Turn 8
8/19-25/39 T8
USSR:
In a shocking, well, not that shocking, development the thus far only lightly tested Wehrmacht has continued east, through Poland, into the USSR. Unfortunately, neither Zhukov nor Timoshenko were able to make it to their new commands before hostilities broke out. Both are now building new Head-Quarter staffs for the Western and Baltic Fronts at Vitebsk and Pskov, respectively. The Southern Front has also been activated, with Koniev headed to that command. Budenny will take over command of the Trans-Caucus Front.
Baltic Front: The Germans have railed three infantry Corps through the friendly Baltic states up to 75km north-east of Riga. In a stunning move, two German divisions were landed at Talinn, threatening Leningrad. A single German Armoured Corps is 25km south of Riga. The only successful Soviet attack came here as two Motorized Corps attacks three entrained German Corps, taking light losses for a good harvest of dead Germans.
Pic.12: Baltic Front.
Western Front: Lithuania has become a major battleground as about half of the Western Front has been pocketed by German and Baltic troops. East of the Pripet Marshes the other half of the Western Front is in the process of being surrounded by German mobile troops. Minsk has been reinforced to act as a large road-block to German forces, while a defensive line is being built from Pskov to Orsha. Desperate attacks by the pocketed Western Front yielded very little.
Pic.13: Western Front.
Southern Front: In the south much weaker German forces are attacking Lvov. The Romanians have advanced to the Dneister River, but have yet to cross it. Being the least important part of the front, very few troops have been sent here, mostly NKVD Divisions.
Pic.14: Southern Front.
Norway:
The Norwegians, the UK 1st Armoured, the UK Royal Engineers, and the Free Polish Division have all been pulled out the line and are going to be headed, via rail, to just south of Narvik next week, the first leg of their journey to Finland, to assist the Reds there.
Finland:
The Finns made 25km of progress towards Leningrad this week. Elsewhere in Finland Soviet troops have been stripped away to bear minimums in order to ship all available troops to the main front.
Pic.15
Iran:
Budenny, who is taking over the Trans-Caucus Front, has inherited a very weak Front. Progress is steady, however, with another 50km of territory gained.
France:
The French are contemplating offensive action, now that the vast majority of the Whermacht is in the Soviet Union. What they will do for sure is send three Corps to Marseille in preparation for an immediate counter-blow at Anzio, should the Italians join Herr Stevens in his foolish crusade.
In preparation for any action, the entirety of the French and British Air Forces has been moved closer to the border with Germany.
North/Baltic Seas:
The French Atlantic Navy has forces its way through the islands east of Denmark into the Baltic Sea to assist the Soviet Navy. The British Home Fleet and Force ‘H’ will attempt to do the same in the coming days.
North Africa:
The ‘Army of the Nile’ has been withdrawn form the front line on the Egypt-Libya border to be sent to Iran. The Arab Legion is now streaking across the desert towards Iran.
