The Green Man comes back with a vengeance !!! AAR Terif (allies) - Hellraiser(axis)

[Terif]

At least they survive, despite heavy damages . But only 1 russian tank was in range of the armoured forces, the other tanks just catching up. Connection reestablished to Finland.

Strange battle in the Baltic: Both fleets simply ignore each other and do shore bombardements instead .

[hellraiser]

Yeah...my cruiser is bombarding Leningrad which was at strength 5 ... low supply for the defender won't hurt me

German air moved in range of Leningrad; siberians arrive - that's bad ... germans get jets 3, that's good. Russians are very tough, lots of lvl 2 tanks on the map. Germans have only 3 armoured formations, rest infantry. If I cannot take Leningrad soon, I will be forced to execute a 'strategic' withdrawal - too much danger in the north, hopefully my 3-4 star stukas will be able to stop the soviet armour.

[jon_j_rambo]

Yoda in 'da House.

[Terif]

June 14, 1942:

8 russian tanks in action is a pretty nice picture . Russian task force starts to wipe out the german units around Leningrad...army with supply 4 destroyed. Second russian offensive between Kiev and Odessa begins.

In the middle of the Atlantic the Royal Navy from Canada on their rendezvous course with the Gibraltar task force encounters Tirpitz and Prinz Eugen, unfortunately stormy weather so not much damage - but lets see if they survive the encounter with the entire british fleet .

[jon_j_rambo]

Can the world sleep better at night with Terif Yodl working for the Allies?

[hellraiser]

RN BB sunk in the atlantic by superior german naval forces 2 BB, cruiser, 2 subs.

With the help of the Luftwaffe, germans capture Leningrad; the remains of a tank unit is marching thru the woods of finland, chased by communists.

Some tiles turn to red between Kiew and Odessa. Things start to look grim in Russia despite the major succes at Leningrad and help given to the finnish allies. Russians seem to have bought countless tanks...we'll ssee if the LF can prevent breakthrus...

[Blashy]

Tanks are the ultimate kickass machine. Wait until someone has level 5 tanks vs. a simple core, 0-10 LOL!

[Terif]

July 5, 1942:

Weather is clear and so Russia starts its own private independence day :

Superior motorized russian forces move forward along the whole front from Leningrad to Odessa, killing countless axis forces including romanian and italian ones, not to mention one of the 3 german tanks. Kiev liberated, Smolensk under heavy attack, russian forces already reach the romanian border .

In the Atlantic U 47 dives against all naval attacks...only the canadian Bomber has a shot at battleship Bismarck.

USA joins, fleet leaves port to join the battle.

UK prepares for invasion of France.

[Blashy]

Game over for the Axis it seems.

So where do you figure things went wrong for the Axis?

Egypt IMO. The heavy losses in Egypt were key, it made for an ill prepared Barbarossa.

[hellraiser]

RN BB and crusier kille din the Atlantic.

In Russia...well that's another story...

From the depths of Asia, countles primitive people storm the german crusaders. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw 30+ russian units appearing out of nowhere mauling everything in sight. German fully upgraded and entr 4 corps in Kiew did not even know what hit it ... Not much the germans can do against super teched red troops - HT 2, motor 1, IW2 ... Only LFs managed to wipe out a tank but the land troops have terrible rolls. Me thinks I need to retreat to the german border what I can still retreat, Abandon Finland and prepare to defend the Reich. Maybe higher supply areas will help me. I make more mpps but Jodl has IT lvl 4...can you believe that...IT 4 ... OMG

Excellent played by Terif.

[hellraiser]

Yes, definitely Egypt was a big cash drain and a big delay - but I cannot let mid east to the UK, never.

Probably I shouldn't have pushed so far in Russia and just wait another year to get techs and tougher units.

I got HT 2 now (I got 2 chits since forever sunk there) but my armour is history

Guess I should have waited perhaps another full year, I dunno. Anyway, we start to figure out the game mechanics and we'll get better soon

[Blashy]

I doubt you are making more MPPs. USA alone if it has 4-5 IT is close to Germany itself.

[hellraiser]

Ah no, I meant more than Russia...maybe

[Terif]

Yep, perhaps more than Russia..but they are making 364 mpps, all Allies together around 600 .

July 19, 1942:

The russian summer offensive goes well. 3 axis minor units wiped out around Odessa, city surounded from all sides and cut off. Minsk is burning and german armies die like flies around Leningrad while russian forces already approach Königsberg.

Only in Finland there is a fragile cease fire this turn since Russia is reinforcing and upgrading its troops - next turn Axis will be thrown out from there .

In the Atlantic Prinz Eugen gets sunk, german sub survives at str 2 the attacks of the combined US and UK fleets.

D-day starts in France: UK landings at Brest, city cut off, bomber and AF strikes weaken the defender.

[Blashy]

Egypt will be interesting to see how it develops.

I think more than one strategy will work for Egypt, give it up and have all those forces in UK for other operations or go all out.

As well Egypt needs to be attacked from all sides using amphibious landings east of Alexandria.

[hellraiser]

Germans wipe out several advancing soviet troops - army, 2 corps. Finland abandoned, Manstein + armies arrive in Koenigsberg.

Air is scoring huge and my land units as well once the supply is reasonable.

Hedgehog positions left behind with the purpose of delaying the soviet advance until my troops take positions near the border.

UK lands near brest.

Carrier and BB sunk by german navy.

[Terif]

August 2, 1942:

Tirpitz, Bismarck and U-30 sunk by the allied fleets. Brest under heavy attacks and at str 2. UK tank and half a dozen corps on the way or already in France. US troops ready to join the cause next turn.

Russian forces conquer Kiev and Odessa, last romanian army destroyed in the romanian oilfields. Russian spearheads enter Hungary.

German air and experienced armies are deadly near Königsberg, so Russia stays away and reinforces its units instead of advancing further.

Helsinki under heavy attacks from all sides and will fall next turn.

[hellraiser]

August 16, 1942

The OKW orders a general retreat from Russia - Leningrad abandoned, last german army from Finland arrives in Koenigsberg. some russian spearheads destroyed - 2 armies.

Germans take defensive positions in Romania, Hungary, Poland - directly threatened by advancing soviet troops. Last turn soviet air interfered with LF bombardment - bad ideea for the reds. We need to buy time - russians will soon run into supply problems, cities being destroyed by germans in their retreat

We need that winter to come So we can refit and upgrade troops.

German navy in the Atlantic wiped out, only a sub escapes. US fleet performed admirably

[Terif]

August 16, 1942:

Last german sub U-47 found at the spanish coast and surounded by cruisers - will not survive the next day.

Major landings in western France including UK tanks. Bordeaux and Brest under heavy attacks - defenders at str 1, 2 and 5 left. Approaching Paris.

Additional landings in western Germany, Hamburg conquered by UK forces .

In the east Finland surrenders, Leningrad liberated. Several german armies defend Romania, but oilfield conquered. Bloody battles around Königsberg and Warsaw, russian ground forces attack an experienced german AF directly after they wiped out a german army that blocked the path.

[Terif]

August 30, 1942:

Russian forces in Königsberg area nearly completely wiped out by german air and experience armies/tanks - around half a dozen russian units lost and rebought now. Survivors retreat to Minsk except a tank that attacks a german AF in a kamikaze mission

In Romania the oilfield changed the owner twice - german army killed, another one near Hungary.

Since russian reinforcements and the finish task force can´t operate to the front due to scorched earth, they have to walk...

In the west Allies liberate Brest, Bordeaux will follow next turn when the last 2 defenders get killed. US forces landed, Montgomery leads the troops in France.

Current mpp income per turn including convois:

UK 102 mpps, USA 152 and Russia 512

[hellraiser]

Massive killings in east - germans do well but they are too few left. Air scoring big time but the reds are just too many

Axis sue for peace - they simply cannot keep up with the losses anymore, production queue consists of 2 tanks, army, corps ... several armies left alive, the kickass luftwaffe is ok but allies will infiltrate everywhere

Outteched, outproduced by a ratio of 2:1 - no way I can pull this off

GG Terif, very nicely played.

[Liam]

And if you look earlier in the posting I won't say I told you so see, I told you so

Originally posted by Blashy:

Game over for the Axis it seems.

So where do you figure things went wrong for the Axis?

Egypt IMO. The heavy losses in Egypt were key, it made for an ill prepared Barbarossa.

[Blashy]

So in the end, Egypt is what bled the Axis?

[Terif]

Yep, Allies have 10 tanks vs 2 german ones, over a dozen armies and countless corps...Romania and Hungary under siege with heavy losses for Germany there.

In the west Allies gear up after tanks and several armies arrived with 2 HQs now.

Allied tech at the end of the war (September 6, 1942):

USA: InfanterieWeapons 2, Anti-tank 1, Motorization 1, Production 4, Industry 2

Russia: IW 2, Heavy tanks 2, AT 2, Motor 1, Advanced Air 1, Production 2, Industry 4

[Terif]

Egypt surely cost Axis a lot of mpps, nevertheless they were quite strong in Russia and nearly all cities in the Med and West were occupied by garrisons.

But Axis obviously neglected tech investments, especially in IT and production that are key for a longterm war while Russia alone invested 23 chits... So Axis had enough units at the start of Barbarossa, but when the heavy battles started not enough income and production tech to replace their losses.

Additionally Axis made the mistake to try to defend Finland against superior russian forces. So their best units were bound there and Russia was able to build up in the south and around Moskov without any threat or losses. In contrary, Germany had high losses not only in the siege of Leningrad since attacking from marshes and accross a river leaded the first rounds to no losses for the defender but 1-3 str points lost for the attackers but as well in the defence of Finland where they lost a unit each turn vs no russian losses.

Another fault: Axis bought too many airfleets for their mpps, so they were a bit weak on the ground. But in SC 2 AFs are not needed any more for ground warfare. In open ground battles they are pretty much useless (compared to what they cost in mpps) and are only needed for special operations. Allies never bought air, so they had only their 3 starting/free unit AFs - one got killed and never replaced.

Russia moved its forces a bit late to the north to close the trap east of Leningrad where they lured german tanks into an ambush, so supply got cut off for some time in Finland, but still in time to kill some key units of and break the axis neck when simultaneously the southern front went into the offensive too.

[ April 18, 2006, 04:09 PM: Message edited by: Terif ]