Anschluss or Bust; A GD1938 AAR and Test Game

[ernieschwitz]

Stack limit for attack from one hex, is 300. About an Army Corps. So you can pack quite a few into a single battle. Each side you add to the attack, adds 60 stack points, so three sides allows a full Army Corps (some 120,000+ men and their equipment) into a single battle.

Almost correct. Battlestack limit is +120 pr hex side, with a minimum of 300. So attacking from 2 sides would give you 240 but since the minimum is 300 that would be your value. Attacking from 3 sides yield an extra 60, as 120 times 3 is 360.

[Krafty]

^^

A better, and more accurate explination.

[Krafty]

June 27th 1938 - Germany

Not much news. Semi automatic rifles are made available to the rest of the german troops and their allies.

A coup for Persia fails, foolishly linking british Iraq and India. At least a solid victory against the forces there can be exploited for greater gains if it should come to that. Coordination with the empire of Nippon seems inevitable.

Newly produced 20mm autocannons are shipped to Japan for use by the new amphibious forces. A delegation meets in Mengchuko. The soviets are invited to the Tri-Party talks, topics discussed are what to do about India and Malaya, and economic matters. Also the repatriation of Manchurian citizens to Mengchuko.



Jun 27th 1938 - Italy


A small reorginization of command structure. A new color coding system is applied.

Advances are made in Radar technology. The conquest of Ethiopia, and discussions with Spanish generals has shown a need for night time aircraft, and the technology that supports them.

Newly created divisions arrive in Albania, and an Italian general is sent to command these forces (10 Italian staff)


June 27th 1938 - Japan

Also not much news. More forces from 1st Army and the SNLF command arrive in Tsingtao. With airfields now protected, much of the IJN and IJA air wings are brought to bases on mainland china.

A taskforce is sent to blockade Hainan, and vicious air attacks harrass the chinese forces.

Armies are all pulled to refit. Next turn ill profile some of these new divisions and their full replacements before combat begins anew.

An error in planing saw a huge air attack meant for the head quarters of a Chinese army, left completely defenseless, miss its target completely and hit infantry formations.

This is a big mistake, since the entire command would have been surely annihilated, presenting an opportunity unseen in modern warfare. Its possible the southern chinese forces would have never recovered.

Missed opportunities in war, are like unrecipicated feelings. A much as you wish you could reverse the situation, it is one you are stuck with, and one you will hinge, unfairly, all future actions upon.

A great general needs to forgive and forget.

[Josh]

ORIGINAL: ernieschwitz

Stack limit for attack from one hex, is 300. About an Army Corps. So you can pack quite a few into a single battle. Each side you add to the attack, adds 60 stack points, so three sides allows a full Army Corps (some 120,000+ men and their equipment) into a single battle.

Almost correct. Battlestack limit is +120 pr hex side, with a minimum of 300. So attacking from 2 sides would give you 240 but since the minimum is 300 that would be your value. Attacking from 3 sides yield an extra 60, as 120 times 3 is 360.

I don't quite follow... the minimum is 300?? You mean the max stacklimit without penalty is 300 right? Wrong?
So why is there a discrepancy between the stack limit per hex (120) and the minimum (or max. as I understand it) of 300? Is that so a little overstacking isn't penalized? It allows you to add another 60 points without penalty if you attack from 2 hexes?

[ernieschwitz]

ORIGINAL: Josh

ORIGINAL: ernieschwitz

Stack limit for attack from one hex, is 300. About an Army Corps. So you can pack quite a few into a single battle. Each side you add to the attack, adds 60 stack points, so three sides allows a full Army Corps (some 120,000+ men and their equipment) into a single battle.

Almost correct. Battlestack limit is +120 pr hex side, with a minimum of 300. So attacking from 2 sides would give you 240 but since the minimum is 300 that would be your value. Attacking from 3 sides yield an extra 60, as 120 times 3 is 360.

I don't quite follow... the minimum is 300?? You mean the max stacklimit without penalty is 300 right? Wrong?
So why is there a discrepancy between the stack limit per hex (120) and the minimum (or max. as I understand it) of 300? Is that so a little overstacking isn't penalized? It allows you to add another 60 points without penalty if you attack from 2 hexes?

There is a minimum max battlestack value, which is 300, and each hexside you attack from gives 120 max battlestack value. So...

Attacking from 1 hex is 300, because 1 hex side is 120, but the minimum is 300.
Attacking from 2 hexes is 300, because 2 hex sides is 240, but the minimum is 300.
Attacking from 3 hexes is 360, because 3 hex sides is 360, which is more than the minimum of 300.
Attacking from 4 hexes is 480, because 4 hex sides is 480, which is more than the minimum of 300.

the same way of calculating goes for 5 and 6 hexes... (can´t attack from more than 6 hexes however much you wanted to)...

These values are btw editable, and are not the same as in stock AT/ATG.

[Bombur]

USSR.

The Soviet Army is being expanded, but Stalin is still worried with the prospects of military agression. Molotov was sent to talk with Ribbentrop in Berlin. Stalin wonders what the Germans intend with that invitation...

[ernieschwitz]

1938, June, allied turn,

The supply situation in France is finally what i would like it to be.

In recent turns the situation was pretty dire because in essence, France has too little to build supplies with compared to their army size. So French cities have been wasted in supply production... which is really too bad... but it was necessary because there was no telling when Germany might attack, or Italy, as is now the case. The factory near London that the british built and donated to France, has really helped out in this respect.

Now troop production can really begin in earnest. Of course, there has been SOME production in this meager time... Among other things the French Air Force is now able to cover all of France. The French feel confident that if they just get alittle luck, and a little more time... there is nothing to fear from the two fascist juggernauts.

Great Britain had a good turn, as it turned out that the Abwehr made a very comical attempt at overthrowing the government in Persia. It was quite easy for the British to set in motion a plan to stop the attempt, and themselves gain control over Persia.

In Poland there is a new infantry division forming that has all the attention of the media. It´s a division made up solely of German nationals from Danzig. These Free Germans, as they style themselves have joined with the Polish Army, and is getting ready to defend their countrymates from Poland, should the need arise.

In America they are caught up in the elections for the Senate and house of representatives. Too occupied with this, they are oblivious to what happens in Europe, and Asia, at least for the moment.

Chinese losses were light this turn, only 100 conscripts and the like fell in battle. Plans for holding what has not been lost yet to the Japanese are being drawn up... this operation "falling rain" has the Chinese quite intrigued... They are trying to prepare for anything...

[ernieschwitz]

ORIGINAL: Josh

Experience 5.
Oh wow...  [X(]

Well they are fresh from the farms, ready for the grinder... no time to build up experience... 10 experience btw, is the max. you can build up without fighting, it´s 25 if you have researched the Better Training technology, and max. gain of xp pr. turn (from natural growth) is 5. So in 1-2 turns these guys will be as experienced as need be. Also they will have regained their readiness by then

[Krafty]

July 25th 1938 - Germany

German Army Corps HQs all get anti air capabilities.

Most soldiers are on leave for the summer.

A new training cadre is started in Berlin for a new type of soldier. Lips are still sealed about this new division.


July 25th 1938 - Italy


The rest of the Italian Expeditionary Force reaches Albania.

The chemical factory in Navarra is nearing completion, an Aircraft factory in Venice is hitting the drawing boards.

A plan to upgrade the spanish army and airforce to Italian standards is taken up, and Breda begins to supply more forces with its 12.7mm heavy machine guns.

The appearance of semi automatic rifles in Greek soldiers hands, has prompted a competition between rival arms makers, Breda, Berreta, and Ithaca for a new semi automatic infantry rifle.



July 25th 1938 - Japan

A massive air strike including more than 300 imperial aircraft hit the headquarters that was missed the previous month.

In better terrain and hidden among cavalry formations, losses were lighter than they could have been.

This has definitly shown the japanese that they are in need of an independent air command. One not subject to the power struggle between the army and navy.

The chinese air force came up in small unorganized numbers to meet this massive attack, and even managed to shoot down almost 50 aircraft. Over confident japanese pilots in high performance fighters, when dropping to the slow speeds of the chinese bi planes, became simply advanced targets for the nimble enemy planes. With stall speeds in the range of a fast automobile, the chinese fighters were able bleed the energy and altitude from japanese escorts and forced them into a knife fight on their terms. Brilliant tactics that havent been employed before. Perhaps there is an allied advisor among the chinese air corp.

Care will be taken to train pilots to maintain altitude superiority over the enemy. This is valuable experiance.

Many units are reinforced with new technology this turn turn.

Heres the 2nd armored division in Northern China. It sees the addition of the first 20 japanese medium tanks that have rolled off the assembly lines. As well as advanced light tanks built in factories in Mengchuko. They are said to be of slightly lesser construction than tanks built by japanese nationals, but theyre a far cry better than the trucks and mules used by the chinese army.

Also added, but not shown is a brigade of heavy mortar teams to 45th IID (5 mortar IIIs)

20mm flak guns are added to a number of front line units as well.

[Krafty]

Heres the 67th IID, the survivors of the chinese counter offensive in the spring.

Reinforced with imported 20mm autocannons, and SNLF troops.

Also here is the newly formed Korean Light Tank Brigade.

Many other units receive new Mortar III bdes, and SNLF reinforcements. The goal is to get every Japanese division above 70 combat value.

A few of the new 20mm autocannons are mounted for anti aircraft use, but their weight is making it hard to transport them to front line units, the presents a serious problem.

The Japanese army high command has a few plans presented to it, one the utilizes the combat engineers to build a new rail way. Another suggest retooling factories in newly captured chinese cities to produce trucks. They cant possibly screw that up can they? Another plan involves transport thing by aircraft. Even floatation devices down river, no option is over looked.

In other news, 5th Army redeploys to its line, 1st army, Korean army and SNLF command rest in Tsingtao and the suburbs. 3rd Army rests in Kweisui. A few other air and artillery attacks are made, but not much happens other than the massive air assault.

Families of men conscripted or volunteering for Falling Rain appreciate seeing their loves ones home on leave after training is completed. Theyre tight lipped about what their going to be under taking, but rumors are that its a new kind of warfare, one that would give rise to any good Samurai's heart.

Foundations are laid for a chemical factory outside Nagasaki. Its felt to be the most unlikely target for attack... ... ...

[Krafty]

Hey Ernie and Bombur my mail server seems to be down atm, telling me its gonna be an hour or two before its back up. Stupid Comcast!

I shall email the turn tomorrow when I wake up in the morning.

[ernieschwitz]

Fair enough, Bombur probably won´t do the turn before he´s back from work either, so he should still get it with some time to spare

[Krafty]

Aye he usually gets the turn to you by early to mid afternoon where I am in New Spain (Florida). Then you get it to me shortly there after. Im a bartender and in a band, so I fortunately dont have many work constraints on my time.

And the bar I work at has Wi-Fi. So I can even play my turns while serving drinks!

Tho I must say, it effects my playing ability after a few scotch whiskeys!

[Bombur]

Soviet turn.

The Soviet Union is a peaceful country and most of all efforts are concentrated in the improvement of defensive weapons. New infantry divisions are being created and we can deploy more than 1000 fighter aircraft if necessary. A few armoured units are also being raised. However, we don´t know if the main threat comes from the Fascist block or the so called "democracies".

[ernieschwitz]

1938, July, allied turn,

French Recon planes flying close to the Belgian and French borders confirm that the Germans indeed have equiped their headquarters with new Anti-Aircraft weapons, and quite a few at that. French leadership feels however that this is no cause for concern. The anti-aircraft weapons are after all a defensive weapon, and France knows better than to begin an offensive war, at least that is what the Great War has taught them.

British spies are able to determine that the Germans indeed seem to be working on a new kind of infantry formation. Unlike other formations, these are small, and heavily armed, and have quite a bit of equipment. Their initials seem to be FJ, and J stands for Jäger, as far as intelligence has been able to work out. We think they may be a kind of heavily armed infiltrators, capable of some offensive damage, maybe they are a kind of combat engineers...

In USA the last of the economic upgrades has been reached. Roosevelt is proud to announce that America is now the worlds most wealthy country. Even surpasing the Great British Empire (at least when it comes to homemade production)...

The Japanese seem to be preparing for another offensive action. Could this be the operation "falling rain"... It seems to be an offensive along the entire frontage, although this is only news from advanced scouts and infiltrators, as the Japanese still have not moved up to the frontline with its troops yet...

[Krafty]

August 22nd 1938 - Germany

The damned leftist socialist newspapers have leaked information regarding the formation of a Fallschimjager division. Paratroopers. Infantry that will don parachutes, and be able to jump from transport aircraft, directly into combat.

The world scoffs at this idea, as many high command staff members have.

But Hitler is convinced this new type of warfare will change the world.

On maps and boards across planning rooms in germany, big red hash marks and arrows streak west, east, south, and north. Little placards of the symbols of the Fallschimjager dot the areas infront of and around these arrows and hashes.

To many in the high command it looks like the work of a madman...to a few, total stupidity.

To fewer still. Brilliance.

A small, but stout man was seen at late hours with the Furher. A little cavalry general to entertain the little lance corporal? A word is buzzing around Berlin. "Blitzkrieg". No one knows what it means exactly, but in the cabarets and avenues of Berlin, you can FEEL this "blitzkrieg" electrifying the air. People no longer walk down the streets, heads hung in shame. A quiet desperation emplaced by Versaille. This electricity is reviving Berlin.

The fact that crime in southern and east berlin, has gone into full blown rebellion against the people there, is of little concern to the citizens enjoying the nightlife, food, and drink once again for the first time in 20 years.

So what if you have to step over some broken glass every once in a while.

Berlin is alive again.




Aug 22nd 1938 - Italy

Benito sips wine enjoying the morning paper, and the cool breeze through the pondering streets of Roma.

"Para-tropas en Berlin" The headlines read. Amusing. Men from the sky. Sounds like the Furher has been up late listening to Yankee radio serials again.

However one cannot deny the little lance corporals brazen action.

Germany has raised a division! In bold defiance of Versaille!

Perhaps Il Duce has under estimated Hitler. Until now he thought his hopes for a fascist europe lay in his protege, Francisco Franco in spain.

But what kind of fascist leader of men allows his national soveriegnty to be so easily incorporated into Roma? This thought had truely never crossed Il Duce's mind.


As usual, Benito jumps into a murderous rage, shooting one house maid to death, and severely injuring a guard who tried to protect the maid.

1st Italia Armored Division is ordered to Spain, to show that sissy Franco who is boss.

The chemical factory in Navarra is almost complete, by next month at the latest.

Then the Furher of germany and the Emperor of Roma will have much to discuss.




Aug 22nd 1938 - Japan

The first troops of the upcoming operation arrive in china and are familiarized with the gauges in their new machines. While these machines are built in Mengchuko, and some differences exist, many acclumate to them in record time.

After a week of classes, briefings, and open forums (something new in the IJA amongst its junior officer corps) 3 Divisions are formed.

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Independent Whirlwind Divisions.

Japanese spies have heard no chatter among chinese troops or high commands that these divisions have been spotted, or information leaked.

Even after over 600 vehicles rumbled through the streets of Peking, there is no indication that the chinese have had any prior knowledge.

1st IWD moves into position south of Kwesui, 2nd and 3rd move down along the coast to link up with the Korean Command for operation Falling Rain.

Bristling with brand new machine guns. The small engined (and there for low fuel consumption) armored cars of the 3 Independent Whirlwind divisions, ready for combat.

There is no hiding the 600 vehicles from the chinese now...





In game terms, light tank IIIs use 5 supply/oil a move, have 180 attack vs infantry and cost 2400 production.

An armored car uses 3 supply/oil a move or attack, has 140 attack vs infantry, and costs 1600 production.


For Japan, against China, this is a big deal. Im fuel starved, supply starved, dont want to build guns that will be subjected to counter battery, but need to slaughter huge hordes of infantry.

I think this is my best bet for clearing the remaining chinese from the plains, and capturing more supply.


The HP difference I dont find makes a difference, just this turn lost a light tank and tankette to merely infantry. Id much rather that have been a cheaper armored car that I lost.

Armored cars are more stack points, at 15 thats pretty high. So I dont think ill be putting all three independent divisions in the same battle. 30 SFTs of armored cars is a tad higher (450, most ill get is 300 or 360, so a signifigant penalty) than I could get with 2 or 3 hexes frontage.

And if I surround something by more than 3 hexes, I surely dont need my armored cars to attack it.

Wanted to point that out, since until now nothing has really involved the stack limits that were asked about earlier.

Falling Rain is really my way of experimenting with the stack limits before I go to war in europe. And as a strategy of falling around heavily fortified areas, as water flows around rocks...using Sun Tzu against the chinese! ... But mostly testing stack limits.

Cause XP for soldiers is great. Practical XP for me personally, is invaluable. Knowing the nuances before I commit germany to war, is crucial. As I can screw up many times in china and not be really punished for it (tho ernie has given me several bloody noses!) but I must be right every single time in Europe if germany has any chance.




Back to the story at hand, Japanese armies are on the move. A massive airstrike against condensed Chinese air assets results in many destroyed enemy aircraft on the ground and in the air. Losses were moderate. Other air attacks soften up enemy positions or harass enemy troops.

3rd army opens up its artillery guns on positions to the south west. 5th Army lurches forward and routs 2 chinese divisions.

Korean army consolidates and presses an attack against Kaifeng, threatening air assets, artillery, and an HQ posted there. Combat engineers assigned to the army construct supply routes to Kaifeng in anticipation of the upcoming battle. Korean armor threatens to isolate Kaifeng.

SNLF forces with the help of a captured chinese armored train, clear the rail lines connecting the northern and southern japanese forces.

And 1st Army creates a hole in the chinese lines towards Wuhan.

(armored trains are being researched and decided on how they should work, previously they had been abused, now they have no attack or defense, but a huge amount of HPs, 4000. Thats 40 infantry!!! so while it cant decide a battle in any way, it can absorb as many hits as an entire division, so sending it along in battles that may cost you alot of troops might be beneficial as any hits it takes is a hit thats not killing your infantry, the idea is to use this armored train in the battle for Kaifeng to hopefully dampen my losses there)

All in all japanese losses on the first days of Falling rain are relatively light, as are losses to the chinese.

Though these opening moves are about positioning. When the Whirlwind Divisions come into action we shall see great loss of life on the chinese side.

Some 1,200 men, 40 aircraft and 40 tanks were lost by the japanese.

Around 18,000 men killed or missing for the chinese, along with 140 aircraft.

[Krafty]

So far Japan has lost around 74,000 men, around 100 trucks, 160 tanks, 6 heavy artillery regiments, 9 infantry gun regiments, around 200 planes and about 1,000 horses.

China has lost just shy of 250,000 men, about 360 aircraft, and 2 artillery regiments.



Well within the realm of reality. So far so good!

[ernieschwitz]

August 1938, allied turn...

Nothing to report from the first 3 of my regimes (France, Great Britain and the United States)... however the chinese wish to report that they have spotted these so-called whirlwind divisions, at least one of them. It looks like it´s a division with Armoured cars I only... however this division that was spotted was very disorganized, only having a readiness of 25...

Chinese command decides to attack with artillery, to see if any of these "boxes on wheels" are going to be destroyed... also a fighter sortie is ordered to strafe... no results.

This is how the frontline looked, before what i guess is a major japanese offensive...

Please note that the Japanese have destroyed yet another bridge with senseless artillery bombardment. Chinese gunners have refrained from bombing the historic Nanning bridge... but Japanese are apparantly not as gentlemen like as the Chinese.

[Krafty]

Sep. 19th 1938 - Germany


This month sees the addition of an entire Army Corps to germanys OOB. The 1st PanzerGrenadier Army is stationed on the front line near Hamburg.

It includes 3 divisions of soldiers equiped with the latest semi automatic rifles and sub machine guns.

New to these divisions are 400 advanced armored cars, Sdkfz 232s with 20mm guns, and Sdkfz 251 armored personel carriers armed with Mg34 machine guns.

The Sdkfz 251 utilizes an open top, so that infantry can fight from the halftrack with reasonable cover and concealment.

A full corps of Fallschimjager is ready for deployment.

Additions of anti aircraft units continue.

German naval forces return to port before the inlets freeze, to refuel and resupply.





Sep 19th 1938 - Italy


Regia Nauticia returns its ships for refueling and rearming. Sailors go on leave, and Roma is alive with celebration.

The chemical factory is online and producing supplies for the army.

Mussolini meets with Hitler for several hours in Vienna. The two were seen laughing and shaking hands furiously as Mussolini boarded his plane for Ruma. Next month a huge meeting of nationalist and axis powers is planned in Istanbul. In attendance will be Kemal Attaturk, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco and Josip Tito.

A "secret" memo, detailing an ultimatum for Danzig is "leaked" to leftist newspapers.

This is the brink...



Sep 19th 1938 - Japan



The sound of diesel engines (which reminds me to ask bombur and ernie about an event card or tech to use diesel instead of gasoline, which would give applicable units less speed, but more retreat chance, were talking real small numbers, but it makes a tiny difference) roar as Japanese 5th army moves into action. In less than a week, over 200km of Chinese territory is over taken.

Entrenchments that had taken months to build up melted before the horde of Japanese armored vehicles. Chinese 3rd Army HQ mps even engaged scout units of Japanese pioneer battalions though no losses were reported. Perhaps the engagement never happened, but such rumors only help bolster Japanese morale.

20 Armored cars are either stuck in mud, or broke down due to manufacturing error. There were limited fatalities, and none when concerning the accidents. Although built in Mengchuko, the little armored cars have received good reviews among the crews, earning the respect of Japanese generals, and a new name after the divisions theyre employed in. The IJ-2 "Whirlwind".

3rd Army engages and routs defenders west of Kweisui.

1st Army and SNLF engage and begin to strangle Kaifeng.

Heres the picture as we close the turn:

[Krafty]

Losses to the Japanese were around 8,000 men, losses to the Chinese around 40,000, estimates are still coming in as the front is moving so fast