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

[Nirosi]

In the West, the British consolidated their foothold across the Rhine in the South by the Swiss border, but no offensive action was reported. OKW is confident that the Allies can be held back for now with the weather helping but pushing them back will not be possible without much more forces.

In other news, the 9th U-boat flotilla has been reported lost by OKM. This leaves Germany with less than half the U-boats it had operational at its peak in 1942. The Bordeaux garrison was not as lucky as the previous forces trying the same route and was intercepted in the North Sea and sunk. The Foreign ministry asked its embassy in Sweden to inquire about the termination of shipments of iron ore from the country, just after the fall of Paris. The Swedish government seems to be staling an answer.

[Nirosi]

Soviet cavalry exploiting the gap made by infantry West of Kharkov.

[Nirosi]

British soldiers in a German town near the Upper Rhine.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of October 21st, 1943

Due to rain over most Europe except the Mediterranean theatre, no action wort of notice was report during the last weeks on either side. Germany rushed-in resources to improve operational capacity to many troops that just had enough logistical support to serve as garrisons. Those same troops are now also receiving more and better equipment.

The situation on the Western front has stabilized to a level that allowed OKW to feel confident enough to order the mobilisation of a new PanzerGrenadier corps, with maybe another one coming, with younger, slightly less trained, but more determined soldiers. A rebuilding of some mobile units should allow either for a reserve ready to counter-attack any possible Allied breakthrough and, maybe, even allow for an outright offensive in Spring, if only to push back the Allies out of Southern Germany.

In the Mediterranean, the Regia Marina conducted naval operations in the Adriatic Sea with three submarine flotillas. It is the first Italian operation since the two naval battles off Algiers, in 1942.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of November 4th, 1943

American troops, taking advantage of good weather, landed in Sicily and took Syracuse, forcing the Folgore Paratrooper Corps to retreat South-East of the city. It is now trapped and isolated. Comando Supremo reorganised the front in Sicily in way that could be dangerous if the Allies attempt other landings in the area. Comando Supremo is gambling that the good weather will not last, or that the Allies do not have the capacity to attempts other landings in the neat term.

Rome has asked Berlin for some aid, hoping that a few German corps could be sent. Berlin replied that for the moment they can spare no troops, but sent in some lend-lease to help the Italians raise more troops and at the same time slow down on their own recruitment after complaints from OKH that too many recruits are of less than desirable quality.

[Nirosi]

To OKW surprise, British troops retreated in South-West Germany by a few miles. German troops took advantage of the situation to liberate some towns and shorten the front. With US troops entering Marseille and Toulon, all of France has now been liberated.

All quiet, for now, on the Eastern front.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of November 18th, 1943

Taking advantage of nicer than usual weather, the Red Army launched a massive operation in Ukraine supported by numerous air attacks. The LVII Panzer Corps, although in good shape, was obliterated after only three assaults by the enemy. It resisted very well the first two assaults inflicting many casualties on the enemy, but cohesion dropped dramatically suddenly on the third day of fighting.

With the destruction of the only panzer corps in Southern USSR and the mauling of what was left of the Hungarian army, the decision to order a massive retreat was taken. To avoid exposing the flank of AGC by retreating only AGS, OKW allowed AGC to retreat as well. A massive retreat was undertaken therefore from Velikie Luki to Dnepropetrovsk. OKH is hoping the new line can hold, but a few units are quite weak and would require some rest to be back to a reasonable operational level. OKH can only hope that Stavka will attempts attacks in sector where those units are.

[Nirosi]

In the West, OKH tried a probing attack on Free French Forces in Southern Germany. However, a coordination problem with the panzer corps that was kept in reserve for a follow-up assault quickly led to a flattering of the offensive and OKH ordered it halted to avoid unnecessary loses.

[Nirosi]

In Italy, the surrounded Folgore Corps surrendered to US troops, while Allied air forces massively bombed the whole Italian front in Sicily, surely a preparation for a soon to come offensive.

In Northern Italy, Germany did send some help to garrison Trieste and Venice. Comando Supremo is aware that Germany is sending those troops, two corps, including a badly mauled one, only to protect its own Southern border, but Italy will take whatever help it can get. Rome even managed to expand by another few days the economic aid sent by Germany that was supposed to expire.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of December 1st, 1943

On the Eastern Front, Germany tries to consolidate its defenses on the Dnieper in the South, but some units are in bad shape, such as the last Hungarian corps still active. Kiev itself is defended by the 11th Army HQ security regiments. OKH rushed some small reinforcements, but they might not deploy in time.

[Nirosi]

In the West, the American pushed a German screening force, still on the Rhine’s West bank, near Cologne, but not much else happened in the sector.

[Nirosi]

In Sicily, Palermo is now besieged by American troops, and Comando Supremo is for now hopping that the bad weather can help the defenders hold the city for a few more weeks while defenses are beef-up in Italy itself. In case of good weather, the city would be evacuated to avoid unnecessary loses.

In other news, for the first time in about two months, OKM deployed once again U-boats in the Atlantic.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of December 15th, 1943

In Ukraine, the security regiments of the 11th Army HQ that were defending Kiev, managed to hold back successive Soviet assaults before been relieved by front line troops.

The XXXII Corps, further South on the Dnieper, also managed to hold the riverbanks but is now in very bad shape. It was relieved by fresh troops at it positions but will have to remain at the front, in an easier to defend position, due to a shortage of troops in the area.

Another Soviet attack North of the front near Estonia, failed with many Soviet casualties.

[Nirosi]

In Sicily, Palermo was taken by US troops, including armors. A request by the Italian XXI Corps still stationed just East of Palermo, to replace the XIII Corps on the Etna Line, in a move shifting the whole front inland Italy, was denied. Comando Supremo prefers to sacrifice the XXI Corps if that is what it takes to keep the XIII Corps, with experienced and well-equipped soldiers, on the strategic Etna Line.

[Nirosi]

In Germany, OKH mounted an offensive on the Free French troops holding the Northern flank of the bridgehead on the Rhine’s East bank. The offensive was successful in reducing the Allied bridgehead, but at a serious cost to already depleted German troops.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of December 29th, 1943

In Sicily, the 26th Coastal Corps, previously chassed out of, and isolated West of, Palermo, surrendered to US troops while the XXII Corps trapped between the US front and the Etna Line was dispersed and will be reorganized in the next few weeks. The XIII Corps is now the only fighting Axis force left in Sicily.

[Nirosi]

On the Eastern front, the Dnieper line held for now but barely. Some weak sectors were somewhat reinforced, but a logistical problem West of Dnepropetrovsk forced a security division of the Hungarian army to occupy a front-line position. OKH can only hope that the Hungarians can hold until, and if, relived.

Despite the dire situation at Germany’s borders, two infantry corps where rushed East in an attempt to eventually replace and repatriate a Panzer Corps and a PanzerGrenadier Corps back West.

[Nirosi]

In Germany, in the South, a British counterattack, with tanks, pushed back the German troops that had recovered some territory last week, effectively canceling all German gains and shaking severely the only Panzer Corps in the West.

Further North, South of Cologne, the 2nd US armored corps crossed the Rhine and German attempts to push it back, with the help of a PanzerGrenadier corps, failed. The VolksGrenadier corps holding the Rhine in the sector retreated quite easily, and against orders, on the second day of assault while it still had the upper hand. Not able to redeploy troops in the sector, OKH rushed in a few antitank battalions to Cologne to help the defenders in the city. OKH also ordered the troops still at Luxemburg's border to redeploy back a few miles East.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of January 14th, 1944

After five days of furious fighting, the Etna Line was breached and the XIII Corps evacuated Sicily though the Strait of Messina. Comando Supremo can only hope that the fierce fighting brough them enough time to deploy some reinforcements during the Winter. Intelligence and air recon seems to indicate however that the Allied troops in the Mediterranean theatre might not be large enough to be a serious threat, yet, to mainland Italy. The Allies seem to put almost total priority on Germany itself.

[Nirosi]

In The Soviet Union, the XLII Corps defending the Dnieper line just South of Kiev and pushed back and destroyed during a pursuit by Soviet tanks. The lack of forces and the inclement weather are making any counterattack, to close the breach, futile. OKW agreed therefore to a general retreat on all the Soviet Front from the Black Sea to the Gulf of Finland. More troops were shipped back in the West.