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GeneralHannibal said:
Maybe...
By the way, there is ONE more update until recent game play starts. I must admit, I've spent a lot of time working on this brief but descriptive enough updates. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be screwed.
The ISR though - seems kind of...useless, since I only own three provinces of Italy - Trento, Venice and Milan. I do have the majority of their fleet - as it was in a German port at the time of Italy's surrender. Too bad it doesn't have any carriers.
russ555 said:
I wish...the only real save I have is from October 1942. A little fun note is...US assualted the beaches at Dunkirk, Ghent and Rotterdam, overwhelmed my forces defending. Then landed a total of 56 divisions! I was like
The House Begins to Crumble
In the midst of the collapse of Italy, Mussolini’s fascist regime, the Stalin’s perception once again took hold of his judgment and declared war against the Third Reich. His perception was right, Germany is weak, forced to fight on numerous fronts. Divided between all fronts, the Heer and Luftwaffe must choose their targets wisely, because numerical superiority is well into the past. Every soldier, professional or Volkssturm must rely on the fact that they are to fight to the bitter end. The Fatherland will not give up an inch of ground without inflicting enormous causalities upon its foe.
Italian Front is the easiest of every front to defend; as the Po River provides a significant deterrent to attacking Allies. The formidable Po is complicated by the presence of German currently moderate level of fortifications. These two extensive barriers will allow a small number of divisions protect against larger numbers of Allied powers. If the Allies were to break through, the Alps would provide the final defensive line to the underbelly of the Reich.
The Balkans faces political turmoil with the presence of an Allied leaning government in Greece. The collapse of Italy, saw their former Albanian territory fall under control of the Axis member Bulgaria; forcing their thinly spread army ever thinner. Complicated by the issue, a German contingent has been dispatched to prop up the Bulgars.
The Eastern Front seems at the moment to be most stable. Though quickly overrunning eastern Poland, the Soviet forces were beaten back when they reached the Ostwall. Aided numerous rivers, the German defenders are well protected – though the possibility of breakthrough exists. It is estimated that Soviet forces outnumbers German troops at least two to one, effectively limiting any offensive operations to local theaters as all grand-scale offensives are out of everybody’s mind but Hitler’s.
If a breakthrough were to happen on the Eastern Front, the final line of defense would be the Oder – too close to Berlin for comfort. It is essential that no breakthrough happens on the Eastern Front, or the end of the Third Reich would be well assured.
The Western Front is stable; partially for the fact that fall has arrived. Forgetting the rapid success of the Allies – mostly in part to the mass arrival of American soldiers, the Western Front is still winnable. If enough forces were concentrated, a massive operation could begin with hopes of reclaiming the Low Countries for the Reich. At the moment, Germany faces a shortage of troops on each front.
In addition to a shortage of troops, the United States of America’s ability to perform amphibious invasions almost at will has brought about concern of Denmark and Northern Germany’s defensive measures. Currently, twelve Volkssturm divisions guard the coasts; all facing reassignment when professional soldiers are available. Volkssturm divisions are barred from protecting coastal beaches – due to their poor performance at defending Dunkirk, Ghent and Rotterdam from the Allies.
If the Fatherland is to survive these perilous moments, it shall truly be glorious. But until such dire times pass, a nation patiently awaits its Downfall.
Maps
Europe as of October 22nd, 1942.
The Eastern Front, defensive positions included.
The Balkans, including the recent Allied offensive that captured Skojpe.
Europe as of October 22nd, 1942.
The Eastern Front, defensive positions included.
The Balkans, including the recent Allied offensive that captured Skojpe.
The Western Front. Hindenburg Line (old defensive positions), Siegfried Line (new defensive positions).
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Why does Spain have all of French North Africa, and why are Catalonia and Basque County independent?
GeneralHannibal said:
When France intervened in the Spanish Civil War, making the Republicans won the Republicans decided to liberate Catalonia and Basque...don't know why.
When France was given a pro-German government (forcing it to leave its alliance with Republican Spain), the Spanish took over literally all of France's colonies. I talked to Afalsejedi about it, and it seems to be an odd-ended feature of the game itself and not SMEP.
TekcoR said:
France was at war with Spain?
Anyway, things aren't looking good at all
GeneralHannibal said:
France directly intervened in the Spanish Civil War aganist Nationalist Spain. It is an event choice offered in the official SMEP Doomsday. The major players get an event choice of not supporting any side, supporting a side through supplies or directly supporting it by declaring war aganist the other faction. I was told directly intervening is a %1 chance, as that is what its set to in the event...somehow I got that %1 when a nation decided to intervene.
Southern Storm
The Allied positions in Greece proved a difficult situation – both in the aspect that it offered the Allies another prime avenue to invade and undermine the Third Reich and that it would be difficult to conquer with the presence of Allied soldiers. Field Marshal Grassner, the commander of Armeegruppe Balkans, had devised a plan dubbed ‘Southern Storm’ to halt the Allied advance in Greece, and turn the tides. Though, it was highly doubtful that his twelve divisions, divided into three corps would be able to efficiently handle the any offensive operations – even with Bulgarian support.
Grassner’s plan was deemed the most capable of achieving quick success with long term benefits. If the Allies could be forced from the country, German forces could be withdrawn as occupational duties would be handed over to the Bulgarians. An additional twelve divisions to the Eastern Front would have little effect, however if the divisions were deployed to the Western Front, success could most likely be around the corner. To accomplish ‘Southern Storm’, twelve under strength paratrooper divisions were sent to the Balkans as additional forces could not be spared.
October 27th would be the launching date for ‘Southern Storm’ one day after the arrival of General Dietl (LXV Armeekorps, paratroopers) and General Ringel (LXII Armeekorps, paratroopers). The paratroopers would be assigned with forcing an estimated four Greek divisions Skopje and would eventually rendezvous with I Armeekorps, LXX Armeekorps who were to capture Edessa. Meanwhile, LXVI Armeekorps would continue its defense of Vlore – as Allied resistance near Ioannina was deemed too numerically superior.
'Operation Southern Storm' begins on October 27th, 1942.
‘Southern Storm’ would provide rapid success, as by 1000, reports came in of Allies retreating from Edessa after a devastating, fanatical attack conducted by the soldiers of LXVI Armeekorps. Additional reports surfaced around an hour later, stating that the paratroopers had forced the retreat of the Greeks from Skopje with minimal offensive loses.
By October 30th, LXX Armeekorps had secured Edessa and a large swath of surrounding territory. However, their stay would be miserably short, as the Allies began a massive counter-attack, with an estimated nine divisions a two to one ratio. Upon hearing the news, Hitler ordered the LXX Armeekorps to stand-fast as the importance of Edessa – was paramount. A German victory over numerically superior forces would provide, in Hitler’s words ‘an enormous morale boost to every soldier of the Reich’.
Yet Hitler’s dreams of a victory would be short lived, because nine hours into the counter-attack, LXX Armeekorps began a general retreat to its initial staging ground near Stip, Bulgaria. Complicated by lack of motorized vehicles – and to say the least, transport planes – the paratroopers reach Skopje on the 6th of November. Two days later, ‘Southern Strike’ is called off, it is clear a breakthrough into Greece will not be possible until the weather conditions prove more suitable.
LXX Armeekorps attempts to defend Edessa aganist the Allied counterassault, yet overall morale and organization is low amongst German soldiers.
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Painful Production
The winter months would hopefully prove to be beneficial to the Third Reich; as the constant aerial bombardment of its industrial areas was beginning to have a heavy effect on production output. The Ruhr, the Reich’s primary industrial complex, is within easy striking range of the Allies – not only from their airplanes – but one successful operation would allow their land forces into the Ruhr abruptly halting the majority of Germany’s production. Silesia, the Reich’s second major production belt remains relatively untouched by Allied and Soviet planes. However, a concentrated Soviet offensive would place Silesia under a severe threat from Soviet occupation. If both the Ruhr and Silesia fell, the Third Reich would no longer exist.
One of the most essential productions priorities is not the Heer, but rather the Luftwaffe. Constant barrages conducted by the US and British air forces, have severely crippled the Luftwaffe to a shadow of its former self. Though, Hitler wishes the production of bombers, most specifically the Junker Ju-87 Stuka, he has ceded to the fact that fighters capable of dealing with the Allies aerial threat are in high demand. Currently, the Luftwaffe contains eight fighter squadrons who have been hard pressed; however the remedy consists of the production and training of an additional five squadrons every three months, until a total of fifteen new squadrons has been completed.
Since the glory days of the Kreigsmarine, with the sinking of ten British capital ships for the Friedrich der Große, Hitler has deemed them a necessary branch worthy of a significant portion of the Reich’s production. Currently, three super heavy battleships are under construction, the Friedrich der Grobe II, Hindenburg and Ludenorff, all scheduled to be commissioned late May, 1943. What little use they will provide has yet to be determined; however if events turn around the super capital ships will most likely prove handy.
Lastly, any remainder of the Reich’s production is to be spent on upgrading and refitting the Heer. One of the most notable changes for the Heer will be the mass production of the Gewehr 43, our answer to the American M1 Garand. To implement these changes will take nearly a full year under the best production circumstances; however with the current situation at hand a solution has been divided. The Eastern Front has been deemed priority one, and will be refitted first, the Western Front second, Italian third, and Balkans last.
All this will be in vain if we do not survive the winter.
Fierce Rhine
Two days before the beginning of Fierce Rhine, eight divisions of the former Dietsland completed their reorganization and were now placed under German control; these divisions would play a pivotal role in the upcoming winter offensive ‘Fierce Rhine’. Leading up to November 13th, intelligence had suggested French and American divisions were redeploying to the Italian Front. Encouraged by the fantastic news, Hitler ordered the immediate launch for Fierce Rhine.
Twenty-three divisions, divided into Panzerkorps West, LXXIII Armeekorps and XXI Armeekorps would provide the backbone for the operation. Meanwhile, four Volkssturm groups, numbering roughly twenty divisional-size units would serve as reserves, though it was not expected for them to perform well or be much of a need. One of the most essential components of the force was the weather. Despite the heavy snow; which would hinder the advance of infantry and armored vehicles, the Allies most likely did not expect such an attack to occur.
Operation Fierce Rhine, November 13th, 1942.
While the weather proved an essential factor in the delays, the Allied air forces were making their presence well known. With the Luftwaffe unable to provide the required assistance, the Heer would have to deal with the situation and its dire consequences. By the 15th of November, Panzerkorps West (one panzer division, six motorized divisions) reached Eindhoven and continued westwards towards Rotterdam and the coast.
Morale quickly began decreasing amongst German soldiers as the advance through heavy snow continued. Whenever the snow ceased, the Allied bombers sent the soldiers crawling for cover. By November 19th, the Luftwaffe flew air superiority missions for Fierce Rhine, though their morale was quickly sapped against the numerically superior US Air Force and British Royal Air Force.
Slow progress continued, but did not discourage Hitler’s ambitious hopes to throw the Allies back into the seas. November 21st, saw a key part of Hitler’s ambition accomplished when Panzerkorps West arrived at the coast and captured Rotterdam; encircling French divisions at the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. A few hours later, Utrecht was captured, further tightening the noose around Amsterdam.
The noose tightens around Amsterdam, November 22nd, 1942.