Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Allied #1.

[al] If I win the initiative I want to move first but I will not reroll for it

[ax] Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1939.
(1) Initiative: No advantage, allies win ties.
(2) D10: Axis 1, allied 6. Allies win first roll.
(3) Axis do not request a re-roll, allies have the initiative.
(4) As per instructions, allies elect to move first.

[ax] Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1939. Allied #1. Weather.
(1) +2 DRM.
(2) D10=8, Weather Roll=10. Weather if miserable all over except South Temperate!

[ax] JvR-07-SO40-AL-01.zip game turn sent.

Weather.

[jesperpehrson]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Allied #1.

[al] USSR - land
[al] China - land
[al] CW - naval
[al] France - combined
[al] US - combined

[al] No naval air

[al] Naval movement:
[al] CW protects their shipping.
[al] CW sails out into the North Sea with two CA.
[al] CW transports land- and airunits off the coast of Kola.

[al] France helps out in protecting the shipping.
[al] The US escorts allied shipping on the East Coast.

[al] Initiate combat.
[al] Allies will initiate in both the North Sea and the Italian Coast.

[al] No reactions possible in the north sea. Allies roll 9 and axis rolls 7. no combat.

[al] Italy can react with both several NAVs and FTR in the Italian Coast against the 3 CW subs
[al] any reaction?
[ax] 1 nav2 to 2 box and 1 ftr2 to 0 box. Pick the planes that you estimate are best for Italy.
[al] CW commits subs
[al] Allies roll 8, axis roll 6, no combat

[al] No groundstrikes
[al] No rail movement

[al] Landmovement highlights
[al] USSR continues to improve on the defensive perimeter on the Yalu and Liao Rivers.


[al] Nationalist China advances on Haichow and the resource there. Suchow is captured through a brilliant
offensive of HQ Stilwell.



[al] Airrebase CW:
[al] A FTR is rebased to Alexander in Murmansk
[al] 2 CVPs are loaded unto 2 CVLs in Plymouth.

[al] Impulse ends.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.
No DOWs. No special actions. No alignments.
Actions: Japan - combine, Germany - naval, Italy - naval.
End of turn chance: 0%.

Weather. Actions.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] Port attack. none.

[ax] Naval Air. Italy x 2.
(1) FTR2. Sicily 75,40 to Italian Coast (2-box).
(2) NAV2. Sicily 75,40 to Italian Coast (4-box).

[ax] Naval Movement. Italy.
(1) BB Cone Di Cavour. Italian Coast 1-box moves down to 0-box.
(2) CA Abruzzi. La Spezia moves to Italian Coast, 4-box.
(3) Italian sub group 5046. La Spezia to Bay of Biscay (2-box).
(4) Italian sub group 5042. La Spezia to Bay of Biscay (1-box).

Italian Naval Moves.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] German U-boat Movements. From Kiel to:
(1) 4833 to 3-box Norwegian Sea.
(2) 4834 & 4839 to 2-box Faeores Gap.
(3) 4837 & 4838 to 2-box Bay of Biscay.
(4) 4835 to 1-box Bay of Biscay.

[ax] German KM Movements. From Kiel to:
(1) BB Bismarck, Scharnorts, Gneisenau & CA Admiral Hipper to 4-box North Sea.
(2) CA Deutschland & Grap Spee to 4-box Baltic Sta.
(3) BB Schlesien to 2-box Baltic Sea.
(4) BB Schleseign-Holstein to 1-box Baltic Sea.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Constanta, Romania to:
(5) ROM CA Destroyer Flotilla to 4-box Black Sea.
(6) ROM CP to 0-box Black Sea.

KM Naval Moves.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] IJN Naval Moves x 2.
(1) TRS 4446. Wonsan, Korea to Fukuoka, picks up 2nd inf army and continues on the Haichow, China.
(2) Fukuoka. TRS 4445 w/12 inf army loaded & Amph 4435 moves out into the China Sea, amph loads 18th inf army from Osaka. Loaded TRS & Amph join 4 BBs, 3 CAs & empty TRS in 2-box of China Sea.

IJN Naval Moves.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] Naval Combat. KM. Faeores Gap (storms).
(1) Germany initiates with U-boat 4834 and commits both flotillas.
(2) Because of storms no air reactions possible.
(3) Search. KM=10, RN=5. Neither find.

Faeores Gap.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] Naval Combat. Germany/Italy. Bay of Biscay (storms).
(1) Germany initiates with 4837 (2-box).
(2) Germany and Italy commit their subs.
(3) No air reactions possible because of the storms.
(4) Search. Axis=6, Allied=10. Neither find.

Bay of Biscay.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] Naval Combat. Germany. Norwegian Sea (storms).
(1) Germany initiates with and commits U-boat 4833.
(2) No air reactions possible because of the storms.
(3) Search. Axis=5, Allied=4. Neither find.

Norwegian Sea.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] Naval Combat. KM. North Sea (storms).
(1) Germany initiates with CA Blucher in the 1-box.
(2) No air reactions possible because of the storms.
(3) Search. KM=9, RN=2. Only the RN finds. Instructions?

[al] What does charts look like of I fight the 4-box

[ax] This would give you 7 SPs.
RN would have 6 surface vs 4 ships which gives an initial risk of D, 2A.
KM would have 21 surface vs 2 ships which gives an initial risk of X, 2A

[al] Ok I Will fight just Blucher

[ax] copy that.

[al] Help me maximize damage and avoid damage please

[ax] This gives you 10 SPs.

[ax] 2 SPs would decrease RN's initial risk of 2A to no effect.

[ax] Remaining 8 SPs would increase Blucher risk from D to X, D.

[ax] Go with that?

[al] And of those 2 were used for more damage, what would the risk look like?

[ax] X, D, 2A.

[ax] Which is overkill.

[al] Ok with your initial idea

[ax] copy that.

[ax] X vs CA Blucher=8, damaged.
D vs (damaged) CA Blucher=7, sunk because of the damage.

[ax] KM stays. RN too?

[al] No thank you

[ax] copy that.

[ax] abort where?

[al] Plymouth

North Sea.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3.

[ax] Italian Coast. Italy does not initiate. Do the allies wish to?

[al] No thank you

[ax] copy that.

Italian Coast.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #3 (concluded).

[ax] Rail movement. Japan. none.

[ax] Land Movement. Japan x 3. 1 land move and 2 disembarks in China.

[ax] Land combat. none.

[ax] Air Rebase. Japan x 2.
(1) G3M2 (Nell). Kaifeng, China to Japan 76,162.
(2) D3A2 (Val). Tientsin, China to Haichow, China.

[ax] Air Rebase. Germany x 2.
(1) Bf 109 E-1. Calais, France to Cologne, Germany.
(2) Bf 109 E-2. Germany 51,35 to Poland 51,44.

[ax] This ends my impulse at the naval reorg phase.

[al] Roll the weather! [:)]

[ax] Ok.

[ax] Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Allied #5.
Weather, D10=2, Modified Weather Roll=2+2=4. Fine across the map.

[ax] JvR-07-SO40-AL-05.zip game turn sent.

[al] Very good! I Will look at it tomorrow. Good Night 😊

[ax] goodnight. [>:]

[jesperpehrson]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Allied #5.

[al] China - land
[al] USSR - land
[al] CW - Combined
[al] France - Naval
[al] US - Combined

[al] No naval air

[al] CW sails some CVs, CAs and BBs into the 0-box of the Bay of Biscay
[al] CW sails some SCS into the Eastern Med.
[al] France protects the allied shipping.

[al] The allies do not initiate naval combat anywhere
[al] Axis can initiate in the Bay of Biscay, do they want to?


[al] If yes, what SUB will flip?
[al] and if so CW will react with flying a NAV into the 0-box, will the German NAV or FTR react?
[ax] Initiate please. Flip german u-boat in 1 box.
[al] Any airreaction?
[al] CW reacts with a NAV to the 0-box
[ax] No reactions
[al] Axis rolls 4 and Allies roll 5
[al] Only the Axis finds (with the 2-box)


[ax] Select 1 box please.
[al] Ok
[ax] Fight surface. I think that gives me 2 sps?
[al] Yes 2 surprise, it will be surface
[al] Intitial risk is 2A for each side
[ax] Lower risk to A
[ax] Put A on weakest German sub which if aborts goes to brest
[al] CA Suffolk rolls 10, 1/2 A, second A on CA Suffolk makes sure it aborts
[ax] A on german SUB, roll is 7 and it is aborted to Brest
[ax] Axis stay but do not commit their subs.
[al] CW stay too

[al] CW stratbombs Stuttgart with a LND3
[al] a 2 is rolled


[al] CW groundstrikes hex SE of Bardia
[al] 2 and 6 rolled. Mech is flipped.


[al] Some minor railmovement for USSR

[al] Communist China threatens Beijing but is otherwise quite still


[al] Nationalist China, led by Stilwell, form a strong defensive line in Yangtse Valley


[al] CW moves in on the disorganized Italians in Libya

[al] CW attacks the hex SE of Bardia - initially +11,4 assault or +13,4 blitz
[al] CW adds 9 points from shore bombardment, changing the odds to +15 assault or +17 blitz
[al] No HQ support


[al] Assault or blitz?
[ax] Assault please
[al] roll is 12, success!

[al] Minor rebases in England
[al] No reorg

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #6.

[ax] Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #6.
No DOWs. No special actions. No alignments.
Actions: Japan - land, Germany - land, Italy - combine.
End of turn chance: 0%

Weather. Actions.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #6 (continued).

[ax] Port Attack. None.

[ax] Naval Air. Germany. He 112 FTR2. Brest to 2-box, Bay of Biscay.

[ax] Naval Movement. Italy x 1. none.

[ax] Naval Combat. Bay of Biscay. Italy/Germany.
(1) Italian sub group in 1-box (5042) initiates.
(2) Air reaction: Germany reacts He 115C NAV2 to 2-box.
(3) Air reactions: CW has Beau FTR2 that in Liverpool that can react up to the 2-box. Does it reaction and if so which box?

[al] No reaction

[ax] copy that.

[ax] (4) Axis commit their sub groups.
(5) Search. Axis=7, Allied=9. Nobody finds.

[ax] Italian Coast. No combat.

[ax] Strategic bombing. none.

Bay of Biscay.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #6 (continued).

[ax] Ground Strike. Japan x 2.
(1) Ki-30 (Ann) (2 TAC) vs Stillwell HQ-I.
(2) Ki-27 F/B (Nate) (1 TAC) vs Lanchow MIL.

[ax] (3) D10 vs Lanchow MIL=6, missed.

[ax] (4) D10 vs Stilwell HQ-I=6, missed.

[al] Phew

[ax] Well, the odds were against Japan. [:(]

[ax] But worth the shot.

[ax] Rail. Japan. none.

[ax] Land Combat. Japan x 2. (initial)
(1) +4.750 vs Lanchow MIL. (3 attackers).
(2) +2.50 vs Stillwell HQ-I (2 attackers).

[ax] Does Stillwell provide -1 in defensive HQ support?

[al] No

[ax] copy that.

[ax] Ground Support. Japan.
(1) +1 factor (+0.25) to attack on Lanchow MIL. Final odds: +5
(2) +5 factors (+2.5) to attack on Stillwell HQ-I. Final odds: +5 (coincidentally too)
Choice of CRT (both attacks)?

[al] Assault on both

[ax] copy that.

[ax] Land Combat. Japan. +5 Assault vs Lanchow MIL (CHI 68,145)
(1) No fractional.
(2) 2D10=16, result=21.
(3) Lanchow MIL destroyed and 1 attacker flipped (Imp. Guard MAR)

Land Combat. IJA. +5 Assault on Lanchow MIL.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #6 (continued).

[ax] Land Combat. Japan. +5 Assault vs Nanking, China (Stillwell HQ-I).
(1) No fractional.
(2) 2D10=19, result=24.
(3) Stillwell HQ-I destroyed with no losses or flips.

[ax] I must admit that those two land combats were bordering on a bit desperate but fortunately for Japan they rolled extremely well. I know that's little comfort for you but actually I'm more relieved than elated. [:(]

[al] Jeebus Ronnie

[ax] US Entry Action: Japan occupies a Chinese City (Nanking). D10=3, one US entry chit added (2-val).

[ax] After further analysis it's more correct to characterize the two land combat as not "bordering on desperate" but as necessary. Yes, that feels more correct. The funny thing was that because I felt the two attacks were necessary I was at peace before I rolled with whatever result turned up. The worse case would have been the loss of 5 Japanese units in China. In effective, the Imperial Japan was willing to accept that risk [of losing 5 units] as necessary and was at peace with whatever result was obtained.

Land Combat. IJA. +5 Assault on Stillwell HQ-I.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #6 (continued).

[ax] Rail. Germany x 1.
(1) Stettin MIL. Stettin to Lyons, France.

[ax] Rail. Italy. none.

[al] I was wondering if the war on Russia was still on the menu but I guess it makes sense that it isnt

[ax] Not this late in the turn I'm afraid.

[al] Yeah, it could be a short turn

[al] Good news for Russia, bad news for Allied shipping [:)]

[ax] Air Rebase. Germany x 3.
(1) Bf 109 E-4. Poland 52,45 to 54,48.
(2) Bf 110C F/B. Lodz, Poland to Romania 59,53.
(3) Bf 109 E-2. Poland 51,44 to Prussia 46,47.

[ax] Air Rebase. Italy x 2.
(1) Freccia FTR2. Turin, Italy to Germany 55,38.
(2) CR.42 FTR2. La Spezia to Germany 55,36.

Eastern Europe.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #6 (continued).

[ax] That ends my impulse at the Japanese naval reorg phase.

Korea. Southern Manchuria.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #6 (concluded).

[ax] If it's ok will let you have the honor of the weather roll this time. [8D]

[ax] That ends my impulse at the Japanese naval reorg phase.

China.