Matrix Games Forums

THE GREAT RETREAT - LATE NOVEMBER 1943

HITLER TAKES A GAMBLE AND DECIDES TO EVACUATE THE CAUCASUS REGION AFTER A THROUGH DEMOLITION OF THE OIL FACILITIES THERE.

HUGE FORCES [INCL.MANY PRECIOUS PANZERS] ARE ON THE MOVE SOUTH AND THEN WEST TO EUROPE.

ONCE REDEPLOYED THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PROP UP GERMAN DEFENSES WHERE EVER THEY ARE NEEDED.

12 DECEMBER 1943: THE FALL OF MILAN - MUSSOLINI FLEES THE CITY HE SWORE TO DEFEND TO THE DEATH...

GERMAN LINES IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE IN NORTHERN ITALY THREATENING THEIR HOLD ON THE PENINSULA

OKW WANT A FULL WITHDRAWAL FROM ITALY BUT ARE OVERRIDEN BY HITLER WHO ORDERS MORE REINFORCEMENTS TO BE SENT TO PROP UP THE LINES.

HE PROMISES THE GENERALS HUGE REINFORCEMENTS ONCE THE TROOPS WITHDRAWING FROM THE CAUCASUS REACH ISTAMBOUL & CAN BE
RAILROADED WEST.

BATTLE AT STARA ZAGORA - MONTY'S 8TH ARMY BREAKS THE RAIL LINK TO ISTAMBOUL THUS CUTTING OFF THE GERMAN ARMY FORMATIONS RETURNING FROM THE CAUCASUS.

HITLER ORDERS THAT THE RAIL LINK BE RESTORED AND THE BRITISH DRIVEN BACK TO THEIR START LINES.

19 DECEMBER '43 - THE ARMY OF FRANCE PREPARES TO LAUNCH A MAJOR OPERATION TO TURN THE GERMAN RIGHT FLANK IN NORTHERN ITALY

CODE NAME : OPERATION SEDAN

Operation Starfish

In a risky mid winter attack Allied forces land at Salerno and catch the Germans off guard eating their Christmas Dinner- anybody & everything available is thrown in to the Beachhead before Axis forces can react.

Further north the British 1st Airbourne division is dropped around Cassino to block the roads leading south thus isolating enemy units from supply or reinforcements.

EAST FRONT 9 JANUARY 1944 - OPERATION SUVAROV CONTINUES APACE AS THE SOVIET ARMIES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXTREMELY COLD CONDITIONS TO SWEEP ACROSS THE PRIPET MARSHES AND REACH THE GATES OF BREST LITOVSK.

MARSHAL RYBALKO ESTABLISHES HIS FORWARD HQ IN THE CITY OF PINSK.

THE AXIS DESPERATELY TRY TO STRING TOGETHER A DEFENSIVE FORCE TO BLOCK A BREAKTHROUGH AT THIS VITALLY CRITICAL POINT.

FURTHER EAST THE RUSSIANS PREPARE TO LAUNCH AN ALL OUT ATTACK ON SMOLENSK BUT ON A VERY NARROW FRONT - ITS RE-CAPTURE WILL HELP RAISE THE MORALE OF ALL THE SOVIET PEOPLES!

16 JANUARY 1944 - CRISES FOR ARMY GROUP CENTRE AS SOVIET BREAKTHROUGHS THREATEN THE WHOLE FRONT.

WITH SMOLENSK GONE THEN A STAGGERED WITHDRAWAL TO MORE DEFENSIBLE LINES IS THE MOST SENSIBLE OPTION.

STALIN ORDERS AN ALL OUT OFFENSIVE TO STYMIE ANY ATTEMPT BY THE FASCISTS TO FORM A NEW LINE.

ORIGINAL: Sarsfield_slith

16 JANUARY 1944 - CRISES FOR ARMY GROUP CENTRE AS SOVIET BREAKTHROUGHS THREATEN THE WHOLE FRONT.

WITH SMOLENSK GONE THEN A STAGGERED WITHDRAWAL TO MORE DEFENSIBLE LINES IS THE MOST SENSIBLE OPTION.

STALIN ORDERS AN ALL OUT OFFENSIVE TO STYMIE ANY ATTEMPT BY THE FASCISTS TO FORM A NEW LINE.

The Yanks are coming...!

Massive US reinforcements are now trained equipped & ready to be shipped to Europe to put an end to the Third Reich.

13 FEBRUARY 1944 - WINTER CRISES IN BELORUSSIA

ARMY GROUP CENTRE COMES UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE AS LINES CRUMBLE FROM SOVIET ATTACKS

GERMAN FORMATIONS IN THE MOGILEV - ORSHA POCKET ARE IN IMMINENT DANGER OF ENCIRCLEMENT IF THEY STAY WHERE THEY ARE

OKW PLEADS WITH HITLER TO WITHDRAW TO MORE DEFENSIBLE POSITIONS.

BIALYSTOCK,GRODNO,VILNA & MINSK ARE DECLARED 'FESTUNGS CITIES' TO BE FORTIFIED AND DEFENDED TO THE LAST MAN.

HEAVY REINFORCEMENTS NOW SOUTH OF BELGRADE RETURNING FROM TURKEY WILL BE DISPATCHED ASAP TO RETRIEVE THE SITUATION.

GAME CHANGER?

HITLER BANKS OF THE RETURN OF HIS PANZERS FROM TURKEY TO TURN THE TIDE ON ARMY GROUP CENTRE

- OR AT LEAST GRIND STALIN'S PLAN TO THROW THE GERMANS OUT OF THE USSR.

BUT CAN THEY GET THERE IN TIME?

13 FEBRUARY 1944 - MONTY'S GAMBIT IN THE BALKANS

GENERAL MONTGOMERY [THESSALONIKA] TURNS SOUTH HOPING TO ENVELOP ROMMEL'S PANZERS AND PIN THEM ON THE COAST.

101ST AB & BRITISH COMMANDOES CUT THE GERMAN SUPPLY LINES

HOWEVER SUBSTANTIAL PANZER FORMATIONS ARE STILL IN THEATRE

WILL HITLER ORDER THEM TO RELIEVE GENERAL ROMMELS' PREDICAMENT OR ORDER THEM TO MOVE NORTH WITH ALL URGENCY TO STEM THE SOVIET TIDE ON THE EASTERN FRONT?

20 FEBRUARY 1944 - BREAKTHROUGH IN NORTHERN ITALY AS GENERAL BRIAN HORROCKS BRITISH ARMY OF THE PO MAKES A DEEP CUT IN THE GERMAN LINES AND HEADS FOR VENICE...

US PARAS FROM THE 82ND ARE DROPPED TO SECURE PASSAGE FOR THE BRITISH TANKS & THEIR PARAS IN TURN SEIZE THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE PO ON THE BOLOGNA - VENICE HIGHWAY.

BUT WILL IT PROVE TO BE A BRIDGE TOO FAR?

20 FEBRUARY 1944: THE END IN THE CRIMEA AS THE REMANENTS OF THE GERMAN ARMY PREPARE TO MAKE A LAST STAND AMONGST THE RUINS OF SEBASTAPOL AS THE RUSSIANS CLOSE IN FOR THE KILL.

20 MARCH 1944 - SPRING THAW GIVES MARSHAL KESSILRING'S ARMY GROUP ITALY THE CHANCE TO WITHDRAW NORTH WITHOUT BEING PURSUED BY ALLIED FORCES

BEFORE:

WITHDRAWAL COMPLETED TO THE GOTTFRIED LINE - MORE REINFORCEMENTS ARE SENT SOUTH TO STIFFEN THINGS UP.

27 MARCH 1944 WESTERN FRONT - GENERAL ALEXEANDER PATCH'S POWERFUL 9TH ARMY IS NOW ASSEMBLED WITH ORDERS TO STRIKE INTO GERMANY AS SOON AS THE WEATHER CLEARS AND STRIKE TOWARDS THE GERMAN CITY OF MAINZ.

17 APRIL 1944 - SOVIET FORCES SMASH THE SWEDES AND SWEEP TOWARDS THE RIVER DVINA

SCRATCH GROUP OF AXIS UNITS MOVES TO BLOCK THEM AND SAVE THE CITY OF DAUGAVPILS FROM CAPTURE.

24 MARCH 1944 - MIRACLE ON THE DVINA AS HITLER ORDERS DAUGAVPILS TO BE HELD AT ALL COSTS!

THE LINE BEGINS TO STABILISE AGAIN AS THE SOVIETS OUTRUN THEIR SUPPLY RADIUS...

FURTHER SOUTH - SEBASTAPOL HAS FINALLY FALLEN AFTER WEEKS OF HEROIC DEFENSE.

24 APRIL 1944 - Die Wacht am Rhein GOES BLIND AS PATCH'S ARMOR AND FRENCH INFANTRY ADD TO THE WATERFLOW OF GERMANY'S GREATEST RIVER...