TAIFUN (Allies) vs DimitryN (Axis) Full game 1939

[Taifun]

Hi Generals and Commanders,

I am starting a new AAR resuming our current ELO tournament game, me as TAIFUN playing the Allies versus DimitryN playing the Axis Powers.
In my last 2 AARs as Allies I was given a rough ride by Cpuncher and IIo4Tu. In both games I lost Egypt and the Middle East, China was defeated and the USSR dealt heavy blows.

This AAR will be different from my other AARs as it is being written in real time, that is to say, after each turn I wrote a small summary text resuming the turn with my thoughts and ideas. It gives a different flavour … Please fell free to comment at any time!


September 1-29 1939
Poland fell under German control in 1 turn. The Italian XXIV and IV corps from Rome and Palermo were transported across the Strait of Gibraltar most probably bound towards the Italian East Africa colonies. For a moment I considered declaring war to Italy and attacking them but this option was soon discarded as 2 Infantry Corps were not worth all the hustle.

The exposed Chinese XIV Corps near Changsha and the Chinese 41st Army located in the marsh hex southeast of Chengchow were destroyed. The Japanese seemed to aim for an early capture of Chengchow as 2 Armies from the Wuhan area (North Chinese Front Army and the veteran 13th Army) advanced North.

[Taifun]

October 13-27 1939
The Italian 1st Army from Venice was transported across the Strait of Gibraltar. This formation is the best Italian land unit, with high morale and full strength, and the fact that it was shipped towards the Italian East Africa colonies was very worrisome. With so many infantry reinforcements on their way, Mussolini wanted without a doubt, to capture British Somaliland, Sudan and Kenya. A momentous decision was taken to declare war to Italy, and the transport carrying the 1st Army was sunk near Gibraltar. The Spanish government protested the Allied declaration of War.
Suddenly, the Admiralty first priority became the interception of the Italian XXIV and IV corps before they have a chance to arrive safely to the Italian East Africa colonies. Already 2 U-boote (U-35 and U-47) were detected operating near Dakar covering the important transports on their way south.

In China the Chinese 12th Army defending the northeastern fortified hex of Chengchow was destroyed.

The B.E.F arrived in France!

[Taifun]

November 10 - December 8 1939
Light Allied naval forces heading south were ambushed near Dakar by Kriegsmarine naval units including 3 U-Boote and the CA Deutschland. The French CL Marsellaise was sunk and one British DD damaged. Meanwhile, powerful Allied naval units entered the Mediterranean including 3 CVs and 4 BBs plus escort ships. Iraq joined the Axis [:@]

The Führer begun the French assault. From the Turin area, after being operated from Germany, 3 German Armies crossed the Alps and attacked Lyon and Marseille together with their Italian allies. They are led by a German General so the Axis forces had designs on both French National Moral cities.
In the French North Front the Germans were attacking with the 2 panzerkorps, 3 Armies and 2 Generals supported by all Luftwaffe bombers. Belgium surrendered.

[Taifun]

In China, a well led counterattack south of Chengchow drived back a Japanese Army (North Chinese Front Army) behind the main river. Most of the Chinese Armies are regrouped in 2 big Army Groups leaving very few forces around Wuhan in the Central area. Our sudden advance menaces directly Suchow and the vital supply rail-line. Mao Tse-Tung is concerned at Japanese advances in China.

[Taifun]

December 19 - January 5 1940
As expected the Japanese reacted and sent serious reinforcements (2 corps and 1 Army) to defend the Suchow area, after what our forces cautiously retired West. The remaining fort defending Chengchow was destroyed.

[Taifun]

In France our forces were compelled to abandon Lille in the North, barely holding the line. In the South, more German troops kept arriving and no less than 3 German corps, and 2 Armies plus some Italian tanks and infantry were assaulting Lyon and Marseille.

Allied naval forces in search of the Regia Marina main battle units entered the Adriatic Sea in force. A Luftwaffe fighter wing was assisting in the defense near Rome, and heavy air battles took place.

Bad news reached London. We failed in our mission of intercepting the Italian XXIV and IV corps: they managed to arrive safely to Mogadishu this turn just before the port was closed by our naval forces. I did not know that when besieging resources, in this case Mogadishu port, the deterioration happens at the end of the enemy turn, and not as I thought at the beginning (a costly mistake!).

This is a serious set back, as these troops represent an important reinforcement for General Graziani. With 4 infantry corps the Italians in Abyssinia represent now a real threat to our forces in the Gulf of Aden area.

[Taifun]

January 19 - February 2 1940
In a series of naval and air battles in the Adriatic Sea the Regia Marina managed to sink 2 French BBs and seriously damage a British CV in exchange for 1 Italian BB, the Leonardo da Vinci Sub and the 1st Quadra Fighters. The Germans have rebased at least 2 fighter wings and 1 tac bomber near Naples and are working together with the Italian 1st Medium Bombers based Genoa. With so many Axis planes around, our Task Forces retired from the area.

February 16 - March 1 1940
The Germans reached Paris in the North and the Maginot Line was abandoned by the French except for the city of Strasbourg. Some good news, an Allied counterattack destroyed an isolated out of supply German Infantry Corps near Dijon. Further south, both Lyon and Marseille are still holding (The W.D.F Army was sent to Marseille front Egypt last turn), defending against vicious Axis attacks. The invaders are bypassing both cities pushing West.
UK begun construction to expand the port of Singapore. Malaya prepared for War.

[Taifun]

From Abyssinia General Graziani launched a major offensive. After taking Djibouti, they attacked Berbera in British Somaliland. The situation in Egypt is calm: an Italian Army is defending Tobruk and the other Italian Army, after occupying Mersa Matruth, advanced no further. No other Axis troops have been detected in Libya, except for a couple of Italian garrisons that entered Tunisia and were pushing north pass Gabes.

With no immediate danger to Egypt, Mr. Churchill decided to send major Allied reinforcements to Massawa in Italian East Africa. If Berbera fell the Axis would have 3 ports (Djibouti, Berbera and Mogadishu) to resupply from and vessels and U-Boote could create havoc in the Indian Ocean and control the critical Gulf of Aden. Already 2-3 U-Boote and 2 German CAs assisted by Italian DD Nazario were operating north of Madagascar interdicting our convoy supply lanes from Australia. The Admiralty decided not to reroute the convoy lanes around Capetown and this forced the Axis raiders to move north around the Seychelles to operate.

Thus, the Bomber Command Strategic Bombers from France, the tac bombers and the O’Connor HQ from Egypt and the NZ Infantry corps from India were transferred to Massawa. Not much was left defending Egypt, where French engineers were building forts. As a precaution, all Libyan ports were sieged to avoid the Axis sending any reinforcements to North Africa.

[EarlyDoors]

A great read, even if the news from the front is grim

[Taifun]

Thanks EarlyDoors! I think that you will not be disappointed, DimitryN is a first class opponent as you remarked recently!

March 15 - 29 1940
Berbera was heavily attacked but the 1st Garrison from British Somaliland survived miraculously strength 1. The Cyprus garrison arrived to relieve the exhausted defenders. Then, no doubt surprising the Italians, Bomber Command Strategic Bombers from Massawa plastered Dire Dawa to level 1, reducing the supply of the attackers sieging Berbera (supply 0-1). Mekelle town was captured opening the road towards the capital Addis Ababa.

[Taifun]

After bypassing Marseille, Axis troops captured Vichy and surrounded Lyon. With many Luftwaffe planes in Italy protecting the Regia Marina, only 1 enemy tac bomber was left in France, but 2 rocket artillery units arrived to bolster the invaders.

[Taifun]

April 12 - 26 1940
Germany occupies Norway by script. Denmark is still neutral.
Paris was assaulted and the fully entrenched (6) defending French Army surprisingly melted away and was easily destroyed, after what the B.E.F Army moved to defend the empty Capital.

The low supply Italians captured Berbera! Near the Gulf of Aden a naval battle took place, the Axis losing DD Nazario.

[Taifun]

Chengchow was captured by the Japanese. A counterattack from Ichang was organized and our Chinese forces surprised the best enemy General Kimura based Changsha and damaged it with 2 points. It is a suicide counterattack that will gain some time for our engineers to build the forts near the Capital. Kweilin was abandoned further south.

[Taifun]

May 10 - 24 1940
Horrible news from France! Paris was captured and the French surrendered! Vichy France was formed. British troops in France are stranded all over the country. The W.D.F Army was interned at Marseille after an heroic defense. Lord Gort HQ and the AA unit defending Calais were evacuated by sea but the 2 British Infantry Corps remained behind trapped.

A heavy blow for the Allied cause, as I aimed to hold until June-July. Declaring war to Italy probed to be a wrong decision, accelerating France’s fall.

[Taifun]

June 7 - 21 1940
Germany invested so far 825 MPPs in research vs 425 British MPPs but another 625 German MMPs were invested in research this turn (and 560 MMPs in units) with the plunder of the French economy.
In the Mediterranean a series of naval/air battles ended with the loss of the Italian BB Conte di Cavour against the British BB Nelson and BC Hood near Malta. For the first time, German Naval and tac bombers operated from Sicily. Malta is only defended by a weak Indian garrison… will nor resist long.

The Japanese counterattacked in force near Ichang and we were compelled to abandon the forts and the town. Our counterattacked proved to be a complete disaster, we have ordered a commission to investigate and find the culprits! [8|]

Further south the enemy is unstoppably pushing West. Communist China joined the Allies.

[Taifun]

July 5 - 19 1940
While chasing U-Boote near Lisbon CV Glorious was surprised and sunk by the Kriegsmarine, a sad loss that should have been avoided. All of the Kriegsmarine units have been more or less spotted. DimitryN using all of his naval units to the fullest and is operating with 4 U-Boote: U-32 in the Mediterranean (supply 0 and escaped miraculously), 2 near Lisbon (U-47 and the new U- 37 that operate together with the BC Scharnhorst) and 1 in the Gulf of Aden (U-30 supply 0).

I did a mistake and the Italians recaptured Mekelle. Without reinforcements we are unable to make any progress. Near the Gulf of Aden, one of the 2 U-Boote spotted (0 supply both) was sunk, but not before they sunk a transport carrying a garrison. I didn’t know that subs with supply 0 could attack.

[Taifun]

August 2 - 16 1940
Suddenly a German panzerkorps (mot) appeared leading the assault on the El Alamein. We counterattacked with the British AT unit damaging the panzers.
The defense of Egypt is under the leadership of Indian General Mountbatten. Under his command are 2 units of Special Forces (1 Indian), 3 Infantry corps, 1 Indian Army and a British AT plus field artillery. Most units are weak with low morale…

[Taifun]

August 31 - September 13 1940
The Fuhrer has sent a second panzerkorps (mot) to Libya and together they destroyed the British AT and the fortification southeast of El Alamein. Events are taking a turn for the worst in Egypt. The arrival of American tanks helped to form the 10th Armored Tanks that appeared near Cairo.

In Italian East Africa near Massawa the front is stabilized, both sides unable to advance. The Bomber Command Strategic Bombers were redeployed north to assist in the defense of Egypt.

[Taifun]

A year since the War started: the Axis are doing a great job.
The Germans conquered France in a quick campaign suffering minimal losses, helped by a disastrous decision to attack Italy, and now Egypt is in great danger of being overrun. Worst still, after 4 diplomatic hits Turkey is now standing at 31% pro-Axis and we had to use all our available chits to counter them at a critical time…

DimitryN is advancing with the Chinese with the same speed as did Cpuncher (Great Master) in our game, faster that IIo4Tu, unstoppable towards any objective they want. I am afraid that Chungking, the Capital will fall next summer June or July or even earlier.

[Taifun]

September 27 - October 11 1940
Malta was captured by German paras (stupid mistake as I forgot to reinforce the Indian garrison!!! [:@]). Near El Alamein were destroyed the Special Forces from Rhodesia, that were sacrificed so the engineers (we were lucky that they are still with us!) had time to finish the fortification. We are still fighting without infantry weapons upgrade… A second Indian Army arrived and was placed immediately in the newly constructed fortification behind the Nile.
From Massawa General O’Connor was recalled to Palestine, to try to organize some kind of defense of the Middle East. His mission in Africa was a total failure… What a wastage of resources!! Some good news at last, Iraq surrendered after resisting for nearly a year.