Boldairade (Allies) vs Nirosi (Axis). Boldairade welcome

[Nirosi]

December 22nd, 1939

Again, despite relatively few escorts present in the North Atlantic, the U-boats are having a hard time and are sustaining relatively heavy loses for mediocre results. Two flotillas are recalled back in Kiel while British troops seem to be deploying around Calais.

Interestingly, in the Eastern part of the Maginot line, the French seem to have left only divisions. OKW is considering if an opportunity is not to be taken there. However, that will mean reactivating some troops left with little mobility across the Rhine.

[Nirosi]

January 5th, 1940

In the Atlantic, again despite low level of escorts, the 2nd U-boat Flotilla, only one at sea for now, fails to find any cargo ship while suffering some loses.

[Nirosi]

In other news, the courageous Fins are holding their own against the Soviet mastodon! At the battle of Suomussalmi, two Soviet division were routed by a much smaller Finish force.

[Nirosi]

January 19th, 1940

The 2nd U-boat flotilla, failing to sink any merchant ship, was decimated by the sporadic escorts it encountered West of Morocco! OKM is investigating what makes those few Allied escort so deadly. In the meanwhile, the 1st and 3rd flotilla were sent back at sea to hunt.

[Nirosi]

February 2nd, 1940

Very mediocre results at sea by the U-boats, but nonetheless, no loses due to enemy actions were reported in the last two weeks.

[Nirosi]

February 16th, 1940

OKM reported average results against allied shipping in the North Atlantic and no U-boat loses. Things might be improving.

[Nirosi]

OKW reported that the Altmark was fired upon and boarded by British soldiers inside Norwegian waters. Berlin issued a formal protest to Oslo who in turn protested against British actions.

[Nirosi]

March 1st, 1940

A glorious moment for the Kriegsmarine! In the last few days, the U-boats managed to avenge their fallen comrades from the last months by sinking about 800 000 tons of merchant shipping as well as a handful of escort ships. However, the 3rd Flotilla sustained moderate loses forcing it back to Germany.

On land, more British deployment were detected in France, even air squadrons.

[Nirosi]

A Caproni (Ca.314) of the newly formed 10th Division “Squalo” practicing torpedo attacks South of Sicily.

[Nirosi]

March 15th, 1940

The 1st U-boat Flotilla, the only one at sea raiding, had mediocre results in the last few days. Since the war started, about 2.8 million toon of merchant shipping were sunk by U-boats as well as about 20 or so escort vessels of all type.

[Nirosi]

March 29th, 1940

At sea, the lone U-Boat Flotilla neither found the enemy, nor was found by it.

[Nirosi]

In Germany proper, people are enjoying the coming of the Spring with a strange nonchalance...

[Nirosi]

April 12th, 1940

A new slightly modified type of VIIC U-boat with better diving capabilities is slowly replacing the previous VIIC type and will be equipping the four U-boat flotillas of the Kriegsmarine (with one more on it way) in the near future. For now, all U-Boats are either at home in Germany or on their way back toward Germany.

OKW is now realising that the Allies will not be backing off and are getting stronger by the month. In close coordination with OKH and OKL, a plan for a swift offensive against France through Belgium is been prepared.

[Nirosi]

Generaloberst Guderian during a military exercice rehearsing the upcoming Spring offensive.

[Nirosi]

April 26th, 1940

OKW is ready for an assault on France that will go, like in 1914, through Belgium and Luxemburg in early May. For the endeavor, on top of about 20 infantry corps, OKH will field six mobile corps, three panzer corps and three motorised corps.
A cavalry corps will also be available early May but will probably not be in a state of readiness that will allow it to join the fight until late May. As such, it will be kept in reserve near the Maginot Line in case OKW tries to break the line near the Swiss border where it seems to have been weakened recently. All tank bearing unit will have respectable Panzer IIIF and Panzer IVD, but the more advanced G and E models will probably not start to reach frontline units until later in May.

To support the army, OKL will have available seven bomber groups, including three equipped with top-of-the-line Junkers 87B-2 and Junker 88A-2 ground support aircrafts. The other four bomber groups are equipped with various aircrafts ranging from the older Do 17Z to the new He 111H-3.

To protect the bombers, OKL has four fighter groups equipped with the very effective Bf 109E-3. A fifth group is to become operational just in time for the start of the offensive. However, it is feared that the British might have better Spitfires already available. The Bf 109E-4 might re-establish the balance, but first deliveries are not expected before late June at best.

At sea, OKM has resumed operation and sent four flotillas to hunt…

[Nirosi]

May 10th, 1940 (End of Axis turn)

On the morning of May 10th 1940, German troops rushed into Belgium and Luxemburg a few minutes after the declaration of war. At the German’s surprise, despite massive forces and air bombardment, the Brussel Cavalry corps, holding to South-Eastern flanks of Belgium, managed to hold for a whole day against two top-of-the-line German infantry corps. The small delay created some confusion in the plans and provoked a small traffic jam on Belgium’s roads. Eventually the Belgian corps had to retreat, and German mobile corps rushed in toward Brussel, capturing it 6 days latter. In the exuberance and enthusiasm of victory, once past the border, German mobile corps rushed in and conducted operations after losing contact with their army headquarters. Local commander took it then on their own to move in and capture Brussel in a race for the city, resulting in a certain lack of coordination during battles. OKH has informed all corps commanders that this will not be tolerated anymore, and that local commander have to wait for their headquarters to catch up with the situation! Overall, OKH reported losses equivalent of about heigh battalions, half of which are from mobile corps. Belgium loses where massive, and the government has decided to sue for peace two days after the fall of their capital.

The small delay at the borders also means that the rail line from Germany into Belgium through Luxemburg could not be occupied right away. It remains to be seen if French troop will dare advance to try and hold it. OKW is confident they will not risk it and OKH is confident that if they do come out of their defensive lines, they will pay dearly for what can at best be a small delaying tactic.

In the air, OKL reported the loss of about 332 aircrafts but believes to have destroyed about 596 enemy planes (175 Belgian, 298 British and 123 French).

In other news, after Iceland refusal to accept British troops and installations on its soil, British troops took the afternoon to occupy Reykjavik.

[Nirosi]

Regia Marina has informed Comando Supremo that the San Marco Regiment has finished been upgraded to a division and that the brand new Mare Nostrum Division is also available for deployment and fully operational. On the picture below, we can see member of the San Marco Division in an undisclosed location, the whereabout of both units are been keep secret for now.

[Nirosi]

British soldiers in Iceland.

[Harrybanana]

ORIGINAL: Nirosi

Are you willing to share your build plan for Germany? If you spend 0 PPs on replacements and upgrades you can build 1 armour on the September 15/39 turn which will arrive on the April 12/40 turn and another armour on the October 13/39 turn which will arrive on the May 10/40 turn. But you somehow received both of your armour on the April 26/40 turn or before. Did you garrison some infantry?

[Nirosi]

Hi HarryB,

Yes I did "bite the bullet" and put some infs (priority on the 50% XP ones) in garrison. The idea was to attempt to do it in a way that would be nil in cost by 1941-42 since Germany will need to have garrisoned units anyway for France etc. But, I would be willing to pay the cost anyway because I am always chicken and nervous for France (more than for Barbarossa) and would be gambling that the extra armor instead of a mech might reduce my loses in PPs by an equivalent amount of the degarrisoning cost and/or make France fall maybe a turn earlier (which would be worth it).

I do not intend for now to do it to prepare Barbarossa. Might just by the same amount of mobile but with less armors and more mechs. Against the Soviets in 1941, it makes a much smaller difference to have mechs vs armors compared to France where I think it might make a bigger difference (especially if the UK do commit in France).