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Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 8

The Battle for Belgium begins in earnest!

The air battle is weighted 4.3:5.3 in the Germans favour. The French need to get their bomber through, or better still, stop the Germans from getting theirs (or at least one) through to the battle.

Round one
15 - AA. The Germans can choose whether to abort the French bomber or front fighter. They choose the MS406.
8 - No Effect. Disaster for the French - they throw an 8 for no result....

The French now have a real problem. Do they stick around and hope they get lucky? (its 3.0:5.3 to the Luftwaffe). They choose to stay...

Round Two
11 - DC. Fortune favours the brave - or the stupid - the French bomber is cleared through.
15 - No Effect. Again the French shooting is rubbish...

The French can now get 3:1 odds on the blitzkrieg table and so decide to abort.

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 8

3:1 no modifiers on the Blitz table. Nerves are jangling at Allied HQ as Colonel Charles De Gaulle, leads the charge across decent tank country north of the Ardennes.

Can the French make the attack count?......


.... its a 5. Not brilliant - the French lose an Infantry Division - but at least the Germans retreat (although at a cost of disorganisation of the attackers).

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 8

The RAF have 5 air rebases. The Hurricane and Defiant fighters are flown to Belgium.

The impulse comes to an end and this is the state of play. Will the turn end?

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 9

...the answer is no. The Germans can come back at the Allies. But what about the weather? It's a 7 and rain in the North Temperate....

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 9

An offensive chit would be good here - but the RAF is too strong. Unless I take a real chance and blow it on the hexes southeast of Brussels and northwest of Metz......

...nah, the Luftwaffe have no bombers left and there is a -1 for Rain, plus with the double movement cost I may not be able to get all my Armour in position [:@]

This is NOT easy.

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 9

Adolf puts in a call to Benito.

Adolf Hitler: (faking friendship) "Hey Benny-Boy" Whassup?"
Benito Mussolini: (faking it just as badly) "Adolf my man - how ya doin' bro?"
AH :"I tell ya Duce, these Frenchies and their English Allies – they’re bustin' my balls man".
BM: (inwardly laughing his head off) "Ouch, really – soz to hear that bro?"
AH: "Yeah, nothing I can't handle, know what I'm Sayin'? but I could really do wiv a little diversion"
BM: (suddenly not so comfortable) “Diversion?”
AH: “Yeah bro, my Panzer Armies is bein' held up in Belgium 'cos the English have put their whole damn army on the continent. Well they can’t be in two places at once now can they?”
BM: “Er….no, s’pose not, so?”
AH: “Soooo, I need my BFFF (Best fascist friend forever) to attack those stupid English in North Africa. You’ve got those two new sexy battleships now haven’t you?”
BM: (fumbling for an excuse)“Well er…. I would Adolf, you know that right? b.b.…but Littorio hasn’t come on line yet man – she’s got probs wiv her two front turrets or some %^&*, so we cannot take on the Mediterranean Fleet yet”. Then Benito suddenly has a lightbulb moment and remembers his get out of jail free card “and besides, I hear HMS Warspite is at Malta”.
AH: “HMS Warspite!?!?” Adolf shrieks like a girl “Noooooooo – not the Warspite! Mein Gott – why did I ever start this stupid war?”
BM: (sits back with a self-satisfied grin from ear to ear and whispers to himself as he puts the phone down) “what a schmuck”….
AH: (exasperatedly looks to the sky as he puts the phone down) “what a schmuck”…..

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 9

Having got Adolf off his back, Il Duce takes the time to go for a cruise with Clara aboard his shiny new battleship....

However, Hitler's words give Benito something to think about. He turns to Clara and says:

Benito Mussolini: (Dreamily) "You know, maybe old dog breath has a point. I can see myself now - riding into down town Cairo on a white horse - how macho and ruggedly handsome I will look".

Clara Petacci: "But Il Duce, you know Italy is not ready for war!"

BM: "Yes but if Adolf destroys the cream of the English army in Belgium, I can get that old woman Graziani to walk into Egypt practically unopposed".

CP: (in her best Dick Emery voice) "Oooh you are awful, but I do like you"

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 9

With the weather as it is, the Japanese and German moves are depressingly limited - particularly for the Germans given the fact that all the Luftwaffe bomber fleet has been used.

The turn continues however as a result of a throw of 10.

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: 11

The Soviets claim Bessarabia. The British Army land their last two units still at sea, a Garrison in France and a Division in Antwerp.

Finally the turn ends on a 1.

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: End of Turn

The US intern the French carrier Bearn.

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: Production

Germany:
Gneisenau (2nd Cycle)
FTR
LND
2 x Pilot
MOT

Italy:
NAV
1 Saved Point

Japan:
Atago (Repair)
Hiyo (Build)
AMPH
ARM DIV
INF

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: Production

The CW scrap the two Belgian army units

China:
INF
INF DIV

Commonwealth:
INF
TERR
HMS Indefatigable (1st Cycle)
HMS London (Repair)
HMS Indomitable (Build)
HMS Duke of York (Build)
FTR
Pilot

France:
INF HQ
MOT DIV

USA:
2 x Battleship (1st Cycle)
TRS (Build)
AMPH

USSR:
2 x INF
INF HQ
MECH DIV

Mar/Apr 1940
Impulse: End of Turn

There is a throw for US Entry (Allies support attacked Minor (Belgium))

The US Entry is ticking along nicely - although looks like I need to get some Tension into the proceedings [:)]

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: Reinforcement

Germany:
FTR
ARM

Italy:
SUB has been placed in the Construction Pool
Roma has been placed in the Construction Pool
Littorio
Caio Duillo

Japan:
ARM
INF
MECH DIV
Kashima

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: Reinforcement

China:
FTR
INF (Communist)

Commonwealth:
MIL (Brussels)
NAV
HMS Illustrious
HMS Fiji
HMS Bonaventure
TERR (Sth Rhod)

France:
INF
MOT

USA:
TRS has been placed in the Construction Pool
North Carolina has been placed in the Construction Pool
Washington has been placed in the Construction Pool
TRS
INF

USSR:
3 x INF

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: Initiative and Weather

The Germans are not getting the breaks at present. They lose the Initiative 10:2. They order a re-roll - and win 2:1!! And the weather is a 7 - its Fine everywhere.

The Germans are asked if they will allow the Bulgarian and Hungarian claims on South Dobruja and Transylvania respectively. Adolf says yes.

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: Initiative and Weather

The problem the Germans have is that the RAF is simply too strong. The British and Belgian air forces together outnumber the German fighters - let alone adding in the French. The Germans are in a good deal of trouble here.....

Using the offensive chit is a must - but where? Rotterdam? Even if successful, that would leave a solid wall of Allied defenders from Antwerp to Metz - and no offensive chit left to break it.

A better bet would be attacking the French as at least they can out gun them in the sky.

The die is cast - Adolf makes his decision:

"I haf made my decision - ve attack in ze Ardennes!!"

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: 1

Two ground strikes are launched. The Germans simply do not have the bombers to spare for more than one attack on each hex....

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: 1

The French do not contest either attack. Unlike in Poland, this time the vaunted Ju-87 does its job...

May/Jun 1940
Impulse: 1

Can the Do-17 keep up its impressive record?

No....not even close. Look like the Ardennes offensive may be off... [8|]