rkr1958 wrote:Updated my Fall of France summary to include game 6 with Gabriele. See
viewtopic.php?p=88538#88538 for mini-AAR and explanation of why my losses were so high.
By the way note how efficient Borger and Joe (game 2 prior to restart) were. Fortunately for me Joe was less efficient in our current (restarted) game.
I think the number of Axis losses depends a lot from the British commitment to Case Yellow. If the British don't commit their fighters then the Axis will suffer fewer air losses and the French fighter can quickly be neutralized. This will mean even fewer air losses. With no air interceptions from the Allies then the Axis can use fighters to ground strike land units to lower the step losses from land attacks.
Another factor regarding Axis step losses is how the Allies use their navy to shore bombard German coastal units. If the navy is committed to protect transports to Britain / Egypt then the Axis will suffer fewer losses.
How the French will defend will also determine the Axis step losses. E. g. I tend to ground strike front line corps units and only engage in garrison attacks unsupported from the air. That minimizes land losses. The key is to reduce the number of French units so he must move to form a new front line. Killing garrisons is easy and you don't get a lot of step losses.
I've also seen the Axis waste step losses attacking the Maginot garrisons when they retreat from the fortresses. I just use my garrison to follow them without attacking. The key is to prevent them from rail moving to Paris.
I almost never initiate attacks on units with armor if I can use a corps to take the bulk of the losses. I use armor to finish off the defender and this way I usually only get 1 armor step loss per attack.
My strategy is not to capture terrain quickly. Instead I use my units to kill French units and advance only when it's safe. I use forests and river lines to protect MY units instead of forming a bridgehead too early. This works very well because it's a deterrent against French counter attacks. Garrisons behind a river is not a problem to kill if they're softened up by air attacks.
The only time I need to be aggressive is the turn after Belgium falls. I do all I can to take Lille to prevent reinforcements from appearing here. I always keep focus on the French armor and if it's within bomber range then I strike it. It's the French armor that can seriously deplete German armor.
So when you look at the German losses you also need to look at the British losses. I think that one reason I lost few steps in our game was because the British didn't commit at all in France. So the British losses were very low too. That evens out the benefit from having fewer losses as the Germans.
It's important to remember that time is not critical when you fight France. If you can take France in June then it's early enough to take all other countries before Barbarossa. So I never initiate poor odds risky attacks just to be aggressive. I make sure I attack when I see the odds are in my favour. Air units are needed if the initial odds aren't good enough.
One strategy I use is to focus my attacks where I have fighter range and the British can't cover. It means I only have to deal with the French
fighter and it will quickly be neutralized. I try to avoid moving along the coast line due to shore bombardments. As long as the killing rate is good I will eventually get the breakthrough I need to take Paris. It doesn't have to happen near the coast line. You can do it near Nancy as well.
