Initial Phase
Per Rule 41B1-Campaign for Norway Starting Conditions, the first turn weather “is automatically a ‘2’.” This means it is clear weather in the Denmark zone (in weather zone D), mud in the central and southern Norway regions, which includes Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim (in weather zones B and C), and snow in northern Norway, which includes Narvik (in weather zone A). All on-map seas are calm.
I believe the German player starts the scenario with no available ARPs, and apparently receives none until the May I 40 air cycle. Per the Grand Europa German NTO OB, 1940-1945, the Germans evidently have accumulated 4 inf RPs and 2 resource points and receive these in the SoS North Theater “from Greater Germany” in the German Apr I 40 initial phase. See pp. 45-46.
German players will likely want to become acquainted with the Conditional Reinforcements part of the German North Theater OB, including the Stripping Down Units section found on p. 47 of the SoS OB booklet.
The Axis player flies no CAP missions in the initial phase.
Movement Phase
1st Naval Movement Step
A “mixed naval group” (Rule 27B2-Naval Group) leaves the Northern Germany holding box and enters map E10B(SW)/10B at hex 5122. The mixed naval group’s map entry 15th MP (per the German Game Chart) is here considered the last MP of night movement (Rule 34A2-Movement at Night). Although we will here admit to knowing that the SoS Errata Sheet dated 18 Jan 1999 says to “ignore the -1 modifier for night” stipulation of the Naval Combat Table found on the Combat Charts and Tables sheet, we wonder if this “ignoring” is supposed to apply only to combat situations between naval units and/or CDs. But should Naval Combat Table die rolls involving Danger Zones (Rule 34D2-Danger Zones) also ignore the -1 night modifier? In any event we use the Danger Zones Chart (found on the back page of the SoS OB booklet) and roll dice for entering a “British-Exerted” danger zone hex and roll an 8 without the night modifier: no contact. The mixed naval group then continues bearing due north another 15 MPs in daylight until it expends its 30th MP naval movement step allowance (Rule 28A-Naval Movement: General) at all-sea hex 10B:3621, two sea hexes due west of Stavanger. This mixed naval group consists of the following naval units:
- Scharnhorst BC TF (w/ 1 mine point)
- Gneisenau BC TF (w/ 1 mine point)
- Hipper CA TF
- Cruiser-1 CL TF (w/ unsupported 2-6 Inf III C)
- Flotilla-1 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B)
- Flotilla-2 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B)
- 1 NTP carrying unsupported 2-6 Inf III C.
At this point in the German 1st Naval Movement Step a mixed naval group leaves Kiel and sails northwards into the Danish archipelago in the Baltic Sea. This mixed group consists of the following naval units:
- Lützow BP TF
- Blücher CA TF
- NTP carrying unsupported wint 2-6 Inf III G
- NTP carrying unsupported wint 1-6 Inf III G
- NTP carrying unsupported wint 2-6 Inf III E
- NTP carrying unsupported wint 2-6 Inf III F
- NTP carrying unsupported wint 2-6 Inf III F.
Here I believe we must come to a complete stop in the wargame commentary and commence a rules deposition. At Rule 41B2-Special Conditions the SoS rules say “Axis naval units in the Northern Germany off-map holding box may embark cargo at no MP cost during the Axis movement phase of the first game tun (only).” Right now I think this special embarkation cut-rate should also apply to cargo embarking at the Baltic Sea German ports on map E13A(NE) during the movement phase of the Axis first game turn (only). If this cannot be, either because of some Norwegian campaign historical reality that I’m not aware of, or if in any event law abiding Europa players must wear the RAW chain-hobble because “rules is rules,” then perhaps there is a second-rate alternative. Maybe the above mentioned mixed naval group can indeed embark in the Northern Germany off-map holding box and then, using the Kiaser Wilhelm Canal, expend 2 MPs to sea move from the holding box to the Kiel partial city/major port coast hex. Rule 28A1a-Kiaser Wilhelm Canal says this canal “connects” the off-map holding box to the game map; so presumably it may cost 2 MPs (see the Naval MP Cost Summary on Game Play Chart 2) of sea movement to move from there to the Kiel sea coast hex. If this is OK at the EA, then simply add the 2 additional MPs at the appropriate places below. If this alternative cannot be because “rules is rules” and the Kiaser Wilhelm Canal in fact has no relevance in SoS because specific instructions for its actual use are apparently not spelled out anywhere in the game literature (ie., nothing on the German Game Chart), then assume for now a home brew house rule for the relevant activity below. Note that overland ground unit movement between the Northern Germany Holding Box, the Sylt Holding Box, and map E10B(SW) [northern Germany and most of Denmark] has evidently been overlooked on the SoS German Game Chart. In this game we will use FtF map 13A as a play aide to resolve these particular ground movement issues as they arise.
From Kiel, this Kriegsmarine mixed naval group expends 19 MPs to sail in daylight to hex 13A:0714. Care is taken to stay clear of the CD placed at the Korsar hex, and so here the mixed naval group skirts along the eastern coast of the Danish isle of Fyn. At hex 0714 the mixed naval group splits into two groups. A cargo naval group (Rule 27B2-Naval Group) consisting of the two NTPs carrying the two wint 2-6 Inf IIIs G moves 1 MP east to all-sea hex 0713 and then expends 5 more MPs to finally enter the Danish point city/minor port clear terrain coast hex of Helsingor at 13A:1012. Here the two NTPs begin an amphibious landing of their cargo at the Danish port hex, starting the spend count of “45 MPs to disembark cargo at an enemy owned port,” per the “addition” to Rule 37H-Surprise, found in the SoS Errata Sheet 18 Jan 1999. By the end of the 1st Naval Movement Step, this cargo naval group has expended 5 MPs towards the disembarkation of the two unsupported wint Inf III G breakdowns.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Kiel mixed naval group at hex 13A:0714 continues northwards through the Danish archipelago and expends its 28th naval MP to enter all sea hex 10B:4912, right on the C weather line cutting across the Skagerrak, aka the Nordic Straits per Rule 3E6-Sea Zones. Here the mixed naval group again splits into two groups. A small cargo naval group comprising only the NTP carrying the unsupported 2-6 Inf III E angles NW towards Kristiansand and expends its 30th MP naval movement step allowance at all-sea hex 10B:4713. The now somewhat reduced mixed naval group main force from Kiel veers NE and bears towards Oslo, ending its 30th MP naval movement step allowance at all-sea hex 10B:4711.
2nd Naval Movement Step
Back at beleaguered Helsingor minor port hex 13A:1012 the two German NTPs carrying the two unsupported wint Inf IIIs G expend their entire 30 MP naval movement step allowance continuing there the amphibious disembarkation of their cargo. By the end of the 2nd Naval Movement Step they’ve tallied 35 of the 45 MPs required to complete the disembarkation.
The old Schlesien B TF leaves the port of Kiel and spends 18 MPs to reach the Danish coast hex at 13A:1114, containing the point city of Roskilde and situated one hex seaward to the west of the Danish capital, Kjobenhavn. Here at its 19th MP it utilizes Rule 33A-Naval Gunfire Support and begins the 90 MP expenditure to “prepare to provide NGS for [the] next combat phase” (Naval MP Cost Summary on Game Play Chart 2). By the end of its naval movement step it has tallied 12 MPs towards this preparation.
Meanwhile, the large Kriegsmarine mixed naval group at sea in daylight at hex 10B:3621, two hexes due west of Stavanger, is obliged per Rule 34D2-Danger Zones to now check for enemy contact on the Danger Zones Chart; an 11 is rolled: Contact. Perhaps Vice-Admiral Lutjens becomes worried when the Scharnhorst is then randomly picked as “contacted,” but is surely relieved when the Allies roll low on the “1” column of the Naval Combat Table used in Danger Zone contacts, and the Scharnhorst safely sails on after its brush with danger.
The mixed naval group then proceeds 5 hexes northwards to all-sea hex 10B:3119, which is exactly 20 MPs away from the last hex this group used night movement during the previous naval movement step. The 6th MP is to all-sea hex 3018 and is considered here the first MP of night movement. At the next MP this naval group splits into two separate mixed naval groups. Still at night movement, one group proceeds east to the Norwegian island hex of Sorta (10B:3017), just west of Bergen, expending 2 MPs to enter a coastal hex. This mixed group consists of:
- Hipper CA TF
- Cruiser-1 CL TF (w/ unsupported 2-6 Inf III C)
- 1 NTP carrying unsupported 2-6 Inf III C.
The larger naval combat group spends its 7th MP entering all-sea hex 10B:2919 (2nd MP of night movement) and continues northwards until it expends its 29th MP entering all-sea hex 10B:2002. Here this combat naval group splits into two separate naval groups. A small combat naval group consisting of the Flotilla-2 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B) expends its 30th MP entering all-sea hex 10B:2102, bearing towards Trondheim. The larger combat naval group expends its 30th MP entering all-sea hex 5C:2033. This second naval group consists of:
- Scharnhorst BC TF (w/ 1 mine point)
- Gnesinau BC TF (w/ 1 mine point)
- Flotilla-1 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B).
Both these two adjacent combat naval groups have moved exactly 20 hexes in daylight since their last night movement in hex 10B:2617.
Back at the Norwegian island of Sorta, one hex west of Bergen, the Kriegsmarine mixed naval
group here first rolls for contact on the Danger Zones Chart and comes up with a 9: no contact. It then expends 2 MPs at night movement to move east into the adjacent Bergen dot city/major port rough terrain coast hex at 10B:3016. At this point the mixed naval group, which so far has done 5 MPs of night movement, enters the naval combat zone of the 1 strength level intrinsic CD found here per the Coast Defenses Chart. Per Rule 34A2-Movement at Night “a CD has its gunnery strength halved at night.” Evidently this means a 1 strength level CD halved at night has no effect against enemy naval units in its naval combat zone, because it can’t roll on the “1” column of the Naval Combat Table. In theory the A. Hipper CA TF and the Cruiser-1 CL TF (w/ the C inf III) could form into a naval screen, and the NTP carrying the unsupported 2-6 Inf III C would be designated the main body. We assume that the two Kriegsmarine TFs can fire their naval strengths against the CD either together or separately. Of course the SoS Errata Sheet says to “ignore the -1 modifier for night” on the Naval Combat Table, but Rule 34A2-Movement at Night says “a naval unit has its gunnery strength quartered at night.” In the night’s darkness the CA TF and the CL TF (w/ the unsupported C inf III) could combine their quartered (the CL already halved for carrying the inf III breakdown) naval strengths (3 x 1/4 + 3 x 1/8 = 1 1/8) and fire at the Bergen CD using the “1” column on the Naval Combat Table. But there is a -1 modifier for a “TF vs Non-firing CD,” which appears to make the effort superfluous. After all this mulling the NTP and the Cruiser-1 CL TF, at the 11th MP of the 2nd Naval Step, begin to amphibiously disembark the two unsupported 2-6 Inf IIIs C at the Bergen hex and are still counting at the 30th MP naval movement step allowance, for a total of 20 tallied so far. In every surprise German amphibious disembarkation at a Norwegian port on the Apr I 40 German turn it is assumed that the Kriegsmarine NTPs and/or light TFs disembarking their ground unit cargo in enemy port hexes per Rule 37H-Surprise, are not inside the enemy port itself, but are in fact “at sea” outside the enemy port throughout the German player turn.
In the Skagerrak the small cargo naval group at 10B:4713 comprising only the NTP carrying the unsupported Inf III E spends its first 6 MPs of the 2nd Naval Movement Step to move to and enter the Kristiansand point city/standard port clear terrain coast hex at 10B:4416 in southern Norway. At this point it begins to amphibiously disembark its cargo at the port, by the end of the 2nd Naval Movement Step expending a total of 24 MPs doing so
At the start of the German 2nd Naval Movement Step the Kriegsmarine mixed naval group at 10B:4711 resumes its voyage towards the dangerous Oslo zone. But first a small cargo naval group comprising a NTP carrying one of the unsupported Inf IIIs F splits from it and angles NW, spending 5 MPs to enter the Larvik point city/minor port clear terrain coast hex at 10B:4311, where at the 6th MP it begins to amphibiously disembark its cargo at the port; at the end of the 2nd Naval Movement Step it has tallied a total of 24 MPs for this embarkation.
Meanwhile, the mixed naval group main body exits 4711 and continues north towards Oslo, and spending 5 MPs (the first MP in daylight, the next 4 at night movement) presently enters the point city/minor port clear terrain coast hex of Fredrikstad (10B:4309), at the mouth of the Oslofjord, where there is an intrinsic CD level of 1. Since it is night and the CD has a level of 1, the mixed naval group can evidently safely sail past it in the dark. The German mixed naval group then spends 2 MPs at night movement to move into the next coast hex at 4208 (Moss). This group then moves another 2 MPs at night into adjacent coast hex 4108, where there is another Norwegian intrinsic CD level of 1 in store for them. Perhaps this intrinsic CD represents the historical defenders of the Drobak narrows and the larger intrinsic CD with a strength level of 2 to the west at adjacent hex 4109 represents the sure-firing historical cruiser sinkers at Oscarborg. Here the combat at night between the naval units and the 1 level CD again appears to be superfluous, just as at Bergen and at Fredrikstad; and so the mixed naval group spends another 2 MPs at night to move into the adjacent Oslo partial city/major port coast hex at 10B:4007. Once again, the CA and BP TFs are evidently faced with yet another superfluous night standoff with the at-start “fort marker in coastal hex” CD level of 1 placed at Oslo. Things liven up with the next MP of 1 in daylight done by the German mixed naval group in the Oslo hex, when the NTP starts amphibiously disembarking its unsupported 2-6 Inf III F cargo at the port. Forthwith the CD level of 1 at Oslo fires at the Lutzow BP TF and the Blucher CA TF naval screen; the unloading NTP becomes the main body. It is assumed that per SoS rules at least one level of available CD strength points must fire at the naval screen; any available excess CD levels can then fire at the main group. The CD aims at the Lutzow TF and rolls a 5, which modifies to a 6: a hit. The two TFs each roll on the “3” column (or does the Lutzow now roll on the “2” column?) and the Blucher scores a naval hit on the CD. With the single round of combat done between the naval units and the CD, the NTP continues its disembarkation MP count, arriving at a tally of 19 MPs by the end of its 2nd Naval Movement Step.
3rd Naval Movement Step
At the Danish minor port of Helsingor at hex 13A:1012, the two German NTPs carrying the two unsupported wint Inf IIIs G expend 10 more MPs to complete their amphibious disembarkation of the two inf IIIs at the minor port hex. After disembarkation, the two inf IIIs are rolled for disruption, using the Disruption Table found on Game Play Chart 1. Both inf III disruption rolls are high, and so they land undisrupted. Note that although the Danes have ground units adjacent to the Helsingor hex at Kjobenhavn, per Rule 37H-Surprise “its units may not react to enemy amphibious landings.” Although per Rule 3D-Ownership, the Germans now own the Helsingor minor port hex, the port itself evidently cannot be entered or used by German naval units this turn because Rule 30A-Ports says “a player may use a port in a turn only if he wons it at the start of his initial phase.” Also, evidently per Rule 31A-NTPs, once an NTP disembarks cargo at a port or beach, “the NTP is done for the player turn” and “a player need not track the location of NTPs from player turn to player turn.” and in the case here at Helsingor the two NTPs “could be used somewhere else in the next Axis player turn.”
The WWI vintage Schlesien B TF, biding its time at Danish coast hex 13A:1114, adds another 30 MPs in its preparation for NGS by the end of the naval movement step, upping the preparation tally to 42. It is certainly intending to provide NGS for a combat attack against the Danish units defending the adjacent Kjobenhavn hex 1113.
Much farther north, at all-sea hex 5C:2033, two hexes west of the fjord leading to Trondheim, the combat naval group comprising both the Schrnhrst and the Gneisenau BC TFs (w/ mines) and the Flotilla-1 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B) first rolls on the Danger Zones Chart and gets a 6: no contact. Afterwards it continues sailing northwards, eventually crossing the Arctic Circle and then sailing into the funnel shaped island and coastline bordered waterway leading to Narvik. This combat naval group expends its 30th MP naval movement step allowance at the Norwegian sea isle of Tjelde, at hex 5C:0812, just three coast hexes away from Narvik.
Three hexes SW of Trondheim, at all-sea hex 10B:2102, the small combat naval group consisting of the flotilla-2 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B) first rolls for British Danger Zone contact and gets an 8: no contact. Then it uses its first two MPs of night movement to enter coast/narrow straits hex 5C:2333, containing a 1 strength level intrinsic CD. The mountain troops laden DD flotilla evidently safely sails past the CD in the dark, and expends another 4 MPs to ultimately arrive at the reference city/major port coast hex of Trondheim (5C:2432). At the 7th MP of the 3rd Naval Movement Step it begins to amphibiously disembark its mtn III cargo at the port, expending a total of 24 MPs doing the unloading task by the end of the naval movement step.
At Bergen, at the start of the naval movement step in daylight, the mixed naval group does it dice roll on the danger Zones Chart and gets a 5: no contact. Following the order given in Rule 27D-Naval Movement Sequence, the CD then commences firing on the A. Hipper CA TF naval screen; the Cruiser-1 CL TF and the NTP both unloading the two unsupported 2-6 Inf IIIs C become the main body. The CD rolls low on the “1” column of the Naval Combat Table and misses, but the Hipper rolls a 6, a naval hit against the CD. Upon completion of the single round of combat between the naval unit and the CD, the CL TF and NTP continue their disembarkation counts; at 25 MPs they finish disembarking the two 2-6 Inf IIIs C at Bergen. After disembarkation, the two German Inf IIIs C are rolled for disruption; there is a -1 for a “non-suppressed enemy coast defense level in the hex.” The first roll is 1, which modifies to a 0: Disrupted; the second roll is 2, which modifies to a 1: another Disrupted. No doubt about it: the German player has suffered bad luck at Bergen after so much planning and hard work. At this point both the A. Hipper CA TF and the Cruiser-1 CL TF spend their remaining 5 MPs of the 3rd naval Movement Step to leave the Bergen port hex, sail past the narrow straits hexside, and head out to sea again. The combat naval group ultimately veers to the south, ending their 30th MP naval movement step allowance at all-sea hex 10B:3219, one hex NW of the Norwegian point city/standard port of Haugensund (3319). Evidently Rules 34B1-Low Fuel and 3-Replenishment, compel all the sailing Kriegsmarine naval units on the map to scurry back by the end of the Germany player turn to a “friendly-owned functioning naval base” (eg., a major or great port) that was German-owned at the start of the initial phase for the purpose of “replenishment.”
In southern Norway, at Kristiansand (10B:4416) the NTP unloading the unsupported Inf III E expends a total of 21 MPs to finish unloading its infantry cargo at the port. The roll for disruption is then done and the inf III lands undisrupted at this important invasion hex for the Nazi war effort.
A little to the east on the southern Norway Skagerrak coastline, at the minor port of Larvik (10B:4311), the NTP unloading the unsupported Inf III F continues disembarking its cargo, and finishes this labor at the 21st MP of its 3rd Naval Movement Step. At this point the amphibious landing die roll for disruption is done and the roll is 2: No Effect.
At the Oslo hex 10B:4007 at the start of the naval movement step in daylight the “fort marker in coastal hex” CD level of 1 immediately begins firing at the Lutzow BP (1 hit) and Blucher CA TF naval screen in the hex, the NTP amphibiously unloading the unsupported 2-6 Inf III F at the port becoming the main body. The CD again aims at the Lutzow and rolls a 6, which is a second hit on the pocket battleship. The two German naval units fire back separately and one scores a second naval hit on the CD; this enables the German player to finally place a damage marker hit on the CD. Per Rule 33B- Coast Defenses, “for every hit of damage, the CDs in a hex are reduced by 1 level.” With the single round of combat resolved between the naval units and the Oslo CD, the NTP carrying the inf III expends another 26 MPs to complete the disembarkation of its cargo. At this point the important die roll for disruption is done; there is a -1 “for landing in an enemy-occupied hex.” the roll is a 2, which modifies to a 1: Disrupted. Meanwhile, from the naval movement step’s 1st MP count (and of course in addition to firing at the CD), both the Lutzow BP and the Blucher CA TFs in the Oslo port hex begin to “prepare to provide NGS for [the] next combat phase” per the Naval MP Cost Summary.
4th Naval Movement Step:
At the Norwegian sea isle hex of Tjelde at 5C:0812, the powerful Kriegsmarine combat naval group comprising the Schrnhrst and Gneisenau BC TFs (w/ mines) and the Flotilla-1 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B) rolls for Danger Zone contact and gets a 5: no contact. It then spends 6 MPs to move towards and finally enter Narvik, located at reference city/major port rough terrain coast hex 5C:1010. At the 7th MP the DD flotilla begins to amphibiously disembark its mountain troops cargo; by the end of the naval movement step it has expended 24 MPs towards completing the cargo disembarkation.
Farther south, at Trondheim, the Flotilla-2 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B) rolls for Danger Zone contact and gets a 3: no contact. It then expends 21 MPs to complete the amphibious disembarkation of its mountain troops cargo at the port hex. Per Rule 32A-Disruption, the die roll for disruption is evidently done “after disembarkation;” and the result is a 1: Disrupted. Right after this, due to the same naval supply considerations mentioned above for the Kriegsmarine naval units involved in the Bergen operation, the Flotilla-1 DD TF lifts anchor and abandons the disrupted and perhaps doomed 2-8* Mtn III B at the remote and still Norwegian controlled Trondheim hex and heads back out to the Norwegian Sea. Night movement at sea is used to get past the pair of intrinsic CDs guarding the narrow fjord at hexes 5C:2333 and 10B:2302, and the DD flotilla expends it 30th MP naval movement step allowance at all-sea hex 10B:1905, three hexes NE of the Norwegian point city/standard port of Kristiansund (2206), heading south towards the Northern Germany holding box for “replenishment.”
At Bergen sit the two disrupted (and therefore immobile in the Movement Phase this turn per the Rule 37H-Surprise errata “addition”) and unsupported 2-6 Inf III B units. The combat naval group comprising the A. Hipper CA TF and the Cruiser-1 CL TF at nearby all-sea hex 10B:3219 first rolls for danger Zone contact and gets a 10: no contact. This combat naval group then continues to sail south and ends their 30th MP naval movement step allowance off-map 5 hexes from the Northern Germany off-map holding box, having exited map E10B(SW) on their 20th MP.
At Oslo sits the disrupted, therefore immobile, and unsupported wint 2-6 Inf III F. In the same hex are the Blucher CA TF and the Lutzow BP TF (2 hits) naval units, both spending 30 MPs this naval movement step preparing to provide NGS for the next combat phase. At the end of the 4th Naval Movement Step they will have accumulated a total of 60 MPs towards this preparation.
At Krisitinsand (4416) sits the undisrupted and unsupported wint 2-6 Inf III E with 2 MPs left for the Ground Movement Sub-Phase per the Naval Transport Costs Summary found on Game Play Chart 2. Keep in mind it’s mud weather in southern and central Norway.
At Larvik (4311) sits the undisrupted and unsupported wint 2-6 Inf III F with 2 MPs left for ground movement.
At Helsingor (13A:1012) in Denmark sit the undisrupted and unsupported wint 2-6 Inf III F with 2 MPs left in clear weather in zone D. Nearby, the Schlesien B TF, in the coast hex adjacent to Kjobenhavn, increases its NGS preparation tally to 72 by the end of the naval movement step.
5th Naval Movement Step
At the Narvik hex at 5C:1010 the combat naval group there first rolls on the Danger Zones Chart and comes up 8: no contact. The Flotilla-1 DD TF (w/ stripped down 2-8* Mtn III B) then expends another 21 MPs to complete the disembarkation of the 2-8* Mtn III B at the port. Right afterwards the unit is rolled for on the Disruption Table and gets a 4: No Effect. The mtn III successfully lands undisrupted at this important Norwegian major port, in snow weather and north of the A weather line.
At this point, after the undisrupted 2-8* Mtn III B has successfully disembarked at the Narvik hex, the Schrnhrst and Gneisenau BC TFs (w/ mines) spend 5 MPs to lay their respective mine points at the now German occupied and controlled Narvik coastal hex. Two black mine counters marked with a 1 from SF are used to mark the Narvik hex as mined by the German side. After this work is done the entire Kriegsmarine combat naval group leaves the Narvik hex, expending the last 4 MPs of their naval movement step allowance to end the naval movement step at Norwegian coast hex 5C:0912, on their way back to a German-owned functioning naval base per Rule 30A9-Naval Bases for replenishment.
Farther south in the Norwegian Sea at all-sea hex 10B:1905 the Flotilla-2DD TF rolls 2 on the Danger Zones Chart: no contact. The DD flotilla then expends 30 MPs to move south towards the Northern Germany holding box, and ends its naval movement step at all-sea hex 10B:4122, three hexes WSW of the southern Norwegian minor port of Egersund (10B:4019).
I suppose the combat naval group comprising the A. Hipper CA TF and the Cruiser-1 CL TF spends 5 MPs “off-map” in the naval movement step to actually reach the Northern Germany holding box, which is also a “naval base,” and by the end of the naval movement step expends there 25 of the 30 MPs needed to Replenish per the Naval MP Cost Summary. Since they are off-map no Danger Zones dice roll is done.
At Oslo the Blucher CA TF and the Lutzow BP TF (2 hits) add another 30 MPs to their NGS preparation tally, and by the end of the naval movement step have the total of 90 MPs needed to do the naval gun support at the still Norwegian occupied and controlled Oslo hex, where the disrupted and unsupported 2-6 Inf III F also in the hex will be forced to fight the sturdy Norwegian defenders of their capital. The CD there is suppressed for the rest of the Apr I 40 German turn; so for the time being there is no firing from it.
At Danish coast hex 13A:1114 the Schlesien B TF, adjacent to the Danish capital of Kjobenhavn, expends the final 18 MPs needed to reach the total of 90 MPs needed to prepare to provide NGS the next combat phase and then lingers in the hex till the end of the naval movement step. The two German wint inf IIIs G are poised close by at Helsingor (1012). The battle for Kjobenhavn is fast approaching.
Ground Movement Sub-Phase
We will first attempt to describe the German invasion of Denmark. Here the order of business seems to be to 1) capture certain Danish airfields important for the assault on Norway, 2) gain capacity for the German/Danish rail net (Rule 7A5-Rail Nets) by capturing Danish rail marshaling yards (Rule 7A-Intro), and 3) attack and capture Kjobenhavn, the Danish capital, which could bring into effect favorable consequences for the German player indicated at Rule 32A-Common Rules for Neutrals.
With the above in mind the units consisting of the tall German stack at Flensburg (13A:1121) on the German-Danish border begin their particular invasion moves. First the Danish 1-8 Bdr III PF at rail coast border hex 13A:1021 is overrun by two of the 2-6* Inf IIIs D. The Danish bdr III’s defense strength is ¼: halved once for being unsupported and halved again this turn (only) per Rule 37H-Surprise. The two overrunning German supported inf IIIs then regular move northwards, one ending its move at 0819 and the other at 0820.
The 3-10 Mot Inf X 11 then regular moves northwards 8 hexes along the same rail line to Aarhus, at Danish dot city/major port clear terrain coast rail hex 13A:0616, and then regular moves 2 more rail hexes to Randers at point city/minor port clear terrain rail junction coast hex 0416. The 1-6* Inf III D moves 6 hexes to 0620, taking care to enter Danish coastal hexes 0822, 0722, and Esbjerg, a reference city/standard port clear terrain coast hex at 0621.
The 6-6 Inf XX 214 regular moves 5 hexes up the Danish peninsula to Fredericia at point city/minor port clear terrain rail junction/causeway coast hex 13A:0719, where its divisional ZOCs presumably immediately extend across the causeway hexside, and subsequently it evidently immediately gains control of the adjacent Danish clear terrain rail causeway coast hex 0818, at the Danish isle of Fyn. This German inf XX then spends its last MP of regular movement to cross the rail causeway/all-sea hexside and enter into hex 0818. Afterwards the 1-8 Art X 109 follows along its hex path, crossing over the now German controlled causeway and then expending two more regular MPs along the rail hex route to enter first Odense at reference city/standard port hex 0918 and finally Nyborg at point city/minor port hex 1017.
Then the LW 2-10 Mot Hvy AA III 162 moves 10 regular MPs to secondary rail causeway clear terrain coast hex 13A:0218 in NW Denmark, taking care to enter on the way rail hexes 0417 and 0318 (Viborg). Afterwards the wint 6-6 Inf XX 198 admin moves 10 hexes along the German ZOC controlled hex pathway to the secondary rail causeway coast hex 0218 and stacks with the LW mot hvy AA III. Now, to be sure, per SoS Rule 6B-Administrative Movement a unit “…loses its ZOC for the remainder of the movement phase once it begins to use admin movement.” However, the division surely regains its ZOC exertion into adjacent hexes per Rule 5-Zones of Control in the subsequent Combat and, for this case, the Exploitation phase. This is when the LW mot hvy AA III can evidently cross the secondary rail causeway hexside and then move east to gain control of the important at start Danish 3-cap permanent airfield at clear terrain coast rail causeway hex 10B:5014 and also the point city/standard port clear terrain hex at 10B:5013, Frederikshavn. We say “evidently cross” the transportation line causeway hexside because Rule 37A1-Causeways says “ground units treat … [causeway] hexside[s] as a narrow straits hexside for all movement and combat purposes.” Here we must confess to perhaps importing into SoS the WW Rule 37A2-Narrow Straits Ferries verbage “If a player owns the transportation lines on both sides of such a narrow straits hexside, he may move units … across the narrow straits,” and ought to admit to the EA that I haven’t yet found in my studies of the SoS rules explicit clarification of whether or not say, a III sized unit can cross a narrow straits/causeway hexside if the other side is not yet owned by its side via ZOCs per SoS Rule 3D-Ownership.
On the Danish isle of Sjaelland, the German wint 2-6 Inf III G at the Helsingor hex adjacent to the Danish capital hex at Kjobenhavn maneuvers 2 hexes to Roskilde, at point city clear terrain coast rail hex 13A:1114, due west of the capital. In this same coast hex the old Schlesien B TF lurks offshore. The Ger wint 1-6 Inf III G remains at Helsingor.
From the point city Schleswig (13A:1221), one rail hex south of the main German invasion force at the Flensburg border hex (1121), the LW 1-10 Mot Inf II GG and the 1-10 Mot MG II 13 first admin move northwards to Randers at 13A:0416 and then regular move north three more hexes northwards and end their move stacked at Aalborg, at reference city/major port clear terrain rail causeway hex 10B:5115. Having both admin moved, these two mot IIs definitely lose their ZOCs for the duration of the Movement Phase, but will certainly regain their ZOCs by the Exploitation Phase and, per Advanced Rule 43A2-Ownership, will then presumably control the important Aalborg hex.
Now the two LW 1-5 Para IIs I/1 and II/1 at Schleswig admin move to the dot city Aarhus at 13A:0616. Immediately afterwards two Ju 52 T type air units based at the Northern Germany holding box stage to Aarhus. Picking up as cargo there the LW 1-5 Para II II/1 for an air drop mission, the pair of Ju 52 air units fly towards Oslo, their target hex being not the 1-cap permanent airstrip at rough terrain hex 10B:4108, but rather being the clear terrain coast hex at 4108, vacant except for the unmarked Norwegian intrinsic CD with a strength level of 1 there per the Coast Defenses Chart. Two Ju 52 air units are used to fly the para II air drop mission because of the mud weather at the target hex in the C weather zone. After executing the air drop the disruption die roll is done. A -2 is accounted for due to the mud weather, but an additional -1 for “dropping in a clear hex containing enemy fortifications” is not included in the modifier tally because intrinsic CDs alone are not listed under Fortifications at the Fortifications Chart found on the SoS provided GE TEC. In spite of this, the Germans still roll a 3, which per the Disruption Table modifies to a 1: Disrupted. Perhaps the disrupted LW para II must lay low to avoid the remaining intrinsic CD along with it in the still Norwegian controlled hex. And so at Oslo the Germans have a disrupted 2-6 inf III in the Oslo city hex, along with the array of enemy Norwegian forces and markers also there, and a disrupted LW para II at Oslo’s SE outskirts.
Next a second pair of Ju 52 T type air units based at the Northern Germany holding box stage to Aarhus, picking up as cargo the LW 1-5 Para II I/1 for an air drop mission. They fly to the target hex at Norwegian clear terrain coast rail hex 10B:3720, one hex SW of Stavanger (3619), where there is an at-start 3-cap permanent airfield. Here Luck finally smiles at the LW paratroopers and the German rolls a 5, which modifies to a 3 due to the mud weather: No Effect. The LW para II successfully air drops undisrupted at the important southwestern Norway airfield and the two Ju 52 air units return to base at Aarhus.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in southern Norway, the wint 2-6 Inf III E at Kristiansand (10B:4416) moves east 1 MP in the mud weather across the Otra River to the 1-cap permanent airstrip at woods coast hex 4415. Farther east, the wint 2-6 Inf III F at Larvik (4311) moves one hex east along the southern Norwegian Skagerrak coastline and enters the point city/minor port Tonsberg, at clear terrain coast rail hex 4310 at the mouth of the Oslofjord. This certainly eliminates the Norwegian 1 strength point intrinsic CD located here per the Coast Defenses Chart. This wargamer takes the liberty of now placing the old GRD Narvik game German swastika ownership markers at the unoccupied Kristiansand and Larvik point city/minor port hexes to indicate side ownership.
Then the 0-1-5 Const III 6 at Schleswig admin moves to Aahrus (0616). Two more Ju 52 air units from the Northern Germany holding box stage to Aahrus to pick it up as cargo and regular transport it to the just captured 1-cap permanent airstrip at 10B:4415, adjacent to Kristiansand, there stacking with the just moved in 2-6 Inf III E. The two Ju 52 air units return to base at the partial city hex of Kiel (13A:1421). From the Sylt holding box the Mxtd T type F code air unit based there conducts a regular transport mission carrying 2 supply points (Rule 12Ca-Supply Points) to the same 1-cap permanent airstrip and then returns to base at Sylt. The reorganized LW 0-8 Lt AA II I/611 admin moves from the Sylt holding box to the Kiel hex where it is regular transported by a Ju 52 air unit staged from the Northern Germany holding box to the same 1-cap permanent airstrip. The Ju 52 air unit returns to the Kiel partial city hex.
The wint 2-6 Inf III E at Kiel then admin moves to Aarhus, where it is picked up as cargo by two Ju 52 air units based at the Northern Germany holding box and is then regular transported to the just captured 3-cap permanent airfield at SW Norwegian coast hex 10B:3720 next to Stavanger. Afterwards one Ju 52 air unit returns to base at Aarhus and the other flies to the reference city airbase at Esbjerg at 13A:0621.
From the Northern Germany holding box the long range Mxtd T type air unit picks up as cargo the reorganized LW 0-8 Lt AA II II/83 and conducts a “…one-way regular transport mission with a range twice its printed movement range” per Rule 20F1-Regular Transport and lands its cargo at Narvik (5C:1010), where it bases. Then the long striding He 115B type B SF code air unit based at the Sylt holding box, utilizing its transport capability per Rule 23D2-Bombers as Transports, performs a one-way regular transport mission of 2 supply points also to Narvik, where it must base at the end of the mission.
At the end of the movement phase the remaining wint E and F Inf XX breakdowns (an inf XX HQ unit and a 1-6 inf III for each) at the Kiel partial city hex admin move to the Northern Germany holding box. The wint G Inf XX HQ unit and the 2-6 Inf III G breakdown unit stacked with it at the Kiel hex both regular move 6 hexes northwards to end their move stacked together at clear terrain rail hex 0921. This stack, along with the 2-6 Inf IIIs D at 0819 and 0820 are poised to hem in against the coastline the Danish 1-2-6 Inf III 1 Jyl/2 SF, placed at-start per the scenario’s Allied OB at minor port clear terrain coast hex 0920 (Haderslev), just in case Denmark for some reason does not surrender in the Apr I 40 Allied initial phase per Rule 38A6-National Surrender. The 1-10 Mot MG II 14 at Schleswig and the 2-1-10 Pz II 40 at Felnsburg linger where they are for at least the Movement and Combat Phases, in case Danish coast hex 1020 needs to be occupied in the Exploitation Phase to plug the last remaining gap.
Combat Phase
First comes the battle for Kjobenhavn (13A:1113). Here at this full hex city the Danes have defending it a 1-2-6 inf III and a 0-1-8 lt AA III (AA=1); both are halved for being unsupported and then halved again this turn (only) per Rule 37H-Surprise. Thus the Danish defense tally appears to be ¾. Also, per the SoS Errata Sheet 18 Jan 1999, this turn (only) the German player “treats major city hexes in the surprised country as if they were dot cities.” This also apparently means that this turn (only) neither Kjobenhavn nor Oslo can use their 1 factor of intrinsic AA per the Intrinsic AA Chart on the back cover of the SoS OB booklet.
The attacking German player, prior to any GS consideration, appears to have ½ attack factors attacking from the unsupported wint 1-6 Inf III G at the Helsingor minor port hex and 5 attack factors from the Schlesien 3-pt B TF and the 2-6 Inf III G stacked together at the Roskilde point city coast hex. Rules 33A-Naval Gunfire Support, 14B-Artillery, and 11-Support seem to indicate that at least the 2-6 Inf III G, attacking from the same (coast) hex containing the Schlesien TF adding NGS, adds its attack factor as “supported.” All the above seems to equate the German attack at Kjobenhavn to be a straight up 7 to 1, and so the German player sends in no GS. The die is rolled and comes up 4: DE.
After the successful combat die roll the German player advances after combat the wint 2-6 Inf III G into the Kjobenhavn hex. Forthwith an array of Danish forces and markers in the hex must be dealt with. The Danish 2-pt CD TF (1 hit) N. Juel attempts to escape from the just captured Kjobenhaven major port hex and rolls the die per Rule 34C-Scuttling and gets a 6: “fails to escape;” and so its single remaining strength point “is scuttled to prevent its capture by the enemy.” And “if all of a naval unit’s strength points are scuttled, the naval unit sinks.” Then both the Gaunt F type and the C.V A type Danish air units based at the Kjobenhavn major city hex airbase do their escape attempt die rolls per Rule 17B-Air Unit Escape. The C.V A type rolls a 4 and fails to escape and is eliminated; the Gaunt F type air unit rolls low, allowing escape, and does a transfer mission to the intrinsic 1-cap airbase at the Danish improved fortress of Mittelgrund at adjacent hex 13A:1112. Then the important die roll is done for the fate of the Danish government capital marker, using the Success Table per Rule 38A3-Governments. The roll is 2: Failure; and so the German player captures the Danish government and the Denmark capital marker is removed from the map. Interestingly, the Danish factory counter at Kjobenhavn remains there until the Apr I 40 Allied initial phase, when it “…is destroyed and removed from play if its hex is enemy owned…” per Rule 37D-Factories.
Next comes the battle for Oslo (10B:4007). Here the Norwegians have available for defense only the unsupported 0-1-6 Inf II 2/HMKG unit, with a defense factor this turn of ¼. Per Rule 37H-Surprise on the scenario’s first turn neither the A type air unit nor the Norwegian naval CD TF Norge based there can add to the Norwegian defense factor at Oslo.
The German side has attacking from within the Oslo hex the unsupported and also disrupted wint 2-6 Inf III F along with the NGS from the Blucher 3-pt CA TF and the Lutzow 3-pt BP TF (2 hits). Also attacking is the disrupted LW 2-5 para II from adjacent clear terrain coast rail hex 10B:4108. The combined German side attack factors appears to be 5 ½. That’s 1 for the disrupted 2-6 Inf III F, 4 total NGS from the Blucher and Lutzow TFs, which also give support to the disrupted Ger inf III in the hex, and ½ for the disrupted LW para II, which per Rule 24B3-Surprise is “…treated as being supported on the player turn…” it makes the airdrop.
Thus the German player appears to be able to attack the Norwegian inf II in the Oslo hex with the above mentioned forces without GS at an optimal 9 to 1 odds, but with a -2 for the mud weather. The German player does just that and rolls a 3, which modifies to a 1: DH. The valiant Norwegian 0-1-6 Inf II 1/HMKG unit is eliminated. After combat the disrupted LW 1-5 Para II II/1 moves into the Oslo hex and stacks with the disrupted wint 2-6 Inf III F already there. But the Norwegians still control the hex and thus evidently all the remaining Norwegian forces and markers in the Oslo hex remain there, which includes the Norwegian capital marker, the C.V A type air unit, the 2-pt CD TF (1 hit) Norge, and the “fort marker in coastal hex” which includes an intrinsic CD with a strength point of 1 (w/ 1 damage hit done by Kriegsmarine gunfire). Thus after all only the first phase of the battle for Oslo is over.
Exploitation Phase
German 1st Naval Movement Step
In darkness the Blucher CA and Lutzow BP (2 hits) TFs lift anchor and sail out of the Oslo hex, at night safely passing by the various Norwegian intrinsic CD hexes along the eastern coastline of the narrow Oslofjord. This combat naval force expends 30 MPs heading southwards in the Baltic Sea through the Skagerrak and the Danish archipelago back towards Kiel and the Kiaser Wilhelm Canal, ending its naval movement step movement allowance at all-sea hex 13A:1117, in between the Danish isles of Fyn and Sjaelland. Now moving in daylight, care is once again taken to stay one hex away from the still functioning enemy “fort marker in coastal hex” intrinsic CD placed at-start at nearby Korsar at Danish coast hex 1116.
The trusty old Schlesien B TF at the now German controlled Roskilde point city coast hex 13A:1114 also sails in the darkness back towards Germany, expending18 MPs to enter the Northern Germany holding box via the Kiaser Wilhelm Canal. There it begins its MP count for fuel and ammunition replenishment per Rule 34B3-Replenishment, tallying 12 MPs towards this labor by the end of the 1st naval movement step.
In the North Sea at all-sea hex 10B:4122, three hexes WSW of the still Norwegian owned minor port of Egersund (4019), the Flotilla-2 DD TF, on its voyage back from Trondheim, must first do the Danger Zones Chart dice roll and gets an 8: no contact. It then continues sailing south, exiting map E10BSW at 5122 on its 11th MP and arrives at the Northern Germany holding box at its 25th MP. It then spends its last 5 MPs of naval movement step movement allowance towards replenishment.
Far to the north, above the Arctic Circle at Norwegian wooded rough terrain coast road hex 5C:0912, the Kriegsmarine combat naval group consisting of the Schrnhrst, Gneisnau, and the Flotilla-1 DD TFs, first roll for Danger Zone contact and see a 12: Contact! A random pick is done of the intrepid German combat naval group and the DD flotilla is drawn. The die roll is done on the “1” column of the SoS Naval Combat Table and the result is 4: a Miss. The powerful Nazi combat naval group then sails southwards 30 MPs cutting through the Norwegian Sea to end the 1st naval movement step at all-sea hex 5C:1933, five hexes north of Norwegian controlled Trondheim (5C:2432).
2nd Naval Movement Step
At hex 13A:1117 the German combat naval group consisting of the Blucher CA and Lutzow BP (2 hits) TFs continues its voyage home, spending 11 MPs to reach Kiel and then going through the Kiaser Wilhelm Canal and finally lowering anchor at the Northern Germany holding box. There at the naval base it expends the remaining 19 MPs of its naval movement step allowance towards replenishment.
The important Kriegsmarine combat naval group containing their two battle cruisers and a flotilla of destroyers in the Norwegian Sea at 5C:1933 first rolls the dice on the Danger Zones Chart and gets a 3: no contact. This naval force then moves 30 MPs to 10B:3621, 2 hexes due west of the Norwegian controlled standard port of Stavanger (3619) on the Norwegian SW coastline.
Back at the Northern German holding box the Schlesien B TF and the Flotilla-2 DD TFs finish up their replenishment MP counts begun the previous naval movement step and then linger at the home base port, perhaps ashore recounting their previous Scandinavian naval sea voyage sagas. For now they impatiently and nervously await the return of the main Kriegsmarine naval combat group still voyaging in the dangerous North Sea. There will be no further sorties until they arrive and replenish, hopefully with no violent encounters from menacing British submarines, deadly Skuas, or audacious British naval vessels like the valiant destroyer Glowworm.
3rd Naval Movement Step
The powerful Kriegsmarine naval combat group at North Sea hex 10B:3621 first rolls for contact on the Danger Zones Chart: an 8 shows up on the dice: no contact. Relieved, the fleet sails south and arrives at its naval base in the Northern Germany holding box at exactly its last movement step allowance of 30 MPs.
4th Naval Movement Step
At anchor with the rest of the Kriegsmarine fleet at their naval base in the Northern Germany holding box, the Schrnhrst, Gneisnau, and the Flotilla-1 DD TFs spend their 30 MP movement step allowance replenishing their fuel and ammunition.
5th Naval Movement Step
No one at game-level German command is happy about the overall board map situation in Norway now. The German amphibious assault forces are disrupted at Trondheim, Bergen, and Oslo. For the rest of the Apr I 40 German turn both the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe game play operations will be entirely reactive and contingent upon the best guess the Nazi aggressors can figure will be the Allied and Norwegian reaction next turn in Norway.
A host of SoS Campaign for Norway scenario rules issues spring forth from the situation of having disrupted German ground units in the Trondheim, Bergen, and Oslo hexes going on into the Apr I 40 Allied turn. This wargame player will now serve notice to the EA how he will play the game in the Allied turn at the Trondheim, Bergen, and Oslo hexes. In the Allied initial phase Norwegian general mobilization +0 reinforcements can be placed in the affected hexes per the OB. In the Allied movement phase Allied ground units can embark/disembark at the three ports, Allied air units can fly air missions to and from the three airbases, Allied ground units can regular move and even rail per SoS rules through, to, and from the three city hexes, and ground units may end their moves at the three hexes. Allied admin movement through the three hexes and/or the adjacent hexes appears to be forbidden. Any Allied ground units in the three city hexes at the end of the movement phase must attack the disrupted German ground units in the hex in the combat phase. In the combat phase, if the Allied player attacks the disrupted German ground units in the three hexes and rolls an AS, then the Allied ground units in the city hex must retreat out of the hex, but Allied ground units attacking from adjacent hexes of course remain where they are. In any event other Allied forces (eg., not Allied ground units) and/or markers in the hex remain where they are, as the hex continues to be Allied controlled throughout the Apr I 40 Allied turn.
The Trondheim operation appears to be doomed, the disrupted 2-8* Mtn III B being too far away to receive effective help. A prudent and careful Allied command will surely strike here in the combat phase with adequate ground forces and British fleet NGS, knowing that the attacking forces will likely be safe from LW naval strikes or DAS.
In the Oslo partial city hex the disrupted 2-6 inf III F and the LW Para II II/1 are in trouble, but the -2 mud weather attack modifier, along with some LW DAS, and the partial city hex defense modifiers just might persuade the Norwegian army to demur from attacking next turn and opt to strategically maneuver slightly to the north of their capital, thereby consolidating their forces in the Oslo zone to fight another day. In particular, the Norwegians lack artillery or divisional HQ unit support. However, this wargamer currently believes that a successful kicking out of the Nazi invaders from the Oslo hex next turn in the combat phase would be the key to Allied victory in Norway.
The dangerous wild card is what the Allied player will do at the contested Bergen hex, where the two disrupted 2-6 Inf IIIs C await their fate. A bold an aggressive Allied player may land Br inf Xs and commit its powerful NGS in the combat phase at both Trondheim and Bergen, especially if the Germans give them a chance at the latter by not committing to an all-out fight there with what forces they currently have available that can still move into position. Accordingly, the German player feels bound to throw in everything he’s got available for the defense of the beleaguered Axis defenders in the Bergen hex. This means risking even the Kriegsmarine, weakening somewhat the maximum potential DAS strength for the sake of the troubled German assault force stranded in the Oslo hex, and pretty much nixing any other strategic considerations in figuring the important final basing of the available LW air units in southern Norway, Denmark, and northern Germany.
With the above in mind a large and replenished Kriegsmarine combat naval group leaves the northern Germany holding box naval base and enters map E10B(SW)/10B at hex 5122. The Danger Zones Chart dice roll is done and an 8 comes up: no contact. The combat naval group then expends another 8 MPs to arrive at all-sea hex 10B:4320, four hexes south of the Norwegian controlled minor port of Egersund (4019) on the southwestern coast of Norway. This mixed naval group consists of the following naval units:
- Scharnhorst BC TF
- Gneisenau BC TF
- A Hipper CA TF
- Blücher CA TF
- Crusier-1 CL TF
- Flotilla-1 DD TF
- Flotilla-2 DD TF.
The purpose of this admittedly risky venture into the dangerous North Sea is to further increase the risks and hazards for any British naval strategy of attacking the disrupted German infantry defenders at the Bergen hex, counting on the Royal navy’s decisive NGS ability to assist Allied ground forces to crush the German landings at both Bergen and Trondheim.
Ground Movement Sub-Phase
The first unit to move is the LW 1-10 Mot Hv AA III 162, stacked with the wint 6-6 Inf XX 198 at clear terrain secondary rail causeway coast hex 13A:0218, on the NW coast of the Danish peninsula. With the inf XX’s ZOCs now restored, the LW mot hv AA III should now be able to cross the causeway. It does so and then moves eastwards along the route of the secondary railway, taking care to also enter coast hexes 10B:4918, 5016, 5015, 5014 (where the important at start 3-cap permanent airfield is at), then to clear terrain point city/standard port coast rail hex 5013 (Frederikshavn), and lastly back to the 3-cap airfield at 5014.
Then the LW 1-10 Mot Inf II GG and the 1-10 Mot MG II 11 at Aalborg (10B:5115) move stacked together and end their joint move stacked at Frederikshavn after “ZOCing” all the coast and narrow straits hexes in their movement range in the NE Denmark zone. The 3-10 Mot Inf X 11 at Randers does the same thing for the eastern Denmark peninsula zone in its vicinity and ends its move at Aarhus.
The 2-1-10 Pz II 40 and the 1-10 Mot MG II 14 in the Schleswig peninsula zone just south of the Danish borderline move SW into the Northern Germany holding box.
Then a Ju 88A1 B type code S air unit at the Northern Germany holding box stages to Kiel and conducts a Naval Strike air mission (Rule20G2h) at the Oslo hex, intending to bomb the 2-pt CD TF (1 hit) Norge (AA=0) in the port. With its 3 strength tac bombing factor already halved to 1 ½ for the mud weather at the target hex, the die is rolled on the “1” Bombing Strength column of the Bombing Table per the Naval Strike rule, but with a +1 modifier for the S code. Nevertheless a 1 is rolled: a Miss. It returns to base at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:3720, on the SW Norwegian coastline by Stavanger.
The second Ju 88A1 code S air unit at the Northern Germany holding box then stages to Kiel and performs the identical Naval Strike mission, again bombing on the “1” Bombing Strength Column. This time a 3 is rolled: a Miss. It returns to base at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:3720, on the SW Norwegian coastline by Stavanger.
Then a He 111H4 B type code S air unit from the Northern Germany holding box stages to the Kjobenhavn airbase and does the same Naval Strike mission; another 1 is rolled: another Miss. The He 111H4 S code air unit returns to base at the recently captured 1-cap permanent airstrip at 10B:4415 in southern Norway, just east of Krisitiansand.
The second and last available He 111H4 code S air unit then stages to the Kjobenhavn airbase and does the same Naval Strike mission against the Norwegian coast defense TF anchored in the Oslo port hex. This time a 5 is rolled, which modifies to a 6: a hit. And so the 2-pt CF TF Norge sinks in the Oslo harbor from repeated LW air strikes against it. The He 111H4 S code returns to base at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:5014 on the NE Danish coastline.
Then two He 111H4 and three He 111HP4 air units from the Northern Germany holding box begin staging to Kjobenhavn. One at a time, they begin conducting strat bombing missions against the rail marshaling yards (Rule 20G1a) in the Oslo hex. The fifth LW bomber scores the 2nd hit on the target hex; 2 is evidently the current rail capacity of the Oslo hex and therefore this is the maximum number of effective hits at the hex. The two rail marshaling yard hits reduce the Scandinavian rail net from 10 to 8 the next Allied turn. All the bombing He 111 air units return to base at the Kjobenhavn full city hex.
The He 111H1 type NB air unit based at Kiel performs a transport mission to the 1-cap permanent airstrip at 10B:4415 in southern Norway and delivers 2 supply points to the airstrip. It returns to base at the reference city airbase at Flensburg (13A:1121). The He 111P1 B type air unit in the Northern Germany holding box stages to Aahrus and performs a transport mission to the 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:3720 in SW Norway, delivering 2 supply points there, and returns to base at the Sylt holding box, where the Mxd T type code F air unit is based inoperative. The last available Ju 52 T type air unit at the Northern Germany holding box stages to Aahrus. picks up 2 supply points there as cargo, and flies a one-way regular transport mission to the 3-cap permanent airfield in SW Norway adjacent to Stavanger, where it must base.
Finally, the Me 109E at Rostok (13A:1717) transfers to the important 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:3720 on the SW Norwegian coastline. A Me 110C1 at Kiel transfers to the 3-cap airfield on the NE Danish peninsula coastline at 10B:5014, as does also the Ju 87R D type air unit based at the Flensburg reference city airbase. The second Me 110C1 at Kiel then transfers to the Aalborg reference city airbase at 10B:5115, which is located one hex south of the airfield at 5014.
End of Turn Positions
The following is a listing of the dispositions of German forces in Norway and a virtually complete listing of the German forces in Denmark and northern Germany at the end of the Apr I 40 German turn:
Norway
Narvik: at reference city/major port mountain hex 5C:1010:
- 2-8* Mtn III B
- reorganized LW 0-8 Lt AA II II/33
- Mxd T (LR) T type air unit
- He 115B B type (code SF) air unit
- 2 supply points
- 2 German mine points laid in the German controlled sea coast hex.
Trondheim: at reference city/major port woods rail hex 5C:2432:
- disrupted 2-8* Mtn III B
Note: Apr I 40 Allied turn Norwegian general mobilization +0 reinf arrives here: 1-6 Mtn III 5/12ST.
Bergen: at dot city/major port rough terrain rail hex 10B:3016:
- 2 x disrupted 2-6 Inf IIIs C
Note: Apr I 40 Allied turn Norwegian general mobilization +0 reinf arrives here: 1-6 Inf III 4/9 HI.
Also here is a Norwegian intrinsic CD level of 1 (w/ one naval hit), which increases to 3 in the April I 40 Allied initial phase.
At clear terrain coast rail hex 10B:3720 w/ at start 3-cap permanent airfield, next to Stavanger:
- LW 1-5 Para II I/1
- wint 2-6 Inf III 3
- 2 x Ju 88A1 B type (s code) air units
- Me 109E F type air unit
- Ju 52 T type air unit
- 4 supply points.
Kristiansand: at point city/standard port hex 10B:4416:
- German controlled hex.
- At woods coast hex 10B:4415, next to Kristiansand:
- wint 2-6 Inf III E
- 0-1-5 Const III 6
- reorganized LW 0-6 Lt AA II I/611
- He 111H4 B type (s code) air unit
- 4 supply points.
Larvik: at point city/minor port hex 10B:4311:
- German controlled hex.
- Tonsberg point city/minor port hex 10B:4310:
- wint 2-6 Inf III F.
Oslo: at partial city/major port hex 10B:4008:
- disrupted 2-6 Inf III F
- disrupted LW 1-5 Para II II/1
Also in the Oslo hex is the Norwegian government capital marker, a C.V A type air unit, and an at start fort marker w/ an intrinsic CD level of 1, with a damage hit marker.
Note: Apr I 40 Allied turn Norwegian general mobilization +0 reinf arrives here: 1-6 Inf III 1/ 2 JK.
Denmark
At clear terrain coast hex 10B:5014 w/ an at start 3-cap permanent airfleld, on the NE coastline of the Danish peninsula:
- LW 1-10 Mot HV AA III 162
- Me 110C F type air unit
- He 111H4 B type (s code) air unit
- Ju 87R D type air unit.
Fredikshavn: at point city/standard port hex 10B:5013:
- LW 1-10 Mot Inf II GG
- 1-10 Mot MG II 13.
Aalborg: at reference city/major port hex 10B:5115:
- Me 110C1 F type air unit.
- At NW Danish coast hex 10B:5120:
- 1-10 Mot MG II 4.
At NW Danish coast hex 13A:0218:
Aarhus: at dot city/major port hex 13A:0616:
- 3-10 Mot Inf X 11
- 3 x Ju 52 T type air units.
Esjberg at reference city/standard port hex 13A:0621:
- 2 x Ju 52 T type air units.
At clear terrain coast rail causeway hex 13A:0818, on the isle of Fyn:
Odense: at reference city/standard port hex 13A:0918, on the isle of Fyn:
Nyborg: at point city/minor port rail ferry hex 13A:0818, on the isle of Fyn:
Kjobenhavn: at full city/major port hex 13A:1113, on the isle of Sjaelland:
- wint 2-6 Inf III G
- 3 x He 111P4 B type air units
- 2 x He 111H4 B type air units
- Danish factory marker.
Helsingor: at point city/minor port hex 13A:1012, on the isle of Sjaelland:
At clear terrain rail hex 13A:0921:
- wint G Inf XX HQ unit
- wint 2-6 Inf III G
The three supported Inf IIIs C are in the neck of the Danish peninsula.
Germany
Flensburg: at reference city/minor port hex 13A:1121:
- He 111H1 NB type air unit.
Kiel: at partial city/major port hex 13A:1421:
- 3 x Ju 52 T type air units
- 1 mine point
- 1 resource point
- 4 inf RPs.
Northern Germany holding box:
- B Mtn XX HQ unit
- 2 x 3-8 Mtn IIIs B
- C Inf XX HQ unit
- 1-6 Inf III C
- wint E Inf XX HQ unit
- wint 1-6 Inf III E
- wint F Inf XX HQ unit
- wint 1-6 Inf III F
- 2-1-10 Pz II 40
- 1-10 Mot MG II 4
- LW 1-10 Mot Hv AA II 1/32
- reorganized pos flk unit
- Lutzow BP TF (2 hits)
- Schlesien B TF
- 1 mine point
- 1 resource point.
Sylt holding box:
- He 111P1 B type air unit
- Mxd T type (code f) air unit
- reorganized pos flk unit
- at start pos flk unit.