Round 10, Match 4 Status Report

Mike Kaye vs. Bruce Monnin

Mike and Bruce are playing opposite sides in two simultaneous games. The
player with the larger overall lead in POC will be the winner for ladder purposes.

Mike Kaye wins by 2 POC.

Turn 1

In game #1, Bruce setup with a Mediterranean opening. Mike's Germans took on 3 battleships in the North Atlantic, sinking two while losing a 2-2-5 pocket battleship. In the Med, the full Italian fleet came out but were defeated in battle by the British. End of turn 1 = Axis +2 POC.

In game #2, Mike setup with a Barents on 1 opening with one 3-3-6 battleship failing its speed roll to the Barents. Bruce sent the Germans up north, where they lost just one ship while sinking 4 1-1-7 cruisers and the ARK Royal. End of turn 1 = Axis +2 POC.

Overall, the POC totals are even after Turn 1.

Turn 2

In the Med strategy game, Mike's Axis took the empty Baltic and Barents Seas and took the North Atlantic Ocean, killing 2 battleships and one cruiser while losing just the Blucher. In the Med, Mike's LBA crippled 2 battleships and one carrier. Mike's Axis currently lead by 5 POC.

In the other game, Bruce's Axis took the empty Barnets, Baltic and Mediterranean Seas in a quiet turn. Bruce's Axis are up 4 POC.

Overall, Mike is up by 1 POC after Turn 2.

Turn 3

In the Med strategy game, Mike's Axis took the empty Barents Seas and took the Med from the Allies with neither side losing a ship. In the North Atlantic Ocean, the Allies repelled a German excursion, again with almost no damage to either side. Convoy 1A put into England to make the POC even for the turn. Mike's Axis currently lead by 5 POC.

In the other game, Bruce's Axis challenged the North Sea and lost, losing 5 ships in the process. The only consolation for the Axis was the LBA sinking a carrier in the Barents and the U-boats taking out a Russian. Bruce's Axis lead drops by 2 POC to 2 POC total.

Overall, Mike is up by 3 POC after Turn 3.

Turn 4

In the Med strategy game, Mike's Axis took the empty Barents and Baltic Seas and attempted to take the South Atlantic with the 4 Italian cruisers and the subs, but were repulsed. Convoy 2B presses on into the Barents Sea as the Allied Mediterranean fleet returns to England for convoy duty, most likely not to return until turn 8 afer the Italian defection rolls. Mike's Axis currently lead by 5 POC.

In the other game, Bruce's Axis licked its wounds for a turn, managing to repair his damage ships without suffering further damage from the Allied LBA. The Axis LBA missed its shot against Convoy 1A in the Barents, and 5 U-boat shots against Convoy 2B in the North Atlantic resulted in it being disabled. With the 3 POC gain from the convoy, Mike's Allies forge ahead into a 1 POC lead.

Overall, Mike is up by 6 POC after Turn 4.

Turn 5

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Turn 6

In the first game, Mike's Germans repair in port or hide in the Baltic. 2 Italian cruisers die in the South Atlantic. Bruce's Allies maintain the blockade and gain 1 POC. Mike's Axis currently remains in the lead by 5 POC.

In the other game, Bruce's Axis LBA hit Convoy 2B in the Barents, but inflicted only 3 points of damage as the convoy limped into Russia. The five remaining German ships and 7 U-boats won the North Atlantic (losing 3 more ships) but Convoy 3C escaped with only a disabled result. The Allies gain 1 POC to pull ahead to a 2 POC lead.

Overall, Mike is up by 7 POC after Turn 6.

Turn 7

Can you win the battle and lose the war? In the first game, Bruce's Allied forces defeated Mike's Germans in the Barents Sea. However, Mike's Axis LBA managed to disable Convoy 3C and the Allies lost 3 battleships while the Germans lost only the Graf Zeppelin. Bruce's Allies gain 2 POC to reduce the Axis lead to 2 POC. Much will depend on the Italian defection rolls, as the Allies will need to gain the majority of the Italians to make it a close ending.

In the other game, Bruce's Axis U-boats managed to disable Convoy 3C for the second time in the North Atlantic. No POC change for the turn as Mike's Allies remain ahead by 2 POC.

Overall, Mike is up by 4 POC after Turn 7.

Turn 8 - End of Game Report

In the game where Mike played the Allies, Bruce's Axis U-boats failed in desperation attempts to break control of the North & South Atlantic, while Convoy 3C put into port for another POC. Mike's Allies gain 2 POC to end the game ahead by 4 POC (3 POC after bid).

In the other game, it all came down to battles in the Barent and the Mediterranean. Bruce's Allied forces managed to defeated Mike's Germans in the Barents Sea, thanks to many timely disabled results, especially the one against the Tirpitz when the battle came down to 4 Allied cruisers against the Tirpitz and the Prinz Eugen. As any good Med strategy game should, the game came down to a turn 8 battle in the Med.

The Italian defection rolls left each side with two 466 battleships. The Allies had been planning to send the Hood as a reinforcement, but necessity called it to the Med instead. So, the 2 point damaged Repulse and the Formidable both passed speed rolls to arrive in the Med, while Mike reinforced the Axis with 5 U-boats. The odds initially favored the Allies due to the made speed rolls, but when the two Allied airstrikes missed and the U-boats disabled the Repulse and an Italian battleships, the odds swung the other way. However, it was Bruce's Allies getting the last laugh as his Vittorio Veneto disabled both Axis Italian 466 battleships to deny the Axis control and secure the win. With Convoy 3B also putting in to England, Bruce's Allies gain 4 POC to win by 2 POC (1 POC after bid).

Overall, Mike wins the pair of matchups by 2 POC.

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