Summer 1939

[joegrundman]

The countdown is on.

Have you all downloaded the rules file and warplanner? If so you will need the game file which is available here. Open it with Warplanner.

You will need to use this to look under the unit counters in a stack and so forth.

I also recommend that you read the example attack on poland that I posted on the getting started thread and ask any questions that relate to it. Germany should also bone up on the U-boats and strategic warfare rules.

All team mates should have introduced themselves to one another, and at this point, particularly the axis players should come up with some form of general strategy, as well as division of labor.

At this point you need to remind yourself that firstly we are all beginner's in this game, and secondly there are no perfect solutions to success for either team, and thirdly we are here to have fun:D

OK That's it. We are ready to begin. Remember everybody, we will move very slowly with each step carefully explained. You will soon get the hang of it.

[joegrundman]

The first thing you need to do is assign diplomatic points. The minor powers you wish to assign diplomatic points remain TOP SECRET at this stage. The 1IC must make these decisions (or designate someone else to do it) and then PM me your decision. Do not post them publicly unless you really want your enemy to see what you are doing.

At this point it is probably a good idea to look through the diplomatic tables. Each DP assigned to a country modifies the diplomatic die roll in your favour.
No more than 1/3 of the total DPs may be assigned to 1 target.

Note: DPs can also be assigned to minor powers, US-axis tensions and intelligence projects


European Axis
Germany=3
Italy=2
Total=5 points to assign as you please.

Max 1 point on US-axis Tension table.

Remember the Axis gets a free roll for any or all of Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary and finland. You can still add DPs to these nations to improve the dice roll.

USSR=3 points

Western Allies (max 1 point on USAT table)
Great Britain=3
France=2
US=1
Total=6

----------------------------

Research Points

It is also the correct time to assign Research Points. Please read the posts on Research in the training academy. Again, these decisions are TOP SECRET. PM me your decision. Each research project which you invest RPs in must be given a codename.

No more than 1/2 RPs may be assigned to 1 category. No more than 3 RPs may be assigned to any one research project.

Note the projects which are not permitted in 1939 on the list in the training academy thread. Also RPs may not be used for Production projects in 1939.

PM me your decisions with the codenames for each of your projects.

RPs for fall 1939

Germany:8
Italy:2
Japan:6 +1 RP for intelligence projects only
Russia:6
Britain:6
France:3
United States:0

I await your instructions.

[joegrundman]

Here's the game file

http://www.mediafire.com/?fcmyi91xt9y

[Raptor1]

Could you explain please how the game will work in Warplanner?

[joegrundman]

ah yes, that's a good point.

Warplanner can be used to run the whole game, but we are not going to use all of the capabilities of Warplanner.

For now, anyway, we are simply using Warplanner for it's ability to "look under" counters to see the counters below, and to see the contents of task forces.

In addition Warplanner enables you to see the hex identification number, which isn't really visible on the map with the naked eye.

At first, all the moves will be handled by me and i will regularly post updated warplanner files.

So to use it, download the file [the siren calls] and open it with warplanner.

You can click on the icon of the globe to switch to the pacific theater.

You can then scroll around the maps. If you click on a counter on the map, in a box to the left you will be able to see all the other counters in the stack on that hex. In that box you can navigate around the different counters. You can move them to new positions, but for the early parts of this game, we will handle moves differently.

You will write down each move that you intend and I will do the moves for you.

The 1939 fall and winter tend to be quite gentle with not too much happening and so a good introduction.

To look into task forces, you click on the taskforces icon. You will need your password. there are two passwords, one for the axis and one for the allies. I have chosen your passwords and I will tell you the passwords by PM once everyone sounds like they have introduced themselves to their teammates and so forth.

[AkbarGulag]

This war planner rocks. That file makes things easier already ^^

OMG, the jpeg creater is excellent.

[Oberon]

Has the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement already taken place? Or do I have to send Ron Vibbentrop over to Moscow? :)

[joegrundman]

A good question!

the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact has already taken place. the agreed line of seperation is shown on the europe map as a dotted line. it starts at the border of East Prussia and the Baltic States on the Baltic Sea and continues south splitting Poland and then cutting off 4 hexes from Rumania (labelled Bessarabia, and later to be incorporated as the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (MSSR) with a few pieces of Ukraine thrown in.

In addition you will see that the dotted lines continues to cut off the three Finnish hexes that border the USSR.

german units may not stay on the other side of this line without breaking the terms of this treaty, however they may temporarily cross over this line as part of an attack on Western Poland, so long as they are not still there at the end of your turn.

The details are found in rule section 63, but the pertinant points for Germany and the Soviet union are that:

- Eastern poland automatically falls under russian control, no declaration of war or offensive operations are needed
- The baltic states require a declaration of war, but that is all. They surrender without fighting so no offensive operations are needed. If russia declines to do this in fall 1939, then germany may attack in Winter 1939 and so on. Russia may not declare war over this. germany may not attack in fall 1939.
- Russia may make a demand for territory from rumania during the russian diplomatic phase but not if any part of rumania is already under german control. Russian demands on Rumania trigger an automatic Rumanian response roll. This may result in Rumania being prepared to fight a border war.
- Likewise Russia may make a demand for territory from Finland during the Russsian diplomatic phase but not if any part of Finland is already under german control. Russian demands on Finland trigger an automatic Finnish response roll. This may result in Finland being prepared to fight a border war.

In both these last two cases, it is possible for Germany to support these two nations, and in fact a conflagration between the USSR and Germany can ensue