World War II - the Churchill/Roosevelt perspective

[Grymme]

Hi

Here is my AAR in a WAW32 scenario. I am playing the western powers. No screenshots so far, but they will come later today hopefully.

Turn 1- noteworthy events
- Germany advances into Poland. Polish forces are quickly scattered. Losses amount to around 240 INF. The remains of the once proud army is withdraws to circle the capital.
- A German airfleet is recogizing french terrain and ancounters a french airfleet. No losses on either side.
- Following an aggressive stance the french army strikes from the maginot line to force a german army corps to surrender. Heavy infantery losses on both sides (around 30 INF).
- In north africa the british 8th army is repositioned to the border between Egypt and Libya
- British BEF deployed to north of France
- Production is mainly focused on INF, BAZ, MCG, TRA and FGT (infantery, bazooka, machineguns, transportships and fighers).

Turn 2 -noteworthy events
- German Airforce continues to probe french ground. Still no losses
- Wavell is repositioned to Alexandria together with british mediterranian navy
- Deployment of corps to Malta is considered but not done. Would it potentially cause heavy supply losses for the west.
- ANZAC corps arrive in North Africa
- 2 Canadian divisions deployd in major british cities.
- Northern French armygroup is starting to form to protect Flanders.
- Productionfocus remains the same as during turn 1.

Turn 3 -noteworthy events
- Germany redeploys army from Poland to French border. No land attacks though. Seems the Germans are awaiting the western blitz card.
- French deployment on french/belgian border continues
- 2nd corps of BEF deployed in France.
- Excess french staff factors transported to britain (to learn fighting spirit)
- Major redeployment of FLAK in Maginot line.
- the commonwealth explores its transport capability by transfering some more INF Corps from Australia via south africa to the british isles.
- Transport fleet starting a long journey from India to Egypt (to set up transport capability there)
- Production changes focus to political points and Artillery (in France), still some INF produced. Reason is to make some damage to Germany while possible and to be able to play the -nullify german blitz action card. Also producing 1 Airtransport together with 10 paras.

[Grymme]

The west front at the start of november 1939. Notice the corps to the southwest of the maginotline put there to defend against paratroopers. Also building defensive line through flanders.

[Grymme]

Turn 4 was really uneventfull


During Turn 5 - december 1939 things started to heat up though.
- German submarines reveal themselves outside of Canadian coast
- German airbombings of maginot line
- Germany launches a winter offensive into the Maginot line and take one hex with heavy casualties, se picture below.
- I expect that i will not need to play the prevent the blitz card now. However a early capture of France might be possible.
- Also my artillery corps is left stranded close to the enemy. However it is in a fortress hex with a hefty inf unit defending it.
- Egypt headquarters recieve transport fleet
- - British airforce transfers. French airforce bombs the siegfried line ca 10 INF lost on the German side

[Grymme]

 Turn 6 or 7 -januari-februari 1940
Things heat up a little
- German airbombings followed by artillerystrike followed by all out assault with INF inte the middle of the Maginotline is repulsed. The valiant french defenders stood firm. Some losses on the french side but heavy INF losses on the german side.
- The crazed french tried to take advantage of heavy losses by making an offensive into the siegfried line. After heavy losses on the french side the germans are forced to retreat. French army commander is fired. Wont make that again.
- No other significant movement on the western front.
- In the atlantic a german wolfpack is hunted down and destroyed (4 SUB).
- In the meditteranian front a small garrison (1 INF division, 10 rifle) was sent to Malta, just for flavor.
- A huge amount of supply is starting to gather in Egypt. Efforts must be made to transfer it to the motherland. The two transports i brought there from India wont be enough. More transports planning to be built in india.
- British islands defence currently consists of 1 Light tank corps, 1 Canadian infantery corps with (1 extra division attached), 101 airborne division and 1 Highland Inf regiment (5 INF in kilts). Also a large strategic reserve of troops under training.
- Airfleet India formed (2 fighters so far), looking for action.
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Comments anyone? What could i do worse, better?
 

[Grymme]

Turn 8 -march 1940
- The germans have broken through the Maginot line, se picture below. I have so far managed to keep a 2 corp depth to keep the germans from using any blitzkrieg tactics. Their advance has been slow but steady so far.
- The winter effect reaks havoc to my readiness. But i think it has slowed down the germans as well. Major production transfer to supply. Still trying to fix my supplylines in the far and middle east where i have an abundance of supply. Building transports and moving transports.
- Upgraded to INF2 since i dont need my PP to pay for the
- Unsuccsessfull counterattack v. german engineercorps.
- The germans have officially invaded scotland!!!! a 40 INF strong corps was landed there. Suicide mission? Well if they want to stay there and starve its no skin of my bone. The commonwelth does not mind. A newly formed South african corps was sent there to monitor them though.
- on the positive note one of the german fleets that landed the troops in scotland was found and sunk. Somewhere around 2 cruisers, 2 destroyers and 1 submarine killed with no losses for the commonwelth.
- the german transport fleet is suspiciusly missing though....were could it have gone.... stay tuned for the next update.
- I predict to be able to hold France 3 turns more. lets se what happens.

[Grymme]

Turn 9-10 (dont know) end of april

- the german advance in France is speeding up. 2 hexes captured this turn. The french line is still coherent. But its thin. Specialy valuable units are preparing evacuation from France if nessesary. Hoping to hold the country 2 more turns. Lille will probably fall next turn. So much for the french "elan".
- The German "invasion in scotland is under control. So far angry scottish mothers have killed of half the corps. Bombardments from air and sea have helped.
- the supply system is starting to shape up a little. I am producing massive amounts of supply. but it will no longer be needed for the summer months.
- 2 german submarines II killed in the atlantic.
- Produced canadian mechanized division and homeland defensive corps also australian homeland defensive corps (cavalry).
- 8th army and ANZAC are poised to invade Libya.
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Regarding the totals. 2 subII and a couple of scouts also killed, but doesnt show. I am happy with the air and naw ratios. Regarding the inf ratio, well you play the lousy troops you get.

[Grymme]

Turn 13- july 1940

Was going to post a picture of the western front, but computer chrashed.

Noteworthy events t11-13
- Germany has cut of Lille from supply. 75 % of the french armoured forces slaughered in a mad german dash towards the sea. Lille still stands, but it will most likely fall next turn. De gaulle is evacuated together with 2-3 remains of infantery corps through dunkirk.
- On the other side Paris still holds. We have a good line behind the river seine. Second (Maginot) HQ is evacuated together with unnescessary equipment (trains, flak, artillery inf guns) to Britain. Some infantery follows. These will provide the bulk of the free french forces. Air craft is now based in England.
- The invasion in scotland was crushed.
- Supply costs in britain is huge with all the excess equipment.
- Wavell is preparing for an onslaugth towards libya with an armoured corps, a mechanized corps, RAF Egypt and 2-3 inf corps.
- More subhunting
- A german fleet sneeks out towards the atlantic.
- the low countries have not been invaded yet.
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A question. Does supply use become lower when ships are in port? That would be a great feature!

sincerely

[Grymme]

And then in the end... the invietable french breakdown.


August the 25th 1940

[Grymme]

Well havent updated in a while. Not much has happened since the fall of France. But now things are heating up.


Up until March 1941

So what has happened since august 1940.
- I made huge error and put a fleet in north africa forgetting that vichy creation leads to such units destruction. Instant loss of 2BB,2CA,2DD,1CR and 5NAV in september.
- Germany conquers the beneluxcountries in september 1940.
- Some naval battles in the medditeranian resulting in the destruction of most of the Italian navy and aproximatly the same amount of british forces. Also around 6 SUB:s hunted down and destroyed in the mediterranian.
- Special atlantic reactionforce of lots of DD created (based in Island) to hunt down any sneaky german SUB
- Campaign to conquer Italian East Africa started with 2 INF divisions.
- Februari 1941 Germany and Italy invades Yugoslavia and Greece. Italian? INF corps landed near Corfy. Greek army reacts imediatly and 4 INF corps converge and anihilate the invaders. German forces approaching Greece are destroyd.
- On the Yugoslav front the yugoslav army is slowly beaten back. Belgrade still holds but not for much longer. 4th yugoslav army (based in kosovo) is cut of from the rest of the country and joins grekish forces.
- Malta conquered by Germany who posts INF division there.
- Wavell conquers Libya and cyreneica. After british naval forces block of libya DAK and italian army led by italian general Graziany "the electrical beard" starts to loose a lot of supply and equipment shipped to them. And attempt to evacuate DAK by sea results in most of the material being sunk. 12th armoured division and ANZAC corps assoult tripoli and the remaning axis troops capitulate.
- On the production front the supply situation in Britain is still dire. (this game is fucking brilliant in simulating the real war!) therefore the british government feels that there is no need to produce to much groundtroops that will only cost more supply. Production focused on ENG, political points. Navy units to replace losses. Although small amounts is still dedicated to BAZ, MCG and MOR to bolster defence in Greece.

The picture shows the medditeranian (Greece front) on the end of march 1941.

[Grymme]

May 1941.
 
Noteworthy events
- Fortress Greece greatly strenghtened by an armoured corps landed in Athens together with RAF middle east.
- Italian East Africa well on its way to being conquered by Indian corps launched in Berbera.
- Malta bombarded by British naval units.
- In the English channel several german airunits are found unprotected and bombarded to oblivion by british naval forces.
- Engineers in London on secret mission.
 
And then the saddest information comes.
 
- It seems that my German opponent launched operation Barbarossa a little prematurely. In april 1941. After not winning any battles against the apparantly well prepared reds he has decided to surrender. I must say that i am a little saddened by this fact even though it may have spaired Europe of several years of slaughter.
 
 
Some hints for me, but mostly for my German counterpart.
- Protect your panzers with some infantery.
- Direct your attention at one target at a time. You cant invade Yugoslavia, Greece and at the same time start Barbarossa several months early.
- Capture the easy resources, like Denmark.
- Infantery is not good in the offensive alone. Use mortars, armour and, to some extent inf gun.
- Use the blitz card.
for me.
- Dont put navy in north africa when vichy is declared
- dont try to ship supply through meditteranian after italy joins the war.
- resolve the supply situation in britain early.
 
---- So this will sadly be the end of this AAR------ hopefully i will have another go soon.
 
 

[bwheatley]

good tips. Yea that was the weird thing i used the blitz east card and not even one successful battle in two turns. I have a lot to learn i suppose so i'll stick to my games as teh west before having to play as germany. The west can afford mistakes but germany can't if they want any hope for world domination.