Panzer General Diaries: 03 - Norway - Allies

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: advanced a.i.

Allies: player

In advanced mode A.I. you cannot win before 25th turn, as enemy protects its base on the mainland with lots of panzers, so it's just a matter of getting rid of german units in Norway. Main obstacle for getting a quick victory is subs. To eliminate enemy fleet in front of Oslo you must wipe out german ships in front of Trondheim and to do so you must first kill the subs, and it's not an easy task, as they easily evade attacks. I advise to keep track of their position, just write down where they are (if you track them) and keep away from their path, as they are deadly against capital ships (and also destroyers). They start the game at 4.20, 12.9 and 14.7. If you let them be, the first one will head to Trondheim, while the other two will enter Namsos bay. So: wait until they reach their destination then attack them with combined destroyers and tac bombers, first the ones at Namsos then the one at Trondheim.
PLAN: Leave Oslo and Stavanger to the enemy, you can't hold them. Make a stand at Lillehammer and Trondheim, stop the enemy. Get rid of the subs. Get rid of the north german fleet. Get rid of enemy planes. Get rid of enemy land units at Trondheim. Counterattack. Re-take Stavanger. Wipe out german south fleet. Re-take Oslo.

TURN 1

AXIS - Attacks norwegian infantry in Stavanger airport. Attacks T-Boat in Kristiansand. Attacks Oslo with planes. In the north, attacks 24th Light Cruiser and causes 4 damage points. Moves transports to land and attacks Trondheim. Purchases two tanks in City (32.49).
ALLIES - T.Boat flees from Kristiansand heading north. Disband infantry in Stavanger airport (it's doomed) and flee to the north with T-Boat and infantry. Move fleet to the south keeping away from the coast to avoid contact with subs. Move the three ships near Trondheim to west to hide from enemy. Retreat units from Oslo attacking paratroops transport causing 3 and 7 points damage. Purchase an air defense in Lillehammer. Move land units in Namsos towards Trondheim to help defense.
Casualties: Axis 0 - Allied 0

TURN 2

AXIS - Advances on objectives: Stavanger, Oslo, Trondheim. Battleship fires and destroys fort (it would never happen to me if I'd play german!).
ALLIES - Units keep retreating inflicting several damage points on enemy planes near Oslo. Mistake: T-Boat from Kristiansand moves too near coast and it's spotted by a german infantry unit. Try to free T-Boat in Trondheim bay but it's trapped. It would be very useful against subs.
Casualties: Axis 0 - Allied 1

TURN 3

AXIS - Retreats all planes to City to refuel. Destroys T-Boat from Kristiansand. My mistake. Destroys also T-Boat in Trondheim bay. Takes Oslo and attacks retreating units. Takes Halden. Takes Stavanger airport. Moves paratroop transports over Lillehammer (really bad move).
ALLIES - I destroy the two paratroop transports. I sink a destroyer in Trondheim bay. I wipe out an anti aircraft and an infantry at Trondheim. Other units proceed as per plan.
Casualties: Axis 5 - Allied 3

TURN 4

AXIS - In the south, planes go back to airports to refuel. Ships in front of Stavanger head towards Oslo. Pz IVD attacks and destroys retreating air defense. Five more PzIIIG are purchased in City, this is really nonsense. In the north, attack on Trondheim is coming to a still, only four land units are left. Two subs have almost reached Namsos.
ALLIES - I counterattack enemy and reduce his strength but cause no casualty. I cautiously approach the subs getting to Namsos and wait for an all-out attack with destroyers. In the center I prepare to hold in Lillehammer, taking advantage of the Lagen river.
Casualties: Axis 5 - Allied 4

TURN 5

AXIS - The attack on Trondheim goes on but nothing is gained. Enemy is moving to siege Lillehammer, and in the process PzIVD eliminates an infantry unit just outside Gol. Honefoss and Gol are taken. The four land units which were in Stavanger are now moving out to reach the front north of Oslo.
ALLIES - Situation is ok: Trondheim is secure and air superiority is gained. Main issues will be to get rid of the subs and to hold Lillehammer.
Casualties: Axis 5 - Allied 5

TURN 6

AXIS - German player attacks Trondheim and destroys a norwegian infantry unit. Attack on Lillehammer begins, but it's kamikaze.
ALLIES - At last. The fleet has arrived. This is the turning point. I sink a light cruiser and a destroyer in Trondheim bay and hit the subs, the one near Trondheim loses 5 points, and one in Namsos loses 4 points. I also kill an infantry unit. In Lillehammer, I badly maul a Stuka unit (9 points damage) and an infantry one (6 points) who tried to cross the river.
Casualties: Axis 8 - Allied 6

TURN 7

AXIS - German player attacks nonethless both Trondheim and Lillehammer but with scarce results. Defeat looms in the distance for Axis player.
ALLIES - Showdown. Three land units at Trondheim are wiped out, and so two subs. The first objective has been reached: get rid of enemy land units at Trondheim. At Lillehammer, two enemy infantry units, the Stuka and a BF 109 are destroyed. Air superiority is close at hand. German casualties rise dramatically.
Casualties: Axis 17 - Allied 6

TURN 8

AXIS - Enemy stubbornly attacks Lillehammer bur defenders are solid.
ALLIES - German units on Lagen river are easy prey even for the weak norwegians. Two infantry and one recon units are destroyed by defenders.
Casualties: Axis 20 - Allied 6

TURN 9

AXIS - Artificial intelligence is not so advanced. German player goes on attacking Lillehammer.
ALLIES - It's a slaughter. The last sub is destroyed and so the other objective is gained: destroy german north fleet. On Lillehammer the last BF 109 is taken down, so another objective has been reached: get rid of enemy planes.
Casualties: Axis 22 - Allied 6

TURN 10

AXIS - Attack. No gain.
ALLIES - Relaxing turn. Just repel enemy treats on Lagen river. Fleet is speeding towards Oslo.
Casualties: Axis 22 - Allied 6

TURN 11

AXIS - German player has turned to a defender. Hard times.
ALLIES - Three kills: one recon, one tank, one infantry. In Stavanger, I try to re-take the objective.
Casualties: Axis 25 - Allied 6

TURN 12

AXIS - It rains, and it's good news for the german. No planes, less visibility, advantage for defender.
ALLIES - Stavanger: the norwegian infantry unit lands and fleet attacks. No result.

TURN 13

AXIS - Germans go on attacking. In Stavanger, the unit occupying the airport leaves the objective to attack the newly-landed norwegian infantry.
ALLIES - No mercy. Time is overcast so planes are active. I destroy the panzer, the artillery and an infantry. Only the remnants of another infantry unit survive. In Stavanger, the bombing continues. A norwegian fighter scouts: Gol, Kongsberg and Arendal are unguarded.
Casualties: Axis 28 - Allies 6

TURN 14

AXIS - It's raining again. Infantry near Lillehammer reinforces and the one in Stavanger goes back to airport.
ALLIES - No sun, no party.Even reinforcements are a problem.

TURN 15

The weather is clear and the enemy is beaten. The last german units have been eliminated, two infantry and a fighter. The scenario is over. No german units remain on norwegian soil. Only the enemy fleet holds ground in Oslo bay: one battleship, two heavy cruisers and four destroyers.
Casualties: Axis 31 - Allies 6

TURN 16

To sink the remaining ships, planes are not enough and land units are useless, it will take time before the fleet arrives to set the score.

TURN 17

While the fleet arrives, planes take down a destroyer: -6.

Casualties: Axis 32 - Allies 6

TURN 18

Two destroyers are sunk during this turn. My planes went scouting. Seven panzers are defending the german base.

Casualties: Axis 34 - Allies 6

TURN 19

A destroyer and a heavy cruiser are eliminated. Now only the battleship and a heavy cruiser remain.

Casualties: Axis 36 - Allies 6

TURN 20

The heavy cruiser is sunk.

Casualties: Axis 37 - Allies 6

TURN 21

The battleship is gone and now let's attack the last objective, which is still free.

Casualties: Axis 38 - Allies 6

TURN 22

It's snowing. Well, we're in Norway. The fleet approaches the last enemy base but the german player has already occupied the hexagon.

TURN 23

All out attack. Land units are now useless. Ships bombard while planes cannot attack, it will be impossible to win before the 25th turn. Casualties remain the same.