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I'm constantly amazed at how much you conquer and how quickly you achieve your conquest. Your position in China for Mar/Apr 1940, which is only turn 4, is unbelievable. Then there's the position of your Italians in the Middle East and Egypt. And then there's Germany who already holds Paris. You are a wizard at playing MWiF!

I can assure you "luck" and "opponent" play a good role too in the mix.
If the dices do not roll nicely, no plan can save you.
Egypt is very luck based. You have only that many CPs and 2 TRS which are too precious to endanger in combat unless strictly necessary.
UK struggles to reinforce (shortage of units, usually plans to help France first). But the main luck is how often you are found at sea and how quickly you lose your shipping.
If Germany or Japan rolls low on a ground attack, which they may - all of their army suddenly is pinned down and blocked.

Enemy mistakes such as sending the BEF at sea, without even a carrier of escort (we play with land based planes can "cost" a variable in surprise points depending on their range, not always 4) allows the German - if they find - to pick targets nicely.
Or in March / April starting with a Naval, when they could have moved that ARM from Paris to reinforce their upfront line (and it's a -2 in plains) also could have made the difference.

Summer '40 - Preparations for Spain

In May / June the Germans - who seized the initiative - crossed the Seine at the unmanned hex south-west of Paris and begun to hammer the French lines.
France, remaining without oil, had Georges HQ pinned in the woods on the "wrong" (eastern) side of the Seine, along with INF.

During the first impulse the Germans destroyed 4 corps of the French; and the Luftwaffe engaged both the French airforce (swiftly replenished with new and old FTR2 - 2 total) and embattling the RAF over the skies of the Normandy. With no air losses per side, Germany delivers almost all of their bombers; pinning south-east of Paris the French armoured units and other infantry forces. Artillery pounds Metz.

UK evacuates Gort, and uses 2 TRS to reorganize a FTR in France; that after trying to fend off the Luftwaffe was unable to make it back to UK.

Rain comes, Germany destroyed the UK Mech, left to its own fate, having been hit by the Luftwaffe; and in hot pursuit of the Maginot GARRs destroys one in the woods north of Lyon.

French remaining forces gather in Vichy proper; and 1 GARR in Lyon. An AT, ARM and Paril-MIL are trapped (and 2 of them disrupted).
Germany is on hot wheels, Lyon is attacked with grand air support - being there only a 3-1 GARR this is where 2 Stukas cut the difference with almost a +4 because of their factors.
The French armoured group is dissolved and German panzers spread all around France.
Vichy follows suit the next impulse - a 6-3 INF, 4-3 INF and a 1-5 MECH are destroyed on the run without hindering the Germans.
For now only Lyons have proved somehow difficult - the only German loss of the turn was there.

French troops from the Italian front shape a perimeter around Marseille. Being 4 unit total - of the worst quality with the exception of the MNT, their perimeter is just a toilet-paper screen that the Germans get through with no problem.

That is where some decision making was to do. Marseille had an amount of ships parked there without oil; 2 French units of INF type that would get reorganized anyhow. To conquer or to screen (and force eventually a surrender).
I conquered but I think I did a mistake. I should have just screened it and had French player surrender at some point.

Germany lost only a MOT-Div in this whole turn. Impressive luck with dices (alas the unluck part was for the Japs...)

On a sour note, the RAF and RN embarked planes conducted aerial strikes on Kiel, damaging over two different raids, two Kriegsmarine units.

Screenshot of 2nd impulse of Jul / Aug.

Summer 1940 - Western Mediterranean

The Royal Navy has barely shown itself - just a picket presence; and submarine raids.
The Gabbiano and germany Heinkel115 successfully fent off the raid of the British submarines (destroying one and damaging the other).
Currently the RN raiding force consists only of the Dutch Submarine. Italy though has no spare convoys, has been forced to produce some (2) and got the bonus gift from France of 2 more convoys in production.

Though France had a last surprise, in May / June they armed and mustered territorial forces in Algeria; which clashed with the Lybian auxiliaries of Il Duce. Despite the odds (the Italians advanced bravely and got disrupted and OOS!) the French nail a 15 on the Blitz table, effectively destroying the Lybian unit.

The Italians, seeing the shyness of the Royal Navy, ship two units in Bone which then trample the Algerian territorial and open their way to march toward Algiers.

Screenshot of 2nd Impulse of Jul / Aug.

Summer 1940 - Middle East

At the cost of delaying the USA, Soviets are sinning of greed and conquer Iraq as well.
Meanwhile they douby they can hold Iraq later on, it's 2 more oil resources they can rail to their factories, and mostly they deny them to the Axis.

Italy, after having seized consistant oil resources from France that got stocked in Syrya (clearly the Allies had other plans of resistance in Egypt!), are making a drive in Saudi Arabia; and have declared war in Yemen to seize Aden (which the Allies cannot reinforce as the shipping they've is elsewhere)

Summer 1940 - China

Meanwhile Japanese force march on to surround Chinkiang before to assault it - Mao launches his attack in the north.
Com.China and Japan lose a MIL each.

Japanese airforces over 3 different bombing runs finally manage to disrupt the Nat.China forces in the north - which are finished off by the ground forces of Japan smoothly.
Japanese cavalry raiding forces are sent through the An'kang "corridor" to roam behind the Communist lines.

Chinkiang attack on the other hand was not as smooth - the Japanese attack at a +9 the first time, and they roll 19. The Chinese lose 2 GARR-Div; meanwhile with grand horror I realize I've only 1 MIL so also 1 INF has to go. There are more MILs but they have not made it to the combat, and the turn could end by then.
I am biting my hands as I forgot to add the ENG and it would have been a 20 ... having erased all the defenders by then.

Nonetheless, with only half of the units still operational and 2 MILs coming by Chinkiang is attacked again. There is only the Warlord of Chunking. The city is conquered but with another 19: which means the justly arrived MILs are destroyed as well.

This turn the Chinese front was intense.
Japan lost a total of 5 units for 11 BPs.
China lost 6 units for a total of 11 BPs.

Jul / Aug 1940 - Western Europe

Germany spent some time preparing for the invasion of Spain - massing forces and Luftwaffe in the sector. Alas the impulses will double jump (rolled 10 for weather twice in a row, usual unluck).

Though the Spaniards opt to deploy minor forces around Madrid, and gather and pool some of their forces at Spanish Marocco.
In the while Churchill achieves a success over the Rhur, where their single bomber going to bomb scores double hit despite only having 2 of strategic value (halved already due to extended range).

The Royal Navy and RAF prosecute their intent of disabling the Kriegsmarine, with double raid on Kiel. This turn without fruits of sort besides disrupting a cruiser.

Italy finally manages to seize Algiers and is slowly marching on toward the Marocco with measly forces.
In the Mediterranean the Gabbianos keep doing numbers safeguarding the only 2 existing Italian CPs - destroying the Dutch submarine and damaging a RN Cruiser.

The RN is also preparing to ship two FRTs in Gibraltar.

Jul / Aug 1940 - China

Japan continues relentless in its advance.

Chunking fell - Yamamoto's offensive in the South turns out to be a full success; and the Chinese forces reels as Kunming is in reach and unable to be reinforced (Kunming MIL is one of the remaining 2 Nat.China units on the map already).

The side maneuvers of the Japanese also catches the Com.Chinese off guard, and meanwhile bloodshed happens, costing the Com.Chinese a single unit and 2 of Japan, Sian slowly grows endangered - and currently it's the main supply source of pratically the whole of the Com.China troops. Mao also is spent for defensive support.

Japan on the other has to divert some resources in other productions of sort - such as ships.
And if China is to surrender Japan needs to be ready to get into another war with something ... Soviets perchance? France could be an option if it was not for the quickening of the US tokens at incredible pace.

End of 1940 - Fall of Gibraltar

At the earnest of Sept / Oct the Germans, graced with good weather, rolled over the defenders of Madrid and surroundings; with no losses.

Portugal - with its strategical naval base and additional resource was next in the list; and got conquered without issues.

Il Duce kept shipping troops toward Afrika, landing them at Oran and having them advance.
From Gilbraltar the RN sallies forth - in larger numbers and with their only operational fleet carrier (which though has a rather ridiculous CVP on).
After repeated failures of finding at sea, the British task force meets on equal terms a large swarm of Italian Gabbianos (both of them). The Gabbianos make swift work of the CVP used as fighter, but the anti air barrage of the RN escorts repel the attack.

Nonetheless the Italians debark safely at Oran and proceeds into Marocco.

Axis tragedy consumes north of Gibraltar - confident and bold they park north of Gibraltar a 8-6 MECH and an Italian NAV.
The UK artillery in Gibraltar fires - and disrupts both! The UK elects to attack. Aerial combat insues.
Axis loses a Bf110, UK loses a Spitfire - and the Chirri that intervened, suddenly flying on Spain proper which did not surrendered yet - is forced to land in a Spanish proper hex (Cadis). The Chirri got trampled by the end of the turn.
UK performs shore bombing - it's a dire attack after the Axis doubled up the factors, but a 17 is nailed.

The UK loses one INF and bravely advance with the other INF - disrupted - in open plains.
The German counterattack is immediate, the disrupted 7-3 White Print of UK is destroyed and the Chirri overrun.
Gibraltar has only the ARTY as defender, with a spanish 6-3 White Print ready to cross.

But the turn ends.

In something that comes down almost typical - at the initiative of NOV / DEC Axis wins rolling twice 10 in a row (We had Jul / Aug having 3 times 10 as weather roll. The 3rd 10 in the row gave rather unusual weather for the summer!)

Anyhow Gibraltar got seized by the Axis cheaply, as the Allied failed the reroll on Initiative.

End 1940 - 1941 Opening - Marocco Struggle

Seized Gibraltar, the Axis still has an amount of Spanish units in Marocco to deal with.

During Nov / Dec 1940 the Axis air efforts to sever supply and interdict the British efforts in Cape St. Vincent are entirely in vain. Actually the Royal Navy manages to evacuate 4 Spanish land units successfully - after the Axis failed with their bombing runs and an attack at Tangiers that costed 2 Italian MILs (A roll of 2 there!)
That was a harsh decision as the "cheaper" loss was the 2 Italian MILs but they were already on the "right side" meanwhile the Germans were all bottlenecked in Spain.
By then the Spanish fighting force was still present and operational and I could not knew of the evacuation plans.
The Brits pulled them out masterfully without suffering ... and reinforced Cisneceros and the Canarias with them.

Only a Spanish CAV remains there which will probably be butchered at some point.

Jan / Dec 1941 - Battle for Atlantic

The Euro-Axis has started with naval actions, with their flying armada crashing on the convoys in Bay of Biscay; setting the Brits in a fumbling escape after having been found.
A RAF fighter intervened to provide cover, but it got badly outgunned.

Scattered across the ocean, also German ships and the last operational submarine perform their raids, with decent luck.
It seems the bad rolls that allowed the Brits to evacuate the Spanish forces now swung back to favor the Axis in their convoy hunt.

Mar / Apr 1941

The Battle for the Atlantic continues; seeing that the Axis appear not ready for a Barbarossa '41 by a long, long shot.

Axis airplanes clear the Cape St. Vincent of opposition, destroying 3 CPs and damaging other surface vessels of the W.Allies; after having gunned down their air cover that flew from Cisneceros.

In the Atlantic the last German submarine fails to deliver; on the other hand the Condor Force begins its legend - blasting away countless CPs of the Brits.
The Royal Navy retaliates bringing carriers in the zone of operation; but the Condor Force continues to rule the skies, destroying two CVPs and damaging an escort carrier (and other convoys).
The remaining of the Kriegsmarine makes its appearance - alas to no produced result - and the Royal Navy brings forth the heavy guns of the battleships. The luck tide turns and the Germans are caught twice in a row with pants down.
The first to suffer is the Kriegsmarine with 2 cruisers sinking, and the Bismark and the last remaining cruiser scooting away with grand haste. The second time with only the Condor Force remaining the last operational carrier of the Royal Navy engages them with its Swordfish planes acting as fighters - and one of the two Condors gets erased from the skies.

Over Lille, raging air battles - the RAF issues two raids.
In the first the Bf109 intercepting is quickly mauled but the AA fends off the bomber.
In the second raid - after the Luftwaffe sent a new Bf109, bot the German and Italian fighter intervene (6 and 4 strong respectively) and are to test their mettle against a Hurricane and a Beaufighter (both 5 strong, the latter twin engined).
After a a first inconclusive start, the RAF seem to shine, having whittled enough the German squadrons to force them to the ground for the remainder of the month meanwhile their main bombing squadrons delivered bombs over the fields closeby Lille. (Certainly an issue of routing!). Though, both sides seemed to want to armwrestle for air supremacy (Despite the bomber having been cleared.)
The brave Italians - fighting at -1 / +2 - blast away the Hurricane (Pilot included) but the Macchi 200 is shot down too (But pilot survives).

Mar / Apr 1941

Axis started to invade Greece.

Mar / Apr 1941

The building up for Barbarossa - and some quite forward Soviet defences!

Mar / Apr 1941 - USA Situation

USA geared up the first time in Jan / Feb 1941.
Also in this game they're producing already troops and ships; and not factories.
We'll see how this unfolds!

Mar / Apr 1941

With the China downfall imminent, Stalin could have ulterior headhaches coming, besides the start of the German buildup on the European front.

Certainly all these Japanese troops on the border are not there to pic nic or perform special training?

Mar / Apr 1941

China was almost to be conquered 2 turns ago - but a valiant counterattack of the Chinese forces conquered back Lanchow.
That was a harsh decision, Japan would have fallen into a peace status if China was to be conquered. On the other hand ... the Chits would have been '1940 ones and not '41 ones.

That last point made the W.Allied player decide to keep China alive; and the Commies launched a counterattack with the remaining forces at Lanchow (occupied only by the Japanese CAV), taking it back just the impulse after the Japs took Sian.

Now the Japanese are using their Airforce to pound the Chinese defenders of Lanchow (the MNT and the MIL of that very city) waiting for a success... of the bombers. For now out of 4 planes bombing no disrupt was achieved. (3 and 2 and 2 and 2 quality bombers. They've still 2 bombers having 2 tactical factors ready this turn).

Jul / Aug 1941 - Russia Besieged

Stalin suffered a heart attack. During May / June:
With the downfall of China; Japan unleashed their forces against Soviet holdings in the Far East.
Il Duce, starved of oil and certainly informed of German plans, have declared war to the Soviet Union and started an offensive in Iraq.
In Jul / Aug Germany springs to the main offensive of the Axis.

In the "Northern Branch" the bulk of the Soviet forces manage to contain the Axis advance (2 impulses played); meanwhile in the "Southern Branch" the Axis manage to do pretty well, destroying even an armoured group of the Soviets that was defending in the plains.

That left a wide gap in the southern prairies of Ukraine with few forces the Soviets have to fill the gap.

Jul / Aug 1941 - Iraqi Front

The Italians marched unopposed into Iraq. The only battle they had to take was against insurgents (Partisans) that were Axis-siding til they took over Baghdad.

The Italians though did their math wrong, the Soviets managed (in May / June) to rail 3 corps on Timoshenko / Tabriz and swiftly established a line.
Unaware of the German intent to attack Soviet Russia, 2 new infantry corps of low quality were placed in Baku as well to make haste and secure the borderline once and for good, plus a fighter squadron- - Italy in fact brought forth a bomber squadron, had a fighter-bomber (of lousy range) coming in, and with their supply unit (that now Balbo devoured for Jul / Aug) were at the ready to make progress.

Wishing to avert at Turkish crisis, Stalin ordered a counteroffensive against the Italian spearhead (made of 2 divisions in the mountain hex (Where the Soviet 3-3 INF is). The Italian bombers went on, challenged the VVS Fighters with success and getting to grant precious air support ... alas to no avail, the Soviets succeeded in their attack without losses and securing their borderline.

Jul / Aug 1941 - Siberian Front

Stalin, seeing that the whole of the Japanese army could suddenly pour into Siberia once dispatched the Chinese opponent; and seeing the building ups of Italians and Germans in their respective locations; weighted to abandon the far far East (where alas there were a CAV-Div and an AA unit in Vladivostok).

Chita Sector had a CAV and an ENG-Div; which fled toward China once the Japanese massed up serious forces.
Chita was the only place where the Soviets placed some reserves - a 4-3 INF, another CAV and a GARR-Div.

Japan was lured into attaching Chita in May / Jun; having all the defenders disrupted as they were reserves. It was just a +6 attack - which went terribly wrong (It was a bad attack with hindsight, as Japan had no loss soaker).
Japan lost an ART and an INF - for a GARR-Div!
And that left the Japanese marine isolated.

In Jul / Aug the Soviets ought to counterattack (probably inspired by the heroic deed of their comrades in the Persian mountain ranges).
Soviets had a total of 5 units - all of low quality; to attack that Japanese MAR unit which was unable to retreat after the Soviets maneuvered. Even a dreaded 14 would have go the Marine dead, for 2 CAVs and 1 GARR-Div. The attack though was a measly +2.5
A hard decision, a shot to the Japanese Marine - or to just sit and wait for the Japanese to pour all of their troops that took Vladivostock here? The marine would be out of action anyhow, being isolated. It was decided to attack the Marine, 5 BPs on the long run would have hurt Japan. The attack went very, very poorly. Soviets lost 3 units, but Japan none. I'd have taken the 14, but I rolled much, much lower! That left too the ENG unit quite exposed on the wrong side of the River and the Japanese attacked it and destroyed it.
That leaves only the disrupted 4-3 Soviet INF defending Chita.