Mayhemizer vs AllenK: The rematch

[AllenK]

Okay, after the premature end of the first game, we are starting another.

Due to various technical issues we are abandoning Hot-seat and are running in Solitaire mode, which seems more reliable.

Same optional rules as before but with a house rule that minor countries must set up half of each type of combat unit (land, sea, air) in the home country. CP's can be scattered as required.

We've swapped sides, so I'm playing the Allies and Mayhemizer the Axis.

[AllenK]

The Allies request what they can from the USA and USSR, who are happy to oblige.

[AllenK]

The US puts two entry chits in the Ger/It pool and one in the Jap pool.

US scrapped units.

[AllenK]

The US Atlantic Fleet deploys to Norfolk, along with an Inf div, Eng and 76mm AT.

The Pacific fleet is at San Diego with Nimitz and 40mm AA.

USSR scrap.

A Garr goes to Murmansk and Sevastopol, the Eng goes to Leningrad. A Cav sets up on the Polish border. Most of the army sets up along the Rumanian border.

[Admiral Delabroglio]

Hello

Just curious : why don't you put all 3 US entry chits in the Ge/It pool ?
Suppose the Allies are unlucky, here's what you can get :

At start : 2 chits
Germany attacks Poland : +1 (80% chance), 3 chits in the entry pool now
Western Allies declare war on Germany : -1 chit (90% chance), 2 chits left in the entry pool
Russia claims Eastern Poland, that's a must in S/O, if Germany conquers Poland before the USSR claims it, the USSR can't get the buffer anymore : -1 chit (70% chance), 1 chit left.

Now, Italy knows the Allies can't declare war in S/O (20% of having to remove 2 chits, thus preventing a US declaration of war on Ge/It), Russia can't claim Bessarabia (If Germany denies the claim, 80% chance of having to remove 2 chits) and can't start moving units to the Finnish border.

It seems to me that a 3/0 chits distribution is safer.

Best regards

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Hello Admiral Delabroglio,

Good point. I did just like AllenK is doing. Maybe I will put 3 chits GE/IT pool in the future.

[AllenK]

Difficult to comment on this one without giving away too much of my plans.

The 'Germany attacks Poland' is a 12 so 1 chit guaranteed and 20% chance of a second.

The problem I see with the 3/0 split (apart from telegraphing you are thinking of an early DoW against Italy) is the impact on the other side of the globe. With nothing in the Japanese pool, the Japanese can relax at the prospect of any USSR DoW against them being at least 2 turns away.

Although a compromise, it is keeping options a bit more open.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Italy scraps all planes, weak artillery and the slowest submarine.

[Admiral Delabroglio]

Of course, there is the USSR vs Japan war to consider.

Now, if the USSR treatens Japan with some units, I think even if there is no chit in the US entry pool against Japan, Japan must leave a garrison against the USSR. If Japan walks or rail moves its units all the way to China, they are unlikely to be of any use during the first turn. During the second and third turns (N/D and J/F), the weather will most likely be Siberian-friendly but Japanse-unfriendly in Northern China. Thus, next to useless units.
With Russia, I'd like to have those units waste two or three turns in march and countermarch.
On the other hand, if Russia plans to attack Persia, the Allies also need a chit in the Ge/It entry pool.

All right, then, proceed with the AAR so that everybody sees what your plans were, I'll try to keep my eager comments in check.

Best regards

[AllenK]

I'll try to keep my eager comments in check.

No, please feel free to chip in as and when you like. All comments gratefully received. My reply wasn't meant as a put-down. Particularly as there's no guarantee my plans actually amount to much.

[AllenK]

The Nationalists scrap a fighter and a bomber.

CW scrap

[AllenK]

French scrapped.

[Jagdtiger14]

I prefer a balanced approach to the US entry chits at start. Keep all options open.

[AllenK]

Hi Jagdtiger14,

Thanks for the vote.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Japan scrap

[AllenK]

A couple of screenshots to be going on with.

The Italians are putting on a show of force on the Egyptian border.

[AllenK]

The French border is pretty well garrisoned. At La Spezia, Graziani et al. look bound for some foreign mischief (or they could be bluffing).

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Germany scrap.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Germany breaks down 4-4 INF to 1-4 div and 1-5 mot div.

Germany sends less that 50% units to east.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Manchuria