Category: Second Front – Accountant Style (Page 1 of 4)

Weather: Roll is a 5, clear in zones D and E, no change in C (mud). Atlantic is rough on a 6, Med is calm with a 1.

Axis Player-Turn

Germany replaces 1x 5-7-6 in South and 1x 1-2-4 and 1x 1-2-8 in West while rebuilding a 20-10 SS Pz from cadre. Total spent 10 Inf and 8 Arm RPs. 4x forts are begun in Italy.

Axis forces pull back to just out of the reach of Allied forces, to a line 3-5 hexes west of the Seine and as far south as Tours. Scorched Earth tactics are applied and stay behind forces are left in all the port forts. The first attempt at an airborne V-1 attack ends when Mosquitoes abort the air unit. Seven Ju188 and Do217 units made night port bombing attacks in Brittany with 1x K and 1x A by NF. Weak flak was ineffective and 3 port hits were achieved. 2 out of 3 day air units crash land.

Forces are shifted in Italy to strengthen the front line. Two hexes are given up and the Gustav line now runs 26:2123-1821-1819-1719.

Allied Player-Turn

Americans and Brits each spend 8 ARP to replace all their losses. A small horde of new air units is placed on the map. Two damaged LC are repaired and an airbase is built at 17:0817. The LC at Yeu is declared a ferry and there are no Axis forces in the mainland hex opposite the ferry. Strat air roll is 5+1 = no change. Germans fly 1 pt of harassment in front of their line.

US troops roll through Rennes, liberating the first mainland French city, making the amphibious invasion “official.” For the 3rd turn in a row the Hamilcar GHT is eliminated delivering cargo, in this case 2x 2-1-8 Siege Arty II to a temp airbase adjacent to St Malo. Allies airlift 4 Inf XX and sealift 2x Arm and 1x Art XX (along with 4x Inf XX HQ and some odds and ends). The minor ports of Granville, Vannes and Les Sables d’Dionne are taken intact. Nazis destroy Natanz and St Nazaire. Two LCs were damaged.

There was good and bad news on the 4:1 attack at St Malo. The attack resulted in an EX, 3x US Engr were eliminated and the 1st Inf XX was cadred. However, the port was taken intact.

The big attack at Brest goes in with 15 points of NGS against 15 DF at 4:1 for a HX. Brits lose a 5-3-6 Aslt Engr Tank X and the Czech 5-10* Arm X, but take the port intact. Allied supply problems are a long way towards solved, but there are a lot of engineers in the replacement pool. MR 10 should be liberated on May II (occurs in Allied initial phase).

In the MTO the Allies find the Gustav Line still too strong to tackle without NGS and carpet bombing. An ENTF and four more damaged LC arrive in the MTO, making 6x LC and 30 points of TF.

Comments

So far the Allies seem to be well ahead of their historical schedule. May I 44 ends with the Germans in France holding a line along the XX09 and XX10 rows from 17:0909 to 2010 then to Tours and 2311 with an open flank south of that position. The Allied line runs from Granville to 17:1616 then to 2020. Germany still holds the ports from La Rochelle south, mostly with Static XX. Lorient is the only holdout behind the Allied line. Both sides are making use of the available bocage to strengthen their positions. German forces will probably fall back to within easy crossing distance of the Seine, but have no fortifications to help them hold that line. Engineers are concentrated in Italy (building forts) and along the strategic rail lines between Germany, France and Italy. With the capture of so many forts the Allies should be able to land the bulk of their forces in England over the next two turns. A sizeable amphibious force remains embarked in SW England.

Weather roll is a 4, clear everywhere. Atlantic and Med roll calm seas.

Axis Player Turn

Germans repair 2 killed and 10 aborted air units, all but 1 are bombers. 3x Ju88A4 remain in the Elim pool. Many are place in Paris where they can reach Allied ports. The air-launched V-1 unit is aborted, but drew 3x NF. Eleven Luftwaffe bombers raid St Malo and Grainville at night. They meet 3x NF and ineffective flak, net losses 1 Ju88 aborted. Grainville takes 1 hit, St Malo 4. 5 of 6 day units crash land (very bad dice). All available Pz XX move to a line in front of the Seine while an Infantry XX seals itself inside fortress Cherbourg. Hopefully this display of force will buy a little time at no great cost.

Allied Player Turn

French MR 10 is liberated and will produce replacements beginning Dec I 44. (Meanwhile the 1/2 Metropolitan Inf RP from the MTO goes away.) Several units come out of garrison in N Africa, Corsica and Britain. The first 4 rail cap are built in France.

Partisans take out the Do217 at Dijon in a bold attack. Strat air roll is a 2 for a +1.US replaces a 2-3-10 Mot Eng, Brits replace their 5-3-6 Aslt Eng Tk X and the 5-10* Czech Tank X, all are placed in Nantes. P-47’s bomb out the FW190 at Bordeaux and are immediately followed by an airdrop at 17:2723 by 2x US 3-5 Airborne Regts. Three Allied TF duel with CDs at 17:2521 and 2522, silence the CDs and suffer no damage. A Ju88 code V was shot down trying to attack the TF. The abandoned port of Caen is destroyed during Allied movement, Lorient falls to a 5:1 and the port there is also destroyed.

A DR at 17:1008 takes the minor port of Deauville intact. In a series of assaults US 1st Army takes the row of bocage running 1008-1410 inflicting 16 DF (12 AF) in losses with one EX cadring 4th Inf XX. Elsewhere British 53rd Inf XX takes the minor port of Blaye while US Paras take Pauliac, covering both sides of the Garonne estuary north of Bordeaux. Comments: By the end of May 44 the Allies have advanced to a line running from the east at Deauville (17:1008) to Tours (17:2110) then around to Poiters (17:2316). Axis forces still hold Bordeaux and port forts at Cherbourg, Rochefort and La Rochelle.

The British are being very cautious about casualties. Allied air cover is not keeping up with the ground advance in France, thus far only a few airbases are available on the continent. MR’s 4, 9 and 11 are set to be liberated Jun I 44 and the Allies are only 7 hexes from Paris along a wide front. Supply in central France will be a real issue for the Allies until their Jul I turn when the rail net comes up. The Allies continue to knock out rail lines in the Strasbourg area only to see a mass of German engineers repair the breaks. German rail nets anywhere near the front have been pounded into oblivion with no effort being made (or possible) to fix them. Many allied planes sit on the ground due to lack of targets within range.

Weather is clear everywhere. Atlantic and Mediterranean sea zones are calm.

Axis Player-Turn

Germany places most of her ground reinforcements in or ready to enter WEST. Germany spends 8 ARP for 6 aborted and 1 eliminated air units, leaving 17 ARP. 21Sk SS Mountain XX fails its roll and is completely eliminated. The Italian NRP is converted to mines. Germany spends 7 Inf and 6 Arm replacements to rebuild divisions from cadres. 6 forts are begun.

Allies lay down only 8 harassment hits totaling 11 levels, mostly aimed at slowing engineers making repairs and non-c/m unit withdrawals. The code Z (V-1) He111 is aborted by patrol attack and a Ju88 torpedo bomber is killed by French P-47s attempting to attack a British TF north of Bordeaux. German night bombers put 3 hits on the port of Paulliac.

Harassment in Normandy is abated enough to allow non-c/m units to withdraw to a new defensive line. No Axis ground attacks were launched, the only practical attacks were against US armor in clear terrain. Given the US replacement pool it makes no sense to risk HX and EX. Attacking unisolated US Infantry in bocage makes less than no sense. So, a strong defensive line is formed 1 hex in front of the Seine north of Paris and behind the Seine south of that city to hex 17:2003. From there down to Toulouse the German front consists of a crescent of divisions, ZOCs and bad terrain. Neither side can hope to cover the entire front. Strong coastal defenses remain in place along the Channel coast. (Several Allied divisions sit aboard LCs in England.)

In Italy there is some shifting of troops along the Gustav line, but no withdrawal. Reinforcements move to strengthen coastal defenses near west coast ports and several divisions move from Italy into southern France.

Allied Player-Turn

June I starts with a lot of opportunities for the Allies. Only a few units are in contact with the German line in France and several ports are either empty or lightly defended. Hundreds of hexes can be liberated at no cost whatsoever. MRs 4, 9 and 11 are liberated and will begin production on Jan I 45. Two of 4 damaged LCs are repaired. One airbase is QCed in Normandy, another completed in Italy. 4 more rail cap are built in France (now 8). Strat air roll is a 3, status now 2 with extended range limits and Axis rail cap = 90%. Neither side calls up strat air.

Three Allied TF engage CD at La Verdon, taking 1 hit before silencing the defending guns. 3 more LC and a 16-point TF move from the ETO to MTO, making about a 50/50 split of TF and LCs. Significant Allied forces debark at French ports from Deauville to Blaye, unhampered by the Luftwaffe. British 6 Armoured XX enters an undefended Bordeaux to find the port destroyed.

In the MTO the Allies line up for 2 attacks – at 26:1820 against 15 DF and 2 AA with -2 DRM for terrain, and on the coast at Ortona (26:1719). Rather than risk a 3:1 -2 in the mountains the Allied throw everything at the 17 DF and 5 AA at Ortona. 7 air units are aborted, 4 returned and 9 get through with 35 TBF. The attack goes in at 4:1 -1 with a HX result. Two 5-7-6 Inf XX get cadred and the 2-3-10 HG Mot Hvt AA Regt is eliminated. Two US 3-8 Engr III are eliminated and a 9-8 Inf XX cadred in exchange. A 34 point US stack advances/exploits into Ortona. It looks as if the Gustav line has finally been turned.

In France the port of La Verdon (17:2422) is destroyed during a 6:1 (-1) attack by British forces. Another 6:1 British attack at La Rochelle has similar results. Germans miss their roll to flood 17:1107 so the US attack goes in at 6:1 (-1) and nets a DE, reducing a 5-7-6 and killing a 1-10 Hvy AA Bn. A full AECA attack against 9th Panzer XX (16-10) at neighboring 17:1207 supported by 33 points of GS comes off at 6:1 (-1) with a 4 (-1) for a DH. Finally, a US/French attack into the NW hex of Paris at 5:1 succeeds (DE), reducing 5th Falschirmjaeger XX and killing a 3-2-10 Assault Gun Brigade. Parisians celebrate as the US VII Corps advances into the city. During exploitation the Allies form a thin line from Deauville to 17:2005. At a right angle a ragged line runs to 3017 and across to 3025. Panzers can probably make a few holes in this line, but it would very likely prove suicidal. Transports fly in large amounts of supplies to ensure any pockets remain fully effective. The Allies now have 17 P-38/47/51 fighters on the continent, enough to cause serious pain to the Luftwaffe should it venture forth. Allied bombers range as far as Prag in search of marshalling yards.

Comments

The Allies are at the end of their logistical string for now. They will have to decide whether to leave a credible landing force in England or shift resources to the MTO. Going along with that, they must decide how many troops to leave in England to back up any landing along the Channel coast. A landing in Southern France by air or sea is an option, right now significant British forces are in the Bordeaux/La Rochelle area and will have to be moved overland to someplace more useful which could be into Southern France. However, two German-occupied ports hold out along the Biscay coast and an SS Panzer Corps holds a blocking position at Toulouse.

Germany should be able to make some decent attacks against US troops in France next turn, but there appear to be no opportunities to kill isolated units for victory points. The British, French and Canadians are pretty well protected with the Americans taking up most of the exposed positions. Germany will probably try to knock down the Allied rail cap in France with RMY missions, preventing the establishment of the rail element of supply. The Allies have so many ports and engineers that port bombing is no longer profitable. German V-1 units will be able to launch attacks on London next turn, forcing the RAF to divert fighters.

Both sides are finding it increasingly difficult to safely cover the long crescent shaped front in France. The Axis position in Italy is still good, and the fall of Rome has been delayed for another victory point count, but there is increasing pressure to release troops from coastal watch. Should the Allies encourage a withdrawal from the Gustav line by withholding harassment bombing, or should they rain bombs on any withdrawal?

Weather roll = 2. Zone C no change, stays Snow. Zones D and E Mud. Atlantic is rough on a 4, Med is calm with a roll of 3.

Axis Player Turn

Germans rebuild 4-8* Para-Inf cadre to 9-8* and 2nd Panzer cadre to 17-10, both at Roma. Engineers again open a rail line across the Rhine and into central France. Some German units get to strat-rail almost to Paris. Shuffling takes place along the Gustav line. All hexes are at 14 DF or higher.

Allied Player Turn

US finds itself short the two new air units required to garrison the Middle east. With 51 ARPs in the bank there doesn’t seem to be any need to divert valuable air units to this mundane chore. Engineers clear up all remaining rail breaks behind the front and begin to QC two forward airbases. Three more hits removed from Taranto and rebuilding of Napoli’s port will be completed next turn.

Combined NZ, Indian, French and British forces heavily supported by GS assault the Gustav line. The Germans have two divisions (14 DF) in 26/2020 and at 4:1 -5 the Allies roll a 6 for an EX. Germans cadre their 7-8 Mtn and 5-7-6 Inf Divisions while the British sacrifice two 7-10 Armor Brigades. 2nd NZ, 52nd Lowland and some c/m non-divisional units advance. A port contsruction unit lands on Elba, along with two construction brigades, supplies and a resource point.

Allied air goes after German fighters and puts 5 hits on airbases. Only 12 rail hits this turn as so many air units were providing GS and bombing the Luftwaffe. RSI fighters shoot down a B-25 over the Rhine rail crossings.

Commentary

Thought this would be a slow turn, and with a 1/6 chance of success a fruitless attack. Axis will have a problem fixing their defenses if the weather turns back to winter weather, but otherwise should be able to fall back in a couple of hexes and form a straight line of equal or greater strength. Some AA in the defending hex would’ve both raised the DF above what the Allies could get a 4:1 against and probably driven off enough GS to drop the attack odds. If weather permits the Germans will do this in Feb II. It is only a matter of time before the weather changes and the Allies get to use GS that is only halved instead of quartered.

Weather roll = 5. Snow in zone C, Winter in zone D and Mud in zone E. Atlantic and Med are both rough.

Axis Player Turn

Axis receive the Occupation turn 7 RSI reinforcements which should help reduce extra Italian partisan attacks. Luftwaffe and RSI fighters intercept Allied harassment missions intended to slow down rail repairs. A French P-39L and US P-39Q are killed, a US P-40N is aborted and a US P-39N is returned at the cost of one Fw190A2 aborted. The Allies however keep sending planes until they achieve their intended purpose, there just aren’t enough Axis fighters to stop them. Next time the Allies might want to try a few escorts or send better fighter-bombers and avoid the slaughter.

Allied Player Turn

Axis occupation forces are up to strength in all areas. Taranto is finally rebuilt and 5 hits are removed, the Allies will finally have unlimited regular supply in Italy. The Allies spend 5 French African RPs to rebuild their 3-8* Mtn Cadre to an 8-8 division. 2-point RM TF in England sustains no losses sweeping another mine in the English Channel. No attacks along the Gustav line. Allied air and partisans put another 22 hits on Axis rail lines. The FW190A at Roma is taken out by airbase attacks. 29th Infantry XX (US) moves from the MTO to the ETO. (To fulfill its destiny?) Several Allied TF move to Messina where several LC laden with unsupported British Infantry have been waiting patiently.

Commentary

Italy is starting to look like the moon, there won’t be much rail movement except in the north. Other than air attacks not a lot of action. Still waiting for better weather and more Mountain units to attack along the Gustav Line.

Weather roll = 4 = Snow in zone C, Winter in zone D and Mud in zone E. Atlantic = storms, Med = rough.

Axis Player Turn

Germany pours a lot of reinforcements into Italy to patch up coastal defenses. The Gustav line is fully manned with at least 12 DF in each hex. Engineers open a rail line across the Rhine and all the way to Southern France. A few bombers relocate from France to Northern Italy.

Allied Player Turn

Germany is short 1 RE of occupation forces in Italy. Brits rebuild the 6-4-6 Tank X they lost last turn. Partisans score two rail hits in France and one in Italy. Axis defenses along the Gustav line look too formidable to the Allies who make no ground attacks. Allied engineers continue to repair rails and complete two permanent airbases (Fogia and Corsica). Still no major ports on mainland Italy, though Taranto should be in operation next turn. Allied bombers place another 20 hits on Axis rail nets.

Comments

A slow turn all the way around. Breaking the Gustav line is probably going to require better weather but the Allies believe time is on their side and are in no hurry to rack up AH results. By spring there won’t be many unbroken rail hexes within range of Allied fighter-bombers. By relocating a few fighters to Alsace/Lorraine the Germans have raised the stakes for Allied medium bombers wishing to cut the link between France and Germany.