1x1 Total War Tim-Forwarn45

[Forwarn45]

And in the Indian Ocean, we hit another Japanese raider and sortie forward with an elite carrier in a subsequent attack and hit another light fleet. Our subs damage a transport. We have been trading blows for some time. All 6 Japanese CV's are reported to be in the area.

[Forwarn45]

But I suppose the big news must have been the phone call Churchill got one October day reporting that Italian commandos were running amuck in Edinburgh and Glasgow. [:@]

It appears that somehow the joint American-British deployment orders called for more forces in Sweden that in Scotland and the fleet was busy guarding the northern convoy routes.
A cabinet-level inquiry is promised. (At least I have been a little more careful about keeping a small force in England or the consequences could have been much more grave.)

[Forwarn45]

On the plus side, the infantry corps dispatched to regain Scotland achieved veteran status IIRC. [;)]

One additional note: The US would trigger 3x production based on war readiness on the next turn if it was not gonig to 5x anyway because it's 1944. An interesting tradeoff for the Axis -- since the Americans were basically stuck at 2x production from the time they entered the war in Winter of '42 until the end of '43. The preemptive entry of the US into the war triggered without an attack from Japan did save a lot of transports and some naval units at Pearl, but the economic cost has been huge! There will be a big jump next turn even if we can't fully take advantage of all those factory points -- the US has been losing quite a few resources to consumer spending while stuck at the lower level of readiness.

[Timmeh]

Winter 44'

German intelligence reports Wallied production at being capable of a 2-1 advantage as 44 arrives, Realistically, any hope of further conquest is put away in the bottom drawer. Adm.Raeder soothes this harsh reality by continuing to implement his naval plan to escape this conflict with heads held up and winter sees 3 of his new attack subs converge to attack into the only lines that can feed the monster assembling now in the east. 2 more are deployed bring the fleet's numbers to five, vessels that damaged the sub fleet there last season are still on station but the issue is forced upon the wallies.

Believing that transports were no longer a danger, it looks to be that Forwarn45 decided to take England's coastal guns down for a refit? The german heavy fleet sails unopposed to strike into the Irish sea, the light fleet is destroyed. The German heavy ports in France and is ordered to continue to try destroying the nemises of newly deployed sub fleets.



With the winter turn, arty is also pinched from the west to standoff what appears to be over a dozen enemy split between my (forgive me for this) "Two Towers" and if thats not enough cheese for the cheese eatin' surrender monkey this too ( I hope Frodo isn't Russian, cause we do have a few volcanoes in Italy and if Russia had the production they could advance on my "Middle Earth" !)

[Timmeh]

In the East

Little change in the lines has occured for some time now, but the relative harmony was broken with Allied bombers pounding the crap out of pumping facilities in Romania and rail all along the no man's land area between our frontlines and the secured pocket around Leningrad. With the advent of new long range Wallies escort, Germany is forced to readjust its fighter doctrines and relies on keeping more armor than can be brought against it to retain the initiative of combined arms even though we don't posses them ourself in Leningrad and Kiev. All the Rp is repaired and more AA is moved in to help keep it that way.

I also pay attention to Greece, its pro-allied now and one random event away from actively participating in the war!! I think it may just be easier to move in to quell any possible activity in the future and plans are put in motion.




With no real major operations other than the few armor attacks north and the supply costs to attack targets of opportunity with bombers the Germans havn't really felt the pinch yet, due to its low population output. Its really been more of a trade off of no huge supply costs to repair or move troops deep into Russia for the lack of opportunity to put down huge amounts of tech and supply at this point in the game.

I will add that it is starting to get more difficult to get everything you would want every turn and shortages are appearing. I spent 25 supply alone repairing stuff in the east this turn and have been forced into more minor tech upgrades than being able to spend the copius amounts required to go to higher levels with stuff like my armor right now.

[Timmeh]

In the farther east

Wallies subs have been outfitted with new snorkels and 3 evasion. My only recourse is the 2 ASW of my heavy bombers. Still, you'd think the units pictured here would be up for the task. Even after the single sub is softened up with a previous attack by a single CAG the Golden Fleet goes too mister "T" and pitys dat fool sub. I had to bring a third attack and still only damaged the sub... 7-8 supply cost for that op. Good thing only 1 sub remains in play for the wallies. I hope my German subs can be as much of a pain on Forwarn45's wallies.




In the north the tensions have been relieved and it appears a standoff has developed with me holding the Russian coast. More soldiers arrive in China and as you can probably guess, more are drafted for deployment in the near future. I hope at this point the fact that I'm at war with Russia will not inadvertantly cause my surrender when and if the wallies heavies get from 7 to the 9 land attack required for the a-bomb as I may be able to hold the 10 rp's required for as long as it takes. If it happens I'll dub it the 'Godzilla' bug and curse the code...and hope the year has 46 in its digits.

The end of the begining or the begining of the end? So far I think my "reach out and touch ya" doctrine is paying off for the axis, to review you need to remember that India, China, Scotland and I'd estimate half of Russia's factories sit broken right now. Although the wallies have a huge production capacity lead they have large burdens to overcome to take advantage of it. Provided largely in part by teched up axis heavy bombers, without having to resort to double digit numbers both nations bombers have been vital reducing the factory output that would otherwise translate to more units at our borders. On top of the factories I think they could account for the lion's share of the transports killed aswell, with those totals reaching 40 to 50?!? kills and 20+ ? damages before this game is over.

[Forwarn45]

Trick or treat? It looks like trick on me as my screenshots didn't come out. I think it's my fault as I probably pressed "close" rather than "hide" when I was setting it up - anyway, the screenshot program was closed when I finished my turn and exited WAW and no screenies were saved. [:(]

But really there isn't a lot to look at. I made a minor goofup with transports that you'll probably see when Tim does his turn. A large air-raid on Germany in winter didn't do much - evasion + winter bonus was likely responsible. There was a lot of buildup in preparation for clear-weather days of 1944 - hopefully it will be a good time for the Allies.

As to the A-bomb, I think we should be OK. I think the problem that was reported had to do with the requirement that Russia be at war with Japan (which it is in our game) - not the victory point limitation? Anyway, we are currently just at 7 attack so it's still a ways off. [;)]

Additionally, I note that the new and improved U-boats are indeed a bit annoying. There is a big difference between evasion 3 and evasion 4 when A-sub is only 2.

[Timmeh]

Forwarn45's attack on my sub in the Atlantic, its the only one damaged this turn as the other two survive similar attacks.

[Timmeh]

Forwarn45 has been busy! some 400+ moves later into his turn, air attacks into Germany.

[Timmeh]

Spring 44

Too little too late, I hope not. Two subs break out into the Atlantic and force Forwarn45 to make up two sea spaces to retrieve RP from Africa/India. Another sub sits north of Russia after killing the transport there. Sub pens work feverishly to launch more boats by summer.

Many naval units have already fallen back to deal with the u-boats and now we should see some CV's recalled aswell I presume? If Forwarn doesn't link Africa he could be in big trouble. Enemy Heavies back in the med this turn is bad news aswell, Italy unable to respond to the upgraded Fleets.



I'm curious as to what sort of numbers the wallies would have if limited to the Americas and Great Britian for resources, but I bet its enough of a hit to cause Forwarn to take serious steps to prevent it.

[Timmeh]

The Eastern Front

Troop build up in Kharkov helps motivate decisions this turn. I'm starting lose the edge in armor numbers and 3 range Russian and Wallied fighters make it impossible to block combined arms attacks with air, another supply drop north sees Russia with 60 some supply total and I decide its time to make them spend on repair and moving troops away from Kiev. Full scale operations are ordered in Russia and the slope gets a little more slipery.



Unit totals in the west are dangerously low and to avoid falling victim to an easy landing I need to fall back from Russia, I need to force the Allies into a logistical nightmare if I hope to survive another two years.

[Timmeh]

von Manstein demanded written orders, and reluctantly pushes armor forward and surrounds the Russian capital.

[Timmeh]

Armor from Leningrad moves into position to threaten Moscow, more troops still to be moved but this certainly gets more dangerous for Germany. I can only hope it becomes impractical for both armies to advance on me from the east but only time will tell...

Two elite bomber squadrons actually shoot down enemy interceptors while destroying rail, Kharkov link is in need of repair and Russia will need to reinforce its capital this turn.



Germany finishes moves with a few more units to Kiev and re-establishes defenses in the west. With both airforces gaining in tac/strat air the allies are straining fighter cover to the max. I can only hope that 9 attack AA can make up the shortfall. I also tech up arty ship attack to 7 this turn, but with less than 30 transports an Invasion into Europe is less likely?

[Timmeh]

Far East

Russia pulls even more units away from Irkusk and the north is safe for the moment. With enough fighters in Siam I lauch a raid on patrol planes off the coast, but not before we take out any tranpsorts in range. 3 fighters damaged per side but with no link the Wallies fighters crash and burn.

No enemy cag attacks this turn into the cauldren, Japan suspects perhaps the wallies navy is at present distracted and wallows in its own crapulence.




Japan sees little movement and runs a healthy supply surplus this turn, with both Russia and the Wallies looking like they are diverting manpower west Japan may be given some time to be able to concentrate on holding back the inevitable human wave of Chinese soldiers.

Japanese bombers still have a free reign unlike their German counterparts now. India is still broken and the wallies have barely enough transports to do anything but link up their RP's next turn. I need to keep the pressure on so as to ensure either Japan or Germany surives, cause at this point I have fears that if the Wallies throw everything at Germany, They and Russia will possibly capture it before the fall of 46' but perhaps at the cost of Japan surviving?

[Forwarn45]

Tim's spoiling attack forces me to respond. We destroy a tank at Kursk, completing the encirclement of the remaining 2 panzers. They are subsequently destroyed. Stalin promises to drive the Nazi invader from Soviet soil. [;)]

[Forwarn45]

The Red Airforce also achieved some success that turn, bombing railyards in Rumania and - with superior numbers and some veteran pilots - managing a minor victory against the jets.

[Forwarn45]

The Western Allies soften up Germany with successive focused attacks. First, the few jets defending Western Germany are attacked, followed by raids that damage German heavy bombers in the airfields and the lone German transport in port. Finally, the Allied heavy bombers attack German infrastructure. Although a few Luftwaffe jets were downed this turn, they remain a substantial force. On the other hand, the last few turns have seen many German bombers damaged and the threat to my own infrastructure is diminishing.
The Western Allies subsequently occupy St. Petersburg, er "Leningrad" and the siege finally comes to an end following the German retreat. Stalin may be wary of this move, but he doesn't have the means to complain too vehemently. Post-war negotiations will likely prove difficult. No invasion comes in the West this turn. But many new liberty ships are launched and research in advanced technologies proceeds at a quicker pace. The question remains - will the Allies invade the continent and, if so, when and where?

[Timmeh]

Summer 44

Summer starts but my push into Russia is smashed and the pipe dream of moving on Moscow dies with it. Troops in the North are ordered to continue the long march home.

[Timmeh]

The retreat into Poland completed, Germany readjusts its western hotspots. 2x AA and arty now sit in the coastal areas of western Europe, and Germany consolidates its air force but is taking heavier losses it seems every turn.




As it stands now, I think the wallies will struggle until more transports are deployed, my subs continue to attack this turn after surviving against massed attacks last turn. Over 10 light fleets with air support attacked the sub locations, only the southern Atlantic sub was damaged! I'm again at 5 and I'm thinking I may need to consolidate and focus on either the north transports or the link to Africa for maximum results.

Repairs are made to damaged resources and Germany tries to protect here core assests but with everything being thrown at Germany alone right now the future looks dire.

[Timmeh]

Japan

The sub fleet skulking off Australia for some time now is recalled and confirms Australia and the DEI are isolated.