Cohen vs Enrico - AAR

[AlbertN]

End of Jan - Feb 1942

The Iraqi Front.

It seems no side is really giving a weight to the Iraq. The Italians are pratically left alone to deal with a veil of Soviet forces; with minimal aerial support against none.

On other notes - Krigsmarine and Regia Marina are based respectively at Lisbon and Gibraltar and have conducted some minor operations against convoys and escorts, to a good degree of success. (They emerged unschated for how already whittled down from previous combats, but sank and damaged half a dozen of CW Cruisers)

The Brits have reinforced Spanish Sahara, including Montgomery, which is a future forecast of where an offensive could come to open the Med.
Presently the Brits lack air cover and ships for large landings and the Axis feels pretty safe. And the USA are helpless still having got a production of 11 for a looooooong time.

[AlbertN]

End of Jan - Feb 1942

The real Russian Headache:

German prepararations for Barbarossa.
The Ambassador of Tokyo is pressuring Hitler to open a second front against the Soviets, seeing the mauling they provided to the Japanese in the Far East.

Germany bombed UK til not long ago, then the planes got rebased for the new, colossal and titanic task at hand. To conquer Soviet Union and claim the resources of that rich country!
The Luftwaffe after a starting debacle in the air space of United Kingdom started to grind down the Fighter Command, and scared the Bomber Command as well after shrinking their bombers some. (On a note we play with a "House Rule" mirroring the effect of the En Route Interception optional that is not coded).
Commonwealth has augmented the production of fighters in fact.

[AlbertN]

End of Jan - Feb 1942.

Romanian front, throbbing with German units ready to kick into action.

[AlbertN]

End of Mar / Apr 1942 - Total War Begins

Unusually for the Eastern Front, the weather looks most promising at the beginning of March, serene weather and solid ground allows the Germans to sweep in Russia, breaching the pact by surprise (The player was not exactly surprised though!).

The border defences crumbled under the relentless assault of the Germans, supported by some bombers of the Regia Aeronautica, Mussolini's token to the Barbarossa (instead of ground forces).

The weather worsened though after the initial outburst of German power, and the snow started to fall down from the sky, turning the landscape into an immaculate white, barely garnished of red anymore for the Soviets were wisely withdrawing at pre-established positions - as if they were prepared to get invaded!

The Baltic states got liberated, Minsk captured as well as the precious resources of Krivoy Rog.
Kiev was just in reach, the Luftwaffe moved in assets for the assault to the City (which would have happened through four hexsides), and the STAVKA opted to evacuate the City instead of attempt to perform resistance.
But the meteo forecast the Soviets had (Just the player being concerned of good weather and getting Kiev mauled, which had 2 INF and 1 ENG div) proved to be wrong, and the Germans celebrated the conquest of Kiev as well.
Vitebsk was evacuated as well, so Pskov was.

[AlbertN]

Mar / Apr 1942 - Barbarossa, Southern Front.

Odessa fell in German hands before the Soviets could relocate the factory. That was a good result achieved.

The Soviet Airforce is severely outnumbered, and outclassed by the Germans.
The Soviets rely on the riverlines to defend themselves.

And currently depending on who has the initiative, Leningrad factories could by cut out, before the one that can be railed out is!

On an additional note, Finland forces seized Murmansk.

[AlbertN]

End of Mar / Apr 1942. The Manchurian Front.

The Soviets overwhelmed the mountain defenders, but they gained enough time, and further assaults on an isolated pocked of Japanese units warrants for more losses of the russians.

A fighter squadron is recalled to be redeployed to the European Front. Most probably the Russian effort in Manchuria has reached a natural end due to combined effect of losses, and reinforcements being needed elsewhere.

[AlbertN]

End of Mar / Apr 1942:

The USA joined the war, declaring war to the Euro-Axis and the Japan abided to the Tripartite Pact, declaring war in return and starting to invade Wake Island straight off.

USA aligns Mexico for better resources and had aim on Brazil too (but turn ended prematurely).

The Italian Regia Marina sails forth to engage UK shipping in the Atlantic, facing heavy reaction of the Royal Navy with american units coming by even; but the Italian task force reveals itself superior in maneuvering and inflicts more punishment to the Allies. (There are few cruisers damaged per side, and the Littorio has been damaged too. The AA also pumped up by surprise has gunned down a Sunderland!).
Submarine warfare saw only the Italians achieving some sinking, but not entirely for free.

The Communist Chinese has advanced towarn Sian, crushing the veil of Japanese force inbetween (The Garrison 4-1), but the Japenese deflated the Nationalist Chinese sack east of Ankang, and were able to move troops to protect Sian.

The Indian front is all calm, Japanese perform raiding against Commonwealth convoys, but without success.

Japanese Imperial Guard performs landing closeby Manila. (Turn ends before they can seize the capital or the resource even).

Roosevelt issues almost the whole of the American Navy in the Pacific to Pearl Harbour now. Only 2 carriers, in wait of planes (more likely, "modern planes") are kept at San Diego.

[AlbertN]

Start of 5th Impulse (Axis) of May - Jun 1942

Southern Russia:

The Axis moved in to the Dnepr, and then assaulted the city west of the river.
Aerial battles took place where the Germans lost their best fighters (Both Fw190 of the 1941 year!) but managed to shot down some Soviet planes (One Ftr2 with 5 Air Factor, and 1 Land3 bomber).

The Soviets pulled back from the riverline in the south.

[AlbertN]

The Soviets are holding the river here, entrenched in Smolensk, whereas the Germans snuck some forces in the forest around the swampy area.

There is a weak spot, a single cavalry corp left all along behind a riverline.
The OBH hopes that will be the undoing of the Soviet defence line.

[AlbertN]

Start of 5th Impulse of May / Jun 1942.

The American subs got frisky against Japanese shippings. The death came from the sky.

The Royal Navy operating from Madagascar had a fight against the elite Japanese cruisers. The Brits had the worse.

The Finns failed an attack north of Leningrad. Or better they shattered the Russian defender, but lost their mechanized unit.

The Soviets in Manchuria, through 2 attacks destroyed the Japanese pocket. (and lost the 4-4 Inf, the 2-5 Mot-Div and the 3-2 Art there!).

The Brits bombard German factories in France and Holland. (1 PP bombed). With the Luftwaffe mainly relocated to Russia, the Commonwealth has got air superiority.

Italy is sort of stalled in Iraq, with only 2 HQs. Enough to attack Baghdad, which the Soviets evacuate anyhow bringing their cavalry corps manning the area to the safety of mountains (and the Italian lack of supply lanes long enough to push against them. Italy has the Supply unit there though).

Brits and USA forces are slowly building up - slowly still - in Spanish Morocco and Italy is pouring the meager troops they've in the area and Spain.
Germany reinforces France security units against Partisans, a sweep in Massif Central is made against french partisans. So for Hungarian insurgents.

The Losses until now:

[AlbertN]

End of May / June 1942.

Eastfront - North.

The Germans did grand advance but a sudden snowfall in the late of June (*coughs*) has brought to an unexpected halt their advance. (The turn ended on the 5th Allied impulse, 10th Impulse total of the turn).

A mix of factors, including luck and weather, saved many Soviet units from being annihilated (The three hexes Nort-West of Briansk were all disrupted, and 2 of the stacks were attacked already, disrupted already, and simply withdrew).
The defenders of Smolensk slowed down sufficiently the Germans to let the forces defending the high Dnepr to withdraw in good order, and what seemed an appetizing pocket simply slid out of the German grip like a viscid eel.

[AlbertN]

End of May / June 1942:

The Germans after storming the City of the Dnepr got the Soviets withdrawing to "better positions"; which allowed the Germans to sweep in and cross the river even with more ease.

The Soviets evacuate Stalino, and after the bombardments of Luftwaffe left in disarray many of their forces, bravely opted to hold a line at Kharkov, with a thin veil of defenders in Rostov.

Grand were the opportunities of the Germans, but General Winter had a latecoming yawn, and mud and snow prevented the Germans to exploit the situation with a vehement uppercut from south and an assault at Rostov.

[AlbertN]

End of May / Jun 1942

The Japanese maneuvers in China, attempting to stop the troops that withdrew from the northern productive oasis to the south, trying to reconvene with Chiang at Kunming.

As assault against them proved a bloodshed for the Japanese whereas the Chinese only danced away showing grand mastery of withdrawing tactics (1 INF of the Japs destroyed, and the Chinese withdrew closer to Kunming restoring their supply lane.)

Mao remains still without fuel for the few trucks it has to ferry around ammos and supplies, remaining pinned on the spot. His commie loyalists keep entrenched in the mountains, baring teeth and snarling, but otherwise doing nothing.

[AlbertN]

End of May / June 1942:

On the Manchurian front all is quiet.
Zhukov successfully wiped out the resistance of Japanese leftovers of the previous army, but in the while a new one is being prepared in Manchuria.
In the while the Soviets have been bled out in these assaults in the mountains, the Japanese sold their lives out at a high price.

And the grandtotal of the reinforcements Zhukov is receiving is a bundle of peasants armed with one rifle every two of them, and with five bullets each (The Militia railed at Chita! Irktusk one).

[Centuur]

It's too bad that I can't see the difference between swamp and mountain in the Mod you are using. Being colorblind is sometimes very difficult...

[AlbertN]

End of May / June 1942:

The Western Allies appear to want a "southern version" of Torch.

Their forces are slowly building up there, including modern squadrons of Spitfires and elite Yankees with trucks for the desert warfare.

Both Montgomery and Eisenhower have been assigned to command the operations in the zone.

[AlbertN]

End of May / June 1942:

Facing the Western Allies there is Field Marshal Balbo, with his imposing army of mixed regular troops of Italian homeland proper, and colonial forces recruited to bolster the ranks.

Meanwhile on the paper the numbers of Italian corps and forces could look impressive, with low fighting efficiency and scattered to defend the coast as well the perspectives aren't too pink for Balbo.

Mussolini has already requested assistance to Hitler, but the Fuhrer seems to have eyes only for the Russia at the present.
Although economical aid has been dispatched to Italy (5 BPs per turn but there is some naval project which could come to reality too late to make the difference.)

[AlbertN]

End of May / June 1942:

(Weather has been filtered off. It's raining. Hard).

The German defences of occupied France, and factories; against the rising pressure of the Bomber Command and their related fighters ready to escort the bombardiers.

[AlbertN]

Production coming July / August 1942:

Axis has produced already.
Allies still have to produce.

[AlbertN]

The Euro-Axis Madness, 1942 Navy Plan:

Allies still have to produce for May / June 1942.
The Axis, accounting for the USA late intervention in the war and the scarce production they have had, opt for this (folly) scheme of naval defence and projection of raiding power of surface elements against the enemy shipping.

Starting 1943 the ships should start coming halfway made, and some finished even. (I am not a believer of a strong Euro-Axis navy but this game is allowing a window of testing, so why not).