Spring 1945

[joegrundman]

The Presidential Election of November 1944




Roosevelt's term is up and strong political opposition has mounted regarding his government's conduct of the war. Much has been made of the slow gains in the Far East, the expense in both lives and treasure in the enormous naval battles for a few islands "that most Americans can't even pronounce, much less care about" as one Republican Senator put it.

Late in 1944, in Roosevelt's famous 'fireside chats' he referred enthusiastically to the victories of the Red Army and it's heroic successes in capturing three national capitals in the last few weeks, as well as the disbanding of all Vichy French forces.

Roosevelt alluded to a happy future of shared responsibility between the USA, the USSR and Great Britain in maintaining a new peaceful world order after this war is over.

However many foresee another confrontation between the USA and USSR instead.

The debate over Europe contrasted the still strong political and economic structure of the axis (net 22 DPs) with the weaker but rapidly improving political position of the western allies (17DPs), but the dramatic improvement in the USSRs position (10 DPs), reveals a European future where the wind that blows from Moscow will have the strongest effect in much of the south east (+4 for allies overall).

In addition the defiance of Britain (+5), and Winston Churchill's frequent visits to the US where he won widespread admiration for his spirit and speeches, contributed to an overall high level of approval for Roosevelt's European War (+10 overall)

Approval for the conduct of the Pacific war is quite different. Public fury over Pearl Harbor remains high (+5)

However, the high number of important Pacific objectives still under Japanese control more than 3 years since the war began has had a particularly poor reception among the public. Okinawa, Wake, Midway, Guam, Truk, Kwajalein, Guadalcanal, Noumea (-8 altogether)

Also other Asian objectives, Singapore, Manila, Calcutta, Dacca, Colombo (-5) and the surrender of India (-2) giving a total -10 approval for the President, as the American populace remained unimpressed with attempts to reverse japan's conquests. Government protests that the Imperial Japanese Navy has been badly battered and is on the run resonates much less with the American public than the names of mighty USN warships at the bottom of the Ocean: Wasp, Lexington, Hornet, Intrepid, Montana and others

A Shock Result (for the British, anyway, although many analysts saw it coming)

Roosevelt has lost the election - a new administration is in place on a platform promising to cut the costs of the expensive and irrelevant war against Japan and focus instead on finishing off the greater evil in Europe.

A ceasefire agreement is telegraphed to Tokyo, and it is immediately accepted. The Japanese government orders immediate celebrations as the national strategy developed in the Russo-Japanese war appears to be vindicated. The Japanese Empire is here to stay..for the time being.

United States - Japan Tensions are reset to 34.

US forces pull out of Australia and the Pacific region to former US territories..

[joegrundman]

We're going home, boys




after the sudden withdrawal of US troops from the Pacific, it all looks awfully empty down there.

US government denies the existence of rudeness and antipathy from Australian units and civilians.

"we've done our job, it's a great victory, we're moving on..and you should too" says visiting Senator J. Hudson Steinpilz, R Wyoming.

[joegrundman]

The U-boats fight on

12 U-boat factors face 21 ASW, with the mods at +4 for the allies since Bdu failed in the usual intel advnatage this turn, while the allies did not

U-boats get a 5=mod 1= 1/6 result
ASW gets 10= mod 14 = 6/11 result

another terrible turn for the U-boats

In addition 20 transports stay in the Atlantic

[joegrundman]

Japan consolidates her position - calls end to offensive ops

Japan takes the time to establish new fortifications and defenses on her new Pacific Perimeter of Truk - Palau -Davao, as well as increased production and mobilisation of three new Heavy infantry battalions with a strong emphasis on defense in the training

3 New AAF and a NAS are trained up and two new CVLs are added to the shipyard in Tokyo. Also Naval Air Training Rate is increased to 6

Japan takes the opportunity to buy up oil from the global market

The Musashi and Hiei are repaired and relaunched

[joegrundman]

Germany attritions the allies

the area around Paris has again been retaken by the axis in this tug-of war battle, but int he East Germany writes off the large number of units that are isolated in the Balkans and instead concentrates on reconstructing a solid line

New jets and more advanced jet aircraft have impressed allied generals, while ever more V2s rain on britain.

And in yet another technological German marvel, allied ASW reports suspected new U-boats capable of making 17 knots underwater! As yet none have been caught.

[joegrundman]

Tensions begin to rise in the US

The new government is already in the middle of a crisis, only three months into its first term.

Fights have broken out all around the country between soldiers brought back from the Pacific and soldiers on leave from the tough fighting in France. Meanwhile stories coming back of the successes allied forces were beginning to win against Japan are better known.

Tensions rise by 8 to 42

(+1 per turn, +1 for Britain at war, +1 for Japanese expansion, +3 for mobilisation, +1 war with Germany, +1 oil embargo)

United States reapplies Oil Embargo on Japan. This time the Japanese just shrug their shoulders and continue filling their fuel tanks with oil from Brunei and Palembang.

[joegrundman]

Allied Spring offensive in France

with the return of fair weather the allies relaunch the air and ground offensive: this time Paris will fall




allied air superiority neutralises all axis air defenses covering Northern france in a mighty air offensive using bases as far afield as south west england and near Lyon

at the end of the air fighting

Raf loses 5 AAF
USAAF loses 3 AAF

Germany loses 4 AAF, 1 jet
Italy loses 2 AAF

Attack on O21

a 5o6, 3-4 and 4 AAF attack O21 near Paris at 2:1, rolling a 3. The attacker succeed losing 3 factors (a mech inf), place a breakthrough, and a mighty armoured assault pours out onto Paris

five US 5o6, a canadian 4o5, two British para regiments and 5 AAF (36 in total) attack the heavily defended and fortified Paris at 2:1

The first attack gets bogged down with nasty losses (9 factors!)

A second attack is made with 9 fresh AAF to make up the numbers this time succeeding with no futher losses.

Paris is liberated

Thankfully the Germans chose to defend on the outskirts of the city and once those defenses were irreversibly breached the garrison surrendered rather than bring devastation to the city of Paris.

Paris erupts in gaiety and celebration at the liberation




In a higher risk secondary attack, the allies made a river crossing assault across the Rhone in the South of Franc. The operation was superbly well planned and the allies took light losses.

[joegrundman]

Massive naval redeployment

The US rebases much of its Pacific fleet through the Panama canal to the Eastern Seaboard

The Royal Navy rebases to South Africa

[joegrundman]

The Mediterranean Campaign

A huge American Naval force crosses the Atlantic and into the mediteranean on a mission to destroy the Italian fleet




For the first time since 1941, the Regia Marina sets sail

alerted by someone in North Africa, just opposite Gibraltar telephoning Rome about the huge armada just witnessed entering the med, the Italians decide that it's time for action and throw their entire navy at the americans.

All converge.

Battle of Cape St. Vito

Combat Round 1

1 American Nas flies out to Counterair the Italian NAS at +1. The US planes catch the Italians on the ground and wipe them out at no loss to themselves.

Each side has 4 dice, but the allies play a tactical card, so they get 5 and italy gets 3

Allies roll 2,4,5,6,4
axis rolls 1,2,6

Allied scout planes spot the axis CG4, and decide to strike with two hidden carrier groups

The first one sends 12 NAS and rolls for surprise, catching the crew asleep at the guns (-1 air defense) the group is 17 factors of light ships (CA4, DD13), with 1 air defense, but -1 for surprise, the defense is level 2

they roll a 6, 1 NAS is shot down

11 US NAS close in and with bombs, cannons and torpedoes the Italians learn what naval warfare is like 5 years after the great encounters with the Royal Navy

8 hits. Both CA4 and DD4 destroyed

11 US NAS from the second group close in also getting surprise - this time the defenders at only 9 factors get a level 1 defense and roll a 6, failing to stop any NAS

7 hits. Only DD2 remain, for the loss of 1 NAS - they had no idea where the carriers were.

Surface battle




The Italian group 2 and the US2 stumble intoe each other in the early morning dark, and close to range. The italian fleet is only made up of light ships so first have to run the gauntlet of the US long guns

American 14 heavy factors fire first, getting 3 hits. An Italian CA2 is hit and another damaged

Then the american light CA4 run ahead to prevent the italians getting in range of the heavies

Italian 7 factors on CA4 - excellent italian gunnery destroys the American light ship screen (3 hits, CA2 sunk, CA2 damaged)

But the american lights also fire getting 1 hit and damaging a second CA2

The Italian main battle fleet also steered in on the Americans CG1 - two evenly matched fleets of modern fast heavy battleships, although american fire control tech is superior

The Americans have 4 BB4, CA6
the italians have 3 BB4, 3 BB3, CA4

The lights engage each other US CA6 vs Italian CA4- expert US gunnery gets 3 hits, the Italians try bravely and get 1

All 4 US BB4s target the BB4 Littorio and get 4 hits! The Littorio overwhelmed by heavy calibre gunfire slips down into the waves with great explosions and smoke

All the Italain heavies (21 factors), target BB4 Vermont and also get 4 hits! The Vermont later that day capsizes and sinks

At the end of that round, US losses are

BB4 Vermont sunk
CA2 sunk
CA4 damaged
1 NAS

Italian losses

BB4 Littorio sunk
CA8 sunk
DD12 sunk
CA4 damaged
1 NAS

Round 2

The US withdraws it's damaged cruisers, which are struck by submarines. Both cruisers get an extra hit and are sunk

Because two Italian Task Forces have been reduced below the minimum size, there are now only 2 italian Task Forces, 9 light factors make up group3

The US gets 5 dice, italians 3

US rolls 2,5,5,6,6
Italy rolls 3,5,6

US launches 1 hidden carrier strike on Italian group 2. The surprise level is 2, again the gunners are less efficient, defending at level 1 for 10 factors, but nonetheless do a great job (rolling 10), shooting down 1 NAS

10 NAS get through and get 6 hits, sinking CA4 and DD2 and TF4 reduced to just CA4 is also disbanded

But the Italian main fleet has somehow crept up on one of the US carrier groups in the night and found itself in fleet combat with the carrier escorts

The Italians have 17 factors, all targeting the mighty BB5 New Hampshire

The American 13 fleet factors target the BB4 Roma

The Italians roll 8 (mod 7), 4 hits. The BB5 is damaged in the engagement. The American return fire getting a 7(mod 8), 3 hits! The BB4 Roma is also damaged!

Combat Round 3

This time the Americans have 6 dice, the italians 4

The US gets 2,3,3,4,4,6
The Italians get 1,5,5,6

The Americans again strike with a hidden group, 11 NAS against the light ships, and again getting surprise, but again the italians shooting down 1 nAS

The 10 NAS get 6 hits

The 13 factor Italian battle fleet closes with US TF2 of 18 factors and focuses fire on the heavy BB4 Minnesota. The Americans focus fire on the BB4 Impero

The Americans roll 7mod 8, 4 hits. The Impero sinks
The Italians roll 7 mod 6, 3 hits, the Minnesota is damaged

Combat round 4

The US gets 7 dice, Italiy gets 4. The italians now only have 1 combat group

The US finds the italians with a 1. The Italiasn find US group1

There is a fleet engagement between the US group 4, a full carrier battle group

12 NAS fly out and face the air defense of level 3

The defenders shoot down 1 NAS
3 nAS split to target each of the BB3s, 2NAS attack the lights

BB3 one gets 2 hits, is damaged
BB3 2 gets 2 hits, is damaged
BB3 3 gets 2 hits, is damaged
the lights get 2 hits, a CA2 is sunk

In the fleet combat, the US heavy guns fire on the surviving italian light ships, sinking another CA2

The light ships, italian 3 factors and us 4 factors engage each other.

italy gets 1 hit, damaging a US CA2. The US gets 2 hits, sinking a CA2

The Italian fleet is reduced to just 1 combat ready DD. It retires.

This is the end of the Regia Marina

Total losses

US

BB4 Vermont sunk
CA6 sunk
3 NAS
BB5 New Hampshire damaged
BB4 minesota damaged
CA2 damaged

Italy

BB4 Littorio sunk
BB4 Impero sunk
CA22 sunk
DD16 sunk
1 NAS
BB4 Roma damaged
BB3 Cesare damaged
BB3 Doria damaged
BB3 Cavour damaged
CA2 damaged

[joegrundman]

Invasions in the med

Now that the Italian fleet has been neutralised, the US launches several long range invasions all the way from the US box. The biggest is none other than an invasion of Sicily at Syracuse using 2 marines and 2 infantry, escorted by TF6 which provides shore bombardment



Other invasions include Casablanca, Oran, nr. Algiers, South of Tunis, Malta and Sardinia

There is nothing left to oppose these invasions

Syracuse is invaded at 4:1 and rolls a5. The allies have landed

[joegrundman]

Aussies invade Ambon

A small Aussie force has landed and taken control of Ambon. A snub to the noses of the Japanese!

RAF bombs the Ruhr- Terrible Firestorm rages over Cologne

11 bomber factors and 6 interceptors are intercepted by 2 jets - the jets fight at +1 mod against the interceptors

the jets get a 3/4 result, the interceptors a 0/1 result - very dissapointing for RAF high command

7 bombers face the anti air guns of the Ruhr with a +1 mod (2 air range, 2 bomber research vs 1 air defense)

allies roll 9 mod 10=1/5=8brps
axis rolls 4 mod 3=1 bomber deterred
6 bombers get through and do an additional 18 brps

Total 26 brps (25 =max over Cologne)= firestorm, despite the impressive defensive performance by the new generation of jet fighters

[joegrundman]

Vistula-Danube Strategic Offensive Operation




General Raptov launches another offensive, this time aiming to break into the German South East, the area briefly known as Czechoslovakia, broadly between the Vistula and Danube rivers

As ever air units attempt tor neutralise the luftwaffe

Air combats rage from Rostock in the North to Kracow in the south. 13 axis AAF are lost and 15 Russian

Assault on Warsaw

airdrops, armoured and infantry,shock armies and heavy air support all combine to make an assault on Warsaw at 2:1. The Russians lose 6 factors, but Warsaw is captured.




A breakthrough occurs in the area near Krakow and an armoured exploitation crosses the Vistula to isolate a pocket of axis forces in Poland. The battle is tough and both Germany and Russia lose many tanks in the engagement

There is a second breakthrough across the Danube opposite Budapest, as heavy russian armoured forces smash through a weakly defended sector, and exploit across isolating another larger pocket in the former Czechoslovakia

A crushing offensive, and Russian troops are the first to enter German territory from before the war began (not counting east prussia)

[joegrundman]

Allied construction

The allied force building program continues unabated

US builds 5 long range bombers in both Europe and the Pacific, and builds 5 interceptors for Europe

Naval Air Training increased from 4/turn to 6/turn
4 submarines added
2 marines added

Russia adds 3 AAF to it's forces
a 5o6 and two 3-3s

Britain finally launches the BB4 Anson