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

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 15tht, 1943

D-Day in France! In a huge aeronaval assault, the Allies landed 10 corps in France (including 4 paratrooper corps), around 2/3 of them British. The attack overwhelmed the defenders, some of them equipped with outdated equipment. Three coastal divisions were pulverised, the 7th, 19th and 20th. They were defending Calais and its left flank as well as the Southern approach to Le Havre. The Calais garrison managed to hold for a few short days but had to cave-in eventually. With this result, most of the coast from the Belgian border to Normandy is in Allied hands, except for Dunkerque and Le Havre that are been besieged but not expected to last long. Rouen is in firmly American hand and Lille has been occupied by some British paratroopers than then left to move North. Some fighting is still been done all around the city.

In a panic, OKW ordered General Guderian back from the East with three Panzer or PanzerGrenadier corps. Those corps are battle hardened units from the recent battles around Kursk, but only had a few weeks of recovery and are not in top fighting shape. Hopefully, the supply problems for the Allies might compensate that on the battlefield.

Italy also sent help in the form of two infantry corps after OKW insisted much and agreed to, maybe, review upward the transfer of oil to Italy after the crisis is solved. Originally OKW insisted for two armored corps from Italy, but that was very explicitly refused.

[Nirosi]

In Finland, the 19th Division was destroyed, only one lone division remains in Helsinki, partly manned by old men and young boys. The German expeditionary force left the country in two waves, having been recalled in emergency. As we speak one last German division is still aboard ships preparing to leave the harbor.

In the Soviet Union, no action was reported. Both sides seem to be licking their wounds.

[Nirosi]

In Africa, Commonwealth troops arrived at the Tunisian border where they probed German defenses with an attack. More serious offensive actions are expected soon. Around Algiers, both sides stayed put.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of July 19th, 1943

American troops easily dispatched the isolated defenders who surrendered after a couple of assaults in Le Havre, while the British easily destroyed the 3rd Coastal Division in Dunkerque.

General Guderian launched an assault on British troops and managed to destroy the 1st and 6th British Airborne Corps. However, the assault stalled when it reached the main line of defense with fresh troops that just arrived in France. At least two Allied armored corps have been spotted not far back behind the front, they will not be easy to contain. OKH informed OKW that pushing back the Allies with such meagre force will not be possible. OKW replied that some more infantry corps might be dispatched, but not much more, and that everyone is expected to do its duty.

[Nirosi]

In the Soviet Union, the VII German Corps was annihilated West of Kursk by no less that seven assaults, either when the corps was in its entrenched defensive position, or while been pursued when attempting to retreat to a safer line. In view of the sustained capacity of the Red Army to continue its Kursk offensive despite the loses and with no more reserves to plug the holes that might threated the whole Southern front from Kharkov to Stalino with encirclement, the decision was taken to retreat to a safer line.

In other news, Finland falls to Soviet infantry and cavalry. The government sued for peace. It is the first Axis country to do so after a long and heroic struggle.

[Nirosi]

In Africa, with the rapidly changing strategic situation, the evacuation of Axis forces has begun. Algiers was already evacuated, and the rest of the troops in Algeria are retreating toward Tunisia. Comando Supremo can only hope that either the Allies do not have the resources to attempt a landing in Italy due to them having been used in France, or, if not, that the delaying fighting in Africa has been long enough to postpone any such attempt to the Spring due to meteorological imperatives.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of August 13th, 1943

In the West, the Allied juggernaut can not be stopped. Germany can not bring back enough troops from other fronts fast enough and those that are brought seems to be no match for fresh and highly efficient allied soldiers with massive air cover.

Three more coastal divisions, as well as the VI Panzer Corps are destroyed. Antwerp and Rotterdam are now firmly in Allied hands, ensuring that a steady flow of supply can come in unhindered. Recon reports now five Allied armored corps in France and Benelux, and between nine and ten infantry corps. OKH is trying to put together a ragtag force to protect the Rhineland. German rail lines were crowded with troops coming back from all other fronts.

[Nirosi]

In the East, the Soviets have reached the new line of defense that still holds for now. OKW does not plan to hold it for long and is already planning the next withdrawal.

[Nirosi]

In Africa, the evacuation continues with three more units already evacuated.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of August 27th, 1943

In Africa, the Mareth line was breached by Commonwealth force pounding on the IX Italian Corps that has distinguished itself a few months ago in Cyrenaica. This allowed the German IV Corps to escape to Italy en route to Germany. It is highly dubious that the IX can also escape. Another German Corps also escaped from Algeria where Alpini troops are still delaying the Americans.

[Nirosi]

In the East, the Soviet are advancing slowly, not decisive breakthrough has been achieved yet by the Red Army.

[Nirosi]

In France, the 302nd Security Division and the Italian II Corps were destroyed by advancing British forces. In Caen, the 24th Coastal Division surrendered to the Americans. All available train capacity in Germany is used to repatriate as many troops as possible to protect the homeland from the Allies, already at the doors of the Rhineland. Most of Western France still nominally in German hands, has already been evacuated and Paris abandoned. The 9th Coastal Division trapped in Cherbourg and the 22nd Coastal Division soon to be trapped in St-Malo, were ordered to try to make it back to Germany by sea.

In other news, the Deutschland squadron in Copenhagen was badly mauled by an air raid. The squadron was transferred to Konigsberg with the rest of the was is left of the German surface navy.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of September 10th, 1943

In Africa, the evacuation continues albeit at a smaller pace, Italy having lost too many troop transports during the war to evacuate at a better rhythm. The IX Corps however was destroyed before it could embark in Gabes. The 1st Alpini Corps arrives in Italy to greatly boost defenses in the Alps, but it is doubtful if the 2nd Corps will have time to evacuate as well.

[Nirosi]

Both on the Western front, now at Germany’s border, and the Eastern front, there was minimal fighting, both sides consolidating instead. Germany is also trying to rush in more modern equipment to its Western troops mostly composed of underequipped former garrisons. German trains are also working 24/7 to bring in more troops for other theatres.

[Nirosi]

In what is left of occupied France, the 14th Coastal Division was destroyed while trying to reach St-Nazaire for evacuation by sea. However, the 9th and 22nd coastal divisions did manage to reach Germany and Denmark by sea during the North Sea Dash. For now, Bordeaux, almost as an act of defiance, is still active as a U-boat base. American troops entered Paris, free again after more than three years of occupation.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of September 24th, 1943

In the East, the Red Army managed to break the front in two sectors around and North of Poltava. The V Hungarian Corps was destroyed in the process. However, Axis troops, including the other Hungarian corps that was in the area, attacked the 2nd Army and forced it to retreat. They then turned their attention on the now isolated 4th Mechanised Corps and forced it to surrender. This loss of yet another mobile corps, and the fact that the rasputitsa is probably coming soon, should soon put an end to Soviet progress for a few weeks.

[Nirosi]

On the German Western border, British troops pushed through the Siegfried line. Even tough it was defended by a lone underequipped division; it took the assailants five days of continuous attacks to break the line and eventually destroy the defenders in pursuit. A counterattack was ordered and although the invaders were not pushed back across the Rhine, a British corps was isolated and annihilated and a more solid front somewhat re-established.

OKW had no choice but to order a change in the age group for the draft and the younger veterans of the 1st World War will now have to serve.

Allied ships have been spotted in North Sea. OKM is wondering if they are planning an attempt on Denmark. Or they could be positioned to try to intercept another run y the North Sea? Nonetheless, the Bordeaux garrison will take the chance and attempts the trip. All U-boats at sea have been instructed that they now will have to operate from Norway.

[Nirosi]

In Africa, the 10th Costal Corps surrender after some fierce fighting. It did hold on long enough to help Axis troops further North, in Tunis, to escape. Only the 10th Army HQ and its security regiments are left in Africa. The lack of available transports means they will probably have to surrender soon. General Messe escaped at night on a MAS Motorboat. Against all expectation, the 2nd Alpini Corps also managed to escape from Algeria and is now in Northern Italy. It should reach the Alps before the American arrive.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of October 7th, 1943

In the Eastern front, a Soviet breach, that destroyed the German I Cavalry Corps, and exploited by Soviet… cavalry, forced OKH to order a small retreat West of Kharkov after a planned counterattack had to be cancelled due to heavy rain.

[Nirosi]

In the Mediterranean front, the 11th Army HQ and its associated security forces were destroyed, putting an end to the African theatre of operations. Further North across the sea, Comando Supremo ordered an evacuation of Marseille and Toulon behind the alpine defensive line. Comando Supremo is worried about the relative light defense of Sicily, an obvious close target for the Allies, but remains hesitant to dispatch more troops from other sectors. It can only be hoped that the Allies used most of the resources they had for landing in France and will no be ready to land in Italy in the next few weeks while the weather is still good. By Spring, it is expected that a least 3 to 4 more corps can be raised to beef-up the defenses in Sicily.