Nirosi vs Boldairade(Nirosi welcome)

[boldairade]

ORIGINAL: BrianG

I have no idea what to do about that.

Try a nice cafe in Athens. Drink some red wine and then send out your best 300 and guard the pass.

It's worked before.

Great AAR

‘Then we shall have our battle in the shade’

Thank you!

[boldairade]

November 19, 1943

BOA-All wolf packs have withdrawn into their sub pens predominantly in Baltic bases. Odd. The Allied fleet is refueled at Scapa Flow, waiting to counter any sub deployments. Bombers are being moved around to cover possible sub raiding grounds. Since they are generally land bombers, it's more of a bluff than anything that will draw blood. But since we are likely scaling down strategic bombing, it's close to a zero cost affair. Converting a squadron back to a dedicated anti sub unit is still being considered. We are very close to 1943 tech for ASW. Arrival of Russian MM has eased some of the burden on the US MM. More on the way.

Norway-Bad weather, no action here.

US Strategic Bomber Command-We probe Cologne for Luftwaffe activity-they are not up to the challenge. We direct our worn down bombers back onto Dresden and Prague. They were starting to recover. With our low readiness and poor weather, the strikes aren't precise, but we manage to crush all three cities back down to zero or near zero production with acceptable step losses. In the Med, we level Naples, then accidentally bomb the troops in Taranto instead of industry[&:]

Africa-Supply issues continue, despite new attempts to dedicate supply to the armor. By necessity this may become a defensive front. As long as it holds down the three elite German Corps here, that may not be an entirely bad thing. It will be interesting after the war to see if good players can tell me how this could have been breached.

[boldairade]

November 19, 1943

Greece-Good weather here...but no German assault. When you read this Nirosi, I hope you will remember why you chose not to attack Athens. Were the odds very poor? It seems unlikely, but perhaps it is so. Planning is now going forward for a spring launch of Zeus, though several rough points have yet to be worked out. The ability to launch an attack will be there-the ability to then supply it and deal with the likely Axis counter attack is very, very questionable.

EAST FRONT

North-Bad weather in the Baltic. We consider sending out the full strength Marat BB and Voroshilov CA groups to raid, but we fear becoming ice bound as well as the huge number of German subs based in the Baltic. For this turn at least, discretion gets the better part of valor. We certainly miss our subs.

Center-Bad weather continues. We really need winter weather here, as it benefits us greatly, and the longer we can attack with it as an advantage, the better our chances to gain territory, stress the Germans, and gain combat experience. General Winter, however, has deserted us to this point. We make a few more minor adjustments to ready the ground forces for WINTER STORM. The last few turns we were moving forces into position to attack the Italian forces north of Kiev, but seeing this Nirosi replaces them with a garrisoned German formation. Again, clumsy work on my part. Soviet air formations are finally receiving significant replacements.

South- Snow here, but we are simply not in a position to make use of it. Black Sea ops, however, are being considered for the spring. Russian Marines arrive.

[stjeand]

I think the issue in Greece is that at best he might get 1 to 1 odds...with your navy and air defense I don't think he can push through.

In looking at past screen shots...he had 30 attack vs 18 defense. BUT...in a hex that is 1.7...so really 31 defense.
With air and navy...I think he might be attacking at less than 1 to 2 odds...

NOW if your navy is not there...still less than 1 to 1 with your air.

[boldairade]

ORIGINAL: stjeand

I think the issue in Greece is that at best he might get 1 to 1 odds...with your navy and air defense I don't think he can push through.

In looking at past screen shots...he had 30 attack vs 18 defense. BUT...in a hex that is 1.7...so really 31 defense.
With air and navy...I think he might be attacking at less than 1 to 2 odds...

NOW if your navy is not there...still less than 1 to 1 with your air.

interesting

[boldairade]

December 3, 1943

BOA-Two full German wolfpacks hit the Arctic Route, sinking 3 of those brand new Russian MM. 4 sub hits are taken. The AS Group, composed of the carrier Ranger and multiple DD groups moves against the subs. A US heavy bomber squadron deploys to Scapa Flow to allow it additional range. It launches one sortie vs the subs and fails to locate them.

Norway-Poor weather, no movement.

US Strategic Bomber Command-Readiness rates on formations are rapidly dropping. Only one strike is made vs Cologne. In the Med, we crush Naples and also hit Taranto. We also bomb Hungarian Iron Ore mines.

Africa-Seeing our movement to flank their line, Axis forces bomb US formations to the west. We launch an attack anyway, assaulting the dug in German VII Corps, commanded by Hermann Hoth. US forces consist of 3rd Armor, 2nd Mountain and VI Corps. The initial assault is rough. I fail to deploy air. US forces lose 7 steps to 3 German. The next attack goes better, 3 steps lost for the US, 4 for the German. The third attack better still, 2 step losses for the US, 5 for the Axis. Hoping to destroy the attrited formation we then switch out battered 3rd Armor for the UK WDF armor corps. We can only get 4-1 odds, and while we score 6 hits and take only one, the German formation escapes. We move the badly battered 2nd Mountain Corps to occupy the hex. There are ample Italian reserves to the north and of course the powerful German armor units to the east. This battle is a victory, but we fear a powerful riposte. Supply trucks continue to be poured into 1st and 2nd US Armor corps to try and bring them up to combat readiness. Fighters are moved to cover the front and a US Tac Bomber formation is shipped in.

[boldairade]

December 3, 1943

Greece-Foul weather, no movement. The recovery of Canadian II Corps, vital for Operation ZEUS, continues.

EAST FRONT

North With the return of the wolf packs to the BOA and foul weather, the Red Banner Fleet, almost completely recovered, returns to Baltic convoy raiding. We sail out to the south west, hoping to avoid any ice this year.

Planning for an attack south of Leningrad continues. For any chance at success, it would likely require unit specialization, air assets, either an amphibious or air landing(or both). Even with ALL these things deployed, success still seems unlikely.

Center-WINTER STORM finally kicks off in snowy weather. 14th, 1st, and 18th Air Armies pound the German LII Corps, and meet heavy resistance from multiple German Jagdkorps. Overall, in the pre bombardment, the Red Air Force and Luftwaffe both lose 10 air steps in the preamble to attack.

The opening assault sees 25th Tank(winter) 2nd UKr Red Army(winter) supported by 12th and 10th Air Armies and commanded by Georgy Zhukov hurl themselves at the entrenched German LII Corps, commanded by Germany's best, Erich von Manstein. Sickening losses are absorbed on both sides, with the opening attack costing the Russians 12 land step and 5 air. The Germans lost 5 land, 7 Air. The next attack goes better, as we lose 7 land steps and zero air to the German loss of 5 land, 2 air.

Hoping to smash the damaged German formation, we switch our our attack forces, sending in 2nd Tank(winter) and 25th Tank(winter) with support from 1st and 16th Air Armies. Not only do we fail to destroy LII Corps, but it stands its ground. Losses are high for the Germans though, as they lose 7 steps. Soviet forces lost 3 land, 1 air. We hope the next attack will shatter LII Corps, but if fails to do so. The German formation does lose 10 steps, however. Russian forces lose only one step.

WINTER STORM now focuses on an even harder target, VII Panzer directly to the south. 26th Air Army tries to soften in up. The Luftwaffe appears to be spent. This is an even tougher unit, but we can attack from 4 hexes, with powerful units. 15th Tank(winter), 1st Guards Tank(elite), 1st Guards Tank(winter) and 6th Guards Tank(winter) roll forward, supported by 12th and 24th Air Armies. Despite good odds(2-1) we take heavy losses(12 steps). We are doing damage however. The panzers take 8 hits, and VII Fliegerkorps loses 2 steps. The second attack is not much better. 15th Tank is out of OPs, so we are down to only the other 3 formations. We lose 6 steps, the Germans 4. The third attack finally pushes VII Panzer back, although we score only 2 hits, absorbing 4.

Overall, we are happy to reclaim these two hotly contested hexes, but we had hoped things would go more our way, with heavy air support, winter specialization, and having strong numerical superiority. Russian production is set to allocate nearly all of its resources to reinforcement and supply trucks in the effort to maintain momentum into the next turns. 15th Tank and 7th Tank are moved in to hold the hexes, hoping to make the Germans pay for retaking them hopefully in the snow. After consideration, this is likely a mistake. We should have moved in infantry, and kept the tanks in reserve. I'm not even sure we had any in range, however. 3rd Guards Tank, which had been earmarked for the Smolensk operation, is instead moved north for expected ops next turn.



South-Poor weather, no activity.

[boldairade]

Stavka's plans are not much more complex than hurling huge amounts of armor and men westward. For now, that is all we can muster.

[John B.]

Good luck and Godspeed!

[boldairade]

US M7 Priest SP Gun in the desert

[boldairade]

ORIGINAL: John B.

Good luck and Godspeed!

Thank you John.

I intentionally recycled the name WINTER STORM from the failed operational attempt to liberate the Stalingrad.

Like that Op, I am attacking vs a superior foe with inadequate force in winter terrain without enough frontage.

In short, I am quite sure this enterprise is doomed. That said, I will give it my best.

[boldairade]

Sailors of the Baltic Fleet with Igor, a 2 year old boy whos parents died at Leningrad of hunger. Note the toy gun they made for him.





Note: This photo isn't really relevant, since Leningrad hasn't been encircled. But it has long been one of my favorites, and is historically legit. So I have included it.

[boldairade]

December 17, 1943

BOA-The wolf packs split up, one continuing deeper into the Arctic Convoy lanes, the other breaking east into the N Atlantic. Between them, they manage to sink 6 MM and an escort. They suffer 5 step hits. The bomber in Scapa Flow isn't really much of a danger to the subs, but Nirosi has intentionally moved them beyond its range. In an effort to further push the subs about, we send a UK tac bomber to Reykjavik in Iceland.

Norway-Poor weather, no activity. A decision about what to do here in the spring is looming. The weather might stay the German's hand now, but come spring, they will be able to crush our forces. Either we need to plan a major amphibious op, or we should consider a phased withdrawal.

US Bomber Command-Bomber squadron readiness is low. But we absolutely do not want the Luftwaffe to be able to rotate fresh jagdkorps east into Russia. Probing raids are launched, and the Luftwaffe comes out to play. We have to be careful, selecting and supply trucking certain bomber formations that aren't too worn down. Virtually all German cities now have high AA gun concentrations. Overall, we inflict 15 step hits on German interceptors. We suffer fewer losses in the air to air fights, but AA losses make it exactly an even exchange. We do manage to level Cologne again.

In the Med, heavy weather precludes strikes vs our normal Italian targets. Instead, the bombers fly north, and in one turn manage to level Bucharest.

Africa-We feared counter attack here, and we were correct to. The Axis counter attack, using III Pz and VII Corps, along with the full weight of their air assets. They smash the defending 2nd Mountain, inflicting 8 land hits and a whopping 12 air step hits vs our fighters and tac bombers(the bombers should have been set to not intervene) while losing only 2 land and 3 air steps. Perhaps just as impactful, Eisenhower is killed! Ike wasn't known to lead from the front, but he must have been there. He is replaced by the capable Mark Clark.

The Allies decide to launch an attack vs entrenched III Pz. We hit with 10th Mountain, 3rd Armor and the WDF. As we should have anticipated, it goes poorly. We lose 13 ground steps and 4 air, inflicting only 6 ground hits and 6 air hits. A subsequent air raid costs us 4 air steps and 2 Axis steps, but reduces III Pz a bit more. We look vulnerable, but our only advantage is number of formations. We are trying to use that.

[/b][/i]

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[boldairade]

December 17, 1943

Greece-Poor weather, no activity.

EAST FRONT

North-More frustrations with the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. Despite bad weather, the German surface fleet immediately finds us. Even though we have heavier ships(2 CA and a BB vs a 1 BB 1 CA and 1 DD) the battle goes their way. They damage the Marat BB and Voroshilov CA and SINK the Kirov, while only suffering 2 hits to their DD group. We are going to be relegated, it seems, to being merely a fleet in being in the Baltic.

Center-A very big surprise here: with snowy weather continuing, the Germans decide NOT to counter attack to retake the two plains hexes taken in the opening moves of WINTER STORM. Stavka is both surprised and pleased. Perhaps moving armor forward wasn't a mistake after all.

There is no other decision but to plow ahead. Two Red Air Army formations, held out of last turns massive air battles, are activated. Multiple ground strikes are launched vs LVI Pz Corps. Even though we take hits to ground fire, overall the Luftwaffe takes more hits (8) than the Red Air Force(4). Is it possible we can wrest control of the sky from the Germans?

The air prep goes well, and is followed by an assault led by 7th Tank and `15th Tank and supported by 1st and 4th Air Armies. As always, it is bloody, with Russians losing 12 steps to the Germans' 7. The next assault is more balanced, with the Russian forces losing 5 ground and 1 air, the Germans losing 3 ground and 1 air.

We rotate our armor, bringing in 2nd and 3rd Guards Tank, now supported by the 12th and 16th Air Armies, and hoping to do damage. LVI Pz stands tall, however, both sides losing 3 ground steps. The Germans have taken heavy losses now. Our next attack achieves 11-1 odds, and we manage to overrun LVI Pz Corps! This seems a major victory.

Stavka stares long and hard at the new gap in the German front. It is backed by two formations, but we don't know what kind of formations. We believe they might be the infantry and armor corps that were mauled last turn. After much deliberation, Soviet 5th Tank is moved into the gap.

This is a mistake. The formations backing the German line are fresh armor and mech. Somewhat desperate, Stavka orders an attack to try and clear the southern flank of 5th Tank. An attack vs 5th Pz Grenadier is launched, using 24th Air Army, 1st Air Army, 3rd Guards Tank, 5th Tank and 6th Guards Tank. The opening assault loses 10 ground steps and 1 air, inflicting 6 ground hits and 2 air. We could attack again, but fear further depleting 5th Tank. The offensive is called off.

Next turn, 5th Tank can be hit by German units totaling more than 80 attack points. It will almost certainly be destroyed.

We need a blizzard-both to slow the German counter, but more so because we desperately need to launch the Smolensk operation to expand the frontage and give flank support to the forces executing WINTER STORM.

General Winter is needed. And he is needed right now.

South-More forces are jockeyed. Soviet Marines are being moved into ports.

[John B.]

Too bad about Ike. Perhaps he died in a ground strike. But, way to go in the East. Any dead German panzer corps is a good German panzer corps. And, it looks like some good attrition on the luftwaffe!

[boldairade]

The Germans are bleeding.

But is it enough to cause problems?

[redrum68]

That level of German losses is definitely going to cause problems if its sustained, nice work!

Out of curiosity, why did you build USA mountain corps? Are they really worth it over regular infantry corps?

[John B.]

I don't know the displays that well but if those are losses from one turn that looks good! And, the strat bombing losses may not be deadly, but you are hindering his ability to replace those losses with each production point you take away.

[boldairade]

ORIGINAL: redrum68

That level of German losses is definitely going to cause problems if its sustained, nice work!

Out of curiosity, why did you build USA mountain corps? Are they really worth it over regular infantry corps?

They were built in anticipation of fighting north after the landings in Greece.

Alas, we never made it that far. Though we hope to remedy that. As you will see if you can stick with this endless AAR!

[boldairade]

December 31, 1943

The last day of '43. Ominous.

EAST FRONT

North-No activity here. The Red Banner Fleet stays in port, despite advantageous raiding weather. Stavka is considering pulling some top flight formations out of this front. Even with winter weather, we cannot find any area where an attack has any chance of success.

Center-As expected, the Wehrmacht counter attacks. 3 fresh Pz Grenadier Corps and the LXXVI Pz Corps, with support from jagdkorps and fliegerkorps strike the worn down 5th Tank. They inflict heavy losses(12 ground/4 air) but suffer losses themeselves(5 land 5 air). 5th Tank does retreat(albeit in horrific condition) and lives to fight another day), which is fortunate.

To occupy the gap, Nirosi pushes forward the fresh LXXVI Pz Corps. This formation looks untouchable vs our worn down tank formations facing it(we are at 10-11 attacks, LXXVI is at 25 defense). But we absolutely cannot pause. Counting this turn, we have 5-6 more turns of reliable winter, and with no blizzard to this point, WINTER STORM is already behind schedule. The only tool we have to try to even the odds is the Red Air Force. Some fighter formations are too worn down to be used. They are inactive, but we use supply trucks to prepare the remaining fighters and tac bombers. To our surprise, the Luftwaffe has NO interceptors active. Six heavy air strikes come in on LXXVI Pz, knocking off one step and seriously reducing its readiness.

Following up this air barrage is the attack led by 2nd Tank, 3rd Guards Tank and supported by 4th and 14th Air Armies. As expected, the opening attack is bloody(we lose 1 air and 10 land-Germany loses 2 air(fliegerkorps) and 5 ground). This is bad but these losses are deemed 'acceptable' by Stavka. The next strike does less, only 1 step hit as we lose 4 ground, 1 air. With the offensive losing momentum, we deploy fresh formations, 15th Tank and 28th Mech. They achieve 4-1 odds and though they don't deal a ton of damage(3 land, 2 air, we lose 3 land steps), we drive back LXXVI Pz. 28th Mech continues forward-it isn't winterized, but it IS in good shape. We hope it will cost the Germans something to retake the hex.

WINTER STORM.JPG (65.46 KiB) Viewed 1141 times

After moving around some forces(including finally brining up 5th Guards Tank from the Smolensk area) this is what the offensive looks like. We seriously consider trying to displace 1st Pz Grenadier directly south of 28th Mech and north of Smolensk. This real-estate is incredibly valuable, as it would both support the flank of WINTER STORM and also facilitate any attack on Smolensk(assuming we EVER get the weather for it). But it would greatly weakening 28th Mech and the odds of a possible attack(1-1) make me believe it would fail. For now, we hold.

Overall, despite the lack of needed weather and the expected heavy losses, Stavka is pleased with WINTER STORM. We are winning the air war, and have made moderate gains. Maybe the biggest progress though, can be seen in the German formations to our west. No longer are we facing mech formations of 25+ strength, but instead we are looking at worn down formations that have already been engaged. Germany will likely rail in new forces. We must do what we can to limit this.

We still believe the ultimate goals of this operations-the capture of Smolensk, Vitebsk and a general lengthening of the front as well as attrition to the Wehrmacht, all seem relatively possible.

South-We still see no REAL opportunity to make progress here. But one thing that I have noticed about Nirosi is that he is VERY observant. Any time I move assets for a possible attack, he is making adjustments before I can even attack.

This has caused me great difficulty and even forced me to abandon some offensives before they begin.

Now, I try to use this against him. We move several formations up behind the line near Dneptropetrovsk and also deploy some low quality formations near the line near Crimea. We even rail in some battered air formations. The idea is to make him consider possible actions here, and hopefully prevent him from redeploying all his mobile assets to counter WINTER STORM.

Russian Marines are also deployed to the ports in the Crimea, moving them into position for possible amphibious operations in the spring.