Weather: Another 2 is rolled for weather, leaving the D zone in mud and the E zone clear. Greek offensive operations will likely be delayed another turn. The Med remains clear (1 rolled)
Initial Phase: No significant Greek reinforcements. The Well 1C is again called up at the cost of 1VP. The Greeks choose to fly CAP with their fighter over Khania. The Italian mixed bomber unit on Rodi is again placed on naval patrol.
Movt phase: The Greek navy successfully brings another regt on Crete off the island and into the western port of Amalias, this time the HQ of the 5th Mtn Div. Elsewhere, the 23rd Rgt of the 13 Mtn Div is brought off the Aegean eastern isles (specifically Khios). A combination of night loading and movt prevents Italian interference in these maneuvers.
The British Blenheims again launch an attack on Rodi, with the Italian Mxd F again rising up to challenge. This time things go better for Mussonlinis air force, and the bombers are driven off (7 modd to 6 on the -1 chart Rs the bombers, 6 modd to 7 misses the fighters.)
Combat phase: The Greek high command looks about for possible attacks, and sees nothing better than 3:1 -3 in rough terrain, or 2:1 -2 in mountains. Greek units stand down and await better weather for the drive to Valona.
Exploit phase: It has become obvious that the British are sending their Blenheims in as a stalking horse to clear the way for the Wellingtons in the exploit phase. They stage another raid on Rodi, but their luck is no better. 3 pts of AA misses (10) as does the 6 strat strength Wellington (2 rolled).
Dec I 40 Axis Player Turn:
Initial Phase: One infantry and one alpini division are placed at Brindisi, as is the Italian Ju87 unit. SM.79-1s withdraw temporarily.
2 Infantry Rps go into the pool, but remain unspent. The Greek fighter stages and then flies CAP over Athenai, to prevent a recurrence of last turns terror bombing raids. Unfortunately, this unit cannot be everywhere at once…
Movt phase: The reinforcing 37 Mod Inf division is broken down with the smaller rgt sent to Kerkyra to bottle up the Greek 10th Inf rgt, still starving along the northern coast of that isle. Allied naval interference fails to make contact. The SM marine battalion then shifts up to the port of Valona, with naval interference again making no contact. Next a large convoy including the remaining portions of the 37th Mod Inf and the 5 Pst Alpini Div make their way to Valona without incident.
To ensure the unguarded Blenheims based at Khania dont escape Italian attention, a three air group raid is launched, 2 bombers staging from Albania and Italy to Scarpanto, and the 3rd the Mxd B direct from Rodi.
Flak misses all 3 units. The air units line up and bomb one at a time, declaring the mission only after the previous unit has made an attempt.
The first, the Z506, misses the airfield/unit with a 2 on the 2 column.
The Mxd B then rolls on the 1 column, improving the roll if not the results (3). Finally, the SM.81 on the 1 column gets even closer (5), but still misses. All units return to Rodi and its environs, leaving the island a large aircraft carrier.
Next, a CR.42 transfers to Rodi across Greece to help mitigate the British attempts to bomb that island. At a minimum, this should likely force the Brits to bomb at night. A CR.32bis pulls back from Koritsa to cover Valona.
Continuing with bombing, the Z.1007b unit attempts to break the rail line leading north from Athenai, just southeast of Levadia. The unit rolls a 6 and destroys the rail line.
Finally, the last air unit left operative (excepting last turns heroic MC.200s, which can accomplish little considering the weather and their range (since bombing empty airfields does me little good!)), the brand new Ju87s, launches an attack against the rail junction just east of Karditsa. The mud has no real effect (4 halved to 2 is the same column), and a 4 is rolled, +1 for type D, resulting in a second rail hit.
On the ground, little is accomplished, other than shuffling 4 3-4-6 Inf XXs about to keep units fully functional for supply (a single hex of the Italian line is out of general supply due to the mud… the units in this hex exchange places with their neighbors each turn in the standard practice.) Some more minor shifting goes on around the eastern part of the Italian line, while the just arrived reinforcements admin up from Valona to the western part of the line.
Combat phase: No Allied DAS opportunities exist. No attacks are launched.
Exploit: No movt or air missions.
End of game turn: Italians collect 5 more Vps for hexes in Greece.
Totals are now 23 Axis to -3 Allied.
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