TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T009: 07.03.42

T009 07.03.42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Yelets-Voronezh
The Germans actually withdrew (1) from their gains last week. I've sent every single reconstituted unit into this area, hoping to simply clog up the path toward Yelets and/or Voronezh. I think it's worked. Though the Germans still have superior strength and likely readiness, my defensive positions are growing stronger each week. I wasn't able to send the fresh armies (60, 63 Armies) into this area, due to the need for them farther south. However, more armies are scheduled to arrive over the next two weeks. They will have a first objective of relieving the Yelets-Voronezh front line troops.

ELSEWHERE

North Africa - The DAK and Italians are mopping up the remaining Commonwealth troops, but little action otherwise. There are now five British Corps in Egypt.

North Caucasus - The Germans and Romanians are crossing the Don in force now. No major engagements since the fall of Rostov. The Wehrmacht is not making a play for any of the territory on the eastern side of the Don from Stalingrad northward. There were at least two Panzer Korps being shipped by rail to this area, possibly three total. It signals a coming effort to capture the oil fields at Maikop and Grozny.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T008: 06.26.42

T008 06.26.42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Yelets-Voronezh
With a renewed push on Yelets and Voronezh, the Germans have punched a hole in the line (1) north of Yelets. The reconstituted 48 and 3 Armies have been shipped to the front earlier than I wanted to commit them to battle. Their readiness is in the low teens right now, meaning they are going to face enemy fire with little chance of success. This is all meant to delay the Germans until a large contingent of fresh reinforcements due the next two weeks. The other problem areas are directly in front of Yelets and south of the city (2), where the armored op group has held, but by a hair. The 3 Guards Tank Army is standing firm in the center of the sectors, offering a foundation for the entire line. Near Voronezh (3), the 21 Army lost some ground to a concerted effort by three German infantry corps. The 18 Army is full of reconstituted units, similar to the 48/3 group to the north. No counterattacks were made this turn, but again, it's all about delaying the Axis offensive until reinforcements arrive in bulk over the next two weeks.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T007: 06.19.42

T007 06.19.42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Yelets-Voronezh-Stalingrad-Caucasus
Just a quick review of the southern half of the Russia Front. It's been a quiet two weeks since the initial assault on the Yelets-Voronezh sector was repulsed. The Axis are still staging on the far side of the Don River. Once the push south and east begins, however, I'm expecting a tough fight to hold back the tide.

AFRICA

Sectors: Tobruk-Alexandria
The fall of Tobruk is likely to create a better supply situation for the DAK and Italians under Rommel, but my position in front of El Alamein is incredibly strong. There are Italian paratroopers at the air fields near Tobruk, so that's something to keep an eye on. I'm shipping the VIII Corps down from England, while the I Corps is already in Malta, ready to arrive in Alexandria.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T006: 06.12.42

T006 06.12.42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Yelets-Voronezh
The dangerous situation here has been contained by the quick arrival of the 3 Guards Tank Army from northwest of Stalingrad. The Guards armor slammed into the XXIV Panzer Korps that was already tired from a strong attack on the 28 Army, pushing back the Axis a few miles. Divisions from the 38 Army's reserve also plugged the gap northwest of Voronezh. These sectors seem stabilized for now.

Sectors: Rostov
Rostov is nearly fallen, but holds on by a thread. There wasn't much need to update this sector, but it's worth mentioning that the Axis could soon posess a valuable rail and supply hub leading into the Caucasus. Progress by the Axis in this part of the Russian Front has slowed so much, I'm wondering if it was a planned time to recoup losses and readiness. Any offensive across a river is tolling, particularly one that was decently defended, as was the case here.

FINLAND

Sectors: Kandalaksha
A new area has erupted in combat, with the German XXXVI Korps supported by an unconfirmed Finish Corps attacking and capturing Kandalaksha. This severs a critical rail line up to Murmansk, but doesn't offer much more to the Axis. Murmansk still has access to the sea. I might have to send an army, or a few Op Groups, up to Murmansk just to play it safe.

AFRICA

Sector: Tobruk
Toburk has fallen within three weeks of the DAK/Italian offensive. This is easily the quickest the city has fallen, and Mark has admitted that it's the first time in more than 20 play tests that Tobruk has been captured by the Axis. Once the rail line can be repaired, this will provide a serious supply boost to the DAK and Italians. Looks like Africa won't bog down this time around.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T005: 06.05.42

T005 06.05.42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Yelets-Voronezh
Two breakthroughs in this front. The significant break came south of Yelets (1), with the 21 Army melting under the strong pressure from the German XXIV Panzer and VII Korps. The Op Groups shipped down from the northern sectors (embarked east of Yelets) will have to plug the hole for now, until more units are available. West of Voronezh (2), the 38 Army gave way in one small sector, but I expect this one to be covered relatively easily. The 57 Army has units to spare, and aren't facing any real threat due to its position behind the Don River.

Intelligence Report
Recon has spotted at least two full corps, the German LVI and XVII Korps, being shipped by rail from the Rzhev sectors all the way down to the Rostov sector. This could provide a big boost to the German prospects in the North Caucasus.

Sectors: Rostov-Stalingrad
Axis progress has slowed significantly in this part of the Russian Front, but I'm not expecting that to last very long. The I SS Panzer is spearheading a new push across the Don River east of Rostov (1), while three full German Korps, supported by the Romanian II Corps, are near to capturing the city. To the north (2), delaying actions by rear guard has helped hold the tide at bay. Around Stalingrad (3) the 2 Shock Army is all along for now, spread incredibly thinly around the city. The 34 Army has arrived from north of Velikie Luki, and will take up defensive positions along the Don, just west of Stalingrad. This should free up the entire right wing of the 2 Shock to move south, bolstering the rest of the formation southwest of the city.

AFRICA

Sector: Tobruk
The X and XXX British Corps are holding on by a thread. The DAK (Das Afrika Korps) isn't wasting any time advancing on Tobruk, and it's paying early dividends.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T004: 05.29.42

T004 05.29.42

RUSSIA

Monthly Review - May '42
Three major stages of action this month on the Russian Front. Near Rzhev (1), I ordered the managed withdrawal from a dangerous salient. This freed up some valuable units, as well as allowed this section of the front to dig in with reserves. The line was entirely too thin before the move.

To the south, German, Romanian and Hungarian forces made a heavy push (2) coinciding with my second managed withdrawal to the Don River. The position was a big problem area from the start of this scenario, and the last time I did this, it wasn't so organized. The result was significant loss. But this time, with plenty of screening units to hold the Axis from getting a solid shot at my armies, only two formations were lost (13 Army, 40 Army) north of Kharkov.

The second stage of the Axis advance (3) pushed my lines farther east, but not farther than the original stop line at the Don. Voronezh remains well-defended with reserves to spare, while the sectors to the sounth have more time to dig in and develop a plan. The Panzers have had much more success in the Orel and Kursk sectors than those marching toward Rostov and Stalingrad. The defense of Maikop and Grozny in the Caucasus should improve as more units are sent south to dig into the mountains.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T003: 05.22.42

T003 05.22.42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Veliki Luki-Rzhev
Things are settling down now, as the defensive line forms. The Germans are mopping up the left over divisions that were caught up in the withdrawal. As reinforcements arrive, I'll have to send at least one army to this sector as a reserve.

Sectors: Orel-Yelets-Voronezh
The main objective here is to contain and delay. There are three Op Groups just north of the rag-tag defenders east of Orel (1), that will disembark and enter the battle this upcoming week. There isn't much between the three German Korps and wide open Russian countryside north of Yelets. The 13 and 40 Armies are as good as gone (2), while the 21 Army is trying its best to hold the open space in front of Yelets. Once reinforcements can arrive, the line will form along the railroad (3), hopefully keeping the valuable rail hub at Yelets out of German hands.

Sectors: Kharkov-Rostov
This entire sectors has nearly evaporated in the span of two weeks. I'm not dedicating the kind of force to this area that I did the last time around. But still, I didn't expect three armies to simply melt away. The 12 Army is getting across the river (1) and blowing bridges behind them. The German III Panzer Korps has free reign north of Rostov (2), completely cutting off what's left of the 18 Army. At Rostov, the 56 Army will try to delay the German crossing of the Don River (3). The 2 Shock Army and 8 Army are stationed in Stalingrad, with the 2 Shock fanning out to cover the river crossings. The 54 Army, originally sent to Stalingrad, has been ordered south to Grozny to prepare those defenses.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T002: 05.15.42

T002 05.15.42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Veliki Luki-Rzhev
The managed withdrawal from the Vyazma salient has gone well. Not perfectly, but what can you expect in war? The line is forming (1) from the 4 Shock Army to the 10 Guards Army, with the 22, 41, and 39 Armies moving into the void. I'm concerned about the 39 Army (2), which is getting squeezed by the XXIII Korps and XLI Panzer Korps. Once this withdrawal is complete, this sector should remain quiet for a while.

 \
Sectors: Orel-Kursk
I've been caught off guard here, with a much larger attack coming than the last time I played against Mark. He is using the textbook Blitzkreig tactic of punching a hole on both sides of the defenders (1 & 2) using the Panzers, sending them in a pincer move around the flanks (3), and then crushing the pocket with the infantry up the middle. The 3 & 48 Armies are in danger of being completely cut off, as is the 13 Army (4). There is not a single Russian soldier between the Panzers and Yelets. I'm going to have to pull reserves from other areas (like the already-threatened Rostov sectors) to plug this hole until more reinforcements arrive in a few weeks.

Sectors: Kharkov-Rostov
The evacuation of the entire Kharkov front went splendidly. All five armies (38, 9, 57, 37, 6) made it (1) to safety. However, I'm going to have to order them across the river sooner than expected. This is partly to facilitate the defense of Yelets (previous slide), and partly to help in the south near Rostov. The 1 Panzer Armee is committing itself fully to the push on Rostov. I'm afraid this area will fall into German hands much more quickly than the last game. Compounding this problem is that I'll likely have to transfer the 2 Shock Army (near Stalingrad) and possibly even the 54 Army (east of Stalingrad) to the forward defenses. I don't have enough strength to simply pull back to a defensive line in the east, so delaying the Axis for at least three or four weeks is critical. Otherwise, I'm not sure I can hold the oil fields to the south, or even Stalingrad to the east.

Sectors: Caucasus
I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here, planning the defense of the Caucasus oil fields at Maikop and Grozny. But if I can establish some decent fortifications in these three gaps, I can use the natural defensive positions in the mountains. This should only require about five or six more armies. Unfortunately, I don't have five or six armies to spare right now.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T001: 05.08.42

T001 05.08.42

RUSSIA
Sectors: Kursk-Kharkov-Rostov
I've tried the fighting withdrawl strategy here before. As a result of it I lost no less than two full armies. This time, I'm not being so adventurous. I've ordered all Armies between Kursk and Voroshilovgrad to evacuate east toward the Don River. Forming at Kursk, the front will make a right-angle (1) to Voronezh. From there, the 38 and 9 armies--the two completely lost last time when I didn't evacuate immediately--will use the cover of the first river as a natural defensive position (2), with the Don behind them as the fallback line. The remaining few armies are evacuating from the Kharkov sector (3), and should be able to get out with minimal losses. A few Op. Groups are holding back to screen the withdrawl. Though I'm not sure what exactly I'm going to do with this part of the front, the 24 Army and 3 Gds Tank Army are digging in (4) while waiting for more orders. They could be sent south to Rostov, or plug holes elsewhere in the line. Finally, the Rostov sector (5) is holding tight for the moment. There is still a great debate at headquarters about whether or not to invest too much manpower into the Rostov defense. But it will significantly slow the Germans and Romanians as they move into the Caucasus. As long as I keep this to a delaying action, and not a full-fledged static defense, it should provide the maximum benefit to the lowest cost possible.

 (Yes, I know the slide date is wrong)

GLOBAL
No other major movements or actions to report.

BUG ALERT: 1.5.1 Playtest Ends

Mark discovered a small error that resulted in a huge problem... a playtest-ending problem. You can read about it here:

May 11 Update – A Supply 1+ vs. a Supply Point 1 error caused Axis supply to jump up from 25 to 75 on Turn 15 (associated with the DAK forward supply point – one of the last events defined). That issue is fixed in this updated version. Further moderate tweak to Axis 81mm and 120mm mortar replacement rates.

So that means this run is over after only 15 turns. Too bad. The battle for Grozny was really in line to be a good one.

The next post here will be for our new playtest. We've started, but as per usual, will delay posting our AARs for about a dozen turns.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T014/7Aug42

RUSSIA

Sectors: The Caucasus

I'm giving up Maikop in order to save Grozny. Much of the units left between Rostov and Maikop have made it on trains to Grozny, or at least are staging along the coast for the rail trip south and east. As I mentioned in the previous report, my biggest fear right now is the race against time... and the 3rd Panzer Armee. They've already crossed two rivers, with only one tank division and one horse cavalry division standing in their way. Fortunately, I've been able to move the 1st Guards, 1st Gds Tank, 54th Army, and mixed detachments from reconstituted armies in the north, down to Grozny.

Mark faces a few challenges here. The first is supply. There are no rail lines leading from the Axis supply point at Rostov down to the Grozny area. By the time his forces reach the outskirts of the city, they could be very tired and out of gas. The second is manpower itself, as I've seen troop movements going toward the north from the Rostov areas. This would indicate he's not giving 100 percent of his efforts down here any more. There is no way in hell he has the numbers to cover all of the Caucasus, unless he's brought in fresh corps from places I don't know. But even if they were arriving, they would not have the benefit of getting to the front by rail. The attrition alone of such a march southward would render them much less effective against my defenses than had they arrived by rail.

ELSEWHERE

Not much going on. Not even in other parts of the Eastern Front.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T013/31Jul42

RUSSIA

Theatre Update: Don Front, Stalingrad, The Caucasus

There's not much going on across the European War, so I'm going with another theatre update for the southern portion of the Russian Front. The German III Panzer Armee is leading the spearhead into the Caucasus. From the intelligence reports, it appears the 17th Armee is in support, and the 6th Armee is forming a perimeter around Stalingrad.

The race to Grozny appears to be on. My fear right now is that the time wasted trying to defend Maikop will result in the fall of Grozny. But the 1st Guards Army is due to arrive near Yelets next week, and it should be able to make it down to Grozny within a few days time. I might also order the 1st Gds Tank Army to the area. Reconstituted units are arriving each week. While their readiness is in the basement, they offer warm bodies to man the guns in places like Astrakhan. Eventually they will relieve the 62nd Army along the Volga. 

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T012/24Jul42

RUSSIA

Theatre Update: Don Front, Stalingrad, The Caucasus

Things are holding together surprisingly well, considering Mark brought to bear the full force of at least four armies. Maikop is likely a goner, but Grozny will need more defenders if I want to hold any hope of keeping the city and its oil fields out of German hands. Right now, there is just the 54th Army (down from Leningrad) and some detachments thrown together. If I can get at least two more armies down to Grozny before the Germans get there, I might be able to hold it. The 1st Guards Army arrives next week. That unit will immediately move south to Grozny. The mountains should help slow the Axis advance. Astrakhan now has the 1st Guards Tank Army, while the 62nd Army is straddling the Volga River between there and Stalingrad.

Thankfully, the Axis recon isn't very good. This is the likely reason he hasn't seen the gaping hole northwest of Stalingrad. There isn't a Russian soldier for a hundred miles.

ELSEWHERE

England - The US 1st Division has arrived and is now encamped with the rest of the V Corps near Plymouth. The US now has its lead elements of the II and V Corps, including the 1st and 5th Infantry Divisions, the 15th Recon Group, and the 1st Armored Division.

North Africa - Little action. Attacks against the Tobruk garrison were easily repulsed. The El Alamein line hasn't been touched.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T011/17Jul42

RUSSIA

Sectors: North Caucasus-Stalingrad
The valiant delaying action by the 12th Army and 3rd Guards Tank Army might end up saving the defense of Stalingrad. In my last PBEM game vs Requiem72, I gave up too much ground too quickly in this part of the threatre. The Germans marched right through my defensive lines and into Stalingrad. But this time, albeit against a different opponent with a different strategic style, I've gone with the "make them fight for every yard" defense ahead of Stalingrad.

Rostov had finally been wiped clean of Russian defenders, as the 56th and 18th Armies are split between the two river crossings, with the 44th Army in between. The vast expanse east of the Don will offer easy picking for Mark's Panzers, but there isn't much strategic value in conquering open land. In fact, the entire 3rd Panzer Army is in danger of running out of supplies, as the rail line runs through Rostov (currently blocked by Russians) and Kalach (also blocked) west of Stalingrad. As long as I can hold these two rail road junctions, the Germans will be running on their temporary rations, slowing their advance significantly.

ELSEWHERE

NW Europe - Some bombing runs by the RAF have netted little, save for a few blown bridges and damaged factories.

Africa - Tobruk still holds. No pressure yet on the El Alamein line.

Crimea - Sevastapol is near surrender. The defenders will evacuate, leaving behind the skeleton garrison to delay the enemy. The Primorskava will sail from Sevastapol to Tuapse to the east.

There are no other significant updates.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T010/10Jul42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Voronezh
Continued fighting, but no major changes. The defensive line forming along the Don has not been hit with any major assaults... yet.

Sectors: Rostov-North Caucasus
The Rostov defenders are now cut off by the I SS Panzer Korps, which has led the charge into the Caucasus. The 44th Army has done a very nice job of delaying the river crossing, but with the III Panzer rushing over the Don to the north, more reinforcements will be needed from here to Stalingrad. But that's the story all over the southern half of the Eastern Front.

AFRICA

Sectors: Tobruk-Alexandria
No Change.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T009/03Jul42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Voronezh
The main objective is to hold Voronezh while stabilizing the front along the Volga. It's possible, but tricky, as the Russian reinforcements (60th, 62th, 63th, 7th Gds) aren't due to arrive for another week. I've had to order the 4th Army down from the north, and take the remnants of the 6th and 40th Armies before they're fully ready for action. The pocket south of Voronezh is what it is, a bad situation.

Sectors: Rostov-North Caucasus
The Rostov defenders are now cut off by the I SS Panzer Korps, which has led the charge into the Caucasus. The 44th Army has done a very nice job of delaying the river crossing, but with the III Panzer rushing over the Don to the north, more reinforcements will be needed from here to Stalingrad. But that's the story all over the southern half of the Eastern Front.

AFRICA

Sectors: Tobruk-Alexandria
Tobruk is holding, but I'm not sure how long it will last. No matter what happens in Lybia, the Egypt lines are getting stronger by the day. two more large divisions of Australians and New Zealanders have arrived in Alexandria.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T008/26Jun42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Voronezh
The 38th and 9th Armies are now surrounded, with a breakout very unlikely. The goal of this defensive line was to delay the German advance. It has done so, but I'm not sure if it was long enough. Reinforcements are due to arrive over the next three weeks, including three fresh infantry armies and an army of Guards. I might have to start pulling forces from other fronts in Russia to deal with this increasingly dangerous situation.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T007/19Jun42

19 JUN 42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Orel-Voronezh-Kharkov
Two main German pushes have come from the 4th Panzer Army in the north near Kursk, the other from Paulus's 6th Army east of Kharkov. Several holes have opened in my Russian line. But that's not the biggest problem. Mark's panzers have been utilized in classic Blitzkreig style, zipping around the rear of the defenders while the infantry keeps them pinned down. This has caused several of my divisions, including some entire armies, to be cut off into pockets. The biggest of these could end up being the large 38th Army coupled with the 9th. The only reinforcements this week had to be shipped down from the Leningrad sectors via rail. The 34th Army should help slow the German advance on Voronezh.

AFRICA

Sectors: Tobruk-Alexandria
More of the same right now. Rommel himself is in the area of Tobruk. I'm not sure if the Germans will make an assault on the city's defenses, or if the Italians will handle the siege. The Afrika Korps must be low on supply at this point, so speed will be key for them. I just don't see the Axis forces in Africa being able to make it past my defensive line at El Alamein. However, keeping my British Army bottled up in Egypt prevents them from being used elsewhere.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T006/12Jun42

12 JUN 42

RUSSIA

Sector: Rostov
The German panzers have raced around my right flank, crossing the Don east of Rostov. I've fortunately saved the 44th Army in reserve for such a situation, but it's only meant to be a delaying action. Elements of the 56th and 18th Armies have sliced the Germans off from their main force north of the city, but again, this will be short-lived. There are two very easy river crossing points northeast of Shakhty, which are completely undefended by my Russian troops. If Mark realizes this before I can get some screening units there, it's just a matter of time before the entire Don Front comes crumbling back to Stalingrad.

AFRICA

Sectors: Tobruk-Alexandria
Tobruk remains in Commonwealth control, but the DAK and Italians are marching quickly eastward. I'm expecting a seige of the city in the next week or so, while I continue to dig in near El Alamein.

TR 42-45 1.5.2 - ALLIED vs Mark - T016: 08.21.42

T016 08.21.42

RUSSIA 

Sector: Leningrad
I had a feeling this was coming soon, but not this soon. Mark has started his assaults on the Leningrad defenses. Once Sevastopol fell, I had observed the rail guns moving north to this sector, as well as the 11 Armee earlier in last month. The front line troops from the 55 and 42 Armies have held off the initial blows, but several units were forced to fall back. The problem here is that I can't get any more troops into the city's defense, obviously since this is a siege situation. My best hope is to hold out until more reinforcements can arrive and I can pressure the Germans elsewhere on the Russian Front, likely just south of Leningrad. It will take a valiant effort by the encircled Russians in the city to hold the city for more than a few weeks.

AFRICA

Sector: El Alamein
Once I saw the DAK and Italians were creeping toward El Alamein, I thought it best to tease them into early combat. So I've sent out the South Africans and 8 Armour from the XXX Corps to harass the Axis lead elements. Though it was a bit of a suicide mission, suffering severe losses already, the job was done well. The DAK and Italians were already struggling to maintain high readiness on the way to El Alamein, but having to engage my troops any earlier than necessary will take a costly toll on them once they reach my main defensive line. Long term, however, I have no idea what's going to happen in North Africa, specifically when I'm going to launch a counter offensive.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T005/5Jun42

5 JUN 42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Voroshilovgrad-Rostov
The arrival of another SS Panzer division has changed the course of the Battle for Rostov. The hole punched through by the I SS Panzer Korps will likely prove to be the end for my Russian defenders. Still, I'm holding the ground as long as possible. Control of the entire Caucasus and its oil fields hinges on holding Rostov. Reinforcements are slowly arriving from Siberia. Due soon are some powerful formations, including the 60th, 62nd, 63rd Armies. However, the first of those fresh armies won't get to the Eastern Front for yet another month.

NORTH AFRICA

Sectors: Tobruk-Alexandria
The arrival of four British Corps from England nearly guarantees the successful defense of Egypt. Tobruk could theoretically hold, but unlike against the PO, Mark should be able to take the city with some effort. I'm only leaving South African troops of the X & XXX Corps in the defense of Tobruk. But they're quality units.

The 1st Battalion of the 1st South African Division has made a gallant stand in Gazala, as has the 3rd Battalion of the 50th Division at Bir Hacheim. These delaying actions--nothing short of suicide missions--have proven frustrating for my opponent, as it deprives him of crucial crossroads, including the rail line to Tobruk.

Meanwhile, the rest of the X & XXX Corps ran like hell back to Alexandria. I'm working on a defensive line along the historical El Alamein positions, sending the I, V, VIII Corps forward from Alexandria.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T004/29May42

29 MAY 42

RUSSIA

Sectors: Voroshilovgrad-Rostov
The I SS Panzers have broken the line between the 18th & 24th Armies, but it should be contained for a little while. No reinforcements are scheduled to arrive for at least two more weeks, so this situation appears to be a perilous one to say the least. I've marked the Brandenberg Commandos that were shipped by rail all the way from Berlin. They are camping near Stalino, and I fully expect them to be used in the likely German breakout attempt. I'm looking for airdrop operations against the bridges and railroads along my lines of retreat and supply. For now, I'm getting rear-guard units ready to control damage.

FINLAND

There is some action coming in the north. But it's just small skirmishes for now. The Germans are taking some units from Norway to push my Russians.

NORTH AFRICA

Rommel and the Italians are in position for their offensive toward Tobruk and Egypt. I'm beginning the evacuation from Lybia, while the lead divisions from the V & VIII Corps are arriving in Alexandria.

TR 42-45 1.5.1 - ALLIED vs Mark - T003/22May42

Okay kids, here we go. Not only am I playtesting this scenario once again as the Allies, but it's against the man himself, designer Mark Dabbs. He's in Odessa, while I'm in DC. So the time difference is pretty stark. But we're getting through with about one turn per day, sometimes more.

I've decided to wait until turn 3 to start this AAR because the first two are pretty boring. It starts out the way you'd expect with this one, with most of the action near Kharkov and Rostov on the Eastern Front. Enjoy...

RUSSIA: 22 MAY 42

Sectors: Velikie Luki-Rzhev-Vyazma
This isn't so much a bad situation and just one I must be careful handling. It's a line "correction," pulling back from the bulge I started with. The 39th Army seems to have been caught by the Germans, but I'm sure a few divisions can get out safely. The rest of the line should be fine, particularly if I can get at least one more army in the region to bolster the reserves.

Sectors: Voroshilovgrad-Rostov
In order to hold Rostov as long as possible--delaying the Axis advance into the Caucasus--I've ordered the 2nd Shock Army down from Lenningrad. The 2nd will defend the city, flanked to the north by the 56th Army. This will be pretty much it for reinforcements to the region, as I've had to send the 44th Army farther north toward Yelets. If I can evacuate the 47th Army off the Crimean Penninsula, it will move toward Rostov. But I fear the city will fall by then.

Sectors: Kursk-Voronezh-Kharkov
The larger region north of Rostov is the most volatile right now along the Eastern Front. Two full armies--6th and 57th--are cut off by the Panzer divisions, as the rest of the line begins to form southward from Voronezh. The 47th Army--shipped up from the Caucasus--is staging in the southern sector behind the 3rd Guards Tank Army. I do not expect this long, thin line to hold very long. But delaying the Germans a few weeks would help things all over the theatre. 

NORTH AFRICA

Tobruk remains in British hands, but that's only because the Germans and Italians haven't yet attacked. I'm expecting that to come next week(turn), as I've spotted the Afrika Korps forming up west of my disheveled line. I'm currently shipping the British V and VIII Corps down from England. They are laying over on Malta, and will arrive in Alexandria next week.