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View Full Version : Yay! I beat Elmer! (or how I learn not to fear Defence and love the Axis)


Drakken
29 Oct 07, 22:39
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5655/rrdrakvselmer10bit0.jpg

Elmer playing Allies, me Axis to practice after the slaughter against murphstein.

This is the second part of Turn 10, me playing Axis. I've just received my last reinforcement units, but since I play in second I could just End the turn and get the overwhelming victory. :devious: :smoke: :laugh: :D

Comments :

a) I destroyed the bridge south of Montecchio way too soon, stucking my well-furnished Axis line south of the Foglia river. It is almost a gambit, since blowing the bridge was a matter of expediency (see below). While it meant that these units were sacrificed to the Allied lions, it had also the advantage of distracting many of the Allied center into trying to push them away instead of either trying to bridge an assault on Montecchio or supporting either the West or East attacks. I could at least retreat several of my units eastward toward the Pesaro front of defence.

b) I've been able to maintain a stable, controlled defensive line south of Pesaro with my divided infantry units. It was never really threatened throughout the game. I could even send them some Stug reinforcements from the Pesaro garnison.

c) The Allies rushed the Montecalvo bridge and displaced my defence stand by Turn 3, before I could even blow up the bridge. :(

d) It is really necessary to keep an infantry line along the Gothic line west of Montecalvo. If not, the Allies can rush there and exploit the hole for a flank attack. Delaying them there can allow reinforcement to furnish the Gothic line at necessity.

e) Turn 5 is when the Axis can begin to shine, when reinforcements that can withstand the Allies juggernaut easier come almost every turn. The main strategy is thus to delay the Allies enough that both the Allies lose their airpower (and their Interdiction capability) and the Axis reinforcements arrive.

f) Control your retreat. If you feel you cannot hold a line, go back a few hexes toward your bridges and dig-in again.

g) Never allow a hole in your lines. Even a single armored brigade passing behind your lines can wreck your defence. I had to blow the bridge of Montecchio sooner than expected because of a Allied tank brigade breakthrough...

Feel free to add your comments and/or questions.

JAMiAM
30 Oct 07, 02:42
Congratulations, and posrep for the Dr. Strangelove reference...;)

Drakken
30 Oct 07, 11:02
Thank you! :)

I have a question, though: Do Artillery units placed in Tactical support behind the lines participate in the defence of a neighboring unit? I ask, because during Allied turns I haven't seen any mention of Axis Artillery supporting and bombarding attacking units...

After my last game, I am also reflecting about a possible Axis defensive strategy option, consisting of blowing every single bridge in the first turn (or by Turn 2 at most) and using the Units south of the Foglia Bridge as buffer to slow down the Allies and hinder its movement, while the infantry units on the other side of the river man the flanks of the Gothic line.

If it works, I will officially dub this strategy the "Gothic Gambit" (or Drakken gambit... hehehe). I will test it out in the next few days against Elmer and report about it. If it doesn't, well we'll forget about it.

JAMiAM
30 Oct 07, 12:11
Thank you! :)

I have a question, though: Do Artillery units placed in Tactical support behind the lines participate in the defence of a neighboring unit? I ask, because during Allied turns I haven't seen any mention of Axis Artillery supporting and bombarding attacking units...

They do. You should see it at the very top of the combat report. Provided, of course, that they pass any required comm checks.

General Staff
31 Oct 07, 12:00
After my last game, I am also reflecting about a possible Axis defensive strategy option, consisting of blowing every single bridge in the first turn (or by Turn 2 at most) and using the Units south of the Foglia Bridge as buffer to slow down the Allies and hinder its movement, while the infantry units on the other side of the river man the flanks of the Gothic line.

If it works, I will officially dub this strategy the "Gothic Gambit" (or Drakken gambit... hehehe). I will test it out in the next few days against Elmer and report about it. If it doesn't, well we'll forget about it.Congratulations- after reading some of Murphstein's analyses I think you were unfortunate up against a very incisive new player- he must be a software engineer or similar ;-) .

I'd hold the bridges open as long as you can to facilitate escape and far better supply (I always keep this on) as needed. You can look at sections on disengagement to see which units are best qualified to blow and manage to retreat back as the last man across- HQs, Arty and high recce units.

Also if threatened and you need to blow them earlier than you'd like, don't forget some of your engineers have fording capacity (including major to get over super rivers). Useful for helping to ford and dig in at 17,12 and 18,11/12 to try to hold Pesaro that bit longer.

Also a greatly improved Elmer is more likely to use human unit (wave?) assaults against you, whereas another human will probably and sensibly use more arty-resistant units like armour. Then move in infantry and dig it in to hold the ground if taken.