Scripted Madness

[rkr1958]

I thought it’d might be fun to share my latest endeavor, “Scripted Madness” with you. But be forwarded, all this may literally “go down in flames”. Well, not literally and pun intended. What may you ask is this Scripted Madness? It is me taking command of the armies, navies and air forces of all the belligerents involved, or that will be involved in a global war scenario with certain events/items “forced upon me” by the higher political, military or game master powers of the various countries involved. What events/items you might ask do I plan to script and I would answer for starters I plan to script the following.

(1) A winter war between the USSR and Finland. Well sort of, really more like a scripted winter war.
(2) “Mining” of the Norwegian Coast by the RN and a preemptive invasion of Norway by Germany. Though also scripted a bit to reduce the enormous benefits that such an invasion cedes to the CW.
(3) Internal conflict between the Japanese Navy and Army with separate commands and even objectives to some extent.
(4) Attempted Italian expansion into Greece and the need for Germany to bail them out.
(5) Only saved; i.e., refined oil, can be used to reorg units (w/exception in turn 1).
(6) Reserves can only be called out during your own impulse.

These are just a few examples of command decisions/items forced upon me by ill-informed or self-promoting leaders or game masters. Decisions that I may not agree with but being the loyal supreme commander that I am, decisions that I will turn into military plans and execute those plans to the best of my abilities given the forces available. As the war (er game) progresses the list of scripted items will likely grow but not nearly to an extent that forces a preconceived, or desired, game outcome. My objective is to see where all this takes me and if it takes me too far afield then I’ll have no problems aborting this madness, grabbing a cold beer, a good book and putting my feet up.

My intentions are to play the best game possible for all powers/sides given the rules as enforced by MWiF and the self-imposed constraints of the scripted events/items as they are applied. I will inevitably make mistakes, dumb moves and poor tactical plays, all of which I will live with for any/all powers affected.

What this will not be is a play-by-play, blow-by-blow AAR. I will provide end of turn summaries complete with land, air and naval combat logs and “maps” for all active, and probably some inactive, theaters. I will also (attempt) to provide rationale for scripted events/items and how one, if interested, might house rule such if playing competitively.

[rkr1958]

August 31, 1939. The Script. Germany.

For the second time is a little over twenty years Germany is poised to strike the match that will ignite a world war. Though all of the soon to be belligerents, including Germany, are blissfully unaware of this fact, a world war is coming and will consume much of the world for six years of death and destruction.

Germany has two army groups and one independent army on the borders of Poland waiting to order to “go”. These are Army Group Prussia (AGP) commanded by von Bock, Army Group Main (AGM) commanded by von Rundstedt and 1st Army commanded by von Leeb. Hitler has assured his generals that Great Britain’s and France’s “promises” to go to war if Germany invades Poland is all bluster. And if they do it doesn’t matter, Hitler has also assured his generals that in the event of war with Great Britain and France that the forces that he has assemble against Poland will easily dispatch of Poland before the allies can actively intervene.

In the forests of central Germany between Hamburg and Leipzig, OKH has deployed the “reserved” 2nd Army. While ostensibly the 2nd Army is called a reserved army it’s mission if war should break out is to proceed to the Danish border and “secure” Denmark as quick as possible to thwart any potential allied interference with German operations in Poland and the Baltic.

[While Germany is an active major power you can’t move naval units directly between the Baltic and North Sea (or visa versa), even via Frederikshavn or Kristensen, if (a) no major power on you side controls any of Oslo, Copenhagen or Kiel or (b) one or more major powers you are at war with control the other two.]

Germany’s 2nd Army is stationed in the forests of central Germany for two primary reasons: (1) to mask their threat to Denmark and (2) half the effectiveness of any potential ground strike against them.
Army Group West (AGW) is a strictly defensive army deployed on the border with France to ensure no incursion into Germany by the French if war does break out. Hitler and OKW has demanded that AGW not yield 1-centimeter of German soil to the allies.

[A country may only call out and place reserves during their own impulse.]

German intelligence estimates that if war does break out the first acts by German Britain and France are likely to be bomber raids on Germany. Thus, the Kriegsmarines has decided to base their ships out of range of British and French bombers in ports on the Baltic. The only elements based in range are two u-boat flotillas based in Kiel but safely “put away” in bomb proof sub pens.

[rkr1958]

August 31, 1939. The Script. USSR. Eastern Europe.

Though barley a week has passed since the signing of the “Molotov-Ribbentrop” pact on August 23rd, the Soviets are still wary of their “new German ally”. On the border with Poland with orders to “wait and see” are the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belorussian fronts. These “wait and see” orders are predicated on two conditions: (1) give Poland enough time to get the majority of their forces engaged against the Germans in order to leave the eastern portion of Poland, the part promised to the Soviet Union, void of any sizable military forces and (2) conclude their successful defense of Khalkhin Gol (Mongolian/Manchurian border) against the Japanese 6th army. Stalin expects both to be resolved quickly and for the two Soviets fronts to quickly acquire their promised Polish territory.

[The Soviets must capture, or move adjacent to if occupied, Brest-Litovsk, Vilna and Lvov on the first allied impulse of the game. This along with the strong Soviet setup on the Polish border represents the “historical” action of 7 Soviet field armies (450,000 – 1,000,000 men) that marched into Eastern Poland on September 17, 1939, sweeping aside the 20 Polish battalions of the Border Protection Corps.]

[rkr1958]

August 31, 1939. The Script. Scandinavian.

[USSR will demand the Finnish borderlands and Germany will reject the demand. Germany will not setup or move any Finnish units into the borderlands or move (i.e., transport or fly) any Germany units into Finland, including the borderlands. Germany will demand peace during the first peace step, and not before, where the USSR: (1) controls all Finnish borderland hexes except Hanko, (2) has Murmansk and Leningrad each garrisoned with 2 or more land units and (3) has a garrison ratio wrt/Finland outside of the borderlands of 6 or more.]

[Great Britain will "mine the Norwegian Coast" on the turn following the start of the Soviet-Finnish winter war. If Germany does not control Oslo, they do not receive the 3 Swedish resources if the last impulse of the turn was snow or blizzard in the Arctic].

[Germany will invade Norway, Norway will be aligned to France and no allied units will be moved to, or base in, Norway.]

[rkr1958]

September 16, 1939. The Script. USSR. Mongolia-Manchuria Border.

[The "Battles of Kalking Gol" between the USSR and Japan ends in a ceasefire (Molotov-Tojo agreement) and a victory for Zhukov and his forces over the Japanese 6th army. The Soviets must setup Zhukov's HQ-A and two other land units, one of which must be a corps or army, in Mongolia and the border with Japanese controlled Manchuria.]

[rkr1958]

September 16, 1939. The Script. USSR. Far-East Asia.

[A country many only call out and place reserves during their own impulse. The practical application of this for the Soviets in Far-East Asia is that they can't depend on their reserves to protect Vladivostok and other critical hexes in Far-East Asia if surprised by a Japanese declaration of war. Therefore, because of the vital importance of this region to the Soviet, the Soviets setup "strong" forces to protect this area and discourage any Japanese invasion. These forces will remain until it becomes clear that Japan has designs elsewhere (e.g., Western Allies).]

[rkr1958]

September 16, 1939. The Script. Japan. Northern/Central China.

[Japan will maintain a partisan garrison ratio of 0 or better in Korea and Manchuria. That is, Japan will garrison there two countries at a level to ensure that no partisans will occur.]

Army Group IJA Northern China.
Command. General Terauchi (to be railed from Manchuria).
Mission. (1) Secure Northern China’s 3 RP’s (68,141; 73, 143; Haichow (77,148)). (2) Secure Umezu’s Northern Flank. (3) Contain Mao and his communist.
Army Land Forces. (1) Terauchi HQ-I, (2) Peking Warlord, (3) 12th Inf Army, (4) 33 Gar Army, (5) Taihoku Mil Corps, (6) 6th Inf Army.
Air Forces. Nate Fighter/Bomber Wing.

Army Group IJA Central China.
Command. General Umezu
Mission. (1) Secure central Chinese Valley running from Ichang in the north, Changsha in-between Hengyang in the South and (2) Secure fighter airbases in range of Chungking (support strategic bombing).
Army Land Forces. (1) Umezu HQ-I, (2) 40 mm AA div, (3) 23rd Inf Army, (4) 11th Inf Army, (5) 25th Inf Army, (6) Osaka MIL Army, (7) 70 mm Arty Div, (8) Shanghai Warlord, (9) 29th Gar Army.
Air Forces. Mary and Ann Bomber Wings, Nate Fighter Wing.

[rkr1958]

September 16, 1939. The Script. Japan. Southern China.

1st IJN Amphibious Army Group.
Command. Admiral Yamamoto.
Mission. Secure Coast – Southern and Southern-Central China.
Naval Land Forces. (1) Yamamoto HQ-I, (2) Imp. Guards Mar Corps, (3) SNLF Mar Corps, (4) 1st Eng Div, (5) 47 mm AT div and (6) 2nd SNLF Mar div.
Army Land Forces. (7) 3rd Inf Div, (8) 2nd Inf Div, (9) 27th Inf Army.
Air Forces. Val and Nell Naval Bomber Wings.
At-Start Naval Support. (1) 1st CarDiv Div (CV’s Akagi, Kagi; BB’s Kongo, Haruna, Kirishima; CA’s Furutaka, Chikuma; 2 DD Flotillas (14 destroyers total)) 3-box China-Sea, (2) 1st BB Div (BB’s Mutsu, Nagato, Ise; CA Chokai; 1 DD Flotilla (8 destroyers total)) 2-box South China Sea.

[The 1st IJN amphibious army group are the only forces that may be used for amphibious invasions and landings. The at-start assigned army forces can be replaced if lost but no additional army forces may be added. However, additional marine ground forces, naval and fighter air forces may be added.]

[Japan must reasonably ensure a 50/50 split of build points between their army and navy. While this may not be achieved turn to turn, this split must be approached in the long-term.]

[rkr1958]

August 31, 1939. The Script. Other Notables.

[Italy receives an additional BP in each of the two 1939 production phases. This represents the CE production multiplier increase for Italy from 0.5 to 0.75 in 1939.]

[Italy receives an (another) additional BP in each production phase in which she is still neutral and has 1 more Italian CP's in the West Med. This represents the impact of the CE trade agreement between Italy and US.]

[Until an axis unit enters metropolitan France, the Western Allies are prohibited from declaring war on or invading any minor neutral country.]

[The Soviets are prohibited from demanding Bessarabia or claiming the Baltic States until an axis unit has entered metropolitan France.]

[Neither Germany or Italy can declare war on the Soviet Union until both Belgrade and Athens are axis controlled.]

[With the exception of turn 1, only saved oil can be used to reorganized units. On turn 1, oil resource points can be used by a major power only if ALL saved oil of that major power are used to reorganize units. This represents that oil must be refined into oil, gas and aviation fuel before it can be used by land, air and naval units. Also, this prevents an isolated oil demanding unit sitting on or near an oil resource from being able to reorganize unless it also has access to "refined" oil.]

[The number of ships providing shore bombardment cannot exceed the total number of land and notional units to which it's providing that support.]

[rkr1958]

August 31, 1939. US Entry Pools.

[rkr1958]

August 31, 1939. Axis Scrapped.

[rkr1958]

August 31, 1939. Allied Scrapped.

[rkr1958]

August 31, 1939. Optional Rules.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Weather/Actions Summary.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Poland (1/2).

Axis #1.

1. Luftwaffe Ground Strike, Lodz (Surprise). Two tactical bombers, 4 factors each. 87.04% chance of flipping each unit, 75.76% chance of flipping both. Flipped both.

2. Luftwaffe Ground Strike, Warsaw (Surprise). Tactical and fighter/bomber, 5 and 3 factors. 87.75% chance of flipping each unit, 77% chance of flipping both. Flipped both, which included Poland's HQ-I.

3. Wehrmacht 1st eng division overruns Gdynia. Polish CA (DD squadron) escapes to Belfast.

4. Wehrmacht infantry corps overruns Dazing. Polish CP escapes to Belfast.

5. Wehrmacht Land Combat. Polish cavalry corps. +20.333 Blitz. Automatic, cavalry corps destroyed.

6. Wehrmacht Land Combat. Polish infantry corps. Pozan. +21 Assault. Automatic, infantry corps destroyed.

7. Wehrmacht Land Combat. Polish infantry corps. Krakow. +21 Assault. Automatic, infantry corps destroyed. Luftwaffe tactical bomber with 2 factors (surprise) provided 4 factors in ground support.

8. Wehrmacht Land Combat. Polish division (woods). +20 Blitz. Automatic, division destroyed.

Allied #2.

9a. Polish Ground Strike (LND + FTR). German mech corps and von Bock HQ-I. Strike opposed. Polish land shot down, pilot survives. Polish fighter returns to base in Eastern Poland.

9. USSR. Capture Lvov, Polish fighter and pilot interned.

10. USSR. Capture Brest-Litovsk.

11. USSR. Capture Vilna. These three "easy captures" required 3 of the 5 land moves available to the USSR and communist Chinese forces.

Axis #3.

12. Storms hit both in the arctic and north temperate, in which Poland is all encompassed.

13. Wehrmacht Land Combat (storm). Lodz. 1st eng division provides support and Rundstedt HQ-A provides +2 HQ support in order to maximize chance of eng division surviving the assault. +19 Assault. Combat succeeds, no German losses or flips and both Polish infantry corps destroyed.

Axis #7.

14. Wehrmacht Land Combat. Warsaw. +20.222 Assault. Combat succeeds, no German losses or flips and Polish infantry corps and HQ-I destroyed.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Poland (2/2).

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Denmark.

Axis #11.

Elements of Germany's 2nd "reserve" army invaded Denmark, overran Frederiskshaven and captured Copenhagen on the surprise impulse. Of the Danish fleet based in Frederikshaven (CP, 2 CA's with 5 CP's based in the Faeores islands), the CP and 1 CA (Niels Juel) managed to escape to Scapa Flow. The 2nd CA (Peder Skram) was captured by the Germans.

The attentive eye will note that the Germans did not manage to secure all Danish hexes adjacent to the North Sea on the surprise impulse. Even though the turn ended after the axis impulse this would have been a risky proposition by the Germans if the allies had had any forces in position to land in Denmark. They didn't. During the previous impulse, the CW evaluated the situation (see "Potential" cutout top-left) and determined that provided fine weather or snow, that the Germans could lock out the allies from landing in Denmark on the invasion impulse and thus decided to deploy their BEF, who was at sea in the North Sea, to France. Thus, only two German divisions were necessary to "take" Denmark with not worry of allied intervention.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Germany. Field Commanders Combat Diary (or Raw Combat Logs).

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Southern China.

IJN Amphibious Army Group & Nationalist Chinese.

[rkr1958]

Turn 1. Sep/Oct 1939. Northern & Central China.

IJA Army Group North, Center & communist and Nationalist Chinese.