Games, AARs, and rambling.

[Ming]

Gentlemen.

I've been on a small hiatus from the board and Europe Aflame. I see a new version has come out.


Well, I'd very much like to start up a new game (Preferably an Eastern Crusade with myself as Allies. Been trying to get someone to play a full one of those against me for . . . about a year now.) against an experienced (or at least skilled) player. I don't necissarily need a JAMIAM or someone of his caliber, but I'd like someone who thinks they've got a better than even money chance of winning.


So, any takers?

In addition, I see there's been a small surge of AARs in the recent (and not so recent) past. Over the summer I completed a 1.5 not so historical game against Warze. I began working on an AAR (in color!) of my supreme victory. Unfortunately, I never completely finished it and it has languished on my computer unviewed by anyone but myself. However, I personally find the individual campaigns within the Europe Aflame scenario more interesting than the overreaching scenario. As such, I've uploaded the uncompleted AAR to the web and you can view it if you would like. I began making it in the same tradition of Siberian HEAT's excellent AAR (with lots of photographs and historical color) formerly linked by the EA website. Unfortunately, I haven't edited too much of it, so I switch between referring to the allied commander (myself) in the third and first person and a few other literary blunders.

The game itself was very interesting as it was a traditional campaign featuring the siegfried line, Swedish and Turkish entry into the war, seesaw initiative, and even a disastrous 'Market Garden' style shoestring operation. The game ended in mid 1943 as American and Commonwealth troops entered Berlin only a a week or so ahead of the Russians. Well, without further ado, here is the partial AAR if you are interested.
The Greater War (http://www.missouri.edu/~brf018/TOAW)

[Siberian HEAT]

Ming, have you played Raver yet? Everyone else has, and it is your turn now :D

I like your style in the AAR department! I plan on reading them at work tomorrow LOL.

[Ming]

Ah, my thanks. :)

I noticed Raver's solicitation for a game in week or so old thread. If he still wants another game, I'm up for it. I can usually do at least one turn a day.


I'll try to add a small outline of what occured in the campaigns I didn't complete.

[Mantis]

I'd love to get another one going with you, Brandon, but I've got too much on the table right now, and pretty much the next few games I start I need to be Allied to 'balance my skills'.

I'd still love to play you again sometime, tho. Hopefully sometime in the future (once I complete a game or two) we can have another go!

Good luck in your new games!

[Tex]

What exactly is the definition of a Eastern Crusade game? Merely the extention of the Maginot and Siegfried lines, with anything goes from there?

[Mark Stevens]

Quite a lot more, actually. It's only really possible if the Allies choose the Option to extend the Maginot Line to the sea pre-War. If this happens several Events come into play. The Germans may choose an Option to pressure the Poles into an attack on the USSR - the idea being that extending the Maginot Line would signal French grand strategy as purely defensive, and undermine any attempts to sponsor an anti-German league (sometimes called the 'Little Entente') in Central Europe. If the German Player goes for this route, the Allied Poles are disbanded and replaced by a formation of Axis Poles, which the Gernam Player then controls in the normal way. The Germans usually erect the Siegfried Line to cover their western border and the game starts with a German-Polish invasion of the USSR. The Axis is likely to get the Baltic States, Rumanians, Hungarians, Finns and Bulgarians as full Axis allies, plus a few Ukrainian guerillas and partisans around the general area of Kiev. In compensation, the Russians mobilise more reinforcements, and more quickly, than they did historically. Greece and Yugoslvia may mobilise as neutrals, not Allies, but this will at least enable them to adopt far better defensive deployments than they start with. Provided the Germans don't provoke the Western Allies by declaring war on Switzerland, the Low Countries, Norway, Greece or Yugoslavia (or, obviously, Britain and France), they cannot respond with a declaration of war on Germany, and the French remain locked in their pre-War deployment. There are various %age triggers to allow them to declare war on Germany as the Axis invasion of the USSR progresses, so the Axis Player must watch his back. In addition to this, the US Entry Level rises as the Germans push deeper into Russia. Many players find this an interesting variation on the historical campaign, although I have to admit that it's purely speculative.

[Tex]

Thanks, Mark, for the explanation.

[Raver]

Originally posted by Siberian HEAT
Ming, have you played Raver yet? Everyone else has, and it is your turn now :D

I like your style in the AAR department! I plan on reading them at work tomorrow LOL.

Damn it! I just cant help myself. I've got one eastern crusade game style game going at the moment against Sky Von, with me playing as the Germans so I have some experience of this. Not sure about your skill level - I am certainly no Jam or Heat, but hey, all this experience must count for something right?!

Also would be interested in inputting a German perspective if you're planning on doing an AAR of this?
:banana:

Oops ... obviously though I'm quoting Heat here, I am talking mainly to Ming.

:banana: :banana: :banana: .... that should keep our illustrious section leader happy :)

[Mark Stevens]

Ming's AAR is in fact very well written and illustrated. Probably a pathetic question on my part, but how do you create screenshots for posting on the Board? Can you do it just by some sort of 'save game' function, or do you need a separate utility to do it? Good illustrations certainly greatly enhance these AARs.

[Ming]

Originally posted by Mark Stevens
Ming's AAR is in fact very well written and illustrated. Probably a pathetic question on my part, but how do you create screenshots for posting on the Board? Can you do it just by some sort of 'save game' function, or do you need a separate utility to do it? Good illustrations certainly greatly enhance these AARs.

I don't think there's a simple way of screen capturing directly from the TOAW program. I just hit the print screen button and pasted into some editing software.

Those pictures are far too big to use on the web. I needed to compress and reformat them in a 3rd party program.

For this AAR I actually used three graphic programs. This was due to a number of reasons ranging from my familiarty with a certain program and the outdatedness of the software. (There was a program I knew how to use, but it couldn't do everything I needed.)

Thanks for the praise Mark. If I ever find the time I just may (someday) finish off the AAR (I still have all the turns) Of special embarrassment is the lack of the Eastern Front, Karelian and Italian campaigns.


Raver, i'm quite willing to give it a go. If you fancy playing the Germans, send me a turn. Ming@alloymail.com. And Mantis, no worries. I certainly understand. It was damn fun while it lasted.

[Palantir]

Just a thought,

Is there anyone who has the screen shot thing down to an art?

I think we would get more AAR's if someone could provide the screenshot ability to do it.

EX.
Write the AAR background for your game, then send the appropriote .sav /.pbm file(s) to the "artist" for the map turn you want added to the commentary (or even the background info).

Sort of a cut and paste for the artist, who could then send it back or just post it here.

Just thinking out loud.

Kerry

[Chuck?]

Originally posted by Ming

I don't think there's a simple way of screen capturing directly from the TOAW program. I just hit the print screen button and pasted into some editing software.


I think I'll start doing it this way too.

[Mantis]

Piece of cake. Remember all the screens I posted for the Africa battles with Ming? You can DL the shareware version of Screentaker off the net. It allows 'arbitrary rectangle' captures (drag a box, ala selecting multiple units in an RTS game), and if you lower the quality to about 85, they come out quite small. Be sure to set the format to jpg, tho!

http://www.winsite.com/bin/Info?500000026263

[Mantis]

Quick example. In an agreement to have an oddball game, I've erected the Siegfried line, foregoing the Case Yellow bonus, ignoring the Low Countries, and blitzed the Swiss out in one turn. This is the front a few turns later.

[Mantis]

(Kerry is my worthy opponent in the above game).

[Siberian HEAT]

Originally posted by Mantis
(Kerry is my worthy opponent is the above game).


Hmmmm, that gives me an idea :hmmm:

[Mantis]

Elucidate!

In private if you wish.

:alien:

[Siberian HEAT]

Originally posted by Mantis
Elucidate!

In private if you wish.

:alien:

I am just starting a 1.8a game against Kerry. What worked once, might work twice :cheeky:

[Mantis]

You mean the Swiss option? If you pull off the initial attack ok, it's intruiging. You get the seigfreid line at the cost of the bonuses, but you have a lower overall US EV if you also skip the Low Countries. Nothing will activate the L.C. against you, ever; so only the Allies can bring them up on your side with a DoW. Testing shows that while they aren't powerhouse Axis allies when they join, they add FAR more to the defence than any Axis player would have sitting camped out there. It's definately not an optimal attack strategy, but to try something different, especially if you think those forts might come in handy later... :)

If that's not what you're talking about, I'll shut up now! :laugh:

[Siberian HEAT]

Originally posted by Mantis


If that's not what you're talking about, I'll shut up now! :laugh:

That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about! However, I enjoy ripping through the Low Countries so probably will avoid Switzerland. Or maybe I am just SAYING I will avoid Switzerland to keep Kerry guessing??? :rifle:

[jaugusto72]

Maybe the idea is a attack in france sending soldiers in Spain..using italian help.....it is very chaotic....maybe the better is forgeve all and shaken the hands...

Jose Augusto