GrogHeads Forum

After Action Reports => Digital Gaming AARs => Topic started by: JasonPratt on March 19, 2017, 03:04:42 PM

Title: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: JasonPratt on March 19, 2017, 03:04:42 PM
Note: if you want to skip past a rather extended set of preliminaries, click here for Episode Zero (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=19129.msg513867#msg513867).

....whiccchhhh come to think of it is also an extended set of preliminaries. Just different. But you can scroll down to Ep 1 easily enough from there.

In the grand tradition of being defeated by Barthheart, I hearby reserve this thread for the forthcoming AAR of our fight on Decisive Campaigns: The Blitzkrieg from Warsaw to Paris -- which if past history serves any indication, won't get past Warsaw. Or to Warsaw.

That's because this time I'm the blitzer. So if I win, yay I win! -- if I lose, yay the Nazis lose!

In story tropes, this is called a Xanatos Gambit (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/XanatosGambit).  >:D

I just sent Turn 1 to Barth (Germany with the strategic initiative gets to go first. And set up the game, actually.) So forward progress has been occurred! ...sort of. In places. My personal belief is that the Germans spread things out waaaayyy too far, but whatev. They did win after all.

Against an opponent who, unlike Barth, drastically underestimated how modern mobile warfare works.

And who, unlike Barth, won't be looking for ways to counter-blitz me if he can manage it...  :hide:

...

......


GO POLES!  :bd:


Edited to add: Barth's thread: http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=19134.msg509387#msg509387
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: Sir Slash on March 19, 2017, 10:20:47 PM
Christmas comes early this year!   \m/
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: Crossroads on March 20, 2017, 08:18:02 AM
Quote from: JasonPratt on March 19, 2017, 03:04:42 PM

GO POLES!  :bd:

Subscribed! I like this Xanatos Gambit of yours, and in the process of witnessing you winning, I will not only cheer the valiant Poles but give a few applauses to any Heer unit displaying exemplary valour and gallantry.  O:-)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: Barthheart on March 21, 2017, 06:57:00 AM
Hmmmm.... DC1 has been officially updated to 1.60...

QuoteDecisive Campaigns: From Warsaw to Paris has been updated to version 1.60!

You can download the patch from here

1.60 Changelog:

- Big update of the core code base of Warsaw To Paris fixing loads of minor issues and glitches

- Minimalist Counter option added

- Regime Coloring option added

- In-game resolution changes added

- Possibility for windowed play added through windows.txt config file

- High Speed map scrolling option added

- New variant of Poland 1939 scenario sporting a Hybrid AI (dc2/dc3) to provide you with a new opponent that plays differently than what you where used too!

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4256640&mpage=1&#4256640

Do you want to re-start or keep going?
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 21, 2017, 07:46:35 AM
I don't think it affects play, or breaks save. I saw the update go live on my Surface yesterday (although I'm not doing anything on it, just installed it for easy reference access at work if necessary ;) ); expected to see an update on my home computer, but either I just clicked past it without paying attention or it didn't upgrade. I'll make sure the thing is upped before playing Turn 2, though.

I hope one of the minor glitch fixes is consolidating whether turns should be called rounds or turns.  L:-)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: Barthheart on March 21, 2017, 08:34:43 AM
Umm... these updates usually do break saves.... and most of the time when they don't, the effects of the update don't work into the save as all the game data is in the save file.

So if you have already updated it will probably break our game in some way....

I have not updated.. am waiting on your status....
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 21, 2017, 10:35:09 AM
Well, either I played the turn on 1.5+ and that's the save and you'll be able to tell by trying whether the new version breaks the save somehow, or I (somehow not likely) played it on the new 1.6 in which case there's no problem.

Still, I saved a video of what I did to make the AAR from (which I'm already working on), so I can try to reproduce things exactly as possible -- naturally I discovered where several of your starting units were hidden, although I was careful not to run into any (verrrry carefully checking the scout reports about recon thresholds on hexes before moving anywhere, and leapfrogging along that way.) The combat results will vary somewhat, which will also vary subsequent movements somewhat. The main thing will be to make sure I don't alter my moves based on recollections of recon results. Most notably I should make sure to send air recon out along the same lines to the same places so that I don't, in effect, save scum to get more recon results.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: Sir Slash on March 21, 2017, 10:36:24 AM
Odd that they pick NOW of all times to update. Do you think they're trying to sabotage us?  ^-^  Maybe keeping all of DC 1's secret strategy to themselves? To later sell us a new Strategy Guide of some kind for a bunch of cash? Could be Matrix is afraid of how good the Grogs really are.  :hide:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 21, 2017, 10:38:15 AM
We knew the update was coming -- I should have just waited until 1.6 was live. To be honest, I totally forgot in my eagerness to get going this weekend after longer-than-expected delays in starting.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: Barthheart on March 21, 2017, 11:33:10 AM
Quote from: JasonPratt on March 21, 2017, 10:35:09 AM
Well, either I played the turn on 1.5+ and that's the save and you'll be able to tell by trying whether the new version breaks the save somehow, or I (somehow not likely) played it on the new 1.6 in which case there's no problem.

Still, I saved a video of what I did to make the AAR from (which I'm already working on), so I can try to reproduce things exactly as possible -- naturally I discovered where several of your starting units were hidden, although I was careful not to run into any (verrrry carefully checking the scout reports about recon thresholds on hexes before moving anywhere, and leapfrogging along that way.) The combat results will vary somewhat, which will also vary subsequent movements somewhat. The main thing will be to make sure I don't alter my moves based on recollections of recon results. Most notably I should make sure to send air recon out along the same lines to the same places so that I don't, in effect, save scum to get more recon results.

So.. I'm still confused.. have you updated? I have not. If you played at 1.5x and have now updated I think we're screwed.  If not, don't update and we should be fine.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 21, 2017, 11:52:00 AM
I'm at work; I don't recall if my home computer has updated, and I can't check yet to verify. I don't know why it WOULDN'T have updated. My work computer did update automatically on Steam yesterday, but the update could have gone live sometime over the weekend. If it was Saturday, I played the turn on 1.6 Sunday. If it was Sunday morning I most likely played the turn on 1.6. If it was anytime after lunch local time Sunday, I played the turn on 1.5+.

The Matrix forum post suggests the update went live Monday sometime, although I'm at least half sure my Surface at the office updated Monday morning at boot.

It occurs to me that the feature list should clarify what I was playing on! I know I never saw any way in-game to change the resolution. Also, booting it up on my Surface, I now see two optional AI upgrades for playing the Poland scenario; one for DC2 and one for a hybrid DC2/DC3. The one at home never had anything but the DC2 option on that screen.

So I can confirm, I played my turn on 1.5ish, not 1.6.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 21, 2017, 12:07:50 PM
Annnd, since the new patch/update fixes a few presentation options (hotkeys now work for toggling views off and on; some buttons on the main UI now work for giving more hex info; I can toggle whether Poland control areas are colored in which will give me more visual flexibility on presenting information), I think I'll just re-create my turn as close as possible and resend. That'll add another day-ish, probably, to the turnaround, but the AAR will look better. I'll use my video for reference (while capturing a new video for reference!  :D) to make sure I spend my activation points as closely as possible to my original turn.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: Barthheart on March 21, 2017, 12:41:00 PM
So... I'm waiting for a new file from you and we will play at 1.60... correct?  ???  :D
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 21, 2017, 02:17:03 PM
Yes.

The AAR should make it obvious that I'm not polishing off the rough edges when, uh, polishing off the Polish.  :D
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 24, 2017, 08:46:30 AM
Incidentally, I have recreated my first turn (with minor differences based on different dice rolls and some misclicks  :pullhair:), sent to Barth, and he has played his first turn and sent back now. Will be playing Turn 2 tonight. AAR production is proceeding, but I'm not ready to post yet.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 24, 2017, 10:18:28 AM
Let me add that if Barth gets his AARs up first, that's fine, don't worry. :) My working theory is that actually playing the turns takes first priority, working on AARs second. So there's bound to be some lag, expanded by the complexity of the AARs.

Until then, for a bit of a teaser on Turn One, let me report my turn-end message to Vance: "Recon by HQ is the VERY ESSENCE of Blitzkrieg! :D "

Also, things should end a bit more quickly in any case, since at most there can only be 13-1/2 turns in the Polish scenario (and that's assuming I spend half my political points up front, otherwise there can only be 11-1/2 turns. The "half-turn" represents Germany's final push for victory at the end if the game runs that long, against which Poland does not get a reply: I get one more turn than Barth does.)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: Crossroads on March 26, 2017, 09:59:29 AM
Quote from: JasonPratt on March 24, 2017, 10:18:28 AM
My working theory is that actually playing the turns takes first priority, working on AARs second.

That's the dumbest theory I've ever heard. Now get to it  :D
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart
Post by: JasonPratt on March 26, 2017, 03:48:55 PM
For what it's worth, until today I hadn't had a safe three or four hours to play my turn, so I worked on the AAR in the smaller batches. (Turn time, a little over 4 hours.)

But Turn 2 is now pinged to Barth.  <:-)

Edited to add: and then more AAR work until I picked up a drilling headache; then food; then more AAR; then more headache. Then benedryl and tylenol, then sleep.

Whereupon I spent a majority of my dreaming time last night DREAMING ABOUT THE DANG GAME!  :pullhair:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Barth can read for now)
Post by: JasonPratt on March 28, 2017, 08:03:45 AM
The first (and zeroth) AAR is practically complete; I'm only missing a bit of flair added to the final push of Turn One. Which I almost certainly won't be able to add until Wednesday afternoon/night. But progression is progressing.

Strictly speaking you should read our turns in order of me first, then Barth; but if he has already started his side, I certainly can't argue against reading his first!  O0 Mine will take longer to make for reasons which shall soon become apparent. (But probably no sooner than Wed night sometime. ;) )
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Barth can read for now)
Post by: JasonPratt on March 30, 2017, 06:16:32 PM
As an update, I now have Barth's Turn 2, which I won't be able to play against tonight since I instead spent some time advancing another game against Barth (et al) which has been stalled for a while.

I plan to play Turn 3 tomorrow starting late afternoon, so that Barth will have his Turn 3 ready to play by Friday evening, if possible.

I hope y'all are enjoying trying to parse out my plans with Barth over in his thread! I'll alter my thread title to make clear when AAR entries finally start going up.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Zero current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 09, 2017, 07:08:43 PM
This is just a buffer post in case Barth has been reading down to this point.


.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. SPOILERS HENCEFORTH
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Zero current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 09, 2017, 07:08:53 PM
Edited to add: I wasn't waiting for my ten thousandth post to do this, but I appreciate the providentiality. Also, the forum engine and/or I cannot spell providentiality.

Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Zero current)
Post by: Dammit Carl! on April 09, 2017, 08:43:29 PM
Funny and informative!  Thanks!
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Zero current)
Post by: Sir Slash on April 09, 2017, 09:56:29 PM
Cute! A video AAR-- great!  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Zero current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 10, 2017, 07:19:54 AM
Subsequent ones should be more legible (though with less map visible on any zoom), as I've played the turns at 720p native.

Also, I've forgotten to mention on subsequent eps, but the problem with having to reassign HQs to new colors so that their commanded chits will limn visibly, was solved in the new update: henceforth, all subordinate chits are limned in white, much like fellow-division chits, regardless of the HQ flag color. I did figure out, after recording that episode, how to adjust the "flag" colors for corps and armies, but it isn't really necessary now.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode One current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 10, 2017, 04:11:38 PM
Turn One, now with 200% more ancient Lithuanian war songs!

Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode One current)
Post by: Sir Slash on April 10, 2017, 10:05:28 PM
That looks like you're off to a damned-good start Jason. Your casualties are kind of high but you got some gaps punched into Barthski's forces and got some good open space ahead of you. If the damned rain will hold off awhile, you might be able to break-up his forces nicely. The Germans can never use RR movement on the first turn, but can afterward and it's a great way to push your slow infantry right up almost to the front lines to keep pace with the Panzers. I've gotten caught in those damnable Polish Forts in the north before and it never turns out well for me. Looking forward to more action ahead.  :bd:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode One current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 11, 2017, 07:23:15 AM
Well, having already played Turn 2 and 3, I can't figure out how to use Rail transfer for anything except in command range of the OKH.  >:( I shall try to study it better when Turn 4 arrives.

I should be able to upload Turn 2 today, with another special guest star (and a little more from the Lithuanian group). I've recorded Turn 3, although I'm sick with spring allergies right now so I can't recall if I've done the audio commentary for it yet -- certainly I haven't edited it, much less compiled, so I'm a long way from upload. I need to find a way to (1) consistently get sped-up sounds (since my older Sony video editor seems to randomly decide for any given project whether it will properly compress sounds as well as video, or whether it will simply 'slide' the normal speed soundtrack underneath the code somehow); and (2) to show the results without having to do 400 edits. I'm thinking of going back to annotated snapshots of before/after conditions of areas of the fronts -- except of course on "video" with audio as well as visual annotations.

That may just be my allergies talking tho.  :buck2: (Now that I think very carefully, I might also be hallucinating I've received back, played, and sent off Turn 3.  :hide: Hate allergies so much!)

Regarding holes punched in his forces -- it's more difficult than it looks, because Barth is anticipating that and trying to maneuver on one hand to foil it, while also sacrificing his cavalry (which aren't much good in other regards anyway) in counter-blitzing attempts to slow me down by forcing me to backtrack to deal with his hussar nonsense.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode One current)
Post by: Crossroads on April 11, 2017, 01:21:44 PM
Great work with the videos, kudos!  :clap:

Really looking forward to next turns, as well as the Polish DAR entries. What an intriguing start, will be interesting to see how the ebb and flow will continue from here.

Also, I was about to recommend sending one Nazi entourage to Lithuania to get those musicians, but man they have me in a trance now, too late to resist now. Next, I am buying their CD...  :)) 
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode One current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 11, 2017, 02:24:00 PM
Next ep will feature at least one cut from their other CD (although I think I string it out between some gaps in commentary, since I didn't have one large single gap like in Ep 1.)

I made sure to ask the group for permission to promote their music -- hopefully it'll drive some sales!

(I do have some actual Polish and/or Ukrainian music on the way, too, although I haven' t been able to find any Polish war songs from that period. Yet.)

Episode 2 is uploading and processing this afternoon, so should be up in the early evening. It'll feature a cover by another group whom I checked to ensure wouldn't mind the reference (as long as the video isn't monetized, which I'm not doing).

Oh, I checked at lunch (when starting the upload/processing) and I have already played Turn 3 and sent it to Barth. I haven't started scripting the audio commentary for it, though, much less editing it down. BUT I WASN'T HALLUCINATING ITS EXISTENCE!  :bd: ... ......I was only hallucinating hallucinating its existence...  :hide:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Two current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 11, 2017, 05:49:11 PM
We aren't yet actually at the "40 to 1" battle Sabaton has sung about -- and at this rate we may never be!  :o

Partly this is due to the scenario / campaign developers deciding that Guderian's 19th corps (including Rommel) should be plopped somewhere completely unable to get to Wisna (and that the 10th Panzer Division should not even be part of Guderian's command -- but still nowhere near the historical action). So I'm stuck trying to advance on that area with a couple of reserve divisions, against a shockingly large number of Polish defenders -- whom Barth has decided to advance against my weak far-east wing, threatening to overrun and/or pocket them out of existence.

But partly this is due to Barth playing the Polish for all they're worth, under the circumstances. See: advancing local troops around Wisnia (or Viznia or however it's spelled in non-cyrillic), up to threaten my far east wing and thus, by extension, my whole East Prussian campaign.

Consequently I feel like if I'm going to reference that battle by referencing that song, I had better start doing so now! -- except I'm going to use an 8-bit version on a non-monetized video and so hopefully avoid a content strike. (Plus on the Youtube page itself I'm giving links to where to find the music, both Epic-NES-metal's covers and the original Sabaton album, as well as the official YT channel for Sabaton's publishers.)

Also, Ugniavijas returns with another song promoting their other album (which I might have accidentally mixed up, but really anyone who likes the music should get both).

Enough attributioning. To Turn Two!



(...yes, I know, I need to find or create a better screen thumbnail there.   :buck2: )
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Two current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 11, 2017, 07:13:38 PM
Kaz from Ugniavijas is so happy with the video (he hasn't seen Two yet but I've sent him the link tonight) that he sent me the band's logo to officially use in the credits!

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimagizer.imageshack.us%2Fv2%2F1024x768q90%2F924%2FHPHgPu.png&hash=c5ed5efba18d46c80dadf25db2deb574a8c0176d)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Two current)
Post by: Sir Slash on April 12, 2017, 12:07:20 PM
Barth certainly plays much more aggressively than the AI does. I prefer it in a nice, predictable, retreating back to it's cities form. It's weird that you can't use RR movement more. Something I've never ran into before. Maybe it's an MP-thing?
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Two current)
Post by: JasonPratt on April 20, 2017, 04:35:23 PM
Yeah, I'll be looking into that RR-movement problem more closely for Turn 4. Still couldn't for Turn 3 (and I need to shift some extra force eastward in East Prussia pronto, so not having it is a bit of a pain), but neither did I systematically investigate why not either -- mainly because I was already in the turn and recording footage.

Barth has sent back his Turn 3 last week already, but due to a developing spring-allergy cold (and Eastery things, and taxes) I've only been picking away at things I can put down quickly (like practicing skirmish in Steel Divisions). I'm finally on the back side of the cold and was preparing to work on finishing Ep 3 and then playing Turn 4 this weekend...

...but with a death in my brother's family (wife's mother) this morning, I'm likely to be delayed longer. Not too much, I hope, but maybe another week. I just didn't want readers (viewers!) to worry I had given up already. ;)

Barth knows about the delay from the head-cold already, and I'll be passing along probable-delay news to him soon so he'll be caught up on the situation.

Meanwhile, if you want hints about what's going to happen, feel free to buy a copy of CRY OF JUSTICE. It won't give you any hints, but it may distract you from wanting hints for a while!  >:D (Also, that way I can poke fun at my Amazon ranking during the introduction in new ways.  O0 )
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Two current)
Post by: Crossroads on April 21, 2017, 02:58:51 PM
Sorry to hear about your loss. It's all good, take your time, good things are worth the wait right
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Two current)
Post by: JasonPratt on May 01, 2017, 09:00:54 PM
Turn Three! -- the literal do not even-ing.

If you expect some Winged Hussar action, you have expected correctly.

Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Two current)
Post by: Ubercat on May 01, 2017, 09:10:15 PM
Wow Jason, that is NOT how I expected your voice to sound.

BTW, soldiers on horses are called cavalry, not calvary, but you knew that already.  :D
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode 3 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on May 01, 2017, 09:31:21 PM
Yeah, I usually pronounce it correctly, but my southern accent gets in the way sometimes. ;)


(Edited to add: now I'm having to fight my minor OC-D to see how many times I slur it to sound like the Latin for Golgotha...!)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Three current)
Post by: Crossroads on May 02, 2017, 05:34:53 AM
Great stuff again Jason, appreciate the effort you've put into these videos! And the 8bit Sabaton song rocks :knuppel2:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Three current)
Post by: JasonPratt on May 02, 2017, 07:18:23 AM
For something approaching more amusement value, you can also now watch me going completely schizo (or, I suppose, hysterical, since multiple personalities are a form of hysteria), as I play GMT's Churchill vs myself vs myself! (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=19454.msg519775#msg519775)

The elves in my computer are slowwwwly enscribing the upload this morning at home while I'm at work, so Turn One should be ready no later than mid-afternoon (Central US time), but the introductory Turn Zero already exists at the link.

And now that I'm caught up on production, I can actually play games again, woo!  <:-)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Three current)
Post by: Sir Slash on May 02, 2017, 09:42:39 AM
I like what you're doing in this campaign-- beating-up on Barth's forces so at least they'll be attrited before to big show at Warsaw. Looks like he's got a lot of troops along that Warta River line, maybe you can put them in your pocket where they belong.  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Episode Three current)
Post by: JasonPratt on May 02, 2017, 11:08:55 AM
I haven't played Turn 4 yet, so I don't know how he's responding yet (although I've got his Turn 3), but I strenuously doubt he'll keep that thin but extended line on the Warta. He'll try to fall back and maybe take some opportunity shots at me as my infantry line crosses the river.

As both of us are demonstrating, any attempt at logistic-level flanking runs a parallel risk of also being cut off. On the point I have the advantage simply by having more units capable of devoting to the pocket attempt allowing some security, whereas he's having to Hail!Mary his cavalry (which aren't much use on defense anyway) by themselves and hope to score.

By comparison to our DC3:Barbar game, even when he was running people around to pocket me, I couldn't counter-pocket (despite his more vulnerable logistic trail) because (1) he had enough units spread out to protect against any counter-thrusts (a lot more unit density than I do in most places) and (2) DC3 simulates the screwy unit activation problems of the Soviet Army, which meant I was rarely able to move anything than in blurps and blips.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 4 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on May 12, 2017, 04:37:26 PM
The new Episode is being uploaded now, so I'll go ahead and post the code:


There are at least two Nazi corps about to be vaporized by the Poles; and at least one "calvary" joke at myself.  ::)

UPDATE: now active!  <:-)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 4 current)
Post by: Crossroads on May 13, 2017, 02:28:07 PM
Thanks Jason, stellar stuff again. Encirclements being built both ways, need to remember to breathe at some stage... East East-Prussia looks tough indeed, is there an editor or something like that to have the historical balance there? Looks very tough as it is.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 4 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on May 14, 2017, 05:49:10 PM
There is sort-of an editor option which can be chosen as a game variant, where each side gets a free turn to move units around the map for custom starting positions. We didn't play this because I didn't know at the time how wonky the positions were set up by the campaign devs.

Although personally I wouldn't set up historically either. I'd try to figure out the somewhat obscure German supply-sourcing rules first, and then set up everything in a protected corridor thrust to knife at Warsaw and surround it, cutting everything else on the map off from supply, and then expanding to sweep up the crumbling remnants.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 4 current)
Post by: Sir Slash on May 15, 2017, 10:55:37 AM
Enjoying the hell out of this one guys.  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 4 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on May 15, 2017, 11:00:37 AM
Imagine if we were teaming up together in a co-op game! Like in SD44!

^-^
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 5 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 01, 2017, 10:58:42 AM
I haven't been able to prove it yet, but this could be Turn 5 of our game (from my side)!


(It was uploading this morning, but my current browser at work doesn't like this format for no good reason. So I haven't verified it works yet, or that I haven't gibbed the upload somehow.)

(Edited to add: verified!  O0 )
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 5 current)
Post by: Sir Slash on June 01, 2017, 01:57:55 PM
Hey Jason. Some quick points. Regarding who controls which hex, the little picture thing at the top of the screen has listed who controls which hex when you click on a hex. It will say Germany or Poland in the box. That's who controls that hex. It's possible to control a hex by having your ZOC around your unit extend into the adjacent hex and it will be listed as such at the top. You will control the hex unless Barth re-captures it physically and you don't need to park a unit on it. An easy way to cut enemy's supply.

Also remember to use your HQ's Leader cards when you have them. They will boost movement, combat and defense as well as recon abilities and can be VERY helpful.

I like to use my Airpower to cut enemy supply lines when I can by dropping bridges. Any air attack on a hex with a bridge next to it will damage or destroy the bridge. If it's down, it will have to be repaired by an Engineer unit before it can be used. Sometimes you can cut an enemy supply line or escape route this way. Of course, you may also be cutting your own line of advance and or supply if you can't repair it yourself later. Mouse-over the picture thing at the top of the screen and a pop-up will tell you how much damage a hex has incurred and how much will be repaired automatically each turn. Hope this helps.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 5 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 01, 2017, 02:39:23 PM
I've been using the general cards religiously; I just haven't talked about them much, because even I get bored talking about them.  :buck2: They don't make a very significant plot contribution, so to speak (except the Haste II cards occasionally), and they aren't something I can visually shortcut easily.

Also, I have often failed at properly using the cards, because I try to use them too widely -- but that's because they give me the option to use them on the 'top level' of the organizational structure, and it seemed dumb for me not to use, let's say, Haste 2 on EVERYONE IN THE 8TH ARMY or EVERYTHING IN ARMY GROUP NORTH rather than only on this corps, much less only on that division. But then... there would be no effect when I did that. I might have gotten an effect on a corps (multiple divisions)? Occasionally? Maybe? Or I'm misremembering that? But eventually I decided all the cards should be played only on divisions, because that was the only time I consistently saw results that matched what the game told me the results should be. (Marshal Fritz has visited Army Group North and inspired them to get the hell on the road pronto, so everyone in Army Group North receives +20 movement! Except no one does, at all; they've all got 100, or less. Whereas if I give that to a division, all the pieces of the division will get +40 and so some will in fact get 140 points or whatever.)


Re bombing the bridges -- holy bleep, am I going to try using that to mess with Barth's supply!!  :D Bridge loss in this game doesn't really seem to block movement though. Just adds a few points in expense. Maybe there are large rivers somewhere on the map that that's important about. I know one of the wizard cards or pre-game options makes the rain rain harder and so makes the rivers all one size larger, and creates more marsh areas, so there must be functionality about this.


Re controlling the hex: yeah, I know the picture thing at the top of the screen tells in parenthesis who (currently) controls the clicked hex; and far more visually obvious as an aid, there was actually a patch/update to the game right before we started (I think I even did Ep0 before it!) which among other things provided an option to color the enemy controlled territory, in a light burnt orange for Poland -- and I've got that turned on. By those standards, I should already control significantly more than 5 large cities.

But according to the game's VP scoring, I don't. I only control 5. Maybe this is a new bug introduced in the update?? It's weirdly specific if so, since I did eventually pick up 5 points. I just verified that I started with 19 VP -- I wondered if maybe my memory was faulty and I had started with 14, but it was 19. In fact, on turn 2 or 3 I remember thinking (and commenting maybe in the ep) that I must have started with 14 points because surely I had gotten more VPs than what it looked like by then.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 5 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 01, 2017, 06:02:38 PM
A close study suggests Katowice is bugged, either marked as an orange dot when it isn't a VP city, or the code to transfer VPs is broken. The VP situation isn't as bad as I thought.

Well.... .... it's bad, but not in the way I thought. Mostly in a different way: a "crap I'm already at Turn 5 and I've only captured how many large cities?!?!" way.  :P


Okay, the orange dot cities I have captured since Turn 1 so far:

Katowice (turn 1, 8th infantry units ended turn in city)

VPs starting Turn 2 (should be 20, actually still 19 -- this confused me so much I thought I had actually picked up and kept 5 VPs starting from 14. I lost Marienburg and Marienwerder, but those weren't orange. I didn't lose Katowice either -- all four units including infantry still parked there.)

Graudenz (turn 2, infantry unit ended in city)
Czestochowa (turn 2, light panzer unit ended in city)
Beuthen (turn 2, HQ and arty ended in city)

VPs starting Turn 3 (should be 23, actually 22 -- didn't lose any orange dot cities; this confirms that HQ and arty naturally have enough infantry troops to capture cities, as well as to fight with)

Bromberg (turn 3, mech infantry ended in city)
Sosnowice (turn 3, panzers and infantry end in city)

VPs starting Turn 4 (should be 25, actually 24 -- didn't lose any orange dot cities, including Elbing despite Barth's taunt. YOU GO, SECURITY TRAINS! ...I MEAN STAY. YOU SHOULD STAY THERE.)

No orange dots captured this turn. None lost on Barth's turn.

VPs starting Turn 5 (should be 25, actually 24)

Thorn (turn 5, troops in city)
Kalisch (turn 5, HQ in city)

Unless Barth takes back an orange dot (even his counterblitzes aren't near that yet), I should start Turn 6 with 26 (but should be 27 due to broken dot).

I've dropped a topic on the Steam forum asking about this.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 5 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 01, 2017, 06:10:21 PM
Pseudo-update-but-not-really: looking back through my thread notes, I thought I had found the problem. The new 1.6 patch dropped after I had played Turn 1. However, Barth and I agreed to restart the campaign from scratch just to be safe, so although I used video of 1.56 Turn 1 to recreate my first Turn as closely as possible, the whole game has been played by both of us on version 1.6
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 5 current)
Post by: Sir Slash on June 01, 2017, 10:15:32 PM
When I played against the AI/Poland, it was very hard to try to find a spot to bomb to disrupt their supply, there's a lot of roads and RR's to channel it around dropped bridges. I considered bombing Warsaw itself to try to destroy it being that it's a Supply Source for Poland, in fact the primary Supply Source, but never actually tried it. In Case Blue using your Airpower this way is a little easier.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 5 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 02, 2017, 07:24:49 AM
My southern front is a textbook example of cutting off ludicrous amounts of supply with only two units in well-chosen places (by Barth!)  :clap:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 6 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 11, 2017, 11:36:26 AM


I'm trying a new format that takes a little less time to play, and somewhat less time for me to edit and compile etc. Basically it's an audio version of my written AARs with annotated maps. Also, a little Woodstock 2012!  :D

If you'd rather see the more action-y videos, let me know. I'm not overly married to doing it this way yet, which has its own sloppinesses.  :buck2:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 6 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 16, 2017, 07:32:20 AM
I don't know that there will be a Turn 7 this weekend, what with Origins happening -- which as usual I can't attend. But I did want to announce two pertinent updates. (They aren't bad news don't worry.)


First, Vic himself (the game's designer) helped me figure out why I'm running a point behind my count: the short answer is that Barth counter-blitzed some cavalry behind my back on his first turn, to take Beuthen, after I took Katowice the first turn.

I took Beuthen back on Turn 2; you can see it in my conquest list. But because Poland did hold at least a few German cities (like Danzig) thanks to the post-WWI settlement treaties, which was the pretext for starting war against them in the first place, I simply thought I had inadvertently zipped past Beuthen on my first turn. This was glaringly stupid of me, and could have been figured out fairly quickly.  :uglystupid2:

Anyway, because I was always counting Beuthen as being Polish originally, I was expecting one more point than I actually had won. Thus the persistence of the phantom lost point is explained.



Second: VR complimented my AAR as one of the best he has seen, which I also wanted to squee about.  :D


Third: I'll have a special upload this weekend about the strategic issues leading up to, and between, Fall Weiss and Barbarossa, which happens to be thematically appropriate to my DC games with Barth!  :bd: I'll post the video here.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 6 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 16, 2017, 11:28:14 PM
In lieu of turn 7 this weekend, I hereby present my edit-compilation of two lectures given in 2009 by Soviet GRU defector Viktor Suvorov on his Icebreaker thesis: Stalin's intentions and actions to promote, trigger, and support the Nazi's invasion of Poland and Europe more generally -- only to be stymied by Hitler's surprise pre-emptive strike into Russia itself shortly before Stalin could launch his own invasion of Germany and the Axis satellite nations.

Obviously this topic has some connections to DC:Blitz and also to DC:Barbie, where the Soviet gameplay early in the operation is based heavily on part of Suvorov's thesis that the Red Army was caught in such a vulnerable position due to deployment for offensive invasion.


I have edited out a few irrelevancies, and added in some title cards for parts of the main lecture (occasionally spelling his pseudonym Suvorov as "Suvarov" but it's a fake name so hopefully that won't be too awful ;) ), as well as porting two parts of the main lecture's Q&A to a prologue and epilogue portion. The full video runs just over 2 hours, with the main lecture compilation clocking about an hour ten minutes, and his autobiographical mini-lecture another 20 minutes (including a portion of his Naval Academy lecture on Soviet pre-Barbarossa propaganda which was unique to that lecture and which seemed to me to fit topically better in his autobiography portion than anywhere in the main lecture.) The remaining time involves answers (or non-answers occasionally!) to various audience questions, plus the prologue which is a statement of appreciation from a fellow author defector in the main lecture audience. (It doesn't bear on the lecture topic really, but was touching enough I wanted to include its five minutes or so.)


I hope my fellow Grogs will enjoy this material if you haven't seen it yet! I learned a number of new things from it myself.  O:-)


[Update: good grief, 12-1/2 upload and process time, really...  ::) :P ]

Tomorrow I'll probably add a new thread to the military history category for this lecture compilation, too (although I won't be surprised if one or both lectures are already linked there from where I found them! ;) )
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 6 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 17, 2017, 02:24:12 PM
2:33 pm now live, 12-1/2 hours upload and process.  :buck2:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 6 current)
Post by: Crossroads on June 20, 2017, 12:02:18 PM
Quote from: JasonPratt on June 11, 2017, 11:36:26 AM


I'm trying a new format that takes a little less time to play, and somewhat less time for me to edit and compile etc. Basically it's an audio version of my written AARs with annotated maps. Also, a little Woodstock 2012!  :D

If you'd rather see the more action-y videos, let me know. I'm not overly married to doing it this way yet, which has its own sloppinesses.  :buck2:

Thanks Jason, just had the time to catch up with your latest, finally! Things are on a move, now, it seems  :knuppel2:

As for your question, yes I did like to watch the moves live, it is a video after all right. Having said that, I well appreciate the effort you're putting to these videos! Seeing those chits move about has it's charm  :)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 6 current)
Post by: Crossroads on June 20, 2017, 12:06:37 PM
Quote from: JasonPratt on June 16, 2017, 11:28:14 PM
In lieu of turn 7 this weekend, I hereby present my edit-compilation of two lectures given in 2009 by Soviet GRU defector Viktor Suvorov on his Icebreaker thesis: Stalin's intentions and actions to promote, trigger, and support the Nazi's invasion of Poland and Europe more generally -- only to be stymied by Hitler's surprise pre-emptive strike into Russia itself shortly before Stalin could launch his own invasion of Germany and the Axis satellite nations.

Obviously this topic has some connections to DC:Blitz and also to DC:Barbie, where the Soviet gameplay early in the operation is based heavily on part of Suvorov's thesis that the Red Army was caught in such a vulnerable position due to deployment for offensive invasion.


I have edited out a few irrelevancies, and added in some title cards for parts of the main lecture (occasionally spelling his pseudonym Suvorov as "Suvarov" but it's a fake name so hopefully that won't be too awful ;) ), as well as porting two parts of the main lecture's Q&A to a prologue and epilogue portion. The full video runs just over 2 hours, with the main lecture compilation clocking about an hour ten minutes, and his autobiographical mini-lecture another 20 minutes (including a portion of his Naval Academy lecture on Soviet pre-Barbarossa propaganda which was unique to that lecture and which seemed to me to fit topically better in his autobiography portion than anywhere in the main lecture.) The remaining time involves answers (or non-answers occasionally!) to various audience questions, plus the prologue which is a statement of appreciation from a fellow author defector in the main lecture audience. (It doesn't bear on the lecture topic really, but was touching enough I wanted to include its five minutes or so.)


I hope my fellow Grogs will enjoy this material if you haven't seen it yet! I learned a number of new things from it myself.  O:-)

[Update: good grief, 12-1/2 upload and process time, really...  ::) :P ]

Tomorrow I'll probably add a new thread to the military history category for this lecture compilation, too (although I won't be surprised if one or both lectures are already linked there from where I found them! ;) )

Thanks for these as well! I have been (more than) suspicious about Icebreaker, it has its strong areas, but weak ones too. The thing is though that the good ole Soviets had two modes: defence which consist of attacks, pre-emptively and outside mother Russia where possible, and attack which consists of err... attacking. Not sure if Stalin was about to move in summer 1941 yet, though. At least the July 6 timeframe does not make sense to me. More likely, he would have mopped up the remaining issues including Finland, even with Adolf telling him not to do it December 1940.

It all is a curious question though, will try to have the 2,5 hrs to watch it at some point!
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 6 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 20, 2017, 04:48:43 PM
Fortunately his main argument is basically over at around an hour 10 (not counting the 5 minute prelude that I fronted for color purposes and which otherwise can be skipped). So you won't need 2:30. The most interesting thing after the main lecture is his biographical aside in answer to one of the first questions.

That said, be aware that his lecture literally put Mom to sleep, although Dad stayed engaged up to the end -- and usually Mom is who prefers historical analytics like this.  :nerd:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 6 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on June 21, 2017, 12:18:03 PM
Our good buddy at Military History Visualized this week, who says he only has a limited interest in whether Stalin meant to go on the offense around the time of Barbarossa but Hitler pre-empted it, quotes Alexander Hill's book (from this year 2017) on the Red Army in WW2, to the effect that Suvorov's "suggestion... is certainly untenable given the evidence available" -- but that nevertheless there's sufficient evidence that Stalin considered an attack in May '41 (one month before Barbie kicked off) and decided the Red Army wasn't ready.

But Suvorov would obviously agree that Stalin didn't think the army was ready in May, or he'd have gone in May! Nevertheless, Hill has to agree that ("given the evidence available") Stalin was "undoubtedly mobilizing for a war against Germany, just not a war in 1941."

I expect Suvorov's reply would be that Stalin intended to postpone until late August, since he would need the mobilized men home for harvest and other key productions if they weren't on the go. It makes no sense for Stalin to have been holding onto his war footing another year, and given the evidence available Stalin was still intending a relatively immediate strike. Otherwise the troops would have been tucked into (what MHV still calls) the forward defensive line which had been moved a lot farther forward. (How much farther forward? 800 to 2000 yards from the borders of Romania and Germany, in attack postures, not defense postures, when Barbie hit by total surprise.)


Anyway, MHV's video this week is on why Soviet casualties were so high -- also on why Wehrmacht casualties were so high. (i.e. they weren't fighting a paper giant. But that naturally begs some questions...)

Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 7 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on July 08, 2017, 09:47:36 AM
Delayed somewhat due to Origins (on Barth's side) and American Independence Day (on both sides), plus the usual production delays of course.

I'm not convinced this is actually taking me less time to produce! -- but at least it takes less time to watch.  O:-)


It should go live sometime before 11:30 am US Central Standard Time.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 7 current)
Post by: Sir Slash on July 10, 2017, 10:28:21 AM
Way to hang in there Jason! I'm pulling for you man.  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 7 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on August 06, 2017, 05:29:01 PM
Have you been wondering whenifever we'll be getting around to finishing off the back third of our multiplayer DC:Blitz game?

Me, too!  :D

Fortunately, I just sent back Turn 8 to Barth.

Unfortunately, it might be another day or two before I get the AAR posted up. But it's coming.

And yes, Barth still has a very reasonable chance to win the game outright, in case you're wondering.  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 8 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on August 13, 2017, 06:38:19 PM
Turn 8's AAR will go up sometime around 7:30pm CST tonight (8/13/17). Check back then if the video below isn't active yet.


As bad as things look for the Polish, let me emphasize that Barth not only HASN'T lost the game yet, but I have strong expectations that he's still going to win on VPs!
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 8 current)
Post by: Sir Slash on August 14, 2017, 09:41:53 AM
You're not there yet Buddy. I don't see a lot of Poles between you and Warsaw. Maybe you've gotten him to fight too far forward to get back in time. If you get Warsaw, you get the win. Maybe a little air recon could help-out and, unless he's got a lot of air defense, blitz the hell out of the city to reduce it's ability to supply the defenders. Can't wait to see how this one ends up.  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 8 current)
Post by: Crossroads on August 17, 2017, 10:19:33 AM
Thanks for the latest, Jason!  :smitten:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 8 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on September 06, 2017, 09:41:21 AM
In case anyone is wondering, we got as far this weekend as Barth sending back Turn 10 this morning. I'll probably consolidate the results into one video, because we're playing them faster than I can work up!

I've also splurged a bit on reading the first part of his AAR, through to turn... 4 or 5? -- since we're well past the point where that will make any difference. Someone should drop him a line and let him know I'm inviting him to watch my videos up through around the same point. At worst it should slow him down long enough for me to get a catchup video made!  \m/
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 9 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on October 01, 2017, 02:25:24 PM
Have _you_ been wondering whether I had given up defending against Barth's defense of Poland against Nazi aggression defending against their own Soviet allies or something like that?

Me, too!  :crazy2:


Check back here in about an hour to see the results of Turn 9!
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 9 current)
Post by: Crossroads on October 03, 2017, 02:16:21 AM
Thank you! I have been missing my fix of Lithuanian battle music  :D

That's quite some heavy losses on Poles, keep going at them.

Meanwhile, having originally ordered this game as a digital download, the cheap bugger that I am, I finally jumped at the opportunity to buy the boxed version as part of Matrix Box Upgrade campaign. And WitW too.

Did I get a box though? No! I got a humangeous hardcover book, that's what I got  :smitten:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.matrixgames.com%2Fforums%2Fupfiles%2F32195%2F18652D02A7B54998A0FB673C8A7F19A4.jpg&hash=76a536dd8390b4c25ec54141d63cd07b4ef0d31d)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 9 current)
Post by: Sir Slash on October 03, 2017, 08:41:50 AM
The Groging World waits with baited breath on the outcome. Does anyone know how to actually 'bait' your breath, cause I usually just hold my breath instead?
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 9 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on October 03, 2017, 11:33:50 AM
It's more like "bated" breath, actually. ;) Related to "abated".

And now you'll have "related to abated" running through your head the rest of the day!  :D

(Note to self: can I work that into the next video...?)

Meanwhile, I can confidently spoil that there will be an 11th turn! -- ...just as soon as I get around to catching up on my 10th turn for the AAR.

Will the situation have passed the point of no victory by then if not already?!
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on October 07, 2017, 07:01:39 PM
I did not work abated (breath or otherwise) into the next ep.  :-[

But I did work up the next ep!


I am taking offers for propaganda minister. No reasonable offer will be accepted!
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: Crossroads on October 08, 2017, 06:01:37 AM
This has been a fun, mobile battle to watch. Plenty of turns, go at'em !!  O0

Some devilishly cunning diplomacy there as well. Will they fall for it?

  :clap:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on October 08, 2017, 08:54:29 AM
Out of curiosity, do you have a thread about what's coming in 2.0 of CS:ME?
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: Crossroads on October 08, 2017, 09:22:04 AM
Quote from: JasonPratt on October 08, 2017, 08:54:29 AM
Out of curiosity, do you have a thread about what's coming in 2.0 of CS:ME?

In a systematic manner, not really, yet. There's the Sneak Peek thread at the Matrix forum behind my signature.

But something like this:

Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: Crossroads on October 08, 2017, 09:58:37 AM
... and of course, the user dialog overhaul. How did I forget that.

With that, there was the Color Scheme standardisation for the various games. That one was most definitively something I really enjoyed. All that model building as kid revisited, as I looked at various camo patterns and pondered as which one to use where. 

Middle East received a Field Drab / Sand treatment, from the 1970s MERDC pattern, while Vietnam will be Green Drab in two variations. The coming Cold War game will have the color scheme of the Berlin Brigade camo pattern, my favourite so far  :smitten:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tanks-encyclopedia.com%2Fcoldwar%2FUK%2FChieftain%2Fchieftain_mkIII_urban_camo.png&hash=cbbfea5de79d331d5a99dabaeea403407cc0c97d)

Sorry about hijacking your thread, but you did ask  O:-)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on October 08, 2017, 05:44:00 PM
Not at all, I was glad to provide some promo ops!  :bd:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: Crossroads on October 09, 2017, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: JasonPratt on October 08, 2017, 05:44:00 PM
Not at all, I was glad to provide some promo ops!  :bd:

:)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: Sir Slash on October 09, 2017, 09:58:12 PM
Way to hang in there Jason. I think this one's going to come down to the last guy left in Warsaw. Should be a good one.  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on October 10, 2017, 01:01:41 PM
Honestly, Barth deserves any praise for hanging in this long. He has played the hell out of a crappy situation. And didn't let half his army standing in the final reserve defense get vaporized!  ::) :uglystupid2:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 10 current)
Post by: Sir Slash on October 10, 2017, 01:40:36 PM
This too.  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 11 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on November 29, 2017, 06:28:28 PM
Supposedly 30 minutes from now: TURN ELEVEN!


Wherein I must finally decide which task is more or less impossible.  :crazy2:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 11 current)
Post by: Crossroads on December 02, 2017, 03:48:00 PM
Thanks Jason, I had missed the periodic dose of Lithuanian war music!  :smitten:

I liked the live replay video in the beginning, I think it does a rather nice job in showing the overview as where's things at by beginning of turn. For end of turn, those diagrams are very nice too.

It is a vast map, those Polish lancers are quite something to keep at bay... There's never enough reserves is there.

As for your strategy, go for Warsaw... Warsaw Or Bust! That'll break them...  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart (Turn 11 current)
Post by: JasonPratt on December 02, 2017, 05:05:56 PM
Well, it had been a while since my previous turn, so I thought I should give a visual catchup, too; but mainly it was to illustrate, before my move, why I chose to stop going for the other orange dots and focus on Warsaw instead.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: JasonPratt on December 06, 2017, 10:12:52 PM
The next video is going to be very boring. And short.  :crazy2:

The short, boring version is that I have calculated it is certainly impossible for me to either take Warsaw, or to take everything but Warsaw. ALMOST everything but Warsaw (including Krakov), but a few towns in the backfield I can't even arrive at in two more turns, much less take.

Nor will the fact that technically Barth has only one more turn help (because Germany gets the final turn by themselves.) It wouldn't matter that he wouldn't be able to respond on my final turn.


Poland wins WW2 by themselves! Just in time to clean up and bury the dead for Christmas! (At least in real life. ;) )

Now... where was that mp RED THUNDER game with Yskonyn...?



(Yes, obvs I'll have a post mortem of some kind soon, just not tonight. Yes, I promptly read Barth's thread.  O0 It is conceivably possible I'll do a post mort video, too, using Barth's thread as a basis for commentary!)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: Crossroads on December 07, 2017, 12:01:05 PM
Quote from: JasonPratt on December 06, 2017, 10:12:52 PM
It is conceivably possible I'll do a post mort video, too, using Barth's thread as a basis for commentary!)


Please do!

PS Blame Hitler for any / all of your stupid moves..  ;)
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: JasonPratt on December 07, 2017, 04:27:47 PM
PAPERHANGING CORPORAL!!  :knuppel2:

I'm putting my after action comments over in Barth's thread, for anyone wondering.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: Sir Slash on December 08, 2017, 12:04:26 AM
No shame Jason. You were clearly up against a master of the game and I can tell you this scenario is tough against the AI alone. If this was a 'Best-of-Five' series, I'd put my money on you.  O0
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: Barthheart on December 08, 2017, 06:41:44 AM
Quote from: Sir Slash on December 08, 2017, 12:04:26 AM
No shame Jason. You were clearly up against a master of the game and I can tell you this scenario is tough against the AI alone. If this was a 'Best-of-Five' series, I'd put my money on you.  O0

Hey now!  :knuppel2:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: Sir Slash on December 08, 2017, 12:13:28 PM
I have considered by beatings by this game as an on-going learning experience. If you pay attention, it will teach you a lot about what NOT to do. So, even old shits like me can win eventually, once in a while.  ;)  What do you consider the toughest scenario to win in this game Barth? I actually won the campaign once including Sea Lion but I'm not sure I was giving the AI all breaks it should have.
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: Barthheart on December 08, 2017, 12:18:09 PM
The toughest scenario is France as the Allies. It's a real balancing act between up front face slapping of the invading forces and run away and preserve for a later fight.
Run away too fast and the Germans will steamroll you. Stand up and fight too much and the Germans will tear you to shreds and by pass you...
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: Crossroads on December 09, 2017, 12:06:24 PM
Quote from: Barthheart on December 08, 2017, 12:18:09 PM
The toughest scenario is France as the Allies. It's a real balancing act between up front face slapping of the invading forces and run away and preserve for a later fight.
Run away too fast and the Germans will steamroll you. Stand up and fight too much and the Germans will tear you to shreds and by pass you...

It would be so great you guys would continue to that campaign next  :dreamer:
Title: Re: NOW I'M OUT TO GET HIM! -- DC1:Blitz JRP vs Barthheart [Completed]
Post by: JasonPratt on December 10, 2017, 06:30:22 PM