Anatomy of War: By Liam and Enemies

[Liam]

I will continue this subject while I am able as there still doesn't exist a greatly detailed guide for some intermediate beginners. I however will never elaborate all strategies, people need to play to experience it and giving it away for free is not fair to players who do play and learn by losing

Denmark is vital, and can be blocked. By either of the Ports or the straights if the Axis do not properly Block, it is a counterblow and alternative for the British. Germany needs to take this objective with wisedom, and that means as I mentioned early, GREAT FORCE it's really easy. British can always us Bombers, Battleships, or kamikaze units to attempt a sneak attack on the Kriegsmarine. A Pearl Harbour of the Baltic if you will. Terif has executed this with Adeptness in our current holding game. I thought I was SOOOOO Safe, beware the silent foe One has to becareful not to put the British Asleep completely she is a Very potent and powerful adversary on the High Seas and for Sneak attacks early on in the war.

Since Denmark negatively effects Allied readiness that means it's a target that can usually wait, and German ports are great to post their ships on, their U-boats are not SOOOO valuable, 400 or so MPPs is not the biggest loss and any assualt on the Baltic will let the Atlantic U-boat likely escape Best sometimes if you see a suicide mission to ram the first Brit ship you can and pray for a hard hit... instead of wasting time with the Frogs.

You see how you have to Counterbalance your strategies with many many possibilities... Never think your pieces are stuck or immediately dead, they can be all utilized, so make sure that every unit is utilized, on the move, and ready for the turn that you may need to bring it into play!

Norway is an easy grab, garaunteed for the Allies, but it does mean she is short elsewhere so the Axis must utilize this time and manuever properly. I suggest Overgarrisoning Denmark for Newbs save your fleet, it is fun to play with but not essential for later in the game. Axis can never stop LR aircraft. Sweden also is a hard target, as it raises US readiness much too high. SO Norway is a great base for the Allies to use to kill the Kriegsmarine anyway, you may never be able to stop the Allies without total Scandanavian Domination then in the Baltic!!! Depending if he goes after you...

As mentioned don't attempt to go there in the mud, mud is the nightmare for Minor Takedown!

and Scandanavian Weather can be unpredictable!

Any Questions, and then we'll move onto France! :eek:

[Liam]

Sitzkrieg, do not follow History entirely

Most players know how to conquor Poland and have a prefered path they choose. There really isn't a right way but mine outlined is just a sketch to make it easier. Next step is the Axis Operation West and move west. Some players know how to take both Benelux, Denmark and Poland all in one movement, they put enough troops adjacent to Benelux Turn 1 and they move their troops and air in range of Copenhagen and use ground troops with intelligent movement to take Warsaw. This is very powerful Axis opener if you utilize their forward momentum and their various unit types.

Benelux and France are best assualted early... My opinion that there prime targets to take in early 1940 rather than later so you can think out other strategies. It is best to weaken the ground units with your air, punch holes with your armies and corps and fill them with armor. You may take losses but usually in the early stages of the game it is difficult for the Allies to prevent you from your goals.

Here is a general movement for the Axis...

[Colin I]

Up to a point, Liam. I'm actually a fan of moving West as axis slightly more slowly but making a lot of Tech investments very early (1 in Turn 1, 2 chits in turn 2 with sacrificing rockets etc.). This means you can have a frightening edge post-France but pre-Barbarossa; the critical period.

[Liam]

Colin, your point has merit, the slow and steady approach for the Axis is effective with weaker opponents. With more advanced opponents you will pay the penalty, IMO.

If you gain Benelux & Denmark on turn 2 it will help offset the cost of all the operations required to take Benelux... Not only that but you will have a forward position on the French so they will have to answer to the Axis with a frontal defense of Paris turn 1! Similarly the French fleet isn't alive long enough to harm the Italians or the Germans. There so many advantages to Aggressive Germany against a more passive strategy.

All this forces the hand of the Allies and though expensive and costly you'll learn you can quickly offset the costs and gain greatly. Good luck your Tournament Match

Originally posted by Colin I:

Up to a point, Liam. I'm actually a fan of moving West as axis slightly more slowly but making a lot of Tech investments very early (1 in Turn 1, 2 chits in turn 2 with sacrificing rockets etc.). This means you can have a frightening edge post-France but pre-Barbarossa; the critical period.

[Colin I]

I certainly see hitting the French fast as good - I have done this. But, as others have pointed out, you can get caught by bad weather and actually not take France much more rapidly. I can see this either way.

Liam - what would your response be, as Allies, to a slow burn Axis movement West?

[Liam]

Colin,

A good point, the weather 'may' hold the Axis in line until further into 1940 but I have lost Paris as early as 1939 because I did not understand that proper Defense is paramount!

The Defense of France:

I have learned French defense primarily from Terif, and from a few other of the Forum Players such as Rambo or Hellraiser, HR employs the slow method. You must cover your Capitol! Moving the full Strength Armies in front of the three Paris Tiles turn 1 is an excellent counter for the Allies. The Tank or HQ on the Capitol is fine. This along with weather usually will prevent a collapse! However is not 110% insured either way. If you should hotseat this scenario with France, you will learn the precise movements that will cost France nothing but will save her. If Germany operates enough units and has a quick takedown of Poland you may not have the time to prevent France from capitulating too soon but covering the Capitol and posting some of the weaker units in the Maginot is a fair defense!

France then must decide will she throw herself at the Axis or will she let the Axis pick her a part slowly. I generally find that it is wiser to wait and let the Axis grind up in snow and mud. If you're lucky Norway will go well and you'll also pick off the Atlantic U-boat... Otherwise if things go poorly, you may lose the option of Brest which is a nice base for the UK and distraction for the Germans. Also if the German timeline is too easy North Africa will be bit harder to take if it's your strategy.

Time means money for the Axis too and an aggressive Axis player will immediately take down any minor in sight that is a big profit. Allies must then pick and choose their options...

[Liam]

A further note I on a few of my comments on basic strategy. There is really no wrong way to open for the Axis. The Allies should seize the opportunity early to build right way and defend from any dreadful easy Axis Victories.

Axis: Opener usually is to either attack very hastily and take a bunch of Minors quickly. Alternatively she can wait and take the Minors Later. Usually in most competitive games she will have to take them before the opponent does and the only question how she balances her conquests. Leaving certian targets too late against the wrong opponent may leave him a loop in which he can use to delay your timelines or push you on the early defensive. I think the Axis need to be ProActive in North Africa, Spain and Scandanavia. Though also splitting all of her forces up this way will leave her weak vs the Russians, so that's why you plan for weather and for good quick offensives before the Allies React in Strength, unless you can crush this reaction fully. So you must Weigh up what is most valued for you... And do not gamble with Axis, unlike the Allies they afford less of that unless facing an incompetent opponent.

Biggest errors as the Axis are Using Coastal Tiles, enemy ships do not only damage & destroy the Axis Units they reduce their combat efficiency making it easier for only units to finish off the job. Another big error with Axis is to not heed the basics. I.E. Garrisoning against Russia, Sending their Navy into suicidal missions, attempting bite off more than they can chew as this is not SC1. Territory can sacrificed or even conceded slowly if the Axis gain on another front.

Terrain in SC2 has changed the face of the game, Rivers & Mountains make certian fronts quite tedious. Especially in the USSR... The worst fight for the Axis a stalemate, or to come up against a ton of Fortifications. The only way to bust through is intense air and a great deal of losses. This delaying action is a key element for the Allies...

[SeaMonkey]

I don't know Liam, I think there are some pitfalls for Axis early that are usually gamebreakers, like not getting Poland before 40.

Then again the Axis can screw up and not take LC in one turn, allowing Allied intervention, although this is not a gamebreaker. Same goes for Denmark and Norway attacks that don't result in first turn surrenders.

An attempted Sealion when the Allies are ready can also derail a game's longevity.

Agreed a good Axis player will not allow these scenarios to unfold, I guess that is what you mean.

To me anyway, it seems the conservative approach for either side ends in a game like Rambo and Timskorn are currently enjoying. The conservative strategy seems to dictate the momentum of the game causing the more aggressive player to be dependent on tech luck and not running afoul of a grave mistake.

Of course the conservative is subject to not reacting properly to the aggressive player's actions which could also be a trap.

It will be interesting to see how the dynamics change the strategies for WaW. I'm kind of expecting them to be very similar, but perhaps with greater variation to tech and force mix among others.

[Iron Ranger]

In other words changing to more of a tactical game (force mix vs over all plan) then the present SC2?

[Liam]

SeaMonkey, I was eyeing that AAR with interest, I will check it out now that you point out the quality of game that it is. Sounds quite interesting.

Indeed, for many the openings in all those various scenarios and strategies you pointed out can be a pitfall! I have lost a few games that way but you will lose making errors and never repeat those. Generally I find that a lack of Aggression and Will to manuever a bad combo. I do not think that a Defensive Strategy does you any good in SC2, worse than SC1. In that game the Conservative player usually could finish 2nd dependant on the side he chose.

I know all this because I'm overly cautious and overly defensive and well known for it. I've out waited players like Rambo quite often and several others usually taking the Victory that way. I do take the iniative in the end though.

SC2 requires that you think a bit ahead of time, the Map is real large and you should be planning for effective strategies and gambling a little if neccessary to win. Iron Ranger may be right that the tactical side has taken a much larger role in SC2 and even more in the next package. You've got so many units and so much space, and this isn't Axis & Allies so we shouldn't expect much else from it. Fact is once you know the exact moves to make,it is about strategy and not tactics but boy is this game complicated beyond most of our understanding. That is why Terif has only what 2 or 3 defeats in Panzerliga, he has a dictionary type knowledge of tiles, percentages, manuevers... I opened up the SC2 book the other day bored, and leared 5 things I didn't even know about SC2. I wouldn't mind some additions and more IP opponents and Bravado! Game needs that bad!

P.S. I have lost about 2 matches recently because I left undefended Capitols which reminds me of Axis & Allies.

[Timskorn]

Defenses are very powerful in SC2, particularly for the Allies. The Axis are on a time-table and making them bust through a good defense saps both time and MPP's. The turns for effective Axis offensives in the east are limited each year. Once mud and snow arrive, the favor can turn back to the Russians who can counter-attack without fear of air and rocket attacks. Not to mention the benefit of attacking under-supplied units.

[Iron Ranger]

Yes few IP opponents around, happly there are ALOT of PBEM people that like to play. Sadly however this is a poor way to experance SC2, nesscary due to todays work world.. or school.. or family ect..

Drop me a line Liam, I can fit in one more PBEM game if you like.. to finish off SC2 for 07?

[SeaMonkey]

Got to agree Liam, lack of an aggressive attitude is a sure recipe for disaster.

As Terif has pointed out countless times, reiterated by Timskorn, you've got to feel when its time to fold and when its time to hold.

Good recon helps out too.

Hmmm, that reminds me of a song.