Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

After action reports for Commander Europe at War.

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Plaid
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Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Good day to everyone. This is going to be another game with GS 3.2 ruleset, and this time I will play Axis again.

As you can see from Vokt's AAR things did not go good for Axis in previous match because of intensive unopposed Allied strategic bombing campaign and effective Soviet winter offensives in 1941-42.

I will write extensive comment with my conclusions about that game when Vokt's AAR will be finished, but for now I can say that my goal was not to win at all costs, but to play more or less historically and see what happens. In old 3.0 game almost 2 years ago it led to stalemate. 3.1 rules further favoured axis because of large ammount of easy experience from early campaigns. 3.2 changes seem to shift balance back to allied favour, but it is only first impression.

Now I am going to apply better (well, atleast I think they are better) axis strategies and see what happens.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Traditional opening in Poland.

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Got rolls above average (airstrike from strategic bomber in western Germany also helps) and managed to clean way to Warsaw without using single panzer unit.
So two of them attacked city and third gone for corps unit to the south.

While uboats from Germany deploy for Atlantic one flotilla sets a trap in this straights. Might catch some capital ship.

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Purchased air (strategic operations) lab for Germany. It is convinient to have increased ranges, also will need paratrooper range upgrade ASAP for Norway campaign.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Polish army launches counterattacks.

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Damage is limited because of good progress during previous turn.

After airstrikes panzers enter Warsaw (lost 1 step of fighter and bomber in process).

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Casualties screen from Polish campaign.

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Uboats keep deploying for convoy ways.

Purchased 2 more labs for Germany - armour (armor) and infantry (no focus).
From my previous games I noticed, that tank units become rather fragile starting from 1942 (and over time it gets even worse). Will attempt to cure this effect by focusing armor since very start.

Now its time to prepare campaign in France. Nothing else is planned until fair turns in 1940 anyway.
Cybvep
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Cybvep »

Interesting. I will be following this :).
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Almost nothing happens from turn 3 to turn 8.

Germany gets lab in each area and 14 PP convoy was sunk.

Weather stayed fair through October and November, so potentially good Blitzkrieg campaign or Scandinavian Invasion was missed.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Unexpectedly early fair turn in February. Looks like together with fair October and November perfect Blitzkrieg campaign was missed.

But first of all - action in the sea. During allied turn one of my uboats was swept by RN DD.

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In return subs go for convoys (my bad using full strength one as spotter instead of damaged one).

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Now to the Low Countries invasion. Our troops are not properly prepared, some of them even need repairs. Also I have 2 ready +1 attack German leaders (Dietrich and Kleist) ready to be assigned to armoured units. 3rd offensive leader (Hoth) was assigned to one of the panzers during previous turn.

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Still, we are not going to miss our change to hit allies early, when they have less troops in France, so we go.

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Results are not bad, no single armour, mech or air unit step was lost - only some infantry. I could attack Lille with panzers, but decided its not a good idea to do so before morale hit.


2nd air lab was purchased for Germany this turn.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

This turn weather changes to mud. Combined with French retreat now we can't even make contact with their defensive line.

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Leaders were assigned to panzer units as planned and some damaged units received their needed repairs. No single attack made this turn.

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At sea our 7 step uboat was reduced to 4 by French DD and now is heading back to Germany for repairs.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Its mud weather again, so no attacks were made at all.

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But we advance forward and even rebase air assets (not necessary with new ranges, but can be helpful for direct attacks on allied air bases).

While UF1 heading back for repairs, UF2 and 3 keep patrolling convoy ways.

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Germany gets second armor lab and Italy gets first general one.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Finally fair weather arrive, and we can see that French retreated to Seine.
Not sure if it is good to fall back so close to Paris, but this retreat saved them from any damage for past 2 turns.

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We engage allied line destroying British garrison and 3 French corps. Many forward retreats occured helping us a lot.
Still we don't cross Seine yet, because allies still have all 3 of their mechs intact.

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RN BBs supposed to bombard German mech in Rouen area, so we keep uboats nearby to sink a battleship or two over here.
Technically they are still on convoy way.

Purchased strategic bomber for Germany this turn.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

No French counterattacks or expected naval bombardment - only airstrikes.

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In our turn we destroy infantry and couple of garrisons and cross Seine in strength south of Paris. No crossing to the north,
where counterattack with all 3 allied mechs is possible.

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At the end of my turn uboats spotted 20 and 25 steps convoys. Lets see how they will be escorted at next turn.

Germany gets 2nd Infantry lab. I want artillery focus, but no focus point yet.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Allied counterattack occured - much weaker than it could be, with only 1 mech participating. Second one was unable
to reach our units because of ZoC. Looks like thats the price for keeping unit far in the FoW, safe from airstrikes.

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Convoy situation

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This escorted by battleship squadron is asking for attack.

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UF1 finished repairs in Kiel this turn and ready to go on patrol again.

In France we finally go all-out, encircling Paris. Assault will start next turn.

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2nd Naval lab purchased for Germany.
Peter Stauffenberg
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Peter Stauffenberg »

Looks like there will be an early conquest of Paris and quite a lot of French units remaining. I wonder if this Allied defense strategy in France is actually any good. Extended air ranges means the units will be hit anyway.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Stauffenberg wrote:Looks like there will be an early conquest of Paris and quite a lot of French units remaining. I wonder if this Allied defense strategy in France is actually any good. Extended air ranges means the units will be hit anyway.
Well, allies avoided all damage for two turns with this approach. But probably traditional defense would score better results.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Allies launched counterattack against German corps NW of Paris, reducing unit from 8 steps to only 1.

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Rather successful action for two corps attacks with some air support, but unit would be destroyed, if British mech participate in the attack instead of retreating.

In our turn Paris falls after 2 TAC and 6 ground attacks.

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France surrenders, we accept armistice.

Luftwaffe attacks London (1:0 result) and RAF fighter airbase (2:2) result. New strategic bomber is deployed in Cologne area and next turn will be ready for orders.

Northern convoy spotted during convoy phase. It is in range of our uboats, but lets see how many escorts will it have.

German PPs used for repairs, Italians get their 2nd infantry lab.


Now with French campaig closed lets look into our further plans:

1.Amphibious invasion in Greece as soon as possible (We will skip Yugoslavia this time - place have lots of partisans, which are not good even as training targets under new XP rules - all this garrison forces can be better used elsewhere than guarding 3PP country.). Italian morale bonus from owning Athens is useful though.
2.One turn conquest of Denmark/Norway as soon as strategic operation level 1 tech is achieved (83% now).
3.Bombing campaign over Britain - already started.
4.Deploying sizeable uboat force of 5-6 units (now 3 at sea and 0 in queue - will start building next turn)
5.Prepare strong and early Barbarossa
Cybvep
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Cybvep »

Yugoslavia also gives you a bonus to Romanian oil and PP production, and Romania joins the Axis sooner, too. I'm wondering whether higher air ranges make a sea-based invasion of Greece more tempting.
Peter Stauffenberg
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Peter Stauffenberg »

You also get more Rumanian and Hungarian units by conquering Yugoslavia.

The main difference with Romania is that if the Balkans is pacified the Axis minors will used German war effort multiplier to production instead of the minor power multiplier. That also includes the oil yield from Ploesti and Nagykanitsa.

German can get war effort up to 130% or something while the minor powers start lower and will be 2 levels below Germany on industry tech. Expect something like 2-3 less oil per turn. That means about 40-60 less oil per year. That's quite significant if the Germans want to fight hard in Russia. By ignoring Romania it becomes even more important to capture Maikop and Grozny in Russia

So it will be a significant PP loss and oil loss not having Yugoslavia. The extra PP's gained from Yugoslavia can easily pay for the garrison units needed to deal with partisans. I usually use Axis minor or Italian units to deal with partisans. That means more German units in Russia.

Not attacking Greece is a strategic choice I can understand. It means the Allies will need to invade if they want airbases on Crete etc. By not attacking Greece the Italians don't gain the 5 morale and it will be harder to hold Libya without any airbases on Crete. The lost income of not having Greece isn't that much. Getting fewer Bulgarian units is also something one can live with.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Strategic bombing campaign over London continues.

Now results are not very good - lost 2 steps of bombers for only 1 step of damage to city. Hope it will change soon.

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Troops build up for upcoming Scandinavia and Greece campaigns:

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Northern convoy occured unescorted and was attacked for 19 damage

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Italy get second general lab, sub unit purchased for Germany.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

Scandinavian invasion executed with panzer entering Copenhagen and paratrooper securing Oslo:

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Bombing campaign over London continues - this time 3 steps of damage to city for 1 bomber step.

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At sea 5 step convoy remnant was tracked down and sunk. No other contacts yet.

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Another sub build ordered for Germany.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

London keep being bombed. Lost another bomber step, but city started to take some real damage.

Also torpedoed escorted convoy for 8 damage. (Both convoys were parly obscured after spotter sub move and seems like I picked wrong one)

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In Greece all pieces are in place to attack next turn. Still no Egypt activation, so we are cool.
Units in transports are German mech and corps. Italian corps from Reggio will be used as reserve unit for operation, if needed.

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All quiet in Norway, no sign of any allied landings.

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Germany purchased 2nd general lab. Now finally have 2 in each category. Italy purchase 1st armor (blitzkrieg) lab.
Plaid
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Re: Plaid vs Vokt CEAW GS 3.2 beta AAR -- rematch

Post by Plaid »

German sub evaded allied escort attack. Same convoy detected again and attacked in Irish sea.

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British CV retreats from spotting range, now we can focus on London alone. Lost another bomber step, but place is now
reduced into 2 PP production.

Greece invasion executed with results above average. 2 TACs, 2 BBs and 2 ground attacks reduced defender to 3 steps, with fair change of surrender next turn.

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Because of good progress it is considered unworthy to land additional unit in hex SW of Athens. Instead infantry from Reggio will sail for Africa and garrison from
Naples will secure Crete.

Purchased couple of garrisons for Germany - one will go to Norway and another one to France.
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