Allies: Greg Smith (Bid: 1.5 POC)
Axis: Jim Kramer Jr.
Report by Jim Kramer Jr.
T1 – Greg opened with a MED strategy sending 2x 5-5-3, 4x 4-4-4, 4x 1-1-7 and Ark Royal there. The NA had 2x 4-4-3, 1x 3-3-6, 1x 1-1-7 and Eagle. The NS had the 4-4-7, 1x 4-4-4, 1x 4-4-3, 2x 1-1-7 and Glorious. The SA had 2 4-4-3, 1 3-3-6, 1 1-1-7 and Courageous. Jim responded with 3 U-boats in the NA, a 2-2-5 in both the Barents and the Baltic, the Italian BBs sheltering in Italy and the rest of the Axis ships (2x 3-5-7, 2x 1-2-7, 4x 1-1-7 and a 2-2-5 needing a speed roll) to the SA. The 2-2-5 speed roll failed and she returned to Germany. Allied LBA attack Italy while Axis LBA goes to the MED. In combat ASW sink one sub and disable the other two. The LBA strikes see A.D. (4-3-5) hit for 2 and the UK cruiser Dorsetshire sunk. SA combat sees the Axis lose Scharnhorst and Blucher with Gneisenau taking 2 points of damage. The UK forces lose the 2 BBs (Royal Oak and Revenge) with the Renown and the damaged CA Norfolk disabled. The remaining Axis ships pursue and sink Courageous. The Axis controls the Barents, Baltic and SA and the Allies control the NA, NS and MED. The POC count is 6 to 3 Axis, game score is +3 Axis. The Gneisenau and Adm. Hipper successfully oil for T2.
T2 – The Allies keep the MED fleet in place (2x 5-5-3, 4x 4-4-4, 3x 1-1-7 and Ark Royal), deploy 2x 4-5-6, 1x 3-3-6, the damaged Norfolk and the Formidable to the SA, 2x 4-4-3, 1x 3-3-6, 3x 1-1-7 and Eagle to the NA and deploy the Hood, Warspite, Royal Sovereign and Glorious to the NS. The Axis send the damaged Gneisenau to the Barents, the full Italian fleet rejoins in the MED and the 3 U-boats and remaining German ships (the 4-9-6, 3x 2-2-5 and 2x 1-2-7) are in the NS. The Baltic is not patrolled. During combat allied NS ASW sank 1 sub and disabled another. The remaining sub missed the CV there. Allied air then disabled Lutzow in the NS and in the MED sank the damaged Andrea Doria and disabled Vittorio Veneto. Axis LBA in the MED crippled QE and disabled Rodney. Surface combat in the NS has only a German 1-2-7 disabled but German return fire sinks Warspite and Royal Sovereign and disabled Hood with 2 damage. Pursuit here sees Glorious also sunk. The MED goes well for the allies sinking a 4-6-6, 2x 4-3-5 and a 1-1-7 and disabling the remaining 4-3-5 and a 1-1-7. Italian return fire sinks a 4-4-4 and a 1-1-7. In addition Malaya is crippled, Nelson receives 4 damage and is disabled with Valiant and the crippled QE. A second combat round sees another Italian 1-1-7 disabled. The remaining Italian 1-1-7 flees without pursuit. The Malaya returns to England. The Axis controls the Barents and NS and the Allies control the NA, SA and MED. The POC count is 5 to 3 Axis, game score is now +5 Axis.
T3 – With so many losses and no USSR help, the Allies limit deployment for the turn with repairs to Hood, Malaya and Norfolk in England and QE in Malta. The NS has all available patrollers (3x 4-5-6, 2x 3-3-6, 2x 4-4-3, 3x 1-1-7 and the carriers Ark Royal, Formidable and Eagle). The MED has Rodney and the damaged Nelson, Valiant, 2x 1-1-7 and Victorious. Convoy 1A of course, stays in port. The Axis keep the surviving Italians (a 4-6-6, a 4-3-5 and 3x 1-1-7) in port. The Germans repair Gneisenau and patrol the open zones. The 3x 2-2-5 and 3 U-boats to the Baltic, Tirpitz in the Barents, Admiral Hipper in the NA and Prinz Eugen and Bismark (passed speed roll) to the SA. LBA is the only combat with an Italian 1-1-7 sunk and UK Cumberland damaged for 1. The Axis controls the Baltic, Barents, SA and NA and the Allies control the NS and MED. The POC count is 9 to 2 Axis, game score is now +10 Axis.
T4 – Allied US/USSR rolls see only Washington come on board. Allied deployment has Washington, Hood, Anson, 2x 4-4-3, 2x 3-3-6, Ark Royal and Convoy 1A in the NA. The NS has Rodney, Malaya, 3x 4-5-6, 4x 1-1-7, Eagle and Formidable. In the MED, Valiant, Sussex, Victorious and the damaged Nelson (4), QE (2) and Cumberland (1). The SA is open. The Axis deploys 3x 2-2-5 in the Barents, Tirpitz, Gneisenau, Admiral Hipper and Graf Zeppelin in the Baltic, Prinz Eugen in the SA and sends Bismark (passed speed) to the MED joining Vittorio Veneto, Caio Duillio and 2x 1-1-7 and 5 U-boats. All combat is in the MED. ASW sinks a sub and disables 2. The remaining 2 subs sink Victorious before she can make airstrikes. LBA sees the allies disable C.D. and hit V.V. scoring 5 damage. Axis LBA disable Nelson and hit Valiant scoring a point of damage. Surface combat has Bismark receive 7 points of damage and sees V.V. sunk. Axis return fire is even more devastating with Valiant, QE and Cumberland sunk. At this point with the game score staying at Axis +10, Greg surrendered.
During the game Greg was happy with most of his combat results but my Axis fire always seemed to do him one or two better. I would have to agree. Greg and I have played before.
FINAL GAME RESULT: Axis 10-point victory - Axis lead of 11.5 POC (after the bid) at the end of Turn 4
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