The Battle of the Atlantic

 

Background

The European Axis must find a way to make their submarine force an effective weapon against the Allies, in order to support the main campaigns elsewhere.  Meanwhile, the Allies must try to quash the sub threat with as little effort as possible, in order to get their counter-attacking campaigns going.

 

Units

All major powers:

·         All Classic and PiF aircraft (add AiF and PatiF if you wish, too), plus the special aircraft added as part of this proposed module

Allies:

·         Ships in Flames SCS, CV and CVP units (supplemented by CVPiF if you wish), convoy points, plus the new ASW units which are part of this proposed module

·         Remove from the CW force pool all units from South Africa, India, New Zealand, and Australia. 

·         No US-sourced planes may be placed in the CW force pool.

Axis:

·         Classic and SiF SUBs (add AiF and PatiF SUBs if you wish, too), SiF SCS, CV and CVPs (supplemented by CVPiF if you wish), plus all SUBs and SCS that are part of this proposed module

 

Territory in Play

The Western European map, and the Americas minimap are the only maps used.  Optionally, you may use the African map (from AfA/AsA) and the two Americas maps (from AiF).

 

Territory in play includes any sea box on the European and Americas maps, except the Mediterreanean sea zones.  CW controls Canada, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar, and all territory marked as CW in Africa and in the Americas.  The USA controls the USA and, starting in 1941, Iceland and Greenland.  The USA and CW may use each other's territory once the US is active.  Germany controls Germany, and gains control of other territory as follows (some of which it will later lose, as noted):

·         Denmark in ND 1939 until the end of the game

·         France (not including Vichy French territory), Belgium, and the Netherlands from JA 1940 until MA 1944

Italy controls all of Italy, and may use German bases once active.

 

Production and Lend Lease

Major powers are allowed a number of build points per turn as per the chart below.  If the CW successfully shipped fewer resources to the UK than her allotted build points, then the CW only receives a number of build points equal to the number of resources successfully shipped.

 

 

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944 & 1945

Germany

2

3

4

4

3

2

Italy

1

2

2

2

1

0

CW

2

4

6

6

4

2

USA

0

2

4

6

5

4

 

All major powers may save build points from one turn to the next.  Germany and Italy may freely lend build points to each other.  The USA may lend 2 bps per turn to the CW starting in JF 1942.  The United States may lend resources and build points while neutral as per US entry option play (see below), up to a maximum of 5 resources lent per turn total, to the CW.  The lend of resources does not affect US production, but the lending of build points does. No other lending of build points or resources is allowed.

 

When building aircraft, after randomly selecting a unit, you may immediately scrap it and draw another if the unit is more than 2 years old. When a LND is built, draw another of the same cost and type for free, and select which one to put on the spiral; the other may be scrapped or returned to your force pool, at your option.

 

Oil (RAW version):if using this option, it only affects the CW, all other major powers are assumed to have sufficient oil to reflip all of their units at the end of the turn.  Half of the oil resources received in the United Kingdom may be used to reflip CW units.

 

Transfer Pool

When building units, you may instead take a unit from the Transfer Pool.  Pay the full cost of the unit in build points when you do this (including the cost of a pilot and carrier plane (you can choose if the CVP costs 0 or 1 bp) for a CV).

 

The unit will arrive as a reinforcement next turn, unless it has an * after it.  In this case, it is placed face up on the spiral as if built for its 2nd round of construction this turn.

 

Example: The CW decides to purchase the CV Formidable from the Transfer Pool. The CV costs 4 build points, plus 2 for the pilot, and 1 for a CVP, for a total of 7 build points. Since there is an asterick after the CV's name, it will take 6 turns to arrive.

 

Available Resources

All CW-controlled resources located outside of the United Kingdom on the maps in play are eligible for transportation to the UK except for 2 of the resources in Canada.  The CW gains control of the Belgian Congo resource in JA 1940, and has 6 resources available to be transported from the Pacific, starting in the Cape Basin sea area.  Otherwise, use resources found on the maps in play only.

 

The CW and USA both are being lent 3 oil from Venezuela.

 

Declarations of War and US Entry Rules

Italy begins the scenario neutral. Italy may freely declare war on the CW at any time.  The CW may freely declare war on Italy if it is JA 1940 or later.

 

The USA also begins the scenario neutral. The Axis may declare war on the USA at any time, and the USA may declare war on the Axis starting in MA 1942.

 

The following US Entry actions are automatically selected while neutral:

·         the US may send 5 resources to the CW in JA 1940

·         Escort in US East Coast is considered to have been chosen in JF '41 (so the US may begin to escort in MA '41)

·         Escort in the North Atlantic is considered chosen in MJ '41

·         Arm merchantmen is chosen in SO '41

While neutral, the USA is allowed to escort with ASW units, as well as SCS/CV units, when the above options are played. 

 

Impulse Choices

Impulse Choices are restricted as follows, to represent strategic considerations not represented in this scenario:

·         Germany may call 1 Combined impulse per turn, and additionally may call 2 Naval impulses per calendar year

·         Italy while active may call 1 Naval and 2 Combined impulses per turn while active, but must pass while neutral

·         The CW and USA (while active) may call 1 Naval and 2 Combined impulses per turn

·         While neutral, the USA may call 3 Combined impulses

Air mission limits for all major powers are halved. The only air missions allowed are naval air and rebase missions.

 

WiFCON Gas Rule: if using this option, it only affects the CW, all other major powers are assumed to have sufficient Gas for their needs. Half of the oil resources received in the United Kingdom will produce Gas points for use by the CW.

 

Allies

The US may align Central America and Brazil when active. No other minor countries may be aligned.

 

Victory

Each side accrues Victory Points (VPs) every turn during the Production Phase.  The Allies are awarded victory point for successfully transporting to the United Kingdom, and the Axis are awarded for reducing this number, as follows:

·         5 VPs for the Allies if 15 or more resources are transported

·         4 VPs for the Allies if 14 resources are transported

·         3 VPs for the Allies if 13 resources are transported

·         2 VPs for the Allies if 12 resources are transported

·         1 VP for the Allies if 11 resources are transported

·         0 VPs for both if 10 resources are transported

·         1 VP for the Axis if 9 resources are transported

·         2 VP for the Axis if 8 resources are transported

·         3 VP for the Axis if 7 resources are transported

·         4 VP for the Axis if 6 resources are transported

·         5 VP for the Axis if 5 or fewer resources are transported

 

·         the Axis also receive 1 VP for each Venezuelan resource controlled by the US which is not successfully shipped to the USA

 

Subtract Axis VPs from Allied VPs.  The Allies win a major victory immediately if they accrue an advantage 75 or more victory points.  The Axis win a major victory immediately if they accrue an advantage of -25 or more victory points.  If neither side has achieved their condition at the end of JA 1945, then the Allies win a minor victory if they have an advantage of 50 or more victory points, or the Axis win a minor victory if they have an advantage of 0 or fewer victory points.  Otherwise, the result is a Draw.

 

Starting Information

The first turn is SO '39, and the initiative is in the Axis +1 box.  The last turn is JA '45, but the game may end sooner, see below.

 

Set Up: 

Italy

Remove from Force Pools: all units not legal to be built

Place on map:

·         3 SUB

Construction Pool: SUB

 

United States

Remove from force pools:

·         all units not legal to be built.

·         all CV and SCS dated 1939 or earlier, unless the unit is noted below (these units were committed to the Pacific theatre).

Place in Transfer Pool:

·         CV: Langley*, Ranger

·         BB: Arkansas, New York, Texas, Wyoming*

·         CA: Augusta, Quincy, Tuscaloosa, Vincennes, Wichita

Place on Map in the United States:

·         7 convoy points

 

Commonwealth

Remove from force pools:

·         all units not legal to be built.

·         all units that are not British and Canadian (unless noted below).

·         all CV and SCS dated 1939 or earlier (unless noted below).

Aircraft Reserve Pool: NAV (cost 2), FTR (cost 2)

Place in Transfer Pool:

·         CV: Eagle, Formidable*, Hermes, Victorious*

·         BB: Hood, Howe*, Iron Duke*, King George V*, Resolution, Revenge, Valiant

·         CA: Cornwall, Edinburgh, Exeter, Frobisher, Kenya*, Liverpool, London,  Mauritius*, Sheffield, Suffolk

·         TRS

Place on production spiral:

·         ND: 4 convoy points (from Denmark)

·         MA: Anson*, Howe* (place both in Transfer Pool, not on map)

·         MJ: 8 convoy points (from Belgium and the Netherlands)

·         JA: 4 convoy points (from Free France)

Place on Map in any controlled port:

·         CV: Argus

·         CA: Birmingham, Devonshire, Fiji, Hawkins, Sussex, York

·         70 convoy points (the other 10 are in the Pacific)

 

Germany:

Remove from Force Pool:

·         all units not legal to be built.

Aircraft Reserve Pool: FTR (cost 2), NAV (cost 3)

Place in Transfer Pool:

·         CV: Graf Zeppelin*

·         BB: Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, Tirpitz*

·         CA: Admiral Blucher, Admiral Hipper, Deutschland, Graf Spee, Prinz Eugen*

Place on production spiral:

·         ND: 2 SUB (face-down)

·         MJ: Bismark (place in Transfer Pool, not on map)

Place on Map:

·         Any friendly-controlled port: 2 SUB