Battle Reports |
Danish Campaign
Links to specific battle reports: Battle of Rudbol Bridge -- the first actual battle fought in the campaign I have been fighting out battles for the last six months with a fine group of gentlemen at the Game Parlor in Chantilly, Virginia. After fighting a number of unrelated conflicts (Brits v Soviets, Germans v Germans, etc), we began a campaign a month ago seeking to play out a fictional campaign set in Denmark during the Third World War. Denmark was chosen because it was geographically isolated, featured a wide variety of units and nations, and wouldn't just be another T-80 vs M-1 slugfest. The campaign began several weeks into a general war, which itself had been preceded by about 6 months of increased hostilities and gradual mobilizations. The campaign is narrative; most participants have a good feel for military history Here is the overall briefing and the campaign briefings for both sides at the beginning of the campaign: General Situation: August 23, 1988. The Third World War is two weeks old. Initial Warsaw Pact thrusts into Germany initially scattered NATO covering forces, but increasing NATO resistance and logistics problems have slowed the advance to a crawl along most of the front. In the northern Germany, Hamburg fell four days ago to a combined Soviet and East German assault, but at the cost of four gutted divisions. NATO has rallied, and set up a strong defensive line on the Weser river. In central Germany, Soviet forces have driven US and West German troops out of the rough terrain along the border, but have suffered heavy losses and have been unable to exploit their gains. In the more open terrain to the south, rapid progress was made initially, but large numbers of Czech and Soviet troops are tied down in the siege of Munich and the advance beyond that has stalled in the face of growing NATO resistance. While the drive through Austria allowed Pact troops to leverage NATO forces out of south eastern Germany, resistance by Austrian territorials combined with a demand for first-line troops elsewhere has prevented the complete occupation of that county, while simultaneously opening a corridor for Italy to commit significant troops to the Central Front. In Jutland, Warsaw Pact troops have driven back the variety of units composing NATO’s Landjut Corps, but have been stopped short of clearing the peninsula by the timely arrival of US 9th Infantry Division and a regiment of the 2nd US Marine Division. With a quick Pact victory ruled out, both sides are hurrying reinforcement and supplies to the front and digging in for a prolonged conflict. NATO Campaign Briefing. The battle for the Jutland Peninsula hangs in the balance. The LandJut Corps has been driven north toward the Danish border, but the arrival of US reinforcements allowed the formation of a defensible line and even limited counterattacks against overextended Soviet units. It is now imperative that both Zealand and Jutland be held. With the Soviets stymied in northern Norway, reinforcements originally slated for that front are becoming available, including the 6th US Infantry Division and the 4th US Marine Division. Further units drawn from the UK are also expected, while in the longer term, at least one US National Guard brigade (Washington State’s 81st Mech Infantry) is expected to become available. NATO is investing heavily in the defense of Jutland because it offers a number of strategic possibilities. Air units striking from Zealand are interdicting Soviet supply lines throughout northern Poland. As NATO’s position continues to improve in the North Atlantic, additional naval asset are likely to become available to contest the Baltic, but that requires the Baltic Approaches to be held. It is also vital to keep Denmark in the war – its units have suffered heavily so far, but they are holding, and so far a political consensus in Copenhagen in favor of a full commitment to the conflict is holding. Obviously, the loss of significant Danish territory would threaten that, and possibly precede an early Danish exit from the conflict, which would be a disaster for the Alliance. Finally, SACEUR hopes that Jutland will ultimately become the base of a drive into the flank of the Pact forces on the central front, and has held out hope that the elements of the US XVIII Airborne Corps could be moved to the theater for such an effort. Soviet Campaign Briefing: For a number of reasons, it is vital that all of Denmark be occupied quickly. On a strategic level, the Politburo believes that the surrender of one NATO nation will reduce the will of other small NATO countries to resist. Additionally, as you know, we are burning supplies at a far greater rate than anticipated, which is slowing our advance and forcing the dedication of more transport assets to the task. However, NATO aircraft operating out of Zealand are playing havoc with our lines of communication through Poland and northern Germany. It is vital that those airbases be closed permanently. Additionally, control of the Jutland peninsula will allow our Frontal Aviation to engage shipping in both the North Sea and the English Channel, hindering efforts by NATO to reinforce both Norway and the Central Front. Our comrades in the naval services also insist that we close the Baltic approaches to prevent the continued infiltration of NATO submarines, which have played havoc with our coastal shipping. Finally, a continued NATO presence on the Baltic is a threat to our flank security – both in Germany and Poland. |