Operation Sledgehammer ’43

[TankBushido]

Turn 83:
I attack along multiple hexes in the south and manage to make another breakout to almost close the pocket, but I’m turned back at the hex just to the west of the breakout hex, so I don’t manage to cut the rail line.

[TankBushido]

Further progress in all three attack axis’ in the north, but in all cases I’m not able to break into the open field and run. Still just grinding out 10-20 miles per week.

[TankBushido]

Turn 84:
Big change for the opening of this turn. January is over and February has begun. That brings with it better weather for a resumption of air operations. But in bigger news, in response to my continued pressure along multiple fronts, the Germans abandon all positions west of my forces and form a zig-zag north south line from Denmark to Italy. So over the next couple of turns I will be digesting my gains and moving to contact. I am now going to shift to wide broad front attacks along three main routes with the goal to capture the objective cities and Berlin as fast as possible. The first in the north through Holland towards Hannover and Hamburg. The second in the center towards Berlin. And the third in the south to capture Stuttgart, Nuremberg, and Munich.

[TankBushido]

Not much detail needed in these next few turns as there is not much resistance. I move into open space and take Stuttgart.

[TankBushido]

Turn 85:
Mostly just more digesting of my gains with a small breakthrough in central Germany.

[TankBushido]

Turn 86:
Nuremberg falls. The pocket north of the Ruhr is fully eliminated and I’m pushing troops north towards Bremen. I’m frantically repairing my rail network to feed supplies to the front.

[TankBushido]

Turn 87:
Amsterdam falls. I’m approaching Hamburg in the north, but I need to take a port up there to get supplies to my troops there. I’m closer to Berlin than the Soviets.

[TankBushido]

Turn 88:
There are still pockets of German strength. In central Germany, the Germans held on several attacks when their reserves are committed. Holland is fully liberated and my northern runners almost reach Kiel. Infantry take Wilhelmshaven. I pierce the northern line in multiple locations and take Hannover on the run. In the south, I’m in the outskirts of Munich.

[TankBushido]

Turn 89:
The Germans retreat their line 50 or so miles to the east when they really don’t have that much ground to give. They have less than 2 million men in the field and have fewer than 2000 tanks. Hamburg, Munich, and Kiel fall. My armor exploits a hole to reach the outskirts of Magdeburg, 100 miles from Berlin. The Elbe river is the only natural barrier between my forces and Berlin in the center and I’ve already crossed the river to the north.

[TankBushido]

Here's the situation in Southern Germany/Northern Italy.

[CaptBeefheart]

TankBushido: Excellent work. I just caught up since I last made comments on this AAR. Well done for your first playthrough of this game.

Cheers,
CB

[Starstruck]

Outstanding AAR!

[TankBushido]

I’m glad people are still following this. Thank you for the remarks. This one is going the distance.

Turn 90:
From here on out, I’m only going to focus on the central section around Berlin and Leipzig. There are maneuvers going on in other sectors but those two cities are all that matters at this point.

The Germans sealed up the hole and cut off my exploiting panzers so I re-established my connection to them and encircled the Germans SE of Hannover for good measure. The weather is slowing me down as it looks to be heavy mud for several turns. I will try to get my infantry to the Elbe as quickly as possible.

[TankBushido]

Turn 91:
I start digesting the pocket. Heavy mud is making it slow. Supply is a problem too as my leading armored divisions have CVs around 3. I bypassed and surrounded the strongest German divisions so that should make the rest of the way easy going. Some had CVs of 8-10; the rest of the German line is weak and I can pretty much punch through wherever I want.

Also, of note in this screenshot, the Russian front surged forward like 10 hexes. The Russians are on the move.

[TankBushido]

Turn 92:
Here’s a more zoomed out screenshot. I pushed infantry and supplies fully forward so I’m ready to surge across the river next turn. The weather is improving to only light mud.

[TankBushido]

Turn 93:
I rout the entire German army group west of Berlin and secure a bridgehead over the Elbe river. I’m also 30 miles from Leipzig; it should fall before Berlin.

[TankBushido]

Turn 94:
In another surge forward, I take Brandenburg and move adjacent to Leipzig. It’s really only the heavy rain and mud that’s slowing me down. I get somewhat unlucky in that a storm front passed over the front at just this time.

[John B.]

Are you actually racing the Soviets to Berlin now? Does it automatically fall to them at the end of April?

[TankBushido]

I'm playing with the Eastern Front option on, so it depends on how the AI handled force commitment to the Eastern Front and some random chance. The Russians are actually behind where they were historically, so I think it will take them until at least the end of May (if not longer) to make it all the way to Berlin. I don't think there is any way they can beat me there now.

[TankBushido]

Turn 95:
The Germans transfer troops from other fronts and create some decent CV stacks, but I bypass them and exploit to the outskirts of Berlin. Leipzig holds out for another week, but will fall next week.