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Not yetHas Japan invaded the Land-Down-Under yet? Buwaahahahaha!
Phew!
Yes, I thought it a nice touch - and worthy of recognition - that Denmark had managed to field a division in France! I’m not exactly sure where it came from (in-game) - perhaps some HOI3 Dane expert might know?
I would bet that it was most likely a division stationed in some overseas territory of Denmark, since they do have a few (Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroes if I remember correctly). If they started with or built a transport flotilla, they might have been able to ship a division overseas which managed to not get deleted when Denmark surrendered, then got passed around as an EXP force once or twice.
You’re right there! Just got back home, two more chapters ‘in the can’ and ready for review and upload. Plenty of action.
Episode 17: 11 August 1943
Episode 17: 11 August 1943
Now things are really hotting up! The scope of the chapters will expand back out again, in order to cover the events more quickly (the saves become far more frequent from here than during the long waiting periods). But we’ll spend a bit of time on this one, as so much was suddenly happening and the first few updates will give the flavour of the combat. After that the view will 'pan back' a bit in detail and time.
Strategic
In the East, the Soviets have defeated Finland. But otherwise, the Soviets’ early gains have all been rolled back and the Axis advances into the Motherland.
Yugoslavia joined the Axis, while Greece is completely aligned with the Allies but has – perhaps wisely at this stage – not joined.
Western Europe
To all the doubters: the Grand Counter-Attack has started, even though the Axis presence in the West remains strong, if not at the hideous levels before the Soviets joined in! Here are some snapshots to give a flavour of proceedings. I won’t dwell on the air war in too much detail, but will point out the that both sides are striking each other (German ground attacks often kill 400 at a time, the French up to a couple of hundred) and contesting the skies intensely. This persists - even intensifies - as the fight continues.
The main initial offensive has come in the west, in part to try to relieve a unilateral, uncalled for (and not well planned) amphibious attack by the Canadians (a corps landing) on Rotterdam! They had by now been forced back to their ships, but the Allied offensive continues anyway.
Whereas the other Canadian troops in-theatre have decided to form a Canadian EF under French command - as it should be. They are being far more wisely employed, instead of carrying out hare-brained and doomed commando raids!
As we tune in, the Battle of Boulogne had just been won. As you can see, the French-led Allies have made a thrust through occupied north-west France (liberating four French provinces in front of the Western Line), after some very heaving fighting to achieve the breakthrough. British armour is making for Dunkerque from St. Omer, in an attempt to cut off the remaining Germans on the Channel Coast. Even as the Canadians look like they are attempting to reinforce failure by trying to land another division in the Netherlands, while the rest retreat!
A heavy engagement is won in Boulogne. But the Germans are not done yet – they attack Arras with a single HARM division – which has come up against its French counterpart, still somewhat disorganised after its breakthrough, but with medium armour in support. 12 more divisions are making for the schwerpunkt but remain in reserve. We will not let the Hun retake this hard-won-back and sacred French soil!
And the Germans put in a new attack on Aucher, but it was too little to late (a quick follow-through show it was beaten four hours later).
And further east, away from the breakthrough near the Channel, the Germans are puting in a heavy attack on Charleville Mezieres, which has also only just been taken back from the Germans after some previous savage fighting to get it. The two BEF MOT divisions that were first to reinforce the breakthrough by two French armoured divisions have been broken. Two follow-up French INF divisions attempt to reinforce, and another is on the way from the south, from St. Menehould. This shows how difficult it is, even with some German forces now diverted to the East, to take and then hold gains on what is still a thickly-occupied front. This fight will not be over soon.
The air plot for the last week shows where the heaviest action has been. The air strikes would also be hitting Charleville Mezieres heavily that day.
Here (just as an example) is a snapshot of one of the fighter battles, above Lille, in progress at the time of the save.
In southern France, the Italians now just have their own troops on the border – the other Axis units that were previously there will have been sent off, most likely to the Eastern Front, but we can’t be sure. The amphibious task force in Marseille has now boarded the three nice new LC and other transports there. Where might they be off too, if anywhere? Or are they just on standby?
And here is an example of what of subs are up against and why the surface fleets are now avoiding this area. The Italians have obviously (and wisely) given up on their navy and have put their efforts into maritime air power instead.
Asia-Pacific
The usual grim news for the Soviets in the Far East.
The Japanese have completed their conquest of Malaya and Singapore.
And the Philippines.
But seem to have slowed down in the Dutch East Indies, having perhaps seized most of what they want.
That Japanese invasion of Wake Is must have succeeded after all - they have taken it back! They also retain Midway Is. But the US has taken Saipan and Tinian, also Kosrae to the south and Johnston Is. A dynamic game of island-hopping there, indeed. No evidence of any large and decisive naval encounters (ie capital ships sunk, etc).
Production
We haven’t checked in on the production queue for a while, but surely not much will have changed there ...
NB: Corrected for some earlier copy and paste errors.
Oh no! Call El Pip – it’s an emergency! But too late now to do anything about it. What is all this navy-building rubbish going on? Perhaps thoughts are turning to the Far East? Or to being able to stand alone in the Med? The convoys have also been getting hit – note the large amounts of escorts and convoys being produced too. Perhaps the new ships are designed to help protect trade. We can only look to future events for an answer. We also suspect those radar stations were ordered before the Western Front started to loosen up – we’ll see if some of them are too late to be of use. But there’s plenty of MECH, ARM and HARM being produced as well. And a large Allied EF building in France.
Now things are really hotting up! The scope of the chapters will expand back out again, in order to cover the events more quickly (the saves become far more frequent from here than during the long waiting periods). But we’ll spend a bit of time on this one, as so much was suddenly happening and the first few updates will give the flavour of the combat. After that the view will 'pan back' a bit in detail and time.
Strategic
In the East, the Soviets have defeated Finland. But otherwise, the Soviets’ early gains have all been rolled back and the Axis advances into the Motherland.
Yugoslavia joined the Axis, while Greece is completely aligned with the Allies but has – perhaps wisely at this stage – not joined.
Western Europe
To all the doubters
: the Grand Counter-Attack has started, even though the Axis presence in the West remains strong, if not at the hideous levels before the Soviets joined in! Here are some snapshots to give a flavour of proceedings. I won’t dwell on the air war in too much detail, but will point out the that both sides are striking each other (German ground attacks often kill 400 at a time, the French up to a couple of hundred) and contesting the skies intensely. This persists - even intensifies - as the fight continues.The main initial offensive has come in the west, in part to try to relieve a unilateral, uncalled for (and not well planned) amphibious attack by the Canadians (a corps landing) on Rotterdam! They had by now been forced back to their ships, but the Allied offensive continues anyway.
Whereas the other Canadian troops in-theatre have decided to form a Canadian EF under French command - as it should be. They are being far more wisely employed, instead of carrying out hare-brained and doomed commando raids!
As we tune in, the Battle of Boulogne had just been won. As you can see, the French-led Allies have made a thrust through occupied north-west France (liberating four French provinces in front of the Western Line), after some very heaving fighting to achieve the breakthrough. British armour is making for Dunkerque from St. Omer, in an attempt to cut off the remaining Germans on the Channel Coast. Even as the Canadians look like they are attempting to reinforce failure by trying to land another division in the Netherlands, while the rest retreat!
A heavy engagement is won in Boulogne. But the Germans are not done yet – they attack Arras with a single HARM division – which has come up against its French counterpart, still somewhat disorganised after its breakthrough, but with medium armour in support. 12 more divisions are making for the schwerpunkt but remain in reserve. We will not let the Hun retake this hard-won-back and sacred French soil!
And the Germans put in a new attack on Aucher, but it was too little to late (a quick follow-through show it was beaten four hours later).
And further east, away from the breakthrough near the Channel, the Germans are puting in a heavy attack on Charleville Mezieres, which has also only just been taken back from the Germans after some previous savage fighting to get it. The two BEF MOT divisions that were first to reinforce the breakthrough by two French armoured divisions have been broken. Two follow-up French INF divisions attempt to reinforce, and another is on the way from the south, from St. Menehould. This shows how difficult it is, even with some German forces now diverted to the East, to take and then hold gains on what is still a thickly-occupied front. This fight will not be over soon.
The air plot for the last week shows where the heaviest action has been. The air strikes would also be hitting Charleville Mezieres heavily that day.
Here (just as an example) is a snapshot of one of the fighter battles, above Lille, in progress at the time of the save.
In southern France, the Italians now just have their own troops on the border – the other Axis units that were previously there will have been sent off, most likely to the Eastern Front, but we can’t be sure. The amphibious task force in Marseille has now boarded the three nice new LC and other transports there. Where might they be off too, if anywhere? Or are they just on standby?
And here is an example of what of subs are up against and why the surface fleets are now avoiding this area. The Italians have obviously (and wisely) given up on their navy and have put their efforts into maritime air power instead.
Asia-Pacific
The usual grim news for the Soviets in the Far East.
The Japanese have completed their conquest of Malaya and Singapore.
And the Philippines.
But seem to have slowed down in the Dutch East Indies, having perhaps seized most of what they want.
That Japanese invasion of Wake Is must have succeeded after all - they have taken it back! They also retain Midway Is. But the US has taken Saipan and Tinian, also Kosrae to the south and Johnston Is. A dynamic game of island-hopping there, indeed. No evidence of any large and decisive naval encounters (ie capital ships sunk, etc).
We haven’t checked in on the production queue for a while, but surely not much will have changed there ...
NB: Corrected for some earlier copy and paste errors.
Oh no! Call El Pip – it’s an emergency!
But too late now to do anything about it. What is all this navy-building rubbish going on? Perhaps thoughts are turning to the Far East? Or to being able to stand alone in the Med? The convoys have also been getting hit – note the large amounts of escorts and convoys being produced too. Perhaps the new ships are designed to help protect trade. We can only look to future events for an answer. We also suspect those radar stations were ordered before the Western Front started to loosen up – we’ll see if some of them are too late to be of use. But there’s plenty of MECH, ARM and HARM being produced as well. And a large Allied EF building in France.
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Episode 18: 16 to 24 August 1943
Episode 18: 16 to 24 August 1943
OK, a lot to be packed in to finish off August, but will mainly let the pictures do the talking. This was already written, so is going up now so the "Guns of August 1943" (or "The Republic Strikes Back" ) episodes (ie Ch 17 & 18) can be read as a pair.
16 August 1943
Strategic
The Eastern Front sees the Germans with the advantage.
The Far East is worse.
The flame of Resistance still burns in Norway and Denmark.
In the Pacific, the US has taken Rota and retains Saipan, Tinian and Kosrae. But the Japanese have retaken Mili and retain Wake, Midway and Guam.
Because I’ve been asked, our base in New Caledonia is in the vicinity ... and a certain other AAR has NZ invading Australia at the moment (@markkur's ‘Bitter Fruit’ - on this HOI3 forum, take a look if you haven’t yet!), let’s have a look at their current defences, in case the Japanese do come calling!
A large proportion of their forces are in small garrisons dotted around Northern Australia, Papua & New Guinea and the Melanesian islands.
And there are some sizeable units defending the northern part of Western Australia.
But as usual, there is little near the main population centres of the East Coast. Other than a single MOT brigade in Canberra, there are only HQs between Brisbane and Canberra and nothing further south (off map) in Melbourne. They invite another of those Japanese invasions of Sydney! We hope that doesn’t happen.
So while we're here, we’ll take a quick look at New Zealand as well. Most of their troops are on the North Island.
Nothing new to report in South East Asia: we’re still being left alone in Indochina. A sleeping dog we’ll let lie.
Western Europe
OK, with the preliminaries out of the way, time for the serious business!
First, a broad overview of the main breakout, centred on Belgium. Five land battles are currently in progress.
And here is where things stand on the whole Western Line – the Maginot Line remains quiet for now.
Now we’ll take a quick look at each battle. We are attacking in three and defending in two.
The Battle for Charleville Mezieres continues. The Germans just won’t give up on it. France keeps cycling units through in an effort to hold it. Last time (five days before), two French armoured divisions were defending and the 10th and 52nd Inf Divs were trying to reinforce and the 7th Inf Div was approaching from St. Menehould. Now the armour has withdrawn and they are defending and themselves beginning to tire, while yet more reinforcements (including fresh Canadian troops)are brought forward. It is a bit like Stalingrad!
A major Allied attack is going in against Kortrijk from Lille and Hazebrouck – it looks like it should succeed.
A smaller attack is being made on the Germans in Laon, but it is over a river against an entrenched defender. So despite superior French numbers and an attack from two different directions, the Germans look ready to defend for a while yet.
The Germans have been cut off in Calais, where they have almost been broken. Thatshouldput two MOT divisions in the bag!
The Germans are trying to relieve them with an attack on Dunkerque by the full strength 14th Pz Div, before the Allies can fully reinforce the gain, but it looks like the British should be able to hold until reinforced.
Aha! So now we know where that amphibious force was being prepared for. Led by a couple of Royal Marine divisions, an Anglo-French assault force is making an opposed landing on the beaches of Messina. They hope to cut off any Italian forces left in Sicily and then begin to work their way up the toe of Italy, opening a second Italian front and diverting forces from the border with Italy – and both the Western and Eastern Fronts.
The 3rd Navy is ordered to provide further support for the invasion fleet.
The southern border remains stable. The French submarines operat8ing around Italy have taken a pounding from Italian maritime air forces and are trying to recuperate in Marseille.
Just a general representation of the air war over the last week on the Western Front and an idea of the intensity. NB: Flemish Bank was where the ill-fated Canadian invasion fleet was stationed until recently. Of particular note, Aucher saw 34 bombings, Arras 41 engagements of all types, St. Quentin 23. The German’s main air base is in Brussels - it has been busy! This intensity continues - the Allies tend to lose far more troops killed by ground attack missions than in actual combat. But the French Air Force is also busy supporting the attack with ground attack missions.
24 August 1943
Our next view of events is eight days later.
Strategic
We’ll take a quick look at who is being influenced by the major factional players. A few points: the Axis (Germany) and Allies (the US) are having a tug-o-war over Nationalist China, and also over Turkey (via Japan and the UK). The UK is very busy in the influencing game at the moment: Republican Spain (a key victory objective country for the USSR) is being influenced by both the UK and the Soviets. A very importantly for our (French) position in Indo-China, the UK are counteracting earlier Japanese influence on Siam, which is granting the UK and France military access – not that there’s any (French, anyway) intention of using it! We’ll take a closer view of that too.
Now that Dunkerque has been secured, the Allies have a fourth victory objective secured (Overlord). The four Axis ones are all in the Japanese sector. Belgium, Brussels and Luxembourg are all in relatively easy reach. Italy and Norway will take more work. That would give nine – another three required on top of that for victory. Berlin is the big goal, of course. Then maybe two of Greece (getting them to join the Allies), Bulgaria, Romania (which could easily fall to the Soviets if the war goes well) or Operation Zeppelin. Taking Japan down would be more difficult and take longer – to be avoided if possible (unless of course they collapse and the US conquers them). The aim is a 12 objective victory, not necessarily taking down every Axis power.
The Canadians and Americans have been given more desirable landing objectives should they want to do something like that (except useful this time). That would really give the Hun some grief – but it is probably highly unlikely they will take any notice of these requests.
And the UK has been asked to retake Oslo.
Western Europe
We can see in Haarlem, to the north of the main breakout, the remnants of another doomed Canadian sortie. It may have diverted some Axis troops in that direction, for a while, but it’s not really a cost-effective approach. The main advance has reached the Dutch border on the coast, Gent has just been taken by the British 6th Armd Div, which is awaiting the rest of the slower moving units to catch up. Calais was mopped up and we’re trying to keep the momentum going, to outflank the Germans through the Low Countries, as they tried to do to us in 1940.
Here is a wider view of the active Western Front, from the coast to Metz and the north of the Maginot Line, with a summary of the battles in progress at that time. Attacking in two, defending in three.
A major attack is trying to take Tournai. Despite a heavy advantage in numbers, the enemy is dug in, behind a river. A hard slog maybe, but with plenty of Allied reinforcements available.
The Germans are doing their best to spoil the attack on Tournai from Kortrijk, but it is making little headway and should be brushed off easily.
A similar story in Cambrai. They’re just being pests, though with more substance here.
And unless reinforced, this attempted Allied end run along the coast via Middelburg won’t bemaking much headway.
And Charleville Mezieres? Yes, still at it, with yet another rotation of units feeding the hungry beast! The Germans keep finding fresh panzer divisions to throw in, and their Axis partners are also coming to the party. Allied counter-attacking tactics are currently blunting the German attack.
In Messina, the beachhead has been won and two Allied corps (French XIX and the 4th BEF Corps) with seven divisions are ashore, under the command of the 2nd Army.
There have been no changes of territory in the Pacific (or an attack on Australia! ). But the US have established a significant presence on Saipan. Still much work to do in the Asia-Pacific, with Japan still largely ascendant.
And finally, a quick survey of Soviet naval losses to date in the war. All bar one is attributable to either German NAV or Japanese carrier-based air power. Of note, they have lost three capital ships (two BBs and a CA) to German NAV bombers.
No more French losses or victories at sea in the last period. The Japanese have not lost any BB or CV yet, and the US none since losing the USS Mississippi early in the war.
OK, a lot to be packed in to finish off August, but will mainly let the pictures do the talking. This was already written, so is going up now so the "Guns of August 1943" (or "The Republic Strikes Back"
) episodes (ie Ch 17 & 18) can be read as a pair.16 August 1943
Strategic
The Eastern Front sees the Germans with the advantage.
The Far East is worse.
The flame of Resistance still burns in Norway and Denmark.
In the Pacific, the US has taken Rota and retains Saipan, Tinian and Kosrae. But the Japanese have retaken Mili and retain Wake, Midway and Guam.
Because I’ve been asked, our base in New Caledonia is in the vicinity ... and a certain other AAR has NZ invading Australia at the moment (@markkur's ‘Bitter Fruit’ - on this HOI3 forum, take a look if you haven’t yet!), let’s have a look at their current defences, in case the Japanese do come calling!
A large proportion of their forces are in small garrisons dotted around Northern Australia, Papua & New Guinea and the Melanesian islands.
And there are some sizeable units defending the northern part of Western Australia.
But as usual, there is little near the main population centres of the East Coast. Other than a single MOT brigade in Canberra, there are only HQs between Brisbane and Canberra and nothing further south (off map) in Melbourne. They invite another of those Japanese invasions of Sydney! We hope that doesn’t happen.
So while we're here, we’ll take a quick look at New Zealand as well. Most of their troops are on the North Island.
Nothing new to report in South East Asia: we’re still being left alone in Indochina. A sleeping dog we’ll let lie.
Western Europe
OK, with the preliminaries out of the way, time for the serious business!
First, a broad overview of the main breakout, centred on Belgium. Five land battles are currently in progress.
And here is where things stand on the whole Western Line – the Maginot Line remains quiet for now.
Now we’ll take a quick look at each battle. We are attacking in three and defending in two.
The Battle for Charleville Mezieres continues. The Germans just won’t give up on it. France keeps cycling units through in an effort to hold it. Last time (five days before), two French armoured divisions were defending and the 10th and 52nd Inf Divs were trying to reinforce and the 7th Inf Div was approaching from St. Menehould. Now the armour has withdrawn and they are defending and themselves beginning to tire, while yet more reinforcements (including fresh Canadian troops)are brought forward. It is a bit like Stalingrad!
A major Allied attack is going in against Kortrijk from Lille and Hazebrouck – it looks like it should succeed.
A smaller attack is being made on the Germans in Laon, but it is over a river against an entrenched defender. So despite superior French numbers and an attack from two different directions, the Germans look ready to defend for a while yet.
The Germans have been cut off in Calais, where they have almost been broken. Thatshouldput two MOT divisions in the bag!
The Germans are trying to relieve them with an attack on Dunkerque by the full strength 14th Pz Div, before the Allies can fully reinforce the gain, but it looks like the British should be able to hold until reinforced.
Aha! So now we know where that amphibious force was being prepared for. Led by a couple of Royal Marine divisions, an Anglo-French assault force is making an opposed landing on the beaches of Messina. They hope to cut off any Italian forces left in Sicily and then begin to work their way up the toe of Italy, opening a second Italian front and diverting forces from the border with Italy – and both the Western and Eastern Fronts.
The 3rd Navy is ordered to provide further support for the invasion fleet.
The southern border remains stable. The French submarines operat8ing around Italy have taken a pounding from Italian maritime air forces and are trying to recuperate in Marseille.
Just a general representation of the air war over the last week on the Western Front and an idea of the intensity. NB: Flemish Bank was where the ill-fated Canadian invasion fleet was stationed until recently. Of particular note, Aucher saw 34 bombings, Arras 41 engagements of all types, St. Quentin 23. The German’s main air base is in Brussels - it has been busy! This intensity continues - the Allies tend to lose far more troops killed by ground attack missions than in actual combat. But the French Air Force is also busy supporting the attack with ground attack missions.
24 August 1943
Our next view of events is eight days later.
Strategic
We’ll take a quick look at who is being influenced by the major factional players. A few points: the Axis (Germany) and Allies (the US) are having a tug-o-war over Nationalist China, and also over Turkey (via Japan and the UK). The UK is very busy in the influencing game at the moment: Republican Spain (a key victory objective country for the USSR) is being influenced by both the UK and the Soviets. A very importantly for our (French) position in Indo-China, the UK are counteracting earlier Japanese influence on Siam, which is granting the UK and France military access – not that there’s any (French, anyway) intention of using it! We’ll take a closer view of that too.
Now that Dunkerque has been secured, the Allies have a fourth victory objective secured (Overlord). The four Axis ones are all in the Japanese sector. Belgium, Brussels and Luxembourg are all in relatively easy reach. Italy and Norway will take more work. That would give nine – another three required on top of that for victory. Berlin is the big goal, of course. Then maybe two of Greece (getting them to join the Allies), Bulgaria, Romania (which could easily fall to the Soviets if the war goes well) or Operation Zeppelin. Taking Japan down would be more difficult and take longer – to be avoided if possible (unless of course they collapse and the US conquers them). The aim is a 12 objective victory, not necessarily taking down every Axis power.
The Canadians and Americans have been given more desirable landing objectives should they want to do something like that (except useful this time). That would really give the Hun some grief – but it is probably highly unlikely they will take any notice of these requests.
And the UK has been asked to retake Oslo.
Western Europe
We can see in Haarlem, to the north of the main breakout, the remnants of another doomed Canadian sortie. It may have diverted some Axis troops in that direction, for a while, but it’s not really a cost-effective approach. The main advance has reached the Dutch border on the coast, Gent has just been taken by the British 6th Armd Div, which is awaiting the rest of the slower moving units to catch up. Calais was mopped up and we’re trying to keep the momentum going, to outflank the Germans through the Low Countries, as they tried to do to us in 1940.
Here is a wider view of the active Western Front, from the coast to Metz and the north of the Maginot Line, with a summary of the battles in progress at that time. Attacking in two, defending in three.
A major attack is trying to take Tournai. Despite a heavy advantage in numbers, the enemy is dug in, behind a river. A hard slog maybe, but with plenty of Allied reinforcements available.
The Germans are doing their best to spoil the attack on Tournai from Kortrijk, but it is making little headway and should be brushed off easily.
A similar story in Cambrai. They’re just being pests, though with more substance here.
And unless reinforced, this attempted Allied end run along the coast via Middelburg won’t bemaking much headway.
And Charleville Mezieres? Yes, still at it, with yet another rotation of units feeding the hungry beast! The Germans keep finding fresh panzer divisions to throw in, and their Axis partners are also coming to the party. Allied counter-attacking tactics are currently blunting the German attack.
In Messina, the beachhead has been won and two Allied corps (French XIX and the 4th BEF Corps) with seven divisions are ashore, under the command of the 2nd Army.
There have been no changes of territory in the Pacific (or an attack on Australia!
). But the US have established a significant presence on Saipan. Still much work to do in the Asia-Pacific, with Japan still largely ascendant.
And finally, a quick survey of Soviet naval losses to date in the war. All bar one is attributable to either German NAV or Japanese carrier-based air power. Of note, they have lost three capital ships (two BBs and a CA) to German NAV bombers.
No more French losses or victories at sea in the last period. The Japanese have not lost any BB or CV yet, and the US none since losing the USS Mississippi early in the war.
***
There, after a long ‘Sitzkrieg’, it is now getting pretty interesting.
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Full repudiation of the armored breakthrough concept.
Firepower, logistics, and attrition.
Nice work forcing Germany to fight on your terms. Use Belgium as the road to Germany!
I worry that Sicily is more a distraction than anything useful. Would it have been more useful to land in the rear of the Italian positions in the Alps? Say, around Genoa? That might have forced the Italian forces into a retreat away from their own allies...
Ah well, what's done is done.
Firepower, logistics, and attrition.
Nice work forcing Germany to fight on your terms. Use Belgium as the road to Germany!
I worry that Sicily is more a distraction than anything useful. Would it have been more useful to land in the rear of the Italian positions in the Alps? Say, around Genoa? That might have forced the Italian forces into a retreat away from their own allies...
Ah well, what's done is done.
Yep, still too many Germans around - with too many panzers - for the big armoured breakthrough, yet anyway. Will I be able to do it in the future? Only time will tell!
Also, will see how the Italian campaign works out. I dimly recall the idea was to grab a beachhead that was easy to defend (remembering I couldn't use British sea-power directly and had limited lodgement ability) and also to ensure the invasion was far enough away to require them to move troops a fair distance to counteract it. That, and the bulk of my troops were still required in mainland France. And I hadn't yet built up enough troops on the Italian border to attack them anyway, with northern France still in the balance (the Germans could still counter-attack or the offensive could run out of steam). Again, I really can't recall the exact thoughts, but it may well have been that I wanted it to be a safe distraction at the time, but one that could be expanded if necessary. What I do recall is that the Italian campaign ended up being pretty interesting. 
A mid-Italy landing would have to be done in force and with conviction, otherwise you risk getting trapped in a pincer between North and South Italy. Now if you are just planning a distracting raid then that could be enough, the Italian's rush troops from the Alps and open up gaps in the North, etc.
But if you are planning to take and hold the land, and are doing it on a budget (the Allies don't have the manpower to do Italy and their current Low Countries offensive), Sicily needs less troops and only has one front so is more defensible.
I am disappointed in the ANZACs, it appears they are even lazier and more passive than the French. Still at least the British and Canadians are doing a good job in the low countries, there is the enormous 'drag factor' of the French generals but they are overcoming it with style and panache.
Re Italy: I think that is it, deducing from a distance (and not flipping forward to spoil - sometimes I’m being deliberately vague in some of these comments).
As for Canada: if they weren’t under wise French command, they’d probably still be dashing themselves to death on the fatal shores! And the British have been great allies in this game so far, I’m happy to admit. But without France holding on, they’d probably all still be peeling spuds in Aldershot and (HOI3 AI style) unable to conceive of a decent amphibious invasion of Western Europe!
There are also plenty of French units participating - and the Allies can attack across into Belgium in summer 1943 instead of waiting to June 1944 and having to storm the beaches of Normandy! All that said, I’ve been careful in the commentary to attribute Allied kudos where applicable- it’s why we’re called the Allies.
Joe Stalin can also thank us for preserving him from the full strength of Barbarossa. But that’s a potential problem too, because if he’s too successful, he may end up grabbing Eastern European objectives the Allies need for Democratic World Order victory. That could get very tricky.
Re Australia and NZ? I’ll just be happy if they don’t end up conquered by Japan, which happens way too much for my liking.
Ahh the great fightback has begun.
I too worry that Italy is going to be a distraction for units better employed elsewhere.
I too worry that Italy is going to be a distraction for units better employed elsewhere.
Hmm, will see how it goes. I was just following the Allied 1943 playbook - though with the advantage of a well-developed French Army with strong Allied support attacking through Belgium!
My other thought at this time was wanting to have an avenue into the Balkans to preempt the Iron Curtain, as well, so Italy will remain a key focus.
What a grand-story in-progress here. And that USA/Japan A.I. island-clash us fun to follow; imagine you are trying to write & explain "their" command-strategies.
Wow! @Bullfilter , this is a great gameplay AAR!
France has always been an interesting country to play in the HoI series, and you might just decide me to overcome my admitted aversion for everything post-Arsenal of Democracy!
France has always been an interesting country to play in the HoI series, and you might just decide me to overcome my admitted aversion for everything post-Arsenal of Democracy!
Wonderful to have you aboard, @AtlanticFriend,
I’ll hopefully post on this one again this coming weekend. Alas, my holidays are over and work intrudes, and I have to update my other HOI3 AAR (almost done) but have at least done my CK2 one since returning - can’t neglect any of my ‘children’!
Glad you like this one: it was never intended to be an AAR as I played it over a year ago now (I wasn’t even writing them then), but fortunately I had kept a lot of saves so have been able to reconstruct a fair bit. I will try to bring it to a prompt conclusion, so people can see if the great experiment to beat the pro-Germany bias in the game finally worked, or I crashed back to earth under the weight of my own over-ambition 
It's a bullfilter game and thus everything will be accomplished by building walls and hiding behind them, with perhaps a little bit of darting out in front at times to grab milk and stuff. Fighting is for Russians!
Hmm...good?
I'm astonished.
Annnnd...backbehind the wall we go. Seem s to be working though. I doubt the war will be very fast in Europe if this is the strategy however. If the British come to help out this time then maybe...especially if Africa is won easily enough.
Oh dear.
Well nothing's happened yet so...
You know Slovakia really needs someone to make a decent game of it and see if they can actually do something. Until then they're going to stay the punchline (and punching bag) on this forum.
Another country in need of some love.
Here they come. Slowly.
No sniggering at the back.
His description could have been written by his most devout follower or rabid critic. That's impressive.
...what?
What?
I think this has to be the worst Italian campaign I've ever seen. The western front is all but garunteed to hold now. Unless the German AI does a naval landing somewhere.
Nice!
Well to be honest, who would get involved in this war in real life? The Germans are going to lose at this point if the war drags on, but could a trade any moment win by storming the French lines. So who would take that gamble? Only Japan, who wars for another reason entirely.
Corsican Mafia must have been...irritated by this.
And it's still not as convoluted as WWI.
This can only be a good thing for you.
Well...that's good?
Island hopping in circles. They're just flirting with each other now.
Thanks for that consolidated walk through and comments on some of the ‘highlights’! In my defence (
) the forts etc are only for when I’m playing horribly weak or (with France) institutionally weakened countries trying to hold back the steroid-enhanced Germans! And even then, plenty of offensive warfare is thrown in. But yes, in TT the Calistar and Iskandar lines lines were inspired by this game, while the Yeniceri line Line was more from playing the Soviet riverline Defence.But I have been super impressed in this game by the helpfulness of the UK as an active ally. The BEF was crucial in 1940 for holding the west of the line (it was harder than the reports I had available here indicated, as they were saves done mainly after a battle had been concluded). And they have really built up since so that the 1943 offensive has become possible.
Yes, a slow period in the middle, but having France in the game and now powerfully equipped and the Eastern Front going, the action will certainly hot up from here!
Episode 19: 5 to 13 September 1943
Episode 19: 5 to 13 September 1943
This update encompasses three save points during September, with progress since the last update which finished at 24 August. Since then, the long Battle for Charleville Mezieres had finished – alas, due to the constraints of the AAR, I can’t present a final battle report. However, by this time, the province is strongly held by six full-strength divisions which are attacking into Belgium, so we can assume it finished some days ago and France won a bloody victory!
5 September 1940
An overview of the active Western Front sector shows that Brussels has been taken and made the new rally point for any as-yet unassigned British or Canadian forces (though they generally become EFs not long after landing in France). Three battles are in progress – two Allied attacks and one Axis. And of note, an Australian marine division has been sent to France: it joins the Allied Expeditionary Force (AEF) under French command in coming days. There have been more general advances in Belgium – and significantly, all provinces in northern France have been liberated! Hurrah!
The arrival of the Australian troops (Australia has not been attacked yet by the Japanese) prompts us to look at their government. A ‘National Unity’ approach sees both Robert Menzies and John Curtin as Ministers (both OTL Prime Ministers on either side of the political divide). But, incongruously, the Governor General is also the Head of Government (Prime Minister). Constitutionally impossible and very unrealistic: Isaacs should not be a HoG option here, in my book.
More Canadians continue to arrive too.
Looking at active battles and working from north to south, the recent seizure of Zierikzee is being challenged by the Axis. Despite excellent tactics, the presence of a full-strength panzer division will make things difficult here.
The Battle for Roosendaal has clearly been in progress for a while: hard fought, again with the odds turning against the Allies for now.
And another difficult battle, this one for Antwerp, with Allied numbers being counteracted by terrain and entrenchment.
Also, for all these battle, remember there is also a fierce air war in progress, which contributes to casualties and disorganisation – on all sides, but particularly for the Allies. We will see below whether success of failure was eventually met in these battles.
And – lo and behold – a new front has opened in the war on Italy! France now encompasses knocking Italy out of the war, to find both a ‘back door’ into Germany and the Balkans (before the Russians can get there), and also to remove all those troops the Italians have sent to fight for the Germans elsewhere. Weak spots emerged in the Italian defence, which the Allied units in place decided to pounce on. It seems things bare off to a good start!
The conquest of Sicily also goes well, with a quick mopping up and destruction of remaining resistance being arranged, while remaining forces start to concentrate in Messina for the next stage of the campaign – a likely difficult crossing of the Strait of Messina into southern Italy.
A quick look at the Eastern Front shows some limited German progress, but no clear breakout. They have advanced to the Crimea in the south, but the supply line does not look secure.
In the Pacific, the only change is that the previously strong looking US presence in Saipan has been evicted. It looks like the stronger force they had there was withdrawn, with the reduced garrison unable to repel a Japanese invasion.
10 September 1940
It is now five days later: we will take a quick look at active Allied fronts.
On the Western Front, Antwerp has been liberated but the attack on Roosendaal failed and Zierikzee was lost to a German counter-attack. They also continue press on Middelburg despite its reinforcement in the last few days. They are not giving up easily.
The fight in Middelburg is surprising difficult. The Allied forces are mainly quite worn out – as is the German 9th Pz Div, which is commanded by Erwin Rommel! But if the Germans can reinforce with the full-strength 14th Pz Div, the tables could soon be turned.
In north Italy, no battles are currently in progress, but we can see the results of two recent successful Allied attacks, where the Italians are retreating from Pinerolo and Asti. The Italian Air Force has been active in trying to suppress the advance – we will see more detail of their efforts below.
Sicily has been wrapped up, with all forces now heading back to concentrate at Messina.
13 September 1940
We start again with an overview of the Belgian sector. Only the one battle here remains in progress – Middelburg. More on that below. Although held up and having lost ground in the Netherlands, the clearance of Belgium continues.
Before we go to Middelburg, on tuning in we received a battle report – victory in Namur, south-east of Brussels! Which has already been occupied by lead elements, with more on the way.
And another notable development – the first US troops (marines) have arrived in theatre! They are currently under British command, but we expect them to be transferred to French command soon, joining French, British, Australian, Canadian, Danish and Belgian comrades in the AEF for the Liberation of Europe.
Now to Middelburg, where the tide has turned against us. As feared, fatigued Allied units have been forced to withdraw. 14th Pz Div did reinforce in time – and while they too are now tiring, they have been joined by a full-strength German Heavy Pz Div – the 5th! But the Allies are not ready to give up yet.
Looking behind the lines, reinforcements from the BEF have been sent to try to hold the line: 2nd Armd Div and 43rd ‘Wessex’ Div. The 1st Indian Div is still recovering in Gent and is not yet in a fit state to reinforce.
And, without attributing too specifically to locations, here is an indication of air combat over the last week. Not all, but the highest engagement locations have been included in reports. They reflect battles current and in the recent past.
In northern Italy, the advance continues, with Turin now under attack. While the odds may appear difficult due to terrain, fortification and entrenchment, the Italians are already weakened and the French can bring reinforcements to bear if necessary – and may have the city outflanked in a few more days to the north and south.
The recent air war here is also clearly visible in this report.
French INT have been contesting the skies around Nice, based out of Toulon. They are currently resting after some heavy engagements. Notably, France has now upgraded to level 5 INT: the Bloch MB.157.
In Sicily, the difficult cross-strait attack on Reggio di Calabria has commenced. This will be another tough battle, where rotation of fresh units will probably be required to wear the defenders down, despite their defensive advantages.
A survey of naval reporting in the last week is revealing. There have been no convoy sinkings on any of France’s Atlantic convoy routes. A few convoys were sunk in the Eastern Med (off-screen). As expected, the heaviest engagements have been closer to home, off the north coast of Sicily, as the Italians attempt to interfere with our campaign in southern Italy.
At some time since 24 August, the French BB Ocean found and sank a Romanian destroyer flotilla. Other than that, no Italian (or other Axis) ships have been sunk by France since around February.
The situation on the Eastern Front is not significantly different to a few days before. The Germans press forward slowly in the (former) Baltic States, but it appears their spearhead in Crimea may have been isolated by the Soviets.
In the Far East, Japan continues to press the Soviets back. So long as this doesn’t get out of hand, it works to the Allies advantage: the Japanese Army will be heavily occupied there, and it keeps the Soviets under a bit of pressure, to perhaps moderate their aggression in Europe. We need to try to keep them out of the Balkans until we can get there!
In the Asia-Pacific, no changes are evident, other than the defeat of the US in Tinian.
Finally, looking overall, we see that the liberation of Brussels has given us a fifth victory objective. Just another seven to go!
This update encompasses three save points during September, with progress since the last update which finished at 24 August. Since then, the long Battle for Charleville Mezieres had finished – alas, due to the constraints of the AAR, I can’t present a final battle report. However, by this time, the province is strongly held by six full-strength divisions which are attacking into Belgium, so we can assume it finished some days ago and France won a bloody victory!
5 September 1940
An overview of the active Western Front sector shows that Brussels has been taken and made the new rally point for any as-yet unassigned British or Canadian forces (though they generally become EFs not long after landing in France). Three battles are in progress – two Allied attacks and one Axis. And of note, an Australian marine division has been sent to France: it joins the Allied Expeditionary Force (AEF) under French command in coming days. There have been more general advances in Belgium – and significantly, all provinces in northern France have been liberated! Hurrah!
The arrival of the Australian troops (Australia has not been attacked yet by the Japanese) prompts us to look at their government. A ‘National Unity’ approach sees both Robert Menzies and John Curtin as Ministers (both OTL Prime Ministers on either side of the political divide). But, incongruously, the Governor General is also the Head of Government (Prime Minister). Constitutionally impossible and very unrealistic: Isaacs should not be a HoG option here, in my book.
More Canadians continue to arrive too.
Looking at active battles and working from north to south, the recent seizure of Zierikzee is being challenged by the Axis. Despite excellent tactics, the presence of a full-strength panzer division will make things difficult here.
The Battle for Roosendaal has clearly been in progress for a while: hard fought, again with the odds turning against the Allies for now.
And another difficult battle, this one for Antwerp, with Allied numbers being counteracted by terrain and entrenchment.
Also, for all these battle, remember there is also a fierce air war in progress, which contributes to casualties and disorganisation – on all sides, but particularly for the Allies. We will see below whether success of failure was eventually met in these battles.
And – lo and behold – a new front has opened in the war on Italy! France now encompasses knocking Italy out of the war, to find both a ‘back door’ into Germany and the Balkans (before the Russians can get there), and also to remove all those troops the Italians have sent to fight for the Germans elsewhere. Weak spots emerged in the Italian defence, which the Allied units in place decided to pounce on. It seems things bare off to a good start!
The conquest of Sicily also goes well, with a quick mopping up and destruction of remaining resistance being arranged, while remaining forces start to concentrate in Messina for the next stage of the campaign – a likely difficult crossing of the Strait of Messina into southern Italy.
A quick look at the Eastern Front shows some limited German progress, but no clear breakout. They have advanced to the Crimea in the south, but the supply line does not look secure.
In the Pacific, the only change is that the previously strong looking US presence in Saipan has been evicted. It looks like the stronger force they had there was withdrawn, with the reduced garrison unable to repel a Japanese invasion.
10 September 1940
It is now five days later: we will take a quick look at active Allied fronts.
On the Western Front, Antwerp has been liberated but the attack on Roosendaal failed and Zierikzee was lost to a German counter-attack. They also continue press on Middelburg despite its reinforcement in the last few days. They are not giving up easily.
The fight in Middelburg is surprising difficult. The Allied forces are mainly quite worn out – as is the German 9th Pz Div, which is commanded by Erwin Rommel! But if the Germans can reinforce with the full-strength 14th Pz Div, the tables could soon be turned.
In north Italy, no battles are currently in progress, but we can see the results of two recent successful Allied attacks, where the Italians are retreating from Pinerolo and Asti. The Italian Air Force has been active in trying to suppress the advance – we will see more detail of their efforts below.
Sicily has been wrapped up, with all forces now heading back to concentrate at Messina.
13 September 1940
We start again with an overview of the Belgian sector. Only the one battle here remains in progress – Middelburg. More on that below. Although held up and having lost ground in the Netherlands, the clearance of Belgium continues.
Before we go to Middelburg, on tuning in we received a battle report – victory in Namur, south-east of Brussels! Which has already been occupied by lead elements, with more on the way.
And another notable development – the first US troops (marines) have arrived in theatre! They are currently under British command, but we expect them to be transferred to French command soon, joining French, British, Australian, Canadian, Danish and Belgian comrades in the AEF for the Liberation of Europe.
Now to Middelburg, where the tide has turned against us. As feared, fatigued Allied units have been forced to withdraw. 14th Pz Div did reinforce in time – and while they too are now tiring, they have been joined by a full-strength German Heavy Pz Div – the 5th! But the Allies are not ready to give up yet.
Looking behind the lines, reinforcements from the BEF have been sent to try to hold the line: 2nd Armd Div and 43rd ‘Wessex’ Div. The 1st Indian Div is still recovering in Gent and is not yet in a fit state to reinforce.
And, without attributing too specifically to locations, here is an indication of air combat over the last week. Not all, but the highest engagement locations have been included in reports. They reflect battles current and in the recent past.
In northern Italy, the advance continues, with Turin now under attack. While the odds may appear difficult due to terrain, fortification and entrenchment, the Italians are already weakened and the French can bring reinforcements to bear if necessary – and may have the city outflanked in a few more days to the north and south.
The recent air war here is also clearly visible in this report.
French INT have been contesting the skies around Nice, based out of Toulon. They are currently resting after some heavy engagements. Notably, France has now upgraded to level 5 INT: the Bloch MB.157.
In Sicily, the difficult cross-strait attack on Reggio di Calabria has commenced. This will be another tough battle, where rotation of fresh units will probably be required to wear the defenders down, despite their defensive advantages.
A survey of naval reporting in the last week is revealing. There have been no convoy sinkings on any of France’s Atlantic convoy routes. A few convoys were sunk in the Eastern Med (off-screen). As expected, the heaviest engagements have been closer to home, off the north coast of Sicily, as the Italians attempt to interfere with our campaign in southern Italy.
At some time since 24 August, the French BB Ocean found and sank a Romanian destroyer flotilla. Other than that, no Italian (or other Axis) ships have been sunk by France since around February.
The situation on the Eastern Front is not significantly different to a few days before. The Germans press forward slowly in the (former) Baltic States, but it appears their spearhead in Crimea may have been isolated by the Soviets.
In the Far East, Japan continues to press the Soviets back. So long as this doesn’t get out of hand, it works to the Allies advantage: the Japanese Army will be heavily occupied there, and it keeps the Soviets under a bit of pressure, to perhaps moderate their aggression in Europe. We need to try to keep them out of the Balkans until we can get there!
In the Asia-Pacific, no changes are evident, other than the defeat of the US in Tinian.
Finally, looking overall, we see that the liberation of Brussels has given us a fifth victory objective. Just another seven to go!
- 1
It really does feel that the tide is turning. The slow grind of the front in the Low Countries, but especially the advance over the Alps.
Also clearly remains a true Allied effort.
Also clearly remains a true Allied effort.