Wachtmeister

Hsve re-tried the password I have written down nurerous times - does not work - cannot get in.

Password not working _ Then got connection refused. I've run into to this once before Let me try your password.

Here now - ready to continue.

Kuniworth: Here at 0500 CDT as scheduled. Can you play? Checking each 10 min for an hour or so.

Looking at the time it may be a little late. Sorry for the delay - had to kill the dreaded MS Blaster worm on a friend's computer.

Here - you have the save.

Speaking on my own behalf, since we Wachtmeisters (cannon swabbing Seargents of Artillery) can hardly speak for Team USA, I extend a "welcome to the rider cup competition". You seem to be what you say you are, although you may turn out to be Kuni's "Swedish Ringer" . Now that the polite preliminaries are out of the Way --- Go CvM!!

Spring'40 France will go down a little earlier than I would Like. Looks like I held the Maginot forts one turn too long. UK in decent shape, one more ship loss than expected due to the Kriegemarine attack near Antwerp. The so called quite time for the Allies begins. The USSR at 45% rediness is gearing up its industrial might and expects to produce an extra 1480 MPP by late '41. The USA isolationists (especially the Irish!) hold sway in both houses of Congress, and FDR's warlike instincts are stifled for now. To be continued during the week ahead.

Feb '40 Panzer falls to the Canadian 1st Army. Wehrmacht Corps in the mine reduced to one. Remainer of French Army in decent shape, but not for long. Italy does the back stab boogie at end of turn.

10 Dec 39 So far about even fortune Poland & Denmark did their jobs, but the subs kicked some serious RN booty. One was diving like a level 4 "ubersub" Last u-boat will die next turn. Italy will DOW next Turn. The serious onslaught on France starting in earnest.

03 Sept 40 Subs not spotted. Polish Army Does a little AT work refucing a Panzer to str5.

Copy All ...On my way.

Your bid is accepted. I'll take Allies @185 MPP for UK, 0 for USA, and 1480 USSR. As Axis you can set up, host & post. Alternatively, I will be happy to host if you prefer.

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As mentioned above, the Swedish Army was probably the best in Europe during the reign of Karl XII. In addition to the well drilled and tactically [not strategically] well led infantry formations, I believe the Swedish Army retained the first rate light horse artillery invented by and used with great effect by a previous Swedish leader, Gustav Adolf. We take you now to the virtual 20th cebtury with a bid of 50 for Axis. Recommend you spread out those infantry formations and break out the Orlikon (SP?) and Bofors auto cannons, or the USA Rangers will be conducting a good ole down home "Turkey Shoot". Sure hope those Saab delta wing jets don't show up too soon!

I can play either TCP/IP or PBEM. Been out of pocket of late. With a little lead time - say 12-24 hours, can be available as required.

Some details on the formation and operations of USSR partisans: Partisan Ops

Per the intro screen " built with Eiffel software".

Yep - even just 2 air fleets around the Brenner Pass will likely reduce the "backdoor" French Army (NW of Rome) to around strength 2 or 3.

Shaka: Mussolini was a factor, and perhaps oil. However, THE factor was more likely Vichy and the German inability to handle the disparate aspirations of both Italy and Spain, both of whom wanted to expand at Vichy's expense. JJ: Its certainly true that Franco did not want war with the UK, or anyone else. Spain was just beginning to recover from their bitter civil war. However, there is reasonable evidence that Franco could opportunistically have come in on the Axis side in Mid-June '40, if "the price was right" - That is if Germany had decided to place Vichy in 3rd place and agree to Spanish desires for take-over of French Morroco, the Oran district, expansion of Rio de Oro and expansion of Spanish Guinea. The offer of 19 June '40 was originated by Spain, mainly since the Spanish determined that they were too weak to simply roll over the French Morroco border. Spain may also have considered a "mini-stab in the back" against French Morroco near the end of the German campagn in France to the extent of massing troops on the border. In fact, Spain did take the "free-city" of Tangier over French objections. Germany's got off on the wrong foot by not responding to the Spanish offer for 6 weeks. Here is a link to the book that is the source of much of this information: Review of the book "Tomorrow the World" (Found my copy at Half-Price Books) As the review states, the author fails to really prove his central thesis that Hitler had specific, major plans for future war with the USA. However, he does provide interesting insights into how close Germany came, despite its fumbling, to dominating the Med.

Defend Spain? - Agree its a losing proposition for the Allies under most circumstances. However, for you history oriented folks, there seems to be a decent historical basis for SC(or SC2) random events that would bring Spain in as Axis, other than capturing London or at least cutting it off from Manchester, by Spring '41. In the late summer/early fall of '41 Franco offered to join the Axis, in return for French Morroco, and a fair amount of economic and military aid. Included in the Spanish offer was permission for Germany to move two corps and at least two Panzer divisions through Spain for Operation Felix, the attack on Gibralter. The Panzers were to be stationed on Portugal's border to keep them quiet in case Hitler's plan to occupy the Azores went ahead. Fortunately, for the Allies, Germany totally mishandled this opportunity. Germany's response was to waffle in regard to French Morroco, since Hitler feared Vichy French African territories, including Algeria and Tunisia might defect to DeGaulle. Worse, Hitler tacked on a proposal that Spain cede one of the Canary Islands for German exclusive use as a air and sub base. No chance said Franco. The Spanish/German talks dragged on through the fall/winter of 1940/41 until the forces designated for Operation Felix had to be redepolyed east for the upcoming Operation Barbarossa. Why Hitler did not give up the Canary Island scheme, and simply agree to Spanish requirements for alliance purposes; get his troops and panzers into Spain, knock out Gibralter, and then perhaps do as he pleased, in accordance with the normal Nazi "diplomacy style", is unknown. After the fall of Gibralter, Franco would have not been in much of a negotiating position, even if the "agreement" was later "modified" by Germany. Although Vichy had something like 150,000 solidiers, some well equipped, substantial naval forces, and about 60% of the former French Air Force in North Africa, these troops were poorly supplied with ammunition and fuel, and would have presented little threat, especially once the Wehrmacht achieved access to Spanish Morocco through Gibralter. The loss of Gibralter, combined with German reinforcement of the Italians in the eastern Med, may well have ousted the UK from the entire theater for real, just as so often happens in SC.

Proposed #1 for the "unusual German name" list: Name of Hitler's special train for his diplomacy trip to Vichy and Spain in fall '40? - Amerika.

Complete information about the history and current status of USN ship naming conventions may be found here: USN Ship Names