[Brave new World] 4- Battle of Bucarest

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BATTLE FOR BUCAREST
This scenario is OPTIONAL, since it’s so massive that AI turns take very long to resolve. It’s a defensive struggle where two pure infantry Yugoslavian armies have to face a heavily armored British army pushing toward Bucarest. 10th and 12th Armija will try to stop the advance of the massive British 4th Army. The enemy has enormous numbers of armored and assault units, plenty of artillery and a mass of motorized and foot infantry to push through my lines. I have zero armor, for reasons that will become clear later in the campaign, but my units are sitting in prepared positions, covered by Strongpoints and support artillery.

My goal is to protect the two Primary Objective and wear down the British forces as I cede ground and I sacrifice infantry units. Being able to withdraw key Artiljerija and Podržavaju Regiments before they get overrun could be the key, as they are very effective in whittling down enemy units. Terrain favors defenses and my units are concentrated around defensible strongpoints, but there is room for flanking maneuvers. I have some Motostrelci Division with good mobility, but they lack the strength to stop enemy armored units.


25/2/1940
Thanks to the severe losses inflicted on British Motorized forces, two of their Motorized Divisions enter the battle severely understrenght.

British and Yugoslavian artillery regiments exchange fire around Ialomita. British Bombers strike at Cala's Strongpoint, but the whole 2° Interceptor Group jump on them and destroy it almost entirely.

British troops attacks LI Korpus at Sfantu with two Ironsides Brigades with the support of a Heavy Guns Regiment, annihilating one of 122th Pešadija Division's Regiments in a day. 3° Interceptor Group gang up on a British Bomber Wing and pulverize it with the help of the local Podržavaju Regiment.

1st CAS Group flies off toward Galati, ready to strike at British armored forces.







26/2/1940
The air war rages on: 1° and 2° Interceptor Groups keep wreaking havoc among British Bombers, but enemy Fighters strike back and decimate 11th Interceptor Wing and 22nd CAS Wing.

A massive British force is moving all around Cala. The enemy keep hitting LI Korpus at Sfantu.


27/2/1940
Our intel has identified two British Armored Corps moving around Cala: XXV and XXXIII. Cala's Strongpoint is under attack, but holds strong; Covasna falls.

Artillery exchange around Ialomita continues, but now the British have an Heavy Guns Regiment in position that is pounding our lines. British motorized and armored units seem to be flanking the whole VI Korpus, but if I move it out of position the nearby British infantry will surely charge.

122th Pešadija Division at Sfantu retreats under heavy enemy pressure. I shift infantry units around to cover the Artilerija and Podržavaju Regiments, and counterattack a couple of enemy Infantry Regiments.

My planes go back to airports to rest and refuel: British Fighters inflicted serious losses and decimated another Interceptor Wing, but overall the losses inflicted to British Bombers have been satisfactory. Enemy fighters that chased our units to Galati's airfields are met with a barrage of AA fire and suffer heavy losses.


28/2/1940 to 1/3/1940
Cala is still holding, albeit almost surrounded. Nothing special happens except for repeated infantry assaults around Sfantu, where 120th and 121th Pešadija Division are badly beaten but still holding the line. CAS mission discovered a huge armored force moving north of Mare, clearing the minefields and going west.


2/3/1940
Mare's defensive line just got hit by 4th Ironsides with Motorized support. Enemy armored force still moving west.

Cala has fallen. Enemy Bombers add pressure on Sfantu, with 36th Ironsides pushing southwest of the town.

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3/3/1940
2° Interceptor Group fights off British Bombers over Mare. British 55th Motorized leads the enemy force that is now heading south, flanking the whole fortified area. British 4th Ironsides has forced a Regiment of 100th Pešadija Division to retreat from the frontline.

Elements of three different British Motorized Divisions reach the defensive line around Galati, with one from 25th Motorized getting in contact with the defenders; they are met with an artillery barrage from medium and heavy batteries behind the city, then destroyed by a counterattack led by 140th Pešadija Division.

3° Interceptor Group and 1° CAS Group try to help the defenders of Sfantu attacking 36th Ironsides, but enemy Medium and Heavy Guns are pounding 120th and 121st Pešadija Division. The former tries a counterattack, but British 256th Infantry Division push it back with high losses.


4/3/1940
Enemy troops converge on Mare, but the line still holds. Heavy artillery pounds Pešadija positions around Ialomita. More Motorized troops come in contact with Galati's defenses and are promptly counterattacked. Enemy pressure mounting against Sfantu.

British Fighter Wings come out in force, forcing the Yugoslavian planes to seek refuge in their airfields to regroup and refuel.


5/3/1940
Enemy forces linked up behind Mare and Ialomita, cutting off supply routes to the entire VI Korpus. Heavy fighting around Mare with the enemy already attempting to reduce the pocket. VI Korpus splits between the rearguard fighting till the end to tie up as many British forces as possible, and a couple Divisions trying to escape the pocket.

Enemy tanks attack the Galati lines, but I cycle defending units and order artillery strikes + infantry counterattacks. Enemy Armored Regiment is badly beaten. Just south of the city, a Motorized Regiment tried to ford the river, but 142nd Pešadija Division stops it and inflicts heavy losses.

Sfantu's line is badly battered but still holds against the British onslaught.


6/3/1940
Mare pocket is collapsing; the infantry tries to use terrain to fight off the enemy assaults as long as possible. 105th and 102nd Pešadija Divisions are retreating west trying to find a weak spot in the encirclement.

British units are amassing in front of Galati. Local defense forces respond with ruthless counterattacks and artillery fire; the eastern outskirts are littered with British trucks and corpses from the earlier probing attacks. Heavy artillery and concentrations of anti-tank guns supports the defense. Enemy Fighters tried a sortie agaisnt the airfield but got massacred by AA fire.

Sfantu area is slowly being eaten away by constant British pressure, but the enemy's losses are high.


7/3/1940
Mare's pocket is crushed in a vicious mass assault. The Strongpoint still holds. 105th and the remains of 102nd Pešadija Divisions are still retreating from Ialomita while British infantry assaults the main defensive line.

Sustained British infantry assaults against Galati; local Artilerija and Teska Artilerija Regiments are supporting our counterattacks, but an Ironsides Brigade has forded the river and cleared minefields north of the city. The defenses are all focused on the eastern side, so a successfull flanking would doom the entire area. Motostrelci troops are dispatched to try and contain the Ironsides, but without friendly armor in numbers it's not going to be easy.

Sfantu area has been cut off by enemy forces; what's left of 120th, 121st and 122nd Pešadija Division are trying to retreat west; the town has fallen.

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Yugoslavian ZPA-1937
Zastava Poljska Prtiljerija, model 1937, is the main field gun of the Yugoslavian Artjljeria Regiments. It fires a 110mm HE shell at a distance of 10km, making it a powerful addition to any Korpus’ firepower. The ZPA is a classic Zastava design: simple, reliable and easy to mass produce. To reduce material costs and manufacturing time, it lacks a shield for its crew, but after all it’s not intended to find itself on the frontlines. This however causes high casualties when the enemy gets too close.

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8/3/1940
The pockets at Ialomita and Sfantu have been crushed as well, with only . Thousands more Yugoslavian prisoners are now headed east, with the Commonwealth logistic lines already pretty crowded after the crushing of Mare's pocket. Galati still holds, but losses are mounting and British pressure is still increasing. Enemy units reach Rosita.

All aviation Groups were fighting British Fighters nonstop in the last few days, but are now almost decimated and in desperate need of rest. Despite valiant efforts, British Prowler fighters are extremely good at capitalizing their maneuvering advantage to outplay the faster CAI interceptors. The Yugoslavian forces have learnt the hard way that any fight waged outside ground AA range will be a costly one, but sometimes it has to be done lest the British Avro bombers be able to pound our troops into dust...


9 to 11/3/1940
Only 105th Pešadija Division is still operational and retreating from the now-closed Ialomita pocket, along with VI Korpus' HQ and a Podržavaju Regiment, but several British units are in pursuit. Cut off supplies and facing motorized units, it's unlikely the Yugoslavian forces will reach safety, but they are willing to try. This would at least force the enemy to dedicate some units to the pursuit instead of advancing further toward more valuable targets.

Galati is being overwhelmed by British infantry and armor; 32nd Motostrelci is covering the retreat of all artillery Regiments as well as XL Korpus HQ and a Podržavaju Regiment. 140th, 141st and 142nd Pešadija Regiments are still fighting around the city and the airfield. Those valuable units must be saved and be able to strenghten the next line of defenses.

Enemy pressure mounting at Resita, with 35th Ironsides Brigades leading the charge. 125th Pešadija Division is fighing off every assault, but at a steep cost.




12/3/1940
105th Pešadija Division and VI Korpus' HQ reach friendly territory in the swamps SE of Bistrita, but there are still British troops in pursuit and the Division is barely functional.

Galati is about to fall, and its airfields has been overrun. The rearguard held tight around the city's Strongpoint as the British encroach it by all sides and pound it with artillery and bombers. The units I retreated from the city before the grip tightened are still moving toward Arad; a British Bomber Wing tries to harass them, but XL Korpus' HQ mobilizes its SPAA and inflicts considerable losses together with a nearby Podržavaju Regiment.

125th Pešadija Division at Resita is now under heavy assault. Another one of its Regiments is forced to retreat behind the river. Two Infantry Divisions are crossing the river NE of the town, while two Ironsides Brigades lead the frontal assaults.

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13/3/2022
105th Pešadija Division finally reaches friendly territory, but has lost a Regiment during the retreat, and VI Korpus HQ is unlikely to make it. British troops still in pursuit, with Fighters harassing the retreating Yugoslavian infantry.

Enemy armor cross the river east of Bistrita, but 1° CAS Group promptly attacks them, supported by the Artilerija Regiment based near the town. British armor suffers considerable casualities: a dozen heavy Duke tanks sink in the river as the bombardments crushes the ice sheet that was allowing a quick fording.

Galat is almost encircled; a couple decimated Pešadija Regiments are still fighting in the area as the 32nd Motostrelci leads the survivors of the battle behind friendly lines at Arad.

Enemy pressure mounts inexorable against 125th Pešadija Division at Resita: one of the Division's Regiment is almost annihilated and the others are forced behind the river. 33th Motostrelci leads a counterattack against a British Support Guns Regiment that was trying to flank the town. The Division will then move southeast to support the defense at the riverline.




14/3/2022
105th Pešadija Division keeps retreating, with British troops seemingly stopping the pursuit and moving north. British 16th Armored Division launches one of its Regiments against the defenses at Bistrita, but 146th Pešadija Division has AT support from the town's Strongpoint resists and counterattacks, inflicting high losses to the enemy. Recon missions show a large combined force moving north; they will probably try to force the riverline defenses south of Satu.

Galati's Strongpoint still resists, but it's alone now. British artillery is not yet in position.

Two British Armored Regiments have flanked Resita: 125th Pešadija Division and LI Korpus HQ retreating toward Timisoara, with 33th Motostrelci trying a rearguard action.






15 to 16/3/2022
Enemy makes contact with my defensive line SE of Satu with plenty of Motorized Regiments and 17th Armored Division. 71st and 149th Pešadija Division are well supported by Podržavaju and Artilerija Regiments and resist well, conducting several succesfull counterattacks. Bistrita is likewise under attack, and above it a fierce air battle takes place; I'm forced to retreat 1° CAS and all my surviving Interceptor Wings to replenish casualities. One Interceptor Wing is destroyed.

I take the decision to withdraw 147th Pešadija Division from Tulcea to Sibiu, and transfer the veteran 150th Pešadija Division from there to Bucarest, since my southern front seems weaker.

Resita and Galati are about to fall. British Armored and Motorized Regiments are converging on Timisoara and Arad. The rearguard actions of 32nd Motostrelci allowed an Artilerija and a Teska Artilerija Regiment to retreat safely behind infantry lines, which considered the amount of enemy fast pursuer is a resounding success.

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17/3/1940
After some days of respite, British Bombers come back swinging on our troops, now that our Interceptors have been beaten back. Ground AA makes them pay dearly for every bombing raid, but their assistance is crucial for the British breakthrough at Satu: 4th Ironsides advances just after the bombardment and crushes our infantry lines, allowing Motorized Regiments to exploit the gaps. 146th Pešadija Division resists at Bistrita, but it requires constant reinforcements.

105th Pešadija Division (now with only 2 regiments) has regained its full combat proficiency, but the units it retreated with have been destroyed. Enemy Motorized elements tries to encircle it in a swampy and woody area, so an attack is immediately launched to break the encirclement.

Supplies are dwindling dangerously.


18 to 19/3/1940
My lines around Satu are crumbling: I decided to retire 12th Armija and LIII Korpus HQs as well as two Artilerija Regiments back at Sibiu. Bistrita still resists but losses are mounting.

Strong armored forces start to push against Timisoara and Arad.


20/3/1940
The British advance shattered the front at Satu, and 146th Pešadija Division has left Bistrita's defense to the town garrison, trying to retreat west. Lag's Strongpoint will have to slow the enemy down.

British 20th and 22nd Armored Divisions send their tanks against my lines at Arad, managing to dislodge a Pešadija Regiment, but their losses are high and our counterattacks hit hard. Artillery support from the Regiments we withdrew in time from Galati is invaluable.

British 5th and 7th Amored are concentrating their forces near Timisoara, with plenty of Motorized support.








21/3/1940
15 more days to go; the British attacks are increasingly violent, but even with their plentiful reserves their losses are mounting and they will have to slow down or grind their armored units to dust. Our Strongpoints are their hardest opponents now that their leading units have outran their artillery support.

105th Pešadija Division manages to get an unlikely victory by encircling and decimating a Motorized Regiment in the area SE of Bistrita. The Division's morale skyrockets after weeks of retreat and constant British harassment.


22 to 23/3/1940
150th Pešadija Division reaches Mures. Bistrita, Arad and Timisoara are under heavy attack, with British Engineers clearing a path through the former's minefields and opening a flanking route for British 20th and 22nd Armored Divisions. All three towns are expected to be conquered in the next few days. It's unlikely I'll manage to evacuate many units from there since the enemy has too many Motorized units nearby.

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Yugoslavian ZPT-1937

1937 was a year dedicated to innovation at Zastava: with the ZPA-1937’s mass production already in full gear, the design department was ending the testing phase of the Army’s new anti-tank gun. The Protivtenkovski Top model 1937 is a 40mm high velocity gun with oversized rubber wheels, advanced optics and a thick shield to protect its crew. It’s designed for frontline combat and to be produced in high numbers, to counter the numbers of British armored vehicles. Its range isn’t extreme, but the mobility over rough terrain allows it to be easily transported into ambush positions by its crew, and it packs a mean punch.

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24 to 26/3/1940
Bistrita and Lag are surrounded. Timisoara’s garrison is under heavy artillery fire and the supporting infantry has been almost wiped out. Enemy armored and assault units have broken our lines between Arad and Colmava, flanking our troops around Arad. 105th Pešadija Division launches an offensive south of Bistrita, but is met with considerable resistance and despite a series of brave battles is forced back on the hilly terrain to avoid the British armored units. The bravery and resilience of this Division has been an ispiration for all the Army in these trying times, but I don't see a bright future for it now that the front is moving forward and leaving it further isolated from the rest of our forces.




27 to 28/3/1940
Bistrita, Lag and Timisoara fall on the same day due to heavy artillery and aerial bombardments followed by determined assault troops storming the fortifications and forcing a surrender of the three garrisons. British 7in artillery has reduced the towns to mounds of smoking rubble. Arad is almost encircled, with the Teska Artilerija Regiment firing continuously since there is no hope for salvation, and the remains of 148th Pešadija Division and 32nd Motostrelci defending the outskirts. Enemy armored forces are heading toward Tulcea.




29/3 to 2/4/1940
The British forces are at the second-to-last line of defense, and have been attacking it for the last few days. Still, their armored and motorized forces have outrun their artillery, while my positions are solid and secure. This led to attrition battles that the British can win through sheer numerical superiority, but are bleeding them dry. Arad is falling. Enemy Ironsides reach Sibiu and Mures; at Sibiu the concentrated fire of two Artilerija Regiments throws 2nd Ironsides Brigade in disarray and allows several infantry counterattacks that further fragments the unit. Yugoslavian infantry tracking the staggered British Bisons with AT rifles and assaulting them with grenades and magnetic mines have bought the city some respite.

While Sibiu still holds, making Bracu’s survival very likely in the few days remaining, our stronghold around Mures are in danger: 22nd Ironsides have cleared the minedields SW of the town and threaten a flanking move. 150th Pešadija Division doesn’t try to counterattack in order to keep the AT support from a Podržavaju Regiment behind them. The eventual fall of Mures would put Bucarest in danger, and it’s too late to send 84th Pešadija Division from Bracu front to the regional capital.

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3 to 4/4/1940
Sibiu holds with little effort thanks to the brutal shelling of any British unit that tries to engage our defenses. British armor melts under the constant barrage, AT fire from the Strongpoint and Infantry counterattacks.

Mures is barely holding off the mounting British pressure, but the main problem is that a strong British combined force has completely bypassed the town and is advancing directly against Bucarest. The entire 40th Motorized, 5th and 7th Armored Divisions are pushing west, supported by elements of 42th Motorized, an Engineer Battalion and two Motorized Artillery Regiments. While this isn’t ideal, I think the defenses around the regional capital are strong enough to hold that force off for the next few days.






5 to 6/4/1940
Despite fighting a month-long, hopeless battle, 105th Pešadija Division’s remains still avoid British forces in the hills below Bistrita. All that remains of the Division is roughly a company-sized ragged force armed with rifles and some grenades, hiding in the hills and acting as partisans. Their struggle has nonetheless inspired countless propaganda articles thanks to the slow trickle of news about it that filtered through the enemy lines.

Another battered Division, 149th Pešadija Division, is building its own legacy in Vrancea, where it managed to regain almost a Regiment-sized force and is resisting against repeated assaults by one Armored and two Motorized Regiments. It will manage to hold the town until the end.

Sibiu seems to hold just fine: it’s unlikely the British will ever cross the bridge and much less threaten Bracu. The infantry is backed by enough artillery and AT fire to inflict severe losses on British armor.

Mures’ defensive line has been flanked, but it still holds and keeps numerous British forces at bay The strong British force heading for Bucarest won’t be able to smash through our defenses, either.

Only 8th Interceptor Wing remains of all the Yugoslavian airforce in the area. The British aviation seem depleted too: few Bombers and Fighters are now operating in the sector.






CONCLUSION
The battle has been costly for the Yugoslavian Eastern Front, but even more costly for the British. The British 15th Army destroyed the Yugoslavian 12th Armija, but their armored losses has been so high that their entire Western Command armored force has been crippled, and fell short of its ultimate objective. The decisive battle the British looked for has happened, but they lost it. With enemy's momentum gone, it's time to finally go on the offensive and drive them out of the country.

AI coordination has been not optimal: too many frontal assaults, and their artillery lagged behind after dealing with the first line of defense. Hugging geographical features, Strongpoints and Podržavaju Regiments allowed the Yugoslavian infantry to slow the enemy and inflict heavy losses. In the final release I’ll probably cancel a couple Strongpoints to give the British a better chance.