Slitherine

April 8 1944

Before my turn..



After my turn...



Still slow going in the Med.



Heavy casualties in the East. This is going to be hard.

April 27 1944

Patton survives - Yay! I'm also pretty sure that's his last sub that's about to die.



Morris has phenomenal airpower but I am trying to keep them busy. I need to take out the industrial plants so he can't make spare parts for all those Focke-Wulfs.

Counting the 11 FTRs on the map and the 2 I just Ko'd in italy he maxed out at 13 fighters (not 12 as I earlier believed).



A couple of INF are KO'd in the East - my own air is taking a beating however.



Still a long long way to Messina. Then again maybe this kind of helps as Germany doesn't have access to the Italian PPs.

may 17 1944

June 6 1944

Diversionary landing in Denmark.

July 16 1944 -- Turn 90

(Note that I didn't have time to post images of turn 89.)

3 more INF KO'd in the East. Anticipated breakouts shown on the map. Morris has been teasing me about the number of turns left. But I think I'm doing just fine. Assuming the Russians continue to KO 3-4 corps per turn his line will collapse soon.

Remember that Reggio does NOT count as one of the Italian surrender cities.

Aug. 5 1944: TURN 91

A fateful turn: Morris lunches a devastating counter offensive, destroying 3 mechs and even a US armored corps! It was bad enough that last turn I made the mistake of thinking that Reggio was a surrender city, and now this. Ugh.



I'm surprised that my Arm near the Hague could be KO'd so easily - he only had 1 panzer corps with inferior anti-tank tech (still maybe it's other advantages made up for that).

But another turn of events almost makes up for the disaster in France: Morris has retreated near Turin, leaving it vulnerable to a quick strike. I've got overkill and take it with ease. Italy is vanquished!

Before:


After:


I'm too weak to counterattack in France, so instead I form a defensive line around Brussels and pound his Panzer Corps with many Tactical Strikes. Maybe he will press the attack. However, I am only counting around 30 PPs/ turn for Germany at this point. His economy is busted so I am assuming he can't afford much in the way of repairs.



Meanwhile on the Russian Front:

3 more corps KO'd, this time including a Mech. Also, some tanks and paratroopers breach the line.



Finally: the Russian's oil situation is becoming alarming. I am *slightly* overbuilt in Mechs. and TAC (both are "blue" builds now). So maybe some will need to die soon.

he has a lot of holes to fill, but I think its very dangerous to have an ARM in Brussels - then again maybe its bait?

at least this time he has to clear the INF meatshield and my ARM has entrech 1. Also he needs to come at with damaged panzers instead of the fresh-out-of the package ones he had before. I've also got more backup this time, including all the TAC that was in the Med. I might lose it, but I should be able to make it costly (I hope).

You are doing quite well with the soviets. Seemingly nothing can stop them from taking Berlin.

That fort in the North is very stubborn, but I can spare the troops on the off chance it goes down. Mostly I've been plugging INFs that keep moving up to the front line with 0 entrenchment.

leridano wrote:You are doing quite well with the soviets. Seemingly nothing can stop them from taking Berlin.

Except the oil....

Aug. 25 1944: Turn 92



The collapse of Italy has lead to a power vacuum in the Med and another political development:



Didn't realize they activate even without Allied control of Rome.

And the Germans retreat everywhere! The capture of Turin has turned everything around.



Italy before my move:



Here's France and the East after my move. Note the results of more TAC bombing of the armored formations in the Netherlands:





Russian oil is <100 so some severe austerity measure are about to be implemented.

Sept. 14 1944: Turn 93

Russian oil conservation is paramount. I sold all of their air and armor labs as they were about to result in higher consumption rates. I'll make suicide attacks until the numbers of TAC and MECH are back to normal. Then I'll rest a little in a mud turn or two. Finally, I added another lab to industry to help production.





Whoops...I left an escape route for Morris' elite mech.

It's nice to see that the Russians can run low on oil if they produce too many oil-consuming units. I wonder if Morris has any idea?

After the collapse of Italy he seemed to briefly lose hope, though he declined to concede. I'm keeping quiet, but suspect he might know I'm vulnerable here.

October 4 1944

Russians kill off some of their *own* TAC and bring oil consumption down to normal. Need to kill another mech for the same reason.

Here's how things look -- I will continue to pump forces into Bavaria and drive up through though middle. He will need to retreat to a final redoubt centerred around
his Capitals. The US traded an ARM for an ARM - fine with me as I have plenty.

October 24 1944

Now I'm lucky with the weather and my plan to drive up the middle is working perfectly. Several enemy ARM and MECH have been eliminated. I think victory is near.

November 13 1944: Turn 96

First the bad news:


But with the little oil I have there is still progress.


With this mech gone consumption goes to normal.


And this capture will also help the Russians

This is good! It will be down to the wire. Perhaps you want to post a poll to see who thinks you'll make to Hamburg & Berlin by May '45?

You've got great air superiority, which makes me think that you will make it, although I do think that Morris has a chance here.