Bob Flemin's MWIF AARse

[warspite1]

Turn: Mar/Apr 1942
Impulse: 1

The Chinese commit HQ support. There is no air support given by either side. Thanks to the presence of the 2nd Armoured Corps, the Japanese have the choice of table - they go for the Blitzkrieg (unsurprisingly) and.....

....its a 12. The defenders are shattered (which the Japanese do not convert).

[warspite1]

Turn: Mar/Apr 1942
Impulse: 4

Right its kick bottom in the Med time. The Royal Navy send a powerful troubleshooting force into the Italian Coast. The Fleet Air Arm find the Italian convoys and pulverise them into submission.

[warspite1]

Turn: Mar/Apr 1942
Impulse: 7

The Italian Fleet puts to sea hoping to surprise the much smaller RN fleet. They fail to find each other, however...

[warspite1]

Turn: Mar/Apr 1942
Impulse: 7

Having decided to stop in the sea area both sides roll and the RN find the RM and surprise them. The Royal Navy choose a Naval Air battle and launch Swordfish from the carriers and bring the Sunderland into play too.

[warspite1]

Turn: Mar/Apr 1942
Impulse: 7

Anti-Aircraft is thrown up by the Italian ships and one Swordfish suffers a 2-point reduction to their strength

[warspite1]

Turn: Mar/Apr 1942
Impulse: 7

The surviving aircraft concentrate on the four Littorios and manage to force all four into retreat. Admiral Campioni has no choice but to withdraw the fleet...

[warspite1]

Turn: Mar/Apr 1942
Impulse: 7

The Japanese take Hengyang and start to threaten Chiang - could a bit of momentum be swinging Japan's way per chance?

[warspite1]

Turn: Mar/Apr 1942
Impulse: 7

The Allies all pass and bring about the end of the turn...

...meanwhile the US Entry chart continues to tick along...

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

Right, first impulse of May/Jun, the Axis have the initiative, the weather is fine, the panzers are primed and ready to go - what could possibly go wrong? [:D]

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

The Italians put another convoys into the Italian Coast - supported by a fighter and a Naval Air.

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

Meanwhile the Luftwaffe are putting four ground strikes in place..."In Stuka's (and a Heinkel) we trust"...

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

The Japanese are also putting maximum effort (such that it is) into taking out Chiang.
Tojo makes an inspiring speech to the airmen - "Listen you schmucks, if you fail this time, then its no more Mr Nice Guy - capiche?".

The Chinese do not contest the attack.

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

The Soviets do not contest the attacks either (perhaps by now they are starting to feel the dice god is on their side)....

Attack one (north of the Dvina) - 0 hits
Attack two (northeast of Minsk) - 1 hits (Pictured)
Attack three (east of Minsk) - 1 hit
Attack four (north of Odessa) - 0 hits

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

Well what do you know - maybe that Mr Tojo's got it!! Chiang is disorganised!

For the first time in the game the Japanese have some really good odds to play with as they go in for the kill against the Chinese General.

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

The Germans go for one attack in the north and one in the south. In the north they bring in all their bomber strength (in range) in order to bump up the odds. The Soviets are powerless to contest this thanks to the FW190A-2 waiting menacingly behind the scenes...

In the south the Germans have a slender advantage in fighter quality and so the Soviets defend this one.

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

Here we go:

Round 1

Soviets throw a 6 (AA) - the Soviets decide whether to abort the German fighter or bomber. It has to be the bomber to upset the odds.

Round 2

The Germans throw an 11 (DC) which clears the Soviet bomber through!!

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

In the northern hex the bombers all add their factors to the attack.
In the southern hex the Soviet bomber adds 3 to the defence.

And so to combat resolution. East of Minsk the Germans do not get to choose the Blitz table as I mis-read the rule (again[8|]). The fact that the Germans have a Mech in addition to the armour does not help [:@]. Oh well - assault it is and....

...its just a nightmare. A 10 is thrown. Both sides lose a unit each and the remaining Germans are disorganised.

The only consolation is the Germans lose a division while the Soviets lose an army, but even so...

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

Ho hum... onto Army Group South's patch now and this time the Germans do get the Blitz table - Hussah!! Drum roll maestro......

....and in 11 - the Defender must retreat, while 3 attackers are disorganised.

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 1

In China the Chinese get the choice as the defender is in mountains. They choose the Assault table and the Japanese roll (quite predictably) a 5. They lose 3 units and all remaining troops are disorganised.

The Chinese lose just one unit..

[warspite1]

Turn: May/Jun 1942
Impulse: 2

Admiral Cunningham and the Royal Navy once more put the Mediterranean Fleet into the Italian Coast in order to try and tempt the larger, more modern Regia Marina to come out and play. Another fleet is despatched from the UK into the Western Mediterranean for the same purpose.