A musical global war AAR...

Post descriptions of your brilliant successes and unfortunate demises.

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EwaldvonKleist
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RE: A musical global war AAR...

Post by EwaldvonKleist »

No discrespect to any player, just a question from somebody who has read a little bit in WIF AArs and does not own the game:
How came the Allies side in such an unfortunate situation, compared with historical outcome and other AARs? Bad dice rolls, bad war entry rolls, game bugs or unlucky strategy?
The AAR is however very interesting. The question is not whether the Allies will win but will they at least be able to turn the table in late 1944 or 1945?
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Centuur
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RE: A musical global war AAR...

Post by Centuur »

A very lucky Axis in the winter of 1939-1940 caused the early collapse of France. The Germans created Vichy and collapsed it immediately and followed with an invasion in Spain in the summer of 1940 and with an incredible lucky die, captured Gibraltar on the first attack. Also, since it was early 1940 that France went down, the CW lacked the necessary manpower to defend Egypt. Italy captured it, after which the Axis attacked Greece and aligned Yugoslavia.

The USSR grabbed Persia and Iraq on time, before those countries could be aligned on the Axis side. In 1940, the Chinese were very unlucky against the Japanese invaders (who threw the kitchen sink at them). The USSR than declared war on the Japanese, hoping to save the Chinese from getting conquered. That didn't happen, but it was a good effort. So 1940 became a year of disaster to the Chinese and the CW...

1941 therefore, started with a Barbarossa in the West, with was followed by German heavy units, aided by Italians, which liberated Iraq and slowly moved through the Iraq - Persian mountains. The CW was effectively out of the game at that point, since it lacked manpower to be a threath to the Axis, who were already very high in production, due to the closure of the Med.

The Japanese followed a strategy, which I've seen used against me sometimes. Gamble and win or die like a true Japanese. So they ignored the US totally and did their own things. Three times did the US President try to declare war on them. Three times the die roll failed (60-80% chance of succes). Since Germany did not declare war on the Netherlands (which is a good, but risky strategy) the Japanese DoW'ed the Netherlands first to get to the oil wells, before starting a war with the CW. Effectively, the Japanese were lucky with the US failing to DoW them so many times. They gambled and they got into the best positions before they ultimately decided to attack the US, to get the Phillipines into their control. At this moment, the Japanese are only advancing in the USSR and are firmly entrenched within their perimeter.

In the USSR, fierce battles seemed to put Germany in problems. It took them untill the winter of 1941 to collapse the Soviet frontlines. But with Guderian slowly moving into Persia, the USSR had to move units into the Caucasian region to defend there. At the start of 1942, Guderian reached the border of the USSR in Persia. From that moment on, all defensive lines the USSR could put into place were dealt with by the German Ostheer. Leningrad and Murmansk were ignored by the Germans, until such time as a conquest of the USSR seemed possible. The Japanese simply put more and more pressure on the Soviets, using their fleet to grab Vladivostok, before going to war with the Wallies, and slowly moved forward in eastern Siberia in 1941. The Soviets couldn't put a lot of units in their way, when at war in the west.

From the moment on that the Med was closed and China was conquered by the Axis, the economic power of the Axis at the start of 1941 became huge, making it possible for them to build a huge airforce, based on an abundance of FTR's. That's about what has happened, during this game.

Personally, I believe the Allies won't be able to turn the table if Germany conqueres the USSR. And that is only a matter of time. The forces the Germans have are huge and there is no way the Allies can outbuild them in such large numbers, that they can manage the numbers of FTR's in the air by the Axis. FTR's are by far the best defensive units any major power needs to prevent the enemy from doing much harm. If you have more than the enemy on a particular frontline, you can hold your own line and even think about taking the liberty to attack the enemy (as von Bock is showing in Morocco, without a lot of success, but he can stand to lose some units)...

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EwaldvonKleist
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RE: A musical global war AAR...

Post by EwaldvonKleist »

Thank you for the explanations. Looks like a classic example of snowballing: A small change in the beginning influences everything which follows and can change the result dramatically. However, please continue this great AAR!
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RE: A musical global war AAR...

Post by Klydon »

Good weather early and long turns were also a factor.

The one thing the Allies had on their side was they consistently went first when they wanted to, but it was poor compensation for the weather and US entry rolls.

The only real place the Allies might be able to put pressure on the Axis is in the Pacific. It does mean the US has to concentrate their fleet there for the most part and basically attempt to smash the Japanese. The Allies are making no dent in Fortress Europa anytime soon and attempting to relieve pressure on the Russians really doesn't mean much anymore. They need to look at crippling the Japanese and then possibly switch back to the offensive in the European theater. The Euro Axis have been content to be on the defensive in the western part of their theater and really don't have anyplace to go if most of the US fleet departs for the Pacific.
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RE: A musical global war AAR...

Post by Centuur »

We'll see what the Allies can do against the Japanese. The Euroaxis are so very strong. They might even cross the Himalaya's...
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RE: A musical global war AAR...

Post by Centuur »

July/August 1943, Axis impulse number 7.

All Axis powers take land actions. Germany uses the offensive chit to reorganise all their HQ's. Japanese CVP bombard US positions on New Britain:


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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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The Japanese rail move Umezu further into Siberia, putting their fast division in the area again in supply. Germany rails an ART and an ARM towards Tashkent and the Hamburg MIL rails into Kristiansand.

Let's go for a drive on the Autobahn: Teddy Stauffer - Hurry Home

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T3PyVWtM5I

In Siberia, German armoured columns under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, reach the Novosibirsk area, while at the city of Bratsk, the Soviet governor is surprised to be taken prisoner by Japanese cavalry, since there was no warning of the approaching Japanese:

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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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Italian and German forces improve positions at the Tashkent area. More and more soldiers, planes and tanks arrive in the area:


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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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In Morocco, von Bock start planning another attack, now that reinforcements and supplies have arrived to get the troops back to battle readyness:


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RE: A musical global war AAR...

Post by Centuur »

The turn doesn't end:

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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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July/August 1943, Allied impulse number 8:

The political situation between the Wallies is a complete mess. Accusations are repeated again and again by politicians. Even the governments in excile of the conquered coutries in the UK are calling for action by the Allies. However, generals and admirals are in complete disagreement on how to proceed. Finally, Roosevelt has had enough. He invites all heads of states for a conference in Washington. He even invites Beria. Meanwhile, the situation in the USSR is such, that Novosibirsk will fall if the turn doesn't end.

Listen to: Let's Get Lost ~ Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzyZj2RSiYw

All Allied major powers pass, but the turn doesn't end.


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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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And here's the weather for the next couple of impulses:

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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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July/August 1943, Axis impulse number 9:

In Germany, Hitler asks Goebbels what he thinks about the upcoming Allied conference and the lack of cooperation between the British and the Americans. Goebbels thinks about it, and says: we could try to add to the confusion and partly fix a growing problem. What if we announce the release of all prisoners of war from the nations we have conquered... let's say at least two years ago? If we also announce that we are willing to talk about a certain self-government for those countries, we weaken the governments in exile. We could also announce a pardon for all non-officers, currently in the service of the governments in exile, if they want to return to their homes, by not taking them prisoner of war if they defect.

A week later, Hitler personally arrives at the Castle of Laken in Belgium. There, with the camera's of the German Wochenschau in place: he orders the guard of the Belgian King Leopold III, being held as prisoner of war at the castle, to stand down. At the same time, all throughout Western Europe, PoW camps are opened and the men are given one way tickets by train to their homes. The political shock to the governments in exile, and especially the Free French government, is quite large. Politicians in these governments asks themselves if it wouldn't be better to go home and use the amnesty Hitler has promised them. Some ministers of several governments in exile in London resignate and are reported to be travelling to neutral countries...

Listen to: Laura, Jean Sablon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxMPsH1QXdY

Japan takes a combined action. Germany and Italy take land actions. The Japanese moves more ships into the Bismarck Sea.

The Luftwaffe send bombers to ground strike Timoshenko. The Soviet airforce has no choice but to react and sends over their two FTR's. Two German FTR's also react:


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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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After the Luftwaffe couldn't abort the second Soviet FTR, the Luftwaffe aborts, content with the fact that one bomber was cleared through:


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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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Well, that's the result von Rundstedt wanted in the first place. On New Britain, Japanese carrier planes ground strike a US INF:


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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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Germany railmoves a Finnish MECH into Leningrad. An ARM and an ART are railed towards von Leeb, who is currently moving towards Tashkent.

Listen to: Adalbert Lutter - Oh Marie (Oi Marie)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5k-EQ6ik-0

Positions are strengthened throughout the globe by the Axis. Generalfeldmarschall von Bock personally leads another attack against the United States. The Luftwaffe provides ground support. The Allies scramble bombers and FTR's and the Luftwaffe again intercepts:

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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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After the US FTR is aborted, the Allies decide to abort. On the ground, von Bock's attack destroys the enemy. However, he doesn't want to take the hex, since that would expose his troops to a counterattack:

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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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In the USSR, von Rundstedt personally leads the attack. Student's Para's land in the area near Timoshenko's headquarters. The Soviets, realizing that this attack has to be stopped at all cost, throw everything they have to aid the defenders. The Wehrmacht applies the proven Blitzkrieg tactics:

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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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In the swamps near Petropavlovsk, van Manstein decides to get rid of Yeremenko:

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RE: A musical global war AAR...

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At Novosibirsk, Rommel orders his precious Panzer to proceed with caution.

Listen to: “Unser Rommel”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lr2ZaHY5Lc

A city, which is probably fortified, is not a very good place to fight in for tanks. However, Stuka pilots report white flags on the city's buildings and see Russian soldiers sitting on the streets. After entering the city, Rommel gets reports that officials of the Communist party have been shot by the soldiers. The defenders capitulate, without a fight:

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