Slitherine

I just wonder if you earlier in the game got a war event message about Operation Bagration being started in the east. That message should appear if the Russians cross into north eastern Poland from the Minsk area. I can't recall you posted a message about that offensive being started. I noticed the code checks if a Russian armor and mech unit has to enter the area to trigger the offensive message. It seems all the Russian armor and mech are in the south so maybe that's the reason.

Looking at the numbers it seems the Germans burnt about 100 oil last turn. That is a lot and means the Germans will run out of oil in 5 turns. I have a feeling Axis airpower and armor in the east isn't that important anymore. More important will be mechs and corps units defending behind rivers and in forts.

I usually put the German air units on sentry mode at this stage of the war. Armor units I rail back to Germany and man critical rear hexes (near Hamburg and Berlin). The armor units are hard to kill and good to hold for the last few turns. Keeping some in Holland to destroy Allied units crossing the Rhine is probably a good idea. They can do well even in the Siegfried line to punish any breakthroughs.

Have you got the 6 Volksturm units yet?

From my experience I will run out of units much faster, then out of oil.

No Volksturm yet - only paratroopers and partisans entered German core hexes so far.

There was Bagration message early 1944, but I did not post it, because it was not related to what happening in the game (there was no German troops in Belorussia by that time anyway).

Situation with armour units is tricky in this game. Looks like both Germans and Russians focused AT and not survivability, so tanks are really fragile this late. When attacking high tech guard mechs my regular infantry have equal or better odds, as my tanks. Probably Victor suffers from same effects.

I have to say that despite all hardships and pain Germany still collects huge ammount of PPs.



France - allies keep landing in Brittany, no matter what's the cost. They even destroyed Rommel's HQ mech (I am surprised - it was relatively high strength one).
No landings in Pas-de-Calais.



In the East Red Army expoits the gap between our central and southern fronts - lots of heavy units rush through Carpathian mountains :





In Italy German troops attacking beachhead suffer from heavy air and naval bombardment.



Axis turn :

First of all, declared goal of 1944 campaign achieved, as general Hausser reports about last US unit in Brittany laying down weapons.
It was long and costly fighting, but we won. Not sure if it was worthy, but West is now more or less secured.

Von Bock's reserve front ordered to prevent landings in Pas-de-Calais area as good as they can and man coastal positions.



In Italy US infantry eliminated, even though it was hard. Probably another UK mech going to land south of Rome.



And bloodbath in the East - German heavy units ordered to prevent Red Army advancing through Carpathian region :





Late game armour vs armour fighting is pretty unpredictable because of very high AT factors on both ends. I did not got great rolls here. Destroyed some units, but with significant casualties.

And more sub attacks. Soviet convoy is the target this times.



Bad weather is possible next turn (October), though I don't hope for it. Still, though about allies having only 4 100% fair turns (this one, 2 in April and 1 in May) is pleasant on its own.

Volksturm activates.



And just in time. Situation in the East is quite bad.





More landings in France :



Stalemate in Italy for now :



Axis moves :

All landings in France eliminated one more time. It is becoming harder and harder, but bad weather expected soon.



In the East Germans retreat (or flee) to Vistula river line.



I succesfully evacuated all heavy units from the South, now I will try to pull out some infantry aswell.



In Italy little happens - only repairs and unit shifting.



Kriegsmarine sunk 40 more soviet PPs and spotted 2 heavily protected mech transports. They are not in time to land this year, as allies deffinetely not going to secure port before bad weather.

weather will be crucial in this game

maybe the west has done enough in that it has soaked up a lot of very good MECH steps that aren't available for the East and can also rebase TAC's to help Russia from Italy and Southern France

very good example of how the Axis can move from a good position to very close in a short space of time

I think the advantage is still with the Axis - but to many fine turns will really hurt

also can yo not put a unit in Hamburg to start building entrenchment

I think Vokt could have done a bit better if he had started the air raids against Axis units in France in maybe March 1944 and spent turn after turn to soften up these targets. That would have meant Plaid would repair these units every turn and the efficiency would drop down towards red.

Once the German heavy units were down enough he could have landed his Allied forces. The Allied air power is a weapon you need to use every turn possible.

Still, it's not certain Plaid will win this game because the Russians are doing quite well. Vokt needs an early Spring in the east so he can move fast enough to get to Hamburg. Maybe Vokt should ignore France and instead land in February / March 1945 near Hamburg.

I would probably have tried to spread my landings several places (France, Holland and Denmark) so the Axis would have to divert their forces to several landing areas. Vokt could then reinforce the landing areas the Axis don't contain with enough forces.

It's fun to see that it's hard for anyone to predict a winner about 6 months before the end. A minor victory to one side seems to be most likely. If I had to put any money on a side I would have put my bet on Plaid winning, but just barely.

same

It is still fair weather and allies keep on pushing hard everywhere.









With strong hope for bad weather next turn Wehrmacht cleans landing in Brittany again. Depleted luftwaffe launch attacks agaisnt landing crafts (Victor have only 3 fighters here, I believe, so my low strength bombers flyed safely - they can't intercept all).



In Italy landing near Rome also should be dealt with. Halved unit strength for now, as many German corps needed repairs and didn't take part in the attack.



In Poland Vistula defensive perimeter restored.



And German troops keep fleeing from Romania.



Small UK convoy sunk. Probably Victor miss all this PPs to repair his airforce.



Germany fully recovered from strategic bombing and collects 180+ PPs. Still have 8 labs for sale, though I hope to get last couple of techs first.

Your u-boat sure are nicely picking off PPs from UK and USSR. Looks like you made a good choice with them.

Are the two blue dots in Norway on the small map German garrisons? Time to sail them to Germany? Vokt is too busy to with protecting the landings etc. And one gets the 8 PP loading cost back if you unload them in port, right. Two more units for the final defence of Germany at no cost.

Good advice about shipping garrisons, but I am reluctant to do so, because allied subs can guard Norway ports (nothing else for them to do - no axis surface ships on map).

Also I have enough PPs to build garrisons if I want, and don't want to risk for 2 more.

Allies keep pushing forward on all fronts :
Hungary surrenders with soviet tanks entering Budapest.








Winter weather arrives, which is not ideal (mud is much better for us now), but atleast it means no more landings in France and slower allied advance.

Kriegsmarine attempts to leave Patton's mech without supply by sinking 2 BBs. Succesfully sunk 6 strength one, but full strength survives at 3 steps. Not much action here. 1944 campaign considered succesful despite all casualties. Landing in Pas de Calais also will not happen in 1944 thanks to weather and von Bock's troops efforts.It is very unlikely that Western Allies will be in Hamburg by May - capturing 2nd German capital will be Red Army's task. Landing in Pas de Calais also will not happen in 1944 thanks to weather and von Bock's troops efforts.



We are passive in the East - repairs and unit railing mostly. I don't think counterattacking in winter is good idea at all.





Sideshow in Italy - allies try to grind forward, we repair.

Soveits attack in Poland, but Manstein's HQ corps holds Warsaw.





Little to report from the West, as it is frozen by bad weather. Only to note, I lost UF3, while other subs received quite light damage from bombers. Lots of evasions occured.

This is good turn, as mud finally arrives.

We hope to hold our positions in Poland one more turn thanks to this weather change. No retreats ordered, only repairing and upgrading units.





Relatively quiet in France. I am going to slowly pull my forces out of the country and man Ziegfried line and positions in Belgium-Holland. With strong allied armoured push from Lyons I have no plans to hold Paris until end of the game. Better to transfer some troops to the east and try to save Berlin. I don't believe that western allies will be in Hamburg by time.



Italy - nothing new happens here.

Red Army keeps pressing on, despite mud weather. Personally I would use muddy turn to repair all those TACs instead. Now winter turn occurs and VVS are not in the best shape, to support soviet offensive. Anyway, I slightly adjust the frontline and move my SS armour out of harm's way. Manstein leaves Warsaw to be assigned to Berlin next turn. Corps in Warsaw repaired, though will be likely destroyed anyway.



South is quite empty. I am surprised how many German units I managed to salvage from here. If Victor detach some heavy units to deal with retreating Germans back in summer, I would have much less forces availiable now...



In France phased retreat is ordered. By the way Patton's mech destroyed one more Pz.Gr. unit with heavy TAC support, and another (1 step) - was railed to Berlin suburbs.



In Italy 3 German corps launch attacks against mech south of Rome, reducing it to 3 steps.



I sold 4 armour labs previous turn and now have 4 0 0 0 0 with 97% at infantry AT tech. After I get it I will sell infantry labs aswell.

Congratulations gentlemen, we just made it into 1945.

Favourable mud weather is here.



I got all techs which I planned for the final stand and sell 4 infantry labs.



Casualties greatly increased since last time I posted them, especially German ones.



Forces :



Germany still collects 150 PPs and have slightly above 25% MP.

1944 campaign achieved its main goals.

-in the East we lost many good units, but delayed soviet advance to reasonable temps. Only last turn they liberated Warsaw and only Hungary surrendered - other minor countries are afloat (including Finland, which is still controlling Leningrad).

-in the West majority of landings were denied and we still hold Paris. Again, it was costly campaign, but I think effective one.

-in Italy allies achieve relatively nothing. Gustav line and Rome holds. Weak garrison positions near Nice also holds - result of Western Landings needed all availiable airpower, so allied forces in Italy don't have proper support. Armour breakthrough near Lyons threat Paris, but nothing else.

Allies have only 6 more turns, half of them probably bad weather. Even physically it is unlikely they will enter Hamburg, so 1944 West campaign was success indeed.

Post turn situation :

Poland - we repair and upgrade preparing for next Red Army push.



Southern sideshow :



Italy :



France - defensive line is almost built. Kriegsmarine is now sailing to trouble any allied landings near Wilhelmshaven. Looks like it is only allied chance to reach Hamburg before May.

There is not enough time to take Hamburg, but Berlin, Paris and maybe Rome will fall in 1945 IMO.

Cybvep wrote:There is not enough time to take Hamburg, but Berlin, Paris and maybe Rome will fall in 1945 IMO.

It is really weather-dependent this late. With mud all the way to April I can hold probably all 4 cities, but with early fair I might lose in March-April. You never know in advance.

Fair arrives early - 1st Februaty 1944. And it is quite annoying, as allied landing fleets are already prepared for invasion.





Red Army push forward regardless, destroying number of German units and trapping corps and garrison in Krakow.



Southern sideshow - Soviet troops linked with Yugoslavian partisans in Belgrade.



General German retreat ordered to make 1945 stand.

In the East we retreat to Oder line.



In the West - to Albert Channel. Kriegsmarine was not able to attack landing ships (or even reach them) because of lots allied warships in the Channel and their ZoCs.



Just repairs in Italy. Rome must hold!

Second fair turn in February is annoying...

Allied troops liberated Paris and land in Flanders. More landing crafts spotted in Helgoland Bight.





East is preidctable, though I am surprised, how many damage my panzer korps in Prague taken.

In the south Bucharest holds at 1 step and I am not going to repair this infantry.



Post-turn situation.



Fair weather in March will be critical.