[BFD] Blitzkrieg for Dummies, Game 5 - Veterancy

[Rovsea]

I chose paratroopers because I figure that on this map in particular it was fairly easy to defend yourself even from a determined armored offensive including a blitzkrieg token, given the right defensive units. There was so much space on the map that even armored units would have a tough time getting anywhere quickly without using a blitzkrieg token, in my opinion. Therefore, to gain a mobility advantage, I decided to go into Paratroopers. In hindsight, it may have been smarter to wait and build up a more reasonable defense rather than going all out turn 1, and perhaps even stockpile more elite paratroopers myself, but in the end I decided not to, with predictable results.

 

[Gen. Marshall]

Once again I mostly agree with the analysis. I agree that deploying reinforcements right away from an industrial center is overpowered, though probably not that putting tanks on a minefield is. You can still get rid of the minefield with reinforcing infantry and it limits the tanks to engineer speed minus one turn. There's also not really a way to stop people from doing that except for the draconian measure of not allowing tanks in minefields (which, considering that minefields would be at the edges of hexes with a few safe corridors, is silly).

I believe the reason why nobody attacked Thunder or myself is that there were two players who were a far more viable target. Rovsea and barkardes had left themselves right open so the path of least resistance was eastwards. IMO attacking into minefields and a field of unknown units (decoys?) was simply not worth the gain. As a note, Terraferma could have easily broken through my lines on turn 3-5 with even a single tank and I'd have nothing to stop him, but then again, what's the point when two other players have no defences whatsoever?

My strategy this game was a defensive one, but my thought was that you can't win a defensive battle, so I used paratroopers + 5 tanks + blitzkrieg token as a win condition. The plan was to seize an enemy IC with paratroopers on the fifth turn and attack from there. I figured there was a reasonable chance that there'd be an empty IC at that point; obviously, I was mistaken, so from turn 2 onwards my strategy relied on taking Rovsea's IC with force and expand from there.

Here's my setup:

 

[barkardes]

Firstly I thank you Thunder,for hosting this and mostly,your patience.I did mistakes almost every single turn.

Previous game had seen a huge usage of tanks,so I decided to use tank hunters to defend myself.I thought that this would be able to hold out considering it could heal every turn..But Rovsea had a bunch of paratroopers,and that didn't work.Then I had to use a blitzkrieg token,but still I wasn't able to hold out.

Then I figured that Rovsea wouldn't really be able to hold out after defeating me against white.Then I told him that if he defeated me,white would take my lands instead of him.He would help me to take white out,and I would give him a supply center.After that,I didn't go too harsh on white,because If I got rid of him,Rovsea could think "Now white can't destroy me" and he could destroy me.I didn't give my SC to Rovsea for a turn because white had a chance to take it,I think that that must be why he didn't help me.

After my engineers came,I was safe.I put a minefield that would break the chance for Rovsea to kill me.He could kill me if only he cooperated with white,which was a low possibility.

Then I built my road network and started to rampage upon the world .I tested the defences of Terra,which was unpredictable.There was mines and I wasn't sure where they was.It could take a lot to find other SC's and maybe,I wouldn't be able to find anything at all.So I decided to not to take him out.

I knew that Marshall had a Blitzkrieg Token.He loves it and always has one in hand.And I saw that my road network would work against me.But what would be the point of having 10 tanks if you use half of them stay at home.I decided to let it be,because I didn't see him occupying Rovsea's IC and deploying tanks from there!

Good game everyone.

Also,I have a question.Do you think that using militias for some defensive purposes is a good strategy,which I wasn't able to do well in this game.I thought that I could at least use them to cut supplies of tanks entering my territory which appearently failed since there was no tanks entering my territory .

 

[Terraferma]

Good game. I pretty much played defensive especially when I saw that at least 1 player was saving up for a late game push which although tantalizing to strike, failure would mean a complete reversal with defeat. I did what amounted to a probing attack on Green to see what came in on Turn 3, 4 and 5 but with tank hunters I knew the offensive would be quite limited. I had a detente going on with Gen Marshall so I didn't go that way and I just figured to focus one way to not stretch out the troops, being surrounded on all sides more or less caused me to create decoys and embed the real forces within them such as my artillery pieces that helped make short work on enemy troops on two occasions. Decoys+mines would with ideal conditions have the enemy waste its attacks while hitting the mines to be weakened to become mop up operations.

I had a chance to para drop into Gen's undefended areas but like I said I had a detente with him and I didn't feel like going back on the...gentlemen's agreement. I did at one point weighed using a lot of paratroopers versus a lot of tank hunters but I figured to just keep it balanced for a mostly defensive endeavor.

 

[ThunderHawk3]

One minor complaint that I have is about attacking a unit on a minefield. The minefield comes into effect before the attack, which should either be changed or clearly stated in the rues (it's the difference between losing a unit and not losing a unit).

I'll make sure it get added to the rules (clarification section).

I agree that deploying reinforcements right away from an industrial center is overpowered, though probably not that putting tanks on a minefield is.

I didn't mean that putting tanks on a minefield is overpowered; I meant that I didn't know what to think about putting tanks on a minefield you laid with an engineer. I'm not sure that this a good strategy.

Before we start game 6, I'm going to put a BFD "challenge" together, inspired by the weird defense I made in this game. I don't know when I'll put the new thread up.

 

[Gen. Marshall]

I didn't mean that putting tanks on a minefield is overpowered; I meant that I didn't know what to think about putting tanks on a minefield you laid with an engineer. I'm not sure that this a good strategy.

Ah, I see. You're right, it isn't, it's far too slow in most cases. But as it turned out I didn't need the speed of the tanks.

 

[ThunderHawk3]

I posted a challenge over here. The objective of the challenge is to defeat the other three NPC players in one turn using as little money as possible.