Decline and Fall The Long Way Round

[AllenK]

It isn't all one sided. The CL Phoenix, recovering from the initial surprise, puts several devastating broadsides into the CA Nachi, sending her to the bottom. Facing far superior odds, the surviving US CA's head back to port. The sub stays around for a crack but searches are unsuccessful.

In the Marshalls, the US Nav spots the patrolling Jap Ftr and tries to flee. It is in turn spotted and engaged (Japs 4, US 3). It is caught and shot down for no loss (US 8, Jap 6; +2:-3). With the air patrol taken care of, the Jap subs engage the US CP. They sneak in plant their torpedoes and are gone before the US escorts can react. Scratch another convoy (searches Jap 4, US 7; surprise used to reduce damage).

The Japs elect to fight so as to keep their subs in the sea area (they would then decline to commit them). With nothing to escort, the US Commodore heads back to port. When he gets there, he gets a severe dressing down from the Admiral as their presence would have been needed to provide protection to the replacement convoy.

As word gets out about the Japanese success in the Pacific, the RN subs hope to emulate their performance in the Med. They fall at the first when unable to locate the enemy, who likewise are similarly ocularly challenged.

[AllenK]

J/F 1945 Axis 10: Air phases.

Manchester receives what is becoming a regular visit from the Luftwaffe. Two Lnd, bombing in terrible weather, manage to hit warehouses containing war materials (1 BP loss).

The Japs realise they are once again in danger of being put out of supply if the ChiComm Cav moves to the right place. They send 3 Lnd to try and stop it, although, with the weather and quality of the planes involved, it is a long shot. Too long as it turns out (5, 7 & 3) when all miss their target.

The Germans rail an Arm to south Russia. The Italians rail Gen Balbo back to Egypt.

A couple of Italian units move closer to Spain. The Germans do some shuffling in Russia to release another heavy unit into reserve plus move others forward from Germany. The Japs block the threatened OOS moves.

The Japanese realise, with a little shore bombardment support, they can get a reasonable 4:1 against a Nationalist unit NE of Hong Kong. The escort commander in the China Sea is only too willing for this diversion from the monotony of escort duty and the two available CL's get some much needed gunnery practice.

[AllenK]

The Nagoya Militia perishes in the assault but the Nationalist 3rd Inf is destroyed (11 at +8).

The Japs rebase an OOS bomber on the front lines to safety. The Germans rearrange their fighter cover and send a Bf-109 to the east.

All Axis powers use some HQ's to reorganise units in case the turn doesn't end. On a 10, it doesn't.

[AllenK]

J/F 1945 Allies 13

n a roll of 4 modded to 6, the weather eases back a tad in the Arctic.

[AllenK]

No DoW

US Air. Others Land.

Bomber Command sends two groups to Breslau. The entire 8th Air Force mounts an extended range mission to Lodz. The Soviets send a group to Ploesti. All targets chosen as factories without fighter cover.

It all proves a bit of an anti-climax when nobody can hit anything (RAF, 1; USAAF, 2; USSR, 4).

In a rare display of co-operation, the Nationalist P-40 ground-strikes two OOS Jap units in Tsinan, opposed by the Communists. It nearly works as one of the two are disorganised.

The Soviets declare one land combat and support it with a Lnd and 2 Ftr's. The Germans counter with 2 Ftr's and 4 Lnd. The ChiComms declare one attack, supported by Mao, which the Japs send a Lnd for defensive support.

Over Russia, the leading Bf-109's chase off the Soviet bomber but in doing so leave their bombers temporarily unprotected. Seizing their chance the Soviet fighters take down the leading wave of Do-17's (Germany 13, USSR 18 at evens). The '109's return to the fight but are chased off by the Soviet fighters (Germany 12, USSR 15 at evens). With the odds against them (+3:-3), the Germans decide to preserve their aircraft and bug out.

Both attacks go in at pretty low odds but the end of the turn is close and the allies have a cheap unit in each attack to take the first loss.

[AllenK]

In Russia the Soviets use their 'winterised bonus' to improve the odds to +6. It doesn't make much difference. With the air activity alerting the Germans something was up, they prepare a careful ambush, which the Soviets assault straight into. An Inf and a Mil are destroyed for no loss (on a 3).

The assault in China goes equally badly (6 at +5) resulting in the loss of the Sian Militia.

Various HQ's reorganise units but it doesn't matter as, on a 3, the turn ends.

A Communist partisan appears in the recently vacated Haichow, destroying two Jap Lnd. Another partisan appears behind the lines in Russia and 2 in Yugoslavia.

[AllenK]

M/A 1945

Initiative Axis 6, Allies 9. The Axis decide to re-roll and win it 6 to 3. They decide to go first.

On a 10, the weather goes fine everywhere.

All 3 Axis opt for combineds.

[AllenK]

M/A 1945 Axis 1

No DoW.

No port attacks.

No Naval air,

The Japs move two units from Port Arthur to north China. Two CL's are sent to the Marianas 2-box. With no CP's available, the Japs are planning on sending a Trans to run supplies to Eniwetok and decide to put the escort in place first.

The Germans sortie the Baltic fleet (ex the old BB's) to the 3-box. Can they achieve another hit and run? The Italians put 2 CL and CP escorts into the Italian Coast.

[AllenK]

M/A 1945 Axis 1: Naval Combat.

Slipping their anchors at twilight, the Kriegsmarine head into the Baltic, avoiding the US CA screen and locate the US Amph, accompanied by 2 BB's (searches Axis 3, Allied 6. 1-box only chosen). The opening KM salvoes cause much damage to the Amph flotilla but the KM are unable to strike the killer blow before the two BB's interpose themselves and start to engage (3 surprise points to select target. X saved to D). The KM concentrate their fire on the New York, which limps away heavily damaged.

[AllenK]

KM damage control proves not as effective as the US and all 3 KM BB's return to port with minor damage (aborts). The KM had used 2 other surprise points to reduce their damage.

[AllenK]

Mission accomplished (the Amph) the two remaining KM CA's join their brethren and head back to Stettin.

The Japs decline combat in the Bismarck Sea.

With an RAF Meteor III, based in Sheffield, covering Manchester, the Luftwaffe halt their attacks on the city. Instead, they send two bomber Gruppen to raid Belfast. The RAF should have put the Meteor in Manchester then all factory cities would be covered. They pay dearly for the mistake when the factory and war materials (1 BP) are destroyed (10 rolled at 9 factors).

The Japs send two Ki-32 groups to ground strike Mao.

The KM action in the Baltic has left the CW forces in Estonia OOS. Successful ground strikes would leave them very vulnerable to counter-attack. A Stuka, Ju-88 and Me-210 (flying as bomber) take to the skies. Elsewhere, the 800 mm rail gun and SiG II go into action at Kiel.

The Italians send 2 groups plus Dardo escort to strike Bradley and VIII Mech and one plus 4-point Ftr to strike the OOS Spanish 1 Arm. Their mobile artillery has a go at Crerar.

The US contest the strike on Bradley with the Black Widow and a P-38. The Luftwaffe chip in with a Fw-190.

[AllenK]

The Axis fighters tangle with the P-38's, forcing them back to base while clearing a bomber through (US 12 AC, Axis 7 AA). They repeat the formula with the P-61 (US 8 AC, Axis 7 AA).

The strike on Gort et al by the Stuka and Me-210 is less than impressive.

[AllenK]

The Ju-88 picks up the baton from the last two and promptly drops it.

[AllenK]

The rail gun does its job.

[AllenK]

As does the Italian artillery.

[AllenK]

The Italian pilots show the Luftwaffe how it's done.

[AllenK]

But can't quite make it a clean sweep.

[AllenK]

The Jap pilots have taken the same bomb-aiming course as their German compatriots.

[AllenK]

As the aircraft all head back to base and the dust settles, the CW breathes a sigh of relief. If the strikes in Estonia had worked they could have been in a bit of bother. Things could still be a bit tricky at Kiel.

A newly arrived Garr is railed to Amsterdam to free up an Inf. Libya Mech is railed to Gen Cavallero.

An Italian Arm and Mech move from Toulouse into Spain. Antonescu moves out of the front lines and is replaced by the Alp Mtn. A couple of units continue their journey eastwards and two Inf move into Yugoslavia to start a campaign against the partisans. The Japs move 2 Inf against the partisan in Haichow and one to occupy the port just vacated.

The Germans declare two land combats against the partisans and attack Kiel. The Italians pass. The Japs attack the Chinese partisan.

US CA's in the Baltic close in-shore and provide 7 points of gunfire support. Wavell chips in with his support. Two Jap CA's on escort in the China Sea give their army colleagues a hand. No ground support is flown.

[AllenK]

The odds aren't great at Kiel, although as good as they were likely to get. They are enough that one good attack would clear the city and the first loss can be absorbed by a cheap Militia. Today proves not to be the day as the assault (chosen by CW) starts badly (fractional not made) and peters out pretty quickly (7 at +4). The Germans lose the Berlin Militia and the attackers are left disorganised.

The first partisan unit puts in a sterling effort.