hellraiser

Stalingrad can hold a while but not in this game Following the russian fierce counterattack resulting in the loss of 1 tank, 1 corps, 2 armies (all bought back at discounted price) , Axis capture Stalingrad destroying 2 armour units, 1 paratrooper, 2 armies, 2 corps in the process Kazan rocked detachment finally gave up after being hit by tanks and army - city captured, the gates to Urals are open In the Atlantic, axis navy takes revenge on the destruction of Gneisenau cruiser and destroy a RN BB.

In return, axis navy kill 2 RN BB - balance of forces pretty even in Atlantic, Axis cannot just roam unchecked anymore ... not for long though In Russia, Axis decide to leave the trenches in front of Stalingrad be for this turn and instead focus the attack on the positions south of Rostow, where many more red units could be killed The trenches in front of Stalingrad are a non-issue anyway, they can fall next turn, no problemo...but it was a pitty to miss those red units in the open ... after all, killing is my business and business is good Up north, the rocket defending the last city before Urals is badly hit by 2 armour and 1 army...1 armour was upgraded to HT4 because it most probably could not finish off the pesky rocket inside the town

after the loss of Tirpitz, germans take revenge and sink 1 cruiser and 1 sub (both remaining german cruisers were escorting the battleship as well ) Trying to link up with the norhtern task force, an italian cruiser stumbles upon an american landing boat! Hmmmm... In Russia, germans make contact with the trenches surrounding Stalingrad. Corps put in contact with fortified red armour German refit and upgrade their units for the assault on Stalingrad (IW3,AT3, HT4, Jet 1, LR2). Starting from Gorky, another offensive towards the last city before Urals commences. City defended by a rocket unit. German troops deployed along the russo-iranian border ordered to move forward. Let Colin think a little bit about his defence priorities

Russian move an army inside Rostow and counterattack a german army (left at str 4). Germans attack and capture Rostow, killing the defending army and a rocket nearby. Constant air raids aimed at the italian sub in Brest harbour - italian sub leaves the port and an italian crusier replaces it.

Germans capture Vologda and kill Vatutin HQ. Paratrooper bought back at discounted price (first axis land unit to die this game ;P ) Rostow garrison killed but i couldn't move any unit inside...next turn i will Encircled corps near Voronezh, killed.

Indeed...after killing a badly damaged US BB, axis navy retreats to ports But, italian bomber from Norway attacks the northern uk port and kills a RN carrier Lucky shot as bomber was only supposed to see if something hides over there so the german subs can make the kill... In Russia, nothing can hide from axis long range (2) ... so german air from moscow area hits the city northeast of Moscow, occupies it, killing a tank nearby and badly damaging Vatutin HQ (left at str 3 and encircled). HQ and tank were operated by Colin last turn in that place. A red corps holding the straits near Odessa dies; Voronezh captured (2 armies killed and 1 corps encircled). At Iranian border, some advanced german units head back for the mountains shelter after being subject to airrads.

nice trick with the sub but...in return, axis navy sink the US carrier and an US cruiser Axis capture Odessa, tons of troops operated in Russia from all over the map (was too lazy to operate them until now:P)

As expected, Moscow falls to combined air-land hits; USSR moves the Kremlin to Stalingrad, siberian troops arrive. In the south, german troops encircle Odessa and prepare for the siege. Russians have sacrificed so far some pieces, not a biggie. No one knows for sure what terror lies in the vast steppes beyond Voronezh/Stalingrad... The german 'explorers' will soon find out Naval action near Brest - indeed Bismark lies at the bottom but the retribution is swift and terrible - 1 US BB, 1 RN BB and 1 RN cruiser sunk in return. These waters are mine, baby at least for now The italian bomber in Norway hits a RN BB down to 2. The norwegian adventure was a little bit costly for the RN, especially if we consider also the strength points loss associated with bombarding cities

April 42 German forces approach Moscow and kill a red army nearby, next turn Moscow will most likely fall. Italian bomber in Norway badly damages a carrier (str 1); near Brest, axi navy kill a cruiser which previously assisted a BB in bombarding Brest.

Next turn - clear weather, Smolensk and Kharkow captured. Not much else to report.

red army sitting on a mine near kharkow counterattack a tank down to 4 str points but in return the brave commies die defending the mine Axis refit and upgrade their units and continue buying the rest of the armies. So far, all HQ , tanks, air, corps bought and some armies as well. Huge preparations for the spring offensive. November 41 - the front stretches from the mountains near moscow - Smolensk-kharkow - odessa. German OKW pretty pleased as all the major objectives set for 1941 are met.

yup, Fiume cruiser at the bottom, sunk by 2 US BB and 1 US carrier - some RN units moving towards Atlantic, bad weather sets in - Axis navy decide to call it a day and head back for repairs. In Russia, Leningrad falls to combined naval. air and land attacks. In southern Russia, germans capture a mine and encircle a red army camped on the other mine. The russians just fall back, no serious engagements so far.

back sep 41 Axis capture minsk and kiew; Leningrad encircled, Skandinavia connected. Very high morale for Axis (previous minor capturing) translates in extremely good combat results Countles UK ships bombard norwegian garrisons and fortifications near Kiel - Axis see a little window of opportunity and set sail to Atlantic to begin harassing merchant shipping - surprise! Just off coast of Portugal, a surprise encounter with a US cruiser! Obviously she receives proper treatment Seeing that, Axis admiral orders the navy to spread and search for possible other american vessels nearby - with the bulk of the RN busy north, Axis enjoys a clear superiority in Atlantic - another US cruiser found and sunk and a US BB found but no ships so fast to catch and sink her

I will be away for the weekend; we can resume monday-tuesday

31 August 1941 Germany occupies Sweden; Yugoslavia DOW-ed and annihilated. Army Group North presses towards Leningrad; next turn the encirclement will be completed, unless Colin comits reinforcements in the area (which I doubt). An ill fated sortie by the last red baltic cruiser - she now rests in peace at the bottom - Kriegsmarine ownz da pond USA joins the Allies - they will soon realize they embarked on a hopeless journey

Late August 41 Axis DOW and capture Iran and Portugal. Axis attack Sweden, destroying her AF and damaging the capital garrison. USSR joins the Allies - in response to this, Axis have something prepared as well Riga and Odessa fall, corps near Riga advances towards Leningrad to trigger Finland to join Axis (which happens ) One Baltic red cruiser sunk. USA prepares for war. The GAME has started

July : Axis continue to refit and place troops around the map for the upcoming offensive against Russia. RN is active, hitting the forts guarding Kiel and also hitting cities in Norway. Malta taken by amphib corps from Sicily.

Axis eradicate the allied presence (marauder corps) in Jutland and destroy the british bomber in Malta - the isle itself will be occupied soon. A british cruiser fled Malta harbour westwards only to meet her doom near tunisian coast. Axis buildup towards USSR is accelerating. Both USA and USSR at 67% (june 15)

March 41 Axis liberate Syria, Pro Axis coup in Iraq - Iraq joins Axis Axis air deployed in Sicily - time to get rid of that pesky bomber.

Axis conquer Egypt. RN cruiser damage the italian sub but in return, axis (air and ships) sink the cruiser and a battleship Bulgaria joins Axis. Syria still UK controlled. Not for long though...

December 40 UK forces evacuate Egypt. Afrika Korps reach the outskirts of Cairo, damaging the garriosn. The passage east of Alexandria is blocked by a BB, supported by a cruiser. The italian sub engages the BB. The rest of the map: italian engineer keeps building, Germany buys troops, techs rather normal for this stage.

Last turn of Nov 40 Italian AF moved forward as spotter, notices the bulk of the UK forces retreated back to Cairo. In response, Axis unleash a powerful attack directly on Alexandria, defended by an UK corps (3 german AFs, army, corps) and a german corps capture the city. El Alamein fort was bypassed , but got bombarded and hit afterwards down to 3. I suspected a tougher resistance in Africa and shipped a second german HQ and all german AFs - as it appears now, I wasted some mpps but better be safe than sorry No sign of the RN med task force only a cruiser cowering in Malta harbour Gibraltar effect kicked big time, allied assets aroudn the med in ruins

Nope...the wonders of the waypoint system implemented some time ago

@Liam -> "RN very active in Norway, Denmark" Counting the pieces, I would say the Med soon will be a dangerous place to fish, for the RN Axis capture Gibraltar, soon Axis will claim the deserts of Egypt Italian engineer working on the coasts of Jutland gets hammered by RN...the poor dude flees in terror German sub sneaks past the RN blockade near Norway and hits a carrier down to 4. Sub is hiding in the norwegian port

August 25, 1940 Spain fell; axis troops approaching Gibraltar. Hungary joined. Norway (previously left alone by the Allies - quite a surprise for me - fell to Axis. The control in west Africa is complete, axis will soon drive the British Empire out of Africa and the middle east. With the middle game objective more or less completed - Axis is pretty satisfied ... for now...because the real game starts in 1941 Indeed UK bomber hits now and then the Tobruk port and the Malta effect kicked once. Not that it matters much anyway since the required troops are in position for several turns now, upgrading and sun tanning. But I am in no way in a hurry down there, I got all the time in the world