Liam

This was an argument by many before Night However, you do know that you're wrong about Generals. Rommel the man himself was strafed by RAF planes in France! How much closer to death do you want than that? HQs are abstract Supply bearing machines, not real men. They are meant to show by MPP level and Experience level the leadership in general... Destroying them by air is a bit gay... Difficult if you know where to place them. If you want to increase this effect, raise the support range possibly? Or lower the air attack of High Experience Luftflottes, that get 4 or 5 bars by 1942 or '43 and can possibly kill an air unit.

Interesting, I recall my failed Swedish TakeDown there by the UK and mixed US Forces. I had a numerical and technology superiority in many fields. I just was ill prepared and launched prematurely due to being upset about Russian failure in Finland. It threw me off. That is an interesting erray of Axis and Allied Forces. Luftwaffe was awesome killing machine in that game. Also... Had my infamous failed Libyan reconquest. Went in half baked with and was utterly destroyed by coast protected by Royal Navy and Land protected by well entrenched British Forces. Also similary one of those games resembled my failed Barbarossa, and being kicked back, though I'm sure several players had the same event occur. Germany was very massive though the Russians were double...by 1943 and smooshed the Axis, I notice a lot of players here find themselves and confused and unaware on how to deal with Terifian Tactics Myself being one of them. He's always on "point"

Actually Terif is right, HQs are not really at high risk much anymore. You can rebuild them if they get destroyed and few can employ so much air to as to destroy an HQ. I think since SC2 has started I've lost 2 HQs in all! Back in SC1 I could lose 2 HQs per game in a long game anyway! Keep your HQs entrenched Sucks up those Airstrikes and the Tiles make it easy for you align them in a tough place to get to

My first suggestion is this, never do Sea Lion unless you just want a quick end to the game and are bored. If playing a better player and you wish to outplay him, by all means. 1st rule by my game is this, where is the Royal Navy! How many turns does it take for him to react, and how good do you feel that your opponent is scouting. Air is neccessary, softens up London and the surrounding corps. You must learn from experience or Hotseat. Hotseat is highly valuable learning tool. London and Manchester are the keys to England. Capture both and destroy everything in your Path. If the Royal Navy is present and your opponent is a good player, you're toast if he has any amount of Ground Forces in England. If he's scouted your invasion he'll let you fall into a trap and crush you like a bug. You'll get England but at the cost of too many units. And England is pretty worthless Prize alone. If the USA and USSR enter! UK moves Government to Egypt and gets an increase in Supply there, so you would need to gain both objectives... to knock out blow the British... BTW: Bomber and Air Spotting sucks now, so without good ship spotting Sea Lion is very possible, it may be possible for a underdefended England to be taken with no more than 6 units an 1 HQ... Though you'll need the Luftflottes if he's entrenched in a Capitol more than likely. The FSJ is great for an empty target. Like Manchester! Also a tip! Amphibious units in Port do not recieve punishment accept from fighters-subs-carriers, Air spots good on Land! so 1 good english fighter scouting brest has given away what you're doing long before you do it! especially if he targets it and removes the fog of war. I'm not an expert at this but beware, Hotseat exactly what you think is the most Cloaked approach. Becareful! If you want to conceal an invasion the most direct route isn't always the best. As far as the Kriegsmarine, without tech it's best used as Recon itself to protect you invasion Flotilla.. Good luck and the real art of SC2 is the Invasion and Conquest of Russia. England is something a 2 year old can accomplish.

Norway is worth MPPs to deprave the Germans and give the Convoys and possible strategic route to the Allies. The Region is easy for the Allies to defend for a bit. Eventually the Axis get it, but they will have to capture Sweden first, costing lots of Readiness. Worse, they must relocate the Luftwaffe there and relocate it back that or quite a few Armies & Tanks. All this is expensive with HQ support. Considering the Axis only need to take Scandanavia now for one thing alone, strategic position! Otherwise, There are more juicy Targets, i.e. MiddleEast Strategy, outright Sea Lion or Hyper Powerful Barbarossa... Any one of these is a bigger payday... By the time you do all the MPP expense of Taking Norway, you could buy Manny and an Army or 2... Worth it? Doubtful... As far as the Land Focus of the game and focusing Firepower, it is a definite improvement in SC2. However, refining exactly how to do this, takes quite a few games. I still haven't succesfully been able to focus my FirePower completely to Maximum. You do this, with Supply and Support from Ships and Air to Crush the Enemy or take a very important tactical-strategic position. In the end Winning both in MPPs and more units and Kill Ratio. The Allies even though 2xs richer than the Axis cannot afford to repair ships, and replace dozens of units. If you know what you're doing as Axis it is possible to win with a lot less... I haven't yet been able to achieve this. And SC2 doesn't show much for defense, a little more with the enhancements to Entrenchments on Forts-Fortifications. Really would improve if AntiAir worked against Fighters, would change the dynamics a bit. At the rate the game is going, 4 or 5 fighters, 5-10 corps, 3 or 4 armies ro tanks can steamroll a front.

Algeria and Norway are freebies, yep! Abusive, I think all Free French should surrender if the UK takes Algeria! As it was a Vichy mandate... That means there would be a Percentage chance that if you keep say 2 or 1 Free French Vessels, cost outweighs the benefit. In Norway, simple, make it icey sooner! So neither side finds it attractive... What would really help too if Germany had a supply center in Sweden as in SC1 to make conquoring the Region worth it. Otherwise I do not bother with Scandanavia anymore unless it's virtually free. You can conquor Norway for less than 100 MPPs, after about 100 turns, I think for the UK You're repayed and abandoning is worthwhile. Germany gains nothing more for liberating but denying the UK a few MPPs. Egypt is indefensible, it's only a staging point. The safe 3 Luftflottes will destroy anything the UK can muster in 1940 and early '41 Algeria is the only dangerous zone why? Because the Royal Navy can protect the Invasion force and support it... If The Brits commit to it, a Sea Lion should be considered, 2 paras, and perhaps a lot more Fighters. If possible, if you could, wipe out what few defending units the UK has and conquor it before the UK can react, this is however tricky as she can revert her resources back... Head to head games are difficult, AI games are easy I can beat the AI on crack cocaine, crank, Acid and with half an eyeball.

Diplomatic pressure forced Franco to reconsider his position, Germany convinced Spain by giving her Sardinia also by stationing the entire Luftwaffe and 1 million men on the border with France

Strange guys, worked me about 10-15 players so far as I've seen. You have to install the program Hamachi, have the other player install it as well. Create a Network, have him join your network. Then you join with the IP that Hamachi provides through that Network. If you do not understand perhaps I can give you a demonstration, give me your IP and I'll see what I can do the next time you're on-line. I have never had an issue so far... Remeber both have to be logged in, it's much like filesharing program but directly between you and those you choose

It's not that you cannot block Norway, but the Germans are grossly outnumbered and have bad scouting due to air. I suppose the Entire Kriegsmarine might be able to defend that position but I usually do not expend it for such a small prize. Think of 3 carriers, striking with 3 or 4 Capitols, and 2 French ships. VS at maximum 2 subs and 2 cruisers. Ultimately it's over for the Axis defenders. The Cruisers will get pounded and the Brits will transfer more assets to finish the job if neccessary and probably still capture their objective. Norway and Sweden are not worth the Readiness, Denmark either, but the Danish port does block entry into the Baltic! The Rock is easily taken with IW2, striking together, with 2 or 3 Spanish units. Does away with Gibraltar pretty quickly! A determined Axis will get Gibraltar unless Allies have Morocco and better air.

I've no clue to the extent of the Romanian fortifications, nor as to their use in WW2. You would know it's your nation. I do know that Romanian is the stomping ground for the past 600 years of nations like Russia, Ottoman Empire, Austro-Hungary-and endless power struggles in the Balkan Region. I do know the Carpathians by wargames, reputation, novels, maps. They look passable, better to go around then to station troops in! Sort of like the Alps... Isn't this the same terrain that Napoleon had is famous duel with Tsar Alexander and Austrian Forces which was considered one of his finest hours, Austerliz close to or quite similar to this region? Regardless few can complain as to Romanian's involvement it was out of Political neccessity. She didn't betray Russia, she was going to be eaten by Russia and Hungary if she didn't join. She was looking out for self interest I assume. USSR-Germany pact would've been split Romania, much like Poland I'm sure had the two worked together a little further down the road. Then again Hitler wanted that Oil and I do not know the extent of Nazi infiltration by Germany into this region. Bulgaria was upset about the Great War that is why she joined and Hungary was on the 1st bandwagon and too small and too close to Germany. All easily infiltrated weak Governments. As far as the Romanian people, I know some here in my City. Interesting Folk, they're doing a lot better than me financially own a used car lot, psychic reader business. Survivors in a Small Place really... Without Ploesti, it's likely Romania could've remained Neutral or at least passive like Bulgaria I assume Romanian wanted pieces of the Ukraine! Some of that territory has her Banner on it to this day? Moldavia?

Fistfull of Dollars aye? Nah nah nah, that's not quite up to par on things "Whose the Good, the Bad and the Ugly?" "Blondie you got lucky with that Axis Turkey TrumpCard, and those floatings turds, next game you will lose! I will show you whose the faster gun in the Americas!" Liam the Evil Axis Ugly Maniac: 1.2 and beyond record: 10 Wins, 3 KOs, 1 draw, *2 losses *Terifian Records exempt

Stop Me? Ha! With the French Fleet I would love it if Rambo would bite on that one... I'd of gotten that fleet with the ships I'm certian only had a chance of conversion Plus it's expensive to retake Norway, he has left Denmark-Sweden and most of the Minors aside from Benelux to avoid USA/USSR agitation & gain the Experience neccessary

I am not sure of the Actions of Romanian Troops during the switch. However I can tell you this, that oil was a staple for the Axis. There was more Axis aircraft on the ground than in the air. Production nolonger mattered in the end, they ran out of fuel. Ploesti I'm certian was the #1 provider of all oil for the German Tanks and airplanes. It wouldn't have meant 6 months, as I feel the oil would've been difficult to retrieve, it would've delayed the Russians from storming into Hungary and Berlin however. Possibly into late Summer! That depends however on how suicidal Stalin was going to get. It was agreed on who'd take Berlin it was just a matter of time. Mutual collapses on both fronts it was ended the whole thing. That and the Ardenne offensive of 44 and 45 ate up the last of the German reserves.. that and tiny fiasco in Hungary barely noticed shortly after. Some speculate what would've protracted the war, however remeber this, the USA would've had an A-Bomb in time for Germany had she kept going and was able to hold her reserves and fuel long enough to say last till early '46... It was over 1 way or the other way... Just when. Romanian Oil I would say was far more valuable than Italy. Probably 2Xs. Italy was a liability in that she dragged Germany's feet in the mud, in the end delaying Barbarossa with Greece-Yugoslavia and forcing the Germans to send precious units to N.Africa! Romania failed at Stalingrad and other locations but her Army wasn't her Ace, her Oil was!

Previously in our installation we lost to the Tyranny of The Axis Machine, this time no errors! I have explained to Rambo that 10 Xs I have won straight as Allies against all opponents aside 1... He has been the only 1 to break the record Here We Go: 1939: Poland smooshed like a bug, Suicide Poles barely dent the German armor. Norway: Is captured by Great Britian to secure the Nation from occupation 1940: France Falls, but not without significant damage to the German Forces, I cannot say it was a success but it took the Germans close to Summer to remove the French Armor off Paris, with DeGaulle at the Head of this new invention, too little too late I'm afraid Brest: Suicide British Commandos hold out for a few months until they're slaughtered by couple hundred thousand elite German units. Army-Air-Corps, payback is reduction of 5 strength points and a rebuilt corps British Forces scout a sole Italian Corp in the Desert, running it down, we smoosh them. The Siege of Tobruk lasts but a few short weeks, with the presence of the Italian Navy We Brits run for our Tea Lines! Malta: Facing continual unending bombardment from the air for an indefinite amount of time, "Never in history has more ordance been dropped upon one rock, ever!" We hold... The Rock: Gibraltar falls and the Kriegsmarine is operating in the Atlantic, luckily British reinforcements intercept it and a major naval battle takes place... The Freeing up of the Italian Navy will make this a Brutal Fight... So far several ships have been destroyed on both sides and several more wounded badly. This will be the Greatest Sea Battle since Jutland 1941: The Axis are trailing, Egypt is firmly in English Hands, and there is no end to this any time soon. We feel this game shall be over by Christmas but then again those famous words have been uttered before? Diplo: Spain joins Axis early in '40, Iraq ups it's shipments to UK late in '40... No other movements... Tech: Even and low fun

You're right, perhaps what they needed what the right leadership, I would mind to see the ability for Rommel A SPECIAL HQ, to take under his arm 2 or 3 Italian units in N.Africa only! It would be ultra kewl

The Supply Key is what causes all this. It highlights those Lost tiles back to the other side the next turn when calculating supply, I often ask myself, WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY. You can encircle but without a bomber you'll never destroy a unit Plus with a Sacrifical Low end HQ units will inevitable survive. I suppose the only way to truly encircle in SC2 is this! take 6 or 7 Air Units, Kill Russian HQ Bomb it's City to at least 3, so units cannot have sufficient supply on that City to rebuild... Encircle with the extra Tiles neccessary to cause an Encirclement, that means you probably could benefit from Motors 2! LORDY! Is it even worth it? NAH, destroying and encircling is pretty rare, better off Destroying Armies, Tanks, AFs, HQs and other high priced items neccessary for the war effort. You won't get that effect on this Scale.. Remeber even the 6th army at Stalingrad could've attempted a Breakout up until a certian point even though surrounded, a Cornered Tiger can still Gut you! You must be cautious in the way you take the Beast Down.

Colin, fairly accurate take on Italy. Italians did fight tough when they joined the Allies, hmmm, go figure and fought well in WW1. Their leadership was pretty bad in WW2. I could see several more corps and armies for Italy and lower their morale 25% default as well as readiness for the entirety of the game! Unless they're liberated Italians now are quite deadly depending on where you deploy them. IW2 along with an HQ and perhaps AT1 or 2 with mobility tranforms her inept forces of 1940 by '42 into a Fighting Force comparable to England at least on Land. Meanwhile Historically she surrendered probably an entire Army in N.Africa alone in 1940 to England's New Zealanders alone? LOL Well, perhaps we should give all those CommonWealths 2 or 3 Bars instead of the Italian and Germans who conquor it! Well I know it took more than 1 CW Corp but Italians had no fighting spirit for Fascism.. I think it was all just a big bad HairDay For them in History As far as Finland and Romania, I meant merely the cooperation at least. Finland I know! The Supply and MPPs would make them a bit more attractive and decent platforms for aggression in Regions now ignored by the game engine!

Finland is very takeable now without Scando in Axis hands. It is however a third front and if you take that away mine as well shrink the Caucasus up to about 1/3rd their current size. Granted with the setup the Mannerheim line is more of a nuisance than a defense for Finland. It should be replace around the Capitol to be effective that or make the weather around Finland a bit more realistic so Russians do not storm across it like France in 1940 All this being said, if you actually attack the USSR with enough forces to threaten it, it will abandon Finland or lose Moscow-Caucasus and several other key cities, I myself haven't so far launched an initial first strike with this much potency the Russians will be stuck in Finland without Leningrad... Take Finland, bang Helsinki with a bomber and then retake Finland yourself as Axis the Morale boost is bigger than the garrison units! Plus any remaining Russian Invasion units will be out of supply due to loss of Leningrad and the likely operation of their HQ out of Finland right after it falls! Bingo by turn 7 or 8 of Barby you killed 1 or 2 outfitted Russians for the price of no tech fins plus had the entire Red Army tied up on a useless pice of soil while you conquored her interior

During WW2, The Germans had sold out Finland to the USSR in a secret pact with Stalin. That was the Non-Aggression pact where Germany recognizes Russian claims to Finland. Also Finland later declared war on Germany toward the end of the war when things went badly. Oddly not reflected too well in Strategic Command Series when Nations switch sides. Italy/Romania and Finland all switched at some point. Though you do not see any sort of this.. IF nothing else do you think that a 10 supply for Conquoring Allies for these regions? Italy naturally if linked by France and Romania and Finland via Russian territory. Making it imperative for the Germans to defend her Minors!

Actually that game with Rambo was hurting for me before the Subs came. USSR had basically kicked the crap out of those weakened Axis, took the offensive the first 4 months of Barbarossa and retook Moscow. Turkey was diplomatically purchased by the Axis. PBEM sometimes puts me to sleep a little. I figured I would conquor Turkey along with Finland but didn't work out that way. I overdid Brest and D-Day, feeling a bit overconfidant and had to retreat... The Axis link to the MiddleEast and myself allowin gtoo many Allied Ships to be caught scouting is what lead to the disaster. Any Intermediate player could make the same error. Though my tech went slowly in IT and Production but good in LTs... So offensives are good for Allies, but when Axis get even MPPs via Turkey supply things are tough! By the time I was ready for D-Day the 2nd time, Allies were massive and ready to kick some German Rear the Russians were bogged down defending the Caucasus and reconquoring Russia but those Subs came out of nowhere. Really when you think of the 1 that likely escaped, that makes 3 Axis Subs. Plus 3 more built. Not that expensive, a viable strategy for the Axis if they then Dwindle the Allies Ships leading up to this point. I was too divided in my Russian strategy too Split up in too many places. One trying to keep Caucasus, Two attempting to move in on Finland. Both ended as a disaster... In the end the game is likely lost as Allies have lost about 13 ships to GLR1 & 2 plus 6 or 7 level4 subs??? I think of the Axis spend what 1000 MPPs to build the 3 new ones. 300 MPPs to outfit them. Think of this way, those 20 US and UK land units never landed, why? 1300 well spent Axis MPPs. You must scout for Axis Sub Tech early and prepare or score a kill or two on their existing fleet to negate this strategy! That or save every Allied Cruiser and Battleship and do not lose them in low supply skirmishes for crappy territory. It is a good strategy but will not work twice! Russia would be defeating the Germans alone if the Allies could keep the Luftflottes away from the East! 60 Germans lost to about 60 Reds Lost. Point is Axis are producing MegaMpps at this point, I'll keep fighting on, Elements of the Red Army are outside Konisburg, and Allies have retaken Paris in a dashing suicide Mission. It's just we're outnumbered now 2 to 1 attempting to counter a Naval disadvantage and the clock is ticking. I could probably get a Draw if I keep pushing but I admire Rambo's play and it's 1945 so why not let the Axis have it... He knows he got lucky some [ December 01, 2006, 08:32 PM: Message edited by: Liam ]

I had one of Rambo's subs dive 10-12Xs!!! Lordy, what is that thing on Steriods? I believe out of his initial squadron of 6 subs, I killed 1 or 2... Though you know how hard it was to kill the rest. I had ASW 2 initially, then upgraded to 3... Didn't make a difference. It is better as Allies not to engage subs at level4. Let them dwindle raiding tons and tons of convoys and pray to catch them in open sea alone! In retrospect, all the Convoys that the USSR/USA and Canada sends to UK is not worth the cost to interdict those types of subs. I'd just be cautious about sea lanes. It would be cheaper to kill these subs in Port with Land units then attempt to kill them at sea! Air or Naval Power just cannot perform the task!

Visibility? LOL It's a massive ocean, weather would have a lot to do with it, though as ASW became more powerful and the many untold number of British and American ships possessed detection and deterent capabilities vs Subs it was a very hard fought war. Air coverage and well in the end, Numbers... The Germans couldn't build enough subs nor lose the # of subs they were losing and continue to fight the war of the Atlantic. Not with all their losses combined, what was the survival rate of the U-boat men of WW2, LOL, highest death toll I believe??? in the entire German Military Service. There Codes were cracked and that cost them, also they never had sufficient number of U-boats when it counted. Early! Fact is that it's not historical to win a U-boat war late in the game if the Allies have counter measures. There is no rocket science to this, they have the FirePower to kill all the Axis subs later. The problem is in SC the Sub vs Surface ship issue. Which well, I suppose for specific missions did count. Many subs damaged or destroyed UK ships in Port. Though really, even a level 3 or 4 sub, which now is quite unstoppable would not do diddly against several Destroyers ramming it! I still think that Sub warfare should focus on hitting the Economy, be harder to detect and easier to kill.. That makes them more like Bombers an abstract sort of weapon. Perhaps giving them a special first strike capability they lose after their first few engagements... Their ability to retain Supply so far away is also a hinderance. Unrealistic, the milkcows for them weren't really employed to late and not to the effectiveness this game reflects. Personally I would have subs powerful for 1 hit, then must retreat.. Every time they're detected the next turn the detection becomes greater so they must hit and run. Not be used as MainLine Battleship type weapons. a Level 4 or 5 sub is several times more powerful than any Surface ship... I'd replace every Axis ship with them personally! At least Subs can dive from enemy bombers... Regardless it does add some interest, as Axis be certian that you do not miss ASW! At least a couple of chits. Preserve your Navy also! In case you suspect your Opponent of this strategy. I have now lost to it Twice, won't happen a third...

Tao, you can conquest Turkey this way The Mountains aren't the only hinderance for either side. It's nothing but mountains, so movement and attack is a pain. Conquoring Turkey is for supply and for the Caucasus, the only objective. The Germans and Italians get full supply and a great place to knockout a large amount of Russian production. If they fail, they lose the game because it is a narrow front and the Germans will not be able to conquor USSR Up North as easy... But I suppose just 3 oilfields is more than 30% of European Russia... The Cities and supply is worth even more than that. It's equivelant of Conquoring Leningrad-Moscow-and almost Stalingrad at the same time!

Very creative, very nice, but in fact they are included in the game. When my luftflotte has 5 bars in 1944 you will not so much as ping it because Adolf Galland is leading and training his men to be Crack Pilots and literally takes no more than 10% damage and inflicts 30-50% every time it performs a mission. As far as giving the US and USSR heroes, that isn't so easy. They do not have the time nor minors to conquor to achieve this quite as easily but it still often happens. I have had a few Red and American victories enough to obtain experience, but Land Experience diminishes much too fast, Air experience matters as it is retained much much easier.

The USSR Still can fight on with The Urals. If the Axis get Turkey easily and with reinforcements this is possible. With my current game vs Rambo he's losing Poland to the Russians while taking the Caucasus, fact is that game is probably lost because Western Allies overcommitted to poor OPs all over France and are facing level 4 subs but still!!! Turkey is a tough cookie for either side depending on Units in your Army 5 or 6 will not cut it. I placed about double that to defend vs Germany and she was stuck there for a year and half.. It required 4 or 5 airfleets to dislodge the USSR Yes, if you take Turkey, those cities to 8 (well, at least they SHOULD, I haven't taken Turkey since version 1.0). And the Russian cities should go to 5 then. But that's not really needed to attack Russia from the South. I take 1 HQ, 2 panzers, 2 armies, 2 corps, 1 paratrooper, 3 German planes and 2 Italian planes to attack Russia from the South. I take the two cities north of Turkey (I don't bother with the oil fields) and place my HQ close to them so I get supply. Then I take Stalingrad and win the game. </font>