Part 20: Turns 43-46

Turn 43: February 3rd, 1916



Production



We are chugging out bombers. Germany has so much ammunition but no decent way to use it. If Britain won't come to the table we are going to start leveling their cities from the sky.

Research



Better gas and some great ship upgrades. That said, the British battleships seem content to avoid contact now and so this isn't a major concern.

Diplomacy

No change for USA leaning or Romania and Portugal moving towards intervention.

Management



I'm glad we can support the management of our increasingly tech savvy military. This war is going to be won in the sky.

Italian Front



We airstrike the base corps in the salient and then attack it with multiple armies. The last attacker happens to be German and once they cross into Italy proper...



Aha! Italy cowardly declared war on us while we were facing away and now they can't deal with the results. Reminder that Italy, who is capable of all advanced tech will flip if they lose. We will have to see how much retribution they can stomach for daring to strike into Austria.

The rest of the front shifts and consolidates while shelling another highly dug in corps. This is going to be slow going but we will bag an army next turn and Italian morale can be very volatile.

Ottoman Front



As long as Britain puts anything less than an army on the line we are going to take what we can get. A division and change is destroyed and Britain will have to most likely reshuffle their forces again. A whole lot of rotating armies on this front for both sides.

Sea Lion



Progress here is slow except for hitting their airbase and attacking their least efficient army. We can expect rather stagnant lines until spring.



We move more embarked troops and launch an amphibious strike on a weakened corps, nearly killing it outright. There are just too many landings and not enough British soldiers to hold everything.



Winter may slow this down, but for now we have an advantage as their forces in Ireland can't get decent supplies from the main island.

Allied Response



Britain shifts forces to the south to block the new set of landings. Not pictured is Britain abandoning Norwich save for a single 0 efficiency regiment nearby.



Ottomans are taking one for the team. No follow-up though so just more resources Britain must constantly spend on upkeep.



Italy just shifts around. Though Germany being on their turf isn't enough to force them out, that salient has sapped their ability to have a full offensive army group.

Turn 44: February 17, 1916



Italian Front



The encircled army is destroyed and we are starting to shift full armies into our front-line forces. The problem is that any move is still going to incur an efficiency penalty and keep us from fully recovering efficiency. Once Spring returns we are going to throw them back once more.

Ottoman Front



We launch attacks all across the line. This isn't much, but eventually that manpower penalty has to convince Britain that this isn't worth it.

Sea Lion



Winter proves more powerful than our intelligence and there won't be any more attacks in Ireland until Spring.



With air and artillery support, Cardiff is nearly taken. Our men are just too cold and living off too little to finish the job. Artillery is on the way to gas the British into abandoning the line.



If they keep shifting forces, they can prevent us from attacking enough to actually land here. If we can break through though, we have the cruisers to supply and units next to London should put Britain in a bad situation. To the east, we take Norwich and destroy the last regiment guarding the area.

In addition Germany creates two newer and more advanced fighter bases to support the upcoming strategic bomber initiative.

Allied Response



They are shifting, but our scouts report that many of these armies can't even afford to refit and repair to any reasonable level. That said, they have fortified the area south of London quite well now.



They strike our forces but don't seem to have the reserves to rescue that poor middle army.

Turn 45: March 2, 1916



Winter is done! Time to start grinding away while we prepare for our massive new air forces.

Italian Front



We use our air and artillery to start working on the outermost corps. They have deep reserves but start with only 700 manpower.

Egyptian Front



We hit their weakened army and actually move this line for the first time in months. Their flanking corps is also hit. If they still have shells our cavalry is in for a rough time, but a breakthrough here would be such a great advantage in moving this forward.

Sea Lion



Filled with joy at the lovely Spring, we push in the west, taking Cardiff and threatening multiple units around Southampton.

London is abandoned and the forces are shifted to our beachhead at Norwich.



Winter hurt this army but we still have the supply advantage and the warmer weather means this will only tip further in our favor.

Allied Response



So many fucking corps. This is going to last until we get tanks or something. Next turn Germany will commission an artillery unit to speed this shit along.



3 armies, led by artillery and air attacks wipe out our cavalry. That said, they still have weakened reserves and we can continue to try and bleed the front here.



Britain launches a very effective attack on our western salient but calls for a general retreat across the board.

Turn 46: March 16, 1916



For being Britain against the world, they are sure being the biggest pain in the ass ever. The Ottomans are 5% away from quality drops. Bombers are ready and will be deployed across from Britain to start wrecking their populace.

Italian Front



Even with our air, nothing happens here. In response, Austria spends its horded production on increasing shell production to get things moving with their artillery.

Ottoman Front



It isn't without sacrifice, but their center is weak again and they are slipping on the Sinai lynchpin there.

Sea Lion



Our cavalry strike out and nearly wipe out their artillery while we hit their center and force it back. The weakened army retreats and heals while we shift up across the line. Our navy also destroys another convoy, hopefully starving their soldiers and citizens alike. It is real simple, Britain. Leave your colonies and the continent and never return.



We start moving in the east and will hopefully meet in the center and be able to take London. Getting all troops full supply here would be the beginning of the end for Britain.



One more turn and at least one of the British Isles will be ours.

Allied Response



Italy brings up an army to make this even more of a slog. Maybe they are hoping we will get bored and leave them out from our designs on the whole continent. Hey Italy, we want the whole continent.



Britain shells a weak unit that will do nothing to protect their front line. Gonna go full Verdun here if they aren't going to stop us.



Strong units are brought up around London. They are forming up a northern line while also hitting our salients. We have the numbers, but our supply issues are killing our offense. We lose so much movement to half supply so we can't just pincer and take London. If we do though, super supply time.

Next time it is more of that stalemate you love in Italy and we take Ireland.