ww2 'lurkers' thread

[La Fayette]

attention please!
If you are willing to take part in the ww2 comparison game, please refrain from reading this before you have finished playing the corresponding 10 turns.

Here is my report for the first 10 turns (june 1940 to february 1942):

The Russians are potentially powerful, but technologically backwards (at least compared with the Axis and the Allies) and they badly need an improved transportation network.

How to improve science?
Building libraries and universities would be long and costly. I choose to set the science slider at zero and be prepared to:
- deliver numerous freights to the Axis before they sneak attack;
- steal the Axis any tech they own as soon as I feel I am able to bear the consequences of their sadness;
- swap with the Allies if I get something they haven't discovered yet.

How to build RR ?
Engineers, of course, lots of them.

What about a sneak attack by the Axis?
Most of the Russian army is weak and obsolete, but:
- 4 fighters is not too bad to stop (or at least slow down) a heavy bomber attack;
- 4 armours (+ 6 more coming from Krasnoiarsk at max speed) is better than nothing to fight the panzers if they dare come to us;
- there is a lot of cannon fodder (non vet riflemen) in the numerous fortresses on the Western border and the cities nearby. The axis would need time to get rid of them.

Therefore I start building about 30 engineers and no military unit at all. Most engineers are at work already in October 1940. They are followed by a few armours, just in case, and many freights.
First freights come close to the Western border in june 1941. Celebrating cities would be fine to get higher returns on delivery, but 80% lux is required for most cities and we cannot afford it at once.
Hence a few freights are delivered first in order to raise cash and be able to bear the huge deficit of running a few turns with very high luxuries.
Axis bombers, armours and Alpine troops move to and fro along the border, but finally don't sneak attack.
In february 1942, we send 4 diplomats to the West. This means war, but the 4 techs that the Axis had ahead of us are now ours. The Allies agree to swapping Rocketry for Democracy, and we can switch our research to Espionage (to be discovered next turn, after so many freights delivered to the Axis).
Nach Berlin!

[Smash]

well I started.Don't know if i'll finish.

I also built engineers.48 to be exact.There is much to do.Aside from making a connected Rail line,engineers set about making rivers into railroaded forest rivers at Stalingrad,Gorky,Orsk and Kuibyshev.Also more mines at Sverdlovsk.

Airports are rushed in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk.Some armors head over land while others are airlifted.Now airlifting armor into Moscow at least every 2 turns..I will build no freight as after trading France for Advanced Flight,no more techs are required.Gold is raised thru selling off improvements,hire taxmen and,later,demanding tribute.

Road leading into Minsk and road between Kiev and Odessa are pillaged.

War breaks out at turn 3 iirc.No problem.Helsinki is immediately captured and Axis sue for peace.During this lull,I rush 19 armors,18 alpines,7 fighters and 8 artillery.These are swiftly moved to front cities by rail.Walls and barracks in front line cities.I am content to defend at the moment.

Power plants are built in high sheild cities that need them.End of Dec /41.I should have rushed 2 bombers to rotate a bomber stack near Minsk but this isn't Red Front

[geofelt]

I too built engineers, about 21. They just completed the great siberian trans continental railway. Spurs extended to the fortresses facing the axis. Early on, I built walls in the cities nearest the axis. After an engineer in every city that could support one, I built barracks and much artillery. By dec 1942, I had 44 artillery and 19 under construction. I was breaking even on gold at 80%.
In may 1943, the axis wanted peace, I agreed.
In june, 1943 they sneak attacked and I lost a few units in the forward fortresses. My engineers built railroads up to their cities, and the artillery took the cities with about a 20% loss rate. By stretching, I took berlin as well as the next three cities they moved their palace to. My dips now were able to bribe away a few more cities cheaply. In all, MY blitzkrieg netted 9 cities and a cease fire. I was losing 187 gold per turn, so I sold some improvements to raise gold, and am now producing caravans to get gold to bribe some more. My plan is to take rome and michelangelo's next so I can sell cathedrals .

[La Fayette]

Attention, please!
This post is about the second era (feb 42 to oct 43).
Refrain from reading if you are taking part and haven't played past oct 43 yet.

February 1942:
The Russian army (20 armours, about 15 spies under building, and 30 engineers) is almost ready to attack.
I choose Warsaw as first city to conquer, because there seems to be a direct RR to Cologne. My first rush should be Warsaw-Cologne-St Nazaire, since I wish to come close to the Atlantic ASAP and build 2 transports bound to sail to Washington (long voyage = better sail soon).

There is an opportunity cost, namely the risk to lose a number of units in flank attacks by the AI, but I hope it's worth it.

October 1943:
The rush #2, St Nazaire-Seville, has given me Magellan.
The 2 transports have crossed the Atlantic somewhat faster than previously expected. Washington and New York have been granted white flags.
During the voyage, the rush #3, Cologne-Milan-Rome, has given me Mike (after JSB). Most Cathedrals and Colloseums have been sold (just after most universities and libraries).
There is some hard fighting against the Allies, but this is a world war after all,... and the Russian army is much stronger now (67 armours), and the Axis is almost as weak as a chicken.
My main mistake has been not to pay enough attention to the balance between armours, spies and engineers.
I am short of spies (only 10) and slightly short of engineers (27).
26 Russian cities were ojectives. I have now conquered 20 more. This means 14 left. I would love to finish before the 6th of june 1944.