Europa Games and Military History

Month: December 2019

1943 MAR I Soviet Turn

Some commentators have talked about loss ratios so I will be including this at the end of the Combat Report. This will be based upon the cost to replace units (without regard to type) generally therefore a total of attack Factors lost by each side (except units with defence factor only will use defence factor etc)

Turn Report

Finnish Front: In the far north forces close in on Murmansk and chase the diminishing German forces towards the Norwegian border.

Tampere is captured.

The Soviets launch a quick ill prepared attack against Helsinki, assisted by engineers, but are repulsed.

Leningrad Front. Two of the three first line Tank corps are returned from the Finish front. Rather than replace losses at the front leaguer at Leningrad and joined by replacements and new arrivals building an attack force for a planned summer offensive.

Due to the lack of replacement tanks and mech corps to replace the losses of the recent high loss exchanges the attack south into the Valdai grinds to a halt.

Soviet attacks against the Axis line north of Kalinin

Soviet attacks against the Axis line north of Kalinin

In front of Kalinin a single guard tank corps leads one attack with another infantry assault. Both are supplemented by copious amounts of artillery and rocket formations and succeed in pushing two hexes into the German lines with a single separating hex forming a tooth like front line north of Kalinin. (One HX one DR)

Moscow Front The Soviets continue to pressurise the Axis line south of the city  taking Podolsk by direct assault although the enemy retreats in good order.

Voronezh Front. STAVKA realises that they have underestimated the determination of the Axis to take Voronezh by winter assault and desperately counter attack the German forces who have crossed the river to the north. They succeed in pushing the aggressors back cadreing Das Reich but the Exchange leaves them weak and the city vulnerable to encirclement

Soviet Turn: Soviet counterattack against the northern Axis pincer at Voronezh

Soviet Turn: Soviet counterattack against the northern Axis pincer at Voronezh

Two other attacks south of the city aim to pressure the Axis lines but result in an AR and a DR.

Stalingrad Front: No action.

Air War: A large air battle develops over the front north of Kalinin where the Soviets try to improve odds for an attack. 21 bombers escorted by 10 fighters are intercepted by Axis fighters but after patrol attacks, air combat and flack the Soviets achieve their objective. However at the cost of 3 aircraft who fail to return to base.

Combat Report

Auto Attacks = 1
Diced Combats = 8

Losses:
Soviets = 32, Air= 3
Losses: Forts = 2, German = 47, Fins = 6,
Loss Ratio: All Axis/Soviets = 1.66

1943 MAR I Axis Turn 

[Editors Note: no Pictures this Turn]

Weather. The cold snap is dissipated in the south as warm winds bring mud to Zone C heralding the arrival of the spring thaw.

Finland & Army of Norway: The stragglers flee north and a defensive perimeter is established around Murmansk. Some supplies arrive by sea to bolster the defence.

In the south the veteran 2-1-10 tank battalion which had 3 times helped the retreating Finish Motte in its epic journey west embarks from Hango back to Germany.

AGN:. The Axis adopt a totally defensive posture. The one hex bulge into the lines north east of Veliki Lukie is held but not assaulted. The soviets have advanced out of supply and the Axis are fearful of another exchange so decided to wait until odds are more favourable due to the enemy supply situation.

AGC: The Axis are hearing reports of enemy troop concentrations around Tula and noticing their own weakness in the centre move engineers and RPs to plug the gaps in the fortified line. More infantry are routed into the area to bolster the reserve divisions currently occupying the fort line in this hitherto quiet sector.

AGS: A newly arrived SS division leads the assault and exploits over the two rivers north of Voronezh to cut off the city.

The southern attack however fails to achieve sufficient mass to ensure a breakthrough so squeezes the defenders by reducing two of the stacks defending south of the city.

Air Combat:  The usual DAS and rail bombings are executed.

In the north a sky train is formed to supply the German units in Helsinki. 4x Ju 52s with gliders are intercepted by the only Soviet aircraft in range a Yak 9. It ploughs through the 3 Finish escorts who have joined the transports to provide cover as they approach the city but they fail to inflict any results on the Soviet airmen.  The Yak 9 then has a clear run at the Transports successfully eliminated a Transport/Glider combination. Then a glider crashes on landing and is rendered useless for future operations. Enough supplies are delivered however to keep the defenders in supply.

Combat Report

Overruns = 1, Diced Attacks = 2

Losses:
German = 7. Air = 1x Transport, 2x Gliders.
Soviet = 26