Slitherine

supermax wrote:

shawkhan wrote:I think, supermax, that you are very lucky that PanzerGeneral is not attacking you in Russia. A few air battles and a few armor battles and you would be fresh out of oil. That. I maintain, is your Achilles' Heel, and he has been way too goodnatured, letting you get away with it for this long. Honestly, I feel the AI could have given you a better contest, at least in this regard.

And against an AI, this game would already be over... I do not agree with you Shawkhan.

Yeah, I don't agree with that either. I haven't played against the AI in a long time, but I remember kicking its ass almost every time I tried and getting bored pretty quickly. Playing against even novice human players is more challenging. PanzerGeneral has made some serious mistakes this game, but he is not incompetent. The Russians must conserve PPs at this point in the game if they hope to last until 1945, and I think that is what PanzerGeneral is trying to do. Supermax is about to get a whole lot of oil revenue, so depleting his oil wouldn't have made that much of a difference in the long run.

supermax wrote:

shawkhan wrote:I think, supermax, that you are very lucky that PanzerGeneral is not attacking you in Russia. A few air battles and a few armor battles and you would be fresh out of oil. That. I maintain, is your Achilles' Heel, and he has been way too goodnatured, letting you get away with it for this long. Honestly, I feel the AI could have given you a better contest, at least in this regard.

And against an AI, this game would already be over... I do not agree with you Shawkhan.

Yeah, that's a strange claim. First, because there have been regular air battles throughout the campaign, particularly as PG has been able to afford more of them. And also because PG has been putting everything he can into denying oil to supermax in the Middle East and the Caucasus.

Frankly, what's amazing (and frightening) that supermax has been able to do all of this against a perfectly capable human opponent. He probably would have captured Washington, Baghdad, and Moscow by now against the AI, if not Omsk.

shawkhan wrote:I think, supermax, that you are very lucky that PanzerGeneral is not attacking you in Russia. A few air battles and a few armor battles and you would be fresh out of oil. That. I maintain, is your Achilles' Heel, and he has been way too goodnatured, letting you get away with it for this long. Honestly, I feel the AI could have given you a better contest, at least in this regard.

Well I think you should take a walk in PanzerGeneral's shoes before criticizing him. It would be interesting to see how well you'd fare against Supermax.

Someone here has a problem with the English language and I don't think it is me. If you read my statement I am merely referring to the burning of Axis oil. As I said, a few more air attacks on Axis armor/air units would result in Supermax being fresh out of oil. I was not criticizing anyone's general play of the game, and no, I don't consider myself as superior at playing this game. Geez, lighten up.

Now that you mention it, I would enjoy seeing a game between say Stauffenburg or someone else of that stature against Supermax. I would bet France wouldn't fall in February of 1940 in that one.

shawkhan wrote:Someone here has a problem with the English language and I don't think it is me. If you read my statement I am merely referring to the burning of Axis oil. As I said, a few more air attacks on Axis armor/air units would result in Supermax being fresh out of oil. I was not criticizing anyone's general play of the game, and no, I don't consider myself as superior at playing this game. Geez, lighten up.

Now that you mention it, I would enjoy seeing a game between say Stauffenburg or someone else of that stature against Supermax. I would bet France wouldn't fall in February of 1940 in that one.

You said "Honestly, I feel the AI could have given you a better contest." You qualified that with "at least in this regard," but the first part of the statement has a highly critical ring to it that people react to. And the comment just had a derogatory feeling to it, calling supermax "very lucky" and comparing PanzerGeneral's play unfavorably with the AI. I think if you had toned down your original comment it would have prevented any potential misunderstanding.

Unfortunately, this comes from personal experience. I've gotten into a few battles on other forums over things I said that got taken the wrong way. You really have to watch what you say, and even more importantly, how you say it. That said, I don't think anyone is really angry at you. I, for one, was just disagreeing with you. No hard feelings.

Clark wrote:

supermax wrote:

shawkhan wrote:I think, supermax, that you are very lucky that PanzerGeneral is not attacking you in Russia. A few air battles and a few armor battles and you would be fresh out of oil. That. I maintain, is your Achilles' Heel, and he has been way too goodnatured, letting you get away with it for this long. Honestly, I feel the AI could have given you a better contest, at least in this regard.

And against an AI, this game would already be over... I do not agree with you Shawkhan.

Yeah, that's a strange claim. First, because there have been regular air battles throughout the campaign, particularly as PG has been able to afford more of them. And also because PG has been putting everything he can into denying oil to supermax in the Middle East and the Caucasus.

Frankly, what's amazing (and frightening) that supermax has been able to do all of this against a perfectly capable human opponent. He probably would have captured Washington, Baghdad, and Moscow by now against the AI, if not Omsk.

Wow Clark, thank you for the compliment! Well, i certainly did not expect this operation to be that successeful, but now that i am thinking back a little, it as always been possible to do so before the update that get the US in the war automatically when Axis lands in canada.

And besides, i think that most of my success so far with all the players i have played with is due to boldness and agressiveness. IT is very surprising how most players expect Axis and or allies to behave in a certain way. Most get surprised when you do something totally alien to their normal thinking on operating this game.

On a side note of France falling in FEB 1940, i think that ANY committed german player in this game can get this results. Ive done it against all the opponent i faced, that is the early fall of France. The simple fact that i didnt care about casuality, only the end result, tells the tale. If you are ready to pay for it, you can make it work, i garantee.

But my take on this is that while most players are very good to operate the motions early in the game (Poland thru france), most get into planning trouble once its time to get serious and invade England and/or decide the way to go. They simply are out of examples to refer to i think.

And finally we could do an AAR me and Joe, we've been playing together for over a year now i think. Currently 2 games running, and 4 completed. We'll post our next game up. So far Joe is still trying to get his first victory .

I am also looking forward to play agaisnt anyother general that might challenge me, like JJdenver and i will start a game once i update it to the latest version. This game is so much fun!

supermax wrote:
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I am also looking forward to play agaisnt anyother general that might challenge me, like JJdenver and i will start a game once i update it to the latest version. This game is so much fun!

Yes, I'd be interested in how you and JJ get on, not necessarily as an AAR tho'

The Axis forces have taken New York. What an achievement for Von Paulus forces. They have come a long way, from landing in Frederickton to Ottawa to Washington. Only 4-5 turns to go and the USA are out. Finally there wont be that damned 70pp drain per turn of air replacements!!! Incredible how much money ive invested in repairing those fragile 3 supplyed fighters!!!

So the Italians and german flags have been hauled up on the emblematic Empire State building...



Looming disaster in Russia... I am very worried about the coming winter, so i am stopping my offensive right now, to raise effectiveness, and to stop any more drain on our oil ressources.



Blaskowitz ordered the a general strategic retreat in the Middle East, without the express consent of Hitler... But circomstances made it inevitable, the danger of attack from the north forcing the Germans hands. We will become passive on this front as well and await further reinforcements. I think oil is going to be a problem for a very long time still...





So, my strategic assessments at this point in the game is that while the game is probably won, i have to plan carefully in order to be successeful against the Russians. Here are my top planning priority for the 1942-1943 winter

1- Transfer new german airforce (4 FTR, 1 TAC) to Middle East
2- Produce a new airforce comprised of 2 TAC, 4 FTR
3- Not give any ground to the Russians, by resisting on the spot and forming a strategic tank reserve on nevralgic points of the front to reclaim lost hexes
4- Prepare a summer 1943 attack on Russia that will break the actual trench-warfare type of campaign we are having. I intend to do so by employing other angles of attack.
5- Of course, finish the US of A as soon as possible.
6- And finally Use the 1944 year as a do-or-die offensive that will have to at least grab Moscow, thus ensuring the total conquest of the world. If possible push to Omsk but at this point i might just run out of time.

2 more hexes taken last turn and destruction of a MOT and an INF. We are now touching Washington by 1 hexe, and next turn we will start to bomb it. In the Middle east, we continued our stratetig retreat waiting for planes to arrive on the front. In Russia, nothing moved, while Guderian took residence south of Kiev to prepare the defenses for the winter ahead.

I am going to build some kind of land strategic reserve (INF units and MOT) to plug gaps if they happen to arrive.

megalomaniac, is that a successful sealion meant the UK can't prevent axis oil grabs in the middle east. So the conquest of Canada and the USA been somewhat self defeating at this point, because otherwise you'd be sipping champagne on the middle east oil medal podium.

How would Robert Citino have described your German Way of War strategic megalomaniac blunder? lol

Your still in good pp/manpower shape. So I still have confidence in your centralized decisionmaking bureaucracy.

lol, yeah normally the middle east oil is a sure thing once the English are out.

But the plain fact that i sent my whole airforce to the USa made me do a weak barbarossa, thus enabling Pangen to send forces to the Middle East.

Have you seen how many unis the Russians have in and around Bagdad? Amazing! I wont be able to break this deadlock without major investment in planes and airpower.Like i said i will transfer the whole airforce i have on the eastern front at the moment and we will see the results.

Whatever i do from this point on, its going to be dictated by my oil gage!

Well, we destroyed another MOT last turn, while almost destroying another one (damned!!!) and making the GAr retreat. Pangen is in no condition to pull off the kind of counter-attack he did last turn. Once that MOT is destroyed, we've got him. My air force is really getting a solid beating. I dont know why, probably because of a tech/supply combo. I have never been good or lucky with research. Ive got 3 in air and still havent developped any dogfight ability beyond LVL 2, with focus in it. I dont know why there must be something about m research luck...! But thats all right i have plenty of it elsewhere

Awesome game play.

Regarding the fighters - I have just finished my first GS game where I played as Axis with focus on fighters as well. What I found was that even though the fighter techs where the first things I bought and consistantly ensured that I alwasy had the maximum tech level allowed I was still miles away from the UK/USA in fighter tech terms. By late '43 the UK had jets with fully upgraded fighters and I was way behind.

My experience was that I was also playing with Random tech on and this could have been the cause of my tech lag or it could be that the western allies get some advantage in the random factors.

My thoughts after the game (besides doing generally better) was that I would not use Random research as this allowed the allies to dominate the air in the west.

That may be the thing, ive never played with anyting else than random research.

So i must giving too much away to pure luck i guess?

supermax wrote:That may be the thing, ive never played with anyting else than random research.

So i must giving too much away to pure luck i guess?

Except for the occasional game where my axis opponent selects random research I always play with that option off. As such, I've found that it's not until some time in 1943 where the western allies get parity with axis fighters. By parity I mean that fighter combat results in equal losses (on average). I've also found that the Russians never get that kind of parity. Generally, it's only when the axis can't afford to repair and / or fly due to oil that the Russians dominate the sky. Typically, I've found that this happens in 1944.

Well, this is it, i finally cleared up all the last hexes in and around Washington. There are no more hex for Pangen to place troops. I dnt think i will be taking Washington until next spring however, i removed my whole airforce.



Middle East ... Damn Iraqis!



AND damned russia!!!!! Its going to be another long winter i have completely removed the airforce from the theater , bound for the Middle East. Its going to give me an edge there, but i will be in trouble against the Russians..

All in itself, it was a very quiet turn. Only action was on the American front, where the Italian got kicked in the ass for trying to attack Wahington, lost 4 steps in the process. Luftwaffe Amerika is still in its resting and refit position up north... It was a difficult campaign for them and they now need rest. Besides, even with the airforce's help, i do not think i will be able to take Washington before the good weather returns.

In The Middle East, we kept our holding positions. In Russia, we are preparing for severe winter sure to come very soon. Its funny how stuck i am on that front hey? I have been successeful everywhere else, but on the eastern front and Irak? It shows how important it is to have air superiority when you are on the offensive. At this point, i quite honestly do not foresee being able to destroy the Russians. They have been to left to themselves and they reinforced their armed forces with heavy units i am sure, not infantry only. this in itself will make it very difficult to force any kind of decisive breaktrough. I will try my best, however, but i think i should only see to see success in 1944.

Took 2 minutes to do the turn this time, but no screen capture, nothing interesting to show, except that Luftwaffe Afrika has finally arrived in Palestine and will land next turn.

supermax wrote:All in itself, it was a very quiet turn. Only action was on the American front, where the Italian got kicked in the ass for trying to attack Wahington, lost 4 steps in the process. Luftwaffe Amerika is still in its resting and refit position up north... It was a difficult campaign for them and they now need rest. Besides, even with the airforce's help, i do not think i will be able to take Washington before the good weather returns.

In The Middle East, we kept our holding positions. In Russia, we are preparing for severe winter sure to come very soon. Its funny how stuck i am on that front hey? I have been successeful everywhere else, but on the eastern front and Irak? It shows how important it is to have air superiority when you are on the offensive. At this point, i quite honestly do not foresee being able to destroy the Russians. They have been to left to themselves and they reinforced their armed forces with heavy units i am sure, not infantry only. this in itself will make it very difficult to force any kind of decisive breaktrough. I will try my best, however, but i think i should only see to see success in 1944.

Took 2 minutes to do the turn this time, but no screen capture, nothing interesting to show, except that Luftwaffe Afrika has finally arrived in Palestine and will land next turn.

Wow it's hard to believe it's only November 1942. You still have over 2 1/2 years left.

I thought that earlier on that you had overreached, that there was a good chance that you could be defeated due to a lack of oil and pushback on all fronts. But you shepherded your oil reserves very well, and I think there's a good chance that you will conquer Russia. Washington can't last much longer, then you'll spend a little bit of PPs repairing those forces and shipping them back to Europe. Russia will no longer get convoys, so your PP advantage will be huge. And once you gain Middle Eastern oil, you'll be able to open up bigger offensives that he simply won't be able to stop.

Oil is the key here. No matter how many PPs/armor/air one has w/o oil you are left with an infantry army.