Expanded Allied Air HQ

[kentkroeckel]

There were many aircraft switched out this turn. In particular, American level bombers and British fighters. Doing this manually costs 3 morale points instead of 1, when auto set. Worth it though. Air losses were near double for Allies, 727 and Axis 370 for both phases.

Air reconnaissance now shows the secretive Italian armor brigade that took the northern Sardinia port of Olbia.

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Allies still did not secure naval control of East Sardinia due to Luftwaffe intensity. Sicilian naval control is also reduced. Both Task Forces must be removed and repaired.

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Germany has assumed the vacated hexes so there will be intense combat this turn.

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[kentkroeckel]

The battle for the Sardinia port city of Tortoli is over. Allies used the last of their strength to push German 90 mechanized and Italian airborne unit out. German unit did not surrender and instead retreated. However, Allies had no movement left to take the port and Task Force had left. It looked like Axis could move back in but there was a British airborne unit not assigned to a drop. Therefore, it could be used in air transport. (Airbase to Airbase). This hex had 56 air engagements on turn 5.

the Northern port of Olbia was taken back by Allies but since the Italian armor brigade there had been in supply on current turn, it only routed; despite having no viable way off Island. One of the mysteries of game system.

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Next picture shows the success of British X and XIII corp punching hard into German armor defensive line. Costly but necessary, and successful. Both sides paid much for this action, with allies suffering more losses.

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[kentkroeckel]

when withdrawing the Task Force on Sardinia, it suffered additional damage, exceeding 100. 106 to be exact. Yet it made it to Allied port for repair. I do not have an answer for this. The Task Force on Sicily also went over a hundred damage when withdrawn but I do not remember the exact number. A distinction I want to make is that during German phase and Allied air phase Axis did not achieve the threshold of 100 damage points. This only occurred during movement. Maybe somehow that makes a difference instead of air phase bombing. Would like WitW community to answer this.

[Metalist]

Metalist
"In Sicily my depots do not receive freight at all, do you know why? Their priority is all 4. The entire island is supplied from Messina, which should increase truck use".

Kent answer:
All of the Sicilian ports are isolated due to capture or naval control. That is, except Messina, which has direct ferry to mainland Italy. This absolutely prevents isolation and can be confirmed by no Allied sea control number in ferry hexes.

I actually expected a distribution of freight through rail network, from Messina to rest of Sicily. But apparently it is not how it works. Thanks for the other answers, it seems PzG 90 was doomed from the start as the task force just would not let it leave.

Now I got another inquiry. As usual I put on rest my fighters when they reach fatigue above 60. Yet I noticed that after I execute air phase, their fatigue is gone. But shouldn't the recovery happen in logistical phase, meaning that my fighters should stay in rest mode until I get back the turn from you?

Some commentary:

Well I do not know how Sardinia could go differently, considering that Allies just hit all ports at once. Maybe further action could be done by Fallschirmjager, but too risky and may not worth it. However, such commitment may be the reason for the somewhat slower advance in Sicily. That mad tank regiment was a funny action but did not really hurt Allies I suppose

In Sicily, I did not expect Allies to crush my line considering that terrain was greatly advantageous to defender. That just signals it is time to run. I will still attempt to benefit from the terrain as much as possible to delay Allied advance, though.

By the way, air war is over the Reich is nothing like I've seen before. Despite being mostly small, there are just so many engagements, most likely because of expanded allied air hqs, unless you are doing something different from our previous game.

[kentkroeckel]

Germany created more air naval protection around Italy and Corsica. Below is picture of it.

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The following picture is the result of Allied air phase. An emphasis has been placed on Corsica, which is now isolated.

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Victory points were 11 for Allies so the total of game is around -40, in favor of Axis. Amphibious losses are at 28 making pool loss at -8. Air losses for both phases are: Axis 429 and Allies at 769. This is an advantage of 340 in favor of Luftwaffe.

Final picture is closeup of Corsica being isolated, despite have Axis control sea hexes nearby.

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[kentkroeckel]

I am glad to report that Sardinia has been completely secured by Allies. picture is below.

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Next picture is a closeup of Sicily before movement. The new German line is obvious, forming towards the connecting port city of Messina.

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The rest of Sicily will probibly be defended by Italians. Not much else you can do with them except slow down Allies for a couple or three weeks. At least this prevents most of Sicily flipping to Allies immediately. though a lingering question for Allies is if Corsica garrisons have been bolstered.

next picture is of Allies' expansion over Sicily. British XIII is challenging German Messina line while X corp has cut Sicily in half, thus isolating it due to naval interdiction. now the process of overwhelming defenders is left.

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Allies did an air assault on the Sicilian port of Sciacca. The American attempt failed. Fatal hex drop. Allied intelligence believed it to be lightly protected but it had a substantial garrison. Another oops by Allied Command. (Kent).

[kentkroeckel]

An earlier post Metalist asked me and the WitW community about air crew fatigue and how it works. He delved into the subject and found an interesting aspect to it. Traditionally, one sets air HQs on rest to help recover from fatigue along with morale. That is as far as I ever took it. However, since it is a two stage process, meaning recovery during logistic phase and then after air phase, more can be done. For air HQ assigned to just friendly air phase missions, place them on rest after air phase. the HQ will get an extra bump in fatigue reduction along with probibly morale increase. All credit on subject goes to metalist.

Metalist asked why there seems to be more strategic bombing this game than last year. I told him it was his fault because of his excellent strategy on moving aircraft to a new base and then conducting air missions. This neutralized Allied ground bombing since reconnaissance would be inaccurate. Brilliant!

To overcome this, Allies are dedicating all level bombers that are capable of strategic bombing to do so. There are a few that are naval only designated. I have also dedicated several escorts, (FF, NF, FB) on the missions too. I keep them nationality sensitive too. Meaning, a Polish level bomber is escorted by a Polish air wing. Of course none of that is required but should be. [My thoughts on it.] I am finding this to be effective but now Metalist has added an extra layer of complexity. Ha. I will have to place all air HQ to rest after conducting missions of strategic bombing, reconnaissance, and any other single friendly phase mission.

I am conducting all ground attacks at the current time with tactical and fighter bombers. The last being trained as such. My goal is to keep hammering air base within 15 hexes. Any further out will limit repeat missions by an air wing millage. For example, I try to get my air wing conducting ground attacks within five hexes and set the mission number to 25. I have had some accomplish this if they are 1 or 2 hexes away from target. Germany fighter aircraft generally have short range so to get good use out of them Axis have to bring Luftwaffe close to front line. Long range Axis bombers Allies are only engaging with air superiority.

Allies have also changed strategic missions to day. More losses but better results. Missions are still set at highest altitude possible. This seems to be the most powerful protector of aircraft yet still providing good results. Weekly bombing pattern is set at: 1,2,4,5,6, with 3,7 for off. A five day bombing pattern. More intelligence for Axis.

There are two charts Metalist wanted me to add for air fatigue. Below is what he sent for insertion to help with topic. It clarifies air recovery for squadrons / wings.

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Second one with German air morale statistics.

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[kentkroeckel]

Axis did well in executing naval control over key areas of Mediterranean. Below is overall picture before Allied air phase.

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Next is closeup of Sicily. Notice how Allies have lost naval control, thus allowing Italian units to receive logistics.

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Next is Corsica. It too has been freed from naval isolation.

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For turn 7 victory points were 12, resulting in game total of -29. Amphibious losses are at -29, acceptable for Allies. Axis air phase was 113 losses for Luftwaffe and 72 for Allies.