Part 93: Turn 13 - Axis Detraining Phase: Tanks in the Black Sea

Operation Cardigan 2: Mustachioed Boogaloo: 2nd Army, 3rd Panzer vs Sevastopol Front
Combat odds: 10/2 = 5:1, shifted +1 for Armour, -1 for River for a total of 5:1
Roll: 1 - DR

Operation Swatting Down Upstart Tanks: Luftwaffe, SS Panzer vs 2nd Tank
Combat odds: 8/5 = 3:2, shifted +1 for SS Armour, +1 for Blitz!, -1 for River for a total of 2:1
Roll: 4 - DR

The 2nd Tank Army has no legal retreat paths and is eliminated. It goes into the Destroyed Units Box.



With the weather now greatly improved, the Germans launch a regional offensive against the Russian penetration north of the Crimea. It is a resounding success, as the Panzers overwhelm the weak forces defending the entry to the isthmus. As the volunteers from Sevastopol beat a hasty retreat back into their city before the Axis advance has a chance to envelop and destroy them, Obersts MithosKuu of the Luftwaffe Ground Forces and bigegon02 of the SS Panzer commence the second phase of the plan: an attack on the now isolated 2nd Tank Army. The attack quickly threatens to overrun the Army's HQ, as the Soviet forces are ill-equipped for prolonged defensive operations. Unable to recover the initiative, the Red Army commander orders one retreat after another, in the meantime begging the upper echelons for a naval evacuation of his troops. Before Stalin signs off on it, however, the casualties are quite severe, and the Luftwaffe strikes mercilessly against the Soviet troopships. By the end of the operation, most of the 2nd Tank is forced to leave behind or destroy most of their remaining vehicles and the Army is unable to continue fighting.

In the meantime, Generalmayor Fangz and his ally Spookydonut decide that the recent operations are a testament to the weakness of The Sandman, who either cannot fully exploit their successes or brings about defeats such as this one. They stage a fairly bloodless palace coup, which Stalin silently allows, hoping to see a more competitive stance amongst his army leaders. The Sandman, however, enjoys his protection, and instead of being hauled off to Siberia he is put in charge of a military region of Moscow.

The Soviet coup was successful!

Fangz is the new chief of Stavka!
Spookydonut is the new commander of the Rumelian sector!
MonotoneMorgan is the new commander of the Siberian sector!
cokerpilot is the new commander of the Stalingrad sector!
C.. is the new commander of the Ural sector!

Please report in if you are not able to take command of your new sector. All the decisions are effective immediately.

Axis Detraining Phase



Tekopo may now place the 3rd Rumanian unit from the Axis Rail Movement Box back on the board, while Fangz may do the same to the Soviet strategic reserve (the 1st Baltic Front). In either case, the unit must be placed either in a friendly overland supplied City hex or in a hex that is not in an EZOC, an enemy city, or adjacent to an enemy city, and can trace an Overland Supply Path of 3 hexes maximum to a friendly City hex or map edge. If there is a conflict, the Germans place their unit first. The deadline for this is Friday, July 25, 7 PM GMT.