Lightning Tourney Rd1 Sandeman vs SGT Rice UV2.1

[SGT Rice]

Allied Fall 43 (cont.)

In the Pacific the Japanese have pulled their remaining CVs back to Japan. Allies surge forward, making unopposed landings on Guam, Marianas, Luzon, Celebes and Borneo. Marauding subs, cruisers and carriers sink 7 Japanese trannies and 1 LS. B-17s from India get three more rail hits in Central China.

In the West the Luftwaffe goes from 2/7/7 to 3/8/8 FTRs in one turn. When the WA air forces return to Western Germany the combat analyzer predicts very lopsided results in the fighter battle, so I once again use the bombers to hit the Luftwaffe's airfields. Losses are 2 German FTR destroyed, 6 damaged and 8 WA fighters damaged.

[SGT Rice]

Allied Fall 43 (final)

Force totals at end Fall 43 / beginning Winter 44.

Turn sent to Sandeman.

[Sandeman]

Axis Win'44

Germany practices the Soviet principle of "space for time" and withdraws our main army to spend the winter in Belorussia, waiting to see where to red army goes. AA is improved, and hopefully it will make an impact defending the fatherland. As the luftwaffe was once again the victim of lucky British die rolls we will not give them the chance to attack again this turn. Apparently attacking airfields with a horde of bombers is a fine way to negate the -3 range penalty of fighters going from England to Germany.

Japan secures most of its forces on the main island as it rebuilds its air force.

Turn sent to SGT Rice

[GKar]

ORIGINAL: Sandeman

Apparently attacking airfields with a horde of bombers is a fine way to negate the -3 range penalty of fighters going from England to Germany.

Hmm, is that intentional?

[SGT Rice]

ORIGINAL: GKar

ORIGINAL: Sandeman

Apparently attacking airfields with a horde of bombers is a fine way to negate the -3 range penalty of fighters going from England to Germany.

Hmm, is that intentional?

This was indeed an expected result under the current combat system; losses were close to those predicted by the combat analyzer. The WA had an equal number of fighters to the Germans for the attack. But the WA fighters were 7/8 while the Germans were 8/8, and the WA were flying at max range, effectively making them 6/8s. By themselves the WA fighters would have come off very poorly; combat analyzer predicted about 2 defender losses to 8-9 attacker losses. But they were enough WA fighters to completely screen the bombers (8 HBs with LA 6 and 5 LBs with LA 7), meaning that every Luftwaffe defender got attended to (some more than once) by a WA bomber with LA of 6 or better AFTER they had taken the evasion hit and any suppression inflicted by the WA fighters.

[SGT Rice]

Allied Winter 44 -

Eastern Front: The Red Army follows the retreating Germans; recapturing Kursk, Kharkov and Sevastopol. Sturmovik strikes score 2 rail hits on Army Group Centre's concentration in Belorussia; further long range strikes sink the Rumanian transport (which had been damaged several times but kept getting repaired). The Leningrad garrison looks too strong to attack during the winter, so the front remains static in the north. For once the eastern front looks somewhat historical; three army groups on each side squaring off against one another.

Kiev is an important prize; 3 fully repaired resources there. Will the Germans fight for it? Army Group South is mostly Italian militia units; they would have to be heavily reinforced.

[SGT Rice]

Allied Winter 44 (cont.)

After two seasons of fierce air battles targeting their bases, the Luftwaffe surrenders the skies over West Germany and falls back to bases in E. Germany, Czechoslovakia and Austria. Against sparse flak defenses, the WA LBs score 3 rail hits while there big brothers get 5 resource hits. Screenie shows overall deployment of flak units and infrastructure status in France, TLC and W.Germany. Small error in West Germany; there are actually two German flak units there (I cropped the inset at the wrong place).

[SGT Rice]

Allied Winter 44 (final) -

After moving a couple of subs forward to recon Japanese home waters, all Japanese force locations are observed by the Allies. Most of the Japanese army is on the mainland in Manchuria and the Shanghai region, while all but two of Japan's transports are within reach of WA subs and aircraft. The last two trannies are sheltering in Tokyo Bay under an umbrella of 3 FTRs and 6 CAGs, but the only way out of Honshu by ship is east into the North Pacific; so an opportunity to blockade Japan and cut her off from her armies presents itself.

Although the subs perform poorly - scoring three straight damage results - all the Chinese ports and surrounding sea zones are cleared of Japanese shipping. The key engagement came in the Yellow Sea; where 2 FTRs and 2 HBs flew CAP for a LS and 2 TRS. All those RPs spent to get WA CAG up to 6/7s pays off in spades; 4 WA CAGs (3 of them veteran) knock out the defending CAP (losing 2 of their own) and sink the trannies. Replacement aircrews are rushed to the Pacific and the full strength of TF38 is deployed directly off Honshu in a (sure to be costly) attempt to keep the main Japanese field armies stuck on the mainland.

Turn sent to Sandeman.

[Sandeman]

Axis Spr'44

Hats off to my opponent here, as he's fully exploited every mistake I've made as Japan this game. I was unable to break the blockade, although we took out 2 CVs and 3 CAGS trying. It was a bad idea setting up a CAP last turn, I probably wouldnt be in this mess had they stayed in Honshu. However, Japan turns its wrath upon the Soviets, and Vladivostok is seized destroying the many militia guarding it.

Germany evacuates Leningrad in order to make a stand in both Belorussia and Kiev. Our fighters have been rebuilt and once again protect the fatherland against allied raids.

Turn sent to SGT Rice

[Sandeman]

ORIGINAL: GKar

ORIGINAL: Sandeman

Apparently attacking airfields with a horde of bombers is a fine way to negate the -3 range penalty of fighters going from England to Germany.

Hmm, is that intentional?

I just meant that bombers now play a much bigger role in these type of air raids, with the attacking fighters being less effective. I'm finding the rule to be a good one, as I've always disliked these huge England vs Germany air battles as being rather unrealistic since the defender is always forced to fight.

[SGT Rice]

Allied Spring 44 - Eastern Front

In the dark days of 1942 Marshal Koniev hatched a scheme for an eventual counteroffensive against the Nazi invaders. One of the Ukrainian factory complexes was diverted from the Urals to the Caucasus, where a population point and a major port gave it the ability to produce naval units. In Winter 44 the Russians finish 3 transports to join the survivor of the original Black Sea Fleet; unnoticed by German intelligence in Spring '44, they sortie into the Western Black Sea allowing the rapid invasion and conquest of (lightly defended) Rumania and (undefended) Bulgaria. Kiev remains in German hands for the time being, but the Germans will have to shift rapidly to cover their exposed Balkan flank.

Soviets hit 8 LA for their infantry this turn; notice the cool 'running man' unit symbol. Nice touch Jesse.

Neutral screen view at start of Axis Summer 44 turn.

[SGT Rice]

Allied Spring 44 - Western Front

The Germans spring a major strategic surprise; building nine fighters in West Germany, reinforcing them with eight more fighters, 2 HBs and 5 LBs. Now they're applying the principle of big stacks that's been used successfully against them. The Wallies scramble to withdraw a detachment of 10 fighters that had been sent to Norway last turn. Allied bombers score 6 hits on resources in Eastern France.

Screen shot is neutral view at star of Axis Summer 44 turn.

[SGT Rice]

Allied Spring 44 - Pacific Theatre.

The blockade of the Japanese Home Islands was successful; costing the US 2 CAGs, 1 CV destroyed, 1 CAG, 1 CV damaged by the Japanese counterattack in Axis Spring 44. But Japanese air power is on its last legs; P-51s from Okinawa lead missions over Honshu that clear Japan's airfields of FTRs and CAGs during Allied Spring 44. An hasty invasion of Hokkaido is launched to take Japanese homeland production down to 1.

Screen shot is neutral view at start of Axis Summer 44 turn, with combat results from Axis & Allied Spring 44 turns.

Turn sent to Sandeman.

[Sandeman]

Axis Sum'44

Things heating up in Europe. The russians pulled their own version of Anzio secretely building transports in the caucasus to land behind German lines in the balkans resulting in 5 axis resources lost.[:@] However, their 11 unit beachhead in Bulgaria is now surrounded by 34+ units. Kiev and Belorussia should hold another turn... so what will Stalin do? W.Germany is now holds our entire force of 20 FTRs and our INF also makes LA 8 but no new graphics [:(]

Japan smashes some more irregular soviet units in siberia

Turn sent to SGT Rice

[SGT Rice]

Allied Summer 44 - European Theatre

The Soviet expeditionary force in Bulgaria turns around and punishes Turkey for its Axis leanings; followed up by a Wallied tag team that takes the eastern half of the country. Sturmovik strikes score 5 rail hits in eastern Europe.

In the West the Second Front is reopened; back to The Low Countries. 8 HBs, 5 LBs (lost one to an autohit) and 4 BBs combine to damage the 3 artillery, then 5 WA infantry sweep in to clear out the militia defenders. Hopefully the beachhead is secure; 2 ARM, 10 INF and 4 ART defend against a potential German counterattack of 4 INF, 2 ART, 6 AA and 9 MIL.

Insets focus on the opposing air forces in the West. Allied bombers (8 HBs and 4 LBs) are on patrol over the Atlantic. WA hit 9 evasion this turn, earning the nice F-80 icons.

[SGT Rice]

Allied Summer 44 - Pacific Theatre.

The Soviets launch a spoiling attack into Manchuria, eliminating 2 Japanese INF. Odds are a little more even, but the Japanese might as well continue their banzai charges to attrite the Russian. CAG/BB strikes take out a lone artillery on Kyushu, clearing the way for Operation Olympic. Honshu should fall next turn.

The Chinese army emerges from the hinterland in time to join the ticker tape parade.

[SGT Rice]

Allied Summer 44 (final)

Screenie showing overall force totals.
Sum key unit ratings:


Infantry (LA/EV)
Germany (8/7)
Japan (7/6)
Russia (8/7)
WA (8/7)
China (6/4)

Armor (LA/EV)
Germany (9/8)
Russia (9/8)
WA (8/8)

Artillery (LA)
Germany (8)
Japan (6)
Russia (8)
WA (8)

Anti Aircraft (AA)
Germany (9)
Japan (6)
Russia (7)
China (6)
WA (7)

Fighters (Spd/AA/EV)
Germany (3/8/8)
Japan (3/7/7)
Russia (3/7/7)
WA (3/8/9)

CAG (Spd/AA/EV)
Japan (3/5/6)
WA (4/7/7)

Strategic bombers (Spd/LA)
Germany (5/5)
Japan (4/4)
Russia (4/4)
WA (5/6)

Tactical bombers (Spd/LA)
Germany (3/5)
Japan (2/5)
Russia (3/7)
WA (4/7)

Turn sent to Sandeman.

[GKar]

I just wanted to drop in and say that I really like your AAR images with the unit details and arrows, SGT Rice (I'll assume that it was your idea [:'(]). A great idea to show both the overall situation and several interesting force concentrations at the same time.

Keep up the good work, both of you! I think it is the first 'Japan first' AAR I've read, at least for a while. Great stuff!

[SGT Rice]

My pleasure ... glad to hear someone finds it useful.

[Sandeman]

Axis Fall '44

Germany adjusts to the new reality that our empire is shrinking... but the army is restless as it has never suffered any major defeat. W.France, now being indefensible, is abandoned in favor of the old Maginot line forts. It's a shame that the allies conspired against the good natured Turks, but still I won't complain if armies are moving away from Germany...[:-]

Japan just waits for the inevitable

SS shows major european deployments