Hispaniola 1947 AAR

[ernieschwitz]

Ok, I decided to make an AAR for a game that i just started. The Scenario is Hispaniola, version 1.55, and the only option chosen is start date 1947.

The date is 1947, october 20th. Each turn takes 1 full day.

My starting stats are as follows:
PPs : 10
Raw : 10
Oil : 1000
Sugar : 7

My total production is 3000 production points, of which 1600 are located in my capitol, Santo Domingo.

The backstory is this. In 1947 a coup was planned by exiles from the Dominican Republic. In real life, this coup never materialized, but you can find info on it on the web. This scenario option takes us down the fictive path that this coup succeed some time in October. Two weeks later, Haiti decides to try and reinstall the former president of the Dominican Republic to what has now become a communist state.

Each small city has a garrison of 4 militia, and the capitol has a garrison of 10 militia and a standing army of 30 rifle. It´s the same stats for the Haitian military. Each side also has 1 cargoship, capable of carrying 50 rifle, or there about

My opponents opening turn sees the border change alittle, near Neiba, it seems there is an offensive going on there. Also the Haitian airforce (then 6 P-51Ds, here represented by 2 SFTs of Fighter IIIs) raids Monte Cristi, killing half of its garrison. The Dominican Airforce is nowhere to be seen during this, and it consists of 4 obsolete world war 2 fighters (approximately 12 fighters of odd sorts, gained during world war 2, as part of lend-lease.)

Here is a view of the map, without forces on. To give you an idea of where the action occured.

[ernieschwitz]

20th October 1947.

One aspect of the game that i neglected to tell about in the above is the Black Market. Each side has one. They are located in the top righthand corner, and lower lefthand corner. They are uninvadable, but bombable, if one has a desire to do that... not that it occured to me before now.

The reason why i mention this now, is because the AI has decided to blockade it. He has used 5 PPs to ask the US Navy to maintain a blockade of it. Now this happens about 20% of the time that the game starts up on these settings. And it is a really stupid move when playing against me...

Cause i have an action card, Join the Red Block, that i was going to play anyway. It has two effects. Firstly I can get Soviet Pilots and fighterplanes later, for 5 PPs via an action card. Secondly I break the blockade immidiately that i play it, because the Americans don´t dare to board soviet ships, as this might cause an incident....

Here is a screenshot of the report generated when the AI played the US blockade card.

[ernieschwitz]

still 20th October 1947.

Ok I thought that it would be relevant to show off my forces, at the start of the turn. So here is the screenshot. I am expecting the battle for the Island will be centered around Neiba, and I am going to try and march my army to that battlefield.

As for production I am thinking that this will be a defensive minded war. At least to start out with. So I am planning on making units composed of 10 rifles and 1 MGs each. MGs cost 1 RAW/Ore, and thats going to sting. But i need the MGs and if I don´t use the Ore it´s going to go to waste. I only have one way of gaining ore, thats through recycled metal, and that can only be done in the Capitol... I am not going to do that. I hope that i never need to produce 10 MGs or more, but you never know. Since the only troop type that can be produced by the smaller cities are militia men, i am going to be needing the capitol to produce rifles and MGs.

[ernieschwitz]

Still October 20th 1947.

Next up is making something in the Black Market. I need to convert all of that sugar being produced by my smaller cities into something alittle more useful. Sugar is nice, of course, but i need to export it, and trade it for weapons in able to win this war.

I decide I need something that can do damage to Infantry formations. I am expecting to meet alot of those. I can choose between artillery and levelbombers. Artillery doesn´t use fuel, but, it has a range of only 1 hex. So it´s going to be limited where i can use it. Also it needs horses to be moved, or trucks (which would require fuel). I can produce trucks in the black market, but not anywhere else. I can produce horses anywhere... Levelbombers on the other hand can be used over the entire map. They do require fuel... But i hope that i will be able to handle it. So i decide to produce some Levelbombers, at least 1 SFT.

Alittle worried about the price at fist... 20 Sugar. I only have 7. But then i see that it takes 3 turns to produce. I should have plenty of sugar by then, since I am producing 7 each turn.

Here is a look at what can be bought at the Black Market. (also, not shown on the Screenshot are Mercenary SMGs, Mortars, and trucks)

[ernieschwitz]

still 20th October 1947

Now there are several things i could do, to make the situation in Neiba more to my advantage. I could spend 3 PPs and build a HQ there and set my capitols production to that HQ. (But i don´t like spending my PPs like that, and i think its a bit gamey to do it that way). I could board a few riflemen on the cargoship i have and sail that to Barahona. Which would save me some time getting there, but would cost some fuel. In the end i decide to let my infantry do the walking, down the coastal road to get there...

Also i fly 2 recon missions with my fighters. I set the coordinates as far away from the enemy Capitol, Port-Au-Prince, as possible, so i won´t get intercepted. I manage 2 flights, and my airmen gain about 10 morale and 1 xp. Not bad. I then set the fighters to intercept 75%. Fuel consumption was high, I am now down to 920 oil. I guess i should be careful not to use it up prematurely.

Here is a screenshot of the situation after my moves.

[ernieschwitz]

October 21st 1947.

The Haitian airforce tried a raid against my infantry columns moving towards Neiba from Santo Domingo. Those old world war 2 fighters, probably spitfires or something like that, shot down one of the enemy planes, and there was no losses to my infantry. A job well done! However, it did cost me some more fuel. I am now down to 857 Oil.

Also in the news, it seems that the Haitians have made an agreement with the Americans to allow ground personel and planes to fly out of Port-Au-Prince. Planes and Pilots may begin arriving very soon... so much for having air superiority...

Here is a look at the situation at the start of turn 2. Notice how the border has changed in the middle southern part near Neiba. I think the AI may be planning an offensive.

[blastpop]

Keep the AAR coming! I am enjoying it very much!

[ernieschwitz]

21st October 1947 still...

I decide to move my infantry even closer to Neiba. It will get there next turn, if it´s not conquored by then. Also i fly a recon flight near Port-Au-Prince. I was hoping that the AI would intercept, but he didn´t. In hindsight i should have flown the recon mission on the Hex that i knew his planes where going to be in. Only the capitols of each regime has an airfield. Instead i use up alot of fuel for no good cause. I am down to 777 Oil.

I take a look at the Action Cards that are now available to me. There are three.

1). Inspire the People, which will grant me Latin American Mercenaries (30 Rifle), and a base morale boost of 1.
2). Pilots and Planes, which will grant me 3 soviet fighter IIs.
3). Fuel. Which will grant me 300 oil.

They all cost the same. 5 PPs. Which is exactly what i have left.

I decide to try and keep air superiority, and play Pilots and Planes. Immidiately i am rewarded with the 3 planes, in a counter that is nice and red.

Here is a look at my options, before i played the card.

[ernieschwitz]

October 21st 1947.

In a somewhat bold yet desperate attempt to shoot down my opponents remaining fighter, i ues the Soviet planes to attack Port-Au-Prince. Unfortunately the remaining fighter III retreats, and i instead kill off a few staff and militia. I decide that enough is enough, i am going to need that fuel for intercepts, and i don´t want to fly any more missions at present. I am down to 594 Oil.

I send the newly produced infantry, and machinegun, down the road towards Neiba from Santo Domingo. And I keep producing more. I now have 0 PPs, 9 RAW, 594 Oil and 14 sugar.

I must somehow get more PPs, so i can get some more fuel. I will see if i can redirect some of my sugar production once i have gotten the Level Bomber next turn...

[ernieschwitz]

22nd October 1947,

Neiba has fallen. Well at least i gave as good as i got. He killed off 3 Militia, and i killed 2 of his (rifles i presume). Also the AI tried an assualt on Monte Cristi, which cost him a single miltia man. His airforce tried to attack my marching column again, and dispite my overwhelming numbers his plane escapes, undamaged. I am down to 570 Oil.

The good news is that i now have 20 sugar. The bad news is that i have run out of the supplies that i got from the first turn. So it´s time to switch production to supplies... instead of sugar.

Here is a look at the situation (in close up) at Neiba.

[ernieschwitz]

1947 22nd October.

I decide to try and move as close to Neiba as possible. My infantry column has finally arrived, and they are now in defensive positions near Neiba. The left over defender from Neiba, a single militia, i move to Barahona, and make him join with that cities defensive forces.

I move more troops from the capitol towards Neiba, as this seems to be the focus of the enemy attack.

Now its time to handle the supply issue. I go to the supply screen and see that i need to somehow squeeze 228 supplies out of my smaller cities. They each are able to produce 66.7 supplies. So i set 4 of them to produce supplies. I select the cities most to my rear. So La Romana, San Pedro, La Vega and Santiago are now producing supplies.

The two remaining smaller cities i set to produce Militia. As i am going to need the men I am sure. I did consider letting them produce sugar, but then i would just use that sugar in the Black Market to buy some units, and since i don´t have any idea what they should be at present... Militia seems a good idea.

Here is a picture of the production going on in Barahona.

[ernieschwitz]

1947 22nd October

End of turn. Here is the situation near Barahona and Neiba, after my move was done. Notice how the symbols for Rifle and Militia are near the same. The Riflemen though, have a helmet on, the Militia a cap of some sort. Also notice how the Haitians are black in skin color, and have a different colored uniform.

[ernieschwitz]

1947 23rd October,

The Haitians try yet another airraid on Monte Cristi. With no visible result. My fighters did not intercept, unfortunately, they should be in range. Then he tried an assault on Monte Cristi and lost a single militia. Other than that, not much to report. Here is a picture of the situation at the beginning of the turn. Notice how the AI seems to be sending troops towards the center. Is he planning a breakthrough through the mountains?

[ernieschwitz]

1947 23rd October still...

I decide to try and flank the forces located in Neiba. The recon that this movement provides, shows me that the city is only defended by a few Militia. So... i decide to use my new level bomber, escorted by the Soviet Fighters, to attack Neiba. The raid is a marginal succes. I kill half the Militia that was there.... now there are 3 left. I decide to attack with whatever i can, which unfortunately is only 10 rifles, but getting the city would be very valuable. After 5 rounds of combat, the attack stalls, and he has lost 1 militia and I have lost 1 rifleman.

I am now down to 344 Oil. Thats near the limit that i dare go to. I need to focus on producing PPs next turn, so i can get some more Oil.

[ernieschwitz]

1947 october 23rd.

A quick look at my supply situation tells me i need to devote another city to it. So Barahona is now producing supplies. I also notice that the next turn i will get enough rifle and MGs to make 2 units. So i decide not to produce PPs with Santo Domingo before next turn.

I know this is going to be dangerous for me, as my planes are running low on fuel.. but then again, the american pilots and planes have still yet to show up for the Haitians.

[ernieschwitz]

24th October, 1947

This day Monte Cristi fell. The brave defenders, 2 militia, were forced to retreat into the swamps east of the city. Last turn i sent some Militia that way. I hope they will be able to retake it, though, i doubt it.

The Haitians seem to have no interest in holding Neiba. They haven´t reinforced the city. Here is a look at the map at the beginning of the turn.

[ernieschwitz]

1947, october 24th.

I decide to try and retake Neiba, without the support of the airforce. I succeed For the loss of 1 rifle, to the loss of 1 militia, i retake the city. I set the production for Neiba to be supplies. I have a feel i might need them, and once made, supplies last until used.

I move some more units into place, and notice that the haitians seem to be planning an assault on Barahona. I quickly move a rifle unit into the city, so that it now is defended by 5 militia and 10 rifle.

The Militia i had sent northwards from Santo Domingo last turn, now arrives in La Vega. The La Vega garrison i move to Santiago. And i now have defences there composed of 8 Militias instead of 4. The newly created infantry units i move towards Neiba. Maybe i am focusing too much on Neiba. There seems to be units heading through the mountains... i hope my city defences can hold against these...

Here is the situation at the end of my turn.

[all5n]

This is an interesting scenario.

If only we could have taken out those murderers Che and Castro...

[ernieschwitz]

October 25th, 1947...

In what is the bloodiest battle so far in this game, the Haitians try to storm Barahona. The forces there somehow must have lured these attackers into an ambush. 5 lost infantry units, against 0 of mine. I like those numbers. As long as the AI tries to hurl human waves at me, i should be ok. Especially with units that have machineguns.

In the North of the Island, La Vega and Santiago are now on the front lines. I can even see an enemy unit, tho not which kind yet, is near Santiago. Lucky that i reinforced these cities just recently.

The situation at the start of the Turn looks like this.

[ernieschwitz]

Still october 25th, 1947

I decide to try and move into some defensive positions. I shuffle a few units around, so i get a unit with a MG into Neiba. The units i had moving along the road to Neiba i redirect northwards. I think something fishy might be going on, and i want to be ready for it.

Next turn will see me gain another 3 PPs. I expect to use them on fuel. But already i am wondering if i should use them on Inspire the People. Getting 3 rifle units, and a base morale boost, would be nice. I think though that fuel is going to be alittle more important, if i am going to utilize my airforces for something other than looking pretty.

Here is the situation after i moved