MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR)

[Centuur]

About USSR builds: rebuild the 5-1 GAR this turn, than start building the MIL (empty the pool). The GAR is a good unit and just as cheap as the MIL. I wouldn't scrap any INF at this moment, since you probably need all your build points to empty the MIL pool. You can wait and see what happens next turn with regards to losses (I expect them to be high, but hey: perhaps you get lucky and the summer turn ends soon).

To bad you didn't try to kill that German MECH in Persia. If it had been ground struck, the worst thing which might happen was that your CAV was going to get killed in exchange of that MECH, since a face down unit means a +1 on the roll. A 1 on the assault table wasn't going to kill Zhukov at all...

In Persia: there is a serious lack of Axis FTR's. I would suggest trying to put USSR FTR's into that area ASAP, since they can put up a nice fight if the Stuka's are going to ground strike. On the whole, the Persian area looks like the only area at this moment where German Ground strikes are possible (apart from places like Riga and Odessa). That's good and bad, good, since this means the USSR will be able to stay organised at the other frontlines, bad, because of the position Zhukov is in at the moment. Now, if you get the initiative as the Allies: choose to go first, so you can strengthen the lines and perhaps get some FTRs towards Persia and move Zhukov towards the wood hex. With Stuka's around, I don't like his position at all at the moment. Remember: you should defend the Caucasus until the last man is dead and Zhukov should be the last one to die, not the first... The other fronts, you might retreat from, but not the Persian mountains.
On reïnforcements: I suggest putting at least another 3 units into this area. The fronts in the Ukraine and around Vitebsk should do with cheap units, the Persian mountains however, need to get at least units who have a combat factor of 5 or higher.

The CW should, I'm afraid, continue to build INF type units to strengthen places like India for this turn. By the way: how did the Japanese manage to grab 7 oil points? Weren't you using the NEI and Burma oil for reorganisation or was this oil which simply wasn't used for reorganisation, due to the fact that the CW didn't need that oil for reorganisation and couldn't transport to the factories? I always try to use oil which is as close to the enemy as possible for reorganisation. I don't want to give the Japanese my precious stocks. I rather use Canada to build up my oil reserves. Just my two cents on this...

Can you give us an update on where the USA has got it's TRS and AMPH's at the moment? If I were the USA, my first thing in the war would be to have two TRS sitting in Pago Pago with INF units there and two in San Diego with INF type units. Than, as my first naval move: those INF in the USA are transferred into Pago Pago and the INF there go to New Zealand and/or Australia (depends on how many CW units are there). This move usually means Australia and New Zealand will be save from Japanese invasions for the rest of the game.

By the way: I like your reasoning for moving tension by choosing those options. However: the only thing I would have done was to embargo the Japanese first. He's getting far to many oil and I don't like that at all.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

Flash!!!

Breaking news, and an instant update: All those plans I was talking about will come to nothing. The turn just ended, and they'll have to be revised to fit the start of a new turn. Wonderful time for the die rolls to stop being high, don't you think?

This is why I did not want the 5-4 in the clear. Putting a second unit in the clear hex is even worst. If the Germans move first they will ground strike that hex, and any disorganized units will be dead meat. You have to avoid clear hexes as the USSR whenever possible. Hide in the woods, or even better, in the swamp. The USSR can't afford any mistakes because losing even 1 unit needlessly makes their defense so very much harder.

In the north the USSR must pull back, the Dvina defensive line is lost and any attempt to hold onto it now is pointless. Since the weather is going to be great for the entire turn, the USSR should withdraw from contact with the German forces and occupy every other hex, leaving the Germans with only 2 hexes from which to attack the double stacked Russians. Forest, swamp, and rivers are the order of the day.

The 7-1 Gar goes into Leningrad, then you can forget about that city. Railing the 6-1 out of Pskov to Novogrod is a possibility, but there are a lot of other uses for the rail moves, so probably not.[:(]

If the USSR doesn't win the initiative, it must try for a reroll.

The question is: where are the German Stuka's? Are they at the frontlines in this region? It doesn't look like it. If they are, you are right, however: I don't think they are. There is quite a distance between the German airforce and the USSR lines. Or am I mistaken? I don't think the German airforce can reach that hex, except by flying extended range perhaps...
If I am mistaken, than you are right about the reroll...

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

Flash!!!

Breaking news, and an instant update: All those plans I was talking about will come to nothing. The turn just ended, and they'll have to be revised to fit the start of a new turn. Wonderful time for the die rolls to stop being high, don't you think?

This is why I did not want the 5-4 in the clear. Putting a second unit in the clear hex is even worst. If the Germans move first they will ground strike that hex, and any disorganized units will be dead meat. You have to avoid clear hexes as the USSR whenever possible. Hide in the woods, or even better, in the swamp. The USSR can't afford any mistakes because losing even 1 unit needlessly makes their defense so very much harder.

In the north the USSR must pull back, the Dvina defensive line is lost and any attempt to hold onto it now is pointless. Since the weather is going to be great for the entire turn, the USSR should withdraw from contact with the German forces and occupy every other hex, leaving the Germans with only 2 hexes from which to attack the double stacked Russians. Forest, swamp, and rivers are the order of the day.

The 7-1 Gar goes into Leningrad, then you can forget about that city. Railing the 6-1 out of Pskov to Novogrod is a possibility, but there are a lot of other uses for the rail moves, so probably not.[:(]

If the USSR doesn't win the initiative, it must try for a reroll.

I completely misunderstood what you were getting at with this. I thought you didn't want him alone because he was dead meat if he was alone, so I gave him a second unit to stack with. I didn't realize you were trying to get me to pull him back into the forests. Oops . . .

Anyway, here's what I have in mind for the reinforcements that are not required to go into a specific city. Please alter it at will:

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

To bad you didn't try to kill that German MECH in Persia. If it had been ground struck, the worst thing which might happen was that your CAV was going to get killed in exchange of that MECH, since a face down unit means a +1 on the roll. A 1 on the assault table wasn't going to kill Zhukov at all...

I ran out of time. If the turn had gone on another impulse, I would have tried the Ground Strike, but the LND weren't available during the previous impulse.

In Persia: there is a serious lack of Axis FTR's. I would suggest trying to put USSR FTR's into that area ASAP, since they can put up a nice fight if the Stuka's are going to ground strike. On the whole, the Persian area looks like the only area at this moment where German Ground strikes are possible (apart from places like Riga and Odessa). That's good and bad, good, since this means the USSR will be able to stay organised at the other frontlines, bad, because of the position Zhukov is in at the moment. Now, if you get the initiative as the Allies: choose to go first, so you can strengthen the lines and perhaps get some FTRs towards Persia and move Zhukov towards the wood hex. With Stuka's around, I don't like his position at all at the moment. Remember: you should defend the Caucasus until the last man is dead and Zhukov should be the last one to die, not the first... The other fronts, you might retreat from, but not the Persian mountains.
On reïnforcements: I suggest putting at least another 3 units into this area. The fronts in the Ukraine and around Vitebsk should do with cheap units, the Persian mountains however, need to get at least units who have a combat factor of 5 or higher.

The only FTR that has value at the moment for this region was in the Reserve Pool, and I stuck him in Baku. The Astrakhan MIL can probably get here on his feet, or he can rail if desparate. There is an Italian FTR also on the way over from Greece here.

The CW should, I'm afraid, continue to build INF type units to strengthen places like India for this turn. By the way: how did the Japanese manage to grab 7 oil points? Weren't you using the NEI and Burma oil for reorganisation or was this oil which simply wasn't used for reorganisation, due to the fact that the CW didn't need that oil for reorganisation and couldn't transport to the factories? I always try to use oil which is as close to the enemy as possible for reorganisation. I don't want to give the Japanese my precious stocks. I rather use Canada to build up my oil reserves. Just my two cents on this...

Canada does indeed have a nice stockpile. These suffered from a lack of Convoys to transport them, and with the CW fleet floundering completely for the first 4-5 turns, there was less need of Oil for reorganization, so the Oil built up in these locations.

Can you give us an update on where the USA has got it's TRS and AMPH's at the moment? If I were the USA, my first thing in the war would be to have two TRS sitting in Pago Pago with INF units there and two in San Diego with INF type units. Than, as my first naval move: those INF in the USA are transferred into Pago Pago and the INF there go to New Zealand and/or Australia (depends on how many CW units are there). This move usually means Australia and New Zealand will be save from Japanese invasions for the rest of the game.

Currently, there is a TRS in New York with HQ-A Eisenhower, a TRS and AMPH in Norfolk with HQ-I MacArthur and 2 ART Divisions, and 2 TRS in Pago Pago with HQ-I Nimitz and the MAR. 2 more TRS are scheduled to arrive in S/O '41, and 2 AMPH in N/D '41.

By the way: I like your reasoning for moving tension by choosing those options. However: the only thing I would have done was to embargo the Japanese first. He's getting far to many oil and I don't like that at all.

Thanks. If this turn is short enough that the USA doesn't manage to DOW the Japanese and end the Oil Embargo that way, somebody is screwed. Axis or Allies, I don't know which, but I don't think the embargo will last until the end of this turn.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

Flash!!!

Breaking news, and an instant update: All those plans I was talking about will come to nothing. The turn just ended, and they'll have to be revised to fit the start of a new turn. Wonderful time for the die rolls to stop being high, don't you think?

This is why I did not want the 5-4 in the clear. Putting a second unit in the clear hex is even worst. If the Germans move first they will ground strike that hex, and any disorganized units will be dead meat. You have to avoid clear hexes as the USSR whenever possible. Hide in the woods, or even better, in the swamp. The USSR can't afford any mistakes because losing even 1 unit needlessly makes their defense so very much harder.

In the north the USSR must pull back, the Dvina defensive line is lost and any attempt to hold onto it now is pointless. Since the weather is going to be great for the entire turn, the USSR should withdraw from contact with the German forces and occupy every other hex, leaving the Germans with only 2 hexes from which to attack the double stacked Russians. Forest, swamp, and rivers are the order of the day.

The 7-1 Gar goes into Leningrad, then you can forget about that city. Railing the 6-1 out of Pskov to Novogrod is a possibility, but there are a lot of other uses for the rail moves, so probably not.[:(]

If the USSR doesn't win the initiative, it must try for a reroll.

The question is: where are the German Stuka's? Are they at the frontlines in this region? It doesn't look like it. If they are, you are right, however: I don't think they are. There is quite a distance between the German airforce and the USSR lines. Or am I mistaken? I don't think the German airforce can reach that hex, except by flying extended range perhaps...
If I am mistaken, than you are right about the reroll...

There is a single 3-factor LND within range of this stack, but only because it was rebased a long way at the end of last impulse. He has a single double-engine FTR that can fly as escort, and the Soviets have 2 FTR units that can intercept.
-----
Edit: Any way you look at it, though, the Allies will need to demand a re-roll if they don't win the initiative. Several of those MIL units can get to the Dnieper River line quickly, but they'll need the first impulse to make the best of it. Also, the Soviets will want to retreat in the north.

Other than that, there's the fact that given the high Entry Options taken, the Japanese might be convinced that it's time to DOW the USA if they get the first impulse. I don't know for sure. Starting to get into the realm of needing both land and naval actions at the same time with Japan.

[Centuur]

At least one of those reinforcements should go into the Caucasus region. So I suggest the 7-6 ARM to go there. Together with the Astrakan MIL that's than two units for that. Remember: the one front that must be defended and must stay in place is in the Persian mountains, so put good units there. I rather would like to see another unit going there too, however, I don't see any other unit which might go there at this moment. You are still two units short in the Persian mountains, and Zhukov is not in a good position...
I might also be tempted to put the 5-3 in Pskov, instead of in Novgorod. A double stack in one city is better than two single stacks in two cities. And you can rail units into Novgorod, can't you, before this city comes under attack?

I'm against rerolling. The German airforce isn't capable of hurting you, so everyone is staying organised. Sure: the front might not be very good, but it still will be good enough to defend for the first German impulse. And if the Germans take a land impulse, he can only move/ground strike 4 times. The Germans have got a problem: the airforce is lagging behind. Isn't that nice, isn't it...
Also: at the start of next turn, things might be very bad looking and in that case, you might need a reroll more than you need it now. And that modifier is very, very important. Don't waste it now, please...

By the way: you are complaining of the few impulses the Allies have got in the past? Don't. Short turns are good for the Allies

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

Anyway, here's what I have in mind for the reinforcements that are not required to go into a specific city. Please alter it at will:

Changed my mind on this. The MTN Division is going to Baku, to help out in the Persian effort.

[Centuur]

The 1-4 MTN division is a crappy unit. Not enough in Persia... Put the ARM there...

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

The 1-4 MTN division is a crappy unit. Not enough in Persia... Put the ARM there...

The ARM would be wasted in Persia. It's one of the fastest units on the map. I should put him in the mountains? Isn't that why the German move on this front was considered "questionable" at best?

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: Centuur

The 1-4 MTN division is a crappy unit. Not enough in Persia... Put the ARM there...

The ARM would be wasted in Persia. It's one of the fastest units on the map. I should put him in the mountains? Isn't that why the German move on this front was considered "questionable" at best?

It is the only unit available. The alternative is to put the 5-3 into the area, but that means that it wouldn't be possible to reinforce Pskov. I don't want to put the ARM there.
Personally I think putting the ARM into Persia is what we call in Holland: the best choice of two bad possibilities...
Of course, you can also put the 7-1 into Pskov, the 5-3 to Persia and the ARM in Gomel. Leninggrad can hold out in summer with only the 6 factor MIL unit there, if you put a division there out of the reinforcements, to prevent a lousy low odds attack eliminating the lone unit in Leningrad.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: Centuur

The 1-4 MTN division is a crappy unit. Not enough in Persia... Put the ARM there...

The ARM would be wasted in Persia. It's one of the fastest units on the map. I should put him in the mountains? Isn't that why the German move on this front was considered "questionable" at best?

It is the only unit available. The alternative is to put the 5-3 into the area, but that means that it wouldn't be possible to reinforce Pskov. I don't want to put the ARM there.
Personally I think putting the ARM into Persia is what we call in Holland: the best choice of two bad possibilities...
Of course, you can also put the 7-1 into Pskov, the 5-3 to Persia and the ARM in Gomel. Leninggrad can hold out in summer with only the 6 factor MIL unit there, if you put a division there out of the reinforcements, to prevent a lousy low odds attack eliminating the lone unit in Leningrad.

There are actually already 2 units in Leningrad, plus the 7-1 GARR reinforcement (an ENG). The 5-3 can move from Novgorod to Pskov, while the 6-3 from Leningrad works its way to Novgorod.

Besides, the Germans are still 2 impulses away from being able to start any serious attacks into Persia if the Soviets withdraw from Iraq.

[Red Prince]

And here it is, my End of Turn Report for M/A '41:

Partisans
No Partisans

US Entry
USA drew 2 markers to the Ja Entry Pool (54 [1], 229 [2])
USA drew 2 makers to the Ge/It Entry Pool (3 [1], 240 [2])
USA chooses Occupy Northern Ireland (Ge/It); USE-3 (2 chits moved, 9 of 10 [3], 1 of 9 [1])
USA chooses Commonwealth Reinforces Pacific (Ja), adjusted by +3; USE-4 (2 chits moved, 15 of 20 [3], 12 of 19 [3])

Ge/It Entry: 46
Ge/It Tension: 28
Chance of DOW: 60%
Japan Entry: 70
Japan Tension: 31
Chance of DOW: 60%

Pre-Build Scrapping
None

Minors Added
Germany added Bulgarian and Rumanian units to its Force Pools
Italy added Iraqi and Yugoslavian units to its Force Pools
Japan added Siamese units to its Force Pools
CW added Spanish units to its Force Pools

Strategic Bombing
CW conducts a Strategic Bombing raid on Brussels, sending FTR Escort; Roll = 7+1 = 8 = 1 PP destroyed

Builds:
China (0): Nothing
CW (23): 1 x HQ-I, 1 x MIL, 2 x CP, 1 x CVP-1, 1 x NAV-3, 1 x LND-4, 1 x CV(2nd), 2 x Pilot
France (0): Nothing
USA (31): 1 x INF, 1 x Marine ENG, 1 x TERR, 1 x AMPH(1st), 1 x FTR-2, 2 x AMPH(2nd), 2 x TRS(2nd), 2 x Pilot
USSR (28): 13 x MIL, 1 x GARR
Germany (28): 1 x MTN, 1 x MTN Division, 1 x MECH, 1 x MECH Division, 1 x Supply, 1 x FTR-2, 1 x FTR-3, 2 x SUB(2nd), 2 x Pilot / 1 x Minsk SS MIL (free)
Italy (13): 3 x TERR, 2 x SUB(1st), 1 x NAV-3, 1 x Pilot
Japan (20): 1 x INF, 2 x CP, 1 x FTR-3, 1 x SynthOil, 2 x CA(Repair), 1 x Pilot / 1 x Batavia MIL (free)

M/J '41 Gearing Limits (above 1):
China: None
CW: 3 x Infantry, 3 x Ship, 4 x Air, 3 x Pilot
France: None
USA: 4 x Infantry, 6 x Ship, 2 x Submarine, 2 x Air, 3 x Pilot
USSR: 15 x Infantry (Yeah, that'll happen!)
Germany: 3 x Infantry, 3 x Armor, 2 x Supply, 3 x Submarine, 3 x Air, 3 x Pilot
Italy: 4 x Infantry, 3 x Submarine, 2 x Air, 2 x Pilot
Japan: 2 x Infantry, 4 x Ship, 2 x Air, 2 x Pilot, 2 x Factory

Conquest:
Malaya cc by Japan
NEI cc by Japan
Burma cc by Japan
Hong Kong cc by Japan
Pondicherry cc by Japan
French Indo-China cc by Japan
Ceylon cc by Japan

Netherlands set up a government in exile in Dutch Guyana
Germany Liberated Lithuania
China Declined to Surrender to Japan

Factory Destruction:
None

Reinforcements:
Germany assigns Pilot to FTR
Germany places MIL in Cernauti, FTR in Cologne, GARR in Kiel, 2 INF in Konigsberg
Germany removes FTR from map (Kiel)
Italy assigns Pilot to LND
Italy places TERR in Tunis, Port Said, Mogadishu, SynthOil in Turin, LND in Trieste, 2 SUB in La Spezia
Japan assigns Pilot to NAV
Japan places SynthOil in Niigata, NAV and AMPH in Fukuoka
CW assigns Pilots to FTR and LND
CW places MIL in Sydney, FTR and GARR in London, LND in Southampton
France places CP in Dakar
USA assigns Pilots to 2 LND and a CVP
USA places TERR in Derry, Factory in Syracuse, CVP, MAR Division and GARR in San Diego, 2 LND in New York
USA removes CVP from map (San Diego)
USSR assigns Pilot to FTR
USSR places MIL in Stalingrad, Tashkent, Sevastapol, Stalino, Irkutsk, Sverdlovsk, Kharkov, Saratov, Bryansk, Astrakhan, Dnepropetrovsk, Rostov, Gorki
USSR places FTR and MTN Division in Baku, GARR in Leningrad, INF in Novgorod, MECH Division in Smolensk, ARM in Gomel, AT in Dnepropetrovsk

Trade Agreements:
USA cancels its Trade Agreement with CW

Victory Totals
Axis: 38
Allies: 29

Initiative:
Allies win the Initiative 9-9
Allies choose to move first in M/J '41

Turn 11 M/J '41

Allies win the Initiative 9-9
Allies choose to move first in M/J '41
+2 Allied Initiative

Impulse: 1
Weather: 4
(Fine everywhere, except N. Monsoon has Rain)
-----
As soon as I saw the Axis initiative roll, I was sure the Allies were going to have to re-roll, but htey just came up with the right number to win on a tie. So it looks like the Soviets will have a chance to try to get their lines in order after all.

Not much to talk about regarding last turn. You saw it all as it happened. Another rough one for the Allies.

So, the question now is with a 60% shot at a successful DOW on both, which is it going to be? My vote is for a DOW on Japan. It should have the least impact if it fails, and if it doesn't, Japan is unlikely to make the DOW due to the rain over all the good US targets. Start voting. I'm tired again. I might post some pictures of the Soviet lines in an hour or two, but you pretty much know what's there from the last impulses.
-----
Here's how the world looks at the start of May, 1941 (things have changed a lot in the last few months, haven't they?):

[composer99]

There's two units in Leningrad: the Leningrad MIL and an engineering division. That's pretty hefty (doubled on defence except in snow & blizzard, engineer modifier to city defence).

I agree with Centuur: more units need to go in the Persian front. The 7-6 ARM is less than ideal but it has one advantage over the 5-3 INF: it can move two hexes in the mountains without becoming disorganized (the INF can move but one). I would start it there and redeploy it out once you get more 4-moving INF and CAV.

Finally, with regards to USSR reinforcements, I think you need fewer in the Pskov-Novgorod region and more coming behind the two main fronts (north & south of the Pripets).

The USSR mountain division is great in the Persian mountains as it has triple factors.

There are something like 4-5 Axis bombers in the Persian front and no FTR that I could see, so the USSR wants 2-3 FTR of its own, even crappy ones, which can take them on and stall things down there.

With regards to US entry: anything that moves lots of chits to tension is good. As you can see it paid off quickly with 60% DoW chances looking ahead.

[composer99]

DoW Japan first. If the US gets a shot at invading German territory on the surprise impulse it should.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: composer99

DoW Japan first. If the US gets a shot at invading German territory on the surprise impulse it should.

The US has units in position to invade the Azores and 3 hexes in Europe (using Divisions), but I'd have to see if there are any which will let the Divisions survive and/or escape until they can be reinforced by CW units.

[Klydon]

I like the occupy Ireland option. Very worthwhile for the US to start staging units out of.

It is water under the bridge now, but I would have prefered to see the oil embargo just to avoid sending the 2 oil, even for a turn.

I agree on waiting a turn on scrapping the infantry, although my initial reaction is to scrap them.

Take a shot at both Germany and Japan if you can for DoW's. Not sure if you can make the good weather work for you or not. The relief needed is in Europe. Japan is going to put some heat on India and there isn't a lot the US can do about it.

I would hold off surrendering in China. The Japanese are going to be pressed for land attacks while they are busy invading, so it will likely be awhile before they finish China off. If you just surrender, they are then free to get those units out to other locations.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

I like the occupy Ireland option. Very worthwhile for the US to start staging units out of.

It is water under the bridge now, but I would have prefered to see the oil embargo just to avoid sending the 2 oil, even for a turn.

I agree on waiting a turn on scrapping the infantry, although my initial reaction is to scrap them.

Take a shot at both Germany and Japan if you can for DoW's. Not sure if you can make the good weather work for you or not. The relief needed is in Europe. Japan is going to put some heat on India and there isn't a lot the US can do about it.

I would hold off surrendering in China. The Japanese are going to be pressed for land attacks while they are busy invading, so it will likely be awhile before they finish China off. If you just surrender, they are then free to get those units out to other locations.

Actually, the Japanese are going to be having a tough time most of this turn pushing into India. There's only a 40% chance that there will be Fine weather for them to use next impulse, so if they send out the fleet with troops to make invasions, they could be sitting there for a long time. During that time, there will be little to do besides try for Kunming and Vladivostok.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

Anyway, here's what I have in mind for the reinforcements that are not required to go into a specific city. Please alter it at will:

Changed my mind on this. The MTN Division is going to Baku, to help out in the Persian effort.

I like most of this but I would put the 2 units you have earmarked for Novgorod placed in Baku. [I had previously been under the mistaken notion that the Mil would be able to arrive here directly.] That should be enough units for Baku. You might rail a Mil to that city in Persia to beef up the headcount. The mountain unit can threaten to slip over an Alpine hexside at times. It is also tripled in value which is more that it will be worth anywhere else. You can think of it as a 3-4 in those mountain hexes.

Novgorod can get one of the Mil railed in from the Urals. I don't have much hope for the Leningrad front. There are too many hexes to hold and the Germans can put a lot of units there if they want to. Just hold Leningrad to your dying breath. As for the rest of this little collection of USSR units around Vitebsk, they should get a river between themselves and the Germans. I would either evacuate Vitebsk or leave only 1 unit there. Let the swamp hexes serve as part of your front line. And remember, as long as the Germans aren't next to you, hold every other hex with 2 units. You want to never give the Germans 3 hexes to attack from. If you pull back far enough (and evacuate Vitebsk) you should only lose 1 unit (in Pskov) on this part of the front during the first German impulse.

In the south, you have a lot of flexibility (if you go first). But leave the unit in Rostov. You'll be retreating past him later in this turn and entering that hex will disorganize all units (except cavalry). If he stays where he is, the front will come to him and he will be organized. When the Dnieper is breached (and it will be this turn), pull the 4-3 (or the 6-3 if you move him to the end of the line) back into Crimea and head him across the Kerch straits. Getting a Mil to Krasnodar sometime would be good too. If there are no units to stop them along the Black Sea coast, the Germans can roll right into the Caucasus (argh!). But just one or two reasonable units can stop them.

Please get the air units out of the front line. They are 4+ BPs waiting to be destroyed. You will want them desperately later in the turn when there are gaping holes in your line and the panzers are threatening to advance freely across the steppes. Just one of two air units can be of enormous help then.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

I like the occupy Ireland option. Very worthwhile for the US to start staging units out of.

It is water under the bridge now, but I would have prefered to see the oil embargo just to avoid sending the 2 oil, even for a turn.

I agree on waiting a turn on scrapping the infantry, although my initial reaction is to scrap them.

Take a shot at both Germany and Japan if you can for DoW's. Not sure if you can make the good weather work for you or not. The relief needed is in Europe. Japan is going to put some heat on India and there isn't a lot the US can do about it.

I would hold off surrendering in China. The Japanese are going to be pressed for land attacks while they are busy invading, so it will likely be awhile before they finish China off. If you just surrender, they are then free to get those units out to other locations.

Yes, I agree with all of this.

I am reluctant to scrap any infantry because you will want as many as you can get later in the war.

I also agree that DOWing Germany/Italy should come first. The offensive on Japan can't really start until a lot of naval units arrive on the map for the US. Therefore it can wait several turns if needs be.

Build more land units for the US, and keep the gearing number up if you can. You want to invade somewhere against the EuroAxis ASAP and taking casualties is going to be part of that process. So keep a steady stream of reinforcements acomin'.

[Red Prince]

Please get the air units out of the front line. They are 4+ BPs waiting to be destroyed. You will want them desperately later in the turn when there are gaping holes in your line and the panzers are threatening to advance freely across the steppes. Just one of two air units can be of enormous help then.

Trying to do it, but I had only 6 total Air Missions last turn. That's pretty limiting.[:(]