Blitz Carnage

[Jagdpnzr]

I like the out of the box style of strategy of involving certain minors to try to open up other fronts, however, I believe if the Axis went into a Carnage MP game relying on an AI controlled Afghanistan or Persia would be a mistake. Even with the lend lease, you're still have the AI in charge of what to build. Sure, infantry divisions could be built, or it could use the additional IC for something much less useful. I feel not being able to control the minors build queue is too big a risk for too little return. If that isn't enough, factor in the LP required to pull if off, the risk is just too great.

Once Germany hits 0 mp, if the front lines haven't reached Moscow, the tide is on the Soviets side. If Captain can hold off the relentless Soviet assaults, the impending allied invasion will be a monumental task to overcome. Whatever the end result, I will sincerely enjoy watching it unfold.

 

[Cybvep]

Or can you show me how Japan in helping out Germany so far in this particular game?

They are fighting with the Soviets in Siberia. Every division that's stationed there is a division that could have been used in Europe. I agree that if Suez is conquered, Japan will be able to do much more. That's why I think that bringing the Japanese to the Med was a good idea, but was executed poorly.

A good strategy for Gibraltar is that Italy moves some of its naval assets to Germany before the war starts.

Is that even possible? From house rules:

Axis has fleet restrictions until US joins. Japan and GER/ITA can only rebase to each other’s spheres of interest if they can reach it with a “transport” order.

Can the Italians reach Wilhelmshaven from Sardinia?

 

[unmerged(172138)]

They are fighting with the Soviets in Siberia. Every division that's stationed there is a division that could have been used in Europe. I agree that if Suez is conquered, Japan will be able to do much more. That's why I think that bringing the Japanese to the Med was a good idea, but was executed poorly.


Is that even possible? From house rules:

Can the Italians reach Wilhelmshaven from Sardinia?

Missed tis point. Still the issue remain the same, med should be closed before the attack on the soviets, when Uk is at its weakest and by a combined assault.
Closing the med as its being done now is to late, uk has been able to recuperate , and Germany is fully committed elsewhere.

 

[von Rosen]

Or can you show me how Japan in helping out Germany so far in this particular game? They can't, because of Fortress Suez and they don't want to attack neutrals to not speed up joining of the USA into war. They limited their strategical possibilities that way, counting on Germany to win on its own, and now they are fighting for survival.

We could ask for gamlastan (UK player) to give his opinion on this, but from my perspective Maxyboy and Thelamon (Japan players) have supported Germany something wicked by
- occupying Siberia, drawing away some fortyish Soviet divisions and potentially helping USSR surrender progress
- applying enormous pressure on the Royal Navy, forestalling any invasions in the German back for three full years
- preventing an Italian collapse, meaning Italian industry, leadership and manpower remain in the game on the Axis side.

 

[Holy.Death]

My point was that commitment of the IJA was very limited for all the manpower capabilities the Empire of Japan has. Aside from placing some units onto siberian border, which was good thing (but then again, there wasn't enough will to progress and increase pressure, even if just to probe the awareness of the Soviet Union) we didn't see much use of it. IJN is doing what it can do with what it has.

 

[Zid]

Important announcement!

As a member of the Carnage group, I am pleased to inform that when the current game is over, we will not be playing HOI3. Instead, we will be playing EU3, complete with all mods. CptEasy is currently considering wether to choose Ulm or the Palantine, while I myself will probably play the Sioux.

 

[Cybvep]

Nice try.

 

[unmerged(471099)]

You almost got me.



Almost..

 

[Darui]

As a member of the Carnage group, I am pleased to inform that when the current game is over, we will not be playing HOI3. Instead, we will be playing EU3, complete with all mods. CptEasy is currently considering wether to choose Ulm or the Palantine, while I myself will probably play the Sioux.

 

[Vrael_1492]

Nice try, the Sioux are not even in EU3

 

[Lord Curlyton]

Which just makes it that much more challenging, obviously. Though it would be funny to see an EU3 Carnage playthrough with them as all OPM HRE members, all trying to unite the HRE or Form Germany.

 

[Paglia]

As a member of the Carnage group, I am pleased to inform that when the current game is over, we will not be playing HOI3. Instead, we will be playing EU3, complete with all mods. CptEasy is currently considering wether to choose Ulm or the Palantine, while I myself will probably play the Sioux.

Amost had a heart attack... then I saw the date... ouf ! What an awful day it is !

 

[CptEasy]

Well, it's not that Germany has MP to build many units, so rockets are one of the few options that are left .

But yeah, if logistical bombing with rockets is not banned, then Cpt should definitely use it against the Soviets.

As nobody has used rockets in previous games we do not have a ban on it. I am honestly not very experienced with rockets (my few SP games tend to end before I come thus far) so it is going to be interesting to see what I can achieve with them in a MP game.

Is that even possible? From house rules:

Can the Italians reach Wilhelmshaven from Sardinia?

Now, the house rules only forbids Japan to send to Europe and Europe-axis to send to Japan. So yes, Italy could send fleet to Germany. In this game, for instance, they sent some subs pre-war. But that meant those subs would never return to the Med and the same could happen to the surface fleet - so it's a rather big roll with the dice. And yes, they can rebase to Germany. At least subs.

As a member of the Carnage group, I am pleased to inform that when the current game is over, we will not be playing HOI3. Instead, we will be playing EU3, complete with all mods. CptEasy is currently considering wether to choose Ulm or the Palantine, while I myself will probably play the Sioux.

That would be the day....

Amost had a heart attack... then I saw the date... ouf ! What an awful day it is !

Heh heh....

 

[Lord Curlyton]

I bet Zid would thrash Austria from Day 1 as the Sioux....

 

[unmerged(219522)]

Wow, not commentated on this in a long time but I've been keeping up to date...

Possibly the best game in your series Cpt., there aren't many MP games which continue through 1942 and beyond, with so many swings in the initiative.

From my ill-advised comment that the SOV player stood no chance after the destruction of 40 divisions in barbarossa, to the stall in the conflict during mudskipper (in my mind, this was your stalingrad in terms of "greatest extent"), to the stumbling retreat in the Ukraine (following your version of Kursk), to the apparent stabilisation of the front as the SOV's nationalism fades. Meanwhile, your man power is depleted and faces a huge red army...It's testament to everyone's playing skills that the game is still not decided in the face of all this.

If Suez can be taken (never seen V1s used in an MP game before!), everything can be thrown at Gibraltar and the Med can be closed. What would the game plan be then? Presumably, Italy will be tasked with holding the Med at these 2 crucial points, freeing up much of the army defending the coast to be put to better use. Send them to France, allowing the entirety of the Wehrmacht to face up to the Rus? JAP forces would be tasked with moving up through the middle east and fighting the SOV player where damage can actually be dealt, though the Caucasus as opposed to the siberian wasteland. Of course, the main job of JAP would be to nullify the effect of the USA joining the war.

All said and done, the game is still very finely balanced, though only if the Med can finally be sealed. In good defensive positions and with reinforcements brought from the west, the eastern front can certainly be held...Especially if you utilise forts if you choose simply to hold the line here (I don't think it would be possible to achieve any further grand offensives due to the weight of SOV arms). Can you replenish your men given that the fighting capacity of SOV has diminished after their nationalism has faded? If so, and the line holds...a Seelowe may even be a possibility. It will be up to the JAP player to ensure the USA can not make this impossible.

So essentially: Seal the med, hold the eastern front, tie up US forces, get in good defensive order, knock the brits out of the war. Then, it's GER+ITA+JAP v SOV+USA...interesting times ahead.

 

[Cybvep]

All said and done, the game is still very finely balanced

I disagree, I think that ATM the Axis is in a much worse position and I think that the chance of Axis victory in this game is slim. IMO the only hope lies in Japanese MP, but I still wouldn't bet on the Axis.

 

[unmerged(219522)]

I disagree, I think that ATM the Axis is in a much worse position and I think that the chance of Axis victory in this game is slim. IMO the only hope lies in Japanese MP, but I still wouldn't bet on the Axis.

The rest of the sentence, "though only if the Med can finally be sealed". Would you not say the game would be finely balanced if that happens?

Yes right now the Axis are in a much worse position. All I'm saying is that it's not a foregone conclusion yet and the Axis can pull this around. Quite incredible considering it's 1942 and most games seem to have a sense of inevitability around them by 1941...

Relating to this, can we get an update on the JAP situation please?

 

[Lord Curlyton]

I don't even think that sealing the Med changes things too much. Quite simply, they are running out of time. The Soviet front is turned to a slow but definite German retreat and the US is preparing to drop Freedom Bombs from the sky. Sealing the Med needed to be done several months or even a year ago, so that Italy could have focused on Barbarossa with Germany.

 

[Cybvep]

Yeah, time is certainly working against the Axis now. In fact, the main question is whether it's not too late to turn the tide.

 

[Marsz]

The rest of the sentence, "though only if the Med can finally be sealed". Would you not say the game would be finely balanced if that happens?

Yes right now the Axis are in a much worse position. All I'm saying is that it's not a foregone conclusion yet and the Axis can pull this around. Quite incredible considering it's 1942 and most games seem to have a sense of inevitability around them by 1941...

Relating to this, can we get an update on the JAP situation please?

I have to agree with Curlyton, the Med is a side theater now. I'm not sure how the Axis' force disposition is at the moment, but even if closing the med frees up a full Italian army of 25 divisions (which it won't), I don't think it'd be enough. The Soviet forces are quantitatively overwhelming, and they're of sufficient quality to stand up to the Germans. The boosts may be expiring soon (and no more patriotic fervor is going to be a massive boon), but German momentum is gone. Even if Germany manages a defensive stalemate, they lose. Their manpower will continue to drain, while the SU will continue converting manpower into divisions. Japan's too far from the action, and the US are slowly but surely coming into the war.

What Easy needs is to get his momentum back, he needs to eliminate a decent chunk of the soviet army to actually let him resume snowballing in the east.
But due to his supply problems, and the sheer soviet numbers, even an influx of Italian forces can't really turn the tides, I feel. Not unless those Italian forces consist of several armored corps. : p

Edit: Not to be defeatist, I am totally rooting for the Axis here, but I see dark times ahead.