Reverse Spanish gambit

[massina_nz]

MUD in central & northern, phew my Russians get a breather! Otherwise not much else happens.

[massina_nz]

There's a bottle-neck at Bordeaux – so I might have to consider attacking Vichy France to break through. But Bordeaux is in the right side of the river for me, so with a decent amount of effort and distractions on all the other fronts I may be able to break through.

Severe Winter hits and the 42 Winter offensive kicks off.



I begin the slow process of re-taking the Capital, now it's Winter my TACs can pound the panzers without interference of the Luftwaffe. Combined with a Tank attack, one panzer unit is depleted to 5 steps.



In the South the Tanks roll and destroy an ARM and push back several axis units from the river.



My re-inforcements have arrived in Italy, but so has the Luftwaffe. As in other AARs the Axis can hold the Allies here for quite a while, but thankfully my CVs have returned from Libya.

[massina_nz]

The new year arrives with the Americans crawling along in Spain, it's god-awful slow going here. NOTE: the US air units are still in the FAIR weather zone.



All my MECHs arrive in Italy, but the Axis forces are well-entrenched.



Oslo falls.



I make a mess of AGS in the winter - trick here is to know when to stop the offensive


With the Red Air force ruling the winter skies, I start to make progress to liberating Moscow.

[massina_nz]

The Russian TACs continue their work depleting the German unts.



In the south I continue to mess up the Axis troops, and retreat in the northern sector, hoping to drag the Axis forces with me.



Two TACs turn up in Albania, things could get though here.



Oh yes this is supposed to be an AAR about Spain . The US forces begin to push the Germans back, helped by the fact that the German units lower quality means they are more likely to retreat. The transports are bound for France and not Spain.



With Oslo liberated I can now bomb Berlin, never done that before.

[massina_nz]

Axis forces make another attack in Libya. Punishing but not destroying an INF unit.



Which gives me an opportunity to destroy another Italian infantry corp



In Italy I lose the 4-step MECH that retreated last turn, and the 2 step FTR as well. Thankfully I can now fly my UK FTRs replacements via Spain so they can get there quicker. In my turn I perform a mixture of attack and replacements. Oh dear my remaining FTR is down to 3-steps and is vulnerable. Maybe attacking wasn't so wise.



The Germans attack in the south of France and a US INF corp survives to 2 steps.



Again another opportunity to destroy an Axis unit, but it took the 2-step US INF corp to finish it off. The transport are placed to invade France on the 75% chance I get FAIR weather. I've made a mistake here, the southernmost transport should actually be where the CV is, if Bordeaux falls it will then be in supply



The UK goes into -3 transport capacity in order to threaten as many coastal cities as possible.



The Axis retreats in the Moscow area, my concentrated attacks against one of the panzers is underwhelming



But no reteating in the Stalingrad sector as the Axis launch another assualt



I return the compliment with some average reslusl, but still hoping for the German forces to follow me further into Russia, into supply zone 3 and outside the Rail netowrk.

Well this AAR is not turning out as I expected, I would have thought that the Axis would have gone on the defensive in Russia and re-deployed forces to France, especially air units. If I get past Bordeaux then the rest of France and the low countries will fall pretty quickly because there is not enough beneficial defensive terrain. But I'll continue the AAR to it's conclusion anyway. Maybe the purpose of the AAR is to show that an overly agressive defense by the Axis at this point of the game, just plays into the Allies hands as they can replace their losses quicker than the Axis countries can. I'm not saying that the Axis shouldn't make the most of selected opportunities to counter-attack, just that trading units one-for-one with the allies will soon deplete the Axis forces to the point of collapse.

[massina_nz]

Finally FAIR weather in Europe



Germans just can't resist destroying the 4-step MECH unit. Which is great because they weren't able to replenish those two German units....



....and Bordeaux easily falls.

I land my Tanks 1 hex too many to the north, otherwise they would have been in supply, and next turn they could have started rushing towards Paris to gain a rail link to the troops in Spain.

Not much happening on the other fronts.

[massina_nz]

I destroy a Panzer Corp next to Moscow, and also reduce Moscow. My chances of liberating Moscow improve every turn.



I retreat my troops in the south. And will make a push to Tambov and then Voronezh.



Brest is taken, and the US troops link up. Now it's full-steam ahead for Paris, I really need to train those MECHs from Spain to the front line ASAP. So the sooner I take Paris the better.

Italy continues to be in a stalemate.

[massina_nz]

The Axis focus on taking Stalingrad, whilst I liberate Tambov. the Axis forces are now in severe danger if I liberate Voronezh and attack up from the Caucauses. Do they realise their plight?



German defenses around Moscow continue to weaken.



The race is on for Paris, I take Cherbourg and Pay an extra 35pp to land an INF so I can threaten Lille as well, now several cities in Europe are under threat by partisans and the anglo-americans, which cities does my opponent wish to protect?

The beach-head over the Rhine in Holland is actually quite key, It was part of a failed attempt to take Antwerp, but if I can maintain the unit there, it gets me easily over the Rhine, so I may push for the Holland rather than towards the west wall.

[Peter Stauffenberg]

This game is lost for Germany and I predict a 1944 conquest of Berlin. I wonder why the Germans aren't reinforcing more in France. The Allies become stronger and stronger and soon they can rush towards the Siegfried line fortresses. Once Paris is liberated the Allies can rail in France and Spain to get units to the front line very fast. It doesn't help the Germans to stay deep in Russia if the western Allies cross into Germany proper in 1943.

[joerock22]

Your opponent has presented you with an opportunity to cut off his entire Southern Army. I would suggest moving toward Voronezh with your northern force, making him think you're going there. Then throw a unit southwards at the same time your tanks launch themselves northwards, and meet in the middle. Presto.

Now, of course this would depend on holding/retaking Stalingrad. If you can't do that, then it won't work, and you might soon find a large part of your army cut off. Still, I think it's at least worth trying.

Oh...I didn't see where you said you were already considering this.

[shawkhan]

Amazing, Hitler's classic mistake re-enacted. Stalingrad at all costs means loss of the war in Russia.

[massina_nz]

Germans continue to attack, but make a mistake by putting a GAR in Moscow


And Moscow is easily liberated.



Stalingrad taken, but I want to repair my Tanks before counter attacking – looks like Germasn are taking the opportunity to withdraw



Nantes falls and more importantly Antwerp, Paris sould fall next turn – thank god because most of the US MECH corps are still stuck in the Pryennes – what I’ve learned is the quickest path through Spain is from the south to Madrid and then NE, not via the north.

The Axis chose to attack my troops in Flanders rather than defend Antwerp, so it was easily taken.

[massina_nz]

This game is lost for Germany and I predict a 1944 conquest of Berlin. I wonder why the Germans aren't reinforcing more in France. The Allies become stronger and stronger and soon they can rush towards the Siegfried line fortresses. Once Paris is liberated the Allies can rail in France and Spain to get units to the front line very fast. It doesn't help the Germans to stay deep in Russia if the western Allies cross into Germany proper in 1943.

My opponent plays pretty aggressively, I guessing he put all his eggs in one basket and wanted to defeat Russia. Bit of a shame, would have made a more interesting AAR if they were more defensive in Russia and sent more forces to France.

IMHO, once Portugal fell, I would have had 3-4 INFs stationed in France, ready to train to Spain.

[massina_nz]

Axis withdraws, I assault Stalingrad and reduce it to 4 steps and then ignore Voronezh and make a play for central Russia instead. I also strength my postions around Moscow which was attacked but untaken by Germans.



Axis counter-attacks destroy to weakened units in Holland and Belgium. But importantly I take Paris and Lille, I’m having to use my CV for FTR cover, argh! That’s inefficient.

[massina_nz]

The aggressive Axis defence continues...



Stalingrad is liberated, and I'm able to re-connect with the isolated troops, and I place my Tanks on the flank in preparation for an encirclement next turn.



Antwerp falls to a rather surprising German offensive - the Axis have transferred some of their forces from Italy. There wasn't much I could have done to prevent it anyway.



Finally I can rail troops to France. I take Reims and the way to Southern Germany is clear, there is nothing in the Siegfried line!

[massina_nz]

Axis forces retreat from Moscow, but those partisans in the rear will make it difficult.



Russian pursue and begin to cut-off fleeing troops. German rail network has been strategically bombed to almost nothing. Making retreat difficult.



Large chunk of AGS is also cut-off.



German positions in the West strengthen, guess placing air units in fortresses won't be so annoying in v2.0.



I cross over into Belgium and the US air force starts to arrive.

[massina_nz]

I spread my forces, not sure whether to go through the Siegfried line or through the Netherlands



There are no more front-lines in the east, just a mad dash westwards, how quickly things can change.

[massina_nz]

I'm now building a plethora of INF units and then placing them in newly liberated Russian cities.



It took this long to pacify Libya



Allied forces cross the upper Rhine in force. German FTRs are proving tough opponents for the US fly-boys.

[massina_nz]

Continue to make good progress into northern Germany.

[massina_nz]

Naples is taken and Italy surrenders, it's taken awhile, but once the Luftwaffe left for the western front it was just a matter of time.



I get a FAIR weather turn, and fail to take Wilhemshaven.