[BnW, 1942 UK vs Yugo] 8 - Operation Warhammer

[StuccoFresco]

The campaign is nearing its end: the enemy pocket at Burgos is now doomed, and our forces are advancing in the open plains pushing back the enemy forces everywhere. There is just one last problem: the enemy has set up a railroad to Varna and it’s amassing troops and supplies to form a defensive line and staging a future counteroffensive.

Given that most of our infantry is busy reducing the Burgas pocket or advancing against secondary objectives, the task of taking Varna and crushing the last hopes of the enemy falls onto the heavily armored but not so numerous 50th Army.

As the briefing clarifies, the enemy has a lot of troops, layered defenses and plenty of minefields and strongpoints. Trying to chew through all of them would grind my units down and be a repeat of the Bucarest fiasco of 1940.

The last two battles I was commanding a very small force in relatively small maps. This time everything is just massive, so I have to prepare a strategy from the get go instead of winging it as I go.

My force is split in three strong columns, the objective is in the far north of the map, in the center. Briefing says there are multiple layers of defenses and minefields, as is standard Yugoslavian practice to grind the opponent down before the decisive battles in front of the objective. To avoid this, I must maneuver around as many obstacles as possible.

Avoiding minefields is important: they can inflict annoying losses and block movement. The motorized engineer battalions should go first, then the Motorized Regiments. The roads are probably mined and well defended, so I should try to go cross-country as much as possible and just eat the movement penalties.

I can use the three columns separately, but I could just run into too many defenses and end up being too weak everywhere. I think merging all three in a single armored fist and overrunning everything is the best strategy. The three Corps will advance and merge in a timely manner without sacrificing too much forward movement.

There is an enemy Supply Point at Obzov, and an airfield. That area is certainly well defended, so I’ll try to avoid it. The secondary objective of Sliven is in the top left corner: it’s tempting, but can be overly hard to take.






30/11/1942
I move the three Corps north, finding nothing. I send off two Fighter Wings to scout ahead, finding a Pesadija Division with a Podzdravaju Regiment attached defending a village along the central road, and a Strongpoint in the eastern town of Tran.

I’m reminded of my failure to stop the enemy armor from retreating last battle. I’ll have to fight those tanks again.




1/12/1942
The scenario reminds me of Sliven’s importance, and dangles a carrot in front of me: if I open the road for the city, I will be rewarded with a Mechanized Division (but also be deducted 50 resources). It’s a fair trade-off, worth a try to experiment with the triggers too, so I decide to give it a shot: I will take the two villages quoted in the event. However, I won’t dedicate the entire IX Assault Corps to the task: I will assign the 22nd Mechanized Division, the Corps HQ, an Artillery Regiment, and the 59th Motorized Division. After receiving the Mechanized reinforcements, I will re-assign the 22nd Mechanized Division to the main objective.

X Assault Corps finds mines on the main road and another minefield just next to it. My units start to pile up trying to pass through. Enemy CAS planes attack the 14th Armoured Division, so I have to bring the 55th Fighter Wing and heavy ground AA to address the issue. More CAS planes are spotted northeast of the column, this time escorted by obsolete CAI-1 Interceptors. I decide to engage the latters, inflicting heavy losses thanks to my technologically superior planes. I move my Bombers close to my AA and Fighters to bait enemy Interceptors into a trap.

XV Assault Corps hits a minefield on a crossroad, too.




2/12/1942
Both IX and XV Corps encounter more minefields after clearing the first ones. Enemy air units disappear, and I decide to ground everything but a Fighter Wing that I use to scout the two swamp villages on the road to Sliven. The Fighters spot the Yugoslavian 180th Pesadija Division sitting on the road, entrenched and with AT Support.


3/12/1942
Another minefield on the road (the one that has a full Pesadija Division with AT on it ahead) convinces the X Assault Corps to shift northeast. With XV Assault Corps going northwest, I plan to join the two at some point between Tran and Obzov.

The IX Assault Corps splits as planned, and arrives in sight of the swamp villages and their defenders. The enemy air force is nowhere to be seen, but I keep mine ready.


4/12/1942
Winter has come! A proper snow storm engulfs the battlefield and my supply lines go underwater.

After a heavy barrage by two Artillery Regiments, the 22nd Mechanized and 59th Motorized Division plow through the ranks of the enemy forces defending the swamp villages.

The 14th Armored Division is again attacked by enemy CAS planes, two full Wings this time, but for some reason the enemy has sent its Interceptors to annoy my artillery instead of escorting its CAS, so I can jump on them with my Fighters and execute a turkey shoot. With the help of ground AA, I wipe out an entire CAS Wing and decimate another one. The enemy’s ground attack capabilities have been effectively crippled!

The XV Assault Corps is fording the frozen river west of Tran, keeping close watch on the enemy forces around the town. I’m trying to not provoke a counter attack by both keeping the distance and a close formation with strong armored units covering my flank.




5/12/1942
Contrary to my expectations, the enemy had another CAS Wing ready to pounce on the poor 14th Armored Division: so far it has already lost 50 tanks to air attacks and replacements are costly. However, the enemy still lacks escorts so I manage to wipe out another full CAS Wing and cripple the new (more modern) one.

The 180th Pesadija Division has suffered massive losses and is almost driven out of the swamps.

X and XV Assault Corps are closing the gap between them, but the 57th Motorized Division has spotted an enemy force north of its positions. The XV Assault Corps has forded the river east of Tran almost in its entirety.

[StuccoFresco]

Barracuda II Class Destroyer
The successor of the Barracuda is a straight upgrade in almost every conceivable way: two twin-30mm AA turrets have been added, an improved version of depth charges has been introduced, and a more powerful engine adds plenty of added speed and maneuverability.

The 115mm guns have been abandoned in favor of a double 120mm one, but one of the former’s turrets has to be removed. The small loss of gun firepower has been countered by the adoption of much faster and precise torpedoes, which are now even more of a threat against big ships.

The Barracuda II is being produced in high numbers, and “thanks” to its predecessor’s high losses it’s quickly replacing it in the Yugoslavian fleet. Despite still being a pretty fragile ship with a dangerous role, the Barracuda II is a threat to be reckoned with.

[StuccoFresco]

6-7/12/1942
The spearheading Regiment of the 57th Motorized Division is assaulted by the entire enemy’s 96th Motostrelci Division, suffering heavy losses. An immediate counterattack by the 48th Mechanized Division pushes the enemy unit back with comparable losses. A sudden sortie by the enemy’s 17° Huszàr Brigade strikes the XV Assault Corps’ HQ, risking the annihilation of the unit; it would be a crippling loss of us, so I try to retreat as far as possible from the enemy cavalry and I order aerial bombardment on it to slow it down.

The enemy unit is also threatening the supply lines of the Corps, but fortunately X Corps has already linked up with it. Cutting off the eastern supply route would still be a disaster, so I’m really hoping the enemy Huszàrs won’t do it or I’ll be forced to bring some units back to address the issue.

IX Assault Corps occupies the swamp villages and the Yugoslavian resistance ceases in the area.




8/12/1942
Capturing the swamp villages convinces the Central Command of our seriousness toward Sliven, so the 17th Mechanized Division is sent to help the IX Assault Corps. I planned to drive the 17th all the way up north and divert the 22nd to the center, but it was a stupid plan: the 22nd Mechanized Division will drive toward Sliven, and the newly arrived 17th will be diverted toward the center. The main road toward Sliven passes through bridges, forests and towns, all of which probably mined or well defended; I take the decision to go cross-country west of the road to surprise the enemy. The only choke point before Sliven is an unavoidable mountain pass right south of the city, but arriving there undisturbed would be awesome.

In the center, the XV Assault Corps has pushed the enemy’s 96th Motostrelci Division in a dense forest; the enemy had artillery support, but their positions are being assaulted by 57th Motorized and other units so I’m confident those guns will be silenced quickly.

The vanguard of the 20th Mechanized Division spotted enemy entrenched infantry across the gap I was hoping to use to bypass enemy defenses at Tran and Obzov. Fair enough: the enemy isn’t stupid and that wide open terrain was a clear route north.

The enemy 17° Huszàr Brigade has disappeared, maybe returned near Tran. XV Assault Corps’ HQ has escaped destruction somehow and it’s trying to link up with the rest of the 50th Army. That was close!




9/12/1942
The enemy positions found in the middle of the map are quite strong: entrenched infantry and tons of minefields, and I suppose artillery in the back. I’m bringing up my own Artillery Regiments, and I’ll need armored support for flanking moves. On the west there are hills and forests, but if they aren’t guarded I can use them to outflank the enemy lines.

Meanwhile, the enemy’s 96th Motostrelci Division is destroyed in a series of brutal fights in the forest with the support of the 72nd Bomber Wing. Leaving them behind could have allowed them to wreck our supply lines and I can’t afford that.

In the west, IX Assault Corps is moving on the western edge of the battlefield. Enemy Interceptors fly overhead, occasionally machinegunning our troops with little effect. I honestly don’t understand their goals.




10/12/1942
The IX Assault Corps keeps moving north.

The X and XV Assault Corps are hitting against the enemy lines. Thr 58th Motorized Division tries to find a gap through which outflank the enemy, but find another minefield at a crossroad. Aerial recon spots a strong concentration of enemy units east of Obzov (as expected) and another Pesadija Division blocking the road north. The forests may cover other enemy units. On the other hand, there seems to be no dedicated enemy Artiljerija Regiments among the lines we are trying to break through.




11/12/1942
The assault on the enemy’s fortified line has started: three Artillery Regiment hit hard the enemy’s 207th Pesadija Division before the 20th and 48th Mechanized Divisions launch their attack. The advance is quick and steady: the enemy units suffer heavy losses and are pushed back several kms, with the Mechanized units reaching the second line of defense and threatening the enemy’s Podzdravaju Regiments.

Meanwhile, the 58th Motorized Division has perhaps found the gap it was looking for, and it’s being tailed by the 14th Armored Division. All my armored forces are driving just behind the first line, eager to exploit any gap.

My Corps HQs and the Army HQ are lagging behind, so my efficiency on the front lines is less than ideal.




12-13/12/1942
As the IX Assault Corps approaches Sliven, it becomes apparent it needs to rest and reorganize: the offensive is supplied through a single off-road route, narrow and easily cut should any enemy give it a try. The leading elements are tired, and the 22nd Mechanized Division isn’t at full health. I’ll form a defensive perimeter tomorrow and I’ll give the Corps a full day of rest.

The X and XV Assault Corps don’t have this luxury: the enemy lines are crumbling and they must press on the attack. Three enemy Pesadija Divisions have been shattered, and multiple gaps have opened in their last line of defense. With the enemy troops around Tran and Obzov seemingly unwilling to act, the road to Varna is open! The units are rather tired and losses haven’t been trivial, but it could have gone much worse.


14/12/1942
The snow ceases to fall, giving a bit of respite to our supply chain. We are still undersupplied and overextended, but it’s still a little improvement.

IX Assault Corps resumes its march north.

The X and XV Assault Corps have been mixed up during the recent battles and reshuffling every Division, Regiment and Brigade would take too much time. I decide to divide the mass of units into two columns regardless of the previous assignments:

- The 14th and 66th Armored Division, 57th Motorized Division, 24th Ironsides and two Artillery Regiments will attack Varna from the southwest
- The 32nd Armored Division, 58th Motorized Division, 48th Mechanized Division, 25° Ironsides and two Artillery Regiments will attack from the south

The 20th Mechanized Division and 42° Ironsides will act as a jolly, taking advantage of any gap in the enemy lines. The 17th Mechanized Division is still too far from the front, so it will act as a reserve

[StuccoFresco]

Unseen-Class Submarine
The Admiralty has always favored the surface combat fleet over the rising submarine threat. While cost-effective and thus adopted by their worst foreign enemies, the Admiralty refused to keep their submarine fleet up to date, relying on a 1933 design named “Unseen” and built exclusively at Chatham Dockyards.

The Unseen class was not a bad design: far from it. When introduced, it was actually technologically on par with the best Zairian or Dutch designs thanks to its dive depth, high submerged speed and six 20in torpedo tubes. Its 6pdr deck gun isn’t anything impressive, but it’s useful against unarmed or unarmored targets.

Unfortunately, the Admiralty’s disregard for the submarine force meant that the Commonwealth Navy never pushed for new designs, even well into the 40s. The Unseen is still a deadly threat to unsuspecting targets, but it’s becoming more and more obsolete, with visible effects on his effectiveness and survivability.

[StuccoFresco]

15/12/1942
The X and XV Assault Corps reach visual range of the enemy defensive lines; after some bombing mission, we also obtain aerial photos of the enemy’s defenses. The situation looks tough: there are multiple lines of entrenched infantry with AT and artillery support, across rivers, with at least two Tenkovske Divisions in reserve. The only road leading to Varna is defended by a Strongpoint.

After positioning in front of the enemy lines to bait some counterattack, I decide to give some rest to my units and time to the artillery to set up positions.

IX Assault Corps is rested and moves north again until it spots an enemy Pesadija Division blocking the road next to the mountain pass.




16/12/1942
In the west, the 22nd Mechanized Division launches the first assault toward Sliven, but the enemy is well entrenched and doesn’t budge.

The first shots are shot near Varna, too: in the southwest it’s the 66th Armored Division that finds a weak spot in the enemy’s 107th Pesadija Division and attacks, inflicting considerable casualities. South of Varna there is no assault yet, and the enemy artillery is already shelling our vanguards. I have no choice but to wait for my own artillery and armored units that have just finished dealing with the Yugoslavian stragglers from the last battles.

The front lines have advanced so far that my Fighters can’t loiter long on the battlefields, leaving the Bombers without escorts for hours at the time. Nonetheless, they could be vital to break the enemy will to fight, so I’m relentlessly bombing any weak point I can see. After the bombing runs, 48th Mechanized Division charges at a weakened Regiment of the Yugoslavian 92nd Pesadija Division and breaks through.




17/12/1942
The fight intensifies all across the front: the IX Assault Corps has broken through the lines of the 192nd Pesadija Division, but has spotted the Yugoslavian 89th Motostrelci Division setting up defenses in the mountain pass.

Southwest of Varna, the 66th Armored Division has pressed further its offensive, crushing two of the 107th Pesadija Division’s Regiments and engaging the Podzdravaju Regiment behind it. The 57th Motorized Division has supported the attack and is advancing as well.

Further east, the 48th Mechanized Division spearheaded the offensive after a couple hours of bombardments from an Artillery Regiment; the enemy 92nd Pesadija Division performed quite poorly and had two of its Regiments almost wiped out. The 25° Ironsides Brigade and the 32nd Armored Division are racing to the front to exploit the breach.

The 20th Mechanized Division and 42° Ironsides are positioned behind the two attacking columns and will rest for at least a day to regain proficiency.




18/12/1942
A Podzdravaju Regiment turns up on the right flank of the IX Assault Corps, hinting at a possible counterattack from that side. That’s concerning, especially because the battle was going well; now I have to dedicate some units to cover that flank instead of advancing further…

Southwest of Varna, the 66th Armored Division breaks through the enemy lines with the help of the 24° Ironsides and crosses the river, followed by the 14th Armored Division.

South of the city, a counterattack by the Yugoslavian 11th Tenkovske Division has inflicted heavy losses on a Regiment of the 48th Mechanized Division, so I pull up a Support Regiment to give AT cover to the infantry. With the new AT guns spread out in the trenches, the enemy’s ZMT-40(p) won't be able to break through without suffering high losses. With the infantry somewhat safe, I press on the attack on the right flank: the 25° Ironsides Brigade and 32nd Armored Division break through the enemy ranks and gain a foothold over the river.




19/12/1942
Oh god, 10th Tenkovske just showed up south of Sliven. I have zero AT support in the IX Assault Corps so a hasty retreat is all I can do. Sliven won’t fall and I’m not very hopeful about being able to extricate all my units. I already have to set up a rearguard with an Engineer Battalion and a half-strength Motorized Regiment.

Things go significantly better at Varna, where 14th and 66th Armored Division together with 24° Ironsides Brigade are approaching the city from the west and have found the I Oklopni Korpus’ HQ. The 22nd Mechanized and 42° Ironsides are trying to support their advance.

South of the city, 25° Ironsides and 32nd Armored Division have done the same, breaking through the lines of the 92nd Pesadija Division and defeating a hasty counterattack by a single Regiment of the 11th Tenkovske Division. BEtween the advancing Commonwealth troops and the city, however, sits the same 16th Tenkovske Division that we failed to intercept in the previous battle. For now, every Yugoslavian armored unit we’ve seen only fields the older ZMT-40 tanks, which gives us a net advantage in battle given the superiority of our “Demolisher” heavy tanks.

The 17th Mechanized Division is moving north.


20/12/1942
Chased by the 10th Tenkovske Division, the IX Assault Corps is in full retreat. This is a hard lesson about ALWAYS bringing some AT support with your infantry, mechanized or otherwise.

At Varna, the 14th and 66th Armored Divisions are breaking through every enemy line with relative ease, and they are now closing on the city itself. However, the urban area seems to be defended by a Mehanizovane Division, and I bet there is a Strongpoint as well, so I’ll need to bring artillery and Ironsides to crack it. A regiment of the 14th Armored Division is trying to flank the enemy from the north.

West of Batanovtsi, 25° Ironsides leads the charge and crosses the river after pushing back a decimated Regiment of the 11th Tenkovske Division. The 32nd Armored Division is following close, and the advance cuts off a Pesadija Regiment.

[StuccoFresco]

Implacable Class Light Cruiser
The development of the Implacable Class was very fast by navy standards, but was already seen as inevitable a few years after the introduction of the predecessor Unyielding Class, so the new ships were already entering service as soon as late December 1940 in the Northern Fleets. The objective was to drastically increase protection and also improve heavy firepower to be able to fight foreign armored cruisers without having to always resort to battleships.

The hull was completely new and fit to modern standards, with a total displacement of 10500t and a belt armor almost doubled in thickness in key areas than the predecessor, with new Parsons engines being able to keep the same speed.

Two of the twin 5,5in turrets were replaced by much bigger and more armored 8in turrets, which posed a significant threat to enemy heavy cruisers. A modern sonar and a depth charge launcher were fitted, giving more survivability against submarines.

The Implacable rapidly replaced the aging Unyielding and became the workhorse of the Commonwealth Navy after its introduction into service in 1941. For a full year they were among the best cruisers in the world, and kept their importance for the remainder of the 40s’ wars, despite being slowly overtaken by newer foreign designs.

[StuccoFresco]

21/12/1942
The northern flanking move fails as a Tenkovske Regiment from the 11th Tenkovske Division and a Mehanizovane one from 52nd Mehanizovane Division show up and destroy the bridgehead over the river. Our Armored Regiment retreats.

The offensive has stalled a bit as my units are trying to shuffle around and destroy some Yugoslavian weakened units to gain some space for the artillery to come up. The 17th Mechanized Division has arrived on the front and immediately helps by forcing the encircled Yugoslavian Pesadija Regiment to surrender. The enemy’s I Oklopni Korpus’ HQ is encircled and destroyed in a small wood west of Varna.




22/12/1942
Continuous enemy counterattacks have ground the offensive to a halt. Despite their outdated tanks, 16th and 11th Tenkovske Divisions relentlessly try to push our armored units back, inflicting considerable losses. 42° Ironsides Brigade has taken the lead of the offensive toward Varna, but the Artillery still isn’t in place. XV Assault Corps’ HQ has finally reached the frontline and is trying to reorganize the whole offensive.

The IX Assault Corps has stopped retreating and it’s forming a defensive perimeter. The enemy is nowhere to be seen. My Pioneer Battalions are planting minefields and blowing up bridges to protect the flanks and rear of the main offensive.




23/12/1942
Albeit violent and successful in halting our advance, the Yugoslavian relentless counterattacks soon deplete their numbers and supplies. The 66th Armored Division, now well rested, takes the lead and smashes through the enemy lines up north, decimating two Tenkovske and one Mehanizovane Regiments. The 32nd Armored Division advances as well and traps a Tenkovske and a Mehanizovane Regiment in the woods southwest of Varna.

This could be the turning point of the battle, but it’s still too early.




24/12/1942
The IX Assault Corps has completed its entrenchment works, but suddenly an enemy Motostrelci Regiment appears on its rear. A swift counterattack is organized and the enemy unit is annihilated in a quick and brutal battle. Still, if the enemy is organizing an encirclement, retreating further south is advised.

At Varna, the city’s Strongpoint has such a high number of AT guns that any armored assault on it would mean losing hundreds of tanks. The Artillery is finally in range of the city, so we’ll probably salute Christmas with a high explosive serenade. Assault infantry and the “Baron” Assault Guns will be prioritized for supplies and replacements as well as the Mechanized infantry. The armor will crush any unit that tries to mount a relief effort on the city. As of now, the northern part of the encirclement is almost completed by the 66th and 14th Armored Divisions, and the 32nd Armored Division has almost completed the southern pincer. Encircling the city will cut off all the Yugoslavian units from its massive supply depots, so it's a high priority.

The enemy’s 88th Motostrelci and 91st Pesadija Divisions are trying to attack the XV Assault Corps on the right flank, but we have a solid armored and mechanized line of defenses on that side.




25/12/1942
It’s Christmas! Our Artillery Regiments celebrate by shelling the town of the atheist enemy with joyous high-explosive! The 66th Armored Division closes the northern pincer, and the 20th Mechanized Division closes the southern one. The enemy forces amassed on our eastern flank are beaten back by armored counterattacks, facilitated by the enemy’s lack of AT support. The Varna’s airfields are conquered after a violent but brief battle, and the Yugoslavian 17° Armija’s HQ is almost destroyed in the fighting.

The 48th and 17th Mechanized Divisions guard our southeastern flank, pushing back enemy infantry coming from Batanovtsi.

IX Assault Corps resumes its retreat south.




26/12/1942
After another day of heavy bombardments, the 20th Mechanized Division stages a probing attack on Varna’s defenses. The response is a bit weak, so the order is given for an all out attack: at midday, 24°, 25° and 42° Ironsides Brigades attack the city from three directions at once. The fighting is intense, but the enemy’s resolve has been severaly weakened by the encirclement and the constant shelling, so a bunker after the other surrenders to the assault troops. The ones that resist are destroyed by the fire of the “Baron”’s SOG-25p guns at close range or the SMGs and grenades of the assault infantry. At around 21:00, the city’s garrison surrenders formally.

As the urban battle rages on, the enemy infantry outside the encirclement is pushed further back to avoid any interference. Two enemy Artiljerija Regiments are spotted east of Varna so an operation is mounted to silence them, but they are too far to be reached before nightfall. Our aviation is called up to bomb and strafe them.

Enemy troops are concentrating around Batanovtsi.




27-31/12/1942
The 50th Army’s HQ takes residence in Varna, and the airfield is now used by my own Wings. The enemy infantry concentration southeast of the city is shattered by my armored units, one Regiment encircled and doomed.

The battle is over. Sliven hasn’t fallen due to my stupid mistake of leaving an entire Assault Corps without AT support. Shameful.





END OF THE CAMPAIGN

This part of the war is over: the British Commonwealth has been able to conquer all of Lower Bulgaria thanks to good coordination with the Australis Fleet and a clever strategy. By hitting the enemy in key areas we forced its reaction every time, commanding the war’s initiative.

The big pocket at Burgas will be eventually forced to surrender in February 1942, and the rest of the Southern Command would complete the occupation of Lower Bulgaria in March. The enemy has suffered so many losses that an immediate counteroffensive just won’t be possible. Unfortunately, it seems that our rival, the EIRE, has started sending “volunteers” to Yugoslavia.

Our losses have been considerable, but our worst enemy is logistics: just as the Yugoslavians were, we are forced to push our supplies through Budapest’ docks or Kirkwall. The Pioneer Corps is working on a railway from Kirkwall to the strategic city of Varna.

But for now, we celebrate a great victory!