A musical global war AAR...

[Centuur]

Egypt:

[Centuur]

Morocco:

[Centuur]

Morocco:

[Centuur]

And the weather report for the next couple of impulses, while the music playes:

Lucienne Boyer - Mon coeur est un violon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDT2Vd5OvBM

[Centuur]

September/October 1940, Axis impulse number 9:

Most Axis assets have been used or are all in the wrong positions at the moment. Therefore, again there is an impulse which is mainly used to improve positions:

Germany takes a combined action, Japan and Italy land actions.

In Manchuria, the Japanese decide to try to stop the Soviet CAV which is within range of Mukden. The Imperial airforce groundstrikes the unit:

[Centuur]

The strike fails. Now, this forces the Japanese to move a unit out of the frontlines into the city of Mukden. Also, the partisan threath in China is there. And that's something which isn't good at all for the Japanese. They decide to railmove a division out of China into Mukden. An Eng division is railed into Canton.

Here is Japanese Jazz a Ryoichi Hattori arrangement: Shimoda Yakyoku played by the Columbia Jazzband.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LjfQEtWVIM

Apart from this, the Japanese withdraw a FTR into the motherland (to prevent the TB-3 from bombing the precious factories) and a lot of units in China move towards the coast and towards the Chinese-Indian border.

Here is Manchuria at the end of the impulse:

[Centuur]

Germany moves the TRS into the Western Med, which picks up Von Bock. The Para is railed into Taranto. They rebase a lot of aircraft and move some units towards the east. Italy also moves some units in Morocco.

Here is: Franz "Teddy" Kleindin - Ich kann dich nicht vergessen sung by Evi Marlen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81HyLN1dKdE

Here is the Eastern Med at the end of the impulse:

[Centuur]

The turn doesn't end.

[Centuur]

September/October 1940, Allied impulse number 10:

First, there's a decision to be made. All pass or not? There is a 60% chance that the turn will end. A carefull look at the maps, make things clear.

First, there is the situation in East Africa to consider. To avoid conquest of British Somaliland, the TERR there has to move. Than the USSR wants to get a shot at the Japanese factories and Japanese shipping. So there it is...

The USSR and the US take combined, CW and China land and the French a naval action.

Here are the Andrew Sisters, the South American Way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB_FkB3w9pA

France sails cruisers in position to take over convoy escort duty from the CW. The US sails a BB into Pearl Harbor. Convoy points leave Manilla to return to the US.
The SUB's sail out of Vladivostok into the Sea of Japan. The Soviets search for the Japanese convoys in the area. The USSR finds the Japanese convoys...

[Centuur]

2 surprise point are spend to decrease the Allies losses (making sure that the sub's stay at sea) and four other to increase the damage done to the Japanese shipping lanes...

[Centuur]

This is a blow to the Japanese war economy. The USSR's submarine commanders decide to call it a day and return to base to drink some well earned Vodka...

Next, over the skies of Seoul, Soviet heavy bombers appear. A Japanese carrier force, sailing in the China sea, reacts by sending intercepting CVP's. An air to air battle takes place:

[Centuur]

It's a disaster for the USSR. The TB-3's are no match for the Japanese carrier planes. The saké flows to the men aboard of the Soryu.

Here is Django Reinhardt - J'attendrai Swing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5jtcxtMzAE

An INF is railed into Manchuria by the USSR, in Eastern Africa, the Somaliland TERR enters the only port of the territory, so the Italians can't simply move in next turn. Apart from that, there are a couple of units moved around the globe. Nothing much, so I'm not posting any situation maps this impulse.

The turn doesn't end (and there is much rejoicing in Tokyo).

[Centuur]

And here's the weather for the next couple of impulses...

[Centuur]

September/October 1940, Axis impulse number 11:

As I said, there was much rejoicing in Tokyo when the turn didn't end. Japan needs to repair it's convoy lines. Also, there is a nssty Chinese CAV which threathens to reoccupy Chungking! Now that shouldn't be allowed to happen too.

These two events, together with the chance the turn will end, the Japanese to choose a combined impulse. Italy and Germany choose land impulses.

The He-115C Flying boat flies into the Eastern Med, thus assuring that the Italian army in Egypt is again in supply.

Here is: Bar Trio playing: So beschwingt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6Q6JxiRZYI

The CW doesn't like this at all, and decides if it can find the bomber and kill it with the Gladiators on board of the Eagle. Italy decides to send a FTR into the 1 box of the Eastern Med. After some deliberation, the Italians decide to include the SUB's, since there aren't any CW air to sea factors available. Maybe there will be so many surprise points that it becomes possible to attack the convoy in the Eastern Med. If not, well, they won't be destroyed during a naval air combat anyway. However, both sides fail to find each other...

Germany rails an ART, a MOT and an INF from the west into Poland. Units continue to move to the East, except for the units which will be used to clear Morocco and Portugal next turn.Some planes are rebased.

[Centuur]

Japan sails five convoy points into the China Sea. A naval transport into the South China Sea and picks up the 4-4 MAR out of the port of Pakhoi, Yamamoto arrives by rail in Manchuria. The Chinese CAV is stopped by moving a unit next to it.

Here is Manchuria at the end of the impulse:

[Centuur]

The turn doesn't end...

[Centuur]

September/October 1940, Allied impulse number 12:

Let's first start with a song: Toni Bert: "Seul ce soir"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW9W_da7THw

The allies pass, since there is nothing to do and there is an 80% chance that the turn will end if they do. So why give the Axis another impulse to improve their positions?

[Centuur]

Turn ends. Here is the destroyed pool:

[Centuur]

September/October 1940: End of turn phases:

No partisans are created. Germany draws two markers into the offensive and moves one marker from the defensive to the offensive pools of the Rippentrop-Molotov pact. The USSR draw one marker in the defensive pool.

The US draws a marker for the Ger/It entry pool. Congress approves a bill, freezing all Japanese assets. Also a Lend Lease act is approved by Congress, allowing Lend Lease to the Western Allies. Only the latter one allows for the movement of a marker out of the Ge/It entry pool to the Ge/It entry pool (die rolls: 10 and 7).

There are currently 6 markers in the Ge/It entry pool, 5 in the Japan entry pool and 2 in both tension pools. Apparently the US doesn't have the necessary tension to increase production at the moment. The US entry is however, at least 27...
The Axis therefore estimate that there is now, for the first time in the game, a very small chance that US Congress might approve a US DoW against them. Again I would want you all to remember that it's you who will decide when to DoW the US with the Japanese, so I will not disclose the exact US entry levels in this game...

[Centuur]

Gemany decides to stay the Flying boat at sea in the Eastern Med, to make sure the Italian in Lybia will stay in supply. The Italians only keep the convoy escorts at sea.

Time for music: Ilse Werner - So geht´s nicht weiter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMFdu7g4ryE

The CW and the French have the convoy escorts stay at sea. Also, the French cruiser stays at sea in the Cape St. Vincent, to keep the CW forces in supply in Morocco.

During the return to base Phase, Von Bock arrives in Tirana, together with a German fast moving INF. Badogli arrives in Bardia. The Italian fleet rebases to La Spezia and the Italian SUB's to Tangier. The Japanese MAR arrives in Fukuoka.

The British return the Home Fleet to base in Liverpool. The Eastern Med fleet sails to Alexandria. Battleship row is filled in Pearl Harbor: