1941 M/J: The Russian Front
It’s taken some doing, but the USSR has succeeded in creating the new extended Southern line and not a moment too soon. The arms race has been ‘won’ by the Germans who waste no time in declaring war. Future historians would come to criticise the somewhat vague and nebulous basis upon which such a colossal endeavour was launched. The strategy appeared to boil down to little more than “do unto others before they do unto you”, with no clear objectives beyond loose ideas of Moscow, Leningrad and see what happens.
In the North, the opening German assaults go well and the line is broken in two places. The USSR forces split into two army groups. Army Group North will conduct a fighting retreat, using all available terrain, back towards Leningrad. Army Group Centre will do likewise back towards Moscow.
In the South, the Russian line, protected by rivers, mountains and forests, looks a difficult proposition. The Germans are delighted when reconnaissance reveals the USSR has made rather a mistake. Down along the river Dniester, a sector of the line is only being held by a weak artillery brigade. At some point, the unit it was supporting had been moved out and never been replaced. An easy breakthrough is achieved and the panzers prepare to roll.
Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Moderator: Shannon V. OKeets
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
1941 J/A, S/O The Russian Front
The USSR southern front soon collapses as units desperately trying to avoid being cut off abandon their forward positions in a mass retreat. Disorganised and out of supply, many never make it as they are caught and overran by the pursuing German army. Sensing the danger, Stalin authorises the movement of his armoured reserve to the southern front. The planned second defensive line, along the Dneiper, is crossed before the defenders have had time to fall back to it. The USSR armoured reserve is committed to the defence and deploys in a line around Rostov-Kharkov. With insufficient force to break this line by themselves, the panzers are forced to halt and wait for the infantry and Luftwaffe to catch up.
In the North the German army follows the USSR example. An army group of INF and MOT pursues the Northern group back towards Leningrad. The armoured, mechanized forces and the rest of the infantry drive towards Moscow. With more terrain favourable to defence, the USSR Northern and Central groups are able to fall back in an orderly position but each stand costs another corps and the bill is starting to mount. Lithuania and Latvia are liberated by the German advance, whilst in the centre the advanced guard reaches beyond Smolensk. By the time the German army in the South is ready to advance again, the USSR has got a thin line back together. On its own, it wouldn’t hold them but then, the rains come.
- Thank you to all who have taken time to follow the story to this point. There will now be a break for around 10-days as a vacation beckons.
The USSR southern front soon collapses as units desperately trying to avoid being cut off abandon their forward positions in a mass retreat. Disorganised and out of supply, many never make it as they are caught and overran by the pursuing German army. Sensing the danger, Stalin authorises the movement of his armoured reserve to the southern front. The planned second defensive line, along the Dneiper, is crossed before the defenders have had time to fall back to it. The USSR armoured reserve is committed to the defence and deploys in a line around Rostov-Kharkov. With insufficient force to break this line by themselves, the panzers are forced to halt and wait for the infantry and Luftwaffe to catch up.
In the North the German army follows the USSR example. An army group of INF and MOT pursues the Northern group back towards Leningrad. The armoured, mechanized forces and the rest of the infantry drive towards Moscow. With more terrain favourable to defence, the USSR Northern and Central groups are able to fall back in an orderly position but each stand costs another corps and the bill is starting to mount. Lithuania and Latvia are liberated by the German advance, whilst in the centre the advanced guard reaches beyond Smolensk. By the time the German army in the South is ready to advance again, the USSR has got a thin line back together. On its own, it wouldn’t hold them but then, the rains come.
- Thank you to all who have taken time to follow the story to this point. There will now be a break for around 10-days as a vacation beckons.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Greetings all, back from my holiday.
1941: Winter, Washington
A slumbering giant, if not exactly awakening, is giving all the signs of being in the lightest state of sleep. The war rhetoric in the government and press is reaching fever pitch. In a bid to appease the mongers and, appalled at continuing Japanese atrocities (success) in China, the USA sanctions an oil embargo on Japan.
1941: Winter, Tokyo
The sands have drained though the glass and time has run out. Japan has at its disposal a once only reserve of offensive supplies (O-chit). Deployed to the Pacific it would allow multiple snap invasions (super-combined impulse) but China hangs, like the proverbial sword, over the proceedings. Desperate to bring an end to the China campaign, Yamamoto gets notice the odds against him have changed. The resources are sent to him with one instruction. “End it now”.
The assault of Sining is launched. With the boost to Japanese offensive power, the defenders are crushed but not without a fight. Two Japanese corps are destroyed and half of the remainder are disorganised. More importantly, the green light is now shining clear for the start of the Pacific adventure. The Saki has barely dried on the lips of the high command in Tokyo when a signal is received from Yamamoto. The rains have come …..
1941: Winter, Washington
A slumbering giant, if not exactly awakening, is giving all the signs of being in the lightest state of sleep. The war rhetoric in the government and press is reaching fever pitch. In a bid to appease the mongers and, appalled at continuing Japanese atrocities (success) in China, the USA sanctions an oil embargo on Japan.
1941: Winter, Tokyo
The sands have drained though the glass and time has run out. Japan has at its disposal a once only reserve of offensive supplies (O-chit). Deployed to the Pacific it would allow multiple snap invasions (super-combined impulse) but China hangs, like the proverbial sword, over the proceedings. Desperate to bring an end to the China campaign, Yamamoto gets notice the odds against him have changed. The resources are sent to him with one instruction. “End it now”.
The assault of Sining is launched. With the boost to Japanese offensive power, the defenders are crushed but not without a fight. Two Japanese corps are destroyed and half of the remainder are disorganised. More importantly, the green light is now shining clear for the start of the Pacific adventure. The Saki has barely dried on the lips of the high command in Tokyo when a signal is received from Yamamoto. The rains have come …..
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Winter 1941/42 European Theatre
The coming of the rains brings an end to the German offensive. The most advanced and exposed armoured corps on the road to Moscow is pulled back to a more secure position and both sides settle down to reinforce, rebuild and realign. The USSR sends its limited naval assets into the Baltic to try and disrupt the flow of resources to Germany. Some skirmishing results and both sides inflict minor damage to each other but the convoys remain unaffected.
CW gloom at the disaster in the Med further deepens when some oaf at the Admiralty omits to send out key “Stay at Sea” orders, namely to the convoy escorts covering the Faeroes Gap. Seizing the initiative, the Kreigsmarine hastily dispatches all available U-boats to the area before the mistake can be rectified. The results are catastrophic. 5 CP’s are lost and the remainder forced to flee back to port. The Luftwaffe then get in on the act with the Condors first sinking the CW picket cruiser in the Bay of Biscay, before turning on the convoys. One is shot down by the Fleet Air Arm but the other succeeds in sinking a further CP and sending 3 others back to port. A couple are reorganized and sent back out to sea but there are no reserves left. There will be idle factories in the UK for a few months until the replacements arrive from the shipyards.
Not wishing to be out done by their undersea brethren, the Kreigsmarine surface fleet uses another initiative advantage to sortie into Biscay while it is only lightly protected by the escorts left at sea. A signal is received in the Admiralty from the captain of the Rodney. “Have sighted Bismark, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and 6 heavy cruisers. Convoys ordered to scatter. Am engaging enemy.”
The coming of the rains brings an end to the German offensive. The most advanced and exposed armoured corps on the road to Moscow is pulled back to a more secure position and both sides settle down to reinforce, rebuild and realign. The USSR sends its limited naval assets into the Baltic to try and disrupt the flow of resources to Germany. Some skirmishing results and both sides inflict minor damage to each other but the convoys remain unaffected.
CW gloom at the disaster in the Med further deepens when some oaf at the Admiralty omits to send out key “Stay at Sea” orders, namely to the convoy escorts covering the Faeroes Gap. Seizing the initiative, the Kreigsmarine hastily dispatches all available U-boats to the area before the mistake can be rectified. The results are catastrophic. 5 CP’s are lost and the remainder forced to flee back to port. The Luftwaffe then get in on the act with the Condors first sinking the CW picket cruiser in the Bay of Biscay, before turning on the convoys. One is shot down by the Fleet Air Arm but the other succeeds in sinking a further CP and sending 3 others back to port. A couple are reorganized and sent back out to sea but there are no reserves left. There will be idle factories in the UK for a few months until the replacements arrive from the shipyards.
Not wishing to be out done by their undersea brethren, the Kreigsmarine surface fleet uses another initiative advantage to sortie into Biscay while it is only lightly protected by the escorts left at sea. A signal is received in the Admiralty from the captain of the Rodney. “Have sighted Bismark, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and 6 heavy cruisers. Convoys ordered to scatter. Am engaging enemy.”
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
The old battleship and 3 accompanying light cruisers steam straight for the German fleet. The Prinz Eugen is sent back to Kiel seriously damaged and two other cruisers are forced out of the area. However, outnumbered and hopelessly outgunned, there can be but one outcome for the RN. The Rodney is sunk, 1 cruiser suffers heavy damage and all are forced back to port. Crucially, the gallant last charge of the Rodney has bought time. The convoys are long gone and the Germans are unable to relocate them. Seeking revenge, the RN deploys the Home Fleet but the Kreigsmarine escapes the net and flees to Brest. They would have preferred Bordeaux but it is occupied by French partisans.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Winter 1941/42 France
The arising of partisans in Bordeaux is an inconvenience for the Germans who had intended it to be their main base for the navy to raid the Atlantic shipping. An infantry corps is sent to deal with the partisans but winter weather means it runs out of supply before it can get there. The Germans relocate their sole HQ in the west to progress the assault only to find Brest, newly home to the surface fleet, promptly goes out of supply. Deciding not to risk a winter assault, the partisan is contained in Bordeaux to prevent further mischief. Its presence remains a thorn in the German side and, crucially, it is helping to thinly spread the units they have kept garrisoning the country. The demands of the East and the expectation the CW land forces would be occupied fighting the Italians in Africa and shoring up defenses in the Far East resulted in France being low in the priority list for reinforcements.
The arising of partisans in Bordeaux is an inconvenience for the Germans who had intended it to be their main base for the navy to raid the Atlantic shipping. An infantry corps is sent to deal with the partisans but winter weather means it runs out of supply before it can get there. The Germans relocate their sole HQ in the west to progress the assault only to find Brest, newly home to the surface fleet, promptly goes out of supply. Deciding not to risk a winter assault, the partisan is contained in Bordeaux to prevent further mischief. Its presence remains a thorn in the German side and, crucially, it is helping to thinly spread the units they have kept garrisoning the country. The demands of the East and the expectation the CW land forces would be occupied fighting the Italians in Africa and shoring up defenses in the Far East resulted in France being low in the priority list for reinforcements.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Winter 1941/42: China
“The rains have come”, it’s such a deceptively innocent sounding phrase. For the Japanese forces, deep in the mountains around Sining, the earlier than expected onset is a disaster. In one fell swoop the whole army is put out of supply. At first it seems this will be more of an inconvenience as it will now take that much longer to extract and redeploy all but the garrisons. Slowly, there can be no other way, the Japanese set about the process. Their initial complacency is soon shattered when the small, insignificant, largely forgotten Communist Cavalry division, abandoned in the Mongolian desert, begins to move east. An ungarrisoned Taiyuan is threatened with capture. At the last minute, the Japanese rail in a Garr unit from the coast, arriving just in advance of the horses. Unperturbed, the cavalry simply changes tack and advances on the next ungarrisoned city down the line, Yenan. It had been intended that these two cities would be the next garrisoned by a broken down infantry corps. The need to replace mounting casualties in the campaign against the communists, increasing Nationalist pressure further south and the need for invasion forces in the Pacific had meant no such unit had been available. The unit therefore detailed for the role was now disorganised and out of supply back at Sining.
The Japanese desperately search the map for a unit to rush to Yenan but the cupboard is bare. After an epic three month, 400 km march through desert and mountain, the Communist cavalry division marches into and recaptures Yenan. In a wave of patriotism the city’s inhabitants flock to the banner and an embryonic communist army, consisting of two infantry corps, is reborn. The units move out and cut the Japanese supply line to the interior and two further corps are formed. China has just become a giant POW camp.
“The rains have come”, it’s such a deceptively innocent sounding phrase. For the Japanese forces, deep in the mountains around Sining, the earlier than expected onset is a disaster. In one fell swoop the whole army is put out of supply. At first it seems this will be more of an inconvenience as it will now take that much longer to extract and redeploy all but the garrisons. Slowly, there can be no other way, the Japanese set about the process. Their initial complacency is soon shattered when the small, insignificant, largely forgotten Communist Cavalry division, abandoned in the Mongolian desert, begins to move east. An ungarrisoned Taiyuan is threatened with capture. At the last minute, the Japanese rail in a Garr unit from the coast, arriving just in advance of the horses. Unperturbed, the cavalry simply changes tack and advances on the next ungarrisoned city down the line, Yenan. It had been intended that these two cities would be the next garrisoned by a broken down infantry corps. The need to replace mounting casualties in the campaign against the communists, increasing Nationalist pressure further south and the need for invasion forces in the Pacific had meant no such unit had been available. The unit therefore detailed for the role was now disorganised and out of supply back at Sining.
The Japanese desperately search the map for a unit to rush to Yenan but the cupboard is bare. After an epic three month, 400 km march through desert and mountain, the Communist cavalry division marches into and recaptures Yenan. In a wave of patriotism the city’s inhabitants flock to the banner and an embryonic communist army, consisting of two infantry corps, is reborn. The units move out and cut the Japanese supply line to the interior and two further corps are formed. China has just become a giant POW camp.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Winter 1941/42: Pacific
While the Japanese slowly prepared their opening Pacific moves, the USA had not been idle. MacArthur is brought out of the Philippines and stationed in Pago Pago with other units ready to respond to the Japanese. Midway and Dutch Harbour are garrisoned with an infantry division each. They would not stop a major invasion but let the Japanese come and try. If they wish to commit their forces to lesser targets, so much the better.
The Japanese plan calls for a surprise port attack on Pearl Harbour to knock out the US Pacific Fleet, timed to coincide with simultaneous invasions of Rabaul and Palambang. So much more had been dreamt of but China put paid to all that. While the Japanese fleets position themselves for their attacks, a garrison is transported to Kwajalein.
The militarisation of the Marshalls proves to be the last straw for the Americans. In an emergency joint session of Congress and the Senate a Declaration of War against Japan Bill is passed by the narrowest of margins (DoW 70%, die roll of 6). Pearl Harbour and San Diego are emptied of ships as the entire US Pacific Fleet deploys to the Marshalls sea area in an attempt to surprise and destroy the Japanese carrier fleet.
While the Japanese slowly prepared their opening Pacific moves, the USA had not been idle. MacArthur is brought out of the Philippines and stationed in Pago Pago with other units ready to respond to the Japanese. Midway and Dutch Harbour are garrisoned with an infantry division each. They would not stop a major invasion but let the Japanese come and try. If they wish to commit their forces to lesser targets, so much the better.
The Japanese plan calls for a surprise port attack on Pearl Harbour to knock out the US Pacific Fleet, timed to coincide with simultaneous invasions of Rabaul and Palambang. So much more had been dreamt of but China put paid to all that. While the Japanese fleets position themselves for their attacks, a garrison is transported to Kwajalein.
The militarisation of the Marshalls proves to be the last straw for the Americans. In an emergency joint session of Congress and the Senate a Declaration of War against Japan Bill is passed by the narrowest of margins (DoW 70%, die roll of 6). Pearl Harbour and San Diego are emptied of ships as the entire US Pacific Fleet deploys to the Marshalls sea area in an attempt to surprise and destroy the Japanese carrier fleet.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
The resulting battle leaves both sides feeling both relieved and disappointed, with the result best described as a score-draw. Aside from damage to cruisers and ships aborted, the Americans sink the Zuikaku, while suffering damage to 3 CV’s in return. Both sides reflect on what might have been. A sunken CV is far more expensive and time consuming to replace than damaged ones but, for the short term at least, the Japanese have naval superiority. It all depends on whether they can use this to their advantage.
Prior to their invasions, the Japanese declare war on the Commonwealth and Netherlands. The operation on Palembang goes smoothly but, just as the Rabaul invasion fleet begins its final approach to the beaches, the area is enveloped by storms. The invasion has to be postponed. To add insult to injury, the Storms disperse as quickly as they arose. Seizing the opportunity occasioned by the delay, the USA promptly transports MacArthur and XXIV Inf into Rabaul. Postponement becomes cancellation as the Japanese forces, too weak to tackle the Americans, return to port.
Prior to their invasions, the Japanese declare war on the Commonwealth and Netherlands. The operation on Palembang goes smoothly but, just as the Rabaul invasion fleet begins its final approach to the beaches, the area is enveloped by storms. The invasion has to be postponed. To add insult to injury, the Storms disperse as quickly as they arose. Seizing the opportunity occasioned by the delay, the USA promptly transports MacArthur and XXIV Inf into Rabaul. Postponement becomes cancellation as the Japanese forces, too weak to tackle the Americans, return to port.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Spring/Summer 1942: Pacific Theatre
In China, the northern Japanese army retreats to Sian but can go no further. Out of supply, to move invites death as there are plenty of Chinese units on hand ready to take advantage of the resulting disorganisation. The situation becomes a stalemate. The Chinese Communists aren’t strong enough to attack but the few reinforcements the Japanese are able to send to the region have to be used to keep the strengthening Nationalists at bay, rather than consider any rescue attempt.
The reason for the lack of reinforcements to China is the Japanese are determined to use their temporary naval superiority to their advantage. The forces from the aborted Rabaul invasion are used to capture the Solomons. The US quickly deploys XXXV Inf to at least temporarily secure Port Moresby. The Japanese will at least have to come with some force to capture it. Over the next couple of months, while the US Navy licks its wounds, the Japanese capture the Philippines and the rest of the NEI. The US forward deploys to the Fiji Islands and New Hebrides.
However, it’s not just the need to rebuild CV’s that accounts for the US inaction in the Pacific. All attention is drawn to the unfolding drama in Europe.
In China, the northern Japanese army retreats to Sian but can go no further. Out of supply, to move invites death as there are plenty of Chinese units on hand ready to take advantage of the resulting disorganisation. The situation becomes a stalemate. The Chinese Communists aren’t strong enough to attack but the few reinforcements the Japanese are able to send to the region have to be used to keep the strengthening Nationalists at bay, rather than consider any rescue attempt.
The reason for the lack of reinforcements to China is the Japanese are determined to use their temporary naval superiority to their advantage. The forces from the aborted Rabaul invasion are used to capture the Solomons. The US quickly deploys XXXV Inf to at least temporarily secure Port Moresby. The Japanese will at least have to come with some force to capture it. Over the next couple of months, while the US Navy licks its wounds, the Japanese capture the Philippines and the rest of the NEI. The US forward deploys to the Fiji Islands and New Hebrides.
However, it’s not just the need to rebuild CV’s that accounts for the US inaction in the Pacific. All attention is drawn to the unfolding drama in Europe.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Spring 1942: Russia
The onset of better weather sees the reinforced German army renew its offensive against the Soviets on all three fronts. One would like to report brilliant tactical moves and daring bold thrusts into the enemy’s rear but the reality is different. Army Group North grinds its way towards Leningrad, while Army Group Centre pushes its way towards Moscow in a brutal battle of attrition. In the South the situation is a bit more fluid. The Russian line is split in two. Half of the defenders retreat south of the Don to protect the oil fields, while the remainder, leaving a strong garrison in Voronezh, fall back to Saratov. Stalin desperately calls for resources from the West to help replace the unsustainable losses the USSR is taking. With not enough CP’s available to get the resources back to its own factories, there is little the CW can do to help in this respect but they do have a plan.
The onset of better weather sees the reinforced German army renew its offensive against the Soviets on all three fronts. One would like to report brilliant tactical moves and daring bold thrusts into the enemy’s rear but the reality is different. Army Group North grinds its way towards Leningrad, while Army Group Centre pushes its way towards Moscow in a brutal battle of attrition. In the South the situation is a bit more fluid. The Russian line is split in two. Half of the defenders retreat south of the Don to protect the oil fields, while the remainder, leaving a strong garrison in Voronezh, fall back to Saratov. Stalin desperately calls for resources from the West to help replace the unsustainable losses the USSR is taking. With not enough CP’s available to get the resources back to its own factories, there is little the CW can do to help in this respect but they do have a plan.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Spring 1942: France
It’s pretty fair to say things haven’t gone entirely well for the Commonwealth so far. Booted out of France, booted out of North Africa and a shambles in the Atlantic, it doesn't exactly make for an impressive curriculum vitae. Unable to directly help out the USSR with material aid, the best it can think of is to create a sufficient nuisance to divert reinforcements west instead of east. The RAF has been growing in strength. The US 8th Air Force is starting to arrive and, more importantly, a whole bunch of units everyone was expecting would be committed to a Mediterranean campaign are sat in the UK.
In Germany, the supply difficulties in France over the winter have led to a heated debate within the High Command over how best to conduct the defense. One faction calls for an Atlantic Wall and defeating any invasion attempt on the beaches. The other faction points out the large number of units and additional HQ’s that would be needed for this, units badly needed in the East, and argues for a mobile defense kept more inland and ready to contain then counter-attack the invasion.
While the German High Command argues, the CW acts. To gain experience in conducting large combined operations, the CW mounts a joint seaborne and airborne assault on an undefended La Rochelle. A secondary objective, if circumstances allow, would be to join the Bordeaux partisans. The operation goes without a hitch. The Germans react quickly to contain the threat by railing a unit into Nantes from Amsterdam, bringing the Inf corps back north from Bordeaux and moving the HQ south. The units in North Brittany are put out of supply.
In the following Allied impulse, the CW realize their CV’s deployed in Biscay (convoy escorts and invasion cover) have a number of aircraft eligible to port strike Brest for which there is no Luftwaffe cover. The Germans get away relatively lightly but the Bismark and Tirpitz are left disorganized by the attack. Meanwhile, seeing the opportunity of taking an undefended Amsterdam, the CW launches another invasion task force into the North Sea. With no obvious prospect of exploiting the La Rochelle landing, the two units involved are re-embarked on transports.
Seeing the danger, the German command hastily deploys a unit from Germany to Amsterdam to seal off the threat. Rushing from pillar to post, they are beginning to feel like the boy and the dyke. The sequence of events crystallises German thinking and the ‘contain then counter-attack’ faction wins the debate. With the supply difficulties and proximity to air attack from the UK, they decide to abandon the North Brittany peninsular. The fleet will relocate to Bordeaux and the army will defend a line St-Nazaire to St-Malo, which they can keep supplied and contain any invasion. Keen to progress matters without delay, the Garr unit in Brest begins its move east to its new defensive position in St-Malo. In the meantime, the Inf corps assigned to deal with the partisans marches back to Bordeaux and prepares to attack. Supremely confident in their ability to deal with lightly armed peasants the German infantry are careless and march straight into an ambush. The partisans are still destroyed but so are the attackers.
In all the haste, it’s rather a shame no one has thought to let the Kreigsmarine in on the plans.
It’s pretty fair to say things haven’t gone entirely well for the Commonwealth so far. Booted out of France, booted out of North Africa and a shambles in the Atlantic, it doesn't exactly make for an impressive curriculum vitae. Unable to directly help out the USSR with material aid, the best it can think of is to create a sufficient nuisance to divert reinforcements west instead of east. The RAF has been growing in strength. The US 8th Air Force is starting to arrive and, more importantly, a whole bunch of units everyone was expecting would be committed to a Mediterranean campaign are sat in the UK.
In Germany, the supply difficulties in France over the winter have led to a heated debate within the High Command over how best to conduct the defense. One faction calls for an Atlantic Wall and defeating any invasion attempt on the beaches. The other faction points out the large number of units and additional HQ’s that would be needed for this, units badly needed in the East, and argues for a mobile defense kept more inland and ready to contain then counter-attack the invasion.
While the German High Command argues, the CW acts. To gain experience in conducting large combined operations, the CW mounts a joint seaborne and airborne assault on an undefended La Rochelle. A secondary objective, if circumstances allow, would be to join the Bordeaux partisans. The operation goes without a hitch. The Germans react quickly to contain the threat by railing a unit into Nantes from Amsterdam, bringing the Inf corps back north from Bordeaux and moving the HQ south. The units in North Brittany are put out of supply.
In the following Allied impulse, the CW realize their CV’s deployed in Biscay (convoy escorts and invasion cover) have a number of aircraft eligible to port strike Brest for which there is no Luftwaffe cover. The Germans get away relatively lightly but the Bismark and Tirpitz are left disorganized by the attack. Meanwhile, seeing the opportunity of taking an undefended Amsterdam, the CW launches another invasion task force into the North Sea. With no obvious prospect of exploiting the La Rochelle landing, the two units involved are re-embarked on transports.
Seeing the danger, the German command hastily deploys a unit from Germany to Amsterdam to seal off the threat. Rushing from pillar to post, they are beginning to feel like the boy and the dyke. The sequence of events crystallises German thinking and the ‘contain then counter-attack’ faction wins the debate. With the supply difficulties and proximity to air attack from the UK, they decide to abandon the North Brittany peninsular. The fleet will relocate to Bordeaux and the army will defend a line St-Nazaire to St-Malo, which they can keep supplied and contain any invasion. Keen to progress matters without delay, the Garr unit in Brest begins its move east to its new defensive position in St-Malo. In the meantime, the Inf corps assigned to deal with the partisans marches back to Bordeaux and prepares to attack. Supremely confident in their ability to deal with lightly armed peasants the German infantry are careless and march straight into an ambush. The partisans are still destroyed but so are the attackers.
In all the haste, it’s rather a shame no one has thought to let the Kreigsmarine in on the plans.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Spring 1942: Brest
The persistent and steady rumble of trucks disturbs Grand Admiral Raeder from what, until then, had been a deep and pleasant sleep. Calls to army HQ, under increasing levels of threat, finally get him through to the senior person present. Cpl Schmidt, 2167 Sanitation Co., otherwise known as Der Hausmeister, explains he was just finishing putting the chairs on the desks and turning out the lights, prior to locking up and leaving the key under the mat. The army have left the building.
Raeder is just explaining his ideas on the subject to Army Command Paris, “Was in Gottes namen hast du gethinken, du grosse dummkopf”, when the sound of heavy calibre weaponry disturbs his train of rant. Alighting to his balcony, praised in pre-war tourist guides for its picturesque and panoramic sea-views, he espies a not insignificant portion of the RN home fleet arrayed across the northern horizon. Of more immediate and pressing concern are the scores of amphibious craft purposefully making their way towards all suitable landing points.
Raeder orders the fleet to sail immediately to give battle. “Mitt was?” comes the reply from his ADC. “Wir haben keinen diesel oder munition.” Having expended their main ammunition in the battle against the Rodney, their secondary ammunition in attempting to repel the recent air strike and most of their fuel getting to Brest, there is nothing much left in the bunkers. “Wo sind die supplies?” Apparently, they were on flatcars at the rail head, just waiting to be picked up, when the army requisitioned all transport for a priority assignment. Not wanting to appear entirely inconsiderate, the army then arranged to send them on down to Bordeaux as a nice surprise, welcome to your new home, gift for the navy.
There is little the Kreigsmarine can do except flee south into the Bay of Biscay and run for port. The ships hastily depart the harbour and, by staying close inshore, manage to elude the RN forces in the sea area. All, that is, except for two. Bismark and Tirpitz, pride of the German navy. The big ships, still swarming with dockyard personnel and equipment checking and repairing the minor damage from the recent air strikes, take too long to be cleared and made ready for sea. Faced with the prospect of capture or a humiliating defeat at the hands of the RN, they are sailed into deep water and scuttled.
The persistent and steady rumble of trucks disturbs Grand Admiral Raeder from what, until then, had been a deep and pleasant sleep. Calls to army HQ, under increasing levels of threat, finally get him through to the senior person present. Cpl Schmidt, 2167 Sanitation Co., otherwise known as Der Hausmeister, explains he was just finishing putting the chairs on the desks and turning out the lights, prior to locking up and leaving the key under the mat. The army have left the building.
Raeder is just explaining his ideas on the subject to Army Command Paris, “Was in Gottes namen hast du gethinken, du grosse dummkopf”, when the sound of heavy calibre weaponry disturbs his train of rant. Alighting to his balcony, praised in pre-war tourist guides for its picturesque and panoramic sea-views, he espies a not insignificant portion of the RN home fleet arrayed across the northern horizon. Of more immediate and pressing concern are the scores of amphibious craft purposefully making their way towards all suitable landing points.
Raeder orders the fleet to sail immediately to give battle. “Mitt was?” comes the reply from his ADC. “Wir haben keinen diesel oder munition.” Having expended their main ammunition in the battle against the Rodney, their secondary ammunition in attempting to repel the recent air strike and most of their fuel getting to Brest, there is nothing much left in the bunkers. “Wo sind die supplies?” Apparently, they were on flatcars at the rail head, just waiting to be picked up, when the army requisitioned all transport for a priority assignment. Not wanting to appear entirely inconsiderate, the army then arranged to send them on down to Bordeaux as a nice surprise, welcome to your new home, gift for the navy.
There is little the Kreigsmarine can do except flee south into the Bay of Biscay and run for port. The ships hastily depart the harbour and, by staying close inshore, manage to elude the RN forces in the sea area. All, that is, except for two. Bismark and Tirpitz, pride of the German navy. The big ships, still swarming with dockyard personnel and equipment checking and repairing the minor damage from the recent air strikes, take too long to be cleared and made ready for sea. Faced with the prospect of capture or a humiliating defeat at the hands of the RN, they are sailed into deep water and scuttled.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Spring 1942: France
While the battleships settle down to their new role as future off-shore diving sites, an aide brings Adm Raeder a signal.
“Fm OIC Netherlands To All Channel Cmds. Stop. Urgent. Stop. Have lost sight CW invasion fleet Amsterdam. Stop. Presume headed back port. Stop. In case not, be on guard. Stop.”
Thwarted in their attempt to grab Amsterdam on the cheap, the CW couldn’t believe their luck at seeing Brest left undefended. The RN quickly reversed course and mounted a hastily planned invasion attempt. With only nominal opposition, the city was easily taken without loss and air cover in the form of a Spitfire group flown in.
The Germans are knocked completely off balance. With no units available that are fast enough to reach Brittany and contain the CW corps in Brest, the CW are able to move down the coast, capturing Lorient and then inland. With two ports now available, four more units (a mixture of ARM and Mech) are transported in, making six units in total. They are joined by the RAF’s Hampden group for tactical support.
Still clinging to the idea of forming a containing defensive line (Nantes back NE towards Cherbourg), the unit garrisoning Paris is thrown forward (replaced by a unit brought up from Germany).
“Well my dear old things, welcome back from the shipping forecast. You join us just as the Germans introduce a change to the attack, bringing on the Hannover Militia. Two years indulgence in the gastronomic delights of Paris appear to have somewhat affected its prowess, reducing it to the dubious status of occasional slow-medium. The militia trundles ponderously up to the crease like an arthritic elephant and sends down its first effort. The CW advances down the pitch to the tamest of deliveries and dispatches it to the boundary with an elegent, dismissive ease reminiscent of Compton at his best. Geoffrey?”
“That were roobbish. A reet powder puff delivery. Me old gran could’ve knocked them out with a stick of celery. What were t’captain thinking about. Ee’s a nice lad and I’ve nothing against ‘im but ‘e ‘asn’t got any brains. In my day …” Fortunately the fragment of the recording ends at this point.
Out of the corner of his eye, Field Marshall von Klutz, OKW West, spots his personal 30-year old mint copy of ‘101 Introduction to Military Tactics’ on the bookshelf. The condition is that pristine, experts in such matters would describe it as “appearing barely read”.
“Well, you know how it is, you keep meaning to give it a look but what with one thing and another time slips by and you never quite get around to really studying it.”
In some deep and dusty corner of his mind stirs a vague memory of it mentioning something about committing forces in a piecemeal fashion and this falling into a category best described as Sgt. Wilson's “Do you think that’s awfully wise sir?”
While the battleships settle down to their new role as future off-shore diving sites, an aide brings Adm Raeder a signal.
“Fm OIC Netherlands To All Channel Cmds. Stop. Urgent. Stop. Have lost sight CW invasion fleet Amsterdam. Stop. Presume headed back port. Stop. In case not, be on guard. Stop.”
Thwarted in their attempt to grab Amsterdam on the cheap, the CW couldn’t believe their luck at seeing Brest left undefended. The RN quickly reversed course and mounted a hastily planned invasion attempt. With only nominal opposition, the city was easily taken without loss and air cover in the form of a Spitfire group flown in.
The Germans are knocked completely off balance. With no units available that are fast enough to reach Brittany and contain the CW corps in Brest, the CW are able to move down the coast, capturing Lorient and then inland. With two ports now available, four more units (a mixture of ARM and Mech) are transported in, making six units in total. They are joined by the RAF’s Hampden group for tactical support.
Still clinging to the idea of forming a containing defensive line (Nantes back NE towards Cherbourg), the unit garrisoning Paris is thrown forward (replaced by a unit brought up from Germany).
“Well my dear old things, welcome back from the shipping forecast. You join us just as the Germans introduce a change to the attack, bringing on the Hannover Militia. Two years indulgence in the gastronomic delights of Paris appear to have somewhat affected its prowess, reducing it to the dubious status of occasional slow-medium. The militia trundles ponderously up to the crease like an arthritic elephant and sends down its first effort. The CW advances down the pitch to the tamest of deliveries and dispatches it to the boundary with an elegent, dismissive ease reminiscent of Compton at his best. Geoffrey?”
“That were roobbish. A reet powder puff delivery. Me old gran could’ve knocked them out with a stick of celery. What were t’captain thinking about. Ee’s a nice lad and I’ve nothing against ‘im but ‘e ‘asn’t got any brains. In my day …” Fortunately the fragment of the recording ends at this point.
Out of the corner of his eye, Field Marshall von Klutz, OKW West, spots his personal 30-year old mint copy of ‘101 Introduction to Military Tactics’ on the bookshelf. The condition is that pristine, experts in such matters would describe it as “appearing barely read”.
“Well, you know how it is, you keep meaning to give it a look but what with one thing and another time slips by and you never quite get around to really studying it.”
In some deep and dusty corner of his mind stirs a vague memory of it mentioning something about committing forces in a piecemeal fashion and this falling into a category best described as Sgt. Wilson's “Do you think that’s awfully wise sir?”
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
warspite1ORIGINAL: AllenK
Spring 1942: Brest
The persistent and steady rumble of trucks disturbs Grand Admiral Raeder from what, until then, had been a deep and pleasant sleep. Calls to army HQ, under increasing levels of threat, finally get him through to the senior person present. Cpl Schmidt, 2167 Sanitation Co., otherwise known as Der Hausmeister, explains he was just finishing putting the chairs on the desks and turning out the lights, prior to locking up and leaving the key under the mat. The army have left the building.
Raeder is just explaining his ideas on the subject to Army Command Paris, “Was in Gottes namen hast du gethinken, du grosse dummkopf”, when the sound of heavy calibre weaponry disturbs his train of rant. Alighting to his balcony, praised in pre-war tourist guides for its picturesque and panoramic sea-views, he espies a not insignificant portion of the RN home fleet arrayed across the northern horizon. Of more immediate and pressing concern are the scores of amphibious craft purposefully making their way towards all suitable landing points.
Raeder orders the fleet to sail immediately to give battle. “Mitt was?” comes the reply from his ADC. “Wir haben keinen diesel oder munition.” Having expended their main ammunition in the battle against the Rodney, their secondary ammunition in attempting to repel the recent air strike and most of their fuel getting to Brest, there is nothing much left in the bunkers. “Wo sind die supplies?” Apparently, they were on flatcars at the rail head, just waiting to be picked up, when the army requisitioned all transport for a priority assignment. Not wanting to appear entirely inconsiderate, the army then arranged to send them on down to Bordeaux as a nice surprise, welcome to your new home, gift for the navy.
There is little the Kreigsmarine can do except flee south into the Bay of Biscay and run for port. The ships hastily depart the harbour and, by staying close inshore, manage to elude the RN forces in the sea area. All, that is, except for two. Bismark and Tirpitz, pride of the German navy. The big ships, still swarming with dockyard personnel and equipment checking and repairing the minor damage from the recent air strikes, take too long to be cleared and made ready for sea. Faced with the prospect of capture or a humiliating defeat at the hands of the RN, they are sailed into deep water and scuttled.
Ah.. good to see another fluent German speaker on the forum [:D]
Now Maitland, now's your time!
Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
You mean my best Goggle inspired translation isn't as grammatically sound as I was led to believe? [X(]
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Summer/Autumn 1942: Russia
Over the summer, German Army Group North advances to the gates Leningrad and begins the process of surrounding the city. Army Group Centre reaches Moscow and begins its envelopment. In the South Kursk, Kharkov and Rostov fall to the advancing panzers. The Donnets is crossed and the Soviets fall back to the river Don.
As the first signs of autumn appear, Army Group Centre succeeds in gathering enough strength around Moscow to launch an assault on the capital. The operation goes entirely according to plan. The Soviet air force, held back in anticipation, is swept aside. Ground strikes disorganise the defenders and the resulting assault captures the city. Stalin is offered the opportunity to surrender but vows to fight on.
In the North, the fortifications and garrison of Leningrad mean it will be a near impossible nut to crack without a boost to the attackers. Anticipating the difficulty, the Germans have been saving their remaining offensive reserve for just this moment and commit it to the attack. The operation starts badly when the ground strikes fail to do significant damage to the defence. With the reserves committed there is little option but to press on with the attack. The odds no longer look quite so good but with anything approaching reasonable luck, the city should still fall.
It is rather unfortunate the German army chooses this very moment to put in its worst performance to date, although that little episode with the partisans wasn’t exactly what you would call ‘Finest Hour’ material. Three corps are lost in the assault and the defence is barely scratched. Now too weak to even contemplate a second attempt, Leningrad is saved for at least the foreseeable future.
In the South, the Don is crossed. Advanced units reach the oil field at Armavir but are halted by soviet armour. A panzer army races to and captures Stalingrad. The Northern pincer reaches Voronezh. The Germans realise with one more successful push they could cut the Soviets off from the bulk of their oil resources and hatch a plan.
Over the summer, German Army Group North advances to the gates Leningrad and begins the process of surrounding the city. Army Group Centre reaches Moscow and begins its envelopment. In the South Kursk, Kharkov and Rostov fall to the advancing panzers. The Donnets is crossed and the Soviets fall back to the river Don.
As the first signs of autumn appear, Army Group Centre succeeds in gathering enough strength around Moscow to launch an assault on the capital. The operation goes entirely according to plan. The Soviet air force, held back in anticipation, is swept aside. Ground strikes disorganise the defenders and the resulting assault captures the city. Stalin is offered the opportunity to surrender but vows to fight on.
In the North, the fortifications and garrison of Leningrad mean it will be a near impossible nut to crack without a boost to the attackers. Anticipating the difficulty, the Germans have been saving their remaining offensive reserve for just this moment and commit it to the attack. The operation starts badly when the ground strikes fail to do significant damage to the defence. With the reserves committed there is little option but to press on with the attack. The odds no longer look quite so good but with anything approaching reasonable luck, the city should still fall.
It is rather unfortunate the German army chooses this very moment to put in its worst performance to date, although that little episode with the partisans wasn’t exactly what you would call ‘Finest Hour’ material. Three corps are lost in the assault and the defence is barely scratched. Now too weak to even contemplate a second attempt, Leningrad is saved for at least the foreseeable future.
In the South, the Don is crossed. Advanced units reach the oil field at Armavir but are halted by soviet armour. A panzer army races to and captures Stalingrad. The Northern pincer reaches Voronezh. The Germans realise with one more successful push they could cut the Soviets off from the bulk of their oil resources and hatch a plan.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Autumn 1942: Army Group South
After eighteen months of war with USSR, the German High Command has had the first glimmerings of a thought which those of a generous and forgiving disposition might encouragingly label strategic. A close study of the maps has revealed a significant proportion of the Soviet oil resources are now dependent on a single railway line to get them to the factories. If that could be cut for any length of time, their ability to wage war would be somewhat compromised.
The closest the line passes to the German forces is Saratov and the key railway junction to the NW. However, the city and its surrounds are well defended. The defence needs to be weakened and quickly. The question is how? A daring but risky operation is proposed.
Phase One: A panzer corps from Stalingrad is to be sent 300 km directly east and cut the railway. The move will put it way beyond any hope of supply and it may well be lost but it will force the Russians to split the Saratov defence. They cannot afford to ignore it but will need to send enough units south to destroy it. While the panzers move east, the garrison at Voronezh will be dealt with.
Phase Two. The northern pincer of Army Group South will exploit the weakened defence, advance and capture Saratov.
With nothing to oppose them east of Stalingrad, the German armour races across the desert and the railway is cut. Unfortunately, the garrison at Voronezh prove tougher than expected to deal with and half of the attacking force is left disorganised (another poor dice roll). The USSR reacts as expected and half of the Saratov defence is sent south to recapture the railway. The slow moving infantry barely cover one third of the distance. Restricted by the need to keep their disorganised units in supply, the German HQ’s can only advance so far. The remaining units are pushed forward as far as they can go but fall short of the objectives. Whilst Saratov is now out of reach, a final effort could still capture the railway but then, the rains come …..
After eighteen months of war with USSR, the German High Command has had the first glimmerings of a thought which those of a generous and forgiving disposition might encouragingly label strategic. A close study of the maps has revealed a significant proportion of the Soviet oil resources are now dependent on a single railway line to get them to the factories. If that could be cut for any length of time, their ability to wage war would be somewhat compromised.
The closest the line passes to the German forces is Saratov and the key railway junction to the NW. However, the city and its surrounds are well defended. The defence needs to be weakened and quickly. The question is how? A daring but risky operation is proposed.
Phase One: A panzer corps from Stalingrad is to be sent 300 km directly east and cut the railway. The move will put it way beyond any hope of supply and it may well be lost but it will force the Russians to split the Saratov defence. They cannot afford to ignore it but will need to send enough units south to destroy it. While the panzers move east, the garrison at Voronezh will be dealt with.
Phase Two. The northern pincer of Army Group South will exploit the weakened defence, advance and capture Saratov.
With nothing to oppose them east of Stalingrad, the German armour races across the desert and the railway is cut. Unfortunately, the garrison at Voronezh prove tougher than expected to deal with and half of the attacking force is left disorganised (another poor dice roll). The USSR reacts as expected and half of the Saratov defence is sent south to recapture the railway. The slow moving infantry barely cover one third of the distance. Restricted by the need to keep their disorganised units in supply, the German HQ’s can only advance so far. The remaining units are pushed forward as far as they can go but fall short of the objectives. Whilst Saratov is now out of reach, a final effort could still capture the railway but then, the rains come …..
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Summer 1942: France
What started as an opportunistic raid on Brest has quickly developed into a major offensive. CW units are shuttled across the Channel and Atlantic as fast as transport capacity will allow. The RAF is switched from strategic bombing to support of the army. US B17’s and B24’s stop in Greenland, fly to Scotland then join a RAF mission before basing in France. The first US land units land in France directly from the States.
The Germans, desperately trying to shore up a western defence while still keeping some replacements going east, call on Italian support. They oblige with an ARM, MOT and, crucially, an HQ for supply. One question is what to do about Vichy?
The Allies don’t want to declare war. It risks handing the Axis a number of free units on their exposed southern flank and a boost to their naval forces in the Med. Meanwhile, the Axis is quite happy to let Vichy remain in place as it narrows the front they need to defend in France. For the time being a truce ensures.
For the Allies it never really becomes an issue. With overwhelming air power, the CW carpet bombs its way to the gates of Paris. Driven back to the SE corner of occupied France and looking at the imminent recapture of Paris, which would leave them isolated and out of supply, the Italians unilaterally decide to act and grab what they can. Vichy is collapsed. While some units drive NW to link up with their colleagues in France, a second army advances along the coast through Toulon and Marseille. Although some French naval units escape across the Med, two BB’s are captured and other ships are destroyed. Despite this limited success, the Italians sense the tide may be turning. Rather than pursue further gains, they pull back to consolidate a defensive line along the Alps.
What started as an opportunistic raid on Brest has quickly developed into a major offensive. CW units are shuttled across the Channel and Atlantic as fast as transport capacity will allow. The RAF is switched from strategic bombing to support of the army. US B17’s and B24’s stop in Greenland, fly to Scotland then join a RAF mission before basing in France. The first US land units land in France directly from the States.
The Germans, desperately trying to shore up a western defence while still keeping some replacements going east, call on Italian support. They oblige with an ARM, MOT and, crucially, an HQ for supply. One question is what to do about Vichy?
The Allies don’t want to declare war. It risks handing the Axis a number of free units on their exposed southern flank and a boost to their naval forces in the Med. Meanwhile, the Axis is quite happy to let Vichy remain in place as it narrows the front they need to defend in France. For the time being a truce ensures.
For the Allies it never really becomes an issue. With overwhelming air power, the CW carpet bombs its way to the gates of Paris. Driven back to the SE corner of occupied France and looking at the imminent recapture of Paris, which would leave them isolated and out of supply, the Italians unilaterally decide to act and grab what they can. Vichy is collapsed. While some units drive NW to link up with their colleagues in France, a second army advances along the coast through Toulon and Marseille. Although some French naval units escape across the Med, two BB’s are captured and other ships are destroyed. Despite this limited success, the Italians sense the tide may be turning. Rather than pursue further gains, they pull back to consolidate a defensive line along the Alps.
RE: Decline and Fall The Long Way Round
Please note that one uses a supply line of unlimited length to reorganize oil dependent units. One needs rail lines only if one is using oil in factories for production or is storing it.ORIGINAL: AllenK
Autumn 1942: Army Group South
After eighteen months of war with USSR, the German High Command has had the first glimmerings of a thought which those of a generous and forgiving disposition might encouragingly label strategic. A close study of the maps has revealed a significant proportion of the Soviet oil supplies are now dependent on a single railway line. If that could be cut for any length of time, their ability to wage war would be somewhat compromised.
The closest the line passes to the German forces is Saratov and the key railway junction to the NW. However, the city and its surrounds are well defended. The defence needs to be weakened and quickly. The question is how? A daring but risky operation is proposed.
Phase One: A panzer corps from Stalingrad is to be sent 240 km directly east and cut the railway. The move will put it way beyond any hope of supply and it may well be lost but it will force the Russians to split the Saratov defence. They cannot afford to ignore it but will need to send enough units south to destroy it. While the panzers move east, the garrison at Voronezh will be dealt with.
Phase Two. The northern pincer of Army Group South will exploit the weakened defence, advance and capture Saratov.
With nothing to oppose them east of Stalingrad, the German armour races across the desert and the railway is cut. Unfortunately, the garrison at Voronezh prove tougher than expected to deal with and half of the attacking force is left disorganised (another poor dice roll). The USSR reacts as expected and half of the Saratov defence is sent south to recapture the railway. The slow moving infantry barely cover one third of the distance. Restricted by the need to keep their disorganised units in supply, the German HQ’s can only advance so far. The remaining units are pushed forward as far as they can go but fall short of the objectives. Whilst Saratov is now out of reach, a final effort could still capture the railway but then, the rains come …..
I thought I knew how to play this game....