From Salerno to Rome - Part Twelve

Not only is it a race to get to Rome, it is also a race to finish this game (as there are so many other great games to play and life changing events to deal with).  In this session Richard and I completed a complete turn which is a bit of a record in our game play with FSTR.  We still seen to be learning the game system and its quirks (Richard has just sent me something about auto Axis victory if they capture a supply depot).

The Anzio beach head now down to five hexes.

US Fifth Army making painfully slow progress.

But note the French 4th Mountain division (top right hand corner)

The first two impulses of the March 1944 turn were bad weather.

This slowed the Eight Army which is yet to get in position.

The weather cleared and the Allied forces launched a major offensive.

It was disappointing.

Not to be out down the Germans launch a major attack on Anzio.

It was even more of a disappointment than the Allied one.

However the beachhead is just four hexes now.

The Allies have now captured multiple hexes of the Gustav line,

in the west, centre and east.

The Gustav line is stretched, perhaps to breaking point...

Anzio is bogged down.

The Germans have run out of Activation Points.

The US Fifth Army has captured a stretch of the Gustav line on the coast.

The big success has been in the centre by the French mountain troops.

But can that success be exploited?

The Eight Army has even made progress.

They should do better next turn now they have closed up to the German positions

(which means they avoid the risk of premature end of ops due to enemy bombardment

which further means the activation point wasn't wasted). 

From Salerno to Rome - Part Eleven

This session completed the February turn.  The pressure continued on Anzio, but a small breach was made in the Gustav Line as the American Fifth Army try and fight their way through.

The landing at Anzio, which now comprises four allied divisions,

has drawn a swarm of German units

The US Fifth Army bashing away against the Gustav Line

The Eight Army is struggling to close up to the Gustav line in its sector.

The Germans are keeping up the pressure on the Anzio beachhead.

The Allies don't seem to be making much progress.

That empty space used to be occupied by Allied troops...

It's hard to imagine, but the Fifth Army has captured one hex of the Gustav Line

(It's three hexes in from the coast where the 1 Arm Recon unit is)

Elsewhere the Allies are at least now getting adjacent to the Gustav line.

Anzio is reduced to just six hexes.

However the Allied naval, land and air support has been busy blasting the German divisions.

The Germans have also committed some heavy armour elements here 

and that is giving the the edge in their attacks.

Getting ready for the March offensive.

Arab Conquest versus Classical Indians

Fanatic foot versus elephants?  This could be nasty, but my Arabs fronted Mark Woods' Indians all the same.

Deployment.

The Arabs were out scouted

 (as BI counts elephants and heavy chariots as mounted when it comes to scouting)

We got off to a slow start.

And things slowly started to develop

But it was still taking time to come to combat

Finally the two armies are in range.

A tremendous charge by the Arabs completely wiped out the Indian foot.

But then it was time for the elephants to even the score

But they didn't.

While they threw many dice, they got very few hits.

Attrited away, only the Indian chariots remain.

World in Flames via FB - 36

The Allied 1943 summer offensive is off to a mixed start...

AUSGAME2021

M/J 1943 – THE ALLIES TAKE THE INITIATIVE

M/A EOT rebases, production and reinforcements and then the important initiative roll. The French are building roads (in Syria) and the GERM rebase a Raider into Italian Somalia. Japanese build drops due to partisan acty and large Conv losses. The Axis were desperate to win the initiative so a Conv could be run out into the Baltic to supply the OOS and inverted GERM Army of Norway. In the Med, and probably more important winning the initiative would allow them to commence the orderly withdrawal East of the GERM North African Army along the coast road before it gets trapped by the advancing Allies.

Drum roll, both the Axis and Allies roll 6’s – Axis win ties so the Allies demand a re-roll shifting the init track to the Zero box and win with a 4 versus the Axis 3 – disappointment for the Axis but excitement for the Allies. Weather roll 7 with fine except rain in the N Monsoon – no reprieve in the Artic for the Axis. However, the bonus for the Axis next and equally important J/A turn is that they will win ties, as they can now demand a re-roll and worse for the Allies, if they roll EOT the init track will shift to the +1 Axis.

Allies first impulse, CW take a Combined, US spend 11 O-Points to take a Naval and Land, Russia and China take a Land and France, a Naval. US Naval sees the Pacific fleet sail into the China Sea under the cover of 7 Factor Ftrs to again contest this vital sea area and to challenge the Japanese imperial fleet. The Japanese respond, flying multiple acft into the 2 box – but the split goes to Japan rolling a 1 v the US 7 – the Japanese declines combat despite the shifts in their favour as their fleets prepare to sail again during their impulse. Other US shipping sail a Canadian ARM into Narvik to support a CW attack against the OOS and inverted Defenders (14 points) of Trondheim, other shipping sail escorts and search missions into the North Sea - no find. In the E Med, a US CA searches for the Italian Conv suppling N Africa. The Axis decline to respond with air and are found with a lucky 2 in two successive searches, which sees the Italian Conv sunk – Axis N Africa is now OOS. French Naval, a French Tpt heads to the US pickup Bradley for his trip over the Atlantic. The land phase and the Russian declining to spend O-Points on a land offensive GS the GERM line with Arty, 3 GS including Shturmovik’s and several Katyusha Rocket launchers, mixed results with some inversions, and a Rumanian intercepting pilot destroyed in the air on a 20! In response GERM rolls a 5 and destroys another 6 factor Yak. Russia launchers three land attacks, with an 18 against the solitary Finnish Corps which is eliminated as the Russian’s advance West another 150km towards Helsinki. The Blitz attack against Army Gp North is a poor with a 7 on a +12 Blitz with the defenders sent to the spiral – no GERM losses half invert which generates a GBA. Against the Rumanians in Army Group South another poor 7 sees a second Russian ENG eliminated and a retreat – again no GERM losses full invert – Zhukov reinverts the attackers.

China declines any attacks. The CW assaults Trondheim on a +12 and rolls a 6, another Allied disappointing roll inflicts a single Div loss on the defenders with Trondheim remaining in GERM hands. The US and CW land forces in Morocco and Tunisia exploit the opportunity winning the initiative gives them driving East and cutting the coastal road and attempt to pocket the GERM forces trapped in Tunisia (Ed: that would be Algeria). No attacks as the CW took a combined limiting land attacks and the GERM astutely declared emergency supply. A US Para drops on a Norwegian mountain hex whilst it is OOS. The Allies were very disappointed as 3 out of the 4 allied attacks were very poor (6, 7 and 7) Trondheim was retained by the GERM, the Russian has lost two Eng and most of his HQs are now inverted – all for gaining 3 hexes of E Poland and destroying a Corps(FIN) on the first impulse of potentially a long clear weather turn – not the start the Allies had hoped for!

ARMY GROUP NORTH - UNDER PRESSURE - FINLAND A FIGHT FOR THE CAPITAL

ARMY GROUP SOUTH THE RUMANIANS DEFEND EXTREMELY WELL

THE CONTESTED NORTH SEA - PARAS LAND IN NORWAY - RECCE PARTY?

US PRESENCE IN THE E MED - A NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE GERMAN

ARABIAN SEA - REPORTS OF A GERM RAIDER START TO DRIFT IN

TUNISIA - THE TRAP IS SPRUNG

(Eh, um, Algeria...)

EARLY LOSSES - THE RUSSIANS WILL FEEL THE LOSSES OF TEH ENG AS THEY ATTEMPT TO BREACH THE RIVERS OF EUROPE

THE PACIFIC FLEET challenges THE CHINA SEA

World in Flames via FB - 35

The Soviet Baltic Fleet covers itself in glory.

AUSGAME2021

M/A 1943 – THE WEATHER DETERIORATES

The Axis 2nd impulse: GERM take a Land, Japan a Combined with Italy a Naval. Italy sends out her fleets into the E and W Med. In the W Med a sizable blocking fleet of their modern BS in the high 4 box is sent to intercept any attempts by the Allies to sail into the E Med. They search to hunt a couple of French SCS, but roll 9 - no find. In the E Med another loaded Italian Tpt arrives dropping of another GERM Corps into Egypt. Italy also sail SCS to escort Conv’s and Tpt’s. Off the coast of Italy a Conv is found and sunk by a British Sub – Italy down to 5 Conv’s. Further North, off the coast of France, Italian Acft supported by GERM Nav hunt for the British CV and Conv in the N Sea, again no find as both sides roll 9’s - nothing to see here. GERM land sees the Russian front line reinforced, and the Finns withdraw towards their capital, Helsinki. Reinforcements arrive in Southern France to occupy strategic cities. GERM HQ’s reinvert their AA and the reinforcements that Strat moved into Morocco in reaction to the Allied build up. Japan’s combined sees Tpt/Amph sail under the protection of the Japanese fleet (2 box) and drop off more land units into China, Acft are rebased and the Jap front line reinforced.

The Allied 3rd impulse – weather 1! blizzard – snow in the Med and rain in the N Monsoon – worst possible for this turn - not what the Allies wanted! With little to do at sea the CW and Russia take land actions, with the US a combined. The Allies Strat bomb Axis factories and oil but all roll low – weather obviously obscuring their targets – the Russian even (ed: considered only) flew long range to bomb Italy! In Morocco the Allies attempt to GS the GERM line, but superb AA from the 88’s again rolling nothing less than 5 of 4 dice, drives off the GS – the flank is secured The US and CW land forces are content to just push around the Southern shoulder in an attempt to outflank the GERM defensive line. Russian Arty arrive in Tallinn as does the Russian Marine, Helsinki is about to be shelled from the Baltic States.

The Axis 3rd Impulse – Axis Convoy time. Taking advantage of the atrocious weather, the GERM takes a Combined and sails 7 convs and the entire Kriegsmarine led by Bismarck on Conv escort duty into the Baltic Sea to re-establish supply to Norway and access the Swedish resources. Extraordinarily, searches by the Russian from their two aged BS and a couple of CA’s find their quarry, not once but twice, rolling two 1’s – extraordinary! Focussing on the Convs and helped by two splits (1 -6 and 1 – 5) they sink 4 Convs, Damage 3 and clear the Baltic of Conv’s. This isolates the GERM Garrison in Norway and cuts off the Swedish Iron ore. Both Russian BS survive only just, as the suffer the return fire from the Kreigsmarine with both being damaged – vodka all-round boys, GERM down to 9 Conv’s.

The Japanese Combined is similar to the GERM, sending out 3 Convs into the China Sea but in contrast to the 6 – 1 roll against the GERM, the Jap rolls a 1 – 6 split against the US Subs. Delighted the majority of the Japanese fleet including the Yamato and Masashi pulverise two US subs which are sunk for no further loss. The Italian takes a no cost combined and replaces its lost convoy off the Italian Coast to secure the Sardinian resource, Italian Conv’s 5.

The Allied 4th impulse, weather roll 7 +2 (9) and fine everywhere but rain in the Artic – Stalin mumbles, wanted fine or snow, GERM somewhat relieved. All major Allied nations take a Land. The CW flies a long range Ftr into the Baltic to support Naval Ops there. Sensing a change in his luck and an opportunity to destroy US/CW air assets (Ftrs/Nav) GERM rolls but fails to find, the Allies however do find with a split in their favour and elect to fight. The recently arrived US Ftr is quickly despatched by the more experienced GERM Ftr Pilots and again superb GERM AA from the GERM Fleet aborts the cleared through Allied Nav with another roll of 6 dice with none under 4 rolled. The North African campaign finally kicks off as both the US and CW breakthrough the desert in an excellent outflanking manoeuvre. A prospective attack against the GERM most southerly position in Morocco is yet again thwarted by superb work from the GERM 88 AA guns, as again they roll nothing below a 5 on 4 dice, aborting the GS Acft. With that option shut down, the Allies combined land forces strike out at the 2.3 GERM Algerian TER rear guard, supported by British and US Paratroopers. The assault is successful with a top of the table roll and the Para’s landing safely. The road to Algiers is open and the coast road supplying the GERM Army in Morocco is now threaten in multiple areas and future guarantees of supply to their front line is now significantly jeopardised. Russia declines any attacks against the GERM or the Finns preferring to conserve forces for next months clear weather turns. China elects the same, still constrained by the loss of Peking and Mao. The US attempt a GS against the isolated Jap land forces in the S China Sea, but with no results, elect not to attack. EOT roll ends the turn frustrating an attempt by the GERM to re-establish supply. Partisan rolls were 2 and 10 with 2 Parts turning up in China for the first time – they occupy resources in China.

Summary

Tough turn for the Axis with a 4 impulse turn for the Allies which included 2 land impulse which finally saw the US and CW make some progress in N Africa. Russia’s lucky searches in Blizzard with two 1’s clearing the Baltic, sinking Convs and putting Norway out of supply and cutting off the Swedish Iron Ore is costly BPs, compounded by a couple of Start bombing will impact on GERM production. Japan, down to 4 Convs is worse off with little opportunity to ship resources to Japan to build without these convs. This is a vicious circle that spirals down with few opportunities to remediate. Japan’s war just got a whole lot tougher. Convs are likely to be sailed in 1’s and only used to supply the Army in China. The M/G initiative is critical to the Axis – if they do not win the initiative, inverted units OOS in Norway are vulnerable and in N Africa the coastal road that supplies the GERM Army in Morocco will be cut in multiple places as the US and CW land forces will flood East. The Axis wins draws but with the initiative in the +1 Allies they will not get a reroll and will have to win the roll twice as a reroll will be demanded by Allies if they lose their first roll.

Chinese Partisans turn up with the fine weather

The Far East - Japan on the ropes

The Russian Front - hex changed hands

Finland - slow withdrawal - the Russian's are coming!

Army Group North

Army Group South

Trondheim captured by the GERM -

but an EOT roll has seen them remain inverted and OOS

The Western Front

W Med - Allied advances into Libya

The Allied land forces flood East into Libya - threatening the GERM Supply

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

Losses - attrition warfare all nations taking casualties - Allied losses easier to replace.

Maurikian Byzantines versus Early Khalifs

An historic mid 7th Century match up.  This was an introductory first game for John who took my Arab army to face me with my Byzantines.  While a friendly, learning game it still produced lots of fun.

End of the first turn and the Byzantines are well placed to attack.

I was not going easy on the new guy.

They seize the initiative and do just that!

With this initial success I started to feel a bit mean.

But wait, one combat was not completed...

Disaster strikes as the Byzantine CnC and his unit is routed.

Whoops!

The Arab fanatics now start to roughly handle the Byzantine foot.

Both sides are one unit away from breaking.

But the Byzantines break first.