Leopard

Isn't Pirate week over Pegleg? Nice Pirate .gif BTW

Kurt88, You read into my comments perfectly. Hitler’s first job he was EVER good at was his WWI service. He became somebody, and his job afterwards of "debriefing" the returning soldiers found an even better skill that had been hidden-public speech. He was among the greatest ever at public speech. And his growing confidence and exposure led him further into his beliefs that he was correct, and that he spoke for many Germans. The fact is (this is the primary question I originally had in studying Nazi Germany and WWII) that the German nation did not feel good about itself after WWI. The stiff post-war reparations imposed by France and the UK further annoyed them. It hurt even more because many Germans never felt militarily defeated, and that in their own minds, it was only because of the greater alliance including the USA that Germany had not won the war. As such, the post-war to many Germans should have been more akin to a cease-fire, or essentially a draw. The penalties imposed by the "smaller nations" were more like total annihilation or defeat, not a draw. The world economic crisis of 1929 added pressure to the war reparations and the Germans feelings of being taken advantage of by the post-war victors. This added a large amount of bitterness and a complete lack of closure to World War I for many Germans, not just the fanatical. The German citizens of the 1920's and 1930's were in need of something or someone to improve their self-image, and it came with heavy baggage. When the opportunity arose to gain power, Hitler grasped at it. The first attempt landed him in jail but his second attempt through the system succeeded. And in widening circles, he furthered his self-confidence in his ideas and influence while eliminating or ignoring opposing opinions. Others soon learned that to have similar beliefs meant more power and more influence, and some who otherwise would not have engaged in this madness soon became lured by the opportunity to gain power.

A very large factor in this is found in the adage "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely". Having seen firsthand in rural 1960's and 1970's Texas the whispered racism, all it takes to surface is a whispered crack or slant, a knowing smile or remark in return, and the bonding of hate against a people. It is a common human frailty. The implied remarks and cracks when fishing for similar "good old white boys", I know there is an undercurrent of hate which can seem dormant or non-existent in normal soceity. Until the influences of society are removed. Look at the anti-Arab reactions in America over the Oklahoma City bombing-until it was found to be an American white man. Look at the post 911 hate that found its way into quiet conversations. The day after 911, a former friend of mine made the statement "we should nuke all of those lunatics OVER THERE. They are nothing but a bunch of murdering $%$^%@^#@ and terrorists". This from a college graduate who I had previously respected the opinion of. I have never thought about him in the same way since. But without societal influences, seemingly normal people can become the most hateful, bitter, barbaric, and mob-like people imaginable. Some of the conversations I have heard use ridiculous logic and premises to explain the hate and contempt they have grown to feel towards others. And many of these people have never personally been affected by any of the people they hate. Their hate is more of a self-image issue in reality. But when a person with low values or self-respect has a chance to "elevate themselves" by looking down on another group, even if by no other reason than a difference in religion, heritage, or skin color, they often will. Hitler didn't begin by screaming his views. He began by whispering and then by talking in supporting environments, then by tempering it (on the surface) for mass appeal. He eventually removed known social obstacles such as the educated, cultural and religious from their positions of influence. And violently reacted to any public opposition. I think the support he received initially among his followers in the late 20's and early 30's empowered him to new levels of hate and his power enabled him to remove any opposition. He considered himself not only the spokesman of this hate, but also the judge, jury, and executioner. His early Nazi party rhetoric had convinced himself (and others) that they were not the losers of WWI, but the victims of persecution themselves. Revenge is a close friend of hate.

Zapp, Interesting study, I would say that from random accounts, I had compiled a different mental picture of the crime rate in Sweeden. [ September 12, 2003, 12:09 AM: Message edited by: Leopard ]

Kuniworth, My condolences on the death of your foreign minister. I thought about you when I read about the stabbing, as I remembered our in-game conversation about Social democrats and the low crime rates in Sweeden. I was saddened to see she passed away today. I hope this will remain an isolated incident in Sweeden, and that violence remains rare in your country. Leopard

I prefer to limit Jet and Long Range tech to Level 3. This allows seperationm from the minors, and does simulate the research race that all extended wars produce. The limit forces a higher diversity of tech research. I also like to play with limits on air units for the same reason. Often, one player would like to research and purchase something other than air, but is afraid of falling behind their opponent, so they also invest near 100 % in air tech and units. With pre-determined limits, planning to spend MPP on non-air tech and units begins immediately.

Comrade Trapp, While I have never served, I will always support our troops and I know they are the true heroes in the USA: not Harrison Ford or Shaquille ONeal or Woody Allen or <your favorite rappers name here, since I prefer progressive rock music and not the monotonous drum track akin to a lone tennis shoe in the dryer, but that is another topic which is not only off thread, it is probably off Forum and off Website>. Thanks for your decision and commitment to serve and protect our nation and its interests. Regardless of what we think of our politicians, we know our service men and women are the best in the world. If only we had a president which knew when an more importantly HOW to use it. Leopard P.S. I am anxious for Wesley Clark's decision about 2004, since Colin Powell isn't interested.

bumping a good post.

Throw my sailors hat in the ring.

Thanks for the valuable tips and notes. We have some great informational posts here from time to time, and your Strategy Guide rates among the top ones. Good work soldier-I salute you.

1. I would say that the premise that France will fall anyway is incorrect. France represents the first oppurtunity for the Allies to win the war, and the better players as Allies will often win the war by summer or fall 1940 with their spirited defense of France. Rambo is the best I have played for an agressive French defense. 2. Also, even losing France doesn't mean it cannot be a decisive Allied victory. I have lost several games in which I have taken France as Axis, because of the critical time delays which can occur. Also, fighting for airspace in France will bleed the German armies and airfleets of their experience, which can be very important. 3. Every turn France stays Allied means the 115 MPP go to the Allied cause, and not the Axis one. Each turn fighting costs Germany MPP to re-inforce, and keeps them from adding weaker nations to their MPP supply pool. 4. The experience gained by the UK airfleets, navy and HQ is important to the later fights. 5. The French that were evacuated will be low-tech for the duration of the war. The French troops value if evacuated would be mostly for an enhanced defense of the UK or Egypt. They could be used for an eventual liberation of France or in Spain or Norway, but they are defending a much more important nation when they stay in France. I now believe in a robust defense of France, just short of the cliff of over-commitment of the UK. Determine what the UK cannot afford to commit, and hold back those units only, not a corps less. The defense of France will determine the winner of many if not most games of Strategic Command.

Edwin, As always. good suggestions. Another idea which I have been thinking about recently is a multi-player option, which would allow different players to take different countries. Perhaps up to 6 players, with the 5 majors from SC and Japan. Not only would it be a fun option, it would better represent the realities leaders face when making decisions, negotiating non-aggression pacts perhaps with their enemies on the side, or dealing with their allies. They will be balancing their own nations needs with that of the greater alliance. There could be side specific chat, enabled by login to prevent someone eavesdropping on a 2nd computer. Continuing games could be a nighmare with up to 6 different people, but if a scheduled time could be set up and someone doesn't show, the ability to have a player play 2 nations isn't that tough to put in. The option for all 6 players to sign-up for a game or side, and then have the country randomly selected, would be another nice feature. IMO, the ability to have multi-player games as well as mano y mano matches would greatly increase the value and longevity of Strategic Command II. [ August 28, 2003, 08:49 PM: Message edited by: Leopard ]

Thanks for the support everyone-I have added 5 items and added details to some other points made earlier.

More seriously, this is a great topic and Rambo and Terif are the right people to discuss it. Good defensive ideas here.

Defense of Russia is simple. Negotiate a non-agression pact with this German fellow named Ribbentrop, and then announce to your citizens that you have a paper which contains the signature of Herr Hitler. You may even end up with a slice of Eastern Poland. A simple solution, and the end of your worries.

Which would model real life In WWII subs could not effectively fight other subs (unless they were on or near the surface, thus acting as a surface ship) except by ramming them. It had to do with the way torpedos were designed- to run near the surface. Submarines began being designed to kill other subs once they increased their payload, underwater duration, and range. Then, their impact area widened to include land targets, and thus in turn they became targets. This began in earnest once subs began using nuclear reactors for power. This spurred a major tech race for submarine hunting and killing technologies.

Yes

I must say, this is one of the more historically accountable AAR's I have read.

Just stepping back from SC a bit, and thinking how different the game would be if: 1. Airfleets cost were 600 instead of 400 2. Carriers Tank/Soft/Air attack were 0 instead of 1 3. If DOW penalties for Allied attacks on neutals had no plunder, incresed the chance of Axis minors joining early, and reduced USA and USSR readiness by an additional 15 % from current levels. 4. If the DOW penalties for Axis attacking Spain and Sweeden were changed from: USSR USA Sweeden 4 15 Spain 5 15 To: USSR USA Sweeden 15 20 Spain 10 25

Shaka, It is an excellent suggestion and course of action, and an interesting idea. We should work to develop new house rules and modifications if it increases the staying power of SC. Brainstorming in the forum is the best way to develop such ideas. My first reactions to this were: 1. The UK should be doubly penalised for invading the Low Countries or other traditional allies, with the exception of Vichy France (viewed more as a liberation). 2. Turkey and The Baltic States have too dramatic an impact upon USSR readiness to be included in this rule. 3. The historical countries invaded by the Axis should be impossible for the Allies to gain a diplomatic advantage from. 4. DOW on majors and Canada could be worth more. 5. Axis should not gain a large advantage from not invading some countries they historically invaded. They were bad even if they had spared Greece and Denmark. Very good direction of ideas which could allow continued playability of this game. Something we can control as SC owners. [ August 22, 2003, 10:53 PM: Message edited by: Leopard ]

While I am not to be confused with the better players of Strategic Command, I have learned a great deal from my many losses, and received tips on several things that have improved my play. Naval strategy is among my favorite aspects of war games, and I had much to learn when I began playing online 3 months ago. I wish the North Atlantic were larger and the navy more important to supplies in Strategic Command, but the game can be greatly influenced by who controls the oceans and seas. There are many aspects of naval warfare in Strategic Command that I found out the hard way, and with so many new players recently joining the TCP/IP games, I thought I would offer some ideas for the newer players on naval engagements and positioning. If some more experienced players find mistakes or errors, please post them for the benefit of those learning the game. Naval Strategies and Tactics 1. Try to have the naval engagement near your land based air support. If this isn’t possible, move your air near the expected battle. This could mean operating UK air to Alexandria or German air to Tobruk, along with HQ for support. Determine the strike range of your air and your opponents, and position your navy accordingly. 2. Use transports of corps strategically as you would destroyers, with a 10+ strength corps. It is gamey, but it is used so you may as well use it also. While a transport has no attack value, they can spot, provide a surprise bonus if they intercept an enemy ship, provide “cannon fodder” to reduce attacks on more expensive naval units, be used in naval blockades (handy in the Med. and Baltic) or to surround a wounded enemy ship to prevent escape (or surround a friendly ship to protect). The transport also threatens with its primary function when in the Med. and Baltic: to deliver troops. Often, your opponent will attack the cheap corps on the transport, leaving a much juicier naval target alone. 3. Use your subs in common sea and ocean lanes. Stay away from enemy air. Use natural choke points, such as Gibraltar, Istanbul, Stockholm, Scapa Flow and Copenhagen to position subs near. With their stealth (spotting –1) and surprise bonus, a sub can deliver 100-150 MPP in damage while taking less than 50 MPP damage on many surprise encounters. You will be often be sitting pretty for a counter-attack, especially if you keep some air or naval units close enough to respond. 4. Subs are incredibly stealthy if no air units are near. They have a minus one bonus to spotting range and almost impossible to detect before a surprise bonus encounter. So stay away from air units and ports, which belie your positions to the enemy. Adjacent land units 1 hex away can spot subs also. 5. The German U-boats are most valuable by remaining alive. The longer the UK and French fleets are hunting for them the better, because afterwards they will begin massing for attacks on the Northern European coast, the Mediterranean, or the Baltic. Unless you have an opportunity to sink a UK warship, avoiding destruction is often a better strategy than raiding, damaging a UK ship, or sinking a French ship. Long-term survival is unlikely, but if the Allies are still hunting for you in 1940, you are getting value out of your U-boats. 6. Pre-emptive strikes are common against the Italian, USSR and US navies. The restricted first turn attack on majors is for no naval landings: first turn attacks on a navy are allowed. As they enter the war, consider operating some air units to provide spotting, air defense, and attack capabilities. This serves as a deterrent until your fleet has been secured. As the aggressor, do this before the expected battle so that your air is available for immediate use. Pre-planning could possibly include an HQ in some theatres such as the Med. 7. Axis ships are not as expendable as UK ships. Don’t waste valuable MPP shelling Malta or taking on the entire British fleet. Fight the UK in smaller battles with air support. The UK begins with an impressive 3 carriers, 2 cruisers, and 6 battleships. Their locations are often unknown due to FOW and the vastness of the seas, and all 11 ships may be within striking range of that one tempting transport which has been placed within your spotting range as bait. Don’t bite before scouting. 8. Establish fleets. Don’t use 1-2 ships independently. The UK can occasionally get away with this in the Atlantic, but the smaller nations cannot afford the risk. Smaller navies should try and defend seas or remote oceans. As Axis, leave the North Atlantic to the UK early. 9. Be prepared for a paradigm shift as the Allies if the Italian fleet breaks out. The naval balance can become changed rapidly against you if you are engaged west of France and Spain, where the experienced and possibly tech-advanced Italian Navy and Atlantic U-boats can team with experienced German airfleets from France or Spain, often long-range and plentiful by that stage of the war. You will be beyond your land based air reconnaissance and support. Even with the US fleet, the naval battle is one the Allies simply cannot afford to lose. Unless naval victory is assured, the East Central Atlantic is not the best location for the Allies to be engaged in. 10. The 2 French Cruisers and the UK Cruiser make a good U-boat hunting task force. They have range and punch, and if they travel 2 hexes apart, can sweep an area of 77 (11x7) hexes per turn (movement of 9, one hex on each end for 11, and a 7 hex cross coverage. Many players prefer to attack the subs with Carriers or Battleships for the experience, but the French fleet is expendable and therefore good to use as hunters. Cruisers also make excellent ships for quick responses with their range, and have more value in blue water (oceans) than in a sea. 11. Use the UK battleships to attack land units along the coast during the Battle of France. Repairs are delayed or often ignored by the better players. A lost UK Battleship is often worth the damage and experience loss of the German airfleets that sink it. 12. Move the Med. Carrier (Ark Royal) to join the other 2 UK Carriers, even if you wish to defend the Eastern Mediterranean. You can move the Valiant (Gibraltar Battleship) to replace it if you want. But the UK Carriers are far more valuable as a group with mutual defense. 13. The Med. naval war is important enough for some players that they send the whole mother lode of UK ships to fight. But beware! Once Germany knows the location of a majority of the UK fleet, the UK situation in the North Atlantic can rapidly deteriorate. With the fleet 5-6 turns from home, Germany can take aggressive actions that could be irrecoverable for the Allies. The risk outweighs the gains unless the UK is secure. 14. Trapped naval units are often disbanded for very few MPP, but I believe this is a poor strategy in many instances. While your opponent may gain one round of experience, every damage point done to an opposing Battleship is worth 25 MPP, and 1 turn of movement spent attacking instead of re-positioning or attacking another unit. You also know where the enemy ship is for another turn, and can set up counter-attacks or movements. Disbanding is sometimes a good move, but think through the entire situation. MPP and experience are not the only factors. 15. As Axis, after securing the Med. and destroying the UK Med. Fleet, consider breaking out the Italian navy out into the Atlantic. Keep some air units in Southern France, Portugal or Spain for cover. Use U-boats or German transports along the coast of Portugal if possible to provide some additional spotting and assistance. Have the fleet ready to pass Gibraltar before attacking the port and signifying your location to the Allies. Once reduced to zero, move as many ships into the Atlantic as possible and set up a defensive perimeter with subs or transports. Use a ship on the West side of Gibraltar to reduce the port to zero on the next turn, allowing the remaining ships to cross the strait. Do not stop on the port, or you can be damaged by the Gibraltar garrison. 16. Attack your opponents when out of port if possible, which gives a defense bonus. If your opponents are in ports and you have infantry or tanks nearby (or on transports), attack them from land while in port. Great damage can be made to expensive ships for low cost to the land attacker. 17. Two wrongs don’t make a right. You see a juicy target, and rush forward to destroy it-only to find a hornet’s nest full of enemy ships nearby. Don’t compound your mistake by exposing the rest of your naval group in a desperate defensive measure. A weakened fleet-in-being that is out of sight is a threat, while a sunken fleet is not. 18. Gun-laying Radar is an important technology for Italy and the UK. 19. Prepare your fleet at the end of each turn as if you expect to be attacked if you are in range of the enemy, or do not know where they are. Keep your carriers away from the enemy surface ships, and keep your subs at the front to provide stealth for your group and a nasty surprise bonus for any invaders. 20. Infantry or tanks which are unloaded from transports get a surprise bonus when attacking. This works even if they are unloaded to the same hex they were picked up from. 21. If a port is occupied by another ship, any transports commissioned will be placed on an unoccupied hex adjacent to the occupied port. This will effectively increase the range of the transport by being 1 hex further from land. Also, if the transport does not move, it can now unload in the same turn across the English Channel. This leads to some hard hitting UK corps which can unload on the SAME TURN they are created, and makes Brussels extremely vulnerable to amphibious attacks. 22. Malta is a great location for an airfleet. 23. If the hex is controlled by your side, the land/sea hexes (such as the one West of Copenhagen), a naval unit placed on this hex can block a land unit. 24. When facing a large amphibious invasion, such as SeaLion or the Allied liberation invasion of France, review your targets and focus on destroying the most important units, such as an HQ. An amphibious force without an HQ will quickly be out of supply unless they can capture a city. 25. Despite the heavy reliance on air power and air tech, naval control of the Med., Baltic, or mid Atlantic can free up numerous units of all types for deployment in other theatres. Knowing that the Italian navy is locked up in the Med., or that the USA cannot cross the Atlantic because of the Italian navy/German U-boat domination, can have far reaching effects upon the war and the distribution of assets. [ August 27, 2003, 11:13 AM: Message edited by: Leopard ]

My favorite cartoons were The Bullwinkle Show, The Pink Panther, Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner, Fat Albert, and The Wacky Racers. Funny thing about The Bullwinkle Show, producers Jay Ward and Bill Scott (for publicity) decided to march on The White House in 1962, and petition to make Moose-L-vania a state. Relatively harmless, common publicity stunt. They show up in a decked out van complete with antlers, but are turned away by a stern White House staff, as it seems they had poor luck in timing. The Cuban Missle Crisis had just began hours earlier.

I think I need a bigger monitor for that map. Imagine a playing map like that for a board game "Honey, before you go to the store, would you move my U-Boat from grid AABJJNS13210110 to AABJJNS13210113, at periscope depth? It should be just to the left of the sidewalk. And ask Mr. Brooks next door to count how many infantry units he can see from his bedroom window, near the Spanish border with Portugal. I'll call him later for the totals."

OK, I have renamed autosave.

Comrade Trapp is doing a skillful job of a fighting retreat in the defense of the USSR, but Germany is a mega-power now since they have only lost 3 U-boats the entire game-no ground or air units. Germany has L-3 (max) Jets, L-2 anti-tank, L-2 Ind. Tech. Their flanks and borders are guarded. Germany's 6 airfleets are not all in USSR, as UK recon makes contact over France without a skirmish. Free French airfleet continues harassing Italian navy from Gibralter, and has inflicted costly damages for about 3 months now. An Italian Naval group including 3 heavy (L-3 at least) battleships moves nortwest from Gibralter. All Med ports owned by Axis except Gibralter. Italy has only conquered Alexandria and the Suez, has little income, but their navy has been an important weapon in fighting the UK. 3 different Allied BB, 1 French and 2 British, have been critically damaged to stregnth 3 or less in the past few turns. Those repairs are expensive and take time for nations like Italy, the UK, or the USA-Atlantic. The UK have fought Germany hard, but it has taken it's toll on the British economy. They have air and naval stregnth, but few ground troops. It will be difficult to open a second front with the airfleet limits, the Axis naval presense in teh Baltic and Atlantic, and German infantry at anti-tank L-2. The USSR is on the verge of losing another 80-120 resource MPP in the next 2-3 months, and need a second front badly. The USA is the wild card now, and their ability to reshape the trend of the war is the Allies best hope. [ July 19, 2003, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: Leopard ]