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Yeah, and I think they will be operating in the Bay of Biscay next turn (M/A) as well.

So it looks like the CW has the Queens, TRS (4-4, 4-3). And a Dutch TRS somewhere?

If USSR does not send many units to German border and Germany gets another impulse it might be possible that pact will be broken at the start of the next impulse.

Germany takes land action, no air moves before land moves.

Rail moves: MECH from St-Malo to Warsaw, artillery from Paris to Warsaw and MIL from Amsterdam to Lodz.

I can do land moves and attack CW MOT.

If turn ends after this impulse (and only Germany can put reinforcements in 3 hexes of border), I would say breaking the pact depends on what kind of markers we draw. If I calculated right, Germany would be at 2:1 +3 garrison ratio before we draw markers.

Germany puts both markers to offence and moves highest marker from defense to offence. I'm so stupid I forgot to move one marker last time, there will be 2 point marker missing...

I hope the Japs move into Hanoi soon...

Concerning Spain, and assuming that Germany can not break the pact but is perpetually close in doing so...what will be your go time on Spain?...ie...if the above fails on the first impulse of M/A do you make the decision on Spain at that point?...or wait longer? Of course weather is a factor as well. No need to say here in this AAR...talk about it among yourselves...this is too important.

M/A in an important way is better than S/O in that if you get a bad weather roll from the previous turn (or impulse), your chances of good weather improve the next impulse (+ on the die roll = better possibility for good weather rather than the other way around). You probably already knew this, just reminding.

ORIGINAL: Jagdtiger14

I hope the Japs move into Hanoi soon...

Concerning Spain, and assuming that Germany can not break the pact but is perpetually close in doing so...what will be your go time on Spain?...ie...if the above fails on the first impulse of M/A do you make the decision on Spain at that point?...or wait longer? Of course weather is a factor as well. No need to say here in this AAR...talk about it among yourselves...this is too important.

M/A in an important way is better than S/O in that if you get a bad weather roll from the previous turn (or impulse), your chances of good weather improve the next impulse (+ on the die roll = better possibility for good weather rather than the other way around). You probably already knew this, just reminding.

I agree. If Germany doesn't get to break the pact in the first impulse of M/A, you must collapse Vichy and go for Spain. Don't think you can break that pact later in that turn, because you won't be able to do so. I would start moving the German units still in France as far to the south as possible, without collapsing Vichy of course. That will keep the Allies in the blind of what you want to do next.

Have not followed the Balkan politics so close and have no clue what forces are near by, but one option is also to declear war on Yugoslavia and aligning Rumania and setting the bulk of thier forces close to the USSR border IF this helps the garrision situation.

AllenK, tonight I check the situation. How possible breaking the pact would be etc. I decide my actions after that. Most likely I take land action to rail as many units as possible to Poland.

Some questions in regards to the pact.

First, I would assume that the Axis will almost be assured of getting the last move this turn, especially if just Germany goes.

Secondly, do Italian units count for the garrison and is there perhaps an Italian unit that would help up the count a lot (assume the Italian mech or perhaps a air unit) that is available and can be railed someplace where it will count?

Thanks for all the hard work on this AAR. Very enjoyable. [:D]

I think only German (and aligned countries) units are counted. Someone one please tell us what rules really say...

I think the relevant parts from RAC are:

GARRISON VALUES
You only count the garrison values of your land and aircraft units (including those of your aligned minors) on the common border with the other major power.

EFFECT OF NEUTRALITY PACTS
After you enter into a neutrality pact with a major power, units controlled by other major powers on your side cannot enter hexes that are part of your common border with that major power if they are at war with that other major power.

At the moment Italy is showing as able to declare war on USSR as it does not have a pact with the Soviets. If it declared war, Italian units could not enter the common border area. While at peace, the units don't count towards the German garrison ratios as the Italian units don't belong to Germany (or one of Germany's aligned minors).

ORIGINAL: Mayhemizer

AllenK, tonight I check the situation. How possible breaking the pact would be etc. I decide my actions after that. Most likely I take land action to rail as many units as possible to Poland.

Okay.

Japan will try a long shot ground strike on the Nationalist stack east of Sian. If it came off, could get a decent odds attack. Elsewhere, Marines into Hanoi and that's about it.

Italy could extract either Inf Corps or Inf Div At gun from Africa (I'm inclined towards the latter as it's more BP's worth. That's about it other than railing another unit to France.

Things are not looking good now. USSR managed to bring their bombers to border area and that saved them. If we don't count markers we are going to draw, then situation at the beginning of the next turn will be:

Germany: offensive garrison 44, USSR: defensive garrison 27. So Germany would need 10 points more from markers. That is not possible even if USSR draws 0.

And if we declare war on Yugoslavia (which is not possible, all borders are open) it does not solve this problem, there are some units Bessarabia and reinforcements in Odessa would be counted to garrison too.

I believe only option is to do Barbarossa 1941 and take Spain first. CW units sitting in Bayonne will cause some trouble.

Moving units to Yugoslavian border, taking Yugoslavia and Greece during summer 1940 would be easy but not even close as rewarding as taking Gibraltar. Doing this would allow Germany to align Rumania and move units there so that when Barbarossa 1941 begins there would be nice ARM spearhead ready to penetrate USSR lines.

Do you propose basically ignoring the Suez then since you are going for Gibraltar?

Not that I have seen a lot (I have not) but typically a push in Africa goes along with the action against Gibraltar.

I think you are right.

Bayonne will be a problem. Choices are to screen it but that means advancing dependent upon one supply line, arranging what you can up against it and attacking before the DoW against Spain or DoW on Spain and the units becoming part of the Spanish defence. I don't like the third option. The first option needs six hexes along the Med coast to be covered to prevent invasions. The CW don't have Amphibs yet, so it would only be a Div invasion. CW doesn't currently have any available. They would have to be built.

I think I need to get the Inf Div back for a potential surprise invasion of Cartagena. Have Balbo and a fast moving unit ready to be sailed across next impulse as reinforcements. If the defence is all forward, it could be an open back door (or at least force the Allies to take units from the front to deal with it).

ORIGINAL: Klydon

Do you propose basically ignoring the Suez then since you are going for Gibraltar?

Not that I have seen a lot (I have not) but typically a push in Africa goes along with the action against Gibraltar.

Initial push in Africa would be west to capture Algeria and Morocco (both bits). Pushing east needs 2 CP's to keep supply going (always vulnerable and spreads the escort out thinner), west just needs a CP in West Med (still not easy but less to cover).

ORIGINAL: Klydon

Do you propose basically ignoring the Suez then since you are going for Gibraltar?

Not that I have seen a lot (I have not) but typically a push in Africa goes along with the action against Gibraltar.

Agreed. Don't pull Italian units out of that region. You need to put pressure on the CW on as many places you can get units into. With Wavell in France, you should be able to try to grab Egypt with the Italians...

Bayonne is no problem, the moment you have collapsed Vichy. And here's something else to consider: why not collapse Vichy now, when the turn hasn't ended? It gives you the Spanish resource for a turn in Germany. It's no use to keep pretending that you will go into the USSR anymore...

So we will go for Spain. Next turn I start railing units from Poland to Southern France. Italy need to send NAV's as high box as possible at first impulse of next turn to intercept escaping French ships.

This impulse: Germany takes Combined and makes a long shot try to hit convoys in North Atlantic (2 submarines to North Atlantic box 1)

No air moves before land moves.

No rail moves

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: Klydon

Do you propose basically ignoring the Suez then since you are going for Gibraltar?

Not that I have seen a lot (I have not) but typically a push in Africa goes along with the action against Gibraltar.

Agreed. Don't pull Italian units out of that region. You need to put pressure on the CW on as many places you can get units into. With Wavell in France, you should be able to try to grab Egypt with the Italians...

Bayonne is no problem, the moment you have collapsed Vichy. And here's something else to consider: why not collapse Vichy now, when the turn hasn't ended? It gives you the Spanish resource for a turn in Germany. It's no use to keep pretending that you will go into the USSR anymore...

This idea sounds good, although Wavell is no longer in France but on a transport in Biscay.

ORIGINAL: Mayhemizer

So we will go for Spain. Next turn I start railing units from Poland to Southern France. Italy need to send NAV's as high box as possible at first impulse of next turn to intercept escaping French ships.

This impulse: Germany takes Combined and makes a long shot try to hit convoys in North Atlantic (2 submarines to North Atlantic box 1)

No air moves before land moves.

No rail moves

What say you to Centuur's idea about collapsing Vichy now? The Italian Nav, plus a couple of BB's and CA's are in the 2-box at the moment and are not disorganised.

OK, we can do that. Move also west in Africa with TER/INF so that they are closer to Algiers when next turn starts.