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peskpesk -> RE: Case White AAR (After action report) (7/26/2009 12:53:10 PM)
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Case White AAR (After action report)
Early in the morning of the 1st September is an emergency staff meeting held in 2nd Army Headquarters between Fedor von Bock (Army Group West) and Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group North). The Field Marshals are studying the big table map of Poland where wooden pieces representing German and Polish forces are cluttered around. The atmosphere is tense and none of the dozen of mixed offers and aids that lines the walls dares to speak.
A firm knock on the door breaks the silence and a young lieutenant wearing the wearing a muddy weapon coat and with motorcycle glasses enters the room and salutes and hands over a briefcase to a general’s aid. The aid quickly opens the bag and hangs the content on the wall, aerial photos. The group of mixed officers discreetly review the result.
Von Bock looked up from the map “Are that the photos from the second plane?”
An Unknown captain stepped forward “Yes, sir! And I'm afraid they confirm the result.”
“So you are saying that that a direct assault on Lodz is no longer possible?”
“That is not for me to say sir, but Polish positions are not as disrupted as we would like...”
“Thank you captain,” interrupted von Rundstedt, “I'm confident that my army group will take the city eventually, but the assault will wear down our panzer armies and leave our forces depleted. The defensive lines are in too good order, recognises aircraft photos even shows that the Headquarters of Rydz-Smigly is in fighting condition.”
“And the way to Warsaw?” asked von Bock and turned back to the map.
Von Rundstedt pointed to a forest north east of the capital. “The defenders are dug in here, but that will not help them, they will be cursed, but I fear not in time to reach the capitals before the elite Polish reserves reach it.”
Troubled Von Bock scratched his face, “So we need a new plan then?”
“Correct, any suggestions?”
"Lets ignore the factory line for now, that is the last thing the Poles will expect.” the Field Marshals pushed a wooden shovel like stick with his wooden pieces down towards Krakow, “ We swing down to fast to the south and hit Krakow hard with my panzer armies and takes it before they are ready for us. The Poles will be feeling overconfident and safe when no of our armies are near. Also we soon take the important iron and cool mines outside the town, this will make Minster of industries very happy.”
Von Rundstedt nodded intrigued. Von Bock continued and moves two armies to the forest near Breslau. “Our spies report that the defenders in it are only a division and these are is enough to annihilate them.” With a final swoop of the stick he half encircled Poznan with the last units of his army group. “I will personally command the forces attacking Poznan, it will be tough but we will make it!”
"This not a too drastic plan, a little risky but it will suite our needs very well, all the Polish defenders will need to concentrate here to save Warsaw and leave the rest of the country to us. We can build up a choke hold on the capital and Lodz.”
Von Bock agreed and swung his stick toward the polish costal cites, “Gdynia and Danzig, will you take them?”
“Yes, I like to see Edward Rydz-Smigly faces when he learns that direct help from the Western Allies is not coming!”, a little tic in the corner of the mouth almost made the field marshal smile before he controlled himself and continued by pushing his elite MTN army, position close to Warsaw, over to Poznan. “With these to assist you I'm sure the assault on the town will go smoothly.”
“That will suffice, consider Poznan in our hands.”
Von Rundstedt nodded and shuffled anther unit, but this one odd looking piece, toward Lodz and Warsaw, "Soon I will bring the 150mm Artillery down on the defenders of the factory line, and they will succeed in doing what Luftwaffe failed to-do!”
Von Bock fails to hide an evil grin.
Land Movement/Land combat declaration
Notable events:
• The 1-4 ENG overruns Gdynia and Danzig thereby stepping on the Polish navy, but he Poles are luck both the CA and CP survives and Escapes to England.
• The 1-4 ENG moves to the north of Capital, ready to assist breaking the river line the next axis impulse.
• The 4-2 ART is position to bear down on both Lodz and Warsaw.
• Both the 6-4 MTN and 7-4 INF from East Prussia, helps with the assault on Poznan.
• The south armoured spearhead makes a quick redeployment to Krakow, but still there is a small risk the attack might stall there…
• The north armoured spearhead makes a blitz attack on the forest and also faces a small risk the attack might stall there…
• No GE HQ support.
• No GE ground support.
[image]local://upfiles/9545/B42131FC04A745EF944E39ADBFEF6C45.jpg[/image]
Situation during axis first impulse and before Land combat resolution.
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