AAR - PBEM Game 3

[JJKettunen]

ORIGINAL: elmo3

It's no big deal to me but SU would be both shorter and more historically correct.

Ditto.

[:'(]

[Normal View]

Summer 1940

Another lethargic turn for the Soviets. Production continues at a minimal level. A research breakthrough was made in improving the combat capability of our mechanized units. No troop movement or combat as all territories are still frozen, but not for long I suspect. I have been setting up supply depots at various locations, there are a few larger concentrations but most of my supplies are set up in small reserve depots east of territories on the German border.

[paullus99]

Despite German attempts to sever our supply lines, the Royal Navy has been more than successful in hunting down & eliminating the U-Boat menace.

In the Med, we've taken steps to isolate the Italian Fleet & cut off all German movements to and from North Africa. Ground forces are spread thin at the moment - but without reinforcement, we should be able to eliminate the German presence on the continent.

Otherwise, we continue our research, conduct bombing raids against German installations in France & prepare for day we return & thrash those German rascals....

[paullus99]

Our forces in China continue to buildup against the Japanese invaders....

[paullus99]

Summary of Military Forces - Summer 1940

[MButtazoni]

Fall 1940

well not much going on for Germany this turn, maybe a few redeployments here and there. nothing anyone should fret over

[MButtazoni]

The game will slow down a bit over the next few days:

I (GE) will be out of town from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening.
Paulllus99 (WA) will be unavailable from Sunday to Tuesday.

but it will resume at full speed next Wednesday.

[neuromancer]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko
Well, you may have noted that playing the Soviet side I did mostly use the term "Soviets" in our long AAR here on the board. But the official name for the side in the game is Russia. I don't think this is incorrect, at least not in a game that "amalgamates" UK and USA (and France, and others) into "Western Allies", or where Italy is just a "part" of Germany [:D]

Exactly. We know what they mean. Yes several parts have been lumped together for convenience, but we know what is what even so.

Its a fun little wargame based on WW2, not a history and/ or geography lesson!

[Oleg Mastruko]

Japanese player here. We decided to try to make things interesting this turn. We met with Adolf's military representatives in a secret place in Manchuria - they were flown in on a long range Ju-290. But we could not agree on a common Axis strategy.

(Translation - I emailed with MB back and forth today but we could not agree on a common Axis strategy [:D][:D])

Kinda historic anyway. [8D]

So we decided to attack RU on our own. But we DO hope German attack will follow shortly.

It is my belief, based on games vs. AI, that Japanese have it too easy if they decide to attack SU. Historic or not - but this is alpha test, and we testers are here to try to "rape" the system, as I, not so elegantly, put it. I am going to try to prove Jap invasion of Siberia is currently quite easy thing to do. I am NOT claiming this is historic nor it is the way it should be.

Don't forget we're alpha testing, so we're here to test the system, trying to find inconsistencies.

The apparent easiness with which IMO Japs can take Siberia is one of such incosistencies. So, I think I should try to prove that incosistency in alpha by - taking Siberia.

China is endless s*it hole I want to get away from as soon as possible anyway. There's nothing there - not much resources, pretty much nothing but trouble. I know historical Japs didn't want to lose face by pulling out, but I'm not concerned about that [:D] I'll gladly lose face to win the war [:D]

So, hey-ho, hey-ho, to Siberia we go... [:D]

These are the results of our attack. Adolf, get your Panzers in place, and lets meet at Urals!

We conquered Irkutsk and Mongolia, isolating Vladivostok. We also launched a CV-borne attack on Vladivostok, destroying and damaging some units there.

Oleg

[neuromancer]

Hmm, is it that it is easy for Japan in Siberia, or the Soviet game-tree (AI) is not particularly able to defend it?

Also, while invading Siberia is easy, how easy is it to hold it?

I guess that is what we'll find out, hm?

Soviet production is rather impressive. And Japanese production isn't, particularly with low resource income.



Is there any defensive adjustments for terrain? I understand eastern Russia isn't the most hospitable terrain (or is that just the winter), which would probably work in the favour of the defender. There are other places where defensive terrain should be of benefit too.

And speaking of that, anything about the Magniot Line?

[MButtazoni]

eeee-yikes, when i left by plane from Manchuria, i didn't know your intent was to attack THIS turn. his Factory multiplier just jumped to x3. and i believe the Central zone is unfrozen along with his Eastern Zone?

The x3 for 2 extra turns is really gonna hurt Germany's penetration into the SU.

i had hoped to coordinate this for Spring 41 (maybe i sent my last email too late)

above all else now; kill that factory in Vladivostock and repair the resources for your factories.

"It is the fate of all Japanese players that they suffer from impatience..."
- Maurice Buttazoni

[YohanTM2]

ORIGINAL: neuromancer

I think they should be required to always type out the full name!

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, no abreviasions!

Even better, make them type in the actual Russian terms!



In other words... don't sweat the small stuff. We know what they mean.

Yeesh, people complain about the silliest things.
[8|]

LOL, indeed they do

[Joel Billings]

What these guys don't know is we've already decided to put in a few changes:

1) If Japan attacks Russia, resource gifts from US to Japan will stop (same as if they attack Siam or inland China). Also, the WA production multiplier will go to x2 immediately. This may not be enough because of recent changes to Soviet production that makes them weaker in 1940 but stronger later on. This may have made it too easy to take out Russia early. Japan alone against Russia should be tough as the Soviets have better tech units (at least armor is better). We may have to give them strategic movement ability in the West so they can shift troops more easily. Against the AI at the hard level I just took out SU in late 41 by attacking in Fall 40 with Germany and then Japan on the same turn. The WA and Chinese AI was not smart enough to realize that this required immediate full scale methods of aiding SU and given Japan was till getting resources from US, Japan was doing very well. It will be interesting to see what the human Russian player can do if anything, although the Japanese really needs to use 3 less resources each turn just to offset the next change we will be making. Anyway, this is why we have testers, to show us different strategies we need to account for.

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: MButtazoni

eeee-yikes, when i left by plane from Manchuria, i didn't know your intent was to attack THIS turn. his Factory multiplier just jumped to x3. and i believe the Central zone is unfrozen along with his Eastern Zone?

Well, yeah... I mean, what central zone? [:D] Perhaps you should dust off your Plan B you were showing me in Manchuria this afternoon? [:D] (You know what plan I am talking about? [8D]

The x3 for 2 extra turns is really gonna hurt Germany's penetration into the SU.

i had hoped to coordinate this for Spring 41 (maybe i sent my last email too late)

above all else now; kill that factory in Vladivostock and repair the resources for your factories.

Will do. Actually I think I saw a fine window of opportunity, where I can deal with Vladivostok pretty easily, and then go on destroying (or taking) resources like crazy. Don't forget that Vladivostok is actually producing units (despite being frozen) making JA attack that much harder every turn. If we occupy his resources in Siberia and you-know-where (you have your resource PDF map handy? [:D]) then all the factories in the world and all the multipliers in the world don't mean anything to RU player.

"It is the fate of all Japanese players that they suffer from impatience..."
- Maurice Buttazoni

"Bombing Vladivostok is more fun than losing four CVs at Midway"
-- IJN ADM Chuichi Nagumo

Oleg

[bigbabyhead]

It was tempting to do this as Japan in our last game, but I had been burned so badly by prematurely attacking PH in Game 1 that I chickened out.

I can't wait to see the results.

[Normal View]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko
I am going to try to prove Jap invasion of Siberia is currently quite easy thing to do.

The invasion is the easy part. John captured Vladivostok in our last game but nothing much came of it. There was a sizeable force on the way to push him out of the Soviet east but we ended the game early because his save wasn't working with the new version.

It should be interesting to see how this resolves.

*****

Fall 1940

As everyone knows, the Japanese have invaded in the east. The counter-attack is going to have to wait for a while as only two infantry are able to respond. Vladivostok is cut off but it does have enough supplies to defend for an entire year, provided they can fight off the Japanese, which is doubtful. I've ordered a militia unit built there to help with defense.

Elsewhere, the build queues are loaded with infantry. Despite the invasion, I'm still more concerned about what Germany will do. How well their attack goes will determine how long the Japanese can hold on to their captured territory. As for now, I hope for a little Allied intervention somewhere. (Make that a lot of intervention. [;)] )

The east is looking pretty lonely and empty right now.

[paullus99]

Fall 1940 - "Churchill's Victory or Folly?"

Despite my strenuous objections, the Prime Minister finally ordered operation Nordic Hammer. I believe the news from Moscow about the Japanese invasion of the Russian Far East finally brought this issue to a head.

Our fleet carriers were ordered into the North Sea, along with a heavy fleet unit & we attacked the German paratroopers holding Norway. Despite heavy resistance at Narvik, our troops fought their way ashore & Norway was liberated.

With the success of this operation, we have extended our supply convoys to Murmansk & will begin to provide material assistance to our Soviet allies. In other areas, our gallant sub forces made their way into the Baltic Sea and torpedoed several fully-loaded supply ships, sending their cargoes to the bottom.

The Prime Minister knows dark days remain ahead, but as our American friends continue to research & buildup, and our Soviet allies mobilize against this fiendish assault - we will prevail.

[paullus99]

Fall 1940 - "Supplies, my Kingdom for Supplies!!!" General Chang Kai Shek.....

The Japanese invaders have decided to solve the China problem by going north into the Soviet Union....we believe they have awoken a sleeping giant & will also soon have the Americans to deal with.

With limited supplies, there was little we could do to take advantage of the weakness of the Japanese forces on the mainland - we moved into an occupied Canton & also launched a spoiling attack against Peking.

Next turn will prove interesting - we are almost ready to move.

[a19999577]

Does Japan get production modifiers when it attacks/is attacked?

[paullus99]

Nope - Japan only has what it brings to the party (no party favors for them)....they are short of everything - production, resources, manpower.....it was foolish for them to go to war in the first place (historically) & it will probably prove out here too.