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boldairade -> RE: Nirosi vs Boldairade(NO Nirosi for now...) (11/20/2021 11:30:00 AM)
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June 6 1941
Overall, this is a very costly turn for the Allies. That said, much worse was feared.
Most importantly, no landing in England are made. Had this been Nirosi's plan, it would have had its highest chance of success had it been launched this turn. Of course, there's no way he could really know that-Sea Lion isn't something Germany can launch on a whim. But had it been launched this turn, I do not believe we could have stopped it.
In other good news, the Battle of Rabat sees immense heroism. The fleet off the coast of Rabat, which remained to cover the pull out, takes savage damage. The Uboats, themselves damaged, pull out. But the Fleigercorps does not. They launch 6 naval strikes, sinking a English cruiser group, and inflicting heavy damage on BB King George V, CV Ark Royal, and CV Illustrious(but again, she refuses to go down). The losses are appalling, but what remains of the fleet is there as the Germans push aside the screening units and launch an attack vs VIII Armor and the port itself. If they take it, all hope is lost for the remaining units of Paladin. Both sides know this.
The fresh German II Infantry Corps and III Pz Corps launch 5 consecutive assaults' on Rabat and VIII armor, attacking that formation through withering naval gun fire and carrier air strikes. In the end, VIII armor is reduced to almost nothing-but they Hold! VIII Armor lives to fight another day, and is withdrawn to Plymouth. UK I corps drops back into Rabat to try and hold it another turn, and while I am not sure they can hold, I like their chances better than I liked VIII Armor's last turn. They will get a lot less naval support, as many ships are withdrawn(and some sunk). Still, the RN refuses to give up on Rabat's beleaguered defenders.
In other distressing news, the UK intelligence is proved correct in Norway. Germany lands and takes the capital in one fell swoop(stand OP for Nirosi). What the Allies feared most-those Norwegian ports falling into German hands-comes to pass. It would be a great time for the Royal Navy to swoop in, land troops, and punish the German surface fleet supporting the invasion. Unfortunately, Scapa Flow is empty. All the ships of the RN are elsewhere. The return of VIII Armor to England, and the arrival of a fresh corps next turn, however, give England the confidence to release a full corps, and an amphibious landing at Bergen is made, capturing that port.
While most of this is "Bad news that wasn't as bad as we feared", there is some good news for England. At it is very good news.
On the Tobruk front, English intelligence expected a full German corps to occupy that fortress city after the most recent all out failed assault. That does not happen however. Germany does not have those forces available, likely due to supply constraints. Instead, Afrika Corps moves its best remaining formation, XVI Panzer, into Tobruk. It is a reduced formation, but still formidable. Still, without time to entrench, it makes another assault on Tobruk seem possible.
The last of the supply trucks are allocated to another offensive, and the Eastern Med fleet, which also took hits from Axis naval bombers last turn, is ordered to remain on station to support the Second Battle of Tobruk. ANZACS and the South Midland corps spearhead the attack, and despite sickening losses, manage to shatter XVI Panzer! A fresh infantry corps, on the march from Alexandria the last few weeks, moves into Tobruk and is told to hold at all costs. If we can hold the port even one turn, we can turn the supply situation, which has favored the Axis, on its head.
[image]local://upfiles/15177/C9C7459FC97846969D331453DCC9608B.jpg[/image]
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