Bob Flemin's MWIF AARse

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The Germans push up to the Franco-Belgian border and prepare to launch 2 attacks as follows:

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In China, the Japanese attack the Chinese units in the south, but for some reason, Yamamoto is disorganised and cannot attack [:(]

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In France, neither side decides to use HQ support. The Germans use ground support (He111H) in the southern hex, and the French do the same. There are no fighters that can reach.

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Back to China and the Japanese attack is an unspectacular 11:4 but they do get a +3. The Chinese choose the assault table to maximise loses. Its another round of disappointment for Tojo's fineset; no losses on either side, but the Japanese are disorganised.

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Back to France once more. This is going to hurt...

The Germans stupidly have no armour in the southern attack and give the French choice of table. The French unit is destroyed but at a cost of three units [X(]

That hurt...

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In Lille the French use the Assault table again and hope for similar results...

They achieve it - three more German units are lost. I think I need to plan my attacks better...

The Germans cannot move into the city - they are now rather bereft of units [&:]

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And so end a highly unsatisfactory turn for the Germans. I think I just looked at the sheer number of units and thought this will be a walkover.... No - proper planning is required [:-].

[CrusssDaddy]

You should get that 3-3 ART off the Maginot and someplace it can do some damage. Move the 3-1 GAR up to cover for it, you don't need a unit at the southern terminus -- if the French walk across the border to score a public relations victory by seizing German soil, German production actually gets buffed and there's no where else to go down there.

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ORIGINAL: CrusssDaddy

You should get that 3-3 ART off the Maginot and someplace it can do some damage. Move the 3-1 GAR up to cover for it, you don't need a unit at the southern terminus -- if the French walk across the border to score a public relations victory by seizing German soil, German production actually gets buffed and there's no where else to go down there.

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Thanks CrusssDaddy, I did not appreciate the effect of French troops on German soil.

I think what is clear from the turns above is that I need to be less cavalier with the Germans, and properly plan my attacks - including ensuring I have divisions in place to take losses.

My subsequent turns will, I hope, show this. But please keep any tips and hints coming - as you can see, I need them.

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Right, onto Impulse no.3 of the turn. I choose the Allied actions last night before calling it a day. I forgot what I chose so I go to the bar at the top of the form, click on Info and he activities table comes up, telling me what I have chosen for each power and the no. of actions I have left with each.

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My decision to go for a Land action with the British was pretty unforgivable - I need to get a third land unit into France [8|]

The choice of land with the French is more sensible as I want to try and pinch out the salient - created by the German 1st Infantry Corps - north of Rheims.

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Right - how do I pinch out the salient? I have no aircraft left - the British cannot fly as they do not co-operate with the French. I just need to get as many units onto the hex as possible and hope its sufficient...

This is the best I can do.

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I have 20 attacking factors against the German 9. The German is also disorganised which will give me a hand with the dice. I bring in Georges for HQ Support, but the Germans has a 5-factor Ju87 to assist the defence...

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The great French counter attack ends with defeat - the elite 1st Infantry Corps survives and the French lose an artillery.

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Back to the Axis and I really need to get the German line - or what's left of it -sorted. The French are now all disorganised, although Bilotte could move up and reorganise some units. This turn for the Germans is all about ensuring I am not vulnerable to a CW counter-attack and to place units properly ready for the next attack.

I rail von Bock over from the Eastern Front to Belgium. I use von Leeb to organise a couple of army corps and take CrusssDaddy's advise by starting to move German units away from the Maginot Line areas.

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Back to the Allies and I finally get to move the 4th Motorised Corps to sea for landing in France. This is an important mission so the naval escort for the transports is entrusted to the greatest* ship that ever sailed.

* And I'm not even biased [;)]

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There are so many advantages of a computer version of this game, but one thing that is obviously NOT an advantage is that the computer forces you to to everything in order. I can see many games hinging on stupid mistakes.

I (at long flippin' last) get the 4th motorised to France, but forgot to move Gort in the movement phase. Fortunately I do not think the Germans are in any position to take advantage because of the state of their army, but this could have been very different.
Concentration and taking your time is very much the order of the day.

I use Billotte to reorganise the 17th French Infantry Corps.

The impulse concludes.

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We move onto the 9th Impulse and the weather in France and the Low Countries is Blizzard...

I cannot afford any more half-arsed attacks in France and so choose to hold fire and use the turn to ensure my aircraft are concentrated for the next turn.

And the turn ends...

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Well, what is this all about??

I get an Indian Partisan! I stick him on the manganese resource hex south of Agra. Seems sensible.

I also get a Chinese Communist Partisan that I stick in Kaifeng, behind the Japanese troops in northern China.

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Next the Neutrality Pact information comes up (see form below). Now, given what has happened in France, I, as the Germans, do not want to declare war on the USSR and do not want then declaring war on me.

To allow a declaration the Garrison value has to fall below 2:1. So let’s see if I can make sense of this form.

Germany
Garrison – 21
Offensive Garrison – 29 (4m)
Defensive Garrison – 42 (0m)
Off Break (?) – No (17)

USSR
Garrison – 8.5
Offensive Garrison – 8.5 (0m)
Defensive Garrison – 23 (2m)
Off Break (?) – No (75.5)

What does this all mean? Why is Germany’s Garrison 21?

Within three hexes of a common border we have the units* in East Prussia, Finland and Poland (inc Polish Corridor)
1 HQ x 2 points = 2
2 Mech/SS x 2 = 4
4 Divisions x 0.5= 2
2 aircraft x 1 = 2
11 other units x 1 = 11
Total = 21
* Note you count the aligned units too (in this case Finland).

Within three hexes of a common border we have the units in Lithuania, Eastern Poland, Finnish Borderlands and the Soviet Union
1 Arm/Mech x 2 = 2
1 Division x 0.5 = 0.5
2 Aircraft x 1 = 2
4 Other x 1 = 4
Total 8.5

So the Garrison numbers tally.

Now let’s work out the ratios for Germany:
1. Work out the Garrison values
Germany = 21 vs USSR = 8.5
2. Add your offensive entry markers
Germany (I have drawn 4 markers totalling 8) = 29
3. Add defensive entry markers to the modified value (Doubled in the calendar year after first made) = 8.5 x 2 = 17
USSR (I have drawn 2 markers totalling 7) = 24

So the Off Break column means that to get to the 2:1 garrison ratio, the Germans require 19 more points:
29+19 = 48 (USSR defence = 24)

Now let’s work out the ratios for USSR:
1. Work out the Garrison values
Germany = 21 vs USSR = 8.5
2. Add your offensive entry markers
USSR (I have drawn 1 marker totalling 2) = 10.5
3. Add defensive entry markers to the modified value (Doubled in the calendar year after first made) = 21 x 2 = 42
Germany (I have drawn 2 markers totalling 2) = 44

So the Off Break column means that to get to the 2:1 garrison ratio, the Soviets require 77.5 more points:
10.5 + 77.5 = 88 (German defence = 44)