Winston's Soft Underbelly -- A Dream Realized?

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. China. North Temperate.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. China. North Monsoon.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. Egypt.

On our way to transitioning to the Western Allies and the Western Front we stop in Egypt. The CW with the aid of a USN transport unit finally takes care of the wayward out of supplied Italian corps that had marched all the way from the Sudan into a position to either capture Cairo or Alexander if something wasn't done this turn. It was. The CW brought in a mech corps which combined with the CW division there to kill the out of supply, and post-move disorganized, Italian unit.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. Italy. Med. Balkans.

The last German resistance in Italy was finished off this turn. The allies made no further gains in to Austria and limited gains into the Balkans. The battle lines in this front have stabilized and any further gains by the Western Allies will have to be hard fought and slow going. So, plans are underway for opening a another front in France by the Western Allies. More on that in the next post.

Off the Italian Coast, the USN CV Ranger received orders to proceed to the Pacific using the fastest route possible. Also, long range USN naval air units in theater here or in England have also been given that order.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. England. France.

The Western Allies will build up forces over the winter of '43 for a Spring invasion of France. Both powers have more than enough amphibious units and transports for the job. It's land, air and HQ units that they need. Realistically, most of the HQ units needed will likely be pulled (i.e., redeployed) from the Med back to England.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. The Eastern Front. North.

Now to the Eastern Front. The Soviets continue to run their meat grinder and chew up German Army Group North and Center at any cost. Even as the Germans throw massive replacements into these army groups, the Soviets continue to push west. This turn they were able to push into the Baltic States.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. The Eastern Front. South.

Things are a bit more stable for the Germans in the south and harder for the Soviets. However, with the impending collapse of the German front in the north, a pull back of Army Group South may be necessary to prevent it from being encircled. These thoughts are not sitting well with AH.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. Arctic Ocean.

The Soviets are getting 4 non-oil resources from the Western Allies. 1 from the CW, which is the Cyprus resources conveyed through the East Med to port and then overland to the USSR. 3 more non-oil resources come from the USA and are convoyed through the Arctic ocean. They are convoyed by CW CPs. In addition to these 3 resources, the CW is also convoying the captured Finnish resource through the Arctic Ocean for the Soviets.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. USSR. Use Oil. Max Production Maintained.

It's the four traded CW and USA non-oil resources that allow the Soviets to maintain maximize production. Without them, they would have been required to use 4 of their (i.e., the Soviets) oil points needed for production for reorganization. At a production multiplier of 1.75, that translates to an "avoided" loss of 7 BPs! Even with the 4 traded resources, the Soviets choose not to reorg Timoshenko HQ's in order not to have had to expend a 6th oil point at the loss of 1 PP, or 2 BPs.

Isn't this game fun! I just love all this.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. Allied Strategic Bombing Effects on the German Economy.

The Western Allies haven't had the actions and weather to go after German industry as they wish. This turn they managed to destroy 1 PP and 2 oil resources. They hope to do more, but there are other more pressing priorities for their air units and actions.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. Country Economic Reports.

The big things to note. USA and USSR production multipliers increased to 1.75. Also, USA production alone is greater than the total of all axis production (i.e., Germany, Italy, Japan and Vichy France). The USA produced 75 BPs this turn, while the axis production combined was 72 BPs.

Also, note the USA crash program for building CVPs.

[rkr1958]

Sep/Oct 1943. Trade for Nov/Dec 1943.

No changes to any of the trade agreements.

[Centuur]

Why go for a D-Day invasion? You've cleared the Alps already, so it's nice tank country ahead in Germany itself. Berlin is the prize, not Paris...

You've freed up the units in Italy be clearing away the last German defenders there. You can invade either Vichy France using US forces (don't use CW forces there) or start attacking out of the Alps.

I would fly all available planes out of the UK (except for a small FTR force) into northern Italy and start using the forces you've got available in the area. Sail your land units out of the UK and the US into that front. There's no way Germany can stop you there, since they don't have enough planes.

It looks to me that you've got at least a 2-1 superiority with the Wallies on the front with Germany. Do the same thing the Soviets are doing: kill German units. You've got units to replace losses, Germany doesn't. In the end the front collapses and the Autobahn towards the Germany becomes available for your tanks...

The fleet in the Atlantic can be better used in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean...

[brian brian]

your Axis HQs certainly like to live dangerously

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Why go for a D-Day invasion? You've cleared the Alps already, so it's nice tank country ahead in Germany itself. Berlin is the prize, not Paris...

You've freed up the units in Italy be clearing away the last German defenders there. You can invade either Vichy France using US forces (don't use CW forces there) or start attacking out of the Alps.

I would fly all available planes out of the UK (except for a small FTR force) into northern Italy and start using the forces you've got available in the area. Sail your land units out of the UK and the US into that front. There's no way Germany can stop you there, since they don't have enough planes.

It looks to me that you've got at least a 2-1 superiority with the Wallies on the front with Germany. Do the same thing the Soviets are doing: kill German units. You've got units to replace losses, Germany doesn't. In the end the front collapses and the Autobahn towards the Germany becomes available for your tanks...

The fleet in the Atlantic can be better used in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean...

Aye, Aye, General Centuur. However, I reserve the "right" to launch a smaller second invasion into the Low countries or even northern Germany as Germany strips more and more from that area for their defenses against the Soviets or the Western Allies in the south.

The US and CW in the West probably have a dozen Amph's between them. I need to put those to use.

ORIGINAL: brian brian

your Axis HQs certainly like to live dangerously

I'm playing with the HQ movement optional rule and I'm finding that on advance if I don't keep them close then they get left behind quickly. On the flip side, as in the case of the Germans in the East, this optional rule affects their ability to retreat as fast as I would like to retreat them and as a result they find themselves on the front lines. Not to mention the situations where they're needed to fill gaps created by the advancing and restless Soviet war machine.

[rkr1958]

26. Nov/Dec 1943.

No change in the victory points totals.

As is often the case for a winter turn this turn was short and contained only five impulses (3 axis and 2 allied).

[rkr1958]

26. Nov/Dec 1943. Destroyed Pool.

Land Combat Breakdown.

The Eastern Front. USSR Land Combat. 6 total. 5 Blitz and 1 Assault.

1:1 B 2
3:2 B 1
3:1 B 1
4:1 B 1
7:1 A 1

The Western Front (Germany). USA & CW.

3:1 A 1 (w/o-chit and double attack factors for the USA).

Malaysia, Singapore. Japan.

1:2 A 1 (another suicidal invasion attempt).

[rkr1958]

26. Nov/Dec 1943. Repair Pool.

The USN CV Ranger moved directly from the Med to South China Sea this turn. It was damaged in its first battle in the Pacific. Most importantly though its air component was not lost and will be available to be used on the five other USN CVs currently without air units.

[rkr1958]

26. Nov/Dec 1943. The Arabian Sea.

Three RN CVs are currently in route from the Med to reinforce allied naval forces in the Pacific. They will operate with the combined allied task force working out of Calcutta and Singapore and currently fighting the IJN in the South China Sea.

[rkr1958]

26. Nov/Dec 1943. South China Sea.

This turn saw an inconclusive, or indecisive, naval battle between a combined RN and USN force against the IJN.