Nirosi (Axis) vs PL1 (Allies) PL1 welcome now

[Nirosi]

In Libya, the XXX Corps was destroyed in heavy fighting, supported by Royal Navy guns, leaving the Italian 10th Army less and less capable with each passing month. In Algeria, the German 14th division was pushed back, but the 2nd Alpini Corps, in much better shape now, is rushing in to help.

At sea, in a disastrous two weeks, OKM reported the destruction of the 8th and 3rd U-boat flotillas.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of May 7th, 1943

In Algeria, the 1st Alpini Corps holds the line against many furious America assaults, inflicting severe loses on the attackers. The 2nd Alpini Corps, now relatively well rested, comes back to the front, albeit faster than General Messe would have wanted, and pushes back two American divisions in a show of strength and of mountain fighting savoir faire.

[Nirosi]

In the Soviet Union, the IX Corps was pushed back, again, near Kursk and the Soviet 3rd Guard Tank Corps attempted a breakthrough followed by the 5th Tank Corps. OKH ordered an immediate attack on the flanks of the 5th Tank and eventually managed to force it to retreat with serious loses, allowing for an encirclement of the 3rd Guard Tank by the elite GrossDeutschland PanzerGrenadier Corps. OKH then committed its reserves and even called in a Hungarian Corps, temporarily replaced at the front by German cavalry, for help to clear up the 3rd Guard Tank which eventually surrendered on the 3rd day of assault after the Hungarians breached through a less defended sector of their defenses. With a tank corps gone and another one needing about 6 to 8 weeks to recover, OKH estimates that the sector should be safe until the middle of the Summer unless STAVKA sends more reinforcement.

[Nirosi]

In Rzhev, the 4th PanzerGrenadier Corps was bombed severely for 10 consecutive days in what is clearly a preparation for an eventual attack. OKH believes that the actual forces in the sector should be able to hold.

The Red Army has probably noticed the newly arrived Panzer Corps West of Novgorod as the probing attacks became less aggressive lately.

In Finland, the Petsamo garrison survived yet another assault. Negotiations about the evacuation procedure are still ongoing between Berlin and Helsinki.

[Nirosi]

A Soviet attack during the first phase of the latest battles West of Kursk.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: Nirosi

In the Soviet Union, the IX Corps was pushed back, again, near Kursk and the Soviet 3rd Guard Tank Corps attempted a breakthrough followed by the 5th Tank Corps. OKH ordered an immediate attack on the flanks of the 5th Tank and eventually managed to force it to retreat with serious loses, allowing for an encirclement of the 3rd Guard Tank by the elite GrossDeutschland PanzerGrenadier Corps. OKH then committed its reserves and even called in a Hungarian Corps, temporarily replaced at the front by German cavalry, for help to clear up the 3rd Guard Tank which eventually surrendered on the 3rd day of assault after the Hungarians breached through a less defended sector of their defenses. With a tank corps gone and another one needing about 6 to 8 weeks to recover, OKH estimates that the sector should be safe until the middle of the Summer unless STAVKA sends more reinforcement.

Nice counter attack! Following your AAR, thanks for doing it.

[Nirosi]

Nice counter attack! Following your AAR, thanks for doing it.

Thanks![:)]

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of May 21st, 1943

The only named corps in the German army, the GrossDeutschland PanzerGrenadier Corps was destroyed over the course of many days of battle West of Kursk. Despite been allowed to retreat by OKH, out of pride, the corps refused to do so until it was too late and pursuing soviet tank corps managed to finish the job.

With this yet another important loss for the Germans, only nine mechanized or panzer corps are left in the German army, all on the Western front. Six such corps have been lost since the war started, all in 1942 or 1943. Both economic and manpower limitation means they will be hard to replace in the short term, if ever.

In a desperate attempt to slow down the Soviet steamroller, especially since STAVKA seems to have shifted resources to the Kursk area trying to exploit initial successes, two Soviet mobile units, including the Soviet 16th Mechanized Corps, were pushed back in a way to clog the retreat path of the 2nd Mechanized Corps which in turn was dispersed and is now considered destroyed for all practical purposes. During the operation, the I Fliegerkorps was destroyed after having been sent to support the offensive while already dangerously short of planes. After receiving instructions to support the offensive with the unit, OKL informed OKW that the unit was in no shape to fight, but the message was lost in the Berlin bureaucracy before the order could be cancelled.

[Nirosi]

With yet another breakthrough by the Red Army in Finland, all Finish and German units still in the East of the country retreated toward Helsinki. Up North, Petsamo fell to Soviet troops and the garrison is attempting a long retreat toward Narvik with the help of the Hipper squadron in the area.

[Nirosi]

In Libya, after much deliberation, the 10th army decided to defend Misurata. The German IV Corps arrived in Dubrovnik, from Ukraine, and its orders are to be sent to Tripoli to help defend the city from advancing Commonwealth force that will reach it sooner or later. The 10th Army will try to remain a coherent fighting force until then.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of June 4th, 1943

In Libya, the 31st Fortress Corps was shattered but the 4th Coastal Corps protecting Misurata survives and managed to retreat to the outskirts of Tripoli.

The IV German Corps was sent to the port of Gabes in Tunisia to avoid RAF patrols in range of Tripoli. However, unknown to the Axis, the RAF had stationed bombers in Malta once again and the corps lost about a third of its personnel in air attacks during transit, also leaving it highly disorganized for now.

In Algeria, US tanks managed a small breakthrough forcing a reorganization of the Axis front a few miles farther back.

[Nirosi]

In Finland, the Soviets keeps pushing inexorably toward Helsinki. At the front lines, Soviet troops are encountering more and more Finish soldiers that are veterans of the Finish Civil War and even some that look no more than 16 years old, a clear illustration of the desperation of the Finish army.

[Nirosi]

At the ongoing battle near Kursk, now raging for about two months, the LXXIV Panzer was destroyed by superior forces, including the 1st Siberian Tank Corps. The 1st Siberian Tank was eventually pushed back and is assumed depleted, but this yet another irreplaceable loss for the Wehrmacht brings the count of Panzer and PanzerGrenadier Corps at no more than eight, all on the Eastern front. Only three Italian ones are operating in the West, all protecting their homeland. OKH rushed more reinforcement near Kursk as it become clear that the Red Army is concentrating forces in the Area.

[Nirosi]

In France and Benelux, OKH is slowly building the defense against an eventual invasion by British and American forces. OKH is requesting more resources to beef-up the 30 or so divisions already deployed or about to be (with another 15 or so also operating in the Mediterranean sector). OKW can not promise more resources for now as the Eastern front is barely holding as it is. OKW must also decide if it should modify the recruiting ages to include men over 50 and possibly even 17 years old to serve in home front units such a flak units. In the meanwhile, it is hoped that the recruiting campaign in some occupied countries can help.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of June 18th, 1943

The Red Army punched yet another hole in the front West of Kursk but moved-in much more carefully this time. Nonetheless, newly arrived, and fresh, Panzer Corps, counterattacked and scattered the 25th Tank Corps, considered lost by STAVKA, after first pushing back the 8th Mechanized Corps to create havoc in the retreat lines.

[Nirosi]

In Finland, the 12th Division was destroyed by Soviet Cavalry. The division had attempted to come to the help of the 19th Division that was trapped partly behind enemy lines. The 10th Division tried to come to help as well but managed to improve the situation only moderately. Finish infantry and Soviet cavalry are entangled in complex battles North-West of Helsinki.

Much more North, the Hipper squadron came in to supply the retreating Petsamo garrison again.

[Nirosi]

In Africa the 4th Coastal Corps was pushed back by Commonwealth forces that stopped short of attacking Tripoli. However, the IV German Corps stayed put in the Mareth Line. OKW not been very confident that Tripoli could hold, decided against sending the corps to the front. In view of the political situation, Comando Supremo therefore ordered the IV Corps to evacuate Tripoly by sea. The Regia Marina assured the Army that the evacuation could be done to Gabes under the cover of night in only a few short hours. However, for unknown reasons yet, the fleet did not quite manage to make to safety before sunrise and bombers from Malta annihilated the Corps at sea only 30 minutes or so before it could have reached Gabes.

In other news, the Waffen SS recruiting efforts finally paid of. The hard decision to modify the recruiting age in Germany can probably be postponed until the end of the Summer.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 1st, 1943

In Finland, the end is near and everyone in the country can see it. The 10th Finish division, exhausted, was obliterated North-West of Helsinki. North-East of Helsinki, security regiments of the Karelian Army HQ that had been asked to man some sectors of the front for a few months now were also eventually overwhelmed and destroyed. In what will probably be known as a last act of defiance, a Finish offensive destroyed the 6th Cavalry Corps, some of the Finish soldiers of this attack were veterans of the last war. All Axis troops are now protecting the Finish capital for a last stand.

[Nirosi]

In Libya, the retreating 4th Coastal Corps, last remnant of the original 10th Army, was destroyed by advancing British troops. This, and the loss at sea of IV Corps last week puts the Axis in a very precarious position in Africa with not enough units to man both the Tunisian and Algerian fronts. After a very long debate, with dissentions on both sides, Comando Supremo and OKW decided to try to hold-on a little longer in the hope to deny to the Allies the all-important Tunisian ports and airbases at least until the Summer ends, in the hope that an Allied landing in Italy would then have to be postponed, hopefully, until next Spring.

[Nirosi]

For the first time in months, the Red Army did not make any offensive near Kursk. OKH hopes that the Russian bear is finally tired and needs some rest and recovery. The only serious action was an attempt on Rzhev, where the 4th PanzerGrenadier Corps inflicted serious casualties on a lone Soviet attack. It remains to be seen if there will be follow-ups of the atack in the coming days.

Overall, the first six months of 1943 have been very hard for the Axis with loses surpassing Allied loses. When taking into account the already unequal resources in the economy and manpower, the relative strength is therefore switching every month very fast in the Allies favor. Axis loses hit the Axis at least twice as hard as the Allies loses hit the Allies war machine. Since the start of 1942, about 18 months ago, the Axis have lost a full bomber group (German), eight mechanized or Panzer Corps (all Germans), and seven submarine flotillas (two Italians). Several infantry corps and divisions have also been lost over the point where normal draft by majority age can replace them.

On the bright side, for now the Allies still seem to progress relatively slowly. Axis sacrifices have at least brought that. However, the coming months will probably see them speeding up with a necessary retreat from Africa and, soon enough, from the actual Soviet front either just before or during the Winter to establish a shorter line of defense in anticipation of an even harder 1944. German and Italian propaganda are already preparing their population for a Levée en masse to beef-up their respective armies.