NOV/DEC 1944 – last Turn of the War (Cont)
GERMANY WINS THE INITIATIVE AGAIN – but rolls Snow, Rain and then Fine but not EOT!
Axis Impulses - three. Germany again took all Land actions and Japan combines. Germany’s 1st impulse last week saw the mass withdrawal in the East to the defend the Vistula River, Warsaw, and Hungary. In the West, the German cities of Saarbrucken and Aachen were vacated in order to straighten the German line. Japan had slipped a Conv through into the China Sea restoring supply to the beleaguered garrison of Manila and the Chinese mainland - EOT advanced by 2. Germany’s subsequent impulses saw no movement on the Western Front as the single US attack against Stuttgart failed badly – US rolled a 6, The entire US Army in Southern Germany/France is now inverted. However three US Strat bombers targeted the German capital, and reduced two of the cities factories production. In the East despite several poor rolls by the Russian another 3 and several 6’s and 8’s the German Frontline is disintegrating especially after the Russian used O-Points to break the Vistula River destroying the two best ARMD Corps (10 and 11) and crossing the Vistula. Worse in Hungary, there are less units and Hungary was abandoned as the few German units started their withdrawal to defend Austria. Pressure by the CW operating from Yugoslavia is also stretching the line and has also reinforced the decision to withdraw from Hungary. In Italy the Germans are again withdrawing to Germany through the MTN passes on the border.
Japan, With the failed assault on Manila – the US rolled a 3 as well! The Japanese have taken combined actions to again secure the Japanese Sea with massed air and Naval elements. The Russian advances in Manchuria have slowed in part to poor dice rolls, but also to Russian losses and the heavy Japanese air presence, but mostly due to them remaining in supply through the Japanese Sea. Truk still holds, but with two units now inverted and it being OOS any reasonable dice roll by the US will take this major port.
Allied Impulses – three. The Allied 1st session of the N/D 44 turn saw Russia declare an Air Land and a Land offensive by the Vasilevskiy HQ to force the crossing of the Vistula River. This river assault led by Zhukov successfully destroyed a 9 and 11 German ARM Corps – the backbone of AGN. They also destroyed two Hungarian units and bounced back to the spiral another German Corps. Other attacks were poor but caused the odd German loss, stretching the line even further. One good attack was against Warsaw taking the Polish capital – Poland could be liberated this turn. Having taken an Air/Land this allowed the entire Russian air-force to be rebased forward. The CW took a land to follow up on the withdrawal of the Hungarians destroying a single rear-guard Hungarian MOT and in Italy captured another MTN hex having destroyed an OOS 3.1 Garrison – the way to the Po River is Clear. However, the assault on the Bulgarian capitol Sofia failed again as the CW rolled a 6 – seems to be a trend with the Allies this night, for a 2/1 loss. Finally, in Burma, after 2 years, the CW captured the Burmese oil and Burma is free of Japanese units as the CW now looks to Singapore as its next target – hopefully that won’t take two years!
The US initial impulse was an air, followed by a super combined to set up for the assault on Manila as all three defenders were inverted, BUT Manila was still in supply as the Japanese Conv had remained undetected in the rain. Despite good odds the US rolled badly with a 3, forcing only a single Japanese Div loss but all the US attackers are inverted – Manila holds for another turn, frustrating the US. Berlin was bombed by massed US bombers, reducing production by two factories.
Next session a bonus fine weather impulse for the Allies – the US will assault Truk, and in the West attempt a breakout from N Holland. The Russians will assault Lodz and the two Polish resources but will also look at capturing Budapest and forcing the Hungarians to surrender. Both the CW and Russians will advance towards Austria and the heart of Germany. The CW will take a Naval/Land and also look at opportunities in Italy, probably and OOS Milan and both the US and CW will certainly target with remaining Strategic bombers the Axis Factories to reduce their build.
· ACFT – Aircraft
· LOC – Line of Communications
· TOTT – Top of the table a 23 or more
· AGN/AGS German Army Group North and South
Europe - looking dire for the Axis - Allied next impulse in fine weather.
Western Front - the Holland breakout is likely and the CW may take a crack at Kiel since a rare N/D Fine weather has been rolled.
The Italian Campaign is all but over as the Germans head for the MTN passes of Austria and Germany
The Eastern Front and the CW Yugoslav front meet and drink vodka
- Hungary's Capital will fall this impulse.
AGN in taters as the Russian juggernaut arrives in Poland
Lodz will fall as will the two Resources
PTO
The Far East
China is liberating its country.
Manchuria - the Russians will need more land units as the attrition of the 'squiggly 14' costs 3 x Russians for every Japanese, ... and he has rolled 3!
Axis losses increase as the shift of combat power goes to the Allies
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