Battlefield Europe (v1.06) – Barbarossa (Field Marshall)

[GeneralWerner]

I would say for the Axis player in this mod the D-Day is a change like day and night.

Before D-Day you can think about offensive actions in the east (or like you in Africa). Making plans to capture important cities or areas.

After D-Day you have to realize that the time for offensives is over. Which of your experienced troops will you send west to defend the Reich? And will the rest in the east be strong enough to hold back the Russian bear? Or may it be that the Russians are already so weakened that you can defeat them quickly if you stay with the core of your troops in the east? But can your green troops in the entrenched positions in the woods or cities stop or at least postpone the invasion in France? Is now the time to plan and set up a defense line at the Rhine River? Or is it already too late? As McGuba wrote earlier: Decisions, decisions, decisions

[JimmyC]

After successfully landing around Tripoli, the infantry of the Italian expeditionary force were provided with new equipment and weapons, with which they went through a one month intensive training regime. With their fighting effectiveness substantially improved, they moved to assault the American garrison at Gabes, which was quickly taken with the assistance of the Regia Marina and Regia Aeronautica. This led to a series of counterattacks by the American and French forces, which was beaten back with a significant number of the enemy captured.

The Americans counterattack in an attempt to recapture Gabes

With our scouts reporting that only American infantry remained around Tunis, the Italians pushed up through Sfax in preparation to make a final advance on Tunis. However it was then that the Americans sprung their trap.

First they sent large numbers of bombers and fighters to support their troops, with 4 bomber and 4 fighter squadrons arriving in the area. This forced the Regia Marina to withdraw from their coastal bombardment, whilst the Italian tactical and strategic bombers were also forced to withdraw to Malta. Our 4 squadrons of Veltro fighters are valiantly trying to counter the threat, although outclassed by the American fighters.

Shortly thereafter, the Americans surprised our troops by attacking with significant armoured forces from the west, along the road from the Kasserine Pass. With only limited Italian armour available to counter this threat, the bombers of the Regia Aeronautica are braving the American fighter screen to try and suppress the tanks and prevent a massacre of our troops caught in the open plains.

With the Italian’s lack of armour, Mussolini must now be wondering if it was wise to insist that the expeditionary force consist solely of Italian troops and equipment.

[JimmyC]

For some added flavor I decided to consist the North African invasion force of only Italian troops and equipment. I even transferred the last remaining German unit (a Ju 188A) out of the area before commencing the attack. This led to there being a large number of infantry and artillery, but only 1 tank (a P26/40) and 1 SPAT (a Semovente 90/53). The idea was that the Regia Marina (3 or 4 capital ships plus assorted supporting subs/destroyers etc.) and Regia Aeronautica (four Veltro fighters, two SM.79 tactical bombers and 1 strategic bomber) would be able to compensate for this. They were in fact doing quite well until ambushed from the west by the American armour. I also have a 90/53 M41C (the Italian version of a 8.8cm Flak), however it is crucial for protecting my forces from the Allied bombers, so converting to AT mode would really expose my troops. Its also slow (1 move per turn), so may not be in a position to attack the enemy armour.

I’m in 2 minds about whether to tough it out with my existing troops, or else buy either a Centauro (to help gain air superiority) or a P30/43 tank (to destroy the American tanks). However their prestige cost of 527 and 761, respectively, is prohibitively expensive...

[GeneralWerner]

Sounds reasonable for me that the German OKW leaves this battlefield to the Italians.

The Wehrmacht has enough to do in the west and in the east to send German troops so far away to the south.

A very interesting battlefield that you have here in Tunisia in 1944.

[JimmyC]

France
The American and British forces cross over the River Sienne using the bridges by the coast, where they are protected from counterattack by the Royal Navy. They then turn inland to advance on Paris with a combined force of armour and infantry. We hold a strong defensive position, however our green troops are outclassed by the experienced Allied units.

Meanwhile, a similar composition of enemy troops attacks through the hedgerows south of the River Sienne, pushing back our defences. Even with our strong AA presence, our troops are mercilessly bombarded by the Allied air forces. The Luftwaffe cannot provide support, as they are too busy dealing with the strategic bombers attacking the German cities.

We hold a Stug IIIG in reserve ready to counter the Allied armour. Further south, an AT division has been surprised and mauled by French partisans.

Moscow
Our attack on Moscow is delayed due to strong Russian counterattacks in the area, with the Russians pouring in troops and armour in an attempt to overwhelm our forces. We are able to use the Russian trenches around Mozhaysk against them, occupying these defences to help repel the Russian attack. We also have a strong artillery presence which helps to protect our defending troops by bombarding the Russians as they launch their assaults.

Two Panther A divisions are currently going through an upgrade process to the latest Panther G model. Once completed these units will be used to spearhead our attack on Moscow

North Africa
Our Italian allies have exceeded all expectations and managed to beat off the counterattack by the American armour from the west. In order to do this, both squadrons of SM.79 tactical bombers were annihilated by the American fighters, however they were instrumental in destroying the American armour and their sacrifice will not be forgotten. As the four squadrons of Veltro fighters proved unable to stand up to the superior American fighters, a newly commissioned squadron of Centauro fighters has been transferred to Malta and will soon engage the American airpower. Meanwhile, our troops have recommenced their advance on Tunis supported by the Regia Marina, whilst others head along the mountain road towards Kasserine Pass.

The American airpower causes significant damage to our troops, but is not enough to stop our advance on Tunis.

[JimmyC]

Our forces on the Loire River occupied strong defensive positions. However they have been facing a significant and prolonged aerial bombardment that has significantly weakened our defences and demoralized the defenders. A division of Italian Breda 20/65 AA were stationed in the area, but proved entirely insufficient to protect our troops and artillery from the Allied bombers. A 2 cm Flakvierling 38 AA was rushed to the area, yet the Allies continue to rain bombs down on our troops. Our artillery is unable to support the defences as it is fully suppressed by the bombardment.

Following strong attacks by US rangers and infantry, our infantry occupying the port of St Nazaire are almost at breaking point. With French partisans currently blocking the railroad to the east, no reinforcements can be transferred to the area.

Whilst we believed our biggest threat to be the Royal Navy bombarding our defences, it turned out to be the Allied bombers that inflicted the greatest damage by suppressing our troops and reducing our ability to resist direct assaults.

The Allies have also stepped up their assault on Paris, deploying significant armoured forces to the area, including the heavily armoured Churchill tanks and the Hellcat tank killer. Our severely mauled troops have been pushed back from the hedgerows south of the Seine River and are desperately retreating east where the survivors will undergo a period of rest and refit before being thrown back into the battle.

The resulting concentration of our forces around Paris has one benefit, however, in that our AA is now more effectively able to provide cover from the Allied bombers that have been pounding our forces. We have also transferred some amoured units to the area to assist in throwing back the attackers.

Our 88 defending the airfield south of Paris has now switched to AT mode in preparation for the Allied assault, whilst providing cover for our retreating infantry.

Complicating matters, the Allies have launched a large airborne operation around Arnhem in the Netherlands. With only AA units stationed in the area, we have nothing with which to resist the landings. The majority of our forces in Western Europe are committed to the battle raging around Paris or further south along the Loire River, therefore we will either have to transfer units from the Eastern Front or commission new units to assist in blocking this allied force. It has also blocked our only means of transporting V-rockets to the west coast of France, meaning that these terror weapons are now mostly useless. HKW are therefore considering to instead use the v-rockets against the Allied forces attacking Paris.

In further news, our development of the Tiger II, or King Tiger, has been completed and a division of these new super-heavy tanks commissioned. In accordance with HKW’s directive to assign highest priority to defeating the Russians, this division is being transferred to the Eastern Front, where it will assist in the battle for Moscow.

[JimmyC]

After enduring seemingly endless counterattacks, the concentration of our troops and armour has finally worn down the Russian forces and we are now at the gates of the Russian capital, with its capture imminent. The Russian airforce is mostly destroyed and scattered, allowing the Luftwaffe free reign on the eastern front (a sharp contrast to the situation in France). With the capture of Moscow and the Russian leadership, we are hopeful that the remainder of the Russian armed forces will capitulate, allowing us to focus our efforts to the west.


As Autumn nears its end and with winter approaching, the Russians have launched a counterattack on a wide front, attempting to ford the Don River at several locations. HKW believe this is an attempt to divert our forces away from Moscow and have determined not to transfer any additional reserves to the area, with the Russian capital remaining the highest priority. Our local forces in the area meet the Russians as they cross the rivers, inflicting significant casualties. If the Russians had instead waited one more month, they could have crossed over the frozen Don and suffered far less casualties. This is testament to how desperate they are to divert our attention from Moscow. Whilst we have inflicted significant casualties and managed to hold them off at most crossings, we have been forced back in some places.
　

The city of Stalingrad has been subjected to a long siege and strong artillery bombardment, interrupted briefly by a flanking move by Russian armour to the west of the river Don which surprised and annihilated an artillery battalion which was bombarding the city. After dealing with this theat we have commenced our advance into the streets of the city itself and expect Stalingrad to fall shortly.


The successes on the eastern front are tempered by the losses we are suffering in the west, with several divisions, including the Hungarian Panzer IV battalion, annihilated whilst defending the French capital. The Allies destroyed the defensive fortification which we had constructed to cover the bridge crossing west of Paris and we were forced to transfer an under-strength Stug battalion to fill the gap. Our forces are now also subject to heavy artillery bombardment, with the Allies having landed and advanced their heavy artillery. In order to help counter the threat posed by the Allied armour, we have moved up a newly completed battalion of Jagdpanthers. Whilst relatively untested in battle, it is hoped that the heavy firepower and armour will more than make up for the tankers lack of experience.


The Luftwaffe’s tactic of avoiding Allied fighters and instead engaging the bombers has mostly paid off, with there now being relatively few Allied bombers menacing our troops. However it has led to a surge in Allied fighters, which now outnumber our own planes by a ratio of 8:1.

[JimmyC]

After withstanding countless assaults and bombardments from the Allied troops, it was finally the weather which broke our defences at the Loire River. With winter setting in, the river froze over, allowing the Allies to bypass our main defensive line. This forced the withdrawal of our supporting artillery and allowed the Allies to surround and defeat the unsupported German infantry holding the city of Nantes. With Nantes captured and the land route cut off, our troops holding St Nazaire will evacuate via transports.

We are now transferring some of the recently drafted Sturmvolken divisions to occupy the cities of southern France in an attempt to slow down and contain the breakthrough.


We are desperately withdrawing our mauled AA further south to La Rochel, however it is unlikely that they will be able to outrun the fast allied armour pursuing them.

The battle for Paris continues with more ferocity than ever. After a strong push south of Paris with mostly Allied infantry was repulsed with heavy losses on both sides, the Allies are now advancing north west of Paris with the majority of their armour and artillery. With no Panther or Tiger tanks allocated to the western front, our Panzer IV’s are having to face superior Allied tanks. If it weren’t for our tankers having extensive experience, they would stand no chance against the heavier Allied armour. As it is, both sides suffer significant attrition.


Whilst we are currently able to hold off the Allied assault, the situation may change when the weather clears and the Allies are able to resume their aerial campaign

[JimmyC]

North Africa
After capturing Tunis, our forces are streaming west, capturing all cities lying in their path. Facing no further resistance, North Africa will soon be fully occupied by our Italian allies. As only limited troops are required to liberate the remaining cities, the majority of the Italians are being transported to mainland Europe to assist in the ongoing battles there.

Eastern Front
With Moscow and then Stalingrad falling in quick succession, we thought that the Russians would capitulate and sign an armistice. However they seem determined to fight on. We have therefore recommenced our advance and are attacking on 2 main fronts:
– from Moscow our troops comprising mostly infantry and some artillery are advancing north east towards Arkhangelsk, capturing cities along the way. The remainder of our forces (mostly armour supported by the Luftwaffe), are heading east towards Gorky and will then swivel south following the Volga river.
- from Stalingrad our troops are advancing north. Whilst it was originally intended that we advance on the eastern bank of the Volga, heavy Russian tank activity in this area has meant that we have instead decided to advance on the western side of the river. Our troops are following the river and will capture all cities lying on its banks.

[JimmyC]

Our Italian allies finished their conquest of North Africa, with the majority transferring to Europe or assuming garrison duties in the African colonies. The transfer of the Italian forces to Europe proved timely, as they were able to assist in beating back the Allied flanking move south of the Loire River in France, with all positions previously lost being recaptured.


A fierce and bloody battle was played out for the French capital, with our forces doggedly holding on and beating back the Allied attacks, but suffering terrible casualties in the process. New recruits were hastily drafted and thrown into the meat grinder. It was enough to hold off the Allies, but this battle was probably the bloodiest and most costly of the war and with Allied reinforcements continually arriving, there was no end in sight.


The Kriegsmarine finally engaged the Allied fleet north of the channel and although suffering a significant mauling, managed to destroy all enemy capital ships in the area, before being forced to withdraw due to Allied submarine and air activity. However this action was too little too late and had no effect on the battle playing out around Paris, apart from drawing away some of the Allied air power.


In the East, Russian resistance dissolved and we overran the few remaining troops west of the Volga River, capturing all cities lying on the river itself. With the majority of the Russian cities now in our hands, our troops headed to the far north and started investing Arkangelsk, where the last organized Russian resistance remained.


After capturing Stavropol, our tanks were sent east to scout out any possible Russian stragglers. However they were surprised to find a large bunker complex east of the Volga, with Stalin and the Russian command believed to be holed up deep underground.


Just as our forces prepared to assault Stalin’s bunker, they received an order from HKW to cease all offensive activity. With the Allied development of the atomic bomb, HKW have determined to sign an armistice and end the war, rather than subject the German population to the horrors of atomic warfare. As such, Russia officially remains undefeated, although little is left other than a few remote cities in the far east, Arkangelsk in the far north and Stalin hiding in his bunker.

Considering the vast territories captured and the stalemate in the west, the terms of the armistice are likely to be favorable to Germany and her allies, although we will likely have to cede France to the Allies.

The map below shows the areas controlled by Germany and her allies.

At the time of signing the armistice, we control the following territories:
- All of North Africa and the Middle East, except for Tobruk and Egypt.
- Most of France, with the Allies occupying the area north of the Loire River/West of Paris. We hold the French capital.
- All of Western/Central Europe, apart from part of France.
- Iceland
- All of Russia, apart from Arkangelsk and a few remote cities east of the Volga.

[JimmyC]

Our Italian allies finished their conquest of North Africa, with the majority transferring to Europe or assuming garrison duties in the African colonies. The transfer of the Italian forces to Europe proved timely, as they were able to assist in beating back the Allied flanking move south of the Loire River in France, with all positions previously lost being recaptured.


A fierce and bloody battle was played out for the French capital, with our forces doggedly holding on and beating back the Allied attacks, but suffering terrible casualties in the process. New recruits were hastily drafted and thrown into the meat grinder. It was enough to hold off the Allies, but this battle was probably the bloodiest and most costly of the war and with Allied reinforcements continually arriving, there was no end in sight.


The Kriegsmarine finally engaged the Allied fleet north of the channel and although suffering a significant mauling, managed to destroy all enemy capital ships in the area, before being forced to withdraw due to Allied submarine and air activity. However this action was too little too late and had no effect on the battle playing out around Paris, apart from drawing away some of the Allied air power.


In the East, Russian resistance dissolved and we overran the few remaining troops west of the Volga River, capturing all cities lying on the river itself. With the majority of the Russian cities now in our hands, our troops headed to the far north and started investing Arkangelsk, where the last organized Russian resistance remained.

After capturing Stavropol, our tanks were sent east to scout out any possible Russian stragglers. However they were surprised to find a large bunker complex east of the Volga, with Stalin and the Russian command believed to be holed up deep underground.


Just as our forces prepared to assault Stalin’s bunker, they received an order from HKW to cease all offensive activity. With the Allied development of the atomic bomb, HKW have determined to sign an armistice and end the war, rather than subject the German population to the horrors of atomic warfare. As such, Russia officially remains undefeated, although little is left other than a few remote cities in the far east, Arkangelsk in the far north and Stalin hiding in his bunker.

Considering the vast territories captured and the stalemate in the west, the terms of the armistice are likely to be favorable to Germany and her allies, although we will likely have to cede France to the Allies.

The map below shows the areas controlled by Germany and her allies.

At the time of signing the armistice, we control the following territories:
- All of North Africa and the Middle East, except for Tobruk and Egypt.
- Most of France, with the Allies occupying the area north of the Loire River/West of Paris. We hold the French capital.
- All of Western/Central Europe, apart from part of France.
- Iceland
- All of Russia, apart from Arkangelsk and a few remote cities east of the Volga.

[BiteNibbleChomp]

Great job with your successful conclusion of the war. Dissapointing that the official result was stalemate .

The Imperial Japanese staff are wondering if you will be leading their soldiers next time?

- BNC

[JimmyC]

Surprisingly, I ended up with a draw. I could easily have gotten a minor victory, however I didn’t realise that the victory conditions had changed from v1.05 and therefore advanced relatively slowly in Russia in the last year. I was quite surprised when the Russians didn’t capitulate after I had captured all cities on the Volga + Caucuses + Leningrad/Moscow. And then I was even more surprised to discover Stalin’s bunker 2 turns before the end! But for all practical purposes the Russians were defeated, so I consider it a victory even if the game technically lists it as a draw.

I played the Barbarossa scenario again as I wanted to try different tactics compared to my first playthrough. Even at the beginning I knew that some of my objectives/strategies were non-optimal, but thought it would be fun to try them out anyway. Specifically, liberating Iceland made my uboats and warships much more competitive in the shipping lanes, but was ultimately a drain on resources that could be better put to use elsewhere. Fun, but not optimal. Prioritising the Caucuses and leaving the rest of the eastern front relatively static was also not the best move, as it meant I had a huge frontline that was difficult to defend. This allowed the Russians to break through my lines during counterattacks at Kursk and Smolensk. On the flip side, capturing the oilfields of the Caucuses gave me a lot of income, but ultimately I think it would have been better to focus on capturing Moscow first.

Using Cyprus as a springboard to land at Syria and advance to the oilfields was a last minute decision inspired by reading GeneralWerner’s AAR. I really could have used those units on the eastern front and it wasn’t until early ’44 that they finally trekked up through the Caucuses and reached a rail line so that they could re-enter the battle on another front. Again though, the extra prestige from the oil was nice.

I found Operation Husky relatively easy to deal with, but that was because I was prepared for it and had built up a lot of forces in the area. Of surprise to me was the fact that Italian troops aren’t that bad when upgraded to ’44 version and properly supported. My all Italian force in North Africa performed quite well and actually managed to capture all of the territory that the Americans had occupied during Torch.

On a final note, I now realise how important it is to have experienced units. I was playing on Field Marshal this time, so experience was very slow coming. Following the Normandy landings I drafted a lot of green troops to defend Paris. Just looking at the stats it should be a fair fight, but 1 or 2 more stars experience make a huge difference to combat results and my green troops really got mashed up!

[JimmyC]

Great job with your successful conclusion of the war. Dissapointing that the official result was stalemate .

The Imperial Japanese staff are wondering if you will be leading their soldiers next time?

- BNC

Indeed a draw was very disappointing and as i said in my review, it would easily have been a victory over the Russian's if i had been aware of the victory conditions changing compared to v1.05 and that Stalin now had his own bunker east of the Volga!

I found it a real challenge dealing with Overlord and want to give it another go, but using McGuba's saved game. I think it starts around turn 78, so i should be finished with that pretty soon and will then give your WotW a shot. I actually tried downloading your mod last night, but my internet got interrupted. I will probably d/l it sometime this week and fire it up once i've finished Overlord. If i enjoy it i will write an AAR, although it may take me some time to get used to the new mechanics.

[BiteNibbleChomp]

, although it may take me some time to get used to the new mechanics.

The new mechanics are in the library. Most of them aren't that confusing.

Treat cities as airfields
Buy factories if you don't have enough pp/turn
Remember to declare war before invading a country

And you're good to go

I consider it a victory even if the game technically lists it as a draw.

That sounds fair. Congratulations, Herr Field Marshal.

- BNC

[GeneralWerner]

Congratulations for your convincing campaign!

It was fun again reading about Iceland, the British ghost army in the Caucasus and the Italian victory in North Africa.

Looks like especially in Tunisia and in France you made a very good job. In both theaters I expected you to get troubles against the overstrenghed American troops while your best tank troops stayed in the east.

I hope to read a new AAR from you soon

[McGuba]

It has been a nice AAR, as always!

I didn’t realise that the victory conditions had changed from v1.05 and therefore advanced relatively slowly in Russia in the last year. I was quite surprised when the Russians didn’t capitulate after I had captured all cities on the Volga + Caucuses + Leningrad/Moscow.

Actually, I did not really change the victory objectives at all. They are the same since v1.0 and can be read at the beginning of each turn:
"Victory: Hold all objectives in Germany AND capture all Soviet OR all British objectives in England, Malta, North Africa and the Middle East." So basically for a (Minor) victory you either have to capture all Soviet or all British victory objectives, while holding all victory objectives in Germany. The only tricky part is taking the victory objectives in the Caucasus are not necessary for a victory over the Soviets, but they are designated as secondary victory objectives later (around turn 17) and there is a message box explaining it.

However, I think I will make it more explicit in the next verison by adding a red star to the Soviet objectives that have to be taken for a victory, similarly to the cross added to the German objective cities.

What I did though, was I moved that last city a bit, Kuybyshev, to the eastern bank of the Volga as it is indeed located there. But I kept it a victory objective as it was intended to become the capital of the USSR in case Moscow was lost to the Germans. For me it is a clear sign that the Soviets were ready to fight on even after the possible loss of Moscow in contrast to the vanilla campaign in which the USSR is defeated after a decisive victory in the Moscow scenario. As for Stalin's bunker, I learnt about it between making v1.5 and v1.6:

During World War II, Kuybyshev (today known as Samara) was chosen to be the capital of the Soviet Union should Moscow fall to the invading Germans. In October 1941, the Communist Party and governmental organizations, diplomatic missions of foreign countries, leading cultural establishments and their staff were evacuated to the city. A dug-out for Joseph Stalin known as "Stalin's Bunker" was constructed but never used.

Kuybyshev remained the alternative capital of the Soviet Union until the summer of 1943, when everything was moved back to Moscow.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samara,_Russia

Also, there is a short video showing the bunker today, which was kept as a secret until 1990:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYQJof4wDG0

[JimmyC]

@McGuba
Yes, you are right and it was my misconception regarding the victory conditions. In my first playthrough i didnt capture the oilfields in the Caucuses and yet Russia surrendered. This led me to assume that you just need to capture the main cities up to and including those lying on the Volga to force Russia to surrender. But now i look at the instructions and it is indeed clear. Having said that, i still think its a good idea to have a red star to make it even clearer.

Regardless of the "draw" result, i had a blast playing it and actually enjoyed it more the 2nd time round than my 1st game. Thanks again for your hard work and efforts!!

[JimmyC]

Congratulations for your convincing campaign!

It was fun again reading about Iceland, the British ghost army in the Caucasus and the Italian victory in North Africa.

Looks like especially in Tunisia and in France you made a very good job. In both theaters I expected you to get troubles against the overstrenghed American troops while your best tank troops stayed in the east.

I hope to read a new AAR from you soon

It turns out your prediction of me running out of time was correct. But it was due to my own misconception of the victory conditions rather than the Russians holding me back!

The British ghost army was probably the highlight of the game for me. Firstly they totally surprised me by going to Lebannon/Aleppo and then just disappearing in thin air - only to appear almost 1 year later in the Caucuses!! That was really awesome.

Tunisia was surprisingly easy. I think the key was defeating the Allied ships from Torch before Husky starts. Husky has relatively few supporting capital ships, so the Regia Marina can run amok. You also need to have a strong air win to bomb the transports. In this regard capturing Malta was a significant help.

And regarding France, the way i could hold off the Allies was due to my huge income. I was getting around 1,000 prestige per turn towards the end. So i would purchase couple of units each turn for that theatre. I needed it too, as it was a massive meat grinder. I only just held the Allies at bay too.