AUSGAME2 2023 – The Weather Pain Continues – No Fine Weather for Germany
JAN/FEB 1940 (Cont)
Allied 2ndimpulse, Germany’s fine weather hopes collapse as the Allies roll another 10 for weather - snow in N temp. The CW declare a Naval and commence the Norwegian mining option, a roll is a 5 dropping to a 4 for a good result. The US Senate fails to appreciate this act of blatant aggression – no US Chit loss. The CW sail escorts to their convs and search for the German Raider Kormoran and find her rolling a 1 after the Kormoran rolled a 1 to find the Convs! The Kormoran barely escapes the surprise of being found and is damaged, aborting back to Germany for repairs. The French, Russian and Chinese all take a NCC as bad weather is their best friend, and they need to do little.
EOT advances by 3.
Axis 3rd impulse. Weather roll and yep, another Storm – weather roll is a 7 but is modified to 10. This is effectively the sixth 10 or more for weather in only 9 rolls (discounting the starting weather set up) signaling the worst winter/weather on record. Germany takes a no cost Land to conserve oil. Italy takes a Naval and searches for the convoy in the Red Sea and finds it and its escort HMS Terror with a handy 9 – 2 split, the Terror is sunk, but the Italian joy is short lived as the search for CW convoys outside Gibraltar sees a 10-1 split in the CW favour sinking an Italian Sub and damaging the other. Japan conserves oil and takes NCC. Germany trips up again and rolls the EOT, which drops the initiative to +1 Axis. Again, the bad weather costs the German the 3 Swedish Resources – 2 BPs lost to the German production – more effective than Strat Bombing.
A Partisan turns up outside Hanoi as the French in Indochina oppress the locals, None for China as the Japanese ‘Hearts and Minds’ program seems to be working in placating the populace. RTB and production. US declare the loan of resources to China, failing the roll they move a chit to tension.
MAR/APR 1940 - More Weather Pain – No Fine Weather for Germany
Axis win the initiative and elect to go first with the hope of rolling high – they have done so all through N/D and J/F. With a +3 on the die roll they have a better than average roll of rolling Fine or Rain in the Temperate to get their plans in Europe back on track. But again, the dice Gods intervene and deliver a 3 +3 (6) for another STORM in the Temp – the German player cannot believe his bad luck.
Axis 1st Impulse, With no prospects of LAND OPS Germany takes a Naval, with Italy and Japan taking Comb actions. German sends its U-Boats and Raider hunting convoys but again roll without any success – enticingly just missing out by 1 on a ‘find’ in several sea areas. Supporting their ally they fly the LR Nav to the Red Sea and also sail their Tpts into the Baltic for later use to reinvert units. Italy’s Comb sees it advance and assault Alexandria. On a +14, rolling TOTT they capture the city and its major port, with no British reserves available the Italian will close the Suez. In the East and with fine weather in the N Monsoon, Japan takes a xx and attempts to GS the defenders of Kweiyang, the Chinese Airforce intervenes and aborts one bomber after being cleared through by a bounce combat – 1 bomber GS 1 Corps, the Japanese defer the city assault. EOT advances by 3!.
Allied 1st Impulse, The CW declare a Naval and sends out its escorts to protect its convoys, holding its Tpts in reserve to support and reinforce Belgium if the weather clears. Force Z sails into the Red Sea, 2 x old CVs and 4 x SCS it will deter the Italian CA in Asmara from interfering, no search by either side. The French take a land to reinforce their front line with the arrival of the 1stFrench ARMD Corps and AT Guns. Russia and China take no cost actions. The Russian build up for their invasion of Iran/Persia is now complete. EOT advances by 3.
Axis 2nd impulse. Weather - players in both camps hold their breath, Germany’s curse continues with him rolling a 4 – STORM again! silence in the room. Germany takes a no cost land to conserve oil and attacks the lone Polish 4.3 Inf on the outskirts of Warsaw, desultory success as the Polish Capital is now surrounded but remains in Allied hands. Italy and Japan take Combined actions. Italy advances towards Cairo and crosses and closes the Suez Canal to Allied shipping. The US Senate is appalled at this event and gains a chit. An Italian Div invades the mines in Cyprus, despite the rain, capturing them intact. With Fine weather in the N Monsoon, Japan takes a Comb and attempts to GS the defenders of Kweiyang again – it’s raining bombs, they GS a second Corps – its on. The Japanese attack on a +12 and despite Chiang HQ flipping to shift a -1, roll 14 (TOTT) and take the city. The Japanese success in capturing the city of Kweiyang is dulled as the Japanese commit atrocities and gift another chit to the US – two out of two failed USE rolls this turn will help the USE out immensely. EOT advances by 3 – Allies can now roll EOT on a 2! A probable two impulse turn so far and all in storm in the Temp Zone – Germany shakes his head!
Summary – A very disappointingly turn for the German (not for the Allies), the Axis weather has been even worse than the previous game – was that even possible? apparently yes. Despite misplaced optimism that the weather Gods would end up smiling on the Axis in 1940 and deliver 1 or 2 fine or rain impulses in 1940, the German hopes and prayers have been dashed by the dice. With no fine or rain and only Storms, for J/F and M/A, Warsaw remains in Allied hands, Belgium has yet to be invaded and France continues to build unhindered its AA, AT and Airforce - all of which creates more than a challenge when eventually the weather breaks and Germany attacks.
Worse, unless the weather clears in the next Axis impulse the M/J invasion of France will be delayed as Belgium will need to be taken before the German can cross the border soaking up at least one if not two impulses of the M/J turn – and there is NO guarantee that M/J will be a fine weather tun as any roll of 3 or less will result in bad weather and further delays. The German has only had two fine and one rain weather impulses in the game so far, and that includes the mandated 1st impulse of S/O 39 – 9 storm, snow and blizzard impulses out of 12 Impulses!
There is a slim hope that the Allies won’t end their current impulse on the 2, and that the German can then roll fine weather – DOW Belgium and clear Warsaw and then end the M/A turn, AND then win the M/J initiative (two rolls) as well as NOT rolling less than 3 in M/J to be able to hit the French line, in France rather than Belgium. This would be extremely unlikely as, the current trajectory of this game, despite the successes by the Italian (Egypt) and the Japanese in China, is not tracking well for the German’s conquest of France by end of 1940.
This game and the German prospects like our previous game will hang on the next three turns, M/A, M/J and J/A of 1940 for victory in France - fingers crossed we have some fine weather.
· ACFT – Aircraft
· Conv – Convoys
· EOT – End of Turn
· OOS – Out of Supply
· Rng - Range
· TOTT – Top of the table a 23 or more
USE – US entry rolls/chits
STORM says it all
Warsaw still in Allied hands M/A 1940
The Italians drive East and close the Suez - slamming the Med's back door closed.
Italy eyes off warmer climes and the unescorted convoys.
Success for the Japanese as another city falls and roads are built.
Minor casualties - Storms will do that.
I seem to recall the Axis had lousy luck early on with the weather in the previous War In Flames... Did their chances no good at all.
ReplyDeleteYes, and in the game when I was Germany the weather was also not good and the turns short. In the Vassal game the Germans had better luck. It's a complex game and bad weather means less ability to do things and shorter turns so it is a double hit.
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