Russia Revolution and Civil War 1917-1921

A Xmas present for myself which amazingly I have finished reading well before next Xmas.  A non trivial task with a 500 page book on a complex subject.

I am a fan of Anthony Beevor's books and have enjoyed them all except perhaps the one on the Spanish Civil War.  I got lost in that book with all the acronyms describing the various parties in the war.  The same could happen with this book, but I had the benefit of knowing more of the names, factions and geography based on other readings and perhaps most of all, having played numerous games on the area and subject, most recently Reds! and Red Star White Eagle.

At times reading this book it was as if  present day fighting in Ukraine was a mere continuation of the conflict that was always simmering and was finally unleashed by the pressures of WW1 on the Russian Empire. 

Exceedingly brutal and inhumane.  

The book's conclusion sums things up perfectly:

"Spiritual values never stood a chance against a fanatical determination to destroy all those of the past, both good and bad."

"All too often the Whites represented the worst examples of humanity. For ruthless inhumanity, however, the Bolsheviks were unbeatable."

I think a lot of that inhumanity was subsequently spread around the world and is still with us today.

Don't Mention The War - Part 36 via Facebook

AUSGAME 2023

MAR/APR 1944

GAME REPORT – 3 WEEKS OFF – COVID19.

Axis 2nd Impulse – Weather roll is a 4, SNOW in the Arctic, with bad weather everywhere else, though fine in the N Monsoon, +3 to the EOT and +1 to the next weather roll. EOT advances by 3. Axis kick off this session as the Japanese player returns from his Pacific Cruise and an enforced 2 weeks of Covid 19 recovery – he was not well. Japan and Germany take land actions and Italy a no cost land to conserve oil. Japan spends 7 O-Points to reinvert the Umezu HQ in S China as he is alone on the front-line and the Japanese need to redress their front line. Canton can no longer be shipped resources by rail as the Nationalist interdict the hex – Japan down a Red factory and a resource – and so it begins. The 4.2 Partisan in Vietnam attacks an inverted Chinese Nationalist Gar unit in the mountains and rolls an impressive 17 destroying the 3.1 Gar for no loss and remaining upright. The Siamese unit in Burma was not so lucky, eliminating itself against the staunch defence offered by an Aust Div supported by shore bombardment. Japanese land units readjust their line in S China and rail further units to garrison the Russo-Sino border – it is touch and go if the Russian can break the pact in J/A turn as Japan is matching off against the Russians being railed East. Japan is however, running out of units – the Nationalist success in S China have reduced the number of land units in the South and with fine weather the Communists will become active. Germany concedes a hex of the Pripet Marshes and moves winterised units to the point hexes to prepare for Stalin’s next assault as the Arctic is in snow. German units and the odd Italian Unit is railed to mainland Italy.

Allied 2nd Impulse – With Snow in the Arctic, Russia declares a land action but kept its O-points rather than declare a land offensive. The Russian GS the German line and rolled well in the air battles and with GS, continuing the low rolls in the A2A combat several German acft were lost but the pilots were saved. The low rolls should have been a red flag (forgive the pun) of things to come as 3 attacks were declared. A 2-hex assault on Vilna at +8.6 saw a roll of 6 for the dreaded ~14, Russia loses 3 units for a Div loss to the German. A 2-hex assault in the Pripet marshes at +12, roll of 8 for a 20 - 1/2s against the sole defender. Finally, a 3 hex blitz SW of Kiev using Zhukov at +10.7, overall roll of 10 for 1(hard hex)/B as the stack is only bounced back to Berlin. Russia lost 5 units to Germany’s 2 – not a good winter offensive result.

In the Pacific the fine weather in N Monsoon allows the US to declare a combined, and sails a CA into the China Sea to find the Japanese CA in the top box and if they get a big split attack the Conv and its escorts in the zero box – the US rolls a 10, a definitive fail, the Japanese rolls a 9 so no find. The US reinforce the Philippines, Manila is now surrounded, attempted GS, needing 1’s fail so no attack as the Japanese dig in. The CW takes a Land action, as they slowly advance in Sicily despite the mud, units shuffle on the border of Bulgaria and in Greece and over in the Pacific British units retake Rangoon. Japanese land units still occupy the valuable Burma oil fields, but time is running out as they are now cut off from supply. US and CW Marines also invade the islands on the Dalmatian coast, preparing to create another front for the Axis to deal with. France takes another naval and ships units to France and Corsica. Allies fail to roll EOT on a 1, and the turn advances by 3, Axis can end the turn on a 4.

Axis 3rd Impulse – Weather roll is a 2, Blizzard in the Arctic bad weather everywhere else!, +3 to the EOT and +1 to the next weather roll. Germany takes a land action, Italy a no cost land and Japan a Comb. The German and Italian rail units to counter the Dalmatian coast incursion, The Russian front line is re-established, and Germany’s strategic Reserve of an 8-6 and 7-6 ARM are railed to Rumania and reinverted as the Russian front line in AGS has no depth. Ftrs are rebased to Russia knowing that reinforcing Ftrs will turn up in Germany next turn. Japan commits his Reserve fleet into the 1 Box in the China sea to hunt the US land-based air, in an attempt to attrition the US air advantage before the US Pacific fleet arrives – Japan rolls a find and surprises the USA as he rolls a 10! Handy 3 – 10 split and one round of air combat sees the PBY Cat is shot down and the CA Chester sunk, Second search and the US finds and elects to sink the Japanese CA Chikuma in the 4 box (failed both D’s), declining to engage the Japanese Conv in the 0 box and its CA escorts, 3rd round US rolls another 10 (a theme for the US) and the Japanese an 8 – no find. The Japanese has failed to clear the skies and nervously awaits the EOT roll as the US Pacific fleet ‘starts its motors’. Axis fail to roll EOT (4 needed).

Allied 3rd Impulse – A bonus impulse for the Allies, especially the US who is keen to attack the Japanese Imperial Navy which has now been fully committed to the 1 Box in the China Sea – any find by the US will be very expensive for the Japanese as the US air factors from both Land based and CV Acft is significantly in the US favour. But lady luck is on the Japanese side as they roll a 1 and the US rolls another 10, his 4th search tonight!!!! This gives the IJN a surface as he converts from air, and also chooses a target as the Yamato and Musashi and the rest of the IJN ambush the Pacific Fleet. Luck fails the US as he fails to save the X on the brand-new Lexington II and the Alabama – in contrast the Japanese saves both its sink and a damage rolling 10’s OH the fickle nature of the D10 – what should have been a US Naval victory has seen the IJN claiming a huge win sinking a Red CV and a fast BS for no loss. Both sides had a few Ds but they will both be repaired this turn. No second round as both fleets fail to find – the US quite rightly not very happy. The CW takes an Air and strat bombs Germany despite snow blanketing Europe, most with +1 as most of the German Ftrs are inverted. Rolling well the factories of Stuttgart, Essen and Brussels are shut down as is the W German Oil refinery and a bonus 10 rolled on Turin sees both the Italian factories affected, halving Italian production to 2BPs. A bonus for the Allies is that 2 more Axis Ftrs are also destroyed further adding to the Luftwaffe and Corpo Aereo Italiano losses. The Axis have lost 9 Ftrs this turn, including a 9 and 3 x 8’s as the air war swings in the favour of the Allies. Russia, with blizzard in the arctic took an opportunity west of Kiev with a 3 hex Blitz attack, Zhukov was reinverted to spearhead the attack spending 7 O-points, brining the odds to +15.1. A roll of 13 saw the first ToTT for several sessions sending Rommel to the spiral and 2 Axis units eliminated. On the Japanese front, 2 Mtn and a Mech were railed east in addition to units and planes built there. Allies fail to roll EOT – 7 needed, Axis gets another impulse.

Axis 4th Impulse – Weather roll is a 1, Blizzard in the Arctic bad weather everywhere else!, +3 to the EOT and +1 to the next weather roll. EOT roll is an 8. Axis quick conference, and Japan and Italy pass – Germany takes a combined to sail its U-Boat fleet (6 Subs) in an attempt to deal a blow to the CW Conv with the EOT roll being almost guaranteed on a 9 or less. Germany’s U Boats go hunting past the patrolling Sunderland which finds one as it transits the Faroes Gap, forcing it to stop. The Allies having apparently broken the German naval codes have great success at sea sinking two subs, damaging another and aborting one – The 2 x U-Boats in the Bay of Biscay fail to find or be found. No losses in the convoy lanes as the CW survive the last U-Boat assault for a while as land operations in M/J and JA will take priority. Axis roll an EOT, initiative marker moves to the 0 box, Allies will win ties. Partisan roll moderate 3 and 4 with only 2 Partisans turning up in China – only 1 left in the cup.

EOT - Production and reinforcements next week, as we enter the game critical fine weather of 1944. Italy is under threat as the Allies occupy Sicily, the Axis is stretched, and its air-force is taking unsustainable losses. The Strategic Air war is starting to bite and costing both Italy and Germany valuable BPs. Japan is withdrawing under pressure in China and the war between Japan and Russia may hinge on reinforcements as the Garrison Value is too close call. The US Pacific has been given its second bloody nose by the IJN – but luck can run out just as quickly as it can arrive and the US land-based air is arriving with every turn's reinforcements, it has the range to contest high boxes whereas the Japanese must content to fight from the 2 box to ensure it gets its reactive air. On the Russian front the Russian only has to roll a few high TOTT roles to break the German line and has the O-points to launch an offensive. The German line although strong, lacks depth and the eastern front Luftwaffe has been butchered during the winter – they are down to only two Ftrs supporting AGN and two for AGS, with a single 4 point Ftr defending the valuable Ploesti Oil fields. The saving grace for the German ATM is that the Russian is committed to breaking the pact with Japan and the bulk of its reinforcements have been heading East, including ARM/MECH and acft. Next week, whoever wins the initiative will need to roll again, but Allies have a marginal advantage as they win ties.

· ACFT – Aircraft

· LOC – Line of Communications

· NCC - No Cost Combined – no oil used

· TOTT – Top of the table a 23 or more

· AGN/AGS German Army Group North and South

ETO

FRANCE - WESTERN FRONT, 

some progress (1 hex on the Belgium coast).

Italian Front - Sicily almost all in Allied hands, next step the boot hahahaha

Greece - the Italian is withdrawing to Albania

The Eastern Front

AGN slow controlled withdrawal - Russia taking heavy losses

AGS - the Luftwaffe is being rapidly depleted losing acft with every mission.

The Far East

The Russian build up so close to breaking the pact

China - the thin Red line - one good roll by the Communist and SNAP!

Chikuma - one of the few losses for the IJN - 

they got very lucky with multiple 1 - 10 splits against the USN

The brand New Lexington II - no more Blue Ghost - sunk in the China Sea

Manila surrounded - one successful GS and its liberation.

PTO

Another US loss - the Alabama - no museum ship in this game, sunk in the China sea - 

1 -10 splits will do that.

Don't Mention The War - Part 36

Play had been delayed due to one member getting a bad case of Covid.

To recap, it is March/April 1944, the weather is storm in the west and snow in the east.

Germany saved oil, railed in reinforcements to the multiple fronts it now has with the Imperialists and the Soviets and sat tight waiting for the onslaught.

Only the Soviets were able to mount serious attacks and they were middling at best.

At some point the skies cleared and a massive strategic bombing campaign was unleased.  Not only did the bombs find their targets, but the Imperialist air-gunners also found their mark and many European fighter aircraft were shot down, their crews thankfully parachuting to safety.

Luftwaffe pilot under going essential training

Another impulse ensued with equally poor weather.  Spending precious oil the U-boat fleet sailed.  It met with disaster, suffering 60% loss for no benefit.  It could have gone differently.

Out of the tin can and into the drink.

I assume that given this was photographed,

the survivors were subsequently rescued,

but that was rarely the case.

Elsewhere the Japanese have been able to maintain peace with the Soviets who continue to mass forces north of Manchuria.  The peripheral Asian Coprosperity Zone is starting to crumble, but the defence of the home islands had some good news with the sinking of some of the Imperialist's capital ships.

Tiny Hans

One of the challenging parts of creating blog posts is coming up with a title.  Bear with me.

Wednesday night's game at the club was a practice session for the Arnhem campaign that Simon has put together using the SPI boardgame Arnhem from their Westwall Quad Game.  The rules are based on a another boardgame, which if I recall correctly are called Nations At War, which Simon has adapted for 6mm miniatures.  However we know them as Tiny Tanks.

Some tiny Germans advance on a town that could be Arnhem.

(the white base edge is waiting to be painted black)

A second German force converges on the town 

which is infested with British paratroops.

The fighting ebbs and flows,

but the paratroops are pushed back,

or rather consolidate when they are at risk of being out flanked.

Victory to the Germans,

although the right hand group I had been commanding have taken heavy casualties.

So, back to the subject of the title.  I also make posts to the club's blog and it seemed last Wednesday whenever I took a photo, someone would stick their hand in.  You can see all the intrusions here.  So when I came to caption an image from this game I went with "Tiny Hans" QED.

Here I Stood

Game over.

The following has been provided by Richard who hosted the game, played the Hapsburgs and stormed to victory on Turn 6.

Thanks very much for participating in our first game of Here I Stand. The first outing of a big game like this can be daunting since no-one really has any idea of how things play out. I think everyone now has a much better understanding of what all the powers can do, and how the game plays out.

I hope you all enjoyed playing it. It was certainly a lot of fun playing with you all. It was a close run thing, which is always a good thing. Despite a few minor rules misunderstandings, I don't think any had a material effect on the game and we were able to apply most of the rules which will be a benefit in future games.

I must say I was shocked at how quickly the Protestant power went from last to first and to within a whisker of victory in a single turn. Aided by his printing press, Mark H did an outstanding job of chipping away at translating and spreading the Reformation. Perhaps with a decisive debate win, things might have turned out differently.

The Papacy was literally under siege from all sides right from the beginning of the game. The poor old Pope was fending off not only the Reformer, but also having to contend with France and then being viciously cut down by the Ottomans. Also having to contend with meddling by the Hapsburg (should probably have been grounds for excommunication!) , Pope Stephen did a great job of holding the line against all odds. I think the Papacy is probably the most difficult to play. Limited resources and having the dual challenges of containing the spread of the reformation and holding and gaining territory. I was slightly disappointed in the limited number of debates and not having a disgrace or burnt at the stake result, but it's always nice to have something to look forward to!

Being locked into a war situation made things tricky for both the English and the French. The English becoming mired in the wars with Scotland didn't help, allowing France to seize Calais and fight a successful two front war with the English and the Papacy. Looks like France is a major swing power and also came within striking distance of the win. The English made a surge for victory aided by the birth of a healthy Edward VI and the spread of the reformation, however,  the loss of Calais crippled them in having access to fewer cards. France in turn was weakened by rebellions in multiple locations, one of which gave the Hapsburg a third critical key in Italy. With so much to do and so few cards the precious extra VPs for exploration and conquest were out of reach for both France and England. It looks like a state of war between the English and French can become somewhat of Mexican stand off, so perhaps the equivalent of the Field of the Cloth of Gold is the best option if things drag on for too long.

In somewhat of a phony war, the Hapsburgs and Ottomans spent more time glaring at each other from the Battlements than fighting, with the risk of losing a major land battle being considered too great and with the play of the Barbary Pirates and the ensuing naval arms race, the focus was at sea. After several turns of circling at sea, Hapsburg naval power was crippled at the first encounter, and I think everyone got a fright by seeing how nasty piracy can be when played in an optimal location. The Ottoman spirit, if not their power was broken, by an unlikely source, the Knights of St John and the Venetians, who must have run out of hot oil in defending their fortresses fending off the Ottomans. The only land battle between Hapsburgs and Ottomans in the whole game was in Algiers.

As the Hapsburg player (as I'm sure you will recall) I found it very difficult to decide what to do. A lot of it was reacting to the other powers to be honest, as despite the great resources available, it's just not possible to do everything everywhere and there are threats across the map. I think I was lucky to avoid any major entanglements and this meant being able to build up a lot of units in the early turns which I was able to draw on in mid game. One of the things which I didn't really appreciate to a greater extent,was the ability to retain cards. For those powers that have that ability, it  can certainly swing things your way, but then on the other hand you might not have that luxury depending on what it going on.

The game end VPs were:

Hapsburgs - 25

France - 22

Protestant, England and Ottoman - 20

Papacy -12

As Mark H has said in his posts on multi-player games, that the victory is actually in playing the game. I certainly feel that is true. I hope everyone enjoyed the game and will be interested in a further game in the near future.

Did you know...  to leave a party without telling anyone is called, in English, a “French Exit.” In French, it’s called a “partir à l’anglaise,” to leave like the English.

Barbarossa - Completion of Turn Eleven

Speed of play has somewhat bogged down with the bit of mud.  The die rolls for the next turn have been done and the forecast is for more mud!  And we are still in the dry season!!

These images are from the end of Turn 11, which covers the two days 12 and 13 July.

Army Group North

Army Group Centre

Army Group South

Bessarabia

Here I Stand

It is a success to just find six people to play a game based on The Reformation.  Last Friday we got through three turns and Henry VIII got through that many wives.  Fascinating period of history and this game is playing out really well.  Richard is the Hapsburgs, Simon Ottoman, Jeff French, Mark B English, Stephen is the Pope and I am the Protestants.

Looking at the VP track everyone's on 16 or 17 except me, languishing on 6.