Hispaniola 1947 AAR

[ernieschwitz]

26th October, 1947...

4 Battles happen in this turn. The haitians try to storm Barahona again, and lose. They then try to storm Neiba, where they are met by machinegun fire, and lose 3 rifles. Then a unit i cannot see attacks La Vega, and loses. A fourth attack happens on the road just north of Santiago, where my beaten militia from the battle of Monte Cristi were located. They were trying to get to Santiago, to reinforce the troops there... but had to retreat do to overwhelming odds.

In total the Enemy has lost 10 SFTs this turn. Riflemen and Miltia. Makes this the bloodiest day so far in the war. Here is the situation at the start of the turn.

[ernieschwitz]

October 26th, 1947, still...

I decide to go for fuel. I get 300 Oil for 5 PPs. Not much, but more than i would get if it was produced synthetically. I now have 644 Oil. If the opportunity presents itself, i will use my bombers to flatten a unit, so i can gain frontage.

I have shuffled my forces around Neiba alittle. But mostly i am trying to let them stay in place, so they get good entrenchment values. I also sent a rifle unit northwards, and 1 unit to try and secure the flank of the road between Neiba and Santo Domingo.

Here is the situation as the turn ended.

[ernieschwitz]

27th October, 1947

Bad news is supposed to come in threes, right? Well i got a message as i started my turn up from my intelligence community that American Planes and Pilots were seen in Port-Au-Prince. Then a message came up to tell me that international tensions between the Americans and Soviets had risen. But then it seemed like the bad news stopped. The haitians decided to attack La Vega and Barahona this turn, but where beaten both places.

But then i look at the map and see that a unit of enemy Riflemen and Militia is trying to cut off supplies to my troops at Neiba and Barahona. Not that this plan would succeed even if the road between the two places were cut. Barahona is a port as well, so supplies could get in that way, but still, it´s annoying.

Here is the report on the international tension, that i got when the turn opened.

[ernieschwitz]

27th october, 1947, still...

I move my rifle unit located near La Vega, to stand between the two cities (La Vega and Santiago). I don´t want him cutting off my supplies to Santiago, which he could do by entering the hex now occupied by my riflemen. The remnants of the Militia originaly stationed in Monte Cristi moves to that location as well.... I am going to try to get them to La Vega, to reinforce it´s garrison.

In the south, near Neiba and Barahona, is where the situation looks most critical. I move my Rifle units to block the attempted flanking manouver, and pull back some infantry that i had moved forward on the turn previously. I also have a small land battle south of Barahona, where a small unit of 2 riflemen was located. I beat this unit easily, and it retreats.

Here is the situation in the south, in close up.

[ernieschwitz]

28th October, 1947...

Two attacks this turn by the Haitians. The first one is in the South. South of Barahona. The remains of the enemy rifle formation decides to attack the unit that i had used to advance with. The Haitians are eliminated in this combat, and I gain a good chunk of area, simply because my Zones of Control are bigger than the enemies (non-existant i presume). The other attack is on my unit guarding the rear of the Neiba - Santo Domingo road. Here the enemy loses a single formation, and i don´t lose a thing.

Here is the situation at the start of the turn.

[ernieschwitz]

October 28th, 1947, continued...

I start off the turn by going in and checking the available action cards. There is a new one available. Its called Land Forces. What it does (for 5 PPs) is that it gives me a 15% chance (or about a 1 in 6 chance) to get soviet land forces. This is rather tempting. I also note that if there already are enemy major power land forces, the Americans, on the island, then the chance jumps 10% (to about 1 in 4).

Having programmed the Scenario, i know that the Haitians have that same card. But getting those forces is just too tempting. So i am going to take the chance and play the Card.

Here is what the card looks like.

[ernieschwitz]

October 28th, 1947... continued...

Hrm! Well the soviets are rather wary of sending troops it turns out. They decide that they will plan an intervention, but not today. Oh well, things are still going well... i can get to try again next turn. I have the PPs to do it.

[ernieschwitz]

October 28th 1947, ...

Disaster! I tried to bomb the unit trying to cut off the road between Neiba and Santo Domingo. I had decided to escort my bomber with the 3 soviet fighters, but not the 4 old world war 2 fighters i had also. I was trying to save Oil. The American fighters immediately intercepted, and since their aircrafts are fighter IIIs, and the Soviets are fighter IIs... (i might change this, i just don´t know enough about Soviet fighters to be sure if they where better than or as good as american fighters of this age)... well disaster occured.

2 Soviet Fighters where shot down, and so was my levelbomber. I did shoot down 1 american fighter though. So i did do some damage... but its a far cry from what i wanted. Also i am down to 531 Oil now.

I think it´s quite possible that i may now ask for extra fighters instead of soviet troops the upcoming turn... Heres a picture of the air battle.

[ernieschwitz]

1947, october 28th,

Well losing that bomber really made me more wary. So instead of assaulting the hex i was bombing, i am now going to just fall back. I did do an attack on the hex south of Barahona, that had been isolated. The 1 militia formation there, didn´t put up too much of a fight, and got eliminated.

I think i just lost air superiority. At least now it´s contested. I am pretty sure i am going to play the pilots and planes card, next turn.

Here is a close up of the Barahona and Neiba area.

[ernieschwitz]

October 29th, 1947...

Something happened that made me change my mind as to if i wanted more airmen and planes, or land forces. In the early morning an intelligence officer awoke me to tell me that American Land Forces have been seen in Port-Au-Prince. This is bad news indeed. I think that just forced my hand to ask for Soviet Land Forces.

Elsewhere, namely on the road north of Neiba. The Haitians mount an attack, from three sides, and defeat my rifle unit guarding that area. Losses on each side are high. I lose 4 riflemen, he loses 4 riflemen and a militia.

Here is how the situation looked at the start of the turn.

[ernieschwitz]

October 29th, 1947

As i said i felt my hand was forced to choose the Card Land Forces. Luckily for me, the random generator is a friend of mine. At least this time. And i get the Soviet Union to intervene.

In Santo Domingo the following forces arrive:

3 units of Soviet infantry. Composed of 12 rifle IVs, 8 SMG IVs, and 2 MG IVs as well as 2 Mortar IVs.
1 unit of AAA. Composed of 2 flak III and a halftrack.
1 unit of Artillery. Composed of 3 artillery IVs and 2 halftracks and 10 rifle IVs.
1 unit of Recon. Composed of 3 armoured cars.

The American forces that have landed in Port-Au-Prince are identical to these. So once again there is balance in the war.

[ernieschwitz]

29th October, 1947...

I quickly move the soviet artillery into position near Neiba, and i let my AAA unit follow it. Then i use the leftover movement to bombard a concentration of enemy troops, to soften them up. I start to move the Soviet Infantry towards Neiba as well... I am expecting the Americans are going to be put in there. I also sent the Armoured cars northwards, because that area is more suited for armored warfare, being more open than the rest of the island. And because my units there could use the support.

One piece of bad news though. I am down to 306 Oil. Seems i need to be asking for more soon.

Here is a look at the situation at the end of the turn.

[lion_of_judah]

way to go, enjoyed reading your AAR of this scenario so far. Keep em coming...

[lion_of_judah]

Question, so are you able to ask for oil whenever you wish or only at certain times.

[ernieschwitz]

30th October, 1947...

As expected i am now seeing american forces near Neiba. Also their artillery must be nearby, as it has shelled Neiba. No real damage though, just some loss in entrenchment values.

Also i got the message that international tensions had now once again increased, and that world war III could start at any moment. Sounds bad i think...

Here is how the situation looked at the start of the turn.

[ernieschwitz]

ORIGINAL: lion_of_judah
Question, so are you able to ask for oil whenever you wish or only at certain times.

I am able to ask for Oil once i join the Communist Block. However, I can no longer ask for oil, when world war III breaks out. There is a 5% chance each turn that it breaks out, after land forces have been commited by both sides. Once that happens neither side can ask for pilots and planes, or oil.

So, it´s quite a gamble to get land forces for both sides. Especially when fuel supplies seem to diminish so rapidly.

[ernieschwitz]

30th October, 1947

I decide to concentrate my defences on Neiba. I move available rifle men to that city, and pull back alittle in the south near Barahona. I also move my Soviet Infantry closer to the frontlines. They will get there, next turn, hopefully evening out the advantage that the AI has right now in terms of manpower.

In the north i move my recon unit towards Monte Cristi. I hope to catch some infantry units on the roads, and then attack them. But i notice now that i might need more fuel for that. So, that is my next priority. Getting fuel. Hopefully it will still be available when the next turn arrives.

[ernieschwitz]

31st October, 1947...

Well it had to happen sooner or later i guess, but it happened sooner. World War III has broken out, and no forces can any longer be spared for the small war going on, on Hispaniola. And getting oil to the island is far too dangerous, so no more oil either.

Here is the report that greeted me when i opened the turn.

[ernieschwitz]

31st October, 1947, the eve of World War III

The Haitians and americans, have launched a massive attack on Neiba. I could not hold it. It was attacked from 3 sides, and with overwhelming forces. Here is how the map looked at the begining of the turn.

[ernieschwitz]

October 31st, 1947...

I decide to hold a speach, inspiring the people of latin america to join up. Adventurers and Mercenaries from all over the Spanish speaking part of the world flock to Santo Domingo. I get 3 units of 10 rifles. I had little choice actually. Once World War III breaks out, then that is the only card available to use PPs on. Since i had 7, why let them go to waste.

I can play this card 5 times in total. So i am going to do it a few more times, before I start producing troops in Santo Domingo. Getting the base morale boost is invaluable, and the 30 rifle i get cost more Production point wise than the 5 PPs the card costs.

I try and stabilize the front now that Neiba has fallen. The Soviet Infantry has finally come to the frontline. I pull back the artillery a single hex, and fire it at Neiba. I want to reduce the enemy as much as possible. Perhaps i can even retake the city with my new forces... who knows? The Armoured cars are the real gas guzzlers. I am pulling them back to a position between La Vega and Santiago. I am going to let them stay there... at least they are pretty good at defending themselves.

Here is the situation after i moved this turn.