G40 BM2  Rommel X vs Colt L "Third times a charm"

Norway was the softest target, Ger unable to counter.  Plus, can rescue Rus from the north, while Brit rescues from the south with ground and air.  Also, troops in Nor can reload to attack the continent.  Ger has the cash to build in Ger and Rus. Cash from taking Cau and maybe Stalin (even if it’s just a token force), will offset lost cash from Nor and that N.O.  But Ger doesn’t have enough strength around Lenin to take back Nor and the Allies have heavy air support.  It’s low 40’s outside, sun feels warm but light breeze chill factor offsets it.  Got to get out of the house for a while.

I’m included to roll the dice and have Jpn attempt its goal of sinking the U.S. fleet in one big, decisive sea battle. Lately, I read about the Jpn strategy.  Pearl Harbor was their attempt for a decisive battle, but the shallow water meant that much of the damaged U.S. fleet could be repaired and refloated.  So the Jpn planned Midway to be a deep water/open water battle that the U.S. fleet could not repair.  What are your thoughts ABH about the U.S. fleet’s invading Carolines and exposing itself; and a Jpn counterattack?  My reasoning is that if Jpn doesn’t attack, it would have to move the Phil fleet to cover the homeland, thereby leaving Phil open to attack, but then Jpn could counterattack there.

TripleA Move Summary for game: World War II Global 1940 Balanced Mod, version: 2.1

Game History

Round: 7

Research Technology - Germans

Purchase Units - Germans
            Germans repair damage of 4x factory_minor, 3x factory_minor; Remaining resources: 61 PUs;
            Germans buy 1 armour, 13 infantry and 4 mech_infantrys; Remaining resources: 0 PUs;

Combat Move - Germans
            1 armour moved from Novgorod to Vyborg
                  Germans take Vyborg from Russians
            1 armour moved from Vyborg to Karelia
                  Germans take Karelia from Russians
            3 bombers moved from Bryansk to Russia
            1 bomber moved from Poland to Russia
            2 fighters moved from Bryansk to Russia
            1 mech_infantry moved from Bryansk to Caucasus
                  Germans take Caucasus from Russians
            2 armour moved from Bryansk to Volgograd
            4 tactical_bombers moved from Bryansk to Volgograd
            1 artillery, 1 fighter, 1 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Bryansk to Tambov
            1 infantry moved from Bryansk to Smolensk
                  Germans take Smolensk from Russians

triplea_39474_Ger7.tsvg

2 fighters intercept strat bomb raid by 4 bombers and 2 escorts on Mos?

One AA hit, but this time my bombers had their eyes closed.  Only 11 damage and I lost a 12 PU bomber.  At least my ill-advised bombing raids on Ukr and Novg previously were low dice.  But I still could have used the cash wasted on repairs.  Your ground troops didn’t do as well.  Stalingrad fell quickly and I will get extra 17 PUs from terr and N.O.s.  It won’t last more than this turn, but it will cost you to take them back.

TripleA Turn Summary for game: World War II Global 1940 Balanced Mod, version: 2.1

Game History

Round: 7

Research Technology - Germans

Purchase Units - Germans
            Germans repair damage of 4x factory_minor, 3x factory_minor; Remaining resources: 61 PUs;
            Germans buy 1 armour, 13 infantry and 4 mech_infantrys; Remaining resources: 0 PUs;

Combat Move - Germans
            1 armour moved from Novgorod to Vyborg
                  Germans take Vyborg from Russians
            1 armour moved from Vyborg to Karelia
                  Germans take Karelia from Russians
            3 bombers moved from Bryansk to Russia
            1 bomber moved from Poland to Russia
            2 fighters moved from Bryansk to Russia
            1 mech_infantry moved from Bryansk to Caucasus
                  Germans take Caucasus from Russians
            2 armour moved from Bryansk to Volgograd
            4 tactical_bombers moved from Bryansk to Volgograd
            1 artillery, 1 fighter, 1 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Bryansk to Tambov
            1 infantry moved from Bryansk to Smolensk
                  Germans take Smolensk from Russians

Combat - Germans
            Air Battle in Russia
                Germans attacks with 6 units heading to Russia
                Air Battle is over, the remaining bombers go on to their targets
            Strategic bombing raid in Russia
                1 bomber killed by AA
                Bombing raid in Russia rolls: 3,4,4 and causes: 11 damage to unit: factory_major
                Bombing raid in Russia causes 11 damage total.
            Battle in Volgograd
                Germans attack with 2 armour and 4 tactical_bombers
                Russians defend with 1 factory_minor and 4 infantry
                Germans win, taking Volgograd from Russians with 2 armour and 4 tactical_bombers remaining. Battle score for attacker is 12
                Casualties for Russians: 4 infantry
            Battle in Tambov
                Germans attack with 1 artillery, 1 fighter, 1 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber
                Russians defend with 2 infantry
                Germans win, taking Tambov from Russians with 1 artillery, 1 fighter and 1 tactical_bomber remaining. Battle score for attacker is 3
                Casualties for Germans: 1 infantry
                Casualties for Russians: 2 infantry
            Cleaning up after air battles

Non Combat Move - Germans
            2 aaGuns, 10 armour, 10 artilleries, 17 infantry and 3 mech_infantrys moved from Bryansk to Ukraine
            1 aaGun and 1 artillery moved from Western Ukraine to Ukraine
            2 artilleries moved from Bessarabia to Ukraine
            2 mech_infantrys moved from Baltic States to Karelia
            1 aaGun, 1 artillery and 1 infantry moved from France to Western Germany
            1 aaGun moved from Western Germany to Germany
            1 submarine moved from 125 Sea Zone to 123 Sea Zone
            1 infantry moved from Ukraine to Rostov
            1 mech_infantry moved from Bryansk to Novgorod
            1 fighter and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Tambov to Novgorod
            4 tactical_bombers moved from Volgograd to Ukraine
            2 fighters moved from Russia to Novgorod
            2 bombers moved from Russia to Novgorod
            1 bomber moved from Russia to Ukraine

Place Units - Germans
            3 infantry placed in Novgorod
            3 infantry placed in Ukraine
            3 mech_infantrys placed in Romania
            7 infantry placed in Germany
            1 armour and 1 mech_infantry placed in Western Germany

Turn Complete - Germans
            Germans collect 58 PUs; end with 58 PUs total
            Objective Germans 7 Control of Balkans: Germans met a national objective for an additional 2 PUs; end with 60 PUs
            Objective Germans 2 Control Novgorod Or Volgograd Or Russia: Germans met a national objective for an additional 10 PUs; end with 70 PUs
            Objective Germans 3 Control Caucasus: Germans met a national objective for an additional 5 PUs; end with 75 PUs

triplea_39474_Ger7.tsvg

Have fun.  I wanted to put a mech in Arch, but assumed you had no better use for your planes than to support a mobile unit there.  I didn’t want to leave the valuable Ita tank alone, so added an inf.  Was surprised to see the show of force from planes without ground support.  I should have put the mech in Arch, so your plane(s) would have gone there instead of taking out the valuable Ita tank.  I considered moving the army to Ros and thought you would follow and combine in Tam.  But if you had gone to Bry, then I would of had to retreat to Ukr and you could have caught and destroyed me.  I didn’t think I should go to Cau and have you send a small army towards almost undefended E. Euro.  I will have to strat bomb Rus again and hope I roll like the first time and not this past turn.  I’ll be interested to see if you wait to take back Cau or let the Brits take it and you lose the N.O.

Hard as far as decisions, but easy as far as usually safe homeland.  Not enough cash to do everything possible.  But plenty of cash to build an IC here, there and everywhere, or buy expensive fighters, not just grunts, like Italy, Rus and India.  ANZ is in a similar but smaller scale position.  ANZ is less likely to be attacked because of more valuable, easier targets for Jpn.  So ANZ can build freely and it’s N.O.s are safer, so it produces more cash than India, but not Brit.  Irregular, but intentionally designed SZs allow it to go north or south of Aus and strike far with long Java SZ.  So there’s no single SZ to block it’s reach to DEI or north.  This could work both ways, but ANZ targets are lightly defended isles without naval or air bases or ICs; while Aus can concentrate its defenses on E. Coast which has naval and air bases and an IC.

TripleA Move Summary for game: World War II Global 1940 Balanced Mod, version: 2.1

Game History

Round: 7

Purchase Units - Japanese
            Japanese buy 2 armour, 3 artilleries, 2 destroyers, 6 infantry and 1 submarine; Remaining resources: 6 SuicideAttackTokens; 0 PUs;

Combat Move - Japanese
            1 armour moved from Soviet Far East to Siberia
                  Japanese take Siberia from Russians
            1 armour moved from Siberia to Sakha
                  Japanese take Sakha from Russians
            1 bomber and 3 fighters moved from Japan to 33 Sea Zone
            1 battleship, 2 carriers, 1 cruiser, 2 destroyers, 2 fighters, 1 submarine and 2 tactical_bombers moved from 35 Sea Zone to 33 Sea Zone
            1 fighter and 1 tactical_bomber moved from 37 Sea Zone to 33 Sea Zone
            1 carrier moved from 37 Sea Zone to 34 Sea Zone
            1 infantry moved from Malaya to Shan State
            1 tactical_bomber moved from French Indo China to Shan State
            1 fighter and 1 infantry moved from Chahar to Hopei
            1 tactical_bomber moved from Anhwe to Hopei
            1 infantry moved from Anhwe to Kweichow
            1 fighter moved from French Indo China to Kweichow
            3 bombers moved from French Indo China to 33 Sea Zone
            2 fighters and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Philippines to 33 Sea Zone
            1 carrier and 1 destroyer moved from 6 Sea Zone to 33 Sea Zone

triplea_39474_Jap7.tsvg

scramble 2 fighters in sz around Carolines?  No amphib invasion.  Even so, Aus may consider it too hopeless to lose the figs and decide to fight another day.  After you let me know whether scrambling, I will roll 1st round and let you know the # of hits you receive before you give me your OOL.

TripleA Turn Summary for game: World War II Global 1940 Balanced Mod, version: 2.1

Game History

Round: 7

Purchase Units - Japanese
            Japanese buy 2 armour, 3 artilleries, 2 destroyers, 6 infantry and 1 submarine; Remaining resources: 6 SuicideAttackTokens; 0 PUs;

Combat Move - Japanese
            1 armour moved from Soviet Far East to Siberia
                  Japanese take Siberia from Russians
            1 armour moved from Siberia to Sakha
                  Japanese take Sakha from Russians
            1 bomber and 3 fighters moved from Japan to 33 Sea Zone
            1 battleship, 2 carriers, 1 cruiser, 2 destroyers, 2 fighters, 1 submarine and 2 tactical_bombers moved from 35 Sea Zone to 33 Sea Zone
            1 fighter and 1 tactical_bomber moved from 37 Sea Zone to 33 Sea Zone
            1 carrier moved from 37 Sea Zone to 34 Sea Zone
            1 infantry moved from Malaya to Shan State
            1 tactical_bomber moved from French Indo China to Shan State
            1 fighter and 1 infantry moved from Chahar to Hopei
            1 tactical_bomber moved from Anhwe to Hopei
            1 infantry moved from Anhwe to Kweichow
            1 fighter moved from French Indo China to Kweichow
            3 bombers moved from French Indo China to 33 Sea Zone
            2 fighters and 1 tactical_bomber moved from Philippines to 33 Sea Zone
            1 carrier and 1 destroyer moved from 6 Sea Zone to 33 Sea Zone

Combat - Japanese
            Battle in 33 Sea Zone
                Japanese attack with 1 battleship, 4 bombers, 3 carriers, 1 cruiser, 3 destroyers, 8 fighters, 1 submarine and 4 tactical_bombers
                Americans defend with 1 battleship, 3 carriers, 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer, 2 fighters, 4 submarines, 1 tactical_bomber and 3 transports; ANZAC defend with 1 destroyer and 1 submarine
                Units damaged: 3 carriers owned by the Americans and 1 battleship owned by the Americans
                Units damaged: 1 battleship owned by the Japanese
                Japanese win with 1 battleship, 4 bombers, 1 carrier, 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer, 4 fighters and 3 tactical_bombers remaining. Battle score for attacker is 73
                Casualties for ANZAC: 1 destroyer and 1 submarine
                Casualties for Americans: 1 battleship, 3 carriers, 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer, 2 fighters, 4 submarines, 1 tactical_bomber and 3 transports
                Casualties for Japanese: 2 carriers, 2 destroyers, 4 fighters, 1 submarine and 1 tactical_bomber
            Battle in Kweichow
                Japanese attack with 1 fighter and 1 infantry
                British defend with 1 infantry
                Japanese win, taking Kweichow from Chinese with 1 fighter and 1 infantry remaining. Battle score for attacker is 3
                Casualties for British: 1 infantry
            Battle in Hopei
                Japanese attack with 1 fighter, 1 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber
                Chinese defend with 1 infantry
                Japanese win, taking Hopei from Chinese with 1 fighter, 1 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber remaining. Battle score for attacker is 3
                Casualties for Chinese: 1 infantry
            Battle in Shan State
                Japanese attack with 1 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber
                ANZAC defend with 1 infantry
                Japanese win, taking Shan State from UK_Pacific with 1 infantry and 1 tactical_bomber remaining. Battle score for attacker is 3
                Casualties for ANZAC: 1 infantry

Non Combat Move - Japanese
            1 bomber moved from 33 Sea Zone to Philippines
            2 fighters moved from 33 Sea Zone to 34 Sea Zone
            3 bombers moved from 33 Sea Zone to Paulau Island
            3 tactical_bombers moved from 33 Sea Zone to Paulau Island
            1 infantry moved from Soviet Far East to 5 Sea Zone
            1 submarine moved from 37 Sea Zone to 74 Sea Zone
            1 destroyer moved from 37 Sea Zone to 34 Sea Zone
            1 battleship moved from 37 Sea Zone to 35 Sea Zone
            2 infantry moved from Japan to 6 Sea Zone
            2 infantry and 1 transport moved from 6 Sea Zone to 35 Sea Zone
            2 infantry moved from 35 Sea Zone to Philippines
            1 infantry moved from French Indo China to Kwangsi
            1 mech_infantry moved from Kiangsu to Kwangtung
            1 mech_infantry moved from Kiangsu to Kiangsi
            1 mech_infantry moved from Kiangsu to Anhwe
            1 tactical_bomber moved from Hopei to Anhwe
            1 aaGun moved from Chahar to Anhwe
            1 tactical_bomber moved from Shan State to Kwangtung
            1 fighter moved from Kweichow to Kiangsi
            1 fighter moved from Hopei to Anhwe
            1 infantry and 1 transport moved from 5 Sea Zone to 6 Sea Zone
            1 infantry moved from 6 Sea Zone to Japan

Place Units - Japanese
            1 submarine placed in 37 Sea Zone
            2 destroyers placed in 6 Sea Zone
            3 infantry placed in Japan
            2 armour and 1 artillery placed in Kiangsu
            1 artillery and 1 infantry placed in Malaya
            1 artillery and 2 infantry placed in French Indo China

Turn Complete - Japanese
            Japanese collect 60 PUs; end with 60 PUs total
            Objective Japanese 4 Control Dutch East Indies: Japanese met a national objective for an additional 5 PUs; end with 65 PUs

triplea_39474_Jap7.tsvg

That was some sea battle.  It was a victory, but not as decisive as it could have or should have been.  Allies lost 178 PU, Jpn 105, for a net +73.  Equal to a whole turn’s income for U.S.  Jpn attacked with 22 units, attack of 71 but inflicted only 9 hits instead of 12.  Allies defended with 15 units, defense of 33, but inflicted 8 hits instead of 5.5. This forced me to sink 2 carriers. Jpn inflicted 11 hits on round 2, more than on round 1.    The key to the battle was Paulau.  7 fig/tb could land there, so only needed 7 car slots for the other planes.  A normalized die roll would have let Jpn keep at least one more carrier and land more planes on Paulau.  If you had used the Amer bomber to take out the garrison at Paulau and Aus invaded it, Jpn could not have used the 7 fig/tb or 3 bombers that couldn’t have landed anywhere else.  Why did you attack the dd by Java, but not follow up with an Aus invasion of Java or Sum?  I didn’t amphib attack the isle because if Aus didn’t scramble (which it didn’t) Jpn couldn’t have taken the isle; and the planes needed to support the invasion, would have taken up car slots.  W/o the amphib, I was able to keep all my planes that were in China, where they successfully pushed back the borders.  Jpn now has 27 ground troops in China/SE Asia vs only 25 for the Allies.  Jpn is outproducing ground troops and can bring back more air support.

As to why Jpn DOW Rus: Ger couldn’t stop the north convoy, so Rus would have gotten 3 convoy N.O. for 6 PU w/o Jpn.  Now Rus gets for 8 PU north and Persia convoys, but minus 3 territory loss, for a net 5.  Jpn gains 3 terr PU, which over time will compensate for units needed to maintain the blockade. Jpn won’t go any further inland, as activating the Mong rule wouldn’t be worth it.