Hearts of Iron 3 (Their Finest Hour AAR): ‘The March of the Machines’
Chapter Thirty-Four : August 1940
Paris Has Fallen!
Just a little over-view of this month before we get into the different layers of this creamy conflict.
First off, it seems Turkey has started to align itself with the Allies while Tibet is leaning towards the Comintern. I am not sure if this is important - a sign that Germany and Japan are becoming bigger threats? Who knows.
The French Military is starting to feel the pinch in the supply lines. Many Divisions will be cut off or just not get the material they need to keep fighting at 100%.
On the 11th of August we start using our influence to pull Portugal into the Allies. This is a long shot on my part but on the 17th of August Italian troops entered Figueres. In other words they invaded Spain. I assume, as Italy digs deeper into Spain two things will happen. One, they will send more Divisions into Spain and out of France. Two, they may make the Axis forces more of a threat to Portugal.
Jungle Warfare Equipment was finished and replaced by Small Arms (4). We also finished Light Tank Armour Advancement (Level 3) and Destroyer Anti-Aircraft Armament Advancement (Level 3). Even as we stare defeat in the face we march on in the fields of SCIENCE!
On the 25th we are declared a Veteran Army. Oh, and by the end of the month Paris falls. That needed to be mentioned.
The Naval War
There were five Naval Battles. Three of them were in the English Channel - suggesting the German surface fleet is becoming bolder now that the Allies lost total control of the Channel. The only result of the battles was the Italians losing a Flottigilia of Torpediniere. Italy lost some Destroyers, in other words.
The Navy of France sank seven Axis transports and seven escorts. The Axis sank ten of our transports and two escorts. Total submarine warfare this is not. The Air War on the other hand...
The Air War
The Germans launched a hundred-ninety-six Ground Strikes killing 20,053 soldiers of France.
They also carried out nine Port Strikes.
The Italians launched eighteen Ground Strikes killing 1,226 soldiers of France.
They also carried out two Port Strikes (on Tripoli) and four Naval Strikes. I think the small number of Ground Attacks is due to the fact that their battle line has pushed so far into France but their aircraft have kind have been left behind. The Italians need more airbases in the forward areas.
The French/Allies launched thirty-seven Ground Strikes killing 1,344 soldiers of the Axis Forces. They also carried out three CAG Duty attacks. One on Dieppe, one on Neufchatel en Bray, and one in the Western English Channel. In other words two Port Strikes and a Naval Strike.
There was a total of sixteen Air Battles. We lost about three of them, so we didn't do too badly. Lucky, the RAF is on our side. And they are still bombing German cities. I assume the Battle for Britain has been placed on the back burner as much of the German Air Force seems to be over France. Blasting us to pieces.
The Ground War
The German Front
First off, on the 2nd of August German Panzers were just north of Paris. Heavy Tanks outside of Paris ISN'T as dangerous as they may look. Tanks didn't do well in urban combat and this German Division is unsupported and worn down.
On the 16th the Chain of Command under Strasbourg is shattered when a large part of the Theatre is cut off from the rest of France. A quick, and messy, repairing of the Chain of Command was carried out but I don't really know how much damage was down to the Theatre.
This would happen AGAIN on the 22nd and the result is many of these units would end up under the control of Paris HQ. By that point the Strasbourg HQ was pretty much pulling back into the Paris Theatre leaving many of its Divisions trapped in the Maginot Line. This was caused by some units being pulled out to face the Italians - which allowed a German Division to walk right into the right most province and just take it. After that the Germans and Italians linked up and formed a pocket.
The Forummar's Foxes are still fighting on the Paris Theatre - at one point they were in two battles at the same time. The Devils were doing badly, down to 95 effective planes, they spent a lot of time in Cherbourg, recovering.
The city of Paris was attacked four times. Sadly Paris, after beating off the first two attacks, falls by the end of the month. But you already know that.
I noticed, around the 4th of August, that the Hoyte's Heroes have disappeared. I assume they were either totally wiped out or, more likely, just collapsed and faded away from lack of men, equipment, food, and ammo. The HQ is retreating and was retreating the whole month. I could not even change objectives while it was in such a state. Now many Italians Divisions are attacking the units on the German Front from the south. Funny enough they are not doing so well - seems that those French troops are not impressed by Italian units after fighting the Germans for so long.
Italian and German Divisions had also started to crawl into Spain. Once again, not a smart move. A war in Spain, as any player can tell you, is hell.
Tunis HQ is told to make Bengasi, a Italian held port, as its next objective on the 4th of August. Tripoli is no longer a objective though it is unlikely in danger from Italy, outside of Port Strikes, because I don't think the Italian Navy can land troops on it. So even while I am focused mostly on Europe I trusted the French troops in Africa to dig deeper into the Italian territory.
This is a important goal as on the 10th the UK took Tobruch. This meant that the last Italian city-port in North Africa was Bengasi. By the end of the month our troops were just outside of Bengasi. The Grunts were alive and well by the way but not in the vanguard like before.
Final numbers for the month?
Losses in Ground Battle- Germans/Italians: 19,666 French: 28,252
Losses to Air Strikes- Germans/Italians: 1,344 French: 21,279
Total Losses Pre-August - Germans/Italians: 49,889 French: 131,296
Total Losses For August - Germans/Italians: 21,010 French: 49,531
Total Losses For the War - Germans/Italians: 70,899 French: 180,827
So join us next Chapter where....France is still fighting. I have no idea how that is even possible. But it does kind of mess up the whole timetable. I mean, if the Germans and Italians are still fighting us and invading Spain, how will they handle Greece and the UK in Africa? And what about the USSR? Who knows. I don't. I plan to go cry in the corner now. Thanks for reading!