4 Player AAR with new PBEM - Game 4

[tcart]

Japan Winter 43

After some technical difficulties, the Japanese re-enter the battle.

I read above that the WA challenged me to launch a counterattack. I decided to oblige. The opportunity came because the Allied fleet was split and 4 CVs were within range of Japanese land based air. So first the fighters and bombers went in, clearing away all of the Allied CAGs. Frankly the die rolls were very disappointing.

The the IJN rushed East from it's shiny new base at Pearl. It cost a ton in supplies, but the somewhat damaged transport fleet managed just barely to pull it off. Two more flattops sunk. Again, given that I had 5 strong CAG units this was disappointing. So finally local surface units went in to mop up.

The final result, 1 CV damaged, 3 sunk. The WA only have 2 CVs afloat. It'll take me a while to shore up my defenses, but that ought to slow him down.

The last key Chinese province is crushed, though I realize that factory in the far east is spitting out units. Will have to do something about that.

Japan now has a surplus of resources and secure borders to the West at Pearl and in China. I expect my Australian expeditionary force will surrender. I just couldn't spare the transports to evacuate it.

Once more I must decide where to attack next.

Timorsea.jpg (137.72 KiB) Viewed 1173 times

[kondor]

I don't know how did I miscalculated the range of IJN CV-s last turn, but Tim jumped on it. Excellent move.
But the war rages on.
Albania was liberated, GE subs have reached 3/3 and they are a problem again, while my LF-s are at attack 2. Not for long.
I've bombed a few factories in Poland, one in France.

And more naval combat in Java and the South China sea. IJN transports were destroyed by the remaining CV-s in the area.
Together with the IJA Australia expeditionary force.

LF-s.jpg (144.71 KiB) Viewed 1123 times

IJN sub which was an excellent scout was damaged in the combat vs the Australian LF.

IJN sub.jpg (182.57 KiB) Viewed 1123 times

[kondor]

This turn land I've reestablished the supply convoys to SU, Stalin will need it soon.

[rjh1971]

Sp43 Germany

The Wehrmacht had to abandon Kiev, superior Russian forces made it impossible to hold the area. An airstrike against the Russian air force in Kharkov was very succesful only to find the other side of the coin while trying to bomb the Stalingrad factory, odds of being hit were 6%...
This is all about holding on as much as possible, Germany can not win this war...

Sp43 Germany.jpg (1.01 MiB) Viewed 1111 times

[tcart]

Japan - A thoroughly boring turn. Troops are repositioned. China consolidated. But nothing much else happened. I was tempted to go after the two remaining CVs in the Indian Ocean, but why risk my precious CAGS against land-based air?

[kondor]

Sp '43
Bad news for Rafael as Greece decided to join the WA at this point. Me taking Albania the last turn probably triggered it.
That meant I had enough troops on the ground to start calculating how to take Yugoslavia.

Germans had 5 units there (1 arty + 1 inf + 3 militia), and it is the rough ground, so I had to aim for 3:1.
My Albania and Greece units numbered 2 infantry and a few (2? or 3? militia units). I needed more.

First I had to destroy the railroad, royal airforce HB-s from England/Scotland had enough range, but Luftwaffe units over W. Germany were on the way.

I've ordered an attack over W. Germany, Germany can't match my FT numbers anymore.
4 GE FT-s + 1 flak unit, vs 8 WA Ft-s doing an airfield strike (the odds were 2vs1 as well). The RNG was not with me on that one, so a second strike was needed. After that my HB-s had a clean route to Yugoslavia.

Air.jpg (347.07 KiB) Viewed 1058 times

[kondor]

2 HB-s destroyed the railroad in Yugoslavia with ease, ensuring that the defenders in Yugoslavia will not have a defense bonus from it.
After the railroad was out of the play, I've started softening that GE arty in Yugo. Tac bomber unit stationed in Sicily had the range, RN HF supported the play.
After softening the artillery, I've poured in a few units of the amphibious landing and ordered a general attack. I had around 80% of success. And it went through, Yugoslavia is liberated!

Rafael is in big problem now. We'll he abandon the oilfields in Rumania to protect Italy/Austria? He might, the GE army in Rumania is very large and experienced. But by moving them out, Stalin will surely move in. His RA units are already in Odessa, ready to move in.

Yugo.jpg (257.12 KiB) Viewed 1057 times

[kondor]

Moving on to the Pacific area.
Java sea was utilized by the Japs again, their TF was in the area, covered with air units from the IA.
As one of my FT units from N. Australia had the range, and my CV-s are eager to gain more experience, I've let them loose.

Results were about the same, but the IJN TF was destroyed, mission accomplished, I'm ready to call it a tactical victory.
4 RSS points are again denied to the Japs, and each blow and trade of the units suits me just fine.

Java Sea.jpg (207.49 KiB) Viewed 1053 times

[kondor]

I've managed to smuggle in 2 HB-s to India the last turn. And now they came into play.
1 HB unit damaged the IJA HB stationed at Siam, and another damaged the RSS point in F. Indochina.

Siam HB damaged.jpg (256.38 KiB) Viewed 1050 times

[kondor]

Here's the current situation in the EU.
There is no need for me to hide my units in that area.
The SU is on the doors of the Rumania and E. Poland, my troops are reinforced in Yugoslavia, and Rafael is holding on to Rumania, E. Poland, and a few coastal armies (trying to prevent the D-day landing or the loss of Italy).

You can notice that Bulgaria still hasn't joined the Axis, it may soon if Greece joined me in this turn?

GE player attacking SU, without the Axis minors, and with England undamaged, is asking for disaster.
And it seems that all of the Axis minors haven't joined the GE player in ANY game we have played so far?! Is it a bug or are we just unlucky?

EU.jpg (315.19 KiB) Viewed 1048 times

[kondor]

In Asia, Tim is still fighting in the hills of China. IJN CV-s are anchored, ready to strike at the opportunity targets. High-intensity fighting, and a lot of steaming around, surely took the toll on Tim's forces/supply.
I'm moving my forces from India towards Siam/Rangoon, and you can see the IJA lone FT-er still patrolling in the Java sea area.
No doubt, he's looking for survivors of the recent battles.

I've stretched my supply routes to the limit, fighting in the whole world poses its problems. So, sorry comrade Stalin, no supplies for you this turn. I needed all the TF I could get my hands on.

Japan is still dangerous, and a threat.

Azija.jpg (383.23 KiB) Viewed 1046 times

[tcart]

Japan

Sorry, once again no screenshot. I keep forgetting until the fun bits are over. Japan again redeploys out of China. But it's slow and the garrison requirements are annoying. I like not having the threat there, but not about how many troops are tied down. I guess we'll see at the end of the game whether those resources were worth the effort.

I bombed the sole remaining Chinese factory. Mostly as a defensive measure.

In the Indian Ocean Yamamoto decided that those Yankee raids were too annoying to be tolerated. Better to be aggressive. Two more USN flattops go to the bottom. We took a few losses, but they are easily repaired or replaced. I feel like this will buy me a few more turns.

Given that we're in '43 and Germany is in retreat I'm going to need them. It's all about being a tough nut to crack now.

[kondor]

This is from the last turn of my foes. SU of '43.
Rafael chose not to attack my forces in Yugoslavia, he evacuated Rumania and went on the offensive from E. Poland to the south Leningrad area.

GE offensive.png (1.37 MiB) Viewed 967 times

[kondor]

Here's the IJN attack on my flattops near India.
I head a 3 FT-s running cover, and they managed to score decent losses to experienced IJN CAG-s.

IJN attack2.png (932.22 KiB) Viewed 966 times

[kondor]

My counterattack followed.

IJN attack4.png (247.47 KiB) Viewed 961 times

IJN attack3.png (183.81 KiB) Viewed 964 times

The loss of my 2 CV-s hurts, but that was not a terrible trade for me.

[kondor]

WA Summer of '43.
As Rafael surprisingly went for the offensive play, his troops are now out of the position.
My first idea was to take Italy out of play by capturing N. Italy, but I've noticed that Mussolini didn't leave any supplies in North or South Italy. And as Germans are lacking any HB-s to bring the air supplies, I've ignored the Italians and went for Austria instead.
I've also attacked Hungary with about 50% of success, but that attack was repelled.

EU.png (1.73 MiB) Viewed 954 times

My HB-s bombed some railways in Cheslovakia.

Germany will have to withdraw or could suffer an early defeat.

[kondor]

My HB damaged the IJA artillery unit in Java, opening the way for the Australian LF.
And that LF singlehandedly damaged/destroyed the IJN submarine and TF. It's a heroic DD for sure.
Once more, the Java sea will not be exploited by enemy transport fleets.

Java LF attack.png (473.13 KiB) Viewed 953 times

[kondor]

Another air combat over Siam and results, as the odds, were in my favor.

Siam air.png (626.27 KiB) Viewed 952 times

With my land forces approaching the area from India the fighting will only intensify.

[rjh1971]

Fa43 Germany

First of all thanks Dalibor for summarising my previous turn as I didn't post its development.

In this turn lack of supply and overextended fronts leaves Germany in a hopeless situation. I could have tried attacking Leningrad but losses would have been probably too high and worst of all the ruskies most probably would have left my forces isolated (if not them my own lack of supplies and transport infrastructure). Another option could have been isolating the Reds in Romania but they had 10 supplies with them and my forces are too weak bearing in mind that the WA are knocking at my door... Instead the militia in Kiev was attacked.
So I withdrew whatever forces I could (limited by rail capacity, which forced me to leave six units in Velikiye Luke that are dead ducks.
Air operations in the East are still possible so the the LW still scored some victories as well as my last to Italian subs which damaged a BB and a LF.

[kondor]

FA'43 SU and WA
Tim hasn't done much his last turn. He withdrew his CV fleet somewhere in direction of the home islands.
Bombed a few of my resources near India, and reinforced the Siam.

Comrade Stalin launched a major and very successful offensive into E. Poland. I'm very pleased about the reduced number of GE panzers particularly.

SU E. Poland.png (1.64 MiB) Viewed 839 times

A great victory for the red army!