Sudden Carnage
Chapter XXXVII – D-Day part II
Countries played by humans: UK, Soviet Union, Germany, Italy, Japan and USA.
Recap: Last months has been dark for the Allies and Commitern. The Red Army lost several terrible battles and lost a huge amount of troops in deadly pockets. Now, Wehrmacht I standing by the walls of Moscow itself. United Kingdom, having been active mostly in the Med, has now launched an attack on occupied France – surprising the weak German defense. The majority of Wehrmacht is bogged down in battles in the East.
January 23rd, 1941
Three days later. Two German divisions are surrounded and losing quickly. Japan landed paras to support but was advised to pull back, the same way as the HQ. There was just no way Wehrmacht could challenge British forces in the open with the few forces at hand.
Authors note: As you all realize – I had left the west quite weak. Now I paid the price…
January 23rd, 1941
The plan was to build a defensive line behind the Seine River. Force was pulled from close and far to support this line. Paris must not fall.
Authors note: As seen on the dates. It took three days after I saw the attack (and probably four days from the initial British landing) before I started to pull chunks of forces from the east – like the 1st Panzer Division. They had a huge distance to traverse. Still, I feel the British attack is a little late. Had it been one month earlier, before Operation Kirov and sister-operations in the south, it would have hurt me much more. Now I actually could pull divisions away that did not have any critical role to play in the east. But – it is far from a harmless attack. With their motorized army and my few infantry units – they have an opportunity.
January 24th-27th, 1941
The British attack on France was followed by a successful naval operation against a wolf pack. This tactical victory was followed with diplomatic victory when Australia joined the Allies. And then United Kingdom they allow Russian movement through their lands? What kind of trick was that? Germany was more curious than afraid but it made the leadership suspiciously eye all of their borders and patrol the Baltic Sea even harder. What would come out of this? One last brave strike against the heart?
January 23rd, 1941
While losing in the west, the Wehrmacht won the battle of Kirov, forcing some 10 exhausted Soviet divisions to flee towards Mosal’ks – the last Soviet province in the Kirov-pocket. And Mosal’ks was weak. While other Soviet strongholds, like Kirov, were rooted out, a single German infantry division kept the disorganized Red Army in Mosal’ks in check. The poor Russians had been running to the end of the line…
January 26th, 1941
This was the glorious date when the last Soviet soldier surrendered in Mosal’ks. Operation Kirov was a success and the Kirov Pocket was no more. About 20 Soviet divisions, including some HQs had been defeated here. After the blows already delivered to the Red Army, concerning the loss of divisions, this was believed by the German leadership to be the final blow. The Bear was mortally wounded. It was not dead, but it would never rise again.
Still, the attack on Moscow had been delayed by a month.
January 29th, 1941
With the battle of the Kirov Pocket being victorious and over with – Germany launched the attack of Moscow itself. It mostly consisted of infantry and one of the new heavy mechanized divisions. It seemed, however, like the Russian leadership chose not to try a foolish stand in the capital. They had only left a token defense. This would not become an epic battle.
January 29th, 1941
As the battle of Moscow raged on, the German blitz hit the retreating Soviet divisions around Brjansk – in the center of the East Front.
February 3rd to 11th, 1941
The Red Army was captured and did not break out of the Brjansk Pocket. After losing in Belye-Berega the Red Army retreated to Brjansk. The last Russian held on in Brjansk to the end of the month, but then the fascist tide had left Brjansk behind with only a few divisions to secure the victory.
February 6th, 1941
Weeks before the last shot was fired in the Brjansk, the 3rd Heavy Mechanized Divisions moved into Moscow and secured the last part of the Soviet capital after little more than a week of battle. As the mountains north east of Moscow soon was conquered too, the two Soviet garrison divisions were captured during their retreat and surrendered. The Bear kept bleeding.
January 30th, 1941
The Brits kept pushing in France. They had secured a broad and un-threatened bridge head and had no opposition as they moved forwards.
Authors note: The low stockpile symbol is just me being a little cheap on supply but I corrected it. It is of no strategic interest. I have no resource scarcity. And, if you look at the dates, Moscow is about to fall. Still, Daphne (Soviet) made sure I got close to no supply at all from that victory. The country that I can invite is Bulgaria, but with UK having presence in Greece I did not dare to do it.
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