December 1944

Eastern Front

With the threat of a Soviet breakthrough in Hungary the Germans bring the 2nd Panzer Army back into the line, deploying it south of Lake Balaton. The main objective for the army is the protection of the Hungarian oilfields at Nagykanitza.

North of the lake Army Group South deploys Fretter Pico's 6th Army between the lake and the Hatvan with the III Panzer, LXXII and LVII Panzer Corps, while the 8th Army under Wohler is around Miskolc.