From: "lars.silver" Subject: All Quiet (as text and in mail) Tactics and strategy for ”All Quiet on the Western Front” (henceforth called AQ) So you have just acquired AQ? And you desperately want to win the next game? Well, in my humble opinion you have two alternatives, either you will have to be very lucky or you can listen to those of us who have failed consistently in achieving success and are now learning the hard way. AQ, as you will soon notice, is easy to learn but hard to master. Without a firm strategy combined with a sense of how to accomplish things tactically you will end up on the sorry side, unless your opponent is of the same caliber. Tactics I will not repeat what AQ is all about, there are reviews covering that sort of stuff. It is sufficient to say that the AQ system is innovative, well developed and quite fun. The first unusual aspect a first time player will have to grasp is combat. There are no odds tables in AQ, in every combat one side fires first, and then the other, hopefully, gets the opportunity to reply. The losses are measured in steps, also units can not advance without having eliminated the opponent. All of which basically means that the number of steps available to the defender is the single most important variable in each combat. The defender will have to plan his defense on the basis of available steps and on the importance of not letting the enemy gain ground in that particular area. Each army has special characteristics on the attack which will have to be considered as each attack is planned, and the appropriate defense to prevent that attack from being successful. Also, there are supporting arms that will be able to assist in the attack. The combat tables: It is virtually impossible provide an analysis of how to best maximize effects on the combat tables. It is merely sufficient to argue that Stosstruppen and Tank supported attacks better use exactly the amount required to be able to use the next column. A good German attack is 22 SP’s (2 6-4’s, 2 5-4’s - all Stoss). The British preferably use 28 SP’s (4 7-4’s - one Tank). The French finally 19 SP’s (3 4-4’s, 1 7-4 - one Tank). Of course, a combined attack is even better 32 SP’s. If Stoss and Tanks are not available you have to expect to lose some 4 SP’s due to defensive fire. Exploitation: Perhaps the most important decision as to where to attack and when is the possibility to exploit any breakthroughs achieved. Only the Initiative Player (IP) may exploit, which is important to remember as the IP plans his defense. As it is impossible for the NonInitiative Player (NIP) to exploit breakthroughs, his counterattacks will be feeble at best. The discussion below assumes that the defender do not have a second line to prevent exploitation, this is quite unlikely in any event. The exploitation capability varies between the different army. The German army has a very good capability, the British a limited ability while the French and the Americans are poorly equipped to exploit successfully. Attacks have primarily one (or both) of two goals; either you attack to kill off the enemy or you attack to gain ground. In the latter case your aim should be to conquer territory, disrupt the enemy defenses and hopefully to cut off enemy supply to certain units. Decision 1. Where to attack is dependent on three variables; Enemy strength, Terrain and Exploit capability available. Enemy strength is important as you need to eliminate enough units to prevent a retreat from gaining more than one hex. Thus the Enemy strength variable is dependent on the hex grid. It is far better to attack hexes where the defender have to cover three hexes during the retreat to prevent exploitation, as opposed to hexes where the defender only have to cover one hex. The Terrain variable is very important, exploitation is prevented in Rough, Swamp, Towns and Cities. Rivers prevent units from continued exploitation. Especially Rough terrain is commonplace, for example it virtually secures the whole Verdun area against exploitation. This seriously affects strategy as well. Finally the Exploit capability available is especially troublesome for the Entente player. Tanks tend to disappear during the attacks while Canadians usually end up getting mauled in offensive action or by artillery. Decision 2. Where to go is a paramount question. Cutting enemy supply is possibly the most effective way to turn a local breakthrough into a not so local rout. In particular the German should try to plan his attacks based on how to bag as many enemy units as possible. Try to position a HQ right behind the actual breakthrough hex. If the attacker succeeds in creating encirclements on a large scale, the enemy may not even be in a position to form a new offensive line. Think as if you are in the east front in 1941-1942 rather than in the great war. A properly conducted exploitation may win the war. Finally one crucial advice; NEVER EVER attack into a hex adjacent to a successful penetration of the enemy lines! (unless absolutely certain that you will be able to eliminate the enemy). Any retreat will only cause the defender to hinder your forthcoming exploitation. In any case, it is better to let the enemy starve themselves into prison camps, rather than throwing away your best units attacking them. Artillery: Always counterbarrage if possible. Defensive artillery is devastating, especially against the Entente as the German will invariably reduce your meager exploitation capability first (the Canadians in particular should bring a steel umbrella to the battle scene). Offensive artillery is also very effective as it may turn an almost impregnable line into a fairly soft one. Positioning two units within range of any attacks is a good option as one may counterbarrage and the other can provide artillery barrage. Of course, a defender should be wary as to where the enemy HQ’s are positioned. Air power: The problem with the air units is how to use them. There are a number of worthwhile missions. Interdicting rail lines is quite effective, especially if you believe that it is possible to achieve some encirclements which opens up the front. Artillery spotting and the simple strafing mission are also interesting, a nice option is to first bombard with air spotting in the barrage phase and then strafe the defender in the combat phase, that could make even a 6 step stack in Primary trenches look vulnerable. Strategy ”Where do you like to go today” would be a pretty good slogan for AQ. The alternatives are immense. First I will start with a discussion of some important strategic issues, after that some strategic options will be discussed. Railroads: Trains are very useful as they provide some rapid transport for 6 (Entente) or 4 (German) divisions every couplet. For the defender it is the only rapid movement capability aside from the dreaded ”Instant teleportation via heaven” (I should not mention this one as it is quite unsportsmanlike, the idea is to attack, get killed and then reincarnate somewhere else through the replacement system). Unfortunately for the allies the wiseguys planning for France’s transportation system requires that any French units that want to support the British will have to pass customs in Paris. A small sightseeing detour limiting the effect of rapid transportation and transforming it into a ”slow boat to China” variant, this works both ways of course. Always have some reserves waiting at a central railroad station if possible (perhaps not in Paris though, having some 40 000 soldiers going to Lido or Moulin Rouge every night tends to create some havoc). Strategic reserve: Use it! It may seem awfully wasteful to have 24 prime stock Stosstruppen divisions waiting in limbo, but you will find them quite handy as the battle develops. Having a strategic reserve enables the attacker to adapt to unfolding events. It also keeps the defender on his toes for a while. Do not underestimate the casualties an offensive will cost you. Few players will probably keep the strategic reserve at a large scale for more than one or at most two turns. It does however have an additional effect after a few game turns, as you could then build up destroyed units and place them in reserve for some rapid movement. Alsace: Both players should try to use the option of resting units in the deadpile down in Alsace (imagine watching an advert from your local undertaker recommending you a long vacation in Alsace as soon as you are dead!). Therefore an option would be to start with relatively strong units in Alsace, since they would take up less railroad capacity. The French-British dilemma in March: The Germans will attack either the French or the British, rather on the south or north map, but not on both (if he manage to keep his senses). This is good and bad for the Entente player. The most negative effect is the inability to quickly transfer units to the threatened front. On the positive side it should be noted that it is a safe bet that if the Germans go for the British, then the French may safely unstack their defensive forces and send everything except for one unit a hex up north. The same applies the other way around as well. Some claim that attacking in the center is the worst thing you can do as the German, since the other army gets into the fray so quickly (for example the designer Ted Raicer). If you use the open area between the Entente armies and then run away from whoever it is you are not attacking, I would claim that it is quite possible to succeed. Quiet fronts: There are fronts which are all quiet even in this game of lightning maneuver. The attacker should basically cover up with as few units as possible in these quiet sectors. The defender can not really afford that luxury as the attacker may change direction. An exception is the French and British in March as was already mentioned. The defender have to make an cost-benefit analysis as the game develops. Some strategies for the German offensive: To win by turn 8 the German needs to take about 13-17 victory points in geographical objectives if attacking the French and about 19-23 victory points if attacking the British. (Calculation French 43 - 2 (bombardment of Paris, average) -16 (morale declines by 2 every turn) -8/-12 (estimation of HQ’s activated during 8 turns)). Of course the option used will depend on the Entente set up, almost any front can be breached though, however tough it may seem at first. It is also possible to attack at several different places, therefore these are only a few of the many alternatives. Against the British: The Flanders option A straightforward attack in Flanders aimed at capturing the Ypres area, Hazebrouck, Dunkirk and St. Omer Net gain: 22 VP’s (average) Advantages: Good defensive line (if attack fails), close proximity to VP’s, far from the French Disadvantages: Bad terrain, short front, no alternatives, boring (!) The backhand blow to the Channel A breakthrough around Arras and Bethune also capturing St. Pol, St. Omer and two out of Boulogne, Calais and Hazebrouck. Net gain: 20.5 - 22 VP’s Advantages: Good terrain, expanding front (makes it easier to thin out enemy line), many alternatives (Amiens/Abbeville or Ypres area), far from the French Disadvantages: Poor defensive line, quite far to some VP’s Operation Michael revisited An historical option conquering the 6 C hexes around the devastated area plus Amiens and Abbeville. Net gain: 21 VP’s Advantages: Relatively good terrain (the devastated area gives some protection afterwards), expanding front, some alternatives (Arras and St. Pol) Disadvantages: Poor defensive line, quite far to Abbeville, close to the French Against the French: The run for Paris An all-out for Paris, using the opening between the French and the British and then running for open country. Capturing Compiegne, Soissons, Villers-Cotterets and Meaux on the way. Net gain: 12.5 before Paris, as many as you like in Paris. Advantages: Relatively good terrain, expanding front, some alternatives (Rheims, Chateau Thierry and Epernay), Fun (either you win quickly or you lose almost as quickly) Disadvantages: Very poor defensive line, it is a long and treacherous passage to Paris, close to the British Breakthrough to Chalons A fairly common strategy. Breaking through to Chalons, then taking Rheims, Epernay, Vitry and Bar le Duc Net gain: 17.5 VP’s Advantages: Relatively good terrain, expanding front, some alternatives (primarily Verdun), far from the British Disadvantages: VP’s spread out through area, poor defensive lines The reduction of Verdun For those who like a real shoot-out. Capturing Verdun, Toul, Nancy and Bar Le Duc. Net Gain: 18 VP’s Advantages: Good defensive lines, relatively close to VP’s, fun (if you like watching the Germans get blown to pieces by the forts) Disadvantages: Lousy terrain, short front, virtually no alternatives, not so fun (if you are the German that gets blown to pieces) Suggested Entente set up for the campaign: Based upon Ted Raicer’s suggested channeling defense for the British British: 3 units per hex between the Belgians and Arras, 1 unit per hex south of Arras. Reserves in the south, west of Peronne and Ham on RR, 1 HQ near south mapedge. French: 3 units in fortified trenches (remember the ZOC rules!), 3 units north of Rheims and then possibly channeling the Germans towards the area west of Verdun or simply setting up 2 units per hex. Good hunting, LarsS