How not to play as the Axis - Massina vs Crazygunner

[massina_nz]

Hi

This will be my second full AAR, this time against crazygunner. I think it should be interesting given that he is an aggressive player.

I got bored doing Sitzkrieg and have now opted to pursue an Early blitz of France via Belguim. I had good results in another game with this strategy as it knocks France out early, which helps the German PPs in 1940 and removes the French Navy early. I just pray I don't get lots of mud in 1939/1940. What I do after Paris falls will entirely depend on hiow my opponent responds - Sealion, Spain, closing the Med, I don't have any concrete plans yet.

Turn 1



So Poland invasion begins, minus a MECH, INF, FTR, and a TAC when are all sent to the western front. We make good progress and hti the Polish air-force hard. I expect plenty of counter-attacks. I build a General lab and focus on industry.

[massina_nz]

Yep plenty of counter attacks, and Warsaw still falls on turn 2, although it took a TAC, 3 Panzer and a MECH attack to do it.






Liege is taken in a combined arms assualt. I decide to not attack Brussels and wait for next turn, the loss in effectiveness for the Brussels garrison is probably not worth the risk of an adverse result. Three INF corps railed in from Poland (and FTR flown in, after the screen cap). Von Rundstedt is there to marshall the troops.

All my german troops are not really exposed and are in forest terrain, I expecting my opponent to attack at some stage. His FTRs haven't engaged mine, they must be on sentry duty, presumably since he guessed correctly that an early blitz was on. As he would have seen the MECH appear next to the Maginot line. I made no attempt to hide this because he should have noticed less air attacks in Poland last turn and would know something is up. If he guessed this he would have out them on sentry duty so they didn't fight at a severe disadvantage after the effectiveness drop.

Given there is no Allied CAP, I bomb the French ARM with my STR and knock a step off it and reduce it's EFF to 29

I purchase an Armour and Air lab. I normally have initial focus on Strat Ops for Air to see if I can get the range increase upgrade ASAP, but there's no way I'll get it before Paris is planned to Fall, so I put the focus on dogfight.

I now wait to see if the French retreat or advance.

[massina_nz]

Well I get my answer, the French want to defend forward



I get lucky with FAIR weather (75% chance) this turn.

Rather than worry about Belgium, I'm presented with a great opportunity to hit the Frenchies hard. I get good initial combat resutls and destroy a French INF and then am able to advance my rear troops to attack the next rank of French defenders. Killing a GAR as well, and forcing an INF unit back. I train in a MECH and ARM unit from Poland and the last TAC arrives. If I get FAIR weather next turn then the Allies might feel even more pain.



I buy an INF lab. I’m leaving the Naval one to last as I will focus on subs, and that tech develops very quickly.

I also repair my remaining Panzers in Poland.

[massina_nz]

I get MUD this turn, a tougher opponent than the French



Despite this I manage to destroy a French INF in the marked hex. I don't want to advance any unit into the vacated hex as it would be suspectible to the French ARM. I'm instead happy to perpetrate a battle of attrition. I'm also guessing my opponent will move another unit into that hex.

The Anglo-French air forces also make an appearance.

[massina_nz]

Yep MUD again.



As expected a GAR advances into the vacated hex and is quickly dispatched



I get good air combat results, and destroy both Belgian GARs, and push back another French GAR.

Some of my INF corps get ready to infiltrate the Maginot line which is beginning to be vacated by the French. I'm tempted next turn to train my remaining panzer in Poland next to the Maginot line so it can join the infiltration, although surrounding ZOCs and bad weather will hinder it's mobility.

Next turn hope to get snow and take out Brussels.

My lab builds are complete and I save my 88PPs to buy my first FTR

[massina_nz]

Canadian FTR makes an appearance with lots of escorts, not realy a palatable option for me



Yep another GAR fills the void, and I destroy it.



I get Winter weather this turn, which makes a nice change from Mud

Rather than attack Brussels now I clear another hex north of the City, I think it will take about four hex-side attacks to capture it.

I begin to infiltrate the Maginot line, winter could be a real bonus here as helps with river attacks.

I purchase a FTR in which I'll need to combat the soon-to-arrive Canadian FTR, and save the remaining PPs for a TAC next turn.

[massina_nz]

Looks like the Canadian FTR is heading straight for France. I send my u-boats off patrolling for convoys.





Another GAR pops in.



Brussels in taken as expected with two air bombardments and four land attacks. Next Target is French ARM. I haven't seen any mechanised BEF units yet, so if I can kill the the French armour it will leave the Anglo-French forces with no real offensive power.

Will my opponent stay where he is or retreat? I'm hoping he will stay.

I buy a TAC. Italians invest in an Industry lab.

[massina_nz]

I get Winter in Eurpore



French retreat once Brussels falls. I'm surprised to see a gap in the line of GARs in the eastern side of France. I should be able to exploit that, especially if I get Winter or Fair weather next turn.



Looks like those brits want to protect those early convoys there’s no CV in the group and I’m not afraid of low-tech UK STRs, so I set a picket-line in the narrows between Wales and Ireland.



I kill the GAR left stranded by ZOCs, and advance INF units into the gaps left by the retreating French.

I can’t see very far in Winter so only can see the French front line, and can’t really tell where the second line is. But I'm guessing the French lines are beginning to get stretched and quality of their troops may drop shortly.

I build my second General lab

[massina_nz]

The picket line of u-boats turns out to be a bit of a flop and I suffer more casualties than I inflict.



I get MUD again, oh bother what a nuisance. This is more like splosh&slop-krieg. I limit my attacks to destoying the GAR to the east of Riems, I repair one of my TACs and place a shiny new FTR.

[massina_nz]

Well it looks like I'm inheriting karma from calling posters trolls on the Forum, as I get MUD again.

I spot that there are four UK GARs in France, well that's a lot of GARs, no wonder the RN wants those convoys getting through as the allies are spending plenty on transport costs.

I destroy the UK GAR that appeared (it's my only good odds attack) and notice the Canadian air force joining the fray. I repair one FTR back to 10 steps. Place a TAC and move the STR in range of London.

[massina_nz]

A british DD runs into one of my u-boats, I take the proffered opportunity and sink it with three 5-step u-boat attacks.

A pesky French sub attacks my BB in port and it retreats thru the Kiel canal.



Another UK GAR pops in by Reims, that makes seven UK GARs in total by my count. I've just realised the GARs are from the Middle-east and Canada? There’s at least two middle-eastern ones there, and I never looked closely at what I destroyed last turn. Hmm, that means there's less defense in the Middle east than normal - maybe even with a later than expected fall of Paris I could still close-the-Med – or he’s going to be very aggressive in the middle-east (and the UK-based CV seems to have disappeared as well, presumably to the Med) so the brits didn't see the need for them in Egypt – or maybe he was concerned about Sealion if Paris fell too early?

Bit wierd being able to move the Middle-east GARs because they are in a port, but not move any other troops in the Middle-East. Is this a feature?

One of things I need to be mindful of is ensuring I keep in contact with all the UK GARs so he can't rail them away to the far parts of France when Paris looks like falling.

At last I get FAIR weather, and it’s FAIR weather from now on! Lets go!

I start by rolling up the the eastern part of the French line, air bombarding the defending unit, attacking from a non-river-side-hex, destroying the defending unit, then advancing a unit into the vacated hex and repeating the process. I was going to raid London but had to use the STR to eliminate a defender that held out at 1-step. And I had to use a panzer korp on the Lorraine defenders to make sure they were eliminated. I don't think I've left the French ARM with any juicy targets.

My aim now to take Paris without losing any units. So will probably spend April munching on GARs, and take Paris in early June.

I build an ARM lab, set the naval focus to u-boats, and Italy builds an inf lab. Not sure if I will build INF or MECH units for the Italians. If I take out Spain I will just go for INF units and place them in Spain.

[trulster]

Also had no idea it was possible to move the Mid-East garrisons prior to Egypt activation. Probably a bug yes, but it certainly opens up more possibilities for early UK action. BTW if you plan to take Spain I think having some Italian subs (and tech) is good to exploit the Atlantic potential.

[rkr1958]

Bit wierd being able to move the Middle-east GARs because they are in a port, but not move any other troops in the Middle-East. Is this a feature?

You can always wargame it (i.e., hotseat it) to figure out what's possible.

[massina_nz]

Bit wierd being able to move the Middle-east GARs because they are in a port, but not move any other troops in the Middle-East. Is this a feature?

You can always wargame it (i.e., hotseat it) to figure out what's possible.

Yep I already did a hot-seat to see what's possible, and you can definitely load any UK troops in the Middle east that start off in a port. Looks like I'm in for a long haul in France, imagine if I hadn't gone early.

[massina_nz]

Also had no idea it was possible to move the Mid-East garrisons prior to Egypt activation. Probably a bug yes, but it certainly opens up more possibilities for early UK action. BTW if you plan to take Spain I think having some Italian subs (and tech) is good to exploit the Atlantic potential.

Hmm, given the very large presence of UK troops in France, I don't think I can take Paris anytime soon, so I think Spain is now off the cards. My mind is fulminating on a different plan now, based on the UK dispositions in France.

[massina_nz]

GAR suicide attacks begin, with minor results.



Looks like the French FTR has been refitted, very expensive thing for the French to do. But now have to be careful of how I plan my attacks as he has 3 operational FTRs and I need to repair one of mine. This disposition makes it hard for the Germans to keep attacking as you can’t replace step losses when you attack with a FTR unit, and due to attrition they will gradually diminish over time. But at least the quality of the Anglo-French FTRs is one below mine, so he must be repairing at below 75% manpower level.

So I persist with attacks in Northern-eastern France. And I vanquish four more GARs, one of them British.



I also spot that there are two UK MECHs in France, it’s gonna take some time to take Paris now. At least there will be less UK troops in the Med threatre. So in some ways this is good news as it will be easier to destroy the MECHs here in France. I will need to be careful with my Panzers with all those MECHs around and not leave them in the front lines. Although I do leave a MECH in clear terrain, to protect the panzers behind it.

Next Turn I’ll probably be only able to attack two hexes with air support as I’m getting out of range of my FTRs.

My two-step sub goes back for repairs, the long way home around Scotland, they other two u-boats now hang out by Spain to intercept the southern convoy, there’s no point sending them all back for repairs. After the sub movement I spot another UK transport, looks like the Candian INF that was heading for the Med is now heading to France instead.

Not a time to panic with all these UK untis in France, only the Two Canadian GARs are annoying because I can't really exploit the cities they have vacated. I wonder how many GARs he will have or will place in the Western seaboard French ports?

[massina_nz]

Well the Mech stationed in the clear hex east of Riems doesn't survive as the Biritsh counter-attack with their two MECH units.

I've been holding back my panzers for just this eventuality. I destroy the two UK MECHs and heavily damage the French ARM. I think my lead ARM should be safe as his French ARM is only at 5 steps and low effectiveness (49) and his sole remaining offensive unit, the UK INF, can't possibly destroy it with one attack when it is still in range of my FTRs. My FTRs take some casualties in this turn, but my TACs remain rather unscathed. I repair a FTR back to 7 steps. But if he attacks again and doesn’t move his FTRs they could be in danger next turn. I also notice an English CV in Antwerp. next turn I could take Antwerp and that would net a CV as well, well worth the diversion if it presents itself.



I intercept a transport during it's move. I decide to attack it rather than lay-in-wait, as it could go anywhere and out-run my u-boats.

[massina_nz]

Seems the allies lose their nerve and retreat, I must keep contact with the british GARs to stop them railing away.



I manage to kill 3 GARs and keep contact with all the UK GARs and keep my panzers in the second line out of harm's way.

The damaged INF transport makes it's escape to Brest. I wouldn't be surprised to find all the French ports garrisoned when Paris falls.

Italy joins the War

[massina_nz]

French FTR is being used to defend continous river live, but the GARs should be easy to push away.




I manage to penetrate the river line and reduce his ARM and the INF so they shouldn't be able to effectively counter attack. I still have all the UK units in contact so they can’t train out.

I place my fourth FTR



The Malta FTR heads for Egypt already.

I buy another TAC and Italians build a naval lab

[massina_nz]

I lose the 5-step INF corp to a French counter-attack.

I get sub tech 1 – this is well-timed as my 2-step u-boat is in port for repairs.



Paris thankfully falls after two TAC attacks, 2 ARM and an INF attack. Better than I was expecting but gratefully accepted. This should isolate all the UK troops in France except for the garrison in Lille (and any others in ports). It will still take some time to mop-up in France.

So what other UK units remain in France? Has he re-based his STR and FTRs to French ports? I'll find out next turn.

BTW My opponent is asking me to do Sealion

“Please the door is open, i have never had someone try Sealion on me before.”

Well I've never done it before. But other than the fact I have different plans altogether, the real constraining factor for attempting Sealion is that my u-boats are very weak, I don't think I could defend the transports if the RN came in to interdict

I bomb London inflict 3 damage for a 1 step loss; I notice the Edinburgh GAR is in London.



At the end of the turn I do spot a GAR in Bordeaux. I move my u-boats back towards French ports and spot a GAR off Brest, can’t tell if it’s leaving or coming and what happened to the damaged Canadian INF that went to Brest

I start moving some forces towards Holland and fully repair all my FTRs.



There's early aggression in the Med – okay my mind is made up here, the Med is the way to go for me this game. I know what to do when the RN get active early in the Med, and this could play right into my plans– I train a TAC and FTR to Naples and send the Italian airforce to Libya.

I suspect he will be aggressive in Libya as soon as he can, which means I must divert my forces to counter it. It’s not that I’m reacting to him, it’s just that it makes my Middle-east plan easier.

I’m guessing the two UK subs are in the empty hexes around the CV, I will tease them out later.