Plan Z. Uber Kriegsmarine Pt III AAR

[Zhuge Liang]

Well that should be Britain removed as an effective threat, in my experience once you land troops in the British Isles it's all over for them. And how many divisions have you devoted to the invasion of Spain? Franco's about to deeply regret his decision to sit on the fence...

 

[Zardnaar]

Around 20 are being sent into England, and 50-60 or so in Spain. My army isn't that big still and the Luftwaffe has no nav bombers or CAS yet. 2 whole tac bombers have been constructed for them.

 

[c0d5579]

You're not invading Spain, you are launching a war of liberation to exercise the rightful claims of Javier I, Duke of Parma, the Carlist claimant.

 

[Zardnaar]

A large number of obsolete RN ships come out to play. The new fleet under Marshall drives them off and suffers somehting called "battle damage" a concept the Germans are barely aware of.

The Battle of London. They British fight bravely but are routed after a few hours.

Franco's Spain puts up more of a fight than Churchil's England. They must be using left over equipment we gave them.

Luftwaffe tactical bombers locate a large British Fleet hiding in Norwich. A follow through land assault is ordered with the intention of driving the ships into the waitng Kriegsmarine.

Vice Admiral Bohm engages the largest Royal Navy fleet encountered so far- 36 ships!!!!! They are mostly older models though and the German crews are well trained. Battle is joined.

 

[unmerged(166917)]

The days of the British Empire are numbered.

 

[Zardnaar]

IN a series of naval battles along the English coast, the Royal Navy home fleet is annhilated. Vice Admirals Bohm and Saalwachter play tag with the British fleet in a series of skirmishes. A few times the English seek santuary in minor ports along the coast, only to be thrown out by the advancing Heer. Not a single ship is lost. Battlecruisers>Battleships

In the same timeframe, the Spanish campaign is going well. Some convoy raiders manage to sink a good chunk of the Spanish Navy.

 

[Zhuge Liang]

Impressive victories against the Royal Navy- there shouldn't be too much of it left now.

 

[Zardnaar]

The mop up operations against the Royal Navy continued. Few ships of the British home fleet would survive. The HMS Revenge a Bbattleship joined the rest of the RN on the bottom of the sea.

Scapa Flow fell to the advancing Heer. The few remaining ships in port had to run the Kriegsmarine Gauntlet.

Meanwhile in Spain Madrid was captured after a brief battle, and the bulk of the Spanish army was wiped out in Barcelona.

 

[Zhuge Liang]

It looks like it's just mopping up now. I wonder if the USSR or the US will be able to pose any kind of threat?

 

[Zardnaar]

Probably not on the land, but the USN may hammer the crud out of the Kriegsmarine. The RN also had a large fleet in Alexandria with modern BB and CVs- they destroyed a large number of lt cruisers and damaged everything else as I didn't notice a fleet sailing into them. Also lost a whole wing of X4 nav bombers somehow- I don't recall them being shot down, nor the british capturing a relevent airfield. Barbarossa will also be launched with 0 CAS, 4 interceptors, and around 16 tac bombers. Upgrading, repairs and having to triple lt cruiser production ate into the Luftwaffe IC budget.

 

[dublish]

Now Barbarossa in June, BP by October, and invade the US in '41!

 

[Zardnaar]

Hadn't though of that but to be honest I don't have enough for a 1940 USSR invasion. Thats the downside of a naval buildup.

 

[unmerged(166917)]

I'm a bit worried for your bombers in Russia, you won't provide them with a good fighter cover...but well it won't change the final outcome.

 

[Zardnaar]

I often neglect my airforce in all games I play. To me it seems optional.

 

[unmerged(166917)]

Oh I see, as long as it works its fine.

 

[dublish]

I often neglect my airforce in all games I play. To me it seems optional.

I'm the same way. My Luftwaffe usually sits at home after the first week of any attack, since my ground troops always outrun my planes' range and I can't be bothered to rebase them to provinces that might have partisans popping up.

 

[unmerged(50292)]

The RN certainly took a beating! Only US now will pose a real future threat.

 

[Zardnaar]

The front line in Spain collapsed and the Wehrmacht surges forward. The 3rd battle of Gibralterresults in a victory as reinforcements are brought in from England. Spain surrenders.

The last remnants of Englands home fleet come out to engage the Kriegsmarine. The HMS Malaya joins the rest of the Royal Navy on the bottom of the ocean along with the HMAS Hobart an Australian light cruiser.

Breaking through into the Mediterranean Sea, marines asault the island fortress of Malta. The Luftwaffe supports the attack flying out of Palermo. After a brief battle the British defenders collapse.

Our brave but useless Italian Allies need help. Von Bloomberg leads the DAK in a counter offensive against the British, which drives them back to Derna.

Based out of Seville the Kriegsmarine can just reach Bermuda. INvasion forces seize their first base across the Atlantic.

 

[unmerged(166917)]

Oh German forces in the Bermuda...the POTUS should be afraid, very afraid !

 

[Zardnaar]

The Empire Strikes Back

Luftwafe Tactical bombers out of Crete discover a large Brtish fleet in Alexandria. While anticipated the size of the fleet is shocking. 45 ships inluding 4 carriers (3 modern) and 6 battleships including several modern ones. Mental note to self. Germany hasn't begun researching new tac bomber models.

Admiral Bohm on his way to support landings in Tel Aviv encounters a large RN fleet. The British claim the light cruiser KMS Bramberg. Flee........

Retreating to Spain for repairs Vice Admiral Bohm and Marshall encounter the main British fleet, along with several transport ships which manage to get in the way. The battle is indecisive. While a technical victory for Germany no ships are sunk. Orders are to chase the British fleet and engage it again.

Victory but at what cost? Two more light cruisers sink to the bottom while the rest of the fleet is mauled. The English come off worse though and lose two carriers. Both fleets retreat to Gibraltar for repairs. Germany can play the attrition game though.

Reinforcements arrive in Tel Aviv. Breaking out they advance in all directions.

The Amerika empire expands. Saalwachter guards the German invasion forces as colonial lands are liberated. Germany needs to secure long term metal supplies while denying them to the Allies.

Reaching Gibralter the two main fleets are combined into one. Bohm is put in charge of overseeing repairs, while all intact ships placed under Marschall's command. Once again Germany's heavy cruisers and older light cruiser models are required to bring the numbers up to something approaching full strength.
With another battecruiser fleet due for completion in early 41 a shortage of light cruisers becomes apparent. Production is tripled from 2 ships to 6 while more resources are devoted to repairing the current fleet. Somewhere in Berlin Goring throws a wobbly as he is informed that the planned CAS expansion program for the Luftwaffe is canceled.