Downfall - first solo play

Had a solo session with Downfall (in sauna that was wargame room !) as a learning experience.

Very interesting and involving game with several new concepts to embrace, that played pretty well solo (bar managing the card hands, which got quite large at times) with the back and forth playing sequence and order options for each side keeping things fresh and unpredictable.

As Allies I concentrated early on with Strategic Warfare as they have few units on board (in fact rather few overall) only in North Africa/Tunisia.

This saw Allies gain control of Malta Convoys and win the Battle of the Atlantic but fail to do much with Strategic Bombing (not sure the benefits of better air units is worth effort until later in war).

I struggled to fully understand the Naval (and Supply) aspects of the game preferring not to risk sending any reserves until requisite sea areas under full control.

In retrospect I can see an argument for OKW to evacuate Tunisia toot suite as once Mediterranean zones are dominated by Royal Navy their units are nigh impossible to reinforce. 

Allies never got to launch attack into western Europe but did manage to invade Sicily and Italian mainland getting hung up at Cassino and Rome but I never got to knock Italy out of war (required Event card did not appear).

Therefore OKW had little to do bar contest Italy and do occasional Strategic Warfare.

This was really all because of the almost total collapse of OKH on Ostfront as the Soviets proved to be an inexorable juggernaut.

Tough choice for OKH whether to stand firm or give ground as units can get cut-off and annihilated (dead units are not returned/re-built) if not careful.

The Ivans just seemed to hoover up city objective hexes and their VP levels ramped up quickly indeed they won game automatically in Turn 3 (out of 8).

Doubtless there are better strategies/card use/order use than I managed with OKH and indeed Allies

All in all this is a fun game system with lots going on and it does suck you in despite turns being lengthy.

Combat and Movement all easily resolved at least on land as again I failed to do much at sea (game rated as Medium complexity which is pretty much spot on).

Soviet juggernaut pushing westwards..................................

Not sure of impact/purpose of opposing Fleets in Black and Baltic Seas (maybe later or am missing something)

Allies gain toehold in Sicily

Large Allied fleets in North Atlantic but invasion force stuck in UK as OKW fortifies French coast

End of game with not much change for Allies bar sending some reserves to Italy

Where they are hung up at Rome having just taken Cassino after a struggle (note Soviets already into Balkans and Bulgaria knocked out of war)

Soviets at very gates of Berlin and Allies not even ashore in West

The paltry Allied objectives held 

Dominant Soviet conquests yielding the 10VP difference need to win outright for them and OKW

Comparing this to WW2 Barbarossa To Berlin (a CDG type) it is much different with less overt 'scripting', but with more involved and lengthier turns, with BTB relying firmly on its card driven system to conduct OPs and Events whilst Downfall has a more nuanced system of cards, Action Chits and Events. 

The strategic warfare and naval aspects are seemingly more important in Downfall as not purely Event cards and do effect Supply but much less frequently than in BTB also very few Event card chains compared with BTB which has several 'trees' of need play card 1 to play card 2. 

Similar subject matter covered with BTB being probably quicker to play and less of footprint but Downfall much less predictable and free flowing.