Author Topic: 2018 Worldwide Game  (Read 6475 times)

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Mark

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2018 Worldwide Game
« on: July 10, 2018, 07:27:57 AM »
Started a Worldwide game last Sunday and am making the attempt to document turns as we go and provide a play-by-play.

The (massive) set up in my basement:

Mark

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2018, 07:35:19 AM »
German armor rumbled across the Polish border on September 1st 1939 on their 3 chit.  The Germans opted to only pin the Polish armies around Poznan and Danzig and send their major armored thrust into Krakow under Hoepner.  The Germans also drew their 0 chit before the allies and attacked Warsaw directly from East Prussia with their infantry army there.  The German pocket battleship was able to escape the British in the South Atlantic and German subs took refuge in the Baltic sea to avoid unfavorable ASW on turn 1.  Here is the situation at the end of turn 1 with Polish resistance pockets still waiting to be mopped up in Western Poland, the German fleet concentrated in the North Sea ports, and the German army massing in the Rhineland.

Mark

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2018, 07:51:33 AM »
The Axis were very aggressive in the Winter of 1939, declaring war on both the Netherlands and Belgium and attacking all three Holland, Flanders, and Ardennes territories.  Due to the Winter conditions and French/BEF reinforcements into Flanders, only the Ardennes attack was successful.  The Germans continued their aggressive attack by launching a Winter mechanized attack into France which took them to the gates of Paris.  Some significant infantry casualties in Flanders and Holland were taken, but the Germans only suffered a panzergrenadier loss or two with their blitzkrieg through the Ardennes.

In the Med, the Italians declared war on Greece, but Greek AA drove Italian bombers away from the ships in port at Athens. Italian units mass on the French border, which keeps the French army honest in the South. In the Pacific, the Japanese mass for a successful invasion of Honan and the Chinese army retreats toward Chunking.


Mark

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2018, 08:10:45 AM »
Spring 1940

The Germans got the initiative and successfully launched a coup de grace directly at Paris.  While army casualties were light, the German Luftwaffe lost 3 me109 units and an me110 in air to air combat for the loss of 2 British fighters.  The Germans also lost a Stuka unit to air to air combat over Paris. Despite the air losses, France falls and the BEF withdraws to England. British ASW is also very successful in stopping the U-boat menace, sinking a couple of U-boat units in the Spring of 1940.

In the Med, the Italian air force successfully sinks the Greek transport and a shoestring invasion of Crete succeeds - Glory for the Italians!

The Japanese continue to mass for their big summer 1940 campaign against the Chinese, being content with industrial terror bombing several cities.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2018, 08:13:35 AM by Mark »

Mark

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2018, 08:26:48 AM »
Summer 1940

The Germans surprise the British with a well timed and executed invasion of Oslo and reinforce it with enough strength to prevent the British from choosing to land and help Norway.  Italian submarines join the U-boat fleet in the Bay of Biscay.  Jealous of German success, Italy declares war on the Allies, but Wavell launching a lighting campaign across Libya and isolates the Italian army at Tobruk.  In the Far East, the Japanese continue their northern offensive and the Chinese fall back on Chunking in disarray.  The Japanese have prioritized building up their industry with a constant flow of factories in their production pipeline.

Mark

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2018, 08:53:45 AM »
Autumn 1940

The German surface fleet (now reinforced with the battleship, Bismarck) ports in the Bay of Biscay and raids North Atlantic convoy zones.  The Italian/German U-boat fleet continues to take a beating in their campaign against British convoys.

In the Med, Guderian is rushed in with German armor to stabilize the precarious Italian situation.  Wavell wisely retreats back to Gazala and establishes some defensive boxes.  Rommel is promoted to command the Afrika Korps and arrives at the end of the turn.  The Japanese turn their offensive south and drive the Chinese nationalists back away from Shanghai, but communist forces infiltrate the Japanese rear. 

Mark

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2018, 09:42:54 AM »
Winter 1940

With Doenitz's U-boat campaign going poorly, the German high command orders one last blitz on London to cripple the English economy and attrit their fighter resources.  Unfortunately, British intelligence and British radar prepared the defenders for the attack which resulted in a decisive defeat for German airpower, with the Luftwaffe losing 3 fighter and 2 bomber air units over southern England.  The Battle of Britain ends in a British victory. . .


Meanwhile, in the med, Rommel led a daring airborne assault on Cyprus, defeating the well-entrenched British forces and inspring Iraqi resistance to British rule to revolt and for the Vichy French Syrian command to join the Axis as well.  The only bright spot for the British was a naval battle in the Gulf of Sirte which saw Cunningham's fleet sink two Italian Cruiser groups and an battleship group in exchange for a damaged British battleship.

German forces mass on the Soviet frontier at the end of Winter.  Two large panzer armies based in Romania and in East Prussia look to be the main armored fists poised to strike at the Russians in the Spring.

In the Far East, the Japanese mop of Chinese resistance in the South and around Fukien, but Chinese resolve is stiffening with increased amounts of allied war material being brought in over the Burma Road.

georgemak1

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #7 on: July 10, 2018, 10:07:50 AM »
That's a great game So far ! Axis seemed to have lost a lot of air units, but I know John always builds a bunch.

Mark

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2018, 01:13:20 AM »
John kicked off Barbarossa in Spring a little weak and while he was able to gain a good chunk of territory by autumn, he did not have enough strength to really destroy huge chunks of the Russian army and there were a couple failed mech attacks that further eroded the remaining German strength.  Hitler was assassinated at the end of Autumn 1941 and the Germans threw in the towel.  The following Friday, we started a new WW game.  One for Mark!

John D.

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Re: 2018 Worldwide Game
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2018, 06:46:14 AM »
Goring disappeared without a trace - rumors range from incompetence to conspiracy...