RE: Turns 79-80: 30 December 1944 – 12 January 1945 (Full Version)

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jwolf -> RE: Turns 79-80: 30 December 1944 – 12 January 1945 (4/9/2015 1:12:50 PM)

Seems realistic: without air power the Allies get stalled or at least slowed down a lot.

In some of the failed attacks there is a line "Halt Range N" where N is some number. What does this mean?



Seminole -> RE: Turns 79-80: 30 December 1944 – 12 January 1945 (4/9/2015 1:31:51 PM)

quote:

In some of the failed attacks there is a line "Halt Range N" where N is some number. What does this mean?


Longer range elements take turns engaging as the attacker gets closer and closer.
Basically the defense went so well the enemy stopped advancing at that range (I think it could be due to disruption/loss suffered so far, relative strength, etc).



loki100 -> RE: Turns 79-80: 30 December 1944 – 12 January 1945 (4/12/2015 6:51:04 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Seminole

quote:

In some of the failed attacks there is a line "Halt Range N" where N is some number. What does this mean?


Longer range elements take turns engaging as the attacker gets closer and closer.
Basically the defense went so well the enemy stopped advancing at that range (I think it could be due to disruption/loss suffered so far, relative strength, etc).



think it does reinforce just how dependent the allies are on airpower to really make progress.

this 'stop distance' routine seems to be a more sophisticated version of the option in WiTE were a badly failing attack is suspended if the troops have high experience and are well led



loki100 -> Turns 81-82: 13 January – 26 January 1945 (4/12/2015 6:56:43 PM)

Turns 81-82: 13 January – 26 January 1945

The weather remained awful for these two weeks but I managed to make some progress. Its clear that the Luftwaffe is finished as an effective threat – it is losing more in operational losses than I am shooting down – but it seems as if the average German unit is also falling apart.

For T81, I finally finished off that cluster of units that have been tieing down US 1 Army.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/2481/HHS5LG.jpg[/image]

However, more generally US 3 Army made decent progress in the Maas-Rijn area. My goal here is to see if I can repeat the Antwerp encirclement and pocket a German army in the Netherlands – if so, this time I'll be content just to screen it.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img673/1395/vsk6hT.png[/image]

But the real gains were by British 2 Army. Although air power is limited, I think a lot of German units have already been wrecked by earlier bombing

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img911/9669/YFpWf2.jpg[/image]

Well not all, Krefeld was the first German city to fall to the Allies and the Germans quickly took it back

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/1332/EAhxJV.jpg[/image]

Bigger picture ... The Soviets really are not putting in any effort

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img537/4485/7sg4gf.jpg[/image]

T82 saw 2 British actually reach the Rhine on a relatively broad front, US 3 Army was mostly stalled but 1 Army released one corp for the drive into Germany as the Flanders pocket finally collapsed. Not obvious in the image but all the armour from the Brittany battles has now arrived and will be added to US 1 Army for its drive south down the Rhine.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img537/7315/kXLcdT.jpg[/image]

VP is ok, I'm taking a lot of casualties but for the moment I just want to destroy the Wehrmacht as a functioning force.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/4848/TILOZn.jpg[/image]



jwolf -> RE: Turns 81-82: 13 January – 26 January 1945 (4/12/2015 8:13:39 PM)

I can't comment on the overall VP situation, but for those two turns that looks like good progress. With the Germans (nearly) eliminated from the coast, I assume your supply pipeline is very good?

The state of the German army here seems similar to what we see in WITE as one side or the other faces ultimate defeat: either they cede a LOT of territory or the army gets destroyed as a functional force, or both. Many months of bombing and fighting are paying off.



carlkay58 -> RE: Turns 81-82: 13 January – 26 January 1945 (4/13/2015 12:24:54 AM)

With historic Soviet advance you have until May 8, 1945 before Berlin falls.



loki100 -> RE: Turns 81-82: 13 January – 26 January 1945 (4/14/2015 7:06:09 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: jwolf

I can't comment on the overall VP situation, but for those two turns that looks like good progress. With the Germans (nearly) eliminated from the coast, I assume your supply pipeline is very good?

The state of the German army here seems similar to what we see in WITE as one side or the other faces ultimate defeat: either they cede a LOT of territory or the army gets destroyed as a functional force, or both. Many months of bombing and fighting are paying off.


Supply is ok, but I have every army apart from the 3 doing the main fighting at either 1 or 0 for supply receipt so its a case of prioritising as much as you can. I've now got Antwerp pretty much repaired and finally (next post) cleared the Germans from the Scheldt estuary so that should help a lot.

German army is now very mixed quality. A lot is now weak but there are some exceptionally strong units still available. I can mostly attack around these but I think a human player would do a much better job. Up to recently I think the AI has done a decent job at the strategic level (& remains effective at the operational level). But a player would strip Italy and the front from the Ardennes to Belfort down to a regimental defence (in Italy its even pre-built a massive Gothic Line but is not falling back to it). That would free up around 10-15 divisions including a lot of PzGr and Pzr and would be enough to stop any gains for now.

I guess that bringing any unit into the reach of my airpower now means it will be badly cut up over time, but given the focus of the game time is what the Germans have and I don't.

quote:

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

With historic Soviet advance you have until May 8, 1945 before Berlin falls.


I've noticed that the notional Soviet front line has not moved since October 1944 ... presume in the context of play with the Germans as AI this really doesn't matter? But even so it should be moving westward to deny the AI access to factories and manpower?



loki100 -> Turns 83-84: 27 January 1945 – 9 February 1945 (4/14/2015 7:08:11 AM)

Turns 83-84: 27 January 1945 – 9 February 1945

First of these turns was a blizzard (but at least the big rivers were frozen), second heavy rain and mud (and the rivers unfroze). All this had an impact on what I could do.

... not very much.

RAF hit Berlin and US 8 Air bombed in the Hamburg region

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img673/295/exlAWp.jpg[/image]

on T83 I reduced the Germans in Flanders to a single hex while 2 British Army broadened its front on the Rhine. I'm letting US 1 Army and 1 Canadian Army rest and refit and allocating quiet sectors to freshly arrived US units. I still intend to use these 2 armies for an offensive south in the Rhineland towards Bonn and Koblenz as well as to allow 2 British to concentrate its striking force for a Rhine crossing.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img673/1099/UH8Chn.jpg[/image]

T84 brought little change apart from the final destruction of the Germans encircled at Antwerp. The supply situation is not too bad and Antwerp is repairing fairly quickly.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img910/5263/mu2b8B.jpg[/image]

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img537/7273/qLFUCo.jpg[/image]

VP situation remains much as before. Less fighting means less losses but also means I am making little progress in terms of capturing city VP.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/5188/A4DdKf.jpg[/image]



jwolf -> RE: Turns 83-84: 27 January 1944 – 9 February 1944 (4/14/2015 2:08:05 PM)

Loki, you have a minor typo as the year is 45 and not 44. [;)]

Presumably the weather will be mostly crummy the rest of the way? That may be your largest problem.

In the East isn't it true that the Soviets didn't move very much, if at all, during the last 3 months or so of 1944? So the static front line sounds about right but should change very soon.



loki100 -> RE: Turns 83-84: 27 January 1944 – 9 February 1944 (4/14/2015 10:18:36 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: jwolf

Loki, you have a minor typo as the year is 45 and not 44. [;)]

Presumably the weather will be mostly crummy the rest of the way? That may be your largest problem.

In the East isn't it true that the Soviets didn't move very much, if at all, during the last 3 months or so of 1944? So the static front line sounds about right but should change very soon.


you are ... of course ... absolutely right about the date - one of the nice things about WiTW is it is much shorter than WiTE, a full campaign shouldn't take much more than 4-5 months

I think you are right about the weather, looking back over the feb-march 1944 posts, about half the turns were too bad for much bombing, so its going to be a case of luck and making the most of the gaps in the weather to see what I can manage

I'm not sure whats going on in the east. In one sense it really doesn't matter, either I take Berlin by 10 May or Uncle Joe does the deed. Equally I think I've pretty much wrecked the German economy but it would be nice to see them lose all that capacity in western Poland and Hungary. In my PBEM with smokindave we have the east front box off and he reckons the front is moving more or less historically - must admit I've not really paid much attention.




Joel Billings -> RE: Turns 83-84: 27 January 1944 – 9 February 1944 (4/14/2015 10:46:19 PM)

It will move roughly historically if you have the East Front off, and the game will end the first turn of May. If it's on, then the game can keep going (in which case the Allied player is going to lose some points).



loki100 -> RE: Turns 83-84: 27 January 1944 – 9 February 1944 (4/15/2015 6:56:53 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Joel Billings

It will move roughly historically if you have the East Front off, and the game will end the first turn of May. If it's on, then the game can keep going (in which case the Allied player is going to lose some points).


thanks, this is against the AI so I presume the option is off by default?



loki100 -> Turns 85-86: 10 – 23 February 1945 (4/15/2015 7:04:09 AM)

Turns 85-86: 10 – 23 February 1945

The first of these turns was a continuation of heavy rain and mud. I decided the best solution was to rest almost all the airforce and allow the units building up behind my lines to rest. I made one small attack around Aachen where the German line had been weak and made a small breach.

Turn 86 saw a return to snowy conditions so I was able to deploy a massive amount of airpower as almost every squadron was rested and ready.

The result was my heaviest air losses in a long time with 900 shot down and almost 4000 damaged. Strategically I am really running out of targets so my solution is to allocate fairly large target zones, set the number of attacks I want and let the AI manage the details. Bomber Command struck around Leipzig, 8 Air around Mannheim and 15 Air at southern Germany and Austria.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img537/8117/6EECks.jpg[/image]

I think I left 15 Air on a too low altitude and it was cut to pieces over Vienna.

On the ground US 3 Army opened the offensive crossing the Rijn in two points and starting to threaten an encirclement of the German units on the Dutch coast.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img673/209/pTmGyR.jpg[/image]

In Italy I shuffled units and managed to breach the German line on the Tuscan coast.

However, it was British 2 Army that saw the real drama. My original plan had been to allocate US 1 Army to an attack south towards Koblenz. However, the small breach I'd made last week offered huge potential gains so I pulled 2 British off the Rhine and struck south. It was replaced by freshly arrived 1 Canadian and the new US 19 Army who took up defensive positions on the west bank of the Rhine.

The offensive opened near Aachen. This attack set the pattern for the week, seemingly very powerful German defences just crumbled away.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img537/9351/tu2VmD.jpg[/image]

After a few days, the entire German position was disrupted. US tanks actually crossed the Rhine south of Cologne. This image shows just how far I could have moved with US 7 Armoured Division.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img912/2021/GDwhYA.jpg[/image]

In the end I was a bit more cautious. But the result was the fall of Koblenz and Bonn and British and American tanks over the Rhine on a 30 mile front. Equally US 1 Army is now in immediate reserve ready to exploit these gains or seal a massive pocket of those German units in Luxembourg and eastern France.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img661/4034/qk9wXA.jpg[/image]

Even the supply position is rapidly improving. Now the Scheldt is clear and Antwerp repaired my only problem is actual delivery to my spearheads.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/6189/E81HCv.jpg[/image]

The sobering side to all that was the very heavy losses I took with the impact on the VP score.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img673/705/HOvjBR.jpg[/image]

I think that turn indicates just how destructive the allied airforce can be as both 2 Tactical and 9 US air committed about 1000 bombers each to all that destruction. Equally if you manage to let allied units rest for a couple of turns they very quickly rebuild their CV. They seem to run down faster than German/Soviet units, recover quicker … presume this reflects the relatively high number of support elements.



loki100 -> Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/17/2015 7:06:30 AM)

Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945

These were two turns of very heavy ground fighting and some decent progress but at a heavy cost. My main problem was the massive air commitment on T86 effectively wrecked every one of my air groups apart from Fighter Command and 8 Air Force. Even dropping my ready to fly morale down to 60% left me with much reduced air capacity the result was only 35,000 sorties on T87 and down to 21,000 on T88 (this is compared to 51,000 on T86).

The only reason I persisted with ground attacks was that both turns were snow and I wanted to exploit the opportunity of having 2 British over the Rhine.

I finally worked out how to deploy the Meteors (for those not sure you just need to manually upgrade some FB-F squadrons). Very nice and also very effective.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img911/4946/BsWmnY.jpg[/image]

Don't exactly need more air superiority but no harm in having some very shiny new toys.

For the strategic air war, I stuck to my recent tactic of setting large areas and multiple missions on each day. Given that all decent targets have at least some damage, this is pretty effective, especially as I have no reason to fear Luftwaffe interceptors.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/7541/XRRM83.jpg[/image]

T87 saw some decent gains by 3 Army as it slowly forced the major rivers of the southern Netherlands. Finally managed to clear the Rijn itself just south of Rotterdam.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/1852/ZWYpDi.jpg[/image]

British 2 Army deepened its bridgehead south of Cologne, again I was cautious about opting for too deep an exploitation as there are some very powerful Pzr units still around.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img901/8329/QDvD3H.jpg[/image]

Having decided to be cautious, I then followed that up by 2 Paratroop drops around Limburg. Really trying to make it even harder for the Germans to exit from their partial encirclement north of the Moselle. One landing was destroyed in a German counterattack but the other was able to retreat onto my armoured spearheads.

On 3 Army's sector the Germans pulled out of Rotterdam and I had a mixed set of attacks trying to exploit the situation. Lack of airpower is hampering this operation. On their flank 1 Canadian made some progress around Kleeves. US 1 Army started an attack towards Bitburg making decent progress and freeing up 2 British to cross the Rhine. The result was some more gains as I expanded my bridgehead and almost encircled Cologne.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img661/6315/TQ2048.jpg[/image]

The supply position is ok but I really need to capture a rail bridge over the Rhine and to build some depots to enable supply transfer to 2 British.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img910/7092/bm36op.jpg[/image]

The VP situation worsened due to my losses. I think the casualties over these turns removes any chance of gaining a minor victory.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/7138/LbzMaG.jpg[/image]

No real evidence that at a global level the German economy is collapsing.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img905/3845/Yg3G9h.jpg[/image]

I ran the end turn routine. The AI provided ample evidence that I was right to be cautious as a very powerful cluster of Pzr Divisions struck the exposed US 7 Armoured.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/6871/Fmakoi.jpg[/image]



jwolf -> RE: Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/17/2015 1:36:14 PM)

It seems that the AI did a better job of conserving German strength than Hitler actually did. I am guessing this is the difference between going all out on a failed offensive (Ardennes) on the one hand, as opposed to careful and more conservative defense on the other.



Seminole -> RE: Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/17/2015 2:43:55 PM)

quote:

It seems that the AI did a better job of conserving German strength than Hitler actually did. I am guessing this is the difference between going all out on a failed offensive (Ardennes) on the one hand, as opposed to careful and more conservative defense on the other.


I think that is the ultimate problem in balancing 'reality' with the VP considerations.
Axis players are going to likely avoid the Falaise Gap and Bulge battles.
Playing conservatively to 'run out the clock' is a game winning strategy, but the Germans attempted the Ardennes offensive as a war winning strategy.



loki100 -> RE: Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/17/2015 3:33:03 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Seminole

quote:

It seems that the AI did a better job of conserving German strength than Hitler actually did. I am guessing this is the difference between going all out on a failed offensive (Ardennes) on the one hand, as opposed to careful and more conservative defense on the other.


I think that is the ultimate problem in balancing 'reality' with the VP considerations.
Axis players are going to likely avoid the Falaise Gap and Bulge battles.
Playing conservatively to 'run out the clock' is a game winning strategy, but the Germans attempted the Ardennes offensive as a war winning strategy.


Think this is a core problem in most WW2 games to be honest. If I understand the mindset behind the design of both WiTE and WiTW, there is an assumption that if the Germans still hold Berlin in Aug 1945 then the Americans drop an atomic bomb on it. I've no view of the accuracy of this opinion and have seen research supporting both viewpoints but that seems to frame the end game mindset.

Add to that, possibly more in WiTE than WiTW, there is a design view that seeks not to limit player freedom by introducing political demands and constraints. So the Soviets in 1941 can run subject to the need to evacuate industry, the Germans from 1943-5 can play as if Manstein had a free hand.

The problem is this does unbalance the game. WiTE has a corrective mechanism in that Soviet players won't produce a Kiev/Kharkov style disaster and the axis player won't repeat Stalingrad/Kursk so you could argue that the key turning pts that gave us the Great Patriotic War we recognise are absent but there is a rough balance in consequence.

But even if we set aside the nuclear option, for the Nazi leadership it made no difference if the Soviets or Allies took Berlin in May 1945 or August 1948 - that was the end for them. So from their point of view engaging in increasingly outlandish 'war winning' attacks did make sense, they had little to gain from a Pelton style one hex a turn approach to the end game.

A good analogy is the mindset of the nascent Soviet regime in 1918. They knew if they lost, they were dead. There was plenty of recent history (such as the supression of the Paris Commune) for this mindset and recent events in Hungary indicated they, from their point of view, were in a war to the death. Hence the prosecution of the Russian Civil War was ruthless (on all sides) even by the standards of the time and the type of struggle. Regimes with no where to go, can't just be interested in surviving a few more months they have to win.

AGEOD's Revolution under Siege is a superb example of how to build in the political to a military situation. If you play the Reds you don't *have* to use the Cheka for requisitions, to eliminate any internal threat and for forced conscription (as well as to shore up the morale of your army), but if you don't ... then you will lose the game.



jwolf -> RE: Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/17/2015 3:57:53 PM)

IMHO it is more of a problem if a game design assumes certain political or military consequences for major victories or defeats that happened historically but may or may not actually occur in the game. I guess this is coded to some extent in WITW in the VP system but the effect does not seem really large as far as I can tell, as an outside lurker. Also WITW starts late enough in the war that there isn't nearly as much room for alternate history, as compared to a 1941 or even 1939 start; so not nearly as many hypotheticals need to be considered.



loki100 -> RE: Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/17/2015 4:31:07 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: jwolf

IMHO it is more of a problem if a game design assumes certain political or military consequences for major victories or defeats that happened historically but may or may not actually occur in the game. I guess this is coded to some extent in WITW in the VP system but the effect does not seem really large as far as I can tell, as an outside lurker. Also WITW starts late enough in the war that there isn't nearly as much room for alternate history, as compared to a 1941 or even 1939 start; so not nearly as many hypotheticals need to be considered.


I'd agree.

From my point of view WiTW has done an excellent job of making what could be a tedious game of attack v defence into something that is enjoyable for both sides. It also via the VP system has a decent stab at simulating the political side for the Western Allies.

The frustration that is often expressed is in terms of overall balance. There is nothing to create a realistic mindset for the German player, they end up operating as a purely military commander with the tricky challenge of a controlled retreat in the face of a powerful opposition. Somehow the VP system has to change, if the Allies have such huge penalties for lack of progress or not hitting political targets then the Germans need something similar. I'm sympathetic to the difficulties of doing that in a way that doesn't reduce a complex and engaging game to a few I win/lose moments but there needs to be some progress in that respect.

I think this game is heading for the lower end of the draw range (from an Allied perspective), my PBEM with Dave is heading for a marginal defeat at best. Now you can make a powerful case that the Allies didn't win, the Soviets pulled off a huge land grab and both Britain and France were so economically wrecked they lost their empires in the following decade. But at the moment, I'm playing both my games basically ignoring the VP system (apart from taking some account in my strategic bombing approach) and I think that limits long term interest in the game. I've no strong views or answers as to the changes, but I think there needs to be some pressure on the German player to expend a significant portion of their army on militarily dubious actions (as there is for the allies) or the game will remain unbalanced.

As you say the timeframe is too short for the sort of swings and roundabouts of WiTE to apply. So we need an active VP system for the German side too, not just, as it currently is, that they gain by inflicting allied losses or preventing allied goals.



Seminole -> RE: Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/17/2015 5:21:52 PM)

quote:

I think there needs to be some pressure on the German player to expend a significant portion of their army on militarily dubious actions (as there is for the allies) or the game will remain unbalanced.


That's in no small part what the VP bonus for boxing the Allies into less than 10 hexes on northern Europe by date so and so is about.
It's an effort to get the German player to commit hard up front, when in other VP considerations they're better off playing more conservatively with their forces.



Peltonx -> RE: Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/18/2015 1:53:24 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Seminole

quote:

It seems that the AI did a better job of conserving German strength than Hitler actually did. I am guessing this is the difference between going all out on a failed offensive (Ardennes) on the one hand, as opposed to careful and more conservative defense on the other.


I think that is the ultimate problem in balancing 'reality' with the VP considerations.
Axis players are going to likely avoid the Falaise Gap and Bulge battles.
Playing conservatively to 'run out the clock' is a game winning strategy, but the Germans attempted the Ardennes offensive as a war winning strategy.


Much like WitE players will not make the same stupid mistakes Stalin and Hitler did.



loki100 -> RE: Turns 87-88: 24 February 1945 – 9 March 1945 (4/21/2015 6:31:18 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Seminole

quote:

I think there needs to be some pressure on the German player to expend a significant portion of their army on militarily dubious actions (as there is for the allies) or the game will remain unbalanced.


That's in no small part what the VP bonus for boxing the Allies into less than 10 hexes on northern Europe by date so and so is about.
It's an effort to get the German player to commit hard up front, when in other VP considerations they're better off playing more conservatively with their forces.



hadn't thought of it in that way, but don't think that aspect really works? There's little evidence of German players taking a marginal defeat but for failing to inflict that 1000 pt penalty on the allies? Fine if the reward is neatly balanced with the potential costs but currently that is not the case

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pelton


quote:

ORIGINAL: Seminole

quote:

It seems that the AI did a better job of conserving German strength than Hitler actually did. I am guessing this is the difference between going all out on a failed offensive (Ardennes) on the one hand, as opposed to careful and more conservative defense on the other.


I think that is the ultimate problem in balancing 'reality' with the VP considerations.
Axis players are going to likely avoid the Falaise Gap and Bulge battles.
Playing conservatively to 'run out the clock' is a game winning strategy, but the Germans attempted the Ardennes offensive as a war winning strategy.


Much like WitE players will not make the same stupid mistakes Stalin and Hitler did.



But a problem is some of those 'stupid' mistakes made sense in the wider context.

Trying to hold Kiev in 1941 as long as possible was a good idea, it protected the industry of the eastern Ukraine and AGS was really struggling to cross the Dnepr. There was also the political element. There is a simplistic analysis of totalitarian states that ignores domestic politics when what happens is this continues but in a very different form to more open societies. In the case of the Soviet Union in the 30s and 40s the Ukraine was one such source - local resentment from the 1930s but also that a lot of the leadership were Ukrainian.

On the other hand, Hitler wasn't being stupid in late 1943, early 1944 in wanting to hold the Tungsten mines at Nikopol as long as possible.

Both reacted to real constraints, just in being too dogmatic, both managed to lose both the ground and an army in consequence.



loki100 -> Turns 89-91: 10-30 March 1945 (4/21/2015 6:32:44 AM)

Turns 89-91: 10-30 March 1945

Not much to report over these 3 turns. First two were heavy rain and heavy mud. Last was normal rain but still heavy mud on the ground. The good thing is I've managed to rebuild the morale of the tactical airforce that I'd wrecked in the earlier fighting.

On T89 the AI pulled out of both Aachen and Cologne which helped my rail net and supply situation. Bordeaux finally fell, removing the last German garrison in the Atlantic ports.

For T91, at least it was worth restarting the air war. As before for the strategic element, I'm selecting very large blocks of ground and then setting the number of daily missions I want. Given the relative lack of targets, this seems more effective than anything more carefully managed.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img908/8265/vMP5wu.jpg[/image]

Some evidence that the Red Army has finally woken up from its long slumber.

I make some minimal progress in the Netherlands. My main problem is 3 turns of no real activity has allowed the Germans to rebuild a powerful defensive line in front of 2 British Army. I'll have to see if the ground drying out and the ability to generate high levels of interdiction will allow me to breach this.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/1232/bzTb5v.jpg[/image]

For VP, not much change. In the 18 turns left I really can't see this changing very much.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img633/3361/1vAVdu.jpg[/image]



loki100 -> Turns 92-93: 31 March – 13 April 1945 (4/22/2015 9:14:12 PM)

Turns 92-93: 31 March – 13 April 1945

Despite the fast approaching end of game, the weather remains a huge constraint. T92 was light rain but the ground remained heavy mud. So at least I could bomb things.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/9363/c1B2PA.jpg[/image]

The pattern in NE Italy is in preparation for my final planned naval invasion, an attempt to grab Trieste and maybe force the Germans to pull back out of northern Tuscany.

3 US Army found a few weak spots and made some progress in the Netherlands but otherwise I let ground units rest (and spent about 30 mins re-allocating masses of support units).

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img537/9412/jPsGn4.jpg[/image]

T93 saw light rain and light mud.

2 British managed to punch a small hole in the German lines and 1 US made progress towards Bitburg. Both advances were the result of gathering together almost all my combat divisions into a solid block, so the flanks are increasingly held by regiments.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/7738/UvPl3j.jpg[/image]

3 US followed up on last weeks small gains by capturing Amsterdam, encircling German units at Utrecht and threatening to pocket another 3 divisions on the coast.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/5237/GeHwbv.jpg[/image]

Final invasion ...

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img661/2230/LvZ75m.jpg[/image]

VP situation worsens, mainly due to heavy losses

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/6036/JuSgnP.jpg[/image]

Not helped by the Germans recapturing Koblenz and driving back elements of 1 Canadian Army north of Kleve.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img913/2248/ffysNp.jpg[/image]



jwolf -> RE: Turns 92-93: 31 March – 13 April 1945 (4/22/2015 10:26:45 PM)

Looks like the Russians are making good progress now. In the Netherlands, aren't the Germans along the coast already out of supply? Or are they supposed to be able to supply by sea against Allied air and naval interdiction? [&:]



loki100 -> RE: Turns 92-93: 31 March – 13 April 1945 (4/29/2015 7:40:44 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: jwolf

Looks like the Russians are making good progress now. In the Netherlands, aren't the Germans along the coast already out of supply? Or are they supposed to be able to supply by sea against Allied air and naval interdiction? [&:]


They are fairly weak but I suspect some supply was arriving till recently. Problem is that units out of supply now survive longer than the immediate collapse in WiTE (which is good) and that FJ/Pzr/PzrGr/SS units can hold out for some time. I have level 6 naval interdiction around that part of the Netherlands but I suspect that is not enough to end all supply.



loki100 -> Turns 94-95: 14 April – 27 April 194 (4/29/2015 7:42:50 AM)

Turns 94-95: 14 April – 27 April 1945

First of these turns was a return to heavy rain and heavy mud in northern Europe (but nice and sunny in Italy). So again that grounded the airforce

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img913/9030/6u4QrN.jpg[/image]

I celebrated the sunshine by capturing Livorno and making some slow progress towards the massive fort line the AI has built in the northern Appenines.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/438/jjE5WF.jpg[/image]

Anna is not really that impressed with my progress

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img661/4750/LCJa6z.jpg[/image]

In the meantime the AI seals off my landings at Pola. Not sure if its worth using 5 divisions to pin down what looks to be 4 German divisions so I might pull back from this.

Only real action in the north was a failed attempt to storm Utrecht which was held by a German paratroop division.

T95 brought some improvement of rain and light mud.

Rather than show individual bombing missions thought this might be informative. Shows the amount of damage to the German industry, though I am really not seeing any loss of combat effectiveness.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img661/5366/MDNr18.jpg[/image]

On the ground Utrecht falls, and I make progress towards Apeldoorn and Arnhem. The Ijssel is now the only real barrier between US 3 Army and the North German plain.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img673/4369/pLZ0e7.jpg[/image]

In the south, 2 British and 1 US grind out some small gains.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img661/9572/4V1dWN.jpg[/image]

I've now taken Bitburg but no sign of the Germans pulling out of southern Belgium.

VP situation with 15 turns left.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img661/3889/OyZ9gM.jpg[/image]

My hope is that I get basically good weather in May, if so I might be able to make progress. The Soviets are still not even in central Poland and I'm probably closer to Berlin.



loki100 -> Turns 96-97: 28 April – 11 May 1945 (4/30/2015 6:55:39 AM)

Turns 96-97: 28 April – 11 May 1945

Weather for both turns was rain and light mud, so no real constraint (and its not as if I have much choice in any case).

The Red Army reaches the Oder while I concentrate on supporting my offensive in the Netherlands and over the Rhine.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img537/7928/MTIILt.jpg[/image]

By the end of T96, US 3 Army had broken the German front in the Netherlands coming very close to breaching the last real barrier. To its south 1 Canadian (the units coloured blue) were less successful but it all helps to stretch the Germans and prevents them concentrating on my main offensive.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/2828/xdu1VY.jpg[/image]

To the south US 1 Army (yellow) and British 2 Army (orange) both make some progress. Not shown but in Lorraine 1 Free French made some small gains, really trying to make the Germans start to pull out of their bulge in southern Belgium.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img673/5524/KjKNO0.jpg[/image]

T97 saw US 3 Army pick up speed. I've crossed the Ijssel (which was the last river barrier) and produced a decent pocket around Den Helder.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img908/8404/Xk58se.jpg[/image]

Less gains in the south, but to some extent I am now using 2 British and 1 US to pin the Germans to stop them reacting to the gains of 3 US.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img538/81/CDxlmE.jpg[/image]

Supply situation. Critically in the last turn, 1 Canadian finally captured Krefeld. Useful in itself but it opens up the rail line through Munchen Gladbach and allows me to build a couple of depots to help out 2 British in particular.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img673/9085/1VMcHr.jpg[/image]

The Germans objected strongly to my limited gains with 2 British and 1 US. The only bit of good news is if they are concentrating to counterattack here, it must weaken their response to 3 US.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img540/5298/Aj8UdV.jpg[/image]

VP, slowly worsening driven by my mounting losses.

[image]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/img633/2628/t0f8AR.jpg[/image]



jwolf -> RE: Turns 96-97: 28 April – 11 May 1945 (4/30/2015 12:59:22 PM)

Amazing to see the Germans still holding together and fighting hard in May 45.

It looks like the Russians are winning the race to Berlin ...



Joel Billings -> RE: Turns 96-97: 28 April – 11 May 1945 (4/30/2015 4:17:39 PM)

Great AAR. It usually takes 2-3 months for the Soviets to take Berlin from this point, although a lot depends on troop strength and weather. Since the EF front line is out of the Soviet Union, weather has less impact but it will still improve in mid-June. Except for passing weather fronts, the ground should now be drying for you in the west.
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