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Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...)

 
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Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/13/2021 10:04:01 PM   
boldairade

 

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11-10-1939

The SitzKreig is in full swing.

Poland fell in little more than two weeks, and Denmark fell simultaneously.

The United Kingdom is in dire straits.

The BOA is going poorly, with merchant ships going down every turn, and the Uboats deftly out maneuvering our escorts and DD and Cruisers. No Uboat hits have been scored to this point.


Our formations are in woeful condition, understrength. The Admiralty has chosen to prioritize construction of new formations over the upgrading of existing ones. All eyes are on the German buildup in the west.

France is stripping formations where possible and attempting to establish a double line of formations west of the Maginot line.

The allies have received strong intelligence from observers in Poland as to the manner of german power, and will look to counter.

But more on that later...






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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/14/2021 11:12:00 AM   
boldairade

 

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A brief panic occured in Stavka, and although it went unsaid, even with the Supreme Leader.

German forces laagered in Poland for sometime after the joint occupation. Could it be Russia's 'ally' harbored ill intentions?

However, as more German formations rail westward, the crisis passes.

To ensure the Germans at no time consider hostile actions, powerful Soviet rifle corps are moved to the new frontier.

Heavy armored formations are currently under construction to bolster the Red Army. In truth secret plans are in motion for a possible offensive campaign vs Germany, perhaps as soon as 1943, but more likely 1944. This Five Year plan will have the Red Army at its peak.

Action prior to then would be disastrous.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/17/2021 6:21:32 AM   
boldairade

 

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Canadian formations land in the desert.

They will be tasked with digging in at the depression. This will leave English and forces from the Commonwealth to cover Egypt and the middle east.

England sends canada aide to help in the production of additional forces.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/17/2021 4:56:01 PM   
boldairade

 

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Here, we see the beginnings of the defenses planned to meet the blitzkrieg that will ensue in the spring. obviously, these are shell formations that will need to be filled out, but they can begin to entrench. additionally english formations will be added to the BEF.

This turn(early dec), England finally begins to divert some resources to reinforcements, and also begins purchasing supply trucks. France too, begins to work on supply.

In the BOA, the last two turns have seen a turn of fortune. 5 hits(but no sinkings) have been scored on the marauding wolf packs in the North and South atlantic. The feeling of helplessness that had overcome the Royal Navy is, for now at least, held at bay.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/18/2021 11:16:49 PM   
boldairade

 

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French and English high commands don't have to guess at the german intentions. The buildup is both impressive and intimidating.

Currently, a strategy to counter the likely scything strike through the low countries is being formulated, and assets for said plan are under construction.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/18/2021 11:19:19 PM   
boldairade

 

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Speaking of production of assets, far to the East, this is what the Soviet factories are attempting to churn out.

Lots of T-26s(and hopefully a few KV-1s) will be rolling off the production lines over the next year or so.

There aren't many effective formations currently available to Russia. But as they say, "Quantity has a quality all its own"




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/23/2021 11:00:06 PM   
boldairade

 

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More Armor added to the Soviet que.

Russia will be switching to infantry now, even though conventional logic is that rifle corps are useless.

Zukov had a very interesting plan for the defense of Russia. These armored formations will be key to this defense, which, when they are on the map, we will discuss further.






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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/23/2021 11:05:49 PM   
boldairade

 

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Formations are more or less in place. As April is fast approaching, both the UK and France are now scrambling to fill out existing formations and also trying to stockpile supply trucks.

As anyone who's reading this has likely deduced, I am very inexperienced with the allies, having only played one game vs AI and one(disastrous) game vs a human. So my production and timing are very rough.

The current question is, how many formations should be set to garrison status? I'm really not sure.

For now, we will make no major changes.

The French Air Force is coming up to speed. In perhaps two turns, they will be battle ready.

The BEF as you can see is still woefully understrength. But it likely has a bit more time to be built up.

Essentially, our strategy is incumbent on Germany not breaking through the principle French defenses until early May. This in itself may be overly optimistic.

We pray for rain.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/25/2021 11:15:37 AM   
boldairade

 

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4-12-1940: The day breaks cold and clear. The allies brace for the German onslaught, knowing full well that preparations are likely inadequet.

And yet...there is no sound of guns. The German armies remain idle.

Why? Perhaps waiting for warmer weather?

Whatever the reason, the Western powers choose to be thankful. Even the slightest delay is to be cherished. We fear, above all, a rapid victory in the West, which would free Germany for additional goals of conquest during the campaign season of 1940.

So, the wait continues.

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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/26/2021 11:05:03 AM   
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4-26: German meteorologists are proven correct, as snow blankets the battlefields.

5-10: The Wehrmacht rolls into action, crushing Belgium in one turn(something i've never been able to pull off personally).

Germany loses virtually nothing in the ground war. The air war is fairly ferocious however, as France and England contest the skies over Belgium in a vain effort to slow Germany. Three allied fighter formations are mauled. They are immediately pulled out of service and designated priority for reinforcement.

The Luftwaffe also takes heavy losses(19 steps i think?), but comes out on top.

The BOA continues to go poorly. The Royal Navy manages three step hits on the Kreigsmarine, but we lose large numbers of MM. More merchant ships and escorts are on the way, and this turn sees advancements in sub hunting tech.

In the desert, a new Canadian corps lands in Egypt and moves to secure the choke near the depression. Italian armor is detected to the west.

On the front line in France, anti tank formations that are obviously targets of the German mobile formations are moved to garrison status. I honestly have no idea if this is a good idea or not, but the hope is that it will at least blunt the opening attack.

I was under the impression that an attack on either belgium or the netherlands would activate the other nation, but i'm clearly wrong. No idea why i thought that...




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/27/2021 2:16:26 AM   
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quote:

ORIGINAL: boldairade

4-26: German meteorologists are proven correct, as snow blankets the battlefields.


I believe the reason Nirosi did not attack Belgium on the previous turn had nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with the fact that he had not yet completed the builds of the armour and mechanized that he needed to take out Belgium in one turn.

quote:

5-10: The Wehrmacht rolls into action, crushing Belgium in one turn(something i've never been able to pull off personally).


If you build properly after the fall of Poland you should be able to have at least 3 Armour and 2 mechanized ready to go by the first May turn. if you attack the cavalry unit in the Ardennes first and plan your attacks carefully, this will give you enough force to conquer Belgium in one turn.


quote:

I was under the impression that an attack on either belgium or the netherlands would activate the other nation, but i'm clearly wrong. No idea why i thought that...



An attack on the Netherlands or Luxembourg activates Belgium but not vice versa. But if the Allies DOW Luxembourg first than a German DOW on the Netherlands does not activate Belgium.

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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/27/2021 1:18:21 PM   
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thx Harry!

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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/28/2021 12:05:10 AM   
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Disaster may not be the right word. But it's probably not the wrong one, either.

The German Pz Corps strike exactly where we expect. However, we are completely unable to resist. The French Anti tank formations, switched to garrison mode in an effort to make them less vulnerable to armor, as well as being heavily dug in, immediately retreat.

German losses range from light to non existent. My guess is, I should have had them set on hold their ground, a rookie mistake. Even with their rapid retreat, a corps is shattered, likely due to no retreat hex. Since I did not anticipate anything like this in terms of an opening slaughter, an air formation is overrun. Our strategy of attriting the Luftwaffe and not surrendering air superiority is immediately rendered mute. I should never have had it so forwardly placed, it was poor planning on my part.

A carrier air strike east of dunkirk is launched in an effort to slow german mech groups there, but only results in the massive loss of carrier aircraft.

The only success is repelling an attack on the eastern Maginot Line. I almost wonder if Nirosi launched that attack just to keep my spirits up? It seems possible.

In the BOA, i forgot to retask escorts to the south atlantic away from the pan american sector, resulting in the slaughter of 9 MM vs 0 step losses for the kreigsmarine. Another costly error.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/28/2021 12:09:41 AM   
boldairade

 

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Here is the only possibility of even the slightest hope after our opening failure.

The allies have massed all armor here, NE of Paris. They are parked behind a battered line of infantry corps. Our hope is that the germans will smash through the infantry and find themselves vulnerable to a mechanized counter attack. It seems very unlikely though. We had hoped to force the germans to grind themselves down over 3-4 turns to get here, but they are instead here in 1 turn, and with virtually no losses.

In an effort to slow the onslaught, all infantry are set to hold their ground. However, not being dug in, it will likely do very little, if anything.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/29/2021 10:29:48 AM   
boldairade

 

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And things get worse...

The Germans apparently have detected my 'trap'. They swing to the south east, diverting their armor away from mine. I thought if my armor was two hexes away with infantry in front, they would be invisible, but like many things in this game, I manage to be 100% wrong at a critical moment!

In any case, it's a good move my nirosi. If he flanks, takes metz, and heads south, he need not take Paris.

So, not only have I managed to lose the front line, lose the war in the sky all in the first turn, turn 2 sees my only real plan, an armored counter attack, effectively neutered.

So my choice now is, move the armor to counter the new German threat, which means the "Straight to Paris" route is wide open, or keep them in place, have Nirosi out flank us, and have the armor never really fight at all.

I genuinely can't determine which is worse. But both are obviously quite bad. And it all happened in two turns!

At this point, the historical date of France's surrender(June 22?) would be quite an accomplishment. There are two major issues at play here. France is going to fall so fast and easily, Germany is going to take absolutely no losses. But the second issue is, and i think it's a bigger one, it's going to leave Germany probably 3-4 months of campaign time in 1940. Certainly Vichy France will fall, possibly Yugo and Greece. If he's truly ambitious, he could launch a 40 Barbarossa and be in Kiev and at the gates of Moscow in the spring of 41, which would effectively end this game. Another possibility, considering the skill differential here, would be him taking out Spain in two turns(i tried this in my last MP game and i lost the war attempting it, but Nirosi could pull it off) which would turn the Med into an Axis lake and open up a slower death for the allies.

Obviously, none of this is terribly good.

Did I mention another horribly turn in the BOA?

PS: sorry i forgot to imbed the jpeg, but you can click it here.

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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/30/2021 12:14:08 PM   
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Carrier assets, UK based tac bombers, supply trucks, 8 Battleships, a frontal attack by two infantry corps, and finally the deployment of an armored corps manage to overrun the X Infantry corps of the Wehrmacht. Not what we were hoping for, and not where it's needed. But a bit of sunshine none the less.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/30/2021 12:16:29 PM   
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A few battered French formations are rotated into the path of likely irresistible German armored attacks.

I made a mistake not producing more French infantry, i switched to trucks and reinforcement way too early. This lack of infantry is very telling now, and it will get worse. We will, however, get one more fresh French formation, next turn I think.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/30/2021 12:17:15 PM   
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Air step losses are absolutely sickening.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/31/2021 8:45:26 AM   
boldairade

 

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Another disastrous turn in the BOA. 9 mm and 2 escorts go down to 3 wolf packs in the N atlantic, despite me deploying 8 escorts, carriers, CAs and DDs to protect that route. It's becoming apparent I just don't really know how to the new rules work. Some escorts are on the way in the ship yards. But UK's merchant fleet has now slipped below 200. I know I need to stay above that magic number, but I simply don't have the PPs to devote to it currently.

Things are less one sided on terra firma in France. One Panzer corps, attempting to exploit our weakness West of Metz, over extends. Nirosi realizes this and desperately attempts to create a vacant hex for it to retreat to, but his only option is a 20 step unit in the Maginot line, and he cannot displace it. I get over excited and attack with 6-1 odds instead of allocating more forces, but still achieve a good result. Could I have overrun it if i'd been more thoughtful? Hard to know.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/31/2021 8:50:16 AM   
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The plus side of my hasty attack on the German armor is, it leaves assets for another counter to the NE of Paris. A strong german infantry formation is flanked on three sides by French infantry. In a risky move, the infantry is rotated SE to attempt to stave off a breakthru to the open roads to the south, vacating two land hexes to the west of the German infantry. These hexes are taken up by French and English armor. French tac bombers are sent in to soften up the German formation at heavy cost, but they are successful. This allows the armor, with support from one French infantry corps, to easily overrun the German infantry. Those PAK 40s are no match for matildas and Bi-bis armor!




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 10/31/2021 8:57:01 AM   
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Which leaves us...here.

The successes of local counter attacks momentarily relieve pressure. But the overall situation is still extraordinarily precarious.

The rotation of infantry to the south leaves only the armor between Paris and the German main force.

To make matters worse, the Maginot is nearly cracking East of Metz. I thinned it out and now a 10 step unit is close to collapsing. It has been prioritized for reinforcement the last two turns, and will get another division as reinforcement next turn...if it can hold out. If not, we will have a 'river through the dike' situation very quickly.

France is running low on supply trucks, and we are keeping, at best, two fighter squadrons in the air between the UK and France combined.

France will survive June. July, however, is another story altogether.






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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/1/2021 4:01:44 PM   
boldairade

 

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German vengeance for our successes last turn is rapid.

The division in the threatened section of the Eastern Maginot repels 5 assaults, but falls the the sixth. Driven out of their defensive fortification, they are then annihilated. Check out those odds!

The Maginot is breached. I have no idea how to respond, but move a mountain corps to try and pin down the german cavalry. additionally, a corps mauled in the fighting in the NW is railed south of the breakout it be split up and garrison victory hexes.

But the Wehrmacht is not done. Full corps are overrun East of the the Somme and NW of Metz. All of the forces in the Metz region are now almost certainly going to be enveloped and destroyed. The few who could be extracted are in garrison mode, and thus lack the mobility to make their escape. It's not good, as they would be very useful.

I noticed writing this AAR last turn that the French Armor corps had been left needlessly exposed. I had already submitted my turn though. Nirosi and his storm troopers also notice, and absolutely pummel that formation, driving it back and reducing it to a useless condition. They overstep though, chasing it with an infantry corps and moving within 2 hexes of Paris. The exposed German corps is targeted by both English armored corps, French bombers, a battered infantry corps, and even the tattered remnants of the French armor corps. We manage to shatter it.

Five more MM are sunk in the BOA, but the Royal Navy does manage two step hits on the Uboats.

The current situation is pretty baffling. I think it makes sense to abandon Dunkirk and Calais, but it's hard to figure out the best way to go about it.

Perhaps the biggest problem is, I cannot figure out Nirosi's intentions. It would seem a drive south from the eastern breach in the Maginot is likely. But he might also bull rush Paris.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/2/2021 10:36:06 AM   
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Sitrep, end of turn 23(June 5, 1940)

The best guess of Allied intelligence is that a strike south, towards Vichy is the plan of the Wehrmacht. The bulk of their mechanized assets have been deployed into a position to support this type of operation.

In response to this, a rotation of Allied assets is attempted, abandoning the ports of Dunkirk and Calais. The infantry of the BEF are moved to positions predominantly behind the Somme. One formation will also be moved NE of Paris, because during the redeployment, no French units can be positioned here.

The WDF armored corps, with its anti-armor specialty, is also rotated eastward, in hopes it can counter any intitial mechanized breakthrough.

This is likely the last forward redeployment of the BEF. In England, it is now being privately discussed among the top brass that France is almost certainly a lost cause. The extraction of the BEF is now being considered. In fact, there is some concern that not withdrawing them immediately is a mistake.





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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/3/2021 12:32:38 PM   
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From the forces surrounded(and doomed) manning the Maginot line, some interesting intel:


4 of the 5(it think 5) remaining German mechanized units. They are in nearly as bad a condition as the French Armor.


This emboldens the English High Command. Because it is believed that Germany cannot launch anything more than local attacks, a forward deployment of BEF assets is authorized, with English armor deployed to the east to counter a likely breakthrough south of Metz(the French formations holding that section of the front are all but beaten, despite priority reinforcement and supply). In addition, English infantry formations now are prominently featured in front line positions. This had been avoided, as the extraction of a viable BEF has been a priority. But the feeling is, for the next two weeks, we can risk it. We are in a position now where we cannot really think more than one turn ahead. One deployment, the English corps East of Paris, is particularly vulnerable. This unit is likely to take a lot of punishment, but delay of the Germans there is vital.



One French fighter wing, down to 6 steps, is disbanded. France now has only one fighter squadron.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/3/2021 12:34:29 PM   
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A broader view of the theater.

We may regret our aggressive deployment. Only time will tell.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/4/2021 1:49:44 PM   
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The question of where the German effort will be is answered with extreme predjudice.

The German onslaught overruns two more French corps, and displaces others.

A decision is made to launch a counter attack vs a German infantry corps, and the hopes are that it will open the flank of the German armored spearhead(the specialist armored unit directly north of the French mountain corps in the image). The German formation resists stubbornly, however, even after being prepped with air attacks(by a bomber group with no fighter cover, which I don't figure out until it's too late).

The result is, the German formation is forced back, but our armor does not have the OP to attack the spearhead. All in all, it's a disastrous attack that will likely delight my opponent.

France receives some battered formations that had previously been shattered. We place them haphazardly in the path of the German advance, but they will be little more than speed bumps.

I'm unsure about how many VP Germany needs to conquer to knock out France, but I don't think the two cities south of this advance will be enough.

On the one hand, after the opening turns, I'm happy France is alive at all at this point(Aug 3, 1940).

On the other hand, I'm sure that I am consistently making large errors.

Is it possible that France could hold into September? That would seem fantastic to me. But perhaps that's not even considered good by 'real' players. I suppose it's not really material here in any case.

The RN sees a German Uboat fleet at Brunsbuttel. We have carriers and send them on a port strike(the first time I have ever attempted this in any type of game-but England is absolutely desperate for any relief in the one sided BOA). We manage two step hits while losing 3-4 air steps. I have no idea if this is good. But in truth, I will take it. Any success vs the uboats is needed.

Far to the East, the Russians are now receiving one anti-tank Rifle Corps/turn. It seems like a lot, but of course, we all know what fate awaits these paper formations. Some out of the box strategies are being considered.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/6/2021 7:29:01 AM   
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Well...it was quite the turn.

First-Sea Lion.

I left Liverpool, a level 9 port, unprotected. I didn't realize that with the abandoned ports(didn't I think I was so smart when I pulled out of there?) of Calais and Dunkirk, the western coast of England became instantly vulnerable. And I got exactly what I deserved.

The smart move here, combined with what happens in France this turn(much more on that later), is to withdraw the BEF, seal off the German incursion into the mainland, and prepare England for the dark year of 1941. I know this. This has essentially been the plan all along.(well, not the allowing Sea Lion part, but the keeping England as strong as possible part through the brutal year of 1941)

But for some reason, my reptilian brain won't accept it.

Reason one is this: I'm pretty sure it's a full German corps. That's bad. But if you look at the German ports in N France, the only reinforcements coming are a division and possibly an HQ. That's odd. If this was a true Sea Lion, wouldn't Germany be sending as many heavy formations as possible? Is it possible that this invasion is merely a distraction to help with the massive effort Germany made in France this turn? Part of me thinks so. On the other hand, Nirosi is a veteran Allied player, and he knows that this incursion kicks US production up a notch. Would he do that?

Reason two for not immediately withdrawing is, the French army is on the verge of collapse. If I withdraw the BEF, France will fall immediately. This opens more ports for Sea Lion. As well as air bases, Uboat bases, and means the loss of the French Navy. All that is going to happen of course. But if we can put it off even one more turn, it might allow us to seal the breach in England.

Reason three is, I actually have forces available without withdrawing the BEF proper. A mech unit destined for the Middle East had been stationed in France as an emergency reserve. It is immediately recalled. Also, a full corps had been sent to Gibralter to reinforce N Africa. It too is immediately recalled. Finally, a fleet and a 20 strength corps was set to invade Narvik this turn(meant to mention that in this AAR but somehow neglected it), and it too is recalled. In addition, a carrier group from Scapa Flow, the carrier that attacked the sub pens last turn, and 5 battle ships immediately take up station off the coast of Liverpool to try and choke out the German formation. One carrier group immediately launches air strikes.

Next turn, and how Nirosi proceeds form here, will be very interesting.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/6/2021 7:38:26 AM   
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Sea Lion is accompanied by the largest German effort on the mainland since the opening of hostilities. German forces push past the Somme E of Rouen, easily shoving aside the entrenched French formations there.

At the same time, the German hammer falls most heavily N of Vichy, on the French formations there that I have done such a poor job of maintaining. They push the French units aside like so much chaffe, overrunning some, displacing the rest.

Truly, the game is very nearly up. But doctrine thus far, in keeping with the construction of allied Armor, has been to counter attack. And two German armor formations that achieved the breakthroughs are vulnerable. In the north, it is British infantry units, largely unscathed, with a bit of help from the French, that hit the German III Pz Corps from three sides, shattering it and sealing off the leading German infantry.

In the south, it is again the three Allied armor corps that isolate the German XVI Pz Corps there, shattering it as well. The English VIII armor, which was attrited during the German attack and further worn down during the counter offensive, is now pulled out and retreats west, along with a badly mauled English fighter squadron. They will be pulled off the mainland next turn. The WDF armor must remain on the front. It is basically the only viable formation East of Paris at this point.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/6/2021 7:43:49 AM   
boldairade

 

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A broader look at the Western Front.

If you contrast it with the image just two turns ago, where a clean front running from the ocean all the way to the Swiss border existed with relative troop parity, it's quite a contrast.




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RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) - 11/6/2021 4:40:49 PM   
boldairade

 

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The Battle of France continues to rage.

NE of Vichy, entire army groups, reduced in strength and ground down prior to this turn, are simply swept aside by the Wehrmacht. At the same time, German infantry takes a straight line for Paris, smashing back the static defenses there and making contact with the cut off Saar Guard formation.

Things are simply disintegrating.

The BEF, however, does its best 'Stiff Upper Lip". In combination with the ragged French Infantry, they attack the Saar Guard north of Paris and manage to shatter it. This leaves some English infantry exposed. But it cannot be helped. NE of Vichy, the Germans have again been very aggressive. After sweeping aside multiple French formations, they focus on the the British armor there, launching multiple attacks. The WDF stands tall, however, and refuses to retreat. This allows for a counter vs the XX Motorized German formation. The WDF, along with French Mountain corps et all manage to overrun this formation, a major victory. It's bitter sweet however. The WDF is then ordered to abandon their brothers in arms, as they top off with petrol and withdraw to the west, heading for the French coast. They are dangerously weakened, and have fought well. Still, it's a bitter pill to swallow.

The BOA turns sour again, 6 MM go to the bottom. We again forget to retask escorts, and the sailors of the merchant marine pay the price.

The BEF is more or less in full flight. Tattered French formations are arrayed in a makeshift screen to cover their retreat.
The fall of France can't be more than a turn away.






On the Western coast of England, no reinforcement of the German landing is attempted. The best guess of English intel is that it was indeed a feint. Still, multiple strong formations are moving to encircle and engage. Most likely the Germans will pull out.

If the goal was distraction, it succeeded. The invasion of Narvik was cancelled, and forces bound for the Middle East and Egypt were diverted. The bump in US production was significant, however. More on the plan for the Stars and Stripes later on.

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