Defending the Reich - the war is over

[Plaid]

It seems like the will of Brittain has been broken, what i don´t understand is that he didn´t send any reinforcements from afrika to help defend England. Loosing brittain is a severe blow to the allies, i would do anything to to atleast keep germans fighting on the island as long as i could.

Given the facts in hand for Sealion, would you do it again, would you do anything different?

I feel that Norwich is the best port/city to go for, but on the other hand you get much better position to attack London from south.

Now you have atlest 3-4 turns to prepare for Russia, airforce you have pretty good coverage, you just need some infantry for the army. I think you can do an ok opening for Barbarossa all things considering.....

Have you decided what targets you will go for in the upcoming campaign in the East?

Like i said before, enjoy reading your AAr. Fun to see the outcome....

Crazyg

I think my opponent didn't sent troops from arfica (or maybe he even did? I don't see whole england) because he was afraid of submarines in Atlantic (well, its very predictable move and if I had any spare subs, I would prepair an ambush). Another thing is that England produces something like 20 PPs for allies, and same does middle east. Sending troops from there will lead to axis easy and fast lalk straight to Persia, getting little ocean of oil and closing Russia lend lease, so who knows, what is worse for allies. Another reason may be general reluctance to redeploy troops for far distance ( I have it myself, a bit dislike campaigning in MED while playing allies for this reason).

Problem with Norwich is that there is no actual port there, so you can't unload at bad weather. Trick, as I got it, is to deploy much more transports, then I did, to cover Norwich, Southampton, Plymouth and south of London regions at once, so britts will not be able to block all. (But with featured new amphibious system looks like all you need is more TACs and maybe additional BBs).
As a note, I think that building garrisons is wrong decision while stopping sealion - thing you need is tank (and air support), to destroy initial beachhead, when its small. If axis player will lose his landed units, he (at least me) will be unwilling to land any more paying lots of PPs maybe just to face same fate.

I didn't thought about east yet, but its time to start sending good assault units back to the continent (maybe after fall of London)

[Plaid]

Finally this wierd attriction Sealion can be considered succesful - wehrmacht captures London and Birimigam, while britain is mostly empty. Time to ship stormtroopers back, while some infantry will stay there for anti-partisan duty mostly. I think I will keep 1 corps in Northern Ireland , and 2 or 3 in Britain, aswell as some garrisons. Also strategic bomber, surface ships and 2 subs will be based there. Later in the game additional air and subs will be deployed, if needed, when allied invasion can turn real (1943 I think), I will bring some more corps aswell as mech and armour (depending on what and how many I will have free)



In Africa I decided to follow Crazyg's advice and will change positions a bit.



3 more infantry corps purchased for Germany this turn, I hope to launch barbarossa on 12 July.
Italians save for a fighter now.
Both commander's HQ corps railed from France to the east.

[afk_nero]

Do UK convoys still go to Glasgow? or does this change to Canada immediatly?

If this is still going to glassgow then it may be better to leave the port free and keep on trapping the convoys going there. If not ignore this whole piece.

[richardsd]

straight to Canada

[rkr1958]

straight to Canada

That would be suicide. As soon as the axis touched land in North America, the USA would enter the war under the Monroe Doctrine.

[massina_nz]

straight to Canada

That would be suicide. As soon as the axis touched land in North America, the USA would enter the war under the Monroe Doctrine.

I don't think this was what Richard meant. I think he meant the convoys go to canada once London falls.

[richardsd]

yes, convoys - not invasion forces!

I think also that Plaid has also noticed that ARM is useful in Sealion as well as MECH

[richardsd]

It is also worth considering what you do about Ireland after the US is in the War.

You can get some good extra spotting distance for invasion warning (STRAT) and can defend the coast from Allied invasion - they typically need the space as they can't all fit in the North when they attack later.

[Plaid]

Last centers of british resistance falls - I destroyed corps in Cardiff (destroyed 4 step BB aswell) and Liverpool garrison.

Shipping of assault troops back to the Europe already started - this turn I sent 2 corps infantry units.
Next turn I will send armour and 3 mechs. Yes, I found out, that armour is important in Sealion. Thing, why I concidered mechs better is that last time, I did Sealion, british HG garrisons just stood in their cities, so armour was useless, but this time they came to fight at fields.

My BB spotted garrison in Scapa - Flow, and looks like sort of impossible thing to smoke them out.

Here is a picture of barbarossa build up. With all this shipping and upgrading I was able to purchase onlt 1 infantry corps this turn.

[Crazygunner1]

It seems like the will of Brittain has been broken, what i don´t understand is that he didn´t send any reinforcements from afrika to help defend England. Loosing brittain is a severe blow to the allies, i would do anything to to atleast keep germans fighting on the island as long as i could.

Given the facts in hand for Sealion, would you do it again, would you do anything different?

I feel that Norwich is the best port/city to go for, but on the other hand you get much better position to attack London from south.

Now you have atlest 3-4 turns to prepare for Russia, airforce you have pretty good coverage, you just need some infantry for the army. I think you can do an ok opening for Barbarossa all things considering.....

Have you decided what targets you will go for in the upcoming campaign in the East?

Like i said before, enjoy reading your AAr. Fun to see the outcome....

Crazyg

I think my opponent didn't sent troops from arfica (or maybe he even did? I don't see whole england) because he was afraid of submarines in Atlantic (well, its very predictable move and if I had any spare subs, I would prepair an ambush). Another thing is that England produces something like 20 PPs for allies, and same does middle east. Sending troops from there will lead to axis easy and fast lalk straight to Persia, getting little ocean of oil and closing Russia lend lease, so who knows, what is worse for allies. Another reason may be general reluctance to redeploy troops for far distance ( I have it myself, a bit dislike campaigning in MED while playing allies for this reason).

Problem with Norwich is that there is no actual port there, so you can't unload at bad weather. Trick, as I got it, is to deploy much more transports, then I did, to cover Norwich, Southampton, Plymouth and south of London regions at once, so britts will not be able to block all. (But with featured new amphibious system looks like all you need is more TACs and maybe additional BBs).
As a note, I think that building garrisons is wrong decision while stopping sealion - thing you need is tank (and air support), to destroy initial beachhead, when its small. If axis player will lose his landed units, he (at least me) will be unwilling to land any more paying lots of PPs maybe just to face same fate.

I didn't thought about east yet, but its time to start sending good assault units back to the continent (maybe after fall of London)

You are right about middle east, but if the Axis launch an offensive in afrika and the english have evacuated, then americans can interfere and send troops to Persia. They are powerfull enough to make a stand. But i see your point.

Comparing these alternatives i would defenitely take the later and do everything to protect England.

Crazyg

[ferokapo]

(...)

Here is a picture of barbarossa build up. With all this shipping and upgrading I was able to purchase onlt 1 infantry corps this turn.

Again, very interesting AAR, thanks for sharing! I think your best option is to attack rather early (22nd of June). Considering your oil and lack of manpower in the east, you will need to build 3 Corps units per turn for a few turns, otherwise the Russians will flood you in the Winter! This happened to an opponent of mine, who attacked late (July 12th) and without enough infantry (due to overcommitment in other theaters). I managed to withdraw many frontline units, and build massive amounts of corps, mechs, and armour. Helped by an early severe winter, I immediately counterattacked and did not stop in spring 42. Now it's September 1942, and the glorious Red Army is in Warsaw.

[Crazygunner1]

(...)

Here is a picture of barbarossa build up. With all this shipping and upgrading I was able to purchase onlt 1 infantry corps this turn.

Again, very interesting AAR, thanks for sharing! I think your best option is to attack rather early (22nd of June). Considering your oil and lack of manpower in the east, you will need to build 3 Corps units per turn for a few turns, otherwise the Russians will flood you in the Winter! This happened to an opponent of mine, who attacked late (July 12th) and without enough infantry (due to overcommitment in other theaters). I managed to withdraw many frontline units, and build massive amounts of corps, mechs, and armour. Helped by an early severe winter, I immediately counterattacked and did not stop in spring 42. Now it's September 1942, and the glorious Red Army is in Warsaw.

I have to aggree, you have to be realy careful when you go on the offensive, he will know that you are weak. Keep your troops together at all time and don´t overextend. Also be sure to dig in on a good defense line and get entrench 1 before severe winter arrives.

[Plaid]

You are right about middle east, but if the Axis launch an offensive in afrika and the english have evacuated, then americans can interfere and send troops to Persia. They are powerfull enough to make a stand. But i see your point.

Comparing these alternatives i would defenitely take the later and do everything to protect England.

Crazyg

If you evacuate good british corps units and armour for defence of England wehrmacht will be in Basra before december '41 and US army will not be option for middle east.

[Plaid]

Well, I will agree with advice posted above and will launch barbarossa next turn with what I have.
Even though I don't have my assault units (3 mechs and arm) from england ready, and I don't have airforce repaired and placed, for first couple of turns effectiveness penatly will serve instead of air support.

Proper deployment (and repair) of forces will take at least 3 more turns, but barbarossa will still be very weak.

Here is picture of axis empire, it all (except afirca) fits 1 screen cap for now.



Also after Zechi seen Sealion, he maybe already decided, that Barbarossa will be weak and late, and started to build offencive power for Russians instead of infantry (thats what I would do at his place). This way he will be in minor trouble with lack of infantry, because he still have to defend for good time until winter, so hopefully this assault armour, airpower and mechs will be used for defence (and destroyed).

For now plan is to advance to Stalin's line and to entrench there, using against russian winter offencive same rivers, they use for defence of axis often.
Another option (if I encounter strong defence near border) is to kill as many troops as possible and retreat out of SW zone for winter.

Reason why I launch now is that if I make all needed preparaitions and launch on 15 august, I will have only second option (retreat) and even worse one, because I will kill less troops. In 1941 soviets have low PP income (something less then 100) and their units can't cost effective engage german units (unless severly exposed), so its unlikely, that I will end overrunned by red army masses.

This turn I was again able to purchase only 1 infantry corps - rest PPs were payed for transports and repairs/upgrades.
Income from occupied part of England (i.e. almost all) is now 9 PPs (120 instead of 111).

Now I need lots of things I don't have.
Need to finish subs and surface ships repairs and finally send them to the sea.
Need to redeploy and repair airforce and other units from the west.
Need to find spare rail points and rail Hungarians from France.
Need to recruit commanders for AGS (AGN have Rundstedt), africa and britain.
Need to start unit mass production for the Ostfront (its hard because all "need" above require lots of PPs)

Next turn I will purchase italian FTR aswell. Then I want to build 2 more labs (general and infantry) and start stamping corps infantry, which supposed to have some upgrades by this time. Italian war effort rises so slow(and I didn't conquer anything for them)...

[trulster]

Great AAR!

might be worthwhile to let the Italians enter some of the more juicy Russian cities, if at all possible - the Italians are a nice source of fresh manpower which needs extra production to be taken advantage of.

Also, with Britain and most of their anti-sub forces strongly reduced you should make the most of the seven months or so before US entry, the convoys should be destroyed at spawning point. Especially the central and southern convoys are basically a free lunch for many months and the more you keep the Brits from this vital income the later they can do anything in Europe/Africa. Had a game in which Sealion succeeded and only 15-20% of convoys got to Canada after the fall of UK until US air could cover. Though I understand the need to repair subs after a tense Sealion, efforts to get those subs to the American East Coast *will* pay off!

As for the soon-to-spawn Russian convoys, destroying them should only require a couple of subs, coupled with a fighter and strat bomber in the Scottish islands. Good luck!

[Plaid]

Just as planned, weak Barbarossa launched. In our game axis declared war on Russia as an answer to Red Army constant mobilization, being afraid, that soviets prepair something offencive at their borders (really, no other reason, axis are very fine now without eastern front).

Pretty poor progress, but I destroyed one MECH in northern sector.



Italians were not able to capture Lvov even - garrison holds at 1 step, and axis minors performance in not great, as often.



Britts plotting something around Lybia. Elite german fighter ready to be sent there and to score some good hits against low tech RAF.



This turn I purchased 1 german corps and italian fighter.

3 subs finally ready to be sent to sea (4th still needs upgrade), at least 2 mechs and 1 corps are ready to be railed to the east, airpower also mostly placed
to the east, while this turn only 2 fighters and 1 bomber (and axis minor ones) were able to support my troops, rest are just rebased.

All what Zechi can see at the east is 2 starting german armours, 2 fighters, 1 tac and some corps, hopefully he will be confused for a while, where to I sent rest.

[ferokapo]

Unfortunately you were not able to make contact with the other mechs. Zechi will rail them away, probably. I think all you can do is to gain as much ground as possible without overextending yourself and running into nasty early counterattacks, and pour in as much infantry as possible, and then wait for the russian winter offensive. If you survive that one intact, and have secured the UK in the meantime, you can go for a strong 1942 summer offensive. (Mind you, I am giving this advice from limited experience... I have never been in a situation like yours!). Looking forward to your next post...

[Plaid]

Unfortunately you were not able to make contact with the other mechs.

Its useless. Still can't pursue by footmen.

[ferokapo]

Unfortunately you were not able to make contact with the other mechs.

Its useless. Still can't pursue by footmen.

Of course, you are right, but using your tanks, you might have destroyed one or two, or forced them into the woods, where they are not faster than your infantry. I didn't mean to criticize your performance, holding contact with all Russian mechs is difficult even with more units than you have at your disposal.

[Crazygunner1]

I think a counterattack from russians is at the earliest 2-3 turns away, if at all this summer. He needs to get leaders in place first, get more effectivness on his troops after declaration of war penealty and rail them to the front line. So be very carefull and keep your troops together....

Crazyg