Fall Weiss II Western Theater - Axis AAR

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ORIGINAL: John B.

Those Soviet losses are incredible! I wonder the the Western Allies can distract you enough to give the USSR time to rebuild its shattered forces. Given that they sat around for two years they may have quite a number of units to pound you with.

The Western Allies certainly have a lot of units to pound with, but I'm not sure the Soviets will ever regain initiative unless USA/UK make a serious push into Germany and its becomes critical to stop them at expense of holding back the Soviets.

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Paris has become a front line city; an experienced German Tank Corps has been tasked with its defense from within. Germany is beginning to reform earlier defeated units on the Western Front, including a number of Tanks and Mechanized units.

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Falls begins to turn to winter in France, the German Tank Corps in Paris successfully defends the occupied French capital as Allied Tanks force their way eastward aside the English channel. Our front lines are thinning, with Infantry Divisions where I would rather have Armies. Southward the Allies have begun crossing the Spanish border, where Italy has come to the rescue of their fascist ally.

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The Axis continue to hold their defensive positions as well as possible, while also beginning preparations for a major offensive against the Allies, with a number of new Tanks en route to Paris.

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I can feel the noose tightening on Paris, and an unlucky counter attack from the German Tank Corps which resulted in higher damage then anticipated does not help the situation. With only Infantry Divisions or an Anti-Air unit as possible swap outs I will have to hope it holds. The Italian Army has been nearly entirely tasked with defending Vichy France, this is a very soft defensive front compared to Norther France even with the mountain terrain.

In the South Spain has formed a number of new Infantry Corps to form a solid defensive line in tandem with the Italians.

Where is the DAK? Still in Iran and have defeated a rather desperate offensive into the country by the Red Army.

Winter on the Eastern Front is bogged down, but will post something next turn.

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The Western Allies have liberated Paris!

In the East we have are bogged down in weather and unable to occupy Astrakhan.

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With the liberation of Paris Germany finalizes preparations for a decisive offensive in French territory, a number of German Tank Corps are also transferred from Gorky region, as well as freshly build units.

Astrakhan was also finally occupied this turn, once again shortening the Eastern front.

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The German counter-offensive in France strikes hard in the most Northern part of occupied French territory, and the Germans recapture both Calais and Amiens. Most of the Axis losses this turn are in Southern France.

Despite the success of the counter attack neutral Vichy French states are being called upon to join the Allies. Turkey has also severed trade with Germany now, which was worth 30 MPP every turn.

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Poor spring weather in France slows the German offensive this turn, but it is now clearly the Western Allies that are on the defensive once again.

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The Axis once again occupy Paris as the Allies have no clear answer for our Tanks, and have captured the Saratov after a long and grinding battle on the Eastern Front which spanned over many months. East of Moscow are front lines are thinned as we have sent significant reinforcements to the Western Front. The Soviets are attempting to attack our rears but poor supply will hinder that effort significantly.

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Germany is forced to send some reinforcements to Gorky to help hold our positions, while our main advance continues in the West. Despite losing a number of offensive units over the last two turns, including a Tank Army and Mechanized Corps we firmly maintain the initiative.

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While the Allies have still displayed the ability to inflict losses on the Axis, their gains in France are quickly being erased and their front lines shattered this turn by a wave of German Armour. This turn I've re-purchased the German Paratrooper as it may be well time to put the Allied AI out of it's misery!

The Soviets manage to re-capture a town West of Saratov this turn, not likely to turn the war though!

The last few posts have been a bit rapid fire, but it's becoming pretty lopsided now, it had already been in the East.

[BillRunacre]

That was some Axis counter-offensive to retake Paris!

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ORIGINAL: BillRunacre

That was some Axis counter-offensive to retake Paris!

Yes sir! Battle to end the war!

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The German army continues to steamroll westward from Paris, destroying most of the front line American forces and exposing the vulnerable Allied airfields. In the East the Soviets have recaptured a town North-East of Moscow due to Axis supply constraints, but the advance is facing a strong German defensive position.

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Germany continues to eliminate any earlier accomplished Allied gains in France, both sides continue to take losses but the Western Allies are taking the worst of it.

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In France, the German Army cuts off Cherbourg from the remainder of the Allies mainland forces in Europe and continue to close in on the Western coast, but the Allies continue to hold firm in Vichy french territory and have even made a surprising breakthrough in Spain. Due to Allied bombings I can not get a single unit operated to Spain with the exception of an Italian HQ which joins a Spanish Garrison in the defense of Madrid!

In the East we have now erased any gains the Soviets have made this summer.

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Clear skies over Western Europe but the Allies are forced to re-base the majority of their air forces offering a much needed break from constant bombardment. Germany is quickly approaching the Western coast of France to push the remaining Allies into the sea. The only things going wrong right now is unfortunately I am still unable to get any ground forces close to Madrid, where only a Italian HQ remains to protect the capital from American forces which broke through our defensive positions along the French border last turn.

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This was a terrible turn for the Axis, after a turn of little to no bombardment the Allies nearly annihilated the entire Luftwaffe which I had re stationed late summer between Luxembourg and Brussels to be within striking distance of London. 2 Bombers were destroyed and the rest of the Luftwaffe were forced to limp back into Germany for repairs.

The Allies also destroyed 2 of our forward Tank formations in western France, and the Americans managed to destroy the Italian HQ in Madrid and captured the capital, though the Spanish have not immediately surrendered I do not think there is anything I can do to save them. Though you can not see it in this early turn screenshot, Italian units were sent via transport to garrison Gibraltar and Lisbon this turn. Vichy Algeria also joined the Allies this turn, which is of little consequence at this point in the war.

Also of minor note, the Allies have cornered the remainder of our submarines which have been harassing the Soviet convoys.

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You can see the huge spike in German losses last turn, largely from aerial attack, and certainly exaggerated by the crippling attack on the Luftwaffe. The Allies are trying to make their last stand in Norther France, but there is still a stalemate in Vichy French territory.

With the Luftwaffe temporarily out of commission on the Western Front and our offensive nearly exhausted, we have sent a number of our most experienced units from the Eastern Front to the region just north of Paris for reinforcement.

Also a rare updated screenshot for Finland which has successfully remained on the defensive for some time.