German Disaster!

[alexvand]

So, every single attack I made on the Western Front as the Germans had a roll of less than 10 (Using D20 combat chart.)

This pic shows how that turns out.

And there's worse to come. I'll post the next pic in a moment.

[alexvand]

And in desperation for more troops in the West, I made a mistake and didn't notice that the garrison ratio vs Russia was low. (He had amazing draws for his counters. )

[alexvand]

I failed my morale roll for a while and walked away from the game. I was going to roll it back to a save game. (The joy of using MWiF.)

But then I realized I have never played this through and I decided to finish the game.

On the bright side for the Axis, China is in Trouble and all the troops the Russians had there have raced to Europe. The US entry is terrible. Only two chits in the Japanese pool. There has only been one extra chit put in any pool since the game began.

So, any advice for the axis? How should they play this?

[Centuur]

Well, that's a real mess you are in with Germany. How to play this? I don't know. I think I would make sure the Soviets or the French enter Germany to get a production multiplier and start praying to the Gods of the dice, which apparently you didn't do... [:-][;)]

[Joseignacio]

Dont panick! I f you are just attacking France now, odds are that you are at '40. If it is so, the USSR most probably cannot attack, mainly because of the garrison ratio... And remember you can only double the counters' value with the chits,and also they need to have two times as much as you, it seems they don't, in the pic, provided you have some in defense position:

Garrison ratios
You may break a neutrality pact, any turn after the calendar year following its signing, provided you have at least a 2:1 garrison ratio on your common border. To work out your garrison ratio with the major power you want to attack:

[Joseignacio]

Besides if the American has few chits in the Europe pool, it could be a disaster for the allies if USSR declares war:

13.3.3
Actions both sides take before the US is at war with every Axis major power can hasten or delay its entry.
When a major power takes any action specified on the US entry actions chart, you should check the US entry cost of that action. If the cost is positive, you may have to randomly choose one or more markers from the common marker pool and put it in one of your entry pools. If the cost is negative, you may have to randomly choose one or more markers from an entry pool and return it to the common marker pool.
If the action has "(Ge/It)" after it, place or remove the marker into/from the German/Italian entry pool. If the action has "(Ja)" after it, place or remove the marker into/from the Japanese entry pool. In all other cases, the US player can choose either entry pool.
For every 10 US entry points the action costs, randomly select 1 marker. If there are any remaining points, roll a die. If the roll is less than or equal to the remaining points, select another marker.
Example: Japan occupies Indo-China. This has a US entry cost of 12. So, you add 1 marker from the common marker pool to the Japan entry pool. Roll a die and compare it to the remaining 2 points. If you roll a 1 or 2, you put a further marker into the Japan entry pool.
You can only pick markers for each action once, regardless of the number of times that the action occurs, unless the chart notes otherwise.
If the US can’t take a marker from an entry marker pool when required, it can never declare war on that pool’s major power(s).

IIRW the number of chits that a russian war declaration to GE costs is 2 + 70% of a 3rd one, which the American may not have that early in the game. My opponent almost bit this bait in a board session.

[Viktor_Kormel_slith]

In my last solitaire game happened similar thing to me but USA entry pools was more usual. USSR declared war to Germany. IT was an interesting game but if Germany doesn´t conquer Paris in 1941, is lost. In my game, Germany was conquered in jul/agus 1944. USA just fought against Japan and in nov/dec 45 is resisting against all the allies, including french ships![:D] but I suppose it would be conquered before the game ends.

[Centuur]

Sorry

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Joseignacio

Besides if the American has few chits in the Europe pool, it could be a disaster for the allies if USSR declares war:

13.3.3
Actions both sides take before the US is at war with every Axis major power can hasten or delay its entry.
When a major power takes any action specified on the US entry actions chart, you should check the US entry cost of that action. If the cost is positive, you may have to randomly choose one or more markers from the common marker pool and put it in one of your entry pools. If the cost is negative, you may have to randomly choose one or more markers from an entry pool and return it to the common marker pool.
If the action has "(Ge/It)" after it, place or remove the marker into/from the German/Italian entry pool. If the action has "(Ja)" after it, place or remove the marker into/from the Japanese entry pool. In all other cases, the US player can choose either entry pool.
For every 10 US entry points the action costs, randomly select 1 marker. If there are any remaining points, roll a die. If the roll is less than or equal to the remaining points, select another marker.
Example: Japan occupies Indo-China. This has a US entry cost of 12. So, you add 1 marker from the common marker pool to the Japan entry pool. Roll a die and compare it to the remaining 2 points. If you roll a 1 or 2, you put a further marker into the Japan entry pool.
You can only pick markers for each action once, regardless of the number of times that the action occurs, unless the chart notes otherwise.
If the US can’t take a marker from an entry marker pool when required, it can never declare war on that pool’s major power(s).

IIRW the number of chits that a russian war declaration to GE costs is 2 + 70% of a 3rd one, which the American may not have that early in the game. My opponent almost bit this bait in a board session.

Since the Kiev MIL (a reserve unit) is on the map in that city, the USSR has already declared war on Germany...

[paulderynck]

Maybe the German chits were all offensive and the Russians too and/or many of the German units pictured in Post #2 were disorganized when Russia DoW'd or the German units railed back in a later impulse. Otherwise I don't understand how Russia broke the garrison ratio in 1940? Either that or there's a ton more Russian units in Lithuania.

[brian brian]

Throw everything at the French including both O-Chits, install Vichy (realistically unlikely had Russia been in the war, imo). Insure the security of Rumania via whatever political decisions are necessary up to and including an immediate DOW on Yugoslavia. Extract any Italians lefy in Africa and then build all air with Italy. Turn east ASAP.

[alexvand]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

Maybe the German chits were all offensive and the Russians too and/or many of the German units pictured in Post #2 were disorganized when Russia DoW'd or the German units railed back in a later impulse. Otherwise I don't understand how Russia broke the garrison ratio in 1940? Either that or there's a ton more Russian units in Lithuania.

Combination of great draws by the Russian, poor chit draws by the German, plus Germans moving corp to the West in order to stop the Wallies. Face down units don't count towards garrison ratios and the militia I had railed in to replace the Inf the left didn't count. Left the Russians with just enough to break the pact and declare war.

[alexvand]

ORIGINAL: Joseignacio

Dont panick! I f you are just attacking France now, odds are that you are at '40. If it is so, the USSR most probably cannot attack, mainly because of the garrison ratio... And remember you can only double the counters' value with the chits,and also they need to have two times as much as you, it seems they don't, in the pic, provided you have some in defense position:

Garrison ratios
You may break a neutrality pact, any turn after the calendar year following its signing, provided you have at least a 2:1 garrison ratio on your common border. To work out your garrison ratio with the major power you want to attack:

It's M/A 1940. Still have the two O-chits left. But Russia has already broken the pact and declared war.

[Centuur]

You've got to go all out against France. You've got no other options. Vichy needs to be declared at the end of next turn.
The Soviets don't have decent attacking force in place, except for some units up north. The Soviets HQ's are far behind the frontlines (and one is disorganised) and so are their reserves.

And if they want to enter East Prussia, let them do so. That production bonus is needed. Use you units in Poland as "speed bumbs".

Now comes the big question: did the USSR claim Bessarabia or not? If they didn't, they can't declare war on Rumania anymore. However, if the USSR decides to declare war on Rumania, Hungary can be aligned by Germany in the next impulse. So there is no need to attack Yugoslavia at all:

RAW:

While Rumania and the USSR are at war:
• Germany can declare Hungary aligned with Germany during any
Axis declaration of war step; and
• Bulgaria can not align with either Germany or the USSR.

[brian brian]

The Russians can still demand Bessarabia if Rumania is neutral I believe. And then DOW Rumania immediately even if Bessarabia is given to them - because they are already at war with Germany.

The Russians already have their MECH in Poland but if they bring up their Reserves quickly they can destroy most of the Rumanian units before Germany can do much but rail in quite vulnerable reinforcements after the surprise impulse. The Russians will have a very good chance to occupy Ploesti and blow up the wells. Strong Luftwaffe reinforcements might be able to prevent this but only the Me-110s will have the range to get there very quickly for much of a FTR force.

While Rumania is neutral the Russians can set up a strong attack, with Zhukov and an Offensive Chit not far away, but the Germans can only wait till it starts and then accomplish little. Losing Ploesti would temporarily cripple the German war effort and cost them 12 BPs to fix it on top of the delay in production returning. It is a hex almost as important as Paris for Germany in this situation. Unless Guderian is arriving soon the Germans can only operate around their 3 HQs or a few capitals.

If they get Hungary and Rumania active before a Russian Blitz into a Surprised Rumania, they can defend it much more stoutly. The Germans don't need any more enemies right now but a DOW on Yugoslavia integrates their allies into their defenses ahead of a very potential Russian invasion.

[Joseignacio]

This is one of the parts that I somehow know more or less but I have never mastered...

From RAW7:

19.6.2 Rumania
The USSR doesn’t claim Bessarabia
If the USSR hasn’t claimed Bessarabia:
ï it cannot declare war on Rumania;
ï Rumania can only align with Germany if Germany has declared war either on Yugoslavia or the USSR (not if the USSR has declared war on Germany), or if Germany controls Belgrade;
ï Bulgaria can only align with Germany if Germany controls Belgrade or is at war with Greece; and
ï Hungary can only align with Germany after Germany has declared war on Yugoslavia or the USSR.
The USSR claims Bessarabia
During any Allied declaration of war step (after the first) while Rumania is neutral, the USSR can claim Bessarabia.
The German player (acting as Rumania) must either allow the claim or deny it.
Rumania allows the claim
If Rumania allows the claim, it stays neutral and Bessarabia becomes part of the USSR for all purposes until the USSR controls no hex in Bessarabia. At that point, Bessarabia again becomes part of Rumania. The USSR can not declare war on Rumania until the USSR is at war with Germany.
Allowing the claim immediately reduces the resources the USSR supplies to Germany by 1 (see 5.1).
In the next Axis declaration of war step, Hungary and Bulgaria make demands on Rumania for Transylvania and South Dobruja respectively. Germany, as mediator, must either allow both claims or deny both.
If Germany allows their claims:
ï Transylvania becomes part of Hungary for all purposes. Germany can declare Hungary aligned with Germany during any later Axis declaration of war step.
ï South Dobruja becomes part of Bulgaria for all purposes. Germany can declare Bulgaria aligned with Germany during any later Axis declaration of war step.
ï Germany can declare Rumania aligned with Germany during any Axis declaration of war step if Germany has declared war on the USSR (not if the USSR has declared war on Germany), is at war with Yugoslavia, or controls Belgrade.
If Germany denies their claims:
ï Hungary stops supplying its resource to Germany until Hungary aligns with Germany. Germany can declare Hungary aligned with Germany during any Axis declaration of war step after Germany has declared war on the USSR (not if the USSR declares war on Germany). No more than 1 Hungarian unit can ever be outside of Hungary;
ï Bulgaria can never align with Germany but the USSR can declare it aligned with the USSR during any later Allied declaration of war step;
ï Rumania becomes aligned with Germany as a full Axis ally during the next Axis declaration of war step. It need no longer keep half of its units inside Rumania - they can all leave.
Rumania denies the claim
If Rumania denies the USSR’s claim, the USSR must immediately declare war on Rumania.
Germany can enforce a peace between Rumania and the USSR during any peace step if:
ï no hex of Rumania, outside of Bessarabia, is Soviet controlled; and
ï Germany and the USSR are not at war.
If Rumania and the USSR come to peace:
ï Rumania again becomes a neutral minor country;
ï the USSR keeps control of Bessarabia provided there is a Soviet land unit anywhere in Bessarabia; and
ï Germany can declare Rumania, Hungary and Bulgaria aligned with Germany during any later Axis declaration of war steps.
If the USSR conquers Rumania:
ï Germany can declare Hungary aligned with Germany during any later Axis declaration of war step; and
ï Bulgaria can never align with Germany but the USSR can declare it aligned with the USSR during any later Allied declaration of war step.
While Rumania and the USSR are at war:
ï Germany can declare Hungary aligned with Germany during any Axis declaration of war step; and
ï Bulgaria can not align with either Germany or the USSR.

[alexvand]

Ok, so it sounds like I need to declare war on Yugoslavia.

But I've got nothing to attack it with!

Gonna need to bring in the Italians I think. Will have to pull the units massing near Egypt back to launch an attack on Yugoslavia.

[paulderynck]

Let him DoW Romania and US Entry will get even worse, maybe even result in No USA in Europe from the sounds of it.

Also it doesn't look like the USSR has much to attack Romania in place yet. If so or the weather is bad you may be able to enforce a Peace and then activate the Axis Minors at a time of your choosing. Not sure if you are in position to help the Romanians resist, but the DoW on Yugo will allow Hungary to join up and then you need to protect the rail line so "Peacekeepers" can rail into Romania.

When Russia does DoW, consider aligning Romania with Italy.

Are you playing with the Oil option?

[brian brian]

You don't need much on the border with Yugo to DOW on them. The mountains are their friend, but your friend too in this case. They won't cross into Italy, little to gain, though Austria offers some hexes worth the production boost to Germany, such as the rail link to Hungary. But the real prize is who gets to Romania first - either via a DOW, or an alignment. But if the Russians have 3 units in supply in Ploesti at the end of a turn, this game is over for Germany and Italy both.