💥 1941 Global Command Decision - Official Thread
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Here it is in round 10. We tried to buy as many KV1s as I thought I could afford. Attempted to get enough to hold like 3 pockets at once, and then have a few smaller stacks to rove around. I saw the tech advance last round for the IS-2's on the way, so I bought a few more KV1s at the last second, for the Far East too - just in case computer Japan get's any bright ideas.
I think now that we got the heavier heavy tanks coming online to bolster the stackfest, Axis are in full retreat mode. By bum rushing the Italians out of the South, I think we emboldened our computer pals to start hammering away. The Brits snapped up Greece and disrupted their resupply from the Milan factory. Germany brought Spain into the war, and there's been some back and forth for control of Kattagat, so that was interesting. German's seem to have reoriented to defend their core, so hopefully it's steady march from here.
First the Brits took the the straits, then Germany clapped back, I was pretty impressed. I probably should have sank their Baltic fleet but instead I was going all ham with the 2 hit tanks before they went out of fashion lol. Probably will just give the Red Airforce a big booster here so it doesn't happen again. I think we got the cash to burn now, cause I rebuilt all the factories we'd early tried to burn to the ground hehe.
2025-2-23-1941-Global-Command-Decision_USSR_10_rematch.tsvg
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@wc_sumpton said in Mega New Elk WIP:
@thedog said in Mega New Elk WIP:
@wc_sumpton has a point about mech infantry, you need to find a balance for including/buying them.
Thank you, this reminds me of our conversation about the AA, which has gone the way of the Dodoo bird in GCD with the mech_infantry and submarines on the endangered species list.
TripleA, IMHO, is designed around the concept of each piece having a job. Though there is the bomber which can SBR, combat, and transport. But if it transport it cannot SBR or combat, so it can only do 1 job per turn. When jobs are shared between multiple pieces, then some pieces become useless. Tanks are land transports, so you do not need mech_infantry because now infantry can move 2 and blitz. Every unit can AA so you do not need AAA. Transports have isDestroyer, so submarines are used as fodder.
Why buy an AAA, you don't.
Why buy a mech_infantry, it cannot blitz, so maybe give it a buff with armor? But now infantry can blitz and move 2 les 1pu!
Why buy submarines, they can no longer sneak attack on transports?I know, I need to get off my soap box, but one last comment. Each infantry unit represents between 1000 - 1200 soldiers, while each armor will equal maybe 100 tanks. So, you going to put a platoon of equipped infantry on a tank! Someone walking. If half the infantry are walking, then the tank should only be able to move 1 space, to allow the walking soldiers a chance to keep pace.
To me the logic just does not work. I know that soldier road abord tanks, but that's two or three, not ten to thirty.
Sorry, this is just one of the things I can't wrap my head around.
Cheers...
Ouch both barrels
I will explain a little but I dont think it will change you mind, so we will have to agree to disagree.Transports vs Convoy
The TripleA AI is very poor at protecting Transports.
At some point in the Battle of the Atlantic, the Allies, got the upper hand with Sonar, Escort Carriers, Improved depth charges, so Im simulating that as the start of the game map. A bit unfair, but at least the Germans do have free submarines, also the do attack 2 then later 3 verses the Convoy & Destroyer 1, Submarines have -2 Blockade, so not all bad.
I use Destroyers 5pu as fodder also has AA, for me better than Submarines 6/7pu.
On balance I think it works.AA
AA has been removed, is that so bad, its mechanics are awkward, better to have it built into almost every unit, like in history.
Again I think it works.isLandTransportable makes Inf-Motorized redundant
Yes the logic of 1 tank carrying 4-10 infantry/tank desant does not work. So I will not attempt to justify it.
The reason for keeping it is for German, Italian & Russian player sanity, moving infantry 1 in Russia can get a bit boring and the AI does a bad job of moving to a factory to get the 3 move.As mentioned in the other thread, Inf-Motorised can
- Blitz if stacked with Armor
- Get Combined Arms support of +1 Atk from being stacked with Armor or Bomber-Tac
- Produced from Base-Camp, good for moving around Africa
So again as you would expect, on balance I think it works for 1pu extra.
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@thedog said in
1941 Global Command Decision - Official Thread:Ouch both barrels
Sorry.
@thedog said in
1941 Global Command Decision - Official Thread:I will explain a little but I dont think it will change you mind, so we will have to agree to disagree.
Disagreed, agreed!
@thedog said in
1941 Global Command Decision - Official Thread:The TripleA AI is very poor at protecting Transports.
The AI has problems with transports in general, whether sea, land or air as your discussion points out. The AI tends to use Air Transports as fodder. So why not let the cruiser/destroyer/battleship act as transports for the AI and remove the transport. Don't answer that just food for thought.
@thedog said in
1941 Global Command Decision - Official Thread:The reason for keeping it is for German, Italian & Russian player sanity, moving infantry 1 in Russia can get a bit boring and the AI does a bad job of moving to a factory to get the 3 move.
As for tanks/halftracks there is the same problem with the AI and using transports, or just not using transports. To make it fair, remove ground transport when playing against the AI. Again, just food for thought.
So yes, disagree, I agree.
Cheers...
P.S. Thank you for taking the time once again to debate me on this. It helps me with thinking of different approaches.
Cheers...
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In my game as Italy I did end up buying a few, although that was more situational
2025-2-28-1941-Global-Command-Decision_Italy_round10.tsvg
What happened was that computer Germany took over Cairo instead of us, while I was busy trying to handle Malta and Gibraltar. So then we were sorta down the production springboard at Suez and I tried to compensate with a base cluster in Libya. We set up another cluster around east Africa where the Mech were somewhat more useful. Along the coast mostly was just using them to pump the numbers with the elites, but then for some of the interior bases made more sense for me to do a couple mech just to get a bit more reach. Again though, more because the bases were already in place. On the Eastern Front was using more reg Inf and Art. I couldn't really afford armor, we had basically wheel'd the air around a few times to try and cover the advance though. It ended up back on the Eastern front after sorta globe trotting the med for the early rounds hehe. I think we got the drop on them though, since South Africa is now in Italian hands, and we finally managed to turtle up on Stalingrad with a Major there.
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Latest version v205 ready for download.
In TripleA
Click Download Maps Button
Click Installed tab
Click 1941 Global Command Decision
Click Remove Button
Click Yes button to remove
Click Ok button (Successfully removed)
Click Close (To force the map list to refresh)
Click Download Maps Button
Find & Click 1941 Global Command Decision
Click Install button
Enjoy!This update is to help the US/UK Convoys invade Europe in force, the AI struggles to deliver units in bulk to Europe. The current stacking system forces the convoys into a Taxi Rank style of que for the uBoats to pick them off.
Hopefully v205 improves the AI play making it more of a challenge for Germany?
Also as Convoys carry twice as much they tend not to travel in 7-10 stacks, making it easier for U-Boats to sink them, hopefully?
To counter this the Allied AI now has bought Destroyers.
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v205
Convoy & Europe invasion related- Convoy TransportCapacity 14, was 7 (can carry double the units)
- Convoy Allied stacking 20 was 15 (benefits allied Convoys invading europe)
Transport Restricted Unload is now false, this mainly benefits Japan as they can take multiple islands in one turnThis only applies to isLandTransport from XOB so has no effect- Capital removed SZ 91A, 109, 119, 111A (Aids the AI)
- Capital added Trondheim, Juteland, Belgium, Poitou, Algiers, 96A SZ (Improves AI chance of invasion to these TT)
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Other- Toronto-S connection x3 removed (across the Great Lakes)
- USA AI Purchases 2 Destroyers in 101A Sea Zone (helps AI US/UK in the Battle of the Atlantic)
- UK AI Purchases 2 Destroyers in 119 Sea Zone (helps AI US/UK in the Battle of the Atlantic)
- For those players that miss the roundels, to display mini national flags. View> Flag Display> Small
- Updated the documentation
1941_Global_Command_Decision_Manual.pdf
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Link to 1st post that has;
Google Drive download link
Latest TripleA version
Latest 1941 GCD manualhttps://forums.triplea-game.org/topic/3326/1941-global-command-decision-official-thread
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@thedog Here is a quick pair of games. Axis solos played about 10 rounds
I used sorta the same openers that I'd been using before just to see what sort of impact it would have.
Typically what I had been doing with this map for solo was to sorta crib the computer's standard line, and then push it towards something more extreme just by trying to trade a bit more efficiently. So for example on G1 trying to keep all my attacks at least 80% odds to the attacker by battle calc guestimate (ideally 90-100%) but then usually one swingy coin flip type battles that's maybe more 50/50. So where the potential payoff in TUV trade seems like it could be worthwhile. These would mainly be like Air attacks vs ships (where attacker prevails vs draw might come down to just the opening round flak.) The logic is basically still standard A&A for me here, so try to find the battle that has the greatest potential to swing my way. I think I might be hamstringing myself a bit by focusing mainly on hit points over attack/defense power, but it's just an instinct that's very hard to break. Sometimes power I think is the more important metric here, since some unit types can just carve defend carving infantry to ribbons if they're not supported by other unit types. Or if they're advancing or defending in the wrong sort of terrain. Still my old habits tell me that in the grand scheme the player with more cheap fodder will still come out ahead round to round if they focus on the entry level fodder unit. In this case trained infantry, infantry elite, destroyers... trying to push the stack limit there first, then backing that stack with the heavier hitters once they're already pushing the limit.
As usual I started with Italy, since it always takes me a while to get back into the swing of things.
Italian opener: Based on the current set up, went with an air attack into sz 92 using all the fighter aircraft in range. Our computer German teammates rolled rather poorly vs the Brits so figured we could pick up their slack. I couldn't see much downside to trying it. It's just under 50% to the attacker, only 40/10 Draw/or defender prevails so pretty likely to sink the Brits there I figure. If somehow they go nuts with the flak in the first round then it's pretty swingy I suppose, but with normal results it seems pretty reliable.
The computer will sometimes send some ships, but I'm not sure if maybe all air is sometimes better and just let the sub escape? Surviving fighters just land in Algeria somewhere probably. Or maybe with some ships that can reach at m3 to make sure, leaving a destroyer blocker behind to stall the Brits perhaps, but then any of those ships committed are going to die in the exchange by rounds end.
Then I thought about it again and using only the fighters might be better, cause then we're only facing the flak. This is slightly better than a coin toss for attacker to prevail, just depending on that first round flak vs hits, but if it swings attacker it's not too bad in the TUV trade.
On the Soviet front, the Italian starting fighter sink the Soviet Black Sea fleet and then land at Varna to pressure the British in the Eastern Med. Maybe leaving a bomber of two behind in Ukraine for bunker duty and the early fighters since they can't reach that far. In the central Med I tried to take Malta, so pulling off the Libyan VC to try and make that happen and sacrificing a destroyer to block.
Main shuck-shuck would be sz 96 A into Benghazi for all the production coming over from Italy via Naples Sicily whatever can reach. Though Italy is somewhat limited in what they can spam because their maintenance is pretty tight and income sorta low.
I think how big Italy can go depends on the computer's G1 defense of Chernigov. If they lose that fight, Soviets can advance on central Ukraine, and things can get pretty rough for Italians Or similarly if Computer Germany takes say Rostov and Stalingrad, then Italy is collecting a bit lighter and has to stretch their logistics to get to the next nearest factory pocket. Sometimes I'd think Egypt would be the same like if Computer G blitzes to take the primo tiles hehe. That set us up pretty well and we tried to keep the pressure on methodically picking apart the British in the Middle East. Our first big setback came after taking Baku, where we jumped up to take Stalingrad to cover the computer German advance the next turn, but then lost the VC in Caucasus to Brit counter.
Second big setback came when the Soviets destroyed our main stack at Stalingrad, killing all 3 of our generals and causing a general panic. Thankfully we had pressed to take Baghdad so it wasn't an all out route, but definitely stalled us up. USA started to have an impact vs France, so we had repositioned to start covering Gibraltar. Wasn't sure if Germany would have the juice to hold in West Africa otherwise. Little awkward to get a pocket fleet back over their after focusing so much on the Eastern Med, but once we got there it seemed to do the trick. I think we definitely made a couple goofs in the mid game there, but managed an alright recovery and eventually crept on India so pretty entertaining.
2025-3-9-1941-Global-Command-Decision_Italy_round_10.tsvg
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1riQz6zg7IuvjCNw0zF-Z5mW62sL1ghCb/view?usp=sharing
After getting my bearings a bit, thought I'd try G. I feared that transport capacity boost might make my job a bit too easy on the water, but it didn't end up quite as pronounced as I thought. I did ultimately Sea Lion but it took me a while to get into position. Americans managed some alright drops vs Italy, as we pretty much bailed on them in North Africa to pursue our main line vs the Soviets hehe.
Here it was on round 10, Axis Victory when Computer Japan nabbed the Chinese VC to clinch it. USA actually went for Rome before the round closed, but I think it had already been TKO on Japan's turn, or pretty sure that's when I got the popup. In any case, I think we'd pretty much won, though Allies were making an alright press across the Med. Here was the final with a quick screen there.
2025-3-9-1941-Global-Command-Decision_Germany_round_10.tsvg
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KCwxeYr3ZMoRBftBMTmw0c8NGN7D9O0V/view?usp=sharing
Next out I'll give it a whirl with Japan
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Here's Japan to 10 rounds
2025-3-10-1941-Global-Command-Decision_Japan_round_10.tsvg
I figured to nail Pacific Allies with the push into New Guinea. This seemed like a slightly better proposition with the added capacity. Otherwise stacking into Kunming like I usually do. I hit pearl light then waited by wake for the killshot next turn. Once we were in position off New Guinea, seemed advantageous to just press the attack there so we went no mercy vs Australia. Took a while but we kept the focus up until they were undone. Tried to sprawl as best we could to control the sea lanes. Seemed to work pretty well, we're positioned now to snake Africa so just about all she wrote hehe.
I think might make sense to strengthen Hawaii and New Guinea a bit vs J1/J2 press, just so it's a little harder for Japan to get on them right out the gate.
Oh also I noticed that when Pacific Allies is awarded their industrial advance the Major Factory still autoplaced, even though the territory was under Japanese occupation. You can see it down there doing the contested territory thing next to the Medium Factory we'd captured a few rounds prior.Quickie screen of the final..
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xsvqs5-5eGsuU4-eA1bpsrjLhEaUfYLA/view?usp=sharing
