GoW War Plans

[Cort Haus]

from MZ:

Greetings from Swissland

Now that I have some time at my mom's office, I'd just like to drop some info which I didn't have time to send you guys before I left.

Basically, I had managed to plan and assemble the GoW Expeditionary Force ("GeForce" - yes, I'm suing nVidia for copyright infringment after the war) for a launch date of 1240 AD. The force would have comprised:

40 Infantry
40 Tanks
40 Marines
24 Artillery

supported by:

12 bombers on 3 carriers
16 bombers on land (if Jackson is to be hit)
16 destroyer escorts
3 carriers
18 transports


This force would have been able to land at Jackson or on Dye Fields on 1270 AD. This was a little map I made for the private forum:

GoW War Plan


Now, unfortunately there is a wee problem. Panzer32 messed up last turn's delicate builds and it seems that we will be 5 tanks short of what was intended. So, either we launch as planned on 1240 with only 35 tanks... or we launch on 1250 (with D-Day being 1280) with the full set of 40 tanks. I honestly think this should be discussed amongst you two especially since it would be good to know what GS's force will be and when (and where) it is expected to land.

In any case, I will be checking the internet sporadically in the mornings (heh, we're practically in the same time zone!) so PM me or Panzer so we can get this whole thing going.

Oh and btw, our part of the invasion is called Operation Terrorblock.

I will probably have a PC only until october (damn Switzerland's archaic real estate services), here's hoping the invasion isn't launched till then so I can have more oversight on GoW's part.

Cya
-MZ

[asleepathewheel]

we need to hit on schedule

it takes 10 turns for them to produce 5 tanks? wtf

no offensive settlers? what are their tanks going to be doing, just hunkering down in Jackson?

[vulture]

Sleepy, dear chap, the difference between 1240 and 1250 is 10 years, also known as 1 turn...

[vulture]

And yes, they should definitely take some settlers along. With Tanks, they're going to need at least 2 to have a shot at Legopolis from Dye Fields or Jackson on the first turn.

Plus they might want to have their last staging post 1 tile closer to Dye Fields. As it stands, they can move transports into Jackson, but not DF, which means that only from Jackson can they continue a first turn offensive. From DF they need to spend a turn unloading units first (so they don't get fortification bonuses either).

[vulture]

Timeline (based on 1280 D-Day - the later option)

Turn Year Event
233 1180
234 1190
235 1200 Celebrate start of 13th century
236 1210
237 1220
238 1230 Possible GS southern task force loads up and moves out from T-5 to T-4
239 1240 GS South moved from T-4 to T-3
240 1250 GS Northern group sets sail, GS South moves (T-3->T-2) GoW group sets sail
241 1255 GS North and South move (T-2->T-1) We finish researching COMPUTERS
242 1260 All groups at T positions, hoping not to get to slaughtered by Lego
243 1265 D-Day. Amphibious invasions by GS and GoW

Personally, I'm willing to delay for 1 turn to get the extra 5 tanks, unless there is a strong reason not to (such as Lego getting an important tech that turn or the one before, giving them a significant number of tanks / MI suddenly). Lego tanks are less of a problem, since they can't be upgraded to, and they'll probably time pre-builds to finish lots of tanks the first turn they have MT, so the second turn of them having it shouldn't be a big problem.

It's getting close - that southern decoy group should be setting off pretty soon (if we are actually using it, that is).

EDIT: add in ETA on computers, change in turn lengths from vmxa1

[vmxa1]

The turns after 240 will be 5 year intervals.

Yes we can wait as long as it will not cause them to field units (tanks) they would not otherwise have.

[vulture]

We should clarify the date issue with GoW, since they seem to be assuming 10 years per turn all the way, and we don't want any timing slip-ups.

I don't think a 1 turn delay makes a big difference re Lego getting tanks. We aim to hit them hard in the first turn, and tanks aren't that hot on defence. And one turn's production of tanks isn't going to make a big difference to what they can do to us in revenge. On the flip side, 5 extra GoW tanks could mean an extra 2 Lego cities in dust before they can respond, and that's going to be worth more than the extra turn of tanks for Lego.

IMHO - your mileage may vary.

Should we send the timeline to GoW (without the computers estimate) to sort out our timing issues? We should clarify the overall strategy - first turn land and blitz to do maximum damage, or land and consolidate, and strike out slowly (which seems to be what GoW are building for). We don't nescessarily have to do the same thing, but we should at least know what to expect from each other.

Personally, I think they ought to be razing Legopolis on the first turn. Lego have a few wonders there, do they not?

[Cort Haus]

Thanks for the comments and observations. Vulture, if you or anyone wants to get on with discussing and clarifying things with GoW, please do so. I have splat-all time this week, and will be able to little more than play the turn, post up incoming PMs and offer quick replies.

[vmxa1]

What about MI's, do they have that tech yet and when would we expect them to get it? That would make a huge difference.

I don't like hitting infantry with tanks, but I really hate trying MI with tanks.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by vulture
Sleepy, dear chap, the difference between 1240 and 1250 is 10 years, also known as 1 turn...

erm


um


hmm

[vulture]

vmxa1: I don't think Lego is going to get to computers in time. IIRC they are a tech or two behind us in compulsory techs (not including atomic theory and electronics, which I don't believe they've researched yet), so even if they could do 4 turn research on computers (the MI tech), they're probably over 16 turns away from that point right now, probably more (computers is expensive, and I'm not sure exactly how far they have to go in the industrial techs). No way they get to MI before we land, and possibly not for 10 turns after, even assuming they can continue researching at their current pace mid-war.

Draft PM to GoW. Comments please.

Dear GoW chaps,

First, to clear up the timing. Be aware that turns change from 10 years to 5 years in 1250 AD. As we understand it, the proposed timeline (with 1 turn delay for 5 more tanks) is therefore:
Turn Year Event
233 1180 Current turn (as of time of writing)
234 1190
235 1200 Celebrate start of 13th century
236 1210
237 1220
238 1230 Possible GS southern task force loads up and moves out from T-5 to T-4
239 1240 GS South moved from T-4 to T-3
240 1250 GS Northern group sets sail, GS South moves (T-3->T-2) GoW group sets sail
241 1255 GS North and South move (T-2->T-1)
242 1260 All groups at T positions, hoping not to get to slaughtered by Lego
243 1265 D-Day. Amphibious invasions by GS and GoW

Does this match up with your plans, or do we have a mis-communication somewhere? We are fine with the extra turn delay. Five more tanks in the initial turn's invasion force is probably worth more than what Lego can produce in the extra turn.

Second issue: strategy.

Our plan is to do the amphibious assault, move transports into the city, unload, and go on the offensive on the same turn. Tanks only have 2 moves, which isn't enough to take more than one or two cities normally, so we're taking along several settlers to allow us to reach further. If the interior cities are lightly defended, that allows us to get a whole load of them in one turn (with the aim of razing their FP city).

From your plans, it looks like you're planning to take a coastal city, and then sit in it to ride out the Lego counter-attack. With no settlers you won't be able to hit any new cities on the first turn. You need two to get from Jackson or Dye Fields to Legopolis. And your rally point for the final assault is (we think) one tile too far from Dye Fields - the transports will only be able to move next to it, so all units will have to move into the city, and therefore can't do anything else (or fortify).

While it is obviously up to you what strategy you go for, it would probably be good to know what to expect from each other. Currently we are planning to take and raze as many cities as possible in the first turn, whilst also holding a heavily defended coastal city to channel reinforcements through. What is your overall strategy?

[Cort Haus]

Looks good to me, Vulture.

[Arrian]

Coordinating with GoW is going to be key.

Just curious: are we hiding the whole "GS is gonna get computers" thing from them?

-Arrian

[Cort Haus]

I think we're just keeping quiet about computers for now. I don't think we intend to be too evasive about it should the subject arise.

[vmxa1]

So we do not see ND making any conributions to the attack. That makes them target #2 in my book, especially given all the past.