RE: A musical global war AAR...

RE: A musical global war AAR... (Full Version)

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Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/18/2014 2:20:52 PM)
The Axis decide to move first. And finally: here is the weather report for the next couple of impulses: [image]local://upfiles/38590/CE091F34F5874C938E5B77041B3532ED.gif[/image]

Klydon -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/18/2014 2:57:18 PM)
Wow, the Allies are in some serious trouble. Lot of former French capital ships floating around. With the Germans looking to press Gibraltar, White Hall has to be really worried about the implications of all those French battleships being refitted and in the hands of the Axis. US entry is low as well, although getting the embargo off will hurt the Japanese to a point. Double move by the Axis is essentially a thumb in the eye too. [:D]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/18/2014 4:30:31 PM)
Well, look at it from another position. The Japanese are probably going to be at war with the USSR, to take the pressure of the Chinese a little bit. And there isn't any defense in Manchuria, capable of stopping the USSR from entering the country. And that's during a long summer turn. Also, the Japanese forces are out of position in China itself. An attack on Chengtu isn't that easy to get going and there are the monsoons in the south. Not easy to kill Chinese units during that kind of weather... Japan needs to think things over very carefully. What to do first and how to prepare for the nasty things the Soviets might do during a surprise impulse. The convoys are vulnerable and will need protection ASAP. Normally, this alone will already mean somewhat of a respite on the Chinese front. A naval impulse has to be called for by the Japanese first, I believe, or otherwise the USSR SUB's might start killing precious Japanese convoys... And US entry being low? How do you know this? There are 5 chits in both entry pools. So US entry could be anywhere between 16 (the number needed for the chosen US entry option last turn) and 40 at this moment. Sure, one might think the options chosen by the US should reveal something, but who knows for sure? Devious US players keep silent to everyone about the US policy regarding US entry. The only thing you know for sure is that US tension isn't enough to rise the US production modifier, since 1 chit in both tension pools isn't enough to reach 11... Remember: the readers are the ones who will have to advise me (on time please), when they want the Japanese to start preparing the war with the Wallies. I won't give up that information...

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/19/2014 1:04:45 PM)
July-August 1940, Axis impulse number 1 Headlines in US newspapers this morning. Germany invades Spain! However, the Isolationist politicians in the US make pretty clear that this is something the US hasn't got anything to do with. The war in Europe isn't of any American intrest at all. Despite this, there is one US entry chit gained (die roll: 7). Spain aligns to the CW. And here is the Spanish set up. It is clear to the Spanish general staff that they haven't got a chance of stopping the German onslaught. So they decide to put the important units in Spanish Morocco, guarding the southern approaches of Gibraltar in the city of Tangiers. This will mean that the French-Spanish border isn't totally defended. However, by putting large garrisons in Barcelona and Bilbao (the two cities which needs to be taken for the conquest of Spain), they hope to make the conquest of the country an expensive one... Note also this: since the CW isn't at war with Italy, Spain also isn't at war with the Italians... This means that Italian units can't enter Spain or Spanish controlled hexes... Here is “Callecita de mi Novia”, played by Raphaël Canaro and his orchestre and sung by Luis Mariano, a Spanish singer which became quite popular after the war... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcteCC3BnxQ [image]local://upfiles/38590/F9DAE1D480E149FCAB7D1F096FF931FD.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/19/2014 1:05:24 PM)
Germany chooses a land action. Japan and Italy choose naval actions. The Japanese need to get convoy lines protected from possible USSR attacks... The Erone and an Italian FTR are flown into the 2 box of the Western Med. The Italian navy sails out into the Western Med with two TRS and cruisers escorts and load Guderian and an 8-4 MOT. The Andrea Doria joins the battlefleet together with a cruiser and they pick up two German divisions. An Italian convoy sails into the Western Med. German artilley opens up and Stuka's ground strike the Spanish positions in Bilbao, the Pyrenees and Barcelona. All defenders in those hexes are (as to be expected in a surprise impulse with the firepower displayed by the Luftwaffe) disorganised. Guderian disembarks in Spanish Morocco on the Königsberg MIL which moved there first. In Northern Spain, the mountains are crossed by the German forces. The ports of Melilla and Majorca are being invaded (outmatic victory) by German divisions. [image]local://upfiles/38590/1E6686CEA7E54D2C8D232700AB6B306C.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/19/2014 1:06:19 PM)
An attack on the hex southeast of Bilbao is declared and ground support is added to that hex. And here is: Rafael Canaro playing Paciencia (patience...), which is of course quite something we need to have, regarding MWIF... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5la3sh5bIQ Even with all the power displayed by the Wehrmacht, the odds are quite dissapointing. Well. That's wat you get when attacking in the mountains. The Spanish choose the assault table, to inflict as many losses on the enemy as possible: [image]local://upfiles/38590/1BEF6B34F0044A31B9D4772FFA2B847B.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/19/2014 1:07:01 PM)
Well, the Germans are quite pleased by the result. Since no divisions were available for this attack, things could have been, far, far worse. The Luftwaffe rebases the ATR into the city of Oran, where the Para is. Here is the situation at the end of the impulse in Spain: [image]local://upfiles/38590/3A00DB4C97F048678946A565EA94D011.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/19/2014 1:09:12 PM)
The Japanese sail escorts out to defend the convoys in case the USSR decides to DoW. The Japanese secret service is convinced they will do so. The GAR in Japan is loaded on board of a TRS and debarks in Port Arthur. Now. Things are interesting here. Italy isn't at war with Spain or the CW, so the CW fleets could sail into the Western Med to provide defensive Shore Bombardment for the Spanish in Barcelona and the CW can sail a lot of units into the region too, without possible Italian interdiction. However, if the Italians decide to DoW the CW, there is going to be a surprise impulse with the whole Italian fleet available to start shooting at the CW. On the other hand, the CW can DoW the Italians and get a surprise impulse themselves, trying to kill the precious Italian TRS (which are at sea, and one is even loaded with a German MOT...), which of course will close the Med for allied shipping (since the CW doesn't want to sail a lot of TRS throught the Med when at war with the Italians). Will the USSR DoW Japan or not? Any ideas anybody? How would you react to this situation? There will be a couple of days before this AAR will continue and no decisions have been made at this moment. So feel free to comment on how the CW and USSR should react... And by the way... the Isolationalists in the US only say that there are 6 chits in the It/Ger entry, 5 in the Japanese entry and 1 chit in both tension pools... The US takes a neutral stand...

Klydon -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/20/2014 8:18:32 PM)
I think the Allies have two options with the Japanese to look at. One issue is that limited peace is not possible with the current game setup, so I am not sure how you would implement that to a point. First, Russia has sort of accomplished something even without declaring war. One option is Russia does decide to come in and invade, etc. The Euro Axis are going to be busy in 1940 with the Spanish campaign. That doesn't preclude a 1941 Barbarossa, but with Spain to garrison and possible action against the Suez, the Germans may not have as big of a land force to use against Russia. In addition, the Germans may also decide to go for the UK given the potential naval situation with all those French capital ships under Axis control. The Axis may tip their hand on that if they start looking to do a lot of repairs, but that is down the road. If this is the case, it is even more important for the Russians "to do something" other than sit on their hands. China stays in the war the best it can at this point. The second option is not to have the Russians invade and for the Chinese to surrender, trapping many Japanese units deep in China and with Japan stuck only able to use combined actions, it will be difficult for them to get into position to start the Pacific war. On top of that, many Japanese units would come off the map as well. (Granted, some would come back on when Japan again declared war). In Europe, since the Italians are transporting German units, I think the CW can initiate action against the Italian fleet, even without being at war with them, but I am unclear about that. As the CW, the issue is how much will the US detest the declaration of war against the Italians? The Allies want the US in the war sooner than later of course. If the CW can bring the kitchen sink against the Italian fleet to the point where they will do some serious damage, especially against the transports, then I think it would be worth the declaration of war. Sufficient damage against the Italian fleet may make it harder for the Axis to consider carrying off a 1941 Sea Lion. Air will play a bigger role in that, but if the Italian fleet is hurt and their transports take a beating, that can only make things easier for the CW for the immediate future. The issue is the risk of a wiff on searches during the surprise turn. Should the CW declare war and then wiff on engaging the Italian fleet, that would be quite bad for the Allies. Potential US hits without getting anything in return.

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/21/2014 3:41:34 PM)
No, I can't attack the Italian fleet with the CW. Here is RAW: During port strikes and naval combats, a unit can’t fight against units from the other side unless it is at war with at least one of them (being at war with an enemy unit the naval unit is transporting is not enough). However, you resolve, as one combat, a combat that includes units that are not at war with each other, so long as each unit included is at war with at least 1 enemy unit in the combat. This means the CW ships can't attack the Italians or vice versa. They would be able to do so if there was a German air or naval unit in the sea zone too. Now, the Axis are smart enough to make sure that isn't the fact. So only the puny French fleet out of Beirut can engage the Italians in the Western Med... I'm thinking about letting the Russians DoW the Japanese (because the Chinese need to survive and surrendering the Chinese means only a 18 instead of a 35 on US entry, which equals the USSR DoW -17- on Japan). Also, I'm think it is best to ignore the Italians and get the CW fleet out for SB to give aid to the Spanish. Let the Italians DoW the CW and than see what happens next if they want a fight. I can use the remaining French fleet out of Beirut to initiate combat if needed after an Italian DoW. However, it's a really tough decision to make. War with Italy means also that the CW is opening another front (Egypt), and I don't think I want to have that happening before there is a FTR in Egypt...

Klydon -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/21/2014 8:43:22 PM)
If you got it, getting stuff into Malta would be a potentially good call as well in terms of multiple ground units (some white print) and also some aircraft. (Yeah, I know, the CW needs everything everywhere. hehe).

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/22/2014 6:48:00 PM)
Malta has the 3-1 Canadian GAR and a 2-4 RSA Territorial in it. The CW has a lot boots on the floor at the moment (HQ, INF, GAR and MIL pools are all empty) and is also slowly starting to build up the airforce (especially FTR's. The FTR3 are all in production or on the map and the FTR2 pool will be empty at the end of the year too, if there aren't any losses) at the moment. Some of those will be distributed across the globe starting next turn. From that moment on, the CW will have a larger FTR force than the Germans and the Italians, if they don't respond by building aircraft too. Now, that sounds nice, but it isn't. The FTR's have to be distributed across the globe, to make sure the UK has got the following possibilities: - Strat bomb the Paris-Lille-Brussels area with FTR cover using the Whitleys which are both in London or bomb Germany using the extended range of those planes. This will tie down at least 4 Axis FTR's. Goal is to start hurting German production (but than bomber commmand better start to hit something, since every time the die is against them...). - Get at least a FTR2 into Egypt - Get at least two FTR 3 in Gibraltar/Morocco Slowly, NAV's and CVP will be build too in the next couple of turns. The fast expanse of the Axis however, has meant that the important CW forces are at the wrong places at this moment. Gort and Alexander are in the UK, together with a white print INF. The London MIL (another white print) is in Casablanca. The Sidney MIL is in Egypt with Wavell and a lot of Indian forces and the Egyptian TERR. There hasn't been time to transport those units to Gibraltar until now. So, where I believe the Middle East is reasonably defended, I'm worried about Gibraltar (speaking from the CW points of view). It now has a TERR, a MOT and the Royal Engineers as garrison, and that isn't the defense needed. I think I'm going to make sure that two white prints are going to be in Gibraltar (and I even think one of them will be Alexander). It's about time those boots are going to earn their pay...

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/27/2014 7:41:19 PM)
July-August 1940, Allied Impulse number 2: In the US, businesses with important trade with Japan have filed motions against the Embargo on strategic materials against the country. Together with the news that Soviet forces have entered Japanese controlled Manchuria, without a proper declaration of war, the US congress decides to put on hold the laws which should increase the sanctions against the Japanese. The Soviet DoW on Japan arrives 4 hours late at the Japanese government. The Japanese radio calls the Soviet assault a dishonorable attack. Japanese citizens in the US demand that the US decides to embargo the USSR too... 2 US entry chits lost in the Japan entry pools. The USSR calls out the reserves. All are set up close to the Manchurian border. Here is: Farewell to Slavianka. This song was made in 1912, but this is a recent made recording, which I've chosen because of the Propaganda posters which appear in the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7rzS0ysplQ China and the USSR take land, France and the CW takes naval and the US takes a combined action. The CW and France continue the slowly reorganisation of the convoy lines. The Spanish fleet sails into the Western Med. Force H sails there too. The Home Fleet sials into the Bay of Biscay to blockade the German Fleet in Bordeaux. A Canadian MIL is loaded aboard the Spanish TRS, a 7-3 INF is loaded in Plymouth and sails into the Cape St. Vincent. The Queens load Alexander in the Bay of Biscay, an Idian MIL sails towards Egypt and 2 South African units are loaded in Cape Town. All those units are moved towards the Med, with the exception of the Canadian MIL, which wil go into the UK. The Spanish FTR rebases into Portugal (thus giving the CW a pilot) and a FTR3 and the Battle are rebased into Spain. Gort reorganises convoys in Plymouth. In the Eastern Med, the French search for the Italian cruiser which supplies the Italian army on the Egyptian border. The die rolls fail to find eachother. I don't expect South America to see much war in this game, but the music coming from this continent during the war is quite nice... So here is Ricardo Malerba - Corazon De Artista http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irtz1JlBtIA The USSR rails and moves more units towards the Finnish border. The Finnish government is getting nervous and decides to mobilize it's army. USSR units enter Manchuria and the first Paradrop is done into the heartland of that country, near to the city of Tsjitsjihar, blocking the railroads. The Japanese general staff is shocked by such a bold move by the Soviets... [image]local://upfiles/38590/1CC533BEE1344F88A3DA16C7AF30212B.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/27/2014 7:42:12 PM)
In China, the Chinese communists decide to declare an attack on the city of Lanchow. If they don't do so, the Japanese will take the city of Sining, thus putting the Lanchow MIL out of action, since it is than out of supply... Better to try to retake Lanchow, than to spend the rest of the war doing nothing. The city is only defended by a MOT division. The Japanese decides to give the division ground support and they choose the assault table: [image]local://upfiles/38590/E6AE5AEC75DA44E5843C072BF3B9691E.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/27/2014 7:43:03 PM)
Due to heavy opposition, the Chinese attack is stalled. The Nationalists try to improve the positions there are in. However, it is difficult to do more than make some minor improvements... And here is the weather report for the next couple of impulses: [image]local://upfiles/38590/9A42758F1E2B4FCBA094DB4C5533AA11.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/29/2014 5:48:44 PM)
July-August 1940, Axis impulse number 3 All Axis powers take land actions. In China, the Japanese decide to ground strike the communist forces in Chengtu. An attack on those forces will follow later. The Japanese are in a rush, since the aggression by the Soviets will mean that forces will have to withdraw to Manchuria. [image]local://upfiles/38590/A2B8C908E3E64648AC0CDFFBEAFAF5AE.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/29/2014 5:49:26 PM)
The Japanese rail the MECH division and a GAR into the city of Harbin. The forces in Manchuria and Korea start moving towards the USSR positions. It's time for a Japanese song: Here's: 北京覗眼鏡　　服部富子　 sung by Tomiko Ha`tori in 1938. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hh6RbgTATY In China, the city of Sining is taken by a Japaness CAV, which is in a hurry (no US entry chit gained). Chengtu is now the last Chicomm city on the map. The first Japanese troops arrive at the gates of the cities and start making preparation for an attack somewhere in this turn. Troop under the command of Umezu start moving aggressively toward the Chinese main force in the area of Changsha, hoping to destroy as many units as possible in the next couple of impulses. In other parts of China, some units move towards positions from which they can be redeployed towards Manchuria. The Chinese Lanchow MIL is being attacked. [image]local://upfiles/38590/06B4E5DC5028482FB7FA123FF3683000.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/29/2014 5:50:18 PM)
The Venice MIL is railed to the port of St. Malo, for garrison duties. In Spain, a Panzerdivision runs throught the capital of Berlin and leaves again. Barcelona is surrounded and Bilbao only has a small corridor towards the nothwest of Spain. In Spanish Morocco, Guderian moves aside of Franco. Sure, the city of Tangier is in the mountains, giving Franco's elite forces there double defense factors, however, the city will soon be surrounded by Axis forces. The 8-4 MOT is landed on top of Guderian in Morocco. An attack is declared on Barcelona. Von Bock throws in HQ support, the Luftwaffes Messerschmidts provide some ground support and the CW and Spanish navy throw in defensive shore bombardment, while the Italian navy sits by and does exactly... nothing! [image]local://upfiles/38590/0E08D0A419384C08B95C57481677EA00.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/29/2014 5:50:54 PM)
Well, that wasn't to bad, if you look at things from the German point of view. There were losses, but Barcelona is taken... So, time for another German military march. Here is the “Alte Kamerade Marsch (Old Comrades March), composed in 1889 and it's still popular today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_HKYuVLRwA Here is the situation in Spain/Morocco at the end of the impulse: [image]local://upfiles/38590/7F18D5CFEC284A8BB80091044ED2B32D.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/29/2014 5:51:58 PM)
Here is Manchuria: [image]local://upfiles/38590/0901D0C68135490081C79819AD219C2B.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/29/2014 5:52:48 PM)
Northern China: [image]local://upfiles/38590/7A5986ED97AD4EC08C680F4B604670D5.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (5/29/2014 5:53:26 PM)
Southern China: [image]local://upfiles/38590/7B2E88CEB5864E3A8DE4B6171F0B069C.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (6/4/2014 6:49:12 PM)
July-August 1940, Allied impulse number 4 The USSR and the US take combined actions, China and the CW choose land and France a naval impulse. The USSR sailes the Baltic fleet, loaded with an INF division and the 6-1 GAR. Moscow says it's for training only. Troops are moving in Manchuria and a MECH arrives at the Finnish border too: [image]local://upfiles/38590/D18D93A002A443A28E39FD13B9734557.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (6/4/2014 6:49:46 PM)
Time for Leonid Utesov - By The Black Sea \| "У Черного моря" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyKC0vfQxDo Leonid Utesov was one of the USSR's jazz pioneers. Being confined to the USSR censorship, which only allowed for texts favourable to the Communist Party and the Soviet Union in itself, he still was able to slowly change music in the days of Stalin... Here is Manchuria: [image]local://upfiles/38590/72B9457646964C4BA68B64ECEA085744.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (6/4/2014 6:50:50 PM)
In China, the only thing the Chinese can do is make some minor “improvements”. Things are bad, very bad. Stilwell is back to where he started, since a ground strike in it's current position will mean the loss of the factory city of Kweiyang to a fast moving Japanese division in two impulses time. It's therefore better to sit in that city and hope that this summer turn doesn't take long... On the other hand... That same division can take Kunming in only three impulses time and there is nothing the Chinese can do to stop this from happening. Things are looking really, really bad... Northern China: [image]local://upfiles/38590/798E636A61A24B07920B33A086BDBC3A.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (6/4/2014 6:51:36 PM)
Southern China: [image]local://upfiles/38590/2FA9F655444A4B5AA89B8C0E2CEF96BD.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (6/4/2014 6:52:19 PM)
In the Eastern Med, the French fleet finds the Italian cruiserpicket which provides supply to the Axis units in Lybia. A short gun battle takes place, damaging the Montecuccoli. Of course, the Italian cruiser leaves the sea area immediately. Here is Francisco Canaro & Charlo - Mentir en Amor Es Pecado http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc1E9dkUfYQ The CW moves some units into Spain. Another INF arrives in Gibraltar: [image]local://upfiles/38590/F78AA0A8305C463C970951D01DB21EF9.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (6/4/2014 6:53:02 PM)
And here is the situation around Egypt: [image]local://upfiles/38590/0BFBE0120C954E879170ACF935DE4EA0.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (6/4/2014 6:53:41 PM)
Finally, the weather report for the next couple of impulses. Here is Jazz Gillum, with “I want you”... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKStQlYKrzQ [image]local://upfiles/38590/E14ACA9476044589875047703CC0C018.gif[/image]

Centuur -> RE: A musical global war AAR... (6/7/2014 8:06:37 PM)
July-August 1940, Axis impulse number 5: All Axis powers take land actions. Japan rails the Nagoya MIL to Harbin. Units are moved in position to make two attacks on the Chinese, while other units are slowly withdrawing to the east, to rail them out of China into Manchuria, to counter the Soviets. Chengtu is attacked with the Japanese air force giving grond support. The Assault table is chosen by the Soviets: [image]local://upfiles/38590/A2E4DA4914AD4DCAA2832E1EEBB5B1C3.gif[/image]

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