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

[Nirosi]

In the last six months the forces differential only increased in favor of the Allies, but the Axis still field a few million mens at arm that seem inclined to fight to the last, except maybe in Italy were the government seems to be faltering.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 14th, 1944

In Northern Italy, Soviet troops entered the country and are now only a few miles from Trieste.

In Southern Italy, Crotone defenders surrender. However, the next line of defense is much more formidable with the best the Italian army has to offer, veterans of Africa and USSR.

Further East, the British unit in Greece pulled back to Athens instead of facing the Bulgarians in Thessaloniki. Commando Supremo is investigating if the British did learn of their plans to land in Athens and cut them off in an act of defiance. Also, Belgrade was easily taken by Soviet infantry covered with cavalry units.

[Nirosi]

In Western Germany, the Germany’s VII Corps was shattered during the America-Canadian breakthrough putting important cities of the Rhineland at risk. To try to delay the inevitable an attack was ordered on the US XIII Corps and managed to either destroy it or disperse it, regaining some lost terrain. Information from the front is more and more chaotic every day. British troops also expanded their hold on Bavaria.

In Eastern Germany, Bratislava fell to Soviet troops, but the defender inflicted high loses on the attackers. Soviet pushes also flanked Vienna making the city un-defendable.

The recent successes in Slovakia and Austria, coupled with the fact that a dozen or so Tank Corps and Mechanized Corps could push directly north and cut off troops in Poland, convinced OKW to order a general retreat across the Eastern front.

In other news, OKM still reported successes at sea with about 500 000 toons of shipping sunk by its U-boats.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 28th, 1944

In Italy a British landing in Northeastern Calabria caused havoc in Italian defenses, destroyed the 10th Army HQ and badly mauled the XXI Motorised Corps. However, Comando Supremo ordered a counterattack with the VI and XX Armored Corps that managed to disperse the Australia/New-Zealand Corps and force the ANZAC Corps to retreat.

At sea, the Regia Aeronautica launched a massive air attack on the British fleet and followed-up with submarine infiltration causing moderate damage to the York and Nelson Squadrons as well as very serious damage to the Suffolk Squadron. With the British fleet weakened and Allied planes occupied, the four remaining squadrons of the Regia Marina surface fleet set sail to engage the enemy but failed to make contact. In view of the situation, it is expected that Allied air power will destroy the Italian fleet in the next few days.

In Istria, a German division and an Italian Corps were destroyed resulting it the almost complete encirclement of Trieste. German defenders in city resisted the first few assaults, but that will not last long. The low battle readiness of tired Soviet troops in the area is more than made-up by their numbers. The Italian government has tried, very informally for now, to contact the Allies authorities in view of a possible cease-fire. The loss of a major city like Trieste will undoubtedly make those contact much more official.

In Romania, another redeployment was necessary to avoid been outflanked. Soviet troops also advanced toward Bulgaria destroying yet another division. Both governments are attempting to negotiate favorable terms with the Soviets but have little to offer in return.

[Nirosi]

In West Germany the Allies took Esen taken and, again, flanked Dusseldorf and Cologne. The situation was temporarily stabilised when a counterattack liberated the city and shattered a Canadian Corps. However, German troops in the area are weaker than ever, unlike Allied troops.

In Bavaria, the Free French Forces Corps was destroyed by a counterattack aiming at threatening the flank of the British forces. All this was done to, hopefully, force more of their troop eastward rather than northward.

In other news the Soviet 5th Tank was pushed back a few miles to help, probably in vain, stabilise the line in Czechoslovakia. Also, of note, there are no more major rail line connection between Italy and Germany. Contacts between the two countries are now only through mountain roads. For all practical purposes, the Axis is therefore cut in three: Germany; Italy and Bulgaria/Romania.

[Nirosi]

Romanian mountain infantry near Brasov.

[Nirosi]

German panzer in Esen.

[Nirosi]

Italian Semovente near the front in Calabria

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of August 11th, 1944

In what is left of the Greater Reich, Germany lost five infantry corps in the last two weeks. The Reich was also reduced further buy the loss of Linz, easily taken by Soviet Forces and the loss of Dusseldorf, in this case after heavy battles with Canadian and US troops.

OKH managed to show it still has the capacity to push back and forced a Canadian and American corps to retreat in the eastern sector around Esen, somewhat re-establishing a weak but consistent frontline.

In Austria, German troops shattered the Soviet 2nd Mechanised Corps. This welcomed victory will probably allow more German troops than originally expected to escape from the Italian border toward German lines.

In other news, OKM reports that three surface squadrons are now again operating in the North Atlantic.

[Nirosi]

In Italy, the rain came two weeks too late to save Trieste, overrun by Soviet tanks. The country lost two corps in the fighting, with a third trapped in Calabria where the Americans finally achieved a breakthrough after months of slow progress.

The Allied fleet when back to port instead of engaging the Regia Marina. It is not known if it was because it was in not shape to conduct combat, or maybe in need of refueling or maybe even because the Italian government is requesting a ceasefire and the Royal Navy wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

The Italian government is trying to get be best possible terms for the future of the country, accepting an early surrender in exchange of some territorial guarantees and the immunity of the Royal family.

In the Balkans, another Bulgarian division was lost in the inexorable Soviet push toward Sofia. The Soviet pressure on the minor Axis partners is hitting closer and closer to the capitals.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of August 25th, 1944

On August 25th at noon, all Italian forces cessed hostility against the Allies and returned to barracks to be disarmed. The remaining fleet headed for Malta to be interned but still for now under Italian formal control. In exchange the Allies accepted to guarantee the territorial integrity of Italy itself (Mainland Italy, Sicily and Sardinia) and leave the King as head of state, arresting only government members that had not already fled. A German Corps is still occupying Venice and a division is in Zara. But both are facing vastly superior forces and will probably surrender soon.

In Czechoslovakia, the Red Army broke through the front and headed toward Prague. This push is threatening a huge pocket of German troops still in Southern Czechoslovakia and Austria. However, in a move that is announcing a future port-war split among the Soviets and the Western Allies, Churchill ordered British paratroopers to take the city at all costs before the Soviets could reach it. Overall, Germany lost four corps (Southern and Eastern fronts) and a division (Western front).

OKH reacted promptly and attempted to cut-off the spearhead shattering in the process the 12th Mechanized Corps and the 5th Guard Tank Corps. This operation liberated Prague and trapped three mobile Soviet corps as well as a Soviet Army and the British paratroopers. However, OKH is not very confident that the trap can be held for long.

In other news, the British started the liberation of Norway by landing in Stavanger and a Soviet army landed in Lübeck. German submarines are blocking the port for now to stop the Soviet to send more reinforcements. In the West, the US XIX corps was pushed back by a small local German offensive.

[Nirosi]

In the Balkans, the situation is stable for now.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of September 8th, 1944

The last view days were one of the worst in term of loses for Germany since the war started five years ago. Overall OKH reported the loss of four independent divisions (including the one trapped in Zara on the Adriatic), six infantry corps, two panzer corps and a panzergrenadier corps. The Soviets army also broke the front in three different sectors: Czechoslovakia, Southern Poland and Northern Poland. A major retreat was ordered in Poland.

In the Baltic, the remaining four submarine flotillas could not stop the Red Army to reinforce the beachhead at Lübeck despite achieving surprise on the transport fleet. OKM is investigating if the problem is morale, equipment, or sheer bad luck, but not a single hit was reported on the unescorted transports. OKM is also reporting heavy loses to Allied aircrafts, including a full U-boat flotilla.

Some counterattacks were still put together by local commanders trying to avoid encirclement or simply trying desperately to plug holes in the front. In the process the 9th US Infantry Corps was pushed back, the British 1st Airborne Corps was destroyed and the Soviet 8th Mechanized Corps and 50th Army were dispersed.

[Nirosi]

In the Balkans, Bulgaria surrendered when the Red Army entered Sofia. Romania reorganised its own front the best it could in view of this new situation.

In other news, the German corps still in Venice, ignored by Soviet troops that turned North instead, evacuated to Thessalonica before the bulk of the US army in Italy could reach it.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of September 22nd, 1944

The disintegration of the German army as a cohesive fighting force continues. OKH admitted the loss of three infantry corps, two independent divisions and the regiments protecting the 4th Army HQ.

In the West, Hanover fell to an Americano-Canadian offensive that broke through the line. US infantry took advantage of their high level of motorisation to push through. Essen and Cologne were abandoned by German troops who temporarily trapped US troops, in and around Hanover, in a pocket that will not hold for long.

In the East, Prague was abandoned and Breslau, whose defender were ordered to hold the city at all costs, was taken relatively easily by the Red Army.

[Nirosi]

In other fronts, the German corps still in Greece was ordered to disband itself. In Romania, Galati survived at least three Soviet assaults, but the defenders had to abandon the city, as they were on the verge of collapse and no other units are available to relieve them.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of October 6th, 1944

Germany lost another four infantry corps, a panzer corps, its only paratrooper corps and an independent division. The front completely fragmented separating the German army into four semi-isolated sectors still well supplied but not really connected and also four pockets that OKL attempted to supply by air, but to no avail in view of the total allied air supremacy.

The only major cities still in German hands are Berlin, Stettin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Nuremberg (completely isolated) and Hanover (just liberated miraculously under its citizen’s amazed eyes).

[Nirosi]

In Romania, the Red Army obliterated an infantry corps and encircled the Romanian mountain corps in the Carpathians. Bucharest is now besieged and tensions are mounting in the city.

[Nirosi]

Bucharest's citizens going on nervously with their lives with the Red Army at the city's edge.

[Nirosi]

German soldiers that participated in the liberation of Hanover, most probably Germany's last victory.