"Guns Talk"

GAME OVER, FASCISTS VICTORY!

 

 

General        Players        Rules        Victory_conditions     Setup        1936        1937        1938        1939        1940        1941        1942        1943        1944     Winners         Conclusion

 

General

We have started the game at Sunday 13.9.1998 and we'll play it once a week, about 6 hours at a time. We play this game at the home of German player, so this game report will not be so accurate as the previous one. Game starts at year 1936 and ends when someone satisfies the victory conditions.

Players

We have 6 players, everybody have now experience of two WiFF with DoDII games, expect the US/French player, who is novice:

Germany: Olavi Johansson, have palyed much other WW2 strategic games.
Japan: Juha Jansson, an old WiF player from times of 4th ed. + DoD.
Italy: Teemu Juntunen, I'm an old WiF player from times of 4th ed. + DoD.
USSR: Jan-Jonas Filen, only experience is the two games we have played.
CW & China: Mika Launilahti, an old WiF player from times of 4th ed. + DoD.
US & France: Miika Heinonen, novice in strategic games.

We have had two practise games last year, so everybody should know the basics of the rules (expect Miika).

Rules

We are playing World in Flames Deluxe with Days of Decision II. We use the latest errata by Mike Aien (7.5.1998). We use all the optional rules in WiFD, expect following:

17. Variable weather
19. In the presence of the enemy
38. Defensive shore bombardment (we use our own SB rule)
41. Fractional odds
64. Japanese command conflict

In DoDII USSR is also subject to the Naval Treaty. Major power activates a minor country itself. We use Experimental US Entry Rules and Willie Nillie War.

Victory conditions

We just chose our countries to play and we decided to use the optional victory condition in the errata: Game continues until all major powers from one ideology have suffered complete conquest, and all but one have been eliminated from the second. Victory cities are then tallied and a victor determined as a percentage of historical high point.

Game report

Setup

Because we don't have the original expansion sets in WiFD, I had to make some calculations to know approximately how much build points every major power may spend at the start of the game. I used WiFD 1939 setup and compared it to WiF 5th edition 1939 setup. So I found a difference in build points, which I have added to the build points we get from the original DoDII setup.

1936

1936 Jan/Feb

Germany and Italy plays 0(g) before the turn ends. Italy lets the Ethiopian war lapse.

1936 Mar/Apr

Germany occupy Rheinland. CW guarantee Belgium. Russia purges her army. France and Italy play 0(g).

1936 May/Jun

Germany and CW rise their production. Tojo comes to rule Japan. Russia, France and Italy play 0(g). In the first impulse Italy declares war on Saudi Arabia by using Willy Nilly war and makes a naval impulse. On the second impulse it's raining in Mediterranen, and it delays Italy's next move, but they invade successfully with MOT DIV in Saudi Arabia. On the third impulse they declare war on Greece and make a land impulse. They invade in two places, which forces Greece INF corps to retreat in Athens. Because of the one bad weather impulse, it is possible to end the turn by throwing 1. Bloody Russia even passes, but turn is not ended - lucky Italy. Italy attacks in Athens with 5:1 table and result is 2/2S. Italy loses MOT corps and INF div, but Greece is conquered. In the following impulse Italy takes Ridah and Saudi Arabia is conquered. Italy has not enough oil to reorganize all her units.

1936 Jul/Aug

Germany make a trade agreement of 2 resources with Turkey. Russia rise her production. CW and France sign level 1 treaty and make a trade agreement, where CW gives 2 resources/turn to France.

1936 Sep/Oct

Italy plays her declaration of war option because of Greece and Saudi Arabia and torn up the treaty with France. Russia plays 0(g).

1936 Nov/Dec

France and US hold their elections. Russia sign naval treaty to get rid of the -1 in her PE. CW, Japan and Italy play 0(g). There is now 1 US entry chit in the Fascist entry pool and -1 chit in the Communist entry pool.

In the year 1936 France used 25 Build points in Bid points. CW was second with 18 BP used in Bid points and Japan and Russia were joint third with 9BP used in Bid points. With huge spends Democrats could have been very active in politics, but this is all lost from their units.

1937

1937 Jan/Feb

France rises her production. CW guarantees Venezuela. Italy tries coup in Spain with an effect that civil war breaks out there. Rebels (=Natinalists) get 70% of the army while government (=Rebuplics) get 30%. Weather is so poor that Nationalists can only take two defenceless ports away from Republics. Nationalists get 18BP while Republics get 7BP.

1937 Mar/Apr

CW guarantees Venezuela again. Japan and US rise their production. Italy, Russia and France play 0(g). Due to bad weather nothing happens in Spain.

1937 May/Jun

CW guarantees Venezuela third time and finally activate it next to her political marker to get the 5 oil resources there. Japan makes level 1 treaty with Russia and Italy. Japan and Russia make a trade agreement where Russia gets 1BP for 3 resources and 2 oil resources. France plays 0(g). Germany weaks up and play GE 14 supporting Rumania, and get two more oil resources from there.

We had a long summer turn with excellent weather. Fascists had 7 impulses. In the first impulse Italy shocks the world by declaring war on France. The negotiations of Savoy has been failed and Italy is forced to fight for her rights with guns. Italy starts the war with massive portstrike in the capital of Algeria. About 500 naval bombers strike in the port of Algeriers. The French flagship CV Bearn is sunk with aircraft and the escorting cruiser is seriously damaged. At the same time Italian naval units have started to raid the Western Mediterranen and sink the 2 French CP there. Italian MECH corps runs along the railroad straight to the defenceless Marseillles overrunning the last French aircraft (ATR) in its way (we use the Harry's new option that motorised movement costs are 1 less, if moved along railroads). Only two battleships success to retreat before Italian units take the city in control. 2 transporters and 3 cruisers are destroyed in the port. The two battleships face in the sea the Italian navy, but are lucky to get only both damaged before they can retreat. At the same time Italian MOT corps drove as fast as they could straight to Lyon, where they were turned face down. Lyon is an excellent place to defend with mountains and rivers. French didn't really expect an Italian attack as there were no land units even near to Italian border.

At the same time rebels attack succesfully in Spain and get one more resource without flipping. Government answer to this by taking one better defenceless place to their control. In France French move some of their units to defend Vichy and they rail move a CAV corps in Toulouse. However they don't dare to leave the Maginot line.

In the second impulse Italians invade with HQ and INF corps in Algeria. They move more units in France and take the French Somaliland in their control. Libyan Territorial moves in Tunisia. French shuffle little their units, but do nothing serious.

In the third impulse Italians take better control of Lyon and capture Tunis. They attack on Algeriers with 3:1 Assault table and capture the city with a loss of INF corps. Rebels attack in Spain on Madrid but fails. Neither side have any losses, but attackers are disrupted. French do nothing.

In the last impulses units are little shuffled, but nothing serious happens. French has now the lowest naval points and -1 in their PE. Russia has the second lowest, but they have signed the naval treaty.

We have now got the Leaders in Flames kit and we decided to take it in the game. However leaders are taken in the play after Germany is at war with Russia, France, CW or US, or Japan is at war with US or CW.

1937 Jul/Aug

Italy plays the war otion afterwards. As a secondary option they sign the Naval Treaty. French suggest a treaty, but end the turn.

Germans see their opportunity to attack on Belgium, but after the units are setup, we realize that Germans have to have the peace time maximum production before they can declare war. Everybody learns something and especially Democrats learn that they should always have enough money to declare war on belligerent major powers.

Nationalists make some progress in Spain by capturing Madrid and killing an out of supply government INF, which tried to capture Cadiz.

French get huge reserves, but are not interested of Italy. They are scared of Germans experimental attack on Belgium and put the reserves next to Belgian border.

Italians move their reserves in France and strengthen their defence lines. Italian units are so weak that they can't even imagine an attack against French units. However Italians invade successfully in Madagascar and capture the capital later in the turn.

Franch get a horrible amount of 14 BP a turn.

1937 Sep/Oct

Germany rise their production to the peace time maximum! Italy plays 0(g). French suggest a treaty, but end the turn again.

Japan declare war on Netherlands! All the ships of Netherlands expect convoy points are setup in Batavia along with the Territorial. In the surprise impulse Japan invade next to Batavia.

CW is silent and do nothing to help their guaranteed minor. Why? CW has only 8 money points, and if they now declare war on Japan they give Germany free hands to attack on Belgium (It costs 8 MP to declare war on a major power by CW). For a reason or other Netherlands don't move their fleet out of Batavia.

Japan capture Batavia with 5:1 assault table without losses. Aborting fleet is found and the Netherlands SUB is sunk. Next impulse Japan invade on the hex where the Netherlands fleet aborted and they capture one of the three SCS's. At the end of the turn they success to capture the last 2 SCS's as Netherlands East Indies is conquered!

At the same time Russia decided to declare war on Finland! Russians make one border attack against Finnish corps. With 5:1 Blitz table they get a retreat result for a loss of 1 unit. The second attack is automatic invasion in Hango with a division. Later in the turn Russians try a brave attack with 3:2 table in Helsinki using this division, but either side lose nothing.

Nationalists make one 10:1 attack in Spain and kill a division of the government. Rebuplics own now Malaga and Valencia while Nationalists control the rest of the Spain. Nationalists have bought now every possible unit they can.

1937 Nov/Dec

Germans guarantee Rumania. Italy plays two options and moves towards Democracy by IPO1 and makes an alliance with Rumania. Italians activate successfully Rumania beneath their political marker and end the turn.

Nothing serious happens in the turn, but Italians move an aircraft in Rumania (they can do this, because Rumania is stacked and allied with Italy and Italy is an active major power). Russia can now declare war on Rumania only if he declares war on Italy too, and this is not possible until Italy and Russia have a common border.

1938

1938 Jan/Feb

Japan and Russia play their war options afterwards. Germany makes a trade agreement with Yugoslavia and gets the two resources there. Italians promise not to attack on Yugoslavia for a while. Italy force France in peace by playing IT6. Italy gets Savoy, Corsica, Tunis and the other areas it conquered (Algeria, French Somaliland and Madagascar). Marseilles is treated like having a red factory and France have to send 1 resource/turn to Italy. French suggest a treaty, but the turn ends just before CW can answer it.

Italians start to move their units from the border of France and strengthen Greece. Everybody shuffles their units.

1938 Mar/Apr

Russians rise their production. They get now 13 BP's. French try to play two options, but after playing their election as the first option they end the turn.

Italians strengthen Greece with force. The great Finnish battle ship Väinämöinen drives Russian fleet back to Leningrad and prevents the plans of Russia.

1938 May/Jun

Italians rise their production and end the turn. They get now 9BP's (as much as CW). Everybody is angry on me by ending the turn. I blamed my bad die hand.

Russia make a brave attack in Finland again. The division next to Helsinki attacks with 3:2 assault table against corps stationed there. Both units get killed. However this forces Finnish to move a new unit there and weaken their defence line in the east. On the next impulse Russians attack again and with 2:1 blitz table they success to kill one Finn while losing one unit themselves. Finns have to retreat. Russias attack third time in snowing weather and success to kill on more Finn while losing one unit themselves. They are now two hexes from Helsinki.

At the same time Italy declare war on Bulgaria, because of Bulgarians continuous provocations against their allied Rumania. They make a land impulse and move with force in Bulgaria. The only defending Bulgarian is forced to be placed in Sofia. However Italians are not ready to attack. On 4th impulse they are ready and with 4:1 assault table they capture Sofia without losses. Everybody were amazed of the Italian war machine.

The relations between Japan and Russia have tightened and both sides have reinforced their common border with heavy forces. Japan started this provocative action.

1938 Jul/Aug

Chinese rise their production. They get now 2BP/turn. Japanese rise their production too and get now 12BP/turn. Russia plays 0(g).

Russia strike the Mannerheim HQ and INF face down next to Helsinki. They try to invade in Hango again, but they miserably fails and MOT division get killed. Germany surprise the world by declaring war on Norway. They invade on the port of Kristiansand with a MTN division.

On the second impulse, Russia attacks with 3:2 Blitz table against the last defending Finns, but nothing happens with the */- result. Germany surprise the world again by declaring war on Ireland too. They invade with ENG division next to undefended Dublin. They also strengthen Norway with MOT corps and 3 bombers. Frightened CW moves a MOT corps in Belfast.

On the third impulse, Russia attacks again with 3:2 Blitz table in Finland and achieve -/R result and Finns have to retreat. Russia moves Finns away from Helsinki. The fleet of Norway come to challenge Germans in Baltic, but neither side finds each other. Germany capture Dublin and attack on Oslo with 5:1 assalut table and capture it without being disrupted.

On the fourth impulse, Russia moves a unit next to Helsinki. Norwegians find Germans in the sea and get two times 8 resource points. They sink 2 German CP's and one old battleship. One Norwegian has to abort and can't find any port longer, so it's destroyed. Germans abort from Baltic Sea and Norwegian fleet is victorious. However it's destroyed as the turn ends.

On the fifth impulse Russia capture Helsinki. At the end of the turn Russia success to get one Finnish CP and Germany 3 Norwegian CP's as these countries surrenders.

1938 Sep/Oct

US rise their production and get now 7BP/turn. Russia and Japan play 0(g). Germany and Italy play their war options afterwards (because of attacks on Bulgaria, Norway and Ireland).

Units are shuffled and nothing strange happens.

1938 Nov/Dec

Russia, Germany and Japan play 0(g). Italians play IPO8, and support rebels in Spain.

Italy sends a bomber squadron of BA-65's in Spain. Nationalist Spain has got now their first offensive chit. However, weather is so bad that everybody just shuffle their units. CW is quite worried. Japan has now moved heavy forces in Netherlands East Indies and seems to be ready to strike in India. Italy has moved some units next to the border of Egypt. Germany has built lot of ships and taken Norway and Ireland. It seems like CW will be in troubles next summer. Who knows?

At the moment major powers get the following amounts of build points:

·         Germany 15BP

·         Russia 13BP

·         Japan 12BP

·         Italy 9BP

·         CW 9BP

·         France 8BP

·         US 7BP

·         China 2BP

There is 5 US entry chits in the Fascists entry pool and -2 US entry chits in the Communists entry pool.

1939

1939 Jan/Feb

Germany plays two times the treaty option GE3, and Italy and Japan answer it. Italy and German make a trade agreement where Germany gives 1 oil resource to Italy while Italy gives 1 resource to Germany. Russia plays 0(g) and ends the political turn.

Weather is so bad as it can be as 10+2 is thrown. Impulse marker moves 8 and turn ends before anything strange happens.

1939 Mar/Apr

Germany demands the Sudeten Mountains successfully. Russia plays 0(g), they have now 29 Bidpoints and they rule the politics even so they get only 2 x PE Bidpoints of playing the 0(g). CW has a thought of rising their production, but after a while we realize that CW hadn't played their elections in the period 1936-1938. So they are forced to play their elections instead of rising their production.

Weather is poor and nothing noticable happens.

1939 May/Jun

Russia make an alliance with Sweden. Germany suggest treaty, but only Italy success to answer on it before the turn ends. Bad luck. Germany and Italy has now level 3 treaty.

Weather clears and at last something happens in Spain. With 10 offensice chits bought in the winter turns Nationalists kills the last government defenders and win the civil war. We decided that in civil war parties can buy offensive chits too so that there are some possibilities to kill units defending in mountain cities. First offensive chit is used in air impulse, but nationalists success only turn 1 defender face down in Valencia, but planes are reorganized. Second offensive chit is used to reorganize the HQ. Third offensive chit is used in land impulse. Ground strike success to turn second units face down and with 3:1 table defenders are killed and attackers are not even disrupted. HQ reorganize the Italian aid bomber. Fourth offensive chit is used to reorganize the HQ and units move towards the last Republican hold Malaga. In the fifth impulse offensive chit is used again in land impulse. Ground strike fails but with 4:1 table the last Republicans are killed with no Natinalist losses.

1939 Jul/Aug

Fascists are now ready for the war. They need only one treaty with Germany and Japan to make a level 3 treaty but what do the Russians? They bid 20 for two options and play IPO 12 guarantee with Sweden. After this they throw two ones and success to end the turn. It's amazing how probabil it is to end the turn when you bid high for two options.

Fascist decide do to nothing and everybody shuffles their units.

1939 Sep/Oct

Fascist bid everything they have but again there are US and Russia playing before Fascists. US rise their production and Russia plays again IPO 3 alliance with Sweden. They activate Sweden and it goes beneath the Russian political marker. Russia has now a poweful ally. After this Russia ends the turn. Fascists decide that there is no war this year.

Russia declares a well prepared war on Persia and conquers it in one fine impulse with 5:1 table. They use masses of bombers and even some paratroopers with success.

1939 Nov/Dec

At last CW success to rise their production to peace time maximum. They get now 19 BP/turn. France play their elections. Russia plays the Persian war option afterwards and ends the turn as Russians usually do in our politics.

Weather is horrible (two 10's) and nothing happens.

1940

1940 Jan/Feb

Japan suggest a treaty where Germans answer. They have now a level 3 treaty. Germans activate Spain beneath Italy. Germans revenge that Fascists haven't got played politics for a long time and end the turn.

The horrible winter continues and nothing special happens.

1940 Mar/Apr

At last Italy have a play and they play IPO3 alliance with Spain. However they are unhappy because they didn't have luck to end the turn. Instead everybody who bid get to play and so Russia, France, Japan and Germany play 0(g). China rise their production. They get now 4 BP/turn.

Fascist are ready to strike, but weather is still horrible. They are sure that weather will be poor the whole summer. However Russia comfort that after a cold winter there will be warm summer. We'll see. France is scared about the alliance between Italy and Spain and moves many of their units towards the Spain border.

1940 May/Jun

Democrats bid high. US suggest a treaty where CW and France both aswers. They make a trade agreement where US gives 2 oil to both treaty partners. Russia plays the 0(g) and as normal ends the turn.

 

1. Impulse. Fascist win the initiative even after a reroll demanded by Democrats. Germany declare war on both Belgium and Netherlands. In the two 5:1 (+2 to die) attacks in Brussels and Amsterdam they success to capture both capital cities without losses and flipping. They also capture 2 Netherlands CP's. Italy and Japan moves their fleets ready.

As expected CW declare war on Germany. They activate Belgium and move it beneath their political marker and aligns it. They make a naval impulse to garrison their sea areas and flee with the Belgian FTR to England.

 

2. Impulse. Italy and Japan declare war on aggresive CW after they declared war on their ally. Because of the level 3 treaty the effects of the war option are neglected and they don't have to play the option in future. Italy aligns Spain and Austria in war. Italian and Japanese naval bomber squadrons strike in Gibraltar and Bombay destroying one TRS and 2 CP's there. Poor CW success to find Japanese in Red Sea and get one of their LS damaged before they flee. Also CW find Italian Armada in the Western Mediterranen, and CW "orange" rank CV is sunk and 2 LS's damaged while 2 Italian LS's are damaged and one HS aborted. After this CW aborts. Italy and Japan rolled unbelivable high when they tried to find CW ships. They were lucky that CW found them even in two sea areas. Two Italian bomber squadrons strike in Gibraltar, but manage to flip only one of the two defenders there. With massive air and sea support combined Italian marines and Spanish ground troops achieve 3:1 table with +1 to die. They have 50% chance to take Gibraltar and they do it! Amazing! Italy is very relieved as the Mare Nostrum will be soon true. Germans finish the Belgium and Netherlands. CW success to get only 2 CP's while others are destroyed in ports.

CW is upset of the loss of Gibraltar. However they land on poorly defended Norway (Kristiansand) with the help of Partisans and kill the defending German division in the resource hex. Germany haul over himself as a stupid. Russia declare war on Iraq and capture Baghdad in one impulse. They have now a common border with Italy as Italians captured Saudi Arabia early in the game. It is only a matter of time when they declare war on Italy and invade in Rumania too.

 

3. Impulse. Germany moves two corps in Oslo. Italy advances in Egypt with MECH and MOT corps and moves some divisions from Bulgaria in Rumania. Japan invades in several places. They invade in Ceylon, Malaya, Papua, Rabaul, Fiji Islands and Adamstown in British Polynesia! They also invade in north Australia above the resource situated there.

CW kills one German division in Norway again.

 

4. Impulse. Japanese sunk 8 CW CP's in Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal and they move a marine corps from Ceylon to India. Italians move their TRS's with units in sea. Germans move more units in Norway and first Germans arrive in Italy with rails.

France has made a fine defence line in the border of Spain. However their Italian border is defenceless.

 

5. Impulse. Italian motorized units arrive in Suez canal closing it. CW fleet in Eastern Mediterranen is trapped and out of supply. Egypt is also out of supply expect for the territorials. Japanese land HQ Yamamoto in Australia and strengthen their position in India.

Democrats end the turn.

 

At the end of turn US gets only 1 entry chit in Fascists pool. As there is only CW active on the democratic side and no one spends money on the intelligence operations CW success to throw so that no one gets intelligence points.

1940 Jul/Aug

Germans occupy Czechoslovakia and play their war option afterwards as a secondary option. Japan rise their production. They get now 16BP/turn. As a secondary option they suggest a treaty. Russia plays two primary options. First they play their war option afterwards and then they rise their production. They get now 17BP/turn. As usual they end the political turn. Russia has not enough money to declare war on Italy this turn.

First leader arrives in the game. A German naval leader "Raeder" is picked and Germany vetoes for him and China vetoes against. Fascists win the initiative and move first.

 

1. Impulse. Italy fly planes and move naval units in the multiple sea areas of Atlantic and Mediterranen. They success to sink 10 CW CP's and abort other 10. Germans put most of their reinforcements next to the border of Poland and they move more units there.

CW answer in Italian action by guarding their sea areas and sinking one Spanish LS and damaging another. Rest of the Spanish fleet is aborted from North Atlantic.

 

2. Impulse. We allowed Russia to throw weather and he throws of course 10. Bye bye long summer. Because of the Russian threat to strike in Rumania and capture the 3 oil resources there, Germany is forced to declare war on Poland. Germany is still weak on the theatre and all they can do is to flip defenders in Lodz and make one 6:1 Blitz attack where one Polish bumber INF is killed. They also overrun and destroy the Polish LS in Danzig. Italy and Japan moves their units ready for the possible French reaction (Poland is allied with France). Italy make 5:1 Blitz attack in the port of Suez. Result is -/1B and they are disrupted. They make a Blitz move in the other side of the canal taking Port Said and the whole canal in their control. One CW HS and LS situated in the port of Suez are destroyed while other HS and LS success to retreat in Port Sudan. 5 CP's situated in Port Said abort in Haifa. Italy also invade in the Cyprus resource hex. Japanese capure Bangalore in India and the resource hex in north Australia.

French do nothing. It seems that they don't want a war. It suits to German plans.

 

3. Impulse. Japan wants to try the weather roll, but because of Murphy they roll 10+1. It's raining in the Temperate zone. Japan sink lonely CW LS in Coral Sea. Italy overrun the CW ships in Cyprus. They capture a TRS while "blue" CV Eagle and the CVP is destroyed. Germany makes one automatic attack in Poland and capture Poznan.

 

4. Impulse. This time Germany tries the weather roll, but Murphy won't give up. The roll is 9+2 and it's still raining in the Temperate zone. Italy sink 3 CW CP's in the Eastern Mediterranen and land a marine DIV next to the border of Palestine. Germany surround Lodz but don't attack because of the weather. Russia tries really hard to end the turn by passing, but amazingly he can't throw below 4.

 

5. Impulse. Germany had decided that weather has to clear up and now they throw 6+2. It's fine again. Italy send another naval bomber in the Bay of Biscay surpring the CW. They sink two HS's (Q.Elisabeth and Ramilles) and 2 CP's before CW abort from the sea area. Italy captures Jerusalem and Jaffa and overruns the CW fleet in Jaffa. They get a new flag ship as they success to capture "orange" CV Furious with CVP. One HS is sunk. Germans capture Lodz easily with no losses. Japan makes some progress in India by capturing two resources there. Now Russia success to end the turn by passing.

 

At the end of turn US gets two entry chits in the Fascists pool. As Palestine is conquered the last CW ships in the Mediterranen are overran and there is no more CW ports where to flee. "Blue" CV Argus with CVP and 6 CP's are sunk. No one gets intelligence points. CW suffered heavy losses in this turn (3 CV's, 3 HS's, 2 LS's over 20 CP's). The last Italian srike in the Bay of Biscay dropped CW production in 6BP's this turn.

1940 Sep/Oct

Germany rise their production and they have now production multiple of 1. They get now up to 24BP/turn. As a secondary option Germans play their war option afterwards. Russia guarantees Yugoslavia and activates it in their ideology. Japan plays IPO 11 and torns up the treaty with Russia. CW plays their war option afterwards. France plays 0(g) and ends the political turn.

A Russian naval leader "Kuznetsov" is picked. Russia vetoes for him and Germany vetoes against. Movement order is Democrats/Fascists/Communists.

 

1. Impulse. Weather is fine. CW secure the sea areas and re-establish a convoy route in the America. The srongest Polish units are put in Warsaw. However this doesn't help, when Germans attack there with force. With a use of massive air support Germans achieve 5:1 Assault table and Warsaw is captured with no German losses. At the same time Italy capture Amman and they attack in Cairo with 5:1 (+1 in die) table. However defenders success to throw 1 and Italy lose one MOT corps, but capture the city.

 

2. Impulse. Weather is fine. The last Polish units make a suicide attack and success to kill one German MIL. Italy send a raiding fleet in Caribbean Sea and success to destroy 3 CP's while the last 2 CP's had to abort. Japanese cature defenceless Bombay and make an invasions in New Zealand and in an island next to Burma. Russia declares war on Italy! They attack in Saudi Arabia, and kill the Italian MOT division from the oil well and capture the hex.

 

3. Impulse. Weather is really poor. Germany declares an automatic war on Russia. Nothing special happens.

 

4. Impulse. Weather is poor. Surprising the world French parlament has finally come to an agreement to declare war on Germany. However in the rainy weather French only move some units in better defending objects at the borders of Spain and Italy. Italy and Japan come to help their ally and declare automatic wars on France. Italy march with many corps in France and take the whole railway next to Mediterranen from Spain to Italy in their control. In the rainy weather Italy can't make some attacks because of the supply problems. However they make a paratroop in an out of supply hex middle of the France and destroy one 4 engine bomber squadron with pilots.

 

5. Impulse. French kill the Italian paratrooper in an automatic attack and Democrats end the turn.

 

At the end of turn US gets 3 entry chits in the Fascists pool. Italy and Japan get both 1 intelligence point. Saudi Arabia is conquered by Russia and New Zealand is conquered by Japan.

1940 Nov/Dec

French break their alliance with Yugoslavia and activate it beneath the Russian political marker. As a secondary option they play their war option afterwards. Russia plays IPO 5 with Yugoslavia and aligns it in the war. As a secondary option they play their war option afterwards. Italy see that they might be in troubles. They rise their production and they have now production multiple of 1. They get now up to 15BP/turn. Rumania is activated away from the Italian political marker. As a secondary option they play the IPO 5 afterwards. Germany plays 0(g) and activate Hungary beneath the Italian political marker. US plays their elections. Japan and CW play 0(g).

An Italian naval leader "Cavagnari" is picked. No-one vetoes him. Movement order is Democrats/Communists/Fascists.

 

1. Impulse. Weather is fine. CW and France secure their convoys. Russia moves in Poland with force. Yugoslavians are about to attack in Sofia, which is only defended by a 1-factor Territotial, but when a Italian bomber squadron can reach the hex, they decide not to attack.

Italy align Hungary in the war. Italy ground strikes a stack of 3 French units east of Toulouse and two corps are disrupted. Germany strikes in the Maginot line without effects. Italy makes four attacks. First is made in Toulouse, which is only defended with a single MTN division. Italy wins the air battles over the hex, where one Spanish FTR and one French LND are dropped with pilots. With 5:1 table Franco capture the hex without flipping. Now the units next to Touluse are out of supply, and despite of French bombers Italy achieve 4:1 (+2) Blitz table and the defenders (INF, GARR and MECH div) are eliminated without flipping. Next attack is made on the mountain resource hex north of Marseilles. Again Italy has 5:1 table, but this time the result is 2/2S and Italy lose 2 MIL for 2 French MOT divisions, but the hex is captured. Last attack is made with Hungarians in Zagreb, which is only defended with the 2 factor Yugoslavian CAV. With 4:1 table Hungarians capture the hex without flipping. Japanese move forward in India and Australia.

 

2. Impulse. Weather is poor. Russia strikes in Poland without success. Italy captures undefended Damascus.

 

3. Impulse. Moderate weather. A French territorial next to Damascus make a suicide attack with no effects. Japan make a combined invasion and land attack in Melbourne. With 5:1 table they capture the city, but they are flipped. Germans attack in Belgrade which is only defended by a single Yugoslavian INF. They achieve 4:1 table which is dropped to 3:1 because of rainy weather. They manage to roll 3 while Russia rolls 8. The result is -/-, no effects. Next turn there will be million Yugos defending the city. Bad luck.

 

4. Impulse. Moderate weather. Yugos move their terrorist naval unit to threat Italian convoys, but they can't find those. Russia ends the turn.

 

At the end of turn US gets two entry chits in the Fascists pool. Partisans appear in Greece and Yugoslavia.

Some statistics: The maximum amount of build points per turn each major power gathers:


Germany 24BP
Japan 17BP
Italy 17BP
Russia 16BP
CW 13BP
France 11BP
US 11BP
China 4BP

 

US entry chits:
Fascists pool: 17
Communists pool: 4

1941

1941 Jan/Feb

French suggest two treaties with primary and secondary options. Germans rise their production and make themselves as a free trader. Their PM is now 5/4 and they get a maximum of 29 BP/turn. CW answer to French treaties. They have now a level 3 treaty (allows co-operation). CW success to end the turn just before Japan and Italy would have risen their productions. Damned.

First a Communist Chinese leader "Mao" is picked. China has not enough veto points and Japan vetoes against him. Second a Japanese leader "Terauchi" is picked. Japan tries to bluff, but China vetoes against him. Third a Japanese leader "Nagumo" is picked and it finally clears through. Japan vetoes for him and Russia vetoes against him. Movement order is Democrats/Fascists/Communists.

 

1. Impulse. Weather is fine in Asia. CW bring two corps in the north France. Italy destroy a lonely French CP in the Cape Verde Basin sea area. Italian mini sub stikes in Plymouth. There is only one CW AMPH, but despite of 9 Italian surprise points CW rolls well and AMPH is only damaged. Japan attacks in the last resource hex in India west of Calcutta. In the air battle Zeros drop down a Blenheim squadron, but pilots survive. With 3:1 (+1) Blitz table both sides rolls well and the defending TERR and GARR units are destroyed while Japanese lose a MTN division and flips.

Germany moves their units to defend along Polish rivers. Russia moves their units next to Warsaw, but make no attacks.

 

2. Impulse. Weather is horrible. Nothing special happens expect Italians land in Spanish Sahara with a MAR division..

 

3. Impulse. Weather is fine in Asia, snowing in Europe. Italians capture St. Louis. Hungarians kill the Yugoslavian partisan in Zagreb. Japanese strike in Canberra and success to flip one defender of the two. With massive shore bombardment they achieve 3:1 (+1) Assault table. Both sides roll poor and result is -/1. CW destroy a TERR. Although Germans are not very strong in Poland, Russia can't find any good locations to attack.

 

4. Impulse. Democrats end the turn.

 

At the end of turn US gets two entry chits in the Fascists pool. Partisans appear in Finland. It's a strong partisan unit (2-1) and it threats to attack in Petsamo which is only defended by a 1 strength MOT division. France gets one intelligence point. Mauretania is conquered by Italians.

1941 Mar/Apr

CW rise their production. Their PM is now 1 and they get now a maximum of 16 BP/turn. Japan rise their production. Their PM is now 5/4 and they get now a maximum of 24 BP/turn. As a secondary option they suggest a treaty. Italy rise their production. Their PM is now 5/4 and they get a maximum of 23 BP/turn. Bad luck follows Fascists and Italy end the political turn before they can answer in the treaty. Damned again. Dice are not with Fascists.

First a Japanese land leader Yamashita is picked, but CW vetoes against it. Then Mao is picked again and Japan vetoes against him. Third an US leader Spaatz is picked and it finally clears through, when US vetoes for him. Movement order is Fascists/Communists/Democrats, even after a reroll.

 

1. Impulse. Stormy weather. Italian Subs and Spanish surface raiders strike in North Atlantic. They sink 6 French CP's and abort 2 before CW and France abort the combat. Japanese take the last CW holding from Australia. With massive naval support Japanese achieve 5:1 Assault table against a MIL unit in the mountain city of Canberra. Result is -/2S and Japanese are flipped. Japanese attack also against an Indian MOT unit next to Calcutta, and with 6:1 Blitz table they achieve a result -/2B (CW rolls well his defending rolls).

 

2. Impulse. Fine weather. Italy kill two strongest French units in a mountain hex near Vichy. First they success to strike these units face down, and in the movement they cut the supply of them. French success to send some bombers there and odds are dropped to 2:1 Assault table. Both sides roll 7+2 and the result is -/1S. French 7-6 ARM and 6-3 INF are killed. French used almost all their aircraft in this attack. Italy kill a partisan in Greece with 7:1 table but flips. Italy capture Dakar. Jugos make a counter attack against Germans. They achieve 1:2 Blitz table and after amazing rolls the result is 2/R. Jugos gain terrain next to Belgrade with hard casualties.

 

3. Impulse. Blizzards. Nothing happens.

 

4. Impulse. Fine weather. Germans use their offensive chit against French to get through the maginot line. They make two attacks, in the clear hex next to Maginot line and in Lille. Two heavy artillery units are doubled and they successfully flips all 6 defending units. After a little air battle Germans achieve in south 3:1 (+3) Blitz table and the result is */B. Germans make a blitz move south of the attacked hex. In Lille Germans achieve 3:1 (+3) Assault table, but because Germans can't roll the dice, the result is only -/1. They also forget to use the HQ support of Rundstedt. Germans also attack in Belgrade, but their Messerschmitt squadron let the Russian bomber to drop their bombs and odds are only 3:1 (+2). The reult is */1.

Russia surprise the world by declaring war on the communist Denmark (maybe they had some argue of the "correct" socialism). Swedish units march in Copenhagen. Russians make the first strategic bombardment in the war. They attack in Dresden and after a German fighter let the Russian bombers through, with 14 SB points they roll 8 and one production point is lost, synth oil is unusable and one saved oil destroyed. After this Russia end the turn.

 

At the end of turn US gets 3 entry chits in the Fascist pool. One partisan find their way in Australia. Japan and Italy get one inteligence point each. Australia and Senegal are conquered.

1941 May/Jun

China and Russia bid high. China rise their production. Their PM is 1/2 and they get now 6BP/turn. Russians rise their production. Their PM is 3/4 and they get now 24BP/turn. As a secondary option Russians play their war option afterwards. Italy finally play the IPO5 of aligning Hungary in the war. As a secondary option they suggest a treaty. Japanese answer on treaty and they have now a level 2 treaty with Italy. A trade agreement is made, where Japanese send one oil resource to Italy. As a secondary option Japanese make themselves as a free trader. Finally CW plays 0(g) and ends the turn.

Italian land leader Graziani is picked and Italy vetoes for him and CW vetoes against. French vetoes for continuing the leader reinforcements, and next leader is picked. This time it's Wavell, and no-one vetoes him (German and Italian player were so drunk that they thought that they were vetoing of the end of the leader reinforcements, so Wavell get through free). Movement order is Communists/Fascists/Democrats. Weather is fine the whole turn.

 

1. Impulse. Swedish units march next to canal of Kiel, closing the German naval units passage in North Sea. Japanese strike the two defending units of Delhi face down. With 3:1 (+2) Assault table they get a result -/1. Germans take Belgrade with 10:1 table after dropping one Russian bomber.

 

2. Impulse. Russia strike against Germans in Poland with a bomber squadron and artillery division. Germans drop the bombers and the artillery is unsuccessful. Germans attack on the Maginot line next to Swiss border. With 4:1 Blitz table the result is */R and defenders retreat in the upper Maginot line. Yamato and Musashi are seen in the Eastern Mediterranen.

 

3. Impulse. Germans attack on the next hex of the Maginot line with 4:1 (+2) Blitz table after dropping one French bomber. This time result is */1B, but all the defenders are killed (2 GARR and field ART) because there is no room to retreat. French attack against German 7-6 ARM which has been left alone in a clear hex. In the air battles French lose their best fighter with pilots and Germans lose a poor bomber with pilots. Result is */1 and ARM is killed.

 

4. Impulse. Swedish retreat from the Kiel area because they don't want be a supply unit in German home country. Russia attacks beneath the Warsaw. In the air battles a single Russian I-16 destroy about 20% of German air forces while they drop one FTR, LND and NAV. Russia achieve 3:2 (+1) Blitz table and result is 1/R. Russia lose an engineering. Germans can't make an counter attack and Democrats end the turn by rolling the 1 needed.

 

At the end of turn US gets 3 entry chits in Fascists pool. Partisans appear in Yugoslavia. A Japanse fleet has based in South Spain major port Cadiz. French get one intelligence point. Yugoslavia is conquered by Germans.

1941 Jul/Aug

Italy makes itself as a free trader. As a secondary option they suggest a treaty. Japan answers on the treaty and every Fascist major power co-operate now with each other. CW, Russia, China, France and Germany play 0(g) and gather bid points.

First the Japanese leader Terauchi is picked (again!), but France vetoes against him. Next one is a Russian land leader Koviev, which is vetoed by Russia while Germany vetoes against him. Movement order is Fascists/Communists/Democrats. Weather is fine the whole turn.

 

1. Impulse. Italy try to strike in Vichy with planes and artillery. French FTR drop the Italian air craft (FTR and LND) while being dropped itself. Field artillery miss the target. German field artillery success to flip 4 French units in the border. CW don't know what to do because the fleet of Japan stays in the Spanish port. French are about to punish Italy, after they left the Balbo HQ next to two out of supply French garrison units in Bayonne. CW move a CP in the sea area and supply the French units. Lucky Italy, the 1:1 attack fails and French units are destroyed.

 

2. Impulse. Naval forces are activated. Germans have to do a naval impulse to make it possible to invade in England next impulse. A joint Italian and Japanese fleet move in the Bay of Biscay. Germans move in North Sea with force and in Baltic Sea with a small fleet. The small fleet was used to reorganize two AMPH units in Kiel. Italians invade straight in defenceless Liverpool. With the help of Japanese CVP's they achieve 5:1 assault table and they capture the city without flipping. There is two garrison units, one militia, one field artillery, one anti air and one engineering division in the England at this moment. Russia go for German fleet in Baltic Sea and sink one German battle ship from 19th century, before Germans abort. CW decide to go for German units in North Sea. CW is lucky and they find the Germans and get 2 surprise points. There is lot of CW naval bombers, and Germany has only two CVP's both acting as fighters. After some unlucky dice throwing by German their CVP's are aborted and killed. CW get a good table and 2 German heavy battle ships are damaged and one good CV is sunk with the aborted CVP and pilot. Germans abort the sea area, and won't help in the invasion of England this turn. CW move MIL unit in Birmingham, where they also have a Synth oil, and engineering and field artillery divisions in Manchester.

 

3. Impulse. Italy make a naval impulse and move all their transporters with units in Bay of Biscay. A small fleet of submarines and Spanish raiders try to locate CW shippings in North sea, with out success. A German INF corps in Ireland capture undefended Belfast. Russia strike on a German stack of three units with 2 air craft and one artillery. 9 throws of die, no-one below the needed 3. Anyway they attack in a clear hex north of Krakow and achieve 3:1 Blitz table. The result is -/1, but Russia get their first Banner unit (10-3 INF! the most powerful unit in the map at the moment).

 

4. Impulse. Germans try to make a strike in France, but because Germans really don't know how to throw the dice, they lose two fighters and their Stuka's are aborted, while French lose one CVP. However a German field artillery success to flip two French units. Germans attack on the resource hex next to Metz and they achieve 3:1 (+2) Blitz table. The result is */B and hex is cleared of enemies. Japanese attack in Delhi despite of monsoon rains and achieve 5:1 Assalut table. The result is */1 and Delhi is captured. CW holds only Calcutta in India after this. Japanese has planned that they won't take Calcutta, because there is lot of Indian units in CW force pool, which are useless, until CW can recapture some cities in India. Italy move more units in England and capture Leeds and Holyhead. CW move 3 corps from France with transporters in Hul, Newcastle and Manchester.

 

5. Impulse. Germans attack in a forest hex two hex south-east of Paris. They achieve 3:1 Blitz table and result is */R. First Spanish units (MECH & ARM corps) arrive in England too. Russia end the turn.

 

At the end of turn US gets no entry chits. Partisans appear in Greece and France. French get one intelligence point. The factories in Belfast, Liverpool and Leeds are destroyed. Beacuse the railway is cutted between north and south England, CW get only 11BP's.

1941 Sep/Oct

Germans play GE 12 SS corps option two times. CW, France and Russia play 0(g).

A Japanese leader Ozawa is picked and Japan vetoes for him while CW vetoes against him. CW want to continue leader reinforcements, but again a Japanese leader is picked. This time it's the real naval leader Migawa and because Japanese are out of veto points, Germans vetoes for him while CW vetoes against him. Movement order is Democrats/Fascists/Communists.

 

1. Impulse. Rainy weather. CW fly two NAV in Bay of Biscay and numerous of planes in North Sea with 3 task forces. They find the Italian CP in Bay of Biscay and sink it after aborting an Italian fighter. Italian units are out of supply in England, but CW can't do nothing against those. French armored HQ De Gaulle arrives to defend London.

Japan and German want to play with CW and send their navies in North Sea. This suits CW fine when they roll 2 as a search roll while Japanese roll 10. CW get 6 surprise points and use them all to rise their air to air table. They roll from +6 while Japanese roll from -3 table. 2 Japanese CVP's are dropped with pilots and the rest 3 planes are aborted. CW lose one CVP in anti air fight. The result is 3X and some aborts. CV Akagi is sunk with CVP, Musahsi and CV Ryujo are damaged. Japan and Germany lost their interest to play with CW and abort. Another fight is made in Bay of Biscay, where combined Italian-Japanese fleet find the two CW NAV's. CW success to drop Japanese flag fighter CVP (5 factor) with pilots, while their NAV is also dropped with pilots and the other one aborted.

 

2. Impulse. Stormy weather. 2 Italian HQ's, INF and MTN corps and couple of fighters arrive in England. Quite silent.

 

3. Impulse. It's snowing - weather seems to be against Fascists. Italy capture defenceless Southampton and Sheffield. CW still lacks from land units.

 

4. Impulse. Fine weather, but it's too late for Axis. Only CW make some moves and they roll easily below 9.

 

At the end of turn US get two entry chits in Fascists pool. Partisans appear in England and the only hex where they can be put is in North Ireland. Russia get 3 intelligence points. The intelligence system doesn't work when three sides roll dice. You have to be very lucky to get only three intelligence points. Maybe we change the system (at least in our next game) so that the best roll of winning side is compared on the best roll of third side.

1941 Nov/Dec

Everybody but Japan and US get to play and everybody play 0(g). Only Russia get to activate Portugal beneath Germany after there was no more political markers affecting minors.

US naval leader Fletcher is picked and vetoed by US. Movement order is Fascists/Communists/Democrats.

 

1. Impulse. Rainy weather. Germany and Italy make both combined and 6 German corps arrive in England. Russians upset the world as they declare war on Rumania. Rumania is politically beneath their allied Italy and it's automatically aligned to Italy. Russia make one strike against Italian and Rumanian units in the 3 oil wells. The Rumanian HQ is disrupted. In bad weather Russians advance slowly in Rumania and can't make any attacks.

CW try to find the German/Japanese fleets in North Sea with their whole armada. Axis fleets are in 1st box and Germany and Italy fly three fighters to cover fleets. CW success to find Axis only with a NAV in 4th box and get no surprise points. The NAV is dropped and Axis abort from the sea area, believing that they won't have as much luck in the next search roll. CW and France make both some strikes with no success. CW try a desperate attack against new German units next to London. CW use much shore bombardment, but Italy success to fly two bombers in the area. In the mission Belgian and Italian fighters go down. However with help of De Gaulle CW achieve 2:1 Blitz table, but result is 1/- and one CW INF is destroyed.

 

2. Impulse. Snowing. Germany kill the partisan in North Ireland and rail two heavy units in Rumania. Italy take Birmingham in an automatic attack as it's only defended with a face down field artillery unit. Italy got also the synthetic oil plant in Birmingham in their use Russia make a massive strike two hexes below Lodz. 2 field ART and 2 LND with 4 FTR covering participate in the stike. However a lone German BF109E3 squadron intercept Russians and Russia abort from the skies after two fighter squadrons were forced to abort and one LND-4 was droppped. The two artillery units success to flip one defending INF. Russia attack on the hex with 2:1 (+1) Blitz table and result is -/1B. Russia upgrade 7-6 ARM unit in 12-5 Banner ARM. Russia has now the heaviest ground stack in the world. 10-3 INF and 12-5 ARM stacked together.

 

3. Impulse. Blizzards. Italy and Japan try to locate CW shippings in North Atlantic and Faeroes Gap with no success. Italians take Manchester after CW retreated in hope to save Coventry. Russia end the turn.

 

At the end of turn US get one entry chit in Fascists pool and one chit in Japanese tension pool. Italy and Japan get two intelligence points both. Italy get the most build points in the turn! After Rumania aligned in Italy, Italian got the three oil resources there and got 26PB's!

1942

1942 Jan/Feb

Some countries have lot of bid points and bids are quite high. However only Germany and Russia success to rise their production after Russia as usually end the politics. Germany get now 31 BP's and Russia 32 BP's.

A Chinese air leader Chenault is picked. Japan vetoes against him, but CW vetoes for. Germany want to continue leader reinforcements. A Japanese land leader Hata is picked twice! but first he is vetoed by China and then by Russia. After this a German land leader Manstein is picked and vetoed by Germans. Movement order is Communists/Democrats/Fascists.

 

1. Impulse. Storms. Nothing special happens.

 

2. Impulse. Snowing. Russia strike in a swamp hex in Rumania with no effect and in a hex below Warsaw and Lodz where they success to flip one German unit. They attack on both hexes and the swamp hex (actually forest in snowing weather) is cleared with 7:1 Blitz table after one Rumanian bomber was dropped and Koniev succeed in HQ support. Italian MOT DIV and Rumanian CAV are killed. Below Lodz/Warsaw Russia achieve 2:1 Blitz table and result is */1R. A Russian 8-6 ARM is upgraded in 11-5 Banner ARM.

CW move a fleet with massive air support in Bay of Biscay. Italy fly a fighter to cover supply CP in 0-box. CW find only with a NAV (Sunderland) in 4th box, and try to sink the CP with no surprise points. However Italian fighter success to drop down the Sunderland Squadron and after that they abort from the sea area. Italian and German units are temporarily out of supply in England, but CW has no bombers to flip those.

Germany and Italy move more units in Rumania via rails. Germany retreat from Warsaw, which is surrounded by 5 Russian hexes.

 

3. Impulse. Snowing. Russia strike east of Bucharest and one Rumanian is flipped. In the following attack Russia achieve 3:1 Blitz table and result is -/1R. Rumanian MIL is killed and an flipped Italian fighter overrunned. Russia make another attack on the resource hex in Poland. In the air battle 2 Russian FTR's go down, but Russia achieve 2:1 Blitz table and result is */R. No Banner unit this time.

CW make a port strike on 4 Spanish LS in port of Ferrol. They attack with 5 bomber, but Spanish roll well in anti air and one CVP is dropped and 2 points may not conduct attack. One Spanish LS is damaged and one flipped. Democrats end the turn.

 

At the end of turn US get one entry chit in Fascists pool and one chit in Japanese tension pool. A partisan group appears in England, Bristol. French get one intelligence point.

 

Tojo's notes: There hasn't been much to do in the Pacific or Asia. So I have used the time to snatch away all CW holdings, holding a large enough garrison of crap units at the Soviet border and watch the Chinese army grow very slowly knowing that the time to shatter it will come after the fall of England or when the US has entered the war. Attacking China means a HUGE amount of entry chits, and that would be disastrous to our plans to conquer Europe. To get some action (and because they needed me!) I took my carriers to Europe to help the Blockade of England. (And got one 4-sized sunk because I didn't have enough patience. Well. Can't expect to have it all the time, can you?)
I've been reinforcing the Pacific during the last two turns. Every major port now contains one white print garrison or militia unit, as do Kwajalein, Majuro, Christmas Island and the island NW of Fanning Island. Japanese NAV's (3) and one Zero are rebased within port strike distance of Honolulu. Marshall Islands are full of red counters: in Eniwetok are two AMPH's with two battleships and two armies, in Majuro a small task force containing a 5-moving 4-sized carrier and two battleships, and Kwajalein has the priviledge of holding a couple of 4-moving carriers. Also three shorter range NAV's and two Zeros are based on these islands. In Truk is one Task Force, containing all 5-moving ships not currently in Europe, HQ Umezu and a short ranged fighter. In Papeete in French Polynesia is a large pile of six-moving SCS's, of course with Mikawa.

Let the Yanks come!

1942 Mar/Apr

Germany suggest a treaty and combined war aims. Italy answers on both and the trade agreement is changed so that Italy gives 2 oil to Germany for nothing. Also Japan sign the combined war aims, which are made against France and CW. In addition Japan rise their production and they get now 29 BP/turn. French rise their production too and they get now 12 BP/turn. Russia plays their war option afterwards against Rumania. CW and China plays 0(g).

An Italian land leader Messe is picked and Italy vetoes for him while Russia vetoes against. Movement order is Democrats/Fascists/Communists.

 

1. Impulse. Raining. French artillery flip one German heavy MECH. Italy and Japan send their fleets to hunt CW shippings in two sea areas, but they find nothing. Russia try to strike in Bucharest, but German fighter drop the bomber. Russia shorten the defence lines in Poland by retreating from the one resource hex they captured previously.

 

2. Impulse. Blizzards. Again Italy and Japan can't find CW shippings.

 

3. Impulse. Storms. Democrats end the turn. Germany and Italy couldn't do anything in this turn as weather was so bad. CW had time to maximise the defence in London. Hope we'll have better weather next turn.

 

At the end of turn US get two entry chits in Fascists pool. We changed the intelligence system so that first side's best roll is compared in third side's best roll. This time Japan and Italy got both 6 intelligence points.

1942 May/Jun

French rise their production again and their PM is now 1.75!. However they get a maximum of 14 PB/turn. Every other major power expect China and Japan plays 0(g). US plays also the entry option 43, which gear up their PM in 1/2. They get now 17 BP/turn. I have forgot to write previously that US has also played entry options 13. US East Coast escorts, 20. Gift of destroyers to CW and 31. Relocate Pacific fleet to Pearl Harbor. We might see an US declaration of war soon.

A Japanese leader Toyoda is picked and no-one vetoes him. Movement order is Fascists/Communists/Democrats. Weather is clear the whole turn.

 

1. Impulse. Japanese search unescorted CW shippings in North Atlantic and Faeroes Gap. Search rolls are high, but they find the shippings in North Atlantic while throwing 7 (7-range CVP and Ozawa in 4th sea box). 6 CP's are destroyed and the rest have to abort. Germany strike in Metz and two corps are flipped. Italy kill the partisan in Greece. French strike with 3 artillery units 3 German corps face down at the front. CW land with two corps in Southhampton, where their partisans cleared the road.

 

2. Impulse. Italy makes their first air impulse in the game. Italians hunt for the CW transporters in ports and make 4 port strikes in Southhampton, Dover, Harwich and Glascow. CW save their FTR's and bombers are free to bomb. However both sides rolls always about the same and only in Glascow Italy get 2 surprise points. CW rolls their defence rolls quite well and transporters are not damaged or even flipped. However in Glascow two good CV's are damaged. After this Italy make two strikes, in Coventry and in the French forest hex next to Seine. In Coventry Italians miss the target and in France French fighters drop the bomber. Fortunately, Italians have some beer in the fridge to comfort their bad rolling. Germany and France have a great air fight over Metz. Germans win the fight, and France lose FTR, LND and CVP with 2 pilots, while Germans lose FTR with pilot. However one French bomber is cleared through and final odds drop to 4:1 (+3) Assault table. Both sides roll poorly and the result is */2. Germans also blitz automatically one Russian division in the Poland.

Russia make two strikes in Rumania, other one success to flip the out of supply Italian territorial in the swamp hex at the coast of Black Sea. French fill Metz with new units from Strasbourg. CW partisans move in Plymouth.

 

3. Impulse. Italy stirke with artillery and bomber in Coventry, but only one corps is flipped. Germany strike in Metz and one defender is flipped. Italy attack in Coventry, but now CW use all their FTR's and French send some bombers, and odds drop to 3:1 table. Italians roll 1 while CW roll 9 and result is -/-. Italy take another beer. Germany capture Strasbourg in an automatic attack, and French division is killed. They attack again in Metz and with 5:1 (+2) table the result is */2S. 2 infantry corps and AA-unit are killed. Russia kill the Italian TERR in the swamp hex in Rumania.

 

4. Impulse. Germans strike in French fort hex in Belgian border two hex below Lille. One unit is flipped of the two. After this they attack in the hex using two engineers. Italians help Germans to drive French bombers away and one French FTR is dropped. With 5:1 Assault table (Germans used their 5-factor tank buster against tanks in the hex) the result is -/2S. Germans are now one hex from paris. Swedish units attack from Denmark in Germany. With the help of bombers and shore bombardment, they achieve 4:1 assault table. The result is 1/1S and one German MIL is killed for one Swedish ski division (maybe their skis were not sliding?). Swedish doesn't advance in Germany. Russia end the turn by rolling the needed 1.

 

At the end of turn US get one entry chit in Fascists pool and one chit in Japanese tension pool. Because the turn ended so suddenly, CW and France couldn't repair their convoy chain in America and got no oil from there. Two French LS had not enough fuel to be flipped face up. Japanese made a search and seizure against US CP's in North Atlantic and 4 resources was sunk in the sea. French get one intelligence point.

1942 Jul/Aug

Japanese player, Juha Jansson, writes the game report from now on.

Japan bids nothing, and is the only Major Power who doesn't get to play any options. Everyone plays 0(g) except Russia, who plays the first intelligence campaign of the war! They get one extra intelligence operation.

Zhukov comes out of the cup, and no-one wants to waste veto points since Russia certainly vetoes for him.

Fascists want to move before Democrats since there are huge holes in the French lines. Dice are (still) not with the Fascists and they need a reroll. Then Italy spends 5 intelligence points to throw initiative beforehand and 5 more to alter the roll. The roll is a "2" and is modified to one and handed down to Democrats. Bloody Russia spends 5 intelligence to alter Fascists' initiative but they roll "4". Movement order is Communists/Fascists/Democrats.

 

1. Impulse. Fine weather. Russia strikes Kiel without success. Italy takes an air impulse and port strikes two ports and sinks one, damages one and aborts one CW transporters. Then they ground strike Coventry, a hex SW of it and London. Germany strikes two hexes East of Paris with their new 7-factor Stuka and all three units are flipped. Italy fights against three CW fighters over Coventry but gets the bomber through. All units there are flipped. SW of Coventry one corps and in London a division is flipped. Germany attacks the flipped French units at 5:1 (+4!) blitz table as Manstein shows the way to fight. The die still doesn't like Fascists and the result is */B. The tanks with Manstein blitz two hexes taking the second hex next to Paris. The French line is a one big hole.

 

2. Impulse. Italian bombers strike the French in Lille. Germany strikes with two Stukas the French HQ and AA- and AT-guns SW of Lille. France decides to shoot at the Stukas with all he's got in his AA. It doesn't matter; all units in these two hexes are flipped. Maybe the dice didn't know who was using them? Germany then attacks SW of Lille at 7:1 (+4) blitz and the French decide it is a lost cause and save their last bombers. They comfort themselves thinking that the HQ will reappear next turn and doesn't need oil to reorganise.

CW tries to find Italians in Bay of Biscay with their Task Force, but obviously the seamen are too worried about their homes in England to notice an Italian transporter. They also deploy their convoys through Canadian Coast and Denmark Straits trying to avoid a mysterious Japanese Task Force in North Atlantic.

 

3. Impulse. Russia decides nothing is going to happen in the East unless he does something. He attacks Lodz at 2:1 (+2) and loses two divisions while killing a German infantry corps.

Italy moves a TF to Bay of Biscay and both sides manage to find each other without surprise points. Italy decides they want a surface combat as CW has only two cruisers and Italy has big battleships and two carriers. It ends as you might expect: one CW cruiser is sunk and the other damaged to one aborted Italian battleship. Japan moves his real Task Force to challenge the CW ships in Canadian Coast but they fail to find each other.

Italy attacks Coventry. A two-engined CW FTR acting as bomber is aborted, and odds are 5:1 (+2) assault. Italy takes the city, but CW puts up a stiff defence and the attackers are flipped. There is a big airfight over Lille where CW loses a 9-ranged Mosquito FTR with a pilot and another FTR. France loses a four-engined bomber and Germany a 7-factor FW-190A. Two French bombers clear through and the French have one point too much to give Germany a 7:1 table. At 5:1 assault table (+2) the French 120mm field artillery is destroyed as is an infantry corps. The Germans take the city and are still face up. The French line looks as bad as it can get. Rundstedt reorganises two stukas.

 

4. Impulse. Weather roll: 10. Russia strikes in Poland, but the Red Airforce seems to need practise. Red Army considers an attack in southern Poland but after they realize two Italian long range bombers are unused, they call it a day. Literally. They throw the needed one and the turn is over at first opportunity. "The Red Army prefers snow", explains Stalin. Well, we just may see snow next turn if this keeps going. We had total of seven impulses this summer and next turn there is a +1 to weather roll. Goodbye dry autumn.

 

At the end of turn US gets one chit in Fascists entry pool and one in Japanese tension pool. Partisans are rolled all over the map but none succeed to appear. Italy and Japan get 5 intelligence points.

1942 Sep/Oct

CW, France, Germany and Italy decide to boost their spying network and play 0(h). Russia and US play 0(g) and US ends the political turn before China and Japan get to play.

Japanese leader Yamashita is picked, and obviously the Allies are satisfied it isn't the Italian wet dream, Balbo, and don't veto him. Japan saves his veto points just in case they pick Yamamoto next turn. So Yamashita comes to the map unopposed.

Democrats want the initiative, and as Fascists win they demand a reroll. They are quite satisfied to see that Fascists' roll is 1+1, but then they roll 1+0... Movement order is Communists/Fascists/Democrats.

 

1.Impulse. It is raining in the Arctic. Russia strikes Messe and two corps with him in Rumania. An Italian CR-32 engages him but the last words of the pilot are "Damn this old junk...". Messe and an ARM corps are flipped. Russia also strikes Lodz and again they drop the opposing fighter (BF-109 this time) with the pilot. A MECH corps is flipped. Then they attack the city and both sides manage to clear their bombers through. German 88mm fires at the Russian bomber and turns away only one point, so the odds are just 2:1 (+1) and the combat result is 1/1S. Germany loses a MOT corps and Russia a MOT division. 7-3 INF learns something and becomes 9-4 Banner.

Yamato and a light CV sail from Hamburg to Denmark Straits trying to find defenceless CW convoys, but fail to find anything. Italy strikes a hex NW of London with his Stuka and two field artilleries. The Gladiators are dropped and the bomber clears through. DeGaulle and an ENG division are flipped. In France Germany strikes Paris and the hex NW of it. France sends two fighters over Paris and a bloody battle is fought: French lose a FTR-2 and FTR-3 with one pilot, Germany loses a BF-109 with pilot but bombers clear through. All six land units and a bomber in these hexes are flipped. Germany decides to attack the hex next to Paris, saving Paris for later. Another bloody air-to-air battle starts. This time Germany is the loser, losing two fighters, one Stuka and two pilots. France loses one old bomber, and clear three bombers through. However, the mighty four-factor AA gun aborts 4 points of these five and it is 2:1 (+4) Blitz table with Manstein again. Germany throws the expected 1+4 as do the French. Result is -/1, the only result Germany doesn't take the hex. Italy attacks the hex NW of London. CW sends all their fighters in the area, while two twin-engined fighters acts as bombers, but Italian fighters have a comment on that. They kill both fighter bombers the Whirlwind and Beaufighter and a pilot, and Italian bombers clear through. It is 5:1 (+1) assault and combined CW and French forces once again fight bravely: the result is -/1S. DeGaulle appears back to France next turn. Almost the entire Italian/German attack force in England is flipped. Germany reorganises land units and aircraft in France with all available HQs.

England sails out a task force to hunt Yamato, but they are surprised badly. Japan get 8 surprise points and decides to fight against the TF, ignoring convoys. They manage to sneak in a surface combat and damage the six-moving carrier Indefatigable. Only thick armour protects it from a watery grave, and it is sent to repair pool as are Yamato and the carrier accompanying it. France use all but one of their HQs to reorganise Paris and a fighter.

 

2.Impulse. It is again raining in the arctic. Russia tries to strike Bucharest, but after an old Italian fighter destroys one escorting fighter with pilot and aborts another, the Russians abort their bomber. They also strike in Poland, two hexes South of Lodz and flip one German corps. Then they attack the hex with 3:1 (+1) Blitz table and get */B. Again Russian infantry men learn something as a 7-4 is promoted to 8-4 banner.

Japan sails their carrier TF to Denmark Straits and tries to find CW shipping but fails. Italy takes an air impulse and strikes Paris with six bombers (flying from Liverpool and Prague). France sends their remaining two fighters to intercept, and Germany sends a BF-109 to cover the Italians. An Italian bomber is dropped and BF-109 aborted with 0-table before both French fighters are dropped, one with a pilot. Italy tries to throw two ones, two twos and one three to flip the Frenchmen and two corps are flipped. Germans prepare to attack Paris with 4:1 (+2) table, but after counting again it becomes 3:1 (+3) with Italian spies. Pretelat's HQ support fails and the result is 2/2S and Paris is captured! French lose a GARR and AT, while they manage to kill a German INF and FA.

Despite the fact that only one German corps and a FA are face down in Paris, the French can get barely 1:2 attack with CW help, so they decide not to try. They just attack a lone German mech division in Calais and the result is 1/B.

 

3.Impulse. Rain/Rain/Fine. Russia strikes Krakow and flips one INF. Then they attack it with 3:1 (+1) becoming 2:1 because of the rain. The result is -/2S and a FTR is overrun. This time a Russian mechanised army gets promoted.

Japan searches CW shipping in Denmark straits and manage to find them. They choose to attack the seven convoy points and sink four and abort two. After this seamen from both sides just start staring at the moon. Italy moves his naval units all over the Atlantic ready to search & seizure any resources sent through US convoys. Germany starts moving units towards Poland.

France tries to find Italians in Bay of Biscay, but an Italian sub finds two French cruisers with 7 surprise points and damages them. CW repairs his convoy line and the Japanese and CW seamen still keep staring at the moon.

 

4. Impulse Fine weather. Russia makes a strategic bombardment in Rumania and Italy loses two oil from Ploesti this turn. Then they paradrop in Gdynia with 10:1 table. Turn ends as they roll below the needed 5 and a Swedish transporter with Stockholm militia RTB in Gdynia.

 

At the end of turn US gets one entry marker in Fascist entry pool. Partisans keep a low profile, but spying activity is up because of political decisions. After tight die rolling Italy gets 6 intelligence points, and Japan and Germany get two.

It seems the weather god was on Fascists' side this turn. We needed two fine impulses in France and we got it. Germany suffered heavy losses (40 build points worth), including a large part of their airforce. But the war in the West seems to be over after next political turn. If just Italian forces in England had stayed face up, they could have captured London this turn too. But we have a good chance (as good as it can get in Nov/Dec - 30%) to get fine weather next turn, so let's wait until next week...

1942 Nov/Dec

Germany bids 31 to be sure that CW can't play two options before him. CW bids only 4 and is second in politics. Germany plays 4(a) with mutual understanding of Italy and Japan, and forces France in the Vichy surrender. They decide to use the historical borders of Vichy France. For the next 10 turns French may not declare war, and after that they must meet the garrison ratio as in WiFFE rules. 2 French units are eliminated in England, as they doesn't meet the foreign troop commitment rule anymore. CW plays 0(h) getting 2 intelligence operations and ends the politics.

Submarine admiral Doenitz is picked. Germany vetoes for him while no-one vetoes against, and Doenitz comes to lead the non-existent German sub fleet.

Democrats outroll the Fascists in initiative and Fascists demand a reroll. However, it seems the CW soldiers realise how important it is to have initiative for the battle of London, and they win again. Movement order is Communists/Democrats/Fascists.

 

1. Impulse Weather roll is 4, but after the Italians sacrifice 5 intelligence points to weather gods it is modified to 3. It is raining in the Arctic, but fine in North Temperate. A Russian Sturmovik tries to strike German troops West of Lodz, but a German fighter drops it. Russia then attacks the hex. In ground support air battles Germany throws 10, 11 and 12 until Russians drop a German fighter and a good Italian bomber, and the Russian bombers clear through. The result is 1/1B and a German infantry corps and a Russian MIL are killed. All five Russian banner armies are flipped.

CW moves their fleet to 3- and 2-boxes of North Sea ready to bombard London which is surrounded from three sides.

Japan can't tolerate any more Chinese provocation and declare war on them! They strike a hex NW of Hanoi with a naval bomber and flip a chinese division and an infantry corps. Japanese ARM starting from Port Arthur races through railways all the way to Shanghai, and a MOT reaches Nanking. Tien-Tsin and Tsi-Nan are captured on the way. They also capture defenceless Peking and Canton, since almost all Nationalist units are in the mountains between Chungking and Canton. From two of these six captured cities a US news reporter manages to smuggle pictures to New York Times. Communists are set up on the mountains North of Si-An. There are only a few nationalists between Si-An and Chang-Sha. Japan attacks the mountain hex NW of Hanoi at 2:1 (+2) and the result is 1/- and a Japanese MIL is killed.

Germany and Italy take a combined and move their fleets to North Sea and get three surprise points. Raeder uses his stealth skills and sneaks their navy to gunnery distance from CW ships. Two Italian subs, Graf Spee and Deutschland are sunk, Bolzano and Adm. Hipper are damaged and Trento and Bismarck seek the comfort of port in Hamburg. Raeder personally directs fire and sinks CW carrier Victorious with a CVP. Gloucester, Manchester and Southampton are also sunk, while Effingham and London are damaged.

On the second naval combat round Germany and Italy gain seven surprise points and once again Raeder shows his skills on the four CW cruisers in 2-box. Sheffield and Norfolk are sent to the bottom with an INF division, and Dorsetshire and Edinburgh are damaged. On the third round once again the Fascists win the die-rolling with 5 surprise points. They decide to avoid combat.

(We use our own shore bombarding rule which I think better simulates reality. If in our rule both sides try to give shore bombardment, then combat between bombarding navies is automatic until either side gives up. In this sea battle both sides can fly aircraft helping to take over the coastal waters near the area where ground combat is happening. It is pretty unrealistic that there could be 20 CW ships and 20 Italian/German ships on the mouth of River Thames, and they wouldn't fire at each other, just at the ground troops. Let alone if there is just ONE ship on the other side and twenty on the other... of course the other side could take complete control of this area. Just park the ships there and keep enough air support in the air all the time. And let the enemy try to come shooting at the ground troops...)

Italy strikes a hex SW of London and flips Alexander and a MIL. In London they send two stukas and an Italian BA-65, and three fighters. CW intercepts with two fighters and drop a German FW 190G3 and an Italian stuka with a pilot. Two fighters abort while they manage to chase away both CW fighters. Bombers succeed to flip two corps.

Combined German and Italian forces attack London and both sides want to send shore bombardment, so a bloody battle begins. CW sends five naval bombers, 3 fighters and four CVPs acting as bombers, while Italy sends seven bombers and ten fighters. Germany and Italy get 4 surprise points and choose naval air. Air to air battle is fought and Italy has +7 while CW throws from -7 table in the first round. After this +-9 table was used. Two CW fighters are downed, one with a pilot, as well as one CVP and a Beaufighter NAV. A Swordfish CVP and a Hurricane are aborted, while two CVPs and a Sunderland clear through after amazing Italian die rolls: three 11's with +9 table!... But luckily only one Italian fighter is aborted before all seven bombers are cleared through. Italy throws one die for AA resulting 9 and CW aborts the sunderland and the four points from CVPs don't press the attack (=no attack). CW throws two dice and picks the better one which happens to be 10, and a Gabbiano is destroyed. Malaya and Illustrious hit the bottom (Illustrious with a CVP), while Hermes, Revenge and Barham are damaged. Ark Royal, Hood, Renown and R. Sovereign are sent to Newcastle port.

Since neither side gives up, the battle continues. This time battle is fought without surprise points, and since CW only has two CVP left Italy chooses again naval air. Air to air ratio is +11 for Italy, and the CW CVP's are destroyed and aborted. CW takes two worst rolls from four for anti-air, and rolls 15! Another Italian Gabbiano is downed and other bomber aborted, but Italy revenge by slaughtering CW ships again. Formidable and Indomitable get to see the North Sea bottom, just like the last CW CVP on Indomitable. Battleship Lion is damaged and Temeraire aborts. CW figure that his luck must turn sometime and this is the time he needs it and decides to stay. They still have enough surface factors to hit Italy/Germany badly, if they win the surprise.

On the third round Italy gets two surprise points and once again Italian planes pound CW ships. This time CW anti-air men have lost their morale and only succeed to abort one point by throwing one die. Previously damaged Lion is finished for good, as is the old CV Hermes. Rodney is damaged. CW gets desperate and tries his luck for the fourth time. Again Germany and Italy get surprise points, this time six. CW gets the worst roll from three and again the AA men abort only one Italian air-to-sea factor. Rodney is finished and Revenge joins it at bottom of North Sea. Valiant and Duke of York are sent to drydock and CW aborts their shore bombardment mission.

Italy and Germany have 42 ground strength, 30 shore bombardment factors and send one bomber with three tactical value in London, while CW has fifteen points and has used all their aircraft. It is 5:1 (+1) assault and London falls! Combined Fascist force stays face up, and CW GAR corps and MOT division are killed and an infantry corps is shattered. Impulse one is finally over.

CW lost a total of 5 carriers, 4 battleships and 5 cruisers during the first impulse, plus seven ships damaged. This shore bombardment is very deadly if you are badly outnumbered in the air, like CW now was. Their ships were bombed to pieces. It also takes a lot of time; this SB battle took almost an hour and a half. Boy, were we others bored... except me, who had to write all this down.

 

2. Impulse Weather roll 8. It is snowing in the Arctic and North Temperate, fine in North Monsoon.

Russia strikes a forest hex NE of Ploesti, but the SU-2 doesn't flip anyone (a one was needed). Two bombers try to strike NE of Katowice, and in air to air battles a German BF-109 is downed after Germany has first cleared both bombers through by rolling two times 10. However, Russian bombers only manage to flip an old DO-17 in the hex. After this they attack the hex, and after von Leeb's unsuccesful HQ support the odds are 2:1 blitz. Germans decide to stop giving ground to Soviet forces since reinforcements are moving towards the front all the time, and kill a Russian banner infantry and a cavalry division while they lose an infantry corps.

Russia then attacks the forest hex in Rumania they tried to strike earlier. Germany and Italy fly two Italian bombers and a BF-109 bombing the hex, as well as a fighter to cover them. After pitiful rolling (10 and 9) by Fascists' side Russia aborts both fighters. Finally an Italian bomber drops the Russian fighter with a pilot, but are aborted in the process, and one bomber isn't enough to change the odds. After Koniev's HQ support fails, Russians blitz the hex with 3:1 table and kill an Italian cavalry division and retreat a German MECH and INF corps while losing a ski division. The just killed banner infantry replaces a 6-3 Russian infantry.

Italy tries to find CW navy in the North Sea, but fail. Then Italy and Germany blitz SW of London with 2:1 (+1) table, and kill the Alexander HQ and a MIL (they have no place to retreat to) while flipping themselves.

 

3. Impulse We let the Russian player roll the weather, and the result is 11. Blizzard in North Temperate and Arctic, Storm in North Monsoon.

Russia just shuffles his units, and Italians bump into CW in North sea after they bring a TRS and a marine there, and CW gets two surprise points. Raeder tries to sink the transporter but it saves, just like Repulse too. On the other side Zara and Vittorio Veneto are damaged. Japan moves his army forward in China despite it turns face down. They capture Tai-Yuan, Wuhan and Hang-Chow, and again some smugglers can get one picture to the front page of New York Times.

 

4. Impulse Weather roll 8. It is stormy in North Temperate, and so Russians just shuffle their units and end the turn.

 

At the end of turn US gets one chit in every Fascist tension pools. Japan and Italy get two intelligence points after CW used their extra intelligence operations in multiples and lost the die-rolling.

1943

1943 Jan/Feb

Italy and Russia rise their production. They now get 30 and 40 BP per turn, respectively. Germany plays 0(h) and kicks their spies into action. US bids high and plays... 0(g)! CW also plays 0(g) and Japan plays their war option afterwards for declaring war on China. China plays 0(g) and only France, who doesn't have any bid points and gets one build point per turn, doesn't get to do politics.

US leader Doolittle is picked, and only the US vetoes. Initiative order is Fascists/Democrats/Communists.

 

1. Impulse. Weather roll is 1+1. It is raining in the Arctic and North Temperate, otherwise fine. Japan searches unescorted CW convoys in Denmark Straits and gets 11 surprise points. They choose a surface combat and sink all seven convoy points. Italy and Germany strike Southampton and flip all two CW units there. They also strike the hex next to London but three bombers don't flip anyone. Germany strikes a Russian stack SW of Lodz and after pathetic die rolling from both sides Russian I-15 clears through both German stukas and survives, although Stalin (not so secretly) wished he didn't... A Russian tank army is flipped. Italy and Germany attack Southampton and after shore bombardment from Italian ships odds are 5:1. Balbo tries to show his leadership skills in the rain but fails miserably, and final odds are 4:1 (+2). A CW MECH and militia are killed, and attacking forces aren't even disrupted. Nothing special happens during democrats' and communists' impulses.

 

2. Impulse. We again let our Russian player throw the weather, and he rolls a one! It is raining in the Arctic, but otherwise fine!

A Japanese naval bomber strikes Si-An and flips both defenders. Japanese troops move into Chengchow and rape the city's women. Then, feeling mighty and unstoppable, they make a risky 3:2 (+2) attack in Si-An to get half of Communist line OOS, but only get an infantry army and tank division killed without a scratch to the Chinese. They also attack the resource hex SW of Chang-Sha with 3:1 blitz table and kill both defenders while losing a militia.

Meanwhile in Europe Italy and Germany strike a hex East of London, flip all units and auto kill them. They also strike again the same hex in Poland as during the first impulse. A Swedish fighter drops an Italian bomber and a German fighter before clearing through an Italian bomber. The infantry army stubbornly stays face up. Germany decides to attack the hex regardless, and in air-to-air battles a Sturmovik and BF-109 are dropped and a stuka and it's old predecessor are aborted after depressing rolls. Two swedish bombers are cleared through, but when a German 88mm forces the other to abort, final odds are 3:1 (+1). After Zhukov's interference odds are 2:1 (+1) blitz table and both sides lose one unit. Germany also attacks the Stockholm militia in Gdynia with 3:1 blitz and kill it without flipping.

Russia strikes Ploesti with three bombers, and sends two fighters to cover them. Italy sends four fighters and destroys an old ("cannon fodder") bomber and aborts both Russian fighters and a bomber. One Italian fighter is lost. Two units are flipped in the hex, but like miracle HQ Manstein is the only one to stay face up. Kiev factory is loaded into trains and starts heading towards Kuznetsk in Siberia.

CW takes their fleet and naval bombers to North Sea to punish Italians for killing the last CW units in England, but they don't find each other. CW now only holds the Northern part of Great Britain.

 

3. Impulse. What a winter. Not a hint of snow. (St/R/F). Japan occupies the Chinese cities of Chang-Sha and Ching-Tao. Again they have their way with women in one of these cities, and headlines are ready for US papers once again. Italy port strikes Sevastopol, but Russians get five surprise points and let the Italians admire the empty port. CW takes a TF from Canada to Bay of Biscay but doesn't find Italian transporters. In Faeroes' Gap Italians don't dare to search a CW TF, and in North Sea CW wants to rub Italian noses and searches. However only Italians find and decide to fight against CW naval bombers in two-section. They get four surprise points and call avoid combat.

Russians attack Ploesti. After checking the CRT table choosing priority again odds are 3:2 (+2) assault (Both sides had one tank, and Russians had also a MECH. Turned out MECH's don't matter at all if there are any tanks in battle.). Russians manage to kill an infantry division while flipping themselves.

 

4. Impulse Japan tries the weather roll, and seems the weather gods were bribed well during the last turn. Rain/Fine/Fine (rolled a one). Japan strikes SE of Si-An but it has no effect. Then they attack the hex with 3:2 blitz and only flip themselves. Italy sees their opportunity after a failed Russian attack and strike East of Bucharest with artillery. They flip one unit and prepare to attack the hex at exactly 4:1 blitz. Russia sends two four-engined bombers and a fighter to cover them. Italy and Germany send four fighters and drop the Russian fighter with +4 table, and then bombers decide to save their hide and head home. Result is 1/1B and a MIL is killed from both sides. However, Italian tanks blitz through the hex straight to a swamp hex behind it and in the middle of Russians. Now Russians near Bucharest are in a very tight place between Italian and German pincers. Turn doesn't end (a five was needed).

CW again searches in North Sea and this time they find the Italian fleet in four-box with two surprise points. Italy has only two carrier planes, one acting as a fighter and one a bomber. CW has two fighters, 1 CVP, one Sunderland NAV and three Swordfishes. A CW CVP and two Swordfish are aborted like their both fighters, and Italian CVP acting as fighter is shot down with a pilot. The Italian bomber clears through but the pilot's fate is to be shot down by CW anti-air. Italy rolls two dies and picks the worst for AA against three bombers, and rolls a four. Still four points press the attack, and the captured carrier Furious's sailors save from premature grave because of good English craftmanship. The ship saves and is only damaged. Littorio saves too and only aborts the sea area, along with the rest of the Italian fleet. Turn ends with a five.

 

At the end of turn US gets one chit in Italian tension pool and two chits in Japanese tension pool. A 3-2 partisan appears in China and is placed in Tsing-Tao. Another partisan makes an appearance in Teheran. China gets one intelligence point.

Russian troops can be in a little trouble in Rumania, if fascists get the initiative next turn. They have penetrated the Russian line in a place the Ruskies have only few reserves behind the line.

1943 Mar/Apr

Democrats just want to stall and keep the Italians from forcing CW surrender. So China bids 15, is first in political play and plays 0 (g). Commonwealth bids all they have (70) for six (!) options - even if Italy bids all they have (which they have no intention of doing) they are behind CW. So CW plays three times 0 (f) before ends the turn.

Rundstedt is picked and vetoed by Germans. France wants to continue leader reinforcements, and picks Chiang. Japan bluffs and France spends three veto points vetoing Chiang. Now Russia wants to continue; however, to their annoyance they pick Rommel which is vetoed by both the Germans and Russians. Now CW isn't satisfied with the outcome (two thirds of the leaders in the cup are Allied, but 2/3 of the leaders picked are Fascist...). They pick Yamamoto, and Japan uses his veto points which are saved just for this occasion. CW is still not satisfied with this and again wants to continue leader reinforcement. Now they pick Sommerville, but Italy vetoes him. Then Harris is picked in his place and no-one complains.
Germany and France used four veto points, Russia, CW and Japan two and Italy one point. A lot of good fascist leaders appeared; the allies only got Chiang which will be of any use...

Movement order is Communists/Fascists/Democrats.

 

1. Impulse. It's raining in North temperate and North monsoon. Dnepropetrovsk factory is loaded into trains heading for Chelyabinsk. Then Russia straightens their line in Rumania because of the recent Italian capture of one of the swamp hexes.

In Europe units are just shuffled and moved to the front. Japan sails his TF to Canadian Coast to hunt CW convoys, but fail miserably.

 

2. Impulse. It is raining in the Arctic, but fine elsewhere. Stalin continues the industrialization of Chelyabinsk by moving the Odessa factory there. Otherwise they just shuffle their units for the coming German onslaught and straighten their lines by pulling back from couple of hexes in the line West and SW of Lodz.

Japan strikes the hex SW of Si-An but fails. Then they attack the 3-2 partisan in Tsing-Tao and kill it without flipping with 7:1 table. Teemu (playing Germany tonight in Olli's absence) strikes Lodz with a stuka. Both sides launch three crappy fighters, but to everyone's dissatisfaction the stuka clears through before any fighters are dropped. Stuka misses Russian tanks but flips a field artillery. Germany then strikes a hex three hexes East of Katowice with artillery and a bomber and flips both defending armies. Gustav railroad gun strikes NW of Lodz and flips INF and ARM armies there.

Germany shuffles his units before launching attacks in the groundstruck hexes near Lodz and Katowice. Near Lodz four German fighters and two bombers face one Russian fighter and one bomber. Germany drops the Russian bomber, but Russians revenge by dropping two German fighters before clearing the stuka through. Then they abort from the battle. Odds are 5:1 (+2) blitz when Rommel helps two tank corps crossing the river. A Russian INF is killed and ARM blitzed to production circle; attackers aren't even flipped. Near Katowice a great air battle starts: Two brand new FW-190A's, one old German bomber and the pride of Regia Aeronautica, piaggio, are sent to the area. Russians send two fighters and five bombers (all he can afford for now), including three four-engined ones. Germany drops one Russian fighter and clears through two bombers (with +4 table) before aborting the last fighter. Meanwhile, Russians can only clear through both fascist bombers and decide to abort rather than risking his unescorted bombers with +7 table. Odds are 2:1 (+1) blitz and the German pincer move is pretty succesful as the Russians are retreated but Germans stay face up.

CW makes a combined and invades straight into undefended Belfast with 5:1 table and captures it.

 

3. Impulse. It's raining in arctic, fine weather else. Russia try to strike north-east from Bucharest, but Italian fighters abort their mission. However Italy lose one FTR in this mission.

Germany strikes in Lodz with two Stuka's, other unit flips and with two Stuka's and Italian Plaggio squadron west of Krakow and both units flips. Germany makes 4 attacks. In the first attack west of Krakow two leaders, Rommel and Rundstedt, combine their abilities while Rommel cross the river and Rundstedt has three corps stacked in one hex.. As usual German FW-190 squadrons let the Russian bombers clear through, but German AA men are firm and abort the Russian bombers. Germany choises Assault table and with 4:1 (+2) the result is */2 and Russian MOT 8-5 and Banner INF 9-4 are destroyed! Second attack is made against alone Russian MIL south-east of Lodz, and it's easily killed with 5-1 Blitz table. Third attack is made on Lodz, where Russia had left only one MIL + DIV to defend. With 7-1 Assault table Germans kill them without flipping, despite of leader Zhukows abilities (-1 to die, but Germans had +1 to die, because there was one unit flipped). Last attack kills the partisan in Yugoslavia automatically. Italy attacks in Brest, which is the last CW holding in France. With 5-1 table CW INF corps and Supply Unit are killed without flipping. Japanese strike with two bomber squadrons south-east from Si-An, and flips other Communist unit. With 2-1 (+1) Blitz table they achieve -/R result and captures the hex.

CW destroys with one SCS one Italian CP in the Bay of Biscay, despite of Italian fighters covering the convoys. Then they end the turn by rolling the needed 1.

 

At the end of turn every Fascists get one more tension in their pools and partisans appear in Yugoslavia. Germany has rolled very well the intelligence rolls (usually the best roll is at least 9) and Italy and Japan get both 8 intellignce points.

1943 May/Jun

Italy bought some bid points to make sure they are first in politics. They play 4(a) and force CW to Vichy surrender. CW can try to declare war on Italy 1945 Mar/Apr next time. US play 4, it's war option! Germany plays IPO3 with Turkey and as a secondary option they play IPO5 and align Turkey in the war against Russia. Turkish units are heavily setup next to border of Iraq. CW and China success to play 0(g).

First CW leader Mountbatten is picked, but Japan vetoes against him. Then Cunningham is picked and no-one vetoes him. CW continue the leader reinforcements and picks Japanese leader Terauchi (is this 4th time?) and China vetoes against him. Then French leader Pretelat is picked, but Italy vetoes against him. After this French leader Darlan is picked and no-one vetoes him. French want to continue and Terauchi shows himself again! Everybody is so bored with Terauchi that no-one wants to veto him and he finally arrives on the map. Movement order is Democrats/Fascists/Communists.

 

1. Impulse. Weather is fine, expect raining in North Monsoon zone. US has 63 entry against Fascists and 25 tension against Japan. They need to roll 8 and they get -2 to the die (-1 because there are Japanese units in China and -1 because they are 2nd in politics). Japan uses desperately 5 intelligence points to modify the die. The die looks like to be a 10, but then in the last moment it turns to 6 and US success to declare war on Japan. US takes two chits away from Fascists entry pool due their option 4 play against Japan and entry drops to 57. US make a naval and move their fleet away from Honolulu. With subs they sink three Japanese CP's in the South China Sea and 1 CP in Christmas Islands and Japanese Coast.

Japanese revenge by sinking 5 US CP's in North Atlantic and 1 CP in the Marshallas. Germany and Italy make massive strikes on Russian forces in south Poland. Total of 10 bomber squdrons strike on 7 Russian corps in 4 hexes. Some rollings doesn't success and only 4 units are flipped, each in different hexes. First attack is made two hexes south-east of Warsaw. Rommel and Rundstedt has again combined their abilities. Germany send 5 FTR's while Russia send 3 FTR's and 3 LND's. As usual Germany rolls poorly their air fights and 2 Russian bombers clears through, despite of the +6 starting table for Germany. Both sides lose one FTR and Russia aborts rest of German fighters. But German 88mm AA men are again firm and success to abort 3 points away from Russian support. So it's 3-1 (+1) Blitz table and the result is -/1B. One Russian 7-5 MECH is destroyed. The five Russian units south east from this hex are now out of supply and one flipped INF in mountains is killed with 10-1 table. However Germans were badly flipped in the first attack and Russians may launch deadly counter attacks. However Italians made an air impulse and rebased lot of fighters and bombers in the area (including one 8 factor lend lease FW-190).

Russia retreat from Warsaw, but they attack on the flipped German heavy stack (2 ARM, 88mm AA and leader Rundstedt) two hex south of Brestlitovsk. This stack has strength of 27, while Russia attacks with armored units. Russians choose 3:2 (+3) Assault table, while Italians rule the skies. The result is 1/2S and only the German 12-5 ARM survives with Rundstedt from the onslaught. A Russian 6-4 INF is promoted to 9-4 Banner INF. Russians use Zhukow to reorganise their army.

 

2. Impulse. Italy makes a naval impulse and moves with transporters stright in Narvik and in the other Norwegian mountain port in south Norway. This is possible, because no Russian units has been in these hexes, so Germany still controls those. In Narvik there is unloaded one Italian supply unit and two German MECH's while in south Norway is unloaded Italian HQ and LND, and German ARM. The supply unit is a secondary supply source in Narvik, so Germans are in supply while they move from Narvik stright in Sweden capturing the two resource hexes there. Other MECH is flipped. The ARM in south Norway moves along the railway next to Oslo, cutting the supply in coastal hexes in south Norway. Three automatic invasions are made capturing the resource hex and the two ports next to it. Germany kills one flipped Russian in an automatic attack in south Poland and takes Warsaw.

Japanese make a land impulse. They strike with 5-1 FA against an alone out of supply Communist GARR south west of Wuhan, but miss. Four invasions are made. Dutch Harbour and Pago Pago are taken with automatic attacks with divisions. In the Midway and the island west of Honolulu both sides has naval units surrounding these islands. Japan puts secretly in both fights a sizeable naval force in SB mission. US puts all their naval units to defend hex next to Honolulu. So Midway is taken automatically. Japanese fly with all their long range bombers, fighters and CVP's in range in the combat hex. Surprise rolls are thrown and US rolls 10! while Japan rolls 4. Japan gets 8 surprise points. Air to sea combat is picked, while Japan has 5 fighters and 12 bombers and US has 3 fighters and 1 bomber. US rolls well and a good Japanese FTR is dropped with pilot and a poor CVP, while one US CVP is dropped and the one bomber they have clears through. In antiair US rolls 5 times and pick the best, which is 9. One CVP is dropped again and 4 points conduct no attack. Japan rolls 5 times and pick the worst, US is left with one point counducting the attack. US has 26 SCS in the mission while Japan has 11 SCS. Japanese hit the US with 7X, 4D and 2A results!. 1HS and 3LS are sunk, 4HS and 2LS are damaged. US aborts the mission. US hit the Japanese with a A result, but Japanese handle the defence roll. So the hex is captured with 10:1 table.

 

3. Impulse. Raining in Arctic. Germans attack two hexes south of Brestlitovsk and kill a Russian MECH automatically. Turkish units run after Russians in Iraq and capture the northern oil field and kill with 7:1 Blitz attack one Russian 4-3 INF 3 hexes north of Bagdad. Japanese strike again with two bombers against the alone oos Communist GARR and this time flips it. They kill it automatically in the following attack. Italians land more units in south Norway.

 

4. Impulse. Japanese had to use 15 intelligence points for the weather god after it seemed to come bad weather. After this 10 was rolled and weather god favoured the Axis. Turkish units overran an oos Russian MOT in the second oil field in Iraq and continued next to Bagdad. They launched immediately an attack in the city and with 5:1 Assault table they achived -/1 and captured the city. Russian MIL was killed in the process. Germany attacked in the forest hex three hexes west of Krakow. Russia flied with 5 LND and 2 FTR in the hex, while only 2 German FTR's were in range. However Germans success to abort the first Russian bomber and are satisfied with 4:1 Blitz table and abort the combat before Russia could kill their fighters (Germany is very poor in air fight rolls, while Russia is very good). Manstein has planned the attack and Germans get +3 to die. The result is */1B and Germans capture the hex.

Japanese strike in Si-An with two bombers and one artillery. Both defenders are flipped. In the following attack Japanese fly with two fighters acting as bombers and use one artillery to bombard behind the river to achieve just the 2:1 table. Both sides try HQ support and Japanese success! So it's 3:1 (+2) Assault table and after Japanese used 5 intelligence points the reslut is */2S. Communists lose 7-3 and 6-3 INF's and Japanese capture the city. In the meantime Italians strike with artillery in Oslo. Other defending unit is flipped. Italians drop the Russian I-16 squadron trying to defend the city and with combined Italian+German units they achieve 5:1 Assault table. The result is 2/2S and Italy lose 2 DIV's while Russia lose GARR and MIL.

Democraties end the turn with needed roll of 1. There is no US entry chit rolls because Germany and Italy are no more at war with Democraties.

1943 Jul/Aug

US is first in politics and propose a treaty which is accepted by China. So they have now level 1 treaty and China can build now air craft. After this Italy and Japan plays 0(g)'s after the political turn ends.

Fascists are very lucky with leaders and this time Guderian arrives on map after Germany vetoes him. Movement order is Fascists/Democrats/Communists even after Democrats demanded a reroll.

 

1. Impulse. Germany announces that they use a land offensive chit with the HQ Rundstedt. They start with two strikes south-west of Brestlitovsk and Lvov. One Russian FTR is dropped in the mission and total of 3 units are flipped with 4 Stukas. Germans attack in the strike hexes. South-east of Brestlitovsk Germans fly 5 LND and 3 FTR while Russians come with 3 LND and 2 FTR. Germans roll well and Russia lose 2 FTR and 1 LND while Germans lose nothing. In Lvov Germans have 3 FTR and 3LND while Russia has one LND and FTR. This time Russian FTR is dropped, but the LND is cleared through. In Lvov Guderian is leading the attack and Germans achieve 4:1 Assault table and the result is 1/2S. South-east of Brestlitovsk Germans achieve 4:1 Blitz table while Manstein leads the attack and Koniev leads the defence. The result is */B. HQ's are used to reorganize flipped units. Both attacked stacks included very heavy Banner units, so that's why attack tables were so "poor" even with use of an offensive chit.

Italy and Japan make both naval impulses. Italy tries to find Russian Baltic convoys with no luck and Japanese sink one US CP in Hawaiian Islands sea area.

US tries to find Japanese convoys with their SUBs in The Marshalls and The Solomons sea areas. Japanese fly with NAV's in both sea areas and in The Marshalls they surprise three US SUBs with 8 surprise points. One SUB is sunk and other two are damaged. In The Solomons both sides miss the search roll.

 

2. Impulse. Japan and US find each other in the Hawaiian islands and in the naval-air fight US fighter drops one Japanese bomber while clearing through the other. Second Japanese bomber squadron is shot down when US AA men starts shooting. US rolled a 7 as poorest of 4 dice! Japanese fighters clear through the US bomber but it achieve no result after Japanese AA. Japan aborts the sea area after losing 2 of their 4 carrier planes.

German and Italian units enter in south Sweden threatening Gothenburg. Germany and Italy fly both a Stuka squadron to strike south-east of Brest-Litovsk. Both heavy Banner units are flipped despite of forest. Germany makes another strike 2 hex east of Warsaw flipping 2 units of 3. Land attacks are following in the hexes and near Warsaw Germans choice 4:1 (+2) Assault table and result is */2S killing 2 MIL and near Brest-Litovsk they choice 3:1 (+3) Assault (after using the skills of Rommel, Guderian and Rundstedt) and result is */1 killing a 10-4 Banner INF. In addition one face down Sturmovik is overrunned and one 7-1 GARR is blitzed with 7:1 table, which were left behind when Russia retreated. A big hole in Russin front south of the Pripets marsh has forced Russians to retreat as fast as they can.

Russia tries to strike two important German stacks to slow down the Germans, but German fighter drops the other bomber and the other is unlucky with their bombs.

 

3. Impulse. The weather god favours Russia and it starts to rain in Arctic. Italy and Germany make both air impulse and the only happening in their impulse is, when Italy makes a strategic bombing with 2 Piaggio's in Stalino. With a roll of 8 Russia loses both production points in the city.

After two rounds of naval combat Japanese success with one Zero and NAV abort all the three US carriers and one cruiser in the port of Honolulu. The only result in the air combats were one aborted US NAV.

 

4. Impulse. Italy and Germany declare war on Baltic States. The operation Barbarossa begins. Weather is fine again and Italy starts the air impulse by port striking Stockholm and Sevastopol. In Stockholm Swedish get 3 surprise points, which they use to change air combat table, but their FTR is aborted. After antiair 5 factors bomb the ships and Gustaf V sinks while Tapperheten (=bravery) is damaged. In Sevastopol Italians get 3 surprise points which are used to neutralize the antiair of ships. Russian FTR is aborted and 6 factors bomb the S. Soyuz in repair pool. After this several ground strikes are made with joint Italian and German air forces. However dice are angry and only 3 units flip in 6 strike hexes. First German units move in Russia and Baltic and 4 attacks are declared where 2 of them are in Russian home country. In Vilna Russia has only one 6-6 ARM and supply unit. However Russian bombers clear through while their brave fighters are destroyed in the air fight. Both sides try HQ support, but only Rommel success. Zhukov use his defence skills, and final table is Assault 4:1 (-1). Result is 1/1 and Germans capture the city with supply unit, but flips. Second attack is made again in the reinforced forest hex south-east of Brest-Litovsk and this time with 5:1 (+1) Assault table the result is */2S and Russian 11-6 Banner MECH and 6-1 GARR are destroyed. Third attack is made in Russia, two hexes west of Kiev. Italians fly with 2 FTR and 2 LND while Russians fly with 1 FTR and 3 LND in this critical hex. Because one Russian bomber is cleared through while the Katyusha battery is bombing from behind, Italians can no way change the table anymore and they abort the combat. With the skills of Rommel and Guderian it's 2:1 (+2) Blitz table, but rolls are poor, and result is */1. If Germans had got a Blitz result, they would have overrunned the Katyusha battery too and threatened capturing the Kiel. Fourth attack is made two hex north of Chisinau where Italians abort the one Russian bomber. With 3:1 (+1) Blitz table rolls are again poor and the result is */1. Finally many Italian planes rebases in the new German possessions.

Japan tries to find the Yanks in Hawaiian Sea and Christmas Islands with no success. After this they fly all their planes in China as do the Chinese with their single FTR squadron. While out numbered in the air, Chinese fighters are dropped. Japan tries to capture a mountain hex near Chungking, but with 3:2 (+2) Assault table the result in only 1/1. MOT/MIL are destroyed.

Russians retreat fastly from Polands pocket leaving one face down bomber and FTR behind. They don't dare to counter attack in Vilna, despite of the flipped Rommel HQ and MECH there. However Russian player says that he's so pissed off that now he rolls 1 and ends the turn. So Fascists can just watch when he rolls the 1 and ends the operation Barbarossa for this summer.

If Fascists had get a turn they might have killed additional 20 build points of Russians till the previous 50+ build points in this turn. Also they had a plan to capture the 3 resource hex near Kiev. Russian player is too good with end of turn dice.

 

At the end of turn partisans appear in China and Chinese get 4 intelligence points. Russia got 49 build points while Germany got 44 and Italy got 32.

1943 Sep/Oct

Italians play 0(h) getting two free intelligence operations and suggest a treaty with secondary option. Japanese play 0(h) and ratifies the treaty. From now on Japanese send 2 Res and 1 Oil to Italy. US rise their production and they get now 35BP/turn with production multiple of 1. Germans also ratifies the treaty with Italy and the trade agreement is changed so that no resources are sent anymore between them. After this they end the political turn.

Much of leaders are picked. First Italian air leader Fougier is picked and vetoed by Italians and vetoed against by Russians. Then US wants to continue leader reinforcements and Russian air leader Novikov is picked and vetoed by Russians while Germans vetoed against. Then Russians want to continue and CW leader O'Connor is picked and no-one wants to veto him. After this CW continue the leader reinforcements and CW leader Sommerville is picked and no-one wants to veto him too. After this CW still continue the leader reinforcements and US naval leader Halsey is picked and vetoed by US. Movement order is Fascists/Communists/Democrats.

 

1. Impulse. The weather is fine. Italians make air impulse and start it with port strikes in Stockholm and Sevastopol. In Stockholm Italians get 5 surprise points and 3 Swedish cruisers are damaged. In Sevastopol Italians get 3 surprise points and 1 CP is sunk and P.Commune is damaged. Kursk is bombed strategically and 1 production point is lost. 6 stacks are ground struck near Vilna, Kiel and Chisinau. In air fights both sides lose FTR's and Germany lose a pilot too. 6 units are flipped. Attacks are made 2 hexes west of Kiev and 2 hexes north of Chisinau. Near Kiev with 4:1 (+2) Blitz table the result is */1 killing one MOT div. Near Chisinau Germans lose 2 FTR and one LND with pilot and Russian bomber clears through. 5:1 table drops to 3:1 (+1) Blitz table. The result is 1/B killing one German MTN div. With the help of Rommel one stack blitz 2 hexes ending 2 hexes north of Odessa.

Japan makes combined. They chase US in the Hawaiian sea with 2 NAV + FTR while US has FTR + NAV + CP in 0-box. Zero squadron is dropped, but Japanese success to sink the CP. In Christmas Islands Japanese has a NAV in 4-box and TF in 1-box against US FTR + NAV + CP in 0-box. The Japanese NAV is dropped. In China Japanese attack and fly with 6 bombers against a hex north-east of Chunking. They get 2:1 Assault table and result is -/2S killing the defending MECH.

Russians success to cut the supply of some Turkish units in Turkey and Iraq, but they miss the ground strikes.

 

2. Impulse. Weather is poor and Germany and Italy make both air impulses rebasing their planes closer to the front. Russians continue their advance in Turkey.

 

3. Impulse. Raining in Arctic.Italians sink 3 Russian CP's in Baltic Sea. They ground strike with 1 LND in Gothenberg, flipping both defenders. Turkish try desperately strike Russian unit next to Ezurum with no luck. Italians attack in Gothenberg with 5:1 (+2) Assault table. They roll 1, so the result is only */1.

Japanese success to abort the US CPs in Christmas Islands and Central Pacific. Honolulu is now out of supply.

US tries to reopen supply path in Honolulu, but Japanese sink their CPs. US lose one NAV in Christmas Islands, but Japanese lose also one CVP and Nagumo is so frightened that he aborts with the fleet from 4 box.

Russia capture Ezurum killing a Turkish FTR there. They attack 2 hexes north of Odessa, where is three flipped German units including HQ Manstein and leader Rommel. After air combat they get 3:2 (+4 - Koniev kills a MIL) Assault table. The reult is */2, but Rundsted uses it's ability and the other unit is only shattered. MECH corps is killed and anti tank division is shattered. After this Russians naturally roll the needed 1 to end the turn.

1943 Nov/Dec

US rise their production. Russia, Germany and Japan play 0(g).

In leader reinforcements first Kleist is picked and vetoed against by Russians. Then Rokossovsky is picked and vetoed by US. Germany continue the reinforcements and some Chinese leader is picked twice and vetoed against by Japan both times. Then de Gaulle arrives on map. Then Japanese want to get rid of their final veto point and picks Vasilevsky on the map. US also wants to get rid of their final veto point and picks Franco on the map. Movement order is Communists/Democrats/Fascists.

 

1. Impulse. US use the supply unit in Honolulu. Their whole fleet is flipped there and Japanese might try an invasion in there. But Japanese only port strike in the hex and in antiair fight one Japanese NAV is aborted. Saratoga is bottomed and Houston damged.

Russia tries to finish HQ Manstein 2 hexes north of Odessa. Germany and Italy fly with many bombers in the hex and Manstein success in HQ suport. The final odds drops to 2:1 table. The result is -/- and Manstein survives.

Germany kills one Russian MIL in Pripets Marsh but flips in the process. Italy make Naval Impulse, but fails to find Russian CPs in Black Sea.

 

2. Impulse. Russia send their fleet in Baltic Sea but fails to find Italian AMPHs there carrying German units. German units land next to Stockholm where Italians previosly invaded. First Italians land in Saudi Arabia which Italians want to conquer back. Italy and Germany finally capture Gothenberg with 7:1 (+1) Assault table without flipping.

 

3. Impulse. Russia tries to find Italians in Baltic Sea again, but an Italian NAV drive the Russians home.

Democrats success to reopen the supply in Honolulu, but lose one CP in the process. After this they end the turn.

 

At the end of turn partisan appears in Indo China and Japan and Italy get 6 intelligence points.

1944

1944 Jan/Feb

Germany, Russia, Japan and US rise their production. Germany, Japan and Russia have now their maximum production multiples. In this turn Russia got 56 build points, US 53 and Germany 52.

In leader reinforcements Pretelat and Montgomery arrives on the map. Movement order is Democrats/Communists/Fascists.

 

1. Impulse. Rain in Arctic. Russia strike one Turkish out of supply INF next to Russian border. It's killed with 5:1 (+1) Assault table as the result is */1.

Japanese go with a TF against US in Hawaiian Islands. US has 3 TFs in 0-box and they fly with 3 FTR there too. Japanese fly with 4 NAV in 4-box and 1 NAV in 3-box. Japanese get 8 surprise points. The three US FTRs are aborted and one CVP dropped. Japanese lose NAV+pilot and also 1 NAV+pilot in anti air fight. Wasp with CVP is sunk, Yorktown and Minneapolis are damaged. In the next round one Japanese NAV clears through, but anti air aborts it. In China Japanese flip the leader Chiang but miss the units in Chungking.

Germany strike with 4 bombers 3 hexes west of Dnepropetrovsk, but only one unit is flipped. In the following attack Germans lose 2 FTR and one pilot and Russian bombers clear through. With the help of Manstein the odds are 4:1 (+2) Blitz and the result is 1/B killing a German MECH div. In Sweden Italy and Germany attack against alone MOT corps near Stockholm. With 5:1 (-1) Blitz table the result is -/1R and attackers are flipped.

 

2. Impulse. Snowing. Swedish success to cut the supply of all Italians and Germans in Sweden by capturing Oslo with a Ski div. They attack with 3:1 (+3) assault table against an Italian stack and the result is */1. MTN corps is destroyed. Russia tries again kill HQ Manstein and with 3:2 (+3 - after Koniev kills a MIL) Blitz table the result is 1/1R. One MECH killed and FTR overrunned while Russia lose an INF corps.

Japanese try to strike in Honolulu with 1 NAV, but US anti air drops the bomber.

Italy moves AMPH and TF in Baltic Sea supplying the units in Sweden again. Strike in Stockholm doesn't success, but anyway Italian marines move across the shores in a hex east to Stockholm. German 8-4 INF land in the same hex from Italian AMPH. Italy and Germany send all their long range bombers and all Italian ships in Baltic Sea are used in attack on Stockholm. There is only 1 Swedish unit defending, after they used the units in a counter attack against out of supply Italian units. The final odds are 4:1 (-1) Assault table and result is -/2S. Swedish lose INF, 2 FTRs, LND and FORT and Stockholm is captured! Germans send terrorist units across the iced Pripets March to kill leader Zhukov two hexes east of Minsk. In the air fight one Russian bomber is dropped with pilot. Final odds are 1:1 (-1) Blitz table and the result is 1/R. Germans lose CAV corps, but they overrun one Russian long range LND with pilot. Zhukov survives.

In Hawaiian Sea Japanese give a lesson to US again. With 13 surprise points US Hornet and CP is sunk, Pensacola, Enterprise and Indianapolis are damaged and aborted. Japanese lose 2 NAV and pilot while US lose one FTR with pilot.

 

3. Impulse. Blizards. US success to reopen supply path in Honolulu.

Russia strikes a SS stack 2 hexes west of Vitebsk with the help of Novikov, who can fly bombers in blizard too, flipping MOT corps and one FTR. Turksih CAV is destroyed and the terrorist MTN div near Minsk is killed.

Japanese strike in Honolulu and Lexington and Salt Lake City are bottomed. US AA kills agains one Japanese CVP. Italians try to strafe with fighters against Russian flipped Spitfire squadron, but Russia drop the Italian FTR.

 

4. Impulse. Democrats end the turn.

 

At the end of turn China gets 6 intelligence points. Sweden is conquered.

1944 Mar/Apr

US declare war on Germany & Italy. For both countries they have to roll a 9 or lower to success, but they miss the second roll against Germany. However China uses 15 intelligence points for a reroll and this time they don't miss it. Germany, Japan, Italy and CW play 0(g).

Kleist arrives on map after Germany vetoed him and then CW continues the leader reinforcements picking French leader Pretelat, which no-one is interested of vetoing. Then Japan vetoes for not continuing the leader reinforcements as there is douzen allied leaders in the cup against 4 axis leaders. Movement order is Fascists/Communists/Democrats.

 

1. Impulse. Weather is fine. Japanese make combined. First they sink couple of US CPs in Mendocino and Christmas Islands causing Honolulu to be out of supplly again. Then they strike with two 3-factor LND against the leader Chiang and roll 1! Chiang is recalled (placed back in the cup), and with 2 other bomber they strike a mountain hex west of Chunking flipping all the three defenders. With 2:1 (+4 - with the help of intelligence) assault table they roll poor and the result is -/1.

Meanwhile in Europe Italians start their air impulse port striking in Copenhagen and Sevastopol. In Copenhagen Russia get enough surprise points to avoid combat and in Sevastopol Russian FTR drops all the two NAVs and one FTR with two pilots after ultimate dice rolls. Then Italians send a strategic bombardment fleet to destroy the economy of Moscow with a strength of a Nuclear Bomb. They roll 2 and 1 production point is lost. Very good start to Italians..., the dice seems to hate me. Well suddenly dice are conciliated, when ground strike step begins. Several strikes are made all around the Russian front with effect of 2 dropped Russian FTRs, several units flipped and the leaders Zhukov and Koniev recalled. Germans attack then two hex west of Dnepropetrovsk and one hex south-west of Pskov. On Pskov Germans lose one FTR and they let the Russian bombers do their duty. Final odds are 3:1 (+2) blitz table with the result of */2B killing couple of INF. On Dnepropetrovsk Germans lose FTR with pilot, but this time Russians lose too FTR and LND and rest of their bombers are aborted. German player is very poor with the air fight rolls, but with +8 table even he can't roll all the time 11. This time German bombers clear through with a result of 7:1 blitz table. MIL and GARR units are killed and a 3-resource hex has been captured.

Russians try a strike with a Sturmovik squadron, but they are all killed by BF-109's. With many units disrupted Russians can't do any counter attacks.

 

2. Impulse. Raining. Italians start a new front in Saudi Arabia. Their heaviest ARM units (9-4 and 8-4) are there to conquer back what belongs to Italy. With 7:1 assault table Ridyah is captured easily, but Russian success to flip the attackers, despite of Italian intelligence services in the area.

Japanese make air impulse and reoraganise their planes in China. US success to supply Honolulu again.

 

3. Impulse. Raining in Arctic. Japanese make air impulse and conduct a strategic bombardment with a strength of 14 in Chungking. They roll 3 and achieve nothing.

Italians make naval impulse and finally sink the Russian 2 CPs in Black Sea. Germans attack west of Black Sea port Nikolayev. Italian fleet support by shore bombarding and in the air fights Russians lose one FTR, but one of their bombers is cleared through. With 5:1 (+2) blitz table the result is */1B. Because Russians can only retreat with their MOT div, INF and MOT corps are destroyed. Next attack is made in Copenhagen, where Italians support with their ships again. With 5:1 (-1) assault table the result is */1 killing one MIL.

Russia tries to strike German leaders, but Italian fighters kill one Russian fighter-bomber with pilot and drives rest of the bombers away. They also try to bring a CP in Black Sea to get oil in Odessa, but Italians sink it definitely.

 

4. Impulse. Raining in Arctic. Italians kill alone MECH div securing the oil well in Saudi Arabia. Germans attack two hex north of Odessa. With 4:1 (+3) they barely get a retreat result, but Guderian saves the day. Result is */R and 11-5 Banner ARM, 3-5 ARM div and 7-5 MOT corps are killed as they can't retreat. However Vasilevsky is in range, so Russia get 3 new GARR/MIL units free next turn. Germans guarantee to kill him next turn, if they get the first go. Another attack is made north of Nikolayev and with 7:1 blitz table 2 poor MIL are killed. Copenhagen is finished with 10:1 table killing a MIL. Fascists end the turn.

There are now 4 flipped Russian units of 6 around Odessa, which can't trace on oil source.

 

At the end of turn Italy get 8 intelligence points and Japan 16.

1944 May/Jun

US rise their production, their production multiple is now 2, which means about 70 BP/turn. CW plays 0(g). Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and China play 0(h), which give them more intelligence operations.

Zhukov arrives again on map with Russian veto. CW continue the leader reinforcements and Richtoffen arrives with German veto while CW vetoes against him. CW continue again leader reinforcements and Italians decide to buy one more veto point with 5 intelligence points, because with good luck there could come a fascist leader again and Germany and Japan has both only one vetopoint left. Then of course is the last German leader Kesserling picked, but Italy decide not to veto him and US vetoes against him. After this Balbo is picked! and vetoed by Italians. Fascists have had unbelivable luck with leader reinforcements. At the start of the leader reinforcements there was 4 Fascists leaders against 16 Democrats/Communists leaders and 3 of the 4 picked leaders were Fascists. Movement order is Communists/Fascists/Democrats.

 

1. Impulse. Russians strengthen their presence in Persia after Italians invaded with force in Saudi Arabia. In South Russia they retreat to better defece lines along Dnepr.

Japanese sink one US CP. Japanese strike on three hexes, with the result of one field artillery division flipped and one Chinese FTR dropped.

Italians make air impulse. Port strike on Leningrad fails after Italian FTR has to abort and the bomber fleet doesn't dare to challenge Russian FTR with +-5 air combat table. First carpet bombing in the war is made against heavy armour stack next to Kiev. With the strength of a nuclear bomb, Italians achieve nothing. 4 hexes are ground striked, but only two units flip. Germans attack west of Dnepropetrovsk and let the Russian bombers do their duty as normally. However odds are 5:1 (+1) blitz table and result is */2B after the help of Guderian's skills. Couple of MIL's are killed.

 

2. Impulse. Japanese strike on a mountains two hexes east of Chungking. One INF is flipped. In the following attack US BostonIV lend lease bombers are dropped with pilots and thousands of Japanese bombers support the attack on difficult terrain. Yamamoto success in HQ support and odds are 5:1 (+1) assault table. Result is */2S and HQ Chiang and INF are destroyed.

Manstein use the offensive chit in land impulse. Germany and Italy strike on three hexes around Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk which all fails, but one Russian FTR is dropped with pilots. Attacks are made on Kiev, a hex south-west and a hex north-west of Dnepropetrovsk. German fighters let the Russian bombers do their duties everywhere they want as normally (our German player just can't roll the dice on air fights - however with +8 table he has once won an air fight). North-west of Dnepropetrovsk Germabns kill couple of INF's with 7:1 blitz table. South-west of Dnepropetrovsk odds drop to 5:1 (+1) blitz table, where Germans kill couple of MIL's with */2B. Then in Kiev odds drop to 2:1 (+1) Assault table, and with the help of the ultimate skills of Zhukov and Rokossovsky Russians defeat Germans leaded by Guderian killing one German INF for one Russian INF. Why always when you roll for HQ support before the attack roll, you first roll 10 for HQ support and then 1 for the attack?

 

3. Impulse. Russia flips two units near Odessa with a field artillery division. They decide to retreat from Dnepropetrovsk behind the river line, because Germans already control 4 hexes around the city.

Japanese strike with artillery on Chunking and success to flip the Chinese artillery. They are going to attack on a mountain hex west of Chunking, but striking bombers miss the targets. They decide to attack anyway and with 3:1 (+1 after intelligence) assault table the result is -/2S. They now control two hexes next to Chungking.

Italy and Germany strike on 3 Russian stacks, but only total of 3 units flips after poor rolls. Attacks are made two hex north of Minsk and two hex north of Dnepropetrovsk. Near Minsk odds are 3:1 blitz and result is */-. Near Dnepropetrovsk Germans use the skills of Rundstedt, Guderian and Rommel, but with 4:1 (+2) blitz table the result is -/1. Germans rolled 2 and 1 as their attack rolls, great! Russia lost 2 FTR's, pilot and MIL while Germans lost FTR, LND and pilot.

 

4. Impulse. Communist Chinese attack two hex west of Peking against alone Cavalry corps. On the desert Japanese horsemen fight bravely against Chinese mechanised units and the 5:1 blitz table end in a 1/1B result.

Russia use their secret veapon beneath a stack, which Germans hadn't noticed on their move. Artillery division strike on the German 3 leader stack, which is already flipped from their last poor attack. However Russia manage only to send Rommel back to cup.

Germans continue the attack near Minsk and this time the result is */1 with 2:1 (+2) blitz table. Next attack is made on south-east of Stalino where Italian navy bombards the defenders with force. With 5:1 blitz table result is */2B killing couple of MIL's. Italian marines also invade in Finland two hex west of Helsinki (which means that they invaded in Turku, where we live and play this game) with 10:1 table.

 

5. Impulse. Raining in arctic. Russia rail a unit face up to Stalino with the help of Vasilevsky. They try to strike Germans next to Stalino, but Italians CVP's drive them away. Russian navy sails to Baltic Sea, but enemies are not found.

Italians drop 4 more units including HQ in Finland and they move next to Helsinki. First Italians move also in Persia capturing the oil well in Bandar Shapur. Germans attack again two hex north of Minsk and this time the result is -/R with 3:1 (+2) table and they finally capture the hex after 3 attacks. Other attack is made west of Stalino and with 3:1 table the result is 1/R killing German engineers. Fascists end the turn.

 

At the end of turn Japan and Italy get 21 intelligence points while Germany gets 14!

 

ALLIEDS SURRENDER! Russia and Democrats decide to surrender as they see their situation hopeless. South Russia was in a breaking point. Few successful combat rolls would have broken the whole Russian defence line there. Russia had lost Norway, Sweden and Iraq under Fascists control and was about to lose Finland and Persia too. Germans got one offensive chit per turn. Japanese had two hex next to Chungking and one offensive chit. Next turn they would have easily captured the city after they could have forced Chinese to peace. US had 3 carriers on map against 22 Japanese carriers. Japanese were about to capture Manila and Honolulu. The situation was indeed hopeless.

Winners of the game

The game ended on major Fascists victory and Italy was the winner of the game. On the following table you can see the result:

 

Major power

Total needed

Historical high point

Controlled

Italy

6

9

17

Japan

16

11

16

Germany

24

19

12

Fascist total

46

39

45

Russia

18

14

7

Communist total

18

14

7

China

4

2

2

France

6

6

0

USA

18

15

5

Commonwealth

25

22

5

Democratic total

53

45

12

 

3 cities were still under neutral hands: Buenos Aires (politically beneath Japan), Mexico city (beneath Germany) and Sao Paulo (beneath USA).

Following cities were controlled by Fascists:
Italy: Athens, Birmingham, Bucharest, Budapest, Dakar, Diego Suarez, Gibraltar, Jerusalem, London, Madrid, Marseilles, Milan, Oslo, Ridyah, Rome, Suez and Vienna.
Japan: Batavia, Canberra, Columbo, Delhi, Dutch Harbor, Kwajalein, Pago Pago, Port Arthur, Rabaul, Saigon, Shanghai, Singapore, Taihoku, Tokyo, Truk, Wellington.
Germany: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Baghdad, Belgrade, Berlin, Istanbul, Kiel, Munich, Paris, Prague, Stockholm, Warsaw.

Conclusion

This was very good game, where we encountered only few problems, which we could easily solve. The new DoD2 errata with WiFFE seems to work very well and I believe it will be very soon published.

The game itself was meant to be a training game, where I and Juha Jansson as experienced players showed well planned attacks while we played on the same side as Italy and Japan. With good co-operation CW leaded by Mika Launilahti was quickly on her knees. However Jan-Jonas Filen as Russia played very well too and German player Olavi Johansson was in deep troubles with Russians while trying to conquer France. Miika Heinonen as US was the least experienced player and he didn't understand that builging the navy takes many years. He built lot of land and air units, but what can you do with them, if you lose the control of seas. There you have fortress USA, but you lose the game. I hope that less experienced players have now learned a lot and in our next game starting next tuesday, we have a good fight. I hope you enjoyed of the game report.

A.D.G. Copyright notice

 

America in Flames, World in Flames and all their components and kits, in both their electronic and printed forms, are Copyright 1985 ~ 2002, Australian Design Group.

 

Permission is hereby granted to copy these rules electronically for your personal use only, provided that they are copied in their entirety (including this message). Any deletion or alteration or on-selling, without the express written permission of Australian Design Group, is a violation of domestic and international copyright law.

 

Please refer questions and comments to:

Australian Design Group

PO Box 6253

Los Osos, CA 93412 USA

or

wiflames@slonet.org.