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August 25, 1944

South-The Axis withdrawal continues here. Konev targets the German XII Corps and hits it with air strikes and three mobile formations, but we cannot do significant damage. Russian mobile units are not nearly as strong here as in the north. This front remains fluid, with Axis troops setting up west of the Dniester and likely going to do the same west of the Bug River. There is a gap in the center that can possibly be exploited, though the Germans may be setting up to deny the rail lines to this area.

US planners predicted Spanish formations would be 'poorly equipped and of low morale'.

However, 'Franco' as he's known to US and UK soldiers of the line, has earned a grudging respect as a dogged opponent.

Having avoided any catastrophic battles in the East, the Wehrmacht is still very equipped with top line armor and veteran soldiers. Here, Pz Vs redeploy into the line south of Konigsberg.

DId the game end?

John B. wrote: Mon May 09, 2022 11:44 am DId the game end?

no. i'm back for a few days.

my RL situation has gotten terribly hectic. when I DO have time to play, i find myself making silly mental errors because i'm really wiped out.

hopefully nirosi will have the patience to stick with me. new turn coming!

I will try to do a minimum of 1 turn/week going forward.

September 8, 1944

BOA-Convoy attacks in the Arctic route sink 4 MM, suffering only 1 step hit. They are conducted within range of the heavy naval bombers based in Scapa Flow, however, and two air strikes manage two step hits on the uboats. In Iceland, No 18 anti sub bomber rebases to the east of the island to get into range of the German uboats and manages to score 2 more step hits.

UK achieves convoy escort 1945.

Norway-No activity.

Strategic Bomber Command-The fresh US bomber formations finally hit Berlin and do heavy damage at a reasonable cost(4 raids lose 3 steps, and Berlin is again almost completely leveled). Stettin, Nuremberg, Milan, Taranto and Naples are all also hit with good results.

Spain-A large scale Axis attack is launched north of Madrid, using Pz, Pz grenadier and Spanish formations along with Italian air assets. Two attacks drive back the UK IV Corps, with heavy losses on both sides. The Germans move the powerful 1st Pz Grenadier Corps in to occupy the hex.

Allied forces decide they must retake this area, and launch four attacks, utilizing 4 separate corps as well as all air assets, ultimately driving back the badly damaged 1st Pz Grenadier, but failing to destroy it.

Further to the north, the US forces regain initiative and launch a heavy attack using 2nd Armor, VII Corps, IV Corps, and ultimately XII Corps to maul Erwin Rommel's CII Corps. The 7th attack, using the fresh XII Corps to achieve high odds, finally destroys the German formation.

Flush with these two successes, the Allies try to attack the Italian Alpine Corps holding the hex SE of Madrid. 5 attacks are made, using VIII Armor, the Elite ANZAC Corps and III Corps. Without any air support, however, the UK formations cannot displace the Italians, despite decent odds. This attacks-along with UK forces bearing the brunt of several German counter attacks, leaves the UK forces in fairly woeful condition.
More US forces, including a fresh infantry corps and the US 3rd Armor Corps, arrive in Spain-but it may be too late for these fresh forces to have any meaningful impact.

NOTE: The US combined arms op to attack Bilbao-codenamed DRAGON- is postponed, and possibly cancelled, because I failed to move one of the para units into a permissible hex(i left one in a hill). This may prove to be an immense error.

September 8, 1944

Greece-The well equipped Canadian II Corps tries to out muscle a small German garrison division in Central Greece, but the Allies foolishly wasted their air assets on interdiction prior to the assault-resulting in 5 unsuccessful attacks.

To the east, UK forces are again cut off from supply, this time by a Romanian division. A counter attack by 2 corps, the badly depleted WDF Armor Corps and 1st Airborne pushes the division back, but again, we are misusing forces and out of supply-leaving our formations in very poor condition.

A golden opportunity has almost certainly slipped through our fingers here due to sloppy movement and poorly used assets. We had hoped to knock one or even two of the minor Axis powers out of the war prior to winter. This will not happen now, though it was within our grasp.

September 8, 1944

EAST FRONT

North-As expected, the Germans launch powerful attacks into the salient NW of Warsaw. Three attacks, using a combination of German infantry and armor decimate the 2nd Ukrainian Army and the 2nd Mech Corps. The Germans do NOT occupy the hexes, instead waiting for the Russian army to reoccupy them, which we do, moving forward the 34th Army and 2nd Guards Army as sacrificial lambs.

North of the salient, Stavka selects an area for attack in an effort to apply pressure, targeting the German LXIII Corps. The attack is preceded by heavy ground strikes, with the intercepting Romanian Air Force getting the worst of the exchange this time. Following the ground strikes, 5 attacks are launched using 4 different tank corps, ultimately driving back the German formation.

Further north, the German XXI Mountain Corp is exposed. We set up for attack last turn, even though the Germans are in tough hill terrain. Again, heavy ground strikes precede 6 assaults, which utilize 7 different armies and a mech corps, finally succeed in pushing back the German corps. This terrain does not really yield any further attack possibilities, but Stavka continues to bleed the Germans anywhere possible.

It is difficult to position enough Red Army forces for the coming challenges. We know we need infantry armies to replace the ones that will be smashed by the Germans next turn, as well as needing tank corps to counter attack. In addition, we need to leave retreat hexes for the forces that will be repelled. As expected, trying to conduct an operational level offensive while being at an extreme tactical disadvantage is very challenging. Only the Red Air Force can be relied upon to dominate.

In addition, we are also trying to plan for the winter offensive. This may be the last chance we have to really put the Germans on the defensive, and we will need ALL of our winter formations ready or close to it when the snow flies. That said, we cannot afford to suspend operations until then, as it would allow the Germans too much time to recover.


South-In the south, the general withdrawal by Hungarian, German and Romanian forces continues. Konev has yet to learn his lesson, as we again attempt to target a German infantry corps with mobile formations, and despite air supremacy and attacking from 4 sides, we again come off much the worst. This time, we have left ourselves open to repost, should Nirosi choose.

It is hard to see where any consistent progress can be made on this front. The plan was for the Greek front to pressure the minor Axis powers hard from the south, with the Russians essentially being the anvil for the UK hammer. That is not going to happen now, and the second rate Russian formations are being exposed as incapable of sustaining any offensive momentum on their own.

The Soviet 1st Red Banner Army, with its engineering specialty, is railed out of this front for a possible river assault in the north.

Losses continue to pile up on all fronts.

Allied planners hope that Axis powers are having difficulty replacing forces, but we have seen no evidence of this.

German Tigers engage and destroy Soviet AFVs in the salient NW of Warsaw.

US soldiers guard German POWs from the CII Corps which was defeated in detail in northern Spain.

Thanks for the update! I hope real life calms down for you soon!!

September 22, 1944

BOA-Three raids by wolfpacks sink 6 MM, no hits recorded on the subs. We use a supply oiler to keep our DD/CV pursuit group in the Arctic route active. All subs have been moved out of our aircraft strike range.

Norway-No Activity

US Bomber Command-Naples and Taranto hit again. 6 raids launched against Dresden achieve only average results, inflicting knocking that city down to 1 PP. US formations are fairly worn down. Anti sub formation at Scapa Flow, with nothing better to do, hits industrial targets in Norway.

Spain-There is rain in Spain, but the borders of the storm set up almost unbelievably well for the Allies.

Operation DRAGON-the combined ops effort to flank the Axis in the north and capture the strategic port of Bilbao is finally launched. Air assets are already in place, and a surface group composed of two BB fleets and a CA fleet moves to support the op. 101st and 82nd Airborne are dropped adjacent to the city while the reconstituted 1st Marine Unit lands to the east. The town is defended by the Italian III Corps. The first attack is launched by all three US formations, and inflicts 6 step hits. The second attack is made with just the airborne units, to leave the marines the mobility to take the city. Luckily, though it does less damage(4 steps), the Italians retreat. 1st Marine takes the city! It seemed a close run thing, though the odds were good in combat, and having air supremacy and the sea bombardment likely helped a great deal.

DRAGON is supported by another US overland push towards the city. XII Corps and IV Corps, with air support, launch an attack vs the Italian XI Corps. In a grinding offensive that requires 4 attacks, they displace the Italian formation, but the attack badly wears down the US forces. US VIII Corps occupies the hex, but the offensive fails to break through to the forces occupying Bilbao. A fresh US infantry corps along with the 3rd Armor are moved as far north as possible while still leaving retreat hexes for the forward forces should they be displaced(likely).

In the south(Madrid), rain precludes any offensive operations. There is some reorg, as worn down UK formations move south and west of the city while US troops occupy the areas north. The possibility that Madrid stays in Axis hands through the winter is becoming depressingly likely.
US XV Corps lands in Porto. Italian reinforcements land in the east.

September 22, 1944

Greece-The messy situation in the north is beginning to resolve itself. Finally accepting that we do not posses the troop superiority to maneuver freely, the UK units establish a defensive line in the hills facing the German forces there. Further northeast, the UK I Corps assaults the Romanian 4th Division, entrenched in the hills. With good air support, they are able to destroy the Romanian unit and occupy the hills to the west of the Bulgarian port of Burgas.

The plan all along in Bulgaria had been for an operation code named JACK-HAMMER-a hard northern drive by UK mobile forces which was to be supported by landings from Russian marines near the ports. As you have seen, this was a 'bridge too far' and we were repeatedly cut off and punished in our northern drive. The UK forces were(Union JACK) composed half of this op, with the Russian(Sickle and HAMMER) to provide the amphibious support. Too many moving pieces, along with excellent play by Nirosi with his spoiling attacks doomed this operation.

Still, in an effort to salvage what we can, the Soviets now do land south of Burgas with the Black Sea Division. The hope is, better weather next turn might allow them to support an attack on the port itself. Two more Russian marine divisions remain in port.

The scale of US airdrops in Spain is massive.






US Marines make a small landing in northern Spain.

September 22, 1944

EAST FRONT

North-As expected, the Germans hit back in the salient NW of Warsaw, easily driving back 34th Army with a single attack from 3 infantry corps. German mobile assets are not in front line use any longer, as her withdrawal has allowed them to moved into a mobile reserve role.

In an effort to widen the salient and reduce the ability of Wehrmacht forces to strike Russian infantry armies from the flank, Stavka again targets a German infantry corps north of the salient. Using the standard Russian method, heavy ground strikes precede an attack on multiple sides, with 2 Russian armies and a tank army driving back the German XII Corps with heavy losses on both sides.

In addition, Stavka is moving specialized bridging formations into the line east of Warsaw for a possible cross river assault vs the 6th Panzer Grenadiers occupying a bend in the river. This op will have a low probability of success, but at this point, only poor options for offensive action are available to the Russians.

South-In the south, the Axis retreat continues. They have moved to a defensive line that utilizes the Vistula in the north and then the rugged mountain terrain running from Krakow to Galati. Stavka is examining some areas that might be possible to exploit, but in truth, nothing promising currently reveals itself. As stated last turn, the abject failure of JACK-HAMMER has left this front in an operational quandary-these forces were never expected or designed to be able to create and maintain offensive momentum.

It is time to examine the overall doctrine of the Allies, as it seems we are facing a doctrinal failure.

The overall strategy has been one of maximum attrition, even in cases where Allied casualties would expectedly exceed German casualties. The hope was that eventually, superior Allied production and numbers, combined with the strategic bombing campaign and forcing Germany to apportion her troops to as many fronts as possible would ultimately lead to a crisis of overall force strength, allowing the Allies to simply overwhelm the Axis on some fronts.

At this point, we must accept that though we seem to have been successful in some facets-creating multiple fronts, inflicting fairly heavy step losses, effective industrial bombing-we have NOT succeeded in creating a force crisis for Axis units-not only do they have more than enough units to man all fronts, but now have created a powerful mobile reserve in the east as well as local reserves on all fronts. In fact, the Axis force situation is demonstrably better now than it was one year ago-even WITH the breakthrough in the east, the success of MATADOR in creating a new front in Spain and the expansion of the Greek front.

I am not sure how this is possible, but can only conclude that the entire strategy did not have a chance to prevail given Nirosi's conservative defensive plan in the east and his ability to consistently prevent any large scale losses for his forces.

At this point, I have 'fired every bullet in the guns', and to be honest, have been more successful than anticipated. I strongly expected at least one disaster in 1944, and that has not really occurred. Still, the overall failure of the grand plan must be acknowledged, and a new plan, utilizing what little time is left, should be formulated.

Unfortunately, at this point, I lack both ideas and resources to either open new fronts or somehow achieve force superiority in any existing fronts.

September 22, 1944

Thanks to all who took the time to read this AAR.
Due to some fairly serious personal issues i wasn't able to continue, to my regret.

Congrats to Nirosi, who i believe would have surely won. He was great to play with.

Thanks for the great AAR. I hope the issues will be solved in the best possible way.

Take care,

PS I play Nirosi right now. I just lost the Rumanians to a Soviet paradrop raid in August 41 so you did way better .

/MM