Revanchism in Europe (PBEM gwgardner vs Chocolino)

[Chocolino]

2-2-40

We gain a second hex across the Meuse - the Axis keeps its operations to a minimum and builds AA guns en-masse.

[Chocolino]

2-16-40

The Allies use the doomed French navy to its fullest extend and sink the German merchant marine. I believe that the Swedish merchanmen will make up any difference. But I am not sure how many merchantmen the Swedish can provide.

The remains of the German Kriegsmarine did go out again for this reason and found a watery grave in the Skagerrak.

[Chocolino]

2-16-40

At the same time the Wehrmacht gains one more hex on Brussels during frosty weather.

[Chocolino]

3-29-40

After several weeks of weather related rest the Germans efforts pick up again as there is only rain this week. Brussels is taken and Belgium will surrender.

This week marks also the first time that the German merchant marine sinks below the required 25 ships for the Swedish iron ore transport. The Swedes kindly make up the difference so far.

[Chocolino]

4-12-40

While the Allies continue to pound the German industry and convoy lanes, the Wehrmacht uses a late frost week to reach the French border south of Brussels. More AA is being installed in Germany - but so far I have recorded only a single AA hit all game. Even if I missed one or two hits this is poor shooting of the AA crews who will get their beer ration cut and instead need more training.

[Chocolino]

5-10-40

Summer is around the corner and the weather clears. Germany moves into position and clears 2 more Belgian hexes.

[gwgardner]

French and British intelligence services are scratching their collective heads - where is the German armor!?

Oh, that's right ... they're scattered about the Belgian countryside, as smoking relics ....

By the way, deGaulle just received a battlefield promotion, and took command of the French effort north of Paris.

[Chocolino]

5-24-40

At least so far German armor is still ok and spearheading a break through the French defenses that reaches south of the Somme line. (The second armor unit is resting south-west of Düsseldorf after aiding in the initial breakthrough. Unfortunately we don't have a 3rd yet).

We set the infantry protecting the flanks of the breakthrough to "hold" and "supply priority" since we expect a French counter-blow. Furthermore three Luftwaffe interceptors are positioned nearby as well to deter Allied air attacks on the break-through hexes.

Also - if the German tanks had to retreat for whatever reason they couldn't and would shatter instead. But if the French want to attack the armor directly they will have to retreat a lot of units.

[Chocolino]

6-7-40

This is before the German turn:

Despite all precautions mentioned above, the French managed to cut off our spearheads. However, they did abandon their much touted support for Luxembourg and also retreated from the Alsace and the Vosges mountains. Only a garrison in Metz and in the very south of the Maginot line stayed in place.

[Chocolino]

6-7-40

After the German turn:

The Wehrmacht punches through the French lines to reach the two cut off German corps. Also German garrison troops cross the Rhine and occupy the Maginot line. Luxembourg falls without a fight.

I see now on the picture that I did not turn off the "hold" order on the leading tank corps even though the Germans left a retreat hex open for them. This error may have fatal consequences.

[Chocolino]

6-21-40

Last weeks report forgot to mention that German paratroopers - intended for Rouen - landed short of the city because of a navigational error. The French have now cut this brave soldiers off and the rest of the Wehrmacht was not able to break through to them. I hope they will survive another turn.

In further bad news the leading German tank corps paid for the hold order of its negligent commander with complete destruction. The French campaign looks like a defensive success for the French this time around.

The only positive aspect is that the German garrison troops scaled the Vosges heights and worm their way around Metz. Unfortunately these troops are not very mobile and pose no immediate threat to the Paris front.

[battlevonwar]

Brave French encircling and teach the Blitzkrieg it cannot overstretch it supplies that much!

[Chocolino]

ORIGINAL: battlevonwar

Brave French encircling and teach the Blitzkrieg it cannot overstretch it supplies that much!

Haha, yes very brave of the French with 6 against one lonely paratrooper. Luckily supply is not an issue in France - as long as you are not cut off.....

[Chocolino]

7-5-40

Yes - the lone German paratrooper perished in a hail of French fire.

On the plus side of the ledger Metz falls to German garrison troops. The tanks were not involved in the actual fighting and just rolled in for the final occupation - they are fresh from a factory in the Ruhrgebiet. The fall of Metz should further reduce the French ability to reinforce themselves.

This brings me to another question - I was wondering if the strength of the French army was also a result of foreign aid or if the slow German time table allowed them too much production? Perhaps the French can clarify after the campaign.

[gwgardner]

The French are quite angry with their erstwhile British allies. No aid whatsoever, other than the occasional air strike and a dribble of oil. Whereas France willingly placed its entire naval force under Admiralty control.

France has been able to muster only one new infantry corps. It has plowed every available production point into reinforcement/upgrade.

DeGaulle has sworn to bide his time, but that the British will someday pay.

It is the opinion of GHQ that German fighting throughout the Fall and often in the winter, resulted in unnecessary losses on their part, with resulting reduced strength when the campaigning season resumed in 1940.

[Chocolino]

7-19-40

Rouen is occupied by German forces. (no picture)

8-2-40

Paris falls - but this does apparently not secure a French surrender any more despite having also Lille, Metz and Rouen. The French morale is now at 31 and well below the threshold of 45. The surrender rules must have changed since the last version.

[Journier]

ORIGINAL: Chocolino

7-19-40

Rouen is occupied by German forces. (no picture)

8-2-40

Paris falls - but this does apparently not secure a French surrender any more despite having also Lille, Metz and Rouen. The French morale is now at 31 and well below the threshold of 45. The surrender rules must have changed since the last version.

that is strange ive ran quite a few games in the original patch and never had france hold out so long to surrender, has it been 1 turn? or 2? ive noticed sometimes a second turn is required to get the french surrender offer.

[Chocolino]

Since I am a bit late with my reports I can tell you that the French continue to fight on for several turns now and are still going. And this is not an exception since the same has happened to my Axis opponent in my other PBEM game.

[Chocolino]

8-16-40

The Germans are happy to get (almost) free experience in France and continue the fight while waiting for a surrender offer. The French defense is now loosing some of its earlier cohesion and it will be interesting to see which areas the French will defend and which they will hand over to the Axis.

[Chocolino]

8-16-40

The Italians enter French territory for the first time, threatening the Cote d'Azur ports and the Rhone valley.