A musical global war AAR...

[Centuur]

The turn doesn't end. The Soviets are very unhappy with this occurence, looking at the die roll...

[Centuur]

September/October 1942, Axis impulse number 11:

All Axis major powers take land actions.

The Luftwaffe, aided by Italian FTR's decide to give London a visit. The RAF reacts:

[Centuur]

Bombs away:

[Centuur]

In Morocco, von Bock decides that he needs a little more room for breathing. Ju-88's attack the Mexican/US positions. The Mexican airforce decides not to intercept:

[Centuur]

Von Bock orders an attack. The Mexican airforce wants to provide ground support, however, the Luftwaffe and Italian FTR intercepts:

[Centuur]

The Wehrmacht blitz the Allies:

[Centuur]

Music out of the occupied countries: Aurora -- Het Ramblers Dansorkest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pripSeBJmS8

Here is Morocco at the end of the impulse:

[Centuur]

More and more units are railed towards Leningrad. An attack on the city in winter conditions is only a matter of time:

[Centuur]

Timoshenko gets overrun at the Ostfront. No attacks are possible because of the supply situation:

[Centuur]

In Birma, Yamamoto captures the oilfields. The Birmese general receives a special envoy from General Terauchi: “why would Asian soldiers start killing Asian soldiers? We will allow your soldiers to return to their homes or to join the Japanese military forces if you stop fighting” (the Birmese Mil will surrender in the conquest phase, so why risk Terauchi in an attack...).

[Centuur]

The turn doesn't end (roll 7, 40% chance).

A German soldiers song: "Lied der Panzergrenadiere"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UsV8v2OOWU

And here is the weather for the next couple of impulses:

[Centuur]

September/October 1942, Allied impulse number 11:

If all major powers pass, the chance that the turn ends is 70%. The Allies elect to do so, since the USSR needs to get more units in place.

[Centuur]

A partisan appears in Greece (it's a pretty strong one too...):

Listen to (and watch the video) a Greek resistance song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZovVBut4B4

[Klydon]

Looks like the Russians are more or less on their last defensive line before losing the last major batch of resources they have left. The good thing for them is winter is approaching and they look to be able to offer stiff resistance on that line. It will take a bit for the Axis to close up on the line, move aircraft up and then look to have any chance of cracking it.

I absolutely agree with the decision on Leningrad. Take it. It will release several units, remove a threat from the Axis and also counts as a victory hex that the Allies should never get before the end of this game.

I don't know that I like stuffing the SS mountain unit into a clear hex next to 3 stacks of allied units. The issue is that unit can act as a keystone defender in the mountains that the Allies are going to find nearly impossible to crack (24 points on defense) with 3 stacks unless they blow a offensive chit and even then, they are going to be in for a stiff fight. As it is, should the Allies be able to kill it in the open, it will be tough to get it back to Africa and into the front lines on a timely basis unless the Axis have built the big air transport and have it handy. This is sort of a nit pick as the Axis have run a tremendous campaign so far, but it could come back to haunt the Axis. (I of course don't know what is under the other stacks in the area or if the Allies would consider attacking the hex or not).

[Centuur]

You are right that the MTN is in the wrong place. However, with the Allied airforce spend and no high combat factor Allied land units available for an attack, I think the Axis can take the risk (especially since under that MTN is a German ARM corps). Also: with all that extra FTR's which arrived in Morocco on the Axis side, I'm pretty sure that the MTN will survive any attack if the Allies move first next turn. And it is a stack with two Allied land units and an airplane...

I'm still not totally convinced that the Axis can kill of the USSR in 1943. It's a long, long way to Novosibirsk and the mountains of Tashkent. But if the Axis don't take Leningrad now, they might conclude end of 1943 that they cannot free the units to do so anymore (Allies outbuild the Axis by about 20 build points every turn and that's an awful lot). So it's something of a gamble. Take Leningrad (at least try) and see if the Germans can get through the Urals...

[Centuur]

September/October 1942. End of turn phases:

First: the destroyed pool for this turn:

[Centuur]

The Soviets scrap a destroyed bomber, the CW scraps the Whirlwind and the US scraps the Dauntless, both SBD-3 CVP, the Mexican INF and the Mexican FTR. The destroyed ships (the CW cruisers Manchester, Edinburgh and the US CV Hornet) are also scrapped according to the house rule in play.

Listen to: Melody Of Love (Why Do I Love You) - Wayne King & Franklyn MacCormack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMyRrHniRQ0

Italy produces 15 build points and receives 5 from Germany. It uses 1 oil for reorganisation. The cruiser Monticulli gets repaired and the BB Roma gets finished. Builds are 2 pilots, 2 FTR2, LND4, MOT.

Germany produces 49 build points and sends 5 to Italy. It uses 7 oil for reorganisation. The Bismarck and the Admiral Hipper are repaired. Builds are 3 pilots, LND4, LND3, 2 FTR2, MECH, ARM division, 2 INF, 2 MOT.

Japan produces 28 build points. It uses 4 oil for reorganisation. It repairs the CV Shokaku, the BB Ise, the cruiser Isuzu and a SUB. Builds are 3 CP, 3 pilots, 2 CVP1, FTR2, AT Gun, 2 INF.

Here are the Axis oil reserves at the start of the next turn:

[Centuur]

The CW produces 28 build points and receives 4 from the US. It uses 5 oil for reorganisation. It repairs the cruiser Achilles, finishes the BB Howe. Builds are 3 pilots, LND4, 2 FTR2, 3 CP, MTN, MOT, INF.

France receives 3 build points from the US and uses 1 oil for reorganisation. It starts an AMPH.

The US produces 66 build points and sends 3 to France, 4 to the CW and 1 to the USSR. It uses 6 oil for reorganisation. It starts 2 SUB's, a BB and CVL and builds 7 CP, 5 pilots, LND4, LND3, FTR3, FTR2, 2 CVP1, 2 MECH, 3 MIL, MOT and a MAR division.

The USSR produces 18 build points and receives 1 from the USSR. It uses 1 oil for reorganisation. It builds 2 FTR2, Timoshenko, 2 GAR and 2 INF.

Here are the Allied oil reserves at the start of the next turn:

[Centuur]

The Allies produced 112 build points and the Axis 92.

And now: Miss You - Bing Crosby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjnwHncr0Sk

Burma was conquered by Japan and Kuwait by Italy. Beria again refuses to surrender the Soviet Union.

[Centuur]

November/December 1942, start of turn phases:

Here are the Axis reinforcements: