EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

[drdru7029]

Things to know

• A match between my brother and I, both of equal TOAW/EA experience
• We’ve played roughly 5-6 EA matches in the past, but have never made it past turn 60-70
• We’re committed to following it through this time
• We have agreed to exchange siterep logs throughout the game
• The house rules are in accordance with those set forth in the summary, with the following exceptions:
o Minor power units are not restricted to their national boundaries
o The North African restriction on German units is still in place
• I’ve added dates where I knew them, but in any case will have the turn number in parentheses
• The images were taken from map image dumps at the end of each turn. It might be a good idea to change to real-time screen captures though.
• This match has been ongoing for about two and a half months now, but due to the possibility of leaking sensitive intel/strategic plans, the turn summaries are being released retroactively at a rate depending on our current progress. E.g. I’ll talk about my Finnish strategy once that strategy has become clear to my opponent.
• This just started out as a personal log I would try to get to at important points in the game. Once I saw the wealth of AAR’s posted on this site, I thought I’d contribute my tiny portion in the hope that someone might feel just an inkling of the excitement I’ve gotten reading some of the existing reports. It probably won’t be very organized or systematic, and at times I may unwittingly leave out rather important turning points. Hopefully with time some kind of consistent structure will emerge. There will also be portions that are fairly well-developed followed by some that I just scribbled out in haste. With this disclaimer out of the way, I hope someone finds this report somewhat interesting!

Turn 2

It’s obvious that the Germans plan to invade Poland, a completely unsurprising move. Russia will be both conservative and aggressive in the sense that she won’t enter the war earlier than she should, but she will throw her might toward Finland/the Baltic States/Iran as soon as possible to try to ensure an extra buffer for the future war. She will also plan to attack East Poland (most likely) when the opportunity permits.

France and England look on in portentous apprehension.

 

[drdru7029]

T8 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

Key Objectives:

Short Term
• Take the Baltic States and East Poland
• Defeat Iran

Medium Term
• Defeat Finland
• Take Tripoli
• Secure Russia against a possible German invasion

(8)
Poland/Baltic States

Now in the heat of the battles for Poland/the Baltic States. Nearly every major city in both eastern and western Poland is under siege.

France and England have no choice but to formally declare war on Germany. “The road changed again, and yet again, and it was now too late and too far to go back, and I went on. And the mists had all solemnly risen now, and the world lay spread before me…” Though I fear it shall be a world charred with ash.

 

[drdru7029]

T9 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

(9)
Poland/Baltic States

No doubt ranking among the most foolish Allied moves of the war, the Russian army proceeded to directly attack the besieged cities without waiting for lack of supply to take effect. 8k losses later and all cities are still holding their ground. Lesson learned.

 

[drdru7029]

T12 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

9/16/1939 (12)
Summary

Eastern Poland and the Baltic States fell rather easily (with the exception of the infamous and premature Russian attacks), as it was thought they would. The more difficult task of Finland is about to begin. After wavering over this decision for quite some time, I finally decided that I have no choice but to attack. The alternative is to wait until Germany attacks and have to defend on two fronts. I must try to settle this now, while I still have time.

I am poised to settle the “Iran Problem” as well. Suffice it to say, Russia has all her eggs in 1.5 baskets (I don’t quite consider the Iranian operation a full ‘basket’), and the cost of failure would be too steep to imagine.
View attachment 34374View attachment 34375

 

[drdru7029]

T13-16 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

9/23/39 (13)

I just simultaneously invaded Persia and declared war on Finland!

9/30/39 (14)
Thoughts

I need to make sure to have Gibraltar secured. Malta as well. This is a must. Two British divisions will be shipped there over the next two turns.

(16)
Finnish Front

I have my Soviet armies amassed on the borders of Finland. I can’t wait too long or the Finns will be too entrenched.

I need to attack their second line, north of the Mannerheim. I can break it but with moderate losses. Still, I have the forces to lose and the price is worth paying.

I have to temper my initial expectations for this campaign, though. Success won’t come as easily as I once hoped. This game is full of surprises.

Iranian Front

Making steady progress. Slow going in the desert but I’m nearly unopposed on the road to Tehran. New intelligence indicates several Iranian divisions fortified in Kazyin. I suppose this will be the site of their last stand.

 

[drdru7029]

T18 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

(18) October 1939
Finnish Front

The most important battle of the war thus far was fought along the second Finnish line—and won! Russian troops broke through the second-line fortifications, continued their push upwards gaining a hex from reserve forces, and encircled the remaining fortified Finnish army! I estimate that this battle will have decisive effects, effectively breaking the back of the Finnish defensive perimeter. With their fortifications broken and tired troops in a retreated bunch, the Russian army will push through the isthmus and meet the first army group at the Mannerheim line. We will encircle and destroy that Finnish line which is the primary protectorate of Helsinki. If they move their forces from other choke points, my forces will be able to exploit the local loss of strength. The days of the Finnish state are numbered, dare I say. I just have to be sure to play my cards right and push through before the winter cease-fire comes into effect.

Petasamo has proven a stubborn stronghold, and I don’t foresee being able to take it in the short term without substantial losses. I shall have to be content with a continued siege of this important port.

The central Finnish choke point is also the location of my largest and most able concentration of troops, and all of my armored divisions. The Finns have wisely chosen Kuopio as their stronghold, and have made any breakthrough difficult as well as slow in coming. A waste of my robust armored divisions!

Before
View attachment 34399

After
View attachment 34400


Battle of France

The German strategy in France has become clear: they are to attempt a push directly through my northern line and toward Paris. Until this point (2 turns elapsed) the German army has broken the defenses of one hex, but they appear tired and undersupplied, and their losses have been relatively heavy. Unless they can break me at a major point in my line, I hope that their advance will remain slow and that my line will remain intact until the winter cease fire, where I can re-adjust and re-enforce. I still have been unable to repair the bridge across the Loire in Nevers, which is hampering the movement of several units from the Maginot line to the north. I’ll need to divert a special engineering squad to the area but this will take 3 turns to actually affect a repair. I should have done this earlier.

Meanwhile the Italian army seems to have been mobilized, but there has been no declaration of war yet. If Italy mobilizes so early this would probably mean bad news for France but good news for the war in the long run—the Italians were completely unprepared for a war, even at the time of their historical 1940 entry. A 1939 entry could only mean that I could exploit their weaknesses in North Africa and along the Yugoslavian border.

Franco-German line as of October 1939
View attachment 34401

 

[drdru7029]

T19 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

(19)
Battle of France

Good news on this front, I have retaken the land previously claimed by the German army. Truthfully the German advance is proving slower than I had imagined, and unless they can make a major breakthrough I see my position as being a strong one leading into the winter cease fire.

Still have not been able to repair the Loire bridge.

Finnish Front

The main Finnish division guarding the second line has been completely surrounded. There is no escape. My armies will likely face little resistance sweeping up the remnants of the 2nd line on the way to surrounding the 1st line.

 

[drdru7029]

T22 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

(22)
French Front

If there had to be an illustration accompanying the definition of ‘dark days of war’, this would be it. A brilliant and shocking pincer movement by the Panzers has trapped three full French army groups southeast of Calais. With no port access, there is no escape for them. Fully 15% of the French fighting forces will perish behind these lines, and perhaps 10k rifle squads. The Germans now have unfettered access to the west coast of France and England. France had to fall, but I wish it didn’t have to be in such spectacular fashion.

View attachment 34409

 

[sapper32]

Re: T22 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

Not good for you that one eh,Looks like your opponent is trying to knock France out of the war early maybe to turn on the east as soon as he can although with no extra shock bonus he must be taking heavy losses?

 

[drdru7029]

Re: T22 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

Yes, it looks like that's what he's trying to do. I was surprised at the early invasion, and very worried that France would be knocked out before the winter CF set in.

He has certainly taken heavy losses, which is my only consolation. I'll post a loss summary at the end of the French campaign!

 

[drdru7029]

T22 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

(24)
French Front

With nothing to lose, the trapped French forces attempt a breakout which results in a bloodbath. 6,000+ troops lost, no breakout.

At the same time, my earlier fears of a pre-CF fall probably won't be realized. I may be speaking too soon, but I don't see how the Germans can break through the line to Paris in 2-3 turns. Plus, they'll need the extra divisions to ensure that my trapped armies don't escape.

Finnish Front

A breakthrough! This shall alter the course of the Finnish war. Russian forces have penetrated a choke point and pushed through behind the vaunted Mannerheim line through to the Gulf of Finland, trapping the entire Mannerheim army! This occurs right before the winter cease fire, which will no doubt starve the fierce Finnish troops and allow for easy clean up when the cease-fire ends. With the horrible turn of events on the French front, this was certainly needed.

View attachment 34411

 

[drdru7029]

T25 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

(25)
Global

The long 10+ turn winter cease fire come into effect. This needed repose will allow the French line, having survived the initial '39 onslaught, to recompose itself, as well as allowing the Soviets to prepare for their push toward Helsinki.

One of my worries was that if France fell before the CF, and before Helsinki fell, I'd be faced with having to rearrange the entire Soviet army to prepare for a possible Axis invasion. I got lucky, and the '39 Axis invasion of France is in my eyes considered a failure in the larger scope of the game. The HRS losses after the fall of Paris will not be light.

Sending over an English engineering team to repair several bridges in France (the French engineers were all wiped out in the Calais pincer).

View attachment 34419

 

[drdru7029]

T36 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

(36)
Global

The long winter cease fire has finally ended, and with quite a bang. Heavy losses on both sides, as the German Panzers pound at the French line directly east of Paris and the Soviet army obliterates the remains of the Finnish Mannerheim line.

I spent the 11 CF turns reorganizing the whole of the Soviet/French positions, strengthening weak spots, moving Soviet armor where it belongs, and, generally, trying to increase the life span of Paris while decreasing that of Helsinki. By my own evaluation, I think both countries stand in fair shape.

Battle of France

The French line has held the initial German volley, but has taken extensive damage and the next turn will likely bring about the fall of at least two French fortifications, bringing the Germans one step closer to Paris. I conservatively estimate that without any major routes, Paris will fall within 4-6 turns. There is nothing that can be done to save France at this point; the battle is for time only. It should be noted that were it not for the major rout in late ’39 causing the encirclement of fully three French armies and the loss of the port guarding the English Channel, the French would actually be in a very strong position that would be able to withstand at least 10 turns.

View attachment 34426


Finnish Front

Thanks to the pre-winter cease fire entrapment of the Mannerheim line, the Russians are making quick work of the once-fiercely encamped Finns and setting up to make a final surge toward Helsinki. However, significant obstacles still remain. Two powerful Finnish divisions have set up at the last choke point on the way to Helsinki. I will not be able to penetrate this point without a pincer movement from the north. The Finns have set up two additional choke points blocking this pincer for the moment. Luckily the more critical point is not heavily guarded, and the Russian armored divisions are preparing to blast through it. This should be accomplished in 2-3 turns, albeit with substantial losses. Once the road has been cleared the tanks will move quickly, whether toward Helsinki for a direct assault or to pincer the southern choke point has not been decided yet.

Another objective of the Russian army is to break through the defenses at Salla to the north and reach the rail line from Sweden to Finland in order to interrupt any Swedish reinforcements in the likely event that they join the Axis upon the Russians nearing Helsinki.
6-9 turns conservatively for the fall of Helsinki.

View attachment 34427

 

[drdru7029]

T36+ EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

Interim Note

I’ve decided to change my Finnish strategy. After thinking things over I’m of the opinion that attempting to eliminate Finland altogether will prove too costly for the Russians. Several objectives have already been achieved: the near decimation of the Finns as an offensive force, the gaining of key choke points and most of the disputed territory, the obliteration of the Mannerheim line. I'm now thinking of working toward two objectives: the capture of Petsamo and the securing of the northern rail line from Sweden, linking Petsamo and Helsinki. This will cut off a supply point, stop any troop movement from Sweden, and further protect the Russian northern frontier. I should work toward the rail line now; Petsamo perhaps cannot be taken until I have T-34 armor support in a few months.

I'm distinctly aware that an attempt toward Helsinki would likely bring Sweden into the war.
If I don’t come too close to Helsinki Sweden may never enter. This is important. The war has been a success for the Russians and I should not risk doubling my already 20k+ casualties on this front.

 

[drdru7029]

T41 EA - A Match Between Brothers - Allied AAR

(41)

We have seen a whirlwind of turns over the last two days, so there are some interesting updates. I have to say that most of them concern fairly good news for the Allies.

Battle of France

First of all I’m stunned and amazed by the resilience the French have put up. They’ve held their line merely 3 hexes east of Paris to such an extent that the Germans have sustained what I think are major losses in trying to take the capital head on. My opponent must be realizing this as well, as he’s just changed course and now seems to be adopting a more southern (Ardennes) approach to the assault. I’ve stopped the Panzers! France will fall, I’m still sure, but not without a heavy cost for the Germans.

To the extent that my confidence in France has improved, I’ve shipped over two British units to bolster the defenses and provide Paris with an engineering unit to counter all those bridge bombing attacks by the Luftwaffe. I just hope I’ll be able to get them out when the time comes. In a far corner of my mind, Case Yellow disturbs my peace. Will Germany still have this option even though they invaded France and the Low Countries in ’39?

Finnish Front

The reversal of strategy is going well so far, and I’m keeping enough Russian units on the traditional front to try to convince him that I haven’t really changed course. I now have 5-6 mech corps surrounding Petsamo, but an assault at this point will still prove too costly. I may just have to make the sacrifice sooner or later.

My ‘rail-line’ campaign is moving along without incident, but supply seems to be running low and I am opening up another supply line as I write this.

Iranian Front

Tehran is surrounded but has ample supply and a reasonable defense. I’m in the process of shipping two armored units to the siege, without which the assault would be much more costly than I’m willing to allow.

View attachment 34462