Battlefield Europe 2.0 - Sealion 44 with no fuel

[Duedman]

July 1945 - The war is won!!

England

The English lion lays slain.

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Just Victory?

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Wait WHAT?

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[faos333]

Congratulations, for finishing off this EPIC dimensions scenario, very well done and played!!!

I should expected also something more fun than just victory! a debriefing of some kind.
Also, can you share more? For example the overall strategic map? the casualties screen would be nice too, the heroes status etc

thanks for your hard to work to share your experiences in this

[Duedman]

July 1945 revisited - The charge of the Light Brigade

Coming all the way from Bagdad! Charge to secure! Supreme leader had a bad dream about Gabes beeing in danger.

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Total. Victory.

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List of caualties.

The High Seas Fleet got completely eradicated. But other than that it went well.

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[faos333]

July 1945 revisited - The charge of the Light Brigade
............

The charge of the Light Brigade, that is nice !

[Duedman]

Congratulations, for finishing off this EPIC dimensions scenario, very well done and played!!!

I should expected also something more fun than just victory! a debriefing of some kind.
Also, can you share more? For example the overall strategic map? the casualties screen would be nice too, the heroes status etc

thanks for your hard to work to share your experiences in this

Thanks a lot. Doing an AAR is really some work! Even in the not very detailed fashion I did it.
Im glad I finally finished it. Will write some thoughts on the Scenario and what could have went better later on.

[faos333]

Congratulations, for finishing off this EPIC dimensions scenario, very well done and played!!!

I should expected also something more fun than just victory! a debriefing of some kind.
Also, can you share more? For example the overall strategic map? the casualties screen would be nice too, the heroes status etc

thanks for your hard to work to share your experiences in this

Thanks a lot. Doing an AAR is really some work! Even in the not very detailed fashion I did it.
Im glad I finally finished it. Will write some thoughts on the Scenario and what could have went better later on.

very good waiting for that

[PeteMitchell]

Yes, very nice!
I agree, showing the strategic map would be interesting!

[Duedman]

Afterthoughts

First of all, BIG THANKS again to McGuba for this amazing scenario.
I will criticize a few things but nonetheless it was absolutely EPIC to play.

As I mentioned in the beginning I started this scenario several times over.
The thing I disliked the most was the sudden loss of fuel for my battleships. I was like 14 turns in and they got stranded in the middle of the Atlantic.
From a realistic perspective it does not make sense at all. Those ships went out at sea with enough fuel to make their trip. Why would that disappear?
I think the unsuspecting player should get a clear warning about this mechanic. Balancewise I do understand it.

The restarts also helped me to figure out the pocket triggers in Russia (Minsk(?) and Kiev).

What I liked
Well apart from everything? The upgrade mechanics. Having to shuffe your tankforces back to the Reich for upgrades was a stroke of genius designwise.
That relief when finally the long barrelled Panzer IV arrive. Awesome.

The low ground to air and air to ground damage was also much to my liking. The feeling of real threat is much more intensive when you can not just order in your super stuka squadron to wipe out those 3 T34s.

In general the mod managed to portray the russian menace very well. In midwar was always on my toes whether the line will hold.
It also - at least in my playtrough - managed to simulate the overstrechted frontlines combined with timepressure very well.
When in October 1942 the way to the Caucasus was open ... so was a huge gap in my frontline.
Army Group South had weak tanks and T34/42 appear. That was dreadful!

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What I disliked

Apart from the Fleetfuel thingie. Hmm. I tried to land my 2 Fallschirmjägers like everywhere. But even in the caucasus mountains where were hordes of infantry. Now that I think about it, Archangelsk probably would have worked very well. That took me forever.

What proved to be useful

Mobile Flak. I dont know the reinforcement triggers but shooting down planes (not just damaging them) seemed vital to me. Maybe the Allies just dont get more planes, if many are still alive? Dunno. But if u want to resist the US and British air campaign at least a bit u need to soften their planes up before going in with your own.
I had several SdKfz 7/1 and they worked wonders.
Also, especially at the end racing against the clock in England, Airlifting infantry was very useful.
While in the regular game Strategic Bombers are more of a "win more" unit to me, here I found them better than Tacs.

What proved to be not very useful?

Pioniere. For me it was very hard to get them into action at all. And then they usually didnt do very well. But are very expensive.

Tactical bombers (which I think is kinda good as mentioned above).

Some of my mistakes

I got totally caught off guard by the British units appearing from the Suez Canal.

I realized too late, that its hard and timeconsuming to resupply Italian ships who were supporting the advance into Eqypt.
So I used them to bombard entrenched units literally doing nothing. And once I really needed them I was running very low on ammo and could not use their full potential.

I completely mistimed my reactions to Torch and lost valuable units at Sea and in Tunisia.
The ships would have made the landings in England a lot smother and without losing all the forces at Tunis the situation there at the end would have been a lot safer.

I fcked up big time in Italy. Lost expensive units there. That led to a point, where the Allied invasion in Southern France became actually threatening

My personal best memory

The invasion of England.
Starting with luring out the destroyers to the norwegian cost.
Then set sails towards Scapa Flow without the fuel to return. Massive Sea and Air battle. So awesome
I honestly did not think I would be able to win this game when I sent the ships.
And I mean the Hungarian Flag in Scapa Flow.... how hilariously great is that?



So I read you would like Strategic map views? From which month? I have quite a few saves.
I could also provide some Hero pics. What is interesting there? The general tab with Kills/Losses or the tab with the Heroes?
But plz dont tell me you want all months and all heroes

[faos333]

Very engaging after thoughts as well. My comments follow:

- Fallschirmjägers they can be of tremendous help, if combined together acting like a group.
- Mobile Flak I totally agree, very very useful
- Tactical bombers kind of agree especially the Night versions they offer very little, much better to transfer them to the east.
- Pioneers not as bad, you need to treat them differently. For example they are the obvious target always, therefore good baits to avoid damage elsewhere.

Overall your play through is amazing, disrupting historical flow of events and thus very innovative.
An invasion via Scapa Flow and then Scotland was a desperate with no fuel but brilliant idea!

More screenshots:
Strategic map views one every year showing the front lines is enough for me
Kills/Losses AND Heroes only for the best infantry, tank, artillery etc, in other words only for the best in each class.

ps for screenshots, I find it very useful to hit print screen then paste to word add some text and then take a snap shot using windows snipping tool

[PeteMitchell]

Amazing review, I can agree to many points you made!

RE strategic map screenshots, most interesting for me would be around these times (/around these usual historic events)
- end of 41 (~usually Moscow / Crusader situation)
- end of 42 (~usually Stalingrad / El Alamein / Torch situation)
- mid 43 (~usually Kursk / Sicily situation)
- mid 44 (~usually Normandy / Bagration situation)
- mid 45 (~end of war situation)

[McGuba]

Seeing the Hungarian colours flying over the Scapa was probably the most wonderful thing in the whole AAR! The Hungarians have been dreaming of capturing this island for centuries and now their dreams came true! Who would have thought that an amphibious cavalry charge would be possible through the cold and unforgiving waves of the North Sea? Only those reckless Hungarian Hussars! Well done, boys!

[McGuba]

The thing I disliked the most was the sudden loss of fuel for my battleships. I was like 14 turns in and they got stranded in the middle of the Atlantic.
From a realistic perspective it does not make sense at all. Those ships went out at sea with enough fuel to make their trip. Why would that disappear?

I hear you, Sir. Although there are several messages before that event to warn the player of what would happen, it is indeed a bit cheesy as it is. As a quick fix, I think will reduce the starting fuel of the German battleships so that they do not end up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with no fuel in the first few turns. I think it does not affect the Italian ships that much since they can reach a nearby port in the Mediterranean even if their fuel is reduced. In reality, the fuel crisis already affected both navies at the beginning of 1941 to some extent, even before the start of the scenario.

Apart from the Fleetfuel thingie. Hmm. I tried to land my 2 Fallschirmjägers like everywhere. But even in the caucasus mountains where were hordes of infantry. Now that I think about it, Archangelsk probably would have worked very well. That took me forever.

In reality the Germans did not attempt another large scale paratrooper offensive after Crete. It is indeed risky. Even the Allies had their debacle at Market Garden. Nevertheless there are a few spots where it may be helpful, for example goose_2 used them behind Rostov in his youtube playthrough, but there can be others like Middle East, Tunisia, etc. It is just a bit of trial and error. The main thing is probably they cannot be dropped too far behind the enemy frontline or they are doomed for sure. And even then the drop area has to be checked with recon planes first.

[faos333]

For me proved to be quite useful I took paratroopers to el alamein, Rostov, they attacked Astrakhan, they attacked Archangel and finally Ulyanovsk and Kuybyshev objectives in Volga

[Duedman]

Apart from the Fleetfuel thingie. Hmm. I tried to land my 2 Fallschirmjägers like everywhere. But even in the caucasus mountains where were hordes of infantry. Now that I think about it, Archangelsk probably would have worked very well. That took me forever.

In reality the Germans did not attempt another large scale paratrooper offensive after Crete. It is indeed risky. Even the Allies had their debacle at Market Garden. Nevertheless there are a few spots where it may be helpful, for example goose_2 used them behind Rostov in his youtube playthrough, but there can be others like Middle East, Tunisia, etc. It is just a bit of trial and error. The main thing is probably they cannot be dropped too far behind the enemy frontline or they are doomed for sure. And even then the drop area has to be checked with recon planes first.

I'm a bit on the cheesy side sometimes. In old Panzer General I ended Overlord by taking the 2 English Victory Hexes. I wanted to do such stuff here too but I could not. And it was for the better!
But even Crete would not have been possible in this game (had it not been in the players hands already). I tried Cyprus and enemy ships bombed the hell out of my 2 units.
As you say, the drop area has to be scouted first. But in the end you only know whats going to happen once you try it.
With the time each turn takes its a nuisance when you realize that you wasted 5 turns in transport only to realize that the drop is gonna be suicide.
But again - in the long run this was better for my gaming experience than doing some cheesy stuff.

[Duedman]

For me proved to be quite useful I took paratroopers to el alamein, Rostov, they attacked Astrakhan, they attacked Archangel and finally Ulyanovsk and Kuybyshev objectives in Volga

Yes. El Alamein worked. Although I was too impatient and lost the Brandenburgers. Archangelsk was a pain in the rear and they would have worked wonders there.

[Duedman]

Amazing review, I can agree to many points you made!

RE strategic map screenshots, most interesting for me would be around these times (/around these usual historic events)
- end of 41 (~usually Moscow / Crusader situation)
- end of 42 (~usually Stalingrad / El Alamein / Torch situation)
- mid 43 (~usually Kursk / Sicily situation)
- mid 44 (~usually Normandy / Bagration situation)
- mid 45 (~end of war situation)

Thank you Sir. You were the reason I finished it btw

The first save I had was Turn 20 start of April 1942. So no end of 1941, sorry.

Groundforces

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and Air

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[Duedman]

End of January 1943 (december was snowing - bad visibility)

Knispel had just returned with new tanks and was already heavily engaged east of Rostov.

ground

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air

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[Duedman]

Turn 51 Mid July 1943

Last man standing in Tunisia

ground

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air

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[Duedman]

Turn 73 June 1944

They said: "If you invade Scotland, we will invade Normandy!!!"
I was ok with that

ground

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air

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[Duedman]

Turn 99 July 1945

I also shuffled an artillery piece down to the light brigade. Didnt show that on the screenshot just for the effect

ground

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air

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