Hitler in person compliments the German "Bautruppen" on finishing the "Tor zu Mediterannéé". The "Wochenschau" shows pictures of huge bunkers and big guns. No Allied ship can sail and no Allied soldier will be able to go to the "frontdoor"...
The US needs to unload the troops into Morocco. It is therefore decided not to pass with the Allies. France passes and the other Allied powers take land actions.
Listen to: Blue Rain - Glenn Miller (Ray Eberle, vocal)
Abwehr reports that large numbers of heavy bombers are reported in East Anglia. Luftwaffe command advises the Führer that more FTR's needs to be returned from the frontlines to protect the home cities from air attacks.
Good weather late in the turn.. now if the Axis could take advantage of not only that but a possible double move. Too bad things are not in better shape in Russia to do something offensively. Russia is slowly getting back to their feet unfortunately for the Axis cause.
I made one small mistake with Tangiers. I shouldn't have fortified the hex adjacent to Gibraltar. That happened because it seems to be impossible to remove a fortification if the hexside has been chosen in MWIF. All other fortress hexes are deliberately placed.
Gibraltar can be attacked out of the Med, the moment the Allies get Egypt back under control. Also, if they crack Tangiers, they can put a small invasion task force in the Western Med, covered with long range FTR's and invade from that part of the Med too, thus avoiding the halvings. Sure, it's somewhat of a long shot, but better be safe than sorry, where Gibraltar is concerned. It's the gateway to Italy and I want that gate to be shut for a long, long time...
Fine spring weather. All Axis powers take land actions.
Germany ground strikes a single Soviet unit. This gives the Soviets something to think about. Intercept, or not. The Soviets scrambles one FTR, after which the Luftwaffe reacts:
The 1st SS ARM and the Para's are railed into the Ostfront. Italy rails a unit into Greece. Japan rails a unit out of Komsomolsk to China and another unit to Ulan-Ude, Where Umezu is thinking about attacking Irkutsk during the summer:
The Japanese improve positions in Birma. They retreat the remaining INF in Australia towards the coast, perhaps it can be evacuated sometimes. No attacks are declared by the Japanese.
Listen to La Esterella, singing the famous Zarah Leander song: "Ich weiss, es wird einmal ein Wunder gescheh'n”
Axis positions are improved in Morocco and Egypt. At the Ostfront, von Rundstedt decide it's time to attack. The first attack is across a river, north of Ufa, in a hex where there is only one Soviet unit defending. The Luftwaffe and artillery provides ground support. The USSR decides to fly it's remaining bomber to the hex too, escorted by FTR's:
Von Rundstedt and von Manstein are reorganising units, since their might come another Axis impulse, if only because the Soviets can't affort to pass with the Ostfront looking like this: