[WarInEur] Attrition a New Look

[SGMINFO at aol.com]

In a message dated 22/07/2007 10:01:20 GMT Daylight Time, foufut at yahoo.com  
writes:

a very  unconvincing sell.

"Axis units at 40-50% strength? Big deal. looks  like
the Allies were in the same boat, but no metion  of
that.





Actually, you are correct on that point, but that is in stark contrast to  
the general criticism of the concepts behind this option. Most theorising on  
this point has repeatedly underscored the central idea that this option  
crucially weakened the offensive, and makes France 1940 an unreplicatable  shambles 
with a weakened German offensive petering out inevitably short of  Paris, in 
utter exhaustion, piles of 10-8s at 90% attrition heaped there  useless, to the 
Agressive Panzer player.
 
The interplay of forces would appear to be a deal more complex in  
experience, and not necesssarily solely to the defenders advantage.
 
When a full scale OST front opens, the prospects are anything but  obvious.
 
In terms of historicity, the operational strengths of the Panzer force seem  
to approximate with figures found in the French Campaign.
 
For the British, the days of the free "bash the Italians", on their entry  
into the war, are now starkly removed.
 
The effect on the Axis players style of strategic play, is significant. The  
ahistorical tour de force mopping up western Europe after France 1940 is 
stopped  in its tracks, and the Yugoslavian misadventure has more realistic 
consequences  in terms of states of readiness for the upcoming Russian campaign.
 
Note it does not stop this behaviour in any real sense, but gives the  
Germans greater pause on consequences rather than doing such invasion "sinply  
because he can". This in turn, may be a useful learning experience, giving some  
different insights and appreciations.
 
Now there will always be those who do not find this to their taste, and  
others who do. These polarised positions are catered for with the fact that the  
effects are completely optional.
 
Certainly in my personal experience of the game in this guise I find myself  
very conscious of problems:-
  Shortages of ready trained reserves, effectively ill equipped and  trained 
forces that I desperately need to use, but must forego, or throw them  away 
ineffectually because they are not fit to hold their place in the line. A  
familiar position to those in the autumn 1844 situation in France...or Poland at  
the same time.
 
As with many options, the effects may tend to polarise positions, both  sides 
seeking to illustrate their points with examples of gameplay. The fact  that 
both sides might do this, indicates a not altogether one sided effect from  
this.
 
 But as can be said. Those who hate the concept, can simply turn it  off, and 
be no more troubled by it.
 
 
In terms of hard experience, the jury is still out, but some of the effects  
seem to have a better subjective feel, to my mind.
 
-|steve|-



   
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