J/F 1940 – Yep - Winter stayed with a Vengeance – Blizzard and Snow for Two Months
The Axis having decided to allow the Allies to go first. Weather roll is 9 + 2, for another 11 to continue the longest blizzard Europe has seen in decades. This will be a short turn as the impulse marker advances by 3 and there is a +2 on the next weather roll, so the Axis could well be rolling an EOT after only their 2nd impulse on a 7 and the Allies almost a guaranteed on a 9!
Allies 1st Impulse – The CW goes Naval and sends out Conv Escorts to all the Sea areas where their resources are being transported. Z Force sails into the N Sea to deter any breakout by the Kriegsmarine. France takes a no cost combined to conserve oil and sails a single CA on Escort duty. Some minor movement on the French front line as a couple of units are rotated. China takes the opportunity in horrific weather to adjust their lines and the USA sails a transport or two, but in general they are content to stay at home as the US Senate goes into winter recess. Turn impulse marker advances by 3.
Axis 1st Impulse – Germany takes a no cost land to complete their rails moves, Mil and SS units head to Poland by train to start garrisoning Poland, several reinforcements from Germany drive to the French and Belgium border. Italy remains at home comfortable for the long winter – blizzard in the Med deters any interest in any activity. Japan declares a no cost combined, mainly to conserve oil. Turn advances 3.
Allied 2nd Impulse – France rolls a 4 with a +3 for snow in Europe, storm in the Med and fine for the N Monsoon. All allied players take no cost combines as there is little to do, a Tpt from the UK drops off a 6 Mot Corps into France – the BEF starts to build up – it can now hold two hexes in France. Russia rails units to the Romanian border and rebases a couple of planes, US and China little activity – baby, its cold outside!
Axis 2nd Impulse. Germany Takes a combined and send out its U-Boats, including the KXIV (the captured Dutch boat) with a more than useful 5/2 speed and range – now German crewed. These search in three sea areas with moderate success. They roll three excellent rolls that has the CW on edge, rolling 2 - 3 - 2 in their three searches. The CW rolls 3 – 8 – 3, with the 3 – 8 split in the Faroes Gap, The Germans select the zero box and go after the convoys. Despite the heavy escorts the Germans lose no subs, rolling a 9 on their only D result, with the CW having 3 x Convs D, 3 aborted and the BS Valiant damaged by torpedoes as it fails its D save (3) – rolled a 1! Only 3 convoys left in the Faroes Gap, and the Brit hopes the Axis don’t end the turn. The Convoys lines are so dependant on lucky rolls for both sides. No EOT, 7 rolled, 4 needed – up by 3, the Allies get a bonus 3rd impulse, and a chance to refill the missing convoys in their supply chain. Japan takes a Land and GS the Chinese line, no success, 1’s and 2’s mostly needed, units move forward having recently arrived in theatre from Japan.
Allies’ 3rd Impulse. The CW takes a combined to reconstitute its convoy lanes, the other allies take ‘No Cost Combines’, China a land. With little air defence internally, the CW has three speculative Strat bombing raids against German industry and oil, needing 9’s and 10’s they miss all their targets. The US does what the US needs to do. Allies roll EOT with a 1, a 7 needed. Partisan roll is a 3 – Japan is happy, as no partisans this time for China, an attempt to stir unrest in Indo China is ruthlessly dealt with by French security forces rolling a 10. The US senate still in winter recess take no actions. Return to base, production with a bigger build for most and new units, followed by and reinforcements -the German Para arrives in Germany.
M/A 1940 – Belgium Falls
Initiative rolls and both sides roll 7 (France 7 and German 5+2) as the Axis had the initiative last turn, the Allies win draws, Axis do not demand a reroll and the Allies elect to go first – just in case the weather clears. Weather roll is a 10 – fine everywhere – the weather does clear. The CW go Naval – no surprise and sail both the Home fleet and Force Z into the North Sea to support the BEF and commits the rest of its ships to Conv Escort duty, preparation for the inevitable submarine warfare, especially after last turns U-Boat success. Transports deliver an Ind Corps to bolster the Gibraltar Garrison and the Mech XV Corps arrives to support the BEF. South Africans arrive in Egypt and Hurricane ftrs arrive in the Med to deter Italian interest now that the weather is clearing. France takes a land and moves recently arrived reinforcements to the front line from their RR in Paris in preparation for the German assault. Russia makes a DOW on Iran, rolling a 9 – so close to not losing a chit – the US Senate awakes from its winter recess and is not impressed by this Soviet aggression – the US loses another chit – back to only 1 in the German pool. Iran aligns with Japan, some free oil for Japan as the Siberians makes sort work of the Persian Cav defending the Mountain passes to Tehran. China awaits the assault in the South as the Japanese build up during the winter of J/F has seen both land and air units arrive to deal death and destruction with the Nationalists – well that is what the Japanese papers say.
Axis 1st Impulse, and Germany DOW on Belgium, rolling a 9! – no interest from the US senate who must still have gone back to winter recess – the US has been quite unlucky in the chit draws/loss and is now a minimum of 2 chits down in the German Pool. This has limited the Allies options, minimised US entry options and has emboldened the Axis. Belgium aligns with the CW and sets up a standard line of defence with a Corps in each of the three cities of Liege, Brussels and Antwerp. The German takes the low-risk option and overwhelms the two flanking cities at over 10:1 odds leaving Brussels for the 2nd Impulse. The Luftwaffe 5 factor Stuka attempted a surprise GS roll on the Belgium capital but must have got lost on the way, rolling two 7’s – no inversions Japan takes a Land and launches its attack against the Chinese ‘point’ mountain hex in Southern China, after a successful GS, inverting a Div and a Corps, the attack is led by GEN Yamashita with a +10 – chaos ensues as the Japanese rolls a 4 – the dreaded squiggle 14 – 3/1 loss, Japan lose 2 Corps and a Div for 1 x Chinese Gar Div – Tojo is not a happy man. Finally, it is clear, and the first major assault and it is a 14! Worse the mountain hex, remains in Chinese hands and the Japanese must do it all over again next turn – delays and lost units he doesn’t need or want. The Tehran MIL is called out to defend their capital. Italy sails a sub into the W Med to conduct training exercises.
Allied 2nd Impulse – The weather roll is a handy 4, Snow in the Artic and storm in the Temperate, up by 3, another short turn, and no air or GS against Brussels and a – 4 for the weather in the attack? fine in N Monsoon. The CW and French take land actions and advance across the Belgium border to support their minor ally, the Brussels Mil is called out to defend the capital, General Gort reinverts the Brussels Mil removing the +2, just to make it a little tougher for the German. Russia’s war in Iran, stalls in the Mud, and a CAV is railed to the Rumanian border as discussions about who owns Bessarabia begin between Moscow and Bucharest. China and the US await the Japanese response to the military disaster in the South
Axis 2nd Impulse - Germany takes a land in order to finish off Belgium, from 4 hexes, almost surrounded the Belgium defenders have an opportunity to inflict casualties on the German attackers as the assault is only a +12.4, a roll that can go either way. Led by GEN Von Bock, the German rolls a natural 15 for a TOTT roll – Brussels falls for no loss, no inversions. The Allies miss out on inflicting casualties on the German invader and the potential of a USE chit for ‘supporting a minor’. Germany rebases ftrs and bombers forward preparing for the French campaign. Italy and Japan take no cost combines to conserve oil. Hoping for clear weather next impulse The Axis do not roll EOT – Allies get another impulse. The German rails three more units to the Polish border and starts to build up his border garrison with Russia.
Allied 3rd Impulse – weather roll – 1! Blizzard again in Europe! EOT roll now 4. – Allied moves next week. A good session for the Allies, a short turn for J/F and likely for M/A allowing reinforcements to arrive. The bad weather has slowed any attempt by the German to exploit his early successes of the fine S/O turn. The disaster of the 14 roll in Southern China has cost the Japanese, time, units and resources – all of which he is short off. On the positive for the Axis the USE has been hammered, they should have at least two more chits in the German pool which has limited the Allies support from the US, minimised US entry options against the Axis and has emboldened the Axis. It has also constrained the CW as they cannot attempt a DOW against Italy as there is only 1 chit in the German Pool and with an 18, they are likely to lose 2 chits and that would be a disaster, even with two chits in that pool to loose 2 more chits (unless they are rubbish) will set back the US entry even further. The traditional N/D 41 or J/F 42 is now looking quite doubtful – but there is still time.
· TOTT – Top of the table 23 or more
· NCC - No Cost Combines – no oil used
· USE - US Entry
The Western Front - the first winter has been kind to the Allies -
no loses and only the immediate objectives taken by the Germans
The Western Front - the Germans are poised to start their French Campaign - just need some clear weather !
KXIV (the captured Dutch boat) with a more than useful 5/2 speed and range – now German crewed
KXIV (the captured Dutch boat) with a more than useful 5/2 speed and range – now German crewed
The Bear takes on Iran
The Japanese Southern Campaign stalls as the dreaded squiggly 14 is rolled by the Japanese 3/1 loss
Losses mainly for the Japanese which always hurts in the early game
