Battlefield Europe v1.9 – month by month

[PeteMitchellOLD]

North Africa:
Rommel expects that the British will attack him again very soon in order to break through his on-going siege of Tobruk. Therefore he thinks it is best to stabilize his defense position West of Fort Capuzzo and the Halfaya Pass. At the same time the OKW/OKH is still wondering why Rommel ordered so many 8.8 AA units, well we don’t have any tanks to spare either. Anyway, word goes around that the British want to test some new Crusader cruiser tanks in the upcoming operation?

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Malta:
The British aircraft carrier convoy including a battleship and a destroyer arrived at the Strait of Sicily South of Palermo. However, the aircraft carrier somehow disappeared in the rough sea. As a precautionary measure the Italian fleet blocked the Strait of Messina as well.

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Western Europe:
Finally, several AA units have been set up along the Channel.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Norway:
The Italian occupation forces ran into a British commando unit in Norway. Are the British “testing the waters” for a potential British invasion to Norway? Do we need to commit more (German) troops to the Nordics than originally planned?

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 10 – 4 November 1941
Weather: rain and muddy

Overall situation:
The overall situation is stable. In the East we reached Moscow before the start of winter. However, Leningrad hasn’t been touched yet. Further South, we closed the Kiev pocket in time and are now heading towards Rostov. In North Africa it might just be the calm before the storm? Malta will be captured after the winter. Further preparations for Operation Sea Lion have been postponed until spring the earliest. However, the French airspace is now under complete axis control. OKW considers no change in the short to mid-term objectives.

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Ostfront:
The mud has stopped all major operations. The plan is now to fully capture Moscow and to develop sustainable defensive positions along the triangle Rzhev-Moscow-Kaluga.

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In the South, Odessa has been captured and von Manstein considers crossing the Dnieper River to occupy Crimea already in winter and to initiate the attack on Sevasopol and Kerch as well.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Malta:
The “missing” aircraft carrier really wanted to bypass Sicily and to reach Malta through the Strait of Messina.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 11 – 19 November 1941
Weather: cloudy and muddy

Ostfront:
The situation around Moscow seems stable and additional infantry units arrived at the Western outskirts of the city.

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North Africa:
Here we go… once again…

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Western Europe:
The Kriegsmarine is crossing the Channel in preparation of Operation Sea Lion although no date has been fixed yet. Furthermore, the Northern route around the British Isles has been ruled out due to the British home fleet and the protected convoy routes in the Atlantic. However, the Kriegsmarine will be needed in the Western part of the Channel to support the planned amphibious landings. The OKM expects that the British will close the Channel with naval mines soon.

BE_Turn_11_069_Dunkirk.jpg (294.69 KiB) Viewed 4244 times

[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 12 – 4 December 1941
Weather: snow and frozen

Ostfront:
In the South, Zaporozhye has been captured and combined German, Italian, Hungarian and Romanian forces are about to cross the Isthmus of Perekop towards Crimea.

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North Africa:
Rommel’s tank division experienced heavy casualties but the overall defense line remains stable due to 8.8 AA units.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 13 – 19 December 1941
Weather: snow and frozen

Ostfront:
Army Group North is closing the line in anticipation of any Soviet winter offensives… and German meteorologists were definitely wrong with their predictions of a mild winter!

BE_Turn_13_072_Army Group North.jpg (318.76 KiB) Viewed 4225 times

Army Group South is on its way to Sevastopol while holding defensive positions towards the East.

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Western Europe:
The repairs of Gneisenau, Prinz Eugen and Scharnhorst are well under way. However, the overall prestige situation is getting tougher as well.

BE_Turn_13_074_France.jpg (277.25 KiB) Viewed 4225 times

[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 14 – 3 January 1942
Weather: snow and frozen

Ostfront:
The Finns almost reached the Arctic Ocean but Arkhangelsk is still very far. They seem much better equipped for winter fighting.

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Russian counteroffensive to retake Moscow started – KV-1 tank threatens Southern outskirts of the city with British lend-lease units still occupying the North of Moscow.

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The Wehrmacht now also establishes defensive positions around Orel, additional artillery support might be required.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Fallschirmjäger and Brandenburger landed East of Poti in the Caucasus Mountains. The objective is to support the upcoming Operation Edelweiss to capture the Caucasus oil fields.

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Western Europe:
German destroyers started to clear British naval mines North of Le Havre opening the Western parts of the Strait of Dover.

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Greece:
Greek partisans captured Thessaloniki and the adjacent airport destabilizing vital supply routes of the Afrika Korps while additional German tank units are on their way to North Africa.

BE_Turn_14_080_Thessaloniki.jpg (282.04 KiB) Viewed 4204 times

[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 15 – 18 January 1942
Weather: snow and frozen

Ostfront:
Strong Siberian infantry appeared along the frozen Oka River South of Moscow while the KV-1 tank moved into the streets of Moscow… this might be its end.

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The attack on Sevastopol continues slowly although it was very helpful to significantly weaken the Soviet Black Sea Fleet before entering the Crimea.

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German Fallschirmjägers captured Poti… let’s see if this commando operation can sidetrack any other Soviet Caucasus forces?

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

North Africa:
South of Tobruk an Indian infantry unit is trying to break through towards Derna with our Italian recon staying close. At the same time the Brits recaptured Fort Capuzzo...

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Italy:
Italy mobilized an additional tank unit as well as a new modern armored artillery unit in the industrialized Po Valley next to Torino… and already before their actual mobilization, Rommel suggested through his Italian connections to deploy them in the African theater… However, they would be much more needed in the East, wouldn’t they?

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Western Europe:
Under the cover of bad weather the Tirpitz entered the Strait of Dover and at the same time the Luftwaffe started to redeploy several bomber units from the Eastern front to the Atlantic.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 16 – 2 February 1942
Weather: snow and frozen

Ostfront:
Winter continues… and so does the Russian winter offensive to hold Moscow. At the same time, we are running into severe prestige and very soon into critical fuel shortages as well.

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In addition, the Russians are trying to hold the vital rail link between Moscow and Leningrad. A small Russian offensive is on-going between Kalinin and Novgorod.

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In the South, von Manstein reached Mariupol with the Mius River at sight.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 17 – 17 February 1942
Weather: cloudy and frozen

Ostfront:
The Finns decided to completely clear the Finnish-Russian border area first before moving further East.

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The skies are clearing up, Novgorod has been seized and Army Group North is advancing towards Leningrad. Leningrad has to fall in 1942.

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Despite significant Wehrmacht efforts, Moscow still hasn’t been fully captured yet. With all this delay, OKW expects that Stalin must have fled by now.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Sevastopol’s fort seems even stronger than the one in Odessa. Von Manstein is upset that he didn’t get the Karl-Gerät which was allocated for the attack on Leningrad.

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As expected, our airborne units got under attack around Poti while the Luftwaffe is still engaged with the Black Sea Fleet.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

North Africa:
Rommel just made it once again while his Italian comrades lost all their tanks by now… Rommel’s tank unit got seriously damaged as the British continue to bring many tanks and they remain much stronger than the German tanks as well. Rommel’s only hope are his 8.8 AA units.

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Malta:
Unfortunately, Malta is still under British control. However, the Italian air and naval attack continues as the weather is improving.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Western Europe:
Axis bomber units arrived in the area of Paris to prepare for Operation Sea Lion.

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England:
Tirpitz and Admiral Scheer initiated naval gunfire on the British coast including Southampton airport with its radar station.

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German submarines discovered HMS Kent, a British heavy cruiser, in the Bristol Channel South-West of Cardiff.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 18 – 4 March 1942
Weather: clear and frozen

Ostfront:
With clear skies returning in March, the Luftwaffe started their attack on Leningrad.

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Finally, Moscow has fallen. The Wehrmacht seized the city including both airports. An important hub has been eliminated but no doubt Soviet counterattacks will continue…

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Surprisingly, the area East of Kiev remains completely quiet. Should we have taken last year’s opportunity and pushed forward towards Kursk and Kharkov?

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

In the South, von Manstein stands in front of Rostov and he reckons that a quick breakthrough will require some effort.

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Western Europe:
The Kriegsmarine arrived in the Western Channel and German submarines are closing the Strait of Dover.

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British fighters are attacking our naval bases around Brest.

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[PeteMitchellOLD]

Turn 19 – 19 March 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
It has been more than six months since we last had clear and dry weather… and now the Finns advise not to cross Onega River in front of Archangelsk anymore as it might be too dangerous. After their losses North of Lake Onega, they seem afraid of well-prepared defensive positions or even ambushes by the Russians.

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Army Group North stands ready to initiate the assault on Leningrad. However, its North-Eastern flank still requires a lot attention as continuous skirmish are carried out by Soviet forces. OKW is considering to clear the entire area between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega prior to any attack on Leningrad.

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Von Manstein is satisfied with the quick siege of Sevastopol. Sevastopol is expected to fall by summer. All Axis artillery units have been withdrawn towards Rostov already as von Manstein wants to establish a new Schwerpunkt in the Caucasus region.

BE_Turn_19_108_Sevastopol.jpg (267.1 KiB) Viewed 4144 times

[PeteMitchellOLD]

North Africa:
Rommel keeps holding the line and can continue the siege of Tobruk but the overall situation remains on the edge… The British Crusader Operation has been exhausting for both sides.

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Western Europe:
RAF Bomber Command is targeting Wilhelmshaven, an important German naval base. The Luftwaffe can't be everywhere at the same time...

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Balkans:
Partisan activity continues throughout the Balkans. This time North of the port city Split. OKW considers this region secondary to the overall war effort. However, it needs to remain under control. Therefore, going forward the OKW will try to concentrate forces at areas of partisan activity once they arise instead of widespread unit deployment across the entire region.

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