stjeand(Axis) vs Nirosi(Allies) Nirosi may look

[stjeand]

Turn 55

11 MS sunk and an Escort. I believe 2 sub hits but forget.
BUT in support of Norway...which Harry knows I DO NOT give up without a fight the German naval is sunk.
The Germans are able to take Riga finally and move near Leningrad...there is minor resistance but rain should come now then the lines should settle for the winter...with any luck a cold turn.

AGN

[stjeand]

AGC

It all goes badly here for Russia as long as the panzers hold...a non rain turn might break their back.

[stjeand]

AGS

No movement here.

[stjeand]

Turn 56

5MS sunk...3 sub hits...back to not great...BUT the number of MS is getting low and there will be more subs striking next turn. Just need a few good turns without the huge losses I am taking.

AGN
Germany pushes close to Leningrad...the units there are weak as are the Germans, and rain arrives. I am okay with that as my army requires a much needed rest.

[stjeand]

AGC

The Russians were able to break the German encirclement...though most units were still out of supply due to weather...
BUT the Germans re-encircled the units with tougher lines...so there should be no way to escape.
A lot of weak units close by and even with rain the Panzers can roll over them.
I am not sure if the Russians will need to evacuate Moscow but they should be worried.
Sadly I am out of supply trucks and it is unlikely I will have any until the Spring of 42.

[stjeand]

AGS

Germany is severely lacking support in the South...
Luckily the mopping up of surrounded troops has been completed and a few corps are enroute.

[stjeand]

Turn 57

3MS and 1 escort sunk for 3 sub hits...

No real changes on the Eastern Front...
Mixing troops up in Africa for a possible foray.

[stjeand]

Turn 58

3MS sunk 4 sub hits...still a MAJOR struggle in the BOA.
Russia has a VERY early blizzard which halts all Axis activity and starts to create some danger...
But little changes.

[stjeand]

Turn 59

6MS sunk...3 sub hits.
Down to 133 MS...and 3 subs attacking the African coast this turn.
IF I can get lucky next turn will be 6 subs and we could do some heavy damage to his shipping.

A few attacks in Russia by the Russians...though they are too weak to do much. Heavy losses to them...minimal to the Germans.
UK attacks a unit in Norway, and I transport up a panzer to bring things to a standstill up there.


Africa is where things get interesting...

Airdrop and invasions cut off the Monty and the majority of his army. At least 3 inf corps, one armor and not sure of the last one...kind of hope a mech but might just be another infantry.
They are cut by a panzer...also dropped an Italian marine deep over there as a decoy...
the UK navy is at least 2 turns away...maybe 3. NOT a good sign.

The Italian navy begins the shelling of all units on the coastline.

Luftwaffe sends down some fighters and Rommel will be on the next transport. With luck...the battle in Africa will go our way.

[Harrybanana]

What is the Force count for both sides? I think this game might be effectively over.

[stjeand]

I did not check...I will next turn.
I think he mistakenly pulled all his navy out of the Med and that was NOT a good choice.
You have to leave something just to keep the Italians honest.

I suppose I could have hit Alexandria...and perhaps I should have but I don't have good luck across a river into a swamp with the panzer.
IF that fell it would be over without question. Right now...he is not in good shape. He has 3 inf corps in Norway and 1 Mech corp...which I will keep pinned for now. I think he needs to do what you did and pull out just holding one port since that is all you need to cut the convoy line.
He also needs some MS badly...though I suspect he has quite a few in the deployment queue, but how far away I do not know.
Another mistake is he is making quite a few attacks in Russia.
All decent losses...I think he needed to wait for his Siberians and group them for attacks. His current units are just too weak, but they are keeping my panzers in the 30% for efficiency due to 3 turns of blizzard. Thankfully he can't move quickly.


Turn 60
3MS sunk 1 Escort sunk 1 sub hit...
There are now 6 uboats attacking next turn. Hoping for a 10+MS sink...will drop the UK into the 120s....

Russia makes a few small attacks...LOTS of blizzard...really a rough winter as it should be but most games I don't see this much.

Africa...
The panzer that landed overruns the HQ with naval assistance.
The Afrika Corps overrun 1 infantry corp and cripple another.

[stjeand]

Turn 61..

10 MS and 3 escorts sunk...3 sub hits. He did get 10 new MS so...broke even this turn. 11 subs on the escort lane for next turn but in the rain.
Cleaned up Africa...all units destroyed other than the garrisoned corps that actually sent a division back towards the marine.
Italian navy lost a DD to subs...
UK navy is close...time to high tail it out of the African coast...as they have used up all of Italys oil.

Tons of attacks in Russia...all heavy losses to the Russians.
I wonder if he is just trying to raise his experience...but losing 40 str per turn will not go over well come spring.

The lines in Russia do solidify...I finally have enough units to man all points.

[stjeand]

Casualties

[stjeand]

Turn 63...against missed one somewhere.

8MS and 1 escort sunk...no hits on subs FINALLY...
But 20 more MS arrive to net positive...though now there will be a long wait for more.

Little else happens.

Axis pull back from Egypt to gather strength...
Russian attacks continue with major losses on their side...to little on the Axis.

[Harrybanana]

Given Nirosi's losses, I am surprised that Russia even has 1800 Force strength. Though the key is probably how much of that is in good units and how many tank corps he has left.

The Russians gain two advantages from attacking in the Winter of 41/42. The first is, as you say, to increase Russian National experience. The second is to increase unit experience. For example, lets say it is November 1941 and you have 30 Russian units (Tanks, Mech and Armies) all with 30% experience and Russian National Experience is at 40%. Over the course of 6 turns during the Winter of 41/42 you attack with these units as much as you can and each unit sustains 15 to 20 hits in total. If you are lucky with all of these attacks you will increase Russian National Experience to 50%. But just as importantly your 30 units will gain experience from the battles and also receive replacements that are more experienced (40% to 50%) than the ones it lost (30%). The end result is that hopefully your 30 units will now end the Winter with experience in the 40% range. This is a 25% increase in unit quality. The problem, of course, is that if the Russians are using all of this production for replacements they won't have as much for new units. It also runs the risk of the Axis getting an early thaw (ie cold turns in March and April 1941) that allows them to attack the Russians before they have fully recovered strength and effectiveness. This is what happened to me in my game with MM.

[stjeand]

Turn 64
7 MS sunk...1 escort but forgot to check subs...3 I believe.
One panzer was shattered last turn...
But at least it comes back.
Strangely the minefield around Oslo did not pop up and he is heavily reinforcing his troops there. 2 more corps arrives in Oslo.
Not sure why...since they get 0 PP...I have the special resources and you only need one port to keep the German resources away. I may just give him Norway for the time being since it serves no purpose at the moment...but we shall see.

A few more units arrive in Africa after the decimation.

I believe the Russians are down to 3 tanks...1 Siberian...and a few mech, one I just shattered and am moving down the rail line south of Moscow in the winter, which is not good for the Russians.

Sadly I do not have many more units arriving...and there were 4 turns of straight blizzard so my units wore down quite a bit...but they are starting to recover, so it was time to counter attack.

[stjeand]

Turn 65
5MS sunk...1 sub hit.
A lot more MS added...so back to 147 when I had the UK about to drop into the 120s just 2 turns ago.

Quite a few attacks in Russia...actually a few wins.

German oil reserves are no where where they need to be for a Spring offensive. Not sure if the cause is the constant attacks, I will need to test. But I will need to "sit" for a few turns to build up. After the foray in Africa, Italy is very low...and Germany will need to build up before providing much to them, even though I really need their armor for the Spring.

Not sure what Russia has in their deployment queue...but they better have a bit...I may bypass Moscow and head straight south...there is a single unit between the Germans and Stalingrad as well as cutting the Russian oil supply off. Though I need to test if it does...

[stjeand]

Honestly forgetting what turn...will fix that next turn.

0MS sunk and heavy bombers don't miss...sink do 10 sub hits sinking 1. Never done that well ever with heavy bombers...4 attacks all hits.

Cold weather in Russia and the Germans make a push deep east. Sorry forgot to take a photo...but within a turn of cutting the North from the oil fields.
Actually have to see if that does truly cut them.
Norway will fall completely...he decided to land another corp and a few divisions to trap 4 small corps there. I guess that is worth it.

Sadly not really paying much attention and well I will need to as spring comes.

[stjeand]

Turn 68

I have not been a good steward and not paying well enough attention, been preoccupied dealing with Harry's surgical panzer overruns, but that changes now.

8MS and 1 Escort sunk 0 sub hits...
Norway is lost, which is fine overall. Could not get any of the resources anyways since every port was in Allied hands.
Strat bombers hit Germany and decimate defense fighters. Seems they are useless so will stop trying to defend.
They do so little damage at the moment it is always repaired by the time the Axis turn start, since I believe they are anti-sub...

Africa is sitting...almost looks as though he me attempt to invade Greece. I may put a few air within range to assist though do not believe I could prevent its fall.

In Russia...the Germans are within 3 hexes of cutting the southern oil supply for Russia. Not sure they have noticed but better notice soon. If cut they will start having major issues.
Also the majority of their force it north of Moscow...I would say 80%...while my panzer army is south of that...with infantry and armor holding the lines.

[stjeand]

In testing it appears that you can not stop the flow of oil cutting the North from the south.

Seems like a bug to me...but will continue to validate.