End of Turn 14 - Winter 1942
In Russia, The Axis Winter assault on the Crimea bogged down in the mud and failed to drive the Soviets out of the peninsula. Given the failed offensive and German losses as well as increasing Soviet pressure from Rokossovsky's Caucasus Front, Manstein withdrew Army Group South from its forward positions, abandoning Stalingrad. Hoth is relieved of command for giving up the city and replaced by Busch.
In Northern Russia, a lot of attrition, but the front lines do not move too much. The Finns continue to fortify their Leningrad position and both sides pour more reinforcements into the theater ahead of the Spring thaw.
In North Africa, Montgomery launches a brilliant offensive against Rommel. Attacking the Afrika Korps position around El Agheilia, Monty dropped the British 6th airborne division behind the Axis to block their retreat route to Tripoli. Rommel, overwhelmed by the scale of the British offensive was forced to retreat South of Tripoli into the Libyan desert. British armor then rushed forward along the coastal roads and on to Mareth in Southern Tunisia, cutting Rommel and the remnants of his army out of supply and isolated. A bright spot in the Med for the Axis was a botched Allied invasion of Morocco which was defeated by Vichy units at Casablanca. With the incursion into their 'neutral' territory, the Vichy join the Axis. . .at least for now, though the German high command fears there are secret negotiations going on. . .
In Northern Europe, the Germans had learned their lessons from Winter warfare in Norway from last year and chose to instead wait for the Spring and content themselves with cutting supply off to the Allied units around Trondheim. Despite the supply situation, the allies reinforce their Norwegian Army with an American Corps of 3 infantry units.