1937 AAR

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Snapshot of the losses incurred by both sides. Total causalities as measured by Rifle Squads and Armor have about doubled since turn 17. The majority of these losses are due to the attrition warfare being fought along the Sair Usa front.

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The Southern Legion lands at Port Kilwa Kivinje and a second port further S. The Leftist seem to have evacuated their naval units from Port Kilwa Kivinje, probably because of the BB division sitting outside the port. Whatever the reason this has allowed the Empire to land unobstructed and fan out toward the resource centers. The units landed to the S are intended to be a blocking force.

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Imperial positions at the end of turn 23. All of the major forces are shown; Songea scouting fleet, Southern Legion, units reconstituting at Kongwa, the center force and the Sair Usa defense line. The Southern Legion is poised to doo the greatest damage to the Leftist.

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Leftist attacks against the Imperial Sair Usa front are beginning to break the defenses. Casualties are heavy on both side, especially with the armored Bdes on the Leftist right flank.

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Leftist – Turn 24

News: Interdiction reduces rail capacity to 50% (6,000 units).

The sides switch and the Leftist move first. Units redeploy around Kongwa in an effort to control the next reconstituted units. A few of the Bdes brought in to fight off the last group of Imperial units can now be sent to Manyoni. Alone the Partizansk volunteers are probably too weak to eliminate the Imperial units landing on the E coast. Help will be needed.

In the center Imperial forces are beaten and pushed back. They are is serious danger of being enveloped. However, the Leftist have no intention of chasing them N. Unless a strategic opportunity appears, advancing N to Liwate would only stretch their line of communication and dilute the concentration of force.

Switching to the first move of the turn enables the Leftist to attack in Sair Usa before the Empire can strengthen their defenses. As a result, the Leftist are able to punch a hole in the center and threaten the integrity of the entire defense.

Force Supply: 43 Effective Supply: 50

Empire – Turn 24

News: Interdiction reduces rail capacity to 75% (9,000 units).

The Sair Usa defense is tightened up and some reserves have arrived by rail. Hopefully this will be enough to hold back the Leftist.

Center force has been beaten and scattered. Their survival will depend on reinforcements and establishment of a new defensive line. The commander is looking at the terrain for the optimal defensive positions.

The Southern Legion makes a successful assault on the Leftist Replacement Center on the East Manyoni Coast. Destruction of the Leftist Replacement Center will cause the current 125 Rifle Squad rate to drop. Reduction should take place on the turn following news of the resource destruction.

Force Supply: 32 Effective Supply: 39

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December 25th is also known as the Winter Solstice, Midwinter, Yule, the Longest Night and in Pagan times, Jól.

Most notable news happens on December 25th with the reduction of railroad transportation capacity. Both sides impacted.

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Leftist attack the Imperial Sair Usa front. Units are able to push into the center and cause Imperial units to reorganize.

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Imperial force deployment at the end of Turn 24. A few units have been thrown into the gap in the Sair Usa front while the Southern Legion has destroyed the Leftist Replacement Center. A small force of cruisers and destroyers waits in a port W of Songea, looking for a target of opportunity.

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Shown are typical TOEs of the opposing armored brigades. The Empire is fitted with French armor while the Leftist have Italian. Units are rounded out with common equipment of the period. The absolute numbers of each equipment are not standard and vary per formation.

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Empire – Turn 25

News: TO appears for usage of chemical weapons. This gives the user a shock value of 112% for one turn following activation. Cost is a temporary cost of 3 supply (the spent supply will be recovered). This TO is useful but needs to be closely coordinated with a planned offensive.

It’s becoming evident that the Leftist are unable to make substantial amphibious attacks N of their current lines. With this in mind, the Empire feels there is little risk to strip units from homeland defense and deploy them on the front line. Units from Kobdo mount up on troop trains and move toward Liwate.

Southern Legion make aggressive assaults and drives Leftist back from the Leftist Replacement Center. There does not appear to be any Leftist forces left to prevent Imperial troops from occupying their Replacement Center.

Force Supply: 32 Effective Supply: 39

Leftist – Turn 25

News: TO appears for use of chemical warfare.

Loss of the Replacement Center is a significant impact. Rate for all equipment types decrease by 25%. As an example, Rifle Squads went from 125 to 94 per turn. If the center can be recaptured, there is a onetime increase of about 10%.

In the Manyoni sector, reinforcements arrive from Kongwa and begin deployment. Next turn they may be ready to begin an offensive against the Imperial Southern Legion.

Leftist conduct three rounds of frontal attacks along the Sair Usa front. Casualties continue to be heavy. A couple of Imperial units are pushed back but a breakthrough is not achieved. However, the attacks have pushed the enemy out of their prepared positions which were mostly in favorable defensive terrain. Leftist units now occupy many of those fortified positions.

In the center both sides continue to spar. Overall the Leftist have the upper hand and are better positioned for offensive action.

Force Supply: 43 Effective Supply: 49

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The Southern Legion takes out a Leftist Replacement Center. Leftist are forming up on their S flank for the counterattack. Damage has already been done to the replacement rate, but there is a possibility to have some recovery.

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The second of three Leftist combat rounds on the Sair Usa front. The Leftist are slowly grinding down the defense but need to find better tactics in order to achieve a significant local victory.

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This illustrates a need for correction of a design flaw. The engineering units were organized without railroad construction crews and, therefore, cannot repair damaged bridges. The fix has been made giving each engineering unit a minimum of 50% chance to repair a bridge/railroad.

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Empire – T26

News: submarine warfare reduces Imperial shipping capacity to 80% (8,000 units).

The Empire is debating the strategic reasoning for occupying the Imperial Manyoni Replacement Center. Looks like it could be captured, and the Imperial replacement rate increased but is the Southern Legion strong enough to defend it? For now, the decision is to continue occupying the Leftist center and occupy the Imperial center at a later time. A little further S the battle fleet is used to bombard Leftist units and slow up their attack.

In the center reinforcements arrive and the Imperialists are able to counterattack. Armor against armor and the Leftist fall back to regroup.

The Sair Usa front is quiet. Some repositioning of troops to eliminate pockets easily attacked by the enemy but mostly just resting, resupply and replacements.

Force Supply: 32 Effective Supply: 39

Leftist – Turn 26

Partizansk volunteers reinforced with regular army units attack the S flank of the Southern Legion. Legionnaires are no match for the regulars and fall back with heavy losses. Leftist expect that the Eastern Manyoni Shores will be cleared of Imperialists in a couple of weeks. Imperial heavy naval units bombard Leftist along the coast, but the losses are not significant.

Along the Sair Usa and central fronts there is little activity. Leftist units need rest and supply before continuing offensive action.

Force Supply: 32 Effective Supply: 39

Empire – 27

The Southern Legion knows that they are out matched and decide to withdraw. Damage has been done to the Leftist replacement rate so the mission can be considered a success. It will take this turn plus two more to fully extract the Southern Legion.

Two units, an armor Bde and Marine Bn have reconstituted S of Kongwa. Again, the Empire will try to make havoc behind the Leftist lines.

Noticed that supply to the central force was not being transported along the rail line as expected. Investigated and found that guerrillas had turned a hex and cut the a rail line. Shows that the cost paid by the Leftist to conduct guerrilla warfare has paid off.

Found two more broken supply lines N of the Sair Usa front. With a 5th Column attacking behind the lines the Empire needs to be more vigilant. Units had been operating with supply in the 20’s when they should have had supply in the 40’s.

A couple of spoiling attacks are made in the central area, but otherwise units rest and reinforce.

Force Supply: 43 Effective Supply: 48

Leftist – Turn 27

News: Submarine warfare reduces Leftist shipping capacity to 80% (8,000 units).

Imperial units reconstituting in Kongwa are again causing problems. Leftist garrison units surround them and begin reduction attacks. Imperial units are known to be low on supply and offer little resistance. Shore bombardment eliminates two Imperial units located on the N shore of Kongwa.

In the Eastern Manyoni Shores area units overrun Imperial positions and move N to prevent the Empire from escaping. Regular Leftist units prove to be superior to Imperial legionnaires.

In the center Imperial forces have been reinforced and are forcing the Leftist into a defensive posture. They will need to hold while additional forces are being organized.

Leftist are trying a different tactic in Sair Usa. At selected points a couple of rounds of minimal loss attacks are conducted leading up to a main assault. Several Imperial defenders are forced to pull back leaving weak points in the defense. Leftist want to break this stalemate and drive toward Tszaq. This would cause the Empire to redeploy for the defense of Dalan.

Force Supply: 43 Effective Supply: 48

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Imperial troops occupy the Leftist Manyoni Replacement Center. Part of the force is sent S to defend against the Leftist counterattack.

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Leftist drive N toward the Imperial’s invasion point. Regular troops are able to route the Southern Legion.

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Two Imperial units reconstitute S of Kongwa city causing the Leftist to take action. Along the Kongwa N shore a cruiser task force bombards and eliminates the isolated Imperial units.

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The TO&Es for AA Brigades. Settings used in this scenario version give AA a significant defensive capability against aircraft. This setting has been toned down a bit for the next version. Both sides have split AA units into three subunits for better defense of bridges, HQs and artillery concentrations.

[StuccoFresco]

Very interesting. How would you rate the Leftists possibilities of achieving a breakthrough at Sair Usa?

[rhinobones]

ORIGINAL: StuccoFresco

Very interesting. How would you rate the Leftists possibilities of achieving a breakthrough at Sair Usa?

The current situation is a WWI like battle of attrition. A successful series of assaults always has the potential for a breakthrough, but it seems more likely that a flanking attack will break the stalemate. As it is now, I would say Leftist chances of a breakthrough are fair. Otherwise, events on other fronts may dictate whether one of the sides will need to divert troops to quell an uprising. Imperial troops reconstituting in Kongwa may be such a factor.

Regards, RhinoBones