Initial Phase

For those who may not remember, it’s clear weather in weather zones B and C and mud in weather zone A. The Allied player now takes the time to check the Europa Weather Table for the next May II 40 game turn’s weather prospects in the A weather zone, where so much ground unit maneuvering, air missions, and violent naval activity has been occurring around the important Axis held Narvik hex at 5C:1010. To his dismay there is only 1 chance in 6 for clear weather there, with 5 in 6 for mud in the A weather zone. With the successful but admittedly very costly ground unit reinforcement to the Narvik hex completed last turn by the Kriegsmarine naval group, the likely mud weather in the A weather zone appears to dash any Allied hopes of regaining by combat the the important reference city/major port hex of Narvik on the Scenario’s final May II 40 Allied player turn.

With the Br CA TF Cruiser-1 presently out of the Tjelde isle hex (0815) and starting the turn aways off at all-sea hex 5C:0724, the Axis forces in the Narvik hex are now back in supply via a naval-element supply line. The black U-1 marker is duly removed from this Axis stack.

Much farther south, at clear terrain coast hex 10B:3117, adjacent to Allied controlled Bergen (3016), the two Ger 2-8 Inf IIIs C technically become red U-3 this turn, but are in special supply via the three supply points (only two are needed) present in the hex that were air dropped there on the May I 40 Axis movement phase. This hex is becoming a liability to the Axis effort in Norway; it is little more than a prisoner-of-war camp maintained by LW airdrops. It consumes LW assets for its protection that are sorely needed elsewhere. There is no longer any hope to save it in the short term.

In port at the Bergen hex the Br CA TF Cruiser-2 (3 hits) and the BB TF Valiant (1 hit) had a red U-1 low fuel supply status marker placed on them at the end of the previous Allied turn “to note this state” per Rule 34B1, and of course might ought to be refueled sometime during the present Allied turn, elsewise if they are unable to replenish their fuel at the end of this turn they “must be scuttled,” unless they are in port somewhere.

All other forces in play on-map for both sides appear to to be in supply per Rule 12-Supply.

Like a kid in a candy shop, there is a considerable amount of Allied reinforcement activity this turn per the Campaign for Norway Allied OB. However, the Br Well IC and Whit 5 NB type air units based in the Trondheim (5C:2432) vicinity are withdrawn, as is the Br BB TF Warspite (1 hit) starting the Allied turn still with the large Br combat naval group at sea at 10B:1605 in the Norwegian Sea. Per Rule 35D-[Naval] Withdrawals and Transfers “there are no penalties for withdrawing damaged or sunk naval units….”

However, there may be an issue with Rule 35C2-Allied Taskforce Maintenance. Per this rule “in the initial phase of each I turn,” each Br and Fr TF in play (in the Campaign for Norway Scenario) gets to “remove one hit of damage from the TF,” and “if the TF is sunk, place the [sunk] TF in any … functioning naval base in Britain, with hits of damage equal to one less than its printed strength.” At first thought there was a problem with this rule, as there are Br TFs currently at sea or in the Bergen port hex with fresh hits on them, and initially it just didn’t seem right to remove a hit of damage to them while these Br TFs were still at sea or at port so far away from Britain. A provisional house rule was contemplated saying that those Br TFs eligible to have a hit of damage removed from them could remove them as soon as they return to “a functioning naval base in Britain” (eg., either the Orkney Islands or Scotland holding box) and either replenish their fuel there or begin an Allied turn there. However, upon second thought all these good intentions are practically going to be done anyway per the immediate sundry SoSnaval rule demands of the current turn. And so for now at least in this EA reported game we go along with the rules as written and in this initial phase “remove one hit of damage from the TF[s]” wherever they might begin the turn at. A total of 5 hits are removed from 5 Br TFs: the BB Warspite, the CA Cruiser-2, the BB Valiant, the BC Renown, and the BC Repulse. Also to be sure, note that per the VP charts found on p. 70 of the SoS Scenario Rules booklet, accounting must be made for every hit done on each side’s TFs, CGs, NTPs, and LCs in the course of the game.

This turn at the Norwegian point city/minor port of Bodo, at 5C:1217, eight coast hexes WSW of Narvik, where there is also found 1 Allied mine point sown off-shore “at sea,” the Nor 1-6 Inf III 16Tr and the two 0-1-6 Ski IIs Alta and Var all stacked together there finally convert to the 2-3-6* Ski X 7.

With one of the two Br ARPs received as a reinf, the Allied player rebuilds the Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit from the Aborted Air Units box and places it in the Orkney Islands holding box on the Allied Game Chart. Of course accounting must be made of this formerly aborted air unit for the Scenario VP tallies done at the end of the game.

Per the Norway, 1939-1945 Europa OB found on p. 30 of the SoS OB booklet, Norway evidently receives 1 ARP this turn. This turn they also receive 0.5 infantry RPs at the Trondheim hex and 0.5 infantry RPs at the Bergen hex. The 0.5 infantry RPs they were to receive this turn at the Oslo hex per the OB is lost, since Oslo is now Axis controlled. The Norwegians presently have 0.75 accumulated special infantry RPs, all of which have been accumulated at the Trondheim hex. And so they now decide to build the Nor 1st Inf XX HQ unit in their Replacement Pool and place it in the Trondheim hex (10B:2432), leaving them a net of 0.25 inf RPs stored at that hex. At the Bergen hex the Allied player spends the 0.5 infantry RP received this turn to build the 0-1-8 Cav II 2 Op, and places it in the Bergen hex, leaving him with no inf RPs stored in the hex. The Norwegians currently have no naval repair points or resource points.

Since neither side’s airbases are stacked with air units in excess of the base’s capacity, all air units in play on-map or in holding boxes are operative by the end of the current initial phase.

No CAP air missions are flown at this time by either side.

The Axis player flies the He 111H1 NB type air unit based at the Oslo hex airbase on the harassment air mission to forest coast rail hex 10B:3015, just east of Bergen, and places in the hex a 1 hit harassment marker. It returns to base at Oslo.

The non-phasing Axis player is in somewhat of a quandary when it comes to the naval patrol air mission assignment segment of the Allied initial phase. Of course this turn the Axis player likely wants to bomb the battered Br combat naval group currently at port in the Bergen hex. The most efficient way would be to conduct a non-phasing naval strike air mission at the Bergen hex while the Br combat naval group is conveniently still in port. However, it appears that SoS rules gives the phasing Allied player the initiative in deciding whether to first move the two TFs there (at low fuel level) out to sea in a voyage back to one of the British holding boxes, with its movement allowance duly halved during the naval movement step for the low fuel status. This is assuming the Allied player opts to neither attempt to refuel at the functioning Allied naval base at the Bergen major port hex nor decide to just remain there indefinitely, either option thus giving the Axis player opportunities to conduct naval strike air missions at the Bergen hex while the two Br TFs are still in port.

So here’s what the Axis player does. The Ju 87R D type air unit based at the reference city airbase at the Stavanger hex (10B:3619), the two He 111H4 (S code) B type air units based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:3720, and the He 115B (SF code) B type air unit based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 10B:5014 on the NE coast of Denmark are now assigned to the naval patrol air mission. The third remaining He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit based at the Oslo hex remains operative, either for a naval strike air mission to Bergen against any lingerers/comers or for the DAS air mission, say to road mountain hex 3212 for the all alone and admittedly exposed Ger 3-10 Mot Inf X 11 there. Note that in so scheming all the above the Axis player has no LW air unit available to offer DAS to the two isolated and imperiled Ger inf IIIs boxed in at coast hex 3117, next to Bergen. Such are evidently some of the hard choices typically arising in war.

Movement Phase

1st Naval Movement Step

It appears the first thing the Allied player must now do is to determine what to do with the Br combat naval group at port in the Bergen hex. The Admiralty decides that the most efficient management of bombing risk would be for the two Br TFs there to sail at once at the low fuel level and take their chances with Axis naval patrol missions on the voyage back to Britain, rather than stay at Bergen and endure naval strike air missions there, and then sail to Britain later and still endure the naval patrol missions. If they linger at the Bergen port until the May II 40 Axisturn, then the Axis player has the initiative and can throw all the air units the LW’s got available at the Br TFs in the Bergen port hex, with the non-phasing Allied player required to be patient, take this fierce beating, and see what happens.

Accordingly, the Allied combat naval group consisting of the Br CA TF Cruiser-2 (now w/ 2 hits) and the BB TF Valiant (now w/ no hits) lifts anchors and leaves the Bergen port, using night movement. From this point on in the current EA SoS Campaign for Norway game report all Danger Zones Chart dice roll results will be assumed to the “no contact” results and will not be duly reported, unless the results are “contact” or for some reason mention is deemed appropriate.

The Allied combat naval group sails WNW 10 MPs at night movement to North Sea hex 10B:2623. From there it spends its next MP to move NW in daylight to adjacent all-sea hex 2524, where the Axis player tells the Allied player to stop his naval movement. The Axis player then rolls for Naval Patrol Contact Attempts on the Success Table for the Ju 87R D type and the two He 111H4 (S code) B type air units based at the two adjacent airbases on the SW Norwegian coastline in the Stavanger zone. The +3 modifier for calm sea conditions is off-set by a -2 for the slightly over +10 hex range of the enemy naval group, for a factored die roll modifier of +1. The two die rolls on the Success Table are high, and so all three LW air unit’s naval patrol contact attempts are successful. Then no less than 8 dice are rolled (4 for the Ju 87R, 2 each for the two S type He 111H4s) on the “1” column of the Bombing Table, with a +1 die roll modifier for each. The results are bad for the Allied TFs: 4 hits. A random selection is done allotting the hits, the results being: the 5-pt CA TF Cruiser-2 (now 4 hits) and the 6-pt BB TF Valiant (now 2 hits). The three LW air units return to their respective airbases in SW Norway. The stricken Allied combat naval group ends its abbreviated 15 MP naval movement step allowance, due to their low fuel status, at all-sea hex 10B:2427, a little south of the Shetland Islands.

The large Br combat naval group in the Norwegian Sea at 10B:1605 spends 30 MPs to move to 10B:2431, two hexes away from one of the Orkney Islands holding box entry points. This naval group is comprised of the 7-pt BB TF Rodney, the 5-pt BC TF Renown, and the 5-pt BC TF Repulse (now w/ 1 hit).

The Br carrier naval group at 10B:0416 spends 30 MPs moving SW to eventually enter the Orkney Islands holding box on its last MP. This naval group is composed of the 3-pt CV TF Ark Royal and the 2-pt CV TF Glorious carrying the operative Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit.

The Br CA TF Cruiser-1 at all-sea hex 5C:0724 spends 30 MPs to move to 10B:1916, 5 hexes NW of the Norwegian isle of Bremangen, at the great eastward bend angle of the Scandinavian peninsula.

At the Orkney Islands holding box the Br 2-pt CV TF Furious spends 30 MPs replenishing its fuel while it simultaneously spends 5 MPs loading the Glad F type (*) air unit, per Rule 23F2-*: Carrier Transportable. The recently replaced Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit is based operative at the holding box’s 6-cap Scapa Flow airbase. The LC-1 naval unit reinf spends 30 MPs replenishing its fuel.

2nd Naval Movement Step

The large Br combat naval group at 10B:2431, near the western edge of the Scenario’s game maps, spends 2 MPs to enter the Orkney Islands holding box, and there expends its remaining 28 MPs of the naval movement step beginning to replenish its fuel.

The battered Br combat naval group from Bergen, at 10B:2427, spends 6 MPs to enter the Orkney Islands holding box, and there expends its remaining 9 MPs of the naval movement step beginning to replenish its fuel.

The Br CA TF Cruiser-1 at all-sea hex 10B:1916 spends 20 MPs finally enter the Orkney Islands holding box, and there expends its remaining 10 MPs of the naval movement step beginning to replenish its fuel.

In the Orkney Islands holding box the CV TF Ark Royal and the CV TF Glorious carrying the operative Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit each spend 30 MPs replenishing their fuel.

At the Scotland holding box much labor is now expended this naval movement step embarking the three Allied light naval TFs and the three Norwegian NTPs with the numerous available ground unit reinforcements, all taking 30 MPs to completely embark this naval movement step.  The embarkation is done in the following manner:

  • the Fr CL TF Cruiser-1 completely embarks the Polish 3-2-6 Inf X CN
  • the Br CL TF Cruiser-3 completely embarks the Br 2-6 Inf X 15
  • the Br CL TF Cruiser-4 completely embarks the Br 0-5 Lt AA II 56 and the Fr AT II 14
  • the 1st Nor NTP completely embarks the Fr Mtn Art II 2CA and the Br 1-8 Mtn Art II 51
  • the 2nd Nor NTP completely embarks the Fr pos flk unit (AA=1) and the Br Marine Cmdo II 1C/A
  • the 3rd Nor NTP completely embarks the Fr 2-1-6 Inf III 13LE.

Note: the Br 1-8 Art II 51 is a May I 40 Allied turn Scotland holding box reinf per the SoS Errata Sheet 18 Jan 1999. Its flip side evidently shows the “stripped down” 1-8 Mtn Art II 51, which I’m guessing ought to/could be used in the SoS Campaign for Norway Scenario.

Remaining ashore at the Scotland holding box is the almost forgotten Br RM 0-1-4 Fort X RMFU.

3rd Naval Movement Step

At the Orkney Island holding box the BC TF Repulse (1 hit), the BC TF Renown, and the BB TF Rodney each spend 2 MPs completing their fuel replenishment.

The three Western Allied CL TFs and the three Norwegian NTPs, each carrying a total of 1 RE of assorted Allied ground units, all spend 17 MPs moving off-map from the Scotland holding box to the Orkney Islands holding box. Their cargo list can be found in the last game report’s description of the 2nd naval movement step, and will be reiterated at the appropriate time below as the naval movements are revealed.

The first Allied naval group to leave the Orkney Islands holding box consists of the following naval units:

  • BB TF Rodney
  • CV TF Furious carrying the operative Glad (*) F type air unit
  • LC-1.

This mixed naval group enters the Scenario game map 10B at all-sea western edge hex 2433 on its now combined 3rd MP and spends 27 MPs sailing ENE to Norwegian Sea hex 10B:1710, ending there its movement allowance of the naval movement step, six hexes due north of the point city/standard port of Alesund at the Norwegian off-shore isle hex at 10B:2310.

Then a second Allied mixed naval group leaves the Orkney Islands holding box and enters the western edge of Scenario game map 10B at hex 2433 on its now combined 18th MP. This naval group is comprised of the following naval units:

  • BC TF Renown
  • Fr CL TF Cruiser-1carrying the Polish 3-2-6 Inf X CN
  • Br CL TF Cruiser-3 carrying the Br 2-6 Inf X 15
  • Br CL TF Cruiser-4 carrying the Br 0-5 Lt AA II 56 and the Fr AT II 14
  • Nor NTP carrying the Fr Mtn Art II 2CA and the Br 1-8 Mtn Art II 51
  • Nor NTP carrying the Fr 2-1-6 Inf III 13LE.

Upon entering hex 10B:2433 the dice roll for the Danger Zones Chart is done and a 12 is rolled: contact. A random drawing picks the cargo-carrying CL TF Cruiser-3 for the contact. The die roll is done on the “1” column of the Sos Naval combat Table and the result is a 2: miss. Perhaps some of the light cruisers’ sailors see the wake of a U-boat torpedo narrowly glide by the hull in the deep blue sea. Afterwards the naval group sends its remaining 12 MPs of the naval movement step moving eastwards to 10B:1924, two hexes east of the northern tip of the Shetland Islands.

Back at the Orkney Islands holding box the Br CA TF Cruiser-1 spends 20 MPs finishing its fuel replenishment. Meanwhile, the two gimp Bergen port hex naval veterans, the BB TF Valiant (2 hits) and the CA TF Cruiser-2 (4 hits), spend their truncated 15 MP naval movement step allowance, due to their low fuel status, continuing to refuel, and by the end of the current naval step up their refueling task tally to 24 MPs. I’m guessing this is how Rule 34B1-Low Fuel works in this refueling situation.

By the end of the naval movement step in the Orkney Islands holding box linger the BC TF Repulse (1 hit), CA TF Cruiser-1, the CV TF Ark Royal, the CV TF Glorious carrying the operative Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit (all these TFs fully refueled this turn), and the 3rd Nor NTP still carrying the Fr pos flk unit and the Br Marine Cmdo II 1C/A. At the holding box’s Scapa Flow 3-cap airbase is the operative Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit.

4th Naval Movement Step

The first thing the Allied player does in the current naval movement step is send the Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit based at the Orkney Islands holding box on the CAP air mission over the Bergen hex. The Axis player momentarily considers sending his Me 109E F type air unit based at the 3-cap permanent airfield on the SW Norwegian coastline also on the CAP mission over the Bergen hex, but reconsiders and decides not to.

From all-sea hex 10B:1710, the LC-1 beaks off from the naval group consisting of the BB TF Rodney and the CV TF Furious carrying the operative Glad (*) F type air unit and voyages ENE all alone. It eventually enters the Norwegian port of Bodo at 5C:1217 on its 29th MP, there stacking with the Nor 2-3-6* Ski X 7 and the Br 1 strength mine point sown off-shore “at sea” in the hex. The landing craft naval unit (AA=1) stays at the Bodo port until the end of the current naval movement step.

Back at Norwegian sea hex 10B:1710, the newly constituted combat naval group there voyages 5 hexes east to 1703, where the Glad (*) F type air unit takes off from the deck of the Furious aircraft carrier and flies the CAP air mission over the reference city/major port of Trondheim, eight hexes away to the SE at 5C:2432. The Br combat naval group then voyages 13 more hexes ENE in the Norwegian Sea to all-sea hex 5C:1326. Then the Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit based at the 1-cap permanent airstrip at the Norwegian point city of Bardufoss at hex 5C:0708 flies the transfer air mission to the deck of the Furious aircraft carrier, where it lands inoperative. Finally this Br naval group at 1326, having sailed so far to retrieve the FAA Sea Glad air unit, wheels about and voyages WSW, ultimately ending the naval movement step at 10B:1604, presumably on its way back to the Orkney Islands holding box.

Then, after doing the Danger Zones Chart dice roll, the large Allied mixed naval group at all-sea hex 10B:1924, two hexes east of the northern tip of the Shetland Islands and escorted by the BC TF Renown, begins moving eastwards towards Norway. At hex 1919 this Allied naval group moves within a 20 hex radius of the LW He 115B (SF code) B type air unit based at the NE Danish airfield at 10B:5014, but for now the Axisplayer saves his naval patrol contact attempt die roll for later. The large mixed naval group then continues its eastward bearing to all-sea hex 1903.Then, veering SE from 1903 and using night movement to enter the adjacent sea hex at 2002, it eventually enters the reference city/major port hex of Trondheim in darkness on its 29th MP of the naval movement step. On its 30th MP it begins disembarking at night all its ground unit cargo at the Trondheim hex.

Meanwhile, back at the Orkney Islands holding box, another Allied mixed naval group leaves Scapa Flow and enters the western edge of the Scenario maps at 10B:2433. This naval group consists of:

  • BC TF Repulse (1 hit)
  • Nor NTP carrying the Fr pos flk unit and the Br Marine Cmdo II 1C/A.

This mixed naval group voyages 12 MPs SE to 3025. When it moves to adjacent all-sea hex 3024 the Axis player tells the Allied player to stop his move. The Axis player then rolls for a naval patrol contact attempt on the Success Table for the LW He 115B (SF code) B type air unit at the 3-cap permanent airfield at the NE Danish coastline hex at 10B:5014. The die roll is a factored “straight up” Success Table roll with no modifiers; the Axis rolls a 4: failure. The Allied player then spends 10 MPs to sail the mixed naval group into the Bergen dot city/major port hex on its 22ndMP. Here the Nor NTP spends the remaining 8 MPs of the naval movement step beginning to disembark its ground unit cargo at the Bergen hex.

At the Orkney Islands holding box the BB TF Valiant (2 hits) and the CA TF Cruiser-2 (4 hits) finish their fuel replenishment and then remain at the holding box. Per Rule 34B1 they will regain their full naval MP allowance at the beginning of the next Allied naval movement step.

5th Naval Movement Step

The Br combat naval group at 10B:1604, comprising the CV TF Furious carrying the inoperative Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit and the BB TF Rodney, moves WSW 30 sea hexes to 2430, where it ends the current naval movement step still at sea three hexes east of one of the three west edge entry hexes into the Orkney Islands holding box.

The large Allied mixed naval group in the major port hex of Trondheim completes the disembarkation of its large complement of Allied ground units at the important Norwegian reference city hex, which also contains the Norwegian government marker. Overhead the Glad (*) F type air unit so far offers CAP protection against marauding He 111H4 aircraft based in the Oslo hex perhaps contemplating the naval strike air mission. After completing the disembarkation of the ground unit cargo on its 29th MP, it lingers at the Trondheim port until the end of the current naval movement step.

At the Bergen hex the Nor NTP spends 22 MPs to complete the disembarkation of its ground unit cargo there. The BC TF Repulse (1 hit) decides to remain docked at the Bergen port until the end of the current naval movement step.

The Axis player is quite tempted to send the operative He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit based at Oslo on a naval strike air mission against the Br mixed naval group disembarking their ground unit cargo at the Bergen hex, escorted by the BC TF Repulse (1 hit), but holds back, not wanting to commit both the He 111H4 air unit and the Me 109E as escort (against the Skua DF type FAA air unit flying the CAP mission over the Bergen port hex) for this dicey mission, which would also entail enduring the 3 flack factor shot of the Repulse TF. The Axis player feels that this turnthere are other pressing needs for both these LW air units.

Ground Movement Sub-Phase

The Norwegians appear to still have a total railcap of 4, but it is divided into two separated rail subnets: a Trondheim rail subnet with a railcap of 2 and a Bergen rail subnet also of 2. Per Rule 7A-Railroads each major port, which both Trondheim and Bergen are, has a “rail capacity value” of 2 REs. The way I’m playing the current game the Norwegian railcap is divided between the two major port rail subnets because they are no longer connected to each other by a contiguous Norwegian controlled rail line.

Accordingly, the Nor 0-1-8 Cav II 3Tdl at woods rail/road junction hex 10B:3603 (to Trondheim) first spends 6 MPs to break the rail line in its hex, per Optional Rule 44B7-Variable Demolition Costs. The cav II then spends 1 MP moving north to adjacent rail hex 3503, where it boards a Norwegian train and rails 5 hexes northwards to mountain rail hex 3002.

The Nor 1-6 Mtn III 5/13NT at forest rail/road junction hex 10B:3405 (to Trondheim) first spends 3 MPs to break the rail line in the hex, then spends 1 MP moving north to adjacent rail hex 3305. There it boards a Norwegian train and rails northwards to mountain rail hex 2704. Note: this Nor mtn III was, I think, incorrectly reported to be at 10B:3805 at the end of the movement phase of the Apr II 40 Allied turn. It was really at 3405. At the end of the Allied turn the Nor Inf III 5/11Mo was in fact at 3805 by itself, and was eliminated in this hex in the following May I 40 Axis turn combat phase.

On the Bergen rail subnet the Allied player rails towards Bergen the Nor 2nd Inf XX HQ unit and the Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 3 stacked together at forest rail hex 10B:3608. The 2nd Inf XX HQ units spends 2 MPs railing to forest rail hex 3015, one hex east of the dot city of Bergen. Then it spends 2 regular MPs to enter the adjacent Bergen hex at 10B:3016. This is for leaving rail hex at 3015 with the Ger 1 hit harassment marker; plus the Bergen hex has a rail hit marker on it due to a successful LW rail marshaling yard hit done there on the Apr I 40 Axis turn. The Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 3 spends 1 MP railing to mountain rail hex 3112, then spends 4 MPs regular moving northwards through mountain terrain hexsides to the point city/minor port Hauge hex at 10B:3010, ending its move there.

Way up north in Norway, but still south of the A weather line and therefore in the clear weather area, at the Bodo point city/minor port hex at 5C:1217, the Nor 2-3-6* Ski X 7 first admin moves 1 hex down the coast road to adjacent coast road hex 1216, then crosses the narrow straits hexside there linking road hex 1216 to rough terrain coast hex 1116 (no road here), and then ends its admin movement at adjacent wooded rough coast hex 1115, still in regular supply traced back to the coast road hex at 1216. SoS Campaign for Norway students should perhaps study this northward movement from Bodo done by the primo supported Nor ski X conversion unit into this remote northern Norwegian coastal region. Note that per the Scenario’s Initial Conditions found on p. 4 of the SoS OB booklet this region is devoid of the coast road indicated on the SoS provided 5C map. This particular move is likely sometimes done in more than just this EA reported game by SoS Allied players intent upon closing in upon and intending to ultimately attack an Axis held Narvik.

By the end of the movement phase the Allied dispositions on the Scenario’s game maps and holding boxes are as follows:

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

Wooded rough coast road hex 0911: Fr 2-8 Mtn III 27CA, admin moved from Halstad at hex 0712

Wooded rough coast road hex 0811: Fr 2-8 Mtn III 5CA, admin moved from Halstad at hex 0712

Wooded rough coast hex 5C:1115: Nor 2-3-6* Ski X 7 admin moved from Bodo

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

  • Br LC-1 naval unit
  • 1 Allied mine point sown off-shore “at sea”

Trondheim reference city/major port hex 5C:2432:

  • Norwegian government marker
  • Br 2-6 Inf X 15, recently disembarked
  • Pol 3-2-6 Inf X CN, recently disembarked
  • Fr 2-1-6 Inf III 13LE, recently disembarked
  • Fr 0-6 AT II 14, recently disembarked
  • Br 0-6 Lt AA II 5C (AA=1), recently disembarked
  • Fr 1-8 Mtn Art II 2CA, recently disembarked
  • Br 1-8 Mtn Art II 51, recently disembarked
  • Br BC TF Renown, in port
  • Br CL TF Cruiser-3, in port
  • Br CL TF Cruiser-4, in port
  • Fr CL TF Cruiser-1, in port
  • Glad (*) F type air unit on the CAP mission over the Trondheim hex.

Mountain rail (to Trondheim) hex 10B:2603: Nor 5th Inf (Mtn) XX HQ unit, moved in from Trondheim

Mountain rail (to Trondheim) hex 2704: Nor 1-6 Mtn III 5/13NT, railed in from 10B:3405, at start in 3405

Mountain rail (to Trondheim) hex 2804:

  • Nor 1st Inf XX HQ unit, moved in from Trondheim
  • Br 2-6 Inf X 146, moved in from Trondheim
  • Br 2-6 Inf X 148, never moved

Forest rail (to Trondheim) hex 10B:2901: Nor 1-6 Mtn III 5/12ST, never moved

Forest rail (to Trondheim) hex 3002: Nor 0-1-8 Cav II 3 Tdl, railed in, at start in 3603

Hauge point city/minor port road terminus hex 10B:3010: Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 3, first railed, then moved into this hex; at start in 3608

Mountain coast rail (to Bergen) hex 10B:3114: Nor 1-6 Inf III 2/6Vl, regular moved in from 3310

Mountain rail (to Bergen) hex 3014: Nor 1-6 Eng III 1, regular moved in from 3311

Forest rail (to Bergen) hex 3015:

  • Nor 1-6 Inf III 1/3Tm, regular moved in from 3312
  • Nor 0-1-8 Cav II 1Ak, regular moved in from 3310
  • Ger 1 hit harassment marker

Bergen dot city/major port rail terminus hex 10B:3016:

  • Nor 2-3-6* Mtn X 4, never moved
  • Br 3-6 Inf X 24G, never moved
  • Nor 1-6 Inf III 4/9Hl, regular moved in from 3312
  • Nor 1-6 Inf III 3/8Rl, regular moved in from 3313
  • Br 0-6 Marine Cmdo II IC/A, recently disembarked
  • Nor 1st Inf XX HQ unit, railed in from 3608
  • Fr pos flk unit (AA=1). Recently disembarked
  • operative Nor C.V A type air unit based at the Bergen dot city airbase
  • Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit) in port
  • Br Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit on the CAP mission over the Bergen hex

Isle of Sorta, at hex 10B:3017: Nor 0-1-8 Cav II 2 OP, repl unit moved in from Bergen hex across the narrow straits hexside.

All sea hex 10B:2430:

  • Br BB TF Rodney
  • Br CV TF Furious carrying the inoperative Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit

Scotland holding box:

  • Br RM 0-1-4 Fort X RMFU

Orkney Islands holding box:

  • Br CA TF Cruiser-1
  • Br CV TF Glorious carrying the operative Sword-1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit
  • Br CV TF Ark Royal
  • Br BB TF Valient (2 hits)
  • Br CA TF Cruiser-1 (4 hits)
    Note: all five of these Br TFs have replenished their fuel earlier this turn.

Near the end of the movement phase the Axis player flies the Me 109E F type air unit based at the 3-cap airfield at 10B:3720, on the SW Norwegian coastline, on the CAP mission over clear terrain coast hex 3117, adjacent to Allied held Bergen to the SW, where the two Ger 2-6 Inf IIIs C are besieged.

Note: at the start of the Allied initial phase the Norwegian factory marker is removed from Axis controlled hex 10B:3606 per Rule 37D-Factories.

Combat Phase

The Allied player does one attack this turn. From the Bergen dot city/major port hex (10B:3016) he attacks the two isolated and unsupported Ger 2-6 Inf IIIs C boxed in on the tiny peninsular spit of clear terrain beach at adjacent coast hex 3116 to the SW of Bergen. These two Axis ground units are in special supply by virtue of the several supply points successfully air dropped in their hex the previous Axis turn. The Allied player can muster 7 ground attack factors to the Axis side’s total of 2 factored defense factors; making for a possible 3 to 1 attack. Overhead hex 3116 the LW Me109E F type air unit flys the CAP mission, which effectively nixes the possibility of the flimsy and obsolete Nor C.V A type air unit, based at Bergen, from offering its GS factor of 1 to the attack, which would then allow for a 4 to 1 attack. The Allied player rolls the die for a 3 to 1 attack and comes up with a 4: a DR, which in this cornered situation with no avenue of retreat is as good as a DE. After combat he moves the Nor 1-6 Inf III 4/9Hl into hex 3116.

Exploitation Phase

1st Naval Movement Step

First thing, the Axis player calls for the He 111H4 (S code) B type air unit based at the Oslo hex to do a naval strike air mission against the Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit) in port at the Bergen hex, before the naval unit has a chance to sail back to the British Isles. Perhaps unwisely, the Allied player has kept it in port up to the end of the 5th naval movement step of his movement phase, at the time thinking by this tactic to risk only one Danger Zones Chart dice roll instead of two on the voyage back to the Orkney Islands holding box. On the other hand, the Axis player held back until after the Allied movement phase to commit the He 111H4 air unit based at Oslo, in case it was needed for DAS in the combat phase for the exposed Ger 3-10 Mot Inf X 11 at mountain road hex 3212, adjacent on three hex sides to the busy Allied controlled transportation line leading to Bergen, along which so many Norwegian ground units were moving westwards towards that Allied strong point. At this point late in the game he doesn’t particularly care about the hazards of the relatively weak Br Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit flying the CAP mission over the Bergen hex or the 3 factor flack shot ability of the Repulse TF in the port. Feeling plagued throughout this game by bad luck in many important dice rolls done in the required assortment of aggressive risks taken in executing his invasion of Norway, the Axis player now opts to see if perhaps this time his luck will turn for the better.

Upon the arrival to the Bergen target hex of the He111H4 air unit for its naval strike air mission, the Allied player opts to switch his Skua DF type air unit on the CAP mission to the fighter interception mission, and goes after the incoming LW bomber unit. In this situation the Skua’s DF type’s 2 air attack strength goes against the He 1114 B type’s air defense strength of 4. Although not specifically specified in the list of Modifiers found below the Air Combat Results Table, it’s assumed for now the Allied player uses a -1 dice roll modifier for his Skua being an F type vs B type when using the -2 attack differential column for his air combat dice roll. The Allied player’s dice roll is a 9: a miss. Then the Axisplayer rolls on the +2 attack differential column with a +1 dice roll modifier for a B type vs an F type. The Axis player’s roll is a 6, which modifies to a 7: a return. And so the Allied player flies his Skua DF type air unit back to the Orkney Islands; and there the Skua (C code) FAA air unit lands on the deck of the Ark Royal aircraft carrier, becoming inoperative.

Finally, the Allied player aims his 3 factor flack shot from the BC TF Repulse (1 hit) and rolls a 4, which modifies to a 5: a return. And so the frustrated He 111H4 B type air unit returns to the Oslo airbase and lands there inoperative, unable to follow through on its naval strike air mission against the Allied held Bergen hex.

The Br combat naval group at all-sea hex 10B:1604, comprising the BB TF Rodney and the CV TF Furious carrying the inoperative Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit, spends 4 MPs moving west and then enters the Orkney Islands holding box, where its spends its remaining 26 MPs of the current naval movement step replenishing its fuel. At the beginning of its naval movement step it rolls a 9 on the Danger Zones Chart.

The large Western Allied combat naval group in the Trondheim port hex lifts anchors and heads back into the Norwegian Sea, spending its 30 MP naval movement step allowance to finally reach all-sea hex 10B:2025, just east of the Shetland Islands, presumably on its way home to the Orkney Islands holding box. This combat naval group consists of the following naval units:

  • BC TF Renown
  • Fr CL TF Cruiser-1
  • Br CL TF Cruiser-3
  • Br CL TF Cruiser-4.

Upon expending its 1st MP and thus leaving the Trondheim harbor and being “at sea” in the Trondheim hex, this naval group rolls a 6 on the Danger Zones Chart.

At the Bergen port the Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit) lifts its anchors and voyages NW, spending 22 MPs to eventually enter the Orkney Islands holding box, where it spends its remaining 8 MPs of the current naval movement step beginning to replenish its fuel. Upon leaving the Bergen port this naval unit rolled a 2 on the Danger Zones Chart.

2nd Naval Movement Step

The Western Allied combat naval group at all-sea hex 10B:2025, consisting of the Br BC TF Renown, the CL TF Cruiser-3, the CL TF Cruiser-4, and the Fr CL TF Cruiser-1, spends 11 MPs sailing SW and eventually enters the Orkney Islands holding box. There the BC TF Renown spends its remaining 19 MPs of the current naval movement step beginning to replenish its fuel. From the Orkney Islands holding box the three Western Allied CL TFs spend 17 MPs, per the SoS Allied Game Chart, voyaging off-map to the Scotland holding box, where all three TFs spend their last 2 MPs of the naval movement step beginning to replenish their fuel. At the start of the naval movement step while still at sea on the game map board, the Western Allied naval group rolls a 9 on the Danger Zones Chart. No Danger Zones Chart dice rolls are required when voyaging off-map from one holding box to the other, I believe.

At the Orkney Islands holding box the BB TF Rodney and the CV TF Furious carrying the inoperative Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit spends 4 MPs completing its fuel replenishment. Also in the holding box, the Br BC TF Repulse (1 hit) spends 22 MPs finishing its fuel replenishment.

3rd Naval Movement Step

In the Orkney Islands holding box the BC TF Renown spends 11 MPs finishing its fuel replenishment. Note that some of the Allied TFs have in fact replenished their fuel twice in the current Allied player turn. Rule 34B1-Low Fuel indicates that “at the end of each player turn the phasing player checks the fuel status of each of his naval units. If the naval unit did not replenish (per section B3 below) during the player turn, it has low fuel.” So technically the SoS rule doesn’t expressly state that a TF ought to refuel “after” a long voyage done in a player turn, just that it ought to refuel “during” the player turn; if not “it has low fuel.” Anyway, in this current Campaign for Norway game I’m trying to replenish “after” each voyage of a TF, if possible. Comments by interested wargamers on this point are of course welcome.

In the Scotland holding box the three Western Allied CL TFs spend 28 MPs replenishing their fuel at the naval base there.

4th Naval Movement Step

This late in the wargame, with so many things apparently going favorable for them in the Norwegian campaign, the Allied player ponders whether sending the British navy out to sea with the intentions of blocking potential Kriegsmarine naval operations in the upcoming May II 40Axis turn are worth the risks. After all, the Allies still hold securely both Trondeim and Bergen, have sunk the Scharnhorst and Blucher, and the A. Hipper, the Lutzow, and the Gneisenau are barely afloat. The VP tally for hits done to Axis heavy TFs (see Rule 27A-Intro) is exceptionally steep. In any event, any non-phasing Allied naval groups on map at sea in the Axis player turn would almost certainly have to endure at least ten dice rolls on the Danger Zones Chart, with a possible Axis pot shot die roll if any “12’s” came up.

However, a preliminary Scenario Victory Point analysis done this turn reveals the shocking fact that the Axis player is nevertheless evidently well ahead of the Allied player in VPs. Maybe more on this Scenario VP issue later, after further study.

In the final wargame analysis the Allied player feels that perhaps the global great power wartime prestige of the British navy is at stake, and so fearlessly despatches to sea a large and powerful combat naval group from the Orkney Islands holding box, and has it end its move at all sea hex 10B:1608, in the midst of the Norwegian Sea, six hexes due north of the Norwegian off-shore isle of Otr (2208), situated in between the exposed and vulnerable Norwegian point cities/standard ports of Kristiansand (2206) and Alesund (2310). 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 carrying the Sword 1 (VC code) A type FAA air unit
  • CV TF Furious carrying the Sea Glad (C code) F type FAA air unit
  • CV TF Ark Royal carrying the Skua (C code) DF type FAA air unit.

Upon entering all-sea hex 10B:2433 the combat naval group rolls a 7 on the Danger Zones Chart.

Perhaps part of this military decision was compelled by reading the fact that historically British domestic dissatisfaction, inflamed by influential public criticism, of the results of the Norwegian campaign was the immediate cause of the downfall of the Chamberlain government on May10th, on the very day of the Nazi German blitz of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, and just prior to the Allied capture of Narvik. 16 days later, in the midst the military crisis in the French campaign, General Ironsides loses his job as British chief of staff, one of the masterminds of Allied Scandinavian military strategy.

5th Naval Movement Step

All Allied naval units remain where they’re at on the SoS game maps or in the two off-map holding boxes.

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

The Allied player decides to fly the Nor C.V A type air unit based at the Bergen dot city airbase (10B:3016) on the air transfer mission to the Trondheim reference city airbase at 5C:2432.

At the end of the exploitation phase the Br Glad (*) F type air unit on the CAP air mission over the Trondheim hex rebases at the 1-cap permanent airstrip at 5C:2431, adjacent to Trondheim to the east.

The LW Me 109E T type air unit on the CAP air mission over the clear terrain coast hex 10B:3116 returns to base at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 3720, on the SW coast of Norway.