AAR: Rambo, Axis, Jollyguy, Allies

[Jollyguy]

Okay, I heeded the cry of Rambo for a game, and we started one, he, Axis, myself, Allies.

Game started with a quick takedown of the Poles, Warsaw taken in two turns, due in part to a mix-up in orders for the Poles, who zigged when they should have zagged. The BeNeLuxers and French and Danes were attacked in quick order, but France held until late April, 1940, due in part by a mix-up by the German High Command, who broke into a captured cache of fine French champagne while on the outskirts of Paris, and without realizing it read their maps upside down and ordered their fine Stormtroopers to march in the wrong direction, allowing the Frenchmen in their tanks to survive one extra turn. This helped the Brits garrison both western French cities, but they quickly abandoned one after a German army appeared (sober this time).

And then the German diplomats got to work, with three or four successive hits on the gullible Hungarians and Rumanians, who, bribed by trainloads of Reichsmarks, believed Der Fuhrer’s promises of quick victory. Meanwhile the RAF’s bombers bombed mines unmolested, and the RN took target practice on Axis units guarding the strait near Denmark, inflicting damage turn-after-turn-after, even knocking the Italian miner down to 3 one turn when two carriers join the action. Eventually the miner finished his fortification, but the RN still took regular potshots at the garrison.

Franco was stabbed in the back around July as expected, and the Brits relieved some pressure by occupying the Northern Spanish city, along with the one in the Med. The Spanish tank retreated into Madrid and was reinforced, and the brave Spanish held for as long as possible, while the RN bombarded units at every opportunity from both the Atlantic and Med side. The Brits eventually retreated to the Rock, and also occupied Casablanca, from where the RAF and RN hit an advancing German army advancing west, making it retreat. The bomber also hit the Vichy French city and port, to slow deployment of the Luftwaffe and reinforcements. The Rock held for quite awhile, with air cover provided by the two RAF fighters, supported by the HQ fresh from the Home Islands.

The Rock fell eventually, but not before the RN took out a corp and inflicted other damage. But Casablanca held a bit longer, but alas, a British army was taken out by an Amphip German army, paratrooper, and army. The Brits boarded waiting transports and bid adieu to Casablanca. It was about this time a sole English chit hit, and King Gustav decided to turn off Adolf’s ore shipments.

But Egypt is still in British hands, and in a daring raid one of the damaged corps from Spain circled Africa, and relieved the corp on Malta, which landed and took the Italian city near the bottom of the board about the same time Casablanca fell, buying time as it cut off the ability of the Axis to operate units east. The African city was just reclaimed by the Axis, who are slowly marching east on their quest to play tourist around the Pyramids and swim in the Nile.

Meanwhile, out West at Brest, it’s late July, 1941, and the English still hold the city by shuttling in fresh corps to relieve the ones pummeled each turn by three Luftwaffe fighters, two Italian ones, and one minor. The Axis seems reluctant to advance with ground units due to the city being flanked by the RN, so this dance has progressed for three turns now, and will to at least a fourth.

But Adolf, infuriated at King Gustav for favoring the Allies, invaded Sweden around June, 1941. The King bravely held on for a couple turns but finally succumbed. The English of course watch this development from Oslo.

Russia is at 81%, the US at 65% I believe, and it should be August, 1941 on the turn waiting for me when I get home.

Bob

[jon_j_rambo]

Ich Bin Bah Berliner, I am a Bunta:

-Poland dropped on round #2.

-Denmark, LC, no problem.

-Diplomats quickly converted Hungary & Romania

-France, average, little damage taken.

-V.France in Summer '40

-Spain, no problems, actually didn't take real hits, kept my forces away from coasts.

-The Rock, did lose a corp, oh well.

-Casablanca, got that scum out of Europe's drain.

-Sweden, IKEA sux, but it's mine.

-Oslo, just got it, but he has rest Norway.

-West of the Nile, just got there.

-September '41, Barby soon.

[Jollyguy]

Update: After the English evacuated Casablanca they pondered where to go, and with the light Axis presence in Africa decided not to head home, but rather sailed around Africa to the steamy sands of Egypt; land of strong coffee and good looking women…whenever you get a peek under their their veils. Eventually the Germans and Italians are seen trudging their way across the desert on foot, kicking up clouds of dust along the way. But then instead of defending Alexandria the Brits operated to Amman, fearful that amphibious transports, which Rambo has shown a tendency to use, would close their escape routes.

From Jordan the British Desert Rats and RAF spotted for two Russian paratroopers, who descended and took out Goddamn Hussain and his followers, and occupied Baghdad, so the oil convoys begin to England. Iran was also DOW’ed to open up a land bridge to Moscow, but Tehran not taken yet, but that should happen soon. Next up was Syria, taken by a British tank and corp with help from the RAF. With Syria secured the RAF began taking potshots at German units across the Suez Canal, where Commonwealth units still put up a valiant but expected futile defense of Egypt.

In Norway the British reinforce the mountains and still hold both coastal cities, as the Wehrmacht advances from Oslo.

In Russia a sharp exchange around Odessa, where a couple Russian corps are heavily damaged, with two German corps and one army destroyed in a Russian counter attack. The Russians had massed in the area to protect their engineer, who is almost done building a string of fortifications to connect with the city above the northern river line (sorry, I just never committed all the cities to memory). It’s late October, 1941, and Russian mud set in at the end of my turn this morning after my counter attack, which should blunt any Axis return attacks, but I’ll see for sure when I look at my turn back tonight. Earlier the Russians feinted at Finland but then pulled back, while Leningrad got cutoff from Moscow by an elite German tank, but the city holds under the weight of multiple air attacks. The Russian Baltic fleet rests at the bottom of the sea, but not before inflicting some damage on the Kreigsmarine. The Russians report that it appears Rambo is reinforcing his navy.

As we enter the end of 1941 the US just reacted to Axis gains in Egypt and should be in the action in the next turn or two. As expected their factories and scientists have been busy, and that Pacific Fleet and the rest of USN is itching to get into action.

Bob

[Jollyguy]

As Rambo reported, this ended in an Allied victory. I held onto the one Norwegian city the entire time, and after Moscow fell and he tried to advance on the city north, the Russians were waiting. I took out three German armiies at the cost of one Russian army and a corp. At about the same time the Allies landed in France and dismantled some fortifications, and had started a bombing campaign which made it harder to operate west, and began to dent Axis mpps.

Rambo started with the advantage, fast Poland, and persuasive diplomats, but his mistakes IMO weres not paying the costs to deal with Africa earlier, and not building a bomber and/or committing more forces to Norway. The first allowed me to shift Brits back to Egypt and eventually take Iraq with no chance of a Sea Lion, and the second allowed me to hang around in Norway and drain Axis resources. Even the threat of a bomber would have forced me to evacuate Norway, as I wouldn't have risked losing a valuable British HQ and units, as he could bomb my port. Without a bomber I was able to support my corps in the mountains, buying time. Even then, if he had committed extra armies to Norway he could have forced me out, and operated his units to other fronts.

Anyway, I think Rambo needs a break, which I can understand, I've been there.

Bob

[jon_j_rambo]

Ich Bin Bah Berliner:

I have 2 games to finish, then this long world tour is over.