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Question but why 1938 starts instead of 1936?

In such a scenario Germany isn´t that strong and with the loss of disorganized officer corps SU can put a pretty decent fight if the war is on two fronts for Germany - all that´s needed it´s to stall a bit. Also the allies will have chance to do a quite big build - up, if they stall germans in Belgium.
 
If France falls suddenly the SU are finished. On the other hand, Germany had better have something to put in front of that German steamroller.
 
Question but why 1938 starts instead of 1936?

In such a scenario Germany isn´t that strong and with the loss of disorganized officer corps SU can put a pretty decent fight if the war is on two fronts for Germany - all that´s needed it´s to stall a bit. Also the allies will have chance to do a quite big build - up, if they stall germans in Belgium.

In the previous carnage-games the axis have been the strongest. A stronger Germany would not help.
 
If France falls suddenly the SU are finished. On the other hand, Germany had better have something to put in front of that Soviet steamroller.

Fixed. ;)
 
Another Cpt Easy AAR? Grab the popcorn and enjoy the show folks, we're about to be taken a fun ride. I am surprised though at the risky attack on Germany so soon, but GER doesn't really have time to prep forces for so many troops. Good luck!
 
Forgive my potential ignorance but a later start to the war favours Germany and Italy better surely? With there oppressive laws it takes allot less for them to get there economy into action than the soft democracies of the UK and France, by starting the war early does this not mean that the Axis lose their industrial advantage?
 
Yes it´s worse to fight the Allies in, say, 1937 than in 1939. For single player games for example, a critical part of the balance is that the allies get decent laws late. If both France and UK coud get full mobilization and 3 years draft by 1937, Germany would either lose, or be bled white of manpower and be slaughtered by SU later. I´d presume it isn´t much different for MP games.
 
I'm not too sure about such an early attack on Germany. Is there any malus to the SU attacking Germany this early? Surely the 'Great Patriotic War' bonus shouldn't apply for such aggression. If Soviet can puppet enough of the Balkans, Axis might been in more trouble that it looks.

It's a crying shame about Nat China. I'd like to see Nat China able to stay alive against Japan at least into the time America joins the war.

If the Soviet Union is successful, can this Patriotic Carnage please continue with an Allies vs. Soviet vs. remainder of Axis war? Are there rules on puppeting other players in order for them to switch sides?
 
I've been an inveterate lurker on these forums for almost a decade, with maybe a handful of posts in that time. I used to play a lot of multiplayer HOI games, but I don't have the time these days. That said, I greatly enjoy CptEasy's AARs -- great strategy, and great writing!

I was induced to come out of the woodwork and make one of my yearly posts based on this preceding comment from Lamahorse:

If the Soviet Union is successful, can this Patriotic Carnage please continue with an Allies vs. Soviet vs. remainder of Axis war?

This. I would love to see Carnage continue to Comintern v. Allies. Granted, that's far from a foregone conclusion --- in most of the multiplayer games that I've played, a preemptive strike by the Soviets normally results in their swift destruction. But if CptEasy somehow prevails...

Anyway, please consider Lamahorse's motion to be seconded.
 
Another Carnage game? Why haven't I subscribed yet?
 
I was worried that the Axis was doing too well at the beginning, but with the invasion by the SU and their sky-high threat by now, I feel like the Axis is in for a short war.
 
Question but why 1938 starts instead of 1936?

We want to come to the real action rather quickly. Also - early starts risk making things too ahistorical for my taste. But you can of cours Hourse Rule that away.

1 player only on Germany with speed 2 spells a quick end in my books...

Thats their choice. But let me tell you, trying to organize the entire Red Army at speed 3, now speed two, while preparing for a German attack... huh... chaos. And I am not done either. The command tree is far from optimal.


Post within the day. Hopefully quite soon.
 
Chapter II - The Red Army on the March




Players: UK, FRA, SOVx2, GER, JAP, ITA
(Zid and CptEasy on SOV)


After concensus desision, the speed was lowered to 1



Recap: World War II has jump-started. Already in 1938, Allies were at war with Germany and Axis where at war with the Soviet Union. Japan has launched an attack against Vladivostok and Soviet has charged into Eastern Germany, yet without meeting any resistance. Germany is attacking Belgium. These next months will really show how the balance of power lies.















1-10.jpg

January 25th, 1939

The chaotic horde of the Red Army finally met the enemy. Not very surprisingly, they seemed to be positioned along a line which was easy to defend behind a river. So far, the defense seemed only to have deployed 1 division in each province, but the surprise was to find panzers. Stalin thought they would be deployed against Belgium and France. Then again, this ground suited them better. The question was, did the Germans have troops along the entire border or did it have gaps? And where were the Italians? Some of their fighters showed up, apparently to scout the oncoming Red Army.

Stalin ordered his men not to attack. It was too early. He wanted to get a full grasp over the defenders positions and strength. He knew fully well his hordes could easily crush themselves on dug in Germans.

Authors note: Clever. In accordance to our new house rules, Maxyboy have been given part or the entire East Front to Daphne to run – allowing Maxyboy to concentrate on the west.

Vladivostok was under attack from the evil Japs, but the brave garrison held firm.















2-10.jpg

January 28th-29th, 1939

The Germans fired the first shot as they attacked across the river into the airfields of Przemysl. Maybe they thought a lone Soviet panzer division an easy target with the possibility of cutting of yet another. The Germans struggled over the river to find themselves among fast tanks and armor cars and they could not quite punch through. Instead, they quickly realized this was not such an easy prey after all and they fled back.

The Red Army won the first battle against the Third Reich.















3-10.jpg

February 15th, 1939

For some time, the front was fairly quiet. The Germans did not dare another attack and the Red Army followed Stalin’s orders and scouted the entire front. The Germans had a single division in every province and they were all under Japanese command.

Stalin felt confident he could bust through that wall but wanted the infantry to reach the front first. Just when he felt ready, the Italians showed up. Enough waiting. Attack! They had chosen the sector were the German line was not protected by the river. That meant they had to attack one of the feared Panzer divisions.

Jaroslaw was attacked too. It was not planned to be a victory – only a stalling battle, stopping the Italians from reaching von Arnim and his medium panzers.














4-10.jpg

February 18th, 1939

Three days the battle rage. Strangely, it was the battle of Jaroslaw the Red Army won first. The Italians, better at drinking wine than doing battle, failed to reach the front and were dislodged together with the defeated panzers without firing a single shot.

Von Arnim, likewise, failed to get reinforcements in Zamosc and was utterly defeated too. Two medium panzer divisions had been defeated in three days. It was great news. What the Soviet propaganda did not mention was that almost a dozen Red Army divisions had been partaking in the attack, including 4 or 5 light armor divisions.

Nevertheless – the German wall seemed not to be able to stop the Great Bear.

The Red Wings (managed by Zid) did some air battles against Japanese and Italian fighters, and although they did some significant damage, they could not rule the skies.















5-9.jpg

January 31st, 1939

The garrison in Vladivostok held out for almost a month and it was only with a slim margin the tired Japanese soldiers managed to finally prevail. The garrison retreated in order and would continue to be a nuisance for the Japs for more than a month before they finally managed to round the last heroic fighters in.

In any case, it did not seem Japan had directed an awful lot of forces this way.

Soviet submarines were harrying Japanese supply lines but the old subs lived a dangerous life with lots of Japanese ships hunting them.















6-10.jpg

February 15th-16th, 1939

Also in the Med, the Soviet submariners were active. They were actually sinking quite some amount of tonnage. It was believed the European Axis traded with Japan as they were bound to have a negative direction on the stockpile of rare materials. Italian sub-hunter task forces were sent out to sink them, probably not thinking the Red Navy a threat.

The commander of the Red Navy (Zid) though this was an insult and left the Black Sea to teach them a lesson. In the Central Aegan Sea, the Italian sub-hunters were intercepted a rainy night and the fight lasted until morning. A couple of Italian destroyers had been sunk and the heavy cruiser Trieste was listing badly after the crew had managed to kill a fire after several hits from Soviet light cruisers, but they had to abandon ship as it was slowly sinking. The Red Navy then hastily pulled back to avoid contact with any other part of the Regia Marina.

The Italians would be more careful in the future…















7-11.jpg

February 19th, 1939

About one and a half month after Germany’s attack on Belgium, and they were still stuck there. That was awesome news. Instead, the Brits had launched an attack on former Netherlands, taken a major port and had surrounded Amsterdam with some German defenders in it.

A German push had succeeded in taking one French province but the French leadership seemed calm. Although this was good news, Stalin started to suspect a trap or an ugly surprise of some kind.















8-10.jpg

February 21st, 1939

Zamosc did not turn out to be the weak link in the German armor. At least an army corps of Italians had arrived and together with the Germans, they threw out the Red Army from Jaroslaw. In Zamosc, the battles were harder, but the Red Army soon retreated.















9-7.jpg

March 6th, 1939

Instead, the retreat of the Red Army opened up for a joint Axis push. The panzer spearhead was still alone, but reinforcements were inbound and the Soviet defense eastwards was not very strong. This could become dangerous. Stalin was reluctant to back away from the river in the south, as that surely would open up a broader German offensive.





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Sorry for short post, but there is some drama coming up which need to be served on one plate alone ;)