My game with Massina becomes a very interesting game, so I think I should share it as an AAR.
Before I go directly into the action, a few comments on how the game played out until now.
1939
Massina played a normal opening, i.e. he captured Poland, Denmark and the Netherlands quickly and without anything special happening.
1940
Case Yellow was also played by the book and France surrendered quite early on May 18, 1940. I managed to destroy a German MECH. However, Paris fell one one turn earlier then I expected. I did only sent two British GAR as BEF and no other units. The Axis took quite a lot of air casualities and I got a few good hits against the German SUBs in the Atlantic. The Canadian units were sent to the Middle East instead of Britain, as intended to built a strong force there. I feared that this was an error, as the early French surrender would have made a Sealion in 1940 easier. I therefore horded my PP and built some ground units for the Brits. Nevertheless I also invested in LABs.
Sealion 1940 never came. Instead Massina choose to launch Operation Isabella and attacked Spain. Quickly the British sent a small Expedition Corps to Spain consisting of a few GAR from Britain and the Middle East and the Canadian INF was redirected to Gibraltar. My defense of Spain was very effective. Even after Madrid was captured I got garrisoned five Spanish cities with British GAR and Gibraltar with an INF. Furthermore, I got some very good hits on German SUB with my DD and managed to sink an Italian BB near Gibraltar. I also captured Las Palmas.
Massina also invaded Norway, the reason why his initial advance into Spain was not quick enough. The TAC needed for Norway were missing in Spain for a few turns. Nevertheless, as the British were occupied in Spain, I could not sent any forces to counter the Norway invasion.
Furthermore, Massina reinforced Libya with at least three German INF and some air units. The British in Norht Africa attacked Syria which was quickly captured.
Massina got quite frustrated with my good defense of Spain, as it was evident that he would not get drive the BEF out of Spain until early 1941. Nevertheless, a drove every British GAR out of the Spanis cities during the winter 1940/41 and lunched his attack on Gibraltar in early 1941.
In the winter of 1940 I decided to sent some more units to the Med, as I expected Massina to quickly attack Egyp as soon as Gibraltar was secured, to close the Med. I even bought a TAC and sent it with the Canadian FTR to Egypt.
1941
Massina had invaded Yugoslavia only with the Minor Axis units and I wondered why. My defense of Yugoslavia was quite good, as it hold out for three turns against minor Axis and I even captured the Yugoslavian oil field!
In early 1941 I got a fair weather turn in February or March 1941 and I did some recon with the British STR.I was shocked to see that several German units were waiting in French port cities! I quickly realised that Massina would most likely not attack in Egypt, but instead go for a Sealion 1941!, So I began some preparations and began producing a few British ground units. However, most RN forces are far away from the home isle and the RAF only consits of the ST and a FTR. In May 1941 the Axis finally captured Gibraltar and launched Operation Sealion. Here we go:
As you can see the initial landing force has been cleverly positioned by Massina. I will not be able to cover all the beach hexes. Nevertheless, I have one MECH, one INF and two GAR in my building pool and I repair the bombed British MECH. The situation at the end of my turn:
I will not be able to stop Sealion, but my plan is to definitely make it impossible for Massina to launch Operation Barbarossa in 1941 and I think I wil manage this.Then we will have a very interesting Barbarossa in 1942.
I also rush the RN towards the home isles. However, I'm reluctant to launch a naval strike against the SUB blocking the channel, as the Kriegsmarine (consisting of a two BB and one DD) is lurking nearby. Furthermore, the Luftwaffe can easily Bomb my naval force into oblivion. At least then the Bombers cannot target British ground units.
However, I will more likely escort the convoys (two fat convoys are coming in) to quickly built more units in Britain.
The Axis also captured Gibraltar this turn, but I still hold Tangier!
Last turn it was obvious that Gibraltar would fall, so I retreated the GAR defending Gibraltar (I exchanged it with the INF as the INF was down to 1 step) to the hex near Tangier. This blocks the ferry hex for the Axis, so that he cannot ferry the MECH over to attack Tangier.
Last but not least I begin to move the storng 8th Army towards the Libyan border. I also launch naval and air strikes against Tobruk:
It seems only the Italian airforce stays near Tobruk and no sign of Luftwaffe units. This is good as a British FTR and TAC just arrived this turn and will soon be ready.
However, the most interesting part of this game has yet to come. Most likely there will be a Barbarossa 1942 and I have absolutely no clue what to do with the Soviets. Right now I did not built any units with the Soviets, but I did not got any good tech results with them. They will be on full war production from October 1941 on. Therefore I could have about 1500-2000 PP to spent on units in 1942. However, absolutely cannot predict how a Barbarossa 1942 will play out and what I should produce. Right now I think I could even try to defend at the borders, but I still fear to be overrun by experienced and bette equipped German units.
