This is the first turn that the Axis’ army in Western Germany starts the turn in supply. Germany took Holland and Belgium away from the Allies last turn and through attrition combat Warsaw sits empty. On the previous Allies’ turn, however, the British 2-5 tank made it to Antwerp, whereby it exerts a zone of control on the Axis airborne unit. With the airborne unable to drop the Germans will have to slog their way into France the old fashioned way. Additionally, the French infantry have formed into two lines to protect Paris, but each hex only has a single 2-3 infantry on it. This should be easy pickings for the Germans.
The Italians have been massing troops in Egypt and now look poised to strike at the key port of Suez and the remnants of the British army.
Start
Germany and Italy looks like this:
While the West and East Mediterranean look like this:
DoW: None.
Options:
Germany declares an offensive in the west for 15 BRPs, bringing Germany down to 70. Germany attritions in the east and pass in the med.
Italy passes on both the east and west, but takes an offensive in the med front for 15 BRPs. Italy is now at 38 BRPs.
Movement
Both German naval units move from Kiel to Wilhelmshaven. The French, having SRd their fleet to the Med last turn are nowhere to even attempt to intercept. The British, meanwhile, used up their fleets last turn invading Calais. The German fleet movement is unopposed.
Poland
Germany finally occupies Warsaw and finishes the conquest of Poland (not shown b/c there’s nothing to see). There were no ground troops remaining on Warsaw.
*Note. I think the rules are ambiguous about whether or not the allies can rebuild minor allied units. Obviously the Axis can. There are arguments in favor of both sides. Ultimately, we discussed the issue on these boards. There was not an unanimous verdict, but there was a consensus that only the Axis can rebuild minor allied units (except in circumstances where the allies hold a variant that would allow minor allies to be rebuilt). I still think that is unfair to the allies, but I also think a strict reading of the rules, and the inferences therefrom, do favor the point of view that only the Axis can rebuild minor allies forces. Rokeater definitely is in the camp of those who feel only the Axis can rebuild the minor allied units. I was willing to live with that interpretation. If GB could have rebuilt Polish units this game might have turned out completely differently.
France
Germany lines up its tanks and infantry to attack into France and to remove the British 2-5 tank on Antwerp so as to free up the airborne to drop next turn. Germany also advances into the easternmost hex of the Maginot line. The Germans have entered French soil for the first time of the war!
*Note: In this picture I moved the stack from Bonn east two hexes so I could expand it and you could see what is actually on Bonn. All the stacks make it difficult to see what is where.
Egypt
The Italians have moved forward to attack Suez and possibly the hex NW of Suez. It looks like Rokeater has seen my mistake and realizes if he takes out Suez and ends his turn with his tank on Suez that the 1-3 infantry will be out of supply. This was a minor strategy error that did not affect the outcome of the game (as of the time of this writing we still don’t know the outcome…though the Axis are probably winning…it’s hard to say)
Tunisia/Algeria
As I explained in the last report, the SR of the French tank into hex DD13 was a mistake. The Italian 1st armor division moves to CC14 which cuts off the French tank’s supply line to Tunis. The Italian 3rd infantry also takes land moving to the northern coast of Tunisia to end next to the capital of Tunis.
If you want to see the whole map after movement, but before combat missions:
Combat
Germany sends 9 air as GS at hex O24.
Germany amphibiously invades L23 in Great Britain with two 3-3 infantry! Uh-oh. Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea to send the French fleet to the Med. The British fleets were already used and so there are no fleets to attempt interception, but there is some British air in range.
Italy sends 2 air for GS on Suez.
Italy also sends the fleets at Taranto and the fleet at Naples both carrying their respective 1-3 units to invade the beach in Palestine with the two 1-3 infantry. I’d be very interested to hear from Rokeater about why he did this. This struck me as very odd. It provided the French fleet at Tunis an almost guaranteed attempt to intercept and with such horrible odds the French fleet would be devastated and the Italians would have to take a big hit too. This just reduces the future Vichy fleet. Maybe that doesn’t matter in this particular game because the British already lost so many fleets that the Italians can afford to lose some and who cares if the Vichy navy destroys itself. Anyway, I’m curious why Rokeater did this.
Interceptions of the Axis Invasion Fleets
It is decision time for the British. If even a single air unit kills a fleet factor then one of the two German infantry will die. But, if I don’t attack the German fleet with my air, then I go first next turn and the German air will be back upright. I probably can’t get rid of 6 power (doubled to 12) with his ability to throw in another 18 DAS that would make it 30 defense. If he gets ashore with both infantry I will not be able to push him off the shore as the board sits now. I must attempt to kill at least one fleet factor with my British air. All 7 British air fly to protect the homeland.
The die rolls come in…6..2..6..6..2..3………..1 (thank goodness for that last roll). It initially looked like the British were totally incompetent, but at least one pilot remembered his training and he scored a hit on the German fleet. One of the German infantry drowns at sea while the other lands and creates a bridgehead on British soil. The British lose two air in the process. This amphibious landing will cause GB to have to concentrate her attention next turn to fighting on its own soil instead of in France.
*Rokeater could not have known it, although he might have suspected it, but before the Axis turn even started the British had no intentions of sending more units into France at that point in the game.
The French Navy are excited at the chance to kill some Italians, but in truth, the everyday fighting man is probably scared to death at the overwhelming odds the French will face. This is similar to Japan’s odds in the Battle of the Philippines against the US fleets in the pacific theatre. France really has no chance of winning being outnumbered 5:1 Nevertheless, the French sortie.
The French intercept! France rolls a 1 on the battle. Italy rolls a 4 which is modified to an 8. France loses 7, Italy 3. The invasion of Palestine succeeds, but the French navy is damaged badly and the Italians lose a little too. Hooray!
Britain flies 2 DAS at Suez, which the Italians promptly intercept with 3 air. Italy rolled a 2, GB a 1. Unfortunately, Britain loses 1 and the Italians nothing.
Ground Combat
Suez hex: 3-3 x 2, 2-3, 2-5 and 2 pts GS vs 3-4. Odds 12-6 (2-1). Die Roll 4, 1 (CAEX). Remove 3-3. The 3-3 Italian infantry and 2-5 Italian tank advance onto Suez. The British lose 25 BRPs immediately (down to 79 now), the Suez canal is damaged and the British 1-3 infantry is out of supply.
The Italian tank in Tunisia attacks the empty hex CC13 during regular combat.
Antwerp hex: 3-3 x 3, 4-6, 3-3 (1Fsjr) vs 2-5. Odds 16-4 (4-1). Die Roll 5. D Elim. 3-3, 4-6 and 3-3 (1Fsjr) Advance After Combat (“AAC”) and create a breakthrough hex there.
Hex O24 (directly west of Luxembourg): 3-3, 4-6 and 9 pts GS vs 2-3. Odds 16-4 (4-1). Die Roll 2, 2 (CAEX). 3-3 removed. 4-6 AAC (breakthrough hex).
Well, I knew last turn that these initial attacks would be at overwhelming odds. Even if he had rolled a 1 he would have just lost some cheap infantry. It’s the next set of attacks where France is hoping to get lucky.
3 panzers move to the breakthrough hex on Antwerp. Similarly, 3 panzers move to the breakthrough hex on O24.
It looks like this in France before exploitation movement:
Exploitation Movement & Combat
The three exploiting tanks on Antwerp move forward, dropping one off in Calais and the other two ending on Dieppe.
None of the other exploiting tanks move from hex O24.
*Note: the Rules permit an overstack on the breakthrough hex. He can even attack with all 3 tanks. This is an exception to the normal rules. It permits a “stack of doom” to overwhelm enemies in some instances.
Germany sends in 12 GS on hex N23 (the hex NE of Paris) and 8 GS on hex O23 (the hex east of Paris). He’s going to have 20 against 4 odds on the attacks on hexes N23 and O23. Again, the Allies are hoping for a 1. So far, they’ve been out of luck this turn.
Germany rolled a 4 (D) on hex N23. Two panzers end on N23. On hex O23 Germany rolled a 6 (D). Two panzers end on O23. No losses at all for Germany this turn.
The advances by Germany also put two French infantry out of supply (shown below) on hexes M24 and N24.
Construction and SR
Germany builds 4 air for 12 BRPs and ends at 58 BRPs. Italy spends 20 on BRPs to send to Germany. Italy down to 18. Germany will be up to 78.
Germany places an airbase on the Hague. Italy moves its air from Egypt into Holland and lends a 3-4 air unit to Germany. Italy also sends one fleet to Tobruk in Libya. Germany basically rearranged a few of his guys and brought a couple of RC units back near Berlin.
*Errata. There was a corrected logfile sent. Rokeater decided not to SR the replacements up to berlin, but instead lent some more units to Germany from Italy and moved another air unit. The changes in his corrected log do not affect the gameplay or strategy for these session reports and so I’m not going to take the time to make new pictures of everything.
Here’s what it looks like at the end of construction and SR.
France:
*Note: Bonn is not empty. In order to be able to show the unit stacks I moved the stack on Bonn east two hexes for the picture so you could see everything. I also moved the stack on Genoa in Italy SW one hex so it would not hide the 2-3 French infantry on Milan.
Tunisia/Libya:
Egypt:
Here’s the whole map.
Final Thoughts on this Momentous Axis Turn
With the Axis capture of Warsaw this turn, Great Britain stands to lose 20 BRPs on her upcoming turn in Fall 1940. She’ll have to figure that into her play. GB has absorbed the loss of Egypt and the 25 BRPs already.
There are now German soldiers on British soil. These pose a threat to Britain’s survival. Will she be able to repel the invaders? Will the Germans get a double turn over Fall-Winter or will that occur over the Winter-Spring 1941 turn? It makes a huge difference.
Stay tuned for the next session report and find the answers to these questions and more.
The Allies will go first in Fall 1940. They’ve been able to hold initiative for a very long time and this has caused all sorts of complexities and made this game completely different than any game I’ve ever played of 3R 4th edition.