[Brave new World] 2- Secondary Offensive

Moderators: Order of Battle Moderators, The Artistocrats

Post Reply
StuccoFresco
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:10 am

[Brave new World] 2- Secondary Offensive

Post by StuccoFresco »

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).

First scenario's AAR: viewtopic.php?f=373&p=956828#p956828


SCENARIO 2: SECONDARY OFFENSIVE

With the main assault still raging up north, British Commonwealth's 30th Army launches a second attack on its front to achieve another breakthrough on the old border. Once again, Yugoslavian troops are outnumbered and outgunned, and this time they won't even receive armored support since X Konjica Korpus has already been sent north. Only the elite 5th Tenkovske Division is available to counter the Commonwealth armored forces. The good news is that the British have significantly less armored divisions on this front; they still have a high number of Ironsides Brigades.

Since resisting at the border would be both very hard and ultimately useless if, as it seems likely, the northern flank is forced back, it's time to withdraw. 75th Armija is too weak to resist head-on anyway, so it's better to withdraw in good order, use the Strongpoints and a determined rearguard to slow the British as much as possible, and form a second line of defense further back.


5/1/1940
British heavy and medium guns open fire on the Strongpoints holding the various river crossings as their bombers and fighters join the battle strafing our positions. This time our aviation is ready: the 6° Interceptor Group already has its wings in the air, and they make a fruitful sortie against British 7th Bomber Wing, downing almost every bomber they encounter. Our brave pilots are giving their best to help the troops on the ground, exploiting their frames to swoop on the bombers as they line up for the bombing runs.

The orders are to preserve our forces and form a defense line deeper in our territory, so no river battles this time.

104th and 24th Pešadija will retreat westward from Bracu and form a defensive line between Troesti and Trinitu, on the western bank of the river. 88th and 17th Pešadija will take up their defensive positions around Bracu. 40th, 49th and 60th Pešadija will withdraw as well and form a defensive line north of Brnava. The rest of my forces will hold tight on their positions and slow the British advance together with the Strongpoints and minefields.

Image


6/1/1940
Enemy Figther Wings come out swinging against our Interceptors: in the fierce furball south of Targu an entire Interceptor Wing is crippled and essentially destroyed as a fighting force. The superior maneuverability of the British "Prowler" aircraft is a decisive factor in the dogfight, that sees almost two dozens of CAI-1 plummet in flames from the sky. The rest of the Wing switches to escort duty of 31st CAS Wing strafing British Ironsides near Panciu in the south.

Targu itself is almost surrounded when Ironsides clear a minefield north of the city and a British Motorized Division advances past the riverline. The planned withdrawal is being carried on.


7 to 8/1/1940
The situation is deteriorating faster than I thought: Targu has already fallen, and Calimanesti is about to. The area around Panciu is rapidly filling with British troops, but 51st and 52nd Pešadija Divisions execute a series of firm counterattacks and drive back no less than three enemy Infantry Regiments. 62th Ironsides Brigade, however, approaches the frontline. The situation is made worse when four British Fighter Wings descend on the lone 31st CAS Wing and annihilate it despite a valiant effort from the escorting Interceptors. British bombers pummel my lines.


9 to 10/1/1940
British 43rd Armored Division attacks 5st Pešadija north of Panciu and forces it back, crippling two of its Regiments. 52nd and 53rd are still fighting against enemy infantry and Ironsides. My Interceptor Wings come back from refueling and reorganizing and almost obliterate a British Bomber Wing.

Calimanesti has fallen. Enemy Ironsides are spotted northeast of Crun, advancing toward 16th Pešadija's positions.

Image
StuccoFresco
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:10 am

Re: [Brave new World] 2- Secondary Offensive

Post by StuccoFresco »

11/1/1940
16th Pešadija is under heavy attack in the north. Ironsides and Motorized units are pushing against its lines and it's unlikely they will resist more than another day or two. Behind them, 17th Pešadija is fortifying its positions on the hills next to Bracu, while 88th Pešadija Division is sent further west.

In the south, 51st Pešadija has been decimated and risks to dissolve under the British attacks so I'm trying to withdraw it from the front together with an Artiljerja Regiment that has been under almost constant bombardment and is too disorganized to fight. 52nd and 53th are still holding strong thanks to an unyielding Podržavaju Regiment, and inflicting losses on the enemy infantry and armor.

5th Tenkovske is still in the middle of the map. It's too early to commit it to a critical point.

Image



12/1/1940
Enemy 22nd and 23rd Ironsides Brigades arrive at Linisti and engage 125th Pešadija Division. Up north at Crun, 16th Pešadija is breaking down under the assault of the combined assault of an Armored Division, a Motorized division and an Ironsides Brigade.

Defensive lines around Panciu are breaking down too: 51st Pešadija Division has been intercepted by British Motorized elements while retreating and is now down to a single decimated Regiment. 52nd and 53rd Pešadija Division are still fighting but are risking an encirclement.

51st Interceptor Wing is forced to retreat: British Fighter Wings are absolutely murderous and are concentrating their attacks on one target at the time inflicting crippling losses.

Image


13/1/1940
Yugoslavian lines around Panciu are rapidly collapsing, and British Motorized forces are already moving toward Ilice, mopping up retreating Yugoslavian units with the help of two Bomber Wings. 5th Tenkovske sends one of its Regiment south.

125th Pešadija is still holding its ground at Linisti, while 16th Pešadija has been almost destroyed around Crun.

Image


14/1/1940
A new wave of attacks on Linisti, supported by a Medium Guns Regiment, decimates 125th Pešadija, and 5th Tenkovske is sent to help it. One of its regiment is still in Siret, guarding the approach to Ilice, albeit it seems that the British advance in the south has slowed down, with the majority of British forces seemingly busy crushing what's left of 52nd and 53th Pešadija Divisions. The stubborn Yugoslavian units keep fighting in the woods around Panciu.

16th Pešadija Division's remaining forces surrenders at Crun. Enemy bombers fly around Ilice and Linisti, but 46th Interceptor Wing shots down dozens of them and 41st Interceptor Wing will be ready to strike tomorrow.

Image
StuccoFresco
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:10 am

Re: [Brave new World] 2- Secondary Offensive

Post by StuccoFresco »

Rolls Royce R-35 “Bison” assault gun

The Bison is the workhorse of the Commonwealth's Ironsides Brigades, designed to support their frontal assaults against enemy fortified positions.

Its inception comes from the necessity of a vehicle that could provide close support to assault units and withstand enemy fire. The Rolls Royce Industries had the right idea: pre-war tank chassis were uparmored, repurposed to mount a standard artillery 7inch gun in a new open turret, and the Bison was born. It was a rather unsophisticated project, but it was brutally effective, simple to produce and extremely reliable.

The thick frontal armor and the big gun make the Bison perfect for frontal assaults, but the whole tank is too cramped: the gun has not been modified for tank use, making it too big and unwieldy. The upper casemate is thus relatively too small and the ammunition has to be stored in the hull. This causes a very slow fire rate and makes the vehicle very vulnerable against mobile opponents.

Despite all this, the Bison provides enormous direct and indirect firepower to assault units and is a mainstay of the Ironsides.

Image
StuccoFresco
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:10 am

Re: [Brave new World] 2- Secondary Offensive

Post by StuccoFresco »

15/1/1940
Enemy armored forces reach the Bracu defensive perimeter. 125th Pešadija Division is still resisting at Linisti, and the counterattack led by 5th Tenkovske pushes back an enemy Motorized Regiment and a Medium Guns one that advanced too much. The other Regiment of 5th Tenkovske surges forward and pushes back the vanguard of British 100th Motorized that was advancing a little too quickly toward Ilice.


16/1/1940
British 44th Armored Division launches a sudden attack against Bracu's airfield, destroying around 40 planes on the ground. 46th Interceptor Wing is decimated and will be forced to redeploy at Cluj. 41th Interceptor keeps fighting off British Bombers.

Heavy fighting around Bracu and Linisti, with Yugoslavian lines still holding strong. 5th Tenkovske is launching counterattack after counterattack and British advance has been stopped as the enemy is still having troubles concentrating enough armor and artillery to punch through. Meanwhile, my secondary defensive line is almost completed.


17/1/1940
Bracu is under siege; the airfield has fallen and 46th Interceptor Wing has been destroyed by enemy Fighters that ambushed it as soon as it tried to evacuate the area. Enemy armor almost crushed a Regiment of 17th Pešadija Division, that has been forced to retreat behind the city's Strongpoint.

Several British assaults on Linisti force a Regiment of 5th Tenkovske to fall back and regroup. 125th Pešadija Division is still alive and kicking, but at least two Medium Guns Regiments are supporting the enemy's assaults so my forces could be soon forced to retreat.

In the south, the lone Regiment of 5th Tenkovske is falling back as well as british 77th and 100th Motorized supported by 60th Ironsides advance toward Ilice. It tries to reach Siret, but it discovers British forces have briefly occupied it and kept moving westward.


18 to 19/1/1940
In the north, Bracu is under heavy attack: 17th Pešadija Division is still holding part of the hills and the northern outskirts. A Podržavaju Regiment has been pushed back by repeated (and costly) British armored assaults.

In the center, 125th Pešadija Division is slowly being ground down by enemy assaults around Linisti. 5th Tenkovske is retreating from the area, too fatigued to keep the British tide at bay for now. One of its Regiments has however cut off British Motorized advance toward Trinitu. I'm still unsure where to send the Division: if it should hover in the map center to intercept a British thrust against Trinitu, or be sent south to bolster the defenses of the Brnava-Cluj area.

Ilice is almost surrounded, its Strongpoint close to be overran by an overwhelming amount of British units.

Image
StuccoFresco
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:10 am

Re: [Brave new World] 2- Secondary Offensive

Post by StuccoFresco »

CAI-1 Interceptor
The interceptor is the mainstay of the Yugoslavian air force, specifically designed to maximize hunting bombers.

The original project was a collaboration between three state factories that each provided their own expertise. The final assembly was carried out at another factory, making the CAI-1 a true marvel of cooperation.

The War Committee was so satisfied with the result that it officially created the Combined Air Industries (CAI) uniting the four plants under a single shared management. And their main product has been a success: Its climbing speed and max ceiling makes it perfect for high altitude interception, but the limited agility makes it vulnerable to more nimble aircrafts. Two 20mm rapid-fire guns are mounted behind the prop, providing enough punch to down a bomber in a single attack, but are less effective when engaging fast-turning targets.

Image
StuccoFresco
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:10 am

Re: [Brave new World] 2- Secondary Offensive

Post by StuccoFresco »

20 to 21/1/1940
Ilice falls, Bracu is almost surrounded and Linisti is about to fall. 125th Pešadija Division has tried to retreat into the woods and keep fighting, but British infantry chased it away. 17th Pešadija Division is fighting in the northern outskirts of Bracu, but won't hold for more than a day or two. My secondary defensive line, however, is completed: my infantry is either in favorable terrain or is "hugging" Podržavaju Regiments/Strongpoints. Let them come.

British Bombers assume Bracu's Strongpoint has been already neutralized and try to use Bracu's airstrips as a forward base, but the city garrison starts shelling them on the ground, destroying dozens. 41st Interceptor Wing, the only surviving Yugoslavian Wing on the map, takes off and engages the Bombers pounding Linisti.

5th Tenkovske is trying to destroy 38th Motorized Division, caught out in the open between Linisti and Trinitu, but is still reorganizing and I don't want it to suffer unnecessary casualties at this point.


22/1/1940
Enemy units make contact with Brnava's defensive line: 60th Pešadija Division fights off an incursion by Motorized Division's forward elements.

5th Tenkovske annihilates a regiment of 38th Motorized Division, then gets sent south. The remaining Regiment of the British unit try to take Trinitu by surprise, but it's defended by 24th Pešadija Division, that repels the attack pretty easily.

Bracu's garrison still holds, but Linisti falls. Two decimated Regiments of 125th Pešadija Division are retreating southwest trying to slip through the British offensive vectors.

Image


23 to 24/1/1940
British Ironsides try to push through Brnava's defenders, while armored units seem to look for a way toward Cluj, before plunging into 49th Pešadija Division' ranks in the forest north of the city. 5th Tenkovske has crossed the river and will rest for a day to reorganize properly, ready to launch a counterattack against British armor.

Bracu's garrison keep firing against the encircling British unit. The last regiment of 17th Pešadija Division is destroyed in the northern outskirts, now the encirclement is complete and the Strongpoint is not expected to survive. A barely survived Podržavaju Regiment is fleeing toward the main defensive line south of Troesti.

Despite the British strength, it's too late: turn limit is up and I win the battle. The withdrawal has saved enough units to form a new defensive line, and the sacrifice of several Pešadija Divisions has slowed down the enemy even more than expected, so much that they even failed to take Bracu in time. 5th Tenkovske did reasonably well, hitting Ironsides Brigades and Motorized Divisions that advanced too quickly, buying time for the rest of the army.

Image

Image



CONCLUSIONS
The scenario isn’t hard, provided the player doesn’t try to hold ground everywhere. Moving fast and with purpose is key: if the British can’t grab your infantry units out in the open, it’s hard for them to break through your lines quickly. Use terrain and hug Podržavaju Regiments/Strongpoints to slow down the enemy. 5th Tenkovske is your ace in the sleeve: its counterattacks can slow the British advance considerably, so you have to choose wisely how, where and when deploy it. I split it and I'm still not sure if it would have been better to concentrate it on just one front. Release version of this scenario will be a bit harder than the one featured in this AAR.
Post Reply

Return to “Order of Battle : World War II - AAR”