======================================================================== Turn: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Axis POC: +5 +4 +5 +4 +3 +2 +5 Allied POC: -3 -2 -3 -2 -3 -3 -2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net POC: +2 +2 +2 +2 +0 -1 +3 Cumulative POC: +2 +4 +6 +8 +8 +7 +10 ========================================================================
Mike Kaye (Allied) vs Rob Mull (Axis) - no bids.
Turn 1 Allied deployment (Barents on 1 strategy):
NATL: Glorious, Ramillies, Resolution, Revenge
Barents: Ark Royal, Hood, Repulse (passed SR), Renown (passed SR), 8
x 117
North Sea: Courageous, 5 x 444
SATL: Eagle, Rodney, Nelson, Royal Oak, Royal Sovereign
Axis response:
N.Atlantic: 2x357, 2x127, 3x225 (Scheer, Spee passed SR, Lutzow
failed)
Baltic: 3xUboat
Med: 2x466, Duilio, Doria, Fiume, Gorizia
Italy (port): Cesare, Cavour, Pola, Zara
Barents: LBA
Combat:
Axis LBA in Barents: 3 damage to Hood.
Allied LBA in Med and carrier air in N. Atlantic: miss.
N. Atlantic: Round 1: Gneisnau disabled, Blucher sunk; Ramillies hit
for 3 and disabled, Resolution sunk, Revenge hit for 4. Glorious and
Revenge split to run.
Round 2: Revenge sunk, Glorious disabled.
German successfully oils Scharnhorst, Scheer, Spee, and Hipper.
End of turn 1 POC: Axis +2
Well, the Allies had luck totally desert them this turn - the dice roller has turned against them in the worst way.
Allied Deployment: The Axis totally successful oilings complicates matters:
NATL: Glorious, Repulse, Hood (-3 damage), Valiant
SATL: Eagle, Warspite, Royal Oak, Royal Sov, Ramillies(-3)
North: Formidable, Courageous, Rodney, Nelson, Barham, Malaya,
QEliz
Barents: Ark Royal, Renown (passed SR), KGV(passed SR), POW(failed
SR), 8 x 117
Axis Response: With POW failing to reach the Barents it is vulnerable. Less points than going elsewhere, but better chance to retain a combined, intact fleet. Early to risk the Uboats but will try to get a shot at the wounded Hood and the carrier.
Barents: 1x496, 2x357, 3x225, 2x127, LBA
N. Atlantic: 4xUboats
Med: 2x466, Duilio, Doria, Fiume, Gorizia
Italy (port): Cesare, Cavour, Pola, Zara
Combat, N. Atlantic:
ASW results - 1 Uboat sunk, 1 disabled
Uboat results - Hood miss, Glorious sunk
Allied air attacks in Med: Doria disabled
Combat, Barents:
Air attacks: Allied - 3 miss, Axis - Renown sunk
Surface Round 1: Allied fire - Gneisnau, Scheer, Spee, and Lutzow
disabled.
German fire - KGV, Devonshire, Exeter sunk, Dorsetshire hit for 1
damage, Kent and Suffolk disabled.
SCATTER!!! Ark Royal, Dorsetshire(-1), Cumberland, Norfolk, Sussex
withdraw in five groups.
German pursuit (round 2): Bismarck vs Dorsetshire(-1) - both
miss.
Scharnhorst, Hipper, Eugen vs Ark Royal - Ark sunk.
German pursuit (round 3): Dorsetshire sunk.
Net result: 7 Allied ships sunk with no Axis losses or damage.
End of turn control: Allied - N.Sea and S.Atlantic, Axis: Barents and Med
POC for turn - +2 Axis
POC for game - +4 Axis
Due to attrition, Allies decide to leave Barents uncontested this turn and regroup, awaiting the arrival of the US next turn.
Allied Deployment:
Hood repairs in England
NATL: Formidable, Convoy 1A, POW, DOY, Royal Sov, Barham, Repulse,
Sussex
SATL: Victorious, Royal Oak, Kent, Norfolk, Cumberland, Suffolk
North Sea: Courageous, Eagle, Nelson, Rodney, Malaya, Queen E,
Valiant, Warspite, Ramillies(-3)
Russians are not rolled as they would not be deployed this turn
Axis decides to rest as well. No real need to contest an area this turn - can wait for Allies to come to him in the Barents next turn.
Axis Deployment:
Barents: 2x496, 2x357, 3x225
Baltic: 2x127, 4xUboats
Med: 2x466, Duilio, Doria, Fiume, Gorizia
Italy (port): Cesare, Cavour, Pola, Zara
Only combat is Allied air shots in the Med - disables Fiume and Doria
End of turn control: Allies: N.Atl, S.Atl, N.Sea. Axis: Barents, Baltic, Med.
POC this turn +2 Axis; game total Axis +6
Texas arrives. Russians stay home. Allies advance convoy 1A into the Barents:
NATL: Victorious, Convoy 2B, Texas, Valiant, Warspite,
Ramillies(-3)
SATL: Royal Oak, Royal Sov, Cumberland, Kent
Barents: Convoy 1A, Formidable, Hood, POW(DR1), DOY(DR2), Anson(DR3),
Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex (all BB's pass speed rolls)
North: Courageous, Eagle, Nelson, Rodney, Barham, Malaya, Queen E,
Repulse
Med: LBA
Axis decides to attempt to intercept the convoy, as well as take a
shot at the S.Atlantic:
Barents: 2x496, 2x357, 3x225, 2x127, 1x128, LBA
S. Atlantic: 4x117, 6xUboats
Med: 2x466, Duilio, Doria
Italy (port): Cesare, Cavour
Battle of the Barents:
Allied air hits the Tirpitz for 5; German air disables Hood.
Round 1: Bismarck and Gneisnau sunk, Tirpitz hit for 1 more; POW
sunk, DOY hit for 3 and disabled, Anson hit for 5 and disabled,
Norfolk hit for 1.
Gutsy Allies decide to stay!
Round 2: Allies totally miss; Suffolk and Sussex sunk, Norfolk
disabled.
Convoy and carrier withdraw in two groups.
Round 3: Convoy and Formidable sunk.
Battle of the S.Atlantic:
Allies sink one Uboat and disable one; Uboats miss both BB's.
Round 1: Gorizia sunk, Fiume hit for 1; Italian cruisers all
miss.
Italians withdraw to France; no Allied pursuit.
Allied LBA in the Med misses.
End of turn control: Allies - N.Atlantic, N. Sea, Axis - Barents,
Med.
Axis gains +2 POC, game total: Axis +8.
No US or Russian reinforcements. Allies advance convoy 2B into the
Barents:
Barents: Convoy 2B, Illustrious, Hood, DOY(-3), Anson(-5),
Norfolk(-1), Cumberland, Kent, Repulse(Dr1), Howe (Dr2) - Howe
arrives, Repulse fails (goes to Russia).
North: Courageous, Nelson, Rodney, Barham, Malaya, Queen E
NATL: Victorious, Texas, Valiant, Ramillies, Warspite
SATL: Eagle, Royal Oak, Royal Sov
Med: LBA
Axis decides to repair and let the Condors have a shot at the
convoy, while opening the North Sea with a wolfpack:
Barents: LBA
North Sea: 7xUboats
Baltic: 357, 3x225, 2x127, 128
Germany: Tirpitz (repairs)
France: Fiume (repairs)
Med: 2x466, 2x117
Italy: 4x435
North Sea: 1 Uboat sunk and 1 disabled; wolfpack misses in
return.
Barents: Convoy disabled to USA.
Med: Pola disabled, Littorio hit for 6.
End of turn control: Allies - N.Atlantic, S. Atlantic, Barents;
Axis - Baltic, Med.
No change in POC - game total still Axis +8.
USA still refuses to release more ships (desperately needed) but the Oktober Rev agrees to sail.
Allied Deployment:
NATL: Victorious, Convoy 3C, Texas, Valiant, Ramillies(-3),
Warspite
SATL: Eagle, Royal Oak, Royal Sov, Rodney
Barents: Illustrious, DOY(-3), Anson(-5), Norfolk(-1), Repulse, Howe,
Cumberland, Kent
North: Courageous, Nelson, Barham, Malaya, Queen E, Hood
Baltic: Okt Rev
Although the North Sea is broken, the Axis decides not to tempt
any speed rolls, and deploys to the Barents. Uboats will deal with
the Russian threat and attempt to deny Allied control in the S.A.
Fiume must sail or be interned in France:
Barents: 1x496, 1x357, 3x225, 2x127, 1x128, LBA
Baltic: 2xUboats
S. Atlantic: Fiume, 5xUboats
Med: Veneto, Duilio, Doria, Zara
Italy: Littorio (repairs to 2), Impero, Cesare, Cavour, Pola
Battle in the Barents:
Allied air hits the Scharnhorst for 5; Axis air misses (5 shots).
Round 1: Tirpitz and Scheer disabled; DOY sunk, Howe and Repulse each
hit for 3, Norfolk disabled.
Round 2: Lutzow, Spee, Eugen and Hipper disabled; Howe and Repulse
sunk, Cumberland disabled.
Only 2 ships left per side - German stays and commits the Graf
Zepp.
Round 3: Zepp sunk and Scharnhorst disabled; Anson disabled.
Allies control with a cruiser and a carrier.
Battle in the South Atlantic:
6 Allied ASW disables 4 of 5 Uboats; Uboat shot at the Eagle
misses.
Allies forego airstrike at Fiume.
Round 1: Allies disable Fiume; Fiume misses.
Battle in the Baltic:
Single ASW sinks a Uboat; Uboat fire disables the Okt Rev.
Italy:
Allied LBA attacks Italian ships in port and sinks the Littorio and
Pola!
Summary: Allied rolls better than ever and succeeds in establishing the blockage and reducing the POC level. Each side has 3 ships sunk.
Control: Allied - Barents, North Sea, North Atl; Axis - Med.
POC +1 Allies; end of turn total +7 Axis
USA releases only Wichita; no Russians available to sail.
Allies advance Convoy 3C into the Barents:
NATL: Eagle, Convoy 2B, Texas, Wichita
SATL: Royal Sov, Royal Oak, Ramillies(-3)
Barents: Illustrious, Convoy 3C, Hood, Anson(-5), Norfolk(-1),
Cumberland, Kent, Barham(DR1), Malaya(DR2), Warspite(DR3) (all three
fail speed rolls - go to Russia)
North: Victorious, Courageous, Nelson, Rodney, Valiant, QE
Axis send the fleet after the convoy in the Barents and takes a
shot at the other convoy with the Uboats.
Barents: 1x496, 3x225, 2x127, LBA
Baltic: Scharnhorst (-5)
N. Atlantic: 7xUboats
S. Atlantic: Fiume (must sail from N. Port or lose a POC)
Med: Veneto, Impero, Doria, Zara
Italy: Cesare, Cavour, Duilio
Battle of the North Atlantic: Allied ASW sinks 2 Uboats; five shots at the convoy miss.
Battle of the Barents: Allied air misses; Axis air sinks the
Hood.
Round 1: Allies miss with 5 shots; Axis sinks Cumberland and
Kent.
Round 2: Allies disable Tirpitz and Spee; Axis sinks Anson, Norfolk
and Illustrious.
Round 3: Convoy misses; Axis hits convoy for 3 and disables to USA.
With the convoy disabled the Allies cannot mathematically win. Battle in the S.A. is not fought as the Allies sue for peace.
End of turn control:
Allies - N. Sea and S.Atlantic (would have won);
Axis -Barents, Baltic, Med. Total for turn: Axis +3, Total for game:
Axis +10.
Assuming you win the S.A. battle, then the turn will end Axis +10. As I'm sure you know, the best you could possibly do on turn 8 is get the convoys to Russia/England for 4 and win five sea areas (including the Baltic) for 6, while I'll take the Med for 2. That still leaves it Axis +2.
I think we're done here, yes? I know you want the pain to finally end! I agree that you have had the worst die rolls I've seen in a while. The difference playing the Allies is that you have to keep going (because there's always hope the convoys might get through). If the German loses most of his fleet in the first few battles it's over right away.
I'd like to say my superb strategy did you in, but I know different. We'll have to try a rematch at the WBC sometime when you can use real dice. Sorry it was a long painful affair - but I've been on that end myself before. I'll give you credit you did a great job with what you had to work with!
Regards,
Rob
(API) PRIME MINISTER RESIGNS! Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of (not so) Great Britain resigned today, with a half-V gesture, a growl, and an oath to fight the "dirty beeches" (think that's what he said) til his Blood, Sweat, and Tears was gone.
(API) BRITS CALL IT QUITS!!! The new government oKayed the proposition to sue for peace after Mulling it over through 7 long turns of warfare. The Navy Secretary was seen in two very improper states: first, with tears streaming down his face while muttering that all those lovely ships were "gone, just gone!" and alternately, rolling what appeared to be dice, swearing that if he must continue rolling until doomsday, he would get some "sixes". Unfortunately, none of the bystanders knew what "sixes" were, so we may have to wait until the Nazi occupation troops arrive to get an explanation.
(REUTERS) BRITISH WORKERS FAULTED! The Ministry of Defense announced that puzzling failures in armor piercing naval munitions were attributed to untimely focus on proper tea drinking protocol, especially applied to munitions workers. This impacted munitions workers in several unfortunate ways: first, increasing tea breaks to one per hour lessoned time for productive labor. Second, drinking all that tea took workers from their stations for extensive visits to the loo. Third, holding the pinky out while drinking tea translated to permanent hand positions that led to broken or cut fingers while operating lathes, drills, presses, etc.
(BERLINER BEOBACHTER) MUNITIONS EXECUTIVES HONORED! Der Fuhrer hosted British munitions executives to honor the singular role they played in helping the peace loving German people eliminate the dangers of a two front war so the Wehrmacht could focus on protecting Europe from the Red menace.
Robert: congratulations--you didn't make any mistakes. Unfortunately, although I thought I did as much as I could with what I had, I never gave you a game--I've never seen such bad dice. I counted up the first three critical turns that put me in a deeeeeeep hole: my air: no hits, no disables vs Germans for 5 shots; two disables for 9 shots vs Italians. Surface: 1 hit for 27 shots--that comes out as 1 hit in 41.
Amazing also, through turn 7, I got a grand total of two Americans in the game--one BB early, one CA on turn 7. One Russkie came out once. But I can't complain too much about totally missing sixes--I got them on speed rolls.
Best of luck in your future matches.
Mike