Slitherine

Difficulty: General and Limited (Dice Chess)

After a quick discussion with Keen on playing McGuba’s Battlefield Europe mod from the Allied/Soviet side (viewtopic.php?f=147&t=47985&start=2220#p749696), I decided to give it a try as well… and I guess some people have already tried it. However, I had never really thought about it before as the mod is currently designed to be played from the Axis side only. Although, I understand McGuba is also working on a multiplayer version as well.

So given that the mod is (currently) not to be played from the Allied/Soviet side, I will also refer to this AAR as an unofficial pre-alpha test. However, I think “Battlefield Europe Allied/Soviet Corps” could still be a very interesting road to pursue!

During this test, I want to see (1) how an unscripted AI will manage offensive operations across multiple front lines, (2) how far the AI can advance and (3) how quickly the AI can be defeated as well as how soon Berlin and the critical Romanian oil field can be reached.

This is the scenario briefing…
…and the Allied victory conditions (although I don’t expect that we need to play until the last turn to better understand the above three questions)
As during my other two BE AARs, I would again be very happy to read your comments or suggestions and also please note: all subsequent photos/screenshots will usually be taken at the end of the completed Allied turn. The AI will also start turn 1 with its Axis offensive.

In addition, I may highlight any gameplay observations and/or development suggestions I may have as they could serve as possible input to a potential future Battlefield Europe Allied/Soviet Corps version.

Turn 1 – 22 June 1941
Weather: clear and dry

Overall situation:
Organizing some defenses will be the top priority during the first turns, also given several logistics and supply (chain) challenges… and not to mention the distances as well as the limited road network of the Soviet Union. Furthermore, transports (by plane, vessel, rail) will also not be available.

The strategic maps at turn 1 look as follows:
(right click and open in new tab for larger picture, same applies to all others)

Great Patriotic War:
North of Leningrad, the Northern Front is pushing into Finland, Viipuri has been captured already.
The Northwestern Front seems too weak to withstand any German advance. It is expected to be annihilated very soon, maybe it can still retreat several hundred kilometers into Russia?
The forward deployed forces of the Western Front have been resupplied recently to defend the Bialystok salient. There is the risk that they might get encircled but hopefully reinforcements will arrive soon to hold the Minsk area at least.

The Southwestern Front has been ordered to withdraw from the Lutsk area towards Kiev as they are also suffering severe supply shortages.
The forces of the Southern Front around Odessa are holding the line… however, their situation also illustrates the situation along the entire Russian front line: air supremacy is with the German Luftwaffe and its Axis partners. The Soviet forces seem almost without any planes. The very recently reestablished Stavka (Soviet High Command) will need to look into ways and options to organize some more planes…
Furthermore, many reserves are being mobilized across the country, e.g. from the Caucasus. However, the distances to the front line are very long and supply challenges are just omnipresent…

Balkans:
Chetniks took control of Belgrade, a first step to liberate Serbia!
North Africa:
In North Africa, Tobruk came under immediate Axis attack. British forces are on their way from Egypt to end the siege of Tobruk. It is planned to bypass the Halfaya Pass and to surprise the Axis forces from the south-east. In addition, the Mediterranean Fleet of the Royal Navy has been ordered to provide naval gunfire support.
Gibraltar:
Furthermore, the parts of the Mediterranean Fleet stationed around Gibraltar have also been ordered to sail east to support expected operations in the central Mediterranean Sea, e.g. protecting Malta, engaging with the Italian Regia Marina or interrupting Axis supply lines to North Africa.

Western Europe:
Axis troop concentrations have been noticed in the Dunkirk area, are they preparing for an amphibious landing?
United Kingdom:
As a precautionary measure, the British Home Fleet has been put on alert and is sailing south.

Turn 2 – 7 July 1941
Weather: clear and dry

Great Patriotic War:
Riga airfield is still under Soviet control. However, many Soviet planes have been lost already. In addition, most of the remaining ones can’t be repaired/refitted due to the lack of spare parts and supplies.
Heavy losses to the forces of the Western Front. However, the German Wehrmacht still stands in front of Vilnius but hasn’t been able to seize it yet. Also the German advance towards Minsk could be slowed down. Is this a sign of hope?
Severe fighting around Vinnitsa but the Southwestern Front was able to regroup and form a new continuous front line between Rowno and Zhitomir nonetheless. Will these days be remembered as the days that saw one of the biggest tank battles in history?

More or less stable situation west of Odessa – Pruth and Dniester Rivers seem viable natural barriers! Unfortunately though, still no reinforcements have arrived…
Balkans:
Axis troops occupied Belgrade airfield and are attacking the Chetniks within the city itself.
North Africa:
Heavy fighting also around Tobruk, especially between Tobruk and Fort Capuzzo. Luckily, the British forces have already started a relief attack into the rear of the attacking German and Italian units.

Malta:
Attack on Malta! The Italian Regia Marina is encircling Malta, shelling it with naval gunfire and trying to cut it off from naval supplies. The British Mediterranean Fleet will need to take action quickly!
Western Europe:
More Axis troops are being gathered along the continental coast, although these only seem light troops. Maybe it’s just a measure of deception?
North Atlantic:
British destroyers sank a German submarine threatening the important Allied merchant shipping routes.

Turn 3 – 22 July 1941
Weather: clear and dry

Great Patriotic War:
The Northern Front is making sure that the region of Karelia will remain in Russian hands even after the war although the Finish forces have been refitted again.
The Northwestern Front is actually doing better than initially expected while the German Army Group North has real problems to break through. Vilnius airport has been lost nonetheless…
Parts of the Western Front have retreated behind the Neman River, its commander General Dmitry Pavlov felt this to be necessary as the Stavka had already some questions about his performance and has asked him to come to Moscow…

The Southwestern Front has significantly slowed down the German advance. Its objective is to gain time to fully resupply and refit the Soviet forces east of Kiev.
Continued Axis attacks across the rivers west of Odessa… The Southern Front continues to be stable and is already preparing plans to advance into Romania. Unfortunately, the required reinforcements haven’t arrived yet…
North Africa:
Italian reinforcements have arrived west of Tobruk at Derna… although (light) tank forces might not help much in breaking the entrenched defenses around Tobruk?

Balkans:
Why have the German forces left Belgrade airfield and are hiding in the woods now?
Malta:
It seems the Italian Regia Marina is serious about Malta. However, a naval siege might not be enough, i.e. without supporting air raids… The British Mediterranean Fleet is already on its way to help clear the situation.
Western Europe:
The British Home Fleet has arrived at the Strait of Dover while half-hearted plans for Operation Sealion seem to have been postponed indefinitely?
(Please note: I guess the AI is concentrating troops at the continental coast of the English Channel due to the close proximity to the London victory hexes, as these are the closest victory hexes around, although it has no possibility to initiate an amphibious landing at this stage/without a script telling it to do so. Interesting enough, the AI is also not transferring these troops to the Ostfront or any other location as London remains the closest victory objective.)

Turn 4 – 6 August 1941
Weather: clear and dry

Great Patriotic War:
Parts of the Northern Front almost encircled Finnish troops that were attacking Petrozavodsk.
North-west of Viipuri, Soviet forces seized Lappeenranta airfield and are heading towards Helsinki.
Baltic Sea naval battle off the coasts of the islands Hiiumaa and Saaremaa: German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer and a destroyer were surprised by two patrolling Soviet submarines!

The Northwestern Front suffered severe losses and Riga has been seized by German infantry forces.
Also the Western Front lost many troops in the Battle of Bialystok–Minsk while General Dmitry Pavlov hasn’t returned from Moscow either. A new defense line is now being established around Minsk.
Even the Southwestern Front is about to cease to exist at this point. Kiev might be in sight for the German troops already?

The situation of the Southern Front west of Odessa hasn’t changed much although the Axis forces are experiencing significant losses.
North Africa:
The Siege of Tobruk has been broken, now the Axis forces will be driven back to Tripoli!
Balkans:
Italian planes are attacking the Chetniks in Belgrade and also the German forces are back at the airport.

Greece:
Greek partisans liberated Thessaloniki and its airport might become critical in transferring British planes from North Africa to the Soviet Union to support the Soviet Air Force in its fight against the Luftwaffe.
Malta:
The British Mediterranean Fleet, coming from Gibraltar, is very close already…

Turn 5 – 21 August 1941
Weather: clear and dry

Great Patriotic War:
The decision has been made in Karelia!
Soviet infantry units (the remainder of the former Northwestern Front) are defending Pskov against the quickly advancing German offensives.
The newly arrived Soviet forces around Minsk have to spread out quickly to avoid being encircled by the advancing German troops. The Germans must be overconfident again… otherwise they wouldn’t spearhead their advances with trucks instead of tanks, would they?

Should it be called a fighting withdrawal? The severely weakened Southwestern Front is still being pushed towards Kiev and the Dnieper River.
West of Odessa, a continuous war of attrition can be observed as the Axis troops are trying to cross the rivers (unsuccessfully)!

North Africa:
General Rommel has been defeated in Cyrenaica/Italian Libya! The British Operation Battleaxe will be a real success once the remaining Italian tanks between Tobruk and Derna are eliminated… then the road to Tripoli should be wide open!
Balkans/Greece:
Newly formed partisan groups in the Balkans and in Greece have been requested to move east towards Bucharest and the Romanian oilfield.

Turn 6 – 5 September 1941
Weather: clear and dry

Great Patriotic War:
The Northern Front is almost done in Finland, Helsinki and the rest of southern Finland are expected to be seized soon. All available parts of the Northern Front have already been ordered to reinforce the Northwestern Front south of Leningrad.
As expected, the Northwestern Front had to withdraw behind the Velikaya River. Soviet infantry and especially conscripts still seem very inexperienced and vulnerable.
With the newly arrived reinforcements, the situation around Minsk is stabilizing. Will it be possible to stop the German advance already in this area?