April 19th to June 17th 1941
19 Apr. - Today, the Soviet Union gave the call for the Great Patriotic War to everyone across the country.
- Later in the day we suffered a terrible loss in the 1st battle of Staliniri. I think Stalin must have personally delivered his “no step backwards here” since this appears to be the second place named after him. 1,516 Turkish dead against only 429 Russians.
20 Apr. - We stole French blueprints for Mass Assault 3. Unfortunately we were already researching the tech and well advanced. Oh well, it’s done and our researchers are now working on Operational Command Structure 3.
[note; we are seriously falling behind in the tech-race on many combat technologies and this fact is making our fights on the front more difficult; we are outclassed by our Soviet counterparts]
- North of the port of Batumi and the nearby air-base we won the 1st battle of Poti. Our losses 769 and the enemy lost is 561.
- Shortly after the victory, we received the news of a defeat in Zestaponi, suffering 454 dead versus 498. At least the losses were even this time.
21 Apr. - Next-door to Poti, our Tacs tried to weaken the Russian armor in the neighboring province of Micha Zchakaia, preparing for our coming assault.
22 Apr. - We lost another battle in Bogdanovka, with the Russian attack proving successful in troop-losses as well. We lost 212 and Soviet dead only 24. When the Russians began moving into Bogdanovka and since we didn’t want them to break-up our front line, we began counterattacks. Shortly the weakened soviet division of mountain-troops was forced to halt its advance and we sent some recovering units back in to reclaim the province.
24 Apr. - General Hitay’s ground-attacks on the Soviet armor worked in paving the way for Turkish forces to take Micha Zchakaia. However, once again our losses were much worse than the Russians with our 585 dead compared to 274.
27 Apr. - At sea, the unchecked Russian assault on German/Turk convoys in the Baltic now means Turkey is losing energy and in much larger quantities; unfortunately we have no convoys built yet to trade with the Americans and our convoy production speed is absolutely terrible. I wonder why I have to use ships to get German energy?
29 Apr. - We completed Industrial Efficiency today (+.13 LS) but I have to say, though it is a benefit without question, in a world of battles and Turkey possessing little leadership, I may have erred by not focusing all of my research efforts, not only on improving equipment and supply but also on getting all needed land-doctrines. I cannot help but feel we would be doing better in the war if I had forgone some of the “usual” national pursuits. We are targeting defensive-doctrines now, since all are at WWI levels and we began with Delay Doctrine 1.
- Today I looked at our production to see where we stood on our needed Convoys? and we will not have them for two more months. The one Infantry unit being built will not be ready till September! Playing Turkey w/o mods or cheats (except one MP bump) is not for light-weights.
03 May - Today we began our assault on the very important Georgian city of Tbilisi by sending General Toudemur and 3 divisions across the Mtkvari river against the city. We were surprised to find the city with only 1 garrison division defending the town and its vital air-field??? If we can capture the town, the Soviets will not be able to re-station planes from recently defeated Finland (or anywhere else) in the Caucasus region. Turkish planes will continue to hold the skies. If only I could make more planes…but we cannot even make convoys anytime soon. I sent our Tacs over the city and found 2 GAR brigades supported by an AA unit. I hope we can drive them out before other nearby Russian units can make it in time to stall our attack. The Mtkvari River is a deadly obstacle.
06 May - We received the good news that Turkish forces held off a Russian attack into our province of Khashuri. We lost 73 men and they lost 70.
- Today we reversed a loss last month and won the 2nd battle of Staliniri; 115 lost to 76 Soviet dead.
- Also on this date Russian General Ryzhow attacked our nearly undefended Bogdanovka province. The Turkish units there were trying to regroup and instead were shattered leaving General Cakmak’s HQ and two MIL brigades to hold the line. They also fell soon after with 90 dead versus 19 Soviets. To counter this loss and hold Bogdanovka, we ordered three triangle Cavalry divisions in Khashuri to attack General Ryzhow’s mountain division sitting in Gori before he could move into Bogdanovka. We also had General Hatay take his bombers there to insure our plan succeeded.
08 May - On the left of our front, Ambrolauri was attacked and we lost the battle; once again we suffered heavy losses. 856 dead versus 318 dead.
- Better news arrived for our Field Marshall when he read we’ve taken Tbilisi. This is important news! Now we have the only airbases in the Caucasus region. Ground losses were minimal losing 4 men while 56 Russian soldiers were killed. Our bombing runs were devastating in killing hundreds of defenders.
11 May - For five days the battle for Gori has continued but now it‘s another Russian mountain division led by Soviet General Odintsov that‘s holding our cavalry units back, can we make it?
15 May - On the west-front the Soviets continue to try to take back ground that we’ve gained at high cost. Russian General Bondarev is attacking two Turk infantry divisions resting in Ambrolauri.
- Today we can celebrate our forces finally taking Gori. Our third attempt to take the province is over.Yehaw! “Third time is a charm”
16 May - More good news soon follows, although we suffered high casualties we have successfully held Ambrolauri. Turkish losses 1,080 and 836 Russian dead. Our bombers rained havoc on retreating units.
- Since he did not have to cross the Mtkvari, I ordered General Inonu in Kirovaken, commanding 15th Infantry and 4th Mountain to drive the single Russian armored division led by Kotlyarov out of Basargechar. It was our first assault into the province. This attack, was coordinated with Edelhun’s Larm-assault on Nakhchivan, also without a river-crossing, against Russian General Korshilov and his 157 Strelkovaya division.
20 May - The Soviets ended their counterattack in the second battle of Micha Zchakaia. We owe this victorious defense to General Hitay’s bombers as much as the boots on the ground. We lost more men than the Russians again with Turkish dead at 417 and Soviet losses at 230. Our inferior training is costing my beloved Turkey lot of good men.
22 May - Six days after beginning a coordinated attack in Basargechar, even with twice their numbers, we cannot dislodge the Soviet armor and lose the battle with horrible losses. 1396 men lost versus 427 enemy dead. And two days later on the 24th the other target in this attack also ends in a serious defeat in Nakhchivan. 949 Turk dead and 436 Russian killed. Combined we lost 2,345 men while the SU had 863 killed. That’s not far from 3 to 1. The worst aspect of this last defeat was that our only Larm/Larm/Mot/Mot division could not defeat the dug-in infantry.
26 May- Two more setbacks. In Poti our counterattack was called off leaving us with 51 dead. 22 Russians died.
- Another defeat but this one was worse. We lost the 1st battle for Zugdidi when a Soviet Mot-div arrived in time to turn the tide of battle. 726 Turks kia versus only 171 Russians. We are paying a very high price to gain ground and also when we lose ground. I sent in the 11th Infantry division to try to get the province right back in the 2nd battle for Zugdidi.
- General Ozalp was ordered to take 5. Dag Komando across the mountains into Nizhniy-Baksan.
27 May - We complete Industrial Production 5 and begin the much needed Infantry Tank Weapons 4.
- We win a brief battle for Bezingi, our dead 123 versus 105 for the enemy.
28 May - We were all confidant in making a coordinated assault against two joining provinces on our right.
31 May - We win first of the two coordinated attacks in Kvalsa but the victory leaves a nasty gut feeling in all members of the staff. 718 dead vs. 376. And the three victorious divisions that won the battle against 1 arm-div need a lot of time to rest
01 June - The second part of the joint-attack was led by General Yamut’s Cav-corps and they were soundly defeated. 12 brigades on our front are now worthless. Huge losses with 1,403 compared to only 408.
02 June - With 11th Infantry faltering against Russian General Bagramiar’s worn out ARM division I ordered 3rd infantry to support the attack the next day on the third, the 2nd battle was lost in Zugdidi. Once again our losses were terrific (771) while the Russians lost far less men at 116.
03 June - The Soviets took Poti from us and we immediately began a counterattack and I also sent the Tacs in as well. Because of the our inferior equipment and training we are taking two steps forward and one step back. I just hope we can hold out till be get some more infantry for the front. We and the enemy are so even in strength that a couple of infantry divisions could help a lot on either end of the front.
04 June - A very short skirmish-victory in Kvaisa. 3 versus 10 killed.
05 June - We had a good victory in Nizhniy Baksan with even numbers of losses and less men in the battle. Wish we could have more of these. 336 Turks and 334 Soviets lost.
07 June - We took Poti back losing 155 and with the Russians losing 177.
10 June - Someone gave a redeploy order to the wrong unit and the mistake cost us the recently captured province of Nizhniy Baksan. Turk dead 200, 219 Russians lost. Finally losses are leveling. I hoping the future Infantry upgrades will close the quality gap.
- Many of the Soviet units along the center and left on the front seem to be rushing to the northwest. I wonder if something has happened elsewhere and our push to Baku can begin in earnest. I would like to visit the “City of Winds” in peacetime but I would much rather get there now and take Azerbaijan's capitol and the oil refinery. Looking back, my grand plans for quickly driving to the coast sure didn’t work, instead my right front is moving so slow it’s causing me line-cohesion problems around Tbilisi. This area is where the new infantry will go if they every get formed and deployed.
15 June - Our assault into Micha Zchakaia resulted in another victory on the west front to offset losing Nizhniy Baksan. The Soviets cannot advance or run the risk of encirclement.
16 June - One of our recon patrols spotted Soviet general Bagramian running his armor along the coast south towards Poti and we directed General Hitay against the tanks, so they cannot reorganize and strike our weak units that have not had time to recover from the fierce fighting the last week. If not for our TAC advantage there is no way we could have dislodged the Russian armor as well as we have. What I wouldn’t give for a couple of wings of CAS right now and I even have another airbase for them.
17 June - The only resources we are hurting right now in is Energy and Metal, but I did such a good job during peacetime we can hold out for three years per the current needs of building 2 convoys, 1 INF-div and 1 TAC or INT.
Around the world in eighty seconds
Yugoslavia has not joined the Axis yet. They are so close and their troops could help the faltering Romanian units along the Black-Sea. I’m dreaming of course.
* Low and behold, somehow we are keeping those 30,000 Greek troops in supply that occupy the Russian port of Arkhangel. I probably should not have said anything.
* Soviet surrender Progress is at 44% with about half of the needed cities for an Axis victory taken.
* Mongolia still considers my beloved Turkey as it’s greatest threat even though Japan has marched over a third of their country.
* Japan continues to roll up the Russians in the East.
* With Finland out of the war, Soviet tanks are slowing gaining ground in Norway with no German opposition anywhere near the advance. Maybe I can get one of our spies to fake a HQ radio-transmission ordering all soviet units in the Caucasus to redeploy to Norway.
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