"AAR Germany faces East", formerly not an AAR

[freeboy]

We prep for KArkov

[freeboy]

and Stalino area, will we breakout (turn68)

[freeboy]

A closer shot of Karkov, not only do my plans call for K to fall, but we need to surroundthose brave reds and introduce them to hell!

[freeboy]

Below is a note from vR showing his intentions with some of the new troops and a progress report of the current battle.. he does not think this one will reach the city, but the enemy is surrendering in large numbers

[freeboy]

And again in the South there seem to be no red reserves left and the Stalino area is collapsing all these attacks succeed and the enemy is in tatters

[freeboy]

I ordered the reorg of the Orel area, the below diagram shows the strong force, even with the withdrawel of four armored Divisions. This formation will play a critical roll in future plans in the central area

[freeboy]

And the area t othe North I am pleased to inform HQ Berlin nearly ten enemy formations have surrendered or been killed, and the area is ripe for explotation, a benifit of the troops being diverted to stop the finns no doubt.

[freeboy]

(turn69)
Feb 15 42
Diary
The mud grows and it is only a matter of time till we must stop,. My counterpart has commited vast troops to save KArkov, too bad it is not June and then we would see where our tanks would stop! Reports from the area show Karkow falling withen the month, and He may choose to stand his ground, in which case we will surround and destroy! The Stalino areas too has seen some bitter fighting, to the North along the Donits Two elite Red tank battalions charged over the river without enough infantry or supplies to survive Meinstein's Counter punch. They where cut off at the bridges and without gas surrendered in mass, 60 t34s! I wish we had such a fine tank, My cousin in armemnts tells me a design very similar was rejected out of hand as too Soviet! What fools. And my two wings, the Finns threatening Lagoda Rails link to Lenningrad and the Romanians in the Crimia are winning praises! Stovastopol was not to fall until spring.. but after K falls we will shift into the next operation, remembering the mud. I remain confident, for we must press ahead especially when the enemy faces such terrific loses, as in the LAkes south of Lenningrad. Agains I was told the Navel shelling destroyed thousands upon thousands of enemy troops, up to 25% one report indicated in the concentrated Red zone by the sea in the Baltic. These loses and those inthe south must certainly be forcing my openent to evaluate where to stand and fight. Rostov before the mud? Kursk? I again reviewed Models ambitious plan, the airborn troops where savaged north of the Dnepr and are rebuilding but perhaps we could launch his operation "Suddenly" No instructions from Berlin, perhaps H is on holiday? In a rare suprise attack we drove the enemy back in the center along the main road to M... He will counter attack but I must keep his attention!

[Veers]

Nice to see a FitE AAR into '42.

[freeboy]

We try.. Is it just me or is this scenario really tilted too the Sovs side?

[freeboy]

(turn 71) Feb 18th
personal notes for speach
We are at a crossroads, the enemy,will not give ground, and we cannot falter in our attacks. The stakes of success are too high We must push forward to seize these strategic areas in the Donits and Crimia. Each week additional formations are being sent south, while renewed presure is being put on the Norther flanks, three breakouts occured North of Lenn. A massive concentration of Red army troops was anhialated to the South of Lenn and the Baltic fortress line is pierced. Few troops stand between our forces and that of our allies and Rostov, as our enemy has moved vitail units to Karkov in a desperate bid to stave off collapse.And in the Crimia we are less than 50 km from Stavastapol. yet we cannot rest, we cannot even wait to sleep! ATTACK! For as tired as we are, as hungry as desperate the enemy is in worse shape. Soon the rains will wash us and cleanse us of these terrific days of struggle, and a break will need be in place while we refit and await summer, but it is not yet.. we must go forward.

Personal non speach notes.. I was never as surprised that the enemy commited his reserves in Karkov.. it slowed us, bu we have such a preponderance of artillery I beleive K will fall this next week.. already we hold the suburbs and the Stalino area is looking great.. unless the southern front troops are advanced there is not much between us and Rostov save some depleated units. I think in the Crimia we shall see some delays.. as this is a fortress city.. Below is a report from just one attack near Karkov .. add to these losses 80 trucks and nearly 60 tanks, half of which t34s!

[freeboy]

Turn 72
Generals personal notes
I sent a personal courior to congrat VR on the decisive victory at K, unfortunatelyly we ran out of time and he took K directly suffering terrific losses in the reds counterattack included a prized Pnz reg and a pnz gren reg! He informed me that to meet hte deadline impossed by myself he had no choice but to forgo the planned encirclement, see above. his courrior included this diagram



He indicated those units with dots all withdrew from K, and are now beyond our grasp in the limited time we have. Spring fever has finished and K has been liberated, as has Stalino. Now our attention shifts to the south, the drives on Rostov and Stav..

[freeboy]

The drive on Rostov/Donitz continous, notice the lack of troops, confident he could hold K, he did not shift troops here using them all in K.!!
I notice a large army at Stall and the Black sea ports all covered.. but we do have our paras resting and taking new men in!

[freeboy]

(72)
Diary cont
I was informed that Meinstein left off that the two isolated groups seen to the left most edge where destroyed to the man!
(above)
The plane with the southern dispatches was shot down, bloody air supperiority! But we are now very close to S in the Crimia...
In the North we have broken through in three points into the Lenn sector.. and the finns have been stopped, but at a terrific cost in lives.
here is the diagram from the Lenn front




I expect to be counterattacked, but my rested men are ready for a fight. Notice the dots! he is commiting large forces in the east, and I am attacking in several spots to minimise his ability, stretch him out as best possible. Not seen in the above is the large commitment our enemy has mad both North and east of L to stop the Finns and in the LAke area see below.

[freeboy]

In the wings the Lenn front may be the most Vulnerable, We are dug in ,noted in pink dots, and those circled units near the lake have recently benn attacked and those above are pushed back! We face a determined foe, giving ground with a grudge, we shelled many units and also dug in artillery so his attacks will at least face some pressure.. I have no allusions if we simpply trade men we will run out first, decisve battles are key!



The next operation will begin soon., already we are moving units from K and getting ready to attack in the lines near Kursk.. if we drive far enough now, Moscow in the summer will be within reach!...
Ten moterized divisions are being alerted and reffitted even now, we must attack attack attack!

[freeboy]

(T73 Ist week MArch player note.. darn Shock, notes said would come in 42 just showed up!)
The North has seen the capture of the port along the Baltic and a recapture in teh Eastern edge of the Lenn fortified zone of two more strategic areas.

[freeboy]

The maps below show the new attacks that succeeded. our post winter successes are a Godsend.

[freeboy]

We only had limited attacks in the Karkov region, but they too succeeded and enemy units are in taters, see the large enemy armored front to the east. The front here is stabalizing and troops are digging in on both sides

[freeboy]

t73cont Donitz region. The fluid sutuation here is a result of open space, both sides reinforcing and the "in zone" units exhausted! Note Rostove just of the edge of this map to the East. I have release several more mobil groups too reinforce these troops.

[freeboy]

The shining example of Axis coordination! The Romanians storm the Crimia with some limited German support! S fortifications attacked, probe only. Map below shows enemy now only holds the corners of the area! The bold lines are the after attack fronts.