Oak

October 13 - the Allied THOUGHT the Malaya had retreated out of range of German air, but does not realize that the Germans now have a bomber based in Brest. The Malaya is bombed. - subs continue to raid in the Med. - no other activity, at least that is visible to the Allies.

September 15 USA: 53%, USSR: 57% - German air attack the Malaya battleship off the coast of France. The sub reaches the safety of an Axis port. - the UK now has 2 corps on the Egypt/Libya border. - the Italian sub starts raiding in the Med.

August 25 - German sub manages to survive, barely, and continues fleeing from the Allied fleet. - Axis declares war on Sweden and Vichy France, and both fall in one turn. Stockholm is taken by amphibious assault by 3 armies and 1 air, with the Swedish air destroyed by 1 army coming from Norway and 1 air. The army that unloads in Stockholm knocks the 2nd Swedish army down to 3. Marseilles is taken by combined air and tank assualt, with a German corps moving into the empty city, while Algiers is taken following an amphibious assault by 3 Italian armies and 1 Italian corps. - More cat and mouse in north Africa. Note: The Allies have taken the very risky approach of putting everything into Egypt. The bulk of their fleet and their only carrier, together with most of their air and land forces, are all in the eastern Med. England is virually empty, yet my failure to invade England quickly is allowing this risky strategy to success.

August 11 The Allied navy FINALLY finds the German sub as it was trying to intercept the transports that we know are heading for Egypt. In fact, a UK army transport was spotting moving south and the sub gave chase (costing the UK 4 MPP from raiding in the process). The UK corps from Alexandria inches a little closer to Tobrok, and is now 4 hexes away. The Italian corps furthest from Tobruk inches away from the UK corps. Both sides are playing a game of cat and mouse in northern Africa.

August 4 A quiet move. Axis occupies Bergen. Nothing else to report.

July 21 - Allied fleet moves further east. - Malta is occupied by Italy - Axis declares war on Norway, takes Oslo and Norway is now part of the Axis.

June 30 The Allied navy withdraws from southern Italy, heading for the eastern Med. They are quickly spotted (but not surprised) near Tobruk by Italian transports arriving in northern Africa to reinforce the Italian presence there. Another Italian transport moves next to Malta, under the cover of German air in Sicily, after the UK bomber vacates the island fortress. Otherwise, things are fairly quiet.

June 16 It seems that the Allied got lucky, and at least 2 of the French ships became Free French. The Italian navy retaliates for the attack on their sub by attacking the Gloucester cruiser with 2 battleships. The cruiser is knocked down to 2, while the battleships take minor damage (1-2). German air fleets also appear in Sicily and southern Italy to assist the Italian navy. Germany has reached its limit of 6 air fleets.

May 26 Italy: 100%, USA: 16%, USSR: 43% France falls. Paris was hit by 4 air, then by a corps from the west and finished off by a tank from the east. Another corps then walked into Paris. A French army waiting in Brest to be evacuated was disbanded when France surrendered. We will soon find out how much of the French fleet (none were disbanded by the Allies prior to the fall of France) survived to become Free French. Italy enters the war and spots a UK bomber in Malta. The Italian navy heads for cover.

April 28, 1940 (Still no change in readiness levels) The Germans are gaining experience and having a field day against the French. They kill 2 French units (a army and a corps), knocking 2 other corps down to 5 and the corps in Paris down to 8. With a German army next to Paris, Italy should enter the war soon. While the main German force attacked the French forces east of Paris, other German corps have been moving towards the west of Paris. 1 corps is now 2 hexes southwest of Paris and 2 more are to the south. It appears that the Allies are not concerned about evacuating French units to England. It appears that the only Free French units after the fall of France will be the French air fleet, since all the French land forces appear to be defending Paris and are nearly surrounded.

March 31 (No change in readiness levels) Another French army is killed and a German corps moves within 4 hexes of Bordeaux. The Germans are making good progress in the south and east, but are only 1 hex beyond the LC border in the north. The mine is now in German hands. The French corps in Paris, which built there last turn to replace one that moved out, is attacked by air to ensure that it does not entrench. 3 other French corps on the French line are attacked and knocked down to 7, 5 and 4 in strength. It appears that the Allies have given up on their hunt for the sub.

A little ditty being sung by the Allied navy as they move hither and thither across the vast (or, in this game, not so vast) Atlantic ocean looking for the 2nd German sub: Oh where oh where did that little sub go? Oh where oh where can it be? With its strength intact yet so hard to see, Oh where oh where can it be? Without revealing the sub's location, I will say that it has seen at least 3 Allied ships either stop near it or move past it -- indicating that its survival is probably more luck than skill.

March 3, 1940 Italy: 80%, USA: 16%, USSR: 43% France has created a formidable defense at the LC border, with a frontline of armies backed by a row of corps. This is were the Germans have their heavy troops (an army and 2 tanks). On front where the Maginot line used to be, France has a solitary line of armies facing a row of German corps -- apparently innocent but deadly, for this is where the Axis strike and this is where the French line is breached. The French army below the mine is killed by a combination of 4 air attacks and hits from the 2 corps next to it. Another German corps then races through the breach, cutting off the French corps next to Switzerland that forms the southern flank of the French line. Attacks are also made on other French armies, knocking 1 on the LC border down to 7 and the one on the mine down to 9. Additional German armies and a Manstein HQ arrive at the France/Germany border.

January 7, 1940 Italy: 70%, USA: 16%, USSR: 43% - Denmark falls - Polish forces are eliminated and Poland falls - no attacks on the western Front, while German forces prepare and are reinforced - Atlantic sub has been very lucky and has still not been found. Soon, it will be safe.

November 26, 1939 Italy: 70%, USA: 16%; USSR: 41% - the Danish corps is killed. Denmark will fall next turn. - the corps in Warsaw is killed, but no German troops are available to move in. Poland is down to a corps (str. 3) and the air fleet (str. 1). Poland will fall next turn. - German corps are now lined up where the Maginot line used to be, facing French armies. A French army on the LC border is attack by German air, army and tank. The German troops perform badly and the French army is only knocked down to 7. - the remaining German sub in the Atlantic continues to evade the Allied fleet, sometimes just barely.

PBEM Player List Here is the current (as of Mar. 15, 2004) list of people that want to play games by PBEM, providing their Forum user name and their email address. It is in alphabetical order. If you are looking for a PBEM game of SC, these are the people to contact. If you want to be added to the list, contact me at: reid@pacific.net.sg Agamemnon : diggles@comcast.net Amona : kliomene@gmx.de Archibald : archibald@blueyonder.co.uk Bill101 : Bill.run@ntlworld.com boninza : jubel@freenet.de Cheesehead : applehammond@juno.com Curry : currycook@aol.com disorder : joewells@dailypost.com Dragonflame : allies@web.de Edwin P. : edwin@kensai.net ElGascon: ElGascon@ivimposto.com Flatus : wbotsford@cinci.rr.com Greg from France : acgreg@yahoo.com Hueristic : Hueristic9@yahoo.com Iron Ranger : pjflanag@aol.com James Mason : jimmy@cowboy.net JerseyJohn : johnofjersey@aol.com Jordy : mfjordan7578@hotmail.com Kantabricus: peruilmalu@hotmail.com KDG : grashoff@pacbell.net kenfedoroff : kenfedoroff@comcast.net kurt88 : kurt_vanlooy@hotmail.com macnab : PgDwsn@aol.com Maytar : sean@3leaf.com mpacc : mitchpacconi@msn.com nanope : durape@yahoo.es Nomada_DAK : bpin@ozu.es Oak : reid@pacific.net.sg Paqman : mpaq74@hotmail.com Panzer39 : transam00@cox.net poots : lvanloon@shaw.ca Rannug : gunnar.elgenstrom@utb.boras.se Reepicheep : philip.nelson6@verizon.net Rol : rtink@juno.com SeaMonkey : bradtap@aol.com Shaka of Carthage : bwl@runbox.com Sidius : chsideri@anco.gr Spitfire Mk V : timreissmann@web.de Tannenberg : gromitmail@aol.com TheBlackDouglas : davidcross@charter.net Thoranaga : thoranaga@t-online.de Tigleth Pilisar : tigleth.pilisar@shaw.ca Tolwin : vzeis@rhein-neckar.netsurf.de Valheru : valheruorden@insightbb.com VonPaulus : Paulj_199@hotmail.com Wan : aow_wan@malmo.bonet.se Wehrmacht : Kani@jippii.fi xediel : eldapone@yahoo.com xwormwood : xwormwood@t-online.de [ March 15, 2004, 06:50 AM: Message edited by: Oak ]

A list of people that want to play Strategic Command by email has been put together. That list, giving their Forum user name and email address, is provided in this thread. There is also a win/loss record for these players so that players can get a feel for who the better players are. The focus of this PBEM group is on fun, so that win/loss record is meant to help you find players at your own level rather than to foster a competitive environment. As noted already, the focus of this group is on fun and keeping things flexible. Flexibility is the watchword for this group. Feel free to use any house rules or campaign that you would like ... as long as your opponent agrees. Variety is the spice of life, so feel free to add a little spice to these games. You should also feel free to move at your own pace with these games. Some of you are busy with other games and some are just plain busy. Start your games when you can and move forward with them at whatever pace you prefer. Also, don't cheat! This is an honor system, and your opponents will be trusting you to play fair and square. For those new to PBEM, please note that when you select a PBEM file to open it will indicate the number of reloads. This indicates how many times a move has been replayed by your opponent. The number should be zero. If it is more than that, then you are encouraged to get clarify from your opponent as to why a move was replayed. Also remember that you should play a move only once. If it doesn't go as you would have liked or if there are some unpleasant surprises DON'T play the move over again. Instead, accept that it is all part of the game and do what you can to overcome the challenges."

October 29 - 1 Atlantic sub headed east, got too close to the bombers and was killed. No raiding in the Atlantic this turn. - France vacated the bottom part of the Maginot Line, apparently thinking that no German corps were within range to move in. 1 German corps moved next to the vacant spot allowing a 2nd German corps to move in. The bottom part of the Maginot Line has been destroyed. - Danish corps in Copenhagen is attacked by 2 cruisers, 1 air and the German corps next to it. All perform poorly and the Danish corps is only knocked down to 4. - a Polish corps next to Warsaw is killed with the other Polish forces taking hits as well.

Since the purpose of bidding is to even things out for the Allies, it seems like giving MPP and free research to the Axis is contrary to that purpose. Also, giving so many free tech chits at the start is likely to heighten the tendency towards a heavy use of air that so many people complain about.

October 1, 1939 - the Axis declare war on the Low Countries. Brussels falls after attacks by 3 air and a blitzing tank. An army moves into Brussels; a corps moves into the Ardennes. - the Danish corps in Copenhagen is knocked down to 6 by bombardment and a German corps to the west. - the 2 Polish armies are destroyed and the Germans tighten their siege of Warsaw. - Axis subs raid in the Atlantic.

When are we going to see the US cavalry coming to the rescue?

September 3, 1939 The games starts with the following Axis actions: - DOW Denmark. The corps in Copenhagen is bombarded down to 8. - Poland attacked. All Polish forces survive, but the 2 armies are down to 2 and 1. - Some units moves west.

I should add that this game comes just after I was roundly beaten by Amona, with me playing the Axis and him the Allies. So, I have my work cut out for me.

Amona asked me to take him on in a game that incorporates some of the ideas put forth by Shaka of Carthage. This include: Limits on air: The Axis are limited to 6 air fleets for Germany and 2 for Italy, while Allies are limited to 4 for the US, UK and USSR and 2 for France. 2 carriers replaced by battleships: 2 of the UK carriers (the Glorious and the Courageous) are replaced by battleships (named the Barham and Malaya) Additional bomber: the UK starts off with 1 additional bomber located in Manchester The Allies were also given additional MPP of 100 for the UK and 800 for the USSR.

The Axis high command has conceded the game. They are in no position to withstand a attack on all fronts. This was an extremely enjoyable game for me. Thanks for the game, Shaka of Carthage!