Originally posted by Tom1939: 1943.08.13.
Clear
...Unforutnately the soviet horde overpowered two of our finest panzer korpses....
O.K.H.
Ouch!!
The potential strength of a Pz Kps (well over 300 CV if organised right) can lead the axis player into believing they are untouchable. As we can see this is not so.
To quote Dirty Harry
"A mans gotta know his limitations"
Nick
Gentile or Jew
O you who turn the wheel and look to windward,
Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you.
Yes, very much so... They had 3 panzer and 1 motor div 1-2 independent panzer bn and some artillery each <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> The importance of air cover! As long I was content with destroying 2-3 armies a turn they were untouchable. But I got greedy and tried to encircle 10+ soviet armies. Rick is a good opponent and made me pay for it. Now I hopefully learn from this second lesson (in the 42 fighting I losed a panzer korps near Lvov like this) and can stop my greediness <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">
These guys are almost unstoppable, with hundreds of Panthers and Tigers in them. One destroyed corps had something on the order of 800 AFVs in it, of which most were the Panthers and Tigers. I am really learning on the defense that the T34 M43s don't have much of a chance against them, and the T34 85s that are coming soon may not do too much better. The only saving grace in this set of attacks was that the Soviet air force has many long range bombers at experience greater than 80. Now if the Il2's had been able to participate, the air attacks would have done even more damage. The ground forces that did this were only at about 30-50 CV, with 4 armies in one attack and 5 in the other I think.
Tamas is playing quite well, and has not given me too many opportunities to launch attacks like this, unfortunately. It is hard to strike deep though and not occasionally outrun the air support. It was a good attack by Tamas too, cutting the rail supplies to Odessa, so the overall effect will probably be to the benefit of the Germans. I would say it was probably worth the risk taken, even if it ended up being so costly. I don't know if the Soviets have any chance to gain balance in the air or not, which is so critical in the game. I am close, but now there are Me 262s going to be showing up ;-(, so it will probably become extremely tough if not impossible. Where are the western allies when I need them? However, I see the air losses this turn were heavy for both sides.
The Red Air Force again took to the skies, battering the elite 2nd Panzer army airfields and fighter units. By the end of the week, only 5-6 fighters were braving the air to fight our bombers. As a result, further attacks were launched against panzers protected by this army, knocking out a number of Panthers and Tigers. Ground attacks along the front basically failed with heavy losses, but all in all Comrade Stalin was happy. However, the reported appearance of the new "jet" fighters has our comrades in the air concerned.
On the manpower front, manpower reserves are approaching critical levels as many young men are not showing up when called upon to protect the country. The secret police are making examples of many, but the people's eagerness to fight is lagging in this second year of the war.
Another soviet army has fallen prey to the revenge of the panzerwaffe near Odessa. We reached the outskirts of Kiev, turned to the south and the two soviet tank armies stationed there ran like little scared rabbits at the sight of our great panzer force. Losses were heavy on both sides, but showing the soviet tankers who is the boss is so much fun we could not resist. Next week the first Me-262A's will roll out of the factories and hopefully end the soviet tries for air supremacy.
Losses this week:
Axis/Soviet
Squad 829/2717
Afv 360/431
Gun 137/1496
Air 90/0
(statistic formula stolen from the soviets by our great intelligence service, as it is easier to look at)
The air effort was switched to the central front after identifying a lack of air cover there. An infantry korps was pounded by hundreds of bombers, followed by attacks on the ground. Meanwhile, the forces around Odessa were pulled back as rapidly as possible, which was tough due to no supply again for them. The unintentional sacrifice of the 2 panzer korps may be worthwhile by unhinging the entire southern end of the line.
Comrade Stalin is demanding that Kiev be held at all costs, not a step back! <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> Rumors of a German spy in the Kremlin passing statistical secrets to the Wehrmacht are spreading, but the mole has not been identified.
The Odessa area was cleared as 3 starving soviet armies were destroyed by the 48th panzer korps (which so took revenge as this was the panzer korps destroyed near Lvov in 42 by the soviets). The lost panzer korpses are reorganized. One of them is already half strength (well the other one is only about 1/7). In the main front near Kiev our panzers only made some small attacks to cut the Odessa railroad again. Our attacks were mostly succesfull, but in one place strong soviet reinforcement (a guards tank div) held our attack (Of course losses were low for us and high for the enemy, don't believe the soviet propaganda!).
The Luftwaffe struck the soviet airfields in range of the forward souther airfields. Great succes was achieved. Our great long range bomber fleet struck a rear airfield near Moscow. Hopefully the soviets will give up the futile tries for air equality now for some time. Kiev will be captured later as we will *not* use panzers for streetfights! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
Losses this week:
Axis/Soviet
Squad 347/2015
Afv 140/238
Gun 27/1070
Air 201/897
After devastating attacks were launched on the Red Air Force airfields, most air units were pulled back to rebuild. The ground troops will pay for the lack of air cover, but there is nothing else to do for now. It was fairly quiet on the ground, with just a few small attacks launched.
We suspect a soviet saboteur had achieved great rank in the german ministry of defense... The O.K.H. was fully surprised when the ministry of defense made a quick reform of motor divisions to pzg divisions... As the normal combat procedure of pzg divisions needs much more space all "new" pzg divisions were withdrawn from the panzer korpses as they would slow down the real panzer divisions. The reform could not be revocked as the simple solider should not know that the ministry of defense is weakened by the enemy...
On the front the enemy has begun to run away from our forces in the Odessa area. One enemy army was destroyed as the panzers began to chase the enemy. First probing attacks against Odessa have begun. The soviet's defend fanatically as usual. The Luftwaffe used the renewed air suppriority and bombed the soviet lines on the other side of the Dniepr (?) behind Kiev to dust. The attacking panzers cleared the area from the few survivors, and made a strong bridgehead containing 2 panzer korpses behind Kiev. We are now overachiving our aims for the 43 summer offense!
The Red Air Force appeared over Ploesti, which was undefended except for flak. Light damage was caused to the oil industry there. Other attacks were launched against ground troops, most unsuccessfully, but the apparent training level of the defending Luftwaffe fighters appears to be low, with Yak 9s causing almost equal losses against the vastly superior Fw190s.
Follow on ground attacks were launched with fair success, including seizing the rail hub southwest of Kiev, limiting supply to the panzer spearheads. It is expected that these spearheads will be lost, but it may be a fair exchange for now, with rainy weather approaching.
The problems with the decadent capitalist system causing organizational problems are well known, as shown by the growth in the support services of the motorized troops. Rather than keeping the striking power up, the Germans boosted their support while not increasing their hitting strength by much.
Great succes on the front! Odessa has fallen, and Kiev is completely encircled! The soviet spearhead was forced to retreat and it shattered in the deep soviet defense like a few soviet armies did before. We hope for cold autumn with no rain and all snow. We must continue to chase the beaten enemy, and the soviets should not have time to entrench again so deeply. We have some problems with fighter exp level, but there are so many fw190A's in the pool it is hard to keep exp level high (they are around 60-70) <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
The Kiev garrison, in a last ditch effort, abandoned the city and withdrew
to the north, fighting through and smashing a number of German divisions.
However, Stalin exploded in rage over the surrender of the great city of Kiev. Unfortunately, the Red Army is stretched to the limit and does not appear able to stop the massive panzer assaults from the Germans. Withdrawal appears to be the only alternative in many areas of the front. Manpower reserves are dropping to dangerously low levels, also. Mother Russia needs a terrible winter!
KIEV HAS FALLEN!
A week of celebration begins in Germany.
Unfortunetely the massive Kiev garrison could escape through our thin infantry line <img src="frown.gif" border="0">
Only small attacks intended to enlarge the bridgehead near Kiev this turn (it contains 3 panzer and 2 infantry korpses, so it can be held through out the winter). 4 soviet armies were forced to retreat. The Luftwaffe rules the skies without any kind of challenge. The infantry has fallen behind after the big succes of the panzers so they need to catch up and supply level has to go up before the offense can continue in full strength. The shattered panzer korpses now contain more then 400 panthers each, so they are declared ready for "light" front duties.
Another successful counterattack was launched on the central front, with well over 50 Luftwaffe planes shot down by flak. Minor attacks were also launched against the Panzer Korps east of Kiev, but with no great results. Stalin announced that a December offensive would be launched through the Pripyet marsh area to the south, cutting off the German hordes around Kiev (shades of Hitler?).
Also, Budapest was hit by a bombing raid, causing moderate damage to the artillery factory. Only light opposition from outdated fighters was found.
Bombing innocent Budapest is *not* nice <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> (as I live here). German panzers attacked again after they were rested and resupplied. The panzers in the bridgehead striked out at the soviets and destroyed an opposing tank army. We will hold this bridgehead, we have even strength for attacking massed soviet armies which might want to eliminate the bridgehead. In the southern region a shock and a normal army of the soviets were destroyed. Our losses are medium but the soviets suffered another small diseaster. This beautifull summer slowly ends, as we hope for snow. We await the soviet winter offense, which we gonna crush easily at every possible point of the front with our great panzerforces.
Losses this week:
Axis/Soviet
Squad 799/3652
Afv 297/812
Gun 132/1915
Air 167/28
Yeh. That is not nice. I will lend you some Me/FW 249's To bomb Denver (regards from the Loki universe)
Nick
Ugh, he doesn't need them <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> . We will do what is needed to WIN. And Budapest was a nice city until this second or third attack of the war hit it.
The infantry korps that stumbled into our lines was counterattacked in the south and thrown back with heavy losses. Other attacks were launched with minor success. Also, the 9th Army airfields were bombed successfully after the interceptors missed a bomber unit, due to very weak fighter coverage. Could the new fighters that leave a trail of smoke and fly without propellers be moving into the front line?
The brief rains were followed by unfortunate snow, firming up the ground for further advances by the Wehrmacht.
The mauled infantry korps called for urgent help from the Luftwaffe and the panzers. Help has quickly arrived and as result several soviet armies were forced to retreat, and 2 was destroyed in the Dnepropetrovsk area. The german infantrymen should now, that help is near in troubled times! Dnepropetrovsk is now at striking distance for our panzers. We attacked in the Kharkow area as well and we are getting slowly closer to the city. The amount of jet fighters are still very low, and the southern offensiv forces are still protected by the good old fw's. Our offense will continue as long as it is stopped by the enemy. We should not let the red army catch a new breath!
Losses this week:
Axis/Soviet
Squad 549/3225
Afv 175/238
Gun 68/1434
Air 135/34
And now as the summer is ended the amount of total losses for the war:
Axis/Soviet
Squad 34550/76629
Afv 9647/18667
Gun 21673/51817
Air 16484/24910
