[BnW- Ita vs Byz] 3- Operation Alae

[StuccoFresco]

The war goes on: the victory at the Mining Towns has secured our bridgehead’s western flank, but the battle for Tirana and Valona goes on. The enemy resistance is solid and losses are mounting, so a bold strategy is conceived: Tirana is supplied through a single railroad and highway route connecting the city to the Byzantine hinterland. If we managed to cut those, the defenses around the city would crumble rapidly!

It won’t be easy: first off we’ll need to break through the enemy’s western flank to establish a proper base of operations before striking south and cutting the city off. Operation Alae is born.

The terrain will be dreadful, and the Byzantines have laid minefields, fortified entire towns and no doubt prepared other flanking moves. I’ll have to use mobile reserves, even if the HQ promises reinforcements are on the way already.

Crushing selected strongpoints will grant us even more reinforcements, at the risk of losing too much time and ultimately failing our objectives.



15/6/1941
I’ll again lead two Coorti, but this time they are very powerful: the VII Corazzata includes the veteran 4th Clibanari armored Division and the 3rd Centuria “Caere” mechanized Division: the VIII Coorte has the 11th Centuria “Volsinii” and the 20° Arditi Brigade.

Both Corps have plenty of artillery support, and for this battle I’ll enjoy the support of the XVI Gruppo Misto, an air group made up of two Bombardieri and two Caccia Wings.

I send the Engineers forward, and they promptly get stuck in a minefield in the small town of Kamez. I spread out both Coorti to cover the ground and locate the enemy, finding the towns of Kruje and Himare defended by Hoplite units and minefields. Another big concentration of enemy infantry surrounds Kravaje on both sides of the river; the town is a secondary objective and its bridge would be useful to connect my advancing forces.

I send the air force to scout Kruje, but the town is defended by AA guns so I decide not to dive in for a bombing run. My Caccia will escort the Bombardieri.



16/6/1941
Enemy Peltastes ground attack wings strike at my armored formations, inflicting considerable losses. The enemy AA and fighter formations pounce on my Bombardieri, wiping out an entire Wing. It’s unfortunate, but at least my escort fighters inflicted some losses on the enemy. The Peltastes Wing is too dangerous to be left unchecked, so I attack it with all I got and almost wipe it out.

I decide to storm Kruje and Himare, with the Centuria Divisions leading the way. I manage to cripple the defending 116th and 117th Hoplitai Divisions quite easily, but Kravaje seems too solidly defended unless I dedicate A LOT of firepower to it.

Am I sure enough of my ability to conquer ALL the objectives?
Ok, I’ll try. Once I’ve secured both Kruje and Himare I’ll try to get both Kravaje and the southern bridge.



17/6/1941
The 11th “Volsinii” overran the enemy forces at Himare, leaving the 20° Arditi Brigade free to confront an enemy counterattack from Kravaje that hit hard against a Regiment of the 35th Motorizzata that was guarding VIII Coorte’s flank.

Kruje is conquered as well thanks to air and armored support when I shift the 4th Clibanarii from guarding the flank at Kravaje to assault duty. In exchange, the 3rd “Caere” swings south and engages the 110th Hoplitai Division, busting a big hole in their lines through which a Regiment of the 9th Motorizzata can attack the town’s AT and AA guns directly.



18/6/1941
The VII Coorte Corazzata has broken up: all of its Divisions have joined the battle for Kravaje, while only separated Regiments continuing the advance west toward the main objectives.

The VIII Coorte advances past Kruje toward Peqin. The 20° Arditi is left behind to help the conquest of Kravaje. The town’s defenders have been decimated in the recent fights, especially those Regiments that had advanced far from the cover of the town’s bunkers and nearby AT guns.



19/6/1941
The VIII Coorte finds the Byzantine 131st Hoplitai Division entrenched in front of Peqin, so it positions its Artillery Regiment in range. The 20° Arditi Brigade strikes at the Byzantine artillery near Kravaje. Most of the 4th Clibanarii is sent northwest to join the main advance. The 3rd “Caere” Division spearheads the attack, but its units are very tired and low on ammo.



20/6/1941
The 3rd “Caere” rests just outside of Kravaje as I advance the artillery in range of the town’s fortifications. Most of the VII Corazzata has now redeployed northwest and is ready to resume the advance on Divjake.

The 131st Hoplitai Division tries to counterattack the VIII Coorte but is almost wiped out during the intense fighting during the day. Two Regiments are entirely wiped out, with the help of the 13th Bombardieri Wing.

[StuccoFresco]

21/6/1941
Unexpectedly, the Byzantine XIX Thema launches an armored counteroffensive at Klos, threatening to push back the VII Coorte Corazzata. The 4th Clibanari Division has to rush forward when a Regiment of the 9th Motorizzata is almost overrun by the enemy’s 26th Katafraktoi Division. The mass of light Byzantine tanks made short work of the light Motorized Regiment, but it’s hopeless against the heavily armored Italian medium tanks: the 4th Clibanarii tears through the advancing enemy tanks and shatters an entire Regiment, allowing a Centuria Regiment to drive them back entirely.

At Peqin the 131st Hoplitai Division is almost annihilated, and now the Italian artillery is in range of the town’s outermost bunkers. It really seems the enemy has fortified every town in the area…

At Kravaje, the artillery starts shelling the fortified town center as the surrounding Italian troops liquidate the last enemy infantry units. A lone Hoplitai Regiment has found shelter on a nearby mountain, maybe waiting for the right opportunity to strike back.



22/6/1941
The battle at Klos rages on: the Byzantine throw their light tanks in the melee with bravery and skill, but the 4th Clibanarii’s guns wreck them one after the other. Time and time again the Byzantine crews maneuver around the small patches of forest and the undulations of the terrain trying to close in on the bigger Italian tanks and outflank them, but the Italian motorized infantry manages to close the gaps and despite the high losses it effectively frustrates their efforts.

Around midday, the armored counterattack decimates a Katafraktoi Regiment and disperse two others belonging to the 17th Koursorses Division that was trying to exploit the breakthrough. With another Centuria Regiment coming from Kravaje, the VII Coorte Corazzata should be able to repel the Byzantine offensive.

Kravaje itself is starting to crumble thanks to artillery fire and the 20° Arditi’s assaults from the south. However, our Caccia Wings heading toward Peqin identified the 7th Varangian Brigade advancing from the north toward Kruje. It’s a classic Byzantine flanking move: if they take the town they can cut off the entire VIII Coorte from supplies.

Unfortunately, I discover this threat only after having already given orders to the Coorte’s units to double down on the Peqin front: the town’s defenders have been almost crushed and the town is under artillery fire, but it would be all for nothing if the Varangians take Kruje…




23/6/1941
The battle at Klos goes on: another day of daring Byzantine armored assaults and Italian counterattacks. The 3rd “Caere” Division deploys its second Regiment and pushes back another wave of enemy infantry as the 4th Clibanari pushes forward and further decimates the enemy Katafraktoi Regiments.

At Kravaje the town’s bunkers are silenced by the relentless artillery barrage, and the mechanized and motorized Italian troops clear them one by one.

The 20° Arditi Brigade reaches Kruje, trying to intercept the Varangian incursion.

At Peqin, a Koursorses motorized counterattack from Gijrokaster inflicts hundreds of casualties on a Motorized Regiment under reorganization. The Byzantines also have a Varangian Brigade in the area that could mean trouble if sent into battle.


24/6/1941
The VII Coorte Corazzata is slowly gaining the upper hand in battle, pushing the XIX Thema to the breaking point. Dozens of tanks are destroyed today, and both the 17th Koursorses Division and the 26th Katafraktoi Division are exhausted and depleted.

Kravaje is about to fall. The 20° Arditi Brigade is still searching for the Varangian Brigade that was threatening Kruje, but to no avail. It seems the enemy has concealed his positions in the woods NW of the key town. An event fires and I decide to ask for reinforcements: the 50th Limitanei Division appears and is immediately moved toward the town.

The VIII Coorte is in trouble: the relentless enemy counterattacks have exhausted all its units, and the advance is completely halted. A lone Engineer Battalion that tried to hit the enemy artillery has been isolated and will probably be lost tomorrow.



25/6/1941
The battle at Klos is rapidly swinging in our favor: a Katafraktoi Regiment is completely wiped out and the other two are barely combat-worthy anymore. The combination of mechanized and armored attacks have crushed the Byzantine forces in the area, overrunning their Thema HQ, and in the next days I expect a full breakthrough toward Divjake.

The VIII Coorte is in a much worse shape, but it’s recovering. I decide to leave the Peqin strongpoint alone and bypass it to directly attack Gijrokaster, but it won’t be easy. Currently I don’t think I’m strong enough to take it. The 20° Arditi has finally engaged the roaming Varangian Brigade and it’s mauling it. The 50th Limitanei is near Kruje, but I’ll probably swing it south to conquer the bridge south of the town.

Byzantine fighters and CAS planes roam the battlefield; I finally remember to scramble my own so I hope I’ll engage the enemy CAS force and take it down for good.

[StuccoFresco]

26/6/1941
The VIII Coorte starts flanking Peqin, engaging the Byzantine artillery outside the town and pushing toward Gijrokaster. The VII Coorte Corazzata has smashed the enemy lines and it’s advancing toward Divjake as predicted.

Only 8 days remaining, I don’t think I’ll make it.



27/6/1941
My Bombardieri manage to wipe out some Byzantine company trying to retreat in the swamps southwest of Klos, but the enemy fighter force attacks them en masse and manages to wipe them out despite my own fighter escorts. The enemy pays dearly for this success, but my ground attack capabilities are now nil.

The last remaining Byzantine troops have been cleared, though, and now the assault against Divjake begins as the 3rd “Caere” engages the 55th Hoplitai Division defending it. The 4th Clibanari will try to cross the river east of the city and set up a pincer maneuver.

The VIII Coorte finally conquers Kravaje and drives straight for Gijrokaster. The enemy 23° Varangian Brigade has launched a counterattack against the leading Regiment of the 11th “Volsinii” and 21st Koursorses Division, but has been beaten back with high losses. The 20° Arditi Brigade is driving at full speed toward the city to support the oncoming assault. The lone regiment of the 3rd “Caere” Division that took Kravaje has been assigned to the task as well.


28/6/1941
The enemy forces on the northern shore of the Divjake bridge have been beaten back, so I can deploy my artillery in range of the enemy bunkers. The 4th Clibanarii is crossing the river and preparing for the pincer.

The VIII Coorte has been pushing hard toward Gijrokaster, crushing the enemy infantry near the town. The corps’ artillery has been deployed in range and the 20° Arditi Brigade is ready to assault it, albeit I’ll probably swing it south for a desperate attack on Manez.

The 50th Limitanei has reached the southern bridge, but has spotted the Byzantine 120th Hoplitai Division with artillery support guarding the area. I’m not gonna take the objective, which means I’ve wasted way too many turns attacking Kravaje as well… But eh, if I ignored the two enemy Hoplitai Divisions stationed there they could have attacked my supply lines.

My brave Fighters attack the enemy Peltastes Wing as it tooks off from the enemy airfield at Gijrokaster, as well as finishing off an Anachaitistis Wing that downed my precious Bombardieri. With the enemy aviation in the area basically silenced, I’ll retreat my remaining Caccia Wings as soon as possible.



29/6/1941
I thought Gijrokaster was defended by fortified bunkers like most of the other towns, instead there is only the Byzantine 16th Tagma HQ there! I can therefore send the 11th “Volsinii” and the 20° Arditi south toward Manez, leaving Gijrokaster to the rest, with a good chance of taking it in time.

Divjake’s garrison doesn’t last much as soon as my mobile artillery Regiment starts firing on it. The 3rd “Caere” Division launches a deep strike into the town as soon as the barrage stops, and manages to cut a path toward the bridge in the first day of fighting. The 4th Clibanari finally completes the river crossing and it’s ready to swing west and surround the town.

The 50th Limitanei predictably eats a brutal counterattack by 120th Hoplitai Division following an heavy artillery strike, so I start retreating toward Kruje.


30/6/1941
The enemy forces are crumbling on all fronts: Divjake’s garrison is decimated and the 4th Clibanari’s armored attack on the southern shore has cut down the defending 55th Hoplitai Division to pieces.

Gijrojkaster has fallen, and the 122nd Hoplitai Division defending Manez has tried to counterattack only to be rolled back by the 20° Arditi and elements of the 11th “Volsinii”.




1/7/1941
Divjake falls, but the enemy Tagma HQ cuts the road behind the advancing VIII Coorte, so the attack on Manez stalls for a bit. I start sending the 4th Clibanarii south to try and bolster the offensive.


2-4/7/1941
A decisive push by the 11th “Volsinii” Division secures Manez, dispersing the last defenders. Reinforcements pour in the area to avoid any surprise, but by sunset all the three primary objective are solidly garrisoned and the enemy airfields near Gijrokaster has been overrun by the 4th Clibanarii. The lone Hoplitai Regiment near Peqin starts to threaten to move out of the mountains in which it has taken refuge a week ago, but a nearby Italian Artillery Regiment and a Reggimento Motorizzato keep it under fire.

The battle is won: we failed to take the secondary objective, but we secured the primary ones.