DerKommissar

I think he's too much of a coward to do something like that. He's focusing on the West, in order to manage ethnic tensions.
The highest population of Ukranians, outside of Ukraine, is in Russia. If he's gotta blame anyone for his failiures, it's going to be those dastardly Anglo-Saxons.
Russian nationalism is as peculiar, as American, or Canadian, nationalism. Since, Russia is a country of immigrants -- despite Putin's doublethink.

More images from the front...

The push to Koval continues...

They have been instrumental in the entire campaign!  The last mission alone couldn't have been completed without them.  I have five!  Two of them are crack.  Additionally, 6 Panther tanks have shown up and two of those units are also crack status!  These are old experienced vets, haha!

 

Staging for the first assault into Kruhel west, men of 7th Kompanie wait and rest while the unit moves to get online.  PzIVs have arrived!


 

The garrison around Kovel has been stabilized with the arrival of the 5th Wiking Panzers who have bought time in neutralizing the Soviet counter blow.  Battle 8 commences with our battalion attacking into Kruhel to destroy the enemy and capture both the town and a farm complex.  The terrain is awful for my armor as the town of Kruhel is completely dominated on one side by a series of low wetlands and marshes.  Again, more frozen wet muck for my troops to navigate.
Infantry begins scouting forward into the vast open Russian countryside that we know hides the resolute and stubborn defenders. 


On my right and on the other side of the marshes lies the village of Krasnoduby.  I begin to recon into the village cautiously.  The eastern edge of town is on a ridgeline giving a wide view across the marshes and into Kruhel.  It must be secured.  A platoon of Panzer II Lynx on this side of the marsh also begin to slowly scout up into Krasnoduby following my recon teams and FO.


Creeping through the village of Krasnoduby my recon units make sure the way to the edge of town is safe.  My men are alert and aware their enemy could be anywhere.

Meanwhile, on my left two companies, 6th and 7th of II Battalion Panzergrenadier Regt. 434 Germania, on the other side of the marshes from Krasnoduby and directly in front of Kruhel, get the order to begin moving toward their objective.  Panthers and PzIVs and various ad-hoc artillery will also be along to support today's attack.  Also along is an armored recon unit from II Battalion 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking who are immediately ordered to rush forward to seize a small farm and set up an OP.

A kilometer and a half of open ground waits to swallow my troops whole. But holding their breath they race across the distance and set upon the farm.


An initial success without casualties is a good omen.  The wide Russian countryside is oppressive and bleak in the snow.

The situation so far...
Krasnoduby is at the bottom right, 6th and 7th Kompanie are on the left making their approach to stage an attack into Kruhel west and then east, and then finally to seize the farm complex.  The Wiking armored recon units are at center left where they have seized OP Blau.  Spreading out their maps in their halftracks my officers curse the ever present swamps and marshes in this particular region.  A platoon of Panzer IVs has now also shown up on the east side of the marshes in Krasnoduby.  To get them over to support the attacks in Kruhel we must secure the only available bridge across the marshes which causes a natural chokepoint.  We have no doubt both enemy artillery and AT guns have pre-registered the spot far in advance.

A view of the choke point from the Soviet side.

The western edge of Kruhel in the calm before the storm.

And finally, the farm complex at the opposite end of the oblong village.  

Suddenly an unspotted AT gun opens on my OP Blau and brews up one of my halftracks.  

It's a precursor to an incoming attack on the outpost as enemy soldiers burst through the scrub.


Machineguns, rifles and SMGs from my recon platoon all open at once and stun the enemy platoon.  From idyllic silence to raging cacophony in an instance.  My men fight like the old veterans they are and hold on stubbornly to the OP.


Almost forgetting the lull on my right, one of my Lynx sneaks up the far side of Krasnoduby and begins scanning across the countryside when we are rudely reminded, again, that the Soviets are waiting for us and prepared.  The dreaded Ratcha-bum 76mm lights up my Panzer before he even knows what hit him.  Things are starting to heat up.


 
 
 

Just like RU nats venerate Putin, CA nats venerate Poutine.

Just like RU nats venerate Putin, CA nats venerate Poutine.

The Russian version of Jackass would just be a reality TV show about the daily life of Vladimir Putin and the rest of his  cabinet.
Broadcast exclusively on RussiaToday.

Just like RU nats venerate Putin, CA nats venerate Poutine.

Just like RU nats venerate Putin, CA nats venerate Poutine.

And of course, Putin is transliterated Poutine in French...
I remember a news story right after the invasion about a restaurant chain in France called House of Poutine getting flooded with angry calls as a result of the confusion.

I think he's too much of a coward to do something like that. He's focusing on the West, in order to manage ethnic tensions.
The highest population of Ukranians, outside of Ukraine, is in Russia. If he's gotta blame anyone for his failiures, it's going to be those dastardly Anglo-Saxons.
Russian nationalism is as peculiar, as American, or Canadian, nationalism. Since, Russia is a country of immigrants -- despite Putin's doublethink.

Then we would cease to exist as well. There's no realistic full nuclear war scenario where Russia is destroyed and the US and Western Europe are not. Even if we could somehow achieve some kind of surprise or their ICBMs are crap, their submarines still exist with enough warheads to destroy the US and a lot of Europe. Just as we have the same. 

Dave

East and West Germans plus Airborne and Air Assault troops please.

Still waiting for the 4th CMBG
Or anything in Norway

100% agreed. If the US installed a puppet regime in the chaos of '91, none of this would have happened.
If I had to guess why this wasn't done: less rogue states meant less demand for defense spending. It's only job security.
I hope this opportunity is not squandered, this time around.

100% agreed. If the US installed a puppet regime in the chaos of '91, none of this would have happened.
If I had to guess why this wasn't done: less rogue states meant less demand for defense spending. It's only job security.
I hope this opportunity is not squandered, this time around.

The breakout begins.  However, the Soviets, sensing the imminent are counterattacking...NOW.  Already a steady barrage of artillery has been falling along our defense line.  In the pre-dawn gloom the sound of engines, tracks, and the voices of enemy soldiers are picked up by my OPs.  And suddenly, coming out of the dark, Russian soldiers appear like angry ghosts.  German light MGs draw first blood.

May have to pre-Oder after checking the website, lol

I have saved some artillery and smoke and had TRPs placed precisely for this moment.  Both begin to fall on Delhonosy.

The final T-34 is hit and killed by my lone StuG on Point 208.  Two confirmed in just a couple of minutes.  Just at this moment my assault launches!

Executing a swift motorized assault my halftracks, trucks and even my StuGs rush my men up to the edge of town where we unleash a brutal firestorm subduing all enemies in Delhonosy West.  My left wing forms up to strike into Delhonosy Center as soon as my second round of smoke and artillery begin to fall.  But for now the fighting at the west end rages as enemy defenders fight, surrender and die all at the same time.

My 37mm Flak truck aids in the assault as I planned.






Once the artillery and smoke have now fallen on Delhonosy Center, my left wing goes in with the same fury and speed as the right wing that has just secured west.  Again, the Russian defenders fight bravely and the cost becomes horrific on both sides as men fight with their last breath to take or hold their objectives.  My soldiers know they must sacrifice all to save their comrades.

Both sides dread and fear the brutal house to house fighting that ensues.  Still, the defenders are overwhelmed and my second objective seized.

Pushing further to Delhonosy East seems futile and will only result in more blood for no gain.  My men hunker down and fortify their positions to hold against any possible counter attack.  They have done enough this day.  However, one of my assault guns decides to peel off and get a flank shot on a T-34 who has been creeping along the edge of town.

The final shot of the battle ends in another burning Soviet T-34.

Our combat power is spent and we can do no more.  We will relish this victory knowing the cost today was extreme.  The Russian defenders, as always, fought to the end and made us pay for every inch of ground gained.  No unit on my side is untouched by the violence today.  

On to battle 7!

Thank you!
I am using the "All in One" modpack so it may have been part of that, if it's not vanilla that is.

Now we wait as the Pioneers try to find a way through the mines.  Nerves are high all around as the clock is ticking.  Automatically, the bridge becomes a congested choke point.


The great crossing has begun.

My officers are edgy and their blood is up.  We only hope we have enough combat power and can get enough across the bridge without a major catastrophe.  The assault on Dolhonosy depends on it.


It does, however, help the nerves that we have infantry now on the enemy's side of the frozen river bed.  The men steel themselves for the last push.

 

Amazing screenshots -- very atmospheric!
Is that skybox vanilla? Or modded?

If you don't care there is no need to comment.