Der Kampf um Lebensraum 1st MP

[Agressor]

Geo, I ICQed the new PW in case you forgot it

 

[Agressor]

2nd Session

Session 2.

October 25, 1939 - June 10, 1940.

Participants

UK - Geofactor
France - Zywack
Nat. China - Tojo

USSR - Woops

Germany - Aggressor
Italy - Dan/Predator

This session has proved that France
strong enough to resist till mid 1940
at least and with a more experienced
player as France most likely longer than
that.

During the French campaign Germany
lost about 3 ground divisions, 3 air units
and some 300-350 manpower.

Vichy event fired on June 10, 1940.

In the meantime Italy has annexed
Yugoslavia.

If anyone else interested to join
post here.

Next session is on Saturday,
December 16 at 18:00 Central
European Time (CET)

 

[unmerged(62532)]

and with a more experienced player

Pfft Honestly though, I admit I made some fairly sizeable mistakes during the Belgium and early France part. The biggest thing is that I certainly was unused to see battles last that long: At some point, I thought I had plenty of time to take back a territory, but the battle lasted over 3 days and gave you time to get reinforcements and then do a counter-attack where I lose some territory instead. I think I handled the rest afterward somewhat decently, though. I could probably have lasted a bit longer at the end if I had made a huge 200 division megastack in Paris, that's no fun for anyone, it still would have fallen anyway once you had finish taking the territories on the other side of the river.

I'm more used to play Manchukuo or other similar countries, not huge 120 divisions vs 80 divisions battles. And not too used to have 1936 infantry and millitias vs 1941 infantry that have German doctrines I'll admit I certainly overestimated my offensive strength early on, and defensive strength even.

On the first Paris attack that lasted 3 days, you had to attack across a river on the whole length, from 4 provinces totalling 118 divisions. I was counter-attacking two of those province the whole fight time, with air support. I had 67 well-rested divisions, with 14 on the way that did reach the fight in time. As you know, I barely won the defense... I would have thought that river crossing + stacking penality + counter-attack on two provinces would have made me win the defense easily, but no. Won by an hair only... Troop quality does make a huge difference!

Also, having played from May would have helped a little, since the IC would have helped upgrading quite a few more divisions instead of building tons of Convoys and transports and airfields that would only help Germany once France had fallen.

Finally, I admit that if starting from May and if I knew how those big battles behaved early on (And just how bad the technological disadvantage was), I very likely could have lasted a few months more. Winning was definitively out of the question though. At least, I didn't lose any unit through pocketing or the like, since the only pocket that was made was the Belgium one with the paratrooper attacked that stayed close for only 8 hours (The following infantry were 2 hours from reaching the province when the landing happened).

Anyway, it was tons of fun and I really enjoyed my first versus MP match, baring the connection issues we had for a long time. Am I allowed to pick another country for next session? Staying on the Allied side would make the most sense, likely.

 

[Agressor]

Am I allowed to pick another country for next session? Staying on the Allied side would make the most sense, likely.

Sure

 

[Agressor]

Save

The first post of this thread
has been updated with the
new last save.

Save name is KL5.eug

 

[Agressor]

Balance of Power

... I could probably have lasted a bit longer at the end ...

That session showed that France is strong enough
to make the Germans to postpone Barbarossa till
1941 and on the other hand the Soviet Union is still
relatively weak even in the middle of 1941 (this is
not like USSR in 1936 or 1938 scenarios by Paradox)
and it's practically impossible for the Soviets to invade
Europe or being invaded to make a counterstroke
before 1942.

So, the balance in this scenario makes things unfold
in the historical way

 

[Agressor]

... And not too used to have 1936 infantry and millitias vs 1941 infantry that have German doctrines I'll admit I certainly overestimated my offensive strength early on, and defensive strength even...

Most of your divisions were 1939 infantry by the
time of the German invasion by the way. Also the
Allies outnumbered Germany in tanks and planes.
And the Allied interceptors were not any worse
than German. The only considerable disadvantage
for you that you started as France in October 1939
instead of May

 

[Agressor]

Agg. I would come along on Saturday night...

Are you going to be busy on SAT, Dec.16th
again?

 

[Agressor]

Quote:
______________________________________
Originally Posted by Axis Comrade
Agg. I would come along on Saturday night...
______________________________________



Japan is still vacant by the way

 

[unmerged(62532)]

Oh, please do keep in mind that I'm trying my best to boost myself in face of the defeat I don't have complaints about the whole thing: After all, if France could actually beat Germany easily, it would make for a pretty non-interesting game for all the other players.

Well, one thing about the air power actually. I know that part of the Blitzkrieg success was the close air support that was offered. In practice though, there wasn't really an air dominance on either side. No complaints about French tank divisions: They worked well enough. I admit I did exagerate about the 1936 divisions I actually have no idea about which quantity of 1936 and 1939 I had, I only know I had some of both types left, and that I still had a fairly substancial upgrade budget. Starting in May would have helped a lot for that, though.

What I still don't understand though is how Paris nearly fell in the first attack. 70 troops in good condition (Including 9 medium tanks, with 3 more in reinforcements before fight's end), against 118 attacking from 4 provinces, but were attacking across the water in all cases, two of the four provinces were counter-attacked for 2 days, they had stacking penalities, and there were bombers active. Normally, I would have considered that as an easy defensive win, but up until the last hour it wasn't certain who would win (I thought I was losing all the way actually, but still tried all I could...). So what happened? Did I misjudge the number of millitia in the Paris defense army? Inferior leader? Inferior doctrines? A key gameplay element I'm not aware of?

For the sudden collapse of the Belgium front and early France, I know that I joint counter-attacked too much and weakened my defenses to nearly nil by doing it. I'm used to much smaller-scale battles, and those behaves quite a bit differently than the 80+ division battles. These ones I easily understood what happened, no worry there Same for the infrastructure-bombed territories. It's just the Paris battle that has me pretty confused (Along with one early offensive battle of mine, but the stacking penality may be enough for that), if there was no real quality advantage for the German in land units, what happened?

Please note that I am acknowledging you certainly played better than I did during the whole war. I'm just curious about what I did wrong, or what I calculated wrong in that battle, so that I don't repeat the same mistakes next time!

 

[Agressor]

What I still don't understand though is how Paris nearly fell in the first attack. 70 troops in good condition (Including 9 medium tanks, with 3 more in reinforcements before fight's end), against 118 attacking from 4 provinces, but were attacking across the water in all cases, two of the four provinces were counter-attacked for 2 days, they had stacking penalities, and there were bombers active. Normally, I would have considered that as an easy defensive win, but up until the last hour it wasn't certain who would win (I thought I was losing all the way actually, but still tried all I could...). So what happened? Did I misjudge the number of millitia in the Paris defense army? Inferior leader? Inferior doctrines? A key gameplay element I'm not aware of?

The different level of organization played the decisive role.
Also numerous engineer brigades on the German side helped
in river crossing

 

[Agressor]

Also, what is very important as well,
the Allies lost the benefits of winter
weather in the spring of 1940

 

[unmerged(62532)]

Alright, just confirming I'll be there tomorrow at the same time. I might have a friend tagging in, but like last week it may not happen. For one I'll be there anyway. See you tomorrow!

 

[Agressor]

Very well. Woops (USSR) has
confirmed on MSN he'll be in Vnet
tomorrow at 18:00 CET too

 

[Citizen_X]

My spanish series is near to be cancelled this evening, maybe i show up for sub.

 

[Agressor]

Password - Denmark if we need

 

[Agressor]

Vnet is down.

Join via IP - **.*.***.**

 

[Agressor]

Geofactor, are you coming today?

 

[Agressor]

Geo, Dan and Predator, post here
when you ready to join or contact me
on ICQ/MSN. We'll rehost for you

 

[Agressor]

If anybody else wants to join post here too.
We are playing at this moment