Joerock22 (Allies) v. Ftgcritt2 (Axis) - The War is Over

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:26 pm

May 3, 1943

The Russians destroy 7 Axis corps. I could probably have taken out more, but I was reluctant to attack without air support. My armour casualties would have been very heavy against his dug in line of 90+ effectiveness German corps. So I was limited by the size of the Red Air Force, but construction of new planes is ongoing. Fighter losses were approximately even, so that's nice to see. I don't know if Frank will counterattack or retreat. I am prepared for either eventuality, with plenty of tanks and mechs in reserve to exploit weakened German units or attack the next defensive position.

The British move to land in northern France. I also landed a couple American corps in Vichy France to keep the Axis honest. I don't expect much success in the west initially. But as the Russians keep killing 5-7 Axis units per turn, eventually some of those units in France will have to be railed east. When that happens, the Western Allies can exploit the weakness. Their job right now is to threaten a major invasion so the Axis can't focus their attention entirely on the advancing Soviets.

gerones · Post by **gerones** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:37 pm

First of all, I have to say that this is an interesting and useful AAR from which I´m learning a lot of things.

About the game, it seems that now is the right time for a landing in northern France no matter the reinforcements Frank could bring to the area. You have enough air support and he can´t cover all the hexes for preventing landings.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:31 pm

leridano wrote:First of all, I have to say that this is an interesting and useful AAR from which I´m learning a lot of things.

About the game, it seems that now is the right time for a landing in northern France no matter the reinforcements Frank could bring to the area. You have enough air support and he can´t cover all the hexes for preventing landings.

Certainly I will land if I get the chance, but I expect tough resistance for awhile. Another problem for me is that nearly the entire invasion army is corps units. I didn't have the time or resources to produce mechs or tanks, which really help when trying to establish a beachhead. I did bomb those 2 German corps down to 7 steps each to make them unsuitable for guarding the shore.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 2:40 pm

May 23, 1943

The Russians get some pretty crappy combat results, but still manage to destroy 7 more Axis corps and recapture Tallinn and Minsk. The British capture Brest, and I nearly destroyed a German corps in southern France. More screenshots next time.

Peter Stauffenberg · Post by **Peter Stauffenberg** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:11 pm

Interesting game. Your position looks quite a lot like your position in our game, except that we're in sprin 1944 and not spring 1943. How did you manage to build such a formidable force in Russia in 1943? Didn't your opponent kill enough Russians in 1942?

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:40 pm

Stauffenberg wrote:Interesting game. Your position looks quite a lot like your position in our game, except that we're in sprin 1944 and not spring 1943. How did you manage to build such a formidable force in Russia in 1943? Didn't your opponent kill enough Russians in 1942?

No, there was no 1942 combat at all on the eastern front. I stopped him at Kiev in 1941 and launched a successful winter counteroffensive. Neither of us felt strong enough to attack the other in 1942, and I didn't rush things. Now I'm ready to attack.

rkr1958 · Post by **rkr1958** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:12 pm

joerock22 wrote:
Stauffenberg wrote:Interesting game. Your position looks quite a lot like your position in our game, except that we're in sprin 1944 and not spring 1943. How did you manage to build such a formidable force in Russia in 1943? Didn't your opponent kill enough Russians in 1942?
No, there was no 1942 combat at all on the eastern front. I stopped him at Kiev in 1941 and launched a successful winter counteroffensive. Neither of us felt strong enough to attack the other in 1942, and I didn't rush things. Now I'm ready to attack.

I think the most difficult task as the axis player is finding the right balance for allocating resources and offensive energy between the western allies and Russia. Then I think the second most difficult task is to know when to transition from the attack to the defensive with targeted counterattacks and then finally to the full defensive.

I think we're seeing why it's harder to play the axis. Devote too many resources and effort to Russia and the western allies will beat you. Ignore Russia and they'll beat you. Stay on the offensive too long and you'll run out of oil, manpower and / or PPs and get beat. Don't stay on the offensive long enough in Russia and they'll take their time and build up and crush you a year later. Isn't it amazing how much of a historical all this has. I know it's not perfect but I do think we've created the right balance and historical feel in GS.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:31 pm

June 12, 1943

The Russians push into Poland and capture Vilna. I also retook Vinnitsa in the south. The Axis have a strong river line in the south, and I haven’t even tried to breach it yet. There’s no point; once Frank realizes that I intend to bypass the south entirely and push straight for Berlin, he will have no choice but to abandon his defense. He has practically no infantry support in the north, which means his armour can’t counterattack because he knows I will decimate them if he does. The Russian Air Force is large enough now so I can repair units every turn, ensuring that there are always full-strength units to face the Luftwaffe. I also surrounded 4 Axis corps in the swamps. I will probably let those guys waste away for awhile, guarded by a few of my corps. No reason to attack them just yet, or even at all.

The western Allies land more troops in France at several points. I was able to destroy the 7-step garrison in Cherbourg with air and naval bombardment, destroying the Baltic Sea Fleet in port when I captured the city. I also destroyed another sub one of my DDs ran into; that makes 2 in as many turns. Landings in Vichy France continue to serve as a nice diversion to my main effort, though I will probably lose an American armour. Ah, well, you can’t win every battle. I didn’t realize German bombers were on the scene in force. Some Italian units withdraw from the coast, and transports move in to take advantage. I don’t want to give Frank any breathing room here. It’s all about keeping up the pressure on multiple fronts, forcing mistakes and overwhelming the Axis defenses. Here are the promised screenshots:

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 5:33 pm

July 2, 1943

Not much combat this turn, as Axis forces retreated and were largely out of range. Oddessa and Nantes were nearly captured, and Riga fell to the Russians. I lost the American armour and the British corps by Rouen, but I mauled a couple Italian corps in southern France and occupied Rennes, which the Germans abandoned. So far things are going according to plan. Sooner or later the Axis will have to hold their ground, and then I should have at least a couple turns of good weather to attack them.

supermax · Post by **supermax** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 6:25 pm

Wow Joe looks like this game wont last long...

Look at those russian troops!

Damned you will roll right over him !

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 10:19 pm

supermax wrote:Wow Joe looks like this game wont last long...

Look at those russian troops!

Damned you will roll right over him !

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I fear the rolling may have to wait until 1944. If Frank keeps retreating, he will reach the Ostwall before I can catch him and I won't be able to do too much until spring. But that's ok; I think the only quesiton left to decide is what level of victory I can achieve.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Sun May 02, 2010 2:04 pm

July 22, 1943

Advancing on all fronts, though only a handful of units are destroyed. The Germans have concentrated their tanks in Poland, and the Russians to the same. We will beat them through sheer force of numbers if we have to! The Russians have some nice bomber and tank upgrades ready, but I will wait until bad weather to implement them. Gotta fight while I can. Soviet forces push into Romania and the country will surrender soon without reinforcement.

The western Allies are now firmly established in Vichy France with the capture of Tolouse, and the British continue to push toward Paris. Here is how I've been spending my excess production, and how I will continue to spend it for the remainder of the war:
Russia - tactical bombers
USA - tanks
UK - tactical bombers, mechs

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Thu May 06, 2010 3:30 pm

August 11, 1943

Well, the Germans certainly have a lot of fight left in them. They destroyed my two mechs that crossed the river in front of Warsaw. But more than that, Luftwaffe bombers destroyed a whopping 20 tank steps! Fighter losses were heavy on both sides. So I had a decision to make this turn: do I attack with half my tank force and most of my fighters damaged? My answer was no. But I didn't have the resources to repair both tanks and fighters, so I chose to repair the fighters and upgrade the tanks. I had Tank Destroyers Lv. 4 ready to go, which is a +2 in anti-tank and a +1 in air attack. So now my tanks officially outclass the German tanks and they will perform better against those Luftwaffe bombers in the future. I also upgraded the Russian Tacs, which received a +2 survivability among other things. Some of my tanks were left damaged as a result of these moves, and Frank may send his bombers out again, but my fighters are back at full strength while his are still damaged. If the Luftwaffe is active again, he should suffer higher losses as a result. The fact that it's only 1943 made this decision easy for me; I don't have to rush things. I'm not nearly desperate enough to mount a major offensive where I don't have the advantage. The Soviets do press their offensive in Romania, which looks like it will surrender shortly.

The British advance cautiously in France and German troops fall under heavy air bombardment. Paris is undefended and should fall next turn regardless of what Frank does here. Eisenhower has take command of the American corps in London to give American bombers a much needed effectiveness boost. I also have two American tanks ready to set sail from the USA, with full destroyer escort. More American and Free French forces land in Vichy France, and continue to pound away at the Italian defenders. It will be slow going, but I think I will eventually break through the mountain line, especially once my supply situation improves with the fall of Paris.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Sun May 09, 2010 3:43 am

August 31, 1943

Romania surrenders to the USSR and Paris is captured. Allied planes continue to pound the retreating Germans in France. The British have been able to advance unhindered on the ground. Soon those bombers will fly south to aid the effort to break the stubborn Italians in the Marseilles area.

No action in Poland. My brief tank superiority has already evaporated in the face of German upgrades, and German fighters are at Dog Fight Lv. 6. Fortunately, my scientists developed Lv. 5, so Soviet fighters were upgraded. The damaged tanks were also repaired. The plan is to resume the frontal assault next turn with full air support. We are hopeful we can capture Warsaw in the first strike. In the meantime, I will continue to press my southern offensive.

gerones · Post by **gerones** » Sun May 09, 2010 12:41 pm

I think is time for maneuvering in the eastern front so you could achieve a breakthrough in the Carpathian Mountains and advance through the undefended hungarian plain. This way you could enter in Germany via Vienna with no fortress at all.

gerones · Post by **gerones** » Sun May 09, 2010 12:42 pm

I think is time for maneuvering in the eastern front so you could achieve a breakthrough in the Carpathian Mountains and advance through the undefended hungarian plain. This way you could enter in Germany via Vienna with no fortress at all.

gerones · Post by **gerones** » Sun May 09, 2010 12:51 pm

I think is time for maneuvering in the eastern front so you could achieve a breakthrough in the Carpathian Mountains and advance through the undefended hungarian plain. This way you could enter in Germany via Vienna with no fortress at all.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Sun May 09, 2010 2:51 pm

leridano wrote:I think is time for maneuvering in the eastern front so you could achieve a breakthrough in the Carpathian Mountains and advance through the undefended hungarian plain. This way you could enter in Germany via Vienna with no fortress at all.

Yep, I am currently sending troops that way. We are pushing on Bucharest. I have enough troops to do a frontal assault and flanking maneuvers.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Tue May 11, 2010 11:58 pm

September 20, 1943

The Russians resume their offensive in Poland, destroying 3 German corps and reducing the defenders of Warsaw. The Luftwaffe was active on Frank's turn bombing my tanks, and that actually helped me. Since I have a slight numerical advantage in fighters, I was able to repair my most damaged units and let my healthier units run escort missions against the damaged German planes. That meant air casualties were relatively even. It's a good thing I took the time to upgrade my fighters, or they would have been torn to pieces this turn. I have Lv. 5 dog fight, and the Germans have Lv. 5 and Lv. 6.

The Soviets continue to push rapidly through Bulgaria and Hungary, cutting off German stragglers wherever they can. Not much to report from the western Allies, except that six Tacs have been rebased from England to France. I intend to break those stubborn Italians before the bad weather hits! This also revealed the German fortress line, composed mostly of garrisons. Though I could probably punch through that if I wanted to, I think the western Allies will focus their thrust through Belgium. I have more mechs and tanks on the way to support the infantry.

joerock22 · Post by **joerock22** » Fri May 14, 2010 1:46 am

October 10, 1943

The Axis retreat again, and the Russians capture Warsaw and Posen. I also destroyed a German tank that stayed on my side of the river. Hungary and Bulgaria finally came to see the error of their ways and surrendered to the USSR. The British capture Brussels, and the Allies capture Marseilles with massed naval and bomber support. Those bombers made a huge difference this turn. I push back the weak Italian garrisons in the mountains to the northeast of the main Italian position. Barring a major setback, those troops will soon be cut off and Italy will surrender. If you can't go through an enemy position, go around it.