Month: May 2000 (Page 2 of 3)

S, M, M, M, C, C, C

Axis Player Turn

In Italy a slight pull back occurs to the canal intensive zone south of Anzio. The German commander is confident that with a solid wall of two divisions per hex in Italy any Allied break through is minimal and can be controlled. In Spain all crossing points into France are securely defended. The region looks fairly strong, but will it be strong enough?

Allied Player Turn

In Italy an exploratory attack by US units on the Adriatic coast is called off when no result is seen to be likely (AS) and the Poles and New Zealanders advance cautiously to the new German line making sure their flanks are covered and ATEC available. in Spain, the chagrin of the previous fortnight’s debacle keeps the British to their barracks and instead actions in France are confined to a massive air campaign that targets the transportation network. The MTO and ETO strategic forces join in and around 17 hits are made, cutting off southern France from the rest of the theatre. These hits, along with the ongoing campaign being waged from England and Corsica, are crippling the German ability to move effectively by rail.

S, S, S, M, M, C, C

Axis Player Turn

The area around Barcelona is abandoned and a pull back made to the prepared fortifications along the French border. the Pyrenees high passes are garrisoned and the Germans thumb there noses at the British, daring them to try and take them on. In Italy the Germans remain at the Garigliano, much to the relief of the Allied commander who had visions of some wild dash to Taranto.

Allied Player Turn

In Italy the Polish form up and allow the US units to return to the east coast. Massive airstrikes are launched on the rail lines of Northern Italy, virtually severing it from France and diverting construction units from construction of the Po River defence belt.

At San Sebastian, the Allies feel cocky enough to try and get and early break in the defences. Four stacks of units attack the German stack 32 miles south of the town defending in wooded rough terrain. massive Air support is called out but they are stunned when the German Strategic reserve reacts and enters the battle. Caught by surprise there is insufficient escorts to prevent the Allied bombers and attack craft being torn to shreds by the Luftwaffe. The only saving grace is the fighter versus fighter battles puts a number of German fighters into the abort and killed boxes. The lack of Air support makes the defenders virtually invulnerable and the attack is stalled in the mud and woods of the lower Pyrenees.

S, S, S, W, M, R, R

Axis Player Turn

There is a movement of large numbers of PzG and assorted C/M units to Italy, along with a number of Infantry XXs. The Allies aren’t unduly concerned at this, suspecting that the Germans are merely countering ongoing Allied build up in the Mediterranean. This belief is rudely broken when Panzer Armee Tedesci launches a sudden winter blitz on the British Corp defending the west coast. The lax Allied planning for the region allowed 16 mile gaps to appear in the defences that allows the HG and 24th Pz XXs to slide into the rear of the British. With only three USAAF fighters able to intercept or provide DAS, the Germans win temporary air supremacy. A 2:1 attack results in an EX with the resulting ZoC interference results in the loss of three British Infantry Divisions and Artillery Division. London is outraged and sacks the regional commander. This is ineffectual as the Germans exploit south through the winter weather to retake the Garigliano, overrunning an Indian engineer unit and a Construction brigade. Only the motorised Italian brigade in Naples remains to block the German resurgence.

Allied Player Turn

Galacia is snapped up by Portuguese forces and British units redeploy to San Sebastian. At Barcelona, the last hex is taken by French troops who capture Franco and his cabinet. Republican agents, trained in Moscow, threaten Franco until he agrees to an immediate cessation of hostilities with the Allies and orders Spanish troops to lay down their arms. The few that remain however are mostly stacked with German forces and are convinced to join up the Waffen SS who set about forming two Spanish XXs for the reconquista of Spain.

In Italy US forces quickly redeploy westwards to put some strength behind the Garigliano and protect Naples. Plans for landings around Toulon and Marseille are abandoned by Allied high command and the Polish forces scheduled for the landings start to arrive in Italy.

S, S, S, M, W, C, C

Axis Player Turn

Defences are built up in the Pyrenees and Barcelona defences are shuffled about, stripping Germans out of the city and leaving it defended by the Spanish forces in the region. “The Valencian Republican” reports this as an example of how Franco is allowing Spanish youth to be sacrificed for Hitler’s ambitions, “The Barcelona Bugle” retorts that Spain must hold its own against Godless Communist sympathisers. In Italy the Germans hold their positions but a couple more units are sent from North France to the Cote D’Azur.

Allied Player Turn

The Royal Navy and Regia Marina arrive off Barcelona. In reponse the Spanish Navy sorties to see them off. In a very short and sudden battle, the combined forces fleet sink and destroy 12 strength points of Spanish ships for the loss of 1 aged Italian cruiser and a RN battle cruiser. Very satisfying results. The Fleets then prepare for NGS to aid the assault by French and British forces who attack and seize western Barcelona in a 4:1 HX result. The Republican Government in Madrid is very concerned at the use of NGS in a populated area but its protests are largely ignored by the British.

S, S, M, W, M, C, C

Axis Player Turn

In Spain and Italy there is little significant movement other than some shuffling of stacks. Rome appears to be preparing for a bitter defence as some C/M units enter the area.

Allied Player Turn

Polish and Czech forces land in North Africa and special forces begin to get married up to planes and LCs in the area. OKW in Berlin begin to look long and hard at the Southern French coast line and the head of the Adriatic.

In Galacia, Portuguese and Canadians finish off the Spanish defenders, putting them out of their misery – only La Corona and Ferrol manned by a couple of 1-6 units remain to wave Franco’s flag.

S, S, S, W, M, S, R

Axis Player Turn

Italy – The Germans pull out of Cassino and from behind the Garigliano and withdraw to their new positions of forts and trenches just south of Rome and to behind the Pescara River. The position looks grave……

Spain – Massive reinforcements enter the battle line around San Sebastian and much to the Allies joy a couple of units from Northern France are shipped south to help bolster the defences.

Allied Player Turn

In Spain a joint UK/Canadian task force fights a winter battle with a Spanish force guarding the passes leading north into Galacia and EXs the defenders. Franco calls for Spain to rise up, but it is too cold and the population remains in doors.

In Italy engineering units begin to try and repair damage to bridges and rail lines while the Allies advance north after the retreating Germans. The call is made – Rome by the beginning of Spring!

Elsewhere massive redeployment occur of the airforces as Airfields are fully used in Corsica and Northern Spain, no transportation network in Western Europe is outside the threat of Allied airpower. In the Shetlands and Orkneys the airbases are upgraded and this fact pointed out to the Germans by some unsubtle Allied propaganda (finger pointing at the map and stating “These are to help me invade Norway.”)