Cohen vs Enrico - AAR

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - Chile - Enhanched Monroe Doctrine.

Similar to Colombia, the US arrived, invaded, seized an amount of resources and moved off.

Once the US Marine Corps moved away from Chile and are elsewhere busy, the Chile army started to move, trying to seize back a resource and the major port (That was left vacant from the US).

The Chile Navy fought bravely earlier on, suffering some losses (When Germany used a SuperCombined impulse), but now looks toward these juicy, unescorted convoys.

Argentina on the other hand suffered a demise, but not without a fight. Their cavalry force performed a delaying maneuver to cut the US supply, which stopped them for two months; then once the cavalry corp was crushed, the Argentina troops defended Rosaria (losing their MIL which was rebuilt), and ultimately fought teeth and nails for Buenos Aires.
Under shore bombardment, with no air cover, the Argentine troops were doomed - but they have sold their lives dearly (2 US INF were destroyed!).

But now the Argentine resource and factory are in service of the Arsenal of Democracy! (What Democracy?)

Bolivia and Perù (and Cuba) too are under the domination of the USA, who are exploiting their natural resources to fuel their war effort.

The Argentine Fleet made a blockade run to get to Europe, the most of it manage indeed.
The US Fleet was caught entirely off-guard by that, with the anchor in Brazil! But the W.Allied central command sent the Free French Navy after the scattered Argentine ships, and ultimately at the cost of a single cruiser and 2 CP the W.Allies sank an Argentine cruiser and damaged 2!

The rest of their navy reached safely Lisbon. Both the BBs and the most modern cruisers (The ones with 3 range!)

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - Arabian Sea Struggle

For the good part of 1942 the Arabian Sea has remained domain of the Axis, but as the year was leaning to its end, and the US presence in the Pacific started to make itself felt on Japan, with the withdrawal of the Japanese carriers for other purposes, the Royal Navy grew bold.

Even after the fall of the Seychelles the Brits counted 4 NAVs (2 Sunderlands, 1 Beaufort and 1 Beaufighter), and 4 assorted FTRs (5 Air to Air factor); 5 CVs, 5 BBs and a moltitude of cruisers. A large stock of CPs in Cape Town to replace losses too.
Though most of the planes except the Sunderlands are pratically covering the Azanian Sea.

So in Sept / Oct they started to operate with decision, repelling the Axis submarine raids in the Azanian Sea at first, and performing raids with their (single) submarine and surface (sacrificable) cruisers.

The Brits harvested the Italian CPs in the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf; avoiding skillfully Italian escorts.

Last they started to arm wrestle the Arabian Sea proper. The Japanese sent their Zeros from the Sycheless and the Euro-Axis intervened with their airforces too. At the start it seemed to favor the Axis, which at the cost of a Zero destroyed a Sunderland and a CarrierPlane. And the second Zero was sent home.

Bolstered but this vaunted victory, Mussolini sends off the Italian Regia Marina. Big mistake. (The Japanese without carriers opted to not intervene immediately).
The Brits finds the Italians multiple times and sink a cruiser and damage 2 BBs. (The BBs both passed the armour save, or they'd be at the bottom of the seas). Though in one occasion the Italian anti aircraft barrage inflicts enough punishment to the Brits to cripple their aereonaval power. (A single dice of AA, rolled 10 - 2 CVP went kaboom!).

The Brits over time finds again. The German Condors acting as long range recon for Regia Marina are vanquished from the skies (in different impulses).
Getting itself without air cover, and with 2 BBs less, the Regia Marina was to withdraw or get Japane assistance in form of quality cruisers (but the turn ended).

Australia:

The W.Allies are working also to restore the link to Australia with UK proper so to use these factories.
At once Australia was linked by US to bring them fuel, and have their NAV operational.


Madagascar:

The Japanese have performed a landing with a division in Madagascar. Maybe it can be worthy to seize it. Alas in Diego Suarez there are land forces which will keep the precious naval base in the hands of UK.

Seychelles:

Seen the change of tides, the Japanese are preparing to evacuate this forward base, probably rebasing their remaining Zero in Ceylon, and so move there their forward submarine base.

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - Azanian Sea CW Assets

In Diego Suarez there is a Sunderland and 3 FTRs, a 7-3 White Print INF; and reserve ships.

Beaufighter and Beaufort with a TERR in Tanganyka.

If there is something is that the CW is short of land forces there.

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - Burma & Kumming

Kunming finally fell!
It was an atrocious siege, the Japanese in Jul / Aug failed, failed again in Sept / Oct (Rolling a 2 - they lost 1 AA unit!), and ultimately in Nov / Dec when the Japanese airforce also erased the last Chinese fighters once and for good, Kunming fell (with a roll of 14. 3 Japanese land units lost for the last Chinese defender).
The Chinese have inflicted a total of 6 ground units and 1 airplane lost over 3 turns of Siege of Kunming, a big butchery for the Japanese, that is for sure!

A very costy siege, which at least now frees up some Japanese forces and 1 HQ though! And planes to locate elsewhere. (China was lucky, stocked 5 BPs, and out of 3 HQs fished Mao. So soon the Communists will be able to push again!).

In Bay of Bengal, at the end of the year the Brits have been lucky, sinking Japanese shippping (1 CP) and their related escort (an old cruiser). That hindered the Japanese in reaching the Italians at a decent operational stage in Arabian Sea. (Due to us playing with "In presence of the enemy").

Also left out of supply the small Japanese Army in Burma, meanwhile the CW reinforced the sector, with Alexander organizing the India defence at Dacca.

A Japanese task forced sailed out to punish these CW Cruisers raiding Bay of Bengal, sinking one at the cost of a damage battleship! (The Allies have been very lucky in Nov / Dec 1942!)

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - US Bases

The two main USA bases.

Pago Pago, and the closeby submarine base for US operations; and obviously Pearl Harbour.

The US prepared two task forces, ready to strike from different directions at the heart of the Japanese perimeter.

Until now the USA has not been succesfull with the submarine raids; and has managed to sink or damage only weak Japanese cruisers kept as "picket force" in exposed sea areas (To slow down USA navy due to the "In presence of the Enemy" optional).

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - Manchurian Front

Since months hardly a fly moves there.
Both sides are reinforcing with extreme slow speed (Japs and Sovs both sent a fresh MIL unit, and that is pretty much it!)


The same can be said for the Communist Chinese, which are waiting for Mao.
That allowed the Japan to strip their front of all the superfluous forces, leaving only 2 MILs to screen them.

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - Russia under siege.

The German forces and its satellites have accomplished much in Russia. The only front where the Axis is manifestly still on a rampant offensive.

Baku is under siege and so is Astrakhan.

The Axis OKH plans to storm Baku in Summer '43; or at worst to bomb its oil fields.
For now the Italian attempts to interdict the shipping lanes in the Caspian Sea have been revealed a failure. Or better, not giving the desired results.

Astrakhan can wait for Winter '43 when it will be a Forest, because Leningrad comes first.

The OKH deems important to erase these thorns on the flanks and the sides of their main front at the Urals, as they can turn into potential attack spots later on, when W.Allied pressure can strip of German units the front.

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - Russia under siege.

Combined German-Finnish troops are getting ready to storm Leningrad.

The finest troops equipped with winter warfare gear have been pooled; the Luftwaffe has been massed.
Kesserling has the possibility to O-Chit the troops up.

All I need is an impulse of regular snow.

In the while you can see other Luftwaffe assets, short of rebasing possibilities (Ah, how much it takes to bring these logistics onward!), that are still around Moscow after the battle for it.

[AlbertN]

End of 1942 - Russia under Siege.

The Germans advancing toward the Urals and Siberia.

Many withdrawing Soviet units were caught, their airforce thinned grealy but nonetheless disruptive (as the Germans struggle to keep planes upfront, in two occasions the German HQs got bombed, and in one case stalling their advance even!). The Soviet retreat turned into a route, where pratically in the second half of the 1942 the Germans attacked with no losses; or minimal ones - picking on isolated and surrounded packs, or in units which were unable to keep the pace of the withdrawal. Being left behind, along and destroyed. (Which I think it's better that way, than to try to save everything and lose everything!)

The Soviets are digging as hard and fast as they can, but shall they be ready for the German onslaught once the good weather comes?

[AlbertN]

Allied coming production:

[AlbertN]

Axis Coming Production:

[AlbertN]

Jan / Feb 1943 - Arabian Sea

The Allies lost the initiative, despite a reroll.
Many are their convoys totally unescorted and the Axis could exploit the situation.

It's exactly what happens. Shamefully of all the raiders in like 6 different seas, none of them finds the CW or US shipping!

The combined forces of Regia Marina and a squadron of Japanese Heavy Cruisers sail, and meet in the Arabian Sea.
Ironically, the Italians are the one offering air cover (which does not get where the ships are, box wise!). But the Commonwealth kept the ships at sea, in the lower boxes; and their naval air force has been damaged earlier. If a surface combat is to happen, the Axis should have superiority in quality.

But what happens is that the air recon of both sides spots the counterpart, and the CW carriers launch their planes, Fulmar and Swordfish. Thanksfully also the Italian airforce was alerted and intervened to intercept the enemy planes.
Meanwhile the fighters grinded each other to non existance, the Swordfish reached for the Axis fleet, but the intense barrage of anti air prevented them to perform any damage.

Otherwise, the Japanese raiders are to expect a heavy retaliation in other sectors.

[AlbertN]

Jan / Feb 1943 - Bay of Bengal

Japanese Battleship, and marines loaded ready to land; plus reserve INF for follow up landings with the port of Dacca all free; or a HQ acting as port.

Japan could be up to something here - especially as the CW left its main ships in the Arabian Sea.

[AlbertN]

Jan / Feb 1943 - Ost Front

Leningrad has fallen. Kesserling attack was well prepared (an O-Chit was spent too), and the Soviet garrison had to capitulate. (Leningrad MIL, 1 INF, 1 ART).

In the while the bulk of the German Army approaches the Soviet line before the Urals. Will the Soviets try to keep this line or retreat with the cover of the snows?

That is an answer I do not have, but if they decide to stay here til the good weather arrives, I am a happy Axis player.
I believe it has been a poor plan to set Garrisons there, because now they're pratically pinned on the spot, and I do not think with good weather that position is tenable for the Soviets.

[AlbertN]

Late Jan / Feb 1943 - Ost Front

The Soviets slowly withdraw from their position; and the Germans advance.

The Luftwaffe has been brought onward (with an Air Impulse) to offer air cover and interdiction on the retreating Soviets.
The Wermacht is preparing for an uppercut from the south, with a Panzer-HQ, and 12 Panzer and Panzergrenadier corps massed in the area.

But the bad weather prevented any offensive operation.

In the while, in Soviet Russia, the forces that conquered Leningrad have slowly started to be elsewhere located.

[AlbertN]

Late Jan / Feb 1943 - Marocco

The Western Allies are shore-hugging and advance into Marocco, where the brave Italians are still holding the line with defiance and courage despite the growing odds stacked against their favor.

A trickle of German units are arriving though, but ever so slowly.

An aerial victory was achieved, where the Italian Regia Aeronautica gunned down a B17 - used in a not too appropriate role of tactical bomber.

But the US Factories are churning airplanes at an amazing rhythm (I still think they need more land units though! By looking at the production above.).

Germany and Occupied France:
The extremely poor weather protected the Fatherland from bombing runs.

Despite the bad weather, Germany did not managed to sally forth its submarine fleet either.

[AlbertN]

Late Jan / Feb 1943 - The Marshalls & Pacific

The US Navy performed big operations!

From Pago Pago a consistent task force with US Marines introduced itself to the east of the Japanese perimeter, but logistical issues and bad weather prevented any invasion to happen.

From Honolulu the Essex Carrier Task Force sailed and reached for the Marshalls, having Eniwetok invaded smoothly. (The only place the weather allowed admittedly!).

Submarines and raiders were sent in other seas, but they failed to intercept the Japanese shipping.
On the other hand Japan retaliated with sending raiders too, managing to sever the convoy pipeline to Australia, and the W.Allies did not manage to restore it.

(W.Allies lost 2 convoy points)

[AlbertN]

Late Jan / Feb 1943 - Bay of Bengal and around!

The Japanese invasion force failed to get anywhere due to the poor weather and the rough seas.
By land their forces though reached for Chittagong. Alas the invasion planned to encircle the UK defenders did not happened so probably the Brits will withdraw to safety.

The Commonwealth sent raiders in the South China Sea, without much success. A squadron of 3 led by three cruisers would have possibly overwhelmed the escorts of the convoys of old ... ancient ships; a detatchment of proper Japanese cruisers and escort carriers were sent in the zone to sink the pesky CW Cruisers, but there were no meetings nor clashes.

The struggle for Arabian Sea continued, with aerial losses from both sides. Then the last CW squadron of planes found the Japanese convoy keeping Seychelles supplied, and erased that from the sea. (The Italian FTR2 at the 0 Box was shot down, and a Swordfish too. Then no more findings so ... all went quiet).


The turn did not ended yet - now it's in the hands of the Allies, their 3rd impulse (and probably will end there as the chances are quite high!)

[AlbertN]

End of Jan / Feb 1943

The turn amazingly enough ended at the 19# Impulse Number (Axis! So alas I started and finished, initiative penalty for me!).

But the last impulse revealed itself somehow profitable, albeit in marginal ways.

Germany took a combined impulse, to unleash its submarines.
Of many searches only one was successful, costing to the Kriegsmarine 1 Submarine destroyed and 1 Damaged; for 3 CPs destroyed and 3 aborted. Alas the W.Allied had an excess of CPs (The US just shrunk this turn their Lend Lease commitment), so only 2 BPs will be wasted.

And the Italo-Japanese forces had a big clash with the Royal Navy in the Arabian Sea.
First the Axis found the CW (with 10 points of surprise). That ensured the Ark Royal was to get to the bottom of the seas (with the last embarked squadron of the zone!). Some cruisers suffered as well.
Then the CW bravely remained to fight, and found the Axis - despite being badly outgunned the Royal Navy well exploited (with the surprise points obviously) the separate commands of the Axis and inflicted punishment on them.

The final outcome was 5 Axis Cruisers sank, and 2 Damaged. (Of which only one of them Japanese).
The CW suffered 1 CV (with plane) and 5 Cruisers sunk, 1 BB and 1 Cruiser damaged.

For the time being the Axis has pratically depleted their aerial forces in the sector, except a Zero Squadron, meanwhile the CW has plenty of land based planes, but their bases are not very close to the Arabian Sea.

The turn ended before the W.Allies could do any strategic bombing, and no partisans were to rise!

Destroyed Pool:

[AlbertN]

MAR / APR 1943 - Axis Openings.

Axis seized initiative (again) and the Allied forfeitted their chance to reroll.

Weather came all rainy in Russia, and smooth in the Mediterranean sector.

Germany got stuck in the brief indecision if to exploit the shortage of escorts in the seas, or press on the Soviets with the possibility to "zoc" the retreat of a few units.
Ultimately Germany took a naval impulse, so the Japanese. Italy a combined.

Italy simply reinforced and adjusted their assets in Marocco, bringing in 1 new FTR and 2 NAV; and railed a Militia in Russia to act as antipartisan garrison in Stalingrad.

The Japanese scattered submarines all around, and a few raiding cruisers; alas their searches were unfortunate - actually the USA airforce scrambling in intervention in the Solomon Sea promptly sank the Japanese convoy, and set the raiding cruiser off!
Which means now Kwajalein is out of supply!
Also the US did the big mistake to leave without air cover 2 BBs and 1 Amph and 1 TRS in Eniwetok! The Japanese took the risk of a port attack, and despite the very mild surprise obtained nothing was achieved (Not much to do when out of 5 dices, the lowest one is a 7!). The result of 2 aborts was foiled by both targets passing their armour test...

No other findings by the Japanese.
In Bay of Bengal lots of Japanese ships arrived, ready to shore bomb in support of the land advance in India. But the Brits produced a new INF corp straight into Dacca, and so a new Indian fighter.

On the other hand, the Kriegsmarine, who slept pratically until the very last impulse of the previous turn since a long while ... obtained amazing results.

Out of 4 locations where the Germans went, in 3 the enemy was found, and engaged with success!
Admittedly, the game is somehow iffy here - because all the time I choose Surface Combat. 3 cruisers of Escort are still a much inferior punch than the ASW of the 3 cruisers and all the CPs.
The Germans so had no losses, few aborted submarines.
The W.Allied lost 3 cruisers (sank), got 1 damaged, and lost a 5-10 convoys (did not really counted them) ontop of others aborted.