Nirosi vs Boldairade(Nirosi welcome)

[boldairade]

Stavka has hurled everything it has at the Wehrmacht in the Smolensk/Vitebsk corridor.

[boldairade]

Due to losses/wear and tear the European strategic bomber fleet does not take to the skies.

[boldairade]

September 10, 1943

BOA-The last 8 weeks(4 turns), and perhaps a bit beyond that, have seen the Allied merchant fleet reach its breaking point. Global MM numbers were barely capable of keeping the supplies coming into the UK-and then they began to slip below the necessary numbers. However, the op on Norway by Germany saw subs diverted to that front, briefly. Now, Germany has withdrawn 6 sub formations into the Baltic to help deal with the Russian surface forces(along with the Kriegsmarine's remaining surface vessels-greatly reduced in Germany's second Norway invasion).

In a very rare(non)occurrence, NO German subs are sent after the Atlantic convoys. US MM are added to the fleet, meaning the Allied convoys will be shipped in full. It is a pleasant reversal, though we fully expect the wolfpacks will return. Allied production takes advantage by shifting production to landing craft for one shipyard cycle. It is a dangerous move, but in order to break the current deadlock, we have to be able to flank the enemy somewhere.

US Strategic Bomber Command-Strategic Bomber tech '44 is achieved. None of our formations get upgraded, unfortunately. European formations again abstain from taking to the air-the hope is to upgrade some of the formations, have them at high readiness, and launch one more series of heavy raids before the winter. In the Med, the raids on Rome have generated AA guns in the Italian capital. US bombers instead level Naples. Supply has been reestablished to the second Mediterranean Strat Bomber formation, but it will not be combat ready for some time.

Norway-Germans in the east move up on the UK formations there. Terrain favors the defenders, but we have been repositioning and are not dug in. We sit tight, hoping they do not attack next turn. VIII Armor is finally regaining a bit of readiness. UK I Corps is evacced to recover in England, while the fresh UK Lanchester Corps lands in Bergen.

If we can hold a port in Norway, it will interfere with the iron ore convoys when things freeze over this winter, and that will cost Germany some PP.

[boldairade]

September 10, 1943

Africa-Italians launch airstrikes at US armor and infantry, as well as taking pot shots at the fleet anchored in Tripoli. They do not achieve much(no step hits) but lose 6 air steps.

The US finally can launch a full scale attack vs the Italian alpine corps in the mountains. II Corps, the fresh 10th Mountain, VI Corps and 2nd Armor with heavy air support attack up the mountain. Initial losses(7 steps vs only 4 for defenders) are very high. Defenders take 5 step hits vs only 2 for the attacker on the second attack, but the 3rd assault is a stalemate(3 Allied steps lost, 2 Italian). The Allies are forced to rotate their tank formations into the attack. US 1st, 2nd and 3rd Armor now attack, supported by the excellent South Midland Corps. They force the Italians back, but the Allied formations, not in the best of supply, are much the worse for wear. We hope forcing the Italians back will improve supply across the front.

WDF is deployed forward to occupy the mountain hex-less than ideal.

[boldairade]

September 10, 1943

Greece-US land forces are being withdrawn from Greece. Uk forces will take over, along with the Canadians, in an effort to streamline command and supply. Plans have been drawn up for an extensive operation here, involving Engineers, amphibious ops and mass airdrops, but we currently lack the formations to make it a reality. The goals is to not only break out, but perhaps envelop German formations.

Establishing supply, however, even if the op is successful, is a difficult proposition. I am starting to understand why other players do not attempt to open a major front in Greece.

East Front

North-The Russian surface fleet finds Axis convoys and sinks 4 MM. Unfortunately, again, unlike Allied forces, the Axis has no trouble locating the Red Fleet in raider mode. Naval air strikes find us immediately, and score a staggering 4 hits in one attack on the Kirov cruiser group. German surface ships then are able to immediately find us as well, landing hits on their attack, scoring 2 hits on BB Marat. We do manage to land 2 hits on CA Hipper. German subs then also immediately find us and achieve surprise, landing a hit on CA Voroshilov. Overall, it is very frustrating, with the Axis able to locate our raider group on EVERY attack and doing heavy damage. Our ships limp back to Kronstadt. We are lucky to not lose any groups.

Around Leningrad, we are moving up extra infantry, hoping to sustain some type of infantry offensive vs the northern most sections of the German line. It will take many assaults to displace them-they are in garrison mode and heavily entrenched.

Center-The slugfest continues here. German air superiority is undeniable, but the Red Air Force is still contesting the skies where possible. Ground strikes prep the Russian infantry, and then, as before, the Panzers roll forward. LVI Corps, 1st Pz Grenadier, LVI Pz, and heavy air support target 35th army, inflicting 10 step hits while only suffering one and driving us back.

More ground strikes are sent to the south, vs 44th Army. The Red Air Force is bled dry, and cannot contest these. Finally, II Corps, LVI Pz and 6th Pz Grenadier slam into 44th Army, dealing a whopping 13 step hits while suffering only 4, and drive that formation back.

The Germans are not content to push forward regular infantry corps any longer. Knowing we must use armor for offensive punch, they instead move up XX Corps, which has been upgraded with extra anti tank guns. On XX Corps southern flank, they move up the powerful 4th Pz Grenadiers.

Stavka's intentions last turn was to cease offensive ops this turn. However, the prospect of these strong formations digging in is very unpleasant. Somewhat reluctantly, Stavka again sends forward her formations. Although facing the strong anti tank XX Corps, we must employ armor to generate offensive force. 3rd Guards Tank and 5th Tank(fresh from the south) grind forward into the the German AT gunners, supported by 8th and 12th Air Armies . Again, it is incredibly bloody. The opening assault sees the Russians take 7 land step hits and 4 air, inflicting 6 hits vs XX Corps and 5 air hits vs Axis air forces. The Russians attack again, losing 4 steps, inflicting 5 hits. The third attack stings the Germans, we take only one hit, and score 6. XX Corps is severely reduced, Stavka sees this as an opportunity. The battered tank corps are pulled back and replaced with the relatively fresh 6th Army and 5th Guards Tank. The fourth attack overruns XX Corps!

Stavka now has to decide whether or not to challenge the 4th Pz Grenadier. We have strong if worn down formations available, and decide to attempt it, but will break off the attack immediately if we are suffering heavy losses. The opening attack is again heavy, utilizing the strong 2nd Siberian Army, 2nd Mech Corps, 5th Guards Tank and 28th Mech Corps, and supported by 26th Air Army-the Axis is out of air formations. The opening attack sees both the attackers and defenders lose 8 steps. The second effort sees the Russians lose 5, the Germans 5. A third attack, utilizing the fresh 34th Army and 2nd Ukrainian Army suffers only 2 hits while inflicting 4. Finally, the fourth assault drives pack 2nd Pz Grenadier, though we suffer 4 hits while inflicting just 2.

Stavka's frontage in the SLEDGEHAMMER kill zone is occupied by 28th Mech and 68th Army. Not ideal-but wear and tear on German formations here is now noticeable. Axis forces are not losing nearly as much as Russian ones-but they ARE bleeding.

Stavka rails in the last available armor corps from the southern front-the green Soviet 7th Tank. From here forward, no winterized tank formations can be used. They must be refitted for the winter offensives. We may have already used them too heavily, with their effectiveness ratings as low as 14%, they may not be able to recover.




RED-The battle rages
BLUE-Extremely attrited Soviet formations
Black-Even the Germans are battered


South-Very little occurring here. Rokossovsky repositions some assets to the south. Meretskov takes over the northern section of this front. The Axis could probably push forward here, with only outdated mech formations and infantry in reserve. But perhaps they are feeling the losses of SLEDGEHAMMER? I find myself constantly wondering how things look from the other side. Is Nirosi feeling pressure? Or is he comfortable defending vs what have been admittedly pretty clumsy efforts to pressure his Axis stranglehold on Europe and Western Asia?

An odd occurrence for the Allies is, US industrial might is beginning to fail. Even with 466 PP/turn, the US cannot maintain the Russian convoys, naval builds(mostly MM and escorts, some landing craft), supply trucks(needed both in Africa and for the heavy bombers), upgrades, and also replacing heavy losses for her forces in Africa and the brutally expensive losses to strategic air forces. I did not expect the US industrial might to fall short, but that is exactly what's happening-thus the grounding of US air forces over Germany.

[boldairade]

Axis AT gunners have had plenty of targets in the SLEDGEHAMMER battlegrounds.

[boldairade]

A 60 Ton Tiger from a German heavy armor kampfgruppen burns north of Smolensk. The Red Army has made the German bleed for the first time-but was the price too high?

[boldairade]

A destroyed KV-2 from 5th Guards Tank after being overrun by a combination of German armor and panzer grendadiers.

[John B.]

It's a real knife fight around Smolensk! Congrats on overrunning the German corps!!

[boldairade]

September 24, 1943

BOA-The uboats are back in a big way. 8 MM go down and an escort, we fail to land even one hit. Surface fleets sortie from England to aid escorts in the Arctic route. Allied MM now 5 below global minimum. Additional MM will not arrive until November/December.

US Strategic Bomber Command-Two formations in England are upgraded to '44 tech. These units attack, first in Cologne within range of escorts-but the Germans do not come up to meet us. The next three raids hit Dresden and Prague, inflicting heavy damage with no step hits on the bombers. We should be ready for heavy raids in early October. In the Med, Naples is leveled again, and another raid hits Taranto.

Norway-No movement here. Germany may be content with a stalemate. We dig in among the hills and mountains. Withdrawal of VIII Armor is being considered.

Africa-Air strikes from Italian bombers. They lose 3 steps, but so does worn down 1st Fighter Group. They score a hit on WDF. The Allies are trying to move infantry, particularly the new US mountain corps, into the hills/mountains while withdrawing armor into good supply. This front is a real mess, and very difficult to find a way to get any advantage without exposing ourselves to bad tactical/logistical situations. The African front continues to cost as FAR more than the Axis.

Greece-Exchanges of troops continue, as US forces are almost completely withdrawn. Planning continues for a two part operation which involves utilizing all available assets to break the stalemate here, tentatively code named ZEUS/CHARIOT.

[boldairade]

September 24, 1943

East Front

North-Troops continue to be moved north. Soviet marine units, which we are hoping to sneak into Kronstadt harbor west of Leningrad, arrive on the front. Russian surface vessels are again under repair. K-12 is refitted and moves into the Baltic shipping lanes.

Center[b] -German ground strikes result only in step losses to their fliegerkorps-they must be wearing down. The Red Air Force is not receiving significant replacements, despite 300 PP being allocated to reinforcement-so we are weak as well. Red Fighters are not contesting the bombings.

Again, the Germans easily swat aside our forward forces. 1st Pz Grenadier and LVI Pz crush 28th Mech, inflicting 14 step hits while suffering only 4. Oddly this time the air is heavily contested, with V Jagdkorps and VII Fliegerkorps suffering no losses, while the 16th Air Army loses 3. The Germans then attack 68th Army, hitting it with LVI Pz, 7th Pz Grenadier, and VII Pz, with V Jagdkorps and V Fliegerkorps covering. They lose only one ground step and one air, as we suffer 2 air and again, 14 ground hits.

Stavka again struggles with the correct response here. Our losses are huge. But we do NOT want to concede this territory to the German, especially this close to winter.

The decision is made to again attack. 2nd Ukrainian Army, 2nd Mech Corps, and 34th Army slam into IV Corps, with 24th Air Army slugging it out with IV Jagdkorps and V Fliegerkorps. The opening offensive is promising, we lose 4 land/2 air while inflicting 1 air/4 land. We press forward-straight into disaster. The next attack sees Russian forces lose 10 ground steps while inflicting just 2 land hits, with both sides losing an air step.

Stavka considers halting attacks but instead pushes forward two more, rotating in the fresh 7th Tank and veteran 1st Guards Tank. These attack see us lose 7 steps while inflicting 4 step losses-but our odds are increasing. Hoping to do damage, we rotate in 6th Guards Tank to the south, replacing exhausted 34th Army-this gives us 9-1 odds. For the second straight turn we achieve an overrun, crushing the German IV Corps.

We have definitely been fortunate to pull victories from the jaws of defeat the last few turns. But the costs have been high. Furthermore, the massive battle with IV Corps leaves no effective forces to contest the northern hex, occupied by 7th Pz Grenadier. This means the Germans will have additional frontage to counter next turn. Despite our very best efforts, SLEDGEHAMMER is grinding to a halt.








South-Little to report here. The Germans have withdrawn an armor formation, likely sending it to support the defense vs SLEDGEHAMMER.

[boldairade]

Breda Ba.88 Lince bombers continue to plague Allied ground troops in Africa.

[boldairade]

The Germans have crushed SLEDGEHAMMER.

However, for this gunner of the ill fated IV Corps, the war is over.

[boldairade]

P-38s prowl the skies over Western Europe.

More often than not, the Luftwaffe refuses engagement.

[boldairade]

October 8, 1943

BOA-It is a massive slugfest in the Atlantic. Seeing capital ships and destroyers in the Arctic lane, the Germans switch all three Uboat hunting packs to the North Atlantic and run into 11 escorts with DD support. They still inflict very heavy damage, sinking 14 MM and 2 escorts. They suffer 8 sub hits, but no sinking. PP wise, it is probably close to a wash. But the Kriegsmarine can replace its boats far more quickly than we can our MM.

US Strategic Bomber Command-With readiness over 80% and most formations upgraded to '44 tech, all formations take to the skies. In the Med, Taranto and Naples are completely leveled by 3 sorties. In Europe, it is a far hotter affair, with the bombing contested by I Jagdkorps. After two interceptions, however, that formation has taken 11 step hits. Allied losses are also high, losing 9 steps to the interceptors and AA guns while pounding the heavily defended city of Cologne. The Luftwaffe sends no more planes skyward however, allowing the US bombers to have their way. In the remaining 10 raids, the US loses only 8 steps. Cologne, Dresden and Prague lie in ruin.

[boldairade]

Although US bombers are achieving something of a breakthrough-strategically it is hard to know how impactful it is. Germany is certainly not being pressed in any meaningful way, and Italy not at all. The loss of PP is likely an annoyance-nothing more.

[boldairade]

October 8, 1943

Norway-No major activity here, rain is falling. It appears that winter positions may have been achieved.

Africa-The Italians cease air strikes for this turn at least. The US continues the clumsy process of repositioning its forces.

Greece-Trouble here. The Germans move in another alpine corps. This fouls the plan for ZEUS, as it makes encirclement of forward German formations impossible. The more we study it, however, the more it appears far worse than that. The talent of alpine units is that they do not suffer the penalty for offensive operations in mountains/hills. Athens is in hills. Allied planners believe it is likely that the Germans mean to launch a frontal assault on Athens with their armor and two mountain corps. Perhaps it is more accurate to say, they fear it.

There is little we can do. Fresh bombers remain on station to assist the defenders, and additional surface ships have been added to the support fleet. But we do not believe we will be able to resist an all out attack.

[redrum68]

BOA-It is a massive slugfest in the Atlantic. Seeing capital ships and destroyers in the Arctic lane, the Germans switch all three Uboat hunting packs to the North Atlantic and run into 11 escorts with DD support. They still inflict very heavy damage, sinking 14 MM and 2 escorts. They suffer 8 sub hits, but no sinking. PP wise, it is probably close to a wash. But the Kriegsmarine can replace its boats far more quickly than we can our MM.

While this is an ok result as it'll probably put some subs to port to repair for a few turns, I don't think its a wash PP wise. Subs are pretty cheap to repair assuming 43 tech I think it would be around 8 PP a hit so say 64 PP where 14 MM + 2 escorts is 220 PP!

[boldairade]

October 8, 1943

EAST FRONT

North-Rain. Slow repairs on all surface units of the Red Navy. K-12 sinks a MM and for one turn at least, avoids retribution. More Soviet Marines arrive, but getting them to the harbor in poor weather remains difficult. Stavka continues to try to find a way to break this front open. We likely could do it with attrition, but by the time we broke through, there would be Axis forces waiting.

Center-Rain. This should hamper offensive ops, but it does not for the Germans. One sharp ground attack by 3 mobile corps crushes 24th Army, and they withdraw. Again, the Germans suffer only one step loss. The poor weather, however, precludes any attack by the Soviets.

SLEDGEHAMMER has both ended and failed. The goal-which was to gain territory from which to launch a winter offensive, has completely failed, as the front has now stabilized exactly where it began. Worse, the Germans now occupy the frontage with far stronger forces than before, and also have more reserves. SLEDGEHAMMER did more damage the BROLER, but ended exactly in the same place-with zero progress.

South-No activity here. All German formations are pristine, and strong reserves are in place. It is hard to believe any winter op could make even minimal progress.

[boldairade]

ORIGINAL: redrum68

BOA-It is a massive slugfest in the Atlantic. Seeing capital ships and destroyers in the Arctic lane, the Germans switch all three Uboat hunting packs to the North Atlantic and run into 11 escorts with DD support. They still inflict very heavy damage, sinking 14 MM and 2 escorts. They suffer 8 sub hits, but no sinking. PP wise, it is probably close to a wash. But the Kriegsmarine can replace its boats far more quickly than we can our MM.

While this is an ok result as it'll probably put some subs to port to repair for a few turns, I don't think its a wash PP wise. Subs are pretty cheap to repair assuming 43 tech I think it would be around 8 PP a hit so say 64 PP where 14 MM + 2 escorts is 220 PP!

I am sure you are right. The point remains-we are losing. Just worse than i thought!