scout1(WA) v ultradave(GER) - War over - Major Axis Victory

[ultradave]

Victory points for turn41

[ultradave]

Turn 43, March 20, 1945.

The snows seem to have ended. Low pressure is moving down from the north which likely means a continuation of the current rain. It's been a rough winter. No changes to the front line. Allies pick up the bombing campaign. German units hold their positions and strengthen defenses. Victory points stand at -870.

[scout1]

Allies bring Hitler's fears to fruition .... A second landing in Europe

[ultradave]

Can't wait. Something to do

Too little too late I'm afraid.

[ultradave]

Allies come ashore northeast of Le Havre. The landings are successful. But it's already April 3, 1945, turn 45. The task now is to see if I can keep the new beach head somewhat contained so that I don't have to break the line in Normandy. I forgot to look to see where the Russians are right now, but if I can hold and delay a few turns without breaking, the war will mercifully end when the Russians reach Berlin. Current victory points at -970, solidly in the Major Axis Victory band.

I had built up the shoreline some from Normandy all the way through Holland, including 2 reserve Corps. So those units are quickly moving into place to contain the Allied incursion. He has a pretty good beach head area to bring in reinforcements. We did manage to push back an airborne division which helps keep the line shaped more in my favor. We'll see if that gain lasts. It was a bit costly.

[scout1]

ORIGINAL: ultradave

Can't wait. Something to do

Too little too late I'm afraid.

NO ....
Way too little ...

Way too late .....

But that won't stop me .... ;>

[ultradave]

Turn 46, April 10, 1945. Counterattacks against the Allied beach head regain another hex and at the moment we have the beach head split into 3 separate beaches. The Luftwaffe has made a concerted effort to attack the over the beach supplies giving our ground units a chance to counterattack and strengthen the lines. Victory points are at -986. The Russians seem to be taking their time, and are still about 12 hexes from Berlin where they've been for 2 months.

The "Le Havre" beachhead (east end of the Normandy beach head can just be seen bottom left).

[ultradave]

Turn 47, April 17, 1945.. VP -1016

The Allies invasion near Le Havre has been contained and another hex gained as German armor pushes some paratroopers back to the beaches. Interdiction levels over the invasion area favor us (barely but at least the Luftwaffe is keeping the Allied air from running rampant over my rear areas).

Russians remain 12 hexes east of Berlin.

First picture shows interdiction over the Le Havre area, second shows the aftermath - comparing the two you can see where the paratroopers retreated.

[ultradave]

The beach head after shoving back the paratroopers.

[ultradave]

Turn 48, April 24, 1945: More rain.

German counterattacks kick the rest of the paras back to the invasion beaches. All remaining Allied units in the Le Havre beach head are stuck on the beach hexes. Allied interdiction was better but we still managed to get positive interdiction on a few hexes including the ones where the successful attack on the airborne unit(s?) were.

Situation on the Le Havre beaches.

[ultradave]

Interdiction levels during German attacks

[ultradave]

Turn 49, May 1st, 1945, and the war is over. German Major Victory.

The Russians take Berlin as the German High Command arrests Hitler and imprisons him, establishing a military governing council and moving the capitol to Cologne and enter negotiations with Russia for a cease fire and permanent partition of Germany just west of Berlin.

Meanwhile the military governments in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France remain in place.

Since the remaining East Front units can be thinned out after an agreement is reached with Russia, the remainder will be sent west to convince the Western Allies to remove their forces from France. The beach head in Le Havre is tenuous and the Normandy area is a stalemate, and the German armies in northern France are strong, while the Ruhr valley escaped with only minimal damage. Italy is a question that remains to be answered. The Allies showed no inclination to press the attack there and the 2 German armies there are intact and strong.

I was able to get into the last turn and view the map and victory points in case Scott can't so I made some screen pictures.

First the victory point total.

[ultradave]

Air losses. The one interesting thing here is the large spike in losses toward the end of the game. The weather cleared, the Allies invaded and the Luftwaffe went after the beach heads. Heavy losses but the interdiction values I achieved probably helped greatly in reducing the Le Havre beach head.

[ultradave]

Northern Europe hex control. Russians in charge of Berlin and eastern Germany, Germany in possession of all of France except the 2 beach heads, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Denmark (and presumably Norway).

[ultradave]

Southern Europe with Germany still in control of Rome and everything north.

[ultradave]

Situation in the beach heads in Normandy and Le Havre. Stalemate in Normandy, but the Le Havre beach head is in danger of collapse.

[ultradave]

I think there were two major keys to this campaign.

1. The airborne drops in Normandy were a complete failure, making it extremely difficult for the Allies to get off the beaches. They did pry their way to Cherbourg but no farther
2. Allied air interdiction was very weak throughout the game until the last few weeks when some rail attacks started to take effect. This allowed me unhindered access to reinforce the front facing the Allied invasions. There was minimal strategic bombing also, so German industry remains intact.

[scout1]

ORIGINAL: ultradave

I think there were two major keys to this campaign.

1. The airborne drops in Normandy were a complete failure, making it extremely difficult for the Allies to get off the beaches. They did pry their way to Cherbourg but no farther
2. Allied air interdiction was very weak throughout the game until the last few weeks when some rail attacks started to take effect. This allowed me unhindered access to reinforce the front facing the Allied invasions. There was minimal strategic bombing also, so German industry remains intact.

Hard to argue any of these points ... My compliments ..... Guess I'm going to have to break down and read the rules after all ...... ;>

[Seminole]

Guess I'm going to have to break down and read the rules after all ...... ;>

It's still so much trial and error under so many variables.
I wonder if we need to see more of the air war in the AARs, as much to see what works as what doesn't.

Thanks for the playing the game out for everyone to see.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: scout1

ORIGINAL: ultradave

I think there were two major keys to this campaign.

1. The airborne drops in Normandy were a complete failure, making it extremely difficult for the Allies to get off the beaches. They did pry their way to Cherbourg but no farther
2. Allied air interdiction was very weak throughout the game until the last few weeks when some rail attacks started to take effect. This allowed me unhindered access to reinforce the front facing the Allied invasions. There was minimal strategic bombing also, so German industry remains intact.

Hard to argue any of these points ... My compliments ..... Guess I'm going to have to break down and read the rules after all ...... ;>

well done for sticking with this.

I'd agree with the obvious, for the allies your only chance of success comes from maximising the impact of your airpower. If it comes down to a straight land battle you lack any real advantages over the Germans