juan III ?
isn't that the spanish king from 1456-1491? (i played EU3 recently with spain, so...)-
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juan III ?
isn't that the spanish king from 1456-1491? (i played EU3 recently with spain, so...)
juan III ?
I dont know about the medieval one (mabye another dynasty or just a smaller kingdom eg Aragon) but the King in this era is Juan III.
I'm going to make the update now so it'll probably be up within the hour
Furious Vengeance – The Summer Offensive – Part 1
The timing of the Red Army’s assault on Koenigsberg coupled with the sacking of the city made the German Army desperate for revenge. With little real planning the Reichswehr would begin a front wide assault shortly after the Red Army was routed from East Prussia.
Ever since the start of the war the Eastern Front had been relatively static, after failing to secure Koenigsberg the Soviets expected to simply have to regroup and set up defensively as usual, they were wholly unprepared for the massive attack in the North as they fled from the bloody forests of Suwalki (home to many thousands of fallen soldiers. Through this early period in the attack the Luftwaffe was not present having only recently arrived on the front from the war in Spain.
Reichswehr troops attacking Suwalki
The Battle of Kowel would be the largest seen on the Eastern Front as a quarter of a million German infantry met 400,000 Soviet infantry and around 1,000 soviet tanks. By now the Red Airforce had been almost totally annihilated by the more advanced and numerous Messerschmitts of the Luftwaffe giving the German bombers free reign over the skies. The battle began as the Reichswehr attempted to cross the Bug. The major bridges were quickly destroyed by precise artillery strikes and pre planted bombs forcing the Germans to ford across the river. The Red Army then moved to meet the Germans on the eastern bank of the river causing a terrible bloodbath in the first few hours of the battle. Just when it seemed that the entire German army would be destroyed a massive bombing attack forced the Soviets to fall back a few miles giving time for the Germans to prepare themselves. As the army marched deeper into the province the Red Army launched one enormous attack with all its armored divisions and the almost its entire infantry propend in the area. The Germans attempted to set up a defensive position using several villages as fortifications but the Red hordes were to strong for them and they were forced to fall back in a fighting retreat. By the time the last Germans had returned to the Western Bank of the river 38,000 Reichswehr personnel had lost their lives whilst the Soviets had lost 83, 000 soldiers and about 70 tanks. The terrible losses of the battle meant the Germans would require some time to regroup in the South, meanwhile in the north of the front the German army advanced with ease through Lithuania and into Latvia.
Red Airforce interceptors dispatched to fight at Kowel
In Lithuania von Kluge led 12 German divisions ahead of the main advance and would be attacked on four sides by a ferocious Soviet counteroffensive. He would hastily fall back.
By the end of July the Germans had once again tried to move across the Bug at Kowel and once again they had been pushed back. This battle lasted much longer than the previous one but there were less than half as many combatants on both sides. Slightly to the North the German army now marched towards the city made famous for two agreements between Communist Russia and Germany: The first ending the Great War on the eastern Front and the second where German troops handed over the city as part of the German-Soviet Pact. In Lithuania the Soviet Army has clearly felt the toll of several battles with the German army there and is beginning to crumble.
One week on and the Reichswehr had made significant advances eastward, taking the cities of Grodno and Brest-Litovsk whilst encircling 3 Soviet divisions at Bialystok and forcing them to surrender. As the Russians withdraw from Lithuania the cities of Kaunas and Memel now appear open to the German advance.
After a brief occupation of Lvov the German army was once again beaten in the south of the Front. Te Soviets had placed around 60-70% pf entire army between Germany and Kiev. Although this meant an advance into the Ukraine was for now impossible it did leave the Baltic territories open the German advance, an opportunity instantly pounced upon by the Army Group Nord, hungry for conquest.
To be continued ….
The timing of the Red Army’s assault on Koenigsberg coupled with the sacking of the city made the German Army desperate for revenge. With little real planning the Reichswehr would begin a front wide assault shortly after the Red Army was routed from East Prussia.
Ever since the start of the war the Eastern Front had been relatively static, after failing to secure Koenigsberg the Soviets expected to simply have to regroup and set up defensively as usual, they were wholly unprepared for the massive attack in the North as they fled from the bloody forests of Suwalki (home to many thousands of fallen soldiers. Through this early period in the attack the Luftwaffe was not present having only recently arrived on the front from the war in Spain.
Reichswehr troops attacking Suwalki
The Battle of Kowel would be the largest seen on the Eastern Front as a quarter of a million German infantry met 400,000 Soviet infantry and around 1,000 soviet tanks. By now the Red Airforce had been almost totally annihilated by the more advanced and numerous Messerschmitts of the Luftwaffe giving the German bombers free reign over the skies. The battle began as the Reichswehr attempted to cross the Bug. The major bridges were quickly destroyed by precise artillery strikes and pre planted bombs forcing the Germans to ford across the river. The Red Army then moved to meet the Germans on the eastern bank of the river causing a terrible bloodbath in the first few hours of the battle. Just when it seemed that the entire German army would be destroyed a massive bombing attack forced the Soviets to fall back a few miles giving time for the Germans to prepare themselves. As the army marched deeper into the province the Red Army launched one enormous attack with all its armored divisions and the almost its entire infantry propend in the area. The Germans attempted to set up a defensive position using several villages as fortifications but the Red hordes were to strong for them and they were forced to fall back in a fighting retreat. By the time the last Germans had returned to the Western Bank of the river 38,000 Reichswehr personnel had lost their lives whilst the Soviets had lost 83, 000 soldiers and about 70 tanks. The terrible losses of the battle meant the Germans would require some time to regroup in the South, meanwhile in the north of the front the German army advanced with ease through Lithuania and into Latvia.
Red Airforce interceptors dispatched to fight at Kowel
In Lithuania von Kluge led 12 German divisions ahead of the main advance and would be attacked on four sides by a ferocious Soviet counteroffensive. He would hastily fall back.
By the end of July the Germans had once again tried to move across the Bug at Kowel and once again they had been pushed back. This battle lasted much longer than the previous one but there were less than half as many combatants on both sides. Slightly to the North the German army now marched towards the city made famous for two agreements between Communist Russia and Germany: The first ending the Great War on the eastern Front and the second where German troops handed over the city as part of the German-Soviet Pact. In Lithuania the Soviet Army has clearly felt the toll of several battles with the German army there and is beginning to crumble.
One week on and the Reichswehr had made significant advances eastward, taking the cities of Grodno and Brest-Litovsk whilst encircling 3 Soviet divisions at Bialystok and forcing them to surrender. As the Russians withdraw from Lithuania the cities of Kaunas and Memel now appear open to the German advance.
After a brief occupation of Lvov the German army was once again beaten in the south of the Front. Te Soviets had placed around 60-70% pf entire army between Germany and Kiev. Although this meant an advance into the Ukraine was for now impossible it did leave the Baltic territories open the German advance, an opportunity instantly pounced upon by the Army Group Nord, hungry for conquest.
To be continued ….
I just found out I got a vote in the ACAs. Cools.
Anyway remember to support your favourite AAR writers by voting in the ACAs
Anyway remember to support your favourite AAR writers by voting in the ACAs
Now I'm certain I've heard the title of that chapter somewhere before, possibly with slightly worse spelling......
Worse spelling perhaps, but with considerably more elan, flair and far better hats.Now I'm certain I've heard the title of that chapter somewhere before, possibly with slightly worse spelling......
Worse spelling perhaps, but with considerably more elan, flair and far better hats.
That title just .... um .... came to me
lol
Hrmmn, no encirclements?
A slow steamroller offensive is not good for the German Army, not enough manpower.
A slow steamroller offensive is not good for the German Army, not enough manpower.
There was one encriclement ...
and remember that I have no mobile forced in the East as they are on their way from Spain.
The update after next however will show just how good infantry can really be at this tactic
and remember that I have no mobile forced in the East as they are on their way from Spain.
The update after next however will show just how good infantry can really be at this tactic
on the july 11th and 25th pictures it looks to me that the there is a spanish divisions how did they get there or did the brits get pummeled at sea or did the kriegsmarine get pummled
I have no idea how the Spanish got a dvision in the Soviet Union. I was thinking about doing an update about it but it is so ridiculous I couldn't think of any reasons for it being there when Spain was being overrun by the Germans.
Anyway the Royal Navy at this point truly rules the waves (had some trouble in the Med at start of war due to loss of Gibraltar but by now is on top of things) I meanwhile dominate the Baltic having sunk the Red Navy there.
My guess is they sent a transport around Britain and into Archangel or something ... I don't know really
Anyways update will be up in seconds!
Furious Vengeance – The Summer Offensive – Part 2
After reaching the banks of the Daugava and trapping 6 Soviet divisions in the Kurland peninsula German High Command set two main objectives. The capital of the Byelorussian SSR, Minsk, and the strategically vital port of Riga. In order to take the city of Minsk the infantry placed in the centre of the front moved northeast, taking the airfield at Lida whilst they advanced this would further damage the wavering Red Airforce that had already lost more than half its aircraft. Meanwhile at the Duagava the Russians had once again destroyed most of the major bridges to stop a German advance, this forced the Reichswehr to construct a brand new crossing of their own as the hoped to avoid a slaughter such as the one seen at Kowel.
Engineers construct a new bridge at Dagaupulis
The crossing at Dagaupulis proved to be another bloody mistake as the Red army launch a mass attack as soon as the Germans had established themselves on the northern bank of the river. Although desperate to hold their own, suffering 40,000 casualties they were forced to pull back across the river. Luckily complete destruction on was avoided thanks to the recently constructed bridge that allowed for a smooth withdrawal. Meanwhile Russian resistance in Byelorussia was melting away as the Soviet defenders withdrew from Minsk after putting up only minimal resistance.
On August 24th the German army entered Minsk. Seeing an opportunity to trap some Russian troops at Molodeczno the German army struck towards Orsha. After the failed attempt to establish a good position north of the Daugava at Dagaupulis another attack would be launched, this time at Polotov.
After the successful crossing at Polotov instead of launching an attack on the German army north of the river the Soviets looked to cover their rear as a a path directly northward now lay undefended, making it possible for a fast moving German offensive to trap the entire Soviet force in Livonia. But the German Generals were uninterested in this, hoping only to thin the Soviet lines where they actually wished to attack. A few miles to the south the encirclement at Molodeczno was a great success as three Soviet divisions and several armoured cars were captured. Now the focus of German military planners moved back towards Riga as Operation Sea Snake was ready for action ….
After reaching the banks of the Daugava and trapping 6 Soviet divisions in the Kurland peninsula German High Command set two main objectives. The capital of the Byelorussian SSR, Minsk, and the strategically vital port of Riga. In order to take the city of Minsk the infantry placed in the centre of the front moved northeast, taking the airfield at Lida whilst they advanced this would further damage the wavering Red Airforce that had already lost more than half its aircraft. Meanwhile at the Duagava the Russians had once again destroyed most of the major bridges to stop a German advance, this forced the Reichswehr to construct a brand new crossing of their own as the hoped to avoid a slaughter such as the one seen at Kowel.
Engineers construct a new bridge at Dagaupulis
The crossing at Dagaupulis proved to be another bloody mistake as the Red army launch a mass attack as soon as the Germans had established themselves on the northern bank of the river. Although desperate to hold their own, suffering 40,000 casualties they were forced to pull back across the river. Luckily complete destruction on was avoided thanks to the recently constructed bridge that allowed for a smooth withdrawal. Meanwhile Russian resistance in Byelorussia was melting away as the Soviet defenders withdrew from Minsk after putting up only minimal resistance.
On August 24th the German army entered Minsk. Seeing an opportunity to trap some Russian troops at Molodeczno the German army struck towards Orsha. After the failed attempt to establish a good position north of the Daugava at Dagaupulis another attack would be launched, this time at Polotov.
After the successful crossing at Polotov instead of launching an attack on the German army north of the river the Soviets looked to cover their rear as a a path directly northward now lay undefended, making it possible for a fast moving German offensive to trap the entire Soviet force in Livonia. But the German Generals were uninterested in this, hoping only to thin the Soviet lines where they actually wished to attack. A few miles to the south the encirclement at Molodeczno was a great success as three Soviet divisions and several armoured cars were captured. Now the focus of German military planners moved back towards Riga as Operation Sea Snake was ready for action ….
Excellent, you've pushed them, encircled them, and are on the verge of beating them! Nice job!
c'mon. This year I have beaten France, Italy and Spain and advanced hundreds of miles with about half my army which is entirely made up of infantry in just over a month.
That ain't half bad in my opinion
Anyways things may still get worse before they get better ...
Operation Sea Snake
Despite the impressive advance of Army Group Nord German High Command wanted more. They set their sights on a complex operation involving the Kriegsmarine and another cross river offensive to try and take Riga. Meanwhile the first troops started to arrive from Spain in the form of the Gibesjaeger (in Southern Lithuania). These divisions would be used to finally defeat the Soviets trapped in Kurland and destroy the Russian divisions that would be trapped in the encircled city of Riga. Meanwhile the Riechswehr would look to seize all Estonia and set up a defensive position.
On the morning of September 4th the operation began with the second battle of Dagaupulis, once victory had been achieved an amphibious assault was ordered at the beaches at Parnu. Meanwhile German divisions began to march towards the undefended city of Orsha to protect it from a Soviet counter offensive.
The landings at Parnu were soon being praised as a stoke of utter genius, the planner of the Operation von Blomberg scoring numerous victories in the current power struggle within the Reichswehr military elite. With Ludwig Beck currently suffering in a hospital in Berlin the honorable position of Chief of Staff, head of the entire Reichswehr was open for any new arrivals. Despite having several strong candidates the Panzer leaders had pt their unilateral backing behind Von Manstein who until now had been the heavy favorite for the job. Meanwhile Von Blomberg was seen as a spiritual heir to Ludendorff, sharing many of his tactics as well as being one of the great General’s favorite protégé’s. The only However von Manstein had planned numerous complex, modern and highly successful campaign whilst Blomberg had sat in a trench on the Eastern Front for most of the war. The success of Parnu not only showed him to be a flexible commander but also a brilliant one. There was no question over whether the Red Army was toughest foe Germany had ever faced and Blomberg had seemed to have broken its back.
After the initial landings at Parnu the troops quickly moved out, eastward to seal off Estonia and southward to trap Riga. Thy soon met with the main army coming North from the frontline about 30 miles east of Riga. This force was then instantly turned Eastward to try and secure the airfields at Opochka, forcing the Red Airforce away from the areas and reinforcing the German position in Estonia. To the west Student lead the Gegirbesjaeger northward and into an assault with the still large soviet forces in the city of Riga.
Looking to make the most from his great victory Blomberg had the Kriegsmarine send him strait into Riga harbour after the 9 Soviet divisions agreed to surrender. He had cameramen film his accepting of the surrender, the ceremony of raising the German flag over the fortress at Riga. They also took pictures of the hundreds of captured artillery pieces. But unwilling to give up any opportunity for glory Blomberg was quickly back on a Kriegsamrine transport as he prepared for the surrender of the Soviets in Kurland which was expected very soon. Meanwhile a Red Army counteroffensive, looking to halt the quick German progress by attacking at Gulbene where the 6 German divisions were ill prepared for the large attack.
Russian guns lined up for the cameras
In the face of total destruction another 7 Russian divisions (including a HQ) surrendered at Kurland, Blomberg was quickly dispatched to secure the area. To the north another 2 Soviet infantry divisions would be taken captive after a short defense Tallin (home to the Baltic Fleet). As German troops approached the city the Red Navy would have to rereat leaving it open to the Kriegsmarine which was instantly sent towards the Gulf of Finland. The Geran warships would sink a light cruiser and two submarine squadrons whilst forcing the rest of the fleet into a panicked retreat for Kronstadt.
Operation Sea Snake claimed 20 Soviet divisions and most of their already battered fleet. Not even mentioning the capture of the entire Baltic territory and the shame
Despite the impressive advance of Army Group Nord German High Command wanted more. They set their sights on a complex operation involving the Kriegsmarine and another cross river offensive to try and take Riga. Meanwhile the first troops started to arrive from Spain in the form of the Gibesjaeger (in Southern Lithuania). These divisions would be used to finally defeat the Soviets trapped in Kurland and destroy the Russian divisions that would be trapped in the encircled city of Riga. Meanwhile the Riechswehr would look to seize all Estonia and set up a defensive position.
On the morning of September 4th the operation began with the second battle of Dagaupulis, once victory had been achieved an amphibious assault was ordered at the beaches at Parnu. Meanwhile German divisions began to march towards the undefended city of Orsha to protect it from a Soviet counter offensive.
The landings at Parnu were soon being praised as a stoke of utter genius, the planner of the Operation von Blomberg scoring numerous victories in the current power struggle within the Reichswehr military elite. With Ludwig Beck currently suffering in a hospital in Berlin the honorable position of Chief of Staff, head of the entire Reichswehr was open for any new arrivals. Despite having several strong candidates the Panzer leaders had pt their unilateral backing behind Von Manstein who until now had been the heavy favorite for the job. Meanwhile Von Blomberg was seen as a spiritual heir to Ludendorff, sharing many of his tactics as well as being one of the great General’s favorite protégé’s. The only However von Manstein had planned numerous complex, modern and highly successful campaign whilst Blomberg had sat in a trench on the Eastern Front for most of the war. The success of Parnu not only showed him to be a flexible commander but also a brilliant one. There was no question over whether the Red Army was toughest foe Germany had ever faced and Blomberg had seemed to have broken its back.
After the initial landings at Parnu the troops quickly moved out, eastward to seal off Estonia and southward to trap Riga. Thy soon met with the main army coming North from the frontline about 30 miles east of Riga. This force was then instantly turned Eastward to try and secure the airfields at Opochka, forcing the Red Airforce away from the areas and reinforcing the German position in Estonia. To the west Student lead the Gegirbesjaeger northward and into an assault with the still large soviet forces in the city of Riga.
Looking to make the most from his great victory Blomberg had the Kriegsmarine send him strait into Riga harbour after the 9 Soviet divisions agreed to surrender. He had cameramen film his accepting of the surrender, the ceremony of raising the German flag over the fortress at Riga. They also took pictures of the hundreds of captured artillery pieces. But unwilling to give up any opportunity for glory Blomberg was quickly back on a Kriegsamrine transport as he prepared for the surrender of the Soviets in Kurland which was expected very soon. Meanwhile a Red Army counteroffensive, looking to halt the quick German progress by attacking at Gulbene where the 6 German divisions were ill prepared for the large attack.
Russian guns lined up for the cameras
In the face of total destruction another 7 Russian divisions (including a HQ) surrendered at Kurland, Blomberg was quickly dispatched to secure the area. To the north another 2 Soviet infantry divisions would be taken captive after a short defense Tallin (home to the Baltic Fleet). As German troops approached the city the Red Navy would have to rereat leaving it open to the Kriegsmarine which was instantly sent towards the Gulf of Finland. The Geran warships would sink a light cruiser and two submarine squadrons whilst forcing the rest of the fleet into a panicked retreat for Kronstadt.
Operation Sea Snake claimed 20 Soviet divisions and most of their already battered fleet. Not even mentioning the capture of the entire Baltic territory and the shame
can I ask the reader opinion on the future directionof the AAR?
I was planning to move away from total war in every update and include much more about power wranglings in the Reichswhehr and in the German government. Also quite a bit about foriegn relations (most importanty with the US and UK). I'm just struggling to keep this fresh as I feel it has been quite repetitive recently.
Anyways hope you enjoy and any opinions are welcome as it is easy to change whatever is in the updates as I write them immediately before posting
I was planning to move away from total war in every update and include much more about power wranglings in the Reichswhehr and in the German government. Also quite a bit about foriegn relations (most importanty with the US and UK). I'm just struggling to keep this fresh as I feel it has been quite repetitive recently.
Anyways hope you enjoy and any opinions are welcome as it is easy to change whatever is in the updates as I write them immediately before posting