MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR)

[Red Prince]

The Americans invade!!!

East Timor and the Mashall Islands, but they do invade:



And the results:

Attack on Majuro: Assault, Roll = 5+1 = 6 = */2S
Attack on Dili: Assault, Roll = Automatic = */2S

This is purely a battle for ports that are closer to the primary target areas. They are not Major Ports, but they are a start . . . and a morale boost, too. The Green Giant wants its presence to be known!

[Red Prince]

The Soviet reorganization effort is shown below. I debated having Zhukov reorganize both LND and not the MIL, since it's a white-print unit, but it may need to move. I did spend his last point on the other LND, but I'm not sure how WiF works. Does that cut the reorg cost of that unit in half for later impulses? or is it lost if the unit isn't fully reorganized in a single impulse?

[Red Prince]

While I can't get the New York MIL to Murmansk this turn, I did figure out how to get another American unit from the United States to the UK -- this TRS isn't worth much as a transport or in an invasion, but it can reorganize a TRS that is worth something for that. The American naval units you see in the screenshot are in Derry, while the CW sealift is in Belfast. All I have to do is make sure to clear out the rest of the American navy from Belfast next impulse before sending this TRS to the E. Coast, and I should be able to pick up another USA unit -- an 8-5 white print MOT this time.

[Red Prince]

And now the turn starts to increase in its chance to end. Axis impulse #7 has a 10% chance. The Italians are counting on at least 1 more impulse to play with this turn, taking a Combined Action now, and the weather stays the same:

[Red Prince]

As expected, the Germans hit Moscow, and they did okay. The disorganized INF means that the Blitz Bonus -1 die roll modifier for a multi-stack factory city is negated.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Lothrim

All this is "fantasy" since I have no idea how many hexes in persia the axis controls, and how supply is traced by the axis there. I am just guessing that a well placed russian unit could wreck havoc with the supply.

ORIGINAL: Red Prince
I just counted it out, and there are no hexes in Persia that the ATR can reach for an Air Transport (by the way, it's 2 x 11 hexes, not 3 x 11 hexes. The first stretch is for the "pickup" and the 2nd is the return to base.

If the para starts stacked with the ATR it can move with the ATR to the "pickup site" then again to the "target hex" and again to the "return to base hex". Yes... the rules are weird

I was not thinking about this turn, but the turn after that. The Moscow bomber would rebase to krasnodar, and the ATR in krasnodar would rebase to a hex in persia (baku perhaps).
Next turn you could air-transport the para from krasnodar to Baku with ATR1 and then from Baku to the hex NE of the iraqi cav unit (providing it is still russian controlled) with ATR2. This would put the entire axis force OOS.... perhaps, or does it also trace supply through the rail from baghdad?

ORIGINAL: Red Prince
Yes, they are relying on the Japanese for supply, and even though they did a lot of damage last impulse, it's unlikely the Allies can clear the Arabian Sea (but they'll try).

I'm not sure what you mean by Germany leaving its HQ's behind. Unless the Soviets retreat 5-6 hexes each, the HQs of Germany are able to be right on the front lines, or just behind it.

"von Leeb" and "von Bock" are far enough behind the front to be able to react to any dangerous paradrop by the russians.

I'm afraid you are wrong about Air Transport Missions. I checked it in-game and in the Rules as Coded.

from RAC 11.12:

To fly an air transport mission:
1. your opponent flies combat air patrol to potential target hexes;
2. you fly your selected ATRs and escorting fighters to the target hexes;
3. pick up the units being transported. Alternatively, a unit may start with an ATR and fly with it to a target hex
(not to a hex-dot);
4. your opponent flies intercepting fighters to the target hexes;
5. you fly intercepting fighters to the target hexes;
6. fight any air-to-air combats;
7. AsA option 3: surviving ATRs suffer anti-aircraft fire (see 22.4.2);
8. surviving ATRs can unload their cargo at the target hexes;
9. return all remaining aircraft to base where they become disorganized;
10. your opponent flies intercepting fighters to the hexes where your ATRs returned to base;
11. you move intercepting fighters to the return-to-base hexes;
12. fight any air-to-air combats;
13. AsA option 3: surviving ATRs suffer anti-aircraft fire (see 22.4.2);
14. any cargo still on an ATR now unloads;
15. return all remaining intercepting fighters to base where they become disorganized.

The steps in Red are the first flight, and the steps in Blue are the second flight. There is no third flight.

Note that the word "Alternatively" means that the unit can start stacked with the ATR and not land at the target hex. It doesn't mean there is an added "pick-up" site. The target hex is both pick-up and drop-off.

[Red Prince]

I've settled on the German attacks. There will be 3 of them, as expected.

It took a little work to get the Moscow attack a shot at 7:1 odds, but with either a lucky HQ Support Roll or a lucky Fractional Odds Roll, it should be possible. I'm willing to let Mannerheim get disorganized for 2 reasons:

1. If the Germans don't add an odds level, there is a 50% chance he'll be disorganized anyway.
2. Rundstedt is moving toward the North and should be able to take over supply if the German attack on Moscow doesn't disorganize all of those units.

The Germans will be flying CAP to Moscow just in case the Soviets try to add a few more factors, and also as a free rebase mission (sort of). It's a twin-engine FTR, so the result is reduced by one level, but at +2/-2 odds, that still means only a 36% chance that the bomber will be cleared through for each round of Air-to-Air Combat.
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The Soviets won't be trying to add factors. The odds are pretty good that the Germans won't be able to get up to 7:1 anyway, and with a 70% chance of a 5:1 attack clearing the hex, Moscow isn't going to survive the turn no matter what the Russians do (unless they get lucky and the turn ends before the Germans get another land move). Even if they do get the factors through, Germany can still get lucky and move up to 7:1, so what's the point?
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The attack on the Kharkov MIL is not worth trying to add Ground Support. This can only be reduced to a 5:1 +1 Blitz, so any result will kill the defender. With that hungry 6-Factor FTR lurking Northeast of Kharkov, any attempt to provide support would be suicide.
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Other attacks this impulse include an Italian invasion of Cyprus and a Japanese Assault on Manila.

[Lothrim]

About airtransport:
Sorry, I guess we played it wrong all those years.
It will be nice to have the computer correct all the misunderstandings.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Lothrim

About airtransport:
Sorry, I guess we played it wrong all those years.
It will be nice to have the computer correct all the misunderstandings.

I'm glad you brought it up, so thank you. These are the kind of "fine-tooth comb" rules checks that Steve has mentioned in the Monthly Reports. We try to find them all, but it's impossible with thousands of variations, so I think I can speak for the entire development team when I say we appreciate your help checking these things out.

While double-checking, I had to re-read these rules 3 times to be sure I was getting it right. After the 2nd time, I was about to submit a bug report on it. While I was doing that, I saw the problem. ADG has never been able to write things so that they can be easily understood.

[composer99]

In case it didn't come up earlier, extra reorganization points end up being wasted, so Zhukov was probably better off reorging both bombers and one land unit.

[Red Prince]

HQ-I Mannerheim was apparently too busy with other things to provide support for this attack (he rolled a '7'), so the 14 German units involved are going to have to pray for a really good Fractional Odds Roll . . . or pray for '6' or better on the attack roll.

If, in his wisdom, Bog on High decides to grant the Germans their prayers, I'd say it will go a long way toward winning the game. This may be the most crucial attack of the entire game, even with 42 more turns remaining after this one. These units represent 1/3 of the German European Front. If they survive and the turn goes on for several more impulses, think of the desctruction they can add . . . if they don't . . . well, you'll hear the cheering Russian hordes all the way from Sverdlovsk to Spain.

So, the attacks for Impulse #7:



And the results:

Attack on Manila: Assault, Roll = 5+1 = 6 = */2S
Attack on USSR [52, 64]: Blitz, Fractional Odds .659 (No), Roll = Automatic = */2B (Breakthrough)
Attack on USSR [49, 63]: Assault, Roll = Automatic = */2S (FTR rebases to Saratov)
Attack on Moscow: Assault, Fractional Odds .870 (No), Roll = 7 = */2S (FTR destroyed, Pilot killed, 1 Oil Point captured)
Attack on Famagusta: Assault, Roll = Automatic = */2S (CL Adelaide destroyed [3], CL Helle destroyed [3], CA Girgios Averoff captured [1])

Pray, you fellas, pray . . . and Bog on High smites the mighty (a few minutes later) Russian Army! Not only did the HQ Support and Fractional Odds Rolls both fail, but the Germans still get to keep on pushing forward with Mannerheim's help. This is another of those rolls I'd call lucky only because it was really needed by the Germans. It was lucky the same way that winning a coin toss is lucky . . . the odds were even, and fate went your way.

None of the other attacks should raise any eyebrows. We aren't yet at the point in the turn which causes me to risk low-odds attacks, so these were sure things handed to the Germans by the Soviets.

The Manila attack does relieve HQ-I Yamamoto from his duty there, so that he can move on to either Burma or India. I've decided to send HQ-I Terauchi and a small force up against the Irkutsk MIL after all, so Yamamoto might find himself back in China once again. There are several OOS units between Lanchow and Sian that need to get into better positions, and I'd like to try to do that without risking a whole lot of Partisan activity. With the Philippines resource in Japanese hands, they really should build a factory ASAP, since they have run out of factories to use. In addition to rebuilding the fleet, they might also want to add another MECH or ARM to their list of builds, to help garrison China . . . HQ-I Umezu and his band are almost across the border into Burma, and when they leave China, they'll be taking several garrison points with them.

The invasion of Cyprus is just part of the Italian clean-up of the Med. Still remaining are the Balearic Islands and Crete. Unless the turn ends, I expect Persia to fall into Italian hands next impulse, too.

[Klydon]

The ref has called for a standing 10 count on Ivan after this rounds knockdown.

Russians are in bad shape. I think Siberia is going to be calling and I don't know how they are going to hold the Caucasus at this point with the Germans poised to cut them off from behind.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

The ref has called for a standing 10 count on Ivan after this rounds knockdown.

Russians are in bad shape. I think Siberia is going to be calling and I don't know how they are going to hold the Caucasus at this point with the Germans poised to cut them off from behind.

[:D]

Kill the ref!!!

I'll get some new pictures up in the next hour or so, as usual.

[Red Prince]

Germany rebased 2 FTRs and a LND to the front lines. Italy rebased a FTR, LND, and a LND/ATR to Tabriz (from Mosul and Syria). And Japan sent a FTR back from Hanoi to Canton, as well as a NAV from Haiphong just northwest of Singapore.

HQ-A Guderian finally got into position to reorganize the 3 disorganized units facing the Soviets on the Persian border.
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Meanwhile, hoping for a miracle, the Soviet O-chit finally comes out to restore all 4 Russian HQs. The turn didn't end (a '6' on the die roll), so it's time to finish building the convoy pipeline and get those Americans into Murmansk and Archangel. After that, the Allies (except for the USSR) can move into Pass Actions for the rest of the turn.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

The ref has called for a standing 10 count on Ivan after this rounds knockdown.

Russians are in bad shape. I think Siberia is going to be calling and I don't know how they are going to hold the Caucasus at this point with the Germans poised to cut them off from behind.

All depends on the length of this turn and the weather of the next turn. If both are going against the USSR, I think we will see the destruction of the Russian army and the capture of the Caucasus, with the alignment of the Turks on the Axis side.
The only thing going for the USSR is that they still have the precious MECH/ARM and HQ's on the board, together with the airforce. However: he's running short of cheap units to throw in the path of the advancing German army. This means running away is the only thing he can do, until he's got some real good defensive terrain for his army.
I would crack the offensive chit, reorganising the HQ's and start moving the HQ's into Siberia and the Caucasus. I only hope there are USSR convoy points in the Caspian Sea.
Also: again oil captured by the Axis... Why wasn't that spent in production (or is it impossible in MWIF to use saved oil for production when you've got enough other resources to fill the factories?).

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: Klydon

The ref has called for a standing 10 count on Ivan after this rounds knockdown.

Russians are in bad shape. I think Siberia is going to be calling and I don't know how they are going to hold the Caucasus at this point with the Germans poised to cut them off from behind.

All depends on the length of this turn and the weather of the next turn. If both are going against the USSR, I think we will see the destruction of the Russian army and the capture of the Caucasus, with the alignment of the Turks on the Axis side.
The only thing going for the USSR is that they still have the precious MECH/ARM and HQ's on the board, together with the airforce. However: he's running short of cheap units to throw in the path of the advancing German army. This means running away is the only thing he can do, until he's got some real good defensive terrain for his army.
I would crack the offensive chit, reorganising the HQ's and start moving the HQ's into Siberia and the Caucasus. I only hope there are USSR convoy points in the Caspian Sea.
Also: again oil captured by the Axis... Why wasn't that spent in production (or is it impossible in MWIF to use saved oil for production when you've got enough other resources to fill the factories?).

Production Planning is still one of the forms that has a few quirks in it. It is the most complex form in the game, taking up about 15 pages of the Players Manual to explain. No other form takes more than 8 pages, and most of them use less than a page. Every flag, button, radio button, and blue number you see here can be clicked on in order to change the information shown in the panel at the center -- or even to change the entire layout of the form.

I'll be honest. I'm not certain that Oil stockpiles are being worked out accurately. But I'm also not certain that they are not. This is the one section of the manual that I feel absolutely must be read by anyone who purchases MWiF, as it is vital to the economy.

To answer your specific question, the reason that the Oil wasn't used for production is that the Soviets rely heavily on Oil. If this Oil point was used, some other Oil point would get captured later, most likely.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: Klydon

The ref has called for a standing 10 count on Ivan after this rounds knockdown.

Russians are in bad shape. I think Siberia is going to be calling and I don't know how they are going to hold the Caucasus at this point with the Germans poised to cut them off from behind.

[:D]

Kill the ref!!!

I'll get some new pictures up in the next hour or so, as usual.

Ack! Any impartial referee would stop this match at once due to the cruel and unusual punishment to the Allies. [;)]

Kidding aside. Keep up the good work. This is fun to follow. [:)]

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: Klydon

The ref has called for a standing 10 count on Ivan after this rounds knockdown.

Russians are in bad shape. I think Siberia is going to be calling and I don't know how they are going to hold the Caucasus at this point with the Germans poised to cut them off from behind.

[:D]

Kill the ref!!!

I'll get some new pictures up in the next hour or so, as usual.

Ack! Any impartial referee would stop this match at once due to the cruel and unusual punishment to the Allies. [;)]

Kidding aside. Keep up the good work. This is fun to follow. [:)]

Yes, it really is. Every day out of work, the first thing which I'm doing after dinner is to switch on the Lap top and visit this AAR...

[Red Prince]

There's no "blushing" icon, so I have to settle for this. I'm glad you are enjoying it so much. Now, get ready for the updates . . .

[Red Prince]

I'll start things off by showing the Japanese thrust in Siberia. I sent HQ-I Terauchi off to capture the last city East of Ulan Ude this turn, so that the Soviets couldn't reinforce behind the lines. The Mongolian CAV can still arrive, but not soon, and hopefully he won't be able to do much damage once he does show up (if he shows up).

The Japanese MOT had to get disorganized in the swamp in order to let Terauchi rail to his next location, and the force there isn't large -- just large enough to be a threat to the single defender from Irkutsk next turn.

The Soviets have just the 1 Corps in Siberia, and he has only 2 factors with which to defend.