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Western Front
Situation Report Jan 27th 1945 Turn 83
Army Group B / Army Group H

In northern Germany the enemy's bombing activities are reduced to three large sized raids against the Hannover region targeting Oil and Fuel industrial facilities, damage was varied due to the bad weather and the efforts of our air defences, there was also enemy operations over The Ruhr region but this amounted to the Allies operating Reconnaissance Flights trying to ascertain the level of damage to our industrial infrastructure in the region, but with heavy snow falling and interception by fighters from luftflotte Reich High Command is confident little Intel was gathered.




Further south the enemy conducted more Recon flights around Frankfurt and Mainz, Fw 190A - 6's from I / JG 400 engaged enemy Recon Mustangs and Lightnings over both cities with no losses from ours or there side, however the bulk of our fighter forces were drawn away from the Allied landings as the enemy launched two long range bombing raids, flying deep inside German territory to strike at target centres in Wuerttemberg and Bavaria, these raids hit our V - Weapons factories at Ulm and Augsburg causing extensive damage.

Western Front
Situation Report Jan 27th 1945 Turn 83
Army Group B / Army Group H

Normandy



The skies over the enemy beachhead are unusually quiet the only significant air activity in France amounts to the RAF conducting long range Recon flights over the country, the enemy attempting to gather information on the state of the rail system and air bases, fortunately the weather conditions making Intel gathering difficult.
Out in the channel the enemy continues to operate Naval interdiction against Axis coastal convoys and escort supply convoys to the beachhead, a large bomber force from RAF Coastal command was detected in Seine Bay Rudolf Meister ( Luftflotte 3 ) orders the bulk of his fighter units to defend Axis Naval assets operating against the invasion fleet.








On the ground the Allied situation becomes more precarious as the growing number of Axis units continue to converge on the beachhead, with the Axis counteroffensive of the previous week regaining valuable territory lost including the town of Carentan ( now secured by Sepp Dietrich's I SS Pz Korps ), the Allies are under heavy pressure with there beachhead now split in two, however reports indicate that the enemy has managed to land reinforcements,1st Polish parachute Brigade, 1st Can Army HQ, 2nd Can Corps HQ and the Netherlands Inf Brigade to bolster the beachhead defences.


With the situation growing more desperate five Allied Corps launch and all out assault on Carentan, the enemy numbering around 60,000 men backed by nearly 500 AFV's hit Dietrich's troops on three fronts breaking through two outer defences lines and push into the town's outskirts, there is heavy street fighting as US Paratroopers fight block by block for control. Axis reinforcements arrive and the initial enemy attack is stalled briefly, Gen Gerow's 5th US Corps relaunches a second attack and advances forward only to run into the 116th Panzer Div, a third attempt to take the town fails as the 116th Panzer counterattacks and pushes the Allies back.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4arDM0 ... WL&index=4


The opening battle at Carentan with Allied forces pushing into the outskirts of the town.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh9-SIM ... WL&index=2



Sepp Dietrich's counterattack

Mediterranean Front
Situation Report Jan 27th 1945 Turn 83
Army Group G / Army Group C

Southern France / Corsica



Allied bombers operating from air bases on Corsica and Sardinia continue to mount raids on southern France against Axis supply and communication lines, however damage is minimal due to the fact that fighter units operating from mainland Italy are routinely intercepting the enemy flights over The ligurian Sea or close to the Corsican coast line itself.
The situation in the Province region remains at a stalemate as 1st Armee and 19th Armee maintain a heavily fortified line around the US 7th Army, even with the good weather aiding the enemy only a trickle of supplies are reaching the beachhead.
The enemy seems unwilling or unable to launch any kind breakout attacks likewise General Gustav Von Vaerst ( Army Group G) is happy to let the enemy sit in the trenches and wait till they evacuate or starve themselves into submission.


Italian Front

With almost all fighter units drawn into battle over Corsica and in The Ligurian Sea enemy bombers were able to attack the Axis defence line in southern Italy without fear of being intercepted by airborne patrols, however flying over our heavily protected troops with Flak units caused there raids to be ineffective, the enemy also attempted to bomb Axis Command Centres over the course of the week, Hans Hube's ( XIV Pz Korps ), Hans Juergen Von Arnim's ( 5th Pz Armee ) and Heinrich Von Viettinghoff's ( 10th Armee ) Headquarters were all targeted but no damage or loss of life reported.

Italian Front
Situation Report 27th Jan 1945 Turn 83
Army Group C

Volturno Sector



With the weather clearing and the ground firm the Allies launch another front wide assault on the Volurno Line US 1st and 5th Armies committing just about every Armoured fighting vehicle available to break the line, on the coast LXXXX ArmeeKorps entrench in and around the town and airbase at Grazzanise come under sustained attack from the US 2nd Corps followed up by 1st Brit Airborne, 13th and 10th Brit Corps attacking on two fronts hoping to split General Balcks unit and isolate the town defenders the initial attack breaks through the first defensive line but attackers are held, subsequent attempts to push through also fail.




Southeast of Capua airbase 14th Armee units entrenched along the rivers bank and heavily fortified Mountain positions come under attack from elements of five Allied Corps with the 1st US Armoured Div leading the attack, the first assault breaches General Kuebler's forward lines but Allied troops fail to push the advantage and the line holds despite repeated attacks.



On 14th Armee's far left positions two Brit Corps ( 5th and 13th Corps ) supporting the 1st Brit Armoured Div attack the 3rd and 4th Italian RSI Divisions but are immediately halted by the Marines and Alpini troops entrenched in there Mountain forts backed by German armour from 9th Panzer Div the enemy is easily thrown back with heavy losses.




Troops of the Monte Rosa Mountain Division preparing for battle against the British forces

Italian Front
Situation Report Jan 27th 1945 Turn 83
Army Group C

Biferno Line / Adriatic Front





German Paratroops hold the river line


Axis forces defending the Biferno Line face another large scale assault by Montgomery's Brit 8th Army, north of the town of Compobasso Hube's XIV Pz Korps is attacked on two fronts by units from four Allied Corps ( 1st Can, 1st FF, 18th US Airborne and 2nd Pol ) spearheading the assault Can 5th Armoured, 1st FF Motorised, US 101st Airborne and the Piceno Italian Brigade which breaks through a defensive line at the cost of heavy losses to the enemy, a second assault is launched with the US Paratroopers attempting to force a crossing of the river but runs into trouble as the 4th Fallschirmjaeger Div counterattacks with support from Pz Grenadier troops forcing the enemy back.








Twenty miles northeast of the Compobasso fighting elements of three Allied Corps attack LXXIV ArmeeKorps three divisions which are covering the southern flank of the supply lines for Erich Straube's ArmeeKorps a breakthrough here could see the Port of Termoli possibly taken and the rail link to Pescara cut.
The initial assault is held easily despite the enemies superiority in AFV's, Allied infantry failing to push back our defenders along there strongly fortified river positions, a second enemy attack is also halted late in the week after the US 91st Infantry broke through briefly but failed to capitalise on the early success German reinforcements pushing the attackers back.