Nirosi (Axis) vs PL1 (Allies) PL1 welcome now

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of January 31st, 1941

With the temperature clearing a little, Axis troops decided to mount an offensive with limited success. Supply is problematic in the region and troop recovery suffers accordingly with the need to often use pack mules in short supply across the mountains in bd weather; those same mountains that are providing good defenses for Greek soldiers. Nonetheless, some limited progress was made West of the country where Italian alpine troops reached the Corinthian Gulf, threatening the flank of the Greek defenders blocking the way to Athens.

In Egypt, the AfrikaKorps mounted and offensive at the British line near El-Alamein. The Italian XX Armor Corps remained in reserve. However, the German offensive failed to dislodge the British defenders. Local coordination problems meant that contact between Blaskowitz's headquarters and front line troops was lost during the battle.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of February 14th, 1941

The unexpected snow in the mountains of Greece foiled Axis plans. Rumours has it that in Berlin panic sets-in about a certain mysterious deadline. In Egypt, the appearance at the front line of an enemy armoured corps forces a cautious retreat.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of February 28th, 1941

With the weather getting milder, Axis troops could resume their advance toward Athens and after forcing back front line Greek units, made contact with the British at the outskirts of the city. OKH received intelligence that they seem to be digging in and will not surrender the city without a fight.

However, in Athens itself, the morale was quite low after the appearance of German reconnaissance units East of Thebes. Rumor as it that the British can not be trusted as demonstrated by their actions in France when they abandoned their positions and left the French to deal with the Germans alone in the final stages.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of March 14th, 1941

Nothing new on the Greek front. This time the rain froze the front once again at the doorsteps of Athens. General Manstein sent a messenger to the Greek government still in Athens trying to find a solution and avoid fighting in the city itself. However, no compromise could be found, and the German panzer are preparing for a difficult attack on the entrenched British positions whenever it will become possible. OKW seems to have accepted the request to leave the Panzers in the South for a fee more weeks.

In Libya, Italy sent an infantry corps (now veterans from Greece) to reinforce the position at the border.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of March 28th, 1941

After a very difficult attack that required no less than 7 assaults, Manstein’s troop managed to push back a British corps on its Eastern flank opening the way to Athens. After some rest, what is expected to be a very hard battle for the city will start. OKW has already made it clear that, if necessary, the British might have to simply be screened with infantry if the Panzers are required back North before the city could be taken. Massive air defense deployments can be observed inside the city.

Italian operatives in Cyprus informed Rome that a considerable number of aircrafts arrived at Famagusta. The Regia Marina was asked to deploy submarines preventively in the Aegean Sea.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of April 11th, 1941

Manstein sent in a battalion to probe the extraordinary British defenses. Contact was lost and now, after two days, the battalion is now considered annihilated. Cleary the attack on Athens will require more preparations and supply. Therefore, the assault has been postponed for at least another two weeks.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of April 25th, 1941

Under pressure from OKW, Manstein ordered the city to be taken. It took no less than eight assaults by the five German corps involved in the battles (2 Panzers, 2 PanzerGrenadiers and 1 Infantry, supported by Italian and German air forces) to finally push the British back and enter Athens! Loses were high on both side in the air and on the ground. About two third of Axis air loses were due to the massive anti-aircraft defenses (which were eventually overrun). The British retreating corps was pulverised just South of Athens while retreating. Greece is expected to surrender within days, but in Berlin there was little rejoicing as it seems some important plans will have to be pushed back. Also, two British Corps are still in Greece, according to Abwehr, and will have to be forced out before Axis troops can be redeployed.

Plans are already underway to split Greece between the Bulgarians, the Germans and the Italians. Although the Bulgarians did little in term of fighting, they will get the North-East of Greece under the condition that they will garrison Thessalonica but also Kalamata as soon as possible. Berlin has also made a deal with Rome. Italy will garrison for now Athens (under official German control) in exchange for improved oil deliveries.

In the Atlantic, the U-boats are finally picking-up some steam. On top of a reasonable number of merchants, close to 20 frigates, corvettes or destroyer escorts were sunk in the last two weeks.

[Nirosi]

General Manstein was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall after his victory. He can be seen here in occupied Athens visiting the wounded with his newly received baton.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of May 10h, 1941

In Kalamata, a British infantry Corps and a bomber group, grounded by bad weather over the Mediterranean last week, were probably preparing to leave the Continent. OKW did however order the corps to be attacked as there were some worries that not doing so and sending the Panzers back North could result in the British simply staying there. The fighting was furious and last a few days but with the last planned assault by the Panzer’s reserves, British troops finally caved-in and surrendered. Some bombers were also caught on the ground and destroyed while some others managed to escape.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of May 24th, 1941

Most of the German army is now deployed in Poland, Romania and Prussia. In the higher echelons in Berlin, there are rumours that maybe an invasion of the USSR might be imminent. Some say it was even planned for May but that the, more or less, fiasco in Greece pushed the date to June. On the other hand, the weather in May would probably have forced a delay of such plans anyway.

On the German side, the order of battle includes 7 bombers groups (but one not quite operational yet after heavy loses in Greece), and two fighter groups (including one about to redeploy from Germany). Another fighter group could be sent if necessary. On the ground, Heer fields about 27 or 28 infantry corps (including three still in France, Norway or Denmark available only in two weeks), 2 cavalry corps, 4 PanzerGrenadier corps and 8 Panzer Corps (including one still in Greece available only in about two weeks). About a third of the Panzer force is not at full operational effectiveness because of the difficult Greek campaign, but this might still have to do if OKW gives the order to cross the border. Most of the Romanian, Hungarian and Finish forces are also ready to contribute to any operations if necessary. Italy has also contributed four of its best five corps but has informed OKW that they will probably have to bring them back in the Mediterranean before the end of the year.

On the Soviet side, about 80 to 90 corps of all type are fielded from Karelia to Bessarabia. Most are very close to the front and deployed in two lines. The Soviet air force is deployed deeper, in the North-East mostly.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of June 6th, 1941

On the morning of June 6th 1941, Axis troops launched operation Barbarossa! Soviet troops were caught mostly unprepared an are facing extensive loses on all fronts, but especially more so around the Baltic sector. In the far North, Finish troops reclaimed the territory lost in the previous year and even probed further inside the Soviet Union itself. Soviet deployment in the sector is surprisingly strong both on the ground and in the air. Marshal Mannerheim has ordered Finish troops to advance very cautiously.

[Nirosi]

In the northern and central sectors, the German advance is progressing well. Lithuania and most of what was once Eastern Poland has been liberated and Vilnius cleared of Soviet resistance. German troops have yet to fully occupy the city however and Soviet officials are seen burning official documents in chimneys. The front in the sector has not been breached yet but could very well be soon if the Red Army does not retreat in good order. Either Minsk or Riga is probably the next German target in the sector.

[Nirosi]

In the southern sector, progress was not slower in terms of territory captured or liberated (Bessarabia is almost all back in Romanian hands) but was much harder in terms of fighting. Most Panzer and PanzerGrenadier corps were back from Greece and not at full operational capacity and it showed on the battlefield. Yet progress was made and contact with Soviet mechanized corps lead to the first large scale tank battles of the war involving Germany, Italy and the USSR. It remains to be seen if Soviet troops guarding the Dniester will still try to hold it on if they will retreat to avoid the risk of been outflanked from the West. The dilemma is complicated even more so by the fact that most, if not all, of those troops have very poor mobility now. The air forces from three countries were put to contribution in bombing and strafing the Mechanized corps and try to slow them down and soften them up before the next Axis push. OKH has ordered all commander in the sector to focus on the destruction of Soviet Mobile forces whenever possible.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of June 20th, 1941

Nothing much happened in Finland except some minor movements and the Finish troops stopped right at the gates of Leningrad.

In the Baltic States and Belarus, the Red Army did not retreat much and simply re-established a defense in deep just a few miles East and behind the Daugava. German troops pushed right through the defenses and reached the outskirts of Riga but did not attack the city. The capture of Riga and Talinn is of high priority as it will allow OWH to redeploy some garrison units now based in the Baltic ports in Germany and Denmark once the threat of Soviet amphibious landings deep in the Baltic is removed. Three Soviet corps were trapped in Courtland. The V Corps was tasked to finish them off while the rest of the army will continue toward their objectives. Further South, German infantry is approaching Minsk and surprisingly good progress was made in the Pripyat marshes. Soviet loses are very high but Soviet manpower might be higher still.

At sea, the Kriegsmarine, set sails to look for Soviet raiders. On squadron found the Voroshilov group and destroyed it while another found the Marat group and severely damaged it. Finish aircrafts sent to find and try to finish it off did not made contact. German ships received only minor damage during both battles and admiral Raider sent it a message of congratulations to all the crews involved in this great victory.

[Nirosi]

In the South, the Red Army retreated the central front about 100 kilometers East and re-established a defense in deep. On the flanks, behind the Dniester and just South of the Pripyat marshes, Soviet commanders received orders to stand their ground and those sectors therefore did not redeploy East.

German and Italian armors continued their push East moping up rear guards’ units and the first Soviet line of defense while the Hungarian army mopped-up some remaining Soviet forces in the rear. In a surprise move, a German and Romanian infantry offensive attacked the Dniester defenses up-front and managed to cross the river in-force but had to stop with contact with the mechanized Soviet forces in reserve in the second line across the whole front. German armors seem exhausted in face of the Soviet defense and would probably be in no shape to achieve a breakthrough unless Soviet forces start to crumble at a faster rate. For now, although battered, most corps still managed to keep good enough fighting cohesion and retreat in relatively good order. OKH is considered slowing down the operations for two weeks to let seven infantry corps from Germany, Hungary and Italy (Alpine units in their case) catch-up with the front line and help the panzers. The final decision will depend on the Soviet move.

In Africa, the Italians sent another infantry corps after British and Canadian forces were seen approaching the border.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 4th, 1941 (start)

In the Soviet Union the Red army still holds a relatively solid front but some weaknesses are starting to show. In Belarus for example the defense seems much weaker than before with a relatively thin defensive line between Vitebsk and the Germans. Could this be a trap? Or maybe the Soviets are trying to channel the Panzers away from more important objectives? OKW is pondering the next move.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 4th, 1941 (end)

In the Baltic the search for the Soviet ships continued and the limping Marat and its group were found and destroyed near the Swedish coast in the Gulf of Bothnia. Another cruised group and a submarine flotilla are still out there, and the hunt is therefore not over.

In Finland two German corps are now in the country but heir exact role has not been made apparent yet. In Karelia, flanked by entrenched divisions in the South, Finish corps successfully engaged Soviet cavalry further East. Soviet air missions against Finish troops are getting more intense by the days. Their action on this front coupled to almost no appearances over the sky on the German front seems to indicate that the Soviet are yet afraid to face better trained and equipped Axis pilots and are biding their time training here in relative safety.

[Nirosi]

At sea, near the Libyan-Egyptian border the British Fleet was deployed, and Italian aircrafts and submarines engaged them a succession of violent battles. All British groups in the fleet were damaged except the two most important ones containing the aircraft carriers. Italian aircrews reported that one of the two screening destroyer groups was particularly battered but would probably make it back home. However, the group centred around the Sussex was reported destroyed by Captain Salvatori of the Archimede who was able to properly observe the battle. On the Italian side, loses were heavy with many submarine groups clobbered and many aircrafts shot down by the fleet defense and air cover from Egypt. The Regia Marina was in no position however to engage the Fleet and stayed in port.

In Africa itself, Canadian and British troops are advancing toward the Axis ones. The tension is mounting, and Rommel and Graziani have meet to assess the situation.

[Nirosi]

Italian bombers coming back after the attack on the British Fleet.

[Nirosi]

In Ukraine, the in-deep Soviet defense is still holding as the Axis is unable to find any relative weakness that will make the front crumble, their own troops been quite exhausted after 6 weeks of campaign. Romanian troops have reached the outskirt of Odessa and, further North, a breach as been made in the Pripyat front, with some small chances that it could be exploited depending on the enemy reaction.