Fall Weiss II Western Theater - Axis AAR

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Spain captures Lisbon and Portugal surrenders. No MPPs were yet spent on Spanish forces so they are in desperate need of new equipment and reinforcements before they can be brought up to fighting shape for deployment on another front. In the Balkans, Yugoslavia joined the Allies and the capital just barely evades capture.

In North Africa a British Infantry Corps and another HQ are destroyed, the Allies did not do a very good job protecting these forwards HQs. Even with Matla captured, Crete hinders Axis supply near Tobruk at turn end.

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In North Africa the Axis win a decisive battle, destroying both British Tank Corps, a Strategic Bomber group, and also destroy an Infantry Corps while cutting off another entirely. From Southern Italy the Luftwaffe support the fleeting Italian Army, with the support of the Luftwaffe a Greek Infantry Corps as well as a supporting British Fighter Group is destroyed. At the same time Yugoslavia's capital is occupied and Yugoslavia surrenders, the invading forces of Yugoslavia will be tasked with assisting the Italians failed invasion of Greece.

Loose ends are being wrapped up so that we can focus on something bigger.

[crispy131313]

Mid-Game Notes

Axis Nations: Germany, Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Vichy France, Slovakia, Finland
Spain and Vichy France both joined the Axis this game, which is alt-history but came at a significant cost. Both Italy and Germany sent civil aid to Spain for 9 months (total 10 MPP per turn), military exports (total 380 MPP), invested in Spanish mines (50 MPP), and Germany spent 300 MPP on diplomacy chits, additionally re-organizing/equipping Vichy France via decision cost 525 total MPP, both of which overlapped with 175 MPP per turn (5 turns) to form the DAK. In the long run the additional units and MPP will be very beneficial, but it has hampered my research and preparations for Barbarossa which are both critical to long term success.

Western Front:
With the entirety of the Iberian Peninsula including Gibraltar in Axis hands and the Italian Navy winning a decisive battle sinking 3 British Carriers we need only truly worry about an invasion from the Britain. German Engineers are already working away and we have left mainly only a token garrison for the time being of a few German Infantry Divisions and initially the Vichy French Army will also remain on the Western Front but could possibly be draw into service on the future Eastern Front if needed. The Spanish Army is still in shambles, and will not be brought up to speed immediately as I need heavily invest in research for a few turns to get back on track.

The Balkans and Greece
The Italians fared terribly against Greece, I had hoped to hold positions along the border but with my decision to send both HQs to North Africa the Greeks got the upper hand multiple of times forcing Italian units to retreat. German forces fresh off the invasion of Yugoslavia will soon turn the tide and free up a large number of units now involved in the Greek campaign.

North Africa
The DAK offensive into Egypt has been decisive, a few more British Infantry Corps and a British Fighter Group were destroyed this turn, but British reinforcements are arriving. Regardless the Allies have not played well since the DAK arrived, nor had the Royal Navy fared well in the Mediterranean. The Allies will have opportunities to redeem themselves i'm sure, the war is not won in North Africa after all.

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Charts - May 29, 1941 - Pre-Barbarossa

As mentioned above, Research has fallen behind and will be a big priority in the coming turns for Germany. The U-boat campaign continues to go well, though Allied destroyers are beginning to become problematic and a number of wolfpacks are having to return to port for repairs.

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The German Army Declares war on USSR

Though we were absolutely choked for MPPs through the winter/spring of 1941 I'm satisfied that operation Barbarossa can still commence on the planned date. The full power of the Luftwaffe is divided between the Eastern Front (quite sparingly) and Greece and our minor allies are less equipped then their German counterparts, however the Wehrmacht is well equipped for a decisive campaign into Soviet territory. I hope to reach the gates of Leningrad, Moscow and Rostov by the turn of the new year!

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Barbarossa Turn 1 results - Notably some of the USSR front line units were spared near Riga as the Luftwaffe was too sparse to reach the airfields near by.

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German income becomes less distracted near the time the war with the Soviets normally begins.

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Operation Barbarossa is in full motion, Finland joins the Axis and immediately marches into Soviet territory. Finland declined to sign the Tripartite Pact. German Army Group South achieves the biggest gains this turn and pockets a Soviet Army Group en route to Kiev. Italy also committed forces to the Eastern Front.

The Greek defense has collapsed now that Germany has entered the campaign, and the British are pushed back as far as El Alamein in North Africa. 2 Allied Infantry Corps and their Artillery were destroyed this turn.

Both Germany (Advanced Aircraft + Ground Attack Weapons) and Italy (Advanced Aircraft + Aerial Warfare) invested heavily this turn in research.

German also signed a treaty of friendship with Turkey (via decision) and transferred an Infantry Division to Finland through Sweden (via decision).

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The German offensive continues into USSR, in the South a second pocket of Soviet troops is cut off at Zhitomir, West of Kiev, while the Romanian Army captures Odessa. In the North Riga has fallen and the battle for Minsk is about to begin.

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Combined German-Italian forces close in on the capital of Greece and have reached El Alamein in North Africa. The Brits will have to move their airfields out of harms way in Egypt as their forward defensive positions continue to melt like butter. The Axis success in Egypt has prompted a Pro-Axis coup in Iraq.

Germany invests heavily in research this turn, purhasing Long Range Aircraft, Industrial Technology, and Anti-Aircraft defense x2

The Finnish have moved quickly to capture Soviet territory but the easiest of gains are now behind them, as Soviet defense positions are forming.

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The Greek campaign is near over as the Axis have reached Athens, we make similarly good progress en route to Alexandria. Both Germany and Italy spent majority of MPP on Garrisons, Submarine repairs. Germany also began refitting the Spanish Armies and Tanks.

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Along the Eastern Front the steamroller continues, Minsk falls this turn as well Germany continues to close pockets of Soviet forces in the South en route to Kiev.

[taffjones]

Thanks Crispy

Fantastic AAR.

Unfortunately I have never been able to master your Mod.

But think the additional DE's really add to the game [&o]

[crispy131313]

ORIGINAL: taffjones

Thanks Crispy

Fantastic AAR.

Unfortunately I have never been able to master your Mod.

But think the additional DE's really add to the game [&o]

Thanks glad your enjoying. All the extra decisions really are good for replay value if nothing else!

[crispy131313]

German forces enter Athens which should lead to Greek surrender. In Egypt our supply lines are beginning to feel stretched but we are within grasp of defeating the British! USA has sent some Tanks to the region but it shouldn't be a big issue now.

We are presented a decision regarding German U-boats launching in the Mediterranean but opt against the extra cost with Gibraltar in Axis hands already. German MPP is steadily rising, this turn we spent most of its MPP purchasing 2 Medium Bombers which are set to arrive in March 42'.

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On the Eastern Front, Army Group South boldly overreached in an attempt to capture Kiev and has left a Tank Corps vulnerable on the front lines. If this is where USSR placed their newest Tanks (via decision) I could lose this Tank Corps, which would be a terrible loss this earlier on the Eastern Front as it is currently over my build limits. At sea, the Soviet Battleship Marat was sunk by Bismark this turn.

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The British in Egypt rare on the brink of surrender, and Crete an operation to secure Crete is about to commence. German MPP is spent on research (Industrial Tech, Armoured Warfare and Advanced Tanks), garrisons and further upgrades some Spanish units. We secured level 3 Tanks this turn.

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Kiev was the largest gain this turn, we really need to break though in the Ukraine over the next 1-2 turns to meet my 1941 objectives.