The Road to Where : Allied perspective

[cpdeyoung]

19410801 : GB : The only naval contact between Axis and Allies was in the Baltic where the Germans must have probed to see if the Soviets were there. Since our convoys do not run that route we will send another to the Soviets.

USSR : The fire brigades are about their business of putting out fires. Our beloved Stalin is becoming unhappy at our failure to repulse the enemy. His brilliant purge of the Armed Forces may not have gone far enough, but he assures us this can still be remedied. We will double our efforts for the Motherland.

[cpdeyoung]

19410816 : GB : We pull back a little bit from the aid we are sending the Soviet Union. Their production is ramping up and we have some needs of our own. The Japanese are acting very suspiciously in the Pacific and we may need to look that way also.

USSR : More painful pullbacks and always the threat of being cut off from breaks in the line, and from that open sore south of Minsk. We are very sorry to abandon this important city, but we felt compelled to do so. Maintaining a line in these circumstances is so difficult. We are not a small country.

Neutrals : The USA starts another round of armor research even though we already have Grants and Stuarts, and keep this under your hat, we have a great medium, the Sherman. Norway and Greece watch from the sidelines.

[cpdeyoung]

19410901 : GB : We send aid to the Soviets, but, again saving a little for our needs.

USSR : Another turn of retreats as we attempt to stabilize the center of our front. The turn also saw a punishment of the Italians, which may serve to keep the southern fron quieter as we attempt to withdraw some units from there.

Neutrals : USA accelerates research on air power, which we have not done, getting two light bulbs for 270 PP. Norway rejoices in the launch of the Norge her first battleship since the one of 1912 which shared that proud name. Greece watches the Bulgarians.

[cpdeyoung]

19410916 : GB : We continue to support the Soviets, but are keeping back a few PP for ourselves.

USSR : We try and form lines, and pick off a few Axis units. We need very strong units, but continue to have to build lots of weak ones.

Neutrals : The USA waits. Norway proudly sends the Norge out on exercises with the fleet. Greece watchs Bulgarians.

[cpdeyoung]

19411001 : GB : We convoy more PP to the Soviets.

USSR : We strike at the invader, and try to stabilize the front. We declare war on the Hungarians, who hid behind the cloak of neutrality while supporting out enemies.

Neutrals : All watch and wait.

[cpdeyoung]

19411016 : GB : We continue to use our control of the seas to supply the Soviets.

USSR : Is the enemy exausted or crafty? We do not take many chances, consolidating our lines. We make a few attacks.

Neutrals : Nothing significant to report.

[cpdeyoung]

19411101 : GB : We want to help the USSR with their coming winter offensive.

USSR : We have the initiative, which is hard to believe, and hard to adjust to. We make three attacks, and have a threat in the center, but we fully expect the Axis to have reserves to prevent us from making great gains.

Neutrals : Watch and wait. The USA pops off a large convoy to greece.

[cpdeyoung]

19411201 : GB : The Americans have been attacked by the Japanese! We are meeting with their staffs to plan the defeat of the Nazis. We continue to ship PP to the USSR.

USSR : The vicious Germans cut the base out of our Tank Corps' exploit. We must grind forward, the powerful Panzer Korps can change an advance into a pocket in a flash. We create two new Guards Tank Corps with the reinforcement PP.

Neutrals : Germany is declaring war on the USA in the aftermath of the Day of Infamy. The USA stops the convoys to neutrals.

[cpdeyoung]

19420101 : GB : We bring Norwa into the conflict. We purchase some research. The convoys to the Soviets will be maintained at 20 PP until we judge otherwise.

USSR : We attack with the winter advanage, but knowing the enemy we do not extend ourselves.

Norway : We have our fleet integrated with those of the Royal Navy.

Neutrals : The USA is about to enter the war. Greece maintains a defensive posture.

[cpdeyoung]

Some notes on a new year : Gary gave up the initiative just before winter, and I have had a hard time taking it up.  Even now with the tremendous help of the Russian Winter I can make only very limited attacks.  I consider my army as the mirror image of his just now.  We both have high quality infantry, and some very powerful armored units.  Gary has one component I do not have, and that is the Luftwaffe.  Those deep penetrations that break a line wide open are possibile for him, but very difficult for me.  I never bullt an air unit and I am going to have to budget for some now.  They are very hard and expensive to build, and fragile when built.
 
I was considering having a third player take the Allies, leaving me the Comintern.  The time this PBEM/AAR takes is too great, so I will continue with both.  In order to be fair I am holding my USA Lend Lease at 50PP, and allowing Great Britain to only contribute 20PP.
 
Gary is doing a splendid job of keeping me from being comfortable.  He cuts me off every time I expose a drive into his lines.  I expect he will try a Spring campaign, and I hope I am ready for it.  The Soviets will have a sparse diet of production from now on as the western Allies begin to campaign actively.  The USSR will be watching anxiously for a second front to open.
 
So much to think about.

[cpdeyoung]

19420201 : GB : We welcome the Yanks and make room for them in our southern ports. We uplevel some divisions.

Norway : Our fleet is on patrol.

USA : We head towards the continent, send lend lease convoys (50PP) each, and begin to consider the proper build out for this conflict.

Neutrals : Greece waits.

[cpdeyoung]

19420216 : GB : We load some troops on attack transports to begin probing. We begin our first armour research. 20PP sent to USSR. Ireland joins the Allies.

USSR : We make limited attacks on this always dangerous enemy.

Norway : Patrolling.

USA : Bring some air power to England.

Neutrals : Greece waits.

[cpdeyoung]

19420301 : GB : We begin probing the enemies costal defenses and find them significant. All ports garrisoned, we would expect no less, and hexes nearby covered too.

USA : We are building up slowly, watching for what is needed.

Norway and Ireland : Watch and wait.

Neutrals : Greece : Watch Bulgarians.

[cpdeyoung]

19420316 : GB : We send some PP to the Irish, and our 20PP to the USSR.

USA : General Marshall is considering ways to enter the conflict.

Norway : We are on patrol.

Ireland : We expect the PP Great Britain promised us to abandon our neutrality.

USSR : We attack in three spots and expect counterattacks.

Neutrals : Greece : Wait.

[cpdeyoung]

19420401 : GB : It looks like the Axis is using diplomatic points in Persia. We upgrade some units.
USA : We stop shipping lend lease to Great Britain, we may restart it. We continue our little project.
Norway : Continue patroling.
Ireland : Build two divisions to protect Dublin
USSR : The enemy swept in and destroyed two expensive motor units. There is nothing going to come easy here. We hope to hold our recovered city.
Neutrals : Greece : We are actually researching artillery!

[cpdeyoung]

19420416 : GB : Losses at sea! The enemy is becoming aggressive.
USA : We see a damaged battleship too.
Norway, Ireland : Go about theit business.
USSR : One attack.
Neutral : Greece : Wait.

[cpdeyoung]

19420501 : GB : We send a convoy to Ireland, 5 PP, and a 20PP convoy to the USSR. We increase our artillery research level.
USA : We exert pressure on Iceland, bringing it into the Allied Alliance. We ramp up research on armor. Continue our special project. Repair a damaged battleship.
Norway : Upgrade the Oslo garrison to a corps.
Ireland : Build another unit for defending Dublin.
Iceland : Request a convoy from the Americans.
USSR : We declared war on Estonia, lackeys of the Nazis, and opened a new flank!
Neutrals : Greece : We are 1/50th of the way to L2 infantry!

[cpdeyoung]

19420509 : GB : We are quiet.
USA : Send some PP to Iceland.
Norway, Ireland, Iceland : Quiet.
USSR : Build a line in Estonia.
Neutrals : Greece : Italian vultures hanging about.

[cpdeyoung]

19420516 : GB, USA, Norway, Ireland, Iceland : Quiet this turn.
USSR : Some battles, some rebuilding, some upleveling.
Neutral : Greece : Italians and Bulgarians to watch.

[cpdeyoung]

19420524 : GB : Building up some PP reserves.
USA : Built an infantry corps.
Norway : Patrolling.
Ireland : We have secured the Emerald Isles.
Iceland : We have an infantry division.
USSR : Take Estonia. React in the south.
Neutral : Greece : Wait.