Colin I

I'm back after Italy trip (sadly drove close to Anzio site but not time to stop). Axis take out Vichy France. Uk take Syria. Skirmish with German sub off North Africa leaves it damaged. UK bomber hits Tobruk.

Well its been a mercifully quiet Winter without the French. Axis knocks over Tunisia, thats about it. Allies lay their plans. I'm afraid I'm away for over a week in Italy, so game resumes after that.

OK - sent by 2 routes.

Liam - I agree. I'm not planning on revealing my strategy this early, but the Allies aren't demoralized. The weather was just perfect for him, mud inhibited and French counterattack then it cleared right on cue for the Axis to storm Paris. Poland and France both surrendered immediately. Basically, I shouldn't panic and wait for an opportunity, its a long game and sooner or later he will catch a bad break. [bTW Hellraiser - waiting for a turn - you got mine? Apologies, I will be away a while soon, so you might not get a quick kill ]

Sigh Weather is near perfect for Axis, turns to mud for me but is clear for him. I expect Paris to fall next turn. Very little I can do at this point other than play it patiently.

Allies brace themselves. Axis are coming in hard and fast. The French nervously cluster around Paris and pray for mud. The Poles do their best.

Allies maybe as I've played a lot of Axis recently. Sorry on TCP/IP. I'm afraid there will be a delay part of September too..... cingham2@mac.com

TCP is harder for me - I can get away with 15 min a day for PBEM but I'm unlikely to be able to find a block to TCP/IP - actually have never played the game this way.

Thanks. I think you played great. I made a few mistakes. One was that I could have used my paratroopers better in some of the US/UK CA. Basically, I could have prevented you getting units away better - in the second fight in France they weren't doing much that was useful in Russia. I also left Spain a bit vulnerable even though it was the obvious target. Your bomber strategy was great (esp in areas like North Africa) but hit problems with weaker ground forces and that the Luftwaffe was so powerful (very experienced, long range) so I had a countermeasure. When you invaded with W. Allies you tended to hit 2 targets, a minor country (eg Norway) and one that lead to a direct fight with the powerful Axis ground forces (Spain, France). Or land at multiple points (US in France, UK in Spain, a nice idea but it needed to be coordinated as the US French were losing by the time the UK forces approached Madrid). I think if you are going to fight the Axis on mainland Europe you either do small raids (like your excellent one on Italy) or go in with everything (including armour). I'm also not sure on timing - you tended to invade late in the year which has the advantage that bad weather may inhibit the Axis response. However, in this game it let me operate West in the Fall, destroy you and be back in Russia for the Spring with only a small delay. Therefore the W. Allies did not save Russia. I'm not sure diplomacy on Turkey was viable. Agreed, you should have blocked Spain. Thanks - it was really good. Now I will take Bombers seriously!!!! Hellraiser - think we are on for final (at last!). Which side? I've played Axis twice, Allies once. If you start send me a turn. I notice you win fast and I'm slow (all games were long)

Agree with Rambo. The French are right, quite big manpower and good armour but with leadership and technology issues that usually prove fatal. the only thing I'd add is variable morale. It seems to me French morale was below average BUT with a high variability. Many units fell apart fast and a few fought amazingly (such as some colonial troops who went up against German armour with nothing). Actually, I'd like to see this as a game feature: there is a random factor in morale for untested units and you don't know the true value until after the first combat. It really worked that way, especially for the shakier armies. BTW there was poor coordination with Belgians too because the French wanted to fight Nazis in Belgium not France! [Actually they also had a plan too silly to mention to intervene in Finland too]. Understandably, the Belgians weren't keen so didn't cooperate much.....

Not "The End" by the Doors?

Konigs is right - we normally play about 2 turns a day with more intense play at weekends sometimes. Anyhow, back to the game. The West is quiet, the UK is evacuating Iberia and salvaging units, albeit damaged ones. His air attacks Italien HQ that is coordinating air defense in the West. In Russia the assault on the Urals starts to gear up. Russians have a bit of success around Archaengel. It is late July, so Russians really have to hang on for the Winter. Meanwhile Turkey continues to drift to Allies - a huge effort from about 74% Axis to slightly less for the Allies.

The Spanish attack by the UK was driven back (just) although they now hold Gibraltar. The Axis air destroy another US bomber forcing a tactical withdrawal by Allied air from the South coast of the UK. Renewed fighting around the Urals with some armoured action.

Axis ground forces power into Spain to rescue Franco - straight through the British army!!! But they are outstripping their air support which was busy refitting and hiting the UK, destroying a US fighter and bomber on the ground. In Russia, Germans clean up a few stray Soviet cities but their L5 armour is stalled at the gates to the Urals whilst the western fight resolves itself (waiting for infantry and air support). Great game! I think I'll just about save or retake Iberia but will probably lose a few units in the mad scramble.

Now Iberia is isolated British land in Portugal. Its a nice strategy though the ferocious German attack in France suggests that Axis forces will break through very soon - one UK army, US paras and other US ground forces destroyed this round. Its clear weather so we can expect Russia and France to reach boiling point. In Russia, limited German offensive aimed at removing HQ support for one of his garrisons.

Reason for the German pause in the East may now be apparent. A winter attack by the Germans around Paris, including all weather air and new L5 armour, hits the US forces. Two US armies killed, two damaged, US HQ threatened. I hope bad weather holds a bit longer (next Allied turn is mud - good - cuts down his ability to respond) before his bombers open up.

Russians defend the Urals with lots of Corps. Some air action over the mud in France. Game on hold whilst I scout the Ardennes (inc. Bastoigne).

In the West winter is coming and whilst there is some air action the D-Day landings will have to wait to Spring 1945 for resolution. there is a large W. Allied army in France and a decent air fleet and lots of strategic bombers in UK. However, in air-to-air combat I'd say the Axis have parity (very experienced) and he has little to match German armour. In Russia its mud but the Axis killing machine goes on. Moscow is retaken by Germans and there is an armour duel at the gates of the Urals. Game is exciting. I'm very happy with Russia - restance is slowing down. If I had to call it I'd say he liberates Paris almost the same time the Russians throw in the towel.

Western allies gather pace - they will have reclaimed the UK by fall 1944 and Eire too. Axis leaves experience Italian airfleets to fend off bombers and deal with raiding ships or corps, along with a Tiger unit and corps. Italians fortify around Paris. Axis Russian offensive continues without pause - Moscow threatened, another step closer to the Urals too, Finland saved and Russian paras run into a Tiger unit with predictable results. It is August, I think by the end of the year the Russians will be holed up in the Urals. Russians appear to have L4 armour but I hope not the MPP to buy too many! Axis air and armour combination is VERY effective.

The Germans finally kick off their 1944 offensive moving L4 armour and L3 infantry to take Kuybyshev under the sheltering wings of the Luftwaffe. Finally nail one of those Russian bombers too. Some skirmishes elsewhere in Russia but this is the main action. Vichy France falls to German ground forces and Italian air despite reinforcement by the British. Germans deperately hold on in Finland though do nail a Russian armoured formation. We are holding our breath to see what the US is up to.

Germans reinforce the Finns and sink a Russian cruiser from the air (it IS cost effective if your airforce is so experience as not to take casualties). A larger army group head towards the Russian main force - lead Stukas take out an armoured formation despite it frantically back pedalling. Broadly, Jesus's love of bombers has forced me to take some defensive action - increase AA and a few air fleets deployed to limit their effectiveness. He uses them very well to isolate areas before he attacks. However, the consequence - less punch on the ground - may be hurting him (esp. the Russians). I've yet to see US armour and the Russians, in my opinion, need 3 or 4 corps more than a bomber right now. I confidently expect all hell to break loose the next couple of turns. :eek:

Winter skirmishes preceding clear weather in 1944. adventurous Soviet tank lost - definite signs of the Russians getting more aggressive now the planes have headed South for the winter. Caucuasus falls to the Germans completely. In Iberia, deadly Luftwaffe open up on British, two corps dead so far.

The winner has to fight hellraiser in the final, first.

The planes in Spain stay mainly on the plain. Its end '43 and Luftwaffe stays in Spain, liking the clear skies and pounding North Africa. Meanwhile Russian bear stirs - signs of a counterattack building - he will retake Moscow but I don't think its going much beyond that. Apart from pounding the last Soviet unit in the Caucausas and a minor naval action, all is quiet until '44. Allies are building their MPP base with Scandanavia but German army and esp. Luftwaffe are formidable.

Tend to think Arado is right. Bastoigne was really the end of things - not enough fuel and an offensive that the German generals thought was foolish. The performance of German armour in the face of allied air superiority and weight of numbers was extraordinary. The British got their ground experience in North Africa - it wasn't appropriate in Normandy. Tank commanders fought with open turrets, fine in the desert where a lot of combat was long range. Disaster in Normandy (bocage) where snipers killed tank commanders. I would add more US and UK armour. Give the Germans an extra HQ and let experience matter a little more both for HQ and armour. Think it could work out fine. You need to simulate the resilience and excellent leadership of the Germans when balancing against Allied resources.