BriantheWise

The front turns. Rambo takes Holland in 1 turn, just barely making it, And, rolls in too France. I am surprise by Scapa Flow, as the Germans make a foray up there with their fleet. I sink one ship, damage the others, but am displaced to finish the job. I anticipate they will run. In the meantime, the French issue, suddenly, is not good at all. I would really really really like to say that Rambo is cheating, but he is actually just playing clever. Darn Him. Just darn that boy. (But I have tricks in my bag)

Turn 3: Quiet. Ominously so.

Thank you I/O Error (I really wish, or think I do, I knew what that name meant). I'm there now. Dim Sum: 1) a delicate chinese pastry; 2) Brian the Wise

Poland falls (they shouldn't have, and I had hoped they would have held out). I find the Uboats, sink most, but it put me off timing. The french become worried and drink wine.

Turn #1: Rambo hits Poland, surrounding a key corp in NE Poland. It attacks a German corp, scratching it. It the SE, another corp, with nothing to do but change light bulbs, moves up and attacks a German HQ, scratching it. Poland will probably fall next turn. Denmark wonders what happened and does nothing. France organizes. Britain and France fail to find the Uboats.

My apologies to Jon Rambo. Beer will make you fresh. Too many beers will make you too fresh. I had too many beers. Sorry

Well, Mr. Rambo, I like most of your choices (by the way, aren't I kicking your er, well aren't I kicking you in a pbem game? I think Poland is going to take Berlin, but it's too soon to tell), but what about "A Bridge over the River Kwai"? I found that an immensely moving and ironic movie (Alec Guiness in one his best roles). And what about "Pearl Harbor"? Kidding. Don't shoot me. I'm kidding. Cuba Gooding, really did make me laugh (but I don't think I was supposed to).

The after action report so far is this: Germany, the Axis, are moving slowly. They have decided that it is key to take a phone call and watch while the Dutch march in and take the Rhineland. Or something like that. Smile am Rhine.

ok...it's, well, it's just my first time, you know.

Darn, he ran away, he who conquers all! but conquers nothing...nothing at all. It's ok. I knew it was just boastfulness.

Darn, he ran away, he who conquers all! but conquers nothing...nothing at all. It's ok. I knew it was just boastfulness.

I have to tell you, I don't actually know how to save this game, I'm posted out there, and assume all will work well. So, I am more than happy to post the after action reports as the Dutch crush you. Brian

You have Germany. Natural Settings. Fog of war, free french, etc. my email is bpoulsen60@hotmail.com my icq thing is 4.65.22.193. I am waiting to eat you.

I want to kick some butt. I want to hurt someone's pride. Where is there the forum that tells me that all these smart folk are ready for a whuppin. And when? How do I get a date My email is bpoulsen60@hotmail.com. and my what ever it is is 4.65.22.193 It's a dare. It's a bet. It's a challenge!

My computer and downloads have given me troubles so far, but they are now fixed. I would like to challenge someone, hopefully someone somewhat wise....Don't know where everyone gathers for this...But still....

The play should be balanced. I don't think anyone has ever actually finished the game. But I'd like to challenge you.

Hubert, I find your defense of France to be extremely eloquent and clearly thought out. Crystal, especially the relived defense. But a couple of things that I wonder about are: 1) For the french, I never bought an army. Too pricey to buy, and too pricey to fix. When the Axis air attacked my armies, it seems that they pay the same price in hits as a corps. So I tended to be a hex forward, and backfill as best I could with corp fodder. 2) Since I'm going to lose the french fleet anyways, I scurried most of them (all actually) to the Med, and attacked the Italians as soon as they joined the Axis, with a little help from the British fleet already stationed there. This eliminates the threat to Egypt and reduces the value of the conquest of Spain to the Axis. 3) Since I'm going to get into a war of attrition with the Axis anyways, I always, as the British, try to buy tech during the first five to six turns. This makes my HQ cheap (er), as well as the air replacements I am going to have to buy. Since, as the British, I choose not to contest France, I have lost no experience opportunities, since I have gained none. A) I had never really considered the value of port reduction as a means to an end. I always had kind of thought it was an expensive endeavor. Your strategy here, of reducing the ports so they can't be used, is enlightenment to me. One of the things that your setups have shown me, is that this game, seemlingly so simple on its face, such simple elegance, is much more deeply thought out, makes more sense, and is more balanced, than I had anticipated or considered. It's a great game. Thanks.

sorry about the typos

Norse, I sincerely enjoy reading your strategy tips (kind of reminds of articles in the General, from long ago - dating myself). A couple of comments if I am (and no, I have actually not played a human on line yet - still trying to make that work. Game smart, computer dim). 1) Generally, I have taken the French fleet down to the Med, along with a couple of British ships and carriers (after wiping out the silly German Uboats), and with the help of the Alexandria fleet, go to wipe out the Italian navy. There is usually enough time before the French surrender. The French fleet gets wiped out, there's a few casualties for the British, but most or all of the Italian fleet is gone. I consider this important, since if you leave a British fleet or two down in the Med, the Axis won't be able to do anything and it could later facilitate an English invasion against Irag. Would you consider this as a wise tactic against a human? 2) Other than that battle, I never use the British to help out in the early days of the war, and certainly not in France. As much as possible, while France is dying, England is investing in research. Hopefully, this will allow a few break throughs in Ind Tech and Jets that will help later in the defense of England and then again in the return to France. It sounds like you don't either. However, I do use the french to their dying breath, and don't even try to get their air force or armies moves to England. Listening to the points you made, do you think that without the french armies, England will still be too weak to stop Sea Lion? 3) I have read, almost ad nauseum, about the fact that the Axis will a) get massive tech advantage, and b)"twenty air fleets" to fight the Russians. So I am thinking along these lines. The Axis need to do three things in conjunction with the taking of France and the aftermath before the Russians come in: a)Invest in research; buy planes; c) buy ground units for the Eastern front. And at the same time, conquer minor countries and mount Sea Lion. All in about a year. Something here is going to have to suffer. Less research, less planes, not being ready for Russia or conquering less minors - presumably Norway/Sweden, Switzerland, Yugoslavia/Greece - with the overall impact of reducing the MMP's that the Axis get. Which in turn, I think, will weaken the Axis ability to have all those plances/tech advantage. (I love how this game makes you need to balance the competing needs). So, since the game, inevitably, will be decided on the Eastern front, do you think it is worthwhile to take out England, even if it means that your tech and "twenty air forces", and even ground prep, leaves you somewhat unprepared for the Russian bear? And last, do you really really think that the game is unbalance against the allies, all things considered? When I play the game as allies against Axis plus two, i can usually win. When I play the game as Axis, against Allies plus one, it's a struggle and even a stalemate. Maybe it's the AI, where the Axis can't be tricky enough and the Allies just have to be solid. Anyways, I appreciate your strategy ideas. I never really thought about moving key french units to England. Not sure if I like it (nothing to do with gamey ness (there is, in my opinion, nothing gamey in the game - Hitler, if you ask me, was pretty gamey). I look forward to your response and hopefully to someday play again you. Thanks.

I seem to have come upon the same problem. Or something similar. I have the Icq icon on the game menu, but when i click it, the game shuts down. I'm also getting a message of can't complete file, something something....

Well, gotta be honest. I'd play the Allies anytime. Assuming equal luck for both sides in the research race, or roughly so, I think the Germans have a hard time of it. Yes, the Russians get knocked back over time by the combined forces of the Axis, but that's where the Allies come in and make the second front. In the games I've played, the Axis simply do not have enough time to take both the Spain/Portugal area AND the Norway/Sweden area. So, while the Russians are getting pounded, the Allies build up their research and take one or the other of those areas, whichever is available for some added industrial base. If it's Spain/Portugal, then there's a war of attrition that will syphon off Axis momentum in the east. If it's Norway/Sweden, the Allies are still poised to do their landing in France and assist the Russians. I can't wait for TCP/IQ. Just my opinion.

Great Post... Hubert has clearly catered to the grognards with this playable game of SC. I started with Midway, then Battle of the Bulge, then PanzerBlitz, and then of course every single wargame I could find. Third Reich was my all time favorite, which may be why I am so fond of SC. Clash of Steel was my all time favorite computer game. I just like those global things.

I don't think it is gamey at all. It is an option. We go back to the let's make it totally accurate and linear type of game or the way this game is built, with many possible ahistorical opportunities. If a person doesn't like the possibility of having a significant free french force, turn off the free french option. It would be like also saying that since the French didn't really use their navy during the war, they shouldn't be allowed to in the game.... Speaking of which, one of the ahistorical things that I have truly noticed, but not seen comments on, is that the french navy gets reincarnated by the Vichy, even after the fleet has been used up, prior to surrendering. That, i think, might be a bit gamey.

It is a fun "little" game. It's also the best there is, for this forum. Gosh, many suggestions, but still, it's Huberts baby. And the invasion of England, never works. It simply will not suceed against a good player. So it goes.

This is actually to Mr Hubert: In your next upgrade/update, I think, and I barely think, that perhaps, the adobe rules could be upgraded to include the rules clarifications that you have provided through this support forum. Personally, I would truly appreciate some insite/rules, about how to play an email game. I totally messed that part up. (As an aside, Hubert, I think you pre released the game. You gave us an appetizer, and we pounded on you to finish, finish! let us! get to the next year! I won't even go into the frustration of getting into this game and seeing the fair, but horrifying note - that's the end of the demo). I have never seen a support forum such as this. Someone around here, Hubert!, has clicked on a niche that many of us were longing for.