[BnW, 1942 UK vs Yugo] 5 - Desperate Measures

[StuccoFresco]

The conquest of Budapest is a tremendous hit against the Yugoslavian hopes of keeping a hold of lower Bulgaria. The city is so crucial that a counter-offensive has been immediately launched to retake the city with whatever units were available in the area.

The enemy has moved very quickly: we haven't ferried enough troops to properly secure the area, so the first days will be rough. Moreover, part of the Australis Fleet is chasing enemy naval units away from the city and securing the sea lanes. An enemy cruiser squadron is heading straight against our supply ships trying to cut supplies to our forces.

The situation is dire, but we have to hold strong.




23/9/1942
The entire III Amphibious Corps is too exposed and spread out, so I order every unit to move toward Miskolc and concentrate there. Enemy troops are already encroaching on Shumen so 50th Motorized and 27° Ironsides will probably be forced to fight their way out. The 118th Infantry Division has the order to defend Shumen until they can pass through. The 35th Infantry Division stationed in Dobrich is even more threatened to be cut off.

33rd Mechanized Division is attacked by enemy 33° Huszàr Brigade and 10th Tenkovske Division, both veteran units equipped with the best tanks Yugoslavia can field. One of its Regiments is decimated during the fighting and retreats. I decide to withdraw the entire division from its exposed position toward Miskolc. The 32nd Armored Division will give them cover during the retreat together with 28° Ironsides and a Support Regiment.

No enemy contact on the remaining sectors of the front, but enemy aviation hits hard the Artillery Regiments supporting my forces around Sopron. Several Fighter Wings, however, take advantage of the absence of escorts and wipe out an entire CAS Wing over the town. Two enemy Interceptor Wings roam over Budapest engaging some of our Fighters, but our AA downs circa a dozen of them.

The Fleet takes up a defensive formation SW of Budapest trying to give cover to the supply ships: with the supply levels so dangerously close to the minimum, we have to keep unloading in the few docks we have. The ships docked in Dobrich are likely to be captured or sunk very soon: enemy ships have been spotted nearby. The Cruisers Kirkwall and Whaleport will try to outflank the enemy fleet from the south together with their two Destroyer escorts.


24/9/1942
The enemy fleet was much nearer than we thought: six Barracuda Destroyers run ahead and avoid interception, managing to torpedo the supply ships near Pecs and heavily damaging the heavy cruiser Sunhaven. It’s a bold strategy that put a big strain on my supply chain, together with the capture or sinking of the support ships at Dobrich.

My fleet counterattacks viciously, but the fast Barracuda destroyers are hard to hit; by concentrating the fire on three of them I’m at least able to sink one and inflict some damage on the others, but it’s been a pretty disappointing show: the tight formation of my ships prevented a rapid response to the enemy wolfpack tactics.

Meanwhile, the 37° and 38° Huszàr Brigades supported by 80th Motostrelci Division approached Shumen trying to cut off my units, but didn't attack my lines directly. 16° Huszàr joined 10th Tenkovske Division and 33° Huszàr in trailing my withdrawal toward Miskolc.

The rapid enemy advance threatens to cut off my units in Shumen, but there’s little I can do against this concentration of armored units. I’m reinforcing and reorganizing my own battered armored units. II Amphibious Army HQ is moving toward Miskolc to coordinate the defense, given that III Amphibious Corps HQ is stuck at Shumen.

The air battle over Sopron intensifies: a massive furball of three Commonwealth Fighter Wings and three Yugoslavian Interceptor Wings leads to at least 50 planes crashing on the ground riddled by bullets. My Fighters keep targeting the enemy CAS, suffering losses but inflicting much more.

CVs Sussex and Tasmania launch their Naval Wings.

[StuccoFresco]

Illustrious Class Aircraft Carrier
The honor to be the first nation to experiment with a dedicated aircraft carrier is shared between the Ayyubids and the Batavians, with both claiming the building of a working prototype in July 1938 and nobody willing to verify the claims. The British Commonwealth was interested in the concept, as well as the Commonwealth Air Force, but the Admiralty shot down the idea several times.

The effectiveness of battleships and the expenses of the renewed naval programs absorbed all the Admiralty’s attention, so only a single arsenal was working on a dedicated carrier hull. The War Committee finally pushed through an order for 10 CV by 1941, forcing the Admiralty to be serious about it.

The Illustrious design of Armstrong Shipworks was then approved, with early tests taking place in late 1940. The numerous issues needed an entire year of reworks, including a more powerful engine able to propel the 30000t hull at a reasonable speed, and a better radar.

A single Illustrious-Class entered service in 1942 and can now fit two Fighter or Naval Wings, and support a small fleet on its own. The ship is reasonably fast, and the power projection has proven to be an invaluable asset despite the Admiralty's initial reluctance.

[StuccoFresco]

25/9/1942
The 40th and 42nd Fighter Wings decide to land on their carriers: they have been decimated and are in dire need of rest and resupply.

The 118th Infantry Division counterattacks the Yugoslavian 80th Motostrelci Division outside Shumen; 37° Huszàr has crossed the river and seems to be trying a flanking move on the southern side of it, but it’s watched closely by 27° Ironsides.

The 32nd Armored Division and 28° Ironsides Brigade reach 106th Infantry Division’s defensive lines outside Miskolc, and the last Regiment of 33rd Mechanized Division is safely extracted as the rest of the Division is completing its refit.

Enemy units spotted moving toward Szeged, defended by the 105th Infantry Division. Enemy’s 20th Mehanizovane and 85th Motostrelci Divisions attack my lines north of Budapest: 18th Mechanized Division suffers heavy losses in one of its Regiments. The 74th Armored Division moves in to support the defenders, but it’s still too far.

Another Barracuda is sunk and another crippled in battle south of Pecs. I have two Unseen-class submarines waiting for the enemy cruiser that captured my ships at Dobrich to show up. My Naval Wings are helping hit the enemy destroyers; one of them scores a direct hit on one, ripping one of its turrets right off the hull.


26/9/1942
The Yugoslavian troops are closing the noose around Shumen; III Amphibious Corps’ HQ is coordinating a desperate defense trying to stall the enemy and inflict as many losses as it can. At Miskolc the enemy seems to have overextended, since only two Mehanizovane Regiments, two Tenkovske Regiments and a Huszàr Brigade are taking part in the advance. The 32nd Armored Division and 28° Ironsides Brigade have formed a strong defensive perimeter just outside the city and the front seems solid for now. 25° Ironsides and the II Amphibious Army’s HQ have joined the defense and 33rd Mechanized Division has reorganized two of its Regiments.

The Yugoslavian 130th Pesadija Division has launched an unexpectedly strong attack against Szeged, mauling one of 105th Infantry Division’s Regiments and forcing the entire Division to reorganize its lines to avoid a sudden breakthrough. 74th Armored Division has been redeployed east, so it can’t help. The 107th Infantry Division is ordered to withdraw from its position and move to Szeged.

The 18th Mechanized and 108th Infantry Divisions are sustaining heavy enemy attacks north of Budapest, but thanks to the support of an Artillery Regiment, they are still holding the line.

Enemy air attacks wipe out the survivors of an Artillery Regiment near Sopron.

The fleet has finally sunk the last Barracudas around Pecs, securing the docks. The enemy cruiser fleet has entered the striking range of my submarines, but one of them is detected by a Barracuda escort and focused on by the entire squadron, leading to its destruction. The other one retaliates with a torpedo strike on an enemy Kit-Ubica class Heavy Cruiser, scoring a hit. The ship is then attacked by my Naval Wings and by a single daring Slayer-Class Destroyer; the wave of torpedoes leave the Yugoslavian ship badly damaged and on fire, but still afloat.


27/9/1942
Two enemy Akula-Class armored cruisers break formation and charge my battleships trying to surprise them, but are intercepted by my own cruisers. Their attack ends in a barrage of gunfire that leaves one of them crippled and the other severely damaged. The more modern Kit-Ubica Heavy Cruisers are still dealing with my fast torpedo destroyers and under constant pressure by the Naval Wings, that are still scoring hits.

At midday, a flotilla of transports appear on the horizon, escorted by Destroyers: 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions have been sent to bolster the II Amphibious Army and defend Budapest.

Not a day too early: the lines at Shumen are under heavy pressure, and at Miskolc I have to retreat my armored units behind the river, leaving only the 106th Infantry Division to hold the city for a while. The Division is helped by a Support Regiment with modern AT guns, but it can’t hold the line alone: I’ll probably resort to cycling reinforcements in and out of the city.

The remains of the 105th Infantry Division retreat from Szeged.

My lines north of Budapest are forced to fold backwards, and the 74th Armored Division is sent to help.

Enemy 39° CAS Wing resumes its attacks around Sopron, but this time my Fighter Wings are ready and they wipe it out entirely. My Bomber Wings finally take off and attack enemy Mehanizovane units near Miskolc.




28/9/1942
The cruiser fleet attacks my naval units in full force, sinking the damaged cruiser Sunhaven and severely damaging the Loch Mor with a combination of gunfire and torpedo runs. The Cragstown and Lochair light cruisers concentrate their fire against an Ajkula-Class armored cruiser, already damaged earlier in the morning, and sink it with a pincer maneuver which leads to a double broadside. The King Charles II battleship sank a Kit-Ubica heavy cruiser that had been immobilized by a torpedo strike on its boiler room.

On the ground, I decide that it’s impossible for the forces around Shumen to link up with the rest at Miskolc. Given that the naval battle is going well, it may be possible to evacuate my units from the southern docks, just like I’m about to do with the 35th Infantry Division. The remains of the 50th Motorized Division and 118th infantry Division, as well as the 27° Ironsides Brigade and the HQ of the III Amphibious Corps, starts retreating south.

The battle for Miskolc is going well: the entrenched 106th Infantry division is proving to be a very hard nut to crack for the enemy, and it’s supported by my Bomber Wings.

Szeged has fallen, and 105th Infantry Division has been shattered by enemy assaults. The 107th Infantry Division arrives just in time to stop the enemy breakthrough; it will try to establish new defensive positions behind which the 105th could reorganize.

East of Szeged, the 74th Armored Division launches its counterattack to allow part of the 108th Infantry Division to retreat from the front line. 18th Mechanized is still fighting against the enemy’s 20th Mehanizovane, with neither side close to win the struggle.

Another day, another furball over Sopron. The fields around the town are littered with plane carcasses.

[StuccoFresco]

Kit-Ubica Class Cruiser
With the predecessor Ajkula class starting to show its age, the Croatian shipyards took the chance to make something even more ambitious: a Cruiser that could face down any other and even trade blows with older Battleships!

The new design, the Kit-Ubica (Killer Whale), displaced 11000t, had 90mm belt armor, and much heavier 180mm guns. It kept the torpedo tubes of the Ajkula class, but the bigger hull allowed 2 more 20mm turrets, increasing AA defense.

All those characteristics combined made the Kit-Ubica class one of the most powerful cruiser designs in the world, bordering on “Battlecruiser” territory. Unfortunately, even with modern engines, all this came at the expense of high fuel consumption and reduced operational range. But that wouldn’t be a problem: work on a dedicated Battlecruiser design had already started, and the Kit-Ubica was intended as a frontline brawler anyway.

[StuccoFresco]

29/9/1942
The naval action intensifies as the Yugoslavians see their chances decreasing and set up to inflict as much damage as they can before getting sunk: the Undying-class cruiser Whaleport gets targeted the most and is left as little more of a floating wreck after several hours of battle against the superior Kit-Ubica class heavy cruisers.

My plan to evacuate the remains of III Amphibious Corps from the southern docks is in peril: a single Barracuda Destroyer shows up and attacks the first transport fleet that departed with a regiment of the 35th Infantry Division. This is bad news, especially now that the Corps is finally cut off by supplies with the fall of Shumen. The sudden lack of fuel cripples the ability of the retreating units to put distance between them and the enemy: fuel is shifted between vehicles prioritizing ambulances and tanks, but it’s going to be a nightmare.

A determined Yugoslavian push at Miskolc shatters the 106th Infantry Division, annihilating one of its Regiments and crippling another. 33rd Mechanized Division has to relieve the defensive positions in the city and launch a counterattack after my Bombers has softened up the enemy.

The 107th Infantry Division keeps fighting back the advance of the Yugoslavian 82nd Motostrelci Division.

The 74th Armored Division keeps attacking, crushing several Motostrelci and Mehanizovane Regiments in its wake. The “Demolisher” guns prove to be a devastating multipurpose tool, equally effective at punching through armor and delivering high explosive against softer targets. Given the lack of enemy dedicated AT units, I think this front is pretty secure.


30/9/1942
The last Yugoslavian cruiser is sunk in a torpedo run of the 20th Australis Wing; the fleet moves west to intercept the Barracuda threatening the evacuation of the 35th Infantry Division. Finally, the rest of the Australis Fleet is back, but it’s too late: we don’t really need reinforcements.

The III Amphibious Corps keep retreating south; it seems the Yugoslavians have stopped the pursuit.

At Miskolc, the line holds, but enemy units are piling up west of the city, with an Artillery Regiment among them. My own Bombers are forced to go back to their airfields to resupply.

105th and 107th Infantry Divisions are too low on supplies and pretty exhausted; I withdraw them from the riverline to reorganize. This will give the enemy 82nd Motostrelci Division space to expand their bridgehead, but I have little choice.

Further east, an enemy Mehanizovane Regiment is trying to flank my entire line by fording the river; a single Regiment of the 18th Mechanized Division has tried to stop it but has been pushed back with high losses. I decide to redeploy one regiment from the 74th Armored Division to stop the threat.




1/10/1942
The Yugoslavians have left only a couple Engineer Battalions pursuing the III Amphibious Corps. I think I’ll be able to evacuate them without much issue. At least two enemy submarines attack a Destroyer escort of my transport flotilla, sinking it; another attack sinks a couple transport ships. It’s a rough awakening for what I envisioned being a pleasant ride to Budapest! One of the submarines is caught on the surface and is immediately attacked by my Naval Wings, who score at least a direct hit; the enemy unit is on fire.

The stray Barracuda in the west sinks other transport ships before my fleet descend on it blocking it in the waters in front of the docks.

The enemy 17th Mehanizovane Division supported by the 10th Tenkovske Division attacks at Miskolc and crushes one of my Regiments despite high armored losses; a counterattack from 32nd Armored Division re-establishes the frontline. Tank wrecks are scattered throughout the river banks, a testimony to the efficiency of the Commonwealth’s latest AT guns.

Enemy CAS Wings come back bombing my artillery at Sopron. For weeks I slept on my Support Regiment in Budapest that could have helped my guns survive the air attacks; I’m only now moving it toward the town, but it’s far too late.

No new attacks north of Budapest, fortunately: my units are exhausted.

[StuccoFresco]

Hunter Class Destroyer
The Hunter Class was designed in the early 30s to serve as the workforce of Commonwealth blue water fleets. Its steam-powered engines are slow by 1940’s standards, but reliable and cost-effective. The 1500t-hull sports armor that is considerably thicker than comparable crafts from other nations, but that comes at the expense of maneuverability.

Hunter-class destroyers mount four single-gun 5inches turrets, which give the destroyer a firepower advantage over ships of the same class. The development of torpedo warfare didn’t warrant changes to the design: it was deemed unnecessary to modify all the existing hulls, especially with a new class already in the works.

The Hunter Class is an increasingly obsolete design, which can however still trade punches against any opponent in high seas, and it will certainly see service until the Admiralty has enough newer vessels to replace them.

[StuccoFresco]

2/10/1942
Another assault against Miskolc is broken up by 32nd Armored Division, this time leaving the battered remains of the Yugoslavian 27° Huszàr Brigade to disperse after their disastrous attempt at fording the river. The old VK-10c light tanks are no match against the Commowealth’s MK-7, especially when they have no room to maneuver and are also greatly outnumbered.

The last Barracuda is sunk east of Dobrich. The enemy Hobotnica submarines that were trailing the transport flotilla south of Budapest are nowhere to be seen.

Yugoslavian units retreating from the eastern marshes are trying to break through Sopron; I spot three Infantry Divisions led by 4° Huszàr Brigade. I managed to bring up a Support Regiment just in time, it may be enough.

The 74th Armored Division keeps repelling any Yugoslavian advance north of Budapest.




3/10/1942
The battleships King Roger III and King Charles II are sent on the narrow bay at the Danube’s mouth to provide fire support for the defenders of Miskolc. The city is suffering repeated attacks from enemy armored units, but cycling the units and providing strong AT support is keeping the defenses up. A Regiment of 32nd Armored Division tries a counterattack, but this time it faces the more modern VK-15 light tanks of the 16° Huszàr Brigade, that provide a tougher opponent: the armored battle ends with around 25 destroyed MK-7 tanks and 40 wrecked VK-15 light tanks.

North of Budapest, the Yugoslavian 82nd Motostrelci Division is trying to flank both 107th and 105th Infantry Division, but the former launches a counterattack following an artillery bombardment and pushes the enemy back. One of its Regiments, however, has been almost wiped out during the enemy's attempted breakthrough.

Further east, the enemy 20th Mehanizovane Division tries a daring encirclement of my entire force in the area, coming close to effectively cutting off a lot of my units and maybe provoque a collapse. Fortunately, both the depleted Regiments that attempt the maneuver are decimated, one of them surrounded and forced to surrender. The remains of the other one are wiped out during a raid of my Bomber Wings.

Sopron resists all enemy attacks, for now.





4/10/1942
Despite having several Destroyers in ASW missions south of Budapest, the enemy Hobotnica-class vessels elude my sonar sweeps and sink a Destroyer with a torpedo salvo from multiple directions. The surviving Destroyers keep hunting and finally locate two enemy submarines, one of which suffers several direct hits, but survives. The Whaleport light cruiser, already crippled during the previous naval battles against the Yugoslavian cruiser squadron, is sunk as it’s slowly moving toward Budapest’s docks.

The artillery fire is slowly grinding down my units at Miskolc, so I order a series of bombing runs on an enemy Artiljerija Regiment. I also decide to be more aggressive, so 28° Ironsides takes up position in the city relieving a Mechanized Regiment, and launches a counterattack together with the 32nd Armored Division; united, the two armored formations crush the enemy’s 16° Huszàr Brigade in a pitched battle west of the city.

North of Budapest, the Yugoslavian 82nd Motostrelci Division is beaten back and will probably be forced to abandon its flanking maneuver. Further east the enemy is in disarray and the 74th Armored Division continues to dismantle Regiment after Regiment.

At Sopron, the enemy seems hesitant to move and properly engage my defensive lines.

[StuccoFresco]

Hobotnica Class Submarine
With the start of the war and the threat of the Commonwealth Navy looming, development of a modern 40s’ submarine accelerated. The Hobotnica (Octopus) design was extremely innovative, with triple the usual amount of batteries and a very hydrodynamic hull that allowed the submarine to stay submerged for almost double the time of other classes. More torpedo tubes and an assisted loading directly from the magazines also dramatically decreased the time between torpedo salvos.

This feature made the Hobotnica an incredibly dangerous hunter, capable of crippling or outright sinking an enemy vessel before it could retaliate effectively. The lack of deck gun wasn’t deemed problematic, since it would have been foolish to engage targets by surfacing.

To allow for longer missions, the crew compartments and general ergonomics of the vessel were vastly improved all around. All those upgrades meant the Hobotnica was ⅓ larger than older classes, but it was deemed well worth the price.

[StuccoFresco]

5/10/1942
More submarine attacks are followed by a strong retaliation by my ASW fleet supported by my Naval Bombers; two more sumbarines are sunk. The 92nd and 93rd Divisions finally arrive in Budapest. A support ship docks in Haskovo trying to resupply the decimated III Amphibious Corps that is still crawling south after abandoning most of its vehicles on the way.

My battleships reach the shallow waters at the end of the bay at the Danube’s mouth and train their guns on the enemy units amassing against Miskolc: a remarkably accurate barrage by the King Charles II annihilates a (depleted) Artiljerija Regiment in a couple hours, while the King Roger III targets a Tenkovske Regiment. Given the success of the action, the King William battleship is also sent navigating toward the Danube’s mouth.

North of Budapest I try to expand my perimeter pushing back several decimated Yugoslavian units, but other enemy forces are spotted moving south, so I’ll have to abort the offensive and re-form a defensive perimeter before the enemy can exploit my weakened formation.

At Sopron, the enemy infantry starts pushing against my defenses.






6-7/10/1942
Other two submarines are sunk south of Budapest. Such is the threat they represent, that every sinking is celebrated like a huge victory, no less than it was a mighty Battleship to succumb to the Australis Fleet's guns.

The enemy pushes against our lines at Miskolc, Sopron and north of Budapest. I’m trying to hold the line, and I’m confident I can do it until the end of the scenario. Losses are acceptable and the enemy doesn’t look like it can pull off any more flanking or infiltration move. Their best and most powerful units are near Miskolc, but the city is very well defended, with several layers of defenses between the city and Budapest. With the 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions reorganizing after the landings, I’m sure I can hold the city.


8/10/1942
What is hopefully the last remaining Yugoslavian submarine in the area is sunk by a Destroyer. 92nd Infantry Division is sent north to reinforce my lines, while the 93rd Infantry Division is sent to help defend Sopron.

My battleships keep pounding every enemy unit in sight, this time wiping out a decimated Tenkovske Regiment and crippling another. The huge 15in turrets’ salvos can outright disintegrate a Yugoslavian tank in case of a direct hit, flip it off if it lands very close, or at least severely damage the gun or tracks. The enemy has no way to counter this kind of barrage, save for simply staying out of range.


9/10/1942
The enemy’s offensives are dying down, except for the Sopron front where the 65th Motorized Division has been brought down to half strength and it’s pulling off in response to a flanking move by the Yugoslavian 310th Pesadija Division. The 93rd Infantry Division is coming to seal the gap in the front, helped by a Support and an Artillery Regiments.


10-11/10/1942
Sopron falls into enemy hands. The 92nd Infantry Division, initially sent north of Budapest, has been called back and ordered to redeploy east of the city. The 93th Infantry Division reaches the front as the remains of 65th Motorized and 109th Infantry Divisions start to retreat west.




12/10/1942
Two heavily damaged Hobotnica class Yugoslavian submarines show up near Budapest completely unexpectedly: one of them manages to pull off a torpedo strike on CV Tasmania, heavily damaging it, while the other almost ambushes a Support Ship. One of them is piled on by the fleet and sunk, the other eats several hits and it’s on fire.

The enemy advance from Sopron has been stopped by 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions. The Yugoslavian forces all around finally realize their offensive is going nowhere, the losses are too heavy, and retreat is inevitable. The battle is over.