Plaid (axis) vs Vokt (allies) GS 3.0 beta AAR

[Vokt]

I will make some comments now that game is over. First, thanks to Plaid for this game and congrats for such well presented and commented AAR. Comments from forum readers were interesting too and in some cases have predicted really close what has happened afterwards.

I thought Plaid was going to follow fortress Europe strategy when I saw such really powerful Afrika korps approaching from Libya that made the british to completely evacuate Nile river delta. Nothing 8th army could have done against those forces even risking the loss of Irak if I would have decided to engage them in battle. Anyway, he was able to launch a decent Barbarossa with increasing number of german units deployed in USSR in late 1941 so no fortress Europe at all. Still, not a strong Barbarossa made possible soviet 1941 winter counteroffensive to reach Dnepr river by 1942. I rarely achieve to reach such position with the soviets that early. This did not make me overconfident since I know Plaid is good playing as axis so when axis summer 1942 offensive in the south started I was tempted to retreat Red army to Donets river. I did not so first, because I got offensive upgrade (+1 attack) for soviet infantry units right in mid 1942 and also good upgrades in armour and mechs. And second, because by the time the offensive started, germans still had 2 panzerkorps deployed in Egypt to keep the british from attacking Suez canal, units that could not initially participate in the offensive. Soviet organization levels were good either so Red army was ready for counterattacking and the narrow sector of the front choosen for the offensive would help the russians too. Attrition battles that ensued slightly favoured the soviets so the only sector where the german significantly progressed in 1942 was Novgorod.

Mid game was a typical one regarding front lines reached although 8th army was a little bit behind schedule because of axis stand in Egypt. That +8 PP's bonus thing (+4 for the conquest of Greece and +4 for taking Port Said) for the italians has been a really good addition because when I saw such strong Regia Aeronautica of 3 fighters and 2 tacs that made me think in an almost empty of units Italy mainland. Anyway, to my surprise italians were still able to man Sicily and Sardinia and they do that mostly with corps and not garrisons. Later, when I checked almost no italian subs opposition things made more sense to me. High organization allied levels made possible paratroopers operations in the Med, one of them launched from Malta fortress that allows that kind of units to be dropped in the Calabria 1 hex width region thus cutting Sicily main supply. I first wanted to do this with the 82nd american division stationed in Malta but finally decided to disembark troops with the result that the readers of this AAR know. As I told Plaid in one of my emails the failure of the landings in Calabria meant a really low advance hex by hex until Taranto was reached. But IMO the most decisive action in 1943 was the german withdrawal in the eastern front. May be a wise decision with the axis forces avoiding the combined effects of upgraded soviet units-severe winter penalty. In fact, such retreating kept the german from losing any unit in a long period of time thus making possible Wehrmacht to build that many units later in 1944. I think that Kragdob made a comment about this retreating to be too early but in the eastern front you never know when is too late or too early. I think that an early retreat allows you to make an organized one and that to make a stand put more pressure on the soviets but risks the loss of many units. So in both situations you will be finally retreating anyway to a similar position with the difference that if you hold eastwards too long you will be losing units too.

Late game (1944-45) was marked by operations in France since nothing weird occurred in the eastern front with the soviets pushing hard once fair weather began. I have read the AAR (it took me a while!) and checked that Plaid's objective was to ruin any allied landing operation in France. As you know he mostly succeeded in this. But it would have to say that germans paid a high cost in units and steps lost for that and, which IMO is more important, those units could not be redeployed in the east to slow a little the advancing Red army. So here is the main dilemma in late game: to focus in stopping the soviets a little thus weakening France and aiming for a stand in Albert canal and west wall or to do what Plaid has done denying the allies a foothold in France. In late war, real germans also faced the dilemma of priorizing the fight against the soviets or the western allies. With all of those allied mechs and armoured units being killed one by one the only landings that seemed to be progressing were the ones in southern France. Finally, it was the armoured units landed in Marseilles that let the allies to liberate Paris in 1945. Anyway, allies were lucky about the weather in 1944 (so air attacks of german mechs and soviet offensive continued during several turns) and in 1945 when the allies enjoyed 2 consecutive fair weather turns in february. About Italy, I could not really progress and to take Rome until an american mech with +1 attacking bonus commander (Craig) landed in april 1945 south of the city.

This game has showed us how fast axis can crumble in late game no matter apparently there's no time for the allies to reach Germany in time. Also, (as in real war) the importance of weather.

[Cybvep]

That +8 PP's bonus thing (+4 for the conquest of Greece and +4 for taking Port Said

There is no bonus off-map income for conquering Greece. However, the Italians gain +5 morale if the Axis controls Athens. Same for Port Said.

[Vokt]

A very interesting AAR to follow and a great end result where neither player lost. A good job indeed both from Plaid and Vokt.

Since this was run on GS v3.0 that will be released soon I wonder if you can comment on how you feel the game balance is now in GS v3.0 compared to GS v2.1. Did the changes to the sub warfare work as we hoped? Etc.

The other 2 games played with Plaid were on GS v2.1 so I have data to compare. Game balance now is similar to GS v2.1. May be now is a little bit harder for the allies which is good if we want to have an interesting game till the very last turn. Also, germans buying a second naval lab is now a good choice if the axis player decides to focus on submarine warfare. In this recent game, one of the reasons why soviets had to wait until 1944 for making their offensive was that they were not strong enough in mid game. Strategic bombings of Moscow and Leningrad but mostly the many northern convoys sunk or reduced in PP's did not allow Red army to be ready in 1943.

Yes I would be interested also with the small changes we made to Research and Map changes.

Research is really Ok now. Dog fight highest level (+2 air combat), that is one air lab in which many players put the focus, is now reached in 1944 as it should be. Also, submarine tech is not that easy either.

Regarding map changes, widened areas of Red sea and Persian Gulf let the allies to better operate with reinforcements sent to Middle East. Also, Nile delta river now is really suitable for defense. Belgium map changes have had also an impact. It is still early so players have not found yet a way to take advantage of the removal of the forest hexes around Brussels but soon it might be found ways of shortening french campaign because of these map changes. Later, in 1944 Albert canal defenses simulate well the situation in real war with the germans holding in Holland until spring 1945. Regarding this I keep on thinking that, in future updates, something could be done about west wall. I have thought in the removal of Cologne as a fortress hex and to change it as a normal city hex. In real ww2, Cologne was the first important city seized by the western allies and the site where a consolidated beachhead on the east bank of Rhine river was formed. Also, by no means Cologne offered a stubborn resistance that justifies this fortress hex. Making this map change, we would not see the typical breakthrough in Holland and we will be seeing instead allies pushing and breaking the front where they historically did.

A similar thing can be said about Italy and Gustav line. Allies get really stuck in this defensive line and although in real war it took much time to progress in Cassino it was not that much as it is needed for breaching it in this game. Gothic line in which the allies halted for a longer time (august 1944-april 1945) than in Cassino is not represented in this game so may be a possible thing to do in future updates is to move some fortress hexes of Gustav line and to add them northwards east of Florence. Central Italy is very mountainous (mountain hexes) so if we remove some fortress hexes here it will be still hard for the allies to progress and to get to Rome.

[supermax]

Havent been here for a while.

Now was I surprised to see a version 3 coming out!

This version look interesting. I am sure there are many changes.

Will certainly look back soon to find a couple opponents!

[Morris]

Havent been here for a while.

Now was I surprised to see a version 3 coming out!

This version look interesting. I am sure there are many changes.

Will certainly look back soon to find a couple opponents!

Hi Max , long time no see ! Have a fight in 3.0 ?

[DanSlayer]

This was a great AAR! Thank you very much!

one question: is it possible now to see the neutral/small country/auxiliary loses in the stat-table? Didn't seen here, but still missing those counter in game.

...and waitin for outcomin of v3.0...

[supermax]

Hey moriss

Yes.

So when is it out?

[Morris]

Hey moriss

Yes.

So when is it out?

According to the information from Borger , it should be very soon !

[RussWell]

Wonderful AAR!

Reading through the French campaign its interesting to see the changed geography and how it might affect play.

Seems like a 1939 blitz into Belgium would now be much more difficult than on the 2.1 map where you can reliably take it on turn 2 Axis 90% of the time if you devote the forces. Both Liege and Antwerp are more obstructive here.

On the other hand the Shcelde R. is now no longer the dominant obstacle for a northern axis of advance into France, making that whole route much easier once you get past Brussels.