Decline & Fall AAR v2

[composer99]

The new line in Italy.

This line is pretty solid, courtesy of the mountains and Alpine corps.

The problem is that it is also easily bypassed, courtesy of the Germans' unit shortage and the Allied naval and air supremacy.

[composer99]

The Germans pull back slightly in Rumania, forming a reserve to cover Bucharest and the Ploesti oil against breakthroughs along the front.

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In Belorussia, the Ostheer has almost completed its withdrawal from Soviet soil.

However, in order to make this happen, the von Leeb HQ and a militia in the swamps were left to the metaphorical wolves.

There remains, at present, a worrying gap in the line along the northwestern edge of the Pripet Marshes, a gap which the Red Army's cavalry force could very well exploit.

[composer99]

In Finland, a withdrawal from the borderlands region near Leningrad allows the Finns to re-establish a line of supply, and prevent encirclement of their army.

The German units currently in-country are still having supply issues as there are no convoys, transports, or AMPH in the Baltic.

[composer99]

End-of-Turn Roll

With a roll of 9, the turn continues.

[composer99]

Allied Impulse #9

Weather
Astonishingly, the earlier break in the weather was merely a reprieve between severe storminess.

[composer99]

Alignments

The US decides to align Mexico, after all.

A few Mexican troops are deployed for eventual transfer to the Pacific theatre.

The remaining forces are left to garrison Mexico, and the Mexican air force will be shelved and the pilot crews transferred to USAAF squadrons. [I will return the plane to reserves during reinforcements next turn.]

[composer99]

Actions

Everyone calls a land action.

(The US could have called a combined action, perhaps, and moved out more fleet for redeployment to Rabaul, but it really wanted to get the troops in the Bay of Biscay ashore. The French perhaps ought to have called a combined in order to initiate a combat in the South China Sea, but, well, they didn't.)

[composer99]

Rail Moves

The only rail moves shown separately from land moves are the redeployment of the Mexican Expeditionary Force to southern California, for eventual shipment to garrison the US' Pacific holdings against surprise attack.

(If US losses are sufficiently heavy, or if manpower demands are sufficiently exacting, the Mexican troops may find themselves on the front line.)

[composer99]

Land Movement

The Communist Chinese move up to menace Taiyuan, and enter Chengchow with a view to liberating it (as it were) from the Japanese. An infantry army moves to cover Mao, just in case.

[composer99]

Taking advantage of the snowy weather, the Red Army crosses the Finnish lakes to surround what is now a weak point in the Finnish deployment.

[The Finnish corps in the swamps was doubled on defence in fine weather, but the swamps are treated as forest in snow, so no such benefit now.]

[composer99]

Such Red Army forces as are still organised in Belorussia advance, not quite making contact with the main German line (except for the partisans).

Instead, they surround the pinned German formations.

[composer99]

The Red Army forces in Eastern Poland and Rumania tighten up their line in order to launch an assault in the Carpathians and be prepared to resume general offensive operations next month.

The cavalry also push forward in the swamps, hoping to get a chance to break out.

[composer99]

The Nationalist Chinese advance upon Wuhan and Hangchow, both of which they hope to seize when the weather improves.

[composer99]

The Indian Army advances as best it can into Burma, despite the lousy weather.

[composer99]

Commonwealth regular forces in the Middle East move to Suez for sea transport elsewhere, once sealift becomes available.

[composer99]

With the rainy weather, the short turn, and the Germans entrenched in the mountains, the Allies advance as fast as they can in Italy, at the expense of being able to conduct future operations until a respite [the end of the turn].

[composer99]

The US airborne corps debarks into Ponape. It's now stacked with air transports, ready to drop into Truk.

[composer99]

The Allies manoeuvre to complete taking control of Brittany. They are now in position to seize Brest.

Courtesy of the marine engineers, they also capture Cherbourg, secure in the knowledge that an Axis counter-attack will not be forthcoming in this weather.

[composer99]

Land Combat

The Allies have five land combats: one to capture Brest, and four mounted by the USSR.

Two of the combats are made against the surrounded units in Belorussia, and are automatic.

The other three are more interesting.

(Note that at this stage, the benefit for winterised units has not been included in the calculation.)