Playing Axis against the AI - Max difficulty (ideas ?)

[timhicks]

Hi, I've been trying to see if I can win as the Axis against the AI with max advantage to the allies, and I could do with some tips.

In my last game I did a good Sealion in Sept 1940 , but then couldn't see how I could afford enough units to maintain a wide front in the east, so I just waited behind the Vistula (Warsaw) and the other rivers in the south. At least then I could snap up other countries , while my infantry dug in and I wouldn't have to suffer from any Russian Winters.

I also based a lot of bombers in Scotland to hammer the Russian Convoys and the Allied escorts.

But by mid 1943, I had Russian Super Heavy tanks in Bucharest, and rumbling into Berlin.

Ideas anyone ? , do you have to do a Barbarossa at this level ?

[richardsd]

depends on what you mean by 'win', you can win using the capitals calc - Paris and your own, but in my experience that does need a reasonable barbarossa to buy you territory to cede for time (you need to watch your manpower very carefully). I have never been able to win - i.e. taking Russia against max allied advantage. This is because Russia has so many PP's and a tech headstart.

[timhicks]

thanks, I think you're right. I'm gonna do a limited Barbarossa, if only to kill some units while I still have a tech advantage. Next thing I'll try is to attack right after taking Poland. I'm keen to see if it's possible to defeat Russia at this level.

People have said on this Forum that the AI is best on the defense, but at max difficulty I think that the reverse is true, when you engage the AI in a mobile War, then you get opportunities to encircle and destroy.

(realise it's terribly unfashionable to harp on about the AI, but PBEM is not practical for me. )

[Lexmanbis]

Hi, Tim,

Due to lack of time i play only against AI as well and try out different versions of advantage level. Please note i have the 1.04 version but by reading the manual for the gold edition i see a lot of interesting tips etc...

Anyway your intention to attack right after Poland seems interesting....

[timhicks]

The AI at Max level is quite a challenge, I havn't tried the moderate advantage yet, but I did win at the 'even' advantage setting as the Axis, by invading first Turkey,Sevastapol, and then Gomel, the oilfields and then russia from the south. The AI didn't react in strength to my invasion , so that is one weakness that I will try at 'max' setting.

In my Max difficulty game, it's late 1941 and I'm just trying to kill some Russian units on the polish border while I still have air superiority.

I play Grand Strategy, latest version.

[Lexmanbis]

Tim,

When you played at the 'even' advantage setting did you invade Greece as well? WXhat did you do in the West?

[timhicks]

Hi, I wanted to try something different, so I didn't do a barbarossa. Instead, I invaded (in order), Poland, Denmark, Norway, France, Britain, Yugo, Greece, then Turkey, Sevastapol , Kerch and Gomel. From Turkey I went to Iraq as well. I think that this was all done by 1943. With some Oil I was able to really have a go at the Russkies.

Greece was really useful , in that my Amphib drew out the Royal Navy when my Tac Air was already 'in-theatre', Turkey was a hassle, but I felt that I had to get the Italian navy into the black sea. In hindsight though, with enough air power it should be possible to leapfrog from Sevastapol to Gomel without using Turkey, and the Rumanian navy will have to be protected. Or maybe just invading from the Kerch peninsula would be ok (I'll have to check the supply levels across that straight).

Actually I seem to have much lower Invasion limits in my current game, so I couldn't do all these Amphib landings now.

Originally I thought that I could have Infantry corps ready to invade Russia from Eastern Turkey before Sept 1941, but I don't think that's possible.

I do think though , that it would be possible to beat the Max Allied AI if I could take full advantage of the strategic weaknesses of the AI as well as the tactical weaknesses.

[Clark]

Hi, I wanted to try something different, so I didn't do a barbarossa. Instead, I invaded (in order), Poland, Denmark, Norway, France, Britain, Yugo, Greece, then Turkey, Sevastapol , Kerch and Gomel. From Turkey I went to Iraq as well. I think that this was all done by 1943. With some Oil I was able to really have a go at the Russkies.

Greece was really useful , in that my Amphib drew out the Royal Navy when my Tac Air was already 'in-theatre', Turkey was a hassle, but I felt that I had to get the Italian navy into the black sea. In hindsight though, with enough air power it should be possible to leapfrog from Sevastapol to Gomel without using Turkey, and the Rumanian navy will have to be protected. Or maybe just invading from the Kerch peninsula would be ok (I'll have to check the supply levels across that straight).

Actually I seem to have much lower Invasion limits in my current game, so I couldn't do all these Amphib landings now.

Originally I thought that I could have Infantry corps ready to invade Russia from Eastern Turkey before Sept 1941, but I don't think that's possible.

I do think though , that it would be possible to beat the Max Allied AI if I could take full advantage of the strategic weaknesses of the AI as well as the tactical weaknesses.

Did you try skipping Yugo and Greece? Playing vanilla, I defeated Turkey using a small force of ground plus 3 TACS making a beeline for Ankara and had a larger group headed to the east coast of the Black Sea. I took Baku first turn of the Russian entry into the war and quickly seized the northern Caucasus oilfields. Once you've got oil, you can feel free to let your panzers and air loose on the main front for an extended period of time.

[timhicks]

sounds good, and of course there's a lot of production points at Baku (12 I think). So far I've always waited until Rumania enters the war before attacking Istanbul, but I'll try a quicker method. Alternatively once you capture Ankara, you could land troops in Eastern Turkey without it counting as an 'invasion'.

[Clark]

sounds good, and of course there's a lot of production points at Baku (12 I think). So far I've always waited until Rumania enters the war before attacking Istanbul, but I'll try a quicker method. Alternatively once you capture Ankara, you could land troops in Eastern Turkey without it counting as an 'invasion'.

I've always waited for Bulgaria to enter. That way, I have direct supply to my ground forces and an area to base my TACs for the initial attack on Istanbul. It's rather easy to pull off if you have enough TACs in theater. I should warn that I play vanilla, so the GS restrictions on amphibious attacks and multiple air attacks on the same hex could pose a serious problem for you.

[timhicks]

no I think it should still be ok , I would only need to do 1 Amphib landing if I take Istanbul. Once I take some land across the straights then I can just land troops at will. I'm just about to try it now , will let you know how it goes.

[fiskog]

That is really tough. The one game where the AI lost involved starting Barb in mid-1940. Take down Poland FAST. Take down Holland. and position to then take out Belg in one turn. Drive straight to Paris and then spend to rail the army east. Do most fighting in Poland. Don't enter Russia with the minor allies until after the winter starts. Bypass Lenningrad and bottle up as you probably won't have the time to take it out. By the time I got to Perm, the Russian was a bit ahead on tank tech and I barely took it before the Russ got too strong.

[fiskog]

This can be tough if you place some restrictions on the western allies.

1. No more than one MOT and 2 INF to support France before it falls.

2. No invasion of Italy, Germany, or conquered France, Belgium, or Holland.

You win if the Axis is driven out of Russia and lose if Russia falls.