ZWK PBEM Game

[kobayashi]

A British naval task force sighted and sank the unescourted German pocket battleship Gneisenau after a prolonged battle. Damaged during the engagement, the Battlecruiser Hood limps home under air cover. While (it is presumed that) the Bismark and Tirpitz remain under construction, only the Gneisenau's sister ship, Scharnhorst, remains at large.

On the diplomatic front, several ambassadors have contacted His Majesty's government offering the means of making the obsolete BT-7 light tank in exchange for something useful. They were politely refused after being laughed at.

 

[kobayashi]

Alcib,

Since your office e-mail was blitzed, I've attached the file

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

It's up again for now, but we will see.

Still lost all my addresses.

DailyBullsh1tin, I V Fullocrapski reporting:

Our glorius leader reports that our good friend Mussolini has helped us sign a liscening agreement to produce BF-109s and Stukas! With these new aircraft designs, which we will of course improve upon, our Frontal aviation will be second to none!

To the British who insulted us, we laugh at what you call a MBT, we have weapons in design that will make all such vehichles obsolete!

We are also sadened that relations with our sisters, the Baltic states continues to worsen, and we may have to chastize them soon.

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

Forgot to attach the save!

 

[Morten Blaabjerg]

The german propaganda machine is pleased to report :

* Axis capture Paris. 26 gold plundered.
* French village near Bruxelles destroyed in heavy fire.
* German fighters involved in the battle of Tobruk -Allied marines successfully taken out.

[edit : obsolete zip deleted]

 

[kobayashi]

Originally posted by Alcibiaties of Athenae


Our glorius leader reports that our good friend Mussolini has helped us sign a liscening agreement to produce BF-109s and Stukas! With these new aircraft designs, which we will of course improve upon, our Frontal aviation will be second to none!

Morten - bad strategic mistake. Field Marshall Alcib will be sipping a vodka martini by the brandenburg gate by next winter. I think he's got the game sewn up.

 

[kobayashi]

Italian Diplomats have ignored overtures for a peace so we have had no choice but to act decisively. A new army, the 8th has been formed based in Egypt and they have taken Tobruk by force. A german long ranged fighter squadron was decimated in the battle.

Meanwhile in France, we continue to aid our wimpy French allies by giving them fighter squadrons. A panzer grenadier unit that just entered Paris was decimated in a surprise bombing raid.

 

[Morten Blaabjerg]

As long as Comrade Alcib honours our peace treaty and line of demarkation, he will be very welcome to make use of the promised technology aid from Das Reich. On account of our peace treaty, we have had no casualties in the east. Our peace is to last for 20 turns, after this time, further negotiations can take place.

Btw, why no engineers in this scenario? I think railroads and fortresses really add to a game of this sorts; in other words its a huge handicap not being able to build fortresses when making an advance. Its a damn pity they're not in there. Or am I mistaken? I haven't noticed any engineers yet, and not in previous games, even though there are fortresses spread around. Then why can't I build new ones?

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

Originally posted by Morten Blaabjerg
As long as Comrade Alcib honours our peace treaty and line of demarkation, he will be very welcome to make use of the promised technology aid from Das Reich. On account of our peace treaty, we have had no casualties in the east. Our peace is to last for 20 turns, after this time, further negotiations can take place.

We are peace loving and honorable!

As an aside fellows, we need not stop if London, Berlin, or Moscow falls.
We can play on, and see who can win the long haul!

Btw, why no engineers in this scenario? I think railroads and fortresses really add to a game of this sorts; in other words its a huge handicap not being able to build fortresses when making an advance. Its a damn pity they're not in there. Or am I mistaken? I haven't noticed any engineers yet, and not in previous games, even though there are fortresses spread around. Then why can't I build new ones?

I can answer here, having helped Kob with this scenario quite a bit.
It was a concious decision on his part to omit both railroads and engineers/settlers, for precisly the reason you gave, it brings on unrealistic tatics. The march rates of the units is close to historical, and it is possible to crush the west in 6 weels (ask kob, I did it to him as the axis in one of our playtest games), and I have played this scenario from all nation's perspective. You get used to no rails and engineers over time.
It's Kob's belief that europe shouldn't be rebuilt untill the war ends, so ravage and destroy with care, because these features cannot be replaced.

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

Nothing really to report, outside of increasing tentions with the Baltic states.

 

[Morten Blaabjerg]

This weeks events :

* Kovno fallen at last
* Allied capital fleet decimated in the channel
* Paris resistance secured and under control
* Belgrade under Axis fire

[edit : obsolete zip deleted]

 

[kobayashi]

Originally posted by Morten Blaabjerg
This weeks events :

* Allied capital fleet decimated in the channel

That was a really bad mistake on my part. The stupid aircover over battleship doesn't work if there is a carrier sitting underneath - which makes the planes land. It was too late by the time I realised it. What did it take to kill the fleet?

Originally posted by Morten Blaabjerg

Btw, why no engineers in this scenario? I think railroads and fortresses really add to a game of this sorts; in other words its a huge handicap not being able to build fortresses when making an advance.

What Alcib said. There are already fortresses where they are supposed to be, Maginot, Eben, Alamein, Leningrad. It takes years to construct a fortress so there is no way to simulate building new ones.

On the railroad question - the Axis are overwhelmingly powerful at the beginning and get weaker and weaker (on a relative basis) as the game progresses. So the aim of the good guys is to slow down the Axis until they get good tech and a war economy. The Axis needs to get as much territory before this happens to negate his innate disadvantages.

If there is railroad, the Axis can swallow up europe in five turns. If you've seen my 'I did a really stupid thing' thread, you can see the pains I've taken to deploy the scenario so the AI will unwittingly play according to the 'script'.

It seems a tad slow on PBEM but if you are playing live or in single player, you could appreciate the 'master plan' of the scenario more easily.

 

[Morten Blaabjerg]

I said I decimated the fleet. Unfortunately I wasn't lucky enough to sink it... Damn, just out of reach with that last bomber... Arrgh! I knew your carrier was there somewhere... (spotted it with an airplane last turn). I'll get you next time!

What did it take to kill the fleet?

Two bombers (24 att or so, I think, don't remember the name)ought to have done the trick. But alas, you survived. The last one was out of reach

I can see the idea with the non-railroad thing. But fortresses are bad to lose. Historically the germans did fortify the atlantic & nortsea coasts very heavily with bunkers etc because they feared an allied invasion. Anyway, the scenario plays very well, so I'm not complaining.

 

[kobayashi]

While any attemps by British forces to defend France are viewed as futile, they nevertheless serve to delay the Jerries until the British Isles are fully fortified. Thus bombing raids in support of the French by our trusty old Wellies continue. After an ineffectual attack by Luftwaffe bombers (word of the fleet's 'decimation' were grossly exagerrated), our fleet in the English Channel has dispersed.

A decision has been made to create a new branch of the military intelligence, MI-7, to combat corruption and the wastage of resources. New regional operation centers of this 'police' force are being set up throughout the British Empire. Our strategists believe that if used wisely, our resources may eventually be able to suppport a new discovery every 6 weeks.

===========

Meanwhile across the Atlantic, a chap named Norman Rockwell begins to make a name for himself creating paintings depicting day to day activities of normal people.

 

[kobayashi]

After over three months of war, the Nazi flag begins to fly over much of Europe.

*The low countries have fallen and part of Denmark
*Western and Central Poland are now in Nazi hands.
*A major armoured thrust has been made into France splitting French forces into two and capturing Paris.
*The Maginot Line is no more.
*Part of Yugoslavia has been annexed.
*Two towns/cities have been reduced to rubble.

British have captured Tobruk while the Soviets captured part of Eastern Poland.

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

The Soviets would like to remind our German friends that Lwow is EAST of Riga, and therefor in our sphere of influence, and as such, german forces advancing on it are in violation of treaty.

DailyBullsh1tin, I V Fullocrapski reporting:

In a totally unprovoked attack, the Baltic states have declared war on our glorius motherland!
Soviet Marshal Krushem has deployed his defensive forces, and has siezed Riga, and cleared Talinin of enemy forces!
This was accomplished with brilliant defensive manuvers, for all the world knows we are peace loving, and would never attack!

The first of our license built Pzkw IIs took part in these battles, and performed well, thanks to our superb training and workmanship!

The first squadron of our new La-109s has been produced, and are already the envy of the world!

Is there no limit to our glorious country's achievments?
Comrade Stalin says no.

 

[Morten Blaabjerg]

This weeks propaganda report :

* Belgrade fallen at last
* German forces recalled from Lwow

German leaders are embarrased of the incident where eager german troops advanced on Lwow, withbout being given the order from Berlin HQ, thus violating the line of demarkation. We will make sure this will not happen again. However, we ask the soviets to act quickly. We cannot afford the untrustworthy General de Gaulle to keep this base of operation.

[edit : obsolete zip deleted]

 

[kobayashi]

Churchill was playing golf with a couple of other ministers when one suggested that the British liberate Paris. When posed this absurd idea, Churchill replied "Oh what the heck, we have a couple of armoured brigades on a plundering assignment in the vecinity anyway. Lets just bomb the **** out of the Huns and try to take the city. If its reduced to rubble in the process, well that's not my fault. FORE!"

And that as they say was history in the making....

On a seperate note, another pocket batleship, AGAIN UNESCOURTED, was sighted by a RAF patrol, presumably making a dash for the Atlantic. To cut a long story short, the Scharnhorst was ruthlessly sent to the bottom of the Channel by HMS Prince of Wales.

 

[Morten Blaabjerg]

Hmm. Does this mean the allies have made a dash against Paris with landtroops? -And taken it?

Btw, I know that ship was a blunder. I saw it coming.

 

[kobayashi]

I don't think I can hold it. My aim to let it be reduced to rubble in the fighting. Paris is an important nexus in western Europe and destroying it is the lesser of two evils.