MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR)

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

I agree with Steve. The CAV is better in Cartagena and the 3-3 is better in front of Barcelona. Also, I would setup Franco as close to the frontlines as possible, without getting in range of the German Stuka's. This only if the German PARA isn't capable of dropping into Madrid. Franco will be needed in the frontlines.
The south should be held with CW/French units in Morocco. Don't make Morocco the new home country of France after conquest, but choose somewhere deep in Africa.

Try to get as much CW landunits into Spain/Morocco as soon as possible. I also would suggest moving that CW MECH into the Fez hex, since together with Tangier, Morocco is very important to hold, against a Gibraltar gambit. If possible, try to evacuate a French landunit in Nice towards Morocco (naval impulse for France now?). There is a French TRS in Nice, so use it to get out of the place. Or is it disorganised?

If I place an HQ and PARA in the mountain hex NW of the 5-4 MOT, than the ATR can stack with it, meaning Madrid can be paradropped (if that is a word). Also, next turn Germany will be getting the 2 big, bad Stukas with a range of 4. Granted, they have to rebase from Germany, but they'll get there eventually.

I agree with the CAV switch, completely, and I do intend to move that MECH into Fez. Unfortunately, I have to wait an impulse to do it because there are too many Naval moves I need to do this impulse to be able to take a Combined action. If the weather gets bad in the Med, it might not be able to get there before the Italians do. Either way, I should be able to get a good sized CW force into Spain fairly quickly.

[brian brian]

Singapore will be a little bit more challenging than you might think ... a city jungle hex ... send over some spare Royal Navy cruisers to add a few points of shore bombardment insurance ...

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

Singapore will be a little bit more challenging than you might think ... a city jungle hex ... send over some spare Royal Navy cruisers to add a few points of shore bombardment insurance ...

Can't add any Shore Bombardment. It's limited to the Attack Factors of the unit, and the Partisan has none.

[brian brian]

you will have to study up a little bit ... Shore Bombardment is limited by the factors of the _attacking_ units ... and the PARTisan unit has +1 to their combat factors in woods or jungle. On the 2d10, the Sydney MIL vs a 1 factor PART in Singapore would only be a +7 attack (attacking unit dies on any number 10 or less and also on 12, 13, & 15) due to the jungle and city, not sure on the 1d10. Send a half-dozen cruisers ... they are halved on SB into jungle ... and hurry, the Middle East needs troops, pronto. I wouldn't re-garrison Singapore with only a 2% chance of a PART appearing, very unlikely to happen again ... but with Italy controlling the PART rather than Japan, I would just wait and deal with this minor problem in 1941 when the Empire has more infantry and naval lift assets available ...

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

you will have to study up a little bit ... Shore Bombardment is limited by the factors of the _attacking_ units ... and the PARTisan unit has +1 to their combat factors in woods or jungle. On the 2d10, the Sydney MIL vs a 1 factor PART in Singapore would only be a +7 attack (attacking unit dies on any number 10 or less and also on 12, 13, & 15) due to the jungle and city, not sure on the 1d10. Send a half-dozen cruisers ... they are halved on SB into jungle ... and hurry, the Middle East needs troops, pronto. I wouldn't re-garrison Singapore with only a 2% chance of a PART appearing, very unlikely to happen again ... but with Italy controlling the PART rather than Japan, I would just wait and deal with this minor problem in 1941 when the Empire has more infantry and naval lift assets available ...

You're right, I do need to study up. Orm sent me a note explaining some of this to me. But the Italians haven't borken out of the Med yet, so there will be no support for the Partisan at this time. We shall see how things turn out soon.

One thing at a time. First Greece, then Spanish Morocco, and then Middle-East (the last two overlap). It's harder to do with Amphibious Rules.

[brian brian]

The Italians never break out of the Med against good Allied play...many Axis players never even try any more...the CW shouldn't be so meekly building for the late war, they should be jamming hordes of cheap infantry units in front of the Axis everywhere they try to go. Let the Americans build extra carriers, heavy bombers, etc., or the Americans won't have anywhere to deploy all their toys.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

The Italians never break out of the Med against good Allied play...many Axis players never even try any more...the CW shouldn't be so meekly building for the late war, they should be jamming hordes of cheap infantry units in front of the Axis everywhere they try to go. Let the Americans build extra carriers, heavy bombers, etc., or the Americans won't have anywhere to deploy all their toys.

Well, let's see . . . Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, the Middle East, India, Rabaul, Singapore . . . the CW is gonna run out of units to bolster some of these areas . . .

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: brian brian

The Italians never break out of the Med against good Allied play...many Axis players never even try any more...the CW shouldn't be so meekly building for the late war, they should be jamming hordes of cheap infantry units in front of the Axis everywhere they try to go. Let the Americans build extra carriers, heavy bombers, etc., or the Americans won't have anywhere to deploy all their toys.

Well, let's see . . . Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, the Middle East, India, Rabaul, Singapore . . . the CW is gonna run out of units to bolster some of these areas . . .

Now let's see how the war should look like from the eyes of the CW. First priority should be to get Gort and two land units into France. One should be a cheap one. Second priority should be to get a unit into Gibraltar and Malta. The CW carrier fleet should be based at Gibraltar, the Pacific fleet should sail into Egypt.
Now, I will attack the Italian TRS ASAP (this means as soon as the US entry levels allow this to happen). If the CW succeeds in putting the Italian sea lift out of action (preferably destroys them. I would gladly loose 4 CW carriers if this succeeds!), my problems are over, regarding the protection of the fast British empire, until Japan enters the war.
I start building (in that order): an AMPH, spare convoy points, HQ's and lots of cheap land units (up to INF). I also would repair carriers and TRS if they get damaged and see to it that the carriers got planes on them. Some FTR's come in handy too. If a TRS gets destroyed, rebuild it at once. Build CW carriers from scratch? No. Simply finish those in the construction pool and that's it for the CW. The CW carriers are obsolete compared to the ones the USA has got in his force pool, and by mid 1941 the USA should be getting into the war soon.
When the cheap land units force pools are emptied, I would build the MAR and the PARA (with ATR of course) and after those are on the spiral, then I would start thinking about all kind of units for use in the late war.
I even prefer to empty the CW fast TERR force pool, before thinking of building that MAR or PARA. Think of it: MIL and TERR are very cheap units which appear very fast on the map.
After Gort is in France, I leave two TRS in the UK to be able to get him out and the rest will be continually sailing all around the world, transporting TERR, MIL and INF to the parts of the world where they are needed. If the Dutch are attacked by the Germans, the Dutch TRS is going to be owned by the CW. Period. No way I'm going to let the Germans get a shot at it.
Also: I would try to attack Lybia if I succeed in eliminating the Italian TRS. If that succeeds, the Euroaxis are toast on the Allies bread.
Impossible? Not at all. Just a little luck needed in the port attack on the surprise impulse to kill those two Italian TRS...

[micheljq]

I do not like the idea of declaring war on Italy so early and so agressively for trying to sink those TRS, it can fail even with the surprise impulse, probably one can be sunk, 2 of them, is mostly improbable.  Why do you fear those TRS so much.  You are able to have one unit both in Gibraltar and Malta on impulse 2, before Italy can DOW Commonwealth.  And Italy do not have any marine units to invade on the beginning, only divisions.

If Italy DOWs, you will have many oppportunities to attack those TRS.

[Centuur]

I don't fear them. TRS are the key to a succesfull Italian campaign around the Med. Without those TRS, he is a dead fish in the water. Of course I agree with the fact that the CW has land units in Malta and Gibraltar by then. However, I like to provoke the Italians into a DOW on the CW in the third or fifth impulse of the game, simply by sailing the fleet into a position to attack those TRS in port attacks. If he doesn't respond and US entry allows it, I am in the position to get more than a good shot on those units. I usually take that shot at that point, since it normally kills at least one TRS (with enough luck with the surprise points involved). I use all carrier planes available to the CW in that action.

Without these units, the position of the CW in North Africa is very, very strong. With them, the Italians have got the opportunity of reinforcing Libya and try for attacks into Egypt or Tunisia/Algeria. I don't like to sit and wait to see when the Italians go to war, while they are slowly reinforcing in those areas. I want to take the initiative if they do not respond. To win this game, you should try to have the other side react on your moves. If that happens, you've won the game.

Of course I agree with you, regarding the fact that you might get opportunities to attack those TRS later in the game. However, at that moment the Italians/Germans might get Land Base Air involved in the air combats and that's something which makes killing the Italian TRS a lot more difficult. If you can eliminate one of those TRS for an entire year before it is rebuild, it is hampering the Axis campaign to close the Med a lot. That US entry is delayed by that action is of course a set back. I think however, that the killing of an Italian TRS is more important.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

I would suggest something better for the Chinese Communists. That is to crush the 3-1 GAR which is quite vulnerable on his own. I suggest moving Mao into Sian, the GAR there into the hex NW of the city and there you are, a 6-1 attack (no Chinese attack weakness from Communists...).
Now, those bloody Japs should know there is a price in grabbing all those Chinese cities. An attack is the best defense there is in this situation. And, even better: next impulse you're threathening to kill that 4-3 MIL too, by moving across the river.
Also, the Communist CAV should move aggressively 2 hexes East. Imagine what happens if that CAV will cut off the railroad supply by ZOC it. Let the Japanese advance if they want to. Terauchi will have to stay put, to keep his army in supply. I'm sure they won't like a communist CAV taking back cities now under Japanese control and putting a whole Japanese army group out of supply if he grabs Chengchow or Kaifeng... I really love CAV units in empty backlands, especially if I'm able to retake home cities and get in supply at the end of a turn so I'm going to move again. Peking, here I come... [;)]
The Japanese isn't paying attention to his defenses against the man with his Red Book... So I would use those Chinese ricepaddies and start moving into Japanese controlled area's. Let him try to put my CAV out of action. That isn't very easily done...
The Jap CAV moves next impulse: let him. He'll move himself OOS and thus out of the action. I would suggest retreating the Cheng-Tu Warlord towards his home city to prevent that CAV from doing harm...

I decided to try a combination of the two suggestions. Looking at things, it's just too dangerous to let that Japanese CAV behind the lines, but it is also slowed an impulse by abandoning Ankang. This position takes up only 4 of the Soviet moves, and if he survives the attack (and remains organized), the Lanchow Warlord can still get back to prevent the Japanese CAV from getting too far later. If things go bad, the Sian MIL can reach the same hex. I also like the idea of threatening to take one of those pivotal supply-cities. The CAV isn't likely to make it to any of them, but it will force the Japanese to use 2 units to keep him from doing so.

Also, this lets the Communists punish that GARR, as Centuur suggests.

[Red Prince]

The Communists go on the offensive near Sian:



And the results:

Attack on China [75, 137]: Assault, Roll = 10 = */2S

And the 4-1 GAR moves into the hex, making a strong attack on Sian impossible, and not just improbable. Good call (and good luck, too) on that one, Centuur.

[Red Prince]

I'm not going to post much from the rest of the impulse, but I'll tell you what happened:

The CW evacuated Gort and loaded a GARR and a shortish-ranged LND onto TRS to send to Morocco. It also rebased 2 LND from the UK to Rabat (long-range ones). The Royal Navy cleared the E. Med of Italian units (a CL and a Convoy), but failed in its search for the Italians in the W. Med. Other than that, not much besides sailing other fleets into position and seting up Convoys in the Persian Gulf so that the USSR can finally use those 2 Persian Oil Points for production.

In France, there was little to do but make a few moves to annoy the Germans. Just a reminder -- as I've said several times, the entire French fleet is disorganized, so there is no evacuation possibility this turn. Maybe next, if they survive that long.

The Soviets sent 3 LND and a FTR up to the Leningrad area. Now that the Communists have hindered the Japanese advance a bit, it's time to put some pressure on the Germans, forcing them to decide if they are going to concede the Finnish Borderlands or not. This may take several turns to prepare, but I think it is worth doing.

And, since this game seems to be running to extremes, it should come as no surprise that the weather roll for the 3rd impulse was . . . . a '1' of all things. Watch the Germans shake their heads in dismay, and the Italians beginning to pull out their hair.

Actually, this isn't so bad for them. Next impulse has a damn good chance of very good weather in both the Med and the N. Temperate zones, so there will yet be a chance to take Athens and possibly even Toulouse (though that may be more difficult). Definitely gonna have to rail Antonescu in to the French war zones now.

Don't know when I'll take up the next two impulses, since I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, but I'll try to get it done in the next day or two.

[Red Prince]

I was just thinking that this may actually be a good time for the Germans to run another Combined impulse. So many of the land units will be hindered by the Blizzards that it may be more valuable to get those extra air missions for rebasing purposes.

[Taxman66]

Not to mention at least an attempt with the german subs.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Taxman66

Not to mention at least an attempt with the german subs.

It's not going to be the German submarines doing some damage in the Combined Action, I'm afraid. First, I want to show you the CW forces in the North Sea:

This is the Naval Review Details (NRD) form, which you probably haven't see yet. It separates the forces in a sea area or port into Carriers, Battleships, Cruisers, and Transports & Submarines. You can also see which units are loaded onto each CV, CVL, AMPH, or TRS. I've set the NRD form so that it also shows the section each unit is in just below the unit.

As you can see, the main fleet is in the 3 Box, while the TRS fleet is in the 0 Box. Now, before anyone screams bloody murder for leaving the TRS fleet unprotected, please remember three things:

1. The chances of a Storm or Blizzard in this sea area, causeing the CVPs to be useless were only 30% this impulse.
2. This was the only way to evacuate Gort and to load units for transport to North Africa.
3. If the 70% chance of the CVPs being effective happened, even at half of their factors, Germany never would have had the chance to try what it is about to try.

In fact, as the German player, I didn't even think of doing something like this until the weather made a Combined Action the best option.

So, first I give you the NRD showing the CW fleet in the North Sea:

[Red Prince]

So, with Combined Actions for all three Axis powers, Italy sailed a fleet into the E. Med hoping to hurt the CW and prepare for an invasion of Athens next impulse . . .

And Germany sent its small but powerful fleet of 6 SCS into the North Sea 4 Box, hungry to kill off some TRS or CVs.

[Red Prince]

Germany needed a roll of '4' to find, and the CW needed a roll of '3' to find. Both get a +1 to the actual die roll due to the weather.

Germany rolled a '3' and the CW rolled a '4' which is shown in parentheses next to the final Search Rolls shown in the Choose Sea Box Sections form. This means that the German search succeeds and the CW search fails, giving the Germans the chance to select which enemy units to include. Seeing a brilliant opportunity, the main fleet is left out in the cold, while the TRS fleet is chosen (you can see this in the lower right corner, where the 3 Section check-box is un-selected).

The Germans polish their cannons and start drooling in anticipation . . .

[Red Prince]

Time to spend some Surprise Points, to make sure that this attack works as planned. Germany uses 4 of its 5 Surprise Points to Increase Naval Combat Columns. With any luck at all, this should remove at least 2 TRS from play for a minimum of 2 turns, doing some major harm to the CW war effort.

You can see the Original Result and the Expected Result (which is in red because the extra columns changed it) on the left side of this form:

[Red Prince]

Despite their best efforts, the Blizzard seems to have been just too much for the German gunners in this round of the Naval Combat; the TRS carrying the GARR was destroyed, but the other 2 TRS were only aborted -- and what's worse for the Germans, is they've actually saved the CW some effort, since both of these TRS should be able to Abort all the way to Morocco, their final intended destination . . .

Granted, those units will be disorganized for the rest of the turn, but that would have been the case even if the CW had used Naval Moves to get the units to Morocco. Oh, well. At least the CW is short a TRS now, and will have to rebuild it and the GARR.