Memoires of two Staff Officers (PBEM)

[cpdeyoung]

April 9, 1940 : The Soviets are pleased to have enough supply to continue their attacks. England continues to grid for the defence of the Isles.

[Chocolino]

Axis, April 16th, 1940

There was no sea battle in the Western Atlantic with the RN which did give us the green light to DoW the US and land in New York with our tank corps. The attack on the US must have been a surprise to the US as the three Eastern US cities were undefended. The Germans were no less surprised to roll simply in.

The lack of defense was done most likely for economic reasons (i.e. save upkeep) and would have been very smart play in all other circumstances. But we were confident that we could have taken the US also against a typical "light" defense - even though not in a single turn of course.

While this is all very positive news for the Axis, the fact remains that the RN continues to rule the Atlantic. The Kriegsmarine did for this reason withdraw immediately after the landing. The US is now exposed to a later UK counterattack. Can the British reclaim the US as a crown colony for a second time?

(Player note: A very unfortunate and understandable lapsus may cost the Western Allies the game early. Since ToW is essentially a "beer and pretzel" game I don't want to discuss the historic realism here. The landing of German troops on US soil can probably be prevented within the framework of the game system - of course only if it is expected. If one looks at ToW as a game only then the more pathways to success exist for both sides, the more interesting the game becomes.)

[cpdeyoung]

April 16, 1940 : The German commander did his homework, and the Allied commander did not. In past versions of RtV and ToW an attack upon the USA was very difficult, perhaps impossible. I had not gamed this out with the newer version. To say that I was ill when my opponent sprang this on me does not quite capture that drop one feels. The US Navy never ventured out of port, and it is not as large even if it had sortied.

Chocolino chose not to address issues of realism, so I will not either, but I will say I (belatedly) gamed this against the AI and it is a game killer if used. The AI loses the US as early as October 1939, and the Axis is on a roll from then on.

The Soviets, sick about the German coup, soldier on in Persia.

[Chocolino]

Axis, April 24th, 1940

The US and Yugoslavia surrender and Persia is living through the last few weeks of independence.

With some production boost from the US territories, we plan new campaigns. The Italians will continue to be responsible for the Mediterranean theater while the Germans must face their arch enemy in the East.

[cpdeyoung]

April 24, 1940 : Adjust to a new reality.

[Chocolino]

Axis, May 1st, 1940

We did not plan for a USSR campaign this summer. Now events make it necessary and spring is upon us already. We are late with our preparations.

[cpdeyoung]

May 1, 1940

[Chocolino]

Axis, May 9th, 1941

The German attack on the USSR gets off sluggishly.

(With apologies, you will notice in the Minsk area that visibility is set to three hexes instead of two - caused by a ToW reinstall without readjusting the default setting accidentally)

[cpdeyoung]

May 9, 1940 : The Records of this period were lost in a conflagration caused by artillery shells falling on the Kremlin.

We have records again for the may 16, 1940 period.

[Chocolino]

Axis, May 16th, 1940

The titanic struggle for the East starts to unfold.

[cpdeyoung]

May 16, 1940

[Chocolino]

Axis, May 24th, 1940

We are rather carefully probing east in Belarus while still building up further strength at the East Front. Isfahan holds on for one more week and first Italian units probe north towards Tunis.

[cpdeyoung]

May 24, 1940 : The Soviets have found a war.

[Chocolino]

Axis, June 1st, 1940

Even though the Italians are weak and slow, they can make progress against the economically broken French - but it will take a while. Will the British extend a hand and counterattack in the Eastern Desert where Italians are holding with very weak units only?

In Russia our progress is limited by available action points and slow infantry moving up to fill in the extending flanks. In the meanwhile the Russians produce more low level units that they throw in our way to slow us down. When will the tanks be back from Persia?

[Tomokatu]

Perhaps the fall of the USA to the Axis powers should trigger an automatic DoW by Spain - in revenge for 1898 and the loss of their Empire?[:D]
 
A lot of action in a very short time.
 
Thank you gentlemen for a very interesting game and excellent reportage![&o]

[cpdeyoung]

June 1, 1940

[Chocolino]

Axis, June 9th, 1940

Progress in the Baltic states is fast but we make hardly any geographic gains in the USSR despite destroying many defending units. New defenders pop up every turn.

[cpdeyoung]

June 9, 1940

[Tomokatu]

Air superiority is the pre-requisite for a successful strategic bombing establishment. Build more Spitfires and pray!

[Chocolino]

Axis, June 16th, 1940

The Italians reach Casablanca and can now focus on Gabes, Sfax and Tunis.

At the East Front, Minsk finally falls and opens the path to Smolensk. We want to get as close to Moscow as we can before the winter slows us down.