Oak

Hubert, Thanks. You confirmed what I thought ... which is that there will be some variation from game to game and move to move, but luck is not going to result in dramatic results or major losses. That would be attributed to factors over which the players themselves have some control. Oak

Rambo, Seems you like you have to slip in some mention of reloads and cheating any time the topic of PBEM comes up. Was PBEM really such a terrible experience for you? I've been playing a LOT of PBEM games and things have gone very well. I NEVER cheat, and I've seen no indications that my opponents are cheating either. Oak

Kuniworth, Out of interest, what HQ was providing support to your 3 air fleets close to Paris (the ones I attacked the last move)? Oak

Kuniworth, Out of interest, what HQ was providing support to your 3 air fleets close to Paris (the ones I attacked the last move)? Oak

Herbert, There have been some complaints (most vocally by Kuniworth) that the results of combat in SC are too dependent on luck and randomness. My impression is that luck has very little to do with results and that other factors (readiness, supply, experience, etc.) largely determine combat results. I'm kinda new to SC. Perhaps you could clarify for me just how much luck or randomness factors into combat results. Oak

I be happy to play you again, but we will need to start the new game later this week or early next week. I'm a bit confused. You are saying that the bidding system is important. I won as Allies without any bidding. Bidding would have made it MORE difficult for you as Axis, not less difficult. If bidding is important to level the game, as you say, then you should have had a big advantage in this game. I expect that I'll be playing Allies in most our games because I won't bid more than 10 to be Axis and give you Axis for any bid more than 1. Even with a bid of zero I was able to win. I'll contact you via the Forum to set up a new game later in the week.

Crusader Rabbit was also shown in the 60s, at least reruns were. While older than I'd like to be, I'm not old enough to have been watching Crusader Rabbit in the 50s.

Comment: It was a mistake for Kuniworth to put such a small number of air within range of mine. He knew I had at least 3 fighters (the report would have shown I now had 4), with strong HQ support (Monty). Instead of putting his air within spotting range where it could attacked, he should have laid a trap so that my attacks on Brussels would be intercepted at a high cost to me. Through steady attacks, my HQ and air had built up experience and were in good supply. The heavy hits his air took had nothing to do with luck and everything to do with my air having an advantage on his. I'm finding that people over-estimate the importance of tech and under-estimate the importance of experience and strong HQ support. I was surprised that Kuniworth quit simply because he lost a single air. The game still had a long way to go, although I believe that my dominance of western France would have proved to be a major problem for the Axis. Good game, Kuniworth! Does this mean that I finally get to be a rated player on the Z-ladder from winning my first Z-league game??

German air at level 1 so German air becomes aggressive. Allied transport near Brussels attacked, as well as Free French cruiser in Gibralter. Air attack on Brussels is intercepted. German corp is moved into Brussels, and a single German air is spotted next to Paris. Axis transports move on Beirut in force. UK has 4 fighters, 1 bomber & 3 carriers (2 with 2+ experience) in southern England. So, we attack the German air near Paris. 2 other German air appear nearby to intercept attack, but 1 German air is killed. Other 2 German air cannot be killed because out of range. Once the German air is killed, Kuniworth announces that he quits and the connection is terminated. Game Over!

Nov. 24, 1940 Army in Bergen attacked by 2 German air. Attacking air take hits but entrenched Free French army in Bergen does not. Germans move into Alexandria. UK bomber attacks French mines and finds Italian corp sitting there. Allied transport (Free French army) arrives next to empty Brussels. Hungary and Romania join the Axis. Allied ships play hide and seek with Italian navy.

I was wrong. It was a German HQ (not sure which) that landed near Alexandra and helped kill the British corp there. Axis will move into Alexandria next turn. German corp beats a hasty retreat from near Brest. Canadian army move east away from Brest. Italian air spotted in Sicily by Malta looking for Allied ships.

The date is Sept. 29, 1940 USSR readiness = 55% USA readiness = 44% Sweden falls to the Axis The Italian fleet heads west. Upon seeing that Italy has bought air and 4 Germany air are unseen, the Allied fleet beats a hasty retreat out of the Med. Algiers is empty. Another German army joins the fight on Alexandria. Axis is relying on transports landing next to Alexandria to eliminate the corp there. A German corp approaches Brest, providing target practice for the UK carriers and air. Antwerp knocked down to 1 by UK bombers

I stand corrected. Hopefully, I will be ranked upon completion of my game with Kuniworth

In other words, 46 players have registered but only 14 have actually played games. I'm one of those 32 that have registered but never submitted a win or loss. That will change once I finish my game with Kuniworth.

I remember watching Crusader Rabbit when I was a kid. Loved it, although I'm showing my age when I say that I used to watch it. Maybe we should start calling Kuniworth "Crusader Bunny"

Now, that's a change. I go from being the 'bitch slapping' mean guy to being a good guy. What did I do to deserve this?

I agree that the game is still wide open and that things won't be decided until Axis/Allies join the game. I agree that I was luck with jet tech, although one level of jet tech doesn't make that much of a difference. I disagree that I was lucky in Sweden. Your attacking units were low on supply and may not have had HQ support. Plus, any luck the Allies may get can taken as making up for the lack of additional MPP because of no bid. I look forward to the continuation of the game tomorrow.

Forgot to note at the beginning that this game has no bidding and the Allies get no extra MPP. Kuniworth insists that the Allies cannot win without extra MPP and I want to show him they can (assuming I can win against him).

Allies counter-attack in the western Med with 2 BBs and 2 cruisers, killing an Italian BB. The rest of the Italian fleet is at 3-5. All that experience from attacking Dublin gave the Allied ships an advantage Things remain quiet in France. Not an Axis unit in sight. Antwerp is bombed. Since it is late in the day (actually night) in Singapore, the game is adjurned until tomorrow.

4 chits on jets?!? Italian transports continue to buzz around the eastern Med and attacks on Alexandria continue (down to 6). Axis vacates France; Allies return in force. Axis ignores the Allied presence in Bergen.

One of the 'glorious' panzers near Brest is killed by air & carrier attacks, with another panzer knocked down to 6. Likely that the intercepting air was also hard hit. Free French army transported via Brest port to be reinforced. Allies occupy Bremen. German army joins attack on Alexandria.

Apparently, the Axis did not notice that it was the Ark Royal that was attacking their corp near Brest. Italian army transport bumps into UK cruiser before the cruiser is attacked by 3 Italian ships. UK cruiser then attacked transport, leaving transport at 2 and cruiser at 4. UK cruiser will die this turn. Lots of Italian transports buzzing around the eastern Med, with landings expected near Beirut and at Suez. Allied troops in Beirut & Alexandria. France remains quiet and empty. Antwerp bombed again. Brussels & Paris empty.

France is vacant, so the Free French return to their home. A Free French army lands in western France to join the Canadians. UK bomber attacks Antwerp, but no interception. UK cruiser in the Med finishes off the Italian corp transport. Expecting retribution from the Italian navy.

In the Med, Italiand seem to use the corp transport as a trap; UK cruiser pulls back. In France, still quiet. Germany pulls corp away from Brest. German army and air are near Paris. UK air moves a little more to the south. Axis can probably see that UK has jet level 1 now.

Italian transport attacked near Crete. Italian navy around Malta & Gibralter German corp attacks Brest, but no impact. UK air, which moved north, takes a peek in the south using the bomber. Both sides cautious. All quiet in France. Carrier pulls away.