Shannon V. OKeets
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Joined: 5/19/2005
From: Honolulu, Hawaii
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Today's installment of new text for the player's manual.
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7.0 Sequence of Play
The primary sequence of play consists of a series of phases, presented below in five groups: 7.1 Phases for Setting Up a New Game, 7.2 Beginning of Turn Phase, 7.3 Phases within an Impulse, 7.4 End of Turn Phases, and 7.5 End of Game Phase.
There are also numerous subphases for some of the more important phases: 7.6 Reinforcement Subphases, 7.7 Declaration of War Subphases, 7.8 Air Mission Subphases, 7.9 Air-to-air Combat Sub-subphases, 7.10 Naval Combat Subphases, 7.11 Land Combat Resolution Subphases, and 7.12 Vichy Declaration Subphases.
Lastly section 7.13 provides a description of the 7 types of digressions that may occur during game play. Altogether there are 63 phases, 72 subphases, 10 sub-subphases, and 7 digressions that constitute the full sequence of play for MWIF.
The current place in the sequence of play can be viewed during a game using the Sequence of Play form. See section 8.7.1.21 for a description of that form and how to display it.
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7.2 Beginning of Turn Phases
7.2.1 Reinforcements (RAC 4.)
Every turn, except the first turn, starts with the arrival of reinforcements. All major powers go through the reinforcement phase simultaneously, following the subphase sequence described in section 7.7. In brief, that consists of 6 subphases: placement of annual additions in the force pool, scrapping of older units, swapping some units for replacement units, assignment of pilot to air units without pilots, placing reinforcements on the map, and the removal of on map air units to the air reserve.
Major powers are free to proceed through the 6 subphases at their own speed. Some major powers may be deciding about scrapping units while other major powers are placing units on the map, and yet other major powers have completed the reinforcement phase. Once all major powers have completed the reinforcement phase, the Lending phase begins.
7.2.2 Lending Resources & Build Points (RAC 5.)
All major powers have the ability to lend resources to their allies. Resources, including oil resources, and build points can be lent to any major power on their side, though there are some restrictions on what neutral major powers can lend. The use of the word ‘lend’ is a misnomer, since no quid-pro-quo is necessary. ‘Given’ is more descriptive than ‘lent’ for what actually occurs.
Any commitments to lend resources and build points during the lending phase must be fulfilled if at all possible. However, the resources and build points are not shipped from their point of origination to a destination in the receiving country until the Production phase, which is one of the end of turn phases. A lot can happen between the lending and production phases, but the source major power must fulfill any commitments it made, regardless of what has happened during the turn.
For more information on lending resources, see the description of the form that is used in section 8.7.2.24.
7.2.3 Initiative (RAC 6.)
Which side has the initiative during the turn is determined during this phase. The initiative allows the winning side to dictate which side is the phasing side for the first impulse in the turn. Since the Axis and Allied sides alternate being the phasing side, one will be the phasing side for the 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc. impulses while the other side will be the phasing side for the 2nd, 4th, 6th, etc. impulses.
The rules for which side has the initiative are somewhat complicated and are discussed in detail in RAC Section 6 and also in the sections of this document describing the forms that are used: 8.7.2.21 Initiative and 8.7.2.27 Move First Decision.
The initiative phase is over when one side has won the initiative and decided which side moves first (i.e., is the phasing side for the first impulse).
7.3 Phases within an Impulse
Each turn consists of a series of impulses, the actual number being determined randomly. The important thing to know is that there are 31 phases within each impulse. Indeed, most of the time spent playing MWIF is spent executing the phases that occur during an impulse.
7.3.1 Weather (RAC 8.)
Weather is determined randomly during this phase, but only for odd impulses (e.g., 1st, 3rd, 5th). The weather for an even impulse is the same as the weather for the immediately preceding impulse. This means that the weather phase is completely skipped for even numbered impulses, since nothing new happens.
For some scenarios, the weather for the first two impulses is predefined as part of the scenario setup instructions. For other scenarios, the weather for the first turn is randomly generated by the program. Whenever the weather is randomly generated, the weather from the previous impulse (even if it occurred in the previous turn) may bias the weather towards being more of the same.
Once the weather has been determined, all players are informed and typically the game advances to the Declaration of War phase. However, there is the possibility that the change in weather caused overstacking and/or units to be destroyed. For instance, during snow and blizzard conditions, swamp terrain is treated as if it were forest terrain. That means that an air unit could be placed in a swamp hex during a snow impulse. If the weather changes to rain in the next impulse, then any air unit in a swamp would be destroyed. In game terms this means that a digression from the sequence of play would occur, permitting the owner of the destroyed unit to decide whether or not to scrap it.
If two air units were in a ‘frozen’ swamp hex, with one based there as if the terrain were forest and the second based there using the HQ’s stacking bonus for air units, then only one of the air units would be destroyed if the weather changed to rain. Essentially this would be an overstacking situation, were only one air unit could be in the hex. A digression would take place, permitting the owner to decide which of the air units to destroy. And then another digression would occur for the owner of the destroyed unit to decide whether or not to scrap it.
After all digressions have been completed, the game advances to the Declaration of War phase. For more information on weather, see the description of the form that is used in section 8.7.2.58.
7.3.2 Declaration of War (RAC 9.)
The declaration of war phase consists of a series of subphases. The subphases are performed in strict order with no major power permitted to advance to the next subphase until all the major powers have completed the current subphase. This is markedly different from the reinforcements phase (see section 7.2.1) where at one point in time each major power could conceivably be executing a different subphase.
The decision makers within each subphase change depending upon circumstances, with sometimes multiple players from the same side making decisions simultaneously, while in other subphases a single major power makes all the decisions. Usually, both sides will get to make some decisions during the phase, though the primary decision makers are on the phasing side.
See section 7.7 for details on each of the declaration of war subphases. In brief, that consists of: DOW on Major Powers, DOW on Minor Countries, US Entry Effects, Neutrality Pact Creation & Renewal, Calling Out Reserves, Choosing Major Power for Attacked Minor Countries, Setting Up Attacked Minor Countries, Voluntarily Aligning Minor Countries, and Setting Up Aligned Minor Countries.
7.3.3 Choose Action (RAC 10.)
In the choose action phase each major power on the phasing side chooses which action type he wants to take for the current impulse. This action type remains in effect for the entire impulse, but has no lasting effect once the impulse is over. Nor do the choices made by other major powers impose any restrictions on what a major power chooses.
The action types are: Land, Naval, Air, Combined, and Pass. If a major power possesses an offensive chit, then he may use it at this time. For the benefits of using an offensive chit see sections 9.2.24 and 9.5.7 concerning this optional rule.
Every major power on a side must choose an action. Once they all have done so the game advances to the port attack phase. For more information on choosing an action, see the description of the form that is used in section 8.7.2.1.
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Steve
Perfection is an elusive goal.
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RE: What kind of manual(s) should we ask for? - 
However, I am not trying to explain all the rules concerning each phase of the game in this section. That would just be a rewriting RAC. Instead, I want to hit the high points and in particular, I want to cover who makes the decisions. 
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