It Takes A Village to Raze a Village

[rkr1958]

Turn 21. Axis. June 7, 1940. Battle of the Atlantic.

Germany has three u-boats left: (1) U-35 which is actively hunting allied convoys, (2) U-37 moving out into the Atlantic toward the allied convoy lines and (3) U-30 docked in Kiel and awaiting reinforcement and upgrade. The problem is for U-30 is that budget priorities with respect to him are low given the other wartime needs.

Adm Graf Spee continues on to Italian East Africa.

[rkr1958]

Turn 21. Axis. June 7, 1940. Italy.

1. Italy spent 100 MPPs for A/T Weapons research.
2. The rest of Italy's budget this turn went to reinforcing a garrison and HQ in East Africa by one step each.
3. At the end of the turn I got a message that Italy is preparing for war. I assume that means they'll be able to DOW Britain and France, or will be at war with them automatically, my next turn?

[rkr1958]

Turn 21. Axis. June 7, 1940. Japan. Northern China & Manchuria.

1. Both fronts remain static.
2. Japan has one more unit, an army, that will be swapped out for the 18th garrison just deployed this turn to Hiroshima.
3. XVVII corps was transported out of Port Arthur to Amoy and XIII corps out of Seshin to Foochow.

[rkr1958]

Turn 21. Axis. June 7, 1940. Japan. Southern & Central Chinese Fronts (Start of Turn).

[rkr1958]

Turn 21. Axis. June 7, 1940. Japan. Southern & Central Chinese Fronts (End of Turn).

1. Made a push for Hengyang but fail short by 3-steps.
2. Attrition attacks in the south knock 5-steps off of a Chinese corps.

[rkr1958]

Turn 21. Axis. June 7, 1940. Japan. Advice.

1. Interesting. I guess I'm concentrating too much on China?
2. But it's only June 1940 and (hopefully) Japan is 18-months away with war with the Western Allies?

Builds/Reinforcements.
1. Before the advice, Japan did buy the 22nd Naval Bombers.
2. Their next purchase will likely be a Fighter group.
3. CV Soryu hull and CVL Zuhio air group were reinforced to full strength.

[rkr1958]

Turn 21. Axis. June 7, 1940. MPPs.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. The Western Front (Start of Turn).

1. The rain over northern France and southern England cleared for my opponent and he took full advantage of it.
2. He managed to destroy Germany's 4th Pz tank corps, which I was a bit surprised by. I guess I was too aggressive putting it in a hex adjacent to 4 allied hexes.
3. Germany immediately rebuilt the lost tank corps. Such are the cost and lessons of war.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. The Italian (Western) Front (Start of Turn).

1. Mussolini jumps into the conflict with both feet (as you shall see over the next few posts).
2. Italy also deploys the new 14th garrison NW of Rome.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. The Western Front (End of Turn).

1. Germany focuses on the French opposite the Ardennes and tries to punch a hole in their lines.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. The Italian (Western) Front (End of Turn).

1. The Italian army on the border crosses into France and makes a drive to link up with the German spearhead pushing down from the north.
2. There's a bit of gap between the German and Italian spearheads.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. Libya/Egypt.

1. The Italian army in Libya crosses the border into Egypt and captures the settlement of Mersa Matruh.
2. Also, two Italian subs decide to tangle with an RN light cruiser. Both sides lose 3-steps.
3. Italy transports the XXIV corps from Rome to Tobruk.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. East Africa.

1. The Italian army in East Africa attacks the French garrison holding Dijbouti.
2. The battered Adm Graf Spee closes to within 2 hexes of the safety of Mogadishu protected by the Italian DD based there.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. Decision Event.

1. Why would Italy ever build an aircraft carrier. The entire Italian peninsula, not to mention the islands of Sicily and Corsica, are the largest unsinkable aircraft carrier in the world.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. Battle of the Atlantic (1/2).

1. U-35, 1 of 3 German u-boats, moves along the North American convoy line and is headed for the raiding grounds in the Gulf of St Lawrence.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. Battle of the Atlantic (2/2).

1. U-37 heads out into the North Atlantic looking for convoys.
2. (Not shown). U-30 in Kiel final manages to get 2 of the 4 steps lost reinforced.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. Central China (Start of Turn).

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. Southern & Central China (Start of Turn).

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. Southern & Central China (End of Turn).

1. Japan manages to to capture Kweilin and destroy the defending Chinese corps.
2. Also, they managed to knock 6 steps off of the defenders of Chagsha, which is Japan's next objective.

Homefront (Japan).
1. Deployed heavy artillery unit to Nagasaki.
2. Purchased 23rd Naval Flotilla (TAC bombers).
3. Transported garrison to Seishin to relieve the last non-garrison Japanese unit in Manchuria.

[rkr1958]

Turn 23. Axis. July 5, 1940. MPPs.