Strategy Discussion

[Rudel]

OK, I just finished my first campaign (well, not really, when I upgraded to 1.02 I couldn't play anymore).

But... I don't quite get how you guys romp through Europe so fast without repurcussions. I was the Germans, all the settings were on default (I played with FOW).

Basically, my theory was that Sea Lion was everything, and to try to get that done as soon as possible. Big mistake I guess.

I attacked Poland on turn 1 and finished them quickly. I attacked Denmark on turn 2.

Then, France got nasty towards me, so I went after them before taking Norway.

Seemed to take me longer to take france then it does for some of you. In any event, with my army ready to go, I figured I would try Sea Lion really fast i.e. Fall of 40.

The result? Russia and US declare war by very early 41.

It was tought going for a while. I did not have the MPPS from Vichy or Norway. Plus, I had spent a fortune on research points, and it took forever for me to get anything. With 5 points invested, shouldn't I have a 50% chance every turn to upgrade? I have had 5 invested in jets for over a year an am only up to level 3.

Anyway, the soviets hit my hard. I held them, but at the expense of Sea Lion going slowly. The Brits sunk my fleet early, but I got them back with my planes. Finally, my last turn was in October of 42. There is one Brit unit left in England. What has saved the day for me is that Italians. They spent all that time building up a sizeable army, and in the summer of 42 they attacked Greece, then turkey, and then landed 5 Armies plus an HW unit on the eastern side of the Black sea into the caucuses.

That caused the Russians to freak out, and there was no question that with England's pending doom that I would have pulled it off.

However, it was touch and go for a while.

Anyway, should I always take Oslo and Vichy before Sea Lion? I thought that would prompt the Americans and the Russians in, but they came anyway. Also, what kind of losses do you guys take when invading France? I do very well, and keep causalties low, but perhaps it is costing me time. What do you guys think?

Thanks.

[J Wagner]

I'm finding that it's best to leave Vichy France alone...you end up having the US and Russia moving closer to declaring war.

[iolo]

I agree with Wagner about leaving Vichy alone.

Also, i just posted elsewhere about the problem with Sea Lion.

You knock out the UK but you lose the chance to make that crippling first strike against Russia. If you let them declare war on you (which always seems to happen 3/4 of the way through SeaLion), you've lost your best chance in the East.

[Guest Mike]

But if you KO England yuo don't need that "crippling blow" in hte east - IMO you now have enough to wage a "proper" war".

You save a bunch on resources that are not needed to defend France, Spain joins on your side which gives you Portugal too (well you have to fight, but it isn't much of one), Italy can make the Med it's lake and can take out Vichy once USSR and USA are in the war anyway, and generally the war is pretty much over.

One thing though (I haven't tried this - would be interested to see if it works) - the USSR gets a big MPP bomus for declaring war - so if you see them gearing up for it declar war on them anyway??

Maybe you'll cut out that stockpile they get?

[ August 11, 2002, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: Mike ]