Solitaire game starting late '42

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Mon Aug 02, 2021 3:54 pm

The Italian airforce has swelled to the point they can attempt some land bombing... the Black Widow shows up despite being based on the other side of the planet it seems, but an 11 gets the bomber through, and its escort isnt even shot down...

The bombs miss though.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Mon Aug 02, 2021 3:58 pm

Axis impulse #7.

They all take land actions. Though Japan has storms in the Philippines, again. Bad weather really cripples advances against even meagre opposition... nice weather in the SU though.

Getting a bit tense again in northern China...

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:00 pm

The Philippines just waiting for the weather to break...

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:02 pm

... but the US will take New Britain back this turn it seems.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:15 pm

Feels like the eastern front is finally winding down too... the Germans lack the force to contest anything this impulse. In fact there's a general shortage of units, the line is quite ragged.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Mon Aug 02, 2021 6:53 pm

Allied impulse #8 is all land actions and all very minor, aside from the marines on New Britain, who seize Rabaul. There was a Reisen and two BBs on New Britain... none make it out. Lightning raid. [X(][X(] The Japanese are not exactly happy.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:10 am

Of all the mishandling going on in a game full of it (like not railing the factories out of the USSR), Japan's abysmal handling is surely the prize.

Really this is not what the plan was. They should have a reserve force, their many marines most likely, sitting back in some port on Mindanao ready to counter anywhere in the Empire the US or Commonwealth show up.

So that attack on Rabaul should not have happened. They should have the Imperial Guard ready to fight fires. It's pretty easy to stop an attack like that, at least where interior lines hold (and the Bismarck Sea was impossible to contest, at least until now maybe).

But the Imperial Guard are fighting in the Philippines still. And will be until the weather breaks. Which could be... whenever, based on past experience. When the weather breaks they got a couple of chances with their bad bombers to disorg, and then an attack which is probably 50/50 and if it fails, wait a turn. It could take a long time.

And why is that, in 1943? Well, i don't know to be be honest. Getting the historical territory seemed to be quite difficult. No surprise opener with a combined o-chit probably didn't help. But it took months to reduce Malaya due to constant bad weather. I'm not sure if it was just bad weather or wrong timing or what. Japan started early against the Commonwealth so if anything they should've been quicker, not slower.

Maybe I should just ignore the Philippines all along, but having US held ports right in the middle of the Empire seems a bit iffy. Guam is still US, I plan on having Japan pick it up at least, that should be easy.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Thu Aug 05, 2021 4:54 pm

Jul/Aug 43, Axis impulse #9.

Rain in most of the SU, worse in the Philippines, so not much to do. All the Axis take a land action.

Italy rearranged a bit, nothing too cool.

Antipartisan activities around Kalgan, a couple of MILs are destroyed, but one at least can be swiftly returned as its a warlord, a slightly below average roll, but thats partisans in the mountains for you.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Thu Aug 05, 2021 4:59 pm

And there's an attack at the southern end of the eastern front where there's still decent weather. A good roll could possibly push forward a bit - but its not a good roll,so the Germans seize up here too.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Thu Aug 05, 2021 5:27 pm

Impulse #11, its getting late and there are some must haves regarding supply lines, so CW/US take naval actions, SU takes land of course.

First off the Allies decide to bomb La Spezia. This turns out to be an incredibly bad idea as the italian AA from the BBs there blows a CVA right out of the air, and getting CVAs to the Med takes a turn. Actually longer, as I took it from CV Ranger so its an American CVA. Ranger can probably go to the Pacific, the CW is fine, and the US needs all the flat tops.

But Vittorio Veneto is damaged so its not all bad.

Main thing the CW/US do is move convoys and a TRN just in case (to the 2 box) to the Coral Sea, to open up supply. The Aussie/NZ navy does convoy duty, and there are some US battleships around in the higher boxes, and of course all the LBA around. It's quite raidable though being so near Truk.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Thu Aug 05, 2021 5:28 pm

The turn doesn't end, giving the Axis what is probably a final go.

If Italy surrenders when the Allies have more units in Italy, more or less on a 1 for 1, then I'm pretty sure they are going to surrender this turn... Sicily alone has 21 units in it, mostly strategic bombers, but also Eisenhower and Gort.

Courtenay · Post by **Courtenay** » Fri Aug 06, 2021 11:58 am

ORIGINAL: EUBanana

The turn doesn't end, giving the Axis what is probably a final go.

If Italy surrenders when the Allies have more units in Italy, more or less on a 1 for 1, then I'm pretty sure they are going to surrender this turn... Sicily alone has 21 units in it, mostly strategic bombers, but also Eisenhower and Gort.

Sounds likely. Italian units not in Italy don't surrender, so the Axis, if they are convinced that the Italians will surrender, should try and get Italian units out of Italy.

rkr1958 · Post by **rkr1958** » Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:53 pm

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

ORIGINAL: EUBanana

The turn doesn't end, giving the Axis what is probably a final go.

If Italy surrenders when the Allies have more units in Italy, more or less on a 1 for 1, then I'm pretty sure they are going to surrender this turn... Sicily alone has 21 units in it, mostly strategic bombers, but also Eisenhower and Gort.
Sounds likely. Italian units not in Italy don't surrender, so the Axis, if they are convinced that the Italians will surrender, should try and get Italian units out of Italy.

Units have to be organized and not in contact (i.e., not adjacent) to the enemy to count? I phrased this as a question as I'm pretty sure but not 100% sure.

Courtenay · Post by **Courtenay** » Fri Aug 06, 2021 5:29 pm

ORIGINAL: rkr1958

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

ORIGINAL: EUBanana

The turn doesn't end, giving the Axis what is probably a final go.

If Italy surrenders when the Allies have more units in Italy, more or less on a 1 for 1, then I'm pretty sure they are going to surrender this turn... Sicily alone has 21 units in it, mostly strategic bombers, but also Eisenhower and Gort.
Sounds likely. Italian units not in Italy don't surrender, so the Axis, if they are convinced that the Italians will surrender, should try and get Italian units out of Italy.
Units have to be organized and not in contact (i.e., not adjacent) to the enemy to count? I phrased this as a question as I'm pretty sure but not 100% sure.

Yes, but reorganization occurs BEFORE conquest, so you get a chance to reorganize everything first. Units in zones of control, though, don't count.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:18 am

Well there's only so much Italy can do to pull units out. They take a combined action to get a few out, Germany takes a naval as its impulse #13 and they may as well use the fleet at some point.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:22 am

The Italian navy manages to jump a transport finally which doesn't have an aircraft - even if it did I think they'd catch it.

So maybe a final FU to the Allies?

The BBs get a shot off at the transport but it's lucky, and the escorts take up the rest of the beating.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:27 am

There's a fight in the Faeroes Gap, but the Allies avoid it, as why upset the boat (hehe), they probably won't get a go to fix any convoy breaks as its impulse #13.

And the Axis manage to abort a couple of convoys in the eastern Med. And that's basically it for the naval effort from the Axis in this probably final impulse.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:38 am

Not much else happens.

And the turn ends.

Awaiting news on italy... but production first it seems.

Germany has 44 points
3 pilots
1 CVA (they do have Graf Zeppelin after all)
FTR 3
LND 3 x2
2 SUB construction
ARM
INF
GARR
Offensive

italy has 4 (Germany cut off their trade last turn)
Pilot/FTR

Japan has 17
4 Pilot
2 CVA-0
2 CVA-1
1 naval repair
2 warlord
1 antitank, gearing trouble

China has 9
LND-4, lendlease Liberator
couple of divs

CW has 36
naval repair
3 pilots
2 FTR-3
Arty 6
Offensive
Sub construction (gearing again...)

US has 56
4 naval repair
4 pilot
3 CVA-1
2 LND-4
3 MECH
INF-div
Offensive

Soviet Union has 28
3 pilot
2 LND-2
1 FTR-2
2 MOT
1 Antitank 5
INF

It Happens...

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:42 am

Well, that changes things.

At least the Germans formed a defensive line.

EUBanana · Post by **EUBanana** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:45 am

Not that I pay all that much attention to this, but...

Solitaire game starting late '42

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RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

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RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

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RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

RE: Solitaire game starting late '42

RE: Solitaire game starting late '42