This won't be an ambitious AAR -- certainly nothing like Mettermerck's glorious work (which I read religiously). This is purely intended as a report on what has turned out to be a pretty good game.
Let me state that I like to play somewhat historically (as Italy, I don't try interesting strategies like DOWing Argentina in 1936, for example). As the USA, I like to build my armed forces and when I think the moment is right, then enter the conflict.
I have, in the past, used my DI to aid the European allies and the Soviet Union with lots of techs. For this game, I chose to focus on the Pacific; I gave techs to China and The Phillipines. Historically, I regard this as sending advisors, or crates of leftover '03 Springfields or a shipment of 30mm antitank guns. Techs to China were intended to slow the inevitable. I gave Infantry and Artillery techs which directly affected infantry attack/defense, and doctrine techs that increased organization. Techs to The Phillipines were similar, though I included enough air and naval techs to allow The Phillipines to produce Basic Destroyers and Warhawk interceptors. This has proven to have been unneeded as (so far) the Japanese have done little against The Phillipines.
In the fall of 1940, I did get scared that I'd be left alone to face the Axis. Germany was deep into Russia, and had landed in Scotland. I hastily spent DI on some valuable techs to the British Commonwealth Nations and the Soviet Union. (France had gone Vichy at this time.) Maybe it helped -- as the game stands now, it is fall of 1942 and the Soviet Union is still in the game, and Britain has beaten off the invader and is busy against the Japanese in Burma.
I limited my tech selections to achieving certain goals by 1941. They were: Improved Logistics for Infantry -- to get the lowered supply needs; Advanced Medium Tank (Shermans); All the main electronic areas and at least working on Advanced GP computers with most of the useful specific techs; All Industrial tech; No Rocketry; No Nuclear; Improved Naval Battleships, Cruisers, Destroyers and Carriers (I anticipated a US-Japan focus); LR Submarines and all specific improvements to subs (no minisubs); Artillery Tech up to 80+ mm tank gun, 400+ mm Battleship gun and 200+ mm Cruiser gun; Advanced Light and Medium Bombers. I usually do use Strategic Bombers, but chose to forgo them this time. It has proven wise as their research cost and the IC to build them would have left me with a weaker army and navy. Without Heavy Bomber techs, I am also going without Paratroopers. For the Fighter techs, I sought to reach Advanced Fighters -- Mustangs and Corsairs. I held to Basic Fighters (Warhawks) as interceptors at first. As to doctrines, I hoped to reach the Late War Analysis/Late War Experience areas by '41, with most of the truly necessary techs done or in reasearch. By mid-1941, I realized I could spend a little toward Rocketry, Nuclear, and some Naval, Heavy Aircraft and Light Aircraft techs -- I started researching for Hellcat interceptors and Marauder and Panther medium bombers.
America is an industrial powerhouse, that in 1.03b made it a cakewalk once she entered the war. This does not seem to be true in 1.04. For example, as the months went by, I started having trouble keeping my IC going. I discovered that steel was in short supply and that I was not producing enough to keep my industry at peak efficiency. Playing around with trades would work to keep my industry back near 100%, but only for a few months. Interestingly, by 1941, I was able to make some 1-1 trades for rubber, as there was more available than steel on the World Market.
As I didn't start this game with the intention of writing an AAR, I didn't make notes, but here are some of the highlights of the world conflict prior to entry of the USA. A typical game through '39: Germany gets Austria and Czechoslovakia; Historical Pact with Russia; war with the allies and Poland is gone in two weeks; France has gone Vichy by Spring of 1940. Hungary split Czechoslovakia with Germany and joined the Axis. Later, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Romania joined as well. Italy joined the Axis and took over Egypt, and started advancing through Kenya and Tanganyika. Greece joined the Axis in time to grab Lebanon and Syria from France and has gone on to annex Iraq. Germany DOW's Denmark so I take Greenland and Iceland. I use Iceland as a base for some Atlantic submarines to observe the war in Europe. Afghanistan joined the Axis and received transit rights from Tibet and Sinkiang (to do something) but was conquered by Britain and Russia before she could do any damage. Later, Spain and Persia joined the Axis.
In the Pacific, China held out until Japan took Indochina from Vichy. When China couldn't stand up to being further surrounded and Siam entered the war, she fell to Japan. Germany was doing so well that Japan went to war against Russia, and conquered Mongolia and -- for a time -- held portions of the Trans-Siberian Railway. I was sure that the Soviet Union would be knocked out, but Uncle Joe came right back and has regained his own territory and has recovered most of Mongolia. Why hasn't the Soviet Union surrendered? I don't know. If the Bitter Peace was offered, it must have been rejected (I missed that message, I guess). The front line still fluctuates in Western Russia (I'm using fog of war), so I know they're still fighting there.
By late '41, in Southeast Asia, Japan and her ally Siam had gone through Burma to the gates of Eastern India.
In South America, I had been checking and using some DI to keep those countries neutral. But by 1940 I had let it slide. I looked up and Paraguay had gone Axis. I decided not to do anything about it -- hey, it was Paraguay. How was I going to reach it without major expense of DI or dissent?
In late 1941, anticipating war with Japan, I began placing my units where I needed them. In the Pacific MacArthur's 4th army went to Mindanao, and my three Marine corps under Vandegrift, Smith, and Geiger, (I told you I play historically) to my forward bases of Midway, Johnston and Palmyra. I had already reinforced The Phillipines by sending the 1st Cav to join the Phillipine Division (Wainwright). I moved my two tac bomber groups -- 5 wings of Mitchells and 2 wings of Mustangs -- under Arnold and Doolittle to the forward bases as well. The better range of tac bombers meant their deployment to the Pacific.
Despite slowdowns due to limited steel production, four of my new carriers became available in time (the last on December 6th!). I created two Pacific carrier task forces (Fletcher and Kincaid) of three carriers with a carrier group consisting of 1 torpedo plane, 1 naval bomber and 1 fighter for CAP. I wanted to see how a naval game could be played.
In the European theatre, I had been analyzing the situation and had determined that a strike at the Canary Islands would give me a base from which to operate. I had discovered the lowered ranges of naval units to be a new factor in naval operations in 1.04. I moved my corps and armies to staging areas on the eastern seaboard.
As for air assets, I had built 3 dive bomber groups of 3 Apaches and 1 Mustang, and was awaiting the arrival of new Hellcat interceptors. There wasn't much I was going be able do with them, as it would be May of '42 before my last two carriers would arrive to create a four carrier group under Mitscher to be able to ferry my air groups to North Africa and Europe.
1942 and WAR!
Fighting a two-ocean war, the first thing I do is slow the game to Fast.
My Pacific force is composed of: The two carrier groups of 3 CVs, 3 Improved CAs, 2 Basic DDs; 1st Fleet (Nimitz) of all 350+ and 150+ battlewagons, 3 cruisers, 1 pre-war destroyer and 1 advanced destroyer; 2nd fleet (Halsey) six new 350+ battleships (North Carolina to Alabama), 3 CAs and 2 advanced DDs; Three cruiser forces (Hart, Spruance and Turner) with 5 pre-war basic cruisers, 1 advanced cruiser, 2 advanced DDs and 3 TPs. These carry my 3 division marine corps. I have a DD fleet of 4 pre-war destroyers to screen Hawaii -- just in case the 1.04 Japanese AI is smarter than I think. I also have a transport fleet of 1 CA, 2 DDs and 7 TP's to carry Stilwell's 6th army. A 3rd Fleet is in production with the Iowa class battleships and Advanced Cruisers. It will be ready by the end of the year. (My minister of the navy has also taken it upon himself to start a half dozen more battlewagons ready sometime in late '43 -- I sure don't remember doing it, but maybe I was clicking on SSs or DDs and got BBs instead. They will be useful if the Japanese come out and fight.)
In the Pacific, I chose to take the offensive and first go after all the islands. I intended to suspend operations and go meet any Japanese strike at The Phillipines that seemed to be succeeding. But as I noted earlier, other than one attack on the Asiatic Fleet (F.C. Sherman) at the start of hostilities, action in The Phillipines has been non-existent. The Japanese are busy with the British in Burma and the Soviet Union in Mongolia.
Here's something strange. The Australians and New Zealanders have sent expeditionary forces to help England, so I've had to do all the island-hopping myself. (Or if you think this way, the Aussies and Kiwis have stayed out of the way and not gone and grabbed all the little islands.) Instead, they've gone to help the Brits in Burma. Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and Venezuelan units are all engaged with the British and Indian forces against Japan and Siam and have pushed all the way back through Burma and taken the Kra peninsula from Siam.
The war in the Pacific gets under way. Tactically, I deploy my submarines (9 LR subs under Stark, with four divisions of 3 LR subs under various rear admirals that had been promoted to vice admiral: Callahan, Wright, English and F.P. Sherman). These go to observe the target and screen for approaching Japanese forces. I move my forces forward and land at Taongi. The defending Imperial forces are no match for the marines. I then slowly leapfrog forward through the island chains. At the Marshall Islands I catch the Japanese unawares and capture a fleet of 4 DDs and 5 TPs. I give command to vice admiral Barbey and send these to the Atlantic where they'll be handy.
Over in the Atlantic, I have a much smaller though similarly organized naval force. The Atlantic Fleet (King) has all the pre-war battleships, 3CAs, 2DDs. The Atlantic Cruiser Force (Kimmel) is similar to the 3 Pacific ones including the TPs. The Atlantic Carrier Force (Mitscher) is much smaller with just the Langley and Ranger and 2 pre-war DDs. It will be reinforced with cruisers when the Essex and Bonhomme Richard finally come off the ways. I also have a 3 MR sub unit (Edwards) and two single LR sub units (Noyes, Buckmaster). I also have two transport forces similar to the one in the Pacific. There will be more need of transports to move the army in the European theatre.
My land forces are primarily composed (so far) of 6 infantry armies (MacArthur, Eisenhower, Marshall, Bradley, Stilwell, M. Clark) of 5 vanilla infantry, 1 infantry with attached arty, and one with AT. Two armored armies (Patton, Simpson) of 1 mech with attached Engineers, and 5 armored with attached Engineers (one of M3 "Lees", 4 with M4 "Shermans"). I also have one army under Hodge with 7 infantry all with attached Engineers. I also have a mix of several 3-division corps of various composition for reinforcements, maneuver, or garrison.
I steamed to the Canaries with 2nd Army (Eisenhower) and 1st Corps (J.L. Collins) to find that Canada has gotten there first. I make a change to land at Agadir which goes to France -- the neighboring Saharan provinces are still French. As France doesn't offer the hospitality of giving me oil, I jump to grab Spanish Morocco for myself. In the approach, Noyes gets into an extended duel with a German U-Boot Flotte under Meisel. Noyes comes out the victor -- and gets a lot of experience in the bargain.
Once ashore in North Africa, I land two light armored corps (1 mech, 2 armor with M5 "Stuarts" under Buckner and Griswald) to expand the bridgehead. They deal with the Italian and Spanish forces well -- I'd like to get these guys experienced before sending them up against Rundstedt, Rommel and Manstein. As they advance to Oran and beyond, North Africa goes to me. I'm glad that Vichy is still in the game.
I establish a convoy, dock and refuel the transport fleets, then send them back for another couple of armies. With 1.04, they don't have the range for a full round trip anymore.
All of a sudden, messages of Portugal sending forces to Spain start popping. Portugal has joined the Axis and this is great! I forget about scouting for a landing in Spain and plan on sending my next two armies (Patton and Bradley) and the 10th Mountain Corps (Adams) to Lisbon. Easier to get ashore there than against the 17 divisions at Sevilla facing Gilbraltar. And once they do, I grab Griswald's Light Armored Corps from North Africa and move them to Lisbon to reinforce the Iberian campaign.
I've recently taken to creating corps with two infantry divisions -- one with attached AA, one with attached AT -- as "Base Sections" to defend convoy destinations. I use the captured Japanese units to transfer two of these along with a lone "Ranger" division (a mountain division with an Engineer brigade under Taylor). My plan is to use this division in raids or against targets of opportunity. I would get more bang out of making these Marine divisions, but again, I think "historically." One Base Section goes to Ceuza, the other to Lisbon.
Moving into Spain, Patton's 3rd army drives on Madrid, and once Simpson's 7th army arrives, the two armies get into an extended fight at Zaragosa with the 15 divisions under Franco. "Old Blood and Guts" destroys this force. And swings to move south.
I grab the opportunity of seeing Cartagena defended by a single Spanish division, and insert the Ranger division and Collin's 1st Corps. This splits Spain in two, and the forces surrounding Gilbraltar collapse to a concerted push by British and South African forces. I have formed up along the line of the Pyranees in Gijon, Pamplona and Lleida where I will pause to regroup and refit before my next operations in Europe.
The only serious losses in the Med have been from sorties by the Italian navy and a German 3 sub unit, which have sent my own submarines back to harbor for refit. Attempts by the Spanish navy to bloody my Atlantic Cruiser Force have been brushed aside. Nothing has gone after the Atlantic Fleet. Yet.
In North Africa, Buckner's Light Armored corps has gone all the way to Gabes, and I have an infantry corps in Tunis and a Ranger division in Bone. I've not put effort here, though when I do, I think the present forces can take the mixed Greek and Italian army facing them.
In the Pacific, Stilwell and the Marines had been leapfrogging through the Gilberts, Ellices, Truk and Carolines. At Palau, I sent in a carrier strike force against the naval forces there, and soften the defenders with tac bombers. The landings went well, and the sortie of escaping naval units did little damage to my battle fleet. Japan had grabbed Guam because I had left it completely undefended so I needed to capture it again. I used the same tactics of a naval air raid on their fleet in harbor, tac bombers against the army, and leapfrogged the Marines from the farthest base to assault. Doing the same in the Marianas, I may have disposed of the naval forces with my carrier planes. (The harbor went from blue to grey and I hadn't landed yet.)
The Japanese Navy began to strike back. At first there were small attacks by CA and TP units, then my submarines were being hammered by Japanese subs. So far my screening subs have taken the damage. The assaults on the Bonins and Minamitorishima (Marcus Island) were met with additional submarine attacks, but I've not yet seen the appearance of the main Japanese fleet. I have captured all of the Pacific islands, and am considering future operations against Formosa or Southeast Asia from The Phillipines, or making strikes directly at the Home Islands.
As it stands now...
My game is in November 1942. I discovered in summer that first Bolivia, then Argentina went Axis. Now I can do something about the situation -- and I'd better! I've been building forces suited to action down south, by making a 3rd Light Armored Corps and more infantry corps (rather than armies) to begin operations there. I want to resolve this problem. In preparation, I had a sideshow with Collins 1st Corps and the 1st Ranger division against Italian, Portugese and Spanish forces in Dakar and Freetown. British forces are firmly in control there, now. I also seized the Cape Verde Islands as a staging base for action against the South American Axis.
----------
If things stay interesting, and if people seem to enjoy this AAR, I'll add an additional post to update the action sometime later in the week.
Let me state that I like to play somewhat historically (as Italy, I don't try interesting strategies like DOWing Argentina in 1936, for example). As the USA, I like to build my armed forces and when I think the moment is right, then enter the conflict.
I have, in the past, used my DI to aid the European allies and the Soviet Union with lots of techs. For this game, I chose to focus on the Pacific; I gave techs to China and The Phillipines. Historically, I regard this as sending advisors, or crates of leftover '03 Springfields or a shipment of 30mm antitank guns. Techs to China were intended to slow the inevitable. I gave Infantry and Artillery techs which directly affected infantry attack/defense, and doctrine techs that increased organization. Techs to The Phillipines were similar, though I included enough air and naval techs to allow The Phillipines to produce Basic Destroyers and Warhawk interceptors. This has proven to have been unneeded as (so far) the Japanese have done little against The Phillipines.
In the fall of 1940, I did get scared that I'd be left alone to face the Axis. Germany was deep into Russia, and had landed in Scotland. I hastily spent DI on some valuable techs to the British Commonwealth Nations and the Soviet Union. (France had gone Vichy at this time.) Maybe it helped -- as the game stands now, it is fall of 1942 and the Soviet Union is still in the game, and Britain has beaten off the invader and is busy against the Japanese in Burma.
I limited my tech selections to achieving certain goals by 1941. They were: Improved Logistics for Infantry -- to get the lowered supply needs; Advanced Medium Tank (Shermans); All the main electronic areas and at least working on Advanced GP computers with most of the useful specific techs; All Industrial tech; No Rocketry; No Nuclear; Improved Naval Battleships, Cruisers, Destroyers and Carriers (I anticipated a US-Japan focus); LR Submarines and all specific improvements to subs (no minisubs); Artillery Tech up to 80+ mm tank gun, 400+ mm Battleship gun and 200+ mm Cruiser gun; Advanced Light and Medium Bombers. I usually do use Strategic Bombers, but chose to forgo them this time. It has proven wise as their research cost and the IC to build them would have left me with a weaker army and navy. Without Heavy Bomber techs, I am also going without Paratroopers. For the Fighter techs, I sought to reach Advanced Fighters -- Mustangs and Corsairs. I held to Basic Fighters (Warhawks) as interceptors at first. As to doctrines, I hoped to reach the Late War Analysis/Late War Experience areas by '41, with most of the truly necessary techs done or in reasearch. By mid-1941, I realized I could spend a little toward Rocketry, Nuclear, and some Naval, Heavy Aircraft and Light Aircraft techs -- I started researching for Hellcat interceptors and Marauder and Panther medium bombers.
America is an industrial powerhouse, that in 1.03b made it a cakewalk once she entered the war. This does not seem to be true in 1.04. For example, as the months went by, I started having trouble keeping my IC going. I discovered that steel was in short supply and that I was not producing enough to keep my industry at peak efficiency. Playing around with trades would work to keep my industry back near 100%, but only for a few months. Interestingly, by 1941, I was able to make some 1-1 trades for rubber, as there was more available than steel on the World Market.
As I didn't start this game with the intention of writing an AAR, I didn't make notes, but here are some of the highlights of the world conflict prior to entry of the USA. A typical game through '39: Germany gets Austria and Czechoslovakia; Historical Pact with Russia; war with the allies and Poland is gone in two weeks; France has gone Vichy by Spring of 1940. Hungary split Czechoslovakia with Germany and joined the Axis. Later, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Romania joined as well. Italy joined the Axis and took over Egypt, and started advancing through Kenya and Tanganyika. Greece joined the Axis in time to grab Lebanon and Syria from France and has gone on to annex Iraq. Germany DOW's Denmark so I take Greenland and Iceland. I use Iceland as a base for some Atlantic submarines to observe the war in Europe. Afghanistan joined the Axis and received transit rights from Tibet and Sinkiang (to do something) but was conquered by Britain and Russia before she could do any damage. Later, Spain and Persia joined the Axis.
In the Pacific, China held out until Japan took Indochina from Vichy. When China couldn't stand up to being further surrounded and Siam entered the war, she fell to Japan. Germany was doing so well that Japan went to war against Russia, and conquered Mongolia and -- for a time -- held portions of the Trans-Siberian Railway. I was sure that the Soviet Union would be knocked out, but Uncle Joe came right back and has regained his own territory and has recovered most of Mongolia. Why hasn't the Soviet Union surrendered? I don't know. If the Bitter Peace was offered, it must have been rejected (I missed that message, I guess). The front line still fluctuates in Western Russia (I'm using fog of war), so I know they're still fighting there.
By late '41, in Southeast Asia, Japan and her ally Siam had gone through Burma to the gates of Eastern India.
In South America, I had been checking and using some DI to keep those countries neutral. But by 1940 I had let it slide. I looked up and Paraguay had gone Axis. I decided not to do anything about it -- hey, it was Paraguay. How was I going to reach it without major expense of DI or dissent?
In late 1941, anticipating war with Japan, I began placing my units where I needed them. In the Pacific MacArthur's 4th army went to Mindanao, and my three Marine corps under Vandegrift, Smith, and Geiger, (I told you I play historically) to my forward bases of Midway, Johnston and Palmyra. I had already reinforced The Phillipines by sending the 1st Cav to join the Phillipine Division (Wainwright). I moved my two tac bomber groups -- 5 wings of Mitchells and 2 wings of Mustangs -- under Arnold and Doolittle to the forward bases as well. The better range of tac bombers meant their deployment to the Pacific.
Despite slowdowns due to limited steel production, four of my new carriers became available in time (the last on December 6th!). I created two Pacific carrier task forces (Fletcher and Kincaid) of three carriers with a carrier group consisting of 1 torpedo plane, 1 naval bomber and 1 fighter for CAP. I wanted to see how a naval game could be played.
In the European theatre, I had been analyzing the situation and had determined that a strike at the Canary Islands would give me a base from which to operate. I had discovered the lowered ranges of naval units to be a new factor in naval operations in 1.04. I moved my corps and armies to staging areas on the eastern seaboard.
As for air assets, I had built 3 dive bomber groups of 3 Apaches and 1 Mustang, and was awaiting the arrival of new Hellcat interceptors. There wasn't much I was going be able do with them, as it would be May of '42 before my last two carriers would arrive to create a four carrier group under Mitscher to be able to ferry my air groups to North Africa and Europe.
1942 and WAR!
Fighting a two-ocean war, the first thing I do is slow the game to Fast.
My Pacific force is composed of: The two carrier groups of 3 CVs, 3 Improved CAs, 2 Basic DDs; 1st Fleet (Nimitz) of all 350+ and 150+ battlewagons, 3 cruisers, 1 pre-war destroyer and 1 advanced destroyer; 2nd fleet (Halsey) six new 350+ battleships (North Carolina to Alabama), 3 CAs and 2 advanced DDs; Three cruiser forces (Hart, Spruance and Turner) with 5 pre-war basic cruisers, 1 advanced cruiser, 2 advanced DDs and 3 TPs. These carry my 3 division marine corps. I have a DD fleet of 4 pre-war destroyers to screen Hawaii -- just in case the 1.04 Japanese AI is smarter than I think. I also have a transport fleet of 1 CA, 2 DDs and 7 TP's to carry Stilwell's 6th army. A 3rd Fleet is in production with the Iowa class battleships and Advanced Cruisers. It will be ready by the end of the year. (My minister of the navy has also taken it upon himself to start a half dozen more battlewagons ready sometime in late '43 -- I sure don't remember doing it, but maybe I was clicking on SSs or DDs and got BBs instead. They will be useful if the Japanese come out and fight.)
In the Pacific, I chose to take the offensive and first go after all the islands. I intended to suspend operations and go meet any Japanese strike at The Phillipines that seemed to be succeeding. But as I noted earlier, other than one attack on the Asiatic Fleet (F.C. Sherman) at the start of hostilities, action in The Phillipines has been non-existent. The Japanese are busy with the British in Burma and the Soviet Union in Mongolia.
Here's something strange. The Australians and New Zealanders have sent expeditionary forces to help England, so I've had to do all the island-hopping myself. (Or if you think this way, the Aussies and Kiwis have stayed out of the way and not gone and grabbed all the little islands.) Instead, they've gone to help the Brits in Burma. Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and Venezuelan units are all engaged with the British and Indian forces against Japan and Siam and have pushed all the way back through Burma and taken the Kra peninsula from Siam.
The war in the Pacific gets under way. Tactically, I deploy my submarines (9 LR subs under Stark, with four divisions of 3 LR subs under various rear admirals that had been promoted to vice admiral: Callahan, Wright, English and F.P. Sherman). These go to observe the target and screen for approaching Japanese forces. I move my forces forward and land at Taongi. The defending Imperial forces are no match for the marines. I then slowly leapfrog forward through the island chains. At the Marshall Islands I catch the Japanese unawares and capture a fleet of 4 DDs and 5 TPs. I give command to vice admiral Barbey and send these to the Atlantic where they'll be handy.
Over in the Atlantic, I have a much smaller though similarly organized naval force. The Atlantic Fleet (King) has all the pre-war battleships, 3CAs, 2DDs. The Atlantic Cruiser Force (Kimmel) is similar to the 3 Pacific ones including the TPs. The Atlantic Carrier Force (Mitscher) is much smaller with just the Langley and Ranger and 2 pre-war DDs. It will be reinforced with cruisers when the Essex and Bonhomme Richard finally come off the ways. I also have a 3 MR sub unit (Edwards) and two single LR sub units (Noyes, Buckmaster). I also have two transport forces similar to the one in the Pacific. There will be more need of transports to move the army in the European theatre.
My land forces are primarily composed (so far) of 6 infantry armies (MacArthur, Eisenhower, Marshall, Bradley, Stilwell, M. Clark) of 5 vanilla infantry, 1 infantry with attached arty, and one with AT. Two armored armies (Patton, Simpson) of 1 mech with attached Engineers, and 5 armored with attached Engineers (one of M3 "Lees", 4 with M4 "Shermans"). I also have one army under Hodge with 7 infantry all with attached Engineers. I also have a mix of several 3-division corps of various composition for reinforcements, maneuver, or garrison.
I steamed to the Canaries with 2nd Army (Eisenhower) and 1st Corps (J.L. Collins) to find that Canada has gotten there first. I make a change to land at Agadir which goes to France -- the neighboring Saharan provinces are still French. As France doesn't offer the hospitality of giving me oil, I jump to grab Spanish Morocco for myself. In the approach, Noyes gets into an extended duel with a German U-Boot Flotte under Meisel. Noyes comes out the victor -- and gets a lot of experience in the bargain.
Once ashore in North Africa, I land two light armored corps (1 mech, 2 armor with M5 "Stuarts" under Buckner and Griswald) to expand the bridgehead. They deal with the Italian and Spanish forces well -- I'd like to get these guys experienced before sending them up against Rundstedt, Rommel and Manstein. As they advance to Oran and beyond, North Africa goes to me. I'm glad that Vichy is still in the game.
I establish a convoy, dock and refuel the transport fleets, then send them back for another couple of armies. With 1.04, they don't have the range for a full round trip anymore.
All of a sudden, messages of Portugal sending forces to Spain start popping. Portugal has joined the Axis and this is great! I forget about scouting for a landing in Spain and plan on sending my next two armies (Patton and Bradley) and the 10th Mountain Corps (Adams) to Lisbon. Easier to get ashore there than against the 17 divisions at Sevilla facing Gilbraltar. And once they do, I grab Griswald's Light Armored Corps from North Africa and move them to Lisbon to reinforce the Iberian campaign.
I've recently taken to creating corps with two infantry divisions -- one with attached AA, one with attached AT -- as "Base Sections" to defend convoy destinations. I use the captured Japanese units to transfer two of these along with a lone "Ranger" division (a mountain division with an Engineer brigade under Taylor). My plan is to use this division in raids or against targets of opportunity. I would get more bang out of making these Marine divisions, but again, I think "historically." One Base Section goes to Ceuza, the other to Lisbon.
Moving into Spain, Patton's 3rd army drives on Madrid, and once Simpson's 7th army arrives, the two armies get into an extended fight at Zaragosa with the 15 divisions under Franco. "Old Blood and Guts" destroys this force. And swings to move south.
I grab the opportunity of seeing Cartagena defended by a single Spanish division, and insert the Ranger division and Collin's 1st Corps. This splits Spain in two, and the forces surrounding Gilbraltar collapse to a concerted push by British and South African forces. I have formed up along the line of the Pyranees in Gijon, Pamplona and Lleida where I will pause to regroup and refit before my next operations in Europe.
The only serious losses in the Med have been from sorties by the Italian navy and a German 3 sub unit, which have sent my own submarines back to harbor for refit. Attempts by the Spanish navy to bloody my Atlantic Cruiser Force have been brushed aside. Nothing has gone after the Atlantic Fleet. Yet.
In North Africa, Buckner's Light Armored corps has gone all the way to Gabes, and I have an infantry corps in Tunis and a Ranger division in Bone. I've not put effort here, though when I do, I think the present forces can take the mixed Greek and Italian army facing them.
In the Pacific, Stilwell and the Marines had been leapfrogging through the Gilberts, Ellices, Truk and Carolines. At Palau, I sent in a carrier strike force against the naval forces there, and soften the defenders with tac bombers. The landings went well, and the sortie of escaping naval units did little damage to my battle fleet. Japan had grabbed Guam because I had left it completely undefended so I needed to capture it again. I used the same tactics of a naval air raid on their fleet in harbor, tac bombers against the army, and leapfrogged the Marines from the farthest base to assault. Doing the same in the Marianas, I may have disposed of the naval forces with my carrier planes. (The harbor went from blue to grey and I hadn't landed yet.)
The Japanese Navy began to strike back. At first there were small attacks by CA and TP units, then my submarines were being hammered by Japanese subs. So far my screening subs have taken the damage. The assaults on the Bonins and Minamitorishima (Marcus Island) were met with additional submarine attacks, but I've not yet seen the appearance of the main Japanese fleet. I have captured all of the Pacific islands, and am considering future operations against Formosa or Southeast Asia from The Phillipines, or making strikes directly at the Home Islands.
As it stands now...
My game is in November 1942. I discovered in summer that first Bolivia, then Argentina went Axis. Now I can do something about the situation -- and I'd better! I've been building forces suited to action down south, by making a 3rd Light Armored Corps and more infantry corps (rather than armies) to begin operations there. I want to resolve this problem. In preparation, I had a sideshow with Collins 1st Corps and the 1st Ranger division against Italian, Portugese and Spanish forces in Dakar and Freetown. British forces are firmly in control there, now. I also seized the Cape Verde Islands as a staging base for action against the South American Axis.
----------
If things stay interesting, and if people seem to enjoy this AAR, I'll add an additional post to update the action sometime later in the week.
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