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

RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (Full Version)

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boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 1:04:53 AM)
April 23, 1943 BOA-It is an all out effort by Nazi Uboats. Five raids by 3 large uboat packs sink 13 MM. Uboats suffer only 5 step hits. Our new escort tech seems to be failing. We are guessing right, and they are hitting well escorted convoys. They are just winning. Norway-Improved weather sees formations recovering effectiveness. No major movements on either side. Germany-US Bomber Command sends all five heavy bomber squadrons into the skies, escorted by upgraded escort fighters. The Germans are waiting. We take immense damage, but despite making sure initial sorties are well escorted and flown by our best squadrons, we do little damage to German interceptors. German flack is also more accurate. Overall, we suffer a staggering 22 air step losses, but even though our bombers start the raids at high readiness, we can only reduce one German city(Dusseldorf). Losses of this magnitude are not sustainable. This does not figure in the huge cost of supply trucks. We may have to wait for tech upgrades. Africa-Germany's vengeance is swift here. They quickly drive back the US II Corps, and that isolates 3rd US Armor. The Axis hits the fresh US formation from 4 directions with III Pz, IV Pz, LXVIII Corps, and the new Italian armor corps, Scipio Armored. The US formation is fresh and game, however. It takes three attacks to drive back 3rd Armored, and the Axis suffer losses. This allows us to launch an attack this turn involving an infantry corps and eventually all 4 of our operational armored corps. Our attack drives back III Pz and Scipio Armor Corps. We end up essentially where we were before we launched our initial offensive. It is a functional draw, but Allied Command counts that as a win. Anything that occupies Axis formations right now is worthwhile. [image]local://upfiles/15177/0CA02B4EACF140F5836951B6A6D9F34C.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 1:21:29 AM)
April 23, 1943 Greece/Olympus Allied planners expected Axis forces here to adopt a defensive posture to take advantage of rough terrain if Allied units could take Athens. This is NOT what happens. The Axis forces railed into this theater are powerful and built for offensive maneuvers. A panzer grenadier corps, armor corps, and alpine corps have arrived on the front. Seeing that the worn down US VII Corps is holding Athens, the Axis attack. Air strikes soften up US defenses, and then the 7th Pz Grenadiers, supported by 32nd Coastal division and Italian tac bombers go over to the offensive. Two attacks, however, are stopped cold by Allied bombers and especially the Allied fleet. Allied planners are sure that next turn, we will see more powerful Axis forces contesting Athens. XIX Pz Corps will likely attack with support for 7th Pz Grenadiers and 2nd Italian Alpine Corps. The Allies do everything they can to prepare a defense of the key port city. Worn down naval units are rotated out, but relatively fresh BB and CA are moved in to support the ground troops. Battered VII Corps is withdrawn, and the elite III Canadian Corps moves up. Additionally, with Axis bombers exhausted and Italian subs withdrawn, the Canadian HQ and General Simmonds land in the south. Finally, another fighter formation lands in Athens itself, UK No 1 Fighter. This is all an immense risk. Should Athens fall, we will be able to neither supply or effectively withdraw the number of formations in Greece. Nirosi knows this. He is likely gambling absolutely everything on driving us out. On the one hand, it is a huge opportunity for him to make a kill. On the other, he may feel a need to eliminate this theater. Right now, Germany is fighting the BOA, the air war over the Reich, Norway, Africa, Greece, and of course the Eastern Front. Nirosi may feel that this is just too much for Germany to handle in the long run, and is going for broke to eliminate Greece. This is precisely why the original Olympus was to be launched only AFTER Germany launched its spring offensive in the East-so that top German formations could not react. [image]local://upfiles/15177/53001B9AD0A241D891FF908B9FB3853B.jpg[/image] A mild positive: A fresh US heavy bomber arrived in Rhodes last turn and this turn hammers Axis oil fields in Ploesti, doing significant damage.

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 1:32:32 AM)
April 23, 1943 East Front North-Little to report here. German formations remain in garrison mode. Repairs continue on Russian surface vessels and subs. Center-There are certainly some powerful Axis formations on this front, but there does not seem to be enough of them to really sustain a large scale push. They could likely make a broad push, but it seems unlikely they could penetrate deeply and quickly, as they lack the formations to guard the flanks of that type of operation. South-Here, the Germans have concentrated considerable attack power deep in the salient near Dnepropetrovsk, and also near Kiev. We wondered if German forces would show up here or in Greece. Unfortunately, the answer is both. Weather here is clear but cold. Likely the Axis forces are waiting for perfect weather before launching their attacks here. That makes Stavka believe their goals are likely fairly modest-perhaps to seize Rostov? Additionally, Stavka believes the Axis forces will move fairly cautiously to protect their forces, likely smashing forward with their powerful Pz groups, then covering them up with infantry in a slow, methodical advance, as opposed to a deep encirclement. [image]local://upfiles/15177/555782E5455D4A388180D7976DFD6716.jpg[/image] In a stroke of good fortune, Russia achieves 44 heavy armor tech this turn. Upgrade budget is increased, and several formations are earmarked for upgrades.

John B. -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 12:57:48 PM)
I am way too involved in this AAR. :) Way to go on Athens and in hammering Ploesti. Don't get down about US bombers in Germany. 1943 is the year of the Schweinfurt and Regensburg disasters.

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 1:14:02 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: John B. I am way too involved in this AAR. :) Way to go on Athens and in hammering Ploesti. Don't get down about US bombers in Germany. 1943 is the year of the Schweinfurt and Regensburg disasters. I'm very glad anyone is reading it! Never wrote one before. I literally was laying in bed last night thinking how bad it will be if Athens falls, which is pretty silly. That said, i'm at a very weird place in my life where i have a lot of time, which is pretty unusual. I'm glad i have this to occupy my thoughts sometimes. It's a great diversion.

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 1:18:27 PM)
As concerning as Africa, Greece and the Eastern Front are, it is the BOA that is most troublesome. Despite ruinous expenditures on MM, escorts, and tech as well as good luck guessing where the Axis subs are headed, we are still losing this battle, and losing badly. Every shipyard in the US, Canada, and the UK is kept at capacity at all times, yet we are losing ground. Last turn, Russian production was diverted to MM, meaning they had to skip one turn of producing armies. It is a large sacrifice. But without MM, there will be no aid. Without aid, defeat is all but assured. [image]local://upfiles/15177/71AC3D2F03864152834EA6FF438BC511.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 1:25:45 PM)
A Panzer IV burns in Africa. Attrition is the name of the game for the Allies. But will that doctrine prevail? [image]local://upfiles/15177/378ED7D89CAE4CB2B7B142B02FCDEDEC.jpg[/image]

ncc1701e -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 2:04:14 PM)
I am reading your AAR, both you and Nirosi are doing a great summary of the operations. Attrition is never good at the end for the Axis.

michaelCLARADY -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 4:58:09 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: boldairade quote: ORIGINAL: michaelCLARADY April' 43..... What does Vichy North Africa look like? Who is in control there? If you read earlier in the AAR you'll see I launched an ill conceived invasion of NW africa in 1941. It left N africa firmly in axis hands with the vichy formations untouched and allied with the Axis. [image]local://upfiles/15177/0FE05E152999428AA31A6A786CEF958D.jpg[/image] Thanks for the response!

John B. -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/17/2022 8:35:00 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: boldairade quote: ORIGINAL: John B. I am way too involved in this AAR. :) Way to go on Athens and in hammering Ploesti. Don't get down about US bombers in Germany. 1943 is the year of the Schweinfurt and Regensburg disasters. I'm very glad anyone is reading it! Never wrote one before. I literally was laying in bed last night thinking how bad it will be if Athens falls, which is pretty silly. That said, i'm at a very weird place in my life where i have a lot of time, which is pretty unusual. I'm glad i have this to occupy my thoughts sometimes. It's a great diversion. I hear you on the idea of laying up at night wondering what will happen in a game you're playing. The only thing that seems out of whack in this game is the fact that the Axis navies seem to have developed stealth technology. There may be a simple explanation but I have no idea what that is. Good luck to the Canadians! Hold that line!!!

MagicMissile -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/18/2022 2:26:27 AM)
Great AAR! Thanks for the effort. This AAR as well as Nirosis makes me want to play more WP [:)]. This game is like a drug I try to move on to other games having played this one quite a bit but it is hard to ween off this one. /MM

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/18/2022 4:42:02 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MagicMissile Great AAR! Thanks for the effort. This AAR as well as Nirosis makes me want to play more WP [:)]. This game is like a drug I try to move on to other games having played this one quite a bit but it is hard to ween off this one. /MM thank you! i remember reading your aars when i first got the game. they really helped me get going/interested.

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/18/2022 4:54:44 AM)
May 7, 1943 BOA-11 MM and 1 escort go down this turn. Uboats take 4 hits. I believe next turn we will fall under the threshold necessary to carry all shipping. I am considering stopping aid to Russia to conserve MM, but I am not 100% sure on the mechanics of this. Norway-Our infantry are gaining effectiveness, but VIII Armor seems to be failing to do so. This is putting a large crimp in our plans to pressure the Germans here. [image]local://upfiles/15177/3B74159FAE88449B876ADB65F8CBFC23.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/18/2022 5:12:50 AM)
May 7, 1943 US Strategic Bombing-In an effort to wear down Luftwaffe interceptor squadrons, the best US bomber formations are sent to hit Dusseldorf, which is in range of our escort fighters. We draw I and IX Jagdcorps into furballs, and they do take losses while our escorts do fairly well. Bomber losses, however, are still high. With the German interceptors spent, we then send our other bomber formations to hit the German refineries, which do not have AA guns. Since they are under strength and worn down, our bombers do not hit hard, but we suffer no step losses. Ploesti is again hit hard and effectively by US bomber formations flying from Rhodes. Africa-With our fighters worn down, the Axis squadrons pound our ground formations here. LXVIII Corps is holding the southern position of the Axis line here, where we have been consistently attacking. Our formations are battered, but so are the Axis formations. We have no air assets, but we can bring 2 armor Corps(US 1st Armor and WDF) to bare. It takes 4 costly assaults, but we force the Germans back. We occupy the hex with US 2nd Armor, which hits home two more times on LXVIII Corps and overruns it. We aren't in the best of positions now. If we can manage to not lose any formations to a counterstroke next turn, however, we may be able to start to simply overwhelm the Axis line here with numbers. [image]local://upfiles/15177/65A5046C0E474FA99A3D78709EDF0EF9.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/18/2022 5:28:47 AM)
May 7, 1943 Greece-The expected counter strokes do not occur here. Our relief is short lived. Examination of Axis movement hints at a huge effort here next turn for them. The Italian fleet rebased to Malta, putting them in striking range of Athens. XIX Pz Corps and the 2nd Italian Alpine Corps move into attack position north of Athens. We hit these formations with tac bombers. Allied intelligence believes that the Axis will use a combination of frontal assaults on Athens and a naval strike vs our worn down ships to try and break the dead lock here. We counter as best we can, rotating out worn down ships and moving in better rested ones. Additionally, Canadian III Corps digs in around Athens and switches to garrison mode. The more we examine this situation, the worse it looks. We cannot constantly keep our fleet adjacent to Athens. But if we remove it, Axis forces will likely be able to overrun this city, which is the key to holding Greece. [image]local://upfiles/15177/0E57D3C0EECB473AAD831551881B66DA.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/18/2022 5:41:32 AM)
May 7, 1943 East Front Stavka detects no movement here. All along the front, we are seeing rising combat values on German units, as the winter weather dissipates. It is also possible some units are getting tech upgrades. This is concerning. We thought that the lack of units would prohibit a large scale offensive, but perhaps with it qualitative advantage, Germany will be able to carry out major ops without concentrating forces. The weather across the front is sunny and clear. Is Germany not attacking because they are using the good weather to top off effectiveness? Or has Olympus in Greece caused Germany to divert troops it was going to use for an attack in the East? There is another possibility, as well. Is it possible Germany has no more real ambition in the East? The Axis is well ahead in victory points. Could Nirosi be considering a defensive posture on the East Front, while aggressively defending every other theater? This seems unconventional and far fetched, given his superiority of forces in the East. If this is the case, however, Allied grand strategy has been completely backward in its thinking.

MagicMissile -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 7:27:05 AM)
Thank you they were ok and fun to make but nothing compared to yours and Nirosis [:)]. /MM

MagicMissile -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 7:29:55 AM)
I dont know but if I was axis I would probably be content to just defend in the east and counterattack any weaknesses possibly Nirosi thinks the same. /MM

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 7:51:54 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MagicMissile I dont know but if I was axis I would probably be content to just defend in the east and counterattack any weaknesses possibly Nirosi thinks the same. /MM read on-it appears you are correct

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 8:04:46 AM)
May 21, 1943 BOA-Only one raid in the Arctic, sinking 3 MM, one step hit on the subs. This is a significant turn, however. For the first time in the game, the Allies do not have enough merchants to carry all supplies. Right now, the shortfall is small(119/116), but as it grows, there will be progressively more problems. US Bomber Command-Raids on German refineries draw the German interceptors into the skies. We take losses, but the German fighters lose even more. Germany shows 24 air step losses on the combat logs. After exhausting the Jagdkorps, we hit additional refineries and launch light raids deep into Germany vs undefended Linz. Wear and tear on US formations is high, but another heavy bomber is currently shipping over from the USA. Ploesti is hit with three raids from the Med bases, with mediocre results. Africa-More air strikes vs our ground troops. For some reason, even though it is in port with 9 supply, my interceptor squadron is losing effectiveness even when idle. The Germans then drive back US 2nd Armor and the WDF. This leaves III Pz exposed, and we counter attack with 1st Armor and the Anzac Infantry. Inexplicably, I continuously send 1st Armor to attack III Pz, even when my formation is ground down, and there are multiple other fresh formations available. The result, as you see, is we fail to displace the Germans, and 1st Armor is very vulnerable to overrun next turn. I realize that I am trying to do this turn when I have 90 minutes of sleep in the last 48 hours, so further decisions are put off until the next day. But the damage is done. A golden opportunity to overrun a German Pz Corps is wasted, and we expose ourselves to the same fate. [image]local://upfiles/15177/99CC34B2593D436894AD1F521A767998.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 8:14:31 AM)
May 21, 1943 Greece/Olympus-There was great trepidation amongst Allied planners this month(read: I did not even want to open this turn file for fear of what it might hold). However, much like real war, Warplan often hinges on the smallest things. As noted last turn, the Allies anticipated a massive counterstroke vs Athens and the naval forces supporting it. Because we believed the Regia Marina would send all its power into the Eastern Med, we sent one lone transport sneaking up the eastern coast of Spain, attempting to get in range of an open port we noticed in Sardinia. We have long coveted this island as a base from which to threaten southern France, Italy, and N Africa. Nirosi, of course, does not miss this trick(though I had hoped he would). He misinterprets the fleet, however. Apparently fearing a much larger scale op, he sorties the Italian fleet west, positioning it to ward off any landing in France. This allows us to sneak the US Marines into the port of Olbia on the northern coast of Sardinia. Likely they will be driven out. But it may occupy the Italian fleet. If they do not work to cut us off, heavier US formations have shipped into Gibraltar, and will be moved to occupy the port next turn. [image]local://upfiles/15177/6D4AC93B0FFF478DAD2318485BF2F167.jpg[/image] In Greece, very little changes. Axis air formations, which had been a serious impediment to free movement of Allied supply and surface ships, are withdrawn to face the 'threat' in the Western Med. With a slight relenting of pressure, Allied navies are put in port to recover readiness, though a powerful surface group still covers Athens. Oddly, the Canadians in Athens have not dug in in three turns. If the Axis forces are content to simply bottle up Allied forces in Greece, we may have to rethink our stance here. We are still not sure, however, that that is the case. Still, alternative ops are being considered.

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 8:43:58 AM)
May 21, 1943 East Front Axis combat values are no longer climbing. They have seemingly recovered from the winter. For the second straight turn, the weather is warm and clear. Yet the Axis forces do not lift a finger. The earlier supposition-that the Axis will NOT conduct a Spring offensive in the East seemed preposterous. Yet, every turn, it seems more likely. This is both good and bad. There was considerable doubt amongst the Allies of the ability of Russia to withstand another push. At the very least, Germany could have had its pick of targets that would have economically hurt Russia very badly. Additionally, taking Leningrad would eliminate the Baltic Fleet, freeing German surface units to raid the Atlantic at will. If none of this comes to pass, Russia could truly be a powerful force to be reckoned with in 1944 and 1945(which, I am starting to think, are real possibilities in this game-exciting, since I have never even played into 1943). That said, if this is the Axis plan, Allied grand strategy has been 100% wrong. Literally everything we have done-from opening the Norway theater, our ultra aggressive attacks in Africa, the costly strategic bombing campaign in Germany, to the immensely costly Olympus operation in Greece-all of it has been to try and keep Germany from concentrating on Russia. It seems now possible, perhaps even probable, that none of this was necessary. Instead, a more long term strategy should have been considered. It cannot be changed now. In Russia, upgrades to heavy armor continue at a very good pace. Additionally, the Red Air Force is also getting replacements in her run down formations. The Baltic Fleet continues to be repaired after its disastrous spring losses. K-12 Sub formations are withdrawn from the Baltic after the arrival of a fliegerkorps in Finland. If survival is no longer the mission of the Red Army, then a doctrinal change must be considered. Rather than an impediment, built to attrit and slow down German formations, the Red Army will have to be forged into a far different beast. One capable of taking the fight TO the German. It is not an unattractive idea.

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 8:53:08 AM)
Tens of thousands of tons of ordinance are being dropped on the Fatherland. Yet every turn, flack concentration grows heavier. [image]local://upfiles/15177/21C9FFBBF75549AEB1356583416C5B73.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 8:55:00 AM)
In the planning rooms the bombing campaign is about numbers, theories and long term consequences. For the crews of the Flying Fortresses, however, it is a much different beast. [image]local://upfiles/15177/01A2791CE2DE42C0B610822B2250CEA7.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 8:57:29 AM)
US Marines secure the port of Olbia on the northern coast of Sardinia. [image]local://upfiles/15177/8DDC19F374424009804BA38F06FACB52.jpg[/image]

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 9:02:05 AM)
A Panther dug in near Smolensk. Are German offensive operations in the East truly finished? [image]local://upfiles/15177/DFF70B545F404190AED23CEDC7A2A66E.jpg[/image]

aoffen -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 9:56:16 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: boldairade That said, if this is the Axis plan, Allied grand strategy has been 100% wrong. Literally everything we have done-from opening the Norway theater, our ultra aggressive attacks in Africa, the costly strategic bombing campaign in Germany, to the immensely costly Olympus operation in Greece-all of it has been to try and keep Germany from concentrating on Russia. It seems now possible, perhaps even probable, that none of this was necessary. Instead, a more long term strategy should have been considered. It may be that all those actions have been the cause of the Germans going defensive. In which case it was a master strategy not a mistaken one.

ncc1701e -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 11:06:13 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: aoffen quote: ORIGINAL: boldairade That said, if this is the Axis plan, Allied grand strategy has been 100% wrong. Literally everything we have done-from opening the Norway theater, our ultra aggressive attacks in Africa, the costly strategic bombing campaign in Germany, to the immensely costly Olympus operation in Greece-all of it has been to try and keep Germany from concentrating on Russia. It seems now possible, perhaps even probable, that none of this was necessary. Instead, a more long term strategy should have been considered. It may be that all those actions have been the cause of the Germans going defensive. In which case it was a master strategy not a mistaken one. +1

boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 11:45:54 AM)
Perhaps. I am greatly l looking forward to Nirosi�s AAR when this is all over so I can see how it looked from the other side!

John B. -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (1/19/2022 12:21:01 PM)
Oh those Marines are really out on a limb in Sardinia. If you can hold it, however, you basically have Italy flanked on two sides with air cover for invasions all over the Peninsula. When you get a chance, would you mind posting the current losses? Thanks!

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