World War II in Europe turn by turn

The game is World War II in Europe from HBG. Pieces are standard second editon AA Europe 40.

Well this was unexpected. Germans managed to hit Cherbourg and Sedan. They were repulsed from Cherbourg and took heavy loses, but the French ground units were wiped out. Sedan they won, which opened up a path to Paris with a blitzkrieg attack (an extra move tanks get after regular combat) and barely took it. But that was enough. The French army in the Maginot wasn’t strong enough to take Paris back with the German fighters providing ground support. France surrendered and all her territories went to Germany and the French units all are removed from play.

Britain took French West Africa for herself and set up her last convoy and is now making full income.

This was a pretty quiet round. Germany is buying to replace all the tanks and air units it lost. Italy attacked Yugoslavia, and Britain did a convoy raid against the Italians.

Another quiet turn. Germany is keeping a large enough force that Britain can’t land with anything meaningful. Also slowly building up in Poland. I think Germany took France out early at too heavy a price. Maybe should have gone slow and steady into France and taken them out by the summer instead of the spring. Italy finished its conquest of Yugoslavia and is now preparing for Greece. But having lost its transport in the convoy, it needs to build another one before it can start to do anything in Africa. But its only the end of fall 1940 right now.

A little bit more action here. Greece has fallen to Italy, and Britain decided to land in Algeria and set up a convoy to keep the army supplied there. If Germany hadn’t have lost so much in France, they would have had the option to hit Spain or Turkey. As it is, they are busy rebuilding to hit Russia, which looks like will happen later, rather than sooner.

Spring 1941. Italy is cautiously moving into Egypt while the British expand in Algeria. Germany continues building on the frontier with Russia. The sub war against the convoys is weakening for the Germans.

Italy got bold. Invaded Lebanon and threatening to come at Egypt from 2 directions. Germans successfully sank the convoy supplying the 2 British infantry in Algeria, forcing them to cease operations until resupplied. Britain reinforced its fleet in Gibraltar. The front in Poland now looks ready to explode!

Italy advances on Egypt, but Britain reinforced the Middle East and Cairo. The expand their conquest in Algeria as well. Germany is playing a dangerous game by waiting so long to attack Russia. It is now the end of fall 1941.

Italy Hit Alexandria amphibiously as well as with its Libyan units, while the army in Syria turned towards the Middle East. Germany looks ready now. But They have to hit next turn, as Russia is allowed to declare war. It is the end of the winter 1941 turn.

In order to collect for money over seas, You have to use transports to carry the income from the overseas territories back to your capital. 1 transport can carry $10. You also need to supply your units over seas. You must be able trace supply to each of your ground units ( or an Ally’s). Again, if the unit is overseas, you need to use transports to carry supply to that unit. 1 transport can carry supply for upto 10 ground units. You have to set up a convoy (which is the white strips you see on the board. The line you make with the strips is the convoy route. It must start from a port and end at a port. Then you put however many transports you need into that convoy. You can have destroyers and other ships in there too to escort.
The convoy is considered to be continously running back and forth, so if an enemy attack a space that the convoy runs through, it will encounter all the ships in that convoy and can attack them.

Germany attacked in spring 1942. Very late, but they still hit strong. Look at all the missing Russian units! However, the USA is now in the war too, and just set up a convoy to give money to Russia. Because of the loses in France and the late attack on Russia, I don’t know if Germany has time to pull this off.

Italy is doing well. The British are now building up in Iraq to hold the line against the Italians. I think the Italians have an eye towards attacking Turkey …

That’s it for tonight. I’m going to have a difficult time plugging the holes in the Russian front. I’m going to try to form a defense behind the rivers and let the Germans come to me. The 2 counterattacks I did in Minsk and Kiev hurt him, but I can’t keep losing my heavy hitting units. Need to pull back.

The first post shows the starting set up. This game starts in fall 1939. There is a spring 1941 and summer 1943 set up as well, but this game is the fall 1939 set up. Germany started with 2 subs with 3 more in the build boxes.

Check a few posts up, IL, as I tried to explain the convoys there.

Both set - ups HBG should have, but I don’t think they have the latest revision of the rules or set-ups. I have them, though. You can get them from me. I also don’t think HBG has the revised maps, but there isn’t too much difference, if at all.

As for the convoy markers, I am using wood painted white. I bought a dollhouse white picket fence set from Michael’s, so what you are seeing is the wooden fence strewn out all over my map, lol!

Summer 1942. Germans reclaimed what I took back from them, but this advance is not as stellar. I definitely now believe they lost too much in France and attacked Russia too late. Italy is building up in Syria. It was a mistake for me to relocate the Egyptian fleet to Gibraltar. I have no way of intercepting Italian convoys. However, I am making progress in French north Africa. The Italians will have to split their attention soon. Americans are building full crank, but slow to get stuff over.