Scorched earth scenario Magicmissile Axis

[MagicMissile]

I thought we can never have enough AARs so thought I would do two more these ones with the very nice mod "Scorched earth" scenario. I like the map and the units very much. The only small balance issue I thought of might be that there are a lot more ports in the Black sea which means more garrison units for the Sovietunion.

My opponent is welcome and can comment as much as he likes.

I am starting the action in 1942 for more end game content for possible balance discussions. I have found in games I have played that Germany folds really fast once it starts going downhill.

In this game my campaign in France went really bad, I lost 3 corps including 2 arm corps and I basically thought the game was over. France fell in July and rest of 1940 I took Greece and Malta. I launched Barbarossa first turn of April against a fairly large Soviet army I think it was around 1800-1900 strength. I managed to take Moscow and Leningrad in the last turn of August. I was then down to about 55 oil so it was a very close call. My low oil was partly because Great Britain built a lot of stratbombers early now in January 42 I think there are 4 of them. I put AA and interceptors and the oilbombing campaign came with a price as can be seen from the casualties screen further down.

I have so far managed to contain the English in North Africa but expect a invasion in western North Africa as soon as the weather improves.

The Battle of the Atlantic went bad from the beginning and there are no subs left so thats that .

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Eastern front.

Dont think there is any secret that I will try and exploit the gap in the front in the south and during the summer try and go for the oil and also try to Pac Man the Soviet army by trying to kill off at least one unit per turn on average to keep the soviet unit count down to size.

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The mediterranean

I sent a couple of Germans to NA to stiffen the Italians and at least it is still holding out.

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Forces as per January 2 1942

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And casualties up to Dec 1941

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27 th February 1942

In the snow axis troops advance south through the gap trying to stop the Soviet forces escaping.

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As in the other game lots of fighting around Tobruk.

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In the east good weather finally arrive. There was no cold weather in March or April unfortunately. Some Rumanians advance east of Stalingrad and Baku is in sight.

I do feel the game might still be a little hard on the Soviets. Maybe better with the last patch but still. Not only do you have to survive 41 but you must do so and lose very few units since it is the Germans that can afford a long front and the Soviets cannot.

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In the Med the allies launch Torch and conquers Western North Africa. The axis were low on landing ships but had a paratrooper on Sicily that landed on Tunis so I will try and contest Africa during the Summer and Fall of 42 at least.

In Libya there are 2 Germans corps that have so far been able to stall any British advance.

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June 5 42

In Russia lots of scrappy fighting all over the front. I am also finding it hard to hold the line. Even having divisions on the line at some places. Russian counterattack and shattered a Pz corps and inf corps while I try to finish of the campaign in the Caucasus. My feeling was good a couple of turns ago feels a lot worse now [:)].

Caucasus should be done in a few turns but the troops there wont be back on the main line until summer is over basically. There will not be any clear victory in Russia in this game I think so the game will probably go the whole way it is very exciting.

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I desperately try to save a PZ that got isolated behind Soviet lines after a greedy "I want to overrun som airforce units" raid which backfired.

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And the northern part

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In the Mediterranean Africa is falling fast. I have some units defending a bit of Tunis but there is a big risk they will end up as PoWs so likely not worth it. Not sure if I should try and withdraw them.

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The end is near in Africa I evacuate Tripoli and Tobruk. So we lose one VP city there.

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But I get another VP hex as Germany capture Teheran and Italian cavalry approach Iraq.

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In the east I want to capture the last VP in Stalingrad and after that I will be more defensive.

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On the eatern fron the fighting still rages on around Stalingrad. I have lost 3 pz corps due to shatters. Bad position and way too tired but we inflict a lot of losses as well.

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Closer look around Stalingrad. I hope I have dealt enough damage and that I might be able to grab Stalingrad in September.
I also highly recommend to build some italian cav (or German) they are very nice when the frontline is not intact. And they are cheap so you dont really mind losing them.

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Allied troops arrive in the middle east. I dont really know how it works. Can Allied units move into Russia if the ground is German controlled? I dont want to lose my hard won oil yet [:)].

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In the Mediterranen the last axis units hold out in Benghazi. Lots of allied units staring at Sicily.