Scripted Madness

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. IJN, IJA and Nationalist Chinese Combat Logs.

It's the Nationalist Chinese who actually draw first blood on a lone, organized and out of supply Terauchi (Japanese) HQ-I. How on earth did Japan let this happen?

FYI. Note that the combat logs incorrectly have Terauchi as OOS (out of supply). This is incorrect. Terauchi, though disorganized was in fact in supply.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. The Destruction of Terauchi HQ-I (1/2).

Allied #2.

So how did this happen? Quite frankly, arrogance on the part of Japanese (or in game terms poor play by the person controlling Japan). Terauchi on impulse 1 was railed from Manchuria to the position which you now see him. Originally Japan was going to rail him to Kaifeng (directly east of Chengchow) which would have stacked him with a now in-supply IJA garrison army. However, Japan incorrectly assessed the risk as low and railed Terauchi into a blocking position which also provided a zoc-lock on the resource point northeast of his railed to position.

The Nationalist armies in the north determined that they had a 61% chance of knocking out Terauchi, with a 28% chance of victory, if the Japanese elected to fight an assault and a 32% chance of knocking him out, with a 61.4% chance of victory if they attacked. So they attacked and managed to knock him out. Japan on their part did everything they could to try to save him including 2 factors of ground support (which was all they hand in range) and electing to fight a blitz.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. The Destruction of Terauchi HQ-I (2/2).

Allied #2.

In the end, the Nationalist managed to both win the battle and knock Terauchi out.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Destroyed.

Bitter losses on both sides in China.

Poland's army completely destroyed with no unit losses inflicted on the Wehrmacht.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. US Entry.

US chooses resources to China.

(More) Script Madness.

Mining the Norwegian Coast. The CW may (and will in my game) mine the Norwegian Coast if both the US and Norway are neutral and the USSR has claimed the Finnish borderlands. Once mined, Germany must idle the 3 Swedish resources during any production phase in which the weather for the last impulse of the turn in the arctic was snow or blizzard unless the axis control Oslo. The CW mines the Norwegian coast by taking a naval and returning to base any CW SCS that started the impulse in the 4-box of the Norwegian Sea. Once mined, the Norwegian Coast remains mine for the remainder of the game. Norway cannot align to the CW if they mine the Norwegian Coast.

The Winter War. In my game the USSR will demand the Finnish borderlands and Germany will reject the demand.
Germany will not setup or move any Finnish units into the borderlands or move (i.e., transport or fly) any Germany units into Finland, including the borderlands. Germany will demand peace during the first peace step, and not before, where the USSR: (1) controls all Finnish borderland hexes except Hanko, (2) has Murmansk and Leningrad each garrisoned with 2 or more land units and (3) has a garrison ratio wrt/Finland outside of the borderlands of 6 or more.

Murmansk Convoy. If the USSR demands the Finnish borderlands, have Murmansk garrisoned with 2 or more land units of which at least 1 is a corp/army and have not cut the Arctic Highway then the axis cannot cut the Soviet rail lines running through Karelia until Leningrad or Vologda are axis controlled.

Selective Service Act. Until chosen, the only land unit a neutral US may build is 1 infantry or cavalry class unit per turn. Once chosen, a neutral US may build 2 infantry class or 1 other type land unit per turn.
This option may be "selected jointly" with any entry option of level 13 or higher. If selected, the tension level of the joint option is increased by 2.

22. Gear Up Production. Until chosen, a neutral US may not build amphibious units.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Production.

The Script. For now on only saved (i.e., refined) oil can be used to reorganize units. This includes any "fraction" needed even if that fraction doesn't exceed 0.4 and thus require the expenditure of an oil point. For example, if a major powers needs 4.4 oil to reorganize all their units but only has 4 oil saved then they must, at a minimum, leave 0.4 worth of units unorganized.

Germany. Reich Minister for Production, Albert Speer determined the "sweet spot" for German production was to leave 2 factories idle in order to save 4 additional oil, giving Germany a stockpile of 5 refined (i.e., saved) oil.

Italy. Italy received 2 "additional" BP's. 1 for their "increased" production multiplier of 0.75 (vs 0.5) for 1939 and 1 for their trade agreement with the USA.

Japan. Japan saved 1 additional oil giving them a total of 4 refined oil points. This left production at 10 BP's of which both the Army and Navy get 5. The army used their 5 BP's to reconstitute Terauchi's HQ-I, though they wanted/needed to form more infantry armies for China.

China. Nothing additional to report.

CW. The CW's priorities are: (1) ensure large enough refined oil stockpile to keep their forcing fighting, (2) ensure adequate number of men and planes to defended Great Britain, (3) support additional European BEF's deployments if/as necessary, (4) ensure adequate garrison of Gibraltar, Malta and Egypt and (5) ensure adequate garrison (again partisans) of India, Burma and Singapore.

France. France's factories are begging for more raw resources. The only potential available would be from Great Britain.

USA. The USA is focused on expanding their navy in order to support potential future needs in both the Pacific and Atlantic. However, to secure funding for new hull production the US congress has mandated that both all approved upgrades (i.e., repairs) and ship build-outs (i.e., 2nd cycle builds) be paid for before any new ship hulls (i.e., 1st cycle builds) will be approved.

In the Philippines, there was some talk about relocating MacArthur and his command either to Samoa or Midway. However, not only did MacArthur get those talks shut down but also got the US congress to approve the money for training and maintaining a Philippine corps unit (i.e., terr).

USSR. A mountain corps is doubly useful. The obvious is its ability to operate in the mountains. The second is that it's garrison ratio is doubled.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Resource Lending.

Non-Mandatory.

1. US to China. 1 non-oil (Philippine) RP.

2. CW to France (Potential). The Script. France requests 1 oil and 5 non-oil RP's from Great Britain, which would give France full production plus an additional oil per turn to refine. The decision on how many resources that Great Britain will give is decided by 1D10 die roll. For the initial resource lending phase, 0=>1 oil, 1-5=>1 oil + # non-oil equal to the die roll, 6-9=>nothing. Until France is conquered, resources given can't be reduced. If less than requested by France is granted then the CW will make this roll, adjusted by what's been given so far, every resource lending phase until France is conquered. For example, if CW is currently giving France 2 non-oil and 1 oil then only rolls of 1-3 would result in an additional 1-3 resources, respectively, given.

The die roll for this resource lending phase was 7, meaning that Great Britain "politely" ignored France's requests for resources.

[Courtenay]

Why the house rule about oil?

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

Why the house rule about oil?

In CE, I like the part of the new oil rule that only saved oil can be used for units. Of course, the other part where oil is used during the turn to move, sail or fly units is significant different than from the current oil rule in MWiF (i.e., WiF 7). On the face of it to me, only being able to use saved oil during reorg adds a significant bit more realism without adding complexity.

1. Saving oil represents the refinement of crude into oil, gas, aviation fuel, etc.

2. "Isolated" Units sitting on (crude) oil points can no longer be reorganized unless they gain access to saved (i.e., refined) oil.

3. Countries are less likely to use their saved oil to make up production if/when their convoy lines are cut, making subs and ASW more significant.

4. Also, I'm not playing with Synth oil so with this included makes oil more significant for the axis.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Impulse/Weather/Action Summary.

The axis won the initiative and elected to move second. It was a (fairly) mild November/December. Each side got 3 impulses.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Northern & Central China. Combat Logs.

Only air combat in this theater this turn and all conducted by the Japanese.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Northern & Central China.

Air Mission. Global #20. The IJA conducted a 2 air wing (i.e., unit) strike against the out of supply (OOS) Nationalist garrison. The ground strike missed (i.e., failed to flip the OOS garrison). This garrison continues to exert a zone-of-control lock on the resource point at [73,144], thus preventing it from reaching a Japanese (controlled) factory.

Until the loss of Terauchi's HQ-I is made good by the IJA, General Umezu has command of Army Group North China, in addition to his "primary" command, Army Group Central China. To say the least this has put a strain of Umezu's HQ-I to maintain supply to as many units of both army groups as possible.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Southern China.

Air Missions. Global #21 & 22. The IJN carried out two successful air missions this turn. Though, with the turn ending before Japan got another impulse the successful ground strike on Chiang's HQ-I and the AT-division (#22) was essentially wasted.

IJN's 1st Amphibious Army Group. Yamamoto and his 1st Amphibious Army Group through maneuver has nearly accomplished all of their assigned objectives, which is: (1) secure the southern coast of China and (2) interdict Chinese RP[90,158]. Beyond that, Yamamoto flatly refuses to push any of his assigned forces deeper into China. Eventually it will be up to the army to "relieve" Yamamoto and his 1st Amphibious Army Group of their mission and objectives in Southern China. Eventually, Yamamoto and his AG will have "bigger fish to fry" elsewhere in the Pacific.

[rkr1958]

Scandinavia.

The Script (Revised a Bit).
1. The USSR will demand the Finnish borderlands and Germany will reject the demand. Germany will not setup or move any Finnish units into the borderlands or move (i.e., transport or fly) any German units into Finland, including the borderlands. Germany may demand peace during any peace step; however, Germany MUST demand peace if the USSR: (1) controls all Finnish borderland hexes except Hanko, (2) has Murmansk and Viipuri each garrisoned with 2 or more land units and (3) has a garrison ratio wrt/Finland outside of the borderlands of 6 or more.

2. Great Britain will "mine the Norwegian Coast" on the turn of or following the Soviet-Finnish winter war. If Germany does not control Oslo, they do not receive the 3 Swedish resources if the last impulse of the turn was snow or blizzard in the Arctic.

3. Germany will invade Norway, Norway will be aligned to France and no allied units will be moved to, or based in, Norway.

USSR Demands the Finnish Borderlands. Usually 1939 is not a good time for the allies to lose chits because of the higher expected chit values versus 1940. However, the allies did not even remotely approach the average for their 3 chits in the Germany/Italy entry pool. So now is as good as any time for the Soviets to demand the borderlands. Actually, now is probably better because the allies are likely to lose two chits (80% chance), both of which will be a 1.

In fact the allies do lose two chits, which leaves 1 chit in the Germany/Italy entry pool.

Note that with only 1 chit left in the entry pool then it's pretty sure that the Western Allies won't risk declaring war on Italy (20% chance of never being able to DOW Germany/Italy) or the USSR risking demanding Bessarabia (80% chance of never being able to DOW Germany/Italy if Germany denies the claim).

[rkr1958]

Scandinavia. Soviet and Finnish Mobilizations.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Allied #5. RN Mines the Norwegian Coast.

The Script. The CW mines the Norwegian coast by taking a naval and returning to base any CW SCS that started the impulse in the 4-box of the Norwegian Sea. Once mined, the Norwegian Coast remains mine for the remainder of the game. Norway cannot align to the CW if they mine the Norwegian Coast.

The Norwegian Coast is now, and forever this game, mined. However, the weather in the arctic for the last impulse of this turn (Axis #10), was rain so the 3 Swedish resources still make it to German factories through the Baltic. But of course, that wasn't known at this time.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Scandinavia.

Finland. The Red Army hasn't fulfilled all the requirements to force Germany to demand peace. (1) the Soviets still do not control the Rybachi Peninsula on the Arctic Ocean and (2) they don't have the necessary garrison of 2 units in Viipuri. Though the Soviets do have the necessary garrison ratio of 6 versus Finland (outside of the borderlands).

Norway. Operation Weserubung, the invasion of Norway, has moved from the planning stage to the staffing phase. von Leeb and his HQ-I will lead the invasion. Other ground forces allocated to the operation include the XLIII infantry corps, 2 Wehrmacht and 1 SS infantry divisions. Luftwaffe contributions include 2 bomber and 2 fighter wings.

The two "combines" that Germany took this turn was to move KM surface units dispersed (i.e., setup to avoid surprise port strike) in Memel and Settin to Kiel.

It's unlikely that weather will permit Operation Weserubung before March/April, if even then.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Western Europe. Combat Logs.

Like China, the only combat this turn in Europe was in the air. Of significance was Germany's "retaliatory" strategic bombing missions against targets in the UK for RN attempting to bomb their oil at [51,36]. The Luftwaffe through both raids would go in unopposed but was surprised when RN carrier planes in the North Sea intercepted. The result was that while the RN lost a carrier air group (but not crew), the Luftwaffe lost the KM's only naval air wing and crew. Also, neither mission reached their target to drop their bombs.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Allied #9. Nov/Dec 1939. North Sea.

The CW put their 2nd BEF army out to sea in the North Sea in order to "discourage" any Germany invasion of the Netherlands or Belgium. Even if Germany manages to make these invasions next impulse and the turn ends, this force at sea could return to either Rotterdam or Antwerp if this were to happen.

[rkr1958]

Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Western Europe.