A World on Fire

[Centuur]

To quote a phrase out of a certain WW II movie (I thought it is out of the Longest Day):

"Sir: anyone can make a mistake"

[yvesp]

I see there are four units in Paris.
That is too much. One is enough to ward off a ara assault the next turn. And 0 since the transport is not within range.

One of these should go to the hex East of Lille. The second should stay behind to ward off any breakthrough.

The hex west of Metz is highly vulnerable, protected by a lowly 3 inf : the Germnas will have an easy 7-1 attack against it. I'd have attacked it even in snow. The militia behind should stack with it as soon as possible.

Anyway, a para assault on Paris is vastly overrated : as a home hex, in supply, being a city, it has a basic 3 defense. In a Zoc, you'd add +1. Even with full air support, the best the germans could do is 8 to 4, +1 for the notional disorganized, -1 for a 3 factory stack ; that's 30% chance of success : not brilliant ; that, on a clear weather. On the 2D10 table, it is worst: with -4 for being a city hex with 3 factories, and +1 for a paradrop, +1 for being a notional, that makes it a +2 attack (or 20% chance of success) ; the para, if successful, is likely disorganized, out of supply, and easy to attack and remove... So there is little need for garrisonning Paris.

[Orm]

There are four units in Paris because I railed a unit to that hex last turn. Then I landed a disorganized fighter there as well. I wanted a safe place to land. In retrospect I should have landed next to Paris instead. The last two fighters are reinforcements for the turn. I wanted them to be ably to fly intercept mission for the first impulse of the game so I placed them in Paris. This give a tempting ground strike target for Germany but in the end I actually prefer if he ground strike Paris instead of the front now when I expect the turn to be fairly short.

I do not want to use Rouen for French units if I can avoid it. I want to keep it open for CW units.

I'll try to defend the hex West of Metz better. That it had only three in defence was one of the two reasons that Allies demanded a re-roll for the initiative this turn. [:)]


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #1 (Allied) - Weather

[Orm]

France pick a combined and CW a naval impulse.

No declarations of war. No Port Strikes. No naval air.

HMS Galatea transports a division to Gibraltar. The liners sail from Gibraltar to the Red Sea carrying a 6-4 INF. The Home Fleet sail with 6 battleships to the North Sea. For the first time during the war the British submarines leave their base in Malta and patrol the Italian Coast.

The French TRS sail with a escort to the Cape Verde Basin and pick up the Dakar militia.

No strategic bombing.

CW ground strike the German units in a attempt to distract them from the French.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #1 (Allied) - Ground Strike

[Orm]

Germany intercept the bombers with a fighter and CW counter intercept with two.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #1 (Allied) - Ground Strike

[Orm]

During the first round of air combat the best CW bomber got cleared to the target so after the first round Germany saw little benefit by staying so they aborted.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #1 (Allied) - Ground Strike

[Orm]

And that ground strike was a complete waste of oil. Not even one hit.

Artillery miss as well. [:(]


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #1 (Allied) - Ground Strike

[Orm]

France rail a corps from Marseilles to Paris. USSR rail a mechanized corps to Murmansk.

USSR decide to occupy the Baltic states. I do this earlier than planned because the US entry is really low with only two one chits in the pool. One of them is removed leaving the US entry very low.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #1 (Allied) - Land Movement

[Orm]

In China the Nationalists slowly withdraw and the Communists slowly advance.

France use their three land moves by reinforcing the defensive line with three units. Now I feel that the front line looks solid enough but there are no French reserves. Except the disorganized 3-3 in Paris and that does not really count as a reserve.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #1 (Allied) - Land Movement

[Orm]

France and CW rebase a few fighters a hex or two.

No reorganization.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #1 (Allied) - HQ Reorganization

[peskpesk]

Why is the communist so passive, is the russian bear planning something (Using all their moves...)?

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

Why is the communist so passive, is the russian bear planning something (Using all their moves...)?

Not really. Previously I was to chicken to move forward with so few units. But now they got two new fresh units to use this turn. At the same time Japan has moved units away from the Communists towards the Nationalists in order to compensate for all their losses.

[Orm]

Italy declare war on France!

Crowds cheered in the streets as Mussolini declared that a limited war is needed to liberate the Italians suffering from the French tyranny. "Marseilles was part of the Roman empire when Hannibal threatened Italy and should rightfully be Italian today! Napoleon and his guillotine begun the persecution of the Italian people and it ends now! Two hundred years of suffering is enough!" Mussolini screamed to the ecstatic crowd.

In US the Senate declared that US can not be involved in a local, minor, border dispute between France and Italy.

[Orm]

Germany aligns Hungary and still no reaction from US.

Germany select a land impulse. Italy and Japan take a combined.

Italy port strike the two battleships in Marseilles harbour.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #3 (Axis) - Port Strike

[Orm]

France rolled a one so Italy only got four surprise points for the port strike. Italy curses but it is just enough to damage one of the battleships.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #3 (Axis) - Port Strike

[Orm]

No naval air.

Japan move two TRS to the China Sea with two MIL. Italy send out all their submarines to patrol three sea areas in hunt for French convoys.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #3 (Axis) - Naval Combat

[Orm]

Italy finds and sinks the Italian convoy in the East Mediterranean.

Edit: In the two other sea areas the search failed.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #3 (Axis) - Naval Combat

[Orm]

No strategic bombing.

Germany make two ground strikes.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #3 (Axis) - Ground Strike

[Orm]

Both sides send up one fighter to intercept. The ensuing air battle go as usual.


Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #3 (Axis) - Ground Strike

[Orm]

The ground strikes only managed to disorganize one artillery. There must be a better way to waste oil. [:(]

Germany rails three units from Poland. One of them to Northern Italy.

Germany shuffles around some units on the West front. Italy capture Gabes, Tunisia. The Alpini cross into the French Alps.

Balbo orders a attack into the French mountains.




Picture from Jan/Feb 40 Impulse #3 (Axis) - Land Combat Declaration