RB PBEM #1 - Charlemagne [SPOILERS]

[mostly_harmless]

Unfortunately, I could not wait for my first artilleries to arrive and had to attack Dreylin's SoD outside Vienna this turn. Dealt quite a bit of damage. Got two Great Generals.

I assume he will use a spy to get a city revolt and use his fighters and remaining artillery to soften up the defenses.
But he should still be short of units to actually take Vienna, if I am right.
If the city revolt fails or does not happen at all, I think I am in a good position to hurt his first stack pretty badly.
Of course there are his northern troops who took Aryan and I am awaiting paratroopers as well now that he has Fascism and Flight. And he has plenty of troops in reserve near Vienna. I am actually surprised he did not keep Aryan as a base of operation or airfield for his northern troops. Last I saw a couple of turns ago, there were two transports ready to attack Aryan. Plenty to hold the ground.

mh

[Mr. Nice Guy]

I'm happy to see you haven't rolled over as it looked like you may last month. I, for one, have learned quite a bit following the PBEM, and you have continued to make tactics interesting. Thanks!

[mostly_harmless]

Dreylins northern force (8 Inf, as expected the load of two transports) is marching towards Brandenburg (my crap tundra/oil city). I timed my culture in a way, so it pops another ring and gets +20% defense on the interturn. There are also chops and reserve troops movements going on to defend Brandenburg.

Near Vienna Dreylin retreated his stack and reinforced it with some fresh defenders. He also used his fighters to strafe Vienna.

I sent some troops in pursuit (whatever was not too much damaged) and managed to kill some more of his army. From my first three artilleries I got this turn, two managed to retreat.

Only at the end of the turn did I notice that the wounded Vercingetorix CRIII Inf was top defender when I choose a certain Inf. At 68% odds I had to try and won.

I also got another Great General which I used to spread XP over 5 wounded units, allowing them to get the next promotion, heal some and attack at the same turn.

The GGeneral itself was used to lead my ancient warrior which got the free upgrade and is now a WoodsmanIII Inf. Lets see if I can get some kills from him in the northern theatre.

Apart from that I had to restrain myself to let some units heal, awaiting Dreylin's next attack.

mh

[mostly_harmless]

Looks like someone got himself a aircraft-carrier. So Dreylin's attack on Brandenburg will have air support. Well, he has 8 Inf there which I attacked with my airships, so 4 are wounded already. I have 3 MGs and 5 Inf as defenders (some of them nicely promoted) and there are still 16% cultural defense left.

Also his paratroopers are now visible to me (3 @ Mecca). From there they can only jump near Medina.
His worker is still constructing his forward airfield (fort) near Augsburg.

I did not follow his wounded army and left all my troops heal instead.
I could use my healthy airships for recon and I can see some more reinforcements coming.

I forgot to put Vienna on a 1turn artillery last turn and continued Ironworks instead.
I also forgot to offer sooooo Artillery last turn.

I am almost done with upgrading troops and will save some cash for sooooo to finish flight and then upgrade airships to fighters.

mh

[mostly_harmless]

Completely wiped out Dreylin's 8 northern Infantries, losing only one cavalry. (got three withdrawn artilleries. Yay!). The last 0.4health Inf was mopped up by a anciient spearman.
My troops at Vienna are fully healed and back in their barracks.
I prevented his paratroopers to jump near Augsburg last turn, by blocking the 4 possible landing sites with cheap explorers and my Great Scientist.
Now his forward airfield is ready, which opens up 15 possible landing sites, threatening Augsburg, Nuremberg and Prague. I managed to block all of them for now. The plan is to wait for my northern defenders to heal and move closer before I risk opening up landing sites again.
Dreylins main army south of Vienna still needs to heal a bit.
I expect him to make another landing or to on the coast in time with his big stack moving in at Vienna again.
If he gets the timing right, I am in trouble.

I cannot use my airships anymore (Fighters will shred them), except for recon, which I did, so I have a good picture of the force balance at the frontlines.

All my forces are considered front line troops. I got (incl. next turn):
30 Inf (+2Muskets)
12 MGs
6 Cav
10 Art
12 Airships
I can still draft a lot in a utmost emergency (have not done that a lot yet).

Dreylins forces near my borders consist of:
28 Inf (+20 Rifles +9Janissaries)
4 Paratroopers
6 MGs
10 Cav
9 Art (+6 Cannons)
15 Fighters
8 Airships
+ assorted ancient units and a navy (2 carriers).
There might be more units hidden on transports and beyond the range of my airships.

All in all, I am quite happy to have held the fort for so long. The loss of my coastal cities hurt, but they were undefendable.

I hope I will get Flight from sooooo next turn, so I can update my airships to fighters. Next stop is Industrialism. Far in the future.

mh

[regoarrarr]

Do you have railroad, and if so, would it be that bad if he managed to land paratroopers in your back lands?

Pics would be nice

[kalin]

I prevented his paratroopers to jump near Augsburg last turn, by blocking the 4 possible landing sites with cheap explorers and my Great Scientist.

This is most hilarious Uses for a great scientist: lightbulb, academy, golden age, prevent enemy paratroopers from landing .

Kalin

[sunrise089]

This is most hilarious Uses for a great scientist: lightbulb, academy, golden age, prevent enemy paratroopers from landing .

Kalin

It's funny, but kind of silly. Normally strength 0 units require a movement point to capture but don't otherwise block a tile.

Very well done overall MH. May I ask how you're producing your units? Are you slow-building all of them, or are you slaving?

[mostly_harmless]

I do have railroads in place, but my quick reaction force had to deal with the northern incursion first before it can regroup and face any paratroopers.
In a couple of turns, when I have my ground troops in place and 6 fighter wings covering the sky, I will only hug the high grounds and forests. Lets see whether he dares to land on flat terrain.

I tested that scouts/explorers, workers/settlers, and Great people and of course military units prevent paratroopers from landing. Spies don't.

In the early turns of the current war, I had to draft quite a lot, but have not done so for quiet a while. I had to learn the hard way that drafted Infantry costs two pop points.
The last turns I focused on getting artilleries up.
I assume Dreylin can outproduce me 2:1 so I have to make sure my units survive longer. Therefore I won't mount any offensive actions. Being the defender kind of levels the force balance. There is currently a little window in which Dreylin has completely air-superiority. The complete Vienna theatre is covered by two of his cities (one of which has a airport).

No slavery civic at the moment. My Heroic epic city produces 1turn Inf and Art, so I'd rather save the turn of anarchy for the big retreat and scorched earth scenario.

I will try to post some pictures later tonight.
I was assuming Dreylin is updating his thread regularly with "censored" front reports? :D
I am also interested whether he is actually feeling the effects of the Statue of Zeus at all.

mh

[mostly_harmless]

There seem to be issues with the picture upload, so I zipped it.

Its a shot of my border to Dreylin. Vienna my Heroic Epic city is in the south east on the little 2tile lake. Fighters (8) in the two Dreylin cities could completely cover the approach of his army to Vienna and help with the bombarding.
My main army (~30 units) is stationed in Vienna in bunkers and with lots of MGs as air defense. Dreylins army of 47 units is healing 3S of Vienna.
Medina is on a hill and also equipped with a bunker. The garrison of Medina is well dug in. GuerrillaII Inf, MGs and some more Inf.
The yellow lines in the west show the range of Dreylins paratroopers (1 in the western city and 3 in the fort at the border. All possible landing sites are covered by units. Especially the Landsknecht should be nasty for paratroopers to land on.
Aachen is on the top edge of the screenshot.
No more coastal cities.

Any questions, let me know.

mh