Comrade Trapp Posted January 19, 2003 Share Posted January 19, 2003 I was just woundering if anybody has found another way to sucessfuly invade France instead of the usaul blitz through the Low Countries. I was thinking that leaving the Low Countries neutral may have some advantages. Yes, I know you would lose some much needed mpps. But if you think of it, not only would leaving the Low Countries neutral delay US/USSR entry, it would also create a nice defensive line along the German boarder. Last night I played Kenfedoroff and I tried an new tatic I launched a amphibious assult on the coast of Southern France behind enemy lines (this was with German troops), meanwhile, the Italian Army begain to push into Southern France forcing the allies to commit any troops that are guarding the boarder to repel the Italian Army (so they can not be used on my amphibious assult). I left a good portion of the German Army up north to force the allies the keep a majority of their armies to guard the Magiont Line and the French-Low Countries boarder just in case I did attack up north (if they do withdraw, do the usaul blitz through the Low Countries and quickly capture Paris before they can redeploy). I also moved a majority of the Luftwaffe into Italy in order to support the invasion down south. Of course this entire scenario is based on the fact the Italy has elimanited the British Med Fleet or at least has has it away from your invasion forces. I know most of you are asking yourselves "why would you do all of this when you could just do the traditional blitz into the low countries?" I am just trying to come up with diffrent ways to defeat France quickly and without heavy axis losses. When I tried this last night (this was my first time trying it) I managed to capture the the city in Southern France (I forget its name). But this took several attempts and in the process one of my armies was surrounded and destroyed, but like I said, this was the first time I tried this and I am sure this plan can be attempted with better results (such as the capture of Paris). Feel free to tell me what you think and post any other tatics you have tried or want to try in defeating France (other than the usaul "Low Countries Blitz") Comrade Trapp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyJohn Posted January 19, 2003 Share Posted January 19, 2003 Interesting idea; at what point did it occur -- I mean, when did Italy enter and how long did it take to shift those units? The only venture I made along these lines was to buy a fourth, then a fifth luftflotte and I kept hitting the Maginot with them them one hex at a time along with ground attacks starting with the northern-most fortress hex. It was expensive but it worked. I took two of them that way, north and central(this is against the AI, of course)and afterwards Paris fell quickly. It had some advantages but I've since abandoned the strategy. [ January 18, 2003, 07:21 PM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted January 19, 2003 Share Posted January 19, 2003 I've considered the idea myself. It really depends on how hellbent the player intends on keeping France or if he pulls a Dutch Gambit. In a recent game I made a string of Italian corps all the wa to Paris and then flanked with my Germans to cut supply. It would have been possible to 1 maginot hex and blitz through to cut their supply and then proceed to obliterate the French on either side they dedicate their forces. I think what is very important, is if the the French start stripping out units from colonies and other places. You need to transport and scan ports all over, and cut down her production if she attempts to move everything she has got to one place. I haven't successfully done it yet but even Britian gets stripped. You need to keep your Italian and German Navies alive relatively to do this. Though this forces the Allied player back into a neutral position and then it's all forward for you. As far as keeping Russia/USA out of the War I always get bloody Russia in the War no matter what! She jumps me always in 1941 and it gets on my nerves because with the new strategy of disbanding the French fleet and if he attempts to blitz the Low Countries he will have an HQ and a army or two exra. Moving all Allied fighters, =three to the coast of England and the Carriers and even with 5 german fighters you're sort of in a quandry. I have found myself biting my naiils and digging up the wood off my computer desk! I even tried declaring war the Swiss once, just to see. Don't ever do it, they get 2 armies that are full entrenched! Best is traditional, GET inside fast, and break the Frog's back by killing 2 armies and destroying his HQ if he keeps it up at the front. Break him as fast as possible. If he dedicates himself sooooo much to that campaign then prepare for a quick vichy/Spain/Portugal and Suez destruction if you keep your fleet. Then eventually Iraq relocating to Russia and then Bada Bing... Lately I've had a hard time taking France in time to do this with these very advanced players. August 1940 is way too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade Trapp Posted January 19, 2003 Author Share Posted January 19, 2003 Jersey, to answer your question, Italy declared war rather early mainly because I captured Denmark withing 2 turns. As for the staging area for my amphibious assualt, I sent two armies and a HQ (German) into Sicily and launched from there. The werid thing is that in the game I played with Kenfedoroff, the Italian navy was ambushed by the British Fleet and Liberia was captured a turn after Italy declared war. Yet I was still able to carry out my amphibious assualt, I escaped the naval battle with only one battleship and a crusier but the allied fleet never persued them or even tried to oppose my transports (they were unescorted in the begining) If the allies had taken advantage of their victory by intercepting my transports, my army would have taken heavy losses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenfedoroff Posted January 19, 2003 Share Posted January 19, 2003 It may work against a brain dead Newbie, but don't try it against the Big Boys. They will eat you alive. Sincerely, Captain Unconscious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade Trapp Posted January 19, 2003 Author Share Posted January 19, 2003 lol...as I found out the hard way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyJohn Posted January 19, 2003 Share Posted January 19, 2003 Comrade, A lot of interesting aspects of that game. Not the sort of things that come up often. Libya is really a litability for Italy. It's too good to pull out of (which would be both unrealistic and difficult to pull off, plus it's got two cities and a port wich make it a good prize) yet impossible to hold if the UK really wants to take it. Kenfedoroff did a fine job in taking it so quickly and early in the game. Once Sicily goes it's easier to take Sicily but Italy itself is a nightmare to invade, exactly as it was in real life. I wonder how many times in 1943 and 1944 Churchill, sipping his snifter of brandy, must have regretted dubbing it "Europe's soft underbelly." At the same time, if the Axis player becomes careless in it's defense it can fall easily. [ January 19, 2003, 04:23 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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