By the Numbers: Another Solo Global War AAR

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. Global Map. Active Allied.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. Victory Totals.

[brian brian]

For the French defense, a double line is infinitely more important than a strong front line. Ideally the second line is overrun-proof after an offensive chit is played, which means having 6 factors per clear hex. 2 hints: the BEF MOT corps have that level of strength, and defending the Maginot for too long also stretches the length of the French line for too long. The Maginot does not defend Paris, only weakens it. And the Allies should trade in the BEF for an entire turn of the Axis schedule, not deploy them as beach holiday spectators and then sail them away again.

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

For the French defense, a double line is infinitely more important than a strong front line. Ideally the second line is overrun-proof after an offensive chit is played, which means having 6 factors per clear hex. 2 hints: the BEF MOT corps have that level of strength, and defending the Maginot for too long also stretches the length of the French line for too long. The Maginot does not defend Paris, only weakens it. And the Allies should trade in the BEF for an entire turn of the Axis schedule, not deploy them as beach holiday spectators and then sail them away again.

Brian, thanks!

No doubt that the French defense was lacking. I do attribute the luck the axis had with initiative and end of turn to the French collapse. Germany (i.e., the axis) got to move last and first in a turn twice in a row during the critical MA40/MJ40/JA40 turns. The MA40 turn ending when it did just after Germany captured Brussels and with Germany (i.e., axis) getting the initiative the next turn before the French & British could march into Belgium was very fortunate for the axis. Also, Germany (i.e., axis) got 3 more impulses over these three turns than did the allied. That is, the axis got 14 impulses versus the allied 11 over.

Not sure if you'd call my Case Yellow a spectacular axis success, allied failure or combination of the both? But it was fun and for the axis a bit lucky I think with end of turn, initiative and I'll also throw weather in there too.

[rkr1958]

ADDENDUM. Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. Eastern Europe.

Forgot to post this front. Including info now as an addendum.

Axis #7.
1. Germany aligns Hungary. No reaction by the US.

Nazi-Soviet Pact.

Competitive: With Vichy declared and the Battle of France all but over except for Brits and Alexander holding on to Bordeaux, it's time to get serious about the Nazi-Soviet pact. Especially, for what it's going to take to break it. For the axis perspective they'd like to be able to launch their invasion even as early as the Mar/Apr 1941, ideally on May/June 1941 and not later than July/August 1941. Note that the optional rule "Breaking the Nazi-Soviet pact" is being used which means that the defensive multiplier (Def X) applied to garrison value decreases from 1 on the May/June 1941 turn to 0.75 on the July/August 1941 turn.

The Script. Stalin is denial that Germany will break the pact and invade before the Soviets are ready for war with Germany sometime in 1942. As such, Stalin will continue to do everything possible to prevent such a war before then. In reality, this meant ignoring the massive Nazi buildup in Poland and the Balkans and Luftwaffe reconnaissance overflights of Soviet held territory. In MWiF attributes, this means that the Soviets will continue to stuff the border to the maximum extent possible given that limited land moves due to being neutral. This stuffing will continue after a time that a reasonable player would have recognized the situation and have begun to pull back from their forward positions to more defensible/survivable positions. Not so with this script, which I title, "Stalin's Denial".

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Trade, Weather, Action, Events.

Resource Lending/Grants.
1. Japan last turn closed the Burma Road through political pressure.
2. Until the Burma Road can be re-opened France and Great Britain stop their grants to China.
3. Free France grants their 1 non-oil resource to Great Britain.
4. German maintains grant of 3 non-oil resources to Italy.
5. USA maintains grant of 2 oil to Great Britain.

Competitive:
1. The grant of oil by a neutral US to Great Britain is effectively a way that the allies can get around the restriction that neutrals can only save a maximum of 1 oil point per turn. Excess US oil beyond max production and 1 oil point saved can be granted to Great Britain who then store (i.e., save) that oil in Canada. Once the US enters the war that oil can be used by the US, or any other Western Ally, for reorg.

Initiative.
1. First roll. No advantage and allies win tie. The allies win the first roll 10 to 4. With only a 36% chance of winning a re-roll, for which the allies would have a +1 advantage in addition to winning ties, the axis request and promptly lose a re-roll.
2. The rationale between the re-roll request was the desire by Germany to kill off the lone Alexander HQ unit in Bordeaux.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. British Evacuation.

Allied #1.
1. Ulta-intercept decodes reveal a strong push by the axis to destroy Alexander's HQ-I and any other British units that may wish to disembark into Bordeaux.
2. PM Churchill orders the evacuation of Alexander and his HQ-I after the betrayal of Marshall Petain and his Vichy government collaborates.
3. From a military perspective, Churchill's advisors candidly relay to the PM that Great Britain is in no position to stand alone against the axis in mainland France. Any such stance would see more destruction of British units.
4. Alexander's evacuation from France officially signals the dismal end of the, "Battle of France".

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Combat Log Tally.

1. Four theaters saw combat this turn: (1) Western Front, (2) Atlantic, (3) Med and (4) China.
2. A total of 26 combats were logged, broken down as: (1) 16 naval, (2) 7 air and (3) 3 land.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. The Western Front. Combat Logs.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. The Western Front. End of Turn.

This front quickly changed from one of intense action to one of garrison and de-mobilization. Actually, the de-mobilization of units by the axis was really one of transfer of units to the Balkans and other points east.

The only active element of this front are the western ports in France in support of the Battle of the Atlantic.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Battle of the Atlantic.

Axis #4.
1. Axis submarines draw blood in the Faeores Gap.
2. A lone Italian sub group bravely attacks well escorted British convoys forcing 0.4 million tons to abort their mission.
3. However, the Italian sub group pays for it with its life and is sunk by the RN.

Axis #6.
1. The Battle of the Atlantic finally heats up for the British in the Bay of Biscay.
2. Axis submarines sink 0.8 million tons of shipping and force another 0.6 million tons to abort from their mission.

Combat Logs.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. The Med.

Allied #1.
1. RN carrier planes surprise Italian transports parked at Cagliari, Sardinia.
2. One Italian RM transport squadron is heavily damaged.
3. A four round naval battle goes back and forth between the RN and Italian RM off the Italian Coast. Both sides have victories, both sides have losses and the Italian RM emerges with a tactical victory.
4. Additional bad news for Great Britain who now truly stand alone.

Allied #3.
1. RN carrier planes return to Cagliari, Sardinia to finish the job.
2. The remaining Italian RM transport squadron is sunk!
3. High ranking Italian naval officers in Cagliari decry, "Where was our fighter cover? We were promised fighter cover!".
4. These officers and their criticism was quickly and harshly suppressed by enforcers of the El Duce.

Combat Logs.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. End of Turn. The Med. North Africa.

Allied #9.
1. The British 8th army led by Wavell rolls up Libya. Only Tripoli remains.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. End of Turn. East Africa.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. The Balkans. Axis Mobilization.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Eastern Europe.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. China. Combat Logs.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. End of Turn. China. French Indo-China.

Axis #4.
1. Admiral Yamamoto impresses with his ability to command an army group.
2. His skill as a naval commander was unquestioned but now successfully commanding an entire army group in China.
3. His successful command has further increased the friction between the army and navy commands in Tokyo.

Axis #6.
1. Japan "invades" (i.e., aligns) the Vichy administered colony of French-Indo China.
2. The US, even her isolationist, aren't impressed. The US reacts strongly and 2 chits are added to the US entry pool.
3. Admiral Yamamoto launches a major offensive in southern China and makes significant gains.

Axis #8.
1. The Japanese secure the key Changsha, Hengyang, Kweilin, Nanning to Hanoi rail-line which allows the shipment of another resource (i.e., additional raw materials) to Japanese factories.

End of Turn.
1. A CCP partisan group in the north seizes control of a coal mine, reducing Japanese war production by 1 RP.
2. General Umezu, commander of IJA army group and responsible for ensuring security of RPs in his theater, once again flies to Tokyo to apologies to the emperor for his failure.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. US Entry.

End of Turn.
3. The US Congress imposes an embargo of raw materials on Japan.
4. The US Congress also authorizes ASW air patrols off the East Coast, in addition to ASW naval patrols which were authorized last turn.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Destroyed/Repair.