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While we're waiting for an update, would you share your air force composition? I feel it's one of the least understood and well-developed arm of the military for most players (myself included).
Gladly. My air force contains (British definition of wings and groups):
16x light bomber wings, separated into four groups (HE 129)
20x medium bomber wings, separated into five groups (JU 188)
1x heavy bomber wing (HE 177)
2x naval bomber wings in one group (JU 290)
24x light fighter wings, separated into six groups (FW 109)
24x heavy fighter wings, separated into six groups (Me 410)
3x transport wings in one group (AR 232)
I have three wings of jet light fighters (HE 280) in production, but will not see them in service until 1948.
My fighter tech is all at 1943 level, and I am currently researching the 1945 techs. My bomber tech is at 1943 levels as well, with the bomb tech at 1945. I am not researching further into this atm. My heavy bomber tech is all over the place: airframe is at 1943, fuel tanks 1941, pre-war defensive armament, and 1945 large bomb. However, my doctrines (where it counts) are all at 45 and I am researching 48 in some of them.
I neglected fighter and bomber technical development in favor of other areas: aerial doctrine, nuclear research, jet research, and my navy. But, I don't believe the AI has surpassed my technical level. It appears it has been my choice of air superiority missions rather than intercept (the latter led to the one sided losses for the Red Air Force, while the former led to the one sided losses for the Luftwaffe on the Western Front), the difficulty level, and the fact the AI has captured my radar site in Cherbourg giving them a further advantage.
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A Führerbunker: I have just checked - zero fortification in Berlin ... maybe i should change that ...
Quite! I have yet to decide on weather to send troops to Italy. I was looking up their real life peace agreement, it seems they made signing any armistice on condition of an Allied landing. Would it be reasonable that, in this situation, that the Italians would be able to unconditionally surrender on the condition of the Allies not invading (of course with the Italians disarming and with the dissolution of their empire)? Such a move would serve two purposes: 1) I would not need to find troops to man the Italian Front, 2) the AI could concentrate their forces on the Western Front.
I haven't gotten around to playing out my offensive to save the Italians yet, so I haven't made a decision so any feedback by yourself and the others would be appreciated.
Holy crap, just when I thought Italian AI had become invincible.
I was quite surprised myself. The AI, which seemed to be on top of things and doing so well, overstretched and majorly jeopardized themselves. When looking at their troops, to see what was left, the majority of their infantry and marine units are overseas garrisoning islands or in North Africa. I assume, when I get around to playing, they will deploy the vast majority of their garrison units to the front and buy themselves and me some time.
I doubt something like that would happen IRL when Germany is still in play and can be outflanked this way. Just free the pocket and hope for the best
Great, thanks for sharing. Together with the light cruiser vs destroyer question, air strategy is still hard to get a good, definitive answer on.
Sorry for the wait: I will have an update posted in the coming days and several more thereafter.
Case Bello Gallico (16 – 31 November)
During the lull of fighting on the Western Front, the three panzer armies had moved into position, engineers had moved up to the frontline, and Luftwaffe squadrons had been redeployed to within striking distance of the new battlefield. As the reinforcements arrived from the east, the troops were ushered into their appointed areas. On 15 November, when the call reached OB West that the planned attack had to be launched immediately, it was already to go. At first light on 16 November, the offensive began.
The Luftwaffe had been assigned several tasks. Their medium and heavy bombers had been assigned the objective of destroying the road and rail lines of communication to the north of the battlefield. This would sever the artery of Allied reinforcements heading south (intel had already identified American units taking over the northern sector of the front, and British ones moving south or redeploying to face the Italians), and cut off the soon to be trapped Allied forces in the south from any possible help from the north. The light bombers were designated with close air support over the battlefield. The light and heavy fighter squadrons were ordered to clear the skies over the battlefield and escort the bombers, utilizing the tactics recently used on the Eastern Front to much success.
Green: The planned line of advance
Red: The areas assigned to the Luftwaffe medium and heavy bombers
At first light, artillery began to pound the Anglo-Canadian positions at Vitteaux. The 46th, 211th, and 252nd Infantry Divisions, along with thousands of additional combat engineers, pushed forward with the intent of bypassing the entrenched Allied positions and rapidly breaking through the line. Behind them, nine more infantry divisions stood by to move forward to consolidate any territory captured and three panzer armies set posed to exploit a gap created. All day long, light bombers buzzed low across the battlefields dropping bombs and strafing exposed troops, while high above them fighters slowly circled awaiting the RAF. As the day wore on, our infantry bogged down as the British and Canadians reacted and held the line. All across the front, the RAF interfered attempting to break the formations of medium and heavy bombers. Once more, massive aerial battles broke out. The new tactical approach worked, by the end of the day our pilots had claimed the destruction of over 300 Allied aircraft. During the evening, the French launched a counter attack on the northern flank. In response, the 61st and 207th Infantry Divisions – not part of the main effort – pushed west to assault the attacking French.
Four troops cautiously move through a French farm, during the fighting.
After two days of fighting, the 61st and 207th forced the French back and created a hole in the Allied frontline. Clamency, the area captured, had already been struck by our bombers and had seen two days of fighting. This could all add up to imposing delays upon our forces. Regardless, as the main effort was still facing strong opposition from the Anglo-Canadian formations at Vitteaux, the First Panzer Army was ordered to exploit this recent turn of events. This change of plan also required the Luftwaffe to shift their bombing further to the north so not to strike our own troops.
At Clamency, just prior to the arrival of the First Panzer Army, the 86th French Infantry Division moved into position. In a rare act of French resolve, this small unsupported formation managed to hold up the entire First Panzer Army. Ambushing the lead elements (although casualties remained low), mining roads, and destroying bridges, they imposed a massive delay on the entire army as a massive traffic jam emerged behind the combat troops. With progress lacking, OB West demanded an answer. Geyr von Schweppenburg, the commanding officer of the First Panzer Army, responded: to get the support echelons sorted out and moved forward and to get the combat troops into position to carry on the advance would require at least forty-eight hours. On the 20th, the infantry assault finally breached the Anglo-Canadian lines at Vitteaux. With the breach made, the Second Panzer Army was ordered forward. The Third remained in reserve along with the Seventeenth Army. While the breach has finally been made, American troops have reached the outskirts of Italian-occupied Nice and are advancing on Turin – just inside the Italian border. The Italians, with their main army still trapped and their country on the verge of being invaded, are growing impatient with the lack of our progress.
The frontline, 20 November
As the lead elements of the Second Panzer Army push forward, they run into numerous rear echelon formations from American, Canadian, and French units. Chaos reigns. Just enough Canadian combat troops arrive to save the non-combat elements and stop our advance. With yet another delay, the V Panzer Corps was ordered to break off to the south and attempt to find an alternate path forward.
V Panzer Corps flanking attack.
On the 22nd, Italian reports reach us that Franco-American troops have reached the outskirt of Turin and that the city is completely undefended. In addition, Italian troops have been surrounded near Nice further dwindling the number of combat troops available to them. To make matters worse, Anglo-French troops have forced the Italians from Moulins: the objective of our advance. While the French are not posing a deadly threat to our troops, they are imposing devastating delays on our advance. Thus far, it has taken six days to advance a mere ten miles. Had the Italians not lost their position, thirty miles would be all that separated them from us. But with the Italians falling back, each of our gains taking an enormous amount of time to make, and the Americans invading Italy, time is quickly running out.
A captured photograph showing Canadian troops in action.
Canadian infantry have been a the forefront of impeding this offensive.
Later in the day, the flanking attack by V Panzer Corps succeeds. The remaining elements of the Second Panzer Army are ordered in their wake and to attack towards Digoin and link up with the Italians. Canadian troops, once more, stand in their way. At dawn on the 24th, the First Panzer Army finally resumes its advance. It is now advancing to protect the flank of the Second Panzer Army rather than attempting to break through the Italians. The following day, Anglo-French attacks are launched across our line further impeding our attempts to advance forward. On the 26th, Turin falls to the Americans. Little is now in the way of stopping the Americans from driving across the Po Valley and crippling the Italian war economy. With such a large advance and troops spread from Italy to the English Channel, the American military appears to have temporarily overstretched itself. They are not advancing, and the Italian Government informs our own that they will have to seek an armistice if the Americans advance beyond the line of Genoa-Milan.
Second Panzer Army launches a broad assault.
On the 27th, the entire Second Panzer Army launched a broad assault. The hope was that it would be the final breakthrough to the Italians. Once more, the Canadians put up staunch resistance. After three days of fighting, our troops finally enter Digoin and Luzy. What should have been a link up with the Italians is turned into a bitter disappointment. Once more, the Italians are just out of reach having been pushed further back. Our troops require three days to prepare their next move, in which time the Italians will more than likely be pushed further back and again just out of reach.
The situation at the end of the month.
In two weeks, our forces managed to advance the required 40-miles and at a modest cost of 7,500 men. However, the Italians had been pushed just out reach and for the moment this advance had been in vain. While our own losses had been rather low, the Italians reported the loss of 40,000 men with tens of thousands more trapped outside of the main pocket. Italian liaison officers voiced their belief that these formations would more than likely capitulate within the coming days. Allied losses, facing just our troops, were estimated to be in the region of 20,000 men. In the air, the Luftwaffe lost over 100 bombers and was unable to unleash the devastating damage to the road and rail network that had been hoped for. The fighters, on the other hand, had savaged their Allied counterparts and bombers. Entire RAF squadrons had been annihilated in the dogfights, and some wings had come close to being completely wiped out. Over 100 bombers had been shot down and close to 500 fighters, for the loss of 320 of our own.
During the lull of fighting on the Western Front, the three panzer armies had moved into position, engineers had moved up to the frontline, and Luftwaffe squadrons had been redeployed to within striking distance of the new battlefield. As the reinforcements arrived from the east, the troops were ushered into their appointed areas. On 15 November, when the call reached OB West that the planned attack had to be launched immediately, it was already to go. At first light on 16 November, the offensive began.
The Luftwaffe had been assigned several tasks. Their medium and heavy bombers had been assigned the objective of destroying the road and rail lines of communication to the north of the battlefield. This would sever the artery of Allied reinforcements heading south (intel had already identified American units taking over the northern sector of the front, and British ones moving south or redeploying to face the Italians), and cut off the soon to be trapped Allied forces in the south from any possible help from the north. The light bombers were designated with close air support over the battlefield. The light and heavy fighter squadrons were ordered to clear the skies over the battlefield and escort the bombers, utilizing the tactics recently used on the Eastern Front to much success.
Green: The planned line of advance
Red: The areas assigned to the Luftwaffe medium and heavy bombers
At first light, artillery began to pound the Anglo-Canadian positions at Vitteaux. The 46th, 211th, and 252nd Infantry Divisions, along with thousands of additional combat engineers, pushed forward with the intent of bypassing the entrenched Allied positions and rapidly breaking through the line. Behind them, nine more infantry divisions stood by to move forward to consolidate any territory captured and three panzer armies set posed to exploit a gap created. All day long, light bombers buzzed low across the battlefields dropping bombs and strafing exposed troops, while high above them fighters slowly circled awaiting the RAF. As the day wore on, our infantry bogged down as the British and Canadians reacted and held the line. All across the front, the RAF interfered attempting to break the formations of medium and heavy bombers. Once more, massive aerial battles broke out. The new tactical approach worked, by the end of the day our pilots had claimed the destruction of over 300 Allied aircraft. During the evening, the French launched a counter attack on the northern flank. In response, the 61st and 207th Infantry Divisions – not part of the main effort – pushed west to assault the attacking French.
Four troops cautiously move through a French farm, during the fighting.
After two days of fighting, the 61st and 207th forced the French back and created a hole in the Allied frontline. Clamency, the area captured, had already been struck by our bombers and had seen two days of fighting. This could all add up to imposing delays upon our forces. Regardless, as the main effort was still facing strong opposition from the Anglo-Canadian formations at Vitteaux, the First Panzer Army was ordered to exploit this recent turn of events. This change of plan also required the Luftwaffe to shift their bombing further to the north so not to strike our own troops.
At Clamency, just prior to the arrival of the First Panzer Army, the 86th French Infantry Division moved into position. In a rare act of French resolve, this small unsupported formation managed to hold up the entire First Panzer Army. Ambushing the lead elements (although casualties remained low), mining roads, and destroying bridges, they imposed a massive delay on the entire army as a massive traffic jam emerged behind the combat troops. With progress lacking, OB West demanded an answer. Geyr von Schweppenburg, the commanding officer of the First Panzer Army, responded: to get the support echelons sorted out and moved forward and to get the combat troops into position to carry on the advance would require at least forty-eight hours. On the 20th, the infantry assault finally breached the Anglo-Canadian lines at Vitteaux. With the breach made, the Second Panzer Army was ordered forward. The Third remained in reserve along with the Seventeenth Army. While the breach has finally been made, American troops have reached the outskirts of Italian-occupied Nice and are advancing on Turin – just inside the Italian border. The Italians, with their main army still trapped and their country on the verge of being invaded, are growing impatient with the lack of our progress.
The frontline, 20 November
As the lead elements of the Second Panzer Army push forward, they run into numerous rear echelon formations from American, Canadian, and French units. Chaos reigns. Just enough Canadian combat troops arrive to save the non-combat elements and stop our advance. With yet another delay, the V Panzer Corps was ordered to break off to the south and attempt to find an alternate path forward.
V Panzer Corps flanking attack.
On the 22nd, Italian reports reach us that Franco-American troops have reached the outskirt of Turin and that the city is completely undefended. In addition, Italian troops have been surrounded near Nice further dwindling the number of combat troops available to them. To make matters worse, Anglo-French troops have forced the Italians from Moulins: the objective of our advance. While the French are not posing a deadly threat to our troops, they are imposing devastating delays on our advance. Thus far, it has taken six days to advance a mere ten miles. Had the Italians not lost their position, thirty miles would be all that separated them from us. But with the Italians falling back, each of our gains taking an enormous amount of time to make, and the Americans invading Italy, time is quickly running out.
A captured photograph showing Canadian troops in action.
Canadian infantry have been a the forefront of impeding this offensive.
Later in the day, the flanking attack by V Panzer Corps succeeds. The remaining elements of the Second Panzer Army are ordered in their wake and to attack towards Digoin and link up with the Italians. Canadian troops, once more, stand in their way. At dawn on the 24th, the First Panzer Army finally resumes its advance. It is now advancing to protect the flank of the Second Panzer Army rather than attempting to break through the Italians. The following day, Anglo-French attacks are launched across our line further impeding our attempts to advance forward. On the 26th, Turin falls to the Americans. Little is now in the way of stopping the Americans from driving across the Po Valley and crippling the Italian war economy. With such a large advance and troops spread from Italy to the English Channel, the American military appears to have temporarily overstretched itself. They are not advancing, and the Italian Government informs our own that they will have to seek an armistice if the Americans advance beyond the line of Genoa-Milan.
Second Panzer Army launches a broad assault.
On the 27th, the entire Second Panzer Army launched a broad assault. The hope was that it would be the final breakthrough to the Italians. Once more, the Canadians put up staunch resistance. After three days of fighting, our troops finally enter Digoin and Luzy. What should have been a link up with the Italians is turned into a bitter disappointment. Once more, the Italians are just out of reach having been pushed further back. Our troops require three days to prepare their next move, in which time the Italians will more than likely be pushed further back and again just out of reach.
The situation at the end of the month.
In two weeks, our forces managed to advance the required 40-miles and at a modest cost of 7,500 men. However, the Italians had been pushed just out reach and for the moment this advance had been in vain. While our own losses had been rather low, the Italians reported the loss of 40,000 men with tens of thousands more trapped outside of the main pocket. Italian liaison officers voiced their belief that these formations would more than likely capitulate within the coming days. Allied losses, facing just our troops, were estimated to be in the region of 20,000 men. In the air, the Luftwaffe lost over 100 bombers and was unable to unleash the devastating damage to the road and rail network that had been hoped for. The fighters, on the other hand, had savaged their Allied counterparts and bombers. Entire RAF squadrons had been annihilated in the dogfights, and some wings had come close to being completely wiped out. Over 100 bombers had been shot down and close to 500 fighters, for the loss of 320 of our own.
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By now I would be rushing troops to Lombardia and halt the Allied advance into Italy...
Damn you Italians!
Damn you Italians!
By now I would be rushing troops to Lombardia and halt the Allied advance into Italy...
Damn you Italians!
Before the last Italians there are defeated, they have too few troops to make a front.
Where they succesfully defended they were bypassed and surrounded
I was quite surprised by how, near Turin, the Italian AI was able to hold off the American juggernaut for quite some time. Although, the American AI did not seem that intent on bypassing them like they had done elsewhere. Pretty odd behavior.
As for the Italians letting the Germans down, wouldn't be WW2 without it right (I jest, I know real life was much more complicated than that)?
As for the Italians letting the Germans down, wouldn't be WW2 without it right (I jest, I know real life was much more complicated than that)?
Very well written AAR, the story is tense and what a bloodbath!
I'm still about a year behind, just reached 1943 and the capture of the Pskov fortress. Was there any sign of either side in the war running low on manpower at this stage? The ferocity of the fighting almost makes me think you must be running low at this stage. I'll keep reading to find out.
I'm still about a year behind, just reached 1943 and the capture of the Pskov fortress. Was there any sign of either side in the war running low on manpower at this stage? The ferocity of the fighting almost makes me think you must be running low at this stage. I'll keep reading to find out.
Ugh, the RNG is taunting you, my friend!
Are you still using Air Intercept rather than Air Superiority to inflict such losses on the RAF?
Are you still using Air Intercept rather than Air Superiority to inflict such losses on the RAF?
how horrible it is to see the Panzerarmeen advancing so slow... I hops you have some infantry to spare and be sent to form a front between the sea and Swiss
Thanks for the comments. At that point, my manpower issue was not much of a concern although I had noted it would run out in the coming years if casualties remained as they were. It didn't become a major problem until a few campaigns later. As for the Soviets, from what my intel screen was telling me it was never going to be an issue for them. Later in the game, when making some changes in later 1945, I inadvertently saw there manpower: 8 million at that point. A war of attrition with the Soviet AI is not one I will be winning.
Yes. Previously I had been using the former to defend the Reich and the latter over the frontline. Due to the limited numbers of planes I had on the Eastern Front during the fighting around Rostov I chose to use intercept missions to attempt to curtail the Soviet AI's bombing missions. Since that worked such wonders, I gave the same mission to the reinforcements I sent and it achieved great results. So when I launched my offensive on the Western Front, that was the mission type I opted for: to devastating effect.
I think we might just be thinking alike ... to a degree
Can the Allies draw supplies via Marseille? If yes, I'd bomb that port. Port strikes seem to be very effective when it comes to cutting enemy supply lines. I assume there're too many ports in Allied hands in western France?
When it comes to ports, the Allied AI has every French one now (baring Calais). My medium bombers are also out of range of the vast majority of them and, based off their inability to do damage to the logistical system in several provinces mentioned above, unable to inflict a hard enough blow.
Not keeping my air force up to date is, slowly but surely, coming back to bite me in the ass.
Not keeping my air force up to date is, slowly but surely, coming back to bite me in the ass.
