Camerone in Russia (STEF78 vs Schascha), Schascha welcome

[STEF78]

Turn 156, 8th june 1944

Some news from France, another Dieppe landing is on, reinforcement will come soon.

1) Kaunas

The russians succeeded in crossing the Niemen but I heavily reinforced this part of the front. The red units represents the 1st Pz Army arriving from Kiev.



2) Kiev

Serious fights around Vinnitsa. I retreat calmly.



3) Dniestr

The river is crossed, that's a problem. Romania is very close.

[STEF78]

Turn 157, 15th june 1944

Last turn of mud... first german city Fallen (Memel)

Summer will be hot and bloody

Just a look at my OOB. No comment!

Turn 126 was the beginning of the winter campaign 1943/1944. At this time, I felt confident.



And Romania is about to fall... headache, haedache

[STEF78]

Turn 158, 22th june 1944

4th year of war begins.

Heavy fights all along the front but 4 main axis can be identified

1) Vyborg

Obviously the target in this sector. The finns fight well but are going to be submerged. One SS div has been sent in Helsinki.



2) Königsberg

The niemen line has been broken and Schascha is ten mile from east prussia border His concentration of strong units in this sector is impressive. I got some defensive success with reserve activation. I don't break units in regiment anymore. A full div is needed to get a good result



3) Kiev

Same type of fight. Reserve activation allow me some defensive success



4) Dniestr

Dniestr line is definitively broken. Schascha is too strong for me in this sector. 3 Inf are isolated and will be lost. I send 2 pz to block the spearhead. I have also garrisoned Bucarest and Arad. Some other divs will follow.

[STEF78]

Turn 159, 29th june 1944

No good news during this week. and I believe it will be the same in the future weeks.

1) Vyborg

Schascha continues his efforts to reach Vyborg. The finns fight bravely and counterattack successfully



2) Königsberg

East prussia border is crossed



3) Kiev

Frontal assault all along the front

[STEF78]

Turn 159, 29th june 1944

And now my main concern, the Dniestr line:

My pzd were inefficient to even slow the red steamroller



An obviuosly I'm too weak to cut the spearhead. I have only 5 Pz/Mot div in this area. My main pzd force is in east prussia.



So I decide to withdraw in order to avoid encirclement

[STEF78]

Turn 160, 6th july 1944

An overview of the front with the axis of attack of Schascha

[STEF78]

Turn 160, 6th july 1944

1) Vyborg

I can't stop the SHC... Vyborg is only ten miles away



2) Konigsberg

My best units are here. it's only sufficent to slow the red hordes. They are now 30 miles into germany.



3) North Ukraine

Failed attempt to breakthrough

[STEF78]

Turn 160, 6th july 1944

4) Romania

Schascha is now heading South in order to get the surrender of Romania



It's too dangerous for my units in the extreme South. I decide to fall back.

[STEF78]

Turn 161, 13th july 1944

Romania surrenders!

The effects are very strong. It creates a hole in the southern defence and a lot of fmy units are isolated. I had sent 4 divs in this area during the previous turns, it was obviously not enough. I keep on learning.

[STEF78]

Turn 161, 13th july 1944

The fighting for survival continues in the other sectors

1) Vyborg

The situation looks desesperate. I've sent all finns units near Vyborg and a SS div in Helsinki. We shall see.



2) Konigsberg

Schascha is heading South. I think he wants me evacuating my forts in white russia. Some german counterattacks



3) North Ukraine

Situation is under control

[STEF78]

Turn 162, 20th july 1944

Unable to download turn, error 99...

First bad news, Finland surrenders and I can see the effects of teleportation. My SS div in Helsniki reappears in the middle of the Pripyat marsh. Just amazing!

Second bad news, due to the advance of SHC, Von Stauffenberg was unable to kill e-adolf in Rastenburg. The fight will have to continue

1) Konigsberg

Schascha continues to drive South and due to the lack of AP, I'm unable to organize efficiently my defence. See the malus below. I'm still counterattacking when it's possible.



2) North Ukraine

Situation under control but my AFV are melting. These 2 PzD have only 240 AFV



3) Romania

Schascha is doing like Bozo!! Airdrops behind the line. I have to secure this area

[STEF78]

Turn 163, 27th july 1944

Things are going bad all over the front:
- 2 maybe 3 Infs and a PzD will surrender in Romania
- some SHC stacks have 60+ CV
- My OB is declining sharply



- I fight now only for a draw



And the russian pressure on my lines is serious

[STEF78]

Turn 164, 3rd august 1944

Nasty news from the eastern front

1) Konigsberg

Red hordes now drive west! They have deeply penetrated in East Pussia. I've send several PzD and did 2 successfull counterattacks. Russian spearheads are only 30 miles from Frisches Haff.



2) North Ukraine

I have withdrawn the best part of my pzD from this sector to send them in the north. Schascha is now too strong for me. I will evacuate progressively Ukraine trading space against time



3) Romania

No picture...

I've lost 4 divs... and I'm now trying to hold on the carpathians mountains.

[STEF78]

Same turn, I just post 2 pictures to show the current level of losses

I receive each turn net 30/40 K men.

I now have some Inf Divs with 7K men. the majority is between 10 and 12K.

Figures for AFV losses are dramatic several of my Pzd have now less than 100 AFv



I get each turn roughly 90 fighters. I have no problem with standard units but I have also transformed the majority of my bomber squads in fighter squads. Only some fighters are available for such transformation and I have a shortage in this kind of squads.

[STEF78]

Turn 165, 10th august 1944

Schascha uses several armored fists in 4/5 points of the front. I can only delay them and after I must withdraw to avoid encirclement.

1) Konigsberg

Due to the beakthrough between the lakes of East Prussia, I evacuate progressively the sector between the breakthrough and the niemen.



In this case, victory or defeat AFV losses are roughly 1/1

2) Romania

The surrender has clearly bad effects. A tank corps is now at Yougoslavia's border and I've shown the main axis of attacks.

[STEF78]

After this superb France 3-0 Ukraine, back to WW2

Till 2 months before the mud.... summer is long, very long but below, my hopes for the mud

In the north, I decide to retreat most of my troops from east prussia but holds Königsberg with a Corps. I also give some hexes all along the front.



In th South I hope being able to keep SHC out of the hungarian plain

[STEF78]

Turn 166, 17th august 1944

No good news

1) Konigsberg

SHC pressures is at the max in the northern part of the front. Below I show the strength of SHC. It's usual to see CV 50+ stacks. Königsberg is isolated

[STEF78]

Turn 166, 17th august 1944

2) North Ukraine

Schascha tries to breaktrough near Lvov. Note that I got a held only with 2 divs acting as reserve.



I decide to give ground



3) Romania

Carpathians mountains only delays SHC advance

[STEF78]

Turn 167, 24th august 1944

I knew the summer would be hot and long. It's the case.

1) Poland

Pressure all along the line. Schascha managed (without any gamey trick) to isolate 3 Divs. They are lost and I will get 3 wonderfull Volksgrandiere Divs!

I've shown one of the las fight of the "french" div fighting on the eastern front. Historically, it was in Romania but I found it funny because it fights close to Danzig and in 1939 the french's pacifists said they didn't want to die for Danzig

[STEF78]

Turn 167, 24th august 1944

2) Lvov

Every turn, in this sector, Schascha is very close to pierce my line. I give some ground