Defending Greater Germania 1942 - Includes combined WitW and WitE2 AARs

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 3rd 1943 Turn 29
Army Group A

In the Caucasus the enemy seems to be in total disarray as Kleist's forces quickly break there lines and move to encircle them, Gen Mackensen's Pz Armee overrunning every defence line the Red Army tries to form.
Mozdok is captured as there seems to be complete lack of coordination from the 3 Soviet Armies of the North Caucasus Front.

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On The Black Sea it seems the Soviet High Command have switched there plans sending 2 Tank Corps to reinforce The Trans-Caucasus Front in a last effort bid to stave off another disaster and hope to push back the 4th Gebirgs Division from advancing into Soviet controlled Georgia.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 3rd 1943 Turn 29
Stats Figures

Another week of high losses for the enemy as there Bomber forces suffer the bulk of the losses, while our fighter force inflicts the most losses against The Soviet Air Force, it to takes the most losses as well.

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Ground losses remain high for the enemy this week with a huge number of AFV's destroyed or captured from the defeat of there many encircled units on the battle field.

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The continued losses are starting to take its toll on the enemy as there numbers drop as ours numbers slowly rise.

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North Africa
Situation Report June 8th 1943 Turn 31
Gabra line

As PanzerArmee Afrika's formations manning the front-line continue to be reduced in size from the carefully planned operation put into place, the deadline gets closer for Axis forces.At The Gabra line the defenders now stand at about 60 % of there original number despite this 8th Army assaults fail to gain a breakthrough. With Axis fortifications and the natural barrier not allowing Montgomery's troops to perform any flanking attacks which frustrates the British General as he knows every day more Axis troops escape with every convoy leaving the continent for mainland Europe.

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North Africa
Situation Report June 8th 1943 Turn 31
Southern Tunisia

Here to as Axis units are pulled out of the line the Allies miss the opportunity to inflicted heavy losses against us, despite the Allied air forces having superior numbers and constantly bombing our front lines the enemy has ignored our coastal rail network running from Gabes to Sfax also the railway from Gafsa through Maknassy, Graiba to Sfax is fully functioning allowing the quick transport of Armour and equipment to the docks.

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Axis coastal rail lines provide a quick withdrawal from the front lines

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North Africa
Situation Report June 8th 1943 Turn 31
Northern Tunisia

The situation has become even more difficult as Gen Anderson ( 1st Army ) changes tactics issuing orders for his Air forces to bomb the major rail lines.

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The Kasserine to Sousse rail line is knocked out as far Pichon.

The two major rail lines running to Tunis are also heavily bombed

The Tbessa to Tunis knocked out as far as to Bou Arada

The rail Line from The Medjerda mountains through to Tunis is also bombed as far as Medjez el bab

Only the operational line in the North The Tabarka / Bizerte / Tunis rail network has been overlooked by the Allies.

This makes the withdrawal of Rommel's troops very dangerous as they have to travel long distances in open terrain.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 9th 1943 Turn 29
AG North

News Update
Frankfurter Zeitung newspaper communique : NW Leningrad Captured ?

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With fighting largely focused along the Volkhov River line, news coming in from our Frankfurter Zeitung war corespondent Hannes Kilian reporting from the HQ of General Herbert loch's XXVIII Korps ( 18th Armee ) indicate that the North Western suburbs of Leningrad may have fallen to Axis forces in a bloody battle.

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An assault launched in the late night hours of the 9th of June by loch's Korps and Gen Philipp Kleffel's L Korps broke through Red Army defences and pushed into the outer suburbs of the port city.

Major gunfire and artillery flashes can be seen in the night sky in what seems to be bloody street fighting, as dawn broke German infantry appear to be consolidating there control in the North of the City.

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Our reporter was able to gain permission to accompany a combat unit and enter the outer most suburb to witness first hand the battle and take some photographs for our news service.

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The German Government is yet to officially confirm the report.


Notes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannes_Kilian

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 10th 1943 Turn 30
AG North

18th Armee continues to face stubborn resistance on the Volkhov River as enemy Guards units refuse to yield ground, further along the line Kempf's Infantry have taken Nebolchi and Kabozha in there Northern drive as it seems the Soviet Armour has completely pulled back leaving only some Infantry units opposing us.

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With improving weather conditions 16th and 9th Armee's destroy the encircled enemy units and push forward, more enemy troops are cut off and 9th Armee has almost reached the Volga reservoir, recon units from 9th Armee advancing towards the town of Bezhetsk have spotted Red Army Tank and Mech units which are believed to be the units that were defending Kabozha the previous week.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 10th 1943 Turn 30
AG Centre
Operation Zitadelle

The Kalinin Garrison holds out for another week as 9th Armee's flanking drive is held up by a Red Army counterattack which retakes Klin, the enemy rushes reinforcements to guard the Soviet Capitals Northern approaches. the diversion of these forces weakens Moscow's Central front allowing 3rd Pz Armee and elements of 9th Armee to launch pincer movement trapping 7 Red Army units in the Borodino / Mozhaysk area, while this battle takes place units from Gen Gotthard Heinrici 4th Armee turn North and push across The Oka River at Serpukhov, on reaching the town recon units detect 2 Soviet Armies forming a defence line to cover the Southern approaches to Moscow.

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After there victory at Kaluga 2nd Pz Armee sweeps forward overwhelming the shattered remains of The Western Front forces, Tula is encircled, in other sectors of the 2nd Pz front the Armee traps multiple pockets of enemy troops and makes large territorial gains,while the fight for Tula is taking place the Soviet defences in the Kursk / Voronezh sectors continue to collapse, The Voronezh Front Armies disintegrating as there units are trapped and destroyed.

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Making a tour of the front the OKH C- in - C feels confident the German 1943 offensive is doing well.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 10th 1943 Turn 30
AG South

South East of Kursk 2nd Hungarian Army and parts of 2nd Armee are locked in bitter battle as Soviet Guards units push forward unsupported across the Oskal River only to find themselves cutoff and encircled, these uncoordinated attacks help us greatly as our superior mobile forces are able to find gaps in the enemy line and exploit it. The fighting around Voroshilovgrad has reduced as it seems to look like many Red Army units have been taken out of the line, still Intel reports indicate that there is at least 8 Soviet Armies including 4 Guards Armies in the sector.
Luftwaffe aerial recon also detects more enemy Guards and Mech units South of the town Boguchar heading to the battle area.

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In the Manych / Stavropol region 6th Armee is heavily engage in fighting with The Southern Front, again here lack of coordination by the enemy allows Paulus troops to overwhelm the enemy.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 10th 1943 Turn 30
Army Group A

Soviet resistance stiffens despite 1st Pz Armee destroying a number of trapped units, the enemy throws in even more Armour and Mech forces to try to stop Gen Mackensen's advance on Grozny, further north the battle along Kuma river where III Pz Korps supported by LII ArmeeKorps traps a Red Army Inf Corps against the east bank of the river.

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A fierce tank Battle rages as 1st Pz Armee pushes forward along The Terek River towards Grozny.

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On the Black Sea Coast 4th Gebirgs Division finds its advance barred as 2 Tank Corps form a defensive line, General Rudolf Konrad ( XXXXIX GebirgsKorps ) orders his troops to go on the defensive, while this is taking place 17th Armee launches an attack against the defenders at Sochi reducing the defensive perimeter and causing a breach in there lines and splitting there units into two smaller pockets.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 10th 1943 Turn 30
Stats Report

This week once again the Soviet Air force suffered tremendous losses, fighter bombers and tactical bombers were decimated in the air by our fighters.

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The Ostheer inflicted massive losses on the Red Army across the board if we can keep getting figures like this each week and keep ours to a minimum we have big chance to level the manpower numbers.

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The OOB are starting to look much better but we still have some ways to go yet.

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North Africa
Situation Report June 15th 1943 Turn 32
The Gabra Line

Despite Montgomery's best efforts 8th Army has failed to break the defensive line at Gabes almost all the troops on this front designated to leave have been evacuated or in the process of boarding transports at Sfax, within 48 hours the remaining convoys will leave the Southern Port city for the last time.

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British XXX Corps ( Gen Murray ) assaulting the line repeatedly only to be thwarted by the tenacious defence from Gen De Stefanis 2 Ital Corps.

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North Africa
Situation Report June 15th 1943 Turn 32
Southern Tunisia

Two convoys at Sousse Port await the last units from the front to arrive and board the transports under constant air and sea attack, at the front the remaining Axis units hold the line.
Figures indicate that almost 50% of the troops in the Southern front will have escaped and about 30 % of armour and equipment also will be evacuated.
Leaving just enough troops and AFV's to cover the front line.

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North Africa
Situation Report June 15th 1943 Turn 32
Northern Tunisia

It is here in the North were Rommel has been trying to get as much men and materials evacuated, his troops coming under heavy attack from 1st Army and the constant air attacks from The Desert Air Force as they race across open ground to the Northern Ports of Tunis and Bizerte.

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Four convoys are waiting to evacuate the last of Rommel's Panzer troops and equipment along with Italian Armoured forces, the massive operation has put a tremendous strain on Axis logistics, however despite this the Italian Navy has kept the Tunisia / Sicily / Sardinia sea lanes more or less under Axis control, committing just about every ship in the fleet in this around the clock operation.
Both Allied and Axis fleets suffering heavy losses, Axis air units operating from mainland Europe also playing there part in the operation.

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Despite repeated requests from OHL Command Rommel insists on remaining in Tunisia organising the withdrawal of the last convoys and troop transport flights out.

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North Africa
Situation Report June 18th 1943


007 hundred hours
The last transport planes fly out of Tunis heading for Italian and Sardinian air bases
The last Axis convoys left there ports on June 17th bound for Southern Italy and Sicily, under the cover of The Italian Fleet

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008 Hundred Hours
After giving his last orders for Axis Forces to call for a ceasefire and announce surrender terms at 012 hundred hours to the Allied command, Rommel flies out of Tunisia for the last time.

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The North Africa Campaign is over.

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The Last frantic weeks of the North African campaign seen from both sides

Rommel's race to evacuate as much of his Armee as the rearguard fights to hold the Allies at bay.

Montgomery determined to smash through the lines and destroy his opponent before they can escape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr2Ifej ... WL&index=7

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 17th 1943 Turn 31
AG North

Bad weather hits again as Soviet troops put up stubborn resistance against 18th Armee on The Volkhov River front line, several enemy counterattacks are launched by Guards units with some success forcing back 2 Inf DIVS, German forces are getting bogged down in swampland's or unable to force a river crossing.
Further along the front Gen Kurt Herszog ( XXXVIII Korps ) pushes forward consolidating control of Kabozha.

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The harsh conditions on the Volkhov Front

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Soviet Forces preparing defences along the river



On the Kalinin Front better success for Kempf and 16th Armee making steady gains as well as trapping more enemy units as both Armee's push towards Sonkova,Kashin and Kalyasin in an effort to further cut North / South enemy communication lines.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 17th 1943 Turn 31
AG Centre

Heavy Fighting on The Moscow Front as The Red Army launches a huge counteroffensive aimed at pushing 3rd Pz and 9th Armee's back and relieving the trapped forces at Kalinin as well as the Borodino / Mozhaysk pocket, on the 4th Armee front the 2 enemy Armies that had been forming up along The Oka River push forward retaking Serpukhov and blocking 4th Armee's advance.

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The story is different further South as 2nd Pz Armee destroys the Soviet pockets and moves to consolidate the encirclement of Tula while Panzer spearheads push forward and capture lipetsk on The Voronezh river.
In The Voronezh sector the enemy tries to breakout of its encirclement but is destroyed and 2nd Armee pushes on towards the city itself, The Soviets throw more reserves into the front lines to halt our adavnce. LV Korps with both the 7th and 12th Pz Divs encircle 4th Tank Corps, 2nd Armee is now only 30 miles from the city.

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With morale high in 2nd Armee ranks, 7th Panzer Division leads the charge towards Voronezh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlwfPfq ... x=37&t=60s

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 17th 1943 Turn 31
AG South

On the Belgorod / Kharkov front desperate fighting by trapped Soviet forces to escape there encirclement's fail as Axis forces withstand the attacks, Hungarian units taking the brunt of the fighting but holding firm as more enemy reinforcements push forward, South of this battle fighting has seem to have died down with no attacks launched against Voroshilovgrad at all despite the still heavy concentration of Red Army troops in the area.

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Though Voroshilovgrad remains quiet the enemy masses a large force Southeast of the city, 9 enemy Corps between 100,000 to 150,000 troops approx facing weakened Axis Inf units and Gen Schlemmer's XXXXVIII Pz Korps, the battered 62nd Inf Division
is again called into action to support the defenders.
Hoth orders a probing attack along the Don River hoping to convince the enemy that a major attack is taking place in order for the enemy to pull troops away from Voroshilovgrad.

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While this takes place 6th Armee gains valuable ground as it pushes further North / Northeast heading for Elista.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 17th 1943 Turn 31
Army Group A

Disaster for Soviet 30th Tank Corps as the unit is destroyed and 25th Tank Corps is cut off along with a Inf Corps that were rushed in to try and breakthrough to there trapped comrades, German mobile doctrine completely overwhelming Soviet forces as the enemy sends there forces piecemeal into battle. On there right flank 1st Pz Armee infantry form a barrier and block the enemy from hitting The Panzers as they push closer to Grozny,The front line is now only 20 miles from the city.

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30th Tank Corps cutoff and annihilated by 1st Pz Armee



Here on The Black Sea Front 4th Gebirgs Division using terrain to its advantage forces one Tank Corps back and isolates another allowing the Cavalry Regt to move down the coast towards Batumi.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report June 17th 1943 Turn 31
Stats Report

The Soviet Air Forces has a catastrophic week in losses with 800 planes lost and pilot KIA's nearly 450.

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Ground losses for the enemy are also disastrous this week, The Red Army must be on the verge of collapse.

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A total of 20 Soviet units destroyed as the enemy throws itself onto our guns.

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There manpower numbers shrinking every week, there High Command in desperation orders its forces to attack with little regard for life.

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