I did consider it, but the symbol is a bit small and harder to discern.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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I guess even one single cav bde would be sufficient, I doubt Japan has been putting garrison along the entire border, and the high infra provinces are quite close to the border. peek out of sinkiang, capture the railway province, come back. all the Japanese armies in the front that expect food + ammo just starve until they send somebody to retake the province. rinse and repeat
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This month was already all played through, so we'll be caught up after I publish the next chapter (shortly). There will be a bit of a first look at this in the end of month reports, which will have to wait until an annex to Chapter 171, as even though it was only three more game days, they were full of action (at the front in-game and in Sicily, Rome and Zurich in the 'narrative game').I guess even one single cav bde would be sufficient, I doubt Japan has been putting garrison along the entire border, and the high infra provinces are quite close to the border. peek out of sinkiang, capture the railway province, come back. all the Japanese armies in the front that expect food + ammo just starve until they send somebody to retake the province. rinse and repeat
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Chapter 171: Fighting Season – Part 3 (29 to 31 July 1942)
Chapter 171: Fighting Season – Part 3 (29 to 31 July 1942)
29 Jul 42
At midnight, 15 Inf Div encountered a German corps HQ during its advance on Zavidovici. Otherwise, from the day before, heavy fighting continued in Vlasenica and Metkovic (on the Adriatic coast). The HQ was brushed aside in three hours.
But at 1am, a more serious threat arose. Spotting a perceived weakness in the Comintern line, two Hungarian divisions attacked 97 SD ‘Shar’ in Sabac from across the river in Ruma. While their odds were difficult, they had numbers on their side. A spoiling attack was ordered against Ruma immediately, which went in at 2am, with 3 Inf Div attacking from Valjevo and 13 Inf Div from Beograd. Air strikes on Ruma were also ordered, with 1 BG (daylight raids only) escorted by 1 AF. Sabac could not be allowed to fall back into enemy hands.
Inönü received a report from his War Ministry staff early that morning: largely as a result of the recent changes in industrial priority, the daily supply deficit arising from the Summer Offensive had been reduced from over 500 per day to around 320. More supply production may be needed, as with a stockpile now just under 35,000 ‘units’, this rate of consumption would see shortages in a little over three months.
The diversionary attack on Ruma worked quickly: by 3am the enemy had broken off their attack on 97 SD ‘Shar’.
However, due to a command oversight, orders for the attack on Ruma were not immediately cancelled.
3 Mtn Div, with US LO MAJ Tyler Durden in tow, arrived in the mountains of Foca at 5am. This triggered a new round of Turkish attacks in the sector. Two attacks hit home at 6am: 1 Mtn Div struck north-west at Konjic, which proved to have no frontline defenders in place as yet. A more serious battle was begun to take Sarajevo, with 3 Mtn Div teaming up with the worn but still battle-worthy 1 Armd Div hooking across from Rudo. Wehib Pasha employed a bold blitzing attack to try to dislodge the defenders quickly. Fresh troops from the rear were also ordered up to Foca and Rudo to continue the advance (they had been held back until the two provinces had been occupied to gain replacements from earlier actions and so they would remain fresh for new attacks).
NB: the number of enemy troops listed as engaged in Sarajevo is inflated by a couple of divisions already retreating. Just the already partly disorganised Hungarian 20th Division is actually in the fight.
At this time, the Turkish screening line in Central Asia was completed with the arrival of 4 Cav Div in Tashkent.
In what was proving a very busy early morning, the bomb damage assessment report of 1 BG from its raid on Ruma reminded the Turkish command chain that they had not cancelled the spoiling attack there after the enemy broke off their Sabac attack. Fortunately, not too many more lives had been lost. Though those concerned would have thought otherwise – had they still been alive to do so.
An hour later, German resistance in Vlasenica finally crumbled. The successful attack by 4 and 222 SDs was followed up by 1 Inf Div being ordered forward with them. More opportunities to exploit the breakthrough were anticipated.
Given the increased tempo of intelligence operations in Italy recently, the depletion of reserve spy teams and the diversion of industrial capacity to supply generation, training of diplomats was decreased, with spy training doubled (off a modest base) and the rest being put into officer training.
Soviet forces were now closing in on the gap in the lines in Central Asia. So, rather than waiting in Tashkent, 4 Cav Div pushed forward to help plug the southern edge of that gap and hopefully link up with the closing Soviet reinforcements.
Comment: do long-time readers remember that first purchase from Spain of CV-33 light armour way back when no one else would sell Turkey licenses? Compared to the IS-2 monsters now in service, these seem even more like children’s toys than they did at the time!
The enemy next made either a foolish attempt to take Zvornik against far heavier Turkish forces, or a brave bid to delay the breakout. In any case, the Italian 21st Division started their river crossing attack from Semska Mitrovica at 9am.
News Report: Moscow, USSR. At midday, Joseph Stalin, acting as the People's Commissar of Defence, issued Order No. 227. It soon became known for its line "Not a step back!" (Russian: Ни шагу назад!, romanized: Ni shagu nazad!), which became the primary slogan of the Soviet press in summer 1942. The order established that each front must create one to three penal battalions, which were sent to the most dangerous sections of the front lines. [Comment: Issued the day before in OTL. It has become particularly timely given recent German advances in Russia.]
A Soviet postage stamp with the phrase ‘Not a step back’.
The 1 BG damage report from its second air strike on Ruma then reminded the air staff that they had not called off these raids either! The bombers were stood down as well as soon as they returned to Beograd Airbase. Meanwhile, given both La-5 wings were still damaged from previous fighting (one more than the other, which had been withdrawn early) they could recover together: 4 and 5 AFs were merged back to re-form 4 AG, recuperating in Beograd.
That afternoon, 1 Mtn Div encountered more serious opposition in Konjic. They came up against their partly-recovered counterparts in the elite Italian 4th Alpini. Both units were in their favourite terrain and the Italians used effective delaying tactics, but the Turks had more experience and, most importantly, numbers due to their ‘pentropic’ organisation.
A busy day got busier when the badly weakened 12 SD won the ‘race to Ljubinje’ against the Italian 28th Division at 9pm and came under attack from them an hour later, before they could execute their attempt to move straight on to Nevesinje (further Comintern reinforcements were on their way to Ljubinje but would take some time more to get there). The Soviet EF was soon in trouble. Fighting in Konjic, Sarajevo and Metkovic continued – though the last of these (to the immediate west of Ljubinje, from where the Italians were attacking) was approaching its end by 10pm. 12 SD would just have to try to hold on.
Air Report. The two raids on Ruma resulted in a total of 226 Axis defenders being killed.
30 Jul 42
In a race against time, the Hungarian 3rd Division was almost done in, holding off the attack of Gürzlin’s 7 Inf Div on Metkovic. Meanwhile, 6 Inf Div in Dubrovnik, which had been held back for later exploitation tasks, was ordered to bolster the attack on Metkovic, hoping to break the Hungarians then get stuck into the flank of the Italians as they assaulted the Soviets in Ljubinje. They arrived in reserve by 2am. The Hungarian defence was shielding (somehow) the Italian 28th Division which was still attacking 12 SD. 12 SD was stuck in Ljubinje, having run out of fuel for its armoured car brigade. Will they also run out of time?
2 Mtn Div pulled into Gacko at 6am but was allowed no rest: they marched on to join 1 Mtn Div in Nevesinje, continuing the Summer Offensive’s drive up the mountain spine of the former Yugoslavia. Battles continued to rage all around, with 12 SD still desperately holding on in Ljubinje.
And then the hard-fought battle against the Hungarians in Metkovic was won – though this time, the attackers had suffered the heavier casualties.
This now relieved some of the pressure on 12 SD, as both 6 and 7 Inf Divs now crashed into the right flank of the Italian 28th Division at 7am, in what was now regarded [by the game system] as a new attack on Metkovic.
NB: this had the effect of immediately changing the Italian odds on Ljubinje from 74% to 40%. The Hungarians retreated from Metkovic while the Italians fought on, now fighting two battles at once.
But the Axis was far from done in its attempts to blunt the Summer Offensive. At 8am the air raid sirens sounded in Rudo: this time, the Luftwaffe had intervened, with two wings of TAC bombers launching an unescorted daylight raid. In response, the combat air controllers at Beograd Airbase scrambled two groups of fighters (1 and 2 AGs) – this time with an air superiority mission in the skies over Rudo. They wanted to really savage those bombers if possible, to scare them off.
As the Turkish fighters closed with their German opponents in the air over Rudo, news came through that the battle of Ljubinje had been won. 12 SD had held out gallantly, the Italian 28th Division being unable to sustain their assault while having to deal with 6 and 7 Inf Divs attacking them from Dubrovnik.
A telegram of congratulations and appreciation was sent to STAVKA: “They took not a step back. Ourah, huzzah and vur ha!” Inönü wrote.
The dogfight over Rudo lasted until 11am, with the unprotected JU-88s of Kampfgeschwader 40 being savaged. The enemy ground attack was aborted (no ground casualties reported). The mixed fighter force of I-16s, LaGG-3s and F4Fs suffered very little damage in return. The air superiority patrol over Rudo was maintained for the time being
That afternoon, 1 Mtn Div overcame the 4th Alpini in the mountains of Konjic. Vur ha! As soon as they could get fuel, 12 SD would resume their move to Nevesinje (where they might be able to recover while holding ground), to be replaced in Ljubinje by 176 SD. 2 Mtn Div was already on its way to Nevesinje itself and would make better time through the mountain passes.
Just an hour later, the latest Axis spoiling attack began, with the German 5th Infanterie having a rather optimistic tilt at the powerful forces arrayed in Zvornik, again trying to thwart their attempted breakthrough to the west.
Then at 4pm, the fight in Sarajevo was over: 3 Mtn and 1 Armd Divs had inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy as they rushed to try to take the key province, while reinforcements headed towards Foca and Rudo from Niksic and Pljevlja. The Axis line had now been shattered on a three-province front, while the attack on Metkovic was nearing victory as well, with 176 SD arriving in Ljubinje at the same time. The constant pressure might yet disrupt the entire Axis sector.
Two hours later, a smashing victory was reported in Metkovic. The fresh 97 SD ‘Shev’ now followed up 6 and 7 Inf Divs from Dubrovnik, while the recently arrived 176 SD also moved to Metkovic from Ljubinje, with that province now about to be designated as behind the lines.
“Milli Şef, I have the latest report from the Ukrainian Front.” A grim-faced Agent SkitalecS3 was carrying a classified cable from STAVKA. “This information is not being released publicly in the Soviet Union, but Kyiv is now under direct threat from German forces on three sides, including medium panzers and mechanised infantry. The situation is grim.”
“I see, Comrade Skitalec,” said the President gravely. “I know the mighty Soviet Union will not surrender the city easily. And we certainly hope it can hold as a beacon of Comintern resistance to Hitlerite aggression.”
Comment: A defensive objective was added to try to bolster their will to hold it. Things are looking tough there. It would be good if the city could become a bit of an OTL Stalingrad for the Germans, but that is more a hope than an expectation.
31 Jul 42
The next distraction from the Axis came way over on the recently fairly quiet Danube Line.
Yamut still served as both Army Chief and Commander 3rd Corps. His reinforced HQ was defending at the front with the troops in Velico Gradiste.
217 SD arrived in Rudo at 7am and was ordered to continue on for Vlasenica, where it was hoped they would be available for immediate exploitation duties on arrival. An hour after that, another assault on Sabac was attempted, this time by the German 46th Infanterie. MAJGEN Sharokhin of 97 SD ‘Shar’ considered it an unwise probe. Even though numbers were almost exactly equal, he was entrenched and defending behind a river, while the Germans were still partially disorganised from previous fighting.
At 7am, 7 Inf Div (the initial attackers) reoccupied Metkovic. They would not be ready to attack again for another 115 hours (0400hr on 5 August).
In far-off Sicily, the finishing touches were being put on the latest Genco Olive Oil outlet, this time in Messina. A large black car pulled up in a cloud of dust and exhaust fumes and two obvious goons got out. The way they shrugged their shoulders to settle their shoulder holsters and then stood either side of the car, eying everyone suspiciously, was a give-away. Especially to the trained eye of Vito Corleone’s right-hand man, Pete Clemenza. A large, middle-aged and heavy-set man got out of the back of the vehicle and began walking towards them with an air of confidence.
“Who’s that, boss?” Clemenza pointed out with a fair degree of suspicion and a little alarm. Hands began slipping into pockets or jackets to touch concealed weapons.
“Who’s that, boss?”
“It’s OK boys, I think I know who this might be,” said Vito calmly. “Relax.” He turned to the new arrival.
“The first press is always the sweetest, is it not, Signor?” he asked nonchalantly.
“It is, especially pressed extra virgin on a cold January morning,” came the gruff response, in a coarse voice with a Sicilian accent.
It seemed as if the man had to concentrate carefully on every word to get the response exactly as he wanted. And he had perhaps suffered some recent injury to his throat, which could be what made his voice hoarse.
At that point Vito did not know his real name, just a cover name - the common Sicilian moniker ‘Russo’. The challenge and response had been made and both Luca’s goons and Vito’s henchmen relaxed. A little. Or as much as they ever did.
“Signor 'Russo', please come into your new store.”
“Thank you, Signor Corleone,” Luca said as they walked in and took seats at a small wooden table. Both men were feeling each other out and were careful to treat each other with the utmost respect. “You may call me Brasi; Luca Brasi.”
“You may call me Brasi; Luca Brasi.”
“Ah, Don Brasi, your reputation precedes you,” replied Vito with polite deference but also strength and confidence. “I am honoured and grateful that you have visited us here in Messina on the opening day of your new Genco office. And may their first transaction be a profitable transaction.”
“Thank you, Don Corleone,” replied Luca, keen to ensure Corleone considered himself to be a subordinate but still important and respected figure. He was, after all, the head of his own familia in Napoli and now a powerful new underworld player in Sicily itself. “Why don’t you show me around and we can discuss future expansion plans.”
Just when it looked like the German attack on Sabac was going to end in a futile loss of life, at 11am MAJGEN Sharokhin got a nasty surprise. Those two Hungarian divisions in Ruma had clearly been instructed to help their German comrades. They had intervened against Sabac were now in reserve and attempting to reinforce the front line. In response, first, 14 Inf Div, doing duty as a reserve over on the east of the Danube Line, was ordered to get in trucks for the drive over to Sabac given the repeated assaults there, with only one division holding it (see the bottom panel of the map below).
Then at midday, Gürman’s 2 Inf Div was ordered to launch another spoiling attack on Ruma from Beograd: out came the rubber boats and barges again. And 1 BG, escorted by 1 AG, once again took off to pound the enemy’s positions. The attack by 2 Inf Div went in at 1pm: it would be no easy thing, but the Turks wished to make sure enemy numbers didn’t prevail in Sabac before reinforcements could get there.
To the south-west, at 2pm 222 SD was the first to make it to Vlasenica, but they would have to wait another 103 hours (2100hr on 4 August) to attack again.
News Report: London, UK. Driving for pleasure is banned in Britain. [An OTL provision on this day.]
It was a pleasant summer afternoon in Zurich as Fredo entered Ambassador Mike Ceylan’s office. Before he was even offered a seat, Mike looked straight at his brother, more in sadness and pity than in anger. He got straight to the point.
“I know it was you, Fredo. You helped Mo Green in his attempt to assassinate me. You broke my heart!”
Fredo was in a daze. He could say nothing.
“But you’re still my brother, Fredo! Come on, come with me.” Mike stood and walked over to put an arm around his older – but simpler and rather hopeless – brother. He held him close. Always a worrying thought!
“Wha-what will happen, Mikey?”
Left: “I know it was you, Fredo.”
Right: “Wha-what will happen, Mikey?”
“Nothing Fredo, nothing. You’ll retire from the family business. Stay at the lake compound in Geneva. You can teach my son to fish.”
“Sure Mike, sure. Anything you say.”
A couple of Ceylan’s S.I.T.H. ‘personal protection officers’ bring the Ambassador’s limousine around. They all drive off together to Geneva. There is no conversation as Mike looks absently out the window and Fredo just looks down at his hands. Which are tremoring ever so slightly.
At 3pm, Muzir’s Mountaineers ran into yet another set of Axis troops trying to mount a scratch delaying defence in Konjic. This time, the German 10th Infanterie, in rather poor shape from previous exertions, was trying to thwart them. 1 Mtn Div pressed home its attack without mercy.
And four hours later, next door in Sarajevo, 3 Mtn and 1 Armd Divs also had to put in an attack on newly arrived enemy troops, this time the fresh Hungarian 27th Division. The town was now substantially in ruins, being fought over once again, as it had recently and over previous years, dating from Turkey’s earlier conquest of Yugoslavia.
In Roma, that night a former Secret Police Lieutenant, confined to a cell for his own protection, whimpers and talks to himself. He insists that all corners of the room and its ceiling be brightly lit at all times, with no shadows being cast. He sleeps on a mat on the floor, unwilling to lie in a bed for fear of what may lurk under it.
His treating police psychologist is talking to the man’s former supervisor.
“Capitano, he has had great trouble sleeping and says little more than, ‘It is coming. For me. For you. For us all! God save us!’ I fear he will never return to any semblance of mental normality, let alone be able to work for you again.”
“I think you are right, Medico. His services to us have been permanently neutralised.”
“There is more, I’m afraid. He is obsessed with some kind of demonic presence he insists was behind his capture and torment. He asked for drawing materials and this is what he produced. But he either cannot or is too terrified to utter or write its name, which he professes to have heard but refuses to repeat aloud or even write down.”
The Lieutenant’s impression of the S.I.T.H. Dark Lord Kelebek.
“Have you tried a priest?”
“Yes, Capitano, but the Lieutenant only says his hail Marys and asks about exorcisms.”
“How very sad.”
As the evening of yet another eventful day draws to a close, Inönü is advised that 1 Inf Div had arrived in Vlasenica at 10pm and would attempt to move into the as-yet undefended Zenica without delay. And at 11pm, 6 Inf Div joined its comrades of 7 Inf Div in Metkovic. They too would be unable to attack again for over four days. Perhaps some of the follow-on forces on their way would be able to advance sooner than that, but that remained to be seen.
Air Report. The afternoon air strike on Ruma killed 88 Hungarian defenders.
As the month ended, Turkish forces remained engaged in five battles on the Yeniçeri-Danube Line. Sabac remained under heavy Axis attack and the Turkish spoiling attack and air strikes on Ruma continued. The two new encounter battles in Konjic and Sarajevo progressed well but were holding up the advance again. The foolhardy Axis river crossing attempt to the east on Velico Gradiste went on but seemed about to fail.
“General,” said Inönü’s adjutant that night. He was carrying a thick folder of papers under one arm. “The monthly reports are ready. There are comprehensive summaries of all active fronts around the world, the usual naval and espionage reports plus some special pieces on various aspects. Would you like to see them now?”
“Wait a little while Mustapha. This has been a very busy few days at the end of a hectic month. I must rest briefly. Leave the papers here, I will look at them later.”
“Of course, General. Good night.”
"Good night, Mustapha."
Comment: Such was the intensity of action – many smaller battles rather than the grand set piece ones at the beginning of the campaign – that just three days of action and the need to cover other narrative developments have filled an entire episode. The monthly report screenshots are all done and will be released as soon as I can write them up and publish them.
Coming Up: Comprehensive summaries of all fronts will be provided, including the position on each sector of the Patriotic Front. Have Leningrad and Kyiv survived the month or have the Germans taken one or both of these iconic cities? Can the Ukraine be held and will the Romanians’ eastern border come under threat, exposing the Turkish screening forces there to the wrath of advancing Axis forces?
Is the Eastern front still a disaster zone, or are the Soviets beginning to form a credible defensive line? In North Africa, who is up on the see-saw and who is down? Are Burma and Malaya holding? Have the Japanese advanced across the Sunda Strait on the new Dutch capital of Batavia yet? Have the US done anything useful at all?
There will also be special feature on Soviet manpower and industrial production, the diplomatic position of Sinkiang, British politics and convoy status, espionage in Italy, potential Turkish fighter coverage of the Adriatic and the usual monthly naval report.
29 Jul 42
At midnight, 15 Inf Div encountered a German corps HQ during its advance on Zavidovici. Otherwise, from the day before, heavy fighting continued in Vlasenica and Metkovic (on the Adriatic coast). The HQ was brushed aside in three hours.
The diversionary attack on Ruma worked quickly: by 3am the enemy had broken off their attack on 97 SD ‘Shar’.
3 Mtn Div, with US LO MAJ Tyler Durden in tow, arrived in the mountains of Foca at 5am. This triggered a new round of Turkish attacks in the sector. Two attacks hit home at 6am: 1 Mtn Div struck north-west at Konjic, which proved to have no frontline defenders in place as yet. A more serious battle was begun to take Sarajevo, with 3 Mtn Div teaming up with the worn but still battle-worthy 1 Armd Div hooking across from Rudo. Wehib Pasha employed a bold blitzing attack to try to dislodge the defenders quickly. Fresh troops from the rear were also ordered up to Foca and Rudo to continue the advance (they had been held back until the two provinces had been occupied to gain replacements from earlier actions and so they would remain fresh for new attacks).
NB: the number of enemy troops listed as engaged in Sarajevo is inflated by a couple of divisions already retreating. Just the already partly disorganised Hungarian 20th Division is actually in the fight.
At this time, the Turkish screening line in Central Asia was completed with the arrival of 4 Cav Div in Tashkent.
Comment: do long-time readers remember that first purchase from Spain of CV-33 light armour way back when no one else would sell Turkey licenses? Compared to the IS-2 monsters now in service, these seem even more like children’s toys than they did at the time!
The enemy next made either a foolish attempt to take Zvornik against far heavier Turkish forces, or a brave bid to delay the breakout. In any case, the Italian 21st Division started their river crossing attack from Semska Mitrovica at 9am.
A Soviet postage stamp with the phrase ‘Not a step back’.
The 1 BG damage report from its second air strike on Ruma then reminded the air staff that they had not called off these raids either! The bombers were stood down as well as soon as they returned to Beograd Airbase. Meanwhile, given both La-5 wings were still damaged from previous fighting (one more than the other, which had been withdrawn early) they could recover together: 4 and 5 AFs were merged back to re-form 4 AG, recuperating in Beograd.
That afternoon, 1 Mtn Div encountered more serious opposition in Konjic. They came up against their partly-recovered counterparts in the elite Italian 4th Alpini. Both units were in their favourite terrain and the Italians used effective delaying tactics, but the Turks had more experience and, most importantly, numbers due to their ‘pentropic’ organisation.
I’ve borrowed here from obscure Australian military folklore here. People were still talking about – and shaking their heads with regard to – the dreaded Pentropic Division experiment when I entered our military in early 1978. It had become a byword for proposing something that sounded like a bright idea that would prove a failure if implemented. It’s working far better in this ATL for the mountain divisions, even if the concept has been implemented a little differently than in the early 1960s Australian Army! From Wikipedia:
The Pentropic organisation was a military organisation used by the Australian Army between 1960 and 1965. It was based on the United States Army's pentomic organisation and involved reorganising most of the Army's combat units into units based on five elements, rather than the previous three or four sub-elements. The organisation proved unsuccessful, and the Army reverted to its previous unit structures in early 1965.
The decision to adopt the Pentropic organisation was driven by a desire to modernise the Army and ensure that Australian units were able to integrate with those of the United States Army. While the US Pentomic organisation had been implemented in 1957 to improve the Army's ability to operate during a nuclear war, the Australian organisation was optimised for limited wars in South East Asia in which there was a chance that nuclear weapons might be used. Both structures were designed to facilitate independent operations by the sub-units of divisions. The Australian Pentropic division was intended to be air portable, capable of fighting in a limited war and capable of conducting anti-guerrilla operations.
The key element of the Pentropic organisation was the reorganisation of divisions into five combined arms battle groups. These battle groups consisted of an infantry battalion, field artillery regiment, engineer field squadron and other combat and logistic elements, including armoured, aviation and armoured personnel carrier units as required. These battle groups would be commanded by the commanding officer of their infantry battalion and report directly to the headquarters of the division as brigade headquarters were abolished as part of the reorganisation.
The Pentropic organisation was trialled during exercises in 1962 and 1963. These exercises revealed that the battle groups' command and control arrangements were unsatisfactory, as battalion headquarters were too small to command such large units in combat situations. While the large Pentropic infantry battalions were found to have some operational advantages over the old tropical establishment battalions, the divisions' large number of vehicles resulted in traffic jams when operating in tropical conditions.
The experience gained from exercises and changes in Australia's strategic environment led to the decision to move away from the Pentropic organisation in 1964. During the early 1960s a number of small counter-insurgency wars broke out in South East Asia, and the large Pentropic infantry battalions were ill-suited to these sorts of operations. As the US Army had abandoned its pentomic structure in 1962 and the British Army remained on the tropical establishment, the Australian Army was unable to provide forces which were suited for the forms of warfare it was likely to experience or which were organised along the same lines as units from Australia's main allies.
In addition, concentrating the Army's limited manpower into a small number of large battalions was found to be undesirable as it reduced the number of deployable units in the Army. As a result of these factors the Australian Government decided to return the Army to the tropical establishment in November 1964 as part of a wide-ranging package of reforms to the Australian military, which included increasing the size of the Army.
The Pentropic organisation was a military organisation used by the Australian Army between 1960 and 1965. It was based on the United States Army's pentomic organisation and involved reorganising most of the Army's combat units into units based on five elements, rather than the previous three or four sub-elements. The organisation proved unsuccessful, and the Army reverted to its previous unit structures in early 1965.
The decision to adopt the Pentropic organisation was driven by a desire to modernise the Army and ensure that Australian units were able to integrate with those of the United States Army. While the US Pentomic organisation had been implemented in 1957 to improve the Army's ability to operate during a nuclear war, the Australian organisation was optimised for limited wars in South East Asia in which there was a chance that nuclear weapons might be used. Both structures were designed to facilitate independent operations by the sub-units of divisions. The Australian Pentropic division was intended to be air portable, capable of fighting in a limited war and capable of conducting anti-guerrilla operations.
The key element of the Pentropic organisation was the reorganisation of divisions into five combined arms battle groups. These battle groups consisted of an infantry battalion, field artillery regiment, engineer field squadron and other combat and logistic elements, including armoured, aviation and armoured personnel carrier units as required. These battle groups would be commanded by the commanding officer of their infantry battalion and report directly to the headquarters of the division as brigade headquarters were abolished as part of the reorganisation.
The Pentropic organisation was trialled during exercises in 1962 and 1963. These exercises revealed that the battle groups' command and control arrangements were unsatisfactory, as battalion headquarters were too small to command such large units in combat situations. While the large Pentropic infantry battalions were found to have some operational advantages over the old tropical establishment battalions, the divisions' large number of vehicles resulted in traffic jams when operating in tropical conditions.
The experience gained from exercises and changes in Australia's strategic environment led to the decision to move away from the Pentropic organisation in 1964. During the early 1960s a number of small counter-insurgency wars broke out in South East Asia, and the large Pentropic infantry battalions were ill-suited to these sorts of operations. As the US Army had abandoned its pentomic structure in 1962 and the British Army remained on the tropical establishment, the Australian Army was unable to provide forces which were suited for the forms of warfare it was likely to experience or which were organised along the same lines as units from Australia's main allies.
In addition, concentrating the Army's limited manpower into a small number of large battalions was found to be undesirable as it reduced the number of deployable units in the Army. As a result of these factors the Australian Government decided to return the Army to the tropical establishment in November 1964 as part of a wide-ranging package of reforms to the Australian military, which included increasing the size of the Army.
A busy day got busier when the badly weakened 12 SD won the ‘race to Ljubinje’ against the Italian 28th Division at 9pm and came under attack from them an hour later, before they could execute their attempt to move straight on to Nevesinje (further Comintern reinforcements were on their way to Ljubinje but would take some time more to get there). The Soviet EF was soon in trouble. Fighting in Konjic, Sarajevo and Metkovic continued – though the last of these (to the immediate west of Ljubinje, from where the Italians were attacking) was approaching its end by 10pm. 12 SD would just have to try to hold on.
---xxx---
30 Jul 42
In a race against time, the Hungarian 3rd Division was almost done in, holding off the attack of Gürzlin’s 7 Inf Div on Metkovic. Meanwhile, 6 Inf Div in Dubrovnik, which had been held back for later exploitation tasks, was ordered to bolster the attack on Metkovic, hoping to break the Hungarians then get stuck into the flank of the Italians as they assaulted the Soviets in Ljubinje. They arrived in reserve by 2am. The Hungarian defence was shielding (somehow) the Italian 28th Division which was still attacking 12 SD. 12 SD was stuck in Ljubinje, having run out of fuel for its armoured car brigade. Will they also run out of time?
NB: this had the effect of immediately changing the Italian odds on Ljubinje from 74% to 40%. The Hungarians retreated from Metkovic while the Italians fought on, now fighting two battles at once.
But the Axis was far from done in its attempts to blunt the Summer Offensive. At 8am the air raid sirens sounded in Rudo: this time, the Luftwaffe had intervened, with two wings of TAC bombers launching an unescorted daylight raid. In response, the combat air controllers at Beograd Airbase scrambled two groups of fighters (1 and 2 AGs) – this time with an air superiority mission in the skies over Rudo. They wanted to really savage those bombers if possible, to scare them off.
As the Turkish fighters closed with their German opponents in the air over Rudo, news came through that the battle of Ljubinje had been won. 12 SD had held out gallantly, the Italian 28th Division being unable to sustain their assault while having to deal with 6 and 7 Inf Divs attacking them from Dubrovnik.
The dogfight over Rudo lasted until 11am, with the unprotected JU-88s of Kampfgeschwader 40 being savaged. The enemy ground attack was aborted (no ground casualties reported). The mixed fighter force of I-16s, LaGG-3s and F4Fs suffered very little damage in return. The air superiority patrol over Rudo was maintained for the time being
“I see, Comrade Skitalec,” said the President gravely. “I know the mighty Soviet Union will not surrender the city easily. And we certainly hope it can hold as a beacon of Comintern resistance to Hitlerite aggression.”
Comment: A defensive objective was added to try to bolster their will to hold it. Things are looking tough there. It would be good if the city could become a bit of an OTL Stalingrad for the Germans, but that is more a hope than an expectation.
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31 Jul 42
The next distraction from the Axis came way over on the recently fairly quiet Danube Line.
“One this is Sunray Three Charlie,” came General Yamut’s voice on the command net.
Yamut still served as both Army Chief and Commander 3rd Corps. His reinforced HQ was defending at the front with the troops in Velico Gradiste.
“Two German divisions are attacking over the Danube from Mehadia. I had hoped to delay them and take toll as they crossed, but their direct assault has countered my plans. Even so, I think their attack is foolhardy, over.”
“Roger, over.”
“Will report again when their attack fails and their bodies are floating down the river by the hundred. Out”
“Roger, over.”
“Will report again when their attack fails and their bodies are floating down the river by the hundred. Out”
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In far-off Sicily, the finishing touches were being put on the latest Genco Olive Oil outlet, this time in Messina. A large black car pulled up in a cloud of dust and exhaust fumes and two obvious goons got out. The way they shrugged their shoulders to settle their shoulder holsters and then stood either side of the car, eying everyone suspiciously, was a give-away. Especially to the trained eye of Vito Corleone’s right-hand man, Pete Clemenza. A large, middle-aged and heavy-set man got out of the back of the vehicle and began walking towards them with an air of confidence.
“Who’s that, boss?” Clemenza pointed out with a fair degree of suspicion and a little alarm. Hands began slipping into pockets or jackets to touch concealed weapons.
“Who’s that, boss?”
“It’s OK boys, I think I know who this might be,” said Vito calmly. “Relax.” He turned to the new arrival.
“The first press is always the sweetest, is it not, Signor?” he asked nonchalantly.
“It is, especially pressed extra virgin on a cold January morning,” came the gruff response, in a coarse voice with a Sicilian accent.
It seemed as if the man had to concentrate carefully on every word to get the response exactly as he wanted. And he had perhaps suffered some recent injury to his throat, which could be what made his voice hoarse.
At that point Vito did not know his real name, just a cover name - the common Sicilian moniker ‘Russo’. The challenge and response had been made and both Luca’s goons and Vito’s henchmen relaxed. A little. Or as much as they ever did.
“Signor 'Russo', please come into your new store.”
“Thank you, Signor Corleone,” Luca said as they walked in and took seats at a small wooden table. Both men were feeling each other out and were careful to treat each other with the utmost respect. “You may call me Brasi; Luca Brasi.”
“You may call me Brasi; Luca Brasi.”
“Ah, Don Brasi, your reputation precedes you,” replied Vito with polite deference but also strength and confidence. “I am honoured and grateful that you have visited us here in Messina on the opening day of your new Genco office. And may their first transaction be a profitable transaction.”
“Thank you, Don Corleone,” replied Luca, keen to ensure Corleone considered himself to be a subordinate but still important and respected figure. He was, after all, the head of his own familia in Napoli and now a powerful new underworld player in Sicily itself. “Why don’t you show me around and we can discuss future expansion plans.”
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Just when it looked like the German attack on Sabac was going to end in a futile loss of life, at 11am MAJGEN Sharokhin got a nasty surprise. Those two Hungarian divisions in Ruma had clearly been instructed to help their German comrades. They had intervened against Sabac were now in reserve and attempting to reinforce the front line. In response, first, 14 Inf Div, doing duty as a reserve over on the east of the Danube Line, was ordered to get in trucks for the drive over to Sabac given the repeated assaults there, with only one division holding it (see the bottom panel of the map below).
Then at midday, Gürman’s 2 Inf Div was ordered to launch another spoiling attack on Ruma from Beograd: out came the rubber boats and barges again. And 1 BG, escorted by 1 AG, once again took off to pound the enemy’s positions. The attack by 2 Inf Div went in at 1pm: it would be no easy thing, but the Turks wished to make sure enemy numbers didn’t prevail in Sabac before reinforcements could get there.
News Report: London, UK. Driving for pleasure is banned in Britain. [An OTL provision on this day.]
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It was a pleasant summer afternoon in Zurich as Fredo entered Ambassador Mike Ceylan’s office. Before he was even offered a seat, Mike looked straight at his brother, more in sadness and pity than in anger. He got straight to the point.
“I know it was you, Fredo. You helped Mo Green in his attempt to assassinate me. You broke my heart!”
Fredo was in a daze. He could say nothing.
“But you’re still my brother, Fredo! Come on, come with me.” Mike stood and walked over to put an arm around his older – but simpler and rather hopeless – brother. He held him close. Always a worrying thought!
“Wha-what will happen, Mikey?”
Left: “I know it was you, Fredo.”
Right: “Wha-what will happen, Mikey?”
“Nothing Fredo, nothing. You’ll retire from the family business. Stay at the lake compound in Geneva. You can teach my son to fish.”
“Sure Mike, sure. Anything you say.”
A couple of Ceylan’s S.I.T.H. ‘personal protection officers’ bring the Ambassador’s limousine around. They all drive off together to Geneva. There is no conversation as Mike looks absently out the window and Fredo just looks down at his hands. Which are tremoring ever so slightly.
---xxx---
At 3pm, Muzir’s Mountaineers ran into yet another set of Axis troops trying to mount a scratch delaying defence in Konjic. This time, the German 10th Infanterie, in rather poor shape from previous exertions, was trying to thwart them. 1 Mtn Div pressed home its attack without mercy.
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In Roma, that night a former Secret Police Lieutenant, confined to a cell for his own protection, whimpers and talks to himself. He insists that all corners of the room and its ceiling be brightly lit at all times, with no shadows being cast. He sleeps on a mat on the floor, unwilling to lie in a bed for fear of what may lurk under it.
His treating police psychologist is talking to the man’s former supervisor.
“Capitano, he has had great trouble sleeping and says little more than, ‘It is coming. For me. For you. For us all! God save us!’ I fear he will never return to any semblance of mental normality, let alone be able to work for you again.”
“I think you are right, Medico. His services to us have been permanently neutralised.”
“There is more, I’m afraid. He is obsessed with some kind of demonic presence he insists was behind his capture and torment. He asked for drawing materials and this is what he produced. But he either cannot or is too terrified to utter or write its name, which he professes to have heard but refuses to repeat aloud or even write down.”
The Lieutenant’s impression of the S.I.T.H. Dark Lord Kelebek.
“Have you tried a priest?”
“Yes, Capitano, but the Lieutenant only says his hail Marys and asks about exorcisms.”
“How very sad.”
---xxx---
As the evening of yet another eventful day draws to a close, Inönü is advised that 1 Inf Div had arrived in Vlasenica at 10pm and would attempt to move into the as-yet undefended Zenica without delay. And at 11pm, 6 Inf Div joined its comrades of 7 Inf Div in Metkovic. They too would be unable to attack again for over four days. Perhaps some of the follow-on forces on their way would be able to advance sooner than that, but that remained to be seen.
As the month ended, Turkish forces remained engaged in five battles on the Yeniçeri-Danube Line. Sabac remained under heavy Axis attack and the Turkish spoiling attack and air strikes on Ruma continued. The two new encounter battles in Konjic and Sarajevo progressed well but were holding up the advance again. The foolhardy Axis river crossing attempt to the east on Velico Gradiste went on but seemed about to fail.
“General,” said Inönü’s adjutant that night. He was carrying a thick folder of papers under one arm. “The monthly reports are ready. There are comprehensive summaries of all active fronts around the world, the usual naval and espionage reports plus some special pieces on various aspects. Would you like to see them now?”
“Wait a little while Mustapha. This has been a very busy few days at the end of a hectic month. I must rest briefly. Leave the papers here, I will look at them later.”
“Of course, General. Good night.”
"Good night, Mustapha."
---xxx---
Comment: Such was the intensity of action – many smaller battles rather than the grand set piece ones at the beginning of the campaign – that just three days of action and the need to cover other narrative developments have filled an entire episode. The monthly report screenshots are all done and will be released as soon as I can write them up and publish them.
---xxx---
Coming Up: Comprehensive summaries of all fronts will be provided, including the position on each sector of the Patriotic Front. Have Leningrad and Kyiv survived the month or have the Germans taken one or both of these iconic cities? Can the Ukraine be held and will the Romanians’ eastern border come under threat, exposing the Turkish screening forces there to the wrath of advancing Axis forces?
Is the Eastern front still a disaster zone, or are the Soviets beginning to form a credible defensive line? In North Africa, who is up on the see-saw and who is down? Are Burma and Malaya holding? Have the Japanese advanced across the Sunda Strait on the new Dutch capital of Batavia yet? Have the US done anything useful at all?
There will also be special feature on Soviet manpower and industrial production, the diplomatic position of Sinkiang, British politics and convoy status, espionage in Italy, potential Turkish fighter coverage of the Adriatic and the usual monthly naval report.
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Oh man, that's intense! Fortunately, seems like--at least for the Glorious Union, we'll obviously have to wait for the monthlies--we're holding our own and ready to kick back the fascisti to their lairs!
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What a crazy 3 day period! Felt like weeks, it was intense and kept on the edge of the seat.
And I got to make a cameo leading my troops to Sarajevo! Od obsada do oslobodenje Sarajevo here we come to save you from the axis swine. Vur Ha!
It’s been such a long way from those Spanish rust buckets to the IS-2s that are now giving nightmares to axis. We had a nonexistent Air Force, no special forces to compare to now, no economy... it’s really been a long and difficult way.
There seems to be a nice pocket forming in Sarajevo by the way, I hope we can bag some of them in there. Another might happen in the southwest sector if we’re lucky. Let’s see what the future has for us
Thanks for yet another great episode!
And I got to make a cameo leading my troops to Sarajevo! Od obsada do oslobodenje Sarajevo here we come to save you from the axis swine. Vur Ha!
It’s been such a long way from those Spanish rust buckets to the IS-2s that are now giving nightmares to axis. We had a nonexistent Air Force, no special forces to compare to now, no economy... it’s really been a long and difficult way.
There seems to be a nice pocket forming in Sarajevo by the way, I hope we can bag some of them in there. Another might happen in the southwest sector if we’re lucky. Let’s see what the future has for us
Thanks for yet another great episode!
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Adding to the in-game lore here I see. So we have decided to make the Turkish military absolutly massive in terms of organisation, offices and the like. This is good now but means that going forwardm the military industrial complex is likely only going to get more extreme until the regime inevitablly collapses to inner pressure in either the mid 60s or early 2000s.
Interesting how they were confident they could prevent and police such a thing back then. Easier with fewer cars and very noticable differences between passanger vechiles and lorries but still...
Mmhm, Geneva is a lovely city. But it was dying for a massive tunneling project to bore gigantic holes underneath it.
During the early hours of the morning, the whispers returned to his ears. They skittered about like rats under floorboards, present but undefinable. The room flickered in and out of foucs as his brain struggled to contain the amount of information it was not recieving. And the few things it did.
Only once had the police made attempt at silencing him during these periods of dififculty, as well they might with such screams and cries echoing from his cell. The effect of them was quite uncanny, clearing the street outside of all creatures, vermin and pets. For their troubles, two officers were undergoing treatment for cold burns on their arms and hands, and one had lost his left arm to great heat burns down to the bone.
Something peculiar was going on within the cell, of course. Everyone could agree to that. But after this event, few were willing to even think about the issue, aside from the ache from the noise. Certainly no one was going to go near the door, save to feed the poor fellow. Unfortuantly, whilst this did extend their lives by a few short weeks, it may well have been better to go in heads bowed that very next day.
There were never many rules to the SITH. The organisation was secret, its leader was unquestioned, and the work would be done. Everything else was quite discretionary. However, unofficially, the humans of the business had quickly learnt to pass between themsevcles several hints and tips to stave off catastrophe.
At the top of the list was, of course:
'Never speak of that which is. And never try to imagine it.
The second rule was equally obvious in hindsight:
'If you find a corruption, kill it.'
Alas for the Italian police, they were not SITH. And they let the unfortune soul not only linger but draw.
“There is more, I’m afraid. He is obsessed with some kind of demonic presence he insists was behind his capture and torment. He asked for drawing materials and this is what he produced. But he either cannot or is too terrified to utter or write its name, which he professes to have heard but refuses to repeat aloud or even write down.”
The Lieutenant’s impression of the S.I.T.H. Dark Lord Kelebek.
The portraint was of interest to SITH when they learnt of its existence (after the collosal fire which destroyed much of down-town Rome) and they recovered it promptly. It then hung on the wall of the entrace into their main building for some time, ostensibly to honour the...well, actually it was a practical joke because it tended to melt non-members brains into goo. After a while the cleaner, a most intimidating individual ()and that was saying something in such a builidng) was quite insitent it be moved. It was at that point that Kelebek was given the thing itself. He stared at it for some time before prodding it once. At that point, the thing was now sacred, and no one was going to be destroying it, even if they could get close.
Now...now it was less an instant repellent and more a test. You see, this isn't so much an image anymore. Now it's a mirror.
But not as bad as Exorcist 2.
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I came to visit my grandmother at the mountain village named Zorkun I told about before. My late grandfather was a retired colonel by the way. My grandmother asked for some walnuts that were in a wooden case. I opened the wooden case and realized it was an ammo crate from the 50s or so. Took a photo as well.
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Amazing what can turn up! Hope it’s a great visit.
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It’s been great so far, but a lot of people demolished their cute wooden cottages and built 4 story concrete buildings that take up their entire patch of land with no gardens (apparently nobody is enforcing the building code around here). Those took away from the idyllic beauty of the small mountain village but it’s still conjuring a lot of childhood memories and it’s still a great visit. Thanks for the good wishesAmazing what can turn up! Hope it’s a great visit.
I’m sure if I dig more into my grandpa’s stuff I can find more stuff.- 1
I really want to know if that Lot # means it was produced in Richmond!
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Still has the stickers! You probably could find out a lot about it then if it's still in such good nick.
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I think the crate is at least partly recarpentered, I now rechecked and in some places the writings abruptly end or sticker missing and in some other place there’s the rest of the same writing or sticker. The photo I put is of the inside of the flap of the box which is the most intact part. I remember from his stories that he used to be in an artillery formation of sorts (story was how to make mules not afraid of the artillery pieces they’ll tow. You let some artillery lie in their barn for a few days, they get used to them) so this crate makes sense. I wonder what else is lying elsewhere.
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Yes, and there I was trying to do a one-month-per-chapter standard formula!
The Axis kept slipping in new defenders before I could occupy provinces or counter-attacking recent breakthroughs. Not bad ploys for a creaky old AI, but fortunately I was half expecting such tactics and had enough follow-up forces to not surrender newly occupied ground. Though it got very close in Ljubinje!The monthly roundup will show how things are going more widely - the Axis remains up for a fight, though the Germans must be starting to run out of manpower. I hope so anyway: we yearn for the day they can be cracked open like the rotten egg they are! We’ll just have to put up with the stench of their moral corruption until the whole sorry mess is cleaned up! For Ataturk and the Glorious Union. Oh, and our Comintern partners of course.
Gladto be able to maintain the tension! There will be the momentary respite of the ‘bigger picture’ next, then I’m looking forward to the next session to see how far I can get. And if the Soviets can stem the tides coming in from both east and west.What a crazy 3 day period! Felt like weeks, it was intense and kept on the edge of the seat.
And I got to make a cameo leading my troops to Sarajevo! Od obsada do oslobodenje Sarajevo here we come to save you from the axis swine. Vur Ha!
It’s been such a long way from those Spanish rust buckets to the IS-2s that are now giving nightmares to axis. We had a nonexistent Air Force, no special forces to compare to now, no economy... it’s really been a long and difficult way.
There seems to be a nice pocket forming in Sarajevo by the way, I hope we can bag some of them in there. Another might happen in the southwest sector if we’re lucky. Let’s see what the future has for us
Thanks for yet another great episode!
3 Mtn Div has at last been seeing the kind of action the good Colonel and MAJ Darden have been looking for - thought you’d appreciate an up-close view of the combat!
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I am glad I have the luxury of not having to cope with all the post-war complexities and problems this alt-world would spawn! Re the pentadivisions: at least in this version brigade HQs have been preserved. And except in the mountain divs, 1-2 of the extra brigades are support troops (eg divisional artillery, AT, engineers, AA etc) and so easier for a div HQ to control.
That, and perhaps back then and it time of war it would have been largely self-policed and subject to peer pressure. More moral suasion than rigorous policing?
Is that a reference to the large hadron collider or is Geneva these days undermined by a large array of transport related tunnels?
Thanks as always for the Kelebek bonus material.
He’d been exploring caldera and active magma tunnels around the world for a while, but heeded the call when the Italian secret police and their despised Slovakian stooges (I’m looking at you there @El Pip ) started getting antsy again!PS: and yes, Exorcist 2+ should never have been made. Or, at least, as badly as they were!
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I'd also bet that even in the "normal" 5-brigade divisions with 2x support units, the support units are brigaded together such that the division HQ is still commanding four units effectively. Although this is perhaps going a bit beyond the game representation.
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Chapter 171A: Annex – Monthly Reports (as at 2300hr 31 July 1942)
Chapter 171A: Annex – Monthly Reports (as at 2300hr 31 July 1942)
A very tired Milli Şef of the Glorious Union, President of Turkey and Commander of the 1st Army Ismet Inönü had only enough time for a strong coffee as he sat down just before midnight before he settled down to read through the bundle of files his adjutant had delivered.
First, there was a map of the world situation as it stood.
Visually, the most striking feature was the great swathe of (albeit substantively deserted) land the Japanese had now occupied in the east of the USSR. Kamchatka – though undefended by any Soviet ground troops – had not yet been fully occupied by Japan, but they were steadily marching down the peninsula.
Next was an overall map showing gains and losses on the Patriotic Front since the beginning of July. The Turkish Summer Offensive had made good ground in the south. Romania was the normal mixed bag, but ground had been lost in Russia on a wide front. A number of important Soviet cities were now in clear and present danger of Axis attack.
In Russia, the Northern Sector showed the thinly held line south of Leningrad was still vulnerable, but Leningrad itself still remained in Soviet hands. Some Soviet forces appeared to be on their way to reinforce the line, though they may not be enough to halt the German advance.
In the Central Sector (north of the Pripet Marshes), German forces were now nearing Vitsyebsk in the north and Homel in the south. The stretch of open country in the middle was obviously vulnerable to German mechanised breakthrough, but the Soviet line seemed to be thickening again.
The situation in Ukraine was also perilous, down to and beyond the Romanian border. Kyiv still held, but only a single rifle division of modest strength occupied it. Other Soviet forces were in the vicinity but none seemed to be reinforcing it at present. The dangerous Axis thrust along both sides of the Romanian border was now adjacent to the northern screening division (the 177 SD EF) Turkey had sent to bolster the line a few days before.
In Romania, Iasi was again under threat from the Axis advance in the north, where 177 SD now found itself on the front lines. The good news was that Romania (through a strong screen of Soviet EFs) remained in occupation of the three Carpathian Mountain provinces they had taken earlier in the month
The brightest news for the Comintern cause during the month had been the slashing advances made in the Summer Offensive through the tough terrain in the Yeniçeri Line sector. West of Beograd, the Axis line had been largely shattered but still conducted a fighting retreat. Four battles were still in progress in that part of the front plus the almost-spent Axis attack further east on the Danube Line.
An update from STAVKA gave a broad indication that many Soviet units were now returning to the west by rail following the confusion of May-June.
---xxx---
The Eastern Front was still of concern, though the defeat of Afghanistan had allowed that threat in Central Asia to be suppressed. Elsewhere, the Japanese and their puppets had maintained their steady advance of the last two years since the Destruction of Army Group Far East.
A special report from the Foreign Ministry had been provided in response to questions from COL Diskoerekto regarding the susceptibility of the Revolutionary Party regime in Sinkiang to providing Turkey with military access. Inquiries (through Agent Boğafiltresi) with Soviet Foreign Minister Litvinov in Moscow confirmed Sinkiang already provided military access to the Soviets. Foreign Minister Aras assessed that Sinkiang may be amenable to such a request from Turkey as well. His advice was that even if it was not immediately used, such access could prove useful later and may be worth the expenditure of a diplomatic mission there.
In Central Asia, it seemed the expected encounter campaign was about to start, with Turkish units screening in the south and the Soviets approaching in the north. There was no guarantee they would be able to hold the advancing Axis forces that had been victorious for many months thus far.
Another overview from STAVKA showed a few more units were still on their way from the west, but the line generally remained thin.
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British reporting from North Africa showed a mildly positive trend for the month. 2nd Armd Div had pushed as far as Marsa Matruh, but had no immediate support. Fortunately, the Italian opposition visible on the front was also weak.
In South East Asia, the month had seen limited Japanese advances (in combination with their Thai allies) in both Burma and Malaya.
But in Malaya, the loss of Kuala Lumpur was a significant one. The inability of the British to man a solid line across the whole peninsula had been exploited. The Thais were currently attacking Montgomery’s 1 Armd Div in Raub. It seemed the British had the upper hand there tactically, though both sides were becoming disorganised. The danger was more of being outflanked now that the Japanese had broken through to the south. Ultimately, this placed the great base (and resources hub) of Singapore in jeopardy.
Japanese and Thai forces had gradually pushed forward again in Burma and were once more approaching Rangoon. The Nepalis were providing the only frontline resistance at the moment.
In the Dutch East Indies, Japan had proven unable or unwilling to cross the Sunda Strait to Java, where the undefended capital of the Dutch Government-in-Exile was now based in Batavia.
Once again, there had been no changes in territory owned by the US – or any other tangible indications of active American involvement in the war.
Naval Report – July 1942
The only major fleet unit lost by any country during July 1942 was British.
HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship. Often used as a flagship, she participated in the Battle of Jutland during the First Great War as part of the Grand Fleet. Laid down 24 February 1913; launched 31 December 1914; commissioned 19 October 1915. Displacement 33,110 t; complement 1,016; main armament 4 × twin 15-inch (381 mm) guns. Sunk by torpedo bombers from the Kaga (Japan, CV) in July 1942.
(1:11)
Actual footage of HMS Barham sinking in OTL, 1941 after being struck by torpedoes from a German U-Boat.
The Royal Navy also lost two destroyer flotillas, almost certainly to the Japanese, during the month. Japan in turn lost four submarine flotillas over the same period, to British (three) and Australian (one) action. No other combatants recorded any naval losses in July.
Soviet Production Report as at 31 July 1942
At Turkish request, the Soviets shared information on where their industrial capacity was currently focused and what lay ahead on their production line.
Espionage in Italy
After the successful Kelebek-led effort to stamp out the renewed counter-espionage efforts of the Italian Secret Police, all Turkish agents had been switched back to tech spying efforts.
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Supreme HQ Case Study – Air cover for a naval landing on Split
Field Marshal Calistar provided an assessment of whether a possible naval landing on Split from the Adriatic could be adequately protected from Axis (mainly Italian) air units. Split had both an airbase and a port and had been mooted as a possible target for a US Marine (EF) assault as part of a encirclement contingency plan as the Summer Offensive progressed.
First, the Naval Staff had concluded that a landing on Split would be from the Southern Coast of Dalmatia, not the Northern Coast. [I hope this is right! It certainly looks so from the map and where the port symbol is located.]
The Air Force Staff provided their latest estimate of Italian aircraft numbers and known military airbases in the general Adriatic region. There was an estimated total of up to 17 wings of unknown composition and strength at four different bases, with the heaviest concentration in Taranto. A proportion of these would be specialist naval bombers, while Italian fighters were known to be quite effective by comparison to the mix of interceptors and multi-role aircraft in the current Turkish inventory.
The key requirement would be for fighter coverage. The main airbase (and currently closest to Split, though Tirane would be closer to the Southern Coast of Dalmatia and might be an option for basing shorter-range aircraft). The longest-range fighters the Turkish Air Force possessed were the two La-5 multi-role wings of 4AG. They could cover both the Northern and Southern Coast of Dalmatia from Beograd at the extremity of their range.
The mix of I-16s and LaGG-3s in 1 AG could just cover Split itself and the Southern Coast of Dalmatia from Beograd.
The newer F4F Wildcats of 4 AG had marginally shorter range than 1 AG, which put the Southern Coast of Dalmatia just out of their reach from Beograd, though they could cover Split itself.
1 BG, even when including the slower and shorter range Blenheims of 1 TAK, could reach both Split and the proposed fleet concentration area for the landing.
Analysis. From Beograd, 4 AG and 1 AF could provide long-range air superiority or intercept coverage for a fleet concentration in the Southern Coast of Dalmatia. The fleet could be in range of up to 17 enemy air wings. 2 AF (subject to confirmation) may be able to cover that location too if rebased to Tirane, possibly the old Hawk 3s of 1 AF as well. But air defence or escort tasks for the rest of the Yeniçeri Sector, including for any ground attack missions on Split itself, (which had built-in a heavy AA defence and three wings at its airbase) would also be required.
If pursued, the recommendation would be that 1 and 4 AGs provide air superiority coverage over the fleet on a rotation basis, with 1 AF and 2 AG to provide escort for any ground attacks on Split and fighter interception against any enemy air raids on the rest of the Yeniçeri Sector. This would stretch resources thinly and may not be sustainable for the duration of a naval landing, depending on enemy strength and reactions.
The Air Staff also suggested testing this plan with some ‘test runs’ first, perhaps air superiority patrols over the Southern Coast of Dalmatia to see what reaction might be provoked, plus some raids on Split to test enemy reactions to those. If done simultaneously, this might indicate enemy capabilities in the event of a real attack. Unless they just sat at ease until and actual fleet appeared. In that case, a sortie by the 1st Fleet into those waters without transports could also be used for a more realistic test exercise. The 'cover story' for a dry runwould be a Turkish naval mission to provide shore bombardment support for troops fighting on the Adriatic coast.
UK Politics and Convoy Losses
A cable from the Embassy in London reported on the current make-up of the British Government, the wartime laws they had in place and a snapshot of their convoy losses (and impact of those on national unity) for the last seven days. [This was from the one-off tag during the monthly report compilation]. It seems their wartime laws were barely less severe than those of the Glorious Union. Both had repressive civil laws, while the UK enforced press censorship while Turkey had adopted a more stringent state press.
[Note: And I’m assuming because it was from a tag, all the political parties were described by their equivalent Turkish counterpart titles! This was just too amusing to correct by quitting and reloading at the UK!]
Coming Up: The Turkish 1942 Summer Offensive will continue: can any encirclements be achieved? Will it be enough to distract Axis attention from the threats besetting Russia and the north-east of Romania? Can Leningrad and Kyiv continue to hold out and the front be stabilised? Should a potential amphibious attack on Split be seriously explored and tested, or is it just too risky to attempt?
Is the British position in Malaya now untenable? If Singapore falls as well, how badly will the British war economy be affected? Will the Japanese continue to be drawn into their distant campaign in Central Asia and Siberia? And will anything happen in the Pacific, let alone a useful US intervention somewhere?
Will Fredo enjoy teaching Mike’s son to fish? And how will the relationship between Luca Brasi and Vito Corleone develop in Sicily? Cennet will certainly be interested in fostering a spirit of cooperation. As long as all those thirsty beaks can be wetted!
AuthAAR's Note: This is really a companion piece for Chapter 171, as I decided to avoid trying to shoe-horn the reports into coverage of the jam-packed action of the last three days of the month. This gave more room for both and allowed a more detailed run-down on the various fronts, especially in Russia, than would otherwise have been possible. Especially at such a strategically crucial time. Comments on Chapter 171, which is still quite 'fresh', are definitely still very open!
A very tired Milli Şef of the Glorious Union, President of Turkey and Commander of the 1st Army Ismet Inönü had only enough time for a strong coffee as he sat down just before midnight before he settled down to read through the bundle of files his adjutant had delivered.
First, there was a map of the world situation as it stood.
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Next was an overall map showing gains and losses on the Patriotic Front since the beginning of July. The Turkish Summer Offensive had made good ground in the south. Romania was the normal mixed bag, but ground had been lost in Russia on a wide front. A number of important Soviet cities were now in clear and present danger of Axis attack.
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The Eastern Front was still of concern, though the defeat of Afghanistan had allowed that threat in Central Asia to be suppressed. Elsewhere, the Japanese and their puppets had maintained their steady advance of the last two years since the Destruction of Army Group Far East.
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British reporting from North Africa showed a mildly positive trend for the month. 2nd Armd Div had pushed as far as Marsa Matruh, but had no immediate support. Fortunately, the Italian opposition visible on the front was also weak.
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Naval Report – July 1942
The only major fleet unit lost by any country during July 1942 was British.
HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship. Often used as a flagship, she participated in the Battle of Jutland during the First Great War as part of the Grand Fleet. Laid down 24 February 1913; launched 31 December 1914; commissioned 19 October 1915. Displacement 33,110 t; complement 1,016; main armament 4 × twin 15-inch (381 mm) guns. Sunk by torpedo bombers from the Kaga (Japan, CV) in July 1942.
Actual footage of HMS Barham sinking in OTL, 1941 after being struck by torpedoes from a German U-Boat.
The Royal Navy also lost two destroyer flotillas, almost certainly to the Japanese, during the month. Japan in turn lost four submarine flotillas over the same period, to British (three) and Australian (one) action. No other combatants recorded any naval losses in July.
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Soviet Production Report as at 31 July 1942
At Turkish request, the Soviets shared information on where their industrial capacity was currently focused and what lay ahead on their production line.
Comments: As can be seen above, the Soviets are fully funding their unit upgrade and reinforcement requirements, which are substantial. This was to be expected and seemed appropriate. Supply and consumer goods were being adequately serviced, leaving production funded to about 50% of the programmed items (read these from left to right as you look down the page for their order).
The currently top priority and funded projects were almost exclusively infrastructure-related: radar station, air base and factory upgrades, with some convoys and escorts thrown in. Not until the end of the list were any ‘interesting’ new units planned. A couple of CAS wings were at the top of these, then a paratroop division, three heavy tank divisions and six mechanised infantry divisions. Most of these were some way off even starting production, let alone completion.
So it seemed it would be some time yet before the Soviets began receiving any new frontline units for their two-front war, though industrial capacity would ramp up considerably by the end of the year as infrastructure projects were finished and the new factories began ramping up to full capacity. If some of them weren’t occupied by the Axis first!
Soviet manpower remained very strong and officer levels middling (just over 100%). Their resource stockpile were all healthy (especially energy, crude oil and fuel).
The currently top priority and funded projects were almost exclusively infrastructure-related: radar station, air base and factory upgrades, with some convoys and escorts thrown in. Not until the end of the list were any ‘interesting’ new units planned. A couple of CAS wings were at the top of these, then a paratroop division, three heavy tank divisions and six mechanised infantry divisions. Most of these were some way off even starting production, let alone completion.
So it seemed it would be some time yet before the Soviets began receiving any new frontline units for their two-front war, though industrial capacity would ramp up considerably by the end of the year as infrastructure projects were finished and the new factories began ramping up to full capacity. If some of them weren’t occupied by the Axis first!
Soviet manpower remained very strong and officer levels middling (just over 100%). Their resource stockpile were all healthy (especially energy, crude oil and fuel).
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Espionage in Italy
After the successful Kelebek-led effort to stamp out the renewed counter-espionage efforts of the Italian Secret Police, all Turkish agents had been switched back to tech spying efforts.
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Supreme HQ Case Study – Air cover for a naval landing on Split
Field Marshal Calistar provided an assessment of whether a possible naval landing on Split from the Adriatic could be adequately protected from Axis (mainly Italian) air units. Split had both an airbase and a port and had been mooted as a possible target for a US Marine (EF) assault as part of a encirclement contingency plan as the Summer Offensive progressed.
First, the Naval Staff had concluded that a landing on Split would be from the Southern Coast of Dalmatia, not the Northern Coast. [I hope this is right! It certainly looks so from the map and where the port symbol is located.]
If pursued, the recommendation would be that 1 and 4 AGs provide air superiority coverage over the fleet on a rotation basis, with 1 AF and 2 AG to provide escort for any ground attacks on Split and fighter interception against any enemy air raids on the rest of the Yeniçeri Sector. This would stretch resources thinly and may not be sustainable for the duration of a naval landing, depending on enemy strength and reactions.
The Air Staff also suggested testing this plan with some ‘test runs’ first, perhaps air superiority patrols over the Southern Coast of Dalmatia to see what reaction might be provoked, plus some raids on Split to test enemy reactions to those. If done simultaneously, this might indicate enemy capabilities in the event of a real attack. Unless they just sat at ease until and actual fleet appeared. In that case, a sortie by the 1st Fleet into those waters without transports could also be used for a more realistic test exercise. The 'cover story' for a dry runwould be a Turkish naval mission to provide shore bombardment support for troops fighting on the Adriatic coast.
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UK Politics and Convoy Losses
A cable from the Embassy in London reported on the current make-up of the British Government, the wartime laws they had in place and a snapshot of their convoy losses (and impact of those on national unity) for the last seven days. [This was from the one-off tag during the monthly report compilation]. It seems their wartime laws were barely less severe than those of the Glorious Union. Both had repressive civil laws, while the UK enforced press censorship while Turkey had adopted a more stringent state press.
[Note: And I’m assuming because it was from a tag, all the political parties were described by their equivalent Turkish counterpart titles! This was just too amusing to correct by quitting and reloading at the UK!]
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Coming Up: The Turkish 1942 Summer Offensive will continue: can any encirclements be achieved? Will it be enough to distract Axis attention from the threats besetting Russia and the north-east of Romania? Can Leningrad and Kyiv continue to hold out and the front be stabilised? Should a potential amphibious attack on Split be seriously explored and tested, or is it just too risky to attempt?
Is the British position in Malaya now untenable? If Singapore falls as well, how badly will the British war economy be affected? Will the Japanese continue to be drawn into their distant campaign in Central Asia and Siberia? And will anything happen in the Pacific, let alone a useful US intervention somewhere?
Will Fredo enjoy teaching Mike’s son to fish? And how will the relationship between Luca Brasi and Vito Corleone develop in Sicily? Cennet will certainly be interested in fostering a spirit of cooperation. As long as all those thirsty beaks can be wetted!
---xxx---
AuthAAR's Note: This is really a companion piece for Chapter 171, as I decided to avoid trying to shoe-horn the reports into coverage of the jam-packed action of the last three days of the month. This gave more room for both and allowed a more detailed run-down on the various fronts, especially in Russia, than would otherwise have been possible. Especially at such a strategically crucial time. Comments on Chapter 171, which is still quite 'fresh', are definitely still very open!
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Lhc. Its actually a few miles north (or the french entrance is anyway) but pretty close. If they do build a fourth ring it'll have to go under one major city at least, or they use a different part of the alps
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That’s a nice overview of the world (and Iraq & Syria seems like a sore thumb there)
Thanks for the investigation about Sinkiang. I might have misremembered which provinces are the only high infra ones (i.e. Trans Siberian Railway) but can’t be too many provinces away from the border.
The lone Belgian motorized division near Kuala Lumpur seems to have ceased to exist.
I was thinking of making a landing to the next province (Zara) so that it doesn’t have the urban penalty in addition to naval landing penalty but it might be too far away from some of our aerial coverage? Can it be done by relocating some to Tirana? Or the non Blenheim TACs can reach there as well? The MR fighters already can.
Thanks for the investigation about Sinkiang. I might have misremembered which provinces are the only high infra ones (i.e. Trans Siberian Railway) but can’t be too many provinces away from the border.
The lone Belgian motorized division near Kuala Lumpur seems to have ceased to exist.
I was thinking of making a landing to the next province (Zara) so that it doesn’t have the urban penalty in addition to naval landing penalty but it might be too far away from some of our aerial coverage? Can it be done by relocating some to Tirana? Or the non Blenheim TACs can reach there as well? The MR fighters already can.
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It would be better if we either knew far more about the composition of mainland italy's defences or had caused them to readjust their forces to protect the front. A bigger assualt on the balkan front seems to be in order in either case. If the landing in Italy or Sicily can be managed, the end of the war in europe will be in sight, if still a year or so away. Germany simply will not have the manpower to push everyone out of italy, contiue pushing hard against russia and keep us pinned in Romania. One will have to give and when it does, we can smash through. That still leaves Japan as a problem. I was hoenstly hoping the US and UK would pose more of an annoyance and distraction to them than this. Yes UK has done better than otl but that's disgustingly easy. The US on the other hand has been rubbish. Thery won't be influencing the pacific for the few few decades post-war, that's for sure.
I still believe that Sicdily is probably our best bet, not only for in-universe reasons (everyone in allied and comintern command will agree to it) but also because it would be useful in taking italy and france, meaning the germans have to protect even more stuff.
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