Tag: FitE (Page 1 of 17)

Weather; MUD!

Finally the weather breaks and the Eastern Front is awash with copious amounts of rain turning all to Mud. Only the Rumanian plain escapes; remaining dry. At any other time during the last 2 months the Axis would have welcomed this change but it could not have come at a worse time for the defenders. The Soviets have broken through and surrounded a large part of the German Army in Poland. Normally mobility and Armour Effects would enable German forces a partial, if not full, breakout of surrounded troops. The Mud denies them these advantages and effectively dooms the Army. Any Hope that near Total Victory, Soviet Style can be averted is badly damaged.

Army of Norway;
(1 attack). Despite the crisis on the main front more troops and Res Pts are shipped north. In addition the Luftwaffe increases its presence to combat Soviet GS and provide DAS for the defenders. 2 res points are expended to provide air cover for an attack on the landward Marine brigade as a precursor to an attempt to retake Bardufoss. The brigade is forced back.

AGN:
(1 attack). Units inside the large northern pocket are given permission to breakout. Those that can move southwest towards Warsaw but progress is painfully slow. Others concentrate against a defending 12-8 Gds mech (with DAS cover) but the Mud delays a Panzer division from reaching the jump off point. Help is desperately needed from outside the ring but conditions here are little better and an entire panzer corps holding the line east of Allenstein fails to disengage. Reinforcements and some troops are able reach their start lines and the attack is launched. At 3:1 the attack is too risky so a large amount of GS is called upon to raise the odds to 4:1. This carries a 1/6 risk of an NE and while the Luftwaffe is capable of raising the odds to a “safe” 5:1 the resultant loss of DAS cover elsewhere is considered too great a cost and a risk is taken. The die is rolled and a 1 is the result! The fate of the trapped units is sealed and with them probably the fate of Warsaw!

AGC:
(0 Attacks). Any relief for AGC troops must come from the south but wooded terrain and advancing Soviet units prevent any effective concentration of force. Units can only content themselves in forming a defensive ring around the bridgehead West of the Vistula where a 15-10 Mech has a firm lodgement. Units still in place at Lublin are now at risk of their own isolation so pull out leaving a self-isolated 4-6-6 to stem the Soviet tide.

AGS:
(1 Attack) In Hungary units maintain a good line of defence although have been pushed and/or manoeuvred out of the mountains at many points. The line here is probably the strongest of the entire front particularly as the Soviets have only committed light forces to this sector. However the line is at risk of being rolled up from the south so pulls back abandoning Brasov to refuse the right flank against any move north from Rumania.

The panzer/Rum mot pocket west of Ploesti breaks out with help from a reinforcing 14-10 panzer as mobility is still good here. The Axis force levels are the barest minimum for the task however and because they need to attack from the east side of the river to get the necessary odds cannot surround the defending Tank Corps cadre. The attack does force it to retire under pressure and the surrounded tankers again breakout to freedom crossing the river Dambovija for a last ditch defence.

Air Combat:
Soviet fighter pilots returning from a DAS intercept mission over Lublin are arrested and interviewed by the Base Commissar after lodging a fantastical report of propeller-less aircraft which appeared from nowhere, ripped into their flight and disappeared as quick as they came. They faced execution for dereliction of duty and careless use and loss of equipment but fortunately a response from an urgently dispatched communique by their squadron leader was received just in time; confirming the veracity of their reports. The Me262 has arrived on the Eastern Front.

Combat Report: Attacks = 3.
Losses: Soviet = 3 aircraft.
Rumania destroys two of its own aircraft on the ground (deactivates) to prevent them falling into enemy hands before evacuating Pleven.

Narrative

The Axis may have believed the Gods of War were on their side this turn but the Gods are fickle and have few favours to dispense in the affairs of man. And so as if to prove this point they share their largesse equally this turn.

With the decimation the main armoured spearheads by German counterattacks the Soviets decide to change tactics this turn. They are close to the western map edge and need to consolidate their forces for a final push. They cannot therefore afford to fritter away their remaining tank and Mech corps. Byelorussian Army group only has one effective tank army plus a mech corps detachment. Ukraine similarly has been reduced to a single tank army plus the tank corps mired in the forests Northwest of Lvow. Steppe Front is better endowed with two tank armies engaged against the Hungarian and Rumanian positions. Accordingly therefore rather than concentrating for a few high odds attacks the Soviet forces attack on a wide front in a series of low odds attacks at the equivalent of 3:1 odds. These attacks risk “No Effect” results and a multitude of exchanges together with some having a 1/6 chance of an AR result. However out of 23 attacks no ARs are rolled, only 2 NEs and 3 Exchanges. The effect of this is a devastating barrage against the German positions eliminating or reducing to cardres 10 infantry divisions. Up to this point the Germans may have been forgiven for thinking they had a good chance of preventing the Soviets exiting the map in force. It now seems that only a change in the weather is likely to enable them to realise this expectation.

Turn Report

Arctic Front: (1 attack) The amphibious invasion planned for the north of Narvik does not start well. Poor visibility compounded by a navigation error sends the fleet off course towards the North Sea. Only the attention and quick wits of an astute navigation officer spots the error in time to redirect the ships to their correct target point at 5B:0709. Landing unopposed the marines storm inland. Using portable dinghies they cross a swollen river and launch an assault on Bardfoss. Taken completely by surprise the AA units guarding the airfield are wiped out to a man by the well trained marines who occupy the airfield. Fortunately for the Luftwaffe most of the Me110E squadron is fuelled ready to go on patrol and manages to escape to Narvik.

Byelorussian front: (12 attacks). The tank army which occupies the furthest point West on this front gains a further hex by retreating a defending stack however a parallel attack along the coast is stalled primarily because its 10 points of anti-aircraft fire fail completely to inflict a single hit on the defenders DAS. Allenstein finally succumbs to a 5:1 (-2) attack. The defenders retreat allowing Soviet forces to occupy the city dispersing the Fortified Area. This has been a linchpin of the German defence in this area and its loss will be a severe psychological blow to the defenders. Further attacks occur along the line; retreating units, eliminating forts and penetrating the German line by advances. It is however the series of attacks West of Breast Litovsk partly by this Front and partly by Ukraine Front which rips open the German line eliminating entirely an infantry division and reducing to cadre two others. All three are adjacent and this presents the Soviets with a dilemma in exploitation. Do they exploit deep into the enemy interior fanning out to occupy vacant forts, airfields, overrun lone engineers etc or overrun the retreated cadres and consolidate their gains? The decimation of 19th Army earlier in the turn has left them with only one Tank Corps in this sector and this demands caution. The Corps with brigade support manages enough points and overruns the two 1-2-6 German Inf Cadres. It remains adjacent to its own front line a 16-mile projection into a wide empty void leading West. However there are so many tempting targets that the Army releases an Engineer Regiment, Tank Brigade and a supported 3-8 Mech with NKVD accompaniment to make a daring and, no doubt, suicidal lunge over the Vistula bend south of Warsaw overrunning an unguarded Fort and Airfield sending 3 Aircraft to Remnants (2xFW190e, Me109G).

An overview of the Eastern Front in late September 1944

Ukraine Front: (8 attacks). With last turn’s advanced forces mired in the thick forests the armoured elements swing East of this blockage and attack North. A DE result eliminates a Police 2-5xx and carders a 4-6-6xx. They resist the temptation to drive through and attempt to link with the Byelorussian advance thus isolating German units because once again here, as there, the Soviets have been reduced to single effective tank army in the swirling battles to the west of Lvov and so exercise caution. They content themselves with overrunning a couple of carders and consolidating with a two hex advance northwards.

Infantry and artillery assault the fortified line protecting the Western edge of the map anchored on the Hungarian mountains and the southern end of the Vistula. The fortified line effectively ceases to exist with the exception of one un-attacked fortress hex. With no units to exploit the Soviets must content themselves with a one hex advance.

Steppe front (8 attacks) Stragglers East of the Bucharesti defensive line are mopped up. The most decisive action on this front is a classic pincer attack around Bucharesti; 2 attacks to the north, 1 to the south smashing 3x 4-6-6 infantry divisions. Powerful armoured units overrun the cadres and exploit tightly around the city isolating it from any assistance that may enter from the west edge of the map. To the south of the Danube an advancing tank destroyer brigade enters Bulgaria and occupies the coastal city of Burgas. Two German transports are scuttled to prevent capture by the advancing Soviet patrols while a third escapes to sea. A second TD brigade exploits along the rail to the North. On the south Coast an advancing Soviet cavalry division is destroyed when attempting to wrest control of Varna from a Rumanian 1-3-4 static. The Rumanians put up a spirited defence eliminating the cavalry attackers but themselves are so mauled by the attack that they cease to be an effective fighting force. (HX).

The Admiral of the Task force intending to land at Constanta withdraws his support for the operation on news of increased U-Boat activity and reconnaissance overflights reveal additional gun emplacements in the city. In any event the pace of the ground advance has made the operation somewhat unnecessary.

In northern Hungary a 15-12-8 infiltrates through the mountains but does not engage the SS Cavalry screening its advance. Elsewhere on this front the Soviets are too weak and supply lines too stretched to continue the advance against stiffening Hungarian resistance at the Border. One attack only is mounted and the Hungarian 4-6 inf xx defender moves west in good order.

Air Combat: The Soviets carry out a few top up missions to avoid any suicidal odds and succeed in this aim. Remaining aircraft Harass the enemy particularly trying to protect the deep recon probes over the Vistula. The most damage to the Luftwaffe is done on the ground by these exploitations where two 3 stack unguarded airfields are overrun. While this appears negligent the desperate need for troops at the front is reducing reserves and rear security to dangerously low levels.

Combat Report

Attacks = 29 of which 2 are automatic. Exploitation eliminates 4 x 1-2-6 cadres, AA, Railway engineers, a Fort and 3 aircraft.

Losses:

Soviets = 15,
Air = 5.

Axis:
Forts = 7
German = 57,
FAs = 3
AA = 3
Transports = 2
Air on ground = 6
Air = 1.

Rumanian Isolated = 9
Un-isolated= 2
Air = 1.

Narrative

Surrender or Defection? With the fall of Galati the trigger for Rumanian Surrender or Defection has been achieved.

The Rumanian army is a shadow of its former self. It comprises only a few border troops that were guarding the coast against an amphibious invasion and which are now moving inland to defend the capital plus 2 divisions; one of which is isolated north of Galati. The other division and some AA occupy Bucharesti.

The Soviets consider the two options; Surrender – all Rumanians are removed and the German forces will be out of supply for a turn before they can secure a supply route. This will also reduce the Axis ability to resist a move off map in the south.

OR

Defection; This gives all the above and it may give the Russians some extra troops but crucially it will hand them Bucharesti on a plate.

The Soviets therefore demand Rumanian defection. Hardliners in the Rumanian government who may have been persuaded to surrender cannot swallow the bitter pill of turning on their erstwhile German allies. The Soviet demands are rebuffed and with renewed determination Rumanian forces remain loyal and committed to continue the fight.

There will be no easy conquest for the Soviets.

Turn Report

In other news the German forces north of Hungary unleash a series of tactical armoured counter attacks. All are at low odds featuring the possibility of Exchanges or NEs but the Fates favour the attackers and a series of 5s and 6s smash 3 Soviet spearheads consigning 5 Mobile/Artillery corps to cadres or complete Annihilation.

Army of Norway: (Zero attacks) German forces reach their river fronted mountain redoubt and prepare for the inevitable Soviet attack. Another regiment arrives from the Fatherland to bolster the Narvik defences and other Troop Transports make the reverse trip home for more re-enforcements.

AGN: (3 attacks) Any illusions the Soviet Army may have had that the Germans had been broken is shattered as two major armoured thrusts smash the spearheads. The Fuhrers “No Retreat” directive demands this because the German forces are rapidly running out of space in which to retreat. The counter attacks are directed against a weak 4-8 Tk cadre being used to isolate a 3 hex group and this was expected to be lost. However the Soviets were not expecting their 17-8 Mech corps lead stack to be annihilated.

Nor did they expect the 19th Army moving West out of the Western Bug Bridgehead towards Warsaw to be attacked. Here a 12-9-8 gds Tx, 9-8 Foreign contingent Mot xxx and three other cadres/artillery units are pushed back with heavy loss. The morale of the FC unit is so shattered it does not rally until over 30 miles behind the front lines.

AGC: (1 Attack) Not to be outdone by their northern comrades AGC concentrates on attacking the Soviet thrust which resulted from the swirling battles around the Lvow pocket. Here a classic pincer attack pushes back the second echelon, consisting of a 12-9-8 Tk corps and 14-6 Artillery Corps, reducing them to cadres and isolating the lead Corps’ in the forests NW of the city. The German Panzers now face a dilemma; do they close in behind the lead stack and try to replicate the success of the earlier Bialystok counterattack or do they simply form a ring around the salient allowing a ZOC screen to perform the isolation. Unfortunately they no longer possess the troop levels necessary to form a suitably strong screen and yet still hold the line elsewhere. The other difference to the earlier operation is that the Soviets have far stronger follow up forces in the area with 4 or 5 rocket and artillery corps fresh from the conquest of Lvow. Reluctantly therefore the German force falls back and forms a tight ring on 4 sides of the Soviet advanced elements isolating them but leaving an escape route.

AGS: (Zero Attacks) A defensive stance is demanded here as fresh troops march and rail to bolster their Hungarian allies defending the mountain borders of the country. The Rumanians also get more support following their show of loyalty to the National Socialist cause. The two panzer cadres and the Rumanians Mot xx manage to reach friendly lines. Only the fort north of Galati remains as an isolated breakwater against the tide off the Soviet advance that is held up as much by its own extended supply lines than active enemy resistance.

Air Combat: The Luftwaffe is now able to rebase to new airfields constructed by engineer regiments removing much of the over-stacking which has plagued them recently. Concentrated in a small area this gives them great defensive flexibly. Axis airpower is as strong and effective as ever in resisting the Soviets and denying them airspace over the front.

Combat Report

Attacks = 4.
Losses: Axis: Air = 2
Soviets; Isolated = 4, Un-isolated = 69
FC = 6,
Air = 2
Total = 79

Commentary

My initial intention was to provide a very detailed exploded turn report down to unit level across the whole front this turn but after beginning the exercise I decided that as the game is so close to the end that this would take too long to compile and report and would slow things down far too much. I have therefore limited this approach to Initial Phase, Arctic and Steppe Front. The remainder of the game is reported, as previously, at a lighter reporting level.

Initial Phase

Isolation & Supply. The Arctic mud has shortened supply lines considerably so only a few units close to the supply dump at Alta are supplied (15 RES) These units include a 4-6 XX, 5-6 Gds inf, 3-6 Naval, 3-1-8 Rkt.

In Rumania the supply status of the forward Gds Tank and Mech Corps outside Bucharesti and Ploetsti is unchanged at U1 but they are now Isolated by German actions. A second group just west of Galati becomes U1 and Isolated due to the Axis counterattack last turn eliminating the 2-1-8 eng Tk which was forming a supply bridge to the main front. This group comprises a 12-9-8 Gds Tk corps, 5-8 Gds tk cadre, 5-8 mech cadre, and 3-1-8 mot rkt .

Reinforcements & Replacements: No Reinforcements but 2 Production Res Pts are placed at Baku. 19 Inf rep are recovered from last turn’s high losses. 10 are placed at Riga and are used to replace 2×5-6 gds inf, and 9 at Minsk that together with accumulated replacements replace a 6-6 gds inf and a 5-6 gds inf. 13 armour Replacements enter the pool and a 12-8 Gds Mech is rebuilt at the Leningrad Factory which has been in full production throughout the war.

Air Replacements: 69 Available aircraft are culled sending 6 to Remnants. Remnant culling permanently eliminates 1 squadron. Eliminated Over Friendly contains 3 Assault bombers and 2 Fighters so because this is not the start of an Air Cycle these are unchanged. But in the EET Box 3 Bombers are Grouped dropping the GA by one to 104 and placing one in Available, one in Remnants and Permanently eliminating one. The 13 Remnants are grouped randomly into 5s. 2 become active, 8 are permanently eliminated and 3 remain as remnants. A C47 and a Il-4 are Activated from the Available box and placed at Nikolayev.

Air Repair: Favourable dice rolls repair 5 units out of 15 currently Aborted Units.

Construction: 3 Permanent Airfields are built.

Planning: 2×3-6 Marines with BB Archangelsk and a DD flotilla in support plan an Amphibious Landing at A:0607 on the Alta-Narvik coast road. This aims to flank and Isolate any defence of the river/mountain line at the pinch point by the northern tip of Sweden.

In the Black Sea a 3-6 Marine plans a landing at Point 3619 immediately east of Constanta on the Rumanian coast. This is joined by a parallel supporting action by a 3-6 marine and a 2-6 Marine at 3419 immediately to the west. This joint operation aims to capture the port and drive remaining coastal forces north and allow follow up reinforcements to push south of the Danube into Bulgaria.

Arctic Front Movement Phase: A 4-6xx placed in supply is used to haul Res Pts along the coast road while other supplied units move forward at speed to reach the front. The 5-6 gds inf xx, 3-1-8 Rkt and 2-6 Nvl catch a 2 pt Hvy AA unit below the German Mtn redoubt struggling to cross the causeway to safety.

Arctic Front Combat Phase: The Guards charging down the mountain paths to the crossing catch the AA units strung out along the narrow defile desperately trying to load the prime movers and guns onto the ferry. They are mercilessly cut down and many of the guns captured. (Automatic Defender Elimination and all attackers advance).

Arctic Front Air Phase: The Soviets expend 2 Res Pts at Archangelsk to put the 7 strong Arctic Air Squadrons into action. With no ground battles to assist they target the German airfields, in particular Tromso occupied by a Ju87B. A Me110e intercepts (No Res pt needed) and engages an A20B Aborting it. With no AA the Ju87B is a sitting duck but mist and rain squalls over the target driven by the increasingly violent weather front prevents accurate targeting and all sorties fail to hit the target. Further south the fields at Narvik and Halstead are targeted. The Halstead attack also ends in failure but 2 hits at Narvik result in overkill for a single Hit reducing the Capacity to Zero.

Steppe Front Movement Phase: Units on the Rumanian plain are scattered and interspersed following the precipitous Soviet advance towards Ploesti and Bucharesti. These units have been isolated by German reinforcements and Rumanian moves. There is a cavalry/infantry/artillery force moving south down the road from Stanislaw and the advanced guard of the main front advancing from Odessa has now occupied the eastern bank over the river from Galati and is preparing to assault the city and its fortified adjuncts. Axis defences comprise a relatively strong two hex stack at Galati and scattered non-divisional units across the plain to the main line at Ploesti/Bucharesti. Barring the Stanislaw road is a 4-8 cavalry division in the mountains ZOCing the road. Linking this unit to the Galati defence is a powerful assembly of a 16-10 Panzer division and an adjacent stack of a 7-8 Panzer cadre with the Rumanian 6-10 motorised division. In the north both supplied and U1 units move towards the Hungarian border.

I will consider the options for the four Soviet groupings as follows;

The Isolated group between Galati and Bucharetsti/Ploesti
The main assault on Galati and its associated defences.
The group moving South from Stanislaw
The small group approaching the Hungarian border.
Group 1. As can be seen from map the 15-8 mechanised unit has few options; it can only combine with one other unit, the 15-12-8 for a 3:1 (-1) attack on the 4-8 Panzer Grenadier cadre which carries too high a risk of exchanges and this would leave both attackers still deep in enemy territory. So while it has the advantages of attacking a German unit rather than a Rumanian unit. (that is likely soon to seek terms) this is not considered a viable option. Likewise although the 15-8 could, with its one hex movement, engage the 2-10 Luftwaffe unit stacked with a 2-3-8 Rumanian artillery this would be suicidal given the 88’s (-4) AT DRM. 15-8 mech therefore moves one hex East and is not involved in any subsequent combats.

The 15-12-8 however has other options for combat; by moving one hex East it reaches a Rumanian stack comprising a 1-2-8 artillery regiment and 0-1-5 cons with air support from the Rumanian Blenheim bomber. In isolation this would provide a 1.5:1(+3) attack that carries the risk of an Exchange. However this unit can combine with all or part of the second section of this group; the isolated support train west of Galati. This group comprises a 12-9-8 Gds Tk corps, 5-8 Gds tk cadre, 5-8 mech cadre, and 3-1-8 mot rkt all of which can engage the Rumanians. Looking at the combat table 3:1 (+3) is sufficient to avoid any possibility of exchanges and if surrounded would eliminate the defenders. This will have the advantage of allowing the 15-12-8 tank Corps to advance one hex further west in the combat phase to relative safety. (Hot pursuit carries its rewards). This assumes the worst case, that the air defence unit remains unscathed by attacking AA. Calculation show that 12 points are needed for the 3 to 1 and with 7 ½ being provided by the 15-12-8 due to the attackers being U1 4.5 points (9 printed) are needed from the other units. Unless the defenders are ZOC’d there is a 50% chance that some or all can survive the attack so the 12-9-8’s ZOC would need to be positioned to ensure annihilation of the defenders. This is achievable by the unit swinging NE “behind” the Rumanians and lack of ZOCs among the scattered stacks will allow this. Consequently this engagement frees part of the force for use elsewhere. Adjacent to these units to the West is a weak stack comprising a 0-1-5 Rumanian cons and a 2-8 artillery unit caught hauling 2ResPts. The attack would be no better than 2:1(+3) which carries a risk of exchange. The defenders however would not be able to retreat due to action by Group 2 (see below) so would be eliminated if retreated. Air power could boost this attack to a safe and secure 3:1 (+3) by the application GS so this is a viable option. But is it optimal? I will park this at the moment and return to it later.

Group 2: Main attack from Odessa. This group can be considered as two distinct parts. The northern wing which comprises various armoured and motorized units, primarily sub divisional, and the southern wing which is infantry based. The main bulk of this latter part is marching west from Odessa and will not be in contact with the Galati defences this turn. The northern wing could be used to cross the river to the north and pass the defenders either to attack the northern fort from the NW or engage Axis units directly west. The river prevents any unit getting right behind the forts.

The goal and options here are more straightforward. The southern stack comprises 2x 3-1-8 rkt and 3x 1-2-8 AT units. The AT units cross to the south and take no part in the attack while the rockets move SW slide around Galati, cross the Danube and prepare for combat either into the city or striking directly west into a practically abandoned fort SW of the city at Braila. This is held by a lone unsupported 1-2-6 MG Brigade and ripe for slaughter. It is important to include a division in the attack for its ZOCs which is needed to advance and pin the 0-1-5 cons/2-8 art group referred to above. This attack will require 9:1 to ensure elimination. (-1 for Fort.). Follow up forces cross the river and add to the rockets. A 3-8 Cav xx swings wide to the south through wooded rough and begins a crossing of the Danube 50 miles south of Galati.

With the bulk of the Guards Rifle and Artillery Corps still re-deploying from the assault on Odessa the forces at hand are barely sufficient to manage a direct assault on Galati. The three hexes adjacent comprise:

• North East; 3×5-6 gds inf xx, 1-2-8 AT, 3×3-1-8 rkt, 4-1-8 rkt (21 effective);
• East; 15-3-8 gds rkt corps (moved so 50%), 3×4-6 inf xx, 3-6* gds inf brig, 2-6 art, 2-8 mtr (effective 19)
• South; (South of the Danube) 2×4-6 inf xx, 2-6 gds inf cdre, 2-6* inf brig, 4-2-8 art, 2-6 art, 4-1-8 rkt. 3-1-8 rkt. (effective 16) (For a total of 56 effective points.

Galati comprises all Rumanian 2×5-6 inf xx, 1-2-6 AA, 2-3-8 art plus DAS from a Hs129B (2 pts) = 17 points.

Ratio is 56:17 = 3.29 insufficient to guarantee an elimination due to the NE but “safe”. There is insufficient AA to attack the Hs1329 so this is the final ratio prior to any additional GS to try for an odds increase. This is a crucial attack because if Galati is lost it will persuade Rumania to seek terms. However 34 points of GS will be needed to guarantee the defenders retreat or elimination (at 5:1) and this may or may not be the best use of the air power. The Soviets will have to balance the rewards of a Rumanian Surrender/Armistice against the other uses of the SVS. (see below)

Because the southern stack needs to advance one of the 4-6 inf xxs to ZOC the Galati defenders and cause more damage on their retreat the stack is split leaving exactly 51 points (3:1) against Galati and allowing 5 effective points in the form of the one of the 4-6xx inf and the 4-2-8 art, attacking Braila.

The 5:1 odds have a 1/6 chance of an NE and while this unit is small fry it is important to gain this hex and place the 4-6xx over the river. 6:1 is needed to guarantee this so 1 point of GS minimum will be needed to top up the attack.

For the hex immediately to the north of Galati insufficient force can be administered from arriving infantry. The mobile portion of this Group could engage this northern stack and tip the odds to a viable attack but they see a juicer prize to the west. The hex immediately to the north of Galati is therefore left un-attacked.

Barring the way West is a group including a 16-10 pz XX. This is assaulted by all available tank and motorized forces and the 15-3-8 rkt corps from the Stanislaw group. Only a poor 3:1 (-1) is possible which provides a high chance of escape for the Panzers. However by utilising the trapped forces to the West a pincer attack can be launched against this unit.

This is decided to be the best option and the attack against the 0-1-5 engineer/2-8 art discussed above is abandoned and the engineers are left un-molested.

Pre move showing options not taken

The 12-9-8 exfiltrates through the Axis lines and takes up position behind the 16-10 from where it also ZOCs the Blenheim group. It is joined by the 3-1-8 mot rkt unit. The inclusion of the Corps and Rkt against the 16-10 now requires only 8 GS to top up to a 5:1 (-1) attack which has a high possibility of mauling the Panzer – a far greater prize than a Rumanian construction and artillery unit. The two cadres join the 12-9-8 but attack West in its place with the 15-12-8 to secure the elimination of the Blenheim assisted stack and the advance and escape of the 15-12-8. (One additional dilemma here is the location of a15-12-8 Tk corps which is part of the mobile northern assault group from east of the river. This is the only corps or divisional sized unit in this group. If placed in the northern of the two stacks attacking the 16-10 it supports the artillery but in the southern hex it ZOCs Galati. In the end it is decided to support the artillery to maximise the attack value. This makes it imperative that Galati is ZOC’ed from the south by the advance over the Danube.)

Group 3; This group moving south along the Stanislaw road splits off two mountain divisions and a cavalry division which infiltrate through the mountain passes while the rest of the force moves south and directly assaults the Rumanian 4-8 Cavalry xx in a straight 4:1 attack.

Group 4: In the north of Steppe Front units move slowly into Hungary and at U1 attack and eliminate by overwhelming force a 1-7 Light Police Regiment on the road to Cluj.

Rear area: Units force march to the front and engineers and Combat engineers move in the direction of Bucharesti. Marines enter Odessa to board their invasion transports and are joined by paradrops and glider troops.

Sept II 1944 Post Soviet Combat Phase in Romania

Steppe Front Pre-combat Isolation check; The move of the 12-9-8 to trap the 16-10 pz and the Blenheim assisted stack means that the whole Galati defence is un-isolated. In fact of all the defenders only the Blenheim stack is Isolated. This is not considered that significant because the collapse of Rumania is imminent and so any replacements are unlikely to see action anyway.

Steppe Front Ground Support: NB. Anyone following this from the outset will remember that I decided to use a pseudo “on demand” air system. This was primarily to handle GS/Harassment without having to pre-plan all the moves and combats that in a large solitaire game of this type would add lots of time. The air system used has evolved so that air drops are made during movement and GS immediately pre-combat. All other air activities take place after exploitation including DAS and Harassment for the next player turn. I accept this makes GS and Harassment more powerful to some degree because none is “wasted” but it does allow the game to run quicker and smoother. Because at the time of placing DAS no moves or combats are pre-planned there does not seem to be much distortion to this aspect. In effect then most air activity is moved to the end of the turn.

GS is allocated as follows: To Galati; 3xIl4 incl 1xgds),5xPe-2B 9 (incl 2xgds), Pe-2FT gds, escorted by Yak-9DD, Yak-9 gds, Yak-9U

To the 16-10 Pz attack; 3x Pe-2FT (incl 1xgds), P-40n (as GS) with escorts of 2xYak9.

To the solitary MG unit; 3xPe-2FT, A20-G gds escorted by a just repaired Yak 1B (All at extended range)

Interceptions: The two available Fighters in range (Rumanian Me109G and IAR81) choose to intercept the flight over the 16-10 Pz. They are swept from the skies by the escorts (Snakes eyes and a 3) and the bombers are unscathed.

AA; The 16-10 pz flack is ineffective and so all 10 points of GS are added to the attack. The 5:1 attack is assured.

The MG has no flack so 4 2/3rds effective GS is added raising the odds to 9:1(-1) and ensuring the MGs destruction. The advance will cut off any retreat from Galati.

The attack against Galati meets heavy, well targeted flak from the 3 points of combat AA in the town and an Il4 and 4xPe2Bs are “Returned”. The effective GS is dropped to 11 points so the attack remains at 4:1(-1).

Steppe Front Combats: Three auto kills; one against the 1-2-6 MG 9-1 (-1) at Braila, one verses the Blenheim assisted stack at 3:1(+3) surrounded, and the lone Police detachment on the Cluj road (9:1 -1), are executed and advances made. The 4-6xx/4-2-8 art south of Galati crosses the Danube and eliminating the fort. The 15-12-8 East of Ploesti advances closer to safety and a pair of Guards infantry advance along the road to the Hungarian Border.

The larger attacks are now resolved. Against the 4-8 Cav a “2” causes a HX eliminating the Cavalry and reducing to cadre a Guards Para Inf xx.

Against the 16-10 Pz A “6” Eliminates the unit. The cadre can retreat onto the adjacent stack of 7-8 pz cadre and 6-10 Rum Mot xx and so is spared immediate elimination.

Units advance sufficient to form a 30 point mobile stack for possible overrun of the 0-1-5 cons/2-8 art stack.

Galati is now attacked with bated breath. A “1” is rolled for an Exchange! Soviets loose 3×4-6 inf and a 1-2-8 AT. All Rumanians are eliminated including the two 5-6 inf xx cadres who have no retreat path. Units advance over un-bridged rivers where possible to reduce movement costs next turn.

This concludes all attacks.

Combat Setup, September II 1944

In exploitation a truck moved south from Ukraine front adds to the supply extension running from Odessa where poor positioning of Rail engineers has left a break in the line.

This should bring all the advanced moto/mech units back in supply assuming Clear weather. The fall of Galati will ensure Rumania negotiates for some form of settlement next player turn so the planned overrun against the cons/art stack is scrubbed in favour of moves to pin the German Panzers against the mountains and thus facilitate their destruction next month.

Romaia in Late September 1944, after the Soviet Explotation Phase

Steppe Front Air Phase: All aircraft were used in GS so other than some transfers from the rear there is no further air activity.

Steppe Front Combat Losses: The Steppe Front battles have resulted in the following casualties:
Soviet = 19, Fort = 1, German = 8, Rumanian Isolated= 2, Un-isolated=18, Air = 2.

The Other Fronts

Byelorussian: (4 Attacks) Any illusions the German Army may have had that they had held the Soviets in check is shattered as two major armoured thrusts split the front in three and surround two Fortified Areas containing a Pz xx, Inf xx and 4 smaller units. The isolation of the German units is temporary for sure designed to reduce the Germans ability to counterattack but the breaches advance the Soviets ever further West. The advance overruns some small units moving forward and three airfields. Caught by total surprise no aircraft escape and 5 are sent direct to Remnants. Forward elements west of Allenstein are now only 2 hexes from the map edge. Further south a third breach west of Brest-Litovsk threatens to compromise the main German river line to the south.

Ukraine: (8 Attacks) A number of attacks converge to eliminate the remaining pocket at Lvow and an outward drive reaches the heavily forested area NW of the city.

Little action against the Hungarians due to limited force levels and supplies. The Soviets have one Gds Tk Corp and one Gds Mech corps committed to this sector but the latter is re-assigned to Lvow so is withdrawn and begins to move north.

Air combat: 4 Mission groups are intercepted; 1 providing GS, 2 on airfield bombing missions and one on Rail-line bombing. Fate deals an even hand with an A20G/P-39Q falling in one mission and two Me110Es being knocked out of the sky by accurate Attacker AA.

Combat Report

Total Attacks = 19

Losses:
Soviets = 23
2x Air.

Axis:
Forts = 4
German; 92
AAx2
Air = 2
On Ground = 5

Narrative

“Marta! Marta! What are you doing? hurry up we have little time left”. Frederick turned to his son 14-year-old Max who had so far escaped the draft. Max was a strong boy having honed his muscles through hard labour from the smallest child growing up on the family farm. The farm they were now having to abandon. Their worldly possessions were piled high on a small donkey cart in front of the farmhouse.

“Max, quickly, grab the other shaft, help me pull the cart around to the driveway” Frederick implored his son.

Then again turning towards the house “Marta, Marta, quickly, quickly.”

Marta appeared at the door of the farmhouse her face red, and wet with tears. She was carrying in her hands a large box which appeared heavy but which she was handling with great care.

“I can’t leave mother’s Dresden, it’s all I have left to remember her by” she pleaded.

“Marta we cannot carry any more, choose one, choose your favourite”.

Marta carefully reached into the box and pulled out a small figurine of a ballerina in pink. “I will take her”, she said, “She has always been my favourite, she reminds me of mother and the time we went to the Berlin Opera house, before the war, before the madness. Oh! we had such a marvellous time; I will never forget it; and this figure reminds me of that time and of my mother.”

Frederick, tears welling up in his own eyes despite his hard no-nonsense exterior, said, kindly, “Come now Marta, bring your ballerina, but we must hurry – they will be here soon”.

Marta wrapped the little porcelain figure safely in a cloth and placed it securely on top of the cart.

With a great effort Frederick and Max one on each side of the cart pulled it forward and gaining momentum moved down the gravel track towards the main road. Martha walking behind dejectedly and with trepidation. None of them had the courage or power to turn back to look at the farm they were forced to abandon.

At the end of the track they joined the stream of refugees shuffling West. Their fellow travellers included farmers like themselves, merchants, housewives, the elderly and the young. There were few men of fighting age still out of uniform now.

Within the ranks, however, were soldiers returning from the front, maimed and wounded in mind and body. One pitiful sight was especially poignant. A soldier, one leg missing, was being supported by another with his head completely swathed in bandages. One providing the sight, the other the mobility. Like some strange otherworldly chimera, the symbiotic coupling shuffled West with the rest of the line.

They had travelled perhaps an hour or so when there was a commotion behind them. Glancing rearwards they saw the weary travellers scattering to the sides of the road. A black staff car with pennants flapping tore along the road seemingly oblivious to the people in its way. A motorcycle with sidecar and menacing machine gun in front and behind it a camouflage painted truck with two motorcycles bringing up the rear.

The brave amongst the band shook their fists at the car and its occupants, one shouted “The plunder gets better treatment than the people!”. He was hushed by those around him fearful of the consequences of such talk.

Moments later there was a roar from behind and an even greater cry from the occupants of the road. Frederick turned back and saw a glint in the sky as too menacing aircraft bore down upon the travellers.

“Martha, Max,” he cried, “Into the ditch, quickly!” The family instantly responded to Frederick’s frantic cry and dived for cover. The bullets ripped through those not quick enough to move off the road and those beyond hope who no longer cared for the consequences or perhaps, in some instances, were prepared to risk exposure in order not to interrupt their movement west.

Frederick, Marta and Max their heads buried in the ditch heard a deafening roar of explosions on the road they had just left.

As soon as it had begun the attack was over.

Frederick, Max and finally, Martha, rose from the ditch and surveyed the scene in front of them. The donkey cart was in ruins, burning; the sum total of their possessions reduced to what they now had on their backs.

Martha wailed and shouted ”Meine kleine Ballerina! Meine kleine Ballerina!“. But the cart was too hot with flames to approach. She looked around franticaly then suddenly cried out again, this time with joy. “Meine kleine Ballerina!“ There, at the side of the road, nestled against a tuft of long grass was a small pink porcelain figure of a ballerina. Through some miracle of physics or divine intervention it had survived the explosion.

Martha scooped it up into a hands and clasped it to her bosom. Turning to Frederick she exclaimed. “It is a sign Frederick! It is a sign from God, that he will protect us!“

Frederick put his arms around his wife and said gently “Let us hope so Martha, let us hope so.”

A hundred yards further on they came across the focus of the aerial attack. The wreckage of the car and truck that had passed them earlier. Inside the burning wreckage fragments of ornate panels could be seen oozing a sticky yellow paste flecked with gold. Many of the refugees were trying to tear pieces away but there was little to salvage. “What is it father?“ Max asked.

Frederick answered with a mix of bitterness and sadness. „Its fool‘s gold, Max“, he replied, “its fool‘s gold.“

Turn Report

Weather: Mud in A and B, rest Clear.

Army of Norway: (0 Attacks). Reduced to only 2 Front Line Regiments the survivors move back south and are joined by an SS battalion to form a line at the narrow mountainous neck at the northern tip of Sweden. The long-awaited reinforcements arrive but are sent to Narvik to deter any Amphibious attack.

AGN: (1 attack). Mobile units decide to mass against a Russian stack which can be eliminated or reduced without risking to many German loss. They select 11th Army, an infantry formation with a Guards rocket attachment. Units converge and with air support deliver a DE result from a 4:1 (+1) attack.

AGC; (2 attacks). In the spirit of the Fuhrer’s wishes but for little strategic gain an infantry stack west of the Bug just Southwest of Brest is attacked, again with air support, at 3:1 (+3). This eliminates the stack and allows the west bank to be reclaimed along a 16-mile frontage.

The defenders of Lwow manage to break out of the encirclement, Late September 1944

A far more significant attack is that NW of Lvow. The Soviets have littered the German rear areas with Harassment hits to hinder the attack and a number of intended participants find they cannot reach their trapped comrades and so are diverted north to clear the West bank of the Bug. However, the many units that do reach the Soviet ring around the pocket concentrate to attack a defending Soviet Tank corp. Aided by half strength units from inside the pocket they manage to punch a hole and the trapped units flood out and secure the line outside the ring. A brave SS 6-10*Pzg remains behind to isolate the 2 Mech corps who formed the western edge of the trap and who now find themselves trapped and isolated in turn.

AGS: (1 attack) Barely worthy of mention a 2-1-8 engineering tank forming a supply link for the hook around Galati is eliminated by retreating armour. Four fresh infantry divisions and a rebuilt 12-10 SS pzg enter from the West. They are not strong enough to attack but envelope the rash Soviet corps who ventured as far as Bucharesti.

Axis attempts to stem the Red Army in Romania, late September 1044

Air Combat: The Axis attacks have required some air assistance and they also fly the usual DAS missions covering most of the front line with air support. The Soviet forward fighter force engages many of these stacks and air battles rage across the front lines.

2 Yak 9s (1G), engage a Me109G screen while a P63A, Yak7B, Mig3 (g) take on a Me210c on ground support. Both Axis machines are downed but they take with them the Yak9 and Abort the P63A
Me109Gs escorting a flight of Ju87D are jumped by a pair of Yak109s and the Junkers is eliminated
A pair of Yak9s one a guard with the mighty P47D and a P39Q take on a Ju87R escorted by a Fw190A. Both the Ju87R and the Pe39Q are Aborted
The results of another encounter are: Yak9M, YakDD, (Aborted) vs Fw190A and a Hur 4(T) (Eliminated) vs Ju88A. However 2pt Defensive AA fire Aborts the FW190A
A Yak9B, Pe39Q attempt to bypass a screen of a Fw190A and a Me1090G. The Pe39Q does not survive the manoeuvre.

Combat Report

Attacks = 4 (incl 1 Auto Kill)

Losses:
Soviet = 62
Foreign Contingents = 2
Total = 64
Air = 3

Axis Air = 3

Narrative

Army HQ somewhere in the Western Soviet borderlands.

Supreme Commissar Soviet Forces West addresses the assembled Field Marshals, Marshals and senior Generals.

“Gentlemen, this week Odessa will be ours and with its capture we will have returned all of Sacred Mother Russia to our control. Our lands have been recovered with much sacrifice and bloodshed but under the leadership of Comrade Stalin we have prevailed.

Uncle Joe has one more request of you.

He reads a prepared statement;
“Comrades of the Western front we have given much and, while we may allow ourselves a moment of celebration, we must be in no doubt that the fight is not yet over. We must continue to attack the Nazi war machine and now, more than ever, with increased vigour. We must not pause in our endeavours until the Red Star flies over the ruins of Berlin and the Nazi menace is eliminated for ever. I expect all forces to be relentless in their assault and vigorous in their pursuit of the enemy. No more caution, the enemy is on his knees – now is the time to strike him down.

Turn Report

Artic Front; (1 attack) The worsening weather robs the Soviets of their supply parity yet still two attacks along the coastal strip are mounted. Manoeuvre surrounds a German stack which is eliminated on retreat while a DE eliminates another. The gradual erosion of German forces is taking its toll as even on a reduced front they cannot maintain a solid line. Reinforcement is desperately needed to halt the Soviet advance.

Byelorussian Front: (7 attacks) Effective Axis defence in the North of the sector continues to deny the Soviets any real territorial gains. They take a fort left in a salient south of Konigsberg designed to break up any meaningful advance and clear the peninsular west of the fallen city. Northeast of Allenstein a hex is captured on a DH but to the south of the city a valiant defence halts their assault with a NE result. In the south of the sector the Soviets try to consolidate the bridgehead over the Western Bug but German armour minimizes their thrusts and air cover allows the defenders to withdraw under their protection (DR).

Ukraine Front: (7 attacks) In a rare victory an attempted crossing of the Bug 50 miles west of Kowel is repulsed by the defenders but this overshadowed by events a few miles south where armour concentrates north of Lvow and a hole is punched in the Axis lines. Armour and mech units pour through the gap moving north, west and south. In a second prepared assault infantry, cavalry, rocket artillery, engineers and other forces with air power blasts the city of Lvow which falls on the first assault. The combined effect of these actions pins 3TK, 16pz cadre, 10th Pzg cadre, SS 4 Nor, 103 Tk Brigade, 2x Artillery brigades, 2 inf divisions a security regiment and a Luftwaffe penal battalion in a pocket northwest of the city.

In the south forces reach the Hungarian border and pick off units caught in the lowlands but are too weak to assault into the mountainous terrain.

The Lwow pocket: Soviets exncicle substantial parts of AG Center, September 1944

Steppe Front: (3 attacks) Odessa Falls; Massed forces with Air and Naval support takes on the mixed Axis defending force who are supplied by sea and with their own air defence at a low-odds 3:1 (-1). A DH grants them total victory over the isolated enemy.

Further west Soviet armour and mech forces moving south and west combine and break though the Axis fortified river defence north of Galati. With comrade Stalin’s demands fresh in their minds the corps advance as far west as possible plunging out of supply and reaching the outskirts of Buchuresti.

Soviet mechanized corps exploit into the Romanian plains, September 1944

Air Combat: More airspace is contested this turn. Offensively the SVS flies a series of Harassment operations in the centre of the line aimed to limit the mobility of the Axis and consequently their ability to respond effectively to the breakout around Lvow.

Combat Report:

Attacks = 18. (plus Over-runs = 5)
Losses Soviets = 32. Air = 4.
Axis: Forts = 6, German Isolated = 13, Un-isolated = 75 (incl over-runs), 1×3 pt FA, 5 pts AA. Air = 1
Rumanian = 4, Hungarian Isolated = 12, Un-isolated= 3, Eastern = 1
Total = 108.

Combat Ratio: Sept I ‘44 Axis/Sov = 124/83 = 1.49:1

Narrative

New Wolf’s Lair 14th August 1944: Head of East Front Forces addresses the assembled Field Marshals of the Eastern Front:
“Gentlemen reports please”
Each in their turn, in solemn tone, delivers their situation reports.
First from Army of Norway: The situation is difficult; we are losing between two and three regiments each month and with few replacements we are forced to fall back south. I cannot guarantee the safety of our iron ore supplies unless I receive reinforcements immediately!
Then from AGN “We are holding the enemy here, and here, and have blunted his attacks here, but Konigsberg has fallen. We continue to hold the western suburbs and peninsular. In the south the Western Bug has been breached, here and here. Enemy mobile forces are reported to be moving towards Warsaw.”
And from AGC: “We have formed a line from the west of Brest Litovsk south to Lvow but the enemy have breached north and south of the city which is surrounded by the 9th Guards Tank corps.
Finally, AGS: “We are supporting our Hungarian allies along the borders and main rail lines to the interior. I must report that in Rumania our allies have proven less than effective but we are holding at Galati. Odessa remains in our control, but the enemy is massing artillery and rockets and is preparing to assault with engineers”.
“Thank you, gentlemen. I wanted to hear in your own words your reports before issuing these orders, from the Fuhrer himself; effective immediately.”

“The barbarian hordes aided by world Jewry have reached our borders. We have been betrayed by our allies who are already in secret negotiation for a separate surrender. But I have good news, our scientists are even now developing weapons which will turn the tide of the war. We are already striking at the capital of our western enemy with powerful rockets which are bringing them ever closer to the negotiating table. When we have secured their surrender, we can turn our full attention to defeating the Bolshevik hordes who threaten the Fatherland and our cultural superiority.”

“Until that time, it is vital that our homeland is kept clear of their ravages. I am asking, no demanding, that you show your loyalty and National Socialist Ardour to protect the purity of our racial integrity and keep the Untermensch from the Greater Reich. You must not allow the flower of Aryan motherhood to be ravaged by these unclean beasts from the east.”

“I therefore give you your orders, gentlemen, to be enacted without exception by the highest field Marshal among you to the lowliest private in the ranks. NOT ONE STEP BACK!“

Head of East Front: “Gentlemen you have heard the Fuhrer’s orders. In Norway forces will be dispatched to you. You must prevent the fall of Narvik if you value your head. AGN must counterattack immediately to reclaim the Western banks of the Bug. AGC, your orders are to eliminate the enemy forces encircling Lvow and ensure the enemy does not capture the city. AGS, Galati must be held and our allies must be kept in the fight.”

“Good luck and may God save us all”.

Turn Report

Weather: Mud in A rest clear.

Army of Norway: (No attacks) The ever-shrinking front is matched by an ever-shrinking army as the Soviets pick off units as quick as the reducing frontage allows them to concentrate. More troops trickle in but are held back at Narvik as a hedge against a Soviet amphibious assault.

The shrinking Army of Norway: Reduced by years of combat and supplying reinforcements to other fronts, Army Norway falls back, September 1944

AGN: (1 attack) Despite the Fuhrer’s entreaties some tactical withdrawals are made but the essence of the directive is followed with no wholesale withdrawals and a vigorous counter-attack mounted against the incursion over the Western Bug NW of Brest where a tank Corps is eliminated and the line restored.

AGC; (2 attacks) The pattern is repeated here where 3TK manages to move north and with powerful forces from the north of Lvow and reinforcements from the West smashes into the Soviet ring cadreing one Mech XXX and eliminating a Tank XXX. This results in the supply to Lvow being restored and the line held.

AGS: (No attacks) The rump of the Rumanian Army and the remains of AGS together with a few German reinforcements form a line at Galati which arcs north to the Carpathian foothills. Without substantial armour assets they cannot directly take on the Soviet Tank corps bearing down from the North East but plan to be positioned in a way that will allow them to concentrate should the Soviets over-extend themselves as they reach the limit of their supply lines.

Air Combat: Most aircraft are devoted to DAS which provides a very real boost to defence factors along the front line. A raid on Liepaja against a couple of Aborted foe is ineffective and no hits are scored.

Combat Report

Attacks = 3
Losses: German = 16.
Soviets = 15 (Isolated), 36 (Non-Isolated). Total = 51.

The Red Tide races across the North Ukrainian plain. With nothing to slow or dull its movement West it crashes against the German defenders around Lwow. The line like a string of sandcastles on a beach dissolves in the face of the advancing tide. The spume washes around the city and beyond. To the south the tide is stronger still and swirls between, around and over the border defences washing them away; barely stopping until its energy is spent as it laps against the Rumanian foothills.

Only in the North of the front where the terrain is more difficult, and the tidal range dimmed by prolonged contact with the enemy does the German defensive line hold. Some erosion occurs but no significant breaches are made other than a tiny trickle over the Western bug.

Artic Front:
(1 attack) The push along the coast continues aided by the Russian Arctic fleet stationed in Kvænangen pounding the German position while bombers from above add to the agony. The attack eliminates another German regiment and the advance grinds forward. Meanwhile the Marines are withdrawn to Murmansk to plan a further landing.

Belorusian Front:
Six attacks take place in this sector at various points along the Front. Most noticeably in the extreme north where Königsberg falls to a 4:1 (-1) attack. The defenders have a choice; do they retreat intact onto the peninsular? or do they risk escape through the narrow connection with the main front under fire from Soviet attackers and almost certainly being reduced in number? In the end they decide to retreat onto the peninsular. They hope that transports can move them off to safety.

The attacks further south are quite bloody for both sides with two full exchanges and a 1/2 exchange. The line gives but does not break north of the Western Bug but around Brest-Litovsk the Soviets do manage a breach of the river and two hexes of Tank Corps and supporting troops make a hesitant advance towards Warsaw.

Breakthough at Lwow: Soviets smash the Axis defensive line in Galicia, August 1944

Ukrainian Front
(3 attacks) Difficult terrain in the Pripyat marshes limits the strength of Soviet forces confronting the German line and prevents any assault in this area.

It is a completely different matter in the Lwow area where Guards infantry, Cavalry and in particular waves of armoured and mechanised formations concentrate to the north and south of the city. Supported by rocket and artillery divisions they smash holes in the newly formed German lines. In exploitation mobile units surround the city isolating it from supplies. This same advance straddles the direct supply train from Germany that feeds the forces to the south of the city including SS Panzer xx 3TK.

Steppe Front
(7 attacks). The thin screen of Axis, mainly Rumanian, forces trapped and positioned at the frontier to stem the Soviet advance are annihilated by the Army Group. Most attacks are at overwhelming odds and surrounded so the dice is not needed to determine the defender’s fate. Only Odessa remains defiant. The Soviets make no move against the city other than to rush Combat Engineers to assault the city next turn.

Air Combat: As the Luftwaffe falls back on its bases its fighters are concentrated and most are now upgraded to the fearsome FW190 variants, with a few Me109Gs. The longer range aircraft are generally being phased out as their greater range has become less important than fighting strength.

The Soviets become aware of the limited airbases available and the limited depth of the battlefield reducing the Axis’ ability to stand off out of the shorter range of the Soviet fighters. They thus launch raids on airbases and the north/south rail connections. This however ends in a bloody nose. In one day a massed raid on the airbase at Gdynia results in the loss of 7 Soviet Aircraft for no enemy losses and NO airbase Hits. The Luftwaffe refers to this as Sea-Eagle Day.

Combat Report

Attacks = 17 of which (7 are Automatic Kills).

Losses:
Soviet = 28, 7 Air.
Axis: Forts= 5 including one abandoned.
German = 42 (un-isolated), 7 (Isolated), 3 pos AA (un-isolated) 2 pos AA (isolated), 2 Air (captured on the ground).
Rumanian = 1 (un-isolated), 16 (Isolated), 3 air (on ground)
Eastern = 1 (Isolated)

Total = 67 Aug II ’44
Loss Ratio: Aug II ’44, Axis/Soviet = 67/ 49 = 1.37

The old city designations for the Soviet Army Groups are now of little relevance as they have advanced far beyond their start point so they are re-designated:

Artic Front remains and is tasked with capturing Narvik. Leningrad becomes Belorussian and extends from the Baltic coast to Brest Litovsk. It is tasked by STAVKA to capture Konigsberg and Warsaw and press on to Greater Germany. Moscow becomes Ukrainian extending from Brest Litovsk to the Rumanian/Hungarian border and is tasked with capturing Lvow and eliminating Hungarian resistance.

Stalingrad becomes Steppe extending from the Rumanian/Hungarian border to the Black Sea coast. Steppe is tasked with capturing Bucharest, Ploesti and eliminating Rumanian resistance by Surrender or elimination.

Partisans: No activity

Arctic Front:

(2 attacks) One NE and a DR net the attackers a 3-8 mtn reg and a gain of 500 square miles of tundra.

Belorussian:

(8 attacks) Name changes do not of themselves get results and in the north the Russian steamroller seems to have hit a bump in the road. Stiffening German resistance and fear of reprisals limits the Soviets to a few mopping up operations eliminating isolated pockets and two sacrificial outlying stacks around Konigsberg. Their attempts at penetrating the MLR fail as they inflict three retreats and advance in only two of them. A fourth attack is repulsed (AR).

Ukrainian Front:

(3 Attacks) The poor showing of the Soviet forces, disorganised and exhausted from their dash across the steppe, is repeated where a stack of two security regiments repulses an attack by Guards division and supporting units trying to capture the cross roads at Kowel.

A surrounded Inf XX now 150 miles behind the lines is finally eliminated and a PZg who failed to move west fast enough is caught and eliminated by a massive force of Tanks and Mechanized assets.

In exploitation these forces fan out and surround the three Panzer Divisions shielding the MLR at Lvov.

Ukraine Front before Exploitation, August I 44 Soviet Turn

Steppe Front:

(10 attacks) It is a different story in the far south where Stalin, exasperated by Rumanian prevarication authorizes Soviet forces to cross the border. The weak, widely dispersed resistance in the north of the country is assaulted across a wide frontage and numerous penetrations are made. With almost no Axis armour in the region Soviet tanks press west at full speed and by the end of the month are just short of crossing the Siret River at point 1820.  Meanwhile along the coast Nikolayev is captured and the outer fortified ring at Odessa is reduced. Only the city itself now remains in Axis hands.

Air combat: The Luftwaffe loose two units caught on the ground by the spectacular Soviet advance in northern Bessarabia; doubling Axis losses for the turn to 4.

Ukraine Front after Exploitation, August I 44 Soviet Turn

Combat Report:

1 Overrun, Attacks = 23 of which 4 automatic kills.
Losses: Soviets = 7, Foreign Contingents = 1. Total = 8. Air = 4
Axis:  Forts = 6
German: Isolated = 24, 3xAA, Non-Isolated = 10, 2xAA, FA x1, Air = 3.
Rumanian: Isolated = 11, Non-Isolated = 4, Air = 1
Hungarian: Isolated = 12. Non-Isolated = 6
Eastern: Non-Isolated = 2
Total Axis = 69
Loss Ratio: Axis/Soviet Aug II ’43 = 69/55 = 1.25