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Blitzkrieg 1950

 
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Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/18/2020 1:28:56 AM   
MikeJ19


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Good day everyone,

I have not played TOAW in 18 months, but I have felt the urge to get back into this great game.

I have decided to try the Blitzkreig 1950 scenario, as the Blue player. Now, I played a lot of wargames through the years, but I did not play this Avalon Hill classic. From the scenario notes, it looks very interesting and should be fun.

Here is a look at the Area of Operations




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/18/2020 1:29:37 AM   
MikeJ19


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Here is a look at some of the rules for this battle!




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/18/2020 1:30:55 AM   
MikeJ19


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As the Blue force commander, I am in charge of my forces and the forces of three allied nations (White, Brown and Black). Here is a look at what I have to fight with!




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/18/2020 1:45:42 AM   
MikeJ19


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The Enemy

The Red force is supposed to be the same as the Blue force. This means that they have about 30-36 divisions along with supporting Corps and Army level units.

They likely have a similar looking air force and navy.

ed Force has two Allied nations (Yellow and Green), which likely only have garrison units.

I suspect that the Red Force can begin operations in three manners:

Option 1 – Quick strike – three phases
1. Attack on the nations of White and Black to be followed with a drive towards Brown.
2. Liberation of Yellow.
3. Attack into Blue

Option 2 – Slow and Deliberate – four phases
1. Attack on the nations of White and Black to be followed with a drive towards Brown.
2. Attack into either Green or Yellow
3. Defend gains
4. Attack into Blue

Option 3 – Defend - two phases
1. Attack on the nations of White and Black to be followed with a drive towards Brown.
2. Defend gains

I think that their Air Force will start by trying to hit my airfields and production facilities.

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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/19/2020 1:06:33 PM   
MikeJ19


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A look at the terrain:

Overall the terrain is fairly flat and open with few roads and three main rail lines.

The rail lines are all broken outside of Red and Blue territory.

There are a few rivers and two super rivers (one following through each of the capital cities).

There is a big lake in the centre. The lake will have a major influence on the battle. I think it is the key area for the 1st phase of the war.

The three highlighted areas I important to secure early on. Holding them should help me establish either a defence line or a good jumping off point for an offensive.




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/19/2020 1:36:26 PM   
MikeJ19


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Initial thoughts:

This is a long game – up to four years worth of weekly turns. This means that I can take my time. The war will not be won in the opening moves.

I see a couple of strategic approaches that I can start with:

1. Aggressive attack from the start – the aim of this is to overwhelm the Red force and push them back quickly.

2. Defend initially – after grabbing some of the Red Allies cities, setup for the defence and let Red attack me. Then launch counter attack once the balance of forces is correct.

Both forces are about the same power and structure. Thus, I need to find ways to defeat the Red forces over time, I can expect that the quality of my units nor the quantity will overwhelm Red.

I need to capture some of the cities from Red’s Allies early on. Partly as a tradeoff for the cities that I will be losing to Red in the early stages.

I think it will be important to destroy units rather than push them back. Wherever possible, I want to encircle Red forces and set up for their destruction.

I need to use the Air Force both to support my ground forces but also to reduce the war fighting capabilities of the Red force – attacking the key transport, production and replacement nodes. My Strategic bombers can range over the entire map.

My other air assets have shorter ranges, so I will need to capture airfields as I move forward.

I need to remember to rebuild rail lines as I advance. Conversely, attacking rail lines in Red held territories will help reduce his supply and movement.

Starting two weeks in, I get reinforcements – an additional Corps on weeks 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8. I also get more air units over that time. This means that I have reserves coming early on. So, I do not need to worry so much about holding back an Army or Corps in the initial months.

Option 1




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/19/2020 1:36:47 PM   
MikeJ19


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Option 2




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/19/2020 1:37:12 PM   
MikeJ19


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Final option




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/19/2020 3:33:21 PM   
John B.


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I owned this game for a long time but never actually played it! I'll be very curious to see how it works. Is it still the great Koufax desert?

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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/19/2020 6:23:36 PM   
MikeJ19


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John,

Hopefully, you will enjoy my reports on the battle.

There is no name on the desert. However, from here on I will think of it as the great Koufax desert - great name!

All the best,

Mike

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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/19/2020 11:32:30 PM   
MikeJ19


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Decided to go with Option 1.

Here is a look at the beginning of week 2.




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/20/2020 9:22:53 PM   
StuccoFresco

 

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I played this on the Red side and found it rather easy: the AI advanced both too much and not enough. It launched his best divisions against my defense lines without sufficient support, so I repeatedly encircled and destroyed those for entire turns. Then, the counteroffensive blew it out of the water.

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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/22/2020 5:34:04 PM   
Hellen_slith


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Looks like a fun scene to play, thank you for the AAR! Looking forward to how it plays. PS: mind if I put this into my "encyclopedia" effort for TOAWIV? It would be in vol V I think, still months away, but this is the type of AAR I like and hope others will to! May I?

< Message edited by Hellen_slith -- 4/22/2020 5:36:19 PM >

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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/23/2020 1:43:07 AM   
MikeJ19


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Good evening,

Thanks for the compliment. Yes, please share this in your "encyclopedia." I'm glad that you are enjoying it. I will be posting the next week soon!

All the best!

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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/23/2020 4:43:30 PM   
MikeJ19


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Although it can be frustrating, I do enjoy the unpredictability of the double move.
****

Well, the Red force advanced much farther in week 2 than I expected. Not a big deal I thought. I’m still good to push back. Nope, the Red force went first in week 3...

Oh well, these things happen.

A look at Red’s deployment shows five different Corps identified along the front line along with another not far behind.

Although the two forces are essentially equivalent, it seems that they are not identical. Red has a tank corps, at least one Marine corps and an Army Reserve formation.

Given this layout of forces, I have a couple of options. Remembering my overall intent is to set up a defence line.

I would really like to isolate or cutoff the Red II Corps and some Army artillery is in a vulnerable location ahead of my 3rd Corps.

I’m going to take some time to think this through.




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/23/2020 5:19:03 PM   
MikeJ19


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A look at the North




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/23/2020 6:21:13 PM   
MikeJ19


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A look at the South end of my lines




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/24/2020 7:24:45 PM   
MikeJ19


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I wish there was a way to know that you were going to get a back to back opportunity.




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/26/2020 12:50:17 PM   
MikeJ19


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A look at my plan in the North




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/26/2020 12:50:42 PM   
MikeJ19


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And in the South




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/26/2020 1:17:53 PM   
MikeJ19


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Here is a look at the battle as I turn it over to Red Force




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/26/2020 6:21:50 PM   
MikeJ19


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I'm glad that I did not overextend my self too much on my last turn. The Red forces can fly!




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/27/2020 4:55:54 PM   
MikeJ19


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Another week into the war.




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 4/30/2020 11:41:18 AM   
MikeJ19


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Things are going well




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 5/1/2020 3:18:15 PM   
MikeJ19


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A look at the South as my turn ends




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 5/1/2020 3:47:26 PM   
MikeJ19


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There is a big hole in the South




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 5/4/2020 10:50:54 PM   
MikeJ19


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The hole in the South is now gaping...




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 5/5/2020 6:26:45 PM   
MikeJ19


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Time to push East with the forces in the South.




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 5/6/2020 2:16:23 PM   
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Red is in trouble, not sure they know that yet...




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RE: Blitzkrieg 1950 - 5/7/2020 3:04:48 PM   
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Things continue to move in the right direction




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