Operation Overlord Grand Campaign - a community project HOI:TCG AAR

[myLAAN]

Organizational thread for those interested in the rules we follow and other behind-the-scenes stuff.
Original thread for those interested in discussions that led to implementing this idea.

[reserved]

 

[myLAAN]

June 5th 1944 20:00
The sea breeze felt strange tonight, like iron... just the way it feels when one licks the blood from an open wound. Feldmarschall zu Dugrim ordered us generals to stay sharp, our intelligence reported that a vast force gathered just behind to Channel and was ready to strike at our positions immediately. I highly doubt that Allies would be able to accomplish much, the example of Dieppe shows how inept they are at amphibious assaults. Plus our Atlantic Wall stands in full strength and without a crack - the westernmost tip of our defence is handled by Feldmarschall himself. General von Narfi is stationed near Carentan. Further to the East camp the troops of General Nymet, myself, that is General myLAAN and General von und zu Student guards the shortest road to Caen, our vital city from which all supplies are distributed. His role is the most important, for each Allied attack will surely regard Caen as the target of the utmost importance. I can't see how we could be driven out of our bunkers with such fine commanding staff gathered on so little space in far-flung Normandy.

Nevertheless, I'm not the one responsible for crafting grand strategy in this army so I duly complied with the befehl, gathered my troops and shared with them that little knowledge of the situation I possessed.

I'm always full of pride of the divisions at my disposal. It's a great mix of mostly infantry battalions backedwith artillery and other support units. Apart from regular flak, the ranks were recently reinforced with 3 shiny new 88mm Flak units. I'm glad the higher echelons approved the usage of such heavy-hitters in our Normandy positions despite the shortage incurred by prolonged warfare on the Eastern front. Since tanks are only available to armies stationed further in the heartland of France, anti-tank capabilities of my formidable force are supplied mostly by specialized Volksgrenadiers and some AT minefields layed on the beaches. The only weak spot I can see in the case Allies really decide to attack is my lack of powerful long-range troops. Since it's guaranteed that Allies would benefit from shore bombardment from battleships, those floating artillery batteries, one Counterbattery Fire unit seems too little.

The sun is setting down and once it rises, I hope the situation will remain just as calm as it was until now.

June 6th 1944 6:45
Dear God, here they come... General Nymet faced the first onslaught of the day. So far, he managed to hold the enemy at bay but new waves will surely arrive soon. I hope I won't disappoint those who entrusted me with standing my dround on this little piece of sand...

 

[myLAAN]

June 6th 1944 20:30
I seems I gravely underestimated Allied military capabilities even though the situation seemed under control for most of the day, as the first battles ended with glorious victories for Fatherland.

Feldmarschall zu Dugrim applied versatile defensive strategy and held Allied tanks of CO nachopontmercy at bay with ease, just as we expect from such a high ranked officer. (for the report from the eyes of Allies, see the end of this post)

General Nymet valiant resistance more than compensated for his badly prepared defensive positions, which were heavily focused on anti-tank warfare. AT Mines and Marders were of little use against CO Darkside's powerful airforce. Luckily for us, Allied logistics cannot compare with our own and so their positions weren't properly supplied. Slower deployment of combat-ready troops combined with lack of coordination offered by Forward Air Controllers meant Nymet's Engineers had great firepower advantage.

I faced leader of Polish foreign legion by UK armed forces, CO CzerwonyJoKeR (don't ask me who comes up with all those codenames). From the start, I tried to attack his landing zones relentlessly, in the hope that less room for setting up proper defense would guarantee victory. Allies once again overstretched their supply routes and CzerwonyJoKeR's inferior units were taken out one after another. Dreaded artillery units M 7 Priest and Preparatory bombardment didn't arrive on the beach in sufficient numbers which left plenty of room for my soldiers to attack without fear of meeting serious resistance. Finally, they overrun Allied positions and another part of the Atlantic Wall remained intact.

However, the stream of good news ends at this point. General von Narfi and General von and zu Student achieved nothing more than a stalemate in their sectors and it's only a matter of minutes before Feldmarschall zu Dugrim issues orders for a strategic withdrawal necessary for consolidation of our forces at crucial spots. The city of Carentan has to be fortified immediately since Allies will surely try to secure such an important stronghold of ours. A town of Ranville will see flocks of German Panzers arriving as well as it's the only route leading to our regional HQ at Caen.

I hope our battles inland will yield better results than those at beaches of Normandy.

I enclose strategic overview of the current situation:

June 6th 1944 21:15
6th of June, 1944. A day that America looked forward as the start of a new era, but that ended as a major defeat. Few expected that a single slap could decide the fate of a battle. How so?

Weeks before the D-Day, General Patton was making the last plans for the invasion of Normandy. His ability with tanks was legendary, being able to move across almost any terrain with his armored divisions, the ones that cleared the zone of enemies before the infantry marched in.

However, Patton also had a lethal enemy: his own mood and behaviour. A week before the D-Day, re-enacting a well known episode, Patton humilliated a soldier at his command by slapping his face when he said that Germans weren't so evil. Unaware of General's abbilities, the High Command replaced him as the main general of the 4th Division, putting Theodore Roosevelt Junior in his place.

It was a mistake; the new general had little combat experience, and this was clear at the first moment of the landing. Unable to move with the necessary swiftness, the Allied tanks and armored divisions got stuck at the beach, incapable of advancing without stumbling upon AT Mined or a brave Volksgrenadier.

Trying to change the tactics, Roosevelt Jr. ordered to deploy the infantry as a primary defence, but it was too late to change the course of the battle. The German Engineers, supported by well-placed machineguns and planned artillery bombardments, pushed the American soldiers away from the cliffs.

In an horrible and undescribable situation, the Nazis advanced on and on, destroying the remnants of the Sllied army and taking as prisoners the lucky ones that survived.

6 of June, 1944. A day of defeat. The day when Utah beach kept being German.