D-Day Invasion Time!

[GeneralDad]

Here is my situation. I am truly stuck in Italy. Even the suggestion to try the end around with brigades seems too risky given Axis reserves that are often on the beach. I have been beating up the LW pretty badly in terms of loss ratio. I have invasions prepped for both Normandy and South of France. It is the last turn of April 1944 but there is only fair weather (rainy) in Northern Europe.

The Axis has huge forces in Italy. I don't think that they can be strong everywhere. So I am tempted to invade as soon as possible. I think I should wait for clear weather but I am open to suggestions.

Do I invade just in Normandy – or both Normandy and South of France at the same time? I am a little concerned about getting enough fighter cover for the South of France invasion to protect the transports. Hence I may invade Normandy first, then in the south a turn, two or three later. Mainly to suck the LW into the heavy fighter protection of Normandy. I have both Malta Air and Coastal Air fighters in Corsica and Northern Sardinia, and can reinforce both from Italy (taking aircraft from Tactical Air Command).

How many fighters do I need to protect the southern invasion? The LW has about 2300 ready aircraft, I have over 14,000. So maybe I worry too much about the LW, but they do lay on good interdiction in the Northern Med and they have been saving their bombers. They never fly except coastal missions. But they have responded to past amphibious operations.

Hence my dilemma: Do I invade just in Normandy – or both Normandy and South of France at the same time? Do I go as soon as the weather is clear?

GeneralDad

[Gunnulf]

While it's tempting to consider overloading your enemy with 2 concurrent invasions you should remember that being in 2 garrison zones releases the axis from their garrison commitments so actually might end up making life harder for you, at least in the short term. I'd tend to suggest there is not too much to gain from landing in the south of France just yet, when you will be able to land against lighter resistance and make quicker progress in a month or two. But there are more than one way to play it so feel free to roll the dice.
Waiting for clear weather is probably a good idea, so long as your assault divsions are as good as fully prepped and ideally you've had a chance to thoroughly trash the rail network. There might be a tempting early clear patch start of spring but beware the next turn forecast changing back to mud and forestalling your chance to breakout...