Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI

Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (Full Version)

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RocketMan -> Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 9:29:17 PM)
I haven't played the Operation Sealion scenario yet so I thought I would give it a try and do an AAR for it since there doesn't seem to be any AARs for Operation Sealion yet. I have played around with the scenario a little to understand the rules and for those of you who haven't played it yet, here are a few things you probably need to know. 1) The Germans don't start out with any combat units. They have to play a card and select a hex on the British coast to land units. 2) According to Bartheart, the symbols on some of the coastal hexes inside a circle represent cliffs. German units will suffer additional casualties if they invade those hexes. 3) All cities with a red circle on the map that are on the coast are ports even though there isn't a port symbol by them. 4) The Germans start with 40 shipping points (SP) and get 20 more per turn (10 during rain turns and 0 during storm turns). To land an infantry corps costs the Germans 20 SP and it costs 40 SP for a mechanized corps (Panzer or motorized infantry). None of these corps include artillery which must be shipped separately at the cost of 6 SP per unit or Engineer units which must also be shipped separately at the cost of 4 SP per unit or Flak units which must also be shipped separately at the cost of 5 SP per unit. The Germans can land two Airborne divisions that don't cost shipping points but they must be landed on two separate turns and each of them costs 10 PP. Each German corps consists of two divisions with three regiments each. See this post below for a list of the German corps and their commanders. 5) The Rules state that the Germans only start with 30 PP, but they actually start with 40. I have decided to play with no options selected for either side and with very slow AI speed. The lack of a "Successful Corridor" for the Germans will probably seriously hamper the German supply in the mid to late part of the game. [image]local://upfiles/13083/494F236C54A64A98B4A11C08151B0A63.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 9:52:07 PM)
To win the Germans must control 24 Victory Points (VP) by the end of turn 20. Since they already control 3 VP in France, they need to capture 21 from the British to win. My plan is to capture the VP inside the red line in the screenshot shown below, because this will minimize the ground the Germans need to capture even though it means fighting a battle in Urban London. Note that for the Germans to win the game without taking any of the four VP hexes in London, they need to take all but one of the rest of the VP cities on the map. My initial plan calls for an airborne landing to take Eastbourne as shown with the arrow, followed up by landing an infantry corps in the city. If the Germans land one of their amphibious corps in a city with British units in it, they suffer casualties (usually a regiment lost and another seriously damaged and left with no Action Points (AP). The rest of the landing force suffers a 50% readiness hit as well as an integrity hit and are left with only enough AP to move one hex). By taking the city with an airborne division first, the infantry corps can be landed with just an integrity hit but they will have full readiness and AP. [image]local://upfiles/13083/88B30BAAAF1F4D0898E803906D7D66BF.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 10:00:58 PM)
Here is the card I will play to land the 7th Flieger Division and the hex I will select for my target. Note that the odds of one of the regiments of the Flieger Division actually landing on that hex are not 100%, but I don't know the actual odds. If one of the regiments actually does land in that hex, it will displace the British unit I know is there and take casualties. If one of the regiments doesn't land there I will bombard the city with the Luftwaffe followed up by an attack with all three regiments of the 7th Flieger Division to hopefully take the city so I can land an infantry corps unopposed. [image]local://upfiles/13083/C034D599E4DC46DB8A7B71CFF4193785.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 10:05:54 PM)
Success! Took Eastbourne and will now land the XXXVIII corps commanded by Erich von Manstein. Note that even though the landing is unopposed, the German units still took losses from the Royal Navy and Air Force. [image]local://upfiles/13083/2D9B11B662124097A05FDB546E8C8288.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 10:11:55 PM)
I will now use the newly landed 34th Infantry Division to attack the British Home Guard unit that the 7th Flieger Division knocked out of Eastbourne. I have also captured the two bridges over the Cuckmere with the 7th Flieger Division. There is only one more bridge in my area of operations that I will need to take to complete my plan (over the Adur, on the coast, between Worthing and Brighton) so I doubt I will ever even land an engineer unit. [image]local://upfiles/13083/3C2BF68767F3481FACAB63EF56460F86.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 10:18:01 PM)
The 34th Infantry Division broke the British Home guard while only taking 300 casualties in return. [image]local://upfiles/13083/337EAFA3D27C48F79A7C8E7E9AE610BA.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 10:23:11 PM)
I will end the turn with 20 shipping points left so that, baring a rain or storm turn, I can land the XIX Panzer Corps commanded by Heinz Guderian next turn. [image]local://upfiles/13083/337B3E1FB556454192AD5A528E361876.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 10:24:06 PM)
This is out of order, but I forgot to post it above. These are the German messages at the start of turn 1. [image]local://upfiles/13083/F317E62C7E0045218F2B71E50BD4CFEF.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 10:37:40 PM)
And here is a list of the German commanders, they type of corps they command, their rating, number of stars and the action cards they get along with their percentage chance of getting them (if no number is shown the chance is 10%). [image]local://upfiles/13083/DC5E2CBE45BE4FE7A30BC73A14894DA1.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 11:25:39 PM)
Turn 2 - Messages. Clear weather turn so the Germans get the 20 SP they need to land the XIX Panzer Corps. The shipping corridor is still intact and will be for one more turn. [image]local://upfiles/13083/A61B42F9221542ADABA84BD7257BA21C.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/14/2011 11:31:22 PM)
Turn 2 - Start. Where are the British? Note that the numbers in the sea hexes in the screenshot below are the supply the Germans losses in that hex. This turn it totals 65, but the Germans get 6,000 Supply Points (SP) per turn and at this point don't have a lot of units, so these losses are insignificant for now. They will get worse when the shipping corridor closes though. I'll expand the bridgehead as much as I can this turn with the 26th and 34th Infantry Divisions in the XXXIII Corps and the 1st and 2nd Panzer Divisions in the XIX Corps. I will also send the 7th Flieger Division towards Brighton and Worthing. The Germans won't be doing a lot of attacks until they get more units landed. [image]local://upfiles/13083/E94B7F8BAA58409EAFE89CBE09000754.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 12:07:44 AM)
Landed the XIX Panzer Corps in Eastbourne. They took the same 15% losses from the Royal Navy and Air Force as the XXXVIII Corps did in their landing last turn. [image]local://upfiles/13083/2CB7388DDEBC47C3BCCABA4A8A3A9918.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 12:13:38 AM)
End of turn 2. Expanding the bridgehead. I won't play the 22nd Luftlande Division (the second German Airborne Division) card this turn. I'll wait to play it in a situation where I can isolate some British units. I also made no attacks this turn. [image]local://upfiles/13083/BB91FF485C254645B21E0B5B18396D22.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 1:33:02 AM)
Turn 3 Messages. Another clear turn, giving me 20 more SP. I will land another Infantry Corps in Eastbourne this turn. This is the last turn the German corridor will be open though. [image]local://upfiles/13083/0101EF89D4594ADC9DEAA3DCBFE3EA97.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 1:39:38 AM)
Start of turn 3. The British are driving towards the coast with the major elements of the XI Corps consisting of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, the 55th Infantry Division, the 2nd Armoured Division, the 13th French Legion Regiment and some supporting assets. They are also putting pressure on the German flanks. [image]local://upfiles/13083/10FDC773D8D8437DAADF74993F8777F4.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 1:41:47 AM)
I am going to try and pocket the Allied units as shown below. The northern part of the encirclement will be by the 22nd Luftlande Division. I just hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew. [image]local://upfiles/13083/11FFCE236FCA41509B9E9A40D68A82CC.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 2:04:40 AM)
The encirclement starts off with an air attack against one of the regiments of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. The Germans only lose one Bf-109E in the attack. [image]local://upfiles/13083/49BAF21247F94054AFC11B2555BF592F.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 2:07:52 AM)
Next, the two Panzer regiments of the 2nd Panzer division attack. The Germans only lose 1 unit (5 tanks) of Panzer Is. [image]local://upfiles/13083/BB3284BDE240401BBF463AEB5B537AE9.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 2:10:05 AM)
Next, the 22nd Luftlande Division is landed with the highlighted hex selected as their target point. Notice how spread out they are, but at least they will be able to reach their assigned positions. [image]local://upfiles/13083/F2DAFA2AE13E449A87E3DA8A81F31D67.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 2:12:39 AM)
Now the XIII Corps under Gotfried von Vietinghoff and consisting of the 17th and 35th Infantry Divisions is landed at Eastbourne. [image]local://upfiles/13083/7BACD9808A164C658ACA23D7C6859475.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 2:14:37 AM)
And finally the encirclement is completed. The Germans really need to get some more troops landed. I will probably land one more infantry corps next turn if the weather holds. If not, I will land some Artillery. Notice that I also got a second regiment of the British 2nd Armoured Division encircled (the other one is buried in the stack under the purple French Legion Regiment). [image]local://upfiles/13083/57C467FEACBD4E9ABEB636AE5E2B9CD6.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 2:34:24 AM)
Turn 4 - Messages. I got a message saying the corridor is still open although I thought I unchecked the successful corridor option. Also got another clear weather turn. Most of the German losses are from the Royal Air Force and Navy at this point. The British Army hasn't inflicted hardly any losses at all. Finally, 20 SP will let the Germans land another infantry corps. [image]local://upfiles/13083/0D554315686E4AAD8FE7E040324D022C.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 4:31:09 AM)
Situation at the start of turn 4. You can see the supply losses in the sea hexes between France and the British coast creeping up to the low to mid 20s per hex. And for some reason the AI moved all the surrounded units except for one regiment of the British 2nd Armoured Division into the same hex, which is 12 total units or the equivalent of 3 full divisions. I will attack and hopefully destroy the isolated armoured unit and isolate and attack the stack of units with the Luftwaffe. [image]local://upfiles/13083/4393882378BC4419A57527A7A4BA9424.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 4:34:29 AM)
Landed the XII Infantry Corp consisting of the 15th and 78th Infantry Divisions at Hastings, which will the units already landed to advance further inland this turn. [image]local://upfiles/13083/A01D72B619B843FCAE099C7B8F86E0CE.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 4:37:53 AM)
Isolated the stack of Allied units and preparing to attack the isolated armoured unit. [image]local://upfiles/13083/96F7002BB82C40BDB23B64A2642AE2D1.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 4:43:41 AM)
Situation at the end of turn 4. Destroyed the isolated armoured unit and have the rest of the isolated Allied units surrounded. Also notice that the Germans are only 20 km (4 hexes) away from the outskirts of London and are only 40 km (8 hexes) away from London itself. I will probably land one more infantry corps at Brighton next turn if the weather holds and then start landing artillery units to support the drive on London. [image]local://upfiles/13083/4A0729EE8A1A4D259F4BE194225F820F.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 4:52:24 AM)
Turn 5 - Messages. The corridor closed this turn, one turn later than I thought the rules stated it would. Another clear weather turn, giving the Germans another 20 SP and allowing them to land another infantry corps. [image]local://upfiles/13083/774550F3C235403CA81C13AEC59B522C.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 3:48:21 PM)
Situation at the start of turn 5. I will attack and hopefully eliminate the surrounded Allied units inside the red square and try to pocket the British 43rd infantry division with my two Panzer divisions. I will also drive towards Chatham, which will cut off supply to the entire peninsula on my right flank and allow me to take Folkstone and Dover, which will cut my sea supply route losses in half. I will also be able to take Ramsgate instead of Worthing as the last VP I need outside of London. I will use the XXIV Coprs (the one with the green stripe) that I landed last turn to clear out the area, which should be pretty easy once the Allied units are out of supply. Supply losses are now about 40/hex which, since the sea supply route is currently 14 hexes long, which adds up to about 560, or a little less than 10% of my total supplies. And those losses will only get worse as time goes by. I will also land another infantry division at Brighton. After that, I will land Artillery units for a few turns to support the attack on London. [image]local://upfiles/13083/D744CF3575F94DEDA73AF74493D35A5B.jpg[/image]

RocketMan -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 4:08:20 PM)
Wow! Landed the VII Infantry Corps at Brighton and it took 25% casualties from the Royal Navy and Air Force! I'll perform all subsequent landing in ports a little closer to France. [image]local://upfiles/13083/C86E552B6C88475E83660049ADABDA41.jpg[/image]

Keunert -> RE: Operation Sealion - Rocketman vs. AI (1/15/2011 5:00:02 PM)
nice move with the paras! never used them this way. encirclements are a weak spot of the ai. i seldom see the ai move back to reform a line to prevent pockets.

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