Europe 44 v6.0 - Mark Stevens (Allies) vs sealclubber (Axis)

[sealclubber]

Italy - End of Turn:

The Allied response to the threat in Italy was not the withdrawal in the eastern part of the "boot" that OKH expected. The Allies seem to have underestimated the strength of the Axis forces, although the amphibious landing at Pola was abandoned. In addition to destroying part of the American contingent, the escaping American corps is again cut off from supply, joined by a French and a Polish corps also cut off from supply. The Allies position is under serious threat at this point.

[sealclubber]

July 6, 1944

Allied forces remain contained in their bridgeheads in France. In Italy, the Allies move strongly to react to the Axis push southwards and re-establish contact with two cut off corps. In the east, the Red Army is halted in the southern part of the center, but in all areas north of that the Red Army continues to advance.

Allied air power is now running combat support. Attacks that should succeed fail or take heavy losses when Allied airpower participates in large numbers.

Scandinavian front - Start of Turn:

[sealclubber]

Scandinavian Front - End of Turn:

Finnish forces gear up for a counter-attack, but forget to launch their offensive *sigh*.

[sealclubber]

France - Start of Turn:

Allied forces pound away at Caen, but are unable to dislodge 12 SS Pz Division.

[sealclubber]

France - End of Turn:

2 SS Pz Korps begins arriving at the front. 2 SS Das Reich Pz Division reinforces the badly mauled 12 SS Pz Division in Caen. A battalion of assault guns also joins the fight.

[sealclubber]

Italy - Start of Turn:

Allied counter-attacks free the French and American corps from encirclement, but the Polish corps is abandoned. A strong redeployment of Allied units from east to west has occurred within the Italian boot.

[sealclubber]

Italy - End of Turn:

Axis forces destroy the surrounded Polish corps, take liberties with the out of supply American corps and advance down the coast to seize Rome and beyond! With multiple Allied corps and divisions destroyed and others severely weakened from being out of supply, OKH decides to press forward to see just how far it can push...

[sealclubber]

Eastern Front - North/Center - Start of Turn:

Soviet forces are clearing trying to cut off Army Group North. The Axis cannot afford to abandon them and must defend the Riga area until the army is fully mobilized and prepared to depart. Army Group Center is very close to being cut off and will need to scramble to escape.

[sealclubber]

Eastern Front - North/Center - End of Turn:

The freshly arrived panzers from Army Group South immediately make themselves felt. Needing to buy time for Army Group North to escape, the panzers smash straight into leading elements of the Belorussian and Baltic Fronts around Paneveys. There are no fancy encirclement attempts here.. this is a straight frontal assault to push back and stall the Red Army advance.

In the center, Axis forces continue their "dance" with Red Army units to escape encirclement.

[sealclubber]

Eastern Front - South - Start of Turn:

Red Army forces are unable to re-establish contact with their encircled forces. The Axis focus here will be to destroy these forces as soon as possible to stabilize this part of the front.

[sealclubber]

Eastern Front - South - Start of Turn:

Joined by the newly arrived Grossdeutchsland Panzer Division, Axis forces destroy the pocketed Red Army units. Although this will buy the Axis time it has come at a significant cost. Virtually all of the panzer divisions in the area are exhausted, but with the danger to Army Group Center still as high as ever, there shall be no rest for the victorious troops and some will be immediately siphoned away to deal with the events further north.

[sealclubber]

T4 - July 13, 1944

Allied forces continue to attack in France without success. In Italy, Allied forces counter-attack and reinforce the west of the boot. In the east, Red Army forces come this >< close to cutting off Army Group North, but are ultimately unsuccessful. Army Group Center is still in a precarious, but salvagable position. In the South, Red Army troops begin operations against Hungarian and Rumanian forces.

Scandinavian Front - Start of Turn:

Having completely forgotten to counter-attack here the prior week, the price to pay was a Finnish corps destroyed while out of supply. OKH will attempt to conduct a withdrawal to choke points.

[sealclubber]

Scandinavian Front - End of Turn:

The Finns withdraw to chokepoints and prepare to sit out the rest of the war.

[sealclubber]

French Front - Start of Turn:

US Army forces conduct another heavy assault of Caen. 12 SS Pz retreats, but 2 SS Das Reich Pz holds firm. Caen is a meat-grinder for axis forces, but OKH is determined to hold it as long as possible.

[sealclubber]

French Front - End of Turn:

Axis forces counter-attack the disorganized British airborne units in the east and shrink the beachhead. The remaining beachhead area is strongly held and the Axis dig everywhere to inflict as many casualties on the Allies as possible as they attempt to breakout.

[sealclubber]

Italian Front - Start of Turn:

Allied forces counter-attack and reinforce the west. Rome remains under Axis control (accidentally due to a fortunate retreat). This is the key moment in Axis Italian offensive. The Axis spent the previous week setting up a strong force in the mountains of central Italy given the Allies hesitancy to withdraw.

Two reasonably strong Axis corps and the 26 Pz Div are well positioned to attack east. Panzer and infantry forces are massed to the north of these Allied forces.

[sealclubber]

Italian Front - End of Turn:

Axis forces in the western part of the "boot" dig in and prepare to turn Rome into a strong-point. In the east, Axis forces attack the weak point in the Allied line. Axis forces breakthrough and 26 Pz Div advances. This advance disrupts the logistics of three Allied corps.

[sealclubber]

Eastern Front - North/Center - Start of Turn:

Red Army forces continue their attack but are unable to close the pockets around Army Group North or Center. (*I did move one unit at turn start before the screenshot to check if I still held the rail line. Bookkeeping rules have basically saved Axis units in Estonia. The Axis still control the rail line.)

[sealclubber]

Eastern Front - North/Center - End of Turn:

Axis units in Estonia (less one half corps that disbands) rails to safety. Their HQ unit flees to Kuressare to evacuate by sea.

The rest of Army Group North continues their slow withdrawal towards Riga and eventually, East Prussia.

In the center, units are squeezed tightly and only able to withdraw slightly, but it is enough to escape the main arms of the Red Army pincers.

Panzer reinforcements shore up the rear of Army Group Center. The line is not yet solid by any means, but it no longer has yawning gaps everywhere.

[sealclubber]

Eastern Front - South - Start of Turn:

Undeterred by the loss of several mobile corps, Red Army units begin attacking the Romanians and Hungarians