RE: AAR - Wacht Am Rhein

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RE: AAR - Wacht Am Rhein

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RE: AAR - Wacht Am Rhein - 11/14/2014 1:51:47 PM

Erik Rutins

Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000
From: Vermont, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns
I have no issue at all with the ability of Bastogne to be captured. My issue is its fall before the allies can do anything to stop it. I think you'll find most players will find issue with this reality. So an axis turn one capture is bad and needs to be prevented in my opinion. It also flips history and forces the allies to go over to an attack posture.

Considering the turns are one week long, taking Bastogne on Turn 1 should be possible, especially if the German player focuses more forces towards that task. In this shorter scenario, it will likely not change the outcome of the Bulge as you are weakening your advance on one front to strengthen it in another, but I don't think it was impossible at all that the Germans could have taken Bastogne before the Allies reinforced it. With that said, I agree it should be difficult and not a guarantee.

Regards,

- Erik

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(in reply to Jim D Burns)

Post #: 31

RE: AAR - Wacht Am Rhein - 11/15/2014 6:37:08 AM

Joel Billings

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Joined: 9/20/2000
From: Santa Rosa, CA
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Just want to add that this is not a Bulge scenario, it's a Bulge to the Rhine scenario. It lasts 12 turns and by turn 12 the Allies are expected to be on or across the Rhine river. The Bulge just happens to be the starting point, and the scenario designer choose objectives to incentivize the German player to attack and take Bastogne. Given the historical situation, it's not realistic to expect the Germans will go to Antwerp. This scenario really deals with the end of the German armies ability to put up resistance in the west. Once the Bulge forces are expended (and/or shipped off to Hungary), the Germans are just trying to hang on. Players are free to use the editor to create alternate Bulge scenarios with a greater chance for German success. And as pointed out, this is a weekly turn game, so a 2 week offensive is not really what the game is meant to micro-simulate. It can do a decent job at simulating the action over the 3 months from the Bulge to the Rhine.

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All understanding comes after the fact.
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(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 32

RE: AAR - Wacht Am Rhein - 11/24/2014 7:25:00 PM

zakblood

Posts: 22687
Joined: 10/4/2012
Status: offline

Market Garden, then as i was already buying it anyway, it's now just gone to a number one thank you for this alone, it's my favourite battle and time period, and will only be doing this battle as it's been a bit of a hobby of mine since i first played it many many years ago on the 48k an later 128k spectrum, and i own i think, every version of almost ever type of battle game it's be made on, as i have searched for a better version for a long long time now, did even think a while ago of modding my own, but now it seems it won't be needed, as if this game supports it well, then my prays seemed to have been answered already, merry Christmas, as it seem i already know what I'll be doing over that time and for a long time afterwards

thanks and i'm so unworthy

(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 33

RE: AAR - Wacht Am Rhein - 12/6/2014 3:46:21 PM

henri51

Posts: 1151
Joined: 1/16/2009
Status: offline

The debate of simulation vs gameplay or realism vs what-if is not new. Although there is less uncertainty in this time period of WW2 than in others, there is still room for "what-if". For example, if it had taken Patton two weeks instead of 3 days to reorganize 3rd army (as SHAEF expected)it MIGHT have made a significant different in the Battle of the Bulge.Remember that Hitler's aim was not to defeat the Western Allies, but to take Antwerp while giving the Allies such a spanking that they would sign a separate peace (which they would never have done in real life), freeing over 50 divisions for the Eastern Front. Another example is what if the Germans had correctly guessed (through spying or luck) where the D-day invasion would hit and Hitler had not delayed the Panzers for 3 days while expecting the "real" invasion to occur at Calais?

In the latter case, a possibly exciting scenario could have the Germans place all of their Normandy troops where they like, and see what happens; another what-if could have the Allies invade where the Germans expected them to come (but with realistic logistics constraints).

After all, this is a game, not a simulation (IMHO),

(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 34