RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA)

RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (Full Version)

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Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (4/21/2017 2:45:46 PM)
Turn 90 - 17 Mar 45 Still no snow melt and turns out Shermans and dodge trucks like nothing better than to tear across the snow at breakneck speed. Soon as a gap is made the allies are ten hexes deep behind the lines. Our volkstrumm are clearly not making any impact at all. QBall lets us know that these are motorised infantry and airborne divisions acting as ersatz panzergrenadiers, but it still suprises me that manages to get so far. Universally hexes are either 6 water & 4 snow or 7 water and 3 snow. The Allied pace in snow still seems more akin to a Soviet army right now. Incidentally the Allies are now nearly as close to Berlin as the Soviets but no sign and any troops will be sent from the East front to help unfortunately... Anyway, looks like we need to transition to a fluid defense and sacrifice some ground to eat up time if we want to hold out. But given that historically the allies were only just crossing the Rhine under Op Varsity then QBall is well ahead of the curve here really now. Looking back he obviously got a months head start but we just about pulled the timeline back on track for the fall of Paris and Antwerp, but maybe it cost us too much to achieve this. However right now QBall is really pushing his troops hard and this turn alone lost -17 US losses and -10 others. Seems like quite a butchers bill at the point where many Allied units should be getting casualty adverse with the end in sight? Given the adjusting scale of other VP rates I might have been tempting to suggest Allied casualty points shift to 1 per 750 for the US and 1 per 500 for the others in 1945 to punish Allied players being too ready to burn out there units in a final blaze of glory in the race to the end. [image]local://upfiles/43317/95D4CFF17B754523B76841E0B92FA545.jpg[/image]

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (4/21/2017 6:39:41 PM)
The fighting spirit of the panzerwaffe should not be underestimated though and 116 Pz mounts a counterattack and decisively routs 27 Arm Bde in order to clear the path for 2 FJ to withdraw back into the Netherlands pocket. QBall makes continual use of British Arm Bdes and US Scout Regiments as independent pursuit units but they almost never stand up in contact without infantry support. I tend to prefer to attach armoured brigades directly to add punch to infantry divisions, unless they are used as armoured reserve units in defense, but I'm sure there are pros and cons. [image]local://upfiles/43317/8D1CD0598CD54049B23B36C27C651A0B.jpg[/image]

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (4/21/2017 7:44:14 PM)
So, after the shuffling of units 1st Army and the FJ Army form the Netherlands pocket. Fairly strong so good chance QBall will chose to ignore it I'm sure. In the Reich 15th Army has the north flank and withdraws to screen Bremen. 10th Army is in relatively good shape screening Berlin & Leipzig. Down south 25th Army is largely in disarray but will try to slow the advance on Munich which is busy fortifying with the Jaeger division fresh from Italy. Finally in the deep south 19th Army, also in reasonable shape abandons Colmar to pull back and avoid encirclement, the better to defend Stuttgart a little longer. That said I expect all these cities to fall before long, and we are certainly entering endgame. Despite the weather, and despite running a large army from limited ports his logistics are just not as constrained as I hoped they might be and he is running rampant. [image]local://upfiles/43317/CCDBC13473A64475A509838452313AC6.jpg[/image]

Joel Billings -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (4/21/2017 8:57:52 PM)
The good news for the Germans is that the Allies next turn is likely to be in heavy mud. With good roads, it won't be as bad as it is on the Eastern Front, but he should slow down some if you can still build a defensive line.

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (4/21/2017 9:24:29 PM)
I hope so, we have been offering sacrifices to the Mud-Gods for weeks now to little avail but it must melt soon...probably...hopefully. We've given up hoping that the allies will show signs of outrunning their logistics though. We still bomb Marseille to keep that at 50% efficiency and Antwerp, Bordeaux, Toulon, Nice, Cherbourg and Brest are still locked up but he's never really showing signs of being short of fuel or ammo. Either way its going to be tough to build a contiguous line in the centre, its very much all about throwing up whatever blocks we can, make use of heavy woods where possible, and try to remember to rebuild some semblance of a depot structure on the retreat, which is easy to forget in the excitement/confusion for sure. I think we can hold Amsterdam and Berlin, and of course north Italy, for honour rather than points. Everything else I strongly suspect is toast, which I guess is to be expected really. Did I mention we weren't expecting to win anyway? :)

John B. -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (4/23/2017 12:09:38 AM)
No disrespect to the allies who are playing a very good game, but if you factor in the VP that seemed a bit unbalanced from the Strat Bombing campaign you are actually doing very well!

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/13/2017 10:28:31 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: John B. No disrespect to the allies who are playing a very good game, but if you factor in the VP that seemed a bit unbalanced from the Strat Bombing campaign you are actually doing very well! QBall certainly played a blinder in the air war, textbook stuff really that I've been unable to replicate myself. Maybe without those early points the score might be closer but while I think I did ok in Italy early on I don't think there is any doubt that he has taken me apart in NWE too. He rationally has gone all in while I stubbornly held troops back. Not that a few extra divisions really would have made too much difference, at any key point he has always been able to bring more than enough. He has also clearly mastered the logistics as he has been able to operate at a tempo throughout that, aside from a couple of one week pauses has been unhampered by any restrictions I have tried to inflict on his port capacity. And now far earlier than historically he is 21 hexes or 210 miles past the Rhine and deep into Germany at the gates of Munich in the very turn that historically Operation Varsity was only just crossing the River. So I'm not sure I'm really doing well at all to be honest and QBall rightly deserves his victory on all counts. At best you could argue that he landed in France a month early, and is now still a month ahead of schedule but thats really clutching at straws I think! :) [image]local://upfiles/43317/6382E226F56C4975B11D1AA6B1D5D240.jpg[/image]

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/13/2017 10:37:41 AM)
Turn 91 - 24 Mar 45 Bit of a hiatus due to trips and holidays on both sides, but finally managed to get in the bunker and send out a few orders to our now largely non-existent hordes. It seems that the ground conditions have skipped heavy mud and gone straight to light mud and in places patches of clear and with this evaporation so to evaporates any hope of a coherent last stand. The allies punch another 80 miles in places and reach the outskirts of Munich in the south, and draw close to Leipzig. Any sane leader would put an end to the needless suffering and the game certainly highlights the futility of the German situation in the closing months of the war. Its quite terrible that so many were lost when there was clearly no hope of victory. Of course the whole war was a human tragedy on an outrageous scale, but this really captures the futility towards the end.

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/14/2017 6:41:51 PM)
Turn 92 - 31 Mar 45 Rain returns to NWE and we get some scattered heavy mud in Germany, but the advance continues, Dresden falls and there is really very little in the way on the road to Berlin. Down south 19th Army is broken into two pockets and it won't be long before Munich falls. With so much time left on the clock I can't see the how QBall can't fail to take Berlin. He is screening the Netherlands with regiments and looks like will make no attempts on this pocket. I am quietly confident he doesnt needs this over-optimisation and has plenty of forces available but maybe he knows something I dont. Ok, well I'm sure this game has proved there is plenty he knows that I don't! :) He does still seem to be pushing hard and taking casualties. Aside from the 100 point bonuses from taking the key cities at least I am still pullin scores in our favour every turn, -7 this week. I can't shoot points at him though, we need fresh troops and the cupboard is bare. [image]local://upfiles/43317/ADAE1481D28D4A39BC008D8992F63E61.jpg[/image]

John B. -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/16/2017 11:48:56 AM)
Looks like he has fallen into your trap! :) Seriously, Kudos to you for hanging in there even when it's so grim.

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/17/2017 6:14:13 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: John B. Looks like he has fallen into your trap! :) Seriously, Kudos to you for hanging in there even when it's so grim. Grim is the word. My pixeltruppen are following me now only out of a morbid sense of curiosity...

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/20/2017 7:16:56 PM)
Turn 93 - 7 Apr 45 So, its kinda like breaking both your legs each turn, getting them set in a cast, trying to walk a few steps and them both snapping again next turn... With the Allies now 20 miles from Berlin its about time the Fuhrer seriously thinks about topping himself. Also our colleagues on the East Front don't seem to be much help as the allies sneak in via the back door they remain focused on the Red horde. Probably just as well, I think I'd rather QBall take as much territory as possible for the sake of future Germany... Anyway, otherwise not too much to report here, I'll cobble together some solution with sticking plaster and elastic bands and next turn you can see that nothing worked in the slightest :) Ironically there is heavy mud right where I need to retreat to avoid encirclement and only light mud where QBall has an opportune avenue of advance. Von Murphys law! [image]local://upfiles/43317/8BA6D3EA1B9640C1BD5CA23E5F760360.jpg[/image]

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/21/2017 4:13:23 PM)
Turn 94 - 14 Apr 45 Slightly less rampant advance, maybe QBall outran his supplies a bit, or maybe he is just running out of places to go. Feels like he is maybe rationalising exactly the minimum he needs to do before the end as some cities I thought he would assault remain unassaulted. Its going to be all about getting as much firepower to Berlin I think, with a minor excursion to Hamburg of course. Berlin will (should...) be a tough nut to crack I hope. 11th Army has pulled together a garrison, the C2C is ok with decent commanders and it should still function if surrounded, and he should need a pretty big force to break them down. Famous last words... At a guess I'd say every allied 4E bomber will be on unit bombing runs before long. [image]local://upfiles/43317/7D8451EF29D54FFC8674C59817037F70.jpg[/image]

John B. -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/27/2017 6:33:25 PM)
New goal. If you hold Berlin longer than the Germans held it historically you win. :)

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (5/30/2017 10:15:58 AM)
Yep, last goal wins rule. I like it. Unless the Allies mess up a landing or the Axis manage somehow to lock down the advance in France its pretty clear I think that the odds are the Germans will lose against a decent Allied player. Its pretty brutal once the Allies are on a role for the Axis player to keep motivated while heading towards inevitable defeat, but the only way to keep going I think is to keep picking yourself little goals to hold such and such place for so long. You don't necessarily get points for it, only taking a little satisfaction here and there. Doing that has made it a painful but interesting game for sure. QBall bit busy at the moment I think and not seen a turn for ten days but sure we'll bring this to a satisfactory conclusion soon.

John B. -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (6/1/2017 12:59:39 PM)
It does seem tough to be the Germans (good in historical perspective bad for the game) and you don't seem to see any type of chance for a real counter attack as at the Bulge or in the battles in Normandy. Even if you know you're doomed, it's always nice to have the other guy on the run for a few turns.

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (6/11/2017 7:40:52 PM)
Yep absolutely, real sustained counterattacks are tough to a) justify in resources b) organise while under often extreme pressure everywhere, especially as the Allies here never seemed to slow up much due to logistics or weather (or maybe it just seemed like that to a beleagured C-in-C here... :) But even if I had managed to get a wacht am rhein together the battle of the bulge really only lasted a handful of turns. A drop in the ocean and likely to burn out precious resources unless can really catch the Allies on the hop and throw them off balance. I never really had that window except in Italy maybe. Turn 94 - 21 Apr 45 The Allies advance continues but it does feel like for the moment they lack decisive offensive power at the key points its going to matter at the end game. The 3 sectors that might give him enough points to convert a minor victory to a major one are Amsterdam, Hamburg and Berlin. The former is pretty well locked down with a large pocket that QBall is not attempting to reduce. Hamburg has a strong garrison now with a FJ and Inf Div with a corp HQ and should be tough to crack unless fully surrounded, but its not an impossible task. Berlin is about as fully fortified as we could hope at this point, 2 of the city hexes over 100 defensive CV, and the 3rd 80+, with the corps & army HQ well commanded with good attached SUs. I think its out of scope for QBall to take in the time he has remaining and with troops that look far from fresh. Its possible of course that he is marshalling a fresh assault force out of our view but I suspect not. In the final turns I guess we'll see how much gas he has left in the tank... [image]local://upfiles/43317/7497C7F86118414798B1EFC70B380780.jpg[/image]

John B. -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (6/19/2017 3:24:29 PM)
Make em grind Germany into dust, that's the spirit! [:)] Do you still hold any of Italy? I agree that any counter attack is a waste of resources but, just the chance turn the tide is enough to give you something to look forward to rather than a game where you're only option is to lose more slowly than real life. Not a lot of games where you have to play Custer's forces at Little Big Horn.

Chuske -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (1/10/2018 11:21:13 AM)
Did this epic ever get finished?

Gunnulf -> RE: Panzers, rückwärts! Gunnulf (GHC) vs QBall (WA) (1/10/2018 9:17:53 PM)
Unfortunately QBall was having dramas with the file from the next turn. I can't remember the details but we tried for a while but had to call it a day sadly. Only a couple of weeks left obviously anyway. Under cricket rules I'd call it a draw obviously :)

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