How the Axis could have won II. Allied AAR

[warspite1]

15th April 1941

The German/Italian attack on Yugoslavia grinds on - the Yugoslavs, with no support from me, are not going to last much longer.

More attacks in the North Atlantic - I will needs to get the destroyers back out.

The Afrika Korps start to move and the Italian 11th Army, with panzers in support, advance to just outside El-Alamein.

[warspite1]

15th April 1941

The Soviets and Japanese shore up their mutual borders so they can concentrate elsewhere...

[warspite1]

26th April 1941

There appears to be something wrong in Iraq. I have posted on the main forum as I think I have too many British units. I answered yes to sending the Indian XIII Corps, and got rather more than I bargained for:

[warspite1]

26th April 1941

Reinforcements

None

MPP Expenditure

UK - Upgrading is the order of the day as the British have naval weaponry and ASW improvements to incorporate.
USA - The USA upgrade as many of their units as possible (3 out of 4)
USSR - The USSR continue their upgrade program

[warspite1]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STOP PRESS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The War is on hold as Father Christmas has been and
there are pressies to be given out.

[warspite1]

7th May 1941

Here is a summary of what happened in the AI turn:

[warspite1]

7th May 1941

The fractured nation that is Yugoslavia surrenders, and in no time the various Slav nationalities show their true colours and allegiances - highlighted by the actions of the pro-German Croats and the pro-Soviet Serbians.

[warspite1]

7th May 1941

Okay we are now officially in weirdo territory.....

....I hear Adolf took the news well....

[warspite1]

7th May 1941

The U-Boats continue to cause havoc on the North Atlantic run, but I have three destroyer flotillas with the latest upgrades heading to the last reported sighting area.

In Egypt the Italians army is replaced with another German unit. The Germans appear to have done a lot of hinterland manoeuvring but have yet to attack.

[warspite1]

18th May 1941

The UK build up in North Africa continues. 10th Army begins formation in Jerusalem.

[warspite1]

18th May 1941

The Axis forces receive their first real set back as Mussolini loses his East African Empire....

[warspite1]

18th May 1941

Reinforcements

United Kingdom
Two Garrisons arrive in Egypt, freeing up troops to man the fortified zones.

MPP Expenditure

UK - The Royal Navy get the attention - starting with those in Egypt
USA - The USA finalising the upgrade of existing troops and save the rest.
USSR - The USSR income seems to be reasonable at last. AT research is begun.

[warspite1]

18th May 1941

The only action happens in the North Atlantic where one of the Canadian destroyer flotillas falls upon a Wolf Pack, inflicting 1:2 damage.

The 2nd Submarine Flotilla heads to the Skaggerak once more.

[warspite1]

29th May 1941

The Axis appear to have forgotten completely about Greece. I don't intend to remind him and Greek forces stay put.

In the North Atlantic a second Wolf Pack begins attacking convoys further south, and the Allies cannot find them, but the northern pack is found by two flotillas. The 1st (Canadian) is surprised, but the 2nd Escort Flotilla pounces upon the unsuspecting U-Boats and the German unit is all but annihilated.

In the desert Rommel begins his attack, falling upon the 1st Australian Corps, defending El-Alamein, and inflicting enormous casualties. 12th Corps to the south also come under attack but receive only light casualties in their fortified position.

[warspite1]

9th June 1941

Reinforcements

None

MPP Expenditure

UK - Thinking I was buying for the Soviets, the Britsh have just bought 3 Garrisons with the latest upgrades that they don't need. What a ****
USA - Research Advanced Aircraft
USSR - 6 Garrisons.

[warspite1]

9th June 1941

Having totally mucked up my building program with the Soviets - and spent all my British MPP on stuff I don't want or need, the British have the problem of what to do in North Africa.

11th Army are brought in to replace the Australians that have been taken out of the line, while 4th Corps do the same with 12th Corps. The Royal Artillery bring the Italians investing El-Alamein under heavy fire and then the desert air force are sent into attack the German units to the south. The Germans take some punishment and I am hoping they will be in no mood to counterattack as, of course, neither 11th Army nor 4th Corps are dug-in....

[warspite1]

20th June 1941

"We only have to kick down the door, and the whole rotten edifice will come crashing down!".

On the 20th June 1941 Adolf Hitler launches Operation Barbarossa. Uncle Joe Stalin was totally taken aback by the news. Having been certain that his advisers were all wrong, he could not believe that Adolf Hitler had betrayed him. That night he sat down to write up his diary. He wrote most eloquently of the angst and inner turmoil he was feeling that evening...

"Oh ****!"

[warspite1]

20th June 1941

We start the review of the AI turn in the desert however.

The German attack against the El-Alamein line has failed - at least for now. The front line British units soaked up the punishment and, unable to make headway and taking much punishment in the process, the Axis units withdrew from the front line - all except the panzers of the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions whose lead elements remain engaged with the British units.

[warspite1]

20th June 1941

Before looking at the Eastern Front in detail, here is a summary of last AI turn's happenings. This is noticeable for the fact that, when compared to my previous game, the Soviet losses on that first turn are much smaller:

[warspite1]

20th June 1941

The Northwestern Front has yet to really come into play. The lead elements of 14th Army clashed with 2nd Corps, defending Kaunas, but aside from that, von Leeb's units have yet to show themselves.

For Colonel-General Pavlov's exposed Western Front, its a different story. The defenders of Brest-Litovsk performed wonders in stopping a breakthrough by 8th Army, a breakthrough that would have led to the encirclement of the bulk of the Front's divisions. Equally deserving of mention were the IV Corps, defending Bialystok, that held off determined assaults by VII Corps.