scout1(WA) vs ultradave(G), restart, 43-45 Campaign (Turn 16)

[ultradave]

Following the WA disastrous late 43 invasion of Italy near Rome, which was defeated on the beaches by the German army, we've restarted this game. So I made a new AAR heading for it and I'll post some positions next turn. FOW is on, East Front box is OFF. (it was on in the first go-round).

Currently, the WA has invaded Sicily, pushed generally north and I have a blocking position a few hexes in front of Messina. That is not destined to last for long, and was just intended to slow him down a bit.

I noticed in another AAR a good way to post pictures, by changing to show unit names instead of CV's. That's a good way to post and both of us be able to use the AAR without learning too much about the other - we'll get a few more unit positions than recce showed but not how strong.

So, more to come tomorrow. I'll get some screen shots next turn. Would have this morning but I forgot and in PBEM you can't go back and get them like you could playing the AI.

[scout1]

so how do you show unit names ...... ?

[ultradave]

'y'

[ultradave]

The Allies have pushed close to Messina. We'll hang on a bit and hopefully cause him to break a bit against the fortifications.

[scout1]

Most of Sicily is under the protection of the Allied armies ......

[ultradave]

Make that all, (well almost) as the remaining units evacuate Messina. A few holdouts out west.

[ultradave]

F this is getting confusing it's because we have 3 games going simultaneousy. I'm the Germans with NO EF in this one. Previously the Allies cleared Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia and then it was a waiting game for the mainland invasion.

Well,

.... They're HEEEERE!!

I've manage to keep them close to the beachhead so far, and the weather is not helping him.

[scout1]

Contained what you knew of we should say ...... Believe there is an issue which the designers must address .... (dang if I don't keep finding these) ...
Dave has me pretty well contained .... and as I'm looking to shove all the ground units into the beach areas, darn if I don't get a personal invitation from the mayor of Taranto to come and visit .... Accordingly several Allied TF's just sail right into the harbor with the longshoremen just waiting to unload the good guys ...
Seems a little bit of a stretch that this should be allowed ..... but since I've cracked this Dave, .... better haul ass and address ......

[carlkay58]

Italian resistance has taken control of the Taranto area and invited the Allies in. This area is very prone to do that and the AI now always garrisons Taranto with a German unit to avoid such invitations. Now for the human Axis players to learn to do the same!

[ultradave]

Well, learn something new every day. And nope, not a German in sight in the Taranto area.

[marion61]

I may have to read up on the Salerno landings and see why the allies picked it. That area of the coast has to be the single worst place to invade. You have little clear terrain, backed up by mountains, with only 3 passes, and your still south of Naples. If Taranto hadn't opened up he could have just fort-ed you to death thru all that bad terrain. You would also have been suffering lots of casualties while busting out. The good thing is that your on the mainland and don't have to worry about the no invasion penalty.

[Seminole]

ORIGINAL: scout1
Contained what you knew of we should say ...... Believe there is an issue which the designers must address .... (dang if I don't keep finding these) ...
Dave has me pretty well contained .... and as I'm looking to shove all the ground units into the beach areas, darn if I don't get a personal invitation from the mayor of Taranto to come and visit .... Accordingly several Allied TF's just sail right into the harbor with the longshoremen just waiting to unload the good guys ...
Seems a little bit of a stretch that this should be allowed ..... but since I've cracked this Dave, .... better haul ass and address ......

Familiar with Operation Slapstick? That's basically how it went down in real life, although it was airborne sailed into the harbor by Italian invite.

[ultradave]

I think I contained that breakout from Taranto but I forgot to get a screenshot (and don't want to give Scott too much info ). I at least manage to throw enough in his way to keep him from zooming up the east coast. (he says hopefully).

I won't forget that lesson.

[marion61]

I hate doing this to Scott, but if you flew naval interdiction over Taranto, those guys would probably starve? He doesn't have enough planes close enough to Taranto to beat you in the Naval interdiction game. He's too busy with Salerno. If he drops it on one to cover the other beach, or port, he won't have enough to go around and you have lots of airfields to fly from around there. You don't even have to get close with your bombers, so don't base them near Taranto. Too close to allied air cover. I know it's tempting to go after those ports, but when your in the middle of an invasion, it's not good to split your air that close to axis bomber ranges.

[Joel Billings]

Salerno was picked as it was considered within Allied fighter range, and nothing much further north was. Also, with 8th Army moving up from the TOE, they felt the forces could link up quickly. When the Italians surrendered as hoped for, they quickly moved the airborne to Taranto. See the Salerno scenario for a good look at the situation. The Germans didn't have much to work with and had to disarm the Italians. If they had more forces, Salerno could have been much worse than it was. Since the Germans originally didn't really plan on defending Southern Italy, there just wasn't much around.

[carlkay58]

Salerno's location had another large bonus to the Allied commanders: the terrain was very defensible so the thought was the Axis would have a harder time throwing the Allies back into the Med.

[scout1]

We'll see ........ Putting everything I can ashore .....

[LiquidSky]

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

Italian resistance has taken control of the Taranto area and invited the Allies in. This area is very prone to do that and the AI now always garrisons Taranto with a German unit to avoid such invitations. Now for the human Axis players to learn to do the same!

This human built a fortification unit in Taranto to hold off the partisans. You don't even have to fill it with a lot of manpower.

[ultradave]

Yes, well, I know that NOW

[ultradave]

Extricating myself from the Taranto flanking maneuver. (otherwise known as "you used to be on our side"). Looks like I'll be able to form a new line without to much of a disaster along the way. A little worried about the HG division as the Allies snuck a couple of units around behind the line there. One ended up routed. The other is still there blocking the way.