Bob Flemin's MWIF AARse IV - Nice AArse

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1943
Impulse: Production

China:
2 x INF
1 Saved Build Point

Commonwealth:
AMPH (2nd Cycle)
NAV
2 x FTR
LND
4 x Pilot
INF HQ
Carrier (Build)

USA:
4 x CARR AIR
6 x Pilot
FTR
INF HQ
INF
ARM
MAR DIV

USSR:
5 x INF
ARM HQ
2 x GARR
2 x Pilot
FTR
LND

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: Reinforcement

Germany:
FTR
LND
NAV
SUB
ARM DIV
MECH

Italy:
FTR

Japan:
NAV
MAR DIV
GARR

Vichy France:
TERR (Syr)
La Galissoniere

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: Reinforcement

China:
MOT DIV
INF (Comm)
CAV DIV (Comm)

Commonwealth:
CARR AIR
FTR
LND
HMS Curacoa
MAR

USA:
USS Hornet II has been placed in the Construction Pool
USS Franklin has been placed in the Construction Pool
USS WaspII has been placed in the Construction Pool
USS Bennington has been placed in the Construction Pool
CARR AIR
LND
MOT
INF
INF DIV
MAR DIV

USSR:
6 x INF
MTN
MECH
AT

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: Initiative and Weather

Axis 8:7 Allied

Re-roll called by the Allies

Axis 10:6 Allied....

Weather is a 1 - some good news for the Soviets....

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 1

Operations by all powers are severely limited by the somewhat inclement weather. The Japanese will attempt to take Manilla again this turn and put two large fleets to sea in the South China Sea and the China Sea.

Out of desperation the Japanese fly a bomber to Manilla, knowing that only a 1 will do...

... a roll of 5 and another of 8 doesn't quite fit the bill [8|]

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 1

Meanwhile, chez Ukraine, Rommel uses the 46th Mechanised Corps, with the 2nd Mechanised Division in support, to seize Kerch. They have not got enough movement to storm across the Kerch Peninsular and stop Soviet forces from blocking next impulse, but its another resource taken and will allow Rommel's remaining forces to set about the weakly defended fortress of Sevastopol.

At the same time, Guderian's forces continue to crowd Rostov.

Its likely that, with their limited forces, the Germans have only a short amount of time to take Rostov / Sevastopol before the Soviets will become too strong.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 1

Meanwhile, further north, the weather hampers the German ability to try and outflank the defenders around Smolensk, although in practice they probably have insufficient troops for that anyway. Instead von Bock moves his armies into position to assault Smolensk from four sides..

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 1

The weather makes any attack this impulse just impossibly tricky and both the Germans and the Japanese err on the side of caution. The impulse comes to an end.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 4

Right - fourth go at getting Congress to declare war on Germany and Italy.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 4

Upon hearing the news, Winston Churchill, that great orator of our time, is tasked with putting together a suitably momentous speech. He sits deliberating in his office in the House of Commons before an emergency debate in Parliament, which is about to begin shortly. He thinks long and hard about the great speech he is to make to Parliament and the nation.

Mr Speaker: The Prime Minister has the floor. He will now address the House with a response to the news this morning that the United States has declared war on Germany and Italy.

Prime Minster: [clears throat - and stands ready to begin] Thank %^&* for that! Anyone fancy a drink?

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 4

Sadly the snow continues to act as a break on offensive action, for the Allies in the Med as much as the Germans in Russia or the Japanese in Manila.

in the Black Sea the Black Sea Fleet sails from Sevastopol and takes up station ready to provide naval gunfire support to the defenders of the port.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 4

Right - its all kicking off in the Pacific Ocean. The American Fleet have a total numpty in charge don't they Admiral warspite? [:D]

They have a number of fleets all over the place and no plan of what to do. In the absence of anything better, and given Composer99's comments previously, I have decided to issue the following order:

Relieve Manila!

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 4

The first part of the plan is to join up the Asiatic Fleet (holed up in Java with two precious transports) and the Pacific Fleet (spread out between Pearl Harbor and the South Pacific Islands). In so doing they will seek to reinforce the Philippines from the Bismarck Sea.

To do this the Asiatic Fleet will have to run the risk of being found by the Japanese in the South China Sea.

The first part of the plan goes well, the Japanese fail to intercept. The Pacific Fleet meanwhile make their rendezvous in the Bismarck Sea ready to reinforce MacArthur.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 7

The weather is a 7 - a mixture of Rain and Fine. I think things will start to happen over the next few turns...

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 7

The Germans decide to use an Offensive Chit with Guderian.

There is just one ground strike - against the units in Sevastopol... but the attack is a failure.

[composer99]

Well, I wouldn't normally suggest gunning straight for the Philippines, but, hey, it's 1943 and they're still standing. (Also, I suppose the Japanese fleet isn't in position to sail out to the 3 or 4 box of the Bismarck Sea and lay the smack down?)

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: composer99

Well, I wouldn't normally suggest gunning straight for the Philippines, but, hey, it's 1943 and they're still standing. (Also, I suppose the Japanese fleet isn't in position to sail out to the 3 or 4 box of the Bismarck Sea and lay the smack down?)

warspite1

No in order to get troops landed and naval gunfire support and put the MacArthur out of supply, the bulk of the IJN is split between the China and South China Seas. There are a few battleships and cruisers left as a reserve, but no carriers so moving into the Bismarck Sea is a big fat no.

The dangerous part was getting the Asiatic Fleet to the rendezvous, now they have met up, that combined fleet is safe.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 7

There will be three attacks this turn:

1. Rostov
2. Smolensk
3. Manila

In Rostov the old Soviet battleship provides a 0.5 bombardment factor.

In Manila the best part of the whole IJN are ordered to lay a carpet of shells on the Philippine capital.

General Vatutin attempts to give HQ Support to Rostov - Guderian does the same.

Also in Rostov, both air forces fly whatever is to hand - and that is not as much as it should have been in the German case because of the supply situation [8|]

Over Manilla the IJN fly a couple of bombers so that they can bring their land-based Ki-45 in as support. Sure enough, the Pacific Fleet decide not to intervene given the presence of the Japanese fighter.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 7

Okay then, here we go. Over the skies of Rostov we have a very even air battle. The fighter strength is 6.5:6.5.

[warspite1]

Mar/Apr 1943
Impulse: 7

Round 1 (Soviets to roll first)

13 - No Effect
7 - DA The USSR abort their front bomber.

Both sides stick around.

Round 2

8 - DA The Germans have to abort their front fighter or bomber too. They have no choice but to abort the bomber; they cannot allow the Soviet bombers through.
14 - DA The Soviets have to choose their last bomber or fighter to abort. They could do with the bomber getting through so take a chance and abort their front fighter.

Round 3

17 - DX PX The Germans lose an FW-190 (the pilot is killed)
15 - DX The Soviets have to destroy their front fighter or bomber (the pilot survives). They have no choice but to destroy the fighter and then withdraw.

So neither air force will affect the odds.