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Chapter 170: Fighting Season – Part 2 (15 to 28 July 1942)
Chapter 170: Fighting Season – Part 2 (15 to 28 July 1942)
15 Jul 42
The Turkish-led Summer Offensive all along the Yeniçeri Line, from the west of Beograd to the Adriatic coast, rolled on. By 9am, 2 Mtn Div was the first to enter Cevo (near the southern end of the line). They would be able to attack again by 1900hr on 17 July. Two hours later, they were joined by 1 Mtn Div, who must also wait before they can resume offensive operations. Then at 4pm, 4 SD pulled in as well; they would have to wait until 1400hr on 18 July before they could attack once more.
More widely on the Patriotic Front, some danger points had emerged. While the Turks had begun pushing forward in the south and Romania held the status quo, Russia was still a cause for concern.
The Romanian border with the Soviet Union was now coming under direct threat from an Axis offensive moving towards Odessa. North and south of the Pripet Marshes, the Germans had made large advances since the beginning of the month, with Kyiv under threat. And at the northern end of the line, the Germans had broken through and were now on the outskirts of Leningrad.
A special report from the Soviets revealed German panzer grenadiers from the 60th Infanterie Division had begun an attack on the Leningrad garrison. The Soviets were fairly confident of holding, but it was a worrying sign. Especially if more Axis units appeared in coming days in this very thinly held sector.
The situation on the eastern Romanian border was also a growing problem, with the long-feared Axis hook around the eastern flank of the Romanian line starting to develop.
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16 Jul 42
97 SD rolled into Cevo at 11pm to add to the build-up there. It could attack again within another 29 hours.
In Beograd, 2 TAK finished its long transit flight back from Herat to see 1 TAK merged back under Namut’s command to reform 1 Bombardiman Grubu (BG).
17 Jul 42
The next formation to arrive into Cevo was Gürler’s 6 Inf Div, which would be ready to resume offensive tasks in just two hours.
18 Jul 42
At midnight came news that the Leningrad garrison had repelled the first German attack on that great city. But no other Soviet divisions are near and there was a two-province gap to its south. Mercifully, German units were also thin on the ground there.
But the Axis advance towards Odessa continued. Turkey decided to send two 'extra' Soviet EFs from the Danube Line (one from Turnu Severin and another from Petrovac) and two of the depth garrison divisions to form a defensive line along the Romanian border with the Soviet Union. Just in case. 14 Inf Div remained in reserve, ready to reinforce either of the Danube provinces in the event of a serious attack.
While Turkish forces massed in Cevo, a major new assault was ordered at midnight on the mountains of Niksic to its immediate north. They would approach from four different directions, including 2 Mtn Div from Cevo. At the same time, 1 Mtn Div (also in Cevo and like 2 Mtn Div ready again for offensive combat) was ordered to advance north-west to seize Gacko, which was currently unoccupied by the Axis. This reflected a desire by the Turkish High Command to keep the Axis off-balance by relentless and opportunistic exploitation all along the old Yeniçeri Line.
The Niksic attack went in at 1pm. Unfortunately, the crafty Italian commander MAJGEN Frattini of the Italian 49th Division was able to ambush the attackers, half of whom were assaulting across rivers. This would decrease the amount of casualties the attackers could inflict. Of the Comintern units engaged, on the mountain specialists of 2 Mtn Div were able to match it tactically with the entrenched enemy. The others were there basically to make up the numbers and cause the defenders to fight on multiple flanks.
Them at 3am, Muzir reported a Hungarian Division had appeared in Gacko to attempt a defence. Muzir’s Mountaineers were in their element though and the Hungarian division was already somewhat worn and small in size (just two brigades against Muzir’s five). The attackers remained confident of victory.
At 5am, HQ 5th ‘Comintern’ Corps (now equipped with just the one militia division after the spring reorganisation) started moving from its depth position back in Kraljevo closer to the front, heading for the recently occupied Valjevo. 15 Inf Div launched an exploitation attack on Sabac shortly afterwards, seeking to throw the Germans out of their last bridgehead in the sector. Herzog’s 46th Infanterie Division was already worn down from previous engagements, while Gataly’s IS-2 heavy tanks were a nasty problem for them to deal with. SGT Metin Sadik and his squad - a mixture of old hands and new recruits - far preferred these attacks to the vicious defensive battles of past months.
Three hours later, 97 SD ‘Shar’, part of the large Visegrad concentration, added its weight to the attack on Sabac from the south. Their mission would be to secure the province once it had been occupied, freeing up 15 Inf Div for further offensive options.
Then at 11am, to assist with the attack, 1 BG was ordered to commence daylight ground attacks on Sabac. Fighter escort would be provided by the older aircraft of 1 AG [although I had again ordered interdiction instead of air interception].
The fighting in Niksic was tough but progressing slightly in the Comintern’s favour by 2pm [53% odds]. Neither side yet showed any significant damage. That evening, four battles were in progress along the front. 1 Mtn Div brushed away the defenders of Gacko by 6pm, causing heavy casualties – though it looked like another Hungarian division was on its way to try to plug the gap.
At 7pm, a new three-division attack was launched on the coastal province of Herzeg Novi, the assault going in against two dug-in Axis divisions. The battle in Sabac was now going very well while the assault on Niksic continued to gradually improve. Then at 8pm, 12 SD became the latest formation to arrive in Cevo, where more plans were afoot for the exploitation phase: they were sent straight on to the undefended Ljubinje, hoping to take it before the enemy could organise a proper defence.
While this was happening, reports were received that Soviet forces were slowly beginning to muster in the east, in the region where the Turkish screening line was trying to improvise a defence against the Japanese advance.
In the Balkans, another new battle was initiated, with 1 Inf Div and 1 Armd Div hitting Rudo from Visegrad at 9pm. Both the commanding generals were evenly matched and were using imaginative tactics, which balanced each other somewhat but were slightly in Wehib Pasha’s favour.
But the fight was closer than had been anticipated, so 222 SD was ordered to augment the attack across the river from the south from Pljevlja. Also, 1 BG was ordered to finish its strikes on Sabac and switch to Rudo – attacking both day and night this time. 2 AF (the two F4F wings) would now provide air interception cover. Leaving (accidentally, due to oversight) 1 AF still performing daytime interdiction on Sabac.
Air Report. The two strikes on Sabac caused a total of 93 Axis casualties.
OTL Event: Germany. The Messerschmitt Me 262 had its first test flight with jet engines. [Comment: no idea whether the Germans are researching jet engines in this ATL.]
19 Jul 42
After the Secret war had been quiet for many days, a team of Turkish spies was apprehended by Slovakian stooges in Italy, leaving strength there at nine teams, but with three in reserve, one of which would soon be inserted. The Italians had one of their own spy teams available but none in reserve at that time.
In Turkey, Kaya found that a Japanese spy had been arrested in Kabul at midnight: no doubt hoping to create a fifth column ahead of their advance in the region. The man was sent on the Midnight Express – figuratively. In reality, after a brief interrogation he was shot and dumped in an unmarked grave. Or ‘neutralised’, as the more mealy-mouthed official records showed.
Back in the fight for Rudo, 222 SD had reinforced the battle very quickly. It was hoped the additional numbers and air support would eventually tell in the Comintern’s favour.
At 3am, as 1 AF began another interdiction raid on Sabac, the oversight was discovered and their orders changed to air interception over Rudo, though no aerial opposition had appeared there yet. And an hour after that, 176 SD became the latest to reinforce Cevo: and they were fully available for offensive operations if required. Which they were: they would reinforce the push on Ljubinje, in case any Axis opposition turned up.
At 6am, Axis resistance collapsed in Herzeg Novi, with the defenders suffering casualties at a 10-1 ratio! Huzzah! The whole Axis front between the Adriatic and Beograd was looking decidedly shaky by now. The pressure was maintained.
But the Axis were not prepared to lie down easily. Visegrad was struck by two Italian TAC wings with a multirole fighter wing escort at 7am. 1 AG, 2 AG and the one serviceable wing (5 AF) of La-5s from 4 AG were all allocated to intercept the raiders. It was hoped the air controllers would be able to rotate the units through as necessary, rather than massing the lot, though that was beyond the specific control of the Air Force Command. But the raid was over before they were able to engage the Italians, whose strike caused 151 casualties.
The two Soviet EFs (12 and 176 SDs) advancing on Ljubinje encountered the retreating Italian 4th Alpini there at midday, but they continued their retreat three hours later without casualties on either side.
The Italian raiders returned at 1pm, but this time over Valjevo rather than Visegrad. they were met by 1 AG and 5 AF, who managed to cause some significant damage on their escorts. The Italian ground attack went in, but the bombers were not seen again for the rest of the day – or for several days following.
Air Report. 1 AG’s ‘accidental’ interdiction on Sabac killed only six Axis troops. Four ground attacks on Rudo killed 395 Axis soldiers. The Italians hit Visegrad for 151 casualties in the morning then Valjevo for another 157 in the afternoon. Their raids ceased after 2pm.
20 Jul 42
The previously spotted Hungarian infantry division appeared in Ljubinje before Comintern forces could occupy it, so an encounter battle began with the approaching Soviet EFs under stormy skies at 7am. The battle in Rudo continued with only one Axis division now remaining and in Niksic the Comintern attackers were beginning to dominate. North and south of Cevo, the enemy were in retreat from previous lost battles.
The battle in Sabac had been won and 15 Inf Div arrived there to seize it at 9am, but yet again no detailed casualty report was available. A Hungarian probe on Sabac an hour later was halted immediately, after their approaching troops lost 26 men without troubling the defenders.
The tough fight for Niksic ended in Turkish victory at 5pm.
Air Report. With the battle for Rudo now also favouring the Comintern attackers, the air missions there were called off at 8pm. Four raids that day had killed a total of 447 Axis troops.
21 Jul 42
Another Turkish spy team was arrested in Italy at midnight. The S.I.T.H. Station Chief in Rome was now starting the get a little worried: they were down to nine teams and only two in reserve.
“I wish the Dark Lord Kelebek was here. He’s been gone for some time. There are rumours he has been seen ‘touring’ Vesuvius. I wonder if …”
“You have need of me?”
The spy chief and his two lieutenants, normally hard and unflappable men, jumped involuntarily. How had Kelebek suddenly appeared – in a locked basement behind a solid steel-reinforced door?
“Ah, er yes, Agent K. The Italians and their cohorts have been eliminating our teams this month and building up their counter-espionage capabilities. What should we do?”
“For now, send half your agents back to hunting their secret police. Leave the other half on tech espionage. Meanwhile, I will see what I can find.”
“Yes, My Lord, thank … er, where did he go?” The only trace of Kelebek’s presence was a faint hint of sulphur in the air.
97 SD ‘Shar’ joined 15 Inf Div in Sabac at 9am, ensuring the river line defence west of Beograd was secure again. This was important for the Summer Offensive, as for now it was focused on the south-west. Taking Sabac secured its right flank.
At 4pm, Wehib Pasha reported that the fight for Rudo was almost over [91% odds, low defender organisation] and he was confident that victory would soon be declared.
OTL Event: New Guinea. The Kokoda Track campaign began.
22 Jul 42
3 Mtn Div was the first to reach and secure Niksic at 4am, though they would be unavailable for further attacks for more than four days: not until 0900hr on 26 July. A half-hearted Hungarian probe on the province was over an hour later, the Turks losing four men to 14 of the enemy.
Sometime during the night, the enemy were seen retreating from Rudo but once again no casualty report was available [after a major battle – particularly irritating.] Meanwhile, the Germans were attempting to reinforce the Hungarian’s hasty defence of Ljubinje with their 1st Infanterie Division.
1 Armd Div made it into the hills of Rudo by midday, with the task of securing it for further advances – perhaps even to set up a drive west to the coast to pocket some Axis divisions. Though the terrain in this area was difficult, making rapid advances slow (along with antiquated Turkish offensive doctrine). And within an hour, they were being counter-attacked by the Hungarian 20th Division from Sarajevo. Three hours after that, the German 24th Division had joined the fight and reinforced straight away from Vlasenica. It had suddenly become a serious attack.
OTL Event: Eastern Front. The German 6th Army reached the great bend in the Don River near Stalingrad.
23 Jul 42
The air base in Kursumlija received its upgrade to Level 3 at midnight – important, as it housed three air wings, some of which had not been getting repaired due to the lack of facilities. And in Istanbul, 2 Mar Bde finished basic training and joined with its colleagues to form the 1st Marine Division.
A new air base was ordered – in case one was needed for deployment later on the Eastern Front or elsewhere. Otherwise, all released production capacity was being diverted to supplies for now, as Turkey was chewing through them at the rapid rate. The stockpile was down to 37,600 and was reducing by 521 per day (net). Now 18.81 IC were allocated to supplies (against a ‘need’ of 15.65).
11 Inf Div marched into Niksic in support of 3 Mtn Div at 3pm: they would have to wait until 1400hr on 26 July to attack again. The Axis counterattack on Rudo was now becoming a major engagement, with forces from both sides having joined in and attempting to reinforce the front line.
Air Report. 1 BG and 1 AG were sent that afternoon to hit the enemy attack force in Vlasenica to help the defenders beat off the attack. The first raid finished at 7pm, killing 79 enemy troops.
24 Jul 42
17 Inf Div joined their comrades in Niksic at 4am and would be ready to attack once more in two days. They had taken some damage during the battle for it and would need some time to recover, however.
Not to be outdone, the Italians sent three unescorted bomber wings - two TAC and one NAV – to strike Rudo at 6am. 4 AG (F4Fs) and 5 AF (La-5s) were detailed to intercept them. There would be two dogfights during the day – one in the morning and another in the afternoon. The first enemy raid struck home, but the second was turned away. 5 AF bore the brunt of the damage for the Turkish fighters, but the Italian bombers suffered more heavily. They did not return again.
Muzir’s 1 Mtn Div made good time, arriving in Gacko at 10am and only needing to wait another hour before they could attack again. But for now, they were a bit isolated and held in place.
7 Inf Div got to Herzeg Novi at 2pm, reclaiming in for the Glorious Union with only a six-hour delay before they could resume the offensive. To their north, the two Soviet divisions attacking Ljubinje had almost won there, with only the badly damaged German 1st Division still holding out, the Hungarians having retreated earlier. But 12 SD was also badly worn out and would need a decent rest after the battle.
But the advances to their south emboldened the Turks and Muzir was ordered to hit Nevesinje. When the assault started at 3pm, they found only a weakened Hungarian division (the 11th) and a couple of HQs. Victory looked assured.
And sure enough, Axis resistance in Ljubinje crumbled at 9pm. Casualties were very heavy on both sides.
7 Inf Div, without waiting any longer for approaching reinforcements, then followed up by attacking Dubrovnik at 10pm. After token resistance (three attackers killed for eight Italians), victory was declared shortly after midnight.
Late in the day, 1 Mtn Div duly brushed through light resistance in Nevesinje, achieving the victory there at 11pm. It was slow going through the mountains, but the advantage of having three fully manned five-brigade mountain divisions certainly speeded the process up.
And by that time, all the units in Rudo were fully engaged. The battle was turning in Turkey’s favour, but 1 Armd Div had absorbed considerable damage.
Air Report. Three daylight raids by 1 BG on Vlasenica killed a substantial 406 Axis defenders. The single Italian attack on Rudo earlier in the day had killed 119 defenders.
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25 Jul 42
The situation on the Romanian-Soviet border was still something of a worry – German units were now lodged just across the river. By 9am, the first of the Turkish screen units (307 SD) had arrived in Bender. Two more divisions were close behind them. The Romanian Supreme Command had received a suggestion from their Turkish counterparts to begin setting up a complementary defensive line all the way to the Black Sea coast, just in case the Axis broke through towards Odessa.
In the centre of the Romanian front, they were pushing forward doggedly using the many Soviet EFs under their command. By midday that had retaken three provinces of the Carpathian Mountains in front of Brasov. If they could hold and strengthen these positions, they should become a strong redoubt. Romania, with Soviet and Turkish help, was proving a very useful ally after more than two years or unrelenting warfare.
In Rudo, midday saw only one enemy division still in the fight: the German 24th in Vlasenica, which had been taking a pounding from the air for the previous day. An hour later, they gave up the fight. Again, casualties had been substantial on both sides, but the breakthrough had been held against a determined foe.
Air Report. All extant air missions (defensive over Rudo and offensive in Vlasenica) were cancelled at 1pm, to allow the aircraft and crews to recover for future operations. A single raid on Vlasenica that morning had killed another 191 German soldiers: 676 had been accounted for there in a day and a half of ground attacks.
26 Jul 42
Rome. Midnight. A dingy apartment room.
“Here. This one’s for you!”
The S.I.T.H. chief in Rome could only watch mutely as Darth Kelebek delivered a gibbering Italian secret policeman to their safe house.
“He gave good sport – but I am done with him now.” The Dark Lord sauntered over into a shadowy corner of the room – and was somehow gone again.
“What shall we do with him, Serhan?” asked one of his lieutenants after the menacing presence had left.
“Agent K has ‘neutralised’ him permanently. Leave this one near their police headquarters to serve as an example to others. Perhaps it will deter them from trying to arrest our people again.”
Back at the shooting war, 2 Mot and 10 Inf Divs were ready to attack again from Visegrad. They struck the improvised defence of the LSAH SS Division in the plains of Zvornik. The fanatics had had a little time to dig in, but were still not properly reorganised after their earlier exertions. Noyan led the assault as Düvert tried to conduct an elastic defensive battle plan.
To the south, the recent string of Turkish victories had left the Axis defence in virtual free-fall. At 8am, 97 SD ‘Shev’ and 6 ID rolled straight into Herzeg Novi and kept going towards Dubrovnik, which had been cleared by 7 Inf Div’s quick attack.
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27 Jul 42
The new day saw no let up in Turkish momentum. The evening before (7pm) 1 Mtn Div had secured Nevesinje and waited to reorganise. The next victory came at 3am, when token Hungarian resistance in Foca was brushed aside by 3 Mtn Div after a one-hour skirmish. But behind that, the Axis seemed to be trying hard to scramble a defence. How strong it may be would be seen when the Turks closed with it. Major Durden, attached again to COL Diskorekto’s brigade, itched for a more serious fight.
After a little over a day of fighting, that morning the LSAH was thrown out of Zvornik, suffering very heavy casualties in open terrain against the powerful new 2 Mot Div.
Out in the east, the Turkish screening units were taking up position. 47 SD was the first to arrive in the south-east, while 16 Inf and 4 Cav Divs were also approaching their final positions. Some of the Japanese units that had been approaching them were now turning to the north-west, as Soviet and Romanian units began to fill what had been a yawning gap in the line. Whether they would be able to hold if attacked was another matter.
And at 9pm that night, a small Soviet naval task force was patrolling off the northern coast of Sicily, of all places. As it sailed west, a small boat with three passengers hunched in the wheelhouse left the group surreptitiously. On board, taking advantage of the ride, was Luca Brasi and a couple of henchmen. [Er, ‘unusually well-armed olive oil salesmen’, that should have read!]
He was bound for Messina to begin his inspection tour of the developing operation in Sicily. And to finally meet his junior Italian business partner, Vito Corleone. Vito had received a phone message from Cennet, who was currently in Palermo, that his ‘employer’ was on the way, so Vito headed from his Sicilian head office in Syracuse to meet him. It should prove an interesting meeting.
OTL Event: North Africa. The First Battle of El Alamein (Rommel’s attack) ended in stalemate but a strategic Allied victory.
28 Jul 42
At 1am, it fell to two of the Soviet EFs to conduct the next stage of the exploitation: 4 SD (Visegrad) and 222 SD (Rudo) turned the tables on the German 24th Division in Vlasenica, which was somewhat worn by its recent attacking role and the air attacks it had suffered in recent days. Even though the Soviet commander Kurasov was an outstanding leader, he was up against a German even more accomplished, who instituted a tactic of masterful delay. Perhaps he hoped for reinforcement or wished to just slow down the Comintern onslaught. Because Zvornik, immediately to his north-east, was unoccupied and also under threat from Comintern attackers.
Heinrici’s fears were well-grounded: the fast-moving 2 Mot Div, under the dashing MAJGEN Toüdemür, took Zvornik three hours later, though he had 122 hours to wait before they could resume the offensive.
To keep the momentum rolling and give the enemy no rest, MAJGEN Gürzlin with his 7 Inf Div moved to attack Metkovic as soon as he arrived in Dubrovnik. And his boldness was rewarded, as he discovered an hour later that the two Axis divisions there had barely recovered from their earlier retreats, while his own men remained fresh and ready to fight. In Ljubinje, it looked like an Italian division was trying to occupy it before Comintern forces could reach it. With reinforcements on the way, Gürzlin ignored that distraction and pressed on with his attack.
By 10am Ankara time, 16 Inf Div was in place in the hills of Angram, the second formation to arrive in its blocking position on the Eastern Front. They were soon entrenching to improve their chances of surviving any Japanese attack across the river to their east.
10 and 15 Inf Divs reinforced 2 Mot Div in Zvornik at 11pm. While neither 2 Mot nor 10 Inf would be ready to attack for around five days yet, Gataly’s 15 Inf Div with its IS-2s was ready to rumble: it struck due west to try to take Zavidovici straight away while the battle for Vlasenica went on to the south. If there was a chance of cutting off some Axis divisions, they would try to seize it.
And the last piece to fall into place that day was the arrival of the Skopje Garrison Division in Cetatea Alba, on the Black Sea coast, to complete the defensive line along the Romanian’s eastern border. The stronger units were ranged from the north-west downwards, where the enemy threat was greatest. It was hoped the weaker garrison units would not be needed – and if they were, that other Romanian forces might have augmented them by then. Trench digging was the order of the day all along the line.
OTL Event: London. Arthur Harris made a radio broadcast informing German listeners that the bombers would soon be coming "every night and every day, rain, blow or snow - we and the Americans. I have just spent eight months in America, so I know exactly what is coming. We are going to scourge the Third Reich from end to end, if you make it necessary for us to do so ... it is up to you to end the war and the bombing. You can overthrow the Nazis and make peace."
Coming Up: Can the Turks sustain their Summer Offensive and even create some ‘pocketing’ opportunities along the Adriatic? Will the Soviet Union be able to stabilise both their fronts as ground continues to be lost in the east and west? Can the Turkish screen north-east of Kabul contain any attempted Japanese breakthrough? Will Leningrad and Kyiv survive the month in Soviet hands, or will their streets soon ring with the crunch of marching German jackboots? And will eastern Romanian come under a flanking assault by Axis forces advancing that way?
How will Luca Brasi and Vito Corleone get on? Will Kelebek continue to terrorise the Italian secret police, or return to the exploration of nearby volcanos - or other dimensions? How have the British fared in North Africa, Malaya, Burma and at sea? Will the sleeping US giant continue to snooze?
Endnote: Another 6,188 known ground combat casualties were inflicted by Turkish forces on the Axis in the Balkans from 15-28 July, plus another 1,794 killed in air raids. These 7,982 plus the 7,779 caused from 1-15 Jul meant very nearly 14,000 Axis troops (at least, given missing battle reports) had been eliminated in the Summer Offensive since the beginning of the month. Turkey lost a total of another 3,475 to all causes, meaning they had lost around 5,500 since 1 July.
15 Jul 42
The Turkish-led Summer Offensive all along the Yeniçeri Line, from the west of Beograd to the Adriatic coast, rolled on. By 9am, 2 Mtn Div was the first to enter Cevo (near the southern end of the line). They would be able to attack again by 1900hr on 17 July. Two hours later, they were joined by 1 Mtn Div, who must also wait before they can resume offensive operations. Then at 4pm, 4 SD pulled in as well; they would have to wait until 1400hr on 18 July before they could attack once more.
More widely on the Patriotic Front, some danger points had emerged. While the Turks had begun pushing forward in the south and Romania held the status quo, Russia was still a cause for concern.
The Romanian border with the Soviet Union was now coming under direct threat from an Axis offensive moving towards Odessa. North and south of the Pripet Marshes, the Germans had made large advances since the beginning of the month, with Kyiv under threat. And at the northern end of the line, the Germans had broken through and were now on the outskirts of Leningrad.
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16 Jul 42
97 SD rolled into Cevo at 11pm to add to the build-up there. It could attack again within another 29 hours.
I noticed at this point that there are two 97 SDs serving as EFs with Turkey in the Balkans. This one is commanded by MAJGEN Shevchenko, so I will now refer to it as 97 SD ‘Shev’. The other, serving further north, is commanded by MAJGEN Sharokhin, so I will call that one 97 SD ‘Shar’.
In Beograd, 2 TAK finished its long transit flight back from Herat to see 1 TAK merged back under Namut’s command to reform 1 Bombardiman Grubu (BG).
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17 Jul 42
The next formation to arrive into Cevo was Gürler’s 6 Inf Div, which would be ready to resume offensive tasks in just two hours.
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18 Jul 42
At midnight came news that the Leningrad garrison had repelled the first German attack on that great city. But no other Soviet divisions are near and there was a two-province gap to its south. Mercifully, German units were also thin on the ground there.
But the Axis advance towards Odessa continued. Turkey decided to send two 'extra' Soviet EFs from the Danube Line (one from Turnu Severin and another from Petrovac) and two of the depth garrison divisions to form a defensive line along the Romanian border with the Soviet Union. Just in case. 14 Inf Div remained in reserve, ready to reinforce either of the Danube provinces in the event of a serious attack.
The Niksic attack went in at 1pm. Unfortunately, the crafty Italian commander MAJGEN Frattini of the Italian 49th Division was able to ambush the attackers, half of whom were assaulting across rivers. This would decrease the amount of casualties the attackers could inflict. Of the Comintern units engaged, on the mountain specialists of 2 Mtn Div were able to match it tactically with the entrenched enemy. The others were there basically to make up the numbers and cause the defenders to fight on multiple flanks.
Then at 11am, to assist with the attack, 1 BG was ordered to commence daylight ground attacks on Sabac. Fighter escort would be provided by the older aircraft of 1 AG [although I had again ordered interdiction instead of air interception].
The fighting in Niksic was tough but progressing slightly in the Comintern’s favour by 2pm [53% odds]. Neither side yet showed any significant damage. That evening, four battles were in progress along the front. 1 Mtn Div brushed away the defenders of Gacko by 6pm, causing heavy casualties – though it looked like another Hungarian division was on its way to try to plug the gap.
At 7pm, a new three-division attack was launched on the coastal province of Herzeg Novi, the assault going in against two dug-in Axis divisions. The battle in Sabac was now going very well while the assault on Niksic continued to gradually improve. Then at 8pm, 12 SD became the latest formation to arrive in Cevo, where more plans were afoot for the exploitation phase: they were sent straight on to the undefended Ljubinje, hoping to take it before the enemy could organise a proper defence.
In the Balkans, another new battle was initiated, with 1 Inf Div and 1 Armd Div hitting Rudo from Visegrad at 9pm. Both the commanding generals were evenly matched and were using imaginative tactics, which balanced each other somewhat but were slightly in Wehib Pasha’s favour.
Air Report. The two strikes on Sabac caused a total of 93 Axis casualties.
OTL Event: Germany. The Messerschmitt Me 262 had its first test flight with jet engines. [Comment: no idea whether the Germans are researching jet engines in this ATL.]
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19 Jul 42
After the Secret war had been quiet for many days, a team of Turkish spies was apprehended by Slovakian stooges in Italy, leaving strength there at nine teams, but with three in reserve, one of which would soon be inserted. The Italians had one of their own spy teams available but none in reserve at that time.
In Turkey, Kaya found that a Japanese spy had been arrested in Kabul at midnight: no doubt hoping to create a fifth column ahead of their advance in the region. The man was sent on the Midnight Express – figuratively. In reality, after a brief interrogation he was shot and dumped in an unmarked grave. Or ‘neutralised’, as the more mealy-mouthed official records showed.
Back in the fight for Rudo, 222 SD had reinforced the battle very quickly. It was hoped the additional numbers and air support would eventually tell in the Comintern’s favour.
At 6am, Axis resistance collapsed in Herzeg Novi, with the defenders suffering casualties at a 10-1 ratio! Huzzah! The whole Axis front between the Adriatic and Beograd was looking decidedly shaky by now. The pressure was maintained.
The two Soviet EFs (12 and 176 SDs) advancing on Ljubinje encountered the retreating Italian 4th Alpini there at midday, but they continued their retreat three hours later without casualties on either side.
The Italian raiders returned at 1pm, but this time over Valjevo rather than Visegrad. they were met by 1 AG and 5 AF, who managed to cause some significant damage on their escorts. The Italian ground attack went in, but the bombers were not seen again for the rest of the day – or for several days following.
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20 Jul 42
The previously spotted Hungarian infantry division appeared in Ljubinje before Comintern forces could occupy it, so an encounter battle began with the approaching Soviet EFs under stormy skies at 7am. The battle in Rudo continued with only one Axis division now remaining and in Niksic the Comintern attackers were beginning to dominate. North and south of Cevo, the enemy were in retreat from previous lost battles.
The tough fight for Niksic ended in Turkish victory at 5pm.
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21 Jul 42
Another Turkish spy team was arrested in Italy at midnight. The S.I.T.H. Station Chief in Rome was now starting the get a little worried: they were down to nine teams and only two in reserve.
“I wish the Dark Lord Kelebek was here. He’s been gone for some time. There are rumours he has been seen ‘touring’ Vesuvius. I wonder if …”
“You have need of me?”
The spy chief and his two lieutenants, normally hard and unflappable men, jumped involuntarily. How had Kelebek suddenly appeared – in a locked basement behind a solid steel-reinforced door?
“Ah, er yes, Agent K. The Italians and their cohorts have been eliminating our teams this month and building up their counter-espionage capabilities. What should we do?”
“For now, send half your agents back to hunting their secret police. Leave the other half on tech espionage. Meanwhile, I will see what I can find.”
“Yes, My Lord, thank … er, where did he go?” The only trace of Kelebek’s presence was a faint hint of sulphur in the air.
At 4pm, Wehib Pasha reported that the fight for Rudo was almost over [91% odds, low defender organisation] and he was confident that victory would soon be declared.
OTL Event: New Guinea. The Kokoda Track campaign began.
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22 Jul 42
3 Mtn Div was the first to reach and secure Niksic at 4am, though they would be unavailable for further attacks for more than four days: not until 0900hr on 26 July. A half-hearted Hungarian probe on the province was over an hour later, the Turks losing four men to 14 of the enemy.
Sometime during the night, the enemy were seen retreating from Rudo but once again no casualty report was available [after a major battle – particularly irritating.] Meanwhile, the Germans were attempting to reinforce the Hungarian’s hasty defence of Ljubinje with their 1st Infanterie Division.
1 Armd Div made it into the hills of Rudo by midday, with the task of securing it for further advances – perhaps even to set up a drive west to the coast to pocket some Axis divisions. Though the terrain in this area was difficult, making rapid advances slow (along with antiquated Turkish offensive doctrine). And within an hour, they were being counter-attacked by the Hungarian 20th Division from Sarajevo. Three hours after that, the German 24th Division had joined the fight and reinforced straight away from Vlasenica. It had suddenly become a serious attack.
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23 Jul 42
The air base in Kursumlija received its upgrade to Level 3 at midnight – important, as it housed three air wings, some of which had not been getting repaired due to the lack of facilities. And in Istanbul, 2 Mar Bde finished basic training and joined with its colleagues to form the 1st Marine Division.
11 Inf Div marched into Niksic in support of 3 Mtn Div at 3pm: they would have to wait until 1400hr on 26 July to attack again. The Axis counterattack on Rudo was now becoming a major engagement, with forces from both sides having joined in and attempting to reinforce the front line.
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24 Jul 42
17 Inf Div joined their comrades in Niksic at 4am and would be ready to attack once more in two days. They had taken some damage during the battle for it and would need some time to recover, however.
Not to be outdone, the Italians sent three unescorted bomber wings - two TAC and one NAV – to strike Rudo at 6am. 4 AG (F4Fs) and 5 AF (La-5s) were detailed to intercept them. There would be two dogfights during the day – one in the morning and another in the afternoon. The first enemy raid struck home, but the second was turned away. 5 AF bore the brunt of the damage for the Turkish fighters, but the Italian bombers suffered more heavily. They did not return again.
7 Inf Div got to Herzeg Novi at 2pm, reclaiming in for the Glorious Union with only a six-hour delay before they could resume the offensive. To their north, the two Soviet divisions attacking Ljubinje had almost won there, with only the badly damaged German 1st Division still holding out, the Hungarians having retreated earlier. But 12 SD was also badly worn out and would need a decent rest after the battle.
But the advances to their south emboldened the Turks and Muzir was ordered to hit Nevesinje. When the assault started at 3pm, they found only a weakened Hungarian division (the 11th) and a couple of HQs. Victory looked assured.
Late in the day, 1 Mtn Div duly brushed through light resistance in Nevesinje, achieving the victory there at 11pm. It was slow going through the mountains, but the advantage of having three fully manned five-brigade mountain divisions certainly speeded the process up.
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25 Jul 42
The situation on the Romanian-Soviet border was still something of a worry – German units were now lodged just across the river. By 9am, the first of the Turkish screen units (307 SD) had arrived in Bender. Two more divisions were close behind them. The Romanian Supreme Command had received a suggestion from their Turkish counterparts to begin setting up a complementary defensive line all the way to the Black Sea coast, just in case the Axis broke through towards Odessa.
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26 Jul 42
Rome. Midnight. A dingy apartment room.
“Here. This one’s for you!”
The S.I.T.H. chief in Rome could only watch mutely as Darth Kelebek delivered a gibbering Italian secret policeman to their safe house.
“He gave good sport – but I am done with him now.” The Dark Lord sauntered over into a shadowy corner of the room – and was somehow gone again.
“What shall we do with him, Serhan?” asked one of his lieutenants after the menacing presence had left.
“Agent K has ‘neutralised’ him permanently. Leave this one near their police headquarters to serve as an example to others. Perhaps it will deter them from trying to arrest our people again.”
Back at the shooting war, 2 Mot and 10 Inf Divs were ready to attack again from Visegrad. They struck the improvised defence of the LSAH SS Division in the plains of Zvornik. The fanatics had had a little time to dig in, but were still not properly reorganised after their earlier exertions. Noyan led the assault as Düvert tried to conduct an elastic defensive battle plan.
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27 Jul 42
The new day saw no let up in Turkish momentum. The evening before (7pm) 1 Mtn Div had secured Nevesinje and waited to reorganise. The next victory came at 3am, when token Hungarian resistance in Foca was brushed aside by 3 Mtn Div after a one-hour skirmish. But behind that, the Axis seemed to be trying hard to scramble a defence. How strong it may be would be seen when the Turks closed with it. Major Durden, attached again to COL Diskorekto’s brigade, itched for a more serious fight.
And at 9pm that night, a small Soviet naval task force was patrolling off the northern coast of Sicily, of all places. As it sailed west, a small boat with three passengers hunched in the wheelhouse left the group surreptitiously. On board, taking advantage of the ride, was Luca Brasi and a couple of henchmen. [Er, ‘unusually well-armed olive oil salesmen’, that should have read!
]He was bound for Messina to begin his inspection tour of the developing operation in Sicily. And to finally meet his junior Italian business partner, Vito Corleone. Vito had received a phone message from Cennet, who was currently in Palermo, that his ‘employer’ was on the way, so Vito headed from his Sicilian head office in Syracuse to meet him. It should prove an interesting meeting.
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28 Jul 42
At 1am, it fell to two of the Soviet EFs to conduct the next stage of the exploitation: 4 SD (Visegrad) and 222 SD (Rudo) turned the tables on the German 24th Division in Vlasenica, which was somewhat worn by its recent attacking role and the air attacks it had suffered in recent days. Even though the Soviet commander Kurasov was an outstanding leader, he was up against a German even more accomplished, who instituted a tactic of masterful delay. Perhaps he hoped for reinforcement or wished to just slow down the Comintern onslaught. Because Zvornik, immediately to his north-east, was unoccupied and also under threat from Comintern attackers.
To keep the momentum rolling and give the enemy no rest, MAJGEN Gürzlin with his 7 Inf Div moved to attack Metkovic as soon as he arrived in Dubrovnik. And his boldness was rewarded, as he discovered an hour later that the two Axis divisions there had barely recovered from their earlier retreats, while his own men remained fresh and ready to fight. In Ljubinje, it looked like an Italian division was trying to occupy it before Comintern forces could reach it. With reinforcements on the way, Gürzlin ignored that distraction and pressed on with his attack.
10 and 15 Inf Divs reinforced 2 Mot Div in Zvornik at 11pm. While neither 2 Mot nor 10 Inf would be ready to attack for around five days yet, Gataly’s 15 Inf Div with its IS-2s was ready to rumble: it struck due west to try to take Zavidovici straight away while the battle for Vlasenica went on to the south. If there was a chance of cutting off some Axis divisions, they would try to seize it.
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Coming Up: Can the Turks sustain their Summer Offensive and even create some ‘pocketing’ opportunities along the Adriatic? Will the Soviet Union be able to stabilise both their fronts as ground continues to be lost in the east and west? Can the Turkish screen north-east of Kabul contain any attempted Japanese breakthrough? Will Leningrad and Kyiv survive the month in Soviet hands, or will their streets soon ring with the crunch of marching German jackboots? And will eastern Romanian come under a flanking assault by Axis forces advancing that way?
How will Luca Brasi and Vito Corleone get on? Will Kelebek continue to terrorise the Italian secret police, or return to the exploration of nearby volcanos - or other dimensions? How have the British fared in North Africa, Malaya, Burma and at sea? Will the sleeping US giant continue to snooze?
Endnote: Another 6,188 known ground combat casualties were inflicted by Turkish forces on the Axis in the Balkans from 15-28 July, plus another 1,794 killed in air raids. These 7,982 plus the 7,779 caused from 1-15 Jul meant very nearly 14,000 Axis troops (at least, given missing battle reports) had been eliminated in the Summer Offensive since the beginning of the month. Turkey lost a total of another 3,475 to all causes, meaning they had lost around 5,500 since 1 July.
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An exciting month of tough combat. Losses along the Soviet sections of the front are not so bad, as we have quite a bit of ground left to give, but the potential for a breakdown in Romania is worrisome. Meanwhile I think there's real potential for a small pocket along the Adriatic if the Turkish forces can get their rears in gear before the Axis scum retreat too far!
I simply adore this graphic, with the S.I.T.H. characters on the counters. Nice touch changing the unit size indicators to something smaller than a brigade (battalions, I think?).
I simply adore this graphic, with the S.I.T.H. characters on the counters. Nice touch changing the unit size indicators to something smaller than a brigade (battalions, I think?).
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Doesn't really matter anyway, since they can't have the manpower and resoufces tobuild and field very many of such planes anymore. Even if the battle of britian hasn't happened at all, invading france and russia must have strained them to the breaking point, with no influx of resources as of yet.
Floor or ceiling? -answers on a postcard.
Well at least the axis are probably not going to make it there. Unless it's japan of course...
Made him watch all the unfunny sketches from monty python back to back.
Oh...I should probably take down those signs about free coffe and doughnuts this way then...
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The Axis is really pushing it. Battling outside of Leningrad. Getting close to Stalingrad. And if they break out to reach Odessa...
True...the cost is huge. They are paying through the nose. Do we know how much the Soviet are paying?
True...the cost is huge. They are paying through the nose. Do we know how much the Soviet are paying?
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The Germans are still at least a solid 1000 km from Stalingrad, and the Japanese are at least twice that distant. The bigger worry would be if they start to get close to Moscow, which usually would still be salvageable for the USSR but the Japanese have taken so many of the eastern VPs that there could be a legitimate danger of surrender even without losing Stalingrad.
Even at, say, 3:1 ratios, the Soviets just generate too much MP for their casualties to matter, outside of course of the purely human perspective. The USSR loses by running out of land, not out of men (which isn't entirely true to history, OTL both sides faced serious manpower problems throughout the war)
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No worries Tyler, you'll get to see some action
Normally how I read you AARs is I write comments as I read. This episode, it is going so crazy at one side but so elegant like a ballet show on the other side, I couldn't stop reading the action to write anything until this point. Excellent action, army running like a Swiss watch, and great pacing of the writing. This is becoming one of the best episodes ever I guess. Now back to reading
ok finished now. This has been a hell of a month and the action seems like it's not going to stop any time soon. The divisions with TDs or especially the HArms are just too much to handle for the enemy, and the pentagon mountain divisions are a force of nature. The generals are more confident and trying more trick tactics, air force beating the enemy off the skies and causing more casualties than we received. Even the far (now near) east theater is showing signs of stabilization. Good news all around, except for the Romanian Soviet border area but I'm hoping the confusion we're creating would cause the Germans to pull some forces from their offensive there and relieve some pressure. Let's see what the future has to bring to us!
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No worries Tyler, you'll get to see some action
Normally how I read you AARs is I write comments as I read. This episode, it is going so crazy at one side but so elegant like a ballet show on the other side, I couldn't stop reading the action to write anything until this point. Excellent action, army running like a Swiss watch, and great pacing of the writing. This is becoming one of the best episodes ever I guess. Now back to reading
ok finished now. This has been a hell of a month and the action seems like it's not going to stop any time soon. The divisions with TDs or especially the HArms are just too much to handle for the enemy, and the pentagon mountain divisions are a force of nature. The generals are more confident and trying more trick tactics, air force beating the enemy off the skies and causing more casualties than we received. Even the far (now near) east theater is showing signs of stabilization. Good news all around, except for the Romanian Soviet border area but I'm hoping the confusion we're creating would cause the Germans to pull some forces from their offensive there and relieve some pressure. Let's see what the future has to bring to us!
I do get the sense from this month that the Germans are running out of puff, even as they carry on in the high north and Japan is breathing down our necks (and Italy I guess still stuck in Africa). OTL they were already beginning to suffer, and they've had a far worse war so far, working extremely hard for every success they've had. Even with no otl distractions (i.e. No mini Balkan adventure, no African and Greek campaign, just one large Russian front) they've spent the entire war being furiously rested on all fronts, have already lost the Atlantic war and haven't extensively bombed or damaged Russia or the uk. In fact, they seriously struggled for a while in France. I highly suspect that we're it not for Japan panicking the Russians and eating a lot of our land and attention, we'd be planning the first if our counter attacks by now.
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I agree and I also think the Japanese are so stretched at the moment they’re one or two breakthroughs away from getting their entire army pocketed in low infra tundra.
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They must be exhausted certainly. If they were smart, they could retreat and shore up a defence line somewhere in Siberia and there would be a large chance we'd have to let it go for now. But since they've put their whole force far into russia, we not only really need to dislodge them but it should be fairly simple once we have an army availible. Problem is, we don't. So until the war is won in europe or the us invades japan, we're stuck delaying their advance.
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Or a wildcard like sinkiang with armies behind Japanese lines suddenly joins the war and disrupts everything.
I’m even thinking a few traditional cav bdes with armored car to toughen up would work wonders there. It only needs to disrupt the thin supply lines.
EDIT: In fact, can we get a military access from sinkiang? We can just land a few of our troops behind Japanese lines maybe?
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Well what should actually be happening is UK easily winning the africa campaign against the shitty italian force then smashing japan ouy of china through india.
Of course, that didn't happen.
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This is typical of the Red Army Bureaucracy. Once they send out a unit as an expeditionary force, they immediately transfer it's files to the archives, and banish any trace of it ever existing in the first place. Then, when it becomes time to name a new Division, they simply check the files of Divisions currently active in the Red Army to make sure the name isn't already taken. By pure chance, the second 97 SD also became an expeditionary force, opening the door for a third 97 SD to be created in the Red Army...
Very nice going with the Turkish offensive. You are making excellent use of all those Tanks and Tank Destroyers the Soviet Union gave you production licenses for. I do have one question. Are there any plans to hold the conquered territory strongly, with the setup of a more forward defensive line, or will you return to the trusted Yeniceri line if the offensive looses too much steam? It could be interesting for Turkey to keep hold of Split. That would really lengthen the journey for any Axis Air units trying to hit the main Turkish line, giving your fighters a significant advantage. Of course, it would also deprive Italy from a Naval base.
The Turkish Air Force managed to strike some good blows, both against Axis troops, and against Axis bombers.
How could we say no to Luca Brasi when he approached our Battleship while it was transiting the Bosphorus. Off course the Red Navy will pick up hitch-hikers, but only those belonging to a fearsome intelligence agency of a close ally... I hope his stay on that old Battlewagon wasn't too uncomfortable for our esteemed guest.
I must say, Turkish operations in Italy are going quite smoothly. I hope that your spies do find some more useful technology while they are there.
Preparations in Afghanistan are looking good, and at least STAVKA finally got the message and is plugging the gap. Now to hold on to Leningrad...
Your foresight in protecting the Romanian flank can only be commended. This is just speculation, but maybe if the Germans manage to make a deep but narrow salient between Romania and the Souther Bug River, the head off the snake could be cut off by breaking through to the North-West of Odessa and connecting to the Soviet lines. This is somewhat risky, but if it could be achieved, it could prove a major blow to the Axis. Of course, STAVKA probably won't do that from the Soviet side, so maybe Romania, or Turkey could push through from the Romanian side.
Despite the dangers for Leningrad, things are looking up somewhat, let's hope this trend continues,
SkitalecS3
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I finally found my original plans for a southern offensive. under the pile of dust there's paint skills
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both dubrovnik and zavidovici/vlasenica are 4 provinces away from split. it's 8 offensive battles to win (and the provinces to keep) for a huge bag and a lot of strategic gain. Let's test those landing craft in Zara to soften the way
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I think it is good here to plan on holding the ground. Grinding down the Axis is one thing, but ultimately if we want to beat the Germans and their minor friends we will need to mount a sustained offensive that will take and hold ground along the roads to Rome and Berlin. The Southern Offensive is an optimal start, since not only does Turkey have additional units to hold a longer line compared to a year ago, but we have elite Mountain divisions which can hold the mountain and hill terrain we're taking, and heavy armored units to bolster any vulnerable points along the line. Even if the ground we take is only a small slice initially, we need to demonstrate the ability to hold that ground and start learning how to use it as a launching point for future offensives.
And OOC: As a readAAR, I prefer to see the epic clash with Germany happen before they run out of MP and the game becomes just a cakewalk past de-organized units all the way to Berlin!
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I finally found my original plans for a southern offensive. under the pile of dust there's paint skills
We've all had our own bold plans in this AAR. Persia was a long shot too. Your naval landings may yet end up happening if the amercians keep sending marines here.
My Sicilian campaign got relegated to in-universe stories for now, but we may end up there eventually.
We all clearly want to ambitiously and audatiously amphibiously land somewhere.
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Yes, and it's not quite finished, either! The problem for grand sweeps is the terrain, but it might hold them up too. We shall see - haven't played ahead that far (just to the end of the month session) so we shall see how it goes.
Thank you, I rather enjoyed that one. Yes, I decided to make them battalion sized, just for the heck of it. It represents them plus their 'team', associates, etc.I simply adore this graphic, with the S.I.T.H. characters on the counters. Nice touch changing the unit size indicators to something smaller than a brigade (battalions, I think?).
Germany's manpower must be getting quite low by now, though Italy has plenty. Maybe one day I'll have enough spare spies to send some to Germany to get a better read on where they stand with resources, manpower etc.
It will remain a mystery to all (including me
).1) Expect not. 2) Hope not.
Sound thinking.
The Axis are indeed giving it the best they can against the Soviets at the moment though, as @nuclearslurpee observes ...
Yes. that quote re Stalingrad was an OTL 'on this day' comparison. The Germans still haven't taken Kiev yet, though they are getting a little close to that. Will have a check of Soviet manpower for the monthly reports.
Many thanks for the enthusiastic support!No worries Tyler, you'll get to see some action
Normally how I read you AARs is I write comments as I read. This episode, it is going so crazy at one side but so elegant like a ballet show on the other side, I couldn't stop reading the action to write anything until this point. Excellent action, army running like a Swiss watch, and great pacing of the writing. This is becoming one of the best episodes ever I guess. Now back to reading
The new divisional orgs do seem to be matching or exceeding expectations so far, the new heavy stuff has been excellent and I did notice this time how much more imaginative the tactics selections have been since the last offensive. Maybe some of that doctrine work has been paying off!
Agree with that assessment. They are still trying, but even with the distraction of Japan, the Germans aren't cutting through as they would wish. And you can consider the current offensive the first of the counter-attacks. For now, it is an open-ended offensive, made possible by increased Turkish numbers, gear, air support and those Soviet EFs.
I hope that's so. But they just keep coming and the Soviet response is so far not really in place.
I think you're right again here.
I can have a look but suspect there's not much chance. Hard to spare even a few troops at the moment, too. Would have to use the current screening force there (all I have within 1,000s of km).
Too true.
A useful insight there from SkitalecS3 on the murky world of Soviet military administration.
Oh yes, there are no plans to surrender ground without a fight. In fact, we are currently still working our way back to the old front line we held before the Axis counter-offensive following Op Wolfpack. Even if we had to stop, there are some better defensive lines to the north.
The change would be whether effort is switched back to around Beograd and its environs: better breakout ground ... and with the old dream of knocking Hungary out of the war starting to tempt the General Staff again. Especially with Romania so strong with Soviet EFs now. Though not quite yet.
Indeed, a good comeback this time.
I did enjoy riffing off that screenshot that captured the passing Soviet task group, so thought it the perfect time for Luca to make his little business trip to his old home stamping grounds.
It's been a while since the last discovery. I'll try for one more, then may decide its time to start destabilising the regime (NU) or even getting some covert ops teams in place (just for the hell of it).
All those places remain at risk. Of them, I'm most worried about Leningrad.
A nice thought, though the problem would be switching Turkish forces over there at the right time, without undermining progress elsewhere. A less sure alternative would be, at the right time, trying to set the Romanians and Soviets some pocket-closing objectives and hope they take the hint.
Yes, after a nasty little interlude, the success of the Turkish offensive so far and signs of the Soviets gradually sorting out their priorities are promising.
Nice. Rembrandt would be proud!I finally found my original plans for a southern offensive. under the pile of dust there's paint skills
How things have changed since then!Perhaps, but without a large battle fleet to protect them, any landing zone would need strong air cover against all the Italian-based enemy wings, including NAV bombers. Maybe, though.both dubrovnik and zavidovici/vlasenica are 4 provinces away from split. it's 8 offensive battles to win (and the provinces to keep) for a huge bag and a lot of strategic gain. Let's test those landing craft in Zara to soften the way
Oh, per above, this is not intended as a smash and grab only. A noted previously, setting up a land route to invade Italy is a possible longer term goal. But then so would be knocking out Hungary, thus freeing up Romania and undermining the whole German front in Russia ...
Agree. We've had two+ years of epic clash with Germany and Japan so far (oh and I suppose we should count Italy too) and counting.
The Americans haven't sent any more marines since that initial 'gift', alas. I'm relying on our Turkish-built marine units now to gradually build up to division strength.
In OTL, Sicily wasn't launched until Africa had been cleared, so waiting a bit for conditions to improve before chancing that is fair, I think. And I can't rely on the US to contribute any fleets or units to it, either. Plus, I need air support to be within range and can't use Malta or Tunis for that.
But I agree, amphibious dashes are nice to have. Just remember my own resources to conduct them are very limited. It's not the Allies in 1943/44 - or even Britain alone. Patience you must (all) have
If only! I need the US to do that for me, I think.
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Thank you, I rather enjoyed that one. Yes, I decided to make them battalion sized, just for the heck of it. It represents them plus their 'team', associates, etc.
I might have gone for company size, myself, just for the play on the olive oil "company" as a cover story.
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