Looks like the Russians have a test for you too! Lets just hope it's not a final test. anyway good luck with your finals.:wacko:
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Heh. I've bumped myself up a few grades over the years by what I frantically crammed the night before or the morning of the exam. Admittedly, I already knew enough to pass, but for some people those last few adrenaline-filled hours can be good exam prep.
Excellent work, the whole campaign worked out better than I'd have imagined.
However, against a human controlled USSR, the outcome would have been different, methinks.
However, against a human controlled USSR, the outcome would have been different, methinks.
Maybe not. Against a human player I suspect the Russian would have already engaged the Germans rather heavily to try to defeat Germany quickly.
Ciryandor: Kind of, but that's not really how I play. I don't find super optimization fun. 
BlitzMartinDK: Here.
Forster: Oh I'm the same way. If I've not learned it by now, studying won't help. I do tend to study before exams though as I'm always nervous even though it's never as bad as I think it'll be.
Tribal: Thanks. One down, next one on Thursday!
womble: Heh, though I don't get adrenalin from something as boring as studying. Taking the exam yes, but not studying.
hoikof: As noted, the whole situation would be different. That said, Sherman said that good strategy put the enemy on the horns of a dilemma. This is what my landing in the rear did, and in an analogous circumstance the human player would still have to react in some way approximating the AI, though perhaps not as strongly.
Forster: Indeed.
Jemisi: Yep.
So hopefully update tonight, guys!
BlitzMartinDK: Here.
Forster: Oh I'm the same way. If I've not learned it by now, studying won't help. I do tend to study before exams though as I'm always nervous even though it's never as bad as I think it'll be.
Tribal: Thanks. One down, next one on Thursday!
womble: Heh, though I don't get adrenalin from something as boring as studying. Taking the exam yes, but not studying.
hoikof: As noted, the whole situation would be different. That said, Sherman said that good strategy put the enemy on the horns of a dilemma. This is what my landing in the rear did, and in an analogous circumstance the human player would still have to react in some way approximating the AI, though perhaps not as strongly.
Forster: Indeed.
Jemisi: Yep.
So hopefully update tonight, guys!
Nicely done! Although all of us apprently knew what you needed to do D) before you did it.
(I was really hoping for an opportunity to say 'Rock me, Amadeo...' but it was not to be)
So, a good 'dry run' of the real operation I suppose. Athens is obviously not quite far enough to afford a decisive blow, especially in repeat with the new Soviet forces confronting you. So (?), a quick move in the future to grab the Dardanelles, then the real assault to slice throught from the Black Sea to the Hungarian border and restore the front, on the Russian border, from the end of 1942? You could really shorten the front by a withdrawal to the Italian alps, and free up a major force (for Italy, at least) to trap a huge number of Soviet divisions.
That would be an interesting experiment. All depending on speed of transports, and supply considerations.
D) before you did it.(I was really hoping for an opportunity to say 'Rock me, Amadeo...'
but it was not to be)So, a good 'dry run' of the real operation I suppose. Athens is obviously not quite far enough to afford a decisive blow, especially in repeat with the new Soviet forces confronting you. So (?), a quick move in the future to grab the Dardanelles, then the real assault to slice throught from the Black Sea to the Hungarian border and restore the front, on the Russian border, from the end of 1942? You could really shorten the front by a withdrawal to the Italian alps, and free up a major force (for Italy, at least) to trap a huge number of Soviet divisions.
That would be an interesting experiment.
All depending on speed of transports, and supply considerations.
Well, still looks interesting. You seem to have prevented overstretching yourself too much and have created a somewhat stable frontline. Wonder what that mystery army is trying to do. Anatolia perhaps?
cthulhu: Over my dead body!
FrodoB: I'm considering a number of options now, as I've not yet played 1944. That's one of them.
Lenin Cat: More or less.
FlyingDutchie: What would Anatolia gain me?
Tonight's update is a bit short. Africa, y'see.
FrodoB: I'm considering a number of options now, as I've not yet played 1944. That's one of them.
Lenin Cat: More or less.
FlyingDutchie: What would Anatolia gain me?
Tonight's update is a bit short. Africa, y'see.
The Year of Returned Hope
Part 12: Continuing the War in Africa, 1943
While the Regio Esercito had been launching, conducting and then ending the greatest operation it had ever to that point undertaken, another war was being fought thousands of miles to the south. In Africa, six Italian divisions continued to wage their largely isolated war against the British. It was necessary to keep a line of sorts in Africa to prevent the British from sweeping northward, as they would eventually reach Egypt and create even more problems for the Italians than they already were, so far away from Italy’s Mare Nostrum. Nevertheless, Italian achieved what, given the character of the theater and the war being fought therein, were signal successes.
The main Italian problem in Africa was that, while marines had taken the ports of East Africa, the interior remained largely in the hands of the British. There they fielded a handful of divisions that, due to their numerical superiority, being three brigades rather than two, and their interior position they could operate more effectively than their Italian counterparts. The poor infrastructure and vast distances of Africa prevented the Italians from exploiting their exterior lines. Furthermore, the six divisions were dispersed, with the three infantry divisions in or around the northeastern corner of the Belgian Congo, with the marine divisions deployed in a u-shape from Lake Victoria in the north to Dar es Salaam to the northern shores of Lake Malawi. The obvious first step was to reduce the British position, beginning by redeploying two divisions to the western shores of Lake Victoria in late February. This redeployment resulted in the battle of Mwanza in late May, where the Italians managed to throw three divisions at a single French division under British command. It was the first of the Italian successes in Africa, resulting in heavy casualties for the theater: nearly three hundred and forty Italians and over thirteen hundred British casualties.
The battle of Mwanza, the first of the year in the African theater.
The next months were filled with occupying Mwanza and maneuvering for position around the interior of East Africa. Unfortunately there is little in the way of archives for this part of the Africa campaign, as this was the period during which the campaign in Illyria was in full swing. Naturally, the small and far away actions in Africa pale when compared to the nearby, relatively titanic and consequential operation in the Balkans. Nevertheless, on August 13, the Regio Esercito won another battle in Africa, at Tabora. It is unknown whether it was the British or Italians who were attacking, but given later events then it’s probable that it was the Italians who were on the offensive. Nevertheless, the Italians lost just over two hundred and twenty men in their victory, whereas the British lost more than one thousand three hundred and fifty. This was closely followed by another, but bloodier, victory at Mbeya, where just under nine hundred Italians and eleven hundred British died on the 29th of August. The 14th of September witnessed another battle, at Arusha, where four hundred and seventy Italians and just under five hundred fifty British died in what became another Italian victory. The British could not, however, afford this level of casualties as easily as the Soviets. Furthermore, it was at this point that one British division was overtaken when retreating and fully destroyed.
The results of the battle of Tabora.
By the 20th, another British division had been trapped against the coastline just outside the port of Mombasa but without any hope of accessing it. There, three Italian divisions assaulted it after a well executed campaign that had already resulted in the destruction of one British division. The trapped British division was on its last legs, and quickly overwhelmed and destroyed. The rest of the year was spent assuming favorable positions between Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi. There, two divisions of the marine corps dug in. The infantry corps under Dall’ora reinforced its station in the northern corner of the Belgian Congo. Finally, October saw the introduction of a new, and friendly, force into the theater: a carrier fleet. It was commanded by neither Campioni A. nor da Zara. It was, indeed, a fully new fleet, centered on the two new fleet carriers RN Alesia and RN Actium, and commanded by Campioni I., another distinguished admiral.
The battle of Tanga, which resulted in the destruction of the second British division.
The campaign in Africa was far from over, but more than ever before the Italians had secured their position well. The interior of East Africa was finally subdued and the British divisions holding out there either destroyed or driven away. While two destroyed divisions pales in comparison to the victories of Illyria, in a theater where the entire Allied force, as far as Italian intelligence estimates go, comprised no more than five British and two or three Belgian divisions in the entirety of Central and East Africa, two divisions is a significant victory. On the deficit side, the distraction of Illyria for the Regia Marina resulted in the British retaking a number of Indian Ocean islands taken the previous year.
Part 12: Continuing the War in Africa, 1943
While the Regio Esercito had been launching, conducting and then ending the greatest operation it had ever to that point undertaken, another war was being fought thousands of miles to the south. In Africa, six Italian divisions continued to wage their largely isolated war against the British. It was necessary to keep a line of sorts in Africa to prevent the British from sweeping northward, as they would eventually reach Egypt and create even more problems for the Italians than they already were, so far away from Italy’s Mare Nostrum. Nevertheless, Italian achieved what, given the character of the theater and the war being fought therein, were signal successes.
The main Italian problem in Africa was that, while marines had taken the ports of East Africa, the interior remained largely in the hands of the British. There they fielded a handful of divisions that, due to their numerical superiority, being three brigades rather than two, and their interior position they could operate more effectively than their Italian counterparts. The poor infrastructure and vast distances of Africa prevented the Italians from exploiting their exterior lines. Furthermore, the six divisions were dispersed, with the three infantry divisions in or around the northeastern corner of the Belgian Congo, with the marine divisions deployed in a u-shape from Lake Victoria in the north to Dar es Salaam to the northern shores of Lake Malawi. The obvious first step was to reduce the British position, beginning by redeploying two divisions to the western shores of Lake Victoria in late February. This redeployment resulted in the battle of Mwanza in late May, where the Italians managed to throw three divisions at a single French division under British command. It was the first of the Italian successes in Africa, resulting in heavy casualties for the theater: nearly three hundred and forty Italians and over thirteen hundred British casualties.
The battle of Mwanza, the first of the year in the African theater.
The next months were filled with occupying Mwanza and maneuvering for position around the interior of East Africa. Unfortunately there is little in the way of archives for this part of the Africa campaign, as this was the period during which the campaign in Illyria was in full swing. Naturally, the small and far away actions in Africa pale when compared to the nearby, relatively titanic and consequential operation in the Balkans. Nevertheless, on August 13, the Regio Esercito won another battle in Africa, at Tabora. It is unknown whether it was the British or Italians who were attacking, but given later events then it’s probable that it was the Italians who were on the offensive. Nevertheless, the Italians lost just over two hundred and twenty men in their victory, whereas the British lost more than one thousand three hundred and fifty. This was closely followed by another, but bloodier, victory at Mbeya, where just under nine hundred Italians and eleven hundred British died on the 29th of August. The 14th of September witnessed another battle, at Arusha, where four hundred and seventy Italians and just under five hundred fifty British died in what became another Italian victory. The British could not, however, afford this level of casualties as easily as the Soviets. Furthermore, it was at this point that one British division was overtaken when retreating and fully destroyed.
The results of the battle of Tabora.
By the 20th, another British division had been trapped against the coastline just outside the port of Mombasa but without any hope of accessing it. There, three Italian divisions assaulted it after a well executed campaign that had already resulted in the destruction of one British division. The trapped British division was on its last legs, and quickly overwhelmed and destroyed. The rest of the year was spent assuming favorable positions between Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi. There, two divisions of the marine corps dug in. The infantry corps under Dall’ora reinforced its station in the northern corner of the Belgian Congo. Finally, October saw the introduction of a new, and friendly, force into the theater: a carrier fleet. It was commanded by neither Campioni A. nor da Zara. It was, indeed, a fully new fleet, centered on the two new fleet carriers RN Alesia and RN Actium, and commanded by Campioni I., another distinguished admiral.
The battle of Tanga, which resulted in the destruction of the second British division.
The campaign in Africa was far from over, but more than ever before the Italians had secured their position well. The interior of East Africa was finally subdued and the British divisions holding out there either destroyed or driven away. While two destroyed divisions pales in comparison to the victories of Illyria, in a theater where the entire Allied force, as far as Italian intelligence estimates go, comprised no more than five British and two or three Belgian divisions in the entirety of Central and East Africa, two divisions is a significant victory. On the deficit side, the distraction of Illyria for the Regia Marina resulted in the British retaking a number of Indian Ocean islands taken the previous year.
how much more of Africa must you conquer before the allies are finally dead in that theatre?
The division is Belgian, not French.
Good work though, you are that much closer to control of Africa.
Duke of Awesome: If that's what I want to try to do, a long way yet.
BlitzMartinDK:
Maj. von Mauser: Oops. And yeah, handy little victories.
Jemisi: Yeah.
Got another exam today!
BlitzMartinDK:
Maj. von Mauser: Oops. And yeah, handy little victories.
Jemisi: Yeah.
Got another exam today!
how's your research progressing? Any chance of a full review of current tech levels as well as future plans?
Auchinleck commanding just a division?
Where is the Empire sinking?
You should not conquer Africa, but destroy the foes.
But I wonder how you would do that without occupying their provinces.
Where is the Empire sinking?
You should not conquer Africa, but destroy the foes.
But I wonder how you would do that without occupying their provinces.