@Sandertje The manpower is beyond scary. I am constantly disbanding divisions to keep up the fight. The only good news is that the Russians are losing three times as many.
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June 4, 1945
The war in the East goes ever onward… June looks much like May to the High Command.
June 6 passes uneventfully. The Abwehr is unable to penetrate Allied security and listen in as the heralded leaders of D-Day are castigated by their peers in Allied camps.
On the 7th, the reinvigorated Luftwaffe makes another successful stand over the Reich.
STAVKA continues to throw punches at Heersgruppe Mitte, though there is no indication that the Soviets are aware of impending German plans in this area.
Heersgruppe Nord receives some welcome attention as well, as FM von Rundstedt hopes to wear down his opponent in the North.
There is some more success in the air on the 12th, just as some misinformed Italian partisans take to the street of Rome, where unsmiling Axis forces begin to swiftly round up the perpetrators.
The fireworks in Rome do not last long.
The small Kriegsmarine battles the small Red Fleet in the Baltic, driving them from the seas again and again.
Without any warning, American forces strike at the extreme north and southof the Reich’s dominion. As amphibious force lands at Murmansk as a carrier port strike sends the remaining Mediterranean U-boat squadron to the bottom.
As the half-strength divisions in Murmansk attempt to repel the invaders, Admiral Donitz sorties a U-boat fleet from Norway to assist.
Suddenly on June 16, the shape of the world changes. The USA has dropped an atomic bomb on the hapless citizens of the Essen region. Though the area has already been leveled by American and British strategic bombers, this new weapon is something different. Rebuilding this time may be impossible.
The war in the East goes ever onward… June looks much like May to the High Command.
June 6 passes uneventfully. The Abwehr is unable to penetrate Allied security and listen in as the heralded leaders of D-Day are castigated by their peers in Allied camps.
On the 7th, the reinvigorated Luftwaffe makes another successful stand over the Reich.
STAVKA continues to throw punches at Heersgruppe Mitte, though there is no indication that the Soviets are aware of impending German plans in this area.
Heersgruppe Nord receives some welcome attention as well, as FM von Rundstedt hopes to wear down his opponent in the North.
There is some more success in the air on the 12th, just as some misinformed Italian partisans take to the street of Rome, where unsmiling Axis forces begin to swiftly round up the perpetrators.
The fireworks in Rome do not last long.
The small Kriegsmarine battles the small Red Fleet in the Baltic, driving them from the seas again and again.
Without any warning, American forces strike at the extreme north and southof the Reich’s dominion. As amphibious force lands at Murmansk as a carrier port strike sends the remaining Mediterranean U-boat squadron to the bottom.
As the half-strength divisions in Murmansk attempt to repel the invaders, Admiral Donitz sorties a U-boat fleet from Norway to assist.
Suddenly on June 16, the shape of the world changes. The USA has dropped an atomic bomb on the hapless citizens of the Essen region. Though the area has already been leveled by American and British strategic bombers, this new weapon is something different. Rebuilding this time may be impossible.
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This is probably their first nuke? Should be safe for another 6 months. The nuke attack eliminates all? manpower production & most factories permanently. If you rebuild the infrastructure level, you will recover the resource production (without the bonus from the factories that used to be there).
If you want them to target a less valuable province, put a lot of second rate divisions in a zero factory / resource / manpower province, near the coast? With any luck they will nuke those divisions & the worthless province.
If you want them to target a less valuable province, put a lot of second rate divisions in a zero factory / resource / manpower province, near the coast? With any luck they will nuke those divisions & the worthless province.
@MagooNZ Thank for for that insight. The actual damage to flattened Essen was minimal, but the dissent hit was certainly unwelcome. I hope it is months before they can drop another one.
@Sandertje Well, Essen was just rubble at this point, but its sad to know that it will never rebuild to former glory.
@Sandertje Well, Essen was just rubble at this point, but its sad to know that it will never rebuild to former glory.
Operation Fruhlingserwachen
June 17, 1945
******************************************
General Jodl welcomes Herr Speer and the other ministers to the Chiefs of Staff war room. “This could be the moment that we have been waiting for, Chancellor. As you can see, the Soviets forces opposing Heersgruppe Nord and Sud have just abandoned intensive attacks which have depleted their ability to react. In Heersgruppe Mitte, a new assault has just been launched, with many of the supporting divisions attacking our lines from Lvov. They present a vulnerable flank, and their nearest reinforcements are busy in their assault on our lines.”
Speer: “So, Lvov will be our Schwerpunkt, then?”
“Yes, Chancellor, and if they react too swiftly for our taste, we can hold fast at our border and watch for another opportunity.”
Speer: “Make it so. And to all of you here assembled. We have negotiated a minefield of “must win” battles and we have endured a long rain of terror bombings. We lack in oil, in industrial production and in manpower. Now the Americans turn our cities into infernos and molten slag. Yet still our chance is before us.
Overconfidence and underestimation cost us Egypt, the Mediterranean, our Italian ally, and millions of countrymen on the steppes of Russia. Well, we have been tempered in the flames. Today we embark on a campaign in the East and must all support it to the utmost. Spare nothing from your forces or your ministries. We must prevail or see the bear at our throats.”
***********************************************
Field Marshal von Manstein leads the resurgent Wehrmacht forward, slicing into the Russian flank. The eyes of Western Europe look on.
The main thrust in Lvov is making headway, even as the Americans drive the Heer from Murmansk. Another front opens with more American forces storming ashore in Anzio, for the second time this decade.
Von Manstein achieves a breakthrough and maybe, after four years, the Red Army will be backpedalling once more.
A three way naval battle begins off the coast of Murmansk. Soviet submarines and American surface ships contend with an ancient but determined U-Boat fleet racing to disrupt the invasion force.
STAVKA abandons the assault on Stryj to concentrate on defending Lvov, but von Manstein pours it on, encircling their reinforcements when they arrive.
The High Command begins shifting forces to Italy as the beach defense in Anzio gives way.
Success!! FLASH traffic relayed from the South Barents Sea details a stunning victory at sea. All five US Navy transports are sunk with all hands, saving Murmansk. Three Russian subs are sunk as well, with no friendly losses. The Kriegsmarine is toasted across Germany this day.
The Red Army is cracking in Lvov.
June 24. Anzio is lost to the USA. Forces are in route to dislodge them, but they have some distance to travel.
German troops arrive in Oulu to reinforce Murmansk, but the crisis there has been averted, and Finnish troops will take over that defense.
In the air, the Luftwaffe is back in the skies. Though industrial production fell to just 235 per day, it is now rising as the Allied bombers are being hammered when they try the heart of the Reich.
FM von Manstein radios in, “The defense of Lvov has collapsed. Exploitation forces are moving forward at top speed.”
Minister von Ribbentrop continues his frantic activity, trading for oil wherever he can find it.
Interestingly, the Allies immediately move several squadrons into Anzio. This presents a compelling target for the Heer, one that may hamper Allied air operations in the Mediterranean.
The Heer arrives in Lvov, as the Allies begin to spread out in Italy.
The Luftwaffe bats back an Allied air thrust as on the ground, the first German troops to arrive in Lvov, get a warm reception.
Von Manstein continues east, assailing the Red Army in Tarnopol as they attempt to rally there.
HG Sud launches an assault on Stanislawow to widen the breach and keep the Red Army off balance. Prospects for success look good.
The Red Army is driven from Tarnopol with large losses. At the same time, the incursion in Italy continues. The Allies are repelled in Perugia and the Heer and Hungarian allies are closing in on them.
More victories in the East as Tarnopol holds and Stanislawow falls to the Heer. The Allies continue to spread out in Italy, weakening their lines.
Russian bodies are piling up in Tarnopol, scene of multiple suicidal attacks ordered by a shaken STAVKA. The Allies have succeeded in cutting off some Wehrmacht forces in southern Italy. The Abwehr notes the build up of Oil and Supplies in Anzio and passes this information to the High Command.
June ends on a positive note, with success on the Ostfront and the disturbance in Italy about to be dealt with. The skies over the heart of the Reich are nearly clear of Allied air and some much needed repairs are under way.
The Abwehr prepares the usual reports.
June 17, 1945
******************************************
General Jodl welcomes Herr Speer and the other ministers to the Chiefs of Staff war room. “This could be the moment that we have been waiting for, Chancellor. As you can see, the Soviets forces opposing Heersgruppe Nord and Sud have just abandoned intensive attacks which have depleted their ability to react. In Heersgruppe Mitte, a new assault has just been launched, with many of the supporting divisions attacking our lines from Lvov. They present a vulnerable flank, and their nearest reinforcements are busy in their assault on our lines.”
Speer: “So, Lvov will be our Schwerpunkt, then?”
“Yes, Chancellor, and if they react too swiftly for our taste, we can hold fast at our border and watch for another opportunity.”
Speer: “Make it so. And to all of you here assembled. We have negotiated a minefield of “must win” battles and we have endured a long rain of terror bombings. We lack in oil, in industrial production and in manpower. Now the Americans turn our cities into infernos and molten slag. Yet still our chance is before us.
Overconfidence and underestimation cost us Egypt, the Mediterranean, our Italian ally, and millions of countrymen on the steppes of Russia. Well, we have been tempered in the flames. Today we embark on a campaign in the East and must all support it to the utmost. Spare nothing from your forces or your ministries. We must prevail or see the bear at our throats.”
***********************************************
Field Marshal von Manstein leads the resurgent Wehrmacht forward, slicing into the Russian flank. The eyes of Western Europe look on.
The main thrust in Lvov is making headway, even as the Americans drive the Heer from Murmansk. Another front opens with more American forces storming ashore in Anzio, for the second time this decade.
Von Manstein achieves a breakthrough and maybe, after four years, the Red Army will be backpedalling once more.
A three way naval battle begins off the coast of Murmansk. Soviet submarines and American surface ships contend with an ancient but determined U-Boat fleet racing to disrupt the invasion force.
STAVKA abandons the assault on Stryj to concentrate on defending Lvov, but von Manstein pours it on, encircling their reinforcements when they arrive.
The High Command begins shifting forces to Italy as the beach defense in Anzio gives way.
Success!! FLASH traffic relayed from the South Barents Sea details a stunning victory at sea. All five US Navy transports are sunk with all hands, saving Murmansk. Three Russian subs are sunk as well, with no friendly losses. The Kriegsmarine is toasted across Germany this day.
The Red Army is cracking in Lvov.
June 24. Anzio is lost to the USA. Forces are in route to dislodge them, but they have some distance to travel.
German troops arrive in Oulu to reinforce Murmansk, but the crisis there has been averted, and Finnish troops will take over that defense.
In the air, the Luftwaffe is back in the skies. Though industrial production fell to just 235 per day, it is now rising as the Allied bombers are being hammered when they try the heart of the Reich.
FM von Manstein radios in, “The defense of Lvov has collapsed. Exploitation forces are moving forward at top speed.”
Minister von Ribbentrop continues his frantic activity, trading for oil wherever he can find it.
Interestingly, the Allies immediately move several squadrons into Anzio. This presents a compelling target for the Heer, one that may hamper Allied air operations in the Mediterranean.
The Heer arrives in Lvov, as the Allies begin to spread out in Italy.
The Luftwaffe bats back an Allied air thrust as on the ground, the first German troops to arrive in Lvov, get a warm reception.
Von Manstein continues east, assailing the Red Army in Tarnopol as they attempt to rally there.
HG Sud launches an assault on Stanislawow to widen the breach and keep the Red Army off balance. Prospects for success look good.
The Red Army is driven from Tarnopol with large losses. At the same time, the incursion in Italy continues. The Allies are repelled in Perugia and the Heer and Hungarian allies are closing in on them.
More victories in the East as Tarnopol holds and Stanislawow falls to the Heer. The Allies continue to spread out in Italy, weakening their lines.
Russian bodies are piling up in Tarnopol, scene of multiple suicidal attacks ordered by a shaken STAVKA. The Allies have succeeded in cutting off some Wehrmacht forces in southern Italy. The Abwehr notes the build up of Oil and Supplies in Anzio and passes this information to the High Command.
June ends on a positive note, with success on the Ostfront and the disturbance in Italy about to be dealt with. The skies over the heart of the Reich are nearly clear of Allied air and some much needed repairs are under way.
The Abwehr prepares the usual reports.
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Once More Into the Breach…
July 1, 1945
The Heer is busy on all fronts, driving the Red Army out of Kem, holding the line in Cassino, and widening the breach in Stanislawow.
Von Manstein leads the charge eastward, through Tarnopol and into Zhitomir. Rommel is active against Vinnitsa, perforating hasty Soviet defenses there.
General Hoth pushes at Korosten, attempting to overrun an entire Soviet Army Group retreating in that direction. The marshy terrain plays hell with his mechanized force, though.
The Wehrmacht mobile forces handily beat off Red Army counterattacks and continue expanding the breach in Soviet lines. Kiev is lightly held and is besieged immediately.
Success in Cherkassy and Kiev, as the lead German elements begin to break south in hopes of forming a Kessel of Soviet divisions deployed along the Romanian border.
The Heer is thirsty for oil, and the capture of Allied stockpiles in Anzio will be a welcome addition.
FM Rommel races southward towards the Black Sea coastline as others extend into Priluki. Lt Gen. von Rothkirch finally arrives on the scene in Italy to find the Allies already in full retreat.
Melitopol falls and Heersgruppe Sud had formed their hoped-for pocket of Soviet troops. Up in HG Mitte, though Hoth has taken Konotop in time to capture a half dozen divisions, STAVKA was able to focus on weary German forces in Tarnopol and drive them back. Fresh forces are dispatched to garrison this zone more effectively.
In Italy, another Allied supply dump is located in Naples. The Luftwaffe is also interested in overrunning the air base here and rousting a dozen Allied squadrons recuperating there.
The Abwehr reports 40+ Soviet divisions trapped in the south, as FM Rommel adds another award to his portfolio. HG Mitte is tiring but pushes north into Vyshgorod, working to set up another Kessel if at all possible. The High Command shares a collective sigh of relief as “Spring Awakening” shapes up as a resounding success.
Naples is liberated and the last of the Allied landing force scurries towards Foggia on the east coast.
The Heer’s lines are holding in the south, as Rommel leads the drive to reduce the pocket.
The tiny Romanian Navy is pressed into service, ferrying Mountain divisions as far forward as possible, staging them towards the Caucuses oil fields.
Tarnopol is lost briefly, but the Russian invaders are immediately sent packing. In HG Nord, FM von Rundstedt notes the thinning of the Red Army lines as they rush troops southward. He has his own missions, now coming in to play.
Battles rage on the Ostfront, but aside from the debacle at Tarnopol, they go the Germans’ way.
Out of supply Russian divisions are kept under constant pressure in Chisinev, forestalling any attempts to resupply or evacuate them via sea.
Bad tidings on the Black Sea as the Russian Black Sea Squadron intercepts the Romanians in their night maneuvers. The Kriegsmarine sorties their sole U-boat squadron but the battle will be completely lopsided even so.
The Romanians lose their only warship, but the valuable transports somehow make it back to port barely afloat.
The news is better in the Baltic, where a Corps begins an amphibious assault on Riga.
July 1, 1945
The Heer is busy on all fronts, driving the Red Army out of Kem, holding the line in Cassino, and widening the breach in Stanislawow.
Von Manstein leads the charge eastward, through Tarnopol and into Zhitomir. Rommel is active against Vinnitsa, perforating hasty Soviet defenses there.
General Hoth pushes at Korosten, attempting to overrun an entire Soviet Army Group retreating in that direction. The marshy terrain plays hell with his mechanized force, though.
The Wehrmacht mobile forces handily beat off Red Army counterattacks and continue expanding the breach in Soviet lines. Kiev is lightly held and is besieged immediately.
Success in Cherkassy and Kiev, as the lead German elements begin to break south in hopes of forming a Kessel of Soviet divisions deployed along the Romanian border.
The Heer is thirsty for oil, and the capture of Allied stockpiles in Anzio will be a welcome addition.
FM Rommel races southward towards the Black Sea coastline as others extend into Priluki. Lt Gen. von Rothkirch finally arrives on the scene in Italy to find the Allies already in full retreat.
Melitopol falls and Heersgruppe Sud had formed their hoped-for pocket of Soviet troops. Up in HG Mitte, though Hoth has taken Konotop in time to capture a half dozen divisions, STAVKA was able to focus on weary German forces in Tarnopol and drive them back. Fresh forces are dispatched to garrison this zone more effectively.
In Italy, another Allied supply dump is located in Naples. The Luftwaffe is also interested in overrunning the air base here and rousting a dozen Allied squadrons recuperating there.
The Abwehr reports 40+ Soviet divisions trapped in the south, as FM Rommel adds another award to his portfolio. HG Mitte is tiring but pushes north into Vyshgorod, working to set up another Kessel if at all possible. The High Command shares a collective sigh of relief as “Spring Awakening” shapes up as a resounding success.
Naples is liberated and the last of the Allied landing force scurries towards Foggia on the east coast.
The Heer’s lines are holding in the south, as Rommel leads the drive to reduce the pocket.
The tiny Romanian Navy is pressed into service, ferrying Mountain divisions as far forward as possible, staging them towards the Caucuses oil fields.
Tarnopol is lost briefly, but the Russian invaders are immediately sent packing. In HG Nord, FM von Rundstedt notes the thinning of the Red Army lines as they rush troops southward. He has his own missions, now coming in to play.
Battles rage on the Ostfront, but aside from the debacle at Tarnopol, they go the Germans’ way.
Out of supply Russian divisions are kept under constant pressure in Chisinev, forestalling any attempts to resupply or evacuate them via sea.
Bad tidings on the Black Sea as the Russian Black Sea Squadron intercepts the Romanians in their night maneuvers. The Kriegsmarine sorties their sole U-boat squadron but the battle will be completely lopsided even so.
The Romanians lose their only warship, but the valuable transports somehow make it back to port barely afloat.
The news is better in the Baltic, where a Corps begins an amphibious assault on Riga.
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The Ostfront Explodes
July 20, 1945
The landing force comes ashore in Riga, making good headway in flanking the Soviet lines.
In Kowel, Heersgruppe Mitte breaks off their assault which had pinned two dozen Red Army divisions in place. The weary German troops get a well deserved rest as panzers roar past them, heading east.
A German combined arms formation pursues Russians through the Crimean peninsula, where they make a short and futile last stand.
As Sevastopol is overrun, General Wunnenberg is ordered to seize the last Russian port on the Black Sea.
The Luftwaffe shows its new teeth to an American formation attempting a fighter sweep. The Heer continues expanding the drive to the Southeast. This effort to reach the oilfields is draining men from the effort to surround the Pripet Marshes, but the High Command is adamant that oil be secured from some quarter.
The Romanians offer their bounty freely to the Wehrmacht, while the cursed Bulgarians charge a king’s ransom for every drop from their stockpile.
STAVKA rushes additional divisions to Riga before it can be seized. HG Nord calls off the attack and moves against Tallinn instead.
The results in HG Sud are stunning. The Red Army has been annihilated in the South. The Romanian Black Sea Squadron goes back into action, hauling reinforcements during the hours of darkness.
In HG Mitte, FM von Manstein leads his mobile forces against several Red Army Fronts rallying and moving through Zholbin. It is a single-axis attack, though, and his battered forces seem unable to crack the Soviet lines.
The last of the Americans are mopped up in Italy, as HG Nord gets underway at last, converging on Siauliau, where STAVKA has pulled troops away.
In Foggia, German and Hungarian troops are amazed to see a single American division offload ashore into the teeth of their advance. Apparently General Eisenhower is punishing General Patton in some way by forcing him to lead this doomed attack. Patton’s defeats are now twice those of his victories.
Siauliau and Tallinn fall in the north. The High Command mulls von Ribbentrop’s report of extremely difficult oil trades and they decide to make a bold move. FM Rommel is ordered to drive relentlessly toward Moscow, in hopes of securing some oil from the rear echelons in the capital city. He radios for support and begins immediately.
As July comes to an end the Abwehr reports Soviet casualties approaching three million, in just over a year of fighting.
The news is good at sea, but Japan continues to lose ground over time.
July 20, 1945
The landing force comes ashore in Riga, making good headway in flanking the Soviet lines.
In Kowel, Heersgruppe Mitte breaks off their assault which had pinned two dozen Red Army divisions in place. The weary German troops get a well deserved rest as panzers roar past them, heading east.
A German combined arms formation pursues Russians through the Crimean peninsula, where they make a short and futile last stand.
As Sevastopol is overrun, General Wunnenberg is ordered to seize the last Russian port on the Black Sea.
The Luftwaffe shows its new teeth to an American formation attempting a fighter sweep. The Heer continues expanding the drive to the Southeast. This effort to reach the oilfields is draining men from the effort to surround the Pripet Marshes, but the High Command is adamant that oil be secured from some quarter.
The Romanians offer their bounty freely to the Wehrmacht, while the cursed Bulgarians charge a king’s ransom for every drop from their stockpile.
STAVKA rushes additional divisions to Riga before it can be seized. HG Nord calls off the attack and moves against Tallinn instead.
The results in HG Sud are stunning. The Red Army has been annihilated in the South. The Romanian Black Sea Squadron goes back into action, hauling reinforcements during the hours of darkness.
In HG Mitte, FM von Manstein leads his mobile forces against several Red Army Fronts rallying and moving through Zholbin. It is a single-axis attack, though, and his battered forces seem unable to crack the Soviet lines.
The last of the Americans are mopped up in Italy, as HG Nord gets underway at last, converging on Siauliau, where STAVKA has pulled troops away.
In Foggia, German and Hungarian troops are amazed to see a single American division offload ashore into the teeth of their advance. Apparently General Eisenhower is punishing General Patton in some way by forcing him to lead this doomed attack. Patton’s defeats are now twice those of his victories.
Siauliau and Tallinn fall in the north. The High Command mulls von Ribbentrop’s report of extremely difficult oil trades and they decide to make a bold move. FM Rommel is ordered to drive relentlessly toward Moscow, in hopes of securing some oil from the rear echelons in the capital city. He radios for support and begins immediately.
As July comes to an end the Abwehr reports Soviet casualties approaching three million, in just over a year of fighting.
The news is good at sea, but Japan continues to lose ground over time.
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Brilliant work in the South and interesting development with the "reverse-bagration" shaping up. Hopefully the oil reserves will be enough to last until you get to the Caucasus.
@Blackoberst Thank you. The quest for oil continues in all directions, with many disappointments as seen in this update.
@Sandertje Thanks again. The Heer is certainly capable of hitting pretty hard when focused.
@Sandertje Thanks again. The Heer is certainly capable of hitting pretty hard when focused.
No Stone Unturned
August 2, 1945
Field Marshal von Manstein continues to push at Zhlobin, attempting to cut off the fleeing Soviet ground troops, but new formations keep passing through, restarting the battle for the province.
The High Command notes with joy another ten Red Army divisions cut off in HG Nord, around Memel.
Rommel surges towards Moscow and the rumored oil depots there, as von Manstein finally enters Zhlobin proper.
HG Nord pushes at Grodno, seeking an encirclement of Soviet forces in the Pripet Marshes and the rest of Heersgruppe Mitte.
STAVKA orders an all out assault at von Manstein’s southern pincer. They manage to drive one German Army Group from Vyshgorod, but the Wehrmacht storms back in with some mobile divisions fresh from a rest in Lublin.
What remains of the Red Fleet Baltic Squadron is driven from Riga and pounded at sea. Rommel’s victories mount as he presses forward through Orel and into Tula.
The Desert Fox tries his hand at an urban fight as he moves on Moscow. Unfortunately, the meager support available in this sector allows some dastardly Russian remnants to move in behind his advance and cut the supply lines.
Rommel prevails in the streets of Moscow as HG Mitte manages to scrape together enough forces to reopen his line of supply. The road to Moscow is blasted open!
On August 10th, FM Rommel arrives into Moscow, driving the Soviet government before him like sheep. Alas, the rumors of oil and other stockpiles are another maskirova, with nary a drop of petrol for the thirsty panzers.
Rommel’s force is spent and rests uneasily in Moscow. The disappointed High Command orders FM von Kleist to drive on the new Soviet capital in Gorky, in hopes of overrunning some supply trains there.
IN HG Nord, the tough nut of Grodno has finally cracked and the Wehrmacht in the north begins to move forward.
Rommel and von Kleist are ordered to break out to the south, as the exhausted German and Romanian forces are losing their grip on the deep penetration. Both mobile groups outmatch the Red Army forces surrounding them but both are critically short of fuel.
In HG Mitte’s zone, FM von Manstein’s panzer force is at half strength, battling fiercely to enter Bobraisk and link up with HG Nord, which is pushing into Lida.
On August 17, the infantry marching into Lida joins the assault on Bobraisk, and the flanking attack quickly begins to turn the tide there.
HG Nord handily repels several Red Army probes, while HG Sud reports seizure of the oil-rich province of Baku!
The terrible battle of Bobraisk ends at last. The Heer rues nearly 14,000 German casualties but STAVKA reels at taking almost four times as many.
The Abwehr reports to the High Command that they believe that approximately 150 Red Army divisions are pocketed in HG Mitte. General Jodl rubs his chin, reflecting on the abysmal state of the German forces staggering around in Zhlobin. If they can only hold a few days, some reinforcements can arrive…
August 2, 1945
Field Marshal von Manstein continues to push at Zhlobin, attempting to cut off the fleeing Soviet ground troops, but new formations keep passing through, restarting the battle for the province.
The High Command notes with joy another ten Red Army divisions cut off in HG Nord, around Memel.
Rommel surges towards Moscow and the rumored oil depots there, as von Manstein finally enters Zhlobin proper.
HG Nord pushes at Grodno, seeking an encirclement of Soviet forces in the Pripet Marshes and the rest of Heersgruppe Mitte.
STAVKA orders an all out assault at von Manstein’s southern pincer. They manage to drive one German Army Group from Vyshgorod, but the Wehrmacht storms back in with some mobile divisions fresh from a rest in Lublin.
What remains of the Red Fleet Baltic Squadron is driven from Riga and pounded at sea. Rommel’s victories mount as he presses forward through Orel and into Tula.
The Desert Fox tries his hand at an urban fight as he moves on Moscow. Unfortunately, the meager support available in this sector allows some dastardly Russian remnants to move in behind his advance and cut the supply lines.
Rommel prevails in the streets of Moscow as HG Mitte manages to scrape together enough forces to reopen his line of supply. The road to Moscow is blasted open!
On August 10th, FM Rommel arrives into Moscow, driving the Soviet government before him like sheep. Alas, the rumors of oil and other stockpiles are another maskirova, with nary a drop of petrol for the thirsty panzers.
Rommel’s force is spent and rests uneasily in Moscow. The disappointed High Command orders FM von Kleist to drive on the new Soviet capital in Gorky, in hopes of overrunning some supply trains there.
IN HG Nord, the tough nut of Grodno has finally cracked and the Wehrmacht in the north begins to move forward.
Rommel and von Kleist are ordered to break out to the south, as the exhausted German and Romanian forces are losing their grip on the deep penetration. Both mobile groups outmatch the Red Army forces surrounding them but both are critically short of fuel.
In HG Mitte’s zone, FM von Manstein’s panzer force is at half strength, battling fiercely to enter Bobraisk and link up with HG Nord, which is pushing into Lida.
On August 17, the infantry marching into Lida joins the assault on Bobraisk, and the flanking attack quickly begins to turn the tide there.
HG Nord handily repels several Red Army probes, while HG Sud reports seizure of the oil-rich province of Baku!
The terrible battle of Bobraisk ends at last. The Heer rues nearly 14,000 German casualties but STAVKA reels at taking almost four times as many.
The Abwehr reports to the High Command that they believe that approximately 150 Red Army divisions are pocketed in HG Mitte. General Jodl rubs his chin, reflecting on the abysmal state of the German forces staggering around in Zhlobin. If they can only hold a few days, some reinforcements can arrive…
@ Sandertje If the German lines hold it will. Even the largest army cannot afford to write off 150 divisions at a go.
Penning the Bear
August 23, 1945
Air Marshal Milch notes the creeping improvement of the Reich’s industrial base. His air defense network is still shaky but is making life increasingly difficult for the Allied strategic bomber wings.
The High Command waits tensely for news from the front. Can they prevent a Soviet breakout?
HG Nord continues to press forward into Minsk and Parnu, as FM von Manstein reviews his battered command.
HG Sud continues to roll nearly unopposed through the Caucuses. Mountain troops fan out near Grozny and Baku as Gen. Wunnenberg leads his mechanized force towards the graveyard of 6th Army, in Stalingrad.
HG Mitte begins to close the noose around the mass of Russian troops surrounded in the center.
The Heer marches in triumph into Stalingrad. A desperate oil situation continues, as ministers scramble for solutions. Trades are made with Peru and Bolivia at 50% effectiveness. Maikop is left untaken in hopes of netting some production there in future.
The Abwehr prepares and submits the usual month end reports.
August 23, 1945
Air Marshal Milch notes the creeping improvement of the Reich’s industrial base. His air defense network is still shaky but is making life increasingly difficult for the Allied strategic bomber wings.
The High Command waits tensely for news from the front. Can they prevent a Soviet breakout?
HG Nord continues to press forward into Minsk and Parnu, as FM von Manstein reviews his battered command.
HG Sud continues to roll nearly unopposed through the Caucuses. Mountain troops fan out near Grozny and Baku as Gen. Wunnenberg leads his mechanized force towards the graveyard of 6th Army, in Stalingrad.
HG Mitte begins to close the noose around the mass of Russian troops surrounded in the center.
The Heer marches in triumph into Stalingrad. A desperate oil situation continues, as ministers scramble for solutions. Trades are made with Peru and Bolivia at 50% effectiveness. Maikop is left untaken in hopes of netting some production there in future.
The Abwehr prepares and submits the usual month end reports.
September 7, 1945
The thin lines are holding in the south, as the Red Army is now thin on the ground there. The divisions they are moving southeast are not enough to dislodge the Heer and its allies.
The string of Axis victories is an unbroken litany all along the Ostfront. Chancellor Speer exults as the production capacity reaches its highest level in months.
Even the gloomiest members of the High Command are elated at the reduction of the Kessel in the marshes.
Another wave of fully rested mobile forces departs Konigsberg for the front lines. The Transport Command is barely functional but the Bear is not going to be allowed any rest!
The Luftwaffe reports savaging another Allied wing today, and the Wehrmacht rejoices.
By mid-September, the encircled Red Army forces are in a hopeless situation, behind multiple lines of German formations. The Heer begins to rotate its most battered corps to the rear for replacements.
A pair of South African naval bombers continues to make a nuisance of itself in the Black Sea. They unerringly find the port where the Romanian squadron is berthed and bomb them at anchor.
The pocket shrinks again, as Bulgaria extorts more resources from Germany for oil.
HG Nord begins another offensive move, seeking to isolate the Red Army divisions in the Courland Peninsula and to connect the lines with Leningrad. General Munzel has become quite a bright star for the Wehrmacht.
The verdammt South Africans corner and sink the U-boat detachment in the Black Sea. Bulgaria’s ancient air force is moved to the area to deter them.
The northward thrust to Leningrad grinds forward and HG Mitte resumes its march towards Moscow via Smolensk.
The oil situation remains dire. All the not-current armored divisions are disbanded. So are several mobile AT brigades. The attacks are unrelenting along the front but most of them are now made by infantry marching through snowdrifts under Winter Specialist leaders.
Minister von Ribbentrop acquires more oil at great cost.
The ring is forming around the Soviets in Estonia.
On September 25 another fourteen Russian divisions are pocketed.
HG Sud does not rest on its laurels. Three armored divisions are encircled west of Stalingrad. STAVKA seems paralyzed and unable to respond effectively.
The US Navy launches a surprise port strike on the sub pens in Cholet. The U-boats are scrambled and put to sea, driving off the carriers before too much damage was done, though they were rebased to Lorient after the incident.
HG Nord and Mitte keep pushing the Russians back all along the front.
An overview of the Eastern Front at the end of September, as the last of the Soviets in the Pripet Kessel are being mopped up.
The Abwehr submits their Intelligence analysis, including a look at the Heer as it continues to contract.
The Soviet Union has lost 3.5 million soldiers.
The thin lines are holding in the south, as the Red Army is now thin on the ground there. The divisions they are moving southeast are not enough to dislodge the Heer and its allies.
The string of Axis victories is an unbroken litany all along the Ostfront. Chancellor Speer exults as the production capacity reaches its highest level in months.
Even the gloomiest members of the High Command are elated at the reduction of the Kessel in the marshes.
Another wave of fully rested mobile forces departs Konigsberg for the front lines. The Transport Command is barely functional but the Bear is not going to be allowed any rest!
The Luftwaffe reports savaging another Allied wing today, and the Wehrmacht rejoices.
By mid-September, the encircled Red Army forces are in a hopeless situation, behind multiple lines of German formations. The Heer begins to rotate its most battered corps to the rear for replacements.
A pair of South African naval bombers continues to make a nuisance of itself in the Black Sea. They unerringly find the port where the Romanian squadron is berthed and bomb them at anchor.
The pocket shrinks again, as Bulgaria extorts more resources from Germany for oil.
HG Nord begins another offensive move, seeking to isolate the Red Army divisions in the Courland Peninsula and to connect the lines with Leningrad. General Munzel has become quite a bright star for the Wehrmacht.
The verdammt South Africans corner and sink the U-boat detachment in the Black Sea. Bulgaria’s ancient air force is moved to the area to deter them.
The northward thrust to Leningrad grinds forward and HG Mitte resumes its march towards Moscow via Smolensk.
The oil situation remains dire. All the not-current armored divisions are disbanded. So are several mobile AT brigades. The attacks are unrelenting along the front but most of them are now made by infantry marching through snowdrifts under Winter Specialist leaders.
Minister von Ribbentrop acquires more oil at great cost.
The ring is forming around the Soviets in Estonia.
On September 25 another fourteen Russian divisions are pocketed.
HG Sud does not rest on its laurels. Three armored divisions are encircled west of Stalingrad. STAVKA seems paralyzed and unable to respond effectively.
The US Navy launches a surprise port strike on the sub pens in Cholet. The U-boats are scrambled and put to sea, driving off the carriers before too much damage was done, though they were rebased to Lorient after the incident.
HG Nord and Mitte keep pushing the Russians back all along the front.
An overview of the Eastern Front at the end of September, as the last of the Soviets in the Pripet Kessel are being mopped up.
The Abwehr submits their Intelligence analysis, including a look at the Heer as it continues to contract.
The Soviet Union has lost 3.5 million soldiers.
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Fight to the Finish
October 1, 1945
With oil increasingly difficult to come by, the High Command turns Rommel loose again to drive on Moscow. All the efforts and price paid in blood could be undone if the panzers are immobilized for lack of fuel.
Meanwhile the infantry continues to step forward all along the front, gradually pushing the exhausted Red Army back.
Allied fighter wings are still a grave menace, but their strategic bomber force has been savaged, now unable to stop the Reich from repairing the damages done previously.
The Red Army is completely absent from the south. The remnants are quickly scattered when they are in range of HG Sud forces.
After a lengthy cabinet meeting, the High Command decides that the Red Army may be incapable of effective actions. Orders are issued to HG Sud to drive on Sverdlovsk concurrently with Rommel’s drive on Moscow, in an attempt to force Stalin to the negotiation table.
Some British Meteors have been spotted and they are a handful, but the upgraded Luftwaffe can now hold it’s own against the US Mustangs.
FM Rommel blasts through the hasty defenses in Klintsy and Tula.
HG Nord bundles the Reds out of Toropets. Kaluga also falls and another set of Soviets is trapped in Gomel.
The rather pathetic Bulgarian Air Force manages to intercept the harassing South Africans but can barely damage them even with numbers.
The Luftwaffe has better results than the Bulgarians.
General Hoth is unmolested in his race to Sverdlovsk. His only enemy is the fuel gauge.
General Kaul encounters some state of the art Russian mechanized forces, but they are too few to hold him at bay for long.
FM Rommel is nearing Moscow, sweeping aside the dregs that STAVKA throws in his path.
The wolves are at the door at Moscow.
And in the far east as well…
Rommel and Kaul begin the assault on Moscow proper, with the Desert Fox still bedazzling the Russians with a clever encirclement.
Eventually the defense collapses and the mobile forces surge forward.
On October 22, FM Rommel rolls into Moscow again. This time the Heer catches many of the Soviet supply trains intact. They are re-routed to Berlin and the oil crisis at last is overcome. Stalin and the Politburo flee across the river to Kalanin.
On October 23rd, a distant and static-ridden radio message announces General Hoth’s arrival in Sverdlovsk. There is a resultant flurry of activity in the cabinet chambers.
News that the Soviet ambassador is requesting an audience with von Ribbentrop spurs Chancellor Speer to enact several initiatives that are anathema to the German volk. Puppet states are established in Byelorussia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. A Military Focus is also levied on the populace. Dissent skyrockets, with rebellions in the air.
Then on October 26th, the message is broadcast to the entire Reich: Stalin Sues for Peace!
It will take a few days to sort out the unrest and the celebrations.
The Abwehr prepares a special report as of the 26th, not waiting for the usual month-end.
October 1, 1945
With oil increasingly difficult to come by, the High Command turns Rommel loose again to drive on Moscow. All the efforts and price paid in blood could be undone if the panzers are immobilized for lack of fuel.
Meanwhile the infantry continues to step forward all along the front, gradually pushing the exhausted Red Army back.
Allied fighter wings are still a grave menace, but their strategic bomber force has been savaged, now unable to stop the Reich from repairing the damages done previously.
The Red Army is completely absent from the south. The remnants are quickly scattered when they are in range of HG Sud forces.
After a lengthy cabinet meeting, the High Command decides that the Red Army may be incapable of effective actions. Orders are issued to HG Sud to drive on Sverdlovsk concurrently with Rommel’s drive on Moscow, in an attempt to force Stalin to the negotiation table.
Some British Meteors have been spotted and they are a handful, but the upgraded Luftwaffe can now hold it’s own against the US Mustangs.
FM Rommel blasts through the hasty defenses in Klintsy and Tula.
HG Nord bundles the Reds out of Toropets. Kaluga also falls and another set of Soviets is trapped in Gomel.
The rather pathetic Bulgarian Air Force manages to intercept the harassing South Africans but can barely damage them even with numbers.
The Luftwaffe has better results than the Bulgarians.
General Hoth is unmolested in his race to Sverdlovsk. His only enemy is the fuel gauge.
General Kaul encounters some state of the art Russian mechanized forces, but they are too few to hold him at bay for long.
FM Rommel is nearing Moscow, sweeping aside the dregs that STAVKA throws in his path.
The wolves are at the door at Moscow.
And in the far east as well…
Rommel and Kaul begin the assault on Moscow proper, with the Desert Fox still bedazzling the Russians with a clever encirclement.
Eventually the defense collapses and the mobile forces surge forward.
On October 22, FM Rommel rolls into Moscow again. This time the Heer catches many of the Soviet supply trains intact. They are re-routed to Berlin and the oil crisis at last is overcome. Stalin and the Politburo flee across the river to Kalanin.
On October 23rd, a distant and static-ridden radio message announces General Hoth’s arrival in Sverdlovsk. There is a resultant flurry of activity in the cabinet chambers.
News that the Soviet ambassador is requesting an audience with von Ribbentrop spurs Chancellor Speer to enact several initiatives that are anathema to the German volk. Puppet states are established in Byelorussia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. A Military Focus is also levied on the populace. Dissent skyrockets, with rebellions in the air.
Then on October 26th, the message is broadcast to the entire Reich: Stalin Sues for Peace!
It will take a few days to sort out the unrest and the celebrations.
The Abwehr prepares a special report as of the 26th, not waiting for the usual month-end.
Author’s note: Since my 1944 Germany could not afford to bankroll any Espionage, I could never depict what the Soviets (or anyone else) had for force structure. Not even a guess. So that we would all know what was really taking place in “Spring Awakening, I have compiled the following from savegame files.
At the start of the offensive on June 22, the Red Army boasted 492 divisions.
By the end of July, HG Sud’s sweep southeast to the Black Sea had reduced the Red Army to 336 divisions.
At the end of August, HG Mitte had overrun more forces as they worked to close the ring on the Pripet Marshes. The Soviets were down to 265 divisions.
The majority of the pocket was eliminated in September, as were some smaller pockets, mostly in the north. The Red Army counted only 141 divisions.
Finally, after Moscow and Sverdlovsk were taken, STAVKA was mustering 79 divisions in total.
Now we return to more real-time postings.
At the start of the offensive on June 22, the Red Army boasted 492 divisions.
By the end of July, HG Sud’s sweep southeast to the Black Sea had reduced the Red Army to 336 divisions.
At the end of August, HG Mitte had overrun more forces as they worked to close the ring on the Pripet Marshes. The Soviets were down to 265 divisions.
The majority of the pocket was eliminated in September, as were some smaller pockets, mostly in the north. The Red Army counted only 141 divisions.
Finally, after Moscow and Sverdlovsk were taken, STAVKA was mustering 79 divisions in total.
Now we return to more real-time postings.
Amazing victory against the Russians. Let's hope that this is the beginning of more!
Great job!!!! Just one question... why do you have Panzers with ART attachments? Don't they slow down the whole army corps?