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May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 4

The effect of the shooting is:

Smolensk - 3-point reduction
The hex east - no reduction
The hex south - no reduction

Mmmmm .... based on this and the previous AA fire I get the impression at least two shots should be used for each target.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 4

The Stuka just got one hit right at the death on Smolensk. In the other two hexes, both achieved 50% hits on the land units.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 4

Rommel shows his hand and moves north toward Kursk. Could we yet witness another Prokhorovka and the Death Ride of the 4th Panzer Army?!

Regardless of whether we do or not, that is for another time. The Germans have no aircraft to think about an attack on the city this impulse. Instead the focus is solely on Smolensk, where there is an absolutely key battle going on.

Von Bock commits HQ Support and the Luftwaffe commit three bombers to increase the odds. Luftwaffe fighter strength is too great and the Soviets cannot contest the air space over the city.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 4

HQ support fails and so the odds will be a 4:1 +2 on the Assault Table....

...6(8) The Soviets lose two units and the third is Shattered. The city falls.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 5

We have a weather throw of 8 and thus it is Fine everywhere.

The CW land the 9th Armoured Corps at Trapani to like up with the 2nd Infantry Corps for an attack on Palermo. Once again the addition of naval gunfire support is key and the attack, against the Italian Garrison unit is automatic.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 6

The Germans decide against ground strikes in the Soviet Union. They want to preserve the air missions - and besides, their main target, southeast of Smolensk, already has a +1.

In Italy, the Germans rail the 9th Infantry Corps to Messina from Greece, while the recently out of supply Celere Motorised Corps withdraws toward the town in order to get back in supply. This makes the unit disorganised, but at least is back in supply and in the mountains.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 6

The Germans announce two key attacks in the Soviet Union:

1. Kursk
2. Southeast of Smolensk.

In the latter attack the Germans can bring in the last of their bomber strength in the area to try and bring the odds up. There is nothing the Soviets can do to counter - the Luftwaffe can get 11 factors of air to air....

However at Kursk the situation is less clearcut. The Germans send in the first of their new Heavy Bomber units and their only fighter. The Soviets retaliate with all that they sensibly can: Two fighters and four bombers. If successful they can get the odds down to 2:1....

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 6

Over Kursk the odds are heavily in favour of the Soviets 5.0:6.5.

Round 1 (Soviets to throw first)

2 - AX The Soviets choose which unit to destroy - needless to say the Bf-109 is destroyed (the pilot survives).
20 - AX PX Two extremes! The Germans chooses to destroy the Yak-9M (the pilot is killed)

The Germans stick around as the difference is air to air is now better!

Round 2

10 - DC the He-177 is cleared through
15 - DA the Soviet fighter is aborted.

The combat ends - a good result for the Soviets!

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 6

The first attack is that against the units south of Smolensk. Its a 4:1 +1 on the Blitz table...

...its only a 3(4). The Germans lose an ART and are disorganised. The Soviets retreat. Not good at all..

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 6

Having just suffered a result like that, the Germans nervously prepare for this 2:1 no modifiers on the Assault Table....

...its a 6. Both sides lose a unit and are disorganised. A bad turn for the Germans...

With almost all German units disorganised in the South, the USSR can move some units out of the cities to make room for reinforcements in the area. To me, it is slowly looking like the Germans should start thinking about having a solid line after the winter. They've lost momentum...

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 7

The weather roll is a 4. The Northern Monsoon is Rain but otherwise everywhere is Fine.

ORIGINAL: Centuur

With almost all German units disorganised in the South, the USSR can move some units out of the cities to make room for reinforcements in the area. To me, it is slowly looking like the Germans should start thinking about having a solid line after the winter. They've lost momentum...

warspite1

Yes, that is what I did last turn and will do so again this.

Re momentum, yes I agree. I cannot see the Germans losing this game unless they throw it away by being reckless. If they pull back at the right time, there is unlikely to be a way through for the Soviets.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 7

The RAF are ordered to provide a ground strike against the Italians in Tripoli. More used to anti-shipping duty, a Beaufighter is happy to oblige, scoring 2 out of 3 hits.

So unless I'm mistaken, Tripoli now has 4 combat factors, 6 if there are attacking ARM/MECH?

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 7

The CW announce two attacks:

1. Tripoli
2. Sicily

The RN provides significant naval gunfire support to the Sicily attack and more limited assistance from cruisers in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The ground striking of two of the Italian units in Tripoli has greatly helped as these units are out of supply.

ORIGINAL: composer99

So unless I'm mistaken, Tripoli now has 4 combat factors, 6 if there are attacking ARM/MECH?

warspite1

You know your stuff Mr C [&o]

Yes 6 as Wavell and the Western Desert Force are part of the attack.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 7

The first attack is against the Celere Motorised Corps in the mountains of northern Sicily. The odds are 5:1 +1 on the Assault Table....

....9(10) The Italian unit is destroyed and Sicily has one unit in the way before being completely cleared of Axis troops. Call me old fashioned, but I suspect that last unit will prove somewhat more harder to remove....

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 7

Having been ejected from Cyrenaica without a fight - well in truth the Italians forces never set foot in it this game! - the plan is now to eject then from Tripolitania too.

The odds are 4:1 but with a +2. But Fractional Odds increase that to 5:1. The Italians choose the Assault Table.....

...its a 3(5). The Italians lose a Garrison and Infantry, and the third unit is Shattered. I convert to a retreat so that it does not end up back in Italy next turn. Tripoli falls.

May/Jun 1943
Impulse: 7

Mussolini's dreams are turning into one long nightmare....