It is the second March turn (remember turns are 4 weeks in length and there are 13 x 4 weeks in a year, just like a deck of cards) and Europe is on fire!


Very bloody by David Bowman, on Flickr

I notice that I am losing supply too. This is from Soviet supply interdiction, so I will have to handle that this turn. I am no longer getting fuel warnings at the start of the turn though, so every unit can play a part in this turn.

The Eastern Front

I have stalled in the East. I am destroying lots of Soviets each turn, but not advancing. To be fair, there is nothing I want to advance to right now. I am just looking for good attacks that maximise casualties.


Stalling in the North by David Bowman, on Flickr

In front of Moscow, I am looking busy. Notice the Partisan unit in my rear. The German player needs light, mobile forces to deal with these before they disrupt supply. The allied cavalry will do a great job of that. You can see the red dots with numbers - that is Soviet air interdiction. I respond to that by moving up fighters.


Performing in front of Moscow by David Bowman, on Flickr

South of Moscow, I am nearly in Voronez. I feel that will split the Soviets in two, so I press on there with energy. I think I'll shoot for Tula to, but more to distract.


Rolling forwards south of Moscow by David Bowman, on Flickr

My advance on the oilfields has been momentarily checked by a river and it is annoying me. I will need some light infantry, I suspect. You can see me building a new Panzer army though. That is because I have a surplus of tanks in Berlin right now, so they will be more useful here than there.


Annoying river by David Bowman, on Flickr

Turkey

I am building the 21st army plus an Italian army to take out Turkey. My allied forces have started the job and their artillery will be important. I expect the meet the British there, but it is a long way around Africa, so they will struggle to replace losses, and I intend that there be a lot of them!


Pushing into Turkey by David Bowman, on Flickr

You can see Soviet sea interdiction north of Turkey. The game must have decided to do some supply through the Black Sea. I will stop that with supply blocks as discussed at the bottom of this post: https://thewargamingclub.on...

North Africa

In the East, Tobruk has fallen, mostly to the Italians, who are now quite a decent force.


Tobruk has fallen by David Bowman, on Flickr

I have brigades of light armour coupled with tank destroyers to give them bite, but they are otherwise an infantry force. In the west, the Americans have arrived in Casablanca, and for the first time I get to fight Chuck in the game.


Americans is Casablanca by David Bowman, on Flickr

I still have a lot of bombers there, and you can see me experimenting with a fighter-bomber, so I will start with a massive airstrike and then attack with my armoured units. Could be fun! I will also move German and Italian Uboats around Africa to hunt down American supply ships!

Spain

The British are keen to reproduce their Cherbourg salient in Spain and have landed there. It is an excellent play as I will need to train in forces to contain, probably more than are there, and then more to defeat. On the other hand, those forces will not have the fighter cover that Cherbourg enjoys, so I can bomb them with impunity. My defenders have no ability to recon so see who is there, so I am picking volunteers for a glorious attack to fine out. Perhaps I should have some recon planes!


Britans in Spain by David Bowman, on Flickr

France

There are partisans in France as well. Cherbourg has not fallen yet, but I am winning all the engagements, so it serves me well. Notice I have built a couple of factories near by. While brave, the reason for that is that factories provide some airfields, so I can have more fighters covering the skies.


Partisans in France by David Bowman, on Flickr

The factories are producing fighters and heavy infantry guns. I am close to building no more factories; my production is huge.

Japan

It looks like Japan will fall in a couple of turns. Pity. I want them to distract the Americans for another year. Chuck is the master of amphibious invasions.


Japan about to fall by David Bowman, on Flickr

The Final Effort

In summary, the fronts are doing well or holding sufficiently around the Reich. However, as you can see from the images above, I have reached the end of my manpower pool (at the top of the screen, right of middle). I think I have this game, so it is time to conscript every healthy male!


Time for full conscription by David Bowman, on Flickr