Boldairade (Allies) vs Nirosi (Axis). Boldairade welcome

[Nirosi]

Thanks!

[John B.]

Yes, thanks for the effort in the AAR. I'm reading both sides and really enjoying this game!

[Nirosi]

Thanks!

[Nirosi]

May 21st, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

In Libya, the German LXVIII Corps was eliminated by relentless Allied attacks. This left the Allies in poor shape, but the Axis troops, themselves exhausted for the most part, were unable to cause serious damage during their counterattacks. However, all of the three identified Allied armored corps in the area, of which two were pushed back farther behind their lines by the Axis counterattack, are believed to be at poor operation readiness and will probably have to suspend their offensive for a while

[Nirosi]

In Greece, the Canadians entrenched themselves in Athens. OKH does not believe it can push them out of the city with the available forces. For now, the front will probably be at a standstill. The LIV Corps was sent back to Ukraine to relieve the XIX Mountain Corps at the front, a corps that itself will be sent to Greece.

[Nirosi]

An Allied fleet was detected in the Western Mediterranean but Italian submarines could not engage it. Are the Allies planning an invasion of Southern France? Or maybe even Italy. Italian bombers were redeployed in Northern Italy to protect both the Northern part of the country and Southern France. Since the ports in Southern France are not protected by the Vichy government, the Italian fleet and two submarine flotillas were sent in the vicinity to cover possible landing zones. OKH also dispatched troops in the occupation zone in France ready to intervene. It is not clear if the Allied fleet will attempt a landing and where, or even if it is not a bluff to force a panicked pre-emptive Axis invasion of the French Free Zone and bring the French fleet into the Allied side, who is believed to be in great need of ships? The Regia Marina is holding its breath for now…

In other new, OKW informed OKM to cancel any planned sortie for raiding into the Norwegian Sea. Operations by the Regia Marina will probably consume a sizeable amount of oil and that will be the priority for now as OKW has promised Comando Supremo the necessary amount of oil for those operations. Also, a British unit from the front in Norway was sent back near Stavenger. Could it be that the paratrooper buildup in Denmark was somehow detected?

[Nirosi]

Sailors of Destroyer Aviere waiting nervously for developments in the area...

[Nirosi]

June 4th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

American Marines took over Olbia in Northern Sardinia! Despite the Regia Aeronautica been on high alert in the sector, again Italian recon planes seem to have failed to detect the enemy ships getting close to our shores.

Comando Supremo and OKH are pondering what this move means for the Allies. Olbia was left ungarrisoned recently due to shortages in troops and the belief that the port would not interest the Allies. Yet it seems it does. Is it simply a target of opportunity? A decoy or feint to attract our forces there and strike latter in another place? A springboard for a jump in Northern Italy or Southern France? A future airbase for RAF and USAF operations in the sector? Or just a move to humiliate the Italian government that must now endure foreign soldiers on its homeland!

As Intelligence from Spain reports very few ships in Gibraltar (and therefore no invasion fleet waiting for us to take the bait in Sardinia if that would have been it), it is doubtful that the Allies will try to invade France now. Known allied troops are mostly in Greece and Libya. The Italian fleet returned to Malta, but submarines flotillas are now trying to blockade Olbia from friendly supply and possible reinforcements. Berlin and Rome are pondering their reactions to the Olbia crisis!

[Nirosi]

In Libya, the II Panzer Corps repulsed Allied attacks for 8 straight days! Berlin sent commendations to local commanders and soldiers. The attacks left the US 2nd Armored Corps in very bad shape, but since the II Panzer Corps is also now in no shape to fight anymore and no other troops can afford to leave the defense lines now that the LXVIII Corps was destroyed about a month ago, OKH decided to leave the American alone. It is expected that they will withdraw far from the frontline.

In other news, the lack of Soviet actions on the Eastern Front is worrisome. It leaves OKW guessing about Stavka’s intentions. On the front tensions are mounting and our troops, at first happy with the break, are now getting nervous with each passing day of no action. When the Bear will attack, it could be massive! Abwehr on the other hand reported that the British merchant marine is now probably under 10 000 000 tons. Even with an estimated 12 to 13 million of tons of US merchant shipping in this theatre to help the British and Soviets, this can only mean that the British war economy is most probably not operating at full capacity.

[michaelCLARADY]

ORIGINAL: Nirosi

An Allied fleet was detected in the Western Mediterranean but Italian submarines could not engage it. Are the Allies planning an invasion of Southern France? Or maybe even Italy. Italian bombers were redeployed in Northern Italy to protect both the Northern part of the country and Southern France. Since the ports in Southern France are not protected by the Vichy government, the Italian fleet and two submarine flotillas were sent in the vicinity to cover possible landing zones. OKH also dispatched troops in the occupation zone in France ready to intervene. It is not clear if the Allied fleet will attempt a landing and where, or even if it is not a bluff to force a panicked pre-emptive Axis invasion of the French Free Zone and bring the French fleet into the Allied side, who is believed to be in great need of ships? The Regia Marina is holding its breath for now…

In other new, OKW informed OKM to cancel any planned sortie for raiding into the Norwegian Sea. Operations by the Regia Marina will probably consume a sizeable amount of oil and that will be the priority for now as OKW has promised Comando Supremo the necessary amount of oil for those operations. Also, a British unit from the front in Norway was sent back near Stavenger. Could it be that the paratrooper buildup in Denmark was somehow detected?

You are wide open in north Italy for a very sudden collapse.

[michaelCLARADY]

What are the Axis vs Allies VP tallies at this point?

[Nirosi]

What are the Axis vs Allies VP tallies at this point?

Axis at 2 416 and Allies at 2 098. I'll check next turn to see if the Allies are catching-up or not.

[Nirosi]

June 18th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

The British launched a carrier force of no less than three carrier groups containing around eight carriers (reports are conflicting) to hit the Italian ships at Malta. The attack did moderate damage on two battleship groups and hit also a few light cruisers and destroyers. Despite the rainy weather, the Italians did not dare engage carriers at sea in such large numbers and fled to Genoa. Italian oil reserves are also not at a reassuring level yet to sustain a longer naval mission at sea. What the huge British strike force will do next remains to be seen…

In Libya, the Italian XX Corps was attacked for about five days but managed to hold the position, barely, with many loses. It will be replaced at the front by the Scipio Corps. Allied forces are weak now, but the Axis does not have enough reserves to afford a counterattack. It can only be hoped that Allied armors are still recovering and will not be back at the front too soon.

After much debate, OKW agreed to Rome’s request for help. OKW does not want to risk the Olbia crisis, now a relatively minor one, to metastasise and sent an unidentified corps to Sardinia.

[Nirosi]

In Greece, the front is stable, but the Canadian HQ forces took position in the Peloponnese to protect against possible attack through the Corinth Canal. This clearly means that the allies are short on troops, but, more importantly, that they might be preparing an amphibious assault with the freed troops. Albania could be a logical target, albeit a difficult one, that would force an evacuation of Greece by the Axis.

In other news, the IV Fliegerkorps was recalled from the Soviet Union to bases just outside Berlin for an undisclosed mission.

[Nirosi]

Bombers of the IV Fliegerkorps undergoing maintenance.

[Nirosi]

ORIGINAL: Nirosi

What are the Axis vs Allies VP tallies at this point?

Axis at 2 416 and Allies at 2 098. I'll check next turn to see if the Allies are catching-up or not.

Now at 2447 vs 2117. So Axis getting ahead by 12 per turn.

[Nirosi]

July 2nd, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

OKW is pleased to announce a huge victory with the success of Operation Weserübung 2! An aero-naval joint operation of OKH, OKW and OKM to take Stavenger succeeded when the surprisingly week defenders were obliterated! With support from the German navy and the IV Fliegerkorps, quickly dispatched to Denmark from Berlin, the LXI Corps that landed South of the city and the 1st and 2nd Fallschirmjager that dropped East of it took it very easily, forcing a bomber squadron that did not intervene in the battle to scramble leaving many planes burning on the field. Allied supply problems in Norway might have been bigger than expected as this could be an explanation of the lack of reactions from Allied aircrafts. Even the fighters based in Bremen only attempted a single sortie against diversion strike form Oslo bombers. Of course, many Allied troops are still in Norway and pushing them out will not be easy, but hopefully with their supply problems and our successful coup de force, they might actually be forced, or intimidated, into evacuating. In any case, even if the actual German forces might not be enough to force the British out, they are now more than enough to not be pushed out themselves!

However, a huge blunder in coding by OKM means that the escorting fleet for the operation received orders to engage the enemy instead of avoiding to engage the enemy. Now with radio silence procedures for the last part of the operation, the mistake can not be corrected and OKM is nervously awaiting the Allies’ reaction. Some Allied ships have been spotted in Scapa Flow by high altitude recon, but their number or nature is unknown.

In Sardinia, OKW showed fraternal support for its Italian counterpart by sending in the brand-new 8th PanzerGrenadier Corps for its baptism of fire. Regia Marina and Regia Aeronautica provided support, as well as German Stukas, meaning that the US 1st Marine Division stood no chance and had to surrender quickly. It is not expected that the Allied fleet can intervene from where they are, and submarine and air cover would probably be enough to give Supermarina the upper hand in any surface battle in the area.

The fact that Allied paratroopers are still in Greece is making both Axis high commands nervous as they are in range of Albania and Calabria, and therefore could support an amphibious assault in those regions.

All other fronts were quiet except for the usual bombing of Germany and U-boat hunting in the Atlantic. After a break to let the fighter units recover, OKW will again contest air superiority over Germany.

[Nirosi]

Paratroopers in Denmark embarking for their mission.

[Nirosi]

The motorcycle made it!

[Nirosi]

July 16th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

A huge aero-naval battle occurred off Stavanger. The Battle of the North Sea ended with the first Axis surface groups lost in the war. Half the Kriegsmarine was sunk by British carriers. The Deutschland and Scharnhorst groups, as well as most light cruisers and destroyers of the navy, were sunk. However, in the early morning before the British air raids were launched, the German ships, due to the coding mistake previously mentioned, did try and managed to intercept an American fleet and destroyed two squadrons of light cruisers and destroyers escorting the Texas Group. The Texas Group did manage to escape unscathed under the cover of smoke laid out by the destroyers who had sacrificed themselves, but was latter destroyed by U-boats and German bombers eager to avenge their comrades of the Kriegsmarine.

The remaining German ships escaped to safety in the Baltic where they engaged a Soviet fleet that was very effectively raiding German commerce in the area, leaving the Germans with slightly less merchant ships than they actually need for their commerce. Both the Marat and Kirov Groups were damaged either by bombers or surface ships, but not too seriously.