Eastern Front 1940-Europe Aflame

[Karri]

Short summary of what has happened so far(I am playing Axis):
I invaded Poland(Belgium declared war to me over this...I think), and conquered it, then moved against Denmark and Norway, and after some difficulties took them. Then I moved all forces I could get to the low countries border and declared war to them, this was all in 1939. The panzers rolled forwards and reached belgian/french border before the sitzkrieg happened.

In the meantime my enemy had declared war to Finland, and was struggling to gain any ground...my brave finnish guerillas launched a counterattack in East Karelia, and managed to cut the Murmansk railroad in several spots. Also one guerrilla unit made it all the way to Murmansk.

After the Sitzkrieg was over I resumed my offensive and drove all the way to Paris, then gave Franco france's North Africa, then cleared the rest of France.

I then moved my units against SU, this was still in 1940. And once I think I had enough units there, I declared war and the tanks began rolling eastwards. Well, except that I was in such a hurry that I hadn't had time to bring my tank units there. The reason why I moved all those forces this early, was because SU was having real troubles with Finland.

Well, the opening weeks of Barbarossa went fairly well; my units went forwards with good speed. Then I got stuck eliminating the pockets, which slowed down all my infantry units. In the north however, I had just captured Leningrad and Murmansk, which means that the allies suffered a supply loss and that the hairy swedes would join the fight on my side.

Now, well it's turn 69 and the momentum of attack has been consumed and my units are struggling to move forwards. I wrote this because I think this scenario represents the eastern front quite well.
My rumanian units in Crimea and the soviet units are attacking and counter-attacking, and I just managed to isolate Sevastopol.
My units in Leningrad are eliminating a large pocket, and down from there all the way to Orel I am setting up a defensive line. Down from Orel to Stalino I have a very weak line that consists of some weak rumanian/hungarian units and divided german units. Then there is a pocket around Stalino that I am trying to eliminate.

I am trying to move into Orel, and then form a line that I can hold...all my units are completely exhausted, quite many being in 1% supply.

Now, there is only one big problem: I have no units(except the "Atlantic wall" I just go) defending the whole Western Europe.

Thanks for the great scenario. :)

[Tiberius]

Sounds similar to my game against Mantis in terms of the Barbarossa. France fell quite early in 40 and I was able to get started in Russia in May or something like that. Drove forward for a while feeling pretty good surrounding units etc. but finally ground to a halt well in front of Moscow and Stalingrad.

My game differs too in that rather than doing well, Finland was conquered by a dastardly surprise sea invasion right when the exclusion zone was lifted at the start of Barbarossa, so I am well short of Leningrad too.

I kept the Vichy French, but wore them down invading Gibralter with the Battle of Britain bonus. :devious: :nuts: Surprisingly Gibralter acutually fell to the Vichys rather than to the large armada of German mountain corps that were waiting to invade the 'softned up' fortress. I have Malta too so the Western Med is sealed off.

North Africa has been back and forth as I pull units in and out depending on the situation in Russia. Real nice historical feel of ebb and flow there.

Right now I am trying to gut out the winter of 40-41 hoping to be able to resume the attack in the spring. Wish I had those Finns now. :cry:

Yes. Awesome game. Thank you Mark.

p.s. as winter nears prepare for a flood of Russian partisans! If you don't have a decent reserve in Russia your rear area may get screwed. :crosseye: Easy boys! DOn't take that literally!