Week 4, 1940
The American Altantic fleet shows up in force and starts pounding La Coruna. That might get to be a pain after a while... Algiers captured with the help of our new M11/34 Armies. Port Sudan is also captured with an Army, and now we have a clear pathway to Italian East Africa! Reinforcements are sent in to help contain Berbera.
Week 5, 1940
The Japanese are finally making good progress against China (not Communist China). The Soviets raze another British city on the Arabian peninsula. I shudder to think what will happen if they break through in India---probably the entire sub-continent will be city-less. The French don't seem to be resisting much, suddenly (no new Tanks showing up). I have Artillery in Gibralter that generally get to blast away at a steady progression of French and British ships passing by ("Target-Rich environment"!)
They sink 2 Subs and a wounded Cruiser (French) this turn.
The Battle for Malta. Every ship in the fleet capable of it bombards Malta. Marines and Infantry make an assault, and just barely get defeated. (1 red-lined AT unit is left)
It was defended by 5 infantry/garrisons, 1 Flak, and 3 Artillery, (+ the AT squad). We lost 3 Infantry.
Week 6, 1940
Fight off a French Tank attack near Algiers (infantry promotes). Barely fight off some Brit Infantry attacks in East Africa (those garrisons are sort of nice, they actually have a better defence than normal Italian Infantry).
In reprisal, the Air Force destroys at least 6 Bombers on the ground at Berbera. Malta finally falls and is razed in retribution (for being such a pain in the ass! & allows some better potential cities to grow). Except for Cyprus, the British are out of the Mediterranean.
In the battle for Khartoum, Anthony is promoted for outstanding valor while leading the 3'rd Celere Division ("Princioe Amadeo, Duca d'Aosta"). Khartoum is taken with minimal losses from 5-6 British units. (no British tanks have appeared yet, thank goodness!) Further West, Rabat and Casablanca are both taken, with a loss of 1 Tank and 1 Infantry.
Week 7, 1940
A french tank comes out of Merikesh and stomps on one of my Elite Armored Divsions. Our fleet finally is brave enough to go out on the Atlantic for the first time, and sinks the U.S. Cruiser "San Francisco" with a sub after bombarding it into the red zone. Elsewhere in the world, the Chinese are down to two cities, The Soviets have razed a couple of cities in Northen India and taken over a couple of Chinese cities, and Japan is breaking into Indo-China.
Week 8, 1940
Run over a few US subs on the way to the US stack who are bombing my poor Spanish coastal cities on the Atlantic. Conquer Marakesh with no losses. Almost lose 2 armies while killing 3 British Infantry at Berbera. There are still at least 3 more there. The UK is just poring money into that damnable mountain city! I'm setting it up for a pounding next turn though.
Week 9, 1940
Eeek! The Americans attack my stack of warships with their Elite BB Texas and another elite BB (forget the name). Both were very fortunately sunk by the Andrea Doria and the Conte Di Cavour, both elite but had only 2 health left! In addition, a stack of US submarines appear.
The Italians bravely turn about and flee.
It seems the hostile forces in the Atlantic are a trifle too scary! An additional 6 US subs were sunk, as well as 8 French Destroyers, 4 Subs and 3 Light Cruisers. (Lost 3 Destroyers). A huge fleet of French warships (mostly Destroyers) is heading towards Gibralter along the African coast.
We launch our assault on Cyprus --- only to find that the Russians must have been pounding the stuffing out of it, as it was guarded by only a single red-lined Conscript unit. Berbera is finally, finally, FINALLY!!! taken. But not before I lose a Tank Army and another 2 M11 divisions attacking 5 more red-lined British Infantry.
No more cities on mountains, please! That is too cruel a challenge for us poor Italians! Berbera shall go down in annals of infamy (along with Hannibal's name). The city is razed, re-razed, and razed yet again. Salt is sown on the land, it is cursed by every religious figure the Italians could get their hands on, and if we ever need a nuclear testing site in the future, this place will be it!
Week 10, 1940
French and Americans kill 2 of my straggling Destroyers. The usual American bombardment continues on poor La Coruna. I sink 5 more French Destroyers, 1 Light Cruiser and a sub near Gibralter, along with an American Destroyer.
In Salah is captured with no losses (it was the temporary French Capitol.) Abellesa is also captured.
Week 11, 1940
Uh Oh...The Allies and Russia all sign peace treaties.
My time might be running out for not being "Soviet blitzed". Sink 8 US Destroyers who tried to pass by all my Artillery and fleet at Gibralter. Healing turn otherwise. Germany and the UK seem to be really going at it with the Air war, as I see an occasional bomber getting intercepted over Paris.
Week 12, 1940
The slaughter near Gibraltar continues, as this time 9 French Subs and 2 US Destroyers try unsuccessfully to "Run the Straights". All are sunk with no losses. Capture Meshra with some Tank Armies with no losses.
Week 13, 1940
This time the toll at Gibraltar is 10 UK Destroyers, 8 French Subs, and 2 US subs. (no losses) Nyala is captured from the British. Kindal is captured from the French. I see 3 French S35 Tanks right next to the city though, so I retreat my poor defence 6 Tanks Divisions and Armies and let them take it back next turn.
Week 14, 1940
As expected, Kindal is retaken. The British suddenly have some Marines, and use them to attack my stack of Artillery approaching Mongalla and kill 1 MG and 1 Infantry. Only 5 US Subs sunk at Gibraltar this week.
Capture Mangolla and kill the two offending British Marine units. I'm definitely running short on good defenders, now that the British are building up very strong defenses in these cities and starting to counterattack. Gao is also captured in West Africa.
Week 15, 1940
All is quiet near Gibraltar. Our fleet ventures out into the Atlantic again. Waw is captured. Agades was captured with the loss of 1 Tank. We control 95% of the world's biggest kitty-litter box! (Sahara Desert)
Week 16, 1940
Atlantic/Gibraltar area is strangely quiet. Heading fleet North to see how the war over England is going. East Africa is mostly secure, so I'll stop driving south and concentrate on all of West Africa. It will be a long, hard slog, because of all the jungle.
Week 17, 1940
The Germans ARE doing something up North. I observe a British convoy of 1 Transport and 3 Destroyers get ambushed and sunk by German U-boats off Brest. Bardai is captured.
Week 18, 1940
Peru declared war on the Americans
The Germans have not been lazy. I see two Bismark class Battleships escorting a transport to England. (85(25).70.6 --- Yikes! And here I was feeling somewhat proud of my rather pitiful Navy!) I'll try to help out as much as I can.
Bombard Plymouth, destroying the Coastal Fortress and yellow-lining 3 Interceptors. Capture Meradra in the west of Africa from the French. Bombard and kill 3 approaching British Marines from the air near Mangalia in the East. Tekro is captured, and the entire Sahara is mine! Hmmm...maybe that's not such a great thing after all...
Week 19, 1940
A French Tank comes out of the jungle and kills my Infantry and captures Waw. The best news is that the Germans made a successful Amphibious Assualt on Birmingham (at least 6 infantry on the Transport) and razed it!
Bombard and kill 2 planes on the ground at Plymouth. Capture Dakar (West Africa) from the French with the loss of 1 tank. (2 Vet MG units and 1 Garrison defending) Recapture Waw easily after aerial bombardment killed the Tank. Capture Bretonnet in Central Africa from the French.
Not to say the resources are not tempting, but I had the devil of a time just taking out Hong Kong. As a human I see going for the southern Islands and Indochina is a much better option for Japan. Lots of good resources which we need badly, and the Dutch are pretty weak compared to the UK.
