MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR)

[Klydon]

Germany has to be looking forward to when those Spitfires show up. Ouch. Somehow, that ME109E just doesn't seem to be the equalizer. Hehe.

It appears that the Nationalists are in even deeper doo-doo now with neither attack disorganizing Japanese units and with their HQ finally toast.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Now, you did say that it would probably take two turns to take Wavell out of Egypt. Can you tell me why this is going to take that long? Is it, because of the fact that the two TRS the CW has now, are in UK and the Queens are around India? If so, this then means that Wavell hasn't go another option than to stay put and defend Egypt, if the CW doesn't want to sail through the Med (and the CW can't afford to lose more TRS, so he shouldn't take that risk).
If this is so, than I would suggest the following:
- use the Queens to get the Sydney MIL into Egypt.
- set up the Spanish TRS in Rio Muni (Africa) after the German DoW (far out of the way of any possible attacks on it), get it in South Africa to prepare for the transportation of the South African FTR to Egypt or Morocco. Which area is depending on how Wavell is holding out in Egypt this turn. Also: put the Italians in East Africa out of supply by moving some cruisers into both the Azanian and Red Sea (one cruiser does the job...).

One thing is also something you have to consider. You probably are going to have to take land impulses after the Germans attack Spain (combined impulses aren't enough). This means that reinforcing area's is going to be hampered by this. You might therefore choose to align Spain with France. However, that means you cannot use the Spanish TRS from transporting CW units, since Spain than doesn't cooperate with the CW... I don't know what my choice is going to be in this situation... Anyone else who's got an opinion about this?

Actually, at the moment, all 3 CW transports are in Casablanca (2 had to abort there, and the Liner moved the S. African MIL there last turn). Unfortunately, during the first Allied impulse, the CW couldn't take a Naval action, but had to take a Combined instead. The reason for this is that there was just too much to do:

1. The North Sea Fleet had to be reinstated properly (they RTB last turn because they were in too low a Section Box)
2. The Cape St. Vincent fleet had to be put back in place (they were in the 2 Box at the end of last turn)
3. Gort and the RSA MIL need to be moved from Casablanca closer to Spanish Morocco, or risk losing it to the Italians

There are a number of other things I had planned, but they simply will have to wait. This includes:

1. Transporting the Canadian MIL to a more useful spot
2. Transporting the MOT from the UK to a more useful spot
3. Sending a TRS toward Wavell
4. Blockading the Azanian Sea
5. Blockading the Red Sea
6. Returning to the E. Med in some kind of force

However, the Canadian MIL can wait for a later impulse (or even for the Canadian TRS to be completed), there isn't much damage that can be done in East Africa by the Italians at the moment, Egypt isn't quite on the verge of a serious threat yet, and it is imperative that Spanish Sahara not fall to the Italians quickly or easily.

Therefore, I do like the idea of aligning Spain to France . . . but I'd like to hear more opinions on the matter before I actually do that (next Axis impulse). I've decided to finish the Allied impulse before posting images of where each nation has units.

One option, of course, is to set up a Spanish unit in Tangier, probably the INF Division, but that will deplete the border in the Pyranees (not much, but every unit counts).

[Centuur]

I don't know where Gort is now, so I can't really conclude that a combined action for the CW was absolutely necessary. Personally, I wouldn't want to take a combined action with the CW at all. I need to make sure my navy and army will move all I can. I'm a little curious about the position of the forces in Morocco/Spain and East Africa by now. Also, I would like to see the forces the CW in the UK. I only know of Wavell and the TERR in Egypt.

By the way: did the French take a naval action to get the Fleet (and transport a land unit) out of Nice in the allied impulse? The French should have left Brest also, if possible.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

I don't know where Gort is now, so I can't really conclude that a combined action for the CW was absolutely necessary. Personally, I wouldn't want to take a combined action with the CW at all. I need to make sure my navy and army will move all I can. I'm a little curious about the position of the forces in Morocco/Spain and East Africa by now. Also, I would like to see the forces the CW in the UK. I only know of Wavell and the TERR in Egypt.

By the way: did the French take a naval action to get the Fleet (and transport a land unit) out of Nice in the allied impulse? The French should have left Brest also, if possible.

Gort was on one of the TRS that aborted to Casablanca. To be in good position to block the Italians, he needs to get to Rabat. Once there, he can then reinforce Tangier. (I'll show all of this when I post images of where units are).

The French SUBs in Brest moved out of it last turn, and they took a Combined impulse this turn to start things off in order to clear Nice of its Navy and the CAV. They are now in Cape St. Vincent, on the way to Senegal (or Morocco or Spain). That's also why I needed to get the fleet set in Cape St. Vincent, because the Italian SUBs are now in Bordeaux, and could potentially be a threat to not only the Convoys, but to the French evacuation effort.

[brian brian]

re: Japanese tanks - they do make an excellent defense of an island. Like, say Truk, with that extra -2 even the USMC ARM division can't overcome. But World in Flames is such a great game in that it frequently shows you things from history. If the Japanese put an ARM unit on Truk, the game Allies might just simply bypass it, just as the real Allies did, who never took Truk during the war. The hex lost much of it's value to the advancing Allies in the game with the introduction of the naval supply units. The new map adds a few more airbase hexes, but has the same amount of minor ports. There are several new clear beach hexes in Japan though...

In China, I think the Japanese are already past much of the clear terrain, except for the river line around Si-An. A single Mech division can get you on to the Blitz table for a lot cheaper. The Japanese have a looming green giant in their rear-view mirror now.... War Appropriations is coming by the end of 1940 and that should be devastating, if the CW doesn't give Europe, the Middle East and Russia away first.

In both China and the Pacific, I think a good Japanese tactic in the middle part of the game is the counter-attack. I'm looking forward to game where I have the new amphibious Japanese mech division from the Factories in Flames kit, perhaps the most fantasy unit of them all, but should be a fun one. In China, a few mechanized units around might make it hard for Mao to advance onto the north China plain.

In Siberia, during a 1941 Barbarossa Uncle Joe should just give the place up, or make the Japanese march to a few of the cities held by a single GARRison unit. Defending somewhere the Japanese could use tanks would be a big over commitment considering the dire peril they face in Europe. The coast around Vladivostok can't be held at all, and the inland resources can be far too easily cut off from communication. The Mongolian Cavalry can cover Chita, though it is also amusing when it sets up villages in the middle of the Pripyet Marshes, fed by an occasional night sortie of the TB-3s. Once it snows, they ride...




In this game it is unfortunate that it is so easy for the Axis to do whatever it wants at sea. The CW outnumbers the Axis as a whole 2:1 in Battleships, and the Italians alone over 3:1. It is a complicated dance to maneuver the Royal Army and Navy at the same time. An important tactic to do that is to send a good force to the 3 or 4 box, and then leave it at sea at the end of the turn to have a force in being at sea regardless of who goes first (DSB in play). The Royal Navy needs to CONTROL the seas and until the Axis invest in lots of new NAV bombers, this shouldn't be too difficult. Priority One should be hunting down the Italian TRS. A decent force based in Alexandria would be a huge help. The CV Eagle carrying the long-range Nimrod fighters, a pair of BBs and some London class cruisers should make Italian designs on the Levant rather complicated to execute. With the Allies having oodles of American BPs to spend, their shipyards can keep the British Repair Pool empty and the Italian one full.

Aligning Spain to France is an interesting and difficult decision. I would probably not do that, so the Spanish ground forces can hold coastal hexes such as Bilbao and Barcelona under the cover of Royal Navy guns. Without Defensive Shore Bombardment in play I might put Gamelin in charge, yes. And the CW could use the extra lift from the Spanish navy. At this point, if the French can get a unit out of Nice perhaps it would be better to take it to Syria via unloading in the Red Sea so the TRS can safely escape the Med. If the RN can re-assert itself in the East Med. Or perhaps Nice can help Marseilles be a thorn in the Axis side for a few more impulses backed up by French shore bombardment with the remains of the French navy. But the French TRS needs to escape for the future.

[Red Prince]

I really don't know how to respond to the last post. I screwed up CW naval placement at the beginning of the game, and I've been paying for it ever since. I do now have a fleet that might be able to reassert itself in the E. Med, but it may be too late to do much good. I've been trying to readjust the CV fleets, so more CVs can be available in the Med, but that is complicated by the Combined Actions I've had to take now and then.

I disagree with sending the French fleet to Syria. If Egypt falls, it is going to be very difficult to keep supply open to Syria. I'd much rather have the pitiful navy helping to "protect" against a breakout into the Atlantic.

On the other side of things, I hadn't thought about the CW Shore Bombardment factors available if Spain aligns with them. I think you are right about this, and though the Action choices will be difficult after aligning Spain, it is probably best to give them to the CW. They can make the best use of the fleet and sealift.
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On a different subject, I've been talking about how the last several weather rolls have gone to extremes. Well, for Impulse #3, it's starting to even out, though it doesn't really help the Allies any, since the Japanese are now pretty much out of the N. Monsoon zone at this point:

[Orm]

I think it would be wise to align Spain with CW. If you make Spanish Africa the new Home Country to Spain and add the Spanish units to the CW force pool you get alot of infantry appearing at a critical front and they can land move from where they are set up to reinforce Gibraltar.

[Red Prince]

Next up, I'll try to show you where the units of each country are at this point in the game. That may take a good long while to get posted, but I'll do what I can.
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Edit: But I need to take a break first. I've been at this all morning, and it really is going to be complicated to show these so that you can really understand where everyone is
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One thing I forgot to note: the CW has been trying desperately to obliterate the Italians in the W. Med, but has had no success at all. This past impulse, they should have been able to make a dent (the attempt was made hoping to eliminate an SCS carrying an INF Division for an invasion).

The results?

Italy aborted a CW NAV, killed off a French NAV, destroyed 3 x CW Light Cruisers, damaged 2 others, and forced the Commonwealth to abort to Gibraltar. What losses did Italy take? One CL destroyed, and another damaged.

It's been a series of bad rolls for the CW in the W. Med all game long.

[Red Prince]

Actually, I don't know if it can be done. There are a total of 222 Land Units, 66 Air Units, and some insane number of Naval Units on the map aleady.

Well, it can be done, but I don't know if I'm willing to do it. [:)] The best I can do is show you certain areas. For starters, the UK:

[Red Prince]

Here's the area around Gibraltar. The Italian 3-3 INF is OOS, but after the DOW on Spain, it can be put in supply very easily.

[brian brian]

not the French fleet ... if you take any last land units out of France, Syria might be a good destination for an escaping land unit. Egypt will not fall if you don't just resign the Allies to that, and given the CW lift shortage, perhaps Wavell can just stay there and make the Axis beat his tanks - not simple. Egyptian supply can't be cut until Japan enters the war (and even then the RN can contest that), which is actually coming sooner than the Japanese think.

Maybe a sneakier destination for a French evac would be to send a unit to Corsica, potentially forcing the Italians to respond to something for a change. Or, Egypt.

I've never commanded a surrendered France, but they could become an interesting rogue element until the US enters the war, when they can join any American front. Since now I learn that they get all the French City-Based Volunteers, there will be lots of odd units in odd corners, fairly free of action limit constraints. The 'Circassian' cavalry that appears in Damascus has always been one of my favorite units - along with Genghis Khan's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great gransdons in the Mongolian CAV - a real connection to ancient history sort of.


We don't see all of the game, and I hope you keep playing lots and just give us the short thumbnail version. Keep fighting in both halves of the Med and send the SUBs into the Italian Coast....good rolls will come for the Royal Navy too. The Italians are already down to 5 CP...

My irregular ftf WiF opponent and I call Combined Impulses "Crack". Eventually you have to learn to put down the crack pipe and accomplish far more with actual land and naval impulses. It is a hard decision involving small sacrifices - usually made by the infantry in the front lines unfortunately.

[Red Prince]

The situation in Egypt:

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

not the French fleet ... if you take any last land units out of France, Syria might be a good destination for an escaping land unit. Egypt will not fall if you don't just resign the Allies to that, and given the CW lift shortage, perhaps Wavell can just stay there and make the Axis beat his tanks - not simple. Egyptian supply can't be cut until Japan enters the war (and even then the RN can contest that), which is actually coming sooner than the Japanese think.

Maybe a sneakier destination for a French evac would be to send a unit to Corsica, potentially forcing the Italians to respond to something for a change. Or, Egypt.

I've never commanded a surrendered France, but they could become an interesting rogue element until the US enters the war, when they can join any American front. Since now I learn that they get all the French City-Based Volunteers, there will be lots of odd units in odd corners, fairly free of action limit constraints. The 'Circassian' cavalry that appears in Damascus has always been one of my favorite units - along with Genghis Khan's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great gransdons in the Mongolian CAV - a real connection to ancient history sort of.


We don't see all of the game, and I hope you keep playing lots and just give us the short thumbnail version. Keep fighting in both halves of the Med and send the SUBs into the Italian Coast....good rolls will come for the Royal Navy too. The Italians are already down to 5 CP...

My irregular ftf WiF opponent and I call Combined Impulses "Crack". Eventually you have to learn to put down the crack pipe and accomplish far more with actual land and naval impulses. It is a hard decision involving small sacrifices - usually made by the infantry in the front lines unfortunately.

Corsica was conquered by Italy early on, so it is not a valid destination. And, in my last game, sending the TRS to Egypt caused problems due to co-operation issues.

Also, many of the "free" CBV won't be available. Algeria and Tunisia are already Italian. The Syrian CAV, the Dakar MOT, and the Moroccan and Madagascan units will be available, though.

[Red Prince]

In addition to the units already in Egypt, of these units in Greece, 3 of them will be able to get there soon: 2 by TRS, 1 by ATR.

[Red Prince]

Slightly degraded, here's what's going on in China:

[Red Prince]

And, so you don't get the idea that I am randomly defending areas of the Commonwealth "empire", here's what the defenses look like in Southeast Asia:

[Red Prince]

The second half of the defense in Southeast Asia (that INF unit is on its way to Chittagong):

[Red Prince]

Concerning the 2 images above, all of the units except for the ones in Malaya had to be placed in the countries where they are now. No choice about it. The Sydney MIL I intended to send to Malaya from the very beginning of the game, and the 5-4 INF got there as a result of the bug that ended up handing Malta to the Italians. I had to move it to Bombay, and from there I decided to send it to Singapore, where it could do a lot more good than in Egypt. The Partisan that showed up made this a good choice, since it was needed to destroy the unit without risking the loss of either CW land unit.

[Red Prince]

As to how soon the USA will have a chance to Pass War Appropriations, after the USSR claimed the Baltic States, here's what the Entry Pools look like. This is before the DOWs on Spain or the alignment of Finland (which doesn't need to happen just yet from the Axis point of view), but given that the rest of the year there's only a 45% chance of getting a 2 or better for USE chits, it could take a while.

[brian brian]

send some CVs to the East Med and port strike Bardia. Hurry. You have the Italian TRS right where you want them. Blockade them there too via leaving units at sea. Don't worry about losses - the Royal Army is depending on the Fleet to end Axis adventures in Africa. CVs could also intercept ATR missions...

A way around action limits is to use other countries on that side to activate sea areas. So when the CW takes a land, the French can activate a zone in the Med with a CW fleet...keep hunting. The French can afford a Combined impulse every time now.

Any French unit from France can land in Egypt, but can't stack with a CW unit. I'm not sure what unit is in Nice, but if it doesn't go east, it could make a great threat to the Italian flank in western Algeria too, after moving up from Mogador with a land move every impulse. But I also like leaving them in the Marseilles/Nice area, tying down a bit of Axis ground strength. Maybe only leave Nice if Marseilles falls. I'm starting to like the French in this game now.....they can be the pirates on the Allied side. Maybe some US financing might help the buccaneers...