Matrix Games Forums

22 May - 4 June 1943

In the Caucasus Dumitrescu's forces force a Soviet corps into retreat, but can't afford to move in.

22 May - 4 June 1943

The main focus remains on the area between Saratov and Astrakhan, but progress is such hard going....

22 May - 4 June 1943

Manchuria remains a mess and I try and fall back, having at least temporarily, taken back Hsinking.

I completely fall back in China and give up Chengchow...

The forces in Thailand continue to press-on toward Rangoon and I await to see what nasty surprise is waiting in the Indian Ocean....

22 May - 4 June 1943

There's an unhealthy drop in German income.....

18 June - 2 July 1943

The turn was pretty bad for all three Axis powers, and so taking the ostrich approach, I stick my head in the sand and concentrate on the better news....

A British transport and heavy cruiser squadron runs into my fleet in the Andaman Sea. The transport is sunk and the heavy cruiser damaged, before being finished off by my sub.

My maritime bomber can't fly but my carrier aircraft hurt a battleship squadron and a destroyer flotilla.

18 June - 2 July 1943

But then things go awry....

I use my German sub to try and find what else is around, and spot a second CV southwest of the the previously identified.

How best to use my limit assets?

I despatch the remaining BB with my heavy cruiser. I then send two BB south of the enemy task force to sink the newly found CV. I decide to use my two remaining BB to sink the second CV. The first sails north, but runs into a Dutch light cruiser squadron. I send the second BB slightly wider... only to run into an AV in port.... So the British CV escapes any damage....

All I can do is set up a screen and hope my CV in port are not overwhelmed....

18 June - 2 July 1943

In Africa, Massawa falls and Sardinia is also lost.

Almost the last of the large Kriegsmarine units are sacrificed to try and hold Antwerp. The Germans gather together what they can and destroy a US army northeast of Brussels.

It's going to be difficult to hold Paris.....

18 June - 2 July 1943

In the north, the Finns are in all sorts of trouble. I launch what I can against the Soviets in a desperate attempt to make a breakthrough in the approaches to Leningrad - but its painful....

18 June - 2 July 1943

I decide to check out what the Soviets have around Moscow.

18 June - 2 July 1943

In the east east, Saratov is surrounded and the Axis lead elements are not far from Kuybyshev....

18 June - 2 July 1943

16 - 30 July 1943

The position in Manchuria remains precarious at best. I need a fighter unit here but I just can't afford one....

16 - 30 July 1943

The RN fleet British sank one of my battleship squadrons and retired into the Bay of Bengal. But I got some measure of retaliation with the finding and sinking of the second carrier.

16 - 30 July 1943

The rains bring a halt to any move against Rangoon, but I successfully maul an HQ north of the capital..

16 - 30 July 1943

Halfway into 1943 and the Italians have done as well as they can in East Africa. More allied reinforcements have arrived and I decide to withdraw my bomber and fighter as they will just get destroyed anyway.

16 - 30 July 1943

The Allies get Antwerp and more reinforcements are on the way... My chance of squeezing out the landing has gone...

16 - 30 July 1943

I continue to try and do something about Moscow. I am concerned the Soviets have large forces between Moscow and Kuybyshev....

16 - 30 July 1943

Luxembourg surrenders!

13 - 27 August 1943

There's about two years to go. So what is the state of play?

Well it's something of a mixed bag. If we look at the high level situation.

Positives

- I haven't lost yet (which is a first, or near as dammit)
- The Axis have not yet turned to the defensive on the Eastern Front (although the Northern sector (inc. Finland) is looking rather ropey.
- The Italians in East Africa are still (just about) keeping Allied units away from the main theatre.

Negatives

- The Western Allies have a solid foothold in Belgium and are not now going to be ejected. Their air power is colossal.
- The Japanese have lost income and the initiative in China
- The Soviets are keeping lots of Japanese occupied
- The Italians have lost Sardinia

13 - 27 August 1943

In terms of losses we have the following:

In isolation this does not tell us too much. However there are some points of note:

Japan

Losses have been relatively light I think considering. In particular, the IJN has lost only 1 battleship squadron. Almost 50% of the land losses have been garrison units. Two bomber units have been destroyed however, which the Japanese can't afford.

Italy

Almost 50% of total Italian losses have been garrisons. They too have largely kept their fleet intact, suffering the loss of a heavy cruiser squadron and a destroyer flotilla.

Germany

Germany's losses have racked up recently as the Kriegsmarine threw itself away trying to stop the Allies obtaining a port in France/Belgium for as long as possible. Almost half the German losses have been provided by the navy. Almost all land and air losses have come courtesy of the Soviets - although the Western Allies have begun the job of evening up that score....

USA

Worryingly, the US losses have been light. The expected losses at Pearl, and the PI have accounted for the bulk of their losses so far. An intact USN is not a good thing for the Axis....

UK

The UK numbers are exaggerated by the minors (but the UK and Dominion losses should be light given the debacle of the desert war for the Axis). The navy is a source of some comfort for the Axis. A battle squadron, three heavy cruiser squadrons and five destroyer flotillas is a healthy number, and the two carriers are very welcome.

USSR

Almost a quarter of the total Soviets losses have been armies - which is surprising. A further thirty-three corps have bitten the dust, but there is a worrying lack of HQ, and only three aircraft units killed to date.

China

Nothing of surprise in China. The Japanese have destroyed corps and army mostly, with no aircraft lost by the Chinese at all.

India

Indian losses have been negligible - just three land units all game.