GD1938 Game 23

[ironduke1955]

August 1940

The Battle for France is over 1st Infantry Army tasked with assaulting the French pocket NE of Lyon some 100km by 50km the French starved of supply and without air cover were overcome, after a long and bloody campaign. A campaign of epic battles in defence and attack Germany still under attack from the British and USA has now a higher mountain to climb.

The circle of US submarines was pushed back only temporarily for sure, from the German fleet around La Coruna the US now have a sense of urgency regards the interdiction of supplies and reinforcements into Iberia. Porto Madrid and Valencia were either assaulted bombed or shelled or all three in one case, no advances were achieved but casualties were inflicted.

[falco148]

China declares war on Japan after many months of simmering tension. In the south, Chinese forces push Japan right back to the gates of Shanghai. In the north,
far more modest gains with the heavily entrenched Japanese infantry using the high mountainous terrain to good effect. Counter-attacks by armour and from the
air were curiously absent. Shanghai itself will also be a tough nut to crack as there appears to be a huge concentration of forces there.

[MrLongleg]

The combined British and France certainly approve of the justified Chinese action and offer help and support on any level.

The new cowardly and unprovoked attack of Russia in Syria had to face a setback as the combined French and British fleets were able to sink every single Russian ship in sight.

[cpdeyoung]

19 August 1940

What a massive undertaking this global war is. Just shuttling supplies and fuel around is a big task.

There was one major battle this month and the graphic below shows the outcome. The Germans seem to have taken over Italian Spain. Germany and the USA are both contesting the Iberian peninsula vigorously. The USN was indeed very interested in removing this large naval force from interdicting our expedition to Portugal, but we are sure the Battle of the Atlantic has many chapters to unfold.

In the Pacific the Marines took Makassar and are ready for more landings in the Dutch East Indies.

[ironduke1955]

September 1940

Madrid and Valencia are retaken from the Americans the US Heavy Tanks suffering heavy losses, finding the the Panzer IIID somewhat more difficult to subdue than the Spanish and Italian riflemen. Porto holds the US tanks having gained considerable experience from the initial turkey shoot. But Porto is held by the slimest of Margins.

Some 44 minor US vessels were sunk not much compensation for the loss of 4 CV 3 Pocket Battleships and assorted smaller craft not to mention the aircraft lost on the carriers, On the plus side this small navy had destroyed the British Atlantic Fleet and large quantities of US minor vessels. And the US is correct in speculating that after its success more are coming and this will no be the last of the Kriegsmarine. And of course the real source of Interdiction to US reinforcements and supplies to the Iberian peninsular are land based aircraft and they have not gone away.

The Chinese have a foothold in Europe after gaining control of Greece, this is fairly unwelcome as China are currently at war with Japan Germany and Italy, I am not sure what China hopes to achieve but they will certainly receive a frosty reception.

[LJBurstyn]

The British have offered a peace arrangement with the Soviets. The Soviets have agreed. Although it is not what the Soviets wanted it is peace. One of the main aims of the Soviet offensive was Kuwait. But for peace the Soviets accepted GB keeping Kuwait. We will be satisfied with the other main aim Suez.

[MrLongleg]

The unified British French HQ is glad to hear that the Soviets accepted our proposal for peace and is looking forward to an intensified strategic cooperation with the Soviet Union.

[cpdeyoung]

16 September 1940

The United States has had a peace offer for the USSR on the table, and welcomes peace with the Soviet Union.

After heavy losses near the powerful airbases around La Corunha the US Navy has puled back to a more distant blockade. Battles continue in the Iberian peninsula an important front just now.

[ironduke1955]

1940 October

Porto falls at last. German tanks are in the outskirts of Lisbon.

[cpdeyoung]

14 October 1940

And the consequence of the German report above : a withdrawal from Iberia. If you have not experienced the strength of the Panzers, well, it can ruin a good day. The USA has had a position in Portugal for many months, reinforced by Brazilians and made strong during a long period of peace. When the USA felt it had to preempt a German assault on Great Britain war was declared and our forces began to combat the Italians in Spain. We knew the experienced Germans were coming, and have battled ever since, but our forces were taking heavy losses. We felt we had to bail. Lisbon is declared an open city. Gibraltar will be defended.

A sad day for American arms, but as with Dunkirk we did manage to pull out a lot of troops.

In the Pacific theater the US forces did manage to capture two more objectives in the Dutch East Indies.

Look at the German OOB here :

[Bombur]

I´m going to travel tomorrow, will be back only in 12/24.
I still could play a turn today.

[ironduke1955]

Germany 1940 November 7th

Cadiz and Gibraltar remain under US control, the Atlantic is a US controlled zone not yet contested.

[baloo7777]

The Italian Armed Forces have begun replacements of units decimated in the Spanish Theater vs the USA. These experienced troops, along with multi-national troops from the Balkan-Italian Alliance have now begun the Liberation of Greece from the Chinese Coup that has brought conflict to this once peaceful country.
Spanish Troops invaded the French controlled Port of Ajaccio, easily capturing the bastion from its demoralized and abandoned forces.
We also congratulate our ally Germany, who have driven the American invaders from the Iberian peninsula, and begun reinstalling the legitimate Spanish Government in Madrid.

[cpdeyoung]

11 November 1940

The United States took the last of the oil resources in the Dutch East Indies. Palembang was damaged in the capture and will not contribute oil production for awhile.

In Spain the Germans roll along. They are impressive in their strength, as should not surprise after three years of war making.

[ironduke1955]

Germany 1940 December 1940

Gibraltar is taken held by a handful of English staffers, the Americans retreating to Africa, a highly costly German attempt to pursue the retreating Americans is met with US heavy tanks lining the beaches of North Africa, fortunately 1941 will see the PZIVg coming into service so the older German tanks were obsolete anyway [;)]

[Bombur]

The Generic Heavy Tank II being based on the American M6, is a mistake, I believe, it gives a formidable tank to countries like Japan, USA and Italy, which never developed a heavy tank or developed it too late in the war. It´s my intention to fix it in a future edition, maybe to have the Generic Heavy Tank II based on the Soviet SMK.

[cpdeyoung]

Please be careful of balance here.

In this game, Game 23, the Germans have just run roughshod over the USA in the Iberian peninsula. I shudder to think what they would have done if I did not have a decent tank. Seeing as infantry is nothing but cannon fodder we really need a tank.

Is the tank really the absolute king of the battlefield? I think Tom would agree he looks at a stack of infantry as pulling into a drive-thru on his way to his objective. Gobble that sucker up, gain experience, gain morale, keep moving. With armor it is all good, with infantry is is all bad. Do any of you trust infantry to defend an important hex? They melt away after artillery shelling. If you can apply air too, then Katy bar the door.

If you have not experienced the strength of the Panzers, well, it can ruin a good day.

I am certain if the Japanese, Italians, and especially the USA saw the strength of the armor in ATG they would have developed much superior armor. If you can give ATRs and RPGs a bite, or allow the USA to really develop their doctrinally favored tank destroyers, then fine. Just taking away the M6 inspired HT2 would mean real balance issues I think

Chuck

[ironduke1955]

Not really a matter of balance

The largest Tank Gun in 1939 was 37mm(PZIIId)/47mm(CharB1) that translates to 400 tank attack.

So what gun does the generic heavy Tank II have at 1000 tank attack that translates to a 75mm+ gun not available in 1939, of course Heavy Tank II is overpowered for the early war period its why I use it.

[cpdeyoung]

The only reason I used the issue of balance is that the generic HT2 is the one that would be affected, and changing it would not affect the KV1, PzIV, B1-bis, or Matilda/Churchill. The nations that use the generic HT2 would continue to be China, Japan, Italy and the USA. As you point out Tom, you and any serious Japanese player will choose the HT2 as their armored weapon system. Heading to battle in the Soviet Union or Middle East with standard Japanese armor would be laughable. The Chinese too live for the day they can get decent armor and cause the Japanese some casualties. If you are going to get the players for China you must allow them to build their tech level, even if China never achieved that in reality.

By allowing nations that did not develop heavier tanks during the war the "what if" option of HT2 and HT3 you allow the players to choose the battlefield selected weapon system. If the Italians can only have inferior equipment during the whole game there are few players who would choose to play them. If the Japanese cannot choose weapons that are more advanced than they actually had they had best never test the USSR.

Finally, regarding the HT2 and the USA in this game 23. Remember Tom's post was about one large assault across a significant water barrier. In many previous battles in Iberia his German armor bested the Americans. If the American troops had been weaker it would have been even worse.

Note : I have not seen the turn yet.

[ironduke1955]

My comment on the outcome of my attack accross to North Africa, was phrased as a critique of my own decision to attack, not as a moan about the Heavy Tank II. But the point that Bombur makes is valid 1000 points of tank V tank power is overpowered, you have tanks new to production mid war with similar tank attack points. So what is the difference between early war and mid war Tank gun technology answer a lot gun design (Long Barrel) ammo and optics

If the Char1b with a 47mm gun is 400 I would put a generic heavy of the period with a 76mm gun at 500 to 800 Tank Attack with perhaps less armour than the KV1 which was a beast.