Third Reich 42 - 45: Mark (Axis) vs Mike (Allies)

[USXpat]

T038 - January 22, 1943
Caucasus

Showing current situation and desired stop lines. The situation is more or less static. The XLVIII Panzer and XLIX Mountain Corps continue to make periodic small gains along the Black Sea Coast.

While significant forces remain at Grozny, Russian forces are sitting in fortified positions with significant artillery support and a significant edge in the air. The 7th Flieger and 22nd Airlanding Divisions have been sitting in reserve waiting for a chance to "make a difference". As air parity is gradually slipping away, their time has arrived. I'd have liked for the objective to be somewhat more "decisive" - but the ultimate objective, Baku, is simply too far away.

The first regiment of the 22nd Airlanding Division is dropped behind the Soviet defensive perimeter around Grozny. If it survives this next turn, 7th Flieger will drop, then 2nd and 3rd Regiments the turn after that. The first goal is to reduce break the rail line allowing the defenses to be rapidly reinforced, and with it their rate of supply. The second goal is to see some portion of the defense assigned to deal with the landings - with the hope there aren't significant Soviet reinforcements already waiting in Makhachkala.

Fourth Panzer Armee - 1st, 2nd and 20th Panzer; 3rd SS Totenkopf, 25th PanzerGrenadier, plus 46th, 102nd and 225th Infantry Divisions will be pressing the assault. Soviet defenses include units from the 8th, 40th, 51st, 60th and 67th Armies - plus the relatively fresh 10th Tank Corps. Most of the other units are in various stages of depletion.

Contending with the units in the mountain passes south of Grozny will have to wait for reinforcements - that may never arrive.

[USXpat]

T038 - January 22, 1943
The Long Blue & Grey Line on the Don

Total forces on the front line, not including regional reserves include:

Germany:
-18 Infantry Divisions
- 2 Security Divisions
- 1 PanzerGrenadier Division
- 1 Assault Gun Brigade

Romania:
- 8 Infantry Divisions
- 5 Cavalry Divisions

Italy:
- 3 Infantry Divisions
- 1 Motorized & 1 Cavalry Division
- 2 Artillery Brigades

Hungary: (To the immediate north)
- 9 Infantry Divisions
- 1 Armored Division
reinforced with 1 German Infantry and 1 PanzerGrenadier Division.

All units are at full strength, have 150% supply and are in fortified positions with artillery support. The same can be said for everything on the "other side of the river".

This entire area has been quiet and having made it through the winter of '42, is likely to remain quiet for quite a while longer. I have considered an offensive for Stalingrad at different points. However, from the beginning, my intention to press an offensive on Stalingrad was predicated upon "clearing the Caucasus". I'm not delusional enough to think that could be achieved - at least not without a fantastic string of successes very early on. Mike denied the opportunity for those to happen by emphasizing force preservation and trading ground. My early advance to the Don was rapid, but there were few large encirclements.

[USXpat]

T038 - January 22, 1943
Army Group Center (southern flank)

This area is relatively quiet with periodic flare-ups in the vicinity indicated by the red circle. Forces on the front line include:

Germany:
31 Infantry Divisions and 1 Infantry Brigade
3 Motorized/Panzergrenadier Divisions
5 Panzer Divisions

Plus 1 Hungarian Infantry Division

[USXpat]

T038 - January 22, 1943
Murmansk

About to take a break, meant to cover more but capping T038 posts with Murmansk. Overall situation is a 15 km advance on a 45 km front. Now on the outskirts of Murmansk with Admiral Scheer deployed to block naval transport.

[USXpat]

T039 - January 29, 1943
Tunis

Not wishing to risk another panzer division in Africa, 15th Panzer bugged out for a scenic view in Italy. I don't expect Tunis to hold out for long. While I don't expect an Allied invasion of Southern Europe until Tunis is taken, my aim is to be prepared for when it does.

[USXpat]

T039 - January 29, 1943
Black Sea Coast

XLVIII Panzer Korps with 5th Panzer Division (on loan from XLI Panzer Korps) manages to punch through along the coastal road. In another 30 km or so, the terrain starts to open up a bit. While this will mean the Soviet defense will need to spread out more, it also means the offensive will be diluted unless reinforcements can be found... reinforcements have been pretty sparse, but OKW will come up with something.

[USXpat]

T039 - January 29, 1943
Grozny - Operation Dust Devil

Provided Grozny can be held for 24 turns, it will net +5 supply (next update reduces this to +4 supply if held for 48 turns) - in increments of +1/+2/+2. With the 1st/22nd Airlanding Regiment dropping last turn and surviving, it is followed by 7th Flieger and 2nd/22nd. Local Soviet Air Superiority forced the 3rd Regiment to return to base with losses.

While this turn global air ratio favors the Axis 120 to 108, the numbers have started reversing more and more... with the Allies having 120 to 108. This is likely to be the last significant airborne operation by the Axis in this war.

Thus far, the defenses facing Grozny haven't budged - and as I feared, there were Soviet reserves near Makchalaka. Still, more breathing room is needed around Grozny and I'm willing to pay the price for it.

[USXpat]

T039 - January 29, 1943
Astrakahn Bulge

Being lazy with the screenshots...

Fighting has erupted again along the Astrakahn Bulge. As more infantry poured into Grozny, more SS and Panzer divisions were freed up to contend with the growing Soviet build-up. My estimate is that this area is at a stalemate for the time being.

This is the price to be paid for not committing enough forces to the flank of the Grozny offensive to begin with - and for taking my time about it, too. What could have been a 105km front along the lower Volga is a 375km front requiring additional divisions to compensate for the lack of defensible ground.

The irony is that the forces that I would normally have used to beef up the flank were all directed to the assault on Leningrad. The situation was only truly stabilized once the forces of 11th Army were free to return to support this operation. Leningrad's down however, and Murmansk is likely to follow... a reasonable trade.

[USXpat]

T039 - January 29 1943
Murmansk

18th Panzergrenadier Division leads the way in cutting off 4 rifle divisions and a tank brigade from contributing further to the port's defense. Further, getting this airfield adjacent to Murmansk gives local air supremacy to Axis air forces.

The rest of the Murmansk defense includes:

* HQs for the 14th, 19th, 33rd and 5th Shock Armies;
* 13 Rifle Divisions,
* 3 Rifle/Naval Brigades
* 3 AT Brigades
* 2 Tank Brigades
* 1 Fortified Region

And there's a British naval group which just got hammered by the JU-87's outside of Petsamo.

That's a wrap for now...

[Edwire]

Amazing AAR [&o]

Just curious, do you think it will be worth to punch a hole in the south or center in Blitzkrieg style to eliminate as many Soviet troops as possible rather than attacking defended position (Murmansk) ?

I know capturing Murmansk will free more Axis units though.

How many hours you spent for one turn? I want to give this scenario a try.

Cheers,
Edwire

[USXpat]

Thanks Ed! A major offensive is not entirely out of the question at this stage (early 43), but requires concentrating a large amount of force, hitting hard and fast. If the Allied Player watches the replays, they may be able to anticipate an offensive. Even if the buildup goes undetected, the Soviets could probably contain the attack with extra nearby armies and rail 3-4 more armies to respond the following turn.

For Axis, most turns take about 30-45 minutes once you have a routine. Early on - could be up to 90 minutes or maybe 2 hours. A new version will be available soon, another 1-2 weeks. I'll likely be up for another game as Axis and one as the Allies as hopefully this will be the last major update.

Have a good one - let me know if you'll be up for a game, too!

Mark

[USXpat]

T040 - February 5, 1943
Grozny

1st and 20th Panzer Divisions virtually ran themselves into the ground taking on the 286th Rifle Division in fortified positions east of Grozny. Its companion units retreated, but every turn held up here counts against the survival of the 7th Flieger and the 22nd Airlanding divisions. Totenkopf, 2nd Panzer and a fresh 225th Infantry Division will be able to pick up the offensive next week.

Elsewhere - things are relatively quiet. Fighting continues around Murmansk with the first major assaults starting on the port itself. By the end of the turn, only the fort garrison occupies the port - and that through the valiant efforts of 1 company of engineers - 8 squads.

(In game we're up to Turn 75 -- so I'll likely be skipping a few turns and doing more summaries ahead to catch up some).

[Edwire]

Hi Mark,

I'm definitely up for a game! Is the next update a major one? Maybe wait until the new version.

Waiting for your next post. I'm curious where you will send the extra troops after capturing Murmansk. Grozny is still swarmed with Soviet troops around, Astrakhan Bulge, North Africa, and i don't think the Soviet will stay quiet.

[USXpat]

Hi Ed, yes - the next update started small, but has "grown"...

* A number of TO&E adjustments;
* Axis replacements slightly reduced;
* more country-specific vehicles;
* eliminating most Soviet AT Brigades consolidating AT assets into Tank Brigades and support elements into the Rocket Brigades giving the Soviets a bit more punch.
* Overhaul of the RAF - Mike Goldsberry got me stats by squadron which I consolidated into Groups - net effect is that English bombers start out somewhat weaker, fighters significantly stronger. * Added motorized infantry assets to British Armoured Brigades.
* Made for a deeper winter.
* Major map expansion in the Middle East
* slightly reduced some super-rivers
* Refinement of a few surrender routines.
* A longer Caucasus Oil 'repair' sequence.
And looking to add a couple of "historical variants" and other effects.

Either way, will have to review all of the events carefully and make sure they all work as intended. Plugging away at it steadily, but not going to rush too much, do my best to make sure it gets done right the first time -- but no guarantee even then. Anyways... will keep these threads updated accordingly.

Have a good one!

Mark

[USXpat]

T040 - 045: March 12, 1943
Voronezh - Yeletz

Covering several turns to get caught up a bit relative to the game progress (at Turn 76) and work.

What was periodic fighting on the Yeletz-Voronezh Line has turned into a full-blown Soviet offensive. The Soviet Assault is led by 1st, 2nd and 3rd Guards Armies plus the 2nd Guards Tank Army and at least 6 Artillery Divisions (maybe as many as 12), supported by elements of 3rd and 16th Armies. I've tried to maintain an aggressive defense, punching back as hard and as frequently as possible - giving ground taking it back, and back and forth for the past few turns.

On defense are the 3rd and 9th Panzer Divisions, the 16th Motorized Division, infantry from the VII and XXXV Korps backed up by the Hungarian VII Korps. The 3rd Cavalry Division and IV Luftwaffe Field Korps have been sent in as reinforcements.

16th Motorized Division was hit so hard by the 11th & 20th Tank Corps that it fragmented. 3rd Panzer between being hit and hitting back is rapidly losing punch. It's still functional with 42 Pz III H/J's, 19 Pz IV E/F2's and 17 Pz IIF's - but there are no more IIIH, IVE or IIF's in inventory. And it's down to one effective regiment of motorized troops. 9th Panzer (the area reserve) is not in much better shape except that it is relatively fresh except for the fighting of this turn.

Committing infantry to counterattacks is simply suicide with at least 6 and likely 12 artillery divisions concentrated in a 30 km line.

And the Red Air Force has been busy blowing the hell out of my bridges. A full half of my engineers are in dedicated positions on almost every bridge leading to the Caucasus. Where I would normally delegate an Army or Korps HQ to rail repair for a few turns, they have artillery needed to support units on the front lines.

The commander of 2nd Panzer Armee attempted to handle the situation with forces on hand, but has put in the call for "Lawyers, Guns and Money" - the secret code for Pioneers, Panzers and some air cover. A package of pioneers and panzers is in the process of being assembled, but as for air cover - he'll have to do without for now. Instead, he'll get something arguably just as good, if not better - some brand new, state of the art, self-propelled, heavier than hell anti-tank support. Elefants - and there'll be plenty of CAP to make sure it reaches the front in one piece.

[USXpat]

T040 - 045, March 12, 1943
Karelia

As of this turn, aside from one elusive Rifle Division in the roughlands SE of Murmansk, the last of the Soviet forces were forced to surrender. The loss of three armies amounts only to a bloody lip to the Soviets - I'm relatively sure they will be back in the near future... Just not at Murmansk and without the benefit of further Lend Lease shipments.

A full Finnish Infantry Korps is pending redeployment at Murmansk, destination - the western shore of Lake Onega. German forces have already moved to reinforce their brothers NW of Kem.

The black dashed line indicated my desired top point - with the two circles representing the only areas requiring a defense in depth. The gray dashed line represents what I reasonably expect to achieve, and is a bit optimistic at that. Much depends upon Soviet response.

If objectives are achieved, it leads to a shortening of the line for everyone. Ultimately that will lead to the Soviets being able to concentrate even more force anywhere of their choosing. However, it does make it somewhat easier to guess where that might be.

Whether I will have enough "there" when the times comes is a completely different story.

Soviet interdiction is hitting up to 10 units per combat round - sometimes hard enough to "unfortify" some front line positions. And then there are the Artillery Divisions. Luftwaffe efforts to pummel them have been... shall we say, "aggressively discouraged"?

Three units in particular have given an excellent accounting for themselves - long-range rail artillery, able to reach out 3 to 5 hexes to hit airbases and also proving moderately effective with counter-battery fire.

The problem is... if they attempt to move, they get whacked by the Red Air Force - immediately. So, for now I have them sitting semi-safe in the midst of a division and flak brigade each - reduce the odds of them being hit. Enemy Air Strength is at 131 vs Luftwaffe at 116.

[USXpat]

T040 - 045: Mar 12, 1943
Algeria - Tunisia

Tunis still stands.

Harassment & Defensive actions
1. 25 Bologna Division hiding in the hills south of the coastal road advanced to "surrender" itself to Allied authorities, damaging some rail lines in the process.
2. 13 Re Division deployed from the Balkans early on is playing a game of tag or hide-and-go-seek with at least one Allied brigade. Where there's one brigade, there's likely to be a second close at hand.
3. 37 Modena Division's mission was to delay any Allied units coming up from the mountain passes. Not very many did, and its efforts to link up with Tunis have not fared well.
4. 29 Piemonte Division was one of four divisions initially assigned to guard Kasserine Pass. It was the only one ordered to stay as the rest moved up to defend Tunis.

Current strength: 3x infantry platoons, 2x heavy weapons platoons, 2x 75mm and 1x 100mm field pieces, plus 1x 75mm ATG.

The operation against Tunis itself has started hitting for effect but Axis forces are holding strong, so far. The main concern is the Allied naval blockade of the port. The Italian navy is still fully functional, close to full strength - and STG 2 is in the area. When the times comes for evacuating Tunis, that blockade will have to be broken...

Elsewhere - progress continues along the Black Sea Coast, inching ever closer to Poti, the last stop before Sokhumi. And...one more screen...

[USXpat]

T040 - 045: March 12, 1943
Grozny

1st and 2nd Regiments of the 22nd Airlanding Division were destroyed by Soviet counterattacks.

Recalling SS units previously diverted to contain the situation at the Astrakahn Bulge, efforts of the 2nd, 4th and 20th Panzer Divisions plus SS Das Reich, Totenkopf and Polizei Divisions finally managed to breakthrough and link up with 7th Flieger.

This doesn't create a full-fledged pocket as Soviet units have the potential to escape via the mountain passes between the major escarpments. Soviet strength in this area includes 8th, 18th and 60th Armies, and two more HQ's likely either from the 40th, 51st and/or 67th Armies. Total strength is estimated at 12 rifle divisions, 4 tank brigades and supporting elements, plus the 10th Tank Corps.

This sets the stage for an advance to Makchalaka.

And from there, Baku is only 405 km away. The Panzer Division refit process starts in 3 weeks (T048). That will lead up to 4 - 5, possibly 6 panzer divisions being unavailable - until that process is completed. What this does allow is for depleted divisions to begin picking up some older equipment no longer in production or available as replacements (Pz IIF/IIIH/IIIJ/IVE/IVF2) to help during the transition.

The main equipment shortages at this point include 105/150mm artillery and SPW 251 halftracks. Even when the new refurbished divisions return with Pz IVH and Panthers, it will take them several turns to reach full strength. And they won't if they are immediately committed to combat. If the strain gets too much I'll begin disbanding some of the reserve panzer divisions - each with up to 72 SPW 251/1, some artillery and up to 40/44 Panther/PzIVH's each.

[USXpat]

T048 - April 2, 1943
Voronezh - Yeletz Line

With the intensity of fighting escalating over the course of a full month of stroke - counterstroke, OKW finally comes through with lawyers, guns and some gold. Coming soon will be the first test of the new wonderwaffen Elefant heavy anti-tank behemoths.

3rd and 23rd Panzer, plus 16th Motorized, are in desperate need of rest, but only the 3rd is relieved from the front. The see-saw of offensives has forced 9th Panzer into reorganization. Nevertheless, the Soviet offensive remains more or less contained, largely through the efforts of these four units.

8th, 12th, 16th and 22nd Panzer have arrived on the scene over the past few turns. Together, they bring 190 Pz 38t's, 46 Pz IIF's, 160 Pz IIIH/J's, and 137 Pz IVE/F2's.

News for the first panzer division refit sequence came in this turn. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Panzer divisions were selected as the first group to get the new PzIVH and Panther tanks. Grossdeutchland and 1st SS LSSAH were already withdrawn dumping their early tanks into the replacement pool.

Functionally, all of the tank types listed above are no longer in production. The available pool consists of 7 Pz 38t's, 18 Pz IIF's, 14 PzIIIH's, 32 Pz IIIJ's, 5 Pz IVE's and 44 PzIVF2's. The refit sequence continues into late 1944.

The refitting requires some planning - withdrawing the wrong group can put a hole in the line. It's worthwhile to stage those being withdrawn accordingly (and match them up with a replacement if they are on the front line). It's also a matter of which units are strongest or weakest in on hand equipment, in example - I'd really like to get the Pz38t's replaced by PzIVH's as soon as possible. That will provide a larger increase in firepower vs. those units equipped with mostly PzIIIJ's or even IIIH's.

[USXpat]

T048 - April 2, 1943
Tunisia

I'm a bit surprised the Axis still have a presence in North Africa. Every turn counts now. Historically, the Axis surrendered in Tunisia on May 13, six weeks away. Italian SM 79 III and German JU-87's are periodically hitting the Allied naval blockade - but it is hard to tell what gets permanently knocked out. The Italian navy occasionally also makes a showing - and is down by only 1 Battlecruiser and 4 Light Cruisers.