Slitherine

May 23 1943

By now it is obvious what I am up to in the Med, so I send Morris this taunt as a distraction: "I found a couple subs in their bases - I guess they are too afraid to leave? Also, where did your air cover go? Only 1 fighter guarding France?"

What happened was that I bombed Cherbourg and discovered he had only 1 fighter on CAP. So with the fighters I had left I strafed nearby sub pens.



Well see, but it might mean he doesn't intend to challenge the task force escorting the latest convoy. Makes sense because I have a lot of firepower in the area.



The Allies are poised to attack Sicily, but I suppose he is expecting that. To throw him off a little I send a bunch of transports to the Italian mainland. Notice the position of the sub -- my reasoning is that the Italian BB in Albania is the only ship that's been upgraded, so chances are it is most likely to leave port. Also if he does sortie he'll prefer to stay within his air umbrella. The damaged transport was hit by that sub off the coast of Tunisia--so my decoys are working



And now the Russians where three things are worth reporting:

1. air is almost repaired and ready to resume battle.



2. SEF* (*Soviet Expeditionary Force) begins to arrive in Egypt.



3. More decoys.

June 12 1943





And in the Mediterranean:



Allied reconnaissance uncovers Panzer formations in France.



Also: Russia Killed a INF in Poland, but they didn't have film in their cameras.

July 2 1943

Research really starting to ramp up now. Soviet and especially UK fighters are improving which is crucial.

July 22 1943

ah...so his airforce finally shows up in France. I am outnumbered. I was thinking about doing a raid, but I'll put that off for now and try to wear down his air defences.



Axis fighters are very advanced, but so are mine.



TAC finding the Italian armor to be easy prey.



In the Med I also lack adequate air cover and call off the invasion of Sicily for now. I am taking Tunis to give myself more landing strips. It's fine, the feint still flushed out the Italian Fleet which has been annihilated. Save for a Vichy BB the Med is an Allied lake now.



Meanwhile in Russia I finally achieve a breakthrough. 2 of the USSR's fighter squadrons took a beating, but I've breached his first river line and it won't be easy for him to pinch off the bridgeheads. Hopefully I will trade some units with him and sap his armored reserves.



This might be significant -- have the wolfpacks been reassigned to coastal patrol? If so then the sub-blob has been neutered!

August 1943

Morris decides to return French North Africans to Fortress Europe. In response, the RN runs down a BB and transport near Portugal.



UK fighters are battered and take a turn to rest.



And Russian super-tanks strong like bull.

Late Summer 1943

The pressure on the Axis is intensifying.

That empty space used to be Manstein's elite Panzer corps.



The Soviet super-tanks have level 5 (!) anti-armor vs. merely 3 for the Axis. The dings from those Panther shells will buff right out.



This was a mistake...I sent a 10-step TAC into battle and forgot to un-ZZZ a fighter for escort.



But no matter: another breakthrough!



This is good progress, though I'll pause as necessary to conserve strength for the big winter offensive.

October 10 1943

Quiet in West and Med...but in the East:

October 30 1943

Nice AAR!

Being at Oder river line in winter 1943 is really a success for the soviets. Your good tech level with the soviets will allow us to see a overwhelming final Red Army offensive against mainland Germany. Almost no need for a D-Day operation IMO.

November 19 1943

Soviet Rampage



Overwhelming Allied Air



Husky commences



Operation Mincemeat

It looks like you will win this one soundly. Morris is badly mauled and I doubt that he will have enough forces to block your advance to Germany.

you are doing a great job, my only caution would be that if Morris is true to his form, he will have built a MECH wall around Germany as his primary defence whilst sacrificing what you have seen so far to gain time to establish it.

either way we will know soon!

December 9 1943

December 29 1943

2 more subs sunk off the coast of France with several others damaged, some severely. I found some lurking subs with my own subs a few turns ago and decided to set up a major sweep that has paid off. My question about sub pens has been answered--this time bombers damaged subs in port as well.



Stymied in Italy: Morris moves more elite mechs. into battle, threatening my bridgehead. Transport capacity is still low.

January 1944

The tattered remnants of the Indian Corps is annihilated in a suicide charge against the SS Mech formations. Inferior UK armour has been swept from the battlefield. Seeing disaster, Monty leaps onto a landing craft in a do-or-die effort.



Does Morris not see what I am doing to his subs? Not to be unsporting I mention it in an email.



And some progress here, but that's about it.

Allies take Palermo.

February 27 1944

Before my turn - Morris counterattacks with elite panzer mechs and threatens to drive the Allies back to the sea.



The reply is TAC bombardment and 4 more fresh corps.

March 18 1944





Axis air in a weakened state.





It's worrying that Morris has such reserves ready for deployment.

Soviets will need a concentrated firepower for breaching that strong german defensive line. Although Oder river line is closer to Berlin, IMO to concentrate your efforts in Vienna sector seems to have more chances for achieving a breakthrough there and then to reach Berlin from the S and SW, once occupied central Germany.

Thanks for the advice! Yes, my plan is to break him by pounding weak points south of the big line of Forts in the north. Although I have good weather, I took time out to upgrade my air and armour. Most TAC is now at level 4 and tank units are fearsome.

In the West, I landed, but am struggling. My TAC there is level 5 but I am only getting 1:2 -- 2:1 against his *unentrenched* and exposed armour. My own armour is level 8 anti-tank vs. his level 5. I am not complaining - I will trade some units, and hopefully things will work out.