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October 11th, 1940 (End of Axis turn)

Much to OKW’s despair, snow appeared over Northern France greatly impeding operations. Luckily, most French troops, with a few exceptions, are in such shambles, that their weakness often compensated for the bad weather. Also, what is believed to be the last corps of the BEF have been spotted in French ports in Britany and Normandy, ready to leave.

After successive, brutal, and, frankly, desperate assaults by German troops against fresh and well-equipped French troops, Rouen was finally taken and secured from any possible French counterattacks, while Paris was encircled and is now besieged.

Further East, German troops reached the outskirts of Lyon and cleaned-up French troops in the Maginot Line.

In other news, the XXI Corps was finally destroyed West of Nottingham. The last radio report having been received on the morning of October 19th.

Heavy fighting left heavy damage in Rouen...

Near Paris, a Panzer IV lies as a witness to the horrendous difficulties of the German armies in France.

October 25th, 1940 (End of Axis turn)

After some minor mop-up of weak dispersed units, to give some easy victories to our boys who have suffered much more than they deserved, Berlin accepted France’s offer of a cease-fire and, under the agreement, all Northern and Western France will be occupied for the remainder of the war.

British troops however, under Royal Navy protection, are still active in Saint-Nazaire where it is believed that they might have disarmed the local police and army force and took over the city. However, London tells a different story that they are protecting the city in the name of the legitimate French government exiled in Great Britain.

In other News, Bordeaux naval facilities were hastily put back in order and are already providing support for U-boat operating in the Atlantic against British shipping

The campaign in France ended with loses in men, equipment and time that far exceeded the worst of OKW nightmares...

November 8th, 1940 (End of Axis turn)

German troops reached Saint-Nazaire defended by no less than three British divisions with three battleship groups providing cover from a few miles off coast. OKL ordered numerous strikes on the British fleet despite the bad weather, but with no success. The Royal Navy fended off all attacks.

Despite the horrendous German loses, it seems that Rome considered the United Kingdom to be overstretched now with the fall of France and declared war on London. That same day, the Regia Aeronautica launched a massive series of raids on Malta and sent two submarine flotillas to try to blockade the island. The raids on Malta caused serious losses in men and equipment to both an infantry corps still embarked on transport ships and an Army Headquarter complement and its security regiments. The Warspite is also believed to have been moderately damaged.

Rome also ordered some reinforcement to North Africa and Italian troops took Sidi Barrani before retreating to observe British reactions.

In other news, German troops have been observed in Italy.

Photograph taken during the 3rd raid on Malta from a SM.79 Sparviero.

Italian troops entering Sidi Barrani.

November 22nd, 1940

In France, Saint-Nazaire and its inhabitants was abandoned by British forces. OKH started the long task of redeployment and reorganisation of its forces.

In the Mediterranean, Malta was once again the target of the Regia Aeronautica. Surface vessels, including transports, had already left the port, but submarines flotillas had arrived in the meanwhile and were the new targets of Italian bombers. One submarine flotilla was very lightly damaged, but another one, targeted by the specialised anti-shipping Squalo division was very severely mauled.

On the diplomatic front, Romania and Hungary, encouraged by the turn of events in France and worried about the Soviets to their borders, joined the Axis. German troops already started deploying in Western Romania, but in Berlin, the anti-communist discourses seemed to have calmed down since the difficulties encountered in France.

December 6th, 1940

The war continued at sea and in the Mediterranean. Only mediocre results were achieved at sea in an exchange of cargo ships vs U-boats that was not quite enough to be worth the effort. But more submarines are on their way to sustain the effort in the Atlantic.

In Malta, all vessels of the Royal Navy seem to have left for either Egypt or Gibraltar. Italian aircraft attacked the RAF fighter squadrons based on the island, but their either could not or would not interfere with the Italian operations.

After some debate, Comando Supremo did not order an assault on Syria in the last weeks because it could only be put together with Italian marine divisions and a British unit is believed to be near the border of the French mandate (on top of the French division in Damas). Comando Supremo did not want to risk that the marine divisions would be pushed back to the sea before the ports could receive reinforcements in the very possible eventuality that the British unit in question is a full corps.

December 20th, 1940

The U-boat’s luck seems to have gotten a little better, but not yet to the point of threatening the British Empire.

In the Mediterranean, a huge Royal Navy fleet was back to Malta composed of many ships, avoiding detection while moving in. Italian aircraft were therefore sent to greed them. Italian loses were severe but after many waves scoring no hits, the Illustrious CV group was finally severely damaged by the specialised Squalo division.

In other news, more British troops have been spotted near Syria.

Italian intelligence officer Marco Moretti in Bedouin disguise in Syria. Agent Moretti sent valuable information on British deployment in Palestine.

January 3rd, 1941

As expected after the information received by agent Moretti, British troops entered Syria and quickly dispatched the French defenders. A mechanised corps, and also an independent infantry division, was used in the invasion, leaving the French no fighting chances. Agent Moretti managed to escape via Turkey.

In Malta, many ships left the harbour but not all. Italian aircraft once again attacked the port and sustained heavy damage but managed to cause moderate damage to both the Ramillies groups and the Courageous group. Regia Aeronautica informed Comando Supremo that operation will have to cease for a while to let the pilot recover and loses be replaced. Comando Supremo therefore asked OKL for some support in order to keep the pressure going.

In the Atlantic, U-boats, once again, found no prey to feast on.

With a new year starting, the Axis is reviewing the overall situation. The German army and air forces were severely mauled in France sustaining heavy losses. British forces sustained only moderate loses on land, but lost many aircrafts and pilots. The Battle of the Atlantic is still undecided, but extra U-boats should join the battle in the coming months. Italy lost many aircrafts since it entered the war, but managed to put good pressure on the Royal Navy in Malta, even coming to an inch of sinking a whole carrier group.

As far as available forces go, most countries involved in the war are able to field reasonably strong forces. However, OKW ordered a a drastic mobilization during 1941 to catch-up and increase the size of the Heer after the loses in France.

Of interest, is the impressive size of the Canadian army fielding about 13 divisions despite a relatively modest population.

January 17th, 1941

In Egypt, Canadian and British troops are advancing toward the Libyan border. OKW dispatched a panzer corps directly to Tobruk to beef-up the Italians. The Royal Navy, once again, left Malta. Further East, Rhodes’ defenses are being probed, could the British be considering an invasion of the Island?

In the Atlantic, OKM reported a disastrous two weeks with many loses for very light damage done to British shipping.

ORIGINAL: Nirosi

As far as available forces go, most countries involved in the war are able to field reasonably strong forces. However, OKW ordered a a drastic mobilization during 1941 to catch-up and increase the size of the Heer after the loses in France.

Of interest, is the impressive size of the Canadian army fielding about 13 divisions despite a relatively modest population.

I believe Australia (with a population about 2/3rds of Canada) fielded about this many divisions; as did Rumania with also a smaller population than Canada.

Very true for Australia. However Romania was close, but not quite, to double Canada in 1939 (~19M vs 11M). But no problem with that on my side, I am actually glad to see players building the Canadian army. Often and sadly neglected and transformed into a huge shipping yard [:(]

January 31st, 1941

In the Atlantic, four U-Boat flotillas together managed to sink only about 100 000 toons of merchant shipping but lost among them the equivalent of a whole flotilla. OKM is at a loss to explain the overall mediocre results, with huge variations, since the start of the war. Allied level of escort and sub hunting patrols seem to explain only part of the variations. Some important technical improvements are expected to be deployed on U-boats by spring, improving, among other things, their diving speed and noise levels.

In the Mediterranean, a lone submarine flotilla was spotted Southwest of Crete and its mission is puzzling the Regia Marina as it was in no position to interfere with any Axis operation except maybe an invasion of Crete. Nonetheless, aircrafts from Libya were sent to attack the submarines and inflicted moderate loses on the flotilla.

Near the Libyan-Egyptian border, things are heating up with a show of force on both sides. The Axis fields three mobile corps: the VXI Panzer Corps, the XXI Motorised Corps Piave and the XX Armor Corps Ariete, the last two both renamed around their central division. Complementing those forces, Rome sent in also the II Infantry Corps. Berlin promised an infantry corps as well if need be. However, no one dare to start the hostilities preferring to let the other side commit first…

In other news, Comando Supremo is estimating that unless relieved, the Malta garrison should start starving soon.

What is believed to be British submarine HMS P36 been under attack by aircrafts of the Drago Light Bomber Division. The submarine is believed to be sunk.