Russia! Why not? (Morvael welcome)

[morvael]

The front is near Poznan now, and it looks like the depth of German fortifications here is quite shallow:

[morvael]

Supply for the bridgehead is secure now, as Soviet units take Starogard and push towards Czersk:

[morvael]

Rifle corps start upgrading to '45 TOE. It turns out that 45 Guards Rifle Corps TOE contains a requirement for 48 SU-76M (an equivalent of 2 strong regiments or 2/3 of a brigade). With most light SUs in the brigades there will be not enough of them to fill the corps, perhaps some brigades will have to be disbanded. The front is getting shorter with every week, and it's harder and harder to make use of them on the frontline.

8th Army commander, Pyotr Pshennikov, is promoted to the rank of General-Armii. 4 heavy SU regiments are formed. 11 separate tank regiments, 4 medium SU regiments and 4 light SU regiments are disbanded.

Strength:
men: 11 236 834 vs 3 251 855
guns: 199 539 vs 36 530
AFVs: 19 095 vs 9 676
aircraft: 21 775 vs 1 309

Trucks:
in units: 327 144 / 327 145 (100.00%)
in the pool: 273 803 / 227 978 (120.10%)
in repair: 106 473

Losses:
killed: 19 633 vs 7 369
captured: 755 vs 79
disabled: 8 858 vs 857
guns: 734 vs 530
AFVs: 123 vs 95
aircraft: 224 vs 86

Including:
in combat: 152 vs 47
from AA: 31 vs 0
on the ground: 0 vs 19
operational: 41 vs 20

[morvael]

Since the gun/AFV counting rules have changed between 1.07 and 1.08 it's hard to relate numbers from older posts with these. Men and aircraft numbers should be OK.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: morvael

Turn 182 (December 7th, 1944)

As the weather improves, the front moves again. Soviet riflemen stand in front of Komarom and Ersekujvar, which means the natural obstacles on the path towards Bratislava were conquered:

this is interesting, given that Cpt Flam may have over committed to the defense of Hungary you've made excellent progress on that sector

[morvael]

Thanks to the open south flank I was able to unhinge Axis defenses several times, when I had the tank armies on hand there, that is. Later it was a slog, unstoppable but slow. Actually his infantry in Hungary was not that strong, they relied more on natural obstacles and numerous mobile units in reserves rather than numbers. I agree it's worth defending this land, first to keep Hungarians in the war for as long as possible, then to keep the VP triangle of Wien, Bratislava and Budapest under control. Actually, I needed those cities to bring the VP below 35. And Wien has important factories. It all boils down to defending the passes of Carpathian Mountains I think. It was a mistake IMHO cpt flam didn't fortify the southern ones in Rumania and gave me free entry into Hungary (though he had a few turns to counteract, where all I had there was 1 Rumanian Army).

[morvael]

Turn 183 (December 14th, 1944)

Resigned Germans give ground, it's useless for them now, as their allies have already abandoned them:

[morvael]

Strong push by Kirponos forces yields Ostrava and a bridgehead near Ratibor, which will be crucial for the planned surprise attack. Oppeln holds barely for now, saved by a timely intervention of 10th Panzergrenadier Division:

[morvael]

Plain and simple frontal infantry assaults along the front are executed to lull the Germans into a false sense of security, thinking they can slowly withdraw giving back minimum amount of ground:

[morvael]

Danzig, along with Gdynia, Czersk and Koscierzyna are captured. The Germans have no fort lines to fall back to and no reserves, luckily for them there are no mobile forces to exploit that weakness:

[morvael]

First four air divisions are promoted to guards status: one fighter (76th IAD), one bomber (19th BAD), and two assault (47th and 6th ShAD).

2nd Air Army commander, General-Maior Aviatsii Aleksandr Novikov, is promoted to the rank of General-Leitenant Aviatsii. 2nd Baltic Front commander, Marshal Sovetskogo Soiuza Semyon Timoshenko, improves his infantry skill (6).

Strength:
men: 11 421 113 vs 3 216 342
guns: 201 470 vs 35 852
AFVs: 21 317 vs 9 508
aircraft: 21 674 vs 1 297

Trucks:
in units: 333 345 / 333 346 (100.00%)
in the pool: 259 671 / 248 772 (104.38%)
in repair: 114 100

Losses:
killed: 42 622 vs 7 224
captured: 820 vs 132
disabled: 2 475 vs 1 881
guns: 1 193 vs 571
AFVs: 290 vs 145
aircraft: 164 vs 76

Including:
in combat: 93 vs 41
from AA: 27 vs 2
on the ground: 0 vs 12
operational: 44 vs 21

[morvael]

Turn 184 (December 21st, 1944)

A sudden return of mud offers welcome respite to the battered German forces:

[morvael]

Wehrmacht gives up Ratibor without offering resistance, which plays into the hands of Soviet generals, as they require this city to execute their plan:

[morvael]

Fuehrer declared Posen a fortress city, thinking it will bolster the morale of defenders. But their can't escape their fate, Poznan will be captured soon:

[morvael]

All is quiet now, but not behind the front, as supply, fuel and ammo is distributed to the troops and huge depots are assembled, to support the coming attack. In the rear, new all-cavalry Shock armies prepare to join the fray as soon as the weather clears. A fully equpped cavalry corps has nearly 160 AFVs, including 21 IS-2 heavy tanks, making them a potent force:

[morvael]

Strength:
men: 11 453 923 vs 3 240 631
guns: 202 016 vs 36 158
AFVs: 22 395 vs 9 486
aircraft: 21 743 vs 1 351

Trucks:
in units: 335 329 / 335 330 (100.00%)
in the pool: 251 555 / 237 545 (105.90%)
in repair: 120 225

Losses:
killed: 25 795 vs 3 381
captured: 582 vs 215
disabled: -6 787 vs -5 816
guns: 796 vs 191
AFVs: 64 vs 40
aircraft: 289 vs 96

Including:
in combat: 228 vs 46
from AA: 21 vs 0
on the ground: 0 vs 20
operational: 40 vs 30

[morvael]

Turn 185 (December 28th, 1944)

With Sopron captured, Hungary is fully occupied now, and the Red Army enters Austrian (German since 1938) territory:

[morvael]

First phase of the Berlin operation begins. It's also the most dangerous one, as the tank armies have to be deployed to the front first and the enemy will have a chance to gather some reserves, before they will be able to strike deep into his lines. The goal is to execute an envelopment of those hostile forces that are fighting around Breslau, strike hard north-west from Neisse towards Liegnitz, along the unprotected Sudeten Mountains, and connect with the second force attacking west from Krotoszyn towards Liegnitz. The plan is to encircle significant enemy forces in Schlesien, and bypass German defences on the Oder river line, striking north-west from Liegnitz, through Sagan, Kottbus, and Zossen to Berlin:

[morvael]

Northern group prepares for the strike as well, meanwhile infantry with some help from cavalry units pushes the enemy along the front, preparing to take Poznan:

[morvael]

Germans give up Pommern and retreat towards Stettin, with Red Army in pursuit. It seems the enemy do not want to be cut off here, but they are mistaken. The final blow will fall in the south: