Drang Nach Osten: Eric's Game



SO '42

It was a very exciting turn as you will see. Good weather covered the globe, the Axis had a stroke of luck, and the Allies are looking to find some before its to late...

Axis win the initative roll and elect to go first, the soviets elect to go last putting the Allies second.

Clear weather in Europe with a 5 on the weather roll. The decision is a long one on weather to play the second German chit or not. When Belgium surrendered last turn the two remaining units in Belgium were removed leaving a weak French line and the German forces in the West under Rundstedt get the green light for a second offensive. The results are a smashing breakout cutting the French to pieces. Flak and French FTRs limit the success of ground strikes and cost the German a FTR, the first of five to be lost this turn. and put a dim light on the coming attacks. The luck of the Irish falls on the Germans who cut a hole in French line 2 hexes wide. 4 corps are killed and 2 DIVs shattered with most of the Germans face up. Rundstedt reorgs the aircraft and few flipped attackers. The Italians sail into the East Med and ship Balbo to Greece. Japan takes a naval and raid 6 sea zones of CW CPs but find in only 1 of them and sink the lone CP there. This move does cut off Australia from oil.

The CW responds in the Allied impulse with a naval of her own and escorts everywhere an enemy can reach. A massive fleet is sent into the East Med but it is surprised by the Italians, whose Macchi's flying high cover spot the CW fleet. Seeing they are outnumbered in the air and on the surface, the Italians call off the attack. French forces in total disarray run for the Seine but will not reach it in enough strength to stop the Germans. Ground strikes of the exploiting German ARM flips only 1 of 4 units. US invades Portugal to make way for CW units. It is hoped to have the CW capture it as a safe base for US units and another border for the CW with Germany.

Russians move up reinforcements to the front and the commie Chinese pass. Turn end at 21.

Axis second impulse. Weather is great with a 3 rolled. In Russia Germans break through the Russian lines in the hex west of Stalino Killing an ARM and MIL and blitzing to the outskirts of Kharkov. North, by Smolensk, a river crossing is a success but costs the Germans an ARM and FTR for a Russian TAC and INF killed. The Russian line is now broken north and south. In France, Lille is taken and the Germans exploit the breakthroughs of the previous impulse killing a MOT, HQI, INF, 3ART, and FTR. Paris now surronded by three hexes and the French Army destroyed. There is no hope now. A Spanish attack on Marsailles fails with a -/- result. Japan takes a land with the clear weather and takes Port Morsby, Port Vila, Cairnes, and a resource in India. Dacca is taken in a great victory (4:1) that leaves the attackers face up and kills the MOT defending there. In China, Vals shoot down an I-16 and brave the fierce flak to ground strike Chang and an INF in the woods and hit them both with 1's. The follow-up attack forces the defenders back, shattering them, but flips the attackers who do not have an HQ to reorg them.

The Allied second impulse has the US/CW expanding their hold in Portugal. The French try to form a counter-attack but cannot even get units in the line to defend. Chinese units move into hexes vacated by the Japanese and reach the coast in two hexes NW and NE of Hainan which is undefended and Canton has only a DIV.

Russians use the clear weather to pull back along the entire front. The Russian line now runs from Kalinin-Moscow-Tula-Voronzeth-Don. Commie Chinese attack Chang-Tu at 3:1 but are repulsed but a tough Nationalist defense with a 1/- result. Turn end is at 47. Though the impulse marker has only gone up by 1 die rolls have been high with a 47 out of a 61 (Commie Pass) poss total.

Weather stays clear with a 4 on the roll. Germans ground strike Paris and lose a FTR doing so but the Ju-88s get through and flip both defenders. The city is then taken in a 4:1 +2 attack. Now France can be Vichied. In Russia, Smolensk falls and Leningrad is isolated less the line into Finland. Italian forces in the Med attack and kill a CW INF in Egypt and remain face up. The question is can they keep supply open?

In the Allied impulse France digs in in her cities and a MNT and INF reach Lyon. US/CW units isolate Lisbon. The CW, in a combined, search in the Bay of Bengal with air and in the Italian Coast, and E.Med with ships but fail to find. If they could just see the Italians once they would destroy them with a NAV, FTR, 4CV, 10BB, and 4 CAs.

Russians adjust the line and the Commie Chinese pass. Turn end at 60 now.

Germans are blessed with great weather again (another 3). A combined is taken and Brest is bombed killing a CV. The Kriegsmarine sails into the Bay of Biscay to engage the US fleet invading Portugal and engage they do. The Germans see the US for 3 straight rounds and pick their box each time as the US rolls fail to activate any boxes. 7CPs, 2CAs, 1CVP, TRAN sunk for 1 German BB damaged. The US manage to hold on though and keep the invaders in supply. Italians defend in Greece and in Egypt force a CW MECH and INF to retreat. Japan sinks 2 more CW CPs in convoy attacks along the African coast. A port attack on Melbourne fails to find the fleet but the BB guns in the Bay of Bengal find Calcutta and its defenders flipping both units there. The naval ground strike opens the way for an attack but a -/- result stops the attackers in their tracks.

In the Allied impulse the US sneaks some more CPs into Biscay, now the last TRAN will not have to stay there to keep those guys in supply. CW bombs Rome for no efffect, but the Royal Navy does ground strike Salonika allowing the MECH under Wavell to capture the city. The gate to lower greece has been opened....

Russians and Commie Chinese pass and the turn ends...

Clear weather has taken the Italians to the gates of Alexandia and the Japanese into the heartland of China and India. Germans took a huge chunck of real estate from the Russians and France has fallen. Those units will now head east for the Summer of '43. It would not have happened without the great weather (no roll above a 4).