Slitherine

The German losses are very high, my guess is that they are going to build an 'Iron Curtain' defence in the mountains.

Painful experience has taught me that its best to wait and see what the German plan is before you spend to much of your PP stockpile.

If they are going for an Iron curtain you will need a significant Airforce to make any progress early on.

The opening moves of the Wehrmacht in the east … not so impressive



Benghazi falls, and the Allies declare war on Vichy France. Casablanca will fall next turn. General de Gaulle arrives with some new troops.





Below the planned defensive line of the Red Army:

oh dear, that is very weak - what level are the ARM at?

I doubt you will need a defence line as such, I am sure you will be couunter attacking

Yes...go all out on offense....shouldn´t be any problem. Even if you would sustain some casualties it will be worth it and Axis will fall quicker

Thanks for your replies, guys.

We are actually some turns ahead, and the Germans have seized Riga and Odessa but have not advanced any further. I have not yet attacked, as I was unsure about my low efficiency ratings. Anyway, I'm waiting for some tac bombers to be built and will then attack with the beginning of winter (we are now at the end of September 1942).

German ARMs are at level 8, IIRC, and Russians have just gone to 5.

Edit: Checked it: German Panzers are at 11, Soviet's at 6.

I guess you make around 140-150pps with the Russians? That is probably the same as the germans or even more. You shouldn´t have any problems outproducing him now.

Tacs are good idea, i suggest you just go for quality. Planes and tanks in numbers. You can afford it...

The Wehrmacht grinds slowly forwards; no major encirclements are made, and quite some infantry and mech corpses are retreated to safety. The Red Army forms a continuous line of defence from Riga to the Sea of Azov.



Casablanca and Oran fall to the Allies. Sicily is crowded with troops, and the Royal Navy does a little gunnery practice.

thats not Sicily crowded with troops - thats not enough to even stop a medium assault

you will just have to watch for the luftwaffe arriving though

The Germans drive south-east along the Bug in order to cut off my forces between Odessa and Chisinau. An SS Panzer corps end the turn somewhat exposed. Just for the fun of it, I attack it with what I have nearby and manage to destroy some steps.
Nothing worth to mention in the north.



The Ruhrgebiet is being bombed to pieces; no signs of the Luftwaffe yet.



In North Africa, De Gaulle and Leclerc have joined their Free French forces; while De Gaulle advances by land, Leclerc is shipped to Gibraltar. Attacks on Oran and Tripolis begin.

D*** it! Leclerc and his mech on sea transport have been ambushed by no less than four German subs and sent to the bottom of the Atlantic …



Riga falls, and the Germans are mopping up in the south. Double line is almost done, and in the south I’m building up for winter.



Also, some strategic bombing of Ploesti.



Finally, Göring decides to defend the German skies.



And last but not least, an overall view of the Mediterranean theatre. Since my opponent is still sending forces to Sicily, I’m thinking on a landing in Calabria. But first, Tunis and Constantine have to be mine.

When the axis player has put himself in this position it is almost impossible to keep Italy in the war. No matter where he reinforces you can always just shift and land on a weak point instead.

Some new techs developed:



Tripolis and Algier fallen, closing in on Constantine and Mareth. No news in the east.



A look at actual builds …



and actual casualties:

Germans seem to consolidate only in Russia. No more offensives for this year, I guess.



The first Allied convoy for Russia is escorted by the Royal Navy. The same wolfpack that sent Leclerc to the bottom kills also the Free French battleship … a loss we can afford. Strategic bombing campaign against the Reich grinding on.

Battles on the Mareth line and for Constantine.

Russian front is basically quiet.



In North Africa, Constantine has fallen and the Mareth line is broken, too. Reconnaissance notices that a transport has left Cagliari on Sardinia to reinforce the defenders of Tunis. We quickly take advantage of this and send our own transport to Cagliari, which is now undefended – Sardinia will be a nice airbase for further operations in Italy. And … other transports are approaching the Calabrian coast for a landing on the toe of Italy.





Two U.S. para divisions on their way to the Gulf of Persia,

Russian front still quiet – only in the extreme north Soviet fighters are giving a hard time to a German tac and its Finnish escort.



Landings in Calabria are successful – next stop Reggio!



Cagliari fell without a fight – now allied soldiers are sun-bathing on the beaches of Villasimius, just 50 km away from Cagliari, and informing themselves on future wars



(We spend two weeks each August over there, for many years now. If you are looking for the most beautiful water of the Med, you should just go there!)

The Germans manage to rail in an infantry corps next to Reggio Calabria. We’ll have to take it down before attacking the city itself. Concentrated naval, air and land attacks bring them down to four steps.





On the eastern front, the damaged German tac has a “no”-day, as a partisan unit pops up just a hex away, moves in and does the kill.





In the south the Germans retreat behind the Bug.



Meanwhile, the Soviets are building up for the great winter offensive, basically upgrading and buying tacs.

Some success in R&D:



The Germans repair the infantry corps near Reggio back to seven steps, but in vane; it falls to heavy air, naval and land attacks.



American and British troops begin the final assault on Tunis.



But … surprise in Syria, as the Luftwaffe makes an appearance. Garrisons from all over Iraq and Persia are ordered to attack their bases.



British tacs sink the German destroyer in Rotterdam.

Overtime for my scientists:



Winter in Europe – a look at my build-up in southern Russia. I hope severe winter will strike soon. The USSR has an income of about 170 pps now …



In Syria, the Germans commit also a mech and an infantry corps.



They obviously have been shipped there behind my back … although I think this adventure is only good for wasting pps for the Axis, I feel compelled to muster an intervention force: two carriers, three corps and the two para divisions that had just arrived in the Red Sea are re-directed to the Middle East. I don’t think this will seriously hamper my efforts in Italy, as I have enough ground and air assets there.
A panoramic view of the situation in the Med: