Tourny Rd 1 Gkar (Axis) v. Forwarn (Allies)

[Forwarn45]

Well I decided to do an AAR for my game versus Gkar. This is a delayed AAR so I may reveal a little more than I otherwise would. The game is currently in 1942. First, a review of what has happened so far:

In 1939 and 1940, the Axis began the game picking on the weak and unprotected: Poland, Denmark, Norway, and the Low Countries fell. But Chamberlain, in a rare display of spunk, ordered a counter-attack against the Nazi invaders in Norway. With strong support from the Royal Navy, the German paratroopers holding Norway were eliminated and Norway was retaken. The French, with British support, also launched spoiling attacks agains the Nazis in the Low Countries. Unfortunately, France still ended up falling - I believe in Summer of 1940 and some British troops were taken prisoner.

When Mussolini joined the war, the new Churchill government moved against North Africa. A stalemate followed in the Mediterannean, with the Allies retaining North Africa and Malta.

1941 ended up being relatively quiet. Gkar's Axis did not mount a major uboat effort but instead prepared for war with the Soviet Union - which came in Spring of 1942. In 1941, I had been seeking to postpone the war and did not further reinforce Poland. This may have been a good strategy except for the unfortunate bug involving the first turn of Axis attack - which came in Spring of 1942 (the same turn the Soviet Union would have otherwise activated, incidentally). When Gkar's Axis hordes seized Kiev, instead of retreating to Kharkov or Belorussia - many undamaged Soviet forces became damaged. (You receive the message concerning troops having to retreat over water - I have been told this will be fixed in the next patch). I had reinforced Kiev in ignorance of the bug - so the Soviets took a significant hit. However, we had good luck and retained Belorussia - preventing encirclement of the forces in Poland - and were able to move the factory out during our turn. I told Gkar his bad luck in Belorussia helped make up for the frozen-retreat bug. [;)]

EDIT: Now that a couple more turns have passed - I thought I'd attach the force disposition near the beginning of the Allied 1942 turn.

[Forwarn45]

Here, we have Europe shortly after the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union - sometime near the beginning of the Soviet turn.

[Forwarn45]

Stalin orders the Red Airforce and navy to engage the Kriegsmarine in a bloody battle for control of the Baltic. In the end, everyone loses - with both navies being essentially damaged or destroyed after successive battles. Here is one.

[Forwarn45]

The Soviets also launch a small offensive against a German panzer spearhead. However, Stalin elects for a cautious approach - ordering industrial resources in Belorussia to be dismantled and the troops moved back to the Moscow - Kursk - Kharkov line. The Red Airforce is quite strong after an intensive building effort in 1941. Fighters protect important bases and additional fighters provide cap for the navy in the Black Sea. Note this screenshot is pretty close to the end of the Soviet turn - but it does not include Soviet builds.

[Forwarn45]

Turning to the Pacific, Spring of 1942 also saw Japanese attacks on a broad front. Most unfortunate was the shipping losses - including carriers that I believe were inadequately defended by a single fighter on the West Coast. Gkar's Japanese carrier air was significantly teched up and poses a serious threat. The British, however, seize the opportunity to retake Sumatra - which is lightly held (see below). The Western Allies subsequently reinforce with air assets in the hope of stemming further Japanese advances in the area.

[Forwarn45]

The game is currently at the beginning of Fall of '42 and I have additional screenshots of summer. I plan on posting these (and a little more information about Spring) after Gkar's Fall turn. This will be a little while. I was gone for about a week, causing some delay, and now Gkar will be busy until next Monday. But expect an update next week (and expect a bit more action than there was during the Spring turn)! [;)]

[Forwarn45]

Now that I have finished the Fall turn, here's a little bit from Summer. Stavka reports a German panzer spearhead at Smolensk and orders a response. Attacking with combined arms, the Soviets attempt to bleed the German invaders.

[Forwarn45]

And a Soviet counterattack from Leningrad pushes the Germans back. As you'll see next turn, however, the German response in Fall proves costly to the Red Army.

[Forwarn45]

My attack on Velikiye Luki last turn is followed by an attack by the cream of the German army, essentially wiping out the exhausted Red Forces. Gkar also moves on Leningrad but is stopped at the gates of the city.

[Forwarn45]

Stalin demands that the Western Allies open a second front. Churchill and Roosevelt oblige. The Allies pound France by air, damaging the German artillery. Air and naval bombardment also heavily suppresses the German defenders, and an invasion by (IIRC) four infantry is a success.

[Forwarn45]

Meanwhile, the Western Allies sortie from their bases in Sumatra in an effort to gain air superiority over the area.

[GKar]

ORIGINAL: Forwarn45

Gkar also moves on Leningrad but is stopped at the gates of the city.

Yep, this attempt (~75% success chance) and a subsequent one (88%) both fail. Not that I couldn't need a bit of luck...

[Forwarn45]

ORIGINAL: GKar

ORIGINAL: Forwarn45

Gkar also moves on Leningrad but is stopped at the gates of the city.

Yep, this attempt (~75% success chance) and a subsequent one (88%) both fail. Not that I couldn't need a bit of luck...

Gkar did have bad luck in Fall - and the conquest of Leningrad at that time would have been a blow to the Allies. But I note that I have reported a bug in that the Soviets did not get the First Winter bonus during the winter turn. I'll post more about Winter once we have the Spring turn done. [;)]

[Forwarn45]

On to Winter! Here is the 2nd battle of Leningrad that Gkar mentioned. It was pretty one-sided due to the fact that the cream of the German army is attacking but on the Soviet side there was a fair amount of milita and little artillery. But Leningrad held. As mentioned above - we identified a bug that has been reported to 2by3 - and the Soviets did not receive the first winter bonus. It would have helped. I wonder if it had something to do with the close state of Soviet war readiness when the Germans attacked in Spring of 1942?

[Forwarn45]

On the happier news from the Allied standpoint. Some naval air units based in Sumatra hit Japanese task forces in the Gulf of Siam.

[Forwarn45]

A little more detail concerning the units involved in the last battle.

[Forwarn45]

And since we are done with the next few turns, here were the troops on the map and building near the start of my Winter turn. This was a good one to post as our spies had stolen Axis production data so it is complete.

[Forwarn45]

And on to Spring! The Japanese catch the Allied carrier fleet off guard off the coast of Panama.

[Forwarn45]

The reply by surviving CAG does take out one of the 5 Japanese carriers, however. Still - I wish I had moved further back. The Japanese supply lines were stretched - but not far enough. Without a fleet on the West Coast - the Japanese are later able to move away in good order.

[Forwarn45]

The Soviets, however, begin the largest offensive of the war. Much of the Red Army is ordered to push the Nazi invaders out of Poland. Heavy numerical superiority, air support and a massive artillery barrage leads the Soviet Army to victory.