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

AUSGAME 2022

July/August 42 – Barbarossa AGS Breaks the Russian Lines and Japan dominates the Pacific

Somewhat condensed version of our last session, this week no blow by blow, impulse by impulse description as a lot is happening ATM.

Summary

The dice gods have smiled on the Axis, in delivering no EOT rolls, excellent weather although there was a singled 10 rolled mid-session that made the subsequent weather roll a little more tentative for the German who expected a second 10. But it was fine, two 1’s for clear everywhere, even gave additional opportunities to the Japanese as 1’s are the only roll that gives them fine weather in the N Monsoon. The search rolls for the Japanese were very good and conversely for the US appalling with multiple 9’s rolled, the only 1’s and 2’s the US rolled were when they were trying to save D’s on ships -failed them all and yet again the Japanese rolled 9’s and 10’s on their save rolls – it was a night full of Japanese dice love.

Axis SITREP.

On the Russian Front, Army Group South (AGS) had multiple TOTT rolls destroying 2 x Russian units and blitzing the remnants multiple times and with no successful EOT rolls the German has broken the Russian defensive line in the South forcing the Russian to conduct a mobile defence as they retreat to the Dnieper River. Odessa is now cut off and there is the opportunity for the German now to get two turns in a row as it is their impulse with an EOT roll of 5, and if they win the initiative, it could spell disaster for the Russian. In the North, AGN has ground to a halt, militarily ‘culminated’ as most units are now inverted; land, acft and all the HQs. The Finnish air-force has arrived in Northern Russia to help replace some the German Ftr losses, their two Ftrs have pushed the Ftr balance in favour of the Axis. Next turn there are some opportunities for the Germans, but they would need to win the initiative and roll S/O fine weather. Italy attempted to contain the Allied, predominantly CW invasion of Denmark by railing units to Denmark and N Germany but railed too close to the front and paid the penalty for a long turn as the CW exploited its position landing extra HQs and ARM and attacking and destroying Graziani HQ. Not with out cost as every CW attack dice roll has been less than 3! With most of the Allies inverted now the initial treat to Germany - which was real – has been averted and the S/O German reinforcements will stop further exploitation from Denmark into Germany. Oslo is still in German hands. In the Med, the disappointing roll in Greece has meant that the Greeks are still ‘in the game’ and worse a distraction to both the Italian and German. The air war has been horrendous for a mid-42 turn with over 11 planes and 5 Axis pilots lost, the Italian air-force has been hurt badly, so the Med balance in the air has shifted to the Allies, this may not be regained for quite some time. Germany still has 2 x 7 Factor ftrs in theatre, but they have little to back them up which puts any NAV they escort at high risk.

Japan and an excellent session, as previously stated, the weather rolls of multiple 1’s giving them fine weather in the N Monsoon gave them multiple attack and manoeuvre options in the N Monsoon AO. The Japanese rolled TOTT in their attack against Batavia, and have taken the capital of Java, so the NEI will fall this turn. The search rolls for the Japanese were very good and conversely, for the US appalling with multiple 9’s being rolled, the only 1’s and 2’s the US rolled were when they were trying to save D’s on ships and they failed them all. In contrast the Japanese rolled 9’s and 10’s on their save rolls saving multiple ships – they lost none either X or D. The Japanese won this turn with few losses and sank the CV USS Hornet – no bombing of Tokyo this game. The defenders in Kwajalein repulsed the first US attack against the Island, and the convoys that were sent to supply/reinvert them at the EOT have yet to be found by the US searches despite multiple rolls. The Chinese attack, the first for ages was easily brushed off as the Japanese have had the time and weather to solidify their front lines. Now that Singapore, Burma and the NEI are in Japanese hands, only the Philippines needs to be ‘tidied up’ and then Japan can look at India or Australia as options for further expansion while the US is still understrength.

Allied SITREP.

The US had a tough time, their invasion of Kwajalein failed, with a mere exchange of single units, and although all the Islands Japanese garrison is inverted the Japanese has been able to keep it in supply hoping to reinvert them at the EOT, which is becoming increasingly likely. Despite multiple attempts with subs, acft, CV and CA’s the US has failed all their search rolls. The US sprung a late charge with their Pacific Fleet against the Japanese Convs in the China Sea that only had marginal escorts – but again got badly surprised rolling a 9 in their search with the Japanese rolling low, converting from air – in the subsequent combat they lost and damaged CA’s and when aborting the fight USS Hornet was found by a patrolling Japanese CA on a 2 roll in rain, and with a handy split the Hornet failed both D’s and was sent to the bottom of the Bismarck Sea. The CW expedition into Denmark has been marred by low rolls, and inversions – certainly the opportunity to enter Germany and threaten Keil has been lost. Better news in the Med as the air war shifted significantly in the Allies favour as both Axis Ftrs and Nav’s have been shot down, not without cost, but Italy always losses in an exchange as US/CW air is easier to replace than Italy’s. Greece has been a bonus a good news story in a turn that has shifted in the Axis favour both in the Pacific and on the Russian Front.

The Russians were looking very solid in the first few impulses but 5 impulses of fine weather is a god send to the German and that has been reflected in the advances by AGS – they needed it as AGN has been shut down by poor dice rolls by the German. Russian has held firm in the North but in the South has been forced withdraw as they head to their defensive positions on the Eastern bank of the Dnieper River. The recent TOTT rolls by the German has doubled the losses of Russian units and the line has been broken as they conduct a delaying defence. The S/O Russian reo’s will probably all be going to the South. The real danger to Russia is that the German gets two impulses in a row, ending this current impulse on a 5 and then winning the S/O initiative. If they do the German will have an opportunity to envelope the forward Russian units before they can withdraw to the Dnieper River and that could be a disaster for the Russian. Germany will also need not to roll snow which has been a trend for this game. The quest stands on a knife edge. Russia will be praying for 1 more impulse to get across the Dnieper and set their line. The good news for the US is that they have 3 x Essex Class CVs and 2 fast BS’s deploying to the Pacific, the Allies have made a dent into the Axis air, Greece is still active, and the Russian Northern Army has fought the German army to a standstill.

Next week a full day of gaming at a very interesting stage of the game with things happening everywhere and all players engaged.

· TOTT – Top of the table a 23 or more

· LOC – Line of Communications

· NCC - No Cost Combined – no oil used

· USE - US Entry