Turn 4
The Germans smashed through the Baltic States and now have a threatening mobile force there. Combined with the Finns and Germans in the north and the possibility of an attack by sea, Leningrad cannot hold out. Dan sent many German units to Western Ukraine and made a large air assault on the Soviet industrial complex further south. His intentions on the Eastern Front are still uncertain. The Western Front has been noticeably quiet with a lone German sub sitting in Sea Zone 125 to negate the Soviet’s lend lease NO. There is still a large German air and naval presence here.
Hungary attacked Belarus with close odds but actually fought well with 3 units surviving. A few infantry were also sent south to help the messy group of Axis units in Ukraine.
Finland sits at a standstill, waiting for the Germans to take Leningrad.
The Soviet Union looks hard pressed, but Victoria decided to make a stand in the Ukraine. Further north, she was forced to evacuate Novgorod to avoid losing more troops. With most Axis forces in Western Ukraine, the Italians left behind in Bessarabia were an easy target for the Soviets. Victoria took almost no losses there. In sharp contrast, a counterattack on the Hungarians in Belarus failed miserably. The dice gave the Russkies no hits. This is a big deal because now German mobile divisions can be diverted into the Russian heartland or threaten Archangel. However, the Soviets do have considerable air and AA sort support to keep Moscow defended.
The Americans completed their South American adventure and now control Chile and have 4 IPCs extra. Brazil and the United States will soon join the Allies and ensure Africa doesn’t fall to Italy and France will be liberated. The Axis need to move faster if they’re going to win. Twilight is anxious to get the Americans involved.
Canada launched its own operation in Morocco, landing 4 fresh units to march east and retake North Africa. Combined with other Commonwealth forces that now form the majority of the Allies in Egypt, they may be able to squeeze the Italians in Libya to death. In a suicide attack, Twilight used his South African tactical bomber and destroyer to attack the Italian fleet to soften them up for me.
With the United Kingdom, I attempted to put an end to the Italian navy outside Libya, but the battle only ended in mutual annihilation, with the Italian transports surviving. Those German air units on Malta gave me a very rough time. With the Middle East secure, I sent some units to the USSR (we have a lend lease rule that allows them to be converted next turn) and built a factory in Persia. India will crank out more forces, including a cruiser that is now badly needed in the Mediterranean. To divert some German forces, the British made a minor landing in undefended Holland.
Kyle tried to take advantage of the situation in the Mediterranean with Italy by attacking the remaining Commonwealth destroyer by Gibraltar and French submarine outside Greece. The Italians achieved total naval supremacy, but an attack on Alexandria ended in retreat. There are simply too many combined Allies in Egypt for the Italians to fight alone, especially now that they have to rely on their own air force in Malta to protect their convoys. There are still quite a few small Italian ships everywhere though.
Romania had to respond to the Soviet attack on Bessarabia. Holding this territory is their only NO. But like the Italians before them, they took heavy casualties fighting here. Kyle made a real game-changer further east with the Romanians, taking Bryansk deep in Russia. Since the Hungarians were able to hold Belarus, Dan could now move all his German armor right onto Moscow’s doorstep while simultaneously threatening Ukraine. A crisis might unfold in the Soviet Union. Victoria’s only comfort is knowing the messy conglomeration of Axis forces cannot attack in unison. She might be able to hit them hard from behind and build a massive stack in Moscow. Twilight said he’s not used to seeing such an uneven front line in Axis and Allies without disaster unfolding for someone.
Most of my French units are dead, but I’m sending a transport and fighter around Africa to help the small desert force fighting in Libya. I have an infantry in Madagascar to bring up too. Home feels very far away.