TAIFUN (Allies) vs IIo4Tu (Axis) Full game 1939

[Taifun]

July 05-19
Algiers was captured by the panzerkorps with strong Luftwaffe support and then Paris, Lyon and Marseille in France were captured. France capitulated but IIo4Tu did not create Vichy: French forces vowed to continue the fight from Algeria but as it was already in German hands France surrendered. A master coup.
All French territory in Libya reverted to Italy (Sirte town) and the Australians along with the Malta AA unit ended the turn out of supply. Tripoli port was given back to Italy even though we had a garrison in Tripoli… Our isolated troops retreated towards Tripoli but the port was recaptured damaged to level 2 and useless…

[boudi]

Sorry i return to March '40, as i read : "Malaya prepares for war and the UK begins construction to expand the port of Singapore."

I never make this choice. I think that it's very expensive, 200 MPPS, and yet Singapore still falls very easily to the Japanese. What is your opinion ?

Very intersting game.

[boudi]

Tripoli port was given back to Italy even though we had a garrison in Tripoli… Our isolated troops retreated towards Tripoli but the port was recaptured damaged to level 2 and useless…

Perhaps to be considered as a bug... With serious consequences

[IIo4Tu]

The declaration of war on Italy on the first move certainly shocked me. As it turned out, this is still a good strategic decision, it seriously affected my strategic plans, in addition, due to the lack of readiness for such a turn, I made several mistakes and lost a lot of Italian units.
The new parties will have to adopt a more conservative strategy to counter such a course of affairs...

[BillRunacre]

This is very interesting indeed!

[rafaelmbaez]

Great AARs, we want more!

[Taifun]

ORIGINAL: boudi

Sorry i return to March '40, as i read : "Malaya prepares for war and the UK begins construction to expand the port of Singapore."

I never make this choice. I think that it's very expensive, 200 MPPS, and yet Singapore still falls very easily to the Japanese. What is your opinion ?

Very intersting game.

I think that getting Malaya is a must for the Allied player. You get immediately 3 Infantry corps (that I usually use very early in Africa) at a discount price plus the opportunity to defend and fortify Malaya well in advance of the Japanese attack.

[Taifun]

ORIGINAL: BillRunacre

This is very interesting indeed!

Many thanks Bill. What do you think about Tripoli port reverting to Italian ownership even though there is a British garrison in Tripoli itself? I guess that it is because it is adjacent to the reverted Italian hex, but I think that this should not be that way...

[Taifun]

August 2-16
After the French surrender Germany had 3 possible strategies to follow:
- Capture Gibraltar and close the Mediterranean gate. Not an easy target to attack without the Spanish help, as the tac bombers are not within range.
- Start a small offensive to recapture Tripolitania without involving many troops and assets until the area of El Agheila is reached. Holding Malta will certainly improve the Axis strategic defensive position but it is not a must.
- Prepare a big offensive to push all the way to Egypt and the Suez Canal. This option will divert key German units that will miss Barbarossa. Malta must be captured to implement this option.

In the meantime both sides started to invest in diplomacy: the Allies got a hit in Spain +6% (38% pro Axis) and the Axis got on a hit in Turkey +16% (16% pro Axis). USA stands at 34% and the USSR 26%. German morale is 111%.
One problem is that the British are always working with a very tight budget and so far have only managed to spent 175 MPPs in research since the war started, while the Germans have invested around 1000 MPPs. Our technology could be an issue in the not to far future...
Germany upgraded the naval base of St Nazaire.

[Taifun]

CHINA August 2-16
Our troops are doing a very good job defending China. Counterattacking when possible around the plains surrounding Chenchow we are still holding Chenchow city.

[Taifun]

In the South Front the Japanese are approaching our forts leading to Kweichow, while Kweilin and Nanning are both still in our hands…

[boudi]

ORIGINAL: Taifun

ORIGINAL: boudi

Sorry i return to March '40, as i read : "Malaya prepares for war and the UK begins construction to expand the port of Singapore."

I never make this choice. I think that it's very expensive, 200 MPPS, and yet Singapore still falls very easily to the Japanese. What is your opinion ?

Very intersting game.

I think that getting Malaya is a must for the Allied player. You get immediately 3 Infantry corps (that I usually use very early in Africa) at a discount price plus the opportunity to defend and fortify Malaya well in advance of the Japanese attack.

Sorry if i disturb your AAR. These 3 corps are given too when Malaya become at war, when Japan attacks Philippines. Moreother they are malasian units, so they disappear when Malaya surrenders.

And if you wait the free Malaya enter of war, you have not to pay these 200 MPPS. In the other hand Malaya should give some MMPS early, between March 40 and around december 41, but i don't know how many, if it's more, or less, than 200 MPPs.

Another problem, the event fire in March '40, when Uk needs, maybe, all its MPPs in order to build some INF corps for defending the mother islands : Sealion is far away easier in this game than in reality, as the german bombers, protected by more and strongers fighters than UK has, are deadly against the Royal Navy in the Channel.

Sorry again, I can't wait to read the rest.

[Marcinos1985]

Sorry if i disturb your AAR, but these 3 corps are Malasian or british ? The question is if they disappear when Malaya surrenders ?

Another problem, the event fire in March '40, when Uk needs, maybe, all its MPPs in order to build some INF corps for defending the mother islands : Sealion is far away easyer in this game than in reality, as the german bombers, protected by more and strongers fighters than UK have, are deadly against the Royal Navy in the Channel.

Altough I don't agree fully with backdrop (MPP's for anti-sealion), this question about Malaya is very valid. On one side, 3 corps and some MPP's for 200$ in 4 turns sounds very good. On the other hand though, this event fires when UK is hard pressed for cash. And that's in normal game, not a knife battle in phone booth like here. [:)]

What is more, to use these Malaya guys you need to transport them out (25$ for one), and still get them back before Singapore gets attacked. And with their low morale, it's hard to imagine they will last even if somehow prepared. Journey to IEA is valid, but as mentioned, it's an additional cost, when RPA/Australians could do the job and will be moved nevertheless. Is there a flaw in this argumentation? And did you send them to IEA in this game?

Taifun, one more question, though it may wait until Barbarossa - Why 'yes' to Winter War? Mobilization hit for some forest hexes doesn't sound appealing. Is there something dirty in mind? [:)]

Doing quite well in China, but without US aid this will be another story.
Great read!

[boudi]

Marcinos1985 I just edited my post in the same time you wrote your. I gave some clarifications about my opinion after I fired this event in a quick solo hotseat game test.

[boudi]

ORIGINAL: Marcinos1985
Why 'yes' to Winter War? Mobilization hit for some forest hexes doesn't sound appealing. I

if you answer no, this is the consequences (quoted from the strategic guide)

No: Nothing, except that in September 1940 the USSR will be presented with a decision offering them the opportunity
to improve their preparations for winter warfare. The difference being that due to the lack of recent experience
of winter warfare, the lack of a real feeling of urgency on this issue would make it cost 75 MPPs.

[BillRunacre]

ORIGINAL: Taifun

ORIGINAL: BillRunacre

This is very interesting indeed!

Many thanks Bill. What do you think about Tripoli port reverting to Italian ownership even though there is a British garrison in Tripoli itself? I guess that it is because it is adjacent to the reverted Italian hex, but I think that this should not be that way...

I'm not exactly sure, but wonder if it was tied in to the French surrender?

[Taifun]

Boudi please disturb! This is the objective of this AAR, to make it interactive and share ideas! Please feel free to ask all your ideas
Concerning the Malaya decision it depends on the German strategy. If I do not feel that Sea Lion is going to be activated, as I did in this game, I like to defend Egypt with all the forces available. I want to be as annoying in the Mediterranean as possible. I also like to fortify Malaya and send maritime bombers and all kind of stuff to the peninsula to delay the Japanese.

I usually say yes to the Winter War as I want to feel safe from the north. I learned from WiE that you can attack Leningrad with the Germans from that area, as I did in my game against smckechnie. Also I can lower the supply value of Viipuri making it 0 with the adjacent 2 units.

[Taifun]

September 13-27 1940
The Führer redeployed all the Luftwaffe bombers back to Malta from Tunisia (for better supply) and started to bomb Valletta and the ports. As expected a German panzerkorps driving south from Tunisia attacked Tripoli, while the retreating Australians recaptured Sirte town. The last Italians defending Tobruk are by now exhausted and General Guzzoni will hold only 1 more turn.

Important reinforcements are coming for General Montgomery!
After our 2 Carriers made a reconnaissance of Casablanca, Fez and Oran and declared the area free of enemy troops, 3 transports entered the Mediterranean Sea with General Lord Gort, an AA unit and the Indian Army aboard (all that could be spared from the UK). It is always tricky to cross the area between Tunis and Sicily with so many Axis bombers in the area but the fact that the 2 Italian subs are busy sieging Malta will help their passage… once Malta is in Axis hands the crossing is much more complicated. To assist with the reconnaissance a unit of Canadian Maritime bombers was deployed to Benghazi.

In Alexandria disembarked 3 new infantry corps, one from South Africa and 2 Malaysian. Additionally a further welcomed reinforcement arrived as a unit of special forces from Rhodesia was created (by script) in Siwa.

Communist China joins the Allies.

[Taifun]

October 11 1940
The last Italians under General Guzzoni were finally captured or destroyed near Tobruk. They have bravely fought until the end, but the issue was never in doubt. Since the beginning of the war Italy has lost 3 Armies, 2 Infantry Corps and 2 garrisons all in low supply and it will be very difficult for their anemic economy to replace them.
The German High Command wants to do business in Africa: a second panzerkorps (mot) and a para unit suddenly appeared near Tripoli. Our defending Malta AA unit was miraculously evacuated by sea to Alexandria (strength 3). Malta was again subjected to heavy air attacks by bombers from Sicily.

It is now clear that IIo4Tu was beginning a strong offensive in Libya. But how strong is the German attacking force? Should I defend Cyrenaica (El Agheila- Benghazi-Tobruk triangle) or should I position my defending forces further back near the Egyptian border? I did not want to make a decision at this moment, I needed to gather additional information. So the precious transports, after crossing safely the Sicilian strait, were put “on hold” at Alexandria port…
The British 7th Armoured was formed in Egypt. Hungary and Romania joined the Axis Alliance.

[Marcinos1985]

if you answer no, this is the consequences (quoted from the strategic guide)

No: Nothing, except that in September 1940 the USSR will be presented with a decision offering them the opportunity to improve their preparations for winter warfare. The difference being that due to the lack of recent experience of winter warfare, the lack of a real feeling of urgency on this issue would make it cost 75 MPPs.

Yes yes, I know, the cost rises from 50 to 75. Is it worth the mobilization hit? Maybe Taifun has something else in mind. [:)]

Edit:And apparently he did answer, which I missed.