Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘3’ for winter weather. The Strategic Air War status remained unchanged. The US rebuilds its 12th Arm XX, and the British rebuild their 3rd and 43rd Inf XX’s. The US reorganizes 4x AA X’s for 12x 1-RE TC’s and 4x Inf RP’s. The British disband 9x newly created Inf X’s and 2x Siege Art II’s for a total of 23x Inf RP’s, which they don’t need. The US replaces 1 air group and repairs 8 more, the British repair 3 air groups, and the French repair 1.

The 1st attack is against a 17-pt stack in Stettin by the US 4th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Arm XX’s, the French 2nd Arm XX, the US 5th, 35th, and 88th Inf XX’s and the British 59th Inf XX. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate a stationary Fort XX. The US 35th Inf XX occupies this major city.

The 2nd attack is against a 27-pt stack in the woods just northeast of Berlin by the US 8th and 14th Arm XX’s, the British 7th Arm XX, the Polish 1st Arm XX, the SA 6th Arm XX, the US 17th and British 1st Abn XX’s, and the US 4th and 8th Inf XX’s. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce 3 Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 4th Inf advances into the hex.

The 3rd attack is against a 29-pt stack in downtown Berlin by the US 2nd and 3rd Arm XX’s, the British 6th and 11th Arm XX’s, the US 82nd and 101st Abn XX’s, the US 1st and 9th Inf XX’s, 6x RE’s of Siege Art, 6x RE’s of Eng’s, and 1 RE of flamethrower tanks. The Allies had flown in a CAP of 18 fighter groups, and then they fly in a GS mission of 30 air groups, which the CAP escorts. The Germans intercept with all 18 fighter groups they had available, and they all elect to bypass. The Allied escorts manage to kill 1, abort 2, and return 7. The surviving interceptors manage to abort 1 and return 1, while a P-47, without jettisoning, manages to kill an interceptor. The Germans then fly in a DAS mission of 3 air groups, all they had operative. The Allies intercept with 6 fighter groups based at Magdeburg, which kill 1 and abort 1. German AA of 13 aborts 9 and returns 6. Allied AA misses. At 5:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an EX. The Germans reduce 3 Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of their stack. On a roll of ‘2’ the German government relocates to Danzig. The Allies reduce the British 6th Arm XX and eliminate 5x US Eng X’s. The US 1st Inf XX, the ‘Big Red One’, occupies downtown Berlin.

The 4th attack is against a 15-pt stack in the woods just west of the town of Guben by the US 9th and Canadian 5th Arm XX’s, the US 26th Inf XX, the British 3rd Inf XX, the Canadian 1st Inf XX, and the Polish 5th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA returns 4. At 8:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce 2 Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of their stack. The British 3rd Inf XX’s advances into the hex.

The 5th attack is against a 15-pt stack in a wooded swamp hex just northeast of the town of Kottbus by the US 75th, 85th, 87th, and 104th Inf XX’s, the Canadian 3rd Inf XX, and the Polish 3rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DR. Cut off by ZOC’s the Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 75th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 6th attack is against an 11-pt stack in the woods just west of the town of Sorau by the British Guards Arm XX, the Canadian 4th Arm XX, and the NZ Mech XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 1. At 8:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance a 71-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 7th attack is against an 11-pt stack in the woods just northwest of the minor city of Gorlitz by the French 3rd Arm XX, the US 3rd, 44th, and 95th Inf XX’s, and the French 1st Inf XX. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an EX. Cut off by ZOC’s the Germans eliminate their entire stack. The Allies reduce the US 44th Inf XX and eliminate an Arm II. The US 3rd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 8th attack is against an 11-pt stack in rough terrain around the town of Zittau by the US 7th Arm XX, the US 30th and 76th Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an HX. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. The Allies reduce the US 76th Inf XX. The US 30th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 9th attack is against an 11-pt stack in rough terrain around the town of Gablonz by the US 91st, 94th and 102nd Inf XX’s and the British 1st, 5th, and 15th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. The US 94th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 10th attack is against a 7-pt stack just northeast of the minor city of Pardubitz by the US 6th and French 1st Arm XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 bomber groups. There is no AA. At 8:1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX. The Allies advance a 50-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 11th attack is against a 13-pt stack just east of the town of Iglau by the US 34th, 80th, and 103rd Inf XX’s, the British 43rd and 53rd Inf XX’s and the French 9th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 34th Inf XX advances into the hex.

Situation in the northern part of Central Europa after the 1945 Jan II Axis turn during the SF42 game.

The 12th attack is against a 13-pt stack just southeast of Iglau by the Indian 4th Mtn XX, US 83rd Inf XX, the British 51st Inf XX, the French 25th and 36th Inf XX, and the French colonial 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 1. At 5:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an HX. Cut off by ZOC’s the Germans eliminate their entire stack. The Allies reduce a British Art [xx] and advance the US 83rd into the hex.

The 13th attack is against a 9-pt stack in the town of Znaim by the US 29th and 36th Inf XX’s, the French 29th Inf XX, and the French colonial 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 29th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 14th attack is against a 9-pt stack 2 hexes north of Vienna by the US 66th and 69th Inf XX’s, and from across the Danube the French 15th Mtn XX and 14th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. There is no AA. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. Cut off by ZOC’s the Germans eliminate their entire stack. The US 66th Inf XX advances into the hex. This attack reflected the inability of the Allied units around Vienna to mount a credible attack against that city.

There are 2 more attacks far behind the front line. The first is against 2 cadres on a port fort by the US US 90th Inf XX, the British 56th and 78th Inf XX’s, the Canadian 6th Inf XX, and the Indian 8th and 10th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR. The US 90th Inf XX liberates the Dutch medium city of Haarlem. The second is against a small Static XX, now U-2, in Copenhagen by the US 99th Inf XX. At 5:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DR. The US 99th Inf XX liberates this major city.

Situation in the southern part of the campaign after the 1945 Jan II Axis turn during the SF42 game

Allied Jan I 45

Axis Turn

The Germans stop 2x Inf XX’s from transferring east. The Germans replace 10x Inf XX’s. The Germans replace 4 air groups and repair 4 air groups. The Germans disband 4 units for 24x Inf RP’s.

The German front line starts on the Baltic coast just east of Stettin and runs along the south bank of the Oder River. It then goes thru a woods hex, the northeast suburb of Berlin, the eastern suburb of Berlin, and then the southeast suburb of Berlin. The front then run southeast for 6 more hexes until the woods just southeast of the town of Sagan. There the front turns west for a couple hexes until just east of Gorlitz and then goes thru a rough hex just southeast of Gorlitz before heading southeast behind a series of mountain hexsides until just west of the town of Glatz. From here the front runs generally south, with 3 stacks stuck in between Allied stacks as they desperately try to retreat back to the German front line. The front bulges out into a pair of woods hexes just to the northwest and west of Brunn before running southwest to reach the Danube River just north of Vienna. From Vienna the continuous front only extends for 3 more hexes before breaking into interspersed stacks along the north bank of the Vah River in northern Slovakia. With the government relocated, Germany will surrender if it loses another major city. By the end of the turn the front line is 38 hexes long and has an average defense strength of 12.0 pts.

Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘4’ for winter weather. The Strategic Air War roll increases the status to 8, which makes 50% of the German air units inoperative, decreases the German rail capacity to 24 RE’s, and cuts their exploitation movement in half. The US receives 3 Inf XX’s, and the British convert their 50th Inf XX into a 3-5* Trng XX, an Eng X, and 5x Inf RP’s that they don’t need. The US rebuilds its 5th and 45th Inf XX’s, and the Canadian rebuild their 3rd Inf XX. The US replace an air group and repair 7. The British repair 4 air groups.

The 1st attack is against a 21-pt stack just west of Stettin by the US 4th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Arm XX’s, the French 2nd Arm XX, and the US 45th Inf XX. After already flying in a CAP, the Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 1. At 5:1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an HX. The Germans reduce 3x Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the US 12th Arm XX. The US 45th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 2nd attack is against a 23-pt stack in wooded intermittent lake terrain 3 hexes west of Stettin by the US 8th Arm XX, the British 7th Arm XX, the SA 6th Arm XX, the US 17th Abn XX, the British 1st Abn XX, and the US 5th, 28th, 35th, and 88th Inf XX’s. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. The Germans reduce 2x Inf XX’s and retreat their stack. The US 28th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 3rd attack is against a 25-pt stack in the northwest suburb of Berlin by the US 1st, 2nd, and 14th Arm XX’s, the British 6th Arm XX, the Polish 1st Arm XX, the British 6th Abn XX, and the US 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 100th Inf XX’s. After flying in a CAP, the Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. The Germans intercept with 9 fighter groups, which all by pass. The Allied CAP, now escorting, kills 1, aborts 1, and returns 4. The surviving interceptors kill 1 and return 2. German AA returns 2. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the German eliminate the entire stack except for a PzG cadre. The US 1st Inf XX advances into the 1st hex of Berlin.

The 4th attack is against a 25-pt stack in the southwest suburb of Berlin by the US 3rd Arm XX, the British Guards and 11th Arm XX’s, the Canadian 5th Arm XX, the US 82nd and 101st Abn XX’s, the US 8th, 9th and 104th Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. After flying in a CAP, the Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. The Germans intercept with 9 fighter groups, which all by pass. The Allied CAP, now escorting, kills 3 and aborts 3. The surviving interceptors miss. German AA aborts 4 and returns 4. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 104th Inf XX advances into the 2nd hex of Berlin.

The 5th attack is against a 15-pt stack just southeast of the town of Kottbus by the US 9th and Canadian 4th Arm XX’s, the US 26th and British 3rd Inf XX, and the Polish 3rd and 5th Inf XX’s. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an HX. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the British 3rd Inf XX. The US 26th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 6th attack is against a 15-pt stack just northwest of the town of Bautzen by the French 2nd Arm XX, the NZ Mech XX, the US 3rd and 44th Inf XX’s, the Canadian 1st Inf XX, and the French 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. A single German Me109K intercepts, eludes the fire of 2x Spit IX’s, and aborts a Typh1B. German AA aborts 1. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DH. The Allies advance a 49-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 7th attack is against an 11-pt stack 2 hexes east of Prag by the US 6th and French 1st Arm XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 bomber groups. There is no AA. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance a 46-pt stack into the hex.

The 8th attack is against a surrounded 13-pt stack in Prag by the US 30th, 91st, 94th, and 102nd Inf XX’s, the British 1st, 5th, and 15th Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 1. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DR. The entire German stack is eliminated. The US 94th Inf XX occupies this major city.

The 9th attack is against an 11-pt stack in rough terrain around the town of Deutsch-Brod by the US 34th and 92nd Inf XX’s, the British 43rd and 53rd Inf XX’s, the French 9th Inf XX, and the Brazilian 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 4. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an HX. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. The Allies reduce the British 43rd Inf XX and advance the US 34th Inf XX into the hex.

The 10th attack is against an 11-pt stack in rough terrain around the town of Iglau by the US 80th, 83rd and 103rd Inf XX’s, the British 46th and 51st Inf XX’s, and the Indian 4th Mtn XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 2. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and retreat their stack. The US 83rd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 11th attack is against a 13-pt stack just west of the town of Znaim by the US 29th and 36th Inf XX’s, the French 1st Colonial Inf XX, and the French 25th, 29th, and 36th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 29th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 12th attack is against a 13-pt stack just southeast of Vienna by the US 5th Arm XX, the US 79th and 106th Inf XX’s, the British 4th Inf XX, and the French 4th and 27th Mtn XX’s. After flying in a CAP, the Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. The Germans intercept with 2 fighter groups from Vienna, which by pass. The Allied CAP, now escorting, aborts both interceptors. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate an ant. The US 79th Inf XX advances into the hex.

A final attack is against a 9-pt stack, now U-2, in Amsterdam by the US 90th Inf XX, the British 56th and 78th Inf XX’s and the Indian 8th and 10th Inf XX’s. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR. The German stack retreats, and the Indian 10th Inf XX liberates this major city.

On Sardinia the British marines occupy Cagliari, while on Sicily their marines occupy Palermo. Allied units have now occupied all major and medium cities in Italy.

Situation map after the Dec II 1944 Axis Turn during the SF42 game, northern part

Axis Turn

The Germans stop an Inf XX and Inf cadre from transferring east. The Germans replace 12x Inf XX’s this turn. The Germans replace 2 air groups and repair 3, all they could afford. The Germans disband 4 stationary Fort XX’s for 15x Inf RP’s. At this point the Germans still held 8 major cities in 1939 Germany: Konigsberg, Danzig, Stettin, Berlin, Breslau, Hindenberg, Brunn, and Vienna.

The front line started on the Baltic coast just east of Stettin. From just southwest of Stettin the front ran due west for 4 hexes to the woods just east of the town of Oranienburg. From there the front ran thru northeast Berlin, downtown Berlin, and southeast Berlin. From Berlin the front ran south thru the minor cities of Gorlitz, Reichenberg, and Pardubitz using a wooded intermittent lake hex, a wooded swamp hex, 3 wooded rough hexes, 3 rough hexes, and 4 woods hexes. In a couple places the front stuck out for a hex to include a stack that could not retreat far enough. From Vienna the front turned due east to use the Danube River and then the Vah River starting at the town of Troava to prevent the Allied units at Vienna from curling around behind the front. By the end of the turn the continuous front was 38 hexes long and had an average defense strength of 14.1 pts.

Situation after the Dec II 44 Axis turn during the SF42 playtesting game

Dec II 44 VP Check:

Former Axis Major City Hexes: Tunis, Bordeaux, Lyon, Paris (4), Lille, Bruxelles, Antwerpen, Rotterdam, s’Gravenhage, Amsterdam, Liege, Koln, Ruhr (9), Mannheim, Frankfurt, Bremen, Hanover, Hamburg (2), Kiel, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Berlin (2), Dresden, Chemnitz, Stuttgart, Nurnberg, Munchen, Prag, Torino, Milano, Genova, Trieste, Bologna, Firenze, Napoli, Palermo = 147

Roma = 10

Former Axis Medium Cities: Brest, Le Havre, Rouen, Nantes, Tours, Clermont, St Etienne, Toulouse, Grenoble, Toulon, Groningen, Wilhelshaven, Utrecht, Wesermunde, Lubeck, Rostock, Gent, Harburg, Eindhoven, Osnabruck, Munster, Charleroi, Bielefeld, Aachen, Hagen, Braunschweig, Bonn, Reims, Kassel, Potsdam, Halle, Saarbrucken, Mainz, Wiesbaden, Erfurt, Darmstadt, Nancy, Ludwigshaven, Wurzburg, Karlsruhe, Plauen, Zwickau, Strasbourg, Pilsen, Mulhouse, Augsburg, Linz, Graz, Brescia, Verona, Padova, Venezia, Zagreb, Livorno, Cagliari, Bari, Taranto, Messina, Tripoli = 59

Former Axis Naval Bases: Tripoli, Tunis, Bizerte, Sete, Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Nantes, Brest, Caen, Le Havre, Rouen, Boulogne, Dunkerque, Gent, Antwerpen, s’Gravenhage, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Emden, Wilhelshaven, Wesermunde, Bremen, Hamburg, Kiel, Lubeck, Savona, Genova, Venezia, La Spezia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Napoli, Cagliari, Bari, Taranto, Palermo = 36

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

Previous Total: 203.5 VP’s
New Total: 455.5 VP’s

Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘3’ for mud. The US rebuilds its 14th Arm XX and its 34th and 100th Inf XX’s, the British rebuild an Art [xx], and the Canadians rebuild their 1st and 3rd Inf XX’s. The US replace 4 units, and the British and Polish each replace an Arm X. The US repair 6 air groups, and the British and French each repair 1. The British land a Marine Cmdo X on Sardinia and 2 on the western end of Sicily, both islands are deserted.

The 1st attack is against an 8-pt stack left behind just east of the minor city of Schwerin by the French 2nd Arm XX and the US 78th Inf XX. At 9:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DH. Cut off the German stack is eliminated.

The 2nd attack is against a pair of cadres left behind just west of the town of Stralsund by the US 4th and 11th Arm XX’s. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. Cut off these cadres are eliminated. The US 11th Arm XX advances into the hex.

The 3rd attack is against an Inf XX left behind in a wooded intermittent lake hex just southwest of the town of Gustrow by the US 10th Arm XX, the British 1st Abn XX, and the US 35th, 84th, and 88th Inf XX’s. At 9:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR. Retreating into a ZOC the German Inf XX is reduced to a cadre. The British 1st Abn XX and US 88th Inf XX advance into the hex.

SF 42 1944 Dec I Axis Turn situation map, northern part

The 4th attack is against a pair of cadres left behind 2 hexes northeast of the town of Neustrelitz by the US 12th Arm XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 bomber groups. There is no AA. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DR. Cut off these cadres are eliminated.

The 5th attack is against a 19-pt stack in the town of Oranienburg by the US 8th and 14th Arm XX’s, the Polish 1st Arm XX, and the US 2nd, 4th, and 100th Inf XX’s. The Allies had flown in a CAP earlier, and now fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. The Germans intercept with 6 fighter groups that all bypass. The Allied CAP now escorting kill 3 and abort 1. The surviving interceptors both miss, and a P-47, still hanging on to its bombs abort 1 of them. German AA aborts 1 and returns 3. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce a PzG XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 2nd Inf XX advance into the hex.

The 6th attack is against a 19-pt stack just northeast of Oranienburg by the British 7th and SA 6th Arm XX’s, the US 17th Abn XX, and the US 5th, 28th and 45th Inf XX’s. The Allies had flown in a CAP earlier, and now fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA returns 3. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an EX. Only a PzG cadre is able to retreat thru the ZOC’s. The Allies reduce the US 5th and 45th Inf XX’s. The US 17th Abn XX advances into the hex.

The 7th attack is against a 25-pt stack in the medium city of Potsdam by the US 1st and 2nd Arm XX’s, the British Guards and 6th Arm XX’s, the US 82nd and British 6th Abn XX’s, and the US 1st, 8th and 104th Inf XX’s. The Allies had flown in a CAP earlier, and now fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. The Germans intercept with 12 fighter groups, which all bypass. The Allied CAP now escorting manage to kill 1, abort 2, and return 1 of the interceptors. The surviving interceptors kill 1 and abort 2 of the GS groups at the cost of 1 killed and 1 aborted to themselves. German AA aborts 1 and returns 3. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce a PzG XX and an Inf XX, and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 8th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 8th attack is against a 19-pt stack in the woods just east of Zossen by the US 3rd and Canadian 5th Arm XX’s, the US 101st Abn XX, the US 9th and 26th Inf XX’s and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. The Allies had flown in a CAP earlier, and now fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 3 and returns 1. At 7:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an HX. The Germans reduce 2 Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. The US 9th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 9th attack is against a 15-pt stack in the woods just southwest of the town of Kottbus by the British 11th and Canadian 4th Arm XX’s, the US 85th and British 3rd Inf XX’s and the Polish 3rd and 4th Inf XX’s. The Allies had flown in a CAP earlier, and now fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. The Germans intercept with a Me262 which elects to bypass. A Spit XIV aborts this jet. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 8:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR. The Germans retreat their stack. The US 85th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 10th attack is against an 11-pt stack just east of Dresden by the NZ Mech XX, the US 3rd and 44th Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 4th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 44th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 11th attack is against an 11-pt stack in Dresden by the US 7th and 9th Arm XX’s, the French 3rd Arm XX, the US 3rd 75th, 87th, and 95th Inf XX’s, the British 50th Inf XX, and the French 1st Inf XX. The Allies had flown in a CAP earlier, and now fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. The German intercept and elect to bypass. The Allied CAP, now escorting miss. The interceptors miss at the expense of 1 of themselves being aborted. German AA returns 3. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DR. Surrounded, the German stack is eliminate. The US 9th Arm XX and 75th and 87th Inf XX’s occupy Dresden.

The 12th attack is against an 11-pt stack just northeast of Prag by the US 6th and French 1st Arm XX’s, the US 30th, 94th, and 102nd Inf XX’s, and the British 15th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA misses. At 8:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of the stack. The US 6th and French 1st Arm XX’s advance into the hex.

The 13th attack is against a 9-pt stack in the town of Tabor by the US 34th and 92nd Inf XX’s, the British 1st, 5th, and 43rd Inf XX’s, the Canadian 2nd Inf XX, and the Brazilian 1st Inf XX. At 9:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. Cut off the entire stack is eliminated. The British 1st Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 14th attack is against an 11-pt stack in wooded rough terrain just west of the town of Iglau by the US 80th, 83rd, and 103rd Inf XX’s, The British 46th and 53rd Inf XX’s, and the French 9th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 2 and returns 1. At 8:1, -4 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR. The German stack retreats. The US 83rd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 15th attack is against a 9-pt stack in rough terrain 3 hexes west of Brunn by the Indian 4th Mtn XX, the US 29th and 36th Inf XX’s, the British 51st Inf XX, and the French 25th and 36th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA misses. At 9:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and retreat their stack. The US 36th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 16th attack is against a small Static XX in mountain terrain just west of the town of Wiener Neustadt by the US 5th Arm XX, the French 4th Mtn XX, and the US 79th and British 4th Inf XX’s. At 9:1, -4 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. The Static SS is eliminated. The US 5th Arm XX and French 4th Mtn XX advance into this hex.

A final attack is back in the Netherlands against a cadre, now U-2, in Rotterdam by the US 90th Inf XX, the British 56th inf XX, and Indian 8th and 10th Inf XX’s. At 9:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DH. The cadre is eliminated, and the US 90th Inf XX liberates Rotterdam.

SF42 Allied Dec I 44

Axis Turn

The German receive an Inf XX. The Germans replace 5x Inf XX’s, 2x PzG X’s, and 10x AA II’s. The Germans disband 19 units for 48x Inf RP’s and 2x Arm RP’s. The Germans replace 5 air groups and repair 7.

Situation on the southern part of the West front after the Dec I 1944 Axis Turn during the SF42 game.

The front now starts just east of Stettin, and goes west past Stettin for 3 hexes to a wooded intermittent lake hex. Here the front turns southwest, goes thru a woods hex and extends outward into the northwest suburb of Berlin. The front goes back into downtown Berlin and then extends out again to cover the southwest suburb of Berlin. From Berlin the front runs southward taking advantage of a wooded intermittent lake hex, a wooded swamp hex, 2 wooded rough hexes, 2 woods hexes and 5 rough hexes before reaching the east bank of the Danube 3 hexes north of Vienna. Just south of Vienna the front runs east to Bratislava. Left behind is a stack in Prag surrounded on 5 sides by the Allies. By the end of the turn the front is 37 hexes long and has an average defense strength of 15.9 pts.

Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘6’ for winter weather. The Strategic Air War roll is a ‘1’, which increases the Strategic Air War Status to 7. The US receives another Arm XX and 3x Inf XX’s. The US replaces 5 units and rebuilds its 9th Arm XX and its 84th and 88th Inf XX’s. The British rebuild their 11th Arm XX. The US repairs 7 air groups, the British repair 2, and the French repair 2. The Allies build rail capacity up to 20 RE’s in Germany and 12 RE’s in Italy. The British land a Marine X on Sardinia and 2 Marine X’s on Sicily, both islands devoid of any enemy units.

Before attacking the main German defense line the British 56th Inf XX and the Indian 8th and 10th Inf XX’s attack a German Static XX across the Lek River into the enclave of U-2 German units defending the Dutch major cities. At 10:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The German XX is eliminated and the British 56th Inf XX advances across the river.

The 1st attack on the main German defense line is against an 11-pt stack in the town of Wismar on the Baltic coast by the US 4th and 11th and French 2nd Arm XX’s. At 8:1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance a 54-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 2nd attack is against a 13-pt stack just west of the town of Gustrow by the US 10th Arm XX, the British 1st Abn XX, and the US 35th, 78th, 84th, and 88th Inf XX’s. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce 2 Inf XX’s and eliminate an ant. The US 10th Arm XX and 84th Inf XX advance into the hex.

The 3rd attack is against an 11-pt stack backed up to the Moritz Lake by the US 2nd, 4th, and 28th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DR. Unable to retreat the stack is eliminated. The US 28th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 4th attack is against an 11-pt stack in wooded intermittent lake terrain by the British 7th, Polish 1st, and SA 6th Arm XX’s. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DR. The Germans retreat back into a woods hex. The Allies advance a 57-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 5th attack is against a 9-pt stack backed up to the Moritz Lake by the US 12th Arm XX, US 17th Abn XX, and US 5th Inf XX. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR. Cut off by the Lake and ZOC’s the German can only extract a cadre. The US 12th Arm XX and 5th Inf XX advance into the hex.

The 6th attack is against a 19-pt stack just northwest of Potsdam by the US 1st and 14th Arm XX’s and the US 100th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups escorted by 6 fighter groups. The Germans intercept with 6 fighter groups that all bypass. The Allied escorts return 3. The interceptors abort 1 and return 1. The fighters they attacked hang on to their bombs and manage to abort 1. German AA returns 2. At 4:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an EX. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the US 14th Arm XX and 100th Inf XX. The US 1st Arm XX advances into the hex.

The 7th attack is against a 19-pt stack in the woods around the town of Zossen by the US 3rd Arm XX, the Canadian 5th Arm XX, and the US 101st Abn XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups escorted by 6 fighter groups. The Germans intercept with 6 fighter groups that all bypass. The Allied escorts kill 2, abort 1, and return 1. The surviving interceptors abort 1. The mission force, hanging on to its bombs, abort 1. German AA returns 4. At 5:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an HX. The Germans reduce 2 Inf XX’s and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies eliminate a British Arm X and a US Art X, and advance a 52-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 8th attack is against a 21-pt stack in the woods around Brandenburg by the US 2nd Arm XX, the British 6th Arm XX, the British 6th Abn XX, and the US 1st, 8th, and 26th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups escorted by 4 fighters. German AA aborts 1 and returns 2. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. Only a PzG cadre escapes thru the Allied ZOC’s. The US 8th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 9th attack is against a 21-pt stack just southwest of Potsdam by the British Guards Arm XX, the US 82nd Abn XX, and the Canadian 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups escorted by 6 fighter groups. The Germans intercept with 6 fighter groups that all bypass. The Allied escorts kill 2 and return 2. The surviving interceptors miss. German AA aborts 2 and returns 3. At 4:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an HX. The Germans reduce a PzG XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the Canadian 1st Inf XX and eliminate an AA X.

The 10th attack is against a 13-pt stack in the woods just west of the town of Kottbus by the US 7th and 9th Arm XX’s and the NZ Mech XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance a 67-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 11th attack is against a 15-pt stack southwest of Zossen by the British 11th Arm XX, the US 9th Inf XX, and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an EX. The Germans reduce a PzG XX and eliminate an ant. The Allies reduce the Canadian 3rd Inf XX and eliminate a US Inf III.

The 12th attack is against a 13-pt stack just northeast of Dresden by the Canadian 4th Arm XX, the French 3rd Arm XX, US 44th Inf XX, the British 3rd Inf XX, and the Polish 3rd and 5th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 44th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 13th attack is against a 9-pt stack just southeast of Dresden by the US 6th and French 1st Arm XX’s, the US 3rd and 30th Inf XX’s, the British 50th Inf XX, and the French 1st Inf XX. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The British 50th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 14th attack is against a 13-pt stack just southwest of Prag by the US 34th and 91st Inf XX’s, the British 1st and 5th Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. There is no AA. At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an EX. The Germans reduce 2 Inf XX’s. The Allies reduce the US 34th Inf XX and a British Art [xx]. The US 91st Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 15th attack is against an 11-pt stack just northeast of Budweis by the US 36th, 80th, 83rd, and 103rd Inf XX’s and the British 46th and 51st Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. There is no AA. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. the Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 80th, 83rd and 103rd Inf XX’s advance into the hex.

The 16th attack is against an Inf XX in wooded rough on the north bank of the Danube by the US 29th and 79th Inf XX’s, the French 14th, 25th, and 36th Inf XX, and the French 1st and 2nd Colonial Inf XX’s. At 9:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DH. Cut off by ZOC’s the Inf XX is eliminated. The French 14th, 25th, and 36th Inf XX’s advance into the hex.

The 17th attack is against an Inf XX blocking the Danube valley by the US 5th Arm XX and British 4th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The German Inf XX is reduced and its cadre escapes across the Danube.

Situation map of the nothern theater of war on Nov II 1944 Axis turn in the SF42 game

The final attack is against a Croatian Inf XX defending the Ljubljana Gap by the US 106th and the French 3rd Inf XX’s.The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DH. The Croatian XX is reduced.

During exploitation the Allies could find only 2 cadres they were able to overrun at the northern end of the front. Elsewhere the Axis had built up too strong a NODL. In the southeast an Allied c/m stack overruns a Croatian cadre and occupies the minor city of Ljubljana.

SF42 Allied Nov II 44

Axis Turn

The Germans received an Inf XX and a Mech X. The Germans replace 32x Inf XX’s, 2x PzG X’s, and 20x AA II’s. The Germans disband 3 units for 5x Inf RP’s and 3x Arm RP’s. The Germans replace 4 air groups and repair 3.

Thanks to the number of units disbanded the previous turn, the Germans replace a huge number of Inf XX’s this turn which they use to build a solid front from the Baltic down past Vienna. The German front line starts on the Baltic coast 2 hexes northwest of Stettin and goes southwest until 2 hexes west of Stettin. The front then goes west thru a wooded intermittent lake hex then another hex before turning southwest thru the town of Oranienburg, the northwest suburb of Berlin, and then Potsdam. Here the front runs southeast thru the southwest suburb of Berlin and down to a wooded swamp hex. The front then runs southwest for 4 hexes until just east of Dresden. The Germans hold on to this major city even though it sticks out from the front line.

Situation on the southern part of the West front after the Nov II 1944 Axis Turn during the SF42 game

The solid NODL from the Baltic runs out east of Dresden, and the Germans have XX’s in every other hex of their 2nd line for the rest of the way south. South of Dresden the front line hugs the east bank of the Elbe down to Prag. After Prag the line becomes convoluted as various stacks retreat past Allied penetrations. Finally the front hugs the north bank of the Danube for 2 hexes before reaching Vienna. The 2 Croatian XX’s still in the Southeast Theater retreat towards Beograd. By the end of the turn the front line was 35 hexes long and had an average defense strength of 14.7 pts.

Allied Turn

The weather roll is a ‘5’ for mud.   The US receives another Arm XX and 3x Inf XX’s.   The US replaces an Eng X, and the British replace a Tank X.   The US repairs 6 air groups, and the British repair 1.   The Allies build up their rail capacity to 12 RE’s on the German rail net, and up to 8 RE’s on the Italian rail net.   The US 28th and British 49th Inf XX’s pack up in GB and get shipped to ports in northern France.   The Allies are giving up the threat of any amphibious landing.

The 1st attack is against a 13-pt stack just southwest of Lubek by the US 1st and 4th Arm XX, the French 2nd Arm XX, the Polish 1st Arm XX, and the SA 6th Arm XX.   The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups.   German AA aborts 1.   At 6:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an EX.   The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack.   The Allies reduce the US 1st Arm XX and advance a 61-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 2nd attack is against an 11-pt stack across the lower Elbe River just northwest of the town of Wittenberge by the US 10th and 12th and British 7th Arm XX’s.   The Allies fly in a heavily escorted GS mission of 14 air groups.   There is no AA.   At 4:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for an HX.   The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack.   The Allies eliminate a US Mech X and a Belgian Mot Inf X, and advance a 40-pt c/m stack across the Elbe.

The 3rd attack is against a 7-pt stack surrounded far behind the front line by the US 4th, 8th, and 9th Inf XX’s.   At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH.   The German stack is eliminated.

The 4th attack is against an isolated 8-pt stack Hannover by the US 1st and British 50th Inf XX’s.   At 6:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE.   The German stack is eliminated, and the Allies advance into this major city.

The 5th attack is against a 13-pt stack behind the Elbe River just northwest of the town of Rathenow by the US 2nd Arm XX.   The Allies fly in a heavily escorted GS mission of 16 air groups.   The Germans intercept with 8 fighter groups, which all bypass.   The Allied escort kills 2 and aborts 2 of the interceptors.   The surviving interceptors aborts 1 and cause 3 others to jettison their bombs at the cost of 1 abort to themselves.   The Germans then fly in a DAS mission of 4 air groups.   The Allies intercept with 4 long-range P-51’s and abort 1 and return 1.  German AA aborts 1 and returns 2.   Allied AA returns 1.   At 3:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for an EX.   The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack.   The Allies eliminate a British Arm X and a US Art X.   The US 2nd Arm XX advances into the hex and is now 4 hexes away from downtown Berlin.

The 6th attack is against an isolated 7-pt stack in Magdeburg by the British Guards and 6th Arm XX’s and the US 82nd and 101st Abn XX’s, which advanced via TC’s.   At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DH.   Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated.   The British Guards and 6th Arm XX’s advance into this major city.

The 7th attack is against a 13-pt stack isolated in the minor city of Gottingen by the US 104th Inf XX and a host of minor units.   The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups.   German AA aborts 2 and returns 1.   At 5:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an HX.   The entire German stack is eliminated.   The Allies eliminate 7 pts of US Siege Art.

The 8th attack is against an isolated PzG XX by the Canadian 4th Arm XX and the US 26th and 85th Inf XX’s.   The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups.   German AA returns 1.   At 6:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an EX.   The PzG XX is eliminated.   The Allies reduce the US 26th Inf XX and eliminate an Arm II.

The 9th attack is against an isolated 7-pt stack by the US 3rd and British 11th Arm XX’s.   The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups.   There is no AA.   At 7:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR.   Cut off by ZOC’s the Germans eliminate an Inf XX, but a 1-6 Pz II is able to retreat into the hex of a friendly unit.

The 10th attack is against a 9-pt stack in Leipzig by the Canadian 5th and French 1st Arm XX’s.   The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups.   German AA aborts 4 and returns 5, 64% of the mission force.   At 4:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for an EX.   The entire German stack is eliminated.   The Allies eliminate an AA X and 3 Arm II’s.   The Canadian 5th and French 3rd Arm XX’s advance into this major city.

The 11th attack is against a 13-pt stack, now U-3, in the major city of Frankfurt by the British 1st Abn XX, the US 3rd, 44th, and 102nd Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX.   At 9:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR.   The entire German stack is eliminated.   The US 102nd Inf XX advances into this major city.

The 12th attack is against a 12-pt stack isolated in the minor city of Bamberg by the 6th, 7th, and 9th Arm XX’s.   At 6:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DH.   Cut off by ZOC’s the entire German stack is eliminated.   The US 6th and 9th Arm XX’s advance into the hex.

The 13th attack is against an isolated Inf XX by the US 94th and the British 1st and 43rd Inf XX’s.   At 9:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE.   The Inf XX is eliminated.   The US 94th and British 43rd Inf XX’s advance into the hex.

The 14th attack is against an isolated 17-pt stack in Nurnberg by the French 1st Arm XX, the NZ Mech XX, the US 36th, 80th, and 91st Inf XX’s, and the British 5th, 46th, and 51st Inf XX’s.   The Allies fly in a GS mission of 20 air groups.   German AA aborts 5 and returns 3.   At 4:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for an HX.   The entire German stack is eliminated.   The Allies eliminate 3x Eng X’s and an Art III.   The US 91st and the British 5th and 46th Inf XX advance into this major city.

The 15th attack is against a 13-pt stack just southeast of the minor city of Regensburg by the US 5th Arm XX.   The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups.   There is no AA.   At 4:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for an HX.   The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack.   The Allies eliminate 2 AA X’s and a Mech II.   The US 5th Arm XX advances into the hex.

The final attack is against an 8-pt stack, now U-2, trapped in a mountain hex of the Black Forest by the British 53rd and French 9th Inf XX’s.   At 7:1, -4 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR.   The German stack is eliminated.

This was a disappointing turn for the Allies due to a combination of the German defense and poor weather.   The Allies were able to make only 3 attacks against the main defense line, all north of Berlin.   Only during exploitation were the Allies able to close up to the German front from Hamburg down to Dresden.

SF42 Allied Oct II 44

Axis Turn

Due to the Allied advance the Germans activate WK’s VIII and XVIII, leaving 4 RE’s to maintain production in each, and gaining 9x Inf RP’s from those WK’s. The Germans receive 2x Inf XX’s, and stop 2 more from transferring east. The Germans replace 5x PzG XX’s, 17x Inf XX’s, 4x PzG X’s, and 14x AA II’s. The Germans reorganize an 8-6 Inf XX released from the Southeast as part of the North Italy Invasion Alarm. The Germans disband assorted units for 41x Inf RP’s and 5x Arm RP’s.

The northern end of the front starts on the Baltic just east of Lubek and runs south for 5 hex before regaining the Elbe River at the town of Wittenberge. The front run along the east bank of the Elbe until the town of Rathenow where it crosses to the west side and reaches an apex just west of Brandenburg. Here the front runs south again along the east bank of the Elbe for 6 hexes until it crosses over again to defend Dresden. South the Dresden the front runs thru 2 hexes of rough terrain before once again running along the Elbe down to Prag. From Prag the front runs along the east bank of the Moldau until that river runs out just north of Budweis. There are only intermittent stacks thru Austria and the Alps. The units released from the Southeast heavily defend the Ljubljana gap, and occupy Trieste. Left far behind the Allied line is a German 30-pt stack, now U-2, in a wooded rough hex.

SF42 Axis Oct II 44

Allied Turn

The Strategic Air War status reaches 6 reducing the rail capacity on the German rail net to 36 RE’s and making a third of their air groups inoperative. The Allies spend 12 resource pts to build their capacity on the German rail net up to 8 RE’s. They also spend 12 resource pts to build 4 RE’s of capacity on the Italian rail net.

The US receive an Arm XX and an Inf XX. The British downgrade their 1st Arm XX to an Arm X. There are now for the US: 10x Arm XX’s, 3x Abn XX’s, and 26x Inf XX’s; for the British: 4x Arm XX’s, 2x Abn XX’s, 1x Mtn XX, and 14x Inf XX’s; for the French 3x Arm XX’s, 1x Mtn XX, and 4x Inf XX’s; for the Canadian 2x Arm XX’s and 3x Inf XX’s; for the Polish 1x Arm XX and 2x Inf XX’s; for the Indians 1x Mtn XX and 2x Inf XX’s; a SA Arm XX; a NZ Mech XX; and a Brazilian Inf XX; for a grand total of 82 Allied XX’s in western Europe.

The 1st attack is against a Para-Inf cadre just southeast of Groningen by the US 17th Abn and the US 2nd and 5th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 2 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The German cadre is eliminated. The US 5th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 2nd attack is against a small stack in Groningen by the US 35th and 45th Inf XX’s. At 8:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DH. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 45th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 3rd attack is against a small stack in a swamp hex by the US 79th, 84th and 95th Inf XX’s. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DH. A single German unit manages to retreat. The entire Allied stack advances into the hex.

The 4th attack is against a 6-pt stack 2 hexes south of Groningen by the US 10th and French 2nd Arm XX’s. At 7:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their stack. The entire Allied stack advances into the hex.

The 5th attack is against a 9-pt stack across the Ems River by the US 1st, Polish 1st, and SA 6th Arm XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 4 air groups. German AA aborts 3. At 5:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. The Allies advance a 66-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 6th attack is against a 9-pt stack across the Mittelland Canal just east of the medium city of Osnabruck by the US 101st Abn XX and the US 8th and 9th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups escorted by 4 fighter groups. The German AA aborts 1 and returns 3. At 5:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 8th and 9th Inf XX advance into the hex.

The 7th attack is against a 9-pt stack just northeast of Osnabruck by the US 4th and British 7th Arm XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups escorted by 4 fighter groups. German AA returns 2. At 8:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The entire Allies stack advances into the hex.

The 8th attack is against an 11-pt stack behind the Weser River by the US 12th Arm XX and the US 4th, 88th and 104th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 4 air groups escorted by 4 fighter groups. German AA returns 1. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce a PzG XX. The US 4th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 9th attack is against an 11-pt stack behind the Weser just southeast of Hannover by the Canadian 4th Arm XX and the British 50th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 2. At 5:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and retreat the rest of their stack. The Canadian 4th Arm XX advance into the hex.

The 10th attack is against a 13-pt stack behind the Weser in the woods just west of Hannover by the US 2nd and 3rd Arm XX’s and the British 11th Arm XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups escorted by 4 fighter groups. The Germans intercept with 4 fighter groups from Hannover, which all bypass. The Allied escort aborts 1 and returns 1. The surviving interceptors return 2. The German AA misses. At 6:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance an 86-pt c/m stack into the hex.

The 11th attack is against a 6-pt stack behind the Weser just northeast of Gottingen by the British Guards and 6th Arm XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 4 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. The Allies advance a 65-pt c/m stack across the river.

The 12th attack is against an 11-pt PzG XX behind the Weser by the Canadian 5th Arm XX, the US 82nd Abn XX, and the US 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA returns 2. At 7:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce their PzG XX. The US 1st Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 13th attack is against a 9-pt Para-Inf XX in Bastogne by 3 stacks of assorted Allied units. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an HX. Surrounded the Para-Inf XX is eliminated. The Allies eliminate a British Tank X. Assorted units advance into the hex.

The 14th attack is against a 4-pt unit pinned against the Rhine by the British 1st Abn XX and the US 85th Inf XX. At 9:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ which eliminates the German unit. The entire Allied stack advances into the hex.

The 15th attack is against a 19-pt stack by the US 7th and 9th Arm XX and the US 29th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 4. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The entire German stack is eliminated. The US 29th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 16th attack is against an Inf XX pinned against the Rhine by the US 6th Arm XX and the US 44th and 102nd Inf XX’s. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DH. Cut off by ZOC’s the Inf XX is eliminated.

The 17th attack is against an 11-pt stack just southeast of Frankfurt by the US 3rd and 30th Inf XX’s and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 8:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DH. The entire stack is eliminated. The US 30th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 18th attack is against a small stack in wooded rough 2 hexes northeast of Bamberg by the French 3rd Arm XX. At 6:1, +2 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The German stack is eliminated, and the French 3rd Arm XX advances into the hex.

The 19th attack is against a 9-pt stack just northeast of Bamberg by assorted Allied c/m units. The Allies fly in 6 bomber groups on a GS mission. There is no AA. At 6:1, +3 the Allies roll ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The entire Allied stack advance into the hex.

The 20th attack is against a 9-pt stack in the woods just east of Heidelberg by the US 83rd and 94th Inf XX’s and the British 3rd Inf XX. At 8:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DH. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 83rd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The 21st attack is against a 12-pt stack in Heilbronn by the US 36th Inf XX, the British 1st and 43rd Inf XX’s, and the Polish 3rd and 5th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in 5 bomber groups on a GS mission. There is no AA. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The entire German stack is eliminated. The Polish Inf XX’s advance into the hex.

The 22nd attack is against a 5-pt stack just southeast of Bamberg by the US 5th and French 1st Arm XX’s. The Allies fly in 5 bomber groups on a GS mission. There is no AA. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. Both Allied Arm XX’s advance into the hex.

The 23rd attack is against a 5-pt stack just northeast of Nurnberg by the NZ Mech XX. The Allies fly in a bomber group for GS. There is no AA. At 6:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DE. The NZ Mech XX advances into the hex.

The 24th attack is against a 9-pt stack in wooded rough in the northern part of the Black Forest by the US 34th, British 15th, Canadian 1st and 3rd, and the French 1st Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a bomber group for GS. There is no AA. At 8:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The British 15th and Canadian 1st Inf XX’s advance into the hex.

The 25th attack is against a 4-pt stack in the major city of Stuttgart by the US 80th and 91st and the British 5th and 46th Inf XX’s. At 8:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire German stack is eliminated. The US 80th and British 46th Inf Xx’s advance into the hex.

The 26th attack is against an 8-pt stack 2 hexes southwest of Stuttgart by the US 29th and the British 4th and 51st Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 4 air groups. There is no AA. At 8:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘5 for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 29th and British 4th Inf XX’s advance into the hex.

The 27th, and last, attack is against an isolated Inf XX in a mountain hex of the Black Forest by the British 6th Abn and the British 53rd and French 9th Inf XX’s. At 8:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE.

Meanwhile British and French units move east across northern Italy realizing that the non-Axis Italian units will only exist for a couple more turns. The Germans have retreated their last units in Italy to Bolzano, but defending Brenner Pass may soon be moot as Allied units approach Austria from the west.

During exploitation the Allies sweep across northern Germany overrunning PzG and Inf cadres as they occupy Bremen and Hamburg. They are unable to overrun Hannover and settle for surrounding it. They also surround a section of the front line 6 hexes long. They advance up to Magdeburg, and are now just 7 hexes away from downtown Berlin. They surround a clump of units around Bamberg and then Nurnberg itself.

SF42 Allied Oct I 44

Axis Turn

With the loss of WK’s V, VI, and XII the Germans receive only 1.5 Inf RP’s and 3 Arm RP’s, but they gain 4 Inf RP’s from Ven. Tridentio in northern Italy. The Germans receive 14x Inf XX, and stop a Pz [xx], an Inf XX, and 2x Arm X’s from transferring east. The Germans replace 4x Inf XX’s, 2x PzG X’s and 6x AA II’s. The Germans, believing they can last another turn, disband a Mtn XX and 15x Art X’s for 96x Inf RP’s and 8x Pz X’s and 3x Aslt Gun II’s for 55x Arm RP’s.

The Germans evacuate Denmark except for the required occupation forces. The German front line now starts in the medium city of Lubek on the Baltic, goes southwest for a hex, and then runs along the east bank of the Elbe River for 8 hexes until the wooded swamp hex 2 hexes east of Magdeburg. The front line again runs along the east bank of the Elbe starting southwest of Brandenburg for 6 hexes down to Dresden. From Dresden the front runs thru the minor city of Aussig in wooded rough before once again running along the east bank of the Elbe down to Prag. From Prag the front runs along the east bank of the Moldau River for 3 hexes before petering out north of the minor city of Budweis. Separated stacks stretch across western Austria to slow down any Allied drive towards Vienna.

Left behind are a stack surrounded in Hannover, a string of 5 stacks from the minor city of Gottingen to 2 hexes west of Erfurt, a stack surrounded in Frankfurt, an isolated stack in the minor city of Bamberg, an isolated stack in Nurnberg, and a stack that could only retreat just southeast of the minor city of Regenburg. Deliberately left behind are stacks in Magdeburg and Leipzig to try to prevent the Allies from reaching the front line just west of Berlin in strength. By the end of the turn the continuous front line is 26 hexes long and has an average defense strength of 10.8 pts.

SF42 Axis Oct I 44

Allied Turn

The US receive another Arm XX and 2 more Inf XX’s. The US rebuilds its 45th Inf XX and the British rebuild an Art [xx]. The US replaces 1 air group and repairs another. The French repair 1 air group. Now owning 2 connected RMY’s in Germany the Allies spend 12 resource pts to start building rail capacity on the German rail net.

The previous turn the Germans units left behind in the Ardennes prevented 15 Allied XX’s from reaching the German front line. This turn the entire northern half of the Allied army devotes itself to clearing the Axis units left behind along the Rhine from just east of Arnhem to just southeast of Bonn.

The first Allied attack is against a 6-pt stack just east of Nijmegen by the US 17th Abn XX, and the US 35th and 45th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 4 air groups. There is no AA. At 6:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their stack. The US 35th and 45th Inf XX’s advance into the hex.

The next attack is against a 9-pt stack just east of Arnhem by the US 1st, Polish 1st, and South African 6th Arm XX’s. At 7:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. Assorted Allied c/m units advance into the hex.

The third attack is against a 6-pt stack just northeast of Wesel by the British 7th and French 2nd Arm XX’s. At 6:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. Assorted stack of Allied c/m units advance into the hex.

The fourth attack is against a 6-pt stack in a partial major city hex of the Ruhr by the US 4th and 10th Arm XX’s and the US 2nd and 5th Inf XX’s. At 9:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 2nd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The fifth attack is against a 6-pt stack in a full major city hex of the Ruhr by the US 101st Abn XX and the British 50th Inf XX. At 5:1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an HX. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The Allies eliminate a US Eng X. The US 101st Abn XX and British 50th Inf XX advance across the Rhine into the hex.

The sixth attack is against a 9-pt stack in a full major city hex of the Ruhr by the US 2nd and 3rd Arm XX’s, the British 11th Arm XX, and the Canadian 4th and 5th Arm XX’s. At 9:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR. Surrounded the entire stack is eliminated. The Canadian 5th Arm XX advances into the hex.

The seventh attack is against a 9-pt stack in a full major city hex of the Ruhr by the US 8th, 9th, 79th, and 95th Inf XX’s. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 8th, 79th, and 95th Inf XX advance across the Rhine into the hex.

The eighth attack is against a 7-pt stack in a partial major city hex of the Ruhr by the US 82nd Abn XX and the US 1st, 4th, 88th, and 104th Inf XX’s. At 6:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 4th and 88th Inf XX’s advance across the Rhine into the hex.

The ninth attack is against an 11-pt stack of the German main defense line in wooded rough by the US 9th Arm XX and British Guards Arm XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups, knowing only a maximum of 9 can be used. German AA aborts 3, and 2 other air groups return to base on their own accord. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an HX. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the US 9th Arm XX. The British Guards Arm XX advances into the hex.

The tenth attack is against a 6-pt stack on the east bank of the Rhine by assorted Allied Arm X’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 4 bomber groups. There is no AA. At 6:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. Assorted Allied c/m units advance into the hex.

The eleventh attack is against a 13-pt stack of the German main defense line in a wooded rough hex by the US 6th Arm XX and the British 1st and 6th Arm XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA returns 1. At 8:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. All 3 Allied Arm XX’s advance into the hex.

The twelfth attack is against a 6-pt stack on the east bank of the Rhine by the US 7th Arm XX, the British 1st Abn XX, and the US 26th, 44th, 85th and 102nd Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 7 air groups. There is no AA. At 7:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 7th Arm, British 1st Abn, and US 26th Inf XX advance across the Rhine into the hex.

The thirteenth attack is against a 7-pt stack of the German main defense line in the woods behind a loop in the Main River by the French 3rd Arm XX, the US 3rd and 30th Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 4 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DE. The entire stack is eliminated. The French 3rd Arm X and US 3rd Inf XX advance into the hex.

The fourteenth attack is against a 9-pt stack surrounded in the partial major city hex of Mannheim by the US 36th, 83rd, and 94th Inf XX’s and the British 1st and 3rd Inf XX’s. At 8:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. Surrounded the entire stack is eliminated. The US 94th Inf XX advances across the Rhine into the hex.

The fifteenth attack is against a 9-pt stack of the German main defense line in the woods just northwest of Stuttgart by the US 91st Inf XX and the British 5th and 43rd Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 91st Inf XX advances into the hex.

The sixteenth attack is against a 3-pt cadre defending the German main defense line in a wooded rough hex by the NZ Mech XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 2 bomber groups. There is no AA. At 9:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate the cadre. The NZ Mech XX advances into the hex.

The seventeenth attack is against a 9-pt stack in a wooded rough hex by the US 34th, Canadian 3rd, and French 1st Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. There is no AA. At 8:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 34th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The eighteenth attack is against a 6-pt stack defending the German main defense line by the US 5th Arm XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 3 air groups. There is no AA. At 7:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The US 5th Arm XX advances into the hex.

The nineteenth attack is against a 13-pt stack in a wooded rough hex 2 hexes east of Freiburg by the French 1st Arm XX, the US 30th Inf XX, the British 46th and 51st Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The French 1st Arm XX and British 51st Inf XX advance into the hex.

The final attack is against a 7-pt stack isolated in a Westwall hex along the Rhine 2 hexes north of the Swiss border by the British 6th Abn XX and the British 4th, 15th, and 53rd Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DH. Cut off by ZOC’s the entire stack is eliminated. The British 6th Abn XX advances into the hex.

Meanwhile in Italy the non-Axis Italian units advance back into their own country followed by French and British XX’s. They occupy the Italian major cities of Torino, Genova, and Milano.

During exploitation the Allies overrun a small stack in the town of Zwolle. They also overrun a large PzG X and 3 ants in the medium city of Bielefeld but can not move any farther. The Allies manage to overrun a cadre as they surround the major cities of Frankfurt and Stuttgart.

SF42 Allied Sep II 44

Axis Turn

Axis Sep II Turn:

The Germans receive an Inf XX and stop a Pz XX from transferring east. The Germans replace 2x PzG XX’s, 4x Inf XX’s, and 4x AA II’s. Due to the Allied advance into WK XIII the Germans activate WK XVII and WK BM.

The Germans manage to build a continuous line across Germany, although they know the Allies will rip it to pieces. It starts in the Dutch medium city of Groningen. It runs thru a canal intensive hex, then a swamp hex. It runs behind the Ems River for a hex, then behind a canal until the town of Minden. From that point the front line runs along the east bank of the Weser River for 6 hexes, and then along the east bank of the Fulda River for 2 more hexes. South of the river the Germans place their only full strength Pz XX. The front line then runs thru 3 wooded rough hexes, and then the minor city of Bamberg. Here the front line runs along the east bank of the Main River and then along a canal that goes around the west side of Nurnberg down until it connects to the upper Danube. The Germans hold Munchen and Innsbruck, but not as part of a continuous front line.

Left behind are a German Para-Inf XX in Bastogne, a pair of units trapped against the Rhine, and a large 19-pt stack surrounded out in the open. A 13-pt stack holds Frankfurt, with an 11-pt stack in the woods just to its southeast. A 12-pt stack sits in Heibronn, with a 9-pt stack in the woods just to its northeast. A 4-pt stack holds Stuttgart, and 3 more stacks are trapped in the mountains and wooded rough of the Black Forest. Where they can move a hex, the Germans spread out to impede the Allies from advancing to the front. By the end of the turn the continuous front line is 28 hexes long and has an average defense strength of 8.3 pts.

SF42 Axis Sep II 44

Sep II 44 VP Check

Former Axis Major City Hexes: Tunis, Bordeaux, Lyon, Paris (4), Lille, Bruxelles, Antwerpen, Liege, Koln, Ruhr (9), Mannheim = 66

Former Axis Medium Cities: Tripoli, Grenoble, Toulouse, St. Etienne, Clermont, Tours, Nantes, Brest, Le Havre, Rouen, Reims, Nancy, Gent, Charleroi, Mulhouse, Strasburg, Eindhoven, Aachen, Bonn, Mainz, Ludwigshafen, Munster, Bielefeld, Hagen, Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, Wurzburg, Karlsruhe = 28

Former Axis Naval Bases: Tripoli, Tunis, Bizerte, Sete, Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Nantes, Brest, Caen, Le Havre, Rouen, Boulogne, Dunkerque, Gent, Antwerpen = 15

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

Previous Total: 84.5 VP’s
New Total: 193.5 VP’s

Allied Turn

The US receive an Arm XX, an Abn XX, and 2x Inf XX’s, the French receive another Arm XX, and the Polish upgrade their XX’s. The US rebuild the 35th and 91st Inf XX’s, and replace an AA X. The British replace an Arm X. The US repaired 13 air groups. The British replace an air group and repair 3 more.

The first Allied attack is against a 13-pt stack in a canal hex across the Rhine 2 hexes south of Utrecht by the US 1st Arm XX, the Polish 1st Arm XX, the SA 6th Arm XX, the US 17th Abn XX, and the US 2nd, 5th, 35th, and 45th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA returns 2. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an HX. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the US 45th Inf XX. The Allies advance 3x Arm XX’s and 3x Arm X’s into the hex.

The next attack is against a left behind 9-pt stack just southwest of Eindhoven by the British 50th and 78th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 3 air groups. There is no AA. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate this isolated stack.

The third attack is against a 15-pt stack across the Rhine in the town of Wesel by the US 3rd and 4th Arm XX’s, the British 7th and 11th Arm XX’s, the Canadian 5th Arm XX, and the French 2nd Arm XX. The Allies had flown in a CAP of 10 fighter groups, and in the combat phase fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. The German intercept with 8 fighter groups based in the Ruhr. The Allies send their 8 best fighter groups from the CAP to escort the GS mission. The German interceptors all bypass. The Allied escorts kill 1, abort 1, and return 4 of the German interceptors. The surviving interceptors abort 1 and return 1 of the GS air groups. The Germans then fly in a DAS mission of 8 air groups. The remaining 2 fighter groups in the Allied CAP plus 3 fighter groups within range on the ground intercept. The Allied interceptors kill 3 and abort 1. German AA returns 2. Allied AA aborts 1. At 4:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance an 82-pt c/m stack across the Rhine.

The fourth attack is against a left behind 9-pt stack just southeast of Louven by assorted Allied X’s and II’s. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR. The Germans eliminate this isolated stack.

The fifth attack is against a left behind 11-pt stack in the woods behind a loop in the Maas River just southeast of Namur by the US 8th and 79th Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 bomber groups. There is no AA. At 7:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR. The Germans eliminate this isolated stack.

The sixth attack is against a left behind 9-pt stack in the woods 2 hexes south of Namur by the US 9th Arm XX, and the US 9th, 26th, 85th, and 95th Inf XX’s. At 8:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate this isolated stack.

The seventh attack is against a left behind 7-pt stack in the woods 2 hexes southeast of Namur by the US 7th Arm XX. At 6:1, +2 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate this isolated stack.

The eighth attack is against a left behind 9-pt stack in wooded rough just northwest of Bastogne by the US 82nd Abn XX and the US 1st, 4th, 88th, and 94th Inf XX’s. At 8:1, -2 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR. The Germans eliminate this isolated stack.

The ninth attack is against a 9-pt stack across the Rhine from Bonn by the US 2nd, British Guards, and Canadian 4th Arm XX’s. The Allies had flown in a CAP of 6 fighter groups, and then fly in a GS mission of 16 air groups. German AA returns 5. At 9:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX, and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance an 80-pt c/m stack across the Rhine.

The tenth attack is against a left behind 5-pt unit in a Westwall hex in the town of Saarlautern by the British 6th Abn XX, the US 104th Inf XX, and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. At 9:1, -2 the Allies roll a 3 for a DH. The Germans eliminate this isolated unit.

The eleventh attack is against an 11-pt stack across the Rhine just northeast of Mannheim by the US 6th Arm XX, the British 1st and 6th Arm XX’s, The US 3rd and 30th Inf XX’s, and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA misses. At 8:1, +1 roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance a 66-pt c/m stack across the Rhine.

The twelfth attack is against a 15-pt stack across the Rhine in the Westwall hex at Karlsruhe by the British 3rd, 5th, and 43rd Inf XX’s and the French 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. The German intercept with 4 fighter groups. The Allies CAP escorts the GS mission. The Germans all bypass. The Allied CAP aborts 1. The surviving German interceptors abort 1 and return 2. The Germans then fly in a DAS mission of 6 air groups. German AA aborts 1. Allied AA kills 1, aborts 1, and returns 1. At 5:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an HX. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The German Inf cadre does not have to retreat from this Westwall hex. The British reduce an Art [xx].

The thirteenth attack is against a 9-pt stack across the Rhine in a Westwall hex just southeast of Strasburg by the US 5th Arm XX, the US 34th and 80th Inf XX’s, the British 15th Inf XX, and the Canadian 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The cadre does have to retreat from this Westwall hex. The Allies advance a stack across the Rhine.

The final attack is against a 15-pt stack in wooded rough just east of Freiburg by the French 1st Arm XX, the NZ Mech XX, the US 29th Inf XX, and the British 4th, 46th, and 51st Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 16 air groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -3 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The Germans reduce a Res Pz XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies advance a stack farther east into the Black Forest.

During exploitation the Allied stack across the Rhine south of Utrecht overruns an Inf cadre and advances the Polish 1st Arm XX into the hex southeast of Utrecht and the US 1st Arm XX into the hex southeast of Amsterdam cutting off all German units in the northern half of the Netherlands.

The Allied stack across the Rhine at Wesel overruns an Inf cadre and the US 3rd Arm XX exploits to just southwest of Enschede, the US 4th Arm XX remains 2 hexes west of Munster, the Canadian 5th Arm exploits into the northern suburbs of the Ruhr, and the British 11th Arm XX occupies Dortmund. Exploiting from across the Rhine east of Bonn the US 2nd Arm XX reaches just east of Hagen meeting up with the British 11th Arm. The Canadian 4th Arm reaches just southeast of Hagen, completing an encirclement of the Ruhr. The British Guards Arm XX and other c/m units exploit southeast from the crossing at Bonn, overrunning an Inf cadre and pinning the German Inf XX’s northeast and east of Koblenz against the Rhine.

The Allied stack across the Rhine just northeast of Mannheim overruns a mostly Italian stack in the woods just east of Mannheim with the US 6th Arm advancing into that hex. The Allied stacks across the Rhine south of Mannheim were unable to exploit any farther, blocked by the Axis 2nd line.

SF42 Allied Sep I 44

Axis Turn

Italian losses have reached 75 RE’s, and on a roll of ‘3’ Italy surrenders. A Para-Inf III and 2x CCNN X’s remain loyal to the Axis. The Germans disarm Italian units for a total of 16.8 Inf RP’s. Italians units within 3 hexes of more Allied RE’s than German RE’s become Allied units. All the Italian units along the French-Italian border go over to the Allies. More problematic for the Germans are Italian units in the second line behind the Rhine River that become Allied units. These include 2x Alpine XX’s in the mountain hexes of the Black Forest, a Mot Inf XX along with a pair of ants in Heidelberg, and 3x Arm XX’s now adjacent to Allied stacks that had broken thru the German front line, in effect widening those breaks.

Due to Allied units in WK IX the Germans activate the Garrison of WK IV except for 4 RE’s of training and replacement units. The Germans receive 4x Inf XX and 4x Pz X’s, and stop the transfer of 2x Cav XX’s, 11x Inf XX’s, and 3x Pz X’s to the east. The Germans replace 2x PzG XX’s, 5x PzG X’s, and 2x Inf XX’s. The Germans disband assorted Arm and Aslt Gun units for 17x Arm RP’s and 2x Cav XX’s and 2x Art X’s for 21x Inf RP’s. The Germans replace 5 air groups and repair 4.

In the Netherlands the Germans retreat north of the Lek River to defend the Dutch cities of Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Amsterdam. The rest of the Germans units in the Netherlands retreat to the east bank of the Ijssel River, forming a line of 3 stacks to block the Allied advance. The main German front line starts just northwest of the town of Zwolle and runs southeast to the medium city of Bielefeld. The Germans units in the Ruhr, now U-1, remain trapped in 5 major city hexes. From Bielefeld the front runs southeast thru a woods hex and 3 wooded rough hexes. The front jogs southeast for a hex, then southwest into wooded rough, before going southeast thru Frankfurt. A line of units still cling to the east bank of the Rhine to keep the Allies off the main front north of Frankfurt. South of Frankfurt the front runs southwest to the minor city of Heilbronn, then on the west bank of the Neckar River thru 2 woods hexes, and then southwest thru 3 wooded rough hexes of the Black Forest. Cut off is a stack in Mannheim and 4 stacks along the Rhine River just north of the Swiss border. By the end of the turn the main front line is 30 hexes long and has an average defense strength of 10.3 pts.

SF42 Axis Sep I 44

Allied Turn

The US receives 2 Inf XX’s. The US rebuilds the 79th and 88th XX’s, and replaces 2x AA X’s and 3x Arm II’s. The British replace an Arm X and an Arm II. The US repairs 5 air groups. The British replace an air group and repair 2.

The first attack is against a 9-pt stack in Antwerpen by the US 35th Inf XX, the British 56th Inf XX, the Indian 10th Inf XX, and 5 RE’s of Siege Art. At 5:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an EX. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies reduce the US 35th Inf XX. The British 56th Inf XX advances into Antwerpen.

The next attack is against an 11-pt stack just southeast of Antwerpen by the British 7th Arm XX, the French 2nd Arm XX, and the US 5th Inf XX. At 5:1, +2 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 5th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The third attack is against an 11-pt stack just northeast of Namur by the US 1st, 3rd, and 4th Arm XX’s. At 7:1, +3 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The entire Allied 79-pt c/m stack advances into the hex.

The fourth attack is against an 11-pt stack in the minor city of Louven by the US 2nd and 45th Inf XX’s and the Indian 10th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. The Germans fly in a DAS mission of 4 bomber groups escorted by 4 fighter groups. The Allied CAP of 2 fighter groups plus 2 more fighter groups within range on the ground intercept. The Allied interceptors kill 1 and abort 1 at no cost to themselves. German AA aborts 1. Allied AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 4:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. The Germans eliminate an Inf XX and retreat the rest of their stack thru Allied ZOC’s. The US 2nd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The fifth attack is against an 11-pt stack in the unimproved fortress of Namur by the Polish 1st Arm XX, the US 8th Inf XX, and the British 50th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 bomber groups. There is no AA. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 8th Inf XX advances into the hex

The sixth attack is against a 9-pt stack in the woods behind the Meuse just northeast of Charleville by the British 11th Arm XX and the US 9th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. The Germans fly in a DAS mission of 4 attack groups escorted by 4 fighter groups. The Allied CAP of 2 fighter groups plus 2 more fighter groups within range on the ground intercept. The Allied interceptors abort 1 at no cost to themselves. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. Allied AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 4:1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for an HX. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The Allies eliminate a British Arm X. The US 9th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The seventh attack is against an 11-pt stack in the woods just southwest of Namur by the Canadian 5th Arm XX and the US 79th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 4 air groups. German AA aborts 1. At 5:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘6’ for a DE. The entire German stack is eliminated. The US 79th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The eighth attacks is against an 11-pt stack behind the Meuse in Charleville by the US 82nd Abn XX and the US 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 2. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. The US 1st Inf XX advances into the hex.

The ninth attack is against an 11-pt stack behind the Meuse southeast of Sedan by the US 7th Arm XX, the US 4th Inf XX, and the Canadian 3rd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. German AA of 3 aborts 4 and returns 2, half the mission force. At 5:1 the Allies roll a ‘4’ for a DH. The Germans eliminate 2 cadres and retreat the rest of their stack. The US 4th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The tenth attack is against a 9-pt stack behind the Meuse in Sedan by the British 1st Arm XX, the South African 6th Arm XX, and the US 88th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 12 air groups. There is no AA. At 8:1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The entire German stack is eliminated. The US 88th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The eleventh attack is against an 11-pt stack just southwest of Luxembourg by British 6th Arm XX, the US 3rd Inf XX, and the Canadian 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and eliminate the rest of their stack. The US 3rd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The twelfth attack is against an 11-pt stack just west of Luxembourg by the US 2nd Arm XX, the British Guards Arm XX, and the Canadian 4th Arm XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. German AA misses. At 8:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for a DR. Cut off by Allied ZOC’s only an Inf cadre and a c/m ant escape. The entire 75-pt Allied c/m stack advances into the hex.

The thirteenth attack is against an 11-pt stack southeast of Metz by the US 30th and 34th Inf XX’s and the British 5th Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 14 air groups. German AA aborts 2. At 9:1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. The US 30th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The fourteenth attack is against a 9-pt stack behind the Moselle in the unimproved fortress of Metz by the US 36th Inf XX and the British 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 10 air groups. German AA aborts 3. At 6:1 the Allies roll a ‘2’ for a DR. Cut off by Allied ZOC an Inf XX is reduced and a stationary AA unit eliminated. The US 36th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The fifteenth attack is against an 11-pt stack 2 hexes east of the town of Luneville by the US 6th Arm XX, The US 91st Inf XX, and the Canadian 2nd Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. The Germans fly in a DAS mission of 6 air groups escorted by 2 fighter groups. The Allied CAP of 4 intercept. A pair of the Allied fighter groups engaged the escort and get one of themselves killed. The other 2 interceptors manage to abort a DAS air group. German AA misses. Allied AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 5:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘1’ for an EX. The Germans eliminate their entire stack. The Allies reduce the US 91st Inf XX and eliminate an AA X. The Canadian 2nd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The sixteenth attack is against an 11-pt stack 2 hexes southeast of Saarbrucken by the US 83rd Inf XX, the British 3rd Inf XX, and the French 1st Inf XX. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 6 air groups. The Germans fly in a DAS mission of 2 escorted by 2 fighter groups. The Allied CAP intercepts. An Allied interceptor is aborted along with both escorts. German AA misses. Allied AA aborts 1. At 5:1, +1 the Allies roll a ‘3’ for a DH. The Germans reduce an Inf XX and retreat the rest of their stack. The US 83rd Inf XX advances into the hex.

The seventeenth attack is against a 9-pt stack in Strasbourg by the US 5th Arm XX, the US 80th Inf XX, and the British 15th, 43rd, and 51st Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 8 air groups. German AA aborts 1 and returns 1. At 9:1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans reduce an Inf XX. The US 80th Inf XX advances into the hex.

The final attack is against a 7-pt stack in a Westwall hex at Freiburg across the Rhine by the French 1st Arm XX, the NZ Mech XX, the US 29th Inf XX, and the British 4th, 46th and 53rd Inf XX’s. The Allies fly in a GS mission of 16 bomber groups. There is no AA. At 9:1, -1 the Allies roll a ‘5’ for a DE. The Germans eliminate their stack. The NZ Mech XX advances into the hex. Who had the Kiwi’s winning the race to cross the Rhine? Quickly following were the French 1st Arm XX and assorted other c/m units.

During exploitation the large Allied c/m stack just northeast of Namur is able to overrun a 9-pt second line stack at 8:1, driving a stake into the Axis NODL defense. With MP’s left over the US 1st Arm XX advances into the town of Hasselt, the US 3rd Arm XX advances across the Maas into Maastricht, and the US 4th Arm advances thru Liege across the Maas into an unoccupied Westwall hex. The British 7th Arm XX also exploited across the Maas into another unoccupied Westwall hex, while the British 11th Arm XX crosses the Maas into the wooded rough hex southeast of Liege. Meanwhile the US 2nd Arm XX, the British Guards Arm XX, and the Canadian 4th Arm XX overrun a 9-pt second line stack at 8:1 just southwest of Bastogne, but can not advance any farther.

Attached is a copy of the tally sheet for the turn. I have to number the attacks in order to keep the sequence straight. On the left hand side are the DRM’s and the odds based on just the ground units. These govern the allocation of GS. Massing the strongest Allied c/m units into 2 powerful stacks able to overrun the second line succeeded.

SF42 Allied Tally Sheet Aug II 44

Axis Turn

With the Allied advance into WK’s V and VI the Germans activated the garrisons of WK’s VII, IX, X, XI, and XIII, leaving 4 RE’s of training and replacements units in each WK to maintain production. The Germans receive 11x Inf XX’s this turn. The Germans replace 3 air groups and repair 9.

The Germans retreat across the Rhine River, leaving behind more than a dozen non-c/m units in the Ardennes. The front starts in the minor city of Dordrecht and runs east to Arnhen. From there the front goes south thru the town of Wesel. It then runs thru 4 major city hexes of the Ruhr before encountering 4 clear terrain hexes down until it reaches the wooded rough terrain just northwest of the medium cities of Wiesbaden and Darmstadt. From there the front runs thru the major city of Mannheim and then the medium city of Karlsruhe. The front then runs thru 4 Westwall hexes before leaving the east bank of the Rhine to go around the Allied bridgehead at Freiburg before rejoining the Rhine for its last 2 hexes down to the Swiss border. By the end of the turn the front line is 31 hexes long and has an average defense strength of 10.3 pts.