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

AUSGAME 2022

M/A 1943 Germany Defends Ukraine but Loose Denmark.

Axis 1st Impulse – having been gifted the initiative with Stalin’s roll of a 1, the Axis rolled 9 for fine weather, with rain in the Arctic. Germany takes a Land and breathes a sigh of relief as it is now able to reorganise its frontline before the Russian can take advantage – post Ukraine alignment, and the holes left in the line by the withdrawal of the SS units. It flies a couple of disruptive GS in an attempt to invert the Russian’s big ARM/MECH stacks as a pre-emptive strike. Russian acft naturally intercept and shoot down one German 7 factor Ftr. Bombers are aborted and no Russian units suffer inversions. Japan takes a Combined and attack a second partisan stack in the mountains of SE China – rolling TOTT (23) they destroy another 2 partisan units and clear SE China of pesky partisans. With no inversions and no losses, as their land war continues unabated. Long rng acft cover the three critical sea areas that bring in essential raw materials from their conquests: the South China Sea, China Sea and the Sea of Japan. Submarines are sent out to patrol multiple sea areas with only a single search finding a CW conv off the coast of Sydney – Australians turn the harbour bridge lights off. The subs apparent aim now is to interdict the movement of reinforcing US shipping. Italy takes a combined and sends its Z511 Nav into the 4 box of the Black Sea flying 19 hexes from Greece, it fails to find the Russian Tpt that is keeping Odessa in supply now that Ukraine has ‘switched sides’ and refusing to supply the Russian defenders. Italian submarines sail out before the CW escorts sail, a good plan which sees the convoys found in the S Atlantic off S America with 3 sunk and 3 aborted and all the escorts cleared, for the cost of an Italian sub. EOT goes up by 1.

Allied 1st Impulse– The CW takes a Naval and the US a combined with Russia and China taking land actions. The CW sails its escorts and fleets into the North and Baltic Sea embarking INF, MTN and MAR units threatening invasion if the weather clears. A search in the Baltic finally find the three Finnish Convs which are quickly despatched by 15” gunfire from British BS. The British sub off the Italian Coast also finds and sinks the Italian Conv off Sardinia- a change in CW luck?. Russian land attempts GS on the hexes in the Dnepropetrovsk Cauldron, after last month’s success in crossing the Dnipro but results are poor with only a single success against the German defenders. Using Zhukov, the Russians valiantly launch a +6 Blitz attack across the Dnieper but are betrayed by less than friendly dice, a low 6 rolled, resulting in a -/-. The German commander of AGS breathes a huge sigh of relief as this failure now shuts down the Russian offensive capability as much of the Russian air and HQs are now used up. No land losses for either side but the Luftwaffe also shoot down two escorting Russian Ftrs and both their pilots leaving the Russian bombers vulnerable, they sensibly RTB. Germany lose a Rumanian Ftr and a Stuka in exchange – but it was the 6 rolled by the Russian which was the major victory. The US combined sees it invade Morocco, capturing the port of Mogador, finally the advance and liberation of Vichy’s N African possessions begins, albeit late. A bonus for the Allies in Denmark as the GS from Indian Arty and US bombers flips all the German defenders of Frederikshavn and supported by shore bombardment from the RN and led by Eisenhower, the US blitzes to take the port, destroying all of the defenders for no loss. In the Pacific Lots of US acft are rebased to forward airfields with several air missions into the Bismarck Sea in a denial of the sea are operation.

China flies a GS and escorts but a disaster in the air for the Chinese air-force as they lose both (all) their Ftrs and both pilots, an expensive loss for the fledgling air-force. It has been another ‘good’ night for the Japanese. The Chinese bombers having lost their ftr escort are aborted and with no successful GS, no attacks by the Chinese. EOT advances by 1.

Axis 2nd Impulse– Weather roll is 4 - bad weather, Snow in the Arctic and Storm in the Temp, and rain in the Med as Germany takes a land to further bolster its frontline in Russia, mainly to minimise any opportunities for the Russian in the snow. Italy takes a NCC, conserving oil and sails a replacement conv to secure the Sardinian resource. Japan takes a Combined action, and with bad weather all round there is little action. EOT advances 3.

Allied 2nd Impulse– The CW and US both take combined actions The CW search for the Italian Convoy and the unescorted Italian Nav, flying a Beaufort Ftr from Malta – no find in the rain. US forces in Morocco enter Casablanca, unopposed they visit Rick’s Cafe – of all the gin joints etc etc. Land units are ferried to the Copenhagen mainland and both the US and CW rebase lots of acft. Russia looks for attack opportunities, but bad weather and no German inversions means no attacks. EOT advances 3.

Axis 3rd Impulse – The Axis roll a 6 for marginal weather, Storm in arctic and rain in the temp fine everywhere else. Germany takes a naval as it is simply not threatened on the land by the Russians. In a brilliant piece of seamanship, the German transport Captain sails past the entire Allied fleet in the Baltic, and under the cover of darkness embarks the 8.3 in the Estonian port of Parnu and then sails past the entire Allied fleet again (3’s needed for a find) and sails into Copenhagen reinforcing the occupied Danish Capital. The single German 5 INF is now 13 points now that the 8 has arrived, to keep these in supply a single convoy is sent into the Baltic Sea and is escorted by massed air. The other 5 INF from Parnu is also embarked as a Norwegian Tpt sails into the zero box – its Captain and cargo hope that under the cover of bad weather and Axis massed air they are not found by the now slightly embarrassed Royal Navy. The German U-Boats sail and fail to find. However, a combined fleet of German, Italian and Vichy French subs sail into the Cape St Vincent off Gibraltar to hunt for the US Amph that has been sent down to the 0-box, post invading Morocco. They roll a find but with a marginal split go after the Allied Convoys, 3 are sunk and 3 aborted. In the second roll, they roll an 8 and are found by the patrolling escorts, with a handy 3 shifts the Allies go sub hunting, and sink two Vichy and an Italian sub as well as the Vichy CA Primaguet. The Vichy Navy exercises its maritime rights and patrol the W Med in force, Italy saving valuable oil, takes a NCC and Japan takes a Combined. Japan reinforces its maritime patrols and redeploys several land units after their successful partisan sweep advancing in SE China. Acft are rebased as the EOT advances by 2, Allies can roll EOT on a 1!

Allied 3rd Impulse– The US takes a Naval and the CW a combined. The CW Flies multiple air missions into the E and W Med, off the Italian Coast and the Bay of Biscay – joys of taking a combined. Convs are re-established, one by the US and one by the CW. Liberator long Rng Maritime Nav patrol the Bay of Biscay hoping to interdict returning Subs as they return home to French Ports. The Italian Convoy is also found as CW Acft start to dominate the Med as Germany pulls its Ftrs away to fight on the Russian front and face the increasing threat from the occupation of the Denmark peninsular. In Europe, the US returns back multiple Tpts to the US to pick up the massive M/J reinforcements, and Trpts from the US arrive in Europe. In the Pacific the US sails into the Solomon Sea embarking Marines for relocation forward. More acft and ships arrive at the forward operating bases, as the Pacific fleet gains another CV and additional ‘quality CVPs’. Russia takes a combined and sails its CA Squadron from Leningrad into the Baltic to attempt to search for the German Conv and Tpt and its cargo of German Inf – they fail to find. Minor adjustment on the line although the HQ is railed to the Japanese front. EOT 1 not rolled, advances by 2, Axis can now roll EOT on a 3!

Axis 4th Impulse – Weather roll is a 4, Snow in the Arctic and rain and storm elsewhere. Germany takes a no cost land, conserving oil, as the INF on the Norwegian tramp steamer in the Baltic is unloaded into German to be welcomed by bands playing and relieved relatives on the wharf. Some minor reorganisation on the front lines, especially in the North where attacks from the Russians in snow is likely. Italy takes a NCC and sails another conv to ship the Sardinian resource. Japan declares a land and assaults Nationalist city of Nanning – they roll a 12 on their +7 attack for a 2/2 – first land losses for the Japanese, leaving a single Chinese gun defending the city. Italy NCC. EOT Roll was a 5, 3 needed EOT advances by 3, Allies can end on a 6 or less.

Allied 4th Impulse – China breathes a sigh and reinforces the lone gun defending Nanning as the war of attrition in SE Asia continues. The US takes a Combined and sails into the Bismarck Sea and invades the NEI island port of Kao, capturing the port – the US now has a base into the South China Sea – the US has now signalled the intent to bring the war to Japan. The CW takes a combined and at the request of the Russian Government a 2.4 Aust Div arrives in Brandah Shapur aboard the CA Jamaica, and immediately attacks the Persian Partisan – job done, mainly an issue of supply for the Russians.

Axis 5th impulse – Weather is an 8 Fine everywhere, rain in the Arctic. Japan takes a combined and sails the Strike fleet, escorted by land based ftrs int the Bay of Bengal to hunt for the patrolling British Acft, luckily for the Brit’s they fail to find. Japan ships a land unit into the Island group to curtail US expansion and considers an assault to recapture Kao, wisely they decline as the Pacific Fleet is in the Bismarck Sea and more than happy to provide shore and air support. Germany takes a land, seeing that the Russian has removed its defensive air protecting the Dnepropetrovsk bridgehead, the German launches a Blitz attack against the defenders, 61 point sv 20 for a +7.9 Blitz and with an above average roll of 14 blitzes the hex and the Russian defenders for no loss, clearing the Russian bridgehead and re-establishing control of the West bank of the Dnieper – good roll and play. A hole is formed on the East bank of the Dnipro – if the Axis can only end the turn EOT 8 needed, Axis rolled 9 – bonus impulse for the Allies.

Allied 5th Impulse – The CW take a combined and the US and Russia takes a land actions. Flying another Nav and 7 Ftr into the Italian Coast the British searches again but fail to find the Sardinian Convoy. However, the Italian unescorted Nav in the 2 Box and the CA Pola in the 3 box find the 6 CW aircraft with an inconvenient roll of 3 and unable to avoid combat look to loose both an expensive Nav and the CA as the air to air is a +5 in the CW favour and the cleared through bombers result in a X on the CA Pola. BUT luck is on the Italian side as he rolls a 10, saving the Pola and the Nav, on a very average roll by the CW Ftrs gets an AA – the CW is not happy. No find on the 2nd search round so the Sardinian resource will get through. The first of the British Lancaster’s flies extended range and bombs the benzol oil plant at Linz in Austria, rolling a 10 - this month’s production is shut down. Russia’s attempt to attack the Ploiesti oil field fails, rolling a 1 – the Russian is not having a good night. Germany’s critical vulnerability is its oil as it is down to 6 oil and with the 1943 50% increase in oil cost, it is only just balancing its oil usage v its production, a long turn Germany will run out of oil as they can only fund 4 x land actions. If the Allies can successfully target the German oil, Germany will struggle to conduct offensive operations, Italy may not be getting any oil in the summer turns.

Russia takes a land and uses 6 O-points to flip Rokossovsky in an attempt to make some progress against the German line at its weakest, targeting the Ukraine 3 factor MIL and a German Mech – even an exchange would be nice, a retreat even better. The Russian attacks on a +3 Blitz and rolls a ‘Putin’ roll of 4! – losing two units including his only ENG. The Russian has had a rough time with the dice this turn – only managed to scrape together two attacks in 5 impulses and rolled a 6 on the first and a 4 on the second. It would appear that the dice Gods are no friends of Stalin, we are now calling these rolls ‘Putin rolls’ for obvious reasons. Russia shuffle reinforcements South to fill the hole in the line and avoiding a calamitous breakthrough. On a brighter note, the combined US and CW forces take advantage of the extra fine turn and not only find and sink the Norwegian tpt and conv in the Baltic but successfully GS one of the Corps in Copenhagen – leading the way USA – the combined attack is a +10 with a TOTT roll as another Axis occupied capital and country is liberated.

EOT Roll, Allies finally end the games longest M/A turn, partisan roll is a 2 and 9 with two Partisans turning up in China – it would appear the recent Japanese partisan sweep has been upsetting a few of the locals. Rebase, production and reinforcement.

M/J 1943 – The Axis win the Initiative.

The Axis rolls a 9 against the Russian’s roll of 2, Russia roll is a 100% improvement on their last turns 1! The Allies demand a re-roll and the US aiming to improve on Stalin’s rolling skills, yep, rolls another 2, the German, similarly consistent rolls another 9 and seals the initiative of this important guaranteed clear weather turn for 1943. Axis go first, weather is an 8 – fine everywhere.

Next week, the Germans will need to prepare for Allied invasions, and with unfettered access into the Baltic and importantly tracing supply the Allies can now threaten the German home land and freely enter Russian controlled Baltic states to assist in shortening the Russian line and bringing US Combat power against the German front line. Japan will need to be alert to Allied moves as the Pacific Fleet, now reinforced with additional ships and CVP’s can wield a CV fleet at a +10.5 Ftr A2A rating and over 35 Air 2 sea factors – more than enough to combat Japanese naval ops. US Land based air have arrived as well as the odd CW (Aust) acft. It should be quite interesting in the Pacific from now on with Japan’s ascendancy now capable of being challenged both at sea and in the air.

· TOTT – Top of the table a 23 or more

· LOC – Line of Communications

· NCC - No Cost Combined – no oil used

· USE - US Entry