The main reason for this strategy are the following (see map for visual explanation):
Main objective: Have a secure base out of reach of the germans with which to bombard Ploesti and reduce Axis oil producing capability to 0
secondary objectives:
1- Once Turkey is eliminated, use British forces to reinforce the Sebastopol area
2- Reienforce and take care of the Caucasus defense, thus libarating Russian forces for other tasks.
3- Increase british revenue
4- Force Germany to commit troops to southern front, especially fighters, so they cant be everywhere at the same time.
Visual of the plan:
Ok, that was my general idea from the start... So i was playing this PBEM game agaisnt a guy from Russia that had decided to stake everythign on a strong Barbarossa, thus doing nothing after the fall of France. I was able to spot this early and sent all my forces to the Middle East. I gambled a bit there, but hell, you dont win wihtout taking calculated risks. I would have loved to do this agasint my dear opponent Joerock22, but in our most recent game he opted for an all-out atack of the Middle East. Ahh, Joe, i will do it in another game i promess!
Ok, so i was able to bring planes, tanks and Infantry on the spot. I also produced strategic bombers to be able to bombard Ploesti and reach my main objective The americans also produced some. As like any plans, its always better to be the strongest where you want to achieve an important objective, so i really went for the overkill. In retrospect, i think this operation can be successefully won with less forces, but, ah well i didnt know what i was gtting into at first, so OVERKILL was my only option.
I chose 3 angles of attacks for the british (see Russian angles of attacks below). A Land route thru Syria with my tanks and several troops, and a major landing on the southern Coast of Turkey, to be able to pass thru those clear hexe , in order to get to the capital faster. The third angle was more of a defensive one, that is, landing to block the straight of the Bosphorus so Axis could not send ground troops in reinforements. Also, i installed major airbases in Cyprus and some in Syria. The British fleet was also on the spot to guard against the Italian navy and to supply my southern/northern coast landings.
So i would push thru as hard as i could without regards for destroying turkish troops and get to the capital and take it in a maximum of 4 turns.
Also, i chose to attack Turkey on the exact same turn after Germany declared war on Russia. This gave me the advantage of Germany being very busy elsewhere and also get some help from the Russian.
I produced a strategic bomber! To aid in the bombing and reducing of Ploesti, and put some infantry in Russian port to be able to send 2 of them on a northern angle of attacks, just to make sure i would really overkill Turkey:
So So So so... It was now time to attack.
As you cans ee, most landings were unnoposed because there was no turkish troops present. Also, northern troops and Southern troops in supply as well. The only thing to do at that point was to go forward towards the capital before Axis forces can regroup there. Also notice the 2 Russian transport in the north.
So 2 turns later, i was at the capital!!! Many troops, and no turkish troops except for the corps defensing the capital. I had also decided that i didnt need the Russian corps in the north. They would be needed elsewhere to fend of the major Barbarossa from Germany.
The turn after that, the capital was under fire from planes, troops and the Turkish were thinking of surrender... Also notice that by that time, British strategic bombers were on the Bosphorus coast since attack turn 2 to bomb ploesti... effects were serious, the place was now producing only 2, and 2 german fighters were diverted to the area.
After that, well you can pretty much figure the end of the scenario...
NEXT , i want to show you what i was able to do with a Turkish position for Britain:
1- The Italian Fleet tried to intervene and was completely destroyed
2- Ploesti produced 0 oil on turn 7 of turkish invasion. I was able to land in force in Thrace and exploit this to eventually take over Rumania and Bulgaria in 1943. The german players, that had produced a tank-motorized army with many planes, was doomed mid 1941, he could not move his army anymore...
3- The game ended in 1943!!!
See some images below:
1- Ploesti producing 0:
2- Also, i discovered a very interesting thing with Turkey: It enables britain to train move in the MIDDLE EAST! YEAHHH!!
