Doug (axis) vs Victor (allies)

[leridano]

Turn 23. November 14, 1940

As expected, Schnurri rejected french armistice. As a consequence of this, some french garrisons spawned in empty North Africa cities but only at 1 step of strength because of the high losses suffered by the french. Allies continued with their plans of attacking Casablanca. This way, british carrier moved close to the city so it was able to provide air support to land forces. Air operations from carrier were not the luckiest and the british naval unit even lost a step without making any damage to german GAR. Land forces did not achieve a good result either so the german garrison unit was finally only reduced to 7 steps. Next turn, french air force in Africa will also participate in the attack.

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Tobruk. British X Armoured Corps overrun 1st Lybian division (GAR) that was finally destroyed by XIII Mech Corps. Australians saw combat for the first time attacking italian positions without air support (No. 202 Group took this turn for repairs) and they were rather successful since they forced the italians to retreat losing both units 2 steps in the engagement. Australians did not move to emptied hex.

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No screenshots of western front because nothing is really happening there. Hungary and Romania are already axis allys.

UK has already reached dog fight and ASW level 1.

[leridano]

Turn 24. December 4, 1940

Combats in Casablanca continued this turn. This time remaining french air forces in NA participated in the previous allied air strikes over the german positions in the city. Indian and canadian corps also made a significant effort for progressing in their advance. German garrison unit (that has received a german commander with +1 defense bonus as you can see in the combat values) was reduced to 4 steps at the end of allies turn. Further south, in Agadir port, depleted french BB at 1 step that was to be repaired was sunk by an uboat.

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Tunisia. Italians have reached the ouskirts of Tunis which resistance won´t last much. French garrison was reduced to 3 steps at the end of axis turn and it was reinforced to 6 steps in allies turn. RAF air forces in Malta continued to be very active and attacked a Regia Aeronautica air base in Sicily. This time the result was a stalemate: british fighter unit lost 2 steps, italian tac 1 step and Luftwaffe interceptors took also 1 step.

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And below is a general view of MTO in which both allies and axis are focussing their efforts.

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Finally, an update about the situation in Tobruk. RAF No. 202 Group fighter unit resumed its ground attacks over italian positions. This time 20 Corpo Celere (mech) was the target. Luftwaffe fighters in Bengazhi appeared again but this time results favoured the brits which lost 1 air step whilst the germans lost 2 steps. In a rather well coordinated action, british tanks from X Armoured Corps attacked by land italian mech that lost 3 steps and was forced to retreat. Meanwhile, XIII Mech Corps is maneuvering from the desert is about to reach Gulf of Sidra and to link with a british commando that has just landed south of Bengazhi. Luftwaffe air base in Bengazhi is now threatened.

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UK has reached Air Support level 1.

[BuddyGrant]

Fantastic screenshots, I love the classic unit icons and the image arrows/descriptions/odds. Good luck:).

[trulster]

Fantastic screenshots, I love the classic unit icons and the image arrows/descriptions/odds. Good luck:).

Yeah, very well presented AAR!

[leridano]

Fantastic screenshots, I love the classic unit icons and the image arrows/descriptions/odds. Good luck:).

Yeah, very well presented AAR!

Thanks!

[leridano]

Turn 25. December 24, 1940.

Allies have not been able to liberate Casablanca yet. Once again, british carrier unit suffered 1 step lost without achieving to reduce one single step to german garrison unit in the city. A little bit more lucky was the french fighter that reduced 1 step of Casablanca defenders. These air strikes were followed again by attacks by land that finally reduced the german unit to 4 steps and "red" effectiveness. Failed allied attempts to take the city will have an important consequence: Spain could join the axis in the very next turn.

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This is so because Wehrmacht panzer forces, commanded by Guderian, have landed in Argel to help the italians. French garrison in the city was reduced to 3 steps and it was reinforced to 6 steps in allies turn. There is a lonely italian BB supporting the german landing operation. To attack this italian naval unit was tempting for the allies but finally it was decided not to attack it since surely it will be escorted by italian subs. Massive Luftwaffe presence in the zone would make the allies to lose many naval steps.

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Where the things go really well for the allies is in Tobruk. XIII Mech Corps helped by XXX Corps and RAF forces destroyed another italian garrison in the desert. Meanwhile, british tanks continued their successful campaign attacking 20 Corpo Celere that was reduced to 6 steps from initial 9 steps. British X Corps lost only 1 step in the attack. Apparently RAF have achieved air superiority in this zone once Luftwaffe fighter wing seems to have abandoned Bengazhi air base at the end of axis turn.

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[leridano]

Turn 26. January 13, 1941.

German tanks entered Argel so Spain joined the axis this turn. This was an expected event but may be it would have been possible to delay it a little bit more with the seizure of Casablanca. Garrison unit defending this city was reduced to 1 step this turn so may be there´s still a chance to take the city soon. Spanish IX Cuerpo at full strength, stationed in Tangier will probably move south thus becoming a threat for the exhausted allied units assaulting Casablanca.

Allied fleet in Strait of Gibraltar moved south. It was redeployed in Agadir. Reason is that now spanish fleet will surely be a good help for the uboats in the Atlantic. Furthermore, to stay in Gibraltar waters was rather dangerous for the axis naval forces could form a blockade with the germans in the Atlantic and the italians in the Med. If we add to this, that Luftwaffe can now rebase its wings to spanish air bases that could crush allied fleet then to move the allied fleet south makes sense.

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British 8th Army is performing one of the most brilliant campaigns ever (I mean with me playing as allies). This turn, a combined action of british XXX and X Armoured Corps helped by the australians resulted in the destruction of 20 Corpo Celere (italian mech). Furthermore, XIII Mech Corps took the chance once 20 Corpo Celere was destroyed and attacked a recently installed Luftwaffe fighter air base near Bengazhi. German air unit lost 3 steps. No. 202 Group this time was less lucky losing one step when making ground attack missions without achieving any enemy step lost.

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UK reached strategic operations level 1. British High Command has planned to start in 1941 a strategic campaign against german war industry. Actually there is only 1 bomber wing deployed in UK but 2 more bomber units will be built in the following turns. Convoys are making their way to UK without problems. Surely, Doug have had his german fleet "hidden" in the Atlantic waiting for Spain to join the axis and this way to move the subs to spanish ports. More convoys reaching UK mean lot of PP´s saved: this will allow the brits to build its projected bombers.

USA developed radar level 2.

[leridano]

Turn 27. February 2, 1941.

Commonwealth forces in Casablanca have been ordered to withdraw south to Agadir. Axis air superiority in Morocco and spanish IX Corps approaching to the area, make inadvisable to continue the attack to the city. Attack in Gibraltar started this turn: a spanish corps unit started the assault to british garrison unit and both attackers and defenders lost 2 steps. Admiral Andrew Cunningham has took command of the forces defending this important british base. British DD stationed in Gibraltar abandoned the port and successfully joined the rest of the fleet in Agadir.

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Doug has made a mistake in Libya. He moved an italian tac wing to El Agheila without realising that it was in range of X Corps british tanks. Below situation at the end of axis turn.

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X Corps took the chance and advanced to El Agheila. British armoured unit reduced 6 (!) steps to italian tactical even forcing a retreat. Tanks also discovered a Luftwaffe fighter wing close to the italian tac: probably this fighter was the one attacked by british mech near Bengazhi in last allied turn so it was rebased here in axis turn. XIII Corps and XXX Corps received some reinforcements and supplies this turn in preparation for the attack to Bengazhi that will start in the next turn.

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All the allied fleet in Agadir will move to Eastern Mediterranean sea via Suez. I say all because the fleet could be divided in two groups so one of them could go to UK. But keeping in mind that Spanish fleet is now activated and that german submarine fleet has increased to 5-6 units it would be a rather dangerous travel for the group trying to come back to UK. To prove this right it should be mentioned that Kriegsmarine attacks to convoys were resumed this turn.

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[leridano]

Turn 28. February 22, 1941.

Wow! Gibraltar was conquered by the Wehrmacht in a single turn. Cunningham could do little in his short command of british forces in the base and abandoned Gibraltar in a seaplane: he will be assigned to Malta to provide effectiveness to british fighters.

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Meanwhile in Cyrenaica, things go as planned for the brits. Bengazhi was massively attacked by british infantry forces with some air support from RAF and italian garrison unit was reduced to 2 steps. A new british commando landed in Libya to cover exposed british X Armoured Corps that received more tank units to replace losses.

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In the Atlantic, german uboats resumed their sinking convoy activity. Spanish fleet joined those missions with a lonely DD. Also, Canary Islands saw an important german forces deployment with a BB in Las Palmas port and a Luftwaffe strategic bombers wing in Fuerteventura island. May be Doug has thought about a possible heavy naval engagement with the allied fleet in the Atlantic so Luftwaffe could support further Kriegsmarine actions but as I told in last turn post to move the fleet to Red Sea is probably a better idea and this what I did.

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[leridano]

Turn 29. March 14, 1941.

It is difficult to guess what will be next step in Axis strategy. Kriegsmarine is intensifying its attacks to convoys but apart from that I wonder what Doug could do in the following turns. Below is situation in Libya at the end of axis turn:

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British 8th Army captured Bengazhi this turn. Again with air support from RAF, australian attacked first and it was XXX Corps the one entering in the city. It was not needed the help of XIII Mech Corps that moved east along the coast to occupy positions near Tobruk in order to organize an attack to the city-fortress.

Despite of Luftwaffe is now in position of deploying more and more air units in NA, RAF continued to perform air superiority missions. So it was ordered to recently new Spitfire fighters assigned to AHQ Malta to do that. Target was german fighter wing at 5 steps in Libya and the result was a stalemate with 1 step lost in both sides.

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UK reached submarine level 1.

[Cybvep]

I love your screenshots. They could tell the whole story on their own! Well done!

[Aryaman]

In a game I am playing as Axis I was also able to conquer Gibraltar in a single turn, it looked surprisingly weak

[leridano]

I love your screenshots. They could tell the whole story on their own! Well done!

Thanks!

[leridano]

In a game I am playing as Axis I was also able to conquer Gibraltar in a single turn, it looked surprisingly weak

Point here is that I expected Casablanca to fall before Argel was taken by Axis so I did not take much care about Gibraltar. May be I should have assigned sooner a defensive commander to Gibraltar fortress.

[leridano]

Turn 30. April 3, 1941. Portugal and Yugoslavia invaded!

Portugal and Yugoslavia were invaded by Axis forces this turn so in Portugal Wehrmacht was helped by spanish army and in Yugoslavia the german forces were supported by both hungarian and romanian armies. Minor axis allies air forces committed for Yugoslavia campaign were particularly strong.

This wasn´t the worst thing happening in this turn for the allies: an unlucky british naval transport with a corps unit inside was ambushed when trying to get Persian Gulf transportation loop. Naval transport lost 4 steps. This was a big shock for the transport could be likely sunk in the next turn keeping in mind that Luftwaffe bombers may be are still stationed in Canary islands.

In Yugoslavia Belgrad defenders were reduced to 1 step. Some counterattacks against a hungarian garrison unit were launched by yugoslavian army near Zagreb that had almost no effect. In Portugal, an empty hex in Lisbon could mean that the inf corps unit there was firstly reduced to 1 or 2 steps by land attacks and afterwards destroyed by air and/or naval bombardments.

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[leridano]

Turn 31. April 23, 1941.

Portugal surrendered to Spain and Yugoslavia to Germany.

Meanwhile in NA, Doug is deploying more and more air units in Libya so he seemingly wants to retake Cyrenaica and to help italian Tobruk defenders. Spanish air forces will join axis air missions in Libya along with Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica. 8th Army moved east surrounding Tobruk and X Corps helped by RAF made a test attack of the fortress defenders. British armoured lost 2 steps, italians lost 1 step.

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It will depend on the strength of the forces that Doug commit to Cyrenaica to continue with the attack to Tobruk or not. Now that Axis have many supply points for NA, it would be easy to bring a strong Luftwaffe that helped by both italian and spanish air forces could crush the brits before they can make an organized withdrawal to Egypt.

[leridano]

Turn 32. May 13, 1941.

Western front was active again after many months without any action to mention. It would have to mention the first successful partisan action of the war after a french partisan in Normandy spawned near of a Luftwaffe fighters air base close to Rouen. RAF fighter Command saw a chance for starting air superiority missions over France in preparation for the strategic bombing campaign that it is planned to start right in this year. This way, sabotage actions from french partisans would be followed by an attack of the german air base by No. 11 Group.

This was the situation at the end of axis turn:

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And below situation after the end of allied turn. Firstly, french partisans attacked the air base and achieved to reduce 1 step to german fighter unit and afterwards, RAF attacks scored a 3:2. Final result was that Luftwaffe lost 4 steps and RAF 2 steps. Note that the other 2 fighter units in UK have been also upgraded in allied turn.

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Back to Libya. Italians, helped by germans and spanish, seem to be determined to retake Cyrenaica again. British garrison unit at El Agheila was completely overrun so probably first objective of italian army will be to retake Bengazhi.

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Air forces assigned to support axis land units in Libya are rather strong so Allied High Command for Middle East ordered to cancel any offensive action over Tobruk and to execute an organized withdrawal to Egypt. British inf corps at Bengazhi (XXX Corps) will try a stand in the city. Meanwhile, allied fleet from Agadir is arriving little by little to Eastern Mediterranean sea and soon it will become a powerful naval force.

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All allied major powers are getting more and more tech levels so I will post soon an update of current lab situation.

[richardsd]

if he is true to form Schnurri will race for the oil fields and likely bypass Bengazzi as a primary target, if I was you I would planning how to ensure I kept Iraq till Russian entry in 42

[leridano]

if he is true to form Schnurri will race for the oil fields and likely bypass Bengazzi as a primary target, if I was you I would planning how to ensure I kept Iraq till Russian entry in 42

Yes, I will play completely defensive now in the Middle East.

[richardsd]

again, if he is true to form you will not have enough units with your current resources in theatre to stop him

he will commit enough German units to ensure he gets the oil against the 'starting' british order of battle and will be making it very hard for you to reinforce them (expect STR's in the Southern Atlantic bases)