JohnCon 2014 - After Action PbP

[Mark]

One of the consistently positive theaters for the Axis early in the game was the battle of the Atlantic.  German u-boats continued to inflict significant damage to British shipping and suffered few losses.  The lower production is beginning to be apparent in the reduced number of Allied units on the board - John is having to make tougher choices with his British builds.

Here is a pic of the glorious wolfpack fleet returning to port at St. Nazaire, Lorient, and Bordeux.  In addition to these u-boat groups, another was operating in the South Atlantic off of the German merchant raider and another group was still based out of Bremen. 

I kept one coming out every turn pretty consistently.

[John D.]

Yes - tough decisions when you are building with half of your income... Getting economically choked means careful decision making with precious resources...

[Mark]

End of Turn 9 - Autumn 1941

The Second battle of El Alamein ended in a serious defeat for Rommel and his Afrika Korps.  I do not believe the Axis attack on the British position inflicted any hits on the defending forces, while the British defense was fairly punishing on Rommel's army.  Also suffering from severe supply shortages due to British submarine and surface fleet activity attacking shipping to Tripoli and Benghazi, Rommel is now in headlong retreat back to the Libyan border as the British in Egypt continue to be reinforced. . .

In Northern Europe, the Germans reinforce Reichenau's forces in Norway and manage to isolate the British expeditionary force defending Bergen and Oslo.  German airpower and reinforcements mass around Hamburg and in Denmark.

On the Russian Front, Army Group South liberates most of the Ukraine.  The Crimea is still in Soviet hands, but the Axis forces have taken Rostov and Voronezh. . .In Central and Northern Russia, German reinforcements catch up to the spearheads at the gates of Moscow and Leningrad.  Reconnaissance units and a para-drop manage to isolate Soviet forces around Leningrad and Novgorod - but only temporarily.  Soviet forces begin to build up around Novgorod, Kalinin, and Moscow.

[Darkman]

Where is Messe ?

[Mark]

we forgot to swap out the italian leaders.  I think we remembered in 1942 sometime and replaced them then.  Messe got to see lots of action later in the game -don't worry!   

[Mark]

End of Turn 10 - Winter 1941

Apparently there was perhaps a nervous breakdown with the German leadership in the Winter - or they had their hands full trying to manage the vicious Soviet counter-offensive. . .but, whatever the reason, no pictures were taken during the Winter 1941 turn!  Sorry about that - but I promise this is the only turn I did not document for this game.

But - this is what happened:
On the Russian front, the Soviets placed their end of Autumn builds and counterattacked in the Winter mechanized phase when the German forces were out of supply.  They took back Voronezh in the South and pushed the Germans out of Vyazma in the Center.  It could have been much bloodier, but luckily the Soviets had been pretty depleted over the last couple turns (the encirclement battles of Vilnius and Sumy killed off several Artillery units which helped) and John played it a little more cautious to build up Russian forces rather than squander them in pitched battles.  German forces are thinned out significantly in the center and the Russians have been able to build up their forces between Moscow and Leningrad.

The German reinforced Norway with some additional reinforcements and continued to cut the British expeditionary force out of supply there.  It looks that Reichenau has the resources to launch an assault to dislodge the British in the Spring.

In the Med, Rommel withdraws to Gazala and the British continue to reinforce the 8th Army in Egypt.  Auchinlek cautiously advances to retake Mersa Matruh.  The Royal Navy and submarines continue to pound Axis shipping to North Africa, keeping Rommel's at a shoestring supply and unable to send more reinforcements to Libya without driving our tanks and artillery out of supply.

[John D.]

Wow - good memory - this was a game to remember

[Mark]

End of Turn 11 - Spring 1942

The German Spring 1942 offensive started out very aggressively on the Russian front.  In the South, Manstein drove through Soviet forces under Vatutin that were overextended from their offensive to retake Voronezh in the Winter.  Manstein was able to defeat Vatutin, drive him back over the Volga and seize Stalingrad.  Soviet forces build up in Crimea and around Grozny - expecting a potential German thrust South for the oilfields in the Summer.

In Northern Russia, German forces pivoted from Army Group Center to reinforce Army Group North.  In conjunction with Mannerheim's Finnish forces, the Germans were able to surprise Soviet defenders and take Leningrad!  While Soviet strength continues to build and German forces are a bit stretched, the combined fall of both Leningrad and Stalingrad on the same turn has shaken Soviet morale. . .

In the Med, Rommel continues to fall back and faces an ever growing British Army under the command of Montgomery now.  The Italian fleet sortied to try and defend some of the supply convoys to keep Rommel in supply and got thumped - losing a battleship group and having a cruiser group severely damaged.

In Northern Europe, with Kleist now in command, the Germans launch a combined air-sea-ground assault on the Allied positions around Bergen and drive the remnants of the British defenders back into Oslo.  Could this be the beginning of the end in Norway?

[Mark]

End of Turn 12 - Summer 1942

In North Africa, the British continue to force Rommel back.  Axis shipping continues to be harassed by British surface ships and submarines as the Afrika Korps falls back on Benghazi.  American mechanized and armored formations have reinforced Monty's 8th Army.

In Norway, the British surprise the Germans and take Trondheim as Kleist's forces move in behind them and capture Oslo.  On the non-combat movement phase the British reinforce their Norwegian Army with additional artillery and AA support units.

In Southern Russia, the Germans solidify their gains around Stalingrad and Manstein turns his Panzergruppe South.  The Soviet build up on the opposite bank of the Volga and a large army is formed near Maikop for a counteroffensive.  In Norther Russia, both the Germans and the Soviet pour reinforcements into Smolensk and Vyazma.  German and Finnish units dig in and fortify Leningrad.

[John D.]

Tough to push Rommel back- unless he's out of supply...

[Mark]

End of Turn 13 - Autumn 1942

In Southern Russia, Manstein briefly takes Krasnodar which knocks the Crimea out of supply.  German heavy armor and artillery reinforce Kuchler for an assault on the peninsula.  A large Soviet army under Rokossovsky, however, is building up around Maikop to threaten the German positions stretched out on the Don Steppe.  Hoth's Army continues to hold on to Stalingrad.  In Northern Russia, Army Group Center retakes Vyazma as both sides continue to pour reinforcements into this theater and build up.  Mannerheim continues to fortify the German-Finnish defenses of Leningrad.

In the Med, the ever growing British-American 8th Army under Montgomery has pushed Rommel back to El Aghielia.  The Axis were able to get 10 points of supply through to the beleaguered Afrika Korps - only enough to keep it in supply, but likely without enough forces to stop the advancing Allies.

In Northern Europe, the Battle for Norway continues.  Kleist has been reinforced with additional air support, artillery, and an SS Panzer Group.  The Lufwaffe again cuts the British defending Trondheim out of supply.

[Darkman]

I still think 1  italian leader  would fit into the game .. so you have one in africa , one in russia and one in italy .

[Mark]

Autumn 1942 - Overview of Western Front

High-level view of the Western Front at the end of Autumn.  The Axis are slowly beginning to build their Atlantic Wall defenses.  U-boats are still scoring successes against Allied shipping with most now based in U-boat pens on the Bay of Biscay.  A large Allied fleet is harbored off of Gibraltar.

[Mark]

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.

[John D.]

The failed Vichy landing created quite a delay in Allied plans but surrounding Rommel was a great consolation. Allies needed to control initiative to hammer the trapped Afrika Corps once and for all.

The Russian progress is picking up steam - things are stabilizing but inaction will not win the game. The loss of Leningrad is problematic. It looks like it would be easier to invade Finland to knock them out of the war. Sometimes as the Russians - you have to build forward and worry about enemies behind the lines later