Another Solo Global AAR

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1941

Allies 2nd Impulse

With Mao killed, Chiang disrupted, Gort shattered, and the Germans across the straits, Allies need to start reacting.

USSR Land
China Land
CW Land
FR Land
US Land
(Yes, everyone calls a Land)

CW Strat Bombs Essen. Rolls 10. 2 pp lost. Yay!!!!

CW enters French Somaliland, as the Italians suddenly realized that Eritrea is left wide open. Unfortunately the CW couldn't get action limits allowing an attack on Eritrea, but the Italians didn't know it. So they pull back and the CW walks in. Hopefully if they liberate it, maybe CW and France could cooperate? I'll have to wait till the end of the turn to find out. Fingers crossed...

CW pulls back a little in Africa, and the American's land the 8-5 MOT in Casablanca. No attacks.

In China however, the Communists need to do something. so, they attack the Japanese 6-6 MECH from 4 sides. +4.667. get the fractional but roll a 8!!! That's why I hate taking low odds attacks. A 13 total ends up no losses but disorganizes all the attacking units. This could be bad if the Japanese can start putting these guys OOS as well.

Heck, its as bad as it can get. No Comm. Chinese units can move and the Japanese have an open road in front of them. If the turn lasts long, China could be pretty much out of the war, for all intents and purposes, this turn!

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1941

Axis 3rd Impulse

Weather roll is 4. Fine everywhere but N. Monsoon.

With the capture of Tangiers, there is no supply outlet from the Western Med, which means that Malta is out of supply unless CW can get some SCS/NAV into East Med.

In China, the Japanese will move will all haste to attempt to capture the Communist Chinese factory cities, and at this point, they have little resistance to stand in their way...

Naval Air:
- JA puts NAVs out into the Solomons and Coral Sea to see if they can kill some American CPs. Unfortunately with a Land impulse they dont get the choice to start combat, and of course the US declines to start combat in those sea areas.

Ground Strikes:
- IT takes a shot in the dark and uses one of their Gabbiano NAV's to hit Malta, with 1 tactical factor, need a miracle: Result is a 6 (miss) and a 1 (hit). Royal Engineers is disorganized.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1941

Axis 3rd Impulse

Ground Strikes (continued):
- JA uses artillery on a stack of 2 Nat. Chinese units, 3 tactical factors: Result is a 7 (miss) and 2 (hit). 2-3 Warlord disorganized.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1941

Axis 3rd Impulse

Rail Moves:
- JA moves another Manchurian unit back to Manchuria. 4 in country now.

Land Attacks:
- 3 attacks in China total.

- 3 sided attack on Chiang. Yamamoto throws in HQ support. Its a +8.556. China picks the Blitz table to maybe get a shatter result. They do. Japan has to take a loss and half disorganized. Japan chooses to lose the 5-3 MIL.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1941

Axis 3rd Impulse

Land Attacks (continued):
- 4 sided attack on a stack of 2 disorganized Comm. Chinese units. If this attack passes, a secondary attack will be an almost automatic win. +9.883 odds with Terauchi thowing in HQ support. China chooses the Blitz table. Japan doesnt make the fractional odds roll but gets a natural 15. Both units are destroyed.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1941

Axis 3rd Impulse

Land Attacks (continued):
- Previous attack put both defenders in the last attack OOS, reducing their strengths to 2 each. a +17 odds attack is almost automatic, and Japan rolls a 9. 2 more corps destroyed with a breakthrough. In three attacks, Communist China has lost Mao and 5 additonal corps and the turn isn't over yet.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1941

Axis 3rd Impulse

Aftermath of attack in North China.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1941

Allies 3rd Impulse

Allies need this turn to end, but only by all passing do they even have a 20% chance to end it. At this point, 1 more impulse for the Axis will likely result in Chungking falling as well as possibly Sian. By not passing, the Nationalists can get some defenders into Chungking but likely cant do anything to help in the North. The USSR is also still a couple of impulses from grabbing Persia as well.

Allies decide to ALL pass. And the WiF gods smile on them as a 1 is rolled!!!

During End Turn phases, CW keeps their CV fleet at sea in Cape St Vincent, while the Axis keep NAV bombers at sea in both E. and W. Med. Hopefully they can take Malta next turn 1st impulse.


Production:
GE (32 BPs): 2 x FTR2, LND3, 3 x PILOT, INF, MOT, MECH, ARM, save 1
IT (11 BPs): 2 x TERR, SUB (finish), LND4, PILOT
JA (19 BPs): MIL, BB (finish), TRS (finish), 2 x CVP, FTR2, 2 x PILOT
CH (5 BPs): HQ-I
CW (22 BPs): MECH, GARR, 2 x TERR, 2 x FTR2, CVP, 3 x PILOT
US (54 BPs): 5 x BB (finish), 2 x BB (start), 5 x PILOT, 5 x CVP, FTR2, 2 x INF, ARM
USSR (17 BPs): 7 x MIL, INF


The initiative roll for next turn will be supremely important for the Axis to get. We shall see what happens... Stay tuned

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

At the end of last turn, Malaya, Uganda, and Spanish Morocco fell to the Axis.

French Somaliland was liberated by the CW and the country and hexes were returned to France. This now allows CW and France to cooperate, which can be a big deal. We'll see how much it is as we go on.

Lots of reinforcements are due this turn...

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

Initiative

Axis needed it. Axis got it

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

Neutrality Pact

Germany is REALLY close to being able to break the pact with the Soviets. Internally they are not ready to DOW the USSR, but they'd like options.

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

AXIS 1st Impulse

GE takes a land -- will try to expand the beachhead in Tangiers and try to take Malta with Marines
IT takes a naval -- will attempt a naval invasion against Malta with German Marines and SCS-borne divisions
JA takes a land -- taking a chance here with no naval moves, but need to exploit the Chinese being out of position. Charge!

Naval:
- IT moves fleet out to Western Med, picking up 6 divisions including German Marines and Engineers
- IT TRS's pick up two German MECH corps for transfer to Morocco. We'll see how the supply problems affect this.
- IT subs move out to Cape St Vincent. May call for NAV strike against CW fleet

Ground Strike:
- Malta with 2 Stuka's. 2 units disorganized

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

AXIS 1st Impulse

Ground Strike (continued):
- The Germans are going to hit a couple of CW units to try and soften up the line. So, east of the Moroccan beachhead they ground strike with 2 Axis bombers. No intercept from the CW. 1 out of 2 disorganized

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

AXIS 1st Impulse

Ground Strike (continued):
- Finally, a last ground strike against a CW 7-6 ARM in Morocco with 2 Axis bombers. No intercept. 1 unit disorganized

CW decides to not intercept any of these, instead wanting to save their strength for ground attacks and any attempt at hitting their only HQ Alexander, which so far the Germans are ignoring this impulse.

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

AXIS 1st Impulse

Ground Strike (continued):
- In China, Japan takes a chance on Chungking with newly arrived HQ Chiang and a MIL. Japan attacks with 2 NAV bombers. 1 out of 2 disorganized, unfortunately not the HQ.

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

AXIS 1st Impulse

Land Combat:

Germany has some opportunities to expand the beachhead, and does some maneuvering to put better units in Tangiers, moving the 4-2 PARA out and a 8-6 MECH in from the Italian TRS.

Unfortunately, they can't produce an acceptable odds ratio, and will hope for better odds next impulse when the Italians can join in.

However, they do perform one attack, and invasion of Malta. Adding in Shore bombardment and Ground Support from the Italians, they get a +12 ratio. Result: success with 1 unit disorganized.

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

AXIS 1st Impulse

Land Combat (continued):

The slaughter continues in China, where we see two attacks by the Japanese. In the south, moving first allows Yamamoto to surround a lone Chinese unit in front of Chungking. This will have to do and hopefully they'll be able to hit Chungking later in the turn. The ratio is over +13 and results in a victory for the Axis.

[markb50k]

Jul/Aug 1941

AXIS 1st Impulse

Land Combat (continued):

In Northern China, Japan moves to finish off the Communists ASAP. Unfortunately, a 6-3 INF arrives in Lanchow, so that will make taking out all the Communist cities doubtful for this turn. However, two unoccupied cities are reachable by Japanese units so they elect to take those, Also, Japan has the forces necessary to attack both surrounded Communist Chinese cities, but decides to focus on just Sian and the 4 strength defender. A ratio of over +15 is nearly automatic. The result of this puts the 5-4 MTN corps out of supply.

[markb50k]

One CORRECTION:

Up above (I think) I told you that having the CW retake French Somaliland would allow CW and France to cooperate. Looked in game, and looked at the rules, and it DOES NOT.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: markb50k

One CORRECTION:

Up above (I think) I told you that having the CW retake French Somaliland would allow CW and France to cooperate. Looked in game, and looked at the rules, and it DOES NOT.

That's correct since France isn't liberated:

From RAW:

A liberated major power can co-operate (see 18.) with any major
power that returns all eligible territory to it. If they could return
territory but don’t, they can never co-operate with the liberated major
power.