RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round

RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (Full Version)

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AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/27/2014 9:08:43 PM)
In China, the CAV Divs continue making a Nuisance of themselves. The Communists capture a resource hex, while the Nationalists head towards Manchuria rather than be caught by Yamamato. The ChiComms consider an attack on the oos PARA unit but the odds are low and the Japs can fly in plenty of air support. [image]local://upfiles/47730/7DE9FA31F26046AEBDC9E80CBBB3D96C.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/27/2014 9:28:29 PM)
On to the single Soviet attack this impulse. The Germans decide not to risk sending their bombers unescorted. Rommel declines to provide HQ support, figuring he can't afford to be disorganised. Zhukov decides to chip in to improve his odds. With 3 ARM to 2, the Soviets show the Germans a thing or two about Blitzkrieg and smash the defenders apart (+13, rolled a 10). Two Soviet corps advance to the newly created space. [image]local://upfiles/47730/8B063C11BD4447188E76543DBD6EE65A.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/27/2014 9:44:48 PM)
For the HQ Reorganisation phase, Nimitz reorganises 2CV's plus the BB Idaho. Stillwell reorgs his artillery and Crerar reorgs an AMPH and TRANS. With only a Lancaster to choose, the Brits pass. Koniev reorgs the LA-7 and IL2.

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/27/2014 10:09:19 PM)
M/J 1944 Axis Impulse 2 No DoW. Italy Combined. Germany Land. Japan considers Land to rearrange things in China but wants a crack at the US in the Marshalls. A combined will allow a bit of both, although at the expense of other needed naval moves. They decide to go for the combined.

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/27/2014 11:01:40 PM)
No port strikes from the axis. The Japanese put two NAV into the 4-box of the Marshalls. No Naval Air from the other two. Most of the Japanese surface fleet converges on the Marshalls. They can only reach the 1-box but hope good range CVP's will boost the search capacity. The Italians put 2 CP's and 3 CL's as escort in the West Med. This gives 3 possible naval battles: West Med, Marshalls and Marianas. The Italians initiate combat in the West Med and fly in a NAV and FTR to the 0-box for extra support to the CP's. The CW commits subs. Once again, while the Italians easily find the RN, the RN prove unable to find a snow flake in a Blizzard (2 vs 7). The Italians concentrate on the CW units in the 2-box. With the advantage of surprise they repeat a successful pattern and go for guns. It doesn't go well for the RN as Barham limps away damaged, London also is damaged and the Sheffield sunk. [image]local://upfiles/47730/35E0A618B4544F4B89CE93561F64F2D0.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/27/2014 11:14:49 PM)
In reply, the RN damage the BB Caio Duilio, forcing it back to port. [image]local://upfiles/47730/C95FA2A7C06042D28CE19CCEC8C9873A.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/27/2014 11:55:33 PM)
Both sides decide to continue the fight. The RN possibly foolishly but pride is at stake. Nobody adds and Naval air and the CW again commits subs. The RN finally learns how to use binoculars and spot the Italians who, in their astonishment, fail to relocate the RN. The RN choose to concentrate on the 2-box and send in the CV air. In the resulting air combat, the RN destroys one NAV and chases two others away before the remaining one decides enough is enough and heads home. The RN takes no losses. Having caught the Italians by surprise, the RN torpedo bombers launch their attacks before the Italian AA gunners are fully ready They are unable to put up much of a defence (4 surprise points used to lower AA to lowest 1 of 4: 4, 7, 10, 2 result in a 2 point bomb reduction). The RN target the Italian TRANS but are only able to damage it. The Italians then steam the Warspite across the path of the second wave, giving the RN the unenviable opportunity of sinking their former ship. The torpedoes run true and the Warspite is no more. [image]local://upfiles/47730/63E3E583D430450F91FC96505C3FB7A6.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/28/2014 12:36:49 AM)
Both sides elect to continue the fight. No additional air. The Italians, unable to get over the shock of being found by the RN fail to see them coming again (10 vs 3). A Gladiator chases the only Italian NAV back to base. Surprise again reduces the Italian AA effectiveness but they react better and cause a Swordfish Wing to release early (lowest 1, taken down to lowest 1 of 4: 4 point reduction). The Italian BB's Littorio and Giulio Cesare manage to avoid most torpedoes but both suffer damage (2X's and both rolled a 9). The sides elect a further round. The Italians have suffered damage but a surface round in their favour could do serious damage to the RN. The RN's blood is up and they don't want to give up just yet. As before, no additional air and the CW commits subs. The Italians get their surface round when the RN fails to spot them until well within gunnery range (2 vs 10, 4 surprise points to choose surface, engaging 3-box only). In an unequal fight, the already damaged London tries to draw the Italian gunfire by attempting to ram the Littorio. Miraculously, it works and as the fires reach the London's magazines, the explosion mortally wounds the Littorio. The London's sacfiice, however, cannot prevent the CV Indefatigable being damaged and forced to limp back to port, followed by an undamaged Implacable.

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/28/2014 12:47:46 AM)
The fight continues in a battle to the death. The Italians again prove the most adept at finding the enemy (2 vs 8) and use their surprise to again go for guns. The RN desperately protect the remaining CV's but it costs them the CL's Cleopatra and Arethusa. The Italians use the Vittorio Veneto to soak up punishment (X converted to D on a roll of 9, again). [image]local://upfiles/47730/965A790A84E04241927326B01341EF27.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/28/2014 1:03:13 AM)
The fight continues. The RN spots the Italians before the Italians spot the RN (4 vs 4) and launches an air-strike. The Italian AA is surprised and only moderately disturbs the aim of a Swordfish (2-point reduction). The Vittorio Veneto is finished off and two other BB's aborted. [image]local://upfiles/47730/2E43990C4E5E4AE1AE635761EB2E86F0.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (10/28/2014 1:13:55 AM)
The long engagement finally draws to a close when both sides fail to find each other. A somewhat reduced complement of shipping is left in the West Med for both sides, who retire to lick their wounds. With the Italian industry less able to repair the damage it, the RN are just about the victors but it was a close run thing. In the Marianas, the Japanese decline combat and in the Marshalls both sides fail to locate each other.

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 3:01:52 PM)
Reflecting on the naval phases, the Japanese think, in hindsight, rather than sending the two task forces to a low box in the Marshalls, they might have done better transporting a GARR unit from Tokyo to Eniwetok to provide more than a notional defence. Oh well that's what comes of not playing for a bit while catching up AARs and being too aggressive. Meanwhile, the turn continues. All 3 Axis powers decide not to mount any strategic or carpet bombing attacks. The Germans launch 3 ground strikes. The first two, on the Soviet stack NE of Rommel and the Soviet stack NE of Saratov, are defensive in nature, seeking to disorganise and prevent them from being able to attack this turn. The third one, on Ryazan will be the overture to an attack. The Italians send a strike against Franco in Saragossa. The Japanese need their air-moves for rebasing so decline. The allies send the Spanish FTR to attempt to protect Franco, which the Italians match with one of theirs. The Soviets send a FTR to Ryazan and the Germans match this.

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 3:21:02 PM)
The Soviet Yak-9's dive into the attacking German formations over Ryazan. The 109 F-2 escorts are alert to the Soviets and proceed to engage them before they can reach the Stukas. The fighters are a match for each other and fight each other into oblivion. With the dogfight whirling around them, the Stukas thread their way through to the target. [image]local://upfiles/47730/E7E1DF662BC446439765C65696C42299.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 3:36:46 PM)
Over Saragossa the Spanish fighters are hopelessly out-classed (3 pts to 5 pts). Ignoring the Italian escorts they relentlessly pursue the Italian P.108B's, shooting them out of the sky. The single-mindedness comes at a cost as they shot down by the escorts. [image]local://upfiles/47730/F3BBDD8F7D57441784285A059E4A43E6.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 3:47:43 PM)
Over Ryazan, the Stuka pilots, perhaps un-nerved by the air-combat around them, fail to show the same spirit as their now deceased escorts and miss both targets. With nothing to interrupt the other strikes, the German pilots take their time to line up their targets and 4 Soviet corps are left disorganised. Will it be enough to allow the Germans to block the railway for another turn?

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 4:12:14 PM)
The Germans would like to get more units from Germany to the Russian front but there are too many unprotected ports along the Baltic just ripe to be invaded. Three INF are sent by rail to Gdynia, Memel and Liepaja. The Italians rail an INF back to Damascus from Saudi Arabia. The Japanese rail an INF to Ominato to provide defence for that major port. In China, the Japanese use their movement allowance to bring their forces around Chengchow back in supply and bring 4th Mech out of the mountains in preparation for an attempt to recapture the city. [image]local://upfiles/47730/5CFDED8839514E4FB62CC4A74EAD31E6.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 4:45:45 PM)
In France, the Germans attend to garrisoning the ports along the coast. In Russia they move the units into position for the attack on Ryazan. They also move up to attack the closest Soviet INF army to Smolensk. They would like to bring Rommel back from his exposed position but there is nothing that can be moved in to replace him. They are going to need some good fortune here. The Italians move into Madrid.

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 4:52:08 PM)
The Germans declare two attacks, which will be supported by air. [image]local://upfiles/47730/83BB3AF691CC46A7BFD2648F3DF475AF.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 5:15:32 PM)
The Italians weigh up between attacking Bilbao or the Gd Inf in the hex SE. They opt for the latter, which too will be supported by air. [image]local://upfiles/47730/F81C8AA2448B49CC80097A840EFF7653.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 5:49:27 PM)
In Russia, the Soviets send a Mig-1 up to provide CAP over Ryazan. This scuppers the German plan to provide ground support to the attack as they have nothing in range to provide escort. A 7-pt Stuka supports the attack near Smolensk. The Germans fly in a 5pt Stuka to join an Italian 3-pt bomber in the attack near Bilbao and the Japanese use two Ka2's to add 3 points to the attack on Chengchow. With a Fw-190 ready to pounce on any allied bombers trying to intervene against the Italians and only weaker carrier fighters available to escort, the allies decline Spanish requests for defensive ground support. It's now up to the troops on the ground to deliver. [image]local://upfiles/47730/49E285B7A88F46A29F4EB9F3ACC43B76.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 5:57:25 PM)
First up, Chengchow. The Chinese decide to make it a Blitzkrieg so that the Japanese will lose the MECH if they take losses. The plan doesn't work as the Japanese sweep into the city destroying the defenders. The watching Germans and Italians pray the good roll for the impulse hasn't just been used up. [image]local://upfiles/47730/BB1BE57A27254A819199AD804920626D.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 6:07:11 PM)
Next up, it's off to sunny Spain. The CW select Blitzkrieg for much the same reason as the Chinese. The Spanish put up a spirited defence, perhaps inspired by their brethren in the air force, by destroying an Italian MOT and disorganising the rest. They perish in the attempt, however, and the way through the mountains is now open. [image]local://upfiles/47730/35CF2E8CFA834442877465971D14E576.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 6:15:51 PM)
The penultimate attack is the one near Smolensk. The Germans have the choice and go for the Blitzkrieg. The defenders are shattered by the assault and not given any option to retreat. [image]local://upfiles/47730/E3ECC23D1B1C4076BB7E15A2A065016E.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 6:22:18 PM)
Final attack is the one on Ryazan. The Soviets force a Blitzkrieg to inflict ARM/MECH losses. With the results having gone pretty well so far, the German's pause, take a deep breath and plunge in. The plunge takes them to the heart of the Soviet defence, which crumbles under the onslaught, allowing the Germans to capture the city. [image]local://upfiles/47730/020D52E9CFED40249CD67FEDEB3B670A.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 7:01:39 PM)
Blast! Timed out and lost the post and that's already after inadvertently deleting the first attempt myself. [:@] Third time lucky. The Germans rebase a Fw-190 to support Rommel. The Italians bring two air units back to Damascus from Arabia. The Japanese redeploy two NAV's from the Solomon Islands to the Marshall Islands hoping to be able to bring them into action against the US fleet. Guderian reorganises two Stukas to continue supporting the units blocking the railway and Von Beck reorganises the Stuka supporting him. Cavallero reorganises the Italian fighter on the French/Spanish border. Apart from the Italian naval losses, It's been a pretty good impulse for the Axis. The Italians are in Madrid and have broken through the Pyrenees. The German central front in Russia looks considerably better and they still block the railways from the southern oilfields. The question is how much longer can they hold an exposed position and when to fold? Can they hold until the end of the turn and cause another 13 point loss to the Soviet production?

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 7:27:01 PM)
M/J 1944 Allied Impulse 3. A roll of 5 brings fine weather across the globe apart from the Northern Monsoon region where it rains. No DoW. US Combined. Nationalist China Land. CW Land - needing to move a lot of Spanish units. USSR Land. The CW sends a port-strike against Brest. The Germans send a Bf-109 F-4 to intercept and the Allies counter with a P51 and Seafire. The Luftwaffe decide the national interest will be best served if they live to fight another day and after a brief waggle of their wings head back to base. [image]local://upfiles/47730/68A6A7CCA3994AC39A265530AC63813F.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/2/2014 7:40:02 PM)
The Allies decide to save their two surprise points for the attack, instead of reducing AA fire. Infuriated by the lack-lustre display from the Luftwaffe, the German navy gunners put up a ferocious barrage downing a Swordfish and reducing the remaining Albacore to 1 point (lowest 1 of 5 was a 7!). The Allied pilots claim several hits and to have seriously damaged the Deutschland but subsequent reconnaissance shows they were mostly near misses and while not now immediately ready for sea, she remains battle worthy (damage roll of 8).

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/3/2014 7:54:23 PM)
No naval air is flown. The US moves 2CV and the BB Iowa to join the task force in the Marshalls 4-box. 3 more CV move from San Francisco and join the task force in the Marshalls 2-box. The final US naval move relocates a TRANS from Spain to the US East Coast and picks up II Arm. Two sea areas are available for the US to initiate combat. First up the Marianas where the US has two subs hoping to take out the CP and cut supply to Eniwetok. Neither side manages to find each other in the rain. Second is the Marianas, which now contains the bulk of both the USN and IJN. The US weighs up the options. Going for combat could put several TRANS and MAR/INF units in harms way. On the other hand, the US has the advantage of position, being in the higher sea-box and both numerical and qualitative superiority in CVP's. It seems too good an opportunity to deal the IJN a crushing blow. The USN CV's turn into wind and launch searches towards the last known positions of the Japanese Fleet. It all turns out to be a bit of an anti-climax when neither fleet can find each other.

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/3/2014 8:44:26 PM)
On to Strategic Bombing. The Germans decline to fly CAP. The US, with no regard to post-war entente cordial, sends 5 groups of B17/B24's to bomb the factories in Paris. Two further groups, escorted by a group of P51's and a group of P38's, are sent to bomb Kiel The US find they have miscalculated the potential Luftwaffe strength available to oppose the Kiel raid when the Germans send up 3 of their best FW-190's. They out-match the US fighters, so the US adds another P38 Group to the mix. The raid on Paris will be unopposed. The Germans send their best FW-190 into the first pass and they are met by the P51's. Both sides give as good as they receive and shoot each other out of the sky. The first US P38 Group then tangles with the FW-190's. Unable to keep up with the more agile single engine fighters, they are forced to break off the combat after shooting off their ammunition. Having dealt with the P38 Group, the German pilots press home an attack on the leading bomber formation. The bombers are turned back but, after all the combat, the second FW-190 is forced to return to base out of ammo. The remaining P38's try gallantly to engage the last of the FW-190's but are again forced to break off combat without being able to inflict serious losses to the Germans. Seeing the last of their escorts turning back for home, the second bomber formation decide not to put the belief "the bomber will always get through" to the test and head back to the dressing room for an early tea. [image]local://upfiles/47730/C652E886D3BA494A8CBC5921904C57A4.jpg[/image]

AllenK -> RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round (11/3/2014 9:14:47 PM)
Meanwhile, as the air battle rages over Kiel, the main US bomber fleet calmly approaches a Paris bathed in sunshine. With all the time in the world to line up their targets, the US bomb aimers demonstrate their claimed ability to put a bomb in a pickle barrel must have involved one the size of Texas. Barely one point of production is lost to the Germans as the bombs fall far and wide of the factories. None of the allies fly and carpet bombing missions. The Nationalists decide not to use their artillery to ground-strike as they want to redeploy. The Communists have a go at the Jap PARA unit. The Soviets fly the IL-2 to attack the units blocking the railway, which are still beyond fighter cover. The Soviet strike is a partial success, disorganising IX SS MECH. The Communists miss the PARA's holed up in the mountains.

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