Axis Only. Ronnie vs Composer99.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. July/August 1940. Axis #8. (continued).

East Africa. Post-Impulse.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. July/August 1940. Axis #8. (continued).

East Med. Post-Impulse.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. July/August 1940. Axis #8. (concluded).

[ax] You've left Paris virtually wide open.

[al] I see you noticed my tiny, almost insignificant, hardly-any-effect-on-the-course-of-the-game-whatsoever mistake.

[ax] 😉

[ax] Land Combat. Only 1.
Germany vs Paris. Current odds are +14.
This includes +2 HQ support and 5 factors of ground support.

[ax] You have two decisions.
(1) Does the LeO 451 in Toulouse fly defensive ground support? If it does it would add 2 factors; however, Germany has a FTR2 w/6 a2a to intercept if it does.
(2) Assault of Blitz? Rundestedt's HQ-A is included in the combat but German also has included a 2-5 mot div to take a blitz loss if so called and necessary.

[al] No ground support, thank you. Assault, please.

[ax] Land Combat. Germany. +14 A. Paris, France.
No fractional. 2D10=14. Result=28.
Paris defender smashed without German losses or flips (well except for Rundstedt who provided HQ support).

[ax] Air Rebase.
Germany. He 100 FTR2. France 53,29 to Paris.
Japan. Ki-51 (Ann). Kweilin, to Tungkwan, China.

[ax] HQ Reorg. None.

[ax] Well that ends my impulse.

[ax] 06-JUL-AUG-1940-AX-08-EOI.zip game turn sent.

The Western Front. The Fall of Paris.

[Courtenay]

All I can say about the French defense is Wow. This may be the worst defense of France I have seen, and I include the historical one when I say that.

[brian brian]

If you get another impulse I would take a Land and rail 3 units to Rumania and watch the fun begin

[Centuur]

There are British troops moving towards Bayonne. Not a good thing at all...

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn.

[al] Okay. Ending the phase and we'll see if the turn ends...

[al] End of turn roll is a 2. The turn ends.

[ax] Ok then.

[ax] Both German chits in offensive.

[al] Partisan Rolls
Korea = 68
China = 11; garrison test = 3; partisan rolls 0 & 7
Malaya = 57
NEI = 5; garrison test = 4;
Burma = 45
India = 63
France = 91
Belgium = 55
Indochina = 5; garrison test = 4; partisan rolls 7 & 7

[al] You can place an Italian-controlled partisan in French Indochina. (There is already a partisan in Hanoi.)

[al] It's a 1-2 unit.

[ax] Saigon.

[al] Communist China also places a partisan in China. It's a 1-2 unit, which the Communists will place in Shanghai.

[al] Nazi-Soviet Pact
USSR draws 1 marker, placing it defensively.

[al] Nazi-Soviet Pact
USSR draws 1 marker, placing it defensively.

[al] Germany draws 2 markers; as directed they will be placed offensively.

[al] The marker values are 1 (63 rolled) and 4 (344 rolled). This message will self-destruct.

Destroyed/Repair Pools.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

[al] US Entry
US draws 1 marker versus Germany/Italy.

[al] US passes no options.

US Entry.

{I'm soliciting suggestions on how I should view/proceed with US entry data. We're playing solitary so obviously I could, but don't want to/try not to look at the chit values. I just want to "look at" the options chosen and the number of chits in each of the four pools. Does anyone have an algorithm I could use to plug the information I (should only) have into that will give me estimates of entry & tension pool totals and allied DOW chances? In this way I hope to use the estimates and avoid the actual for making preemptive DOW decisions. Also, I'm open to all suggestions on approaches to "honestly" dealing with the US entry as the axis player, playing against an opponent using solitary mode.}

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

[ax] Axis Preliminary Production, which will also be their final production.
Germany. 26 PPs x 0.75 = 20 BPs. -2 to USSR. 18 BPs. added 1 oil saved.
Italy. 6 PP's x 0.75=5 BP's. +3 saved. 8 BP's. added 1 oil saved.
Japan. 16 PP's x 1 = 16 BP's. -1 to USA. 15 BP's. added 1 oil saved.

[ax] Axis. Stay at Sea. Return to Base.
Germany. All CP's at sea stay.

[ax] Italy. All CP's at sea stay.
West Med. CA Zara (4-box) stays (3-box)
Italian Coast. CA & BB (4-box) stays (3-box)
CA ( 0-box) returns to Trieste.
FTR (0-box) returns to La Spezia.

[ax] Japan. All CP's at sea stay.
China Sea. BB, 2CA', CV (4-box) stay (3-box).
Sea of Japan. BB Ise & BB Nagato (3-box) stay (2-box).
Remaining ships 3-box return to Fukuoka.
Japanese Coast. 2 CV's, 2 CA's (4-box) stay (3-box).

[ax] Use Oil. Axis.
Japan. 2.6 Needed. Do not reorg CA Idzomo & BB Mustsu. 2.4 Used, 2 expended (Tokyo, Saparro).

[ax] Germany. 3.6 Needed. Do not reorg 2 old BB's in Kiel. 3.4 used, 3 expended (Warsaw, Vienne, Hamburg).

[ax] Italy. 1.3 need. Reorg all. 1.3 used, 1 expended.

[ax] Final Production. Axis.
Same as preliminary production.
Final Total.
Germany. 18 BP's, 1 new oil saved, 11 total oil.
Italy. 8 BP's, 1 new oil, 2 oil total.
Japan. 15 BP's, 1 new oil, 7 oil total.

[ax] Scraped. Axis.
Germany. None.
Italy. None.
Japan. None

[ax] Production. Axis.
Germany. 18 BP's. Arm(6), Arty Div(4), FTR(2), PIL(2), MIL(2), Sub 2nd(1) x 2

[ax] Italy 8 BP's. Inf HQ (5), Sub Repair(1)x2, BP Save x 1 (Rome).

[ax] Japan 15 BP's. PIL(2)x2, Nav(2), Mar Div(3), MTN Div(2), MIL(2), Terr(2).

[al] Allied Stay at Sea
Commonwealth
- HMS Newcastle and York stay in North Sea, dropping to 2 box.
- HMS Glasgow and Suffolk stay in Bay of Biscay, dropping to 0 and 3 boxes, respectively.
- HMS Edinburgh and Southampton stay in North Atlantic, dropping to 0 and 3 boxes, respectively.
- HMS Devonshire and Norfolk stay in Cape St Vincent, dropping to 0 and 3 boxes, respectively.
- Polish destroyer flotilla drops to 3 box Cape Verde
- HMS Kent stays in Eastern Med, dropping to 2 box.

[al] Allied RTB
- French TRS in Gulf of Guinea returns to Cameroons.
- French cp in Red Sea returns to Seychelles.
- Polish destroyer (which was going to stay at sea) ends up going back to Freetown.
- RAF nav2s and HMS Resolution, Belfast, and Erebus (all in Cape St Vincent) return to Gibraltar.
- British cp in Cape St Vincent returns to Liverpool.
- HMS Hermes, Exeter, Ramilles, and Terror return from North Atlantic to Liverpool.
- HMS Valiant, London, and Dutch cruiser Sumatra return from Bay of Biscay to LIverpool.
- nav2 in Bay of Biscay returns to Derry (Northern Ireland)
- Queens return from Bay of Biscay to Cape Town
- Task force in North Sea not staying at sea returns to Plymouth
- HMS Eagle, Malaya, Revenge, and HMAS Australia and Shropshire return from E Med to Port Said.
- HMS Courageous, Hood, Renown, Liverpool, and Dorsetshire will attempt to sail through W Med from E Med.

[al] Okay, I thought there might be an interception chance, but since Zara is disorganised, there isn't. That last task force returns to Gibraltar.

[al] - Dutch TRS returns to Bombay.
- HMS Rodney and Effingham return from Azanian Sea to Mombasa, Kenya.

[al] Use Oil
China - Spends 0.4 oil (0 expended) to reorg HQ Mao
Commonwealth - Spends 4.9 oil (5 expended) to reorg all units.
France - Spends 0.25 oil (0 expended) to reorg all units possible (can't reorg any cut-off units near Paris)
USA - no units to reorg
USSR - Spends 1.4 oil (1 expended) to reorg all units.

[al] Final Production
China - 5 pp x 0.75 = 4 bp produced. 0 new oil saved.
Commonwealth - 22 pp x 0.75 = 17 bp produced. 5 new oil saved.
France - 4 pp x 1.25 = 5 bp produced. 1 new oil saved.
_ United States_ - 40 pp x 0.25 = 10 +1 (Japan) = 11 bp. 1 new oil saved.
Soviet Union - 23 pp x 0.5 = 12 +2 (Germany) = 14 bp. 2 new oil saved.

[al] Scrap Destroyed
- Soviets scrap Voroshilov
- French scrap the two destroyed ftr2

[al] Builds
China (4 bp) - 1 pil (2), 1 MIL (2)
Commonwealth (17 bp) - 1 trs (rep) (2), 1 cp (1), 1 pil (2), 1 ftr3 (3), 1 ftr2 (2), 1 INF (3), 2 MIL (4)
France (5 bp) - 1 INF (3), 1 MIL (2)
United States (11 bp) - 1 amph (1st) (3), 2 trs (1st) (4), 1 cp (1), 1 sub (2nd) (1), 1 pil (2)
Soviet Union (14 bp) - 1 MECH (5), 3 INF (9)

[al] Vichy
So... now that we're here. Does Germany wish to establish a Vichy government in France?

[ax] Absolutely!

[ax] Install Vichy please.

[al] In a world in chaos... one man takes a stand.

With the French Government evacuated to distant Bordeaux, and the Army facing disaster, Marshal Pétain forms a Government and asks for an armistice.

[al] Administrative Groups
Rolls are not modified by French BBs outside of France proper. Rolls are:
- Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia: 5 (Vichy)
- West Africa: 4 (Vichy)
- Syria: 1 (Vichy)
- Indochina: 9 (Free)
- Madagascar: 4 (Vichy)
- Asian Minors & Territories: 7 (Free)
- Equatorial Africa: 1 (Vichy) (!!)
- Pacific Minors & Territories: 9 (Free)
- Other Minors & Territories: 8 (Vichy)

[al] I think both the Allies and Axis have reason to be unsatisfied with those rolls.

[al] USE for Vichy Creation is 18. Roll is 4 - 2 markers added to the Ge/It pool.

[al] Okay, Free France really has cause to be unsatisfied, since the only possible home country for Free France is Indochina.

[ax] Will Japan still be able to align FIC?

[al] No, it has to be Vichy. That's a right pain for Japan, to be sure, but it means Free France is one invasion away from being completely conquered.

[ax] Hum ... so Japan could completely conquer France?

[al] As far as I know.

{I'd appreciate that if anyone whose been following all this and knows the rule to chime in on whether or not if Japan invades and conquers French Indo-China that France will then complete conquered.}

[ax] The remnants of the BEF is kinda left hanging out there aren't they?

[al] Yes, since they're in Occupied France. It's not ideal.

British BEF after Vichy.

{Though I'm -1 on the initiative track I will move first if given the chance in order to trap and destroy the fleeing British forces. Otherwise, I feel that they could become a real pain in the butt.}

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

[al] Next up: moving non-French units out of Vichy France.

[al] First off, where do you want the mtn div to go? Anywhere within 2 hexes is legal.

[ax] For all axis units that must be relocated please just use your best judgement as if you were axis player. That'll work for me.

[ax] Or more accurately I give you my blessing to act as my AIA (AI-ally) in this matter.

German and Italian Units Requiring Re-location from Newly Installed Vichy France.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

[al] Final dispositions. (If I could have put the MIL anywhere else, I would, but that was the only legal destination hex.)

[ax] Thanks.

German and Italian Units Relocation From Vichy France. Final Positions.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

[al] With French Somaliland now Vichy, the 13th Indian Corps stacks with the Sydney MIL in the CW-controlled hex in Italian Somaliland.

[al] French cps at sea in Cape St Vincent and Cape Verde Basin return to Morocco and Senegal, respectively.

[al] CW has the option of destroying French units stacked in CW-controlled hexes (in Egypt, Gold Coast, and Seychelles). CW declines to do so.

[ax] Might want to reconsider ... France did betray the CW afterall.

[al] The French nav2 in Gold Coast, I will move to nearest hex in Ivory Coast. I believe that way it can rebase back to France from there - at least, that gives it the most flexibility.

[al] I stand corrected - I have to rebase it to the closest hex, period, which is in Togo.

[al] French infantry corps in Eygpt moves to Syria.

[ax] Interesting ... so it now becomes Vichy?

[al] Yes - Togo is part of French West Africa.

[al] Equatorial Africa doesn't start along the coast until you get south of Nigeria - Cameroons.

[al] But in any event, Equatorial Africa has also gone Vichy.

[ax] Wow ...

[al] Which means Vichy France has a big damn cruiser & sub fleet right along where CW resources from India, Australia, and South Africa travel to the UK.

[ax] You know what Winston would do ...

[al] I sure do. You better believe I'll be thinking hard about how to pull that off with a minimum of fuss and bother.

[ax] All the blood and treasure that Great Britain poured into defending France and this is how they pay you back!

[al] I know, right? And worst of all, the colonies that I'd happily defend with the Royal Navy all decided to go Vichy!

[al] I mean... not that I won't defend Indochina, or anything... it's just... you see... (nervous shuffling of feet and awkward coughing)

[al] French cps in Seychelles rtb to closest port, Diego Suarez in Madagascar. I mean, they could return to Reunion Island.

[al] I picked the best French fighter to put on the map for Vichy.

[al] Vichy units to choose which leave the map.

[ax] For the 12 Vichy units to leave the map I select,
(1-3) All 3 garrisons,
(4-6) All 3 3-mover inf corps,
(7) MB 152 FTR2,
(8) LeO 451 LND2,
(9) 3-5 Cav corps,
(10) D520 S FTR2,
(11) 5-4 inf corps

Vichy Units from Which to Choose to Leave Map.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

[ax] Still acting in the role of my AiA, please place Vichy units in Vichy France to maximize zoc coverage across occupied France to help guard against partisans.

[ax] Also, spread two HQ's out in order to maximize Vichy French units in supply.

[al] The French corps in Algeria and the nav in Togo both go to the force pools, as it turns out.

[al] Apparently, you have the option of choosing either the Syrian TERR or French corps in Syria to go to the force pools. I'm going to try to choose the TERR on the assumption that, as a Vichy territorial, it will stay in the Vichy force pools, where the 3-3 INF would go to the Free French force pools (or be removed from the game).

[ax] Makes sense.

[al] Here is the disposition of the remaining Vichy forces. I'm sorry to say that based on where I could legally place units when moving them out of Occupied France, there weren't a whole lot of options. I did put the units that were on the production spiral along the southern coast well before I saw your request - my apologies for that!

However, Vichy has lots of oil stockpiled, so it can reorg its HQs, and it will be easy to move the army during German land impulses to get it where you want.

[ax] No problem ... thanks for placing the Vichy units and acting as my AiA.

[ax] I expect there will be plenty of German land impulses to refine things if I need to before Vichy will come into play.

Occupied and Vichy France.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

Reserve Pool. All Major Powers.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

Production Spiral. Germany.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

Production Spiral. Italy.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

Production Spiral. Japan.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

Production Spiral. Vichy France.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

Production Spiral. China.

[rkr1958]

Turn 6. Jul/Aug 1940. End of Turn. (continued).

Production Spiral. CW.