Fall Weiss II Western Theater - Axis AAR

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The Red Army continues to gain back territory near Moscow, re-capturing Tula and destroying 3 Axis units in the process. With our nearby Tank Corps in need of reinforcements and difficulty operating reserves in the immediate proximity I have re-stationed the Luftwaffe away from the front line and pulled back slightly South-West of Tula to regroup.

A number of Tanks could be diverted from the Caucasus to Moscow, but I have finally taken the initiative and am approaching Grozny which after it is captured will seize the intermediate oil shortages which are effecting German income; Moscow will have to wait a few turns more. More likely reinforcements will come from near Voronezh as the city is now under attack and could free up significant forces if it falls.

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Axis income end of turn August 5, 1943.

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The Soviets still have not attempted to advance into Iraq, meanwhile elsewhere in the Middle East Saudia Arabia has begun sending convoy to USA.

A look at German and Soviet income; as Soviet income falls Germany's is not rising as a result of the before mentioned oil shortages, bombing campaign in Western Europe and supply shortages in Spain. It will definitely be a two front war in 1944 I aim to capture the Soviet oilfields before that happens.

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The Soviets destroyed the a German Mechanized Corps to retake control of the Western part of the capital of Moscow, but it once again changes in hands in favor of Germany on the Axis turn. Faced with terrible prospects of our attacking units elsewhere on this contested front, we have pulled back behind the Oka River which runs southward from Moscow and have sent considerable reinforcements from Smolensk, Voronezh and the Caucasus which includes multiple Infantry Armies, a Tank Army and Anti-Tank weapons. With the summer months soon coming to close Germany needs to shorten the front and cut off supply towards the Demyansk area.

Voronezh was occupied this turn, with significant support of the Luftwaffe and has resulted in the encirclement of considerable Soviet forces.

In the South we are finally within striking distance of Grozny, most of the remaining attacking forces are Romanian.

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The Red Army is advancing into Iraq, a Soviet Tank Army was destroyed near Baghdad where German Armour is stationed, a second Tank Army is coming out of the mountain paths in Southern Iraq where our defenses await.

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Germany has smashed the Soviet's defense of Moscow and has fully occupied the city and continue to close in on the extended Soviet front line near Velikiye Luki.

Germany also eliminated the Soviet pocket near Voronezh and has finally captured Grozny in the Caucasus region. The 43' summer offensive has seen numerous victories for the Axis.

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Germany has regained full initiative along the Eastern Front, and have notably stabilized the Moscow front which were the source of much of the German loses.

This game would have been very different had the Allies landed in Western Europe in 1943. The Western Allies are sure to invade in 1944 and I have manged to keep a healthy garrison in France. The Western Allies have been very quite for quite some time and will have a massive force from many turns of nothing but building. But it could too late.

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Germany continues to fight the now cut off forces in the region of Velikiye Luki and surrounding areas. The Soviets still have a strong foothold in Tula South of Moscow.

We make advances in Southern Russia, meanwhile in the Caucasus no advance as our forces needed considerable reinforcement.

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Germany re-captures Velikiye Luki and other supply sources in the Demyansk region, and expect to remove this pocket over the winter.

Germany launches an offensive on Tula, and march towards Saratov, North of Stalingrad. The situation looks dire for the Soveits in the Caucasus.

I expect USSR will have one last opportunity to ramp up over the winter in tandem with D-Day in the spring, but it is now a very long march to Berlin so late in the war.

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End of November 1943.

Will post Eastern Front maybe next turn, not a lot happening at the moment. Soviet unit count is at an all time low.

The DAK is preparing for a 2nd offensive into Iran.

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The Axis begin their offensive against the Red Army in Iran, destroying a Tank Army. 2 Italian Infantry Divisions have also just arrived as reinforcements.

Off the coast of Spain a large number of Axis submarines have taken to sea with surface navy for support.

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On the Eastern Front the Axis have nearly wiped out the large pocket of troops in the Demanysk region, and continue to force the Soviets back on all fronts. A portion of the Luftwaffe has been sent to France this turn, which I will take a review of next turn.

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Axis income is at an all time high to end 1943.

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The snow is a bit hard on the eyes for a screenshot of Western Europe, will post it when it thaws! Lots of movement on the Eastern Front, not a lot of casualties this turn in the snow.

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With the capture of Baku, the Allied AI automatically offered peace terms which I declined given it is the eve of D-day. With over 100 ground units and over 30 aircraft units, none of which is in any other theater of Europe the Western Allies could prove a force to be dealt with. The Western Allies have not fought in the war for nearly 2 years and have massed an amazing amount of power. The USA and Royal Navy is a combined 54 units, so I have no chance of winning the war at sea.

Without success of the Western Allies the USSR has no chance to regaining any initiative, if the Western Allies are defeated the war will be won.

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The Eastern Front is vast, stretching from Murmansk to Iraq. The Red Army is in tatters at this point.

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The Allies land in occupied France, in what I'm considering as a last ditch effort to win the war rather than what it was historically. German forces immediately strike along the coast North of Paris, recapturing Le Havre from the British. The Axis are very prepared for these landings as you can see.

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The Western Allies are striking hard in Europe, really ramping up their bombing campaign and having some early success in consolidating territory and ports for supply. The Germans for their part once again smash the British forward positions East of Caen.

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June 1944

The Allies offer to extend game play at the beginning of the turn, I accept. If the Allies will ever win a battle of attrition it likely won't be by next year.

I think.

After accepting I see the results of the previous turn; 3,500 MPP in damage to the Axis! A number of units were also destroyed on the Eastern Front as Soviet Armour (level V) made a re-appearance in number. A lot of German Tanks have be re-stationed to the Western Front which has softened by offensive capabilities somewhat in the East but the Soviets are still of the defensive mainly.

In the West Allied bombers are even striking Spain and Italy for good measure, dropping our income significantly over the previous turns and have also finally severed the Swedish convoy via diplomacy. The overall plan at this time has not changed, we hold the Soviets back in the East and in the West the Vichy French and Spanish Armies will bottle the Allies near the channel coast as Axis Armour sweeps across to Brest. Once the Allies are defeated I will turn my attention to London, to demoralize the Allies into defeat and a decisive German victory.

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Snapshot at end of turn June 1944. German Tanks are smashing the Allies near Caen, destroying multiple units this turn and once again capturing Le Havre which again fell to the Allies last turn.