Fall Gelb - rematch - the Allies

[gwgardner]

mid-March '42

Things looking bleak for the Allies.

While the British have established a strong position in Morocco, the Axis have taken Egypt - so they can now address their problem farther west.

The Battle of the Atlantic has been decidedly in favor of the Axis. At current technology levels, their subs are able to elude Allied ASW. this is causing a heavy PP drain for the UK and the British colonies, who have to constantly replenish the transport pool.

The US stands idly by, with no sign of even offering aid.

In the Soviet Union, with the loss of all the Caucasus resources and the coming campaigning season, there's not a lot of hope left. As soon as German armor begins to push in good campaigning weather, there's nothing that will stop them. Just not enough PPs. IF the US Congress would approve Lend-lease, then that would help, but enough?

[gwgardner]

May 1 '42

Campaigning season is just weeks or less away, and the Germans are already pushing hard against the defenses of Moscow. So far, the Leningrad and Stalingrad fronts are static.

Morale is crumbling among the Soviet populace, with conscriptions of both men and material at a war-emergency level. Industrial production has taken a plunge, as a consequence. At this moment, it looks inevitable that Moscow will fall, perhaps by July.

[gwgardner]

The Western Allies aren't doing enough, as far as the Soviets are concerned, but in actuality UK and US efforts have stretched the limits of the possible.

The US populace is still not solidly behind the war, with only 40% of production capacity being utilized for war efforts. US war technology lags behind also. with US armored forces still utilizing prewar designs.

Only in strategic assets has the US accomplished much, with daylight bombing raids over German occupied territories increasing every week.

In North Africa, the AXIS seems to have written off Algeria and Tunisia. They are making little effort to resist the UK advance.

[gwgardner]

July 1 '42

The Wermacht has succeeded in cutting Moscow off from the rest of the Soviet Union, but a strong force holds the city and suburbs. It is expected that resistance will continue, but eventually be picked apart, perhaps in 3 to 4 weeks.

So there will be approximately 8 to 10 weeks of good campaigning weather left to the Germans after the fall of Moscow. Enough time to either

1) continue the push in the central region, towards the industrial areas of the Urals;
2) redirect their attention to Stalingrad.

Best guess at this point is that Leningrad will still hold into the winter.

[gwgardner]

Soviet armored forces are still quite weak at this point, with all resources being routed into setting up defensive infantry positions. It will be impossible to mount any kind of even local offensive even into 1943. Unless the Western Allies do something substantial to force a repositioning of German armor to the west, the Soviet Union will fall in 1943.

[gwgardner]

Aug 1 42

Very, very bleak for the good guys. Moscow has fallen, Stalingrad is in the crosshairs of the Wermacht now, and it has been flanked - soon to be cut off from any rail connection to the rest of the country. Same with Leningrad. Even along the Finnish front, the Finns are relentlessly pushing forward to cut off the rail line to Artic ports.

Not that that US is sending any aid! The US Congress dawdles, and has not approved lend-lease.

In North Africa, the Italians with minimal German support, have stabilized the situation in Tunisia. If one or two German armored corps were transferred to Tunisia, the Allied front would crumble quickly.

The Battle of the Atlantic is critical now, and for the moment totally in the favor of the AXIS. The US has sent a fleet with 5 escort carriers to the southern waters, in an attempt to punish the Italian sub fleet, which has completely cut off all supplies from the British Colonies. The UK is being slowly strangled.

In the strategic bombing campaign, both the British and the US continue raids over France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Luftwaffe fighters have so far been successfull in defending the Ruhr industrial area, causing devastating losses for Allied bombers.

In short, mid 42, the Soviet Union is about to collapse, and the Western Allies are stymied.

[gwgardner]

August 9th 42

The Soviet Union surrendered, seeking terms, today. As a consequence, the Western Allies are seeking terms too.

Chocolino played it very well indeed.

Now after two games between us using reduced PPs for all majors, I come to the conclusion that the Allies and Soviets just do not have enough PPs to do both research and production at a hard level of play.

I think I would play on normal levels next time, but go into the data files and reduce production by about 10 or 15% for all majors.

It will be interesting to play again using patch 1.03+, with the new manpower rules, new convoy protection rules, etc.