ww2 comparison game

[La Fayette]

The greatest battle of all times, STALINGRAD, ended in march 1943, exactly 60 years ago.
This induced me to start a ww2 comparison game, playing as the Russians.
The scenario is the one that goes with the game. Version 2.42 is OK, but anyone is free to play another version if he (or she) feels like it.
I don't think a detailed log, such as those used for OCC or early landing, is really interesting for that kind of game. But, if you send a save and a report (telling us what you tried to achieve and how it worked) every 10 turns or so, it would be fine.
I start playing tomorrow, so you are sure you have at least one player to compete with, ... if you feel like it .

[Caesar the Great]

February 1942

The Russian Empire is... nowhere.

Not a single city captured, and the population is 3 million lower. Sciences are off and the Krasnoyarsk - Minsk railroad has been completed, tanks will begin rolling over the axis borders any day now!

We look forward to December 1943!

[La Fayette]

Well, this was a quick start!
Announcement at 18.20
CtG's post at 23.43
... T34 at full throttle...

[Scouse Gits]

IF I can find time - I'd like to try this one - unfortunately RL is heavy at the moment so no promises

SG[1]

[La Fayette]

1) Timing
I suppose that 1 turn/day should be OK for most people. This means first report (feb 42) before the 20th of march and second report (oct 43) before the end of march.

2) 'Lurkers' thread
I suppose that most players prefer playing along with their own strategical choices, rather than just copying the supposedly brilliant ideas of the others.
That is why I start a 'lurkers' thread now. Those taking part will be allowed to explain what they did and why they did it, but will refrain from reading what the others posted there (at least before having finished playing the corresponding 10 turns).
Those willing to have a look without taking part are of course free to read anything they will.

[Caesar the Great]

December 1943, the war has begun.

Nasty incident after the seige of Warsaw earlier this year cost Russia six tanks. After a long battle the city was reduced to 60,000 inhabitants, and on the next turn it defected back to the axis, along with the 2 tanks inside and 4 tanks directly adjacent.

We mourn our comrades but continue the struggle, onward to Berlin!

[Caesar the Great]

June 1945

Germany is no more, after severe collateral damage to Frankfurt, Munich, Prague and Vienna, the Russian Empire has expanded to include nearly 30 million people. But the cost has been high; 46 armored divisions were lost in the invasion of Germany and thousands of our comrades have fallen in battle. But victory is near, only 29 objectives remain.

Time is of the essence; I must return to Moscow, 33 armored divisions await my command.

[geofelt]

Is the objective the conquest of the axis, or is it conquest of the whole world, or max score? Also, I notice that I get no techs from taking an axis city. Is this correct?

[ColdWizard]

the last game i played was the ww2 scn as the russians , but i didn't keep periodic saves or take any notes. i don't think notes would have been helpful to anyone either, it was only my second win on deity

[Caesar the Great]

Originally posted by geofelt
Is the objective the conquest of the axis, or is it conquest of the whole world, or max score? Also, I notice that I get no techs from taking an axis city. Is this correct?

just use diplomats

[La Fayette]

Originally posted by geofelt
Is the objective the conquest of the axis, or is it conquest of the whole world, or max score? Also, I notice that I get no techs from taking an axis city. Is this correct?

1) The objective is the conquest of all objective cities in the world (you find them using the 'Find city' tool).
2) No tech from taking any city: this is correct (but stealing techs is possible).

[Caesar the Great]

February 1947

The Second World War is coming to a close, britain has fallen to Russia. Only Egypt, America and Iraq remain. The Russians are now in a race against time. Sixteen veteran armored divisions are now crossing the atlantic and nine veteran armored divisions are moving into position in Athens and seven armored divions are mobilized in the middle east.

The axis empire is no more, the Spanish and Turks will suffer the same fate very soon. Only 8 objectives remain but there are only 3 turns remaining.

140 military divisions have been lost in this horrid war, but the spoils have been grand. The Russian people now enjoy more luxuries than ever, spies have acquired the most advanced technologies and a huge budget surplus has allowed for marvelous improvements from London to Krasnoyarsk. The Russian Empire now includes 48 million people.

Soon the Americans will know the wonders of communism.

[La Fayette]

The Russian supreme headquarters have the pleasure to announce that Russia rules.

June 1944 all objective cities bear white flags.

(Details in the 'lurkers' thread, somewhat later)

[Smash]

Geez you don't mess around do you?Excellent game

I made it to Oct 43.While I am in good shape almost finished crushing the Axis,there is no way I can finish by 44.You must have been doing some bribing.I tryed sending something at New York but anything keeps getting sunk well before it gets there.Even empty transports..almost had a chain when Mr U-Boat put an end to that.

Has anyone tryed building a city near New York and airlifting freight?

[La Fayette]

Originally posted by Smash
You must have been doing some bribing.

I bribed ONE city, one turn before the endgame, just to make my vet spies happy. I felt that they got tired only destroying city walls .

I had a nice shipchain between St Nazaire and Washington. No problem: the Axis were so weak when I started building it that they probably couldn't afford building submarines any longer (+ transports with Magellan travel 7 tiles/turn, submarines travel 3 ).

[Smash]

Only 1 city bribed?..well thats more impressive then.No doubt I have taken more losses than I like.Spys would be most handy for getting rid of those walls.Surprising how well a rifle can defend behind walls.

[Caesar the Great]

I just don't see how you can keep your casualities so low, I end up losing 80-100 tanks by the end of the game, the axis just seem to have a limitless supply of bombers to kill tanks when I take cities.

[Smash]

Me too

I think it is the walls.Spys make short work of walls and then its a total mismatch.Never underestimate the power of spys and vet spys.Espionage is good plan.

That and probably knowing the scenerio like the back of his hand

I was kinda afraid to attack too early lest I be stretched too thin.But I think I give the scenario more credit than it is due.Aggressive appears to be the best way.I keep thinking Red Front

[La Fayette]

Originally posted by Caesar the Great
the axis just seem to have a limitless supply of bombers to kill tanks when I take cities.

...but you are allowed to build fighters. They 'always' suceed when attacking bombers. They very often lose when scrambling to defend a city, but when you lose a fighter (60 shields), you keep a tank (80 shields) and another fighter coming from another city close by should then come and destroy the bomber(120 shields). After a while the Axis (or any other civ for that matter) just can't afford it.

[La Fayette]

Originally posted by Smash

That and probably knowing the scenerio like the back of his hand

This is perfectly true.
I have played this map before
Still, I enjoy it every time , since playing with another civ really makes for a different game.

[Scouse Gits]

Incredible result M. LaFayette - [1] is still playing (hoping for a 20th century victory)

The SGs trying to sober up

[Caesar the Great]

I have no problem getting '44 with the axis or the allies... I just can never get the russians to work fast enough, by the time I'm ready to attack its already mid '42 and I just don't have the tanks to get to America before '46.

I've tried going fundy and republic (that was a disaster) but vet spies in commie is probably the best bonus, especially since the Russian economy cannot really afford to bribe a lot of cities, so killing those walls ASAP is necessary.

[La Fayette]

Originally posted by Caesar the Great
by the time I'm ready to attack its already mid '42 and I just don't have the tanks to get to America before '46.

Have you tried artillery?
IIRC Marquis de Sodaq has tested that, attacking vet riflemen behind walls, the results are much better with artillery than armours (and the losses are cheaper: 50 shields each, instead of 80).
The problem is: 1 move instead of 3. You need more engineers in order to build RR before any attack.

(yet, I prefer vet spies )

[Smash]

Artillery is strong enough but losses will be large.Can't see it being overly fast unless you really got lucky in combat.

I looked at my casualties and they are not quite as bad as I thought.Not good though,especially considering there numerous major objectives left

1 engineer
1 fanatics
6 alpines
17 armor
6 fighters
1 bomber
2 transports
1 diplomat
45 artillery

[Caesar the Great]

AND artillery have no hope of defending a conquered city, maybe some combination of the 2 would be ideal...