1944 really typifies the annual ebb and flow of the war. In the beginning of the year I set my plans in motion and establish footholds and bases. During the spring I launch the key breakthrough maneuvers that are designed to cripple the enemy’s fighting ability. Then summer comes along, and the drama and excitement give way to endless minor battles and advances, all of which were practically predestined. The summer of 1944 highlights this trend. It is dominated by small battles and gradual advances, most of which were inevitable due to our successes earlier in the year.
The Eastern Front Stays Put
I officially give up on forecasting the outcomes of AI vs AI campaigns. Starting as early as autumn of 1941 I have been anticipating the imminent collapse of the European Axis. Every time something major happens (like the fall of Finland, or Romania, or the recapture of Leningrad) I think to myself, “Well Germany, that’s it for you. You gave it the old college try though. I promise to be nice when I re-conquer you.” Then the Soviets distinctly fail to follow through on their success, and the front remains static.
Throughout this summer, there was very little movement whatsoever. Estonia was the only scene of any real action, as the combatants took turns pushing each other out of it. By the end of the summer the Germans have the upper hand here and control most of the country, but I suspect that is temporary. Aside from that area, the Europeans powers may have well just signed a peace treaty, considered how little was accomplished.
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| Three years of constant combat has resulted in little movement of the Eastern Front. |
The Pacific Front
One of the interesting parts of strategic games is the tendency for minor situations or decisions to have major effects over time. This summer is one good example of that. Both the Western and Eastern Theaters stagnated along their respective southern front, while expanding significantly northward. This occurred without any concerted plan on my end; instead it is the by-product of geography, the most convenient deployment of reinforcements, and my anal tendency to align my forces in numerical order.
On the West Coast, the stagnation on the southern front was fairly straightforward. V Gun had been in charge of pushing this front. By the time it had advanced a few hundred miles into Mexico, they had spread themselves down to one division per province, and further advancement meant leaving gaps in the line. On their left, IV Gun was having a much tougher fight in New Mexico, meaning that advances by V Gun would separate them from the remainder of the line. Ergo, V Gun spends most of the summer digging rifle pits and playing cards.
By contrast, on the far end of the line we had a fairly high-priority target in our sights: San Francisco. While my base of operations includes four provinces with 10 point port facilities, our supplies are still being strained. Therefore, the capture of San Francisco is the only quick way to increase our port capacity, and has the added benefit of removing an airfield, manpower and industrial center from the Allies’ hands. I eventually spent nearly two weeks lining up the assault on the city, by maneuvering XIV and XV Gun into the neighboring land provinces to close off potential escape routes. I needn’t have bothered. The troops holding the city were mostly garrison troops, who would have been easily overrun anyway. The actual fighting was minimal, and our troops occupied the city on July 21st, capturing three bled-down divisions in the process.
The largest battle of the summer wrapped up at almost the same time, as troops from III Gun marched into the province of Grand Canyon. Total casualties were 3,441 for us, 4,212 for the Allies. This battle would have been hardly worth mentioning only a few months ago, but is one of only a few battles of this size this season. This indicates how desperate the American manpower situation has become. While they are still able to launch some counter-attacks, they have largely given up the “hard defense” strategy of fighting us doggedly over every defensible province.
This general area was the scene of the hardest fighting of the season in the west. Western Utah, in particular, was the focus of stubborn fights. The alignment of the provinces meant that any attack I launched was greeted with immediate counter-attacks. I was therefore forced to abort most attacks after only a few hours. Eventually, by September I was able to shuffle enough units to the area to launch a major offensive, forcing an entry into Utah. By the end of the month I was able to advance into Salt Lake City, striking another minor blow to the Allies.
The larger gains occurred in the north. After the occupation of San Francisco in late July, we made quick work of the remainder of California, and crossed into Oregon by the end of summer. This comparatively rapid advance is mainly the byproduct of inertia. The deployment of XIII, XIV and XV Gun into this area earlier this year, and XI Gun’s long-overdue deployment in August, have caused a glut of units on this end of the line. The Allies have virtually surrendered the coastline to us; the few enemy divisions in the area rarely pause in their retreat long enough to force a skirmish, much less an actual battle.
An overall strategy has coalesced as a result of the inertia and my future needs. My immediate goal is to capture Seattle, followed by Vancouver. Vancouver, the northernmost major port on the continent, is a requirement to conquer Canada, with its annoyingly high national unity. North of that, however, is a vast amount of slow terrain, with no actual value. Thus, once Vancouver is taken, I will abandon the northward movement and turn eastward with my entire army, aiming for Winnipeg in central Canada. If all goes according to plan, Winnipeg will be the last point necessary to force Canada’s surrender, and hopefully the United States will be near the breaking point then, as well.
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| The Pacific Front, as of September 30, 1944 |
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