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Post by steven on Apr 1, 2014 11:49:32 GMT
Prussia - January 1945
Army Group North has been cut off and forced into an area around Prussia and the Baltic nations. Salvation - if it can come at all - will come from the Baltic sea and the Kriegsmarine.
The Soviet High Command is content to let Army Group North wither on the vine and keep them bottled up whilst the consontrate on Army Group Vistula which is defending the direct route to Berlin.
However, Marshall Stalin has other ideas and is determined to reach the Baltic and so deny the sea to the Kriegsmarine which uses the Baltic to train its U-Boat crews.
Can the soldiers of Army Group North hold out against the Soviet avalaunche in the snowy wastes of Prussia?
We shall see next Monday!
Stp Press!!!
2 Combat debuts for this game!
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Post by mike on Apr 1, 2014 12:56:19 GMT
Stp Press!!! 2 Combat debuts for this game! So, at least two casualties then |
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Post by steven on Apr 1, 2014 15:47:53 GMT
Outrage!
I will buy you a beer if BOTH die in the game!
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Post by steven on Apr 1, 2014 15:48:37 GMT
PTO
Make sure that you have plenty of AA equiment in your Soviet army and bring the Red airforce!
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Post by steven on Apr 3, 2014 8:25:06 GMT
The initial Soviet bombardment crashed down on the German lines. Vetrans hardly noticed the muffled crumps as shells exploded amongst the dugouts, throwing skywards large clods of frozen eartyh. Herman, the new Infantry Soldat in 2nd Platoon was terriefied. It was freezing cold, he had never even seen a Russian before yet here he was, in a trench staring into the endless white of Prussia, being subjected to a furious onlaut. As suddenly as it had begun, the bombardment lifted. There was a quiet. To the front of Herman's position, some 1000 meters away, the trees began to sawy and move as if being pulled down. Large, black beetle shapped shapes moveed with purpose straight towards him. Herman didnt need his basic 12 week training to tell hime what these were - the dreaded T34s!
To his right the emplaced PAK40 antitank gun fired, brining an instant explosion from on of the steel beasts. It lurched, as if drunk and blew up, throwing its turret into the air some 20 meters, landing with a crash in the snow. The Soviet assualt to reach the Baltic Sea had begun and Herman was going to learn fast how to stay alive ......
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Post by steven on Apr 6, 2014 17:28:35 GMT
Soviet tanks continue to charge forward, making heavy going in the snow. The Nashorn Tank destroyer, carefully sighted to make good use of the ground, opens fire. Its massive 88mm gun is deadly at this rather shorter range and the first T34 explodes in a fireball. Can the Germans hold the line? We shall see on Monday night!
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Post by steven on Apr 7, 2014 9:18:18 GMT
Regretably i am not well today so will not be attending. We can do this next week!
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Post by steven on Apr 10, 2014 7:01:12 GMT
We will do this game this coming Monday 14th April.
However, we will still be doing Army Group North but things will be a little earlier in history - some 4 months in fact to August 1944.
The reason?
Well i have some more summer terrain items i wish to use!
When it comes to terrain, Steven is your man!
Banzai!
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Post by chris on Apr 10, 2014 13:03:32 GMT
But was Herman already trained and deployed 4 months previously? I'm a bit worried about him. Poor chap has been hanging on to find out if he survives! Still at least it will be warmer in the summer  |
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Post by steven on Apr 10, 2014 15:49:43 GMT
This is a very good point! Lets say that Herman can defend the fatherland the following week, still in the snow.
This Monday its the turn of Lt. Meyer, as seasoned veteran in the 112th Infantry Division. He is 24 and has been on the Russian Front for nearly 2 years. He's not a career soldier, obtaining basic training at 20, he fought in the great western front victories. Wounded he spent 4 months in hospital and convalesing. Now we join him as he leads the 2nd platoon of the 3rd company of the 2nd battalion.
The Russsians have gained massive amounts of territory in the summer offensive - Bagration - and have pushed the Germans back to Poland. In the process Army Group Centre has been shattered, and whilst Field Marshall Model has stabilised the front, Army Group North has been pushed into the Baltic states and is now cut off. Salvation, of a sort will come from the sea. However, lets not get ahead of ourselves - that will happen in the following week.
Lt. Meyer and his platoon must defend Latvia against the juggernault.
New terrain and combat debuts for this game!
Banzai!
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Post by Legionnaire on Apr 10, 2014 22:28:53 GMT
NOW we're talking Steve!!! This is how you write a Batrep, I too am very anxious to know how the rookie Herman will perform and will he survive? Maybe Lt. Meyer is made of sterner material or is he more interested in the Latvian ladies that are abandoned by their menfolk, tired of warfare? And let's not forget, WHO are the antagonists on the other side? Major Chrushenko? Private Kapunin? Angelova the sniper? We want to hear from both sides of the conflict!!! The mud, sweat, tears and the blood and the innumerable cups of tea/ schnapps that have been drunk!!!
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Post by steven on Apr 11, 2014 7:13:16 GMT
Swede!
I can tell you that quite a few of your countrymen, Norwegians and Finns fought in Army Group North, so maybe "Sven" was sitting in the next dug-out to Herman?
Sven is used to this sort of temperature - he isnt like Herman, he's been raised in the snow, in a country where people laugh at snow! Where madness and strange and odd practices occur during the long, cold winter nights where the sun rearely appears!
Lt Meyer knows the Russian of old - determined, stupid, easily confused but relentless in the assualt even when faced with massive firepower and casualties. However, the new Russain soldier is different. He's learnt how to fight - infantry now co-operate more readily with tanks, commands are obeyed and a tactical finess is very much part of the skill of even the lowest ranks. The Soviets KNOW they are winning and that gives them an extra determination. They are very dangerous. And now, their tanks are better as well as more numerous than the Axis forces. It's only the superb junior leaders, of which Meyer is one, that give the German forces an ability to stand and fight against tremendous odds. Can Meyer and his platoon stand their ground?
We shal see on Monday!
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Post by terrywarden on Apr 11, 2014 9:20:30 GMT
It sounds like Lt Meyer needs an edge, who's going to be rolling his dice?
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Post by steven on Apr 11, 2014 10:05:59 GMT
That is a very good point Terry!
In the last few weeks my die rolling has been good, for a change.
However, we shall see as i suspect that Richard might be called in to be German commander.
Alongside more new fields that i have made, i am hoping that i will be able to finish in time for this game, 2 new infantry platoons for the Germans!
Banzai!
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Post by steven on Apr 11, 2014 10:46:38 GMT
Col Melenkopv of the Soviet 231st Rifle Regiment examined the small farming hamlet in front of him, some 2 miles distant. There were signs of activity - the Germans were positioned and ready for a fight it would seem. Well, lets give them one he thought. Aged 27, young for his rank, the severe punishment of 1941 and 1942 had cut down so many of his fellows that he and Senior Sgt Arkov were the only ones left from the orginal group of 35 who had voluteered from his village in the dark days of Summer 1941. Still, things were on the up - the Fascists had been kicked out of Ukraine and now the regiment stood at the gates of the Baltic. Now was not the time for overt risk - lessons had been learned and it was time to be more subtle in the attack.
Melenkopv glaned over at the powerful tanks being prepared nearby. These were T34s but not the classic one of the first years but larger with a more powerful gun. In fact a much more powerful gun. Enoughto frighten the big German cats - we shall see on Monday night!
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