HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (Full Version)

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Harrybanana -> HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/14/2020 5:45:49 AM)

This is my first AAR in a long time so bear with me. And if you are looking for something flashy or amusing, you better look elsewhere. All I can promise you is to show you in as much detail as possible how I play the game. If you see something you like or dislike in my play let me know.

I am very worried about these games. MM has destroyed his last few opponents and is more experienced than me, especially with the current version of the game. So I fear I am just going to be his next victim. But I do have the advantage that I have read his AARs, so maybe that will give me something of an edge.

Below is the map of Poland after my September 1 Turn. Although I failed to capture Lodz, losses were surprisingly light, only 10 army and 4 air.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/9AC6CF467ABE44BABDF969498D3F3FEE.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/14/2020 5:50:11 AM)

Unfortunately after I ended my turn the save refused to upload to the server. Below is my screenshot after an hour of waiting.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/EEB0DC34EB60453A902D18968B224395.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/14/2020 5:56:31 AM)

So I redo my turn and below is the result. I capture Lodz, but don't cut the units in the West out of supply. I also take more air and ground losses. Note that my Westernmost armour has moved onto the rail lines for the trip West next turn. I also railed a corps to the Danish border and captured Luxembourg. I moved all my fleet except the subs to Stettin. The 39 tech sub was set to priority replacements and my subs stayed in port. I reduced my upgrade replacement level to 20. Just enough, I hope, to upgrade the sub.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/4A50314CC9A0461BAA24C104852E0D12.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/14/2020 5:59:18 AM)

Below are my German Research Settings. Nothing surprising I don't think. Oops, I made a mistake, I meant to set my breakthrough tech investment to 5; I will need to correct that next turn.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/C8F9DAC3F1DC45D1A77435DE5C74D041.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/14/2020 6:06:30 AM)

And the Italian Research Investment. Some people may be surprised that there is no investment in either of the armour techs. IMO Italy just doesn't get enough research points to be effective in too many areas. So for me the decision is to forgo armour. Instead I prefer to build a lot of infantry and mountain units. We will see if that works out for me this game.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/D9490ABE838441C185FDBA9CAA959718.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/14/2020 6:18:12 AM)

In terms of grand strategy I am open to suggestions. Here are a few things I am considering and would love to know your thoughts:

1. Not invading Norway. The advantages are that I deprive the UK of 48 MS and will save myself the expense of invading and garrisoning Norway. The disadvantages are that I will lose the Norwegian production and if the UK captures Narvik my winter iron ore route is lost.

2. Not invading the Netherlands. The advantages are depriving the UK of 30 MS and 3 escorts. The disadvantages are it will probably add at least a turn or more to my conquest of France. It also gives the Allies an easy way to get back into Europe.

3. Building 3 new U-Boats which would give me a total of 6. Too few? But it would make my Russian campaign stronger.



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/15/2020 5:24:15 AM)

SEPTEMBER 15, 1939

Warsaw Falls and Poland surrenders. But the cost was not cheap. The Germans build 1 armour and the Italians build a mountain corps. I debated what tech to give the armour and decided on Heavy Armour. Perhaps because I gaffed on my tech investment last turn my Breakthrough tech didn't advance nearly as much as the Heavy Armour. Meanwhile my U-Boats head out to the South Atlantic and my 2nd armour rails up to the Danish border.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/56F464A38E744DFD8C16B97D567F4EA7.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/15/2020 7:59:02 PM)

SEPTEMBER 29, 1939

MM and I are concerned that U-Boats may be overpowered. But you wouldn't know it from the start of this game.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/1AA1E75B6B51484F9EF19A0E2500B90D.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/15/2020 8:02:05 PM)

Meanwhile Denmark is conquered. Casualties are a little higher than I would like. Especially in comparison to the game where MM is Axis. The Germans build an armour and a paratrooper. I don't intend to start building U-Boats until after I have my forces in the que for France 1940. Is this a mistake?

[image]local://upfiles/14737/E2B799EDE0214A9E9E012F999213F04A.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/16/2020 2:16:47 AM)

OCTOBER 13, 1939

Not much to report. The repaired U-Boats return to sea and the Wehrmacht moves West. The Germans build an Air Superiority Unit.

Forgot to mention earlier that MM and are playing with the following House Rules:

1. French colonial troops cannot be moved at all until Italy joins the Axis. This is to prevent them from being replaced by UK units or weaker French Units.

2. Neither side can invade in the Caspian Sea.

3. Axis can’t enter the Far East Box (or whatever it is called). I think currently they can paradrop into it.

4. After the Winter War the Finns can’t enter the ceded territory until after they are at War with Russia, even if not occupied by Russian troops.

5. The Western Allies can move fleets into the Baltic (which of course requires that they deactivate the mine fields). But if the Axis subsequently reactivate the minefields then they can’t use oilers on any fleets trapped in the Baltic.

6. If the Axis invade Portugal they also have to DOW Spain.

Thank you to ComradejaKorps who compiled this list of what, IMHO, are good House Rules to play by.



MorningDew -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/16/2020 12:34:00 PM)

Good house rules.

Would love to see all three of these codified in the game.




Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/16/2020 3:26:00 PM)

OCTOBER 27, 1939

Happy Hunting for the U-Boats. At least for now it easy to avoid the Allies ASW Hunter Groups. A bit confusing, but there are 3 separate screenshot in the picture below. I am no graphic artist. The Germans build a Mechanized.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/EC77163E4BCF470498C59B46AD94708D.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/17/2020 5:26:55 AM)

NOV 10, 1939

Not much happening, except I go brain dead and move my newly built U-Boat within range of his shore based bombers. I will have to wait until next turn to see if this costs me. I don't think the ASW patrol will affect his escorts chance of hitting this unit as it is guarding the North Atlantic and I am raiding the South Atlantic. My other sub fleet of 2 subs sunk 4 more MS. The Germans build a sub and couple landing craft. The Italians build a mountain unit and a landing craft.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/3BE9A6F023BB4509962BBC08EEAF746E.jpg[/image]



kennonlightfoot -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/17/2020 3:15:07 PM)

The patrol boats have a range of 24 so they are hitting you. Assuming the bug is only in the message not the combat resolution.



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/17/2020 3:21:18 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: kennonlightfoot

The patrol boats have a range of 24 so they are hitting you. Assuming the bug is only in the message not the combat resolution.


But don't the patrol boats have to be in the same convoy lane as my subs?



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/17/2020 3:23:09 PM)

NOV 24, 1939

My subs escape detection on all 4 air attacks. Otherwise not much happening. I sink another 2 MS. The Germans build a ground attack group.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/1B992AA02A5242799B977E50DD330D18.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/17/2020 8:17:06 PM)

DEC 8, 1939

Nothing of interest happening. I do sink another 3 MS and an escort. So my U-Boats are so far doing better in the BOA than MM's U-Boats are doing in our mirror game.



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/18/2020 2:24:00 AM)

My U-Boats continue to out perform MM's, for no better reason than luck I guess. If I was him I would be whining like crazy. The Germans build a mech, the Italians build an infantry corps and a LS.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/D5A4FA4CBD0E48D6AD880244D8D8C87E.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/18/2020 3:50:34 PM)

JAN 5, 1940

Germans build 50 supply trucks. In retrospect I think I should have built another mechanized. After glorious hunting last turn against a partially escorted convoy, the U-Boats come up empty this turn against totally unescorted convoys. Perhaps MM turned off the North Atlantic convoy, but I doubt it. I really do think that escorts should reduce MS damage and that unescorted convoys should be easy pickings.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/B5962B811243468EA5B1A1D5497778E2.jpg[/image]



ago1000 -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/18/2020 3:55:10 PM)

This leads to an excellent Allied strategy. Leave a DD on the route and then turn it off. It will bait the German's into thinking it's open.



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/19/2020 12:07:11 AM)

My opponent tells me that the convoy was open, but he has withdrawn his escorts so all his convoys are now unescorted. I am thinking I might do the same thing in our mirror game. Escorts do not directly prevent MS from being sunk. In other words, whether a convoy is escorted or not it will lose the same number of MS. So escorts only indirectly prevent MS from being sunk by damaging subs and forcing them to return to port early to repair damage. This is fine once escorts start damaging subs on a regular basis. But with 1939 tech (and even 1940 tech) and even with the sub chaser ASWs, sub losses are pretty rare. 4 months into this game I have had only 2 subs damaged and in the mirror game I haven't scored a hit on MMs subs at all. Meanwhile we have seen a combined 6 escorts sunk. So combining the games the Allies have lost 240 escort production and the Germans have lost 20 (is it 10 production per hit of damage?). Again, maybe this is not a large enough sample size. But even if 1 escort (40 production) was sunk for every 1 point of damage to a sub (10 production); I think you would mathematically still be better off pulling your escorts until you can obtain a more favourable ratio once you have 1941 tech or later. And keep in mind that it is not just the production cost, but the production time as well. A destroyed escort take 15 turns to replace, a damaged sub takes 1 or 2 turns to repair.

Edit: Having said all of the above, in another set of mirror games I am playing against a different opponent almost the exact opposite has occurred. After about 3 months I think we have suffered a combined 6 U-Boat losses against only a combined 1 escort loss. So luck obviously plays a big factor.



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/19/2020 6:31:39 AM)

JAN 19, 1940

My U-boats sink 2 MS. The Germans build another mechanized and 20 supply trucks. Most of my production over the next several months will now be spent on replacements, upgrades, supply trucks, landing craft, U-Boats (when shipyards become available) and (depending on battle losses) the odd infantry unit. The map of the next battle zone is shown below along with my build boxes for Germany and Italy. So far the BEF has not made an appearance in France.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/1567C84CF6034585B3201B437DE87C0E.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/19/2020 4:01:11 PM)

FEB 2, 1940

Another good turn for my U-Boats. They sink 7 MS and 1 escort.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/56307227B73848BDAF4F8AE391397FB9.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/19/2020 4:03:34 PM)

Or do they? The Casualty Report still shows only 5 total French and UK escorts sunk. MM informs me that he only had his last French escort active, so obviously it is unsinkable. The Germans build 40 supply trucks.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/8CB2BEE564A34D75925A3EECA3A540E9.jpg[/image]



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/19/2020 10:11:59 PM)

FEB 16, 1940

I sink 4 MS. Germans build 30 supply trucks and the Italians 10.



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/19/2020 10:18:04 PM)

MAR 1, 1940

Bad turn for the U-Boats as 0 MS are sunk and I have to return the fleet to port to refuel. The good news is I place the U-Boat I built in the fall of 39. I meant to build 3 more LCs now that my shipyards had some room, but I forgot and instead built 20 more supply trucks. Snow turn. I am not ready to attack anyway. I want to be able to conquer Belgium in 1 turn and that is going to require more than 2 armour. I got my first tech advance: interceptors. Not a bad tech to have advance early, but I would have much preferred either breakthrough or heavy armour. Unfortunately, as you can see below, they are both lagging. The German tech levels are on the left and the Italian on the right.

[image]local://upfiles/14737/E7B5B6B00C0B49EE8A7701825930D5B0.jpg[/image]



ComadrejaKorp -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/20/2020 1:19:49 PM)

HarryBanana in this mirror game you have already won the battle of the edition, it is perfect! Sharp images and good image montages.

Your strategy for the Netherlands is very good! it's a shame not to read your AAR before to have copied it!

Point 3 IMHO, 6 SS is not enough to do real damage.



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/20/2020 4:21:20 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ComadrejaKorp

Point 3 IMHO, 6 SS is not enough to do real damage.


The plan is that by not invading Norway or the Netherlands I will deprive the UK of 78 MS and 3 escorts. I figure that is more or less the equivalent of building 3 more U-Boats. But admittedly this is a test and may not work.



Harrybanana -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/20/2020 4:22:33 PM)

March 15, 1940

More snow. I reach German assault 40 tech. Germans build 30 supply trucks and 20 LCs



ago1000 -> RE: HB (Axis) vs MM (Allies) No MM for now (12/20/2020 6:52:26 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Harrybanana
The plan is that by not invading Norway or the Netherlands I will deprive the UK of 78 MS and 3 escorts. I figure that is more or less the equivalent of building 3 more U-Boats. But admittedly this is a test and may not work.

This is a very interesting strategy. This reminds me of Dune and the planet Arrakis. Why should the Germans worry if the ore keeps flowing.
They are also not getting two patrol groups. Even if they were to invade in Jan 39, your losses in ore production are 1/5 of what they have lost. It will be interesting to see if and when the Allies are going to invade.





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