IN-COW Leaked Report on WW II.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Nazi-Soviet Pact.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. The Western Front.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Italy.

Army Group Italia and the RM performing their mission as threats in being.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Libya/Egypt.

Army Group Africa, another threat in being. One wonders when these two Italian threats in being will become active threats. Wavell is looking awful lonely in Egypt. One wonders if he might like some Italian company?

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. East Africa.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Army Group Umeza.

The Emperor of Japan has bestowed a great honor of General Umeza. He has "commanded" that Army Group North China be designated Army Group Umeza for as long as General Umeza commands these armies.

Accomplishments.
1. Ensured the security of the two RPs for which he was responsible reached Japanese factories.
2. Captured Tungkwan.
3. Successfully provided for the security of Northern China.

Failures. None.

Remaining Objectives:
1. RP at Sian.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dev 1939. Army Group Terauchi.

Terauchi has restored his honor in the Emperor's eyes and as such was awarded a similar honor as awarded to General Umeza. The Emperor has decreed that Army Group Central China be now know as Army Group Terauchi for as long as General Terauchi is in commanded of these armies.

Accomplishments.
1. "Liberated" and secured Haichow from the outlaw Chinese partisans.
2. Ensured the security of both RPs for which he is responsible to Japanese factories.
3. Protected the flank of Army Group Umeza.
4. Secured North-Central China.

Failures. None.

Remaining/New Objectives.
1. Secure Central China.
2. Capture RP[86,142], which is 1 hex northeast of the city Hengyang.
3. Clear the eastern flank of Army Group Umeza by capturing the Chengchow and
4. capturing Nanyang.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Japan's Army Group South (China).

No notable commander of Army Group South has yet been identified so this army group will continue to be known as Army Group South China.

Objectives.
1. Secure the important naval base at Canton.
2. Secure Hainan and ensure that the RP there reaches a Japanese factory.

Accomplishments. Both objective met this turn.

Failures. None.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939. Army Group Yomamoto.

Admiral Yomamoto, one of the Emperor's trusted military advisers, has been accorded the same honor as Generals Umeza and Terauhi. His "reserve" army group now carries his name for as long as he commands it.

Accomplishments.
1. Ensured that the 4 RPs in Manchuria and China reached Japanese factories.
2. Ensured the security of Manchuria.
3. Ensured the security of Korea.
4. Successfully acted as a counter to the Soviet Asia Front commanded by General Zhukov.

Failures. None.

Continuing Mission. Admiral Yomamoto has shown his Emperor and his country great discipline by continuing in his primary mission to counter the Soviet Asian Front. Being so, Yomamoto continues to help their axis ally Germany, by tying up this elite force which could be used for other adventures (e.g., Persia, Iraq) or to stuff the border with Germany to increase the Nazi-Soviet pact garrison ratio in the Soviet's favor.

Advisory Role. While not directly pertinent to his army group, Admiral Yomamoto has been asked to look into the dismal failure of Japanese air forces to successfully bomb Chinese factories or ground strike Chinese troops. This role is only advisory and Admiral Yomamoto will soon make his recommendations know to the pertinent Japanese air commanders. These recommendations are: (1) roll 10's for strategic bombing and (2) roll 1's for ground strikes. Simple really.

[rkr1958]

End of Turn 2. Nov/Dec 1939.

Builds.

1. Germany(16). Sub 2nd(1), Sub 1st(1), Pilot(2), LND(2), MIL(2), Mech(5), Inf(3).
2. Italy(4). Pilot(2), Nav(2).
3. Japan(11). Inf Div(2), Mil(2), Sub 2nd(1), CV 2nd(2), CVP(1), Pilot(2), BP Save.
4. China(5). Inf(3), Mil(2).
5. CW(11). FTR(2), Pilot(2), Mil(2), Amph 1st(3), CA Repair(1) x 2.
6. France(6). FTR(2), Mil(2) x 2.
7. USA(10). Sub 2nd(1), CVP(1), Pilot(2), BB 1st(2), Amph 1st(3), BP Save.
8. USSR(8). MTN(4), Inf Div(2), Gar(2).

Conquest.
1. Denmark by Germany.

[Centuur]

I'll never understand US players who are building anything else but BB's, CV's and TRS in 1939 or 1940. Consider for a moment. The US force pool is full of crap at this stage, with lousy SUB's waiting to get scrapped. And you are running the risk of drawing one...

Why not wait until 1941 before building planes or SUB's, after you've scrapped the real crap. The US won't be in the war that early...

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

I'll never understand US players who are building anything else but BB's, CV's and TRS in 1939 or 1940. Consider for a moment. The US force pool is full of crap at this stage, with lousy SUB's waiting to get scrapped. And you are running the risk of drawing one...

Why not wait until 1941 before building planes or SUB's, after you've scrapped the real crap. The US won't be in the war that early...

The only planes I build early for the US are carrier planes. I like my carriers loaded with the latest planes and ready for war at any time; especially for the Atlantic in 1940 and early 1941, when East Coast and North Atlantic escorts options are in play.

Historically, the Japanese were terrified (if that's the correct word) of the threat that US subs posed to their convoy lines, especially to their vital oil tankers. I think this translates very well to the game if the US player builds out and uses their sub fleet to threaten/attack Japanese convoys. A large sub fleet based in the Philippines poses such a surprise threat to Japanese convoys that this in itself could be the tipping point for a Japanese DOW on the US. Also, a large US sub fleet in early 1942 is one way, and often the only way, the US can really hurt the Japanese. I do like to scrap the really crappy subs at the start of the game though.

Historically, the US sub fleet would have been much more lethal in 1941 and 1942 if it hadn't been for the problems they had with the Mk-14 torpedo. There's an account of a sub captain disabling a Japanese oil tanker with a couple of oblique shots. He then maneuvered into the optimum firing position (i.e., broadside) and fired a dozen more MK-14 torpedoes. They all were either were duds, ran too deep or detonated prematurely.

[rkr1958]

Turn 3. Jan/Feb 1940.

Introduction.

Well I'm back from a two week vacation. I played this entire turn almost three weeks ago before we left. I have 14 screen caps and 7 1/2 pages of notes. I'll do my best to reconstruct what happened, which was a lot, during this turn. I just didn't have the motivation to post all this before we left two weeks ago. Honestly, even though MWiF is one of my passions, I hardly gave it a through for the two weeks while we were on vacation. I did however read three "large" books and enjoyed a mixture of sun, sea and surf. It's nice to be back through. I hope MWiF isn't too mad at me for ignoring her for two weeks. [;)]

[rkr1958]

Turn 3. Jan/Feb 1940.

Reinforcements.
1. CW - Mil(NZ), CA London.
2. France - Mil (Dakar), Mil (Metz), FTR3, NAV2.
3. USA - CV Saratoga (No CVP!). Removed B-18A to get pilot for CVP.
4. ChiComm - Mil (Lanchow).
5. USSR - 2 inf corps.
6. Germany - Mil (Bermen).
7. Japan - Mil (Kyoto).

Resource Lending.
1. USA - (idle) Philippine RP to China.
2. USA - 2 Oil RP to CW.

Initiative.
1. First roll. Axis=3, Allies=7.
2. No re-roll (Axis).
3. Allies elect for the axis to move first.

[rkr1958]

Turn 3. Jan/Feb 1940.

Weather (Axis #1). Roll = 2 + 2 = 4. (+1, 2).
1. Arctic - snow.
2. North temperate - storm.
3. Med - fine.
4. North monsoon - fine.
5. South monsoon - rain.
6. South temperate - fine.

Axis Turn Objectives.

Germany.
1. Continue transfer of forces from Poland to the West. That is, continue Germany's military buildup on the Western Front.
2. Strengthen Nazi-Soviet Pact ratio by using/moving garrisons and mils to Poland.
3. Get u-boats into action. Do some damage to allied convoy lines.

Italy.
1. Continue as a "Force in Being" on French Border.
2. Continue as a "Force in Being" in the Med and in Egypt against the CW.

Japan.
1. Capture Sian and it's RP.
2. Capture RP[86,142].
3. Reduce Chinese production by 2 RPs per turn through strategic bombing.
4. Maintain the security or all RPs to factories in the occupied territories (i.e., Manchuria, Korea, China).
5. Maintain deterrence against Soviet Invasion of any Japanese held territories, especially Manchuria and Korea.
6. Eliminate Chinese partisan.

Axis #1.

Actions/DOW.
1. Germany - land, Italy (neutral) - combine, Japan - combine.
2. DOW - none.
3. Japan - closes Burma road. US reacts, +1 chit to Japan entry pool.

US Entry/Tension Pools.
1. Japan (3/0 chits, 19/0 points).
2. Germany/Italy (3/0 chits, 21/0 points).

Naval Moves.
IJN.
1. Amph in Fukuoko to Sea of Japan. Loads MIL, disembarked during the movement phase to Wonson, Korea.
2. TRS in Kiungchow to Sea of Japan. Loads Yamamoto, disembarked during the movement phase to Wonson, Korea.
Italian RM.
1. TRS in Tobruk directly move to La Spezia.

Strategic Bombing.
1. Japan - Kweiyang. Roll = 9+1 = 10 (-1 PP for Chinese production).

[rkr1958]

Turn 3. Jan/Feb 1940.

Allied #3.

Actions. USSR (neutral) - combine, China - land, CW - naval, France - combine, USA (neutral) - combine.

Naval Moves (of significance).
1. CW - BEF (Gort inf HQ, mech, mot corps) to North Sea. Must deploy to France this turn!
2. CW - Reactionary BEF (inf corps) to North Sea. Guard against, deter, invasion of Netherlands.
3. CW - Various ASW patrols sent out to Faeroes Gap (2), North Atlantic (1,1s), Bay of Biscay (1,1s), Cape St. Vincent (3s) and Cape Verde Basin (1s). (Note, number in paragraph indicates number of axis subs that can reach sea area. If the number is followed by an 's' this indicates that the subs could get a surprise "invasion" impulse (i.e., they're Italians subs)).

Naval Combat.
1. France - subs attempt to initiate combat. The French roll a 1 but that isn't good enough with storms in the Baltic to find the German convoys! What a waste of a good search roll by the French player.

[rkr1958]

RN ASW patrols.

[rkr1958]

Turn 3. Jan/Feb 1940.

Axis #5.

Weather. Roll = 1 + 2 = 3. (None, 2).
1. Arctic - rain.
2. North temperate - rain.
3. Med - find.
4. North monsoon - fine.
5. South monsoon - fine.
6. South temperate - fine.

DOW.
1. Italy DOW CW. +1 chit added to Germany/Italy pool (4/0 chits, 27/0 points). Japanese pool (3/0 chits, 21/0 points).
2. Germany DOW Holland. +1 chit added to Germany/Italy pool (5/0 chits, 29/0 points). Japanese pool (3/0 chits, 22/0 points).

Actions. Germany - combine, Italy - naval, Japan - land.

Naval Air.
1. Germany - Nav to 3-box of North Sea.
2. Italy - Nav to 4-box of Italian Coast.

Notable Naval Moves.
1. Germany - BB Scharnhort, CA Adm Hipper, CA Blutcher to North Sea. CA Blutcher picks up German 3rd infantry division.
2. Italian subs - North Atlantic (2 box) and Cape Verde Basin (3 box, 2 box).
3. Italian RM, Italian Coast - 2 BB, 2 CA to 4-box. 3 CA to 0-box.
4. Italian RM, East Med - 3 CA, CA w/inf div to 4-box. 3 CA to 0-box.

Naval Combat (axis initiate).
1. Italian subs, North Atlantic - no contact.
2. Italian subs, Cape Verde Basin. 3 CW CPs sunk, 3 aborted. Both Italian subs forced to abort.

Naval Combat (allies initiate).
1. North Sea. No contact.
2. Italian Coast. Axis only. 1 RN CW sub destroyed, 2 sub stays but does not commit. Was a bad move that the CW attempted to initiate combat with 2 subs on the Italian surprise impulse anyway.

Strategic Bombing.
1. Japan - raid on Sian. Roll = 2 + 1 = 3, no effect.

Ground Strikes.
1. Japan - OOS nationalist cavalry. No.
2. Italy - 2 TAC on Wavell's arm HQ. 51% of disorganizing. No.

[rkr1958]

Netherlands - setup.

[rkr1958]

Germany. Surprise Impulse. Invasion of Holland.

It's a complete conquest with the capture of both Amsterdam and Rotterdam on the surprise impulse. Note the significance of attacking Amsterdam first which, after it fail to the Germans, increased the odds against Rotterdam from +11 to +21.