Allies fall 1939

[joegrundman]

The fall 1939 Allied turn begins

1. Diplomatic phase

Allies announce diplomatic targets. These are countries that you placed diplomatic points in, but have not already been rolled for. Countries that have already been rolled for include: Turkey, Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary.

This is also the time to announce any covert operations that you have succefully research ed.

In addition, Russia may make a political demand for the Finnish border hexes from the Finnish government. A reaction die roll will be made to see whether or not Finland agrees to the Soviet demand. (Stalin gives up the USSR's similar claim to Bessarabia since Rumania declared a full alliance with Germany)

Finally, Russia simply needs to announce his intention at this time to take over eastern poland, in accordance with the terms of the Molotov -Ribbentrop pact.

These announcements should be secret, so communicate them to me by PM, please

2. Oil and BRP adjustments.

Russian oil consumption is not tracked unless the USSR is at war with a major power.

US oil production is unlimited.

Pacific oil usage is not tracked until the US is at war, but 3 pacific transports are automatically inverted until the breakout of war to deal with unspecified transportation duties.

British oil usage must be transported from the US.

In order to transport oil, you need 1 transport for each oil counter, however, to reflect the fact that tankers make up only a part of total merchant tonnage, only one transport may be designated to convoy oil for every 3 transports available.

There are 18 transports currently in the atlantic SW box, therefore a maximum of 6 oil counters may be shipped, either entirely to Britain, or some to South Africa (but there is probably no reason for this at the moment)

There is an optimal number of transports for each area, with a 1 brp penalty per turn per transport below this level:
atlantic: 25
indian ocean: 10
pacific: 5


At present there are:
atlantic: 18
indian ocean: 8
pacific: 5

so immediately there is a shortage of 7 transports =7 brps to the british economy

(this immediate shortfall reflects the reduced economic efficency resulting from the implementation of the convoy system)

3. Declarations of War

The allied powers may maek any permitted delcarations of war in the fall. The BRP cost for declaring war on a major power is 35 BRPs, on a minor power is 10 BRPs.

In order for Russia to claim the Baltic states, a declaration of war is required, but the Baltic States will surrender imediately without a fight. Depending on the FInland reactino roll, you may declare war on finland too.

mining of Norwegian waters

Germany is heavily dependent on Swedish iron ore shipments. The British mining of norwegian waters can interrupt these shipments (-5 BRPs to german construction limit per turn), but may produce an adverse effect on Norway's political disposition, as well as strengthening the isolationoist cause in the USA.

If Britain desires to mine Norway's waters, now is the time for Britain to declare it.

[joegrundman]

Western Allies nominate Norway for diplomatic roll.

DPs on Norway =1 western allied. Total modifier = -1

I roll a 2 , modified = 1!


The Royal Norwegian government today condemns the German aggression towards Poland and reaffirms Norway's commitment to a free and democratic world where nations respect the territorial integrity of other nations.

Permission to mine Norwegian waters not granted.

1-2 Norway continues any pro-Allied ("0" to "-3") policy currently in effect. Any pro-Axis ("7" to "10") policy currently in effect is negated.

Norway prohibits heavy water shipments to Germany. Germany incurs a -2 modifier for its Controlled Reaction research.

Great Britain's transportation

The reorganisation of merchant shipping into convoys has resulted in economic chaos compounded by the cruel actions of German U-boats and the raiders Scheer and Graf Spee.

Atlantic ocean shortage = 7 transports = -7BRPs
Indian ocean shortage = 2 transports = -2 BRPs

Total loss to British economy = 9 BRPs

Declarations of War

Great Britain and France make no additional Declarations of War
Norway's coastal waters are not mined.

Western allied movement phase

5. Movement phase
a. Placement of airbase counters
b. Staging of air units
c. Attacker announces then resolves counterair missions
d. Attacker resolves air attacks on patrolling subamrines
e. Attacker announces naval base changes, patrols and movement of units to and from SW boxes
f. Resolve patrols
g. annonuce and resolve harbour attacks
h. resolve base changes and movement of naval units to and from SW boxes
i. initial supply determination
---i. sea supply; assign transports to carry oil; designate convoy routes
---ii resolve air and naval interactions
---iii augment oil reserves from transports
---iv use oil counters to offset oil effects
---v air supply
---vi determine supply status of attacker's units
j. air and sea transport
---i. Movement of ground units to their base of embarkation
prior to being air and sea transported

---ii. Air and sea transports announced.
---iii. Resolution of air and naval interactions arising out of the
interception of air and sea transport.
k. Ground unit movement and the execution of overruns,

including completing the movement of air and sea transported

ground units.
l. Eliminate units still overstacked from retreat during enemy
attrition option.

Great Britain should focus at first on staging airunits and placing airbases, counterair attacks and rebasing naval units.

Sea Supply

Britain also needs to escort the oil from the US to Britain. This takes 6 transports, and you may want to escort it, just in case Germany decides to attempt an interception (somewhat unlikely at this time)

The way to do it is, you trace a line on the board from the US box to one of the hexes A23 to EE21, and from there, once on the board you continue the line to an operational western front port, such as Liverpool or Brest.

Also Britain must trace a line of supply from London or Paris to the british and french units in north africa. Obviously this must go via ports. As no one in the mediteranean is at war with you, this is easy, but later in the game it will become more difficlut.

You need to assign forces to protect the line as well as positioning land-based-air (LBA) so that it can cover as much of your supply line as possible.

Although this turn will not be difficult, Britain's early struggle to maintain healthy supply and oil will be one of your biggest challenges.

I suggest you go through the movement orders list above, item by item, and decide whether you want to do this action or not.

[joegrundman]

The USSR has annexed Eastern poland in accordance with the terms of the Nazi-Soviet Pact.

Great Britain and France now ponder whether or not the guarantee of Poland's security against any and all attackers need also apply to the USSR.

Pragmatists say not...

Referring to the intolerable and insulting indepedence of the Baltic States, the USSR declares war and takes control. The Baltic States surrender without bloodshed. (USSR pays 10 BRPS for Dow against minor power)

The USSR gets 10BRPs from Eastern Poland (prorated to 5 BRPs because it is fall) and 15 BRPs from the Baltic States (prorated to 7 Brps).

The USSR declines to demand the disputed border region of Finland.

[joegrundman]

Germany and Japan's aggresive stances lead to an increase in tensions with the USSR and USA

Russia-Germany TEnsions

previous level=0
+1 per turn
+1 two major powers at war with germany
+1 axis gains in the Balkans
+2 axis gains control of Bessarabia
-1 USSR dow on baltic states
-1 USSR takes Eastern Poland

current level = 3

Stalin is mildly irritated with germany. no other change

US-Axis tensions

Previous level =0

+1 per turn
+1 allied DP
-1 axis DP
+1 two major powers at war with germany
+1 axis offensive operations
-1 Russian dow on baltic states
-1 Russia occupies Eastern Poland

Current level = 1

this is modified by die roll (1-2 = -1, 5-6=+1)

I roll a 6!

Effective level = 2

President Roosevelt gives a stirring speech decrying the awful actions of Germany. It has little effect on Republican opinion.

US-Japan tension

Current level =0

+1 per turn
+1 for the launching of the Hiryu

Current level =2

Tensions are slow to rise. At the moment, few in the USSR or the USA can imagine themselves at war.

[joegrundman]

Western allies movement phase

a) Placement of airbases: new airbase in J25 in East Anglia



b) Staging of air units: 5 AAF in Portsmouth (L22) stage to Great Yarmouth (K25). 3AAF in Paris stage to Sedan
c) counterair missions: no
d) air attacks on submarines: no
e) announce naval base changes, patrols and movement to SW box: no
f) resolve patrols: no
g) harbour attacks: no
h) resolve naval base changes etc. : no
i) initial supply determination
---i) assign transports to carry oil and designate sea supply routes

6 transports carry oil from the US to Britain using this route. THESE CONVOYS ARE UNESCORTED.



1 transport carries supply to Egypt and another transport carries supply to French North Africa



-ii resolve air and naval interactions: I believe there are none, but Germany may declare an interception attempt if he pleases
---iii augment oil reserves from transports: 6 oil counters transferred to British oil reserve
---iv use oil counters to offset oil effects: done
---v air supply: no
---vi determine supply status of attacker's units: all units fully supplied and oiled

j. air and sea transport
---i. Movement of ground units to their base of embarkation
prior to being air and sea transported: no

---ii. Air and sea transports announced.:no
---iii. Resolution of air and naval interactions arising out of the
interception of air and sea transport.:no
k. Ground unit movement and the execution of overruns,

including completing the movement of air and sea transported

ground units. : no
l. Eliminate units still overstacked from retreat during enemy
attrition option. :none

I invert 6 transports for oil +2 for supply +3 in the pacific +3 in the indian for general duty


Western Allied Combat Phase

The western Allies adopt an agressive policy of Sitzkrieg on all fronts.

No offensive or attrition options taken

The Free Polish delegates are duly impressed with this grim demonstration of force and determination to restore the European status quo ante bellum.

Long live the phony war!

However Bomber Command, itching to put Douhet's theories of air warfare to the test, have requested permission from Downing Street to commence the bombing campaign that will see victory for Britain in a few weeks. Squadrons of Wellingtons and Blenheims set off to bomb Cologne, supported by the 3AAF in Great Yarmouth.

In addition 3 AAF from Sedan airbase raid factories in Essen

[joegrundman]

Bombing of Cologne and Essen




British medium and light bombers, Wellingtons and Blenheims, operating at the limit of their range, raid Cologne. This daylight raid has a list of worthwhile military targets to hit, but in a sign of things to come, accuracy is poor and it is the civilians that bear the brunt of the attack.

1 Strategic bomber (range 4) and 3 AAF attack Cologne. Britain pays 3 BRPs for limited offensive operations



One third of AAF (rounded down) are bombers the rest are escorts

so the complete raiding force is:

1 strategic bomber
1 AAF bomber
2 AAF escorts

Bombing of Essen



France pays 3 BRPs for limited offensive operations

3 French AAF bomb Essen from Sedan. this breaks down into:
1 AAF bomber
2 AAF escort

Germany has 2 AAF in range for defending. Both may defend Essen, or both may defend Cologne, or one may defend each (Essen is the more naturally heavily defended). I await Germany's instruction. The default will be 2 for Cologne unless I get a different instruction within a reasonably short amount of time.

2AAF defend Cologne, the French attack Essen without German air cover.

There is a round of air combat between the intercepters and the escorts, however only an equal number of escorts engage the interceptors. Losses to the raiding force are apportioned among the raiders

So two intercepting AAF engage the air raid, 2 escorts engage the British interceptors.

I roll 2 dice and look at the 2 row on the Air Combat Table. there is no net nationality DRM. Both Britain and german have a DRM of 2.

The German interceptors roll a 5! That corresponds to a 1/0 on the air combat table. The first loss is taken from the biggest group making up the air raid - in this case an escort is shot down.

The escorts roll a 9! that corresponds to a 1/2 on the air combat table. 1 Luftwaffe AAF has been shot down, and 2 have been aborted. As there is only 1 other German AAF, only 1 can be aborted. Germany's first encounter with Spitfires! the escorts have done their job. the bombers continue to the target.

British bombing of Cologne

I roll a Strategic Warfare attack on the SW table. The target has a strength according to the SW modifiers table:



So the Air raid attack on cologne has a value of 2 (no net modifiers)
COlogne is an objective (+1) city (+2) with a defense of 3. No extra flak units.

The air raiders roll on the 2 row of the SW table, the city defenders roll on the 3 row.

For the air raiders I roll an 8! This corresponds to a 0/1. Before the slash is 3 BRPs danmage, after the slash is 1, so the air raiders inflict 1BRP damage.

The city air defenses roll an 11! this corresponds to a 1/2, but only bombers are taken into consideration. 1 Bombing AAF shot down, 1 Strategic Bomber forced to abort at this stage.

Additional bombing damage

Those bombers that managed to get through the interceptors and the city defenders get to inflict additional damage. 3BRPs per factor modified by the net SW modifier - in this case -1.

However, no bombers got past the defenses, so no additional damage.

Conclusion of the Air Raid on Cologne

2 British AAF shot down, 1 German AAF shot down, 1 BRP lost to Germany as British bombs cause havoc in a couple of residential suburbs in Cologne. Churchill considers that perhaps these Blenheims and Wellingtons are not quite up to the task in their present numbers.

French Air raid on Essen

There is no air interception so we skip straight to the bombing

France rolls on the 1 row of the table
I roll an 11 again!
This corresponds to a 0/2 on the SW table, which measn 2 BRPs of damage done to Germany

Essen's defensive value is City of Essen +2, City of Dusseldorf +2 Objective +1 =5
I roll a 7! This gives a 1/2 result, but there is no second bombing factor, so 1 French bombing factor is shot down.

No bombers continue through to Essen city.

Conclusion

The raid on Essen inflicts 2 BRPs of loss on Germany for 1 AAF shot down

Total German losses, 3 BRPs and 1 AAF
Total British losses, 2 AAF
Total French losses, 1 AAF

The Allied review panel will have to look at what is needed to make bombing an effective instrument.

[joegrundman]

USSR moves several units towards Finland (a 3-3, a 3-5 and some units moved towards the railheads in the south. Otehr units move in to secure the Baltic States and Eastern Poland

No combat executed

Russian Construction

USSR limit 30 BRPs

two 3o5 medium armour (6brps each=12)
two 3-3 heavy infantry (3brps each=6)
two AAF (3brps each=6)
three 2-3 medium infantry (2brps each=6)
1 airbase (free, 1 per turn)

Total=30

These units are placed in the vicinity of the Finnish Border hexes. The airbase is placed near the Leningrad hex, in range of Finland and the Baltic States

[joegrundman]

Britain constructs

limit = 37 BRPs

2 AAF rebuilt = 6
5 AAF = 15
1 NAS = 1
Shipbuilding = 12 BRPs and 3 SBPs on Glasgow shipbuilding (1 CA2 launched, BB4 Duke of york developed, 2 transports built
Canadian shipbuilding = 3 BRps + 1 SBP on 1 transport

Total = 37

Britain Mobilizes

Britons need you! 10 BRPs added to the BRP base level. 16 BRPs of units mobilized. Britain mobilizes:

two 3-4 mech inf (6)
two AAF (6)
one 2o5 armour (4)

these will appear in the force pool at the set dates.

France constructs

Limit = 20 BRPs

one 3-5 armour =6 BRPs
eight 2-3 infantry = 8 BRPs
shipbuilding = 6 BRPS + 2 SBPs (1 CA2 launched in Marseilles)

Total =20

Unites States Constructs

Atlantic

3 BRPs and 1 SBP to move down BB4 Washington

Pacific

3 BRPs and 1 SBP to lay down new keel = CVB4 Constellation
BB4 North Carolina construction deferred until Winter

Total = 6 BRPs

[joegrundman]

Communist Chinese forces (11 factors) attrition Japan

I roll a 1, losses = 1 ounter

Nationalist chines forces (18 factors)
DRM-1

I roll a 5 (mod 4), losses - 2 counters

total Japan loses 3 counters, no hexes - i remove 3 1-2 infantry from the China front

Chinese construction

communist china rebuilds one 1-2 infantry ( two 1-2 and one 2-2 are free of charge while communists control Yenan)
nationalist china rebuilds two 1-2 infantry and one replacement (cost 3 brps)

[joegrundman]

There are three kinds of Redeployment

Tactical - units may move as they do in the movement stage (marching, driving, flying)
Naval - units may be sea-escorted by naval units - long distance and quick
Strategic - using the railnetwork. Two units can enter and two units can exit the railnetwork at each railhead.

There is a railhead in each and every OBJECTIVE (red named location). in addition railheads may be constructed at BRP cost and placed on the board as you need them.

These can be used in combination.

E.g. a 3-3 infantry could march 1 hex to an objective, take the train to an objective port, board a ship, be convoyed half way round the world (hopefully avoidnig enemy interception), and then take another train, get off at the new objective and march 2 points to the front.

Russia continues redeployment towards Finland

Awaiting British redeployment.

Britain redeploys one 1-3 infantry from australia to Britain and one 2-3 and one 1-3 infantry from India to Egypt

[joegrundman]

After redeployment, the allied turn is essentially over.

the remaining stages are


10. Uncontrolled hexes of a conquered power come under the power's control

USSR takes control of all remaining Baltic State and Eastern Poland hexes

11. Voluntary elimination of units

None undertaken (please interject now if you disagree)

12. Uninvert air and naval units up to the oil allowance.(25 factors each at standard oil cost). redeployed units may not uninvert this phase.

OK no extra oil needed to uninvert the British and French air units

13. Remove Bridgehead counters

none present

14. Determine resistance levels and surrender of major powers

not yet, i think!

15. Resolve U.S election triggered by british or russian surrender

not yet!

16. Remove atomic attack and industrial damage markers

there are none

Allied turn over!