AI for MWiF - Germany

[brian brian]

No, a single CW CV Gladiator with 3 air-to-air fights a single Me-109 at -1 or -2 vs the ones found on the first turn; 3 vs 4 or 3 vs 5. Not 0.3 vs 4 or 0.3 vs 5. Regardless of what air mission is being contested by fighters or whether it is on land or at sea. I'm not going to explain this rule 15 times. Play the game, and the rules quick into place pretty quickly as you go.

It is irrelevant to the situation of attacking a single gun division in Frederikshavn. The Luftwaffe can't save that gun, and Fleet Air Arm need not risk fighting the Luftwaffe over land, which would not be wise.

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

No, a single CW CV Gladiator with 3 air-to-air fights a single Me-109 at -1 or -2 vs the ones found on the first turn; 3 vs 4 or 3 vs 5. Not 0.3 vs 4 or 0.3 vs 5. Regardless of what air mission is being contested by fighters or whether it is on land or at sea. I'm not going to explain this rule 15 times. Play the game, and the rules quick into place pretty quickly as you go.

It is irrelevant to the situation of attacking a single gun division in Frederikshavn. The Luftwaffe can't save that gun, and Fleet Air Arm need not risk fighting the Luftwaffe over land, which would not be wise.

You seam to think I somehow care about saving the TD when I don't. It has never been about saving the TD.

It is about how many units I can make the CW loose and how much oil I can make the CW use up. Just so the CW can kill one TD.

14.3.2 Combat
You fight each air-to-air combat in a series of rounds. This series continues until every aircraft on one side is either destroyed, aborted or cleared through.

If a side starts a round with no fighters, all opposing bombers are immediately cleared through to the target.

After air-to-air combat (if any) is over, all bombers that have been cleared through to the target carry out the bombing mission.

Combat values
Your air-to-air combat value for each round is equal to: your air-to-air strength - your opponent’s air-to-air strength

For example, if your air-to-air strength was 5 and your opponent’s 3, your combat value would be 5 - 3 = 2 and theirs would be 3 - 5 = -2.

Calculate a new air-to-air strength at the start of each round. It is equal to the air-to-air rating of your front fighter, +1 for each other FTR, and +0.5 (CVPiF/SiF option 56: one tenth its air-to-air strength) for each other carrier plane, in your fighter group (you ignore bombers’ air-to-air ratings).

If you have no fighter group, your air-to-air strength equals the air-to-air rating of your front bomber only.

A bomber with a bracketed air-to-air rating, is unarmed. If an unarmed bomber is your front bomber and is being used to determine your air-to-air strength, you don’t roll dice. You only use its rating to reduce your opponent’s air-to-air combat value. Such bombers just have to hope they get cleared through.

Option 53: (Twin-engined fighters) In air-to-air combat during the day, all front fighters with an orange air-to-air rating achieve one result less than normal when the front enemy fighter in the combat does not have an orange air-to-air rating. In these cases an AX result becomes a DX, a DX becomes an AA, an AA becomes a DA and so on. A DC result is unaffected.

Option 54: (Fighter bombers) Reduce the air-to-air rating of the front bomber by 1 if it is a FTR.

Option 55: (Outclassed fighters) Back-up fighters only increase your air-to-air strength if their modified air-to-air rating is at least half that of the modified rating of the front opposing fighter. This does not apply to back-up carrier planes.

All modifiers are cumulative.

Resolving the combat
The air-to-air combat sequence is:
1. The inactive side rolls two dice and adds them together.
2. Locate the result on the air-to-air combat table and implement it.
3. The active side rolls two dice and adds them together.
4. Find the result on the air-to-air combat table and implement it.
5. The active side can voluntarily abort the air-to-air combat.
6. The inactive side can voluntarily abort the air-to-air combat.

Losses from the inactive side’s roll do not affect the combat value the active side uses. However, the active player must suffer any result before knowing what their own roll is.

If you decide to voluntarily abort the air-to-air combat, apply an ‘A’ result (see 14.3.3) to every aircraft and carrier plane unit you have in the combat (exception: in naval air combats, you return aircraft and carrier plane units that voluntarily abort to the sea-box section they started from).

It is possible for both sides to voluntarily abort the same combat.

Germany has a:
44% chance to get a FTR with a 3 air-to-air factor.
22% chance to get a FTR with a 4 air-to-air factor.
33% chance to get a FTR with a 5 air-to-air factor.

The CW has a:
27% chance to get a CVP with a 0 air-to-air factor.
27% chance to get a CVP with a 1 air-to-air factor.
31% chance to get a CVP with a 2 air-to-air factor.
15% chance to get a Gloster Gladiator CVP with a 3 air-to-air factor.

Germany has a 44% chance to be on the:
+2,3 chart German FTR 3 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 0 or 1 air-to-air factor
+1 chart German FTR 3 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 2 air-to-air factor
0 chart German FTR 3 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 3 air-to-air factor

Germany has a 22% chance to be on the:
+4,5 chart German FTR 4 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 0 air-to-air factor
+2,3 chart German FTR 4 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 1 or 2 air-to-air factor
+1 chart German FTR 4 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 3 air-to-air factor

Germany has a 33% chance to be on the:
+4,5 chart German FTR 5 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 0 or 1 air-to-air factor
+2,3 chart German FTR 5 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 2 or 3 air-to-air factor

0 chart: 5 AX, 4 DX, 2 AA, 2 DA, 2 AC, 2 DC, 1 No effect
+1 chart: 6 AX, 4 DX, 2 AA, 2 DA, 1 AC, 2 DC, 2 No effect
+2,3 chart: 7 AX, 4 DX, 2 AA, 2 DA, 2 AC, 1 DC, 1 No effect
+4,5 chart: 8 AX, 4 DX, 2 AA, 2 DA, 1 AC, 1 DC, 1 No effect



The CW has a 27% chance to be on the:
-3,4 chart German FTR 3 or 4 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 0 air-to-air factor
-5,6 chart German FTR 5 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 0 air-to-air factor

The CW has a 27% chance to be on the:
-2 chart German FTR 3 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 1 air-to-air factor
-3,4 chart German FTR 4 or 5 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 1air-to-air factor

The CW has a 31% chance to be on the:
-1 chart German FTR 3 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 2 air-to-air factor
-2 chart German FTR 4 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 2 air-to-air factor
-3,4 chart German FTR 5 air-to-air factor vs. CW CVP with a 2 air-to-air factor

The CW has a 15% chance to be on the:
0 chart German FTR 3 air-to-air factor vs. CW Gloster Gladiator CVP with a 3 air-to-air factor
-1 chart German FTR 4 air-to-air factor vs. CW Gloster Gladiator CVP with a 3 air-to-air factor
-2 chart German FTR 5 air-to-air factor vs. CW Gloster Gladiator CVP with a 3 air-to-air factor

0 chart: 5 AX, 4 DX, 2 AA, 2 DA, 2 AC, 2 DC, 1 No effect
-1 chart: 4 AX, 4 DX, 2 AA, 3 DA, 2 AC, 2 DC, 2 No effect
-2 chart: 4 AX, 3 DX, 2 AA, 3 DA, 3 AC, 2 DC, 2 No effect
-3,4 chart: 3 AX, 3 DX, 2 AA, 3 DA, 3 AC, 3 DC, 2 No effect
-5,6 chart: 2 AX, 3 DX, 2 AA, 3 DA, 3 AC, 4 DC, 2 No effect

[brian brian]

The CW doesn't lose any units until their BBs attack the Baltic; perhaps a fighter lost and a damaged ship here or there in the North Sea, same as if they were reinforcing Rotterdam. (Raiding the Baltic was a dream of Churchill's, by the way, rightly rejected as a suicide mission. Luckily, in WiF we command cardboard, not human lives).

I scrap a lot of CVP to get those Gladiators with the extra range for the Ark Royal. Every additional 10% chance helps. I don't generally pre-empt war on Italy.

It isn't about a tank destoyer, that's just a 5 BP bonus the Germans might hand up accidentally. The British can land, kill that unit, and sail away again with little risk if they choose, or they can attack the Baltic. They could do it with Hurricane cover in the 1 box of the North Sea and never use CV planes vs Me-109 at all. Perhaps a total of one oil for a 5 BP unit the Germans want for Barbarossa? I would trade that every single time.

The idea is the same if there is a 2 BP 1-5 Mot, a 2-5 Mot, or maybe even a 5-5 MOT with no air support (CW could land the MECH if they want and risk a +12.4 blitz on a 5-5 MOT with no loss taker, but no harsh terrain loss). I just hope you understand what can happen, and how things happen, in a game so when you play, you are ready.

The CW burns up some oil, and their old BBs start trading losses with the Kriegsmarine on German turf while all the CW convoys sail safely home for a while (priceless). If the Royal Navy takes equal attrition vs the Axis navies, they win as the Axis runs out of ships first. After a dark and stormy M/A (not uncommon) M/J 40 dawns at last and the CW loses up to 4 MIL or GARR (8 BP), an AT Gun (4), possibly an overrun pre-war FTR (2 to 4 depending on how you judge the pilot. old FTR not replaced same). In return the CW sees a quality German INF, an ARM, and an ARM division go to north Denmark probably with a Stuka and an Me-109, unavailable in France.

They can try for the lucky direct attack on Frederikshavn with the gun present, or they can break into the west end of the island with a one hex attack, halved by crossing arrows and CW AT only covering the other hex (about a 1:1 blitz vs Manchester and Glasgow MIL, +3.5 and likely flipped attackers with no other air involved), for an eventual 2 hex attack on Frederikshavn, at which point CW _could_ evacuate and minimize losses to the 4 BP of MIL, re-appearing instantly in England if needed. The direct attack is about 8:13 facing the 4-1 UK GARR, the 5-3 London MIL, and the AT Gun; -1 for AT Gun, +1.5 for Blitz bonus, or +1.7. Little chance these tanks will attack France until August 1st, 1940.

Possible further flips or odds raised courtesy of the Luftwaffe which would rather be in France. Possible additional factors from Kriegsmarine, if the Germans opened M/J 40 with a Combined while the western front generals groaned; maybe they put a force in the 4 box in the Baltic in M/A and didn't lose a naval battle to the R class BB squadron on their way back to Scapa Flow. And they might be cursing the day they voted YES on the Defensive Shore Bombardment optional at Japanese insistence, or before they bid sides. Then they need even more force in north Denmark.

The Germans burn up a lot oil of as well, and a lot of moves being reactive rather than pro-actvie. CW BP well spent, you won't convince me otherwise and I think I would try this any time the Germans let me. Hand me the initiative and I know what to do with it. I'm sorry I argued the point this many times, dear readers, and I will quit now. I now can't wait to play the CW and launch ground strikes on Schleswig-Holstein as my first air mission of the game, barring France First deployment and Italy about to land in Oran. Poland + Netherlands is different....I would still do it. I hope the CW AI has the gumption to try this script.

And thanks for the theoretical gaming, it's better than nothing, and way more relaxing than trying to put a final number on a contract bid; that is truly nerve-racking.

[Extraneous]

I am having trouble following you could you please be more specific on these questions.

It isn't about a tank destoyer, that's just a 5 BP bonus the Germans might hand up accidentally. The British can land, kill that unit, and sail away again with little risk if they choose, or they can attack the Baltic. They could do it with Hurricane cover in the 1 box of the North Sea and never use CV planes vs Me-109 at all. Perhaps a total of one oil for a 5 BP unit the Germans want for Barbarossa? I would trade that every single time.

"Hurricane cover in the 1 box of the North Sea" From where?

The idea is the same if there is a 2 BP 1-5 Mot, a 2-5 Mot, or maybe even a 5-5 MOT with no air support (CW could land the MECH if they want and risk a +12.4 blitz on a 5-5 MOT with no loss taker, but no harsh terrain loss). I just hope you understand what can happen, and how things happen, in a game so when you play, you are ready.

"CW could land the MECH if they want and risk a +12.4 blitz on a 5-5 MOT with no loss taker" Where?

The CW burns up some oil, and their old BBs start trading losses with the Kriegsmarine on German turf while all the CW convoys sail safely home for a while (priceless). If the Royal Navy takes equal attrition vs the Axis navies, they win as the Axis runs out of ships first. After a dark and stormy M/A (not uncommon) M/J 40 dawns at last and the CW loses up to 4 MIL or GARR (8 BP), an AT Gun (4), possibly an overrun pre-war FTR (2 to 4 depending on how you judge the pilot. old FTR not replaced same). In return the CW sees a quality German INF, an ARM, and an ARM division go to north Denmark probably with a Stuka and an Me-109, unavailable in France.

"the CW convoys sail safely home" Which Convoys or are you talking about CW Task Forces?

They can try for the lucky direct attack on Frederikshavn with the gun present, or they can break into the west end of the island with a one hex attack, halved by crossing arrows and CW AT only covering the other hex (about a 1:1 blitz vs Manchester and Glasgow MIL, +3.5 and likely flipped attackers with no other air involved), for an eventual 2 hex attack on Frederikshavn, at which point CW _could_ evacuate and minimize losses to the 4 BP of MIL, re-appearing instantly in England if needed. The direct attack is about 8:13 facing the 4-1 UK GARR, the 5-3 London MIL, and the AT Gun; -1 for AT Gun, +1.5 for Blitz bonus, or +1.7. Little chance these tanks will attack France until August 1st, 1940.

Are you talking about the CW or Germany? Who are "They"?

The Germans burn up a lot oil of as well, and a lot of moves being reactive rather than pro-actvie. CW BP well spent, you won't convince me otherwise and I think I would try this any time the Germans let me. Hand me the initiative and I know what to do with it. I'm sorry I argued the point this many times, dear readers, and I will quit now. I now can't wait to play the CW and launch ground strikes on Schleswig-Holstein as my first air mission of the game, barring France First deployment and Italy about to land in Oran. Poland + Netherlands is different....I would still do it. I hope the CW AI has the gumption to try this script.

And thanks for the theoretical gaming, it's better than nothing, and way more relaxing than trying to put a final number on a contract bid; that is truly nerve-racking.

"final number on a contract bid'' Construction project or a game of Bridge (I haven't played Bridge since collage)?


Not a question:

This scenario sounds like "a 1939 Malta on the Baltic".

I was having problems finding the thread I wanted and it turns out you are correct the CW can stay in Frederikshavn.

But Denmark is a minor power with 2 territories (Greenland and Iceland) and no minor countries.

So it suffers a complete conquest at the end of the turn that it is invaded and Copenhagen is captured.

Two more places the CW needs to send Land units Greenland and Iceland. The CW doesn't want these in German control.


Seriously, thanks for having me look it up.

[brian brian]

The Royal Navy can sail out into the North Sea in the 1 box. 2 FTR-2 based in England can fly to the 1 box and put up a good fight against any Luftwaffe planes in the North Sea. The RN can add a patrolling task force to the 4 box for further protection from surprise point swings.

If the Germans take Frederikshavn but not the hex adjacent, it is an Allied controlled hex. An HQ can debark from a TRS into a controlled hex. Any unit can debark from a TRS onto an HQ unit. The CW has that option to make a blitz attack on the hex if they desire, using their at-start MECH, unless the tank destroyer is there.

If the Royal Navy is attacking the Baltic with Battleships and possibly SUBmarines, the Kriegsmarine has to respond. If the Kriegsmarine is responding to your moves, they don't have the freedom to be raiding the Atlantic. Not that surface raids from Germany in the first winter of the war are that much to worry about to start with. But the point is to make the Germans do things, rather than sitting back waiting for the Germans to do things that the CW then has to respond to. So if there is a mini-war going on the in the Baltic, CW CPs are quite a bit safer. Unless the Germans take a naval impulse, they won't likely even be able to send out U-Boats to the Atlantic. And they generally spend turns 2, 3, & 4 moving land units to the French front, so they would rather take a Combined to move any ships. They might take a naval and send out the SUBs though. And the Kriegsmarine could be taking losses defending their convoys, improving the Royal Navy's position after this operation ends. Sometimes, the best defense is a good offense. Normally I suggest the Allies stand pat all the way through the first dozen turns, playing pure defense. But that gets boring for many players, and they sow the seeds of their own destruction attacking when they shouldn't. There are few possibilities early on where they can attack the Axis profitably, with units they can afford to lose. This is one of them.

"They" in that are the Germans who don't have an easy time retaking that island, attacking on a one-hex front across a crossing arrow. They can take the island eventually, yes. The question is how much do they send way out of their way to do it. It is a very sensitive spot in the German perimeter throughout the entire war, due to the mechanics of the game system, rules, and map. After the campaign in the west I defend Denmark with the Kiel and Hamburg MIL and a mech division, minimum, at all times. More as the western Allies build up in England.

When Denmark is conquered, Iceland and Greenland become neutral territory again if there are no units in them, which is OK for the Allies. The USA can occupy them later.

Faxed in a large bid this morning for a job. Bidding for work is a lot more complicated than wargaming.

[Extraneous]

[:D] Thanks brian brian I think we just covered "Embarking & Debarking" and "Air-to-Air combat". [:D]

I hope these posts can be used in a "How to" tutorial.

[Extraneous]

Operation Weserübung (Denmark and Norway)
There is no real reason for Germany to invade Norway other than the resource hex. It gives the Allies a chance to add US entry chits (see below 13.3.3 US entry actions). And ties up German units that could be used elsewhere.

If Germany chooses not to DoW Norway Germany still gets the Swedish resources (see below 8.2.10 Iced-in ports).

Norway (is a Minor power with no minor countries or territories)
The actual invasion of Norway took place on April 9, 1940

Weather:
Southern Norway (Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo, and Stravanger) is in the North Temperate Zone.
Northern Norway (the rest of Norway) is in the Artic Zone.

Weather in the Artic Zone Mar/Apr: 10% Blizzard, 10% Snow. 10% Storm, 10% Rain, and 10% Fair
Weather in the North Temperate Zone Mar/Apr: 5% Blizzard, 10% Snow. 10% Storm, 10% Rain, and 15% Fair

1x resource

I MTN (4-4)
Ski division (2-4)

Heavy cruiser Harald Haarfagre (1,7,0,0,3,1)
Heavy cruiser Tordenskjold (1,7,0,0,3,1)
Heavy cruiser Eidsvold (1,8,1,0,3,2)
Heavy cruiser Norge (1,8,0,0,3,2)

Reserve
MIL Oslo (3-3)

In the Norway AI thread peskpesk says there are three options.

1) Narvik defence: Is just as the name suggests a setup where all the Norwegian land forces are setup on or around Narvik, leaving the capital empty.

2) Balanced defence: The Norwegian land forces are setup on Oslo and on Narvik, trying to defend both locations.

3) Southern costal defence: The Norwegian land forces are setup on or close the cost guarding against an Invasion from the North Sea or Baltic sea.

But I believe after Jan/Feb 1940 #1 and #3 are badly planned. Because a PARA unit can invade Oslo, Norway supported by shore bombarded and air strikes. Followed up with an Embark & Debark" into Oslo.

Note: for shore bombardment see below for 2.1.1 Hexes & hex-dots, 11.14 Invasions, and 11.16.2 Shore bombardment.

II PARA (4-3) + 4 shore bombardment + 4 TAC = 12 combat factors,

The notional unit has 1 combat factor, modified by:
* +1 if it is a city hex;
* +1 if the hex is in the home country of the major power that controls the hex;
* +1 if it is not stacked with a land unit, but is in the ZOC of a friendly corps or army;
* + the shore bombardment modifier for each invading unit;
* -1 if it cannot trace a basic supply path of any length; and
* -1 if surprised (see 15.).

Norway Defense Options vs. German II PARA (4-3) + Shore bombardment + Air strike = 12 combat factors

1) If Oslo has no units and the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) is not adjacent to Oslo:
(Notional unit 1 combat factor + 1) - 1 = 1 combat factor
German II PARA (4-3) + Shore bombardment + Air strike vs. Notional unit 1 combat factor
This comes to 12 to 1 odds with 1 added to the die roll because the notional unit is flipped.

Therefore a Norwegian Land unit must be setup in Oslo or the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) adjacent to Oslo or Norway will suffer a complete conquest at the end of the first turn of invasion.

2) If Oslo has no units and the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) adjacent to Oslo:
(Notional unit 1 combat factor + 1 + 1) - 1 = 2 combat factors
This comes to 6 to 1 odds with 1 added to the die roll because the notional unit is flipped.

3) If the Norwegian Ski division (2-4) is placed in Oslo (with the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) not adjacent to Oslo):
Norwegian Ski division (2-4) + Notional unit 1 combat factor = 3 combat factors
This comes to 12 to 3 or 4 to 1 odds with 1 added to the die roll because the notional unit is flipped.

4) If the Norwegian Ski division (2-4) is placed in Oslo (with the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) adjacent to Oslo):
Norwegian Ski division (2-4) + Notional unit 2 combat factors = 4 combat factors
This comes 12 to 4 or to 3 to 1 odds with 1 added to the die roll because the notional unit is flipped.

5) If the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) is placed in Oslo:
Norwegian I MTN (4-4) + Notional unit 1 combat factor = 5 combat factors
This comes to 2 to 1 odds with 1 added to the die roll because the notional unit is flipped.

6) If the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) and the Norwegian Ski division (2-4) are placed in Oslo:
Norwegian I MTN (4-4) + Norwegian Ski division (2-4) + Notional unit 1 combat factor = 7 combat factors
This comes to 1 to 2 odds with 1 added to the die roll because the notional unit is flipped.


But the Germans do not need to take Oslo immediately. Although it is strongly suggested do so quickly due to 13.3.3 US entry actions (see below).

In Norway the Germans have 2 objectives besides Oslo: Narvik (see below for 8.2.10 Iced-in ports) and the Norwegian resource hex.

Narvik
It takes time but If Finland is aligned with Germany the Germany can walk in to Narvik from Finland.
Germany can do an Embark & Debark of the MTN unit to Oulu, Finland.
Durring Snow the Swamp hexes are frozen and treated as Forest and you can walk your MTN unit along the border of Finland and Sweden.
The MTN unit will be flipped when it moves out of supply in the Mountain hex on the border of Finland/Norway/Sweden and can be reorganized durring 13.5 Final reorganisation step.
If the Weather in the Artic zone is Fair The MTN unit then can walk into Narvik where it will be flipped because it exceeds its movement points moving ito its final destination hex.
Mountain 2 movement points + Forest 1 movement point + Mountain 2 movement points
The MTN unit will be in supply if a German unit is in Finland (see below 19.7 Axis minor countries).
II attacked the MTN unit would be tripled to 12 for being in a Mountain hex and there would be a +1 to the die for the MTN unit being flipped.

Kristiansand and the Norwegian resource hex
Kristiansand is a clear hex minor port so if no Land unit is present it has a notional unit with a combat factor of zero and 1 is added to the die roll because the notional unit is flipped. Norway needs to ignore the notional unit (see below 11.14 Invasions) if a Land unit is present or adjacent.

To put a Land unit in Kristiansand Norway has to choose Norway Defense Options 1, 2, 3, or 5.

Norway Defense Options vs. German II PARA (4-3) + Shore bombardment + Air strike = 12 combat factors

1) Germany is busy Paradroping Oslo, Norway. Norway will suffer complete conquest at the end of the first turn of invasion.

2) If Norwegian Ski division (2-4) is placed Kristiansand:
(Notional unit 1 combat factor) - 1 = zero combat factors (ignore the Notional unit)
This comes to 6 to 1 odds.

3) If the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) is adjacent to Kristiansand:
(Notional unit 1 combat factor + 1) -1 = 1 combat factor
This comes to 12 to 1 odds with 1 added to the die roll because the notional unit is flipped.

5) If the Norwegian I MTN (4-4) is placed in Kristiansand:
(Notional unit 1 combat factor) - 1 = zero combat factors (ignore the Notional unit)
This comes to 3 to 1.

ORIGINAL: AUSTRALIAN DESIGN GROUP WiF FE Rule Clarification Summary
Q2.1-4
2.1.1
Is Hamburg a coastal hex?

No. Hamburg and all similar hexes (e.g. W0236, W1540 (Leeds), and W1724...) are not coastal hexes as the coast does not go into the hex (as it does in W1737 for example). In Hamburg's case, this only affects shore bombardment (as it is a port), but in similar non-port cases (e.g. W0236, Leeds, W1724...) it can affect supply and embarking/disembarking as well.

Date 07/01/2009 2.1.1: A “coastal hex” is a hex which contains both land and sea. We have printed the sea portion of coastal hexes in a lighter shade of blue to distinguish them.

ORIGINAL: WIFFE-RAW-7.0.pdf
2.1.1 Hexes & hex-dots
A “coastal hex” is a hex which contains both land and sea. We have printed the sea portion of coastal hexes in a lighter shade of blue to distinguish them.


8.2.2 Supply
The supply range from a unit, or from a secondary supply source, in a hex in fine weather is 4 European map scale hexes.

The supply range from a unit, or from a secondary supply source, in a hex in snow is only 3 hexes.

The supply range from a unit, or from a secondary supply source, in a hex in rain, storm or blizzard is only 2 hexes.


8.2.10 Iced-in ports
You can’t move naval units into or out of iced-in ports if the weather in the port hex is snow or blizzard. When returning to base during the end of turn stage (see 13.4 Return to base) the weather is the weather during the last impulse of the turn.

If the last impulse of the turn was blizzard or snow in the Arctic weather zone, Germany can only ship the Swedish resources through the Baltic Sea area if Narvik is not controlled by an Allied major power [Designer’s Note: this represents the fact that the resources were transported through neutral Norwegian coastal waters during Winter].

You can’t transport resources (or build points) into or out of an iced-in port if the last impulse of the turn was blizzard or snow in the port hex.

You cannot trace an overseas supply path either out of, or into, an iced-in port if the weather in that hex is snow or blizzard.


11.4.4 Naval movement restrictions
4. You can’t move naval units between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea (even via Fredrikshavn or Kristiansand) if major powers you are at war with control at least 2 of Oslo, Copenhagen and Kiel.


11.14 Invasions
Invasion combats
At the end of the attack declaration step (see 11.16 Land combat), you can state that your notional unit is to be ignored [you might do this to prevent breakthroughs by units attacking in conjunction with an invasion]. If you do (and there are no other friendly land units in the hex), there is no attack, and the attacker occupies the hex as if debarking onto a friendly hex (see 11.13 Debarking land units).


11.16.2 Shore bombardment
Shore bombardment lets you support a land attack with your SCS. You can shore bombard a coastal hex with any face-up SCS in the sea area (AsA/MiF option 25: except for those carrying cargo ~ see 11.4.5 Naval transport).

Only the attacking side can use shore bombardment.

Shore bombarding SCS add their bombardment factors to an attack.

Reduce the bombardment factor of each SCS by the bombardment modifier in its section of the sea-box (see weather effects on bombardment ~ 8.2.7 Land combat). You can’t bombard with SCS in the ‘0’ section (note the ‘none’ there).

You can’t bombard any hex in storm or blizzard.

Halve the (reduced) bombardment factors if the hex is a forest, jungle or swamp hex.

Ignore any shore bombardment factors (after any reduction and halving) that exceed the total (modified) combat factors of the attacking land units. For instance, if you bombard with 5 shore bombardment factors but units totaling 7 factors are attacking across a river, you would only count 3.5 of the bombarding factors.

After taking part in shore bombardment, turn the bombarding units face-down. They remain in the sea area and could take part in future naval combats.

Option 38: (Defensive shore bombardment) The defending side can also use shore bombardment. Use the same rules as normal shore bombardment to work out the total factors that count (you can only count up to the total (modified) combat factors of the diefending units).

Surprised naval units can’t provide defensive shore bombardment nor can naval units provide defensive shore bombardment to a hex containing only surprised units.

The defender must allocate shore bombardment before the attacker does.


11.14 Invasions
You may only invade an enemy controlled coastal hex that has at least 1 all-sea hexside (at least part, but not necessarily all, of this coastal hexside must touch upon the sea area where the TRS is located). You can only invade with face-up land units on TRSs in the sea area. The TRS must be in the 1, 2, 3 or 4 section of the sea-box. Only infantry class units can invade.


11.15 Paradrops
PARAs are land units but have the additional ability of flying into an enemy hex without having to move by land through the intervening hexes.

PARAs can only fly a paradrop mission if they start their move in supply and stacked with an ATR.

AsA/MiF/PoliF option 2: The Commonwealth 51st air-landing and German 5th mountain divisions can also paradrop if accompanying a PARA (see 22.4.1 Divisions (AsA/MiF/PoliF option 2)).

If they fly the mission, they are in supply for the rest of the impulse To fly a paradrop mission:
1. your opponent flies combat air patrol to any hexes.
2. you fly all your selected ATRs, the PARAs they start with, and escorting fighters to the target hex;
3. your opponent flies intercepting fighters to the target hexes;
4. you fly intercepting fighters to the target hexes;
5. fight any air-to-air combats;
6. AsA option 3: surviving ATRs suffer anti-aircraft fire from AA units (see 22.4.2 Artillery (AsA option 3));
7. surviving PARAs drop into the target hex.
8. return all remaining aircraft to base and turn them face-down.

Each unit which paradrops counts as 1 air mission and 1 land move.

Each paradrop counts as 1 land combat.

PARAs can’t drop into a lake hex (unless frozen ~ see 8.2.9 Terrain).

Paradropping units have no ZOC into the target hex until it is empty of enemy units (including notional units). They have no ZOC into adjacent hexes for the rest of the impulse. Thereafter, they have a normal ZOC.

Paradrop combats
A unit which paradrops into an enemy controlled hex must attack the defending land units (even if only a notional unit) in the land combat step (see 11.16 Land combat). It can attack together with land units that are not paradropping.

If you retreat or destroy all defending land units, the paradrop succeeds. Otherwise, the paradropping units are destroyed.

If a successful paradrop leaves you occupying a hex containing enemy aircraft or naval units, then they have been overrun (see 11.11.6 Overruns). Like invasions, each hex you paradrop into defends with a notional land unit in addition to any actual land unit in the hex. The notional unit has 1 combat factor, modified like invasions (see 11.14 Invasions). The rules applying to notional units during invasions also apply to notional units in paradrops.

Resolve the combat normally (remember that notional units are always face-down).

After any air-to-air combat (see 14.3 Air-to-air combat), a surviving paradropping unit ends its move in the hex it drops into. If the hex costs it more movement points than it has, turn it face-down after any combat (even if you got an asterisk result).

13.3.3 US entry actions
21. The Allies support an attacked minor (there is 70% chance of a USA entry chit will be added to the USA (Ge/It) entry pool)
This requires 4+ Allied corps or armies (not counting the units of the minor itself).


19.7 Axis minor countries
Sweden
German units can move, and trace supply, into and through Sweden if Sweden is neutral and if there is at least 1 other German unit in each of
Finland and Norway. If Sweden is neutral, no German unit can end a step in Sweden.

Activity limits:
All major powers (including the units of their aligned minor countries) during their impulse
Unlimited Declarations of war
Unlimited Naval air interception missions
Unlimited Shore bombardment
Unlimited Ground support missions
Unlimited Headquarters reorganization
Unlimited TRS re-supply

These missions occur during every air mission except re-base, naval air and naval air interception
-- Unlimited Combat air patrol missions
-- Unlimited Escorting aircraft missions
-- Unlimited Intercepting aircraft missions


All major powers (including the units of their aligned minor countries) during an enemy impulse
Unlimited Combat air patrol missions
Unlimited Escorting aircraft missions
Unlimited Intercepting aircraft missions
Unlimited Naval movement only when a unit’s base is overrun (see 11.11.6 Overruns).
Unlimited Naval interception missions
Unlimited Naval combat only in sea areas your opponent moved a unit into, and only if they did not try to initiate combat there.
Unlimited Naval air interception missions
Unlimited Shore bombardment if you are playing with defensive shore bombardment - see 11.16.2 Shore bombardment.
Unlimited Ground support missions
Unlimited Re-base aircraft missions only when a unit’s base is overrun (see 11.11.6 Overruns).


German activity limits:
Naval action
No Rail movement
Unlimited Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Naval Embarkation
-- Naval transport
-- Naval combats
No Land movements
-- Land moves
-- Paradrop
-- Unlimited Debarkation (units transported directly into port debark with no land movement cost)
No Land attacks
-- Land attack
-- Invasions
-- Paradrop
2x Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop this is only possible if your ATRs are carrying units of a co-operating major power that chose a land or combined action.
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Air action
3x Rail movement (You can only rail aircraft units) it costs 1-4 rail moves to move 1 unit depending on the distance moved, see 11.10 Rail movement.
No Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Unlimited Embarkation only if a co-operating major power (that chose a naval or combined action) embarks your unit.
-- Naval transport
-- Unlimited Naval combats
No Land movements
-- Land moves
-- Invasions
-- Paradrop
-- Debarkation
No Land attacks
-- Land attack
-- Invasions
-- Paradrop
Unlimited Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop this is only possible if your ATRs are carrying units of a co-operating major power that chose a land or combined action.
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Land action
3x Rail movement (You can only rail land units or factories) it costs 1-4 rail moves to move 1 unit depending on the distance moved, see 11.10 Rail movement.
No Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Unlimited Embarkation only if a co-operating major power (that chose a naval or combined action) embarks your unit.
-- Naval transport
-- Naval combat (this does not deny your naval units that stayed at sea from a previous impulse the ability to make enemy naval units fight their through)
Unlimited Land movement
-- Land moves (a land move is the movement of 1 land unit - see 11.11 Land movement)
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Paradrop (each Paradrop counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Debarkation
Unlimited Land attacks (a land attack is an attack against 1 enemy stack by any number of units - see 11.16 Land combat).
-- Land attack
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land Attack)
-- Paradrop (each Paradrop counts as 1x Land Attack)
4x Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission)
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Combined action
1x Rail movement (You can rail land units, factories, or aircraft units) it costs 1-4 rail moves to move 1 unit depending on the distance moved, see 11.10 Rail movement.
1x Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Unlimited Embarkation
-- Unlimited Naval transport
-- Unlimited Naval combat
6x Land movement
-- Land moves (a land move is the movement of 1 land unit - see 11.11 Land movement)
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Debarkation
3x Land attack (a land attack is an attack against 1 enemy stack by any number of units - see 11.16 Land combat)
-- Land attack
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land Attack)
-- Paradrop (each Paradrop counts as 1x Land Attack)
6x Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission)
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission and 1x Land movement.
Each Paradrop counts as 1x Land attack.

[paulderynck]

It is unfortunate that the current structure of the game under RAW7 means Norway is almost never attacked by the Axis.

[Neilster]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

It is unfortunate that the current structure of the game under RAW7 means Norway is almost never attacked by the Axis.

Yeah. I haven't played WiF for ages. Why is that exactly? Doesn't Germany miss out on resources due to iced-in ports? What about the historical advantages Norwegian bases gave the Kriegsmarine?

It seems a pity because the historical Norwegian invasion was a very near run thing, which should translate into interesting WiF play.

Cheers, Neilster

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: Neilster

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

It is unfortunate that the current structure of the game under RAW7 means Norway is almost never attacked by the Axis.

Yeah. I haven't played WiF for ages. Why is that exactly? Doesn't Germany miss out on resources due to iced-in ports? What about the historical advantages Norwegian bases gave the Kriegsmarine?

It seems a pity because the historical Norwegian invasion was a very near run thing, which should translate into interesting WiF play.

Cheers, Neilster

That's why WIF players do not invade Norway - too much risk. The gains are slight and come later in the war: (1) intercepting Allied convoys to Murmansk/Archangel, (2) preventing the Commonwealth from invading Norway to open access to the Baltic Sea and/or invade Finland overland.

The Commonwealth has other things to do early in the war (although Churchill was all for invading Norway), so Germany isn't too worried about that happening. Usually the German player wants to attack the Lowlands and France ASAP, and sees Norway as a diversion of resources and time from that primary goal. Since there has been all the discussion recently about the Commonwealth putting units into Denmark, perhaps putting some into invading Norway should be examined. Taking Oslo would be very difficult if the Axis are determined to defend it, but cutting off the Swedish ore for several turns each year would make Germany very unhappy.

[Neilster]

I only had the 5th edition and I think I remember looking at invading Norway but with a strong Royal Navy and US Entry effects I always decided against it. Although it worked historically, the Wallies are not likely to be such wallies again.

wally
n pl -lies
Slang a stupid person
[shortened form of the given name Walter]

Cheers, Neilster

[paulderynck]

The problem is there's just not enough to be gained (not to mention what is "lost", like giving the CW even more TRS and CPs) for the time and effort (and possibly O-chit) that Germany has to put into it.

Meanwhile there's too much to be lost for the Allies to bother, except late game to either force access to the Baltic or ensure Oslo is in the Allied objective list if Germany is unlikely to be completely conquered; or both.

[composer99]

Man, it's been a long time.

Anyway, with respect to Norway, I have seen the Axis attack it early on, usually if the Allies are 'tapped out' and they can set up so as to destroy the Norwegian merchant marine (one does not want the CW to get all those convoys...).

Once. In any game of WiF I have played.

Most of the time, the Axis has very little incentive to invade Norway. Germany already counts Oslo as one of its objective hexes, so it doesn't need to conquer it for that. Attacking gives the Allies the Norwegian navy. It also gives the Germans more territory they have to defend, and there's enough of that to begin with.

Yes, there is a resource there, but generally if things are going well invading the USSR the Axis factories will be full in 1941-1942 and there will still be oil to spare.

[brian brian]

I have been thinking about it a bit more with the newer O-Point rules, but you still need 5 German divisions ready to go if you want to overrun each port. The main advantage - bases to attack Murmansk convoys - is cancelled by the addition of the Norwegian CPs to the Allied side anyway.

But it is fascinating in history ... Hitler came within days of quite possibly being able to intervene on behalf of the Norwegians as Churchill had almost pulled the trigger on mining Norwegian waters and landing some troops. This could have seriously changed the war as a Norway allied to Germany would have made the Murmansk Lend-Lease operation quite a bit less viable, I think. I would imagine Norwegian historians in particular have taken a close look at what the likely outcomes would have been if the German operation had been scheduled just a week later. ?

[npilgaard]

Not a specific German thing - can be used by any power - but just came to think of it while playing MWiF Barbarossa (it might have been mentioned before in this or another AI thread - in that case just disregard this):

Entering a ZoC ends movement, and thus even though there are gaps in a defence line those gaps cannot be entered (sometimes it is even better not having a (weak) unit in an important hex, such as a city, and instead protect it by ZoC (with proper caution on possible breakthrough results, of course ) as the hex can be attacked (and thus lost) if it contains a unit.
A PARA can be used to capture such an empty hex, if friendly units (stopped by ZoC) are adjacent to it, since dropping the PARA ensures a battle in the hex against the notional unit, and the adjacent friendly units are then allowed to attack the (otherwise empty) hex as well, and can thus enter it (and perhaps even breakthrough) when victorious.

This can be useful fx in Russia, where Russian stacks can stop the Germans by their ZoC even with gap in the line, and where the German PARA is not very useful on its own (unless Germany got two or maybe even three (incl. DIV) PARAs that can be dropped together) due to the notional value of 2-4 (the problem when only 1 PARA is dropped is not so much to defeat the notional as to avoid taking any loss at all). Even a 4-factor PARA can take a city in ZoC (notional 4) when assisted by just a few decent INFs.

(And since the PARA is not dropped behind enemy lines it can be dropped again shortly after if Italy (or Germany) has another unused ATR in the vicinity)

Just a little 'trick' that came to mind

[paulderynck]

And the counter-trick. Deny the notional. Para lands for free but attack is cancelled and no other units advance to the Para's hex. Then during your own turn, your Mech and Armor slaughter the paratroops. Hmmm... might be what happened at Arnhem.

That is why the rules allow the defender to deny the notional.

[npilgaard]

Nice one - haven't thought of that (have always just seen the 'deny notional' option as a way to avoid the -1 modifier (although it has been only very rarely worth it to deny))

[Zorachus99]

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Neilster

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

It is unfortunate that the current structure of the game under RAW7 means Norway is almost never attacked by the Axis.

Yeah. I haven't played WiF for ages. Why is that exactly? Doesn't Germany miss out on resources due to iced-in ports? What about the historical advantages Norwegian bases gave the Kriegsmarine?

It seems a pity because the historical Norwegian invasion was a very near run thing, which should translate into interesting WiF play.

Cheers, Neilster

That's why WIF players do not invade Norway - too much risk. The gains are slight and come later in the war: (1) intercepting Allied convoys to Murmansk/Archangel, (2) preventing the Commonwealth from invading Norway to open access to the Baltic Sea and/or invade Finland overland.

The Commonwealth has other things to do early in the war (although Churchill was all for invading Norway), so Germany isn't too worried about that happening. Usually the German player wants to attack the Lowlands and France ASAP, and sees Norway as a diversion of resources and time from that primary goal. Since there has been all the discussion recently about the Commonwealth putting units into Denmark, perhaps putting some into invading Norway should be examined. Taking Oslo would be very difficult if the Axis are determined to defend it, but cutting off the Swedish ore for several turns each year would make Germany very unhappy.

I have at least once used it as a wedge to attract CW units, which planned to get an extra US chit for assisting the minor. The US entry roll failed for them sadly.

Whenever the CW bungles their transports into a situation like this, is when I start the attack on France, barring blizzard or storm. France is desperate for British units if there is a German offensive in the winter.

Generally I frown on most winter operations, but an O-chit will break a flimsy French-only line. From there, simply ooze in, and squeeze easy hexes.

[peskpesk]

The Atlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by Germany between 1942 and 1945 along the western coast of France as a defense against an anticipated Allied invasion of the mainland continent.

In MWIF is the minimum number of units required to cover all coastal boxes along the French Atlantic coast and give notional units extra defense is 7. Here is an example of how they could be deployed(Top Img).



But in a more realistic setup is to also have Paris defended and blitz capacity in the form of ARM and mobile supply/reorganization power in the form of at least one HQ. And since most of the deployed units in the front will be GAR/MIL, it is desirable to have some stronger and more mobile reserves in order to support the counterattack.
To empower the AIO to become more dynamic and not predictable, is one way to have it to not always set up units in the same place. One way to accomplice this is by defining different setup areas where the unit / units may be placed in, not in fixed. Above is an example(Bottom Img).

The most interesting problems to solve for the AIO are:
- Axis HQ placement
- ARM placement (blitz)
- Reserve units placement
- Which areas are most in need of whiteprints units
- Which areas do well with GAR units
- Min / Max number of units needed in an area.
- The areas relative priority
- Which major port is the primary Axis submarine base
- What areas are possible for IT to help to garrison

Any suggestions/comments?

[Shannon V. OKeets]

The hex east of Bordeaux can be invaded.