Defending Greater Germania 1942 - Includes combined WitW and WitE2 AARs

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Eastern Front
Situation Report July 20th 1944 Turn 88
Army Group South

With the weather turning for the the worst in the Stalingrad region and the enemy preparing to fight to the end FM Lindemann orders the assault on the encircled enemy forces to be implemented swiftly without delay once completed Axis forces are to then withdraw back to the defensive line. The two Tank Corps trapped south of Lake Elton are decimated in less than 24 hours, at Stalingrad itself the city is more or quiet with very little action taking place Walther Nehring the new 4th Pz Armee commander has for now decided to wait, the enemy garrison is heavily fortified in the southern suburbs and at this stage of the war the General wishes to wait till supplies run low before assaulting the defenders.

AGS 88.jpg (901.56 KiB) Viewed 445 times

Battles 88a.jpg (151.96 KiB) Viewed 445 times

Battles 88b.jpg (152.96 KiB) Viewed 445 times

OB 88.jpg (308.15 KiB) Viewed 445 times

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Eastern Front
Situation Report July 20th 1944 Turn 88
Army Group A

On the Caspian front Axis units prepare to attack, Red Army reinforcements are reported to be only 30 or 40 miles from the combat zone and moving at high speed, the trapped enemy forces need to be dealt with before Axis attention can be directed towards the new threat, Kleist gives the order for the assault to begin as the weather turns bad, opening with heavy artillery bombarding the enemy, Panzer and Infantry units push forward and all enemy troop positions are overrun within a day. Even as the remnants of the isolated troops surrender Axis forces are preparing to redeploy for any enemy counterattacks.

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Battles 88c.jpg (146.4 KiB) Viewed 444 times

Battles 88d.jpg (196.32 KiB) Viewed 444 times

Losses 88.jpg (395.78 KiB) Viewed 444 times

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Western Front
Situation Report July 22nd 1944 Turn 56
Army Group B

This weeks enemy air activity opened with large scale observation flights across western Germany's major industrial regions, the Allies trying to discovery the extent of damage that has been achieved from prior raids on our war production, Heavy Bombers made a number of large scale attacks against the German Capital and Postdam and while damage was considerable to our factories the enemy suffered high losses for the effort.

Army Group B 56.jpg (809.14 KiB) Viewed 442 times

Air Battles WF 56.jpg (645.8 KiB) Viewed 442 times

With just about every fighter unit directed to the defence of Germany the Allies had complete control over the Normandy battle area leaving only ground air defences to counter the air raids, the enemy struck at multiple targets northwestern and northeastern France road and rail infrastructure were hit in an effort to disrupt communication and supply lines, airbases were also attacked along with major operations against our ground forces on the front line.
Forward observers reported that Allied air drops have begun again with transports dropping supplies directly onto enemy controlled beachheads.

Army Group B 56a.jpg (789.6 KiB) Viewed 442 times

Air Drop 56.jpg (93.85 KiB) Viewed 442 times

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Mediterranean Front
Situation Report July 22nd 1944 Turn 56
Army Group C / Army Group F

The Allies continue there massed recon flights across central Italy operating as far as the Tuscany region, almost 95 percent of Luftwaffe fighter units are concentrating there efforts on countering enemy air operations north of Rome. Along the front line ground forces come under constant attack as the enemy tries soften our fortifications to allow a breakthrough.

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Air Battles IF 56.jpg (120.13 KiB) Viewed 439 times

Air Battles IF 56a.jpg (104.89 KiB) Viewed 439 times

In The Balkans the US 15th Air Force maintains its attempts to disrupt vital war materials from our Axis Allies, enemy bombers struck at several major centres targeting Fuel , Oil and Heavy Industry facilities, damage was at varying degrees, which slowed or stop production in some cases.

Army Group F 56.jpg (606.68 KiB) Viewed 439 times

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Italian Front
Situation Report July 22nd 1944 Turn 56
Army Group C

The Axis position at Grazzanise and Capua on the Gulf Of Gaeta remains stable despite the intense efforts by the enemy, the repeated attempts to bridge the river to outflank Von Arnim and massed armoured assaults from the town of Caserta had thus far been thwarted but manpower and Panzer replacements had been few in numbers for quite sometime, the good news for General Zeitzler was that the It 4th Monte Rosa Mountain Div had arrived the almost 12,000 man unit now allowing more front line troops to be freed up for rest and refit, in conjunction with the new unit arriving the AG Commander orders a major reorganisation along the Volturno river sector in an effort to free up even more troops.
General Hermann Balck's LXXXX ArmeeKorps takes over defence of the Gaeta coast, Ludwig Keubler ( LXXXXVII ArmeeKorps ) covers the left flank on the Apennine Mountain range ( Matese Mountains ) while General Hans Hube's XIV Pz Korps defends the centre region south of Isernia.

Army Group C 56a.jpg (678.02 KiB) Viewed 431 times

Even as Balck arrives to asses the situation the Allies launch attacks on Gazzanise, a combined armour / Infantry attack numbering almost 50,000 men assault on two fronts only to be forced back, after regrouping a second assault is launched which is again halted the enemy falls back with heavy losses.

Battles IF 56.jpg (262.77 KiB) Viewed 431 times

On Balck's left LXXXXVII ArmeeKorps faces a massive two pronged attack on the Mountain defence line, southeast of Capua 85,000 men and over 1200 tanks hit Keubler's men dug in across there Mountain positions and along the heavily fortified river bank, the Allies launch three assaults but fail to gain a footing across the Volturno river.

Battles IF 56b.jpg (414.82 KiB) Viewed 431 times

Further northeast of the main battle the Brit XIII Corps attempts a second forcing of the river but are driven back by elements of 10th Panzer, 3rd Pz Gren and the 334th Inf which inflict heavy losses on the attackers.

Battles IF 56e.jpg (269.45 KiB) Viewed 431 times

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Italian Front
Situation Report July 22nd 1944 Turn 56
Army Group C

The Adriatic

10th Armee charged with holding the Biferno river sector of the line on The Adriatic coast comes under heavy assault as Montgomery's 8th Army supported by Commonwealth and Polish forces attack simultaneously along the entire 30 mile front, units of LI Mountain ArmeeKorps which are defending south of the villages of Trivento and Montagano come under heavy pressure as three Allied Corps drive forward hoping to breakthrough Feuersteins positions, after two attempts the enemy armoured assault is halted.

Army Group C 56b.jpg (506.01 KiB) Viewed 428 times

Battles IF 56f.jpg (139.46 KiB) Viewed 428 times

North of the LI Mountain positions heavy fighting takes place as the enemy tries to cross the river and drive towards the towns of Montecilfone and Palata and attempt to cutoff Axis troops defending at Termoli, despite armour superiority Allied forces are thrown back.

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While there is major fighting across the whole front the Allied main attack falls on the city of Termoli itself as almost 95,000 enemy troops launch a direct assault on the heavily fortified port city, a breakthrough here would allow enemy forces to advance along the Adriatic coast bypassing the Apennines Mountain range and drive north possibly forcing our entire front line to withdraw and weakening our position in Italy.
The initial attack almost succeeds as the enemy advance pushes to just 600 yards from the city's main defences, a second enemy attack is halted and driven back with our forces retaking lost ground.

Battles IF 56h.jpg (276.45 KiB) Viewed 428 times

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Western Front
Situation Report July 22nd 1944 Turn 56
Army Group B

Normandy

With Axis forces once again forced out of Fecamp Bader orders Dollmann's 7th Armee to cease offensive actions and remain on the defensive while the situation is reviewed and new a strategy is planned and can be formulated to overrun the Allied landings, the two major assaults have put a tremendous strain on manpower and resources, despite having the enemy pinned down to a 40 mile strip of land including there beachheads enemy Naval gunfire support has been highly effective in assisting the Allies to launch counterattacks, enemy air superiority over the beachhead itself is causing heavy losses to our forces.

Army Group B 56b.jpg (658.85 KiB) Viewed 427 times

General Sinnhuber's LXXXII ArmeeKorps comes under sustained attack as enemy forces attempt to retake St-Valery, control of the town would give the Allies another Port to resupply the invasion forces and also the ability to transport more troops into France, over the week the enemy launches two attacks by our troops hold.

Battles WF 56.jpg (271.65 KiB) Viewed 427 times

On the 7th Armee front Herr's Pz Korps is attacked on three fronts with the enemy throwing almost 90,000 men from the US 1st Army at the Axis defence line, Herr's troops absorb the initial assaults halting any advance, with opening attacks contained and LXXVI Pz Korps forcing back the attackers, US V Corps supported by the Can II Corps, US VII Corps and Brit Paratroopers relaunch there assault on the line, series of eight attacks over the course of the week with the battle swinging back and forth as Herr counterattacks finally halting the Allied advance 500 yards from the main defence line.

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Battles WF 56c.jpg (383.24 KiB) Viewed 427 times

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Western Theatre / Mediterranean Theatre
Situation Report July 22nd 1944
Stats Report

Losses, Production, Supply and Weather

WITW Losses 56.jpg (190.95 KiB) Viewed 424 times

WITW Production 56.jpg (211.28 KiB) Viewed 424 times

WITW Production Phase 56a.jpg (330.58 KiB) Viewed 424 times

WITW Weather 56.jpg (468.67 KiB) Viewed 424 times

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Eastern Front
Situation Report July 27th 1944 Turn 89
Army Group North

In the far north Erik Hansen's LIV AmeeKorps reaches it objective Konosha, capturing the town with its large air base and rail centre now cuts off the city of Arkhangelsk on the White Sea, the Port city is a major supply link for the Soviet Union as the Western Allies send there northern convoys to both Arkhangelsk and Murmansk, with the rail link severed war materials can now only be sent to the remnants of The Red Army by road convoys which are much slower. Soviet Forces fighting on The Karelian Front are now also under threat with the rail line cut.
Further east of LIV ArmeeKorps the main forces of 8th Armee now begin to fortify there positions along The Pizhma and Vokshma Rivers forward of the town of Shabalino, General Kempf's Army now facing the remnants of 2nd Baltic and 2nd Belorussian Fronts.

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A German patrol from the 251st Infantry Div crosses the Pizhma river to take up defensive positions

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Further south the 1st and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts attempt an armoured raid to breakthrough 4th Armee and 16th Armee's defence lines, bypassing Kazan two Soviet Tank Corps push towards Yoshkar-Ola attempting to get behind our lines to disrupt Axis communications and supply, without support the operation is doomed as both enemy units are cutoff, enemy reinforcements arrive to late to help.

AGN 89a.jpg (953.15 KiB) Viewed 207 times

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Eastern Front
Situation Report July 27th 1944 Turn 89
Army Group Centre

As the construction of The Volga line continues the enemy seems reluctant to commit any actions to disrupt operations, the remnants of three Soviets Fronts maintain a defensive stance in around Stalin's last stronghold the city of Kuybyshev, elements of 2nd Armee and Erhard Raus 3rd Pz Armee directly appose these forces. At the Syzran sector Kurt Von Der Chevallerie's LIX ArmeeKorps has deployed across the river creating a 20 mile buffer zone in the Samara Provence, Friedrich Kirchner's LVII Pz Korps dug in along the west bank is the main armoured reserve.

AGC 89.jpg (907.23 KiB) Viewed 205 times

At Ulyanovsk engineers continue to construct bridges across The Volga for the rapid deployment of mobile forces from the 18th and 27th Panzer Div's stationed in the area.

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On Von Kluge's southern sector of his Army Groups front line the main forces of 2nd Armee and 9th Armee face 2nd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts, here to both Army's have deployed most of there Infantry on the east bank gaining a large zone forward, there is steady rain across the sector but construction continues, unlike the line further north enemy Tank units have started pushing forward towards Saratov and Kamyshin but are holding there fire.

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Supply 89.jpg (357.68 KiB) Viewed 205 times

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Eastern Front
Situation Report July 27th 1944 Turn 89
Army Group South

With latest Soviet offensive operations defeated and the destruction of the enemy armour completed Axis Forces begin to withdraw back towards protection of the Volga fortifications as more enemy Tank units are detected heading towards the town of Palasovka.

At Stalingrad the defenders remain defiant holed up in the southern section of the city, both Lindemann and Nehring continue to hold off on any direct Infantry assaults yet content to let the Luftwaffe and Axis Artillery bomb the enemy into submission.
German defence lines are to strong for any enemy breakthrough to the enemy garrison, the Red Army does not have the manpower to coordinate any effective operations to relieve the cutoff forces.

AGS 89.jpg (926.22 KiB) Viewed 203 times

Production 89.jpg (385.22 KiB) Viewed 203 times

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Eastern Front
Situation Report July 27th 1944 Turn 89
Army Group A

On the Caspian front the Soviet offensive is smashed and tens of thousands of prisoners marched south to POW camps, Kleist's forces redeploy and prepare for a second assault on the Axis line, German Intel indicates a new push by 4th Ukrainian Front towards the Volga and Astrakhan with aerial recon reporting several tank formations advancing in columns south of Guriev, the port city is believed to be the new staging area for units of the Red Army arriving from the Urals.

Army Group A 89.jpg (735.83 KiB) Viewed 201 times

Losses 89.jpg (394.68 KiB) Viewed 201 times

OB 89.jpg (308.69 KiB) Viewed 201 times

High Command announcing some promotions to Commanders in the field

Leader 89.jpg (18.68 KiB) Viewed 201 times

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Western Front
Situation Report July 29th 1944 Turn 57
Army Group B

Allied air activity is very high in Western Germany however the vast majority is Aerial Reconnaissance of our industrial centres, the enemy obviously trying to ascertain the level of damage they have inflicted to the Axis Industrial capacity and also planning future raids to disrupt war materials and weaponry to all Fronts.
In Northwestern Germany the Capital and the city of Potsdam were the only targets to be attacked by enemy bombers forces, damaged varied as air defences conducted multiple intercept missions causing large losses to the attacking forces.

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Air Battles WF 57.jpg (435.38 KiB) Viewed 197 times

Air Battles WF 57d.jpg (450.38 KiB) Viewed 197 times

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Western Front
Situation Report July 29th 1944 Turn 57
Army Group B

While operations in Germany were substantial the main attention by The Allies was in France and the Normandy region, the enemy intensified its attacks on Rail and road infrastructure in an effort to disrupt supplies and equipment being delivered to our front line forces, the enemy also struck at just about all of our operation air bases to suppress any air activity by our fighter units against there operations over the enemy beachhead.
Paris was also targeted by enemy bombers as they tried to disrupt command and control communications with our forward units, enemy bombing raids also struck at German industrial centres situated along the Rhine river, damage varied as the strikes consisted of less than 50 bombers.

Army Group B 57a.jpg (826.11 KiB) Viewed 196 times

Air Battles WF 57l.jpg (427.06 KiB) Viewed 196 times

Army Group B 57b.jpg (723.17 KiB) Viewed 196 times

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Mediterranean Front
Situation Report July 29th 1944 Turn 57
Army Group C / Army Group F

The Air War in Italy maintains the same level of intensity this week as has been for the past month, operating from air bases on Corsica long range recon units begin there daily observation flights across the central and southern mainland regions of lazio, Abruzzo, Umbria, Marche and Tuscany. German fighter units conduct large scale intercept missions out over the Ligurian Sea and over Italy proper, the enemy this week choosing not to conduct bombing operations on infrastructure targets, there main bombing efforts aim at ground attacks on Axis front line forces.

Army Group C 57.jpg (711.04 KiB) Viewed 193 times

In the Balkans the situation is different, the Allied 15th Air Force conducts large scale bombing raids on Rumanian Oil and Fuel Facilities despite the best efforts from Axis Allied air units the enemy bombers are able push through to there targets and cause substantial damage to a number Industrial centres.

Army Group F 57.jpg (656.39 KiB) Viewed 193 times

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Italian Front
Situation Report July 29th 1944 Turn 57
Army Group C

More reinforcements arrive to the Italian front in the form of the It 3rd ' San Marco ' Marine Div, the unit is a timely boost to our front line forces defending against a greater number of enemy troops, Von Senger Und Etterlin ( 14th Armee ) is given control of both Italian units, the General is planning to redeploy the 719th Inf Div and I Regt/10th Panzer Div out of the line for refit the Italians will replace them. Even before this operation can take place Allied forces begin fresh assaults along the front line, the enemy concentrating on three sectors of defence line.

Army Group C 57a.jpg (667.03 KiB) Viewed 190 times

At Grazzanise a US / CAN attack LXXXX ArmeeKorps positions using there superior artillery numbers to soften up defensive fortifications first, followed by Inf / armour assaults against SS Panzer troops, the initial attack fails to push our forces out a follow up attack also fails both assaults resulting in heavy losses for the enemy.
While the attack on Grazzanise is unfolding Brit,US and Polish forces launch a large scale attack on 14th Armee's Mountain top positions, LXXXXVII ArmeeKorps troops south of Capua come under pressure from over a hundred thousand enemy troops and Fourteen hundred tanks, the enemy launches three assaults throughout the week hoping to forces through there attack with sheer numbers, Axis forces controlling the high ground are able to hold the line.
The central sector of line is relatively quiet allowing General Hube's Panzer troops a brief moment to rest.

Battles IF 57.jpg (705.45 KiB) Viewed 190 times

On the Adriatic Sea front the Brit 8th Army begins another major offensive south of Termoli nearly eighty thousand men try to force crossings along a 10 mile front of the Biferno river line, the enemy attempts small boat crossings under cover of artillery fire or seize control of still undamaged bridges, despite the odds LXXIV ArmeeKorps line holds and 8th Army call off any further attacks.

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Allied troops from the Brit 15th Inf attempt to seize a bridge over the Biferno River southwest of Termoli, the assault fails

Another Allied Attempt To Capture A Bridge .jpg (59.46 KiB) Viewed 190 times

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OKW Command
Hotel Majestic, Paris
Situation Report July 29th 1944 Turn 57
Western Front / Italian Front

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Air reconnaissance planes conducting operations over Dover District in Kent county, southeastern England have brought valuable Intelligence photographs of seven enemy units stationed along the coast between the Ports of Ramsgate and Dover, five enemy units have been identified as armoured units, one Infantry and one airborne, with the bulk of our troops centred in the Normandy area the Pasde Calais region is now lightly defended and only the LXXXIX ArmeeKorps northwest of the area is in any position to contest any landings. More Intel has now identified the Airborne forces as the 1st Polish parachute brigade Commanded by General S. Sosabowski. A second landing at Calais is a serious danger to the Axis defence plans.

Polish Airborne.jpg (340.46 KiB) Viewed 185 times

When I noticed the unit on the map I had to throw in a tribute to a great actor R.I.P. Gene Hackman



In Italy Axis intelligence operating in the southern areas of the country reported two troop convoys arriving at Naples and Salerno with fresh enemy units disembarking.
Air Recon units from 2. (f) AufklarGr 122 from Castiglione Del lago airbase were dispatched on Photo-reconnaissance missions, the Staffel's first flight over Naples produced evidence of columns of Infantry moving to the front line and deploying along the Volturno River east of Caserta.

Brazilian Div.jpg (423.07 KiB) Viewed 185 times

A second operation by the Staffel over Salerno and the surrounding areas produced intel of a Motorised formation conducting orientation training at Montecorvino a town 10 miles from the Port, Army and Air force Intelligence officers both at Army Group C and at OKH High Command are working to identify these new units.

British Gurkhas Arrive.jpg (410.17 KiB) Viewed 185 times

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Western Front
Situation Report July 29th 1944 Turn 57
Army Group B

Normandy

At Dieppe the Garrison commander reports that more troop ships have been spotted offshore east of the main invasion area and the 30 mile stretch of beach from Dieppe to Abbeville is undefended as all units that were stationed there were redeployed.
This is also of great concern for the High Command, General Lieb ( 15th Armee ) has ordered any available units to be dispatched immediately to the area.

Army Group B 57c.jpg (662.75 KiB) Viewed 184 times

At Evreux I SS Pz Korps HQ Micheal Whittmann's 501st SS Panzer unit has been resting and refitting the commander awaiting the arrival of replacement Tigers for the battalion, after the forced retreat from Fecamp Whitmann's unit lost 2 Tigers ( his own Tiger included ) and 8 damaged, however morale in the unit is still high, as Whitmann informs his men the news of the replacement tanks imminent arrival. Just after midday the tanks arrive and Tiger 222 is designated the units Befehlstiger.

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As I SS Pz Korps continues refitting Bradley's US 1st Army launches another series of attacks towards St-Valery supported by the Brit XII Corps, the enemy opens with a large scale artillery barrage followed by assaults US Paratroops and Brit Infantry, Generalleutnant Lieb 15th Armee Commander who was touring the front to support his forces takes direct command of the defence. Two attacks by the enemy are halted forcing the Allies to fall back to there own lines.

Battles WF 57.jpg (297.13 KiB) Viewed 184 times

On 7th Armee front Herr is once again subjected to a series of heavy attacks by the US 1st Army, the enemy launching a massive artillery assault against LXXVI Pz Korps followed up by a combined Paratroop / Infantry attack, enemy Armour advances and a large tank battle takes place on open terrain, with superior numbers Herr's Panzers force back the enemies Sherman's while our Pz Grenadier troops inflict heavy losses on Allied infantry. The Axis line remains solid after this latest enemy attempt to breakout fails.

Battles WF 57b.jpg (316.82 KiB) Viewed 184 times

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Western Front / Mediterranean Front
Situation Report July 29th 1944 Turn 57

losses / supply / production

WITW Losses 57.jpg (171.38 KiB) Viewed 183 times

WITW A Losses 57.jpg (184.74 KiB) Viewed 183 times

WITW Supply 57.jpg (524.64 KiB) Viewed 183 times

WITW Production Phase 57a.jpg (486.07 KiB) Viewed 183 times

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Eastern Front
Situation Report Aug 3rd 1944 Turn 90
Army Group North

With Hansen's ArmeeKorps completing its mission in the Vologda region the unit know begins to withdraw and regroup with the bulk of 8th Armee in the Kazan region, the weather has cleared and Walter Weiss ( AG North ) issues new orders with one ArmeeKorps from 16th Armee supporting its southern flank 8th Armee is to advance forward cross the Vyatka river and seize the town of Kotelnich some 50 miles from the city of Kirov. Axis forces advance on a wide front facing no real resistance apart from several Red Airforce AA units stationed in the town and Headquarters troops from the Soviet 11th Army and 2nd Belorussian Front, the town is captured easily as both enemy HQ's are forced to retreat.

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North of the of Kazan the two Soviet Tank Corps cutoff the previous week attempt to breakout, Soviet 9th Tank Corps moves towards the Mesha River hoping to force an opening and reach the east bank and link up with friendly forces, there is heavy fighting as the enemy holds off the first of our attacks but is eventually forced to surrender after holding out for some days, on the east bank of the Ilet river 10 miles from Morki Soviet 19th Tank Corps is destroyed the unit trapped in a heavily forested area and unable to cross the river, II and XXVII ArmeeKorps overrun the Soviet positions in less than a day.

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Battles 90.jpg (143.64 KiB) Viewed 32 times

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