[BnW - Byz vs Ita] 6- Second Front

[StuccoFresco]

With the Italian Parliament refusing to cave in to the King’s pressure for a mobilization, the mounting losses in Greece have forced Italy to bring a lot of “spare” Divisions to the main front. Many of them came from the British border, namely the region of Portugal. It’s not a rich region, but it has been a frequent battlefield between the two behemoths so it always sees a high number of military units from both sides, especially in times of crisis.

Right now, no less than 10 Divisions with full support units have been sent north, and the Italians have reorganized their positions to better cover the area in front of Cork, the usual invasion route for Commonwealth units.

With the campaign against Yugoslavia going so well in the southwest, and with the Byzantines doing so well on their own as to justify the effort, the Federal Council has decided to formally enter this war as well. The Italian Kingdom can’t win this war, and if we enter it now we can inflict them a decisive defeat.

Our move is simple: we’ll strike southeast of Cork in a less defended part of the front and head straight for Lisbona. Speed will be of essence, so the enemy can’t fortify the city and bring reserves in time. We have plenty of heavy troops capable of busting through the front, but we’ll still need to hurry up and maneuver well. Supplies will be a problem due to low infrastructure in this area.


1/10/1942
The II Infantry Corps is positioned in front of Felgueiras, and while reinforced with the 31° and 34° Ironsides, it’s not the main effort. Its objective is to break the front and force the enemy to concentrate most of its reserves there. Two Heavy Guns Regiments will help the infantry break the enemy lines, and two Sappers Battalions will build temporary bridges to help the river crossing. The entire 5th Bomber Group attacks an angle of the enemy positions that isn’t covered by AA, crippling a Regiment of the 302nd Limitanei Division.

The VIII Assault Corps in the east is tasked with breaking the riverline there and swinging northwest to crush the main Italian force in the sector. It’s made up of the 64° and 85° Ironsides supported by the 88th Armored Division as well as the 17th and 55th Mechanized Divisions. Two Motorized Sapper Battalions will build bridges there as well to support the river crossing. My artillery in this sector is smaller and more mobile: two Motorized Medium Guns Regiments.


2/10/1942
The II Infantry Corps manages to build the bridges and the 45th and 46th Infantry Divisions put their feet on the northern side of the river. The 31° and 34° Ironsides spearhead the advance, which decimates the 11th and 302nd Limitanei Divisions. Italian Fighters try to down our bombers, but our own escort planes engage them; it’s a vicious furball that leaves 30 bombers falling from the skies at the cost of 35 enemy fighters. Our AA cover downs 10 more.

The VIII Assault Corps’ attack has been underwhelming: the enemy promptly counterattacked the Sappers as they were building the bridges; the brave engineers completed their work, but paid dearly with extremely high losses, and other units weren’t able to occupy the bridgehead. Fortunately, the Ironsides found a couple weak points in the enemy lines and once again spearheaded the offensive. At midday the 55th Mechanized Division manages to cross the river and engage the defenders, and a single Regiment of the 88th Armored Division does the same further east. The enemy’s 131st and 132nd Limitanei Division are decimated. The whole sector seems under-defended: our diversion at Felgueiras is working.


3/10/1942
The II Infantry Corps is doing very well: with plenty of heavy artillery backing its effort, it has achieved a full breakout west of Felgueiras with limited losses.

In the east, the VIII Assault Group has joined forces with the V Battlegroup and planned its next offensive much better: both Corps surge forward and smash the XIII Coorte, putting both Corps almost entirely on the northern side of the river. The breakthrough is complete, now it’s time to turn northwest.

Enemy planes keep chipping away at my bombers, downing 10 more, but the cost is steep: the last remaining 20 planes from a Squadrone Caccia are wiped out, and another Squadrone (Wing) is decimated.


4/10/1942
Around Felgueiras, the remaining Italian troops are frantically reforming a perimeter and trying to hold back the II Infantry Corps. The maneuvers are crafty and manage to avoid a full breakout. With its losses mounting, the II Infantry Corps has to rely on a more careful approach and tries to destroy the HQ of the XVIII Coorte facing it.

The VIII Assault Corps and the V Battlegroup finish off the XIII Coorte and start moving northwest.


5/10/1942
The eastern prong develops its advance, but as I send the 19th Mechanized Division straight north to take positions near Lisbona and prevent the Italians from fortifying it, its vanguards spot a BIG problem. There’s a Clibanarii Division southeast of Lagos; it’s equipped with older tanks, but it’s still a Clibanarii Division and it’s not likely to be out there alone, so I assume there is a mobile reserve waiting for the to overextend. And of course I am overextended: the 19th Mechanized is well outside the range of my two Support Regiments and out of the range of my HQs.

I can’t fix this right now so I just send more troops behind the 19th Mechanized to at least try to support it indirectly (or avenge it) and use the rest of my forces, namely the 17th and 55th Mechanized Divisions, to encircle Felgueiras. Two almost full-strength Limitanei Regiments are cut off from supplies around the town. The fortified town itself is shelled by one of my Heavy Guns Regiments, while the other prepares for the river crossing further west.

The II Infantry Corps manages to crush the XVII Coorte’s HQ, which degrades the enemy’s coordination and facilitates an offensive push that seems to break the enemy lines. The 301st Limitanei Division near Agueda is still a problem on the left flank, but I plan to just leave it behind me.

Enemy bombers finally enter the battle, bombing the V Battlegroup’s vanguards. My mobile AA systems down at least 20 bombers in retaliation.


6/10/1942
The II Infantry Corps keeps advancing north, leaving the 301st Limitanei behind on its left flank and eliminating the remnants of the Italian XVI Coorte. My units are targeted by enemy bombers, but my Fighters are back in the battle and with help of the ground AA they wipe out a full Wing and cripple another one. So far, the enemy has utterly failed at coordinating its Fighters and Bombers together.

The VIII Assault Corps has divided itself into two prongs: the 15th Mechanized Division and the 85° Ironsides are helping the V Battlegroup with its central thrust, while the 19th Mechanized Division is still trying to advance in the east. The 72nd Motorized Division has tried to move straight north, thinking the disappearance of the previously spotted Italian armored units meant they were preparing a counterattack to relieve Felgueiras, but turns out I’m dead wrong: the XI Coorte Corazzata is still right east of Lagos and the leading Motorized Regiment is basically lost. The rest of the Division scurries east and hides in a forest.

[StuccoFresco]

7/10/1942
Incredibly, the enemy refuses to destroy the lone Motorized Regiment; instead, the whole XI Coorte Corazzata moves south to defend the Italian fortified area north of Felgueiras. The enemy’s I Portuguese (armored) Divisions moves trying to cut off my advancing Motorized unit but it’s intercepted by the 18th Mechanized Division. The enemy armor pushes back a Mechanized Regiment with considerable losses, but finds itself within range of my artillery, and suffers heavy losses after my bombardments are followed by a mechanized counterattack.

The II Portuguese Division (armored as well) moves only a single Regiment south trying to push back my encroaching units, but it overextends and is singled out by the 1st Bomber Wing. The bombing runs soften up the enemy paving the way for a strong counterattack by the 64° and 85° Ironsides that decimate the Italian unit. The Italian tanks are still well armored for being a design several years old, but the newer British Assault Guns are just too powerful, and the sheer numerical advantage of both Brigades too high. Only a couple companies survive the onslaught, and only 4 tanks.

The 51st, 52nd and 53rd Divisioni Motorizzate that tried to counterattack as well are thrown back with heavy losses when my mechanized and armored units resume their offensive. The Italian fortifications along the main road are attacked directly by the 34° Ironsides Division.

Back at Felgueiras, the encircled Italian units are still fighting fiercely, but are slowly collapsing. The town’s fortifications enter the third day of constant shelling, and when the 45th Infantry Division tries a probing attack on the northern outskirts, they evacuate several bunkers without much of a struggle.



8/10/1942
The 301st Limitanei Division at Agueda doesn’t like being left behind, so it launches a furious counterattack against the II Infantry Corps’ left flank, inflicting serious losses on the 44th Infantry Division and forcing me to organize blocking positions.

Around the Italian fortifications on the road, the enemy launches more counterattacks, managing to sneak a Motorized Regiment behind the V Battlegroup and almost shattering its HQ. The II Portuguese (armored) division launches a daring frontal attack against the 88th Armored Division, decimating one of its Regiments but suffering high losses itself due to my AT guns’ support and the 88th Division’s heavy tanks. A subsequent counterattack drives the Italians back.

The 34° Ironsides keep driving a wedge into the fortifications, while the 55th Mechanized Division clears out the outskirts from enemy troops to facilitate the ongoing assault.

Further east, the I Portuguese Division cut off the 72nd Motorized Division, but the 19th Mechanized Division is pushing north and is about to reestablish communications. My aviation bombards the enemy troops in the area; the 107th Bomber Wing has suffered considerable losses after an Italian Fighters’ attack but my escort fighters are keeping a close eye and make every attack pay dearly.

The assault on Felgueiras is going slowly, and the Italian troops near the town are still fighting. The 168th Infantry Division can’t commit all its forces for a lack of space; I pulled back a Sapper unit to clear minefields, but my siege artillery is exhausted after days of constant shelling so the assault won’t keep up the pace tomorrow.


9/10/1942
The 34° 85° and 64° Ironsides Brigades storm the Italian fortifications and demolish them in a few hours. The 55th Mechanized Division keeps pushing away every enemy formation in the area and encircles a Motorized Regiment that was trying to restore supply lines to Felgueiras. The V Battlegroup is still stuck northeast of the town but the enemy presence is weakening and a breakthrough seems imminent.

In the east, the 72nd Motorized Division reestablishes contact with our forces, and the 19th Mechanized Division pushes back another armored attack with high losses thanks to its constant artillery support.

The 301st Limitanei Division’s attack on my left flank is still ongoing, but I brought the 31° Ironsides to bear on this front.

Felgueiras’ garrison is reduced to half strength, with elements from three Infantry Divisions attacking from all sides.


10/10/1942
My Ironsides Brigades push forward and break through the XI Coorte Corazzata’s ranks. The 72nd Motorized Division is immediately sent north to occupy positions in front of Lisbona and fulfull our objectives, while the rest of the V Battlegroup and VIII Assault Corps starts mopping up the resistance. The only really threatening enemy unit in the area is a full-strength Clibanarii Regiment from the I Portuguese Division, but its tankers are exhausted.

The 31° Ironsides has pushed back the 301st Limitanei Division on my left flank, and with the help of the 55th Mechanized Division I think I’m about to solve this issue. Felgueiras has fallen after a determined mass infantry assault from all sides.


11/10/1942
Enemy units try to cut off my eastern prong: a couple companies from a Divisione Motorizzata are driven off by the exhausted remnants of a Regiment from the 88th Armored Division and finished off by the 2nd Bomber Wing’s attacks. An unknown unit has cut off the advancing Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Division further north, but I ordered it to keep driving: the 19th Mechanized Division and the 88th Armored Division are coming to help.

The 111th and 112th Motorized Division are released by the Northeastern Command to assist the breakthrough. I clear the minefields on the road to allow my artillery and the reinforcements to pass through faster. I’ll probably send the 111th on my left flank to deal with the 301st Limitanei once for all.

My mechanized troops have accumulated some losses, so I’ll have to rest and refit some of them.

[StuccoFresco]

12/10/1942
The 72nd Motorized Division’s furthermost Regiment takes up positions near Lisbona. The rest of the task force I intend to use to storm the city is still too far, but it has liquidated the last unit between it and the city so the advance should be quicker now.

Most of my troops are advancing north now, but the main road is interrupted at Lagos by the 99th Limitanei Division and Lagos’ fortified area, so I’m pulling up artillery and assault troops to deal with that.

The Italians are still pushing against my left flank and slowly grinding down my infantry. The 111th Motorized Division has launched a counterattack that pushed the enemy back, but the situation is still chaotic there. I’m not replenishing infantry units because I want to focus my resources on my mechanized units and the Ironsides.


13/10/1942
The Italians finally recognize the breakthrough and bring reinforcements in the area. The leading Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Division is cut off, again, as the 166th Limitanei Division advances against the V Battlegroup to stop its drive north.
Lagos is encircled by the 112th Motorized Division. I send the 17th Mechanized Division toward Lisbona together with the 85° Ironsides. The 88th Armored Division pushes back the 166th Limitanei Division, annihilating one of its Regiments and decimating another after several bombing runs by the 1st and 2nd Bomber Wings.

The situation on my left flank is finally resolved: only a handful of Italian units are left and they aren’t a threat anymore. My artillery is freely driving on the main road and some Regiments are already in range of Lagos’ fortifications.


14/10/1942
The 88th Armored Division keeps pushing back the 166th Limitanei, removing them as a threat. This allows the 19th and 17th Mechanized Division to concentrate southwest of Lisbona, and the 85° Ironsides to make a drive for the bridge leading to the city. The assault troops find an Engineer Battalion setting up demolition charges, so they launch an attack to prevent it.

The 72nd Motorized Division starts a wide double pincer on Lisbona, aiming to cross the river on the western and eastern side at the same time to encircle the city.

At Lagos, the 55th Mechanized Division and the 112th Motorized Division are slowly crushing the 99th Limitanei against the city’s fortifications. The 64° Ironsides has launched a sudden assault on the southern outskirts without artillery preparation, taking a couple bunkers by surprise and overrunning them with its own assault guns and SMG-armed troops.

The 111th Motorized Division finishes off the 301st Limitanei in the southwest, and the rest of the II Infantry Corps mops up the rest of the Italian troops in the area. The brave Corps has endured extreme losses, with most of its troops reduced to half strength or outright disbanded, but has completed its mission and can now rest.


15/10/1942
We pushed the Engineers off the Lisbona bridge, but the 264th Limitanei Division has taken up defensive positions on it. The VIII Assault Corps is leading the attack, with the 19th Mechanized Division gaining a foothold in the western outskirts after fording the river on its own. The 72nd Motorized Division has forded the river too and it’s preparing to encircle the city.

The 216th Divisione Motorizzata strikes from Fafe unexpectedly, decimating one of our Heavy Guns Regiments that was moving on the main highway. It is a heavy blow and the penetration also risks putting our entire force out of supply if the enemy cuts straight east from its position. The II Infantry Corps will have to plug the gap with its worn out troops, with the help of the 111th Motorized Division.

The attack on Lagos is going smoothly: our artillery paves the way for the Ironsides and the 55th Mechanized Division, wrecking bunker after bunker. The 112th Motorized Division has forced the last Limitanei troops in the outskirts to surrender.


16/10/1942
Lagos falls to a combined mechanized/Ironsides/Motorized assault from all sides, as does his airfield. The troops try to move toward Fafe, but find out it’s well defended by the 300th Limitanei Division as well as a full strength survivor of the I Portuguese (armored) Division.

The enemy’s 216th Divisione Motorizzata keep pushing against the II Infantry Corps and inflicts serious losses, but it’s completely alone and its own success seals its fate: it gets encircled as soon as I can untangle the 111th Motorized Division and part of the 55th Mechanized from the Lagos battle.

At Lisbona, the 19th and 17th Mechanized Divisions keep hammering at the enemy lines and finally break through the 264th Limitanei’s defenses. Ironsides and Armored troops flood the breach and occupy the western part of the city. A Medium Guns Regiment is now in range of the city’s fortified garrison and will start shelling it tomorrow.


17/10/1942
The battle at Lisbona is quickly progressing: the enemy just can’t deal with so many Ironsides and Mechanized units with artillery support and the defenses are crumbling rapidly. With that in mind I start shifting units toward Vilanova, a secondary objective southeast of the city. The town is defended by the 261st Limitanei Division with AT/AA Support; I decide to send my bombers to soften the enemy up despite the AA cover. The bombing runs are successful, but I lose around 10 bombers.

The II Infantry Corps forces the 216th Divisione Motorizzata to surrender and can now hopefully rest.

With Lagos secured, I push toward Fafe, slowly crushing the Italian units on its eastern side. The Italian Armor is going to be more problematic, but I am moving my heavy artillery into range. The 111th Motorized Division is trying to encircle the town with the help of the few remnants of a Regiment of the 88th Armored Division.


18-26/10/1942
The encirclement of Lisbona puts the rest of the Italian troops out of supply, and this makes everything easier: our troops press on Villanova and Fafe on all sides and the defenses start crumbling.

All the objectives fall in the early evening of the 19th of October. Mop-up operations continue until the 21st of October, after which the battle is officially won and a full second front has been opened up against an increasingly struggling Italian Kingdom.