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In the Balkans, Allied force crept in a few more kilometers inside Bulgaria. Axis force are trying their best to slow them down as much as possible, takin g advantage of the terrain and, now, rain…

In other news, OKL seems to have lost the capacity to protect German airspace… Air defense will from now on, and for a little while probably, have to rely only on flak units due to the collapse of our fighter wings.

October 6th, 1944 (End of Axis turn)

In Spain, Bilbao was taken by a daring American assault with a US Marine division and two paratrooper corps that forced the already battered III Italian corps out of the city. The US VIII Corps also pushed North toward the city trying to link with those forces and cut-off Axis units still in North-Western Spain. Not panicking, Axis forces pushed back some flank forces and managed to cut-off the American VIII Corps for now. However, it is not expected that the Spanish troops holding the line will manage to keep the trap closed. But it might slow down the Americans just enough to find a longer-term solution to this new problem.

Further South, Axis forces took back, again, the strategic hills north of Madrid and destroyed the ICX Corps in the process. But Axis forces in the area are now themselves exhausted after the offensive.

On the Eastern Front, the Soviets made a few minor attacks in Poland. OKH decided not to reciprocate this time, especially in view of the weather turning, finally, for worse.

In Bulgaria, British troops encountered for the first time Romania troops in the form of the half-strength, but well equipped, Romanian 1st division. The understrength division collapsed fast and this allowed British troops to push toward Burgas. Soviet marines also landed just South of the port.

In Greece, Axis paratroopers tried a coup de force and came very close to succeeding in taking Salonica with the help of the Italian fleet and even some modest air strikes. However, in the end, the assault failed and the US division, although battered, managed to hold the port, whose capture would have reduced drastically Allied supply in the area, due to terrain not particularly adapted for supply line through the mountains around the city. Salonica’s capture could very well have stopped for good Allied push in the area.

Nonetheless, Axis troops still managed to cut-off the bulk of British forces in Northern Greece and Bulgaria. And although the eventual capture of Salonica is probably not very probable anymore, OKH still hopes to at least make contact with the German and Italian paratroopers West of the city. Cut-off British forces will now probably be even more desperate to capture Burgas, defended by a lone Bulgarian division. Although it is unclear if the port will be able to supply British troops.

German and Italian paratroopers regrouping after the failed attempt on Salonica.

Hi all. I believe that this is it. I hope that you enjoyed the AAR. I will now go and see how my opponent saw it from his side.

Thanks all for reading, and thanks to Boldairade for the game

Nirosi

I'm very sorry to see it end but thanks for the great AAR!!

Great AARs. Thanks both for the effort!

/MM