Round 1, Match 5 Status Report

Jonathan Lockwood (Axis) vs. Mark Gutfreund (Allies; Bid 2)

German FlagItalian Flag

Axis wins by 8 POC.

BPA 1999 WAS PBeM Tournamemt - Round 1, Match 5 Status

======================================================================== Turn:             1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Axis POC:        +5     +5     +3     +6     +3     +6            Allied POC:      -2     -3     -3     -5     -6     -3            ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net POC:         +3     +2     +0     +1     -3     +3            Cumulative POC:  +3     +5     +5     +6     +3     +6            ========================================================================

Turn 1

Allies try a Barents in One strategy. Axis sends 3 U-Boats to the N. Atlantic and their entire fleet to the South Atlantic including the Italian Cruisers; the Scheer fails its spped roll there. The U-Boats sink the Courageous and airpower in the S. Atlantic puts 2 damage points on the Scharnhorst.

Surface combat in the south is very bloody. The Allies lose the Eagle, Nelson, and Malaya, while the Warspite is disabled with 2 damage pts and the Valiant likewise with 3. The Axis lose the Scharnhorst and Lutzow. The Hipper takes 1 damage, the Graf Spee two and along with the Blucher are all disabled to the neutral port. Scharnhorst oils. Axis up +3 POC.

Turn 2

Allies send roughly equal number of ships into North and South Atlantic as well as the North Sea, putting only one cruiser into the Barents. Air power, ASW, and U-Boats have no effect, except to disable the lone cruiser in the Barents, where most of Axis force goes. All the ships in the neutral port escape to the Med. One axis ship to the Baltic. Axis goes up 2 more POC for a +5 lead overall.

Turn 3

The allies sail their convoy; no Russian ships sail. The allies try to put the blockade into effect, sending forces into the North and South Atlantic, Barents, and North Sea. The axis responds with repair of German ships in Italy and all axis ships going to the Baltic. All 5 U-Boats go to the North Sea vs. only 8 ASW. The pathetic allied ASW has no effect. LBA for both sides is ineffective. There is no net change in POC and the North Sea is now open to the Axis for Turn 4; Axis remains +5 POC for the game.

Turn 4

At the end of Turn 4, the Axis have a 6 POC lead. The Axis controlled the S Atlantic at the end of Turn 4, with the Blucher, Adm Hipper, Graf Spee, and 4 Italian cruisers based in France. Lutzow and Scharnhorst have been sunk, and the remaining 6 ships in the Axis fleet have been conducting Baltic Sea exercises for most of the game. The Axis U-boat fleet is at full strength for Turn 5.

Turn 5

Details not provided. Axis lead by 3 POC (5 POC with handicap) at the end of turn 5.

Turn 6

Allied deployment:
Barents: Illustrious, Exeter, Dorsetshire, Devonshire, Kent, Norfolk, Anson, DOY, KGV, Hood, Howe (makes speed roll)
North Sea: Victorious, Formidable, Rodney, 5 4-4-3s, Warspite (2d)
North Atlantic: Convoy 3C, Wichita, Augusta, Glorious, Barham (3d), Queen Elizabeth (3d)
South Atlantic: Valiant, POW, Repulse, Cumberland, Sussex, Suffolk
No additional Allied reinforcements from either U.S. or Russians this turn.

The Axis response:
Germany: Blucher repairs
Baltic: Graf Zeppelin, Bismarck, Tirpitz, Gneisenau, Graf Spee, Adm Scheer, Prinz Eugen, Adm Hipper
Barents: Axis LBA
South Atlantic: Zara, Pola, Gorizia (from their base in France) and 7 U-boats
Mediterranean: Italian fleet except for Andrea Doria (1d)
Italy: Andrea Doria (1d) repairs

Axis LBA disables the Exeter in the Barents, while Allied LBA misses in its attempt to sink the Blucher in port. Meanwhile, Allied ASW in the South Atlantic sinks 1 U-boat and disables a second, leaving 5 U-boats to unleash a volley of torpoedoes against the British fleet before the three Italian cruisers close for surface combat. Valiant and Prince of Wales are disabled by U-boats, while Cumberland is sunk, leaving Repulse and 2 British cruisers to face the three Italian cruisers.

In the first round of combat, the Italian cruisers rained deadly fire on the British ships, sinking Sussex, disabling Suffolk, and hitting Repulse for 1 pt of damage. Allied return fire disables the Zara, hits Pola for 1 pt of damage, and misses Gorizia.

In the second round, Repulse is sunk by combined fire from Pola and Gorizia. Although there is no current word as to results of Repulse's return fire, the Italians, aided by the German U-boat fleet, have gained control of the S Atlantic for the Axis, increasing the Axis lead to 6 POC (8 POC with handicap).

Turn 7

No details provided.

Turn 8

Axis wins by 8 POC (10 POC after bid).

[ Return to the Tournament Round 1 page.]