AAR Germany-1936 sic. 1941 Barbarossa

[Rommel41]

First full HoI3 campaign. Started in 1936 "Road to War" and performed a few extra strategic moves to compliment my choice of a favorable '41 invasion of the Soviet Union.

Germany 1936 AAR (January 1, 1936-January 1,1948)
AAR Start Date: 03:00 22 June, 1941
Difficulty: Normal
Fow: On and Off

I began with a few strategic alterations. Carriers and Strategic Bombers were added to the German research program at the cost of CAS and TAC with limited light naval (save submarine) research. Took half of SPAIN (Madrid and all but Tarragona of the eastern coast) during the Civil War. A short political mess for AUSTRIA and the CZECHS. POLAND (Total Exploitation) for a road test. Blitzed the WEST (Collaboration Gvt. except Occupied France) through winter of '39-'40 and jumped aboard ENGLAND (Collaboration Gvt.) via the host of paras in Southampton for a quickly gobbled Isles. DENMARK(Annexed) after a short summer for a clean map. Back in the east in the autumn for a bit of YUGOSLAVIA (Total Exploitation) and her unexpected partner in stupidity RUMANIA(Puppet). Followed by a back-door landing near Athens to help the Italians finish their year-and-a-half war with GREECE(Military Government).

With Gibraltar occupied by Germany and Italy's forces keeping the scant remaining British busy in North Afrika I got bored of fighting a secondary theater war. On to the the fun stuff!

Now that the west is pacified (save the Canadians) and the massive Deutsches Wehrmacht has nothing to do, it is time to set out on the entire purpose of this war...RUSSIA!!!

Giving myself odds of 3:2 in this one.
Odds are roughly (according to intelligence reports from our 8 spies in SU) 525 German Brigades to 559 Russian brigades. Minus our non-front reserves and garrisons: 400 vs. 500-550?

Changes from previous strategies include a more indirect engagement policy with focused thrusts after feeling out the enemies weak flanks, press hard for profitable pockets and seek to outright destroy the Red Army in a serious battle of encirclement.

OOB:Wien Theater HQ with three (North, South and Center) Army Group HQ each including no less than three armies, ex.(3rd, 17th, 6th). Armies are made up of at least three corps (several have as many as five, two have just two), Corps are constituted of NEVER less than three divisions which are NEVER less than three brigades.


The strategic situation 27 hours before the start of the war.

Army Group Center

Army Group North

Army Group South

Sorry about the haphazardness of this AAR. I will improve fo' sho! I had a good one going and the log-out killed it when I went for a smoke. So frustrating!

 

[Scorpi]

looking good. I will surely follow your progress.

 

[Myth]

A Barbarossa AAR, always fun!

 

[notger.heinz]

What, you are stopping just before the action begins? Go on, man! I LOVE these AARs!

 

[Rommel41]

Invasion!!!

Kickoff at 0300 was much more quiet than most had anticipated. With over 10,000 guns in Army Group Center alone, there was not such a roar as should have been. Reguardless, the die had been cast and the Germans were committed. Be it their ultimate glory or bitter defeat!

Army Group North, under von Bohm-Ermolli, was slow to make progress after managing only two small pockets of 70,000 across the Neumen in the first two weeks of steely combat! His goal of Riga was still 75km away by the 11th of July. However, his right made sudden breakthroughs against a weak Soviet infantry corps north of Grodno and pressed elements of the I. SS Panzerkorps, the recently formed XXXX. Panzerkorps and IV. Armeekorps quickly through the gap and pushed hard east. At the same time, west of Kanus, the II. and IX. Armeekorps hammered through and captured the city

then advanced with units of III. Panzerkorps to link up with forward reconnisance of IV. Armeekorps at Ziezmariai on the 18th. The Ayltus Pocket had been closed around 210,000 Russians.

Army Group Center, under Kleinheisterkamp, was tasked with a very special goal. It was to tie down as many Soviet troops along the frontier from Grodno to Konstopol as long as possible while using it's right flank, made up of 11th and 7th Armies, to aid the encirclement of Soviet troops stationed on the Hungarian border. The action began well as Panzerkorps 'Moder', with Rommel and Manstein commanding two of the best panzer divisions in the German army, made immediate exploits against several Soviet armored divisions around Lwow and speed south-east to link up with the paras in the city of Podhajce. There they would link up with the first units of Model's 17th Army of Army Group South. When it had been accomplished on the 8th of July it was estimated the the Russian numbers in the Stanislawow Pocket were no less than 300,000! Von Manstien drove south and split the pocket further, alowing the cleanup to proceed much more quickly. By the 20th it was reduced to a small and very small pocket. The attention of the army had already begun to turn back east.

Army Group South, under List, was the least likely to succed. With only two fully strengthed armies and limited air support, it faced a large number of enemy armor and had to contend with one of the most difficult, yet necessary, breakthroughs of the war. The 17th Army was forcing 112,000 of it's 160,000 men through a 25km wide slot and advance through 250,000 Soviets for 100km to link up with Army Group Center and close the Stanislawow Pocket. At the same time, 3rd Army and what elements of 10th Army there were, advanced quickly with their panzers swinging back and forth around Odesa and Chisnau trapping several Soviet armor divisions and their infantry support. However, their limited support forced them quickly onto the defensive for the moment with no more than 100,000 captured and killed for a loss of almost 125 AFV's and 19,000 dead. By the 15th of July, the south had stalled in a battle of mopping up and diverting forces to new assembly areas for a planed offensive near Horodok.

The strategic situation, one month after the opening of hostilities.

Losses are mounting and though we have pocketed over 500,000 Russians in the first month, there are several Russian counter-attacks and some desperate gambles which are stalling out and now exposed. All three Army Groups are still in good shape, but the enemy has shifted massive forces both north and south.

German Losses: 400 AFV's, 700 Light Vehicles, 100 Light Aircraft, 275 Medium-Heavy Aircraft, 1,200 assorted guns and 65,000 KIA.

Soviet Losses:* ?1,400? AFV's, ??2,000?? Light Vehicles, ???100-300??? Enemy Aircraft (all types), ?2,000? assorted guns and ?100,000? KIA

*Basic guesses are indicated by severity of guess work with the following method: ? - Pretty Good Guess, ?? - Um, I'm Fairly Sure, ??? - Absolutely 100% Certain Mein Fuhrer!!!

 

[Rommel41]

Recoil and Rebuff!

With the pockets created there was now only the question of their annihilation in time to free up vital offensive troops for further actions east. The Stanislawow Pocket was quickly cut to size in the last week of July. By the 2nd of August the final forces surrendered, bringing the total captured in the southern half of the theater to nearly 600,000.

Further north Army Group Center, only hours after the Stanislawow surrender, had managed two smaller pockets where the V. and VIII. Armeekorps forced the surrender of 72,000 Russians.

The rest of Army Group South had managed to press toward the neck of the Crimea, but were suddenly ordered north to press across and link up with units of 17th Armee behind several Soviet divisions stationed around Balta.

This was to be part of a larger attack which was to begin around the 18th of August.

While the center was enjoying much success and the south was launching a major encirclement operation, the north was caught in a badly stretched situation. With it's Riga attack put on hold to support the Ayltus Pocket battles and it's right forced into an unstable war of attrition with Soviets near Wilno, it seemed as though the recent Russian reserves would be able to punch through the embattled 8th Army. Continued fighting and shifting of a few units allowed some breathing space, but the pocket was stubborn and resisted throughout the month. Eventually worn down, only 60,000 of 280,000 still resisted on August 22nd. On that day the attack towards Riga was resumed with the goal of cutting off an entire Soviet Army Group.

Another month of bitter fighting has led to little overall change.

Several hundred thousand are added to the prisoner rosters but the Soviets maintain a stable front.

Casualty lists are unavailable.

Best guesses put our own dead at nearly 56,000 more and another 300 vehicles lost. Aircraft numbers confused with the introduction of the V1 to the OOB.

Russian losses could be anywhere from 60,000-85,000 dead, another 500-1000 vehicles with total campaign captured at over 800,000!

 

[notger.heinz]

Good work and good read, so far.

Letting AG South push northwards was very wise, else your supply situation could have become quite bad, since your troops can't be supplied from Romanian soil once they left it.

The trapping and encircling you do sure must hurt the Soviets. Any guess on the divisional strength they have left compared to you?

800.000 troops captured would mean around 270+ brigades or around 100 divisions!
Compared to your initial intelligence information, you have reduced the russian troops to half of their strength, barring freshly produced troops, so you should have numerical superiority now, haven't you?

Any new intel on the strength of the Russian troops after your initial successes?

Any allies to plan to call in?

(Btw: How do you get your casualty estimates concerning tanks and planes?)

 

[Rommel41]

Good work and good read, so far.?)

Why thank you, sir.

Letting AG South push northwards was very wise, else your supply situation could have become quite bad, since your troops can't be supplied from Romanian soil once they left it.?)

I actually have Romania as a puppet because they disliked my choice in the Vienna Dictates and allied with Yugoslavia in September of 1940. Needless to say, big mistake. They have no army left as a result, but I get 26 crude from them and get to trace supply through their territory (But not my ally Hungary!)

The trapping and encircling you do sure must hurt the Soviets. Any guess on the divisional strength they have left compared to you??)

I would say that by July 15th they still have 150 divisions at least. Intelligence began to bounce around from 290-260 and I lost two spies knocking me down to five total. Reports are therefore questionable.

800.000 troops captured would mean around 270+ brigades or around 100 divisions!
Compared to your initial intelligence information, you have reduced the Russian troops to half of their strength, barring freshly produced troops, so you should have numerical superiority now, haven't you??)

I get the feeling that they are showing the strain of such terrible losses, but still manage to meet most of my forward advances with several divisions that seem to appear from nowhere!!!

Any new Intel on the strength of the Russian troops after your initial successes??)

As best as I can guess: 200 divisions.

Any allies to plan to call in??)

Hungary has been called in and Slovakia was quick to send it's three divisions east, but Italy needs to stay busy with the remaining Brits in Africa (who the former is pushing back through Libya and are going strong against in East Africa.)

(Btw: How do you get your casualty estimates concerning tanks and planes?)

It's really a bunch of historical number crunching vs. game casualties.
Example: The Battle of Balta involved 63,000 Germans and 58,000 Russians. I had two tank divisions with two light and three medium tank brigades. I assume each brigade to be roughly historical and assume full strength is roughly 125 AFV's for each. So total German armor is going to be 625 AFV's. HOWEVER, several of these brigades have been in combat for over two weeks and are below 100% strength and organization. So, I had to use their %'s as a guid for how many tanks were actually available. In this case: 550.

Russian troops were a mottly mix of reserve infantry, several motorised brigades and a light armored division with a mere ONE light brigade! Using roughly historical Soviet tank brigade numbers I reached the number (of this untried light tank brigade) as 225.

Battle results 23 hrs later were: 600 Ours vs. 1,900 of theirs.

My tank divisions had only lost 12% organization and 1% strength between them. 5.5 tanks. But I have to factor in the total losses vs. the infantry and mechanized forces I had involved. Repair and recovery probably happened (we also took the field) so it is more like 2-3 tanks at most.

Russia actually had two motorised brigades move out of battle, so when the loses were factored it was still counting those units that had left. I couldn't really see their tanks beyond strength (even without fow) so their organization was likely shattered and they had apparently lost 6-10% strength. That's at most 25 tanks. 40-50 if you feel brazen and assume organization might include the abandoned and simple mechanical failures lost to our advancing troops.

Tack up at least 15 such battles for the average brigade in a month (at this rate) is at least .5 tanks a battle-day for brigade. and I have 54 brigades. Total: Just over 400.*see July German Losses

Russia is almost a guessing game. Especially with the occasional pocket surrender of armor.

Aircraft is really tough!!!
It's back to some historical messuring and using the strength/organization values with the balance of a few commen-sense choices vis-a-vis the outcome of the battle and the losses inccured by whomever you want.
I added some V1's and that has truly thrown a wrench into any real determination of Russian losses. I can guess mine well since I get to see how bad they suffered after a battle.

The number of losses indicated by the game would no-doubt corroborate the numerical losses of brigades, but I havn't bothered to check.

 

[notger.heinz]

I get the feeling that they are showing the strain of such terrible losses, but still manage to meet most of my forward advances with several divisions that seem to appear from nowhere!!!

Nowhere = Siberia?

Thx for the elaborated answer on the loss numbers, it is highly appreciated. You work is even more impressive given your number crunching. I love number crunching like the cookie monster loves cookies.

 

[Myth]

You're making good progress so far, though things seem a bit slow in the center.

 

[Rommel41]

Strategies Evolve

Two months on to the invasion and serious concerns have been brought up about the future of the attack. While it has become clear that the Russians are still on the defensive, they are managing to avoid many attempts to encircle their forward defenses.

The September Phase promises to be quite profitable as proved in only the first few hours when the last 60,000 men of the Ayltus Pocket surrendured.

Army Group South was the first to exploit it's strategic advantage when the I. and IV. Panzerkorps of 3rd Armee pushed through Soviet lines north of Zhovtan on the 24th of August. At the same time, one hundred kilometers North-West, the XX. Armeekorps and the V. Panzerkorps lanched their assault through Uman to link up with the 3rd Army and close a ring around an estimated 175,000 Soviets around Balta.

Though it would prove a great victory, it would be in the center that the German strategy had shifted.

With Soviets strongly defending the territory along the western boarders of the Pripyet Marshes, it was decided that Army Group South, comprised of two whole armies (11th and 7th), would attack along the southern edge of the marshes and strike north through Kiev. Army Group North, comprised of the 8th and 12th Armies, would smash through the Red Army outside of Wilno and quickly advance east to, hopefully, link up with Panzerkorps 'Moder' and close off nearly 600,000 Russian soldiers!

The center attack("Operation Eastern Rise"), led by Rommel's 7th Panzer Division, brushed the Soviets aside at Rowne and quickly began the advance towards Kiev. Supported by 400,000 men, 2,100 AFV's, 20,000 light vehicles, 1,200 planes, 7,000 guns and 100,000 other support troops, it would be the greatest concentration of force in such a relatively small area since the Battle of France.

At the same time, in the south, V. Panzerkorps was quick to breakthrough at Uman.

While the southern and central offensives began with high yeilds, the north was bogged down fighting an enemy nearly three times their size. XXXXI. Panzerkorps still managed to smash through and continue the advance on Riga!

Which, after another equally tough struggle, fell on the 6th of September.

A week later, in the south, the Balta Pocket was quickly smashed in one of the quickest encirclements of the war.

Over 135,000 Soviets become prisoner by the 17th!

Things in the North progress well with the Riga Pocket, but the attack, in conjunction with Army Group Center, has become seriously slowed by stiff Soviet ressistance and limited reserves. Overdependance on V1 attacks to cripple enemy supply have served to hamper German advances as well. Hopes rest on the southern thrust to continue their drive and possibly draw Russians away from 12th Army's spearheads.

As the September Phase began to end there were several occurances of note elsewhere in the world.

Bulgaria refused a pact which would allow me to use my Turkish military transit to attack with reserves through southern Russia!

And the Canadians were destroyed in a foolhardy invasion of Iceland!

Well. International issues aside, here are the september casualty lists.

German Losses: 350 AFV's, 250 Fighters, 200 Medium-Heavy Aircraft, 700 assorted guns, 1,900 Light Vehicles and 53,000 KIA.

Russian Losses: ?900? AFV's, ???300??? Aircraft of all types, ??5,000?? assorted guns, ?3,100? Light Vehciels and ?95,000? KIA/375,000 Captured!

 

[notger.heinz]

Well done!

Some questions:
1. Are you able to trace supply through puppets? IIRC there was a supply issue there.
2. Did your V1-attacks have any effect on the russian supply lines? Did you ever see out-of-supply-modifiers?
3. Which provinces were bombed by V1s and why?

 

[Rommel41]

Good Questions!

Well done!

Some questions:
1. Are you able to trace supply through puppets? IIRC there was a supply issue there.
2. Did your V1-attacks have any effect on the russian supply lines? Did you ever see out-of-supply-modifiers?
3. Which provinces were bombed by V1s and why?

I'll start with your first question.

1. I seem to be able to trace through my puppet of Rumania fairly well. Slovakia is likewise docile in reguards to supply difficulties. Supply was drawn through Occupied Yugoslavia and the Croatian puppet state. Hungary was eventually called in and I see supply moving through there. However, I have seen Berlin fail to meet the supply quota (not for fuel) for a full three days in October. I'll cover the October reports in the next post.

2. From the August-September V1 strike on Army Group North's axis of advance there have been the following reports on the logistical damage to the Soviet (soon to be German) territories.

The supply reports...Excellent quality Colonel!...are showing several supply deficiencies, but nothing drastic enough to have the strikes considered of a strategic impact.

They just don't seem to have real supply lines!!!

3. Most of the provinces you see inside of German territory with terrible infrastructure are due to the V1 strikes on the pockets they formerly contained. Little did I realize the true demand for repairing roads!

The attacks in line with the three provinces directly east of Riga were intended to cut land supplies to the Riga forces and prevent Soviet reinforcements. This did not result in favorable results for either scenario as almost 100+ thousand troops passed through with relative ease to hinder my attacks on the newly formed pockets. Considering the amount of damage we've sustained, they must have been destroyed. And believe me. They will be!

 

[notger.heinz]

Thx, field marshal.

I somehow fail to realise the true impact of your strategic infrastructure attacks. I can spot two provinces around Riga out of supply, which I guess is a good factor for you. But IIRC the supply effect takes 30 days to fully bog down any fighting capacity and your progress seems much faster.
Do you give them Russians time to starve at all?

 

[Rommel41]

__WOLF'S LAIR__
September 23rd, 1941
_11:30 hrs Berlin_​

"Gentlemen. The situation in the East has changed considerably in my opinion. With our efforts to destroy the Red Army, wholesale, near our boarders, has proved quite successful. We are now pitted against an enemy who relies mostly on ill-equipped reserves and terribly overstretched echelons. However, there is still difficulties which require us to make drastic decisions. We are already beginning to see failures in the grand-encirclement plans of 'Operation Eastern Rise'. Our northern pincers have stalled almost as quickly as they had begun to advance. The rest of the north will require weeks to reposition it's troops from the Riga Pockets for a solid press towards Leningrad. Even General Rommel has stated to me that the week deadline to reach the Gomel line will be...unachievable. The first rains added to the Northern advance stalling-out, coupled with the damage done to the rails by 'unchecked' Victory-Weapon strikes, has lead me to turn my eyes from both Leningrad and Moscow over towards Sevastopol and Rostov, dare I believe, Stalingrad!?!"

The Fuhrer could not be lead from his belief that the south was the new goal of the '41 operations in the Soviet Union. To this effect, he transferred 25 divisions and three wings to Army Group South's sector with the goal of providing the force for an advance to the Don Basin's edge, possibly on to the Volga and into the Caucuses. To all be achieved by Christmas! The Fuhrer was certain that the fighting had led to a general withdrawal of most of the Russian troops in the south to bolster the hard-pressed north and center. With the extra troops (of which only three armor divisions, three mountain divisions and four infantry divisions had arrived as of the 1st) and extraordinary strategic goals, kicked-off on the first day of October. 'Operation Autumn Mist' was to be conducted as a "reconnaissance-in-force" with a multi-direction drive with goals of forcing the Soviets to whiplash back to the left and allow for the burdened Army Groups North and Center to continue their drives. With only one week to prepare for the major-southern offensive, it was obvious to all, except the Fuhrer, that there would be delays.

With the south brewing for offensive action, the October phase begins with several bits of success, both militarily and politically.

On the 26th of September, our diplomats in Washington, with threat-levels quite high, managed to form a hollow-peace with the critical trade-partner, the United States.

Hours later, Army Group North reported that 2nd Army had destroyed the remains of the Cortland-portion of the Riga Pocket. 45,000 Russian prisoners are added to the tally.

With 12th Army's advance halted, the forces of the center continue to press their advantage. Kiev is captured on the 5th of October after a brief, though violent, battle. Rommel immediately leads the drive onward towards Gomel.

Later that night, the 17th Army gains the first ground in the southern-drive!

A follow on success occurred on the 7th, when the outnumbered German forces broke the Soviets at Shpola!

Benefiting from the push in the south, the center manages to encircle several dazed Russian divisions south of Kiev. All in all, 86,000 more Russians would be made prisoner over the next week.

Even 8th Army eventually has managed to continue it's northern advance, despite heavy odds against them!

The Riga Pocket is finally extinguished on the 16th. 135,000 are made prisoner.

Despite these overwhelming victories, the stubborn Soviets continue to resist! Grim supply situations and weather, as well as sudden and overwhelming Russian reinforcements, blunt the advance of XXXX. Panzerkorps north of Lida.

Another pocket is closed in the south and Sevastopol is reached by the 8th Panzer-Division a day before the end of the October phase. The operation, with these successes, shall likely continue to perform as expected.

The center makes gains in many isolated cases, keeping the Russians near the west pinned, but providing little strategic gain. The advance on Gomel is badly slowed as over 100,000 Russians join the fray on their way north! 'Operation Eastern Rise' is all but over it seems.

With the Riga Pocket gone, the Germans find a large hole in the Russian right! They have begun to exploit it, but the amount of forces on hand may not be enough to do more than threaten Leningrad. While the rest of Army Group North is drawn more heavily into the fighting on the northern edge of the Pripyet Marshes.

Hopes are high for the November phase. The Rasputista was fairly mild. How will the winter affect the Wehrmacht?

October Casualties-

German Losses: 175 AFV's, 275 Fighters, 200 Medium-Heavy Aircraft, 1,200 Guns, 2,300 Light Vehicles and 36,000 KIA.

Soviet Losses: ?350? AFV's, ???400??? Aircraft of all types, ?3,000? Guns, ??1,800?? Light Vehicles and ?65,000? KIA/295,000 Captured!

 

[GrimReaper]

Nice progress, hopefully you can pocket enough of the Soviets before General Mud and Winter arrives

How is Italy doing in North Africa?

 

[Rommel41]

Nice progress, hopefully you can pocket enough of the Soviets before General Mud and Winter arrives

I've already achieved a theater total of 1,800,000 prisoners or more. The 120 brigades (reported by 9 spies) tells me that it is almost over. I have over 350 brigades at least against that! They are toast, unless my supply completly fails and I can no longer sustain offensive operations.

How is Italy doing in North Africa?

Malta is captured and Lybia is almost retaken!

Considering that they were nearly defeated six months earlier is showing how they have come back.

(Italian situation early June '41)

The British Empire is already on the defensive across their African territories!

P.S.
"I know the dates are from December. I've already done the November Phase! It will be out tomorrow!"

 

[notger.heinz]

Thx for the update. I liked the read. Italy manages a comeback against an opponent nearly out of IC ... impressive.

 

[Myth]

Bold plans in the center! It looks like you may pull them off too, though of course holding a pocket until it's liquidated is always harder than creating it in the first place.

 

[unmerged(18239)]

Very nice read, you tempted me to give Barbarossa another go!

With the extrem right and left broken I am curious to see what your next move will be and if you will get a beating if you overstretch your lines.