The Last Crusade: An Allied AAR

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Kiel followed by a mad dash to Berlin?

This is exactly what the British AI did in my last game as Japan, they landed in Kiel, then took Berlin the day after I entered Moscow:rofl:
And the Canadians landed in Narva and got holed up there for a year, don't ask me how they got there in the first place:wacko:

 

[Sir Kenny]

Will you re-try the Narvik landings once Iberia is secure? The risk of reinforcement would be lower now that Germany has an active front again.

If I have enough spare troops and the strategic situation looks secure enough, then yes. A Norway in Allied hands means more airfields for my STRs.

Hm..... I wonder how long will it take to the Germans to reach the new frontline; in the meantime grab as much land as you can.

It took a mere week before the first German reinforcements started arriving. Things are gonna get significantly tougher from now on.

Lisboa shall be the gate to the graveyard of International Fascism!

Forward! Victory or death! The free peoples of the world must triumph!

 

[Sir Kenny]

October 17th, 1944

Operation Indigo is one of several plans under the grand scheme of Operation Majesty, the battle of Iberia. The immediate objectives of Operation Indigo are the following:

• The III US Marine Corps who have just secured Setubal, must make their way across the Tagus river and capture Lisbon. This is of utmost priority. Failure to capture Lisbon will put the entire operation in jeopardy.
• Establish a solid defensive line along the Guadiana river. Allied forces must move quickly to seize the cities of Beja and Evora.
• Move into the province Covilha and dig in. Failure to do this will give Axis forces the future oppertunity to outflank us.

After these objectives have been achieved, Allied forces are to exercise caution and slowly advance into Spanish territory. We expect our troops to suffer significant casualties as German divisions start arriving.

 

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Loving this AAR.

 

[BeardedHoplite]

Hate to sound like a douche, but moooooooooore!

 

[Mr. Santiago]

Well, if the germans needed a week to arrive at this new frontline, I hope you were able to secure a lofty beachead in such short time; specially getting Lisbon and its port

 

[Sir Kenny]

Lisbon is one of few things that actually went as planned.

I'll update tomorrow hopefully.

 

[Duke of Awesome]

No race to the Pyrenees? I'm a bit disappointed Oh well, it was probably unrealistic to think that you could get tanks from one side of Spain to the other in less than a week, especially since it gets really mountainous around the border.

 

[Sir Kenny]

No race to the Pyrenees? I'm a bit disappointed Oh well, it was probably unrealistic to think that you could get tanks from one side of Spain to the other in less than a week, especially since it gets really mountainous around the border.

Oh don't worry, things will work out... One way or another.

 

[Sir Kenny]

October 23th, 1944

The landings at Setubal were completely unexpected by the Portugese. When American marines crossed the Tagus river and entered the outskirts of the city, the Portugese government fled north. Admidst the chaos, the demoralised defenders of Lisbon were routed, along with their newly arrived German reinforcements. The capture of Lisbon gives us access to a vital port, allowing us to funnel men and equipment into Iberia.

As for the rest of the front, the US Third Army, led by General MacArthur is advancing recklessly. Instead of attempting to establish a solid defensive line stretching from Beja to Covilha, MacArthur has instead ordered a general advance into Spain. It's been a week since Allied forces started landing, and German troops are beginning to arrive in force.

Our forces at Beja are under attack, and we do not expect them to hold for much longer. It seems that our plans have gone haywire. Beja is about to fall, leaving our flanks exposed, and the vital mountain passes of Covilha have not yet been seized.

 

[satilisu]

All that thrice-obsolete infantry...

 

[Sir Kenny]

All that thrice-obsolete infantry...

...still pack a heavy punch, unfortunately.

 

[satilisu]

...still pack a heavy punch, unfortunately.

Surely you still have reinforcements parked in the Azores and Canary Islands, no?

 

[Sir Kenny]

Surely you still have reinforcements parked in the Azores and Canary Islands, no?

Yup. As we speak, hundred thousands of Allied troops, American, British, French, Brazilian, Canadian, Australian and other various nationalities are steaming towards Iberia. Most of these men are stationed in Algiers or Britain.

Operation Indigo is just one of several operations designed to trap as many German divisions in Iberia as possible, and then proceed to destroy them. Things may look bad, Allied forces may be suffering huge casualties during the coming months, but when we spring our trap, the German army will be cut off and decimated.

 

[Duke of Awesome]

Yup. As we speak, hundred thousands of Allied troops, American, British, French, Brazilian, Canadian, Australian and other various nationalities are steaming towards Iberia. Most of these men are stationed in Algiers or Britain.

Operation Indigo is just one of several operations designed to trap as many German divisions in Iberia as possible, and then proceed to destroy them. Things may look bad, Allied forces may be suffering huge casualties during the coming months, but when we spring our trap, the German army will be cut off and decimated.

To Barcelona we ride! The Pyrenees await!

 

[zanaikin]

Heys. Great plan btw. Every time I considered 'what would allies do once Europe falls' always comes down to establishing as many beachheads as possible and hope one punches through. An Iberian baiting campaign is far more interesting =)

One major question: what happened in Persia? With the British always couping there early in the German-Soviet War, BP usually results in the Wehrmacht pouring through the Persian corridor towards India / Iraq->Suez.

 

[Sir Kenny]

November 7th, 1944

BBC News

"This is BBC News broadcasting directly from London."

"I'm Bob Trout, and I'm here to bring you fresh news from the Iberian front."

"Over the last two weeks, the Axis counterattack has put Allied forces in a precarious position. The Allied advance has been stalled, and in some cases, reversed. The southern flank of the Third Army collapsed a few days ago, forcing several American divisions back to Setubal and its surrounding countryside."

"Among the banks of the Guadiana river, Patton and his men are under overwhelming pressure as German panzer surges forward. Troops from the SS are fighting fanatically, showing no quarter and expecting none."

"The Germans are also nearing the outskirts of Setubal itself, intent on seizing the vital port. Facing them are American troops, and the newly arrived Brazilian Expeditionary Force. MacArthur has urged his men to hold the line at all cost."

 

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20 macarthur's invincible infantry getting hammered by 12 german divisions? impossible!

 

[Sir Kenny]

To Barcelona we ride! The Pyrenees await!

Yes! Across the Pyrenees!

Heys. Great plan btw. Every time I considered 'what would allies do once Europe falls' always comes down to establishing as many beachheads as possible and hope one punches through. An Iberian baiting campaign is far more interesting =)

One major question: what happened in Persia? With the British always couping there early in the German-Soviet War, BP usually results in the Wehrmacht pouring through the Persian corridor towards India / Iraq->Suez.

Establish a solid beachhead, pin as many German divisions down as possible. Engage in attritional warfare if needed (I have lots more MP than they have!). And then make use of your naval supremacy to full effect. If you look at Iberia carefully, I think you might be able to guess what I've planned for summer 1945.

As for Persia, I edited them out of the Allies. I felt that fighting against the full might of Fascist Europe in far-flung Persia felt so... anti-climatic.

20 macarthur's invincible infantry getting hammered by 12 german divisions? impossible!

I'm sure they'll hold the line until reinforcements from Algiers and Plymouth arrive!

 

[Duke of Awesome]

As for Persia, I edited them out of the Allies. I felt that fighting against the full might of Fascist Europe in far-flung Persia felt so... anti-climatic.

I think it would have been an interesting "side-show" to the main European theatres, making sure that the Germans didn't break through into Africa and India.