Grasshopper's first game

I see you!

I keep thinking that’s a helluva lot of fighters YG.  Even though I am also using them to support R I have never got to those numbers.

Do you think there would have been less if you’d got an offensive strategy going?

I also wonder whether you have some thoughts to share on what that offensive strategy might be?

Thanks
PP

That suggests that G had successfully gained the N Atlantic and massed his forces very quickly in the east - (albeit failing in Africa) with Moscow already at risk in turn 3.  That’s quicker than I have achieved as G.  Something for me to think on ….

Thanks very much YG  :-D

@Young:

It’s very easy for Germany to dominate the Atlantic as early as round 2.

Sorry - yes - turn 1 even for the N Atlantic - it was getting that force to Moscow by turn 3 that I meant. Infantry at one space per go plus the huge R force in W Russia either strafing or creating buffer zones have slown my G movements down. Must have missed a trick!  :-o Or I am getting something right with R.  :-) The former seems more likely! :wink:

Thanks again.

Hey YG

Just tried SZ37 and it was a disaster.  UK lost everything and J just 1 fighter.  Stuck with it despite the opening odds looking pretty poor.  Probably got it all wrong as I did not find anything in the forum to lead me by the nose.

On the other hand G1 took out every UK ship in the western hemisphere, captured Egypt & Leningrad. Has a defence value of 25 there whereas R2 can only get a 26 point attack against it. Tight.

J1 did PHL to reduce US naval forces moving into the N Atlantic, plus took 4 mainland Asian territories.

US still to go, but at the moment it seems my learning has served to make the Axis stronger! :roll:

I was only going to let you know in which turn G gets a force on Moscow, but couldn’t resist sharing.

Cheers
PP

Unlucky PP. Might mean you have to consider an Allied bid. I can’t remember how I react to its failure (after the screams and spilt drinks). Has been a while since I played. Sorry I can’t suggest a UK2. Did Japan build a Factory and where?

I’m sure I could have played Russia better, I was looking for a second attack after my 1st round but couldn’t see an opportunity without lossing position. It could have been round 4 when Russia was vulnerable, I just know that the first pair of American fighters reached Moscow round 3 and I remember being very relieved to see them there.

Even though I lost, and it was difficult playing the Allies… It was still a lot of fun.

What we’re your 1st round USSR attacks?

@wittmann:

Unlucky PP. Might mean you have to consider an Allied bid. I can’t remember how I react to its failure (after the screams and spilt drinks). Has been a while since I played. Sorry I can’t suggest a UK2. Did Japan build a Factory and where?

Only my third game, my dear wittman, and the Allies won the second. It was the dice rolls “what done it” for the Allies in turn 1. We’ll see how the game as a whole pans out, despite the fantastic luck the Axis had.

Last game I got the UK fleets off India & Australia round into the Atlantic, which is feeling better than the SZ37 raid at the moment. To do SZ37 I combined the UK forces in SZ35 & 39 - excl the Carrier - that’s an attack value of 11 / 4 units vs a defence value of 16 / 4 units. I count a b/ship as 6 until someone tells me better. Felt like a disaster waiting to happen, but persevered regardless - the best way to learn is to do it. Just fed those into AACALC and got 14% chance of a UK victory. If I throw the UK Carrier in that only goes up to 24%, so that’s not it.  The only other missing element I can see is the UK fighter in Egypt, which brings it up to 55%. Still not great odds (much worse than I would usually take unless desperate) so I guess it’s only worth considering if the Egypt fighter is still available?

J did not build a factory, which I think about every time I play, but in the last 2 games J took India in turns 4 & 5, so have not deviated from pouring IPCs into materiel I can bring into play from Japan, plus transports.

The problem with playing solo as I am is you get stuck in various ruts. That’s why I was so determined to try SZ37. I am sure you will deploy all sorts of tricks and stratagems to grind me into the ground when we play! Grrr!

I suspected you werd playing with yourself (!).
Yes, you need to throw in the Egyptian Ft. That only give 55% odds. Must be the Sub bid that swings  it then.
You would rather move the fleet to the Med to challenge Germany? I see.
I do buy a Carrier for the Med, as Germany. That might be a better riposte. We shall see.

@wittmann:

I suspected you werd playing with yourself (!).

Clearly you know me well!

You watching Question Time? I missed the debates, as I was at work. Would have liked to have seen it.

No - was watching a superb episode of Inside No 9 - have been fascinated, appalled and entertained by them since League of Gentlemen.  Turning off now …

@Young:

That’s bad luck PP, of course my situation was crazy and rare getting 100% casualties and 0% loses. Wittmann is right… no point in doing it unless you’re willing to include the African fighter.

Was willing YG, but had already gone to G’s successful attack on Egypt. In which case forget SZ37!

Did not reinforce Egypt with a R fighter, but instead used both those to take out the G Baltic fleet.  Did not save Leningrad, though, which went G1 with overwhelming force. The result has been a significant G force in W Russia by turn 3, too big for R to take on, but not enough to seriously threaten Moscow yet. Getting closer to your experience.

Thanks to you (and a post by another forum colleague elsewhere) I decided to focus all my G1 eastern front efforts on Leningrad and it worked.  Need to re-set the game to consider the extent to which success depended on pure luck.

Interestingly the Allies almost have regained the N Atlantic turn 4 so help will soon reappear for R.  Even fighter reinforcements had been interrupted by Axis territory gains.

@Young:

@drummerinheat:

What we’re your 1st round USSR attacks?

I took out the territory facing Moscow, the territory with the fighter and tank next to the south factory, and the territory up north with the infantry and tank (sorry I don’t have my board open to name the territories). I also, abandoned my north factory as I couldn’t see a way to keep it, is it worth building there just to get countered my infantry and planes G1?

It’s easy to over commit with Russia.  Lot’s of options in the opening round.  Taking west Russia is a given.  You ALWAYS need that buffer between the werhmacht and your capital.  There is always discussion between attacking/strafing Ukraine.  Attacking  either Belorussia or the Baltics can be argued as well.  Abandoning Karelia is a common defensive move.  It’s easy to counter attack and distract the germans from the real prize.  My personal rule of thumb is decide on no more than 2 attacks.  Be sure you can properly defend a territory if taken.  If not, leave 1 inf and abandon!  Keep your art/tanks/planes alive too!  Tanks and planes especially.  Being able to hop through West Russia is important for counter attacking.  It’s a fun dance that Russia must do to survive as long as it can.  I actually enjoy playing as Russia.

My personal favorite move is to Attack W Russia and Belorussia.  That’s 6 inf you are eliminating.  Great to get rid of their cannon fodder early.  Abandon Karelia (leave 1 inf) and stack Caucacus.  That way you are ready to defend and counter very nicely the next turn.

Well - in case anyone is interested I have worked out what happened. First I should mention that the Allies surrendered turn 6 following the loss of Moscow. This is why … I think! …

Allied Error No 1: Previous games R has focused all its forces into W Russia w/out any of the secondary strafes/attacks advanced by others, leaving 1 inf in each of Karelia and Caucasus. This game I varied from that because I knew what G was going to do (the danger of a solo game) and left the Karelia garrison there with the thought that would test the G Leningrad in force strategy. In fact it did the opposite by removing the counter-attack option, unless risking a 50% attack which would kill R if it failed. If everything had been in W Russia the chances of that counter being successful would have been approaching 100%.

Allied Error No 2: Despite G’s initial success against R, the capture of Moscow was brought about by J’s rampaging across central Asia and combining with G. J took India in turn 3 - they are getting better!  This is, for me so far, the biggest challenge for the Allies and one for which I do not yet have a solution, except to make SZ37 work, which relies on G not committing it’s bomber to Egypt (see below) or the UK’s 3 unit builds there each turn going to higher value units, which is a hard call  given everything else the UK has to do. Perhaps that’s what has to happen …? Central Asia is the key! But then so is the N Atlantic! And …!

Allied Error No 3: The R fighter attack on the G Baltic fleet looks good, but w/out a R fighter in Egypt G has a 90% chance of taking Egypt.  The R Fighter brings it down to 60%, unless G commits its bomber, bringing it back to 90%. So nothing clear there, 'cos either the bomber goes to the UK B/ship (if G has no Baltic fleet) or to Egypt. Either way the UK loses all of its western hemisphere naval and Egypt in G1, provided G is sensible in Russia. So not really an error, but a debate with myself.

Allied Error No 4: Desperate to get US forces across the Atlantic I took risks which resulted in massive loss of US naval materiel as the cost of landing enough force to recapture Africa. Two huge battles in SZ13. More caution might have worked better?

Allied Error No 5: Too slow to get carriers off US east costs and UK of fighter reinforcements. The UK was simply having to save enough IPCs after India builds to be able to place a N Atlantic fleet with some chance of survival in one go. The US was trying to get to Africa, which (as above) now seems like the wrong call.

I am going to stop posting every game on the board now. My very sincere thanks to those who have taken the time to respond. Their thoughts and my post and review process have been a huge boost to my learning. I do hope I have demonstrated that learning in these posts. But I think I have already drawn too much on your generosity and helpfulness.

Thanks again everyone.