1x1 Total War Tim-Forwarn45

[Timmeh]

This sub fleet doesn't get a chance to disrupt our transport chain, its destroyed by bombers.

[Timmeh]

If the Japanese can't have it they ensure nobody will and infastruture is attacked in India, Japanese air superiority has succeded in denying the wallies over 2 dozen resources in the area and look to continue the trend for the foreseable future.




More troops are also moved into China and Mao may be wondering now if, even with lend lease, he may not have the forces to break out to the coast?

[Forwarn45]

The Allies begin an all-out attack against Germany's fighter force. With only a slight numerical edge, the Red Airforce basically breaks even.

[Forwarn45]

As the Japanese have pulled a few troops back to deal with China, the Red Army decided to take the offensive. We have a 2% chance of taking the territory, but the kill ratio looks favorable so we commence a battle of attrition.

[Forwarn45]

The new WA fighters (8 attack) are more successful against the jets, although I note this was probably the most successful of several, mostly attritional battles.

[Forwarn45]

One of a couple of other bombing raids - this one keeping the pressure on German resources since, yet again, no invasion comes.

[Forwarn45]

Finally, the pressure builds in the East as the Western Allies liberate the Baltic States. It's unlikely these countries will rejoin the Soviet Union after the war..... But again, Stalin can't complain much. The Red Army remains strong in the South, the Western Allies in the North, and 1944 still holds the possibility of an invasion at sea.

[Forwarn45]

One note about the way our game has played so far. The fact that the Axis didn't start the war with the US was helpful in containing further advances in 1942, particularly in Southeast Asia, India, and Australia. This kept the Axis below 67 victory points (absent something unusual at this point) and means I basically have an extra turn to win the war due to a favorable victory shift. But the flipside was dramatically lower WA production from 1942 all the way until 1944. The US was stuck at 2x production, with 25 resources a turn being lost to consumer spending. Basically, I was running at or close to capacity for that period - sometimes a few resources short. By my estimate, the US basically lost out on 7 turns of 3x production (+ 7 resources more than necessary to run the extra 18 factory points I lost). This is counterbalanced by the fact the Japanese didn't gain some extra resources and the WA didn't lose them. Even so, I'd still say I lost out on 18 US production points for the seven turns, or 126 total production points! [X(]

I would have lost more transports and ships but this is simply huge and really held me back. Basically, my production was only slightly more than the Axis until 1944. So it presents an interesting tradeoff to the Axis as to whether to initiate the war.

[Timmeh]

Fall 44

German U-boats make their way back for supplies, a dangerous op these days...



Allied CAP is hampering operations this season and the wallies are forced to spend large amounts of ships and supply but the subs have been unable to really jeopardize Africa. With transport totals increasing, the window of oportunity is closing on the wolf packs. Their numbers are kept at 5 and they will try and harrass capacity as best they can in 45'.

[Timmeh]

Eastern Front

Fall 44 sees American and Russian forces starting to gain a numerical advantage in the east as they attempt to drive the Germans from Russia.

[Timmeh]

Trying to prevent the Americans from flanking in the north. Another major shift in the German line occurs as forces marshall and strike north against a road weary army.



two armor and a half dozen inf units sit on the baltics after the dust settles.

[Timmeh]

Fall backs are ordered in the wake of the Baltic offensive and Russia is totally abandoned by ground troops. German Factories pump out more and more jets and the defense in the west is checked again.... Wallied landing craft increase to 6 and remove any limits on invasion size this turn but double arty and AA may be tough to overcome for the wallies still?



The wallies sit spread out north and Russia looks to now bear the burden of trying to take German soil. 45 should see the Russians going through supply like a knife through butter! In efforts to keep the Baltic sea closed, triple arty and 2 AA units go on high alert in Denmark...

[Timmeh]

Japan

With increasing transport numbers it looks like Forwarn45 got them all the way to Australia this turn [:@] the three we can reach are destroyed.



The Japanese task force holds in the Gulf of Siam and fighter and tac totals are matched to give the veteran and elite bomber squads cover.

[Timmeh]

secure in the gulf? Japan looks to hold the wallies at bay with the present unit deployments.

[Timmeh]

After attacks last turn renewed hostilities, troops are ordered in to replace losses.

[Forwarn45]

A turn of successes and failures! First - after destroying one of two militia with a very heavy air bombardment - the Red Airforce lands brave paratroopers and seizes Bulgaria. The workers and peasants rejoice! [:D]

[Forwarn45]

Kiev is taken following the German retreat, and the Soviet people have more cause for optimism. The Bulgarian beachhead is reinforced and the Red Airforce is on its guard.

[Forwarn45]

Now the bad news. D-Day is a dismal failure. The invasion is defeated on the beaches as many WA soldiers go down in a blaze of artillery fire. Landing craft is also lost and abandoned. Eisenhower calls the invasion off. What I learned - I did not sufficiently suppress at least one of the 2 artillery guarding France. I did not have sufficient airpower. And the German artillery has high land attack (I think it is 10) and ship attack (it has been increased I think but I forget the current figure). The American and British people are stunned by the failure, and there is a partial fallback in the Baltic later in the turn. [:(] The screenshot shows France following my air attack - I think before most or all of the failed landing attempts.

[Forwarn45]

But fortunately the failure in Europe is tempered by a victory against Japan's fleet. My carrier air, operating entirely by land, coupled with a strong fighter force attacks the main Japanese fleet. Basically, I had almost the same number of fighters as Japan plus 2 carrier air I had put on Sumatra last turn, plus 3 more carrier air that I detached from their carriers and operated from the port of Java (although I think it's unnecessary to detach them since a carrier counterstrike only occurs when carrier air is operating at sea). One of my 5 carrier air was elite and at least one was veteran. Also, I think they may have been a bit better at anti-air than the Japanese. Anyway, the projected odds were quite good. [:'(]

The Japanese lose two carrier groups and a third is damaged, effectively halving Japanese carrier strength. This is not quite enough to wash away the sting of France, but it certainly helps. [:)] Note one of my carrier airgroups listed as damaged was actually destroyed, unfortunately, as it was flying from Java. My carriers subsequently picked up the couple surviving airgroups and left the immediate area.

EDIT: I added a little more information about the battle since I hadn't included a description of the forces.

[Forwarn45]

Here's the current Axis and Russian troop strength somewhere near the end of my turn. I cut off the Western Allies (and Russian builds) so as not to show Tim what I'm building. As you can see, Germany remains quite powerful. Although the Axis is not at its peak, the Allies have a lot of ground to make up in 1945.