Malta

[Baron]

Historically Malta was a thorn in the Axis side. That is except when the Axis made it a point to neutralize it. What I'm proposing for this game or maybe the new ones is that if Malta has its port and supply level reduced to 0 then there should be no chance of the "Malta" effect on the Axis ports.

How would Malta have been able to disrupt the Axis shipping with no supplies and no port? I know that historically when the Axis choose to the did eliminate Malta as a threat. There should be that possibility in the game also.

[xwormwood]

I would have bet that this is already in the game. But i may be wrong.

[Big Al]

just invade it and you will have no worries.

[Baron]

To my knowledge that is not how things work. Big Al as you already know it is not Malta but the N African ports that is the issue. Just 1 "Malta" effect disables the N African ports for 4 more turns. So you can spend 2 or 3 turns knocking down Malta and taking it and then have another 4 turns before the ports to N Africa are open.

If however you can neutralize Malta you could save several turns getting forces into Africa.

As far as the argument goes just take it then the same reasoning could be applied to every aspect of the game.

[Big Al]

if I was the Axis in 1941. I'd invade it before I went for Egypt 100% of the time.

They tried to neutralize it and it didnt work that well.

[Baron]

Hindsight is 20/20 I bet they wish they had.

As far as the game goes its 1940 and I'm trying something different than the standard cookie cutter game. Doesn't seem unreasonable to expect something that can't even reinforce itself to full strength to lack the power projection to shut down ports all over the N African coast.

So do you like the West Coast better than the Charlotte area?

[x13fox]

From my experience it was easier to just destroy the garrison with airpower and then invade and take it over. Attacking ports with air/naval power seems to get pretty expensive for the attackers.

[steel32]

Baron I do understand your point in N African ports in Axis hands perhaps should not be as easily low on supply when Malta is at 0 supply, but their is some abstraction at play here. Even though the Axis will knock it down to zero, the next Allied turn it will be at 1 which can be seen as the same turn since simulataneous turns can not occur. As long as there is 1 man left in Malta there is still radio communication taking place and other forms of communication such as Ultra that very well let the Allies know when and where supplies were going and with Malta in hands they will still be able to recon at times. Now the use of ports freely allowed for subs and destroyers to operate out of when in use that made this more effective (not too mention air support) but as long as Malta is in Allied hands it remains a thorn in the Axis side. Fuel and supplies can be brought in by night via subs or via large supply operations such as Operation Pedestal where the British would supply Malta by any loss' needed to keep supplied. But perhaps to your point perhaps African ports should be down to 3 when Malta is down as low as 0 to replicate that there is still a supply issue taking place with Malta in British hands and not down to 0 or 1 if this is the case. Only by taking by land would Malta completely be knocked out as a supply thorn.

[MonsterClaude]

Here is how I have handled this through the editor.

1) First, the allied player or AI need one naval unit (any) in La valetta port to get the Axis port suppression.

2) If any axis naval unit is in a tile next to Malta, the island and the port may get a supply reduction as well. So the Royal Navy may have to intervene occasionnaly and cannot go fishing while some magical scripts do the job.

3) I'm testing now a Decision script about supplying Malta. Starting with Italy War entry the Allied player would have to spend some mpp (not sure how many yet) to keep it in supply and get the Axis naval trafic suppression fully working.

So, in the end a better game interaction and a more realistic result. As the Axis player, you can hit the Royal Navy with your Air power because at least one British fleet has to be there and others have to come to rescue Malta if the Italians keeps a fleet around.

[SeaMonkey]

Spot on MC!

[steel32]

MonsterClaude I like your thinking on 2,3 as this more represents reality as it was a massive drain on Allied resources to keep open. On 1 it represents the full impact of Malta by operating naval units from was much more capable of interdicting but also feel as long as land units there it still represents a minor thorn and could still represent some sort of reduction, perhaps random hits only capable down to 3-4 supply in Africa. I could go either way but agree with the initial argument that that full reduction should not happen if Malta itself is down on supply as this is unrealistic.

[huhr]

How do you capture Malta in the game? I always bypass it but would like to get rid of it one of these days or at least try.

[steel32]

Knock out any unit in it and either amphibious land or paradrop in. Easier said then done.

Bring in Strategic air to lower supply down each turn as needed to 0 in city and port, bring in fighters to help lower entrenchment and tactical bombers to destroy.

Using naval can rarely be done if the British defend by sea as they are capable and does not really destroy anything but supply.

[mcaryf1]

In my 1942 scenario, a variant on Axis High Tide which I am hoping to publish soon, I allow Malta to provide interdiction if it has either suitable ship in its port or suitable aircraft on its land. I have 3 sea squares leading into Malta from the direction Alexandria. If an Axis warship is sitting on any of those squares at the end of an Allied turn then the port of Valletta takes a supply hit. I have 3 more sea squares leading from Malta to Gibraltar and again if any are occupied Malta takes a supply hit but this time on its land square.

Once the Axis has captured Egypt any Allied ship or plane based on Malta will take random strength hits to simulate strong Axis air raids and the supply effect of Malta on Axis N African ports no longer operates.

I have done my best to persuade the AI code to attack Malta but I have failed (still learning the AI!). I have discovered that the strength hits will not totally eliminate any plane on Malta. The maximum reduction is down to one. So I regret I have failed to completely eliminate Malta but at least the Axis supply reduction does not apply once the Axis own Egypt and the major port of Alexandria.

What I hope to achieve with this series of events is that there should be Naval battles around Malta as the Allies attempt to keep Malta supplied or to be more accurate to prevent it from taking supply hits.

Once my scenario is released I hope humans will take advantage of the capture opportunity and who knows I might even find a way to get the AI to do it!

Regards

Mike

[Big Al]

Hindsight is 20/20 I bet they wish they had.

As far as the game goes its 1940 and I'm trying something different than the standard cookie cutter game. Doesn't seem unreasonable to expect something that can't even reinforce itself to full strength to lack the power projection to shut down ports all over the N African coast.

So do you like the West Coast better than the Charlotte area?

Did not like Charlotte at all

#1 the allergies are hell.

#2 the 4 seasons, sneezy, sweaty, leafy, freezy

#3 no casinos to play poker at (very profitable player over the last 9 years)

#4 we didnt fit in with the people there, we fit in perfectly in San Francisco.

#5 no jobs

#6 less pay

#7 other reasons too.

I've been to quite a few places and there is a reason why San Francisco is so expensive.

#1 great weather

#2 great people

#3 multi-culture excellent food

#4 so many places to see

#5 public transportation

#6 low crime

#7 you can go from the beach to skiing in a matter of hours.

#8 lots of tech jobs

its just a wonderful place to live