Slitherine

Hi all, this is the AAR of the second scenario of the campaign featured in my mod ( viewtopic.php?f=373&t=108119 ). As usual, keep in mind that compared with the final version included in the released mod, small changes has been made, mainly to make the scenarios a little more challenging and changing some graphics (in the AARs, Strongpoints are represented with a counter, in the released version they look like vanilla Concrete Bunkers).

1st scenario's AAR: viewtopic.php?f=373&p=956828#p956828
2nd scenario's AAR: viewtopic.php?f=373&t=108144


SCENARIO 3: SALVATION

The British Commonwealth’s forces have broken through the border. Our valiant defense allowed a more-or-less orderly withdrawal of many Korpus, but LIII Pešadija Korpus got encircled by British Motorized Divisions.

The besieged Korpus is low on supplies and in dire need of rescue. I have two Huszàr Brigades and 2 Armored Regiments; every unit has suffered losses in the prior border battles, but has enough experience to compensate. I also have the veteran 46th Interceptor Wing, not at full strenght, and a fresh but inexperienced Motostrelci Division, the 82nd.




25 to 26/1/1940
Thanks to my efforts to spare futile losses in the first battle, the available veteran units have more strenght than expected, and also some spare resources.

I push forward the X Konjica Korpus with the objective of surrounding Napoca and forcing the British Motorized troops blocking the main road to surrender. 71st, 149th and 153th Pešadija Divisionisions will immediately move west to capitalize the opportunity to evacuate the pocket as soon as my armored forces re-open the road. 143rd and most of 144th Pešadija Divisionisions will hold off the British advance.

Enemy Motorized Regiments descend on the pocket from all sides, trying to crush it. British Cheltham C-5 Bombers support the attack, but 46th Interceptor Wing immediately attacks them.




27/1/1940
the pocket is opened and supplies flow to the formerly encircled LIII Pešadija Korpus. British 28th Motorized Division rushes toward Pitesti, assaulting the LIII Pešadija Korpus' HQ, but a swift move by 3rd Huszàr and 153rd Pešadija Division cuts it off and decimate one of its Regiments.

Napoca is surrounded by armor, cavalry and infantry; British 110th Motorized Division is trapped in the city. One Regiment of 85th Tenkovske moves north to intercept the advancing British 42nd Motorized Division.

143rd Pešadija Division is under heavy attack from 76th British Infantry Division, supported by 3rd and 4th Ironsides Brigades. The town of Mediasz is wracked by the Ironsides' "Bison" assault guns, but still resists.

British Fighters attack 46th Interceptor Wing, forcing it to retreat. British S/F-5 “Prowler” fighters keep demonstrating their superior dogfighting ability against Yugoslavian CAI-1Interceptors.

S/F-5 “Prowler” Fighter

The Northumbrian aircraft industry has been the major producer of airframes in the entire Southern Continent, and the Supermarine firm was always at the forefront of innovation. When the market for military aircraft boomed during the last stage of the Great Wars, Supermarine really took off and started integrating several minor manufacturers to help meet production quotas.

The F- series is the main design of Supermarine fighter aircrafts, now in its fifth and improved iteration. The airframe is fast, but its strong point is maneuverability: its turn rate is simply astonishing and it can line up its 6x8mm machine guns in a pinch. The S/F-5 is thus a very effective dogfighter, born to achieve air superiority over the battlefield or escort bombers.

28/1/1940
Most of British 28th Motorized surrenders south of Pitesti. The eastern side of the former pocket shatters under enemy pressure: only a single Regiment of 143rd and 144th Pešadija Divisionisions stay back to buy time, the rest is moving west to escape. British 110th Motorized is shelled by Yugoslavian artillery at Napoca, but resists.




29-30/1/1940
A single regiment of British 110th Motorized Division manages to escape the Napoca pocket, but the rest is still trapped and under heavy attack. The rearguard collapses and British units are swarming west.


31/1/1940
the relief force is keeping a defensive line around Pitesti, but British pressure is mounting inexorably. A counterattack by both 3rd Huszàr and elements of 85th Tenkovske has pushed 4th Ironsides back with high losses. British indipendent Medium Guns Regiment spotted, will probably start shelling the town tomorrow. LIII Pešadija Korpus is in full retreat through Napoca; most of British Motorized troops have been dispersed during the battle.

Commonwealth SOG-25p

The standard Corps artillery piece of the Commonwealth in 1940 is the reliable Standard Ordnance Gun (SOG) 25 pounder, well appreciated for its characteristic circular firing base. The platform transfer most of the recoil to the ground, adding stability to the gun and allowing long firing missions. The Royal Ordnance factories delivered thousands of this guns to the army, to the point every Corps has one or more dedicated Regiments. At around 12km range, the SOG-25p is able to provide a sustained fire support to any offensive before being forced to redeploy. Albeit new, bigger calibers are being designed, it's expected most of the Artillery Regiments of the Commonwealth will keep using the SOG-25p for a good while.

The weapon has had so much success that has been adopted by the Byzantine Free State's army too. Of course the high... influence... that the British Commonwealth holds on the Free State may have had a hand in the choice, but after all, the SOG-25p is indeed a very good choice for any army.

1 to 3/2/1940
4th British Armored Division enters the battlefield. The escape of LIII has alarmed British Western Command, that now tries to crush the Yugoslavian troops. Pitesti has fallen, and my rearguard is retreating toward Napoca slowly in a tight formation with the eastern flank (more exposed to the enemy's advance) made up of 85th Tenkovske, northern and southern flanks covered by 82nd Motorized and the lone surviving Regiment of 153rd Pešadija Division, with a Podržavaju Regiment and two Artijeria Regiment in the middle providing support.

1st and 3rd Huszàr leave the defensive formation to decimate a Motorized Regiment that got too close; the secondary objective of destroying 9 such units is at hand and would mean an advantage in future battles.

British Avro Bombers keep harassing the retreating units, and 46th Interceptor Wing is severely understrenght. With few resources available, I can't reinforce it, but the valiant Yugoslavian pilots keep flying and fighting.




4 to 5/2/1940
Most of LIII Pešadija Korpus have left the battlefield through Hunedoara. The rearguard has reached Napoca and is still fighting off British assaults. The small town once again see heavy shelling and brutal fights in the outskirts as the rearguard slowly cedes ground. Despite the arrival of the heavy Duke tanks, the British use mainly infantry to attack, supported by Ironsides Brigades.


6/2/1940
British forces take Napoca, but all my troops are either escaped from the map or safely retreating west. The battle is won: LIII Pešadija Korpus has been saved and ten British Motorized Regiments have been destroyed, slowing the enemy's advance considerably.




CONCLUSIONS
The battle wasn't very hard, so the final release will be a bit harder. Time constraints are good to keep tension up, I have to say. As far as the campaign goes, it has been a succes: 10 Regiments of LIII Korpus has escaped the pocket and the relief force has formed a defensive line strong enough to make the Commonwealth forces drop the pursuit. The front moves west, but it will slow down in the coming days due to weather and the British running out of steam. We'll take time to build up our defenses in the Bucarest and Chisinau regions.