Campaign '39-'40 - the Allies

[gwgardner]

Chocolino and I are starting the campaign game, with me playing the Allies.

For Case White:

I haven't played Case White yet, but realize that there is very little light at the end of this tunnel. My intent will be the obvious: cause unexpectedly high German casualties, and foil the enemy's plans to quickly shift forces to the West.

I'm going to try to hold onto the Katowice-Krakau industrial area, to hinder the German advance farther east, and to keep those all-important resources and factories out German production for as long as possible.

Poznan will similarly be held as a festung against the German advance.

Everything else I can move will take up positions in the very center of the country, in the area generally bounded by the Warta and Vistula Rivers, with the major cities of Lodz and Warsaw.

[oldspec4]

Looking forward to this AAR..

[AZKGungHo]

Yes, thanks for doing it!

[gwgardner]

Braving what seems like a wall of Luftwaffe fighters, Polish air units scout the front, where German forces have been reported already threatening the so far ephemeral Warta River line.

Reports on the ground are confirmed, that at least one Panzer division is pushing forward against little resistance, threatening Lodz.

Neither Poznan nor the Krakau region are under serious pressure yet. But then, the German juggernaut is just starting its engines.

[gwgardner]

My forces are organized into 7 armies, and the general reserve centered on Warsaw.

In the south are the Karpathy and Krakau Armies.

[gwgardner]

With the unfortunate forward positioning of the Polish forces, a 'fighting withdrawal' is necessary. At Poznan and Krakow, we'll hold, but elsewhere we'll try to draw back to the center.

[gwgardner]

/

[gwgardner]

/

[gwgardner]

The Narew Army is not yet under much pressure, but is going to take up defensive positions to guard Grodno and the RR north.

[Barthheart]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

The Narew Army is not yet under much pressure, but is going to take up defensive positions to guard Grodno and the RR north.

Interesting. I see most Poland players do this but wonder why they don't press hard into East Prussia. It can give an unprepared German fits! Just be ready to pull back quick if the German is prepared. [X(]

Another good strategy for the Poles is to blow every bridge... every single one, all over Poland. And station at least one unit on your side to make the Germans fight and repair every crossing.

Looking forward to your AAR. Keep it up. It's hard work... I know. [8D]

[gwgardner]

Thanks for the tips. As I'm still learning the game, I need those! Now Chocolino and I have a long history of playing PBEM together, so I would be very surprised if I could surprise him by moving into Prussia. But I'll scout for the possibility.

[Barthheart]

No problem.

Also if he uses his Engineers as recon smack them hard!
They are too valuable to be used that way, especially in Poland. You can really hurt the Germans by crushing a couple of these.

Good luck.

[henri51]

Why do you have to keep open the road into Hungary? Don't your supplies come from Polish cities?

Henri

[gwgardner]

Historically, and in the game, Polish refugees/soldiers used those routes to escape from the Germans, and to eventually make their way to the West to form Polish fighting units in the UK, France, etc. In the Campaign game, any units that can flee to the Baltics or to Hungary upon Poland's surrender, add to the Allied forces in the Case Yellow or Sealion scenarios.

[gwgardner]

Sept 3

The Lodz and Krakow Armies have been smashed at the frontier, by at least three major Panzer incursions. With the enemy already across the Warta, it's obvious that my original plan to use that river as a defensive barrier is moot. At this point, it looks like Lodz itself will have to anchor a defensive line, along with the Pilitza River IF I can get forces up in time.

[gwgardner]

In the northeast, the Narew Army is up against two strong German infantry divisions. The Lotzen division, with overstrength battallions, is pushing hard against a weak cavalry screen. Grodno won't have a chance unless the 33rd Division can complete a shift north.

[gwgardner]

Across the southern southern belly of Prussia and the Danzig Corridor, the Modlin and Pomerze Armies are facing Panzer columns. There's nothing for it but to continue the attempt to withdraw, to avoid a breakout of the Panzers into the rear areas. The Pomerze Army's 9th Division is already threatened by an advance motorized battallion that has managed to cut off the 9th's retreat south. Pomerze HQ has ordered the 9th to counterattack (blue arrow), to hit that motorized battallion hard. Warsaw has promised air support.

[gwgardner]

As promised, just before the 9th launches its counterattack, the Los Bomber Squadron 3 attempts to hit the German 2nd Motorized. To no avail. The bombers are met with overwhelming German air superiority.

[gwgardner]

The 9th hits the German 2nd with an artillery barrage, but it's just as ineffectual. The whole counterattack is for naught, as the 9th is already exhausted. Not even the direct intervention of the Pomerze Army's General Bortnowski can spur the 9th on to more than a tentative approach against the German foe. The attack is easily blunted.

Bortnowski is going to have to abandon the 9th, and perhaps even the Pomerze Cavalry, if he is to save the rest of the Army.

[gwgardner]

The Poznan Army continues to carry out a general fallback under fire. The concentration of forces around the city of Poznan itself is really nothing but a stopgap, but hopefully it will keep German infantry tied down and incapable of supporting the Panzers.