T016: Third Reich 42-45 - Mike (Allies) vs Ken (Axis)

T016. August 21, 1942.

North Africa - Egypt 

Still having trouble plugging the open drain on my southern flank. Had it not been for Ken's airborne and amphibious raids, I would've had no problem defending this and pushing back the Axis forces in Egypt. I think he's running out of airborne-capable troops, since this landing was much smaller than the previous ones.

My counterattacks focused on containing the southern sectors, while placing a ton of emphasis on destroying the Axis troops to the north behind my lines. Meanwhile, the main line at El Alamein has been given a general retreat order, to consolidate near Alexandria. Some screening units were left behind, namely the 5th Indian Division, which is removed next turn anyway. The British 5th Infantry Division will arrive at Suez next turn, being transferred from Iraq. The final US division will also arrive in about two more turns. At that point, if the Axis are threatening Cairo, a fresh full division should halt their advance.

Eastern Front - Karelia South

This is interesting. Did Ken buy my ruse here? He's been moving Nazi divisions to the north for a few turns. Now he's launching what looks like a moderate-size offensive across the canal with no fewer than three full panzer divisions. It appears he's trying to cut off and surround the 2nd Shock Army. Does he know I have so many reserves ready to counterattack? It doesn't seem like it, because without him capturing the road across the canal, his supply will run low very quickly on this side of the canal.

If the 2nd Shock Army gets destroyed, it won't go down without a fight. So it immediately attacked to cut supply lines to the lead panzer division, while three Soviet armies have formed to counterattack. There are more Axis divisions arriving from the south, so I'll need to keep up the defense-in-depth here for a few turns, especially keeping the 2nd Shock Army in decent shape to hold the supply road in the north.

First Named Offensive
Operation Tuning Fork

I'll admit I was nearly scared into cancelling this operation with the Axis offensive in southern Karelia. But then I realized this would be the perfect time to do this, as one of my goals from transporting all those armies up to the north was a diversion from the sectors at and south of Leningrad. Operation Tuning Fork has two prongs. The first in the south to defend against counterattacks on the left flank. The second to the north, cutting off Leningrad and possibly retaking the city. Reaching the Baltic Sea is critical to the success of this offensive.