Started a game as Germany, Core 91 1936 Germany, hard. I started building Mark I Panzers early in 37 with the intention of upgrading them to Mk IV's later as the Mark I seems to do fine chopping up the Western 1939 infantry hordes.
Well to make a long story short it was about spring 1939, I was waiting for Czech submission, had my Mark I Panzers in the build que undeployed tech was rumbling along and was getting ready for the summer tech rush where I upgrade my tech so I can start building and upgrading to Mark IV basic tanks after the free Czech tank techs after annexation. And I notice that Poland has declared war on Lithuania over some petty border squabble. Fine I figure, Poland has a decently teched army and they should have no problem overunning Lithuania, just means I will get a leg up in the Baltic states when I annex them, right? WRONG !
I check their progress a week or so later and to my horror the Soviets have sided with the Lithuanians and are in the process of invading Eastern Poland. I wonder how this will pan out having never seen it and the implications to the MR pact etc. I start watching events closely and deploy a Heinkel unit to East Prussia for recon flyovers.
Well the Soviet hordes are coming from the east, stacks of 12-15 infantry with BT45 tank Divisions interspersed (the combined arms Army) are rolling like a steamroller into the Eastern Polish lands from Wilno to Lwow. The attack is unsophisticated, pure frontal assault, but the Soviet masses are unstoppable, especially when 25-30 of Polands 40ish divisions are still facing my undefended Border in the West.
When the Soviets take Warsaw and Krakow I begin to worry and lay out an infantry screen of single divisions in the east. The Soviet bludgeon is advancing slowly and I wonder if Poiland will survive till September 1st so I can start the war. Well the Polish army continues to retreat west and their Navy is smashed in the Baltic. They eventually end up with 30ish divisions holed up in Danzig and the Soviets have conquered all of Poland. The Soviets have made a fatal mistake tho in their zeal to overrun the Poles.
In Bialstok, south of Danzig is a Soviet Army. 85+ infantry Divisions, 20 + Armoured units. Undoubtably preparing for the final assault on Danzig. The diligent Heinkels fly over the now Soviet controlled Polish countryside and bring back intelligence. 1 Tank division in Lwow, an Infantry divsion in Suwalki marching towards Danzig, a couple of scattered Air units (mixed groups consisting of a fighter and a bomber) in Warsaw and Lodz. I stare with disbelief at the Intel reports. Checking with my other intel sources I find that the soviets are estimated to deploy around 150 infantry and 40 Tank divisions on the eve of the conflict. Half their deployed army sits in Bialstok at the far western tip of Soviet expansion. Forget Cannae, Austerlitz, Tannenberg, the greatest encirclement battle in recorded history will be occuring in less than a month.
August 1st 1939 the Wehrmact deploys, 100 infantry divsions, 20 Mark I Panzer Divisions and 9 Moterized Infantry Divsions. The Northern pincer consists of mostly defensive troops with a pair of infantry attack armies and 2 panzergruppe (6 divisions). One infantry army and Panzer gruppe will drive on Torun while the other heads for a deeper encirclement via Suwalki. Defensive formations cover the Stettin - Landsberg fronts, screening forces against France and in Hamburg in case the Western Allies interfere, and the rest of the Wehrmacht (a dozen Panzers, 9 moter infantry 30 infantry and the bulk of the Luftwaffe deploy in Opeln.
August 30 1939, Ribbentrop delivers the Ultimatum to Poland, Danzig or War !
The Brits and French have not extended an alliance to Poland, not wishing to be at war with the Soviets. I have a free hand in the east. Poland decides for war (after all Danzig is all they have left) and the Panzers start their engines for the great race. The Soviets seem to be oblivious to whats going on, the checks in the mail to Moscow.
September 1st 1939 Germany declares war on the Soviet Union. While a small force heads for Danzig from Stettin the bulk of the wehrmacht starts rolling across the Frontiers, east and south of Bialstok, unopposed, as fast as possible. Paratroopers land in Radom while the panzers roll at full speed.
By September 15th Half the Soviet Army was bagged in two pockets at Pozan and Torun. The short encirclement couldnt stand against their steamrolling horde but the long encirclement held. Soviets streamed back across the Visula to the east, a mostly disorganized rabble and south trying to get back to the Ukraine. What few Soviets who organized a defence to the east were easily swept aside by the Mark I panzers. By October almost 4 million Soviets had surrendered in Western Poland, and the werhmacht raced east before the snows came.
Well to make a long story short it was about spring 1939, I was waiting for Czech submission, had my Mark I Panzers in the build que undeployed tech was rumbling along and was getting ready for the summer tech rush where I upgrade my tech so I can start building and upgrading to Mark IV basic tanks after the free Czech tank techs after annexation. And I notice that Poland has declared war on Lithuania over some petty border squabble. Fine I figure, Poland has a decently teched army and they should have no problem overunning Lithuania, just means I will get a leg up in the Baltic states when I annex them, right? WRONG !
I check their progress a week or so later and to my horror the Soviets have sided with the Lithuanians and are in the process of invading Eastern Poland. I wonder how this will pan out having never seen it and the implications to the MR pact etc. I start watching events closely and deploy a Heinkel unit to East Prussia for recon flyovers.
Well the Soviet hordes are coming from the east, stacks of 12-15 infantry with BT45 tank Divisions interspersed (the combined arms Army) are rolling like a steamroller into the Eastern Polish lands from Wilno to Lwow. The attack is unsophisticated, pure frontal assault, but the Soviet masses are unstoppable, especially when 25-30 of Polands 40ish divisions are still facing my undefended Border in the West.
When the Soviets take Warsaw and Krakow I begin to worry and lay out an infantry screen of single divisions in the east. The Soviet bludgeon is advancing slowly and I wonder if Poiland will survive till September 1st so I can start the war. Well the Polish army continues to retreat west and their Navy is smashed in the Baltic. They eventually end up with 30ish divisions holed up in Danzig and the Soviets have conquered all of Poland. The Soviets have made a fatal mistake tho in their zeal to overrun the Poles.
In Bialstok, south of Danzig is a Soviet Army. 85+ infantry Divisions, 20 + Armoured units. Undoubtably preparing for the final assault on Danzig. The diligent Heinkels fly over the now Soviet controlled Polish countryside and bring back intelligence. 1 Tank division in Lwow, an Infantry divsion in Suwalki marching towards Danzig, a couple of scattered Air units (mixed groups consisting of a fighter and a bomber) in Warsaw and Lodz. I stare with disbelief at the Intel reports. Checking with my other intel sources I find that the soviets are estimated to deploy around 150 infantry and 40 Tank divisions on the eve of the conflict. Half their deployed army sits in Bialstok at the far western tip of Soviet expansion. Forget Cannae, Austerlitz, Tannenberg, the greatest encirclement battle in recorded history will be occuring in less than a month.
August 1st 1939 the Wehrmact deploys, 100 infantry divsions, 20 Mark I Panzer Divisions and 9 Moterized Infantry Divsions. The Northern pincer consists of mostly defensive troops with a pair of infantry attack armies and 2 panzergruppe (6 divisions). One infantry army and Panzer gruppe will drive on Torun while the other heads for a deeper encirclement via Suwalki. Defensive formations cover the Stettin - Landsberg fronts, screening forces against France and in Hamburg in case the Western Allies interfere, and the rest of the Wehrmacht (a dozen Panzers, 9 moter infantry 30 infantry and the bulk of the Luftwaffe deploy in Opeln.
August 30 1939, Ribbentrop delivers the Ultimatum to Poland, Danzig or War !
The Brits and French have not extended an alliance to Poland, not wishing to be at war with the Soviets. I have a free hand in the east. Poland decides for war (after all Danzig is all they have left) and the Panzers start their engines for the great race. The Soviets seem to be oblivious to whats going on, the checks in the mail to Moscow.
September 1st 1939 Germany declares war on the Soviet Union. While a small force heads for Danzig from Stettin the bulk of the wehrmacht starts rolling across the Frontiers, east and south of Bialstok, unopposed, as fast as possible. Paratroopers land in Radom while the panzers roll at full speed.
By September 15th Half the Soviet Army was bagged in two pockets at Pozan and Torun. The short encirclement couldnt stand against their steamrolling horde but the long encirclement held. Soviets streamed back across the Visula to the east, a mostly disorganized rabble and south trying to get back to the Ukraine. What few Soviets who organized a defence to the east were easily swept aside by the Mark I panzers. By October almost 4 million Soviets had surrendered in Western Poland, and the werhmacht raced east before the snows came.
