Rise of the Reich (no 821Bobo)

[Michael T]

16th August 1940.

No maps this turn as not much happening. Just trying to get to Egypt with the Germans. They are on their way. A few frustrating things at the moment.

One is that ever since I attacked Bulgaria the Rumanian oil to Italy has stopped. Not sure why. See here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4715791
That has cost me about 50 oil now. I had to send German oil to Italy to keep them going.

Two, I had Cairo occupied for quite a while (not anymore though) and I thought Iraq supposed to join the Axis if so. But they did not.

Three, the Panzers that rolled through Turkey haven't been able to rail out as yet because the pesky Turks invaded Syria just before they surrendered and took control of a key rail hex. I did not see that coming. I could have blocked it if I had been on the ball. So no bug there, just my own lack of foresight.

In other news my build cue is looking good. I have 7 Panzer Corp in the cue and 5 on the Map. So that's 12 all up. Plus two Mech. I plan to build 2 more Mech. All these Panzer/Mech will be on the map by April 1941. So that will be the Panzer/Mech force for Barbarossa. 12 Arm/4 Mech. 16 mobile formations. Once the last of the Mech is placed in the cue I will be focusing on building Inf Corp. Maybe another one or two air units and trucks.

[Chocolino]

I see that you post German security divisions along the crucial rail line Belgrade - Sofia - Istanbul to ensure supply for the "Cavalry" (and will probably post more units guarding the supply lines further south)

I have tried it once without the security divisions and fell flat on my face when the supply got interrupted by partisans - it is only a matter of time. But do you think Germany can afford the increased manpower and logistics to maintain this security effort? (really just asking - don't know the answer). Probably depends on if you can wrap this up before you attack the USSR.

[Michael T]

I can not afford to have all these Divisions, which stretch from the German border thru Yugoslavia/Bulgaria/Turkey, on rail guard duties once I go in to Russia. This middle east campaign must finish before I go in to Russia.

[Flaviusx]

16 mobile corps is 3 more than I have in my fully mobilized 43 wehrmacht in my own game. (And I have no plans to build more, although I could.)

No way could I have supported 16 mech in 41 with the oil that was available. With a dozen I was running on fumes by October of 41. If the weather hadn't turned south I would've had to stop for lack of gas anyways. Even now with more synth plants in 43 it would be stretch, at least in a mobile campaign.

You had better take those oil fields.

[Flaviusx]

What is your air force look like? This is also very fuel hungry. For myself, I build 2 more dive bombers for 41, and no more bombers since then, just the 4 initial tac and the 4 total dive bombers.

I've built lots of fighters. I will end up with something like a dozen of them.

[Michael T]

Yes I need oil fields.

I agree re the bombers. I have only built 2 extra Stuka's and 1 extra Fighter so far. I plan one more of each prior to the Russian campaign.

I actually disbanded a Tac Bomber, but it had a tech bug. It was deemed a fighter bomber. I replaced it with a Stuka.

[Michael T]

I should add, since I planned on getting extra oil, for the extra mobile units, the Italian oil bug and the Iraqi's not joining the Axis (even though I captured Cairo) are particularly galling bugs.

[Chocolino]

Looking forward to this playing out - also curious which additional oil fields you have your eye on?

[Michael T]

also curious which additional oil fields you have your eye on

Iraq and the Caucasus.

30th August 1940

All is in readiness for the final offensive in Egypt.

[Michael T]

Sadly the Italian Navy is almost gone. UK carriers strike and sink more ships. The Italians hit back with 2 hits on a sub.

[John B.]

Very interesting AAR. Thanks! Does a German attack on Turkey have any negative impact on the USSR? Is it likely to enter the war on its own?

[GenSlack]

This Q is for the Axis player. Are you experiencing supply problems with all those Axis units on both sides of the Egyptian delta? Presumably the Royal Navy is dominating the eastern Med. Thanks.

[Flaviusx]

You should be okay with the Persian and Iraqi oil, if you can get it. At least you won't have to worry about partisans, since the Iraqis are your minors (or should be if they hadn't bugged out.) One unit will take care of Persia, you don't need to occupy the whole country, just the port and the oilfield. I don't know exactly how this gets shipped back, but it does come back via the merchant marine in solo play. The Royal Navy could cause you problems here if they dispatch a battlegroup to the Persian Gulf.

Note that the Caucuses oil fields take forever to repair. Something like a year for Baku. It all gets trashed by the Soviets when you take it. So you won't see any of that until 1942 at the earliest. But 45 oil from Iraq and Persia should do the trick even without that.

[Michael T]

Very interesting AAR. Thanks! Does a German attack on Turkey have any negative impact on the USSR? Is it likely to enter the war on its own?

No. It should have some impact, but I can't see any rules that state it does.

Are you experiencing supply problems with all those Axis units on both sides of the Egyptian delta? Presumably the Royal Navy is dominating the eastern Med. Thanks.

Yes. Big supply problems. Especially for my Air units. But that will end now that I have Egypt.

[Michael T]

13th Sept 1940

The English do a runner and begin to evacuate the Delta. Cowards! They are a slippery lot, they make a new home in Cyprus. A large naval and air battle ensued
in the waters north of Egypt. The UK lost the 8th Army HQ (Sunk at sea, I wonder if the leader died?) and took many hits on BB's but none sank damn it. I lost 2 more
Subs.

He has only 2 Inf Corp left in Egypt now. I threw everything I had at Alexandria but it held out, no doubt it was on 'Hold' orders. He will surely evacuate the
surviving defenders this turn. I placed my remaining Italian naval units in the Red Sea/Suez canal in the hope of getting a shot at a UK corp as it departs.
But he has a massive fleet still in the vicinity so he might try a carrier strike. But I have land based air so who knows what will ensue.

I anticipate the Egyptian campaign will finally end next turn. So our eyes begin to look to Russia.

The Brits have been bombing the factories in France for some easy hits lately. But it has very little impact on me.

Now I have to think about getting my Armies in position for Barbarossa. There is also the self made problem of Tunisia. To remove the Brits now will take more effort than I am prepared to make.
So I will build up defences and focus on Russia.

I need these oil bugs fixed ASAP. My whole strategy is based upon a big mobile fuel guzzling Panzer Army that will demolish Russia. So my plans will be unhinged if I can't get my hands on that Iraqi and Caucasus oil.

[Michael T]

27th Sept 1940

As expected the last of the UK defenders in Egypt depart. I had hoped to perhaps sink some fully loaded transports but my airforce did nothing. The RN sortied and destroyed
my last Italian ships with carrier based air strikes. Not a single Italian naval unit exists. The Med is a RN lake. Our only defence against the RN now is land
based air.

Hopefully this will be the last screenie of Egypt for some time.

[Michael T]

This game is still rolling along. Not much happening though, touch wood. The Germans have been slowly building up strength and re-deploying for Barbarossa. A standoff still ensues along the Tunisian/Libyan frontier. The only fighting has been low grade air combat around Malta/Tunisia and France. That is about all the fighting taking place.

The game is at 6th December 1940. I will post screenies and reports and any other news in the next one or two moves.

One thing, I just got 1942 Interceptors in 1940
So I expect to really give the Soviet Fighters a good drubbing.

[Michael T]

20th December 1940

Rumania and Hungary have both joined the Axis. The build up along the Eastern Front continues. The Allies are feeding more troops in to Tunisia as well. But otherwise pretty quiet and only a few bombing raids by each side.

[Michael T]

Tunisia/Libya

[Michael T]

German Production