DQ2004's AAR #2 - "Ouch. ...that hurt"

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Axis reinforcements for May/Jun 44:

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Axis control at the end of the Mar/Apr 44 turn:

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I must apologise that the screenshots didn't happen for May/Jun 44. A lot happened but I didn't record most of it. There were a lot of bombing raids over England, many bombing raids over Germany in response, and lots of naval encounters, although no really large encounters, that is no battle went for more than one round before ships lost sight of one another.
There was a big battle in the monsoon in the Solomons. The US lost the North Carolina and Northampton whilst the Japanese lost the Ashigara. Here's the line up prior to the battle:

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On the Russian Front the Soviets retreated to a new defensive line on the Ob river - their last defensive line. They didn't have enough units to defend it, and their lack of airpower was going to hurt. All they could do was hope that they survived until the bad weather in Sep/Oct.

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In the Urals, a group of Russian armies had been forced into a box of just six hexes (which includes two factories and one resource). For these armies they could only hope that Novosibirsk held on.

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In the Indian Ocean the Royal Navy tried a risky move in stormy weather to get supply back to Alexander in Somaliland, and to get some reinforcements to India. They achieved that, but then the storm cleared, and Italian NAVs came out from Victoria in the Seychelles and sank the Prince of Wales.

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In the Far East there was heavy fighting in Central China as the Japanese sought to contain a breakout of Chinese Nationalist units that were threatening to cut Japanese held China in two. Significant reinforcements were shipped in and the breakout was contained, albeit with heavy losses. The RN lost the carrier Victorious, although I can't remember how she was sunk. Here are the losses for May/Jun 44:

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Allied reinforcements for Jul-Aug 1944:

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Axis reinforcements for Jul/Aug 1944:
The Luftwaffe is particularly excited about the new Pfeils - finally a fighter that can reach any part of the United Kingdom and also get to the #4 sea box section!

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Global control at the start of Jul/Aug 1944:

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With the remaining Soviet forces entrenched behind the Ob River, Guderian and Rommel have two choices - go for the centre or try to work their way around the river from the south. The north isn't really an option due to the swamp which will massively delay moving forces into position. Rather than waste time, the Germans expend an offensive chit right in the centre to crack the line wide open and hopefully ensure that Novosibirsk falls before the onset of winter.

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In Central Asia, the other remaining Soviet factory city, Tashkent, is losing the defenders on its flanks.

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In North Africa, the Americans tried racing some fast units to Tunisia, to take some more ports in the Western Med. The Axis are just able to get some reinforcements into Bone and Tunis in time.

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In Russia, Guderian's offensive smashed the line. The Soviets retreat to Novosibirsk. There are no useful defensive positions left. The next attack destroys two more corps. It won't be much longer.

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In Western Europe, the Italian airforce has taken delivery of hundreds of huge Piaggio P-108 heavy bombers. Along with new G57 Centauro fighters and the latest Macchi C205N's, the Regia Aeronautica is ready to play its part in the final defeat of the United Kingdom.

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In the Azanian Sea off the coast of East Africa, the Royal Navy and the Regia Marina have yet another engagement. Again the RN comes off worst, suffering damage to both the Hood and the Anson before the British ships retreat.

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In Russia the Germans are choosing land impulse after land impulse, trying their utmost to finish off the USSR before the end of the turn. Rommel's latest attack brings them adjacent to Novosibirsk. They have finally reached their target.

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Tashkent falls in a bloody assault. Now only Novosibirsk remains.

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In China the Nationalist incursion into Central China towards Nanking has been crushed. Now over half a dozen crack Japanese Army units are freed up to continue attacking elsewhere.

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The turn continues, and Rundstedt orders an attack on Ufa. It is a potentially pointless attack if Novosibirsk falls. However.