Sturm und Drang : Allied Perspective

[gwgardner]

June 9, 44

Not wanting the Germans to solidify their strong positions behind the Nieman River, orders came out from Zhukov's HQ to make a crossing south of Kaunas at all costs, in an attempt to bypass the German armor.

The costs were heavier than even Zhukov bargained for, because the Luftwaffe finally entered the fray, contesting the crossing every inch of the way. The Red Air Force took 50% losses, but was able to soften the targeted German infantry corps enough to allow a breakthrough by Russian armor.

Thinking that an opportunity existed to force a serious loss of German armor, Zhukov then ordered the paratroopers into the fray again. Unlike the last time they dropped beyind enemy lines, this time they were decimated by German air attacks. Zhukov defended his decision on the grounds that it was either 'use them or effectively lose them.'

[gwgardner]

July 44

In the West, the Axis has abandoned western France. The UK and US do not have enough feet on the ground to actually liberate that huge territory, but are slowly building up. The UK has ceased its lend-lease to the Russians.

In the East, the presence of the Luftwaffe has put a deep crimp into offensive efforts, but they go forward. The Germans have manned their front line in Prussia with their armor, making it practically impenitrable, therefore Stavka has trained the focus of attacks further south towards the less-well-defended northern Pripets. The going there is more in the nature of slogging than blitzing, but progress is being made.

Hrodna is desperately needed as a supply nexus, or perhaps Warsaw farther south.

[gwgardner]

November '44

The year has been taken up with a series of offensives in three general areas, as marked on the map. The Germans have managed to beef up their lines wherever we have hit, albeit with immediate objectives taken, i.e. Riga, Minsk, Kiev. The current offensive is aimed at southern Poland, with the hope that a deep penetration will cause the enemy to fall back all along his front in order to maintain longer lines.

Concentration of both air and armor has been the key to the advances, but we have not yet made that destructive breakthrough that would cause panic and chaos among the enemy forces.

The current breakthrough southwest of Kiev has opened a 120 mile gap in the front, but the Germans still strong forces capable of moving in to close it.

[gwgardner]

In the West, we are still bogged down west of the Rhine. Steady, incremental gains have been met at every instance with stiff resistance. Our parachute corps have been completely decimated after being committed to a daring breakthrough aimed at Luxembourg. The Germans were able to destroy the paratroopers with armored counterattacks.

The big problem in the West is paucity of actual feet on the ground. Our infantry corps are strong, but few. They would be sufficient to advance, but for the 4 massive German armored corps that wait for counterattacks if we leave an opening.

[Chocolino]

Our parachute corps have been completely decimated after being committed to a daring breakthrough aimed at Luxembourg. The Germans were able to destroy the paratroopers with armored counterattacks.

Great move nonetheless. This is the first time that I have seen paratroopers used to complete a sizable encirclement. That is yet another tactical option to be afraid of as the Axis since even if the pocket is opened immediately, the units inside are fair game for at least one turn (w/o city in the pocket) and can be picked up at will. I could imagine the lost paratroopers were worth it.

[gwgardner]

ORIGINAL: Chocolino


Great move nonetheless. This is the first time that I have seen paratroopers used to complete a sizable encirclement. That is yet another tactical option to be afraid of as the Axis since even if the pocket is opened immediately, the units inside are fair game for at least one turn (w/o city in the pocket) and can be picked up at will. I could imagine the lost paratroopers were worth it.

With the game coming to its close, either a victory or a draw, I felt it best to go ahead and use the paratroopers before it's too late to use them for anything. For that command decision I ought to be court-martialed!

[gwgardner]

December 44

The offensive continues in the East. It's a turn for regrouping in the West, where we try come up with a plan for crossing the Rhine.

[gwgardner]

Feb 45

In the West the US has broken through the German lines and taken Strasbourg. Still not enough feet on the ground for an extended advance, however.

[gwgardner]

Ferocious, month-long tank battles around Lublin, in which an entire Russian armored corps has been destroyed. We think the enemy will be forced to withdraw from Lublin within the month, but at a terrible cost to us.

[gwgardner]

March 16, '45

In the West, the US is driving practically unopposed through Bavaria, making a wheeling move east and north, intended to force the Germans off their strong defensive line along the Rhine.

In the East, the offensive into southern Poland continues. The enemy did withdraw from Lublin, then attempted to draw a line before Warsaw. The full weight of the Red Army's tank corps didn't even stop, but continued right on through to within sight of the erstwhile Polish capitol.

Zhukov has ordered the Red Air Force to reposition north of the Pripets, so that it can support both the offensive towards Warsaw, and the opening of a renewed effort in the north.

[gwgardner]

May, '45

[Player's note: my opponent will hold off my 'victory' till well after the historical date; in this game, with the play-imbalance, he's done a masterful job of managing the Axis.]

In the West, a mad dash by forward armored units of the US towards Berlin evidently put something of a scare into the German leadership, because they abandoned the Rhine and Brussels to the tender mercies of the Allies, and have pulled back into a consolidated position anchored on the city of Cologne. We intend to continue to pick off the poorly defended production and communication centers in southern Germany, while tightening the noose around the main mass of the German army in the north.

In the East, the enemy apparently got wind of our intended northern offensive and decided to pull back into shorter lines in Prussia and Poland, abandoning both Konigsburg and Warsaw.

As shown in the campaign map here, our own reconnaisance of the new German positions showed a weakness west of Warsaw. General Zhukov ordered intensive bombing of the weak Bulgarian and German infantry across the Vistula, and an all-out assault against those positions. The breakthrough threatens the entire mass of German troops in southern Poland.

[gwgardner]

The US and Russian forces have met outside Vienna, and have now established lines around Berlin, for the final push. The Germans have pulled their entire armored forces into a cordon around Berlin, apparently.

General Zhukov places no value on Berlin per se, and is willing to allow the US forces to bleed for its conquest. Meanwhile, he directs the preponderance of the Russian arms south, to make sure he controls the Balkans and perhaps Italy before the Axis powers see the light and surrender.

It is suspected that the Germans will attempt to create a redoubt around Copenhagen, given their continued naval dominance of the seas. This will force either the Russians or the US to revitalize their paratrooper corps.

[gwgardner]

I've lost track of the days. It's in early '46 now.

The total Axis dominance of the sea has severely hindered what the British can do, since their ground forces in France are always at around 60% supply. I have had them attempting to enter Spain, to no avail.
Similarly for the US, as far as attempting to enter Italy across the Alps.

The US and Russia have cooperated in taking the Berlin festung, with relentless air strikes and a slow attrition of the German infantry. Combined, the US, UK, and Russia have 13 air armies. (as an aside, I find absolutely no advantage to having a level five air army(US) over a level 2(Russia))

German armor has made a breakout for Rostok, from which we project they will flee to either the Copenhagen redoubt or Sweden. To pursue the enemy to either place, will require paratroopers, of which we currently have zip, zero, nada.

The Swedes have entered a suicide pact with the Germans apparently, and entered the war.

The Russians have entered the Po Valley, and will strike on Rome. The entire Balkans and Greece are in Russian control.

Briefly, the Russians were providing lend-lease to both the US and UK to build sea transports.

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner
(as an aside, I find absolutely no advantage to having a level five air army(US) over a level 2(Russia))

I think the biggest differance is in air to air combat.

[gwgardner]

Social unrest in Russia is at 89%.  The war has to end soon.

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

Social unrest in Russia is at 89%.  The war has to end soon.

What happens if it get to 100%?

[Mike Parker]

*ponders* I think its the other way around.  Social unrest is a coefficient to your total production, so its when social unrest reaches 0% that you worry.  I could have that wrong but I thought it was something that started at 100% (fully efficient) and drops as you get more unrest in your nation.
 

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: Mike Parker

*ponders* I think its the other way around.  Social unrest is a coefficient to your total production, so its when social unrest reaches 0% that you worry.  I could have that wrong but I thought it was something that started at 100% (fully efficient) and drops as you get more unrest in your nation.

You may be correct. I have never paid much attention to social unrest.

[gwgardner]

Social unrest starts at 100%, meaning it's a multiplier for the base PPs, I guess.  In other words, that's actually 0 social unrest in the populace. Everybody's happy. In this game, I had huge production in Russia, around 300+ PPs a turn, then suddenly it dropped to 189 PPs upon the taking of Berlin.  So I looked to see why, and the social unrest was way up, bringing that percentage multiplier down.  The logic of social unrest going up after the taking of Berlin is perhaps that the people would see that is the rightful end of the war, whereas those crazy Chuckified Germans are hunkering down for a siege around Copenhagen.

[gwgardner]

With Russian armored spearheads in the Appennines, within sight of rome, the warring factions have met to agree on an armistace in place, with Germany and Italy and Spain as the Axis powers in being, holding their respective current territories.

The Allied powers, both east and west, are exhausted and although were successful in beating back the invading hordes, lost heavily by all other measures.