Slitherine

The Mediterranean

Syria
Syria has now become a new theater of war.
The Germans began a major landing operation!
Off the coast of Syria, large numbers of naval transports have been observed.
The saboteurs and paratroopers simultaneously captured a number of cities.
And above the airfields are the enemy's transport aircraft.

At the same time, major enemy fleet forces approached Alexandria.
Our Aviation strikes ships.
Perhaps this is a cover operation to distract from the landing in the north.
But given the weather forecast rain for the next turn, our aircraft will not be able to hit the transport ships.

Our command notes that the Axis operation was brilliantly planned !!

Our forces in this region are clearly not enough.
It's a shame that our comrades from the island of Cyprus can only watch this battle.
Why won't the command send them transport?
Africa
British Indian infantry was discovered by the enemy.
Our aircraft continues to attack the Italian fleet.

All mobile forces received orders move to Syria.
From Malta carry out flight additional aircraft.
Russia

North
To the east of Leningrad, the battle began.
We are trying in every way to break the blockade.

Centre
We are still firing on Kalinin, but obviously, we won't be able to take the city.

Above Moscow, a huge number of Axis aircraft.
We have a big lack of anti-aircraft guns. There is only one (!) 37mm AA.
In the south, our units are led to the right bank of the Don River.
Tula well defended.
Moscow - Air
The Axis surrounded our aircraft over Moscow and bombarded the ground forces.
We have no fighters in the sky.
South
Air reconnaissance showed that in the south, the Axis does not have a strike troops concentration to advance on the Caucasus.
Obviously, the Axis command is not planning such a task.
--
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Intenso82 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:13 am The Mediterranean

Syria
Syria has now become a new theater of war.
The Germans began a major landing operation!
Off the coast of Syria, large numbers of naval transports have been observed.
The saboteurs and paratroopers simultaneously captured a number of cities.
And above the airfields are the enemy's transport aircraft.

At the same time, major enemy fleet forces approached Alexandria.
Our Aviation strikes ships.
Perhaps this is a cover operation to distract from the landing in the north.
But given the weather forecast rain for the next turn, our aircraft will not be able to hit the transport ships.

Our command notes that the Axis operation was brilliantly planned !!

Wow, this looks like a bold move in multiplayer... now here are his remaining forces!

Turn 19
March 19, 1942
Weather: Rain and Mud

Strategic map
Rain.
England
Several groups of bombers flew to the bombardment of German cities.
Syria
Aviation redirects to attack the enemy transport ships.
But maybe it's too late.
Forces to protect airfields and participate in the defense of the coast is not enough.

North
The enemy completes the destruction of the Volkov group of troops.
We come from the East.
Centre
In the north our units began to retreat to the right bank of the Volga River.
The Axis is not active. Except in air.

South
The Axis launched an attack on Voroshilovgrad.
We started a counterattack.
Crimea
Sevastopol continues to successfully defend.
The Axis decided to enter the tank into battle.
But the defenders managed to completely suppress the tank.
Now we control all the cities in the Crimea. --
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Turn 20
April 3, 1942
Weather: Clear and Mud

Strategic map
Germany
The first air raid on cities in Germany.
There were trains found. Axis brings troops here to upgrade.
Syria
There is a battle for the coastal strip.

North
To the east of Leningrad in the swampy woodland there is a battle.
With the participation of tanks on both sides.
Enemy T-34 is almost destroyed.
Centre
The Germans launched an offensive against Moscow.
And they struck the outer line of defense.
Using armored vehicles.
South
In the Donbas area, both sides are not taking active actions.
The Germans retreated from Stalino.
There is an artillery duel.

In the Crimea, the Germans launched a large-scale attack on Sevastopol using a variety of tanks.

Strategic analysis
In the Mediterranean, the situation is critical.
The fleet of Britain is almost completely destroyed.
Tobruk is lost.
There are chances to lose Cairo and Oil in the Middle East.

In Russia, we can stop Blitzkrieg and hold Moscow.
In the south, the enemy does not show much activity.
But very decisive in trying to take Sevastopol.

Loss analysis
Very large losses in the fleet.
Still not shot down an enemy fighter.

Loss Ratio:
Infantry 1 to 5 (Better)
Tanks 1 to 13 (not change)
Fighters 0 to 15
Bombers(Tac+Strat) 1 to 1.8
Fleet (all ships) 1 to 7.5 (Worse)

--
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Turn 21
April 18, 1942
Weather: Clear and Dry

Strategic map
Syria
The opponent has some success.
We clearly do not have enough strength to throw the enemy into the sea.
Aviation carries out a bombing.
Africa
In the area of ​​Alexandria, the situation is calm.
The enemy fleet is gone.

North
In the forests is a fight.
The Axis on this site is more successful. We are losing.
But our BT7 was able to break the blockade.
German infantry withdrew from the blockade hex.
And the blockade cycle is broken.
Centre
Germans launched a general offensive against Moscow.
Massively used tanks!
Obviously, they decided to concentrate the majority of forces on Moscow.
Conscripts showed its low resistance in defense.
And now STAVKA is trying to correct its mistake and withdraws them from the front.
Replacing infantry on armored vehicles.

South
Truce.
Crimea
More and more Axis forces are being forced towards Sevastopol.
--
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Intenso82 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:53 pm Syria
The opponent has some success.
We clearly do not have enough strength to throw the enemy into the sea.
Aviation carries out a bombing.

While I like the idea of invading the Middle East, I wonder why the Germans didn't bring any tanks (nor artillery) there at all? Maybe because the tanks can't be upgraded later on? Anyways, I think the German Expeditionary Forces in Syria seem too small to take the ME oil fields...

Intenso82 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:00 pm Centre
Germans launched a general offensive against Moscow.
Massively used tanks!
Obviously, they decided to concentrate the majority of forces on Moscow.
Conscripts showed its low resistance in defense.
And now STAVKA is trying to correct its mistake and withdraws them from the front.
Replacing infantry on armored vehicles.

Oh... wow!

PeteMitchell_2 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:09 pm While I like the idea of invading the Middle East, I wonder why the Germans didn't bring any tanks (nor artillery) there at all? Maybe because the tanks can't be upgraded later on? Anyways, I think the German Expeditionary Forces in Syria seem too small to take the ME oil fields...

The operation is still in progress

According to the Allied estimates, two parachutists are now participating in it (FS + Brandenburg)
Not less than 4 landing units. There were also 2-3 units of infantry on transport aircraft.
But they could not land.

Turn 22
May 3, 1942
Weather: Clear and Dry

Strategic map
Syria
Fierce fighting with invaders continues.
Slowly, but the Axis prevails.
Balkans
Our partizans prevent the transfer of Axis troops.

North
We started the attack on Petrozavodsk but encounter superior enemy forces.
In the area of ​​Volkhov, our units are practically destroyed.
And the enemy captured T-34 could survive.
Centre
The Germans occupied almost the entire outer ring of the city’s defense.
But reserves from the rear approach Moscow.
Finally, two Soviet trains were unblocked.
And now we can transfer some reinforcements more quickly.

Kursk
From the whole front, the units are transferred to the Moscow defense area.
When trying to probing Kharkov enemy's AT units were spotted with camo trait.
South
The enemy still can not do anything with Sevastopol.
The fortress is defending.
On the Black Sea coast, an anti-aircraft gun that moved to Novorossiysk fell into a fuel trap. --
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PeteMitchell_2 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:09 pm

Intenso82 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:53 pm Syria
The opponent has some success.
We clearly do not have enough strength to throw the enemy into the sea.
Aviation carries out a bombing.

While I like the idea of invading the Middle East, I wonder why the Germans didn't bring any tanks (nor artillery) there at all? Maybe because the tanks can't be upgraded later on? Anyways, I think the German Expeditionary Forces in Syria seem too small to take the ME oil fields...

Originally I did not plan to land either in the Middle East or in England. Mainly due to Britain being better defended in this version. So initially I only focused on the USSR, similarily to Intenso in his Axis game. With the difference that I did not plan to attack the Caucasus but in general I followed a more traditional/historical strategy in the East. But when I managed to unexpectedly sink the whole British fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean early on, an opportunity arised. So I decided start a limited invasion of the Levant. But for that I also had to sink the anchored battleships at Alexadria as those would activate when the Axis sends transport ships to the Eastern Med. And I did so with the help of the brave Italian frogmen. However, in the meantime the main focus was still Russia where I needed all the tanks. Especially, since I failed to reach Moscow in 1941. Therefore the revised plan was to capture Malta, Moscow, Leningrad and Sevastopol in 1942 but for that I felt that I would need most if not all the available tanks and artillery. Which left little for the Middle East. So the plan was to send some infantry over to capture the coastal hilly area of the Levant and capture as many British victory cities as possible. I knew that I can only expect a similar or weaker enemy infantry force and altough the Brits still had some armour as well I believed they would be largely useless against my infantry in the hilly coastal terrain. I was fairly confident that I would be able to capture Malta as well in a few turns and then if I capture and hold just one additional British objecitve city in the Levant then the British would not get the full army in the Suez canal area late 1942. And if I can capture more than two objective cities there then they do not get any of those units. Which makes the defense of North Africa much easier. And even if I fail to capture and hold any of those cities my presence in the Levant would force the opponent to deal with those infantry units before moving towards Tobruk. But, as things were constantly changing, I had to revise this plan yet again.

McGuba wrote: ↑Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:26 pm if I capture and hold just one additional British objecitve city in the Levant then the British would not get the full army in the Suez canal area late 1942. And if I can capture more than two objective cities there then they do not get any of those units.

Thanks for the detailed explanation, this is impressive! I guess it also helps to know all the triggers and conditions as well...

Also, not being able to buy any additional units (e.g. tanks in this case) abroad/overseas seems to make a big difference as well… very exciting!

McGuba wrote: ↑Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:26 pm I was fairly confident that I would be able to capture Malta as well in a few turns and then if I capture and hold just one additional British objecitve city in the Levant then the British would not get the full army in the Suez canal area late 1942. And if I can capture more than two objective cities there then they do not get any of those units. Which makes the defense of North Africa much easier.

About this time I checked the triggers in the editor.
The purpose of the invasion became clear. And then I changed the strategy. Trying now to hold 3-4 VP to get reinforcements. Which should have appeared by 33-34 turn.

PeteMitchell_2 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:35 pm Also, not being able to buy any additional units (e.g. tanks in this case) abroad/overseas seems to make a big difference as well… very exciting!

Units can be bought in Tobruk and in Alexandria.
Of course, you need to plan more carefully of what nation to capture such hexes. To be able to buy units of that nation.