An advanced beginners AAR, and what i've learned so far and hope to learn

[Banjo]

In the last turn, Chiang moved into the hex west of Changsa. Why I do not remember, but in this phase, he will become disrupted if he moves into the mountains. This is too risky a move, so he is forced to move SE onto the railroad in order to make his escape if he survives. Other Chinese units are forced to cover his escape potentially risking elimination also. Vinager Joe is not happy that he must move SW off of the rail line in order to put the forces under Chiangs command within his if need be.

[Banjo]

The Germans in their last impulse made a two blunders that threaten the circled Stuka unit. They did not deploy their attacking units that made the breakthrough correctly. All of the armor was in the hex that the air unit was in, and in order to make the breakthrough, had to leave it. Also that unit should have flown in the groundstrike in order to rebase it due to the armor deployment. The French have an opportunity to destroy it, but in doing so, would weaken the already fragile defense of Paris. The thinking here is to preserve their defenses even though that air unit will be used against them soon. Perhaps the die rolls will favor them instead of the Germans next impulse.

The Forces covering the Italian front must now be pulled back to try to save Paris. Another mistake not visible in this screenshot, is that I foolishly placed a newly built battleship in Marseilles. There is a weak unit there that was moved to try to defend it. Oops.

Also shown are the BEF in the positions they fell back to keep the left flank secure.

[Banjo]

Axis impulse 3.

Italy declares war on France.

The stormy conditions in southern CHina come to the rescue of general Chiang, and the Japanese choose combined in order to bring an inf unit into CHina from Japan, and bring a transport back to Japan.

Italy and Germany declare land.

[Banjo]

It is tempting to attack the BEF this impulse in order to turn the left flank here. With factors of 13 and in a city, it would be a harder nut to crack. Being able to hit the French from three sides provides easier pickings, instead of two attacks from only two hexes each. The French may use the AA unit in Paris, and I am pondering a ground strike on Paris this turn as well.

An alternative, would be to forgo the groundstrikes this turn to save on reorganization points, as reorganizing the breakthrough units if possible at the end of the impulse will be costly. An offensive chit to reorganizr the HQ units, may be required to keep up the momentum of the attack if things do not go so well.

[Banjo]

The artillery did not do its job. The air units were saved for future use.

[Banjo]

The Japanese slog through the rain with only three moves allowed this impulse.

In the naval movement phase, a 5-3 inf was sent to Canton from Japan, and a transport sent from China to Japan.

[Banjo]

The Italians move into France and will attack Marseilles. They also begin a drive toward Tunis from the Libyan border.

[Banjo]

The Germans take the hex and do not convert to retreat. Half of the attackers are disorganized.

[Banjo]

No contest here.

The Richelieu escaped to Oran.

[Banjo]

The western front.

[Banjo]

The Germans have used all of their Hqs already this turn. With so many French units shattered and able to reenter the game next turn, it will be neccessary to use an offensive chit to bring the HQs back into play, in order to have a chance of taking Paris this turn.

Even if an offensive chit is not used, and Paris is not taken until the next turn, the few casualties that the Germans have taken in this game, means that many less units that need to be replaced in the building phase. How this will play out in the long run is anyones guess.

[Banjo]

That will wrap it up for today. I hope to get a few hours in over the next few days, but not like today.

Terje, I hope this gives you a fix for now.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Banjo

That will wrap it up for today. I hope to get a few hours in over the next few days, but not like today.

Terje, I hope this gives you a fix for now.

It did [:D]
Thank you for the update. Question though, why did you not convert the French shatter into retreats? Looks like they could not have retreated from the screenie?



Terje

[Banjo]

Terje, it comes from a months layoff of playing, and not being familiar with the retreat rules partly. In a previous game, where I thought a retreat was not possible, the unit retreated, and created one more hex that had to be taken, thus delaying the overall attack. This was also in France, with its limited amount of maneuvering room on the drive to Paris.

I think at this stage of the game, if France makes it into the next turn, they will be hard pressed to make successful attacks against the Germans for more than one, maybe two impulses. Meanwhile, the Germans will be able to continue to clear the hexes around Paris for the assault. In my limited experience with the game, at worst, those returning French forces will only delay the capture of Paris by an impulse or two.

I could be wrong though. It does show that I need to read up on the retreat rules, so its a win situation for learning the game.

[Banjo]

Allied impulse 4

The CW delares war on Italy. The Americans react strongly to this and a 2 and 3 chit are removed.

[Banjo]

France and China choose land.
CW naval.
USSR and US combined.

[Banjo]

The CW in the naval movement phase, sent out convoy escorts, and a small cruiser force to try to take out the Italian supply convoy in the eastern Med.

The liners, moved from Egypt into the Arabian Sea, and picked up an Indian 5-3 inf from Bombay to take them to Egypt to confront the Italians.

Also, unused convoys were sent out to cover future losses.

Italian supply convoy in the Rastern Med is destroyed.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: terje439

ORIGINAL: Banjo

That will wrap it up for today. I hope to get a few hours in over the next few days, but not like today.

Terje, I hope this gives you a fix for now.

It did [:D]
Thank you for the update. Question though, why did you not convert the French shatter into retreats? Looks like they could not have retreated from the screenie?



Terje

If those units couldn't retreat, they can't be shattered too...

RAW:

If the result includes an ‘S’ (shatter) or a ‘B’ (breakthrough), put each
surviving defending land unit on the production circle if it could have
retreated. These units will arrive as reinforcements next turn. Destroy
any units that could not have retreated.

That's how MWIF is coded too. So these units could retreat and are therefore shattered, otherwise MWIF does destroy the units because they can't retreat.

[Banjo]

The Chinese continue to pull back to the mountains.

[Banjo]

Centuur thank you for the info. I am trying to fit in a few minutes of playing the game here and there today.

I think had I known that, I still would have shattered them in order to reduce the amount of attacks needed to get closer to Paris if they had only retreated. I will have to look at the screenshot again to see if my reasoning has any merit or not.