zzmzzm (Axis) vs sveint (Allies)

[Marcinos1985]

South China seems to be in trouble, esp. with this Juggernaut, 3 dot Jap army. You think your opponent is going all-out for China, or are there some signs he will divert some resources into Pacific?

[ElvisJJonesRambo]

I have learned something, probably should disband (sell) the French Tactical Bomber with starts strength 5, rarely will it do much use, except get in the way and conduct a suicide 1-damage attack. So you have gone with the Doulbe-French Army in the Ardennes. British are well back. Basically, you're slow rolling, which is fine.

[sveint]

ORIGINAL: Marcinos1985

South China seems to be in trouble, esp. with this Juggernaut, 3 dot Jap army. You think your opponent is going all-out for China, or are there some signs he will divert some resources into Pacific?

I'm honestly not sure. Every Japanese player will want to take Nanning. To continue inland from there is a tough choice. On the one hand you can shut down China for good. On the other you have to
invest a lot of production. Already zzmzzm has built 2 artillery units (something I never do as Japan), so I think at the very least he is serious about the Second Sino-Japanese war!

That max experience infantry army (seriously why does Japan have the most elite unit in the world at this time?) got a bloody nose this month and lost a step against the dug in Chinese army.
Next month we start upgrading. I'm fairly confident China will be able to hold out until Japan joins the wider war.

[sveint]

11 October 1940

China loses an army. The UK loses a CL that was scouting for Sealion.
French Pacific territories join the Allies.

India invests in Infantry Weapons.

China upgrades and rebuilds an army. A reinforcing army is placed near Sian.

[sveint]

USSR invests in Infantry Weapons and upgrades.

USA invests in Spying and Intelligence and Production Technology.

The UK upgrades infantry. 2 armies arrive in Egypt. 3 destroyers head to the North Atlantic.

At the end of the turn Romania joins the Axis and the UK gets a destroyer from the US and the
7th Armoured is formed in Egypt.

[sveint]

8 November 1940

China loses an army and a corps as Canton falls. An Italian submarine trades
blows with the Renwon Battle Cruiser. Hungary joins the Axis.

India builds an army.

China is buckling under Japanese pressure. Units are reinforced and upgraded.
Our earlier optimism was perhaps misguided.

[sveint]

The Soviets upgrade infantry.

USA invests in Advanced Fighters. It seems I made a mistake and placed an arriving fighter
in Hawaii, which congress does not like. I'll have to move it next turn.

UK tech is not doing great. They invest in Infantry Weapons.
U-47 is found off the French coast. It and a Canadian DD both take a step loss.
Egypt has been massively reinforced.

[sveint]

Even so, British home defenses should be adequate.
What the UK really needs now is further investment in technology.

[sveint]

6 December 1940

China loses Ichang and another army.
Minor naval actions at the Libyan ports.

China reinforces, upgrades. An army arrives in the south
and another one is built.

[sveint]

USA invests in Infantry Warfare and Armored Warfare.

The UK invests in Spying and Intelligence. In Libya ground forces
prepare for an offensive. The fleet is fairly dominant and blockades the ports.
The Courageous bombs an Italian BB, 6 steps of air for 6 steps of ship.

In the Atlantic the Javelin DD runs into U-35, both taking 5 steps of damage.
The Illustrious CV heads to Gibraltar.

[sveint]

3 January 1941

China loses another army and corps. Amoy finally falls, being held
by partisans for the longest time.
Diplomacy moves the US 5% towards the Axis! US activation is now only
33%.

Apparently (this is my assumption) Japan has put 3 chits and Germany one chit
on the US. I'm really not sure how to respond to this.

After giving it some thought this can only mean that the Axis strategy is a double
attack on the Soviets while keeping the US out of the war as long as possible.

Either way I have decided NOT to respond diplomatically (it would cost too much).
Let's play it out and see what happens, the US will join eventually.

[sveint]

China buys an army. At this point we are just trying to delay the Japanese
advance. For some reason the Communists are still at 25% activation.

[sveint]

USA invests in Industrial Technology (now at level 3, so we are done investing in this category).
They also invest in Command and Control.

The UK goes on the offensive in Libya with mixed results. But our main reinforcements have yet
to reach the front. Italian infantry seems not yet to be upgraded.

The UK receives a BB and a CV. A BB and a DD is sent to Gibraltar as reinforcements for the Med.
We are still at level one fighter tech so we invest in Advanced Fighters.

At the end of the turn Bulgaria joins the Axis and the UK receives another DD.

[sveint]

31 January 1941

A German naval bomber arrives in Africa. This will make life difficult for the
Allied fleet. The CA Australia is sunk.

India buys an army.

China gets a new army at Kweichow.

[sveint]

The Soviets invest in Spying and Intelligence, and Anti-Aircraft Defense.

USA invests in Naval Weaponry.

The fighting continues in Libya. An Italian army is shattered. The Illustrious
runs into a sub and is damaged. 2 Italian subs and a DD take some damage.
As can be seen, various Allied naval units have taken some light damage.

4 more British naval units head to Gibraltar to reinforce.

At least 3 German subs are raiding in the Atlantic in various places. We
have a total of 5 DDs to search for them.

The UK invests in ASW.

[sveint]

28 February 1941

Finally a quiet month.
The Chinese youth army takes some casualties but holds.

India receives its first army.

China struggles to hold on. It receives a new army at Chungking.

[sveint]

USA researches Ground Attack Weapons. Research is at maximum capacity.

British destroyers inflict 5 step losses on u-boats, taking one step damage.
In Libya, Italy loses another army.
The UK invests in Advanced Tanks. The modern Prince of Wales BB arrives.

[sveint]

Meanwhile all is peaceful in the Soviet Union, it's not like they have to
worry about Germany fighting a 2-front war... the US is completely unconcerned
too, even buying into some of the Axis propaganda.

[sveint]

28 March 1941

Germany conquers Yugoslavia without taking any casualties.
China loses an army and plenty of step losses.
The US moves a further 5% away from the Allied cause.

India invests in Industrial Technology.

China is in real danger of collapsing, it no longer has the MPPs
to reinforce completely, never mind rebuilding units.

[sveint]

Russia invests in Command and Control.

USA invests in Production Technology, ASW and Anti-Tank Weapons.
Research is coming along nicely.

The UK invests in Production Technology.

U-73 is heavily damaged in the North Atlantic. The Glorious inflicts
a step on a u-boat off France. U-37 clashes with an Australian DD
off the Spanish coast. An Italian DD is sunk in Tripoli harbour.
A lot of victories for the Allies at sea.

North of Norway a German heavy cruiser is spotted. A task force is sent to deal
with it.

The offensive in Libya continues but achieves little in the middle of a sand storm.