Slitherine

Now I can see whole picture, and I can't say, that it is good for axis.

I see no way to stop soviets in Poland - strong Red Airforce will damage my armoured and mech units before they even enter
combat. Looks like Morris is wrong opponent for my strategy - he perfectly managed his soviet PPs, collected before war,
and have very strong army. I should had taken my chances with normal 1941 Barbarossa instead of this.



Weather in the east is still winter, which troubles any maneures near frontline (most of it is just in winter zone), so no
real action from me - repairing and entrenching mostly. Once weather finally turns fair, I will deffinetely destroy some
exposed soviet tanks, but I feel like it will change nothing. Also fair weather will fix my flak - units actually have quite
high values of air defence (focused right techs) , but winter neglects them. Soviet bombers supposed to start taking real
damage, which means, that half of them will be grounded for repairs.

Repairing my own luftwaffe seems ... problematic. Barely have PP to repair and replace badly needed ground units.

Also some action in Finland. Morris wants it out of war clearly, but good german units will give him some combat.
Destroyed 1 soviet corps here and trapped another one.

Here, in southern sector of eastern front, I have some actual reserve. All this good german corps units are placed
against feeble garrisons. Now I can either redeploy corps elsewhere or try my own offencive from south to north, trying
to cut good soviet units near Lvov of supply. This operation looks risky - Morris easily can deal with my offencive shifting
some airpower and tanks from the north, while I will lose more good units - and probably I will stick with redeploying corps for
defensive purpose.

Also allied transports spotted near French coast again and British paratrooper lands in Brusseles.
I have some troops in France, including good leaders (Rommel and Messe) and ready to engage allies, if they land.

Since allies completely ignore Med region, I suppose, they have some forces for 1943 Overlord, while my own reserves are thin.

60 PPs of soviet north convouy sunk.

Allies land in France, capturing Rennes and bombing my units. We decide to launch some counterattack before bombers completely
wipe my troops out, but results are not great. Rennes holds and allies still have their supply. Paratroops in Brusseles
also hold.




In the east its still winter, which ruins any counterattack plans. Italian defenders of Koenigsberg managed to destroy 1 armour
though.


In Finland we are doing good. Place will hold.


63 convoy PPs sunk.

You will keep Finland longer in the war than Germany, that´s for sure

Festung Finland

Crazygunner1 wrote:You will keep Finland longer in the war than Germany, that´s for sure

Yes , Longlive Finland !

My forces in France are beaten badly, just as expected. What left is now trying to escape to Germany, I can only hope, that
allied airpower will not wipe them out completely.



Assault on Brusseles also turns out to be complete failure. British paratroopers hold city, while my units are badly damaged
by allied airforce and retreat.


In the east fair weather finally arrives and we launch what can be the last axis major offencive. Destroyed 2 tanks, 2 corps, mech
and fighter, damaged number of units and pocketed russian troops in northern Poland. Even lost my own 3 steps fighter while trying to finish off one of soviet units.
Most likely Morris will be able to free his units, but even keeping them pocketed for 1 turns is like hitting them all with bomber.
Also they will not be able to move this turn.

I used my last german and italian armoured forces in this operation, lets see, how many of them survive this turn.




22 PPs of convoy cargo sunk.

You've no reserves. This is hopeless.

Cybvep wrote:You've no reserves. This is hopeless.

It will be over within 10 turns, I promise you.

Just as expected, soviets crush our counterattack and break weakened front in Lublin area.

We continue our attacks though, targeting exposed units where we can. I think it is better idea, than just standing
ground and being wiped out by bombers.


In Finland also heavy fighting. Soviets finally managed to destroy my HQ mech unit, we destroy 2 more corps. Also soviet
troops in Karelia are now in dangerous position - total victory is possible here (atleast somewhere! ).



In France also predictable - allies bomb everything in sight finishing off with tanks what was not able to run away.
I will try to man fortifications with various garrisons and place some defences in Holland. By the way managed to evacuate
full strength corps from Cherbourgh by sea. Quite impressive, keeping in mind allied naval supremacy.



This turn I sold my 3 air labs and purchased some infantry (4 corps and mech, I believe) for defence of Germany.
Selling armour labs is also considered - my last 2 tanks can be lost any moment in Poland, and I don't think, I will be
building more.

Interesting Italian armor images. Can't remember to have seen them before. Are those from a mod?

Stauffenberg wrote:Interesting Italian armor images. Can't remember to have seen them before. Are those from a mod?

Thats default ones, manual also features them. Noone just build italian armour and labs.

As usual, this turn started with heavy defeats on the east. Germany have no more tank or mech (apart from one in Finland) units.
Even more, soviet paratrooper lands in Posen fortress. At least it suffered heavy damage.


What left from axis armies tryes fully retreat, but I even don't have enough units to maintain any sort of formation.


Finally retreat in the south aswell. I can salvage dozen of corps (including minor) from here to mend my frontlines for few turns.

On the west allies face literally no opposition and axis are fully on the run.

I am quite surprised myself that I managed to build sort of frontline, which might delay allies for turn or two.

Also allied navy spotted heading for Med, obviously to take part in Italian campaign. US BB was attacked with availiable subs
for good results.

In the MED region meanwhile allied transport spotted and sunk near Crete. As you can see most of Italian units are evacuated
from Lybia to fight elsewhere. We also have very few units in Italy - they fight on other fronts.

In Finland soviets retreat to avoid total destruction. At least here we won. Maybe it will be good idea to tale away germans
for other fronts, but Finland will probably surrender instantly without german units.

All labs but infantry and general were sold this turn to draft 3 more corps and mech. Berlin needs defenders!

Stauffenberg wrote:Interesting Italian armor images. Can't remember to have seen them before. Are those from a mod?

after while , it will upgrade to lvl 12 Italian tank . Another beautiful &impressive image !

Now things progress in predictable way - we are crushed on all fronts.

Still, was able to fix frontline in Holland, destroying US tank.


In the east soviets will be near Berlin next turn. Still we were able to cut some portion of soviet troops, while last defenders
of Berlin are railed from southern sector.

Somehow I managed to gather solid crowd of german units (with good leaders) in Berlin area and now expect to hold Oder line for
few turns. This turn we destroyed full strength soviet guard mech, which tryed to cross the river (though some bomber units were lost
in the process).


In the west frontline is held by low-grade units and can be breached any moment.

Axis fronts further collapsing all over the map.
Defences in Holland are completely overwhelmed, survived troops pull back to Hamburg.

Near Berlin we were not able to destroy soviet tank, it survived at 1 step. Now Oder line is officially breached
and Berlin can fall any moment.

In the south soviet troops are few in numbers and nothing threats minor power capitals for now.
I am planning to salvage some PPs for defence of Italy from this minors.

Its really little to comment now. As you can see axis are crushed all over the board.

Berlin and Bucharest falls. Budapest is controlled by romanian traitor unit and will also surrender after my turn.

Germany surrenders this turn.


Now Italy is preparing for defence.
I have to say that i finally ran out of oil as axis in new GS version, but in a wierd way. Looks like Italian oil reserve was
stored in Germany and now is in allied hands .


Otherwise I would sink most of this transports with italian navy.

Italy is attacked from all sides now and only thing which can help us is weather (mud this turn).


I only wish I had some oil for my italian navy squadrons.