Defending Greater Germania 1942 - Includes combined WitW and WitE2 AARs

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Eastern Front
Situation Report Jan 20th 1944 Turn 62
OKH Command

The Soviet attack in the Voronezh region is greatly concerning for Manstein and his staff, with Hell's VII ArmeeKorps shattered from the enemy assault the FM orders Hans Zorn's XXXXVI Pz Korps to be withdrawn from the Moscow region and redeployed South to reinforce his command, Intel from forward outposts indicate Soviet armour has pulled back to regroup leaving an inf screen to cover the new front line, not wanting to engage in full scale battle Manstein orders Axis infantry supported by Pz units to recon in force towards Buturlinovka and Pavlovsk with orders to pull back to avoid any major fighting.
In the South VI ArmeeKorps is to recon Novaya Kalitva but is to withdraw if confronted by large enemy formation, with Manstein troops taking a battering from the Soviet assault towards Belgorod, units are in no shape for sustained combat until further reinforcements arrive and units can rest and resupply, VII ArmeeKorps will take some time to be combat ready and return to the front.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report Jan 20th 1944 Turn 62
Army Group South

With all the major fighting centred in the Voronezh / Kursk region Gen Wöhler's forces were relatively quiet in the Don region apart from 1st Guards and 51st Army launching a minor attack towards Cymlyanskaya forcing back the 125th Infantry, the enemy failed to follow up there push and Axis forces retook the lost ground.
While 4th Pz Armee's line remains intact for the moment Hoth is reporting fresh enemy units have now moved up to reinforce the armoured formations already stationed along the front.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report Jan 20th 1944 Turn 62
Army Group A

Our Advance in The Kalmykia region slows as 4th Ukrainian Armies redeploy troops to launch a counterattack, also a number of breakout attempts by trapped Red Army Units force a halt, 30th Guards and 19th Tank Corps attack North almost opening a corridor to enemy lines, 13th Tank Corps also tries to breakout but units from 6th, 17th and 18th Armee contain the encircled forces and fierce battles ensure East of Priyutnoe along The Manych and Kalus Rivers where the enemy had been pocketed.
Both Tank Corps surrender with only the 30 Guards refusing to lay down there arms, further to the East 3 more Soviet Corps remained encircled, Axis forces regrouping in preparation to attack.

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Western Front
Situation Report Jan 22nd 1944 Turn 30
Army Group B

Heavy snow continues to fall across Western Europe but Allied bombing raids remain constant, Industrial centres in the Hannover region were hit and a huge air battle took place over Wesendorf, Luftflotte Reich engaging at least 400 hundred bombers heading towards the German Capital where they attacked our Panther factories but caused little damage.
Of bigger concern were the 3 large raids against our V Weapons Factories at Greifswald, Neustrelitz and Swinemuende with all fighter units engaged in protecting the Capital the enemy was able to attack more or less unhindered apart from ground defences, damage to all 3 facilities was considerable.

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Western Front
Situation Report Jan 22nd 1944 Turn 30
Army Group B

South of Hannover more major air battles took place as Duesseldorf and Cologne were targeted, Luftflotte Reich supported by Gen Kammhuber's I Jagd Corps engaged upwards of a 1000 Bombers in 4 raids against both centres, despite the heavy presence of our fighter units both cities suffered heavy damage.

In France the enemy continues to target ground forces and air bases with the airfield at Mondidier hit hard losing 6 aircraft destroyed on the ground.

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Italian Front
Situation Report Jan 22nd 1944 Turn 30
Army Group C

While the air war in Western Europe is strategic in nature in Southern Europe the Allies continue to conduct tactical operations targeting our ground forces on the front line, also heavy attacks in the Cassino area in an attempt to interdict reinforcements and resupply to the troops.
With the weather here improving daily the enemy is conducting more an more large scale aerial operations as far as The Arno river in Tuscany,the better conditions have also allowed our own air units to conduct counter operations against enemy sorties, Fighter units out in force intercepted a number of incursions in the Umbria region and huge air battle ensued out over The Adriatic Sea as II Flieger Corps engaged are large formation of Bombers from The US 15th Air Force heading for Southern Germany.

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Italian Front
Situation Report Jan 22nd 1944 Turn 30
Army Group C

This week sees The Allies now firmly across a large section of The Volturno River line and consolidating there positions along a 30 mile front, however Axis fortifications at Grazzanise and Cupia have proved formidable, together with the natural barrier of the Mountain Range the river runs through should make it extremely difficult to breach any further section of the defences.
Despite the previous denial of request for reinforcements from Western Front forces OKW does release two newly formed Motorised Brigades to Zeitzler's Command,the 1027th and lehr motorised units are dispatched to 10th Armee, the lehr moving in to replace the battered 319th Inf at Termoli. Gen Zeitzler ordering a full reorganisation of both his front line Armies for the expected Allied attacks.
Intel radio operators at 10th Armee HQ intercept enemy traffic signals indicating fresh new units arriving at the front including the 3rd Polish Armoured Div and the newly reformed 2nd NZ Inf Div which was defeated and forced to surrender in North Africa Jan 1943, the Allied line is also reinforced heavily with Free French units.

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At Grazzanise Bradley's US II Corps supported by US VI, Brit XIII along with Montgomery's Heavy Artillery and Armour launch an assault and try to force a crossing from the township of Caserta, Von Arnim's Panzer Troops contain the attack forcing back the attackers, Allied forces regroup and try a second assault once again but our Panzer's counterattack and Bradley is forced to halt any more attempts to cross the river.

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Italian Front
Situation Report Jan 22nd 1944 Turn 30
Army Group C

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While units of 5th Pz Armee and Von Vietinghoff's 10th Armee battle to hold Grazzanise Gen Balck's LXXXX comes under sustained attack Dawley's US VI Corps supported by the Brit X Corps launches a 3 pronged attack but this is easily contained with only light losses to our forces, Dawley presses forward again hoping to dislodge Balck from his mountain positions with another flanking attack but again Axis troops hold, Allied Commanders determined to try to break our lines launch a third assault this time Gen Goislard De Monsabert's I FF Corps leads an armoured attack against the line, assaulting the line with over 550 Tanks against our fortified Mountain defences, the attack is another failure.

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Italian Front
Situation Report Jan 22nd 1944 Turn 30
Army Group C

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In the central sector units from 3 German ArmeeKorps hold the line, Feuerstein ( LI Mountain ) Straube ( LXXIV ) and Hube ( XIV Pz ) dug in along hilly terrain South of Isernia and the Biferno River sector of the defence line. the initial attack by Crerar's I Can Corps is thrown back with heavy losses to the enemy, Axis troops entrenched in rough terrain easily defeating the Allies causing them to pull back to regroup, Dempsey's Brit XIII Corps attacking from Campobasso joins Crerar but has no better luck breaking the line,late in the week Dempsey again tries to force a breakthrough but is held.

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Just North of the Isernia fighting the main Allied Attack on the central sector begins elements of 5 Allied Corps ( US II , US VI , Brit V , Brit X and I Can ) strike at Von Arnim's 4th Fallschirmjaeger Div and elements of Hube's 10th Panzer Div, the enemy massing almost 750 AFV's trying to force a crossing of the river, attacking on two fronts 100,000 enemy troops attempt to take control of the many bridges over the river, the 164th PanzerGren Div rushes to the battle and our troops contain the attack.
After being forced back the enemy again attacks, Bradley's Corps launches a second assault supported by the Brit V and X Corps, the enemy is again held up as 165th Res Inf Div reinforces Axis lines.

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Italian Front
Situation Report Jan 22nd 1944 Turn 30
Army Group C

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The Adriatic Coast is the centre of another major effort by the Allies with 3 Corps ( Brit X, Brit XIII and US VI ) massing nearly 90 000 men and 400 AFV's, McCreery attacks Hube's forces South of Termoli, supported by LXXXX and LI Mountain ArmeeKorps Axis troops halt the enemy advance the attack failing to breach our river defences, casualties are high on the enemy side while our own losses are small.
Later in the week McCreery makes another attempt to break the defences but again takes large losses and is forced to pull back to his own lines.
With the arrival of two Motorised Brigades there is now a chance to rotate battered units out of the line to rest and refit.

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Western Front / Italian Front
Situation Report Jan 22nd 1944 Turn 30

Stats and losses reports

The enemy suffers a large number of ground and air losses this week.

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Western Front
Situation Report Jan 29th 1944 Turn 30
Berlin Germany

East Front Reinforcements

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Despite the fluid situation in the East with The Red Army launching major offensives in Southern Russia and The Caucasus Manstein's Divisions reach Berlin as scheduled, but the stay is brief as fighting on the Italian Front intensifies, General Zeitzler's Army Group C is now under sustained attack as the weather begins to clear in Southern Italy.

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Troops from the 15th Infantry Division disembark for a short time to stretch there legs before they continue there journey to Italy.

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Wehrmacht personal coordinate and organise the massive logistics effort for the 3 divisions to be transported simultaneously to Italy.

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Note

Hope to have 2 Turns out tomorrow or Thursday

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Eastern Front
Situation Report Jan 27th 1944 Turn 63
Army Group North

In the extreme North LIV ArmeeKorps expands its defensive perimeter around Vologda capturing Kharovsk while pushing back units of the Soviet 11th and 18th Army towards the town of Bui as XXXVIII ArmeeKorps attacks and destroys Soviet 6th Tank Corps while the Soviet 11th Rifle Div holds out but remains cutoff, Red Army forces are outnumbered and have little chance of rescuing there comrades.

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South of 8th Armee's drive 9th Armee and 16th Armee launch a big encirclement operation trapping 8 enemy units including The 3rd Ukrainian Fronts HQ at Ivanovo, exploiting the bad weather Panzer units pushed through undefended forested areas and closed the trap at Vichuga, caught off guard by the speed of mobile Axis forces an estimated 70 000 men have no hope of escape in the frozen North.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report Jan 27th 1944 Turn 63
Army Group North / Army Group Centre

While 16th Armee and elements of 9th Armee begin there pincer encirclement of Ivanovo 4th Armee pushes forward from Murom with a 2 pronged attack towards both Arzamas and Gorky, the Northern drive XII ArmeeKorps and LVI Pz Korps captures Volosataya and Vyazniki pushing back The Bryansk Front.

From Murom itself 18th Panzer Div( IX ArmeeKorps ) leads the advance towards Arzamas where the remnants of two Soviet Fronts ( 1st Belorussian and Leningrad ) hurriedly prepare defences around the city, the Panzers supporting Inf and Inf units from XLIII ArmeeKorps provide flanking protection against any counterattacks.
Reports reaching Gen Ferdinand Schaal's HQ from the lead Panzer units indicate there is virtually no opposition and Kulebaki is captured.

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As The Gorky offensive gains momentum in the central sector 2nd Armee and 3rd Pz Armee conduct mopping up operations of enemy units in rear area pockets, several Red Army units trapped are destroyed freeing up units,but at Borisoglebsk and east of the Vorona river fresh formations of Tank and Mech units are massing against XXXXVII Pz Korps.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report Jan 27th 1944 Turn 63
OKH Command

The 4th Ukrainian Front renews its offensive towards Belgorod and Kursk forcing Axis troops back and advancing towards one of the main railway lines running from Voronezh to Stalino, at Svoboda Volckamer's LV ArmeeKorps throws a line Panzer and Infantry units to block any further advance of The Soviet 57th Army, Hell's shattered VII ArmeeKorps forms a second line in front of Stary Oskol but neither Commander is confident the lines will hold and Zorn's Pz Korps has not fully arrived on the scene, only two infantry Div's and one Panzer Division railed into the area so far.

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The battle in the South intensifies as the Soviet 1st Shock , 56th and 60th Army attack toward Revenki threatening to cutoff parts VI ArmeeKorps and XXIV Pz Korps, as Soviet armour advances on the town of Markovka Romanian troops move to stop the encirclement but fail to contain there advance.

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With situation worsening in the South Karl Hollidt's XVII ArmeeKorps is temporarily reassigned from AG South duties and rushed into battle, the units advance troops bypassing the Soviet 17th and 29th Tanks Corps and retake Kantemirovka cutting off the Soviet spearheads for the moment but reports are reaching OKH that more Red Army units are moving towards the area.
Radio Operators monitoring enemy transmissions intercept coded signals sent out from 4th Ukrainian Command to all subordinate armies,with intel officers able to partly deciphering some of the message.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report Jan 27th 1944 Turn 63
Army Group South

With Heavy fighting taking place North of the Donbass region Gen Woehler's forces continue to fortify the front line,with 4th Romanian Army bringing forward more troops to plug gaps in the line as units from Hoth's 4th Pz Armee are redeployed or moved out of the line for rest and refit.
Once again supply shortages were causing difficulties for front line formations and the 2nd Ukrainian front's buildup of Mech and Armour was increasing weekly, Hoth alone is facing elements of 4 Soviet Armies ( 29th , 38th, 51st and 11th Guards ) with 4th Pz Armee AFV's numbered just under 600 hundred, however at least half of the Panzer's are damaged and under repair.
The Romanians are in worse shape being thrown into the line with under strength infantry units and shortages of Artillery and other equipment lacking, the bitterly cold weather also not helping as conditions deteriorate with the temperature dropping well below zero sapping the troops energy.

Also heavy radio traffic is being reported by forward listening posts which leads to the belief an enemy offensive is imminent.

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Eastern Front
Situation Report 27th 1944 Turn 63
Army Group A

With main action centred in the Voronezh / Kursk / Kharkov Regions as well as the build up of enemy forces against Army Group South, enemies forces on the front line in the Kalymkia region are now relatively light once again giving Von Mackensen an opportunity to push forward, 1st Pz Armee moving with caution on a wide front gains around 40 miles, enemy troops still remain in rear areas and continue to be a thorn in the side for Axis operations. Lagen is taken once more on the Caspian Coast and Velichavka is once again back in German hands as XX ArmeeKorps pushes the encircled 9th Guards Corps out of the town.

Ruoff's 17th Armee also moves forward in support of the Panzer's, and with the 9th Inf Div only 10 miles from Elista which appears undefended and Soviet forces showing no real signs of resistance to the advance there is a feeling of optimism on the ground, however at the Army Group HQ Kleist orders a halt on any further advance the Field Marshal wary as his forces have already fought for this terrain twice and been forced back, bad weather, low supplies, exhausted troops and enemy troops in the rear give cause for concern.
The enemy has shown it can quickly redeploy forces and is still a capable threat.

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Western Front
Situation Report Jan 29th 1944 Turn 31
Army Group B

The last week of January sees no let up from the enemy as there strategic bombing campaign targeting Buer in the Ruhr Region, cities along The Elbe ( Harburg and Bergedorf ) came under heavy attack, Hemmingstedt's Oil facilities were hit causing considerable damage there.

The German Capital and the surrounding suburbs was also stuck by large raids as RAF Bomber command targeted our AFV factories, fortunately our defences both in the air and on the ground were able to mount an effective counter and damage was minimal.

Despite bad weather over much of Western Europe our fighter units were out in force.

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Western Front
Situation Report Jan 29th 1944 Turn 31
Army Group B

In France enemy air activity was minor due possibly to weather conditions, some air bases were attacked with some causalities and a number of aircraft destroyed on the ground, out in The Channel the enemy's Naval Air operations were subdued as most Axis convoys had been ordered not to depart there ports due to the conditions in The channel.

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Italian Front
Situation Report Jan 29th 1944 Turn 31
Army Group C

With weather clearing in Southern Europe Allied air attacks remain constant as enemy Bombers target our ground forces, supply and logistic depots as well as Command and Control centres, the front line forces are hit the hardest once again as the enemy again tries soften our fortifications in anticipation of ground assaults.

The Allies also launched heavy raids on multiple rail centres across Southern and Central Italy causing significant damage, these heavy raids occurred almost immediately after the enemy had conducted long range Aerial Recon in the Umbria, Marche and Tuscany regions, German Intelligence believes that the heavy raids on Rail centres were a direct result of the enemy detecting the troop transport trains of the East Front forces, the bombing of rail infrastructure there hope of delaying the reinforcements from reaching the front line.

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Another cause of concern this week was the detection of a large bomber force flying over The Adriatic Sea, patrol units from III / ZG 26 engaged the enemy but were unable to force them back.

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German Flak Units bring down a enemy bomber over the town of Grazzanise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKOLuf6 ... WL&index=1