General Goofy Does Barbarossa

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Von Leeb is giving everybody trouble I see.

He's a pain in the ass.

warspite1

Who appointed the miserable old git in the first place! [&:]

[warspite1]

12th July 1941
Turn 6
Army Group South

To the mud bath....

17th Army continue to trek southeastwards. However, despite the fact the mud is not an issue here, the unit's divisions are all unable to make contact and engage the enemy.

To the southeast, four Romanian divisions of 3rd Army attack the 240th Motorised Division and force it to withdraw, but otherwise there is little that the Romanians can do.

Near Odessa, the 11th Army is simply up to its eyes in mud - and can do little other than push slowly eastward to put distance between Odessa and the rest of the Soviet army.

So back to the remaining two armies of AGS.

Northwest of Proskurow the weak 15th Tank Division is assaulted by the 16th Motorised and the 11th Panzer Divisions. One and a half divisions hold the northern suburbs of the city, and the 25th Motorised joins the 11th to attack these exposed units. The 15th and 39th Tank Divisions fall back in disorder and the German armour is ordered on by von Kleist to keep the pressure up.

von Kleist's panzers do not quite have enough speed and range to close the latest trap, and instead, a mixed force of SS, Hungarians and regular army try and destroy three rifle divisions to the west of Proskurow. The attack proves less than successful and the defenders stubbornly refuse to yield.

[warspite1]

12th July 1941
Turn 6
Army Group South

Further north, west of Zhitomir, von Reichenau's 6th Army join forces with remaining element of 1st Panzergruppe to try and isolate another bag of Soviets. The attack pushes back the defenders and seven divisions are trapped within the pocket, but the ring is far from secure....

[warspite1]

12th July 1941
Turn 6
Army Group North

von Kuchler continues to be a Pain in the General Staff - consequence of the relations with von Leeb. However, he does rise in my estimation by at last taking Liepaja. I suspect von Leeb is pleased - although if he were to smile in appreciation his face would probably crack...

To the east, elements of 16th Army have been assisting with clearing up around Riga. For some reason the 48th Rifle Division has advanced into enemy territory, and this annoying development is taking up the time and effort of two divisions. von Leeb should tell Busch and von Kuchler to get a grip...

Finally on this part of the front, two divisions - one from each of the 16th and 18th - attack the 5th Border Division that was guarding the approaches to Riga. They force the Soviet unit to retreat westward.

[warspite1]

12th July 1941
Turn 6
Army Group North

The remainder of 16th Army is taking care of its day job. Busch orders an attack east of Dunaburg by two divisions, and this evicts the 181st Rifle Division from its fortifications. This act helps secure the right flank of 4th Panzergruppe's advance but there is an ominous development south of the Dvina, where Soviet forces are advancing on the city from the southeast.

To 4th Panzergruppe now, and efforts to expand the bridgehead and seal off Riga. von Leeb decides to ignore the threat from the Poltosk region as "That is Army Group Centre's responsibility, not mine" he declares self-importantly....

A combination of the 3rd Motorised Division and an SS infantry division push back the 56th Tank Division towards Ostrov. Both divisions advance in order to maintain the pressure, and what is left of the rifle division retreats into Ostrov almost destroyed. The 3rd then swings left and metes out similar punishment to the 28th Tank.

To the southwest a single division defends Jakobstadt, and the city falls to a mixed force of infantry and panzers.

Two targets remain. 6th Panzer and the SS Totenkopf seek to cut the rail link to Riga, defended by the 5th Airborne Division, while to the west its sister division, the 10th, defends the low hills in company with a second rifle division and a depleted tank division.

The Germans expand the bridgehead, but there is so few Germans and sooo many Russians, and even more space......

[Flaviusx]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Von Leeb is giving everybody trouble I see.

He's a pain in the ass.

warspite1

Who appointed the miserable old git in the first place! [&:]

Corporal Schiklgruber, although he also fired him before hiring him back. He changes his mind a lot like that, it's very annoying.

[warspite1]

12th July 1941
Turn 6
Army Group Centre

What to do about the centre? First things first, I think von Leeb is right for a change. The Soviet forces around Polotsk need to be looked after by AGC. von Bock orders Strauss to send 9th Army to the area as fast as his horses will allow. I suspect it will take a while.......

4th Army is ordered to the Pripyat Marshes to guard against any incursion by the newly raised armies that have recently appeared.

2nd Panzergruppe then get under way. The infantry invests Minsk, while the armoured units try and force a river crossing west of Mogilev. 10th Panzer and the SS Das Reich Division force a crossing at the expense of the 17th and 18th Tank Divisions.

To the south, three rifle divisions hold another part of the line. Guderian orders four divisions to make the assault, including the Das Reich unit previously engaged. The attackers force the defenders away from the river line - the bridgehead is secure. 10th Panzer and Das Reich then attack the lightly held city of Mogilev and eject the weak defending tank units there.

[warspite1]

12th July 1941
Turn 6
Army Group Centre

To the north of Minsk, the 3rd Panzergruppe intend to form the northern pincer (with 2nd Panzergruppe) between Polotsk and Orsha. First into the attack, Ruoff's V Corps of two divisions - the 5th and 35th - attack the 50th Tank Division.

Two rifle and one tank division guard the area to the north of the forest that the Germans intend to skirt around. Hoth attacks with two panzer and one motorised division - the 19th Panzer was supposed to be refitting! The Soviets take losses but retreat in good order. Hoth brings in the 20th Motorised and 7th Panzer Division to try and dislodge the 142nd Rifle Division in the forest to the south. Once more the Soviet infantry is forced back by the sheer onslaught before them. This now leaves one final attack - the three Soviet divisions that were beaten back previously now face two panzer and two motorised divisions. The German armour presses home its advantage and the race for Orsha is well and truly underway.

[warspite1]

16th July 1941
Turn 7

Good news and bad news....

Good news - the mud has gone

Bad news - the Soviets have gotten serious. Ouch! that turn really hurt... and the Pripyat Marshes looks like Quatermass.....

[WarHunter]

warspite1, Your AAR is very enjoyable reading. Glad to see you in the thick of things.
Do you have a special pair of pants you wear while playing? [:D]

Leeb and Kuchler are waiting for your orders.

[warspite1]

16th July 1941
Turn 7
Army Group South

They say that the best way to deal with problems is to face up to them...

...to hell with that. We are in the stickiest situation since sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun. I could read my reports and act like the professional soldier I am - or I could stick my fingers in my ears, close my eyes and shout la la la. The latter sounds good.

Now then AGC - almost out of fuel - but I have a lot of infantry in that sector so I'll start there....

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: WarHunter

warspite1, Your AAR is very enjoyable reading. Glad to see you in the thick of things.
Do you have a pair a special pair of pants you wear while playing? [:D]

Leeb and Kuchler are waiting for your orders.

warspite1

Hi WH - good to see you back! Yes, at the moment I am wearing my angry trousers, thanks to von Leeb, his girlfriend von kuchler and.... THE BLOODY RUSSIANS!!! [:@]

[warspite1]

16th July 1941
Turn 7
Army Group South

The majority of the 4th Romanian Army - with the German 198th Division in support - attacks Odessa. It is going to be a long hard fight.....

To the north of the port, with the weather having cleared, Schubert orders his 11th Army on the attack once more. The 6th Airborne Division - on the extreme right flank of the first Soviet defensive line, is attacked, and forced back, by two German divisions. The 170th Division then attacks the 32nd Cavalry Division south of Pervomaisk. Thus almost surrounded, and with its back to the River Bug, the 6th Airborne is set upon again, this time by three divisions, but is able to escape somehow.

The 206th Rifle Division - located north of Odessa - is the next in line for German attention. The 50th and 95th Divisions push the Soviet unit to the river in order to try and bring Romanian armour into play by exploiting the gap that has opened up. The plan works to perfection (some would say despite the presence of the Romanians) and the Soviet infantry division is annihilated. In the final 11th Army attack, another Soviet division is forced back, but importantly - and worryingly for von Rundstedt - not one river crossing has been achieved.

[WarHunter]

Glad to see you also. [:)] Keep up the good writing and your pants! [&o]

[warspite1]

16th July 1941
Turn 7
Army Group South

With fuel for the panzers all but exhausted, pending getting the FSB moved to Lvov, all that von Rundstedt can do is shuffle the infantry. The increasing threat from the Pripyat Marshes means that 6th Army will require help. von Rundstedt orders Stulpnagel to swing 17th Army northeast to try and ease the load.

The loss of fuel could not have come at a worse time. Zhitomir and Vinnitsa are both weakly defended and there are plenty of broken Soviet divisions to be picked off. But von Kleist tanks sit idle...

von Reichenau is ordered to forget all about pockets and sweeping envelopments - this is all about straightening the lines. 62nd Infantry and the 99th Light Divisions position themselves north east of Rovno, partly to act as a defence against whatever comes from the north, and partly to relieve the pressure generally by attacking the 20th Tank Division.

In the southern arm of what had once been 6th Army's pincer movement operation, 9th Infantry Division engage and destroy the remnants of the 190th Rifle Division and then withdraw. Southeast of Rovno the 228th Rifle Division and 49th Tank Division are attacked by five German division. The Army HQ is overrun and the defenders forced to retreat, but the frustration that there can be no follow-up of this success is palpable.

The dregs of the fuel is employed in whirring the engines of 9th and 16th Panzer to life for an attack west of Vinnitsa. The 199th Rifle Division is able to retreat in good order.

And that brings an end to the turn for AGC.

[warspite1]

16th July 1941
Turn 7
Army Group North

I hate to take this action so early in the campaign, but I decide to put the entire AGN on a defensive posture While I move the Forward Supply Base to Dunaburg (at a cost of 2pp). von Leeb I am sure will disagree with my actions.... I also order von Kuchler to put his 291st Division on Rest and Refit. On reflection I add the 1st, 21st and 61st Divisions to this. The Finnish 18th Division receives the same treatment.

How the hell do I get Mannerheim to agree to attack!!??!!??

That's a turn up for the books - that old duffer von Brauchitsch has agreed to have a little 'mano-a-mano' with my ol' chum von Leeb! That should help relations if von Brauchitsch can put in a good word! Who would have thought useless waste of space would actually be useful for something?

[Orm]

but I decide to put the entire AGN on a defensive posture

I am sure that you will capture Leningrad while your troops have a vacation. [;)]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

but I decide to put the entire AGN on a defensive posture

I am sure that you will capture Leningrad while your troops have a vacation. [;)]

warspite1

Given the developments of last turn I would suggest Talinn is currently beyond my capabilities....

[warspite1]

16th July 1941
Turn 7
Army Group North

There are two pressing needs.

- Get the Baltics cleared asap
- Get the front stabilised east of Riga (where two units are currently cut off).

18th Army destroy a Rifle Division and continue slowly to clear Latvia. To the south two divisions of 16th Army continue a 'Benny Hill' type pursuit (come on we all know the tune) of the 48th Rifle Division across the Latvian countryside [this is the only bit of 'nonsense' I have seen from the AI so far].

Around the Dvina the German forces retreat in order to prepare themselves for a change to a defensive posture. In so doing maximum effort is spent on taking Riga, and the Latvian capital falls to a massed attack by tanks and infantry.

[Orm]

By the way, warspite1. I hope that you are happy now. It is because of your thread that I am not getting a computer game for Christmas.

It forced me to buy this game at once. [:D]

Thank you, warspite1.