Europe Aflame 2012 AAR: sealclubber vs Shadow

[sealclubber]

Finnish Front:

The Finns leverage STAVKA's preoccupation with events unfolding in France to attack towards Petsamo with 2 corps and a brigade in reserve. The corps were not in the frontline and seemingly remained unobserved by Soviet intelligence. Objectives are limited. The idealized objective is Petsamo, but the Red Army can rail reinforcements north rapidly enough to prevent this. A more realistic goal is to improve the position in the north in anticipation of future campaigns, provide nuisance value and force the Red Army to commit more troops for the defence of its Finnish holdings. Only one motorized NKVD unit defends the area. It is assaulted repeatedly until the unit melts away.



With hindsight, I should have sent the guerrillas through the wastelands and blown his rail bridges before starting this assault. That would have prevented reinforcement for some time and perhaps Petsamo would not be out of reach.

[sealclubber]

North African Front:

Commonwealth forces in Egypt launch an attack on an Italian armoured and motorized division forcing them to retreat. The Long Range Desert Group in the rear is chased down and evaporated. Italian forces begin forming up opposite Commonwealth forces stationed around El Alamein.

[sealclubber]

East African Front:

The remaining Commonwealth forces completely abandon East Africa, with the exception of Port Sudan where the Foreign Legion Mobile Group and a small garrison defend the city. Italian forces overrun a British garrison in Berbera, cross into Kenya and seize the undefended port city of Mombasa. Mussolini declares that the seizure of Mombasa will bring African safaris into reach for every Italian man, woman and child.

The Savoy Grenadiers overrun the defenders in Port Sudan. A small French garrison remains in Djibouti, but is expected to surrender shortly, giving Italy complete control of the horn of Africa.

[Edwire]

Sealclubber,

Your AAR is always pleasant and interesting to read.
With Paris fall in early 1940 and the infantry well equipped (at least from the strength number), i think you have several options there. Well done.

Was there any bonus for the Axis if the Italy manage to secure East Africa?

[sealclubber]

ORIGINAL: Edwire

Sealclubber,

Your AAR is always pleasant and interesting to read.
With Paris fall in early 1940 and the infantry well equipped (at least from the strength number), i think you have several options there. Well done.

Was there any bonus for the Axis if the Italy manage to secure East Africa?

Thanks. I'm still trying to figure out the long-term campaign strategy under 3.4.

No bonus for East Africa. Maybe bragging rights, except my opponent emptied everything out of theater so there's nothing to brag about. Aside from that, it does force the Allies to commit (eventually) one division to defend the Egypt-Sudan railway. I guess it makes it a bit harder for the Allies to invade later and it gives the Axis a few extra victory points too.

If the British are pushed back to Iraq, try to flee from Basra->South Africa and don't hold East Africa they will probably end the turn at sea where they'd be easy targets.

[sealclubber]

April 21, 1940

The French launched vicious counter-attacks, but could not dislodge the elite mobile units of the Wehrmacht from Paris. Many French units evaporate trying to assault Paris from crammed France sues for peace. Vichy French forces begin to form, but they spend the week reorganizing.

German forces immediately launch Operation Marita - the invasion of Yugoslavia. The collapse of France has brought Hungry and Romania into the war.

Yugoslavian Front:

The goal is to force the collapse of the government with minimal bloodshed. Unfortunately, OKH makes a complete mess of this operation. Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania all join the war and OKH had planned on an entirely different outcome. In fact, OKH had wanted to leverage the surprise attack on France (Case Yellow) to seize the British fortress of Malta. But some late in the day war games persuaded Hitler to call off the assault and threw a wrench in OKH's entire 1940 campaign...

[sealclubber]

Egyptian Front:

OKH initially wanted the Italians to attempt to break the Allies at El Alamein, but the Allies were too strong. Under German advisement, the Italians begin constructing the "Great Wall of Egypt" and use the Allied surprise to begin constructing in-depth defences in Egypt:

[sealclubber]

Finnish Front:

Finnish intelligence notes Red Army units railing away from Karelia and no reinforcements pouring in. Finnish Army units continue to advance to Petsamo, wary of if they are walking into a trap:

[sealclubber]

April 28, 1940

The Soviet Union occupies and annexes the Baltic States. Germany and its allies declare war on Greece! The Greek government appeals for aid from the Allied powers.

In Egypt, the Italians continue to add depth to the "Great Wall of Egypt". For operational security reason, no image is available.

[sealclubber]

Yugoslavian Front:

The entry of Romania into the war has altered OKH's original attack plan. A task force rails through Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania to the Greek border. German mobile have bypassed opposition via Hungary. Rumanian army units, already in position, join the Wehrmacht mobile units and Luftwaffe in smashing all opposition in the city. Belgrade is seized and Axis forces continue to coerce Yugoslav forces that their cause is hopeless...

[sealclubber]

Crete Front:

Italian forces invade Crete! Under cover of the Regia Marina and Axis air cover, two Italian corps and additional Italian divisions launch an invasion of Crete:

[sealclubber]

Finnish Front:

Finnish forces assault Petsamo and liberate it from the grip of the Red Army. Finnish forces blow the bridge and entrench awaiting the Red Army response...

[sealclubber]

Moroccan Front:

The Western Allies attempt an amphibious landing at Casablanca! The Vichy French garrison holds, if barely and the Allied troops flee to their transports. Panzer Army Afrika and the Italian Air Force send air units to Western Africa.. communications are poor as the Vichy French have just come out of reorganization and are unable to rapidly respond.

Unfortunately, the Italian bomber arm, lacking precision bombers, is unable to cause significant damage to the Allied amphibious force despite many attempts to sink the transports. Axis forces expect an additional push from this quarter.

[sealclubber]

May 5, 1940

Yugoslavia surrenders. Greece fights on.

Egyptian Front:

The Italians continue constructing the Great Wall of Egypt. Some mobile units begin withdrawing westwards via the coastal road or to ports to begin the trek to Morocco.

Finnish Front:

No response from the Red Army to the seizure of Petsamo except a withdrawal of air units from the area. Finnish GHQ believes this is either a prelude to an attack elsewhere in Finland or a realization by STAVKA that Germany could in fact, invade in 1940 and they need to prepare accordingly. Either way, Finnish GHQ begins moving reserves back to a more central region to respond to any eventuality.

Greek Front:

Axis forces move to prevent the withdrawal of the trailing Greek troops towards Athens. Airborne forces

[sealclubber]

Moroccan Front:

The Allies attempt a second amphibious invasion at Casablanca and this time, succeed. Vichy French forces in the immediate area setup blocking positions to delay the Allied forces as long as possible until Axis reinforcements can arrive.

[sealclubber]

May 12, 1940

The post "Case Yellow" hangover is now on its second turn.

Finnish Front:

Still no reaction to the Finnish capture of Petsamo. Finns continue to put reserves into readiness, just in case.

Yugoslavian Front:

Guerillas, guerillas, guerillas! Axis forces attack and evaporate as many of the guerillas as possible with the aim to "corral" them once they reconstitute to keep them under control.

Egyptian Front:

The Great Wall of Egypt is more or less complete. There are some additional forces coming (eventually) to add to the depth, but as far as I'm concerned the Allies can attack anytime they want.

Greek Front:

The Greeks have mostly setup a defensive line outside of Athens. Two corps are caught straggling south and surrounded while a panzer korps pushes on to clear the road south for the infantry:

[sealclubber]

Moroccan Front:

The Allies continue to push inland. Vichy French forces are in reorg but the Italians continue to ship reinforcements to the theater.

[sealclubber]

May 19, 1940

Greek Front:

Greek forces are pushed back into Athens itself and the end of the Greeks is near.

[sealclubber]

Moroccan Front:

Allied forces continue to push out of Casablanca. Italian reinforcements continue to pour into the region, however a prepared position is being set up further to the East:

[sealclubber]

May 26, 1940

Greek Front:

Athens is seized and secured against counter-attack. OKH expects the Greeks to sue for peace shortly.