Bullwinkle

I don't know if my opinion counts, since I only play against the AI. But what I do is attack in the normal way while trying to sneak a couple of corps accross the top of the map to harass the cities and mines in the mountains. I also rely upon the Italians defeating the British in Egypt and attacking Iraq, coming up that way with 6 corps, 2 air forces and a HQ. For what it's worth.

I think retreat could be an option for highly trained units - the SS for example. But general cadres would be eliminated. Naturally the combat ratings of the unit would be seriously diminished when retreating. If there were no areas to retreat to because of friendly units, I would suggest that the unit behind it be augmented in combat factors by a point or two to reflect the addition of trained personnel from the defeated unit.

I'm looking forward to this game for one reason: hopefully we will have much better diplomacy options in single player mode which should bring in uncertainty factors as to whether or when a minor will go to war. I'd also support the idea of an unknown quality of general for each HQ you purchase. The unknown factor is what makes games interesting for me.

How effective will the AI be in single player games? It seems that this game will be more complicated than SC1 - particularly the diplomacy factor - and will therefore require a MUCH more sophisticated AI to handle it effectively. That is my main concern. BTW, nice to say hello to everyone once again!

When I play the Axis AI at +2 it sometimes attacks Denmark but always attacks Hungary and Russia. The attack on Hungary stymies the Yugoslavian revolt as well as the Rumanian & Bulgarian allegencies to Germany and at the same time limits the front line in Russia, making it easier to defend. I have not seen the Axis AI attack anyone else when at +2.

OK, here is all I have to say. Rambo - I don't care that you comment on the game's deficiencies. That's fine with me and what this forum is supposed to be about. But when you go off on one of your tangents - about how the Germans deserved to die, etc. etc. etc. And your continual crowing about how great you are (which actually indicates a bad inferiority complex), I get riled up. You claim that you live life on the edge, but in fact you're a Christian, conservative, super-patriot. That's not "on the edge" at all. It's radical right-wing garbage, the same as is spouted by fanatics around the world. "My country right or wrong", etc. As far as posting every 6 months, as you well know I play against the AI. Thus I have little to say that would help those of you who compete against each other. Therefore I post only when I have something worthwhile to say - and to protest your bull**** is worthwhile in my book. Views like your's make me sick. Keep your posts focused on the game and not national policy, religion, or your ego. Curry - I've been around here longer than you. Check out the ID nrs. I included you in my rant against "The Great Rambo" because you simply came out and said that you supported his post. I assume that means that you supported ALL of his post - even the disgusting notion that all Germans deserved to die. If that is not the case, then the fault is your's for not being more discriminative. And I am amazed that hey haven't locked this thread.

Let's leave religion out of this. I totally disagree with Christianity too. The problem is Rambo & Curry's mentality. It is sick and pathological. Neither Curry or Rambo know this but this is the truth. As I type these letters on this screen right now, at this moment, the counterparts of these two are in Iraq plotting how to kill more American soldiers. The mentality is the same. Only the nationality differs.

Rambo, you are a sick puppy.

Come to think of it, I think Sal Matera did win that huge Swiss mess. The name sounds very familiar. I'm familiar with Walter Browne's name too - because he was the postal champ if I recall. I played a lot of postal chess to - Golden Knights stuff in the 60's. That experience you had with the fellow playing the same moves over & over was unique! I'd have laughed myself silly had that happened to me. I've noticed that people who really get into chess - or computers - are very weird. Perhaps that's true if people get too involved in anything. I was still in the game when I was in the Army. I was stationed in Germany outside a tiny town. One day I noticed some old guys playing in the gasthaus so using my rusty German, I asked to play the winner. They complied. I beat him and then waited for the other guy to sit down but he did not. Instead this old guy played me again and again. I beat him each time, later to find out that he was the town champion! In fact before I left to go back to the States they arranged a tournament so that they could give me a trophy to take back with me. That was in 1970 but I still have it. I went AWOL a few times in Germany too in order to play in some tournaments over there. (I was never a model soldier) I once played the concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic! I tried to tell him that I had many of his records, but I'm not sure my German was up to that task. Upon recollection I did begin wargaming in 1959 spending 10 hours playing one game of Gettysburg (hex version) - but chess started in 1954. I was organizing tournaments in my project when I was 11. Kindred spirits? I've never doubted it from the beginning! It's too bad we're 500 miles apart.

I'd like to echo the above praise of Jersey's articles on chess. I too was a big chess buff starting at the age of 9. I competed locally and in state tournaments. The only national event I participated in was the National Junior Championship in 1963 at Penn State University. I placed 35th out of 70. I began my conversion to wargaming in 1962. Chess at a tournament level amounted to a lot of memorizing of playing lines (the letters MCO still chill my heart) and I found that true original thinking didn't begin until after the players were "out of the book", somewhere between the 8th and 18th move! Wargaming fascinated me because it enlisted the qualities of chess without the stagnant beginning. Plus the luck element made each game different. I'm rambling here. At any rate, thanks for the memories Jersey - I've been closely followed chess on the world scene since Petrosian.

In stark contrast to Rambo's drivel above, here are some sensible comments on the subject, as I have been a student of this campaign for over 40 years. Regarding the actual campaign, Hitler is often criticized for his sudden move south to create the Kursk pocket. But I don't think that that was a poor decision. There were over a half-million men in the Kursk area and any drive for Moscow would have exposed a very vulnerable southern flank for the Germans. Sure, they would have taken Moscow, but like Napoleon, it would have been a pyrrhic victory. With any semblence of coordination, Moscow would have been encircled and with the Siberians arriving, the army there could have been eliminated in a pocket reminiscent of Stalingrad. The Marcks plan is vague, but again it leaves too much in the middle. Hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops could cause havoc with supply and cause the Germans to protect their supply as much as push forward to Lenningrad and the southern push to Rostov. Overall, I believe that the Germans created the best plan - on paper - that they could create. The problem, as everybody knows, is that they didn't have the manpower to fulfill the eventual demands the long front made on the Wehrmacht. Of course there are other reasons, but all considered, the Germans carried out a damned good campaign. One last vignette, I don't know where I read this, but a foreign general was visiting the Caucasus Moutains after the war as a guest of the Soviets. Here he was shown the limit of the German advance - the climb to the top of Mount Elbrus, whereupon the general voiced his complete astonishment. The Soviet hosts interpreted this as a compliment to their army and warmly thanked him for his respect and admiration of their victory. The general then abruptly turned and said that he wasn't complimenting the Russians. He was astonished that the Wehrmacht had advanced so far and had managed to even climb to the top of Elbrus! Anyone who is a serious student of WWII and Barbarossa cannot help but be in awe of the German's tenacity and fighting skill (all comments by the ignorant Rambo put aside).

at the nonsense going on here from Rambo (who else?). Now he won't play because someone is GAY???? This guy is a real jackass. Why some of you tolerate him, I have no idea. He makes Bush look like Howard Dean. The guy is a parody of himself. If you guys really want to know where he went, every year or so he needs a new hat and has to travel to China to have one custom made - size 13 3/4. If he stays away, things will be better around here.

I may as well come out with it. I am really Rambo. I have multiple personality disorder. Tomorrow I'm going to be Joan Of Arc.

Does your ego have any limits at all? Just wondering.

Thank you for mentioning me but to set the record straight, I am English - not French and I do not live in Canada but near Buffalo, hence my Sabres loyalty. Buffalo is a hockey city. Plus I'm older than almost everyone here. The anti-Rambo part you got right.