Battlefield Europe v1.9 – The Race to Berlin!

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 99 – 2 July 1945
Weather: clear and dry
Open core slots: 134 (-2)

Ostfront:
The Vistula River defense line still holds and the Russian steamroller has been stopped far enough away from Breslau and Berlin.

BE_Turn_99_206_Breslau.jpg (263.19 KiB) Viewed 4308 times

In the center, Lvov was reoccupied and the Russian scout car got eliminated at Kassa.

BE_Turn_99_207_Lvov.jpg (268.27 KiB) Viewed 4308 times

In the south, the situation is under control.

BE_Turn_99_208_Bucharest.jpg (252.76 KiB) Viewed 4308 times

[PeteMitchell]

Also Budapest did not come under any threat.

BE_Turn_99_209_Budapest.jpg (275.29 KiB) Viewed 4306 times

Germany:
However, Graz is under attack again and Vienna was garrisoned as well, i.e. just in case of any unexpected breakthroughs…

BE_Turn_99_210_Graz.jpg (292.38 KiB) Viewed 4306 times

Westfront:
In the west, Allied troops reached the line from Abbeville to Paris. The troops at Le Havre are still holding out. Also Paris seems fairly stable. West of Strasbourg, von Rundstedt was able to push back the Allied advance.

BE_Turn_99_211_Paris.jpg (278.7 KiB) Viewed 4306 times

[PeteMitchell]

Norway:
Norway is all quiet.

BE_Turn_99_212_Trondheim.jpg (251.46 KiB) Viewed 4305 times

[PeteMitchell]

After the subsequent last Allied turn, the strategic maps (i.e. to review the battlefield with fog of war off) look as follows:

Ground map:

BE_Turn_99_213_Strategic Map.jpg (242.2 KiB) Viewed 4301 times

Air map:

BE_Turn_99_214_Strategic Map Air.jpg (227.59 KiB) Viewed 4301 times

[goose_2]

What happens?

What Happens?
Turn 99 of 99, that is the end right?

Since you were able to hold back most of the horde do you get a Marginal Victory, do they sue for peace?

Is this still a loss despite all that territory still held?

What happens, don't leave us in suspense

[PeteMitchell]

So the race and the war are over! Thanks again to McGuba for his great work: viewtopic.php?t=47985

I hope you enjoyed the AAR. In case of any questions or suggestions, please feel free to comment. Thanks and all the best!

BE_Turn_99_215_Draw.jpg (165.71 KiB) Viewed 4295 times

BE_Turn_99_216_The End.jpg (129.56 KiB) Viewed 4295 times

[PeteMitchell]

What happens?

What Happens?
Turn 99 of 99, that is the end right?

Since you were able to hold back most of the horde do you get a Marginal Victory, do they sue for peace?

Is this still a loss despite all that territory still held?

What happens, don't leave us in suspense

Sorry Goose, I got interrupted.

Correct, it’s 99 out of 99 turns. I think (some of) the logic/rationale is that early July 1945 we are two weeks (one turn) away from the first US nuclear test: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_(nuclear_test) and around four weeks (two turns) from the Hiroshima bombing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bo ... d_Nagasaki

The reference to the German nuclear program at the end of the mod is related to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_nu ... ns_program. Luckily, the program wasn’t ready in reality.

The result of this particular playthrough is a Draw. It is still a Draw as long as you are able to hold all objective cities in “Germany” (i.e. cities marked with "+") through the last Allied turn (i.e. turn 99).

In discussions with this historical context (in Germany today), “Germany” is usually defined per the borders of 1937, i.e. before major annexations happened in Europe:

German Empire Borders 1937.jpg (670.33 KiB) Viewed 4278 times

However, the conditions to hold a draw in this mod also consider the region Alsace-Lorraine (with Strasbourg), the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (with Prague) and Austria (with Vienna) as “Germany”. If interested, please feel free to compare here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territori ... of_Germany

So as a consequence, basically Germany as per today (and as you may know it) as well as Strasbourg in France, Breslau in Poland and Vienna in Austria (and Prague in the Czech Republic but further away from the actual front line) need to be under Axis control at the end of the 99th AI turn.

It becomes a Loss if one city marked with "+" is under Allied control at the end of the last AI turn.

For a Marginal Victory, you will need to hold all of "Germany" (as above) AND defeat/conquer either the British Empire (i.e. mainland UK plus Malta, North Africa and Middle East) OR the Soviet Union. Either option is literally impossible starting at turn 73.

[PeteMitchell]

Coming back to the likelihood of certain events, i.e. what has not happened in this AAR?

Given the course of this AAR, the following events (and potentially others) couldn’t be seen in this AAR and might happen (under certain conditions) in other attempts/playthroughs:

1. a potential invasion into Norway,
2. the Slovakia National Uprising as well as
3. the full mobilization of the Hungarian army (i.e. after Romania/Bulgaria switches sides)

[Uhu]

Thanks, nice AAR!
I just wonder, why it seems, that in the Ost-South the Soviet Steamroller pushed not for. In my playthrough earlier, it was almost impossible to halt.

[PeteMitchell]

Thanks, nice AAR!
I just wonder, why it seems, that in the Ost-South the Soviet Steamroller pushed not for. In my playthrough earlier, it was almost impossible to halt.

Thanks Uhu! I don't know, maybe this is a question for McGuba, maybe it is related to version 1.9?

However, as mentioned earlier, it also took me more than one attempt (and some bad experiences) to hold the entire line at the Ostfront. Yes, it is almost impossible...

If you look through the screenshots, I had deployed several armored units in the south of the Ostfront and for some time also Rudel. As a consequence, I probably destroyed around 15-20 (or even more?) Russian tanks/mobile ATs in the south. However, some are not visible in the screenshots as they appeared and got destroyed during the same turn (especially at river crossings), so maybe this could mislead the perception?

I think I will also prepare a time-lapse of the turns 73 to 99 (and this time with fog of war off) to be able to better understand/assess enemy troop movements.

[PeteMitchell]

Here are also the casualties at the end of turn 99:

BE_Turn_99_217_Casualties.jpg (50.26 KiB) Viewed 4263 times

... and for easier comparison I also repeat the incoming casualties as of turn 73 as well:

BE_Turn_73_002_Incoming Casualties.jpg (48.42 KiB) Viewed 4262 times

[Uhu]

I think I will also prepare a time-lapse of the turns 73 to 99 (and this time with fog of war off) to be able to better understand/assess enemy troop movements.

Yes it would be really interesting! While the text gave much insight of the fights, the pictures can show only a moment of actions. I also wondered "Hey, where are the prepared defense structure in the eastern regions?" Probably they were...
Another question is, how strong the mines for defense are? (for example at Paris) I used them never, so I'm curious. Are they not too strong in the meaning that the AI cannot handle them effectively (like trying to take them out with armored units)?

[PeteMitchell]

I think I will also prepare a time-lapse of the turns 73 to 99 (and this time with fog of war off) to be able to better understand/assess enemy troop movements.

Yes it would be really interesting! While the text gave much insight of the fights, the pictures can show only a moment of actions. I also wondered "Hey, where are the prepared defense structure in the eastern regions?" Probably they were...

Thanks Uhu! I am sorry, I am not sure what you are referring to with your remark regarding "prepared defense structure", there weren't many I would say. Did I say I had prepared some? Maybe south of Königsberg but other than that not so much actually...

Another question is, how strong the mines for defense are? (for example at Paris) I used them never, so I'm curious. Are they not too strong in the meaning that the AI cannot handle them effectively (like trying to take them out with armored units)?

Actually, from my experience, the AI will overcome or bypass single isolated minefields (especially in the east) very quickly, mainly with several long-range artilleries but also with bombers and a lot of infantry. It also manages to rotate engineers to the place. In addition, during winter minefields become useless in the east as the area is too wide and the AI will just pass by them…

In the relatively tight Rhone valley where I had an artillery behind the minefield, initially the AI was hesitant to attack with infantry but it still managed to break through by attacking the minefield with artillery and bombers as well as by damaging my artillery so much that it then also attacked (the still covered) minefield with its infantry units.

Around Paris, if you have a continued mine barrage (i.e. like a belt), it can help channel the stream of Allied units north and south, i.e. a bit like passing by Paris (so you can hold Paris a bit longer for prestige). However, to my surprise, the AI also managed to bring a US M24 Chaffee recon unit into a Seine River hex and attacked a 10 strength minefield on a countryside hex. The M24 Chaffee took out the 10 strength minefield with one shot due to its bunker killing abilities…

One more thing, deploying them via the truck requires air cover, preferably with a fighter plane, as the AI loves to bomb the trucks before the mines are being placed... same along the coast, the AI will use naval gunfire if it sees a truck with mines anywhere in range...

So yes, the minefields do help in delaying the AI (at some places) but they are by no means a showstopper/wonder weapon against the AI… unfortunately…

[PeteMitchell]

Time-lapse of turns 73 to 99 (with fog of war off) - ground map:
(right click and open in new tab for larger picture/animation)

[goose_2]

Time-lapse of turns 73 to 99 (with fog of war off):

That is just crazy to watch, just crazy, amazing work, can you show same kind of thing from the air perspective?

[PeteMitchell]

Time-lapse of turns 73 to 99 (with fog of war off):

That is just crazy to watch, just crazy, amazing work, can you show same kind of thing from the air perspective?

Thanks Goose, yes I can show the air perspective as well. Will do it later today probably.

[PeteMitchell]

Time-lapse of turns 73 to 99 (with fog of war off) - air map:
(right click and open in new tab for larger picture/animation)

[Uhu]

...
So yes, the minefields do help in delaying the AI (at some places) but they are by no means a showstopper/wonder weapon against the AI… unfortunately…

Thanks for the deep explanation!

[PeteMitchell]

...
So yes, the minefields do help in delaying the AI (at some places) but they are by no means a showstopper/wonder weapon against the AI… unfortunately…

Thanks for the deep explanation!

You are welcome! Thinking about it, one thing I forgot, placing mines behind river crossings (especially at the Vistula River in then hopefully already spring of 1945) can force the AI to cross the river at places where there is no bridge… However, once the minefield has been discovered, the AI will attack it with bombers and artillery (even from far away)… I actually prefer 7.5cm ATs for these places!

[PeteMitchell]

Time-lapse of turns 73 to 99 (with fog of war off):

That is just crazy to watch, just crazy, amazing work, can you show same kind of thing from the air perspective?

Thanks Goose, yes I can show the air perspective as well. Will do it later today probably.

Goose, just as an idea, maybe you should give Battlefield Europe a try as well (or have you already)? Most probably, given your experience, this would be very cool!