Russia! Why not? (Morvael welcome)

[morvael]

Tank armies rest and prepare for Bagration, hidden in the woods from Axis recon aircraft:

[morvael]

Only a thin strip of the land east of Dvina remains in German hands, but for now they are allowed to keep it:

[morvael]

Finally, the small enemy garrison in Kuressare is forced to surrender. Taking this port means Gulf of Riga is now under Soviet control and that all of Estonia(n SSR) is now liberated:

[morvael]

The Germans are up to something, their forces increased this week by 100 000 men, 1 000 guns and 500 AFVs. It will be hard to attack come summer, unless the lazy Western Allies will finally land in France, which they promised a long time ago. 48th Army commander, Stepan Akimov, was promoted to the rank of General-Polkovnik. 33rd Army commander, Dmitry Onuprienko, improved his mech skill (6). One guards rifle corps, five light SU brigades and two guards heavy tank regiments were formed. Ten light SU regiments were disbanded.

Strength:
men: 10 281 571 vs 4 756 777
guns: 159 616 vs 46 862
AFVs: 16 553 vs 7 656
aircraft: 21 528 vs 2 890

Trucks:
in units: 281 309 / 281 581 (99.90%)
in the pool: 165 377 / 154 019 (107.37%)
in repair: 113 680

Losses:
killed: 17 284 vs 13 487
captured: 1 100 vs 176
disabled: 20 592 vs -641
guns: 887 vs 450
AFVs: 124 vs 29
aircraft: 214 vs 121

Including:
in combat: 137 vs 63
from AA: 46 vs 0
on the ground: 0 vs 0
operational: 31 vs 19

[morvael]

Turn 149 (April 20th, 1944)

Heavy fighting for Obukhov, south of Kiev. German 24th Infantry Division repelled two attacks and withdrew after the third:

[morvael]

3rd Belorussian Front is ready to strike. Additional rifle corps are formed and sapper regiments are assigned. The Axis gave ground on the eastern bank of Berezina. Polish Army was rerouted here from the south, they will be useful in clearing the swamps:

[morvael]

In front of Minsk, the enemy is also slowly withdrawing west. Were it's recon aircraft able to spot the hidden tank armies? It seems there is no reserve buildup in this region, though the Grossdeutschland division is still here and it is enough to stop an entire Soviet Front in it's tracks:

[morvael]

VVS began a new air offensive, targeting enemy airforce and their bases. This offensive will not be stopped until the Luftwaffe will be only a memory. Western Front was renamed to 3rd Belorussian Front. Volkhov Front was renamed to 3rd Baltic Front. 4th Ukrainian Front commander, Yakov Cherevichenko, improved his initiative (4). 44th Army commander, Nikolai Feklenko, improved his infantry skill (5). 5th Air Army commander, Nikolai Naumenko, improved his initiative (6). Leningrad Front commander, Markian Popov, improved his political rating (7). Two regular rifle corps and ten guards heavy tank regiments were formed. Two separate tank regiments were disbanded.

Strength:
men: 10 298 597 vs 4 755 591
guns: 159 900 vs 46 612
AFVs: 16 924 vs 7 681
aircraft: 21 446 vs 2 791

Trucks:
in units: 283 499 / 283 769 (99.90%)
in the pool: 168 332 / 159 478 (105.55%)
in repair: 111 464

Losses:
killed: 12 036 vs 9 613
captured: 673 vs 110
disabled: 12 181 vs -2 803
guns: 696 vs 315
AFVs: 152 vs 11
aircraft: 131 vs 64

Including:
in combat: 82 vs 35
from AA: 20 vs 0
on the ground: 0 vs 21
operational: 29 vs 9

[loki100]

really fascinated to see if your attempt to hide several thousand T-34s (and a few IS-2s) behind a tree worked and left Cpt Flam off balance when they emerge [8D]

[morvael]

GD is the answer...

[morvael]

Turn 150 (April 27th, 1944)

All units taking part in Bagration are ready to attack. First wave is composed of infantry, tanks wait in the second line to exploit any gaps:

[morvael]

A revolution in the VVS is coming next month. Production focus changes from fighter-bomber aircraft to fighter aircraft. This will allow to fight the Luftwaffe more effectively and gain total air supremacy. List of changes:
- fighter-bomber Yak-1B: 3x17 per week, production ends
- fighter-bomber La-5F: 3x19 per week, production ends
- fighter Yak-3: 5x25 per week (initially 53), production starts
- fighter Yak-9M: 3x25 per week, production starts
- fighter-bomber La-7: 3x22 per week, production starts

Total fighter production changes from 94 to 300 per week, while total fighter-bomber production changes from 325 to 280 per week.

40th Army (Transcaucasus Front) was renamed to 1st Guards Army. 23rd Army commander, Ivan Bagramyan, was promoted to the rank of General-Leytenant. Ten light SU regiments and two separate tank regiments were disbanded.

Strength:
men: 10 289 343 vs 4 753 758
guns: 159 721 vs 46 684
AFVs: 17 172 vs 7 631
aircraft: 21 478 vs 2 724

Trucks:
in units: 286 726 / 286 996 (99.91%)
in the pool: 173 839 / 164 790 (105.49%)
in repair: 105 808

Losses:
killed: 16 407 vs 9 364
captured: 916 vs 154
disabled: 19 068 vs -2 340
guns: 825 vs 348
AFVs: 138 vs 17
aircraft: 152 vs 105

Including:
in combat: 89 vs 64
from AA: 30 vs 0
on the ground: 0 vs 23
operational: 33 vs 18

[jwolf]

Morvael, is it really true as you said that GD is enough to stop an entire Soviet front?

[morvael]

In a sense yes. I rely on hasty attacks from my Tank Armies to make reasonable gains, otherwise I am left to making deliberate attacks and advancing one hex per turn. The number of reserve activations these guys (GD) get is amazing, sometimes 4-5 times per turn, even the SS guys doesn't do that. Usually, after a failed hasty I repeat it, since I don't want to waste MP on moving somewhere else or going the deliberate way. So I attack and attack. And they activate and activate. And I get held after held result. I guess that over half of my failed attacks along the entire front are in the GD sector. I need to do some stats on that. Their defiance costs me 4-5 morale points per corps and the tank % falls down to 30% of TOE. This means I need 2+ turns to get such tank army back into action. Meanwhile the front grinds slowly and the Germans withdraw in order.

[morvael]

Turn 151 (May 4th, 1944)

Weather on the central part of the front finally improves. Thanks to all-cavalry 3rd Shock Army, 66th Army is able to cross Dnepr south of Chernobyl:

[morvael]

Even in the swamps of Polesie, Red Army prevails. First Polish unit, 2nd Infantry Division, enters combat and ensures that Vasilevichi falls into Soviet hands. To the north, units of 1st Ukrainian Front cross Berezina:

[morvael]

First wave hits Axis lines near Minsk, Tank Armies remain in reserve for now, but some move closer to the front:

[morvael]

The strip of land controlled by German forces on the east bank of Dvina river is really thin now, but they still control major rail junction in Daugavpils:

[morvael]

4th Ukrainian Front commander, Yakov Cherevichenko, was promoted to the rank of Marshal. One new rifle corps was formed. Five separate tank regiments were disbanded.

Strength:
men: 10 297 122 vs 4 754 850
guns: 159 820 vs 46 690
AFVs: 17 061 vs 7 679
aircraft: 21 512 vs 2 643

Trucks:
in units: 28 8570 / 288 841 (99.91%)
in the pool: 190 215 / 168 424 (112.94%)
in repair: 92 736

Losses:
killed: 40 962 vs 24 746
captured: 1 084 vs 640
disabled: 17 686 vs 7 581
guns: 1 209 vs 1 141
AFVs: 396 vs 139
aircraft: 180 vs 125

Including:
in combat: 100 vs 62
from AA: 46 vs 6
on the ground: 0 vs 37
operational: 34 vs 20

[morvael]

Turn 152 (May 11th, 1944)

Clear weather all along the front. Heaviest fighting of the entire war.

Surge towards Prut river begins. Rumanian units are easily routed, it's up to the Wehrmacht to stop the Red Army: