Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

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rkr1958
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Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

This AAR covers a two-player PBEM game between Jesper (jesperpehrson) and myself (Ronnie, rkr1958). Jesper is playing the allies and I'm playing the axis. We're using Skype for inter-game communications and then emailing game turns between us at the conclusion of each impulse.

The ground rules for this AAR are simple. This will be a narrative AAR and will NOT include strategy & tactics discussions or critiques by Jesper, myself or the community while the game is in progress. Though "neutral" posts/comments by all are not only welcomed by encouraged.

Die Rolls.

I'm rolling the die/dice and then entering the result. I believe Jesper is using the MWiF pseudo-random number generator for his rolls.

Optional Rules.

[ax] Same optional rules as before?

[al] Did we make any bold choices?

Did we have the same optionals in our 4-player (4PG) game?

[ax] One optional I'm not really fond of is cruisers in flames. I think that may be the one difference.

[ax] Do you want to use the same optionals as the 4PG?

[al] I guess the controversional ones are Nazi Soviet pact, Food in Flames, Chinese attack weakness and Cruisers in Flames. Any thoughts? And what are our stance on construction engineers?

[ax] I absolutely hate construction engineers. [:@]

Cruiser in flames. I'm not a big fan but can play with it. I feel it makes it too easy for the allies to negate the battle of the Atlantic.

Chinese attack weakness I usually play. Without it I think it's too easy for the Chinese versus the Japanese.

Food in flames. Very pro allied as it gives the CW a potential 3 PP's per turn addition. However, I'd be willing to give you food in flames if you'd be willing to not play with Cruisers in flames AND give me breaking the Nazi-Soviet pact.

And throw in Chinese attack weakness too. [:)]

[al] Interesting.

I am willing to take you up on that offer, it will make sub-warfare a lot more interesting.

For both the less amount of CA/CL and food in flames incentives you to make a move on the shipping.

[ax] Ok

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

August 31, 1939 (Setup). China.

[al] Oh Ronnie, you always manage to surprise with your aggressive maneuvers!

[ax] Aggressive? Funny, I really don't consider myself aggressive. Are you talking about China?

[al] Yeah

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

August 31, 1939 (Setup) + September 1, 1939 (Germany's DOW on Poland). US Entry.

[ax]Germany DOW's Poland.

USE, D10=10, 1 chit added to US entry.

Chit roll=2942 (4 val).

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

August 31, 1939 (Setup). Manchuria, Korea and Japan.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

August 31, 1939 (Setup). East Africa.

[al] I got lucky and got the Sudan TERR with CW.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

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August 31, 1939 (Setup). Eastern Libya. Egypt.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

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August 31, 1939 (Setup). Western Med.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

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August 31, 1939 (Setup). Western Europe.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #1. Poland (1/3).

[ax] Good luck and here we go. [:)]

[al] Likewise.

[ax] Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #1.
Germany DOW's Poland.
USE, D10=10, 1 chit added to US entry.
Chit roll=2942 (4 val).

Poland aligns with Great Britain in the hope that both Great Britain and France will honor their pledge to defend Poland against any German aggression. [:D]

[ax] Who's under Rdyz HQ-I and the 5-3 inf in Warsaw?

[al] 4-4

[ax] Ok. So 8 factors in Lodz and 10 factors in Warsaw?

[al] yes

[ax] Port attack. none.

Naval air. none.

Naval Movement. Italy x 1.
(1) TRS w/mech corps. Trieste, Italy to Tobruk, Libya.

[ax] Ground Strike. Germany x 1.
(1) Ju 87B (4 TAC) & He 111H (3 TAC) vs Lodz (surprise).
(2) He 111H (3 Tac) vs Pomorze inf army=5, 7, missed.
(3 )He 111H (3 Tac) vs Rydz HQ-I=9, 2, flipped.
(4) Ju 87B (4 TAC) vs Pomorze inf army=1, 7, flipped.
Surprise ground strike flips both defenders in Lodz (HQ-I & inf army).

[ax] Lots of planes flying from the Luftwaffe this impulse.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #1. Poland (2/3).

[ax] Land Combats. 4 by Germany and 1 by Japan.

You have choice of CRT for Warsaw, Pozan and China (assault or blitz).

[al] Assault for all

[ax] copy that.

[ax] I'm going to start off with the biggie, Warsaw.

[ax] and Combat. Germany. +18.5 Assault vs Warsaw.
(1) Fractional=976, no.
(2) 2D10=5. My poor land combat rolling continues. [:@]
(3) Result=18 + 5 = 23. Wow , that was too close for comfort.

The Warsaw attack included +1.5 in HQ support and 30 factors in ground support. I'm glad I decided to use von Bock HQ support; otherwise I'd lost my eng division.

[al] 30?!

[ax] 6 planes with a total of 15 factors that were doubled to 30.

Goring is about to bust out of him uniform from boasting because of Luftwaffe ground strike and ground support this impulse. [8D]

[ax] Next up 17.333 Blitz vs Polish cav corps in the woods.

[ax] Land Combat. Germany. 17.333 B vs Tamow Cav. Poland 52, 44.
(1) Fractional=50, yes.
(2) 2D10=14.
(3) Result=17+1+14=32, breakthrough along the road achieved.
(4) German arm & mot corps overrun and destroy the Polish bomber and pilot.

[ax] Land Combat. Germany. +20.667 A vs Poznan.
(1) Fractional=027, yes.
(2) 2D10=20, wow … had rather saved that one for another combat. [;)]
(3) Result=20+1+20=41.

[ax] Land Combat. Germany. +18.5 B vs Gdynia (1st Pol inf div).
(1) Fractional=122, yes.
(2) 2D10=3, ugh!
(3) Result=18+1+3=22.
(4) Polish div eliminated and fleet overrun.

[ax] Overrun Polish Naval Units.
(1) CP=1, captured.
(2) CA Destroyer Flotilla=6, escapes.
Rebase where?

[ax] To keep things moving, and I can change this it it's not ok, I rebased the Polish CA to Portsmouth. [:)]

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #1. Poland (3/3).

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #1. China.

[ax] Rail. Japan x 2.
(1) 29th Gar army. Manchuria 68, 149 to Kaifeng, China.
(2) Terauchi HQ-I. Manchuria 68, 149 to China 74, 143.

[ax] (1) Japan is flying three planes in ground support.
(2) China can intercept with their fighter (3 a2a) or provide defensive ground support (1 TAC).
(3) Japan has 2 FTR2 that can intercept (5 a2a & 4 a2a)
Chinese air reaction?

[al] No intercept

[ax] copy that.

Lots of planes flying from the Luftwaffe and Japanese air force this impulse.

[ax] Land Combat. Japan. +18 A vs China 82, 143 (Peking MIL).
(1) No fractional.
(2) 2D10=3, are you kidding me!
(3) Result=18 + 3= 21.
(4) Japan takes no losses but sees 4 of the 9 attackers flipped.

[ax] HQ Reorg. Balbo reorgs the Italian transport in Tobruk.

Umezu reogs 33 Gar army & D3A2 (val).

[ax] That ends my impulse.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by brian brian »

Some bold set-up decisions at various points, for both sides.
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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by jesperpehrson »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Allied #2.

[al] Ok so we start the impulse!

[al] France and CW declares war on Germany
[al] roll is 9
[al] 1 chit is removed

[al] France and CW calls out their reserves

[al] Naval for both France and CW
(Combined for US and USSR, Land for China)

[al] France transports the Syrian INF to Tunis

Image

[al] and sails a SUB to the Baltic

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[al] While CW mainly protects their convoys while waiting to see what the Italians are up to

[al] France searches for the German convoys in the Baltic

[al] Oh the US sails some TRS and subs towards Hawaii

[al] In the Baltic a 3 is rolled
[al] Axis rolls a 5
[al] subcombat
[al] 9 surprisepoint
[al] Risk is X and 2A
[al] I sent them to Gdynia with the Polish convoy, Köningsberg would be overstacked
[al] The Baltic is now empty with German convoys

Image

[al] CW stratbombs Hamburg with the Harrow
[al] France stratbombs Nuremburg

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[al] France rolls a 1 and fails
[al] CW rolls a 5 and fails


[al] China shuffled their lines a bit as did the commies

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[al] Sent you the turn!
PBEMgames played
- Korea 50-51 MV as communist
- Agonia y Victoria xx as Republican
- Plan Blau OV as Soviet
- The great war xx as Central Powers
- DNO XX as Soviet
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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #3.

[ax] Weather D10=9, St, R, R, St, F, F. DRM = +1, Impulse Advance (IA) = 2.

No DOW's. No special actions. No alignments.

Actions. Japan - combine, Germany - naval, Italy (neutral) - combine.

Naval Air. Germany He 112 FTR2 to 2-box, North Sea.

Naval Move. Japan x 2.
(1) Fukuoka to Haichow, China. TRS w/Yamamoto HQ-I & TRS w/AT & eng div.
(2) Fukuoka to Osaka, TRS picks up MIL. Continues moving to Shanghai, China.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

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Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #3. (continued).

[ax] Naval Move. Italy x 1. TRS w/4-5 mot. Trieste, Italy to Tobruk, Libya.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

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Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #3. (continued).

[ax] Naval Move. Germany. North Sea.
(1) 2 BB's, 2 CA's, 2 U-boat flotillas to 3-box.

[ax] Naval Move. Germany Baltic.
(1) 4 CP's to 0-box.
(2) 2 obsolete BB's to 1-box.
(3) 2 CA's to 4-box.

[ax] Naval Combat.
(1) KM will not attempt to initiate in the Baltic (against lone flipped French sub).
(2) KM will attempt to initiate in the North Sea.

[ax] North Sea.
(1) He 112 FTR2, 2-box initiates.
(2) He 115C NAV2 reacts to 2-box.
(3) Possible RAF air reactions are: 2 FTR2's to 1-box or below, Hampden (1 air to sea) to 2-box or extended range to 3-box or below.
Allied air reactions?

[al] What do I have in the North Sea?

[ax] Fairey LND2 in 2-box with 1 air to sea.

[al] No reaction

[ax] copy that.

[ax] Germany does not commit her 2 U-boat flotillas.

[ax] Search. KM=7, RAF/RN=8. Neither find.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #3. (concluded).

[ax] Ground Strike. China x 1.
(1) D3A2 Val (3/2=2 TAC) vs out of supply 3-3 inf.
(2) Chinese P-36 A (3 air-to-air) in position to intercept.
(3) However, Japan has 2 FTR2 (5 & 4 a2a) in position to counter.
Do you wish to intercept?

[al] No intercept

[ax] copy that.

[ax] Ground Strike. D10=9, missed.

[ax] Rail. Japan x 1. Imp. Guard Mar. Pusan Kor to Kaifeng, China.

[ax] Air rebase. Ju 52 ATR from Germany 49, 39 to 53, 34.

[ax] That ends my impulse at the HQ reorg phase.

[ax] JvR-01-SO39-AX-03-eoi.zip game turn sent.

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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by jesperpehrson »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Allied #5

[al] No DOW or alignments

[al] USSR combined, China land, CW naval, France combined and US combined
[al] No port attacks
[al] No naval air

[al] CW loads an INF and a MECH and sails them to Cape St Vincent 0-box
[al] CW does the same with Gort and the 6-5 MOT
[al] CW sends a CV to the Cape St Vincent 4-box
Image

[al] France sends to CA to the Bay of Biscay
[al] The US sails two subs to the Hawaiian Islands

[al] No naval combat

[al] CW sends a Hampden to strategic bombard Berlin. A 2 is rolled and no effect.
Image
Image

[al] No groundstrikes

[al] No railmovement

[al] USSR moves in to claim Eastern Poland
[al] a 2 is rolled and 1 chit is removed
Image

[al] The communist chinese moves northwards, towards the resource in the deserts north of Taiyuan
Image

[al] China holds steady in the center and south, leaving Ichang an open city for now
Image

[al] No air rebase
[al] No HQ reorg

[al] New weather is a 5
[al] Rain in the arctic and fine in most of the world

[al] Sending the turn!

PBEMgames played
- Korea 50-51 MV as communist
- Agonia y Victoria xx as Republican
- Plan Blau OV as Soviet
- The great war xx as Central Powers
- DNO XX as Soviet
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RE: Reporting from the Front. A Narrative AAR.

Post by rkr1958 »

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #7.

[ax] got it.

[ax] I was following your moves but for some reason I read BEF to Cape St. Vincent as Bay of Biscay.

[ax] What in the world are you up to with the BEF in Cape St. Vincent?

[al] It is a big secret! Do you have the right security clearance? [;)]

[ax] Adolf promises not to tell anyone if you let him in on the secret. [:)]

[ax] If you're baiting me, that is the Italians then you're doing a wonderful job.

[ax] Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Axis #7.
Italy declares war on Great Britain (i.e., CW).
Germany declares war on Denmark.

[al] Exciting!

[ax] US entry Actions.
(1) Italy's DOW on CW. D10=5, 1 chit added=1643 (val=2).
(2) Germany's DOW on Denmark. D10=10, no chit added.

[ax] Italy calls out her reserves.

[ax] Align Denmark to the CW?

[al] Yes please

[al] 5 convoys is all I can put in Iceland right?

[ax] Yes.

[al] The rest in Fredrikshavn

[ax] copy that.

[ax] No alignments or special actions.

[ax] Actions. Japan - land, Germany - land, Italy - naval.

[ax] Italian Coast. CW sub intercepts? The Italians will be moving ships in and out of the Italian coast. The CW has a sub group in the 3-box and can intercept. However, the CW is surprised so they'd get no surprise points. Do you have any appetite for attempting to intercept these moves?

[al] No intercepts with sub in Italian coast

[ax] Naval air.
Italian NAV2 to 4-box, West Med.

[ax] Italian Naval Moves.

[ax] Cape St. Vincent. 3 RM sub flotillas with 2 in 3-box and 1 in 2-box.

[ax] Unescorted TRS moves from Tobruk into the Italian Coast. Does the RN sub group wish to attempt intercept? (Sorry to ask but this wasn't really covered by SCS's moving in and out).

[al] No thank you

[ax] TRS moves on to Trieste then.

[ax] Italian RM Naval Movement. West Med.
2 BB's & 2 CA's to 4-box, joining NAV2 they flew out during naval air phase.

[ax] Italian Coast.
(1) 3 CA's to 4-box.
(2) 2 CA's to 1-box.
(3) 2 CA's to 0-box.

[ax] East Med.
2 CA's to 4-box.

[ax] Naval Combat.
(1) Four potential sea areas in which the Italian RM could initiate.
(2) Cape St. Vincent, Italian Coast, West Med, East Med.
(3) Italian will attempt to initiate in all but the Italian Coast.
(4) Assume since the RN sub group in the Italian Coast is surprise it won't initiate?

[al] Correct

[ax] Naval Combat. Cape St. Vincent.
(1) No air reactions possible.
(2) Italian sub 5043 (3-box) initiates.
(3) Italy commits her subs.
(4) Search. It RM=7, RN=3, only the RN finds.

Cape St. Vincent.

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