Killing ground impressions:

I finish my "The Killing ground" AAR here due to big mistakes in the replay. Anyway its a great great game, and I really think it’s not so difficult as I initially thought.

As I don’t realy know how to play, I’m sure there had been a lot of mistakes, not talking about rules this time but strategy. For example german must use wisely his support points. Not necessary to support every german corp every turn, if you do so, German quickly run out sp’s.  i think Germna must  only think about the places where a counterattack will be usufull (or even necessary).

Regarding  rules  I was worry about who pays anytime sp’s (corp HQ, army HQ, etc…) but it’s quite easy.  Combat is very interesting, no drm at all, and  as there is no pattern in the dr as in CRT (combat result table) use to be in most wargames. Here every column you earn to your side rises the percentage of a favorable result. It means that if you hit for ex.  “Dr=6” in a 2vs1 ratio it may be  a good result for you, but the same dice could bring you a bad result in the most favorable to the attacker ”3vs1” row.

The super mistake I did (I’m sure there more things wrong  I  didn’t see) is that you have to check who MUST attack who every time. If the front line doesn’t change  it’s affordable but it’s complicated every time there are moves along the line. AND it affects also the adajacent hexes too, if you attack sometime in some terrains you MUST also attack all hexes in your  ZOC 

Red german attack IS NOT LEGAL, as british stack (under construction marker) is adjacent and must be or attacked too or "sticked to ground" by another not attacking adjacent german unit.

A great game!!! want to learn more in order to play with "overlord"  the hole enchilada    (...dreaming is free!!)  

TURN 2 (GERMAN PHASE)

TURN 2 (7 of July 1944) German phase

A couple of pictures to show the situation before german move.

In red, the gap opened by the 30th american division. Priority for VII geman army to close this turn.

German front line in the British area. Inside the cercle, the road between Villiers-Bocage and Noyers (where  30th corps launched operation), the front line is still closed, but Panzer Lehr division suffered heavy losses.

 <<<<<<< I noticed now an ilegal move, british units in N3943 couldn’t stand there without attacking anemy units in ZOc (As it’s an open terrain hex). So as I didn’t attack retreat them to N3942.>>>>>>>

D German player turn:

1-      OPERATION PHASE. Operational marker 2+2=4sp’s, next turn an operation would be posible.

VII army 10-1=9 sp’s                    V pz army 11-1=10      

2-      ARMY SUPPORT AND REPLACEMENT

German player gets 12sp’s each turn but minus “allied air interdiction”. This turn 8sp’s (¡!!!!!) are lost due to allied air interdiction. So 4sp’s are received 7-july-44. 2sp’s for each army.

VII army 9+2= 11 sp’s                    V pz army 10+2= 12sp’s

No replacement this turn for germans, but as VII army had 6steps banked, it let them roll in the variable german replacement to get 1RE. Dr=5, I choose it as an mec. Inf. To replace the 4th pz grenadieren (2ssDR), it gains a regroup marker too.

3-      Allied general air interdiction. No allied player rolls this turn, as no air units were assigned to this duty 7th of july.

4-      German movement phase. Germans haven’t to do a mandatory attack this turn, but must reinforce the area of british 30 corps and closet he gap of the american 30th divsion.

Movements of VII army:

2ssDR were attached to the weak 25th corps, so they move from Vire to help 2P division to close the gap made by american attacks.

243 inf div went to the front at Sainteny to release 17SS div. Due to the terrain  restrictions and  Zoc, they (17SS) only arrive until  5 miles west of Lozon. Next day they will be attacking along the road to counteraatack american 30th div. 25th corps elements rearrange their postion near Point –Herber waiting for the help of the fresh 2SS Pz div (Das Reich).

Movements of V Pz army:

First of all, reallocate Pz Lehr near 47 corp Hq in order to get artillery support.

74 inf div were “regrouping” now afer turn1 attack “disorg” mode, but at the end of this german pahse they will become “normal” status. Pz Lehr is closer to their crops HQ, Next turn german player gets a variable replacement point (RE) depending on the type get it could be used to reinforce the unit. No attacks in this area this turn. In the vicinity of german 2SS corps situation is better as all british tropos after the offensive are disorganized 

(now same picture with counters in)

1-      

                              Combat phase.

N4239 attack. (red attack). Hedgerow hex. Defending 147 inf reg. (49div/30corps) A2=6 disorganized. Attacking 20 pz. Gren (9ss/2ss corp) A2=5 and 2/9 tigers battalion, strength=2.

So defending 6/2=3 (disorg) attacking 5+2=7

Combat sequence:

1-      Attacker declares suppported attack so V pz army pays his 1 sp from the reserve.  12-1=11 sp’s

2-      German now declares  support from the 102 art regiment (rockets) and british will use 5AGRA, 52HV and 54 Hv. Actually they were spent last allied phase but they can give defensive support anyway.  

German=7   USA units=3, 2vs1 in hedgerow hex

3-      Column shifts:

a.       Divisional integrity for both so no modifier.

b.      No air support available for allies. Important lesson for this turn, Keep unspent airpoints for defense!!

c.       German art dr =5 +1bocage (1 column shift in col=4) (3vs1). Allied art rolls  is 5 column of the table dr=1 is 1 column right shift, so again (2vs1).

d.      2 combined arms bonus let by hexrow, in this case just one stack so 1 col. Shift right. 3vs1.

e.      ASV, german have 3 white dots and british one black, as hexrow lets full ASV it means 1 col. Shift to the right. 4vs1.

Rolling two dice in 4vs1 “hexrow”= 10. 1D/2>1

German must loose 1step (991 inf reg.) passing to cadre and get a disorg mode . British regiment is destroyed, but germans inspite of being allowed to advance will not do it due to:

a)      “disorg” units doens’t exert a ZOC and will not affect the other ‘s combat retreat.

b)      WIll be in a very exposed situation for next turn.

N4339 attack. (black attack).

Hedgerow hex. Defending the whole 11Ar div, A2=12+cadre=13 (disorg). Attacking hex 4439: A2=10(pz gren)+1tigers plus  hex 4438: 5 (three batllions, tigers, pack and recon).

So defending 13/2=6,5 (disorg) attacking 11+5=16          2vs1 hedgerow

Combat sequence:

4-      Attacker declares suppported attack so V pz army pays his 1 sp from the reserve.  11-1=10 sp’s

5-      No side has artillery support this time

6-      Column shifts:

a.       Divisional integrity for both so no modifier.

b.      No air support available for allies.

c.       Hilltop bonus for german  (1 column shift right) (3vs1).

d.      1 shift due to  combined arms for germans. German West stack doesn’t as no infantry regiment there, brit’s defendin either as they are disorg. (4vs1)

e.      ASV, german have 4 white dots and british have three dots (just 156 full ASV, 29th cadre ASV). Difference is one dot, so 1 col. Shift to the right. 5vs1.

f.        Heavy tank attacking 6vs1

Rolling two dice in 6vs1 “hexrow”=7 (2+5). 1/1>1

German must loose 1step (19 pz gren.).Britishh 156 loosses one setp and the whole division retreats one hex. 19 pz grenadieren and 1/9 Pz batallion advance in order to defende the flank of the rest of the division.

 6. - Enginereeng phase:  Every corp uses it’s free construction (N4340 lost due to disorg mode): HQ. 86 corp N3851, 1SS N3844 (tench), 2SS N4339, 74 corp N4533; 47 corp: N4429; 2P 4226; 84 corp N3312.

7.- Disorg and regroup phase. Return to normal status all german “regroup” units and to regroup all allied units (basically british 30 corp).  Return air units to cup and reset naval support to zero.

END OF TURN 2

                       THE KILLING GROUND

TURN 1 (6 of July 1944)

A  Weather:

 No need to roll for weather as secenario set up says  that it is “light overcast” and “no rain”. But anyway,  allied player must roll next turn weather and keep the information secret. Dr= 3 with a drm of +1 (turn before 19-july) =4 it means light overcast like first turn.

Sea condition dr=1 (drm=-1) calm      

Rain dr=2 so no rain next turn either

Allied air segment

Allied player rolls in a table for the air support this day (turn), it depends on the  weather 

Dr=3, It gives the allied player just “6” air points with light overcast no rain.

Now these 6 air points must be allocate between moviment interdiction, ground support and supply interdiction. I will set  two points each.  Sure it is not a great strategy but that way I’ll learn.

B Mutual support and supply  stage.

First, form the army reserve allied player allocates support  points to keep corps HQ supported.

USA 1st army uses 0  s.p. for supporting all of his corps. 5th, 7th, 8th and 19th, (so army reserve still has  6) as all 4 corps are at less than 12 hexes from supply source (depot at W6021)

British 2nd army must support five corps 1st, 8th, 12th, 30th and 2nd can. All five corps are again closer than 12 hexes to supply source. British 2nd army reserve has 14 s.p.

All allied corps already have 1sp at each corps reserve, so armies can’t give them more sp’s as it is the maxim now (this maxim daily corps support level can be arisen in later turns). Now each army can resupply for free a number of artillery units equal to the artillery support level (in both armies is 2). British resupplies  as free unit  52Hv and 55Hv near Courselles.

American do it with 406 and 188 artillery reg. from 4th and 90 div. British resupply paying (2sp’s) 8AGRA and one more for 59HV. (Brit 2nd army reserve=14-3=11.

187 art reg.(1st div)  , 190 art reg. (30 div). USA army res=6-2=4. I don’t  ressuply 82div artillery as I see 82 div very weak now.

German supports for free one HQ and one artillery for ecah army. V Pz army have 5 corps 86ht, 1SS, 2SS, 47th and 74th, so it expends 4sp’s (18-4=14 sp’s left ). VII army have 2P, 25th and 84th corps so it expends 2sp’s (12-10=10 sp’s left). Army artillery at N3817 resupplied for free.

Supply segment  All units are in supply, excepting German flack ¿¿??.

Units attachment (I think it’s important and a bit complicated, so do it for every corp in game)

German: V pz army: 86 corp: 711, 346, 16lft and 716. A corps may attach 3 div. Plus one more if any is assigned as a corp div… such as 711 or 346. So no sp expended for 86 corp

1SS corp: 12SS, 1SS, 271 and 21st Pz div- (3+1 div attached no sp cost) /2SS corp: 9SS, 10SS                          47 corp: 2Pz, PzLehr / 74 corp: 276, 277

German: VII army:  / 2 parachute corps: 3Fsjg, 352 /25 corp: 265, 275 /84 corp: 91, 243, 17SS, 2Fsjg (no sp cost)

USA 1st army attchment:  /8 corp: 79, 90, 82Abn / 7corp: 4, 83, 30 / 19 corp: 19, 29, 3Arm             5 corp: 1, 2 , 2Arm

British 2nd army: 1 corp: 51, 6Abn, 3, 4Arm /2 can corp: 3can ,2Tank / 8 corp: 43, 15, 11Arm   /      12 corp:  53, 59 , Gds Arm  / 30 corp: 49, 50, 7 Arm

No roll can be made yet to increase “daily corp support level” as it would be an “1” with two dice.

C    ALLIED PLAYER TURN

1      Operation phase.  No operations beginthis turn. No german operational initiative segment either.

2   Army support and replacement phase: No new army is activated this turn. Rolling how many sp are received this turn, it depends on the weather and the sea condition. USA dr=6-1 (USA support drm for 6-july)+1 Cherbourg.=6   it is 7sp’s for 1st USA army. So now at the reserve there are 11 sp’s Brit dr=3 +1=4 (Cherbourg no table drm for brits), it means 5 sp’s, now Brit reserve=5+11=16 

a

Replacement segment: USA has 3rp points and Brit have just one. No rp spent this time but will retreat for reting two regiments: 23reg, 2nd div 5th corp (USA) and 29 reg 43 div 8th corp (brit). They will come back three turns later as reinf. without -1 effectiveness penalty.

Reinforcements are added this step, this turn only american 79(Art) unit. It is placed at the american depot.

                3.- Movement phase:  

 First of all, units move using tactical move. Move all three tracks from Isigny-sur-Mer to join 9th inf div. Before moving the rest of the unit moves I must check which units MUST attack in their actual situation. They are N34.16 and N36.23 both are in flooded lowland where attack is mandatory. In Brit area no mandatory attack as all of them are  in hedgerows, bocages, IP, etc.

79 art reg moves to join 19 corp as I think it will be the corp where I will begin an american operation in any future good weather turn, I would like to cross Vire river there at Point Herber (north of St Lo.). In British sector move 59th div to relieve 53th div (both from 12 corps) in order to retreat them next turn to rest.

              

               4.- Combat phase:  

As I only have 2 air missions I will only do this attacks (sure not a great strategy again!) anyway lets learn how attacks work. As I must  attack N34.16 I move all 90th div. One reg (359th) to N3215. 358th goes to N33.16. That way I can attack with two regiments (not regiment + cadre), but to do that I must put a unit in zoc of german 941th inf reg, as attack from hedgerow is not mandatory, but if you choose to attack you must do to all units in your ZOC (excepting if this unit is also  in a fiendly zoc of a unit not attacking)

a

First image is just the terrain near the combat and second one shows the same area with combat units.

Combat secuence:

1-      Attacker declares suppported attack so 8 corp (the one 90 div belongs) pay 1 sp from the corp reserve (so now 8th corp reserve=0).

2-      American now declares one air support and support from the 406 art regiment.

3-      German declares support from 8NW (as 84 corp artillery are out of range. )

4-       Total the combat strength of units. For every regiment a chit is drown, (in spite of being “2” regs  chit from “1” are drawn for both units due to the -1 effect of replacement received). 358=7; 357=7 and german KG=3.

5-      USA units=14, German=5  (3 from the KG and 2 from the 561 OST batallion- No chit drawn for battlion size units, they have combat strength printed on the counter)

6-      14/5 is a 3vs1 attack on flooded lowland row. But now before rolling dice  the ratio may change due to:

a.       Divisional integrity: one column right as all 90div is adjacent (4vs1)

b.      Air support, an air chit is drawn (available air points now is 1) 2cshifts in favor of attacker (as no rain and no special terrain for air support) (6vs1)

c.       American artillery support, rolling in 5column of the table (+1 for USA, -1 for flloded hex) dr=5 is 1 col shift (7vs1). German art dr =1 (2col left shift) (5vs1). Both artillery units are flipped to it’s spent side.

No ASV or combined arm bonus here intis kind of terrain hex. When solving combat no drm is used, just column shifts. Rolling two dice in 5vs1 “flooded lowlands”= 11. Very lucky result for germans   1<1/-  It means 1 casualty and one hex retreat for attacker and nothing for the defender.

 Combat secuence:

1-      Attacker declares suppported attack so 7th corp pay his 1 sp from the corp reserve.  

2-      American now declares one air support and support from the 190 art regiment.

3-      German declares support from 115 art reg.

4-       Total the combat strength of units. Again  for every regiment a chit is drawn, 1B=4 for german reg +1 for anti air unit totals a 5 for german defense. A3=15 and A=13 for american inf reg. As all american units are attacking across a stream strength are halved. 15+1=16/2=8 for 117 inf reg and 743 tank batallion. Next in the other hex 13 for 119 inf reg +cadre value for 120 inf reg=8.

5-      USA units=16, German=5.    16vs5 is a 3vs1 in hedgerow+village hex

6-      Column shifts:

a.       Divisional integrity: one column right as all 30div is adjacent (4vs1)

b.      Air support, an air chit is drawn (available air points now is 0) 3 shifts in favor of attacker (as no rain and no special terrain for air support) (7vs1)

c.       American artillery support, rolling in 5column of the table (+1 for USA, -1 for hedgerow) dr=5 is 1 column right shift (8vs1). German art dr =6 (no column left shift) (8vs1). Both artillery units are flipped to it’s spent side.

d.      No combined arms bonus as defender has both infantry and antitank guns.

e.      ASV, german have 2 black dots and american only one White, so 1 column to the left for defender. 7vs1.

f.        German defending in hedgerow 1 col left 6vs1

g.       Infantry defending in town 1 col left 5vs1

Rolling two dice in 5vs1 “hegderows”= 11. -/>1 No casualties for both sides, but this time allied wins as the german must retreat one hex. St Jean-de-Daye is conquered by the alllies it means Germans must do one attack mandatory next turn.

No reserve move this time as NO operation is in course now. No target air interdiction as

6.- Engineering phase Each HQ supported at a 6 hex range may begin IP positions (free the first one, 1sp for the second). On the american side: They will be N3212 8th corp; N35.19 7th corp. ; N41.28 for 5th corp.; N3927 for  19th corps. British side:  N4139 for 30th corp, N4143 8th corp; N4042 for 12th corp. 2nd can in and 1st corp in N34348 both begin an entrenchment.

7 Disorganization/Regroup phase. Nothing to do.

Later will try with German half turn.

a

WWII: BtB, Turn 15, Fall 44

No Orders from the Fuhrer this turn while Stalin has asked his generals to continue with the offensive .
With the time running out and the Allies more and more stronger, Axis begun the turn playing an event for getting one more Victory point.

Following the orders of Stalin, Russian generals launched an attack in the Ukrainian Front. Six Mechanized Fronts moved into combat against German positions at Cherkassi and Kirovograd. But, well prepared the experienced German Armies repelled the frontal assault and inflicted heavy losses at Russians (9 steps). Immediately, German activated more reserves to the area and reinforced Cherkassi with Armies from Konotop.

Soviets rapidly understood the weak position at Konotop and shifted their offensive there, hitting with the new version of his main tank T-34 (+1 drm). But Germans had a surprise in his hand and played Panzerfaust that forced Russians to take a step loss, reducing the force of the attack. Again the German resistance was stiff but they could not stop the Soviet advance and retreated to Chernigov. German was obliged to bring more units to fill the gap at Chernigov, this time with a combination of German and Romanian Armies and exhausting all his strategic reserve.

	At this point, Allied attention shifted completely to the Western Front and the combined force of British and American Armies attacked the West Wall Trench at Saar that was defended by German Armies.   Allied won the battle but German resisted at the fort by losing one extra step.
Axis redeployed his units at the Western Front to better defend the Rhin but they make a fatal mistake by placing two weak corps to defend Holland. Allied did not miss the opportunity and attacked Holland with the British units from Antwerp and the reinforcement of the British 2nd Army brought from Belfort. Germans were crushed and Holland was liberated. Situation is critical for the Axis that looked for replacements.
	The Allied Mechanized units rapidly penetrated into the hole and the British 1st Army reached Hamburg and menaces Berlin. In the meantime American 3rd Army, leaded by Patton attacked the fort at Ruhr. First attack was successful but German was able to maintain the position. But Patton allows the 3rd Army to make another attack and they hit Ruhr again. And the heroic defense made by the Germans allowed them to survive at the fort with just  1 step left.

But in the last action of the turn, Germans surrendered after American First Army entered Berlin.
This is the final map

Step losses this turn:
Ge: 34 steps, It: 3 steps.
Ru: 17 steps, Br: 6 steps.
Losses really reflects the heavy combats in this last turn.
A great game played Alberto Molina (Axis) and Alberto Pomar (Allied) from March 9th, 2013 to May 27th, 2013.

WWII:BtB, Turn 14, Summer 44

 

More and more voices are claiming in Russia for a total offensive and Stavka gave orders at the beginning of the summer 44 to attack.

German begun cautiously, by reinforcing his Force Pool with Mechanized Corps and preparing replacements.

In turn, Soviet Commanders brought into the battlefield several Shock and Mechanized Armies from the reserve and initiated the expected offensive in the first week of summer.

First, to give more moral to his population, Stalin attack the trenched German positions at Kaluga, in front of Moscow and Tula, to relief the pressure onto his capital.		At the same time, Mechanized Fronts attacked from the flanks the German Armies at Ukraine to cross the Dnieper river.
The attack was completely successful and the Germans were defeated and routed from his trenches with heavy losses.		In Dnepropetrovsk, Soviet destroyed the weak Italian Army and advanced into the city. A great attack was also seen in Nikopol with German retreating towards Kirovograd. Soviet is now firmly established beyond the river.

 

Hearing his officers, Hitler decided to abandon the exposed position and Orel and retreated his infantry units towards the forests. Russian did not miss the opportunity and have taken Orel (VP=6) while continuing the pursuit of the Germans in Ukraine. But, well trained, 1st Pz Army have resisted at Kirovograd.

German mobilized more of his units from the Army Group Center and the 3rd PZ Army joined the front at Kirovograd.  Axis minors defend Kremenchug while the valuable German Infantry Armies are forming a thin line between Cherkassi-Poltava- Konotop. But Soviet had another surprise in his hands and transformed the standard Infantry Fronts at Melitopol into fear Mechanized Fronts. Looking for any weakness in the Axis line, Soviets did not search a combat against the Pz Armies and instead moved to attack Kremenchug and Poltava. Germans were defeated in both spaces but Russian did not advance.

 

Axis played for more replacements while Russian was still pushing the attack to the very end. Relocating his forces he occupied Kremenchug with a strong force of three Mechanized Fronts and attacked Kirovograd with another three. Germans resisted and two of the Russian Mechanized Fronts were severely damaged. This halted Russian offensive for the summer and they have played for replacements.

 

In France  the only noticeable movement was an attack of the American forces against the trenches at Saar. Difficult to be a success, this was part of the attrition war that Allied are employing to force Axis to divide his replacements.

Map at the end of summer:

A very bloody turn. Losses were

German: 25 steps, IT: 6, Romanian: 4

Russian: 27 steps, US. 4 steps.

VP= +6 (Orel shifted to Allied).

WWII:BtB, Turn 13, Spring 44

 

Again we have seen a calm spring. Stalin gave orders to Stand Fast  around the Crimean Front while Fuhrer did not interfere with his OKW.

There has been several movements in France. German has been bringing more units to establish a defensive front from Oldenburg to Stuttgart. In the meantime, American has landed the powerful Third Army and has taken control of most of France sending the bulk of his units south towards Metz, liberated by the Americans, and Belfort, where British were the first Allied units to enter. In spite of the numerical superiority, Allied did not initiate the expected offensive.

In Russia, German has deployed the newly created 10th Army and the rebuilt 4PZ Army to close the hole in the North. They have been sent as a mobile reserve at Bialystok ready to react any Soviet offensive.
But the only combat that the war have seen during Spring was a limited attack against Melitopol where Russian Mechanized Fronts crushed the weak Hungarian garrison and destroyed the defensive trench system built by the Axis troops.

Allied has prepared a strategic bombing of Ruhr area with the play of the 8th US Air force (to reduce Axis hand by 2 next turn) but it was effectively rejected by FW-190 (winning 1VP for Axis, good card timing).

 

In Africa, British has spent most of the Spring to bring some reinforcements from Egypt to Tunisia. It looks like British is preparing the final attack on Tunis to completely free Africa from Axis units.

Map at the end of Spring 44

Losses:

HU: 4steps

VP: +5 for Axis (Axis win 1 Vp for playing FW-190 and Allied have taken in the Attrition phase Brest and Bordeaux).

WWII:BtB, Turn 12, Winter 44

 

After a turns of calm, again OKH gave orders to the German Armies for attacking Allied positions whereas Stalin command his Fronts at Rostov, Kharkov and Pskov to Stand Fast.

Opening movements saw the Germans trying to stop Allied invasion in France and reinforcing his Caucasian Front.

With the knowledge of German movements for this turn given by the play of Enigma, Allied answered by successfully attacking at Calais for opening the beach before German could play for Atlantic trenches. In spite of the losses suffered by the British Armies, Calais was liberated and German force retreated to Antwerp.
Then, the three German SCU units still deployed at Norway and Denmark were called back to help into the defense of the Western Front to make a defensive lines at Reims and Antwerp. But Allied continued to push and assaulted Antwerp with a combined American-British force.

In Russia, Soviets have retaken Riga and advanced into Perekop menacing Hungarian positions at Melitopol from their rear.  But Hungarian resisted the attack and kept Melitopol at Axis hands.  Winter conditions did not help for the Russian offensive and with the Allied fully concentrated in the Invasion of France the operations were halted at this Front.

After the Battle for Antwerp Allied took a breath in their offensive and a series of strategic operations were seen in the Western Front.

 

First, both sides sent reinforcements to the area. German deployed 1st FJ Army at Ruhr and Allied sent to the beaches the 1st Canadian Army that it was the first unit to enter Belgium. German finally pushed their production industry by playing Speer that will allow the built of two more Panzer Armies. Both commanders played for replacements and, by the end of the turn, Axis decide to retreat to defensive positions at Saar and Ruhr in France. Allied ended Winter by Clearing the Scheldt, opening the port at Antwerp and establishing there their supply source that will allow to bring more units closest to the battle.

Map at the end of Winter 44.

Losses:

Russian: 4, US: 3, British: 5 steps

German: 12 steps, Hungarian: 4 steps.

VP: +7 for Axis (lost of Antwerp and failed to make MO).

WWII:BtB, Turn 11, Fall 43

 

No orders for the German this turn whereas Allied are compelled to attack.

After the defeat of the Allied invasion last turn, German redeployed his 18th Army from Calais to Dvinsk with the goal to reinforce his weak Army Group North.

In the meantime, Russian prepared an offensive to cross Strait of Kerch trying to liberate Crimea.

First assault was leaded by Soviet shock Armies with the support of a Mechanized Front. But the combined German-Hungarian forces managed to defeat the attack and almost destroyed Russian Infantry.
	Soviet decided to commit more troops into the area and the second assault was performed by two full Mechanized Fronts. This time Germans were clearly outnumbered and the remaining of his Panzer Army was forced to retreat to Nikopol liberating the road towards the liberation of Sevastopol.

The turn then moved into a series of logistics operations, with both sides looking for replacements and some strategic redeployments. Most of the operations were made at the North were Germans and Soviets maneuvered to prepare the new front line.

But, at the very end of the Fall, Allied launched Operation Round-Up and invaded France again at Calais. The experience of the previous year will be very useful to not commit the same errors as in the past.

This time two Mechanized Armies are sent in the first wave of the invasion. However weather conditions are not optimal in Fall for such a landing and in the first attack, Allied were stopped at the beaches.

As second wave, Allied sent a reduced British Army and rebuilt the destroyed American Army.

Map after replacements:

Losses:

Russian: 4 steps, American: 3

German: 6 steps, Romanian: 2 steps.

VP: +9 VP for Axis (lost Sevastopol this turn).

WWII:BtB, Turn 10, Summer 43

 

With only five cards in their hands, both commanders have taken cautious movements at the beginning of the summer.

The first encounter appeared when Russian begun to mobilize his Northern Flank towards Leningrad. Two Russian infantry Fronts moved towards Pskov and stopped at Kholm forests.
	But German quickly brought 4th Pz Army into the area and attacked the Russians. But, protected by the heavy forests, German assault was rejected and Russians kept the position.
Then Russian Infantry moved towards the swamp area of Luga where they were rejoined by the fresh Armies garrisoned at Leningrad. During the summer, Leningrad finally finished their works in trenches.
	All of these Russian movements were preparing a Summer offensive with the arrival of three more Mechanized Fronts. Two were designated to the Northern Area (Luga and Leningrad) and the other to the Center (Tambov).
Interestingly, for half of the summer, there was a corridor running from Kharkov to Odessa, vacant of Axis units that Soviet did not try to use. Probably they were afraid of the presence of the mobile Pz Armies at Kerch, Melitopol and Kaluga, all of them able to cut off any retreat. But it could be funny to explore the possibility of sending a Mechanized Russian corps to cut Axis supply around Crimea. Nevertheless this opportunity disappeared when Axis close the gap at Poltava. Then Russian moved his Mechanized units to retake Kharkov and launched again an attack against Kerch, but it failed.
	The German Staff took a courageous decision. A German and a Romanian corps were sent behind the Russian lines to disrupt the supply of the tanks at Kharkov and avoid a full offensive this turn. This could gave some breath to German to relocated his defense around Kharkov, abandoning Kursk. Russian easily destroyed the weak units and consolidated the supply lines.
At Pskov, after a first rejected attack, Russian sent his two Mechanized Fronts and obtained a crushing victory. But Russian tanks did not advance into Pskov and only a small infantry corps occupied the point.

 

Whereas all the above maneuvers happened in Russia, German commander spent a lot of efforts in defeating Allied invasion at Calais. He needed four consecutive attacks against Americans and British units to finally push them back into the Channel waters. It is worthy to say that Allied did not spend a single operation in this area. Not even sending more reinforcements into the beachheads. Although the invasion has been defeated, his main goal, i.e., to divert German efforts to France has been a success as war has seen two fronts for almost a year.

In the last action of the turn, with many possibilities to break the front line at the North around Pskov, Russian decided to go for Replacements. Although it would cost him losing the tempo of the attack, it felt that an excessive optimistic advance could put in danger the supply lines. The heavy German Armies still stationed around Moscow and Tula are too menacing.

Losses:

Russian: 17, British: 9, US: 8.

German: 20, Romanian: 6.

 

VP:+10 for Axis. Although Kharkov was retaken by Russians, they spent 1 VP to remove a Stand Fast marker.