A Creek without a Paddle - Gotterdammerung, Germany 1944.

[Tskb18]

Have you thunk up a name for the new Überschweregroßkampfkriegsschlachtschiffe line? i.e. the Super Heavy BB?
(dare i ask if anything is going on in Asheville, USA?)

[dublish]

Have you thunk up a name for the new Überschweregroßkampfkriegsschlachtschiffe line? i.e. the Super Heavy BB?
(dare i ask if anything is going on in Asheville, USA?)

I think "Überschweregroßkampfkriegsschlachtschiffe-class" is a fittingly enormous name for such an enormous ship. *nods*

[Herbert West]

Wow. You are doing great a job at keeping the Red Horde at bay.
Also, your updating style is very good.
Keep up the good work!

[Remble]

Fulcrumvale - Superstacks are there to be destroyed

Middelkerke - I might just do that. It was briefed that I would do it after all.

Leumatiello - Unfortunately Beltsy is difficult to surround easily so I will probably have to destroy them a piece at a time.

BoemsiBoemsie - Thank you

dublish - There is a high probability that I will attack both of them. I may be forced to as they are certain to attack me. I won't follow them though just knock them back if possible. This serves its purpose fairly well as my troops are avaible 24 hours later the Soviets won't be, especially as they suffer supply problems slowing their retreat down. Roughly 1/3 of the Soviet army facing me is in those stacks, if it can be neutralised even for a small time that is highly beneficial.

I am fully aware that to move those stacks I am going to have to exceed stacking from Stryj and Suwalki.

Panzer6 - The next update includes force sizes

Tskb18 - It is included in the next update as well

Herbert West - Thank you. Days will pass considerably slower from now on

[Remble]

Update (May 1st 1945)

0000 May 1st 1945.
Reichstag Building. Berlin, Germany.

"Good morning Gentelmen. I trust we are ready for this briefing and what is to come? Albert first please." begins Bormann.

"Morning all." says Speer. "Industry continues to produce what it has been asked for."

"Over the last month we have stockpiled more oil and supplies to assist with operations. Upgrades are still progressing, with all of the mechanized infantry upgraded and roughly half of the Panther II's. These will continue to be upgraded as well as the Luftwaffe. Manpower is acceptable until we start taking casualties in earnest at which point we may need to halt infantry production. All of our Armed forces are at 100% strength with the exception of the Kriegsmarine's U-boats currently at sea. We will be suffering a small shortfall in supplies to our troops with transport capacity still overloaded. Thats all from me." concludes Speer.

"Joachim please." continues Bormann.

"Morning. Oil has been purchased a lot during the past month without using too many supplies. The Far East continues to go slowly against the Japanese."

"The Allies have been reinforcing their beach head in China of late which is forcing the Japanese mainland armies back. Other than that nothing much has changed in this area. All done." finishes von RIbbentrop.

"Julius. Armed forces please." asks Bormann.

"Morning Gentlemen. With the imminent outbreak of hostilities on the Eastern Front Heinz has remained with his command in Stryj." begins Ringel.

"The Eastern Front remains the same forces wise. Yesterday 90% of the Front was covered in snow, today, as you can see it is no longer. We expect hostilities to start within the next few hours. The Soviet's may start the bloodshed before we do, etiher way we are as ready as we can be. The other two Fronts are completely quiet."

"Our Army currently stands at 339 divisions total. 284 divisions are stationed on the Eastern Front including roughly a dozen under the command of our Allies. Army intelligence estimates they are facing roughly 470 Soviet divisions. Initial goal for this years offensive is the reduction of the Soviet army by at least half. This should allow us to make considerable territorial gains. Contrary to earlier thoughts the Hungarian army is almost at full strength, although still mostly obsolete infantry of the 1941 era."

"The Luftwaffe is in decent shape with eight interceptors based in Italy and France and seven Tactical bombers based in Munich as a theatre reserve. We have seven close air support aircraft and eight tactical bombers to support the Eastern Front. These are based in Cracow and Lodz respectively. There are twenty interceptor/fighter squadrons based in Poland to provide air superiority. These are based in Lublin, Warsaw and Torun. We are fairly sure we outnumber the Soviets in both numbers and technology."

"The Kriegsmarine is still small and not growing at this time. We have decided on a name for the new class of Super battleships. It is abbreviated to the UGSS class, please do not ask what it stands for.

Our plans on the Eastern will be mostly reactive and fluid with the aim of producing small pockets of Soviet forces to destroy. We do not anticipate being rolled over by the Russian hordes but you can never tell. The best plans never survive first contact and this will be no exception. That is all." finishes Ringel.

"Good luck Gentlemen, I think you are going to need some." Bormann ends the meeting.

[Murmurandus]

Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war...

[Middelkerke]

For what does UGSS stand for?

Can't wait for your next update...

[Kurt_Steiner]

For what does UGSS stand for?

I bet that it means "Überschweregroßkampfkriegsschlachtschiffe".

[Manziel]

might be right, although großkampfkriegsschlachtschiffe is some kind of tautologous. so i would suggest "überschwere grossschlachtschiffe"

[Remble]

German Order Of Battle (OOB)

-May 1st 1945

Army Group Nord (von Rundstedt)

Jelgava
- Narwa Armee (von Kluge) 12 x inf (43)
- II. Armeekorps (Eicke) 5 x inf (43)
- III. Armeekorps (Keitel.W) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)

Siauliau
- 18. Armee (von Rundstedt) 7 x inf (43)
- L. Armeekorps (Jacob) 7 x inf (43)
- XLVIII. Armeekorps (List) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)

Alaytus
- 3. Panzerarmee (Kesselring) 8 x inf (43)
- XLVII. Armeekorps (Barckhausen) 8 x inf (43)
- XLVI. Armeekorps (von Chappuis) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)
- XLV. Armeekorps (Sachs) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)

Suwalki
- VII. Armeekorps (Model) 3 x Pz, 3 x inf (mech), 3 x inf (mot)
- VII. Panzerkorps (Wunnenberg) 2 x Pz, 1 x inf (mech)
- V. Panzerkorps (Schweppenburg) 3 x Pz
- VI. Panzerkorps (von Manteuffel) 3 x Pz
- XXXVIII. Armeekorps (Demelhuber) 7 x inf (43)
- XXVII. Armeekorps (Behlendorf) 7 x inf (43)
- XII. Armeekorps (Christiansen) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)
- V. Armeekorps (Ruoff) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)

Konigsberg
- LII. Armeekorps (Hochbaum) 3 x inf (43)

Total - 100 Divisions ( 6 x HQ (43), 11 x Pz, 4 x inf (mech), 3 x inf (mot), 76 x inf (43) )





Army Group Mitte (von Bock)

Lomza
- VIII. Armeekorps (Blaskowitz) 8 x inf (43)
- 4. Panzerarmee (Halder) 7 x inf (43)
- VI. Armeekorps (Hohne) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)

Lublin
- Heeregruppe Mitte (von Kuchler) 12 x inf (43)
- XLIV. Armeekorps (von Brauchitsch) 12 x inf (43)
- XLII. Armeekorps (Vlassov) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)

Zamosc
- 1. Panzerarmee (von Bock) 1 x mnt, 1 x cav, 10 x inf (43)
- XXX. Armeekorps (Erdmannsdorff) 9 x inf (43)
- XIII. Armeekorps (Rosener) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)

Total - 69 Divisions ( 3 x HQ (43), 1 x mnt, 1 x cav, 64 inf (43) )





Army Group Sud (von Manstein)

Stryj
- IV. Panzerarmee (von Manstein) 6 x Pz, 3 x inf (mot)
- Panzerarmee (Italy) (Rommel) 3 x Pz, 3 x inf (mech), 3 x inf (mot)
- Panzerarmee (East) (von Kleist) 3 x Pz, 5 x inf (mech), 1 x inf (mot)
- III. Panzerkorps (Guderian) 5 x Pz
- IV. Panzerkorps (Hausser) 2 x Pz, 1 x inf (mech)
- VII. Armee (von Weichs) 1 x mnt, 5 x inf (43)
- II. Armeekorps (Block) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)
- XLIX. Armeekorps (Busch) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)
- XLIII. Armeekorps (Buschenhagen) 1 x HQ (43), 2 x inf (43)
- I Allando Hadsereg (Heszlenyi) 5 x inf (41)
- 2nd Army (Maguarosy) 2 x cav, 3 x inf (41)
- I Allando Hadsereg (Beregffry) 9 x inf (41)
- 1. Army (Ternegg-Ratz) 1 x Pz, 5 x inf (41)
- 6. Corps (Veress) 2 x inf (43)

Iasi
- LXXII. Korps (Heissmeyer) 4 x inf (43)
- VII. Korps (Kruger) 1 x mnt, 2 x inf (43)
- Corp 2 Aramata (Boiteanu) 1 x mnt, 1 x Pz, 1 x inf (mot), 1 x cav, 1 x inf (43)
- Armata 3 (Avramescu) 1 x mnt, 5 x inf (41)
- Corp 5 Armata (Lacatuso) 2 x mnt, 1 x inf (41)

Ismail
- 6. Armee (Andrae) 1 x HQ (43), 7 x inf (43)
- Armata 4 (Aldea) 1 x inf (43), 3 x inf (41)
- Corp 4 Armata (Phleps) 3 x inf (41)
- Corp 1 Armata (Baldescu) 2 x inf (41)
- Corp 3 Armata (Nicolescu-Cociu) 2 x inf (41)

Total - 117 Divisions ( 4 x HQ (43), 6 x mnt, 21 x Pz, 9 x inf (mech), 8 x inf (mot), 3 x cav, 38 x inf (41), 28 x inf (43) )

[Remble]

Have you thunk up a name for the new Überschweregroßkampfkriegsschlachtschiffe line? i.e. the Super Heavy BB?

Should answer the naming question

Murmurandus - You just want bloodshed

Yes the next update will involve me unpausing the game and taking screenshots. A little suspense won't hurt you

[Middelkerke]

I think the Russians are scared
I would be Just look at the forces in Suwalki and Stryj
Someone with brains should be scared

[Remble]

Barbarossa II

The Fight for the Skies

0000 May 1st 1945.
18. Armee Headquarters. Siauliau, Baltic States.

The weight of Germany's continued survival had fallen squarely on Gerd von Rundstedt's shoulders. He was already aware of where the combat was likely to occur and had to decide where to utilise Goring's Luftwaffe to his best advantage.

He did not take long to decide. Two fighter wings would contest for air superiority over the Brest-Litovsk area and three would do the same over Lvov. Twenty squadrons all told, made entirely of turbojet fighters and interceptors.

The Luftwaffe's bombers would wait until ground combat commenced before being committed, this should give the fighters time to do their job.

0600 May 1st 1945.
The Skies above Poland.

Von Rundstedt's decision took less than six hours to bare fruit.

The first combat over clearing skies had commenced at 0400, two hours later another started. Galland was first into action and would completely destroy a Soviet ground attack squadron.

Von Richthofen, who had only recently arrived in Poland after covering France during the winter, was a close second. Two more Soviet squadrons were also completely destroyed within three hours.

1200 May 1st 1945.
The Skies above Poland.

The Soviet's responded quickly to the arrival of the Luftwaffe over their air space.

Sixteen of the twenty Luftwaffe fighters were in action by 1200. Air General Milch had taken over from von Richthofen over Lvov and sighted two Russian fighter squadrons. The eight superior Luftwaffe squadrons set about their task in unison.

Air General Felmy, operating with Galland over Brest-Litovsk, was surprised by four Soviet interceptor squadrons. This was not the first time he had been bounced by Soviet aircraft.

The afternoon was turning into a disaster for the out gunned Soviet aircraft. Milch had been joined by von Richthofen's four squadrons now making the odds 6:1 in the German's favour.

Felmy had completely turned the tables on his Soviet opponent just as he had done before. As dusk approached Felmy intercepted two more interceptor squadrons.

The first day of May had seen no combat on the ground but the Luftwaffe had stamped their authority very firmly upon the Soviets.

0600 May 2nd 1945.
The Skies above Poland.

The sun had just finished clearing the horizon as Felmy and Galland reached their destinations over Poland.

They arrived just in time to catch the Soviet fighters engaged the previous day taking off. Eight German squadrons against seven Soviet.

Numbers meant little. The far superior German aircraft easily overcame their weaker opponents sending many plunging out of control towards the ground thousands of feet below.

1400 May 2nd 1945.
The Skies above Poland.

Felmy and Galland had finished refuelling and were once again back over Poland looking for trouble. They found it.

Felmy found them first, five Soviet interceptor squadrons mauled the day before. One was destroyed before Felmy had even finished vectoring Galland in to his target.

Galland jumped the remains of one squadron on the way into the fight and destroyed it before assisting on what was left of five squadrons of aircraft. Only two would survive the encounter.

In just two days the majority of the Soviet fighters were either destroyed or crippled. Luftwaffe bombers could now terrorise their prey with near impunity.

0600 May 3rd 1945.
IV. Panzerarmee Headquarters. Stryj, Poland.

Von Manstein was surprised the Soviets had not attacked. He was even slightly concerned about it, after all Ismail was an easy target even with the mud. Today he would turn his attention elsewhere. The mud had cleared almost everywhere and it was time to announce his intentions to his adversaries. The orders were sent to those involved and at 0600 the ground war began once again on the Eastern Front.

Thirty five divisions of mechanized forces, led by some of the elite German tank commanders of the war, would demonstrate von Manstein's intentions very clearly. The Soviet's may have nearly one hundred divisions in Beltsy, let them watch what happens to the Soviet weak point of Lvov.

Thirty five armoured divisions supported by twenty four infantry divisions from Army Group Mitte and von Bock more than outnumbered their shocked opponents.

Von Manstein did not just want Lvov, he wanted those divisions occupying it destroyed.

Von Manstein and von Kleist were to halt their advance and defend Lvov on arrival. Rommel, Guderian and Hausser were not stopping, they were going to exploit through the gap into Tarnopol. This was Blitzkrieg, von Manstein preferred it this way. Why encircle your enemy when you can just run them over.

Four hours later the completely shell shocked Soviet defenders were struggling to hang on. Von Bock was not going to allow them to do that. Midday saw the first victory over the Soviet ground forces in 1945. Von Manstein wondered how the Soviets would respond.

2000 May 3rd 1945.
The Skies above Poland.

Air General Milch was providing the Luftwaffe's bombers with air cover. The area around Lvov now belonged to him and his aircraft, there was no escape for any enemy aircraft based on Lvov's airfields.

The Luftwaffe's bombers arrive over their first target and proceed to rain bombs down onto it.

Milch would need to send a detailed report to von Rundstedt's headquarters when he landed for the night. The Soviet ground forces were moving in very large numbers in response to von Manstein's aggression.

2200 May 3rd 1945.
III. Panzerkorps Headquarters. Lvov, Poland.

Heinz Guderian had no idea why, as Germany's Chief of Staff for the armed forces, he was sitting in a Panther II tank. He was also slightly upset with von Manstein. Von Manstein had told him he needed to be in the fastest tank, just in case he got into trouble anywhere so he could manouver out of that trouble. Guderian was beginning to think von Manstein had not been telling him everything.

He was enjoying a nice pleasant ride towards Tarnopol, and the weakened defenders there, when his five Panther II divisions got jumped by fifty seven Soviet divisions.

The fastest tanks could not only get you out of trouble, they could also very quickly drop you in it.

[Fulcrumvale]

So It begins…

[Middelkerke]

I see some counter attacks comming on those attacking divisions

[Leumatiello]

Let the bombers do the dirty work...

[Kurt_Steiner]

Congrats to the Luftwaffe! The offensive beings very well, methinks!

He was enjoying a nice pleasant ride towards Tarnopol, and the weakened defenders there, when his five Panther II divisions got jumped by fifty seven Soviet divisions.

Ouch... numbers...

[Panzer6]

I told you you would start the combat. Too bad they waited to counter-attack you.

[Remble]

Fulcrumvale - Indeed.

Middelkerke - Maybe

Leumatiello - The bombers will be busy but their damage is minimal considering the amount of Soviet troops around.

Kurt_Steiner - The Luftwaffe have performed very well so far. The AI is just not aggressive enough with its aircraft on normal difficulty. Guderian isn't really worried, there are 30 German divisions heading his way to help

Panzer6 - Indeed you did I still can't belive they didn't attack Ismail, it was an open invitation. The mud cleared in my favour as well so I had to take advantage of it really Soviet counter attacks aren't the same as German ones. The imminent arrival of the rest of the German mobile forces in Lvov will slam the door on the Russians.

And thus a Soviet super stack of close to 100 divisions is rendered harmless as they are forced to react to a hole opening in their lines to the north. He who attacks first takes the initiative.

[Remble]

Barbarossa II
Breakthrough
1

0000 May 4th 1945.
IV. Panzerarmee Headquarters. Lvov, Poland.

Von Manstein was keeping a close eye on his forces advancing into Soviet territory. A large Soviet counter attack was underway against Lvov as Guderian attempted to continue the breakthrough into Tarnopol.

Guderian's III. Panzerkorps had arrived ahead of the rest of von Manstein's mobile forces into Lvov and was holding them off over night. He only had to hold for two hours before the remaining thirty German divisions arrived to assist. Rommel took over the defence of Lvov as Guderian continued his assault on Tarnopol.

At 0300, with dawn approaching, the Soviet forces attacking from Stanislawow and Kowel were fighting a losing battle. The arrival of so much armour was beginning to tell. Daylight proved to the Soviets that it was pointless to continue the assault and it was called off at 0500.

0600 May 4th 1945.
18. Armee Headquarters. Siauliau, Baltic States.

Von Rundstedt was happy enough with the progress in the south. Von Manstein was progressing well and the Soviets had reacted to his move. It was time for the peace and quiet of the Northern sector to be disrupted.

Model would lead the mobile forces of Army Group Nord into Grodno and then into Slonim to threaten the Soviet center with encirclement. The encirclement of the entire center was not planned because of the Prippet marshes standing directly in the path of such an endeavour.

Model would be supported by Kesselring's forces in Alaytus as well as most of the divisions from Suwalki.

Timoshenko may have been expecting an attack but not one of this magnitude. His forces started to buckle almost immediately.

At 1200, as Soviet forces moved to try and assist Timoshenko in Grodno, it was becoming clear that they needed to arrive immediately.

One hour later Timoshenko outmanouvered Model to try and buy his forces some time. The move had come too late and at 1400 Timoshenko's forces were in full retreat.

Initial breakthroughs in the north and south were moving along with minimal casualties so far.

0600 May 5th 1945.
IV. Panzerarmee Headquarters. Lvov, Poland.

Rommel sent word to von Manstein of the arrival of a large defensive force in Tarnopol. Von Manstein was confident that Rommel could defeat them with air support.

Von Manstein had been watching progress closely and decided to take advantage of the Soviets failed counter attack against Lvov. His own formation had recovered its organisation overnight and was ready for combat. He would not use IV. Panzerarmee yet, instead he sent orders to von Kleist and Panzerarmee (East).

At 0700 fifty seven German divisions commenced an assault on the weakened forces of General Chuikov in Kowel.

Von Bock's 1. Panzerarmee would lead the assault along with the remaining forces of Zamosc. Support would be provided by von Kleist in Lvov and von Kuchler's Heeresgruppe Mitte in Lublin.

Chuikov's defensive abilities were to be tested against superior forces who had him enveloped.

One hour later, at 0800, the situation was clear to both sides. Chuikov would not be able to stem the tide. The defences of Tarnopol were also crumbling swiftly in the early morning daylight as Rommel pounded them relentlessly.

1100 hours would see victory for both German armies after two brief battles.

1400 May 5th 1945.
IV. Panzerarmee Headquarters. Lvov, Poland.

The Russians were determined to prevent Rommel's advance into Tarnopol. Yet more divisions had arrived to hold him up. These were led by Malinovskij.

Soviet headquarters divisions had arrived en mass in Tarnopol. There were ten in all with some supporting infantry. Von Manstein would allow Rommel to continue his assault against them but would not commit the only remaining support force available this close to nightfall.

Malinovskij had so many headquarters with him it was almost certain someone would have decent advice. He heeded the advice and started a tactical withdrawal to slow Rommel down and allow more Soviet divisions to arrive to aid his defence. The arrival of darkness ensured Tarnopol was safe for today. The arrival of dawn the next morning could change that.