RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (Full Version)

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Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/4/2020 11:32:10 PM)

Those are generous words, amandkm and I agree we are well matched. I too have been elvis’ speedbump :). Your work in the desert will be crucial now

I think I was lucky to get France a turn earlIer than I expected, since it gave me One more turn in the med which i ended up needing. So, yes, maybe on target or one turn behind, but that depends on Yugoslavia where weather can be an issue. We will see soon whether I am headed back to Russia, or going hard for Cairo, or have More unusual plan.

I think the biggest challenge is MPP management at this stage, i wish there was a way to forward plan expenditure



amandkm -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/5/2020 12:35:47 AM)

A few bright spots peek through the dismal news that fills the headlines as Swordfish find a damaged Italian Battleship in harbor and sink it in a bold attack that draws interest from numerous powers. Who'd have thought that planes could sink Battleships?

As the month ends, a daring strike find French Gold in Dakar, which is spirited away to fund the Free French Cause

Vive La France!



Bo Rearguard -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/5/2020 1:59:14 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Aussiematto

I think the biggest challenge is MPP management at this stage, i wish there was a way to forward plan expenditure


Do you mean something like a production planning queue where you can request what projects gets started when the current units in production are finished? That would be nice feature provided you had a last minute "yes or no" option to go ahead if events had changed your priorities in the meantime.



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/5/2020 10:46:35 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Bo Rearguard
Do you mean something like a production planning queue where you can request what projects gets started when the current units in production are finished? That would be nice feature provided you had a last minute "yes or no" option to go ahead if events had changed your priorities in the meantime.


Yes, something like that, or a calculator at least! Anyways, pen n paper are coming in handy,

The Brits have taken Mogadishu, and more amphibious work off Massawa continues the threat there. Strong defences, built by Spaniards in French uniforms perhaps, confront Graziani, so he awaits instructions and the Luftwaffe and Regia Marina do some damage in the med. two carriers gone, plus a cruiser or two. Satisfactory, though not decisive by any means.

Belgrade falls in late October and my minors all rush to join the fray.

In China, there is something of a lull as the exhausted armies square off at the gates of Sian, with armies still threatening Peking, and strong defences at Kweichow. The lack of airpower, and poor supplies, hold up Japan while new equipment and men are brought in for 1941 offensive



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/6/2020 3:48:19 AM)

So, in what might be the last update for a few days while I am away, we will draw 1940 to a close.

The Allies have been fighting aggressively and effectively but, for the moment, superior technology, morale, experience and HQ leadership favour the Axis. As a dreary Christmas is halfheartedly cheered by men pushed to the limit in incessant war, this is how things stand.

China caused serious concerns early with its strong advances on Peking, concentrating armies and just once breaking through a corps behind Japanese lines where it caused consternation but succumbed to lack of supplies. A turning point came when the last reserve army was the reformed Kwantung Army, shipped in to march from boat to battlefield in Tsientsin. Now, however, the advantage lies with Japan for 1941. The loss of 23 corps, 9 armies, plus engineers and special forces and fighters cannot be undone (and while Japan lost 4 armies, only 1 corps joined them). 2 armies only stand between Itaguchi and Sian, where HQ troops nervously dig in; and, although Japanese light infantry with new weapons bestraddle the Paotow-Sian road and Yenku is about to be taken within a fight, Mao still prevaricates. That month's delay could be a fatal piece of luck. Okamura thrusts up to Kweichow from the south, making slow but steady progress. Two corps hold Ichang and the approaches to the Wu Gorge but without fighter cover they will be bombed hard in coming months and Kimura still threatens the southern side of Chongking. Yamamoto is hatching something for late 1941 but what is it to be?

Britain fights gamely in the desert, behind rows and rows of trenches (presumably back to the Suez canal!). This was not expected and has caused some concern for OKW. For now, however, "the desert rabbit", General Kuchler continues to advance inch by inch with a combined arms assault of infantry and airpower aided by some better-performing Bersaglieri who have more dash and new semi-automatic weapons. His panzers are nowhere to be seen, but the skies are full of bombers and fighters, pounding land defences, duelling with the carrier Courageous, and targeting a British sub squadron. The RN, like China, has been aggressive and may rue that later: the Axis losses of 2 battleships, 5 cruisers and a sub probably are worth it for Malta, plus 2 carriers, 4 cruisers, and 5 destroyers. Even as the year closes out, bitter fighting off Skaggerak suggests this naval duel is far from over!

Meanwhile, Soviet border guards have attempted to report the presence of large encampments and training grounds near the border but Stalin has ordered them all executed so, for now, the friendly relations between brute and bear continue.

I think I am ahead in China, but behind in the Med - I guess the Brits put more into defending Cairo than prepping the RN for the later years of the war and they can afford some naval losses whereas the fight to Cairo is probably now hopeless, with East Africa going to fall soon freeing up good troops.



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/9/2020 3:31:48 AM)

Things have recommenced, with February seeing an alarming buildup on the Eastern German border. Russia is swinging to the conclusion that war is coming. It is a race in three ... tech improvement, positioning, and weather. When will Barbarossa be unleashed?

Seriously hard attacks in the desert reduced my lead panzer to the bare minimum to survive but the surprise arrival of Von Kuchler’s 2nd panzer corps has made things sticky for the Brits; robbed of targets on land due to sand storms, the Luftwaffe has been off sinking more RN capital ships. Now, of course, OKH would prefer those planes and tanks in Russia but the French engineers have done their job and Nth Africa is a maze of forts and trenches.

China teeters, tho Mao is finally realising he cannot just wait this out. Peng holds SIan and Xue holds Chongking, but armies are few and far to see. HQ troops plead for permission to retreat ... will their wish be granted? At last, Japan can start to consider its next move in the Pacific...




ElvisJJonesRambo -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/9/2020 4:37:33 AM)

Watching this match-up. You two guys love them Tanks! Not gonna say anything, don't want to tip the scales or give free information.



amandkm -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/10/2020 2:55:39 AM)

The fortification of Egypt continues to delay the axis onslaught. We're taking and giving casualties here, but more importantly, we're buying precious time for Stalin to wake to the danger to his west.

The Chinese fight desperately, but they suffered badly in 1940, and it is difficult to find enough recruits willing to take arms against the Japanese.



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/10/2020 4:56:32 AM)

Despite a brave and desperate fight, it is true that China is now suffering badly. Feng and three armies have been destroyed north of Piatow, unable to retreat fast enough from attacking Peking. Mao’s nest of red cronies in Yenan has fallen to a depleted and exhausted XIXth corps under Itageuchi, whose main force pins the communist remnant army and pushes towards Tianshu. One communist group down! While the northern road to chungking is well guarded, Kimura and Okamura turn the fortifications from the south and batter at the twin objectives of Kweichow and the capital. Naval infantry are reported to be practising on several Pacific islands while the ships of the IJN are all in port awaiting orders.

Italy’s imperial dreams are shattered ... a few brave troops fight on in Addis Ababa but a masterly campaign by the Allies here has been effective. No doubt the Indian commandos are soon to appear in Egypt, where a lone platoon of Lee/Grant tanks in the 10th Armd is all that remains in El Alamein and the RAF nervously guards Cairo. But for a break down in C&C El Alamein wouldHave fallen. It appears Herr General Kuchler Does not understand the word “attach“ (bugger).

Yet all this is a sideshow for Barbarossa has commenced, on May 10. As in France, it Is air land battle, with fallschirmjaeger taking Minsk (undefended!) and Zhitomir, linking with panzer thrusts. The Regia Aeronautica puts in a strong show, supporting tanks and infantry from Mussolini’s better troops. While new equipment had not reaches Hungarian forces, the Rumanians are effective and thrust past Odessa, whose few remaining defenders might yet pose a problem for the next month or so. Up north, a cautious infantry advance takes KAunas but little else ... the main game appears to be aT Kiev and Dneipropetrovsk Now that the border armies have been crushed or isolated. It would appear that Hitler has become too nervous to wait any longer... Will the extra month compensate for the lack of full preparation?




Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/11/2020 12:05:05 AM)

It is June 1940 and my skilled opponent has me stymied in the desert (that error in non-attachment really hurt me). The weather is poor (sandstorms) so the LW is mostly grounded and the narrow frontage and low supplies are turning it into a slugfest. Von Kuchler despairs of his chances of success and wonders why he got the short straw to be stuck in the desert while the merriment unfurls in Western USSR. Italian human torpedo attacks on the remaining Med carrier in Alexandria are followed up by Italian sub attacks. No sign of the RN except for this unit and a sub doing threatening things off the tip of Greece. The Boers are headed north and the Indian troops from East Africa are lurking for something.... Italy strengthens its home defences!

Russia is still reeling from the initial shock of Fascist betrayal (though given the trail of devastation in the west is it any wonder Stalin was next?). Manstein leads AGC in a panzer-blitz towards Smolensk... there is little there, with Orsha, like Minsk, undefended. Deep defence awaits, we suspect. Leeb, in his customary role in AGN, is bringing heavy infantry to bear on Riga but otherwise seems to be holding position, faced by the normal strong defences on that riverline. Without the Finns, there seems no chance Leningrad will fall. AGS with Steppe Fox Rommel at the helm has smashed through the Dnepr line. Kiev falls after relentless Italian and German bombing and, now, tanks lunge through the city to find a fighter unit in Konotop - it is an uneven fight, and a brutal end, for this unit though the town itself does not fall. More tanks, under the new AG even more South, swing into Dnepropetrovsk and threaten Rostov and Kharkov with Rumanians taking Kerson and pushing for Sevastapol. The desert campaign does mean the Luftwaffe is weaker than expected, but at this stage, they have enough to break down defences and let the Wehrmacht make some progress.

China defends well - what is left is causing delays and problems in the mountainous terrain and some new troops arrive. While the news is grim, there's no sign of a surrender at this stage, just more bitter fighting.



amandkm -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/11/2020 12:41:47 AM)

And now we trade space for time in Asia, while doing what we can to sap strength in other theatres, most notably Egypt. Germans snuck a powerful sub force into the convoy lanes, so those will need attention, too.

Hopefully the US will take a lesson from Russia and make ready for hostilities.



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/11/2020 1:32:18 AM)

Yes, the Russians are desperate for help and Churchill, ever one for attacking the edges, has launched a completely unexpected commando assault on Bergen! The city's garrison falls but delays the attackers enough that they cannot occupy the city. Carriers are loose in the North Sea but, desperate to hold even this small town, OKW coordinates a powerful cruiser assault to clear the shipping lanes into Bergen and reinforcements are shipped in ASAP. The subs are, indeed, doing their evil work in the Artic Sea and currently no aid is getting through to Russia at all. All across the Eastern Front the panzers roam, with paratroopers again to the fore, capturing Gomel and Smolensk from the air, while the forward armor takes Kharkov and all but captures Rostov. von Leeb, again, cautiously probes Riga and the lack of progress there requires von Manstein to detach a panzer corps from the Moscow drive to turn north and take Poltava, now threatening to roll up the Riga river line. Critical to the success at Gomel was the northern turn from AGS' units near Kiev. OKW strategists believe this is a key task for German armor when thrusting past Kiev. Rumanians penetrate the entrenched Sovietskis in Sevastapol and look to push across the narrows at the Sea of Azov.

China v Japan - it's brutal and Japan is bleeding its finest men. Kweichow falls, however, and the northern road down into Chungking opens up so by the end 1942, we should have cleared up to Lanchow. Then there will come the question of the Long March to Urumchi..... (is it worth it?)


Broad (and obvious) strategy note:

Amandkm successfully aided the Finns early in the war and, as a result, I judged that the main German assault would need to be centre and south. This might not work out in the long run but there are only so many troops to go around, since I've got 2 Pz in Nth Africa plus an Army n some air assets. I keep wanting to try a seriously northern offensive (much as the advice is normally go south) but keep being stymied by opponent choices. I still am unsure if the attack on ME is working. It is definitely bleeding the Brits of points and the losses to the RN are a major bonus (which was a planned outcome, I must add - Malta itself was less important than the carriers). Most games I play where I don't invest the resources here end up with the Allies owning Nth Africa far too early and the Italians start becoming a liability not a positive / neutral element. Anyone else got thoughts on this? That, even if it failst to get Cairo, the attack in the ME is essential to keep the med from becoming a bloodbath ca. 1942 just when Germany needs some time to finish off the first part of Russia.



amandkm -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/11/2020 2:07:49 AM)

The Norwegian campaign tilts back to the allies, as the exposed surface ships are entirely destroyed, essentially eliminating the German surface fleet. Addtionally, a sub is surrounded and cut off, damaged and supply drained. The now surplus RN can move to clear the sea lanes north. The reinforcing garrison caused worrisome comments in Parliament, but Churchill is vindicated as a combined air/land assault eliminates it and allows the allies to secure a port.

In the med, reinforcements begin to arrive in force in Egypt and are beginning to make their weight felt. The question remains- is any or all of this enough?

China fights desperately onward, causing and receiving bloody losses, and each month drives the Americans into more and more overt sympathy to the allied cause.

Russia hangs on for dear life, a reckless thrust by a corps in the north stumbling across an unguarded axis fighter group.

All in all, I am satisfied with my Mediterranean play, but Aussie did an excellent job of holding the Russian mobilization down, which left me less able to prepare than I'd hoped to be. I do try to be aggressive with China, and when it works, it is a game-changer, but when it is not, well now we have to hope to at least occupy some Japanese attention. I expected to be down here, but had hoped to cost the Japanese some more MPP

All-in-all, I am down at this point, in my opinion, but usually the game is, if not over, then one side is pretty much on the road to victory by mid-1941. That I am still in it counts as a moral victory, at least, and if nothing else, one of my funner games to date.





Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/11/2020 2:29:59 AM)

I agree you are in the hunt!

Let me go see what damage you wrought to my fighter unit :( :(



amandkm -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/12/2020 2:42:03 AM)

The bridgehead at Bergen is expanded and the flow of reinforcements to Egypt seems to be stemming, if not quite yet turning the tide of war there. Chinese fight doggedly on, and the US seems to be slowly realizing that there is a real danger out there.

Russia is where things are bleak though, and all the successes elsewhere will count for little if Stalin capitulates...



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/12/2020 5:35:20 AM)

By the high point of summer 1941, Germany is nearly at its key objective. Moscow is barely held, with the Last remnants of a corps backed by AA and one to two other units facing von Manstein’s panzers, grenadiers and both Italian and German bombers. The Riga defences are now in tatters ... Leeb sends panzers up behind and challenges HQ troops in Pskov, while yet more airborne ops see FSJ encircle the defenders just south of Parnu. Shorn of Command and control and low on supply, Riga falls unexpectedly and perhaps Leningrad is in play again. A huge defensive line on the Rostov / Stalingrad river is troubling... clearly Stalin will fight hardest there! But a lightning raid into Ryazan and Voronezh further Weakens morale and secures Manstein’s southern flank. While Sevastapol is masked, the Wehrmacht pushes into Maikop and towards Grozny, Oil, oil, oil is the key...

But Norway is worrying, and the RN destroyers are working over the subs, so more supplies will reach the USSR now. Scrambling, Germany Seeks to work out a counter, but its navy is in tatters. This is a challenge for the coming months.

While British and Indian forces try to hold the Nile, Technology, experience and airpower are counting. 10th armoured goes down under stuka, PAK 50, and finally infantry assault, while an Indian (?) Army is destroyed outside Alex by refreshed panzers. Cunning indian commandos occupy the Italian rear area and subs claim another Brit battleship. But, everytime it looks clear to the east, more allies arrive so I expect Cairo to last for months yet.
I forgot to say that baghdad has fallen ... textbook double infantry assault there and persia is now divided. The assault in Egypt is bound to fail soon.

Exhausted armies under Okamura are thrown back from the approach to Kunming, and Itageuchi pauses at Lanchow to Help encircle Chungking. Supplies are low, and the Chinese remain in good shape, even if the capital is now completely cut off. This will take months And we have holidays in Indochina to plan!. Meanwhile, Russian border guards in Siberia report unusually heavy troop concentrations in Manchuria ....



Platoonist -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/12/2020 2:32:27 PM)

I'm following your chronicle of conflict closely gentlemen. Thanks for posting the action. [8D]



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/13/2020 5:20:48 AM)

One last blissful fortnight of good weather in late September 1941 gave Germany the perfect easy ride into Moscow. A quick pounding from the Regia Aeronautica (whose aerial assistance in Russia is a very handy use of their limited resources), and some fierce fighting from the panzergrenadiers allowed the tanks in. More pleasingly, the decision to gamble a pz corps and paras into the north is paying off, with Pskov taken, plus other towns on the Leningrad-Moscow road to help with supply. Very lightly defended, which explains the massive forces around Stalingrad! The panzers that limped into Grozny ... using horses to pull their tanks ... hear that Stalin will occupy the south until the very end.

Elsewhere, submarines are switching focus to the empire convoy line, and reinforcements enter Oslo. Is Hitler’s obsession with never losing territory going to be his undoing? What is Norway actually worth? Without Petsamo, perhaps something?

Cairo also falls, unexpectedly... morale is poor, i think, with Indian commandos being no match for Slovak super soldiers (commanded in the crucial battle Not by Graziani but by von Kuchler, whose Desert Rabbit status grows to be 3-spot badass bunny). Of course, getting any further is a whole ‘nother story but some relief in OKW about the commitment there.

And a trifecta of cities: Chungking also falls though there is some great defence north of Lanchow and America’s alert level Grows and grows... soon what happens in the mountains of central China will be but a muddy, bloody sideshow to the titanic naval clashes to come.



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/14/2020 1:56:08 AM)

A brief update ... the chill winds of winter add to the muddy fall in Russia. OKW orders limited probing advances and secures Gorky, Sevastapol and Tbilisi while we invest the fortress of Daugvapils and strengthen our forces near Leningrad and Stalingrad. Norway is a major focus for the Brits, while Alexandria falls and subs bottle up Courageous in Haifa. Meanwhile light escort carriers wreak havoc on the U boats and a failure of command and control sees the subs in peril next turn (jeez i hate that error in not moving some of them).

Lanchow falls, more troops concentrate near Vladivostok, the remnants from Chungking are tidied up and all eyes turn to the Seas. Where is Yamamoto? What is he planning? Did the rain in the Phillipines, DEI and Borneo ruin something perhaps? The USA starts to realise it cannot stay out of this war much longer ...



amandkm -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/14/2020 2:08:23 AM)

British and Indian forces in the Levant are furious at the denial of the request for an evacuation. Churchill's assurances about 'tying down superior forces' carry little comfort to the grieving widows and mothers of the dead.

The toehold in Norway is expanded, but weather and the terrain combine to ensure that any gains there are incremental. On the plus side, the crash CVL building programme is paying dividends as three uboats are driven off station and damaged.

America is about ready to join on the allied side, but is it too late? (Kudos to my opponent for doing yeoman's work in keeping mobilizations down for the US and USSR during the dark days of 1940, it has really paid off for him!



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/14/2020 3:39:19 AM)

Tora Tora Tora! It starts, the grand probably doomed mad campaign for the Pacific... Too late the USA prepares for war and Japan strikes. 4 carriers attack Pearl Harbor and all the capital ships are sunk at anchor. Naval infantry lands, not particularly well, on Oahu and capture Henderson field (?) and Guam is taken unopposed. Paratroops and special forces take Brunei and Sarawak, now that the rain has cleared, and a full assault on Batavia succeeds as well. Hong Kong’s brave garrison is swept aside as the evil hordes descend on this little outpost of British imperialism. We take JG Ballard into custody. Only in the Phillipines is there a holdup. Logistic counting errors position the wrong AVL to take Manilla and, while the garrison is gone, the city stands ... for now. China is a bloodbath still as the triumphant Japanese army switches to Vladivostok, again showing there is no trusting the Axis. The city will be ours soon enough.

While winter looms, OKH continues to make progress , nibbling off cities and exposing the rear of Stalingrad by a lightning Rumanian advance into Astrakhan. Persia eyes an onrushing Nazi horde, while Infantry deploy south of Leningrad and we begin to assault Narva. More indians are sacrificed at the gates of the holy Land and the courageous is torpedoed in port. Subs in the arctic flee the skilled escort carriers and destroyers and more reinforcements come to Norway, though the Bismark will be sacrificed in a vain bid to sink more carriers.

But now America is mobilised and winter looms, it is going to be hard from here. My opponent will no doubt be finding new weaknesses in the farflung fascist empires...



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/15/2020 2:53:28 AM)

So, a look back and thoughts as we commence 1942.

Sitrep.

Russia in some difficulty. Germans have Moscow, Rostov, Sevastapol, Baku, Tbilisi, Voroznevh, Gorky, Astrakhan, and are prepping for the ‘grads in 1942. Success comes at a price. Very farflung forces, including armor in persia, though that will help von Kuchler in the ME where Indians continue to resist at the Suez canal. Partisan activity nil, but huge investment in keeping them down. All quiet now as we recover from winter. Expecting something nasty near Stalingrad where bulk of USSR forces are located.

Middle east ok. The defence there probably means Japanese have some time before Indians deploy into Burma and Thailand (which has joined Japan). The investment in Italian Air force means no troops really to try for Sudan. That may be a blessing. Turkey is subject to intense diplomatic efforts and is moving closer to joining. This will be inportant if Cairo is to be held I think.

Norway is a pit of hell. Armies, bombers, SF lurk and German navy is gone, pretty much. Subs are all done for the year. This will be a problem but also ties down his forces maybe?

Co prosperity sphere growing. Last ditch defence of Manila fails. Timor joins, reluctantly, Hawaii holding on, though airpower advantage with Japan. Terrain and supply more of an impediment in China than remnant armies. As ever, the question is “what next?”

Amandkm has played well, really well, but i think my early success in France was a big help, plus luck in Malta. Possibly felt defensive lines in USSR were a weakness since I turned them and those armies did not escape much. He tested me in China, too, but loss of his troops meant I could built IJN ... not saying anything he does not know, but I have large carrier forces in both west and east. I gambled on no investment in china forces and got away with it. Getting Caucasus and into Persia is probably the big plus for MPP and limking with DAK.

We now get into the tricky bit where getting to the last remaining Soviet cities is a grind through poor supply and threat of landings. Japanese have this fragile sword of CVs and ambhibuous but Canberra, Delhi, LA, are a very very long way away and army is not getting to Urumchi anytime soon.

All in all, am positive but not confident.



FOARP -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/16/2020 7:59:35 AM)

Hey Aussiematto, loving the AAR - is it possible to upload some screenshots of the battle areas? The previous 200kb limit on uploads here on the SC:WAW AAR forum has been lifted to 5000kb so it is now a lot easier to show the whole screen.

If you've not done it before, the best way is to take a screenshot by pressing "Print Screen", then paste it (ctrl-v) into an image editor (e.g., GIMP) and save (or, in GIMP, export) as a jpg file. If you don't want to show part of the screen, you can easily just black it out using the editor.



amandkm -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/16/2020 12:05:04 PM)

I'm inclined, from my side of the board, to agree with most of Aussie's comments on the way the game has developed. Losing France a bit early and the shocking loss of Malta certainly made life hard for the allies, as did the 'Sneak on the Greek' he pulled to secure the Balkans swiftly.

The one thing I did want to add though, was he impressive work at keeping US/USSR mobilizations so low, so long. Russia was still in the 50's, I think, when Barbarossa was launched, which as much as anything else, has led to the conservative and defensive strategies Stalin employed. I had pretty good results against the Kriegsmarine, and hit the CVLs pretty heavily when I lost two carriers in the Med, but even so, it takes time to winkle out the UBoats.

I *almost* had him in China, but almost can be even more dangerous than never trying. I think I slowed his buildup down, but now that China is pretty spent, he has forces he can expend against Siberia. I doubt China will fall until late '43, if it does at all, but neither will it be pushing Japan back anytime soon.

My counterattack in Norway is going fairly well, but it is peripheral. In the end, even if he loses it entirely, I'm still going to have to launch an Amphibious attack on Fortress Europa.






Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/17/2020 1:47:58 AM)

Some thoughts ...

First, the sneak attack into Greece ... explanation.

You need to plan well ahead. You need to get an army or corps, preferably army, with +1 weapons and mobility, a tank with +1 weapons and mobility, an hq, and a tac bomber into Albania while France is still being attacked. The italian corps need to be there too, just in case something goes wrong, to screen the Greeks nr Thessalonika. Positioning is crucial so you can kill the garrison with the infantry (bomb first), then the armor can get to athens, double tap, and advance. But the key is setting it up by operating units into the italian ports ahead of time. If i do this, i am setting it up from as early as the move back from Poland and plotting the moves and rebuilds. The next step is to use those forces to hit Yugoslavia from the south while you attack from Italy, before Hungary joins. Or, you can sail the units to North Africa, especially the HQ which can go on the turn it has overseen the conquest. I have now done it four times and, assuming units in right position, i dont think it will fail, especially if you have an army to deal w the garrison.

Second, mobilisation. The slow USSR mobilisation is I think because amandkm propped up Finland. This is just enough to cause grief so maybe not what I did but what he did? I was not consciously keeping below the 18 units but, oddly, because of the Finn issue, I put most of the troops south so probably did keep below 18. Ans, with lots of airpower in the ME plus 2 tanks that helped? I need to remember to count better but probs got lucky. Re USA, not sure what I did but perhaps the slow taking of cairo helped and, i think, amandkm took the irish ports. I never do that as allies sincd it can be one turn difference?

I wonder whether amandkm did not speed up research in USSR ...cannot tell but looks like maybe the infantry weapons came too late?

I felt amandkm maybe pushed the attack pn peking too much but, that said, once you start you better continue. I have gone back to attacking Changsha, Chengchow and Nanning since picking 2 only does not attrite enough chinese manpower. Brits naval power is now a worry ... i played the kriegsmarone poorly. But i am now sinking us carriers off hawaii so that is handy. Japan is so damn hard to play ... even thinking about getting into Australia or India is scary, let alone doing it. Maybe i need to hold back now...



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/17/2020 1:49:01 AM)

Screen shots... aye! Just need to edit them since we want the fog of war here lol.



amandkm -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/17/2020 2:38:52 AM)

Yeah I saw others doing that, but didn't see how to do it without giving things away.

That said, I gave my flattops a bit of company in Davy Jones' locker. I'll lose some more ships next month, but so will you, and I can afford the exchange better than you can, since not only do I have a lot more MPP to work with, but I have a significant amount of 'preplanned' builds in the queue.

Not a perfect outcome off Hawaii, but nor is it too bad.



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/17/2020 2:48:32 AM)

Yeah, my navy is, sadly, irreplaceable. It models history well in that respect! You are going to steamroll me in the Pac sooner or later



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/18/2020 4:08:17 AM)

The Allied fightback continues in May 1942. More intense naval action off Hawaii, with significant losses on both sides. Honolulu still holds and it may be hard to crack unless I have seen off the USN (and it seems some RN assets are arriving). Exchange of carriers ... 2:1 in IJN favour, plus good capital ship sinkings. Have I seen him off?

The fight for Norway continues and, it seems, the entire Anglo Canadian army is there. More wasted German lives from the army and navy are lost in vain. Perhaps Churchill will sue for peace if I let him have Norway?

And now the pesky Yankee marines have landed! What an affront! Costal batteries deal with one division, trapped offshore, while two more are cut off. Urgent reinforcements are called for .... all we have is the Italians!


The break in the weather at Leningrad means the city will fall soon ... a cut off HQ, AA, and army will fight to the death no doubt, while german mechanised forces push up towards Murmansk. The panzers will cut the flow that Raeder’s U boats cannot. Turkey seizes the day and throws its lot in wth the Fascists ... just as Transjordan surrenders, and panzers enter Basra ... unsure whether the indian troops in their ship are landing or fleeing. Either way, Gandhi has more reason to hats Churchill! Italy moves to regain its east african empire, having conquered Sudan



Aussiematto -> RE: Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game (9/19/2020 6:22:36 AM)

So I suspect the IJN might be getting the better of the naval battle off Hawaii now, but the US marines are holding Honolulu like there is no tomorrow. My tactical error in where I landed the SF naval infantry has been a killer. Yamamoto demands victory. Urgent reinforcements needed reads his terse telegram to the War Cabinet. Japan is pursuing remnant armies to Urumchi, pushing into the USSR, wiping out desperate Indian defenders near Rangoon and tapping on the door to Malaya at Penang. In all cases, there are simply too many spaces, too little supply and the manpower is short. Oh for some panzers they cry. Said panzers are now deploying for late summer offensive in Russia, with the 'grads starting to come up slow attack. Mud foils a drive on Leningrad but, surely, it goes in June. Bulgarian troops are routed out of Astrakhan but with Iraq secure and Turkey mobilised, I fear the Russians will be encircled soon enough.

A corps in Oslo holds out against 3 bombers, tanks, 2 armies, commandos and at least 1 corps. They will be Heroes (Dead and captured, sure). The Italians under Mezze (?) give the marines in France no quarter and the early assault there is seen off.

Time is ticking away. Can we mount the last push on Russia soon enough? Will Mussolini's move back towards East Africa work? (sorry - he's not yet conquered Sudan... that was sunstroke affecting Graziani's eye sight!) How the hell do you defend the Co-prosperty sphere anyway>?



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