The Plague Diaries

[John B.]

Well, if I'm stuck at home during the Corona shut down I might as well hear myself type.

I really enjoy this game at least as solitaire and have started up a new campaign. I'm bypassing 1939 since it's a pretty pat response and picked up the action with the Nazi invasion of the low countries in March 1940. Significant actions to date include: 1. No Winter War (maybe Finland won't attack); 2. No seizure of the Irish Ports (why tick off the US for some ports, England has lots); 3. No Spanish Republican Engineer unit in France (I've never seen this unit do much good and France needs cash); 4. Yes to the Hanoi Kunming Railroad (this is lots and lots and lots of free money to the Chinese and should be a no-brainer); 5. Yes to the Home Guard (units are units); 6. Yes to building up Singapore (I'm not sure about this one, it's very expensive and I guess I get some Malay units but not much else); 7. Letting the Congress Party take its sweet time to get into the war (I don't know what the unrest in India looks like but I guess this will help); 8. Yes to the US naval neutral zone (should make the sub war just a little easier); 9. Yes to raising a Polish Corps in France (see comment No. 5); 10. Yes to moving into East Poland

The war thus far. Poland held out for three turns and the garrison unit in Warsaw actually held out two turns and too 2-3 armored points with it. I'm sure the Germans respected the gallantry of the Polish forces and gave then the complete honors of war.

Since then, everyone has been pretty much sitting around until now with The German invasions. While Luxembourg fell, both Belgium and the Netherlands held firm. In fact, the Netherlands fighter unit held off three (3!) ground attacks before it retreated. [&o] And, the German assault on Brussels did not take the town letting the British rebuild the unit there. Both Belgium and the Netherlands may hold out one more turn depending on "whether". ("whether" or not I move in with the British har de har har). Sorry, cabin fever is setting in. As you can see, there is a German paratroop unit about to be in a world of hurt. The French have enough adjacent to destroy it which would be a nice kill.

Everyone is researching infantry tactics which is basically a free upgrade for all infantry units so should be first on your shopping list. China and Russia (and Britain) are also looking into infantry weapons.

In naval news, the British are annoying the Norwegians by intercepting the trade with Germany and got a bonus of killing a German heavy cruiser that came out to find the sub. The Germans got their own back by hitting S. African convoys and, although there is a joint French/British TF down there looking for the raider it has disappeared.

[John B.]

China is the only other active front right now. Right now it is a war of attrition and, as long as China can rebuild its losses this is a sink for the Japanese. China is losing more, but Japan loses 5-6 infantry points per turn and some airpoints every now and again as well. It is important for morale to keep units at full strength so I try to rotate and rebuild Chinese units as often as possible.

[John B.]

Pretty much the same story in Southern China. I've got units on the Kunming railroad to keep that open as long as possible as it is crucial for China. I've lost one army destroyed thus far and killed a Japanese garrison unit.

On the diplomatic front, the allies have has some success with Turkey and Italy is at about 80% pro-Axis. They'll be in in a couple of months. BTW, if you're interested in an Italian perspective on the war pick up Count Ciano's diaries.

[John B.]

April 1940 sees more attrition in China. And it seems me being able to show the entire chinese front on one map. Not much movement and more dead Japanese.

[John B.]

In Western Europe the Belgians almost, but not quite, held onto Brussels. The Germans got them on their last attack and were able to use motorized infantry to move into the City. I had flown the Belgian fighter to England but it surrendered as well. I guess that there are no free forces for the minors who dies (unlike the WWI sim). The Netherlands held on by the skin of their teeth and they're almost certain to go under this turn.

I now have a British corps in Antwerp that I'll likely move out with sealift but France is not looking great. They are still a long way from developing infantry warfare and the Germans are headed their way. The French were able to round up the paratroopers who dropped behind the Maginot line. And the Germans have left the Saar uncovered along with one of their planes. The French army is likely to push forward to put a dent on one of those units both to cost the Germans MMP and to reduce that unit's experience.

Italy announced that it is preparing for war so an Italian attack is expected this turn.

[John B.]

May 1940, it's clear that Hitler was not happy with the French seizing the Saar and Goering was not happy with his precious airforce being subjected to attacks on the ground. The French corps was subjected to furious bombing and ground attacks and yet was able to hang on by its fingernails. French Generals are likely to continue to hold this line to distract the Germans from their push through Belgium so reinforcements are on their way. The BEF, meanwhile, pretty easily held off two German attacks on Lille and will also continue to hold.

In the South, Mussolini launched two attacks on the French lines but was unable to make any progress. In Africa, British reinforcements showed up and will soon be fleshed out.

[John B.]

In China, the Japanese army took heavy losses in a series of frontal attacks and they have pushed an army forward in the north that is running the risk of destruction. China is urging France to hold out and not put the precious Hanoi Kunming RR in peril.

[John B.]

June 1940. The Soviet Union, listening to the heartfelt pleas from the workers and peasants of the Baltic Countries, reluctantly agrees to welcome those into the warm embrace of the Communist state. In France, the Germans basically paused to catch their breath but did launch several attacks on the BEF in Lille. Fighter command, based out of Britain took a heavy toll of German bombers and fighters.

A German raider appeared north of Iceland and the Italians made no headway in Southern France.

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[John B.]

Not much to report in China. More attacks and more dead pile up. China decided to research advanced fighters given that the Japanese airforce can eventually really rain down terror on Chinese units.

[John B.]

There is a vicious battle going on in France. The BEF fell fighting in Lille to multiple armored assaults while the Luftwaffe took heavy losses from French and British fighters and AA. But, as you can see, there is a German floodtide heading in from the north so France may hold out 2-3 more turns. There is an infantry army fully entrenched in Paris that may take the Germans a little while to dig out.

The Graf Spee was hunted down north of Iceland by British carriers and a British sub penetrated the Adriatic.

Not much in China, just more attrition. The US built a new aircraft carrier.

[John B.]

The front is France is creaking more and more. But, it looks as if there will be a chance to kill one of the precious German armor corps. That's going to help the Soviet Union a whole lot! Lord Gort, meanwhile, is heading for a port and the British Crops will be reinforced but is expected to die with its boots on.

More heavy losses in the air as the French airforce is giving a good account of itself. The Italians lost about 6 points attacking in the south but made no headway at all.

Not much to report in China. More death but no movement on the front lines.

[John B.]

There is a major naval battle off of Taranto. The allies may be able to sink an Italian battleship this turn and, if the Italians stay out to play there may be more mayhem inflicted on the Italian fleet. The French were able to sink the East Africa DD flotilla.

The US, as a show of solidarity, has offered the DDs for leases and the English have accepted. And, the US kept the aircraft that were supposed to go to France to reinforce its own army.

[John B.]

France gets ever closer to falling but it's still inflicting losses on the Germans. Germany is basically at the gates of Paris and they killed a British corps and two french corps this turn. The Nazi land losses were light, but more heavy losses in the air. Anything to continue the drain on Germany to slow down its buildup against the Soviet Union is welcome at this point.

The British advanced to the Egyptian border and halted for training as new tactics and weapons became available on the same turn. Next turn expect attacks on Tobruk.

Attrition in China.

And, in Ethiopia the South Africans are slowly gathering. I built the S. African army and two corps plus the corps coming out to Sudan so it's my hope to finally take Addis Ababa in this game.

[Marcinos1985]

Great read, thank you!

[John B.]

ORIGINAL: Marcinos1985

Great read, thank you!

Great read, thank you!

It is my pleasure!

[John B.]

Well, France held out until late November 1940 and then collapsed with Vichy now installed. Attrition continues in China (but the Japanese seem to be getting better) and the only real action is in North Africa. As you can see, the British have swarmed into Libya and taken both Tobruk and Benghazi. In the good news/bad news front, the Afrika Corps is reported as deploying to Russia. Bad news for Stalin and good news for Britain.

[John B.]

It's March 1941 and the Germans just overran Yugoslavia in a real blitz campaign. It just took them two turns in the mud to take the entire country. Greece, in a move that one suspects will come back to haunt them, signed a mutual defense pact with the U.K.

In China it appears that the free money is no loner flowing out of Hanoi but China was able to afford to upgrade most of her infantry units to infantry weapons level one. The Soviet Union also just received infantry weapons level one and has just upgraded its armed forces. Given the level of German activity on the boarder (and the fact that Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria have each joined the Axis makes Stalin very very nervous.

In Africa the British hit their supply tether just outside of Tripoli and they're waiting for the HQ to catch up. The British also seized Mogadishu and now the S. Africans are heading towards Addis ababa. Minor naval clashes off of Malta lead to the death of an Italian CL.

[John B.]

It's April 1941 and the world is on the eve of destruction. Here's the Russian defense. Basically, Stalin has decided to set up defensive lines along the rivers away from the boarder to see if that can at least waste one turn of the German advance. The down side to this is that Soviet armies show up in the empty area and they will get slaughtered on the first turn of the invasion but they will get slaughtered anyway.

Of course, the Germans continue to insist that they have only peaceful intentions.

[John B.]

In Libya the British are closing in on Tripoli. Once that is taken they are likely to head over, take out Syria and then go into Iraq to borrow some Iraqi oil while Britain researches more advance amphibious transport to prepare for an invasion of Italy.

[John B.]

Meanwhile, in China the loss of Hanoi is really starting to pinch. China used up all of its reserves to upgrade its forces and to rebuild its losses. On the bright side, a Japanese corps went a hex too far and is likely to be destroyed this turn.