Bagration (Veers-Soviet vs Silvanski-Axis)

[Silvanski]

I'll be making my PBEM debut in which I'll be trashed big time :upset:

Veers has accepted my invitation to take the Soviet side in Brian Topp's Bagration to Berlin scenario, maximum 52 turns of mayhem on the Eastern Front.

Some small but not insignificant changes have been put in place:

-Formation orders: PO timing for formations turn activations now also applies to both human players (Wait/Hold/Fixed orders are now Delay/Static orders) This forces the Soviet player more or less to follow the historic timing of offensives and prevents the Axis player of transferring too many units to other sectors of the front.
-Map: geographical adjustments in Poland, Germany and Hungary (roughly the same as in my Trotsky's War map)
-OOB: a few cosmetic changes -use of standardized naming and abbreviations, changed icons for air units
-But that's it... events, weather, VP's etc are left untouched.

I'm awaiting Veers' opening turn which won't be a pretty experience for the Wehrmacht.
I'll have to handle my units very carefully.
As Rumsfeld said: you go to war with the army you have, not with the army you want... and for that matter, the Axis in 1944 don't posses too many crack units anymore -with a few exceptions-

I'll be giving the Axis point of view, of course.

 

[Veers]

Operation Bagration Begins

The weekly Soviet news for June 22nd-28th, 1944:

The Glorious Red Army has totally surprised the worn out Wehrmacht with the offensive that will bring about the end of this, the Great Patriotic War. The Operation is called 'Bagration', named after 18th-19th century Georgian prince Pyotr Bagration, great general of the Russian army who was undefeated until he received a mortal wound at the Battle of Borodino. It was launched on June 22nd, 1944, the third anniversary of the date that the Fascist pigs launched their initial invasion of our great country!
Of a total of 52 enemy divisions (50 Infantry and 2 PzGren) arrayed along the front line attacked this week 28 were destroyed (27 Infantry Divisions and 1 PzGren Division) in just the first week of this great offensive. Intelligence reveals that the Germans could respond with only 17 Divisions (11 Inf, 1 Cav, 2 PzGren, and 3 Panzer) over the next week, without drawing upon troops that are already committed to a front line.
The air war went very well, also, with over 600 enemy craft being downed.
Soviet casualties were regarded as light.
The German Army Group Centre has been totally shattered and will soon be totally destroyed. Advances of 120km were made in some areas. Mogilev, Orsha, Vitebsk, and Pskov were all liberated from the Fascists.
This is the beginning of the end for the Fascists.

 

[Silvanski]

OKH reacts to Soviet propaganda.

-Just got home from work, so the situation on the Ostfront is not clear yet.
But this came in by wire...

First reaction from OKH spokesperson Ritter Freiherr Von Sahaf (see picture):

"There are no Bolshevists in Mogilev, Orsha, Vitebsk, or Pskov!"

 

[Silvanski]

Bagration -Turn 1, 22 June 1944

The Fuhrer was caught chewing the carpet!:bite:


22-28 June 1944
"Das OKW gibt bekannt:"
The Bolshevist atacks in Byelorussia didn't take many by surprise.
Army Group Center came under heavy pressure but has reorganized itself and will throw the barbaric hordes back. All the way to Moscow if must be!
The Wehrmacht has powerfull reserves ready to achieve this.

Veers is clearly enjoying the 200% shock value and using it well.
The map -without Axis unit disposition of course- clearly shows the advance made, from the entrenched lines, and some of the manoeuvres carried out.
He's obviously racing to the coast in an effort to cut off the German units in the Baltic.

 

[Veers]

Veers is clearly enjoying the 200% shock value and using it well.

Yep.

The map -without Axis unit disposition of course- clearly shows the advance made, from the entrenched lines, and some of the manoeuvres carried out.
He's obviously racing to the coast in an effort to cut off the German units in the Baltic.

Am I that obvious? :devious:

The weekly Soviet news for June 29th-July 5th, 1944:

Operation Bagration has continued to rival anyone's expectations, as the Wehermacht simply collapses before the advancing Red Army!
Another 24 enemy divisions were crushed under the Red Army's heels! Of the over 60 enemy divisions that originally made up Army Groups North and Centre, only 15 remain!

The Air War went splendidly again this week, as over 500 enemy craft were downed! Our own air casualties remain low.

Tartu, Polotsk, Bobruysk, Baranoviczy, Pinsk, and Kovel were all liberated this week! Advances of 140km were made in some places!

 

[L`zard]

-Just got home from work, so the situation on the Ostfront is not clear yet.
But this came in by wire...

First reaction from OKH spokesperson Ritter Freiherr Von Sahaf (see picture):

"There are no Bolshevists in Mogilev, Orsha, Vitebsk, or Pskov!"

Berlin Bob?

:clown:

 

[Silvanski]

Berlin Bob?

:clown:

That's him :ciao:

 

[Silvanski]

29 June - 4 July 1944

29 June - 4 July 1944

"Das OKH gibt bekannt:"

The new Chief of the General Staff, Guderian has been given a free hand to conduct the campaign in the East.
This passionate advocate for mobile warfare proved his merit in our glorious campaign in France and annihilation of many Bolshevist formations in 1941. He is building up a strong strategic reserve and once again will lead the Wehrmacht in a decisive campaign.

News from the front:

Bolshevist reports of deep advances are overrated and part of their propaganda. We have good control over cities like Minsk, Daugavpils and several other key points.

It is true that some of our units have been temporarly withdrawn, but only for operational purposes and refitting.
Other units have repositioned themselves, in order to strike back at the enemy more ferociously.
This proves efficient as past week saw the destruction of 75 enemy tanks.

The Luftwaffe played its important part - as usual - destroying 100 enemy aircraft and is vigourisly straffing enemy supply and communication lines.

 

[Veers]

No pictures this time? Don't want to give away the truth? :devious: :laugh:

 

[Veers]

7/6-12/ 44 T3

There were two main German reactions this week. The withdrawal of the Narva Army from the Narva area and the arrival of 5 mobile divisions (3 panzer, 1 Cav, and one PzGren) in the Kaunas-Vilna area. The former was too little, too late, as these units are basically cut off now, with the ones that stayed near Narva soon to be destroyed. The later was dealt with swiftly as the 3rd Guards Mech and 3rd Guards Tank Corps-5th Guards Tank Army thrashed 3 of those Mobile divisions and left one far behind them, to be dealt with later, unless it is able to withdraw.

This was another stellar week for the Red Army. 18 enemy divisions were destroyed, including 2 Pz/PzGren Divisions. My estimates are that Silvain has less than 20 divisions north of the Pripet Marshes. My lead elements are at the gates of Riga, Grodno, Brest-Litovsk, and Lvov. My lead Cavalry Divisions are 180km from Konigsberg, with powerful Mechanized forces close behind them. 3rd Baltic Front is 20km from the Baltic Sea Coast. Operation ‘Bagration’ has been an unprecedented success.

By this time in my game against Jonathan, Jonathan had begun to establish a new, solid, line from Daugavpils to the western edge of the Pripet Marshes (while the area from Bialystok to Lvov lay wide open). Silvain has failed to even begin to contain my thrusts towards East Prussia. And now I am beginning to open up the area west of the 1st Ukrainian Front, with the aim of taking Lvov, Brest-Litovsk, and Warsaw.

Over 8 Mech and Armoured Corps are in the Kaunas-Vilna area, less than 300km from Konigsberg, which in history, did not fall until May 9th, 1945.

 

[Silvanski]

Bagration - Silvanski's Turn 3

5 - 11 July 1944
"Das OKH gibt bekannt!"

The losses AG Center suffered are being replenished. A defensive line is being set up in eastern Poland to prevent any further gains by the Bolshevists. The front line has been shorthened thanks to an orderly redeployment by elements of the Narva army. Most units will be prevented from getting isolated in the Baltics. The Soviet line of advance runs from just east of Riga south to Przemysl and then further south east to Odessa where all is still quiet.

I was frustrated by a premature end-of-turn, with some unresolved tactical counter strokes.

I admit I lost valuable time in setting up a defensive line more to the West, a combination of lack of available units and shell shock on my behalf.

The Soviet advance developed enormous speed but shock value will be declining over the next few turns, and there are German reinforcements waiting in the wings. I still hope to slow the Soviets down. They must be getting exhausted.

 

[Silvanski]

less than 300km from Konigsberg, which in history, did not fall until May 9th, 1945

It would be too predictable to repeat history in a game

 

[Veers]

It would be too predictable to repeat history in a game

Of course. :devious:

 

[Veers]

Another good week for the Red Army. 12 more Axis divisions were destroyed. Of the half-dozen German Panzer Divisions that were defending northwest of East Prussia at the beginning of the week, only one, the 6th Pz Div, continued to hold its starting position, though powerful Soviet forces are past it on either side. Riga, Grodno, Siauliai, Lublin, Brest-Litovsk, and Lvov were all liberated this week!

The main action involved the various fronts moving forward, attempting to get to the new German divisions. About the only forces able to reach those positions were the Mechanized forces, which were more than powerful enough to break those German positions and continue the momentum of the advance.

Lead elements are 120km from Konigsberg, 100km from Warsaw, 80km from Memel, 40km from Insterburg, 40km from Bialystok, and at the gates of Przemysl. Lead elements have captured 60 square kilometres of German territory! The capture of East Prussia is imminent!

As German resistance stiffens a staff officer asks the commander of the 3rd Guards Tank Corps, currently 120km from Konigsberg, "With German resistance stiffening, do you think Stalin will allow us to pull up for a rest before continuing onward?"
The reply from the senior officer is swift as he grabs points to the map on the table, "See this here?" He says, pointing to a line on the far far side of East Prussia, "This is our stop line. It ain't east of us, it ain't north of us, it's right there, on the far side of East Prussia, now we're going to advance until we get there. Whether the Germans fall back to that line or whether the devil, himself, decides to come up and give them a hand in defence."

 

[Veers]

Mini-Map Turn 0-4

Well, that really puts 'er in perspective; that's a big ass chunk of land I acquired.

 

[Silvanski]

12 -18 July 1944
"Das OKH gibt bekannt!"

The defensive lines are being reinforced. A counter attack by the Totenkopf Pz Div near Lublin overran several airfields and succeeded in making contact with elements of 4 PzA, trapped east of that city.

Slowly but surely some defensive lines are being established, but I realize this won't hold up the Soviet steamroller for long.
Soviet shock was still 130% this past turn and I'm a rookie but Veers is conducting his units very well.

The map shows the end of turn 4 frontline, and some local German counter strokes.

 

[Silvanski]

analysis

Here's where I went wrong. I hesitated in pulling these units back, fearing a push north through the Pripet. They subsequently got cut off and destroyed.

 

[Silvanski]

... they should have been deployed around this line ... maybe a bit more south of it
Too late now :drink:

 

[Veers]

The defensive lines that my opponent thought were being to materialize have been torn to ribbons. 2 of the vaunted German panzer divisions have also been destroyed this turn and several more are pocketed and will be destroyed next week!
Tallinn, Venspils, Liepaja, Bialystok, Memel, Lotzen, and Insterburg were all captured! Lead elements are 80km from Warsaw, 40km from Konigsberg, at the gates of Lublin, at the gates of Przemysl, at the gates of Parnu, and at the gates of Stanislawow!
Another 350 enemy aircraft were destroyed. The Luftwaffe's fighters seem to be grounded, so his ground attack aircraft go up unescorted and, therefore, get cut to ribbons by the thousands of fighters I have in the offensive area. Interdiction also seems to be becoming a problem for the Fascists.

Besides not pulling 2nd Army out of the Pripet Marshes soon enough, Silvain also failed to withdraw the Narva Army fast enough (he did withdraw it on turn 2, but should have withdrawn it on turn 1 [of cours,e how was he to know?]. In the event the one Division of the Narva Army that did manage to escape destruction in the north, 58th Inf, is now playing an integral role in the defence of eastern East Prussia.

I wonder if Silvain will pull Army Group South Ukraine out of Romania before I take Berlin...? :devious: :clown:

 

[Veers]

For Comparison

End of turn mini-maps from my first game, against Jonathan (Polynike), and my second game, against Silvain (Silvanski).

Note:
Jonthan has managed to keep most of Lithuania, but there is a large gap around Lublin that I as in the proocess of exploiting that may have meant a forced withdrawal from the entirety of the Baltics for Jonathan.

Silvain, on the other hand, has lost Lithuania and is seeing Soviet troops get closer and closer to Konisgberg, while he has been basically been able to hold me in southern Poland, safeguarding Budapest and any chance of a large slicing action north to the Baltic Sea coast well west of East Prussia.