One Sided Miniature Wargaming Discourse: Don't Mention The War

AUSGAME2022

Allied 3rd Impulse – CW takes a combined, and a Transport from Britain picks up the British 8 ARM XXX in Bayonne as two loaded transports in the Bay of Biscay also abort back to the UK. There is no more BEF in France as it is welcomed back to Britain with tea and biscuits. Searches in the Med are fruitless for both sides. The US send another three ships to Pearl Harbour as China rearranges its line. Russia rails another HQ and two more units to the Sino-Russia conflict as the 3.4 Mongolian CAV trots into Khabarovsk to bolster the defence, vacating the resource hex.

Axis 4th Impulse – Germany and Japan having returned from their break roll clear weather on a 6, Germany now ruminating on missed opportunities of a potential longer than normal 3 impulse turn, declares a combined so he can launch his 7 U-Boats to inflict carnage on the CW convoys and then during the rebase phase, base out of Brest. The U-Boats don’t count on a run of good luck from the escorts with multiple finds by the RN rolling 2’s. Two U-boats are sunk, 1 damaged and the rest abort to Brest and Bordeaux for no loss to the convoys. Several more land units head to Bulgaria and the Greek border as well Stukas and some longer-range bombers. Italy takes a combined and rebase aircraft to the Med. Japan takes a combined and sails several more convoys to make use of the newly acquired resources and moves several land units towards the last major objective in the Far-East, the Russian city of Khabarovsk and capture another Russian resource.

Allied 4th Impulse, CW takes a land and assaults Tobruk, led by Alexander, the port is taken on a +14 TOTT roll destroying the two Italian defenders for no loss. Russia rails several more units to the Far East and reorganises its front line on the E Poland border with Germany. A Strat bomber leisurely bombs Mukden, costing the Japanese its valuable build points. The US takes a combined as three more ships arrive in Pearl Harbour. There are now 2 x CVs (Enterprise, Lexington) and 8 x slow BS in Pearl. China takes a no cost land and adjusts its front line. … and there it is again, a 1 for the EOT, rolled by the CW (2 needed) – again ending the turn on the first opportunity for the Allies. At least the German player feels somewhat vindicated that the J/A DOW against Russia would not have been a long turn. Partisan roll is a 9 with a partisan turning up in S China denying an unguarded resource. Bolstered by 5 chits, the USE chart is flooded with options. The US Senate alarmed at the recent alignments of Bulgaria, Rumania and Hungary to the Axis camp make the historic commitment to the Allies and declare the War appropriations Bill. This bill is the largest bill ever proposed by Congress. It approved $32 billion to provide additional weapons and tools of war, to increase ship production and to support the Allies. The bill took three to four hours of debate and although some representatives raised concerns, the House approved the bill unanimously, 371-0. Rep. Clifton Woodrum (D-Va.) was among the many who spoke in favour of the measure. “This bill today speeds up the great defence program, sends aid to those valiant people out there giving their blood in this cause, and sends them some implements with which they can fight this war,” he said. Given the vote count, it is evident that most of Woodrum’s colleagues shared that attitude.

The total $32,762,737,900 of war funds is broken down between departments. The War department will receive roughly $23.5 billion, with the goal of providing additional weapons to the 3.6 million men currently overseas. The Maritime Commission will receive $1.5 billion in direct appropriations along with $2.4 billion for ship construction. The funds will also provide $5.4 billion in Lend-Lease aid to U.S. allies.

“There will be a strain on manpower,” said Undersecretary of War Robert B. Patterson, warning of the consequences of not passing the bill. The funds, he explained, are needed to finance a vast flow of munitions. Army Deputy Chief of Staff R.C. Moore added that to ensure that troops are properly equipped, there must be “a necessary cushion to permit prompt and efficient supply.” All the material covered by the Department of War funds is expected to be produced this year. The army plans to spend about $14 billion for tanks, guns and ammunition, $4 billion for the expansion of war production, $3 billion for transportation, $1 billion for communication facilities and another $1 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers.

The Maritime Commission will build 1,476 additional cargo ships with a tonnage of 16 million tons, resulting in a total of 2,877 ships with a combined tonnage of nearly 31 million. Maritime Commission chairman Emory S. Land confirmed a scheduled production of 784 vessels for 1942—the commission will be able to construct two ships per day.

Return to base, production and reinforcement. The US declare 4 oil to the CW, and the British send 1 BP to the French.

S/O 1941 – GERMANY DOW V GREECE

Allies win the initiative as the Japanese rolls a 1, no contest as the Allies win ties – weather is also a 1 – fine everywhere, Germany and Japan groan, recognising the irony of fine weather ‘everywhere’ in S/O. The CW takes a naval and sends out Conv escorts to re-establish the convoys to and from the US and South Africa. Two transports and an Amph arrive in Gibraltar and are reinverted by Gort. The Med Fleet sail into the E Med escorted by a long range Ftr and Nav as rumours of impending invasion of Greece by the Axis circulate the Med. The presence of this British Fleet and its 5 x CVs will hopefully deter the Axis aggression against their peaceful Greek neighbour. Russia, with reinforcements placed, mostly in the Far East advance to clear the Japanese Manchurian TER off the trans-Siberian rail line and advance several more units towards the Russo- Sino border. The US takes a combined and sails a transport with a GAR cargo to Midway. China takes a land and adjusts its line, withdrawing low grade units and replacing them with high quality units. With the IJA heavily committed to fighting Russians in the North, there are opportunities for the Chinese.

Axis 1st Impulse– Germany and Italy DOW against Greece – the world is shocked as both roll less than 3, with 2 more chits going to the US German pool – no breaks for the Axis. Greece aligns with Britain. Germany takes a land and crosses the border from Bulgaria into Greece, advancing South along the coastal road. Italy takes a Combined and sails off the coast of Italy with 2 Divs that invade Greece and a Transport that disembarks the German 6.4 INF. No attacks as the Greek defenders are set up in the South guarding the approaches to Athens. Axis arcft patrol the E Med and hunt the Med fleet. They search and fine with a 2 shift split in their favour. They hold their shifts and line up for the air combat - first roll by the lead German Ftr 20! the British loose their 4 factor CVP and its pilot BUT the British then roll two 19s destroying both German and Italian Ftrs. The Italian NAV cleared through has no effect as the British AA gunner roll nothing under 4 clearing the skies. A lucky night for the Brits. Japan takes a Combined and sends its first Div to Truk, and two units are embarked destined for Russia. With clear weather and the running out of time, they launch an attack against Khabarovsk in the N East. The GS are marginal with only a Russian Div inverted, pushing on they assault the city on a +6.4 and roll one short, rolling 14 for a 20 for a 2/2 and half invert – so close - the city holds and the defenders (7.4 XXX Siberians) prey for snow.

Allied 2nd impulse – weather roll a 3, yep says the German “I expected that”- fine everywhere. Session ends, and next week the CW will take a naval and send 2 Corps into Greece and have 2 Corps ready to land with the potential of aligning Yugoslavia. This will be very inconvenient for the Axis, although they have several impulses to prepare for that contingency and attempt to stop the British from landing. The US will continue to reinforce the Pacific, and Russia will seek opportunities to inflict some losses on the Japanese. Life is getting tough for the Axis and the US having gained 7 chits in the last two turns is looking at making a DOW at any time – the clock is ticking at the rapid rate – tick tock.

· EOT – End of Turn

· BP - Build Point

· TOTT – Top of the table a 23 or more

· LOC – Line of Communications

· NCC - No Cost Combined – no oil used

· USE - US Entry