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

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of June 28th, 1942

In Finland, security battalions of elements of the Northern Front HQ stationed in Kronstadt set sail and landed at Oulu in a coup de force. Further East the 3rd Finish division was destroyed in the continuing carnage of the once proud Finish Army.

[Nirosi]

In Northern Soviet Union, the XIX Panzer Corps was destroyed near Kabozha. This first loss of a full panzer corps since the start of the war came in as a shock for OKH. In Germany, the leadership is starting to realise that the Red Army is become a life threat to the Reich! All territories gained in 1942 have already been mostly recovered by the Red Army and German losses over the last month are believed to by higher than the Soviet ones for the first time except during the Winter. The decision was taken to retreat in the Northern sector but to continue modest offensives in the Central and Southern sectors.

[Nirosi]

In France, once again, after a successful patrol, the Bismarck squadron came back to port while the Vichy government moved to Lyon under protection of its army. The city is besieged by Axis forces. Corsica was occupied without resistance by the Italians.

[Nirosi]

In Libya, very violent battles keep raging on. Italian corps in the sectors are on the verge of collapse but keep fighting for now.

[Nirosi]

In Algeria, the front stabilised for now in a temporary stalemate.

In other news, after a very violent bombing campaign over Germany last week, the skies stayed clear for now, both sides licking their wounds.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 3rd, 1942

In Finland the Soviets continue their steamroller trapping the German LIII corps, OKM ordered the waters around Finland to be patrolled.

In the Soviet Union, two more panzer corps were obliterated (one center, one South) bringing the total to three in four weeks. Panics sets in in OKH with the realisation that the Red Army is becoming a life-threatening force for Germany. Plans for a defensive line for the winter are being prepared while a modest offensive toward Moscow continues mostly to straighten the front.

In a futile victory, Kharkov, surprisingly lightly defended, is taken by German assaults.

In France, Lyon was taken and most of the country overrun. Negotiations for total surrendering have started with troops at the outskirts of Toulouse.

After months of very violent battles, thing have calmed down for now in Libya with Commonwealth forces probably in need of recovery after their non-stop offensive actions.

In North-Western Africa, Italian and American troops are facing each other deeply intrenched in good defensive positions.

In other new, the Bismarck squadron is out again for its third hunting patrol while bombing runs have resumed over Germany. OKL is requesting at least another fighter groups for the defense of the homeland.

[Nirosi]

You have not asked for advice, so if you don't want it then stop reading now.

Personally I think all of your armour and mechanized units fighting towards Kabozha are misplaced. It is difficult enough for armour and mechanized to fight in rough terrain, but even more so when they don't have good supply. If you click on your supply icon (which I do every turn) I think you will find that your units in the bulge area are in level 3 supply or worse. If your plan is to capture Kabozha than you need to do so by following the rail line. So my advice is that you retreat your mobile units back to good supply (even if it means giving up territory), let them build back up to 20+ combat strength (which may require expending some supply trucks) and then launch attacks along the rail lines. IMHO, it is better to attack in August with high strength units, than it is to attack in July with worn units

Hi,

Sorry, I just saw your post now! Ya your are right about that. I did made two big mistakes (among other I guess). As it was relatively easy to fight there in 1941 (and the potential to trap NorthWestern Front), I assumed it would still be. However, Soviet troops of 1942 are clearly not the same as those on 1941 (plus the supply thing after the Winter as you say)[:(]

And yes, I was, again, too impatient to go to the offensive the moment the clear weather came back. After all, even the historical German did not start their offensive until very late June! When things seem to go well at start of an operation I keep persisting too long when they... stop going well![8|]

Had I seen you post earlier, I might have seen reason before losing those panzers!

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 17th, 1942

In the Soviet Union and Finland, the front was mostly quiet and stable with a few Soviet attacks and German counterattack in the North and South.

In Libya the front has now been quiet for almost a full month. Commonwealth units at the front do not seem in shape for a continuous assault, but neither are Axis forces. However, more Commonwealth troops have been spotted by air recon deep behind the front probably recovering and preparing for the next offensive.

In Algeria, the stalemate continues, General Messe, back from its successful campaigns in the Soviet Union and Southern France, has been sent to take command and assess the situation.

After a short foray into the Atlantic, the Bismarck squadron, with some minor damage, is already back to port in Bordeaux due to extreme pressure by the Royal Navy.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 31st, 1942

In Finland, the Eastern front was breached, and Axis troops had to redeploy farther West. The LIII German corps isolated for about a month near Ranua was destroyed after refusing to surrender. Some activity has also been spotted near Leningrad with air raids becoming more intense. It could prelude an upcoming Soviet offensive from the city.

[Nirosi]

In the Soviet Union proper there was not much action expect some limited Axis offensives, mostly done to try to get a better defensive position. However, a German panzergrenadier corps put itself in a precarious position after misunderstanding their orders. It remains to be seen if the Read Army can take advantage of that.

[Nirosi]

In Africa, the XXX Italian Corps held its own against British troops in Libya. But general Graziani decided to cautiously redeploy it further back after reports of British tanks approaching the front once again. During its transfer by sea to Reggio, the Southern Area Army HQ and is security regiments were intercepted by a Hampden squadron operating from Malta. The 201st security regiment is considered lost, but the rest of the troops, including general Ambrozio and his staff made it safely to Reggio.

In the Atlantic, the U-boats are finding it harder and harder to achieve any serious success. For the first time all eleven flotillas are back in harbor at the same time for repair and upgrades.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of August 14th, 1942

In Finland, after weeks of debacle, Finish divisions finally resisted the Soviet assaults and held their ground, hopefully stabilizing the front. And, as expected, an attack also came from Leningrad itself but was easily repulsed by the finish division in the sector.

In the Soviet Union, German troops were pushed back by the Red army in two local offensives, but counterattacked, destroying the famed 1st Siberian infantry corps in the process.

In Germany, the bombing run on industrial targets are continuing, unopposed by the Luftwaffe for the moment. However, flack units defending the cities are slowly but surely becoming more and more effective.

In Africa, everything remained calm, but a German submarine intercepted a radio transition of a Portuguese fishing schooner mentioning large US convoys heading for Morocco. Abwehr is analysing the data to determine if it is genuine.

[Nirosi]

The Brites, believed to be the schooner that sent the message intercepted by U-49.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of August 28th, 1942

The last two weeks have been calm all over the European Theater with some exception in Finland where the Finish army pushed back easily Soviet attempts at breakthrough.

In the Atlantic, once again the Bismark squadron will attempt to raid allied shipping.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of September 11th, 1942

The Bismarck squadron had some small success but is still under high pressure from the Royal Navy. This time it has received orders from OKM to keep going.

Over Germany, the Allies moderately bombed the country again causing some concern at OKW. For now however, the Luftwaffe does not have the capacity to interpose itself.

In Africa, about half of the Drago division, partly composed of Breda.65s but also some new Ro.58s, was destroyed at sea near Tunis when many ships transporting it to North Africa were sunk by Hampdens from Malta.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of September 25th, 1942

In North Africa, Oran was taken by a massive invasion including three American infantry corps as well as the Free French corps. The Luftwaffe tried to oppose the invasion but was easily pushed back by Allied air cover. General Messe decided to retreat behind the Aïn Sefra and try to slow down the Allies as much as possible.

[Nirosi]

At sea, a small wing of Fairey Barracudas, newly deployed on some British aircraft carriers, found the Bismarck and the Tirpitz in the North Atlantic. They immediately attacked the squadron and concentrated their bombs on the Tirpitz. A lucky hit seems to have cause some serious damage on either the propulsion system or even some important electric system with the ship coming almost to a halt. The squadron leader, Johnson Reid, radio the fleet to sent in the enemy squadron’s position. Upon hearing the news Admiral Cunningham ordered a strike with torpedoes by the aging swordfish and some Barracudas. Bismarck was found and sunk by this action with no less than six torpedoes hitting, but the smoke stopped the British to press on their attack on the Tirpitz, who seemed to have regained some limited speed and was heading toward France with the cover of the upcoming night. However, in the early morning, the US XI Bomber Wing from the UK, at the limit of its patrol range, found the ship and crippled it. The captain seems to have then decided to scuttle its ship before the Allied fleet would show up to finish the job. British destroyers were sent in to pick up survivors.

In other news, the two squadrons lead by the Deutschland and Hipper made it out again in an attempt to disrupt the Artic convoys.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of October 9th, 1942

In Germany, the Allies keep their intensive bombing runs active. OKL will take drastic measures to solve the situation in the next 6 months by mobilising two extra Jagdkorps and deploy more AA guns.

At sea, OKM reported the disappearance of almost all the 2nd U-boat flotilla operating West of Portugal. The leave the Kriegsmarine with only 10 U-boat flotillas operative, some of them where also hit hard during this period. However, in their last few patrols, the U-boats managed to sink about 1.9 million toons of merchant shipping and 18 escorts ships of all sorts, a record after months of relative ineffectiveness.

[Nirosi]

The was a lot of action in Libya with a massive assault on three Italian corps, two of which held their own against UK and Anzac troops. This created an opportunity for marshal Rommel to try and split up the Allied front. However, the breakthrough stalled midway into the offensive leaving the XVI Panzer Corps in a precarious position.

[Nirosi]

In Algeria, Italian troops reached their new defensive position in great part thanks to the sacrifice of the 6th Costal Corps that was annihilated while covering the redeployment. The VI Fliegerkorps almost completely destroyed two weeks ago while attempting to protect Oran from the air was transferred to Italy for reinforcement. Leaving the Italian troops with only limited air cover.