Axis September II

The good weather and the good times continue, at least north of the Pripet, where large numbers of Soviet infantry divisions expire under repeated Axis hammer-blows. The Soviet line up north runs from just east of Riga to Daugavpils and down to Wilno with a weak single line running from Wilno down to just east of Brest-Litovsk. My moves on the Baltic coast once again force complex Soviet redeployments, eating up much rail capacity and preventing them from railing forward most of their interior MD units.

A storm of activity ripples through the previously slumbering AGC area. I take advantage of the single line east of Bialystok by marching 3d Panzergruppe from the Wilno area southward, and then exploiting them through a gap created by the infantry originally in this sector. I break down the motorized divisions to give me units to screen my flanks and place three panzer divisions on the original Polish-Soviet border some 3-5 hexes west of Minsk.

A flak regiment that began the win east of Bialystok exploits adjacent to Minsk, and were it not for Soviet ZOCs, would have actually been able to enter the city, which is unoccupied per my opponents' apparent modus operandi regarding Hero Cities.

The grind in Galicia rolls; on and begins to assume Verdun-like proportions as my infantry and engineers exchange against two different infantry stacks in forts. lst Panzergruppe takes two hexes from the Soviets as well, and even manages a DE against a stack containing two 8-6-8 mechanized units. I believe Haig would have felt quite comfortable in this Passchendaele in the East. In any case, it will be quite some time before I get to Kiev, to say the least.

Surprisingly, the Soviets show signs of weakness in Romania, as my attacks begin to pry open their stranglehold. A painful half-exchange against the Soviet 1st Tank Army smashes two 11-6-8s and a 10-5-8 as well as several non-divs at the price of three infantry divisions of my own cadred.

Along the Danube, I destroy an infantry stack entirely. This creates a small hole in the Soviet lines, as the Romanian Front command, increasingly strapped for troops along the Bucuresti/Ploesti axis, fails to provide a back line in this area. I gleefully rush forth an assortment of motorized ants into the gap which help isolate two infantry stacks. I also race the SS motorized battalion Nord-Ost to liberate Constanta.

All in all, I must say I'm very pleased with myself and am playing the Germans quite well, thanks to a combination of good luck and exploiting opportunities created by Soviet effors. I'm somewhat astonished by this because I much prefer playing the Soviets.

In fact, I rarely ever play the Germans in any Europa game, and consider myself relatively inexperienced with them. Now, if only those Nordic weather Gods can grant me sunshine in October...

Soviet September II

Well I can't say I was surprised about the happenings around Minsk, though I am confused by all the supported 3-10 infantry regiments that have suddenly appeared in odd places. I'll attack them though, no problem. He cleverly placed a truck in the lead units near Minsk ruining one of my nifty ideas right off the bat. I fall back and reassemble a new line running along the line Riga, Daugavpils, Wilno, Minsk with substantial numbers of troops from the Interior MDs.

I concentrate my armor assets, mainly brigades with three divisions in and near Minsk. A crummy 6-10 in the swamps prevents me from railing to the BrestLitovsk region and I cannot spare the units to attack it, so I screen it. I kill a number of those motorized regiments as well as cadreing a 6-10 with my attacks in this sector.

I crush his paltry forces near Constanta, but am 1 MP short of being able to overrun the stupid SS battalion N-0 in Constanta with my cavalry. My near- total air superiority in this sector proves to be of little use as my two attacks at 3:1 (-1) near Ploesti and Bucuresti have the usual result--I send him reeling back a hex. All praise to Lenin for such decisive results!

His SS motorized battalion will probably run next turn and intern itself in Bulgaria where it can at least turn into a spec rep rather than dying isolated.

I counterattack an infantry stack near Lwow with some juicy 5-3-8s in it at odds of 4:1 (+2) and DH it. As might be expected the artillery live, while the infantry take it on the chin. Lwow is looking stable as I've begun fortifying my rear and almost completely extricated my forces in the exposed salient near Slovakia.

I'll probably lose Wilno next turn, but Minsk can't be cut off and I have enough troops in the area to keep things down to a dull roar. I'm finally starting to pull things out of the Interior MDs.

Total Losses September II
Germany. 46 (12 c/m), 1 air
Soviet: 207 (52 c/m), 3 air

October I

We call the game since mud has hit everywhere, even in Weather Zone D, thanks to a die roll of 6.

Total Losses July I - Sept II

Axis: 464 (268 German), including 95 c/m (83 German), 24 air (21 German)
Soviet: 1018, including 255 c/m, 53 air

Groza II: The Great Eastern Grand Slam A Europa Series Replay

Introduction, Set Up and July I Turn
July II Turn
August I Turn
August II Turn
September I Turn
September II Turn
German and Soviet Commentary