We wrapped up the game on Saturday - another nail biter that ended on the last turn: Summer 1945. We are really happy now that two games in a row have gone all the way to the last turn of the game to determine a winner.
The last 8-9 turns were a roller-coaster. The Germans invested HEAVILY on the Eastern front - they took Stalingrad and drove East of the Volga - even threatening Astrakhan and even getting recon units within site of the Urals (with paratroopers actually getting to the Urals). In the South, the Crimea changed hands a few times, with the Russians retaking it in Autumn 1943 only to lose it to the Germans in early 44 - but finally retaking it again in Spring 1945. The Soviets did not take Stalingrad back until Summer 1944, when a massive pincer action launched from Rostov and Tula threatened to encircle the entire German Army Group South. Despite the significant territorial gains the Germans made in Russia in late 1943, the Russians were able to rally once German reinforcements began to get redirected to the West. By the end of the game, the Soviets had taken out Romania, Hungary, Warsaw and advanced within sight of Berlin.
In the West, the Allies expanded their beachhead in Normandy and took Paris in Spring 1944 - pushing the Germans out of most of France by the end of 1944. The Americans, under Patton, invaded Naples and Southern Italy in the Winter of 1943, and advanced rapidly on Rome in the Spring of 1944. Patton was repulsed by tough German and Italian resistance in the Summer of 1944, but finally took Rome in the Autumn. In the Winter, a combined offensive by Bradley out of Southern France and Patton from Rome cleared the rest of Northern Italy.
Spring 1945 had the German defending the Alps in the South, Alsace-Lorraine, Belgium and Holland in the West, and a line running from Warsaw down to Budapest in the East. Norway was still in Axis hands. Patton blasted through the Alps in the spring and took Bavaria. Montgomery took Alsace-Lorraine and the Russians took Warsaw - Things looked grim for the Axis. . .collapsing everywhere. At the end of Spring 1945, they held Oslo(1), Berlin(3), the Ruhr(1), Warsaw (1) and Budapest(1) - for 7 victory points. They could lose only two VPs and still win the game. Massive Soviet armies were bearing down on Warsaw and Budapest, a huge American Army under Patton was driving North out of Bavaria, and a third British army had taken Flanders and Holland and was poised to strike into Germany from the West. . .the situation looked hopeless. . .
But, a German miracle took place (Allied overconfidence contributed to the miracle). While the Soviets took Warsaw and Budapest, Patton was attacked and forced to retreat back into Bavaria. An Allied invasion of Norway failed and the British failed in their mech attack of the Ruhr. The Germans won the game by the narrowest of margins - holding 5 VPs (Berlin, Ruhr and Oslo).
It was a great game and we are all looking forward now for the next one!
Sorry no pics! Next time