Slitherine

Turn 20 – 3 April 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Overall situation:
The overall situation remains stable although the long winter has been exhausting. Prestige and fuel remain at lowest levels. Moscow has been seized and stabilized but Stalin fled. Leningrad still needs to fall in 1942. The Battle of Sevastopol is almost done and the bulk of Army Group South is now heading towards the Caucasus. Rommel is barely holding the line in North Africa. However, he got word from an Abwehr agent in Spain that the British might plan an offensive in North-West Africa in the area of Tunis. Malta has been bombed out. Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe are preparing for Operation Sea Lion. OKW considers no change in its mid-term objectives.
Ostfront:
Army Group North stands between Moscow and Leningrad. Guderian is considering a preemptive push East of Moscow. However, OKW insists on sticking with the defined objective of taking Leningrad before further extending the front towards the East.
No major activities or operations can be reported in the center.

Army Group South crossed the Mius River and almost reached the Donets River as well as the Don River. However, a surprising Russian tank counteroffensive has to be repelled, too. Newly appointed General Paulus (6th Army) advises to cross the Don towards the Caucasus only and not to target Stalingrad in addition. He warns that the Soviets might not be as exhausted yet as it looks in the wide open area East of Kiev. He believes that attacking Stalingrad will create an undefendable bulge in the front line and that we should keep our Schwerpunkt on the Caucasus only and not rush things. Manstein agrees, oil must remain the key priority, no matter what happens.
Our international Brandenburger unit was killed in action North of Poti.

North Africa:
The Indian infantry unit managed to get through towards Derna. However, Rommel was informed by the OKW that the main attack on Malta has been completed, is this true? Suddenly, he is also receiving significant Luftwaffe support in fighting the British tanks and his Italian commanders mentioned that the Regia Marina was on its way to Tobruk as well. Maybe the siege of Tobruk can finally be completed?
Malta:
Malta has fallen, it was eventually bombed into oblivion. An Italian infantry unit is now on its way to seize the airfield.

Turn 21 – 18 April 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
Artillery fire started the attack on Leningrad. The Wehrmacht concentrated seven artillery units South of Leningrad.
Continued counter-attacks, both ground and air, are being repelled in the Moscow area.
The Luftwaffe has to support the tedious attack on Rostov on Don as it is well situated and its location includes a strong natural barrier as well.

However, as per our Aufklärungsgeschwader, the North Caucasus around Voroshilovsk isn’t defended at all. So once Rostov falls, the way to the Soviet oil fields seems wide open.
April 1942 – Sevastopol has been seized after severe fighting. Manstein suggests to clear all of Crimea, i.e. to get control over Kerch airport and the Strait of Kerch as well. The Kerch airport will be critical in supporting Operation Edelweiss.

North Africa
The Regia Marina arrived West of Tobruk and Derna was seized by the Indian infantry. However, they won’t be able to hold it as they were almost annihilated on their way.
Malta:
Malta is under Axis control. Operation Herkules has been completed. In addition, Rommel now suggested to re-route some of his reinforcements towards Tripoli as Operation Crusader seems almost over and as he still isn’t sure what to think of this note from this senior Abwehr agent in Spain that mentioned something about a potential British operation in North-West Africa, at least 2,000 km away from his current position. Maybe Germany should have occupied Spain or at least Gibraltar before starting Operation Barbarossa…
England:
German naval gunfire almost eliminated the radar station at Southampton airfield.

Turn 22 – 3 May 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
Rostov remains a real bottleneck for Army Group South. Von Manstein is getting furious that we are losing important time. Maybe he should have sent some spearheading units already during winter to clear the way?
North Africa:
Derna has been recaptured and the attack on Tobruk finally started supported by naval gunfire. In addition, some naval mines need to be cleared to be able to make real use of Tobruk port later on.
First units arrived around Tripoli, such a waste of resources and hopefully they won’t be needed. However, if this agent was right, then we need to be prepared…

Western Europe:
British bomber raids over Northern Germany! Unfortunately, the Luftwaffe doesn’t have a real answer against these overwhelming “thousand-bomber raids”.

Turn 23 – 18 May 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
The attack on Leningrad remains slow due to high entrenchment levels and as securing the North-Eastern flank requires additional efforts
Soviet (tank) attacks on Moscow remain strong.
The attack on Kerch is supported by the Luftwaffe and it has to be noted that combined arms attacks seem most successful in general.

Our Fallschirmjägers had to retreat from Poti to avoid annihilation.
North Africa:
Rommel is now regrouping his forces to be more effective during the attack on Tobruk. However, he also experienced several casualties over the last year and initially his troops were only meant to be a blocking/holding force. So he has to get the job done with what he has eventually...
England:
Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine are opening the door to the British Isles.

Turn 24 – 2 June 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
Our Finnish and Hungarian partners suggest a flexible defense approach for Moscow, i.e. combining both tanks and infantry backed up by artillery and deploying them as needed depending on the individual situation. It seems like they have studied this subject in more detail…
Breakthrough to the Northern Caucasus has been achieved – von Manstein seized Rostov.
Italy:
Our Italian partners are scaling up their efforts and the newly established Italian Expeditionary Forces in Tripoli will now be reinforced as Rommel got additional deciphered information from a “little fellow” in Cairo, it’s claimed to be “good source” apparently…

Turn 25 – 17 June 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
The Finns are clearing the area between Lake Onega and Onega River closing in on Army Group North from a North-Eastern direction.
A first step in capturing Leningrad has been achieved, the AA is fully suppressed and out of ammo.
In the center between Orel and Tula the initial Blitzkrieg finally transitioned into a Sitzkrieg.

South of Rostov a beachhead into the Caucasus has been established.
Kerch has been seized and the Strait of Kerch has been reached. However, Novorossiysk seems fortified and guarded by AA as well.
North Africa:
Tobruk is under heavy attack by German and Italian forces. The Italian scout is securing the coastal road towards Mersa Matruh/El Alamein.

Turn 26 – 2 July 1942
Weather: rain and dry

Ostfront:
Soviet tanks about to cross the Desna River towards Gomel.
Von Manstein is moving ahead towards Voroshilovsk with random minefields on the road delaying the advance of Army Group South.
Greece:
Unexpected Partisan alarm in the Pindus Mountains!

North Africa:
Strong British submarines continue to threaten Axis convoys crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
Western Europe:
One year after the start of Operation Barbarossa, first tanks from Army Group North returned to Paris to actually start Operation Sea Lion.
At the same time, British bomber fleets continue their attacks on German cities.

Turn 27 – 17 July 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
Good progress around Leningrad, AA eliminated, one artillery significantly weakened and only limited enemy forces left along Svir River.
Continued Soviet attempts to retake Moscow.
Soviet tanks continue West instead of crossing the Desna River. They seem scouting the area East of Kiev?

Romanian infantry units are crossing the Strait of Kerch and German Grenadiers landed West of Krasnodar.
German Fallschirmjägers continue their skirmish arount Poti.
Balkans:
Additional Partisan activities have been discovered in Albania, South of Tirana along the Pinios River.

North Africa:
Tobruk is expected to fall within the next few weeks.
Parts of Regia Marina are heading back West towards Tripoli again.

Turn 28 – 1 August 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
Operation Edelweiss reached the Kuban River with simultaneous attacks at three cities.
North Africa:
The siege of Tobruk has been completed as Rommel seized this important port – now how will the battle continue in North Africa?
Western Europe:
OKW is debating the best timing for Operation Sea Lion. Should we go ahead despite a continuously strong RAF or wait until winter to land under the cover of bad weather? Are the troops gathered in France strong enough already? Will England become even stronger as time goes by?

Turn 29 – 16 August 1942
Weather: clear and dry

Ostfront:
Heavy Soviet artillery fire coming from the direction of Leningrad has been stopped and the opposition along Svir River seems almost finished as well.
Parts of Army Group North started moving East again. They are targeting Vologda while some Finns are finally crossing Onega River to move North towards Archangelsk.
A T-34 tank appeared in front of Orel. Is this the start of a new Soviet offensive?