Global War AAR in Pictures

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. Allied #2. USSR Claim Finnish border lands.

Germany allows the claim with things just starting up in the west.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Allied #2. France. Land Combat. Belgium.

The French successfully counterattack the exposed German airborne corps.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Allied #2. The Western Front.

The French move into to Belgium and take up strong defensive positions there.

The CW and French each conducted two ground strikes each against front line German stacks and stacks with HQ units. Three of the four ground strikes were opposed by either German fighters or AA fire. Out of the four strikes only a German 9-4 corps was disorganized. This corps is on the coast northwest of Brussels. Also, the Germans lost a fighter unit in one of the air to air exchange.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #5. Weather.

Unbelievable ... storms in the North Temperate and North Monsoon while significantly hamper the Germans in the West, shut the Japanese down in China and delay Italy's entry into the war.

The only bright note is that the chance for fine weather in the North Temperate next weather roll is guaranteed (i.e., 100%).

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #5. Germany. Land Combat. Brussels.

Even with four stacks attacking, the storms limit the assault to take Brussels to a +13A attack. Germany rolls well.

While the weather rolls have been highly unfavorable for the axis, their land combat rolls have been highly favorable.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #5. The Western Front.

Germany took a combined to move all their u-boats out to sea. One unit moved to the North Atlantic but was unable to locate any allied convoys.

German used the combine to move their remaining organized air unit to the front line. And von Bock is used to reorganize the German 9-4 front line corps disorganized by the RN ground strike.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

French line looks strong, except behind Maginot line. 1 unit is not enough. With ENG and/or air support it will be a piece of cake [;)]

Edit: HQ for +1 for attacking city + attacking support makes it even easier. Or at least possible.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Mayhemizer

French line looks strong, except behind Maginot line. 1 unit is not enough. With ENG and/or air support it will be a piece of cake [;)]

Edit: HQ for +1 for attacking city + attacking support makes it even easier. Or at least possible.

You are absolutely right. Germany should have cracked the Maginot line at the start of the turn. Four bombers, von Rundstedt, MOT division, 3 good INF and an ENG makes a really good punch towards Metz if there is only one unit in that city. I estimate the result to be at least a +11 with HQ support included...

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Allied. The Western Front.

After reading Mayhemizer's and Centuur's posts pointing out how under defended the French have left the Maginot line I was surely tempted as the French player to correct that, but didn't in the spirit of exploiting my mistake as another human, or AI, player would do. Thanks for point this out and, in the future, please point out other such mistakes that I, as the other side, could potentially exploit. This really adds spice to my solo game.

In attacking the Maginot line I think I will get even better odds because I plan to play an o-chit with Rundstedt to double combat factors in my next axis impulse. As the German player I hope to scramble the French front lines.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Weather.

Fine weather in the North Temperate even with a weather roll of 1, which was modified to a 3. However, this roll means that there's a 20% chance of either rain or storm for the next weather roll assuming the turn continues that long.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Italy Declares War on the CW.

Italy is finally in the war, but only against the CW.

Italy takes a combined wishing to both use their subs to attack CW convoys and to amphibiously invade Cyprus.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Italy's Surprise Impulse. The Western Med.

An Italian NAV finds and sinks the lone CW CP operating in the Western Med.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Italy's Surprise Impulse. Cape St. Vincent.

All four Italian submarine units move into Cape St. Vincent. For the loss of one sub unit the Italians manage to sink 2 CW CPs and force another 3 CPs to abort.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Italy's Surprise Impulse. Cape St. Vincent. Round #2

Unwisely, the CW decides to stay in for another round of combat hoping that the Italian subs fail to find them in the second round. I knew better and should have aborted the CW, but took the chance and the CW paid the price. The Italians roll a 1 and the CW rolls a 10. 2 CW CPs are sunk and 2 more are forced to abort. With Cape St. Vincent void of CW convoys, the Italians elected to remain but choose not to commit their subs which ends combat for that sea area.

In all, the CW lost 6 CPs and had another 4 CPs forced to abort.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Germany.

Germany takes a land action, plays an O-chit and selects Rundstedt to double land combat factors. Germany plans to attack (land combat) three hexes, the open hex southwest of Brussels, Metz and a second Maginot line hex.

Germany conducts ground strike against the open hex, which will be hit by a Blitz attack, and an adjacent hex containing the French armor corps. The French opposed these air strikes with AA fire equally split between the two. The German bombers perform miserably.

[Centuur]

A hex can have one, two or three units defending. However, if you've got a hex with a 3, 4 and 1 factor unit defending in it (totalling 8 ground factors, consisting of two crappy corps and a division), that hex is far better defended than if there would be only one 8 factor unit in it.

You empty a hex with one unit, at a die roll of 14 or higher on the 2D10 tables (assault, Blitzkrieg is 13), as compared to 19/16 when there are two units in that hex (three even needs a 20 on the assault table). That's a huge difference.

Therefore, any hex which is defended by only one unit is by definition a vulnerable hex. The chance of taking that hex when using the same odds as attacking a hex with 2 or 3 units in it, are more than two times higher. Furthermore, the effect the taking of hexes has got on the overall position of the defender can be quite damaging, since it opens more hexes to be attacked.
It's not important to kill a lot of enemy units in an attack. It's far more important to move forward. An attack which doesn't take the hex, is a failed attack, even if you did kill of two defending units, because if the defender has got reserves he can simply move two units into that position and you are faced with the exact same situation next impulse...

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Germany. Land Combat. France

The three German land combats, 1 Blitz and 2 Assaults on Maginot line forts, go very well. The results weren't the best possible but were very good never the less. The three French units in the open and hit by the Blitz attack are shattered and the Germans capture Metz and a second Maginot line hex without loss.

The Blitz attack was at +12.2B and required anything but a 2 or a 3 to capture the hex. So the Blitz attack, with the fractional odds, had a > 97% of succeeding (i.e., capturing the hex).

The attack on Metz was at 11.2A and, assuming the fractional odds weren't made, would succeed in capturing the city on any roll other than a 2. So, with the fractional odds, the attack had a > 99% chance of succeeding.

While the first two land combats were near certain, the last which was on the second Maginot line hex was not. Even with HQ support and three units doubled, the most the Germans could managed was a +4.167A. At +4A, the Germans needed a 10 or higher to capture the hex, which gave the attack a 64% chance of success.

Again, while not the very best rolls the rolls were decent enough for all three attacks to be successful and for most of the attackers to remain organize. Also, Germany took no losses.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Germany. HQ Reorganization. Rundstedt.

Owing to the O-chit player, Rundstdet with 4 reorg points was able to reorganize all 8 unorganized (non HQ) German land units on the Western Front.

[rkr1958]

Turn 5. May/June 1940. Axis #7. Germany. The Western Front.

The axis are hoping for the turn and the fine weather to continue.

While all German non-HQ land units on the Western Front are organized, all three of their HQ units aren't.

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

A hex can have one, two or three units defending. However, if you've got a hex with a 3, 4 and 1 factor unit defending in it (totalling 8 ground factors, consisting of two crappy corps and a division), that hex is far better defended than if there would be only one 8 factor unit in it.

You empty a hex with one unit, at a die roll of 14 or higher on the 2D10 tables (assault, Blitzkrieg is 13), as compared to 19/16 when there are two units in that hex (three even needs a 20 on the assault table). That's a huge difference.

Therefore, any hex which is defended by only one unit is by definition a vulnerable hex. The chance of taking that hex when using the same odds as attacking a hex with 2 or 3 units in it, are more than two times higher. Furthermore, the effect the taking of hexes has got on the overall position of the defender can be quite damaging, since it opens more hexes to be attacked.
It's not important to kill a lot of enemy units in an attack. It's far more important to move forward. An attack which doesn't take the hex, is a failed attack, even if you did kill of two defending units, because if the defender has got reserves he can simply move two units into that position and you are faced with the exact same situation next impulse...

Agreed. My mistake as the French player was overestimating the strength of a single unit in a fort hex. My impression was that the Maginot line hexes with a single corps was invulnerable. That impression was dead wrong as proved by two of the three German land combats this turn. Thanks again for pointing that out.