Bob Flemin's MWIF AARse IV - Nice AArse

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Nov/Dec 1939
Impulse: 7

The turn moves on with a weather throw of 9 - yuk! Lot's of snow, blizzard and storm.... sounds like an English summer in Cornwall [:D]

The Allies Would like to pass with all but the Chinese situation makes that unwise. They therefore choose a land with the Chinese and pass with everyone else - that gives a 20% chance of the turn ending.

Mmmm... may have a problem. Why are the Chinese units north of the lake in supply? They were not when the Japanese moved last turn. Has the lake Frozen?

EDIT: Ah good - not a problem, 8.2.9 "Lake hexes are frozen in snow or blizzard".

Nice weather for China. And now they can withdraw across the lake and save the two cutoff units. I hope they know how lucky they are. [:)]

warspite1

Oh plop! I didn't realise they could move over the Lake too [:(] Soz Chiang...[&:]

[Orm]

A partisan in French Indo-China is often as annoying for the Japanese.

[warspite1]

Nov/Dec 1939
Impulse: Production

Germany:
2 x INF
1 x ARM
LND
Pilot

Italy
Submarine
Repair Andrea Doria

Japan
Repair Hiei
Construct Carrier
INF
MECH DIV

[warspite1]

Nov/Dec 1939
Impulse: Production

China:
INF
INF DIV

Commonwealth:
Suffolk Repair
Victorious (Construction)
Battleship (Build)
Pilot
Nav Air

France:
Motorised

USA:
Maryland (Repair)
Colorado (Repair)
Battleship (Build)
TRS
Pilot

USSR:
2 x INF
INF DIV

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: Scrap Units and Reinforcement

The Germans scrap the 2 x Ju-86 and a 2-range Sub
The Italians scrap nothing
The Japanese scrap the 2-range TRS and AMPH

Admiral Raeder asks the Fuhrer if he can upgrade Gneisenau from their "pea-shooter" 11-inch guns to "big-boy" 15-inchers. Adolf agrees and Gneisenau goes into the dockyard.

Reinforcement

Germany:
Admiral Scheer
2 x INF

Italy:
Nothing

Japan:
Kinugasa
INF

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: Scrap Units and Reinforcement

The Chinese scrap nothing
The CW scrap nothing
Two Amiot bombers, 2 x carrier aircraft and a 2-range AMPH are scrapped
The US scrap a 3-quality FTR and a light blue carrier air.
The USSR scrap nothing

Reinforcement

China:
INF Div
INF (Communist)

Commonwealth:
Duke of York has been placed in the Cons Pool
Anson has been placed in the Cons Pool
SUB has been placed in the Cons Pool
Queen Elizabeth

France:
FTR

USA:
Saratoga

USSR:
2 x INF
GARR

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: Initiative and Weather

The Initiative goes to the Axis. The weather is a 9 - Blizzard, Rain and Storm everywhere and an impulse advance of 3.

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 1

As can be imagined with the weather conditions, attacking intention is in short supply this impulse. Instead the Germans continue their move west, while the Japanese build up their forces in China.

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 4

The turn advance by 3 (there will not be many impulses this turn) and the Allies take stock action - CW put the Home Fleet to sea, the USA continue to build up Pearl, the French try and organise their front line and the Soviets generally fart about a bit.

As ar as the Chinese are concerned, with the weather being blizzard, I manage to extricate the two units on the north side of the lake - that was one lucky break for the Chinese!

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 7

Back to the Axis and a 1 is thrown for the weather - storm in the North Temperate, so still difficult for both the Germans and the Japanese. The Impulse advance will be 2.

The Germans and Japanese use the Impulse to move west.

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 9

If all sides pass there is a 50% chance the turn will end. The Allies take that chance...

... it fails...

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 11

The weather throw (8) limits the damage for the Allies - its Snowing in the North Temperate zone.

Adolf is a tad miffed at the latest meterological developments and orders the invasion of the Netherlands anyway.....

There is no US Entry penalty however.

I go for an historical feel for the Dutch set-up. The three older cruisers - De Ruyter, Java and Sumatra are placed in Batavia. The two newer ships - Tromp and Jacob van Heemskeerck - are placed in Rotterdam.

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 11

With Zone of Control effects in play, the German forces cannot reach Rotterdam this turn. But the Germans can still get an automatic result against the Dutch 1st Infantry in Amsterdam.

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 11

In China, the Japanese aim to get rid of the pesky Partisan unit in Tsinan. The attack succeeds without loss to the IJA.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 11

With Zone of Control effects in play, the German forces cannot reach Rotterdam this turn. But the Germans can still get an automatic result against the Dutch 1st Infantry in Amsterdam.

warspite1

Meanwhile back in Holland, the Dutch defenders choose the Assault table and hope for the best.

Question: Why is the -2 column shift not in effect? There was no dice throw - just an automatic victory?

8.2.9 Terrain confirms that the hex due east of Amsterdam is a lake and the hexside to the northeast is a lake hexside.

The weather is Snow so for the unit east of Ijsselmeer the lake is treated as clear but for attacking purposes this is still a lake hexside.

Note 9 of the Terrain Effects Chart states that during Snow and Blizzard weather Lake hexsides are treated as River hexsides.

Attackers are halved across River, although this does not count if surprise is in effect (which it is because the Dutch have just been attacked this impulse).

So I understand why the odds are 10:1 - I do not understand why there is no column shift? What have I missed?

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 14

The weather throw is a 10! The turn continues.....

...question is - do I land my British army units (14 combat points) in Rotterdam to slow up the German advance? There would still be an 80% chance of ending the turn.

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: 14

No response - so let's go for it and see what happens! In order to increase the chances of the turn ending, only the CW choose an impulse.

The 2nd Infantry Corps and 4th Motorised Corps land in Rotterdam along with the an Anti-Tank Division. In a fit of, likely mis-placed, bravado the RAF order a Hurricane and Spitfire to the Port. This is a big effort from the BEF [X(]

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: End of Turn

And on a roll of 4 the turn ends.

The US choose Build Chinese aircraft.

HMS Southampton stays at sea to keep the British Army and Royal Air Force units in Holland in supply.

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: Production

Germany:
Armour HQ
2 x FTR
2 x Pilot

Italy:
Repair Caio Duillio
FTR

Japan:
Shokaku and Zuikaku (2nd Cycle)
Battleship (Build)
INF
MOT

[warspite1]

Jan/Feb 1940
Impulse: Production

China:
INF
FTR
Pilot

Commonwealth:
2 x AMPH
Prince of Wales (2nd Cycle)
Carrier (Build)
INF HQ
SUB

France:
INF
MIL
Save 1 point

USA:
Battleship (Build)
2 x Cruiser (Build)
AMPH
INF

USSR:
3 x INF
Pilot
LND