AAR Dave Axis vs Colin Allied

[aesopo]

We should start a thread in recommending allied-axis strategies - what has worked in human vs human only as the AI is still easy to beat-predictable.

[Colin I]

Even if you don't Sealion you need to stress UK - make it burn MPP. This now has knock on effects to the Far East. I think yopu might need to act in Middle East too - at least keep UK carrier there - if it combines it with the other three it gets in the West this is a nasty strike force.

Sealion is hard - the UK can blockade ports, has a lot of Naval units relative to the scale and a small UK makes it hard to get lots of troops ashore and fighting well. On the plus side you can have multiple paratroops and combine them with TAC bombers and subs.

[Colin I]

German defenses on the Russian border are formidable but we will see come Spring. Russians harass an Italian engineer and Balkans troops whilst preparing.

Vichy drifts further to Allies.

Japanese move armour to confront the British though this does mean China will survive a while longer.

[Minty]

Hi Colin, hope you're well. I'm back on SC games after a year or two away. enjoying GC, looking forward to beating you at PBEM sometime

Anyway I cant help but feel the main axis problem here was lack of progress in Russia. they took almost no cities right? But only started in September so had almost no commie bashing time in 41. Why the late start? If TAC is major investment then need to make the most of the summer months.

[Colin I]

Minty - certainly would be good to play you. I'm enjoying GC too. Glad to see a few veterans back.

German problems started early. UK used diplomacy to stop Swedish ore then France killed a German armour unit. But then Germany basically ignored the UK (no subs, no Battle of Britian, no DAK) and this is where the trouble really started. UK has quite a lot of MPP from the colonies if the Axis do not stress it. It got long ranged air 2, gathered its carriers and basically blockaded Fortress Europe, sunk Norwegian ore and then invaded Norway. This screwed up a German invasion of Sweden (he aborted).

So, ultimately Germans did not have enough MPP and got his subs bottled up in the Baltic. The Axis TAC air never really got going in Russia and Italian Navy did not do much. I think late Barbarossa was just shortage of resources.

Japan is doing a lot better.

[Rannug]

Hi

After playing many multiplayer games I found that China is too easy to take out and Japan can at an early stage attack Sovjet or go for India. There is nothing China can do to prevent this only delay it. In one game China was down and out by 42 not long after the US entered the War. Once the Japanese player know the trick how to go about it China is doomed. A green Japanese player on the other hand can find the China is überstrong but once you know how to use air and handle the supply and the tricky movement situation there is only one way for China to go and that's down.

[Colin I]

China is destroyed by using bombers to sap MPP? That was how it was done in PTO.

Agreed China cannot stand up to Japan but thats how it should be.

[Rannug]

I have no problem with China doing down if Japan puts presure but right now it's too easy and can happen very early in the game. This I think is bad for play balance.

Japan needs to invest early in bombers and tac bombers and put a chit or two in AT. Geting IW L-2 helps but the airfroce is the key to an early defeat of China.

[Colin I]

Weather poor in Europe. Russians nail a Tiger unit (with a little bomber support from the UK units in Sweden) and blitzes through the gap with a corps only to find Germany packed with excellent air and armour. Not quite sure why he retreated so far given all this gear but the thaw will see quite some battles.

UK take the opportunity to sink the German carrier in port.

In the Far East UK looking for leverage but that L4 Japanese armour is tough. Japanese carrier nails a UK cruiser.

US DOWs Germany (it was only at war with Japan previously).

[Colin I]

Bad weather slows the action but this year should be decisive.

the Japanese still are holding the Allies in SE Asia and slowly crushing the Chinese but US has yet to intervene.

Germans defend their homeland - great armour, fighters and TAC but the Russians are there in strength.

British European Carrier group plus air from Sweden destroy a German corps in Denmark and damage Baltic defenses at Copenhagen harbour.

Quiet turn. Broadly standoff to Japanese advantage in Far East but Germany, despite a superb armed forces, rather hard pressed.

[Colin I]

Astonishingly bad weather in Europe. During a break German TAC bombers kill a partisan and damage an army. Russians infantry assault a sub pen sinking a U-boat.

In Far East Japan continues to look dangerous. Allies bomb convoy from SE Asia.

[Colin I]

Weather clears in Europe and action escalates.

German TAC and armour devastates 3 Soviet armies on Russian border. Soviets reveal jet fighters and with British bombers attack German armour - Soviet ground troops finish the Tiger and Soviet armour advances into German on a suicide mission and destroys an Italian TAC bomber. Meanwhile in the Balkans Russian air downs an obsolete minor German ally fighter and destroys some minor German ground troops. On the whole German defense is excellent but Soviet MPP must equal Germans and numbers should tell.

Meanwhile British use ground and air to take Copenhagen and sink a German sub in Copenhagen harbor.

Next turn will be very bloody - German air has a wealth of targets but he can't be everywhere. I expect to lose Soviet ground troops and some navy but its worth it to apply pressure all around Germany.

In the East Japan continues to grind British and Chinese positions. But where are the Americans?

Spain swings to Axis - nice diplomatic move on his part given he could guess Allied diplomats mostly in Vichy. But also an MPP drain.

[Colin I]

Europe: Total Mayhem

German TAC and armour destroy Russian armies and armour. Russians hit back taking out armour in retaliation and knocking Rumania out of the war. British swing using land based air plus carriers to attack his remaining subs and another armoured unit. Germans are fighting very well and Russians taking historical levels of casualties but they just keep coming.

Vichy keeps edging towards the Allies.

SE Asia and China: Pretty much as before - no major changes this turn.

[david12345]

This is a good idea (AAR's). I think there should be a forum for just AAR's.

Screen shots would really be a great addition, is that possible?

[Colin I]

Bloody fighting in Balkans and on Russian border. Rumania changes hands several times but now has good Russian presence. Allies destroy another U boat in harbor.

Japan closing in on China.

Strangely quiet - USN, IJN and Italian navy.

Spain drifts back towards allies but is still about 40% Axis.

[Colin I]

Japan continues to be effective grinding the Chinese and killing a British Indian unit in SE asia.

Russia reinforces its presence in Rumania but still faces an excellent German defense.

[Colin I]

Air war intensifies over Germany and the Swedes land in the Fatherland. Soviets build up and send their jet fighters screaming over Eastern Germany.

China is about to lose its capital to the Japanese but I reckon its not quite out of the war yet. British armour active in the jungles of SE Asia.

[Colin I]

Soviets enter Germany whilst their air power destroy German paratroopers.

British kill a Japanese special forces unit in SE Asia but Chinese are crumbling even faster.

[Colin I]

Mayhem

EAST: Japan throws its full carrier force at SE Asia causing quite some damage - downing US air and threatening Bangkok plus sinking an Allied submarine.

US indulge in a small amount of island hopping East of Borneo.

China still barely holding.

WEST: Germans kill various ground forces infiltrating the Fatherland. Russians make traditional response - more of the same whatever the cost. They kill a Tiger by air and ground and nail an HQ and army in Northern Germany. The latter two involved Russian amphibious assault from the Baltic and UK carriers. There is also action in the Balkans. Germany has HUGE airforce clustered in central Germany and great ground troops but not so numerous.

Both in WEST and EAST bad weather would suit me very well. In Germany it would make his airforce vulnerable - its running out of places to relocate. In SE Asia it would make the carrier deployment ineffective. Lets hope.....

[Colin I]

WEST: More too and fro on the German:Russian border with lots of Russian infantry casualties - mind you its almost as dangerous being a Tiger crew. Vichy joins the Allies.

SUMMARY WEST: Germany holds Italy, most of the Balkans, France and Belgium. Allies have Scandanavia (including Denmark) and (now) Vichy France. Russians own all of Russia. German navy is sunk but Italians still have their fleet. German defense is a massive air force surrounded by land units. Both sides have excellent technology. North Africa never saw any action. Basically Germany hard pressed but holding well.

EAST: As US Navy move forwards, IJN deploys back from SE Asia defensively. US Marines continue to take minor island ports. US subs start to attack convoy routes.

Now pressure is off British in SE Asia they attack and kill a Japanese paratrooper. Chinese hold firm.

SUMMARY EAST: Japan concentrated very much on China. There is a stand off in SE Asia. India and Australia are unthreatened. Japan has grabbed quite a lot of Islands. The two Navies are maneouvering for advantage but have yet to clash in a big way. As with the West both sides are strong in technology.

OVERALL: Dave has played a very controlled game - no huge advances but excellent defensive play preserving units and building technology. The MPP imbalance Allies vs Axis must be quite large but bringing this advantage to bear is another story.

[Colin I]

Europe freezes over - Italians advance on Vichy France.

Far East also quiet - Japanese continue to grind China and, given no interference, will take it in 1944. However I think Allied air power may start to dispute this - its harder for Japan to concentrate its own air force now the carrier groups are circling and looking for advantage.

On the whole I think offense is a bit harder in GC. In particular, I think Russians would have engaged Germany in a much higher intensity conflict under the old combat model. In many ways new model is more realistic but does lead to long periods of sustained conflict which can get a bit tedious - though it really was like that.

[Colin I]

Finally some progress against fortress Germany. Europe freezes but the Southern Balkans are not too cold. So, Russians use Zhukov to direct an assault on Bulgaria which falls. Currently Soviets own this plus Rumania. Meanwhile air battle rages over the border.

Axis fend off Vichy ploy with ease though - preventing reinforcement. Spain starts to drift towards the Allies.

Now the USN has drawn off the IJN and Japanese air force, the British and US start to aid the Chinese with TAC killing a Japanese special forces unit. This aid should make a big difference.

USN still lurking for an opportunity whilst US subs attack convoy lanes.

It is getting pretty exciting. 1944 will probably be decisive.

[arado234]

It sounds like the Allied indstrial might will be the Axis demise.

[Colin I]

I guess it always does at some level. The Soviets have 500 MPP to throw at the Germans but the altered combat model means lower casualties when high tech units clash. This allows German experience to last longer and reduces the MPP war of attrition. This is more realistic - in WaW once the Germans started to crumble they went to pieces very fast. In fact it took 3 years.

[Colin I]

WEST: Russians keep rolling in the Balkans. He shifts his line back a tile but this means the Corps in Budapest is not dug in. Russians hit it with heavy armour and air and Hungary is out. Russians threaten Belgrade too and keeps the air war going to drain his pilots. An Italian corps dies in Albania. He isn't losing too many units from Balkan surrenders but morale hits are nice.

Otherwise not much action. I'm expecting his TAC air to get nasty in the Spring but I'm happier now Russians are rolling better. The moral is - as historically - pick on Germans Balkan Allies....!

He will retake Marseilles next turn.

EAST: US continues to Island Hop towards Japan. SE Asia US and British bomb Japanese ground troops assaulting China. Chines really going to pieces though. US subs hit convoy lines. Japanese start to muster in their homeland.