PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

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Pitaman
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PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

The Bitter End 1.09.00

Server Game
Locked HQ Support
Full FOW
Reduced Blizzard
Soviet Attack Bonus +1
Non random weather

House Rules:
No Para drops
No bombing of HQ's unless stacked with a ground unit
No naval invasion before November 1941, none outside the 1939 Soviet borders before January 1943
In addition if Sevastopol is either isolated, or in German hands, none west of the Crimea
30 day rule = no turns in 30 days by one player the other wins by default

Automatic VC
If the Axis player holds
Leningrad, Moscow, Voronezh and Rostov concurrently at any time in 1941 he wins an auto victory
Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]A German Perspective on Operation Barbarossa[/center]
This AAR will be a fictional story told through the eyes of a real German intelligence officer. Georg Hansen actually rose to the rank of Colonel and was a key participant in the July 1944 plot to assinate Adolf Hitler. He was executed shortly after the plot failed. It will be my best guess on how Hansen might have reacted to the future events which will occur in this game between M60 and I. . [/center]

The AAR Story begins at the Military Compound near Wunsdorf,Germany, (combined German HQs for both the OKW and OKH), late on the evening of June 20, 1941

My name is Major Georg Hansen, I am the group leader for Division I of Amt Ausland/ Abwehr ,Office of Foreign Intelligence, for the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (OKW) (Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) My boss is Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, Chief of Foreign Intelligence. We were first briefed on the plans to invade the Soviet Union by General Erich Marcks of the Oberkommando des Heeres, (OKH) (Supreme High Command of the German Army) on 5 August 1940. The Marcks Plan called for the invasion of the Soviet Union as a surprise pre-emptive strike with the objective of establishing a final defensive line from Arkhangelsk in the north to Astrakhan at the mouth of the Volga River in the south. This goal would secure the Lebensraum ("living space") needed by the German people to secure their survival as Adolf Hitler's declared in his Mein Kampf manifesto.

Since our original 1940 briefing, the invasion plan has been renamed Operation Barbarossa and the Fuhrer has given the German Army, (OKH), total responsibility for the invasion of the Soviet Union, subject to his own personal guidance and supervision. In fact, Wilhelm Keitel, OKW Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and his Chief of Staff, Alfred Jodl, must first obtain the Fuhrer's approval before issuing any orders to the Army. Thus, the German Army is effectively in charge of the Soviet Union invasion. There has been many revisions to the original plan by the OKH Army staff and the invasion start date has been delayed from May 15 to June 22, 1941 as a result of our recent April 1941 invasions of the Balkans and Greece.

While OKH, German Army, will be in control of the invasion, we (OKW) will continue to provide Naval, Luftwaffe, Logistics and Intelligence support to the Army. So tomorrow morning I will be attending the last OKH briefing before the invasion begins. I will be giving the Army the latest OKW intelligence estimates. Admiral Canaris has shared his personal doubts about this invasion with me. His concerns cause me to start having my own doubts about the ultimate success of this invasion. However, I must put my doubts aside as the invasion will begin in less than 48 hours. I must trust our better staff planning, military leadership and proven blitzkrieg tactics will be enough to defeat Russia. They have already worked in Poland, Norway, France and the Balkans. I have no reason to believe they will not work in Russia. As I have heard the Fuhrer often say " We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down!"

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Peltonx
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Peltonx »

Good luck to you and more importantly have fun.
Beta Tester WitW & WitE
Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center] OKW Intelligence Estimate Briefing June 21, 1941[/center]

When I arrived this morning for the final invasion briefing, everyone was talking about the surprised appointment of General Gunther von Kluge as the commander of the German Army (OKH). ( first game decision to raise final german initiative checks from 4 to 8). The soldiers call him "Clever Hans" and this is a good nickname for him. He is a smart, decisive and bold leader, who is willing to listen to suggestions. This is quite an improvement from his predecessor, General Walther Von Brauchitsch, who many believe was no more than Hitler's "yes man".

This command change is good new! However, the latest OKW Intelligence Report for the Soviet Armed Forces is very disturbing. They estimate the size of the Soviet Armed Forces at over 5.7 million men in approximately 200 divisions and 46 separate Armor/Mech Brigades.
[center](See enclosed table for detailed estimate of Soviet Forces in Western Soviet Union)[/center]
[center]Image[/center]

Our ability to verify these numbers is limited. We must rely upon our embassy staff in Moscow, sporadic radio intercepts and aerial reconnaissance along the soviet border.

Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]Economic Resource Estimate for Soviet Union[/center]
General Georg Thomas, Head of the OKW Defence Economy and Armament Office, has developed an estimate of the Soviet Union Economy. A key part of Operation Barbarossa is the destruction of the Soviet ability to wage war. Thus the early capture of key economic centers is a vital component of the plan.
[center]Image[/center]

General Thomas will be responsible for tracking the destruction and conversion of the Soviet economy to support the German war effort.
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]General Thomas plan for Northern Soviet Railroad Conversion to German gauge[/center]
Image

The Northern rail plan will take advantage of the lower conversion costs in the Baltic region
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]General Thomas Plan for South Soviet Union Railroad conversion to German gauge[/center]
Image
The AGS Rail conversion unit, FB-4, will be transferred by rail to the Hungarian border on turn one. On turn two, the unit will rail down to Romania to start converting railroad gauge on turn 3.
Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]Initial Attack Plan for AGN[/center]

Image
Units of the 16th and 18th Armies will break through the Russian Baltic defenses. I Corps and II Corps will not participate in these initial attacks as their objectives is to get to Pskov by turn 3. 41st Panzer Corps will take Riga on turn 1 and the Totenkopt SS Division will take the town of Ventepils to isolate the Russian forces in the western Baltic region. 39th Panzer Corps of 3rd Panzer Group will cross the Daugava River at Daugavpils. 56th Panzer Corps will isolate Vilnius.
Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]Initial Attack Plan for AGC[/center]
Image

9th Army will take Kaunas and form the northern edge of the pocket to isolate the formations of the western front. 4th Army will take Brest Litovsk and form the southern edge of the western front pocket. Elements of 2nd Panzer group will head north towards Minsk, while elements of 3rd Panzer heads east towards Minsk to close the Western Front pocket.
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]Initial Attack Plan for AGS[/center]
Image

17th Army, 4th and Mountain Corps, will break through Russian border defenses east of Lublin . LI Corps will form east edge of Lvov pocket. 6th Army will push east through the Russian defenses to allow deep penetration by 1st and 2nd Panzer Corps and form northern edge of Lvov pocket. LIII Corps, 4th Army, and one Division of XII Corps, 2nd Panzer Group, will attack southeast of Brest Litovsk to form northern edge of pocket along western edge of Pripyet Marshes. Elements of 2nd Panzer Group will attack east towards Rovno. Elements of 1st Panzer, 3rd Panzer, will attack south through Tavnopol to reach the Rumanian border to seal the Lvov pocket.
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Disgruntled Veteran »

Looks good.
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]German Luftwaffe Air Doctrine Turn 1[/center]
Image

Initial German Luftwaffe efforts will be on destruction of Red Air Force. Except for fighter cover, no close air support will be provided to the Army. I hope the Army can achieve their initial objectives without our support. The LW hopes to catch the Soviet Air Force on the ground. They have established their priority targets as well. They want to destroy the Soviet bomber fleet, especially the IL4s, recon aircraft, and the front line fighters that are supporting the soviet ground forces.
Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]Initial AGN & AGC Air Attack Plan[/center]
Image

Short Range Stuka Ju87, LW Airbase 15 & 16, VIII FliegerKorps, will strike blue circled Soviet Air bases. Stuka's will move from starting bases to new front line base in order to reach the targets. Long Range Bombers, HE111 and JU88, will hit red circled Soviet Air bases. A mix of medium bombers,DO17, and long range bombers will hit black circled Soviet Air bases. Primary air targets are Soviet long range bombers, recon aircraft, and front line fighters
Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]Initial German AGS Soviet Air Targets for Turn 1[/center]
Image

JU87s from 10LW Airbase, II Fliegerkorps, upon destroying initial blue Soviet Air Base targets in AGC, will move south to Soviet border east of Lublin, and will attack the blue Soviet Air Bases in the AGS sector. The Romanian Air Force will strike the Soviet Air Bases circled in red. German Long range bombers will attack the Soviet Air Bases circled in black.
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RKhan
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by RKhan »

Well done. Its a lot of work to produce and AAR like this. It could also act as a primer for new players.
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STEF78
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by STEF78 »

Interesting point of view. It will require a strong energy to keep such a storytelling on the long term

Good luck, have fun!

I will follow it
GHC 9-0-3
SHC 10-0-4
Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center]Turn 1 Romanian Air Force Targets[/center]
Image

Romanian Air Force will hit the Soviet Air Bases circled in red. 19th and 20th LW Air Bases, IV Fliegerkorps, will hit the Soviet Air Bases circled in black. If all airplanes are destroyed in the assigned Romanian red target bases, they will join the LW in attacking the black circled airbases. Both LW bases will move up to the Romanian border at the end of the turn and will be reinforced with the reserve Ju52 transportation unit.
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

[center] Air Strike results for Turn 1[/center]
Image

Initial reports are coming into OKW from the Luffwaffe strikes on the Soviet Air Bases and the results are stunning! The LW is reporting the destruction of over 5,000 aircraft, over 4,500 of them were killed on the ground. Among the Soviet aircraft losses are 1,254 bombers, 241 Recon, 439 Tactical Bombers and over 3,000 Fighter Aircraft. We have lost less than 50 aircraft. These numbers cannot be correct. They must be inflated. But if they are true, the Soviet Air Force will not be in any condition to oppose us in the future. We have already won the Air War!!!!!!!!!!. Herman Goering must be doing a jig back in Berlin.
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by EwaldvonKleist »

Did you use the ground attack before airfield bombing method Pitaman? This results in extra air kills for your fighters and in general in a more destroyed Soviet planes (and more experience for your fighter groups).
Link to the in detail description of this tactic: tm.asp?m=3711990
Pitaman
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RE: PITAMAN vs M60A3TTS - A German Perspective

Post by Pitaman »

EvK,

Yes, I used this tactic. All ground attacks occurred first unless the air base was going to be overrun by ground troops. In that situation, the air base was attacked first before being overrun by ground troops. I believe this approach is reflected in the soviet air combat loss of 233 aircraft and german air combat loss of 15 aircraft. The Luftwaffe did provide close air support, fighter only, to ground troops. It is also interesting to note the Soviet lost 40 aircraft to AA fire. Most air base attacks occurred after ground troops completed their turn one moves. I also moved the LW air bases towards the border beforing ending the turn. This allowed them to hit some additional airbases using the DO17 medium aircraft. One final note on air doctrine for turn one. I turned off fighter coverage for recon flights.
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