Cohen vs Enrico - AAR

[AlbertN]

End of NOV / DEC 40 - JAN / FEB 1941.

EUROPE:
Gibraltar fell, a grand loss for the Commonwealth. (2 INF, 1 INF-Div, 1 FTR2, 1 TRS).
The German codebreakers of the Royal Navy discovered different and contrasting orders, plans for evacuation and plans to reinforce in case Tangers would have been occupied (Being on Skype with the opponent, at times we exchange comments and he was having second thoughts of seizing Tangers, this time occupying it and using it as additional airbase).

Sofia fell, and the Germans started to descend toward Athens, the Italians shipped German troops in Patras. By the start of the 1941 Athens was well surrounded and with the Regia Marina shore bombing the defenders. The Greeks stood no chance.

In the while the British submarines tried to interdict Italian shipping in the Mediterranean, without success. And the Italians started to bring more troops in Libya. The Luftwaffe begins to move planes in that direction as well.

The Great Britain homeland suffers the first bombing mission from the Germans, with a mild success (1 point scored), Air Marshal Dowding is in despair "Where are my Spitfires?" he complained to Churchill. The Commonwealth is indeed producing fighters, now that they've got only a Hurricane (4 Air to Air); but their factories churned out a Defiant the previous turn, and now a South African fighter.
On the other hand, the Royal Navy got all of its carriers manned with "modern" planes (as per the largest factor they can get on board!).

Meanwhile the German security forces sweep partisans in Hungary and Poland, Stalin mildly reinforces the European sector, but devotes a few corps to the Manchurian Front.

The burnout of O-Chits from Germans and the longer term plan to struggle against the Royal Navy to isolate the Rock implies the Germans are not ready to strike the Soviets in '41, albeit the Soviet themselves appear pretty weak too in the center and north; being very strong at the Dnepr instead.
The economical plans suggest that the 3 Resources the Soviets are giving now are worth more than the 2 BPs provided, though Germany could be confident enough to seize the Krivoy Rog mining facilities and keep the 2 BPs. But that would peak up the Soviet production to very high peaks. On the other hand there is the need to relieve somehow Japan from the incoming storm.
Also - with the long plan in mind of a 42 Barbarossa, Germany has already on the map all of the 3 Synth.Oil plants, and Italy has both of them in the production spiral. Germany has also on the spiral 2 O-Chits, but the land forces for Germany are barely augmented since the start of the game.

Screenshot of Start of Turn (After Weather) of March / April 1941:

[AlbertN]

The Soviet Front - still at peace - start of March / April 1941.

[AlbertN]

NOV / DEC 40 - JAN / FEB 41 - China & Manchuria

The Japanese force struggled against the moonsoon but once the weather improved they kept up a good push, Kweyiang fell to an assault without loss from the Japanese and the repelled Chinese forces that survived the first onslaught both butchered in the plains west of the city.

The bad weather prevented the Chinese to maneuver properly and a small window of opening was there to race for both Kumming and Chunking. Alas the Japanese did not arrived in time (Turn ended, reinforcements arrived ... one more impulse and both of them would have been taken!).

The Chinese manufactured somehow a new fighter squadron, that required the swift transfer of a Zero fighter group from another front. Otherwise the advance was pratically attacking a sector per turn (Hex) under direct overseeing of Yamamato wherever possibly. (HQ support, to try to minimize losses).

But the China front is barely getting reinforcements, for the most are being sent in Manchuria, including the new Japanese Amorured Army (1 ARM and 1 MECH!), and brand new antitank guns. The Soviets too are pouring new forces (1 MECH, 1 MNT, 1 ART, and some INFs).

The Japanese dilemma will come once they'll have to start invade isles, and bring troops to man other locations in the Pacific or the Indian ocean. But for now the Japanese are at the apex of their economical power (for the given year, producing 20 BPs per turn for quite some time now).
The real question is - shall the Japanese manage to strike a sensible score to cripple China, before they need to move on the Pacific. The industrial internal oasis seems in reach, where the Chinese forces are digging in for their last stand!

[AlbertN]

Start of MAR / APR 1941 - Manchurian Front

[AlbertN]

Start of MAR / APR 1941 - US Entry Pools

The USA has been quite lacking interest in the war, only recently they seem to peak up some interest (1st turn of 1941, they've drawn a chit worth 5!). Yet their gearing up is very slow (They've not geared yet, so still producing a tenful per turn! 11 as they got some factories in!).

On the other hand me and my friend agreed to play on past the date of end of the game - if that is the case - because otherwise we'd feel conditioned in '43 to not build ship anymore for example, as it would be a waste of BPs. Eventually the Axis will get a form of compensation (The Allies can DoW some minors to give to Axis new factories or resources eventually, in the assumption they'd squeeze some more out of their war economy by the date of end of the game.)

[AlbertN]

July / August '41 - China Situation:

All the following screenshots of this date are after 1 Impulse per side of July August 1941 until the new date is provided!

The Japanese land forces in China advanced fiercely, the Nationalist Chinese defences shattered, Chungking was heavily bombarded and stormed as it was declared "Fortress City" meanwhile the troops not remaining to dig in the city withdrew to Chengty.
With troops trained specifically for urban warfare (ENG unit!) the Japanese seized both the cities in the fertile and productive heartland of China.

Short of supplies, the Chinese armies attempt to run away, the stragglers left behind caught in the Japanese pursuit whereas the Rising Sun high command seems to set eyes on a Chinese base nestled in the mountains that could represent a thorn in the side in the future.

Also the last of the oil stocks of the Chinese are captured in Chengtu, leaving Mao short handed for the few trucks and other fuel-requiring assets he has (the HQ itself).

[AlbertN]

Manchurian Front - July / August 1941

A change of names that looks fitting, from Siberian front to Manchurian!

The Soviets poured troops over the place and in May / June started to attack, without much success.
Their artillery bombed, Zhukov led the attack, Terauchi the defence with air support ... Korean volounteers were destroyed by the Soviets, but the Japanese held their line.
They even issued a counterattack in the southern pointe of the line; where the Soviets left weak troops (Kubyshev Militia, or anyhow some 3-2 Militia!). The Japanese wished to seize the mountain line and strengthen their own line! At the cost of severe losses (a MOT corp) the mountain ridges were secured. (MIL shattered).

But once the summer hit the fullest, the Soviets were now aware of the defensive positions of the Japanese and ready to strike with more decision. (The Japanese reinforced with the 7-6 ARM their 5-4 MNT, the Soviet arty struck both of them.).
The Soviet plan was a mirror of the previous one, but this time was successful both in its attack east of Chita and at the eastern pointe of the Japanese line. (MNT destroyed, ARM shattered, and at the other attack a TERR destroyed)

With minimal losses (1 INF-Div) the Soviets have set in grand danger the whole Japanese front. (HQ is disrupted along the Korean TERR that was rebuilt and sent over via rail).
The Soviets are ready to move on? Time will tell, but suddenly the Japanese situation here is not as pink as it was earlier.

[AlbertN]

Birmania - July / August 1941

The Brits, after the downfall of China, have bolstered greatly their forces in Birmania, with more to come.
What lays down in their boiling cauldron? To keep Burma Road open? To strike in Siam deeply (that MOT forward position could suggest some ill intent by their side).

Malay currently is empty still.

Someone could comment that ... Wavell is there!
The Admiralty has elected to evacuate what they could from Egypt to avoid another manpower loss by the United Kingdom (They sort of left a MIL and the TERRs and 1-2 more units in Egypt to die, to ensure others could live the day to fight tomorrow!).

It seems the BEF experience and Gibraltar left a deep scar in Churchill, not wanting to risk other major disasters.

[AlbertN]

Egypt and Middle East - July / August 1941

Preliminary Axis attack was foiled by heroic british defense. Italian mechanized units destroyed in minefields and against dug in positions.

Regia Marina operates unopposed, bringing forth German troops from Greece and providing shore bombardment meanwhile the Luftwaffe rules the skies (the only Italian FTR fought bravely and aborted twice the SA RAF squadron present, letting the german bombers through!).

Alexandria, Cairo, Suez fell one after the other without further losses meanwhile the Commonwealth was scrambling all the naval shipping they could to evacuate their forces at risk of destruction before the Axis air presence turned overwhelming and interdicting the Red Sea.

Middle East is the next target, but then the logistics to get to the oil fields of Iraq is a totally different tale.

[AlbertN]

July / August 1941 - Balkan situation

Germany has finished their Synth Oil Plants, Italy is almost there too!

Romania starting to fill with German troops.

[AlbertN]

Poland - July / August 1941

The Germans are building up their meager forces on the borderline of Sovietland.

Presently though the Soviets have more forces than the Germans. The Germans though produce much more per turn at the present.

[AlbertN]

The Channel - July / August 1941

The Luftwaffe is bombing the United Kingdom.

For now the Luftwaffe has lost a fighter, but has inflicted 4 production points. It only started in May-June.
What this pair on months is to bring is still to be seen.

Note that the UK Fighter in Plymouth just rebased there, supposedly to be shipped somewhere else.

[AlbertN]

Hyberic Peninsula and Morocco - July / August 1941

The Krigsmarine has reached for Bordeaux and the tiny submarine fleet of the Germans is in Lisbon.

Yugoslavian forces helping to garrison the beaches, and the elite italian Alpini mannin Gibraltar!

[AlbertN]

Production of Sept / Oct (before Jul / Aug production)

Sneak peek to production.
The Japan ARM is shattered though!
And the Romanian Militia is cycling through until Bessarabia is restored to the righteous owners!

[AlbertN]

Production of NOV / DEC (before Jul / Aug production)

[AlbertN]

The last 3 turns missing of production, before JUL / AUG production phase.

And yes, Japan is building in advance 3 Carriers.

[AlbertN]

End of Sept / Oct 1941 - Destroyed Pool.

Bloodshed at the Manchuria - Siberia borderline.
Some more damaged cruisers and destroyed convoys.

[AlbertN]

End of Jan / Feb 1942.

The Zhukov Offensive:

In 1916 the Tzarist Russia performed the Brusilov Offensive, that almost threw off the whole Austro-Hungarian front, and the Germans had to rush to the rescue.

By the end of 1941 and start of 1942 Field Marshal Zhukov led victorious Soviet forces against the staggering lines of the Japanese. Once dislodged from the entrenched line in the mountains south of Chita, the Japanese after a counterattack of containment (which ended with depleting both sides, but as the Japan have less forces in the sector, it was a tactical defeat for them) started to run to build up a new line behind a river.

Alas the armoured forces and quality infantry to Soviets have outmaneuvered the Japanese and hammered them in the battle for Krasnokamensk. The insueing break-off of the Soviets led them to trample the Japanese airfields.

Air reinforcements were vital to support this offensive, which the Soviets have sent from new factories and even the European front - still calm.

The Japanese High Command rushed troops to the mountain passes but the Soviets got there when only a thin veil of Manchurians managed to deploy. The Manchurians hold the position against the first assault, bleeding the soviets out, and gaining some time for more Japanese forces to build up in the rearlines.

[AlbertN]

End of Jan / Feb 1942.

China Besieged.

The Japanese operated with vigour in seizing Ankang in the mountains.
The bad weather prevented the wiping out of the resistance sack that formed in there, which would free many Japanese armies to be dispatched in other fronts and sectors where they're much needed (Especially as now Japan is at war with UK and France too! And the next turn the USA are pretty warm and ready to declare war.)

The USA note:
USA geared up first in NOV - DEC 41, and has chain geared up in JAN - FEB 42, and is expected to be at war with Japan in a way or another in MAR - APR 42.

Mao is short of fuel since some time by now, the USA favored to gear up more than pressuring for a sudden reopening of the Burma Road (held firmly open by Commonwealth forces).
Chiang, recently having reformed some forces, is rallying his nationalist guard to defend Kumming.

[AlbertN]

End of Jan / Feb 1942:

The Japanese seized many colonies of the Commonwealth and France.
Singapore, Hong Kong, Rabaul, and other small isles are all in the hands of the Japanese now.
That includes both the French resources in New Caledonia and French Indochina.
The NEI has fallen as well to the advance of Japanese marines, the Imperial Guard itself led the assault to Batavia.

The British retaliated to the aggression with a lucky submarine incursion, that ended in tragedy (The sub sank, after bringing along 2 CPs of the Japan!).

The superior British forces in Birmania are not prone to advance after a debacle of the Royal Navy in the closeby seas, whereas the large amount of land based fighters saw little to no action (No 1s were rolled by the Allies, and the one that flown at 2 got aborted).
The British navy caught twice with good odds the Japanese strike force, counting only 4 carriers per side, and with their larger land based force counted to hopefully crush the Japanese. But the Zero proved superior and the British never managed to get planes to strike at the Japanese task force.
On the other hand the Japanese managed, the first time the anti air defences have repelled the attack probably already weakened by the air umbrella (out of 3 AA dices, they rolled 5 10 10, which means 1 plane shot down!), and more losses were inflicted (a NAV-3 was shot down).
But after the initial burst of luck of the Brits, the cards reverted (pratically at once the Hurricane covering the fleet got aborted AND the Jap got the Brits the next roll.).

The puny Gladiators were no match for the Zeros and got shot down in abundance, it was a hunt to the turkey pratically for the Japanese. Bypassed the measly combat air patrol, the torpedo bombers preyed on the British task force, sinking the carrier Glorious and damaging other vessels.

Then the British fleet opted for the wisdom of preserving the carriers and withdrew leaving the Japanese to rule the waves.
Currently the British fleet is heading to Freetown, where it is expected to meet new Carrier Planes shipped directly from the homeland. Modern ones!