As the calendar rolls over to MCMXL, Europe remains a bloody mess that the eternal spirits of warmongers like Augustus Caesar and Genghis Khan must welcome with profound enthusiasm. Beyond just this carnage, humanity rolls along:
In Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso is proclaimed the tulku of the thirteenth Dalai Lama.
On February 27 Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discover carbon-14.
As the last vestiges of Stalin's Scandinavian adventure are expunged, a time bomb destroys the offices of Norrskenflammer, a Swedish communist newspaper, on March 3.
A new restaurant called McDonalds opens in San Bernardino, California on May 15. The locals are going there in droves.
The Chinese NRA is soundly defeated in a counter-offensive against the Japanese IJA. Experts claim this is the last gasp for a potential Chinese offensive. While Japanese control of large areas of China remains the status quo the occupiers are struggling to adequately garrison their expansive holdings; further expansion bogs down.
While there were multiple disbands there are only two retreats: the German army in Munich can retreat to Hamburg, Rheinland or Disband; the Polish army in the Eastern Ukraine may retreat to Western Ukraine or Disband. This is due by Thursday at our usual time; Fall 1940 provisionals are due on Friday!
***
PLAYERS
Britain - sunchung / Sun Chung / sun.chung(at)gmail.com
France - DrSwordopolis / Nick Powell / nick.s.powell(at)gmail.com
Germany - charlesf / Charles Feaux de la Croix / charlesf(at)web.de
Italy (and Nationalist Spain) - raistlin / David Gould / davidchegould(at)bigpond.com
Poland - smileyrob / Robert Stein / smileyrob68(at)gmail.com
Turkey - Wladimir7 / Wladimir Mysonski / wmysonski(at)gmail.com
USSR (and Republican Spain) - Nitsch / Karsten Nitsch / karsten.nitsch(at)gmx.de
***
HEADLINES
British excited to see war machine back on track Third Republic shows operational elan despite wartime setbacks As Munich falls the German people appear wistful for Fascist regime Italian-Turkish task force embarrassed by smart - if not necessarily coordinated - German-Polish tactics Polish cavalry defecate on proud, previously unsoiled, Moscow streets Turkish tactical excellence in display once again with far-sighted move into Dob Will Stalin survive the year? Republican Spain shifts west, greedily eyeing fair Portugal
***
And now, for a GM's best friend, player press!
Italian Press:
It has been announced that President Mussolini is paying a state visit to Munich. El Duce will be speaking to the people of Bavaria, the beating heart of German fascism, and offering to make them part of the thus-far successful European fascist experiment. While he understands that nationalistic sentiment has previously been the key to fascism, a pan-European fascist state has long been a dream of his.
Mussolini said, 'We believe that it was a mistake for the German people to have deposed the National Socialists. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and we were flattered when the Germans copied we Italians in placing thugs and murderers in high office. Them heading down the path of democracy provides a bad example to fledgling dictatorships all over the world. Oppression and bigotry and acts of aggression against peaceful nations are fragile flowers that need constant tending against the diseases of freedom, amity and equality. Hopefully, Germans will come to understand their error. If they don't, we'll shoot them.'***Press from the USSR:
Beirut, New Khanate of Libanon, January 23rd
Reports from the Levante confirm the rumors spreading in the east - the Soviet Leadership has evacuated the burning steppes of their homeland. Several limousines with turkish military escort have been seen waiting in the military part of the harbour close to a turkish Navy Ship destined to leave for Crete the same afternoon. While the Generals and their Staff have chosen to dig into Stalingrad and repel the Polish forces slowly surrounding the city, the exact whereabouts of the Soviet leadership still remains unknown. They have most likely chosen exile to remain in position for rebuilding their homeland once the tides of war turn. As the German industry ceases pumping millions of Reichsmark into bolstering the Polish Army, this day might come sooner than hoped for...***Press from the Republic of Spain:
The Socialist Republic of Spain announces the end of the civil war! Celebrations throughout the country remained peacefully, only dampened by the sad news coming from the cradle of socialism in the east. While the rest of europe is torn into pieces, Spain maneged to reunite the people not only in the streets. The world Public is truly surprised to be confronted with the first official note from Spain coming from the newly appointed minister of lesser peaceful affairs, Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde Salgado Pardo:
"People of the world! Spain is united again and it's glorious people are one in their heart, their mind, and the true moral values they follow. It is my pleasure to announce, that - following the new common ideal of all Spain - we wish to guarantee every citizen of the Iberian peninsula, the Spanish islands and all lands where the Spanish soul still burns in the heart of the people Justice and Equality while preserving the values of the past, that allowed Spain to be a great nation. Thus we call on you, people of Great Spain, to unite as one force, repel every one inducing hardship and foreign ideas on you and lead Spain to a future as glorious as the past!"
With the Spanish fleet approaching the waters of Gibraltar and the former Spanish Republican Army now bolstered by the ranks of the former nationalists, the peace in Spain might be of limited duration.
***
Orders:
Britain: F Denmark Supports F Skaggerak - SwedenF Morocco Supports F Gulf of Lion - Western MediterraneanF Picardy - BelgiumF Atlantic Ocean - Arabian Sea (*Bounce*)F English Channel Supports F Picardy - BelgiumF North Sea - Netherlands (*Bounce*)F Skaggerak - Sweden (*Bounce*)F South-Western Approaches - Atlantic Ocean (*Fails*)
France: A Brest - PicardyA Paris Supports A Brest - Picardy
Germany: F Belgium - Netherlands (*Disbanded*)A Lorraine - Switzerland (*Fails*)A Munich - Austria (*Dislodged*)A Saxony Supports A Silesia - CzechiaA Silesia - Czechia
Italy: A Austria Supports A Switzerland - MunichA Burgundy - Lorraine (*Fails*)A Croatia - Hungary (*Bounce*)A Czechia - Slovakia (*Disbanded*)A Marseille Supports A South Tyrol - SwitzerlandA South Tyrol - SwitzerlandA Switzerland - MunichF Gulf of Lion - Western MediterraneanF Ligurian Sea - Tyrrhenian SeaF Tyrrhenian Sea - Algiers
Poland: A Byelorussia Supports A Western Ukraine - MoscowA Cracow - Slovakia (*Bounce*)A Eastern Ukraine - Stalingrad (*Dislodged*)F Finland(sc) - Sweden (*Bounce*)A Leningrad Supports A Western Ukraine - MoscowA Rumania - Serbia (*Fails*)A Transylvania - Hungary (*Bounce*)A Western Ukraine - MoscowF Gulf of Danzig Supports F Finland(sc) - Sweden
Turkey: A Ankara - Eastern AnatoliaA Bulgaria Supports A Istanbul - DobrujaA Istanbul - DobrujaA Palestine - Suez (*Fails*)A Serbia Supports A Croatia - Hungary (*Cut*)A Siberia - KazakhstanF Suez - Arabian Sea (*Bounce*)F Aegean Sea - Libyan SeaF Black Sea Convoys A Istanbul - DobrujaF Libyan Sea - Eastern Mediterranean
USSR: A Moscow - Eastern UkraineA Stalingrad Supports A Moscow - Eastern Ukraine
Republican_Spain: A Burgos Supports A Valencia - MadridA Valencia - MadridF Western Mediterranean - Gibraltar
Portugal: F Portugal Supports A Valencia - Madrid
***Ownership of supply centers
Britain: Denmark, Edinburgh, Egypt, Liverpool, London, Morocco, Norway, Sweden.
France: Brest, Paris.
Germany: Belgium, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Netherlands.
Italy: Algiers, Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Marsailles, Milan, Naples, Rome, Switzerland, Tripoli.
Poland: Cracow, Finland, Gdynia, Hungary, Latvia, Leningrad, Lithuania, Rumania, Warsaw.
Turkey: Ankara, Beirut, Bulgaria, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Istanbul, Izmir, Serbia, Suez.
USSR: Moscow, Stalingrad.
Republican_Spain: Burgos, Madrid, Valencia.
Britain: 8 Supply centers, 8 Units: Builds 0 units.
France: 2 Supply centers, 2 Units: Builds 0 units.
Germany: 5 Supply centers, 5 Units: Removes 0 unit.
Italy: 10 Supply centers, 10 Units: Builds 0 units.
Poland: 9 Supply centers, 9 Units: Builds 0 units.
Turkey: 10 Supply centers, 10 Units: Builds 0 unit.
USSR: 2 Supply centers, 2 Units: Removes 0 unit.
Republican_Spain: 3 Supply center, 3 Unit: Builds 0 unit.
***
Upcoming Deadlines (all orders are due at 5 PM EST, GMT -5) Summer 1940 Retreats, Thursday August 26
Fall 1940 Prelims, Friday August 27
Fall 1940 Orders, Tuesday August 31
Winter 1940 Retreats and Adjustments, Thursday September 2 Spring 1941 Prelims, Friday August 27 Spring 1941 Orders, Tuesday August 30
