Aussiematto (Axis) v amandkm (Allies) AAR 1.07 full game

[amandkm]

And now we trade space for time in Asia, while doing what we can to sap strength in other theatres, most notably Egypt. Germans snuck a powerful sub force into the convoy lanes, so those will need attention, too.

Hopefully the US will take a lesson from Russia and make ready for hostilities.

[Aussiematto]

Yes, the Russians are desperate for help and Churchill, ever one for attacking the edges, has launched a completely unexpected commando assault on Bergen! The city's garrison falls but delays the attackers enough that they cannot occupy the city. Carriers are loose in the North Sea but, desperate to hold even this small town, OKW coordinates a powerful cruiser assault to clear the shipping lanes into Bergen and reinforcements are shipped in ASAP. The subs are, indeed, doing their evil work in the Artic Sea and currently no aid is getting through to Russia at all. All across the Eastern Front the panzers roam, with paratroopers again to the fore, capturing Gomel and Smolensk from the air, while the forward armor takes Kharkov and all but captures Rostov. von Leeb, again, cautiously probes Riga and the lack of progress there requires von Manstein to detach a panzer corps from the Moscow drive to turn north and take Poltava, now threatening to roll up the Riga river line. Critical to the success at Gomel was the northern turn from AGS' units near Kiev. OKW strategists believe this is a key task for German armor when thrusting past Kiev. Rumanians penetrate the entrenched Sovietskis in Sevastapol and look to push across the narrows at the Sea of Azov.

China v Japan - it's brutal and Japan is bleeding its finest men. Kweichow falls, however, and the northern road down into Chungking opens up so by the end 1942, we should have cleared up to Lanchow. Then there will come the question of the Long March to Urumchi..... (is it worth it?)


Broad (and obvious) strategy note:

Amandkm successfully aided the Finns early in the war and, as a result, I judged that the main German assault would need to be centre and south. This might not work out in the long run but there are only so many troops to go around, since I've got 2 Pz in Nth Africa plus an Army n some air assets. I keep wanting to try a seriously northern offensive (much as the advice is normally go south) but keep being stymied by opponent choices. I still am unsure if the attack on ME is working. It is definitely bleeding the Brits of points and the losses to the RN are a major bonus (which was a planned outcome, I must add - Malta itself was less important than the carriers). Most games I play where I don't invest the resources here end up with the Allies owning Nth Africa far too early and the Italians start becoming a liability not a positive / neutral element. Anyone else got thoughts on this? That, even if it failst to get Cairo, the attack in the ME is essential to keep the med from becoming a bloodbath ca. 1942 just when Germany needs some time to finish off the first part of Russia.

[amandkm]

The Norwegian campaign tilts back to the allies, as the exposed surface ships are entirely destroyed, essentially eliminating the German surface fleet. Addtionally, a sub is surrounded and cut off, damaged and supply drained. The now surplus RN can move to clear the sea lanes north. The reinforcing garrison caused worrisome comments in Parliament, but Churchill is vindicated as a combined air/land assault eliminates it and allows the allies to secure a port.

In the med, reinforcements begin to arrive in force in Egypt and are beginning to make their weight felt. The question remains- is any or all of this enough?

China fights desperately onward, causing and receiving bloody losses, and each month drives the Americans into more and more overt sympathy to the allied cause.

Russia hangs on for dear life, a reckless thrust by a corps in the north stumbling across an unguarded axis fighter group.

All in all, I am satisfied with my Mediterranean play, but Aussie did an excellent job of holding the Russian mobilization down, which left me less able to prepare than I'd hoped to be. I do try to be aggressive with China, and when it works, it is a game-changer, but when it is not, well now we have to hope to at least occupy some Japanese attention. I expected to be down here, but had hoped to cost the Japanese some more MPP

All-in-all, I am down at this point, in my opinion, but usually the game is, if not over, then one side is pretty much on the road to victory by mid-1941. That I am still in it counts as a moral victory, at least, and if nothing else, one of my funner games to date.

[Aussiematto]

I agree you are in the hunt!

Let me go see what damage you wrought to my fighter unit

[amandkm]

The bridgehead at Bergen is expanded and the flow of reinforcements to Egypt seems to be stemming, if not quite yet turning the tide of war there. Chinese fight doggedly on, and the US seems to be slowly realizing that there is a real danger out there.

Russia is where things are bleak though, and all the successes elsewhere will count for little if Stalin capitulates...

[Aussiematto]

By the high point of summer 1941, Germany is nearly at its key objective. Moscow is barely held, with the Last remnants of a corps backed by AA and one to two other units facing von Manstein’s panzers, grenadiers and both Italian and German bombers. The Riga defences are now in tatters ... Leeb sends panzers up behind and challenges HQ troops in Pskov, while yet more airborne ops see FSJ encircle the defenders just south of Parnu. Shorn of Command and control and low on supply, Riga falls unexpectedly and perhaps Leningrad is in play again. A huge defensive line on the Rostov / Stalingrad river is troubling... clearly Stalin will fight hardest there! But a lightning raid into Ryazan and Voronezh further Weakens morale and secures Manstein’s southern flank. While Sevastapol is masked, the Wehrmacht pushes into Maikop and towards Grozny, Oil, oil, oil is the key...

But Norway is worrying, and the RN destroyers are working over the subs, so more supplies will reach the USSR now. Scrambling, Germany Seeks to work out a counter, but its navy is in tatters. This is a challenge for the coming months.

While British and Indian forces try to hold the Nile, Technology, experience and airpower are counting. 10th armoured goes down under stuka, PAK 50, and finally infantry assault, while an Indian (?) Army is destroyed outside Alex by refreshed panzers. Cunning indian commandos occupy the Italian rear area and subs claim another Brit battleship. But, everytime it looks clear to the east, more allies arrive so I expect Cairo to last for months yet.
I forgot to say that baghdad has fallen ... textbook double infantry assault there and persia is now divided. The assault in Egypt is bound to fail soon.

Exhausted armies under Okamura are thrown back from the approach to Kunming, and Itageuchi pauses at Lanchow to Help encircle Chungking. Supplies are low, and the Chinese remain in good shape, even if the capital is now completely cut off. This will take months And we have holidays in Indochina to plan!. Meanwhile, Russian border guards in Siberia report unusually heavy troop concentrations in Manchuria ....

[Platoonist]

I'm following your chronicle of conflict closely gentlemen. Thanks for posting the action. [8D]

[Aussiematto]

One last blissful fortnight of good weather in late September 1941 gave Germany the perfect easy ride into Moscow. A quick pounding from the Regia Aeronautica (whose aerial assistance in Russia is a very handy use of their limited resources), and some fierce fighting from the panzergrenadiers allowed the tanks in. More pleasingly, the decision to gamble a pz corps and paras into the north is paying off, with Pskov taken, plus other towns on the Leningrad-Moscow road to help with supply. Very lightly defended, which explains the massive forces around Stalingrad! The panzers that limped into Grozny ... using horses to pull their tanks ... hear that Stalin will occupy the south until the very end.

Elsewhere, submarines are switching focus to the empire convoy line, and reinforcements enter Oslo. Is Hitler’s obsession with never losing territory going to be his undoing? What is Norway actually worth? Without Petsamo, perhaps something?

Cairo also falls, unexpectedly... morale is poor, i think, with Indian commandos being no match for Slovak super soldiers (commanded in the crucial battle Not by Graziani but by von Kuchler, whose Desert Rabbit status grows to be 3-spot badass bunny). Of course, getting any further is a whole ‘nother story but some relief in OKW about the commitment there.

And a trifecta of cities: Chungking also falls though there is some great defence north of Lanchow and America’s alert level Grows and grows... soon what happens in the mountains of central China will be but a muddy, bloody sideshow to the titanic naval clashes to come.

[Aussiematto]

A brief update ... the chill winds of winter add to the muddy fall in Russia. OKW orders limited probing advances and secures Gorky, Sevastapol and Tbilisi while we invest the fortress of Daugvapils and strengthen our forces near Leningrad and Stalingrad. Norway is a major focus for the Brits, while Alexandria falls and subs bottle up Courageous in Haifa. Meanwhile light escort carriers wreak havoc on the U boats and a failure of command and control sees the subs in peril next turn (jeez i hate that error in not moving some of them).

Lanchow falls, more troops concentrate near Vladivostok, the remnants from Chungking are tidied up and all eyes turn to the Seas. Where is Yamamoto? What is he planning? Did the rain in the Phillipines, DEI and Borneo ruin something perhaps? The USA starts to realise it cannot stay out of this war much longer ...

[amandkm]

British and Indian forces in the Levant are furious at the denial of the request for an evacuation. Churchill's assurances about 'tying down superior forces' carry little comfort to the grieving widows and mothers of the dead.

The toehold in Norway is expanded, but weather and the terrain combine to ensure that any gains there are incremental. On the plus side, the crash CVL building programme is paying dividends as three uboats are driven off station and damaged.

America is about ready to join on the allied side, but is it too late? (Kudos to my opponent for doing yeoman's work in keeping mobilizations down for the US and USSR during the dark days of 1940, it has really paid off for him!

[Aussiematto]

Tora Tora Tora! It starts, the grand probably doomed mad campaign for the Pacific... Too late the USA prepares for war and Japan strikes. 4 carriers attack Pearl Harbor and all the capital ships are sunk at anchor. Naval infantry lands, not particularly well, on Oahu and capture Henderson field (?) and Guam is taken unopposed. Paratroops and special forces take Brunei and Sarawak, now that the rain has cleared, and a full assault on Batavia succeeds as well. Hong Kong’s brave garrison is swept aside as the evil hordes descend on this little outpost of British imperialism. We take JG Ballard into custody. Only in the Phillipines is there a holdup. Logistic counting errors position the wrong AVL to take Manilla and, while the garrison is gone, the city stands ... for now. China is a bloodbath still as the triumphant Japanese army switches to Vladivostok, again showing there is no trusting the Axis. The city will be ours soon enough.

While winter looms, OKH continues to make progress , nibbling off cities and exposing the rear of Stalingrad by a lightning Rumanian advance into Astrakhan. Persia eyes an onrushing Nazi horde, while Infantry deploy south of Leningrad and we begin to assault Narva. More indians are sacrificed at the gates of the holy Land and the courageous is torpedoed in port. Subs in the arctic flee the skilled escort carriers and destroyers and more reinforcements come to Norway, though the Bismark will be sacrificed in a vain bid to sink more carriers.

But now America is mobilised and winter looms, it is going to be hard from here. My opponent will no doubt be finding new weaknesses in the farflung fascist empires...

[Aussiematto]

So, a look back and thoughts as we commence 1942.

Sitrep.

Russia in some difficulty. Germans have Moscow, Rostov, Sevastapol, Baku, Tbilisi, Voroznevh, Gorky, Astrakhan, and are prepping for the ‘grads in 1942. Success comes at a price. Very farflung forces, including armor in persia, though that will help von Kuchler in the ME where Indians continue to resist at the Suez canal. Partisan activity nil, but huge investment in keeping them down. All quiet now as we recover from winter. Expecting something nasty near Stalingrad where bulk of USSR forces are located.

Middle east ok. The defence there probably means Japanese have some time before Indians deploy into Burma and Thailand (which has joined Japan). The investment in Italian Air force means no troops really to try for Sudan. That may be a blessing. Turkey is subject to intense diplomatic efforts and is moving closer to joining. This will be inportant if Cairo is to be held I think.

Norway is a pit of hell. Armies, bombers, SF lurk and German navy is gone, pretty much. Subs are all done for the year. This will be a problem but also ties down his forces maybe?

Co prosperity sphere growing. Last ditch defence of Manila fails. Timor joins, reluctantly, Hawaii holding on, though airpower advantage with Japan. Terrain and supply more of an impediment in China than remnant armies. As ever, the question is “what next?”

Amandkm has played well, really well, but i think my early success in France was a big help, plus luck in Malta. Possibly felt defensive lines in USSR were a weakness since I turned them and those armies did not escape much. He tested me in China, too, but loss of his troops meant I could built IJN ... not saying anything he does not know, but I have large carrier forces in both west and east. I gambled on no investment in china forces and got away with it. Getting Caucasus and into Persia is probably the big plus for MPP and limking with DAK.

We now get into the tricky bit where getting to the last remaining Soviet cities is a grind through poor supply and threat of landings. Japanese have this fragile sword of CVs and ambhibuous but Canberra, Delhi, LA, are a very very long way away and army is not getting to Urumchi anytime soon.

All in all, am positive but not confident.

[FOARP]

Hey Aussiematto, loving the AAR - is it possible to upload some screenshots of the battle areas? The previous 200kb limit on uploads here on the SC:WAW AAR forum has been lifted to 5000kb so it is now a lot easier to show the whole screen.

If you've not done it before, the best way is to take a screenshot by pressing "Print Screen", then paste it (ctrl-v) into an image editor (e.g., GIMP) and save (or, in GIMP, export) as a jpg file. If you don't want to show part of the screen, you can easily just black it out using the editor.

[amandkm]

I'm inclined, from my side of the board, to agree with most of Aussie's comments on the way the game has developed. Losing France a bit early and the shocking loss of Malta certainly made life hard for the allies, as did the 'Sneak on the Greek' he pulled to secure the Balkans swiftly.

The one thing I did want to add though, was he impressive work at keeping US/USSR mobilizations so low, so long. Russia was still in the 50's, I think, when Barbarossa was launched, which as much as anything else, has led to the conservative and defensive strategies Stalin employed. I had pretty good results against the Kriegsmarine, and hit the CVLs pretty heavily when I lost two carriers in the Med, but even so, it takes time to winkle out the UBoats.

I *almost* had him in China, but almost can be even more dangerous than never trying. I think I slowed his buildup down, but now that China is pretty spent, he has forces he can expend against Siberia. I doubt China will fall until late '43, if it does at all, but neither will it be pushing Japan back anytime soon.

My counterattack in Norway is going fairly well, but it is peripheral. In the end, even if he loses it entirely, I'm still going to have to launch an Amphibious attack on Fortress Europa.

[Aussiematto]

Some thoughts ...

First, the sneak attack into Greece ... explanation.

You need to plan well ahead. You need to get an army or corps, preferably army, with +1 weapons and mobility, a tank with +1 weapons and mobility, an hq, and a tac bomber into Albania while France is still being attacked. The italian corps need to be there too, just in case something goes wrong, to screen the Greeks nr Thessalonika. Positioning is crucial so you can kill the garrison with the infantry (bomb first), then the armor can get to athens, double tap, and advance. But the key is setting it up by operating units into the italian ports ahead of time. If i do this, i am setting it up from as early as the move back from Poland and plotting the moves and rebuilds. The next step is to use those forces to hit Yugoslavia from the south while you attack from Italy, before Hungary joins. Or, you can sail the units to North Africa, especially the HQ which can go on the turn it has overseen the conquest. I have now done it four times and, assuming units in right position, i dont think it will fail, especially if you have an army to deal w the garrison.

Second, mobilisation. The slow USSR mobilisation is I think because amandkm propped up Finland. This is just enough to cause grief so maybe not what I did but what he did? I was not consciously keeping below the 18 units but, oddly, because of the Finn issue, I put most of the troops south so probably did keep below 18. Ans, with lots of airpower in the ME plus 2 tanks that helped? I need to remember to count better but probs got lucky. Re USA, not sure what I did but perhaps the slow taking of cairo helped and, i think, amandkm took the irish ports. I never do that as allies sincd it can be one turn difference?

I wonder whether amandkm did not speed up research in USSR ...cannot tell but looks like maybe the infantry weapons came too late?

I felt amandkm maybe pushed the attack pn peking too much but, that said, once you start you better continue. I have gone back to attacking Changsha, Chengchow and Nanning since picking 2 only does not attrite enough chinese manpower. Brits naval power is now a worry ... i played the kriegsmarone poorly. But i am now sinking us carriers off hawaii so that is handy. Japan is so damn hard to play ... even thinking about getting into Australia or India is scary, let alone doing it. Maybe i need to hold back now...

[Aussiematto]

Screen shots... aye! Just need to edit them since we want the fog of war here lol.

[amandkm]

Yeah I saw others doing that, but didn't see how to do it without giving things away.

That said, I gave my flattops a bit of company in Davy Jones' locker. I'll lose some more ships next month, but so will you, and I can afford the exchange better than you can, since not only do I have a lot more MPP to work with, but I have a significant amount of 'preplanned' builds in the queue.

Not a perfect outcome off Hawaii, but nor is it too bad.

[Aussiematto]

Yeah, my navy is, sadly, irreplaceable. It models history well in that respect! You are going to steamroll me in the Pac sooner or later

[Aussiematto]

The Allied fightback continues in May 1942. More intense naval action off Hawaii, with significant losses on both sides. Honolulu still holds and it may be hard to crack unless I have seen off the USN (and it seems some RN assets are arriving). Exchange of carriers ... 2:1 in IJN favour, plus good capital ship sinkings. Have I seen him off?

The fight for Norway continues and, it seems, the entire Anglo Canadian army is there. More wasted German lives from the army and navy are lost in vain. Perhaps Churchill will sue for peace if I let him have Norway?

And now the pesky Yankee marines have landed! What an affront! Costal batteries deal with one division, trapped offshore, while two more are cut off. Urgent reinforcements are called for .... all we have is the Italians!


The break in the weather at Leningrad means the city will fall soon ... a cut off HQ, AA, and army will fight to the death no doubt, while german mechanised forces push up towards Murmansk. The panzers will cut the flow that Raeder’s U boats cannot. Turkey seizes the day and throws its lot in wth the Fascists ... just as Transjordan surrenders, and panzers enter Basra ... unsure whether the indian troops in their ship are landing or fleeing. Either way, Gandhi has more reason to hats Churchill! Italy moves to regain its east african empire, having conquered Sudan

[Aussiematto]

So I suspect the IJN might be getting the better of the naval battle off Hawaii now, but the US marines are holding Honolulu like there is no tomorrow. My tactical error in where I landed the SF naval infantry has been a killer. Yamamoto demands victory. Urgent reinforcements needed reads his terse telegram to the War Cabinet. Japan is pursuing remnant armies to Urumchi, pushing into the USSR, wiping out desperate Indian defenders near Rangoon and tapping on the door to Malaya at Penang. In all cases, there are simply too many spaces, too little supply and the manpower is short. Oh for some panzers they cry. Said panzers are now deploying for late summer offensive in Russia, with the 'grads starting to come up slow attack. Mud foils a drive on Leningrad but, surely, it goes in June. Bulgarian troops are routed out of Astrakhan but with Iraq secure and Turkey mobilised, I fear the Russians will be encircled soon enough.

A corps in Oslo holds out against 3 bombers, tanks, 2 armies, commandos and at least 1 corps. They will be Heroes (Dead and captured, sure). The Italians under Mezze (?) give the marines in France no quarter and the early assault there is seen off.

Time is ticking away. Can we mount the last push on Russia soon enough? Will Mussolini's move back towards East Africa work? (sorry - he's not yet conquered Sudan... that was sunstroke affecting Graziani's eye sight!) How the hell do you defend the Co-prosperty sphere anyway>?