Europa Games and Military History

Tag: Scorched Earth (Page 1 of 15)

1944 DEC II Axis Turn

Last Axis turn but no end turn tactics allowed! Forces do however recognise the importance of Warsaw as a central anchor and rallying point for the defence and reinforce the city and adjacent hexes.

Weather: Snow falls in C bringing back some mobility to the main front. However Supply lines are still too stretched in the south to change the overall force dynamic in southern Hungary/Rumania.

Army of Norway:
No significant action awaiting Soviet attacks

AGN:
The last East Prussian hex receives its FA but this is not manned as the remaining forces fall back into the hex immediately East of Danzig to bar entry to the city and the Hel peninsular.

AGC:
Warsaw is packed with replacement infantry and any panzers that can reach it and adjacent hexes are reinforced. In the marrow strip of land to the south forces contract north, abandoning a fort to shorten the line. The impertinent 3-2-8 Tk brigade is eliminated.

In a separate action 4 x 4-6-6 infantry trapped in Slovakia mass against a lone cavalry XX who had reached the Western map edge – it is eliminated.

AGS:
Hungarian forces fall back into the interior as the Soviets advance Westward. From the south Soviet Armour moving up from Rumania is threatening the flanks but is so far held in check more by supply and weather rather than the two division defensive screen of Axis forces.

Air Combat:
Not much action as most Axis planes conduct DAS missions and Soviet fighters conserve their strength for the planned assault on Warsaw.

Combat Report: 2 attacks;
Losses: Soviets = 6, Air = 1

1944 DEC I REWRITE

Rewrite of Arctic Front Dec I.

Reset due to realization that Sea Ice prevents all Naval activity.

Axis Dec I 1944

Army of Norway: A scarce REs Pt is expended to allow DAS over the battlefield. No attacks all forces hold their ground and await for a Soviet attack.

Soviet Dec I 1944

Arctic Front: (1 Attack)
The Soviet forces are checked by the German reinforcements and have even been forced to give up some ground. All amphibious options are blocked by troops, coastal batteries or Kriegsmarine patrol boats and subs around Narvik and increasingly dense pack ice which makes navigation impossible and confines the ships and transports to port. The Soviets therefore decide to attack west from the Bardufoss enclave to try to aid the deadlock on the main front and allow artillery and fresh troops to move up and break the Narvik defences in the new year. Accordingly the only attack is made East along the cost where supplies ferried into Bardufoss by air and GS is critical to achieving the necessary odds. A 2-6 SS infantry cadre is eliminated and the advance brings the Soviets closer to the rear of the German MLR that will be at risk of being attacked from front and rear.

1944 DEC I Soviet Turn

Narrative

Kiev, Temporary Command HQ, Western Forces 3rd Dec 1944.

The 4 men known to each other by reputation or from many conferences before surveyed the map table in front of them.

“The Boss” began the conversation; “So, tell me gentlemen how do you propose to secure victory for us? What are your plans for the capture of Warsaw”?

The commander of Ukraine Front spoke up first. “Clearly I will take the lead in this matter. My forces are already occupying a sizable portion of the west bank of the Vistula and are driving northwards towards the western suburbs. The enemy are strong but we are confident we will be in a position to isolate the city within the month. In the meantime we have occupied the eastern and southern suburbs on the east bank of the river and with our artillery corps and assault engineers we will be able to take the eastern half by the middle of December.

Leaning over the map the commander of the Byelorussian front interjects “I think your ambition exceeds your abilities my friend. You will not be able to take the city without my help.”

He continued “Already, Boss, we have secured the northern approaches and will have cleared the eastern bank north of the city by mid-December. We will then be able to give the necessary assistance to my college to the south; the help he will assuredly need to take the western part of the city. I am confident we will have taken the city by direct assault by the end of the year” He relaxed and moved back from the map confident he had “The Boss”’s favour.

Joseph paused for a moment before exploding in rage. “Incompetent nincompoops! I should have you sent to the Gulags for your failure to observe the basic rules of Warmongering”

“Let me, instead, introduce you to my good, and trusted friend Mr Beria, you know the fellow, he runs the re-education camps for our troops. I am sure he would be honoured to have such noteworthy guests as yourselves under his care.”

Lavrentiy will you please read the Articles of War to remind these fools of its contents.”

“My pleasure, Boss. “Gentlemen please turn to page 33 of your briefing packs, I refer you to Article 37 subsection D, and I quote ““If a player owns all non-neutral major cities on the map at the START of his player turn, the game ends at that point. The player has won an automatic decisive Victory””

Stalin continues “At the START gentlemen, at the START, not at the end or sometime in the future. You MUST control all of Warsaw by the middle of the month and hold it till the end of the year.”

“I suggest now that you use the next weeks wisely and accelerate your plans to capture the city. I do not take kindly to failure.”

“Dismissed!!”.

Turn Report

Arctic Front: (1 Attack) The Soviet forces are checked by the German reinforcements and have even been forced to give up some ground. All amphibious options are blocked by troops, coastal batteries or Kriegsmarine patrol boats and subs around Narvik. They therefore decide to attack west from the Bardfloss enclave to try to aid the deadlock on the main front and allow artillery and fresh troops to move up and break the Narvik defences in the new year. Accordingly the only attack is made East along the cost where Naval Gunfire support is critical to achieving the necessary odds. A 2-6 SS infantry cadre is eliminated and the advance brings the Soviets closer to the rear of the German MLR that will be at risk of being attacked from front and rear.

Belorussian Front:
(6 attacks) The 3rd Army which has been driving west along the coast all the way from Konigsberg now hits too much resistance from the defending German forces for a one hex assault so turns inland and clears out an adjacent hex to its south. Another containing a FA falls to an adjacent assault and an 80 mile stretch of front is now at the map edge.

Soviet forces start to put the squeeze on strong German forces comprising a 4-hex row of adjacent Panzers in a small bulge north of Warsaw by attacking south along the map edge and by also driving east just north of the river confluence by Warsaw. This latter advance takes them to within one hex of the map edge preventing help for the city from the north.

A 3 hex assault is now made into the Eastern part of Warsaw but bereft of air cover which has been directed to the West bank. The attack is at 1.5:1 with engineers removing any die roll modifier. The result is an NE.

Ukraine Front:
(6 Attacks) With the fear of imprisonment or at the very least “The Boss’s” wrath falling down upon him commander of Ukraine Front attempts a high risk, one hex, assault into the western Warsaw city hex. Over the river from a ZOC’d hex even with artillery and engineers the attack is potentially suicidal at 1.5:1 (-1). Air support is called for. This results in one of the largest concentrations of airpower in the war as both sides realise the importance of the attack. (see Air Combat). The result when the skies and dust have cleared is an NE.

This seals the fate of Soviets ambitions at achieving an Automatic Victory. A small crumb of comfort for the remaining battered and beleaguered Axis forces.

Elsewhere on this Front the Soviets continue to enlarge their holdings on the western bank of the Vistula and try to push north. A breakthrough in the centre allows a 3-2-8 Tk Brigade an Exploitation opportunity to eliminate a Res Pt and Truck unit. But overextended and caught in muddy ground the unit is not expected to survive for long.

At the southern end of the line the isolated group of German and Hungarian units pressed against the map edge in Slovakia are halved in number and extent.

Steppe Front:
(2 Attacks) Still hampered by supply difficulties as the Hungarians and AGS units fall back into the interior only 2 attacks are launched but the two are well co-ordinated along the Cluj railroad and eliminate in its entirety a 4-6-6 German infantry unit.

Soviet armour slowly moving north from the Rumanian plain crosses the mountain passes into the remaining tongue of northern Rumanian. This brings them in contact with the only extant Rumanian unit; the 6-10 Mot xx.

Air Combat:
The citizens of Warsaw are reminded of the terrifying days of September ‘39 as the skies darken with the masses of aircraft overhead, this time flying in from the East. Every Bomber, Assault bomber and 2 point Tactical Fighter Bomber in range converges on the airspace of the Warsaw western hex. LIkewise every Axis interceptor in range rises in response.

In total the Soviets fly 22 bombing sorties with 14 escorts, while the Axis field 16 interceptors.

As the Soviets fly in they are first met by patrol attacks based in the packed Warsaw airbases and 6 assault units are Returned.

The survivors are met by a wall of interceptors.

Soviet Escorts fly in unopposed to engage them and down 2, Abort a third and Return another.

The 12 surviving Interceptors tear into the bombing stream and wreak complete havoc on the defenders

They Eliminate 4, Abort 6 and Return 2 all for the loss of only one Fighter.

The surviving bombers now meet the city defenders’ Flak but here their luck changes as the guns fail to score a hit.

Of over 70 initial bombing factors only 7.5 effective points are delivered.

But this is just enough to raise the odds from 1:1(-1) to 1.5:1(-1). The airmen return to base battered and bruised but comforted in the knowledge that they have considerably increased the chances of victory on the ground.

What they do not know at this stage is that their sacrifice has been in vein because an NE is to be rolled.

Combat Report

Attacks = 15 ( 3 Auto kills)

Losses:
Soviet = 3, Air = 9.
Axis: Forts = 2, Lost airfields = 1, Res Points =1;
Germans: FAs x2, Truck = 1, Un-isolated =34, Air = 4 plus 2 on ground.
Hungarians = 1
Total = 35

Loss Ratio: Dec I ‘ 44: Axis/Sov = 35/3 = 11.67

1944 DEC I Axis Turn

Weather: Snow in Arctic and B, Mud in C, Clear in G.

Axis forces take an entirely defensive posture with no attacks at all. Thy are tempted to try and relink the orphan section of front around Slovakia but this risks an exchange and requires quite a bit of air support for little advantage. Instead units move to support the defence of Warsaw the eastern hex of which becomes the most heavily defended city since Moscow. Other than the Rumanian Mot xx all other units evacuated from Rumania re-enter the map in Poland to defend the centre of the line.

Army of Norway:
An arriving Mtn XX takes up residency in Narvik and the previous defender moves forward to defend against the marine landings. A scarce REs Pt is expended to allow DAS over the battlefield.

AGN:
Units by the coast pull back into the Danzig corridor to defend the Hel peninsular which in total has a 10 aircraft capacity and is vital to the defence of the north.

AGC:
Arriving units rail straight in Warsaw and powerful Panzer units shuffle closer to the city to prevent any flanking move by Soviet units.

AGS:
Hungarian units shorten the line to strengthen the defence of rail lines West. In the south the Rumanian Mot xx moving north off map re-appears in the northern portion of Rumania to defend its homeland against the Soviet Tanks moving on map from the south who threaten to turn the southern flank. This allows 2 German infantry divisions to rail off map and head north.

Air Combat:

The Soviet re-organization and forward deployment operation enacted last turn allows a far more spirited response to German DAS this turn and a total of 13 (out of a possible 25) DAS missions are intercepted.

After the skies clear the tally of losses is as follows;

Soviet Fighters; = 3xE, 3xA
German Fighters; = 0
German Bombers/Assault/FBs = 1xE, 3xA, 4xR

Combat Report:
Attacks=0
Losses: Axis; Air=1
Soviet; Air=3

1944 NOV II Soviet Turn

Narrative

Again the Soviets are reminded that the German forces are as slippery as an eel when it comes to trapping them in any net as the northern and part of the central pocket breakout to freedom. However the freedom for some is short lived as the Soviet Steamroller threatens to crush them or sweep them off the map. The German line is now pressed against the western map edge and this turn sees the defence fracture as the Soviets reach the west edge in two more places.

Turn Report

Arctic Front: (1 attack) Supply difficulties hamper the Soviet forces but more troops are landed on the beach lodgement between the MLR and the Narvik defenders. All Soviet airpower is directed to softening up the increased Luftwaffe presence but the airbase attacks result in not a single effective hit. Deprived of airpower no other attacks are possible but the Navy provides massive gun support to an attack on Hammerfest from the Soviet lodgement on the southern end of the island and the garrison finaly surrenders. This is the German last outpost east of the MLR.

Belorussian Front:
(8 attacks). The relentless push along the coast continues and the river-line is crossed in front of Danzig. Parallel attacks spaced along the front to the south reach the Map edge at Hex 2832.

The slower units from the northern pocket and the deliberate spoiling force left in their wake are all eliminated but limit the Soviet advance north of Warsaw. A particular failing is a 5:1(-1) attack against fortified hex North West of the city which resists a massive armoured assault and will not be dislodged (NE).

South of the city however another crossing is made of the Vistula widening the bridgehead and closing the gap between the western bank forces and the southern suburbs of the city.

SE AAR 01 1944 NOV II Soviet Turn

Frontline during 1944 NOV II Soviet Turn.

Ukraine Front:
(4 attacks). More of the same here as the forces press the beleaguered defenders. The Western map is reached at point 4733 by attackers pushing in from the Lvow and Lublin directions. With the map edge already reached in northern Hungary this traps a group in a one hex deep 80-mile-wide section of front without a rail line and so no means of escape.

Steppe Front:
(4 Attacks). With much of the Soviet forces in supply difficulties a mixed set of results from a few low odds attacks pushes a couple more hexes into the interior plains and widens the West edge lodgement in the northern tip of the country. The out of supply Soviet tank forces in the extreme south can do little but slowly move north into the remaining part of Nazi controlled Rumania but are still many miles from any Axis forces with which to engage.

Air Combat:
A few air support missions draw a massed German response and cost a few aircraft but all achieve their aim of bumping the odds to favourable columns. Only one DAS mission is needed in which a Tu25s is lost to German interception. With very little lateral movement possible anyway the Soviets decide not to expose their aircraft to unnecessary interception and carry out a large re-organisation operation transferring aircraft to optimal airfields for the final month’s push.

Combat Report

Attacks = 17
Losses: Soviet = 10, Air= 4.
Axis: Forts = 4, FAs = 1, German = 67

 

1944 NOV II Axis Turn

Weather: Snow to Arctic, Mud in B&C, Frost in D, Clear in G.

Axis forces have not given up on their comrades trapped NE of Warsaw and launch a second breakout attempt aided by more arriving troops. In the centre replacement infantry move into Warsaw reinforcing the massive garrison unit. They may be down but the Axis are not yet out.

Army of Norway:
A precious Res Pt is spared and shipped north and troops manoeuvre to prepare for a further attack against the Marines next turn. The centre of the main line is reinforced and a further Luftwaffe fighter arrives to ward off the Soviet GS which they rely on for successful attacks.

AGN:
All available units and aircraft concentrate both inside and outside the pocket NW of Warsaw to breakout the trapped units. The breakout force is fully stacked with a cadre remaining behind to man a fort at the eastern end of the pocket which will be useful to split the Soviet tide much as a groin in a breakwater limits the power of the waves.

They hit a 12-8 Gds Mech/2-1-8 eng tk/1-2-6 AA and this time are more successful than last turn. At 5:1 (-2) with GS they manage to DR the defender who is cadred in the retreat. The trapped units advance to safety and mobile units pour through the breach in exploitation. This will add considerably to the Axis ability to resist in this area.

Outside Warsaw a lone 2-6 Gds cadre has reached the eastern suburbs but its artillery support has failed to keep pace due to the dreadful ground conditions and so it is now exposed to attack. A sally by the Warsaw garrison and a newly arrived 5-8 Jager division wipe out the puny defenders and allow the light infantry to advance and occupy the hex direct to the East of the city. This is a suicide mission but will delay the inevitable attack against the city by at least two weeks.

AGC:
In the centre a trapped 14-10 pz unit aided by GS risks a 4:1 attack against a 5-6 guards infantry and is rewarded with a DH allowing the Panzer unit to advance and then, in exploitation, reach the SE outskirts of Warsaw and supply further limiting Soviet access to the city.

The bridgehead over the Vistula is too powerful to attack so the defensive ring around the bridgehead is reinforced to try to limit any advance.

AGS:
Hungarian forces grudgingly give up ground to maintain a coherent front. A 3-5 Hungarian Security division is rebuilt and moves to contain the Soviet tankers north of Stu Mare.

In Rumania with nothing to defend the remaining troops (14-10pz xx, 2×7-8pz cadres and the sole remaining Rumanian unit a 6-10 Mot xx) exit the map and begin to rail north.

Air Combat. The Luftwaffe assemble the largest concentration of air power for perhaps the last 6 months to aid the breakout attempt in the AGN sector and a Mission force of 15 bombers carpet bomb the defenders. Two are Patrol Attacked away, one is removed by combat and another two by AA fire but in total 21 effective points are delivered bumping the odds to 5:1. The two other Axis attacks are also well supported. The Luftwaffe is present in extreme concentration and the short range and pitiful patrol attack range of the Soviet fighters means that their response is muted. One notable event is that the Me262 is Returned by a Patrol Attack and plays no part in any combats this player-turn.

Combat Report:
Attacks = 3.
Losses; Axis; Air = 1; Soviets; = 23, Air = 3.

1944 NOV I Soviet Turn

Narrative

“The Undiscovered Country”
Soviet forces in Rumania report a baffling and frightening phenomenon. Tankers are perplexed when they encounter a strange energy barrier a few miles west of the Dambovija River. The news is passed up the line. The fledgling Soviet Atomic Research Establishment has learned of Nazi Heavy Water experiments and surmises this is an, as yet, unknown Nazi Superweapon. Tankers report that their out of supply condition means they cannot move further west. At other points along the front advanced units report meeting similar phenomena but in places progress would seem possible because the barrier offers only light resistance. However STAVKA orders that no unit should move west of the line until a full assessment can be made. Steppe Front mobile units are therefore ordered to swing North and push up into Hungary as soon as they have dispatched the few remaining pockets of resistance in Rumania.”

The mud and consequential deteriorated supply condition now ensure that no matter how well their forces perform Map Exit from Rumania is now impossible due to lack of supply and there are insufficient supplied forces in Hungary.

With only four turns left and a force ratio of 3:1 assured but no map exit shift possible the Soviets are now battling to reduce the Axis city point count to improve the Victory level in their favour. Narvik appears out of their grasp, Danzig per errata is not included so only Warsaw remains as a potential prize.

With the mud hampering their operations as much as the Axis the advance mech and armour units are obliged to hold the line as the slower infantry try and push past the isolated pockets of Axis resistance. The pockets interlink in the centre and progress is slow with weak points between the Soviet advanced guard and the main body of troops.

Not withstanding the above the Soviets are able to increase the number of attacks to 26 this turn.

Arctic Front: (1 attack). The Soviets launch a 4:1-(-1) attack from Bardufoss against the line in front of Narvik but the marines are unable to make progress (NE).

Turn Report

Belorussian Front:
(9 attacks); Pushing along the coast the Soviets continue their steady, relentless advance cadreing a 6-8 Mtn and eliminating a bypassed FA. They also gain another advance at the furthest point West moving to within one hex of the map edge and cutting off from the south, temporarily, the forces defending Danzig. Of the next 5 attacks however no less than 3 result in NEs. Crucially however they do manage to eliminate a stack in the corridor linking the large pocket NE of Warsaw with the city. Attacks against the two isolated Panzer Divisions in separate pockets are mixed with one elimination and another NE.

Ukraine Front:
(8 attacks); The main aim here is to widen the bridgehead over the Vistula and use this as a springboard for a move north to Warsaw. At the same time this will sever communications to the powerful Panzer units falling back north from the Lvow sector. As a precursor a 16-10 isolated panzer unit is eliminated north of Lublin and the 4-6-6 infantry unit defending the city is also removed from active service. At the southern end of the line the push north from Lvow hits the fort line again but 2 more NEs dampen the Soviets’ ambitions and only one completed fort is eliminated.

Steppe Front:
(8 attacks); Most of the Hungarian front is now active with a lone Tank Corps complimenting a cavalry/Infantry advance in the north of the country. The Corps reaches the western limit of possible advance and turns directly south having cut off Hungary and the south from Germany/Poland to the north. However its U1 supply condition and the weather prevent any significant advance or roll up of the Hungarian line.

Along the mountain ridge the steady Soviet attacks and infiltrations push the Hungarian and German defenders off the ridge and they now cling precariously onto the Western slopes. The fort on the road to Stu Mare is eliminated and Soviet forces advance along towards the city.

In an unopposed move a Cavalry xx captures Pleven, the last remaining on-map Axis owned city in Bulgaria.

In Rumania Basov is taken and with it the last airfield in Rumania. A returning Ju87 ditches in friendly territory to avoid capture. The last vestiges of resistance are quelled with two auto attacks eliminating a pocket miraculously clinging on SE of Bucharesti and the southern tip of the defending line West of the Dambovija river. Only three occupied hexes remain on the southern plain, a 6-10 Rum mot XX, a pair of 7-8 pz cadres and a 14-10 pz xx all clustered around the railroad West.

Air Combat:
While battles rage across the front on the ground it is no less active overhead. GS, Harassment and DAS missions are all patrolled and intercepted and the FW190 in its various marques reigns supreme. 7 Soviet units are lost but a Spit 9 interceptor brings down a Fw190a with a snakes eyes roll.

 

Combat Report

Attacks = 26
Losses: Soviet = 21, Air = 7.
Axis; Forts = 5 (incl 1 half built); German: FAs =2, Pos AA = 1, Isolated = 20, Un-isolated = 62, Air = 3
Eastern = 2, Hungarian = 7, Rumanian Isolated = 3, Un-isolated = 2, Air =1 (crash landed).
Axis Total = 96

Combat Ratio: Nov I ’44 Axis/Soviet = 96/21 = 4.57:1

1944 NOV I Axis Turn

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.

1944 OCT I Soviet Turn

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).

SE AAR 01 SEP II Axis Turn Frontline

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.

 

1944 OCT I Axis Turn

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

« Older posts