Decisively Beating the AI

[Harrybanana]

Here is the Invasion Plan showing the Invasion hexes and airborne drop zones. I think dropping the paratroopers as regiments against the AI is smart. Not so sure it is as smart against a human opponent. The reason is human opponents are far more likely to occupy the hexes one hex behind the invasion beaches.

Oh yeah, yet another thing I have done is Patton is now commanding 1st Army and Bradley and Ridgeway are commanding the 2 American invasion corps.

[Harrybanana]

T46: May 13,1944

I was hoping to push the "Invade" button this turn; but light rain in Northern France means that Overlord will be postponed.

Meanwhile in Southern France, Recon indicates that resistance may be growing. So I more or less rest my troops near Lyon while the troops near Avignon march North.

[Harrybanana]

T47: May 20, 1944

The weather cleared and I launched the Invasion of France. Below are my Air Directives for the Northern Air Forces. I set 8th AF to bomb the invasion beaches. I was hoping 90 raids of 100 aircraft each in a limited area would have a dramatic effect. But really it didn't seem to do too much. I assigned BC back to strategic bombing of the Ruhr. RAF Fighter provide Air Superiority. RAF Coastal ran a naval patrol mission as well as recon of the area around the beaches. Meanwhile 2nd TAC and 9th AF interdicted the invasion area.

[Harrybanana]

Below are the Interdiction numbers. I was happy with the ground interdiction, but very surprised by the poor Naval Patrol Interdiction numbers.

[Harrybanana]

I said a few posts ago that I believed breaking the paratroopers down into regiments was the way to go against the AI. Now I'm not so sure. Since my para-drops were within 8 hexes of one or more of my land units they occurred during my movement phase rather than after the enemy logistics phase. Of my 12 regimental size para-drops I think only 4 landed in the correct hex. 2 landed on enemy units and were destroyed in combat. A third was destroyed by a "fatal" drift (or whatever it is called). A few others triggered enemy reaction movements. I made it even worse by making a stupid mistake. Namely I decided that I would not only add my 4 commanding Corps HQs to the followup forces, but also my 2 Army HQs (1st US and 2nd British). This was dumb as it meant I only had enough sea transport left to add 1 infantry division to my followup forces. If I was playing a human opponent these mistakes would have been fatal. But luckily it is only the AI. Below is the screenshot showing my disbursed paratroopers and the invasion and followup forces. You will note that even if all my invasions succeed my southern group of 3 paratroop regiments will still be isolated. All in all not a very auspicious beginning.

[Harrybanana]

Things went better in the South where I isolated a few more enemy regiments.

[carlkay58]

Welcome to the reason behind "Don't airdrop anything but divisions."

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: Harrybanana

Below are the Interdiction numbers. I was happy with the ground interdiction, but very surprised by the poor Naval Patrol Interdiction numbers.

remember that ports contest naval interdiction and you've invaded in a port rich sector .. having said that #4 should be fine, its unlikely at this stage of the game that the Germans can do much to challenge you

[Harrybanana]

T48: May 27, 1944

Below is the map of the invasion area prior to my Air Phase. Perhaps not unexpectedly my assault of Etaples was repulsed. This attack worked in my previous game against the AI, as did my airborne landings. Now I'm not sure if the difference is that I am playing this game on Challenging, or if I just got lucky last game. On the plus side the enemy, for reasons known only to itself, attacked and retreated my isolated British airborne brigades into a single hex, but then did not attack and destroy those units. Looking at this map I saw an opportunity to expand my bridgehead SE and link up with these airborne brigades.

More good news is that, despite a strong showing by the Luftwaffe, maintaining naval control of the sea hexes leading to the beaches was not a problem. I built both of my mulberries, one in the hex SE of Boulogne and the other NW of Abbeville. The reason for the one SE of Boulogne is that I did not want to have to station a TF here to keep a temp port open as it would get battered by the fort in Boulogne.

[Harrybanana]

This is the situation after my turn. Not nearly as good as I was hoping. Primarily because the enemy stack circled in red beat off 3 separate attacks.

[Harrybanana]

Things again went better in the South where I isolated a panzer regiment and set myself up for a larger offensive next turn.

[Harrybanana]

The Area of my next invasion, for which 7 divisions started prepping this turn.

[Harrybanana]

T49: June 3, 1944

The Northern Map after Recon, but before my moves. As you can see the Germans counterattacked and routed a number of my airborne. Again, it appeared to me that the weakest section of the German line was in the SE part of my line. I was hoping to make a partial breakout towards Amiens this turn.

[Harrybanana]

Unfortunately, several more failed attacks (primarily on the units circled in red) meant I made little headway. At least I captured Etaples.

[Harrybanana]

Once again I performed much better in the South; where I successfully isolated another 7 or 8 enemy divisions.

[Harrybanana]

T50: June 10, 1944

Light rain puts a bit of a damper on things. Time to rest a good chunk of my Air Force. I was surprised to find that the Germans have pulled back from the Southern Flank of my Beachhead in France, so I steamed South.

[Harrybanana]

However, on the Southern Front resistance was increasing. Fine with me, it is closer to Berlin from Pas De Calais than it is from Dijon.

[Harrybanana]

Info on Losses, VPs and production is below. British and Canadian Manpower number are low; so with much regret I disbanded the Canadian Army HQ and a British Corps HQ.

[Harrybanana]

T51: June 17, 1944

Very much a continuation of last turn. The Germans continue to pull back in the North so I continue to advance against little opposition. The Germans continue to reinforce the South, so I content myself with attacking the isolated units.

The before picture.

[Harrybanana]

The after picture.