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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Gary Grigsby's War in the West >> After Action Reports >> T52

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T52 - 5/9/2018 5:51:53 AM

loki100

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T52

One relief that turn was a reduction in the enthusiasm of German attacks, I actually managed a +ve VP score

Few comments on the interaction between strategic bombing and tactical interdiction. Now to be clear, this is the AI and most human players would pull back their shiny tanks as opposed to moving under 5+ interdiction but the basic trade off works.

If I believe my recon reports, every Pzr IV factory is out of action. Now its probably too optimistic but I have steadily hit them. What I am seeing on the ground is Pzr divisions shedding CV � often a proxy for lack of trucks or a key component ... this turn one even routed. That tends to happen when the combat elements are ground down so all that is left is the support/heavy weapons elements.

Also going over some combats in detail is instructive. I'm looking for what was present when the Pzr divisions engaged. One thing I am finding is very few Pzr IV and the main medium tank is the Pzr V. Well those are the factories I'll now start trying to knock out.

Anyway back to the day to day air war.

After last turn's heart-warming re-unions over Southern Germany, 8 and 15 AAF went very seperate ways.

8 AAF went for a cluster of unbombed cities in Saxony. Not a great success but that is more damage for the Germans to have to repair.

As an aside, the P51 fighter sweeps are slowing down. Having to rest due to low morale/fatigue but they have effectively won the air war. German fighters now just flop out of the skies � usually a strong clue that they are no longer able to use experienced pilots.

15 AAF had a rare trip to the Balkans (as well as its usual focus on bombing rail yards in Italy). Those will probably fall to the Soviets soon but I'll have a few VP as a result. Fighter escorts were in place up to 2 hexes short and as is clear, no Axis air defences � I was suspicious as it is using the Romania air formations over Germany.

Note the Allied player does not gain VP for lost factories/manpower once they are captured by the Soviets.

Bomber Command went for a cluster of smaller towns north of the Ruhr. I'm struggling for critical mass in these raids as a lot of Lancasters are still doing naval interdiction and the Halifaxes are bombing ports and rail yards in France and the Netherlands.

And so to the ground war. Both tactical airforces concentrated on 1A sector. Tactical Air struck along the west bank of the Seine, 9 AAF exactly where my offensive occured.

2A is still pinned to the beaches but did manage a small breakthrough.

A fresh Canadian armoured division allowed 1A a relatively deep break through. Its a gamble but well protected by interdiction.

You can see the routed Pzr division I mentioned above in the lower middle. That was a rout resulting from a direct attack not out of encirclement.

Italy has gone quiet. Both sides taking a break on the east coast. Oddly its 8A that is making minor gains � another small city all adds to the VP collection.

Holding back the 3A landings in the Netherlands. Doing some naval interdiction (just in case) and prebombing the transport infrastructure but really need 9 AAF to remain focussed on the main landings.

5A is preparing for its landings in S France. I guess this will happen in about 4 turns � really depends on when I can redeploy Tac Air to provide ground attacks etc.

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Post #: 121

T53 - 5/9/2018 8:32:26 AM

loki100

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T53

Ahem, a more active turn than I had expected. For once I'll start on the land and then return to the air.

In France I did expect some sort of reaction to the Canadians heading off towards Berlin

Just not this

Well that really ended any plans for more invasions. Everything from 9 AAF and 2 Tactical Air that could fly, did fly. Producing some decent levels of interdiction � and suggesting that Dieppe was unprotected.

Over recent turns I've been bringing the US Cav regiments over. One thing they are invaluable for is moving to lock up parts of the German line to stop reserve reactions. So one took Dieppe and locked up whatever was on the northern edge of the front.

After some heavy battles, managed to extract the brave Canadians. Note the TF off Dieppe, that will auto-repair for next turn (as its a level 2 port). Also Le Havre is starting to function.

Next turn I'll bring over the shorter ranged FB such as the Hurricanes to France next turn.

Mentioned in the last report that I felt the Germans had a Pzr IV shortage. This shows all the armour available to two SS Pzr divisions after the recent battles and air attacks. Down to 28 Pzr IV and that is more than some other Pzr divisions have.

Things also happened in Italy. 8A carried on grabbing single hexes where the AI's defense was weak.

But it was on the east that things got lively. The AI defense in Rimini looked weak. So a lot of 2 Engined bombers hit the defenders (again the idea here is to cause disruptions as disrupted units take no part in combat) and I think that helped as their effective CV collapsed.

Even better, some slightly refreshed armour was able to push deeper and almost reach Ravenna.

VP went negative again � mainly due the Germans beating up the Canadian armour.

In the air, 8 AAF went for the Baltic regions. Trying to make sure the main V2 production sites stay out of use and some other useful bits of damage.

BC went back to the Ruhr. Still weakened by using Lancasters for naval interdiction off the Netherlands.

15 AAF back to S Germany � there is a cluster of Me262 production plants in this region and see no reason not to reduce their numbers � even if I have effectively already won the air war.

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Post #: 122

T54 - 5/9/2018 9:53:49 PM

loki100

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T54

Again I'll start with the land moves as that will put the discussion of the air war into context.

So France:

The AI did one of its disappearing acts. Surrendering all of NW France apart from what I suspect to be port defensive forces.

I'll be honest I have mixed feelings about this capacity. On the one end � inevitably � its not very strategic and much more vulnerable to encirclement than a human player. No person would have carried on attacking 2 British Army when 1 US was running amok east of the Seine.

So it needs a help to offset that ... but it moves to a new line that no player could even think of.

Also its inevitable in a PBEM that when you break off from contesting the landings you will lose units in the retreat. You need to set up rearguards, some get trapped by ZoC etc.

Anyway.

Re-organised. Brought over 1 CA Army as a HQ and gave it the formations I'll use to clear the west. One is the US Corps built for fortress busting as places like Cherbourg can be hard to take � and really help with supply.

2 British snuck into Paris while De Gaulle was sent off on a fact finding tour of the Outer Hebrides.

1 US I mostly let rest.

I also rested all the FB from 9 AAF and 2 Tactical Air � no particular gain to interdiction and want to allow them to recover. I also deployed a lot of the shorter range FB to France, especially the Hurricanes which are very useful but not very long ranged.

Italy was more lively.

I took 2 hexes, I suspect the one south of Bologna will be lost but managed to deepen my territory near Rimini � one more river line and I am in open terrain.

8 AAF went for Central Germany � untouched mostly, I'm low on bombers so a case of doing what I can.

15 AAF back in S Germany. Trying to knock out the Pzr V production � there are a couple of plants at Nuremberg.

BC. Had one of my 'this time it will be different' weeks � except the totally predictable happened. Out of range of the UK based navigation radar and managed minimal damage at Hannover.

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Post #: 123

T55 - 5/10/2018 9:24:00 PM

loki100

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T55

Had actually hoped for more City VP now I occupy Paris � still at least overall that was a +ve turn. Also a bit surprised the V-weapons are so high.

Swapped around the roles of the srategic airforces. Elements of 8 AAF now bombing rail yards etc and BC focussed on the Reich. Not brilliant but I do think that BC benefits from attacking in large numbers,

The ground attack raid is some Halifaxes bombing Cherbourg.

8 AAF went for SW Germany again, for some reasons the actual raids were with small numbers when they had a lot more available

15 AAF went back to its Viennese hunting grounds

France.

Still letting 2 Tac and 9 AAF mostly rest as I digest my gains and think about invading the Netherlands.

All the rail repair units are doing repairs so should have Paris connected next turn.

Keeping the FF mobile units back in the UK. If the 3A landings in the Netherlands really pay off they can help with exploitation but most likely they are of more use in support of the main front.

Italy. Not surprised to lose my gains towards Bologna. 7A makes a single � but useful � hex gain.

5A is ready so its a matter of when I want to commit to S France.

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Post #: 124

T56-T57 - 5/11/2018 5:04:14 PM

loki100

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T56-T57

Realise its a bit odd to conflate turns in the summer of 1944 but not much happened on the two main battle fronts.

Lots of thinking and preplanning though.

To me, this is one reason I really like playing WiTW. Tend to find in WiTE there are few turns when you make decisions that really alter the structure of the battlefield, its usually a case of working through the consequences of earlier decisions. Here my choices were:

a) when to invade the Netherlands
b) what to do with the FF mobile units I've held back
c) how much of my paras to commit to the Netherlands (a sort of seaborne Market Garden)
d) when to invade S France

With Paris secure, the main activity in France is 1 Canadian clearing out the ports. 3 taken over these two turns so that will ease supply, especially as the rail net is being created fairly quickly now. In Italy I pulled as much as I could off the line to refit.

The strategic airwar settled into a pattern. 8 AAF carried on bombing the transport net in the Netherlands and Belgium. I also detached a small group of bombers to hunt the V-weapon production using one hex raids. The bulk first went for the v-weapons in the Baltic region

And then the tank (Pzr IV and V) production around Nuremberg.

The focussed V2 raids paid off as well

I think this is the only way to damage the factories in Braunschweig

Bomber Command hit parts of the Ruhr and the Rhineland

Anyway back to the decisions. 9 AAF put all its effort into interdiction over the Netherlands (another reason to just let 1 US and 2 British armies have a rest) and the naval airforce took control of the off shore regions. So for T56 I ordered 3A to invade and dropped 2 British paratroop divisions

I wish I'd sent the French earlier. Here is the end of T57. Have Rotterdam and Dordrecht, British paras, reinforced by the air transport division, have grabbed a decent defensive line at Breda. French have arrived so I have mobile units to hand.

In the Med I decided it all needed more preparation. Most of Tactical Air moved to Corsica and I swapped the short range Hurricane FB for much longer ranged Mosquito FB.

15 AAF concentrated on the three main ports in the region.

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Post #: 125

T58 - 5/13/2018 10:23:26 AM

loki100

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T58

Reshaping the air war around my other plans. For the first time feeling a bit stretched, especially with having to protect my landing north of Ravenna.

In NW Euope, 9 AAF carries on providing interdiction and GS in the Netherlands as I am not going to attack with US 1 Army (no immediate gains and some very large stacks on the front line). 2 Tactical Air is fully rested and generates interdiction and GS for 2 British Army (stretching back behind Paris) as I do intend to attack here.

In the Med, Tac Air runs interdiction over the planned landing sites and 15 AAF hits the French ports and Italian rail net. Malta air rests. What I will do is to convert those air formations I want to use for 8A and 7A over to the Malta command so I have the relative neatness of Tactical Air in S France/NE Italy � but tha can wait a few turns.

8 AAF remains split into 3. The main group goes again for the AFV production at Nuremberg etc. The single hex/V-weapon force moves around and the balance were ordered to bomb rail and v-weapon launch sites in NE France.

The v-weapon mission (bottom row) didn't happen as the recon reported the target was destroyed and it was the only priority given to those formations.

BC contributes to a mheh week for the Strategic Bombers. Decided to give Berlin a few sleepless nights and I guess any damage is welcome.

France.

British offensive punched a hole in the Paris defences while tank brigades and US cavalry regiments run around to the south of the main German defensive line.

1 Canadian takes out another port. 1 US is will rested but I'm keeping it back for now.

Netherlands.

AI responds so I content myself with my current gains. Once supply improves I'll rebase fighters from 8 AAF to those airbases � gives me fighter cover over the entire Reich.

Med. Nothing happens in Italy. Landings in S France.

5A has a lot of armour assigned so the plan is to concentrate on Toulon and Marseilles, then push some armour up the Rhone valley while the rest supports the infantry moving into NW Italy.

As an aside, Marseilles is a level #9 port � fully repaired, it, along with Antwerp, goes a long way to solving Allied supply problems in NW Europe.

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Post #: 126

T59 - 5/13/2018 3:17:19 PM

loki100

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T59

Airforce is now very stretched, especially as 2 Tactical Air and 9 AAF have quite a lot of low morale formations as a result of recent interdiction missions.

So, a lot of radical shifts of focus to apply the air power where I need it.

In France, 2 Tactical Air continued to deliver interdiction around the salient carved out by 2 British Army. Since that attack forced the Germans to weaken the defensive line facing 1 US Army, I deployed the bulk of 9 AAF to generate interdiction around the likely attack route on that sector.

In the Med, Tactical Air mostly attacked in Italy as I am just landing fresh units and don't expect any combat in S France.

Strategic air war remains under-whelming in its effect.

I've pulled BC off naval interdiction as the Channel is now fully under control, and sent it to its favourite Ruhr, but even so ...

8 AAF went for SW Germany for a change, its not really able to sustain much effort due to the diversion of effort to Rail yards in France and Belgium

Since the ports in S France are knocked out, 15 AAF returned to Munich. Very much the sucess story of the strategic bombing efforts.

8 AAF is still trying to hit functioning v-weapon sites so I'm not too sure where the -4 VP comes from ... well I know, just can't find the source

France.

As you can see 2 British was blocked in so I simply grabbed a few vacant hexes. All those nice and rested US armoured formations poured through a small grab in the German line.

The careful observer will spot a major error ...

2 Canadian deploying at L'Orient for the next stop on its Brittany ports tour.

Spotted what appeared to be a weak point in the German defenses in Italy. Well it wasn't as weak as I'd hoped � even after a lot of bombing � and it took 2 failed infantry attacks (with about 8,000 Allied losses) before I forced the river.

But the ability to exploit really undermines the German defences.

South of France. Not much happened apart from landing as much as possible. First goal is Toulon. Note the more succesful paradrop cutting the rail line. A US cavalry regiment has also cut it around Lyon so this sector is now isolated.

Something I'd forgotten, rail repair units can only offload at a proper port.

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Post #: 127

T60 - 5/14/2018 7:24:13 AM

loki100

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T60

Heres a reminder � of course no-one reading will make this mistake in any case � if you are bombing the v-weapon launch sites in France etc remember to use the right mission.

I thought I'd set that portion of 8 AAF I am using for ports and rail yard bombing to hit the launch sites. A check revealed their target was the factories.

The consequences of this oversight:

That also includes the bill for an over-enthusiastic paratroop drop and more heavy fighting.

Anyway over the Reich, BC sticks to what it does best

8 AAF went for the Hannover-Braunschweig sector. Again available bombers dropped off radically as the week went on. This remains a cluster where I can never seem to do any serious damage.

15 AAF revisited the German tank production. Well that was their order, they did their own thing instead. It is also hitting ports and rails in NW Italy.

On balance my paras weren't totally wasted. That plus the hole already carved out by 1 US led to a significant breakthrough with tanks reaching Lille and crossing the Belgian border.

Note this time the far more sensible use of the paras airtransported to hold airfields as the tanks pushed on.

1 Canadian took L'Orient and that is already hooked into the rail net. All good for supply.

About supply, I automatically put every captured rail yard onto priority repair. Some of this will be wasted as they don't get connected before they repair but its a useful insurance policy. Logic is the allies struggle for rail capacity in France, so if you solve the port capacity issue (which I am doing with 1 Ca), you can still end reliant on trucks for supply - with a huge hit on your mobile MP. Some of this is inevitable but goal is to keep it as minimal as you can.

In essence, repaired tracks are not much use unless you have trains to run on them ... and trains come from rail yards

Italy was surprisingly active. 7A exploited last turn's bridgehead and cut in behind Ravenna. That sector is also plastered with interdiction.

Not much to say for the Netherlands. I have Rotterdam, secure beach-head supply and a perimeter with a couple of useful bridgeheads. No point trying to expand.

S France � most of 5A is now ashore. Plan to attack Toulon next turn then Marseilles then split up with some armour going up the Rhone and most of the army going into NW Italy.

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Post #: 128

T61 - 5/14/2018 3:50:42 PM

loki100

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T61

Re-organised BC and 8 AAF. Basically reversed their sub-division so that BC is now split between strategic bombing and hitting transport links and 8 AAF is just on strategic bombing.

My logic is that by this stage, BC starts to become a bit less valuable. If you push it beyond the UK based radar, the effects are under-whelming so it may as well stick to ensuring the Ruhr and the Rhineland are kept in ruins. 8 AAF is now a much more flexible tool as it can hunt VP, suppress the v-weapons or take out targets of choice.

So BC and the Ruhr

Not hit Hamburg-Bremen for a while so sent 8 AAF there � also set its raids/day to 1 to ensure each strike involves a lot of bombers. Not a bad result.

Its smaller sub-group is wandering around Germany looking for v-weapons. I'm starting to hit even the #2 factories.

15 AAF is still going for tank production. I'm hoping this indicates that most of the Pzr IV/V production is knocked out.

VP. Seem to have the v-weapons under control. Intensity of the ground battles means I am shedding VP at the moment but hope it pays off in the end.

France.

1 Canadian is outside Brest. After that one more port (St Nazaire) then it can help out with the main offensive.

This time it was 2 British that managed to break out � again using Paratroops to occupy captured airbases. Pockets are weak but I should start to trap some formations.

Italy. Finally took Ravenna and can join up with the landing to the north.

More widely, back and forth battles as I break out of my bridgehead and then are driven back (this is leading to the heavy VP losses). I have decent levels of interdiction over this region so my hope is the attrition is steadily weakening the Pzr formations on this front.

S France. Toulon fell, Marseilles next then Nice. Rail lines up the Rhone are cut by British tank brigades.

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Post #: 129

T62 - 5/15/2018 5:42:05 AM

loki100

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T62

All that attention to the allocation of my strategic bombers seems to have paid off.

Now if only the Germans would stop killing my soldiers I'd be doing exceptionally well.

BC stuck to what it knows best

8 AAF was meant to hit tank production

15 AAF tried something different, I've never before gone for targets around Prague but the region was undamaged so had the possibility of some easy gains.

Two attacks on major ports � both driven off but I think Marseilles will fall next turn, Brest might be harder to take.

Both supported by the naval TF.

France.

Resealed the pockets, but some German units had escaped. Despite being stretched 2 British managed a breakthrough � again added an airtransported Paratroop division so secure a vulnerable airfield.

Handy that 9A arrives next turn and a lot of US Infantry divisions become available.

Italy, attacked again on the Montone and managed to expand my bridgehead as well as make gains NW of Ravenna. Hopefully those stacks are strong enough to hold � or the Germans are weakening due to all this movement under heavy interdiction.

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Post #: 130

T63 - 5/15/2018 6:07:57 PM

loki100

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T63

Turn resolution was a bit of a shock as the Germans battered the northern flank of 1A

Leading, of course, to more lost VP.

I'll skip much detail for the airwar. Really trying to use it to regain the VP lost on the ground.

Have noticed in the last few turns that the Luftwaffe is not losing as badly as before. In part as the mid-44 Bf109s are better at altitude (and I've been running AS at 25,000' to exploit this) but also these things have appeared

So for context, air losses

For the ground war, Brest and Marseilles hold out again. Brest should fall next turn.

End of my turn in France. Basically attacking to clear my supply lines, attempt to create a pocket around Dieppe-Calais was stopped at the first attempt.

Grateful for all the fresh infantry arriving.

Italy went well. Starting to threaten Bologna and potentially a large pocket in the Appenines.

S France at the end of the turn. Nice will help with supply and opens the way to NW Italy.

Total ground losses, I am losing a lot of tanks

Destroyed units. Started the process of disbanding AA units, would like to have destroyed more German units to be honest.

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Post #: 131

T64 - 5/15/2018 9:09:44 PM

loki100

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T64

Finally seem to have the v-weapons back under control, decent bombing score � pity about the ground losses but not that much I can do � at least I am making gains.

I've stopped being creative with BC. It has a 9 hex radius target and am leaving the auto-routine to arrange the actual attacks. In effect, its there to simply gain VP. If anyone can think of a more creative use (other than ahistorically changing to day bombing), I'd be very interested ...

15 AAF had another Czech week, this time told them only to hit vehicles and AFVs. Unusually for one of my strategic groups they did what I wanted.

The main raid by 8 AAF was on Berlin

Secondary raid took out the small v-weapon factories in S Germany

In support of 8 AAF, the P-51s had a better set of results. If I can't touch the Me-262s, equally they are not always a threat.

France. After last turn's battering, I rested on the main front, with some extra units I managed to pull almost all of 1A's armour off the line, so they can refit properly.

In the meantime Brest finally fell. Will now go to St Nazaire and then this powerful group can join the main battles.

But Marseilles is proving to be annoyingly stubborn.

In Italy, 7A carries on making slow, expensive, progress but this starts to promise substantial gains.

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Post #: 132

RE: T64 - 5/15/2018 10:58:47 PM

LiquidSky

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I usually set BC to bomb the Ruhr in the beginning of the game.....and leave it. Under rare conditions I will change it to bombing infrastructure, but pretty much it's only use is to hit the Ruhr. I forgot the math, but you get a lot of VP's just from the manpower/hvy industry and fuel facilities alone.

Not sure what I would do with it after I capture the Ruhr valley though...

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Post #: 133

RE: T64 - 5/15/2018 11:04:43 PM

bomccarthy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: loki100

I've stopped being creative with BC. It has a 9 hex radius target and am leaving the auto-routine to arrange the actual attacks. In effect, its there to simply gain VP. If anyone can think of a more creative use (other than ahistorically changing to day bombing), I'd be very interested ...

Switching to daylight bombing would not be ahistorical - by Autumn 1944 BC began undertaking daylight raids almost every week, escorted by Mustang IIIs and IVs, and sometimes even by 8th AF fighters. Their continued night raids were largely due to Harris' insistence that night area raids were effective, in spite of the better results realized by their day raids.

I found that BC daylight raids on railyards (and, by extension, supply depots) were very effective, especially since the heavy bombload of the Lancaster and Halifax enable more numerous small raids (with more targets hit each day).

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Post #: 134

RE: T64 - 5/16/2018 6:02:40 AM

loki100

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quote:

ORIGINAL: LiquidSky

I usually set BC to bomb the Ruhr in the beginning of the game.....and leave it. Under rare conditions I will change it to bombing infrastructure, but pretty much it's only use is to hit the Ruhr. I forgot the math, but you get a lot of VP's just from the manpower/hvy industry and fuel facilities alone.

Not sure what I would do with it after I capture the Ruhr valley though...

I'd agree that is where you get most VP/raid due to the radar advantage and the relative volume of targets, its just that I like to think I am coming up with well thought out, subtle, bombing strategies

so feel the urge to tinker.

But certainly come 1945 I mostly put all the strategic bombing commands onto a large area AD and let the auto-routines take over

quote:

ORIGINAL: bomccarthy

quote:

ORIGINAL: loki100

I've stopped being creative with BC. It has a 9 hex radius target and am leaving the auto-routine to arrange the actual attacks. In effect, its there to simply gain VP. If anyone can think of a more creative use (other than ahistorically changing to day bombing), I'd be very interested ...

Switching to daylight bombing would not be ahistorical - by Autumn 1944 BC began undertaking daylight raids almost every week, escorted by Mustang IIIs and IVs, and sometimes even by 8th AF fighters. Their continued night raids were largely due to Harris' insistence that night area raids were effective, in spite of the better results realized by their day raids.

I found that BC daylight raids on railyards (and, by extension, supply depots) were very effective, especially since the heavy bombload of the Lancaster and Halifax enable more numerous small raids (with more targets hit each day).

Ah thats interesting, agree that the non-incendiary load out can be very effective when you are not wanting to hit manpower (such as bombing in allied nations).

I'll try some daylight stuff ... even if just for the variation.

That Harris was *ahem* resistant to boring things like facts and data somehow doesn't surprise me

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Post #: 135

T65 - 5/16/2018 6:04:12 AM

loki100

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T65

Starting to check the weather as coming to the end of September but so far the forecast is ony for more light rain.

A rare turn of a positive VP score as the AI also chose not to do much in France.

My view is if I can finish 1944 with some sort of positive score that will do, the hope is to pick up VP as German cities start to fall in 1945. In effect you gain both the city VP and the 'bombing' VP as those targets are deemed 100% destroyed.

Unless something interesting happens I'll stop reporting on BC. It has a 9 hex AD, manpower/HI and railyard targets and I've basically handed it over to the AI to use.

With 8 AAF, decided to bomb Berlin again but this time moved the AFVs to the top of the target list.

15 AAF also went AFV plant hunting.

Marseilles resisted yet again.

But rather jolly sport in Italy. Not only did I force the Appenine passes but 7A was rewarded for all its niggly attacks in recent weeks. Clearly the pocket is not sealed but hopefully I do end up with some units cut off.

France was good fun too � at least for 1A. The rested armoured divisions exploited where the infantry broke the line.

Only pity was that 2 Br A is rather stuck with low mobility.

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Post #: 136

T66 - 5/16/2018 7:45:19 PM

loki100

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T66

VP situation. Good bits are the bombing VP and that I've pretty much removed the v-weapon problem. City VP increasing as well. Bad news, I'm paying a very high price in losses.

Did the standard BC raids this turn, I'll try something more creative next turn.

Main raid by 8 AAF went for a mix of targets around Leipzig

And that hopefully takes out another of the smaller v-weapon production sites

15 AAF hitting SW Germany

Surprised that St Nazaire surrendered at the second attack. Bit annoyed I now have a routed division to find and hunt down.

On the subject of ports and good news � this took a lot longer than planned and has been costly but its a real bonus to my supply network

Germans pulled back out of the Valenciennes salient and I tried to make some gains towards the coast. Small offensive in support by 3A but 2 Br A still struggling with low MP

Italy continue to make steady gains with 7A

S France. Send most of the armour up the Rhone valley but also invading Italy from the west.

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Post #: 137

RE: T66 - 5/17/2018 7:33:48 AM

loki100

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T67

Since we are now into October, time to start checking the weather.

As this is next turn's ground forecast think I can risk one more turn of operations in France

VP situation still dire but the v-weapon's now removed, handy as I guess I am going to lose some bombing turns in the Autumn.

On the subject of bombing, BC was told to do something different � day and Hamburg.

The skies of N Europe are full of whinging about 'are we there yet', planes go missing as they forget they are not to go the Ruhr this week and generally for a lot of noise, very little happens:

The more pragmatic Americans just get on with it. New week, new targets and they end the week with a very impressive raid.

Their offshoot takes out another v-weapon plant, the hard to hit one in Braunschweig.

15 Air hits Freiburg. Single hex raid as I don't want to annoy De Gaulle by bombing across the border in France but its quite a juicy (and untouched) target.

So to the ground war. Very pleased with how things worked out in Italy. 7A and 8A met up forming a large German holiday camp in the northern Appenines. Even better 7A managed a small break out pushing into Emilia-Romagna.

While we are on the subject of holiday camps, similar facilities are arranged in NE France and Flanders. The North Sea is so bracing at this time of year.

This did surprise me. 2 British is still resting to regain mobility and concentrate as it hands off its southern flank to 9A. 1 Canadian is marching up from its trip around Brittany so I wasn't that sure what to do with US 1A.

In the end I was able to concentrate enough to break the German line near Brussels and had some armour that could exploit. The city was unprotected so grabbed that. Then noted that the forces facing 3A had a weak spot, so weakened some of the defences in the Netherlands and broke through there.

The best I was hoping for was to constrict the flow of supplies to just Antwerp, but that too was unprotected. French and US tankers went in search of the local wine stocks to celebrate, in the event they had to make do with Le Mort Subite.

I've put 4 of the TF in the sea across from the Netherlands to constrict any hope of naval supply.

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Post #: 138

T68 - 5/19/2018 7:13:55 AM

loki100

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T68

In the process of moving to a new computer � more disruptive than a house move in my opinion.

Anyway, despite my optimistic reading of last turns' weather forecast, it was actually heavy rain across Northern Europe.

Heading into the Autumn with its lack of bombing opportuities am reasonably pleased with the VP score and to have knocked out the v-weapons.

So all the UK/France based airforces went to rest and not much happened on the front lines. Here is a large scale overview of the front.

Have the Rhone valley under my control so that will help with supply once the rail links are in place.

Overall have a good port and rail net.

Italy was good weather so that campaign carries on. 5 Army, plus all the naval guns, storms into Liguria

And 7 Army carries on making gains around Bologna. The German holiday camp is now fully set up � and I have no idea what to do with it.

I'll probably surround with regiments as I think I can avoid any interdiction on my supply lines.

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Post #: 139

RE: T68 - 5/19/2018 9:17:37 PM

bomccarthy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: loki100

And 7 Army carries on making gains around Bologna. The German holiday camp is now fully set up � and I have no idea what to do with it.

I'll probably surround with regiments as I think I can avoid any interdiction on my supply lines.

You might task heavy and medium bombers with ground attacks on hexes in the "holiday camp" one or two days each week - force the campers to use up supply and ammunition more quickly. You will have to reduce the pocket at some point in order to free up your ground units for the advance to the Alps.

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RE: T68 - 5/20/2018 11:05:20 AM

loki100

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quote:

ORIGINAL: bomccarthy
...

You might task heavy and medium bombers with ground attacks on hexes in the "holiday camp" one or two days each week - force the campers to use up supply and ammunition more quickly. You will have to reduce the pocket at some point in order to free up your ground units for the advance to the Alps.

Good advice thank you. There are hexes I really need to clear them out of - such as around Florence and where they have a ZoC on the rails. Ideally I'll see if I can push them into a small enough area that I can then guard just with some regiments and the Italian brigade units that start turning up.

Realistically, if I reach the Alps I'll stop. I can redeploy some of the better units up the Rhone corridor and then they can reinforce the main attack on the Reich. Turin+Milan means a decent haul of city VP and no point spending casualties just in case I might manage to break into Bavaria or Lower Austria?

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Post #: 141

T69-T70 - 5/20/2018 11:06:52 AM

loki100

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T69-T70

T69 was heavy rain in NW Europe. Some small scale action in Italy.

T70 back to light rain so back to using the airforce.

VP situation was favourable but I'd like to get the bombing back to +4

Since Bomber Command didn't get too drunk on their two weeks off, I let them do what they enjoy doing, night and the Ruhr.

My generousity was repaid:

8 AAF remains split into two main groups. The largest set returned to Berlin

The second group is still doing one hex raids on the v-weapons

15 AAF went to Vienna

Noticed during the air resolution that German losses in air-air combat escalated. Looking at it, they really suffered and even their new Bf-109s are of little value now.

On the ground it was a frustrating turn. I need to reduce the Flanders holiday camp so I can push on to the Reich. Unfortunately almost every attack failed.

Italy � am badly stretched. 5A now running into resistance, 7A only able to make a few attacks � but I have pulled units out to refit. 8A is stretched around the holiday camp. I need to reduce some of that but I don't feel any great time pressure here.

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T71 - 5/20/2018 2:23:55 PM

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T71

Heavy rain in Italy, light rain in France and Germany.

So rested all the Mediterranean based airforces and in Italy mostly tried to redeploy one corps of 8 Army so I can start to attack the holiday camp. Their defensive cv now looks low and all the counters are red for supply.

I asserted myself with BC and told them to bomb around Hannover in the day � my argument was with short winter days and lots of cloud they won't have to cope with the sun.

Seems to have convinced them to really try this time

Main 8 AAF raid was on Mainz-Frankfurt � should reduce German truck production.

Secondary group still blowing up the v-weapon factories, the small #2 production ones are hard to keep damaged as they repair very quickly.

France

A fresh 1 Ca Army took one port and dismantled the western end of the German defensive line. A new US corps has been added to give it some mobility.

Also reduced some of their stacks on the eastern end of the pocket which handily frees up units to either rest or concentrate for more attacks.

Both 2 Tactical Air and 9 AAF are commited here. The 2 engined bombers are hitting strong stacks (GA-unit), all the FB are on interdiction missions.

Not shown this for a while but when I took Paris and attacked towards Belgium it left a huge long salient. Ok this ties down German units but also costs me counters. Have finally built up 9A enough for it to have some offensive power.

The odd cluster of units down around Belfort were a corps from 5A that moved up the Rhone.

If this works, I may commit 2 Br Army and see if I can hook around towards Luxembourg � gives an easy (sort of) access to the Rhineland.

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Post #: 143

T72 - 5/20/2018 9:22:48 PM

loki100

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T72

Back to light rain so could use the airpower. Again 9AAF and 2 Tactical Air fully committed to targets in the Flanders holiday region. Using 2 engined bombers from both commands to directly strike the stronger stacks, lot of interdiction and a lot allocated to direct GS.

Strategic air was odd. I made the mistake with the large block of 8AAF of putting v-weapons as the priority and picked an area where they were already knocked out. So, for once, the US air didn't really contribute much.

Carried on with aversion therapy for BC, made them go out during the day but assured them that the short days and all the cloud and rain would keep them hidden.

If this is true � and my recon levels are not great � then that was a successful set of raids around Hamburg.

France.

1 Ca Army took Calais and dismantled the west flank of the German defensive line. Finally making progress here and cut almost all the German supply lines back to their port depots.

15A (its taken over this sector from 9A which is now commanding the units in Alsace etc) carries on making gains east of Paris. Used some well rested parts of 2 British in an attempt to find a weak spot.

Italy, taken the advice about unit bombing and it seems to have undermined the German capacity to resist.

Only 1 hex taken but the German units shattered or surrendered rather than retreated. 7A managed another break out but couldn't quite cross the Po. Not shown but 5A took Turin and made some small gains.

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Post #: 144

T73-74 - 5/20/2018 9:39:16 PM

loki100

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T73-74

T73 was heavy rain almost everywhere so little action. T74 was snow, so good for operations.

Annoying re-appearance of the v-weapons on the VP chart (this is for T74).

Now that BC has accepted it can go out in the day I tested its commitment by making it bomb the Ruhr in the day � well in a snow storm at the end of November. Still it claims to have done some damage.

8AAF went for lower Saxony � mostly unbombed so gave it a wide area and let it find its own targets.

Note the P51 AS mission carries on inflicting massive losses on the Luftwaffe.

Secondary raid went for a group of v-weapon plants on the Baltic.

15AAF hit SW Germany. Again mostly untouched so I gave it a wide area and let it hit what it wanted.

France. Pas de Calais/Flanders almost cleared. I'll then bring up 1 Canadian for an offensive into eastern Belgium. I guess about 4 turns to finish off, rest and juggle my front lines but that will give me a lot of powerful infantry freeing up the tanks for exploitation.

To the south 15A has released 2 British from its defensive duties. Broke German lines around Sedan, if I can, the goal is Luxembourg and the southern Rhineland.

In the meantime 9A has reached the Rhine in the far south. I doubt I'll manage a crossing but I can screen sectors and look for a weak spot.

Italy. 5A broke out threatening to cut the Germans off in Liguria. 7A is now over the Po and clearing its own flanks. Finally have unimpeded rail links to Bologna which will help.

8A making surprisingly quick work of the holiday camp.

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Post #: 145

RE: T73-74 - 5/21/2018 5:47:03 AM

IslandInland

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I'm enjoying the AAR.

Thanks, loki.

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Post #: 146

T75 - 5/21/2018 5:53:34 AM

loki100

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T75

I realise the AI needs some help, in particular it is far more vulnerable to getting encircled than a human player. Equally, no human player would have hung onto a line in the western Appenines while their opponent pushed up to the Po.

Given that, even so, this was a wee bit of a surprise.

Well it should give me a good VP haul � Genoa and Milan to add to what I already have. So I'll take my time absorbing my gains, pull out at least one army for the Belfort region and have a think about what to leave and how best to re-organise.

BC. I'm now keeping on a 3-5 hex wide AD and pretty much letting it find the remaining targets. The only real change is to shift the focus to the north or south of the Ruhr.

8 AAF is on a similar pattern, I'm still sometimes being more specific (eg hit some AFV plants) but again its basically on a large area AD and left to itself.

Secondary mission still moving around targetting v-weapon production.

Not shown but 15 AAF had an inept set of raids in SW Germany.

In combination, v-weapon's suppressed and bombing at +4. City pts still more or less being traded off for ongoing losses.

France. Pas de Calais and Flanders now cleared out. Trying to capture the Scheldt estuary as that will free up Antwerp and ease supply into the Netherlands.

Goal is to concentrate 1 Canadian as the break through formation and then exploit with well rested (ie 40-50 MP) US armour from 1A. 3A will probably just screen a flank.

Will take a few turns as I want to rest and refit some formations and need to think about how the map fits together � as well as where the German line might be weaker.

Started to move the FB of 9AAF to Europe, so far they have mostly been in the UK given that they have usually been operating over NW France.

2 Tactical Air has been around Paris for the last 8 turns as some are shorter ranged and it has been hitting central France.

All the LB still in the UK.

As before, 15A is basically freeing up 2 Br Army so it can concentrate.

Both Tactical Airforces plastered the likely avenue of advance as well as bombing particular targets - the result of this was one German division shattered on contact.

Decent breakthrough at Sedan and Gds Armoured almost reached Luxembourg.

Italy at the end. 8A finished off the Appenine holiday camp. Trapped a few German units (there is another small pocket in the Maritime Alps).

In no hurry to renew combat so moving up and re-organising as I do.

As above, need to think about what to send to France. Certainly most of the mobile units as they will be of little value in the Alps � depending on what the AI does I might simply leave a purely defensive force (but that will probably create too much supply demand around Belfort).

I could send some units by sea to the UK and thus into the Netherlands etc.

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T76 - 5/21/2018 1:53:21 PM

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T76

(sorry about the speed of these � just in between projects and have some spare time, plus rather enjoying this)

Lots of moving key assets around for the next phase.

About 50% of Tactical Air � especially its longer ranged elements � deployed to Central France in support of 9A (and 5A when it arrives).

All the remaining tactical assets in Italy now under the control of the Malta air command. I can't move too much with Tactical Air due to lack of bases and don't want to worsen the supply problems in that sector.

If Italy does end up in an Alpine stalemate I guess I could send the bulk to either 2 Tactical Air of 9AAF up on the North Sea coast where supply is better, but I'll wait till I am sure there is nothing more I can take.

Letting most of 9AAF rest so its ready for the next offensive. 2 Tactical Air fully committed to supporting 2 British Army around Luxembourg.

15 AAF resting (heavy rain in Italy), BC and 8 AAF continue to move around, nothing particularly structured just looking for targets

Northern part of the main front. Not doing well at clearing the Scheldt but hopefully should fall next turn.

Nice build up � so unusual to see a decent reserve available. Most of the armoured units are 45-50 MP which is key to exploitation.

At the moment my idea is to attack along the Albert Canal, I can either see if I can take Maastricht or if its better to clear the southern Netherlands before crossing the Maas.

Despite the snow, decent recon and it looks like 2 Br Army has drawn off most of their mobile reserves.

Southern part of the main front. 2 British widens its salient, I guess it has one, maybe two, more turns of offensive power before it gets too extended.

9A building up, 15A is designed as a defensive shield. I'm in no hurry in this sector but would like to force the Rhine as there are a lot of VP to be had in southern Germany.

Italy. All rather confused as I both deal with stragglers and plan for redeployments. Genoa is strongly held, that stack in the Alpes Maritimes will go next turn (I hope).

I doubt I'll make much progress but basically will give 8A the mountain assets and see how it manages above Lake Garda. 7A will retain some mobile units in case the Germans fight in Friuli.

I don't really mind if the front just stalemates as there is little left in Italy where the VP for the gains is more than the VP for any losses.

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Post #: 148

RE: T76 - 5/21/2018 8:49:24 PM

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Your situation in Italy is very similar to my last 43 GC game. I decided to halt on the river line just north of Venice, which I defended with all-British 5th and 8th Armies (to avoid depleting the British manpower pool). I shifted all American and almost all Commonwealth ground units to Northwest Europe, with the Commonwealth forces joining the 1st Canadian Army in Belgium. If you carefully manage their losses and fatigue, the 1st NZ and South African Armored divisions can be monsters.

In this situation I like playing the Addl Air HQ scenario because it gives me the historical flexibility to adjust air resources. I sent the 12th TAC to Alsace Lorraine to support the 6th Army Group (7th US and 1st FF Armies), as in real life. I also shifted the 12th Bomber Command to Alsace Lorraine, although I had to spend admin points expanding the airfields. I left air units in Italy under the command of Desert AF, which reported to Malta Air Command. I would have shifted the 15th AF to airfields just south of Paris (in order to avoid the bad Winter/early Spring weather over the Alps), but I ended up capturing Berlin before Feb 45.

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Post #: 149

RE: T76 - 5/21/2018 9:16:25 PM

loki100

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quote:

ORIGINAL: bomccarthy

Your situation in Italy is very similar to my last 43 GC game. I decided to halt on the river line just north of Venice, which I defended with all-British 5th and 8th Armies (to avoid depleting the British manpower pool). I shifted all American and almost all Commonwealth ground units to Northwest Europe, with the Commonwealth forces joining the 1st Canadian Army in Belgium. If you carefully manage their losses and fatigue, the 1st NZ and South African Armored divisions can be monsters.

In this situation I like playing the Addl Air HQ scenario because it gives me the historical flexibility to adjust air resources. I sent the 12th TAC to Alsace Lorraine to support the 6th Army Group (7th US and 1st FF Armies), as in real life. I also shifted the 12th Bomber Command to Alsace Lorraine, although I had to spend admin points expanding the airfields. I left air units in Italy under the command of Desert AF, which reported to Malta Air Command. I would have shifted the 15th AF to airfields just south of Paris (in order to avoid the bad Winter/early Spring weather over the Alps), but I ended up capturing Berlin before Feb 45.

Interesting, but yes I agree that at this stage having more allied air commands would be handy, with the fronts so fragmented and some air HQs spread out its not always easy to assign the right air formations to the right sector (esp in terms of GS).

Like the idea of putting 15 AAF around Paris. I'm mostly using it to bomb S Germany or as GA-unit missions and that is as useful as N Italy for those missions.

The good thing about pushing the Italian front to this line is it frees up a lot for the end game in N Europe. Handy as I often find its a lack of counters that is a major constraint by then.

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