great Britain and we must take special care lest the Germans drop them on a vital city. The presence of such a unit gives a front line a different dimension. We have pulled most of our strength from France, and the troops are streaming across the channel.  The presence of the Panzers in the South of France is very troublesome, but if they are there, they cannot be here, which might mean we can put real pressure on the Germans in Great Britain. The Royal Navy is in force in the North Atlantic and North Sea to try and disrupt supply and reinforcement to the Germans here. In North Africa we have pushed near Tobruk, and hope to invest it soon. All this is very well, but the French are in a very poor mood as we pull out, and we do not know if they can hold without us, or if they can hold with us either. The Italian Navy is challenging us in the Med, but we do not know in what force.
 
France : The Italian dog has howled for its master, and powerful Panzer Korps now face our southern troops. In the north we face the Germans almost alone as the British have rushed to their embattled home Island. We have screened the Germans, and Italians, but our forces are paper thin. The Left has demanded that we ship PP to the Sovet Union, which now feels threatened by the ambitious Axis.  This has been done without a quid pro quo, but the Left assures us that negotiations are ongoing with the Comintern about a second front. The Parlementary Right says the Soviets have no intention of sending a single division to our aid, but our convoys are forming up.
 
Portugal : The entry of Spain into the war puts us at war with our neighbor. Will Franco attack the British at Gibraltar, the French across the Pyrenees, or wil they turn on us. We have some British divisions here, but one of our divisions is in in England.
 
Neutrals : The USSR has begun a building program to counter the potential menace of a triumphant Axis.  The USA continues some support of Greece.
 
No snapshots this turn. I was late with this turn and wanted to get it back to Gary ASAP.

[Redan]

This is very interesting and well presented. Enjoying it very much as I consider purchasing this game. Thank you!