Weather roll is a 5, Mud in zone C, Clear in zones D and E., sea zones are calm.

Axis Player-Turn

All units are in supply. Westwall restoration completed, Westwall emergency still in effect. No garrisons are called up. Germany spends 14 ARPs, RSI 1 to return all air units to the map except an RSI Me109G6. Germany receives a net 172 DF from reinforcements, tehn disbands 18 DF gaining 4 Arm and 29 Inf RPs. 48 Inf and 11 Arm RPs are used to rebuild cadres and return units from the eliminated pool worth 68 DF. Seven forts are QCed or started. No strategic air is called up. Allies fly 15 levels of harassment in the ETO, 6 in MTO.

Due to the combined effects of harassment and rail hits reinforcements from eastern and central Germany can not reach the front in a single turn. This is more than made up for by liberally spent replacement points. A NODL is formed along the entire WEST and SOUTH fronts. Two V-2 and one V-1 hits are made on London.

Allied Player-Turn

All units are in supply. Brits/Canadians/Pols upgrade a total of 6 AT Bns to Mot AT (SPAT). 7 US and 6 Brit ARPs return all air units to the map. America spends 4 Inf RP, Italy 1 Inf RP, Poland 2 Inf and 2 Arm RP, Britain 3 Arm RP and Canada 2 Arm RP. No strat air is called up by either side. Strat air DRMs cancel each other out, the strat air war roll is a 1, and the strat air level increases to 7. 20 US Arm RPs are loaned to Britain, leaving the US with 124 Arm RPs.

Four Luftwaffe air units attempt DAS missions – 2 are returned, 1 aborted and 1 eliminated. One SAAF Spit16 interceptor is shot down in the MTO by a lucky Me109G6 (rolled snake eyes). The Allies continue with their front wide offensives in both theaters, making a total of 27 attacks. US forces capture Boulogne on the Channel coast, but find the port thoroughly destroyed. Americans also push the Nazis out of Reims, gaining s second VP hex this turn. A total of 130 German DF are eliminated while 26 British and 9 US AF were lost in exchanges. Hitler awards many medals to his anti-tank experten as the British Army decides to eliminate three Tank Bdes and only cadred one Inf XX. With special replacements the net cost is less than one British Inf RP. Of course the cost in Arm RPs was much higher than necessary, but that’s why the Brits have so many Arm Bdes and the US so many Arm RPs to lend-lease.

Comments

The Allies are again encouraged by the VP count. Their airborne landing plan didn’t work out this time, but there is always next turn. Sooner or later the Allies will guess right, drop behind the German NODL, and chop it up. Meanwhile the calendar advances into worse possible weather conditions. Germany has some ZOC surrounds on large Allied (full ATEC) stacks covered by plentiful Allied air support. The Allies are being very careful with the Pols, Canadians, French and other minor allies. With 79 British Inf RPs sitting in the bank and plenty of units that can be scrapped it doesn’t look like the risk of German losses is worth the potential gain any attack might bring. Germany will wait for bad weather, continue to NODL and allow the Allies to push 1 hexrow forward each turn. The Allies have little choice but to continue the meat grinder strategy until such time as they can see a way to break through.