Panzer Carnage

[CptEasy]

Chapter IV - Initiating the War on the West



Played Countries: UK, FRA, CAN, SU, 2xGER, ITA, JAP



Recap: Poland was completely overrun by the Axis. The Allies kept to their sitzkrieg – hatching something yet unknown. Now, with Poland gone, the Wehrmacht goes into the next phase of their great plan!

Authors note: Don’t miss the DoWs in the YouTube clip. The Carnage is on.













Late May, 1939

The Allies continued to pester Germany with strategic bombing raids, targeting the factories. A few did some damage by their tactical bomber wings lacked the skills and punch to do any significant impact.

Instead, it led to several air battles, both fighter to fighter but in several cases the Luftwaffe intercepted Allied bombers. It was sights for sore eyes seeing the large bombers go down tailed with black plumes.

The German air victories actually boosted the morale of the civilians as the felt that Luftwaffe was well equipped to deal with the Allied threat.














May 26th, 1939

Axis Europe is growing. Now Poland and Albania has been sucked up by its might. With a pact securing the East, Axis Europe can send all of its forces towards the West – where the Allies most surely are bracing before the impact.















June 18th, 1939

After quite a lot of organizing and shuffling around divisions to form the suitable army crops it was finally time to move into the final positions along the western borders.

Most of these men had had brief encounters with the real battlefield in Poland but they all knew this would not be over quite as fast. The anticipation was building. Many were eager, most were boasting, some were secretly fearing it. But they all knew they had the best gear, the best training, superior panzers and experienced generals. Men like Rommel, Model, Steiner and von Arnim moved towards the frontline together with the soldier, raising their morale and called for their bravery.

It was time to once and for all pacify the West; to crush them once and for all.








[video=youtube;ONRO-O-2eMc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONRO-O-2eMc[/video]

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Authors note: Ah, yes. I have now learned that you can shift select troops. It only took a few years. Looking at others gameplay clips is more useful than I thought. As you saw on this clip, we are in for some real carnage.

 

[Athalcor]

Would it be possible to implement RSS feed to your page?

 

[sprites]

what do that event choice do? regular conquer wargoal?

 

[Avindian]

Do not use this forum to discuss AARs on other websites, even if they are versions of AARs on this website. Thank you.

 

[CptEasy]

what do that event choice do? regular conquer wargoal?

The fate of France? It is basically chosing between Vichy or complete conquer. We later realized according to the script that the "conquer war goal" avoids the "Undeclared War" chain of events that need Vichy to fire. Don't really see the logic in that.

 

[luciusmalfoy012]

So does that screw with US neutrality reduction? I forget exactly what the Undeclared War events do, but it's something to do with aid to the UK and neutrality, right?

If so, that's actually a huge boon to the Axis

 

[misterbean]

So does that screw with US neutrality reduction? I forget exactly what the Undeclared War events do, but it's something to do with aid to the UK and neutrality, right?

If so, that's actually a huge boon to the Axis

It's about the US' neutrality. I believe that they get a couple of small reductions that add up if things progress historically. One for occupying Paris, one for Italy joining the war, one for Yugoslavia being invaded by Germany. Each of these give about -5 neutrality or so. I'm sure I'm forgetting some. At any rate, in a historical WWII, by 1941, the US should be around 30 or so.

 

[CptEasy]

It's about the US' neutrality. I believe that they get a couple of small reductions that add up if things progress historically. One for occupying Paris, one for Italy joining the war, one for Yugoslavia being invaded by Germany. Each of these give about -5 neutrality or so. I'm sure I'm forgetting some. At any rate, in a historical WWII, by 1941, the US should be around 30 or so.

I think the "undeclared war"-chain includes totaly -6 neutrality for the US spread over several dates and events. Paris and Yugoslavia is not part of the undeclared war chain, I believe. In any case, we quick-modded that chain to work also if French fell without Vichy being formed. But please don't comment on that in this thread as this is not the proper place for modds and HRs.

 

[CptEasy]

Chapter V - The War on the West



Played Countries: UK, 2xFRA, SU, 2xGER, ITA, JAP


Recap: After the victory of Poland, it took some time for the Wehrmacht to change fronts. Now, the big day had just been comming and passing - the day when Germany is challenging the Allied Sitzkrieg.


See recap on YouTube on how the Sitzkrieg turned into full on war - leading up to the situation we have now


Authors note: Don’t miss how the war of the west turn into a chessgame of carnage in the YouTube clip in the end. This is true Carnage.



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June 24th, 1939

Luxembourg was already taken. Belgium and Netherlands were under attack in all their eastern borders. The Dutch army wavered and fell back. In Belgium, German panzers blitz into more or less undefended territory while almost the entire Belgian army were locked in combat in Verviers (90). They had partly started to retreat in order to find a better defensive line. Some retreated towards Liege, where the Wehrmacht had already won a battle (yellow arrow); some retreated towards Bastogne where militias fought a losing battle.















June 27th-28th, 1939

The trapped Belgian army in Verviers tried desperately to break out through Bastogne being situated south west (8), and was aided by a motorized division coming out of Dinant. They fought a single SS panzer division which had taken position in Bastogne. But it was futile. They had few weapons that posed a threat for the panzers, the majority of the troops had to do a troublesome river crossing and the panzers could operate fairly stealthy in the woods. It was a bitter fight for the Belgians – and in Verviers they were attacked from several directions as well.

It was more or less a turkey-shoot for the Germans moving in on Verviers and only 1 died for every 5 Belgian. In the end, the enemy surrendered en masse. Over 60000 soldiers gave up. It was a great victory.















July 1st, 1939

The German forces attacked en masse along the Belgian front. In Namur, Dinant and Arlon intense battles took place. The Allies, en especially the French, had filled these provinces with troops, relying on numbers rather than quality and mobility. The German commanders responded with spearhead attacks on short sections of the front – tipped by lethal panzer divisions.

In Dinant (63), General Erfurth crashed through the defensive line masterfully and sent the French farmers reeling back in chaos, often straight into their own formation, leading to disorder and even friendly fire.










The fast Blitz of the Wehrmacht have crashed into the Allies and has now stalled into a bloody trench war. This is where fast tactical decisions need be switched for some long term thinking. The Captain has some problems in the rush of things...



[video=youtube;1VtJTigMBJQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VtJTigMBJQ[/video]




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[luciusmalfoy012]

Great update, but I sort of miss these being longer. Has there been compensation in terms of speed of updates?

Can't really make many strategic notes, it's going fairly historically right now. Although the catch of the Belgian army was big.

 

[Gen. Marshall]

Ouch, the Brits managed to entrench themselves in Belgium. Let's hope you'll be able to break through their lines quickly now and remember; always Klotzen, never just Kleckern

 

[kelestra]

@Cpt:
It would be nice if your updates would cover a larger timespan a a bit more progress of the game.

 

[Gen. Skobelev]

Good job at smashing that Belgian force! That British stack looks slightly worrying, though - I hope you don't get stalled too badly in France.

A bit more substantive updates would indeed be nice but I assume that would have the downside of having them far less frequently so I am content with this. However, I'd like to see a report from other places around the world if possibe (I understand there's not much going on at this point), at least once in a while.

 

[CptEasy]

Ouch, the Brits managed to entrench themselves in Belgium. Let's hope you'll be able to break through their lines quickly now and remember; always Klotzen, never just Kleckern

Hehe. Quite expected to have the Brits there - but they seem to be in great numbers too. Ah, well, stacking penelty forces you to become a little bit Kleckern sometime as the Allies can just shift in new troops on a narrow and easilly defendable front-line. But trust me - I will try and see what I can do about the Klotzen-part...

Good job at smashing that Belgian force! That British stack looks slightly worrying, though - I hope you don't get stalled too badly in France.

Oh, you voice my own thoughts quite excactly, good General. Future will tell.


Cpt Easy

 

[CptEasy]

Chapter VI - The War on the West part II



Played Countries: UK, 2xFRA, SU, 2xGER, ITA, JAP



Authors note: After some trial and error - the YouTube clips is now appearing more or less as I want them - being interesting and informative, and filled with interaction between the members of the Carnage Group. See clip in the end of the chapter.





Recap:

The War on the West has been initiated. It started with a powerful Blitz destroying the majority of the Belgian Army. But the Belgians bought the Allies valuable time and the Allies has now reinforced the front which have caused the Blitz to stall into a bloody trench war.


See last YouTube clip for recap




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July 12th, 1939

General Model was in charge of the grinding attack on Antwerpen. With his brave tactics he managed to blitz through the northern flank of the city and cause mayhem to the Allied supply train. It was a tough battle for the Germans, but the Allies were suffering too. The city was slowly turning to rubble. It was a fearsome place to be, for all soldiers. Not seldom, tanks were ambushed among the rubble and blown to pieces by a single hand held anti tank weapon at close range. It got on peoples nerves.















July 16th, 1939

Finally, after the most hellish battle of this war, the Allies pulled out of the ruins of Antwerpen. The city was as hollow as it was terrible. The men were for the most part exhausted. But just as the Allies retreated, so did the rain clouds and the sun stabbed through the grey sky. The muddy, zombie-like men laughed or cried and through themselves on a dry place, or the panzer hulls, and bathed in the rejuvenating rays – hoping to not see battle in a long time.

The huge German death tolls were taken off the scrolls. Official figures had it that only about 3000 men had died. It was bad enough. People back home did not need to know.















July 17th, 1939

Soon after the bloody victory in Antwerpen, the Wehrmacht won an easier battle in Charleroi (green circle) which opened up a hole in the Allied defense.

Models men got no rest. They were immediately thrown into yet another battle (17) in the hopes to blitz the enemy. It was futile and the battle was called off after a few hours of unnecessary German losses.














[video=youtube;ZHISq5eImvY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHISq5eImvY[/video]


Authors note: As said above, the YouTube clips is now appearing more or less as I want them. Hope you enjoy it.





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[Forster]

Carnage is back, I will watch with interest. ;

 

[CptEasy]

Carnage is back, I will watch with interest. ;

Great to have you on board once again I Think we have a spectacular journey in front of us

 

[CptEasy]

Chapter VII – The War on the West part III



Played Countries: UK, 2xFRA, SU, 2xGER, ITA, JAP



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Recap:The War on the West has been initiated. It started with a powerful Blitz destroying the majority of the Belgian Army. But the Belgians bought the Allies valuable time and the Allies has now reinforced the front which have caused the Blitz to stall into a bloody trench war. Now, Germany tried to break through at Philippeville. See last YouTube clip for recap



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July 20th, 1939

The powerful attack in Philippeville finally led to success. The infrastructure had been quite badly damaged which could lead to various problem when the Wehrmacht pressed on further. So far, Allied air force was kept in check so attacks on supply and infrastructure were inefficient.

The longstanding battle of Bruxelles (8) continued. It was a bitter one for the German soldiers who also had to cover up from the air as British CAGs made a few raids. The CAGs were not very efficient but attacking Bruxelles was hard enough during the circumstances, without light bombs and strafing from above.














July 31st, 1939

Obviously, the Allies did not like at all the idea to have the Wehrmacht standing calmly in Charleroi (23). However, General Freidrich Paulus was an expert in defensive warfare and quickly lured the Brits into unfavorable conditions in the woods of Charleroi. He also had the 2nd Panzer Division at his command and except a few lumbering tank destroyers, the Brits had little that could harm the panzers.















July 31st, 1939

It did not take long until the Brits realized the futility in their efforts and they pulled back from Charleroi (won). The Germans now had a chance to seize the initiative…














August 4th, 1939

The Wehrmacht started a range of attacks in order to widen their bridgehead. It was a somewhat troubling fact that hard combats and Allied bombings had destroyed quite a lot of infrastructure in the breach in the Allied lines. The German leadership wanted to broaden the two-province breach and attacked into Charleville (29). The French stood heavy here and even had their ridiculous tanks which they unfortunately managed to use with some efficiency. Part of the German force attacked across the river which made it easier for the French to cover up.

Several other attacks were issued but the Brits answered with a forceful of their own (60).

Will the Allied offensive pin the Germans down, or is this the time when the Wehrmacht breaks through..? The future will tell...





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Authors note: Unfortunately no YouTube clip this time (but the next).

 

[El Awrence]

Excellent slugfest on the Western front! At this point are you concerned about casualties or the amount of time this battle is taking?

 

[Baltasar]

That fighting around Brussels was quite intense, good that it's taken by now.
I wonder how much punishment those motorized British units can take.
Infrastructure will become a problem all around, unless the Allied units start to shatter a lot earlier than right now.
Losses are a tad too high, but if you can keep the Allied air force at bay, the speed of advance should pick up soonish.