Chapter 22 - Battle For Stalingrad
October 12th 1943 - June 23rd 1944
As October ends, the damn Russians have dug themselves in at their last surrounded position of Viipuri and Sovlavala, somehow still in supply (we suspect through Finland). However good news on the naval front as our aircraft carriers begin to be completed! On the 19th and the 20th the first 2 are launched, named the KMS e350tb and the KMS Davo. Throughout November they are joined by the KMS Kan Sharumina, KMSS IronMan2055, KMS toda and KMS Subi.
Whilst we probe Soviet defences in November, no gains are made. December is harsh, weather conditions meaning we stay static and try and re-supply. There are minor engagements in Africa, but nothing major.
Entering into 1944, it is hard to imagine it was 5 years ago we were planning our campaign to take Poland! We have achieved alot in 5 years, but such a long campaign in Russia is really straining us and victory still seems a long way away, what with the Americans and British fighting strong. The Japanese have proved a vital ally though, dominating East Asia, whilst the Italians, Spanish and our other Axis friends in Europe are still holding their own, the Romanians and Hungarians particularly contributing to the battle with the Soviets.
The first couple of weeks of January 1944 see our Kreigsmarine boosted more, with a wing of Naval bombers being completed and statione din Kiel and the aircraft carriers KMS Godwyn, KMS Churchill25 and KMS Seurtan entering service.
However things are bad in Africa,. On the 29th January our African troops are trapped, surrounded by British and Allied troops.
Luckily we retake the fortress city of Tobruk the next day, and early February sees the Italians fighting back and retaking Dorna. We are ok for the time being, but time is running out.
Meanwhile we achieve a breakthrough in Lapland, and capture the port city of Murmansk on the 26th!
As March begins we move the German Navy (aka the fleet containing our battleships and aircraft carriers) to Rostock, it is time for us to begin preparing for offensive naval operations against the allies.
Additionally Radom is selected to be the site of our rocket test facilities as we seek new ways to strike at the British isles.
April 1st and our Panzers in Lapland have cleared the area of the Red Army, destroying their units and claiming Kola for the German Empire, only now does the enclave of Viipuri/Sovlavala remain under Russian control in the Finnish region.
As April continues the snows are beginning to thaw, and fighting erupts around Stalingrad as we react to Russian attempts to break out with assaults of our own. They have several armoured divisions with infantry support in the area. Clearly they do not intend to give up Stalingrad without a fight, no doubt party due to Stalins vanity that the city that bears his name remains in Soviet hands.
Fighting In The Ruins Surrounding Stalingrad
By May the snows have thawed and once again we use this moment to begin fresh attacks on the Soviets. On the 13th we take Sovlavala, leaving 31 Soviet units and their Baltic Sea Navy trapped in Viipuri. Over the next 6 days we engage and sink 5 Soviet ships in the Baltic, we are unsure what their intentions were but they were dispatched easily.
On the 29th we make a crucial gain in the region around Stalingrad, capturing Nikolayevsk and getting us across the Volga river, which will prove important in stopping the Soviets reinforcing Stalingrad when we launch our final assault there.
June and our inability to capture Viipuri is getting very frustrating, the Russians have really dug in and the terrain and fortresss are making it impossible to take. IronMan2055 personally reports from the area that it is unlikely we will be able to take it without diverting serious force, and instead the Supreme Commander Davo orders him south to oversee the defeat of the Soviets there.
In Mid June we launch an all out attack in the South that proves an excellent move, crushing Soviet forces and taking Stalingrad itself on June 23rd after heavy fighting in the ruins of the city! In the end the Soviets proved no match for Axis forces, though they fought bitterly with no regard for their troops lifes the Soviet commanders were defeated and word has it many committed suicide rather than be caught by our troops.
Now only Baku remains for us to complete our objectives, and once that is taken the Soviets will no doubt be forced to seek a peace which greatly favours us!
