This is an aar of a game in progress
As per some suggestions by IL, the axis player opened up by using his airpower to destroy every British navy besides the fleet off of Gibralter and the fleet in the Med.
He was still able to crush France but he was down to only 3 or 4 tanks when he took it.
USSR rolled one tech die and got warbonds, much to the chagrin of the axis player.
Japan pressed heavily into China and didn’t dow the allies till J2.
On the Uk’s first turn it was able to destroy the Italian fleet with its fleets from Gibralter and Egypt. This lead to much grumbling about how this act destroys the holy way that divine Larry wanted us to play. “Why would Larry give us an Italian fleet only to take it away from us?” He bitched and moaned about this and wound up saving for 3 turns to build a new fleet – which Britain would also quickly sink.
UK built 8 inf at the beginning because sealion seemed imminent, but as Germany never built more that the 2 transports, the UK was then at liberty to build a big fleet for the Mediterranean. Minor factories are built for both West India and Egytpt in subsequent turns. So the UK’s European income could help India out.
Anzacs had their usual slow plodding start.
China resisted mightily but Japan threw everything at it and its existence is perilous.
On G2 Germany spent 45 ipcs on techs. No 6es. So he complains about this and I was feeling merciful and hold him to roll again. The result was improved mech infantry and improved artillery, which he would use to monkey stomp Leningrad in a few turns. I’m regretting that now, and may insist that Russia get 9 free dice to roll. As its only fair.
Ger has taken Leningrad, but not Moscow or Stalingrad. All of North Africa has fallen to the allies, but a ton of German units are stacking Rome. After a series of epic battles the Japanese fleet is limping back towards Tokyo. 3 damaged carriers and 3 damaged battleships. My Hawaiian fleet will be able to hit them before they can heal up but he may try to attack that fleet with the aid of aircraft on the home islands.
ANZACs now have a respectable CTF of 1 CVN, 2 destroyers, 1 cruiser, and 2 transports. Sumatra has fallen and soon the Japanese will lose the east indies. The Anzacs may be able to destroy the rest of the Japanese fleet hanging around Indonesia and the Chinese coast.
IPC totals
Ger 46 (+ 10 NOs)
Jap 56 (+5 NOs)
Italy 12
USA 52 (+30 NO)
China 1
France 4 (but no capitol)
UK 34
India 9
Anzacs 14 (+8 NOs)
Fleet Sizes
EUROPEAN THEATER
UK Med Fleet – 1 damaged CVN, 1 damaged BB, 2 dds, 1 cl, 1 tac, 1 ftr, amd 2 tp
US med fleet – 1 CVN, 1 TAC, 1 FTR, 3 TP, 2 BB, 2 DD, 1 CL
German Fleet (Gulf of Finland) – 1 BB, 1 cl, 1 CVN, 1 sub, 2 ftrs, 2 tp
RUS – 1 sub off of Denmark
PACIFIC THEATER
ANZAC – 1 CL, 2 tps, 2 dds, 1 sub, 1 CVN, 2 ftrs
India – 1 BB, 1 CL, 1 tp
US West Coast – 1 cl, 3 tps,
US Hawaii fleet – 1 BB, 1 CVN, 1 ftr, 1 tac, 2 dds (backed up by 4 bmbrs and 1 ftr on Hawaii)
Japanese Sumatran fleet – 1 dd
Japanese sz 23 fleet – 3 damaged CVNs, 2 damaged BBs, 3 ftrs
Two tps off shanghai
And 1 tp off Celebes
I’m having trouble deciding whether to abandon the Italian campaign and focus on knocking out Japan or to dump a ton of resources into the anti Italian effort.
Its Germany’s turn when we pick back up tomorrow. It should be interesting to see what he does.
I think that destruction of Italian fleet will be a standard move as well as Germany takes out most of UK fleet.
I have no idea why this is so fascinating to keep designing that same setup dynamic. Its not realistic and basically invalidates the idea of having a fleet and makes the game into a few pet moves.
It seems the new paradigm in this is how Germany prepares the threat or execution of Sealion and How UK responds to that and how the dice roll out in both.
All those German subs can unify with its Baltic fleet on G2 ( well some of them) and either go back to Baltic or haunt allied naval builds and crash and burn against the allies, prolonging the buildup for Normandy.
This may force Italy into a standard attack against Turkey in order to get to Africa and for Germany to get to Russia from another route.
I wish ports could protect naval units like they do in real life and not become food for larger fleets where they have no say in the matter and can’t retreat.
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On G2 Germany spent 45 ipcs on techs. No 6es. So he complains about this and I was feeling merciful and hold him to roll again. The result was improved mech infantry and improved artillery, which he would use to monkey stomp Leningrad in a few turns. I’m regretting that now, and may insist that Russia get 9 free dice to roll. As its only fair.
A player can only receive one technological advance per turn.
@Imperious:
I wish ports could protect naval units like they do in real life and not become food for larger fleets where they have no say in the matter and can’t retreat.
I like that idea, if such protection can be knocked out for the turn by strategic bombing an enemy NB before attacking the fleet there. That would give some purpose to the risky/low-payoff SBR’s on AB/NB.
More general, i think NB/AB should be repaired at the end of the players turn, not at the beginning, but that is really another issue…
I think the Italian fleet is there to replicate the attack on Taranto. It is like, why is France there, if only to be killed by the Germans. Or why have a British fleet, if it will be mostly sunk. However, there are two subs in the area that can attempt to sink the carrier and destroyer, but it might fail, and the might leave you with more British ships alive by England, and that is not good.
I am playing the game on Saturday, so I’ll post my opinions afterwards.
