Slitherine

Turn 60 – 24 November 1943
Weather: snow and dry

Overall situation:
Despite recent Russian counter-attacks, the overall situation is more or less stable/under control, i.e. sufficient fuel has been secured, progress has been made in England and North Africa is finally under control.

Nonetheless, it has to be noted that prestige remains low and Axis casualties are rising while the kill ratio has been decreasing, currently 16 core slots are open.
In light of the above and given rising time pressures, the OKW believes it will be critical to maintain the initiative on all front lines. Therefore, it updated its key objectives for the short to mid-term as follows:

1. Guderian with Army Group North to capture Gorky while holding the line South of Moscow. In addition, support von Kleist in weakening enemy forces around Kursk as much as possible

2. Von Kleist with Army Group Center to move towards Kursk and Kharkov as much as possible. Von Manstein suggests to apply mobile defense tactics for Army Group Center despite limited reserves

3. Von Manstein with Army Group South to move towards Astrakhan and capture it during winter while the Volga River will be frozen. At the same time hold the line from Rostov to Astrakhan. Develop an effective plan to eventually attack Stalingrad

4. Paulus with his newly established Army Group Middle East (based on units separated from Army Group South) to move towards Mosul, Baghdad and Basra/Kuwait to surprise the British in the Middle East and to focus on seizing their oil fields

5. Rommel with the Afrika Korps to move East towards El Alamein, Alexandria and the Suez Canal, deploy remaining Regia Marina as needed

6. Italians to recapture North-West Africa and to secure the African Atlantic coast

7. Von Rundstedt with Army Group West to complete the occupation of the British Isles

8. Occupation forces in the Balkans to recapture lost areas and to control the situation

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Ostfront:
Next to Vologda, the heavy SU-85 has been surrounded and is out of ammo already.
Near Moscow, Guderian feels that the new Panther A is effective… but it is also no wonder weapon!
Von Kleist was able to stabilize the situation around Konotop, hopefully a Russian breakthrough has been averted for now?

Von Manstein is able to hold Rostov with light forces.
Further East, his forces are crossing Kuma River and are approaching Astrakhan.
Paulus is crossing the Aras River and is now entering Persia!

North Africa:
Rommel decided to wait with his attack on El Alamein until the requested ships of Regia Marina arrive to provide naval gunfire support.
Western Europe:
Dönitz decided to send some submarines for “test purposes” along the Atlantic coast towards Gibraltar. OKW is not amused, what was he thinking and what is he up to?
England:
Von Rundstedt is trying to clear the way to the meanwhile almost undefended Plymouth, i.e. in parallel to his advance North.

Turn 61 – 9 December 1943
Weather: snow and frozen

Ostfront:
Von Kleist pulled back his troops due to the onset of winter. However, he believes that there are still significant enemy forces around Kursk.
Will there be a Russian winter offensive towards Rostov?
Von Manstein joined his forces towards Astrakhan.

North Africa:
The Italians captured Annaba and ran into remaining US troops.
Balkans:
The port town of Split was recaptured as well.

Turn 62 – 24 December 1943
Weather: snow and frozen

Ostfront:
It’s Christmas and Rybinsk and Yaroslavl still haven’t been captured.
For a change, the area around Moscow is relatively quiet.
Same around Bryansk.

Russian recon unit was caught near Rostov.
Middle East:
Paulus reached Ardabil.
England:
Von Rundstedt seized Plymouth. At the same time, his troops are repelling British attacks coming from the direction of Birmingham.

Turn 63 – 8 January 1944
Weather: cloudy and frozen

Ostfront:
Latest T-34 model around Vologda, judging from the timing it might even be a first prototype unit! Surrounding with infantry might not work anymore with this model.
This time Russian attacks are directed towards Kaluga instead of Moscow with an additional attack towards Bryansk. It also has to be noted that there is an OT-34 flamethrower tank at Orel airfield.
The Russian attack around Konotop resumed as well. Von Kleist is surprised to see Russian units mounted on trucks so close to the front line?

Astrakhan is almost under Axis control. Attacking Astrakhan from the South as well as in winter with frozen rivers seems easier than from any other direction or during any other season.
North Africa:
The Italians continue their advance towards Algiers, no US troops left on the way…
England:
Von Rundstedt is slowly moving North again. England seems almost empty by now, can this be true?

Turn 64 – 23 January 1944
Weather: cloudy and frozen

Ostfront:
Yaroslavl has been captured but strong Russian tank and AT units are threatening the light Axis forces in the area.
After more than two years, Guderian is moving towards Tula again!
Von Kleist is still concerned of a massive Russian attack. Therefore, he keeps exploring the situation along his section of the front, this time in the area West of Kharkov.

Astrakhan has been seized. Von Manstein is now contemplating the idea of attacking Stalingrad from the East… The OKW isn’t that sure yet, especially since there are only very limited forces available to Army Group South at the moment.
North Africa:
Regia Marina reached the area North of Tobruk. Rommel is already waiting further East.

Turn 65 – 7 February 1944
Weather: cloudy and frozen

Ostfront:
The time has come… Russian tanks around Kursk and Kharkov are going on the offensive again! In addition to continued heavy tank attacks along the entire Northern front from Vologda to Orel.
Von Manstein is curious and wants to check out the defenses of Stalingrad. Mayby the time is right… Von Manstein thinks he is a real genius but OKW is a bit concerned that he went on his own now?
Middle East:
Paulus also captured Tabriz and continues his advance South.

North Africa:
Algiers has been seized by the Italians.
Dönitz's submarines arrived West of Gibraltar and ran into a group of British destroyers. Apparently, he was requested by Rommel to help reduce the British fleet around Gibraltar so that less British ships will enter the Mediterranean Sea and threaten Rommel’s North African operations… Dönitz reports that one submarine had been lost already earlier this year.
Western Europe:
In addition, Dönitz also sent some ships towards the coast of Ireland to distract British bombers from von Rundstedt’s land forces on the British Isles. Von Rundstedt had suggested this to Dönitz as the Luftwaffe is too weak to protect the Axis ground units from RAF air raids in England.

Turn 66 – 22 February 1944
Weather: snow and frozen

Ostfront:
The very new Russian tank (T-34/85) East of Vologda is out of ammo and fuel and surrounded…
German grenadiers backed up by artillery are attacking Tula!
Von Kleist is still able to manage the Russian tank attacks around Konotop and the OKW is a bit surprised but von Kleist seems to know what he has to do with armored ATs under his control…

Von Manstein reached Stalingrad and almost ran out of fuel. He is reporting that Stalingrad is only lightly defended from the East?
Middle East:
Paulus asked his paras to fly into the area South of Baghdad, between Euphrates River and Tigris River. Can they actually have any impact there, i.e. beyond scouting?
North Africa:
First Italian ships as well as additional planes arrived at Mersa Matruh to support Rommel’s offensive towards Egypt. OKW is requesting to start the operations soon, latest early spring!

Turn 67 – 9 March 1944
Weather: clear and frozen

Ostfront:
Guderian had to stop the attack on Tula and pull back his troops to Kaluga due to the critical situation around Kursk!
So that’s the situation West of Kursk… nine Russian tank or AT units plus support units on the advance! Guderian’s advice for von Kleist is now “Klotzen, nicht kleckern!”
Middle East:
Paulus discovered a lonely Russian tank in the desert East of Hamadan.

North Africa:
Regia Marina is attacking the British battleship, HMS Queen Elisabeth, close to the port of Alexandria. Key objective is to get closer to the fortifications around El Alamein and to provide naval gunfire support for Rommel’s advance, especially to suppress enemy AA and artillery.
England:
Von Rundstedt seized Cardiff and reached Welland River towards Manchester and Leeds.
Western Europe:
Massive amount of enemy planes over Germany!

Turn 68 – 24 March 1944
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
Rybinsk has been seized… finally!
Guderian is supporting von Kleist around Kursk and so does the Luftwaffe.
Von Manstein asked his troops to push North from Rostov and they are crossing the Donets River now to start occupy the area between Donets River and Don River. Von Manstein’s ultimate goal is to further shorten the Southern front line between Kursk, Kharkov and Rostov – preferably along the Don River. This is happening in preparation of an upcoming attack on Stalingrad.

North Africa:
The British ships around Alexandria have been sunk and Rommel sent planes over El Alamein to better understand the British fortifications and overall defense setup. His plan is to break through at the Northern end along the coast towards Alexandria.
In North-West Africa, the Italians reached Oran on their way to the Atlantic.
Balkans:
New partisans appeared along the Drina River but unfortunately our river boat is out of ammo and almost out of fuel as well. Apparently it cannot be resupplied either?