Axis and Allies Game II - Round 7 UK - FINISHED: AXIS WIN

[Gustaf]

In Asia more troops were mustered in India and Trans-Jordan was abandoned in face of the strong German force in Egypt. Except for the fact that it was the other way around and Trans-Jordan was re-occupied in a daring show of defiance in face of the strong German force in Egypt.


In the North the Royal Navy did yet another amphibious assault. This time there were no speeches about returning peoples' freedoms, since the target was Leningrad.


The RAF, eager to polish up their tarnished reputation as cowardly transport-sinkers, attacked the German fleet in the Mediterranean, wiping it out without losses. While the bombers returned to the UK the fighters landed in Gibraltar.


The retaking of Africa was well under way. Inspired by the American example the British forces, too, captured undefended African land, while more troops were mobilized in South Africa.

[Gustaf]

I have a couple of questions that have bothered me ever since I first played the game.

First, is each turn a year or a month?  If it is a year, that would put us in 1945 and thus way behind schedule.

Second, what does each unit represent.  I figure battleships and aircraft carriers are single ships, and fighters and bombers are squadrons (12 to 24 each?).  What about infantry and tanks?  Are they divisions (10,000) or corps (50,000?)?  Just curious as to how much carnage we have created.

I've been thinking about it and been a bit vague. I do believe a turn is a year but then you always end up behind schedule, as you put it.

The infantry I view as army corps. Divisions would make the forces way too small (they still might be with army corpses). Ships and planes are hard to wrap your head around. How many planes did, say, the RAF have in 1942? Thousands?

[Gustaf]

In a fell swoop Japanese infantry, with both naval and air support landed on the thinly defended Australia. The Australian defenders were foolishly standing on the beach, waving to what they presumed was the all-superior British navy, when they met their swift end.

[Gustaf]

The Japanese retreated gathering their land forces around Shanghai and evacuating Indochina. Meanwhile, the Japanese navy gathered around the home base, while parts of the air force camped out on the Solomon Islands.

[Gustaf]

The Americans, in a stroke of originality, decided to land on Algeria with forces coming both from the East Coast and from Africa. The Pacific navy landed troops in Alaska (we already own this? But WHY?) The European air command was moved to Yakut to beef up the Soviet Eastern defence.



Now it's Soviet's turn.

[Gustaf]

Stalin was ready. It was time to throw caution to the wind. He ordered the Russian "advisors" to to the Chinese to stop murdering dissidents and make a move on the Chinese inland, already left by the Japanese occupation forces.

On the Eastern front the hole opened up by the British landing was to be exploited without mercy. In West Russia the battle was bloody and bitter but although half the Russian infantry was eventually wiped out, victory could be assured. By contrast, the assault on Archangel was quick and ruthless and the German defenders, now isolated, quickly laid down their wepons without a fight.

[Gustaf]

The Russian tanks in Sinkiang suddenly abandoned their allies without warning and headed off to the East front. The real East front that is, in Yakut. New infantry was mobilized in Caucasus, while tanks were deployed in Russia. Stalin was ready.

[Gustaf]

The Germans were under heavy pressure, but decided that attack was the best defence. The armoured divisions quietly amassed in Egypt launched a surprise attack on the American forces in Algeria. Or at least it was supposed to be a surprise attack. The American forces turned out to be well dug in and in the bloody battle which ensued both sides were reduced to virtually nothing, leaving Algeria in American hands.

The remaining forces in Egypt, supported by air force from Italy, attacked Trans-Jordan which was immediately surrendered by the British forces there.

Further North, the newly mobilized German tanks launched a counter-attack on the British in Leningrad, with air support coming in from Norway. The attack was a success, although the British destroyed a quarter of the German tank force in the process.

The big battle, however, was the one in Caucasus. Although some German planes were lost to anti-aircraft fire, the battle which followed saw the Germans sweep away the Russian defenders with minimal casualties.

[Gustaf]

Thanks for the kind words! It's a lot of fun following it from my end too, it's been an interesting game so far.

Norway infantry swaps places with fighter in Karelia, the fighters in Caucasus disperse to Egypt, Ukraine and Belorussia, tank in Western Europe moves to the Balkans and is replaced by the artillery in Germany.

Two new tanks are deployed in Germany, a new fighter pops up in Southern Europe and five tanks plus an infantry are mobilized in Germany.

Now it is Britain's turn!

[Gustaf]

The British launched yet another tiresome invasion of Norway. Since all the Norwegians who had welcomed them the last time had been slaughtered by the Germans in the deliberation there were no speeches this time. The German air force was blown away by British battleships and the British tanks then rolled ashore completely unopposed.

In Africa British forces moved further North threatening Egypt, while the air forces in Gibraltar moved into Algeria. In India, the massive British build-up finally resulted in an outpouring of troops sweeping aside the German forces in Trans-Jordan and liberating the plantation owners in Indochina from their yellow oppressors.

It was looking like the Allies, after a long and hard struggle, might be triumphant. What could Japan do to change this outcome?


Japan, you have 36 PUs!

[Gustaf]

The conquerors of Australia now moved on to New Zealand. The New Zealand defenders had been forewarned by the assault on Australia and were well dug-in, avoiding any damage from the Battleship bombardment. In the battle that ensued, half of the Japanese landing force was lost to the defenders machine gun fire.

In China the Japanese finally moved in with a counter-attack, including air support. The Soviet troops, demoralized by being forced to protect a strange people they did not trust while their own country was fighting for its survival, gave up without a fight.

[Gustaf]

Bump? Are we waiting on Japan to do noncombat moves or on Gustaf to post them?

For a long, long time the former but more recently on the latter. Will do when I have more time, promise!

[Gustaf]

Finally!
Sorry for the delay guys. Japan rearranged its troops in mostly uninteresting ways as displayed by the map and as one could have guessed.






Now it's America's turn! You have 43 PUs.

[Gustaf]

In a fell swoop American air and naval units moved in and wiped out the Japanese navy after a ferocious battle. Naval supremacy in the Pacific had been achieved for the United States.



I know the map sucks but it doesn't matter much for the US moves.

[Gustaf]

Junkie has, once again, behaved admirably and sent in his orders so as soon as I get American non-combat moves we will fast forward to Russian non-combat.

[Gustaf]

Here is the map after Soviet's combat moves. I don't have time right now to write up the full story, so study it carefully. Basically the Americans landed more troops in Africa moved their transports back and forth over the Atlantic, shipped troops from Alaska to outside of Tokyo and put new troops into China.

The Russians took Caucasus and Belorussia.

[Gustaf]

Minor Soviet troop moves: one tank from Russia to Yakut, one infantry from Archangelsk to West Russia. 5 new tanks placed in Russia.

[Gustaf]

If it says so on the information thingy in the corner, then yes. And it does, so yeah. Sorry, I should have said!

[Gustaf]

In a valiant effort, the German occupation forces around Leningrad counter-attacked against Norway and, once again, the British liberation force immediately capitulated. The Norwegians, used to this by now, had wisely stayed home without showing any undue support for the Englishmen.

Otherwise, the German forces behaved cautiously, concentrating around Ukraine and Egypt.

[Gustaf]

In a bold move the entirety of British forces in Africa and the Middle East combined into an all-out attack on the German forces in Egypt. In the bloody battle that ensued the British emerged victorious. Further to the east an expeditionary force continued the British offensive into China and in the North a tiny force landed on Leningrad, in yet another liberation attempt from the British forces.

[Gustaf]

Forces from the colonies (Canada) moved in to help in the war, hoping not to be Gallipolied.

The successful air units over Egypt dispersed to Trans-Jordan and Algeria. New armoured forces were mobilized in UK, India and South Africa.

[Gustaf]

The Japanese finally decided to attempt to break through the Russian eastern front. The attack on Yakut was bloody but eventually turned out to be fruitless as the attacking forces were wiped out.

[Gustaf]

The Japanese mobilized new forces and moved the invasion forces in the Southern Pacific further to the North.

[Gustaf]

We're waiting on Turin.

[Gustaf]

In North Africa American forces occupied undefended Libya and in Asia, in one of the most spectacular overkills in the entire war, the Americans threw everything they could imagine on poor Manchuria which was basically wiped out.

If I were the Emperor of Japan I'd start looking into my insurance policies.