Europa Games and Military History

Month: December 2013

Interlude

For those who may not know, the SoS Campaign for Norway EA game report project is at the May II 40 Allied turn. Per Rule 41B-Campaign for Norway Scenario, this would be the final player turn of the Scenario.

Thus, this Europa wargame Scenario, like others in the series (ie., FitE/SE 1941 Scenario, WitD Western Desert Scenario),ends in the midst of the campaign at a somewhat arbitrary photo-finish point in time, with the future hanging and swinging in mid-air, so to speak.

The actual historical Norwegian campaign, especially during the second half of May and most of June 1940, was not carried out in a vacuum.

Select Mid May-June 1940 Chronology:

May 10: Germany invades Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. British troops land in Iceland. Resignation of Mr. Chamberlain; Coalition Government formed w/ Mr. Churchill as PM.

May 13: Germans capture Liege, push through the Ardennes, and reach the Meuse River. Dutch government transferred to U.K. Churchill’s “blood and toil and tears and sweat” speech in Commons.

May 14: Holland surrenders “to prevent annihilation.”

May 15: Germans capture Sedan and in battle break through across the Meuse between Mezieres and Namur; the bridges not destroyed.

May 16/17: Gap forms in Sedan sector of Allied front; the panzers “race to the sea.” Brussels abandoned.

May 18: Germans reach Amiens, capture Antwerp.

May 21: Germans reach the English Channel. Br cruiser Effingham sunk off Norway.

May 22: Desperate Allied counterattack to rescue trapped Western Allied forces in Channel pocket at Belgium-French border.

May 23: Bolougne captured by Germans.

May 26: Lt. Gen. J.G. Dill becomes British C.-in-C. General Ironsides becomes C.-in-C. of British Home Forces. British cruiser Curlew sunk by LW aircraft off Narvik. Calais falls that evening.

May 28: Belgium surrenders. Dunkirk evacuation begins; continues until evening of June 2/3. 337,000 Western Allied troops evacuated. Narvik captured by Norwegian and British forces.

May 30: “Uncounted thousands” of Western Allied troops reach England.

May 31: President Roosevelt pushes “billion dollar” defense budget.

June 4: Churchill’s public statement saying “we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight in the fields…we will never surrender.”

June 5: Germans launch their 2nd major French offensive in the West, from the Channel coast to Laon.

June 8: British aircraft carrier Glorious sunk during Allied withdrawal from Narvik, British destroyer Acasta sunk during the same naval battle.

June 9: Norwegian King Hoakon announces the collapse of Allied resistance to the Nazi invasion of Norway.

June 10: Withdrawal of the remainder of British and French troops from northern Norway. Norwegian king sails to U.K. Italy declares war on the Allies.

June 12: Soviet ultimatum to Lithuania; accepted June 14th. New government by June 16th.

June 14: Germans enter Paris.

June 15: New Russo-German frontier agreement announced. Minor changes around E. Prussia, if I recall.

June 16: USSR demands change of government of Estonia and Latvia. New Latvian Cabinet by June 20; new Estonian Cabinet by June 22.

June 17: Marshal Petain’s new Cabinet in France. New French government asks for armistice terms. British evacuation of France completed.

June 18: Churchill gives “finest hour” speech in the Commons.

June 19: French agree to prohibit transport of war material to China through Indo-China.

June 21/22: Armistice negotiated and signed in Foch’s railway carriage at Compiegne. Polish exile government reaches London from France.

Thus the SoS Campaign for Norway Scenario ends at the finish of the May II 40 game turn, well before the end of the historical campaign for Norway. For that matter, the Campaign for Norway Scenario ends well before the end of the SoS NTO Scenario, which can continue until the end of the Jun II 40 game turn.

What the Campaign for Norway Scenario offers wargamers is evidently an “historical” set-up of the Norwegian forces. In the NTO Scenario the Soviet player on their Dec II 39 player turn evidently conducts the Norwegian partial mobilization per the Norway, 1939-1945 Europa OB beginning on p. 31 of the SoS OB booklet. This in effect is a rules sanctioned limited Norwegian “free deployment” as opposed to the Campaignfor Norway Scenario “historical” deployment for Norway.

However, due to the Initial Phase “activities” numbering sequence of the SoS Master Sequence of Play Summary, it appears impossible for NTO Campaign wargamers to “tweak” their Scenario into a parallel Campaign for Norway “historical” format, with the Russo-Finnish War conveniently ended, and thereby legally smuggle in the extra turns allowed in the NTO Scenario. At best the Soviets can end the Russo-Finnish War (per Rule 41G3d-End to Russo-Finnish War) “at the start of…the Soviet initial phase” on their Apr I 40 player turn. But at that moment, “if the Russo-Finnish war ends before any Allied or Axis Intervention occurs, the [NTO] scenario ends at that point.” Per Rule 41G3c-Axis Intervention, the Germans “automatically intervene on the Apr I 40 turn even if the Allies have not intervened,” but per the SoS Initial Phase activity listing this does not occur until step 4, apparently well after “the start” of the Soviet initial phase, when the NTO Scenario would end if the Russo-Finnish war ends per Rule 41G3d.

There is the unusual “alternative history” possibility of a NTO Scenario with a Russo-Finnish War continuing through the Apr I 40 game turn, but still without direct Allied intervention into it and played alongside a separate “automatic” German invasion of Denmark and Norwaybeginning on a joint Apr I 40 Soviet/Axis player turn. Per Rule 41G3a-Allied Intervention, on the following Apr I 40 joint Finnish/Allied turn, Allied intervention into that new Scandinavian conflict would “automatically” occur along with “automatic” simultaneous Allied intervention also occurring into the ongoing Russo-Finnish War. See Rule 41G3c-Axis Intervention for German restrictions. In this situation Rule 41G3d says “The [NTO] scenario continues [presumably as long as the Jun II 40 game turn inclusive] with the remaining warring nations.” The Soviets would then, beginning on the Apr II 40 Soviet/Axis turn, begin using a -10 DP (demoralization point) factor when determining if the Russo-Finnish War ends (Rule 41G3d). This may well compel the Soviet army to advance all the way to Helsinki in order to gain the additional DPs, rather than ending/winning their Winter War by capturing Viipuri (without the -10 DP factor), as might often be the case prior to any Allied intervention into the conflict. However, although the SoS Scenarios don’t express the final peace settlement of such an alternative history situation in terms of Grand Europa country borders, probably in a real life situation with the Soviet army capturing both Helsinki and Viipuri by either the Jun I or Jun II 40 turns (eg., in effect at or right after the fall of France), this might just mean the end of an independent Finland. However, the Soviet Union probably would not have incorporated the three Baltic States, which in real life occurred only after they realized that the fall of France was imminent, until after a settlement of the Russo-Finnish War, and therefore in this situation might have delayed this incorporation event (or its attempt) until maybe the late summer of 1940.

We will skip for now the admittedly quite appealing issue of creating an “expanded” SoS Campaign for Norway Scenario lasting at least to the Jun II 40 game turn inclusive, perhaps using the NTO Allied and German OBs as a basis for the added on Jun I and Jun II 40 game turns. For a first class effort I’m thinking the proposed Campaign for Norway Scenario expansion likely needs more study and perhaps some additional SoSRules and OB tweaking. Someday it probably should be done. A first class scenario of this type might also include provisions for the war in the Atlantic in the 4th quarter of 1940.

Even better would be a Campaign for Norway/Fall of France/Their Finest Hour Grand Europa campaign scenario, beginning likely on the Apr I 40 turn and ending perhaps on the Dec II 40 turn. Here the interaction between the time period’s three war regions would be more apparent.

SoS Rules Issues:

  1. The hex entry side of a port, in particular the Bergen port. See Rule 27B4-All-Water Route/Adjacent for this. The center, or main entry hex side of the Bergen port should be the 3016/3017 hex side, I believe. The center, or main entry hex side of the Stavanger port should be 3619/3620.
  2. Stored replacement point locations, both infantry RPs and special replacements. The Allied player in theCampaignfor Norway Scenariomight ought to note that the Norway, 1939-1935 Europa OB, used for the Norwegian forces in the Scenario, lists Trondheim, Bergen, and Oslo as the hex locations where their May I 40 Allied turn infantry RP Production Ground Replacements are “received.” Accordingly, for reasons of efficiency and expediency, Norwegian infantry RP “special replacements,” which per Rule 40B-Replacements are “calculated” and their residual hex location “designated” during the Allied initial phase following the affected ground unit losses, might ought to be placed at one of these same city hexes, if the combat hex is not “isolated” from the particular city hex. Similar cautions need to be done for German and Western Allied inf RP OB arrivals and special replacement infantry RP accounting. Even apparently isolated ground unit losses can be calculated and then designated at a friendly owned hex existing in the isolated geographical zone. Evidently they may be stored there as long as the hex remains friendly. Of course they may just be hard to retrieve and assemble with other inf RPs into a replaced ground unit.
  3. Floatplanes in theCampaignfor Norway. I think that WW Optional Rules 23G2a-Floatplane Airbase Capacity and b-Floatplane Transports might ought to be incorporated into SoS as optional rules. The Floatplane Airbase Capacity optional rule says that “a port…with a port capacity greater than 0 has a special floatplane capacity of 1. This capacity is not damaged due to any hits achieved against it due to airbase bombing. …[A]irbase bombing is allowed against such a hex and code F air units at the airbase [port] can be hit, but the special floatplane airbase capacity does not get damaged.” The Floatplane Transports optional rule says a floatplane “may land its cargo in any friendly-owned partial-sea/lake hex. It may not, however, fly a one-way transport mission in this manner.”

Victory Points and Rule 42-Victory:

Here is a preliminary estimate of projected end-of-game and/or accumulated Victory Points done at the beginning of the May II 40 game turn for the EA reported SoS Campaign for Norway Scenario.

Axis Side:

Ownership of Norwegian Cities and Ports (all on map 10B, unless noted):

  • point city/minor port of Halden (4308): +2
  • point city/minor port of Fredrikstad (4309): +2
  • point city/minor port of Tonsberg (4310): +2
  • point city/minor port of Larvik (4311): +2
  • point city/minor port of Arendal (4413): +2
  • point city/minor port of Moss (4208): +2
  • point city/minor port of Drammen (4009): +2
  • point city/minor port of Egersund (4019): +2
  • point city of Honefoss (3808): +1
  • point city of Hamar (3605): +1
  • point city/minor port of Frode (2613): +2
  • point city/standard port of Kristiansand (4416): +4
  • reference city/standard port of Stavanger (3619): +6
  • reference city/major port of Narvik (5C:1010) +8
  • dot city/major port of Bergen (3016): +10
  • major city/major port of Oslo (4007): +20

Capturing [Norwegian] Objectives:

Capture of Norwegian capital [evidently the map hex and not the marker]: +10

Enemy Losses [in Norway or at sea]:

  • Nor inf II and Nor cav II: +1
  • second Nor cav II: –
  • two isolated Nor inf IIIs: +4
  • one Nor inf III unable to mobilize: +1
  • one Nor inf XX HQ unit unable to mobilize: +1
  • sunk Nor CD TF Norge: +2
  • aborted Br Skua (C code) FAA air unit +2
  • British heavy TF hits (11 total): +33

Ownership of Danish Cities and Ports (all on map13A):

Note: in this game Denmark became a “German protectorate” in the Combat Phase of the Apr I 40 Axis Turn per Rule 38D2-The Danish Protectorate. In this particular situation I believe all Danish cities and ports captured by the Axis at that “point during the player turn it is invaded by Germany” when it “accept[s] the imposition of a German protectorate over the country” ought to be counted for VPs per the notes indicated on the VP charts found on p. 70 of the SoS Scenario Rules booklet.

  • reference city/standard port of Esbjerg (0621): +2
  • dot city/major port of Aahrus (0616): +4
  • reference city/standard port of Odense (0918): +2
  • major city/major port of Kjobenhavn (1113): +7

Capturing [Danish] Objectives:

Capture of Danish Capital [evidently the map hex and not the marker]: +3

Enemy Losses [in Denmark]:

  • three Danish non-mot REs eliminated: +3
  • eliminated Danish C.V air unit: +2
  • CD TF N. Juel scuttled/sunk: +2

Accumulated Friendly Production:

  • three accumulated Ger inf RPs +3
  • fourteen accumulated Ger LW ARPs +14
  • .5 resource point –

This tallies to an Axis VP total of: +164

Allied Side:

Enemy Losses [in Norway or at sea]:

  • three Ger inf/mtn REs eliminated while isolated: +6
  • one aborted LW Ju 52 air unit +1
  • German heavy TF hits (14 total): +84

Accumulated Friendly Production:

  • one accumulated Br ARP +1
  • one accumulated Nor ARP +1
  • .25 accumulated Nor inf RP –

This tallies to a possible Allied VP total of: +93

Technically, that’s it for the Allies so far in this wargame, if one reads without questioning the VP charts found on the back side (p. 70) of the SoS Scenario Rules booklet. Under “Ownership of Cities and Ports” is the parenthetical stipulation, “count only those that were enemy-owned at start of scenario,” which means, as far as I can tell, that the Allied player never gets to add any Ownership VPs for Scandinavian city/port ownership in either the Campaign for Norway or NTO Scenarios. The VP tallies are so lopsided that I believe the Axis could still afford to lose at least two or maybe up to three of their five remaining Kriegsmarine TF naval units (they begin the Scenario with a total of 9 naval TFs) and still possibly manage to win at the game’s end.

In the Campaign for Norway Scenario wargame done for the EA game report, this poor Allied VP tally is the case despite of the fact that both the Norwegian forces and the Allied Scandinavian expeditionary forces remain basically intact, that the Allied player holds securely for now both Trondheim and Bergen, and that the still intact and quite potent Royal Navy has inflicted grave damage to the Kriegsmarine. Moreover, even if one goes ahead and adds the VPs for currently Allied controlled Norwegian city/ports on the stipulated SoS Campaign for Norway maps per Rule 41-Preparing for Play (this tallies to 53, I believe), the new Allied VP total is now at 146, still 18 points below the current Axis VP tally.

Also, most of the 14 Allied hits done on German heavy TFs were achieved due to a misunderstanding regarding the supply status of the German forces in the Narvik hex, which were also being threatened then by an Allied build-up in the Narvik zone. This threat of a beefed-up Allied attack against the German held Narvik hex, aggravated by the erroneous belief that the German forces there were also out of regular supply, compelled the Axis player to execute his ill-fated Kriegsmarine naval mission to reinforce the Narvik hex, which resulted in most of the Allied hits against the German naval units done in the several naval battles in the Norwegian Sea. The better way to reinforce Narvik, which was nevertheless necessary due to the Allied build-up in the zone, would have been to air transport at night unsupported German inf III breakdowns into the Narvik hex. This air transport reinforcement of Narvik would have also given the Axis player game turn time and preserved the Kriegsmarine naval resources for different and possibly more rewarding Axis naval operations in the vast geographical coastal “bulge” region of SW Norway. These Axis naval operations would have undoubtedly also resulted in some Allied hits to Axis TF naval units, but a preliminary guess/estimate would be ½ to 2/3rds of the current tally.

Right now I’m tentatively thinking that perhaps the Allied player should get VPs for ownership of Norwegian cities and ports at the end of the Campaign for Norway and NTO Scenarios. This would at least more properly channel some of the wargame strategy and tactics of the Allied player. But I probably ought to play a few more scenarios completely through before firing off a protest letter to HMS.

I’m currently thinking that in the SoS Campaign for Norway Scenario the Axis player is faced with reliving a whole series of ordeals and risks which in the historical campaign appear to be “done deals” and thus in hindsight perhaps sometimes skipped over by WWII students as inevitable historical success. But these “done” historical realities are not so in SoS. These relived Axis historical ordeals and risks might now be worth listing:

  1. Conquering Denmark in the context of Rules 38A and D; specifically capturing Kjobenhaven (13A:1113). The trick here is that the Axis must somehow get ground units onto the Danish island of Sjaelland and then successfully attack and occupy Kjobenhaven. I suspect this will often be done by amphibious landings, as the LW para IIs will likely be required for more critical air drops in southernNorway. In many games the amphibious landings necessary at Sjaelland Island will likely be done at either Korsor (1016) or Helsingor (1012), the later of which is conveniently adjacent to Kjobenhaven. The otherSoS Campaign for Norway game report that is posted in the EA files does the amphibious landing onto Sjaelland at Vordinborg (1412) if I recall and am understanding it correctly. But I don’t know how the amphibious landing (and presumably) non-divisional ground units subsequently cross the adjacent causeway (eg., without a ZOC to initially gain control of the other side) onto the Danish isle of Falster to the north in order to continue moving in order to gain control of Nykobing (1516).
  2. Capturing Narvik. On the initial turn the Axis will likely amphibiously disembark only one stripped down and supported mtn III breakdown, then roll for disruption on the Disruption Table and see what happens.
  3. Capturing Trondheim. Here the risks for the Axis are apparently identical to the situation at Narvik. Here the Axis player will likely use his other stripped down supported mtn III breakdown, reliving once again the Disruption Table die roll ordeal and being the slave of its verdict. At either location, if the Axis player loses out on these initial player turn amphibious disembarkation die rolls, it is likely that the Allied player can take these hexes on the Apr I 40 Allied turn and will remain there until the end of the game.
  4. Capturing Bergen. I believe both historically and in theSoSScenario its capture is critical for both the Axis naval war north of Stavanger and in the military task of quickly continuing northwards towards Trondheim (if it is not Axis) and even farther on towards Narvik, either by the overland route in Norway (basically starting from Oslo) or by sea round the great eastern bend of the Scandinavian peninsula. In the current EA reported wargame the Axis player used two unsupported inf IIIs in the initial turn amphibious disembarkations and both managed to land disrupted. Vigorous Allied countermeasures done in their subsequent player turn won back the disputed Bergen hex from the disrupted Ger inf IIIs, as was also the case at the disputed Trondheim hex, where the single stripped down supported Ger mtn III landed disrupted, also. Once the Allies gain firm control of Bergen in the Apr I 40 Allied turn, the reinforced intrinsic Norwegian CDs in the hex make Bergen a tough and hazardous nut to crack. If the Axis come after Bergen again later in the game, there will certainly be plenty of blood.
  5. Capturing Oslo. This is admittedly the gentlest of the uncomfortable ordeals facing the Axis player in theCampaignfor NorwayScenario. Here the Axis used an unsupported inf III breakdown along with a LW para II air dropping at a clear terrain coast hex adjacent to Oslo and still both became disrupted. However, in the subsequent Allied turn the Norwegians evacuated the contested full city hex, opting to run away then in order to regroup and fight another day. On the Apr I 40 Allied turn the Allied position at the disputed Oslo hex would have been better, I think, had the Kjobenhaven hex still been Danish controlled. This prevents it from being a convenient 6-cap Axis airbase. The other available LW para II will likely often be used at either the critical Bergen assault, or perhaps at the strategic 3-cap permanent airfield at clear terrain coast hex 10B:3720 on the SW Norwegian coastline, or maybe at the adjacent reference city/standard port hex of Stavanger.
  6. The May I 40 game turn weather die roll. Things get better for the Nazi German invasion ofNorwayif the weather goes their way this turn. It’s a 50-50 chance of either clear weather or mud in the C weather zone, which includes Namsos, Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger, and Oslo. I believe historically the Nazis rolled good and got clear weather in the C weather zone. In the Campaign for Norway Scenariothe Axis gets to again relive the worry of the weather in central and southern Norway on the May I 40 game turn. Imagine asking SE/FitE/TW Axis players to do a weather die roll at the start of the Jun II 41 initial turn.

However, even though the current Allied position on the SoS wargame maps might appear impressive in the Campaign for Norway Scenario EA game reports, I suspect that this is an illusion caused by the campaign being played in the “small box” of the localized scenario with the rest of contemporary WWII reality being necessarily cropped out. I believe it is quite likely that in either a similar hypothetical “real life” alternate historical situation or in an extended and revised Campaign for Norway Scenario play (eg., played beyond the May II 40 game turn), all Allied forces currently on the Norwegian mainland would soon be evacuated or lost, perhaps even as early as the end of the Jun II 40 game turn. The superficially strong Allied positions at Trondheim and Bergen in the current Scenario wargame might, in the end, not become historical strong Allied bastions like Tobruk, bur rather would become additional historical Narvik, Dunkirk, and Crete Allied evacuation ordeals, full of loss, grief, and regrets. In Europa wargame play I suspect this would be most evident in a future Grand Europa battle scenario situation essentially combining the SoS campaign for Norway scenario with the Fall of France historical scenario.

May II 40 Allied Turn

Initial Phase

For those who may not remember, it’s clear weather in weather zones B and C and mud in weather zone A.

Both sides’ forces are in general supply on the Scenario maps and all airbases are in supply.

This turn the Norwegians receive the two1-4 Const Xs 1L and 2L in their Southern Norway and Central Norway Garrisons, respectively (General Mobilization +3). Per Rule 37F-Garrisons, the Allied player evidently may receive (eg., place on the maps) both of these Nor const units now, as there are enemy units in both districts, and can place them “in any cities in the district.” The 1-4 Const X 2L is placed at Trondheim (5C:2432). The 1-4 Const X 1L is not placed at Bergen, as one might perhaps first think, but rather it is placed at a port in the southern district as far north as possible, so as to hopefully successfully sea transport it elsewhere. It is not placed at Bergen because of the Nor 1-6 Eng III 1 that can certainly move in this turn overland along the transportation line leading to the dot city/major port. Accordingly, the Nor const X reinforcement is placed at the point city/standard port of Kristiansund (10B:2206). A third Norwegian reinforcement that is supposed to arrive this turn at Oslo, the 2-3-6* Inf X 8, is eliminated instead and placed in the Norwegian replacement pool, as Oslo is Axis controlled and occupied.

Utilizing Rule 35A-Regrouping, the Allied player transfers the remaining strength point of the crippled Br 5-pt CA TF Cruiser-2 (4 hits) to the Br BB TF Valiant (2 hits), thereby reducing its hits to 1. Both of these Br naval units begin the turn at the Orkney Islands holding box. The CA TF Cruiser-2 (now 5 hits) is placed in the Allied Replacement pool.

All of each side’s inoperative air units become operative, and neither sides’ airbases are stacked in excess of the base’s capacity.

Neither side flies any CAP missions, nor does the Axis side fly any harassment missions.

The Allied player flies no naval patrol air missions. The Axis player assigns the He 115B (SF code) B type air unit at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:4415 on the southern Norwegian coastline adjacent to Kristiansand on the naval patrol air mission, along with the two He 111H4 (S code) B type air units based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:3720, on the SW Norwegian coastline just south of Stavanger.

Movement Phase

1st Naval Movement Step

The large British naval combat naval group at sea hex 10B:1608 in the Norwegian Sea spends 30 MPs sailing WSW and ends its sea movement at the Orkney Islands holding box. At the start of the naval movement step this naval group rolls a no contact on the Danger Zones Chart (DZC). This naval group is composed of the following British naval units:

  • BB TF Rodney
  • BC TF Renown
  • BC TF Repulse (1 hit)
  • CV TF Glorious
  • CV TF Furious
  • CV TF Ark Royal carrying the operative Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit.

In the Scotland holding box the Br CL TF Cruiser-3 spends its 30 MP naval movement step allowance simultaneously replenishing its fuel and embarking the Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 82 reinforcement. The Br CL TF Cruiser-4 does the same thing (eg., replenish its fuel and embark cargo) with the Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 51 and the Br 0-5 Lt AA 55 reinforcements. The Fr CL TF Cruiser-1 does the same thing with the Br 0-1-4 Fortress X RMFU.

At the Orkney Islands holding box the Br CA TF Cruiser-1 and the Br BB TF Valiant (1 hit) both spend 30 MPs replenishing their fuel.

At the Norwegian point city/standard port of Kristiansund (10B:2206) a Nor NTP spends 30 MPs embarking the Nor 1-4 Const X 1L.

At Trondheim, a second Nor NTP spends 30 MPs embarking the Fr 1-8 Mtn Art II 2CA and the Br 0-5 Lt AA II 56.

After doing all the above, the Allied player decides to take a chance at the vulnerable Bergen hex (10B:3016) and uses the third Nor NTP, where it there spends 30 MPs embarking the Nor 1-6 Inf III 3/8Rl.

Although carefully taking in all the Allied naval activity, the Axis player for the time being nevertheless does nothing with his air units in south Norway.

2nd Naval Movement Step

At the Orkney Islands holding box the six British naval TFs that arrived there the previous naval movement step from the Norwegian Sea spend 30 MPs replenishing their fuel.

The three Allied CL TFs at the Scotland holding box, now refueled and loaded with their embarked ground unit cargoes, spend 17 MPs per the Allied Game Chart moving off-map to the Orkney Islands holding box. There the Fr CL TF Cruiser-1 spends its remaining 13 MPs of the naval movement step disembarking the Br 0-1-4 Fort X RMFU at the holding box. The other two Br CL TFs, each loaded with their ground unit cargoes, “sit tight” in the holding box for the remainder of the naval movement step.

At Trondheim, under the cover of darkness, the Nor NTP carrying the Fr 1-8 Mtn Art II 2CA and the Br 0-5 Lt AA II 56 sails out of the harbor and spends 10 MPs at night movement to reach all-sea hex 5C:1730. Then it continues moving NE in the daylight an additional 19 MPs in the Norwegian Sea to 5C:0815. There it ends the naval movement step after spending its last MP for one of the two MP expenditures needed to enter the adjacent Norwegian coast isle hex of Hinn, at 0814.

Similarly, the other Nor NTP carrying the Nor 1-4 Const X 1L leaves the Norwegian port of Kristiansund (10B:2206), sailing NE using night movement to reach all-sea hex 5C:1631. From there it spends another 20 MPs voyaging NE in daylight to end the naval movement step also at 5C:0815.

But the third Nor NTP at Bergen, with the Nor 1-6 Inf III 3/Rl completely embarked, remains in the harbor, not yet willing to risk encountering the LW air units on sea patrol, yet presently definitely vulnerable to naval strike air missions from at least the Ju 87R D type air unit at the 3-cap airfield at nearby Norwegian coast hex 10B:3720, next to Stavanger, and the He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit based at the Oslo airbase. Also at the Oslo airbase is the He 111H1 NB type air unit. The Axis player is evidently biding his time, apparently looking for bigger fish to fry in the dangerous aero-naval conflict unfolding along the embattled shores of SW Norway.

3rd Naval Movement Step

At the Norwegian coast hex at 5C:0815, along the rugged and twisted Norwegian isle of Hinn, the Allied cargo naval group consisting of the two Nor NTPs carrying their ground unit cargoes voyage onwards to the point city/minor port of Harstad (5C:0712), located on the north shores of the isle of Hinn. There the NTP carrying the Fr 1-8 Mtn Art II 2CA and the Br 0-5 Lt AA II 56 spends its remaining 23 MPs beginning to disembark its cargo.  The other Nor NTP spends its remaining 22 MPs beginning to disembark the Nor 1-4 Const X 1L.

Now, at the Orkney Islands holding box, with all the Allied TFs fleet replenished with fuel, with the Br FAA Sea Glad (C code) air unit poised operative upon the deck of the Ark Royal aircraft carrier, and with the intended ground unit cargoes duly embarked on the decks of two Br light TFs, the Royal Navy is ready to make its move into the hazardous seas surrounding SW Norway.

However, taking care of small details first, the Fr CL TF Cruiser-1 now spends 17 MPs completing the disembarkation of the 0-1-4 Fortress X RMFU at the Orkney Islands holding box, and then lingers at the box, waiting for touble.

Then, using night movement, a relatively small combat naval group comprised of the BC TF Repulse (1 hit) and the CL TF Cruiser-4 carrying the Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 51 and the 0-5 Lt AA II 55, spends 2 MPs to move onto the western edge of map 10B at hex 2333, where is also the Orkney Islands islet of Stronsey. This naval group then veers NE and moves eight more hexes at night movement to all-sea hex 10B:1628, just out of the effective sea patrol range of the two LW He 111H4 (S code) air units based on the SW Norwegian coastline. The combat naval group rolls a 2 on the DZC. From 1628 the naval group moves 20 sea hexes due east, ending its naval movement step at 10B:1608, in the midst of the NorwegianSea.

Next, a second larger British combat naval group leaves the Orkney Islands holding box, entering the North Sea at 10B:2433 in daylight. It rolls an 8 on the DZC. This Allied combat naval group is comprised of the following British naval units:

  • BB TF Rodney
  • BB TF Valiant (1 hit)
  • BC TF Renown
  • CV TF Ark Royal carrying the operative Sea Glad (S code) F type FAA air unit
  • CA TF Cruiser-1
  • CL TF Cruiser-3 carrying the Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 82.

This large naval group continues moving ESE in the North Sea, bearing towards Bergen, with the Axis player watching and carefully plotting the naval force’s progress. He finally tells the Allied player to stop his naval movement at all-sea hex 2622. The Axis player then initiates a naval patrol air mission, using the two He 111H4 (S code) B type air units based 11 hexes away at the 3-cap permanent airfield at hex 10B:3720, along the SW Norwegian coastline. Using a +1 die roll modifier for the contact attempt on the Success Table, the Axis player manages to roll a 1, which modifies to a 2: failure. The two He 111H4 LW air units return to base inoperative at the 3-cap permanent airfield at Norwegian coast hex 3720.

The relieved Allied player then uses night movement to expend the final 10 MPs needed to arrive at the Bergen dot city/major port hex. However, the BB TF Rodney, the BC TF Renown, and the CV TF Ark Royal carrying the operative Sea Glad (C code) F type air unit all stop and linger at all-sea hex 10B:2818. The BB TF Valiant (1 hit), the Br CA TF Cruiser-1, and the cargo carrying Br CL TF-3 all continue onwards to the Bergen port hex.

At the initial MP expenditure instant that the later Br combat naval group enters the Bergen coast hex, but before it spends the 2nd MP needed to actually enter into the port of Bergen, the Nor NTP carrying the embarked Nor 1-6 Inf III 3/Rl promptly exits the port of Bergen. It initially expends 2 MPs, using night movement, to enter the Norwegian controlled adjacent double island hex of Ask and Holsn, to the NW at 10B:2917. Then this cargo carrying Nor NTP moves NNE eight more hexes at night movement to 2114. From there it moves eastwards another 20 MPs arcing round the great eastward bend of the Scandinavian peninsula and ends the naval movement step at the reference city/major port of Trondheim.

After entering the port of Bergen with the other two Br TFs, the Br CL TF Cruiser-3 spends its remaining 7 MPs beginning to disembark the Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 82.

All this Allied naval movement is within the naval reaction zone of the Ger CA TF A. Hipper and the CL TF Cruiser-1 at the point city/minor port of Haugesund (10B:3319) and the B TF Schlesien at the reference city/standard port of Stavanger (3619), but for now the Axis player demurs from doing anything, apparently not wishing to tangle with the more powerful Allied naval forces.

Right when the Allied player says the 1st naval movement step is ended, the Axis player announces a naval strike air mission against the Bergen hex (10B:3016). He flies to the Bergen hex the He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit based at Oslo and also the Ju 87R D type air unit based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at the nearby coast hex 10B:3720, adjacent to Stavanger. He arranges to have the Me 109E F type air unit based at the Stavanger reference city airbase (3619) to optimally come in as the air mission’s escort. Evidently he senses that now is the moment to execute the naval strike air mission against the Royal Navy at the vulnerable Bergen port hex.

When the Axis air units reach the Bergen target hex, the Allied player intercepts there with the Glad (*) F type air unit based at the Bergen airbase and also the Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit based on the deck of the Ark Royal aircraft carrier, located NE three hexes away from Bergen at all-sea hex 2818. The Glad (*) air unit pairs up against the LW Me 109E air unit flying escort and the Sea Glad FAA air unit goes after the two LW air units on the naval strike air mission. In the ensuing air combat the Glad air unit returns the Me 109E air unit, but the Me 109E aborts the Br Glad (*) F type air unit. A random pick pairs up the Sea Glad F type air unit with the He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit. The Sea Glad misses the Heinkel B type air unit, but the He 111H4 air unit returns the Sea Glad air unit, which returns to base inoperative atop the deck of the Ark Royal aircraft carrier at sea hex 2818.

After all this the two LW air units on the naval strike air mission run the gauntlet of the combined 3 factor flack fire of the Fr pos flk unit (AA=1) in the Bergen hex and the AA from the BB TF Valiant (1 hit; AA=2) in the Bergen port. The Ju 87R D type air unit gets past the Allied flack shots, but the He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit from Oslo rolls a 2: an abort.

Finally, the Axis player rolls 4 dice on the “1” column of the Bombing Table (w/ a +1 modifier for being a D type) for the bombing attack of the Ju 87R air unit. The hard hitting Stuka dive bomber manages to roll a 5 and 6: good for 2 hits. Two separate random picks from the three Allied TFs for each hit come up with a hit for the CA TF Cruiser-1 and a hit on the BB TF Valiant (already w/ 1 hit). Afterwards all the Ju 87R D type air unit returns to base inoperative at the 3-cap permanent airfield at Norwegian coast hex 10B:3720. The He 111H4 air unit, however, is placed in the Germany Game Chart abort box.

But when the Axis player says that now the Allied player can go on to his 4th naval movement step, the irritated Allied player says “not so fast-change in plans-I’ve got in mind a naval strike air mission of my own.” But before doing the naval strike air mission the Allied player sends the Br CV TF Furious, escorted by the Fr CL TF Cruiser-1, from the Orkney Islands holding box to all-sea hex 10B:2630, each expending 5 MPs doing so. This combat naval group rolls a no contact on the DZC. Then the Allied player despatches the Br Skua (C code) DF type and the Br Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air units, both based at the Bergen airbase, on the naval strike air mission against the Ger B TF Schlesien naval unit at the Stavanger standard port hex (10B:3619).

First the two Br FAA air units on the naval strike air mission must endure the combined 3 factor flack shot of the LW 1-10 Mot Hv II I/611 (AA=2) in the hex along with the B TF Schlesien’s flack factor (AA=1). In each case the Axis AA firing is good, and both Allied air units are returned. The Skua air unit returns to the deck of the Glorious aircraft carrier still in the Orkney Islands holding box and the Sword 1 air unit lands inoperative on board the deck of the Furious aircraft carrier at 10B:2630. At this point the Br combat naval group at all-sea hex 2630, comprised of the Br CV Furious carrying the now inoperative Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit and the escorting Fr CL TF Cruiser-1 wheels about and spends 5 MPs moving back to the Orkney Islands holding box.

Finally, the other Br carrier naval group, located at 10B:2818, which has expended 18 MPs so far in the current naval movement step, also wheels about and moves WNW 12 MPs, ending its move at all-sea hex 10B:2529. Its first four MPs are at night movement. This Allied combat naval group is comprised of the following Br naval units:

  • BB TF Rodney
  • BC TF Renown
  • CV TF Ark Royal carrying the now inoperative Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit.

4th Naval Movement Step

At the point city/minor port of Harstad (5c:0712), on the large Norwegian coastal isle of Hinn, the two Nor NTPs there finish disembarking their ground unit cargo onto the coast hex. Per the Naval Transport Costs Summary, in the Movement Phase the Nor 1-4 const X and the Br 0-5 lt AA II will each have 1 MP left, and the Fr 1-8 mtn art II will have 2 MPs remaining.

At the Norwegian point city/minor port of Bodo (5c:1218) above the B weather line, the Br LC-2 naval unit spends 30 MPs replenishing its fuel at this small port. Per Rule 34B3-Replenishment, light TFs and LCs can replenish a “a functioning port” rather than at “a functioning naval base,” as is required for heavy TFs and CVs.

At all-sea hex 10B:1608, in the Norwegian Sea, the combat naval group consisting of the Br BC
TF Repulse (1 hit) and the Br CL TF Cruiser-4 carrying the Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 51 and the Br 0-5 Lt AA II 55 spends 15 MPs to finally move into the major port of Trondheim, where the Br CL TF Cruiser-4 then spends its remaining 15 MPs beginning to disembark there its ground unit cargo. The BC TF Repulse (1 hit) remains with it in the Trondheim port.

Also at the Trondheim reference city/major port hex is the Nor NTP carrying the embarked Nor 1-6 Inf III 3/Rl. The Nor NTP spends its 30 naval movement step movement allowance completely disembarking the Nor inf III at the coast hex. In the Movement Phase the Nor inf III will have 1 MP left.

At the major port of Bergen the Br CL TF Cruiser-3 spends 23 MPs to complete the disembarkation of the Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 82 at the coast hex. In the Movement Phase this ground unit will have 1 MP remaining. Also in the Bergen dot city/major port hex is the Br BB TF Valiant (2 hits) and the Br CA TF Cruiser-1 (1 hit). All three Allied TFs remain at the Bergen port hex until the end of the current naval movement step.

Finally, the Br carrier naval group at 10B:2519 first rolls a 5 on the DZC. Then it spends 6 MPs moving into the Orkney Islands holding box.

Already the Allied presence at Bergen is becoming for them an unfavorable and bleeding battle of attrition and an increasingly risky burden. Its immediate superficial wargame advantage is that it detracts the Axis player from a speedy and strong advance towards Trondheim, the second Allied strong point in Norway in the EA game report. However, both major ports, geographically ensconced within the perimeters of narrow straits land barriers (fjords, coastal islands), are vulnerable to being cut off by Axis ground units from Allied access by sea. Both places can be subject to a Kriegsmarine naval blockade, and thus may become out of regular supply per SoS Rules, by Ger naval units blocking the narrows and protected to some degree by LW air cover and/or impassable (for Allied naval units) narrow straits. This turn the Allied player considers himself lucky to land the Br 0-1-5 lt AA II (AA=2) at the Bergen port hex. This risky and hazardous reinforcement was considered essential this turn for a prolonged Allied hold-out at the hex, but it was costly. In any event, just as was in the historical campaign, the only Norwegian map objective of primary WWII strategic importance is the Scandinavian ore exporting major port of Narvik. In this game it is currently in a firm Axis grip, being held by a stripped-down Ger 5-8* mtn XX along with a LW lt AA II (AA=1). Frankly, Bergen and Trondheim have already effectively detracted from the Allied recapture of Narvik, along with the mud in the A weather zone.

If the current Scenario were played past the May II 40 game turn, the Axis player would likely need to move his const III at Oslo to perhaps Stavanger in order to increase the airbase cap there, thereby basing additional LW air units closer to Bergen. They are needed first to help in battles to cut off the Bergen hex from the sea via the coastal islands, and then ultimately help take the Bergen hex with GS, all the while causing chronic air and naval losses to the Allied player in the Bergen vicinity by the appropriate air missions.

In possible future GE 1940 campaign scenario games encompassing the SoS Campaign for Norway/FoF/TFH, I suspect a diversion of LW assets from the English Channel zone, beginning on the Jul I 40 game turn (at least in terms of the old TFH Axis OB), to the SoS NTO zone in order to assist in the taking of Bergen and Trondheim, would not at all be a regretful distraction for the Axis side, unless one truly believes the 1940 Battle of Britain could somehow be decisively won by the Luftwaffe. Sending perhaps a second const III or X to Norway to build additional close-in airfields, along with a suitable swarm of Stukas, Heinkels and/or Junker 88s, and at least a Me 109E fighter unit, would likely turn stubborn Allied occupation efforts at Bergen and Trondheim into costly British sea port evacuation blunders. If the Royal Navy tarries in their evacuation of British forces from the two Norwegian major ports after the fall of France, they will likely become entrapped into an unfavorable aero-naval conflict along the remote Norwegian coastline without the use of close-in Hurricane and Spitfire fighter cover, which would probably be needed in southern England at the Channel. Close at the heels of an early (read: timely) British evacuation from Norway done shortly after the fall of France would certainly be the collapse of Norwegian morale.

5th Naval Movement Step

At the Trondheim major port the Br CL TF Cruiser-4 spends 15 MPs to finish the disembarkation of the Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 51 and the Br 0-5 Lt AA II 55. Then it and the Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit) leave the Trondheim hex and spend their remaining 15 MP allowance voyaging westwards, ending their sea movement at hex 10B:1609, far out into the the Norwegian Sea. But when they leave the Trondheim hex the Br combat naval group rolls a 12 on the Danger Zones Chart (DZC). A random pick puts the Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit) in harm’s way for the subsequent die roll on the “1” column on the Naval Combat Table; and the die roll is a 1: a big miss.

At the dot city/major port of Bergen (10B:3016) the BB TF Valiant (2hits), the Br CA TF Cruiser-1 (1 hit), and the Br CL TF Cruiser-3 spend 23 MPs voyaging back to the Orkney Islands holding box. The first 10 MPs to all-sea hex 10B:2422 are done at night movement.  They roll a no contact on the DZC.

Ground Movement Sub-Phase

The Bergen Zone:

The first ground unit the Allied player moves is the Nor 1-6 Eng III 1 at mountain rail line hex 10B:3014. He moves it 2 hexes west down the transportation line to Bergen, where it spends its remaining 4 MPs repairing the rail hit there. I believe this turn the Allied player has a railcap of 2 on the Bergen rail marshaling yard rail subnet. This turn he has a railcap of 1 on the Trondheim rail marshaling yard rail subnet due to the successful rail marshaling yard air mission bomb hit done by the Axis player during his previous player turn.

Then the Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 3, at the point city/minor port hex at Hauge (10B:3010) first spends 4 regular MPs moving two hexes to mountain rail hex 3112, where it boards a Norwegian train and rails to forest coast rail hex 10B:3015, just east of Bergen.

By the end of the movement phase the Allied force dispositions in the Bergen zone are as follows:

Bergen dot city/major port rough terrain rail terminus hex (10B:3016):

  • Nor 1-6 Eng III 1, moved in from 3014
  • Nor 2nd Inf XX HQ unit, never moved
  • Br 3-6 Inf X 24G, never moved
  • Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 82 (AA=2); recently disembarked, never moved
  • Fr pos flk unit (AA=1), never moved

Forest rail coast hex 10B:3015, east of Bergen: Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 3; first regular moved, then railed in to the hex; from Hauge (3010).

Double islet hex of Ask and Holsn at 10B:2917: Nor 0-1-8 Cav II 1Ak, admin moved across two narrow straits from 3015

Isle of Sorta at 10B:3017: Nor 1-6 Inf III 2/Vl, admin moved from 3114

Isle of Huftar at 10B:3118: Nor 1-6 Inf III 1/3Tm, admin moved across two narrow straits from 3015

Rough terrain mainland coast hex 10B:2815: Br 0-6 Marine Cmdo II IC, regular moved from Bergen

Clear terrain mainland coast hex at 10B:2816: Nor 0-1-8 Cav II Op, admin moved across two narrow straits from Isle of Sorta hex at 10B:3017

Mountain mainland coast hex 10B:3116: Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 4, from Bergen

Clear terrain mainland coast hex, adjacent to Bergen, at 10B:3117: Nor 1-6 Inf III 4/9Hl, never moved.

Although the Bergen zone’s deployment offered here in the EA game report might not be the best, I’m thinking it accurately mirrors the vulnerable defense problems facing the Allied player in the present wargame situation. The May II 40 Allied move is being done “as if” the game were going to be continued beyond the May II 40 game turn. In this situation the Allied player feels he needs a Nor ground unit in each of the three coastal island hexes (Huftar, Sorta, Ask and Holsn) covering the open sea entry narrows into the Bergen port. A fourth Nor cav II guards the northern open sea entry narrows at the Norwegian mainland multiple narrow straits hex at 10B:2816. Meanwhile, the two stout Nor 2-3-6 * Mtn Xs guard the eastward interior approaches to Bergen from the mainland. One of them blocks a vulnerable southern flanking narrow straits hexside at 10B:3116. The Br 0-5 Marine Cmdo II is thrown in at the mainland peninsula hex 2815 to hopefully delay Axis penetration into this vulnerable northern flanking area.

The crux of the problem of the Allied defense at both Bergen and Trondheim in the end-time of the current SoS Campaign for Norway Scenario is in the “naval element” of Allied supply in Norway. Rule 12B4-Naval [Element of Supply] says “the naval element of a supply line…may start at any functioning friendly owned port and be traced…[overseas to a regular supply source].” In our situation the Axis player, per Rule 30A4-Functioning [Ports], can make either Trondheim or Bergen a non-functioning port, and therefore not an Allied supply source, if “…a hypothetical [Allied] naval unit at the port would not be able to move from the port to the open sea.” Rule 28A2-Restrictions on Naval Movement” says “a naval unit may not move through narrow straits unless the hexes on both sides are friendly owned.” Bergen’s “open sea” entrances to the North Sea through the off-shore Norwegian coastal islands and the westward jutting mainland peninsulas west of it and Trondheim’s “open sea” entrance to the Norwegian Sea through its long and meandering fjord are each laced with narrow straits hexsides.

The Trondheim Zone:

At Trondheim the Nor 1-4 Const X 2L reinf spends its 4 MPs repairing the rail hit at the hex .

Next the Nor 1-6 Mtn III 5/12ST at forest rail hex 10B:2901 first spends 3 MPs demolishing the rail line in the hex (per Optional Rule 44B7), then regular moves 1 transportation line hex to mountain rail hex 10B:2832, where it boards a Norwegian train and rails 4 hexes to woods rain junction hex 10B:2502.

After this the Nor 1-6 Mtn III 5/13NT at mountain rail hex 10B:2704 spends 3 MPs demolishing the rail line in the hex, then regular moves 3 transportation line hexes to woods rail junction hex 10B:2502.

From Trondheim (5C:2432), the recently disembarked Nor 1-6 Inf III 3/Rl admin moves 2 transportation line hexes to woods rail junction hex 10B:2502.

The Nor 5th Inf (Mtn) XX HQ unit at mountain rail hex 10B:2603 first spends 3 MPs demolishing the rail line in the hex, then regular moves 2 transportation line hexes to woods rail junction hex 10B:2502. At the end of the movement phase this Nor mtn XX HQ unit, the two Nor 1-6 Mtn IIIs 5/12ST and 5/13NT, and the Nor 1-6 Inf III 3/Rl all assemble into the Nor 4-6 Mtn XX 5.

Although the southern sector of the Trondheim zone is superficially menaced by two “short and thin” columns of German ground units advancing northwards along the two Norwegian railways converging towards Trondheim, the Allied defense situation is likely now critical in this war zone. The ability in SoS to use rail movement the same turn that rail hexes are brought into friendly control and the two Ger mtn IIIs and their HQ unit in the vicinity allow for the dangerous possibility of either outflanking an Allied line too close or else concentrating Axis units for an attack against a weak forward Allied unit.

And that’s not all. The fact is that the Trondheim major port/naval base/Allied regular supply source is apparently more vulnerable to quickly becoming a non-functioning port/base than is the port/base of Bergen. Thus this turn the consequential Allied “strategic retreat” towards Trondheim becomes very close to a full-fledged rout. Upon reflection, the Allied player frankly regrets sea transporting earlier this turn the two Br lt AA IIs from Britain to Trondheim, in Norway.

The two Br 2-6 Inf Xs 146 and 148 both admin move from 10B:2804 to the point city/standard port of Kristiansund, at the clear terrain unnamed double islet hex at 10B:2206. The road leading from the Norwegian mainland to this double islet hex (where Kristiansund is located) is evidently akin to a “road causeway,” as there is no narrow straits symbol in conjunction with the road passing over the single all-sea hexside, as is the case at Harstad (5C:0712) on the isle of Hinn. In the EA game reported case, this transportation line here will be treated like a causeway per Rule 37A1-Causeways, where it says “ground units treat such a hexside as a narrow straits hexside for all movement and combat purposes.”  Knowing the end-times of the Norwegian campaign are at hand, these two Br inf Xs go here rather than falling back towards Trondheim in order to more likely be evacuated by sea transport and also to maybe force the Axis player to split his drive northwards in Norway.

At the end of the movement phase the following Allied forces are at the Trondheim hex (5C:2432):

  • Norwegian government marker
  • Nor 1st Inf XX HQ unit, from 10B:2804
  • Nor 1-4 Const X 2L; reinf, never moved
  • Pol 3-2-6 Inf X CN, never moved
  • Br 0-1-5 Lt AA II 51 (AA=2); recently disembarked, never moved
  • Br 0-5 Lt AA II 55 (AA=1); recently disembarked, never moved
  • Fr 0-6 AT II 14, never moved

Fr 2-1-6 Inf III 13LE Note: This unit, which began the turn at Trondheim, first spends 1 MP moving to adjacent clear terrain coast rail hex 5C:2431, where it spends 3 MPs to place a hit marker on the 1-cap permanent airstrip placed there at-start. The airstrip is subsequently removed from the map. The Fr inf III then spends a MP returning to the Trondheim hex.

operative Nor C.V A type air unit.

Perhaps symbolic of the doomed situation hanging over the Allied position in the Trondheim zone is the movement of the Br 2-6 Inf X 15 and the Br 1-8 Mtn Art II 51, both beginning the turn at the Trondheim hex. These units spend 1 MP moving together to stack at adjacent woods coast/narrow straits rail hex 5C:2433, where the Br 2-6 Inf X spends an additional 4 MPs in the hex demolishing the bridge crossing over the unnamed river hexside at their rear.

To be sure, the Allied player is counting on the Axis player in his hypothetical Jun I 40 Axis turn not being able to somehow gain hex control of rough terrain coast/narrow straits hex 10B:3202, where is also found an intrinsic Nor CD with a strength of 2. On the following hypothetical Jun I 40 Allied turn the Allied player would certainly be intent on doing a major sea transport evacuation of possibly up to three Western Allied REs presently at the Trondheim port hex. On the Jun II 40 Allied turn it will certainly be too late for the Allied player to sea evacuate from Trondheim.

The Narvik Zone:

With the Allied strategic situation worsening in the Trondheim and Bergen zones, the wargame activities in the remote Narvik zone are mostly inconsequential. Everything the Allied player has done here is evidently a turn or two too late. For example, the Fr mtn art II should have been sea transported up here initially, rather than later. The two primo Fr mtn IIIs return to the port of Halstad in order to be possibly evacuated on the hypothetical Jun I 40 Allied turn, pending the outcome of events in the more critical Bergen and Trondheim zones. Similarly, with all prospects of an Allied attack against the Axis held hex of Narvik dashed, the Nor ski X returns to Bodo, in order to protect the port and/or perhaps venture south, if needed down there as a blocking unit for straggling Western Allied units possibly fleeing northwards from Trondheim, when it becomes untenable. It is likely that on a hypothetical Jun I 40 Allied turn the Norwegian government marker would again need to be moved, this time from Trondhiem to likely Bodo. In a fully worked extended Campaign for Norway Scenario there might be some additional tweaking done for the Morale and Unit Surrender clauses (Rule 38A) as they might relate to Norway in a similar situation like what is apparently happening in the EA Scenario game report.

At the end of the movement phase the Allied force dispositions in the Narvik zone are as follows:

Mountain coast road hex 5C:0910 (next to Narvik): Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 6, never moved

Halstad point city/minor port road terminus/narrow straits wooded rough terrain coast hex 5C:0712, on the isle of Hinn:

  • Fr 2-8 Mtn III 27CA, admin moved from 0911
  • Fr 2-8 Mtn III 5CA, admin moved from 0712
  • Nor 1-4 Const X 1L, recently disembarked, never moved
  • Br 0-5 Lt AA II 56 (AA=1), recently disembarked, never moved
  • Fr Mtn Art II 2CA, recently disembarked, never moved

Bodo point city/minor port road terminus hex 5C:1217:

  • Nor 2-3-6* Ski X 6, admin moved from 1116
  • Br LC-1 naval unit, never moved
  • 1 Allied mine point sown off-shore “at sea.”

Norwegian Sea:

At all-sea hex 10B:1609:

  • Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit)
  • Br CL TF Cruiser-4.

Orkney Islands holding box:

  • 0-1-4 Fortress X RMFU
  • Br BB TF Rodney
  • Br BB TF Valiant (2 hits)
  • CV TF Ark Royal carrying the inoperative Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit
  • CV TF Furious carrying the inoperative Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit
  • CV TF Glorious carrying the inoperative Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit
  • Br BC TF Renown
  • Br CA TF Cruiser-1 (1 hit)
  • Br CL TF Cruiser-3
  • Fr CL TF Cruiser-1.

Allied Game Chart Replacement Pool:

  • Br 5-pt CA TF Cruiser-2 (5 hits)

Allied Game Chart Aborted Air Units Box:

  • Glad (*) F type air unit.

Exploitation Phase

1st Naval Movement Step

At hex 10B:1609, in the midst of the Norwegian Sea, the Br CL TF Cruiser-4 and the Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit) first roll a no contact on the DZC, then spend 29 MPs moving into the Orkney Islands holding box. The Br combat naval group takes care to swing northwards around the Shetland Islands, thereby deliberately avoiding the reaction zones of the Kriegsmarine TFs in the ports of Stavanger and Haugesund, on the SW coast of Norway.

2nd through 5th Naval Movement Steps

All Allied TFs/naval units have replenished their fuel during the current Allied turn, so there is no need to replenish any of them during the current naval movement sub-phase. Searching for the end of the Campaign for Norway Scenario game report, the Allied player keeps his fleets anchored in the Orkney Islands holding box.

Ground Movement Sub-Phase (c/m units only)

The Allied player has no c/m ground units in Norway to move. Neither side wants to conduct air transfer missions during the current phase. Neither side has any CAP missions to land. The wargamer concludes the Scenario is over.

May II 40 Axis Turn

Initial Phase

For the last game turn the Axis player rolls a 3 on the SoS provided GE Weather Table. This means clear weather in zones B and C and continued mud weather in zone A. Sea conditions remain calm.

Both sides’ forces and airbase hexes appear to be in supply. All ports are functioning.

Per the German North Theater 1940-1945 Europa OB, which begins on p. 45 of the SoS OB booklet, the two Ger 1-10 Mot MG IIs 4 and 14 are transferred to Greater Germany this turn. They are presently in the Northern Germany holding box. The Axis player wonders if he should have been more aggressive with these two motorized ground units and should have somehow managed to ship them over to southern Norway. If nothing else they could have perhaps aided in gaining control of some transportation line hexes. In any event they are withdrawn from the holding box in the initial phase.

The Axis player spends an ARP to bring back the aborted Ju 52 T type air unit and places it at the Kiel partial city hex airbase (13A:1421). Also in this hex is the B TF Schlesien naval unit, an unused Ger 1 factor mine point, and a resource point. The other available resource point is in the Northern Germany holding box.

Utilizing Rule 35A-[Naval] Regrouping, the Axis player removes one surviving strength point from both the BC TF Gneisnau (3 hits) and the BF TF Luzow (2 hits) and adds them to the CA TF A. Hipper (2 hits), thereby removing the A. Hipper’s two hits. The Lutzow and Gneisnau TFs are subsequently removed from play and placed in the German replacement pool. All three affected Kriegsmarine naval units start this initial phase in the Northern Germany holding box. Despite the fact that all the heavy TFs of the German navy are either severely damaged from sea battles or resting at the bottom of the Norwegian Sea, despite the fact that evidently per the SoS VP schedule the Axis side is well ahead in VPs, there are still serious and risky war tasks demanded of the Kriegsmarine in the Scenario.

At the end of the intial phase the Northern Germany holding box contains the CA TF A. Hipper (now w/ no hits), the CL TF Cruiser-1, the two DD TFs Flotillas-1 and -2, a LW pos flk unit (AA=1), and a resource point. Half a resource point is stored at the holding box. At the Sylt holding box is an at start LW pos flk unit (AA=1).

Since no airbases on either side are stacked in excess of the base’s capacity, all on-map air units are operative by the end of the initial phase.

Neither side flies CAP air missions in the initial phase; nor does the Allied player fly any harassment air missions. However, the Allied player assigns the operative Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit aboard the CV TF Glorious at all-sea hex 10B:1608 on the sea patrol air mission.

The Axis player has an elaborate amphibious assault operation planned for this turn. But its very elaborateness and untimeliness, coming at the last game turn, certainly also contribute to its undoing. And so only a small fragment of the larger envisioned operation will be attempted. The complete Axis plan will be outlined in this report so as to describe for any interested EA readers what might be done in Campaign for Norwayscenarios at this late stage in the game.

Each player turn, perhaps using a standard letter envelope with a piece of paper inside of it, both players might go through the motions of planning sp ops, whether actually having a particular sp op written down or not. This keeps the threat of sp ops a reality and seems to be one way of fulfilling the requirements of Rule 24C-Planning and Preparation, which is stipulated per the SoS rules for both airborne and amphibious sp ops.

For his amphibious sp ops planned for this turn, the Axis player has the following information written on his amphibious operation planning sheet:

Sp Ops Data for the May II 40 Axis turn:

  • unsupported 2-6 Inf III breakdown lands at Kristiansand hex 10B:2206; breakdown of the 6-6 Inf XX 214
  • unsupported 2-6 Inf III breakdown lands at Alesund hex 10B:2310; breakdown of the 6-6 Inf XX 214
  • unsupported 1-6 Inf III breakdown lands at Hauge hex 10B:3010; breakdown of the 6-6 Inf XX 214.
  • unsupported 2-6 Inf III breakdown lands at the double islets of Ask and Holsn hex 10B:2917; breakdown of 6-6 Inf XX 170
  • unsupported 2-6 Inf III breakdown lands at isle of Sorta hex 10B:3017; breakdown of 6-6 Inf XX 170
  • unsupported 1-6 Inf III breakdown lands a isle of Huftar hex 10B:3118; breakdown of 6-6 Inf XX 170.

Both the Ger 170th and the 214th Inf XXs are located at major ports on the Danish peninsula.

It is unclear to me right now if the specific unsupported unit breakdown designations need to be specified in the amphibious sp op advanced planning document. I definitely believe the identity of the division to be broken down needs to be listed, in order to be sure that the rest of the unit’s sp op Rule 24C requirements have been met. In any event, one or both of the two German infantry divisions may not need to be broken down into the appropriate unsupported divisional breakdown units until the start of the Axis movement phase of the special operation, whereas the formal planning of the amphibious sp op must be done in the initial phase of the prior Axis player turn.

The presence of the powerful British combat naval group in the Norwegian Sea at 10B:1608, replete with a potent aircraft carrier force, effectively scotches the amphibious sp ops of the broken down Ger 214th Inf XX’s unsupported regimental units in that Norwegian coastal zone. Moreover, the presence of the Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 3 at the point city/minor port Hauge hex at 10B:3010 puts a drop dead stop to any amphibious landing at this mountain coast hex.

The presence of the Nor 0-1-8 Cav II 2 OP at the Sorta island hex 10B:3017, along with the 3 strength point CD at the adjacent Bergen hex (3016) to the east makes the landing here a very risky venture. The Nor cav II can do an amphibious reaction movement across the narrow straits hexsides to the coastal islets on either side of it per Rule 32D-Enemy Reaction. Finally, the amphibious landing at the double islet hex of Ask and Holsn at 0B:2917 is within the 15 sea hex reaction range of the non-phasing British combat naval group to the north at 1608, therefore inviting its quite unwelcome arrival at the scene.

By the way, the Allied player has an amphibious sp op planned for his May II 40 player turn.

Movement Phase:

1st Naval Movement Step

At the start of the movement phase the 6-6 Inf XX 170 at Aalborg in the Danish Protectorate breaks down into its three unsupported Inf IIIs D and its Inf XX D HQ unit.

Three Ger NTPs spend 30 MPs embarking the 6-6 Inf XX 214 at the dot city/major port hex of Aahrus at 13A:0616, in the Danish Protectorate. The fourth Ger NTP spends 30 MPs embarking the D Inf XX HQ unit at the reference city/major port hex of Aalborg at 10B:5115, a little farther north up the Danish peninsula.

The B TF Schlesien spends 30 MPs embarking the 1 strength mine point stored at the partial major city/major port hex of Kiel at 13A:1421, in Greater Germany.

The remaining remnants of the Kriegsmarine form into a combat naval group and leave the Northern Germany holding box, using the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal to enter the Baltic Sea, and spend 23 MPs voyaging to and entering the major port of Aalborg. There at Aalborg the DD TF Flotilla-2 spends the remaining 7 MPs of its naval movement step allowance beginning to embark the unsupported 1-6 Inf III D. The DD TF Flotilla-1 and the CL TF Cruiser-1 both spend 7 MPs beginning to embark the two unsupported 2-6 Inf IIIs D, respectively. For the time being the CA TF A. Hipper rests idle at port, her sailors ashore perhaps wondering if this might be their last time on land alive, the next time ashore perhaps being to come rest in their graves.

2nd Naval Movement Step

The combat naval group at the major port of Aalborg spends 23 MPs completing the embarkation of their ground unit cargo. Then this naval group, along with the NTP also in the port loaded with the D Inf XX HQ unit, lifts anchors and spends its remaining 7 MPs sailing in a northerly direction, beginning to arc around Denmark, and ends the naval movement step at coast hex 10B:4913, at the northern pointy tip of the Danish peninsula. The B TF Schlesien, now carrying its cargo of 1 mine point, leaves the port of Kiel and sails northwards through the Danish archipelago and ends its naval movement step at this same Danish coast hex. Finally, this converging naval group is joined by the three Ger NTPs carrying their inf XX embarked at Aahrus, the whole contingent combining into a mixed naval group comprised of the following forces:

  • CA TF A. Hipper
  • B TF Schlesien carrying 1 mine point
  • CL TF Cruiser-1 carrying the 2-6 Inf III D
  • DD TF Flotilla-1 carrying the 2-6 Inf III D
  • DD TF Flotilla-2 carrying the 1-6 Inf III D
  • 3 Ger NTPs carrying the 6-6 Inf XX 214
  • 1 Ger NTP carrying the D Inf XX HQ unit.

3rd Naval Movement Step

The large Axis mixed naval group at sea at northern Danish coast hex 10B:4913 voyages northwestwards in the Skagarrak and enters the Atlantic Sea Zone at all sea hex 10B:4518. There it rolls a 7 on the Danger Zones Chart. The naval group then proceeds into the North Sea, expending a total of 20 MPs moving to all-sea hex 10B:3320, one hex west of the point city/standard port of Haugesund at hex 3319, on the SW Norwegian coastline in between Bergen and Stavanger. Next the Axis player sends the Me 109E F type air unit based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at Norwegian coast hex 10B:3720 on the CAP air mission over Haugesund hex at 3319.

From all-sea hex 10B:3320 the DD TF Flotilla-2 carrying the 1-6 Inf III D and the CA TF A. Hipper break off from the main naval group and spend 5 more MPs to move into the Norwegian sea isle hex of Huftar, at 10B:3118. There the DD TF Flotilla-2 expends its remaining 5 MPs of the current naval movement step beginning to amphibiously disembark the unsupported Ger 1-6 Inf III D onto the enemy controlled island hex; the CA TF A. Hipper stands by in the Huftar island hex as an escort.

The rest of the main German naval group at all-sea hex 10B:3320 spends 2 MPs to enter the Haugesund standard port hex at 10B:3319. Here the B TF Schlesien spends 5 MPs sowing its 1 mine point off-shore “at sea” and then (presumably) needs to spend an additional MP to actually enter the standard port of Haugesund, there joining the rest of the Axis mixed naval group, which already is inside the port of Haugesund. While the Schlesien TF was busy sowing its mines off-shore, in the Haugesund port the rest of the cargo-carrying naval units of the naval group each spend 8 MPs beginning to disembark their ground unit cargo in the Haugesund hex. Overhead the Me 109E fighter air unit on the CAP mission watches for Br Skuas from the Ark Royal at Norwegian Sea hex 10B:1608, perhaps opting to fly the naval strike air misison to the Haugesund port hex. All the naval units, including the B TF Schlesien, that eventually enter the Hauesund port hex remain there until the end of the naval movement step.

4th Naval Movement Step

The Ger DD TF Flotilla-2 carrying the 1-6 Inf III D, still escorted by the CA TF A. Hipper, spends its entire 30 MP naval movement step allowance continuing to amphibiously disembark its ground unit cargo onto the enemy controlled island island beach hex at Huftar (3118). Per the SoS Naval MP Cost Summary it will take 90 MPs to complete the amphibious disembarkation; at the end of the current naval movement step the subtotal is up to 35 MPs. Per Rule 32A-[Amphibious] Disruption, the disruption die roll will be done “after disembarkation, but before enemy reaction….” Evidently per Rule 32D-Enemy Reaction, the Nor 0-1-6 Cav II 2 Op at the adjacent Norwegian coast isle hex of Sorta at hex 3017, which hex has a narrow straits hexside linking it to both the Huftra island hex and Bergen, can attempt a Success Table enemy reaction attempt die roll after the Axis Disruption die roll, and if the attempt is successful can then move 1 MP or move one overland hex (ie., across one of the narrow straits hexsides) somewhere.

The German naval units with ground unit cargo in the Haugesund standard port hex each spend 22 MPs to finish disembarking their ground unit cargo. Per the SoS Naval Transport Costs Summary these disembarked Ger infantry units have 1 regular MP remaining for the upcoming movement phase. After disembarking their cargo at Haugesund the four Ger NTPs are removed from play. The rest of the naval group in the Haugesund hex remains there until the end of the naval movement step.

5th Naval Movement Step

The Ger DD TF Flotilla-2 carrying the 1-6 Inf III D spends another 30 MPs continuing to amphibiously disembark its ground unit cargo at the enemy controlled Huftar island hex at 3118. By the end of the current naval movement step/naval movement sub-phase the amphibious disembarkation subtotal is up to 65 MPs. The CA TF A. Hipper remains on guard, perhaps useful for taking the hit in case of a bad Danger Zones Chart dice roll. In both this naval movement step and in the preceding one the small Ger combat naval group in the Huftar isle hex rolls a no contact on the Danger Zones Chart.

The reconstituted combat naval group in the Haugesund hex leaves the port and voyage southwards, leaving the south edge of game map E10B (SW) at all-sea hex 5123 on their 20th MP. At the end of the naval movement step this Axis combat naval group is off-map, four MPs away from entering the Northern Germany holding box.

Ground Movement Sub-Phase

The first thing the Axis player does in his movement phase is rail the resource point at Kiel (13A:1421) to the 3-cap permanent airfield at Danish coast hex 10B:5014. Next he rails the other resource point located in the Northern Germany holding box to the reference city airbase at the adjacent Aahrus hex at 5115. Then the Mxd (F code) T type air unit based at Aahrus air transports the resource point there to the Oslo airbase. It returns to base at Aahrus, landing inoperative there. Then the recently replaced Ju 52 T type air unit based at Kiel stages to the 3-cap permanent airfield at Danish coat hex 5014 and air transports the other resource point recently railed there also to the Oslo airbase. The Ju 52 transport air unit returns to base at the 3-cap airfield at 5014 on the NE Danish coastline.

This turn in the Nazi controlled portion of southern Norway the Axis player has a “captured” Scandinavian rail net rail cap of 2: ½ each for the captured standard port rail marshaling yards at Stavanger and Kristiansand and 1 for the captured major port rail marshaling yard at Oslo. All three Axis controlled rail marshaling yards are joined by a contiguous line of Axis controlled rail lines. On this last turn of the Campaign for Norway Scenario the Axis player can now, per Optional Rule 44B2-Temporary Rail Capacity Increase, double his “captured” Scandinavian rail cap by expending the two recently air transported resource points at the Oslo rail marshaling yard hex. He does so and then removes the two resource points just landed at the Oslo hex.

Next the Ger 0-1-5 Const III 6 at the Oslo hex spends 4 MPs to repair the hit on the rail line there. There is still a hit on the 6-cap Oslo airbase.

The recently disembarked 6-6 Inf XX 214 at the Haugesund point city hex 3319 spends it remaining 1 MP to regular move to adjacent clear terrain coast road hex 3318, where its divisional ZOCs extend across the narrow straits hexsides there to the Bolmo island hex 3218 and the double isle hex of Tysnes and Stord, both in 3217. In the same manner the two narrow straits hexsides to the other coastal isle of Karm, at 3419 to the SW, are now also in Axis control.

The 3-10 Mot Inf X 11 at mountain coast road hex 10B:3212 spends 6 MPs to cross the mountain hexside to adjacent mountain coast rail (to Bergen) hex 3112. From there it spends 3 regular MPs moving eastwards down three Allied controlled rail (to Bergen) hexes to rough terrain rail hex 3312, and then double backs down the coast road to mountain hex 3213, ending its move there.

In conjunction with the maneuver of the 3-10 mot inf X, the wint 2-6 Inf III E way down at the Skagerrak coast port of Fredrikstad, at 4309, spends exactly 1 regular MP railing 7 hexes to woods rail (to Bergen) hex 3709. From there it spends its remaining 5 regular MPs going down the Allied controlled rail hexes to mountain rail hex 3311, ending its move there. In this manner the Axis player gains hex control of the rail line from Oslo to rail hex 3112, five rail hexes east of Bergen (3016).

In a difficult decision the Axis player decides to regular move the 3-8 Mtn III A at woods rail hex 3705 eight rail hexes NW to mountain rail hex 2906, thereby evidently lunging as far forward as possible into Allied controlled Norway and gaining hex control of 7 rail hexes leading eventually towards Trondheim.

The 1-8 Art X 109 at woods rail hex 4005 first regular moves three rail hexes to woods rail hex 4104, at the Swedish-Norwegian border. Then it reverses direction and marches northwards to woods rail junction hex 3603, which has a rail hit marker on it.

After some initial pondering and figuring, the Axis player sends the Me 110C1 F type air unit based at the Oslo hex on the CAP air mission to forest rail hex 10B:3002, overhead the Nor 0-1-6 Cav II 3Tdl. Next the other 3-8 Mtn III A breakdown unit at woods rail hex 4004 rails four hexes to woods rail hex 3703, one hex south of the 1-8 Art X 109 at 3603, stacked atop the rail hit marker. The mtn III then regular moves 7 hexes North to forest rail hex 3103, just south of the Nor 0-1-6 Cav II 3 Tdl at forest rail hex 3002. After this the A Mtn XX HQ unit at the Oslo hex uses a combination of rail and regular movement to eventually arrive at forest rail hex 3103, there joining the recently arrived 3-8 Mtn III A. Finally, the wint 2-6 Inf III F at woods coast rail hex 4008, way down south on the Oslofjord, uses a similar combination of rail and regular movement to also arrive at forest rail hex 3103, stacking together with the mtn III and the mtn XX HQ unit. This accounts for all four of the Axis player’s rail cap this turn in southern Norway.

By the end of the Axis movement phase the Axis force dispositions in the Scenario are as follows:

Forest rail hex (to Trondheim) 10B:3002:

  • Me 110C1 F type air unit flying the CAP air mission over the hex. Below it in the hex is the Nor 0-1-6 Cav II 3Tdl.

Forest rail (to Trondheim) hex 10B:3103:

  • A Mtn XX HQ unit; railed from Oslo hex, moved across the rail hit, then railed again
  • 3-8 Mtn III A; railed from woods rail hex 4004, then regular moved across the rail hit
  • wint 2-6 Inf III F; railed from woods coast rail hex 4008, then moved across rail hit

Woods rail junction hex 10B:3603 (w/ rail hit marker): 1-8 Art X 109, regular moved in from 4005

Mountain rail (to Trondheim) hex 10B:2906:

  • 3-8 Mtn III A, regular moved in from woods rail hex 3705
  • 1-10 Mot MG II 13; admin moved all the way from rough terrain hex 3607, across the narrow straits lake hexside
  • G wint Inf XX HQ unit, admin moved from Oslo along the rail line
  • wint 2-6 Inf III G, admin moved from Oslo along the rail line
  • wint 2-6 Inf III G, admin moved from wooded rough rail hex 3805
  • wint 1-6 Inf III G; admin moved from woods rail hex 3606 across the narrow straits lake hexside
    Note: at the end of the movement phase the components of the G wint Inf XX reassemble into the wint 6-6 Inf XX 196

Forest rail (to Trondheim) hex 10B:3006:

  • wint 2-6 Inf III F, admin moved from clear terrain rail hex 3906

Mountain road (to Hauge) hex 10B:3109: wint 1-6 Inf III F: regular moved from 3606

Mountain coast road (to Haugesund) hex 10B:3212:

  • wint F Inf XX HQ unit, admin moved all the way from Oslo
  • wint 2-6 Inf III E, admin moved from woods rail hex 3709

Mountain rail (to Bergen) rail hex 10B:3311:

  • wint 2-6 Inf III E; railed to woods rail hex 3709, then regular moved westwards along the rail line into the hex; began turn at Fredrikstad at 4309

Mountain coast road (to Haugesund) hex 10B:3213:

  • 3-10 Mot Inf X 13; regular moved 10 hexes to here, began turn at 3212

Mountain road (to Haugesund) junction hex 10B:3415:

  • 2-1-10 Pz II 40, admin moved from rough terrain hex 3607
  • LW 1-10 Mot Inf II GG, moved from Haugesund (3319)

Isle of Huftar at hex 10B:3118:

  • CA TF A. Hipper
  • DD TF Flotilla-2 amphibiously disembarking 1-6 Inf III D

Clear terrain coast road (to Haugesund) hex 10B:3318:

  • 6-6 Inf XX 214; disembarked at Huagesund, then regular moved one hex east on the road

Haugesund, at clear terrain point city/standard port road terminus hex 10B:3319:

  • two 2-6 Inf IIIs D, disembarked this turn
  • D Inf XX HQ unit, disembarked this turn
  • 1 Ger mine point sown off-shore at sea
  • Me 109E F type air unit on the CAP air mission over the hex

Mountain road hex 10B:3615: LW 1-10 Mot HV AA II I/32; admin moved from 3720. Note: This unit had to use a roundabout route using the road from 4011 to 3615 for the admin movement because the stretch of transportation line hexes from 4215 to 3715 is still Allied controlled.

Stavanger, at clear terrain reference city/standard port rail terminus hex 10B:3619:

  • 1-6 Inf III C, never moved
  • LW 1-10 Hv AA II I/611; reassembled this turn from the LW pos flk unit at Stavanger and the LW 0-8 Lt AA III I/611 beginning the turn at 3720
  • operative Ju 87R D type air unit

Clear terrain coast rail hex 10B:3720 (w/ an at start 3-cap permanent airfield):

  • C Inf XX HQ unit, moved in from adjacent Stavanger
  • two operative He 111H4 (S code) B type air units

Egersund, at rough terrain point city/minor port rail coast hex 10B:4019:

  • 1 Ger mine point sown off-shore at sea

Wooded rough terrain coast rail hex at 10B:3908, next to Oslo (w/ 1-cap permanent airstrip):

  • operative Me 109E F type air unit

Oslo, at partial city/major port rail hex 10B:4007:

  • 0-1-5 Const III 6, never moved
  • wint Inf III E, moved from woods rail hex 3810
  • operative He 111H1 NB type air unit
  • operative He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit
  • one hit on the airbase

Clear terrain coast rail hex at 10B:5014 in NE Denmark (w/ 3-cap permanent airfield):

  • two LW pos flk units (each w/ AA=1), railed in from Sylt and Northern Germany holding boxes
  • operative He 115B (SF code) B type air unit
  • inoperative Ju 52 T type air unit

Aalborg, at clear terrain reference city/major port coast rail hex 10B:5115, in NE Denmark:

  • wint F Inf XX HQ unit, never moved
  • wint 6-6 Inf XX 198, moved in from Aahrus (13A:0616)
  • inoperative Mxd (F code) T type air unit

Off-map, 4 sea MPs away from entering the Northern Germany holding box:

  • B TF Schlesien
  • CL TF Cruiser-1
  • DD TF Flotilla-1

German Replacement Pool:

  • BC TF Schrnhrst
  • BC TF Gneisnau
  • BP TF Lutzow
  • CA TF Blucher
    Note: these tally to a total of 14 hits.
  • Two (isolated) 2-6 Inf IIIs C

Combat Phase

The Axis player does one attack this turn. The Axis stack at forest rail hex 10B:3103 comprised of the A Mtn XX HQ unit, the 3-8 Mtn III A, and the wint 2-6 Inf III F attacks the Nor 0-1-6 Cav II 3Tdl at adjacent forest rail hex 3002, to the north. Evidently the LW Me 110C1 F type air unit flying the CAP air mission over the Norwegian defenders’ hex keeps away an Allied DAS mission by the Nor C.V A type air unit based at Trondheim (5C:2432), certainly escorted by the Br Glad F type air unit based at the 1-cap permanent airstrip in the hex (2431) adjacent to Trondheim. In our situation the Axis player rolls for a 9 to 1 -2 (for the forest) attack and comes up with a 5: DE. The Nor cav II is placed in the Norwegian replacement pool and the wint 2-6 Inf III F moves into hex 10B:3002 after combat.

Exploitation Phase

1st Naval Movement Step

We will review for a moment the large Br combat naval group currently in the Norwegian Sea at 10B:1608, six hexes north of the Norwegiancoastal islet of Otr (2208). This non-phasing Allied naval group at sea has rolled four “no contact” dice rolls on the Danger Zones Chart (DZC) at the start of the previous 5 naval movement steps of the Movement Phase of the current Axis player turn. On one naval movement step the DZC dice roll is a 12. The subsequent random pick of the 6 TFs comprising the combat naval group comes up with the 2-pt CV TF Glorious, carrying the Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit, as the affected naval unit. The subsequent Axis player die roll on the “1” column of the Naval Combat Table is a 5, perhaps a “close shave” for the Royal Navy carrier. This current naval movement step the Br combat naval group rolls a 5 on the DZC: no contact.

The off-map Kriegsmarine combat naval group comprised of the B TF Schlesien, the CL TF Cruiser-1, and the DD TF Flotilla-1 spends 4 MPs to enter the Northern Germany holding box. There the three naval units spend the remaining 26 MPs of the current naval movement step beginning to replenish their fuel for the first time during the current Axis player turn. Since it is off-map for its movement I believe no DZC dice roll is required for it.

Meanwhile, back at the Allied controlled Norwegian coastal isle of Huftar at 10B:3118, the DD TF Flotilla-2 spends 25 MPs finishing the amphibious disembarkation of the 1-6 Inf III D at the island beach hex. The CA TF A. Hipper is also in the hex, witnessing the whole operation. At the start of the naval movement step this combat naval group rolls a 4 on the DZC.

After its disembarkation the Ger 1-6 Inf III D does its Disruption Table die roll, using a -3 modifier for not being “amphibious capable.” The roll is a 5, which modifies to a 2: No Effect. The relieved and perhaps wet-legged German infantrymen certainly happily wade ashore intact. But then comes the enemy reaction die roll on the Success Table for the Nor 0-1-6 Cav II 2 Op, located at the adjacent Sorta island hex at 3017, connected to the isle of Huftar by a narrow straits hexside. The Allied player rolls a 4: failure, and so the Nor cav II remains where it is for now. In any event the Nor cav II would, in our situation here, have remained where it was.

Finally the small Axis naval task force at in the Huftar island hex bids farewell to the disembarked Ger infantry III now in control of the island beach and spends its last 5 MPs of the naval movement step sailing south, ending its naval movement at all-sea hex 10B:3521, in the North Sea by the Norwegian coastline between Stavanger and Haugesund.

2nd Naval Movement Step

At the Northern Germany holding box the B TF Schlesien, the CL TF Cruiser-1, and the DD TF Flotilla-1 each spend 4 MPs finishing their fuel replenishments.

The small Ger combat naval group at all-sea hex 10B:3521, 2 hexes WNW of Stavanger (3619) first rolls a 9 on the DZC, then spends 16 MPs sailing southwards to all-sea hex 10B:5123. From here on its next naval MP it exits the south edge of the Scenario game maps and spends its remaining 14 MPs of the naval step marking off the MP requirement to enter the Northern Germany holding box. It ends the current naval movement step off-map with 1 MP to go before entering the holding box.

3rd Naval Movement Step

The CA TF A Hipper and the DD TF Flotilla-2 spend 1 MP to enter the Northern Germany holding box and there spend the remaining 29 MPs of their naval movement step allowance almost completely replenishing its fuel for the first time during the current Axis player turn.

4th Naval Movement Step

The CA TF A. Hipper and the DD TF Flotilla-2 each spend 1 MP finishing their fuel replenishment at the Northern Germany holding box. Then a combat naval group leaves the Northern Germany holding box and sails north, entering the North Sea at 10B:5123, on the south edge of the Scenario map group. Here it rolls a 4 on the DZC. This Kriegsmarine combat naval group is composed of the following German naval units:

  • CA TF A. Hipper
  • CL TF Cruiser-1
  • B TF Schlesien.

The combat naval group continues its northerly bearing and ends the current naval movement step at 10B:3621, two hexes west of Stavanger (3319).

5th Naval Movement Step

The B TF Schlesien breaks away from the main combat naval group and enters the reference city/standard port of Stavanger. The CA TF A. Hipper and the B TF Schlesien continue sailing north several more sea hexes and enter the point city/standard port of Haugesund at hex 10B:3319. At the start of the naval movement step the Axis combat naval group at 3621 rolls a no contact on the DZC.

Back at the Northern Germany holding box only the two DD TF Flotillas-1 and -2 remain.

Meanwhile for the last four naval movement steps the large Br combat naval group at all-sea hex 10B:1608 in the Norwegian Sea has successfully evaded contact on the DZC.

Ground Movement Sub-Phase (c/m units only)

First thing, the Axis player moves the LW 1-10 Hv AA II 1/32 at mountain road hex 3515 moves westwards down the road and ends its exploitation move at the point city/standard port of Haugesund (3319).

Next the LW 1-10 Mot Inf II GG at mountain road junction hex 10B:3415 moves northeastwards, ending its move at mountain rail hex 3211.

Afterwards the 3-10 Mot Inf X 11 at mountain coast road hex 10B:3213 spends its entire movement allowance moving onto the rough terrain coastal double islets of Tysnes and Stord, at 3217.

Finally the 2-1-10 PZ II 11, beginning the exploitation phase stacked with the LW 1-10 Mot Inf II GG at 3415, spends its movement allowance moving west down the coast road to 10B:3318, where it crosses the narrow straits hexside there and ends its move stacked with the 3-10 Mot Inf X 11 at the coastal double isle hex at 3217. Note that the adjacent isle of Bolmo at 3218 is currently also Axis controlled via the ZOC of the Ger Inf XX 214 at adjacent mainland hex 3118, connected to Bolmo island by a narrow straits hexside.

The last c/m ground unit the Axis player moves is the 1-10 Mot MG II 13, beginning the turn stacked at mountain rail hex 2906. This unit double backs one Axis controlled rail hex to 3006 and then drives westwards down the road leading to the point city/minor port of Frode at mountain coast hex 10B:2613, where it ends its exploitation move.

Then the Axis player begins a series of LW air ops with its relatively large contingent of remaining operative air units. First the He 111H1 NB type air unit based at the Oslo airbase does a night strat bombing rail marshaling yard air mission to the Trondheim reference city/major port hex at 5C:2432. The Allied player’s dice roll is high on the “1” column of the SoS Antiaircraft Fire Table, and so the LW NB type air unit makes it through. But its die roll is low on the “5” column of the Bombing Table, with a -1 modifier for “bombing at night,” and so it is a miss. The He 111H1 NB type air unit returns to base at Oslo, inoperative.

Next, in an apparently risky air op, the Axis player flies the He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit based at the Oslo airbase on the same strat bombing rail marshaling yard air mission, this time in daylight. Perhaps the Axis player has the SoS Air Combat Results Table and his dice in hand, in anticipation of an interception by the operative Br Glad F type air unit based at the 1-cap permanent airstrip at adjacent hex 2431, when the Allied player says “go ahead and give me the dice for the AA roll.” The Allied player again rolls high and the He 111H4 air units gets through, but again its Bombing Table die roll is low, and so another miss for the Axis player. The He 111H4 air unit returns to base at Oslo.

Finally, realizing that the Allied player evidently has other uses in mind for the operative Glad F type air unit in the vicinity, the Axis player sends the two He 111H4 (S code) air units based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at the Norwegian coastal hex at 10B:3720 on an extended range strat bombing rail marshaling yard air mission to the Trondheim hex. Again, the Allied player declines to intercept against even the weakened defensive strength of one of the two Axis bombers flying at the extended range; as usual the 1 Br flack factor at the Trondheim hex misses the incoming bombing Heinkels. But this time the combined strat bombing strength of the two extended range He 111H4 B type air units, which enables the Axis player to roll on the “2” column of the Bombing Table, comes up with a 5 on the die roll: a hit. And so the Axis player achieves both a strat bombing hit on the Trondheim rail marshaling yard and a rail hit marker on the Trondheim hex, which is what he wanted all along to help protect his forward positions in south-central Norway during the upcoming Allied player’s final turn. The two He 111H4 (S code) B type air units return to base at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 3720, on the SW coast of Norway.

The Axis player then does some transfer air missions. The Ju 87R D type air unit based at the Stavanger reference city airbase (10B:3619) transfers to the adjacent 3-cap permanent airfield at clear terrain coast rail hex 3720.

The He 115B (SF code) B type air unit based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at clear terrain coast rail hex 10B:5014 in NE Denmark air transfers across the Skagarrak to the 3-cap permanent airfield at woods coast hex 4415, on the southern coastline of Norway, next to Kristiansand (4416).

At this point a rules quibble comes up. The phasing Axis player is wanting to end his turn and asks the Allied player if he wants to perform any more air missions (likely air transfers) before the end of the Axis player turn. In any event the Axis player still has two F type air units flying the CAP air mission over hexes in Norway that need to rebase “at the end” of the player turn. The Allied player at first balks, saying “after you,” and goes to the trouble of pointing out that Rule 17D-Air Operations Sequence, in this case won’t help the phasing player. The Axis player suggests that the phasing player might ought to have the power to declare precisely when his own turn ends, and reminds the Allied player that he has an upcoming final player turn of his own right at hand. The Allied player reconsiders and says “OK.”

Then the Allied player flies the Glad F type air unit based at the 1-cap permanent airstrip at 5C:2431, adjacent to Trondheim, on the air transfer mission to the Bergen dot city hex at 10B:3016. Afterwards it is promptly joined by the Sword I (VC code) A type and the Skua (C code) DF type FAA air units aboard aircraft carriers at all-sea hex 10B:1608, in the Norwegian Sea. In the all-sea hex itself the Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit aboard the Furious CV TF air transfers from that carrier to the just vacated deck of the Ark Royal CV TF.

The Axis player transfers the Me 109E F type air unit based at the 1-cap permanent airstrip at the rough terrain coast rail hex 10B:3908, adjacent to Oslo, to the 3-cap permanent airfield at 4415, on the southern Norwegian coastline.

End of Turn Positions

For those who might wish to know, the following is a list of the dispositions of both sides’ forces in the main war region south of the B weather line on the Scenario maps:

Norwegian Sea

At all-sea hex 10B:1608:

  • Br BB TF Rodney
  • Br BC TF Renown
  • Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit)
  • Br CV TF Furious
  • Br CV TF Glorious
  • Br CV TF Ark Royal carrying the Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit.

Trondheim Region:

Trondheim, at reference city/major port coast rail hex 5C:2432:

  • Norwegian government marker
  • Br 2-6 Inf X 15
  • Pol 2-3-6 Inf X CN
  • Fr 2-1-6 Inf III 13LE
  • Fr 0-6 AT II 14
  • Br 0-5 Lt AA II 56 (AA=1)
  • Fr 1-8 Mtn Art II 2CA
  • Br 1-8 Mtn Art II 51
  • Nor C.V A type air unit
  • one rail hit marker
  • one temporary rail marshaling yard hit marker

Forest rail hex 10B:2901: Nor 1-6 Mtn III 5/12ST

Mtn rail hex 10B:2603: Nor 5th Inf (Mtn) XX HQ unit

Mtn rail/road junction hex 10B:2704: Nor 1-6 Mtn III 5/13NT

Mtn rail hex 10B:2804:

  • Nor 1st Inf XX HQ unit
  • Br 2-6 Inf X 146
  • Br 2-6 Inf X 148

Forest rail hex 10B:3002: Ger wint 2-6 Inf III F

Forest rail hex 10B:3103: Ger A Mtn XX HQ unit and Ger 3-8 Mtn III A

Woods rail junction hex 10B:3603: Ger 1-8 Art X 109

Mtn rail hex 10B:2906: Ger wint 6-6 Inf XX 196 and Ger 3-8 Mtn III A

Forest rail hex 10B:3006: Ger wint 2-6 Inf III F.

Bergen Region:

Hauge, at point city/minor port mountain coast road terminus hex 10B:3010: Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 3

Mtn coast rail hex 10B:3114: Nor 1-6 Inf III 2/6Vl

Mtn rail hex 10B:3014: Nor 1-6 Eng III 1

Forest coast rail hex 10B:3015: Nor 0-1-6 Cav II 1Ak and Nor 1-6 Inf III 1/3 Tm

Bergen, at dot city/major port rough terrain rail terminus coast hex 10B:3016:

  • Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 4
  • Nor 2nd Inf XX HQ unit
  • Nor 1-6 Inf III 3/8Rl
  • Br 3-6 Inf X 24G
  • Br 0-6 Marine Cmdo II IC/A
  • Fr pos flk unit (AA=1)
  • Br Glad (*) F type air unit
  • Br Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit
  • Br Sword 1 (VC code) DF type FAA air unit
  • Nor intrinsic CD w/ a strength of 3
  • 1 rail hit marker

Mtn road hex 10B:3109: Ger wint 1-6 Inf III F

Frode, at point city/minor port mtn road terminus coast hex 10B:2613: Ger Mot MG II 13

Mtn rail hex 10B:3311: Ger wint 2-6 Inf III E

Mtn rail hex 10B:3211: Ger LW 1-10 Mot Inf II GG

Mtn coast road hex 10B:3212: Ger wint F Inf XX HQ unit and Ger wint 2-6 Inf III E

Isle of Huftar hex 10B:3118: Ger 1-6 Inf III D

Double rough terrain islets of Tysnes and Stord at 10B:3217:

  • Ger 3-10 Mot Inf X 11
  • Ger 2-1-10 Pz II 40

Clear terrain coast road hex 10B:3318: Ger 6-6 Inf XX 214

Haugesund, at point city/standard port clear terrain road terminus hex 10B:3319:

  • Ger D Inf XX HQ unit
  • two Ger 2-6 Inf IIIs D
  • Ger LW 1-10 Mot Hv AA II I/32
  • Ger CA TF A. Hipper (in port)
  • Ger CL TF Cruiser-1 (in port)
  • 1 Ger mine point sown off-shore at sea

Stavanger, at reference city/standard port clear terrain rail terminus coast hex 10B:3619:

  • Ger 1-6 Inf III C
  • Ger LW 1-10 Mot Hv AA II I/611
  • Ger B TF Schlesien (in port)
  • Ger Me 109E F type air unit

Clear terrain coast rail hex 10B:3720, w/ a 3-cap permanent airfield:

  • Ger C Inf XX HQ unit
  • two Ger He 111H4 (S code) B type air units
  • Ger Ju 87R D type air unit

Egersund, at point city/minor port rough terrain coast rail hex 10B:4019: 1 Ger mine point sown off-shore at sea.

Southern Norway and Northern Denmark Region:

Oslo, at partial city/major port hex 10B:4007:

  • Ger 0-1-5 Const III 6
  • Ger wint 1-6 Inf III E
  • Ger He 111H1 NB type air unit
  • Ger He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit
  • Ger Me 110C1 F code air unit
  • one airbase hit marker

Woods coast hex 10B:4115 (next to Kristiansand), w/ a 3-cap permanent airfield:

  • Ger Me 109E F type air unit
  • Ger He 115B (SF code) B type air unit

Clear terrain coast rail hex 10B:5014, in NE Denmark:

  • two Ger LW pos flk units (each w/ AA=1)
  • Ger Ju 52 T type air unit

Aalborg, at reference city/major port rail causeway hex 10B:5115, in NE Denmark:

  • Ger wint E Inf XX HQ unit
  • Ger wint 6-6 Inf XX 198
  • Ger Mxd (F type) T type air unit.