Fighting Typhoon: Before, During and After Action Thoughts

[Umeu]

This will be a report on the game between Taifun (Axis) and me (Allies). He excelled in the area of tactical and operational warfare, while I believe I might have had a slight edge in the theatre of grand strategy, though this was in large part due to the fact that I had the advantage of hindsight. Taifun has written excellent AARs about many of his games, giving me glimpses of strategies and tactics which he liked to use, allowing me to anticipate or mitigate them, and even copy them at times. This allowed it to be a very closely matched game.

I knew Taifun was a formidable player, but throughout the game he surprised and shocked me, driving me insane even at times with his moves, and for sake of the delicate among us, I have heavily edited my notes to remove all the cursing. He definitely challenged some of my beliefs about the game and ideas I had about which side is favored.

Regardless of the outcome which is yet to be determined, this game has been a masterclass by Taifun on the importance of initiative. Every season, pressure was applied in multiple directions, forcing me to respond and leaving me little to no chance to execute my own plans. I always felt like a step behind.

Before the dust settles, it's time to look at how the storm began.

[Umeu]

Overview:

1939-1940 Summary

1941 Summary

1942 Summary

1943 Summary

1944 Summary

[Umeu]

T1 - September 39

Axis plan:
It looks like his plan will be to keep Russian and USA mobilization low. Italy did not invest in tech t1. Instead they bought a maritime bomber (it’ll arrive feb 28). So I will have to contend with that when I fight for the MedSea. I must test out the range of this unit in Sicily. Intel suggests Italy sent the corps to Naples. I get a feeling he will try an All-of-France strategy. Germany did not sell any tech. They did not take the paratroopers, so he will have 3. He spent 25 on operating his tank. He spent 25 mpp on army inf weapons lvl 1 upgrade. This army occupies the Saar mine. I must try to damage it.

Not sure what Japan did… he seems to have saved his mpp? Units retreat around Chengchow, he’s scared of Chinese aggression. It probably suits my style of play. Still this is the front where I have least faith, as I have never played anyone who did a proper campaign in China as Japan.

He might attack India with his first wave, or Australia. I should be prepared for that, especially India.

He will also try to hit the Russian convoy with his German navy, so I need to decide what is more important. I guess after defending NA from German invasions, I need to send the UK navy to Finland and also send the new ships to UK rather than India. India must prepare to defend itself. Spam armies and corps and defend inland, not on the beaches. I am not too scared of it, I hope he attacks India actually. Strat bombers then kill the Japanese supply, and quickly roll it up.

Allied plan:
Poland: kamikaze on the German army.
Russia: defends deep, at the big 3 cities. Should send the cavalry to defend in the northern part of Finland, he will attack there to cut off convoys.
USA: goes tech. fast lvl 5 amphibious, spam AA to run the Japanese ragged. Spam escort carriers to dominate IJN. Then focus on Europe.
India: goes tech, mainly infantry. Assist in China if necessary by sending armies + general to Chungking.
UK: goes mixed. Start AA + units into Tunis. Upgrade navy + fighters. Then tech for the long haul. They must hit the Japanese early and hard, seize their oil before they can gear up. Deny the convoys & hit with maritime/strat bombers. Navy must try to block some of the invasions.

Turn 1 plan:
China t1: limited counter attacks to pick off where possible. Set up defense everywhere else.
UK t1: prepare for taking NA with 1 AA + hunt subs > upgrade fighter, move the bombers.
France t1: hunt subs + prepare for defending NA.
India: India prepares for NA, 1 AA unit + 1 corps
USA t1: nothing
USSR t1: tech


Axis actions:
Axis decline to seize Poland in 1 turn.
Japan kills the corps, taking 2 losses on key armies. But they fail to kill the army near Chengchow.

Allied actions:
The poles defend themselves well, 2 dmg to an army, 7 to a corps. 2 cities taken.
The Anglo-Franco navy alliance finds a sub. Time to hunt. This part goes pretty well too, 3losses 6 kills.
The limited Chinese offensive at Wuhan is unsuccessful. 3-3 despite 2-4 prediction. I lost armies, they lost corps.
The limited French offensive near the Maginot is also unsuccessful, 2-4 despite 0 losses predicted, and my losses are armies again, theirs corps.

Not the best start.

[Umeu]

T2 - October 39

Japan gears up to take Changsha. Pakhoi was left open as bait to train his navy it seems. They have spent 101 mpp on units, probably upgrades. Germany spent on units too. Italy seems to be saving up? He uses the Italian navy to scout MedSea. Germany gears up for invasion of Belgium, probably Luxembourg too.

BC hood takes damage from subs, kinda bad. I exposed it too much. Other than that, uneventful.

The question is how much to pour into France and where to hold the line. I feel like I should hold it a bit back, but I fear I might not have enough time to dig in anymore. I need good winter turns. Mud, Rain on his fighters, snow. I have 1, maybe 2 more turns of sub hunting left. Then I must prepare for seizing the MedSea. His navy is exposed, so I can maybe pick up a few. Perhaps that’s what he’s trying to bait me to do.

India went into industrial, just to try it out. Probably not the best.
UK researches fighter tech to stay ahead of the Germans in air power through out this game.
China goes anti air tech + 1 AA unit. Canton is seized as Japan is timid. Either scared of aggressive China, or could be going for a laid back Japan to keep USA mobilization low.

T3 - November 39
Japan breaches the first fortification, sadly no rain or mud so he could take it as well. Situation at Changsha already looks precarious. All is quiet on the rest of the Eastern front. Belgium is invaded, bombers do damage to a French corps in Lille. Some of his infantry is not upgraded, but my fighters are already heavily damaged so I can't escort bombers.

Italy is investing only in units, not tech. Not sure what he is doing, repairing land units or his navy? Is he training more units? Germany and Japan are teching up more. It seems like he is going into S&I with both? UK must go S&I 2nd chit soon.

[Umeu]

T4 - December 39
He has brought 1 italian corps to Tripoli, spotted by defenders of the Mareth line, and probably a 2nd as well. In that case he moved his army to Tobruk. Germany took Lille, and 1 sub + 2 cruisers attacked my cruiser off Cape town, almost sunk it.

Kinda sloppy on the naval play by me so far. I need to be more careful, can’t afford to lose naval strength for free like this.

Big set back in China, Changsha already fell. Weather has been great for him, no rain on his bombers, no mud, no snow. The corps north of Changsha has been cut off, which sucks too. No cheap buy back. Another army got badly damaged near Chengchow because of poor positioning.

No new techs bought, Italy still on 0 tech. Japan seems to have bought an artillery piece? Germany might have bought a maritime bomber on its second turn actually. Which would explain lack of upgrades on some units. He will definitely heavily contest the MedSea.


T5 - January 40
I somehow forgot to take notes on this turn.


T6 - February 40
A German army scores a 6-0 vs a French between Amiens and Paris, though it was unentrenched and without general command because operated there. I wonder what Elvis would have had to say about that.

Situation is precarious in south of China due to fall of Changsha, Nanning must be evacuated already. Paris might fall soon as well, which makes the situation in Lybia precarious too. I need to move my units into Italian territory before Vichy is formed. I must make it, or else the war is already lost. There are paras are about to jump, he will try to cut off my railway lines in France, but I can’t evac the Brits yet, I need them near Paris when it falls to buy time, otherwise I suffer double morale penalty.. But I also can’t lose more UK units. Weather needs to help me. It needs to be snow, or else mud. If it is clear, might be KO. His paras will have too much range and my fighters are not operational anymore to intercept.

[Taifun]

This game has without a doubt been the best and most intense of all the games I have played. It has been a pleasure playing with Umeu. I think Umeu is one of WAW's TOP GUNs. I will add a few comments and pics to his excellent AAR.

December 1939. The invasion of France was progressing according to plan: the Allies didn't invest many resources in containing the German advance.

France Dec 39.png (2.42 MiB) Viewed 920 times

December 1939. The Japanese concentrated the best troops on the southern area and soon captured Changsha.

China Dec 39.png (2.08 MiB) Viewed 920 times

By February 1940 Nanning was besieged and the advance continued west towards Kweichow.

China Feb 40.png (2.08 MiB) Viewed 920 times

February 1940. German troops reach Paris while the Italians cross the Alps.

France Feb 40.png (2.71 MiB) Viewed 920 times

[Umeu]

@Taifun, Thanks for the kind words and the help with the screenshots, which I didn't take many of especially early on.

T7 – 1 March 40
Italy has just joined the Axis. This means one of my most important plans for 1940 on which my entire long term strategy hinges is set into motion, the capture of Tripoli, also dubbed by a certain legend as the Triple Tripoli move. Ironically, I learned this move from a Taifun AAR, though I made slight changes to its exection.

The British attack the Italian corps opposing the Mareth line with one army and one corps, and deal moderate damage. More importantly, the French navy supported by British carriers and battleships swoops down on Tripoli and damages the supply in the city down to 0. The port is also damaged and blocked.

I am nervous, because Paris has been in danger for a while now, and Vichy being created would mean internment for my troops in Lybia.

T8 - 29 March 40
I take Tripoli and avoid internment. However, his maritime bomber is ready now, so I must move away from Sicily.

France is done for, but it held longer than I thought. Taifuns advance has slowed down due to weather, but also because of his choices. He is not taking Paris, and instead circling it. What is his plan? I need to evacuate the BEF now or it will die. But if I do evacuate and he takes Paris, it might get interned in Bordeaux anyway, as Taifun has cut off the road to Brittany. I feared he would go for all-of-France, but he has engaged both his para troops, and if 3rd one is being trained, it hasn’t yet deployed. He seems to value the experience over the income.

South of China is an absolute disaster, but he is ignoring the rest of China…

Ger and Jap spend 175 in a tech, maybe fighters for both, or long range? Italy spends 100 in tech for the first time, not sure on what. I feel it’s either aerial or naval, nothing else makes sense.

Russia needs to get C&C tech next. USA needs to prep the navy. Uk is split between fighting and teching. India produces armies now. China is hanging on for dear life, but needs to squeeze in C&C also I think.

I tested it, and it seems that Bordeaux will be kept if France surrenders the turn Paris is taken. And if France does not surrender, then I still have Bordeaux anyway. So the BEF must take to Bordeaux and the French must cover their retreat. Paris will be left to itself. I’m still a bit afraid of an all of France shenanigan… I kinda hope he takes Paris now. The navy must be sent to intercept any attempts to block the port in NA.

[Taifun]

My planning in the Mediterranean was poor. As expected, Umeu used against me my own strategy: the attack on Tripoli from Tunisia . I used this strategy successfully twice before and since has been the objet of debate in the forum.
By February he was already putting pressure from the Mareth line. My best armies were defending Tobruk. I tried to send 2 U-Boote into the Mediterranean but they were unable to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, heavily defended.

MED Feb 40.png (2.17 MiB) Viewed 914 times

[Umeu]

T9 - April 40
Paris will fall this turn, but I manage to evacuate some units. 1 army to UK, 1 corps to NA. China is regrouping near Kunming and Chungking. Not much else going on this turn.

T10 - May 40
Taifun is shifting his gaze towards Chengchow in China. I counter attack, 3 losses vs 5 kills, not bad. Trying to replace losses elsewhere, and shift the anti-air unit which I had sent to Chungking. That turned out to be a costly misplacement.

USA mobilization isn’t so bad, Taifun did take Norway, I thought he might not, but it fits his strategy to cut off convoys to UK. He declines to take Denmark.

France surrendered. There ended up being no all of France, but intel says shenanigans are coming in the form of an attempted paratroop drop to take Tunisia. My carriers kill 1 of the 2 bombers he sent to do the job. I’m not sure if it was a good idea, because no doubt he will send the rest of his air force now. But I need to buy time so I can operate in my own bombers and fighters, which I cant now because I razed Tripoli to the ground.

I can only hope I won’t take too much damage from the Italian naval counter attack that will surely come now. But imo, NA is too important to lose. I must hope for bad weather next turn. But there is already bad weather this turn, so it might not be my luck. Perhaps I am 1 turn to late moving my fighters from Egypt to Tripoli. We will see.

The evacuated French army stays to fight for the Brits, that’s a nice pick up, though I don’t get the engineers or the corps.

T11 – June 40
Not deploying the AA near Chengchow proves to be a costly mistake. I lost 1 fortifications due to airpower and the center is threatened to be overrun now as artillery arrives as well. Nicely timed push and combined arms offensive, the first of many to come. Not much I can do. I must try to cling on to as much ground before winter. I need to take up defensive positions in mountain terrain to buy time for my engineers to build more fortifications.

The Royal Navy take damage in the MedSea from bombers in Sicily and the Italian navy, but not as much as I feared. I don’t lose any ships, though several are severely damaged, including a carrier.

I need to position my navy out of range of his airforce, but within striking distance of Tunis so I can lift a blockade and destroy the port. I will also move in my fighters and strat bombers so I can kill the port. No new units must be allowed through. There’s still a chance for him to operate bombers to NA and target my navy. So this means I must put pressure on him right now, so that he can’t operate his air force there. He only has 2 armies at Tobruk, and he can’t contain me now that the BEF has joined Egypt. I have 2 corps there, 1 army, 1 recon, 1 tac bomber, 1 AT, 1 SF and 1 fighter unit.

Russian mobilization is still quite bad, I doubt he will do anything to make it get better. Which means I get 130 resources per turn for the next 12 turns, 1500 total.

I must soon start to put diplomacy into Finland. Around September or October I think.

A corps is spotted in Hamburg. I am not sure why it is there, perhaps he is afraid I will try to take the Skaggerak, but maybe it is because he is planning Sealion, or perhaps just to take Denmark? He only sent 1 para unit to Italy, so there is still another somewhere, and probably a 3rd one too.

I’m losing a lot of MPP to his naval raids, I need to sort out the rogue element of 2 heavy cruisers and 1 sub in the Indian ocean. Also the choice not to reroute the convoy out of the MedSea seems to be a bad one, a well played Italy can most definitely contest the Med, at least until 1942, which is more than enough damage compared to rerouting. And his bombers in Sicily gain experience on top of it from raiding the line.

First blood is drawn by China, finally. An exposed army that advanced too far past Chengchow got destroyed, 5 to 8, quite good due to shattering.

I expect Germany to try seizing Tunis next turn, though he might wait for more paras to come as well. That would probably be better, though best would be if he doesn’t attack Tunis as all and just gives it up. But that won’t happen, so it’s up to the strat bomber to control the port. The navy must control Tobruk and Benghazi ports, though hopefully they can soon be taken.

[Taifun]

March 1940. Tripoli and its port were reshaped to ruins and will fall during the next turn. Nothing to be done. German fighters have arrived to Naples.

Med March 40.png (2.19 MiB) Viewed 874 times

German troops capture Nantes and Vichy. The English have withdrawn from the area around Paris. The Luftwaffe starts shifting units to Italy: final destination Sicily.

France march 40.png (3.83 MiB) Viewed 874 times

Nanning and Kweilin were captured. 7 Japanese armies plus 3 other infantry units are putting strong pressure in south.

China march 1940.png (2.54 MiB) Viewed 874 times

France April 1940. The BEF retreats to Bordeaux. Marseille and Lyon are about to fall. German panzers were redeployed to Turin in Italy, to be engaged in a special operation.

France april 40..png (3.13 MiB) Viewed 874 times

[Taifun]

April 1940. The Chinese troops retire towards Kweichow with my Japanese forces in hot pursuit.

China april 1940.png (2.39 MiB) Viewed 871 times

June 1940. In a broad front, our Imperial forces meet the Kweichow defenders behind fortifications. Further north, the assault on Chengchow begins in the Central front. An artillery unit disembarks from Tientsin's port to help destroy the northern fortifications while a second one was disembarked near Nanning.

China june 1940.png (2.08 MiB) Viewed 871 times

June 1940. Heavy naval and air engagements in the Mediterranean south of Sicily. A unit of German paratroopers is ready to jump to capture either Malta or Tunis... The panzers wait near Rome, while their crews enjoy the company of Italian girls (of dubious reputation) and take pictures at the Coliseum...

Med june 1940.png (1.89 MiB) Viewed 871 times

[Umeu]

T12 - July 40

Terrible turn for me in China, great for him. He busts through a fort between Kweichow and Chungking as if it’s not there. Weather is amazing, so he can also move in… That’s that, the line is broken already. He also does a lot of damage elsewhere in China. I lose 11 strength + a full army. This might be a real fast KO in China. Supply seems to be what makes Japan just too strong in China. Some of his units are in better supply than mine. The only good thing is that US mobilization is at 50% already in 1940, so I got lucky there.

He finds my battleships hiding near Greece, they take damage though he takes more. But it still sucks. He probes to see if I brought fighters, which I did, and he doesn’t attack Tunis.

Germany will probably invade Russia early in 1941. And if China is any predictor, it doesn’t bode well for how my forts will hold vs him.

T13 - August 40
Another huge turn in China for him… never seen China take so much damage. All attacks are like 3-4 damage on armies behind forts. Didn’t even need the bombers to soften. He did bring 2 artillery.

The para and bomber in Sicily seem to be gearing up to take Malta rather than Tunis. I’m kinda happy with that, even though his bombers get lucky hits and it really should not be this easy… already Malta down to 6 strength and 1 supply, so next turns, 2 max, it will be dead. Not much I can do about it, though I don’t know if it’s a huge loss considering he’s gonna lose 2 armies and 2 HQs in Tobruk and Benghazi.

I decide to evacuate the AA from Malta and move it to Tripoli to guard the port and fighters there. And perhaps I can take Malta back later.

Germany & Japan are powering ahead in tech, kinda surprising actually, Japan especially. Both are on par with USA. USSR is lagging behind because mobilization is kept low. With how bad China suddenly went, I think I am losing.

Convoy raids are being amplified everywhere, must deal with them now. I send to the Canadian convoy lines several destroyers + 2 carriers. Also I must deal with the Indian Ocean, where he has 1 sub, 2 HC and the Italian destroyer. He has got 4 subs in total, 1 in Germany, soon active. 2 on the Canadian line. 1 in the Indian ocean, 2 died. He has 5 surface ships, 2 battlecruisers and 1 heavy cruiser and 2 destroyers + a battleship ready in 2 turns. I need to be wary of potential traps.

[Taifun]

August 1940. In China troops were transferred from the south to the Central Front to attack Chengchow.

China August 1940.png (1.81 MiB) Viewed 825 times

August 1940. Malta was evacuated by the British AA and a para unit captured the strategic island. A second para was readied to jump from Sicily if Hitler decided to attack Tunis. The panzerkorps based near Rome was shipped to Albania. The Royal Navy was gone... Italian soldiers are dinking all the stocks of Chianti wine found in Tobruk cellars...

Med August 1940.png (1.86 MiB) Viewed 825 times

[Umeu]

T14 - September 40
It's a law of the universe now, a good turn again for Taifun in China, killing an AA, damaging another and displacing it, and also annihilating a corps though it lives at 1 strength. Ichang seems untenable now and must be evacuated. Chengchow is also lost, question is just do I fight till death or evacuate it too.

He took Malta, but NA seems doomed for Italy. That’s a small victory for me, though it comes at cost of USA mobilization due to no Axis progress in NA. He nearly killed a Heavy Cruiser in Indian ocean… so annoying this rabbit chase… MedSea convoys seems to be rerouted because Malta was lost, so I might be saving MPP on it now though the Egyptian convoy seems to be disabled, not sure why It doesn’t also reroute.

A Japanese Escort carrier appears to block and scout in the Indian Ocean, but after a stern warning from Britain to not meddle in a European conflict, the Carrier returns home.

T15 - October 40
It just doesn’t stop. 2 corps and 1 army eviscerated as if they are nothing. Bombers and carriers do massive damage too, finishing damaged units at 2 strength. He takes minimal losses. It’s bizarre. Level 1 Inf weapons is coming in for China… but I don’t really have MPP to replace losses and upgrade. Kunming is basically cut off and guarded only by 2 corps, 1 of which will quickly die. So that area is lost too now. Means no Stillwell. And already a path for him into Burma & India, so India won’t be able to help China really.

The doctrine in China must be to cling on to every mountain hex and don’t yield it without a fight. But will it be enough? I must slow down China’s downfall until 42 at least, preferably 43. It looks grim.

US probably should tech tanks now. USSR should do inf weapons lvl 2. UK should go diplo, and china maybe also 1 or 2 chits + train an army. India should save up. Next turn, UK should also go industrial tech. Maybe even double chit it. Prepare for the long war.

I should probably send the SA units to deal with East Africa now that the threat in NA has subsided. I decide not to send the Malaysians in the end. I can't afford it.

I should move 1 BC to deal with the NA block. Send a destroyer as well for subs. Should send the Carrier in Egypt to deal with sub in East Africa. Should send the other carriers to UK to deal with subs and train off coast of Norway and hunt down the German navy who is undoubtedly already hiding in Russian waters north of Finland. Should also send 2nd sub to raid Norway.

[Taifun]

After spotting the British heavy bombers in Libya, the operation against Tunisia was suspended. Instead, Greece was invaded.

October 1940.png (2.14 MiB) Viewed 772 times

Kweichow was captured in the south while Ichang and Chengchow were captured in the Central area.

China south October 1940.png (2.48 MiB) Viewed 772 times

China north October 1940.png (1.99 MiB) Viewed 772 times

[Umeu]

T16 - November 40
Not the worst turn. A Chinese corps dies, finished off by bombers after attacked with minimal losses by armies or bombers. An entrenched SF unit takes 4-0 against an elite army… I'm not sure how he does it.

The port of Hai Phong has been taken, probably because the Japanese soldiers heard good things about Banh Da Cua and also 40 kg crabs on Do Son beach (but seriously great food in Hai Phong, I lived there for 2 years!), so China is on low MPPs now for about a year or more. At least bad weather has arrived in northern China… I have tech coming now, but no way to even upgrade units. I wonder now if properly played China should get infantry weapons at all. They can’t upgrade their units… but maybe it’s still a must. Maybe the key is just giving up Chengchow early, and use the elite reformed armies to defend the forts in key locations. C&C for China is definitely a mistake… I have to cancel it mid research in order to stay alive.

Italy invades Greece, which is somewhat surprising. I thought he might not. The luftwaffe and a German tank are helping them do it swiftly. But maybe he wants a base for his maritime bombers maybe which are currently in East Africa being very annoying, 1 Italian & 1 German. Atleast all of Axis Africa is suffering from supply issues. It’s tempting to long range amphib a tank and just destroy those maritime bombers. I would need battleships to trap them though, and I don’t have them. I’m getting kinda outplayed in the naval warfare. It’s frustrating.

Italy started researching lvl 1 AA it seems, and they are building some units, just not sure what… tanks & armored train, mech infantry? Or is he going more into airforce? Could be naval tech and a carrier maybe, though I think that’s unlikely. Though this way he could have 2 Italian carriers.

Tobruk falls, sealing the fate of North African Italy.

3rd para unit is spotted in Leipzig. 2 still in Malta/Sicily. At least some of the air force went to Greece, but as long as the paras are there, I must keep my strat bomber there too.

T17 - December 40
China is just blowing my mind. All his units deal insane amounts of damage. Carriers do 0-1, 0-2, no losses. SF do 5-0 vs army in the mountains. He blasts through a corps. 400mpp lost for me, he takes only 40. That's like 1 or 2 strength lost vs 20 for me. It’s mind boggling. I can’t afford to upgrade my units and repair them as well. No bad weather from May until December… Question is do I give up Kunming, or bring reinforcements to delay it? It’s supposed to be a difficult road to travel, hard to make progress, but he just blitzed it.

Lvl 2 inf weapons also came online for Japan, which is really fast =_= faster than the Chinese, or at the same time the Chinese got lvl 1, but the Chinese invested into the tech earlier. So he got 1 or 2 breakthroughs on it. Even before Germany got lvl 2, so that tells me that the Germans went fighter + tank tech early on, rather than tank + inf.

With the year almost coming to an end, I take a look at the future.
UK needs lvl 1 industrial, also 1-2 escort carriers. They need lvl 2 AA, inf weapons, advanced tanks, and logistics. Oh and also heavy bombers. Probably need that more than tanks. Next turn I must get heavy bomber + inf weapons.
India needs 1 army, then AA, then fighters? Maybe 2nd industrial idk. Considering how the game is going, I must set my sights on a 47’ victory or defeat, the long game seems to be my only hope. In which case, probably India needs 2nd industrial chit now already.
USA must prepare to quickly overwhelm Japan. 3 carriers, 6 escort carriers + 3 UK carriers, then I should have an escort carrier lead of 3 and 1 carrier lead. Strike first to focus down the battleships. Then mop up his carriers with my own battleships. USA must also prepare 1 AA to go to Honolulu, near the harbor. And 2 fighters in Hawaii.

To protect the Northern Convoy line, UK SF must be sent to Scotland, from there they will seize Tromso or Alta. Then I operate Stratbombers cut off the railway line to prevent reinforcements. The Marines force the airforce there to withdraw. The navy mops up the rest. Add an HQ in that direction possibly, so send the Egypt HQ there as well.
Next turn I might need to build another SF unit with UK to seize northern Norway.

Let’s hope Finland flips soon with diplo. It surprises me that Germany hasn't countered my diplo yet, he must know it's the only valid target.

NA is entirely taken now. Time to rotate the navy into defending the Pacific.

Gotta eventually bring 4 garrisons from east Africa and south Africa to North Africa, maybe more, to garrison the coast.

[Umeu]

Summary 1939-1940
The first "year" of the war has ended. Let's tally the score, tick goals achieved and make new war aims.

Events:
Germany invaded Poland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and later also Norway, but not the Netherlands or Denmark.

France fell in May. The BEF fought light flanking action in support of the French army, trying to boost morale with their presence without suffering too many losses. One corps was shattered, but the airforce and the other units were able to retreat from the continent in tact.

The Royal Navy went to North Africa to establish control of the MedSea by shutting down the Italian ports there. Tripoli was seized by an army and a corps, supported by an HQ, operating out of Tunis rather than Egypt. Later, reinforced by the BEF and units from the British Commonwealth, the rest of Italian North Africa was seized, crushing their dreams of a Mare Nostrum. Instead, they turned their attention towards Greece.

Russia did not invade Finland, and the allies attempted to sway her diplomatically, so far unsuccessfully.

China was overwhelmed by the intensity of the Japanese offensives. Changsha was lost almost immediately. Soon to be followed by Kweichow, Ichang, Chengchow, and the entire south of China. Enormous losses for the time frame. Kungming will be lost soon as well. Economically hamstrung by these losses, the Chinese army was unable to even arm their soldiers effectively.


Allied War Aims for 1939-1940
Delay fall of France until I take Tripoli, and as long as possible after that, but keep British losses low. > successful
Seize Tripoli and rest of Italian Lybia, deny Germany entrance to North Africa. > Very successful!
Contain German submarine threat and naval raids > inconclusive. Some subs were sunk, but many raids went unchecked due to Taifun's combined surface and submarine fleet actions.
Slow the Japanese advance and establish a solid line of defense in China > Disastrous. China is in the process of being overrun.
Convince Finland to not join the Axis > Unresolved.

These were my main aims for this period of the war. It's a mixed bag, but overall, I am not very happy with how things are going. China, the front where I had the least confidence in my plans, turned out to be even worse than my nightmares. Taifun is outmuscling and outsmarting me at every turn. And dare I say it, his luck with weather has been stellar as well!

Allied War Aims for 1941
Convince Finland to not join the Axis
Contain German submarine threat and naval raids, especially the USSR convoy, with the support of amphibious landings if necessary
Keep hold of Chungqing and Sian in China, failing that, cling desperately to every mountain hex.
Check the advance of the German army with my Russian Deep Defense. But if ground must be yielded, it must be yielded only in the center. The flanks must remain strong at all times. I would rather lose Moscow than Stalingrad.
Seize Italian East Africa


Allied research breakthroughs 39-40|41|42|43
UK> 11||| = total
US> 14||| = total
USSR> 9||| = total
Total Main Allied = 34

China> 4
India> 4

[Umeu]

Taifun sadly doesn't have time to continue his contribution to the AAR, and I didn't take that many screenshots in 41. I have more from 42 onwards, so bear with me. Hopefully he'll be able to return at some point or grace us with a summary of his POV.

T18 - early January 1941

Still good weather In the part of China that matters… 1 army dead, 2 nearly destroyed, some other units damaged. His units aren’t slowed down by rain or anything. He just keeps advancing through mountain hexes and killing my stuff even in low supply. It’s maddening.

Germany still doesn’t have lvl 2 inf weapons yet. Kinda hoping it’ll be delayed a bit more. The longer it’s delayed, the longer it’ll take him to be ready for Barbarossa. March is now the earliest he can attack with inf weapons 2. But let’s hope for April, May, or even later.

Uneventful on other fronts. I’m hunting subs in the pacific. He has shown me he uses combined naval operations so I must do the same. I have lost too much already by sending lone units. I don’t have Iceland as a base because he never took Denmark.

I need to start making a SF as UK next turn if I want to pressure Norway. It was supposed to be this turn, but can’t afford it due to fighter tech finishing, and I can't fall further behind there. I also need to repair UK navy, it’s in shambles. I need to upgrade it and upgrade my fighters as well. Lots to do, not enough MPP.

T19 - late January 1941
China is hanging on for dear life, still no rain or mud… it’s bizarre. 1 army killed, 1 AA gun killed, ground taken as if there is no ZOC or Action Points are just unlimited. I'm in despair, if I can't cling to any mountain tops to stabilize my front, I will lose China in 42. Maybe if I can manage to fortify Langchow and fight a fighting retreat.

Germany is preparing for invasion, units spotted everywhere along the Polish border, but still no lvl 2 inf weapons. So it seems to be April will be the earliest turn of invasion. That’s somewhat hopeful. But May would even be better. My tests indicate that April Barbarossa is still quite precarious.

Hunting his subs in the Pacific, there’s at least 1 more there, I’m trying to cut it off. Or at least funnel it away from Norway.

India is preparing for Japan by cranking out armies. UK got SF, and tech. USA more techs, but needs to get 1-2 AA guns soon for Honolulu.

[Umeu]

T20 - February 41
Finally some time to breathe in China as winter falls all over the country. First turn of bad weather for him in over a year. Losses are minimal. But I am shocked to see he has made a strat bomber. This seals China's fate.

Finally got that diplomatic hit on Finland last turn, and Finland is now pro-Allied. Germany responded with 250 diplo somewhere. I don't understand why he didn't do it earlier, he must've known I was attempting to block Finland and he could've prevented me from doing so since Axis have more diplomatic power at the start.

He’s still not ready to invade Russia, bringing units on the line now, but still no upgrades on most. Afrika corps units still half strength. So he’s been building units non-stop… maybe also a German strat bomber? Still no inf weapons 2 though, so the most likely month now seems May. Unless he attacks with lvl 1, but then he still needs to pause like 1 turn so probably he just waits until May. This gives me a chance. I got lvl 2 AA coming in this turn, and inf weapons 2 will also be ready right around the time he hits my lines.

US reaches max tech investment, so I build an AA unit. India industrializes further, I’m in for the long game now. I need lots of income to support eventual airpower switch.

I’m locking in on his forces in the Atlantic. An Italian destroyer trying to escape has been sunk. A 3rd sub sunk. And 1 cruiser trying to get away being closed in. I might try to drive him into the US territory!

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T21 - March 41
Things are back to normal in China. Great weather his turn, mud and rain on mine. Can’t move my units. He kills an entrenched mountain corps as if they are nothing. And because no mud or rain, he can just move his units around freely. Strat bombers, I am not sure if he has 1 or 2 of them, are targeting the mine, I’m down to 100mpp per turn.

UK needs to start saving up to upgrade all naval and air units, and land units too. USA should start the support carrier fleet now.

Italy is probing off the Lybian coast… not sure why. And his fleet is spotted outside of port. It seems like new shenanigans are afoot. Italy went into diplo as well, he’s trying to regain Finland, I think. I respond by matching his input with my own. The battle for hearts and minds of the Fins is not over.

Yugoslavia revolts super early, but the good news is, most of his units are not upgraded at all. Germany STILL has only lvl 1 infantry weapons.

I’m beating down the Axis Atlantic navy, thought I might lose a carrier but instead he tried to escape rather than destroy my weak HP battleship Valiant. I think that was a mistake, he was going to lose his ships anyway, might as well take something down with it. Now the carriers mostly mopped up, I just took damage to a light and heavy cruiser. Maybe mpp wise I took more damage this way, but these battleships are irreplaceable, not so much because of their cost, but simply because of their long production time.

India needs to save up for SF and also an HQ. HQ first probably, since I need it in Malaysia I think.

[Umeu]

T22 - April 41
More devastation in China… I’m getting attacked at all fronts now. Kunming fell. The corps held vs his infantry, but Bombers finished it off. The north of China is also under threat now by a mechanized corps and the line is broken.

Yugoslavia somehow survived after losing the capital. Germany still no infantry weapons, but Lithuania has been invaded. I’m kinda annoyed by that, it speeds up his invasion by a lot. Maybe I should have annexed the Baltics after all. I declined annexation as Russia, my reasoning being that I get 2 half strength corps and save more of the spawning units since they'll spawn back. That was the idea. I didn’t even consider his line...

Then again, Russia is up to 70% mobilization, and Germany won’t be ready with infantry weapons lvl 2 until June. He’s also keeping many units in France, Greece and Italy out of fear of my landings. But I have no plans to land yet. I’m gonna knock Japan out first, before they knock out China. It’ll be a race, because China is faltering at record pace now, I can’t replace units. I can’t even repair all. The strat bombers JFC… so nasty. But I hope it means he won’t have escort carriers as Japan.

The UK navy is making it’s way to India for repairs. I’m going to knock his navy out in a pincer move in 42. Then take out Seoul or Pyonyang with a long range amphib, cutting his supply everywhere in SEA. From there, slow mop up.

The German navy is only 9 ships (2 destroyers, 2 battleships and 4 subs, and still 1 heavy cruiser somewhere in the south). I’m gonna choose to send the new UK navy to England instead of India to bolster the numbers later. I’m keeping 2 battleships and a host of destroyers and 4 light cruisers to fight off the German navy and Luftwaffe if he attacks the Northern Convoy. Together with 2 carriers and 2 escort carriers, I should have double his numbers. It should be enough. Just gotta make sure I stay out of range of his bombers as best I can.

I will target them first I suppose, and land 2 special forces if I can manage, but 1 of them, en route from Egypt to England around the cape because I didn't control the MedSea enough to pass through it, just got intercepted by his lone sub in the Indian ocean which has been a thorn in my side from the start. At least I didn’t lose it, just lost the MPP for having to disembark and reembark again when the coast is clear. That said, he now knows I’m bringing the unit to Europe. But I think he believes I’ll use it for landings in France, when in fact, it’s heading to Norway.

Italy is also buying units, something for 200mpp, maybe armored train? Or 2 AA guns? And something for over 200 mpp, but below 300mpp, so probably not a bomber. An army, or tank or mech unit most likely. I’d reckon tanks.

T23 - May 41
A carbon copy of past turns in China. Corps destroyed, army vanquished, HQ almost destroyed. He’s threatening to cut me off from the north, and I’m not sure there’s much I can do about it except evacuate the center. If I don't, I will get encircled and there won't be a retreat possible to Urumchi. I will enact a fighting retreat from Sian and Chongqing towards Lanchow where I will try to hold in the mountains. Armies are forced march to establish an ad hoc defensive perimeter in the mountains North of Lanchow to prevent encirclement by the mechanized infantry and supporting units.

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But this means he will have no bad weather chasing me, and will just kill me out of entrenchment, it’s what happened in the North as well. His attacks are just so insane, 4-0’s flying everywhere. He seems to have gotten armored warfare with Japan… which is nuts... He only has 1 mechanized corps!!! His carriers are moving out already it seems, Pearl Harbor in August very likely.

Still no Barbarossa, still no inf weapons 2, but he has gone without upgrades before. Still, it’s June at the earliest now, I think my defenses will hold in Russia.

USA decided to make strat bombers before escort carriers because the former take longer. But not sure if it’s the right choice, the escort carriers might be more impactful. And I can build more of them. India makes an HQ. UK makes another escort carrier, maxed out at 3 now. They need to save up for a strat bomber now.

Time to seize the MedSea back, at least for a while. Need to get my carriers to India asap. Luckily, 1 of his 2 Italian subs has been spotted already by spies.

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