Aussie Battler
13 Oct 02, 21:13
Now up to turn 168. As far as I can tell the axis strategy has been to strike out at Gibralta and Cairo. The east front has been very quiet and also quiet in Turkey.
I think I wrote that axis invaded Turkey seeking to circumvent east front and strike south flank of USSR. I countered this strategy with DOW by USSR once Ankarra was occupied. Then railed substantial reserves to set up defence line in mountains and hills of eastern Turkey. Ever since this front has been stagnant apart from couple of attempts by myself to force axis to defend front. If axis strips forces from front then I will attack and force defenders back to cover every hex.
once this route was blocked the axis panzers moved south through palestine and to attack eastern flank of Egypt. Also substantial german forces moved into Libya to attack west flank of Egypt.
I countered the axis attack on Suez canal by moving mobile Soviet units across the Iraq desert and threaten rail line south through palestine. Axis forced to move forces from Suez canal to bolster communications south from Turkey. Eventually the axis made serious effort to drive Russians back across desert. I had no intention of trying to stop that move and pulled back to Turkey. The axis followed. Again a successful piece of delaying.
Have now lost Port Said and couple of hexes of Suez canal. Defending this strategic area very hard. USA entered on turn 74. All US forces to date have moved into Egypt.
Before Germans moved into Libya it was just garrisioned by Italians. I took fight to them and almost got to Torbruk. Then Germans came and I have yielded ground and almost back to El Alemain.
Gibralta been under constant attack for ages. About one turn ago it actually fell. It took with it 2 UK corps and several armoured divisions. Most of RN been mauled in trying to defend Gibralta.
I think turn 172 sees end of axis shock bonus. I am behind about 520 points at present. Loss penaly is allied -40 against axis 0. looking forward to seeing end of shock bonus.
To help save UK bacon in Egypt have been doing as much as I can with USSR to tie down axis forces. Substantial axis forces tied sown in Turkey. Now creating problems for axis in north Finland.
Also in first major allied success, axis suffered major defeat in Baghdad. When the axis forces pushed my mobile forces across desert I gave up Baghdad and moved in force into iran. Took about 10 turns to clear Iran. (not complete as still hostile unit in Tehran). Axis defended the rail line from Baghdad to iran. no forces covering north or south of this rail line. So USSR moved two engineer units through mountains north and south of rail line and the tank corps raced across and took Baghdad. Only defended by axis supply unit. Axis forces seem sttretched pretty thin at moment. I think this move has cut off 2 panzer units and a couple of axis infantry corps and a Rumanian corps in Basra. last turn saw another panzer unit leave Suez front to move over to baghdad. I don't think it will be able to achieve much as it has to drive across desert. I have rail line to bring in plenty of infantry to cement my position. One of the encircled panzer units may be able to escape as there is a german engineer unit which may let it cross super river.
Another tactic I started adopting is that the UK bomber forces are now pretty powerful. When axis chased me across Iraqi desert I used UK bombers to blow the bridges across super river behind them. That brought all the axis engineer units to Iraq. Then I moved a bomber unit to UK and started blowing bridges in france. So axis could not win that one. Some engineers have to move from Iraq back to france. so now when bridges blown in iraq they take longer to fix as not so many engineers in iraq to fix them.
I found I could not keep RAF in Gibraltar as axis airpower kept evaporating them. At one stage I only had 2 fighter squadrons and they were in Egypt. There used to be two fightrers in Gibraltar but in end they would only last one turn from arrival before being evaporated. I never sent the fighter squadrons with Battle aircraft as they don't seem to reconstitute. RN had had about 18 BB sunk and most of them seem at Gibraltar.
Good fortune just over horizon for allied. 3rd installment of USA (biggest deployment to date) can only be less than 20 turns away. Winter is 10 and a bit turns away. The axis shock bonus disappears in 4 turns.
Stategy from here on. Hold Baghdad and eliminate pocket if possible. Take Basra to recover supply point. I don't think axis counter attack can take Baghdad back as it will take much more than a lone panzer unit moving from Suez to do job. I have the reserves and they are being railed in to seal Baghdad and will get there far quicker. If can consolidate position in Baghdad then can move north and threaten the rear of axis units facing Turkey.
My strategy is to lengthen the front line. Stretch axis units even tighter. I have the units to spare and axis does not.
So my attacks in north Finland are designed to force axis to deploy more forces up there. I forced axis to move german corp from narvik to defend supply point west of Murmansk. I have it surrounded 3 sides but been unable to take. A lone finnish corps moved north to assist. Easy meat for the armour and it has been surrounded and now out of supply and being kicked around the marshland. More Finnish units and an german unit moving to far north of Finland.
I don't think much defending narvik at moment. USA forces when they arrive may just land there if opportunity still open.
After being kicked around for so long I think axis will soon be on receiving end. Axis units are full strength and in good supply (except near Baghdad). Not going to frontal assault axis positions if at all possible. Pin them down and work around flanks is my aim.
I think I wrote that axis invaded Turkey seeking to circumvent east front and strike south flank of USSR. I countered this strategy with DOW by USSR once Ankarra was occupied. Then railed substantial reserves to set up defence line in mountains and hills of eastern Turkey. Ever since this front has been stagnant apart from couple of attempts by myself to force axis to defend front. If axis strips forces from front then I will attack and force defenders back to cover every hex.
once this route was blocked the axis panzers moved south through palestine and to attack eastern flank of Egypt. Also substantial german forces moved into Libya to attack west flank of Egypt.
I countered the axis attack on Suez canal by moving mobile Soviet units across the Iraq desert and threaten rail line south through palestine. Axis forced to move forces from Suez canal to bolster communications south from Turkey. Eventually the axis made serious effort to drive Russians back across desert. I had no intention of trying to stop that move and pulled back to Turkey. The axis followed. Again a successful piece of delaying.
Have now lost Port Said and couple of hexes of Suez canal. Defending this strategic area very hard. USA entered on turn 74. All US forces to date have moved into Egypt.
Before Germans moved into Libya it was just garrisioned by Italians. I took fight to them and almost got to Torbruk. Then Germans came and I have yielded ground and almost back to El Alemain.
Gibralta been under constant attack for ages. About one turn ago it actually fell. It took with it 2 UK corps and several armoured divisions. Most of RN been mauled in trying to defend Gibralta.
I think turn 172 sees end of axis shock bonus. I am behind about 520 points at present. Loss penaly is allied -40 against axis 0. looking forward to seeing end of shock bonus.
To help save UK bacon in Egypt have been doing as much as I can with USSR to tie down axis forces. Substantial axis forces tied sown in Turkey. Now creating problems for axis in north Finland.
Also in first major allied success, axis suffered major defeat in Baghdad. When the axis forces pushed my mobile forces across desert I gave up Baghdad and moved in force into iran. Took about 10 turns to clear Iran. (not complete as still hostile unit in Tehran). Axis defended the rail line from Baghdad to iran. no forces covering north or south of this rail line. So USSR moved two engineer units through mountains north and south of rail line and the tank corps raced across and took Baghdad. Only defended by axis supply unit. Axis forces seem sttretched pretty thin at moment. I think this move has cut off 2 panzer units and a couple of axis infantry corps and a Rumanian corps in Basra. last turn saw another panzer unit leave Suez front to move over to baghdad. I don't think it will be able to achieve much as it has to drive across desert. I have rail line to bring in plenty of infantry to cement my position. One of the encircled panzer units may be able to escape as there is a german engineer unit which may let it cross super river.
Another tactic I started adopting is that the UK bomber forces are now pretty powerful. When axis chased me across Iraqi desert I used UK bombers to blow the bridges across super river behind them. That brought all the axis engineer units to Iraq. Then I moved a bomber unit to UK and started blowing bridges in france. So axis could not win that one. Some engineers have to move from Iraq back to france. so now when bridges blown in iraq they take longer to fix as not so many engineers in iraq to fix them.
I found I could not keep RAF in Gibraltar as axis airpower kept evaporating them. At one stage I only had 2 fighter squadrons and they were in Egypt. There used to be two fightrers in Gibraltar but in end they would only last one turn from arrival before being evaporated. I never sent the fighter squadrons with Battle aircraft as they don't seem to reconstitute. RN had had about 18 BB sunk and most of them seem at Gibraltar.
Good fortune just over horizon for allied. 3rd installment of USA (biggest deployment to date) can only be less than 20 turns away. Winter is 10 and a bit turns away. The axis shock bonus disappears in 4 turns.
Stategy from here on. Hold Baghdad and eliminate pocket if possible. Take Basra to recover supply point. I don't think axis counter attack can take Baghdad back as it will take much more than a lone panzer unit moving from Suez to do job. I have the reserves and they are being railed in to seal Baghdad and will get there far quicker. If can consolidate position in Baghdad then can move north and threaten the rear of axis units facing Turkey.
My strategy is to lengthen the front line. Stretch axis units even tighter. I have the units to spare and axis does not.
So my attacks in north Finland are designed to force axis to deploy more forces up there. I forced axis to move german corp from narvik to defend supply point west of Murmansk. I have it surrounded 3 sides but been unable to take. A lone finnish corps moved north to assist. Easy meat for the armour and it has been surrounded and now out of supply and being kicked around the marshland. More Finnish units and an german unit moving to far north of Finland.
I don't think much defending narvik at moment. USA forces when they arrive may just land there if opportunity still open.
After being kicked around for so long I think axis will soon be on receiving end. Axis units are full strength and in good supply (except near Baghdad). Not going to frontal assault axis positions if at all possible. Pin them down and work around flanks is my aim.