Varn H (allies) vs. *your-name-here* (axis): Spring 1942

[Varn H]

Round 7, Russia; continued

Ukraine taken, no losses!

[Varn H]

Round 7, Russia; continued

Combat INDIA, Attacker, Round 1: Fighter x3, Tank x2
Rolls: 5@3; Total Hits: 35@3: (5, 3, 1, 4, 3)

Combat INDIA, Defender, Round 1: Infantry x1, Tank x1
Rolls: 1@2 1@3; Total Hits: 11@2: (5)1@3: (2)

[Varn H]

Round 7, Russia; continued

India liberated with Tank x1 lost!

[Varn H]

Round 7, Russia; continued

Non-Combat Movement:
–-1.) Russia Infantry x1 to West Russia
—2.) India Fighters back to Caucasus
—2.) Ukraine Fighters back to Caucasus

Mobilize:
—1.) Infantry x2, Tank x2 to Caucasus
—2.) Infantry x3 to Russia

Collect Income:
Russia collect 26, total 26 in hand

Summary:
—Russia: Infantry x6
—Caucasus: Infantry x10, Tank x2, Fighter x5 (plus UK Bomber)
—Kazakh: Infantry x8
—Persia: Infantry x4
—SZ 13: Sub x1
—West Russia: Infantry x1
—India: Tank x1
—Trans-Jordan: Tank x1
—Ukraine: Infantry x2

Varn H(Allies) Vs Crunch(Axis) R7.AAM

[Varn H]

Germany’s Turn!

Thanks again for this game. I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned in the last week!

I’ve been reading some of the forum discussions (including the one about cruisers and their utility vs. destroyers and whatnot). Several of them feature replies you posted. It’s funny because I’ll read what you or Gargantua say to NOT do, and then I’m doing a face palm because its exactly what I’ve been doing for the last 6 rounds. I need to focus a lot more on Carriers and air power in future games, particularly with the US. I guess I got attracted to the idea of absorbing a free hit with each Battleship, forgetting that it was the offensive power projection of the carrier that made it a better buy.

[MrMalachiCrunch]

You learn quick, I better enjoy this game while I can I can see you progressing quickly.  I’m not as well versed in the end game as more experienced players.  I don’t often play after the fall of Russia, in my games either as the allies or axis, once Russia has fallen, it’s over.  I understand it’s typically a race between Brit/US defeating Germany as Russia falls to the Japanese.

I like the study of optimization which is part and parcel to advanced computer programming which is my field.

[MrMalachiCrunch]

The idea of a free hit and ‘strafing’ the enemy is a great concept, but you require a willing enemy who will allow you to utilize your strength in strafing.  3 BBs is 60 IPC very close to 64 which is what 2 loaded carriers cost you.  In an all out to the death fleet battle, which would you rather be defending with, 3 fours or 4 fours and 2 twos and after taking 4 hits a piece, 2 damaged BBs defend as well as 2 fighters but have only inflicted on average 2 hits back whereas you get 3 hits with the carriers+fighters.  Round 2 means the attacker has most likely 1 less  high value attack piece.  Once you factor in the projected threat of 3 spaces once the CVs move 2 to catch up versus 2 spaces for the BBs AND the land attack threat that your enemy now has to defend against.  In the latter rounds, its easy for the enemy to not count those extra planes or bombers spread out like an interlocking web of power projection.

[MrMalachiCrunch]

Ger 7
–-----
Builds:

On Hand    41

2 Inf        6
7 Tank      35

Saved        0

Combat:
Kar: Inf(EEu)+4 Ftr(WEu) Vs Inf
Ukr: 20 Inf+Tank(EEu), 2 Bomber(WEu) Vs 2 Inf

Kar: Inf(EEu)+4 Ftr(WEu) Vs Inf
Rolls: 1@1 4@3; Total Hits: 01@1: (3)4@3: (4, 6, 6, 5)
Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 01@2: (6)

Ukr: 20 Inf+Tank(EEu), 2 Bomber(WEu) Vs 2 Inf
Rolls: 20@1 1@3 2@4; Total Hits: 720@1: (1, 4, 3, 6, 5, 5, 4, 3, 6, 4, 1, 6, 1, 2, 5, 2, 1, 4, 6, 5)1@3: (3)2@4: (4, 4)
Rolls: 2@2; Total Hits: 02@2: (3, 4)

[MrMalachiCrunch]

Kar: Inf(EEu)+4 Ftr(WEu) Vs Inf
Rolls: 1@1 4@3; Total Hits: 21@1: (5)4@3: (4, 1, 4, 3)
Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 01@2: (6)

[MrMalachiCrunch]

Combat Results:
Kar: TWOL
Ukr: TWOL

Non-Combat Moves:
Sz14: 2 SS(Sz12)
EEU: 8 Inf+9 Tanks+AA(Ger), 4 Ftr(Kar), 2 Bomers(Ukr)
Ukr: 5 Tanks(Bel)
Ger: 9 Inf+AA(WEu)

Builds:
Ger: 7 Tanks+2 Inf

Collect 42 IPC, 0 saved, 42 IPC On Hand

Varn H(Allies) Vs Crunch(Axis) G7.AAM

[MrMalachiCrunch]

Forgot to move the subs on the map as per my NCM, again….!!

Varn H(Allies) Vs Crunch(Axis) G7.AAM

[Varn H]

@MrMalachiCrunch:

I find in a long game, decisive battles are rare.  It’s the dance that wins the game.  If I can make you dance harder then I have the initiative and can dictate to you more than you can dictate to me what will be purchased and where your forces go.  If I can make you devote more and more to my threats, then you have less and less to threaten me.

I just looked at the map. Got a little shiver thinking about all those Russian comrades about to be butchered in their beds next German round. It appears you have grown weary of “dancing” with me, lol!!! 27 armor in Caucasus next turn, good grief… Don Rae is shaking his head at me somewhere saying “I told you so, moron!”

[Varn H]

Round 7, UK

Purchase: $24 in hand
–-1.) Fighter x1, Infantry x3, Tank x1  (-$24, 0 remaining)

Combat Movement:
—1.) SZ 6 Fighters x2 to Karelia
—2.) Norway Infantry x2 to Karelia

[Varn H]

Round 7, UK; continued

Combat KARELIA, Attacker, Round 1: Infantry x2, Fighter x2
Rolls: 2@1 2@3; Total Hits: 22@1: (3, 5)2@3: (2, 1)

Combat KARELIA, Defender, Round 1: Infantry x1
Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 01@2: (4)

[Varn H]

Round 7, UK; continued

Karelia liberated, no losses!

[Varn H]

Round 7, UK; continued

Non-Combat Movement:
–-1.) Archangel Infantry x3 and Artillery x3 to Russia
—2.) SZ 6 Fleet loads Transports with UK Infantry x5, Norway Artillery x3, Norway Infantry x4, proceeds to SZ 4, unloads in Archangel
—3.) Karelia Fighters land in SZ 4
—4.) SZ 20 Transport loads Panama Infantry x1 and Tank x1, proceeds to SZ 25
—5.) Caucasus Bomber x1 to Russia

Mobilize:
—1.) Fighter x1, Infantry x3, Tank x1 to UK

Collect Income:
UK collect 28, total 28 in hand

Summary:
—UK: Infantry x3, Tank x1, Fighter x1
—SZ 4: BB x2, Destroyer x4, Carrier x1, Fighter x2, Transport x6
—SZ 25: Transport x1 with Tank x1, Artillery x1
—Russia: Bomber x1, Artillery x3, Infantry x3
—Eastern Canada: Infantry x1
—Solomons: Infantry x1 plus USA units
—Australia: Infantry x2
—Karelia: Infantry x2
—Archangel: Infantry x9, Artillery x3
—others: 0

Varn H(Allies) Vs Crunch(Axis) UK7.AAM

[Varn H]

Japan’s Turn!

In your experience, in a KGF scenario, where USA and UK are together in the Atlantic focused on Germany, which works better in supporting Russia: 1.) a two front war with UK and USA breaching Western Europe/Mediteranean and Russia on the Eastern Front, or 2.) running everything that USA and UK can produce through Archangel and fighting on the Eastern Front? Or is it something else?

[Varn H]

One more question: a single transport carrying two units must offload both units to the same destination, correct? Even if there are two possible destinations bordering the same final sea zone of the transport? For example, look at my American “fleet” in the Atlantic. My understanding is that if I sailed to SZ 23 with only the one transport, I could only offload into one of either French Equatorial Africa or Belgian Congo, not both. Same thing if I went to SZ 13: with only one transport I would have to choose between Western Europe and Algeria.

[MrMalachiCrunch]

On the transport question you are correct, 1 transport, 1 target.  Either whatever the transport holds onto FEq or Cng.  It used to be nice as Japan to sail in Sz34 with 2 transports and 4 men and land in 4 spots but alas, evolution of the rules say ixnay to that.

In KGY you don’t want to transport into Arc.  You want your fleet to live in Sz5.  Germany LOVES it when your fleet is in Sz4, Germany and EEu cannot be hit.  If I want to dribble a few units per turn through EEuas Germany,  no problem when you are in Sz4.  Now, if there is 3 brit transports and 4 US transports in Sz5 along with lots of planes for each nation then imagine doing Germany’s turn.  WEu can be hit by the brits then the US in a 1-2 and so can Germany and so can EEu.  If Germany wants to move up, tanks in Nwy, Kar etc can all move 2 to hit EEu along with amphibious assult.

3 Transports for Brit because her income will not be great. (3 Inf+3 tanks per round for 24 IPC) if you can save a few IPC here and there then get a plane.  The US can drop 4 inf+4 tanks per turn and save a few IPC here and there for an extra plane once and awhile.

You will have to maintain a US fleet in Sz2 to shuttle from Eca to Gbr.  So that is 2 fleets you require, Germany WILL put a bomber in WEu and so will Japan when it can, sooner the better.  So now if you want to drop in Africa you want a third fleet in Sz12.  Japan adds 1 bomber to WEu now you must defend it in Sz5 and Sz2 and Sz12.  If you try to maintain 3 fleets all the time you will spend too much on fleet and not enough on boots on the ground.  It’s tough to play the allies.  The risk of having a fleet in Sz5 is if the japs start adding to their airforce, how do you add ships to Sz5?  If Japan has an IC in Ind, it can build 3 bombers and they can all hit Sz5 right away.  Usually in the first few rounds you get 1 drop of units to Alg as you get your fleets together and in postion to get into Sz5.

[MrMalachiCrunch]

Japan 7
–-----
Builds:

On Hand    40

1 Bombers  12
2 Tanks    10
1 Inf      3
IC        15

Saved      0

Combat:
Ind: Tank(Chi), Inf(FIC), Ftr(Kwa), Bomber(Jpn) Vs Tank
Sin: 3 Inf(Chi) Vs Undefended
Nov: 1 Inf(Yak) Vs Undefended
Eve: 1 Inf(Yak) Vs Undefended

Sin: Inf(Chi), Bomber(Bry), 2 Ftr(FIC) Vs Inf
Rolls: 1@1 2@3 1@4; Total Hits: 31@1: (4)2@3: (3, 1)1@4: (2)
Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 01@2: (3)