Enemy At the Gates: Mini AAR

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 4:25 pm

[EDIT: Thread has been renamed. Decided to change it into a mini AAR instead of debate the force balance any more. I think Johan is probably right about the game being more balanced after patch 1.06. ]

The latest patch 1.06 for CEAW introduced a number of new French garrison units into the game at the start. However, I'm thinking it has made the French a little too strong. I'm currently in a PBEM playing Allies and the French appear to be giving the Germans enormous pain as they advance toward Paris. Granted, they are only garrison units added to the game but I think there were something like 3 or 4 of them added in the last patch! I'm not very familiar with the historical particulars of the French campaign but it seems to me like the Germans should not be suffering this much. My opponent disagrees with my assessment of the French being overpowered.

With my two tank units, along with a commander attached to one, air and carrier strikes, some sacrifices on the part of my infantry and some naval bombardments, I have been picking off my opponent's tanks at leisure while my numerous garrison units stall his infantry. It remains to be seen if my opponent can pull off a seeming miracle and take Paris in the next couple turns but I think I may be wearing him down pretty thin. Paris will most certainly fall at some point but the French have done their job (maybe a little too well) and stalled the Germans to buy time and resources for the rest of the Allies. AFter a complete total route in Poland, this has either been a spectacular defense of Paris by the French or else the patch adds too much potential to the French forces to start the war. I'm inclined to believe that it is mostly the latter.

Here is the defense of Paris so far. I think he currently has one panzer unit back out of sight in reserve. Between the declaration of war on Holland and then Belgium I have knocked out 3 panzers so far, a motorised infantry and maybe one or two regular infantry. It looks like he has brought up some of his own garrison infantry to fill in the gaps now. I'm ecstatic at how well I've been able to do so far. Of course, time will only tell if I've bought enough time for the rest of the Allies but I've played the Allies before and those extra garrison units definitely make all the difference for the French. Too much of a difference perhaps?

firepowerjohan · Post by **firepowerjohan** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 4:33 pm

I do not think so. It has been tried in doussins of TcpIP matches to be very balanced and Paris normally fall between April-August. Martin Andersson especially has won at leist 95% of his games and he has been used as feedback on the balance throughout the patches.

For Axis it is very important to know what to spend your PP into in order to get maximum effect of forces in 1939-1940.

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:02 pm

firepowerjohan wrote:I do not think so. It has been tried in doussins of TcpIP matches to be very balanced and Paris normally fall between April-August. Martin Andersson especially has won at leist 95% of his games and he has been used as feedback on the balance throughout the patches.

For Axis it is very important to know what to spend your PP into in order to get maximum effect of forces in 1939-1940.

As Axis I usually use most of my initial PPs to buy research and then my first unit purchase is a tank (This is against the AI). I'm guessing my opponent has done something similar judging from the composition that I see of his forces. As Allies the choice is obvious. I have been spending EVERY single French PP on "here and now". Forget research because there is no tomorrow for the French. So are you saying the Germans should forgo some more research in favor of beefing up their combat forces? As I say I usually go pretty heavy on research as Axis to begin with.

firepowerjohan · Post by **firepowerjohan** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:23 pm

Yes. An extra tactical bomber or extra tank in 1940 is what decides sometimes so the research is a risky approach. Nomally, the first lab at 20 PP is so cheap that it may be purchased after a few turns. But, the first turns especially every single penny is needed to get a good commander and more tact bombers up ASAP.

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:38 pm

This is the first time I have ever started with getting a commander for the French and I think he has made a great difference in the battle results. It is a slightly expensive purchase for the French starting out (You can buy a motorised infantry for the same price) but I've seen, overall, much better average results for all of my units in the neighborhood of my commander than in other starts agianst the AI where I had no commander. In Poland my units simply stood there to get blasted at every turn. But the French have been putting up a fight. I didn't realize commanders make that much of a difference but it appears that they do, especially when your enemy has no commanders of his own.

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 6:16 pm

Woops. Sorry, double post.

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 6:16 pm

Since this has turned into a mini AAR thread....

[EDIT: I hope no one minds a mini AAR here.]

The following turn I managed to get at least one tank unit back into the direct defense of Paris while destroying my opponent's infantry which had penetrated to the South-west of the city. This should cut off some angles of attack against the defenders in the city and hopefully Paris will last another couple turns and give me a chance to knock out more of my opponent's forces using my own tanks. These next few turns will be very interesting. I have to admit I am on the edge of my seat with this game.

firepowerjohan · Post by **firepowerjohan** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:17 pm

Ok, but are you now playing a PBEM game or vs AI?

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:36 pm

firepowerjohan wrote:Ok, but are you now playing a PBEM game or vs AI?

PBEM

Post by **IainMcNeil** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:30 am

AAR's are most welcome

rkr1958 · Post by **rkr1958** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:56 am

iainmcneil wrote:AAR's are most welcome

This has been bugging me and I'm almost embarrassed to ask but what does the acronym "AAR" stand for?

firepowerjohan · Post by **firepowerjohan** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 12:20 pm

rkr1958 wrote:
iainmcneil wrote:AAR's are most welcome
This has been bugging me and I'm almost embarrassed to ask but what does the acronym "AAR" stand for?

After Action Report.

rkr1958 · Post by **rkr1958** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 5:16 pm

firepowerjohan wrote:
rkr1958 wrote:
iainmcneil wrote:AAR's are most welcome
This has been bugging me and I'm almost embarrassed to ask but what does the acronym "AAR" stand for?
After Action Report.

Thank you! Now I know and I no longer have to be embarrassed.

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:10 pm

Sorry, triple post this time!

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:11 pm

Triple post. Very annoying. When I go to post it acts like it is stuck and then I hit post again and it acts like it is stuck again but all the posts happen anyway.

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:11 pm

Next turn. It looks like Paris is doomed. I did manage to knock off one more of my esteemed opponent's foot infantry but my tanks are exhausted and Paris will probably fall soon. Italy has entered the war and it looks like Italian tank and foot infantry units have joined the attack on Paris as well.

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:19 pm

Next turn. One of my own tanks bites the dust near Paris. A desperate attack by my remaining tank captures Lorraine. That should deny my oppenent a few production points, but, alas Paris is on it's own. If it lasts even one more turn it will be a miracle. But the French have fought a noble battle, buying the rest of the Allies a few precious weeks and costing the Germans some badly needed resources.

GaryChildress · Post by **GaryChildress** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:07 pm

Not much longer for France now. In fact I would be surprised if Paris doesn't fall the next turn, however, the French manage one last kill. A German foot infantry next to Paris with a strength of 2 is destroyed by the defenders in Paris. The defenders then advance out of Paris and I place a fresh garrison unit to defend Paris. I repair some of my other units placing the French production economy in negative numbers but with the war just about over for the French I see no reason to try to balance the economy.