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Attrition of the air forces over occupied Europe and Germany works in the Allied favor. 1 for 1 isn't bad.

ORIGINAL: composer99

Hopefully the Japanese fleet commander went down with his flag in one of the CVs after that disgrace. [:)]

Yeah, he was a Cubs fan, and he committed Harry Carey. [;)]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Attrition of the air forces over occupied Europe and Germany works in the Allied favor. 1 for 1 isn't bad.

Maybe. I just didn't like losing the expensive bomber. I could have used a less valuable plane.

It was a good move in Persia, and it almost worked, but not quite:

Okay, here's what you've got when you put together the things you mentioned in the above posts. The Tula factory is now heading to the other side of the Urals, and the 2 air units marked have to rebase at the end of the impulse. I expect to see 3 dead units soon. The Kharkov MIL will probably make it to Voronezh, but I don't have a clue what else I might do with the Germans to try to foil the Soviet retreat plans.
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Edit: The most vulnerable stack is definitely the one SW of Ryazan, but there's nothing to be done about it, unless the 2-5 MECH goes there instead.
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2nd Edit: By the way, I'm not sure where I should be rebasing these planes to at this point. Should I just get them as far back as possible, and let the troops catch up with them? Or should I only go as far as Voronezh or Stavropol?

While my preference is for strat bombing areas without German fighter cover to reduce the risk to the bombers (and to make the Germans use up more FTR to defend their factories instead of on the front lines), as long as you can get a +1 or better in an air combat (+2 or better for preference) flying against FTR is acceptable.

Indeed, the Allies want to fight air combats as long as they have the advantage in order to attrition Axis airpower.

So I would say hitting a defended hex when there are undefended targets is suboptimal, although if it has opened up the Rhineland factory base for multiple unintercepted strat raids, then the sacrifice will be acceptable.

ORIGINAL: composer99

While my preference is for strat bombing areas without German fighter cover to reduce the risk to the bombers (and to make the Germans use up more FTR to defend their factories instead of on the front lines), as long as you can get a +1 or better in an air combat (+2 or better for preference) flying against FTR is acceptable.

Indeed, the Allies want to fight air combats as long as they have the advantage in order to attrition Axis airpower.

So I would say hitting a defended hex when there are undefended targets is suboptimal, although if it has opened up the Rhineland factory base for multiple unintercepted strat raids, then the sacrifice will be acceptable.

That last was the primary goal, to force a slight reshuffling of the German fighters here . . . using up a move that might be better used against the Soviets.

I think Steve & I eventually recommended that the AA gun move to the hex southwest of Ryazan with the other units. The Germans can get 3:1 assuming 3 hexes attacking and 16 factors per attacking hex against the 11 factors of INF and 2 (or 4) factors of AA gun, while they can get 4:1 if there's just the two INF. In addition, they would need to use both HQ-A Rommel and the arm div to call the blitz with the AA gun present; all they need is the div to blitz the INF on their own.

ORIGINAL: composer99

I think Steve & I eventually recommended that the AA gun move to the hex southwest of Ryazan with the other units. The Germans can get 3:1 assuming 3 hexes attacking and 16 factors per attacking hex against the 11 factors of INF and 2 (or 4) factors of AA gun, while they can get 4:1 if there's just the two INF. In addition, they would need to use both HQ-A Rommel and the arm div to call the blitz with the AA gun present; all they need is the div to blitz the INF on their own.

Yes. That's important.

As long as the USSR air force is not in danger of a ground strike or being overrun, it should linger near the front (but not in the frontline). You want to project the fighters ability to intercept and the bombers ability to ground strike/support over as much of the frontline as possible. I have no particular preference as to which hexes (forests are always good). Don't put two units in the same hex if you can avoid it; that's too tempting a target for ground strikes.

The Germans need to start building factories. I'd lay down carriers and battleships too.

ORIGINAL: brian brian

The Germans need to start building factories. I'd lay down carriers and battleships too.

Factories can wait a turn or two, until I've gathered enough Soviet resources to free up all of the German and Italian Oil so that it can all be saved. As for a heavy fleet, I've got units I can repair a few at a time, but the German priority has to be on land reinforcements and FTR cover right now.

Italy, on the other hand could start building up some factories and its fleet. Once they take Persia, they are entirely in a support role for the Germans. That means they need to build FTR, LND, a huge navy, and finish off their pool of TERR units.

Japan could also benefit from a factory or two, but they now need to rebuild the fleet as a first priority.

ORIGINAL: composer99

I think Steve & I eventually recommended that the AA gun move to the hex southwest of Ryazan with the other units. The Germans can get 3:1 assuming 3 hexes attacking and 16 factors per attacking hex against the 11 factors of INF and 2 (or 4) factors of AA gun, while they can get 4:1 if there's just the two INF. In addition, they would need to use both HQ-A Rommel and the arm div to call the blitz with the AA gun present; all they need is the div to blitz the INF on their own.

I somehow missed that post when I was setting this up. Not hard to fix, since I fell asleep shortly after posting the setup. If the AA could reach the 11 factor hex (I think it can), I'll shift it from Voronezh. If it can't, I'll have to use the 2-5 MECH for that duty.

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: composer99

I think Steve & I eventually recommended that the AA gun move to the hex southwest of Ryazan with the other units. The Germans can get 3:1 assuming 3 hexes attacking and 16 factors per attacking hex against the 11 factors of INF and 2 (or 4) factors of AA gun, while they can get 4:1 if there's just the two INF. In addition, they would need to use both HQ-A Rommel and the arm div to call the blitz with the AA gun present; all they need is the div to blitz the INF on their own.

I somehow missed that post when I was setting this up. Not hard to fix, since I fell asleep shortly after posting the setup. If the AA could reach the 11 factor hex (I think it can), I'll shift it from Voronezh. If it can't, I'll have to use the 2-5 MECH for that duty.

The AA can reach the 11 factor hex - it was in Kursk.

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: composer99

I think Steve & I eventually recommended that the AA gun move to the hex southwest of Ryazan with the other units. The Germans can get 3:1 assuming 3 hexes attacking and 16 factors per attacking hex against the 11 factors of INF and 2 (or 4) factors of AA gun, while they can get 4:1 if there's just the two INF. In addition, they would need to use both HQ-A Rommel and the arm div to call the blitz with the AA gun present; all they need is the div to blitz the INF on their own.

I somehow missed that post when I was setting this up. Not hard to fix, since I fell asleep shortly after posting the setup. If the AA could reach the 11 factor hex (I think it can), I'll shift it from Voronezh. If it can't, I'll have to use the 2-5 MECH for that duty.

The AA can reach the 11 factor hex - it was in Kursk.

Easy to fix then. Just need to undo the move and send it to that stack.

Japan could also benefit from a factory or two, but they now need to rebuild the fleet as a first priority.
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If the Japanesse start building factories it is time to start a new game.

Everything is set up for the Soviets, so it is on to Axis impulse #5. The only difference this impulse is the Storms have lightened up, and it's only Raining in the North Monsoon:

IMO Italy & Japan need to build up land-based air more than fleet elements (although Japan can always build CVs) to fight at sea.

Apart from the US and Japan, the major powers in WiF very rarely need to build carriers to be available past 1942.

ORIGINAL: composer99

IMO Italy & Japan need to build up land-based air more than fleet elements (although Japan can always build CVs) to fight at sea.

Apart from the US and Japan, the major powers in WiF very rarely need to build carriers to be available past 1942.

I would agree, but Italy is likely to have the resources to do it, and Japan definitely needs to repair and maybe even rebuild CVs. I have to check what's in the construction pool right now, but 2nd cycle ships should be laid down if they are any good, too. That Arabian Sea incident was almost a complete disaster.
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Land attacks coming up soon. I've just been working on the Land Movemnt for my Axis powers . . .

The attacks for this impulse, all at 7:1 odds. The attack that I've highlighted could have been reduced to a little less than 4:1, but it's a Blitz and would have used up 2 LND. As a +1 attack, I thought the factors would be better saved for attacks that already have mid-range odds. The Japanese invasions are all intended to deny ports to the Allies.



And the results:

Attack on USSR [48, 58]: Blitz, Fractional Odds .221 (Yes), Roll = Automatic (Breakthrough)
Attack on USSR [53, 62]: Blitz, Fractional Odds .114 (Yes), Roll = Automatic (Breakthrough)
Attack on Port Blair: Assault, Roll = 8+1 = 9 = */2S
Attack on Wewak: Assault, Roll = Automatic
Attack on Lae: Assault, Roll = Automatic

Some of you may have thought I should have provided Ground Support to the Sverdlovsk MIL. The following theory is based less on logic than it is on rationalization, but I figure the next roll of '8' would have been on that attack instead of the one on Port Blair. The 4:1 Blitz would have had the same result with or without Ground Support, which is why I didn't add any. There was only a 40% chance to disorganize the enemy, anyway.

As the Germans, what I like about setting up this attack is that it traps the Kharkov MIL. In order to escape without being disorganized, someone else has to move into the hex southwest of Voronezh. That stack can then be attacked by a lot of units. Once the Kharkov MIL is dead, he's gone for good, unless and until Kharkov is regained by the Allies.

Germany rebased a strong FTR and LND to each major front, and Japan sent 2 LND to India.

As expected, Rommel and Mannerhaim swapped positions, and Rommel brought 24 factors back to life.
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On a similar note, I think that the Soviets should try again to Ground Strike Guderian in Persia. Next impulse he'll be in range to reorganize those 3 front-line troops.