Matrix Games Forums

In the USSR, an INF gets slaughtered:

Two other out of supply units set up a valiant defense, against the German Blitz:

The last attack is on the city of Chelyabinsk. After some thinking, the Soviets choose the Assault table:

Japan rebases the Flying boat back to Japan and a bomber towards Irkutsk.

Italian swing: Ernesto Bonino / Trio Lescano - Tu sei bella

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBuDfOdB6KM

Here is Morocco:

The desert around Tashkent:

And the seemingly victorious Ostheer:

The turn doesn't end:

May/June 1943, Allied impulse number 8:

The Soviets are in a really bad shape. But there is only a 40% chance that the turn will end if all Allied major powers pass.

Listen to: Dick Haymes ~ For the First Time (I've Fallen in Love)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdnWYVgGWmQ

On the other end, there isn't a lot the Allies have to in this impulse. The decision is made to let all powers pass and hope for the turn to end:

The weather die roll spells doom for the Soviets, again:

The Russians seem to be pretty much done; especially so perhaps after this turn as the Germans get another go at them with nice weather. What are the Russians down to for available resources and factories now? They still have some left in two areas, so the Axis have some more work to do yet to make sure the Russians won't pose any meaningful threat the rest of the game.

The Allied landing in Spain was sneaky, but the Axis got lucky with the bombardment to allow them to hem in the paratroopers before more troops could be landed. US is lucky those two units were shattered, not dead. Still be a couple of turns before they can come back into action. Allies also lucky not to lose a stack in Africa as well.

Thanks for continuing to run this AAR. I always look forward to when you do updates.

A shattered unit which doesn't have a hex in which it could have retreated if that was the result, is destroyed. So both PARA's are dead and the Allies are really shocked that Clark, two MOT and a MECH are now in Morocco in stead of in Southern Portugal together with the PARA's. That sneaky attack became a dear failure do to the good aim of Luftwaffe pilots...

May/June 1943, Axis impulse number 9:

All Axis powers take land actions. The action starts at the rail movement phase, when Mannerheim is railed behind the Urals, to provide supply for an attack on the city of Sverdlovsk. An elite MECH is railed from France towards Prince Paul. Germany can't affort to rail more units out of the European USSR, since already there are to few units there to garrison the country. I hate partisans, but it appears I'm having quite a chance of one of those nasty fellows arriving there. To lower this chance for next turn, the Italians rail a GAR into the USSR and two German units are moved out of Poland into the USSR too:

Italian Swing: Gorni Kramer & Natalino Otto - No, no, no, no

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP5DOsukAyI

Japan moves slowly towards Irkutsk. They improve positions throughout the area. Italy moves units from Gibraltar into Tangiers and towards Portugal. Other Axis units leave the Portugal coast to move towards Morocco. In the USSR,Tyumen is captured by Turkish tankettes and German armoured units are spotted near the city of Omsk. Around Perm and Sverdlovsk German units move into attack positions. Kesselring orders an attack on a Soviet GAR near Perm. After thinking, Kesselring choses the Blitzkrieg table:

Mannerheim orders an attack on the city of Sverdlovsk.

German music: Curt Hasenpflug - Du, immer wieder du

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0-HSoweMA4

The Soviet general in charge orders his men to stand and fight to the last bullet, using the assault table:

Here is “Fortress Perm” and the emptyness of Siberia:

The Tashkent area is the last area where the Soviets have a standing army at this time:

Here is Morocco:

And here is the Soviet production planning. Note that the Soviets are going to use 10 oil to build units for their last stand in the mountains around Tashkent. After that, the Soviets don't have any more reserves available anymore.

The turn doesn't end:

May/June 1943, Allied impulse number 10:

Can the USSR survive? Can it stay in the war? If the USSR gets conquered, this game will end in an Axis victory, because there is no way the Wallies can conquer the Axis without the Soviet land units.

Listen to: Freddie Slack & His Orchestra: Hit the Road to Dreamland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbXwBtOcRsI

But the survival of the USSR has become very questionable. Beria urges the Wallies to again all pass. And since there isn't a lot the Wallies can do this turn anymore (the front in Morocco is all but disorganised the US fleet is in need of reinforcements and the Indian front is a stalemate), the decision is made to do so: