AllenK vs Mayhemizer III: Oil be back.

[AllenK]

Suckers for punishment that we are, we are starting a new game. This time including oil rules, which will be a first for me. On that basis, I thought it would be prudent to have another go at defending the free peoples of the world from the evil alliance and play the Allies.

These are the optional rules we will be using.

[AllenK]

Initial Lend-Lease arrangements.

[AllenK]

US entry: 2 chits in Ge/It and 1 in Jap.

US scrapped units.

[AllenK]

USSR Scrapped.

[Jagdtiger14]

"Oil be back"...haha!...good name for the AAR!

BTW...if you thought the last game was balanced in the way of options, etc...oil is a pro-Allied option...so you might want to counter-balance that with something(s) pro-Axis?

[AllenK]

Hi, Jagdtiger. I think adding the Variable Reorg cost has been brought in as a more pro axis option.

[yvesp]

You will both of you find serious differences in the way of playing.

First of all, you'll want to put synth oil on production as soon as possible. That's important for all countries, even these which are supposed to have plenty of oil, with the notable exception of the USSR. The USA and Commonwealth have many oil guzzling units, and you don't want to have to limit your production because of moving units.

Second, you won't be moving fleets as you did in the previous AAR. The German is wary about using fleets, which are great consummers. Italy more so. As the Commonwealth you will want to move only what you feel is the minimal number of ships needed for a given mission: you'll tailor to the task... You'll also likely not ground strike as much as you did. Is is that much necessary to try that ground strike during rain, with that 2 rated bomber ? hum, 10% chance to disorg the enemy, 100% chance of using 0.1 oil: is disorganizing that unit at a 100% chance of succes worth 1 oil ?

Just count the amount of oil that the whole British fleet might use in one turn! It is staggering!

Last but not least, you'll have to learn:
1) to care even more with your HQs: a disorganized armor HQ uses up to 0.6 oil! Even an inf HQ oil cost is high enough to be careful. So you will be less inclined to reorganize units if you're not sure that it will serve some significant purpose.
2) not to reorganize all your units: using 1.45 oil costs 1, using 1.5 oil costs 2... That's a hell of a difference.

Ah, one last word: The Chinese have one oil and only one, and no production! This will have to last for some time, possibly the whole war. The Chinese can only reorg its units consistently by using that above rule: You can reorg 0.45 and not use your oil. If you use it, you can no more reorg oil using units until you put your hands on more... So be carefull with it: it is a prime target for the Japanese: lose it to strat bombing, and your HQs become much less useful, and possibly sitting duck!

Oh, and building plane upon plane upon plane serves no purpose if your planes cannot fly! So you'll have to set a reasonnable target for the number of such units, and favor quality over quantity. At some point, you'll retire that 3 rated fighter rather than fly it. Playing with pilots is already a good reason for that, playing with oil makes that reason even more commpelling.

Yves

[AllenK]

Thanks Yvesp,

Useful tips to bear in mind.

Also, thank you for your appreciative comment at the end of the last AAR.

[yvesp]

Oh, and I forgot: a great way to keep oil even while using your naval units is... just to let them patrol!
Seriously!

Ships not disorganized don't use oil.
If you send them back at the end of the turn, they become disorganize and will use oil. If you let them patrol, they won't...

Too bad that the real world is not like that!

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Italy scraps all planes, one artillery and slow transporter

Edit: Italy has weaker bomber that last time. Let's hope Germany has equally good bombers than last time (all the best).

[AllenK]

Nationalist Chinese scrapped.

[AllenK]

CW scrapped

[Jagdtiger14]

What yvesp wrote...all of it very wise! I would add: Put the Chinese oil way, way back...as far west as possible. O-chits are an even better value now...you build them with regular resources and can re-org those oil expensive HQ's.

AllenK: Still playing with Cruisers in Flame?

[AlbertN]

Oil is indeed a good rule - and yes I agree Alliees should build too Oil Rigs, but that is just me.
Not nice when USA cannot produce all of its stuff when they start to move fleet around, and strat bomb, and tac. bomb and use HQ to reorg (I think I've seen a 9 oil used in '43 by UK, Germany and USA at some given point).

But I never spare oil when it comes to use HQs, to reorganize is precious or to have that +2 on a combat and avoid a loss ...

[yvesp]

BTW, be careful to save oil from the first turn.
You need it later.

As the USA you can (when the time comes and you have the right option) send oil to the Commonwealth, which it stores for you in Canada. Call it strategic reserves in back of the American taxpayer... Both countries (USAn Commonwealth) wll be very happy to have all this oil stored when it comes to moving the whole army. And don't forget that 1 oil saved can also be used for production: saving 1 oil when the production multiple is 0.25 may be smart... The USA definitivly don't have enough resources for full production and full usage of all their oil using units when they enter the war: having some saved oil for the factories may also come handy.

Also, you'll learn that winter turns are also a good time to prepare oil reserves in advance for the upcoming summer offensive!

[AllenK]

Thanks fellows for all the advice.

French scrapped.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Japan scrap

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Germany scrap

Germany breaks down 4-4 INF into 2x 1-4 INF div and 5-4 MOT into 2-4 MOT div and 1-4 MOT div.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Germany declares war on Poland! US gets mad as usual (roll 6).

Most German units are again in western front.

Italy sets units in Libya to western front also.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Southern China