War in the West Campaign 43 Allied AAR

[marion61]

Turn 79 France

15th Army was finally activated and troops assigned. 15th Army will take the flank of 9th Army by the sea. I'm trying to create some reserves from newly arrived units so I can continue the push.
9th Army was pushed back just east of Rotterdam. The Axis units are still denying me the rail bridges here. III Corps/9th Army took Arhnem this turn and the bridge across that river. 2nd British Army took the rail bridge across the Rhine NW of Essen. 1st Canadian continued to expand the crossing, but I'm losing a lot of men with these attacks. My fatigue is high because of the constant fighting and no reserves.
XV Corps/1st Army is put into refit and taken off the lines in preparation of pushing towards Bonn, while 3rd Army gets to work convincing 10 divisions the war is over.

Mud is still hampering operations in Italy. 5th Army armor units arrived in the area of Genoa and will go into refit to await a weather break.

[marion61]

Turn 80 France

15th Army has started to replace units from 9th Army. 21st AG will make several adjustments this turn to shorten my lines and to get my RR unit across the Rhine so I can continue the push. I really need a depot on the German side of the river(s). Elements of 5th Army have arrived and will take over some of the positions held by the British 2nd Army.
1st Army and 3rd Army made another break thru towards Koblenz. With most of 3rd Army conducting mop up operations, 1st Army is limited to small break thrus that keeps the line from becoming too fortified to take later.

The Russians have made almost no progress the last few turns and are still several hexes from Warsaw, and have just taken Riga. The Race is On!

[marion61]

Turn 80 South

Out of the 3 Corps I had assigned to 5th Army, I sent mostly my infantry units north to join the fight to Berlin from France. I've kept II Corps from 5th Army and most of the armored units and have put them into refit west of Genoa. Still waiting on the rains to let up now so that I can push this front into a smaller area.

[marion61]

Turn 81 France

15th and 9th Armies made several unsuccessful assaults on axis positions with out results. Now that the rivers are freezing some I'm hoping to make some progress. My ill fated paratroops are getting back into the line and are praying not to be dropped again.

1st Canadian and 2nd British Armies make several assaults with only limited results. Canadian armor broke out NW of Essen, but could not exploit the breach. I've also started to move the bulk of the armored divisions in 9th Army to help support 1st Canadian Army in the area around Arhnem. 2nd British Army made a small push NE of Aachen with an American armored division on loan.

1st Army pushed to open the hole in the axis lines made last turn. I want to close off the units around Aachen and force them to retreat or encircle them. Slow going moping up the axis units in the Ardennes. 1st and 7th Armies made a few small advances around Nancy (not shown on the map).

I Canadian Corps from 5th Army start to arrive in Liege and should be in the line soon. I've assigned them to 1st Canadian Army for now.

[marion61]

Turn 81 South

The mud has finally let up some and with a break in the rains, I PO Corps encircles 4 divisions and the line along the Po River fell completely apart. II Corps from 5th Army broke the defenses also, but did not have enough mp's to encircle the Axis para unit.

8th Army made a push SW of Ravenna and pushed 6th British Armored across the river. I'm going to continue pushing 1st FF and 5th Armies towards Milan, cutting off the rails and taking those large airfields near by. I'm expecting the AI to start withdrawing north soon from the peninsula.

[marion61]

Turn 82 France

Several needed infantry divisions arrived on the continent, and with the units from 5th Army on the line, I should have enough reserves for a significant push. 1st Canadian and 2nd British Armies make some adjustments so I can reduce my armored units fatigue, and to get the rails across the Rhine so I can set up some depots.

3rd Army is still mopping up in the Ardennes, while 1st Army is still pushing towards Bonn and encircling units around Aachen. All across the axis front there are several weak spots now and some divisions I've attacked had less than 3k troops in them. My strategic bombers are having a hard time finding targets in Germany, so my bombing points are very low.

[marion61]

Turn 82 South

II Corps and I PO Corps blasted thru the axis lines, only to be stopped at the Ticino River. Just didn't have enough mp's to get a unit over the river this turn. I want those airfields around Milan.

On the peninsula the entire axis line made an adjustment north into new fort positions. 8th Army takes the old positions.

[marion61]

Turn 83 France

9th Army is giving up on the river crossing east of Rotterdam. They've failed to capture any bridges, except at Arnhem, so I'm taking the armored units east and just finish cutting these units off. Slogging it out thru here only has one reward, and that is that it ties up a lot of axis units that could be used to defend the Rhine. 15th Army will take over the positions that 9th Army abandons.

9th Army and 1st Airborne Army assault positions around Arnhem, but the defenders stopped any gain although they retreated. East of Arnhem that lone armor unit is all that I had left to exploit that opening. So far the axis units have kept me contained to this area across the Rhine, mainly due to no reserves and no supply across the river, but that is being remedied.

1st Army and 2nd British Army encircle several more divisions around Aachen. I'm not sure why the AI is choosing to be surrounded instead of withdrawing, but I hope it's due to using my strategic bombers for interdiction.

[marion61]

Turn 83 South

Armored units captured the bridge over the Ticino and next turn I plan to push towards Como before I finish taking Milan. I want to trap those axis units still west of the Ticino. My lines north of Genoa are pretty thin but the rain and mud should keep any attack limited.

8th Army pushed the line west of Ravenna and retreated several units. My goal at the moment is Bologna and taking Ravenna.

[marion61]

Turn 85 France

When the rains let up and the snow returned, the axis front facing 21st British AG fell apart in several places. Armored units from 9th Army pushed around the north edge of Zuider Zee to cut off any units retreating across the ferries in northern Netherlands. 1st Canadian and 2nd British Armies break thru the lines with plenty of room to run. The mud will be coming soon and most of my offensive operations will be limited so I'm taking as much ground as possible when the ground is hard.

XV Corps from 1st Army crossed the Rhine and cut vital supply lines, but failed to take a bridge this turn.

[marion61]

Turn 85

This is the entire front in France as of this turn. The Russian front hasn't moved, except in Hungary, much the past few months. Only change I've seen is that the Russian's took Riga finally.

[marion61]

Turn 85 South

Como was taken which trapped several more axis divisions on the wrong side of the river. Milan was taken without a shot being fired and I have some new airbases finally. 5th Army and 1st FF Army blow thru the defenders and relieve 1st British Armored division. If this weather holds I'm pushing to cut off those units still south of the Po River. 6th AG units will push towards the rail lines at Mantova, while the 8th Army pushed towards Carpi. That would be two armies surrounded and Italy would be finished.

Turn 84 was pretty static as it was heavy rains.

[marion61]

Turn 86 France

I've taken some of my Naval TF's to assist along the coast. I've also taken 9th Army's armor units NE again as several units from British 2nd Army push all the way to Wilhelmshaven cutting off all those units to the west. 1st Canadian and 2nd British Armies blew thru their defenders leaving a huge gap in the axis defense between Wilhelmshaven and Osnabruek. Supplies will be short for those lead units, so they will get the bulk of my air dropped supplies. 2nd British Army also captured another bridge across the Rhine into the Ruhr. Several new crossings were made across the Rhine north of Cologne (not shown on this map). I should have Cologne soon.

[marion61]

Turn 86 South

5th Army started mop up operations west of the Ticino River this turn, while making sure the north end of the new line is secured. I pulled back across the Po so I could rejoin 1st British Armored. Armored units from I FF Corps pushed to within 3 hexes of Mantova and 8th Army pushed within 4 hexes of Carpi. I'm flying as much supply as possible to these lead units. In another turn or two I should have both objectives. 8th Army also pushed around behind Ravenna this turn. Those units should escape on their turn.

[marion61]

Turn 87 France

15th Army has captured Rotterdam and The Hauge. They also made an assault on the units west of Amsterdam. I want to take the hexes around Amsterdam before I assault it. Parts of 9th Army helped 15th Army round up axis stragglers on the Netherlands side, while 9th Army and 1st Airborne Armies clear out the axis units sitting on my supply lines. Most of my armor I put on rest and refit until I can get some infantry up. I didn't even try to take Wilhelmshaven yet, but I did make sure the rail was cut and the land approach. Canadian 1st Army made a small push south of Osnabruek in the hopes of cutting the rail lines left going into the Ruhr and those large cities there. 2nd British Army units made a push into the Ruhr to further isolate it, while 1st Army cut Cologne off.

[marion61]

Turn 87 South

My lines around Milan are very weak at the moment. With the bulk of my infantry units mopping up German's and Italian's, I'm short handed.

I turned 5th Army & 1st FF Army armor units south across the river instead of continuing east. From the recon reports those units would have cost me several assaults to move and I'd still be short of Mantova. It was probably a mistake to do this since it took me several assaults just to rout those units defending the river (it's the French's fault ). I managed to break the lines around Genoa finally and should have it surrounded next turn. I'm expecting that any axis units south of the Po River will be withdrawing soon. It's a race with the mud now. 8th Army is doing it's part and continues to advance towards Carpi and takes Ravenna.

[marion61]

Turn 88 France

Most of my offensive operations have been stopped by mud, and the high fatigue of my units. The rain does offer me the chance to get the rails repaired, move depots forward, and to move my fighters and strike aircraft closer. I won't move the aircraft until the rails make it near the airbase. Otherwise those planes just sit on the ground due to no supply and/or support. 21st British AG ordered all the armored units parked and put into rest and refit and await the rains to finish. 15th Army from 21st BAG is still conducting mop up operations around Amsterdam.

The units that 3rd Army and 1st Army have faced in the Ardennes have been tough. Even after they are "isolated" they sit on a depot and their CV's don't go down much. Takes several turns to cause their surrender.

The Russian's have finally taken Warsaw and have leaped forward in the past turn. If the mud doesn't let up there will be no way I can beat them to Berlin.

[marion61]

Turn 88 South

Most of my armored units in Northern Italy stayed within the narrow snow band to try and finish encircling the axis units in that pocket. My armored units made several assaults on Mantova, but my CV's were low due to poor supply. I'm also spread very thin on the northern flank of 6th AG from my advance towards Mantova. It's hard to cause the surrender of axis units with just regiments and I'm sure there is a depot still supporting them with those high CV's in the western mountains. 8th Army is still pushing towards Carpi, but very slowly. I'm out of reserves in 8th Army and can only push the units I have. If the mud hits before I close the pocket, I doubt I will bag many units. I'm still not sure why they chose to stay in that pocket this long, cause for some of those units there is no way they can get out now unless it can be held open, which is doubtful.

[marion61]

Turn 89 France

Heavy rains again this turn in northern Europe. If this doesn't let up soon there will be no way to be in Berlin by May, and the Russian's are getting closer each turn. I did move most of my infantry divisions into positions to conduct assaults when the weather lets up again.

[marion61]

Turn 89 South

Armor from II Corps pushed thru the snow to cut the rails at their objective, and took Mantova. 8th Army was pushed back from Carpi, but did manage to cut the rails in their area. There is no more rail service for those pocketed units. I'm not sure how it happened, but that thin band of snow was a god send for my armor. If the mud had hit this turn I would never have cut the rails.