Given that we've been set the challenge of forging a link up with the spearhead of "Operation Winter Storm" along the road leading SW whilst establishing a bridgehead at Kalach whilst keeping the enemy from overrunning the two airfields vital for our resupply, Herr General has had to give serious thought to the outline of our plans. The decision has been taken to establish a continuous river to river front, anchored on the northermost suburbs of Stalingrad in the east, which is to be held at all costs by forces from 17 Panzer and 25 Infanterie. 132 Infanterie has been tasked with the securing of a Kalach bridgehead, 10 Panzer has been given operational freedom to act on its own initiative south of the city to both prevent enemy incursions and support the panzer and aufklarung elements of 3 Panzer which have been assigned a primary focus of the road to Krepinskiy and the oncoming relieving forces. The unwavering firepower of the Dora railway gun that accompanied our advance into the city will be, it is hoped, a major asset.
Herr General's thinking is that, if we concede the city without having first established viable routes out of the pocket, our situation would become instantly untenable as the enemy could ferry forces directly over the Volga with impunity.
The translation of Herr General's plan by the subordinate commanders on day one has been executed with the usual standards of accuracy and with positive results. You will see from the following images from our aerial reconnaissance that:
The soild, north-facing, front protecting the airfields has been established;
A strongpoint complex SW of the city controlling a route to the main road leading towards Generaloberst Hoth's 4.Panzerarmee was shelled by Big Gustav and conquered by a combination of Pioniere-Abt 132 and Panzer-Regiment 9;
South of the city, the newly-delivered SdKfz 234s demonstrated considerable combat power against an enemy militia regiment, softening them up for a devastating coup de grace from Panzer-Regiment 13.
13th December 1942
Today we have received our first progress reports from the forces sent to force open the primary escape route. We have been told that 6 Panzer Division is progressing NE towards Oktybarsky along the main road, whilst Army Group Detachment Hollidt - lacking the mobile units of 6 Panzer - is providing flank security for that advance.
The enemy forces encountered by 6 Panzer on the road today have been light and no real obstacle to their advance.
However, Hollidt's force has adopted a defensive posture in the face of enemy infantry attacks in division strength.
In our operational area, it's clear now that the enemy have established a ring of fortifications and strongpoints around us. We have made good use of the 800mm railway gun to soften up the bunker complex east of Kalach, with the shelling followed up immediately by a decisive assault by 132 Infanterie to clear the east / west road.
10 Panzer has been engaged with enemy blocking forces south of Stalingrad since late yesterday and today has reported the destruction of an enemy "Stalin Organ" formation and the moving-up of Panzerjaeger-Abt 10 to engage enemy T60 and T70 tanks.
14th December 1942
10 Panzer's running battle has continued, although it's clear that they (with support from the Kampfgruppe formed by the assigned 3 Panzer units) are very much ascendant; Panzer-Regiment 13, for instance, reporting the overrunning of a Soviet rifle regiment.
After some initial probes, today has seen the Soviets unleash a wave of men and steel against our north-facing line including new T34 variants. The co-ordination, expereince and tactics demonstrated across the piece by the Soviets are clearly improving with time, manifesting in improved overall combat performance. The sensible deployment ordered by Herr General, with supporting depth provided by artillerie and panzerjaeger units and with the StuH 42's clearly illustrating how outclassed any StuG IIIBs would be in this situation, has been justified with the front's overall stability unchallenged despite the size of the assault.
As expected, the enemy has focused its infantry attacks mainly on the city itself. Herr General has mandated that 25 Infanterie keeps one of its combat regiments in reserve at all times to allow it to rotate and replenish its troops as frequently as possible. However, the enemy has assembled numbers of large-calibre guns on the opposite shore - the largest we've yet seen, with the dud shells laying in the streets indicating a calibre of 203mm - and these are already taking a toll on the division's artillerie and StuH units as well as disturbing the landsers' own logistics. The latest attack towards the city has been supported by heavy KV1s and the division has been grateful for the direct firepower that their new StuHs can provide against such threats.
On the road to Oktybarsky, in a most pleasing development 6 Panzer's Panzer IIIN regiment was able to sprint forward today and launch a surprise attack on the heavy FlaK battery guarding the town which was caught with their spotters off-guard and its guns pointing skywards!
This contrasts with today's reports from Hollidt's group, which has now added a cavalry brigade and T34 regiments to the list of enemy combatants pressing against their defences.
15th December 1942
The air battles over the battlefield appear to show that we, a little surprisingly perhaps, are not outnumbered. However, most enemy aircraft are of their most up-to-date designs including Sturmovik close support planes, La-5 fighters and Pe-3 zerstorer-type aircraft meaning that our 109Gs are - at best - challenged; thankfully these aircraft remain flown by experienced pilots, allowing them to remain competitive. The new and superior Fw 190 aircraft are proving to be slightly more durable in combat, although the inexperience of their pilots means that they are not accounting for any more kills than the 109s at this stage. JG26 has, rightly, focused on the enemy fighters where possible so far and today has reported the elimination of one of the enemy La-5 wings.
Beneath the focus to the main air combat today, 10 Panzer's running battle with its "mixed bag" of opponents has seen the reds defeated in detail, with value once again being realised from the filled-out roster of assets (pioniere, artillerie, panzerjaeger, Spahwagen as well as the main panzer regiments) that our mobile divisions are able to bring to bear on the situation in their distinct sectors.
17 Panzer has thrown back the Soviet armoured assault of at least one full division plus additional tank brigades; one T34 regiment has been wiped from the field in full whilst the enemy's attrition across 17 Panzer's front is unsustainable. Tactical support from ZG 99 has also contributed, as it so often does. Both Division and Corps have noticed the increasing tendency for Soviet commanders to avoid confrontations with our Panzer IVGs when we have support from long-barrelled StuGs, although the StuGs are often finding themselves under direct fire instead. On balance, we remain comfortable with this enemy doctrine, as our panzerjaegers are now all sufficientlly armoured and able to "slug it out" on reasonably fair terms with all but the most "elite" of the enemy armoured formations. And, if you'll permit me to be somewhat callous, replacement StuGs are easier to get hold of than replacement Panzer IVs.......
16th December 1942
Enemy attrition across our north-facing line has continued unabated in another day of non-stop fighting across the whole front. This is now clearly an army-sized assault at the very least, with intercepts and our own reconnaissance clearly indicating substantial enemy forces continuing to stream in our direction from the north. Although the strategic position for 17 Panzer and 25 Infanterie is static, local initiatives and positional adjustments remain essential for maintaining maximum pressure on the enemy assault and to preserve the integrity of the line.
The enemy has the advantage of hilly terrain on its side of our north-facing front and has been quick to position Stalin Organs at these locations, beyond the range of our own artillerie and most defintely "out of bounds" for our own mobile forces given their explicit orders to Hold The Line. Fair weather today has enabled ZG 99 to deliver a reasonable amount of damage to these points.
Further east, towards the city itself, our JG gruppen have been active and can now add a wing of Yak-7 fighters to their earlier La-5 tallies. Unless the reds have been keeping other fighters on the ground in reserve, we are confident that air superiority has been achieved and that the enemy bombers and close support wings can be hunted down without challenge. This is just as well, as the enemy have been choosing their targets wisely and we lack the ability to cover all our high value targets.
132 Infanterie has, after establishing a solid position, commenced its assault on Kalach and the river crossing behind it. At this stage, there is no huge rush and no need to expend unnecessary manpower by forcing a bridge crossing - General Lindemann has explained his preference for "whittling down" the defenders to preserve his own force and Herr General has affirmed his comfort with that approach for now, at least.
On the "relief front", reports have come in that 6 Panzer has been counterattacked by enemy tank brigades at Oktybarksy and that Group Hollidt continues to hold its own - albeit with some losses - against what has turned into a Corps-sized assault on its positions. 6 Panzer has sent one of its combat regiments to reinforce Hollidt's panzer-less force, but we hear good things about the prowess of the two panzerjaeger regiments fighting against the T34s in that sector.
17th December 1942
The relative peace in 10 Panzer's sector has enabled it to focus on reducing some of the enemy fortifcations and strongpoints in the area today, with the aim of increasing its freedom of movement and denial of territorial control to the Soviets.
Herr General's decision to instruct me to insist on the transfer of a battery of 88's into our command from the assorted remnants around 6. Armee has proved wise today, with the battery able to make a substantial impact on the enemy Sturmovik wing that had been roving around at great cost to us. JG 26 was able to follow this bombardment up with a concentrated attack from all its active aircraft, resulting in the total destruction of the entire enemy wing in one afternoon. This news has served to boost morale around all commands as, although enemy Tu-2 and Pe-8 bombers remain active, the fearsome "flying tanks" have become justifiably feared.
The sheer weight of the enemy's relentless assault on our north-facing line led to a local penetration by a Guards regiment on the borderline between 17 Panzer and 25 Infanterie's respective areas. We are holding this whole front with the full range of fighting vehilces present in our division structures, with about half of these being unsuited to the task of delivering meaningful blows on enemy Guards. 17 Panzer senisbly detailed the Panzer IIINs of Panzer-Regiment 29 to seal off this incursion and, in a rewarding day for this regiment, they advanced out of the line to eliminate the remaining SU-76s of an enemy assault gun unit after the KV1s screening them had been routed by other divisional elements.
Perhaps unfortunately for the medal candiates in Panzer-Regiment 29 today, Panzer-Regiment 13 (10 Panzer) had a field day amonst the remnants of mixed enemy forces encountered by 10 and 3 Panzer as they fanned out towards Krepinskiy. The regiment claimed final destruction of a motorcycle, Katyusha, T60 and Guards regiments in a rampaging day spent overruning enemies worn down by combined arms attacks.
18th December 1942
The primary report today is the lull in fighting across our north-facing front, apart from the daily sparring north of Stalingrad and relentless enemy artillery bombardment of the city and its periphery. The enemy tank army has been destroyed in detail apart from a handful of routed vehicles by the unstinting efforts of 17 Panzer supported by 25 Infanterie's Panzer IIs and StuH 42s plus the timely interventions of Big Gustav, although Guards infantry reinforcements have been spotted close to the northwestern fortified area.
JG 26 has added to the air of relative calm on this front with the interception and destruction of the enemy Tu-2 bomber wing.
In 4.Panzerarmee's sector, Group Hollidt has been able to inflict a defeat in detail on the enemy combined corps sent against it; the last vestiges of Soviet armour has retreated, the Cossacks bridgades lay dead in and around the woodlands, the last riflemen have been forced to surrender and to top it all a full wing of Pe-3 "bullet sponges" has been eroded and eliminated over the course of the action.
19th December 1942
Today's reports are led by news from the actions on our western and southwestern fronts, with the grenadiers of Infanterie-Regiment 132 continuing to erode the combat power of the Soviet infantry division holding the Kalach bridge.
Pioniere-Abteilung 132 has been ordered to support the panzer elements at Krepinskiy, which has also been taken under fire by Big Gustav today.
The breathing space across our northern front has allowed the adventurous Panzer-Regiment 29 to boldly advance further and destroy the remaining Katyushas still harrasing us from the northwestern hills.
20th December 1942
The respite for 17 Panzer didn't last long, as a Soviet cavalry division emerged and advanced on its weaker western flank which is being held by a regiment from 132 Infanterie and 17 Panzer's StuGs. Infanterie-Regiment 232 had to fall back in less-than-ideal order as a result but, although the flank has been weakened, there's no breakthrough opportunity available to the Soviets at this stage.
At Krepinskiy, combined arms attacks have enabled Panzer-Regiment 13 to punch through and wreak havoc amongst the weakened and support elements of the enemy opposition.
21st December 1942
4.Panzerarmee's operations team continues to report steady, unspectacular but acceptable progress by 6 Panzer towards the capture of Oktybarsky - unspectacular and mundane enough to not need aerial recon confirmation, clearly! Verified reports from Hollidt's detachment further east though illustrate that their operations remain anything but mundane as a further Soviet force of KV1s and SU76s has been replused by the combined efforts of the panzerjagers and direct fire from the FlaK 88s.
Whilst matters at Krepinskiy move towards a successful conclusion, the elements of 3 Panzer taking part in operations have pivoted east parallel to the river to deal with the strongpoints in the area. A conscripts / militia regiment has been - thanks to orders of the quality sometimes associated with our own supreme command - holding position in disadantageous wetland terrain, exposing it to severe punishement from the cannons of the new SdKfz 234's equipping Aufklarung-Abteilung 3.
132 Infanterie's plan to continue to reduce enemy stength from their positions overlooking the Kalach bridge supported by their 150mm artillerie appears to be working; the opposing Soviet division appears to be substanially reduced and the time is surely ripe for Lindemann to order an advance in Herr General's view.
22nd December 1942
Allow me to open today's summary of action with the good news of a positive decision at Krepinskiy and the decision to bring up Big Gustav to provide long-distance "strong-arming" in support of 6 Panzer's stuttering efforts at Oktybarksy. 4.Panzerarmee chose not to provide us with the gory details of the full impact on 6 Panzer of the earlier Soviet armoured counterattack, which has sucked the momentum out of the advance and led to the need for us to take this valuable support away from our northern front to prise open the SW escape route.
It is with some shame that I must report my lack of consistency in bringing medal awards to the attention of a wider audience, but Herr General has today given a first Ritterkreuz to the brave men of Pioniere-Regiment 49 following their swift resolution of matters in the streets of Krepinskiy - whilst this action itself was no more notable than many of the other assaults they've undertaken, this award recognises the sheer number of such engagements and lower-level medals already given out.
JG 26 has reported that it's hunt for the last enemy heavy bombers (which had seen ongoing replenishment since the destruction of the other Soviet air forces) has ended with success today.
As if to provide some balance to all these positive developments, the enemy has brought another wave of fresh cavalry, guards infantry, tanks and support vehicles from its obviously interminable reserve - at least one very full corps is in immediate range of our northern front and we have no reason to expect the enemy to leave it at that! The pressure on 25 Infanterie especially, after 11 days of constant heavy shelling and wave after wave of infantry attacks, is nearing crisis point as readiness levels of both the combat and support formations is wearing down beyond our means to replenish. Of particular concern is the punishing counter-battery fire that were experiencing from across the Volga and how its forced 25 Infanterie's own guns to stay silent in all but the most pressing of circumstances.
(OOC - I have around 11.5k prestige in the pot, but the cost of elite replacements for 25 Inf's StuHs and 170mm guns is substantial and i'm trying to nurse them through to the end of the battle. I'm topping up the infanterie regiments with Elites as often as the situation allows, given that I now can't guarantee a "day off for reinforcement" for a regiment given the enemy strength in play)
Herr General put an urgent call into the Geschwaderkommodore of ZG 99, demanding immediate and concentrated action to interdict the oncoming tank force before it could make contact at full strength against our line.
23rd December 1942
Despite the best efforts of ZG 99's crews, the weight on this fresh enemy onslaught fell upon our northern line like a tree falling into a calm lake. Following the earlier cavalry attack on its left flank, 17 Panzer had moved its Panzer IVGs along the line to bolster the position - the Soviets threw a heavily-reinforced T34 regiment directly against Panzer-Regiment 17 overnight, inflicting around 40% losses but not forcing the formation into a retreat. All along the front, our brave crews in their mix of vehicles (several very much unsuited to running battles with large numbers of T34s and KV1s) kept faith in their training, their experience, their machines and their comrades.
A bitter, brutal day of total war raged across the full length of our northern fron today. Every available armed aircraft was directed against viable targets, every panzer crewman, landser and artillerist strove beyond the limits of endurance. Big Gustav was hurriedly brought along the line to shell a particularly dangerous Guards force that had to the potential to finally unhinge 25 Infanterie's valiant defence in Stalingrad. As the evening closed rapidly in, the enemy horde was - once again - broken by our defence!
To the south of the city, the sector held by elements of 10 Panzer - quiet for a few days since the destruction of the strongpoints in the area - stirred again as a brigade strength force of lighter vehciles was engaged and pushed back.
At Kalach, recon overflights revealed that the task facing 132 Infanterie was not going to be solved without panzer support; Stalin Organs were spotted overlooking the bridge from a distance and two T34 regiments were in reserve - one very close by indeed.
Fighter sweeps over Group Hollidt's positions revealed that the tide of enemies had exhausted itself, and that there was nothing to prevent them using what mobility they had to capture the nearby - undefended - airfield and move up on the other airfield further north.
24th December 1942
Lindemann has finally ordered the advance across the bridge at Kalach, without perhaps the means to make it stick. Sturm-Abteilung 132's StuH 42s have followed the seizure of the bridge by the division's grenadiers and have established a blocking position ahead of them, to prevent the T34s and remaining enemy infantry taking the bridge under direct fire. The StuHs will bear the full brunt of the enemy counterattack, but Big Gustav has been wheeled into firing range with orders to shell the Soviet 76mm gun position directly facing the StuHs whilst our aircraft strafe the Stalin Organs, armoured cars and nearest T34s. Panzer-Regiment 17, somewhat recovered from the beating dished out by the reinforced T34 regiment the previous day, reported that it would be crossing the bridge in support tomorrow.
The link-up with 6 Panzer at Oktybarksy has neared completion, with the encirclement and surrender of the remaining T34s outside the town and the destruction of the strongpoints overlooking the nearby bridge.
However, alarm bells are ringining for the 10 Panzer forces not supporting the link-up as a strong division-plus force chock full of T34s (slightly older variants, but in very considerable numbers) has emerged onto the field south of Stalingrad! There's no alternative but to fall back for the units we have out there.
25th December 1942
Although Herr General gave a traditional Christmas message to all in our Order Of The Day, he also set out plans for what Christmas in the Corps would look like once we were freed from the clutches of the Volga and the pockets of the Soviets. We all fervently hope to see what that looks like in reality.......
If one looks to the west, Christmas isn't far away - we now have Panzers and grenadiers over the river along with the StuHs and Big Gustav is raining hellfire down on the enemy T34s.
If one looks north, and especially north east though, Christmas for 25 Infanterie looks some way off. Although yet another tank division and guards division have been seen off, the line is creaking and many units are in varying states of near-exhaustion and damage levels. The enemy is making another concerted push towards the city and both Division and Corps are now feeling much less confident in our ability to keep them out.
