Slitherine

of course he may not go for the oil at all!

Turn 33. June 2, 1941.

An italian army searching for revenge in Libya advanced to Bengazhi attacking XXX Corps in the city. This unit was reduced to 4 steps. Both XXX Corps and garrison unit were evacuated because of a lucky RN operation since I much fear the presence of italian subs blocking any possibility of withdrawing both units from a secure destruction. Meanwhile, the main part of 8th Army continued its withdrawal.

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Anyway, AHQ Malta continued very active. This time target choosen was italian tac wing in Tripoli that have received many reinforcements in aircrafts after being almost destroyed.

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Results of the attack were not bad. Luftwaffe interceptors appeared and caused 2 steps lost in RAF air unit but italian tac was reduced from 9 to 7 steps. Total score of the engagement was 2 steps lost for the brits and 3 steps lost for axis since german fighter also lost 1 step when intercepting.

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The firepower the Axis brought to NA is overwhelming. You should expect to at least lose Suez.

Turn 34. June 22, 1941.

Italian tanks advanced spectacularly across the desert. Australian corps close to Tobruk fortress was attacked and this unit was left a precarious situation being reduced to 4 steps. Many axis air wings were rebased close to Tobruk whilst german tanks entered in abandoned city of Bengazhi.

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• Italian M13/40 tanks advancing across the desert
  

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British High Command in Middle East ordered an inmediate counterattack for helping the australians. Offensive action would be made without air support since RAF is deployed further east out of range. Operation was successful: italian armoured was reduced to 4 steps and australian halved corps could run to safety. This action will slow the italians for a while.

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Nothing to mention in the rest. It will be in the next turn for sure when I will post current allied lab situation.

Turn 35. July 12, 1941.

Things are turning bad for the 8th Army. An axis counterattack with heavy air support reduced XIII Mech Corps to 5 steps forcing it to retreat. Australian forces close to british mech were also attacked and reduced to 6 steps.

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XIII Mech Corps retreated east although its current situation is really precarious. Meanwhile evacuated forces from Bengazhi were disembarked.

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Below is current lab situation:

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Sorry for the interuption of thread focus, but I can't get over how great those counters in the screenshots look. It seems to me if this game was pushed more by word of mouth etc. it could still become one of the most highly regarded WWII sims ever even though it was released years ago. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the game continued to sell enough that Slitherine eventually decided to develop a Pacific version, then a world-wide Europe/Pacific version (with assistance from the GS team of course)?

Okay, back to the game with the massive Jagdgeschwader 27 - good luck leridano:).

BuddyGrant wrote:Sorry for the interuption of thread focus, but I can't get over how great those counters in the screenshots look. It seems to me if this game was pushed more by word of mouth etc. it could still become one of the most highly regarded WWII sims ever even though it was released years ago. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the game continued to sell enough that Slitherine eventually decided to develop a Pacific version, then a world-wide Europe/Pacific version (with assistance from the GS team of course)?

Okay, back to the game with the massive Jagdgeschwader 27 - good luck leridano:).

Thanks for the comments and nice shot! Unfortunately a Pacific WW2 version will not be possible since GS team has only permission for modifying ETO. Furthermore, it would be necessary to expand the map. Anyway, I agree that CEAW GS is becoming one of the best WW2 simulations at this scale.

Turn 36. August 1, 1941.

Luftwaffe got a great result this turn destroying halved british XIII Mech Corps only with air attacks. As Doug commented in his emails he was really surprised that german tac achieved 4 steps against the mech that was finished off by spanish tac. Air combats did not favour the brits either since No. 202 Group lost 3 steps when intercepting whilst german escorting fighter lost 2 steps.

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Back to Western front. Bombing campaign has started with the RAF attacking rail hubs in Paris. There was no german fighter opposition to these attacks. Next turn will be it is planned to attack Lorraine mines so a fighter unit was deployed south of London to escort the operation.

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Turn 37. August 21, 1941.

RAF bombers found this time Luftwaffe interceptors in France. Bristol Blemheims from No. 1 Group, which objective was Lorraine mines, were escorted by Spitfires from No. 13 Group stationed 1 hex S of London. German interceptors lost 2 steps whilst british fighters lost 1. Bombers of No. 3 Group in Birmingham would attack Paris again and they would be escorted by fighters from No. 11 Group. No german fighter opposition when bombing Paris.

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In Egypt, DAK continued to chase retreating australians causing them high losses. Australian attacked inf corps entered supply level 4 zone so it could reach Alexandria and supported by another australian inf corps and RAF forces, I hope it can run to safety in the next turn. You can see that the brits are busy building defensive positions along the Nile. Objective is to hold here until the americans enter the war which is not that far. Many commanders have been assigned to defend the delta Nile: Mc Naughton (+1 attack bonus) took command of X Armoured Corps, Cunningham (+1 defensive bonus) is leading a garrison unit and Auchinleck was assigned to evacuated from Bengazhi XXX Corps (inf corps).

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leridano wrote:Turn 37. August 21, 1941.
Australian attacked inf corps entered supply level 4 zone so it could reach Alexandria and supported by another australian inf corps and RAF forces, I hope it can run to safety in the next turn.

Although I've posted on this topic more than once, nobody has given me a real response: Why do the Allies get supply 5 from the Middle Eastern capitals? I understand that this was originally done back in the days of the old mod in order to permit rail travel in that region, but now it seems obsolete. After all, it's now possible to rail in isolated places like Finland and Norway that have only '3' supply.

This is not a trivial consideration. Getting 4 & 5 supply while the Axis are limited to only 3 gives the Allies a leg up in many ways, as illustrated above. Better movement, better efficiency, better repairs.

Is there some technical reason why this cannot be corrected? Maybe there's a special coding problem that prevents a simple Finland/Norway-like solution to the rail thing?

Diplomaticus wrote:

leridano wrote:Turn 37. August 21, 1941.
Australian attacked inf corps entered supply level 4 zone so it could reach Alexandria and supported by another australian inf corps and RAF forces, I hope it can run to safety in the next turn.

Although I've posted on this topic more than once, nobody has given me a real response: Why do the Allies get supply 5 from the Middle Eastern capitals? I understand that this was originally done back in the days of the old mod in order to permit rail travel in that region, but now it seems obsolete. After all, it's now possible to rail in isolated places like Finland and Norway that have only '3' supply.

This is not a trivial consideration. Getting 4 & 5 supply while the Axis are limited to only 3 gives the Allies a leg up in many ways, as illustrated above. Better movement, better efficiency, better repairs.

Is there some technical reason why this cannot be corrected? Maybe there's a special coding problem that prevents a simple Finland/Norway-like solution to the rail thing?

From my perspective it is correct. Axis always had problems with supply in NA - it was extremely visible during first battle of El-Alamain where British resisted mostly due to fuel shortage Rommel experienced.

On the other side Allies have transport routes to the Red Sea and to Iraq that Axis were not able to interfere.

Turn 38. September 10, 1941.

Luftwaffe seems to be determined to oppose to strategic bombings in France so another fighter wing was deployed close to Paris. Below is showed situation at the end of axis turn:

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No matter this increased fighter presence bombing campaign was not cancelled at all. This way, bombers from No. 1 and No. 3 Groups bombed again objectives in Paris. They were escorted by fighters from No. 11 and 12 Groups. Recently deployed german fighter wing SW of Paris send interceptors and took 2 steps. But the other fighter wing SE of Paris (not spotted at the start of the turn) took 3 steps when intercepting. British escorting fighter units lost both 2 steps so the remaining No. 13 Group attacked directly depleted air base reducing it finally to 3 steps. In this attack No. 13 Group lost only 1 step. Note that british bombers took 2 steps each one because of german Flak. These high losses in bombers made not that good the good results obtained against the fighters. (Overall losses: RAF 9 steps whilst Luftwaffe lost 7).

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MTO. DAK made a halt for receiving new tanks and for repairing others damaged. At the same time, this will give time to italian and german infantry to advance. Defensive preparations in the Nile are almost finished as you can see.

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Shouldn't you use at least one GAR in Alexandria? Standing power of GARs is greatly dimished when they are not protecting easily defensible positions like cities. Having even one GAR in Alexandria would slow the Axis down and give you more time to reinforce your units in the Middle East.

Cybvep wrote:Shouldn't you use at least one GAR in Alexandria? Standing power of GARs is greatly dimished when they are not protecting easily defensible positions like cities. Having even one GAR in Alexandria would slow the Axis down and give you more time to reinforce your units in the Middle East.

Doug has brought an overwhelming air power to Africa so it would be a cake walk to surrender the city with a GAR even well entrenched (level 4). I am going to post an update of the game right now and you will check what I am saying about axis air power in Africa. Withdrawing the garrison to right bank of the Nile to help building a double defensive line there seems to be more suitable IMO.

I agree with Cybvep...Great AAR Leridano!
Saludos camarada!

Turn 39. September 30, 1941. Greece was invaded by Wehrmacht

First some interesting advances in tech. To mention dog fight level 2 reached by the brits that surely will help them in Egypt:

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Wehrmacht crossed greek borders and invaded the country by land and by sea with an amphibious operation close to Athens. Athens defenders that were reduced to 4 steps were reinforced to 7 steps but they won´t likely last more than the next turn. Greek fleet attacked spanish fleet without results. The same could be said for the inf corps in the mine that try a counterattack against german mech corps that failed completely.

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DAK once rested and refitted, advanced through the desert without opposition seizing Alexandria which was an empty city. All the things that could be used by the axis forces were destroyed or transferred to other side of Nile river for being used for defensive purposes.

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U-boats have continued to attack convoys but not much. I wonder if Doug has sent an uboat detachment to the Med.

Turn 40. October 20, 1941.

Intense aeronaval combats in Eastern Med. As I was fearing, some uboats have entered the Med so a german sub unit (stationed in transportation loop hex which seemed to be something weird) torpedoed a british BB. Probably a german tac also participated in the attack and the british naval unit was finally reduced at 7 steps. Spanish fighter escorted the operation and took 1 step. Afterwards, in allied turn, Swordfish planes from british carrier attacked the german attacking sub reducing it to 7 steps. Escorting Seafires from carrier achieved a good result when facing spanish fighters so this axis air unit took 3 steps lost whilst carrier did not take any step. No. 204 Group completed a successful turn for the brits attacking spanish air base and reducing it finally to 4 steps. British fighter unit did not take any step lost either.

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Greece surrendered to Germany as expected. Now Luftwaffe tactical air units can operate from Crete for performing missions in Africa without spending supply points in Africa. Meanwhile, spanish fleet participating in Greece invasion moved west. Will it be redeployed in the Atlantic?

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Turn 41. November 9, 1941. USA joins the allies.

USA joined the allies at the end of the turn. This is great because american reinforcements will be able to arrive in time to Middle East.

Back to Egypt it would have to report a new good turn for the allies. In axis turn, italian BB helped by german sub reduced british BB to 1 step. Furthermore, there were also combats at land. A garrison unit was destroyed in the Nile but any axis unit advanced to emptied hex. Situation at the end of axis turn below:

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RN took the chance to attack and to sink italian BB. First, Swordfish torpedo bombers from carrier at Port Said achieved 4 steps (6:0 odds!) on the italian vessel, afterwards it was attacked by the subs which were less lucky so the axis naval unit had to be finished by fighters from No. 204 Group. Seafires from british carrier got again good results against axis fighters so the german intercepting air unit took 2 steps lost whilst the carrier lost only 1 step. No. 204 Group achieved a 2:2 against german interceptors before finishing off the italian BB. No. 202 Group received reinforcements with several squadrons brought from India.

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• Swordfish torpedo bombers from british HMS Ark Royal carrier

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It is mud weather in Central Europe so no operations at all in Western front. Bombing campaign was stopped not only because of the weather but also for the high losses in bombers in the last raid over Paris. May be it is better to wait for increased survivability levels to resume the air offensive in France. This is important keeping in mind that now strategic bombers are the most expensive unit to buy.

I suspect the fleet is moving to help block US reinforcements to Egypt

richardsd wrote:I suspect the fleet is moving to help block US reinforcements to Egypt

I know so that´s why I will send 2 british sub units in UK doing nothing (almost no risk yet of Sea lion). Since US Navy has now 4 DD´s units available plus another 2 british DD stationed in Canada ports, allied escorting fleet will consist of 6 DD´s, 1 BB, 1 carrier and 3 subs which seems to be pretty enough to face actual Kriegsmarine blocking detachment in Canary Islands that must be formed by 2-3 subs and 1 BB supported by a strat bomber in Fuerteventura (one of the Canary Islands). But if he moves ALL german submarine fleet (I calculate it is composed by 6-7 subs) to block the reinforcements then I will think twice to continue with the operation.