Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

[jesperpehrson]

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

[al] Weather 8.


[al] No DOW or alignments.

[al] China - land
[al] USSR - land
[al] CW - land
[al] France - pass
[al] US - pass

[al] No port attack
[al] No naval air

[al] France sails some ships into the shipping lanes.
[al] A french CA in New Caledonia sails towards Indochine.

[al] No naval combat.
[al] No stratboming.
[al] No groundstrikes.

[al] USSR rails an INF to Vladivostok.

[al] USSR advances in Manchuria as Japan retreats.


[al] CW moves in on the last Italian defenders in Bardia.
[al] The Egyptian TERR moves back to defend Cairo from the marauding Italians.


[al] The Glasgow MIL debarks in Murmansk.

[al] CW makes two attacks:


[al] Bardia +15,5 assault (+17,5 blitz)
[al] Eritrean TERR +14 assault
[al] After shore bombardment the attack on Bardia is +16
[al] No HQ support
[al] Assault or blitz on both please
[ax] Assault both please.
[al] The attack against the Eritrean - roll 14
[al] The attack against Bardia - roll 6. Half of the british are flipped
[al] INF and MOT are flipped


[al] FTR rebased to London and NAV to Malta

[al] No reorg

[al] End of turn - 7 rolled
[al] sending the turn

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #9.

[ax] Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #9.
No DOWs. No special actions. No alignments.
Actions: Japan - land, Germany - land, Italy - combine.
End of turn chance: 30%.

[ax] Port attack: none.

[ax] Naval air: none.

Weather. Actions.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #9.

[ax] Naval Combat. Italy. Bay of Biscay.
(1) Italian sub group 5046 in 2-box initiates.
(2) No (additional) air reactions by either side are possible.
(3) The axis commit their sub groups and U-boat flotillas.
(4) Search. Axis=9, Allied=9. Neither side remotely close to finding

[ax] Naval Combat. Italy. Italian Coast. no combat.

Bay of Biscay.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #9.

[ax] Strategic bombing: none.

[ax] Ground strike: none.

[ax] Rail. Japan. none.

[ax] Rail. Germany. none.

[ax] Rail. Italy. Turin MIL. Turin to Antwerp, Belgium.

[ax] Air rebase. Japan x 1. G3M2 (Nell). Japan 76,162 to Korea 70,153.

[ax] Air rebase, Italy x 3
(1) CR.42 FTR2. France 53,30 to Brest.
(2) G.50. FTR2. Germany 55,38 to France 53,30.
(3) CR.42. FTR2. Germany 55,36 to Germany 54,37.

[ax] Air Rebase. Germany x 4
(1) Do 17z. Poland 49,45 to Memel, Germany.
(2) ROM IAR 37. Poland 52,48 to Iasi, Romania.
(3) He 100 FTR2. Konigsberg, Germany to Poland 51,47.
(4) Stuka 87B. Konigsberg, Germany to Poland 52,48.

Manchuria. Korea.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Axis #9.

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

[ax] JvR-07-SO40-AX-09-eoi.zip game turn sent.

[al] Can you manually roll for end of turn and report back please [:)]

[ax] Ok. But I'll let you enter the result either way if that's ok.

[al] Yes

[ax] Turn ends on a roll of 3 or less.

[ax] D10=7, turn continues.

[ax] Do you also want me to roll for weather?

[al] Sure

[al] hehe my MWIF rolled 2 to end the turn [:'(]

[ax] Weather, D10=2. DRM=+1. Weather=3. Fine across the map.

[al] Interesting!

[ax] Certainly is. [8D]

[al] t will be at least 50% to end the turn

China.

[jesperpehrson]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. Allied #11.

[ax] Do you also want me to roll for weather?
[al] Sure
[ax] Weather, D10=2. DRM=+1. Weather=3. Fine across the map.


[al] No DOW or alignments

[al] USSR - land
[al] China - land
[al] CW - land
[al] France - pass
[al] US - pass

[al] 50% to end the turn

[al] No port attack
[al] No naval air
[al] No naval combat
[al] No strat bombing
[al] No groundstrikes
[al] No rail movement

[al] CW moves west towards Tripoli
[al] Aswan is recaptured and Port Sudan is within striking distance of the Sudanese TERR.


[al] Nationalist China tries to consolidate after the wildly successful attack on Nanking.


[al] The communists recapture Paoting and Kaifeng.
[al] The Russians move in to strike on the CAV stationed along the northern bank of the Liao River.


[al] USSR attacks the Japanese CAV. 22:3 initially +15,7 blitz.


[al] Does Japan wish to commit their HQ to support the defense?
[al] Does Japan wish to fly 1 point of TAC with their NAV stationed in west of Pyongyang?
[ax] Do the Soviets have anyone besides zuhkov HQ-a to take a loss?
[al] No
[ax] Fly ftr2 w/bomber please.
[al] Ok.
[al] HQ?
[ax] Yes please
[al] Zhukov also adds his support
[al] USSR also flies their FTR

[al] Aircombat
[al] Axis rolls 10, AC but no target
[al] Allies roll 16, AA, aborting the bomber
[al] Back to where they came from?
[ax] Return to port Arthur pkease.

[al] Final odds +17,2 blitz


[al] Fractional odds are 926, failure
[al] attackroll is 7
[al] breakthrough


[al] End of turn roll is a 5.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. End of Turn.

[al] The turn ends

[al] Partisans:
Korea 74
China 49
Malaya 67
NEI 2, garrison 3, pick partisan 6, pick partisan 7
Burma 34
Manchuria 80
India 37
Yugoslavia 9, garrison 10
French Indochine 31

Italian 1-2 partisan to be placed

[al] The oil in Palembang?

[al] There are no ships or air to punish, the other 2 oil are for Japan (a lesson I learned dearly last game) so it is the only thing that makes sense so I will place it there.

[al] 2 offensive markers for Germany and 1 defensive for USSR

[al] 1 chit towards Japan

[al] No option chosen as the chit drawn was a 0.

[ax] Partisan on oil fine.

[al] It was the only place where you did any damage and it will take some action from the NEI garrison to get rid of the partisan at least.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. End of Turn (continued).

[ax] Preliminary Production. Germany.
(1) 4 of 7 oil used for production.
(2) 3 oil saved (GER 51,36 to Berlin; AUS 56,40 to Cologne; Polesti #1 to Prague)
(3) 30 of 31 factories producing 30 PPs.
(4) 30 PPs x 0.75=23 BPs. -2 Trade. 21 BPs for builds.

[ax] Preliminary Production. Italy.
(1) no oil.
(2) 8 of 11 factories producing 8 PPs.
(3) 8 PPs x 0.75 = 6 BPs for builds.

[ax] Preliminary Production. Japan.
(1) 2 of 4 oil used for production.
(2) 2 oil saved (Tarakan to Tokyo & Balikpapan to Ominato)
(3) 9 of 17 factories producing 9 PPs.
(4) 9 PPs x 1 = 9 BPs for builds.

[ax] Stay at Sea/Return to Base. Germany.
(1) All CPs at sea remain where they are.
(2) All U-boat flotillas at sea return to Brest.
(3) FTR2 & NAV2 in Bay of Biscay, 3-box return to Brest.
(4) CA Adm Hipper in North Sea, 4-box stays and moves down to 3-box.
(5) 3 BBs in North Sea, 4-box return to Brest.
(6) All KM ships in the Baltic stay and move down 1 box accordingly.
(7) ROM CA Destroyer Flotilla in Black Sea, 4-box stays and moves down to 3-box.

[ax] Stay at Sea/Return to Base. Italy.
(1) All CPs (only 1) at sea remain where it is.
(2) All sub groups return to Bordeaux, France.
(3) All ships in the Italian Coast that can stay at sea and move down 1 box accordingly.
(4) 2 NAVs & FTR2 return to La Spezia.

[ax] Stay at Sea/Return to Base. Japan.
(1) All CPs at sea remain where they are.
(2) Sea of Japan. All ships, which are in 2-box, stay and move down to 1-box.
(3) China Sea. 2 TRS & Amph in 2-box returns to Fukuoka. All (other) warships in the 2-box stay and move down to 1-box.
(4) Japanese Coast. All ships, which are in 2-box, stay and move down to 1-box.
(5) South China Sea. CA in 2-box stays and moves down to 1-box.

[ax] Stay at Sea/Return to Base. Italy (addendum).
(5) BB Contre Di Cavour, 0-box Italian Coast returns to Trieste.
(6) NAV2 in 3-box returns to Naples.

[ax] Use Oil. Japan.
(1) 2.1 required. 2 available. Reorg all except CA Haguro.

[ax] Use Oil. Germany.
(1) 1.2 required. Reorg all with saved oil in Berlin & 0.2 from AUT[56,40].
(2) 1 oil consumed.

[ax] Use Oil. Italy.
(1) Check, Include oil from cooperating major powers.
(2) 0.7 required. Reorg all with 0.8 oil left from AUT[56,40].

[ax] Break Down Corps/Armies. Axis. none.

[ax] Production Final. Axis.
(1) Germany. 21 BPs/2 saved oil (Berlin & Prague).
(2) Italy. 6 BPs/0 saved oil.
(3) Japan. 9 BPs/2 saved oil (Tokyo, Ominato).

[ax] Scrap Destroyed. Axis.
(1) Germany. CA Blucher.
(2) Italy. none.
(3) Japan. none.

[ax] Builds. Axis.
(1) Germany (21 BPs): PIL(2), FTR(2), Sub 1st(1) x 2, AT div(3), Arm(6), Mot Div(2), MIL(2)x2
(2) Italy (6 BPs): HQ-I(5), Sub 5051 2nd(1)
(3) Japan (9 BPs): Synth(8), CP(1)

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. End of Turn (continued).

[al] Preliminary Production. China.
(1) 0 oil saved.
(2) 7 of 8 factories producing 7 PPs.
(3) 7 PPs x 1= 7 BPs + 1 saved BPs. 8 BPs for builds.

[al] Preliminary Production. CW.
(1) 3 oil saved (Egypt, Glasgow, Georgetown)
(2) 22 of 22 factories producing 22 PPs + 3 FiF. Total of 25 PPs
(3) 25 PPs x 0,75= 19 BPs - 2 traded BPs. 17 BPs for builds.

[al] Preliminary Production. France.
(1) 1 oil saved in Syria.
(2) 0 of 0 factories producing 0 PPs.
(3) 0 PPs x 0,75= 0 BPs + 2 traded BPs. 2 BPs for builds.

[al] Preliminary Production. US.
(1) 0 oil saved.
(2) 39 of 40 factories producing 39 PPs.
(3) 39 PPs x 0,25= 10 BPs for builds.

[al] Preliminary Production. USSR.
(1) 0 oil saved.
(2) 27 of 30 factories producing 27 PPs.
(3) 27 PPs x 0,5= 14 BPs + 2 traded BPs. 16 BPs for builds.

[al] CW keeps ships in the shippinglanes and the the western and eastern med.

[al] France keeps ships in the shippinglanes and the western med

[al] CW ships return to Plymouth, Gibraltar, Malta and Scapa.

[al] French ships return to Oran, Casablanca and Dakar

[al] Italy had one extra airunit that did not have room in La Spezia, I placed it in Leghorn, next to La Spezia

[al] China uses no oil
CW uses 4 oil
France uses 1 oil
US uses 0 oil
USSR uses 1 oil

[al] No allied breakdowns

[al] Production Final. Allies.
(1) China 8 BPs/0 saved oil
(2) CW 17 BPs/9 saved oil
(3) France 2 BPs/2 saved oil
(4) US 10 BPs/4 saved oil
(5) USSR 16 BPs/4 saved oil

[al] No allied scrapping

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. End of Turn (continued).

[al] Builds. Allies.
(1) China (8BPs): INF HQ, CAV, save 1 BP
(2) CW (17 BPs): PILx2, LND4, CPx2, AMPH1st, TERRx2
(3) France (2 BPs): PIL
(4) US (10 BPs): Carrier 2nd, TRS, PIL, INF
(5) USSR (16 BPs): ARM, MOT, MILx2, PIL

[al] Reinforcements. Allies.
(1) China: Place CAV division in Suchow.
(2) CW: Assign no pilots
Place 1 CP in Plymouth and 1 in Halifax
Place Indian INF in Madras, place TERRs in Kampala and Lagos
(3) US: Assign no pilots
Place CV Langley and MAR division in San Diego.
Place TRS in Newark.
(4) USSR:
Place MIL in their respective cities.
Place MECH and MOT in Gomel.
Place GARR in Dnepropetrovsk.
Place 4-3 and 5-3 INF in Smolensk.
Place 7-3 INF in Vitebsk.

[al] Reinforcements. Allies.
(1) China: Place CAV division in Suchow.
(2) CW: Assign no pilots
Place 1 CP in Plymouth and 1 in Halifax
Place Indian INF in Madras, place TERRs in Kampala and Lagos
(3) US: Assign no pilots
Place CV Langley and MAR division in San Diego.
Place TRS in Newark.
(4) USSR:
Place MIL in their respective cities.
Place MECH and MOT in Gomel.
Place GARR in Dnepropetrovsk.
Place 4-3 and 5-3 INF in Smolensk.
Place 7-3 INF in Vitebsk.

[al] Tradeagreements. Allies.
(1) CW stops sending BPs to France.

[al] If I win initiative I will move first but no reroll possible.

[rkr1958]

Turn 7. Sep/Oct 1940. End of Turn (concluded).

[ax] Reinforcements. Germany.
(1) 1/1 PIL placed in Bf 109 E-3.
(2) Munich & Breslau MILs in own cities.
(3) Bf 109 E-3 FTR2 & mech div in Konigsberg.
(4) No planes removed.

[ax] Reinforcements. Italy.
(1) Badoglio HQ-I to Turin, Italy.

[ax] Reinforcements. Japan.
(1) Peking Warlord in Peking.
(2) 6th and 14th inf army to Fukuoka
(3) 27th Gar army to Osaka.
(4) No planes removed.

[rkr1958]

Turn 8. Nov/Dec 1940. Start of Turn.

[ax] Resource Lending.
(1) Axis. No changes.
(2) Allied. CW stops 2 BPs to France.

[ax] Turn 8. Nov/Dec 1940. Initiative.
(1) Axis +1 and win ties.
(2) Axis: D10=9, result=10.
(3) Allied: D10=1.
(4) Axis win the initiative 10 to 1 and elect to move first.

[ax] Turn 8. Nov/Dec 1940. Axis #1.
(1) Weather: D10=8, Snow, Snow, Rain, Fine, Rain, Fine.
(2) Impulse Advance: 2, DRM +1.

[ax] I'm learning towards a bold move by germany possibly involving a super combine.

[al] Do tell!

[al] Invasion of England?

[ax] No worry. Not that bold.

[ax] I'm torn between launching baraorossa and taking a naval with Germany.

[ax] Right now I think I may just do both.

[al] Nov/Dec Barbarossa in the snow?"

[ax] Why not?

[al] Sure [:)]

[ax] I just can't seeing giving the Soviets and cw a pass.

[ax] I need to sink convoys

[ax] And get into Russia

[al] It is a bold move. If you want my two cents I would give em but I do not want to advise you against your will [:)]

[ax] Your comments are always welcomed but I have to go with my gut.

[al] Of course

[al] My initial reaction would be something like this:
CW has 10 or more CP lying around so even a great success would not hamper production in the short term. I think the Atlantic war is a war of attirition and not in one burst.
Using a offensive chit for this makes your Barbarossa weaker whilst not accomplishing something crippling to CW even if successful.

As for the Barbarossa I will not advise you, it seems bold but perhaps a smashing success! [:)]

[ax] Interesting. End of turn and start of turn posted including this conversation, which should draw some attention from the forum. [8D]

[ax] But I still haven't made a final decision. I will need to take some time to think on it. [&:]

[John B.]

Barbarossa in the winter with bad weather almost certain for most of the next two turns seems very risky. You're less likely to be able to exploit your air advantage, breakthroughs are limited by higher mp costs and supply range is similarly limited. But, it's always easy to give advice when you're not the one rolling the dice.

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: John B.

Barbarossa in the winter with bad weather almost certain for most of the next two turns seems very risky. You're less likely to be able to exploit your air advantage, breakthroughs are limited by higher mp costs and supply range is similarly limited. But, it's always easy to give advice when you're not the one rolling the dice.

Thanks. It may be a colossal mistake but I'm not above making such mistakes. [;)]

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: rkr1958

ORIGINAL: John B.

Barbarossa in the winter with bad weather almost certain for most of the next two turns seems very risky. You're less likely to be able to exploit your air advantage, breakthroughs are limited by higher mp costs and supply range is similarly limited. But, it's always easy to give advice when you're not the one rolling the dice.

Thanks. It may be a colossal mistake but I'm not above making such mistakes. [;)]

I would attack. Why?
First the US entry chits taken are still the 1940 ones, which means a less chance of hitting high chits.
Second: the Soviets are far, far back defending, they can't interfere with you entering Eastern Poland and reclaiming Bessarabia. To avoid giving the Soviets a production bonus, don't enter the USSR itself (only Bessarabia is part of the USSR, but if you to take all hexes there it reverts to Rumania and you don't give a bonus to the USSR).
Third: you've got enough time to get your airforce on the frontlines and can enter the USSR proper, the first impulse the weather is good again.
Fourth: you haven't anything to gain from your surprise impulse with the Soviets so far back. It's wasted anyhow, because there is no one to attack or ground strike within range...

[John B.]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: rkr1958

ORIGINAL: John B.

Barbarossa in the winter with bad weather almost certain for most of the next two turns seems very risky. You're less likely to be able to exploit your air advantage, breakthroughs are limited by higher mp costs and supply range is similarly limited. But, it's always easy to give advice when you're not the one rolling the dice.

Thanks. It may be a colossal mistake but I'm not above making such mistakes. [;)]

I would attack. Why?
First the US entry chits taken are still the 1940 ones, which means a less chance of hitting high chits.
Second: the Soviets are far, far back defending, they can't interfere with you entering Eastern Poland and reclaiming Bessarabia. To avoid giving the Soviets a production bonus, don't enter the USSR itself (only Bessarabia is part of the USSR, but if you to take all hexes there it reverts to Rumania and you don't give a bonus to the USSR).
Third: you've got enough time to get your airforce on the frontlines and can enter the USSR proper, the first impulse the weather is good again.
Fourth: you haven't anything to gain from your surprise impulse with the Soviets so far back. It's wasted anyhow, because there is no one to attack or ground strike within range...

This is sound advice and best of all, either Centaur or I would be able to say "I told you so."

I confess that I play the WiF Collector's Edition rules which say that Russia gets a production bonus on the turn Germany declares war on the Soviet Union. So, if in the on-line version there is no production bonus until you enter the prewar Soviet Union then it sounds like you can occupy Eastern Poland and Bessarabia for free and then sit there until the sun shines and dries out the mud it makes a whole lot of sense.

[Courtenay]

Actually, I have been surprised that Barbarossa hasn't happened already. The surprise impulse is meaningless with no Russians in range. The bad weather is also meaningless. The point is to grab as much stuff outside of Russia proper before the good weather comes, without giving the Russians a production boost, except for Bessarabia, which only gives a boost for one turn.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

Actually, I have been surprised that Barbarossa hasn't happened already. The surprise impulse is meaningless with no Russians in range. The bad weather is also meaningless. The point is to grab as much stuff outside of Russia proper before the good weather comes, without giving the Russians a production boost, except for Bessarabia, which only gives a boost for one turn.

Bessarabia doesn't give a production boost if you grab all hexes before the end of turn. The rules say that there has to be a in supply unit in the Soviet Union at the time of production. If Bessarabia is Rumanian again, that means that Axis units there don't give a bonus.

[Courtenay]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

Actually, I have been surprised that Barbarossa hasn't happened already. The surprise impulse is meaningless with no Russians in range. The bad weather is also meaningless. The point is to grab as much stuff outside of Russia proper before the good weather comes, without giving the Russians a production boost, except for Bessarabia, which only gives a boost for one turn.

Bessarabia doesn't give a production boost if you grab all hexes before the end of turn. The rules say that there has to be a in supply unit in the Soviet Union at the time of production. If Bessarabia is Rumanian again, that means that Axis units there don't give a bonus.

OK. Another rule I have forgotten.

Even more reason to do Barbarossa.

I am a little dubious of the historical accuracy of driving up to an arbitrary line and stopping for a while, but those are the rules of the game.

[John B.]

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

Actually, I have been surprised that Barbarossa hasn't happened already. The surprise impulse is meaningless with no Russians in range. The bad weather is also meaningless. The point is to grab as much stuff outside of Russia proper before the good weather comes, without giving the Russians a production boost, except for Bessarabia, which only gives a boost for one turn.

Bessarabia doesn't give a production boost if you grab all hexes before the end of turn. The rules say that there has to be a in supply unit in the Soviet Union at the time of production. If Bessarabia is Rumanian again, that means that Axis units there don't give a bonus.

OK. Another rule I have forgotten.

Even more reason to do Barbarossa.

I am a little dubious of the historical accuracy of driving up to an arbitrary line and stopping for a while, but those are the rules of the game.

I guess they wanted to counter the Soviet move of defending far far from the frontier.