Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis : Polish Thread

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Decisive Campaigns Series >> Decisive Campaigns: The Blitzkrieg from Warsaw to Paris >> After Action Reports >> Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis : Polish Thread

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Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis : P... - 12/14/2010 1:26:38 AM

RocketMan

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CYORESS1 and I have just started a PBEM game of Case White. As the thread title states, CYORESS1 is playing the Axis and I am playing the Poles. Please feel free to post any comments, suggestions or observations you have. I am going to try and make this AAR as easy as possible for people not familiar with the game to understand, and if you are familiar with the game and have a question about something, it is likely that those unfamiliar with the game would have the same question. So ask/comment away!

For this game, the Polish High Command has decided to trade ground for time, hoping the French and British will launch an attack on the Germans in the west before the entire country is lost (Although rumor has it that any attack by the French and British is just wishful thinking on the Poles part). Polish units have been given orders to try and slow down the advancing German Army but not to get into a slugfest with them. If a Polish unit starts a turn in contact with a German unit and it is not behind a river, in a city or fortification, in mountains or forests, it will retreat in almost all cases. Also Polish units have been ordered not to attack any German units without direct orders from Rydz-Smigly (the leader of the Polish High Command). Such attack orders will probably be few and far between if any are ever given at all.

The Polish Air force will try and blunt any deep penetration by the German Panzers (bombing a unit reduces it's moral, readiness and integrity thus reducing the number of APs it has next turn), hopefully giving the Army time to move units into blocking positions. In addition, if any Polish unit has an opportunity to blow a bridge anywhere west of the Vistula/San and north of the Bug rivers, they are to do so at the earliest opportunity.

The screenshot below shows the situation of the Polish army the morning of 1 September '39 (the start of the Polish first turn) immediately after the German sneak attack. I'll leave this picture clean and post an annotated one in the next post.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by RocketMan -- 12/14/2010 3:42:30 AM >

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 2:44:27 AM

RocketMan

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The basic Polish Plan is shown below. Since this scenario isn't part of a campaign, I don't need to worry about keeping the evac routes open and will only be defending VP locations. Every VP location will have a unit move into it as soon as possible so they can start getting entrenched. I will use my Calvary and Armored units to screen my retreating foot units where possible and I will use rail if available to get units out of the Poznan/Bromberg area (the area I have marked as "Retreat" in the screenshot). I will also play the "Improve Moral" card and "Do Broni!" card (which adds some militia units to the Polish OOB) on the first turn. The militia units will be placed around Lodz to help slow down the German 10th Army's drive towards Warsaw (Lodz is the city northwest of the word "Delay" on the screenshot).

Note that "Retreat" means get out as fast as possible without worrying about delaying the Germans, "Withdraw" means move back and slow down the German's advance without sacrificing units if possible, and "Delay" means sacrifice units as necessary to slow the Germans down. I doubt any units in the "Retreat" zone will actually make it to Warsaw, but it is worth a try.

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< Message edited by RocketMan -- 12/14/2010 3:00:35 AM >

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 3:24:24 AM

RocketMan

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Polish losses at 2% are only twice German losses at 1% so far. If the Poles can keep that loss ratio they will be overjoyed, but the odds of that happening are pretty much zero.

An Emergency Regiment has also been raised in Poznan. Not the place I would have chosen for it, but I will take all the help I can get.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 5:07:29 AM

Enigma6584

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Will or can the Polish Airforce be a factor in the delaying actions?

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 12:47:52 PM

RocketMan

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It only takes the loss of 1 AP to bring a units total APs below 100. All I am hoping for from the poilsh Air Force is to knock 1 AP from a lead Panzer unit and thus deny it one hex of movement the next turn.

< Message edited by RocketMan -- 12/23/2010 2:29:17 AM >

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 2:26:15 PM

gwgardner

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Do you plan to abandon the exit regions north and south?

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 3:09:12 PM

Keunert

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hmm? action points are reduced if a unit gets attacked by air? didn't knew this. does this happen if the attack is succesfully at killing or what has to be done to reduce ap with air units?

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 8:17:51 PM

RocketMan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

Do you plan to abandon the exit regions north and south?

I don't plan on defending the evac routes, only the VP cities around them. Although Grondo in the North will probably not be defended to vigorously.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 8:25:56 PM

RocketMan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Keunert

hmm? action points are reduced if a unit gets attacked by air? didn't knew this. does this happen if the attack is succesfully at killing or what has to be done to reduce ap with air units?

No, a unit's Action Points (APs) are reduced if a unit isn't at 100% readiness and integrity and these two attributes are reduced any time a unit attacks or is attacked, whether by air, ground or artillery bombardment and even if no losses are caused by the attack. High losses obviously cause more readiness and integrity loss, but all attacks (at least I think it is all attacks) cause some loss to readiness and integrity.

Unfortunately I don't know the exact formula for determining how many APs a unit gets per turn, but from experience I know that the number of APs goes down as the units readiness and integrity go down.

So all I need is for the Polish air units to cause enough readiness and integrity loss to a German unit to reduce it's action points below 100, which will cause it to be able to move one less hex next turn.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/14/2010 9:44:59 PM

gwgardner

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quote:

ORIGINAL: RocketMan

quote:

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

Do you plan to abandon the exit regions north and south?

I don't plan on defending the evac routes, only the VP cities around them. Although Grondo in the North will probably not be defended to vigorously.

In the historical battle plan of the Poles, was there any real effort or plan to maintain exit routes? Or should we assume that the fleeing of soldiers after the fall of Poland was more an accident of circumstance? If the latter, then the effort to maintain those exit routes in the game is ... gamey, nothing more than a game-play alternative.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/15/2010 12:58:19 AM

RocketMan

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I think the poles tried to keep a route south open so the government could escape when they realized the war was lost, but I'm not positive about that. However, I don't think it was ever part of the master plan.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 12:33:25 AM

RocketMan

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I lost my screenshots from turn 1 unfortunately, but I will try and describe what I did in this turns screenshots.

Below are the messages for turn 2. I got two new regiments, one in Krakau and one in Grondo. Losses are only 5% and Juliusz Rommel ordered all units under his command to stay put, giving them no APs this turn. I would have him shot and replaced with a commander more useful (like a stuffed teddy bear) if I could, but I can't. I would also move all units from under his command but units take a 50% readiness hit when you switch their commander and I can't afford that.

I also got a message about a possible PBEM cheat on my part. I have never seen this message before and don't even know what the pbem logbook is. Anybody else know what this message is?

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 12:41:37 AM

RocketMan

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Situation around Gdynia. I moved one of the units from the 27th Infantry Division up towards Danzig and Gdynia to make the Germans chase it with some of their units. These two units are currently occupying 8 German regiments (one of them is not visible, but it has to be there to have taken control of the hexes south of the 27th ID regiment).

I wanted to get the 27th ID regiment into Danzig, but it doesn't have the APs to make it there unfortunately.

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< Message edited by RocketMan -- 12/22/2010 12:42:23 AM >

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 12:55:19 AM

RocketMan

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The situation around on the west side of the Vistula around Graudenz/Kulm/Bromberg is about what is to be expected. The forward units are surrounded or destroyed. I did use some of the surrounded units to attack an adjacent motorized regiment last turn, which killed I think 300 Germans and about 600 poles. Good ratio for me and I'm sure I knocked down his APs below 100, costing him a hex worth of movement this turn.

The 27th ID Regiment and artillery circled attacked the German Engineer unit last turn to punish him for using it as a scout. I can't remember the casualties, but I think I got 400 Germans to 100 Poles on that attack.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 1:15:49 AM

RocketMan

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A large screenshot of the Poznan to Graudenz area. The units in the south are retreating, but only the units in the bottom of the screenshot that are fleeing from Poznan have any hope of escaping. The rest are just going to try and slow the Germans down. Note that I abandoned the defensive line between Graudenz and Brodnica in the first turn.

Ignore the spelling errors in the screenshot, there is no spell checker in the paint program!

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< Message edited by RocketMan -- 12/22/2010 1:19:10 AM >

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 1:39:39 AM

Barthheart

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quote:

ORIGINAL: RocketMan

....
I also got a message about a possible PBEM cheat on my part. I have never seen this message before and don't even know what the pbem logbook is. Anybody else know what this message is?

This can happen if you reinstall the game or play a PBEM game on more than 1 computer, or reopen a turn.

_____________________________

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body,
but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming "WOW, what a ride!"

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 2:35:52 AM

RocketMan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Barthheart

quote:

ORIGINAL: RocketMan

....
I also got a message about a possible PBEM cheat on my part. I have never seen this message before and don't even know what the pbem logbook is. Anybody else know what this message is?

This can happen if you reinstall the game or play a PBEM game on more than 1 computer, or reopen a turn.

Thanks Barthheart. I did reinstall the game when I got that Unhandled Exception Error: The directory is not empty error.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 3:55:53 AM

RocketMan

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Area near Lodz. I built a line along the major river, but all units are stuck in place thanks to that idiot Juliusz Rommel in charge of the Lodz Operational Group as you can see in the screenshot. The Germans have a bridgehead across the river and I might use my air force to bomb it this turn. Again, an engineer (probably) being used as a scout is in the upper left area of the screenshot. If it is I will attack it with the two nearby Calvary units. Also starting to build a defensive line around Lodz.

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< Message edited by RocketMan -- 12/22/2010 4:33:29 AM >

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 4:03:22 AM

RocketMan

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Area around Krakau. The Krakau HQ is fleeing with two divisions. One of them will head north and the other southeast.I will pull the defensive line I built last turn back two hexes but leave it anchored at Krakau.

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< Message edited by RocketMan -- 12/22/2010 4:04:34 AM >

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 4:09:57 AM

RocketMan

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The south. The Germans have to be trying a flanking maneuver with their armor in this area. I will try and move some units into the area to slow them down.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 4:12:05 AM

Enigma6584

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Very much enjoying this.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 4:13:21 AM

RocketMan

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Northern area. Not a lot happening here. All these units will be doing a slow retreat.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 4:21:31 AM

RocketMan

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Central northern area around Milowa Forts. The SS motorized regiment circled in red was attacked by the entire polish air force last turn, slowing down it's advance. I think I might have killed 100 troops, but it could have been none. I'll try and get some units in the way in that area this turn.

The Engineer unit with the red square around it will be surrounded, attacked and hopefully destroyed.

I am also getting units dug in around Warsaw.

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< Message edited by RocketMan -- 12/22/2010 4:35:06 AM >

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 4:30:50 AM

RocketMan

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That's all the areas of the map this turn, and it was a lot of work to make all those screenshots. I probably won't be so detailed in the future, but wanted everybody to get a good feel for what strategy I'm using and to make up for not getting any screenshots of the first turn. I have never played this scenario as the Poles so I don't know how my strategy of falling back quickly will work.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 5:26:39 AM

RocketMan

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End of Polish turn 2 - Northwest.

I attacked the engineer unit with two artillery units and an infantry regiment with a +25% attack action card as can be seen in the screenshot. Got 800 German Engineers for 100 Polish infantry.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get all the bridges across the Vistula blown.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 5:31:06 AM

RocketMan

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End of turn 2 - North and northeast.

I killed the exposed engineer unit and pulled back my lines a little.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 5:34:19 AM

RocketMan

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End of turn 2 - South.

Formed a line and blew some bridges.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 5:37:29 AM

RocketMan

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End of turn 2 - Krakau area.

Pulled back the defensive line. Couldn't get any bridges blown unfortunately.

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RE: Case White PBEM: RocketMan-Poland vs. CYORESS1-Axis... - 12/22/2010 5:43:29 AM

RocketMan

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End of turn 2 - Lodz area. Strengthened defensive lines in this area. I decided to use the Polish air force to bombard the German engineer unit hoping it would blow the bridge behind him and it worked. I followed that up with an attack on the Engineers, killing 600 total for no losses to the Polish Calvary. If my opponent continues to use his engineers for scouts I will continue to attack them. And for all you new players out there, this is why you don't use engineers as scouts against a human player. I'm guessing I doubled the German casualties this turn by killing so many engineers, which would make the casualty ratio so far somewhere around 2% for the Germans to 5% for the Poles. I will take those loss ratios any day if I am right. I'll see next turn if I am.

Anybody have any comments or questions?