Drakken vs. Tamas - DC3: Barbarossa PBEM (Axis thread)

[Berkut]

They were probably all sitting around, chilling...thinking "Hey, wasn't today something important? Like....weren't we supposed to be doing something....? Nahhh, I think that is next week...."

[katmai]

Well it is a bunch of Hungarians...

[grumbler]

You hear about the Hungarian that was sooo oblivious...


that the other Hungarians noticed!

[Drakken]

I forgot to move the Hungarian troops and 11th Army in Bessarabia. Oops. I thought they were inactive.

  They were inactive.  You just said so.

I thought they were to be activated later, like the Finns or the Roms. Practicing against the AI I noticed to my surprise that they were active, after all.

No biggie. Let's roll with it.  What else to be expected by a bunch of Beets?

[Drakken]

They were probably all sitting around, chilling...thinking "Hey, wasn't today something important? Like....weren't we supposed to be doing something....? Nahhh, I think that is next week...."

In whatever calendar these Magyars use down there.

[garbon]

No, I will not stand for mockery of Hungary. Magyar pride!

[Drakken]

T3 - June 26th, 1941

Not a lot of movement on the front overall. Perhaps Tamas botched his activations or most of his moves went outside my fog of war. That's what happens when you keep lackeys and cronies and send massive amounts of talented officers to the executioner. I will make Comrade Tamas pay for his lack of vision.

Also, the Axis troops down south AGS are Rumanian, not Hungarian! Why have they decided to use Green for their counters???

The only meaningful development is the encirclement of 2nd PzG's 29th Motorized Division stationed in Bialystok. Nothing too worrying, though. I just need to kick in the door to break the pocket, restore supply lines and reinforce the Division, and a light attack in and around Grodno will isolate 12 Soviet divisions, in a single stroke. Plus the urban terrain and drizzle helped the defenders organizing their defence against Tamas's counterblows, and 29th Motorized suffered only minor losses.






My evaluation so far is very satisfactory, and the Führer is pleased. It seems the Führer does not regret my nomination as Commander of the Ostfront. My talents in logistics will come in handy for the Reich.




Logistics-wise, OKW Quartermaster General Wagner (who takes care of trucks, NOT trains and railways, go figure) lets me know that there is a shortage of tires due to the blockade of the Royal Navy preventing rubber imports from Asia. We have enough for only one theater, so obviously they are to be directed to AGN. After all, what Hitler wants he gets.

Feldmarshall von Bock is upset by this decision, so I attempt to mollify him by allocating more fuel to AGC from AGS. There's no shortage at all of fuel supply for AGS, which has 2+ quota of fuel for only 1 PanzerGruppe. AGC has 2 Gruppes for 1 quota of fuel, and its needs are and will be greater. This attempt doesn't make von Bock like me any better, though. Our relations are still Poor, which prevents me from giving AGC's Command Focus to either Hoth or Guderian.

Finally, Walther Funk asks my support to pressure the Führer to increase the oil production coming from Austrian soil. Austrian oil installations are currently left derelict and barely used. As Austria is now a province of the Reich I don't see why I shouldn't support its development, and neither do Jodl and Ribbentrop... which means Hitler is for it if Toadies like Jodl and Ribbentrop dare voice their support for such a project. So I hearthily give them my help, to the pleasure of the Führer. It'll still take about two months time to get active, however.


To be continued...

[Habbaku]

Also, the Axis troops down south AGS are Romanian, not Hungarian! Why have they decided to use Green for their counters?

That's actually pretty common, at least in the wargames I've seen.  I think it's based on their uniform colors during the war.  What color would you have preferred?

Looking forward to more posts!  This is great thus far, as your AARs usually are.   

[Drakken]

T3 - June 26th, 1941 (Operations)

AGN



4th PanzerGruppe finishes surrounding the HQ of Soviet 8th Army, while 8th Panzer Division races toward Jakobstadt, the road blocked by 10th Airborne Division. The remaining elements of the PanzerGruppe tightens the rear attack on Kaunas, where the pocket is expected to be closed on the Soviet 11th and a dozen divisions next turn. 

Meanwhile I transfer 18th Army north to further push the remnants of Russian 8th Army toward Liepaja and eventually Riga. I am worried though about the wide gap south of Riga, where Tamas could try to rescue his HQ. 

Finally, I move 12th Infantry Division south of Kaunas to prevent any closing of a pocket and protect the rear supplies of 4th PanzerGruppe.


AGC



As predicted, Bialystock is linked to my line of supply and a dozen Soviet divisions are pocketed to be liquidated next turn. Hope Tamas won't miss them. We will make them very comfy in Hotel Buchenwald. 

Soon after taking the pic above 28th, 161st and 162nd finishe chasing the Soviet pocketed divisions off the railways. Grodno is now linked to the rest of the railway system - with Russian gauges. However, double rails on the map means that the road is paved and sealed, which are the only road which will not turned into schmooze when the mud comes.

I attempt a pincer movement to encircle the whole Western Front in Minsk sector, with 3rd launched towards Vilnius and the 2nd toward Minsk itself. The Panzers, however, faces stiffer resistance with defences in depth between our lines and Minsk. As for Vinius, rather than run away in front of my panzers the minor garrison gives a furious defence, pinning most of 3rd PanzerGruppe in front of the city!


AGS



1st PanzerGruppe cleaves south to overrun Lvov, but with no avail. While the Russian Divisions fail to stop us we fall short of reaching Lvov at this time. Furthermore the depth of 1st PanzerGruppe away from the railways worries me as the reserves of fuel for AGS dwindle. So I order an emergency air fuel resupply over the HQ of 1st PanzerGruppe, just in case.

Also, as an emergency prophylaxic measure I order 2nd PanzerGruppe's 1st Cavalry Division to cross theater and come protect the HQ of 1st PanzerGruppe that was left naked and vulnerable. This violation will cost me 1PP per turn, but it's only temporary and to ensure that Tamas don't get a chance to make a move with his 19th Tank Division and come harass my HQ. This move means also that I return my Siege Artillery to Warsaw for protection, as it would be left defenceless in front of Brest. In any case I'm about to surround and starve Brest-Litovsk into reduction rather than bombard it into a pile or rubble.


Bessarabian Front



Four days late after D-Day, Oberst von Affe arrives to the Rumanian High Command. He brings an order personally signed by me to move their collective Rumanian asses off their chairs and join the war right fucking now. The Rumanian Chief of Staff deeply apologizes for the missunderstanding, blaming a penpushing secretary for the mistake writing a "6" instead of a "2" on the translated date of the invasion. Romanian is very, very far from German, you see... and one could be easily misstranslating Zwei for Sechs...



Ahem...

In any case, Herr Oberst, the Rumanians are now on the move. So... huzzah!

The main thrust is made by the German 11th Army, who pushes forward in the center. Rumanian troops are however much weaker than their German counterparts, and facing much more powerful Soviet divisions in the mountains. However their 1st Armored Division is poised to pierce through their 32nd Cavalry Division and cleaving the Bessarabian front in half.

Ende for now.

[Drakken]

That's actually pretty common, at least in the wargames I've seen.  I think it's based on their uniform colors during the war.  What color would you have preferred?

I thought their counters' colour was Purple, and Hungarian Green.

[Norgy]

Purple is the Spellus Byzantine Dinosaur divisions, dude.

[Drakken]

Purple is the Spellus Byzantine Dinosaur divisions, dude.

I prefer my hordes of Slavic brain-dead cannon fodder purple. Green's for Magyars and Guidos.

[Drakken]

T4 - June 30th, 1941 (Sitrep/Logistics)

Tamas has evacuated the vicinity of the trapped 8th Army HQ, leaving it to his fate most probably to go defend Riga, a strategic city (showed on the map with a red dot). This move is sound: Rescueing Kaunas is pointless at this point, and if I capture Riga Comrade Tamas will risk going into one of his infamous Paranoid Episode, to the lifethreatening nightmare of his officer staff.

Feeble attempts were made to exit the Kaunas salient, only contributing to create a traffic jam northeast of Kaunas: No few than 13 divisions with 11th Army HQ (and General Morozov) are poised to be trapped simply by overunning the Soviet 5th Tank Division and closing the gap. I am certain that the Army flag emblems from two annihilated Soviet HQs from the Northern front will bring a big smile under the Führer's black mustache. 



Only one attack by Comrade Tamas registered in my battle log; 60km NE of Brest-Litovsk against 34th and 252nd Infantry Division by 5(!!) Soviet Divisions, including 2 Motorized and 2 Tank. Again, these were easily repulsed and, from my recon, seemed more costly on the Reds than on my Divisions. However, this Festung on Brest-Litovsk is starting to become a thorn in my side.



My main problem right now, though... is not Tamas. My main problem is inside my own armed forces, more precisely inter-theater misorganization heavily pushing on my PPs, my AGS fuel truck columns overextended, and 2nd PanzerGruppe's dwindling TO&E and mediocre fuel supply because of the unexpected stiff defence in front of Minsk.

First issue, as I have stated in a previous post, units crossing outside their theater's operational borders incurs penalties in PPs because they need a lot of coordination between the different staffs. The further they are, the more they cost. Last turn's move of 2nd PnzGr's Cavalry unit to protect 1st PnzGr HQ, plus the 16th Army HQ and 2 Divisions supporting the Kaunas front in AGC's area of operation is costing me -8PPs this turn! This will have to be resolved ASAP as this decreases my operational capability.



Second issue, my truck columns to supply fuel from rail depots are getting overextended to reach AGC, but more especially AGS where it's getting eggregious. Because of the Russian standing fast in and around Lvov, fuel destined to AGS's 1st PanzerGruppe must leave its supply depot in Krakau to reach Lodz and Warsaw by truck, then Lublin by train, and finally 1st PzG HQ again by truck! Same with AGC: Because Brest-Litovsk is still in Soviet hands the railway is currently useless (trains need two stops to work, one charge and one discharge), and so they are also deliveres via trucks. Where there are railways on the map, there are assumed to be roads. This creates a very long line of supply on wheels, creating a heavy toll on my chattel of Opel Blitz.

Rationalizing my fuel pipeline by reducing Lvov will be our top priority this turn for AGS. I need Lvov to bring fuel from closer in the field from Krakau.
I will have to send in a fuel complement through air supply to 1st PanzerGruppe.

For AGC, I must find a way to reduce Brest once and for all. Reading the manual, Garrisons pull their supply from the city so they can't be cut-off, and the one inside Brest-Litovsk has 186 Fortification Rating. I will need to place an Infantry Division next to it, call the Siege Artillery once again and wait until it bombards it. I estimate it'll take at least 8 days, two turns, to send it, move it, set it, and let it start shooting. Or, move all available Infantry to march on Brest-Litovsk and swarm it human-wave style.




To add fuel to the fire (pun quite intended), AGC's 17th and 18th Panzer Divisions, plus 10th Motorized Infantry Division were outside 2nd PanzerGruppe's Command Range last turn. Thus they suffer severe fuel shortages and have not enough AP to attack this turn.



Third issue, Guderian's 2nd PanzerGruppe has now 86% of its Panzer still operational due heavy battle losses. The wall of Soviet corpses-to-be north of the Pripet Marshes is so thick I am considering pulling it back to Bialystok to rest and refit, while transfering 4th and 9th Army to increases our hold on Grodno and keep the pressure on the Minsk front there while 3rd PanzerGruppe overruns Vilnius and races behind his back.





It is currently too late to play the turn. Will do, tomorrow.

In the meantime, guess who's has sent me a heartwarming telegram tonight, which Oberst von Affe handed to me at my table over my roosted chicken dinner and my bottle of French Bordeaux? 



Charming.

[Drakken]

T4 - June 30th, 1941 (Decisions)

Himmler's "heartwarming telegram" couldn't come at a worse moment. I have a feeling I might feel guilty after this turn. And dirty.

I have 37 PPs left for Decisions and Card Plays this turn.

I immediately play two Fuel Resupply cards for AGC (2nd PanzerGruppe) and AGS's 1st PanzerGruppe, costing 6 PPs each in total.
Siege artillery is dispatched again nearby Brest-Litovsk to batter it to reduction, for 1 PP.
Direct Fire Artillery is transfered to 9th Army, which will be moved to take the brunt of the Offensive on the Grodno-Brest-Litosvk line, for 4PPs due to my poor relations with Feldmarshall von Bock.

Only now, may I take a look on my Decisions :



I decide to deal with AGN only as a last resort, as it really has no shortage of fuel. AGC and AGS, however, are another matter.

For AGS, it am notified that the Eisenbahntruppe merely convert the railway gauges as fast as possible without repairing or strengthening the rail infrastructure (like adding water towers for our trains). On this, I decide to intervene again against my boss's advice and push for repairing the rail infrastructure (- 9PPs). This brings my relations with von Brauchtisch to Distrustful, but I make good progression on the converting process.

For AGC General Gercke proposes to improve train signaling, against the advice of Keitel who frankly says it's beneath us. I agree, I have no time for this What I need NOW is more railways, so I push for keeping converting tracks and damn goes the signaling.

I leave the rest to my Chief of Staff.

That leaves me 11PP for the damned Einsatzgruppen issue. I decide to - politely - tell Himmler to shove its telegram up where the Sun of the Reich does not shine: I refuse any Wehrmacht cooperation with his sleazy death squad business, but without threatening to stand witness in trial (too costly). It hurts my already poor relations with Himmler (who is now Distrustful), while somewhat improving my relations with von Brauchtisch (back up to Poor) for standing for the stainless honour of the Wehrmacht. 

[Drakken]

T4 - June 30th, 1941 (Operations)

Kaunas, Vilnius, and Lvov have fallen, meaning the fuel supply roads for AGS and AGC have been shortened with outstanding success. Most of my immediate operational goals for this turn have been met. The Romanian Armored Division has pierced through the Bessarabian front to created a bridehead passed the Dniestr River, and the Finnish have joined the war - if only to reconquer Karelia.

If Tamas expected it to be easy, he should now be realizing how mistaken he was. Without being too overconfident the immediate situation he is facing on his multiple fronts is dire. Two of them, in the center and south, are even facing annihilation.


AGN



The 8th Army pocket has been liquidated, and the Kaunas pocket lies next, despite frantic resistance. The whole 16th Army occupies the vicinity of Kaunas and is ready to march on the pocket. SS Division Totenkopf went north to recon Riga then came back south to control the road up to Jakobsadt and checking any move north by 11th Army to escape the pocket. 18th Army marches north toward Liepaja and Riga.

4th PanzerGruppe created a front on the western bank of the Dvina, but my recon has revealed a gap east of Riga. If it could be exploited the whole Northern front might crumble.


Finnish front



Without warning, the Finnish Army has launched a major offensive to reclaim its rightful territory lost in the Winter War. South Eastern Army has taken Viipuri, while the Karelian Army moved through the forest towards Petrozavodsk.

Those Red Bs represent the limit the Finnish Army cannot cross without Finland formally joining the German offensive, representing Finland's reluctance to enter the war as a German partner unless Germany shows it's clearly winning. If I cross these before the threshold event occurs the Axis player incurs massive penalties. However, when I grab either Luga or Narva these there is a chance each turn these will turn blue, allowing the Finns to close on Leningrad. However, since I have chosen the military alliance with Finland option in the What-If Decision for Finland on Turn 1, Finland's full activation will automatically trigger when I take either Luga or Narva.


AGC



After 4th Army quickly liquidating the remaining Soviet divisions caught in the Bialystok area pocket, I start transfering 9th Army to create a front passed Grodno, while the remaining 4th Army available to move close in on Brest-Litovsk. Next turn the Siege artillery should arrive back to B-L while I finish surrounding it into a cauldron that will not last very long.

After harshly making a concentrated attack on the minor garrison at Vilnius, pushing it off after fierce combat, 3rd PanzerGruppe has found a gap north of Tamas' Western Army, and started exploiting it with a swerve West and North of Minsk. I'm not too worried about 33rd and 38th Tank Division closing the salient, I will quickly reopen it next turn with 20th Panzer Division. Meanwhile 2nd PanzerGruppe's SS Das Reich has opened a weakness in Tamas's position, allowing me a way to pass around the Pripet marshes, threatening Tamas's whole Western Front if he is not careful by next turn.

If I were Comrade Tamas, I would severly start pulling back here. His whole front is facing utter destruction.


AGS



The proud 6th Army is now a shadow of its former glory, almost completely trapped. 11 Divisions plus 2 Divisions of 5th Army completely surrounded between the Hammer of 1st PanzerGruppe and the Anvil of 6th and 17th Armies. With Lvov and its immediate vicinity now secured our fuel supply system should be much more effective from now on - no more truck columns circumnavigating around to reach 1st PanzerGruppe.

I intend to let 6th Army finish off these pockets, while 17th Army moves southeastward toward Tarnopol. Von Kleist will turn around and swerve around  Rovno into Southwestern Army's flank and rear.


Bessarabian Front



Supported by the German 239th Infantry Division, Romania's 1st Armored Division has created a bridehead across the Dniestr River for 11th Army (now reinforced by two additional Infantry Divisions) to exploit next turn. 3rd Army keeps pushing 4 Divisions on 9th Army's right flank back to the River, while 4th Army threatens to flank 9th Army's HQ by pushing back Tamas's 5th and 9th Cavalry, 15th Motorized, and 150th Infantry Divisions.

With such a multitude of crisises looming I doubt Tamas will have enough resources to attend to all at once. He will have to give way somewhere...

The casualties so far :



And finally, on a more positive note, FeldMarshall von Leeb commented on the valor demonstrated by GeneralLieutenant Ottenbacher, commander of the 36th Motorized Infantry Division, under fire. While temporary, after investigattion and confirmation it can become permanent, granting him combat bonuses.