Pete Atack - Feb 14, 2006 11:26 am (#866 Total: 877) Bitter End Campaign AAR 1JAN (CLEAR) Initial attacks along the front are very successful in penetrating the Russian line (of 12 attacks, 11 are successful). The Russian line near Mor collapses under attacks form the 23d Pzr Div and Hungarian Ney SS Cav. Osi in the south is largely isolated when Szekesfehervar falls to a rapid moving German assault. A rifle division cut off near Czor (by the 1 Pzr and 2 Hun Armd divisions) however, holds up the line and immediately presents a risk to the supply lines. To the north, Tatabanya barely holds off several attacks by the 3 Pzr, but the IVSS Corps easily clears its sector. A Russian attack near Bruty (north of the Danube) makes small inroads, but with the 211th Inf division headed that way, there will be little exploitation. Budapest : heavy attacks clear several sectors of Pest and inflict heavy losses on some Hungarian units in Buda (3 steps). Only the 8SS Cav div in southern Pest holds out well (inflicting 4 step losses on attcking Russian units). 2JAN (SNOW) With several holes in the Russian line, German units are forced to look back to try and eliminate Russian pockets. Attacks in the IKAV sector destroys remnant Russian units near Mor and Czor. Largely unimpeded, IVSS Pzr Corps advances as far as Labatlan and Banya. In coordination with the 96th Infantry Div crossing the Danube at Tat, the Russian line to the front of the SS troops collapses. Only the awful terrain and weather slow the panzers. In Tatabanya, the 93d Rifle Div maintains its hold, but with the 3d and 6th Pzr Divisions closing up on the city, the issue is in doubt. After receiving orders from STAVKA, the 5 Guards Cav Corps is removed from the front reserve and ordered to move north of Bicske to block the roads leading to Budapest. Budapest : Russian attacks further push back Axis units in Pest, but a poorly coordinated attack on the 13th Pzr in Buda suffers heavily trying to break into the city. As Russian units pull back under fire, the only good news is that a Hungarian battlegroup (cosisting of an infantry, cavalry, and armored unit) holding northern Buda collapsed in a stunning defeat after putting up weak resistance. 3JAN (Overcast) Glancing skyward, Russian troops watch German signal flares float over the front lines. The Panzers are coming. The combined weight of the 3d and 8th Pzr Divisions crushes the AT gun positions and quickly overrun the trenches. Fortunately, survivors are able to hold a line in the hills just outside of the city. IKAV Corps is now largely concentrated northwest of Szekesfehervar, but the 2 Hun Armd Div is forced to hold several defensive positions due to the threat of several Russian infantry regiments sitting on the flanks. Farther north, the 5SS Pzr is stopped cold by the 11th Gds Cav Div around Banya, but the 3SS and 96th Inf Div have moved up to positions near Dorogy manned by 2 Rifle divisions released from 46th Army. Budapest : The German garrison has now been squeezed into 8 hexes. With no room to maneuver, units are ordered to dig in and hold until relieved. Russian losses are still heavy (about the equivalent of 1 rifle division), but the city could easily fall within 2-3 days. 4JAN (Overcast) A stalemate settles across the front as the Russian line near Tatabanya holds and a counterattack by the 7Mech Corps near Csakvar pushes the 23d Pzr Div back, releiving pressure on Bicske. Budapest : Street to street fighting removes 3 more regiments from the Axis order of battle with little loss tothe Russians. Only 1 bridge remains as a link between the German garrisons in Buda and Pest. 5JAN (Snow) More small German gains. Massing 1 Panzer & 2 infantry divisions plus supporting brigades finally pushed back the line near Tatabanya. IVSS is still stymied about 10 miles south of Esztergom as the 1st, 5th, and 9th Gds Mech Corps move up into the line. In the south, the 2 Hun Armd and the 1st Pzr Div concentrate to attack Russian units dug in north of Lake Valence (the ability of Russianunits to infiltrate the open flank has largely kept 2 Axis armored units tied down). Budapest : In another poorly timed collapse, the 12th Hungarian Res Div in destroyed in Pest reducing the German garrison to 6 hexes (3 in each Buda and Pest). 6JAN (Overcast) Attacks by the 3d Pzr, 1 Hun Cav, & 711th & 271st Inf divisions finally breaks through Russian positions in front of Bicske although a quick counterattack by the 7 Guards Mech Corps inflicts heavy losses on the Ney SS and an attached AT gun unit. To the northeast, the 5SS and 6th Pzr open another gap in the Russian lines, while farther north, 3SS is bogged down by the arrival of the 1GMC. At the same time, the 9GMC surrounds an Axis regiment in Esztergom. Budapest : Continued assaults push the 22SS out of Pest, leaving the Hungarian University battalion isolated and later destroyed in vicious street fighting. 7JAN (Overcast) Attacks by elements of the IVSS capture Bicske while advances by III Corps and IKav Corps trap the 41 Guards, 40th Rifle, and 7Mech in a pocket near Vertesaca. Seeing the danger of osing this force, the 2GMC starts moving up from the south to try and break the ring. Further attacks near Esztergom destroy the regiment trapped there and retake the city and then move up to threaten Tat and the rear areas of the 3SS. Budapest : Feeling the joy of victory, the Russians put in two poor attacks that cost a rifle division. Units then begin to reorganize for the next push. 8JAN (Overcast) The center breaks. Attacks by the 271st, 711th, and 3d and 6th Pzr rip open the line east of Bicske driving as far as the hills near Paty only 8-10 miles from Buda. Continued Rus pressure near Esztergom pins the 3SS and pushes some smaller German KGs away from the Danube. Budapest : Small attacks are launched to keep the Germans honest, with minor losses. 9JAN (Overcast) With the city close at hand, attacks near Paty are pushed back by the 320th Rifle. Attacks by the 1 Hun Cav, & 1st and 23d Pzr Divisions destroys the 7 Mech and a rifle division, but in the south, II Hungarian Corps loses a regiment in fighting near Jeno causing the German High Command to start looking for units to move that way. Budapest : a calm falls over the city for the first time in days. 10JAN (Clear) The timely arrival of the 20th Pzr (moving into position near Bayot) adds a bit of needed stability to the German left flank. Renewed attacks bring the Germans a few miles closer to Buda, but still can't break the line. 3d Cav moves into line near Jeno and starts slowly pushing some small Russian units back (remnants 69th Gds Rifle). Budapest : two attacks supported by Red Air in Pest reduces the 8SS Cav by 2 steps. Once the division integrity is broken, Pest will collapse rapidly. 11JAN (Overcast) German attacks make no progress, but the Russian strebgth around Tat continues to build up as 2 rifle divisions move into line. Budapest : Pest teters on falling as a regiment from the 8SS Cav is destroyed in an ever shrinking perimeter. Ouside the city, the German spearheads still sit about 8 miles away. 12JAN (Clear) Advance units of the 5SS and 3d Pzr close to within 4 miles of Buda, but receive word Pest has fallen after the last small units of the 8SS Cav are overrun. Now only a weakened 22SS along with the 13th Pzr and FHH division remain from the original garrison (holding strong positions in Buda) remain. Across the balance of the front, Russian and German units engage in some small battles, but nothing that alters the lines. 13JAN (Overcast) This could be the Red Army's Black 13th... In a stroke of tactical and operational strikes, the Budapest garrison breaks out & links up with other German units in south Buda. Only the FHH remains largely cutoff. In coordination, the IVSS Corps launches a surprise attack from Tat to Tinnye using the 20th Pzr, 3SS, and SzL, 96th, and 271st Infantry divisions plus some smaller supporting formations, and crushes the Russian line to their front. In the south, II Hungarian Corps finally clears the Jeno-Urhida sector. The Russian response is weak - mainly moving units from the Pest forces into Buda as fast as possible. Overall losses : the 109th, 69th, 59th, 81st Gds Rifle divisions and 5th Gds Para Div are all largely destroyed. 14JAN (Snow) In the north along the Tat-Tinnye line, the Germans start to readjust the line as word of a Russian attack in Poland makes it to the front. Rumor is that 2 Panzer divisions will be withdrawn. In Buda, the attack to extract the FHH fails costing 3 steps. Sadly, word from High Command is to pull back - the FHH is to defend a final Festung and hold out until relieved later. Supply is promised form the Luftwaffe. In their own quick move, 4 Rus rifle divisions pull off the line in Pest / Buda and begin heading for the gap in the front near Budai Hegys. 15JAN (Clear) As expected, the 8th & 20th Pzr are ordered to head for the Vistula sector. 5SS, and 3d and 13th Pzr are ordered to move away from Buda to avoid being cut off by advancing Rus infantry. Again on its own, the FHH is destroyed in a series of rolling attacks. In another defeat, Szekesfehervar falls when the 25th Hungarian is caught in open positions. A front now stretches along the Tat-Tinnye-Paty-Bia-Tordas-Szekesfehervar line. 16JAN (Clear) Fighting around Szekesfehervar pushes the Axis farther back, while a key German position near Tat falls. With 2 more German divisions moving up from reserve, the line still looks as if it will hold. 17JAN (Clear) Minor Ger attacks fail to gain any ground, but costs the 3SS tank regiment heavily. after the 4th and 9th GMCs counterattack near Csolnok. Yet another attack north of the Danube takes Sturovo-Tarkany from the 211 Inf Div. NOTE : At this stage in the battle, turns fit nicely into 3 day cycles as the Germans move to consolidate positions and the Russians take time to organize 'attack formations' due to heavy losses and lack of very offensive minded formations. 18-20JAN (Clear and Overcast) As the Germans adjust to hold a line, units begin to pull back to positions running from Bayot-Szomor-Etyek-Val-Szekesfehervar. By shortening the front, 1st Pzr is released and moves toward Szekesfehervar to try and retake the town on the 20th. A quick attck retakes the town just as the 104 & 122 Rifle Divisions and 35th GRD arrives. 21-23JAN (Snow) Russian attacks meant to retake Bicske fail due to a high percentage of weak infantry units attacking across open ground. In the south the German line near Szekesfehervar has to thin out in order to support the II Hun Corps in the Jeno area as two rifle divisions start local attacks looking to cut German supply lines. Panzer divisions are now finding it hard to shift positions as the German rear line is solidly based on rough terrain covered in snow. 24-26JAN (Clear & Overcast) The Axis line holds across the front. Minor battles break out all over, but the Russians are unable to open any gaps in the lines. Only a final attack on the 25th is able to make headway, recapturing Szekesfehervar. A minor German counterattack is easily pushed back as both sides sit back and plan for the upcoming days. ----- Victory. Russian VPs : 152 German VPs : 220 Victory Level : German Strategic The key to the win was the German ability to link up with Budapest and hold a supply line open for 2-3 turns. Lots of VPs add up quick at that point.