Allied Turn

On a roll of ‘3’ the weather over France remains clear. The British convert their 15th Mixed XX back into an Inf XX, and convert their 42nd Arm XX into 3x assorted X’s. The US replaces an air groups and repairs an air group.

The first attack is against an isolated Inf XX by the British 1st Abn XX and the US 36th Inf XX along with assorted c/m units. A CAP is flown in, to which the Germans do not react. At odds of 4:1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a HX. The German Inf XX is eliminated, and the Allies eliminate 2x US Arm II’s.

The next attack is against an Inf XX in a mountain hex 2 hexes northeast of Ales by US 82nd Abn XX, the Canadian 1st Inf XX, and the British 3rd, 43rd, and 50th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 10 fighter groups, and in the combat phase a GS mission of 10 air groups, which 4 of the CAP escort. The Germans do not react. At odds of 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DH. The German Inf XX is reduced and the cadre retreats. The British 43rd Inf XX advances into this hex.

The third attack is against the 3rd PzG XX by the British 6th and 11th Arm XX, the US 101st Abn XX, US 3rd Inf XX, and the British 5th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of 8 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 10 air groups, which half the CAP escorts. The Germans fly in 2x Fw190A attack groups as DAS, which the remaining CAP intercepts. The CAP kills a Fw190A, and a Fw190A kills a Spit IX. Allied AA of 7 returns the remaining DAS group, and German AA of 1 returns 2 GS groups. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The 3rd PzG XX is reduced to a cadre, and the British 11th Arm XX and US 101st Abn XX advance into the hex.

The fourth attack is against the 90th PzG XX by the US 3rd Arm XX, the British Guards Arm XX, and the British 15th and 78th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a CAP of 6 fighter groups, but after the Allies have flown all their CAP missions the Germans fly in a CAP mission of 10 fighter groups. They have decided to change tactics and overwhelm just one of the Allied attacks. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups, which all the Allied CAP escort. The Germans send all of their CAP to intercept. The Allied fighter groups manage to kill 1, abort 1, and return 1 of the interceptors, which all bypassed. The German interceptors kill 4 air groups and return 2 more at the cost of 1 of their own killed. Having exhausted the Allied CAP, the German fly in a DAS mission of 7 air groups. Allied AA returns 1, and German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At miserable 3:1, -2 odds the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an AR result. The Allies retreat both their stacks of mostly c/m units.

The fifth attack is against the 16th Pz XX by the US 2nd Arm XX, the British 53rd Mixed XX, the US 9th Inf XX, the British 56th Inf XX, and the Indian 8th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a CAP of just 4 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 8 air groups, which half their CAP escorts. The German AA of 3 aborts 1 and returns 1. At 6:1, -1 odds the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR. The 16th Pz XX retreats, and the Allies advance the US 2nd Arm XX and the British 53rd Mixed XX.

The sixth attack is against a 15-pt stack behind the Dordogne River by Canadian 4th and 5th Arm XX’s and a host of c/m units. The Allies fly in a CAP of 2 fighter groups, and then a GS mission of 10 air groups, which both CAP groups escort. The German AA of 5 misses, and at 4:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX, and eliminate a Res XX, an AA III, and a Punitive II. The Allies advance a 21-pt stack across the river.

The final attack is against a 13-pt stack behind the Dordogne River by the US 1st Arm XX and the British 7th Arm XX, and another host of c/m units. The Allies fly in a CAP of just 1 fighter group, and then a GS mission of 5 air groups. At 4:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DH. The Germans merely have to reduce an Inf XX to satisfy this result, and the Allies advance a 17-pt stack, including the British 7th Arm XX, across the river.

Axis Turn

Changing a rule about the GG Theater, the Axis player is now allowed to keep units from transferring east. This allows him to keep 6x Cons III’s, which were needed in the West Theater. He also gained 3x Aslt Gun II’s, which were promptly disbanded along with an Art III. The Germans replace an Inf XX and 4 air groups.

The Italians receive an Arm XX and 3x Coast XX’s from their hypothetical OB. Italian units are gradually contributing to the German stacks on the east side of the Rhone valley. Newly arrived German Cons III’s rail into position to construct a fort line between Lyon and the Swiss border.

The German stacks along the Isere River remain strong, but the Germans have trouble containing a bulge made by the British 11th Arm XX southwest of Clermont and another made by the US 2nd Arm XX southeast of Limoges. Allied progress north thru the rough terrain of the Massif Central may eventually compromise the Rhone Valley defense line.

In western France the Germans cling to sections of the Dordogne River. The next river line in western France is the Loire River 10 hexes to the north, with only patches of defensive terrain in between.