April 3, 43 saw the Axis forces cross the Suez, in force this time. Based upon this, I think that the air unit from Malta should now go back there---it is too risky to try and sneak it into Palestine. I have evacuated Cyprus, and sent the garrison there to Beirut (it does me no good to hold Cyprus if I lose Palestine).
I have units enroute to Basra for deployment in the Mid-East, so to buy time for them to arrive, and, because my units in the Sinai are effectively pinned anyway, I went all out to damage the lead German armour and the motorized/HQ corps behind it. This I did (50% losses for the armour, 40% for the motor). My own losses were also horrendous, but that can't be helped now. I tried to do to much with too little; in retrospect I should have sent two more fighters and more infantry. Still, I don't think Ronnie will get to the Iraqi oil---to be sure, I have deployed a couple of Russian corps to the border, and will move them in to help out.
Russia had bad weather (mud), so nothing much going on there, but I did get the withdrawal by Ronnie that I was hoping for. This turn I upgraded and repaired, and next turn we hope for the right weather.
Spanish Option AAR - from two of the developers
Moderators: rkr1958, Happycat, Slitherine Core
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Happycat
- 1st Lieutenant - Grenadier
- Posts: 766
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:57 am
- Location: Riverview NB Canada
Continuing with the April 3/43 turn---in Morocco I killed the German in the mountains north of Casablanca, and now have to deal with Italian reinforcements coming in to Oran. The French and American armour are in striking distance now, with some air support, and the Italian armour that just landed is only 36 effectiveness, so I'm not too worried. It IS a veteran unit however.
My "fake" at La Coruna seems to have attracted some reinforcements from Ronnie. In any event, that British infantry transport now continues on to the Middle East.
The only theatre I am worried about is Palestine; I have to be careful there.
Strategic bombing continues to take its toll in France and Belgium and happily, the u-boats seem more interested in the Murmansk convoy than in the British, so Britain is rolling in pp's. Russia's production is doing great anyway, so I'm happy about this development. I need the Brits for 1944!
My "fake" at La Coruna seems to have attracted some reinforcements from Ronnie. In any event, that British infantry transport now continues on to the Middle East.
The only theatre I am worried about is Palestine; I have to be careful there.
Strategic bombing continues to take its toll in France and Belgium and happily, the u-boats seem more interested in the Murmansk convoy than in the British, so Britain is rolling in pp's. Russia's production is doing great anyway, so I'm happy about this development. I need the Brits for 1944!
Chance favours the prepared mind.
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Happycat
- 1st Lieutenant - Grenadier
- Posts: 766
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:57 am
- Location: Riverview NB Canada
A quick update. It is now the early months of 1944, and I have recaptured Damascus, Beirut and Jerusalem. In addition, Constantine has now fallen to the Free French and Americans.
My friend Ronnie tells me that he is keeping everyone up to date with reports and maps (it's funny that I'm the one that's retired but he's the one that does the better job of keeping people informed. I think I will just ask him to post excerpts from my emails, so that way interested readers don't have to look at two different AAR's to get both sides of the story).
In the fall of '43 I landed a token force near Bordeaux, to once again try to draw some units from the east. It seems to have worked, and although i will eventually lose the infantry and armour that are in France, they are small potatoes compared to the units I am destroying in Russia.
I suspect that his oil in early '44 is getting low; I note that many of his aircraft are grounded. My strategy has become one of ground attacks on the "sleeping" air units, which Ronnie tells me still eats up his oil. Even with one attack, I have seen that it is possible to destroy a weakened and grounded air unit.
I am across the river and swinging north from Kiev, and pushing west and southwest from Smolensk. If Ronnie...
My friend Ronnie tells me that he is keeping everyone up to date with reports and maps (it's funny that I'm the one that's retired but he's the one that does the better job of keeping people informed. I think I will just ask him to post excerpts from my emails, so that way interested readers don't have to look at two different AAR's to get both sides of the story).
In the fall of '43 I landed a token force near Bordeaux, to once again try to draw some units from the east. It seems to have worked, and although i will eventually lose the infantry and armour that are in France, they are small potatoes compared to the units I am destroying in Russia.
I suspect that his oil in early '44 is getting low; I note that many of his aircraft are grounded. My strategy has become one of ground attacks on the "sleeping" air units, which Ronnie tells me still eats up his oil. Even with one attack, I have seen that it is possible to destroy a weakened and grounded air unit.
I am across the river and swinging north from Kiev, and pushing west and southwest from Smolensk. If Ronnie...
Chance favours the prepared mind.
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Happycat
- 1st Lieutenant - Grenadier
- Posts: 766
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:57 am
- Location: Riverview NB Canada
...doesn't retreat those units south of Smolensk soon, I am hoping to cut them off. But, wishes are one thing; Ronnie is too cagey to get caught like this. But, still, I hope 
In the south, I am close to Odessa, but the city for the moment is less important than destroying German units while they are still in the open. If he gets his units back into Romania, it will be tough rooting them out of the mountains. So this turn I rested most of the Russians, and replaced losses, did some upgrades, etc. Next turn (which is the first March turn of '43 I think) I will launch an offensive in the south with the aim of destroying as many German corps as possible.
I am also starting to see good results with strategic bombing of France, Belgium and Spain. Soon more bombers will arrive in England, and I can start targeting his oil in the Ruhr.
The buildup of American and British forces in the UK is not as good as I would like, but whatever I have in place by the end of June will have to do. Then I will launch an amphibious assault on either Normany or Holland, depending upon which offers to best opportunity at that time. This one will be well supported with air, and I expect to have a port by the second turn of the invasion.
In the south, I am close to Odessa, but the city for the moment is less important than destroying German units while they are still in the open. If he gets his units back into Romania, it will be tough rooting them out of the mountains. So this turn I rested most of the Russians, and replaced losses, did some upgrades, etc. Next turn (which is the first March turn of '43 I think) I will launch an offensive in the south with the aim of destroying as many German corps as possible.
I am also starting to see good results with strategic bombing of France, Belgium and Spain. Soon more bombers will arrive in England, and I can start targeting his oil in the Ruhr.
The buildup of American and British forces in the UK is not as good as I would like, but whatever I have in place by the end of June will have to do. Then I will launch an amphibious assault on either Normany or Holland, depending upon which offers to best opportunity at that time. This one will be well supported with air, and I expect to have a port by the second turn of the invasion.
Chance favours the prepared mind.
Sometimes I can overlook the simplest of things. I see that the same thing would apply for France. Go ahead and build the units but don't deploy them until Belgium is invaded.Stauffenberg wrote:Have you built any armor units? Just build them, but don't place them until after you join the Allies or Ronnie starts Barbarossa. It means they won't suffer the 20 efficiency loss. You can do the same with corps and air units.