Mayhemizer vs AllenK: The rematch

[AlbertN]

Lucky shot with the convoys - the Germans will miss the 3 resources of Sweden plus the one from Finland now ... unless the new TPs sail out under KM escort!

The only good thing for the Axis is that the USA peril has been sent quite away with the Soviets being rampant on Romania, Finland, and now the Axis whole! (That's like a total of 5 Chits removed I think).

[Mayhemizer_slith]

ORIGINAL: AllenK

Allies decline the East Med but initiate in the West Med. No extra Allied air is flown. Germany can fly Condors from either Sicily or La Spezia to the 3-box and a further Nav to the 2-box. Italy can fly a Nav from Italy to the 2-box and a Ftr from Sicily to the 1-box. Do any wish to participate? Current Allied forces the Beaufighter and a CP.

2 German NAVs from La Spezia as high boxes (2 and 3) as possible please. NAV with best air factor will be a front bomber.

[AllenK]

ORIGINAL: Cohen

Lucky shot with the convoys - the Germans will miss the 3 resources of Sweden plus the one from Finland now ... unless the new TPs sail out under KM escort!

The only good thing for the Axis is that the USA peril has been sent quite away with the Soviets being rampant on Romania, Finland, and now the Axis whole! (That's like a total of 5 Chits removed I think).

Yes, the impact on USE makes this a gamble. The alternative would have been for USSR to sit passively along the Eastern border building up forces while the Axis sort out the Balkans. Depending on forces committed, weather and turn length, at a pinch the Axis might have got in a Barbarossa at the back end of J/A 41 but most likely sometime around spring '42. I think '42 most likely as I don't think too many forces would have been drawn back to the Balkans due to the DoW threat.

Of the two options, setting up for the '42 Barbarossa was probably the safer choice, although not guaranteed, but not the more interesting from an AAR perspective.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

This declaration of war was devastating for Axis, I feared this is going to happen. I would have declared war nexct impulse and used O-chit, there would have been lots of +11-15 attacks (when I tested there was 6 without using O-chit).

And now USSR has the surprise impulse, not Germany.

[Centuur]

However, the Russians spend their offensive. They better get something of it in return. They need to destroy at least 15 BP of German units. It's winter and that doesn't improve the Russian attacks at all, since the Soviets should be making only high odds attacks. They cannot affort a lot of losses...

[AllenK]

The Nav's from La Spezia fly to the 2 and 3 boxes.

Searches Allied 1, Axis 8. Allies include both boxes. Allies use 4 surprise points increasing combat value and 2 points decreasing the Axis.

Taken by surprise, as they were, the Condors put up a valiant defence, forcing the Beaufighter to return to Gib. They perish in the process, however.

[AllenK]

The Allies elect to fight. Do the Axis wish to stay?

[AllenK]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

However, the Russians spend their offensive. They better get something of it in return. They need to destroy at least 15 BP of German units. It's winter and that doesn't improve the Russian attacks at all, since the Soviets should be making only high odds attacks. They cannot affort a lot of losses...

It's May/June 41, not winter, but yes, USSR needs to cause 15 BP's losses for the best return on investment (the 3 CP's plus the prospect of production loss and/or further naval losses are a start). However, I would also settle for a good strategic position even if the immediate return is less than 15.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Axis stay.

[AllenK]

Searches Allied 5 and Axis 8 end the combat.

CW sends a Boston from Malta to ground-strike Palermo, escorted by a Beaufighter.

USSR strikes 4 hexes in the north (1 plane each) and 1 hex in the south (2 planes).

Does the Italian fighter on Sicily wish to intercept the Palermo strike?

[Mayhemizer_slith]

Yes please, bomber is the main target. After bomber is gone, Italian ftr returns to same hex.

[AllenK]

The Beaufighters do their job, scattering the defence and clearing the Bostons through.

[AllenK]

Ground strike at Memel hits 2/3.

[AllenK]

SE of Memel also gets 2/3.

[AllenK]

A similar story for the next hex to the SE.

[AllenK]

TB-3's put Von Bock and an SPG out of action.

[AllenK]

Edit: missed one out.

In southern Russia, the two planes combine to disorganise all 3 units.

[AllenK]

The Bostons do a good job on II Para.

[Mayhemizer_slith]

I checked words "disaster" and "sh**storm" from a dictionary, both showed link to this page...

[AllenK]

The Chinese do their best to create problems for the Japs by pushing a Cav through and moving up for another long odds go at Hengyang.