I thought it might be fun to list the CEaW games being played with the BJR mod and provide occasional updates on their status. These status updates are not intended to be at the AAR level of detail or frequency. Also, my intention is that both opponents can post updates on the their game. I'll give it a start and we'll see what happens.
I'm currently playing five PBEM games using CEaW version 1.12 gold with the BJR Mod. Four of these five I'm playing as the Allies; however, I'll start with game #1, which is my only game going on now as the Axis.
#1. rkr1958 (Ronnie) as the Axis versus dmbgamer (Randy) as the Allies. My last turn was 6/12/1943. I still hold Tripoli, Benghazi and Tobruk; but all three are under attack. Benghazi will probably fall next turn, Tobruk may hold out two or three more turns and Tripoli will fall whenever he gets troops there to attack it. Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, mainland Italy, France and Greece are all still Allied free (i.e., they haven't landed there yet) except for the remnants of an abandoned infantry corps that tried a Dieppe type raid against Palermo. In Russia, the initiative has slipped from the Axis and is slowly drifting to the Russians. The Axis will hold on to what they've captured as long as possible then start their slow (hopefully) withdraw back to Berlin. The hope is that the Russians, and indeed the US/UK, run out of time. Here's a screen cap of the situation in Russia.
Last edited by rkr1958 on Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Game #2. Happycat (Jim) as the Axis versus rkr1958 (Ronnie) as the Allies. My last turn was 8/16/42. The Allied position in North Africa is very good. The Axis have evacuated east Libya leaving only two garrisons in Benghazi and Tobruk. Both should fall in two turns. And not to give away too much, but I suspect Jim probably already knows, Allied transports are next to the ports Casablanca, Oran and Algiers with 4 CVs and number of BBs and DDs nearby. Operation Torch will begin next turn. In Russia, the Russians just fended off a German amphibious invasion of the Caucuses with the aim to captured the Russian oil fields there. Russia committed their entire air force and a significant portion of their armor force to counter this invasion. This battle started in the spring of 1942 and lasted through mid summer with the Germans abandoning their invasion. The Axis objective in Russia has now switched away from the oil fields of the Caucuses to destroying Russian corps. Usually as the Allied player I keep the Russian air and armor units out of harms way in 1941 and 1942 in order to use them for a 1943 offensive. However; I committed these forces in strength to crush (or die trying) the invasion beachhead. This defense cost me 26 armor and 47 air steps (so far). This translates into a repair cost of 421 PPs. That's a big chunk of PPs that I could have used elsewhere!
Game #3. Stauffenberg (Borger) as the Axis versus rkr1958 (Ronnie) as the Allies. My last turn was 9/10/1941. As usually Borger move through Poland, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, France, Norway, Greece and Yugoslavia with his uncanny efficiency. All this was done by the end of 1940, which gave him plenty of time to prep for Barbarossa. One strategy that both Borger and Jim employ as the Axis now is to invade Greece in August 1940 via amphibious invasion that is supported by air and ground out of Albania. In Russia I established my double defense line; however, it looks like Borger will made contact with that line in the north before winter and cost me some corps that I didn't want to lose in 1941.
Game #4. joerock22 (Joe) as the Axis versus rkr1958 (Ronnie) as the Allies. My last turn was 2/8/1940. Joe's playing style reminds me a lot of Borger's. He has methodologically gone through Poland (2-turns), Denmark, Holland, Belgium and is rolling up my French defense. We're also playing this game to test out some tweaks to the BJR Mod to make Sea Lion a bit more difficult. These tweaks are: (1) the Cherbourg port has been moved from the hex directly north of Cherbourg to the hex southwest of it. (2) Every major European country is now required to have a leader within 3 hexes of one of it's capitals one turn after activation. The at start PPs of these countries are increased to offset the cost of this new requirement. (3) The UK is given a couple more garrisons at start and the UK motorized corps is moved from Portsmouth to a hex south of Birmingham.
This game is a restart of a previous game in which Joe showed me the fallacy and complacency of my previous Allied Sea Lion defensive strategy. He took mercy on me and we stopped the game and started this one so we could start another one to evaluate the impact of these new tweaks.
We've agreed that he is under no obligation to try Sea Lion again. However, if the opportunity presents itself then I'm sure he'll try it. Joe seems to like Sea Lion enough. However; by definitely defending against it better (which I hope I do) I will now leave my convoy lanes wide open to his u-boats and the Egypt's defense will be weaker (maybe). The thing about Sea Lion is that the Axis player doesn't have to actually do it to have an impact. He can threaten it well into the spring of 1941. To respond strongly to the threat the Allied player must put the RAF and RN in harms way. The Axis player can use that to inflict casualties on these assets and, in effect, on the UK economy. If the Allied player doesn't respond then Sea Lion. This surely is a lonely time for England!
After the fall of Holland Joe moved the German DD fleet to Rotterdam, which is a red flag that he's position for Sea Lion. The French fleet (both BB) are patrolling the English Channel and North Sea this game as opposed to being off escorting convoys and chasing German u-boats. Also, they're ensuring that channel choke points remain free of German u-boats (at least as long as France remains in the war). A side benefit of of all this is that they've been shelling any quality German unit that ends it's turn on the coast. So far, they've knocked 2-steps off a German armor corps and 2-steps off a German motorized corps. That's 15 PPs of additional repair cost for the Germans. At sea they would have had to knocked 4-steps off of the German u-boats to have inflicted the same PP lost. It would be very unlikely that the French navy could inflict 4-steps on loss on German u-boats against a player of Joe's experience.
Here's a rollup of the German losses so far. By the way you can see by his attack timeline how efficient Joe is at taking out the low countries and going after France.
Last edited by rkr1958 on Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:01 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Game #5. ftgcritt2 (Frank) as the Axis versus rkr1958 (Ronnie) as the Allies. Frank is new to CEaW and the BJR mod. He's still learning about the game and about strategy and tactics. My last turn was 8/1/1941 and the Russians and Germans have been at war since 4/23/1941. France held until 9/5/1940 and the Axis lost two of their u-boat fleets in early 1940 so Frank decide to have fun a launch a early Barbarossa. The Russians ran to their usually 1941 double defense line but with a Barbarossa this early there was no way to avoid contact before winter. The Russians have lost a tank corps and one of their infantry corps (so far) but have cost the Germans four tank corps and 1 infantry corps. Also a Russian infantry corps was able to get through and attack a Luftwaffe fighter base. All this action is happening in the south west of Rostov.
It might be fun, indeed. Here's an update on my games:
Joe (Axis) vs. Randy (dmbgamer)
June 27, 1940
France fell in April, and since then it has been an air and naval battle over and in the English Channel. I lost a sub, but no less than 4 RN fleets have been heavily damaged. I may have sunk one too; I can’t remember. Also, this past turn I sunk his sub. I only loaded 3 units onto transports, and I’m debating abandoning Sealion altogether. Randy has 8 garrisons lined up along the southern English coastline, making it extremely difficult to find a landing spot. With only 2 air attacks per hex, I can’t just bomb a unit into oblivion in one turn. Even if I don’t launch Sealion, I am very happy with the damage I have caused to the RN. Perhaps it is time to resume my convoy hunting…
Joe (Axis) vs. Ronnie (rkr1958)
February 28, 1940
I continued to wear down the French this turn, even as a large part of my army had to stop for repairs. The French Army is depleted to a tank, a motorized corps, and a handful of garrisons. My air and armour casualties are pretty heavy, though I haven’t lost any units yet. Ronnie is doing a good job making things difficult and costly for me. I’m targeting May 1940 for the fall of Paris, sooner if the next couple turns go really well.
Joe (Axis) vs. Jim (Happycat)
June 2, 1941
Sealion was recently completed with the capture of Belfast. Norway, Yugoslavia, and Greece have also fallen to the Axis, and my focus is firmly on preparing for Barbarossa. After a skirmish in Egypt at that 2-hex chokepoint resulted in the loss of a British corps and heavy damage to an Italian one, I pulled back for a few turns. This turn, I attacked again, using air power and the Afrika Korps to eliminate another British corps. I did not advance into the hex, limiting Jim’s counterattack opportunities. From what I can see, he has 3 corps, 1 motorized corps, and 1 garrison facing me. His 2-3 fighters in the area are a concern, however.
Joe (Allies) vs. Borger (Stauffenberg)
December 4, 1940
This game has been relatively quiet since France fell in April, except for sub attacks and occasional combat. Borger has taken Greece and Norway, and recently commenced the strategic bombing of London. The RAF moved in position to intercept, but was overmatched by the upgraded German fighters flying escort. I moved my planes back, forced to wait until my research catches up before I can challenge him again. No action in Egypt, though Borger did send some reinforcements to Libya. The British are waiting with bated breath because they know the predicted Axis attack will come eventually.
Whoever said that CEaW doesn't have paratroopers or commandos? I think I just proved them wrong. A company of German paratroopers were dropped near an air strip on the southern island of the Outer Hebrides. This air strip was quickly captured and secured, after which a company of elite German commandos were flown in on JU 52's. These commandos along with the paratroopers secured a perimeter large enough for a number of He 111 medium bombers to to be flown in and begin operations.
Randy wrote:How did you pull off the raid on the Outer Hebrides? How is it possible? RAF fighters launched an attack against the base of the bombers but inflicted only 1 step in losses.
Ronnie wrote:Planes can "rebase" (i.e., capture) any enemy hex that's supply level 2 or less. You can take advantage of this in North Africa for moving your air and capturing territory. For example, if you advance in such a way that a group of enemy hexes are cut off from a city or port this puts these hexes "out of supply" (i.e., enemy units (if any) in them would have supply level 0). You can rebase your air to any of those hexes; thus capturing them. Note that you can't rebase on the same turn you cut of hex(es) from supply. Now back to the Outer Hebrides. All island hexes without a supply source (i.e., no city physically connected to the island) are supply level 2. This allows air to operate freely from it and whichever side can get their air to it owns it. Note that ground units can invade but since there's no port they would be stuck there for the rest of the game. That's why in our mod, we've added cities & ports to islands like Create, Sardinia, Corsica and Cyprus. These islands are important air bases and by adding cities & ports to them they can't be "invaded" by air alone. The must be taken by amphibious invasions.
rkr1958 wrote:#1. Axis (Ronnie) versus Randy (Allies).
Whoever said that CEaW doesn't have paratroopers or commandos? I think I just proved them wrong. A company of German paratroopers were dropped near an air strip on the southern island of the Outer Hebrides. This air strip was quickly captured and secured, after which a company of elite German commandos were flown in on JU 52's. These commandos along with the paratroopers secured a perimeter large enough for a number of He 111 medium bombers to to be flown in and begin operations.
How in the world can this happen? Please some of us would like to know...
rkr1958 wrote:#1. Axis (Ronnie) versus Randy (Allies).
Whoever said that CEaW doesn't have paratroopers or commandos? I think I just proved them wrong. A company of German paratroopers were dropped near an air strip on the southern island of the Outer Hebrides. This air strip was quickly captured and secured, after which a company of elite German commandos were flown in on JU 52's. These commandos along with the paratroopers secured a perimeter large enough for a number of He 111 medium bombers to to be flown in and begin operations.
How in the world can this happen? Please some of us would like to know...
Jay
Ronnie wrote:Planes can "rebase" (i.e., capture) any enemy hex that's supply level 2 or less. You can take advantage of this in North Africa for moving your air and capturing territory. For example, if you advance in such a way that a group of enemy hexes are cut off from a city or port this puts these hexes "out of supply" (i.e., enemy units (if any) in them would have supply level 0). You can rebase your air to any of those hexes; thus capturing them. Note that you can't rebase on the same turn you cut off hex(es) from supply.
Now back to the Outer Hebrides. All island hexes without a supply source (i.e., no city physically connected to the island) are supply level 2. This allows air to operate freely from it and whichever side can get their air to it owns it. Note that ground units can invade but since there's no port they would be stuck there for the rest of the game. That's why in our mod, we've added cities & ports to islands like Create, Sardinia, Corsica and Cyprus. These islands are important air bases and by adding cities & ports to them they can't be "invaded" by air alone. The must be taken by amphibious invasions.
I hope that this will mirror Ronnie’s excellent AAR. I will start with two of the BJR games I am playing. This episode will present an overview as to where we are today, and then will follow with stories that will be brief discussions of the turns.
Game (1)
Timeline: Summer 1940
Opponent: ftgcritt2 (Frank)
My Side: Axis
Commentary: Frank has put up a fierce defense, but it seems that Paris will soon fall. When that happens – Then North Africa and the Low Countries. This is where we begin:
Turn 06/7/1940; With Paris on its last legs, Frank is contemplating the future fun in invasions and a failed Barbarossa (Ha! Never). We have our eyes on a few local prizes first! “Onward for da Furor!”
Game (2)
Timeline: Spring 1941
Opponent: jjdenver (JJ)
My Side: Axis
Commentary: Well mostly everything went by the book (I was late in France Again ), and JJ did not make it easy for me either. Now we are locked in a North African struggle, so we will see who wins. We are going to take Norway in rapid order.. Here we start;
Turn 04/23/1941; As I prepare for Barbarossa, I am trying to gather as much income as possible. We are truly stalemated in North Africa. JJ is the only opponent to try to contest me in strength there – Go figure.
rkr1958 wrote:#1. Axis (Ronnie) versus Randy (Allies).
Whoever said that CEaW doesn't have paratroopers or commandos? I think I just proved them wrong. A company of German paratroopers were dropped near an air strip on the southern island of the Outer Hebrides. This air strip was quickly captured and secured, after which a company of elite German commandos were flown in on JU 52's. These commandos along with the paratroopers secured a perimeter large enough for a number of He 111 medium bombers to to be flown in and begin operations.
How in the world can this happen? Please some of us would like to know...
Jay
Ronnie wrote:Planes can "rebase" (i.e., capture) any enemy hex that's supply level 2 or less. You can take advantage of this in North Africa for moving your air and capturing territory. For example, if you advance in such a way that a group of enemy hexes are cut off from a city or port this puts these hexes "out of supply" (i.e., enemy units (if any) in them would have supply level 0). You can rebase your air to any of those hexes; thus capturing them. Note that you can't rebase on the same turn you cut off hex(es) from supply.
Now back to the Outer Hebrides. All island hexes without a supply source (i.e., no city physically connected to the island) are supply level 2. This allows air to operate freely from it and whichever side can get their air to it owns it. Note that ground units can invade but since there's no port they would be stuck there for the rest of the game. That's why in our mod, we've added cities & ports to islands like Create, Sardinia, Corsica and Cyprus. These islands are important air bases and by adding cities & ports to them they can't be "invaded" by air alone. The must be taken by amphibious invasions.
(1) Axis (Ronnie) versus Randy (Allies). - Air as a force multiplier in CEaW. I thought I'd post this as an example of how air can be used as a force multiplier in CEaW. The Allies marched a large ground force into Libya in the fall of 1941, just after the Axis invasion of Russia. The Axis loss of North Africa this early in the game would be devastating so a decision was made to not only hold at all costs but to punish the Allies for their unwelcome and early incursion into Libya. The Axis had approximately 2 Italian infantry corps, Italian motorized corps, 2 German infantry corps, German DAK tank corps, one German fighter and two Italian fighters facing 10 to 12 UK corps (which included a tank and 3 motorized corps) backed by 2 or 3 fighters. The Axis rushed two strategic and two tactical bomber units to Crete and were not only able to hold off but inflicted significant losses on the British forces. They lost their tank corps, two fighters and two or three other infantry corps (including a motorized corps). The Axis lost a couple of Italian infantry corps and a German infantry corps. Also, during this battle the Axis reinforced with a couple more Italian infantry corps and one more German infantry corps. Both the German and Italian leaders were knocked out for a few turns but their unit and their forces did what they had to do. They were back in command when the Brits tried again in mid 1942. Again the Axis ground forces backed by air superiority drove the Brits back. However; it's now September 1943 and Tripoli will fall next turn giving the Allies total control of North Africa. Part of the challenge is to know when to stand and fight and when to fight and leave, or just leave. The Axis did the later in 1943 and they were able to get the DAK tank corps and one German infantry corps with leader out.
As the country music singer Kenny Rogers said in a song that was popular when I was in college, "You've got to know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em. Know when to get up and run away."
Game (1)
Timeline: Summer 1940
Opponent: ftgcritt2 (Frank)
My Side: Axis
Turn 06/27/1940; Closing in on gay Paris – But looks like I will blow the timeline again, but maybe not by much. North Africa looks like it’s heating up.
Game (2)
Timeline: Summer 1941
Opponent: jjdenver (JJ)
My Side: Axis
Turn 06/2/1941; Well Norway fell – Barbarossa is close – Upgrades and additional units are in order, Still stalemated in North Africa.
Game (1)
Timeline: Summer 1940
Opponent: ftgcritt2 (Frank)
My Side: Axis
Turn 07/17/1940; Whew! It’s really hot here, still the prize looms ahead.. Wait is that the Eiffel Tower?
Game (2)
Timeline: Summer 1941
Opponent: jjdenver (JJ)
My Side: Axis
Turn 06/22/1941; Just prepping for the time when the valiant Wehrmacht comes in and kicks the “Rotten Door in”. And we are still stalemated in North Africa!
Here's a summary of this cost for the five games, which I'm currently playing. I also included these data for my previous game with Joe, which we stopped to play this game and try out the new tweaks to the BJR mod.
Game (1)
Timeline: Summer 1940
Opponent: ftgcritt2 (Frank)
My Side: Axis
Turn 08/06/1940; Stubborn French. But I will prevail!
Game (2)
Timeline: Summer 1941
Opponent: jjdenver (JJ)
My Side: Axis
Turn 06/22/1941; Boring.. This waiting is tedious, but soon we will crush those Russian Dogs between our boots!
Game 6. Ronnie (Axis) vs. Gabriele (Allies). The picture below is just before the end of my turn (i.e., the Axis). The UK BB, CV and French BB hit my armor on the coast inflicting 3 or 4 steps of loss that I repaired. In response, a Luftwaffe fighter unit hit the French BB to draw out the UK fighter and the two Luftwaffe tactical bomber units hit the UK BB. The French air unit (presumably withdrawn for repairs) was reduced to 4-steps last turn in the defense of Holland (which was invaded and conquered) and prior to that took losses providing fighter support for RAF strategic bombing.
To catch you up: Poland & Denmark fell - 10/11/1939. Holland was invaded and conquered - 12/10/39. Also, two convoys have been eliminated by German u-boats.
), and JJ did not make it easy for me either. Now we are locked in a North African struggle, so we will see who wins. We are going to take Norway in rapid order.. Here we start;
