World in Flames - A New Hope

1939 Played: Sep/Oct Nov/Dec

Sep/Oct - 1939

Played: 2006-12-30

7 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Ger DOW Pol(CW)
Impulse 2: Allies : CW DOW Ger,Fra DOW Ger,Russia annex East Poland
Impulse 3: Axis : Ger DoW Denmark
Impulse 4: Allies :
Impulse 5: Axis :
Impulse 6: Allies :
Impulse 7: Axis :
End: Ger Conq Pol,Den

The world is in a state of shock! Germany has (again) declared war on Poland. Luftwaffe and the fearsome German army, previously set up heavily along Poland's borders, swiftly sweep Poland's outlying defences.
France and CW, honourable to the core then declare war on Germany. CW land based bombers port strike the German fleet and manage to sink one cruiser. Convoy escorts are sent around the world, and a provoking TF is sent to Italian sea while the French BBs and the Bearn CV is sent to the western med, threatening the Italian fleet in La Spezia.
Italy remains calm and just transports Graziani to Eastern Libya and shuffles his troops there a bit.
The weather remains good and the turn is long, allowing Germany to not only conquer Poland without losses, but also take Denmark and move a sizable force westwards to the Franco-German border. The German navy also sorties to the North sea but neither they Germans nor the Brits find one another.
Russia is set up on the border on Finland but does not do anything at all about the borderlands issue, partly due to bad weather but (I guess) mostly due to fear of loosing the precious US entry chits. Stalin does annex eastern Poland with a 2-1 GAR, just to increase the humiliation of Poland just a bit more.
In Asia, Japan continues it's pre-existing war against China. The air force prepares the ground for an attack against Si-An, which succeeds and cuts the Chinese front in two. This together with a Japanese outflanking move through the north desert threatens the Communist supply and induces them to retreat away from the mountains they occupy and nearer to their supply source (flipping themselves in the process). But the turn turns out to be long and with good weather, so the outflanking force makes it all the way to Lan-Chow and cuts the Communist supply forever. (Lan-Chow being the last Communist held city/supply source.)

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US Entry: -
USA:    11BP: CV(fd),4CP,SUB(fd),2BB(fd)
Japan:   8BP: SYNTH
Germany:??BP: INF,2AIR?
Italy:   2BP: 2BP saved
France:  4BP: 2GAR
CW:      9BP  1INF, 2CP, 1FTR(2)    
Russia:  8BP: 1MECH, 1INF
China:   2BP: MIL

Nov/Dec - 1939

Played: 2007-01-02

6 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Italy DoW CW. Italy DoW France
Impulse 2: Allies :
Impulse 3: Axis :
Impulse 4: Allies :
Impulse 5: Axis :
Impulse 6: Allies :
End: China surrenders.

Italy starts out bold by declaring war on Germany and France. The Regia Aeronautica is sent to the western med and the fleet to Italian sea but neither find their target. Balbo is transported back from Africa to Italy and La Spezia receives German air cover, which manage to abort the following french port strike from Bearn. An Italian sub damages a British BB in Eastern Med but is itself damaged in the process.
Germany continues to transport troops west and CW sends land units and and fighters to the Mediterranean. Russia starts transporting troops from the Finnish borderlands to the Rumanian border.
Meanwhile, in China. The Communists are all flipped and terminally out of supply, so now the Japanese focus turns to the Nationalist in the south. After some additional combat in the mountains, the cities of Cheng-Tu and Chunking are, mysteriously, left ungarrisoned and thus easily occupied by Japanese forces. A large Chinese counterattack in the south accomplishes very little, and then China surprisingly surrenders.

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US Entry: 15
USA:    11BP AMPH(fd),2TRS(fd),TERR,BB(fd)
Japan:  11BP: CV(fu),MAR,NAV(2)
Germany:??BP: SUB,MECH,2INF
Italy:   2BP: AMPH(fd),SUB(rep) (using 2 saved BP)
France:  4BP: 2 GARR
CW:     10BP:  1INF, 2CP, 1CVP(3), 1TRS(fd)
Russia:  8BP: 1 MTN, 1 INF, 1BP
China:  -

1940 Played: Jan/Feb Mar/Apr May/Jun Jul/Aug Sep/Oct Nov/Dec

Jan/Feb - 1940

Played: 2007-01-10

6 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies :
Impulse 2: Axis :
Impulse 3: Allies :
Impulse 4: Axis :
Impulse 5: Allies :
Impulse 6: Axis :
End:

While blizzards rage over Europe, from Murmansk to Tunisia, Germany transports his troops west towards France. Noteworthy is also that as the weather clears slightly in the Med, Italian Sparvieros en route

Italian sparvieros sink one CW submarine and one CV(with plane) and damages one French battleship in the Western Mediterranean sea. In the Italian sea, the only remaining CW submarine is damaged by some Italian cruisers.
The euroaxis also masses some infantry corps and a few bombers, all led by field marshal Balbo on the northern Hungarian border.

On the allied side, Russia reinforces the border on Rumania and CW reinforces Malta with a strong INF corps while France does pretty much nothing.

In Asia, Japan is now at peace with everyone and uses this opportunity to persuade Siam into an alliance. To the north, Japan and USSR move troops towards the borders.

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US Entry: (15) 16,4
USA:    11BP: 3BB(fd),INF
Japan:  21BP: 1GAR, 1TERR (Korea), 1ART (art), 2NAV(2), 2BB(fd), 1 BP->USA
Germany: 
Italy:   5BP: 1 NAV, 1 CP
France:  6BP: 1 FTR, 1 GARR
CW:     17BP: (+2GoD): HQ-I, CVP(3), FTR(3), CV(fd), BB(fu), CP
Russia: 14BP: 2 INF, 1 MECH, 1 GUN
China:  -

Mar/Apr - 1940

Played: 2007-01-10

5 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Ge DoW Netherlands
Impulse 2: Allies :
Impulse 3: Axis :
Impulse 4: Allies : USSR claims (and gets) Bessarabia.
Impulse 5: Axis : Ge DoW Belgium. Hungary demands Trans, Rumaina refuses. Ge DoW Hungary. Ge DoW Bulgaria. Italy DoW Hungary. (USA cares about everything except the italian DoW)
End: Ge conq Netherland. Ge conq Hungary

The weather suddenly clears which Germany celebrates by declaring war on Holland. Most of the navy stationed in Rotterdam makes it to English ports but the country is quickly taken by the German army, supported by paratroopers and some bombers.
Unreliable weather then makes nothing much happens for a while until the weather clears again and Russia demands Bessarabia from Rumania. Germany, as Rumania's advisor quickly realizes the battle is hopeless and advises Rumania to give in to Russia's claims. Next, Hungary and Bulgaria demands "their" parts of poor Rumania. This time however, Germany denies their claims. Not only so, but Germany also declares war on Belgium, Bulgaria and on Hungary (the later together with Italy). The Hungarian defenders are quickly done away with and Germany conquers the country. Bulgaria remains safe for now.
The Belgian defenders are all swept away by the germans but Brussels still stands unoccupied but almost surrounded by Germans when the turn ends (early).

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US Entry: (15,16,4) 13,19
USA:    10BP: BB(fu),TRS(fd),AMPH(fd)
Japan:  20BP: 1MNT, 1MNT-div, 1GAR, 1ART (AT), 1FTR(2), 2CV(fd), 1CVL(fd)
Germany: 
Italy:   5BP: 1 ATR
France:  6BP: 1 FTR, 1 GARR
CW:     16BP (+1GoD): 2INF (1 Ind), FTR(3), CV(fd), amph(fd), CP
Russia: 16BP: 2 INF, 1 MECH, 1 HQ-I
China:  -

2007-01-07

May/Jun - 1940

Played: 2007-01-16

7 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies :
Impulse 2: Axis : Germany aligns Rumania
Impulse 3: Allies :
Impulse 4: Axis :
Impulse 5: Allies :
Impulse 6: Axis :
Impulse 7: Allies :
End: Ge conq Belgium

The French Air Force have a field day and shoots down lots of german fighters. But this isn't enough to stop the German war machine which relentlessly moves forward. The first German tanks are sighted close to Paris, and the future doesn't look bright for France.
Rumania joins the german war effort and Rumanian troops is immediately ordered to attack Bulgaria, but there they await arrival of stronger German troops before any attacks can be made.

Japan, who is at peace with every-one, builds troops.
Russia pulls its troops back from the area around Manchuria and sets up a defensive position on the line Ulan-Bator - Chita as a response to the Japaneese buildup in Manchuria.
But, the build-up in Manchuria seems over and instead forces are sent to reinforce Siam and some units in China move westwards.
Observers conclude Japan no longer think it is in their best interest to have a war with Russia.
The CW reinforces the Malaya very heavily. The US strenghtens the garrison on Wake and the diplomatic relations between USA and Japan becomes more and more strained.

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US Entry: (15,16,4,13,19) 23,7
USA:    11BP: 2TRS(fd),AMPH(fd),FTR(2)
Japan:  20BP: INF,GAR,MARdiv,CVP(1),3AMPH(fd)
Germany:15BP: 2MIL,FTR(2),FTR(3),SUB(r),SUB(fu)
Italy:   5BP: LND(3)
France:  6BP: FTR(2),GARR
CW:     17(+1)BP:2MOT(1ind,1can),FTR(3),BB(fu),TRS(fd)
Russia: 17BP: 4INF,MECH
China:  -

2007-01-16

Jul/Aug - 1940

Played: 2007-01-24

8 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis :
Impulse 2: Allies :
Impulse 3: Axis :
Impulse 4: Allies :
Impulse 5: Axis :
Impulse 6: Allies :
Impulse 7: Axis :
Impulse 8: Allies :
End:

The unstoppable German war machine proceeds slowly in France towards Paris, blitzing French defenders left and right. As the Luftwaffe aided by some Italian bombers eventually manage to down the French air force and Rundstedt uses an OC, the fall of france now seems inevitable and close at hand. Gort and his infantry corps take the opportunity to first retreat west and then evacuate via the North Sea.
Italian bombers rebase south towards Sicily and Greece, along with some second grade German bombers. An attempt is made by Rumanian and German forces to assault the city of Sofia but only one of the two defending corps are killed and the Axis will have to wait until S/O to make another attempt.
Russia rails forces west from the Manchuria area and consolidates his lines in Ukraine and Poland. CW seams to care mostly for escorting his convoys.
Japan, who is at peace with every-one, builds troops.
USA, who is at peace with every-one, builds ships.

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US Entry: (15,16,4,13,19, 23,7),22
USA:    16BP: CV(fu),BB(fu),2CP,INF,SUB(fd),FTR(2)              6BP saved
Japan:  20BP: BB(fu),3CVL(fd),SUB(fd),GAR,INF,2CVP(1)
Germany:15BP: 3INF,ARM,1SUB(?)
Italy:  5 BP: 1 SUB(fu), 1 AMPH(fu)
France: 4BP: 2 MIL
CW:     2MOT, 1MIL, 1TRS(fu), 1CVP (tror det var en aus och sa mot)
Russia: 16BP: 3 INF, 1 MECH, 1 GUN
China:  -

2007-01-24

Sep/Oct - 1940

Played: 2007-01-24

6 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis :
Impulse 2: Allies :
Impulse 3: Axis :
Impulse 4: Allies :
Impulse 5: Axis :
Impulse 6: Allies :
End: Germany conquers Bulgaria. Germany declares Vichy(Europan,Indochina,french west african colonies)

Weather is unusually erretic, storms are interleaved with fine without any regularity. Germany surrounds Paris, sweeping the last remaining defenders around the city and securing valuable resources. Some French forces desperatly countrattack on very low odds and actually manage to destroy some German corps.
Sofia finally falls to superiour forces lead by Antonescu and the fastest of the German attackers are set up on the border of Greece. The Marine is now in La Spezia and the PARA is with an Italian ATR in Taranto. The Greeks send diplomatic protests both to Berlin and Rome which remain unanswered.
Late in the turn, Paris falls to German forces lead by von Leeb. Vichy is established with French East Africa and the entire French Pacific colonies except for Indochina remaining loyal to the new Free French government which is established in Gabon.
Japan, who is at peace with every-one, builds troops.
USA, who is at peace with every-one, builds ships.

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US Entry: (15,16,4,13,19, 23,7,22) 31,11
USA:    25BP: SUB(fu),MAR,AMPH(fu),CVP(0),CVP(1),2BB(fu),CV(fu) 1BP saved
Japan:  15BP: SUB(fd),CVP,CVL(fu),???
Germany:15BP: INF,2MIL,GAR,MECH
Italy:   8BP: 1 SUB(rep), 1 SUB(fd), 1 LND-3, 1 CP
FreeFr: 
Vichy:
CW:     17BP(+2): 2MOT,MIL,2CV(fu),NAV(3) (en indisk mot och en can mil)
Russia: 16BP: 3GARR, 1 ARM, 1 FTR(4)
China:  -

2007-01-24

Nov/Dec - 1940

Played: 2007-01-29

6 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies :
Impulse 2: Axis :
Impulse 3: Allies :
Impulse 4: Axis : Germany and Italy DoW Greece
Impulse 5: Allies :
Impulse 6: Axis :
End: Germany conquers Greece.

Japan, who is at peace with every-one, builds troops.
USA, who is at peace with every-one, builds ships.

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US Entry: (15,16,4,13,19, 23,7,22, 31,11)
USA:    20BP: AMPH(fu),BB(fu),BB(rep),2CP,TRS(fu),INF,2SUB(fu)  1BP save
Japan:  15BP: 1 INF, 2 CVP(1), 2 CL(rep), 3 CONV, 1 FROG(fd)
Germany:15BP: 5GARR,1MECH
Italy:   5BP: LND(3)
FreeFr: 
Vichy:
CW:     17BP(+1): AMPH(fu), PARA, CVP(3), BB(fu), 2MIL
Russia: 16BP: 2 INF, 1 GARR, 2 MECH
China:  -

1941 Played: Jan/Feb Mar/Apr May/Jun Jul/Aug Sep/Oct Nov/Dec

Jan/Feb - 1941

Played: 2007-01-29

7 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis :
Impulse 2: Allies :
Impulse 3: Axis : Italy aligns Yugoslavia.
Impulse 4: Allies :
Impulse 5: Axis :
Impulse 6: Allies :
Impulse 7: Axis :
End:

Germany continues to add troops to his eastern front-in-being but is slowed by bad winter weather. Portions of the Luftwaffe rebases south towards Sicily where they join the entire Regia Aeronautica in bombing the English infantry corps at Malta, without any visible effect.
English battleships contest the Eastern Mediterranean without air cover but since all Italian pilots and admirals are equipped with the compulsary blindfold in tasteful green, white and red stripes, they are fundamentally unable to find anything except for their own bottoms, and then only with an atlas and some guidance by an anatomy teacher. Mussolini starts negotiations with Stalin for getting lessons on how the USSR purged the officer ranks to achieve some kind of minimum quality among the senior staff.
Japan, who is at peace with every-one, builds troops.
But also, Japan place troops and transports in offensive positions, seemingly positioning for attack.
USA is alarmed by the massive japanese troop assembly that seem to threaten CW positions in Asia and the Pacific and pass the War Approriations Bill. US industry shift production towards military equipment and we see no less than two battleships and four carriers being ordered.

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US Entry: (15,16,4,13,19, 23,7,22, 31,11) 34
USA:    30BP: 3CV(fd),2BB(fd),CVL(fd),HQ(i),SUB(fu),ENG,2CVP(1) 5BP saved
Japan:  15BP: 1 INF, 1 CVP(1), 1AMPH(Fu), 1 TRS(fu), 1 SUB(fu)
Germany:28BP: INF,4MIL,MNT,2MECH,FTR(2)
Italy:  10BP: LND(2),SUB(fd),1CP,MTN
FreeFr: 
Vichy:
CW:     22BP(+1): AMPH(fd), MAR, INF, 2MIL, FTR(2), BB(fu), CP
Russia: 18BP (2 Saved): 4 GARR, 2 MECH
China:  -

2007-01-29

Mar/Apr - 1941

Played: 2007-02-07

5 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies :
Impulse 2: Axis :
Impulse 3: Allies :
Impulse 4: Axis :
Impulse 5: Allies :
Impulse 6: Axis :
Impulse 7: Allies :
End:

The German and Italian air force rebase north from Sicily while the entire German army continues its march eastwards. Raiding submarines from the Euroaxis disturb CW convoy lines somewhat in the Central atlantic. The turn ends quite early and everyone seems to be unhappy with this.

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US Entry: (15,16,4,13,19, 23,7,22, 31,11, 34) 30,26
USA:  30BP+3: PARA,2FTR(2),NAV(3),AMPH(fu),AMPH(fd),2CV(fd),2VCL(fd),BB(fd)
Japan:  15BP; INF,FTR(2),2TRS(fu)
Germany: (33?): GAR,INF,3ARM,2FTR(3)
Italy:   9BP:  HQ-I,GAR,SUB(fd),SUB(fu)
FreeFr: 
Vichy:
CW  21(+2)BP: 2Mot(1 NZ),Gar,Mil(Rangoon),CVP(1),CV(fu),TRS(fu),2CA(rep)
Russia: 16 BP:HQ-I,INF,GUN
China:  -

May/Jun - 1941

Played: 2007-02-14

8 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Japan DoW Tibet. Japan militarises Marshals
Impulse 2: Allies :
Impulse 3: Axis : Italy and Japan DoW USSR.
Impulse 4: Allies :
Impulse 5: Axis : Germany DoW USSR. Germany Align Finland.
Impulse 6: Allies : CW DoW Nepal
Impulse 7: Axis :
Impulse 8: Allies :
End:

(Japan describes)
Japan, who is at peace with every-one, can no longer tolerate the USSR's vile provocatons and declares war on it. Vladivostok falls quickly, and Japan also swiftly captures most of the Russian resources in the area. (Of course, since the area is almost completely evacuated by the Red Army, resistance is very light.) In the Pacific, Japan garrisons the Marshall Islands.
(USSR describes)
The USSR which is at peace with everyone has seen massive troop movements on its borders both in the east and the west. With the diplomatic talks still going on, Italy suddenly declares war together with Japan. This seems to be a diplomatic sidestep to give Germany a reason to declare war on USSR even though they are in a peace treaty.
The only thing seen of the italians are their entire air force, and the few italian ground troops spotted before the declaration of war seems to run away from the border. In the east japaneese force cross the border and assault the lone forces in Vladivostock.
As feared by the Russian high command, Germany declares war later in the month, referring to some obscure clause in the treaty. Its forces flows forward and sweeps away all opposition. Only one border corps has gotten enough warning of the impendning assault and manages to fight back, although in vain. With the massive assault, russian diplomats starts talks with the Commonwealth and the United States, trying to convince them to help russia in any way.
(Italy describes)
Italy recieves demands from his German brother to pave the way for what has for some obscure reason been officially named Operation Flying Spaghetti Monster. Thus, Italy declares war on the evil USSR. The official communiqué states the reason to be russian mistreatment of ethnic Italians and systematic oppression of catholics. The pope approves and blesses this holy war (as fits a man of faith), wishing for "countless number of russian casualties, gruesome death to the slavic race, annihilation of the russian cities and gods grace to everyone. Amen!"
Bombing runs are conducted all over the front with focus in the north. Even italian naval bombers from the Mediterranean participate. A little less than 10 corps are flipped, including the only HQ in the north. Balbo and an ATR reorganizes some bombers while more arrive from Italy.
After the initial Italian bombing run which showed that the Russians are not unbeatable and the encouraging words from the Holy Father, also Germany sees it fit to declare war on the USSR, despite rain in the arctic. Some bombing runs are conducted by both Germany and Italy and German troops slaughter a few forward deployed russian corps and advance into eastern Poland, Lithuania and Bessarabia.
The german campaign in eastern Poland progresses slowly as summer rains limit the german armed forces mobility. Some Russian outposts are crushed and a blitz just south of the Pripet forces Russia to retreat and leave some flipped corps for the wolves, but just as the main assault on the Russian lines is about to begin and the russian pawn sacrifice is to be harvested, the turn ends.
(USSR describes)
The valiant russian defenders bravely muster their strength to withstand the german onslaught. The defenders do a forced march and managed to get into good positions, but this leaves the HQ and the supply train in the dusty horision. After a successful german/italian bombing the exausted defenders are swept away, forcing a quick retreat to new positions of the russian defenses.
(and some other stuff)
German and Italian subs in the atlantic accomplish nothing due to lack of skill and binoculars.

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US Entry: (15,16,4,13,19, 23,7,22, 31,11, 34, 30,26), 36
USA:     29BP; ATR(3),CVP(0),FTR(2),2BB(fu),CV(rep),TRS(fd),2GAR
Japan:  18 BP: 1 GAR, 2 FTR(2), 1 BB(fu), 1 CP, 1 SUB(fu), 1 FROG
Germany:
Italy:  10 BP: 1 MECH, 1 LND-3
FreeFr: 
Vichy:
CW   21(+1)BP: ARM, 2GARR, CVP(3), TRS(fd), CV(fu), BB(fu), 2CP
Russia: 28 BP: 5 GARR, 3 MIL, 4 INF
China:  -

2007-02-14

Jul/Aug - 1941

Played: 2007-02-21

8 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies :
Impulse 2: Axis : Japan Dow CW and USA
Impulse 3: Allies : USA DoW Germany and Italy, USA align Brazil
Impulse 4: Axis :
Impulse 5: Allies : Free France DoW Japan. USA align Mexico
Impulse 6: Axis : Japan demands Indo-China
Impulse 7: Allies : USA align Central America
Impulse 8: Axis :
End: Japan conquers NEI.

Japan:
Japan declares war on the US and the Commonwealth, sends it's fleet to hunt their convoys and hinder their sea movement, and invades NEI. The US retaliates by sending u-boats to hunt Japanese convoys, which solely results in one sub sunk.
Later in the turn, Japan invades and conquers NEI, and aligns Indo-China. Japanese marines capture the port Lae on Papua, and from there proceeds to take the western part of the island of New Britain. The main part of the Japanese fleet rebases to Truk at the end of turn.
In USA, the japanese DoW makes it possible for Rosevelt to try to enter the european war. The massive attacks on Russia along with the japanese build up against CW helps accomplishing this, though in the Senate it is only by one vote the motion is passed. However, US declares war on Germany and Italy, gears up the industry and immediately demands assistance from Brasil, Mexico and Central America. The US fleet is sent west into the pacific and the first US units arrive to the fighting in Europe, a squadron of fighters.
Italy: The weather clears and Russia makes the most of his double turn and reforms his lines in good order. Italian bombers wreak havoc in the Russian lines in an air action and German fighters blast two out of the three available russian fighter squadrons out of the sky. With the aid of an offensive chit on Mannstein, German armour devastates the russian lines. Russian forces are cut of from supply and the HQs are also threatened. Among the losses are the HQ Koniev. Also, lots of corps are sent to the spiral and russian reinforcements for S/O will be massive.
Just as the final attack is to be launched on the disrupted Zhukov, Russia cracks his OC to turn his two remaining HQs face up and counterattack. Despite German air support, a German ARM corps is killed and Zhukov narrowly escapes destruction, just before the turn ends.
Also the north front are attacked by the Germans and both Lithuania and Lativa are liberated. Some Russians are still in the area around Minsk and east of Riga but the lines do seem awfully thin.
In the Med, Italian naval bombers finally manage to find Malta and disrupt the CW INF stationed there. CW ships stay under cover in their ports.
CW and the USA, now in total war suddely decides that the atlantic is a new theatre of operations where action has been to sparse. Their combined forces stage an invasion close to the lightly defended Bourdeaux, which is subsequently taken and the allies set up camp south of La Garonne. In the Bay of Biscay, Alexander is just about to join them when Italian subs are inches from sinking the transport he travels on. The transport is however only damaged and Alexander just manages to escape.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    54BP: 2CP,BB(fu),TRS(rep),TRS(fu),TRS(fd),CA(repCW),HQ-A,ARM,CVP(1),2FTR(2),LND(4),MECHdiv,2GAR,SUB(fd)
Japan:   19BP: 1 GAR, 1 FTR(3), 1 BB(fu), 5 CP, 1 SUB(fd), 1 SUB(fu).
Germany: 30BP: 1 HQ-A, 1 ARM, 1 MECH, 2 FTR-2, 1 LND-2, 1 SUB(rep)
Italy:   12BP: 1 ARM, 1 GAR, 1 MIL, SUB(fu), 1 minisub(fu), 1 BB(rep)
FreeFr:   3BP: AMPH(fd)
Vichy:   
CW:      20BP:ARM, HQ-I,NAV(3)(aus),2CP,CV(fu)
Russia:  27BP:6MIL,HQ-I,GUN,MECH
China:  -

2007-02-21

Sep/Oct - 1941

Played: 2007-02-21

6 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather 6:RFFRFF
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather 10:StStRStRF
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather 8:RRFStFF. CW,USA,FreeFrance DoW Portugal
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather 6:RFFRFF
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather 10:StStRStRF
Impulse 6: Axis : Weather 12:BSnStStStR
End: CW conquers Portugal.

Weather is terrible. Storms rages over Europe throughout the entire turn and the German offensive in the east almost comes to a standstill. Just a few slow Russian troops which were left behind as the Russians take up new positions farther east are killed, with some german losses.
Italy is positioned for an invasion of Malta but weather and some CW battleships puts a stop to those plans. Although the axis have air superiority in the eastern med, the battle is fought with guns only. One Italian CA is sunk, yet another two are damaged with one damaged BB for CW.
Italian subs take to the sea under the cover of the storms but accomplish nothing in the bad weather. Germany sends more troops and aircraft west to counter the Bourdeaux infestation.
Japan sends it's fleet and air force to sea in force in an attempt to dominate the important sea zones around the ports of Rabaul and Truk. Very bad weather ensues and enables the enemy to pretty much move around as it wants anyway, and Rabaul is both reinforced and resupplied. The Japanse foothold on New Britain is strenghtened also, though, but the attempted invasion of the Phillipines is aborted because of the weather. Consistent very bad weather also makes the fronts in Siberia, Burma and Tibet completely uneventful. Truk is reinforced with WP ground troops and several long-range Zero fighters.
The enemy submarines, now endeavouring out from Rabaul, score some hits against the Japanese convoy lanes, and also manages to sink an entire new (unescorted) CVL, with planes and all. Japanese raiders clear the British supply lines to Singapore.
USA sends convoys with large amounts of military equipment to help Russia, but the only possible harbour for it to arrive is iced in because of the bad weather, so the effort is in vain. US and CW invades Portugal and also strengthens the beachhead in Bordeaux with an american HQ and some more fighter squadrons.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    49BP: CVL(fu),2CA(rep),CW-CV(rep),BB(fu),TRS(fu),ARM,GAR,PARA,2SUB(fd),2CVP(1),LND(4),2FTR(2)
Japan:  18BP.MIL,2FTR(2),2CL(rep),2CVL(fu),2CP,SUB(rep),SUB(fu)
Germany:
Italy:  11BP: NAV(3),GAR,MIL,2CA(rep)
FreeFr:  
Vichy:   
CW:      20(+1)BP:HQ-A,2FTR(2),CV(fu),BB(rep),CP
Russia:  
China:  -

2007-02-28

Nov/Dec - 1941

Played: 2007-03-07

5 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather 7:SnSnRFRF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather 10:BSnSnRStR
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather 7:SnSnRFRF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather 8:SnSnRFRF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather 9:BSnStFStF(+2 on next weather)
End:

Weather is horrible, terrible, hideous, even as far as Africa. Germany, aided by Italian bombers nevertheless kills a few russian corps and advance forward through the snow, especially in the north. Estonia is liberated on the way towards Leningrad.
Some axis aircraft manage at sinking the french transport and a few CW convoys in the Bay of Biscay, putting Alexanders BEF out ouf supply, but well dug in around the Bourdeaux area.
Italian subs raid the Atlantic but finds very little. Graziani is evacuated from eastern Libya to Tunisia and the air force patrols the Med which displays an impressive lack of allied activity.
Japan again sails large fleets to contest and sweep the sea zones around Rabaul of allied supply ships. This fails completely due to hard weather (-> non-flying aircraft) and bad dice, and on the rare occasions when there is combat the smaller allied fleets generally surprise the Japanese ships heavily, and do more or equal damage despite being nominally weaker.
The Imperial Air Force intercepts a port strike on the Japanese sub base on the Marshall Islands in some force, which results in the loss of the best carrier fighter in the entire fleet with no losses for the Americans.
The Americans successfully invades another Marshall Island, leaving only one under Imperial control. More or less the only thing the Japanese forces succeds with during the turn is an invasion that gains them a beachhead on the Phillippines, near Manila.
Japanese production is near it's theoretical maximum: 20 of 21 realistically possible factories are now producing units.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    54BP: 3CV(fu),CVL(fu),TRS(fu),AMPH(fu),2CP,MECHdiv,MARdiv,ATR(3),3FTR(2),LND(4),2SUB(rep),1SUB(FreeFrance,rep)
Japan:  20BP:GAR,3CVP(1),2CV(fu),CV(rep),2CA(rep),1BP saved.
Germany:30BP:3FTR(2),ARM,ARM-div,CAV-div,INF,MECH-div
Italy:  11BP: LND(4),GAR,INF
FreeFr: 
Vichy:   
CW:     20BP: 2FTR(2),FTR(3),MECH,TRS(fd),CP
Russia: 23BP: HQ-I,INF,4GARR,MIL,MECH
China:  -

2007-03-07

pics/2007-03-07/tn/map-asia-Marshalls.jpg

1942 Played: Jan/Feb Mar/Apr May/Jun Jul/Aug Sep/Oct Nov/Dec

Jan/Feb - 1942

Played: 2007-03-14

5 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather 3:StRFFRF
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather 10:BBSnFStR
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather 8:BSnStFStF
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather 8:BSnStFStF
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather 9:BSnSnFStR
End:

Blizzards rage over Europe and the German high sea fleet takes to the sea where it is joined by parts of the italian air force and some italian submarines. Except for damaging a CV for Great Britain and the annihilation of the russian submarines however, little is achieved.
CW sail escorts and seems to prepare for the summer as american PARAs and ATR along with HQs and ARM are transported to Britain. Italy frets as weather in the Med has never been worse. Not a single impulse of civilized weather since J/A 1941.
Russia consolidates his defenses around Leningrad and in the south.
In the Pacific, US troops invade Eniwetok, and the island is taken in a very bloody battle, with the japanese garrison of 15.000 troops being annihilated, but taking with them twice as many american soldiers to the grave.
For the rest of the turn, some japanese, american and french submarines and cruisers sail around, but, except for a few smaller skirmishes, nothing much happens.

Player Comments:

USA: Not great odds on the Marshalls-invasion, but at least more than 50% (had to roll 8+ on the dice), but the gain from conquering the last island in that group was big enough to warrant taking the risk. As it was, I grabbed the Island, but lost three units myself, but only one of any value, so the price was not too high.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    63BP: 2CV(fu),BB(fu),TRS(fu),TRS(fd),AMPH(fd),CA(rep),SUB(fu),2SUB(rep)
              HQ-A,MIL,CVP(1),LND(4),LND(3),3FTR(3)
Japan:  20BP:GAR,3FTR(2),2CP,3CL(rep),SUB(fu)
Germany:42BP?: HQ-I,MTN,MECH,ATdiv,ATR,LND(2),2FTR(3)
Italy:  16BP: FTR(2),HQ-I,GAR,FROG,ART
FreeFr: 
Vichy:   
CW:     26BP: 2FTR(3),FTR(2),HQ-I,AMPH(rep),TRS(fd),2CP
Russia: 25BP:HQ-I,3INF,MTN,2GARR,FTR(2)
China:  -

2007-03-14

Mar/Apr - 1942

Played: 2007-03-21

1 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather:BAD BAD BAD
End:

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    62BP: TRS(fu),2BB(fu),CVL(fu),AMPH(fd),CA(rep),CW-CV(rep),
        MECH-div,ARM,ENG,MOT,LND(3),FTR(3),5CVP(1),2SUB(fu),SUB(rep)
Japan:  19BP:2MIL,2FTR(2),NAV(2),2CA(rep),SUB(fu). (+ lots of saved BP:)
Germany:
Italy:  16BP:FTR,LND(3),INF,ART
FreeFr: ??BP: AMPH(fu)
Vichy:   
CW:     26BP(+1):3FTR(2),ARM,PARA-div,TRS(fu),BB(rep)
Russia: 26BP: 1 MECH, 1 FTR(2), 1 INF, 4 GARR, 1 MOT, 1 GUN
China:  -

2007-03-21

May/Jun - 1942

Played: 2007-03-28

9 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 2 StRFStRR
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 7
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 2 StRFStRR
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 2 StRFStRR
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 7
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 8 FFFFFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 9 FFFFFF
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 2 StRFStRR
Impulse 9: Axis : Weather: 8 FFFFFF
End:

The bad weather continues so very little happens initially in the turn. Then - finally - the storms clear - for the first time in A YEAR - , and the Imperial forces immediately goes on the offensive. The cities of Manila, Rangoon and Khabarovsk all fall to assaults, and the garrison at Rabaul is bombed to pieces by the air force.
Weather contines to be awful in Europe for the axis. Storms at best it seams. Very little progress is made in Russia. Germany deploys more troops and aircraft to western france and uses the bad weather as an excuse to sortie the entire Kriegsmarin, along with all italian subs and some aircraft in the Bay of Biscay, but the only thing that happends is that some Italian subs are aborted and one is sunk while one CW CA is damaged. Germany utterly fails to find anything anywhere.
In the Med, weather is fine or the first time since J/A 1941. The long awaited invasion of Malta is launched, and while one German corps is lost, the island is taken from the english defenders.
Allies on the other hand do not seem bothered by the weather and invade the German mainland in Bremen with marines and PARAs. German defenses seam weak but some creative rail movements and some help from Rommel seems to at least contain the invasion. However, in the North sea lurks Montgomery and some serious ARM corps looking ready for battle.
This the third impulse in M/J 1942 is also the first impulse since the end of J/A 1941 in which the allies have fine weather in the North Temperate zone.
And finally, Japan assaults and takes Rabaul.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:  61BP:TRS(fu),2BB(rep),Fra-CA(rep),CW-CA(rep),CA(rep),CP
           3FTR(2),3CVP(1),LND(3),LND(4),ARM,ARM-div,HQ-I,CW-SUB(rep)
Japan:29BP:MTN,INF,TERR(Korea),AA,2FTR(2),2CB(rep),2CP,SUB(fd),FROG(fd),6BP saved
Germany:40BP: 2GARR,2INF,ARM,6FTR(2)
Italy:  15BP: MOT,GARR,LND(3),FTR(2)
FreeFr:  4BP: FTR(2)
Vichy:   
CW:     27+1BP:TRS(fu),TRS(fd),BB(rep),2FTR(2),FTR(3),ENG,ARMdiv
Russia: 31BP: HQ-A,MECH,4INF,GARR,FTR(2)
China:  -

2007-03-28

Jul/Aug - 1942

Played: 2007-04-11,2007-04-25

10 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 7 FFFStFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 6 FFFStFF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 7 FFFStFF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 1 FFFFFF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 2 FFFRFF
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 2 FFFRFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 8 FFFStFF
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 2 FFFRFF
Impulse 9: Axis : Weather: 10 FFFStFF
Impulse 10: Allies : Weather: 2 FFFRFF
End: CW conquers Finland. CW conquers Mozambique

In the first impulse, Italy conducts only air operations and bombs the Russian positions in the east and deploys new elements of the Regia Aeronaitica towards Kiel and Bourdeaux while the Luftwaffe does the same. Germany also exploits his previous breakthroughs in russia and gains a lot of ground, slaughtering Russian corps as he progresses. The central Russian front lead by the disrupted Zhukov is being encircled, although most russian troops manage to slip out before the germans can finish the encirclement.
The allies retreat from Bremen to Denmark and annihilates the last German corps in Denmark and also successfully invades Finland close to Helsinki. However, the invasion is hurried and badly planned, so the invaders, including the royal marines are quickly thrown back into the sea by the Finnish forces as they retreat from northern Finland to meet the new threat to their homeland.
The Allied response to this is to stage yet another invasion, this time southwest of Helsinki, and now by air. The british airforce sinks all german convoys in the Baltic and two airborne corps are landed in Finland by american transport planes, the finnish troops in Finland can do nothing but stand and watch as british troops enter their capital. The finns still in Murmansk get orders from German High command to take as much ground as possible while still in the war.
A mighty air-to-air battle is fought over Kiel, pitting 8 allied FTR against 6 german FTR escorting three bombers, as the Euroaxis try to disrupt the Allied forces there. While the battle starts out at even odds, luck heavily favours the allies this time and they repell all axis bombers, destroying one of them and two fighters without any allied losses.
In the pacific, Japan send out some raiders and there are a few skirmishes between small groups of japanese and american cruisers. As the US attention seem to be directed towards Europe, not much more happens for a while, but later in the turn, US fighters can be seen in the sea zone north of Truk, and US ships begin to move in the Pacific area. In Bay of Bengal, Japan and CW fights a minor battle resulting in the sinking of a japanese carrier and one british carrier being damaged.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    65BP: TRS(fu),2BB(rep),2CP,6FTR(2),2FTR(3),MECH,PARA
Japan:  31BP: TERR(filipino),INF,MIL,ART,AA,2FTR(2)(förbyggda),3CA(rep),2CP
Germany:46BP: 3INF,2MOT,ARM,3FTR(?),LND(2),SYNTH
Italy:  16BP: FROG(fu),SUB(rep),INF,MECH, FTR(?),MIL
FreeFr: 
Vichy:  -
CW:     27BP: MECH,MAR,MARDiv,3FTR(2),TRS(fd)
Russia: 33BP: HQ-A,ARM,3INF,3GARR,FTR(2)
China:  -

[Pictures - 2007-04-11]

2007-04-25

Sep/Oct - 1942

Played: 2007-05-09

8 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 2: FFFFFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 10 StStRStFF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 7: RRFRFF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 6: RFFRFF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 1: FFFFFF
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 8: RRFStFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 3: FFFFFF
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 4: FFFFFF
End: CW conquers Angola

The Axis launch another assault on Kiel, but the troops there defends well with assistance of the british fleet, and the attack is repulsed. In Russia, the German army gets orders to stop the advance and instead moves back to find good defense positions.
USA and CW ships in more men and airplanes to Denmark. German transport vessels manage to land one Italian GAR in northern Denmark, just to annoy the allies there, before being sunk by the Royal Navy aided by the Russian Baltic Sea fleet. But the Italian corps is quickly disposed of by an allied blitz.
In France, the british-american beach head in Bordeaux is abandoned and Alexander and his army is shipped out, leaving a small garrison to hinder the german advance while the rescue operation is in progress. 60000 men iss pulled out, but 15000 men are left in the forests south of Bordeaux and forced to surrender, but british press releases talk about the whole operation being a stunning success and focus on how this whole invasion paved the way for the actions in Denmark and Finland.
The entire German navy, alongside Italian submarines also takes the opportunity under momentary bad weather to sortie from ports in Brest and eastern Germany. The navy and the submarines does manage to sink a few allied CP in the North Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the North Atlantic but is then exposed to heavy retaliation from the Royal Navy and some pocket battleships and some cruisers are sunk and some are damaged with only minor losses for the CW.
In the Pacific the US Marine land troops on the southern part of New Ireland and reclaims the airfields on the island, allowing american fighters access to the Bismarck Sea. USA sends more troop transports into the Solomons sea zone, protected by a carrier task force, and IJN promptly sends out their super battleships a carrier fleet and land based fighters to intercept the the transports but the fleets fail to find eachother. USA quickly responds to this by sending the full american fleet and huge amounts of fighters into the area, the fleets now find eachother, or rather, the air armadas do, a huge air battle is carried out, resulting in the air wings from four japanese carriers being annihilated. several naval bombers and torpedo planes manage to get through the fighter screens, the japanese planes stumbling upon a defenseless american carrier whose air wing just landed and sinking it, men planes and all. Meanwhile, american planes reach the japanese fleet and try to sink a japanese carrier, but get intercepted by surprisingly strong AA fire from the battleships Yamato and Musashi who place themselves between the target carrier and the attacking planes. Several bombs hit the two battleships, but no critical damage is sustained and the ships can make their way back to Japan for repairs. Low on carrier planes and with damage done to the battleships, the japanese decides it is best to leave the sea zone and the battle is considered an, although small, american victory, at the loss of one american carrier, four japanese carriers are left out of action for a month and two japanese battleships go into dry dock for almost half a year.
In Bay of Bengal, the japanese manage to cut british supply to Singapore, and promptly the IJA advances towards the british positions on the peninsula. Kuala Lumpur quickly falls, and soon japanese troops reach the british defense ring around Singapore, and the city is now truly surrounded.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    61BP:AMPH(fu),2CW-BB(rep),2CP,ATR(3),CVP,FTR(2),2LND(3),
             MECH,MECHdiv,PARAdiv,INF,OC
Japan:  26BP: 8BPINF,2CVP(1),5BP ships,SUB(rep),1BP saved
Germany: 35BP: 1 ARM, 1 ART, 1 LND-3, 1 GAR, 2 MOT, 2 INF
Italy:    7BP: 1 GAR, 1 SUB(rep), 1 FTR
FreeFr: 
Vichy:  - 
CW:     27BP: ARM, INF, MOTdiv, FTR(2), FTR(3), CVP, TRS(fd), 2CP
Russia: 34BP: 2FTR(2),1PAR,2INF,1HQ-I,2MIL,2MECH
China:  -

[Pictures - 2007-05-02]

2007-05-09

Nov/Dec - 1942

Played: 2007-05-16

4 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 5: StRFFFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 5: StRFFFF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather:10: BSnSnRStR
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather:11: BBSnRStR
End:

On the Eastern front, Germany's withdrawal continues. Russian troops slowly advances and reclaim the german occupied areas. In western Europe, more british and american troops and planes are transported to Denmark, but nothing much happens. In North Africa, american troops slowly moves through Morocco and CW prepares and assault on the italian positions in Libya but are delayed by bad weather.
In the Pacific theatre, a US Task Force is sent to South China Sea to test the japanese navy and give some relief to the surronded british stronghold in Singapore. Japan hurries out some planes to meet the threat, but the american fleet manage to avoid them and with the aid of a group of free french submarines the japanese fleet in the area is sighted. A short and uneventful air battle occurs when the two fleets send their air wings towards eachother, the planes reach their targets and a japanese carrier is damaged beyond repairs while the japanese planes are disrupted by heavy american AA fire and forced to return to base without accomplishing anything.
Further north, american submarines intercept some japanese merchants close to Tokyo, resulting in disruption of some convoying and a japanese troop transport being sunk.
In the northern Asia, russian cavalry is raiding into China, but they don't guard their rear, so japanese troops move in and threaten to conquer Mongolia.
CW and Japan continues to fight for control over the Bay of Bengal sea area, this time the british are victorious and IJN are forced to retreat and supply to Singapore is restored.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    62BP:AMPH(fu),2CP,BB(rep),2CW-CA(rep),FR-CA(rep),ATR(3),CVP,
             4LND(3),MECH,INF,MIL,OC
Japan:  24BP:2INF,TERR(Manch),2CVP(1),2CA(rep),CV(rep),3CP,SUB(fu),FROG(fu),1BPsaved
Germany:36BP: 1 ART, 1 MECH, 1 ARM, 1 LND-3, 2 MOT, 1 GAR, 2 INF
Italy:  10BP: 1 SUB(fu), 1 MOT, 1 FTR, 1 SUB(rep)
FreeFr: 
CW:     27BP: AMPH(fu), TRS(fu), MECH, 3FTR(2)
Russia: 27BP: 1MIL,1GARR,1ENG,1MTN,1MECH,1MOT,1SKI,1LND,1STR
China:  -

2007-05-16

1943 Played: Jan/Feb Mar/Apr May/Jun Jul/Aug Sep/Oct Nov/Dec

Jan/Feb - 1943

Played: 2007-05-23

5 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather:12: BBBRStSt
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather: 6: SnSnRFStF
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather: 5: SnSnRFRF
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather: 5: SnSnRFRF
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather: 5: SnSnRFRF
End: Japan conquers Mongolia. USSR conquers Estonia

The Allies gets the initiative in the new year, but find themselves trapped in storms and blizzards as the winter weather turns into the worst ever seen.
The weather is atrocious, blizzards are reported as far south as the Nile Valley. Italy and Germany sends their subs hunting the seas but most of them fail to report back to Brest as the allied merchant vessels are now quite capable of protecting themselves, even without destroyer escorts.
As the blizzard turns to a light snowfall, the Euroaxis also contest the North Sea with numerous aircraft, primarily to strike at a virtually undefended french AMPH but not one single pilot has brough their binoculars and nothing happends throughout the entire turn.
As CW troops envelop the Italian fort in eastern Libya, Italy performs a naval evacuation of the few troops present there. The empty fort is then overrun and CW armoured corps advance further all the way to Benghazi. Germany continues to retreat in good order in Russia, and the Red army follows catiously in a calm winterwar. Coastal defenses are strengthed along the French riviera and in eastern Germany.
Lots of shipping of troops and material takes place from USA to Europe, this is however intercepted by Axis submarines when they crash into the transport fleet causing a SUB and a TRS transporting american strategic bombers to sink. Some strategic bombing raids takes place in Germany and England, but no major effects.
Italy sends frogmen on a succesful raid into Scapa Flow, sinking a british AMPH.
In the northern Asia, Russian troops sent to protect the city of Ulan Bator are too slow and japanese troops march into the city, meaning Mongolia is now conquered.
In the Pacific, american and french submarines sink the japanese convoys in South China Sea. USA steadily advances west and next stop is Bismarck Sea where two japanese carriers meet two american counterparts. The americans do however also have protection from land based fighters and quickly disposes of the japanese planes, leaving the japanese with a small and defenseless fleet in the area , causing one CV to be sunk and the rest of the japanese units in the area decide to leave. There is also a japanese cruiser sunk just south of Rabaul.
There are then some american port strikes against lone japanese ships in the ports bordering Bismarck Sea, but nothing happens, and we also see some american carrier planes do ground strikes against the japanese garrison in Truk. The first target is the japanese anti air, and with them being cut off supply, there is nothing stopping the american bombers from severely damaging the defense installations.
Finally, strenghtened by the success in Bismarck Sea, USA sends a small fleet into China Sea to raid japanese convoys. It is however spotted at far distance by a japanese Strike Force, consisting of the super battleship Shinano and a carrier along with some supporting destroyers. Confident in being able to make a good first strike, the japanese commander first considers attacking, but realising that the american air cover is good enough to have very good chances at retaliating before his ships can get away, he decides to call for reinforcing aircraft. But before the land based japanese fighters reach the area, the american fleet has slipped away and returned to its base further east, out of japanese reach (In game terms, Japan finds with lots of surprise points but opts for no-combat and hope for another impulse where he can add land based aircraft, but turn ends before this happens.)

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    73BP: 2AMPH(fd),3TRS(fd),SUB(rep),2CVP(2),1CVP(1),2FTR(2),FTR(3),
           ARM,ARMdiv,MAR,MARdiv,ENG,OC
Japan:  24BP: INF,HQ-I,GAR,2FTR(2),CVP(1),5CP,SUB(rep), 1saved
Germany:41BP: HQ-I,MOT,ARM,MECH,AA,INF,2FTR(3),GAR
Italy:  12BP: FTR,MECH-div,INF,minisub(fd), ?
FreeFr: 
CW:     28BP (+2 sparade): INF, 3 FTR(2), TRS(fu), AMPH(fd), ARM
Russia: 34BP: 2INF,MOT,GARR,MIL,GUN,2ARM,2FTR(2)
China:  -

2007-05-23

Mar/Apr - 1943

Played: 2007-05-30

8 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 6: StRFFRF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 6: StRFFRF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 4: SnStRFStR
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 1: BBSnRStSt
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 4: SnStRFStR
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 1: BBSnRStSt
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 9: RFFFFF
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 6: StRFFRF
End: END:

Axis wins initiative and Euro axis immediately sends out a huge air armada into the North Sea, together with what is left of the German fleet, two pocket battle ships, hunting for the allied CP there which is supplying Kiel and Denmark but does not find it for many impulses and when they finally do find it and manage to sink it, the spring storms strike and grounds all bombers which were to ground strike Kiel and Denmark.
The allies swiftly replaces the lost CP and take a gruesome vengeance on the German battleships. Lots of surprise points and half of the Royal navys guns (supported by some russian vessels) sink one battleship and damages the other, which means that the German still got away lightly.
American and brazilian troops continue advancing in Morocco, forcing the Axis to reinforce in western Algeria, but later to retreat back to the coast to avoid being surrounded by fast moving brazilian cavalry storming through the mountains. British submarines enter Western Med, but are quickly spotted by italian naval bombers and the subs are forced to back to port for repairs.
The CW land forces from Egypt are also screened by italian units in the desert of northern Libya.
In Russia, Germany reinforces their eastern front with crack troops as the Red Army slowly reclaims the ground vacated by the retreating Germans.
In Asia, the Japanese army finally gets Go orders in Malaya and Singapore is conquered with the aid of a fleet of battleships. Japan sends out transports and ships troops back home from the outer defensese, deciding they are better needed elsewhere. American and french submarines raid both the China Sea and South China Sea and take some losses, but kill some japanese merchants in the process. US also invades two islands of the Marianas and quickly establish air bases there. An american fleet also contests the sea area just off the japanese east coast, sinking the patrolling cruiser there.
Further north, both Japan and USSR reinforces in the Sibiria-Manchuria area, and things look like they may heat up there soon.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    2OC,2LND(4),FTR(2),CVP(1),2INF,MECH,
        FF-SUB(rep),CW-SUB(rep),CW-TRS(rep),
        blandat CW-ships(rep) (some CAs,some BB)
Japan:  
Germany:
Italy:  
FreeFr: 1NAV
CW:     2FTR(2), FTR(3), 2TRS(fu), ARM_MAR_DIV, MECHDiv, 2INF
Russia: 1MTN, 1MOT 1SKI 1MECH 2ARM 2FTR(2)
China:  -

2007-06-06

May/Jun - 1943

Played: 2007-06-06

11 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 7: FFFFFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 3: RFFStRF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 8: FFFFFF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 4: FFFRFF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 5: FFFRFF
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 6: FFFRFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 7: FFFFFF
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 2: StRFStRR
Impulse 9: Axis : Weather: 7: FFFFFF
Impulse 10: Allies : Weather: 10: FFFFFF
Impulse 11: Axis : Weather: 2: StRFStRR
End:

Axis once again wins initiative and again begins with sending out a massive air armada into the North Sea. They manage to cut supply and this is promptly followed by a heavy assault on british-american troops in Kiel. British battleships help the defenders and the result of the fight is one american mech-division killed.
What will follow becomes evident when CW sends out the entire battlefleet into the sea zone along with high quality fighters and marine troops begin being shipped. This while US bombers begin pounding on axis troops along the coast. German naval bombers manage to intercept the first troop transports but more come through. USA next plays a offensive chit to make a super combined, and more american bombers are sent in over France, while two american task forces join the british in the North Sea, giving a much needed addition to the shore bombardment capacity as well as some well needed carrierplanes to help secure the landings.
Two landing zones of two hexes each are. in the area between Boulogne and Cherbourg.
In what is called Operation Ironfist the british Marines take on the most heavily defended area when they assault the city of Rouen. This gives Alexander an easy landing taking the virtually undefended port of Le Havre. Further west, in Operation Rocket, the americans assault the port of Cherbourg, using a combined marine landing - paradropping invasion, and this landing is supported by british and indian paratroopers landing further south to give flank protection.
All landings are executed with total success and not a single Allied unit is lost.
In the Med, the Allied air force contests the western Med and force the italian fleet to withdraw, leaving the troops in western Algeria out of supply. This gives Bradley the opportunity he has waiten for and he assault the german-italian defense positions in the mountains. The attack is a failure, the american troops suffer heavy casualties and no ground is gained.
In Asia, USA reinforce their presence in the Marianas and use the islands as airfields to launch fighters into the China Sea. With fighters there, two american task forces are also sent in and they begin searching for japanese convoys. The japanese air force quickly responds with sending out thousands of planes to patrol and protect the convoy routes.
In a daring move, Japan extract troops from the Caroline islands and despite lots of american aircraft and ships searching for the troop transports, the japanese troops manage to safely return home. Meanwhile, american and New Zealandish troops invade some of the islands, and things begin to look darker for the japanese garrison defending Truk, now all disrupted after some more american CV-based ground strikes.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    69BP: 2CV(rep),2CW-BB(rep),CW-CA(rep),SUB(rep),CVP(1),FTR(2),2LND(4)
              MECHdiv,MOTdiv,INF
Japan:  
Germany:
Italy:  
FreeFr: 
CW:     
Russia: ??BP: 1MTN 1MOT 1SKI 1MECH 2ARM 2FTR(2)
China:  -

2007-06-06

Jul/Aug - 1943

Played: 2007-06-20

10 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 4: FFFRFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 2: FFFRFF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 2: FFFRFF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 5: FFFStFF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 5: FFFStFF
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 7: FFFStFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 4: FFFRFF
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 6: FFFStFF
Impulse 9: Axis : Weather: 8: FFFStFF
Impulse 10: Allies : Weather: 5: FFFStFF
End:

USA and CW continue sending in troops into northern France and expand the beachhead. German forces slowly retreat to keep a good front.
Further north, Germany again try to attack Kiel, but keep failing.
In the Pacific US troops keep advancing, securing Guam and Sorong, giving yet more air bases around the Bismarck Sea, and now also a base long range fighters can use to reach South China Sea.
Japan's response is to mass fighters to protect the convoy routes and to send more troops into Russia.

Player Comments:

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:    68BP: SUB(rep),CW-CV(rep),2TRS(fu),CVP(1),2FTR(2),2LND(3),
              MECH,ARM,MOT,INF
Japan:  
Germany:
Italy:  
FreeFr: 
CW:     
Russia: 25BP: 2MIL 1ARM 1MECH 1FTR(2) 1LND(2) 1INF 1GAR
China:  -

Sep/Oct - 1943

Played: 2007-07-04

8 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 1: FFFFFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 2: FFFFFF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 3: FFFFFF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 6: RFFRFF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 9: StRRStFF
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 10: StStRStRF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 11: SnStRStRR
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 4: FFFFFF
End: France is liberated by CW

The Axis wins the initiative, as usual, and Germany tries the monthly assault on Kiel. German forces keep falling back both in the East and the West as USA and CW keep building up forces in France and Russia keeps up the pressure in the east.
The allied attacks this turn begins with a heavy US air bombardment all over the german lines, but valiant german fighter pilots and outstanding AA performance manage to repel almost all attacks except over Paris, and the success there give Montgomery an opening, Paris is assaulted and the defenders annihilated. The liberation of France is imminent.
The Germans withdraw and set up a new front in Belgium while the allies, lacking free actions consolidate the positions in France. British aircraft manage to cut the italian convoy routes in Eastern Med and in response Italy sends out convoys to to ensure supply to North Africa before british troops in Libya get the chance to take advantage of the situation.
In the Pacific, US and french naval forces enter the South China Sea and manage to sink a couple of japanese cruisers and disturb the japanese convoys going through the area. There is however a strong japanese fighter presence in the area, forcing the american land based fighters to return to base, so left without ample air cover, the american fleet decide to return home.
Later in the turn, the weather in North Monsoon turn into storms and Japan sends out a heavy battle fleet to contest Bismarck Sea, but the bad weather prevent them from finding the US Task Force in the zone. Japan also send out their entire submarine fleet and have some success in sinking american convoys.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA: 70BP: OC,CVP(1),3FTR(2),2LND(3),2MECH,AT,MOT,INF,2AMPH(fu)
Japan:   31BP: TERR,MAR,ENG-div,ARM,FTR(2),CVP(1),BB(rep),CV(rep),TRS(rep),2CP
Germany: 33BP: 4 GAR, 1 ARM, 1 FTR-3, 1 FTR-2, 1 INF, 1 MOT, 1 MECH
Italy:   12BP: 1 CP, 1 NAV-3, 1 INF, 1 TRS(fu)
FreeFr: 
CW:      41BP: INF,2MECH,AT,3FTR(2),TRS(fu),5BP saved(lite gearingproblem)
Russia:  26BP: 1HQ-I 1MOT 1ENG 1FTR(2) 4INF
China:  -

[Pictures - 2007-07-04]

2007-07-11

Nov/Dec - 1943

Played: 2007-07-25

7 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather: 4: RRFFFF
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather: 2: FFFFFF
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather: 9: BSnStFStF
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather: 6: SnStRFRF
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather: 8: SnSnRFRF
Impulse 6: Axis : Weather: 8: SnSnRFRF
Impulse 7: Allies : Weather: 11: BBSnRStR
End: .

The Axis wins the initiative, but decide they want the allies to go first. USA begins with a super combined while CW does a normal combined. The front in Europe is straightened out and US fighters and bombers are rebased to prepare for the next offensive. Some transporting is done, but overall, not much happens in Europe, except for the usual artillery shelling back and forth in Kiel.
In the Pacific, there is more action, as US ground strikes severely damage the japanese defense installations on Truk and with two task forces with heavy battleships and a large invasion armada USA conquers the island with no losses, using no less than 150,000 ground troops in the final assault, with amphibious landings from the north and Marines attacking from bases on islands west and south of Truk.
IJN reinforces the defense of South China Sea and China Sea while IJA continue to keep their pressure on the russian positions in Manchuria.
As the turn goes on, the weather gets increasingly bad, and most action comes to a halt.
We receive a press release from the Italians...

Our beloved leader Mussolini the great has finally taken measures to reform the glorious Italian navy and restore its former glory. In a swift stroke, our beloved leader executed or inprisoned every admiral or air marshal who has at any time served as commander for surface battlegroups or navel aircraft division in the Mediterranean since 1941. The reason is of course their demonstrated complete inability to find and drive away the brittish and later also american aircraft and cruisers, despite huge advantage in numbers and quality. Although only Italian merchant vessels have been lost so far, Mussolini rightfully claims that if this incompetence is allowed to continue to exist it is only a matter of time before something important, like our mighty battleships takes a hit.
Needless to say, Italian operations in Northern africa has been hampered due to the lack of supply for out brave ground troops. Among those, we would especially liek to mention the boys of the combined army group "Central Libya Commmand" who singlehandedly has been holding back the numerically superiour British Egyptian army for over a year now in the deserts of central Libya. Also our "Westerm Algeria command" who is holding many American armoured corps at bay, preventing Oran from falling into enemy hands.
Last but not least, Mussolini declared today that Air Marshall Balbo will be awarded the honour of Peacock Feather of the First order for his efforts on the eastern front. Balbos brave boys of the Regia Aeronautica Russian command have since 1941 let their bombs rain over the communist troops on the eastern front and not lost a single plane to enemy fire.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:           OC,3LND(3),3FTR(2),1CVP(1),2MECH,2MOT,INF,BB(rep)
Japan:   30BP: INF,GAR,ARM,2CVP(1),CV(rep),1CA(rep),6CP,SUB(fd),FROG(fd),
               1BP saved
Germany: 32BP: 1CP(rep),MECH,FTR(3),2FTR(2),2MIL,INF,GAR,MOT
Italy:   11BP: 2 CP, 1 FTR, 1 MECH
France:   8BP: HQ-A(deGaulle, of course...)
CW:          : 2MECH,2MOT,3LND(3)
Russia:  35BP: INF,MOT,PARA,MECH,ENG,SKI,GUN,FTR(2),LND(2),1CP,1BP saved
China:  -

2007-07-25

1944 Played: Jan/Feb Mar/Apr May/Jun Jul/Aug Sep/Oct Nov/Dec

Jan/Feb - 1944

Played: 2007-08-08

6 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather: 12: BBBRStST
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather: 6: SnSnRFStF
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather: 2: RRFFFF
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather: 8: BSnStFStF
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather: 6: SnSnRFStF
Impulse 6: Axis : Weather: 8: BSnStFStF
End: .

Axis again wins initiative and decide the allies should move first. The allies start with the worst weather ever, even the Saharan desert see snow...
In Western Europe, weather pretty much puts a stop to any and all action throughout the turn. Germany strengthens their defenses while USAAF and RAF moves fighters and bombers into eastern France to prepare for the next offensive.
In Asia, there is more action as US Navy moves in heavily to contest South China Sea. IJN at first seem to ignore this, but when USA manage to stage invasions on Borneo and in Malaya as well as heavily disrupt the japanese oil transports, the japanese air force is ordered there and swarm the area, together with a heavy fleet with several battleships and CVs. There are several skirmishes in the area before the final showdown where a hugely superior japanese air force is pitted against the fighters USA and CW has managed to send into the area from their distant airfields. (Japan manage a terrific surprise roll with "1" vs "8", allowing lots of short range fighters in the 0-section to participate). Japanese Air-to-air advantage is +6 when the battle starts, but valiant efforts from US fighter pilots (lots of lucky air combat rolls) soon moves this advantage down to an equal battle. The japanese numerical superiority however takes its toll and two squadrons of japanese naval bombers manage to pass through the american fighter screen. With the american anti air then rolling 1 on their AA-roll, this means lots of damage on the american fleet and a CV is sunk. The american taskforces already having lost another CV in the previous skirmishes and now having lost almost all air cover decides to leave the area, and IJN can celebrate a big victory in the biggest major naval battle so far in the war.
However, this happened only AFTER the US Marines managed their invasions, so the american chief of operations seemed happy with the situation despite the losses...

Player Comments:

USA: It was time to try some major contesting of the South China Sea. Or to be more precise, I had to send in the fleet in order to be able to send in landing craft in the following impulse. The main event was the marine landings on Borneo and in Malaya. This cost me two good CVs and several quality FTR at little cost for my enemy (2FTR,1CVP,1BB,5 or so CP), I think I ended up losing a little more than 2:1 in BP-losses and my losses where of higher quality units. but in my book it was well worth it to get the troops in.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA: 80BP:OC,CA(rep),ARM,HQ-A,MECH-div,2MOT,INF,3FTR(3),3FTR(2),2CVP(1),3BPsave
Japan:   INF,MECH,3FTR(2),BB(rep),3CA(rep),2CP,1SUPPLY,1BP saved
Germany: 29 BP: 1 MECH, 3 FTR, 1 FTR-3, 2 INF
Italy:   12 BP: 1 FTR, 1 INF, 1 MECH
France:   8BP: ATR,3BP saved
CW:      37BP: MAR-div, ART, 2 MECH, 3 FTR(2),Save 7BP
Russia:  
China:  -

2007-08-08

Mar/Apr - 1944

Played: 2007-08-15

1 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather: 9: RFFFFF
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather: 8: RFFFFF
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather: 5: StStRFRF
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather: 9: RFFFFF
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather: 6: StRFFRF
Impulse 6: Axis : Weather: 6: StRFFRF
End: USA liberate Malaya.

Allies finally manage to win the initiative, goes first and get terrific weather. USA begins with a Super combined and sends the bombers against the german lines while CW spends an OC on a land action. Several german fighters are shot down when scrambling to protect the troops from the bombings, but apart from that, the dice doesnt favour the attackers and little progress is made.
In the Med, US intelligence report that the full italian transport fleet is working in the Western Med, and a british fleet and several thousand air craft is ordered into the area to find them, but everyone lost their binoculars, so the transport ships can safely reach safety in harbour with their cargoes intact.
In the Pacific, The US Marines capture Singapore making the same surprise move through the jungle on the east coast of Malaya as the japanese once did (One would have thought they would have learned...). US infantry is also sent to capture the unguarded Kuala Lumpur and Malaya is liberated, giving the Western Allies a very important major port in the South China Sea. Japan again puts up a major fight in the South China Sea, projecting massive air power and also sending in major battle fleets to protect some serious troop transporting. USA decides to make a move against this and spend an OC on a naval action, but manage only to sink a convoy and scare the japanese away. USA also sends some battleships to the seas of China and Japan to disrupt the shipping there, but manage only to sink 2 convoys, so this is hardly noticeable. Japan counters by sending out a massive fleet, but decides to be defensive and does not try to hunt the american task force, but instead opts for simply escorting the convoys.

Player Comments:

USA: Singapore recaptured, and suddenly we can be ahead in available fighters in the South China Sea. One important goal reached.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA: 80BP: SUB(CW,rep),LND(4),2CVP(1),FTR(3),4FTR(2),
           MECH,ARM,2MNT,MOT,CAVdiv,ART,OC
Japan:    30BP, 1 MECH, 3 FTR(2) 1 FTR(3), 1 TRS(rep), 2 CA(rep), 6 CP
Germany:  27BP, 3 MOT, 1 ARM, 3 FTR(2)
Italy:   
France:   10BP: FTR(2),LND(3), save1BP.
CW:       
Russia:  
China:  -

2007-08-15

May/Jun - 1944

Played: 2007-08-22,2007-08-29,2007-09-05

8 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather: 1: SnStRStStSt
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather: 8: FFFFFF
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather: 6: FFFRFF
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather: 5: FFFRFF
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather: 9: FFFFFF
Impulse 6: Axis : Weather: 6: FFFRFF
Impulse 7: Allies : Weather: 1: SnStRStStSt
Impulse 8: Axis : Weather: 12: FFFRFF
End:

Allies actually again win the initiative, only to find the the entire world wrapped in storm clouds. Some slow advance north on the Malayan peninsula and USA send a taskforce of some cruisers into the China Sea to try some convoy hunting in the storms, but nothing is accomplished. The Axis responds with some minor repositioning before the Allies do the Big Bang in the third impulse with an american Super Combined and a CW land-OC. Massive american ground striking all over the german front accomplish almost nothing, but this lack of success is well compensated in the ground fighting when the british conquer Rotterdam and Brussels, while US troops take Marseilles and clear the whole Oran-area in western Algeria from Axis troops.
In response to this, the Axis retreat from Algeria, leaving only som african militia to hinder the american success.
In Asia, US marines invade Sumatra and grab the last NEI oil well. Japan in turn strengthens their defenses in China, but nothing major happens.
USSR does some minor fighting, but not much ground is gained.

Player Comments:

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:     A lot: 2OC,2INF,2LND(3),3MECH,3FTR(2),3CVP(1),2BP saved
Japan:   29BP:MIL(Siam),2MECH,FTR(3),NAV(2),BB(rep),2CA(rep),1CP,FROG(fu),FORT(2)
Germany: 22BP: 2FTR,MTN,MOT,MECH,GAR,INF
Italy:   11BP: FTR,INF,BB(rep)
France:   8BP: FTR(2),INF,1BP saved
CW:      35BP: 1 offchit, 3 FTR(3), Para
Russia:  37BP: 2MECH 2MOT 2MIL 1GUN 2FTR(2) 1LND(2)
China:  -

[Pictures - 2007-08-22][Pictures - 2007-08-29]

2007-09-05

Jul/Aug - 1944

Played: 2007-08-22,2007-08-29,2007-09-05,2007-09-12

10 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather: 9: FFFStFF
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather: 4: FFFRFF
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather: 6: FFFStFF
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather: 1: FFFFFF
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather: 1: FFFFFF
Impulse 6: Axis : Weather: 5: FFFStFF
Impulse 7: Allies : Weather: 7: FFFStFF
Impulse 8: Axis : Weather: 2: FFFRFF
Impulse 9: Allies : Weather: 6: FFFStFF
Impulse 10: Axis : Weather: 6: FFFStFF
End: USA liberate Tunisia. USA liberate Algeria. CW conquer Libya.

Axis wins initiative and goes first.
Germany and Italy sends bombers against some british key positions and despite valiant efforts from the Allied fighters who shoot down several Axis air units the bombings are succesful and manage to pretty much stop the british advance for the reminder of the turn.
CW take a lightly defended Liege while US bombers and an OC put on Eisenhower allows US troops to successfully assault and capture the german city of Saarbrucken and thus get the honour of being the first Allied troops to enter German home territory.
USA also secure the rest of Algeria, and with some combined US and CW amphibious assaults Tunisia and western Libya are invaded, making the Italian presence in Northern Africa starting to look short lived.
Japan continues to strengthen their main land defenses, landing more troops in China and railing supplies to Siberia.
Meanwhile, US troops invade French Indo China, prompting IJA to send a garrison to Saigon.
Later on in the turn, The Western Allies tries to attack more, but fail, leaving the Saarbrucken hex open for a succesful german counter attack. With the Allied airforce failing miserably all over the place, Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica has a field day both in France and the Western Med, where two important AMPHs are sunk.
USA pushes on in Northern Africa and now claims Tunisia as well, while CW capture Libya, except for the defense pocket that still holds in the eastern dester, now however being miserably out of place.
In the final American assault on Tunis, British battleships are called upon to provide artillery support. But, the battleship group sends their shells right on top of the assaulting US troops. An entire US infantry batallion is annihilated before the mistake is realised and the bombarding stopped.
Investigations made after the incident shows some disturbing evidence about the british ship commanders having been drinking large amounts of beer while on duty. Further more, the beer in question appear to have been delivered by German merchants distributing the goods through ports in Denmark, possibly to circumvent trade restrictions and customs. This puts the general conduct of the whole fleet at question, and more questions arise. It seems the merchants have not received payment from the british for the shipping, suggesting someone else has payed, and given where they came from, more suspicious questions quickly arise... US officials has demanded further investigations, while the British government has refused to give any comments, just claiming the incident to be a unlucky accident.

Thus speaks the late summer communiquée from Il Duce:
It was a glorious victory. Today on august 21th, our glorious Regia Aeronautica won its hitherto greatest victory over the combined forces of France, USA, CW and Greece. Without any losses of their own, out forces shot down one entire US fighter squadron and time after time chased away the other allied fighters. Despite heavy anti-aircraft fire from more than 35 enemy ships, our naval bombers were able to sink 2 elite amphibous landing vessels and 3 cruisers, one of which was the Greek contribution to the enemy force. Another demise for out old archenemny.
On a side note, our submarines has managed to disrupt significant amounts of enemy shipping to the allied forces in western africa, much to the relief of our forces in Libya. A heroic evacuation attempt was also made of the hero corps of central Libya which has held the entire CW Egypt army at bay for years, despite being greatly outnumbered. Unfortunately the rescue mission was spotted and sunk by CW aircraft. However, Il Duce has decides to reform the lost corps alredy in December, in memory of our lost brothers in arms. It is noteworthy, that our heros of central libya were never defeated. Instead, CW forces had to make a long and thirsty march through the desert in order to flank them.
On the darker sida Algeria, Tunisia and Libya has been lost to numerically superiour US and CW forces. We must now prepare for a long and hard battle for the homeland.
Finally, it seams that our German friends have finally decided to push back the allied forces somewhat. Loosing Saarbrucken was more than the Germans were able to take. After a failed allied attack on Aachen with heavy losses for the US, which left the allies in disorder, a four way attack was mounted on Saarbrucken, obliterating a US engineering division, one entire US ARM corps and destroying two french fighter squadrons on the ground. Also three unescorted allied squadrons of heavy bombers were shot down in the aerial combat over the battlegrounds.
Until the end!

Player Comments:

Germany/Italy So far (before impulse 6) this summer has not been so bad. I lost Belgium and the Allies are starting to gnaw at the beloved motherland as well but it is not as bad as I though it would be, despite that the allies attackrolls have been great, albeit usually on good odds.
I have been trying to use quite a lot of defensive tactical bombings, both with artillery and unescorted or lightly escorted bombers since I expect not to have oil for all my units quite soon anyway. Also, I really need the edge this gives me, either in flipping allied HQs or front troops or by drawing lots of allied fighters. However, my losses in aircraft have been severe, both due to bad odds and due to incredible allied air combat rolls. It's a small blessing that allied tactical bombings have been less successful.
On the eastern front, things look just about the same, but the Russians seems to lack the capacity for making good air-to-air and attack rolls that the western allies have. He usually attacks a few times per turn but when he does roll good, it is seldom good enough for him to take the hex since I most often have reasonable capability to strike back, and I can always prevent breakthroughs.
Italy looks quite solid and I am quite surprised that the defenses in Libya and Algeria has been holding out for as long as they have. Now however is the time to look to the motherland defenses. Italy only lacks a few ARM and MOT which are still in the forcepool so it will not be a piece of cake for the allies to achieve the garrison ration condition, but I have seen Italy looking solid before and still fold up like a house of cards once the pressure mounts.
Now I just got to make somethings of this rounds search rolls in the western med and sink a few of those pesky 5-move transports which can invade Italy from anywhere in the Med and Italy might actually survive until the summer of 1945 which is really not so bad at all.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:     67BP: 2MOT,2OC,ARM,3FTR(2),3CVP(1)
Japan:   29BP: INF,GAR,MECH,AA,NAV(2),1CP,2FORT(5).

Germany: 21BP: MECH,FTR,2INF,GAR,MOT
Italy:   11BP: GAR,FTR,AT
France:   7BP: FTR(2),INF
CW:      42BP: 2OC,LND(3),GUN,MIL
Russia:  40BP: 2MECH,2LND(2),GAR,INF,SKI,OC
China:  -

[Pictures - 2007-09-12]

2007-09-19

Sep/Oct - 1944

Played: 2007-09-19,2007-09-26,

9 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 5: RFFRFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 2: FFFFFF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 3: FFFFFF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 5: RFFRFF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 7: RRFRFF
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 7: RRFRFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 5: RFFRFF
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 4: FFFFFF
Impulse 9: Axis : Weather: 2: FFFFFF
End: USA conquers Yugoslavia. CW liberate Bulgaria.

Axis wins initiative and goes first.
German artillery bombardments initially disrupt Allied front positions in Belgium and Kiel, but this is hardly noticed as the Allied attention is concentrated elsewhere. The weather gets great in the first weeks in August and a huge combined maneuver is launched in Eastern Med.
A heavy american airal bombardment on German forces in the north is launched, focusing mainly on german HQ:s and the german ATRs. German fighters are launched to protect the ground troops, but this means disaster for Luftwaffe who loses a huge amount of planes at no losses for the attacking bombers.
With american AMPHs based in Tripoli and Suez and american transports from Tripoli a major naval assault is made on the greek coast. Three hexes on the greek east coast are assaulted by british marines and infantry, supported by artillery fire from US battleships. At the same time, two armadas of transport planes send 100.000 british and american paratroopers to the skies above Zagreb and Belgrade, and also a coordinated attack is made by USSR paratroopers into centra Bulgaria. The PARA-attacks cut all Axis railway lines into Jugoslavia and Greece. All invasions are stunning success and not the only losses ceme when a company of british planes misnavigate and the troopers end up in the Danube river instead of around the bridge they were supposed to secure (game terms, one CW corps got flipped). The Axis respond by sending fighters into Hungary to try to intercept transporting of supply to the American PARAs in Belgrade. Rommel is also ordered to hurry down to the Bulgarian front to prepare defenses there, but he gets intercepted by french bombers that manage to force him to stop just north of Danube.
In the next Allied impulse, CW makes a super combined and the 2nd wave of troops get transported to Greek and three HQ:s and armoured troops are landed. The mountains east of Sofia are secured by british infantry and the British Armoured Marines reach as far north as the southern bank of Danube, making the first contact with some real axis forces.
An assault is made on Salonica, and the rumanian corps there offer little resistance when outnumbered 6:1 and seriously outmatched in weapons and equipment.
A long awaited Balkan front has finally been opened.
The turn proves to be long, which is disastrous for the PARA:s, as the Axis gets lots of time to counterattack the surrounded airborne troops, but with constant help from bombers and fighters, they manage to keep the axis troops at bay for the whole turn, but with disastrous casualties. But the long turn also means bad news for the Axis as it allows the main body of the British and American troops to advance all the way through Bulgaria up to the border of Rumania, and even get across the Danube river.
To provide troops for the new Southern front, especially the German Eastern front is drained of troops, and the first serious German retreats from Russian soil can be seen.
In Asia, USA continues to send in long range fighters, while Japan strengthens the defenses of Southern China and Manila. We can also see a continous shipping of US troops into the area. But the only fighting is a combined US-CW attack on japanese troops shortly north of Bangkok, which with the aid of a diversionary attack by a New Zealand corps^[1] succeed in cutting the overland supply lines from Bangkok into China, forcing the Bangkok troops to rely on the unreliable convoy routes through the South China Sea.

The heroes of Siam

Their minds: They knowlingly walked straight into a certain death.
Their mission: draw the attention of the heavy Japanese artillery based north of Bangkok away from the Allied attack on the troops based further north.
Their job: they had to quick march through the jungle to reach the attack area. They knew they would receive no air support nor any shore bombardment from the US battleships, as this would draw attention to them. They marched from a base close to the shores of South China Sea. From there, they had to leave the vehicles and heavy equipment behind and march through the dense jungle. They marched along some old smuggle routes known only by some local guides. 150km of jungle ground was covered in 23 days, during which half of the 30000 men starting the mission had to abort or died.
When the target was reached, and the attack on the japanese artillery began, only 5000 of the 30000 men could actually participate, and for the attackers, it was a disaster. They walked right into a heavy artillery barrage, and forced to retreat. And then began a man hunt when Siamese and japanese troops hunt the surviving Zealanders through the jungle, not only catching those participating in the attack, but also reaching the troops already retreating back through the jungle. When summarising, of 30000 men starting the mission, 3000 made it back to safety, 4000 are known to be dead, 5000 are beleived to be caught as POW and 18000 men are unaccounted for, missing in the jungle somewhere, presumed dead.
But the mission goal was reached, and as such, the mission was a stunning success. It tied up important japanese resources and troops, allowing British troops to cross the river further north to hook up with American troops coming from the east, effectively encircling Bangkok.

Player Comments:

USA Preparations were done, transports in place. Time to launch!

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:     3OC,PARA,ATR(4),GAR,TRS(rep),CW-TRS(rep),CW-SUB(rep)
Japan:  30BP: INF-div,MTN-div, MECH-div, 2FTR(2), 1OC
Germany: 26BP: FTR-3,MIL,4INF,INF-div,AT,2BP saved
Italy:   6BP:INF, MIL, 1BP saved
France:  7BP: INF, FTR(2)
CW:      42BP: 2OC,LND(3), 7 Bp saved
Russia:  
China:  -

[Pictures - 2007-09-26]

2007-10-03

Nov/Dec - 1944

Played: 2007-10-03,2007-10-10,2007-10-14

7 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 1: FFFFFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 6: SnStRFRF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 8: SnSnRFRF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 5: StRFFRF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 4: RRFFFF
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 5: StRFFFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 4: RRFFFF
End: CW liberate Greece,Germany liberate Yugoslavia.

Axis wins initiative and goes first.

Player Comments:

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:     
Japan:  
Germany: 
Italy:   
France:  
CW:      
Russia:  
China:  -

[Pictures - 2007-09-26]

2007-10-03

1945 Played: Jan/Feb Mar/Apr May/Jun Jul/Aug

Jan/Feb - 1945

Played: 2007-10-14

5 impulses.

Impulse 1: Allies : Weather: 3: StRFFRF
Impulse 2: Axis : Weather: 2: RRFFFF
Impulse 3: Allies : Weather: 5: SnSnRFRF
Impulse 4: Axis : Weather: 11: BBBRStR
Impulse 5: Allies : Weather: :8 BSnStFStF
End: USA conquers French Indo China

Axis wins initiative and decides the Allies should go first.
The weather is decent (rain in Europe and clear in central/southern Asia) and CW begins with a land action and spends an OC while USA does the usual Super Combined.
In France, the turn begins with the usual air bombardment of the German front line. It is mostly succesful and is followed by a OC-fueled attack Achen which is easily conquered and some CW troops advance towards the Rhine. After this however, the western front mostly comes to a halt due to heavy snow.

In Rumania, Russia take advantage of the German retreat following the US/CW entry into the Balkans. Russian troops advance into RUmania, cutting off Axis access to the coast as well as reaching the Carpathians. Bucharest begin to look surrounded, although the Rumanian army try to set up some kind of defense against the two armies racing to the Rumanian capital. However, the russians, having troops actually equipped for winter, relentlessly press on, ignorant of heavy losses, and soon we see the first closing of the Russian and Western Allied fronts in the Balkans, as they close the gap just south of Bucharest.
In Asia, USA sends a big invasion fleet into South China Sea where no japanese are around to oppose it. The US air force pounds on the defense positions along the South coast of China. Some japanese fighters try to intercept, but are mostly unsuccesful. With the western part of the front being disrupted, US marines can make a succesful landing just east of Hanoi. US troops also take control over Saigon,easily disposing of the 60000 men strong garrison defending the city.
IJA hurridly assembles troops and set up a defenseline shortly north of the coast, screening the US troops to stop further advancment into China. The western part of the front is however running rather thin, leaving it open for attack, and US troops attack into Kumming. But, the Japanese Command Center for the Indo China area of operations, led by Admiral Yamamoto, in Hanoi is encircled and heavily disrupted by American bombings, så with the aide of a huge armada of battleships the US Marine launch an invasion there, killing all defenders. The rest of the month is used for mopping up the area and advancing north into Nanning.
}

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:     
Japan:  
Germany: 
Italy:   
France:  
CW:      
Russia:  
China:  -

2007-10-14

Mar/Apr - 1945

Played: 2007-10-17

5 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 5: StStRFRF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 5: StStRFRF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 2: BSnStRStSt
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 6: StRFFRF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 4: SnStRFStR
End: USSR conquers Rumania

Axis again wins initiative and goes first. The weather is storms and rain almost all over the place, but both the European Axis and Japan primarily move to strengthen their defense lines. USA spends two offensive chits on super combineds and CW spend one on a Land action to put some extra ground attack strength which enables the western troops to get a bridgehead over Rhine in Holland. US aircraft bomb all over the place, but the rain makes this pretty ineffective. In South China, US and CW bomb the japanese ground troops, forcing japanese fighters into the air to protect them. This results in two units of japanese fighters being shot down at the cost of one american. There is some mixed success in the bombings, but in general the US headquarters seem happy with the outcome.

On the Eastern front, with some aid from US bombers, Russia assault Bucharest where the Rumanian defenders offer little resistance.
Later in the turn, when the storms in North Temperate calms down into rain, massive amounts of US aircraft and ships enter the China Sea along with troop transports, and the US Marines make a daring assault on the shores of Northen China. A natural 20 is rolled on the dice and the troops land without any losses, effectively cutting supply for all japanese troops in China as well as cutting the railroad connecting Manchuria with China.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:     
Japan:  
Germany: 
Italy:   
France:  
CW:      
Russia:  
China:  -

[Pictures - 2007-10-17]

2007-10-25

May/Jun - 1945

Played: 2007-10-31

9 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 7: FFFFFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather: 6: FFFRFF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather: 8: FFFFFF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 9: FFFFFF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 1: SnStRStStSt
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 6: FFFRFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 6: FFFRFF. PASS
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 2: StRFStRR
Impulse 9: Axis : Weather: 5: FFFRFF. PASS
End: USA conquers Info-China. USA liberate China. USSR liberate Mongolia

Axis first win initiative, but Allies demand a reroll and wins the reroll. Allies continue the offensive on all fronts, quickly gaining ground in China, but without enough speed in Europe it is obvious that all Axis powers will survive. The japanese airforce masses in China Sea, only to find it empty of americans since almost every american aircraft available on the pacific/asian map is sent to central China to assist the liberation of the Chinese people. USA retake Rabaul in a massive assault.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:     
Japan:  
Germany: 
Italy:   
France:  
CW:      
Russia:  
China:  -

2007-10-31

Jul/Aug - 1945

Played: 2007-10-31

9 impulses.

Impulse 1: Axis : Weather: 2: FFFRFF
Impulse 2: Allies : Weather:10: FFFStFF
Impulse 3: Axis : Weather:10: FFFStFF
Impulse 4: Allies : Weather: 8: FFFStFF
Impulse 5: Axis : Weather: 4: FFFRFF
Impulse 6: Allies : Weather: 3: FFFRFF
Impulse 7: Axis : Weather: 4: FFFRFF
Impulse 8: Allies : Weather: 4: FFFRFF
Impulse 9: Axis : Weather: 4: FFFRFF
End: World peace.

Final turn. Allies make some more attacks in Germany but do not gain much more ground. Game over.

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US Entry: Total War!
USA:     
Japan:  
Germany: 
Italy:   
France:  
CW:      
Russia:  
China:  -