Bob Flemin's MWIF AARse V - Fat AARse

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

The possibilities of the plan are now growing on me....

With the three CW moves available to them, the 4th Motorised Corps is moved into Brussels, while Gort joins the 8th Mechanised Corps west of Antwerp.

The French revise their plans. They were going to hold station on the Franco-Belgian border, but decide now to move one hex east. If the attack fails, the losses will be taken in Brussels; if the attack succeeds, Gort's army can move into Antwerp, where they will have some protection fron the Scheldt. The French have enough forces to keep their HQ behind the lines and an armoured reserve even further back - all three in separate hexes to discourage ground strikes.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

Forgotten in all this shenanigans is the Finnish Front.

There will be two attacks this impulse:

- Antwerp
- Finland

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

First things first. The Royal Navy are called upon to provide naval gunfire support. The senior service set about the task with relish; a mix of 6,8,15 and 16-inch shells pound the Belgian port, taking the odds to 4:1.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

In the air, the RAF stick to the plan. All three fighters (including the Belgian CR42) take to the skies in support of the three British bombers.

The Germans want to leave something in reserve for the future impulses and bring in five fighters and three bombers.

This is just enough to give the Germans a +1 on the air combat chart....

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

The Axis throw first:

Round 1

8 - DA. The CW decide whether to abort the front fighter or bomber. They have little choice but to send the Blenheim back to Blighty.
13 - No Effect

Round 2

9 - No Effect
8 - No Effect

Er...good shootin' boys. Bull, Butt and Bass Fiddle springs to mind here [;)]

Round 3

7 - AA The Germans get the abort choice now - and send home, unsurprisingly, the Spitfire
10 - DC The Germans get to choose a bomber to clear through and plump for the Dornier with the weakest air attack factor.

The Air Combat is now +2 in the Germans favour. If the RAF abort then the attack odds are 2:1 no modifiers on the Assault Table.....

The RAF stay in the air.....

Round 4

11 - DC. The CW get to choose a bomber to clear through and plump for the Harrow.
8 - No Effect

I've got to say this is some of the lousiest shooting I have ever seen.....
The RAF continue to push their luck and stay around.

Round 5

11 - DC and they get another bomber cleared through!
5 - AA The CW decides which front aircraft to abort. They go for the Bf-109.

This does not alter the -2/+2 so the CW checks the odds. The Germans need both remaining bombers through to alter the odds from 3:1 to 2:1. The RAF stick around.

Round 6

7 - AA the Hurricane is aborted..
13 - AC the CW choose the worse of the two bombers to clear through - the Henschel

The odds are now -3/+3. The Germans need this last bomber. The CW need to shoot it down or abort it.... The RAF stay..

Round 7

2 - AX Rats! The CW luck finally had to run out. The Belgian fighter is destroyed (pilot saved)
19 - DX Would you believe it!! What a decision to have to make. The Germans must either destroy their Bf-109 (pilot saved) or their bomber - a great fighter or odds of 3:1.....

After much deliberation the Germans choose the 2:1 odds and destroys the fighter (I hope I don't regret that.....).

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

So after all that we have a 2:1 no modifiers on the Assault Table (Fractional Odds turn this into 3:1)....

..... the result is a 5. The attackers are disorganised and each lose a unit; the Germans lost the anti-tank unit and the CW lose the Belgian infantry.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

Meanwhile in Finland, in the hext northwest of Helsinki, the odds are 3:1 no modifiers and the Soviets choose the Bliz Table...

...the result is a 7. The Finns lose a ski division and must retreat, but the attackers are disorganised.

The Soviets cannot take advantage of the retreat as they would be exposed to a counter-attack and being put out of supply.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

So the turn comes to an end. Operation Orm turned out quite well for the CW - the loss of a German quality fighter and a specialist anti-tank unit, in return for a Belgian fighter and a Belgian infantry.

Brussels is also garrisoned with a stronger unit - albeit now disorganised.

[Orm]

Splendid days work, My Lord Warspite.

The boys has made us proud today. So close to drive those huns back to their caves.

Both the navy and the air force come though for us today so let us not mention the French.

Proud, Sir, proud.

Will you, perhaps, join me, My Lord, for some afternoon tea? My aide brews wonderful Darjeeling tea. My brother serves in India and he sends me packages with the finest tea. I am sure that you will find the tea quite tippy.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 3

The weather is kind to the Axis - its a 10 which means Fine everywhere.

Japan - Land
Germany - Land
Italy - Combined

No prizes for guessing the object of German or Japanese focus this impulse - Brussels and Yenan/Tianshui.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

Splendid days work, My Lord Warspite.

The boys has made us proud today. So close to drive those huns back to their caves.

Both the navy and the air force come though for us today so let us not mention the French.

Proud, Sir, proud.

Will you, perhaps, join me, My Lord, for some afternoon tea? My aide brews wonderful darjeeling tea. My brother serves in India and he sends me packages with the finest tea. I amk sure that you will find the tea quite tippy.

warspite1

Splendid, a capital idea what.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

Neville Chamberlain is in a quandary... The small BEF are in northern France, guarding the Channel Ports and the extreme left wing of the Allied line. News of the destruction of two-thirds of the Belgian army, the breach of the River Dyle and the fall of Antwerp have come as a bitter blow.

The King of the Belgians requests urgent assistance from their Allies. The BEF are the only Allied units in a position to attack the German spearhead that have just captured Antwerp. "Damn the WIF rules that have movement before the air rebase phase - and damn the non-co-operation rules even more!" rages Chamberlain to the Cabinet.

After much deliberation, finally the question of whether to accede to the Belgian request is put to a vote. The votes are tied with only one Cabinet member to go. The newest member of the government, Mr Orm Ster (Lib) MP for Stockholm south, is firmly of the Winston school of thought. "We must do something to help our gallant Allies! I say action this day an' s***!"

With this, the die is cast - The RN - both the Home Fleet and the Channel Force - are ordered to the North Sea/Channel to provide naval gunfire support to the BEF who are to march on Antwerp for a pincer attack in conjunction with the 1st Belgian Corps, against the key Belgian port. Squadrons and squadrons of Spitfires and Hurricanes are readied - the whole fighter reserve of the RAF will be employed for this operation.

In his diary, Squadron Leader Rafe MacCauley (Eagle Squadron) writes "I think WWII has just started...."

And so begins:

Operation ORM

[Queue dramatic music]

[:D] [:D] [:D]
This post made my day. The text made me smile with anticipation of what to come. Then I scrolled down to the picture and it made me guffaw. [:)]

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 3

Two attacks this impulse:

- Yenan, China
- Brussels

In northern China, the useless Japanese bombers can do nothing to get the attack up to 4:1, while the same applies in Brussels.

For the attack on the Belgian capital it is a 7:1 +1 on the Assault Table....

...again the throw is low 5(6) but its enough to destroy the CW unit for no loss or disorganisation. The Belgian capital falls - now onto France...

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 2

Neville Chamberlain is in a quandary... The small BEF are in northern France, guarding the Channel Ports and the extreme left wing of the Allied line. News of the destruction of two-thirds of the Belgian army, the breach of the River Dyle and the fall of Antwerp have come as a bitter blow.

The King of the Belgians requests urgent assistance from their Allies. The BEF are the only Allied units in a position to attack the German spearhead that have just captured Antwerp. "Damn the WIF rules that have movement before the air rebase phase - and damn the non-co-operation rules even more!" rages Chamberlain to the Cabinet.

After much deliberation, finally the question of whether to accede to the Belgian request is put to a vote. The votes are tied with only one Cabinet member to go. The newest member of the government, Mr Orm Ster (Lib) MP for Stockholm south, is firmly of the Winston school of thought. "We must do something to help our gallant Allies! I say action this day an' s***!"

With this, the die is cast - The RN - both the Home Fleet and the Channel Force - are ordered to the North Sea/Channel to provide naval gunfire support to the BEF who are to march on Antwerp for a pincer attack in conjunction with the 1st Belgian Corps, against the key Belgian port. Squadrons and squadrons of Spitfires and Hurricanes are readied - the whole fighter reserve of the RAF will be employed for this operation.

In his diary, Squadron Leader Rafe MacCauley (Eagle Squadron) writes "I think WWII has just started...."

And so begins:

Operation ORM

[Queue dramatic music]

[:D] [:D] [:D]
This post made my day. The text made me smile with anticipation of what to come. Then I scrolled down to the picture and it made me guffaw. [:)]

warspite1

I am glad I listened to you - it was a really fun attack [:)]

Only downside is that North Sea bug. As I said to Steve it is too important a sea zone to be left as a bug...

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 3

In Yenan its a 3:1 no modifiers attack on the Assault Table. The Fractional Odds make it 4:1..

..once again its a 5. How many times???

Both Chinese are destroyed at a cost of a Japanese cavalry corps and disorganisation. Stupidly I put the HQ in the attack again - I must remember to stop doing that [&:]

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 3

The Germans, needing to keep this turn going, use von Leeb to organise a Bf-109.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 4

USA and USSR - Combined
CW - Land
France - Land
China - Land

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 4

The Allied turn is pretty soon done. There is just one attack - that by the Soviets against the hex northwest of Helskini.

Both sides bring in their only bomber - this makes the odds 2:1 no modifiers on the Blitz Table..

..its a 10! The Finnish unit is destroyed and the Soviets begin to tighten the noose around Helsinki.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 5

The weather throw is a 9 - it's Fine everywhere except the Arctic (much to the relief of the Finns).

The Germans use their Offensive Chit (with von Rundstedt).

Germany - Land
Japan - Land
Italy - Combined

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 5

The weather throw is a 9 - it's Fine everywhere except the Arctic (much to the relief of the Finns).

The Germans use their Offensive Chit (with von Rundstedt).

Germany - Land
Japan - Land
Italy - Combined

I want your dies. [:D]