"AAR Germany faces East", formerly not an AAR

[freeboy]

131 mid Septeber
Geuderian's notes,
the enemy bravely holds the lines while we push deeper, all the while the Manstein group pushes behind and begins to link up with our forces to the east edge, it is nopw a race agaisnt time to see if we can destroy all enemy forces east of Ka and South of the rivers to the north, don etc.

[freeboy]

t 133
The rains begin and we worry our forces may stall out before destroying this front!
Manstein in Blue, GD in Red.. old line black dots.. note Sarotov Majopr rail and 5%, second pix taken!

[freeboy]

General Manstein field maps showing Area and massed troops in redeployement mode taking supplies and fresh troops along rails while a few units spearhead into the enemies flanks supporting GD to the WEST! WEST?
Soretov falls! anot off map, Astrakan attacked by our brave, foolish?, turk forces as the enemy has positioned a force there behind our lines!
These two map connect fyi

[freeboy]

t133

FM Hoth
Speach to the troops, staff:
" Men, we are in the final days yes hours that mark us for what we are, true patriots. You are the greatest of soldiers, fighting under the most difficult of curcumstances and terain you continually have beaten a numeriacally supperior foe. Today we are faced with a great opertunity, as our enemy before is is near collapse, and no longer holdiong supperior numbers, also and the reinforcments they need are being diverted to stop our brothers in the Southern front, now advancing into the Russian heartland! We MUST drive with all spead and tennacity into the enemy, break them, again force them to surrender as you have time and time again!.. We only have a few weeks and the fall rains which alread fall will take away this reachable goal. Already holes in the enemies lines appear.. breach every gap and race along every rail line, for they our our lifeline, and the enemies.!"

Personal notes, now is the time! we may break the enemy if we get a few more breakouts! I am forwardig this pre battle map to OKE, Model, prior to our mud conference as my staff is found of calling it. all the stafffs of AGS AGN and AGC will conviene with OKE to discuss our defensive strategies and winter 43 summer 43 offensive plans!..

After having taken those oil fields in the south should shorten our line and removing Lenningrad too, we now need to prepair fortifications and preposition artillery... thankfully the Turks are in and the Rommanians. I heard the Romanians and Itallina will stay in the South and release several divisions of armored infantry and mobil armor to the North and center for the winter, but since those came from friends in Berlin we will see how things actaully are come December.

[freeboy]

Players note It is impossible to show that the enemy is being pounded in the North, Most of those troops are red and orange that face my forces. Most of the enemy on the wings toward Svir and the other side of the Lake are "static" not much happening and are in better shape. just a note to highlight the above map and the enemy/pbembuddy[:D] sitrep!

[freeboy]

t134
AGN
FM Hoth

I am sending this close up sector map highligting the areas taken in recent days and the dozens of destroyed enemy formations. WE have only a few enemy troops along this front as they have choosen to place additional troops to the North against the Finns closest to ArchAngel, well off this map. the x units are gone.. the red shows our addvances. another month and this front would totally collapse! Alas the rains and poor fall weather has began, we may only get another week, maybe ten days!

[freeboy]

t134 late Sept

AGS
Guderian section to Manstein,
We are advancing now without the goals of territory, we take what we can only to isolate the enemy whom we hope to destroy. I am forwardingthis map to OKE, Model fopr his comments and then to Berlin. The rains are starting and we my have to suspend these attacks any day.

[Telumar]

Wooha - nice little Kessel, if you can keep them trapped until the rasputitsa sets in they will be an easy overrun when the campaign season begins again. Keep up the AAR! Go, OB Ost, go![:D] Btw, a supreme commander East (similar to OB West) was something that Manstein always demanded, but it was illusionary with the Gröfaz's mistrust and paranoia to the prussian generals that he would give one single Wehrmacht officer such an amount of power. 

[freeboy]

players note.. to above

Thank you,
My generals have no interest in trapping before his winter offensive, these guys,red army are really hurting for supplies and we are going, as in the Hoth AGN area in the north, for maximum enemy casualties.... I just cannot believe how many troops this scenario gives the reds, I must have killed and many surrounded, well into the millions of enemy infantry... whole armies and fronts standing there ground getting chewed up, in the Lenn front alone like 100 divisions in one month! I wonder what 43 will look like?

fyi remember these are mid turn shots.. this circle is less than half the size now and the front line to the immediate East does not exist as it crumble away.

[freeboy]

t135

AGS Action area North East of Karkov, Southest of Kursk. Generals Guderian and Manstein

Major breaks along a 250 km streatch of front and ourtroops poored through. Our vice grip on those surronded units, shown in the box furhtered in todays attacks, they shouls all be gone in the next few days, a week at most if the rains hold. Several critically important airbases where overun. Red lines are the apx extent of the action prior to our attacks... I am forwarding this off to Model in todays dispatches. HG

[freeboy]

t 135

OKE Model

To. Berlin GHQ
Reports for the early October mini offensive; "We are making great strides there and I am informing Manstein and Guderian to proceed to destroy all rails and airbases to the extent supplies can be forwarded behing the lines, as well as destroying all the enemy along the breakout lines for apx 250 km from near Karkov to the East. Hoth has stalled as his troops where engaged in a massive offensive for the last weeks, the enemy racing reinforcments up and he will soon start his redeplyment and fortifications.. WE will add several division in the North. and center, more details after our conference tentatively scheduled for the 22nd of October.

[freeboy]

t137 players note does this look familiar?

[freeboy]

T 137

AGS
We destroyed the entire red front which had stand and die orders East of Karkov, three small pockets remain well toth erear of the front with 20 starving enemy formations and now only a few units stand between us and Kursk. See above. The rains are coming and we are already on Borrowed time( note game states mud around t136!)
Several new fresh divisions have arrived and we will pull the armor of the front line and refit and redeploy in anticipation of the reds winter offensive.. we will not worry about giving ground, we want to minimize our losses while inflicting max casualties and counterattacking whenever possible.

The conference of OKE AGS AGN AGC ais schedualed for next week but may need to be delayed if the mud still allows movement.

Players note this game shuts down all combat each spring and fall to simulate the Muddy season where movemeneet is very difficult as roads turn to quigmires and rail is the only effective means of movements men equipmaent andsupplies.

[freeboy]

138

OKE Feild MArshel Model
Personal notes
Map overview Kursk Bulge.
I believe that during the enemies winter attacks they will attempt to drive in the North.. and hit us along the center main road from Moscow.. and here below, in the Bulge. see map...

At the conference next week with Von Rundsted, Guderian, Manstein, and Hoth, along with senior staff, our plans for both the late winter offensives and summer 43 will be discussed , but paramount will be the winter offensives. We have already begun withdrawing to defensive lines in the Huge areas taken to the farthest east , west of the Volga. 9 more Turkish divisions reported in Stalingrad that had mopped up some small red army troops still in the south.. we are debateing where all the minor allies will go.. certainly with their use of non heavy infantry squads, using them in each critical zone to help absorb the enemy punch and lesson the Heavy infantry squad losses by the regular army is one idea. we are to get some more armor.. and will be using armor in teh south and center to react to any enemy breakouts.

I personally believe with the 100's of enemy dvisions lost in the last month, obviously given stand and die orders in the south and north, that the enemy will have only a small group off strong units, and after blunting these his rear echelon troops will be new poorer quality replacment units.

One serious area we will be bringing up after the conference with Berlin is the overwelming enemy air supperiority. HAving US planes, along with English have seriously cut into our forces.

[larryfulkerson]

Hey Matthew:
 
do me a favor and clip your pics so that they don't have any white space at the right edge and along the bottom.
 
But whatever you do, please keep going.  This is exciting.
 
Thanks.
 
 

[Veers]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Hey Matthew:

do me a favor and clip your pics so that they don't have any white space at the right edge and along the bottom.

But whatever you do, please keep going.  This is exciting.

Thanks.

[:D][:D] Seconded, on both accounts.

[freeboy]

sorry for hte whiteness! will attempt higher qc, firing pruduction manager and promoting his assistant.

[freeboy]

Fall 1942

From the desk of Colonol Bruno Steneister

Dearest,
Not too much action as the enemy runs when they see us coming, no worries as I stay well in the rear now that I am promoted. My regiment, did I actually geett a regiment, is to get some new tanks and we are being transfered to the areas we expect limited enemy winter activity. I remain your devoted,
B

=======

From the desk of Colonol Bruno Steneister
Mark,

It was a pleasure seeing you and your new commanding officer, that was a joke in case you did not catch it, he is an interesting man, I made inquiries on your behalf and Major Jenson is a bonified hero. Lead twelve succesfull raids behind enemy lines up to his unit being disbanded.

You would be proud of your old unit, now my troops, notice the promotion? We are in a lull again with the mud and transfering fronts. While I am waiting for the trains, and I thought you would like to hear of the news from the last few weeks. Your old sgt is now captain after taking over the platoon and then his action group during a recent engagment. I should not worry, I am sure promotions will come your way if they have not already, but I degress. He took his tanks after the commander was killed... here is his report:

" after action report sept 23rd 1942.. 123rd tank company 2 regiment 6th panzer Division. We waited for the artillery to stop, the ground shaking us in our pz4 from 1000 yards away.. almost enough to feel sorry for the bastards, almost. Hard to believe after all that there was any resistance, but after the first line that the infantry cleared we ran over a slight ridge. The major decided to advance without the cover of the inffantry and we soon we where attacked by hidden anti tank guns that had survived the shelling. We deployed to counter them and soon they where joined by well over 45 enemy tanks, almost all the 34's and some light tanks attempting to flank us. We had dissabled most of the anti tank guns, fortunately only the smaller caliber guns. My tank took several hits at over 800 meters, they are getting better training! Still funtioning we where well matched at 18 tanks to the enemy.. as they where advancing toward us and we could move into the favorable posisitions.

Then enemy planes appeared, mixed medium and attack bombers repeatedly straffedd us and the commandd line went dead, I popped open my hatch, not having seen any enemy infantry and saw 30 meters to my south the burning hulk of Hundzer tank, he was a good man and commander. Tanks began bealching smoke cannisters and withdrawing.. no orders where being given and I estimated we had between ten and twelve working tanks so I began to issue orders. Seemd someone had to and the exec was nowhere to be seen ore heard.

Soon the enemy disappeared, the planes moved off and the tanks still advancing rolled into a small depression out of sight.

"here we go men" I ordered " wait till they crest the ridge and hit them as fast as you can reload". At the same time the follow up troops had stationed and overwatch sighting in, although I did not know this and the 88;s where setting up not 100 meters to our rear.. seeing us stop and the burning tanks all around us evidently.

The enemy had 34s and a new non turreted assult gun.. heavilly armed and deadly.. I ordered them attacked first. Not coordinating his attack was our foes first mistake.. I swear I could smell the deseil fumes as the wind blew the smoke over the ridgeline to us and three
turrets appeared and then the hulls , all off off fired and perhaps some of the 88's to our rear, and those three blew like fireworks! Several others had come into the sight of others and we soon where ingaging, albiet peicemeal an entire regiment of enemy tanks and supporting assualt guns.

We soon advanced to the ridge top, the smell of chared flesh and burning tanks unmistakable .. we lost 12 tanks in the first round including those to air, but none after that, minus three disabled but repaired on the field, one turret, two thrown tracks. The enemy pulled back after this and we remained to wait for the infantry that began to roll up and dismount from their assualt half tracks with the guns .. they are a real help againt the reds infantry!

And infantry they have! They did not want to give up this ground near the rail lines to our east, so they attacked us that night, first a barrage of artilery that our guns answered.. thankfully.

Next came flares which lit our position, but our infantry was dug in, well in front of us and the 88s had recieved some help in a Marder group and some captured 76mm anti tank dual purpose guns. They all loaded up with there HE rounds and soon we could hear them wistling overhead.

We saw wave after wave advancing as the rounds and morters explosions would light the enemy, if only for a second. We where not intereted or tasked with the infantry, a major from 134th issued an order, seeing I had taken command promoted me to lt. and told me" Wait forthere armor and hit them as hard as you can".

As the dawn broke the enemy was still shelling the front and sporadic light fire and maching guns could be heard, but nothing for armor and then they came, two waves of tanks... rolling from the enemies rear we could see the dust and start to pick out shapes at about 3500 meters, well beyond our affective targeting range, but almost within range of the 88's that had long since spent their HE and where hoping the enemy had not plotted their positions.

I estimated between 40 and 60 tanks accross a front of no more than .5 km.. half in our sector and .25 to our wings.. others would just have to look after them! The the shelling started and we could only see the dirt rise and an occasional large fireball... at apx 2000mt the 88's engaged far fewer tanks and assualt guns than had previously been seen, we could not tell if this was due to damage or if they where in reserve or the flanks..

Several blew and we saw the line of armor advance firing smoke in our general direction.. some to our rear, some fell among us, but again poorly timed and to no real significance. I order hatches closed fearing the stray sniper round s the infantry battle to our front intensified.. out of nowwhere another wave advaced, but we took little notice as we sighted in on the enemy.

at 1200 meters. the enemy tasted our armor peircing rounds.. 6 tanks stopped and where abbonded our destroyed almost instantly.
The 76mm guns now added to the carnage and the enemy did not stop, hoping for better action closer to our lines... they still had over thirty tanks... where they come from I do not know after the Thousands we have destrouyed and captured this fall alone!

Then at 500 meters, they stopped and engaged, having taken severe losses to get this close these tankers where not going to retreat as they had yesterday. down to few rounds the 88 crews behind us began taking enemy morter and artillery fired abbandoned their emplacments.
WE where low on ammo and I order the tanks to use the remaining HE rounds, a hit in the turret at these ranges would probably disable them. Soon we where down to 8 active tanks... and I sensed we could not retreat.. the infantry in our front would break and without cover we would be mauled be our foe, still numbering 15-20 tanks...

"Advance" I ordered...

Confused at our actions and perhaps fearing a flanking attack several enemy tank crews abandoned their vehicles, surpprising my crew as they fought so bravely up to this point. the remainingtanks had evedently spent a great deal of there ammo as they all turned and raced at the fasted speeds, only the 34s where left retreating and I ordered a halt and a cease fire, we where so low the risk of runnig out to no rounds outweighed in my mind the advantages of killing a few defeated tanks.

WE counted for two days between the anti tank guns and our tanks 56 enemy armored vehicles abandoned, dissabled or destroyed.
The enemy to our flanks seemed to have stopped at a probe having no infantry syupport as it was commited to our frontall area. The major left commandingthe infantry estimated the enemy lost 3000 men 20 morters and maybe that number of additional guns.

_____________________

For his actions leading the defense at what is now being called the "Hells gate crossing defense" now Captan Frederick Lupold was awarded the Knights cross with diamonds and will be on leave soon, perhaps you two will see each other in Germany. If you see your father give him my regards. I regreat losing you but not having you in my unit, you are more than a brother in law, you are my friend. Stay safe and return for our victory parade in Moscow next summer!
Regards,
B

[freeboy]

OKE LAte fall 1942

In preparation we for our upcoming conference I have had my staff begin drafting over watch maps of the entire area, hopefully it will give these generals and colonels something to see, they are not the only ones in thsi fight, damn H is a pain.. but he is affective. This is the Northern area from Tula to just south of the Svir. Two lines are present, the current and the revised... along with highlited rails.

[freeboy]

FM Hoth to FM Model regarding the revisiting preparations for upcoming winter red offensives. I am thinking we should discuss at the conference next week the advacing up the rail lines.. ie, diging in in a triangular formation where we maximise the supply rather than a stright front. in which the middle units betwen the rail would be our weakest for supply and the enmy not seeing too much difficulty. By angling rearwar between the two strong railheads.. the weak area supply wise int eh center would also be the enemies weakest.. prompting them to attack towards our rail lines and giving us both better supply and mobility. I will bring diagrams to our conference.