[WarInEur] limitations of Gaming

[SGMINFO at aol.com]

Bob writes:-
 
 
I don't play the France 1940 period all that often (I am a Barbarossa  freak) 
 
This much seems right and wrong about the 1940 WIE.
1) the  Axis counters are far superior- this makes counter attacks--which 
worried the  Germans grey-haired in planning Case Yellow--
not all that feasible
2) The  Historical German planners were fairly certain that any battering ram 
style  campaign would result in no better than a draw. In WIE, the oppostite 
is fairly  clear: no line can hold if Brit cooperation is strictly limited or 
if the  reduced combat values are in effect: A german 10-8 is simply too  
superior
to  a French 3-4.  If all else fails the Axis can always  bash its way into 
Paris. 
3) Once trench warfare is allowed [i.e the 3-4's  become (6)-0's] the French 
do have enough combat points to hold a line.
4)  This creates a sort of  rush to decision  which accidently? simulates  
the OKH ultimate preference for trying for a big win rather than simply 
the  conquest of a buffer zone. 

Based on your accounts and that of others  using attrition in 1940 the two 
Armies on the march are wearing themselves to  ineffectiveness 
during a frantic period of mobile warfare. The allies  problem seems to be 
that having initially been caught out of position by the  Axis choice of focal 
point, they are wearing themselves out "simply marching to  the guns" and this 
creates a sort of disorganized defense much like the  makeshift ones that the 
Axis actually fought their way through. 

I would  note that the attrition option in War in the East has a rather 
useful side  effect.  The Soviets have a massive rail capacity which can be used to 
get  troops to the frontier without attrition, unfortunately they need much 
if not  most of this capacity to withdraw Manufacturing centers from the 
frontier in the  opening turns.  In the pre-attrition game my Soviets have it both 
ways, by  splitting the capacity 30/30 and letting the Militia and Moscow 
reserve march  forward for two or three weeks to get into the Axis out of supply 
zone for phase  II of the campaign.  This is a far less feasible strategy with 
attrition,  which means that more production centers will have to be written 
off or else the  RR capacity will not be free to deal with just troops until the 
Fall.  

BOB




   
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