Ideas for After Action Reports.

[goose_2]

I have some bad news.

My daughter got on my computer and uploaded some kind of something that horsed everything up so I have lost all my saved game stuff.

I absolutely need to get one of those flash drive thingys and save the game to them at least once a week or something.

Ok so I lost all my saved stuff and that sucks so bad I still am having trouble dealing with the thought that my more than a years long project with my day by day is over:
http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtop ... 45&t=65111

But at least I have finished Sea Lion and will post that soon here:
http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtop ... 45&t=68874

and at least I finished 1944 right before this happened so I can finish typing up at least through 1945, but so much for going for Greatest German Honor and 5 star AA, for now.

Man I am still wrapping my head around everything that just got lost all on one simple 11 year old messing around on the internet, ugh. makes me kind of sick.

Any way what do I do?

I know I will have to start over but I am limited in my time and limited in my efforts.

Any suggestions on routes I should go and where I should pick up? Any suggestions on how to improve my day by day write ups?

Here are my thoughts on possibilities, but I am interested in your feedback, so let me know which most interests you.

Afrika Corps: (I have avoided as much as possible any info on this game so that I can do a legit blind playthrough, but I can only do one blind playthrough, so what do I do?)
Here are some thoughts:
Try for the Italian Achievement and play at Colonel level as this would be a real challenge.
Try for it at my usual Field Marshall, or step it up and play at Rommel, Guderian, or Manstein level.
Or maybe you would like to see a campaign where the player fails and I could try the Italian challenge at Rommel level and document what is sure to be my defeat.
Let me know.

Grand Campaign 1945 only.
Since I have already gotten that far and am eager to see the end to the Campaign maybe start in 1945 with what the game gives you and play it through at Colonel level. Maybe I have a chance to beat it, maybe?

Grand Campaign West (This would be blind but I know enough that you play west very differently than you play the East, as you lose all your prestige and spare units in one of the first scenarios in the West)
This would be at the Rommel, Guderian, or Manstein level to try something new. And whichever one I get feedback on will be the route I will go.

Grand Campaign East (again)
This time it will be at Rommel level to compare with Night Phoenix's playthrough that he is doing on youtube. He is not playing the smartest as he is not making the best decisions with the way he is spending prestige and choosing units, but that is something he will learn as he moves forward.

These are all the thoughts I have so far on possible playthoughs, but you are welcome to suggest your own ideas you are interested in seeing.

I look forward to the feedback and any suggestions you might have.

[captainjack]

That sounds awful. Yuk!
I think I'll be backing up my files later today.

I'd suggest West if only because the starting core is not too bad, and especially in the first campaign, seeing someone else explaining their strategy for frantically running around firefighting could be interesting.

The Italian AK option is interesting. The Italian units are generally cheap, have reasonable fuel and aren't as bad as most people think (and some are better than contemporary German ones), but you do have to play a bit differently. The big issue is probably the limited upgrade options, so I suspect it's a case of seeing how far you get rather than actually completing the campaign.

I've been playing Nikki's modified AK with the extra Italian scenarios (and his modified equipment file V12). This is a bit easier as it gives you a chance to get some much needed experience before the real fighting, and it also allows you to use Somua S35, which have done OK up to late 42. The one with +3A hero is still good but the others are now showing their limitations. The 43 infantry upgrades will help but it will still be hard going and I suspect Persia will see me failing miserably. If you get past Persia on the Italian challenge in standard AK you definitely have done well.

[TSPC37730]

Oh no! Terrible tragedy. I enjoyed reading your AAR's. Yeah, back up is the only answer it seems...

Well, whenever you regroup & restart I'll tune back in. Good luck!

[braccada]

I personally would be most interested in the AK Italian challenge. If I had enough time I would try that myself as well (ah perhaps I will anyways...). And I think it is doable on Rommel. Could be easier than on Field Marshal. The prestige won't hurt you as much and you are gaining more experience.

Moreover you will have German units, because of starting core and captured + awarded units. And the Italians are doing fine on many classes.

• Airforce is perfectly fine and you get German SE fighters
• Infantry is ok. You start with two German heavy infantry, that is all you need anyways. Maybe change one to a pionier.
• Italian AT is a desaster, but you start with two German ones. I never bought more than that.
• Artillery is perfectly fine. No rocket artillery though.
• Scouts are even better
• Italian AA I have no experience with, but you start with a German one that can be changed to a 88
• Tanks: Well, that is the main issue. Italian tanks are ok, but not good enough control areas and push ahead unchallenged. On the other hand you do start with two German tanks and will get SE tanks and capture tanks. Having those + SE tanks + German AT is more than enough armored power.

So I really do not see a show stopper.

[goose_2]

Awesome News Guys!

Not as awesome as Christ's return, or one of my kids being born, or the day I got married, but Good News in a temporal sense.

I saved my game.

I was able to download it to an external hard drive and reupload it to my revamped computer.

Praise The Lord!

I will be able to finish my Blind Playthrough of 1945.

So that still leaves me with what gauntlets have been thrown down on this thread.

From what I can gather you would like me to try a blind playthrough of Afrika Corps on Rommel level with the hopes that I will succeed but would just as well like documentation of my downfall.

Ok, challenge accepted, I will start using that as my alternative campaign to the 1945 campaign as I used Sealion for that at first, but now I am finished.

I am not sure when I can get around to it, but it should be fun.

Just out of curiosity if I was to start a Grand Campaign again but this time go West, what level would you most be interested in seeing?
Field Marshall, Rommel, Guderian, or Manstein?

Let me know thanks!

[hurly]

I personally would be most interested in the AK Italian challenge. If I had enough time I would try that myself as well (ah perhaps I will anyways...). And I think it is doable on Rommel. Could be easier than on Field Marshal. The prestige won't hurt you as much and you are gaining more experience.

Moreover you will have German units, because of starting core and captured + awarded units. And the Italians are doing fine on many classes.

• Airforce is perfectly fine and you get German SE fighters
• Infantry is ok. You start with two German heavy infantry, that is all you need anyways. Maybe change one to a pionier.
• Italian AT is a desaster, but you start with two German ones. I never bought more than that.
• Artillery is perfectly fine. No rocket artillery though.
• Scouts are even better
• Italian AA I have no experience with, but you start with a German one that can be changed to a 88
• Tanks: Well, that is the main issue. Italian tanks are ok, but not good enough control areas and push ahead unchallenged. On the other hand you do start with two German tanks and will get SE tanks and capture tanks. Having those + SE tanks + German AT is more than enough armored power.

So I really do not see a show stopper.

I like Afrika Corps a lot maybe even more than any other "Campaign/DLC"
(Can not give you a real reason for that just a gut feeling.)

And i would definitely enjoy an AAR by you and goose as well, but i prefer the Videos a liitle bit more

I would recommend for an ultra experienced, bordering on Nerd Level planning Strategist (this is meant to be absolutely positive) like you to approach Afrika Corps (the Italian Job) on a higher Level than Colonel.
The Italian Challenge is not that hard to do, you just have to adjust a bit to the Italian special Skills.
If i could do it on Colonel with my far more casual approach especially in the Deployment Phase I think Rommel (without any experience on any other Level as Colonel--- which still is a lot of fun in the Italian Challenge) is really worth a try for you guys. (selfish Thinking behind this, I would really enjoy to watch your approach in a video)

Regarding your evaluation of Italian Equipment (trying not to give away any spoilers)

Airforce is ok especially Bombers are quite effective, I would recommend Italian Fighters for AirCover and in a defensive Role though, but as you said there are a few German SE Units and Capturables along the way
Infantry is basically only Bersaglieri as usable units stay away from the others resp upgrade them asap
AT is really a disaster but there is one unit quite effectively as destroyer of surpressed heavy tanks, be careful to use it without opponents surpressed
Artillery is the same in price and effectivity to German towed Arty. You will love the self propelled Units though they are a mix of the the Stug and the Sturmpanzer and really good imho (especially the later version)
Scouts are definitely quite good maybe better than their early German Counterparts, but like all Recon later on a bit on the Weak side. Sahariana with its Switch to Infantry Mode the most usable Unit
AA is basically the same as the German Units but there are only towed units available iirc The 90mm gun is a 8.8 with a little less ammo and maybe a bit less effective vs tanks, but that is a marginal difference
Tanks you are right the Italian Tanks are nothing to brag about and more of a support unit like the US Sherman
But there are a few more or less significant Capturables along the way and i have a little Crush for Matildas since my Italian Campaigning
Don't bother though you will have enough Tank Forces to do the job and you will get the opportunity to employ a few good Tank Types very late in the Campaign as there are some Geman Units available as italian Units in the Final Stages. (hope that will not spoil the Fun for you)

I think the Real Italian Challenge would be to go All In on Italian Stuff and sell off any Non Italian Units after the Scenario where you get them
Not sure that is doable on Colonel (or harder) though, but I have that idea saved in the back of my head and will try it when I find the time and have some masochistic Tendencies developed.