Balkan Front contains a number of interesting, if rare, possibilities resulting from the diplomatic rules. Consider one possible Allied nightmare: Active Yugoslav intervention on the Axis side. What could be worse? The Bulgarians intervening, too. Here is a game of Balkan Front played along those lines.

NOV I

Axis - The Italian 23rd Division with Albanian units crosses the narrow strait onto Kerkyra while the marine battalion lands on the south end of the island trapping the Greek 10th regiment. The attack at 4:1 odds suffers an HX and the Albanian CCCN unit is eliminated. On the mainland, the Littorio Armored XX, with support units, attacks two Greek border units in Egoumenitsa at 6:1 and wins a DH. With air support the 3rd Alpini XX and 49th XX achieve a DR result (8:1, -2) against the Greek 42 Ev Mtn III east of Ioannina (49th advances and receives DAS). An Italian Corps is placed around Koritsa and given DAS. Unable to overrun the remaining Greek border unit, Littorio and the arriving motorcycle units deploy around Egoumenitsa to keep the Greek 8th Mtn XX out of supply in Ioannnina.

Allied - The Greeks mobilize with A Corps (2nd and 3th XX with support units) moving along the coast to south of Egoumenitsa. B Corps (4th XX and GS added) attacks with 8th XX acFainst the Italian 49th XX and eliminates it (5:1, -2, DR). 6th XX and support units reinforce the 9th XX around Kastoria. British units land on Crete and units form around Thessalonike as the Metaxas Line is filled in.

NOV II (Weather: D Poor /E Poor)

Axis - The Yugoslavs intervene with Croatia mobilizing five divisions and Kosovo-Macedonia mobilizina two divisions. Three Yugoslav XXs move by rail and strike across the border eliminating a Greek Border unit (9:1, -2) while two more divisions move to north of the Monastir Gap. Poor weather slows up reinforcements so there is little other activity. The Littorio. even with heavy GS, fails to destroy the 42 Ev Mtn III south of Ioannina (9:1, -3, DR). A feeling of vulnerability hits the Italians and the motorized units withdraw into Egoumenitsa and the mountains.

Allied - The Greek 10th, 11th, and 17th XXs with support units move north from Thessalonike and, backed by what scarce GS the Greeks can muster, push the Yugoslav units back over the border (4:1, -2, DR). The Metaxas Line has two infantry divisions and the 12th XX is sent to Phlorina to strengthen the Monastir Gap defenses. An attack out of Ioannina by the 2nd, 4th, and 8th XXs with support units fails dismally (4:1, -3, AR). The subsequent retreat leaves Ioannnina abandoned.

DEC I (Weather- D Poor /E Poor)

Axis - The 131st Lt Arm, 19th , and 23rd XXs with support units and GS eliminate Greek non-divisional units south of Egoumenitsa (6:1, -2, DE) as other Italian units advance to take Ioannina. Yugoslavia continues mobilizing with Croatia and Kosovo- Macedonia at full strength, In the remaining regions, Serbia rolls a 4, Montenegro 2, Bosnia-Hercegovina 5, and Slovenia 3. Units reinforce the border around the Vardar River as 20th, 22nd, 25th, and 31st XXs take Phlorina with an EX (3:1, 1). An attempt to terror bomb Athena fails with an Italian bomber aborted by AA. The 131st Lt Arm XX exploits to the port of Prevesa.

Allied - 2nd and 3rd XXs counterattack, forcing the 131st Lt. Arm XX to retreat across the narrow strait at Prevesa (3:1, -2, DR) as supply lands at Missolonghi. The 6th, 10th and 17th XXs also counterattack, eliminating Yugoslav units in Phlorina (3:1, 1, DR). Remaining units redeploy in the Vardar River region and begin constructing a fort at Thessalonike.

DEC II (Weather: D Winter /E Poor)

Axis - Yugoslavia is fully mobilized and fails in its only attack against Greek units north of Edessa (4:1, -1, AS). The Italian luck is just as bad as they must retreat (4:1, -2, AR) after attacking north of Prevesa. 131st Lt Arm moves and exploits to cut the coastal road and receives DAS.

Allied - The Greeks shift units around to keep gaps from forming in their stretched line of defense. 2nd XX moves south of Arta to keep an eye on the 131st Lt Arm XX though this does leave Prevesa open to Italian motorized units.

JAN I (Weather: D Poor /E Poor)

Axis - The Italians are timid from their last attack and simply advance south in force while the motorized units move into Prevesa and receive some DAS. 131st Lt Arm XX sticks to its position. More Yugoslav units arrive at the border and are beginning to make their presence known. Five divisions take Phlorina (3:1, -1, HX) and four divisions carry a Greek position north of Edessa (4:1, - 1, DH).

Allied - With the success of the Yugoslav attacks the Greeks are too thin to counterattack; a retreat is ordered along the entire front facing the Yugoslavian forces. Farther west, the Greek 2nd XX with considerable support fails in its attack against the Littorio (4:1, -3, AR).

JAN II (Weather: D Winter / E Poor)

Axis - Bulgaria intervenes and joins in the campaign to carve up Greek territory. Yugoslav and Bulgarian units jointly take the positions of the Metaxas Line west of the Struma River (6:1, -2, HX and 9:1, -2, DE). Two Yugoslavian attacks west of the Vardar River fail to achieve anything (both 4:1, -1, AS). The Italians forward supply by sea to Prevesa. Their attack into the Monastir Gap, undertaken jointly with the Yugoslavs, fails to make any head way (4:1, -2, AS).

Allied - The Greeks continue their retreat into the Plain of Thessaly while Metaxas Line units withdraw towards Kavalla. Units unable to retreat into the Plain move into Thessalonike. Escaping units from the north reinforce Patrai.

FEB I (Weather: D Poor /E Poor)

Axis - Clearing Thrace, the Bulgarians make two successful attacks (4:1, -2, DR and 6:1, -1, DE) cutting off some Greek uni s from perceived safety in Kavalla. Yugoslav units push South and take Thessalonike (8:1, -2). A joint Yugoslav / Italian operation seizes the southern end of the Monastir Gap (6:1, -2, DE). The rest of the Italians continue moving up against the Greeks as the Italian motorized corps takes Karpenesion during exploitation. They are supplied through Prevesa.

Allied - The Greek withdrawal reaches the central plain from Larisa to south of Karpenesion. Forts are constructed south of the Spherkios River. Units that cannot pull out of Thrace through Kavalla are to remain in the mountains to delay the Bulgarians. Athenai and Patrai receive fighter and stronger AA defenses as the bombers fly DAS missions.

FEB II (Weather: D Poor /E Poor)

Axis - The Bulgarians finish off the last two Metaxas Line positions (both 7:1, -3). The rest of their troops and the Italians keep the Greeks in ZOCs. Supply again is sent into Prevesa. An Albanian unit moves onto Leukas Island. The 7th XX reaches the narrow strait at Patrai. Two bombing raids against the rail line near Lamia fail with an Italian bomber aborted by a British Gladiator. You can't get away from Marmaduke St. John Pattie.

Allied - The lost of Larisa forces two divisions and two cadres into yet another withdrawal as the rest of the Greek line reforms near Lamia. DAS flies to the exposed Greek position southeast of Larisa.

MAR I (Weather: D Poor /E Clear)

Axis - Four Yugoslav and one Italian corps force the Greeks from their exposed position (6:1, -1, DR). The Bulgarians send engineers and artillery south as the rest of the army stands ready north of Thessalonike in case their stronger divisions are needed.

The Italian bomber force concentrates against Patrai in an attempt to knock out the Hurricane fighters there. The raid fails to damage the airbase, but does force the fighter to scramble in Athenai. The Italian motorized corps exploits into a hole in the Greek line over the Spherkios River north of Amphissa. The advance cuts Greek units west of the city out of supply.

Allied - Cadres of the 5th and 6th XXs retreat into Volos. Other units, unsupplied, retreat east into Amphissa. The 5th Mtn X sacrificed to hold open the rail line at Lamia. British 1st Arm lands on Crete as the 14th Brigade transfers to Melos. The RA unsuccessfully bombs the airbase at Larisa, but at least suffei no losses.

MAR II (Weather: D Poor /E Poor)

Axis - Lamia is overrun as the Greek units in Volos surrounded (8:1, -2, DE). The Italians score two hits against British Navy Interdiction.

Allied - The Greeks readjust their unit positions to create two lines of defenses as more forts go up south of the Spherkio Commonwealth units land on Crete except for the 52th AA Battalion that arrives at Melos.

Comments

Both players agreed to end the game end at this point. A major reason for the early end was that the best that the Axis could do was 2:1 odds with a -2 modifier in any of their attacks again: the Spherkios line. These would require a die roll of six to take the Greek position. If anything could have improved the above situation for the Axis it would be greater success in inflicting damage on the Greek Army before it reached its strong position south of the Spherkios River.