downfall 1941

[joegrundman]

Bismarck scatters British convoy
http://markevich.us/was/bismarck2.jpg

Bismarck escorted by GrafSpee acting on intelligence reports sneak into the Atlantic undetected and intercept a convoy in the mid Atlantic, scattering it and sinking several merchant ships.

British counter-intercepting forces arrived far too late and the first confirmed sighting of the raiders was from German radio celebrating their safe arrival home.

1 transport sunk

[joegrundman]

Happy Times

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/qq145/UberTorpedo/PhotoGermanUBoatCrewFlagsF.jpg

U-boats based in France now enjoying great advantages and the Battle of the Atlantic is swinging in their favour.

Severe losses to Atlantic shipping.

U-boats account for 7 transports sunk, 2 damaged, for 0 losses

Churchill now referring to the Atlantic situation as "an emergency"

[joegrundman]

The Blitz

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-7-vboSIDG8/SVx-7PYQQVI/AAAAAAAAEZY/D5L4un43KBU/s400/london_blitz.jpg


The entire luftwaffe bombs London. The remains of the RAF engage, but scarcely dent the steamroller that is the bombing campaign.

London is firestormed and takes the maximum 30 brps damage. 1 german aaf shot down and 1 british aaf lost

[joegrundman]

spring 1941

invasion of Malta

http://ww2total.com/WW2/History/Orders-of-Battle/Italy/Zara-class-cruiser-px800.jpg

Italian naval and air forces support an amphibious assault on the beleaguered garrison of Malta. The dug in defenders inflicted some losses, but surrendered after 3 days of fighting.

Malta is now italian.

[joegrundman]

Vichy France and Bulgaria join tripartite pact

http://jssnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/petain.jpg

Bulgaria joins fully, Vichy joins as associated minor country.

Up to three vichy units may be lent to the eastern front in the case of war with russia

[joegrundman]

Japanese Carrier Shokaku launched

http://www.mobhome.de/vehicles/pics/Shokaku_real.jpg

[joegrundman]

June 1941

Barbarossa!!!

Germany declares war on Russia - Operation Barbarossa begins

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Operation_Barbarossa_-_Russian_planes.jpg/800px-Operation_Barbarossa_-_Russian_planes.jpg

Massive surprise counter-air strikes catch large numbers of Russian planes on the ground.

Russia loses 7 AAF (nearly half the red airforce), germany loses 5 aaf.

Finland associates with Germany and begins the Continuation War

[joegrundman]

German Armored Divisions Overrun Russian Sector in Lithuania

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oIAhQMTG-dU/S-1D3mo9JZI/AAAAAAAAE2I/0gBxysX7tHg/s1600/barbarossa-operation-second-world-war-ww2-eastern-front-russian-front-1941-pictures-images-photos-008.jpg

With very heavy ground support by the Luftwaffe, German Armored divisions overrun the defending Russians and blast through Lithuania into Latvia and across the river Drina without effective resistance

two 4o6 and 16 aaf overrun 4 defending infantry factors

[joegrundman]

Kicking open the barn door

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oIAhQMTG-dU/S-1EoWnKr8I/AAAAAAAAE2c/1yWIfxjN9CQ/s1600/barbarossa-operation-second-world-war-ww2-eastern-front-russian-front-1941-pictures-images-photos-013.jpg

huge armored encirclements capture almost all the Red Army and make deep progress towards Leningrad and into the Ukraine. German casualties though heavy pale into insignificance against the Russian losses.

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/1329/barbarossa.jpg

[joegrundman]

Sink the Bismarck!

http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Battle_honours/Bismarck/bismarck_sinkingbystern_photoHMSDorsetshire_10-30am.jpg

Bismarck, Graf Spee and Lutzow raided the Atlantic. However Churchill's order to Sink the Bismarck at all costs had meant that several small Task Forces were lurking in the seas near Iceland ready to catch them.

The first sighting of the raider group was made by planes from the light carrier HMS Illustrious and her 4 cruiser escort.

The planes launched a strike, the Graf Spee damaged by a torpedo. Several planes were shot down in the attempt.

The cruisers closed to range, but 2 were sunk and the other 2 damaged by accurate long range gunnery from the Bismarck and Lutzow.

A second, larger force was vectored in, consisting of HMS King George V, HMS Repulse, the carriers HMS Victorious and HMS Glorious and two more cruisers.

A concentrate air strike on the Bismarck resulted in a torpedo damaging her rudder. Only able to go in circles, the Royal Navy Battleships closed. Eventually gunnery from King George V sank the Bismarck.

HMS Repulse and Lutzow were both damaged by each other's gunfire. The two German pocket battleships managed to escape back to Bergen.

[joegrundman]

U-boats!

http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/albums/german-navy/uboat_2.jpg

u-boats continue to be a very serious threat, sinking 6 transports

[joegrundman]

summer 1941

Japanese Occupy Saigon

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e4nqMlppvGM/SXmoMfHr6jI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/XaKFCzIcwZs/s400/JapaneseMarchSgpCity.jpg

Japanese troops enter Saigon, and take control of the government

[joegrundman]

summer 1941

Carrier Zuikaku launched

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Zuikaku_Hitokappu_Bay_November_1941.jpg/800px-Zuikaku_Hitokappu_Bay_November_1941.jpg

Japan launches her 6th CV3

[joegrundman]

summer 1941

US announces oil embargo against Japan

http://bluenred.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/yamamoto_12.gif
Not for Japan

As a response to increasing concerns about Japanese expansion, the US decides to implement an embargo on sales of strategic resources and materials to Japan, including oil.

A minority express concern that this may increase the likelihood of armed conflict.

[joegrundman]

Summer 1941

Flying Tigers begin Ops in China

http://b-29s-over-korea.com/texhill/images/Flying-Tigers.jpg

Claire Chennault arrives in China and establishes an all volunteer force of pilots to assist the Nationalist Chinese under Chiang Kai Shek

[joegrundman]

Summer 1941

Neutrality Patrols Increased

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/b00001/b02156a.jpg

More US destroyers assigned to protect the Atlantic convoys.

2nd US ASW counter added to the Bota

[joegrundman]

Summer 1941

Major New US Mobilization

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhcxnfFIYo1qe7vo3o1_500.jpg

US mobilizes factories to war production and enlists large numbers of soldiers, sailors and airmen.

new Super Carriers being built in San Francisco

[joegrundman]

Fierce resistance in Russia, large number of prisoners captured

http://www.junebarbarossa.com/img/upload/article-2003413-009cd83000000259-92_634x438_1.jpg

The isolated Russian defenders put up fierce resistance, leading to heavy German and Rumanian casualties in places, but eventually the axis forces closed the pockets, capturing very large numbers of Russian prisoners

[joegrundman]

Fall 1941

Germans capture Kiev, Kharkov and the Baltic States

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/ww2_6/w09_3-L20208.jpg

Russian resistance seems to have collapsed and German armored units race forward capturing key Soviet areas, including Kiev, Kharkov and the Baltic States

[joegrundman]

Fall 1941

German advance isolates Leningrad and Moscow

http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww187/mitchaskari/steppesd.jpg

German forces in the north have advanced capturing Smolensk, Kalinin, Tula and have apparently encircled Moscow and cut off supply to Leningrad and those Russian forces facing Finland.

[joegrundman]

Fall 1941

Catastrophe in the Atlantic

http://www.gspotswood.com/Clasified%20Naval.jpg

U-boats are close to shutting down the Atlantic convoy system. Only 1 transport left. Although allied asw has sunk several u-boats recently, the accumulating losses have generated what is now openly referred to as "an emergency"

8 tps sunk, 4 damaged for 1 uboat sunk, 1 inverted

[joegrundman]

Fall 1941

British forces advance in Egypt

http://ww2today.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/egypt-1940.jpg

Attrition becoming costly for the Italians as British advance one hex westwards into LL27. MOD reports that this advance is a result of improved tactics and training.

Britain announces combat training level 2, now equal with germany and japan, 1 more than italy and russia

[joegrundman]

fall 41

Rationing of all resources in Britain

http://biggovernment.com/files/2010/05/rationing.jpg

with only 1 oil able to ship across the atlantic this turn, britain goes into siege mode.

britain spends only 1 oil on economic functions. all other capability shut down

units in egypt get oil from mosul so are unaffected

[joegrundman]

Winter 1941

Niikatayama

http://avhs-xserve.district196.org/groups/avhsjournalism/wiki/fd409/images/ff6bf.jpg

Japanese planes conduct a heavy raid on Pearl Harbor

Luckily for the US, none of her pacific fleet carriers were present, but that is the only good news.

The American planes were caught on the ground and destroyed, and many battleships and destroyers were sunk. In this strike Japanese casualties were negligible.

The battleships Oklahoma and California were destroyed with great loss of life. Arizona badly damaged, later settled onto the bottom of the harbor.

The Japanese enas returned to their carriers safely.

BB3 Oklahoma sunk
BB3 California sunk
BB3 Arizona sunk in port
DD3 sunk
3AAF eliminated

http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/iizuka_ms_h.jpg

[joegrundman]

The Second strike

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Jap_Zero_leaves_Akagi-Pearl_Harbor.jpg/727px-Jap_Zero_leaves_Akagi-Pearl_Harbor.jpg

The Japanese carrier strike force sends a second strike of two waves at Pearl. But this time the cautious commander, fearing a strike by the missing three carriers leaves a combat air patrol of 6 enas squadrons to protect the carrier task force. In fact it proved unnecessary. The US carrier groups were conducting maneuvers well out of range of the Japanese, and by the time the US carrier groups got within range, the Japanese had long since left the area.

This time the Japanese airstrike squadrons found that the American defense gunners were ready, and in a performance sure to enter legend, the Americans shot down 3enas and stopped 2 more.

US rolls 12 for air defense

but still, two more battleships were sunk in the third wave

BB3 USS Nevada exploded after being hit by bombs while attempting to depart from Pearl Harbor, while BB3 USS Maryland settled to the bottom after being hit by torpedoes.

All told, 5 battleships and DD3 were sunk in the attack.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/USS_West_Virginia%3B014824.jpg

The combined fleet returned to port

[joegrundman]

winter 1941

Thailand declares war on Britain and US

http://www.ozzienews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Thai-and-Japanese-soldiers-300x281.jpg

The Kingdom of Siam, for several years now an effective puppet state of Japan, announces its declaration of war on the US and Britain in support of its ally Japan.

However, the Royal Thai Ambassador in Washington declines to deliver the declaration of war to the Americans.

[joegrundman]

American airbase at Lingayen attacked

http://www.redenginepress.com/images/clarkfield.jpg

1 aaf lose each. surviving us aaf flees to manila

[joegrundman]

Carrier strike in Palembang prevents Dutch Fighters from operating

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/A_formation_of_Japanese_bombers_attacking_warships _in_the_Java_Sea.jpg

1 enas from light carriers inverts Dutch aaf in palembang

[joegrundman]

Battle of Java Sea

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Battle_of_Java_Sea_-_HMS_Exeter_under_Attack.jpg

The Netherlands East Indies fleet of aged cruisers raced out to valiantly intercept and defeat the oncoming IJN task force and invasion fleet.

Unsuccessfully.

All NEI ships were sunk for no losses to Japan

[joegrundman]

winter 1941

Japanese invade Malaya

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/2852197_f520.jpg

Japanese forces land at Kota Bahru, Kelantan and Singora, Thailand, and drive south, overwhelming the surprised Commonwealth defenders and capturing Kuala Lumpur

[joegrundman]

Japanese Special Naval Forces storm Rabaul and Lae in New Britain

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Yokosuka_1st_SNLF_Type_2_Ka-Mis_on_Saipan.JPG/761px-Yokosuka_1st_SNLF_Type_2_Ka-Mis_on_Saipan.JPG

Two task forces land Japanese SNLF on the New Britain ports of Rabaul and Lae, overwhelming the Australian defenders

[joegrundman]

Japanese forces invade Burma taking Rangoon and Mandalay

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CUZpztIIhyk/SvWvF9GN4lI/AAAAAAAAAzA/8912nBb6RDA/s400/axis-conquers-philippines-1.jpg

insignificant japanese losses in northern Burma, some losses around Rangoon, but the Japanese prevail in eliminating all Commonwealth defenses in Burma.

http://i3.sinaimg.cn/dy/c/sd/2011-07-22/U1846P1T1D22858646F1394DT20110722124032.jpg

[joegrundman]

Japanese forces invade Phillipines

http://www.smccd.net/accounts/skylib/oralhist/Aldeguer/index_files/image005.jpg

Japanese forces land in Northern Phillipines, make rapid advance towards Manila

[joegrundman]

Wake Island Captured by Japan

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Wreckage_Wildcat_Wake_Island.jpg

Japanese send a small force to capture the strategic island

[joegrundman]

Brunei captured by Japanese forces

http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/Singkawa.jpg

Japanese forces landing in Sendakan rapidly marched through the jungle to assault Brunei. Air support was flown from the carriers patrolling off Kuching.

With Palembang, Japan now controls all the oil in South East Asia.

Brunei and Palembang each permit 3 oil counters per turn to be shipped to Japan for a total of 6 per tunr

[joegrundman]

Fall of Singapore

http://www.far-eastern-heroes.org.uk/Richard_Swarbricks_War/assets/images/Surrender.jpg

After a lightning march through the Malayan jungles, the Japanese forces arrived at Singapore. After a few days fighting, they captured the water reservoirs in the mountains of Singapore, and with that the British garrison surrendered

The Japanese are delighted, and this marks the successful conclusion of the Japanese Malaya campaign.

http://kokoda.commemoration.gov.au/jungle-warfare/images/127905-550.jpg

[joegrundman]

Germany declares war on the USA. Roosevelt declares war right back at them

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Franklin_Roosevelt_signing_declaration_of_war_agai nst_Japan.jpg/200px-Franklin_Roosevelt_signing_declaration_of_war_agai nst_Japan.jpg

Germany declares war on USA, USA declares war on Germany, Italy and Japan

[joegrundman]

Severe Winter in Russia

http://www.theeasternfront.co.uk/Graphics/winteroffensive3.jpg

sever snow and cold badly reduces Axis capability in Russia. The winter preparation of axis forces is inadequate, and they unable to conduct even basic offensive operations, nor get aircraft to fly on combat missions

[joegrundman]

Operation Drumbeat

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg13/scaled.php?server=13&filename=u123hardegen.jpg&res=medium

US entry into the war opens up the unprotected shipping on the US East coast to u-boat attack, with serious results.

The atlantic has been shut down, there are no transport factors in the atlantic box this turn

[joegrundman]

Heavy Bombing Raids over the Midlands

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Churchill_CCathedral_H_14250.jpg

Major luftwaffe raids over the Midlands results in a firestorm marker over Birmingham, and the max 15 brps damage.

german losses were negligible.

[joegrundman]

Battleship Tirpitz launched

http://www.german-navy.de/pics/postcards/tirpitz_004.jpg

Bismarck's sister ship is launched, amid high hopes from Germany that her career will be more glorious still

[joegrundman]

Battleship Yamato launched

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g700000/g704702.jpg

But the mightiest ship ever built is now ready for duty in Tokyo

[joegrundman]

Lake Ladoga Lifeline

http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/141957-2/________1

the frozen lakes in the north, Lake Ladoga and Lake Oneiga allowed a supply line to be temporarily opened up to Leningrad

[joegrundman]

Battle of Moscow

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Soviet_Offensive_Moscow_December_1941.jpg

the severe russian winter caused heavy casualties to unsuitably equipped German soldiers, and with the cold freezing diesel and kerosene fuel, the german armor and airforces were badly hampered in the ability to respond to a hastily improvised Soviet offensive.

Gaps appeared in the german defense and Russian units infiltrated them, isolated the forward parts of the German line, and eliminated them.

By the end of Winter, Moscow was once again supplied by the Russians and the new front line is drawn on the West side of Moscow, rather than the East

[joegrundman]

US forces begin deployment in Australia and South Pacific

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4925148193_5fd8482e9f.jpg

US infantry and AAF begin deployment to Australia and Pacific islands such as Noumea (now officially a US Naval Base, loaned to the US from the Free French Government in London), Tamana in the Gilberts and Niulakita in the Ellice islands.

Australian forces reinforce Port Moresby, Darwin and Cairns. British Indian forces regroup in Dakka.

[joegrundman]

US shipbuilding accelerated

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/2266137_0186d48538.jpg

US double-mobillises shipbuilding in each theater to cope with the current demands in both the Atlantic and Pacific

[joegrundman]

Russian Mobilisation Underway

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBj7tcYolfA/Tkv6GJFaTgI/AAAAAAAAMoc/xNQf1Nnv1d4/s640/Russia+during+world+war+2+7.jpg

very large numbers of Soviet citizens being signed up for duty