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Eastern Front
Situation Report May 18th 1944 Turn 79
Army Group Centre

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 1

With orders now to begin the long awaited general offensive FM Von Kluge orders coded messages sent to all Armee Commands to attack however FM Reinhardt ( 3rd Pz Armee ) finds himself in a unprecedented situation his command is unprepared for mobile actions, General Kirchner's ( LVII Pz Korps ) units are West of Tambov refitting over 200 miles from the rest of the Armee, Kirchner had already reported his unit would not be ready for at least two weeks and LIII ArmeeKorps was already engaged in operations in the Saransk area, the only unit the Field Marshal had for offensive action was Kurt von der Chevallerie's LIX ArmeeKorps.
A hurried meeting between the two at Von Kluge's HQ resolved the situation the AG Commander ordered that 3rd Pz Armee was to conduct limited operations to support both 4th Armee and 2nd Armee's drive towards Saratov.

South of Reinhardt's troops Von Salmuth's 2nd Armee struck the Soviet lines, there was heavy fighting on the Uza river as the SS Totenkopf clashed with enemy Mech forces, XXX and VI SS Latvian ArmeeKorps trapped the Soviet 2nd Mech and 14th Tank Corps North of Petrovsk, pushing further South into the rear of the Red Army line I /Regt Totenkopf SS Pz Gren Div advances towards the town of Tatischevo.



On the Saratov front 2nd Armee's XXXV and LXXII ArmeeKorps pushed through the front line encircling three enemy units, 23rd and 31st Tank Corps and the 8th Rifle Div trapped against the Medveditsa river which enabled the 25th Pz Gren Div to capture Atkarsk and allow The Totenkopf to capture Saratov.

On 9th Armee's front Brandenberger struck the Soviet 29th, 31st, 44th and 6th Tank Army's almost encircling two Tank Corps, Axis forces captured Balanda, 9th Armee units maintained there drive towards Yelan, XIII and XXIII ArmeeKorps attacked Red Army troops defending along the Buzuluk river trapping 3rd Mech and 15th Tank Corps and 15th Rifle Div.
The attack by the Ostheer on the central front taking the enemy by surprise with Soviets slow to react to the speed of the Axis offensive.


FM Von Kluge issues his directives to his staff




Operation Fischreiher II

Army Group Centre's drive to The Volga begins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLgM8xg ... ex=76&t=1s

YouTube keep deleting video clips spoiling my AAR
Another backup hopefully they wont remove this one

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

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 18th 1944 Turn 79
OKH Army Group

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 1
The Rostov Salient
Northern sector

FM Von Manstein's assault begins with the encirclement of four Soviet Tank and Mech Corps ( 22nd, 29th and 1st Guards Tank Corps ,1st Mech Corps) supported by units from 2nd Hungarian Army VII, XXVIII and LV ArmeeKorps broke through enemy lines with speed and ease, German Armour outflanking the defending forces causing chaos with the enemy command and control.

Southern sector

Four Axis ArmeeKorps struck Red Army units from four Armies, the opening assaults cutoff 8th Mech and 18th Tank Corps East of Chertkovo, Boguchar is captured while 27th Panzer Div captures Kazanskaya on The Don river. The Axis advance into the salient up to 40 miles in the South. Axis Infantry have begun crossing the Kalitva river advancing towards Koschary and Yefromovo - Stepanov while enemy forces seem to be unable to counter our advances so far.

The latest Soviet offensive in the Donets basin seems to have collapsed

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 18th 1944 Turn 79
Army Group South / Army Group A

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 1


After the capture of Moscow in November 1943 the Soviet High Command had concentrated the vast majority its forces in the South in a effort to retake Voronezh, Kursk, Kharkov, The Ukraine and The Caucasus, there aim to destroy Army Group South and cutoff Army Group A .
Otto Woehler's Command has faced no less than four major offensives with the enemy making all efforts to break through and capture Kharkov, Voroshilovgrad and Rostov, control of the Donets Basin and importantly Rostov would cut the major land supply lines in The Caucasus.
The Soviet 1st Donbas operation had almost been a success if not for the timely arrival of General Hausser's SS troops, the Rum 4th Army was now nonoperational as a fighting force and Hermann Hoth's 4th Pz Armee fighting strength now paper thin in some combat units.
The second Donbas assault had smashed through AG South's lines with ease this new crisis facilitating the need for Manstein to order the Axis spring offensive to commence earlier than planned, the problem for Woehler and his Command the Soviet success in the Donets region had reduced the fighting capabilities of his Armee's, most Infantry units were barely functioning.
The Panzer Units were no better with manpower under 10,000 in strength and all but one Div with over a 100 Tanks and Army Group South was tasked with destroying the Soviet salient in the Rostov region and support Kleist's drive towards Stalingrad.
The prospect of direct clashes with 2nd Ukrainian Front's armoured forces would spell disaster, fortunately Hausser's SS were stationed in 4th Pz Armee's sector Woehler planned accordingly with his two remaining operational ArmeeKorps.

With the Red Army concentrating on the Rumanians, XXXXVI and XXIX ArmeeKorps Woehler gives the order to commence attacks, Hans Schlemmer's Panzer's advance northeast taking Tatsinskaya and then towards Chernyshkov, Von Choltitz XI ArmeeKorps supporting the SS troops trapped 18th Rifle Div, Chir Station fell soon after as SS units push forward with support from Infantry of 6th and 18th Armee's, the Soviet 5th Mech and 16th Tank Corps are surrounded, on the far right flank Soviet 9th Tank Corps is trapped with enemy resistance beginning to crumble from the speed of the Axis drive, Paulus and Lindemann's advance units are now only 40 miles from Stalingrad, Soviet forces fighting along the Don river now begin to pull back as the threat of encirclement becomes clear.



With the success of Woehler's operation so far confidence amongst AG South troops lift.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43tI-zR ... WL&index=1

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 18th 1944 Turn 79
Army Group A

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 1



With three ArmeeKorps of 6th and 18th Armee's including Hausser's SS troops operating in conjunction with 4th Pz Armee in the drive to Stalingrad and the three Panzer Div's of Von Mackensen's 1st Pz Armee still not ready for operations Von Kleist's Caspian Sea operations consisted of 27 under strength Infantry Divisions plus assorted independent battalion and regiment strength units.
Kleist's armoured forces consisted of two Panzer Divisions that were operational but woefully undermanned and Felix Steiner's III SS Panzer Korps consisting of the 19th Latv Grenadiers and the 11th SS PanzerGrenadiers Div, both units in bad shape but operational.
This force was spread out on a 250 mile front facing 4th Ukrainian Front's 3rd,10th and 42nd Army's , fortunately for Kleist the enemy was in a worst situation with there units spread to wide to support each other.
III and XXXX Pz Korps opened the offensive in the early hours of the 18th crossing the Sarda river against little opposition, Inf followed in support advancing through gaps in the line, at this time Soviet 10th Army's resistance began to crumble as 1st Pz Armee's Panzer units began to encircle the Army linking up with 17th Armee, trapped against the river 9th Mech, 9th and 10th Rifle Div's along with 4th Tank Corps.
Driving towards Yakshul 6th, 17th and 18th Armee's trapped 11th Rifle Div and 19th Tank Corps, 4th Ukrainian's front line is now in total disarray and despite rushing reinforcements forward to counter our drive Northwards Kleist is now only 40 miles from both Astrakhan and Stalingrad in the first week of the operation.


FM Von Kleist buoyed by the success of his forces

Western Front
Situation Report May 20th 1944 Turn 47
Army Group B

The Allied air war has shifted away from targeting Germany for the most part, The Low Countries and France now seem to be there primary objectives.While the Ruhr and border cities are still being bombed Rail centres in Belgium and The Netherlands are coming under increasing heavy attention. The enemy is still maintaining Recon flights across Western Germany gathering Intel on our defences.

Luxembourg is also coming for particular attention as bombing efforts on The Capitals Rail Facilities and Industry take heavy damage, there is also heavy air activity by The Allies with large scale Observation flights by enemy aircraft on cities and towns along The Rhein River.


In France the Capital has come sustained bombing but the enemy is concentrating most of its efforts against Military installations throughout the country with airbases, command centres and troop concentrations under constant attack.


FM Erwin von Witzleben continues his Western Front tour this time reviewing officers from 15th Armee Headquarters

Italian Front
Situation Report May 20th 1944 Turn 47
Army Group C

The Air war in The Mediterranean Theatre is intensifying as The Allies throw every available aircraft into battle against Axis forces, bombing ground targets and rail centres in an effort to disrupt our defences on the front line.
Luftwaffe and Axis air units putting up spirited resistance as they engage enemy bombers out at sea and supporting the troops on the ground.



The enemy continuing to conduct long range raids into Austria and Czechoslovakia bombing fuel facilities.


II / JG 27 is heavily involved in operations over Foligno air base several times this week.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Ntwoo ... L&index=59

II / JG 27 in action

Italian Front
Situation Report May 20th 1944 Turn 47
Army Group C

Once again Allied forces attempt to push back our forces, the main assault directed against 5th Pz Armee defending coastal routes to Rome,Hans Hube's XIV Pz Korps defending the river line South of Capua comes under intense pressure from the US II Corps , the Allies also attack in the centre towards Isernia but are held by Von Arnim's troops and Infantry from 10th Armee.
The attacks are held and the enemy pulls back to there own lines.

hpalmer wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2024 3:28 pm awesome stuff, keep it coming

Hi
Thank you for the kind words its been fun doing it, still some way to go but the end seems near for The Soviets unless the Western Allies can swing the outcome in 1944

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 25th 1944 Turn 80
Army Group North

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 2

With the weather clearing 8th Armee Goes over to the offensive, XXXVIII and X ArmeeKorps begin there advance crossing the Unzha and Vetluga rivers against no real opposition from 2nd Belorussian Front's 11th and 61st Army's, pushing through the heavy wooded countryside Kempf orders both ArmeeKorps to halt there drive 20 miles East of Sharya and Vetluga.
Axis supply lines now stretching back between 130 to over 200 miles to the nearest rail depots at Yaroslavl and Kineshma and with no road network in this region 8th Armee engineers are having to clear areas to create transport corridors for supply convoys.


South of Kempf troops Ernst Busch's XXXXI Pz Korps supported by XXVII ArmeeKorps pushes towards Uren against minimal enemy forces which are quickly overwhelmed, the Soviet 1st rifle Corps is trapped while the 16th Rifle Div is pocketed with very little chance to extricate itself from the danger area as 8th SS Cavalry Div reports that Uren is undefended and that recon units from Division have reached the town centre.

Despite the ongoing battles around Saransk 4th Armee advances on a wide front towards Kanash, Civilsk and the key objective of Cheboksary, enemy defences are not strong with parts of XLIII ArmeeKorps and LVI Pz Korps trapping the Soviet 4th Rifle Div at Sergach.
The withdrawal of the Soviet armour has left huge swathe's of territory open, 3rd Ukrainian Front's defence line is non existent and the few Infantry it has is being overrun by our forces.

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 25th 1944 Turn 80
Army Group North / Army Group Centre

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 2
The Saransk Battle

The Soviet Saransk operation collapses without armoured support and to few Infantry units to hold a solid line, 18th Panzer Division counterattacks moving out from the city and expanding the defensive perimeter, in the South LIII ArmeeKorps regroups and begins to attack moving North to link up with IX ArmeeKorps Infantry entrenched in and around the city, Axis forces create a 30 mile corridor opening a vital supply line to the cutoff troops, advancing from the North parts of XLIII ArmeeKorps and LVI Pz Korps link up Cloessner's Infantry sealing the fate of the Red Army Inf units.
2nd, 5th, 6th and 23rd Rifle Divs are trapped on both sides of Insar river with little chance to escape.

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 25th 1944 Turn 80
Army Group Centre

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 2

As the Axis spring offensive commences its second week the main forces of LIII ArmeeKorps launch a new drive to open the Saransk pocket, with three Inf Divs advancing North along the banks of Sara river they link up with the 208th Infantry Div, West of Lunino elements of 293rd Inf retake Mokshan, further North the airfield at Rusaevka is captured preventing the trapped forces no chance of being resupplied by air.

LIX Armeekorps cautiously pushes East in the Kuznetsk's direction, intel reports that the town is where the 1st Ukrainian Front's HQ is based with only one Rifle Div deployed in defence.

2nd Armee's XXX ArmeeKorps also begins advancing along the Uza River towards Volsk a key objective of Army Group Centre's drive to The Volga, enemy opposition has virtually ceased after the 2nd Mech Corps and 14th Tank Corps were destroyed.


The main attack by 2nd Armee in the Saratov sector continues as 23rd and 31st Tank Corps along with the 8th Rifle Div are eliminated, LXXVII and XXXV ArmeeKorps sweep forward and link up with The Totenkopf at Saratov itself.
Salmuth then gives the order for his troops to advance North and South along The Volga to create a defensive line.

Elements of 4th Panzer Div push down towards Krasny Yar as parts of 9th Armee encircle the Soviet 3rd Mech Corps, the speed of the Axis advance has not allowed the enemy to prepare any solid defensive strategies, enemy units have been able break out of pockets but unable to escape the overall danger areas.


FM Von Kluge reviews the success of his Armee's so far while receiving news of Saratov's capture

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 25th 1944 Turn 80
Army Group Centre

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 2
The Rostov Salient

On 9th Armee's front Brandenberger issues new orders XXXIX Pz Korps is ordered to continue its drive towards Kamyshin but the bulk of the Armee is to turn Southeast there new objectives are to advance towards Mikhailovka and Kremenskaya,enemy opposition is sporadic as XXIII ArmeeKorps spearheaded by Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland" advances over 120 miles crossing the Medveditsa river and linking up with advancing units from the OKH Army Group, Soviet forces are caught completely by surprise.



Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland" advancing South towards The Rostov Salient.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhswwtU ... L&index=35

Back up video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGJxjRi ... L&index=19

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 25th 1944 Turn 80
OKH Army Group

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 2
The Rostov Salient

After destroying the initial trapped enemy units Von Mansteins forces begin to breakthrough in several places and commence multiple drives forcing Red Army troops into pockets, advancing along The Don river Panzer units link up with 9th Armee troops in the Northeast, in the south with support from elements of 4th Pz Armee Manstein encircles a huge force trapping parts of four Armies ( 6th, 13th, 11th Guards and 1st Guards Tank ) just North of this pocket five Tank Corps ( 2nd, 7th, 22nd, 29th and 1st Guards Tank Corps ) are cutoff.
With support from Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland and other 9th Armee units other enemy units are encircled.

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 25th 1944 Turn 80
Army Group South / Army Group A

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 2
The Rostov Salient

The Soviet position in front of Stalingrad and in the Donets Basin is deteriorating rapidly as Axis forces advance to The Volga, while part of Hoth's Armee maintains a defensive stance allowing Manstein's forces to strike at 2nd Ukrainian Front's line, Hans Schlemmer's Panzer's push North taking Kalach, Karpovka and Basargino, with Infantry of 6th and 18th Armee's in support and Schlemmer's own Inf advancing on the right flank to cover the armour the mobile units turn Northwest linking up with 9th Armee sealing The Rostov Salient, estimates of enemy numbers trapped in the pocket range from 200,000 to half million men.

On the right flank of Hoth 6th Armee and 18th Armee drive towards Stalingrad, Hausser's Panzers already at the gates of the city, earlier the two trapped enemy units South of the city had managed to break out of the initial pocket but failed to reach there own lines and were cutoff again.
Despite the weather turning bad again the momentum of the offensive seems unstoppable as the Soviets forces disintegrate under pressure of our attacks, 2nd Ukrainian Front seems shattered having redeployed most of there reserves to 4th Ukrainian Front fighting on the Caspian Sea front.

Eastern Front
Situation Report May 25th 1944 Turn 80
Army Group A

Operation Fischreiher II
Week 2

Kleist's 6th and 18th Armee's continue there main drives towards Stalingrad against minimal opposition what enemy units that are not trapped in the advance towards the city are brushed aside, Hausser's Panzer's capture Krasnoarmeisk, Voropanovo, and Gumrak against feeble Red Army resistance, with only parts of the Soviet 39th and 47th Army's offering token defence.

Defence of the city collapses as 10th SS Panzer Div enters the city and 9th SS crosses the Volga on the right flank pocketing the the 2nd Rifle Corps and 20th Tank Corps holding the southern suburbs.
After almost facing a complete disaster on the Eastern Front and defeat over 18 months ago The Axis control Stalin's city once again.

On the Caspian Sea front Kleist's orders that all trapped enemy forces be eliminated before any major advances take place, with news of fresh troops massing North of his forces the Field Marshal does not want any enemy pockets in the rear before there is another major push northwards.

Western Front
Situation Report May 26 / 27th 1944 Turn 48
Army Group B

LXXXVII ArmeeKorps HQ ( Erich Marks ) Carhaix Brittany

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6YnMaN ... L&index=10

Back up videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NuapJM ... L&index=44


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm2oewPDwpw


D DAY
With news of the destruction of the remnants of The Red Army and certain defeat for Stalin The Allies attack



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc1nV0v ... L&index=15

Allied forces land in the Normandy region on the beaches between La Harve and Dieppe after there opening assaults finally overwhelm our defenders enemy troops begin disembarking in force on five major landings sites and establishing a 50 mile beachhead, the town of Fecamp is captured also the Airbase at St-Valery-en-Caux as Axis troops fall back 10 miles
Reports of the invasion reach FM Rommel at his HQ who immediately orders full mobilisation of 7th and 15th Armee's, the units are to proceed with all haste to the enemy landing sites and destroy the beachhead.
All reserve Panzer units are ordered to mobilize and also advance to Normandy
German Forces begin to steadily advance towards the beachhead some units arrive within a few hours with more on the way, 21st Panzer Div one of the closest in the area begins to engage the enemy.

Rommel knows this is a gamble to fully redeploy both Armee's from there coastal defensive positions but the enemy must be crushed and driven back into the sea before they can establish a secure beachhead and push out into the interior of France.




Field Marshal Von Witzleben being briefed on the Allied seaborne landings at Normandy

Western Front
Situation Report May 27th 1944 Turn 48
Army Group B

With Allied forces now landing at Normandy the enemy is now concentrating its strategic bombing once again towards German Industrial centres with the Capital Berlin hit by repeated raids, factories in the Hannover region as well as Northwest Germany were struck by large raids.



In Belgium Allied bombers targeted air fields, rail centres and ground forces, however the enemies biggest effort was attempting to disrupt our ground forces engaged in fighting the enemy invasion forces on the beaches, with most of fighters defences concentrating on the large scale raids against our Industry Axis air defences were hard pressed to counter enemy bomber flights.


While there was heavy enemy activity over the beaches enemy aircraft did conduct bombing raids on the French Capital and surrounding air bases and ground forces moving to the front.

Western Front
Situation Report May 27th 1944 Turn 48
Army Group B

Normandy

There is heavy fighting along all sectors of the beachhead as Allied troops continue to land, the enemy is also able to land armour to support the infantry, our own infantry is being gradually pushed back as some of the reserve Panzer Divisions are yet to arrive, however the quick response by High Command gives General Bader ( Army Group B ) hope that the beachhead can be contained. Axis Infantry units begin arriving in numbers from 7th and 15th Armee's at Lisieux, Rouen, Amiens, Caen and Dieppe,
There is a number of attacks against the Westheer (Western Army) defending the vital Port towns of Le Harve and Dieppe but our forces maintain control of the vital Ports, the enemy launches fresh assaults against our positions as more of our units moved to reinforce the front line.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF67Ydz ... L&index=95

Some lighter moments for a historic event



Attacking from the towns of Fecamp and St-Valery the Allies break our line and advance 10 miles towards Rouen but can push no further as reinforcements arrive and block there advance, enemy attacks on both flanks are also held as the first of the Panzer units finally arrive throughout the week. The front line begins to stabilize at Normandy as more troops arrive to counter the invasion.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tu4UTb ... L&index=74


The Westheer mobilizse and counterattack the Allied landings

Mediterranean Front
Situation Report May 27th 1944 Turn 48
Army Group C / Army Group F

Damn just realised I didn't take any screen shots of the air battles over Italy but its the usual bombing if memory serves me.

In the Balkans Allied raids target Rumanian Oil facilities again, Ploesti taking heavy damage from four attacks throughout the week, Bucharest was also hit causing considerable damage.

Italian Front
Situation Report May 27th 1944 Turn 48
Army Group C

While the main attention is now on Western France there is still heavy fighting in Southern Europe as The Allies continue to try to break our defensive line South of Rome, with 5th Pz Armee and 14th Armee defending The Volturno and 10th Armee holding The Byferno.
The US 5th and 7th Armies concentrating there forces on the coastal roads hoping to push across the river and drive towards Anzio, in the opening attack Bradley's II US Corps attacks with over 700 hundred Tanks attack but are held by determined defence suffering heavy losses, the enemy regroups and attacks repeatedly but XIV Pz Korps holds. In the centre an attack towards Isernia is beaten back as US and Brit armour assault Von Arnim's Infantry.
On the Adriatic Coast 10th Armee comes under heavy pressure as The Allies hit Von Vietinghoff's entire line searching for a weak spot to exploit, LXXIV ArmeeKorps taking the brunt of the attacks from British and French armour supported infantry,the line holds with the enemy suffering considerable causalities for no ground taken.
Attrition is taking its toll with five units withdrawn from the line to refit, while some units on the line themselves low on manpower numbers making the situation precarious for the defence of Southern Italy at this time.