Nirosi (Axis) vs PL1 (Allies) PL1 welcome now

[Nirosi]

In Germany, Marshal Kesselring ordered yet another attempt to push back the US 2nd Armor Corps across the Rhine. The attempt almost succeeded, with the American holding their side of the bank of the Rhine by only a few hundred meters when, exhausted and battered, the German troops had to stop their attacks. This failure leaves Cologne in a very precarious position against a possible US attempt at taking the city. Allied presumptuousness even pushed them to send a US fleet inside the Ijsselmeer, for possible future shore support in the area, and/or to extend the operational range of some aircraft carriers.

[Nirosi]

With the start of a new year, it can be seen that the German armed forces are still a serious force, and the Red Army is not yet an overwhelming rollercoaster, probably due to some high loses during the past year. However, Germany also had some very serious loses on the Eastern front during the same period and the Axis was thrown out of Africa and France/Belgium. The Allied forces are of moderate size, but they are of good quality and have good air and armor support making them a serious force that could not be pushed back to sea and they even entered Germany itself.

(Note: Romania forces: 108(L); 9(A); 1(N))

[Nirosi]

Since the start of the war, on land, both sides suffered, but it is the German and Soviet soldiers that paid the most this conflict of giants. During the last year, a first Axis country, Finland, was conquered, after a long and heroic, but in the end futile, defense.

In the air, the Allies are dominating the skies almost uncontested, and Axis loses are staggering. Allied loses also are quite high when adding up US, UK and USSR loses, but they can afford them much more easily than the Axis.

Only at sea did the Axis inflict some serious damage. Although the surface fleets of Italy and Germany are only a shadow of their former self, they both still have a moderate submarine force. In the Atlantic, German U-boats have sunk over 46 million tons of merchant shipping and about 350 escorts of all type. Luckily for them, the Allies had planned and were not caught unprepared, managing to deal with the loses.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of January 28th, 1944

In Germany, Cologne was occupied, relatively easily, by US troops. As a hasty counterattack failed to liberate the city, it is now firmly in American hands. The loss of Cologne is a heavy blow on Germany and this blow could be repeated soon now that the neighbouring Dusseldorf would be the next logical target. Further South, the British stayed put. But it can only be a matter of time before they resume their offensive. By April, three more Panzer or PanzerGrendier corps will be operational, but it might be too little, too late.

[Nirosi]

The battle for Sicily is over and the American have won with the capture of Messina. After their victory, US did not pause and tried to push into Calabria only to be stopped by the 7th Coastal Corps. After no less than nine days of constant fighting, the US attempts to dislodge the corps finally halted. Comando Supremo does not believe the Americans will try to advance through Calabria. This might be a diversion before landings are done somewhere else in the country. But due to the uncertainty of where, and if, that might be, not chances will be taken and most sectors will have to be garrisoned as best as possible, mostly the Genoa-La Spezia sector, as well as the Rome, Naples and Taranto areas, as well as Calabria in case the American do continue their offensive there. The arrival of three more corps in the next two months should help a lot to improve defenses around the country.

[Nirosi]

On the Eastern Front, the retreat continues, while some troops are being shipped back to Germany. However, Army Group South is in a difficult situation due to Soviet mobile units in the sector threatening its retreat path. It can only be hoped that most corps will manage to escape, but that remains to be seen in the next few weeks. Only two mobile units, not counting cavalry, are left on the front, near Mogilev, and they are scheduled for repatriation.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of February 11th, 1944

In Italy, the 7th Coastal Corps, holding the doors to Calabria, managed to resist American assaults once more.

[Nirosi]

In the Soviet Union the retreat continues, some corps managed to avoid encirclement in Ukraine, but the risk of a pocked trapping some German and Romanian corps is still obvious.

[Nirosi]

In the Rhineland, German infantry managed to hold back American attempts at pushing East toward Frankfurt. The rest of the front was very quiet.

In other news, the 10th U-Boat flotilla was lost at sea. This leaves OKM with only four flotillas, all of them back in Germany for now.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of February 25th, 1944

In Italy, US troops finally set foot in Italy proper and entered Calabria. They even pierced through General Ambrosio’s HQ defenses in Reggio before they could evacuate by sea. Regia Marina tried to interfere by sending submarines to attack the British fleet but only managed to incur some minor loses themselves.

[Nirosi]

In Germany, US troops advanced East of Cologne and took an all-important synthetic oil plant. German counterattack retook the lost territory and infrastructure and even dispersed the VII US corps defending it. All OKH’s mobile units, but one, are now in Germany. The last one has also received orders to try to disengage and be transported back West, hopefully in the next two weeks or so. OKW has issued the order that if only for national pride, the liberation of Cologne must be of the highest priority.

[Nirosi]

In the Soviet Union, with some luck and the weather, it seems that most of Army Group South might manage to escape. For now, only one German corps is trapped in Krivoi Rog. OKH was fearing much worse. The next month or so will be very important to have a clearer view on the situation as some troops are still in danger, albeit less than before.

[Nirosi]

Two Italian submarines meeting at sea while preparing for the attempt on the British fleet that will occur two days latter.

[Nirosi]

American troops in the Northern part of Cologne, near the frontline.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of March 11th, 1944

In Ukraine, the retreat continues but at as slower pace. A Romanian division was dispersed while delaying the Red Army and the encircled German LIX Corps surrendered in Krivoi Rog.

OKW ordered that the reinforcements that were to transfer from Army Group Center back to Germany (an infantry corps and the 4th PanzerGrenadier Corps) be sent to Ukraine instead to ensure an orderly retreat and try to reduce the encirclement risk posed by Soviet mobile units. OKW reports that around twelve Tank and Mechanized Corps are in Ukraine to only about two in Belarus.

[Nirosi]

Other fronts were calm due to bad weather.

[Nirosi]

German troops under the rain...

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of March 24th, 1944

In the Soviet Union, Axis troops continued their retreat. The German 2nd Cavalry Corps was pushed, pursued, and finally destroyed at the front but resisted long enough to limit the potential breakthrough the Red Army could have done, and thus probably helped quite a few Axis corps escape encirclement.

The Romanian Army and some German corps crossed the Dniester and took defensive position behind the river. The rest of German troops are continuing West toward the Polish border. The last two major Soviet cities still in Axis hand, Odessa and Minsk, were both abandoned by regular Axis troops and will probably be liberated in the next few days. After some hesitation, OKW finally ordered the last PanzerGrenadier corps, that was just transferred from Belarus to Ukraine last week to cover the retreat in the sector, back to Germany.

[Nirosi]

In Germany, OKW launched operation Spring Blossom, prepared in secrecy for the last two months or so. German infantry of Kesserlring’s Lower Rhine Army opened the assault on the morning of March 26th and were soon followed by tanks, even some outdated ones put back into service for the occasion, and mechanized infantry. The offensive liberated Cologne, pushed back across the Rhine a US armored corps and an infantry one and dispersed another infantry corps. OKW even ordered a reluctant OKL to provide air support for the operation. Loses were high, especially in the air, but the results greatly improved the German defensive position before the American could take advantage of the improving weather.

OKW is asking OKH to examine if such an action can also be taken by the Upper Rhine Army under the command of Marshal Rommel to push back the British. Some preparations have been seen around Stuttgart, home of the 1st Fallschirmjager.

In other news, the Kriegsmarine left Germany for Throndheim. In the Balkans, Italy and Germany asked Bulgaria to contribute more to garrisoning the region and some ensuing troops transfers were seen in Albania and Greece. In Italy proper, things are quiet for now, and Comando Supremo doubts that the Allies will put a serious effort to continue advancing through Calabria. It remains to be seen if they will attempt landing in some other sectors or simply ignore this front for now, preferring to concentrate their resources on the German front.

[Nirosi]

Axis turn of April 7th, 1944

In Bessarabia, Soviet tanks pierced thought already weakened Hungarian troops and were threatening three German corps with encirclement. To make things worse, the snowy weather is making German disengagement from the bulge difficult.

It seems to OKW that the Soviets might attempt to go South with most of their armored and mechanised forces to capture Ploesti and also knock Rumania out of the war before continuing West. The next two weeks should give a better indication of Stavka’s intents. In any case, Germany has stopped trading oil to Italy to ensure a build up of its own reserves.