RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (Full Version)

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Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 5:51:55 PM)

And here it is, my End of Turn Report for J/F '40:

Partisans
1 Partisan in Malaya (It) placed in Singapore

Entry Markers
Germany placed 2 markers on Offense (349 [4], 22 [1])
USSR placed 1 marker on Defense (160 [1])

US Entry
USA drew 1 marker to the Ge/It Entry Pool (81 [1])
USA chooses no Entry Options

Ge/It Entry: 20
Ge/It Tension: 13
Chance of DOW: None
Ja Entry: 23
Ja Tension: 11
Chance of DOW: None

Pre-Build Scrapping
France scrapped 1 x INF

Builds:
China (6): 1 x MTN, 1 x GARR
CW (19): 1 x HQ-I, 1 x GARR, 1 x TRS(1st), 1 x FTR-2 1 x LND-4, 1 x BB(Repair), 1 x Pilot
France (3): 1 x INF
USA (11): 1 x INF, 1 x GARR, 2 x CVP-1 2 x Pilot
USSR (15): 1 x CAV, 1 x MTN, 1 x HQ-I, 1 x GARR, 1 x Pilot
Germany (16): 2 x MIL, 1 x GARR, 1 x FTR-3, 2 x LND-2, 1 x CA(Repair), 1 x Pilot
Italy (7): 1 x INF, 1 x NAV-2, 1 x Pilot
Japan (16): 1 x MAR Division, 1 x MIL, 1 x GARR, 1 x AMPH(1st), 2 x CVP-1, 2 x Pilot

M/A '40 Gearing Limits (above 1):
China: 3 x Infantry
CW: 3 x Infantry, 3 x Ship, 3 x Air, 2 x Pilot
France: 2 x Infantry
USA: 3 x Infantry, 3 x Air, 3 x Pilot
USSR: 2 x Cavalry, 4 x Infantry, 2 x Pilot
Germany: 4 x Infantry, 2 x Ship, 4 x Air, 2 x Pilot
Italy: 2 x Infantry, 2 x Air, 2 x Pilot
Japan: 4 x Infantry, 2 x Ship, 3 x Air, 3 x Pilot

Conquest:
Algeria cc by Italy
British Somaliland cc by Italy
France declines to Surrender to Germany

Factory Destruction:
Germany destroys Blue Factory in Rouen

Reinforcements:
Germany assigns Pilot to LND
Germany places its MIL in Sofia, Bucharest, Dusseldorf, Hanover, PARA and LND in Saarbrucken, INF in Sofia, HQ-I Antonescu in Bucharest
Italy places BB and SUB in La Spezia
Japan places its MIL in Tokyo, CL in Fukuoka
China places its GARR in Chungking and Kweiyang
CW places CP in Brisbane
France places CP in French Guyana, ARM in Toulouse
USA assigns Pilot to NAV
USA places CV in Norfolk, GARR, NAV and INF Division in SD, CP in Manila
USSR assigns Pilot to FTR
USSR places 2 INF and FTR in Cernauti, Communist Chinese CAV in Yenan

Trade Agreements:
Germany modifies its Trade Agreement with Italy, adding a 3rd BP

Victory Totals
Axis: 23.5
Allies: 43.5

Initiative:
Allies win the Initiative 9-2 (No Re-roll)

Turn 4 M/A '40

Allies win the Initiative 9-2 (No Re-roll)
Allies choose not to move first in M/A '40
Axis Initiative +1

Impulse: 1
Weather: 10
(That's Fine weather everywhere)

For the 2nd straight turn, the side winning the initiative made the "move first" choice based on high-probability weather expectations. And, for the 2nd straight turn, that side got burned with a roll of '10'.

There are a lot of things I can imagine doing with the Axis on this first impulse, and I'm not sure which of them is going to happen. Paris is going to fall, that's fairly certain. And Germany could also advance past the retreating French units, so that might be a possibility. It's even possible that Germany could take a Combined Action, still take Paris and screw up the French retreat, and send out its SUBs to try to inflict casualties in the Bay of Biscay among the CW convoys.

Italy. Ooooh, Italy. Taking a Naval Action would allow Italy to try the same thing in Cape St. Vincent while setting up its Shore Bombardment for an attack on Athens and possibly clearing out some of the CW fleet at the same time. Taking a Land Action offers some opportunities, too, but probably not as many. Choosing a Combined Action if very limiting for Italy, but it might just be the way to go.

For Japan, this good weather offers a chance to squeeze past some Chinese defenders into better attacking positions. Maybe. All of the Axis powers have to remember that this weather is not likely to hold (20% chance of Fine weather where they'll need it on the next roll).

Here is how the world looks at the start of March 1940. I'll post some regional maps in a short while.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/4A3E2D0DD4824EB6BEC813A5DA06741B.jpg[/image]



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 6:00:58 PM)

France, in its entirety. There's a 6 movement point MECH beneath that ATR to the NW of Vichy, and HQ-I von Bock is in the nearby forest hex.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/D18D7E58488E4FC19071456062007534.jpg[/image]



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 6:04:23 PM)

Communist China is actually in very good shape. Mao is in the mountains with the 7-3 INF.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/E5DEEE8E71914D72AA04CAB7B9DC9C0A.jpg[/image]



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 6:08:24 PM)

Nationalist China, on the other hand, has some worries. That stack with the 8-3 white print INF is a 16-Factor stack. There are a lot of attack factors in the area, and there are bombers around, too, and they might get lucky.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/620F466D91754084A8C8AE6DAD19B4B2.jpg[/image]



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 6:12:51 PM)

And here's how things look in America (at Zoom Level 2). Very exciting, isn't it? [:)]

[image]local://upfiles/38062/48F9263BAC4F408D9C23F8266B0B9689.jpg[/image]



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 6:17:24 PM)

Believe it or not, playing the last impulse of the 3rd turn and preparing for the 4th turn took me 5 hours. That's mostly because of the way I am documenting everything that happens in case I run into bugs that need to be smashed. Sometimes this documentation is useful for that purpose, and sometimes it isn't. It is, however, useful to have when I am answering questions in this thread, because my memory is good -- but not that good.

So, I am going to leave things off here. Germany can make a run at conquest, and if the weather and/or bad rolls fouls things up, Vichy is always an option.

Enjoy, discuss, and have fun.

-Aaron
-----
Edit: Just an additional thought. It's been said that if the Axis can conquer the USSR (and also maybe if Japan can do the same to China), that this game is going to be won for the Axis. Now, here's the thought: I'm running this game with the Extended Game optional rules. That means a 54 turn game, or 3 extra years for the Allies to try to come back and beat the Axis into submission. Since the USA gets a boost to its production multiple each year after selecting War Appropriations, that means some absolutely astounding BP totals could be showing up in 1947 or earlier, particularly if it can be done in late '40 or early '41.

So, while the conquest of Russia (and maybe China) is definitely something that would hamper the Allies, I don't know that it means they are finished.



paulderynck -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 7:49:08 PM)

All those great entry markers and a lucky draw to get the Tension needed, but your luck ran out... or the odds kicked in... or you were due for a one... Whatever!

Anyway an excellent decision to take no actions. You could easily totally screw your gear-up chances for next turn. I guess the Bearn will follow the fate of France, this game.

BTW 1940 has the highest chances for drawing a zero...



Centuur -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 8:48:18 PM)

If you want to conquer France, the first thing you cannot have is a strong Toulouse. To prevent this, use the MECH's to put the French MTN and MIL OOS. If it is possible, try to grab Nantes, since that will mean that there isn't going to be any production for France. Use the rest to attack Paris.
I think next turn there will be an INF unit arriving in Toulouse, so this means at least a 20 defense factor hex there (even more, if it is a good one). This is than the last hex you will need, before conquest is achieved.
Since this also means that France isn't in a position any more to make any sensible landmoves, this than automatically means that France should take a naval impulse next, to move the complete French Fleet in such positions, that they can rebase into the French colonies, if the Axis can indeed conquer Toulouse this turn in the unlikely event that the weather stays clear.

Gort should leave France now. There isn't anything he can do anymore. Even a move into Bayonne isn't going to help anymore, since the Axis should go for a conquest.




Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 8:57:31 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Centuur

If you want to conquer France, the first thing you cannot have is a strong Toulouse. To prevent this, use the MECH's to put the French MTN and MIL OOS. If it is possible, try to grab Nantes, since that will mean that there isn't going to be any production for France. Use the rest to attack Paris.
I think next turn there will be an INF unit arriving in Toulouse, so this means at least a 20 defense factor hex there (even more, if it is a good one). This is than the last hex you will need, before conquest is achieved.
Since this also means that France isn't in a position any more to make any sensible landmoves, this than automatically means that France should take a naval impulse next, to move the complete French Fleet in such positions, that they can rebase into the French colonies, if the Axis can indeed conquer Toulouse this turn in the unlikely event that the weather stays clear.

Gort should leave France now. There isn't anything he can do anymore. Even a move into Bayonne isn't going to help anymore, since the Axis should go for a conquest.



I think you're right, but I would be very surprised if Germany managed to conquer France this turn. And, as it turns out, I was wrong about them having Oil available, so the fleet is still stuck for the moment. I forgot that the Trade Agreements only began last turn, so the Oil couldn't be used until the end of this turn, since it had to be transported first.



Orm -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/4/2011 9:24:58 PM)

Beware that Vichy France may still be declared and the penalty is severe if the main fleet is not located in mainland France if Vichy is declared. Therefore the option to surrender France should be considered at the end of this turn.



brian brian -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/5/2011 12:20:17 AM)

Fine weather in J/F AND M/A for the Germans - classic "Hitler Weather". But nah, don't surrender. the French Fleet isn't in France right now and won't make it back. it increases the risk of not having a Free France though, but make the Germans work for their rewards in 1940, and Toulouse might gain you enough time for the weather to clamp down on the Germans in front of Gibraltar. Hopefully the TRS is there in Nice and you can take a unit to Morocco with it on a Combined impulse.

If the French pull their unit from Algeria, a good move against a France First strategy (though only that Axis strategy), the CW needs to replace it with one of their units ASAP. Oran and Morocco are key parts of the defense of Gibraltar and Algeria should not be just given away like the North Sea was. I don't know where the 4 CW TRS are or what they are doing, but hopefully they could still reinforce Bordeaux....which can help defend the flanks of Toulouse with a handy river line. The defense of Gibraltar really starts in Belgium actually and the CW should play accordingly.

Also a LND-4 is an offensive weapon but it's time hasn't come yet for the Allies. The CW is on the defensive in some major ways right now and will probably wish it had that powerful Candian MOT corps in a few turns, or a nice Beaufort FTR-3 covering the Royal Navy at sea. Maybe you were thinking it will help keep a German FTR in Germany, which it will some day, but that doesn't hurt the Germans much because they don't usually have enough air missions to move the Luftwaffe around as much as they'd like, but they do have the resources to leave a FTR covering the Ruhr easily.


For Barbarossa 1940, perhaps Adolf now wishes Tojo had used the Persian invasion as a pretext to enter war with the Soviet Union. If you really look at that for Japan, the economic gains can be pretty big with easy resources and a red factory in reach, compared to what you have to do to make a net gain fighting the Chinese.



I'm not sure where else to post this, but I hope the movement of supply units in enemy controlled hexes is thoroughly tested. A classic example is walking the Italian supply unit across the A-E Sudan to Libya, which works just fine as long as you don't disorganize it while playing with the Oil rule option while it is an enemy hex, then it is stuck. A class of units with a lot of special rules to code...and a lot of strange situations to test. Stacking as a division even if division rules not in use, etc.

And if MWiF will be using the 2008 Errata rules, I would hope that would include the Co-operating Major Powers may freely use each others oil rule. So much time has gone into this project to have the game look and play good for gamers who have never played World in Flames. One of the quirkiest little rules in RaW 7 2004 is the way you have to loan an oil to your ally but they can't use it until a turn later, surely one of those rules that would come across as rather dumb on a 2 month turn scale.



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/5/2011 2:22:44 AM)

A few things:

There was no Fine weather in J/F '40. The best the Axis got was Rain.

The French Fleet IS in France. It just isn't very large. The TRS is in Nice, but it is disorganized.

There was no unit in Algeria. That unit was defending Tunis. However, the unit from Syria did get moved to France.

The TRS are mostly in Plymouth or Portsmouth. They were supposed to clear out the BEF, but the BEF survived as only 1 unit. That's 3 of them. The Liner just brought an INF from India to Kuala Lumpur (it was supposed to go to Singapore, but the Partisan blocked that). Similarly, there is a CW ARM or MECH (I forget which) already in Morocco, but it didn't have a chance to get to Algeria in time to stop the Italian advance.

The CW LND-4 is intended to be used actively for Strategic Bombing. The initial draw didn't really have much for Strat factors among the CW bombers, so I needed to build something that did. In the last game, I was able to knock out 1-2 German Production Points per turn, starting in J/F '40 or so, but I haven't had that option yet. I need those factors.

And, I should mention, the North Sea was not given away. The CW now owns it again. They sailed the fleet, failed to find, and at the end of the turn, the Germans returned their own inferior fleet to Kiel. It was essentially a single-impulse issue that had no effect on the game whatsoever.



paulderynck -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/5/2011 7:49:31 AM)

deleted



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/5/2011 11:31:26 AM)

Okay, so I guess I lied slightly about the weather not being Fine for the Axis, but Germany certainly didn't have Fine weather in France at all during J/F '40. The N. Monsoon is expected to have Fine weather this time of year, and the Med had a single impulse of it, which merely allowed Italy to advance a little more than it could normally have done in Greece.

I still think my statement is fairly accurate.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/B46ADE45688E47998E157F4BA2424D28.jpg[/image]



Centuur -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/5/2011 6:57:34 PM)

Snow isn't that bad in winter. Rain, Storm and Blizzard are far worse, since they influence supply and movement much more. So, I consider snow in winter good weather. Yes, it's not great like the fine weather impulses, but you are still able to move around quite a lot in snow, and given high odds, it isn't that bad to fight in too.



Shannon V. OKeets -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/5/2011 7:00:58 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Snow isn't that bad in winter. Rain, Storm and Blizzard are far worse, since they influence supply and movement much more. So, I consider snow in winter good weather. Yes, it's not great like the fine weather impulses, but you are still able to move around quite a lot in snow, and given high odds, it isn't that bad to fight in too.


It also lets you move through openings in a front line and even exploit to the rear in some cases.



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/5/2011 8:27:49 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets


quote:

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Snow isn't that bad in winter. Rain, Storm and Blizzard are far worse, since they influence supply and movement much more. So, I consider snow in winter good weather. Yes, it's not great like the fine weather impulses, but you are still able to move around quite a lot in snow, and given high odds, it isn't that bad to fight in too.


It also lets you move through openings in a front line and even exploit to the rear in some cases.

This is all true, but the -2 odds levels really does hurt when trying to smash some strong stacks on the 1D10 CRT



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/9/2011 12:34:05 AM)

Just want you all to know, I'm still working on this. I've had a bad few days with my chest, so I have been too tired to do much in the way of work. Sorry about that. I'll try to get some new stuff posted tomorrow or on the weekend.

-Aaron



brian brian -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/9/2011 12:41:24 AM)

look out Allies, Hitler Tojo & Benito are tanned rested and ready...



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/10/2011 5:11:57 PM)

Okay. Back to work for a bit.

I couldn't get much in the way of good attacks in China, but I got fair odds in France -- except that HQ-I Georges managed to provide HQ Support SE of Paris . . . however, this may not matter. The attack on Paris will be played out first, and if/when successful, Georges and his disorganized GARR (Ground Strike) will be in some bigger trouble than the odds show now.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/82AAC9B666A24FC5814948E8FED3EC40.jpg[/image]

And the results:

Attack on Chihkiang: Assault, Fractional Odds .900 (No), Roll = 3 = 1/- (5-3 INF destroyed, attackers disorganized)
Attack on Paris: Assault, Roll = 4 = -/1S (AA destroyed, HQ-I Billotte & INF destroyed because there was no place to retreat, FTR and LND overrun and destroyed, attackers disorganized)
Attack on France [56, 30]: Assault, Fractional Odds .474 (No), Roll = 10+1 = 11 = */2S

The reason I went for the low odds attack in China was that it would finally put HQ-I Chiang into a situation where he would be isolated until Japan messes up and lets him out of the crunch. With a 90% chance at 3:1 odds, I figured it was pretty safe. Not only did I fail by 1/1000th of a point on the Fractional Odds roll, but the '3' roll would have produced the same result, anyway. As I say, you take your chances. I wasn't willing to bet on continued good weather in the N. Temperate zone, so I gave it a shot.

The German attacks both succeeded, but I would have liked the attack on Paris to have left those units organized. The final odds for that last attack were 37.5:5, which means that I have to report a minor bug having to do with Fractional Odds. This is an easy one to fix, though. We've dealt with this before in a similar situation, and Steve had it fixed in about 10 minutes.



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/10/2011 5:26:30 PM)

Next impulse, the Italians should be able to make an attack on Athens, given Fair weather (or even Rain). I'd show you what things look like, but I'm honestly too tired to keep going today. Maybe I'll finish the impulse and get some more of this posted later on. Sorry that this is all there is for now.



Centuur -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/10/2011 8:59:48 PM)

You can't expect a disorganisation never to occur with high odds. However, with Paris controlled, the French are as good as dead now. You've got enough units left to move and conquer France, since only French units in Toulouse are in supply, if you've moved your MECH to the south of France.
Personally, as the French, I wouldn't have destroyed my AA gun in Paris, but another unit, since the AA gun was the only unit capable of retreating towards Georges. This means that next turn, the gun could appear in Toulouse, since the Germans didn't change the S result in an R result...



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/11/2011 2:37:26 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Centuur

You can't expect a disorganisation never to occur with high odds. However, with Paris controlled, the French are as good as dead now. You've got enough units left to move and conquer France, since only French units in Toulouse are in supply, if you've moved your MECH to the south of France.
Personally, as the French, I wouldn't have destroyed my AA gun in Paris, but another unit, since the AA gun was the only unit capable of retreating towards Georges. This means that next turn, the gun could appear in Toulouse, since the Germans didn't change the S result in an R result...


I may be mistaken about this, but you can't retreat a unit into a hex that is being attacked, so it didn't matter which unit got destroyed -- all were going to die anyway.



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/11/2011 11:35:31 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

Okay. Back to work for a bit.

I couldn't get much in the way of good attacks in China, but I got fair odds in France -- except that HQ-I Georges managed to provide HQ Support SE of Paris . . . however, this may not matter. The attack on Paris will be played out first, and if/when successful, Georges and his disorganized GARR (Ground Strike) will be in some bigger trouble than the odds show now.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/82AAC9B666A24FC5814948E8FED3EC40.jpg[/image]

And the results:

Attack on Chihkiang: Assault, Fractional Odds .900 (No), Roll = 3 = 1/- (5-3 INF destroyed, attackers disorganized)
Attack on Paris: Assault, Roll = 4 = -/1S (AA destroyed, HQ-I Billotte & INF destroyed because there was no place to retreat, FTR and LND overrun and destroyed, attackers disorganized)
Attack on France [56, 30]: Assault, Fractional Odds .474 (No), Roll = 10+1 = 11 = */2S

The reason I went for the low odds attack in China was that it would finally put HQ-I Chiang into a situation where he would be isolated until Japan messes up and lets him out of the crunch. With a 90% chance at 3:1 odds, I figured it was pretty safe. Not only did I fail by 1/1000th of a point on the Fractional Odds roll, but the '3' roll would have produced the same result, anyway. As I say, you take your chances. I wasn't willing to bet on continued good weather in the N. Temperate zone, so I gave it a shot.

The German attacks both succeeded, but I would have liked the attack on Paris to have left those units organized. The final odds for that last attack were 37.5:5, which means that I have to report a minor bug having to do with Fractional Odds. This is an easy one to fix, though. We've dealt with this before in a similar situation, and Steve had it fixed in about 10 minutes.

Since it happened here, I thought I'd give you a little bit of a look at part of the beta-testing process that isn't really mentioned that much. The text in red talks about a bug in the Fractional Odds calculations. Well, this is one of those occassions when a bug that gets reported isn't actually a bug at all. Instead, it's a misunderstanding or some other confusion on the part of the tester.

In this case, I mis-read 37:5 as 37.5:5 and thought the odds roll was being worked out incorrectly. I reported it as a bug and Steve noted the error, clearing the problem up in about 2 minutes of reading and thinking on his part.

This actually happens fairly often, and usually it's another one of the beta-testers who finds the error, so that Steve doesn't have to spend even those 2 minutes on the problem. We tend to check each other fairly closely, so that we can double-check things before Steve has to deal with them and make sure we are sending him legitimate problems. During the 2 months that I spent creating daily reports of all of the reported bugs, I didn't keep records for this, but I would estimate that 25-35% of all bugs reported end up as situations like this.

-Aaron



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/11/2011 12:05:35 PM)

To continue:

Germany and Italy both rebased bombers to the "new" fronts, and HQ-I von Leeb reorganized an ARM and a fast-moving INF unit. I know you aren't supposed to use up your HQs like this so early in the turn, but I'd like to get as many units as possible into position to make a bid for Toulouse, and he won't be needed anywhere just yet.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/6C346AAB76314C90A7C0315E1BA0E386.jpg[/image]



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/11/2011 12:22:49 PM)

Here you can see that I did take the advice to block the retreat to Toulouse with my 7-6 MECH (was actually going to do it anyway, but it was good advice). I also took Nantes and moved into position to take both Bordeaux and Bayonne (with the possibility of capturing the Bearn!) and have HQ-I von Bock ready to bring supplies to the over-extended troops.

If they have the opportunity at good odds (meaning in Fine weather), those LND will attempt to disorganize the French ARM while waiting for the troops to arrive. Even if it is during a potential "last" impulse of the turn, they'll still try, since the ARM is now cut off from access to the Oil the French finally have stored in Martinique. The only use for that oil now, is to reorganize any parts of the French fleet that survive the next few impulses.

On the Italian border, the French could attempt a 4:1 attack on the Italian ART, hoping to take some of the enemy with them, or they cna try to squeeze the CAV out into the RP hex, just to be a little more annoying. I think the attack would be foolish, since it would boost the Italian production multiple, and if they moved into the hex with a win, it would boost it even more. Likewise, that RP can't be used by either side, anyway, at the moment, so instead, I'll most likely return the INF beneath the CAV to Nice. The only point in retaking the RP would be to ZOC the I Slovak MIL out of supply . . . which might be worthwhile.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/971920299C0640119498B42AFC2056AE.jpg[/image]



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/11/2011 12:38:31 PM)

In Greece, the Italians should be able to get, at worst, a 23:7 attack on Athens next impulse if the weather remains Fine (50% chance). That's why I needed that BB fleet in Gibraltar, though I had to move them back to the UK. As it stands, I only have 3 naval units available to provide any Shore Bombardment -- and that's only if the Italians fail to intercept and destroy them on their way to the E. Med. If they can't get there, This is going to end up as a 23:4 attack, which would be worth it even in Rain.

That attack would possibly mean the loss of 1 or 2 units, but it would probably take Athens, and the MIL is expendable. I'd like to keep all of the others, too, but if it means conquest of Greece (and the eventual alignment of Yugoslavia), then it is worth the price of a lost MOT. Think of all of the Yugoslavian units that will be gained by controlling Athens . . . and I'll wipe the drool off my chin now. [:)]

This, by the way, definitely shows the importance to Italy of taking Malta when it had the chance. If Malta was still in British hands, there would surely be a fleet there that could provide more help for Athens.

[image]local://upfiles/38062/383136D3E1A849688CBE47ABA33AA3F0.jpg[/image]



Rijssiej -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/11/2011 1:15:45 PM)

How did Greece not get the chance to move the MTN next to Athens, and the fleet out of Athens?



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/11/2011 1:31:30 PM)

A look at Gibraltar and the surrounding areas.

You can see that only the three remaining BB can reach the E. Med with enough movement points to get into a high enough box to offer significant Shore Bombardment.
-----
Edit: This statement is untrue: some of the CL could also get into a high enough Box to provide Shore Bombardment.
-----
The Italians haven't got the manpower right now to actually take Morocco, because of the CW MECH ready to defend the capital, but they can work toward it. However, those TRS intended to pull the BEF out of France should be able to get HQ-I Gort and another 2 units to Morocco, which will make the defense of Gibraltar a little easier. Right now it is a race, though.

If the Italians can get into a good enough position near the border of Spanish Morocco, and if the Axis can get the first impulse of M/J '40, they may be able to either take it away from the CW (when Spain aligns) or at the very least force the Spanish to use some of its valuable units to defend there instead of in the Pyranees. Until Gort arrives, which will take 2 Allied impulses, at least, the MECH can't afford to get too far away from Casablanca. Fez might be a valid hex option for it, but that doesn't remove the Italian threat to Spanish Morocco.

And, don't forget that with a 55% chance of drawing a 0 or 1, Italy could afford to DOW Spain at the same time as Germany in order to get Surprise, which would allow the INF Division waiting in Malta to land somewhere safely to disrupt things in Spain or Spanish Morocco.

One final point: some of you may be wondering why I didn't rail the CW MECH to Oran or Algiers earlier. Well, the reason is that I didn't want to, plain and simple. I wanted the Italians to take Algeria, so that if conquest became more likely than Vichy, there would be an interesting fight around this region. I know that this isn't playing "fair", but I'm not playing things that way in some areas. I'm doing my best to follow the good advice I've been given to set up defenses in France and China, and to follow the advice about conquest vs. Vichy. However, there are some clearly "unfair" choices I have made -- the claim on Bessarabia being one of them, and this being another. Sorry, that's just the way it is. [:)]

[image]local://upfiles/38062/443CED2819354B48B19434DBFBFBCFAD.jpg[/image]



Red Prince -> RE: MWiF Global War Hot-Seat (AAR) (12/11/2011 1:33:47 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rijssiej

How did Greece not get the chance to move the MTN next to Athens, and the fleet out of Athens?

The MTN didn't get to move because last turn ended after an Axis impulse and this one began with one. The fleet didn't move out of Athens yet (it will this impulse) because the CW needed to take Combined Actions and had to use its Naval Moves in other areas.
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Edit Also, the MTN didn't move earlier because the weather seemed destined to be terrible at the start of this turn, but the Axis got very very very lucky with it. Also, last turn ended with a Fine weather impulse in the Med (see Post #404) so Italy essentially got 2 impulses in a row of free movement in the mountains of Greece, and the MTN got screwed by it.



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