Boldairade (Allies) vs Nirosi (Axis). Boldairade welcome

[Nirosi]

In Libya, after months of fighting, the Battle for Tripoli was finally lost. Relentless Allied attacks combining with well inspired and executed landings East of the city broke the back of the Axis front, destroyed the Scipio Corps, the last mobile unit of the Italian army and overall made the position undefendable. With Allied land forces now estimated to be about four time the size of ours, retreat was the only real option. Remaining Axis forces are retreating toward the Mareth Line, hoping that the Allies will not pursue too aggressively.

[Nirosi]

In the USSR, air strikes on our troops near Rzhev, combined with a massive buildup of air groups and tanks in the area, might be an indication of an offensive soon in the sector. It is most probably not a decoy, as most other sectors have low buildup and the Rzhev area is the only one where no river or marshes protect the German front. German mobiles units and fighters, all taken from the Western front, were sent as reinforcements.

It was also noted that Soviet pilots, although not quite yet at par with ours, are no pushovers anymore. Luckily, Hungarian and Romanian pilots can supplement the Luftwaffe in the South of the sector to liberate our units for the Northern one, but the sheer numbers of Soviet aircrafts means that they will eventually overwhelm our air cover.

Allied bombing occurred in France but not in Germany. It is believed that either Allied escorts or bombers (or both) are needing a break before reappearing over Germany. OKL is ready!

[Nirosi]

July 30th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

OKW was well inspired to send reinforcements in the central sector of the Eastern front as Stavka did launch an offensive in that sector. It scopes remains limited for now, but it will not be clear before another two to four weeks if it is the real thing or not. German pilots had a lot of difficulty in the air. Not only the Soviets planes are numerous but got clearly better in the past year. At least Finnish pilots saved Axis’ honor in aero-naval skirmishes up North. The II Jagdkorps was severely beaten and put out of combat and therefore removed from the front for now. OKW asked the Hungarians if they could transfer their air force in the sector, since their troops seem safe for now in and around Kiev. Only Romanian fighters and one German bomber group are remaining in the South, should anything happen.

The Soviet offensive pushed and severely punished the XIII Corps that will have to be pulled back for a long recovery. Luckily, the IV Corps resisted follow-up Soviet attempts at enlarging the hole in the front. OKH response was swift, and the 1st Siberian Army was pushed back with severe loses. OKH can only hope that the frontline is now again secure.

[Nirosi]

Should the Soviets decide to launch a simultaneous offensive in Ukraine, Axis troops are hopefully ready to deal with any emergency.

[Nirosi]

In Norway, due to the exuberance of victory and low intelligence about the exact Allied strength, the lines might have been over extended. Local commanders will receive orders to keep their fervor in check and to pull back in some sectors.

[Nirosi]

In Africa, the Axis has almost finished its retreat and redeployment at the Mareth line safely, the Allied pursuit been modest in scope. Comando Supremo and OKW expect the line to hold for a while, but preparation for the defense of Italy has also been taken more seriously. Italian airmen go some revenge for the loss of Tripoli by causing moderate damage to the Illustrious Group in port in Tripoli itself!

In other news, Germany had to stop trading with French North Africa as a small shortage of merchant ships meant that Finland could not receive oil anymore.

[Nirosi]

Panthers on the move during the German counterattack.

[Nirosi]

Alpinis in Tunisia getting ready for the Allies.

[Nirosi]

August 13th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

At sea in the Atlantic, the week started well with some good hunting made. Alas, OKL regrets to inform that the 4th U-Boat Flotilla was lost during operations. It is the second such flotilla lost since the start of the war.

In the Soviet Union, the Red Army continued the offensive started earlier. This time, both the IV and XV Corps were forced to fallback when facing Soviet tanks. Covering Soviet infantry that took over the taken positions was easily pushed back while taking some loses. However, the USSR has many resources and manpower. It is doubtful they do care that much about loses. It must be noted that despite the overwhelming forces that OKH used to push back the attackers, they did fallback in good order and are not crumbling as easy as in 1942. It seems that Marshal Vatutin, commanding the area, has a firm grasp on the situation and his men. More land and air forces were sent by OKW in the sector.

[Nirosi]

In Tunisia, the Allies have reached the Mareth Line. Only some minor battles occurred for now when the Allies attacked some Italian stragglers trying to reach Axis lines.

In other news, OKL is wondering if our fighters are still up to par with the Allies air foces? Recent results in the Soviet Union and over Germany are not what they used to be. An acceleration of research in the area has been ordered.

All was quiet in Norway and Greece.

[Nirosi]

August 27th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

The Allies have once again ignored the most basic principle of decency and bombed, quite severely, Rome. Axis forces were in no position to intervene as it never crossed either OKW or Comando Supremo mind that the Allies would cross this line.

In the East, the Red Army continued its operations in the Smolensk-Rzhev area. For more than a month now, both sides are fighting for the same position going back and forth. OKH knows it can not keep the line on the long run, but for now it can still put up a fight. This time the LI and XVIII Corps were pushed back by the enemy, but the LVI Corps managed to hold its position and, according to intercepted radio transmissions, Marshal Vatutin was killed when inspecting the front near the LVI corps, by artillery fire. Taking advantage of the probable chaos in the command chain, OKH ordered the position to be retaken, which it easily was. However, despite good odds in our favor, the Soviets are again retreating in good order after taking heavy loses.

In Africa, the straddling Italian XX Corps was attacked and managed to retreat and escape behind friendly lines. Comando Supremo is happy with the situation as it was on the verge of considering the corps lost. It will have, on the other hand, to be pulled out of combat for a while. Now the Mareth Line must Hold. But before they can assault it, the Allies must first dislodge Italian Alpinis that took forward positions in front of German panzers.

In other news, a small German assault happened in Norway but the British resisted.

[Nirosi]

Hospital ship Sicilia leaving Tunisia and bringing back some of our boys home.

[Nirosi]

September 10th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

Soviet raiding in the Baltic continued and sank quite a lot of Axis cargo ships. Helsinki is furious about the lack of oil deliveries. Berlin assured Finnish authorities that they are doing everything in their power to get the oil to them. But no matter what orders are sent either by the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of War, or OKW, priority still seem to end up being iron ore from Sweden.

The German navy set sail to engage the enemy after it was bombed by the Luftwaffe. The bombing and the naval battle itself, fought at very long range, severely damaged the Kirov Group and moderately the Marat one. The Hipper Group also sustained some moderate damage. Displeased with the results, OKM ordered all six U-boat flotillas in Germany to hunt down the Soviet fleet, but the result was that the Voroshilov was hit by a torpedo that seems to have done very little damage. The Soviet Navy is succeeding for the last weeks in frustrating the German one better than the Western Allies ever did.

[Nirosi]

In the Soviet Union, for the fourth time the frontline position was lost when German corps had to retreat, and for the fourth time it was retaken. However, this time Germany is feeling the pinch and must send a panzergrenadier corps to hold the front as fewer operational infantry corps are available. The battered LI Corps had even to be completely removed from the front and sent to Italy where it will recover hopefully during the Winter, depending on available resources. In the short term, OKH is hopping for some rainy weeks in September and October…

In Tunisia, the Alpinis, fighting in their environment, held against American tanks, gaining precious time to help the German entrench themselves properly.

[Nirosi]

September 24th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

In Tunisia, the Alpinis managed to hold for about another four days before been forced to retreat in face of superior forces. German troops are however well entrenched now, and Allied ones seem a little exhausted and might need to rest before they start their assault on the Mareth Line.

In the Soviet Union, our XV Corps was overrun after four days fighting masses of soviet tanks and soldiers. The 4th PanzerGrenadier Corps was pushed back after the same number of days, but its commander has been relieved of command after a mediocre performance where Soviet infantry waves received little casualties when throwing themselves at our troops. The severely battered corps was sent to Italy to recover, supplementing the 8th PanzerGrenadier Corps already in Sicily since its entry into service a couple of months ago. More German troops have now been deployed to Italy to beef-up Italian defenses should the Allies attempt an improbable landing while still fighting in Africa. But OKH prefer to be safe than sorry. Rumors that the German troops are there as much against the Allies as to check on the Italians is pure Allied propaganda.

Again, as usually, OKH retook easily the positions lost. The Soviet 28th Mechanized Corps, now renowned in the Luftwaffe for its extremely accurate AA guns, was pushed back with overwhelming odds, yet retreated in good order, as usually. The 68th Army was next, and was assaulted with even more force, but also retreated in good order. Abwehr has learned that Marshal Zhukov is in command of the sector, replacing Vatutin, and Soviet performance could be explained by its exemplary leadership. Nonetheless, both Soviet units did sustain very heavy loses and should be out of combat for at least two weeks, probably more. Still lacking infantry, OKH was forced to ask a panzergrenadier corps to remain at the front but allowed it to retreat if necessary.

In other news, the appearance of a Soviet mechanized corps in Crimea is raising question on Stavka intentions for the Winter…

[Nirosi]

German bombers preparing the counter-offensive on the 28th Mechanized Corps. Elite Soviet AA gunners caused many casualties...

[Nirosi]

Panzergrenadiers on the attack...

[Nirosi]

October 8th, 1943 (End of Axis turn)

In the Soviet Union, the IV Corps was pulverized by Soviet forces! OKH now reports two of them lost in the last month for none on the Soviet side. Still, the Soviet assault was more limited in scope as usually and after the position was lost, rain started on the battlefield. The inclement weather means that the Soviets will have to slow down for a while but also that the 24th Soviet Army survived what would have been a meat grinding counterattack under better circumstances. OKH expects to get some modest reinforcements in the Fall to replaces the loses. With the situation stabilising both on land an in the air, OKL sent its thanks to the Hungarian air force that went back South to cover their own troops and recover from the hard air battles of the last weeks.

Air reconnaissance discovered that a Soviet army took position in Kronstadt and that a naval infantry division is not to far East of Leningrad. Could the Soviet be thinking of amphibious landings in the Baltic? Hopefully, the weather should prohibit such action until March, postponing this potential problem for latter. The army in Kronstadt could also be there simply in preparation of an assault to push back the Germans at the outskirts of Leningrad. However, OKW believes that the thesis of possible landings in the Baltic is more plausible.

[Nirosi]

In the Mediterranean, the Allies did not make any attempt at the Mareth Line. They did not even make contact with the South-Western, and weaker, part of the line. Also, Italian bombers came in very close to pulverise an American submarine flotilla in Kalamata. It is suspected the flotilla will withdraw to Egypt for a while for repairs.

[Nirosi]

Hungarian pilot getting a well deserved rest.