Uh oh, things slowing to a stop in the south. Your panzers are now at the end of a long and thin salient. What will you do next? 
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Defend the salient, of course. Already I my brave defenders in Stanislawow have repulsed a Russian attack!
General Böhme and the XII. AK as well as the 1. PzKorps (Hausser) fought fiercely and saved the 1. and 2. PG from a desaster already. No reason being relieved, indeed.
General Böhme and the XII. AK as well as the 1. PzKorps (Hausser) fought fiercely and saved the 1. and 2. PG from a desaster already. No reason being relieved, indeed.
Well, yeah - but please do not forget I am following the orders of Hitler - the Führer will not retreat. Period. I have discussed that matter in the Wolfsschanze face to face but in the end I received a lengthy lesson about warfare and the lessons learned "in World War One." It was terrible, I tell you
Well, if you look at it that way you are screwed. Period.
A good commander dosen't always follow his leaders orders to the letter. A good commander dosen't always tell his leader what is exactly going on.
All you are facing now is Trench Warfare if you continue the current strategies.
Winner: Well... as I said before - no retreats by Führerbefehl. But... perhaps I could use a little Ground Attack here and there
Maj. von Mauser: Probably I am - and you are right, a good commander does not do this. There were plenty of good commanders in WW2 but do not forget that they had to obey a madman at the top. One dangerous madman that could easily have you killed or your family imprisoned if one did not follow his orders... Does not mean every oder will be fulfilled by the very word but still absolutely no easy situation. I just read about how Guderian flew to the Wolfsschanze and argued with Hitler about the stopping of his drive towards Moscow but to no avail - this scene could have happened in my aar as well.
Maj. von Mauser: Probably I am - and you are right, a good commander does not do this. There were plenty of good commanders in WW2 but do not forget that they had to obey a madman at the top. One dangerous madman that could easily have you killed or your family imprisoned if one did not follow his orders... Does not mean every oder will be fulfilled by the very word but still absolutely no easy situation. I just read about how Guderian flew to the Wolfsschanze and argued with Hitler about the stopping of his drive towards Moscow but to no avail - this scene could have happened in my aar as well.
Don't forget also that back in 1943, when the grenadiers of Liebstadarte(sp?) and Tottenkopf recaptured Minsk and the Russians launched a flanking counter attack to encircle the city, Hitler gave a "stand ground" order. With a second Stalingrad coming, general Paul Hausser, commander of the 2 divisions disregarded the ordered, pulled his troops out of Minsk, which the Russians captured.
After that, having used these troops to halt the russian offensive on his flanks, he assaulted the city again, capturing it for a 3rd time!
As far as Guderian goes, i've read somewhere a comment that went like: "He was the bravest man. He wasn't afraid of anything. He wasn't afraid of Hitler."
After that, having used these troops to halt the russian offensive on his flanks, he assaulted the city again, capturing it for a 3rd time!
As far as Guderian goes, i've read somewhere a comment that went like: "He was the bravest man. He wasn't afraid of anything. He wasn't afraid of Hitler."
Oh and another thing!
You have a pilot in your stuka formations. Hans-Ulrich Ruddel.
Give him a plane and he'll destroy 587 tanks and other armoured vehicles (i think the score stopped at 587) + some trains and trucks, while sinking the Marat in the process. And with just 1 leg too!
You have a pilot in your stuka formations. Hans-Ulrich Ruddel.
Give him a plane and he'll destroy 587 tanks and other armoured vehicles (i think the score stopped at 587) + some trains and trucks, while sinking the Marat in the process. And with just 1 leg too!
Oh and another thing!
You have a pilot in your stuka formations. Hans-Ulrich Ruddel.
Give him a plane and he'll destroy 587 tanks and other armoured vehicles (i think the score stopped at 587) + some trains and trucks, while sinking the Marat in the process. And with just 1 leg too!
A leg he lost LITERALLY KICKING A SHARK IN THE FACE WHILE JUMPING OUT OF AN EXPLODING PLANE ON A SNOWBOARD.
Kamlah: Of course there were exceptions and the one you mentioned is very valid! But these were local tactical exceptions, not big strategic ones. The latter were all lost to the Führerhauptquartier afaik.
Rudel... yeah I could use that man
Alexus: You forgot to mention he shot twenty-five Russians while doing said move! LEFT-HANDED! WITH EYES CLOSED!
Kurt_Steiner: The essence of my last update, yes. In Germany a football player once said the legendary words: "Zuerst hatte ich kein Glück und dann kam auch noch das Pech dazu..."
Oh and by the way: I will probably update tonight! "The Turku-Crisis"...
Rudel... yeah I could use that man
Alexus: You forgot to mention he shot twenty-five Russians while doing said move! LEFT-HANDED! WITH EYES CLOSED!
Kurt_Steiner: The essence of my last update, yes. In Germany a football player once said the legendary words: "Zuerst hatte ich kein Glück und dann kam auch noch das Pech dazu..."
Oh and by the way: I will probably update tonight! "The Turku-Crisis"...
I told you that your southern plan was too much, but you didn't listen!! Great updates.
The Turku-Crisis (July 21st till July 24th)
Field Marshal Mannerheim looking over a map
The crisis of the Finnish ally had worsened since the breakthrough towards Helsinki, but the brave Finns had managed to fight the Soviets off for nearly two weeks now. While their numbers were dwindling and the divisions retreating in the face of overwhelming odds the Red Army was only advancing cautiosly. The lessons learned during the Winter War were still fresh and the bravery of the enemy not forgotten. However, with greater numbers and superior equipment, as well as tanks and bombers there was little the Finns could do. Many soldiers had set their hopes on their ally, Germany, to help them and aid them with divisions and guns – but instead of bringing in reinforcements the German fleet had only arrived to help with a withdrawal from their motherland towards the Reich – a step some soldiers were not willing to take despite the order. It had been Fieldmarshal Mannerheim himself who had finally denied the boarding of the German ships in the harbour of Turku and had devoted himself to the final stand.
The beautiful Turku before the Winter War, the castle is visible in the background
The city of Turku on the south coast of Finland was the last stronghold of the Finns. Helsinki had been burning when the soldiers of Marshal Mannerheim were forced to retreat. The image of the smoking city left behind broke many a finnish heart and the remaining men were determined to defend their last holdout. The troops that were left to defend were only few, however. Mannerheim had only two battered divisions at his command, the 11. Divisioona led by Oberst Kaarlo Heiskanen and the 19. Divisioona under the command of Oberst Hannu Hannuksela. The 11th had only 75% remaining strength, while the 19th still had 80% of their fighting strength – on paper. The real situation looked a little different: Mannerheim had less than 10,000 men in total manning the last line behind the river Kravinkuja, some 20 kilometres (less than 15 miles) west of the town Salo, which was already in Soviet hands.
On the morning of the 23rd, the German Reserveflotte of the Kriegsmarine escorting the transport ships of Grand Admiral Böhm still anchored in the harbour of Turku despite the urges of the Finnish High Command to leave and despite a formal protest of Mannerheim himself. He argued an allied fleet would give his soldiers no reason to fight until the last but instead flee to the ships. It should indeed prove fatal.
General Rokossovsky's 21. Tank Division broke through the weakest point in the lines and raced towards the undefended town. Supported by bombers the tanks drove directly into the harbour where the German fleet just escaped their grip. The heavy cruiser Schleswig-Holstein received two bad hits when leaving the harbour, both from a BT-5 tank but fortunately both above the waterline.
The ships left behind a burning Turku that stood like a monument for the failure of the Finns to defend their home.
The last defenders were chased north-west, but it was clear that the end of Finland would not take long now.
The castle under heavy artillery fire on the 23rd of July
Field Marshal Mannerheim looking over a map
The crisis of the Finnish ally had worsened since the breakthrough towards Helsinki, but the brave Finns had managed to fight the Soviets off for nearly two weeks now. While their numbers were dwindling and the divisions retreating in the face of overwhelming odds the Red Army was only advancing cautiosly. The lessons learned during the Winter War were still fresh and the bravery of the enemy not forgotten. However, with greater numbers and superior equipment, as well as tanks and bombers there was little the Finns could do. Many soldiers had set their hopes on their ally, Germany, to help them and aid them with divisions and guns – but instead of bringing in reinforcements the German fleet had only arrived to help with a withdrawal from their motherland towards the Reich – a step some soldiers were not willing to take despite the order. It had been Fieldmarshal Mannerheim himself who had finally denied the boarding of the German ships in the harbour of Turku and had devoted himself to the final stand.
The beautiful Turku before the Winter War, the castle is visible in the background
The city of Turku on the south coast of Finland was the last stronghold of the Finns. Helsinki had been burning when the soldiers of Marshal Mannerheim were forced to retreat. The image of the smoking city left behind broke many a finnish heart and the remaining men were determined to defend their last holdout. The troops that were left to defend were only few, however. Mannerheim had only two battered divisions at his command, the 11. Divisioona led by Oberst Kaarlo Heiskanen and the 19. Divisioona under the command of Oberst Hannu Hannuksela. The 11th had only 75% remaining strength, while the 19th still had 80% of their fighting strength – on paper. The real situation looked a little different: Mannerheim had less than 10,000 men in total manning the last line behind the river Kravinkuja, some 20 kilometres (less than 15 miles) west of the town Salo, which was already in Soviet hands.
On the morning of the 23rd, the German Reserveflotte of the Kriegsmarine escorting the transport ships of Grand Admiral Böhm still anchored in the harbour of Turku despite the urges of the Finnish High Command to leave and despite a formal protest of Mannerheim himself. He argued an allied fleet would give his soldiers no reason to fight until the last but instead flee to the ships. It should indeed prove fatal.
General Rokossovsky's 21. Tank Division broke through the weakest point in the lines and raced towards the undefended town. Supported by bombers the tanks drove directly into the harbour where the German fleet just escaped their grip. The heavy cruiser Schleswig-Holstein received two bad hits when leaving the harbour, both from a BT-5 tank but fortunately both above the waterline.
The ships left behind a burning Turku that stood like a monument for the failure of the Finns to defend their home.
The last defenders were chased north-west, but it was clear that the end of Finland would not take long now.
The castle under heavy artillery fire on the 23rd of July
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Final defeat approaching in Finland...then the front may turn up by Norway. It would be unfortunate if considerable Soviet forces were released to the main front in Belarus and Ukraine.
Mmmh... Finland gone -as usual- (1). Well. The situation hardens itself a bit.
(1) Sorry Enewald, coulnd't help.
(1) Sorry Enewald, coulnd't help.
Alexus: Not dead yet, shot but still crawling...
Myth: That is dangerous indeed. The Northern Front consists of 3 Gebirgsdivisionen led by General Schörner - but I doubt that will distract or even stop the Russians for long.
Kurt_Steiner: Only in the North - no wait. Indeed everywhere
Now where's the Finn in my thread when you need one
Maj. von Mauser: I take bets on how long it will take from now on
Myth: That is dangerous indeed. The Northern Front consists of 3 Gebirgsdivisionen led by General Schörner - but I doubt that will distract or even stop the Russians for long.
Kurt_Steiner: Only in the North - no wait. Indeed everywhere
Now where's the Finn in my thread when you need one
Maj. von Mauser: I take bets on how long it will take from now on
Now where's the Finn in my thread when you need one
/QUOTE]
Ei vittu saatana jumalauta perkele!!!!
Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?
Why does everyone hate Finland?
Please make a Finnish SS-Freiwilligendivision of the some escaping Finnish veterans that didn't surrender to ruskies?
Germans had a Russian and a Ukrainian liberation army, so why not a Finnish one?
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