The Plague Diaries

[John B.]

It is bloody red war on the Eastern Front. The Germans started attacking and they kept coming in waves destroying the entire soviet border armies and airforce. As you can see, the main soviet line will be engaged next turn and, based on what has been happening it's not expected to hold on very long if even for a turn. On the plus side, the Germans came into the Gulf of Finland and wound up losing one of their battleships. Soviet units in the rear will start march towards the front, but, with so many german and german allied units things are looking a bit grim for the good guys!

As for Finland, that land of ingrates, it also declared war on the Russians even though there was no winter war.

[John B.]

Libya fell to the British and they sent their bombers down to Ethiopia to lay waste to addis ababa and reduce its supply value. But, in the meantime, Germany and Italy declared war on Greece and sent a large wave of troops into there. Now I think they're just showing off. The Greeks won't be there in my next report. The Italian navy ganged up on a British light cruiser and sank it.

In the battle of the Atlantic, however, the British did sink to U-boats so that helps.

[John B.]

More of the same in China with the bad news that the Japanese now have infantry weapons at level 2 which is going to help them a great deal in pushing the Chinese back. The Japanese have also started to strat bomb Chinese cities taking out 4 MMP this turn.

[fluidwill]

Excellent AAR - thanks

[John B.]

ORIGINAL: fluidwill matrix

Excellent AAR - thanks

My pleasure!

[John B.]

On the good news front, I took Addis Ababa! The Italian HQ is still around and streaming towards Kartoum but if the Brits can break the Fuzzy Wuzzys there I'm pretty sure they can handle an Italian HQ.

Here is a question. If I invade, er, liberate, Iraq and Iran will I pick up the MMP from the oil fields or am I already getting those. Also, will it open up a new lend lease route to Russia?

[John B.]

Not much change in China. Again, they are starting to see the drain of MMP and its tougher to replace losses.

[John B.]

But Russia, dear Russia. The Germans, as is to be expected, are sweeping all before them. Riga held (and caused a couple of hits on tank units) and a few tentative pushes on the Dnieper were held as well. Odessa survived but it will fall this turn. There is not much that the Russians can do at this point but see if they can hold this line this turn while reserves move up and new units are built.

In other news:

1. The British funded the SOE. I'm not sure this is worth it, but I decided to give it a go.

2. The US started Lend Lease to Russia. Not as much free money as the old lend lease to china but a 2-1 gain in MMP so totally worth it.

3. Russia moved its industry to the Urals. No real surprise there.

The British did sink a battle cruiser in the North Atlantic but lost two ships to the Italian airforce. The Russian sub put a big hit on a German battle cruiser in the gulf of Finland.

Is it time for winter yet?

[John B.]

It's the end of August 1941 and the Russian line held, somewhat. Riga and Kiev fell to multiple assaults but Dnepropetrovsk earned the Hero City of the Soviet Union title by fending off multiple Axis assaults and inflicting a large number of casualties. Germany armor was attrited somewhat and we can hope that one of these turns the Germans will have to pause to refresh the units. We can also hope for mud, can't we.

[John B.]

In the Atlantic the Germans moved a BB and a BC right into the middle of the British CV force, but, a storm front moved in and basically saved them from certain destruction.

More blood shed in China with the Japanese upgrading most of their units to Infantry weapons 2 which is increasing the death rate among the Chinese armies.

Churchill and Stalin agreed to split Iran and the British were mopping up in Ethiopia.

The Americans imposed their oil embargo so war with Japan looks set to explod sooner rather than later.

[Marcinos1985]

Wow, that eastern front situation seems threatening. What difficulty is this?

[John B.]

ORIGINAL: Marcinos1985

Wow, that eastern front situation seems threatening. What difficulty is this?

It's the standard setting. I think it's rated at Intermediate with no special help to the Axis.

New update on the way.

[John B.]

Well, now we're half way through September. Dnieperpetrovsk fell but took a plane point and a tank strength point with it. Heroes of the Soviet Union! [&o] Dugavaplis (sp?) also managed to hold out and should attack more German attention this turn. Anything to slow down the spearheads! I spent the MMP to bring Zukov into the Ukraine and Karkov held this turn. One German corps was reduced to just two points and on the front line the Germans are showing some wear and tear. Meahwhile, the Siberians continue to march from the East (trying to preserve MMP).

I crossed the Finnish boarder and put one hit on Mannerheim. I expect more Finnish attacks after that.

The two German capital ships in the Atlantic were hunted down and are no more. The Americans built a carrier, more mopping up in Ethiopia and the British armies continued their march towards Iraq.

The British and USSR took over Iran and Middle East experts at Oxford assured the Commons that no possible long term harm could come from this.

[John B.]

Two significant developments to report. First, and most significant, the US declared war on the Axis!

It's the end of September 1941 and it looks as if the US got the drop on the Japanese (who appear to be set up to attack the British in the next turn.) Lots of US naval units deployed and, by the US declaring war, I thought that discretion is the better part of valor and the Pacific fleet hightailed it out of Pearl Harbor and headed for the west coast. This will make a big difference in the naval war in the Pacific as more US ships come on line.

[John B.]

Second, although it does not show it on this map, Rasputitsa hit Russia in the German turn and that seems to have slowed them down a great deal. Dugapalis (sp?) held out but will die this turn out of supply. Karkaov fell as well but did tie down the Germans somewhat and there is the semblance of a line starting to form on the map. The Germans can bust that open, of course, but the Russians may survive at least into 1942 given the approaching end of good weather.

Elsewhere not too much to report. More dead in China. A Canadian corp arrived in Britain. The usual.

[John B.]

It's November 1941 and weather has again come to the Russian aid. The Germans did not make much headway but likely used the time to reinforce their units. Still, any breathing space is welcomed by the Soviet Union. And, you may notice in the south a gathering of Russian armor. Now that Russia has developed tank tactics it may have the opportunity in the winter to pick off a couple German units.

More attrition in China and the Chinese were successful in killing a Japanese army. The US deployed the Flying Tigers to China. Britian developed Infantry weapons 2 and upgraded a bunch of its infantry.

And, here's an interesting twist, just because the US was in the war does not mean that it was at war. So, this turn the US declared war on Germany, but I decided to leave Japan alone for now. The Philippines joined the war and evacuated its fighter and heavy cruiser while reinforcing the infantry unit in Manila.

[John B.]

The end of November 1941 and the Russians strike back in the Ukraine. But, first in the north. During the Axis turn Smolensk held out by its fingernails (earning it's own Hero of the Soviet Union award) and was able to rebuild to full strength. I don't think it can hold again against repeated German assaults but it buys still more time for the Russians to form a line in front of Moscow. Near Leningrad the Russians are dug in behind the Luga and in the swamp as German armor was able to take all of the Baltic countries.

The first snow turn means the Russian winter is coming!

[John B.]

Down in the Ukraine the Russians used their armor to attack (now that they're at Tank tactics one they can do two attacks per turn with their armor. This is huge on the attack!) The counteroffensive destroyed two German corps and I was able to push forward an infantry corps to attack the German Stuka unit. I only did 2 damage on it and it may cost me a corps but I always attack air units if I can. At the very least, the Germans have to spend a turn moving it and then rebuilding it so that's two turns its not bombing my troops!

Bitter fighting continues in Ethiopia as the last Italian garrisons won't die and the Italians keeps spending money to rebuild them. The British have decided to leave Iraq to the south african army after it cleans up ethiopia and the western desert army is now heading back the other way (with much grumbling about indecisive high command) into Tunisia to get ready for an Italian invasion.

More attrition in China and more Japanese ship movements.

[John B.]

It's January 2nd, 1942. Happy freakin' new year! In Russia the Zhukov continued his offensive in the Ukraine and destroyed an Italaian armored corps while the Russians pushed the Germans away from Sevastopol and managed to get an army into the city (which should help it to hold out longer in the Summer). The hope is to both kill units (costing more MMP to replace and getting rid of their experience from the summer campaigns) and to make the Germans send reinforcements to the south.

Not much happened in the north or the center of the front.

[John B.]

Japan, figuring that a land war in China was not nearly enough of a challenge also launched its Pacific campaign. Frankly, they had 11 speical forces ready to go and took Guam, the Philippines, Fiji, Thailand, and most of the Dutch east indies. Burma joined the allies and a Chinese corps moved into the country.