MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR)

[Red Prince]

When you see my build plans for the CW, you're going to howl. But you need to know that I have 7 CVs on the map, and only 2 CVP (Class-1) for them. There are 7 in the Reserve Pool, 2 of which won't fit my carriers, and the rest are crap:

Here's a preview:
CW (19): 1 x MIL, 1 x TERR, 2 x TRS(1st), 1 x TRS(2nd), 1 x CVP-0, 1 x CVP-1, 1 x NAV-2, 2 x Pilot

[composer99]

A bit heavy on TRS but otherwise seems fine. I'd build one less 1st-cycle TRS and either one more land unit or one more pilot.

[BallyJ]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

Just making sure I understand:

Doesn't matter if the USA can actually do anything actively . . . the DOWs are for the BP primarily. I can live with that, easily [:)] but was under the impression that the Surprise impulse should not be wasted by anyone.

Whats to understand?
Go to war
up producion
Build forces lift and Ochits
steam into the axis.
Surprise is of little import when you are at 50+ BPs a turn
It is the price the axis payes for all that early succrss.
regards John

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: composer99

A bit heavy on TRS but otherwise seems fine. I'd build one less 1st-cycle TRS and either one more land unit or one more pilot.

Due to the aircraft shot down last turn, the CW has 3 Pilots in the Reserve Pool, plus 2 coming in for S/O '40. Also, the only MIL left was the London MIL, and I built it. I didn't want to risk too many BP on TERR units, because Egypt, Palestine, and Transjordan are all going to be conquered before reinforcements get placed. That accounts for about 1/4 to 1/3 of the TERR available to build. I'd hate to waste 4 BP in one turn on units that may not get a chance to arrive.

[Red Prince]

Okay, I have finished my End of Turn sequences, but I haven't put my reports or images together yet. I've got to eat dinner now, and then I'll probably knock out pretty early (maybe). I'll write up my usual reports and post them in the morning.

I will tell you a few things now, though:

1. The TERR that the CW drew was the Aden TERR, which is a very nice thing to have. If you remember my last game, Italy DOWed Yemen, then walked into Aden with its invading INF Division the next impulse because the CW was caught totally unprepared.

2. The Allies won the Initiative for S/O '40 . . . and decided to move first. No chance are they going to mess around with things. Last turn was such a disaster, and the fleet became so dispersed, that it needs the first impulse to re-establish itself as a powerful force. This also gives the CW an easy opportunity to get another unit into Egypt in the 3rd impulse. Among other things.

3. The weather roll was a '4' which is what the game actually started with a year ago. This isn't great news for the Allies, but it isn't terrible news, either.

Okay, that's it. Images of the expanding Italian Empire and all of the standard information posts are about 8 hours or so away. Well, maybe 12, but you get the idea.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

Here are the builds for the 1st 5 Turns made by the USA:

S/O '39: USA (11): 1 x TERR, 1 x GARR, 1 x CV(1st), 2 x CVP-0, 1 x CVP-1, 1 x CV(Repair), 1 x Pilot
N/D '39: USA (11): 1 x INF Division, 1 x GARR, 1 x AMPH(1st), 2 x CVP-1, 1 x Pilot
J/F '40: USA (11): 1 x INF, 1 x GARR, 2 x CVP-1, 2 x Pilot
M/A '40: USA (21): 1 x MAR, 1 x HQ-A, 2 x CVP-1, 3 x Pilot
M/J '40: USA (20): 1 x MTN Division, 1 x MOT Division, 1 x AMPH(1st), 1 x FTR-2, 1 x CVP-1, 1 x NAV-3, 1 x SUB(2nd), 3 x Pilot

Way too many land units. You need to build the stuff that takes two years, your lift (which BTW is not useless without land units - you need to see how powerful a Naval is with the US when you use a dozen TRS and Amphs along with Nimitz and MacArthur to re-org your navy!) and a minimal garrison and long range NAV force.

Here's my builds from my current FTF game for the same period:

S/O '39: USA (11): CV, 3BB, Amph all face down (fd)
N/D '39: USA (11): 4 TRS(fd), Amph(fd)
J/F '40: USA (11): Nav, Pilot, Garr, 2BB(fd)
M/A '40: USA (11): 2 Nav, 2 Pilot, Sub(fd)
M/J '40: USA (11): Factory, Amph(face up)

If I had ever geared up that early in any game with the US, I'm not sure I'd be able to see straight for awhile, I'd be so ecstatic. Given the way US entry was shaping up, in this game I'd have built the Factory, BB(fd) and Sub(fd) in JF40.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

ORIGINAL: composer99

A bit heavy on TRS but otherwise seems fine. I'd build one less 1st-cycle TRS and either one more land unit or one more pilot.

Due to the aircraft shot down last turn, the CW has 3 Pilots in the Reserve Pool, plus 2 coming in for S/O '40. Also, the only MIL left was the London MIL, and I built it. I didn't want to risk too many BP on TERR units, because Egypt, Palestine, and Transjordan are all going to be conquered before reinforcements get placed. That accounts for about 1/4 to 1/3 of the TERR available to build. I'd hate to waste 4 BP in one turn on units that may not get a chance to arrive.

The territorials would still arrive - but they would be Axis units.

[BallyJ]

Why are you building so many TERR?
They are week
vunerable
can turn up as axis units
and they come on all over the place.
For a few more points you could get some realy units.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince
Also, if China Surrenders, the USA doesn't get to draw 3-4 chits. That only happens if China is Conquered.

China has to be worse off than at present to think about surrendering. I think the only time I'd ever consider it is if China were worse off AND it creates a high chance of allowing War Appropriations to be passed on the next turn.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

When you see my build plans for the CW, you're going to howl. But you need to know that I have 7 CVs on the map, and only 2 CVP (Class-1) for them. There are 7 in the Reserve Pool, 2 of which won't fit my carriers, and the rest are crap:

Here's a preview:
CW (19): 1 x MIL, 1 x TERR, 2 x TRS(1st), 1 x TRS(2nd), 1 x CVP-0, 1 x CVP-1, 1 x NAV-2, 2 x Pilot

I know it is to late but I would begin to focus on the regular army for the CW.

I would have built something like this. (But no regard taken to the gearing)
CW (19): 1 x Mil, 1 x Inf, 1 x Mot, 1 x TRS(2nd), 1 x FTR2, 2 x Pilot, 1 x CVP-0. I might have changed one of the Pilots for one CVP1 and a Mech instead of the Mot.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: BallyJ

Why are you building so many TERR?
They are week
vunerable
can turn up as axis units
and they come on all over the place.
For a few more points you could get some realy units.

You've just answered your qeustio: "for a few more points" . . . . which I don't have. Unless I'm no longer supposed be throwing "cheap units" at the enemy. Plus, have you seen what's going on in Africa and eslewhwere? I know have a the Italian AOI more or less done with its campaign in E. Africa, due to TERR I've built.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

When you see my build plans for the CW, you're going to howl. But you need to know that I have 7 CVs on the map, and only 2 CVP (Class-1) for them. There are 7 in the Reserve Pool, 2 of which won't fit my carriers, and the rest are crap:

Here's a preview:
CW (19): 1 x MIL, 1 x TERR, 2 x TRS(1st), 1 x TRS(2nd), 1 x CVP-0, 1 x CVP-1, 1 x NAV-2, 2 x Pilot

I know it is to late but I would begin to focus on the regular army for the CW.

I would have built something like this. (But no regard taken to the gearing)
CW (19): 1 x Mil, 1 x Inf, 1 x Mot, 1 x TRS(2nd), 1 x FTR2, 2 x Pilot, 1 x CVP-0. I might have changed one of the Pilots for one CVP1 and a Mech instead of the Mot.

The way I see it, there is not going to be a Sea Lion. Germany builds should make that obvious. The only "Active" theatre for the CW now is the Middle-East. Basically, the lines have been drawn. I'm going to need those TRS, which take 6 turns, before I'll need any of those other land units, which all take fewer turns. If I remember correctlym this builds out the CW TRS Pool, and there's just an AMPH left to build . . . unitl next year.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince
The way I see it, there is not going to be a Sea Lion. Germany builds should make that obvious. The only "Active" theatre for the CW now is the Middle-East. Basically, the lines have been drawn. I'm going to need those TRS, which take 6 turns, before I'll need any of those other land units, which all take fewer turns. If I remember correctlym this builds out the CW TRS Pool, and there's just an AMPH left to build . . . unitl next year.

As I see it CW can't afford all this sea lift yet. CW has other things that needs to be done as well. And that should be done before those freshly built TRS arrives.

If there are no Sea Lion as you say CW should begin recapturing what is lost in the south and east of Africa. And to begin conquering Italian East Africa. To begin with this you need one or two DIV and maybe 1 or two INF. Begin with capturing all the Italian ports. The time for CW to throw cheap units to slow the Axis are over. The cheap units could be used as losses, partisan hunting and costal defence in Africa and India.

Barbarossa could begin shortly. Maybe in 3 or 4 turns time. CW then need to have land units that can threaten parts that are hard for Germany to reinforce. With 4 transporters CW can move 4 land units to a theatre a turn so CW needs to begin building 4 plus land units a turn. Some of those land units will be needed to defend against Japan and should not require sea lift.

CW has way to few FTR2.
-There might be a need for them to be able to protect the convoy lines from the 0 box to keep the japanese raiding carriers honest.
-CW should have fighter advantage over Lille that should be bombed at least once a turn from now on.
-FTR2 should also cover the 0 boxes to all sea areas with convoys that can be reached by German or Italian land based naval air.
-FTR2 should protect all naval bases that can be bombed by Japanese carriers.
-FTR2 should be available to be sent to any area where CW expects to have land battles.

CW should consider making a attack against Petsamo. One way to do this is land a HQ in USSR and use that HQ to bring in the land units attacking Petsamo from USSR. CW might be asked by USSR to provide with land units to protect one of their flanks.

CW has lost, or will shortly lose (Singapore, NEI, Raboul), almost all except their home countries. That CW has lost most all this makes the need for garrisons less. To defend the home countries that may yet come under attack (India, Australia, South Africa) CW needs a real army. The same regular army should be a threat to all areas that needs Axis sea lift to reinforce as soon as possible. Prefarably before Germany attacks USSR.

[Red Prince]

There are already 2 units in Malaya, so it is going to be hard to take. I've got others already on their way toward that side, but without the sealift, there is no way to get 4 units per turn into that theatre. I no longer have the Med. I have to first get the units to S. Africa, which is not easy with 4 MP TRS, and then to wherever they are needed . . . . unless they show up in a useful place to start with.

The CW lacks FTR-2, but it also lacked CVP, NAV, and LND. My big Strat Bomber finally got on the board, and there is a mid-range FTR based out of Dover, another near Plymouth, and the RSA FTR that ended up having to rebase to some islands of the coast of Africa.

The CW needs everything. And it needs it everywhere. The convoy pipelines need to be restructured this turn for safety, and that is going to be a minor nightmare. The fleet also needs to get into better positions after the evacuation last turn.

I can't land a CW HQ into the USSR until it is at War with someone. In order to attack Petsamo successfully, and regularly, I'd need to base out of Sevastapol (or nearby) with FTR protection that can get there, too. That isn't giong to be available for a while, and the Germans just got a bunch of 6-factor FTR onto the map during reinforcements.

As always, when I finish up my EoT report later today, I'll show images of the World as it Is in MWiF (this game). I won't be able to show every single unit, but I'll try to give an image of each theatre.

[Orm]

It is time for CW to begin acting in stead of just reacting. Show us that you are as good and daring attacker with the CW as you are with Axis.

I just tried to say that you can't wait for all that wonderful sea lift before beginning to act on the offensive.The war in USSR might be over by then. You need to prepare for offence now.

Edit: At the moment there is small need for sea lift against Japan. Singapore has its defence already. Australia and India might need more units but you do not need sea lift to reinforce there. Only place that might require sea lift is to get a unit to Burma.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Orm

It is time for CW to begin acting in stead of just reacting. Show us that you are as good and daring attacker with the CW as you are with Axis.

I just tried to say that you can't wait for all that wonderful sea lift before beginning to act on the offensive.The war in USSR might be over by then. You need to prepare for offence now.

Edit: At the moment there is small need for sea lift against Japan. Singapore has its defence already. Australia and India might need more units but you do not need sea lift to reinforce there. Only place that might require sea lift is to get a unit to Burma.

I actually have plans to try to take back/keep Suez and Egypt.

I'ts easy to be a "good and daring attacker" when you have spare units to lose, but as I've been learning this game: "never make an attack if you can't afford the worst possible result". I'd like to do what you ask, but I don't know how to do it just yet. Reacting is sometimes necessary.

I kind of feel like I'm getting mixed messages here, and it may be that we've been discussing both CW and USA build strategy at the same time. What good are the CW land and/or air units if they can't reach a useful destination? Doesn't the CW have the same problem as the USA? It needs its sealift before it needs its land units, or those land units will simply sit wherever they are.

The following image shows the current CW Land and Air unit Force Pools after my builds as stated upthread. I've noted the number of units of each type that would not have to start in the UK, Canada, or W. Africa. However, that 13 of 41 doesn't give an accurate picture of what I had for possible builds. A total of 4 TERR units were removed from the Force Pool -- 2 Egyption, 1 Palestinian, and the one that was picked for Aden. Building a TERR was a slight risk, but I did it anyway. If I avoided building TERR units, only 6 of the 31 units (including the MIL I built) had a chance of starting in the South Pacific/India region. Everything else starts either in Canada or the UK, and would just sit there until sealift is available to get it somewhere.

[Red Prince]

Before the End of Turn Report, for those keeping track here is the US Entry chit summary for J/A '40:

Impulse: 1
Attack on Chengtu: Assault, Fractional Odds .754 (Yes), Roll = 9 = */2S; USE-9 (no chit)

Impulse: 3
Attack on Gibraltar; Assault, Roll = 5+4 = 9 = 1/2 (9-4 INF Destroyed, attackers disorganized); USE-3 (+1 chit, 292 [3])

Impulse: 7
Japan enters Lanchow; USE-8 (no chit)

End of Turn:
USA drew 1 marker to the Ja Entry Pool (66 [1])
USA chooses Freeze Japanese Assets (Ja), adjusted by +3; USE-Auto (1 chit moved, 6 of 6 [5])

Ge/It Entry: 28
Ge/It Tension: 22
Chance of DOW: 0%
Japan Entry: 20
Japan Tension: 21
Chance of DOW: None
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I also thought you might like to see the Neutrality Pact positions:

[Red Prince]

And here it is, my End of Turn Report for J/A '40:

Partisans
No Partisans

Entry Markers
Germany placed 2 markers on Offense (122 [1], 343 [4])
USSR placed 1 marker on Defense (354 [4])

US Entry
USA drew 1 marker to the Ja Entry Pool (66 [1])
USA chooses Freeze Japanese Assets (Ja), adjusted by +3; USE-Auto (1 chit moved, 6 of 6 [5])

Ge/It Entry: 28
Ge/It Tension: 22
Chance of DOW: 0%
Japan Entry: 20
Japan Tension: 21
Chance of DOW: None

Pre-Build Scrapping
CW scrapped 1 x CVP
USSR scrapped 1 x INF

Builds:
China (1): Nothing (Saved BP at Kunming)
CW (19): 1 x MIL, 1 x TERR, 2 x TRS(1st), 1 x TRS(2nd), 1 x CVP-0, 1 x CVP-1, 1 x NAV-2, 2 x Pilot
France (0): Nothing / Madagascan MIL -- Free
USA (20): 1 x MTN, 1 x AMPH(1st), 2 x NAV-3, 1 x AMPH(2nd), 2 x Pilot
USSR (17): 2 x INF, 1 x MOT, 1 x MECH, 1 x Pilot
Germany (19): 2 x INF, 1 x MECH, 2 x FTR-2, 1 x CVP-1, 1 x SUB(2nd), 1 x Pilot
Italy (10): 1 x GARR, 1 x SUB(1st), 1 x NAV-3, 1 x BB(Repair), 1 x Pilot / Cairo MIL -- Free
Japan (16): 2 x Warlord, 2 x TRS(1st), 2 x NAV-2, 2 x Pilot

S/O '40 Gearing Limits (above 1):
China: None
CW: 3 x Infantry, 4 x Ship, 4 x Air, 3 x Pilot
France: None
USA: 2 x Infantry, 3 x Ship, x Air, 3 x Pilot
USSR: 4 x Infantry, 2 x Armor, 2 x Pilot
Germany: 3 x Infantry, 2 x Armor, 2 x Submarine, 3 x Air, 2 x Pilot
Italy: 2 x Infantry, 2 x Ship, 2 x Submarine, 2 x Air, 2 x Pilot
Japan: 3 x Infantry, 3 x Ship, 3 x Air, 3 x Pilot

Conquest:
Macao cc by Japan
Gibraltar cc by Germany
Palestine cc by Italy
Transjordan cc by Italy
Egypt cc by Italy
Morocco cc by Germany

China Declines to Surrender to Japan

Factory Destruction:
Japan destroys Blue Factories in Chengtu, Nanking

Reinforcements:
Germany assigns Pilots to 3 FTRs and a CVP
Germany places CV, CVP, and SUB in Kiel, FTR-3 in Essen, 2 FTR, MECH and INF in Konigsberg
Italy assigns Pilots to NAV-3 and FTR
Italy places CLin La Spezia, NAV and FTR in Genoa
Japan assigns Pilots to 3 x CVP
Japan places its CVP, CV and INF in Tokyo
Japan removes 2 CVP from the map
CW assigns its Pilots to 3 CVP, FTR-2, LND-4
CW places its TERR in Aden, its MIL in Cape Town and Dover (off-city), MECH in Coventry, LND and FTR in London, CVPs in Southampton
USA assigns Pilots to FTR, NAV-2, LND-3
USA places FTR and MAR in SD, NAV-2 in Norfolk, LND in Boston
USSR assigns Pilots to 2 FTR-2
USSR places MECH and MOT Divisions in Kiev, INF in Cernauti, 2 INF and 2 FTR in Chisinau
USSR places Communist Chinese INF in Sian

Trade Agreements:
USA creats a new Trade agreement with CW, sending 2 Oil (to Canada)

Victory Totals
Axis: 31
Allies: 36

Initiative:
Allies win Initiative 5-1
Allies choose to move first in S/O '40

Turn 7 S/O '40

Allies win Initiative 5-1
Allies choose to move first in S/O '40
+1 Allied Initiative

Impulse: 1
Weather: 4
(Fine weather everywhere)
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Another disaster for the Allies. They lost Gibralter. They may yet lose Suez. The Middle East is in severe danger, but at least there is now a unit in Aden, among other important locations I'll show you in later posts. Also, while it may not last long, Mogador is still controlled by France. The benefit of this is that Germany either has to spend an impulse going down to claim that port (plus another impulse getting back to Casablanca), or they have to ignore it and let the Americans land free and clear when the USA enters the war. The Germans, this late in the year, would much rather use those impulses skirting the Northern Sahara to get into the Middle-East. That means that one land move by the French CAV probably delays 2 Axis MECH/ARM units, plus an HQ-A. Perhaps it isn't a "pirate operation", but just as they did at Marseilles, the French are proving that they won't give up as easily as one might expect.

US Entry was an up and down thing. At the start of the turn, it looked like War Appropriations might not get through until early in 1941 . . . then, suddenly, after the fall of Gibraltar, it looked like it could be a turn or two away . . . and now, finally, it looks like it's going to be a few more turns yet, which brings us back into 1941. Fickle, those Americans, aren't they? Any way you look at it, though, the USA should be in the war at least 2-3 turns earlier than in a typical game.

The Soviets need to start thinking about an upcoming German DOW and conduct operations based on a winter DOW assumption, which may mean abandoning the Communist Chinese. Fine weather for the first impulse on each side seems to favor the Axis in its attacks on China, so, if after that impulse it looks like Sian can't survive (or if it gets taken), no more moves should probably be spent on those troops, except perhaps to move any survivors into mountain hexes.

The CW fleet isn't decimated, but it is completely out of position, and underpowered in terms of CV air cover. It needs to re-establish itself in the North Atlantic, North Sea, Bay of Biscay, and Cape St. Vincent. A strong enough force should also be left in the Red Sea region to prevent the Italians from exiting the Med in that direction if they manage to take Suez away. In the meantime, Suez has a few (but only a few) reinforcements on the way to make things more difficult for the Italians. Additionally, the Atlantic convoy routes need to be adjested ASAP to avoid losses from any Axis attacks that might come. Germany is likely to need land impulses most of this turn, but so far they have twice taken advantage of unexpected situations to annoy the RN. This effort to redeploy the Convoy fleet can take one of two directions -- either the CW can do it piecemeal over several turns, or it can decide to lose about half of its build points and bring many of its convoys back to port in order to redeploy after reorganization . . . or sometime next turn.

For the Axis, this turn has simple goals:
Japan needs to finish off the Communists, and if it can, the Nationalists, too, then relocate its units into position for future warfare.
Italy needs to align Iraq, eliminate French defenders in Syria, and try to finish off the CW units in the Suez area.
Germany needs to finish the job in Morocco, then redeploy for Barbarossa. One decision that needs to be made concerns Murmansk and the possibility of taking ti from the USSR.

(I welcome sugggestions, and will be examining the AIO thread, for the best way to garrison its latest acquisitions. I expect Italian INF and MIL to do a lot of that work, but not all).

In all, the Axis gained a lot of ground, but they have lost the initiative (on the track) and have pretty much run out of fresh targets for expansion in Europe. Japan still has options open to it, but time is not on their side.
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So, at the beginning of Septermber, 1940, here is what the world looks like:

[Red Prince]

A view of the UK, with the focus on land and air units. Portsmouth is a stack of 3 CVP that need to rebase to the CV in Plymouth.

[Red Prince]

This view of E. Africa should demonstrate why I'm still building TERR units. I had to decide whether to rail the RSA Territorial to Nyasaland or to the port of Beira during the last turn. I chose Beira because the unit could easily be cut off from supply in Nyasaland. Yes, it would prevent the AOI TERR from inevitably conquering Nyasaland, but would then be limited to a single move per turn, just as the AOI TERR is now. I decided holding the port was a better choice, until more units can be brought into Mozambique . . . and/or until the Southern Rhodesia TERR gets built.