Alternative History: The Great War that didn't happen

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

2nd Allied Impulse:

Land Moves (continued):
USSR also decides to attack! The Rumanian forces are spread a little thin so they take a chance. Knocking out the HQ can really slow down the Axis plan in the Ukraine.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

2nd Allied Impulse:

Land Combat:
The Soviets bring two bombers in to help out, while Rumania uses defensive HQ support.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

2nd Allied Impulse:

Land Combat (continued):
Here's the attack on Antonescu. Soviets have a +7.5 modifier and roll well. They choose to have the HQ retreat so they can pick where it goes, and isolate it for maybe killing it next impulse.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

2nd Allied Impulse:

Land Combat (continued):
In Spain, Bilbao falls to the Allies. Spain takes a big hit.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Actions:
GE Combined
IT Land
JA Combined

Naval Moves:
JA moves a NAV out to China Sea
JA moves their CVs from Canton to South China Sea for help on attack on Singapore
JA moves another BB fleet from Canton to Sea of Japan for help on attack on Vladivostok
GE picks up 2 Swedish corps for transport to Germany (will consider invasion of Baltic minors)

Strat Bombing:
Japan is successful on a strike on Sian

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Ground Strikes:
Germany does a combined ground/ARTY strike on Warsaw. Successful.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Ground Strikes (continued):
Germany also tries ground striking the most vulnerable CW stack in Belgium. CW doesn't intercept with it only being a 2 pt bomber. 1 DIV is hit.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Ground Strikes (continued):
Italy fails with its ARTY strike into France.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Land Combat:
Germany is going to try to break the Allied line in Belgium. Both sides have held back their fighters for something like this, and each side puts up multiple fighters to prevent ground support. There are other attacks but we'll do the air to air first.

Odds are even.

1st round, Allies roll a 14, DA, Germany elects to abort the front bomber, a NAV. Axis rolls a 11, clearing the CW bomber.

2nd round, Allies roll a 11, DC, clearing the last German bomber. Axis rolls a 11, no effect.

1 bomber through for each side

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Land Combat (continued):
The resulting modifier after ground support is a +8. CW chooses the blitz table to give some ability to retreat.

Germany rolls a 7 for 15 overall. All units on both sides are disorganized and CW has to kill off the DIV, but the line holds.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Land Combat (continued):
In Southern France we have two attacks, and 1 is dependent on the first being successful.

First, Spanish mechanized forces and Italian forces perform a pincer attack on a French CAV corps guarding a hex adjacent to Marseilles. Using the blitz table, Italy rolls a 20.

The trend this impulse is for the Axis to get a victory but costly, and here it continues. Half the attackers are organized, and the French unit is only shattered and will return next turn.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Land Combat (continued):
Because of the victory in the last attack, the modifier in this attack goes up to +13. But a terrible roll by the Italians, a 7, has them have to kill a MIL in the victory.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Land Combat (continued):
Next we go to Warsaw, where the Germans have a nice +12 modifier. CW chooses the Assault, and Germany doesn't get the fractional and rolls a 10, for a 22. Again, 1 short of a max win, and Germany still has to take a loss, doesn't seem fair, but oh well. But, Warsaw is taken and Poland will fall.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Land Combat (continued):
Final battle is for Singapore. Japan uses HQ support from Yamamoto and 14.5 pts in shore bombardment. Finally, the Axis gets a clean total victory and Singapore falls.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Situation in Poland at end of Axis attacks:

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Axis Impulse:

Situation in Southern France at end of Axis attacks:

[markb50k]

One thing abundantly clear in this scenario is that this will be a slugfest from the get-go, and that both sides need to be very aggressive in the early running. The losses are piling up on all sides, and Germany does not have the nice easy time it normally has as it picks apart different countries, one at a time.

Some folks on the board predicted this, and I guess we'll see if the Axis can stand a chance here, even with the better starting position and the sheer numbers of units already on the map.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Allied Impulse:

Actions:
CH Land
CW Land
FR Combined
US Combined
SU Combined

Naval Moves:
SU moves another CONV out to Arctic (these should have been sent out during the setup turns, oh well)
FR moves the fleet out to the West Med. With Marseilles threatened they figured it would be prudent to sortie the fleet.

FR searches for the Italian NAV, no success.

Land Moves:
France is trying to do what it can to stop the bleeding. It uses its 3 moves to rearrange some units to the South, including one 2 strength MIL there to hamper Axis supply. It will probably die this next impulse, but then its job would be complete, since it just wants to prevent an attack on Marseilles.

In the North (not shown) France actually is making an attack!!

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Allied Impulse:

Land Moves (continued):
While a Panama CAV (off map) secures an oil resource in Colombia, the US invasion force races down the Brazilian coast.

[markb50k]

May/Jun 1940

3rd Allied Impulse:

Land Combat:
2 attacks this impulse by the Allies (Bessarabia and Belgium).

In Bessarabia, the Soviet can get a +8 modifier on the retreated Antonescu HQ. Soviet wants to kill this unit so they give it a try.

Germany looks at the tables and chooses the Blitz table and it works. Soviets lose 1 unit, HQ is shattered and will safely return next turn.