03 - Norway - Axis - Turn 18 of 25

April 9, 1940: wanting Norwegian iron and  northern air bases to deny British access to the Baltic Sea, the Germans launch a surprise attack on Norway.

Axis: player

Allies: advanced a.i.

TURN 1

Main problem for axis player is refueling fighters, as airports are scarce and map is very wide. Another issue is the english fleet, which is strong and compact, while the german one is scattered half in the north and half in the south. So first thing to do is taking Stavanger airport (10.43) and then Oslo airport (25.35) and reuniting fleet.
Stavanger - Move a BF 109e in 11.42 and attack norwegian fighter. Move the other BF and destroy enemy. Attack airport with a Stuka (the other one is out of range) and then use ships nearby to wipe out enemy T-Boat. Move the nearest infantry to 8.44 to conquer the two objectives.
Oslo - There's a norwegian fort in 25.37 with 4 hexes spotting, so keep away from enemy sight as allied planes are coming. Move to take land next turn. In the meanwhile, move all ships to full speed to face enemy fleet. I purchase a Junker 88 with naval attack 14 to use it later against enemy ships.

In the north, move all ships towards west map edge as english planes will be coming this way and it's better not to be discovered.

TURN 2

Nothing happened during allied turn: the T-Boat moved away and a norwegian F-DXXIII fighter arrived. There has been no fight.

So let's stick to the plan: destroy the two infantry units in Stavanger, the fighter and the T-Boat. Continue moving the ships to the north, land the units outside of enemy sight, move paratroops planes to the north to conquer undefended towns. In the north, move ships to west map edge.

TURN 3

No enemy in sight during allied turn. So get on with the plan.
Infantry takes Stavanger Airport, first objective out of six german player has to take. Now planes have a better base for refueling, nearer to the front. 10th Wehr HW takes Kristiansand, where land units will be purchased. 12th Wehr infantry occupies Arendal. In the east, 13th infantry attacks enemy artillery on river Lagen (0-7), while 11th infantry crosses river Giomma headed toward Hamar. A Hurricane and a Blenheim MkIV are spotted just north of Stavanger. I attack Hurricane with two BF 109: (0-7) and (0-3), enemy destroyed. Other units move as per plan.

TURN 4

7th infantry takes Stavanger. 10th HW in Kristiansand upgraded to Pioneer. 14th PzIVD takes Kongsberg (21.32). 9th StuGIIIb in Arendal to be upgraded next turn. German fighters attack and destroy Blenheim MkIV. Some fight near Oslo. Units start landing near Alesund (4.28). Other movements as per plan.

TURN 5

During allied turn, another Blenheim MkIV protected by a Spitfire attacked german infantry in 21.37. My fighters attack Spitfire: 0-8 and 1-2, Spitfire destroyed. The third fighter attacks Blenheim MkIV: 2-5, not so lucky. Advance Stukas to prepare for Oslo attack. PzIVD attacks artillery in Honefoss (23.34). Infantry follows: 0-5, artillery destroyed. StuGIIIb upgraded to 15 sFh 18 in Arendal. Another 15 sFH 18 purchased in Arendal. 11th infantry takes Hamar.
In the north, 3rd infantry takes Alesund. Other units land.

TURN 6

OSLO: two infantry units attack artillery in 26.35: 1-5 and 0-3, artillery retreats. The PzIVD attacks aid defense in 25.35: 0-8, lucky strike! One fighter destroys Blenheim (0-5). Another one attacks air defense but fails (1-0). One Stuka attacks artillery on Lagen river (0-6) and the other one hits enemy artillery in Halden (0-5) then follows 13th (1-3). Ju88 attacks Oslo to lower entrenchment (0-1). The two 15sFH 18 get in position to hit Oslo. 12th infantry takes Honefoss.
NORTH: 2nd infantry takes Bergen. The other units advance on Andalsnes. In the far north, paratroopers are going to land to conquer Harstad and Bodo.

TURN 7

OSLO: it's raining and planes cannot attack. This is really bad. 19th infantry destroys air defense (0-2). 13th infantry attacks artillery in 27.36 and destroys it (0-2). Then the two 15 sFH 18 pound Oslo: 0-3. 11th attacks infantry on Lagen river and destroys it: 1-5.
NORTH - 3rd HW infantry takes Andalsnes. 5th Pz IIIe takes Molde.
FAR NORTH - 35th paratroopers takes Bodo.

TURN 8

In his turn allied player has reinforced units and attacked german infantry in Oslo airfield: 3-2. Weather is overcast so planes are effective.
OSLO - JU87B attacks artillery in Halden (0-3). Other Stuka attacks artillery on Lagen river (0-5).
15 sFH 18 attacks infantry in Oslo and destroys it (0-4). Other 15 sFH 18 attacks artillery on Lagen river and destroys it (0-3). 13th infantry attacks artillery in Halden, push it bach (0-3) and takes Halden. 17th BF109e attacks and destroys (0-1). 12th infantry takes OSLO and destroys fort. No enemy left in this area. Now two objectives taken, four remain.
LILLEHAMMER - 10th Pioniere advance and takes Gol. There is an enemy artillery in range so 11th infantry attacks it (0-2)
NORTH - Units slowly advance.
FAR NORTH - 34th paratroopers takes Harstad. The other one embarks direction Mo-i-rana.

TURN 9

LILLEHAMMER: Weather: raining and muddy. No planes. First units to attack are air defenses. Pionere attack air defense on Lagen river (1-2). Pz IVD attacks air defense (1-5). Artillery and infantry destroy enemy artillery on Lagen river. 19th artillery occupies Elverum. Other units advance.
NORTH AND FAR NORTH - Units move as per plan. Next turn fleet will be reunited.

TURN 10

LILLEHAMMER - Attack on Lillehammer begins. Units destroy an air defense and an artillery on Lagen river (0-3). PzIVD moves adjacent to Lillehammer to prevent enemy from purchasing units. Artillery moves in place to hit objective next turn.
DOMBAS - Army group north attacks Dombas to reunite with south units, they destroy artillery in town and reduce an infantry unit from 10 to 2.
FLEET - Attack begins on enemy fleet. It's very important not to be spotted, and keep in mind that enemy carrier has a five hexes spotting. So we begin carefully: light cruiser and heavy cruiser shoot on T-Boat near Trondheim: 0-9.
Paratroopers: Mo-i-rana is occupied, expected losses are 6-7, too risky, unit is reinforced to 11. Narvik is free, it will be occupied next turn.

TURN 11

Raining and muddy. Again. Too bad.
LILLEHAMMER - PzIVD cannot attack town, artillery reduces unit defending objective, an assault is prepared for next turn.
DOMBAS - The enemy has destroyed our Sdkfz and has reinforced defense, so german units turn on Trondheim.
TRONDHEIM - Fleet destroys an air defense unit while german land units attack artillery.
Paratroopers: the one in front of Mo-i-rana is targeted by an enemy ship and loses 3 points, so retreats. The other one occupies Narvik.

TURN 12

Raining and muddy again. This is really too much.
LILLEHAMMER - Impossible to attack, odds are unfavorable. The two artillery units have one ammo left, PzIVD is flanking to attack artillery next turn. Let's hope for the best.
TRONDHEIM - Three english ships attack and infantry unit and reduces it to two points. I counterattack and destroy a light cruiser.
PARATROOPERS - The first one recovers to ten and will attack Mo-i-rana next turn, otherwise will be useless. The other one occupies Bjerkvik.

TURN 13

Clear and muddy. Well, at last.
LILLEHAMMER - Lillehammer is finally taken: artillery destroyed unit defending the town and infantry occupies it and batter artillery down to 1 point.
TRONDHEIM - Airfield is taken and one part of town will fall next turn.
FLEET - A heavy cruiser and the battleship are sunk by subs and german big ships.
PARATROOPERS - 35th attacks Mo-i-rana but fails (6-3) as per expected losses. 34th occupies Narvik airfield.

TURN 14

LILLEHAMMER - An enemy unit attacks german artillery causing two losses but gets destroyed. another enemy infantry unit is wiped out.
TRONDHEIM - First part of Trondheim is taken.
FLEET - Three other english cruisers are sunk by combined operations by planes, subs and ships.
PARATROOPERS - 34th is embarked headed toward Namsos, the final objective. I disband the other unit and purchase an artillery in Andalsnes.

TURN 15

FLEET - Four enemy destroyers attack german destroyers and sink one. German fleet attacks and sink all of them.
TRONDHEIM - No action. Air defense must be wiped out before attacking with planes. New purchased artillery gets in position.
LILLEHAMMER - The enemy air defense is eliminated with serious losses by german side.
DOMBAS - Seven infantry units are defending the town. We must get rid of them to unite south and northern army. Two infantry units are destroyed.

TURN 16

TRONDHEIM - Fleet eliminates air defense and T-Boat. Infantry and artillery defending Trondheim are wiped out by land units. Trondheim taken.
DOMBAS - Three othe infantry units are eliminated. Now a german infantry unit is adjacent to the town. No reinforcement possible.

TURN 17

DOMBAS - All enemy units are eliminated. Dombas taken.
NAMSOS - Fleet eliminates two remaining destroyers and air defense defending the town. Paratroopers are placed on the objective.

TURN  18 - END

NAMSOS - Fleet attacks enemy infantry unit in town and eliminates it. Paratroopers land in town. Namsos taken. End of the game.

With no rain, victory could be obtained one or two turns earlier.

Casualties: German 4 - Allied 60