[Brave new World] 2- Operation Scoilt

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The first joint offensive was pure chaos: the interforce communications were non-existent and the Irish followed their own battleplan without the faintest regard of the Yugoslavian infantry supposed to support them. Fortunately, the British seemed equally baffled and thoroughly failed to capitalize on this division, ending up with a sound defeat on their hands.

The victory provided much needed enthusiasm among the Tripartite forces, but also convinced the Joint Operations’ Command to better coordinate the two armies. And not a day too early, since it’s time to launch the first “real” counteroffensive of 1943. The objective of Operation Scoilt (“Cleave” in Irish) is to sever the railway that the British built from Kirkwall to supply their forces at Varna. The city of Chernomorets and its huge train station will be the primary objective.

The Joint Operations’ Command will lead the Irish I and II Còr Turais and coordinate them with the Yugoslavian II Oklopni Korpus. Yugoslavian Engineer Battalions will help the Irish break through the enemy minefields. The main offensive will be launched by II Còr Turais and II Oklopni Korpus on the right flank, while I Còr will pin the enemy units in place and support the other formations.

We expect the enemy to have plenty of armored support in second-line formations ready to strike at any penetration of their main line of resistance. The Irish field a single armored division; their tanks are lightly armored but pack a reasonable punch. To face the vastly superior enemy tanks and British aviation, the Irish field Sealgair Brigades equipped with plenty of SPAA and tank destroyers: keeping them close to the advancing units will be the key for success.



The success of our first battle has had positive impacts on the situation: we have one extra Offensive Operation available, and the British have been forced to send a Motorized Division southwest.





1/8/1942
The 15th and 16th Meichnithe Divisions advance on the right flank and promptly break through enemy infantry lines. The rest of II Còr advances, preparing for a breakout.

On the left flank, 100th Coisithe (infantry) Division does the same thanks to the support of two Zairian-supplied artillery regiments. Further west 102nd Coisithe Division advances and takes contact with the enemy, but will wait until the artillery has softened up the enemy enough.

The Yugoslavian II Oklopni Korpus splits in two prongs on the II Còr’s flanks. Its 36th Huszàr Brigade attacks the British 51st Infantry Division, already beaten down by the Irish Meichnithe troops, capitalizing on the losses suffered by the Support Guns behind them. Their brand new light tanks prove to be much more survivable than the older versions.




2/8/1943
The British shell the leading elements of my formations and follow up with infantry counterattacks. One Regiment of the 100th Coisithe is all but destroyed in the fighting. Three British Bomber Wings show up to pummel the II Còr, but their Fighter escorts have been baited away by Yugoslavian Interceptors in a brave but suicidal move: the Yugoslavian 45th Interceptor Wing is decimated by the enemy.

The II Còr Turais renews its offensive, completing the breakthrough on the right flank: the British 51st Infantry Division is destroyed and the British artillery follows the same fate. The 81st and 82nd Sealgair Brigades closely follow the leading elements, especially guarding the advancing 40th Armùrtha Division. So far, no sign of British counterattack. The British Bomber Wings are targeted by all our available AAA assets, wiping out an entire formation before the Irish 5th and 6th Eitleog Wings decimate another one.

The I Còr shuffles around its units and keeps pushing toward the enemy artillery with its 102nd Coisithe Division.

The Yugoslavians funnel all their armor through the gap in the enemy’s left flank, but one of their Tenkovske Regiments advances too much and finds an enemy armored formation ready to counterattack. Their AA and Interceptors down the remnants of another British Bomber Wing.




3/8/1942
As expected, the British launch their armored counterattack, spearheaded by the 3rd Armored Division and its brand new heavy tanks, and shatters the Yugoslavian’s 11th Tenkovske Division: one Regiment is thoroughly destroyed and another one loses half its tanks. 35th and 36th Huszàr Brigades rush forward to support the survivors, but it will fall unto II Còr to face the enemy first. The 81st and 82nd Sealgair Brigades escort the bulk of 15th and 16th Meichnithe Divisions toward the front, where they receive some reinforcements and set up defensive positions just in front of the enemy tanks. Meanwhile, 40th Armurtha moves behind them looking for a possible counterattack.

Our 10th and 11th Boumadoir Wings attack the enemy tank columns with their AT cannons and wreck dozens of them, forcing the rest to stop their advance. Irish Eitleog Wings keep a close escort formation: British Fighters are roaming about and have finished off the Yugoslavian 45th Interceptor Wing.

Further north, the British 52nd Infantry Division is encircled by 101st Coisithe and 6th Mhotaraithe Divisions.

The I Còr keep guard on the left flank; so far the enemy suffers high losses but there is no real hope of achieving a breakthrough, nor is there a real necessity of such a move. Keeping the enemy occupied is more than enough, so 4th Mhotaraithe Division is sent west to help exploit II Còr’s breakthrough.

Unfortunately, the Yugoslavian armored units advance again, far from the protection of our tank destroyers.




4/8/1943
The enemy’s 3rd Armored Division attacks along the entire front, but falls right into the jaws of 81st Sealgair Brigade. The Irish 80mm AT guns in ambush positions have an easy time picking off the slow British heavy tanks one by one as they drive past the first line and into the killing fields. Once detected, the tank destroyers hit the reverse gear and move through cover to the next pre-arranged ambush site. During the day, the 3rd Armored Division loses no less than 80 tanks and is forced to stop the attack. Despite the losses, the enemy has managed to destroy a Meichnithe Regiment and to almost wipe out another Tenkovske Regiment: the new British heavy tanks are incredibly dangerous.

The 40th Armurtha Division launches its counterattack, inflicting crippling losses on two enemy armored Regiments and pushing them back.

The 6th Mhotaraithe Division advances toward Prohod, which finds defended by the 53rd Infantry Division and a British Corps HQ.

On the left flank, 100th and 103rd Coisithe Divisions launch an offensive against the British lines that pushes the whole enemy line back several kilometers.

The II Oklopni Korpus capitalizes on the enemy armored losses and maneuvers through and behind enemy lines, encircling the 8th Mechanized Division that was supporting the British 3rd Armored.

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UlsterWorks U-6b “Adharc”
Contrary to the progressive views of Henry Corr, Leonard Burnell was a despotic industrialist unwilling to cede his family’s business to the rising workers’ movements. For a full year he used his family’s considerable wealth to hire striker-breakers, local mobsters and bribed cops to harass and beat down the protesters. When the revolution was about to succeed, he fled the country and sabotaged everything he could. It took years for the renamed UlsterWorks to go back producing locomotives and railway wagons, but the local polytechnic school provided plenty of talented engineers and helped to restore the factory to its former glory and beyond.

In 1937 the Irish People’s Army realized its weakness against the heavy British tanks, and with tank armor being incredibly expensive, asked the military complex to find a solution. The UlsterWorks saw the opportunity and decided to develop a series of specialized vehicles: the first Irish tank destroyers. The U-6b “Adharc” (horn) is a design introduced into service in 1941, simple yet effective: a lightly armored chassis with a powerful gun installed in an open top fixed superstructure. The U-6b is useless against soft targets, but its 70mm high velocity gun is a real threat. What makes the U-6b indipendent units even more effective are the vehicle’s excellent power-to-weight ratio and its relatively small size, making it perfect for quickly moving through difficult terrain and easily finding ambush positions.

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5/8/1943
The British line is shattered: 8th Mechanized is surrounded and 3rd Armored almost entirely wiped out. The II Còr is advancing in the open without encountering any resistance; the town of Senovo is reached by elements of the 4th Mhotaraithe Division.

I Còr is still tying up three enemy Infantry Divisions. The II Oklopni Korpus completes the destruction of the British 8th Mechanized Division while the Yugoslavian 4th CAS Wing annihilates the last tanks of the 3rd Armored Division.



6/8/1943
Aerial reconnaissance finds another enemy mixed armored/mechanized formation NE of Prohod, in front of the I Còr. It will probably counterattack and smash any of the latter’s breakthroughs, so I better not push too hard there. II Còr has reached the small city of Pachkovtsi, which is considered a secondary objective. Taking it could convince the Joint Operations’ Command to send us additional reinforcements. It is guarded by the well-entrenched British 11th Infantry Division, supported by AT guns, so I decide to place 15th Meichnithe in front of it to bait a counterattack, and encircle the city with the 16th Meichnithe, 4th Mhotaraithe and 40th Armurtha Divisions.




7/8/1943
The enemy formation spotted by my planes rumbles forward, launching a devastating flanking attack on 16th Meichnithe as it was flanking Pachkovtsi; one of its Regiments is almost wiped out and another one, along with one of 4th Mhotaraithe, is cut off from supplies.

II Còr reacts to the threat by redeploying on its now wide open left flank: the Sealgair Brigades form a defensive perimeter and 15th Meichnithe occupies it. The aviation takes care of the enemy armor and a series of counterattacks leads to the destruction of an enemy Armored Regiments. This one was equipped with older MK-7 “Demolisher” tanks, but it’s still a huge success. Thanks to a bold move by the cut-off 4th Mhotaraithe Division, the enemy’s 7th Mechanized Division that was accompanying the armor is now cut off from supplies. The 40th Armurtha Division is ready to launch an attack against it as soon as possible.

On the left flank, the I Còr is plowing through the British infantry in front of it.

The Yugoslavian armored units attack Prohod and the encircled British Mechanized troops.




8/8/1943
The British lines are shattered, but their attempts to counterattack go on: another Armored Regiment threatens the II Còr’s left flank, but is met with a line of mechanized infantry supported by Sealgair Brigades. Prohod falls, and the I Còr starts advancing along its entire front. The Yugoslavian Southern Front sends the 43rd Motostrelci Division to bolster the breakthrough.

The II Oklopni Korpus joins the attack on Pachkovtsi and wipes out the airfields.




9/8/1943
The last previously not yet committed Mechanized and Armored Regiments of the British II Battlegroup moves toward I Còr. I have the 83° Salgair Brigade up there, but the Mechanized unit can melt my infantry. I have to retreat closer to my artillery units so I can soften up the enemy.

Enemy mechanized remnants retook Prohod with the help of an Armored Regiment, but the 40th Armurtha Division, supported by heavy artillery fire, counterattacks and annihilates the enemy armor. The old MK-7s are torn apart by the Irish guns charging from behind before they could recover from the shellshock of the bombardments.

Pachkovtsi is surrounded.




10/8/1943
There is still heavy fighting going on in the dense woods around Prohod. Enemy armor and mechanized units are still roaming east of the town, and I Còr is dangerously disorganized. I’m trying to set up a trap for the enemy armored Regiment, and my artillery is ready to fire on any approaching enemy unit.

The II Còr has taken Pachkovtsi and is moving southeast unopposed. The Yugoslavians crush the last enemy pocket of resistance around the city and roll south toward Dospat, a secondary objective.


11/8/1943
More supplies are assigned to our operation now that Pachkovtsi has fallen. I thought I had shattered the British 7th Mechanized Division, but it merely retreated out of my sight and regained enough strength to be a grave concern for the I Còr. The British 13th Infantry Division ambushes the leading elements of the Yugoslavian 11th Tenkovske Division and halts its advance.

As my forces move toward Tran, I am starting to become nervous about my completely exposed left flank: there is nothing around Pachkovtsi to stop a possible counterattack from Gabrovo… Maybe it’s better if next turn I pull the 40th Armurtha from the frontline and use it as a mobile reserve…

In the north, my artillery successfully blunts the enemy advance while Irish and Yugoslavian CAS planes devastate the lone British armored regiment.

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Irish 5th Aviofactory C-2
The 5th Aviofactory has been created for the sole purpose of producing heavy airframes for bombers and civilian transports. The crucial task of producing CAS planes makes the factory a strategic asset that receives priority on all resources and workforce allocations, allowing for high production numbers.

The C-2 is one of the best products of the 5th: its armored cockpit makes the plane highly survivable despite its preference for low altitude attacks, thus making the recovery of the costly engines and the life of the precious pilots more likely.

The plane is armed with two machineguns on the wings, a rear heavy machinegun for self defense, two air-to-ground rockets and, more importantly, the PTB bomblets. The PTB is the new generation of anti-tank bombs: instead of relying on extremely difficult direct hits with conventional 150 or 250kg bombs, the C-2 releases instead a full crate of 50 PTB bomblets, which despite weighting 10kgs are more than capable to disable an enemy tank through multiple hits to its vulnerable top side. The spread of the bomblets make pinpoint precision unnecessary, adding to the efficiency of the anti-tank missions.

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12/8/1943
The British keep pouring reinforcements in the area as the threat to the Kirkwall-Varna railway rises. Resistance is ceasing around Prohod, and it seems the enemy threat to I Còr has fallen considerably. 40th Armurtha is still recalled back to Pachkovtsi as an enemy Mechanized Regiment approaches the city; a swift armored counterattack sends the enemy unit in a rout. The rest of the II Còr is starting to envelop Tran.

The Yugoslavian II Oklopni Korpus is eliminating the British 13th Infantry Division.


13/8/1943
4th and 6th Mhotaraithe have been recalled north to help finish off the British forces still pressuring the I Còr; so far, the enemy lone Armored Regiment has been decimated by our and the Yugoslavian CAS attacks, and the remaining Mechanized Regiments are cut off and surrounded by our infantry at Prohod. Despite the failure of their counterattack, the British still managed to successfully prevent me from bringing forward my artillery to help the II Còr’s advance, as well as forcing me to keep too many units way back instead of covering its exposed northern flank.

Those weaknesses become evident as another British Mechanized Division, the 34th, shows up behind II Còr and obliterates the only Artillery Regiment I had in the Tran area. I promptly bring back 40th Armurtha to deal with the attackers, inflicting heavy casualties, but my artillery is gone. The British 202nd Motorized Division still defends the town albeit having suffered heavy losses as well.

The Yugoslavians have finally crushed the British 13th Infantry Division and will now head directly to Dospat, according to the battle plan. Hopefully.


14/8/1943
The British 7th Mechanized Division at Prohod is decimated, cut off and encircled, meaning it has a day or two at most before it’s forced to surrender. Still, the fighting around the town makes the road passing through it unsafe for my artillery. The last British armored elements surrender in the northeastern woods after yet another round of ground attacks by the Yugoslavian CAS Wing.

The British forces around Tran are collapsing: the 34th Mechanized Division have been almost wiped out by my tanks. The 80mm guns rip through the British APCs and the lightly armored IFVs after the initial barrage of the regimental guns.

The II Oklopni Korpus launches a frontal assault on the fortified town of Dospat. Brave, but costly: the aging ZMT-40(p) tanks are met with intense AT fire, but with the assistance of the Motostrelci infantry and the Huszàrs they manage to break the first line of defenses and open a breach for the infantry to follow.


15/8/1943
Another British unit joins the fight at Tran: the 77th Motorized Division enters the town before I could occupy it and sets up shop. I decide to encircle them and let them stew for a day or two before renewing the assault. Meanwhile, the 40th Armurtha Division decimates one enemy Regiment before it can take position around the town: the few armored vehicles fielded by the enemy are no match for the Irish tanks, and their powerful HE shells are extremely efficient against soft targets.

In the north, I can finally move my artillery south. The destruction of the last vestiges of the British mechanized and armored units convince the Joint Operations’ Command to release the 3rd Mhotaraithe Division from the reserve, so I immediately send it (and its precious accompanying motorized artillery) south.


16-17/8/1943
British motorized units keep roaming the countryside cutting mine and the Yugoslavian’s supply routes to stall our offensive. Tran is conquered and the British units around it are decimated. After that, I give most of my units a day to rest and reorganize.

The Yugoslavian 43rd Motostrelci Division takes Dospat.




18/8/1943
As my troops start closing in on Chernomorets, a single regiment of the 34th Mechanized Division is spotted northeast of Pachkovtsi. The I Còr is already moving to intercept it, with plenty of artillery. Irish fighters and CAS start attacking the enemy APCs as they roll toward the city.


19/8/1943
The lone regiment of the British 34th Mechanized Division tries to retake Pachkovtsi in a direct assault, but is pushed back by the entrenched remnants of a regiment of the 4th Mhotaraithe Division. With two heavy artillery regiments nearby, the British soon find themselves under a deluge of 200mm shells and are swiftly decimated. As the ground shakes under the barrage and their vehicles and soldiers mowed down or pinned to the ground, the enemy Regiment can’t do anything to prevent the rest of the I Còr from encircling it and starting to cut it down.

The 15th Meichnithe Division launches an assault against Chernomoret’s airfields and conquers them after fierce fighting, while the 3rd Mhotaraithe Division engages the defenders. The rail station’s city block has been heavily fortified and will need to be suppressed by artillery unless I plan on grinding down my own troops. Fortunately, my artillery regiments are finally arriving in the area.

Support from the Yugoslavian armored troops would be appreciated, but they are busy dealing with British motorized units bothering their supply lines.


20/8/1943
The enemy’s 12th Infantry Division makes a grave mistake: it sallies forth from the range of Chernomoret’s fortified AT guns and tries to push back my advancing units. It mauls the forward elements of an already battered Mhotaraithe regiment, but it’s promptly counterattacked by overwhelming numbers and firepower and an entire infantry regiment is wiped out.

The 100th Coisithe Division, now that the enemy mechanized troops have surrendered at Pachkovtsi, starts moving toward Gabrovo, but runs into an enemy Medium Guns Regiment. Strolling calmly down the road, one of its decimated Regiment proves to be a fantastic target for the British guns, and is almost wiped out.


21/8/1943
Finally, my artillery is in position and starts shelling the rail station’s fortified district of Chernomorets. The enemy infantry is still fighting south of the city’s suburbs, but it’s not a concern.

I Còr overruns the British artillery and moves toward Gabrovo. The Yugoslavian apparently finished off the enemy Motorized troops in their sector.




22/8/1943
Annoyingly, yet another British Motorized Regiment shows up near the Yugoslavian sector. I send the aviation to pummel it before our allies send in their tanks.

Chernomorets is now under fire by two full strength artillery regiments. The 120mm shells rain down on the railway district collapsing the weaker buildings and damaging the fortified ones. The city garrison suffers hours of shelling before 15th and 16th Meichnithe Divisions move in and launch a direct assault from three directions: assault troops storm the shocked defenders and make short work of them with SMGs and grenades; the IFVs protect them from the few machinegun nests still operational. By dusk, the outer ring of bunkers is conquered and the garrison retreats around the rail station. Meanwhile, the tanks have crushed the British infantry outside the city.


23-25/8/1943
After most of Chernomoret’s bunkers are either dealt with or suppressed, 40th Armurtha sends in one of its regiments and blows up the last ones. The Meichnithe troops assault the rail station and finally conquer the objective.

The battle is soon over, with Gabrovo’s fortified area also falling to massive artillery strikes and direct infantry assault. Operation Scoilt has been a triumph!