In the British occupied territory, there is plenty of partisan activity, mostly executed by the remnants of the Yugoslavian units that were overran or encircled during the 1942 offensive and decided to disperse to avoid death or capture. Thousands of them are roaming the countryside since then. The Eastern Front’s HQ has dedicated months finding them and organizing them in bigger, more coordinated units, as well as sending them weapons, explosives and ammo.
It’s now time to use those formations: we’ll gather six of them for a special operation. We know the British 77th Armored Division’s remnants are concentrated near the town of Cherkva to rest, reorganize and receive much needed reinforcements. The British tanks are immobile for maintenance, surrounded by flammable or explosive materials, a perfect target for an air attack. The entire area is being used as a resupply node, and is closely guarded by British garrisons. The objective is to draw part of the garrison away, attack the supply depots and plant radio beacons so three specialized anti-tank CAS Wings can swoop in and destroy the 77th Armored Division.
29/10/1943
The Partizanski attack: they cut off the British garrison of Zlataritsa, prompting a fight in the small town and the response of the Cherkva garrison. Soon enough, a British battalion comes from the south and engages my units. I can’t win this fight, but I have to keep it going so the enemy is focused there.
30/10/1943
The fighting around Zlataritsa is going predictably bad: three British battalions are mauling the Partizanski and one of their formations disperse in the woods. All the British attention is concentrated there, according to the plan, so when the other Partizanski formations show up, I immediately send them toward the real objective.
One of them finds the enemy fuel depots and attacks them, setting one on fire. It also spots the staging area of the 77th Armored Division, but the site is so big it can’t scout it in a single go.
In the southwest, three more Partisanski formations have shown up and I move them toward Cherkva. Their objective is to bolster the attack against the fuel depots, deal with the British garrison and maybe mine the road.
In the evening, a British Motorized Battalion rides into battle as soon as the first fuel depots burst in flames, but I manage to set up a good ambush southwest of Cherkva and I inflict high enough losses to force its retreat. My Partizanski occupy the hills and woods near the town. My units near Zlataritsa have been dispersed by the British regulars, but they completed their mission to draw the enemy away from our real objectives.
31/10/1943
The Partizanski place the last beacon, and the CAS Wings appear: they swoop in and attack the staging areas with incendiary and anti-tank bombs. Soon enough the maintenance facilities are ablaze, British personnel running away or trying to extinguish the flames.
Three Partizanski Battalions are fighting against the British garrison of Cherkva; the enemy is well positioned in the buildings and reinforcements are coming from the southeast, threatening to crush my formations. British troops are seen withdrawing from Zlataritsa and moving toward Cherkva as well.
