Battlefield Europe v1.9 – Norway (Manstein)

[PeteMitchell]

Difficulty: Manstein and Limited (Dice Chess)

One of my favorite maps of this great mod but this time it took a few attempts and maybe I also had to play it a bit in a more unconventional way/manner... so here we go now…

Scenario briefing:

BE_Turn_01_001_Scenario Briefing.jpg (53.25 KiB) Viewed 4826 times

Victory conditions:
(Please note: there seems to be a mismatch between the scenario briefing and the victory conditions, i.e. regarding Namsos. "Only" Lillehammer and Trondheim need to be captured by turn 12 for a DV.)

BE_Turn_01_002_Victory Conditions.jpg (11.38 KiB) Viewed 4826 times

As with my other BE AARs, I would again be very happy to read any comments or suggestions.

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 1 – 9 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Overall situation:
In very simple terms, my objective is “just” to seize Lillehammer and Trondheim in Norway (and therewith to protect the iron ore supply from Sweden and to maintain the vital access to the North Sea for multiple reasons), if possible within 12 turns (i.e. around three weeks) of course…

The strategic maps at turn 1 look as follows:
(right click and open in new tab for larger picture, same applies to all others)

BE_Turn_01_003_Strategic Map.jpg (142.97 KiB) Viewed 4824 times

BE_Turn_01_004_Strategic Map Air.jpg (142.41 KiB) Viewed 4824 times

The incoming casualties (from Poland) are as follows. They might differ slightly from the outgoing casualties in the Poland AAR as I might have lost another unit in the last AI turn…

BE_Turn_01_005_Incoming Casualties.jpg (48.37 KiB) Viewed 4824 times

Please note: all subsequent photos/screenshots will usually be taken at the end of the completed Axis turn.

[PeteMitchell]

Denmark:
Denmark seems surprised by the German attack and failed to mobilize most of its army. German Fallschirmjäger seized Aalborg airfield which can serve as a spring board for the invasion of Norway while a German infantry unit captured Copenhagen airfield as well already to quickly embark to Norway. While the capital of Denmark might have to be ignored (for some time) given more important (victory) objectives in Norway. Additional German troops are ready to be loaded onto vessels and planes in Kiel as time is of essence…

BE_Turn_01_006_Copenhagen.jpg (211.38 KiB) Viewed 4813 times

Southern Norway:
Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen have been seized by German naval invasion groups. However, heavy forts close to Oslo and Bergen pose a significant threat to the German units.

BE_Turn_01_007_Oslo.jpg (231.49 KiB) Viewed 4813 times

North Sea:
Most of the German Kriegsmarine is sailing north along the Norwegian coast trying to impede Allied/British landings in Central Norway.

BE_Turn_01_008_North Sea.jpg (229.73 KiB) Viewed 4813 times

[PeteMitchell]

Central Norway:
In the meantime, German Gebirgsjäger landed in Trondheim covered by a destroyer. However, the destroyer is expected to be lost very quickly given the presence of HMS Warspite at Hitra island.

BE_Turn_01_009_Trondheim.jpg (241.45 KiB) Viewed 4810 times

Please note: Most likely I won’t be able to follow the historic sequence of events. In addition, the campaign in Northern Norway around Narvik is missing on this map/in this scenario anyways, unfortunately...

Denmark and Norway.jpg (315.4 KiB) Viewed 4810 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 2 – 11 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Denmark:
Although Denmark was overrun in less than six hours in reality, the light Panzer IA unit was chosen to stay in Denmark to simulate occupation forces and to keep the Danish infantry unit busy/at bay… also as the light tank is only of limited value in Norway anyways (even if you upgrade it to a Panzer IV). However, the majority of the other units moved on further north already. The German Fallschirmjäger unit took Aalborg and will probably follow shortly.

BE_Turn_02_010_Copenhagen.jpg (246.64 KiB) Viewed 4773 times

Southern Norway:
Oslo airport has been seized while the naval invasion forces at Stavanger were ordered to ignore the airfield for now and embark again to support planned operations further north. Also Kristiansand has been considered less critical to justify immediate action, also in light of the heavy fort and Norwegian infantry troops in close proximity. However, additional German reinforcements are on their way to Norway.

BE_Turn_02_011_Oslo.jpg (263.47 KiB) Viewed 4773 times

A British destroyer and a Norwegian river boat berthed between Stavanger and Bergen. It is expected that the Royal Navy wants to seize control over the Skagerrak (strait between Norway and Denmark) very quickly to limit the possibility of German naval transports to Norway.

BE_Turn_02_012_Bergen.jpg (261.73 KiB) Viewed 4773 times

[PeteMitchell]

North Sea:
Further north, the German Kriegsmarine spotted and destroyed a British naval transport ship before its troops were able to disembark at the Norwegian coast. This should be considered as a great achievement and it might actually be critical for the overall success of Operation Weserübung. However, this risky operation could now have exposed the German vessels to Royal Navy retaliation actions given that a British submarine was spotted in the area as well…

BE_Turn_02_013_North Sea.jpg (251.22 KiB) Viewed 4772 times

Central Norway:
Already severely weakened German Gebirgsjäger left Trondheim again to avoid immediate annihilation.

BE_Turn_02_014_Trondheim.jpg (242.32 KiB) Viewed 4772 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 3 – 13 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Denmark:
The Fallschirmjäger seized Aarhus and the light tank unit retreated behind the Kiel Canal for the time being.

BE_Turn_03_015_Aarhus.jpg (251.95 KiB) Viewed 4769 times

Southern Norway:
Bergen airfield has been seized and the German reinforcements are expected to land soon.

BE_Turn_03_016_Bergen.jpg (272.4 KiB) Viewed 4769 times

North Sea:
The German heavy cruiser Lützow and the light cruiser Köln face off a British destroyer off the Norwegian coast. Most likely more British vessels will arrive shortly, so maybe retreating south again would be better… However, German naval gunfire support will be required in the Trondheim area at some point in time…

BE_Turn_03_017_North Sea.jpg (249.87 KiB) Viewed 4769 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 4 – 15 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Denmark:
The situation in Denmark remains under control but hasn't been cleared yet.

BE_Turn_04_018_Aarhus.jpg (250.27 KiB) Viewed 4766 times

Southern Norway:
Unfortunately, heavy cruiser Lützow was severely damaged through an attack by HMS Warspite, a British battleship, and is now under repair in Stavanger.

BE_Turn_04_019_Stavanger.jpg (273.17 KiB) Viewed 4766 times

[PeteMitchell]

North Sea:
Without its heavy cruiser, the German Kriegsmarine wasn’t able to break through to Trondheim Fjord yet.

BE_Turn_04_020_North Sea.jpg (240.36 KiB) Viewed 4765 times

Central Norway:
However, the reinforced Gebirgsjäger returned to Trondheim, this time with support by the German Luftwaffe...

BE_Turn_04_021_Trondheim.jpg (239.69 KiB) Viewed 4765 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 5 – 17 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Southern Norway:
Supported by strategic bombers, the German infantry is heading from Bergen airfield towards Lillehammer while HMS Warspite followed the heavy cruiser Lützow and sank it in Stavanger port…

BE_Turn_05_022_Bergen.jpg (283.4 KiB) Viewed 4759 times

Central Norway:
The Gebirgsjäger are still holding out in Trondheim while the Luftwaffe flies attack after attack on the Norwegian troops at Trondheim airport. Also parts of the Kriegsmarine almost reached the Trondheim Fjord.

BE_Turn_05_023_Trondheim.jpg (241.4 KiB) Viewed 4759 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 6 – 19 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Denmark:
A new attempt to finally clear the situation in Denmark.

BE_Turn_06_024_Aarhus.jpg (249.5 KiB) Viewed 4758 times

Southern Norway:
German forces are making progress towards Lillehammer but are fully dependent on the Luftwaffe freeing up the way…

BE_Turn_06_025_Lillehammer.jpg (288.54 KiB) Viewed 4758 times

Central Norway:
The Norwegian forces at Trondheim airport were defeated and light cruiser Köln, along two s-boats requiring resupply, arrived at Trondheim Fjord. However, new British infantry forces are already coming from the Namsos area… So to support the weak Gebirgsjäger unit, the Luftwaffe transported additional infantry support to Central Norway. However, the airspace above Trondheim airport was still blocked by the other Luftwaffe planes that helped clear the airport… This is still a very close call…

BE_Turn_06_026_Trondheim.jpg (253.54 KiB) Viewed 4758 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 7 – 21 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Southern Norway:
Several strong Norwegian forces in and around Lillehammer… however, luckily no British units…

BE_Turn_07_027_Lillehammer.jpg (283.3 KiB) Viewed 4754 times

Central Norway:
As expected, the German Gebirgsjäger were attacked by the British unit coming from Namsos and had to leave Trondheim again. Also Trondheim airport has been occupied (and therefore blocked) by this British unit again. Landing German reinforcements seems impossible at this stage… hopefully no British fighters show up again...

BE_Turn_07_028_Trondheim.jpg (256.21 KiB) Viewed 4754 times

[goose_2]

This is such great stuff great way to illustrate and showcase your AAR's...exciting stuff ahead.
The tension in the North at Trondheim is the most interesting for me, it kind of captures the feeling of the Battle for Narvik in the real war

[PeteMitchell]

This is such great stuff great way to illustrate and showcase your AAR's...exciting stuff ahead.
The tension in the North at Trondheim is the most interesting for me, it kind of captures the feeling of the Battle for Narvik in the real war

Thanks goose_2, yes this is a bit on a knife's edge, for some reason there was at least one British plane not showing up during this play through... maybe the AI decided to reinvest more in existing (=weakened) units, e.g. the ones in Denmark. I also found it easier to reach Lillehammer from Bergen than from Oslo...

Anyways, you will see shortly how it all ends up here in Norway... all I can say so far: no promises on pulling off France (on Manstein) as Norway took already some severe out-of-the-box thinking!

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 8 – 23 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Denmark:
Something is still going on in the state of Denmark… while the naval transport berthed at the northern coast of Jutland is still planning to head towards Norway. However, the Kriegsmarine lost track of the HMS Warspite somehow… so currently it is unclear where the British battleship went and/or where it is actually operating…

BE_Turn_08_029_Aarhus.jpg (238.76 KiB) Viewed 4747 times

Southern Norway:
Due to bad positioning on the Norwegian side and Luftwaffe support, the Norwegian artillery unit protecting Lillehammer could be eliminated… this seems good news!

BE_Turn_08_030_Lillehammer.jpg (284 KiB) Viewed 4747 times

Central Norway:
The exhausted British unit left the airport and reoccupied Trondheim… so with this, the German reinforcements can hopefully/finally land at Trondheim airport and the naval gunfire support from light cruiser Köln might come in handy soon…

BE_Turn_08_031_Trondheim.jpg (258.16 KiB) Viewed 4747 times

[goose_2]

Central Norway:
The exhausted British unit left the airport and reoccupied Trondheim… so with this, the German reinforcements can hopefully/finally land at Trondheim airport and the naval gunfire support from light cruiser Köln might come in handy soon…
BE_Turn_08_031_Trondheim.jpg

Nice trick, I like pulling that one when I want them to not buy replacements and to attack to their disadvantage.

[PeteMitchell]

Central Norway:
The exhausted British unit left the airport and reoccupied Trondheim… so with this, the German reinforcements can hopefully/finally land at Trondheim airport and the naval gunfire support from light cruiser Köln might come in handy soon…
BE_Turn_08_031_Trondheim.jpg

Nice trick, I like pulling that one when I want them to not buy replacements and to attack to their disadvantage.

Yeah, even the AI is greedy once in a while...

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 9 – 25 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Southern Norway:
The German naval transport is heading towards Stavanger now (hoping that the HMS Warspite left the Norwegian coast towards the British Isles already). Landing at the southern coast of Norway, i.e. between Kristiansand and Oslo, seemed too dangerous due to the heavy coastal forts as well as a remaining British submarine close to Oslo.

BE_Turn_09_032_Stavanger.jpg (232.06 KiB) Viewed 4738 times

The Luftwaffe is bombing Lillehammer as well as its surrounding area… while the few German infantry units are still hesitant to move in given the obviously overwhelming odds… maybe some support from the Trondheim area could finally be made available?

BE_Turn_09_033_Lillehammer.jpg (275.88 KiB) Viewed 4738 times

Central Norway:
Trondheim is finally under undisputed German control. The remaining British unit was too exhausted to hold the city. However, a British submarine is now heading towards the Trondheim Fjord…

BE_Turn_09_034_Trondheim.jpg (257.63 KiB) Viewed 4738 times

[PeteMitchell]

Turn 10 – 27 April 1940
Weather: clear and dry

Southern Norway:
The naval transport with the recon unit finally reached Norway… well, at least Stavanger port so far!

BE_Turn_10_035_Stavanger.jpg (242.72 KiB) Viewed 4735 times

The battle of Lillehammer has started… time is pressing and again, the Luftwaffe seems indispensable!

BE_Turn_10_036_Lillehammer.jpg (279.48 KiB) Viewed 4735 times

Central Norway:
Apparently, the Royal Navy has finally made up its mind on Trondheim… well, maybe too late!

BE_Turn_10_037_Trondheim.jpg (243.03 KiB) Viewed 4735 times

[goose_2]

Turn 10 – 27 April 1940

2 more rounds
Is there enough time?
The anticipation is palpitating as i dod not see how you can take Lillehammer.