MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR)

[Red Prince]

Somebody, somewhere . . . somehow . . .

. . . once asked about the Internment Pool, and how it works. Well, I had never seen it yet, and Steve described it, but guess what . . . now I can show it to you:

[Red Prince]

And, as it turns out, the Chinese got what they needed for a Weather roll, but the French really didn't:

[Red Prince]

And my last post for now, the DOWs:

Impulse: 5
Weather: 6
Italy DOW CW; USE-3 (+1 chit, 2898 [4])
Germany DOW Belgium (CW); USE-6 (+1 chit, 770 [1]

I admit now that the DOW on Belgium may have been premature. I forgot I only had 1 LND in the area, so it'll be a tough fight, and the French will almost certainly be able to provide backup, but it will cost them.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: composer99

For Belgium given you expect Germany to hold Rotterdam I suggest two units in Antwerp and 1 in Liege.

Really, as long as Germany has the strength to secure Antwerp on the surprise impulse and has units in place to secure the Belgian resource hex, there is no real chance of stopping the Germans from getting across the Maas & the Dyle rivers.

But the above set-up at least slows down the seizure of Brussels. And if they flub the Antwerp attack, then the other Allies can even still get in there and slow them up even further.

Thought I should mention that I made this change to my plans. CAV in Liege, and the other two in Antwerp.

[Orm]

I would consider to move this infantry like this. It depends a bit on the amount of ground strike factors and land units that Japan can get to attack that hex. If they have to much that can reach that hex I would pick alternative number 4 instead. The one you already favor.


Edit: When I think about it is not the weather rain here?

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Orm

I would consider to move this infantry like this. It depends a bit on the amount of ground strike factors and land units that Japan can get to attack that hex. If they have to much that can reach that hex I would pick alternative number 4 instead. The one you already favor.


Edit: When I think about it is not the weather rain here?

Well, it might have been wise, because I can tell you that Japan plans to deliver its 2 MAR, the HQ Yamamoto, and 2 Divisions into Canton and Pakhoi (although it could have been a different port instead) in preparation for a pleasant N/D turn, weather-wise. That would have changed where the units could go, but it probably wouldn't have changed the total power available to Japan in the region.

[Orm]

I ment for a next impulse attack. I can't see what is in Canton because of all the navy. If Japan brings units from over seas then Japan must pick a combined or naval and that is good for China. China needs to gain time to repair the front.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Orm

I ment for a next impulse attack. I can't see what is in Canton because of all the navy. If Japan brings units from over seas then Japan must pick a combined or naval and that is good for China. China needs to gain time to repair the front.

I actually debated that for about 20 minutes, and finally decided Japan would use a Combined action, which means only the transports will get to move by sea . . . as for Canton, there's only the navy there right now. Nothing else.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

The USSR took over Eastern-Poland, and was lucky by a single digit; USE-8 (no chit).

That leaves the other 4 moves available to lay the groundwork for a quick elimination of Persia.
-----
Edit: In retrospect, I realize I should have used my LND for the Ground Strike this impulse because of the extra die for Surprise, but I was thinking I might want him for help with Ground Support when the actual attack took place. But that was foolish. It's going to be a 5:1 attack, and adding 4 factors gives me little extra help, even if I am luck on the Fractional Odds roll to make it a 7:1 attack. Small oops here.

To bad you didn't set up the Persian CAV in the hex west of where the 5-4 Siberian is located now. That would have bought the Persians another impulse to defend Persia, if the weather stays fine. Their only chanche is to delay the capture of Teheran, and they might earn another impulse by stopping the 5-4 just accros the border. Zhukov and his comrades weren't able to capture an empty Teheran and the 5-4 wouldn't be able to get adjacent to Teheran in the next impulse.
Of course, if rain would come, than the Persians are going to be giving the Russians an empty Teheran. However, a 5-1 attack is very likely to hand over Teheran to the Soviets anyhow, so a gamble on the weather die might benefit the Persians and make it more likely that that nice militia is going to appear in time for a better defence...

[Orm]

I think this is played with railway movement option and if it is so then the Cav Div can reach to Teheran in one impulse from the east. Forcing the Persian to set up in Teheran.

[Centuur]

It's raining indeed, so things in Southern China are going to be very slow there. Perfect time to disembark Yamamoto and his marines on the Chinese shores?
However, there's still the Persian attack to take into account...
I know, you don't want to go into war with the USSR... Well, I would punish the USSR. It's WAR, because I want the Persian OIL. I don't have to get it to Japan to use it for reorganisation time after time again and I'm going to build oil depots with the NEI oil I'm getting. The USA oil I'm going to use for... production! 7 OIL every turn until the USA is going to limit things for me. I'm going to bath in it and I don't have to worry about not using planes, HQ's or ships at all for a long, long time.
Lets build all MIL/TERR units I'm able to build the first turn and see how many USSR corps I can kill, isolate or simply keep busy for about 18 months on the Manchurian-USSR border, weakening his precious border garrison with the Germans.
So let's sail Yamamoto and friends into the Indian ocean as close to the oil fields possible. Attack the USSR and make a conference in Berlin to stresse the importance of a Barbarossa directly after the creation of Vichy... Axis win is now a very good possibility...
Yes, I know I'm very insistent (is that the right word written here?). However, I'm convinced that this is the only right decision to be made by the Japanese and Euroaxis at this turn of events. Screw all other plans, uncle Joe just changed them and given me the first crack towards Victory...

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Orm

I think this is played with railway movement option and if it is so then the Cav Div can reach to Teheran in one impulse from the east. Forcing the Persian to set up in Teheran.

You're right. I stand corrected. There isn't another option when playing with railway movement...
Thanks.

[Centuur]

Oops... double post. Sorry.

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

It's raining indeed, so things in Southern China are going to be very slow there. Perfect time to disembark Yamamoto and his marines on the Chinese shores?
However, there's still the Persian attack to take into account...
I know, you don't want to go into war with the USSR... Well, I would punish the USSR. It's WAR, because I want the Persian OIL. I don't have to get it to Japan to use it for reorganisation time after time again and I'm going to build oil depots with the NEI oil I'm getting. The USA oil I'm going to use for... production! 7 OIL every turn until the USA is going to limit things for me. I'm going to bath in it and I don't have to worry about not using planes, HQ's or ships at all for a long, long time.
Lets build all MIL/TERR units I'm able to build the first turn and see how many USSR corps I can kill, isolate or simply keep busy for about 18 months on the Manchurian-USSR border, weakening his precious border garrison with the Germans.
So let's sail Yamamoto and friends into the Indian ocean as close to the oil fields possible. Attack the USSR and make a conference in Berlin to stresse the importance of a Barbarossa directly after the creation of Vichy... Axis win is now a very good possibility...
Yes, I know I'm very insistent (is that the right word written here?). However, I'm convinced that this is the only right decision to be made by the Japanese and Euroaxis at this turn of events. Screw all other plans, uncle Joe just changed them and given me the first crack towards Victory...

Actually, your wording is correct, and I find it quite amusing. I don't mean that to be insulting. I really like your enthusiasm. I do intend to build the MIL and TERR units ASAP for Japan, but I really fear stretching myself too thin. I'd have to check, but I'm not sure that the TRS that Japan drew have the range to do what you want, anyway.

I just checked, and perhaps they do, but it does foil my plans in China if I do that. China has gotten a little help from the rain, but the bonehead setup really gives the Japanese a chance to press that advantage, and I consider getting China knocked out of the war within a year (entirely possible) to be more important than sticking pins in the Soviet sides. With China gone, Japan can reposition to scare the daylights out of Joe and his pals.

Add to that the fact that I don't intend to declare Vichy, and that kind of spoils the deal for Japan, because it will be tough to run a '41 Barbarossa if I'm trying to go through Spain to take Gibraltar.

I'm not actually sure why you see the Soviet declaration on Persia as so important enough to alter the original Axis strategy so drastically. It began as a Close the Med, and Italy has had some success so far in deflating France already. I don't know that it is wise to shift gears this early when both Japan in China and Italy in the Med are seeing their plans work so far. Give it another turn, and maybe it might be time for an invasion of Persia by Japan. But that would take up the good weather months in the N. Monsoon zone. It's a trade-off I don't see as extremely profitable.
-----
Edit: Seeing as this thread has gotten over 150 hits today already, I'll try to muster the energy to press on with the Axis this afternoon/evening. I had a pseudo-nap early this afternoon, and I'm feeling a little refreshed. Then we can see where things stand. (Sorry, Centuur, but the Japanese are going to land in S. China).

[Centuur]

Well, there goes your first opportunity to win the game...

Do you play chess? In that game, the opening moves are most important. There are a lot of moves you can make, but only a few of those are good ones. You're opponent has to react to you're moves, or you might get into trouble...
Before you can make you're grand strategy in Chess, you're probably five or six moves in the game. Of course there are small differences in those opening moves, but that's all there is...
The first turn of WiF is like chess. Opening moves are followed by certain expected counter moves and so on and on. There's only one difference: in chess you'll don't lose many pieces during those opening moves. In WiF you might lose very important units, without being able to do anything about it...

I see the first action stage in WiF as a game of chess. The Axis make the opening moves, usually attacking Poland (eliminating it the first impulse, if playing with surprised ZOC) and trying to draw first blood in China...
Than the Allies come into play. Will the French cruisers sail into the Baltic? Will they Strat bomb the German factories? Is the CW going to port-attack the German Fleet (if he can do so). All kinds of really predictable events, however, not all of them might be possible. Is the CW moving a lot of CV's to put a knife at the throat of the Italian Fleet and Sea lift? Are the Italian TRS survivors of the first turn, or are they out of play (not unheard of...) damaged or even eliminated! If the CW rolls good and the Italians bad, the Axis can't do anything about that happening to them, with good allied play...
So it goes on an on. Attacking Yugoslavia or Hungary? Capture Denmark! Is the USSR patient enought to leave Persia alone in the first turn? How is the US entry reacting to all things happening on the board?
Netherlands invaded (or not, if going for a Sealion before France?). Belgium? How's the weather?
What are the Italian options? DOW France or CW? Or am I going for Greece with only combined impulses (difficult, since the fleet cannot sail all ships in a combined impulse, if Italy is neutral...). Is the CW going to DOW me? Where are the CW carriers? Are they in the Med? Are the Italian TRS save, or am I going to get into a surprise port attack and lose them?

These are all opening moves and decisions, which haven't got to do with grand strategy at all (except when playing a Sealion before France, since that means you don't want the CW getting the Netherlands Convoys and ships). They all have to do with the opportunities which present themselves and getting things done, to make sure things are going you're way in general.

The outcome of the first action stage can mean that you have to be able to admit that you're first plans aren't going to be possible at all. Losing the Italian TRS is a possibility. This then means you're not going to get into Syria at all. Not very nice, but it can happen, even if the Italians aren't surprised...

As the Allies, my USSR is only going to capture Eastern Poland and (if US entry is high enough) Bessarabia. However: an DOW with a surprise on the Italian fleet has to be made by the CW and is more important than Bessarabia or Persia, if US entry permits this! Untill this, the USSR has to stay low and the CW and the French have to be aggressive agains the Euroaxis... Japan? Japan simply does his thing in China and keeps Yamamoto with the Marines in Canton/Hainan on his ships, to prevent fancy USSR play... Of course, don't forget to align Siam, since you don't want a CW DOW happening on that country if US entry gets high enough.

And believe me, I've never seen an Italian player not DOW'ing the CW, if the possibility exists that his precious TRS will be surprised by a whole bunch of CW CV planes...

So I'll make my grand strategy plans as the Axis at the end of the Action segment and before production. Than I'm committed...

Oh, by the way: I hate chess... [:D]

[Red Prince]

After a lot of shifting and shuffling, here's what we have for Axis attacks during impulse #5. I'm not thrilled with the Antwerp attack, but that was my mistake in forgetting to wait for proper air support. The fingers are just going to have to be kept crossed and the tankers are gonna have to pray.



And the results of the attacks:

Attack on Malta (Automatic); French ships in port: BB & CL Destroyed, 2 CA Escaped to Marseilles, BB Dunkurque Captured by Italy
Attack on Budapest: Assault, Fractional Odds .582 (No); Roll = 5 = */2S
Attack on Liege: Assault, Roll = 3 = -/2S (disorganized)
Attack on Antwerp: Assault, Fractional Odds .811 (No); Roll = 7+1 = 8 = */2S

[Centuur]

Nice, a French BB captured by the Italians in an invasion of Malta, and another one destroyed. I think that a French Admiral is now going to be sacked... [;)]

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Well, there goes your first opportunity to win the game...

Do you play chess? In that game, the opening moves are most important. There are a lot of moves you can make, but only a few of those are good ones. You're opponent has to react to you're moves, or you might get into trouble...
Before you can make you're grand strategy in Chess, you're probably five or six moves in the game. Of course there are small differences in those opening moves, but that's all there is...
The first turn of WiF is like chess. Opening moves are followed by certain expected counter moves and so on and on. There's only one difference: in chess you'll don't lose many pieces during those opening moves. In WiF you might lose very important units, without being able to do anything about it...

I see the first action stage in WiF as a game of chess. The Axis make the opening moves, usually attacking Poland (eliminating it the first impulse, if playing with surprised ZOC) and trying to draw first blood in China...
Than the Allies come into play. Will the French cruisers sail into the Baltic? Will they Strat bomb the German factories? Is the CW going to port-attack the German Fleet (if he can do so). All kinds of really predictable events, however, not all of them might be possible. Is the CW moving a lot of CV's to put a knife at the throat of the Italian Fleet and Sea lift? Are the Italian TRS survivors of the first turn, or are they out of play (not unheard of...) damaged or even eliminated! If the CW rolls good and the Italians bad, the Axis can't do anything about that happening to them, with good allied play...
So it goes on an on. Attacking Yugoslavia or Hungary? Capture Denmark! Is the USSR patient enought to leave Persia alone in the first turn? How is the US entry reacting to all things happening on the board?
Netherlands invaded (or not, if going for a Sealion before France?). Belgium? How's the weather?
What are the Italian options? DOW France or CW? Or am I going for Greece with only combined impulses (difficult, since the fleet cannot sail all ships in a combined impulse, if Italy is neutral...). Is the CW going to DOW me? Where are the CW carriers? Are they in the Med? Are the Italian TRS save, or am I going to get into a surprise port attack and lose them?

These are all opening moves and decisions, which haven't got to do with grand strategy at all (except when playing a Sealion before France, since that means you don't want the CW getting the Netherlands Convoys and ships). They all have to do with the opportunities which present themselves and getting things done, to make sure things are going you're way in general.

The outcome of the first action stage can mean that you have to be able to admit that you're first plans aren't going to be possible at all. Losing the Italian TRS is a possibility. This then means you're not going to get into Syria at all. Not very nice, but it can happen, even if the Italians aren't surprised...

As the Allies, my USSR is only going to capture Eastern Poland and (if US entry is high enough) Bessarabia. However: an DOW with a surprise on the Italian fleet has to be made by the CW and is more important than Bessarabia or Persia, if US entry permits this! Untill this, the USSR has to stay low and the CW and the French have to be aggressive agains the Euroaxis... Japan? Japan simply does his thing in China and keeps Yamamoto with the Marines in Canton/Hainan on his ships, to prevent fancy USSR play... Of course, don't forget to align Siam, since you don't want a CW DOW happening on that country if US entry gets high enough.

And believe me, I've never seen an Italian player not DOW'ing the CW, if the possibility exists that his precious TRS will be surprised by a whole bunch of CW CV planes...

So I'll make my grand strategy plans as the Axis at the end of the Action segment and before production. Than I'm committed...

Oh, by the way: I hate chess... [:D]

There's one thing I think you skipped which makes slightly different as compared to chess: at the start of a chess match, all of the pieces are in the same place every single time. Not so with WiF. So . . . . your grand strategy starts at setup, does it not? It must be flexible, but if you have plans that your setup is designed to execute, then you really should execute those plans, or lose the chance forever . . .

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Nice, a French BB captured by the Italians in an invasion of Malta, and another one destroyed. I think that a French Admiral is now going to be sacked... [;)]

See? This was an altered Grand Strategy, based on circumstances that happened to come up, no? [;)]

I still don't understand why a Japanese DOW on the USSR means the "first chance to win the game".

[Red Prince]

And we are on to Impulse #7 (which I'm too tired to think about yet, because it's gonna be important for the CW to do it right -- or at least not wrong).

After rebasing some LND and a FTR toward the French front, Germany is looking pretty good. It's managed to block France from getting any units into Brussels, which means that unless that 10% chance of the turn ending happens, Belgium will fall this turn.
-----
Edit: By the way, if that Ground Strike had failed completely, instead of disorganizing one of the units in Antwerp, Germany would now be sitting there with all of its ARM disorganized and very unhappy. That +1 was the difference between taking it, but at a cost . . . and taking it free and clear.
-----
Italy was thrilled to rebase a FTR to Malta, finally having the chance to cover all 3 Med sea areas from a single hex. How cool is that for them?

Japan has some attacks ready, assuming good weather in either of its primary zones. If not, the fleet can finally sail and be ready to provide support, if needed.