A musical global war AAR...

[Centuur]

Citizens of Sevastopol rebel against the German occupation. 2 oil points are destroyed in the port. The fact that those oil points were still there was a mistake on my part. I should have railed those out of the port to Germany last turn during production. I forgot about them...

[AlbertN]

I was not aware I could rail saved oil points from X to Y in the production phase!

[Centuur]

Yes, you can do that.

After a small delay, lets continue:

July-August 1942, End of turn phases:

Here is the destroyed pool:

[Centuur]

According to the house rule in play, the Soviet cruiser Comintern and the US CV Enterprise get scrapped.
Apart from this, the CW scraps a Whitley bomber and the US scraps 2 carrier planes (a F4F-4 and a SBD-4).

Admiral Raeder convinces Hitler that it's time to start rebuilding the Kriegsmarine...
Germany produces 50 build points of which 5 are send to Italy and saves 5 oil. 5 oil are used for reorganisation. The Graf Zeppelin gets finished. It builds three forts, 2 pilots, FTR2, FTR3, LND3, LND4, ARM, TERR, ENG, MOT, 2 INF.

The Wehrmacht in color: Schön ist bei den Soldaten

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiTt5nhlJTg

Italy produces 15 build points and receives 5 from Germany. It saves 7 oil and uses 3 for reorganisation. It finishes the Impero and repaires the former French BB Po. It builds LND3, 2 FTR 2, 2 pilots, GAR, TERR.

Japan produces 28 build points. It saves 5 oil and uses 6 oil for reorganisation. It finishes the Ryuho and repairs the cruiser Tama and the battleship Fuso. Builds are: 4 CP, AT gun, FTR2, NAV4, 2 pilots, 2 INF.

Here are the Axis oil stocks:

[Centuur]

France receives 2 build points from the US. It did save 1 build point last turn. It uses no oil for reorganisation (but still manages to reorganise all ships. It starts an AMPH.

The US produces 66 build points of which 4 are send to other Allies. It saves 5 oil and uses 5 for reorganisation. It repairs a SUB, the BB's North Carolina and Washington, finishes a SUB and starts a TRS, a BB.and 4 CLV. Builds are: 2 CVP2, 2 LND4, FTR 2, FTR 3, 4 pilots, 2 MECH, ENG, 2 INF and a MOT.

Listen to: Daybreak - Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra, vocal)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btpZvDUVQwo

The USSR produces 24 build points and the Murmansk convoys send 1 from the Wallies. The oil is rapidly used for production, however the situation is such, that the USSR hasn't got a choice. Produce units or die... It saves 1 oil and uses 1 for production. It builds 2 FTR2, pilot, CAV, MIL, GAR and 5 INF.

The CW produces 30 build points and saves 6 oil. It uses 6 oil for reorganisation. It finishes the Indomitable, the Duke of York and the Kenya. Builds are 2 pilots, FTR2, 2 NAV3, 2 CP, Gort and 2 MIL.

Here are the Allied oil stocks:

[Centuur]

Japan conquers Mongolia and Italy conquers Niger Colony.

Niger didn't have a national anthem during the war.
Mongolia however, did have one. After listening to this one, I was really disappointed to read that this song isn't the national anthem of the country anymore since 1950. It simply fits, when one takes into account the history of Mongolia... Listen to the Tuvan Internationale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLF7Fl4SXh8

The Swiss ambassador gives the Soviet government another peace proposal from Ribbentrop. The USSR flatly refuses. The Germans destory the blue factory at Saratov.

[Centuur]

September/October 1942, start of turn phases:


Here are the reinforcements for this turn:

[Centuur]

And the trade agreements:

[Centuur]

The initiative:

[Centuur]

As usual, the Allies win the intiative and choose to move first. Here is the weather for the next couple of impulses:

[Centuur]

September/October 1942, Allied impulse number 1:

The USSR takes a land action, the US, French and the CW take naval actions.

Convoy chains are put into position for optimal performance overseas. Convoy escorts are also put into place again. The US sails both CV fleets towards Australia. A lot of units and planes are transported overseas again. Here are the Allied convoys together with global control:

[Centuur]

In the South China Sea, Allied SUB's start the search for the Japanese merchantmen. The Japanese air patrol the sea area. It's a big ocean (Allies 7, Axis 8)...

Music from the occupied countries: Ik ben verliefd op de keukenmeid -- Dick Willebrandts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og0yFK_3ZOw

Bomber Command attacks Lille again (the city should have been reduced to rubble already, given the high number of attacks done on it), escorted by Fighter Command. Of course, the Italian and German FTR's intercept, after which Fighter Command scrambles more fighters:

[Centuur]

The AA opens fire:

[Centuur]

Bombs away:

[Centuur]

The Red Army moves slowly backwards and improves it's positions. The weather isn't good at all, however, with four FTR's they are pretty confident that they can hold out (however, I believe I had the same thoughts earlier in this game):

[Centuur]

September/October 1942, Axis impulse number 2:

An action packed impulse, with the first major carrier battle taking place and me making a mistake (sorry, but you can't go back if you've just spend over an hour fighting a major battle...).

Japan takes a naval impulse. Germany and Italy take land actions.

Japanese cruisers enter the Arabian sea and searh for enemy shipping. Axis roll 4 and allies roll 6. The convoys are found and attacked:

[Centuur]

The convoy escorts do their job:

[Centuur]

The Japanese decide to abort. In the Coral Sea, another Japanese cruiser task force enters and searches for merchantment. However, the sea proves to be a big place again (Axis 9, Allies 9).
Japanese submarines try to sneak up to convoys in the Tasman Sea. A CW cruiser stumbles upon the Submarines (Axis 5, Allies 4). It gets damaged:

[Centuur]

After having used it's surprise points to try to abort the Japanese SUB's:

[Centuur]

The Japanese decides to stay. Axis roll 1, Allies roll 3. The Japanese have followed the crippled Achilles and she gets aborted, with no damage to the Japanese. However, the Achilles manages make sure the convoy's aren't found in the next round (Axis 10, Allies 4).

Listen to: 軍歌：荒鷲の歌 (Song of the Fierce Eagles) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhYqHBRoqYo

The Battle of Cape Naturaliste:

The Imperial Fleet decides not to attack the two Essex Class carrriers near Pago Pago (because they are outclassed by the CVP on one of them and they can't get land based air involved). However, they do sortie in force into the Cape Naturalist since the secret service has reports out of Madagascar that the US CV's should be in that sea area. Axis roll 5, Allies roll 4. The Manchester, on the way to convoy escort duties is confronted by the Japanese planes. The cruisers AA fire is very accurate (lowest of two rolls is a 5), destroying a Japanese CVP (a VAL). After this, the Manchester gets destroyed: