My second AAR (again)

[yvesp]

So, I stopped my previous AAR due to missing critical optional rules.
I checked thouroughly this time to make sure everything was good.
I regret abandonning the previous one, which had an interesting start! Possibly, changing options en route will someday be implemented: I'll take it again then.

However, I also significantly changed the Commwealth Setup. I had used an old setup that I was forced to lay down due to resource transportation bugs and limitations. I had this time much less problems to setup much better convoy routes.

Now, from the start of the game, very few resources are passing through the mediterranean: the New Caledonian one for France, and the Cyprus one for the Commonwealth. This makes the Mediterranean a much less critical place and this brings three benefits:
* the Med can be left without protection. The worst that an unexpected Italian war declaration can do is 6 build point damage (4 convoys, 2 resources) when the previous setup could lose as much as 12.
* this leaves only one critical sea area to protect : Cape St Vincent, which is at range 2 for Italian submarines with a commercial trafic of 16 convoys, and three other are vulnerable : Bay of Biscay (15 convoys), North Atlantic (6), Cape Verde Basin (9) all which are at range three for Italian subs or German subs.
* the Italian fleet is no real threat once one admits that the few Mediteranean convoys are consumable.

The net result changes little for the French but makes the Commonwealth resource network much more secure. Italy now has very little incentive to enter the war: the bait is hardly worth it. Entering will not happen because some hefty damage can done, but rather because the strategic situation makes it necessary.

I also changed the Chinese setup, using the knowledge I gained from my first AAR, which showed how advanced Chinese units can be terrific when they can reach unprotected but conquered Chinese cities, wrecking havoc on the Japanese supply network.
This setup forced the Japanese to release some of their hard won territory near Nanchang.

We can see this in the joined map shot after the Japanese naval move which brought fresh troops to Chinese ports.

[yvesp]

The setup in Siberia is rather usual for me.

[yvesp]

In China, the Japanese immediately attack the Chinese to reduce the front length.
The result is a success, even though a militia is lost.
The Chinese chose a blitz attack, preferring to suffer no loss rather than inflict more losses: units are too few to risk yet.

[yvesp]

In Poland, the German successfully ground strike Polish troops: there won't be easy reinforcements for Varsahw.

[yvesp]

And the Polish fleet is caught flat footed in Danzig.

[yvesp]

German troops advance as expected.

[yvesp]

in the south...

[yvesp]

and West.

[yvesp]

On the second impulse, the Chinese regroup, forming a serious front line facing a similar Japanese front line.

[yvesp]

On the third impulse, even though it is raining, the German successfully attack Lodz, but he cost is heavy. Still, this opens up the road to Varshaw.

[yvesp]

While bombers try to destroy some of the French war production in the West.

[yvesp]

Using a break in the rain, the japanese try to strike Tchiang, but fail miserably.

[yvesp]

Meanwhile, the Wehrmacht launches its assoult on Varshaw, easily ending the war against Poland. The Polish air force had fled ignominously the fight, seing that the situation was hopeless and that it would be better to fly british planes to reconquer their country at some later time.

[yvesp]

The Japanese use the good weather to progress north. They know that with winter coming, not much will be achieved and that the Chinese will get reinforcements.

[yvesp]

The November/December turn happens to be incredibly long despite rather bad weather. I failed to count the number of impulses played by each side, but that was at least 4, possibly even five.

The Commonwealth had time to place some naval units to prepare the convoys protection for the next turn, and to rebase planes (with sea capabilities) through France to Africa, for a better protection of sea lanes. The polish pilots were handy.

The Wehrmacht found enough time to shift most of its troops, minus the garrison left in Poland, on the Netherlands border, then to declare war on and conquer that country.

[yvesp]

The Luftwaffe was also lucky enough to wreak havoc on the French factories, putting the French production in a severe mess. This comes in addition to a lost ressource, Hanoi being occupied by rebelious partisans.

On the other hand, there are also bad news on the axis side, when Chinese communist raise up in the ports of Haichow and Tientsin.

[yvesp]

Immediately after the conquest of the Netherlands, Germany declares war on Belgium and capture Liege.

[yvesp]

Once more, the Luftwaffe tries to disrupt the French production, but this time the French air force repulses the bombers.

[yvesp]

But this doesn't prevent the capture of Brussels, which seals the fate of Belgium.

[yvesp]

In China, the Japanese had to distract their reinforcements to eradicate rebels.
Indeed, the North of China is becoming less and less manageable.