Defending Greater Germania 1942 - Includes combined WitW and WitE2 AARs

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North Africa Turn 4

Situation Report Dec 1 1942


Advance elements of The British 8th Army continue to stream across the Desert hoping to cut off The Axis rear guard, the Division may escape but I have my doubts the 2 brigades can reach the defence lines in time.

Rain will also play a part in impeding there movement, next time I play this game I might try the direct approach to the forts see if it goes better.

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The defence line at the gulf is preceding well as my units dig in and refit for the coming battle.

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21st Panzer DIV is key to holding this line, so it needs to be at maximum strength to hold The British 30th Corp at bay.


At Gafsa The US Paratrooper unit is destroyed and Axis Troops redeploy as Allied reinforcements arrive to late to save the Americans.

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Further North 5th Pz Armee is now activated and begins to fan out into the Tunisian countryside, two Pz units move to counter a Allied push through one of the many passes.

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My troops from PanzerArmee Afrika are steadily making there way to Tunisia, some are very close to the border, 2 maybe 3 more turns they will arrive, I will need to rest them but that depends on if The Allies attack.

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North Africa Turn 4

Dec 1st 1942

Losses, Production and Supply

Well apart from The Allies losing The US Paratroopers I lost 9 men, you wont see that figure in Russia.

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I need Panzer's, planes and Artillery and whole host of other equipment and most importantly ammunition.

Another 20 Divisions wouldn't hurt.

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Well Luftflotte 2 doesn't mind hogging the supplies, while my Pz Armee's are just scrapping by.

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OK seem to have some issues with my screenshots as I have 2 sets of turn 3 which are different, didn't help that the Germans don't have a first turn then I didn't take shots of turn 2 so its all out of sync.

So this is Turn 3

OK

Eastern Front

Situation Report Dec 3rd 1942

Heavy fighting along Volkhov River as 18th Armee pushes back The Red Army despite being outnumbered, 3 Russian DIVs are trapped At Posadnikovo and a 4th unit near Malaya Vishera.

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Leningrad is going to be tough ask but The Soviet troops massed along the lake ports looks even worse, having doubts I can break through to the lake ports at this time.

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AG Centre Turn 3

The Rzhev Salient

9th Armee is holding despite The Soviet pressure meanwhile I try to launch attacks with 3rd Pz Armee in the hope of throwing the enemy off balance.

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4th and 2nd Pz Armee's link up at Kirov trapping 7 DIV's, we will see if the pocket holds.

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Attacks along the entire 2nd Pz and 2nd Armee Front yield another encirclement of 2 DIV's, however the pocket is thinly held this might be opened in the AI's turn.

I need to quickly destroy as many units and then reestablish my units back into DIV's , problem is the Axis Line is so long there is just not enough troops to cover it in strength.

I can safely say even if I destroy the Russian forces attacking at Rzhev and straighten the line, I cannot see any way of taking Moscow, there already starting to build forts and these wont be like there 1941 forts.

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Army Group B Turn 3

Well I managed to widen the corridor as 6th Armee falls back but it still suffered big losses from heavy attacks, though The Red Army didn't have it all there way.

Managed to hit some of there units hard and routed a few.

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The Axis Allies still hold the left flank but just barely as most of the units are way below full strength and suffering badly from the weather.

The right flank is open and Russian troops are moving there it this very moment, there are a few shattered Romanian units there refitting but they will not stop the enemy.

Even if I can get 6th Armee out I may have no choice but to fall back to Rostov which may leave Army Group A in a dangerous position.

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Army Group A Turn 3

In the Grozny area 1st Pz Armee is hard pressed by units of The North Caucasus and Trans Caucasus Fronts.

I am outnumbered here 1st Pz cannot hope to hold out here, I will be pushed back unless 17th Armee can quickly destroy the troops apposing them and move behind the enemy.

4 Russian armies 44th, 46th,51st and 18th Armies are massing North of the Panzers and will probably swing down behind them.

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This seems unlikely as the 17th Armee is facing The Northwestern Front again with more troops, with bad weather and bad terrain to fight over I can see it being pushed back to Maikop and Krasnodar.

Russian units are trying infiltrate behind our lines through the mountains which wont help as I just cant block them, there are to many to cover.

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Losses, Production and OB Turn 3

The Russians lost a lot right across board, AFV's were very high which is good to see, but my own losses were high also and the enemy can replace much of that where as I cant.

I cant win in a war of attrition, I don't have the manpower or the manufacturing capabilities to match The Soviets.

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Air losses where very high for the Red Air forces but again I didn't come off it lightly either.

I am going to have to stop offensive air strikes and focus on defence only.

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My production figures don't look all that good either, manpower looks bad across all Nations.

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The OB also looks bad with the enemies AFV's figures, they also have double the Artillery numbers.

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A grim picture at this time.

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Situation Report

North Africa Dec 8th Turn 5

The Italians continue to make slow process to the defensive line, but with fast moving Tank units of 8th Army closing I think for certain now the 2 brigades are doomed.

A quick look at the map and you can see that The British have double the armoured numbers, Benghazi will more than likely fall in the next 2 turns.

I don't know if I can hold El Agheila indefinitely but the longer I do the better, however it also means less troops in Tunisia , I will have to see how it plays out there, may have to withdraw from Libya earlier than I want if 5th Pz Armee cannot contain the British 1st Army, also if The Allies swing down and take Gabes in the Gulf of Gabra my forces will be cut in two.

Cant risk that happening, time will tell.

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Southern Tunisia

Seeing a lot of Free French troops arriving and they control Kasserine, the good news is 15th Panzer DIV has arrived and I will soon be able to get the unit into a defensive position to counter any Allied attack towards our supply base at the Port of Sfax.

15th Panzer is in just as bad shape as the 21st but I don't have the luxury right now to put it in refit mode until more reinforcements arrive.

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Northern Tunisia

Up here The Allies have not really made any real pushes against my lines they seem to be trying find and slip through gaps to get behind my forces, with no luck as of yet so its helping me greatly.

When ever they move through one pass I counter with 10th Panzer DIv and block access to any further allied advance, they then pull back and try to find another path to try and get round my troops.

This is OK for now but they have not deployed there full force yet and once it gets to full strength The British 1st Army wont need to look for gaps in the line.

Somehow I need to push them completely out of Tunisia, the border area has excellent defensive terrain for my troops to dig in.

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Supply, Losses, Battles and Overview Turn 5

Supply is not bad this turn 5th Pz Armee is well supplied, PanzerArmee Afrika is just under its requirement but is not in great danger, the real concern is The Italian North Africa Command its self that is well below its supply needs, of course all the Air Fleets are being nicely looked after, surprisingly OKL is under also.

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No real ground losses this week to worry about even Air losses are really low, still we lost more than the Allies and we can replace them like they can.

With no ground attacks taking place and the front line being fluid in places, it was more or less quiet with only the Allied Air force attacking our supply lines trying to disrupt my units in being resupplied.
There were almost no Axis air attacks as I am trying conserve my planes for when the real fighting starts.

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The strategic overview is that while we have been more or less pushed out of Libya, we control most of Tunisia with reinforcements arriving every week like wise The Allies.

The Allies have not made any major land attacks yet, focusing on there ground forces taking as much territory as they can and conducting air attacks only, this will change soon enough but for now I think I am doing well.

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Eastern Front

Dec 10th 1942 Turn 4

Situation Report : AG North

With the destruction of 3 enemy units trapped in the Posadnikovo area it has opened the way towards lake Lodaga, we also captured Kirishi , my plan is to capture Tikhvin and hold it and cut the main Leningrad / Moscow rail link then hopefully the lake ports there by completely isolating Leningrad from any supply support.

The biggest issue is manpower as I have so many units tide up in guard duties, Kolpino, Kronstadt and the Oranienbaum Fortress are tying down valuable troops needed to push to the lake ports.

Made further gains South but not great distances to cheer about, if the Russians are not blocking my advances its the weather that does.

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Further South the battle at The Rzhev Salient is bloody as I try to squeeze the Russians out or capture them to straighten and strengthen my front lines, 9th Armee's Pz Gren troops have made a push to link up with 16th Armee troops and cut The Red Army supply link at Bologoe but its tough going and the troops are worn out and under-strength.

Russian counterattacks are ferocious and bloody, most of my Panzer DIV's have less than a 100 Tanks in them some below 50 and facing many Soviet Corps level units. it could take months to clear salient if I can at all.

I'm forced to break down units into regiments which leads them to be vulnerable to heavy counterattack, just cant seem to create a decisive breakthrough as the Russians mass forces every time I open a gap in there lines.

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Situation Report : AG Centre Turn 4

Here to when I attack and push them back and look like I am about to open there lines up the Russians pour more troops back in, 3rd Pz Armee and 4th Armee have made small gains but at a heavy price.

The Red Army has many Corps level units on the front lines not only that they also have 3 Tank Corps sitting just behind the font line and also in the Ryazan area they have 2 Guards Corps units in reserve.

While I am not the far from the Russian capital, looking at the map and what I am facing Moscow seems a long way away and near impossible to reach.

Again the main objective is to straighten the line and get some units off the line to refit.

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On 2 Pz Armee front still have finish off the last 2 trapped enemy units, despite having to break down more units I managed to capture 4 more Red Army units but I will be lucky if hold any of the pockets.

A triple stack of Corps level units will easily smash a 2 regiment stack specially in open terrain, whats even more troubling the enemy is not far from Orel and my points lead is not much if they take the city it cause a change in the initiative scale.

I do still hold Voronezh but barely at this time.

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Army Group B & Don Turn 4

The left flank of the Stalingrad area is holding more or less for now, The Hungarians, Italians ( for the most part ) are holding there own, the Romanians are not doing so well.

I have some German Infantry there but I can only do so much, there is to much enemy armour to defend against and way to many Guards, some units hold while others route.

The Romanians don't seem have to any replacements for there depleted units, I see a impending disaster approaching here.

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At the Stalingrad area itself 6th Armee continues to fall back but still taking considerable losses in the process,managed to trap a Mech Corps in the process, will see if I can hold the pocket with my paper thin units.

The only troops defending the right flank of 6th Armee is the Armee itself and these units are battered plus some 4th Pz Armee units which are not much better shape.

The mud season cant come sooner, I need to rest and refit my Armee's and form a proper defence line, and make a decision whether I can try to attack towards Stalingrad in the summer or just dig in and send troops to support Army Group A.

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Army Group A Turn 4

1st Pz Armee is in just as big of a mess that 6th Armee was, Grozny is out of the question this year and maybe for good, the Russians have overwhelming numbers and the Armee is spread thin,did mange to cutoff a couple of enemy DIV's I guess that's something, but enemy troops heading into the Stavropol region worries me they could cut my rail lines if they move fast enough before I can get troops back there to defend.

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On the Black Sea things are not to bad have isolated the Port of Gelendzhik and couple of other units trying to infiltrate there way through the mountains,If I could push along the coast and my mountain DIV's move overland I could cause the enemy some real trouble here however it depends on whether 1st Pz Armee does not collapse and gets overrun, if I can keep chipping away at there numbers and take control of the whole coastline I might have a chance of taking Baku and that could really hurt them in the South here.
It could take quite a bit of time but if there focusing elsewhere and not reinforcing down here I might produce a miracle.

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Supply, Leaders And Production Turn 4

My supply situation is pretty good a couple of Armee's but that was to be expected given situation at Stalingrad, the air supply needs are another matter but it matters not as I have stopped all offensive attacks The Luftwaffe is now in a defensive posture for the rest of the game.

Not wasting supplies for the air force at all if I can.

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Production is far from good but at least all these captured troops are now being put to good use,the truck situation is quite good also for now, manpower and Panzer replacements are where I am desperately short.

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Lost one of my Generals this week but we got one of there Army Commanders but it wont replace his loss.

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Losses and OB Turn 4

Well had a good week for capturing enemy combatants, many are seeing the folly of there ways supporting the communists and are signing up in droves to take up arms and liberate the Motherland from the Bolsheviks.

While we paid a heavy price across the board the enemy losses were very high also, If I could maintain enemy captures and losses like this every week we could have hope of turning this around.

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More good news in the air war with only a small and the enemy losing quite a lot to our fighters.

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Then reality sinks in as you look at the enemies OB to see the staggering volume you are facing, 2 to 1 Manpower, 4 to 1 AFV's and 3 to 1 in Artillery.

You suddenly hit the ground with a huge thud.

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North Africa Dec 15th Turn 6

Situation Report : Libya

Good news for The Axis, The 101st ' Trieste ' IT INF DIV has reached the El Algheila fortifications at the Gulf of Sidra, all that remains are the 2 fortress brigades making there way along the coast road, however The British 30th Corps armoured formations have almost cut there escape route off.
The Allies have almost captured all of Cyrenaica all that stops them from taking the whole country is the defence line on the coast if they break through they can link up with the British 1st Army in Tunisia it will spell the end for the Axis in North Africa.

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21st Panzer Division continues to build its strength up for the coming battles, this will be a tough fight as I am outnumbered in all departments.

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Intelligence reports there is at least 2 Armoured Divisions and 1 possibly 2 Armoured brigades,( this is not including units from The British 10th Corps ) are heading towards my lines.

Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery's 8th Army is determined to crush my troops.

I need some inspiration for the coming fight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIO-XZp ... WL&index=6

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Need to take a break but will return to finish the North Africa Turn 6

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North Africa Dec 1942 Turn 6

Southern Tunisia

Here The WA seem reluctant to make a push to relieve The FF Constantine DMC INF Division,my forces have the enemy unit neatly trapped however I just don't have the strength yet to crush the unit. I simply may have to wait till the unit runs completely out of supplies .
Not only that attacking infantry in mountainous areas with Armour is not the best tactic, I need to wait for more infantry units to arrive and then crush it.

The Tebessa Mountains have been a great help for my troops to dig in and defend, its forced the enemy to try to move through passes and ended up getting units cutoff.

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North Africa Turn 6

Northern Tunisia

Here once again the terrain proves very helpful in defence, advance elements of The British 5th Corps try to push through to the Tunisian Capital, only to be outmanoeuvred and cutoff by 10th Panzer Division and other units from General Walther Nehring's 5th Pz Armee. The WA launch a series of counterattacks against The Italian 30th Corps but fail to achieve any success.

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Intelligence reports indicate that the enemy units surrounded are comprised of a British armoured brigade " Blade Force " and the 1st Inf brigade from the 78th Inf Div. So far our lines are holding quite well despite The Allies with greater numbers.

While fighting is now intensifying on the ground the battle for control of the sky hots up with both sides launching heavy attacks on both sides lines of communications,

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North Africa 1942

Turn 6

Losses & Battles

While fighting is now intensifying on the ground the battle for control of the sky hots up with both sides launching heavy attacks on both sides lines of communications, while the allies are hitting our units there also concentrating on our supply lines to our front line troops, likewise The Luftwaffe is hitting back hard against the enemy communication lines trying to disrupt there command and control.

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Ground losses on our side so far are very light while The Allies suffer greatly in battles, in the air the battle is bloody and both sides suffer losses.

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