How the Axis could have won II. Allied AAR

[warspite1]

2nd September 1941

The Axis forces have withdrawn from El-Alamein, leaving a covering force only. How far back have they retreated though?......

Quite unexpectedly the 3rd Cruiser Division (Trieste, Bolzano and Trento) has sailed to Alexandria??

[warspite1]

2nd September 1941

The Greeks are facing the end game - I just don't have the MPP to spare I am afraid. The fact that the Prime Minister Alexandros Korygis has committed suicide has not helped matters or morale.....

[warspite1]

2nd September 1941

At last the Germans have got serious about Kaunas, whose days are clearly numbered. Further north, holding onto Riga may be difficult.

The Soviet Baltic subs keep the pressure on, costing the Germans another 14 MPP.

[warspite1]

2nd September 1941

The German forces - at least those that can be seen - around Minsk seems a little light. Is there a counter-attack opportunity here I wonder?

[warspite1]

2nd September 1941

In the south the Soviets are praying for a big haul of reinforcements....

[warspite1]

9th September 1941

The German surface fleet remains intact and so I give the go ahead to this operation.

[warspite1]

9th September 1941

The Soviets and British may be having problems with the Axis, but the mighty Persians? No problems.

[warspite1]

9th September 1941

Reinforcements

United Kingdom
The Canadians get a tank unit near Halifax

United States
A Fighter unit in New York

Soviet Union
A Fighter unit near Leningrad

MPP Expenditure

UK - All MPP goes toward reinforcing Egypt.
USA - Research into Production Tech, Command and Control and AT.
USSR - 1 each of Mech, Army, Corps and Garrison

[warspite1]

9th September 1941

United Kingdom

The German Wolf Pack on the Canada route is found again by the Royal Navy's 1st and 2nd Escort Flotilla. Damage is inflicted initially but then the surviving U-Boats manage to evade their pursuers once more.

On the Arctic route the Wolf Pack managed to get away.

In the Eastern Mediterranean the 3rd Cruiser Division paid for its bizarre mission with the loss of all three heavy cruisers. The Regia Marina has taken some major losses to date:

- 2 battleships (Caio Duilio, Andrea Doria)
- 2 Cruiser Divisions (Trento, Trieste, Bolzano, Pola, Fiume, Zara)
- 1 Destroyer Flotilla (x)

[warspite1]

9th September 1941

United Kingdom

The decision is made not to attack in North Africa. As it is there are simply too few MPP to repair the air force and some of the army. Further losses without guarantee of success would be reckless.

I could do with some more fighters and tanks - but I need MPP for those too!

[warspite1]

9th September 1941

Soviet Union

The Soviet High Command, at Stalin's 'request' decide to launch a counter-attack north of Minsk. 3rd Army attacks the German VII Corps, forcing the German unit to retreat. It is then attacked by the 2nd Light Tank Corps, which can make absolutely no headway against the resolute defenders. Meanwhile I Corps, which was supposed to support the attack, gives up its defensive position behind the river for nothing, as it cannot attack the Germans before they retreat out of range.....

Totally 'forgetting' from where the idea to attack emanated from, Stalin asks Colonel-General Pavlov why he was so foolish as to order such a foolhardy operation. When the stuttering, shaking Pavlov mutters that it was Stalin's own idea, Uncle Joe puts a consoling hand on the man's shoulder. "I think you need a rest Pavlov, my good friend Beria is outside, why don't you go and have a little chat with him?".....

[warspite1]

16th September 1941

We start the review of the AI turn in the desert once more. The Axis forces have tried attacking El-Alamein once again, although the attacks proved ineffective and caused some loss to the attacking units.

[warspite1]

16th September 1941

The Greeks are down to one unit in the capital (plus the remnants of the III Corps in Bulgaria)!

I can upgrade the defenders of Athens but MPP are a problem at present and so I suspect I won't bother.

[warspite1]

16th September 1941
Losses were manageable on the Eastern Front last turn.

The German U-Boats remain at large in the North Atlantic...

[warspite1]

16th September 1941

The Germans have taken the brave defenders of Kaunas and will no doubt soon be in a position to bring those troops up to the front line. I wish I had placed more troops on the river line....

The German Navy - as far as I can tell sans destroyers - have appeared in the Gulf of Finland again? I won't bring my subs to the area as they are enjoying interdicting convoy traffic too much at present.

[warspite1]

16th September 1941

Looks like Stalin had Pavlov shot for nothing. The Germans of Army Group Centre were in no position to take advantage of the Soviet mistake. The Germans still seem remarkably light for this key route to Moscow.

[warspite1]

16th September 1941

Call me old fashioned but I think the defenders of Kiev are in the stickiest situation since sticky the stick insect got caught on a sticky bun. Pleasing to see the losses incurred by both the panzers and infantry. 2nd Hungarian Army in particular has been mauled in the process of reducing the city.

[warspite1]

16th September 1941

What does one have to do to get an Honour round here?? The defenders of Odessa are getting close to matching their historical counterparts - who were not withdrawn from the city until 15th/16th October 1941. The Germans have brought up reinforcements - including the Luftwaffe - so such a prolonged stay may be beyond them, but either way, we salute the heroes of 4th Corps.

[warspite1]

23rd September 1941

So lets take stock a little.

In the Soviet Union I am slightly ahead of my position in the last game (although that was not difficult). In addition I have Infantry Weapons, AT Weapons and Advanced Tanks being researched (level 2).

The US are keeping research levels at cira 1,600 or so. I will need to start buying units soon I think.

The British are the concern. They have probably saved Egypt - but don't appear powerful enough to advance. I am having to spend all MPP on keeping units in the field operational - but research has been nil for some time now. I have units that need reinforcing and upgrading and reinforcements that cannot move because I cannot spend the MPP.

However, I am going to have to bite the bullet and spend on research....

[warspite1]

23rd September 1941

Reinforcements

Soviet Union
2 x Garrison - Zaporhyze and Tartu
3 x Shock Armies - Orsha, Gomel and Konotop
2 x Corps - Kherson and Chernigov

MPP Expenditure

UK - The UK spend a few points on the RAF and Army in Egypt, but save the bulk of the MPP for research.
USA - The US ensure that all units in the US are reinforced and upgraded to the max
USSR - Rokossovsky HQ, 3 x Corps 1 x Garrison