History as Game by the ETO Development Team
This is the third part of an extended example of play demonstrating the German invasions of Denmark and Norway in 1940 using Frank Chadwick's ETO's stand-alone Volume IV (Northern Fire) rules. Don't be surprised to find rules reference numbers, as this article is crafted from the rules book itself, and the illustrations are of our current playtest graphics, not the final ones for the series!
The previous installment shows the initial German invasion turn at Norway. The next installment shows the second turn of the German's invasion of Norway as they lunge up the country's central valleys in the face of Allied opposition.
Norway: the Northern Invasion
Allied Player Turn, April II ‘40:
Allied Politics Phase, Declare War Step: At the beginning of the Allied turn, their first turn following the Axis invasion, Norway suffers a Morale Collapse. We took care of Denmark’s collapse in the opening on this example of play.
To determine the effect of that Surrender, the Allies roll a 2, causing Norway to form a Pro-Resistance Government and continue resistance.
The Allies remove the Norwegian Morale marker and flip its Allegiance marker on the International mat to show its dark-colored border, indicating its infinite MPs. Players use Allegiance markers on the International mat in Volume V: Victory at All Costs.
Norway continues fighting for the duration until it suffers a Military Collapse or declares a Government in Exile.
Its Anchorages and Air Bases continue as before.
Allied Supply Step:
The Allied player assigns Out of Supply markers to the [Submarine TF] German SS UFlotte [2] unit in the North Sea Zone.
The Allied player flips the [Sturm/2FJ] Paradrop marker to its 1-4 Airborne unit side because it is in supply.
Allied Repair & Recovery Step:
Aircraft Maintenance Segment:
1 x Hampden Bomber from West Europe Flown to Available.
1 x Hudson Naval Patrol from West Europe Flown to Available.
Naval Maintenance Segment:
The UK BC Repulse at Scapa Flow is Refit and flipped to show its Ready side.
The UK BC Renown at Scapa Flow awaits Repair.
The Norwegian MS [1] unit that fled from Bergen to Edinburgh/Rosyth awaits Repair.
Opponent’s Rush Recovery Segment: The Axis wish they had ½ FP in the Arctic Theater to Rush Recover their Bf-100C unit, but, alas, they do not and therefore lack Fighter cover over Norway during the Allied turn. The Axis passes.
OOB Changes Segment: These Reinforcements appear in Scapa Flow, Ready.
1 x French CL Div. [3]
Allied Free Stuff Segment: The Allied die roll of 3 (+2 DRM because a friendly Ground unit is in an enemy Major nation’s EZOC) = 5. As 5<7+, the Allies do not receive a Free Stuff this turn.
Allied Buy Stuff Segment: The Allies spend Norway’s 1 PP to purchase and place (for ½ PP each):
1-4 Norwegian Inf. Division [2] in Hamer (to protect the two valleys between Oslo and Trondheim)
1-4 Norwegian Inf. Division [5] in Namsos (to block Norway’s narrow north/south neck and pressure Trondheim)
Allied Special Movement Step:
Allied Armies:
1-4 Norwegian Mtn. Inf. Division [Finmark] in Kirkenes moves two hexes west along the road.
1-4 Norwegian Mtn. Inf. Division [6] in Tromso moves two hexes southwest along the road and adjacent to Narvik.
1-4 Norwegian Inf. Division [5] in Namsos moves two hexes southwest along the road and adjacent to Trondheim.
1-4 Norwegian Inf. Division [2] moves from Hamer north one hex into the mountains (to protect both valley roads)
Allied HQ:
The Allies relocate the UK Operational Headquarters marker [NWEF] to Harstad; it receives a -3 Countdown marker.
Allied Navies:
Scapa Flow: [Patrol TF] UK BC Repulse (for 0 FPs, as it is the first Capital Naval unit setting sail this turn) and French CL Div. [3] transporting UK 1-3 2nd Line Inf. Division [61/Maurice] sails from the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow to the North Sea and then to the Norwegian Sea Zone.
French CL Div. [3] transporting UK 1-3 2nd Line Inf. Division [61/Maurice] forms an Inshore Squadron (421.6) at Namsos.,
Scapa Flow: UK BC Renown, still Repairing, languishes at Scapa Flow.
Edinburgh/Rosyth: [Patrol TF] UK CL Sqdn [2] becomes a Warship Transport in Edinburgh/Rosyth; it embarks the 1-3 2nd Line Inf. Division [49/Sickle] and moves to the Humber Sea Zone, then to the North Sea Zone, and finally to Norwegian Sea Zone.
UK CL Sqdn [2] in Edinburgh/Rosyth transporting UK 1-3 2nd Line Inf. Division [49/Sickle] forms an Inshore Squadron (421.6) at Andalsnes.
The Clyde: [Convoy TF] UK PL [1] transporting UK 0-1-3 2nd Line Inf Div [Rupert], and [Patrol TF] UK BB Warspite, and UK CV Furious, sail from The Clyde to the North Sea and then on to the Norwegian Sea. Moving these Capital ships costs the Allies ½ FP each (420.3.1).
The North Sea: [Patrol TF] UK BBs Nelson and Valiant, plus CA Sqdn [1], sail from the North Sea Zone to the Norwegian Sea Zone. Since they are already At Sea, there is no further FP cost to move them.
The North Sea: [Patrol TF] UK CL Sqdn [18], Out of Supply, in the North Sea Zone moves to the Humber Sea Zone.
UK Air Force: Flying from the West Europe Available box:
The (M) Range Hampden flies eight hexes from Scapa Flow to Bergen to bomb that Anchorage.
The (M) Range Hudson flies from Scapa Flow to the North Sea Zone, hoping to find the German U-boat unit there.
Opponent’s Reaction Step:
The Axis Kiel Naval Base Reaction marker sorties out to The Skagerrak to try finding the elusive UK SS Flotilla [1].
Allied Air Resolution Step:
Bergen: The Hampden makes a Day (as the Axis have no Fighters available to Intercept) Anchorage Bombing attack on the Major Port of Bergen (where also resides the Repairing, Depleted German CL Sqdn [1]).
The Hampden brings only a ½ Bomb symbol to the party. Bergen is a few hexes too far away for an Enhanced (x2) Bombload so that ½ multiplies x3 for the bombing of a Minor Port. The Major Port there is Disrupted and operates as a Minor Port while under repair, and the Hardness multiplier for a Soft target, such as a Minor Port, is x3) bringing the total Damage Value (DV) to 1½, rounded down to 1.
The Axis have no Flak markers in the Arctic Theater and, without Fighter units in the Available box on the Air Display to Intercept, the Hampden proceeds to bomb without harassment.
The DV of 1 offers a scant chance, but 1 is exactly what the Allied player rolls! (Good show, RAF!) This result increases the Repair Delay for the port of Bergen by 1 (for the one Hit), so its current -4 Countdown marker acquired in its recent capture increases to -5.
Hits also mean assigning that quantity (one, in this case) of 1 Hit to Assess markers to Naval units at anchor there. With no Damage Control Value (DCV) on its Depleted side, the German CL Sqdn [1] is automatically a Confirmed Hit and, added to its Depletion, means it has a total of two Confirmed Hits. So, it must check for Serious Damage.
Again, the Axis player rolls accursed doubles (1 + 1), and CL Sqdn [1] sinks to Davy Jones. The Germans gain its 1 PP in the West Europe Theater, their nearest Naval Base location, and mutter about the Allies’ luck, making this slim 1/36 chance.
Allied Naval Resolution Step:
The North Sea: UK Hudson Naval Bomber vs. [Submarine TF] SS UFlotte [2].
Search Value = 2, +1 (UK Naval Air Support’s choice, hunting), -1 (German Submarine TF’s choice hoping to avoid detection). Final Search Value = 2. The Allies roll 5 for No Engagement.
The Skagerrak: UK SS Flotilla [1] vs. German Kiel Naval Base Reaction marker.
Search Value = 2, +1 (Axis NBR marker), -1 (UK Submarine TF’s choice hoping to avoid detection). Final Search Value = 2. The Axis roll a 4 for No Engagement.
Allied Ground Resolution Step: None.
Allied Return Step: Both UK Air units return to the West Europe Flown box. They want to keep these Air units to protect the UK and close to France's growing danger. Besides, One or two Air units in the Arctic Theater, without any Flak points, are very vulnerable to Luftwaffe Airfields Attacks against them.
Forecast New Weather Step: Next turn, the weather in West Europe Theater will be Fair, and the Arctic Theater will be Extreme Cold.
Allied Regular Movement Step:
Allied Navies:
The Norwegian Sea: [Patrol TF] UK BBs Nelson, Valiant, Warspite, CV Furious, and CA Sqdn [1] remain At Sea.
The [Patrol TF]French CL Div. [3] transporting UK 1-3 2nd Line Inf. Division [61/Maurice] lands in Namsos.
The [Convoy TF]UK PL [1] transporting UK 0-1-3 2nd Line Inf. Division [Rupert] lands in Harstad.
The [Patrol TF]UK CL Sqdn [2] transporting UK 1-3 2nd Line Inf. Division [49/Sickle] lands in Andalsnes.
The Humber Sea Zone: UK CL Sqdn [18], Out of Supply, enters Edinburgh/Rosyth and Makes Harbor where it is Depleted (due to arriving with a Supply marker) and must Refit.
Allied Armies:
1-4 Norwegian Mtn. Inf. Division [Finmark] moves west four along the road to Lakslev.
1-4 Norwegian Mtn. Inf. Division [6] adjacent to Narvik does not move.
0-1-3 UK 2nd Line Inf. Division [Rupert] offloads at Harstad and remains there.
1-3 UK 2nd Line Inf. Division [61/Maurice] offloads at Namsos and moves southwest to Stjordal.
1-4 Norwegian Inf. Division [5] in Stjordal (adjacent to Trondheim) does not move.
1-3 UK 2nd Line Inf. Division [49/Sickle] offloads at Andalsnes and moves three hexes south to the hex north of Lillehammer.
1-4 Norwegian Inf. Division [2] does not move (to protect both valley roads).
Allied Here & There Step: Checking Sea Zone Interdiction:
The Norwegian Sea Zone’s Uninterdicted status would normally change to Allied Interdicted at this time as they have an exclusive Patrol Mission TF there. Still, that Zone’s Storms at Sea weather prevents it.
All other Sea Zones in play remain Uninterdicted.
The Allies responded quickly because they, too, were preparing to invade Norway.
The next installment shows how the Axis consolidated their position and launched an attack up southern Norway's central valleys.
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