Terif Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Just ended another Mirror game – 1st game Liam (Allies) vs Terif (Axis) in Strategic Command 2 (not WaW) : German Wehrmacht proudly announces complete and utter victory in the second half of 1942 over the barbaric russian empire without having to bemoan a single loss against them – Rockets, the newly developed Wonder Weapons made this perfect land victory possible . Only Western Allies were able to kill one german corps when their D-day forces got thrown back into the water after they landed in France...all UK and US soldiers on the continent killed or taken prisoner.... Land losses in total when the war ended: 1 german + 1 norwegian corps (when UK invaded the country in 1939) vs 56 destroyed allied units. But the german leaders of the surface and sub fleets achieved an even more admirable performance in the naval battles – Admirals Raeder and Doenitz receive the highest war decorations for their excellent leadership of the combined Axis fleets: fighting against overwhelming enemy numbers they achieved total naval victory by only loosing an old italian cruiser...sinking in return nearly the entire allied navy... Total naval losses at the end of the war: Axis: 1 italian cruiser Allies: 1 carrier, 4 Battleships, 9 Cruiser Short retrospective view: Early war was normal with France falling in April 1940 like usual, UK conquering Norway and Axis going for Spain and Westafrica. England decided to defend Egypt, sending bombers from Alexandria against Tobruk to disrupt supply...the german response was swift by sending Rommel and his desert foxes...within a few weeks Egypt was conquered. At this opportunity with UK forces busy down there, german forces also liberated Norway directly under the protection of Admiral Raeders battlefleet. Hungary joined early, but Romania got obviously blocked by UK diplomats...so it remained neutral until it joined with the german war declaration against Russia in August 1941. Russia decided to concentrate all forces to defend Kharkov, fortifying the region heavily....but Germany was not in a hurry... main prioritiy: saving axis lives and not spilling unnecessary blood...conquering only the lightly defended cities in northern Russia including Moskov with conventional forces...Wonder Weapons were sent to deal with the russian bear entrenched around Kharkov... War photographies: Northatlantic fleet preparing for battle around Norway... ....while at the same time the italian fleet under leadership of Graf Spee is already engaged with US navy ships Russian defence line around Kharkov already breaking up...several russian units on the run while others still wait for orders of their panicing leaders and some just resignate in view of the contradictory commands comming from russian headquarters...in the end everything is too late and german forces cut loose...taking prisoner who couldn´t run fast enough...pushing forward towards Stalingrad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terif Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 2nd (Mirror) game – Liam (Axis) vs Terif (Allies): Pretty similar start like in the mirror game – France falls in April 1940, Spain + Westafrica conquered by Germany. Only difference early on (except for Romania joining in July 1940): UK didn´t defend Egypt and sent its forces instead to Scandinavia...which should prove valuable in 1941. While axis forces were still busy in Spain and Africa, the german commander got greedy...giving orders to also conquer Sweden and Scandinavia...but Axis can´t conquer everything when Allies put up resistance and for declaring war to all those minors, Axis have to pay a heavy diplomatic price...which provides Allies with lots of additional mpps and units...giving them the opportunity to fight already with heavy forces very early . And so UK decided to stay in Norway to fight it out...all those refugees from conquered minors and volunteers from nations all over the world were ready to put the fear of death into all axis soldiers in Scandinavia...and this they did with bravura... After early heavy losses, Axis finally decide to abandon all other fronts and send every airplane they have against the allied mountain fortresses in Norway...but even with 6 airfleets and a bomber at that time they can´t kill a single allied unit...too deep entrenched in the mountains the defenders are...ground units defending in the right terrain don´t have to fear airstrikes alone...only if the air is used to support own ground units, an offensive can be successful...but after loosing another army in front of the mountains, german ground forces were too frightened and too few in numbers to pose any serious threat...Airmarshall Goering promised the german leader his bombers and fighters could defeat the allied forces on their own...so only a few and unsufficient ground forces got sent...a misguided predication...initializing the downfall of the axis empire... When Russia joins the war in August 1941 and the Axis forces in Scandinavia suddenly have to face a two front war, they finally are forced to evacuate Sweden – sending everything they have to protect Finland instead...succeeding with this task for the time beeing during 1941...some defenders that missed the last trains are taken prisoners by russian forces liberating Stockholm. Naval battle: Meanwhile the axis Mediteranean fleet left ports...lulled into a false sense of security with most of the UK fleet reported supporting the battle of Scandinvia and protecting transports shipping reinforcements and supply into the hot combat zone... ...unfortunately for the mighty axis fleet, an italian admiral was not well trained in nautical charts and having a bottle of wine too much, read the compass upside down ...so he ended up in spotting range of St Johns (Canada)...alarming the US fleet which was just getting ready for war after USA joined in August 1941...promptly requesting the british fleet for assistance... ...and so the demise of the combined axis fleet had been set in motion...in Winter 1941 the entire Axis Mediterranean fleet got eventually trapped and encircled east of Canada with the US fleet coming from the west and Royal Navy from the east...within a few hours the spook was over...only Graf Spee was able to escape the slaughter heavily damaged...every single other axis ship got sunk or captured. In the meantime the land war in Russia was nearly non-existant...paralyzed less by winter weather, but more by every potentially offensive axis unit beeing sent to Finland/Leningrad to defend against the invading Russians...allowing Russia to have the initiative and dictating its plans onto the enemy. In June 1942 Finland fell nevertheless...costing Germany an entire task force with HQ, tanks and too many of their armies and corps...the last 5 units eradicated in one turn before russian forces celebrated victory in Helsinki over their finish enemy. During the rest of 1942, Axis remained in shock over all those millions of soldiers sacrificed to the lost cause of defending Finland...slowly rebuilding their forces...while Russia did the same on the other side of the trench going from Leningrad till Odessa. Only airbattles beeing fought over the heads of the soldiers of both sides...2 russian airfleets lost during these battles...Axis engineers now busy building fortifications in Russia after having completed the Atlantic Wall with a 2 tile deep fortification line from Bordeaux till Paris. Only UK launching several small scale attacks against fortress Europe: - Brest liberated, forcing Axis to man the Atlantic Wall with the new built units - Spain invaded...Bilbao conquered, UK task force cutting of Spain for nearly half a year until a german task force and italian bombers drive them away. Clash of the titans: Finally in 1943 both sides had built out their forces to maximum...and Allies were ready to unleash the storm.... ...secretly preparing the largest amphibious operation the world has ever seen...millions after millions of US, UK and russian soldiers boarding ships...not knowing their destinations...not allowing any spys to leak it to Axis...UK building large amount of decoys around Brest and Scandinavia to mislead axis reconnaissance... and so in July 1943 the massive invasions all over Europe begin...simultaneously Allies go on the offensive in 5 different regions: - Russia declares war to Turkey...multiple amphibious landings around Istanbul and the Capital which gets conquered in the second turn...offensive against Romania - Caucasus task force with 2 HQs launches its offensive, Iraq oilfields conquered...german defenders out of supply after Baghdad gets bombed to ruins by russian bombers - 2 task forces amphibiously land around Suez and all over Egypt...Egypt liberated...Tobruk conquered...amphibs and battleships swarming the Mediterranean...US and UK HQs coordinating the attack - UK and US HQ with their forces land in Cassablanca....marching towards Algier and ready to invade Spain from the south - and finally the dagger thrust into the heart of Germany...with extensive airsupport from Sweden and England...amphibious landing via Denmark August 1943: The world is celebrating...Axis surrender with all forces still intact...pretty much every available land and air unit built...sitting in their trenches in France and Russia now...most of them never saw the horror the battlefields can be...unbloody victory for the allied forces...in the end a strategic victory with all valuable ressources either snatched away from Axis or bombed to hell by the 8 allied bombers....Axis with still plenty of units, but not enough intact ressources left to maintain them Total land losses during the war: - Allies: 14 russian units, 3 UK, otherwise only minor and french units. No US units lost. - Axis: 29 units Total naval losses: - Allies: 1 french cruiser, 2 russian cruiser...no losses for UK or USA - Axis: 5 battleships, 4 cruiser, 4 subs (= all ships except Graf Spee) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terif Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 War photographies: Allied defences in Norway: Sweden crowded by axis air...but no ground units to mount a serious offensive...so UK forces in Norway stay safe: Last scenes from the large naval battle east of St Johns where the axis Mediterranean fleet got sunk: German relief forces secure Finland against the first russian offensive: But 9 month later they come back with reinforcements: Destroying finally merciless all axis defenders despite massive german airsupport: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terif Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 The end of the war is near...multiple invasions have been launched – here the Turkey invasion: Caucasus task force invading Middle East: Landings in Westafrica: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_j_rambo Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Looks like an absolutely butt wipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Yes, the latter game was one of my more interesting games with Terif. He employed a great deal of decoy after my Blitz of Sweden. I was cut in two directions, to evacuate German troops from Sweden or press forward with them. He had well concealed the fact that the entire British Army was in Norway and there was nothing I was going to do until it was pretty late, and with bombing Stockholm-Port I was sort of trapped into a poor mission. If I had reinforced Sweden with proper land forces anticipating that he may move on Sweden I may have conquored Norway and this game would've been EXTREMELY close for "me"... not for "him" perhaps. The Allied Bombers won the day, along with some luck... I really really underestimated the fact that you cannot just run through mountains as you do through plains and that the UK can be "beefy" if she's quiet and you should be cautious not to underestimate her even as early as Summer of '41 Axis though outfitted never had position to force the hand of the Allies, neither did they have any way of busting the massive forts that the Soviet had now erected so about the only hope was a Flash in the Pan... Plus throwing my navy on the bayonet of the Combined UK/US Atlantic Fleet made no sense... but that was of little consequence, Navies don't win in SC2-Vanilla they compliment and create havoc is all. Air is quite supreme and Naval support is helpful... That's a lesson I have been needing to learn in my other games I split up my forces and I lost my timetables or got distracted in sideshows. Each side in SC2 must lay down the foundation of a Strong Power from every motion they make, every tradeoff if it must be, must be accounted for. In the End SC2 is nothing more than a series of little battles... Some of my best games vs Terif are where I force myself to keep my troops clumped and well outfitted with combined arms to do various types of jobs! You mustn't ever oversee a possible mistake or a possible oversight of an opportunity! Well, next time I at least have gotten the rythm of pre-Barby down, now I need a good Knock-Out blow to the Reds. Soon My Little Green Friend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foko Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 When the entire british Army is in Norway, why did you not go direct for England? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Ward Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I look at these maps and feel like Jack Nicholson talking about Batman. "Where does he get all those wonderful toys????" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Foko, yes, that was a possible route. However, the RN was an arm's stretch back to home base... The Baltic, Middle Baltic at least isn't that far away from England. 1 or 2 Spotter Cruisers and that's that, an entire Sea Lion Invasion force will be repulsed... Not only, but in SC2 with 4 amphib range and my 2 JumpBoots sitting in Sweden, Sea Lion isn't all that practical. he could likely smack my port of entry, lock down my troops, ship in the Americans and end the game. Meanwhile even if succeeding the Russians would be in Egypt-Turkey-Finland...and Romania... Eventually Berlin This Is Terif, not an average player, you cannot simply second guess a move like Sea Lion, in 2 turns every unit In Norway can be in England, it'd take 3 or 4 turns to conquor England, ALSO... though a good deterrent against him moving onward with his offensives, Terif knows England can extract lots of teeth as I mentioned above and would likely sacrifice England for a Victory... SO either way is a no win situation. The only workable route here is 5-6 more corps, 3-4 more armies in Sweden. Instead of a measley detachment Army... Never go in half cocked into a big bad duel... Originally posted by Marty Ward: I look at these maps and feel like Jack Nicholson talking about Batman. "Where does he get all those wonderful toys????" ::smiles:: Marty, I like ole Jack's Laid back sort of demeanor. He doesn't waste cash much, Terif must be an Investor Every MPP counts Axis had 50 Units being built I think every unit but a Bomber and a tank.. Fluid movement makes Cash flow Bigger, indecisive Operating and confused tactics cost MPPs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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