119

James Kramer Jr.
February 9, 2026 at 12:10 pm

Mark Gutfreund (Allies – bid 1.5 POC) has defeated Jim Kramer Jr. (Axis). The game was played to 8 turns with Jim resigning during T8. The raw score looked to be +6 Allies reduced to +4.5 by the bid. What follows is the axis view of events.

T1: Axis sends their subs to the NA, LBA to the Barents and fleet units (6 German and 4 Italian) to the SA. A 2-2-5 failed speed. In combat a sub was lost to ASW (4) in the NA and LBA damaged a 3-3-6. SA combat went 6 rounds with the Axis losing a 3-5-7, a 1-2-7 and 2 Italians to earn control. Allies lost a CA and had the Rodney crippled. Game score to +4 axis.

T2: Axis 3 subs back to the NA. Italian CAs move back to the MED. The German fleet (7 ships) goes to the NS. A 2-2-5 and a damaged 3-5-7 (d2) both fail speed from the SA. Combat has the axis LBA sink Hood. Allied ASW (7) clears the NA with 2 subs sunk. In the NS allied air strikes disable Bismarck and damage a 2-2-5 and a 1-2-7. NS surface combat sees a 1-2-7 sunk and a 2-2-5 damaged. No allied ships were damaged in return. The Axis withdraws with allies picking up 2 POC on the turn. Game score is now +2 Axis.

T3: No Soviets. Convoy 1A sails. Axis send a crippled 2-2-5 and 2 subs to the Baltic. Italians hold the MED. The German fleet (6 ships – 2 damaged) and the LBA go to the Barents. Allies have 3 heavies, 3 CA and 2 CV here, a 4-5-6 failed speed. Allied air disables the damaged 3-5-7. Axis LBA disables a 4-5-6 and sinks a 3-3-6. Surface combat is won by the Germans with a 4-5-6 and 2 CA sunk for no German losses. Some German ships were damaged. The game score returns to +4 Axis. Convoy 1A moves to the Barents.

T4: A Soviet BB sails with no US entries. Convoy 2B does sail. The Axis repairs 4 ships (a 4-9-6, a 3-5-7 and 2 2-2-5) with a 1-2-7 staying in port. A 4-9-6, a 2-2-5 and the CV oppose the Soviet in the Baltic. Axis LBA to the Barents and 4 subs to the SA. Italians hold the MED. Subs suffer no losses from ASW (5) and sink Glorious. LBA misses. Allied LBA sinks the German CA in port. The Soviet is sunk and cripples a 2-2-5 in return. Allies get Convoy 1A thru gaining 3 POC. Game score is now +1 Axis. Move Convoy 2B to the Barents.

T5: No Soviets this time, 2 US BB sail. Italians hold the MED. Axis repair the 2-2-5 and sail the fleet (6 ships) to the Baltic. The 6 subs go to the NS and the LBA to the Barents. Allied ASW (13) sink 3 subs, LBA misses the 2-2-5 in port. Axis Subs cripple Formidable. LBA cause no damage. With Convoy 2B successful to Russia allies gain 3 POC, game score moves to +2 Allies.

T6: No Soviets this time, 3 more US sail. Convoy 3C sails. Italians stay in MED. The Axis sail a 2-2-5 to the Baltic, send 6 subs to the NA and the rest of the Germans (6 ships) and LBA to the Barents, facing 6 heavies, 2 CA and a CV. Allies ASW (12) sink a sub and disable 2. Sub return fire puts 3 damage points on Convoy 3C. Combat in the Barents sees Tirpitz damaged by an air strike. Axis air damaged a 4-5-6. In the 1 round of surface combat the Axis lose a 3-5-7, 2 2-2-5 and have both BB damaged and disabled. In return they sink a 4-5-6 and damage 2 others. Axis CV retreats. Game score remains unchanged. Convoy 3C to the Barents.

T7: No Soviet and no additional US ships. Axis repair the 2 damaged German BBs. Italians still in the MED. The Germans place their last 2-2-5 and the CV in the Baltic. The Barents has the LBA and 6 subs. Allies LBA miss the German BBs but his ASW (16) sinks 5 subs and disables the last one. Axis LBA disables Convoy 3C. Allies gain another POC for the turn. Game score moves to Allies +3.

T8: The last US ship comes on. No Soviet. Axis long shot play is SA 2 Italians and 2 subs, Barents has the 4 remaining German ships (2 BB, a 2-2-5 and the CV) with the LBA. Allies have 5 heavies, 5 CA and 2 CV in the Barents and 5 BB and a CV in the SA. When the SA ASW sank the 2 subs the game was done. For good measure the allied air in the Barents disabled a BB, damaged the other and crippled the other 2 German ships. Axis LBA was of no use at this point. Axis resigned with the allies looking to gain 3 POC on T8. Game score would be Allies +6 adjusted to +4.5 by the bid.

This game was another die roll horror show for me at times. Not so much the allied die rolls but the lack of axis significant damage in return. My best wishes to Mr. Gutfreund in subsequent ladder play.

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davidmelkin
February 2, 2026 at 11:09 am

ron was a worthy opponent who tried the Med strategy. I had some good luck wit U boats and air. Axis victory for a change.

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Rob Drozd
January 25, 2026 at 8:14 pm

Match 1 (Drozd -Allies with bid of 1 POC vs Anderson – Axis) ended after Turn 7. Final POC after the adjustment was Allies 3.0.

The critical battle on Turn 7 was in the South Atlantic. Allies had Courageous escorted by 4 x 443, 553(2d), 336, and 3 x 117. Graf Zeppelin went in with 2 x 127, 2 x 117, 4 U-Boats, and needed speed rolls for 2 x 496, 357(2d), and a 225. First, Bismarck failed its speed roll and returned to Germany, then the 12 ASW sunk all 4 U-Boats with two 6s to spare. Courageous managed to put 2 damage on Tirpitz and sink Graf Spee while Graf Zeppelin hit a tuna and a mackerel. When the Axis LBA in Barents sunk 2 CVs, but missed the convoy, the Axis needed to win the battle in the South Atlantic to have a chance.

Round 1 saw the Allies shooting 27 shots from 9 ships against 7 Axis ships shooting 3 bonus and 9 regular. Things evened up quickly as each side had a BB and 3 CAs left for Round 2. The Allies managed to disable the Tirpitz(8d) and Blucher leaving just 2 Italian CAs. Tirpitz rolled four 1s against Royal Sovereign and only disabled 1 CA. It took 3 more rounds to finish off the Italians.

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