Well. . .Yoper. . .I owe you $20
The Allies defeated the Axis in Spring 1944 in taking both Rome and Paris - as well as pushing the Axis back into Poland and East Prussia on the Russian Front. . .
The game started well for the Axis - defeating France in Spring 1940 and even staging a successful invasion of the UK in Summer 1940 and occupying London for a couple turns before being forced to withdraw.
The u-boat offensive also started very succesful, doing a lot of damage to the British and not losing any u-boats at all for the first 4-5 turns.
Things began to slip for the Axis in late 1941.
Brian had an extremely well planned and executed strategy for Russia, in which he was able to blunt Joe's Barbarossa - especially in the South. While Joe was able to make good gains, it costs the Germans a lot of production to push into the Soviet Union.
The Allies were able to launch an early Operation Torch in Winter 1941- that, combined with very successful efforts on the part of the Royal Navy in putting the Afrika Korps out of supply for a couple turns, really turned the tied in North Africa - eventually driving the Axis effectively out of North Africa by Summer 1942.
From Summer 1942 on, it was downhill for the Axis. Joe was forced over to the defensive on the Russian front - though he did manage to take Stalingrad, Maikop, and the Crimea in late 42 - the Germans were effectively stalled in the center and North.
The Russians were able to launch a successful invasion of Finland in 1942 and then drove into Norway - knocking the Germans out of Norway in 1943, when a Soviet parachute corps dropped into Oslo in combined with attacks by multiple mountain divisions.
The Allies invaded Sicily in Spring 1943 and drove into Southern Italy in the Summer. Kesselring managed to hold them for a couple turns at Naples - but they broke through and took Rome in Spring 1944 combined with an amphibious and para assault.
The Allies invaded Brittany in Winter 1943 and easily broke out to take Paris in Spring 1944 - ending the game on victory points.
