WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post descriptions of your brilliant victories and unfortunate defeats here.
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wie201
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WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

As I finish my Russia only AAR I recruit my close neighbor (military man) to a head-to-head game. We have only played boardgames before, but he loves this game and has joined the fray.

He has only played as Axis (several times) and I have played twice (Italy only and Russia only). He takes the Axis powers.

Straight-up game with really only one parameter. We both agree to try to closely follow what COULD have happened in the real war. What does this mean? No gamey moves. If we have a disagreement, I have another wargaming buddy (my brother-in-law) to settle disputes. In other words, as we both have studied history, we will try to commit to historic norms. Trying to work with the information the real adversaries would have had at the time.

Remember the communique from Poland to the West "we'll hold Germany here while you attack from the West." We all know what happened afterwards. So a little bit of role-playing as well, but it should make for a great game (I hope - he's much better than me and I worry about trying to run the Western Allies with zero experience - and I do not have time to run a parallel game - which, however, might defeat the whole purpose of this exercise).

This will take time, and I can only post the Allied point of view. Hope you enjoy same.

Anyway, until we have the Multi-player option, here we go!

wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

September 1939 - Poland

Not given a chance to re-arrange my forces Poland is left to the devices of the German Blitz. They cut me up like a Salami. I manage to get a corps into Warsaw, but I know this will end quickly. Since he finds my fighters, he cuts them down.

Will try to survive till turn 3.



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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

September 1939 - Poland

Well, it didn't work out so well for me, as you can see below.

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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

Mid-October 1939 - North Sea

First shots fired between navies works well for me. I send the British sub Salmon on a recon mission, and it spots the CA Deutschland just North of Denmark. I don't know whether it was coming or going (never played Germany yet), but I send a sortie out to attack it.

The CV Courageous, with movement and its 5 hex strike range can just get there, and it lands 2 hits on the German CA. The SS Salmon gets one as well. As you can see, I protect the Courageous by blocking off Skagerrak and Cuxhaven. Not too worried about naval losses yet, but I plan on being aggressive against Mark, at least on sea, as I know from playing board wargames with him he is very aggressive, and given the tools of Germany in 1939, he drools over.

One note - even with Fog-of-War on, I can see the German ship's effectiveness and morale and probably should not.



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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

Mid-October 1939 - France

The CA Suffolk blocks the Channel and my armies are in place. For how long I wonder? I said Mark was aggressive, but he is not foolhardy. Having played this game as the Axis many times, he probably has an approach planned out already.

So I'll just wait for now, fighting with my naval arm. Mark is not a member of this forum (he wouldn't peek anyway) but I have asked him to keep notes and perhaps a few screenshots (so we can compare them later - should be interesting).



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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

Early November 1939 - North Sea

The German CA withdraws back towards the Baltic. The SS Salmon gives chase, but slams into SS U-30 blocking its way. I can't move the SS Salmon any further as it was a surprise. I hope and pray the entire German Navy isn't close by. I need my recon force.

Since I can't find the damaged German CA (I was going to try a strike over Denmark), I pull back to England. I do, however, have enough forces close by to help extricate the SS Salmon if need be. I doubt Germany would risk a massive naval war this early. So I assume they will just go after my sub, if they are close enough.


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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

Early November 1939 - The Med

Knowing of Italy's close affiliation with Germany, I worry about its navy sailing free in the Med. I search for its Navy but do not locate same.

At this point, I have to assume it is crammed into the North end of the Adriatic Sea. As I do not want to create a political storm, I use the French Navy to "watch" the Southern end of the Adriatic.

Meanwhile the British Navy sets up a skirmish line South of Sardinia and will, later, place a blocking force near Gibraltar. I still have my Ark Royal Task Force near Egypt.


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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

Late November 1939 - North Sea

The SS Salmon gets out in fine shape. I assume then that: (1) it wasn't a big enough target to pursue; or (2) the German Navy is way East of Denmark. Either way is fine by me.

The U-30 pursues on its own and, for its troubles, takes a hit from the CV Glorious. My blocking forces are back in place. Is he baiting me? I doubt it, but Mark is a sly one.


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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

Late November 1939 - The Med

Because we are not at war, the Italian Navy slips right thru my French Navy, but it appears that most of them were up there. I reset my screening force casting a wider net now that they are out in the open, and we start to play a bit of a cat-and-mouse location game.


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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

NOTES

The game doesn't ask for passwords anymore, so we have to move the map to a safe corner to end our turn. But even then, some Allied info comes up after I end my turn, and if I click through, without a password, the Axis side appears to begin its turn, and visa-versa. Not a problem for my opponent and me, but something that doesn't work. Does the Hotseat game assume finishing in one sit down? That would explain it but, while I like Mark, I'm not married to him. [:)]

Inauguration time in Washington DC, so we have a three-day weekend and can get thru to some serious gaming - hopefully right up to and/or including France. The sacrifice we have to make is to send the wives shopping. Ouch.

As it is much more fun to write, and I think to read, I am changing my writing style to more of a roleplaying style (a la' Warspite1). I did this a decade ago when playing Decision Games Computer War in Europe. It took us over two years to finish that game, but it was worth it.

Hope this works!
wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

[font="Courier New"] [/font]


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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

[font="Courier New"]XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY XXXXXX [/font]


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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY XXXXXX TOP SECRET - EYES


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wie201
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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

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WARNING! ENEMY AGENTS CHANGED THE DATE OF THE MESSAGE FROM JANUARY 1940 TO DECEMBER 1939 - THEY HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH!

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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

Post by wie201 »

-

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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

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*

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RE: WWII - Mano-a'-Mano - HTH

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*

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