TAIFUN (Allies) vs IIo4Tu (Axis) Full game 1939

[Taifun]

October 1941.
We are not lucky and the weather is good along the whole Russian front. Riga was captured and the Germans broke our MLR creating a bridgehead near Kiev with a panzerkorps.
Heavy naval fitting starts in the Norwegian Sea, where 4 U-Boote and the German maritime bombers were hitting our convoy line to the USSR. For the next several turns we kept open the convoy line but we lost 2 destroyers against several damaged U-Boote.

[smckechnie]

How come Spain did not join the Axis from them taking the whole of France? Did he opt not to take Spain as an ally?

[Marcinos1985]

It is always a question of time/space/units for the USSR and it is a big problem for the Allied player to solve this equation.

I know that's why I'm asking. [:)] That just seems quite bold, but at the same time in spirit of this game.

I'd have some questions about units you bought and tech, but as you both are not that far into game, this should wait.

It seems your opponent will try to outflank Smolensk defences via Gomel. Weather can stop him though. Nov-Dec will be very interesting turns.

[Taifun]

Hi Scott! I was also surprised by how little Spain moved towards the Axis after the French surrender. I guess it is because it was a simultaneous event the Paris/Algiers capture and the bonus did not get activated. I think that Spain was around 45% after the French surrender... I did not complain!

[BillRunacre]

I've checked the scripts and Spain is set to swing to the Axis by 20-25% when France surrenders, irrespective of whether Vichy is formed, so if it was at 45% then by the next Axis turn it should have reached the 60% threshold for DE 603.

Decision 603 for Germany to entice Franco to enter the war does have some strict requirements, e.g. a German unit must be within 3 hexes of Algiers, Spain must be at 60% Axis, Italy must be fully mobilized and not surrendered. Algiers, Rabat and Oran must all be in Axis hands, and there must be no Allied troops within 5 hexes of Rabat.

So I wonder if one of the conditions for that wasn't met?

[IIo4Tu]

ORIGINAL: BillRunacre

I've checked the scripts and Spain is set to swing to the Axis by 20-25% when France surrenders, irrespective of whether Vichy is formed, so if it was at 45% then by the next Axis turn it should have reached the 60% threshold for DE 603.

Decision 603 for Germany to entice Franco to enter the war does have some strict requirements, e.g. a German unit must be within 3 hexes of Algiers, Spain must be at 60% Axis, Italy must be fully mobilized and not surrendered. Algiers, Rabat and Oran must all be in Axis hands, and there must be no Allied troops within 5 hexes of Rabat.

So I wonder if one of the conditions for that wasn't met?

Spain's mobilization has not yet reached 60%

[pjg100]

I think that typically the Axis must devote some diplo effort to Spain to get it above 60%, even accounting for the fall of France. It is fairly easy to do prior to entry of the US, since the Soviet Union cannot apply any diplo to Spain.

[IIo4Tu]

ORIGINAL: pjg100

I think that typically the Axis must devote some diplo effort to Spain to get it above 60%, even accounting for the fall of France. It is fairly easy to do prior to entry of the US, since the Soviet Union cannot apply any diplo to Spain.

I agree, I just forgot that there is this event that allows you to take Spain when capturing the whole of France, you will need to try to activate it on occasion

[Taifun]

November 7 1941
USA 66%. Oran was recaptured by the Germans. We lost the Canadian Infantry corps in low supply, but 3 Infantry corps and a German HQ were employed in the task and are for the moment unable to reinforce the Russian front…
North of Pripyat marshes the mud finally arrived and the Germans captured Orsha and Gomel (evacuated) but were stopped at Parnu and Daugavpils.

In the South the weather was still good with clear skies and the invaders expanded their bridgehead around Kiev and reached Konotop. General Zhukov launched a small counterattack with heavy tanks from Dnepropetrovsk and destroyed a couple of German infantry corps. The heavy tanks were damaged and ended the turn in an exposed position holding the city but we counted on the arrival of winter weather next turn to help defend Dnepropetrovsk.

[Taifun]

China
The arrival of the Flying Tigers Booted Chinese National Morale.
After taking Kweichow the Japanese prepared to assault our last forts defending the Capital Chungking. At the same time they launched an offensive against Ichang in the central part of the front. The Japanese Air force is very strong with 3 medium and 2 tactical Bombers, but lacks fighters and our own Chinese fighter squadron has downed several bombers during the last turns.

[Taifun]

December 5 1941
USA 70%. The Germans in Africa led by General von Rundstedt, after pausing for a month, were back on the offensive and captured El Alamein. Our troops have organized a MLR behind the Nile. Most of the original Monty’s forces were destroyed in the last 6 months and only 2 infantry corps, 1 AA unit and the British Army now remain in the line, but new troops have arrived. These rookies are 2 Indian Armies, an Indian AA unit and a tank corps formed with US tanks (by script). Baghdad was being sieged. Kunming was captured by the Japanese.

[Taifun]

December 5 1941
The cold weather arrived at last. At the last minute Daugavpils was evacuated by our troops, the city being surrounded by the invaders. Our fortified tank corps defending the Smolensk approaches was destroyed along with the fortification by panzer forces.
Stalin concentrated the best Soviet troops around Pskov (to defend the Leningrad road) and Smolensk (to defend Moscow). The only armor available in this area sector is a unit of light tanks defending Velikiye Luki and 2 mech infantry near Pskov. The enemy operates with at least 2 panzerkorps + 2 mech infantry units, 3 Armies and 7 German Infantry corps plus AT and 3-4 bomber units…

[Taifun]

South of Pripyat marshes the weather in December was clear! The Germans attacked and destroyed both the heavy tanks and Soviet infantry corps defending Dnepropetrovsk but could not enter the city. General Zhukov counterattacked again west of Kharkov and destroyed a Hungarian Army and the Hungarian tank corps! A small victory and more so as Dnepropetrovsk was still in our hands… Additionally more armor arrived at Kharkov (Heavy Tanks plus a new tank corps), Stalin concentrating his best armor under Zhukov. Konotop was evacuated and a new defense established at Kursk.

[Marcinos1985]

South of Pripyat marshes the weather in December was clear!

That's not that big of surprise actually. Last German turn in 1941 is Late Fall, not Winter. Therefore there's 40% for clear weather and 30% chance for no rain/snow for this weather zone. Not beyond realms of probability.
What is more, you may get a clear weather even in Winter - 10% chance (which I find amusing) but still I saw it several times, and it's of course very annoying and potentialy painful.
Fortunately, northern weather zones (north of Kursk-Voronezh line) have much worse (for GER) weather paterns.

Time for a bold statement - USSR situation is good.

[Taifun]

January 2 1942
USA 87%. The capture of El Alamein increased the USA mobilization and the “USA prepares for war message appeared at the end of the turn. Foreign Minister reported diplomatic success Turkey +17% Axis.
The winter hit the German forces in the USSR and this turn the invaders were busy rebuilding their forces in the East. Germany 72 land units vs 48 USSR.

[Taifun]

China. The Japanese Armies equipped with new Infantry Weapons 2 are advancing every turn, destroying one after the other our fortifications and units. We count a total of only 20 Chinese units… Ichang was evacuated after a series of furious Japanese attacks and the invaders reached our last fortified line defending the plains west of Chungking. Wanting town was captured near the Burmese border.

[Taifun]

January 30 1942
In a well planned attack Japan sunk all US Navy ships in Pearl Harbor with 4 CVs. In the Philippines he attacked with 3 SLF and 1 CV and destroyed the US fighter and strategic bombers. Near the American Samoa he deployed 1 BB, 2 CAs and 2 subs but failed to sink the US DD and CA.
After sinking 2 German BCs and 1 CA near Madagascar a powerfulll British Task Force based around 2 CVs rushed back to India to replenish and refit. In record time they sailed again and just arrived in time to position most of their units around the Java Sea, waiting for the Japanese amphibious invasion surely to arrive. Unfortunately, no Japanese SNL forces were intercepted at sea, and the enemy managed to land 3 SNL forces in Java and Sumatra. After capturing Bandoeng a Japanese HQ was transported by ship to the recently seized port of Tjilatjap (level 5) and moved to Semarang. The brave Dutch soldiers defending Batavia were destroyed and the colony will surrender next turn. In this area the Kriegsmarine was operating 2-3 U-Boote and 1 CA, using then to spot Allied ships. Guadalcanal was captured by another unit of SNL forces that escaped miraculously being intercepted by our ships in the Solomons Sea.

[Taifun]

As the crucial year of 1942 starts, we will review the losses so far.
The Germans have been targeting our DDs in the war at sea and managed to sink 6 Allied DDs against no U-Boote losses but the KRIEGSMARINE lost 2 BCs, 3 CAs and 1 DD. The USSR is barely replacing their losses, losing every turn as many units as they can create.

[Taifun]

February 27 1942
Alexandria was captured and Cairo was doomed: an Indian Army was left behind acting as rearguard in a desperate delaying role. Baghdad surrendered and the few remaining Allied units retired towards the recently “pacified” Iraq as far as they could. Those 2 panzerkorps supported by 2 upgraded medium bombers are just a killing machine and no Allied units are able to stop them… The US General Wainwright escaped (God only knows how) from the Philippines and disembarked at Kuwait. The Philippines surrendered.

[Taifun]

The Germans started their new FINAL offensive in the East. Pushing in 3 axes they aim for Leningrad, Moscow and Rostov…