Bob Flemin's MWIF AARse IV - Nice AArse

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 1

The US and CW do naval actions. In the Mediterranean the Mediterranean Fleet has sailed from Malta (although cleverly I have managed not to put an aircraft on HMS Indefatigable) [8|].

The 2nd Infantry Corps and the Royal Marine Corps are aboard AMPH ready to land....

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

The Axis decide to try and turn the CW away at sea - and not run the risk of them establishing a bridgehead.....

The entire Regia Marina is at sea, along with every Naval Aircraft in the Axis armoury capable of reaching the Italian Coast.

The searches were:

Axis: 3
Allies: 4(5)

Both were successful and the Axis have 1 surprise point. They choose a naval air combat.

The Allies have a huge superiority in air factors 6.2:8.4 but the Italian NAV easily outnumber the Allies. They need to get lucky with the dice....

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

Round 1 (Allies to throw first)

9 - No Effect
14 - AC Germany decides which bomber to clear through. They choose the Baffin.

Round 2

13 - DA The Germans have no choice but to abort their front bomber
15 - No Effect

Round 3

3 - AX The CW get the choice and naturally shoot down the Axis front fighter.
14 - AC The Germans clear through the Allied Sunderland

With odds of 4.8:8.4 the Axis have no choice but to withdraw....

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

The four CW bombers find the Regia Marina. The Italians put up a hail of AA fire and the CW incur four damage points. Effectively only the two Swordfish are able to make their fish count.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

The order goes out - target the Italian Flagship. One torpedo slams into her port side, she is crippled but is able to remain under way. The next target is the cruiser Diaz. She is not so lucky, and is lost in minutes.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

The Italians dare not risk another round of battle and they quickly abort the scene....

Admiral Cunningham: "Mare Nostrum?" [snorts] "Mare Nostrum my arse!"

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

Meanwhile in the Bismarck Sea....

Admiral Yamamoto tries to find the Pacific Fleet.

Search rolls:

Axis: 1
Allies: 8

The Japanese fleet has 7 Surprise Points. This is a good job because they have only found the US Fleet with the cruisers in the 3-box. The Surprise points are used to avoid combat....

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

Back on dry land Guderian and his two Armies break out from Rostov into the northern Caucasus. The intention is to split the Soviet Army groups between Stavropol and Krasnodar in two. Guderian, who has to be in the attack because there is no other Armour available, lends HQ Support.

The Soviets have the air advantage here 5.0:6.0 and so seek to contest the hex.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

Round 1 (Allies to throw first)

14 - DA The Germans must decide which aircraft to abort. They abort their front bomber.
2 - DX The Soviets must lose their front fighter or bomber. They have to choose the bomber (the pilot survives).

Round 2

13 - No Effect
10 - DC the Soviets put one of their TB-3 through

Round 3

15 - AA The Soviets abort the German fighter
2 - DX The Soviets lose a second aircraft on a 2. Again the pilot is saved but ....

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 2

The HQ Support is successful and the attack proceeds on a 3:1 (rising to 4:1 with Fractional Odds) no modifiers on the Blitz Table....

...Its a 5. The Soviets lose an Infantry Corps and the 3rd Mechanised Army retreats, but the Germans are disorganised and Guderian is too.

[Courtenay]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 9

The loss of Manila is a real blow. The Americans now need to decide what they are going to do with their Armour units they had transported to the Bismarck Sea specifically for reinforcing the Philippines. In the meantime they try an attack against three Japanese Submarines in Truk - but no action results.....

Since Truk is a major port, the defender has the option to include his submarines or not. Port striking submarines in a major port will never work. (Unless there is a bug that I am unaware of.)

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 9

The loss of Manila is a real blow. The Americans now need to decide what they are going to do with their Armour units they had transported to the Bismarck Sea specifically for reinforcing the Philippines. In the meantime they try an attack against three Japanese Submarines in Truk - but no action results.....

Since Truk is a major port, the defender has the option to include his submarines or not. Port striking submarines in a major port will never work. (Unless there is a bug that I am unaware of.)

warspite1

A bit of a waste of effort then [:D]

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 3

The weather is Fine everywhere (except the Northern Monsoon). What are the Allies going to do now?

Because of the lack of aircraft (specifically fighters) the ideal plan of pinching out the German bridgehead across the northern Dnieper is a non-starter.

In the north, Leningrad is almost certainly safe, but again the Soviets are too weak to push the Germans back.

The really big problem the Soviets have - with two summer turns ahead - is the southern sector - particularly with the Crimea having been cleared and Rostov having fallen. I am thinking that the units around Krasnodar are simply going to get gobbled up when Rommel arrives. Alternatively of course, Rommel may never arrive, and instead be diverted north to Kursk/Voronezh....

I think the best course of action is to wait and see what Rommel does before committing to vacating or holding Krasnodar and the Kerch Straits.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 3

Meanwhile at sea, the Australians are asked to send two Beauforts into the Bismarck Sea area to assist the hunting down of the IJN.

Search rolls:

Allies: 2(1)
Axis: 9(8)

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 3

The USN surprises the Japanese and decides to battle the two cruisers in the 3-box only.

The Americans choose a surface combat and use their surprise points to reduce the enemy Naval Combat Column.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 3

Both ships are quickly despatched to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 3

The Americans win the early skirmish, but they are in a right pickle here. The ability of the Japanese to get numerous land based air (from the Philippines) onto the scene, means that the USN are massively out numbered in the sky, and have much less in terms of surface ships and overall quality.

But aborting the area means either withdrawing out of range (to avoid port strike) or splitting up the forces and being picked off.

The one positive here is the sea-box section the USN occupies 3 vs 1. They decide to stick it out [X(]

Search Rolls:

Allied: 10
Axis: 10

For the moment at least that was the right decision. The respective sea-box sections give the US at least some protection while still being able to contest the sea area. No further engagement this impulse.

Where are my piggin' Essex-class??

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 3

The CW attempt to land on the northwest corner of Sicily, at Trapani. For the purpose they utilise the 2nd Infantry Corps and a Corps of Royal Marines.

The glorious 15-inchers from the RN R-class and Queen Elizabeth-class battleships - led by HMS Warspite - are ordered to pound the Italian defences. A Wellington bomber from Sardinia adds its factors also.

The Italians can contest with one fighter but will be heavily out-gunned from units in Sardinia and FAA units aboard carriers offshore. They choose not to intervene.

And so the odds are 7:1 +1 on the Assault table.....

....its only a 4(5) but its enough. The Allies are on Axis home soil....

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 4

The Axis are somewhat stung by the landing on Sicily. But how to react? At this stage there is no need to panic. The landing is against one hex. The mainland is not seriously under threat (at least yet) and so the plan is to stay calm and continue to reinforce success i.e. the Soviet Union.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 4

The Germans attempt 3 ground strikes around Smolensk. With one fighter available, the Soviets decline to intervene and hope the AA unit in the city will do the trick.

AA fire is dispersed over the three attacked hexes, with two shots save for the city itself.