The German Reich and the Second World War

I do not seem to be able to replace the Allied generals, and I wish I could ... they have some pretty crap leaders lol!

@LewsTherin: Everyone is in full supply. That is a pretty interesting suggestion. I had not considered it, focusing on reorganizing and preparing to strike on Moscow. If my understanding is correct, the Bitter Peace event will not fire unless the Soviet AI has lost so many VPs, so a strike south first should sort that out. Considering I have ten armies sitting there awaiting to attack ... its a very good idea!

After I sorted out the expeditionary force, I saw how experienced the Hungarian troops were. My first thought was "uh oh" this is going to be gamey using 'supersoldiers' to defeat the Soviet AI conscripts. Seems I should have heeded everyone's warnings and history's too! So far, they seem next to useless!

@Lewstherin, glad to hear that your relative made it!

The build-up (Late 1944 - Early 1945)

As Operation Clockwork was winding down, the preparation for the 1945 offensive got underway. The Supreme Command decided that all unnecessary garrison forces in the west would be transferred eastwards. As auxiliary forces became available all other forces, other than the bare minimum required to deter invasion, would also be transferred.

On 8 October, the garrison in The Netherlands was given orders to leave the country and depart for the Eastern Front. The defense of the country was to be left up to the local Dutch forces. Two weeks later, following no Allied reaction, the garrison in Belgium was ordered eastwards. At the end of the month, redundantly positioned and used static divisions in France were also given orders to transfer to the Eastern Front. Other than partisan reports most likely being filed with the British, there was no reaction and this later influenced decisions made in December.

In October, the first Luftwaffe field divisions were formed. These units were comprised of men from airfield defense units, and excess ground and support services retraining in an infantry role. The first divisions were dispatched to Denmark to relieve several garrison and regular infantry divisions based three. With the divisions relieved, they were then transferred to the Eastern Front. During the latter part of the month, the Home and Reserve Army were relieved of most of their units. As the Baltic was closed off from any Anglo-American threat and the Soviet Fleet posed no threat, the garrisons of the northern ports were ordered east. Likewise, the garrison in Bohemia and Poland were thinned out (to be replaced by auxiliary forces at a later date) and ordered to the front. The chain of command established by von Hammerstein-Equrod in July 1942 was thus destroyed, and the numerous promising officers he had promoted to divisional commanders found themselves without a job or dispatched to the extremes of the Reich in Bohemia and Poland controlling small auxiliary units.


In late November and early December, the first Luftwaffe Field Divisions and newly raised Volksgrenadier divisions (Comprised of returning wounded veterans from the Eastern Front coupled with Hitler Youth who had come of age and retrained men from the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine. The divisional title was intended to inspire the men by drawing on the political nationalist ideals and older military traditions.) arrived in France. This allowed for the relief and transfer east of the various infantry and cavalry divisions that had been utilized in anti-invasion and anti-partisan duties. Due to the lack of an Allied reaction to the earlier redeployments from The Netherlands and Belgium, coupled with the lack of offensive action following their success in Africa, the Fifth Panzer Army was disbanded and its divisions ordered back to the front and assigned to other panzer armies as it was deemed there would be no Allied invasion of France in the near future.


As various Axis armies had been deployed to the southern portion of the frontline relieving the German units there, these redeployments went to the northern and central sections. During the final months of 1944 and the first two months of 1945, these various static divisions replaced the infantry of Army Group North and Centre, the infantry then moved towards the Kursk salient. Likewise, the Luftwaffe was ordered to redeploy most of its air wings from the west to the east and to assemble everything on the Eastern Front within supporting distance of Kursk.

Case Armageddon

Top Secret
Senior commanders only

Reich Chancellery, Berlin
1 February 1945

Directive No. 75
Case Armageddon​

For the last four years, the bitter and costly struggle against Bolshevism has made the utmost demands upon the bulk of our military resources and energies. This commitment has been in keeping with the seriousness of the threat that the Bolshevik regime poses to our nation and all of Europe. We now stand upon a precipice. The Bolsheviks grow stronger by the minute, while our military grows weaker. No more reserves exist. This is the final offensive that can realistically be launched. This will be the final battle of the Eastern Front, Moscow must be captured! If this offensive fails, the war is lost. We shall be at the mercy of the Bolsheviks who aim to reduce Germany to ruins and enslave Europe under their communist beliefs. For the Reich, and for the people, this offensive must succeed!

While the threat of an Anglo-American landing still exists, such an endeavor is unlikely. Therefore, all available forces in the west and within the Reich have been transferred east and replaced by Luftwaffe ground forces and recently raised Volksgrenadier divisions. These brave political soldiers of the Reich will support the remaining garrison forces and ensure that if a landing does come, it will be driven back into the sea. They will protect the Reich from the west leaving the east for the regular army.

These transfers, along with the deployment of Allied armies to join in the fight against Bolshevism, have allowed for OKH to assemble a force of 3,130,000 men. The final blow will be launched by Army Groups D and E and the Panzer Group. This force (see appendix A) comprises 1.9 million men in 120 infantry divisions and 51 mobile divisions (60 per cent of the total strength of OKH and 65 per cent of the total strength of the German military) with 5,500 tanks. These three groups have been, on my order, concentrated near the Russian city of Kursk. The Luftwaffe has deployed the vast majority of its strength to support these three Army Groups. This includes 1,900 FW 190 fighters, 1,200 Me 420 heavy fighters, 1,200 HS 129 ground attack aircraft, and 1,600 JU 188 medium bombers.

Intelligence estimates of the strength of the Red Army (see appendix B) have fluctuated over the past few months. At the end of 1944, it was estimated that there was at least 500 whereas estimates now suggest just over 400. 314, 80 per cent, of this force – some 3.5 million men – are believed to be based on the front facing our own troops. At least 40 divisions are stationed in Asia, and the remaining fifty are believed to be positioned in-depth guarding important locations, such as Moscow, and facing the Finns and Turks. Our spies have also indicated there are acute supply and steel problems within the Soviet Union: an issue partially seen during the fighting for Kharkov.

---

Direction of operations (see Appendix C):

As soon as the weather clears and the terrain becomes suitable for offensive operations, Army Group E is to launch an offensive south to attempt to destroy all Soviet forces west of the River Donets and capture Rostov. The offensive will be given the support of the Panzer Group to attempt to bring about a swift resolution. If the objectives cannot be met, both groups are to deal as much damage to the Red Army as possible and leave Army Group F to consolidate the ground captured. Both groups are not to become embroiled and are to be withdrawn from the southern front no later than the end of May.

No later than the end of June, Army Group D is to launch a breakout battle between the Oka and Desna Rivers. With a breach in the line created, the Panzer Group is to exploit. Both Army Groups are to then advance north before pivoting east to strike at Moscow. Army Group E is to follow, ensuring that the offensive towards the capital does not fail. The Luftwaffe is to make a 'do or die' effort to support the operation and is to conduct itself in an offensive manner regardless of losses. A secondary objective of the operation, is to reach the Tvertsa River and then advance west thus cutting off the central Soviet forces in a vast pocket.

The operation must take Moscow, nothing less is required! It is envisioned that this massive effort will result in the destruction of over one hundred Soviet divisions and completely destroy the will of the Soviet people to further resist and thus win the war.

In these hours, the whole German people looks to you, my fighters in the East, and only hopes that, thanks to your resolution and fanaticism, thanks to your weapons, and under your leadership, the Bolsheviks will be choked in a bath of blood.

---

Appendix A

​

---

Appendix B

​

Intelligence summary of the Red Army strength on the frontline. Seventy-eight divisions are believed to be deployed facing Army Group North and a further 66 facing Army Group South. In the south, facing Army Group F is an estimated 56 divisions. Along the northern flank of the Kursk salient is an estimated 60 divisions, only a fraction of which are positioned in the area between the two rivers were the main assault will be made. Along the length of the sector manned by the independent Tenth Army, is an estimated 54 divisions.

---

Appendix C

Green: first phase of the operation
Orange: second phase of the operation
Yellow: secondary objective of the second phase​

In past games I had built engineer units to be part of my divisions (granted I was playing vanilla and the UK). Experimenting with them, they seem to slow my divisions down so I kept them separate. Then they didn't really work out as separate units, I ended up not really using them ... so I just grouped them together to see how that pans out. I have not had a successful game with my engineers lol.

There is an awful lot of Soviet divisions, so anything that weakens resistance for the drive on Moscow the better. The southern attacks have been completed and I will try and update later.

The Donets campaign (1 March – 10 April)

During the final days of February, as the ground dried out in the Ukraine, the Fourth and Seventeenth armies moved south into position ready to strike. Behind them the remaining armies of Army Group E (minus Eighteenth Army, which was still in the process of forming) and the Panzer Group assembled. The attack was to be launched to the west of Kharkov so to avoid the strong Soviet river defenses directly south of the city. The attack would breakthrough, then swing east towards the Donets and then strike south trapping as much of the Red Army as possible.


On 1 March, the artillery fired a short intensive barrage on the Red Army forward positions, just prior to sunrise, before switching over to a rolling barrage as the first wave of our troops attempted to infiltrate their line. The western attack, carried out by six divisions of the Seventeenth Army, was a complete success meeting little opposition from dazed, hungry and surprised Red Army troops. The eastern attack, carried out by a similar number of divisions of the Fourth Army, met a well-coordinated and supplied defense. The Soviet supply problems were not affecting the entire front it would seem.

Over the next two days the leading infantry of Seventeenth Army kept pushing forward while the main wave mopped up the various bypassed Red Army positions. By 3 March, they had cut a hole in the Soviet line. Recognizing that the breakthrough would be achieved here, various panzer divisions had already been formed up directly behind the assaulting infantry and as word came that the last defensive position had been overrun, the order ‘panzer marsch’ was given. As the armor raced south, various divisions advancing so far to take ground then allowing others to pass through and keep up the advance, Seventeenth Army swung west to cut off the northern most Soviet positions.


On the 8th, the Fourth Army finally broke through and a small panzer force then attempted to undertake the original plan of advancing along the west bank of the Donets River. Six days later, and ten days after the advance started from the breakthrough achieved by the Seventeenth Army, panzers and panzergrenadiers had covered over two-hundred miles and reached the Sea of Azov and the outskirts of Rostov.


The following day, Seventeenth Army cut off the northern-most Red Army troops from the rest of the pocket that had been formed. The Hungarians were ordered to destroy the ten divisions believed to be trapped there, and the Slovakians were ordered to clear out the southern pocket believed to hold over twenty. On the 14th, Rostov fell after a short fight and the various mobile divisions spread out to capture the river line near the city.


By the 18th, the Hungarians had failed miserably. Over the course of the winter, since taking over sectors of the line and having to fight off counterattacks, and up until the end of the Donets campaign, the Hungarians suffered over 10,000 casualties. Over 75 per cent of that total was received during the four days they attempted to destroy a small number of ill-supplied, demoralized, and cut off Soviet divisions. The Royal Hungarian Army had promised their troops were well trained and experienced, their wholesale slaughter at the hands of Red Army conscripts was not on the cards. Their extremely poor performance jeopardized the frontline in their area and the penetration that had been made, as the besieged Red Army units mounted a counterattack to attempt to break out through the Hungarian lines. The Eighteenth Army was ordered forward to ensure this did not happen and a reserve of panzer and panzergrenadier divisions were rushed to the sector to destroy the pocket.

On the 19th, the Fourth Army and its accompanying panzer divisions finally broke the Soviet resistance within Stalino. This city had acted as a fortress and impeded a rapid advance along the Donets River line as originally planned. For ten days the garrison held off attacks and conducted counterattacks in the area. Having finally exhausted most of their ammunition, the garrison conducted a fighting withdrawal to the east and then carried on the fight – once resupplied – from a small bridgehead on the west bank of the river. It would take a further week of fighting to destroy this bridgehead and force the garrison beyond the Donets.


As heavy fighting raged to destroy this bridgehead and the pockets, the mobile divisions were busy spreading out. On the 25th, a bridgehead was established across the River and was steadily reinforced over the coming days to ensure it would not have to be abandoned like had happened so many times before. On the 29th, the entire west bank of the Donets was in our hands.

After much fighting, on 2 April the northern pocket collapsed and surrendered to our panzer divisions and on the 10th the southern pocket surrendered to the Slovakians. In total, 278,150 Red Army soldiers walked into captivity. Thirty-Six Soviet divisions had been wiped off the Red Army order of battle, although intelligence reports indicated even this loss of men had made little overall impact. The Soviet order of battle was now believed to include 436 divisions. Over 11,000 Slovakians had been killed during the process of the fighting, however a mere eight divisions had forced the surrender of over double their number. The Slovakians had preformed admirably.

The Alekseevka Offensive (9 April – 21 May)

The overwhelming success that had been achieved in clearing the Soviet forces west of the Donets was a partial surprise. The success of the attack was expected, its rapid conclusion was not. When Rostov was captured, there were very few Red Army troops between the Donets and the Don and it was proposed that a major assault be launched east. This was quickly rejected as the focus of the overall operation was to remain on Moscow. However, a limited attack to clear Soviet forces from around Kharkov and to straighten the frontline was considered and accepted. The focus of this limited attack was the airfields at Alekseevka, which would also result in the encirclement of move Soviet forces.


In the time between the capture of Rostov and the launching of the attack, the Soviets had managed to assemble enough forces to man the new frontline although they had not managed to supply this entire force. On 9 April, several panzer divisions launched the breakout. They cut through the troops opposing them like a knife through butter. Utilizing the same operational method as employed the previous month, they rapidly advanced towards their objective. On the 9th, the airfields had fallen. Additional troops were brought up to attack further north and complete the encirclement. As the attack was made from the south, the Sixth SS Panzer Army launched an attack from the north out of the perimeter of Tenth Army. The Waffen SS formations ran into well supplied and dug-in formations, and the attack from the south met similar issues. A nine-day bloody battle was waged by the various units to break the Soviet bulwark, which was keeping our forces from closing the pocket. Regardless of their best efforts, on the 25th the Soviets were forced back and the encirclement had been completed. The expected major Red Army counterattack to relieve their trapped comrades then began.


Most of the Soviet counterattacks were repulsed and our forces pushed in the perimeter of the pocket. Regardless of the losses being suffered, the Soviets persisted and on 2 May they managed to force back several panzer divisions and create an escape route for their comrades. While they may have routed the force that was directly in front of them, they had not pacified the divisions on the flanks. The panzer divisions on either flank launched an immediate counterattack and after two days closed the escape route. Very few Red Army troopers had the opportunity to make use of this corridor before it was too late.


During the Soviet counterattacks, and our own, the process of destroying the pocket had continued unabated. As the Soviets were pushed into a smaller pocket, the Tenth Army and the Hungarians moved forward to man the new frontline and relieved the infantry and panzers, who started to redeploy northwards leaving a small force to complete the destruction of the pocket. Likewise, in the south the Slovakians and French arrived to relieve the panzer divisions.


On 21 May, the remaining Soviets in the pocket surrendered. Thirty-three divisions had been destroyed, and 237,913 men captured. This brought the total of prisoners captured in 1945 to over half a million. In addition, close to thirty thousand men from four Allied divisions had also surrendered in the process. Soviet battle casualties, during these three months, were estimated to be close to 300,000 men. Our own losses had not been light, regardless of the various Soviet deficiencies. Close to 80,000 men had been killed, along with 14,000 Slovakians, and around 2,000 French on top of the heavy Hungarian losses.