War in the West Campaign 43 Allied AAR

[marion61]

Turn 64 France

One note: The Naval TF I have above Walcheren is stuck there and has been for several turns. I've read the ferry rules and the TF should be able to move west now out of that hex where it has been stuck for a few turns. I'm not sure if this is a bug or if I didn't fully understand the ferry rules, but the TF will not move from where it is at. If it doesn't move after I push those axis units back it would have to be a bug. Thought I'd mention it.

I've finally captured Antwerp and cleared the path to the sea so that I can begin to use it. I've put it onto priority repair and hope to see some supply relief in a few turns. Axis attempted to reform their lines around Aachen with a couple of Panzer Divisions and several airborne units. Units from all three British Corps pushed the line and breached it just north of Aachen. I've still got the Canadian armored units in British Corps for now. The closer to the Rhine I get, the resistance is increasing. I'm worried some because the Russian's seem to be putting no pressure on axis forces on the Russian Front. I've seen several strong divisions suddenly appear and I'm wondering if the AI is dipping into it's East Front Forces to slow me down more. 12th AG was static this turn, although I rearranged some units to cover the front near the right flank of 2nd Army. 9th Army units are still traveling inland. For now they are going to take positions so that 2nd Army can shorten it's front again. 2nd Army is trying to surround those paratroopers just north of Aachen.

[marion61]

Turn 65 France

Canadian I Corps crossed the Maas River to the north. I'm using airborne divisions because I'm short on units in the breach, otherwise I would have them refitting again. Those axis paratroopers are proving hard to convince to surrender and has slowed my advance down to a crawl trying to do so. There's a hole all the way to the Rhine in front of my British armored units, but just don't have the mp's to exploit it. Not shown on this is 1st Army almost making a break thru north of Nancy. Axis units will have to withdraw from this bulge or be surrounded next turn. I've also taken all the Atlantic ports except for Brest and and the two southern most ports.

Only significant battles on the Southern Front was Ramini was surrounded by the 1st NZ, and 5th Army made some small gains along the western coast.

[marion61]

Turn 66 France

Canadian I Corps progress has slowed on the way towards Rotterdam. The flooded river's make assaults difficult with the limited divisions I have in the area. The next few turns I will be moving 9th Army into this area for the push to finish Belgium and Holland. Most of the 1st Airborne Army has surrounded the axis paratroopers and is having a hard time causing them to surrender. Those stubborn units have thrown the momentum off and the Rhine will be well on it's way to be well fortified before I reach it in force. 2nd Army has been halted since I need the rails across the Maas River before I can breach the Rhine, and the isolated units block two bridges I need.

In Italy, Ramini has started to be reduced, and 5th Army made a few small gains along their front.

[marion61]

Turn 68 France

The Canadian's are awaiting the arrival of US III Corps units, of the 9th Army to start taking over their positions. The Airborne Corps is still trying to finish off the paratroopers and the other hold outs, so that 2nd Army can move forward again. I've moved and spread 3rd Army out as far as I can and just hope there's not a panzer corps hidden somewhere waiting. 1st Army attempted to close the bulge around several axis units, but ran out of steam. I'm sure those units will withdraw before I get a chance to move again.

[marion61]

Turn 68 Southern Front

In Western Italy the frontier lines were breached in several places. I'm pushing the Polish Corps towards Alessandria to push a wedge between the axis units around Turin and Genoa. I'm going to cause the entire axis front to shift north eventually, and will then take my extra armies and head for Northern France. 5th Army is almost thru the mountains north of Florence and I've taken a lot of casualties taking the passes. 8th Army took Rimini and was threatening to cross near Ravenna. British 6th and 7th Armored Divisions assaulted what recon showed a weak spot in the axis lines turned out to be a PzGren Division which caused 7th Armored to lose a huge number of tanks, and the river crossing was aborted (I should have screenshot the battle). When it was all over with 7th Armored had less than 100 tanks left and it started with 200+. 6th Armored wasn't hurt as bad, but was in no condition to continue the assault.

[marion61]

These are my air losses screen from turn 69.

[marion61]

These are my ground losses to date from turn 69.

[marion61]

Turn 69 France

These two para divisions have had 21st AG stopped for 3 weeks now trying to convince them the war is over for them. They still have a CV of 2=11 and they aren't getting any air drops and it isn't on a depot. Axis paratroopers are by far the best defenders and take a lot of punishment. The huge level 9 port at Antwerp is open for business. Now my guys don't have to waste so much time and supplies just to get to the front. 9th Army continues to grow and should be able to replace the Canadian Corps positions. 2nd Army went into refit in prep for the push on the Rhine once I finish off the paratroopers. I've tested the defenses in front of 2nd Army and hopefully will be on the road soon. The bad weather of October has finally let up some, and soon the ground will harden again. I still have 3rd Army spread pretty thin thru the center of the front, while 1st Army preps for another push to encircle axis units north of Nancy.

My strategic bombers have turned most of Germany red for fuel/oil/planes/rail yards. I have noticed that during my attacks, the axis gets the message that they can't fly due to fuel shortages. It's happening quite frequently now. Also the Russian's haven't moved in over a month now and are in the same positions I reported a few post back. Gives me more time to take Berlin first.

[marion61]

Turn 69 South

In North Western Italy, the Polish Corps made a break-thru and started the wedge to cut off those units near Turin. I've made good progress the past few turns with the 1st FF Army. Meanwhile, both 5th Army and 8th Army made a couple of assaults that resulted in high casualties. That last line has been really tough to break and is where most of my casualties have come from to date.

[marion61]

Turn 70 France

This map shows my air and ground attacks. 2nd RAF Tactical attacks were in support of 21st AG and 2nd Army made a few spoiling attacks to keep some fort levels low in anticipation of the coming assaults. Hopefully the rain will stop in a turn or two and I can be ready to press forward again. 9th AF flew missions in support of 1st Army this turn which is still attempting to cut off several axis divisions near Nancy.

My strategic bombers are finding it hard to find large concentrations of targets to hit. All those turns I spent on hitting rail yards (which doesn't give VP's) cost me some VP's, but it had it's desired effect of choking supply lines out of Germany.

[marion61]

Turn 70 South

1st FF Army, using the Polish Corps has almost completed the wedge between Turin and Genoa. The Polish armor division is very low on supplies and fuel and could not cut the rails north of Turin this turn. 5th Army made a small gain in the center, while 8th Army routed several units south of Ravenna. My main goal down here is to flank the axis line still on the peninsula and force it to withdraw further north. If my plans work out I will leave one Army in Italy to contain any axis forces down here, and take the other two armies and move them north. I've made a few mistakes this game and they have cost me time, which is becoming in short supply if I'm to make it to Berlin before the Russian's.

[marion61]

Turn 72 France

I'm still waiting for the rains to turn to snow so that the ground will harden. I'm still hoping to be across the Rhine before 1945, but it's going to be close. My only significant gains were by 1st Army. They surrounded several axis divisions as they moved north of Nancy to push into the Ardennes Forest. I'm hoping that by flanking them that I can clear this area out with the limited forces I have in 3rd and 1st Army.

[marion61]

Turn 72 South

The axis forces in Italy have caused me a lot of delays this game and the AI has done a good job keeping me there as long as they did. I could have used 5th Army and 1 FF Army to help 12 AG get moving as they should have been to the German frontier by now and not stuck in the Ardennes still.

Taking Alessandria this turn and splitting the axis forces was the only real accomplishment this turn. Light mud hampered my pressing my advance further. I have cut off several divisions around and to the west of Turin. Most of the units here are weak, and just soak up movement points. I'm pushing here most because I want to flank the main axis line and cause their withdrawal.

[marion61]

Turn 75 France

15th Army has arrived on the continent, but I don't plan on filling it out right now. I have other holes I need to fill, and the majority of my new divisions went into 9th Army. 9th Army has been replacing Canadian troops the past few turns and will finish pushing towards Amsterdam.

A couple of turns ago I put the 82nd Airborne, and 1st and 6th British Airborne divisions onto airfields in prep for the drops shown in the screenshot. I had also used the Polish Airborne Brigade to drop behind the lines in what looked like a clear hex near Utrecht, but turned into having several mobile reserves that destroyed them. I had been resting 1st Canadian and 2nd Army and they were ready for the assaults across the Rhine finally. I was pretty sure once I started my attacks to breach the river that the 6th Airborne was a lost cause for I could not reach them this turn as I thought I would. I also tried to reach the 82nd Airborne, but didn't have enough movement to make it. I'm hoping they will last the turn, but I think the 6th Airborne will be destroyed. I did manage to cross the Rhine, and I reached the 1st Airborne by taking the hex directly west of it (the screenshot was taken before I took that last hex). I should be across to stay as I have my best armored and infantry divisions in that one hex. Airborne drops are not always 100% successful.

[marion61]

Turn 75 South

8th Army made some more costly assaults, and resulted in not an inch gained. In the next few turns I'm going to place 8th British Army into a defensive role and have them maintain my lines here on the peninsula. Then I'll take most of 5th Army (especially the armor divisions) to help push the flank with the 1st FF Army. 1st FF Army made some gains by taking Turin and causing the surrender of several units. Seems the axis has a plethora of crap units to slow my mp's pushing them out of the way, and the light mud hasn't helped my push here either.

[marion61]

Turn 76

9th Army made very little progress because crossing those flooded rivers after an assault is tough on mp's. At least the fort levels won't be bad next turn so I should get across this final river. I didn't manage to rescue the 82nd at Arnhem even tho I tried to interdict the area, the axis managed to get enough units to cause their surrender. That's twice this game that I've lost the 82nd, and from what I hear recruitment is down for paratroopers. 2nd Army and 1st Canadian Army are still on the German side of the Rhine. The 6th Airborne was destroyed like I thought they would be. Hopefully they didn't die in vain and stopped some reinforcements. The only saving grace was that 1st Airborne retreated back across the river into that last hex I had managed to take last turn. Otherwise it too would have been destroyed. I was only able to expand the crossing by one hex this turn, due to tough resistance by an SS Panzer Division. I bet most of those SS Troops just got the Iron Cross, cause that was my best two divisions.

3rd Army continues to put pressure on the axis forces still in the Ardennes, while 1st Army crossed the Moselle again south of Luxembourg, and continued their push towards Bastogne. Still trying to close the gap to force a withdrawal or maybe encircle a few divisions in the Ardennes.

[marion61]

Turn 76 South

I've started to ship 5th Army over to join the 1st FF Army, while 8th Army will spread itself out to encompass the peninsula and take up defensive positions. 1st FF Army is still trying to get thru the screening units and the light mud is still hampering movement.

[marion61]

Turn 77 France

Armored units from 9th Army crossed the the last flooded river in the Netherlands. I'm not sure why the AI has chosen to put so many good units in this area. 9th Army and 1st Canadian Army plan is to push north on the east side of Arnhem. My goal is to trap all those units contesting the area around Rotterdam and the flooded rivers. Their only escape once I cut the rails will be by ferry far to the north of Amsterdam. I'm also trying to create enough interdiction in those ferry hexes to slow or stop any retreat that way. 1st Canadian and British 2nd Armies finally made the assault across the Rhine and breached it across 3 hexes north of the Rhur. I'm running out of reserves due to the battle in Italy taking up so many armies down there. 1st Army made a small push and has almost closed the gap on 10 Axis divisions in the Ardennes Forest. 3rd Army is just being used to contain those divisions. Cutting this bulge up will take a few turns, but will help my push into Germany significantly.

[marion61]

Turn 77 South

1st FF Army has been mostly put into refit waiting for the mud to clear south of the Po River. Elements of 5th Army have started to arrive in Southern France from Italy. 8th Army is in refit mode also, and will be defensive for now. I've reduced their supply priority for now. I want those supplies to go to units who can make advances.

[marion61]

Turn 78 France

9th Army makes a small push towards Amsterdam, but supplies on this side of the river are terrible. I didn't take the rail crossing yet. III Corps pushed across the river just west of Arhnem, but the defenses here are tough. 1st Canadian and 2nd British Armies expanded the Rhine crossing with significant casualties. I had hoped my airborne division could have held the rail bridge, but it retreated back across the river leaving my supply situation in shambles across the river. My main goal here is to open up the rails across the river, for without it I won't be doing much advancing. 1st Army closed the gap on the 10 Axis units in the Ardennes, and 3rd Army will begin reducing them next turn.

Still mud in NW Italy, so no action to speak of in this theater.