Battlefield Europe v1.9 – Mediterranean (Manstein)

[PeteMitchell]

Greece:
Thessaloniki is in reach as well as the exhausted Australian infantry unit moved south to cross the Pinios River. Nonetheless, the Greek troops along the Metaxas Line need to be watched as well.

BE_Turn_06_039_Thessaloniki.jpg (279.54 KiB) Viewed 2422 times

Two Luftwaffe fighter planes followed a British fighter plane to Athens airport! It also seems that Athens is only guarded by one infantry unit.

BE_Turn_06_040_Athens.jpg (255.89 KiB) Viewed 2422 times

North Africa:
For whatever reason, the British light cruisers disappeared again? However, Rommel is still lacking a good strategy against strong Allied infantry units (deeply) entrenched in North African coastal towns…

BE_Turn_06_041_Benghazi.jpg (266.23 KiB) Viewed 2422 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 7 – 24 April 1941
Weather: cloudy and dry

Southern Balkans:
So far so good, Dubrovnik has been captured…

BE_Turn_07_042_Dubrovnik.jpg (275.14 KiB) Viewed 2420 times

…and Belgrade as well! Although the fighting for the city is expected to still continue for a while.

BE_Turn_07_043_Belgrade.jpg (279.62 KiB) Viewed 2420 times

Greece:
Also Thessaloniki has been seized!

BE_Turn_07_044_Thessaloniki.jpg (276.14 KiB) Viewed 2420 times

[PeteMitchell]

However, Athens is still far and might require some (black) magic… well, a stratagem might do as well, of course!

BE_Turn_07_045_Athens.jpg (255.31 KiB) Viewed 2418 times

North Africa:
Heavy fighting for Benghazi, also many casualties and now the light cruisers are back as well! Surprisingly, the Australian infantry unit left Derna and maybe this behavior can still be used to our advantage?

BE_Turn_07_046_Benghazi.jpg (267.24 KiB) Viewed 2418 times

[goose_2]

North Africa:
The British tanks south of Benghazi could be destroyed. However, now the Royal Air Force is creating trouble and Benghazi airfield could not be captured yet… so most likely, the Axis planes need to return all the way to Tripoli very soon (~650 km / 400 miles straight-line distance).
BE_Turn_03_027_Benghazi.jpg

I see your aux units, specifically your Pz3 and your core Pz4 have heroes...any details on those heroes?

[goose_2]

Greece:
Also Thessaloniki has been seized!
BE_Turn_07_044_Thessaloniki.jpg

I saw the previous round thinking oh man you have many units in vulnerable positions, but those enemy positions in the Entrenchment must be set to hold passive as they could have hurt some of your units bad and didn't and apparently won't. Nice for you and your success

[PeteMitchell]

North Africa:
The British tanks south of Benghazi could be destroyed. However, now the Royal Air Force is creating trouble and Benghazi airfield could not be captured yet… so most likely, the Axis planes need to return all the way to Tripoli very soon (~650 km / 400 miles straight-line distance).
BE_Turn_03_027_Benghazi.jpg

I see your aux units, specifically your Pz3 and your core Pz4 have heroes...any details on those heroes?

Hi goose_2! So on the heroes...

The one in the Pz IVE is Albert Kerscher, he took part in Poland already:
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/397 ... Albert.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... scherA.htm

Pz IVE Albert Kerscher.jpg (103.82 KiB) Viewed 2395 times

The one in the Pz IIIG is Erwin Rommel... Well, the Pz IIIG can actually still be upgraded to H I think which I didn't do. In the big Barbarossa scenario it is often/almost always critical to have all the latest tank models. However, here I had only upgraded one towed AT to a Panzerjäger in Sofia at the beginning of the scenario (yes, maybe too expensive but I still had hoped for a faster breakthrough) as well as all the Bf 109 E to F.

Pz IIIG Erwin Rommel.jpg (91.95 KiB) Viewed 2395 times

One of the aux fighter planes (JG 52) also has a hero, Gerhard Barkhorn:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Barkhorn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_52

Bf 109 E Gerhard Barkhorn.jpg (95.28 KiB) Viewed 2393 times

[PeteMitchell]

Greece:
Also Thessaloniki has been seized!
BE_Turn_07_044_Thessaloniki.jpg

I saw the previous round thinking oh man you have many units in vulnerable positions, but those enemy positions in the Entrenchment must be set to hold passive as they could have hurt some of your units bad and didn't and apparently won't. Nice for you and your success

Well, thanks... as with the other scenarios, I have played this one also more than once but you are right...

By the way, I usually only show the end of the Axis turn, so the enemy/AI turn is always still to follow (so any potential attack is not visible here yet) and I also don't show the AI turn separately (except for the last turn sometimes) as it becomes too many screenshots I think...

However, it's not that bad actually:
- yes, there seems to be a trigger on the Aliakmon Line (in the center), i.e. once you come from the north the Commonwealth forces move somehow/somewhere...
- the Greek forces in Albania (to the west) attacked the Italians (although covered by artillery) towards the north, i.e. Tirana. I think you mean this infantry unit, not sure he can see the Italian truck with the AA, he sees the Pz IVE for sure (well, it is on fortifications) and the other Italian infantry (he can see it via the Metaxas strong point four hex vision) is protected by swamp to some extent
- I am not sure about the forces of the Metaxas line (to the east) actually, not sure if/when they move. I don't trust them but I also don't mind if they destroy the AA in AT mode at Thessaloniki airport. The rest is protected by the Varda River
- the German infantry and AT "in" the Pinios River (to the south) can't be reached as there aren't many Greek/Allied forces left to the south of it

BE_Turn_07_044_Thessaloniki.jpg (276.14 KiB) Viewed 2390 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 8 – 27 April 1941
Weather: cloudy and dry

Western Europe:
A British Royal Air Force (escorted!) attack on Northern Germany seems imminent!

BE_Turn_08_047_Bremen.jpg (271.54 KiB) Viewed 2370 times

Southern Balkans:
The situation around Belgrade remains under control.

BE_Turn_08_048_Belgrade.jpg (271.97 KiB) Viewed 2370 times

[PeteMitchell]

Greece:
Thessaloniki has been garrisoned by an Italian Alpini unit while the Greek forces at the Metaxas Line remain (more or less) passive for the time being.

BE_Turn_08_049_Thessaloniki.jpg (284.9 KiB) Viewed 2368 times

The OKW decided to decoy the Greek infantry unit in Athens into leaving its entrenched urban position… let’s see if the mounted three strengths AA will be sufficient for this… as we are already falling behind schedule…

BE_Turn_08_050_Athens.jpg (266.4 KiB) Viewed 2368 times

North Africa:
Small isolated British attack in the middle of the desert between Benghazi and Tobruk while the British light cruisers keep shelling the two Italian artillery units… and by the way, the fortifications around Tobruk are impressive…

BE_Turn_08_051_Benghazi.jpg (275.83 KiB) Viewed 2368 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 9 – 30 April 1941
Weather: cloudy and dry

Western Europe:
Bomber attack on Wilhelmshaven (with its major naval shipyard) while the escort fighter is leaving via the Netherlands again. (Please note: in reality, Wilhelmshaven was the first major German city that was attacked by the RAF on 4 September 1939 while more than 100 Allied air raids were flown on the city during the course of the entire war.)

BE_Turn_09_052_Wilhelmshaven.jpg (279.09 KiB) Viewed 2364 times

Southern Balkans:
Around Belgrade, the remaining Yugoslavian forces are being pushed towards the Romanian border.

BE_Turn_09_053_Belgrade.jpg (272.17 KiB) Viewed 2364 times

[PeteMitchell]

Greece:
Following the continued skirmishes by the Greek artillery unit east of Thessaloniki, the OKW decided to take some action against it.

BE_Turn_09_054_Thessaloniki.jpg (274.46 KiB) Viewed 2363 times

The Greek forces in Albania remain passive and are probably already contemplating surrender…

BE_Turn_09_055_Tirana.jpg (272.19 KiB) Viewed 2363 times

It worked, the Greek mountain infantry left Athens…

BE_Turn_09_056_Athens.jpg (269.83 KiB) Viewed 2363 times

[PeteMitchell]

Crete:
Axis fighters followed a British fighter unit to Maleme airfield on the island of Crete.

BE_Turn_09_057_Maleme.jpg (228.36 KiB) Viewed 2362 times

North Africa:
Only very limited progress in North Africa and by now also fairly unpleasant Allied counterattacks west of Tobruk.

BE_Turn_09_058_Tobruk.jpg (275.42 KiB) Viewed 2362 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 10 – 3 May 1941
Weather: cloudy and dry

Overall situation:
In general, the OKW is pleased with the progress to-date. Unfortunately, the Royal Air Force is (still or rather already?) able to conduct targeted operations on German cities. However, nothing too serious yet. In Southern Europe and North Africa, the Royal Air Force has lost the initiative. The Balkans and mainland Greece are under Axis control with some remaining but controlled skirmishes, although (and as expected) slightly behind schedule. In addition, secret Abwehr reports expect some upcoming partisan activities in Yugoslavia. Progress in North Africa has been slow but steady nonetheless. Despite all this, the overall success of this mission (scenario) will now be decided by the upcoming Operation Mercury, i.e. the Battle of Crete!

BE_Turn_10_059_Strategic Map.jpg (162.22 KiB) Viewed 2341 times

BE_Turn_10_060_Strategic Map Air.jpg (160.36 KiB) Viewed 2341 times

[PeteMitchell]

Western Europe:
Another British bomber is approaching Northern Germany.

BE_Turn_10_061_Bremen.jpg (288.94 KiB) Viewed 2340 times

Northern Balkans:
The Northern Balkans has been garrisoned with some light forces. Although no enemy activities have been reported so far…

BE_Turn_10_062_Zagreb.jpg (281.01 KiB) Viewed 2340 times

Southern Balkans:
Belgrade airfield has been seized.

BE_Turn_10_063_Belgrade.jpg (271.77 KiB) Viewed 2340 times

[PeteMitchell]

Greece:
Athens has been captured as well. Patras, the Greek port city to the west, seems undefended.

BE_Turn_10_064_Athens.jpg (271.95 KiB) Viewed 2339 times

Crete:
Two British destroyers have been spotted in the Sea of Crete while the British fighter plane at Maleme airfield hasn’t been defeated yet either… and Maleme airfield has some garrison forces as well, of course!

BE_Turn_10_065_Maleme.jpg (242.01 KiB) Viewed 2339 times

North Africa:
Have we reached some kind of a standstill in North Africa? Maybe more focus is required…

BE_Turn_10_066_Derna.jpg (277.72 KiB) Viewed 2339 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 11 – 6 May 1941
Weather: clear and dry

Southern Balkans:
Only one Yugoslavian infantry unit is left east of Belgrade.

BE_Turn_11_067_Belgrade.jpg (270.54 KiB) Viewed 2338 times

Greek forces in Albania remain passive while Italian Alpini are getting ready to fly from Tirana to Crete!

BE_Turn_11_068_Tirana.jpg (273.43 KiB) Viewed 2338 times

[PeteMitchell]

Greece:
Also the Greek forces north of Thessaloniki remain passive.

BE_Turn_11_069_Thessaloniki.jpg (272.15 KiB) Viewed 2337 times

Patras has been seized.

BE_Turn_11_070_Patras.jpg (276.04 KiB) Viewed 2337 times

[PeteMitchell]

Crete:
The British Mediterranean Fleet is undertaking a clear show of force in the Sea of Crete. Although it looks like that the Axis finally reached air supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea and Southern Europe. In addition, two Fallschirmjäger units became available and are already on their way to the island. The decision on the best drop zone might be critical, also given the AA unit next to Heraklion…

BE_Turn_11_071_Maleme.jpg (251.34 KiB) Viewed 2336 times

BE_Turn_11_072_Maleme Message.jpg (18.48 KiB) Viewed 2336 times

North Africa:
Rommel prioritized Derna for the time being, let’s see if this will lead to more progress…

BE_Turn_11_073_Derna.jpg (209.01 KiB) Viewed 2336 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 12 – 9 May 1941
Weather: clear and dry

Greece:
Surprisingly, two British warships came to Athens… it seems that the Axis artillery units attracted them. Maybe this could be a way to lure them away from Crete (and therefore limit/reduce the naval gunfire on the German Fallschirmjäger)?

BE_Turn_12_074_Athens.jpg (269.63 KiB) Viewed 2335 times

Crete:
Fallschirmjäger arrived close to Maleme airport, i.e. out of reach of the AA…

BE_Turn_12_075_Maleme.jpg (247.53 KiB) Viewed 2335 times

[PeteMitchell]

North Africa:
Under heavy casualties, Derna could be cleared. At the same time, an Italian recon plane could show the full strength of the Tobruk garrison forces (incl. a British battleship). Luckily, we don’t have to take Tobruk (yet). However, Fort Capuzzo (to the east) seems strong as well. Most likely we will need the 8.8 for this one… once the time has come… (need to come pretty soon though!)

BE_Turn_12_076_Derna.jpg (269.46 KiB) Viewed 2334 times

Further to the south, British forces haven’t been defeated yet so the way to Fort Capuzzo is still blocked.

BE_Turn_12_077_Desert.jpg (264.35 KiB) Viewed 2334 times