Global War: Japanese Aggression

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

I am surprised that neither Russia nor Germany declared war on the other. Both can, according to your garrison report, and I would think it advantageous for one side or the other to be at war. Also, because of the surprise rules, it is far better to declare war than to have war declared on you, so, even if you don't want to go to war, if you think your opponent will, declare war.

I find waiting for good weather in this situation to be a bad idea. If I do, my opponent always goes first in the critical turn and declare war on me first. Always. I think there is a rule somewhere requiring this. [:)]

I've decide that whoever moves first on the May/June 1943 turn gets to DOW the other. The axis will either have a +2 or +1 advantage depending on whether or not they move last in this current (Mar/Apr 1943) turn, but will lose ties. However, the axis do have the advantage of a reroll (if necessary) while the allies don't.

The decision to DOW will be made regardless of weather. All that remains is to see which side gets to DOW.

[Courtenay]

ORIGINAL: rkr1958

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

I am surprised that neither Russia nor Germany declared war on the other. Both can, according to your garrison report, and I would think it advantageous for one side or the other to be at war. Also, because of the surprise rules, it is far better to declare war than to have war declared on you, so, even if you don't want to go to war, if you think your opponent will, declare war.

I find waiting for good weather in this situation to be a bad idea. If I do, my opponent always goes first in the critical turn and declare war on me first. Always. I think there is a rule somewhere requiring this. [:)]

I've decide that whoever moves first on the May/June 1943 turn gets to DOW the other. The axis will either have a +2 or +1 advantage depending on whether or not they move last in this current (Mar/Apr 1943) turn, but will lose ties. However, the axis do have the advantage of a reroll (if necessary) while the allies don't.

The decision to DOW will be made regardless of weather. All that remains is to see which side gets to DOW.

But why on earth would the Soviets want this? If I were told that this was my opponent's strategy, as the Soviet Union I would declare war M/A, so that I would not be hit by a surprise impulse. Surprise impulses are bad. Avoid them if at all possible. Here it is easy to avoid. Based on the garrison values, there are a lot of Soviet units near the border, just asking to be ground struck. Don't let this happen.

[Centuur]

Agreed. If both sides can break the pact, the side which first was capable to DoW the other, should have done so immediately. It is better to preserve ones own forces than to wait for the chance of a surprise impulse during good weather.

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

ORIGINAL: rkr1958

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

I am surprised that neither Russia nor Germany declared war on the other. Both can, according to your garrison report, and I would think it advantageous for one side or the other to be at war. Also, because of the surprise rules, it is far better to declare war than to have war declared on you, so, even if you don't want to go to war, if you think your opponent will, declare war.

I find waiting for good weather in this situation to be a bad idea. If I do, my opponent always goes first in the critical turn and declare war on me first. Always. I think there is a rule somewhere requiring this. [:)]

I've decide that whoever moves first on the May/June 1943 turn gets to DOW the other. The axis will either have a +2 or +1 advantage depending on whether or not they move last in this current (Mar/Apr 1943) turn, but will lose ties. However, the axis do have the advantage of a reroll (if necessary) while the allies don't.

The decision to DOW will be made regardless of weather. All that remains is to see which side gets to DOW.

But why on earth would the Soviets want this? If I were told that this was my opponent's strategy, as the Soviet Union I would declare war M/A, so that I would not be hit by a surprise impulse. Surprise impulses are bad. Avoid them if at all possible. Here it is easy to avoid. Based on the garrison values, there are a lot of Soviet units near the border, just asking to be ground struck. Don't let this happen.

The problem is that I've been playing solitaire so it's hard to "surprise" myself with this DOW.

In this, my alternate version of WW-2 both the Germans and Soviets have made use of the uneasy peace between them to build up their war machine and to better their chance of victory. In effect they've been playing a game of chicken with each other.

So I decided that this game of chicken will end on the first impulse of the May/June 1943 turn. Whoever wins that initiative gets to the DOW the other and have the surprise impulse.

Both the Germans and the Soviets have monster armies and air forces facing each other and this is going to be a heavyweight slugfest from the start no matter who gets the surprise impulse. This also means that the air, naval and submarine war that the Germans and Italians have been waging against the Western Allies (US, CW and France) will greatly curtailed by all this. Something that the Western Allies are certainly looking forward too.

I think this game is the opposite of the "Everyone into the pool! " discussion that's been going on in tm.asp?m=3967554

But, I must admit it's been a blast focusing on the naval war and building up the Germans and Soviets armies and air forces to massive levels. Now I think it'll be interesting to see what happens when they collide.

[brian brian]

There is a name for this type of struggle on the Eastern Front when playing World in Flames: "Sitzkrieg"

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Weather. Actions.

There's an old saying that goes something like this, "March comes in like a lion but leaves as a lamb". That saying wasn't true for this turn. For this turn, March came in like a lion that grew in ferocity throughout March and April.

The weather complicated naval, land and air operations worldwide this turn.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Sea Areas.

USA and Great Britain did manage to clear the Japanese navies and convoys in the South China and China Seas on their first impulse (Allied #3). Japan on their following impulse (axis #5), move one CP to both the China and South China Seas. The allies quickly dispatched the lone CP sent to the South China Sea. However, three attempts by the allies to find and sink the lone CP operating in the China Sea failed! This was significant because the Nationalist Chinese had a very good chance to take Canton, China, especially is supply had been broken. That is, the lone Japanese CP in the China Sea was supplying the defenders of Canton, two of which the USN had disorganized.

Even with the defenders in supply, the Nationalist Chinese tried their luck on an assault on Canton.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1942. Land Combat. Canton, China. Sasebo, Japan.

The Nationalist came close again to taking Canton. If only supply had been broken this attack would have succeeded.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Canton, China. South China Sea. Philippines.

The Japanese, again, replaced the division lost in Canton by drawing from an adjacent stack.

Though I knew, this game has reinforced how strategic the major naval base at Manila in the Philippines is for the allies.

As the Japanese player, I won't make the mistake again of not taking the Philippines.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Destroyed and Repair Pools.

Though the Japanese lost 5 CPs this turn to the allies, they did manage to keep 1 alive in the China Sea.

Also, the Japanese weren't the only ones to lose CPs, the Western Allies did to Italian and German subs off Cape St. Vincent. CPs that the allies replace but still it's a pain to have to do so.

When the war between Germany and the Soviets finally does start, the Germans won't have the time to devote to going after allied convoys that they do now. Not to mention challenging the CW for control of the North Sea.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. CP Losses.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Japan. China Sea.

I meant to post this a couple of posts back ... here it is now.

One thing that has become clear to me is that the Soviets need to put a CP into the China Sea in order to supply the communist Chinese outside of China. This will allow the Chinese to relive the Soviets of garrison duties in Manchuria and Korea and free up Soviet troops for duties elsewhere (e.g., on the Eastern Front or for garrison duty in Iraq and Persia).

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. North Sea. Bay of Biscay.

If fact, in the North Sea the Kreigsmarines supported by the Luftwaffe manage to run on the RN from the area. Only, RAF and USAF forces were left to try to save the day. And, with storms on the last impulse the air forces were useless.

In fact, the Kreigsmarines and Luftwaffe tried to challenge the allies in the Bay of Biscay. Their objective there was to disrupt allied convoys. They failed but did distract and cause the western allies some pain.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Sardinia. Western Med. Italian Coast.

The miserable weather in the Med this turn aided the axis in holding on to Sardinia. In fact, the Italians were able to reinforce the port of Olba in the north. Also, a fighter and bomber unit were brought into Cagliari in the south to help there. What should have been a easy conquest two turns ago has turned into a quagmire for the western allies.

On one not of interest. The western allies and Euro-axis during allied impulse #3 fought an epic, but indecisive, air and naval battle off the Italian coast. This battle rage for eight rounds before both sides failed to find the other for an ninth. The only naval losses were a French and USN heavy cruiser. Though, the French, Italians and British did see a number of warship damaged in the battle. I think this battle alone took me over an hour to fight.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Iraq. Persia.

The Soviets completed their conquest of Iraq (this turn) and Persia (last turn) in time for their war with Germany.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Land Combat. Baghdad. Persian Partisan.

It's a good thing that the Soviets choose the Baghdad attack first because they rolled a "3" the second attack, which fortunately for the Soviets, was an automatic attack. A "3" on the first attack for Baghdad would have been disastrous for the Soviets.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. The Eastern Front.

The quite before the storm. Or as Gandalf would say, "It's the deep breath before the plunge."

Now I think Pippin really nailed it when he said, "I don't want to be in a battle. But waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is even worse."

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Finland.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Victory Totals.

Interestingly, the communist Chinese vacated Shanghai in order to allow a Nationalist engineer into the city to repair the factory there. As a result, the Soviets lost a VP and the Chinese gained one.

[rkr1958]

Turn 22. Mar/Apr 1943. Geo-Political and Unit Location Maps.