Carnage Al Dente
Chapter II - Initiating Wars
Human Players: Germany*2, Italy, Japan, UK, France, Poland, Soviet
The extra player on Japan (von Rosen) changed to back Germany up
Recap: Germany and Italy has been reparing for violence. It is time to let slip the dogs of war...
May 1st, 1939
On May the first, Germany declared war on Poland and Denmark and became in war with France and United Kingdom as well. World War II has started. Italy, however, has other plans than getting mixed up in Germany’s furious thrashing about (well, except giving them an expeditionary force consisting of two divisions – in line with the house rules).
May 2nd, 1939
The aggressive acts by the Germans did not go unnoticed. Three commonwealth countries chose to join up with the Allies in the struggle against the Third Reich. Germany, however, stood alone. The Italians saw no gain in joining this coming carnage. They simply saw no gain in it. They had their eyes on a dish slightly easier to digest….
May 2nd-4th, 1939
The fall of Denmark took four days. The Danes could not mount any significant defense had hadn’t even time to fill up their ranks.
The Axis had expected Allied naval counter measures in Öresund, but managed the whole amphibious operation without Royal Navy interference. Perhaps the Allied leadership feared being locked within the Baltic Sea if Denmark fell quickly – which they did.
May 3rd, 1939
While Germany attacked Poland and Denmark, tucking at the attention of the Allies, the Italian lashed out against their former friends in Spain. Franco had been a disappointment and with the world-turmoil coming out, the Italian leadership needed someone they could trust in Spain.
The first blow fell in southern Spain, around Malaga. The land was weakly defended and in the western Alboran Sea there was a shorter naval skirmish – obviously won by the superior Italians.
May 7th, 1939
A motorized units quickly reached as far as Ronda, feeling safe after taken the mountainous terrain. However, a fierce Spanish counter-attack was thrown against them. The average Italian soldier had been drilled into the belief they were greatly superior to the Spanish, but even though they had good defensive grounds they could not hold on when the Spanish came in force. Ronda was eventually lost.
May 5th, 1939
The German leadership reported an Allied amphibious assault in Bremerhaven. It consisted of about three British divisions. What their operational target was is unknown, but maybe they was going to try to cut off Wilhelmshaven and Emden. Be as it may, the Brits got stuck on the beach and the assault was cancelled. The German deployment had proved efficient.
Authors note: Allied team are invited to shed some light on the idea behind this attack
May 17th, 1939
It was obvious the war did not come as a surprise to the Allies. Whether the failed attack on Bremerhaven had come as a shock or not to the Brits, it did not change the powerful thrust they launched over the Maginot.
In three weeks they had managed to throw back the German defenders and tear a mighty gap right into the core of Germany. They were on the brink of taking Köln (by the red lines), which would have threatened to cut off a chunk of the Heer’s Western Army Group, but a last hour paradrop stopped that disaster. The German paratroopers landed in and around the city and were immediately engaged by the British light armor and motorized infantry. The skilled paratroopers used the city to their benefit while the Brits had the river hampering their progress.
Rather quickly, the Brits called of the attack and gave the German leadership a well needed breather. Still, Germany was far away from comfortable in the West.
May 19th, 1939
In the East, however, progress was steady. Poland would fall, albeit not tomorrow. The West would have to do without reinforcements from the East a while longer.
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Two small chapters before the end of the year as asked for. I live only to serve. Happy New Year on all of you!