• Please post your stategy for this game. Many people feel the Germans have the advantage but you may have a counter. Post it.


  • I am currently working on my thoughts on this topic. Hopefully I will have them organized and cogent by tomorrow afternoon.


  • To me these are the key goals of Allied strategy.

    1. The Allies must prevent the Germans from commandeering supplies and trucks.
    2. The towns of Eupen, Verviers and Liege must be denied to Germany.
    3. The Allies must prevent the fall of Bastogne.
    4. Allied aircraft should be used to attack German hexes with both supplies and trucks in them.

    Point 1
    The Axis will have supply problems and trucking problems if you can extend the game long enough. Do not ease that burden by sharing Allied trucks and supplies.

    The Allies should not bring unneeded supply tokens or trucks onto the board during reinforcement. Calculate the supplies needed to conduct the next turn’s combats and movements and bring only that many supplies into play. Position them in hexes that will not fall into enemy hands and that require the least number of trucks. Avoid placing supplies and trucks in hexes adjacent to German units.

    The Allies should take pains to use every supply in a hex that might fall into German hands. It may be worth it in some cases to attack several hexes from one hex just to use supplies.

    The Germans have fewer trucks than the Allies. They get two less supply tokens a turn and must use far more for moving and attacking. Units that overrun your supply laden hexes will not need supplied by truck. This will allow Germany more flexibility in placing supplies and moving INF and ART that must move further than one hex.

    It is tempting to put trucks in hexes to increase that hex’s unit count in an attempt to preserve your combat units. This should only be done if the trucks will not be commandeered. The Axis trouble is two fold, too few trucks and too few supplies. Again do not ease this burden by sharing.

    Point 2
    The towns of Eupen, Verviers and Liege are worth 9 points. That is over a third of what Germany needs for victory. Infantry and Artillery units may be placed in these hexes directly from the  northern reinforcement chart. They do not need to be brought to the front lines by trucks (remember Point 1.)

    The key to holding these cities is the hex central to Eupen, Malmedy, Trois-Ponts, and Verviers. The central hex will allow you to prevent Eupen from being flanked. By preventing Eupen from being flanked units that must retreat from German assault on Eupen will be able to fall back into Verviers. If Germany holds this hex those units would be destroyed. If the Allies manage to maintain units in Eupen the retreating units are easily marched back from Verviers.

    This hex also exerts zone of control over the road from Malmedy to Werbomont. Slowing use of that road or forcing Germany to use extra supply for a blitz move. Should you hold this hex and Eupen falls the defense of Verviers is aided by allowing Germany to attack only from Eupen and giving the Allies two hexes to counterattack the sieging units. For a hex with neither city nor road it is vitally important. Contest control of that hex as bitterly as you fight for Eupen and Verviers and Liege and the city in Point 3.

    Point 3
    Bastogne is a 4 point city and directly to its West is Ortheuville a 3 point city. Just like the real Battling Bastards of Bastogne the Allied player must fight for this crossroads city. Key to doing this are the hexes to the NW and SW. This will allow you to base your supply in Ortheuville (less trucks again.) Supplying three hexes from one is very efficient. Holding these hexes will keep Bastogne from getting flanked and allow units that are forced to retreat a place to retreat to and from there an opportunity to move back into Bastogne. The theory here is similar to Point 2.

    Stack Bastogne as high as possible and don’t be afraid to attack from Bastogne in all three easterly directions. If initiative is won consider a spoiling attack of this sort as your first strike.

    The hex to the NW of Bastogne exerts ZOC over La Roche, the unnamed hex to its east and Houffalize. This should keep the Axis from trying to come in behind Bastogne and hamper their supply if they march on Werbomont.

    Another benefit of maintaining these hexes is that the Axis can not supply a bypass or siege attempt from a central hex. Germany can not supply a three hex assault on Bastogne from a single hex. When the planes hit the skies Germany will have to leave units out of the assault to provide additional AA dice or bring his trucks into the front lines (risking not being able to return them off board for resupply duties) or hope the Allied pilots are lousy at strafing. This brings us to Point 4.

    Point 4
    The Allies must hold out until air power can tip the balance to their favor. When the weather clears German supplies and trucks will be vulnerable to Allied air attacks.

    Germany is faced with this dilemma beginning with the movement and reinforcement phase of turn 4-“Do I risk leaving trucks and supplies only in hexes or do a I risk bringing trucks to the front where I may not be able to remove them to the off board area?” Ideally both sides want to keep their supplies and trucks out of  front line hexes. In front line hexes supplies and trucks are at risk of being captured or destroyed.  With the three to one superiority in Allied air power Germany is faced with a no win decision.

    Germany wants his trucks and supplies in hexes with the greatest variety of units. During the AA phase each player gets one die for each type of unit in a hex for a possible 5 dice (armor, artillery, infantry, trucks and supplies.) Unfortunately this type of hex is usually in an Allied zone of control. Trucks in such a hex can not return to the off board area for the next turn’s resupply. Germany can not cover all trucks and supplies with aircraft as they have to few. They must cover them with a variety of units. They can do this by moving them to the front lines or holding units back from the front to cover supplies. Both of these options work to the Allied favor-the no win situation.

    If the Allies choose key hexes when placing aircraft the best Germany can do is match the Allied commitment even if Allied aircraft are split into three groups. I do not recommend splitting your aircraft into more than three groups of 3 fighters and 1 bomber each. I advocate using massed aircraft on the key point of supply for assault on a hex you want to keep. Pulverize one spot as opposed to trying to chip several. Destruction of one supply depot can shut down a whole thrust of Axis assault.

    By destroying supplies and trucks you can neutralize far more units than you can by combating those units. If Germany doesn’t have enough supplies they will not be able to attack from all of their hexes or be able to move into a hex they have cleared of Allied units. Denial of supplies is as effective if not more so than the destruction of combat units.

    If Germany moves trucks into hexes that will provide additional AA dice don’t be afraid to go after it especially en-masse. Whatever aircraft survive will hit something Germany doesn’t have enough of.

    Final Thoughts
    As this game is far more fluid and subject to many more vagaries of the dice specific move recommendations aren’t really applicable beyond recommendations for first turn retreats. You must concentrate on and bear in mind overall goals. The first thought should be, “Does this hold the Axis until air power can even things up?” The second thought or question you must ask for each decision is, “Does this deny Germany supplies.”

    I have left unspoken that a continuous line should be maintained if possible. While I feel that obvious to even the most novice of players it should be said.

    This is rough pass at this and other thoughts and ideas are welcome. I do not have enough games in to say there isn’t another way to victory. My experience shows this to be the most successful approach so far.

    Here are my first turn recommendations for units that are forced to retreat:

    Units in the 99th INF hex in the Northern most hex when forced to retreat should retreat to Eupen.

    Units in the 2nd INF, 99th INF, and 106th INF hexes should fall back on the Part of 9th Armor hex to the East of Malmedy.

    The 28th if it survives should fall back due west toward Houffalize.

    Units in Clervaux and Diekirch if forced to retreat should link up with the other part of 9th Armor west of Diekirch.

    The 4th INF should fall back due west if it survives to retreat.


  • OMG wow! this is very detailed!


  • That was the overall strategy of the last game we played and the first one that was close. It came down to perfect dice for Germany on the last battle to force the Allies out of the final needed victory city. This was turn six. Germany would not have been able to re-supply for turn seven had they missed.

    On turn five I left two trucks in a ZOC I thought I would clear but didn’t get the “right” hits. I couldn’t extricate them nor did I have supplies to pull them out with a couple of units for cover. In turn five movement I couldn’t risk the supplies being destroyed by air so I brought 'em right to the front for max cover from AA and all aircraft. It was win or no trucks to bring on re-supply and hence lose.

    Just squeaked it out although I had like 4 hits out of 20 dice on two attacks on a big stack in Bastogne which if taken would also have been enough points for the win. I was able to finally evict the Allies from Verviers for the win.


  • So how do you concieve of a good german strategy to counter that you understand about the game?

    how do you do the following:

    allocate air power if you place last

    which cities do you attack what is the focus of the spearhead

    what do you do with the tanks do you blitz? what kind of stacks are optimal for combat (either as loses or attacks)


  • @Imperious:

    So how do you concieve of a good german strategy to counter that you understand about the game?

    how do you do the following:

    allocate air power if you place last

    which cities do you attack what is the focus of the spearhead

    what do you do with the tanks do you blitz? what kind of stacks are optimal for combat (either as loses or attacks)

    It is best to allocate air power last. If you win the air initiative you choose who places first which is huge for Germany. I typically (as Germany) try to cover the hex I advocate the Allies attacking- my key supply dump for a thrust of the attack. No matter when I place. Germany is woefully outnumbered and so far the best I’ve found you can hope for is to minimize the damage. The dogfighting reduces the number of planes (killing all of Germany’s usually) then your AA can reduce it further.

    Optimal stacks for combat are balanced. Especailly as you get to the aircraft turns as you get more AA dice. I like two Art in hexes I might have to attack two directions from. I know that “it depends” answers aren’t the most useful but it really does. A variety of units is good as it spreads the random casaulties around without weakening the hex overmuch.

    I will add more at lunch, work beckons.


  • I didn’t mention that if the Allies place first and don’t go after supplies I cover one of the hexes they do attack.

    Back to optimal stacks. I don’t think this game really has an “INF push mecahnic.” Hits are random and with the stacking limit of 12 units and INF only getting one attack dice a lot of INF in hex isn’t always to your benefit. The more dice that will wrap around their address the more INF you want to have. 2 INF and 2 ARM preserves the ARM but with 2 INF, 2 ARM and 2 ART everything is at equal chance of getting hit.

    It is easy for defending the more you want to hold a hex the higher you should stack it. For attacking the harder you want to swing the more ART, and ARM you need.

    Unlike Revised your ARM can’t be held back and brought up in movement. They have to be on the front at the end of movement. Also we aren’t in a war of attrition in this game. Hitting units that you can “kill” easily like a lone TRN in Revised may gain you nothing. Preserving units isn’t really a priority, holding or taking cities and towns is.

    Blitzing.
    I bet you have read a book called “The Blitzkrieg Myth” IL? You can move out ARM very fast but if the gas and ammo isn’t moving as fast you haven’t really got anywhere.

    Supplies are precious and using an extra one for moving had better have a payoff. A blitz behind a supply laden hex to cut it off from reinforcement perhaps. St. Vith is victim of this to first turn. I sometimes blitz thru Malmedy to the hex flanking Eupen. If you can get into Eupen and adjacent to Verviers quickly you can really hinder the Allies. Not blitzing far ahead of the INF and ART isn’t so much about preserving the ARM but protecting trucks and keeping the ARM working.

    Say we Blitz from Malmedy to Trois-Ponts, to Werbomont but the Allies can come out of the Northern cities and hamper supply to those units. Granted there are lots of points past Werbomont but can you get enough gas there to take them? I don’t think Germany has enough trucks for blitzing of that sort.

    Focus of the spearhead.
    This depends on the holes you can bunch on turn one. St. Vith and its supplies are critical. Malmedy also needs to be in German hands by turn two. Eupen and company are high on the list and I like to get at them quickly (getting units there I think is worth the Blitz cost.) You have to screen your units in that area even if you don’t intend to siege Eupen, Verviers and Liege but want to go “deep.”

    A thrust at Bastogne from the south is good. You might get a chance to bypass and go to Neufchateau via Martlegne without weakening your attack on Bastogne. I don’t have the map out but a quick dash along that southern road can keep the Allies in front of you.

    In the broadest sense I think the line should look either smooth or “bulge” to the east. The middle of the board a valley between two mountains shape. Trying to make a clockwise encirclement of Bastogne and of Eupen et al. Never locked into anything other than protecting my supplies and trucks and making due haste.


  • I bet you have read a book called “The Blitzkrieg Myth” IL?

    Thats not one i have read. I have about 4 or 5  books written by Germans on biltzkrieg:

    Panzer leader by guderian

    Lost victories by manstein ( my favorite)

    Panzer battles by von Mellinthin

    Infantry Attacks by Rommel

    and another Rommel book ( not sure about name)


  • I have not read any of those. My reading on WWII is pretty pedestrian. The basic contention of the book is that Blitzkrieg was not some great innovation but an invention of the Allies to cover the fact that they were caught with their pants down. On a more substantive note he compares average advance per day to advances in WWI and on how wide a front they are and contends that they do not indicate a radical change in technique. The amount of advance is not dependent on tanks but on the support units. Quick read. You’ll probably find it pretty light if you choose to make time for it.

    http://www.amazon.com/Blitzkrieg-Myth-Misread-Strategic-Realities/dp/0060009772/sr=1-1/qid=1167271976/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-7930891-4837762?ie=UTF8&s=books

    I found myself thinking about it as soon as I saw the Blitz rule article on AH. During the first BOTB game I played I kept not blitzing because I wouldn’t be able to shoot with those units later. I keep meaning to make time for the Guderian book I always seem to pick it up when I’m in a store with a copy but never buy it or take it out of the library.

  • Founder TripleA Admin

    Hey Frimmel, I’m going to post that strategy on the website, okay?


  • Feel free to do so. Double check my spelling if you don’t mind.  :-)

    edit:
    Do you want me to combine the Allied and Axis strats into one paper first? Maybe do a draft of the whole thing first?

  • Founder TripleA Admin

    Unless they are not separable, I prefer that they are two different articles. I will post each as soon as you give me the final go ahead.


  • Alright let me work them up a little more formally. The Allied strategy wasn’t meant to be that long. I think I can clean it up a bit. The same goes for the Axis strategy post. I’ll give them a once or twice over and pass them on to you as two separate pieces. I would like to add an intro to each if they are going up on the main page. I’ll e-mail them to you as either word or pdf or plain text. Do you have a preference?


  • I have the Allied portion completed with intro. It is ready for review and posting. The Axis version is going to need a bit more editing. I think I can have it completed by Sunday.

  • Founder TripleA Admin

    Well, actually, if you want to save me a bunch of time, do it in HTML.  :-D

    Otherwise a PDF is fine. If you limit the amount of formatting that you use to font size and font weight (bold, etc.) then that will be a time saver too.


  • I could probably manage the HTML. PDF is certainly no problem. I did not use any bold or italics in anticipation of it not being easy to translate. Where do you want me to send the files?


  • Enough about articles for the minute.

    I wanted to look at the map and the only one I had on this computer was IL’s from his BOTB variant ruleset. I found it very amusing to find a city with a road going thru it in a hex I advocate the Allies fighting for. The OOB map has nothing there. Unsure what conclusions can be made from that but it seemed worthy of note.

    I guess we don’t have a lot of BOTB players yet? This discussion has been a trifle one-sided.

  • Founder TripleA Admin

    I don’t get much of an opportunity to play.

    IL, do you have the original scans from which your maps was made? It would be nice to have a digital version of the standard BotB map. If we have that, we can number the hexes. The sooner we have one map out there, numbered, and promoted then the less likelihood of there being multiple of these circulated.

    Frimmel, send your articles to david.jensen at axisandallies.org


  • I can easily tailor my expansion map for Bulge and remove the extra stuff and number the hexes. It will take time to do this …probably no earlier than sunday. Ill email it when its done.

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