FORTRESS EUROPA improved (no Diplomaticus)

[Clark]

Max,

Your text boxes on the right side of the screen are getting cut off. Shame to lose your thoughts on yet another brilliant campaign.

Regards.

Yes i noticed that. Are you on a IPAD. It does that on my ipad but not on my computer...

Nope, using a laptop, but not an Apple. My Apple user friends tell me that leads to all kinds of terrible things, but I ignore them

Well, I'm using a MacBook Pro, but I still have that problem. I've gotten around it by stretching the window wider than the screen, then moving the window so that I can see the right side.

[rkr1958]

Well, I'm using a MacBook Pro, but I still have that problem. I've gotten around it by stretching the window wider than the screen, then moving the window so that I can see the right side.

Brilliant! I can now see the right thanks to your workaround! I'm on a windows box by the way.

[zechi]

How strong is your navy? If you feel strong enough you could block the waypoints to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf with your naval assets. This would complete Fortress Europa, as you would really have blocked the (western) Allies from Europe. If your navy is strong enough this could be even the opportunity to destroy/cripple the Allied Fleet in the Atlantic.

[supermax]

How strong is your navy? If you feel strong enough you could block the waypoints to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf with your naval assets. This would complete Fortress Europa, as you would really have blocked the (western) Allies from Europe. If your navy is strong enough this could be even the opportunity to destroy/cripple the Allied Fleet in the Atlantic.

Well, its is still in production, but when i am done i should have:

4 german cv
5 german bb, 3 italian bb
10 germans dd
4 italian dd
2 spanish dd

I think i may attack Turkey in 1943 to get the Russians attention elsewhere than the western front, amd also cautiously advance toward Irak

Problem with my fleet is that its ben built to interdict England form the western allies, and oil level isnt high...

[supermax]

Well, we are now several turns later. March 1943. No severe scratch on the Axis as of yet. We expect to have a full-on attack on Englanbd very soon.

All other fronts are safe and secure.

[supermax]

[supermax]

[Crazygunner1]

Looks like an explosive 1943...very interesting. You Will probably need some fighters in England to support, got any spare to send?

[Cybvep]

It's interesting. It seems that Diplomaticus is using the same strategy as you are using, i.e. he is trying to appear strong everywhere, but some of his moves must be feinged attacks. The Soviets will no doubt be very strong by now and the Allies obviously don't have enough strength to secure the Mediterranean. IMO he will attack England and then France/Holland, so he has no chance of taking Rome, but he may be able to take London and Paris. However, if he didn't invest in the navy, he is toast.

The Eastern Front will be the most challenging theatre for you. If the Soviets bleed you there, then you will regret that you built so many ships...

You have already won this, now there is the question of the scale of your victory...

[supermax]

Looks like an explosive 1943...very interesting. You Will probably need some fighters in England to support, got any spare to send?

4 more on the way...

[supermax]

It's interesting. It seems that Diplomaticus is using the same strategy as you are using, i.e. he is trying to appear strong everywhere, but some of his moves must be feinged attacks. The Soviets will no doubt be very strong by know and the Allies obviously don't have enough strength to secure the Mediterranean. IMO he will attack England and then France/Holland, so he has no chance of taking Rome, but he may be able to take London and Paris. However, if he didn't invest in the navy, he is toast.

The Eastern Front will be the most challenging theatre for you. If the Soviets bleed you there, then you will regret that you built so many ships...

You have already won this, now there is the question of the scale of your victory...

Exactly

My only challenge now is to shcpperd my manpower...

[Cybvep]

Oil, too. 377 isn't much, considering that the fiercest fighting is about to begin.

[supermax]

Oil, too. 377 isn't much, considering that the fiercest fighting is about to begin.

Yes. You are right. But if i play on the defense i should be ok with the 61 base production.

I just cannot really do any large-scale offensive now.

[Crazygunner1]

Yeah...oil should be fine as long as you don't do missions with all you kriegsmarine and fly missions in the East at the same time

[Cybvep]

It would be hilarious if most of your ships ended as a fleet-in-being due to oil shortages

[rkr1958]

It would be hilarious if most of your ships ended as a fleet-in-being due to oil shortages

With 387 oil points and Max's skill I highly doubt that. 387 oil points isn't enough to sustain a major and prolong offensive in Russia; but is plenty enough to run a large navy and support targeted counterstrikes. Personally, I think Max's oil level is outstanding at this stage of the game and given all that he's accomplished. He'll have more than enough to do what he wants.

[Peter Stauffenberg]

Russia will not get anywhere without a very strong airforce. They need more fighters than the Germans. If they get 2:1 in numbers then the Russians can repair the depleted ones and have full strength ones to escort the bombers.

Russia will need to use 2 tactical bombers per hex they want to attack so the German units become so depleted they can be attacked across river with ok odds. If the Russians attack in the bends they will get 3 units on these units. If a German unit is destroyed then the Russians can launch armor units into the hole to attack from the other side of the river.

Supermax can still save the day by using his own armor to crush the bridgeheads and re-establish the river line.

Supermax'es main weakness is that the heavy use of the Luftwaffe will drain his oil. Russia must be aggressive to not give the Germans breathing space. The Germans can't hold forever, but every turn the river line holds the Germans is closer to victory. Fortunately for Supermax he has a short line to defend in the east and more river lines to use as defense if the first one is compromised.

Maybe the Allied player could use amphibious invasions to land units behind the Axis river line? Do you have subs in the Baltic, Supermax, to protect the coast line?

[supermax]

Time of trials begins.

MAY 3, 1943.

Well, Diplomaticus hard efforts have come to fruition. He is doing what i consider the best way to defeat my Fortress Europa strategy. The trick is attacking on all sides at the same time. So now hes got a landing in progress in England, an offensive in Casablanca, a large offensive in The Middle east, and a looming offensive in Russia. This will deplete my oil and manpower, stress my tactical capabilities to the limit as well. Its obvious that he intends to run the oil gauge to 0. WEll, we will just have to see about that. The trick for me will be to be, every turn, on the defensive on 2 of the 3 main fronts. That will severely hamper my strategical options, but the alternative is to run dry on oil.

All this moving around also makes me think that hes got another landing in mind, that is in France. I havent seen evidence of that on the map, but i am very aware of this. Also, a landing in Norway is also very plausible.

[zechi]

Why do you think northern Britain will be tough to hold? It should be easy to push the invaders back into the sea. Only the Allied air power looks strong, but not the invasion force. Furthermore, you could have an opportunity to win the game right now! Should you manage to trap the combined Allied between Britain and Ireland you can slowly destroy it and gain naval supremacy in the Atlantic an Med!. Then you will not have to fear any invasions in the West or Med and it will be easy to hold the east. Only problem I see is the rather strong Allied air force in Ireland, which could badly hurt your navy. Furthermore, there may be some Allied SUBs lurking around, which could make any attack dangerous. Nevertheless, I would take the risk as such an oppotunity will probably not arise again later in the game.

[supermax]

Yes Zechi, i also see these things. As you may have noticed, i have been assembling my fleet for just such an offensive. On the map right now i have 13 DD, 5-6 subs, 6-7 BB, 3 CV. I just need to move it into position.

As to the allied airfleet, well i will have 5 X FTR (dogfight 8 ftr) next turn in England, in addition to a total of 4 CV that will be moved into position, + 4-5 TAC. I should be able to get interesting results against the allied once that is all in place.

My problem right now is the oil situation. I am managing to hover above 400 every turn, but it could go down rapidly soon, as my army is a oil hog and drinks lots of it. Just to give you an idea, i have so many FTR that it now cost me 110 + to get one. Same situation with the mech and armor... So when i attack, its going to be because i can do damage in a significant way. I also will have severely hampered strategical options probably till the end of the game.

But all in all, i am still wondering why Diplomaticus has landed so few troops. They will get massacred with the 5 armor i will have on the island (2 SS!!!), i still think the main landing will occur somewhere else... But, where are these transport lurking???

On another subject, i dont understand why Diplo has not deployed any tanks in Russia... He wont get anywhere with INF corps to break my line of defense...