Month: October 2025

Allied Turn

There is no weather roll with clear weather until October. The Allies land the reinforcements from the US at the ports of Quimper, Lorient, and Vannes in Brittany. The US rebuilds its 4th, 8th, and 29th Inf XX’s. The US repair 6 air groups, the British replace 2 and repair 3, and the French repair 1.

Before making any ground attacks the Allies attack the 21x German air groups based in Paris. They kill 2 German air groups and abort 9 and the cost of 3 of their own killed.

The first Allied attack is against the port fort in Brest. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate the port fort and a Police III. The Allies occupied a destroyed port and liberate MR 10. The next attack is against a Static XX left behind. At 8:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DH. The Static XX is eliminated. The third attack behind the Allied line is against an Inf XX left behind. At 5:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an EX. The German Inf XX is eliminated, and the British reduce their 53rd Inf XX.

The fourth Allied attack is against a 21-pt stack 4 hexes southwest of Le Havre by the US 1st Arm XX, the Polish 1st Arm XX, the US 82nd Abn XX, the US 8th Inf XX, and the French 9th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 3. At 5:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DR. The Allies advance the US 8th Inf XX into the hex.

The fifth attack is against a 21-pt stack 3 hexes southwest of Le Havre by the British 7th Arm XX, the Canadian 5th Arm XX, the US 2nd, 5th, and 45th Inf XX’s, and the British 78th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce the HG Arm XX and eliminate the 90th PzG cadre. The Allies advance the US 5th Inf XX into the hex.

The sixth attack is against a 23-pt stack just east of Chartres by the British 1st Arm XX, the Canadian 4th Arm XX, the US 3rd and 88th Inf XX’s, and the British 5th and 51st Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce their 1st Para-Inf XX, and eliminate the FH PzG cadre. The Allies advance the US 3rd Inf XX into the hex.

The seventh attack is against a 23-pt stack 2 hexes west of Paris by the British 6th and 11th Arm XX’s, the US 9th and 36th Inf XX’s, the British 3rd Inf XX, and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 5:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an HX. The Germans reduce their 1st Pz XX and an Inf XX. The US reduce the 36th Inf XX and eliminate a Mot AA X. The Allies advance the US 9th Inf XX into the hex.

The eighth attack is against a 21-pt stack 3 hexes southwest of Paris by the US 2nd and 3rd Arm XX’s, the British 6th Abn XX, and the US 34th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. German AA aborts 3 and returns 1. At 5:1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce the 29th PzG XX and an Inf XX. The Allies advance the US 34th Inf XX into the hex.

The ninth attack is against a 21-pt stack just southwest of the town of Sens by the British Guards Arm XX, the US 30th Inf XX, and the Canadian 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 18 air groups. German AA abort 1 and returns 5. At 4:1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an HX. The Germans reduce 2x Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US eliminate a Mech X, a Mot AA X, and 2x Eng XX’s. The Allies advance the Canadian 1st Inf XX into the hex.

The tenth attack is against a 19-pt stack just west of Sens by the US 4th Arm XX, the NZ Mech XX, and the British 15th and 50th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 2. At 4:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an HX. With no divisions included, the Germans eliminate their entire stack. The Allies reduce the British 15th Inf XX, and eliminate a US Mot AA X. The Allies advance the British 50th Inf XX into the hex.

The eleventh attack is against a 19-pt stack just southwest of Auxerre by the US 6th Arm XX, the French 1st Arm XX, the US 29th Inf XX, the British 43rd Inf XX, and the French 9th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DR. The Allies advance the US 29th Inf XX into the hex.

The final attack is against a 17-pt stack 2 hexes northwest of Dijon by the US 5th Arm XX, the French 2nd Arm XX, the US 1st, 4th, and 91st Inf XX, and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 20 bomber groups. German AA aborts 3 and returns 2. At 8:1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce 2x Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of the stack. The Allies advance the US 4th Inf XX into the hex.

During exploitation the Allies can not find any second line stack they could overrun.

Axis Turn

The Germans receive 3x Pz XX’s. They replace 2x PzG XX’s, 3x PzG X’s, 2x Inf XX’s and a Sec XX. They rebuild a Res Pz XX. The Germans replace 2x air groups, and repair 10. They disband a Res Mtn XX. Studying the Allied dispositions the Axis player finds the Allied player had moved the broken down components of the US 28th Inf XX, 2x Eng X’s, and 2x Amph Aslt Eng II’s to Dover on top of LC’s and escorting CL’s and DD’s. He did the same thing in the medium port of Folkestone with 1x Aslt Eng Tank X, 2x British Inf X’s, an Eng X, and 2x Marine Cmdo II’s complete with LC’s and escorts. The minor port of Hasting now had 3x Marine Cmdo X’s. The Axis player also finds the Allied player had moved the components of the US 101st Para-Inf XX to Le Mans keeping them out of enemy ZOC’s for the whole turn, and did the same thing with the British 1st Abn XX and the Polish 1st Para X at Orleans. Unnoticed the Allies had transferred 18x transports groups and 8x glider groups to southern France.

The threat made very real, the Axis player populates his Channel coast forts with 12x XX’s and 9x cadres. Knowing the Allied player liked to drop 2 stacks of para and glider units behind the second line and use his most powerful GS air groups to blast a hole in the second line and advance enough para units into the hex so the survivors of an attack on the first line can not retreat, the Axis player now creates a third line strong enough to defend the drop zones from airborne overruns.

The main defense line starts in Le Havre, goes southwest for 2 hexes using bocage hexes, and then goes southeast in a straight line for 13 hexes. The defense line runs only 1 hex west of Paris. This section has 6x Pz XX’s, 5x PzG XX, 2x Pz cadres, 5x PzG cadres and X’s, and 1x Inf XX unable to retreat to the second line. German c/m units can retreat thru enemy ZOC’s making them impossible to eliminate by ZOC’s. A couple hexes west of the town of Chaumont the defense line goes southwest for a hex to include 2x Inf XX’s that could not retreat far enough then southeast for 1 hex. After that the Axis defense line goes southwest for 1 hex and then southeast for 6 hexes to the Swiss border. By the end of the turn the Axis defense line remains 24 hexes long, but the average defense strength has fallen to 15.6 pts.

Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘1’ for clear weather. The US receive 3 more Inf XX’s. In southern France there are: for the US 6x Arm XX’s, 2x Abn XX’s, and 18 Inf XX’s; for the British 5x Arm XX’s, 2x Abn XX’s, 1x Mtn XX, and 12 Inf XX’s; for the French 2x Arm XX’s, 1x Mtn XX, and 4x Inf XX’s (not counting the 8x little Vichy XX’s); for the Canadians 2x Arm XX’s and 3x Inf XX’s; for the Polish 1x Arm XX and 2x Mtn XX’s; for the Indians 1x Mtn XX and 2x Inf XX’s; a grand total of 64 Allied XX’s. The US rebuilds the 2nd Arm XX and the 34th and 36th Inf XX. The British rebuild the 78th Inf XX and finally upgrade their 1st Arm XX. The US replace 2 air groups and repair 6. The British repair 1 air group, as do the French.

The first Allied attack is against a 19-pt stack 2 hexes northwest of Dijon by the US 5th Arm XX, the French 1st Arm XX, the US 1st, 4th, and 29th Inf XX, and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then in the combat phase a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 2. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an EX. The Germans reduce a Res Pz XX and an Inf XX, and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the US 4th and 29th Inf XX’s.

The next attack is against a 21-pt stack 2 hexes southwest of Auxerre by the British Guards Arm XX, the French 2nd Arm XX, the NZ Mech XX, the British 1st Abn XX, the British 43rd Inf XX, and the Canadian 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce a Pz XX and an Inf XX, and eliminate the rest of their stack.

The third attack is against a 17-pt stack 2 hexes northwest of Auxerre by the US 30th and 36th Inf XX’s and the British 15th and 50th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA misses. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate a Res Pz cadre.

The fourth attack is against a 19-pt stack 2 hexes west of the town of Sens by the British 11th Arm XX, the US 9th Inf XX, the British 3rd Inf XX, and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 1. At 5:1, + 1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce 2x Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of the stack.

The fifth attack is against a 19-pt stack 2 hexes southwest of Sens by the US 2nd, 4th, and 6th Arm XX’s, and the British 1st Arm XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 14 bomber groups. The Germans fly in a DAS mission of 4 attack groups. The Allied CAP intercepts and abort 1 and return 1 at a cost of 2 killed to themselves. German AA aborts 1 and returns 3 bomber groups. Allied AA aborts 1 DAS group. At 5:1, + 3 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DE. The Germans reduce 2x Inf XX, but their cadres can not retreat thru Allied ZOC’s, so the entire stack is eliminated.

The sixth attack is against a 21-pt stack just 3 hexes southwest of Paris by the US 3rd Arm XX, the British 6th Arm XX, the US 101st Abn XX, the US 3rd and 88th Inf XX’s, and the British 5th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce a PzG XX and an Inf XX.

The seventh attack is against a 17-pt stack 2 hexes east of Chartres by the US 1st Arm XX and the Canadian 4th Arm XX, along with a host of smaller c/m units. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 4. At 5:1, + 2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of the stack.

The eighth attack is against a 15-pt stack just northwest of Le Mans by the British 7th Arm XX, Canadian 5th Arm XX, and Polish 1st Arm XX and another host of smaller c/m units. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 6 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 6:1, + 3 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce 2x Inf XX’s and eliminate an ant.

The final attack is against a 19-pt stack in bocage just east of the town of Laval by the US 82nd Abn XX, the US 2nd, 5th, and 8th Inf XX’s, and the British 1st and 78th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 18 air groups. German AA returns 2. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an HX. The Germans reduce a Res Pz XX and an Inf XX, and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the US 8th Inf XX.

During exploitation there is little movement along most of the Allied line, the Axis second line is holding up well. The Allies achieved an 8:1 low-odds overruns with full AECA against a 7-pt stack 5 hexes west of Paris. They also achieve an 8:1 low-odds overrun with full AECA against an 8-pt stack just west of the town of Alencon. Allied ants spread out over an empty Brittany.

Situation in the WTO after Allied Sep I Turn, 1943, during the SF42 game

Axis Turn

The Germans retain an Inf XX from going east, and receive a large Pz cadre arriving from the east. The Germans replace 2x Res Pz XX’s, a PzG X, and 6x Inf XX’s. They disband a Jager XX and a tiny Pz II. The Germans replace 4 air groups and repair 4 more.

The Germans manage to retreat all their c/m units out of Normandy, but had to leave behind an Inf XX and a Static XX. The Axis defense line now starts at the port of Le Havre and goes southwest for 4 hexes. It then goes southeast in a straight line for 11 hexes, running just 2 hexes west of Paris. The line jogs 1 hexes southwest just west of the town of Auxerre, before again running southeast in a straight line for 10 hexes to the Swiss border. By the end of the turn the Axis defense line had shrunk to 24 hexes long with an average defense strength of 18.7 pts.

Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘5’ for continued mud. The US receive an Inf XX and 4x Art X’s. The French receive an Inf XX. The US rebuilds its 3rd, 4th, 30th, and 88th Inf XX’s and an Eng X. The British rebuild their 15th Inf XX. The US replace 1 air group and repair 12. The British repair 3 air groups and the French repair 2.

Again the Allies attack German airbases with their 3-strength fighter groups. Again it is successful as Allied P-47’s kill 5 and abort 1 at a cost of 2 killed and 1 aborted to themselves. With heavier AA at German airbases the Allies do not try to attack non-fighter groups.

The first Allied attack is against a 17-pt stack just west of the town of Lons-le-Saunier by the US 5th Arm XX, the French 1st and 2nd Arm XX’s, and the US 1st, 4th, and 29th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then in the combat phase a GS mission of 12 bomber groups. Axis AA return 3 air groups. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies decline to advance after combat as it would put them within 10 hexes of the westwall.

The next attack is against a 19-pt stack in the town of Le Creusot by the US 6th Arm XX, the British Guards Arm XX, the NZ Mech XX, the British 1st Abn XX, and the Canadian 1st and 2nd Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 14 bomber groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 7 of the GS bomber groups. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR.

The third attack is against a 25-pt stack 2 hexes west of the town of Auxerre by the US 2nd and 4th Arm XX’s, the British 11th Arm XX, the US 36th Inf XX, and the British 15th and 50th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 20 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 3. At 5:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an EX. The Germans reduce a Res Pz and 2x Inf XX, and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the US 2nd Arm XX and the US 36th Inf XX. The Allies advance a 61-pt stack into the hex.

The fourth attack is against a 17-pt stack across the Loire by British 1st and 6th Arm XX’s, the US 9th Inf XX, the British 3rd Inf XX, the Canadian 3rd Inf XX, and the Indian 10th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 24 air groups. German AA aborts 2 air groups. At 6:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR. The Allies advance the US 9th Inf XX across the Loire into this hex.

The fifth attack is against a 17-pt stack just northwest of Orleans by the US 3rd Arm XX, the Canadian 4th Arm XX, the US 101st Abn XX, the US 3rd and 88th Inf XX’s, and the British 5th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 6 air groups. German AA misses. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate an Eng III.

The sixth attack is against a pair of German Inf III’s that could not retreat back into the main defense line by the US 45th Inf XX and the British 51st Inf XX. At 13:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE.

The seventh attack is against a 17-pt stack just southwest of Le Mans by the US 1st Arm XX, the British 7th Arm XX, the Polish 1st Arm XX, the US 34th Inf XX, and the British 1st and 78th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 10 air groups. Axis AA aborts 1. At 6:1, -3 the allies roll a ‘3’ for an EX. The Axis reduce an Italian Mot Inf XX and eliminate 2x PzG cadres. The Allies reduce the US 34th Inf XX and the British 78th Inf XX. They then advance a 60-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The final attack is against a 17-pt stack just northwest of Angers by the Canadian 5th Arm XX, the US 82nd Abn XX, the US 2nd, 5th, and 8th Inf XX, and the British 53rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA misses. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate an Inf cadre. The Allies advance the US 5th Inf XX into the hex.

During exploitation the Allies were able to overrun a pair of cadres trying to defend Le Mans and also an Inf cadre and an ant 2 hexes northwest of Angers. After all the advances after combat and exploitation the convoluted Allied front is 38 hexes long from just west of Geneva to the Atlantic coast and has an average attack strength of 27.7 pts.

Axis Turn

The Germans receive a Para-Inf XX, 4x Inf XX’s, and retain a PzG XX, a Jager XX, and 3x Inf XX’s from transferring east. They can not prevent a Pz XX from entering the rigid SE garrison. The Germans replace 3x PzG XX’s, a Para-Inf XX, and an Inf XX. The Italians replace an Arm XX, a Mot Inf XX, and an Art III. The Germans disband 2x Aslt Gun X’s and a Tiger II in the West and 2x Rkt Art RE’s, 2x Inf III’s, an Aslt Gun II, and a RR Art II in GG for a total of 16x Arm RP’s and 12x Inf RP’s. The Germans replace 5 air groups and repair 1.

Noticing that the Allies do not want to trigger the Westwall Restoration the Axis pull the southern end of their defense line to within 8 hexes of the Westwall even though it means giving up 8 forts. That defense line now goes in a straight line northwest for 9 hexes from the Swiss border. At that point the line jogs 1 hex east just west of Auxerre to get around a 47-pt Allied c/m stack, and then goes in another straight line northwest for 9 more hexes to the town of Chartres. From there the line goes due west for 4 hexes, jogs around a 28-pt Allied c/m stack sitting in Le Mans, and then goes northward to connect to the English channel east of St.Malo. Expecting clear weather the next turn, for the first time the Axis form a solid second line from the Swiss border up until the bocage terrain begins north of Le Mans. By the end of the turn the Axis defense line is 28 hexes long and has an average defense strength of 17.7 pts.

Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘5’ for continued mud.   The Allies receive very little in the way of reinforcements except for the Polish 5th Mtn XX and assorted other Polish units after sailing around Africa from the Near East.   The US rebuilds its 3rd Arm XX, and give 10x Arm RP’s to the British who are running short.   The US repairs 8 air groups, the British replace 2 and repair 2 air groups, and the French repair 1 air group.

The Allies try a new tactic this turn, flying fighter-bomber sweeps on Axis airbases using their P-47D10’s, P-51D5’s, and Msqto 6-2’s.   These fighters have a tactical bombing strength of 3 to which 1 is added for attacking an airbase before halving for poor weather.   First the Allies attack 10 airbases containing German fighters, which in every case rose to intercept.   The Axis have 2x Fw190A8’s killed, 2x Me109G6’s killed, and 2x Me109G6’s aborted and the Allies have 1x P-47D10 killed and 3x P-47D10’s aborted.   Next the Allies attack airbases with Axis attack air groups, but are able to abort only 1x Fw190A before running out of 3-strength fighter-bombers.

The first Allied attack is against a 17-pt stack 3 hexes northwest of Geneva by the US 5th Arm XX, the French 1st and 2nd Arm XX’s, and the US 1st, 4th, and 30th Inf XX’s.   The Allies fly in 12 air groups on a GS mission.   Axis AA aborts 1 and returns 5.   At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an EX.   The Axis reduce the Italian 134th Arm XX and eliminate the rest of their stack.   The Allies reduce the US 4th and 30th Inf XX’s, and advance the US 1st Inf XX into the hex.

The next Allied attack is against a 19-pt stack in the town of Montceau-les-Mines by the US 6th Arm XX, the British Guards Arm XX, the NZ 2nd Mech XX, the British 1st Abn XX, and the Canadian 1st and 2nd Inf XX’s.   The Allies fly 16 air groups on a GS mission.   German AA aborts 4 and returns 2.   At 6:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR.   The Allies advance the 1st Canadian Inf XX into the hex.

The third attack is across the Loire against a 15-pt stack just northeast of the town of Nevers by the US 2nd and 4th Arm XX’s, the US 9th Inf XX, the British 15th Inf XX, the Canadian 3rd Inf XX, and the Indian 10th Inf XX.   Out of Allied intercept range, an Allied CAP of 6 fighter groups is flown in.   In the combat phase the Allies fly in 14 air groups on a GS mission.   German AA aborts 1 and returns 3.   At 5:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an HX.   The Germans reduce the FH  PzG XX and eliminate the rest of their stack.   The Allies reduce the British 15th Inf XX, and advance the US 2nd and 4th Arm XX’s, the US 9th Inf XX, and 5x c/m X’s across the Loire.

The fourth attack is against a lone German Inf XX just southwest of Orleans and on the wrong side of the Loire because it could not retreat far enough by the British 1st and 6th Arm XX and the British 3rd Inf XX.   Out of Allied intercept range, an Allied CAP of 4 fighter groups is flown in.   At 10:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH.   The Allies advance the British 3rd Inf XX into the hex.

The fifth attack is across the Loire against a 19-pt stack in the town of Blois by the US 3rd Arm XX, the Canadian 4th Arm XX, the US 101st Abn XX, and the US 3rd and 88th Inf XX’s.   The Allies fly in a CAP of 6 fighter groups.   Then the Allies fly in 14 air groups on a GS mission.   German AA aborts 3 and returns 4.   At 4:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an EX.   The Germans reduce 2x XX’s and eliminate a PzG X.   The Allies reduce the US 3rd and 88th Inf XX’s.   The Allies advance the US 3rd Arm XX, the Canadian 4th Arm XX, and 4x c/m X’s across the Loire.

The sixth attack is against a 23-pt stack just northeast of Saumur by the US 1st Arm XX, the British 7th Arm XX, the US 82nd Abn XX, the US 8th and 34th Inf XX’s, and the British 1st Inf XX.   The Allies fly in 16 air groups on a GS mission.   German AA aborts just 1.   At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DR.   The Allies advance the US 8th Inf XX into the hex.

The final Allied attack is against a 15-pt stack across the Loire just west of Angers by the 5th Canadian Arm XX, the US 2nd and 5th Inf XX’s, and the British 53rd and 78th Inf XX’s.   The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups.   Then the Allies fly in 20 air groups on a GS mission.   German AA aborts 4 and returns 3.   At 4:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DR.   The Allies advance the US 2nd Inf XX into the hex.

During exploitation the US 2nd and 4th Arm XX’s along with assorted British and Canadian c/m X’s overran an adjacent cadre of the FH PzG XX using up all 10 MP’s.   From the north side of the Loire the US 3rd Arm XX was able to exploit 1 hex north to hopefully force the Axis away from the Loire west of Orleans.  After all the advances after combat and exploitation the convoluted Allied front is 40 hexes long from just west of Geneva to the Atlantic coast and has an average attack strength of 28.7 pts.

Sitution map of the Allied front in France at the end of the Axis April II 44 turn.

Axis Mar II 44 Turn:

The German receive an Inf XX and retain a Pz XX and an Inf XX from transferring east.   The Germans replace a small Res Pz XX, 2x PzG X’s, and 2x Inf XX’s.   The Germans replace 3 air groups and repair 3.   The Germans disband a Rkt Art X and 2x Aslt Gun II‘s left over from the previous turn for 7x Arm RP’s and 4x Inf RP’s.

The Axis defense line in France now starts on the Swiss border 2 hexes north of Geneva, from where it goes in a straight line northwest for 8 hexes.   At that point the Axis line sags east for 3 hexes to go around the penetration by the US 2nd Arm XX.   The Axis defense line then hugs the east bank of the Loire for 5 hexes around to Orleans.  The line goes northwest for 3 hexes from Orleans, then west for 3 hexes, and then northwest again for 2 hexes.   At this point just west of Le Mans the line hugs the north bank of the Sarthe River for 4 hexes before rejoining the north bank of the Loire for its final 4 hexes to the Atlantic.   The defense on the English Channel now starts 1 hex west of Le Havre, and the Germans at the western end of the defense line are likely to execute a runaway at the first occurrence of clear weather.   By the end of the turn the Axis defense line across France has shrunk slightly to 29 hexes long with an average defense strength of 17.5 pts.

Mar II 44  VP Check:

Former Axis Major Cities:  Tunis, Bordeaux, Lyon  = 9
Former Axis Medium Cities:  Tripoli, Grenoble, Toulouse, St. Etienne, Clermont, Tours  = 6
Former Axis Naval Bases:  Tripoli, Tunis, Bizerte, Sete, Bordeaux, La Rochelle = 6

Net Ground Losses:  0
Net Air Losses:  0
Net Naval Losses:  0

Previous Total:   26.5 VP’s
New Total:         47.5 VP’s

A Note on the deferred Withdrawals

The Pz and PzG XX’s retained from being withdrawn east up to March 1944 include:

16-10 Pz XX 6 not withdrawn Nov II 42
16-10 Pz XX 7 not withdrawn Dec I 42
14-10 Pz XX 24 not withdrawn Oct II 43
12-10 Pz XX 25 not withdrawn Nov I 43
14-10 Pz XX 14 not withdrawn Nov I 43
20-10 Pz XX LSSAH not withdrawn Nov II 43
14-10 Pz XX 1 not withdrawn Nov II 43
16-10 Pz XX 16 not withdrawn Dec I 43
12-10 PzG XX 11NL not withdrawn Dec I 43
11-10 PzG XX FH not withdrawn Dec II 43
14-10 PzG XX 9H not withdrawn Mar II 44
14-10 PzG XX 10F not withdrawn Apr I 44

In my last attempt at GE the Soviets were 15 hexes away from downtown Berlin on May I 45. Because the Soviets c/m units only have 8 MP’s it is very hard for them to execute low-odds overruns and the Axis NODL holds up very well. In clear weather the Axis player has approximately 40 construction units paired up and is quick constructing some 20 forts in clear terrain and then moving back 2 hexes to do the same thing the next turn. The Soviets don’t have the combat engineers to handle this many forts. Don’t forget the German infantry antitank weapons rule goes into effect on Jul I 44, giving almost every German stack full ATEC. This forces the Soviets to include their weak infantry divisions in their attacks. If the Germans own Berlin and one other connected major city, say Leipzig, on May I 45, they win.

The Axis player has no VP’s in the SF, just the Allied player. I’m letting the Germans keep all these units in the west because of the shock to Hitler of the Allies being able to walk ashore in southern France on Nov I 42 and establish a ‘Second Front’ on continental Europe. The Axis OB has to try to stay tuned to whatever Hitler’s thinking might be.

The US were able to land units on Corsica on the Nov I 42 regular turn, and they in turn were reinforced by French units from North Africa. Sicily and mainland Italy are untouched by the Allies, and the Italians are too weak to attack the Allies, although a few Italian units were railed around Switzerland to help fill out the Axis second line in France.

Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘3’ for mud. Arriving from the US are the 5th and 6th Arm XX’s, an Inf XX, 7x assorted X’s, and 7x Tank II’s. The Allies convert 2x Arm X’s and 3x Tank II into amphibious armor. [Comment: Per SF Rule 14.K amphibious armor may “Treat lake and major river hexsides as river hexsides for movement and combat purposes”. By logical extension they should be allowed to treat mere river hexsides as if they didn’t exist.] The British upgrade their 7th Arm XX. The French receive 2x Arm XX’s. The US replace 1x Eng X and an ant, and rebuild their 88th Inf XX. The British replace a Tank X, and rebuild their 1st Inf XX. The US repair 2 air groups, and the British replace 2 and repair 2 air groups. A US Port Cons X begins reconstruction of the destroyed port at La Rochelle. The British ship the 6th Abn XX and 2x Art [xx] from Britain towards the Mediterranean.

Nothing changed along the front in the Maritime Alps facing the Italians. The first Allied attack is against a 19-pt Axis stack sitting in a fort 3 hexes northeast of Lyon by the US 5th Arm XX, the US 4th, 30th, and 45th Inf XX’s, and the British 46th and 51st Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups. In the combat phase the Allies fly in a GS mission of 20 air groups escorted by 2 fighter groups. German AA aborts 5 and returns 7. At 5:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DR. The US 4th and 30th Inf XX’s advance into the hex.

The next attack is against a 19-pt stack 3 hexes northeast of Roanne by the US 6th Arm XX, the British Guards Arm XX, the NZ 2nd Mech XX, the Canadian 1st and 2nd Inf XX’s, and the British 43rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups. Then the Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups escorted by 2 fighter groups. German AA aborts 1 and return 1. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce 2x Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of the stack. The Allies advance the British Guards and the NZ Mech XX’s into the hex.

The third attack is against a 15-pt stack 2 hexes southeast of Orleans by the US 2nd Arm XX, the US 101st Abn XX, the US 9th Inf XX, and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups. After the Allies fly all their CAP missions the Germans fly in a CAP mission of 6 fighter groups. In the combat phase the Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups escorted by 6 fighters. The German CAP intercepts. The Allied escorts, which included a Spit XIV, 2x Spit XVI, and 3x Spit IX, were only able to kill 1 and return 2. The surviving interceptors abort 1 and return 1 at the cost of 1 aborted to themselves. The Germans then fly in a DAS mission of 4 air groups, which the Allied CAP intercepts. The Allied interceptors kill 1 DAS group at the cost of 2 killed to themselves. German AA aborts 1 and returns 4, and Allied AA aborts 2. At 8:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DR. The Allies advance the US 9th Inf XX into the hex.

The fourth attack is against a 21-pt stack sitting in woods 2 hexes southwest of Orleans by the US 4th Arm XX, the British 1st and 6th Arm XX’s, the Canadian 4th Arm XX, the Polish 1st Arm XX, the US 3rd and 88th Inf XX’s, and the British 3rd and 5th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups. Then the Allies fly in a GS mission of 20 air groups, escorted by 2 fighter groups. German AA aborts 1. At 8:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR. The US 3rd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The final attack is against a 15-pt stack just east of Saumur by the 1st US Arm XX, the British 7th Arm XX, the Canadian 5th Arm XX, the US 82nd Abn XX, and the US 8th and 34th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 4 fighter groups. After the Allies fly all their CAP missions the Germans fly in a CAP of 3 fighter groups. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 18 air groups escorted by 3 fighter groups. The German CAP intercepts. The Allied escorts kill 2 and abort 1 of the interceptors. The Germans then fly in a DAS mission of 3 air groups, which the Allied CAP intercepts. The Allies kill 1, abort 1, and return 1 of the DAS mission at the cost of 1 aborted to themselves. German AA aborts 2 and returns 3. At 9:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DH. The German reduce an Inf XX and eliminate an ant. The Allies advance the US 8th Inf XX into the hex.

During exploitation the British Guards and NZ Mech XX’s overran a small Static [xx] northeast of Roanne. After all the advances after combat and exploitation The Allied front was 39 hexes long from just southwest of Geneva to the Atlantic coast and had an average attack strength of 23.8 pts.

Axis Turn

The Germans receive a Para-Inf XX, an Air Lndg XX, which they reorganize as an Inf XX, and an Inf XX. The Germans replace 2x Res Pz XX’s and 5x Inf XX’s. The Germans disband 2x Rkt Art X’s, 2x Aslt Gun X’s, and 2x Aslt Gun II’s for 16x Arm RP’s and 8x Inf RP’s. The Germans replace 3 air groups and repair 5.

Nothing changes on the Italian front. Just to the north an Italian stack with 2x Alp XX’s retreats from the mountain hex just west of Geneva to the mountain hex just northwest of Geneva. From there the Axis line goes in a straight line for 4 hexes before running into the British Guards and NZ Mech XX’s, where 4 Axis stacks now surround this 33-pt Allied stack, before the line heads west. The Axis line reconnects with the Loire River just west of the town of Montceau-les-Mines. The Axis line then clings to the east/north bank of the Loire for 15 hexes until 3 hexes west of Orleans. There the line goes northwest for 3 hexes and then west for 2 hexes around the Allied bridgehead across the Loire at Saumur. The Axis line then reconnects with the north bank of the Loire and follows it for 7 hexes until it reaches the Atlantic. By the end of the turn the Axis defense line stretching diagonally across France is 32 hexes long with an average defense strength of 16.9 pts.