Antholin vs. Stalingradski Game One

Stalingradski

a Dice Rolls: 6@1; Total Hits: 06@1: (6, 6, 2, 3, 5, 3)
d Dice Rolls: 6@2; Total Hits: 36@2: (2, 3, 6, 1, 2, 3)

Stalingradski

So, a precious Bomber shot down (2 in as many rounds), 2 Infantry and 2 Mech lost, and no casualties for Japan or Germany… worst … turn… ever!

Turkey is letting the Allies use their eastern border as an overflow (for NW Persia) for Brit and Anzacian troops. However, they are firm in not allowing Russian soldiers anywhere near their people.

UK London collects 32 IPCs.

UK Calcutta collects 20 + 5 NO = 25 IPCs.

JRG1T13UKend.AAM

Antholin

Italy turn 13 buys: 2 Infantry & 2 Artillery=14 IPC’s.

Attacking Caucasus with 2 Mechs & 1 Strat.

a Dice Rolls: 2@1, 1@4; Total Hits: 12@1,: (5, 3)1@4: (4)

d Dice Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 11@2: (2)

JRG1T13ITcom.AAM

Antholin

Convoy Raids.

Western France.

a Dice Rolls: 2@2; Total Hits: 02@2: (6, 5)

Mediterranean.

a Dice Rolls: 8@2; Total Hits: 58@2: (2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 6, 2, 2)

Antholin

Non-com, unit adjustment & placement. Italy collects 14 IPC’s after raids. I did not thank you earlier for giving me Greece in the last round, I appreciate it.

Apparently my lone Japanese soldier in Africa is a Ronin warrior hell bent on conquest of blood diamonds. The crazy little bastard.

Mmm, Turkey, we shall see. I’m still in talks with them to join the Axis. So far they have not seen reason and joined the cause, but they’ll see the light.

JRG1T13ITend.AAM

Antholin

Ooh, hold the presses :-o. Italy is at 15 IPC’s. Ooh rah, powerhouse.

JRG1T13ITend.AAM

Stalingradski

I’m thinking about leaving that Ronin alone… he deserves a quiet retirement. Our boys are a little spooked by what happened last time we tried…

Later today I’ll post Anzac/France (Franzac?)… I’m away as well. See you soon.

Stalingradski

Anzac purchases 6 Infantry, 2 Mech Infantry, Armor = 29 IPCs.

Combat

Caucasus
a Dice Rolls: 2@1, 2@3; Total Hits: 12@1,: (6, 2)2@3: (2, 5)
d Dice Rolls: 1@2; Total Hits: 01@2: (3)

JRG1T13ANZend.AAM

Stalingradski

Anzac collects 21 + 10 NO = 31 IPCs.

JRG1T13ANZend.AAM

Stalingradski

Sorry - use this instead -

JRG1T13FRAend.AAM

Antholin

Well sir, we’ve played 13 incredible rounds and I’ve learned quite a bit. However, the time has come to throw in the towel and declare the Allies as the victors. Norway is not looking good for me, and the Middle East, as per the norm, is a cauldron of chaos. Even the mighty Wehrmacht cannot crack the Allies there. I have quite a bit of sway left with Germany, but instead of the slow grind of their forces being reduced to a mere shadow of themselves, I will remember them in their current state of bad assery.

Now, let us debrief on the game and trade comments, strategies and suggestions back and forth. Then onto game 2 with you as the Axis and myself as the valiant Allies. Well played sir, and I salute you.

Stalingradski

You got it, sir. Feedback and friendly banter time!

I’ll just make a few points, and you can comment on them and make some of your own, if you’d like.

You ran an excellent Germany. You put early and consistent pressure, and kept it up for the whole game. I especially liked your late game purchases of large quantities of Infantry… with a stronger Pacific, those Infantry might have made the difference.
However! I can’t help myself but to buy one German air unit every turn. Even though it’s a personal preference, in practical terms it allows you to have a constant threat in many directions, on land and at sea. Once Germany starts to become purely land-based, the Allies breathe much easier. Also - it is surprising how the aircraft add up… take into consideration the air units you’re left with at the end of the first entire round - usually around 7 or 8 at worst. Now, add one per round, and in a game like ours - 13 turns in - you have close to 20 air units. That adds instant threat to any infantry you purchase, or any naval units. It keeps Germany properly fanged.
A general rule, and it didn’t really have to be considered in this game - I keep my fighters on the West Front and my Tac Bombers on the Ost Front, with Strats being the swing vote in either direction. Armor are traditionally to the East, so the Tacs match up very well with them… I see it as the better defensive unit is holding the shield, and the better offensive unit is holding the broadsword.
Italy. I feel that you let the Med go too early in this one. I scratch and claw in the Med until there is no hope. Early and consistent naval purchases are everything - if you don’t get the jump on the Allied fleet, you’ll be behind in an unwinnable arms race. If you can take the plunge, around I3 or I4, when your economy from NOs is as big as it probably ever will be, and just buy a Carrier , you can make the Allies’ job that much tougher. From there on out you can add a sub, destroyer, or fighter (or some combo if you’re feeling bold) to maintain the fleet and create the dual naval shield in both SZ112 and the Med. If Germany can slip a few units into the Med early, or even take S France or build an IC in Yugo (ok) or Greece (better), you can start adding a German sub or destroyer every round to the Med, and make life a nightmare for the US and UK… Germany’s Luftwaffe range combines very, very well in the Med with a boat or two.

-Italy otherwise - you ran fantastically. You bolstered German defenses on the coast, and kept the boot a tough nut to crack, and double-teamed Russia very effectively. Your land campaign was consistent, methodical, and tough.

Japan. What can I say? It’s the toughest nation to play against a determined Pacific Allied player. I combined and refined my experience to make life tough in every way. However, please know that I get myself into nasty predicaments with Japan against Steve… my advice comes from a bunch of games in which I messed up, and bad. When the Allies take every available IPC early on, and the US fleet is concentrated on solely for the first 3 US purchases, Japan is in for a long war. So, I can only give generalizations for a better Japan experience for you.
Stay close to home against a strong Allied Pacific threat. The worst thing that can happen is having the US take over SZ6, convoy raid you to death, and put an IC in Korea. It’s the death knell. Steve just did it to me in a game, and I’m already crying in my Sapporo. You saw the long term results - a slow throttling, a sub per round and a little air power in the region, and in the late game Japan had no Yen left. It’s a chess match that you can’t afford to lose - don’t get outflanked by the Pacific fleet. If you need to, build an airbase in Korea early, and have 6 fighters defending your fleet. I’d rather lose the entire DEI, and maintain the ability to keep constant pressure in Asia, then go raiding south, mess up, and lose SZ6.
This one is advice for both me and you - be careful buying ICs. I almost always buy 3 Minors, but that works best when pressure is low to moderate. When the pressure is high, you find it very hard to fill 3 factories with infantry and still add to your fleet. I’m leaning toward 2 ICs - one of which may be a major in Korea - and concentrating on a better mix of land, navy, and air.
I liked and salute your foray into the Middle East with Japan. It gave me a new view into the possibilities with the fleet. You did it well, and I understood it was a giant kamikaze mission to crack the center of the board and allow the Germans to break out. The issue was - it can sometimes be amazing/disconcerting/shocking to see how quickly the Allies can stack and pool and mingle into an absurd defensive force in the middle of the board. Steve does it to me all the time - I have this wonderful strategy… but where did those 30 infantry come from? And where did that continuous flow of more come from? And before you know it, your grand design has to be delayed one more turn… then two more turns… and on and on.
So overall, expand very quickly into the DEI, then consolidate your power in SZ6 or along the coast. Of course, this is against an extreme Allied Pacific effort. If the opportunity is there to maintain hegemony over the DEI, by all means…

Ok! That’s my first salvo! I feel like starting Game 2 with you right now, so I think I will.

Antholin

Thank you for the feedback, it is much appreciated.

I like your idea of keeping the fighters on the Western Front, whilst the Tac’s stay on the Eastern front supporting the tank armies. I am lacking in experience in building a powerful and effective Navy for any power, as well as an accompanying air armada. I am much better skilled at land army buildup and maneuvering. Each turn for Germany, I wanted to buy a fighter, or a Naval piece, but found myself constantly focusing on Russia and in turn, pumping out ground units to contend with their massive army. That also led to my fighters being tied up on the Eastern front, just like in the real war, as the need for them was greater there, until the last few turns. On average, do you find yourself buying 1 Fighter for a turn, and then 1 Tac for the next round? Or do you try and split them up, buying only when the need arises for certain battles? I very much want to build up a strong Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine in the next game for a serious contender against the Allies.

For Italy, I agree that I let the Med go too quickly. I thought I was buying the appropriate amount of Naval units, but it just never seemed enough, even with a bit of German support. I couldn’t seem to take my focus off of Russia. I didn’t get their NO’s nearly long enough to make a difference, and they weren’t able to make any gains without Germany to back them up, as it should be. However, in my game against Infrastructure, I have seen many moves with a German Navy to back Italy, and I will definitely be employing them in future campaigns. One thing I learned the hard way for Italy and Japan, was the convoy raids. What a tough nut to crack with no navy. It cannot be done, and I have taken that lesson to heart.

For Japan, well, I just want to say I was the most frustrated with them. I was actually quite angry at my moves for them for most of the game. As when your US fleet took the Caroline Islands, I just kept pulling back, thinking that I could do in your fleet. But, the option never came and I just kept running like a Rising Sun sissy. And for the next time, I’m not going to worry about India, that was a waste of time and resources, as it never made a difference in the long run for the war effort. I will definitely be more focused in the home sea’s area as you suggested. However, some good came out of that, as I am applying a similar method of Allied buildup in the Pacific to nullify the Imperial Japanese Navy.

You played a very solid and consistent Allies. I was constantly trying to think up new ways to deal with your moves, and pulling your army out of Moscow was a great maneuver. I had to keep chasing it and stalling it, as opposed to destroying it, then rebuilding my army to focus on campaigns against the other Allies. I believe that was a fantastic move. I have never seen an A&A game where the Allies focus and work so closely together. It was outstanding and very daunting to be on the opposite side. The Middle East for example, left me wondering how to deal with it. And no result was favorable for me.

Again, thank you for the feedback and for a very fun game. Throw any more suggestions out that you can think of.

Stalingradski

On German aircraft - I buy mostly fighters as a standard rule, but I buy Tacs and/or Strats a turn before I know I’ll make a major assault. If my purchase forces my opponent to move from a territory I covet, I view it as a win, and think of the Tacs/Strats as investments for future assaults.

I’ve also come to view aircraft of all sorts, for all nations, as a capital investment - as important as a major naval purchase (cruiser or better). I do everything I can not to lose them, and I only sacrifice them if the payoff is equal to or higher than the loss.

I view any aircraft being shot down or lost as one of my razor sharp teeth being pulled out of my head… it hurts, and my bite has diminished. I don’t want to gum my adversary to death. It follows that seeing an opponent’s aircraft lost makes me feel happy inside, if lost fairly. I hate silly luck either for or against me.

Regarding pulling out of Russia - that came down to how much damage will the Russians inflict on their way out? I would have stayed if the battle was 50-50, or maybe even 60-40 to your advantage, but you built up such an impressive force that moving was the only option I felt I had. I did it for pure survival!

Ok - that’s all I’ve got in me for now - just spent two hours with my daughter doing homework and getting her to sleep.

Antholin vs. Stalingradski Game One

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