Our previous game was abandoned after only one post:

https://onesidedminiaturewargamingdiscourse.blogspot.com/2023/08/ausgame2-2023-war-is-declared-again.html

The following is the start of a new game and is Mike's post from the World in Flames Facebook group. Mike is the host, and I am the Commonwealth player.

AUSGAME 2024 NEW GAME

Late in 2023, after a hard-fought win by the Allies with our last game going to M/A 45 – players changed nations, options selected, and plans of conquest were made. Our group kicking off another game in late AUG 23 and played the first few turns before the games host, AKA Japan/Italy took long service leave and went off to Europe for 7 weeks holiday and the RWC23.

We recommenced mid-NOV on the J/A 40 turn and it was a disastrous game for Germany and the Axis. We played through to the end of 1940 with Germany not taking Paris and with few options the Axis conceded the game and we started with no change to the nations players. Fundamentally, the weather rolls killed this game combined with very short turns, mostly two impulses and Germany’s extremely poor attack dice rolls v France – lots of 3’s and 5’s. AUSGAME3 of 2023 – S/O 39 to N/D 40 saw Germany only get 20 Impulses, an average of 2.5 impulses per turn, with only 8 fine weather impulses, against 12 bad weather – see table below. Germany rolled 6 x 5’s or less on attack rolls against French units and only captured Lodz on the N/D 40 fine impulse – the Axis position was untenable.

Weather and Turn Summary – AUSGAME3

F Fine, R Rain, Stm - Storm, Sn - Snow, Blz - Blizzard, IMP Impulses for the turn

1939

S/O – 5 IMP = 1st F, 2nd, F, 3rd F, 4th R and 5th Blz– (10) also init -1 3F

N/D – 2 IMP = 1st Stm (8+2=10), 2nd R NIL

1940

J/F - 2 IMP = 1st Stm, 2nd Sn, EOT 1 also init -1 NIL

M/A -2 IMP = 1st Stm, 2nd Sn, Axis rolled EOT 1!

M/J - 3 IMP = 1st F, 2nd R, 3rd R, Axis rolled EOT 1! 1F

J/A - 3 IMP = 1st F, 2nd, F, 3rd F, also init -1 3F

S/O – 2 IMP = 1st Stm (10), 2nd R, Allies rolled EOT 1! NIL

N/D – 3 IMP = 1st Stm, 2nd F, 3rd Bz (10) 1F

Total Axis Impulses 20

FINE Weather Impulses – 8

BAD Weather Impulse - 12 – 7 being Storm or Blizzard.

Normally our gaming group has tacitly agreed that only the Allies can surrender a game – but we have now changed that for the first time to allow the Axis an option to surrender if Paris has not fallen by the start of J/F 1941 turn. Paris is the key to allowing Germany campaigning options, either 41 Barbarossa, 41 Spain or 41 MED first policy. With France still viable in 1941, with a potential of not falling till late 41 or worse 42, AUSGAME3 was deemed unplayable.

AUSGAME1 2024 - WAR IS DECLARED AGAIN – DOESN’T GERMANY EVER LEARN!

SEP/OCT 1939

With the reset – and all players retaining their previous nations – including a hopeful German, praying for more than 3 clear weather impulses in 1939 and 7 in 1940 (10 in total), our AUSGAME1 2024 launched.

Axis 1st Impulse, Germany and Japan both took Land actions, Italy its mandated Comb. Germany DOW v Poland, USE roll avoided the second chit. Poland aligned with the CW setting up two units in Lodz and the ‘wagons’ around Warsaw. Germany’s GS with a Stuka for each Lodz and Warsaw which were both successful – shocking everyone, with all Polish city defenders flipped. A +12.3 assault is launched against Lodz, +17 roll for TOTT result. A 2-hex blitz on the hex SW of Warsaw at +19.7 is again TOTT. Italy sailed a sub to Cape St Vincent on a training exercise.

Japan’s Land saw a single attack against the forward Nationalist MIL defender, who was sacrificed for the ‘greater good’ knowing that they gave a Cadre (1BP) and a roll on the USE of 4 or less every city captured. Changsha is captured, no USE and an early attempt to Strat bomb Chinese production with a L/Rng NAV misses. EOT advanced by 1.

Allied 1st Impulse, France and CW’s DOW v Germany costs a single USE Chit. CW and French Res were placed. The CW Naval sent out a 3 x CV based Fleet out to the N Sea and multiple SCS to escort Conv’s. Both Gort and Wavell HQs arrive in France – looks like the BEF will be bigger than normal with the CW committing both HQ’s to France putting the defence of Egypt at risk if the Italians get ‘frisky’. British HQs reinverted their Tpts to enable a second sealift of CW units. France takes a No Cost Land and sends units to the front line and reinverts its Res with their HQ’s. Having learnt from the last game, the German had placed Rundstedt in the woods south of Berlin, safe from surprise GS. French attempted a GS v German Arty in woods near the Belgium border, adjacent AA let a single factor through for NE. China vacated the forest resource hex in SE China and double stacked its line where it could, flipping several units to get into the Mtns. The Communists vacated Sian which was then occupied by the Nationalists.

Russia decided to take an interest in Iranian politics/oil and sent Zhukov to the border to conduct exercises. Russian long Rng Acft arrived for flight training. The 2 x Polish planes are interned in Lithuania with their pilots sent to the UK for retraining on British acft. EOT advanced by 1.

Axis 2nd Impulse, 2ndAxis impulse sees a weather roll of 10 rolled, disastrous for the Axis with storm in the N temp zone – Déjà vu – the first weather roll of the game and it is a 10! Atrocious weather everywhere, and EOT advances by 2. Germany calls out its Res and takes a naval to contest the North Sea and hopefully complicating the Norwegian mining attempts. Search rolls in the North Sea sees a 10- 2 split against the German with the CW damaging 3 German SCS for only 1 CW CA, the Nord Fleet was completely surprised – not a good start for the Kriegsmarine. Both fleets stayed and with 9 and 10 rolled, no further finds. The last remaining German BC will affect the mining of Norway. Sub rolls in Faeroes is a 10 v a 4, no find and in the N Atlantic rolled a 2 (1 needed) v a 7. U-Boat searches fail to find convoys, same, same for the RN escorts. Japan and Italy Comb, Italy sailed a CA to the Red Sea on a training exercise, British Merchant ships wave a friendly hello. Japan’s Comb sees units sail into Canton in anticipation of the opening of the N Monsoon campaigning season, the vacated Chinese resource hex is occupied, and acft rebased South. EOT advances by 2.

Allied 2ND Impulse, Allies kick off their 2nd impulse, CW declared a Comb which saw them postpone the mining of the Norwegian coast and instead move 2 x Tpts out of France through the N Sea. German attempts to find failed as they rolled an 8. These CW Tpts embarked/disembarked 2 CW Corps in France. The CW started the strategic bombing campaign with a pamphlet drops. France took a NC Land and advanced to the Belgium Border. Russia NCC entered East Poland but failed to trigger a USE entry chit – the US Senate remains silent. China took a no cost Land.

Axis 3rd Impulse, The Axis hopes of fine weather continue to be dashed as Germany rolls bad weather. Germany takes a no cost Land to conserve oil, Japan and Italy a Comb. Axis rolls a 3, EOT! -1 Initiative, down to +1 Axis. No Partisans turn up – too cold, RTB and production. US Senate declares Chinese acft production is approved which is barely reported in the Washington post – no tension.

NOV/DEC 39

After EOT actions, initiative rolls see the Axis win, but hand it to the Allies as the weather modifier is +2 an the weather will be bad, and not wanting the +1 to the Axis further reduced the Allies go first. The Allies (US Player) rolls an unexpected 1 giving the Axis their second fine weather in the N temp.

Allied 1st impulse, Both the CW and France take a naval action, dominating the North Sea and escorting Convs. The Allied Combined fleet in the North Sea will deter intervention by Axis and set up the Norwegian mining option. China and Russia take a no cost land actions. The Russian build up on the borders of Iran is alarming despite platitudes from Stalin, the threat of invasion is clearly imminent. China steps back in the North anticipating an attack by the Japanese.

Axis 1st Impulse, with unseasonably fine weather, Germany DOW on Netherlands, NO US Senate. Italy seeing an opportunity to capture the Suez and sink a loaded Tpt DOW on the CW taking a Naval action – no interest from the US Senate as support for the Old Country is on the nose - no USE chit. The Italian subs sail and find in several sea areas cutting off supply and sinking, multiple Convs and the CA Birmingham. Invasion forces are loaded and escorted into the E Med as LAND OPS v Egypt are placed on hold. In Poland the 2 x defending Corps are successfully GS in Warsaw, Germany declares a +13.5 assault – but the dice Gods again intervene with the German rolling a 5, Warsaw is saved, a full invert for the German and only the Polish Div eliminated. Amsterdam is overwhelmed at +20 and triple stacks are moved to the Belgium border. The 19 long range Nav is rebased to Libya to spt the Naval dominance of the Med. Japan

Allied 2nd Impulse, The fine weather collapses – no Belgium DOW 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 4. The US Senate fails to appreciate this act of blatant aggression – no USE loss. ion and the US lose a USE chit. The French, Russian and Chinese take a no cost land. And shuffle the deck chairs as bad weather is their friend.

Axis 2nd impulse. With bad weather, Germany takes a Comb. A Nav flies to the Red Sea and the 2 x U-Boats sail. Naval search rolls all failed, with a 5 in the Red Sea, 6 in Bay of Biscay and 7 in N Atlantic. Italy takes a land, disembarking loaded Tpts and advancing towards Alexandria. Japan’s combined sees reinforcements arriving in China, shipped from Japan, and Acft and land units relocated to help with Partisan control. The Axis fail to roll EOT.

Allied 3rd impulse, The weather roll of 8 modified +2 to a 10 – this is the 4th weather of 10 for only two turns of this game – shades of the previous game. The CW took a Comb and restocked some convoys. With Egypt under pressure, CW rails an ATK gun into Cairo and the other Allies all pass -1 off the EOT roll. Luck is again with the Allies as they roll the required 6 to roll EOT, well done Allies. Minor plus for the Axis as the initiative moves back to +2 Axis. With ONLY the inverted British ATK unit in Cairo – Egypt would have fallen. However there are 2 x Egyptian TER on the spiral which will complicate Italy’s Egyptian campaign. With Norwegian Seas mined, and snow in N temp - no Swedish resources for Germany this turn. No Partisans, RTB and production. US Senate declares that they will provide East Coast escorts but this creates tension in the diplomatic circles of Washington.

AUSGAME2 2023 – The Phony War Begins

JAN/FEB 1940

A new year and Germany declare a shipment of 3 x oil to Italy to support its war machine. J/F 1940 kicks off with the Axis winning and taking the initiative with a roll of 4 v the Allies 3. Despite the prospect of more bad weather and tempted by the lack of CW escorts – most have returned back to base, the Axis elect to go first – Germany and Italy take Comb and Japan Land.

Axis 1st Impulse, A roll of 2 +2 (4) for bad weather and worse, another storm in the N Temp. Germany and Italy take Comb actions. In the Red Sea, Germany’s BV-138 Nav finds in the Red Sea as does the CW CA HMAS Liverpool, the Conv is sunk, and the CA HMAS Liverpool aborts to India. In the Cape St Vincent the Italian Subs, aided by lax ‘lights out’ protocols and few escorts find and sink 3 convoys but the rest escape back to the UK thanks to a handy 1 rolled by the CW. German U boat search rolls fail to find in the Central Atlantic as do the searches in the Faroes Gap. # more Italian land units advance to Alexander as an Italian bomber turns up to assist with the campaign to liberate Egypt from the CW oppressors.

Japan’s Land in the N Monsoon sees a +8 assault in S China fail badly with a poor roll of 5 resulting in a 2/1 loss – not a great start to the N Monsoon campaign for the Japanese – two losses and all inverted on the first attack roll of their first impulse.

END OF SESSION

Summary – Disappointingly, for the Axis the weather has been worse than the previous game, but it is still early days, and the weather Gods may end up smiling on the Axis in 1940 – only time and the dice rolls will tell. Warsaw is still stoically defending against the Germans - the weather has again saved them. Netherlands is conquered and aligned with Britain, and the German Army is on the borders of Belgium just waiting for the weather to clear. Italy is at war with the CW and threatening Egypt while the enlarged BEF drunkenly celebrates Christmas in France bedding down for the winter. The CW convoys have been targeted and has seen some success by Axis subs and raiders despite some excellent low ‘save’ dice rolls from the CW – who has rolled multiple 1’s and 2’s on searches. However, the CW convoys have been reduced to 79, which is starting to impact on CW builds by a few BPs as it has not been able to supply the mandatory 15 Res to the UK factories. Japan has made slow progress capturing two resources but has reduced Chinese BPs with an audacious long-range CAV Corps occupying the mines of Northern China - they could be there for a while. The USE is slower than the previous game in part due to lack of Axis activity but also some 'saved' dice rolls by the Axis, the US is doing what it does best - building stuff. We await 1940 with anticipation and a hint of trepidation.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE WIF GAMERS – MAY YOUR DICE BE KIND AND ALL THE BEST FROM THE GUYS IN THE WEST – OZ THAT IS.

· 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