Nirosi vs Boldairade(Nirosi welcome)

[boldairade]

Members of the German LXV Corps taken prisoner after being overrun during WINTER STORM.

[boldairade]

February 25, 1944

BOA-Last turn, as I stated, it was my intention to deploy escorts away from the N Atlantic into the African Coast. Somehow I manage to do the exact opposite. This leads to a slaughter of MM off the coast of Africa(6 MM and 2 escorts) at zero loss to the marauding subs. In the Arctic, we lose 4 more MM while scoring only one hit. Overall, this is the worst turn in the Atlantic in a long time. It did not have to be.

Norway-Our forces here have lost readiness at an alarming rate due to limited supply.

US Bomber Command -Minor raids hit Stutgart. Our escorts are worn down and struggle vs the Lutwaffe. Overall we lose 15 steps to interceptors and AA, Germany loses only 11. We suspend further raids. The diversion of PP into the coming MATADOR operation has left some bomber formations under strength. In the Med, our tired pilots get a rest.

Africa-Reorg continues. Italian formations are being withdrawn to the North. Nirosi feels the relenting of pressure here.

Here are the marshalling yards in S England. Nirosi has certainly noticed this, and I am sure he expects something. I hope he is miscalculating, however.

seng.JPG (56.24 KiB) Viewed 507 times

[boldairade]

February 25, 1944

EAST FRONT

North-The Baltic remains largely frozen. Stavka again orders human wave attacks vs the northern German lines, utilizing 6 Soviet armies. We lose 18 steps and inflict only 6 losses. The German XVII Corps, however, is looking battered.

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[boldairade]

February 25, 1944

Center-The Germans strike back here, using air strikes and 4 ground formations to drive back the 18th Mech Corps. Overall, they lose 9 air steps and 3 land in the operation. We lose 5 air steps and 8 ground. They are able to drive us back in a single attack, which we hoped would not happen.

Stavka sees a weakness in the German lines, however, east of Vitebsk. They are held by German infantry. Ground strikes wing in, unopposed by German interceptors. 5th Guards Tank, along with 7th Tank and the 1st and 4th Air Armies, plow into LXIX Corps. It takes us three attacks to displace the entrenched infantry. Overall, we lose 11 ground steps and 3 air. German casualties are 21 ground steps, 4 air. We pursue the battered German formation as it retreats NW. It has been reduced to near 0 strength, and the 1st Guards Tank attempts to overrun it, but fails, only pushing it further west.

Trying to widen the breach in the German lines, we now target the hex SE of Vitebsk. LXVI Corps is the target. More ground strikes are launched, and the ensuing ground battle, involving 1st Siberian Tank, 5th Tank, 3rd Guards Tank, and multiple air armies, sees heavy losses, with the Russians losing 17 ground steps. In the end, however, the fourth assault overruns the German infantry formation.

We attempt to launch a human wave attack east of Velikie Luki, but it goes poorly, as we lose 6 steps and inflict only one hit. My Russian infantry, thus far, has been unable to carry any attacks on its own. Armor is needed.

WINTER STORM.png (444.29 KiB) Viewed 497 times

South-No activity of note. Operations in the Kiev area are formally concluded. Germany moves a fresh Pz Grenadier into the city. Stavka is not sure whether to be happy this formation is deployed, or to worry that the Germans feel safe using it here and are not rushing it north.

[boldairade]

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Current force numbers

[boldairade]

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This turn's losses

[John B.]

If I'm reading those numbers right Germany has lost 99 air steps in the past two turns. Since their overall air strength is 170 it means they've taken more than 50% losses in just two turns. That's a lot of pressure on the Luftwaffe!

[boldairade]

If I'm reading those numbers right Germany has lost 99 air steps in the past two turns. Since their overall air strength is 170 it means they've taken more than 50% losses in just two turns. That's a lot of pressure on the Luftwaffe!

I feel some confusion here. The losses are some odd amalgamation of the last two turns it seems. Perhaps a player who actually knows what they are doing can clear that up.

That said, Germany IS taking a lot of air hits. For the most part, they seem to be getting the short end of the stick on both fronts. That will likely change once winter is over-Germany's forces will start to recover readiness faster and perhaps will turn the tide vs the Red Air Force, who's experience is capped at 50%(which kind of sucks).

Incidentally, due to your intelligence vis a vis the freezing of rivers panning out, you have been removed from the Siberian work detail. Uncle Joe, however, is keeping an eye on you...

[boldairade]

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Russian wave attacks have been launched all along the front, but have yielded virtually no results.

[boldairade]

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US infantry embarking at the marshalling yards in Southern England. Thus far, operation MATADOR has remained secret. How many more false starts though, can occur without its intentions becoming known?

[boldairade]

March 11, 1944

BOA-With the correct reallocation of escorts and some surface assets, things get back to 'normal' in this endlessly costly theater. Two German strikes, one off the coast of Africa and one in the Arctic combine to sink 3 MM. Only one step hit is scored on on the Uboats. Overall, we have a paper thin surplus of 3 MM. Luckily, 20 more MM will be added to the merchant fleet next turn. Is it possible the worst is over?

Norway-The winter attrition to units here has made them combat ineffective. A fresh formation is sent in from England to relieve one of the English formations. This has happened despite a liberal use of supply trucks to try and keep these units up to speed.

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US Bomber Command-In Europe, the diversion of assets to MATADOR has left the US bomber formations slightly understrength. This is acceptable, as weather has been poor and readiness reduced. The US doubles the budget for replacements this turn however(up to 220). Escorts and bombers will likely fly heavy raids next turn if we can compete with the Luftwaffe. In the Med, heavy rain and understrength formations also cause a cessation in bomber flights.

Africa/Greece-Slight redeployments and withdrawals from these fronts to support MATADOR. Planning for ZEUS and CHARIOT continue.

[boldairade]

March 10, 1944

EAST FRONT

North-German III Corps, two hexes south of Leningrad, is activated to active status from reserve. Another human wave attack is ordered vs the German XVII Corps just south of Leningrad. Two attacks inflict only 3 hits while suffering 7 step losses. Stavka is concerned the active German unit might be used in offensive actions vs Leningrad itself. The loss of Leningrad would be a killing blow to Soviet hopes here. The attack is called off to preserve the Leningrad formation(70th Army).

Center-Last turn's successes yield this:

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Several German units fall back one hex. At first I am puzzling over this, but I think the blizzard means that is the most they can pull back.

Two schools of thought are competing here. The first comes from having been dominated by the Germans the entire game. Are they setting up for a large scale spring counter attack?

The second is more hopeful-have we really seized the initiative? Could we be approaching a possible breakout?

Likely the truth is more in between. The overall game meta situation, however, dictates that I not be TOO cautious. For the Allies to have any chance of victory, we would have to make some major gains over the next 14 months. As such, we must at least try to maintain momentum.

To this end, Stavka orders two more attacks. The first attack goes in east of Vitebsk, vs LVI Corps. 6th Guards Tank, 2nd Tank and 3rd Guards Tanks roll forward. Blizzard conditions hamper the Germans but do ground the Red Air Force. Two attacks do little damage(we lose 5 steps, the Germans lose 8) be do manage to force back the German formation.

The second attack is more ambitions-an assault on Vitebsk itself-the ultimate physical goal of WINTER STORM and one, quite frankly, I was pretty doubtful we'd achieve. This attack is launched by four formations which compose the very best of the Red Army. 7th Tank, 6th Guards Tank, 1st Siberian Tank and 1st Guards Tank assault the city's defenders, the VII Panzer Corps. Three attacks see the Russians lose 11 steps to the Germans 9. However the final attack ejects VII Pz from the city. Vitebsk is ours!(for now) 5th Tank occupies the city, a counter attack is possible.

The blizzard makes moving forces forward challenging. By the spring thaw, Stavka hopes to have strong AT infantry making up much of the frontage, while armor can be either held in reserve to counter a German riposte, or kept busy at the head of the attack attempting to maintain momentum. Getting that infantry there, however, is a bit of a chore.

Attacks and advances yield this situation in what is now a fairly fluid front:

[John B.]

Congrats on taking Vitebisk!!

[boldairade]

South Some interesting developments here. The German reserve forces based around Dnepropetrovsk appear to have been withdrawn. It is concerning to me that I cannot figure out where they were sent. Stavka thinks it is possible they are merely stationed further back, but it cannot be determined for sure. A blizzard here is used to again attack, but at poor odds. Assaults north of Kiev do little(8 step losses for the Russian, only 3 for the Germans). Four attacks SE of Kiev over the frozen river result in 11 Russian step losses to 9 German. It is possible we could have established bridgeheads across the river here had winterized armor been utilized. While it is an opportunity missed, I am not sure that the breakthrough of WINTER STORM could have occurred with fewer assets. The attacks on this front were never likely to yield anything, and were really more of a holding attack than anything else. Perhaps they could have been more.

Stavka is mulling over two possible spring operations here, but there are only assets to launch one of them. They are amphibious ops, and very very risky. The spring operation here has been code named змеи(SERPENT).

[boldairade]

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German Pak gunners in the streets of Vitebsk.

[boldairade]

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IS-2 Super heavy armor and T34s rumble down the streets of the liberated city.

[boldairade]

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VII Pz is repulsed-but not defeated. On the outskirts of the city, Hawthorne heavy SP guns reorganize.

[boldairade]

March 24, 1944
The Warplan Weather Gods absolutely hammer me this turn...



BOA With the Eastern Baltic still frozen, the German surface ships are free to raid the Arctic convoys and do so, sinking 3 MM by themselves. We pursue with a large destroyer/carrier fleet, but of course can only make contact, not engage. Overall, there are significant MM losses(8 in 4 separate raids). Uboats take 4 hits. 20 More MM are added to the fleet, and 20 more immediately begin building in the ship yards. But the last three turns of MM losses have really hurt.

Norway-Fresh formations have arrived, IV Corps is being withdrawn to the mainland.

US Bomber CommandUS Bomber squadrons and escorts are at peak readiness-and EVERY airfield is covered in heavy rain. We can launch no European raids. In the Med, the two squadrons there hit Italian cities with good results.

Africa-A static front is more or less set here. A US armor formation embarks for MATADOR.

Greece-We are virtually ready for ZEUS here, but cannot launch it until the full fleet(which has been in a holding pattern for MATADOR for a month now) is available.

[boldairade]

March 24, 1944

EAST FRONT

Rain...

North-The one place we need a thaw is the Baltic. We do not get it. On land, however, there is rain. No further attacks can be launched.

Center-We really hoped, and expected, this turn and next to be cold. It is central Russia, for God's sake. But it is heavy rain here. WINTER STORM, which was a fluid front with much promise just last turn, is now dead in the water. I poke about for awhile trying to find anywhere we can continue to pressure the Wehrmacht, but the rain makes it impossible. German formations will now start to recover readiness as well. Where possible, Russian infantry armies slog forward through the mud. But it's a complicated dance, trying to get them forward while leaving retreat hexes and at the same time trying to keep Soviet armor formations in position to counter punch. Two more turns might have made a real difference, but we did not get them. At this point, the Vitebsk salient is encircled by very strong German mobile formations.

The Red Air Force achieves close support '42(I know, underwhelming) and immediately goes about trying to upgrade its tac bombers. The air may be our only hope of blunting a German spring counter offensive.

WINTER STORM.JPG (61.37 KiB) Viewed 402 times

South-Plans for SERPENT are starting to coalesce. Stavka is trying to select the option that has a reasonable chance of success, though it offers the least upside in terms of gains. SERPENT will utilize basically every arm of Russian military power, but at best could produce minor gains. It is not a great option, but it is the only one we can come up with.

[John B.]

Well close support '42 is better than close support '41. Once the clouds part it looks like '44 is going to be massive carnage everywhere. Eagerly awaiting the unveiling of your various plans!!