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[UFC #5] Rambo (Allies) vs Xwormwood (Axis)


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Well, this game proved that i still have no clue what to do best with the Axis after the fall of France when playing against a human opponent.

So far:

i payed quite a bit money to get Spain and Norway on my side, i presume it was about 600 - 800 japanese mpps, and about the same money from germany. I calculated that this would be a good transaction, as the spaniards bring 2 CA, an HQ, a fighter and several other land units into the marriage. Norway, well, here i miscalculated, as they only have a DD and three lousy corps. I may even have spend some money to bring in Iraq, and yes, Sweden got money from me as well.

Mostly, because you have to be ready that your opponent might want to bribe Scandinavia out of you convoy system.

When the Kriegsmarine got the spanish reinforcements and was strangling the UK for some month, i got a bit too cocky, and sent some corps toward the caribean sea.

Those two corps might have made the difference when jjr started his slow invasion of france. Same for the Italian army which i sent from gibraltar around the cape of good hope into east africa.

With the japanese i invaded some islands to get the cash, and due to my massive invasions i lost somehow the punch in China.

Then i wasn't sure (again) what to do next.

Invading India by sea and by land via Burma was not such a bad idea, i guess. But attacking Australia and East Africa as well was not the best idea of mine.

This way Japan fights a four, no, a five front war against an opponent who didn't truly care as he was trying to kill Germany. And dividing your own forces against a passive enemy robs you from the only thing you need the most: the punch power to bring at least one or two of your goals home.

Maybe i can achieve still something in India, but the UK gets tons of free units here, so this i still a very undecided battle (have i already mentioned how much i dislike scripted, free units?).

In my last turn the entire north half of the WORLD (!) was covered by rain.

Except for the UK and some small parts of the north eastern american continent. So, I would truly love to see more weather zones in a future SC release. More zones, and more kind of weather types (cloudy, unstable).

Well, back to the still running game:

jjr attacks in the east, and was able to kill an HQ with an already damaged lvl 3 tank (i think it had strength 7), which should have had supply problems, at least thats how i thought it would be.

So here i am again nagging: HQs should get better defense values, i still don't understand why of all things the Head Quarters should be the weakest units in the game. No offensive qualities, yes, that i do understand. But no defensive power? For my inner eye i see a top notch general, unable to organize his own defense while sitting on the stockpile of supply, reinforcements and the best brains of his country. Well, of course, could happen, but i think more realistic would be that the HQ would be able to stop the enemy with improvised units.

So, where are we in russia: the front lines haven't moved much the last 18 months. and this won't happen anytime soon here. Problems arise in the west, where allied naval vessel roam freely anywhere they want.

In France there are at least 2 US tanks, 1 uk tank, 2 US HQs, several crap corps with no tech and some more elite american units.

2 US paras jumped at the first good weather turn into germany and italy.

Nicely done, didn't expected that to happen!

2-3 units marched into Spain. Spain has some turns time to build up a counter offensive, while Paris is besieged and bombed from the allies.

In the UK there are at least 3 US bombers and some lvl 0 fighters, while axis fighters fly lvl 2 planes.

jjrs appoach was nice: he didn't wasted too much money into techs, but into troops. And his constant waves of amphibs and transports filled all of west france, while i had nothing to spare for a real counter attack, even though i'm still able to hold and defend a line.

The question will be if he or i get the first good luck streak with the weather periods. Two or three turns of good weather while your opponent has bad weather can decide the game quite a bit. I hope that this will change at least a bit in future SC releases. As JJR already wrote in one of his AARs: SC is unfortunatly somtime too much Strategic climate combat than anything else.

Well, allright, enough of my nagging. If i had spent more money into units instead of diplomatic affairs or mad amphib dreams toward the american continent i wouldn't be in this situation, and weather wouldn't hurt as much as it does now.

Maybe one last remark regarding diplomatics:

i think neutrals should have a better army when they get pumped full of silly money. If a neutral received about 1000 mpps from both sides, than it should invest some of this money into more and / or better units.

Or the neutral could get an own morale value. If things are up, they fight better (just like it works today) AND they should produce reinforcement at a lower price / at a faster speed. If morale goes down (decision events, losses at the battlefield, strong enemy forces at or within the borders), than they should stall production, randomly lose strength points (desertion), or divide their forces (into "we defend our homeland" and "we've had enough with these bozo, we join the other side to get rid of them). This feature alone would let you think twice before start to invest, and after you did, before you give a country up, letting it join your opponents side. Finland, Spain and China might be good examples that diplo investments were often made with the export of your weapons.

Well, back to the news, here are the latest loss reports:

11443.jpg?t=1287944418

Last but not least:

- AARs, could we get a separate folder for them, where they could be moved to when they were started? This way they would get lost after some time.

- what about an AAR-manager (or and AAR database? Players could send HIM (or it) their entries, and the manager (or database) could put them together AFTER the game has ended.

This way it wouldn't hurt to send more detailed pictures, more detailed analyses and more about someones own plans, hopes or fears.

Today you have always to hold back, at least a bit, as you don't want to give away your hidden navy, your traps, your undefended borders or cities.

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April 1943

[France] Rain, rain, rain. Ground attacks only. 4th Yankee Armor goes nutz, damaged like Sgt. Guffy in the movie classic, Battle of the Bulge. He rams Nazi Tiger Tank East of Paris, we get the kill. Paratroops rake clear Southern fortress in the Siegford line. If only the American people knew the reckless casaulties, I would be voted out of office. General Patton has American bombers up'ed in tech due to rain, they are working from London. +1 LR, +1 Bombers. Paris has been cutoff along with the mine. I don't have alot of punch, but spirit I do have. Spainish rail controled, but not alot of power can I have going in. Milan is ours, completely out of the theater.

[Russia] Sneak port taken, Allied ships working the coast line in Baltic. Russian Tank heads dead South, blows away +2 tech Romanian Fighter, that was fun :) The Russians are weak, but so are the Germans.

I'm using total disregard offensive strategy, trying to punch drunk the Germans to death.

[Asia] Land battles in India & Austrialia. Another unorganized strategy used by the Legend. Transport runs in Jap-DD North of Pearl Harbor. Yankee Admirals sail where the action is. Pacific is a big Ocean, people.

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Forecast sounds great, good idea!

In France i attacked with my tank, killing two US tanks, only to be killed on my own in jjrs next turn, as there is still an UK tank and another US tank in France.

In Russia i sunk another russian amphib with my Stukas, which were, after at least a perriod of FIVE MONTH for the first time allowed to attack again.

Tac Air, couldn't they get an intercept just like the fighters, but on land or naval units (players choice)? This way the could fly in a good weather period of the enemy instead of parking on the ground all year long.

In north Australia CV battles started, seems like both navies will have to say goodbye to some of their good old vessels.

9543.jpg?t=1287949279

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Xwormwood --- Exactly, sucks huh? Same thing with my first two UFC matches against you & Minty. Luftwaffen was useless in Germany of all places, let alone Russia. I didn't know it rained that much in Buntaland.

Now, a few changes should be made in regards to Air in bad weather. Let them at lease move 1/2 movement with NO combat. Sort of a mini-operand. That's only like 2 or 3 hexes depending on tech.

Also, not EVERY hex should contain rain. Mix up the coverage within an area. Like 85% of the hexes in a weather zone with rain would be covered. Weather should also move like real weather, forecasting, etc.

I'd like cloud cover too :) Have fighters mix it up in the soup. Plus, worse spotting.

Also, inaccurate spotting would be cool :)

How about "dummy" units? Like Pattons' fake units for D-Day?

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Movin in rain work, could be done with a chance of losses (like moving naval units through bad weather).

My conclusion out of our game and you AAR with Minty was to invest into tanks instead of tac air. This might have worked if i had done it a bit more consequently. Next game i play as axis i will waste less into diplomatic and more into curb chains and guns.

Diplo could become another story if you would get a / their treasure when they join, like 25% of their plunder value. After all, you "got" them, conquered or not. :D

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Forecast sounds great, good idea!

[...]

Tac Air, couldn't they get an intercept just like the fighters, but on land or naval units (players choice)?

Forecast, with Interdiction on enemy turn, with less-dramatic weather effects (e.g., instead of stopping attacks and movement, limit them).

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The air is getting thin for the germans.

The russians still attack all the time, while the allies, as ragged and battle worn their own forces may be, constantly gnaw their way into the Reich.

The USA started some minor kind of island hopping, while the Japanese did so as well, invading the undefended Hawaii Islands.

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Summer 1942

[Europe] Tired, exhausted, and taken huge damage......but the United States has broken into Nazi Germany. Russians are battered also. The price of victory is never cheap. We will eat Christmas dinner in Berlin, no problems.

[Pacific] Jap Carrier blasted & sunk. He had torpedo planes loaded, now they are at the bottome of the Ocean. Austrialians with help of American Carrier kill SF-Jap. India is bracing for final Jap attacks.

Allies crusin'

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There is no reason to get unsure about the outcome of this war.

We only let them come closer because we can slay them here way faster.

Everybody now: stay calm and fight like your fathers did before you.

Regard: just like the Führer promised we already took back belgium...

;)

kampfums.jpg?t=1288203691

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Camp xwormwood fans will be pleased to learn about the start of our invasion of the USA, Neu Örlinz and a neighbored oil field happily learn to love Sauerkraut and Bratwurst.

:D

september1943.jpg?t=1288212722

But as always: SC grants the ALLIES free scripted units for this axis actions.

This is simply not right. If you give away free units because something bad happened to the Allied side, than you have to punish the Allied side with something else as well. So the USA get a Free HQ and and very fast produced tank when the Axis side invades the USA, great, but please take away some money, or give a diplo loss fot the allied side among the neutral countries, give a morale boost for the axis units. Anything. But doing nothing about this can't be correct.

Please, stop these one sided bonus actions. I do of course understand that SC is a game for the north american customers, but still. It is not soooo very hard to think some actions and their outcome completly through.

Of course the USA would be able to get soon and several units once the USA gets invaded. But at a price, still.

And the whole world would notice that the mighty USA wasn't able to defend its own shore lines against some puny little axis invasion.

It can't be right to reward a) only the allied side and B) give rewards for mistakes of the allied side (the mistake would be to allow an invasion, and i have to add that i wouldn't call it a mistake in our AAR game), i write more for all other games, not this specific one).

A long story short:

As the Allied Player, you don't have to protect the US shores at all, as you already know that nothing better could happen than an invasion of your own country.

THAT

IS

SO

WRONG!

Having said this, i want to add that in our game it has of course no significant difference if the allies get some MORE free units or not.

But it still stinks. Big time.

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Absolutely agree with you old chap, and as I was reminded living by San Francisco the real US put lots of "MPP" into shore defence and bay defence that was never used. in this game, short of one corp in DC the US player need never defend anything as he actively welcomes invasion. Allies should have a DE - create instant units but at a cost of XXX MPP per turn for x turns reflecting diverting reinforcements to the rest of the world.

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Well, the stay in new Orleans won't last for long anymore, i guess.

112143.jpg?t=1288460985

Germany still stands, but in the west those german tanks of mine face about 5 strategic bombers, at least 5 - 7 tac airs and several fighters, while the luftwaffe is down to 2 (experienced) fighters in the west.

The east front more or less still stands where the russians attacked in 1941 (with Odessa in romanian hands).

Japan moves in for the indian kill, while in autralia the allied were able to stop the invasion attempt.

In the pacific islands jjr started some minot island hopping.

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Nothing new to report. But the USA brought in some more tanks into France.

Another suggestion or remark regarding the weather.

In SC it is possible to fly though a bad weather zone to attack in a good weather zone. But it is not possible to start a flight in a bad weather zone to attack in a good weather zone.

This needs to be fixed. Either allow or deny a flight through bad weather.

Simple logic dictates if flying through a bad weather zone is possible, a start in a bad weather zone should be possible as well.

It is correct that you can't find your target under the clouds.

But you can still take off, even in rain. You may have some difficulties to land your plain in rainy weather, but it is possible.

We already have random damages for naval units in bad weather zones.

Something like this would work wonderfully for planes as well (land in bad weather and there is a chance that you receive a certain damage).

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First of all flying through/around inclement weather is a lot easier than taking off or landing in it, you just don't have any flexibility if you have to land back at the same airfield. I would be in favor of limited air operations during some weather conditions, obviously they would be hampered by some degree, storms would ground everything.

Now I know its alot of work cause I did it in my one mod, but perhaps we could get Hubert to give us an unpredictable pattern in the editor. What I mean is, you take small patches of tiles edited with different weather conditions to simulate localized differences. At sea you get storms that fleets can duck into and out of. On land, localized areas are socked in from fog, rain, snow etc., but not whole areas, there are breaks here and there.

Believe me, it works real well, just like in real life, where weather is unpredictable. Sure, you can make an educated guess as far as the season norms are, but there are those small locals that are different. Doubt me, just load up some satellite imagery and take a look, check out your own local radar from time to time.........see what I mean?

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Sometime in 1944:

British Corps take Berline after the weather clears. American Tactical Bombers rule the skies from France. American Bombers attack from London. Patton's Tanks smash units. British Corps take Berlin. Russians continue to overflow Poland/Germany in an unorganized mess w/o much punch.

Japs nearly have India. Japs slowly getting thinned out in Austrialia. We trade a couple Carriers near Austrialia.

Near Nippon itself, American ships & alot subs begin to make it a parking place to sail around. Chinese holding on, but have no punch.

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Yes, its true. Berlin has fallen into the hand of the Tommies.

But Germany still tries to fight on, this time from the "Alpenfestung" (aka alp fortress, or better: Munich).

Königsberg is surrounded by russian lvl 4 tanks, so Rundstedt had to retreat to Danmark. Norwegian vounteers try to hold the east prussian capital against the reds.

Germany only fights on to enable her japanese Allies the victory in the pacific.

9444.jpg?t=1288810778

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I would like to add that until today SC GC misses some political effects of Japanese victories.

I would guess that India would at a certain time start to fight the British as well, simply to regain independence (first from the UK, and than to prevent the Japanese to move into the Indian heartland. And some African or near eastern colonies might dare to kick the UK out as well if the UK would went with everything againt Germany.

Would be nice if allied nations (axis or allies) would be able to decide to LEAVE an alliance if opportunity, time and Co. would be right.

Think about Egypt.

With the Axis staying long enough head to head with the UK in north Africa, local patriots would probably think about something to get rid of the English as well.

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