Slitherine

Your analysis is correct IMO. The Soviets will recover, eventually, but if you don't allow them to catch you with your pants down (no oil and deep in Russia in winter), you should be fine. Time is of essence. The clock is ticking for the Allies from mid-1943 on.

Turn 73. August 11, 1943.

No offensive actions again in the east in last allied turn. Only to comment that Black sea soviet fleet sunk romanian DD in Crimean peninsula. My opponent is reinforcing step by step his positions around Stalingrad. Images below at the start of axis turn.





With some air support from finnish air force axis started a campaign to expel the soviets from Estonia. Garrison in Tartu was attacked and forced to retreat by a german corps thus leaving without supply a soviet corps west of Pskov. Given the relative weakness of the soviets in this sector is not discarded to try some more things than to regain estonian territory so even an approach to Novgorod could be attempted. Check out how that russian guards corps and mech north of Pskov are in risk of being trapped if campaign in Estonia evolves fast. I will bring some air tacs to Eastern Prussia to repair them (keep some xp values) and if necessary to provide some air support for this planned action. In southern Ukraine axis minors are heavily engaged in combats both in Odessa and in Kerch. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.









Italy. Tiny allied progress in Sardinia where the italian paratrooper was reduced to 6 steps. Free french lst landed but not in the clear hex occupied by Messe. 8th army continued its advance in Calabria and another free french unit (likely an armoured) is about to land in mainland Italy. Shots below show last turn allied moves here.





In axis turn, first german corps to man Gustav line fortress hexes was railed and Messe's unit retreated to Taranto. Garrisons and italian paratrooper in Sardinia were all reinforced and if the paratrooper unit in next allied turn still holds, it will be possible to attach to the city Balbo (+1 defensive bonus) that was defending Messina in previous turns. Regia Aeronautica received new fighters. Pics below at the end of axis turn.





Back to Atlantic now. Forget to mention in last post that a 97-steps central convoy entered the spotting range of u-boats. I had only 2 available subs now since the rest are waiting for repairs in french ports but I attacked the unescorted convoy anyway with the 2 referred sub units and reduced the convoy to 73 steps. Assuming that the other 73-steps convoy that was effectively escorted in last turns would have made its way to UK score is now slightly better for allies: 1202/725 (60.3%). Images below show this.





Finally a shot with the ongoing strategic campaign over Germany and France. Hamburg has been reduced to 1 step of PP's either. Anyway, german defending fighters have been deployed in a location where they won't have to engage with allied fighters but they will still be able to defend german cities and resources beyond the escorting range of allied fighters (11 hexes). When possible, I will deploy a halved german or axis minor fighter in Hamburg in sentry mode so the city will be only possible to be hit one time per turn. Strategic allied bombers have 19-hexes range now.

Turn 74. August 31, 1943.

I will start this time with western Europe. A british paratrooper was dropped into empty Arhem in last allied turn. Allied unit took heavy losses when grounding and it was reduced to 4 steps. I don't know the motivation of this dropping but the operation certainly seems to be a failure. See this below with the allied air forces taking this turn for repairs or upgrades since no strategic bombing was made.



A bought german mech was deployed in Cologne this turn and a german garrison counterattacked the paratroopers for 1 step lost in both sides. Once this paratrooper unit is finished off I will garrison Essen too since 11-hexes range of allied fighters would make possible that operation. Antipartisan operations in Lorraine. Axis moves in this scenario:





Eastern front. No offensive actions of Red army in last allied turn either. Axis continued their minor campaigns in Estonia, Odessa and Crimea. Tolbukhin's garrison in Odessa was reduced to 1 step and soviet corps in Kerch is still resisting axis attacks. Unsupplied soviet corps in Estonia was reduced to 5 steps and will be probably destroyed in next turn. Upgrades and repairs when possible all along the front. Two shots view of the entire front at the end of axis turn:







The Med now. Italian paratrooper in Cagliari reduced to 3 steps and 8th army, accompanied by free french forces, advancing in souther Italy were main last turn allied moves here. Bradano river near Taranto was reached by referred forces. A free french unit is about to land in Sardinia to help in the seizure of Cagliari. Shots at the start of axis turn:





Repairs in Sicily and an air strike over british armoured in southern Italy were axis moves this turn in the Med. Air strike was escorted by Regia Aeronautica unit in Naples. Although doing that risk the seizure of the city by free french forces I just wanted the Regia Aeronautica fighter taking the losses instead of german one since italian surrender is very close. Anyway, attack was futile since no step was lost in the british unit. Shots at the end of axis turn:





Finally, a surprising event. An italian partisan at 3 steps spawned in Calabria peninsula cutting supply of allied units in mainland Italy. I could not take a shot of the referred event so I asked my opponent to get it for this AAR and here you are. Although a minor issue for the allies (they will surely restablish supply this turn) this will lower their advance allowing the germans to have more time for reinforcing Italy.

Turn 75. September 20, 1943

After a long time Red army resumed its offensive actions in Finland. Attacked a finnish corps near to nickel resource and another one in Karelia. Soviets took significant losses again in those assaults. USSR manpower is below 75 from at least late 1942 and those actions won't improve that situation. In the south, repairs to battered soviet corps in Kerch and swapping move in Odessa although without withdrawing Tolbukhin commander. Referred Red army moves in last allied turn are shown below.









Finnish responded to soviet attacks. This way, northernmost soviet corps was reduced to 3 steps and became a guard unit. Soviet guards corps in Karelia was reduced to 4 steps. Finnish fighter repaired to 6 steps. In southern Ukraine things remain almost the same although garrison at 1 steps was destroyed and soviet corps in Kerch reduced to 4 steps. Odessa defenders are currently at 6 steps. I am withdrawing panzerkorps units from the front line. They are less vulnerable and more useful in the rearguard. Futhermore, due to oil issues, I will concentrate them around a rail hub or city to rail them if necessary. Unsupplied soviet corps west of Pskov finished off. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.









Med. Italian paratrooper reduced to 2 steps and Messe's garrison reduced to 6 steps and forced to retreat were main allied last turn moves in this scenario apart from restablishing the supply by killing italian partisan in Calabria. Shots below at the start of axis turn.





In this axis turn, I made a swapping move in Cagliari again so Balbo's garrison at 7 steps is now the one defending the city instead of the paratrooper division. Surprisingly, an 1:2 odd attack from italian garrison in Taranto achieved to remove 1 step from the british armoured and forced to retreat it. Regia Aeronautica made its last sortie. Images below are at the end of axis turn.





Back to western Europe. Axis destroyed repaired at 6 steps british paratrooper and retook Arhem. Strategic bombings were resumed but check out high losses in british strats. Shot below is at the end of axis turn.

Turn 76. October 10, 1943

Cagliari was taken by Commonwealth forces so Italy surrendered in last allied turn. Apparently, allied tried first with Taranto but failed since italian units in referred city were attacked. Check in the images below, taken at the start of axis turn, how an american landing ship is tryin to get ashore in southern France. Anyway, mud weather in central Europe this turn so no worries about that. Vichy french garrison in Corsica was attacked either.





Gustav line is now completely manned although I expect to rail another german corps to mentioned defensive line. This way, garrison 1 hex north of Naples would defend this city and corps would occupy fortress hex now occupied by garrison. Mud weather will allow to keep Naples for 1 more turn at least. Image below is at the end of axis turn.



Eastern front. Last allied turn (still fair weather) Red army increased its offensive actions everywhere. Main action came near Stalingrad where a german corps in the Don river was destroyed although there were not exploitation movement by my opponent. Second important offensive action was in Pskov front where Runstedt corps was attac ked and reduced to 5 steps. In Finland, soviets took this turn for repairs. Two shots view of the entire eastern front at the start of axis turn with highlighted images at zoom level 3:









Axis made mainly repairs and redeployments in the east this turn. Only to comment a little Wehrmacht counterattack north of Velikiye Luki to soften the pressure on Rundstedt corps there. Romanian mech occupied the hex left by destroyed german corps and Dietrich's SS mech approached to the attacking soviet forces. As mentioned, panzer forces are concentrating around Donbass resource. I assume that Don salient won't last much so next axis defensive line will likely go from Voronezh-Rostov. This turn it was the finnish the ones not being successful to make any progress since attacked garrison in nickel resource refused to retreat. Odessa defenders reduced to 3 steps. Pics below are at the end of axis turn.







Strategic allied bombers started attacking Munich in last allied turn that was reduced to 1 PP's. Anyway, one of the british bombers units is now halved in strength so w-allies are paying a significant price for their strategic campaign to go ahead. German mech in Holland bombed too. Pic below, at the start of axis turn.



I moved one of the fighters in Berlin to Leipzig for being able to intercept allied bombers aimed both to Hamburg or Munich. May be is next turn when an axis air unit in sentry mode will be deployed in Hamburg. Pic below, at the end of axis turn.



Spotted a 28-steps central convoy and an american DD. Location below.

Turn 77. October 30, 1943

In last allied turn (winter weather), Red army tried with no luck to liberate Pskov. Defending german corps there was reduced to 4 steps and attacking forces (one of them Konev's mech) took significant losses. Another german corps was attacked south of Ilmen lake and was reduced to 6 steps. Combats continued in the Don with a german corps reduced to 2 steps and romanian mech reduced to 4 steps and forced to retreat. Due to intense fighting Odessa has no PP's so only provides supply level 1 and that's why soviet garrison there was only reinforced in 1 step in last allied turn. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.









Recently railed from Holland mech was ordered to counterattack Konev's mech at 5 steps. First, a german tac in Eastern Prussia (it was fair weather in central) achieved a hit in the soviet mech and then it was german mech that reduced soviet mech to 1 step. It was finally finished off by a bulgarian corps. In the Don repairs were made and Luftwaffe continue to have air superiority there. After a long campaign Odessa was taken by hungarian army. Images below are at the end of axis turn.









Med. American landing ship withdrew from southern France coasts in last allied turn (mud weather) and sailed to Corsica. Taranto was seized by british armoured. Shot below shows allied moves.



Germans railed a garrison to Naples and a corps occupied remaining hex fortress in Gustav line. I will rebase tac air base in Ancona since current location is not safe (11-hexes range of allied fighters). Shot below at the end of axis turn.

Turn 78. November 19, 1943

Last allied turn in eastern front saw a Red army counterattack where Konev's mech was destroyed recently. Soviets attacked and forced to retreat a german mech that was left in very bad shape being reduced to 1 step. No worth to mention actions in the rest of the front probably because of bad weather. Zoom level 3 image of mentioned soviet attack near Pskov:



Axis made no offensive action either. Only repairs were made. Anyway, in Pskov front bulgarian army advanced NW cutting supply of the last allied turn attacking soviet corps. Check out in the images below, taken at the end of axis turn, how axis line in the Don is still rather solid and bad weather helps on that. Upgrades has been made to almost all units in the east no matter the units were adjacent to enemy units (double cost).









Med. Landings in Corsica and seizure of Naples by the americans were main events there in last allied turn. As I guessed allied air forces are stablishing air bases on mainland Italy so german tac there is now at range of allied fighters. Shots below show allied moves in last turn.





German tac air base was moved from Ancona to Innsbruck. That location allows to avoid any attack from allied fighters and at the same time offers a significant range to the tac keeping in mind that 13- hexes range in tac units has been already reached. Repaired Vichy french garrison in Ajaccio to 6 steps. Shot below is at the end of axis turn.



These turns I only have been purchasing german corps units. They are needed for the upcoming multiple fronts that will be appearing with continuous allied landings and the soviets becoming stronger.

Spotted a 84-steps central convoy.

Turn 79. December 9, 1943

Continued Red army attacks north of Leningrad finally saw success. A finnish garrison was destroyed and Timoshenko's corps advanced into emptied location. 5 hexes south, a bulgarian corps was destroyed and supply to isolated soviet corps was restored. In Rzhev, romanians were attacked too and forced to retreat. In Don river soviet attacks reduced a german corps to 4 steps and romanian mech to 1 step. To mention too that soviet corps in Kerch tried with hungarian army but took high losses. Two shots view of the entire eastern front at the start of axis turn, below.









Finnish made a swapping move with the corps unit being withdrawn to face Timoshensko's corps. Finnish garrison at 4 steps probably might be destroyed in next turn but is better this than to get the corps trapped. In Pskov, axis attacked and destroyed last turn unsupplied soviet corps at 8 steps. A new corps was railed to Pskov since it was needed the corps there to finish off the Red army unit. In Don river sector, I repaired german corps and romanian mech. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.









Med. Eisenhower's mech entered Ajaccio and Wehrmacht were attacked at the Gustav line with a corps there being reduced to 8 steps. RN is also participating in the operation in Italy with shore bombings. Pics below are at the start of axis turn.





In current axis turn I repaired corps in Gustav line so axis position ended as it is showed in the image below.



Atlantic. Mentioned central convoy at 84 steps was torpedoed by 2 nearby u-boats that reduced the naval unit to 54 steps. Score now is 1314/755, 57,4%.





Severe winter in USSR started at the end of the turn.

Turn 80. December 29, 1943

Foreseen Red army offensive in the Don started with a german corps and the romanian mech destroyed and Dietrich's mech reduced to 3 steps. Anyway, soviet forces still getting high losses when attacking. In Finland, finnish garrison at 4 steps was destroyed with the Red army forces there about to link. It was another attack NE of Velikiye Luki with a german corps reduced to 4 steps. Shots below, at the start of axis turn.









In axis turn this time there were only repairs, with Dietrich leaving SS mech. A german corps was railed to Rostov to reinforce the axis line. Shots below at the end of axis turn.







Med. Allied attacks to Gustav line continued in last allied turn. German corps reduced to 6 steps as a result of those attacks. Free french fleet joined RN shore bombings of italian coasts. Images below, at the start of axis turn.





Axis only action here was a counterattack to free french armoured that was reduced in 2 steps. You can see that in the pic below taken at the end of axis turn.



Strategic allied campaign continues no matter the bad weather. There are now a number of german cities and resources with no or only 1 PP's. As I planned I finally could redeploy a german fighter in sentry mode in Hamburg. Check out how allied air forces are increasing turn by turn. The image below is at the start of axis turn and also contains current PP's, manpower and oil levels. See how drastically oil levels have been increased (oil level dropped to 17 in summer 1943) so saving oil measures have seen success.

Turn 81. January 18, 1944

Red army forces in Finland finally linked north of Leningrad with the killling of a german garrison there. There were also attacks in the northernmost part of the front but Cherniakovsky's corps took high losses when attacking. Assault to Pskov was also attempted but failed again with the german corps there holding at 2 steps. Runsdtedt was attacked too and his unit reduced to 3 steps. Soviets tried also SE of Orel with a german corps reduced to 5 steps. Finally, in the Don battered SS mech and a german corps were destroyed. Furthermore, easternmost german corps was reduced to 6 steps either. Renewed Red army attacks in Kerch. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.









Axis counterattacked in Pskov forcing the soviets to retreat again. Two soviets corps were left battered as a result of the attacks. Even more successful were offensive actions in Orel were SS mech achieved to destroy a soviet corps at 5 steps. In the Don, axis finally stablished a defensive line that goes from Vononezh to Rostov. Easternmost german corps made a last stand since due to severe winter and supply level 3 could not retreat. Images below are at the end of axis turn.









Italy. New allied attacks to Gustav line and a free french landing ship appeared south of Rome. Free french armoured took repairs. Shots below, at the start of axis turn.





Axis made repairs and moved fighter to Venice so all Gustav line hexes are at range of the german escorting fighters. Shot below is at the end of axis turn.



Finally, a shot with the effects of the ongoing strategic allied campaign.

Turn 82. February 7, 1944

Red army attacks are occurring in many sectors of the front now. In Finland, a finnish corps was reduced to 1 step and, in the northernmost part of the front, another one was reduced to 4 steps and forced to retreat. In Pskov, a bulgarian corps was destroyed. Rzhev was heavily attacked either and german corps there was reduced to 3 steps. For the first time, Wehrmacht forces in Bryansk were assaulted by the soviets which took heavy losses in the operation. Vatutin's mech started to attack Voronezh with the german mech there reduced to 4 steps. And finally, Don river axis salient was removed with the killing of another german corps. Red army spearheads reached recently formed Voronezh-Rostov axis defensive line. Shots below show last allied turn moves in the east.









Finnish reset their lines by withdrawing corps at 4 steps and by making a swapping move north of Leningrad. I could have reinforced the corps at 1 step but it probably got destroyed anyway thus cutting supply to the garrison either. In Pskov, Wehrmacht focussed in finishing off soviet depleted corps at 4 steps and succeeded. In Rzhev romanians tried to soft the pressure over the city and attacked a soviet corps that become a guard unit. Repairs in Rzhev, Bryansk and swapping in Voronezh. Finally, most important offensive action was the killing of Bagramian's mech south of Voronezh. Dietrich came back and was attached to another SS mech unit. Shots below, at the end of axis turn.









Italy. W-allies are pushing hard in Gustav line so a german corps was reduced to 3 steps in last allied turn. Free french forces landed south of Rome and colaborated in this attack. Pics below show last allied turn moves.





Wehrmacht brought some reinforcements to Italy. A corps was railed to Rome and all the units were repaired. It will be better to wait for fair weather to counterattack free french beachhead. Anyway, allies might succeed in breaching Gustav line on the very next turn this way linking with the french. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





Now a shot of western front. RN started to send supplies to partisans in Britanny may be as a preliminary action before the upcoming landing operations.



I have not posted lab, casualties and forces screen since long so here you go.

Turn 83. February 27, 1944

Surprisingly, finnish corps north of Leningrad at 1 step held. It was attacked in last allied turn as well as adjacent garrison that was reduced to 2 steps. More attacks in Pskov front with a german corps reduced to 1 step and other one to 5 steps. That commander attached to guard corps SE of Novgorod is Malinovsky (+1 attack). In Don front, another german corps was destroyed and a romanian garrison was left badly damaged. Red army made repairs around Voronezh surely to prepare another assault to the city. Shots below, at the start of axis turn.









Axis was still able to form a double defensive line in Voronezh-Rostov. Repairs were made all along the front (no PP`s for buying anything because of this) and those were significant in Pskov front in which most axis units have recovered full strength and a new bulgarian corps has been railed to Velikiye Luki. Repairs were made too in Finland expecting to last one more turn those battered units. German fighter withdrawn from Voronezh and redeployed in the south, just in case. Images below are at the end of axis turn.









In last allied turn, mud weather prevented the allied from further progress in Italy. No breaching of Gustav line occurred so attacked german corps held at 4 steps. Allies took heavy losses when assaulting german positions, specially the free french mech that lost 4 steps for 0 steps lost in the attacked german corps in the center of the Gustav line. RN BB is taking also considerable losses when shore bombing Rome and it could become a potential target for Luftwaffe (I have deployed second strat in the west too). Shots below are at the start of axis turn.





Axis made repairs again and last turn railed german corps was moved in preparation for a planned couterattack against free french beachhead. Eventually, a fourth german corps could be railed to Italy to improve defenses. Italian cities will be garrisoned when possible, either. Shots below, at the end of axis turn.





Allied strategic campaign. Allied bombers continue to reduce german PP's (this turn 153 PP's) and they do that at a reasonable cost in aircrafts lost since allied strats did not get much steps lost (1-2 steps lost) even when bombing unescorted. Reason for this could be really high survivability values of the bombers (+11). Partisans in Britanny received supplies and this could be the location chosen for the landings. No way to rail a single axis units to Rennes for trying to combat that partisan unit. Image below correspond to the start of axis turn.



A central convoy at 79 steps was spotted. We will see if it goes escorted.

The next few turns will be crucial. It's 1944, the Allies will soon invade France or Holland. You have the situation under control in the East, but it's time to withdraw. You can comfortably trade land for time and avoid high losses. It's obvious that PPs will become a problem, but you just need enough time to contain the Allies in the West. The Soviets seem rather weak and there are many defensive lines between your current position and Germany, so I think that you will make it. IMO the Western Allies will be a bigger threat. Italy will fall, eventually, but that's acceptable. You don't have many units there, anyway, so they are doing a good job at slowing the enemy down. The Allied air power is strong, so you won't have a chance to stop them in France. Just leave some GARs there and prepare your defences in western Germany and the Netherlands. If you spot Allied transports, attack them, even if you lose a sub in the process. In 1944-1945, time is the most important factor for the Allies, so everything that messes their timetables up (and damaged units need to be reinforced) is good.

Cybvep wrote:The next few turns will be crucial. It's 1944, the Allies will soon invade France or Holland. You have the situation under control in the East, but it's time to withdraw. You can comfortably trade land for time and avoid high losses. It's obvious that PPs will become a problem, but you just need enough time to contain the Allies in the West. The Soviets seem rather weak and there are many defensive lines between your current position and Germany, so I think that you will make it. IMO the Western Allies will be a bigger threat. Italy will fall, eventually, but that's acceptable. You don't have many units there, anyway, so they are doing a good job at slowing the enemy down. The Allied air power is strong, so you won't have a chance to stop them in France. Just leave some GARs there and prepare your defences in western Germany and the Netherlands. If you spot Allied transports, attack them, even if you lose a sub in the process. In 1944-1945, time is the most important factor for the Allies, so everything that messes their timetables up (and damaged units need to be reinforced) is good.

Now it's you that have made an accurate analysis I think. I expect a strong Overlord, question is where the main landings will occur. I only have 3 reserve corps units in Berlin. About USSR, withdrawal has to be made with good weather taking advantage of the many rivers that the soviets will find it their way to Berlin. Let's see.

You need to build for France now while you have time. The reserves probably need to be inland so they can't be bombarded from England. In the Coastal ports you need good defensive units so the Allies can't quickly get a port. Short before the weather changes to fair you need to rail units adjacent to the ports to delay the landing even further. If the Allies land in force you can't stop them, but you can at least influence a bit where they will land.

Manning the Siegfried line will become importantant soon too. Give up ground in Russia to avoid being hit every turn so your PP's can be used on French units for France. You might have to send some units into Italy as well to prevent the Allies from marching to Northern Italy too soon.

You can shorten the defense line in Russia by withdrawing. Use river lines until they get compromised. Then you withdraw to the next river line.

The Allies have a lot of ground to liberate and it's already 1944 so they don't have much time. Every turn you can delay them the closer you are to victory.

Stauffenberg wrote:You need to build for France now while you have time. The reserves probably need to be inland so they can't be bombarded from England. In the Coastal ports you need good defensive units so the Allies can't quickly get a port. Short before the weather changes to fair you need to rail units adjacent to the ports to delay the landing even further. If the Allies land in force you can't stop them, but you can at least influence a bit where they will land.

Manning the Siegfried line will become importantant soon too. Give up ground in Russia to avoid being hit every turn so your PP's can be used on French units for France. You might have to send some units into Italy as well to prevent the Allies from marching to Northern Italy too soon.

You can shorten the defense line in Russia by withdrawing. Use river lines until they get compromised. Then you withdraw to the next river line.

The Allies have a lot of ground to liberate and it's already 1944 so they don't have much time. Every turn you can delay them the closer you are to victory.

The city of Nantes and hexes south of this city are good for "hiding" german units from the spotting range of allied air forces. City of Lyon is also out of range of spotting range but it is far away from the landing zone. On the contrary, from Nantes and, if counting with some air support, the landings in Normandy or Britanny can be counterattacked. Anyway, all heavy german units are deployed in the east so I don't see how this can be tried.

Regarding USSR, the withdrawal will be made in fair weather and step by step. First, I will be retreating to Kursk-Donets river line, then to Dnepr and then to pre-Barbarossa positions. For the soviets will be difficult to arrive to Berlin in time but who knows.

Turn 84. March 18, 1944

Mud weather everywhere this turn which is favourable for axis at this stage of the game. In last allied turn (still severe winter in USSR), Red army started to push hard in all fronts. In Pskov, bulgarian corps destroyed and mech reduced to 2 steps. Also, several german corps between Rzhev and Velikiye Luki were left halved in strength. Furthermore, this time there was no luck and battered finnish units north of Leningrad were destroyed. In the south, german corps destroyed in Kursk and which was the most important loss for axis, the killing of a panzerkorps unit 2 hexes NE of Donbass resource. Also to mention the renewed assault to Voronezh with the german mech there reduced to 4 steps and SS Dietriech's mech badly damaged. Screenshots below are at the start of axis turn.









Axis made mostly repairs all along the eastern front. Only to mention a little counterattack against the advancing soviet corps at 7 steps NE of Pskov that was reduced to 4 steps. This attack was supported by tacs stationed in Eastern Prussia. I withdrew badly depleted units like Dietrich's mech or mech corps at Pskov. Germany developed this turn dog fight level 5 this turn so I upgraded fighter forces in southern Ukraine. Check out how soviet fighters still have +6 survivability vs +8 of german fighters once upgraded. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.









Italy. German corps in Gustav line reduced to 3 steps was the most remarkable thing happening in last allied turn in this scenario. It would have to mention too that an indian land ship appeared in Adriatic sea in the hope that this turn will be fair weather but no luck for the allies here. Bombing RN BB in Rome withdrawn. Images below show last allied turn moves here.





Germany repaired all units in Italy. That indian corps about to land will be Luftwaffe priority in next turn so that Commonwealth unit gets weakened enough as to cancel the landing. Shots below at the end of axis turn.





Central convoy at 79 steps was escorted so u-boats did not try anything. U-boats were moved back to Europe this turn so this central convoy will be left alone. When this naval units delivers its PP's score will be 1393/755, a 54,1% of convoys sunk. Since u-boats will focus in interfering allied landings from now on, we could consider this statistic closed. Final percent could be figured out more or less: roughly a 50% of british convoys sunk in all the game. Shot with the referred central convoy:



Rest turn for allied strategic bombing forces that made no bombing in last allied turn. To keep in mind how much allied bombings affect to german production to mention that german PP's this turn was 161 PP's compared with the 153 PP's two turns ago in which bombardments did occur. Pic below is at the start of axis turn.



Repairs made in all fronts allowed to buy only a corps unit.

Turn 85. April 7, 1944

Fair weather everywhere this turn. Although normal weather in central Europe by this date not that normal in the east. Last allied turn (still mud weather in USSR) soviets kept on progressing slowly everywhere. Soviet attacks were rather satisfactory for them in the south where a hungarian mech was destroyed but there were not satisfactory at all in Pskov-Rzhev front where the attacking soviets took high losses when assaulting axis positions and achieved only the bulgarians to retreat. Check out in the images below all of those soviet corps units there depleted as a result of the combats. There were also combats in Finland and in Crimea where Red army finally succeeded and the hungarians were forced to retreat. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.









Axis took advantage of fair weather for using its air forces to support attacks and this way both romanian tac in Vitebesk and german tac in Eastern Prussia were used to bomb Red army positions in Pskov front. A total of 3 battered soviet inf corps were destroyed in this sector of the front as a result of axis counterattacks there. In the south, axis withdrawal started and, as planned, to reach Kursk-Kharkov line. This withdrawal tried to be a fighting one around Kursk but attacks to Konev's mech were not much successful so this Red army unit survived at 3 steps. Of course, Luftwaffe air units were rebased and a swapping move was made in Crimea. Repairs in Finland. Shots below, at the end of axis turn.









Italy. In last allied turn, the allies, although taking high losses again, were about to breach Gustav line north of Naples with the german corps there reduced to 1 step. Another american landing ships appeared in the Adriatic to land in Ancona. American tacs in Tunis rested this turn. Shots below, at the start of axis turn.





Luftwaffe attacked allied land ships in the Adriatic. One hit coming from one strat in Munich went unescorted and had the americans as target that lost 2 steps. Indian naval unit suffered considerably much more and lost 6 steps (5:2 odds) when bombed by german tac from Innsbruck. I self-killed german corps at 1 step and railed a new one to the fortress hex. Free french beachhead were counterattacked by both a german corps and the paratrooper division in Rome and were reduced to 2 steps. Garrison railed to Ancona. Shots below at the end of axis turn.





France. Allied strats resumed strategic campaign and DD's started to perform sweeping missions in the Channel. More american transports are arriving to UK. Images below are at the start of axis turn.



I moved u-boats units eastwards. One of them was placed in Wilhemshaven for a possible allied landing in mainland Germany. The 2 remaining sub units will arrive to France in the next turn and will try to oppose to allied landings either. Antipartisans missions in France go rather slowly. Shots below, at the end of axis turn.



I was finally able to buy units this turn. A mech and several garrisons were bought. Both kind of units reached +1 survivability (fixed defenses level 5) this turn.

Turn 86. April 27, 1944

Last allied turn saw the soviets pushing hard around Kursk and then an hungarian corps was destroyed and a german corps was reduced to 1 step there. In Rzhev, another german corps was reduced to 1 step. In the rest, attacks here and there and Red army units advancing through the terrain vacated by the retreating axis forces in the south. Images below are at the start of axis turn.









Axis felt strong enough in Pskov-Novgorod sector as to attempt another counterattack there. This way, supported by tacs, axis forces advanced and destroyed a soviet corps 2 hexes NE of Pskov. In southern USSR, axis forces continued retreating although due to weather the pace was slower. Repairs were done when possible and convenient (badly depleted units were withdrawn instead). Shots below are at the end of axis turn.









Italy. Eisenhower's mech landed in last allied turn south of Ancona. Indian corps landed too. Gustav line was heavily attacked and recently railed corps to there was reduced to 3 steps whilst the one in the center of the defensive line was reduced to 6 steps. Shots below are at the start of axis turn.





Axis made use of its air forces again and this way german tac in Innsbruck took 3 steps from the american mech in Ancona. This air strike went escorted but the one made by the german strat in Sttutgart did not. Strat took another step from Eisenhower's unit and even the garrison in Ancona attacked the mech for a final outcome of 5 steps lost in the allied unit and effectiveness below 20. The other significant Wehrmacht action in Italy was the attack and killing of depleted indian corps by adjacent german corps at 9 steps. Finally, even the paratrooper unit in Rome performed an offensive action attacking the free french beachhead that was left in very bad shape. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





France. Overlord has started in last allied turn with a paratrooper dropping in Rennes. A landing fleet appeared in Britanny close to the partisan unit there and bombings of german garrison units were made both in Rennes and Brest. Check out in the images below high tech and effectiveness values of USAF tacs participating in the operations. Images below show last allied turn moves here.





In current axis turn, I withdrew depleted garrison in Rennes and railed a new one to the city. Repairs in Brest and u-boats trying to get to apparently unescorted allied landing units and checking they were protected by allied sub units. Shots below are at the end of axis turn.





2 german mechs bought this turn. I will buy more until reaching 15 units limit for 1944. Germany is about to reach -50 manpower meaning -1 survivability in its units.

This D-Day attempt looks lame. 3 transports and 1 PARA? Without access to a port? The clock is ticking...

I'm wondering how strong the Western Allies actually are. They are bogged down in Italy and it doesn't look like Rome will fall soon. I saw British STRATs. Considering that you sunk many British PPs and they suffered high casualties in the Med, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have many land units. The USA probably focused on naval and air units + some heavies. The problem with the US PPs is that in 1944-1945, moving land units to GB/France seems to take forever. And the clock is ticking...