Bob Flemin's MWIF AARse V - Fat AARse

[Centuur]

There's no need to convert to a retreat if units are shattered while surrounded. If a unit is shattered, it only arrives next turn if it could have retreated succesfully:

Here is RAW:

If the result includes an ‘S’ (shatter) or a ‘B’ (breakthrough), put each
surviving defending land unit on the production circle if it could have
retreated. These units will arrive as reinforcements next turn. Destroy
any units that could not have retreated.

[warspite1]

Okay thanks.

[warspite1]

Okay then.

A question for the experienced WIF hands. The Germans have had a great start - the weather stayed kind, the dice were generally friendly (losses of troops and aircraft have been low) and the only downside has been the loss of Finland.

In addition, the Japanese have almost wiped out Mao's communists in the north of China.

The US entry throws and picks have favoured the Axis too.

So what should Hitler, Tojo and Mussolini do now? Declare Vichy? Go for Spain and the Mediterranean? or a more traditional Balkan - Soviet Union strategy?

I would be grateful for your thoughts and reasoning.

[Centuur]

What are you building at this moment with the Axis? Ships and planes? Go for Spain and close the Med. Ground units and planes: go for the Balkans and the USSR.

Point is, whatever you choose, your builds should reflect this from the start of the game...

Tojo should make a decision now. The Commies are gone. Sitzkrieg against the Nationalists is a possibility if you play with Chinese Attack Weakness. On the other hand, if you can conquer China in less than a year time...

[composer99]

I don't feel like I can really help you answer the 'what do I do now?' kind of question. Only how to do it once you've made up your mind.

Although I can give a suggestion viz. Japan:

For Japan viz. China, if you're feeling daring, head for the Szechuan from the north over the summer.

If not, then aim to take over Changsha, Kunming, and the two resources in the south over the next year & a half and strat bomb Chungking & Chengtu to keep Chinese production down. You can probably manage this while fighting in Manchuria or the Soviet Far East if the USSR decides to go East should Germany become enmeshed in Spain through 1941.

[brian brian]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

The veteran battleship Marat prepares to leave Kronstadt in perfect weather - little knowing that a mini ice-age would quickly descend, leaving her trapped in the ice that would soon crush her and her sistership....

I've been wondering - what is that flag the Marat is flying there?


For the strategy question -

You really should decide your strategy before you launch the campaign in the West. You've taken Paris in early June, 1940 and have a lot of units sitting around with no orders, which is never good in war.

At this point though, should you decide to attack Spain, you have to decide something about Vichy. Declare Vichy and then collapse it immediately to get those hexes on the Spanish border? Or attack into Spain and then declare Vichy after you've cleared the rail link into the Bilbao region. You might want to research how the rules on how all that would work.

If you want to stay somewhat historical, you can pester the British for awhile with what Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine you have available, which can really pressure them when you haven't handed them the Dutch shipping, well done. (The Germans will need a small force on the Dutch border ready for when Japan enters the war). Meanwhile you figure out what to do in the Balkans and the Mediterranean and build up for the centerpiece of the war - the East.

Italy needs to decide on war aims as well.

The greatest asset the Axis have in 1940 and 1941 is the true initiative. Not the game turn initiative, but the strategic initiative wherein they make the decisions, and the Allies have to respond.

[brian brian]

Oh and I think the Ice rules in World in Flames are just silly. No military would let their warships be crushed in ice (particularly navies experienced with Baltic weather, sailing short range ships), or let entire divisions of infantry sink into a lake as the ice melts, or even entire squadrons of float planes be crushed in ice either. It makes for hilarious gaming I guess, and that's why those rules exist, for the fun of the game.

[composer99]

A Google search suggests the flag the Marat is flying is the USSR naval flag.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

ORIGINAL: warspite1

The veteran battleship Marat prepares to leave Kronstadt in perfect weather - little knowing that a mini ice-age would quickly descend, leaving her trapped in the ice that would soon crush her and her sistership....

I've been wondering - what is that flag the Marat is flying there?

warspite1

Well you have me stumped [&:]

The picture is from 1934 so the timeline fits for this to be the old naval ensign (used from 1923) and which was subsequently changed to the one more commonly known (and used during WWII and beyond) - see below.

However, if it is the older flag, the centrepiece looks wrong - i.e. it should be a white hammer and sickle on a red star - but the picture appears to show something blue or black??? - unless its just the angle?






Naval Ensign from 1935

[warspite1]

And here is the naval ensign from 1923 - 1935. As you can see, it is similar to that on the Marat but the centrepiece is different....

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

Oh and I think the Ice rules in World in Flames are just silly. No military would let their warships be crushed in ice (particularly navies experienced with Baltic weather, sailing short range ships), or let entire divisions of infantry sink into a lake as the ice melts, or even entire squadrons of float planes be crushed in ice either. It makes for hilarious gaming I guess, and that's why those rules exist, for the fun of the game.

warspite1

Agreed - its pretty ridiculous if you think about it for a nano-second. I have no problem with a penalty - for example the ships need to go into the Repair Pool. Weather - ice, waves, wind - caused a good deal of damage to warships in WWII - Italian destroyers were particularly flimsy - but cruisers and even battleships were punished in the North Sea / Atlantic and Arctic - and goodness knows what the typhoon conditions in the Pacific did. But losing potentially whole fleets because of one dice throw? Mmmmmm

[Orm]

Edited again to another ensign that Marat is not flying.

[warspite1]

I want to go for Spain - not least so I can check out those new counters [:)] but I am mindful of how difficult Toulouse is to crack - and the French have many reinforcements (from Shattered units and production) to make life very difficult. I think I will head south with the Germans for as long as the turn lasts with the turn lasts. If it finishes quickly I may just declare Vichy and turn east.

[Orm]

Then declare Vichy.

Then you either attack Spain from one hex or you tell the French that you just created Vichy as a joke.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

Then declare Vichy.

Then you either attack Spain from one hex or you tell the French that you just created Vichy as a jake.

warspite1

I suspect that is the route I will head down. I'm looking forward to it! [:)]

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: 7

The Allied impulse is over with quickly; there are so few useful things to do it was probably wiser to pass and hope the turn ends....

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: 8

...but it doesn't so its back to the Axis.

The Italians put a fleet of submarines into the Eastern Mediterranean (why didn't I put the CP in port?? [:@]) but fortunately for the Allies, the Italian dice throwing is poor.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: 8

The Axis have 4 attacks to declare:

- west of Lanchow
- Ningsia
- Vichy
- south of Le Havre

The few aircraft left cannot affect the odds and so we go straight to combat:

First in China. It would have been better to put the Communist unit out of supply (as he is disorganised) but that is unlikely given the rubbish tactical factors of the Japanese bombers.

The odds are 3:1 +1 on the Assault Table (and Fractional Odds take this to 4:1)...

...its a 6(7). The Communist unit is lost but at least the Japanese are disorganised (which was the thinking in not going for the Blitz table) and thus Sining should be safe from occupation this turn.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: 8

Further north the attack against Ningsia is 5:1 no modifiers on the Assault Table...

...10 That was clear cut. The Communist Cavalry Corps is destroyed for no loss.

I make it the Communists are down to three cities....

Unfortunately there is, once again, no US Entry penalty.

[warspite1]

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: 8

In Vichy the 5th Infantry Corps defends the town against an attack from four sides. River helps defend the town to the north, but the odds are still 5:1 no modifiers on the Assault Table....

...7 The defenders are destroyed and the Germans are not even disorganised....