Spring Awakening Axis AAR - historical campaign (settled for a Draw turn 93)

[ComradeP]

Though I'm sceptical about my chances to even get a Draw, not to mention a victory, I'm enjoying the scenario thus far.

The objectives are mostly concentrated in the area where the historical "Frühlingserwachen"/Spring Awakening took place, with a few objectives in the areas where the other offensives took place. There are also some high value objectives along the Danube.

A point of criticism regarding objective placement would be that it's too focused on Spring Awakening and not on operational threats to 3rd Ukrainian Front.

If you capture all objectives west of a line from Donji Miholjac to Lake Balaton, you gain 650 points. A single objective along the Sio Canal is worth more, even though an advance along that line could blow a 130 kilometre wide hole in 3rd Ukrainian Front's flank. A few more high value objectives in the central part of the map in particular would be appreciated. If "Eisbrecher" would've been a decisive success, that would also have forced 3rd Ukrainian Front to commit additional forces to the area.

Given the success of the Vienna Offensive, it's unlikely the Axis could've held on to any gains, but neither side knew how successful the Vienna Offensive would be in the days after these operations were halted.

I'll post Dawn (04:00) screenshots for days with Mud conditions and perhaps a noon screenshot if the fighting becomes more mobile. Progress is slow enough that a single screenshot for each day with Mud conditions should be enough to follow the action.

Turn 10, 04:00 March 7th 1945, Mud Conditions.



In the north, the III. Panzerkorps offensive stalled pretty much immediately as expected.

Further south, initial progress has been decent.

I. Kavalleriekorps will try to nudge the Soviets away from Lake Balaton.

I. SS Panzerkorps will try to clear the primary road in the area with the fortified farm (the 100 point objective). The 3rd, 6th and 23rd Panzer Divisions will use that road to move south-west after they arrive/are released.

II. SS Panzerkorps was released at the end of March 6th and "Das Reich" and "Hohenstaufen" are redeploying to the 2. Panzerarmee area to support "Eisbrecher". "Hitlerjugend" will soon join them.

The 44. Reichsgrenadier Division "H.u.D." will move to the I. SS Panzerkorps sector to help "LSSAH" clear the road.



Fixed units highlighted.

"Eisbrecher" also had a solid start, as the initial Axis forces outnumber the initial Soviet forces. After second echelon Soviet forces were released, progress was limited. Attrition works in my favour in this sector, so I'm fine with slow but methodical progress here.



As both the Bulgarians and Yugoslavian forces are Fixed for most of the first day, "Waldteufel" made good progress on March 6th. At this point, I was still debating whether to withdraw the 11. LW Feld Division to move it to the other bridgehead. I ended up doing so during the day.

Note that for a day with limited action, losses are already stiff. Most Soviet gun losses consists of AT gun units at the initial frontline, which couldn't escape due to the weather conditions and stationary flamethrower units.