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AXIS #8 MAY/JUN 42

This is a bad situation for the Axis in Western France. An error to not send a fighter to the area, but if Keith's gonna roll 19 La Rochelle is gonna fall.

Germany and Japan take land actions, naval for Italy.

Planes from the Japanese CV Akagi launch a port attack against Mackay, Australia, and the Queens.

But, already disorganised and out of supply, the Queens are only "aborted." The crew are exceptionally confused but the ships are okay. Don't think the CW can oil them though.

Five Italian subs brave the massive allied invasion fleet and head from Brest to Biscay.

They find with 2, 10 and sink 4 cps (2 US). A scrambled Swordfish forces the subs to spend most surprise points to avoid damage to themselves.

In the second round 4, 4 sees the Italians attacked from the air, they are fortunate to suffer only two aborts.

In round 3 the Italians hide.

The Germans rail what they can to the north of the Loire. Von Leeb and a MOT head for La Rochelle.

Meanwhile in southern USSR, Rommel's dispersed forces look to further disrupt Soviet oil supplies. A Romanian cavalry corps occupies undefended Stalingrad.

German columns in Kursk and Belgorod eliminate a Soviet Militia west of the Don. They elect to not advance.

Von Bock's Army Group launch an overwhelming automatic assault on Kalinin.

South East of besieged Leningrad, Guderian clears the swamps of isolated Soviet units.

Von Leeb writes a last letter to his wife, and prepares his will.

La Rochelle must be retaken. A disorganised Wavell to the south cannot offer support. All the air cover on both sides is blown.

To retreat across the Loire would be to concede the invasion and a two front war from hereon.

And so La Rochelle changes hands again. Bordeaux remains open to the Americans.

Yamashita completes the Japanese conquest of Malaya at the cost of the Siam Militia.

The Japanese launch a couple of automatic invasions, the first near Tonga.

A bigger prize is the major port at Rabaul.

The Japanese and the Italians are generally pleased with the way the war is going.

The Germans have taken losses this impulse. It has been bloody for the Allies too.

AXIS #10 MAY/JUN 42

Japan combined, Germany and Italy land.

The Japanese shift a carrier to Singapore from Coral Sea and move an infantry division to Truk.

Their naval searches fail. The American sub in Solomons does not want to play. But Allied cps in the Pacific have taken a hammering. Australia cannot be supplied with oil.

More in hope than expectation the Japanese ground strike Stilwell, but manage only to rattle the general's tea tray.

A new American Infantry Corps has landed at Bordeaux. The Germans have railed what they can to Nantes, St Nazaire, and St Malo.

Next initiative is crucial.

Only two attacks.

Rommel's army group is dispersed but has taken Grozny and disrupted the flow of oil from Baku also.

There is a blitz attack in the Don bend. An indifferent roll of 9 retreats the Rostov militia (Rostov has been occupied by an SS division) and destroys a disorganised MiG1 fighter.

Another theatre where the next initiative will matter.

The Italians take Port Said blitzing across the Suez Canal, and by invasion by an Alpini Division that cut their teeth invading Cyprus. There's an intense shore bombardment and the available fighter bomber is sent in.

Italians obvs roll 7 and lose a Mot Div. But another is on its way around the Gulf of Sirte. Jerusalem would be quite a prize. Papa would be impressed, surely.

Turn ends on a 3. For the first time, the Axis are not unhappy about that.

Indian Ocean. The Japanese control NEI, Malaya, Singapore, Burma.

A substantial RN fleet approaches the theatre.

In the SW Pacific the Japanese control Guam, Rabual, the Solomons, Port Vila and a strategic island I won't pretend to remember how to spell in the Tonga group.

Truk holds the strongest Japanese fleet.

Progress in the central Pacific has been more modest. The Japanese hold Midway, but Wake is garrisoned and in supply, though Germany appears to be the Allied priority, very substantial US naval reinforcements are approaching Pearl Harbor.

Destroyed units May/Jun 1942.

Mothers weeping across the world. India, Finland, Russia ... sad times.

Some high value German losses.

Reinforcements for July/Aug 1942

In the nick of time for Australia.

Allied Production May/June 42

China : 6 bp. HQI, cav div.
CW: 24 bp. inf, pilot x2, naval rpr x2 cl, cva-1, ftr2, nav3, convoyx2, armor, sub 2nd phase.
USA:41 BP. inf, para, pilot x5, naval repair , sub 2nd phase, trs 1st phase, amphib 1 st phase, carrier 1st phase x2, cva1, cva2, nav3 , lnd 4.
Russia: 19 bp. inf x6, cav div.

AXIS #1 JULY/AUGUST 1942

Axis relieved to win the initiative. Japan naval, Germany and Italy land.

The Japanese put a large combined fleet with 4 carriers, troops aboard landing boats, and additional air cover in Bay of Bengal.

They destroy more CW (Dutch) cps in Tasman sea (2 subs sink 1 cp) and East Indian Ocean (where the heavy cruiser Mogami sinks 2 cps). The US sub in Solomons hides.