ETO Grumpymel vs Hatemf90 - Allied Thread

[GrumpyMel]

In Sweden, Axis forces have not made much further headway yet. Although we couldn't afford to divert much in the way of ground and air assets from France to help out in this Theatre. The Royal Navy was doing little more the twiddling it's thumbs as no German U-boats appear to have made any attempt to leave the Baltic. Therefore, we moved them toward the Swedish coast. Arriving off Gotberg this turn, we decide to show Axis forces our ships know how to conduct shore bombardments as well. The results are pictured below.

[GrumpyMel]

After this strike, we see that Stockholm is within range of the RN carrier based aircraft. Although the Kriegsmarine's main sureface fleet at anchor of the port is too strong for our planes to try to engage. We spot an unkown Axis naval formation slightly further out to sea in the Baltic.
Taking a chance, we order a strike from our carriers and discover the remainder of the U-boats that attacked the Swedish Navy at anchor earlier. Our planes decimate the Wolfpack, leaving only 1 sub alive.

A good gamble for the Royal Navy...we likely won't have to worry much about the sea lanes for a few turns at least.

[GrumpyMel]

Finaly you can see the losses for the turn (and the War so far) pictured below. We hit the Axis pretty hard this turn. I'm hoping it'll be enough to play a bit of havoc with thier offensive plans. Although I know it's not much compared to what they are about to throw at me.

[RufusTFirefly]

Seems that one of the two submarines that escaped from air attack has drowned due to heavy damage while trying to reach the harbour [;)]

This game shows that it is extremly difficult for Axis go get initative again when it is lost at an early state of the game. As Britain gets stronger it will be able to support France, this way winning time for further increase of war footing and getting more experienced units that will cause heavy losses for German army once the Aixs regains initative. I have had to learn this once more in the game against 82ndTrooper who pushed my back against the wall at an early state of the game. Now, after 71 turns, I am still in a defencive position at all fronts.

Pity that the game against 82ndTrooper had come to a halt for three weeks now - dont know why.

[GrumpyMel]

I sent in a second carrier strike that took out 1 of the 2 that remained from the first. I don't think Hate90MF is done by any stretch of the imagination....in fact, I still expect him to take out France.... but I am going to try like heck to see if I can prevent it [;)]

I do think that loosing air superiorty to the Allies right before the Battle of France is a major blow to the Axis player though. You don't neccesarly need to have it yourself.... but if the Allies can strike your advancing columns pretty much at will...it can really hurt an offensive.

[GrumpyMel]

Turn 15 - March 29, 1940.

The Spring thaw has come and with it a renewed German Offensive. Not so much a lightning strike as an escalation of existing fighting. Belgium and Holland remain safely neutral with Axis forces appearing to try to prefer to bludgeon thier way through the Maginot Line instead. You can see from the start screen of the turn, that Axis ground troops are paying a heavy cost for thier offensive in the Maginot and so far have gained only a little ground.

A surprise in the air, as the Luftwaffe which we had all but counted out of the Battle makes a strong and decisive appearance. Cleary my opponent had been holding some air strength back as on his turn, nearly 40 Axis fighters sortied over the Maginot. Unfortunately I had dispersed my own fighters, expecting the Luftwaffe far weaker then it actualy was and wanting to cover a greater area with CAP rather then concentrate my fighters. We payed the price for this, loosing some 9 planes to the enemies 2. It seems that the Battle for the Skies of France is yet to be decided. Still, I think we're at least at parity with enemy air power, if not holding a small edge.

[GrumpyMel]

You can see pictured here, the position in the Maginot. Despite heavy fighting, the Germans have made little gain. One of the positions German forces took appeared ripe for counter-attack, so I ordered the French 3rd Army to engage the enemy. After an artillery bombardment, the French armor moved in an drove the disorganized Germans back with heavy losses. Unfortunately, I lack sufficient forces to make more then small local counter-attacks against the Germans.

I have released the French 2nd Army from reserve and it is moving in to reinforce the defences in the sector. This leaves me with little in the way of reserves but so far the enemy seems reluctant to attack through the Low Countries...and if he is pushing all his forces through the Maginot...2nd Army will be badly needed there soon.

On my turn, the Luftwaffe was absent from the skies....but due to heavy flak concentrations...our own air was only able to strike targets on the peripherary of the battle.

[GrumpyMel]

Meanwhile, in Sweden. The Axis offensive appears to be running out of steam as British long range bombers, along with the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Navy shore bombardment take a heavy toll on the lead German Divisions. If the Germans don't reinforce this Theatre I may be able to hold on to what I've got.

[GrumpyMel]

Last but not least, you can see the total losses for the turn. I'm not sure how things will ultimately end in France...but the high losses Axis troops are suffering in thier initial push is encouraging.

[GrumpyMel]

Turn 16 - April 13, 1940,

It appears my opponent had a surprise in store for me afterall...as during his turn, Axis forces staged massive paradrops in Southern and Western France. They succeded in isolating large parts of the country. Nevertheless, French production was not overly impacted and most resources got through one way or another. Fortunately, I had some security forces stationed in rear areas. These responded as best they could and along with assistance from my air forces in France, succeded in doing heavy damage to enemy paratroops and restoring access to most of the country. There are, however, still large numbers of Axis paratroops operating in the hinterlands, and I've scrambled to rush garrisons and reserves in place to protect vulnerable French cities. It will still take me quite some time to cleanup the mess, but my air forces have been highly effective at helping security forces restore order.

Were it not for my strong air forces in France assisting rear area forces with ground support, the situation might be much more serious.

[GrumpyMel]

In the Maginot, enemy forces continue to push forward, slowly and methodicaly gaining ground....although they are paying a high price for it... so are French Forces. Looking at the position, I decide to execute a tactical withdrawl in an attempt to establish a more defensible line, as the enemy has already pushed through most of my fortifications. The withdrawl is minor, but it should by my battered forces a bit of breathing room.

Despite the fact that we are causing serious casualties to the enemy, we are sustaining heavy losses ourselves. Ultimately, France can't win a war of attrition against the Axis.... but at least doing damage here should have a major impact on future Axis operations.

[GrumpyMel]

Turn 17 - April 28, 1940.

Things are turning serious over the skies of France. On his turn, my Axis opponent engaged my air force in a brutal dogfight for air superiority in France. Although we were able to hold our own in terms of losses inflicted, the simple fact is that I am unable to match my opponents production of aircraft. How quickly things have turned around...just a few short months ago we thought we had the Luftwaffe nearly beaten...having destroyed large numbers of BF-109's. However, thanks to what must be a crash production program on my opponents part, I find myself having to pull back my air assets away from the front in order to give them a chance to rebuild. My opponent may still be able to draw me into an air battle as I am defending the interior air space of France, but at least he'll be forced to do it more blindly. Meanwhile, I've ordered increased production of my own fighter force.

I'm faced with a serious decision....pull back my air assets and save them to defend britain...abandoning the French to be decimated from the Air....or contest the skies over France to give French ground forces a fighting chance...and risk having nothing left to defend Britain. For now, as my opponent is still advancing at a snails pace, I will keep my air assets in France....but I'll need to evaluate that on a turn by turn basis.

[GrumpyMel]

On the ground, my opponent is pushing forward slowly and methodicaly in the Maginot. The style of battle here is definately more reminiscent of WWI...and definately has elements of a war of attrition with both sides suffering losses over a small amount of territory. During his turn, my opponent made a push in taking the town of Mulhouse, as well as several minor attacks further north. The white line shows the new front.

Although ultimately, the French can't win a war of attrition, the pace and losses caused to the Germans are the next best thing to holding France. I am concerned whether my opponent is contemplating a Blitz through the Low Countries while I'm embroiled in the Maginot...but given his commitment of forces here along with his obvious expenditures for his airborne campaign and the Luftwaffe fighter program....I question whether he has sufficent forces for a serious Blitz into Belgium. Therefore I am moving more forces toward the fight in the Maginot Sector.

[GrumpyMel]

The Axis airborne campaign seems to have netted only marginal success for the resources invested in it. German paratroops have captured St. Etianne and Nantes but elsewhere have mostly made little progress. Given the strength of the Luftwaffe Fighter contingent over the Maginot, my aircraft have once again commited to ground strikes against helpless enemy paratroops. This along with response by rear area security forces has inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy para's and only a few formations remain functional in the country now. I am doing my best to swiftly mop these up. All in all, I don't think the airborne campaign achieved much for my opponent.

It did cause some disruption in production and forced me to reroute some production to other areas. I also had to scramble to deploy reserves to a few areas that otherwise might have been put to front line use....but given the expenditure my opponent devoted to this operation, I hardly think it was a good bargain for him. To date, he has suffered the loss of almost 150 airborne infantry. On a side note, I strategicaly transfered the newly created British 12th Infantry Division to the port of Bordeaux last turn to protect it from captured. As enemy paratroops approached the city, the first combat between German and British ground forces of the war took place. With heavy air support, the British counter-attack the disorganized para's and nearly wiped them out with no loss to themselves. Hopefully this is a portent of things to come.

[GrumpyMel]

Turn 18 - May 13, 1940:

The fighting in France has turned bloody as German Armies hammer French forces in the Maginot Sector. At least our opponent made a slip up in the air and sent one of his fighter groups in to scout rather then a lone plane. Still Luftwaffe forces are unassailble by me over the Maginot due to the sheer number of planes German industry is cranking out. At least we're causing casualties to the Whermacht as it slowly presses forward.

[GrumpyMel]

You can see here the position in the Maginot Sector at the start of the turn. The Axis Armies have absolutely shreded the Line I tried to establish and are threatening a breakout in the south toward Dijon where I note they've massed some mobile forces. Most of the armies in the Maginot Sector (3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th) are in tatters...only the French 2nd Army which I brought up from reserve is in good shape.

With the situation this serious, I have little option. The newly formed French 1st Army is being dispatched to Dijon to prevent a German breakout. Meanwhile we have released the B.E.F. to join the battle. It is moving from the coast to the area behind the Mosele where it can reinforce the French when needed. You can see the troop movements pictured below.

[GrumpyMel]

We decide it's time for bold action. We've been taking higher losses on the Axis turns because my opponent can setup well executed concentric attacks, supported by artillery bombardments. This reduces the level of casualties he takes on the attack and increases mine. Although the French 2nd Army is the only intact force we have left in the Maginot, it's mostly armor and better suited for offense. Therefore we order it on the attack, setting up a concentric strike of our own.

The results are less then stellar as the attack stalls and we take a fair amount of losses with it. Still the goal here is to kill as many Axis troops as we can...and we do seem to be achieving that. Holding France is a long shot in this scenerio...but at least I can wear down the strength of the Wehrmacht as much as possible in the Campaign and hold out as long as possible. Every turn I get production from the French means more forces for me...and more losses for my opponent.

[GrumpyMel]

Turn 19 - May 28, 1940:

Things had been quiet in the Swedish Campaign with little movement from my opponent and myself taking the opportunity to build up Swedish defences. This turn, the Kriegsmarine returned to Stockholm, bombarding the city from the sea. Fortunately the gunners of the sole remaining costal battery in the city got lucky and sent a German Cruiser to the bottom. The Swedish Campaign has resulted in some serious damage to the Kreigsmarine so far.

[GrumpyMel]

In France, the Germans continue a slow methodical advance. No breakout, as we feared but the enemies advance is relentless and seems unstopable. Inch by inch, France is falling to the Axis. We try to make them pay at every point. Another counter-attack by France's 2nd Army is ordered. This one achieves better results, although the German 33rd Division prevents the Axis line from being pushed back, enemy forces suffer heavy casualties in the fighting.

[GrumpyMel]

Turn 20 - June 12 1940,

20 turns into the game and high summer in 1940. We take the opportunity to review the Allied situation. First in Sweden, the Axis have taken the South and effectively isolated the country into 3 distinct defensive zones. We have setup an HQ in each and have configured them to operate independantly of one another. Axis pressure on this Theatre has been mild and so far we are holding relatively well. In the West, the defence is centered around Gotberg with joint Swedish, Canadian & British control. Due to a lack of Axis naval presence in the North Sea we have been able to reinforce the defence here with British and Canadian ground forces and have built up a decent defense. We can also use the Royal Navy for shore bombardment support and are in range of long range air support from Britain, so this is the zone most easly defended. In the East we have a defensive zone centered around the capital of Stockholm. The Swedes are on thier own here, as we have no reliable way to get reinforcments to them. Thier ground forces are thin, but so far have been able to resist pressure from the small commitment of Axis ground forces. This zone is in range of long range bombers from England and the Axis don't have a base close enough to provide CAP for thier ground forces, however if they build one, any hopes of air support will be gone. Worse yet, the Kreigsmarine is able to provide fire support for ground forces here without fear of the Royal Navy due to the straits of Denmark being held by the enemy. Off on it's own, we have the island of Visby in the Baltic which comprises it's own defensive zone. There is a small Swedish garrison here but not enough to defend against a serious attack, so far the Germans have not bothered with it yet. We are building some cheap air support here...with the hopes of using it to aid Stockholm and the idea that we at least have a chance to fly it West if the Axis does come calling.

On his turn, my opponent shelled Stockholm again, damaging the city. However the gunners of our one remaining coastal battery are earning hero's pay, knocking out 2 more German Cruisers in the exchange. However the Swedish campaign ends, it has resulted in serious attrition for the Kriegsmarine...allowing the Royal Navy to feel much safer about operations in the North Sea.