Nov / Dec 39
The Germans after their conquest of Netherland - of which they also bombed the fleet in port by surprise, do the same with Belgium. The good weather of october apparently went in also the earnest of November, sunny skies and dry ground saw the Wermacht march in the Flanders and overrun the Belgian defenders (not overruning in in-game terms) with grand aid of the Luftwaffe to top the odds.
Von Bock is spent in leading the assault on Antwerp, where the strongest Belgian unit has been placed.
Evaluation: This is something I've learnt from my first game, where I was trying to disrupt the Holland and Belgium units. On Surprise, the doubling of Tac-factor on ground support often ensures a neat +2, meanwhile the +2 coming from disruption is a gamble of dices.
At the same time, Italy declares war only on France.
The allmighty Gabbiano strikes Marseille, where the French fleet is anchored - inflicting damage to the Bearn (Which probably won't see any action as France has other concerns right now), and amphibious operations are performed to land east of Algier (To cut the railway from Tunis, where the French land unit is.), two divisions (large unit split) are debarted together to then march into Algier later unless the French reinforces from elsewhere.
France appears to be more interested in chasing the Regia Marina convoys and few cruisers that sailed out to debark the troops (only 2 CLs!), praising in General Winter to come to aid in the north and relying on the valiance of their troops and the bunkers of the Maginot line. (He picked a Naval Impulse, thus leaving his lands units pinned as they were, scattering his French Navy in all the Med sea zones hunting for convoys.)
The weather indeed worsened, but there was a single hex (West of Metz) manned by a 4-5 MOT unit. The Germans brought in engineers and other units at avail, only a mechanized unit for the blitz combat but sufficed.
German bombers challenged the hostile weather (Rain) to bomb other targets such as Lille or the French-Belgian border.
The French fighter flew up to intercept, only to be gunned down in a one against one fight (in terms of units!) by the counter-intercepting Me109s. The French pilot saved itself although, and will return the next turn!
The French line was then penetrated as the land attack was a success, with no losses by German side.
The French high command panics, and order general retreat for a new position behind the Seine.
The German give pursuit, as the Maginot was abandoned too, Metz is taken first, and the next impulse another Garrison of the French is butchered in the open by the advancing Germans. Also two armies and one artillery were all disrupted by bombers previously (Lucky shot, a bomber with 3 Tac-factor, 2 in Rain nailed all the 3 rolls pinning a whole stack! Lille though was free to move, HQ included, and escaped the grim fate awaiting!).
The Germans infiltrate further in the gaps, surrounding by 5 hexes the Disrupted pack (The sixth containts French units) and storm it, causing the loss of 2 units and shattering the latter. Result is converted in retreat though, favoring to have that remaining 6 strenght corp in reach for destruction.
The French keep retreating, but with bad weather the Germans struggle to attack well, only that already disrupted corp is dealt with.
The Italians scatter their divisions to take Algier and march to Morocco with one, and the other gets toward Algier alongside forces coming from Lybia (Including the AoI starting INF Army that was brought there.)
Regia Marina sails out en mass to engage one of the smaller formations of the scattered French Navy. Italian fleet finds the French, and engage with success, losing only one cruiser, meanwhile sinking and damaging a total of three enemy units.
Japan jumps on Mao the very first impulse, destroying it; and maneuvers to storm Sian.
Nationalist Chinese warlord and cavalry forces march northward to threaten the southern flank of the Japanese advance, but they're too few and too weak. The Cavalry is actually brought too close and is mercilessly attacked as the mistake of placing it in woods and not mountain is made.
The strategic bombing campaign continues, merciless. Japan on China, and France and UK on Germany.
Although the French bomber lands in Metz and is disrupted (This was the Impulse after Belgium fall). Thus later in the turn it is seized on the ground and destroyed.
SCREEENSHOT - March / April '40, post deploying new units and before to do any Impulse.
