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subbed. It's been too long since I've read an Ikarases AAR.
 
Chapter IV: Belgelandian Shenanigans Part I

Our glorious fleet manages to catch a German destroyer flotilla outside Oslo and turns it into scrap metal in a matter of hours!

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In order to free our troops from the German hordes heading their way, we have to capture Bergen. The battle is progressing fairly well. Not being as lucky as units near Bergen, two French semi-motorized divisions are overrun near Kristiansand.

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The units from Bergen are promptly rushed to defend Oslo where heavy fights are taking place, as it’s the last defended Allied enclave on Norwegian soil. Oddly enough, a French infantry division surrenders to the Germans despite the outcome.

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In the meanwhile, Italians manage to break through the Alpine line in Briançon.

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Both assailants and defenders are battered in Oslo at the beginning of September.

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Here’s the situation in Africa. While British are supported by Iraqis advancing, French are losing ground to Italians on the other end of Libya. On the other hand, it seems the Italians and Ethiopians are winning in East Africa.

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On the early morning of 9th September, last Allied soldier leaves the Norwegian soil and embarks onto transport ships. Numbers favored Germans, at least this time.

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Just a few days later, Belgelandian troops are send to respond to the most immediate threat; Italians. Situation on the Alpine line turned out to be even more dire than expected and it was clear that if France was to fall, Belgelands would probably be soon to follow.

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On 22nd September, Belgelands was already in force on the southern front and ready to throw back Italians from where they came from.

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It wouldn’t be however until midst of October until Belgelandian troops rested, consolidated defenses and after that an assault. It was believed superior numbers would return Briançon to French hands once again.

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Despite the battle itself numbered more casualties on the Allied side, numerous pinning attacks (mostly on Barcelonette) launched by combined Axis forces swung the balance into Allied favor in the final counting.

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To prevent further breaches, at least on the French side, “Alpine Line Defense Corps” was set up. One division was to guard each and every borderline province and Briançon, as the most vulnerable, later received an extra division.

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Hardly wasting any time, the supreme commander launched an attack on Sardinia. Several Italian subs were engaged in its vicinity!

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Unsurprisingly, in about a week the island was under Allied control.

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Seeing British and French having trouble in eastern Africa, our motorized elements were unleashed after a landing with no resistance in Mogadiscio to install a loyal government in Addis Ababa.

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On the New Year, a British infantry division landed completely unopposed in Oslo.

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Not too long after this, Ethiopia joined the Allied cause and thus definitely ending any further Italian adventures in eastern Africa.

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France saved by Belgeland, as it should be!
 
France saved by Belgeland, as it should be!

Those Frenchies, always in trouble! :sad:

Why France, why cannot you defend your own borders by yourself? :p

Because I don't have level 10 forts all along my border, at least not yet :p

Don't you dare to lose Venlo...

I still hold it, although I'm afraid it has been leveled to ground after months of nonstop artillery fire :sad:
 
I still hold it, although I'm afraid it has been leveled to ground after months of nonstop artillery fire :sad:

WHERE IS THE LUCHTMACHT!! God damnit Ikar, you can't let my city go down that way. I'll have to punish you for this........
 
Chapter V: Belgelandian Shenanigans Part II

Germans try to probe our defenses in Bastogne, yet unsuccessfully.

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Our navy engages several Italian ships. Oddly enough, it seems the Italians are bringing in reinforcements to Africa despite their ports are bombed to rubble and Allied fleets patrolling the coast.

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At the beginning of February, the British launch a full-scale liberation of Norway. They however stated that full control of the country would be needed to reestablish the former government, as Germans had the opportunity to bring in troops from Sweden as well as Finland.

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Meanwhile our troops retook Tunis from the Italians.

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As Italians were pushed back, several of their ships tried to escape from the nonstop port bombarding just to run into our navy. Everybody wondered where their battleships were, as those would surely give our, mostly cruiser based, navy a greater headache than destroyers.

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RM Littorio was spotted in the port as well, but granted it never really came out of the port, it was assumed one of our numerous bombing runs must’ve sunk this Italian battleship.

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On 22nd February, Italian battleships finally made their appearance. Luckily enough, they didn’t have enough screens to deal more damage to our ships.

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Some of our screening transports got shot up badly in this encounter. Yes, I use transports as a cannon fodder to protect my combat ships.

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We notice that our newly established puppet isn’t at war with our enemies. We call Ethiopia into the war to help British with ousting out Italians still holding onto Berbera.

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The situation grows direr every day for the Germans in Norway, despite more reinforcements are arriving through Sweden.

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A great invasion force is launched in order to seize Narvik. There are however no German units to oppose it.

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Friendly partisans have risen up in the area as well.

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Wanting to stay out of any trouble by any means, Swedes gave us transit rights.

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Trondheim was believed to be the last port that could supply Germans in Norway. There was no resistance opposing the landing other than some HQ staff.

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The western front is holding and the active front is now firmly in Norway. Hopefully you can liberate is from the Germans and put pressure on their northern flank.
The Regia Marina often screws up her ship deployment, sending them out in very small squadrons. You can probably take them on piece by piece, especially with air support.

Looking good so far!
 
The Regia Marina often screws up her ship deployment, sending them out in very small squadrons. You can probably take them on piece by piece, especially with air support.

Yeah, the AI is silly at times, unfortunately. But what the hell, the game has several years already :D

The western front is holding and the active front is now firmly in Norway. Hopefully you can liberate is from the Germans and put pressure on their northern flank.

Liberate the trolls in norweigan mountains.

Done :)
 
Chapter VI: Three Liberations

Several German ships are forced out of Trondheim’s port. Yet again, no capital is present and hence it’s an easy prey for our cruiser navy. After this engagement, their fleet retreats to Bergen.

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We encounter general Kurt Student leading one of the newly arrived garrison divisions from Sweden.

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Such divisions are however no match for the mixture of regular battle-hardened troops we had to offer, especially while supported by tanks.

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An amphibious landing is launched on Bergen. While most of the divisions lack training in amphibious assaults, sheer numbers are bound to overwhelm a single garrison division.

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More transports are engaged after sailing out from Bergen.

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On 28th July, after liberating even the most extreme northernmost lands of Norway, the original government is reinstated to Oslo.

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On 22nd August 1941, a whole army worth of troops is assembled to Rotterdam to start the invasion of Denmark.

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Germans are however not making it easy for us. A motorized infantry division makes its stand in Flensburg.

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More and more German divisions arrive day by day.

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Germans retreat from Leck to Heide. The battle is fairly even.

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Several German destroyers and transports try to sail out from Kiel, yet to no avail.

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Germans unleash their heavy armor upon us at the beginning of September. Luckily enough, terrain doesn’t favor them.

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We discover that Copenhagen is guarder only by a weak German garrison division. It should be forced out of the city in no time.

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It proves that supply starts to be an issue. Hopefully this will change after port of Copenhagen is fully operational.

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A lone destroyer flotilla is engaged and sunk in Skagerrack.

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In the midst of September, we notice Germans landed in Trondheim with a single infantry division. It’s decided we quickly retake the port, granted the Norwegian army consists of a single militia brigade, British expeditionary tank division and several British expeditionary HQs, all of which are hopelessly running around. And for whatever reason, the tank division is currently located in Sweden.

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Despite having transports, Germans seem to be lacking convoys. Landing proves to be surprisingly easy.

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The “invasion fleet” is sunk shortly afterwards.

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At the end of September, the front establishes at the Kiel Channel.

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We also notice that French are liberating Albania!

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Well done liberating Norway and invading Denmark, that will create problems for the Germans.
Time to call for a general advance by the French army I say
 
Well done liberating Norway and invading Denmark, that will create problems for the Germans.
Time to call for a general advance by the French army I say

They actually will advance in the next update. In both directions, if you know what I mean.

Kriegsmarine still exists? :p
Can battles occur on the neutral soil of Sweden?

Probably not as a unified fleet though. And no, even when this... faceless nation would somehow deserve that :D
 
Chapter VII: Invasion of Italy

At the end of the year 1941, we decide to ripple the Italian waters and begin the preparation of the invasion of their mainland!

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Several Italian battleships come to clash with our navy, yet they are too unmotivated to continue fighting for too long and retreat to the port afterwards.

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The start of the invasion is in Taranto on 17th December. A lone motorized division cannot hold out against a corps of marines.

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Two Italian battleships and a destroyer squadron are sent out to intercept our invasion.

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We come out victorious out of this encounter, sinking an Italian battleship on the expense of a screening transport flotilla.

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The battleship and destroyers flee to Taranto just to be forced out a few hours later by our marines.

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The invasion quickly spreads.

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The Italians start to panic and a breakthrough is achieved on the border with France.

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On 28th December, a large Italian fleet is encountered.

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While it’s a victory on a tactical level for us as the enemy is retreating, it’s a strategic victory for the Italians, as they’ve sunk almost third of our combat ships.

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The resistance stiffens on New Year as more reinforcements come.

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On 5th January, Finns decide to join the war on the behalf of Axis.

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Though battered, our navy is still strong enough to hunt smaller fleets with transports and several sea battles happen near the vicinity of Malta. We are later joined by the British.

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In the half of January, German heavy armor arrives on the scene.

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And its impact is tremendous.

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Luckily, a French contingent, including a lot of tanks, is sent to our help!

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At the end of the month, the momentum swings to our side once again.

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Our motorized division wasn’t able to take Palermo on its own earlier, hence our experienced marines are sent to secure this last bastion of the Italian resistance in the south.

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It turned out Germans aren’t as tough as expected. Even their commander is using ineffective tactics!

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A few dozen kilometers away from the frontline, our marines are tasked with taking Napoli. The garrison retreats from the city after a while.

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The frontline is collapsing.

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At the end of February, two German motorized divisions with armored elements are encircled in Salerno. They are however holding out bravely and wouldn’t give up after days of intense fighting, even if Italians couldn’t provide enough supplies later on.

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I’d probably split up this chapter in two originally, but my game crashed and made anything I made past 1st March (auto-save) redundant. I’ll be sure to catch up soon though :)