Defending the Reich - the war is over

[Plaid]

In northern sector soviets still try to push with raw infantry. They even managed to destroy one german INF, but if we count steps, they lost much more.
Nothing important about this positions, I can retreat easily if pressed hard, but now its not hard at all. Also looks like there will be no action in Finland, since all I can see is couple of garrisons near Leningrad. So I am ready to ship german corps and some finns from Finland to more important fronts.



In southern sector russian armies stopped near Brest-Litovsk, so they tryed to break through weak axis minor units in very south. For now I have enough reserves to plug the hole, fresh corps was railed from Italy, for example. One more soviet armour destroyed, and another one deplted. This fields between prypyats and black sea are now full of destroyed soviet tanks, USSR armour casualties are close to 10.000 now. At the same time my fighters suffer from quality penalty. In this unstopping dogfights they lost most of their effectiveness and started to get more or less even results with weak soviet air.



In Italy my infantry was reduced to 3 steps and retreated, to be replaced with new one. Not much other things happen there.



In Britain allies succesfully landed, crushing my garrison and getting their port. My troops are ready to stop them and knock out of the isle, if we get little fortune (and oil). Reserve units arrived to british ports. My uboats tryed to destroy british BB, but got humble results. Looks like Kriegsmaringe will suffer some casualties in second battle for Britain. Also destroyed some partisans in England, which troubled troops railing, but still I don't have forces to garrison whole isle, since I am fighting allied invasion.
Anyway, worst thing I can get there now is stalemate, and its ok, since I will still hold important industrial areas, even if allies and partisans will sit in some cities with low PP value.



I deffinetely need more infantry, but again I didn't find spare PP to buy any. Manpower is now at 52% and will be below 50 1-2 turns later anyway.

[Peter Stauffenberg]

Russia is the place where you're going to lose the war (or win it). So if you can use your airpower to take out the Russian offensive forces (mech, armor and air) then you can maybe hold them long enough. In Italy, France and Britain your task is to delay the Allied progress and use the bad winter weather to consolidate. Soon it's 1944 and then you just need to keep them at bay for another season. The Allies will eventually get to France in force, but if it happens late enough they won't get to Berlin in time.

The Russians are so close to Berlin so if your line crumbles here you will lose faster than you image. You can lose Berlin by the Summer of 1944 if you're not careful to take out the Russian offensive power while you still have the chance. That will delay the Russian offensives. It might not be enough, but that's your best chance.

[afk_nero]

You seem to have some good options to encircle some Russian units in the south with an offensive there.

Any plans on this?

[Plaid]

You seem to have some good options to encircle some Russian units in the south with an offensive there.

Any plans on this?

Sad, but its not true. If you mean soviet troops near Brest-Litovsk, its just couple of corps and I have to go into swamps to encircle them.It will burn more oil than simple destruction of this corps with armour, but I don't want to pay even this - they destruct themselves fine, when attacking entrenched positions.

If you mean ones near Black Sea - they will still be supplied by soviet fleet, while my "blocking" forces will be in trouble, attacked from both sides.

[Plaid]

Russia is the place where you're going to lose the war (or win it). So if you can use your airpower to take out the Russian offensive forces (mech, armor and air) then you can maybe hold them long enough. In Italy, France and Britain your task is to delay the Allied progress and use the bad winter weather to consolidate. Soon it's 1944 and then you just need to keep them at bay for another season. The Allies will eventually get to France in force, but if it happens late enough they won't get to Berlin in time.

The Russians are so close to Berlin so if your line crumbles here you will lose faster than you image. You can lose Berlin by the Summer of 1944 if you're not careful to take out the Russian offensive power while you still have the chance. That will delay the Russian offensives. It might not be enough, but that's your best chance.

Thanks for advice, Borger. Its close to what I am actually doing in this game. If we scroll this AAR back we can see, that year ago, in summer 1942, fighting was around Vinnitsa. So during entire year soviets only managed to advance 4 hex rows, suffering heavy casualties. Now only 2 depleted soviet armour units can be see on the map - their number actually decrease over time, not increase. Zechi is a bit to...rushy with his russians. Once he get couple of good units ready, he sends them to battle at once. But to really crush german front you need real overwhelming attack with large forces. This "local" attacks are just trade off, and germans have advantage, thanks to much better techs in armour and dog fight. I've seen Zechi attacking with fresh built/fresh railed russian units, without regaining effectiveness. All this things means that lots of soviet PPs go straight to casualties pool, while effect is not great...

Actually southern part of Russian front, where most of action happens now, don't looks like it is going to collapse now. German TACs and panzers dominate the front. I even think that if I had no need to save oil and manpower, I could easily crash current russian front with current german one

[Plaid]

In the north soviet attacks continue. Pretty suicidal for Red Army, I lost damaged german corps, but destroyed two. I don't have idea what purpose this attacks have. Diversion against my manpower? Well, I don't mind trading russian PPs for some german MP, you know, this range between 49% and 24% is pretty wide.



In the south soviets captured Chisinau (looks like heavy air support work), so I retreated slightly to have good positions again. Probably best Zechi's operation on the eastern front - Ploestin bombing - works ideally. Place bombed into oblivion, leaving me with 30 oil income per turn from other sources. I should be happy that he didn't start much earlier. There is a good side of all this aswell - without Ploesti Romania now considered expendable land and will be traided for time, when needed.

Also I killed damaged russian corps near Lvov, and bombed armour units again (both at 0 eff now). Soviets are welcome to push with infantry, suffering from cross-river and entrenchment penalties - panzers and mechs wait for weakened units, to finish off. I can't see any major threat here, but its only for now.



In Italy this time I finally lost my exposed middle fort, but mountains are just as good to hold. Reserves will be sent as soon as possible.



Don't have pic of Britain, hopefully Zechi will show you one. German troops finally engage landing allies, 2 mechs destroyed, frontline stabillized. I don't think that I should waste my resources attacking entrenched allies in rocks around Plymouth, but who knows...

Also HSF together with uboats finished off this elite RN BB, while another uboat flotilla and german DD fleet finished off soviet convoy. New 100+ convoy spotted, but chances to destroy it are low, because of massive allied navy presence.

2 mech transports with DD escorts spotted near western french shores. Reserves for british invasion, or diversion landing in France or whatever else.

This turn I got below 50% MP, purchasing 2 new corps. My techs supposed to compensate this -1 surv.

[Plaid]

Allied attacks were not great this time, I lost only bulgarian mech on southern front.

In the north soviets still try to push, but more units are killed with counterattacks.



In the south I returned all positions I wanted, destroying soviet corps and forcing to retreat another (heh, after good airstrike they are ready to flee from bulgarians). Zechi wisely moved his armour back, to mend it, but now he has no tanks in the area...No tanks - no breakthrough, we will have couple more or less quiet turns, and them muddy season hopefully starts.



In Italy things are boring. Allies very slowly advance and we both suffer casualties. I don't have airfields in MED zone now (well, actually I have ones in Albania, but I think once Zechi will see some assets based there, he will land and clear place at once, so it will work only for few turns) so something has to be done with air support during winter. Fresh corps from reserves can be railed next turn.



In Britain allies tryed to push further, so I "had to" destroy one tempting mech. Lost ~20 oil and couple of armour steps for this, I shall resist next time.

HSF finally trapped and will be destroyed, looks like. Still, this green DDs will have hard time fighting elite BB.

Seems like Zechi wants to land in France with 2 mechs, I have somethin to stop this weak force...



New corps drafted. I started my turn above 50%, and repaired my air with good reinforcements. At the end of turn MP was around 48%

[Plaid]

This turn I got allied breaktrough in Italy. Schoerner's HQ corps was reduced to 1 step, despite being entrenched in fort.
For poor unit's performance general was not allowed to leave his unit, and will share its fate. (actually I have commander to replace him, so didn't want to waste PPs for reassignment) 2 fresh corps deployed from reserves, together with hopefully bad weather it will help.



In Britain I lost my armour corps, thanks to rough terrain. Also HSF finished off. I stopped any offencive moves and repaired my troops.

Beachhead in France was attacked with availiable forces , one american MECH was destroyed. Armour railed from reserves to deal with any further landings. I don't need any allied foothold in France deffinetely.



In northern USSR attacks mostly stopped. Frontline stabilized, we both repair troops.



In the south Zechi also did only few local attacks. Armour ready to deal with soviet pressure near Constanta, if Zechi will continue.
Another panzer korps finished off Govorov's HQ mech, which were reduced to 6 steps attacking my lines, and then bombed down to 4. Only 3 turns R&R though.
Zhukov showed finally on armour unit. Unit was at once bombed down to red 4. Now Zechi can either retreat out of my stukas range, losing commander's presenec effect , reassign commander again losing effect for a while or repair his tank. This way there is a chance that both armour and commander will be destroyed next turn

[Plaid]

Allies break through Gustav line finally, threating Rome. Some forces can be pocketed by allies, if they take the city, but I decided to gamble here a bit.
Garrison in Rome is fully entrenched and troops around are ready to retake city in case it will fall under allied air strikes. Rome region must hold on until bad weather. Then it will hold during bad weather season, and then, in spring 1944 it can be adandoned. Sad that my reserve commander was injured, since his garrison is Cherbourgh was wiped out, so I don't have HQ for Italy at the moment.



In Russia little action. Some soviet troops still try to push along Black sea and suddenly found themselves rolled by panzers Also I started to rail romanians back from western europe for home defence.



In France my garrison infantry supported by depleted fighters and panzer korps managed to retake Cherbourgh from 3 steps mech. Also partisan garrison destroyed and corps depleted. Front in Britain is stable for a while - only my VIII korps hunt partisans in Scotland. I want allies to spend half of '44 conquering Britain instead of landing in France - if thing happen this way they will not have time to pass through Zigfried line.

Also my DD ran into USN sub and lost 2 steps. 86 gone straight to USSR. Also all next convoys will pass, I fear.

[massina_nz]

<snip>
In Russia little action. Some soviet troops still try to push along Black sea and suddenly found themselves rolled by panzers Also I started to rail romanians back from western europe for home defence.
<snip

Yes that's one of the things about defending the Reich in later years, making sure your Axis minors are in their home countries and not elsewhere. It's not very nice if they surrender and then you find some of your troops disappear on the Western front as well.

Also I place only one German INF corp, in an Axis ally, and on the Axis minor capital. Then when the capital falls the whole country goes to the soviets. Any other German units in the country will get isolated.

[Plaid]

Thanks for comments here, Massina.

I am going to leave romanian MECH entrenched in Bucharest to its fate, while retreating wehrmacht to Hungary, maning this nice river line.

Nothing to defend in Romania and Bulgaria anyway.

But all this will happen somewhen in midsummer 1944.

By the way why when Italy surrenders its lands go to Germany, but when Romania etc surrenders, lands go to USSR?

[massina_nz]

<snip>

By the way why when Italy surrenders its lands go to Germany, but when Romania etc surrenders, lands go to USSR?

Correct, same for Hungary and Finland as well

[massina_nz]

That's why I put a single German INF unit in the country, in the capital. It may hold on longer than an Axis ally unit, and may give you another turn. Once the country goes, all your German units in that country will be out of supply unless they occupy another city, but then their rail link will be broken.

[Plaid]

I got wierd weather combination this time - fair in northern europe and mud in central.

Following this, I will not counterattack in southern front for now - it will be not very old effective.
Also my airforce will use turn of rest finally.



In northern sector weather was fair, which allowed me to counterattack and destroy plenty of soviet infantry. Zechi can eventually lose Minsk, if he continues to press with raw infantry (leads to 7:3 results in my favour...)



Cherbourgh recaptured by allies and holds at 1 step, thanks to muddy weather. In Britain I lost 1 corps to allied offencive, but nothing critical. Some transports are spotted, but they will not be able to land.



In Italy allies tryes to clear Gustav line before going for Rome. Best option for me - I will not risk to lose any troops pocketed this way. Line expected to hold for now, since its mud and allied troops are depleted. Again, some amph will not be able to land.

[Plaid]

This is last turn 1943, when fair weather is possible in central Europe, and it was fair. Even though fair weather is generally bad for me, this time it was very helpful. Even better, weather on the east was mud, so luftwaffe had large advantage over soviet air force.



Southern part of russian front is more or less fixed, I did good damage to soviet armour and air units. Even further, it is a question, if soviets still are able to be offencive - most of airforce and non-infantry assault units are depleted.

On a bad side, I had to use depleted and axis minor fighter units. If I will be unlucky, they will intercept soviets, as they are not on centry now.

Reserves from AGN and Finland are deployed to prevent sudden and unexpected lose of Bucharest.

On the north nothing interesting - minor steps excange in my favour.



In Britain no action for now, but fair means that this allies will land succesfully. Expensive in terms of oil bombing with my elite strategic bomber didn't help much - only 2 steps taken from allied transport, despite 5:0 odds.. Landing in France now can be called allied failure, since last Cherbourgh defenders are smoked out.



In Italy I lost all my units south of Rome. Now assault on city will come, I guess. Still I hope to hold it during bad weather season.

[Plaid]

In the north I lost 1 corps and destroyed one soviet. Looks like its time to retreat from the area, because infantry fighting started to return worth for me results (both russian advantage at winter and low-manpower reinforcements weakened my units)



In the south I started to fight my way out of Romania, because country may surrender soon, trapping my troops. Also I deployed some luftwaffe for always-fair med weather bulgarian hexes. Rest air units are put on centry



In Italy Rome lost - good blow to my PP income. Even worse, allies now have full supply in Italy. I will try to hold current line for some turns, with help of bad weather and terrain.



In western europe I hope to delay allies a bit, again with help of bad weather and lack of air support.

On a good side, I got level 6 armor tech this turn, now my tanks have 11 surv even with all penalties.

[massina_nz]

Would have been interesting if the Allies had landed up by the Isle of Man and connected up to Leeds, rather than landing in Wales.

[Plaid]

Last turn of 1943 is here, at least I hold my lines for another year.

On the north I finally ordered to retreat, since its becoming painful to fight this soviets. AGN will go straight for Danzig-Warsaw positions, which expected to hold for 1944 summer.



On the south only minor retreats. Looks like Zechi wants to go through Romania and Hungary instead of straight push into Poland. Well, its better because its longer.



In Italy we retreat aswell, because it left nothing to fight for and because my line was easily breached by allies - garrisons perform very bad this late in the war.



In Britain I was able to destroy allied mech, reconnecting Cardiff back to my rail net but looks like front will hold maximum until first fair weather turn. Reserves near Hamburg were intended to be shipped to Britain, but will be railed somewhere else instead.

[Peter Stauffenberg]

One major problem for you will be the oil consumption. You just have 100 oil in your reserve. It's tempting to keep the Luftwaffe protecting your units from bombing, but you may run out of oil soon if that happens. Then you have very little oil per turn to make counter attacks with. Armor and mech units need oil to be moved as well.

So you might have to put your air units on sentry and focus on having oil for the land units. When you need to have bomber support for an important attack you take a fighter and bomber out of sentry duty.

Also try to keep your air units away from enemy fighter range. The reason is that the Allies can bombard your airbases to force you to spend oil This will happen even if the unit is on sentry duty.

Since you have maybe 25 or so turns left you have to preserve oil if you want to keep Berlin till the end.

[Clark]

One major problem for you will be the oil consumption. You just have 100 oil in your reserve. It's tempting to keep the Luftwaffe protecting your units from bombing, but you may run out of oil soon if that happens. Then you have very little oil per turn to make counter attacks with. Armor and mech units need oil to be moved as well.

So you might have to put your air units on sentry and focus on having oil for the land units. When you need to have bomber support for an important attack you take a fighter and bomber out of sentry duty.

Also try to keep your air units away from enemy fighter range. The reason is that the Allies can bombard your airbases to force you to spend oil This will happen even if the unit is on sentry duty.

Since you have maybe 25 or so turns left you have to preserve oil if you want to keep Berlin till the end.

Plaid, I'm amazed that you've held out this well on all fronts using as little oil as you have. But Stauffenberg is right - as the Allies get closer and closer, relieving you of the oil production facilities that you do have, it's going to mighty hard to counterattack and move your ARM and MECH around.