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[center]by JR Renaud[/center]
COMBAT LOSSES REPORT
MILITARY ACTIVITY REPORT
1510 hrs 15 September 1939
Enemy Response
Location: Oberkommando des Wehrmacht HQ
Source: Consolidated Report from all Eastern Armeegruppen
Generalfeldmarschall, the enemy has pulled back along the entire front, doubtless in a futile attempt to avoid being cut off and annihilated. Tenth Mechanised abandoned Krakow; Lodz and the Modlin Fortress are, not unexpectedly, garrisoned; an army now occupies Kutnow; we have scouted another weak garrison in Warsaw. All of this will benefit the enemy little, as our glorious forces blitz farther into their territory and complete their destruction.
Incoming decoded message
Guten Tag, mein Freund,
My general staff tell me that the war in the east goes well. I need not remind you that the cowardly French and their British lackeys have banded together like sheep and declared war on the Vaterland. Let this not distract you from the task at hand! The Poles must be decisively beaten, and perhaps their allies will then rethink their foolish promise.
Mit deutschem Gruß
SITUATIONAL MAP – 15 SEPTEMBER 1939 - NORTHERN POLAND
SITUATIONAL MAP – 15 SEPTEMBER 1939 – SOUTHERN POLAND
Situational Report
From: Oberkommando des Wehrmacht
To: Oberkommando des Heeres; Generalfeldmarschall W. von Brauchitsch, Senior Staff
Meine Herren, for your information and dissemination: In the northern sector, von Kuchler and 3 Armee advance upon the Modlin Fortress and Warsaw; the Grenzekorps has isolated the Pomorska Cavalry Brigade; its destruction or surrender is inevitable. The Poznan Army continues to hold out in that town, but is surrounded by three armeekorps and will also surrender or be destroyed. The as-yet unidentified army in Kutno, as well as the nearby cavalry brigade – probably the Wielkopolska – will not affect the upcoming battle for Warsaw, as they will quickly be isolated. Only the Modlin Garrison and the Warsaw Garrison itself will be at all problematic, along with whatever forces the enemy can pull in around the capital, especially as the former will be well dug-in. This means that support from von Rundstedt’s forces in the south will be vital to taking the capital forthwith.
As to the southern sector, the Prusy Army holds Lodz ahead of 8 Armee, IV Panzerkorps, and XIII Armeekorps. The pathetic remnants of 10 Mechanised has disappeared into the countryside; but we know where it is – probably attempting to block the southern approach to the capital – and it will not hold before 10 and 14 Armees’ onslaught. Neither will the remnants of the Karpaty Army hold Gorlice for long, as VIII Armeekorps and the Bernolák Corps progress to join XVIII Armeekorps’ advance toward Lublin.
Orders and Execution; Battle Reports
1. Wodrig’s Corps moves to coord. 188,75 N Warsaw; identifies Warsaw Garrison, 10 Mechanised located at coord. 188,77 S Warsaw; another enemy corps W.
a. Attack deferred; see Battle Note #2
FIGURE 3 – BATTLE OF MODLIN #1 – 15 SEPTEMBER 1939
Battle Note #2
See Figure 3. Warsaw is our ultimate objective; having already captured several cities – with at least two or three more coming – Warsaw’s fall will compel Poland’s surrender. Therefore, we can bypass and isolate virtually all other forces; even if they get behind us, they will have neither supplies nor time to do much. We already know 10 Mech. is weak – no reinforcement is allowed after moving in SC3 – and the corps to the south won’t be at full strength either. Still, we have to deal with Modlin Fortress as well as the Warsaw Garrison; both are dug in deeply.
2. Wodrig Corps moves to flank Warsaw from SE (189,76).
a. Attack deferred.
3. XVIII Armeekorps advances to Radom (188,78); attacks 10 Mech.
a. Nil; nil
4. XXI Armeekorps moves to 188,75 N Warsaw.
a. Attack deferred.
5. XIII Armeekorps moves to coord. 187,77; identifies Narew Corps S of Modlin.
a. Attack deferred.
6. 3 Armee advances to coord. 187,74 N Modlin.
a. Attack deferred.
7. 4 Armee advances to coord. 183,75; identifies Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade SW Kutno (185,75); attacks.
a. Nil; 40%, Readiness, Morale reduced.
8. III Panzerkorps rumbles to coord. 184,75 NW Kutno; attacks Wielkopolska Cav.
a. 10%; enemy destroyed.
9. X Armeekorps runs to coord. 184,76 SW Kutno; attacks Wyskow Corps (in Kutno; 185,75).
a. 10%; nil, Readiness, Morale reduced.
10. III Panzerkorps blitzes Wyskow Corps.
a. Nil; 30%, Readiness, Morale reduced.
11. I Grenzekorps (Frontier) (183,70; S Danzig) attacks Pomorska Cav (182,71).
a. Nil; 30%, Readiness, Morale reduced.
12. StG 2 (185,72) bombs Modlin Garrison.
a. Nil; nil, Readiness, Morale reduced.
13. SG 2 (182,78) bombs Modlin Garrison.
a. Nil; 10%, Readiness, Morale reduced.
14. KG 1 (179,71) bombs Modlin Garrison.
a. Nil; 10%, Readiness, Morale, Entrenchment reduced.
15. IV Panzerkorps blitzes to coord. 185,76 S Kutno; attacks Wyskow Corps.
a. Nil; enemy destroyed.
16. 8 Armee moves to coord. 185,78 S Lodz; attacks Prusy Army (Lodz; 185,77).
a. Nil; 10%, Readiness, Morale reduced.
17. 3 Armee attacks Modlin Garrison.
a. Nil; 20%, Readiness, Morale reduced.
18. XXI Armeekorps attacks Modlin Garrison.
a. 10%; 10%, Readiness, Morale, Entrenchment reduced.
19. Wodrig Corps attacks 10 Mech.
a. Nil; enemy destroyed (see Battle Note #3 inset).
FIGURE 4 – BATTLE OF MODLIN #2 – 15 SEPTEMBER 1939 – BATTLE NOTE #3
20. XIII Armeekorps attacks Narew Corps.
a. Nil; 30%, Readiness, Morale reduced.
21. 10 Armee moves to coord. 188,79 S Radom.
a. N/A
22. 14 Armee moves up to coord. 188,80 S 10 Armee.
a. N/A
23. II Armeekorps moves to Torun (184,74).
a. N/A
24. I Armeekorps ordered to remain in place, pinning Poznan Army.
a. N/A
25. IV Armeekorps ordered to remain in place, pinning Krakow Army (in Silesian Border Fort; 184,81).
a. N/A
26. Bernolák Corps moves to coord. 190,82 NW Przemysl; no garrison revealed, occupies town.
a. N/A
27. VIII Armeekorps ordered to remain in place, pinning Karpaty Army (in Gorlice; 188,83).
a. N/A
28. Von Rundstedt HQ redeploys to Czestochowa (184,79).
a. N/A
29. Von Bock HQ redeploys to Bydgoszcz (182,73).
a. N/A
30. KG 1 Medium Bombers redeploys to coord. 182,72 N Bydgoszcz.
a. N/A
31. Luftflotte I & IV ordered to Upgrade to Advanced Aircraft.
32. END REPORT; see Battle Note #4
FIGURE 5 – THE ROAD TO WARSAW – 03 OCTOBER 1939
Battle Note #4
See Figure 5. At this point Poland is almost certain to surrender. Although I could continue ‘cleaning up’ enemy forces, further combat would serve no purpose other than, perhaps, to gain experience for my troops. It should be kept in mind, however, that casualties cost MPP to replace, so one has to ask oneself if it’s worth the trade-off.
The reason I moved so many units up into position, ‘deferring’ attacks, is to try to place the best unit(s) for the attack; i.e., armies are stronger than corps, but Readiness and Morale count too, as well as relative Strength. I also used my panzerkorps to batter aside any blocking forces. Even though I have used them in the past to attack the fort and capital, as most readers will know, it’s generally not a good idea. However, taking advantage of their extra AP and Strikes (5 vice 3; 2 vice 1) to clear an objective – e.g., the fortress – to then be occupied by infantry who will from there attack the capital, has worked for me.
Finally, although I did not achieve my objective of conquering Poland before October – I’m not sure it’s possible, given the turn-length – I came close. You may have also noted that my original Battle Plan changed; instead of going for outlying towns and cities, all that is needed to defeat Poland in SC3 is to take a few plus the capital.
I hope you enjoyed this AAR and will come back for more! Please leave any comments or questions; I will be glad to respond.
LUFTFLOTTE I & IV UPGRADE TO ADVANCED AIRCRAFT
POLAND FALLS!
Outgoing Coded Message
FROM: OBERCOMMANDO DES WEHRMACHT
TO: ALL WEHRMACHT ARMEEGRUPPE HQS
ACTIVE COMBAT OPERATIONS TO CEASE ACROSS EASTERN FRONT PENDING REST AND REFIT STOP DEFENCE STILL PERMISSIBLE STOP CERTAIN FORCES TO REDEPLOY TO WESTERN THEATRE SOONEST STOP FURTHER ORDERS TO FOLLOW STOP END TRANSMISSION
Don't miss the next episode "The Road to Paris"!