Slitherine

Stauffenberg wrote:To break lines like this the Allied player needs to attack units so he can get 3 units against a good defender. Otherwise they will be banging against the head. There are 2 Siegfried line hexes that can be attacked from 3 sides. Those should be the prime targets. Landing paratroops behind the line to crack the defense is also important.

I wonder why the Allied player doesn't enter the Luxembourg hex and the hex north of it.

When I'm faced with such a defense line I use my bombers to terror bomb every unit at the front line (and behind) so they lose efficiency and will retreat more easily. If they're down on efficiency they can't easily counter attack. Strategic bombers can actually do some good against such defenders. At this stage is seems most German cities are bombed down to red.

May be my opponent has chosen to attack those fortress hexes because there's no river surrounding them. Those Sigfried hexes you mentioned that can be attacked from 3 hexes do have river surrounding the fortress so this might explain that choice.

About the use of bombers when I play allies in 1944 I use to switch allied strats to tactical units. I mean, all german cities are already with no or few production so it does not make any difference to keep on bombing them. That's why I use strats in tactical bombing missions instead.

To use paratroopers to surrender a fortress is also an effective tactic.

Talking of that I wonder if it could be coded so the strats can perform strategic or tactical missions at the choice of the player. I mean that currently, when strats bomb fortress hexes, they are not able to take steps from the units inside that fortress hex. Same could be said about cities. Obviously, tactical missions of the strats would be less effective than the ones performed by tactical bombers but they still would be able to take 1 or 2 steps from units in cities or fortresses.

Turn 95. October 24, 1944

Rokossovsky and Chuikov mechs are pushing hard in Romania reaching vicinities of Bucharest in last allied turn. Zhukov and Bagramian group in Cernauti advanced and took Cluj and four hexes north, Vatutin's forces liberated emptied Lvov. In the Dnepr river, axis lost 1 german corps, battered bulgarian corps and romanian corps in Velikiye Luki. German mech guarding this city was reduced to 1 step. In Finland, Red army renewed its attacks but Kuopio still holds. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.









Taking advantage of different weather in eastern and central Europe and of the terrain, axis decided to counterattack in Hungary. This way, leading soviet guards corps in Hungary at 7 steps was destroyed and Cluj was about to be retook by axis. In the north, axis retreat reached Pskov-Minsk line whilst the mech in Velikiye Luki and the garrison in Vitebesk will make a stand there. Repaired finnish corps in Kuopio and swapping move in Bucharest. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.







France. In last allied turn a german garrison was killed in Holland and two garrisons were reduced to 3 steps one close to Antwerp and the other one in Siegfried line. All of those arrows showing allied naval moves although seem to be preparing a landing operation in Denmark or northern Germany were really aimed to interdict iron ore route that was successfully achieved this turn. Shots below with last allied turn moves:





I repaired or withdrew battered garrisons and formed a double defensive line in Holland. Since from next turn bad weather is almost guaranteed allies will have hard to break through this part of the front so they have better chances to break in any other point of Siegfried line. Shots below, at the end of axis turn.





Italy. Americans landed north of Ancona and german paratrooper divsion in Rome was reduced to 6 steps.



I repaired paratrooper unit, railed a corps to Florence and withdrew german corps covering the landings to Venice. Garrisons in Milan and Ancona also repaired. Shot below is at the end of axis turn.



No units bought.

Turn 96. November 13, 1944

Mud weather everywhere but the Med. Velikiye Luki and Tallin were finally liberated by Red army and Minsk will be soon. Vitebesk might last a little bit more in axis hands. Anyway, is in Hungary and Romania where the action is focussed now. Soviets have destroyed all romanian units but a corps unit in Bucharest. Ploesti will be captured in next turn thus affecting axis oil levels. In Hungary, a german corps was destroyed by Bagramian's armoured and an hungarian corps was reduced to 2 steps. Vatutin group made contact with Wehrmacht forces stationed along the Wisla. New soviet army push in Finland made the finnish retreat again. Finnish partisan south of nickel resource destroyed and the other one south of Joensuu (forget to mention this in last post) was reduced to 1 step (initially 3 steps). Shots below, at the start of axis turn.









Wehrmacht forces that in last turn occupied Pskov-Minsk line retreated to eastern Poland and Latvia. These units are being railed little by little so when the withdrawal ends it will be only a few the ones making all the way from USSR to Wisla river. Priority in this sector now is to succeeed in keeping alive halved mech west of Minsk. Keep in mind that currently rail cap is only 3 points so axis have to pay many PP's for rail network overuse. Still don't know what to do with german corps in Pskov: to hold there or to retreat it. About other fronts german defensive line along Wisla river is completed. You can see in the pics below that this defensive line is rather strong and I doubt the soviets go anywhere here for now. This position might be hold until may 1945 I think. Regarding Hungary, I repaired the mechs and made a last attempt to retake Cluj with no success. Soviet inf in mentioned city became a guard in last allied turn. I repaired romanian corps in Bucharest: it might resist 1 more turn but no more. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.







France. In last allied turn (fair weather) w-allies were about to breach Siegfried line when a garrison unit there was reduced to 2 steps. Furthermore, SS corps in Antwerp was again halved in strength. I foresee a massive allied landing in Denmark and northern Germany in 1945 since now choices of progressing in this scenario are tiny for the w-allies. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.





I repaired SS corps in Antwerp and moved a corps unit to the Siegfried line hex where the allies have been trying repeatedly to breach. A garrison replaced mentioned corps. As you can see in the images below, reserve corps units are available in Essen, Frankfurt and Nuremberg. I will withdraw german corps 2 hexes NW of Stuttgart and replace it by a garrison units since in that point of Siegfried line only 1 attack can be made. This will release a 4th german corps available for western front. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





Italy. A free french landing ships appeared in the Adriatic in the hope for fair weather this turn but no luck there. Rome will likely fall in the next allied turn since paratrooper division there was reduced to 3 steps. Ancona was also attacked from recently landed american mech and X british armoured corps and it was reduced to 7 steps. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.





I repaired paratrooper units to 7 steps and Ancona garrison. Corps in Venice was also repaired. Forget to mention in last post that german fighter in Venice at 2 steps was destroyed by allies so no air support at all for the germans in Italy now. In the images below you can check out the lack of german units in this scenario. I will try to garrison all italian cities and to form a defensive line in Florence or in the Po river if it is not possible there. Also, if Ancona holds several turns (I doubt it) american mech could be cut from supply with the corps in Venice when fair weather returns. Shots below are at the end foa axis turn.





Finally, a screenshot with current german PP's (now collecting 86 PP's), manpower and oil levels and with the war event window showing how the iron ore route is closed so no resources can be drawn from there currently. Oil production is now basically off-map.

Turn 97. December 3, 1944

Winter weather everywhere but the Med. Battles around Cluj continued in last allied turn and it was hungarian army that suffered badly losing 1 garrison, 1 corps and with its mech unit reduced to 1 step as a result of the soviet army attacks. Hungarians lost another unit too when soviets liberated Minsk. Vitebesk and Brest-Litovsk were attacked either with the soviets suffering high losses in this last one. Soviet forces in Romania halved the strength of romanian corps in Bucharest. No changes in Finland probably because my opponent forgot to move his units there. Shots below, at the start of axis turn.







Wehrmacht counterattacked a soviet corps in Carpathian mountains destroying it and repaired hungarian mech. This is showed in the image below at zoom level 3 in which you can see a fighter unit rebased to Brunn for being used in air support missions. I forgot to take zoom level 2 images at the end of axis turn but I tell you that withdrawal from USSR continued and repaired garrison in Vitebesk. Corps in Pskov will definitely stay there.



France. Only zoom level 3 image of last allied turn moves here. Attacks focussed in Holland with the americans taking high losses when assaulting german positions. No attacks along Sigfried line.



I repaired SS corps in Antwerp again and the rest of units attacked. Swapping movement in Siegfried line released a corps from it. Shot below, at the end of axis turn.



Italy. Rome was taken by the allies in last allied turn. Ancona was attacked and the garrison there reduced to 6 steps. Shots below, at the start of axis turn.





I repaired garrison in Ancona, brought corps in Venice to full strength and railed a battered garrison to Turin. Shot below is at the end of axis turn.

Turn 98. December 23, 1944

Finland signed an armistice with USSR in last allied turn when soviets achieved to destroy enough finnish army units as to force it. Those soviet guards units occupying Finland will go to the build queue so they will be available for the upcoming Red army campaigns. Pskov and Vitebesk were liberated by the soviets. In Carpathian front, soviets destroyed a german corps and hungarian mech and left in very bad shape a german mech. Also a german corps was reduced to 4 steps. Anyway, axis objective is accomplished (to delay the soviets units) here since attacking soviet units will have to use 1 turn for repairing if the want to move further. In Romania, corps in Bucharest was reduced to 3 steps. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.







I railed german mech at 5 steps in Vilna to Kosice. The rest of corps units in Baltic states kept on moving west and they will be reaching soon german territory (Eastern Prussia). They will be plugging the remaining empty hexes in the west bank of Wisla river. I foresee the soviets not advancing further west than this referred defensive line. In Carpathian front I used Luftwaffe tac in Prague to bomb Bagramian's armoured at 6 steps. Then, I attacked referred soviet unit with nearby mech trying to force a retreat and this way to cut supply to Zhukov's mech. Retreating did not occur and the soviet armoured was reduced to 3 steps. I did not repair romanian corps since it will be likely destroyed anyway. Check out how I railed hungarian garrison to Timisoara so soviets won't be able to rail units to this city once Romania switch sides. I retreated battered german corps at 4 steps to this city. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.







France. Tiny w-allies progress in last allied turn here (winter). Only they were more successful in Siegfried line where a german corps was reduced to 4 steps. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.





I repaired all units in western front and brought corps in Frankfurt and Sttutgart to Rhineland to counterattack if a breakthrough occurs here. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





Italy. Ancona garrison reduced to 1 step and german corps to 8 steps were main events in last allied turn here. Shots below with allied moves:





I made repairs here too but in Ancona where it makes little sense. Axis position here ended like below:



With the scarce PP's Germany gets after repairs I am buying nothing but garrisons.

Turn 99. January 12, 1945

In last allied turn, Romania became 2nd axis minor country surrendering to USSR. This way, romanian mech received at the start of present turn switch sides and will fight the axis from now on. German mech that in last turn tried against soviet armoured was destroyed and the repaired mech west of Cluj was reduced to 3 steps. Brest-Litovsk and Vilna were liberated by Red army. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.







I railed both corps in Riga. I paid rail network overuse but may be those units in that city would have not been able to make their retreat safely. These referred units were both railed to Hungary where defensive line along Tisza river is taking shape finally. The rest of corps units in Lithuania and Eastern Poland are now about to enter Eastern Prussia. Repaired to full strength mech in Kosice and retreated mech at 3 steps west of Cluj so eventually it might be survive. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.



France and Italy. SS corps in Antwerp was reduced to 6 steps as a result of w-allies attacks in last allied turn. Xp garrison south of Arhem was reduced to 8 steps. Furthermore, a german corps in Siegfried line was reduced to 6 steps and a little bit south in that defensive line a garrison was attacked either. In Italy, Ancona was finally seized by the allied and Florence was attacked with the german corps reduced to 8 steps. Shots below are of both scenarios at the start of axis turn.









I repaired all last allied turn attacked units but the corps at 6 steps in Siegfried line that was replaced by another corps unit. Also, swapping garrisons move in Sigfried line near Strasbourg. In Italy, I did not repair corps in Florence because no PP's for it. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





Finally, casualties and forces screen so far.





I bought 2 garrisons deployed in Berlin for being railed where needed.

Turn 100. February 1, 1945

6 turns remaining. This turn it was fair weather in central Europe. In last allied turn (winter) in eastern front Tartu and Kaunas were liberated. Riga is still in axis hands. In Hungary, soviets attacked and achieved to form a bridgehead in the west bank of Tisza river. Bagramian's tank corps rested for repairs as did guards corps in Cluj. Two pics view of the entire eastern front at the start of axis turn.







Taking advantage of fair weather in central, german retreating units have almost reached their destination in Wisla river. In Hungary, another german counterattack removed soviet beachhead and destroyed soviet corps. Both battered german corps and mech succeeded in crossing Tisza river for safety. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.







France. Ineffective w-allies attacks in last allied turn. SS corps in Antwerp was reduced to 7 steps and a couple of garrisons suffered minimal loss of steps. Shots below, at the start of axis turn.





I repaired all units in western front and garrisoned empty Bremen just in case. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





Italy. German corps in Florence reduced to 6 steps and bombings of Genoa and Milan. Check out how american tactical bombers have been already rebased to mainland Italy clear hexes. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.





I repaired corps in Florence and railed a mech to Venice since the w-allies will be rushing here in this turn. I was not able to garrison Genoa this turn so an airborne operation might occur here. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.

Turn 101. February 21, 1945

Weather turns to mud in central. Anyway, in last allied turn it was fair weather so soviets started trying in Wisla river. SS mech defending southwestern hex of that defensive line was killed and a bridgehead was formed. 5 hexes south of this, Bagramian's armoured entered action again killing a german corps in Carpathian front. In other things, Red army helped by romanians started to advance to central Bulgaria and in the north, Riga was liberated. Shots below are at the start ot axis turn.









Dietrich's mech led the forces to remove soviet bridgehead in the Wisla although the Red army corps unit retreated and was not destroyed but reduced to 2 steps. In Debrecen, Wehrmacht effectively retreated to Kosice whislt defensive line in Hungary along Tisza river is near completion. Railed a corps unit from Warsaw to Venice. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





France. W-allies reduced SS corps in Antwerp to 4 steps and several garrisons were attacked either but no ground gained. No signs of a landing in Denmark-northern Germany. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.





I repaired SS corps in Antwerp and the rest of garrisons in the west. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





Italy. W-allies stormed into northern Italy seizing Genoa, Milan and Florence. 82nd and 101st american paratrooper divisions participated in the seizure of Milan whilst british 1st paratrooper division took empty Genoa. Free french Lecrerc's mech moved into Venice and attacked the city but took high losses. Nice liberated by partisans. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.





Wehrmacht counterattacked in Venice killing Leclerc's mech and railing another corps unit to the city. Because of mud weather this turn w-allies won't be able to progress further into Austria. I will garrison Innsbruck when possible. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.

Turn 102. March 13, 1945

Fair weather. From now on I will comment the entire last allied turn and later I will do the same with axis turn. In last allied turn (mud weather), soviet army started to attack german positions in the Wisla reducing a corps to 5 steps and a mech to 4. Soviet units entered both Eastern Prussia and Slovakia so Volksturm activated this turn. In France, w-allies kept on trying but with no results. In Italy, british armoured advanced from Milan to Venice attacking german mech and reducing it to 3 steps. Shots below are at the start of axis turn in Poland, France and Italy.









Axis turn. Wehrmacht retreated in the east both in Poland and Hungary. Germany will be defending in Oder river instead of Wisla. In France, repairs of all units and same thing in Italy. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.

Turn 103. April 2, 1945

Zhukov entered Budapest in last allied turn so Bulgaria is now the only remaining axis minor. Warsaw, Krakow and Lodz were liberated. Konigsberg and Kosice were seized by Red army. In the west, two german garrisons in Siegfried line were reduced to 4 and 2 steps and SS corps in Antwerp was reduced to 7 steps. In Italy, german mech destroyed. Shots below are at the start of axis turn in all scenarios.









Wehrmacht withdrawal to the Oder continued. Even corps in Danzig was evacuated by sea and reached Stettin port without problems. In Hungary and Czechoslovakia, Wehrmacht retreated to Carpathian mountains although 2 battered corps will make a stand in Danube river. In the west, repairs and swapping move in Siegfried line deploying a corps unit. In Italy, I railed a garrison to Innsbruck. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.

Turn 104. April 22, 1945

In last allied turn, Red army seized emptied Danzig and attacked south of Breslau achieving to form a bridgehead in west bank of Oder river. Removed Wehrmacht reduct in Hungary. Bulgaria is still axis since bulgarian corps in Sofia held at 1 step. In France, SS corps in Antwerp reduced at 4 steps and corps in Siegfried line reduced to 1 step. Several garrisons attacked either. In Italy, w-allies seized Venice. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.









Wehrmacht made what can be its last offensive action in the game counterattacking recently formed bridgehead in the Oder. With the support of Luftwaffe assets around Leipzig, soviet paratrooper unit at 7 steps was destroyed. Repairs were made where possible both in west and east fronts and corps in Italy retreated to Innsbruck. Check out how defensive line in the Oder is almost a double defensive line. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.

Turn 105. May 12, 1945

Red army liberated Posen in last allied turn killing garrison within the fortress. In the rest of eastern front, tiny soviet progress failing to stablish a bridgehead in west bank of the Oder river. Not even Vienna could be taken because of ZOC german defensive line there. In the west, more of the same with german units depleted but no terrain gained. Only thing that changed with respct to previous turns was a massive airborne operation in Frankfurt that failed to take the city. Free french attacked Innsbruck and Trieste was seized by the allies. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.







I made repairs and swapping moves in all fronts. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.







This final positions reached meant an axis minor victory. I asked my opponent for victory and casualties screens and here you are.





Thanks to all that have followed this AAR and feel free to make comments of any kind. Of course, my opponent is now invited to read and comment this AAR.

Well done. You deserve that victory, I think that you showed superior skill to JimR's. I think that your subs helped you a lot. All these lost PPs slowed down the Allied build-up and helped you to maintain the initiative. Good defensive moves in the East, too. It was an organised withdrawal right from the start, not a rout, and you managed to save most of your units, so the Soviets were never a big threat in this game.

It's been an enjoyable AAR, I hope that you will make more in the future . Nice presentation, many details... You should post casualties screen more often, though.

Congrats to Vokt for a well deserved victory.
It was particularly impressive how he managed to keep the Allies at bay along the Siegfried line until the very end. OK, the Allied player was a bit too slow getting to the area and he didn't use Operation Market Garden to secure vital hexes behind the Siegfried line or near Antwerp. Still you need a lot of skill to hold on a big Allied force trying to get a hole in the defense line. I would
probably have tried to land some forces north of Holland late 1944 to attack the Rhine defenders in the rear, but obviously the Allies were a bit behind schedule production wise so the units weren't available before bad weather hit.

The Axis withdrew from Russia at the exact right moment and that meant the Russians never got a chance to crush a part of the defense line so the Steamroller could roll towards Berlin.

It's encouraging to see that a determined Axis defense can delay the Allied advance enough to achieve a victory once the tide turns in 1943.

Thanks to Vokt for a thorough and beautifully illustrated AAR. Reviewing it now was like a stroll down memory lane. He won a well-deserved victory. Along the way I made some significant mistakes and poor decisions, and I have learned from Vokt's comments and comments of others what some of these mistakes were. Probably the biggest was my decision to fight too far west in the USSR during the first year or two of Barbarossa. So I've learned a lot, and I'm also encouraged that the Axis can win! Congratulations to Vokt for his good moves and good strategies.

Thanks Cibvep, Stauffenberg and JimR for your comments and let me make now some of my own.

This game started by mid-september and it's easy to forget how early game was. I mean that axis blitzkrieg campaign over England PP's combined with submarine warfare weakened significantly UK so no major threat for the germans if the allies would have tried a 1942 overlord for softening the pressure over the soviets. So this may be, in my opinion, the order of events that axis should follow in most games for increasing its minor chances to win in CEAW GS:

1. Blitzkrieg over England with an intense submarine warfare
2. Not to empty NA of axis units. Remember how much costed to 8th army to defeat the italians in Libya.
3. Strong Barbarossa
4. Strong case Blue

I've been noticed (and I have commented this to my opponent in one of my emails) that the soviets have now a hard time to change the tide in the east and that's why my comments over being cautious with changing the xp-thing. Let's remember that Germany start acquiring xp from 1939 and this means that germans will have really improved units for Barbarossa. What I mean is that we should not make it much harder for the soviets in the east.

Oil is another thing to look at. I really would vote about increasing oil for axis. Remember how in 1943 I had to stop my offensive over Stalingrad because of the oil. What would have happened then? Probably, axis would have taken the city and made its way to Caucasus leaving the soviets in a very precarious situation. So if someone is asking for giving the axis more chances to win the game, let's look more to oil than to the xp-thing since this last one might imbalance the game.

I would make comments now over specific scenarios. First, Italy. I think that for making it more challenging here some things could be changed. I am referring that Germany has not almost units to garrison this territory and I wonder if it would be possible to give axis some extra units. Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano was an italian fascist army created after the surrender of Italy to the allies that had not much strength but it could be represented in the game. This way, Germany could be receiving 1 or 2 garrison units representing that army. This another little tweak that favours axis a little too. Second, Siegfried line. Allies struggle too much here so may be for making a little bit difficult for them we could change Cologne fortress hex into a normal city hex. Germans should be putting more focus in defending this point and allies will have increased chances to break here (where in real war they succeeded to breakthrough). Italy fortress hexes could be changed too so Gothic Line is also represented.

I'm not concerned about the Siegfried line. It has been in all versions since the BJR mod.

It seems to me the main reason the Allied player failed to get across the Rhine was the Antwerp hex. It never fell. I think the Allies have to move quickly once they land in France and repeat something similar to Market Garden to seize hexes there so Antwerp can be taken. Not threatening a landing north of Antwerp makes defense easier for the Axis as well.

I'm not really sure we should give the Axis more oil. Doing so means they can be really aggressive. If the Axis want a lot of oil they need to focus on the Caucasus or Iraq. If they don't then they have to do limited offensives after 1941. That is part of the balance.

I also think the Germans should really feel the Italians dropping out of the war. They have to rail units that would be needed in the east or France to Italy to fend off the Allies. I think that is rather historical and helps changing the tide.

Did you play with v3.00 or v3.01?

In v3.01 there are some changes to XP so units become stronger with XP. That would certainly help the Axis initially. Later it would even out.

The new reduced Russian rail cap rule soon after Barbarossa would also make life a little harder for the Russians during the first 8 turns.

The game is pretty balanced as is so we can only do minor changes and try them out before making other changes.

When I play the Allies I try to put effort into quickly getting through the Gustav line so I can get to northern Italy and threated to break into German from the Alps or Austria. That would weaken the Siegfried line so it could fall faster. You only need one hole in the Siegfried line to ooze through and eventually roll up the entire defense line.

JimR was quite unlucky and failed to destroy a fortress there by 1 or 2 steps several times.

With the new XP rules then tactical bombers can with high XP get 3 ground attack instead of just 2. That means you can use your best bombers against fortress targets to inflict the extra damage. The new XP rules means you get a more variety of unit strengths. That also helps the defender because they can put very strong units in critical hexes. Then you have to bypass that hex. Fortunately you don't have to take all hexes to win the war. E. g. Brest and St. Nazaire was screened by the Allies till the end of the war. There was no point storming the strongholds there.