How the Axis could have won II. Allied AAR

[warspite1]

Finally, three shots showing the position of the three fronts - Western, Italian and Russian - at the time of surrender:

Western Front - Paris has just fallen and the Allies take a tentative step into the Reich...

Notice that Vichy as never collapsed.

[warspite1]

In Italy the last German forces south of Rome have been eliminated. There is seemingly nothing to stop a march north.

[warspite1]

On the Russian Front, Berlin has fallen and Soviet armies are streaming southwest via Dresden. Out of shot, British and Soviet troops are pushing towards eastern Italy via Yugoslavia.

[Malor]

Warspite,

Congratulations on your win and thanks again for the great AAR.

Very interesting game and it demonstrated to me that this game will have great replay-ability because every decision made affects the next one, thus changing the course of the war each time. Even a simple this turn decision to research this tech now or buy that unit instead affects the long term game path.

Your invasion of the Balkans was something I wanted to try but decided on Italy instead in my first game since it looked easier. In my second game, Spain went Axis as the US was heading for North Africa so they diverted to southern Spain instead. UK units from liberated Africa quickly followed on and in less than a year, Spain was defeated. The invasion of France occurred in early ’43 via land from Spain through the narrow gap in France between Vichy and the Atlantic. It should have been very east to defend, except the AI placed no troops between the border and Paris. All it took was for me to keep moving units north until I hit the troops on the German border. However by that time, there was no stopping the massive amount of UK/US units from the west and the USSR horde from the east (as you experienced in your game).

You also confirmed my finding about a need to balance the game more and teach the AI to not spend so much on Diplomacy and Research when the need for a proper army exists. In your game and the two full games I’ve played, the AI invaded the USSR without enough troops and did not execute any sensible plan beyond move towards the next “key” hex. To do this, units were “operated” around the front every turn as the needs changed, thus wasting even more precious MPP. I manually tracked units on paper for an entire summer and some units moved 3 times between north and south attacks without really making any impact due at either location. I think the main reason it was so easy to steamroll the Axis units was because 1) despite research, the AI did not have MPP to update units because 2) they were spending too much on diplomacy and moving units with the Operate command.

I made it a priority to re-purchase destroyed allied units at the discount cost. I did not see the AI do that very often. Once units were destroyed, they rarely came back again, even early in the game although there were exceptions. I don’t think they actually purchased “original” units before “rebuy” units but I can’t prove it because I did not track the units too deep.
I also have one piece of advice that burned me in my first play-through and I saw repeated in other AARs and threads. You need to spend on Logistics Research. The ability to buy and deploy more HQs will help every time. In your research screens, you did not spend any points for the USSR on Logistics and I think after the Infantry techs, this is the most important to advance quickly. Command and Control is also critical. The HQs really do give a big boast to other units.

I’m looking forward to future patches to see how the game evolves. I’m also looking forward to an Axis AAR from you.

Thanks,
Malor

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Malor

Warspite,

Congratulations on your win and thanks again for the great AAR.

Very interesting game and it demonstrated to me that this game will have great replay-ability because every decision made affects the next one, thus changing the course of the war each time. Even a simple this turn decision to research this tech now or buy that unit instead affects the long term game path.

Your invasion of the Balkans was something I wanted to try but decided on Italy instead in my first game since it looked easier. In my second game, Spain went Axis as the US was heading for North Africa so they diverted to southern Spain instead. UK units from liberated Africa quickly followed on and in less than a year, Spain was defeated. The invasion of France occurred in early ’43 via land from Spain through the narrow gap in France between Vichy and the Atlantic. It should have been very east to defend, except the AI placed no troops between the border and Paris. All it took was for me to keep moving units north until I hit the troops on the German border. However by that time, there was no stopping the massive amount of UK/US units from the west and the USSR horde from the east (as you experienced in your game).

You also confirmed my finding about a need to balance the game more and teach the AI to not spend so much on Diplomacy and Research when the need for a proper army exists. In your game and the two full games I’ve played, the AI invaded the USSR without enough troops and did not execute any sensible plan beyond move towards the next “key” hex. To do this, units were “operated” around the front every turn as the needs changed, thus wasting even more precious MPP. I manually tracked units on paper for an entire summer and some units moved 3 times between north and south attacks without really making any impact due at either location. I think the main reason it was so easy to steamroll the Axis units was because 1) despite research, the AI did not have MPP to update units because 2) they were spending too much on diplomacy and moving units with the Operate command.

I made it a priority to re-purchase destroyed allied units at the discount cost. I did not see the AI do that very often. Once units were destroyed, they rarely came back again, even early in the game although there were exceptions. I don’t think they actually purchased “original” units before “rebuy” units but I can’t prove it because I did not track the units too deep.
I also have one piece of advice that burned me in my first play-through and I saw repeated in other AARs and threads. You need to spend on Logistics Research. The ability to buy and deploy more HQs will help every time. In your research screens, you did not spend any points for the USSR on Logistics and I think after the Infantry techs, this is the most important to advance quickly. Command and Control is also critical. The HQs really do give a big boast to other units.

I’m looking forward to future patches to see how the game evolves. I’m also looking forward to an Axis AAR from you.

Thanks,
Malor

warspite1

Thanks for the comments Malor. One question: You mention you made re-purchase a priority. Is there a way of telling what was destroyed in the purchase screen? i.e. if you forget what was destroyed is there a reminder?

[crispy131313]

Thanks for the comments Malor. One question: You mention you made re-purchase a priority. Is there a way of telling what was destroyed in the purchase screen? i.e. if you forget what was destroyed is there a reminder?

Look for a * to the right of their name in the purchase screen list of units by name.

Example:

7th Armored
7th Armored* <-- Can be purchased at a discounted cost

To qualify a non naval unit must have been destroyed in supply of 5 or greater.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: crispy131313

Thanks for the comments Malor. One question: You mention you made re-purchase a priority. Is there a way of telling what was destroyed in the purchase screen? i.e. if you forget what was destroyed is there a reminder?

Look for a * to the right of their name in the purchase screen list of units by name.

Example:

7th Armored
7th Armored* <-- Can be purchased at a discounted cost

To qualify a non naval unit must have been destroyed in supply of 5 or greater.

warspite1

That's helpful thank-you.

[dougo33]

Warspite,

I have enjoyed reading your AARs for both play throughs on the allied side. I have just read the beginning of your Axis AAR. I have really enjoyed the first 2 and look forward to seeing how you fare as the Axis.

Reading your AARs make me chuckle since I make similar mistakes along the way [:)]. Please keep it up! I really enjoy your writing style and how you keep it light yet serious.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: dougo33

Warspite,

I have enjoyed reading your AARs for both play throughs on the allied side. I have just read the beginning of your Axis AAR. I have really enjoyed the first 2 and look forward to seeing how you fare as the Axis.

Reading your AARs make me chuckle since I make similar mistakes along the way [:)]. Please keep it up! I really enjoy your writing style and how you keep it light yet serious.

warspite1

Thank-you sir - I trust you mean the AAR and not the mistakes? [:D]

BTW - nice Avatar [8D]

[freeboy]

can you tell us the final tech levels for the reds?
I am curious

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: freeboy

can you tell us the final tech levels for the reds?
I am curious

warspite1

Sure, see post 715.

[freeboy]

do you not like researching the helper techs? Logistics etc?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: freeboy

do you not like researching the helper techs? Logistics etc?

warspite1

I like researching everything! [:)] - but its all a case of priorities and MPP available. As you can see I have researched these techs more with the US, simply because I could, but for the USSR and UK, there were often other more pressing concerns. I did not ignore them though.

Ultimately, as said in the AAR, I had so much MPP with all powers, and particularly the USSR, that MPP shortage was no longer an issue. However, by that time it was so obvious that the Allies were going to win I was actually doing things to stop their advantage (specifically removing units and for a time, actually forgetting to research!).

So in summary, I think these things are important, but as the difference between my first and second AAR shows, the need to upgrade infantry, air, tanks, naval and ASW is of paramount importance.

[freeboy]

Yes
Infantry upgrade including inf warfare doctrice weapons and anti tank and air helps keep your men and units intack little digi-men!!
We should try a two player via hotseat save sometime