Decline and Fall The Long Way Round

[AllenK]

ORIGINAL: composer99

Sounds like the US will be making its Pacific comeback... in 1947 when it gets the shiny 1944 and 1945 CVs on the board.

Too late for this game, of course.

Hi composer99.

Thank you for commenting.

Yes, very much too late! It's been obvious for quite a while the Allies had 'lost'. I continued playing for my education as I wanted to see how the consequences of earlier mistakes in production and operations played out. At one point I was contemplating seeing how long I could prolong the Axis survival but my interest is turning towards starting a new game. I haven't yet played with oil rules so this is another area to learn how to mismanage.

[AllenK]

M/A 1945 Axis 7: Air phases

Rain stopped play.

Nothing much happens. A couple of minor rail moves and land moves.

The Japs reorg a CVL and Nav at Truk.

The turn ends on a 1.

[AllenK]

M/J 1945 Allied 1

The Allies won the imitative (1 to 5) and go first.

No DoW

CW Naval, everyone else land. US puts an O-chit on Bradley.

Weather is fine everywhere.

[AllenK]

M/J 1945 Allied 1: Naval moves

Aside from escorts, a number of Amphs plus BB and CA escorts move to the Baltic. Monty replaces Gort in Estonia. Gort is loaded on a Trans in the Baltic. Subs deploy to the Italian Coast and Bismark Sea.

[AllenK]

In the Italian Coast, the Italians commit a Nav to the 0-box. They needn't have bothered as the CW fail to locate the convoys.

The Japanese commit a Nav to the 0-box in the Bismarck Sea. The RAN sub locates and sinks the convoy but is forced back to port by the ensuing counter attack (searches allied 4, Jap 8. Surprise used to force sub combat and increase damage). The sinking puts most of the Jap forces in the Pacific islands OOS. What the US would have given for that result last turn!

Bomber Command send three groups to bomb Lodz. with no interference from the Luftwaffe, they destroy a factory and I BP (14 factors, 8 rolled).

The Soviets make 1 ground and three artillery strikes. The Nationalist make a combined ground and artillery strike. The ChiComms have a go with their 76mm as well. The US send 2x2 Lnd, with escorts in Spain and open up with artillery on 2 more.

The Germans attempt to intercept two of the strikes, the Italians one. The Soviets fly a Ftr to counter-intercept.

The Soviet counter-interception is beaten off by Germans Bf-109's. With the odds not too drastic, the Soviet bomber pilots press on. It proves a mistake as they are shot down.

[AllenK]

The best the Italians can put up fails to trouble the scorers.

[AllenK]

Likewise for the Luftwaffe.

[AllenK]

The Soviets find aiming rockets isn't as easy as they had expected, although everyone reported enjoying the fireworks as they headed off in all directions.

[AllenK]

Conventional artillery does better. Not shown is the successful strike on the German LVI Mech in southern Russia.

[AllenK]

US M12's, in action for the first time, scatter shells about wildly and by fluke some hit home.

[AllenK]

Their field artillery colleagues are put off by their targets having a picnic in the woods.

[AllenK]

The USAAF, in a tag-team effort, show how its done.

[AllenK]

The Boston Swingers do a similar number.

[AllenK]

The ChiComm effort was more in hope than belief.

[AllenK]

The Nationalist effort is best left unsaid.

[AllenK]

The US declare two land combats in Spain, around Madrid, boosted by the O-chit. The Soviets declare two combats; one in the south and one in the centre.

Neither side commit their HQ's this early in the turn.

The Soviets send 2 Lnd to the southern effort and 1 Lnd plus escort to the central one.

In the south the Germans don't have any fighter cover, while the Soviets do, so they decline to fly. In the centre they send a bomber escorted by 2 Ftr's.

The Italians send 2 Lnd plus escort to each of the attacks. All 3 available allied fighters scramble to intercept.

The Soviets send two more fighters into the central affray.

First up, the best of the Soviets vs the best of the Germans. The leading and best fighters from both sides dog-fight themselves to extinction (Axis 5 DX, Allies 16 DX). Ignoring each other, the fighters on both sides proceed to chase the bombers off. Outnumbered, the Germans bug out.

[AllenK]

Action shifts to Italy where a somewhat inferior Italian fighter attempts to do its best against the US. A quick look at the US fighters opposing them and the Italian escorts head for home, rapidly followed by the bombers.

[AllenK]

Over Madrid, the odds aren't quite so bad for the Italians. The leading fighters shoot each other down, clearing the bombers through.

[AllenK]

The Italian success over Madrid brings a glimmer of hope to the embattled defenders (odds were around +14).

[AllenK]

The Soviets start well, achieving a breakthrough which will put the German centre in some bother.