AAR Ike99->joerock22 (Axis) vs PanzerGeneral (Allied)-End

ftgcritt2 · Post by **ftgcritt2** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 7:45 pm

Why are you still pulling out of the Balkans? Now that Joe has pulled away the Luftwaffe, you have enough overwhelming air superiority that you can easily cover the units that are still there. I would say make sure that you use every single air unit in Turkey every turn and continue to harass the Luftwaffe units that he has left there as well as his ground troops. Joe is a very smart player, and it would be foolish for him to waste men slugging his way towards Istanbul with no air cover while being constantly pummeled by the Allied air force. Don't let up the pressure anywhere, but I would strongly caution against making a landing in France until you KNOW for sure that you can adequately cover the invasion with air power.

shawkhan · Post by **shawkhan** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:04 pm

PanzerGeneral, at this stage it is just a 'head game'. There is no way you can possibly lose except by frittering away your advantages. Build up your forces safely, then move with overwhelming force. It will be like smashing a nut with a sledgehammer, and you have plenty of time left in the game to do so.

The war of nerves is the only one the Axis can possibly win. In 1942 they had a chance, now there is none.

rkr1958 · Post by **rkr1958** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:44 pm

Personally, I think you and Joe should play to a May 1945 end date; regardless of which option was selected and determine victory at that point. I think that would give Joe a fighting chance for "victory" and make these two AAR's even more interesting than they are (if that's possible).

I'm also posted this in Joe's AAR.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:39 am

18. March 1944 – The Luftwaffe has disappeared
The garrison at Brest is destroyed. I expect Joe to move in the next unit that will be sacrificed! I spot a German BB in the North Sea, my strategic bomber knocks two steps of it. Is this part of the new and dreaded Kriegsmarine?
The new infantry units are deployed in England for the upcoming invasion of France.

All Luftwaffe units in the Balkans have disappeared. Where are they headed?
Most of the allied air force in Turkey is upgraded. The rest of the air force attack at will. My units will dig in the Balkans. Their goal is to tie up as many axis units as possible, while my air force bombs them into dust.

The advance towards Moscow continues at a slow pace. The Red air force spots the weak force that will defend Moscow. Several units are not up to full strength. Is the Wehrmacht manpower pool that depleted?
Three new Russian tank armies are deployed in this theatre.

All quiet in Caucasus.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:42 am

Stauffenberg wrote:I think your main goal should be to make sure Joe burns oil every turn. So engaging his units even if you're stonewalled is not a bad thing.

In Russia you could try to re-establish a supply link from Perm to the Caucasus. This way you can start building units there again. If you build units in
Batumi you can use them to invade behind the line in Caucasus to break the deadlock. If you get Astrakhan you can get more units there to invade behind the line in eastern Caucasus.

If you keep up pressure then Joe will eventually be overwhelmed and when the oil is down to 0 and manpower likewise then you can just pick every Axis controlled city one by one.

Beware that Germany is still a threat. Ask yourself what Joe can do to disrupt your plans. WHERE can he hurt you the most. Make sure you do something to never let that happen. Then I think you will win.

The Balkan defeat is a setback, but not dangerous for you. Get back to Turkey and use the airforce to burn Axis oil. Keep Ploesti down to 0 production every turn.

Thanks for lots of helpful tips! As I see it now the goal for the allies is to tie down axis units, burn down their oil and manpower reserves. The Russian will have the task of destroying the Wehrmacht and advance into Germany.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:47 am

ftgcritt2 wrote:Why are you still pulling out of the Balkans? Now that Joe has pulled away the Luftwaffe, you have enough overwhelming air superiority that you can easily cover the units that are still there. I would say make sure that you use every single air unit in Turkey every turn and continue to harass the Luftwaffe units that he has left there as well as his ground troops. Joe is a very smart player, and it would be foolish for him to waste men slugging his way towards Istanbul with no air cover while being constantly pummeled by the Allied air force. Don't let up the pressure anywhere, but I would strongly caution against making a landing in France until you KNOW for sure that you can adequately cover the invasion with air power.

I have changed my mind (as you probably have noticed from my last battle report). I will dig in in the Balkans.
I still consider myself as "advanced" beginner when it comes to tactics, especially against an axis adversary such as Joe

So thanks for some very helpful tips.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:51 am

shawkhan wrote:PanzerGeneral, at this stage it is just a 'head game'. There is no way you can possibly lose except by frittering away your advantages. Build up your forces safely, then move with overwhelming force. It will be like smashing a nut with a sledgehammer, and you have plenty of time left in the game to do so.

The war of nerves is the only one the Axis can possibly win. In 1942 they had a chance, now there is none.

Thanks for your vote of confidence. Regarding the war of nerves I think I am going to loose

The axis opposition has become much more difficult after Joe took command. I know I have more planes, better troops, equal tech level so I should be able to win easily if playing smart. But the last couple of turns against Joe, I feel I am beginning to lose my nerve!

The keyword is patience and not do anything too rash. I wonder if I will keep my cool in the upcoming battles of 1944.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:53 am

rkr1958 wrote:Personally, I think you and Joe should play to a May 1945 end date; regardless of which option was selected and determine victory at that point. I think that would give Joe a fighting chance for "victory" and make these two AAR's even more interesting than they are (if that's possible).

I'm also posted this in Joe's AAR.

Good point Ronnie. I agree with a May 1945 end date. I have sent a mail to Joe so that we'll agree on this.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 9:44 am

Strategies for 1944
The planning for the offensives in 1944 is under way. I will share some thoughts.

The main goal: capture Berlin before May 1945. I have ruled Italy out of the question. I will spend too many units and too much time trying to knock Italy out of the war. Germany and Berlin is target number one.

West front:
When I have enough air cover in England 4-5 fighters, I will start the amphibious landing in the Bretagne area. The landing party will only consist of British infantry. They are cheap and the transport route is not very long. The US will produce the allied air force for the rest of the year. The plan is to produce one infantry corps per turn and ship it to France. Hopefully with many infantry corps I will overpower the Wehrmacht in the west and I will gain a beach head covering Bretagne and Normandy.

In the Balkans as mentioned earlier. My units will dig in and the air force will inflict casualties on the axis units positioned there. If I kill enough units or Joe starts to pull them away, I might try to capture Bucharest.

I feel that I have too much air power sitting in Turkey. Sure they can harass the units in the Balkans. But I feel they could be put to better use elsewhere. I am considering to send several fighters and tac bombers to Russia to facilitate in the massive battles that must occur there this year.

East front:
The Russians have the main task of capturing Berlin. The road to the German capital is very long. The goal for 1944 is to reach the outskirts of Warsaw! 1945 will be used to go from Warsaw and capture Berlin.

The Russians do not have enough units to advance along a broad front. Thus I will advance along a narrow corridor and “disregard” my flanks. The screen shot shows my intended route to Warsaw. All my armor and most of my first line infantry will be the force to do this attack with support from the Red air force and possibly the allied air force. My garrison units will be my cover on the long and very exposed flank. In order to get a flying start my armor will bypass Moscow. They will kill of some units. But the task of capturing Moscow is left to the infantry. The armor will attack in force and not piece meal thus the challenge will be to keep them together on this long journey. I will launch some spoiling attacks south towards Saratov and Stalingrad. The Caucaus front will remain fairly inactive and only attack if the opportunity presents itself.

The Russian offensive is scheduled in April/May. Until then I will gather the attack force and invest in more armor.

I believe the main challenge will be the Luftwaffe. Joe has a lot of tac bombers which can wreck havoc on my Russian armored attack. My hope is that with many armoured units I will be able to overwhelm his Luftwaffe.

trulster · Post by **trulster** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:19 pm

PanzerGeneral wrote:Strategies for 1944

When I have enough air cover in England 4-5 fighters, I will start the amphibious landing in the Bretagne area. The landing party will only consist of British infantry. They are cheap and the transport route is not very long.

I feel that I have too much air power sitting in Turkey. Sure they can harass the units in the Balkans. But I feel they could be put to better use elsewhere. I am considering to send several fighters and tac bombers to Russia to facilitate in the massive battles that must occur there this year

If you want to get anywhere in France, a bunch of low grade infantry just wont do. You need tanks to advance. In any case, especially given the possible change in time schedule, you gotta keep up the pressure and so something now, land some infantry and follow up with armour when built.

Spot on as regards the overcommitment of WAllied air in Turkey, the Russians need help in the air so fly em up to where they can make a real difference. Take advantage of the fact that this game has no rules stopping this tactic:p

trulster · Post by **trulster** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:11 pm

BTW vi må få spilt en gang når de kommer med den nye BJmod'en! Har aldri spilt p2p så kunne være fett å starte mot en landsmann

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:21 am

7. April 1944 – Return of the Kriegsmarine
The allies get some techs this turn.

Ike99 started production of a little gift before he left. I spot the new Kriegsmarine in the English Channel. Five BBs and two uboats! My US BB is almost sunk with only one step left.

The allied air force and navy attack in force, the results are two uboats sunk along with two BBs. This must be the end of the Kriegsmarine.

I send in my lone Russian BB along the German coast in the Baltic to see if there are any more Germans ships about. It spots nothing.

In Turkey I send two fighters and three tac bombers to the Russian front. The remaining air force in Turkey should be able to handle anything Joe comes up with. The units receives repairs and upgrades.

The Red army armor is upgraded. The infantry is repaired. Winter is still about in Russia so the advance is slow. The attack is scheduled to start the first turn in May.

All quiet in Caucasus.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:28 am

rkr1958 wrote:Personally, I think you and Joe should play to a May 1945 end date; regardless of which option was selected and determine victory at that point. I think that would give Joe a fighting chance for "victory" and make these two AAR's even more interesting than they are (if that's possible).

I'm also posted this in Joe's AAR.

I have discussed this with Joe, his reply:
"Actually, I'd rather not stop in May 1945. I played this game knowing it would be a fight to the end, and under different victory conditions I would have done several things very differently. If you want we can finish this game to the end, and then replay ending in May 1945."

Thus we fight to the end. This would mean that the allies have all the time in the world to defeat Joe. But I fear the more time I give him, it will become much harder to defeat him. I will stick to my plan and go for the über Russian offensive later this spring.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:37 am

27. April 1944 – All quiet before the Russian storm
The Russians get a tech this turn.

My strategic bomber attacks Paris, while another fighter attacks the German BB in the port of Hague. Joe has pulled back the garrisons in Brest and Cherbourg and seems prepared for an allied landing.

With the help of air and naval attacks, my armor punishes an Italian infantry corps on the Black Sea coast. All allied units in this theatre have now been upgraded.

The Red army is being deployed for the upcoming offensive in the Moscow sector. All units have been upgraded. The armor receives their last repairs. Joe has been busy building a defensive line before Moscow. I have spotted what I believe is the last German panzer korps. The allied air force has started to arrive in this sector.

The city of Kuibyshev has been surrounded. It will be liberated before the Red army continues towards Saratov and Stalingrad.

All quiet in Caucasus.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:21 pm

17. May 1944 – The Luftwaffe is spotted in the East
The allies get some techs this turn.

One of my unescorted transports (fighters) runs into a uboat! I move in a BB and kill the German BB in the port of Hague. The allied navy bombard the garrisons in Brest and Cherbourg. The infantry in England will sail across the channel next turn.

An Italian korps perish in the Balkans.

For the first time in ages there is some action on the Italian front. A partisan unit is formed in Sicily.

The Red air force spots the Luftwaffe stationed behind Moscow. This will be a tough battle. The troops are deployed along the front line. The assault begins next turn.

The Red army close in on the city of Kuibyshev.

All quiet in Caucasus. An allied fighter has moved north of Maikop. It reveals that Rostov is undefended. I will sail a unit there!

ftgcritt2 · Post by **ftgcritt2** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:10 am

I would advise against trying to pound straight through that double line around Moscow. On the first turn of attack, I would focus my energy on the clear terrain south of Moscow. That way your tanks have the full advantage of mobility, and the Germans don't get the defensive bonus of defending in forested terrain. If you pull it off, you won't even have to fight very hard for Moscow. You will blow through the weak point in his line and stretch his defenses. He will be forced to move units from the Moscow front to slow down your southern offensive, and then you can take the city with infantry. Move quickly, but don't let your tanks get too far ahead of the infantry.

supermax · Post by **supermax** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:05 pm

I see that you positionned your tanks on the south of the german forces. Thats is good. Thoe axis minor / italian force are the weakest spot in the german line, obviously!.

Remember that you have more troops than the germans, so your strategy should be to overwhelm him on both flanks while putting solid pressure in the center. He wont be able to be verywere at the same time. Make sure ou always have infantry in front of your tanks at the end of your turn so Joe cannot destroy them. If you want my opinion you should destroy as much infantry as you can, even armor is very powerful and tempting target, but without supporting infantry after a while thy would be easy to surround...

Good move on brining the alled airforce to the theatre, this is going to give you an edge that will give you victory.

Joe wil surely counter-attack, but in the end you have the high ground in the number of troops an sufficient air force, so keep attacking an he will break at some point. Once he does, it will relese the red army like flood after a big dam breaks...

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:26 pm

ftgcritt2 and supermax. You are correct My Red armor will try to outflank Joe south of Moscow. The Italian units should be a walkover for me, and allow my armor to penetrate deep behind the Wehrmacht Moscow defensive line and give me room for maneuver.

Time will tell if this is a successful strategy.

supermax · Post by **supermax** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:13 pm

Oh, but it will!

I think you correctly guessed that while Joe may be abe to amass solid defensive line in front of moscow, well he neglects the rest of Russia. He wants to defend Moscow to the bitter end? Let him do so and keep advancing your troops on other parts of the front(you sill put pressure there).

The western allies should soon be a factor, sine even if your landing fail (it probably will), well knowing how Joe plays, he will try to block it with maximum force, thus depletnig his capability to cover the whole Russian front.

If you strech him in Russia, you will see the Moscow defense fritter away to other hot sports on the front. And if he decides to make the BIG mistake of launching a counter-attack toward Perm , well let him just do that, retreat your force that are directly in front of his offensive and send your forces on both flanks...

This will block him to adance any further at one point because he will be in danger of being cut off. It rather quite simple really, since he is not even close to being able to cover the whole Russian frot from Stalingrad to the Northern reaches.

PanzerGeneral · Post by **PanzerGeneral** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:48 am

6. June 1944 – Operation Bagration has started in the East, operation Overlord has started in the West
Another Italian partisan is formed in Sicily!

The allied armies sail across the channel. Operation Overlord has started. The allied navies shell the defenders of Brest and Cherbourg.

Air attacks in the Balkans. A British corps sails from Istanbul towards Rostov in order to facilitate with the amphibious landing there.

Operation Bagration has started on the eastern front. Joe killed one of my fighters last turn, but the Red air force and allied air force attack the Luftwaffe. Luftwaffe fighters receive heavy casualties.

I send two tank armies north of Mosow. After they pass the lake they will turn south towards Rzhev. Just north of Moscow Red army infantry attack and seriously damage a German korps.

South of Moscow I send in the tank armies. The Italian defenders are smashed, and my armies cross the Don. A German korps is destroyed on the southern German defensive line.

I attack the garrison in Kuibyshev. My brave armies receive loads of casualties, but the city should fall next turn.

All quiet in the Caucasus. A Russian army is ready to land in Rostov. The partisan unit north of the Crimea receives supplies from the sea and will move towards Rostov.

With the attacks in the east and west I hope to pressure Joe, so that I will force a breakthrough on one of these fronts. I fear my Russian tank armies must embrace a panzer counterattack next turn.