Ukrainian-Bavarian War

[Kaiser Kirk]

"The War of the White Eagle"

Prologue to War



Ukrainian Strategic Situation

The Ukraine is a nation with long borders, several large neighbors, no allies, unhappy minorities, reasonable resources and a poor transportation infrastructure which minimizes the value of interior lines. This makes for a vulnerable nation.

The basic military situation of the Ukraine has changed fundamentally since Spring of 1919.
The new Regime struck a deal with the Russians to demobilize and transfer 6 Corps equipment. In return, the Russians would provide technology and partially garrison Poland and Belarus, helping separate the Ukrainians from their unhappy minorities. From the Ukrainian point of view, this pacified Russia and meant a hypothetical Leipzig-pact offensive could be presumed to embroil the Russians garrisoning those lands. Two critical threats dealt with.

ed. This is the spin I put on the Marek-Blooded Deal. .

Unfortunately, the removal of those infantry corps also removed much of the central reserve. Now Ukrainian forces will have to be transferred from large cities or quiet fronts.

Ukrainian troop dispositions place their Elite Guard units at the ESC Border near Prussia, and at the Hapsburg-Bavarian-Ukraine border in  Sosnowiec, SW Poland. Other units man the various borders, with a deliberate strategy of placing brigades far from their homelands. With the entire army active or mobilized, the strategic limitations of poor reserve mobilization arrangements and limited rail access are offset. The Ukrainians are poised to take a quick offensive, seizing ESC/Bavarian/Hapsburg or Romanian lands in the early stages of a conflict, and allowing them to sue for peace.

In the Winter of 1919, the Strategic situation took a sudden turn for the worse. The death of the Czar and the creation of a Puppet Queen had led to widespread corruption as the new elite jockeyed for power and money.  Pay went missing, quartermaster funds were skimmed,  banditry rose, Otherwise loyal  army units being demobilized balked, while several ethnic Polish units had to disciplined for mutiny. Russia's lead inquisitor attempted to arrest the High Prelate on charges of Eye worship, which led to a rift with Russia and the withdrawal of the Russian Troops.

These Political changes provided the excuse for a Polish revolt, one stoked not only by a wealth of home grown nationalists, but also by Saxon-Polish sources.  The results were blows to the Ukrainian troops, but more grievously, their support network.  Critical railway bridges were blown, and the Polish workers that would normally repair them, well now many bear rifles to prevent such a thing.

For the Ukrainian Corps on the border, the war plans have not officially changed, but the prospect of immediate reinforcements have faded. With between 25-50,000 Polish armed partisans, many of which have been covertly trained and led by Bavarian Kommandos, the Ukrainian Cavalry Corps in Minsk and Warsaw will need to be committed to police the raillines, while the Opolchenie corps will be needed to hold Warsaw, Lublin, Lodz and other large Polish cities, not to mention hold Kiev itself against growing home unrest.

Forces along the ESC border can obviously not be moved, for fear the ESC decides to intervene, while the Hapsburgs can not be trusted to stay out of a war so close to home. Troops for the Bavarian front must come from the Russian and Romanian borders...save for Polish Brigades.

With the threat of the Hapsburgs and ESC intervention looming, the Ukrainian's best hope remains a short victorious war. The pre-war strategy of seizing a portion of Silesia as a bargaining chip remains attractive, even if reinforcements are slower than expected. The presence of a fully mobilized Elite Guard Corps on the border gives a chance for initiative and localized mass, with an advance being opposed by only a Cavalry Division into some very productive parts of Silesia. Worse, this opportunity is rapidly fading as the small citadel at Bytom is nearing completion and commands the railroads.

The Ukrainians can not afford to wait, they must attack now and hope to disrupt Bavarian plans and seize a negotiating item, then sue for peace and the promise of no-support for the Revolutionary Poles.

Bavarian Strategic Situation:
The High Kingdom Bavaria maintains a General Staff organization specifically tasked with both Grand Strategy and implementation. This extends to a large staff of communications, railroad, and quartermaster personnel. The Generals draw up the warplans, but the staff ensures that the Bavarian armies coordinate their efforts and receive the logistical support they need. Bavaria has a dense railroad net which allows considerable flexibility in such matters.

As such, Bavaria has war plans for various scenarios with all neighbors, with and without* Leipzig pact support. A winter war was not the plan.

Basic assumptions include the 1 week to bring Reserves to Active, and 1 week to bring Active to Mobilized. At that time, Units will be scheduled for rail transit to the war zones.

In practice, that means the Mobilized and Active units are dispatched to the Front and incorporated into the local Army commands, while Reserve units take their place in line. As Reserve elements come to full mobilization, he XXVII and XXVIII Fusilier Corps may be rotated to a quiet front to allow better equipped Corps to depart for the Front. The various light Infantry Brigades may also serve that role.

In the case of this war, the Armies of Silesia and Saxony were given a standby warning, and so have several days advanced notice. Other troops will arrive in waves.

For Strategic Objectives, both Silesia and SW Poland are resource rich areas, with considerable industry. While numerous railroads serve the Bavarian side, only two serve the Ukrainian. One line from Warsaw-Czechtochawa-Sosnowiec  and a second from Lublin/Warsaw – Kielce- Sosnowiec.
Bavarian lines connect to these from Beuthem – Sosnowiec but otherwise only roads cross the border.

Bavarian plans call for the Army of Silesia to skirmish but otherwise stand on the defensive while the Army of Saxony takes up position near Oppeln. The Army of Silesia will then thrust along the road towards Czechtochawa and fan out, setting a defensive line east, while a main thrust went towards the read of the Sosnowiec position.  Independent Brigades and Mountain troops will be relied on to man strongpoints to guard the flank, while the Kavalrie serves as a reaction force to counter Ukrainian Cavalry. Should the Leipzig pact have been involved, ESC help would allow the Breslau-Kalisz-Lodz line to to be the main thrust.

Once Sosnoweic is captured, The Army of Saxony will advance towards Lodz and Warsaw, and the Army of Silesia towards Kielce and Lublin. Both will by this time be reinforced. This will also allow the occupation of the most productive portion of the Ukraine.

*actually I drew up some warplanes for conflicts with France, The Ukraine and the Hapsburgs, all without Leipzig pact.

[Borys]

OT - I think I should become involved ...

[TexanCowboy]

OT- Romania will be getting involved, right?

[Kaiser Kirk]

Borys : You previously indicated you were busy and disinclined to participate, however if you wish to reverse that we can got that route. So far all that has been decided is it will be a scripted event with the Mods throwing some wrenches in the works. While I have a very rough outline, it hasn't all been written up..in fact storywise all I've got is a map for @Jan 3rd showing the initial movements.

Texan : Kinda per the maps we talked over earlier. Note the Bavarian 1919 news for Dec 5th and Dec 8th.

[Kaiser Kirk]

ed: to be clear, while the first several days are detailed and day-by-day, thats mainly to set the scene, I'll get far shorter later

January 1st

General Oleksander Petrovych Hrekov, Commander of the Galician Army, scowled at the decrypted cable.  The lines had only been repaired for hours, and what they brought was this?

The orders clearly stated that he was to implement Warplan "June", which called for the Galacian Army to attack promptly, relying on reinforcements for follow-on troops. The only problem was that Warplan "June" had been written after the Leipzig exercises in 1917, and events since the spring of 1919 had made that difficult.

For one thing, the 20th Rifle Corps had been disbanded and was no longer manning the Hapsburg border to Kielce, leaving the "Galician Army" with only his own Guard Grenadier Corps to guard from Czestochowa to Kielce.  Like wise, the 1st Polish Lancers no longer existed to sweep towards Oppeln, leaving the Czestochowa- Lodz region the responsibility of the overstreched 4th Rifle Corps.

Still, General Hrekov could not see the merit in holding his position and allowing the Bavarians to concentrate. Even in the best of times, only ½ corp a day could be moved over each of the two rail lines, while the Bavarians had up to four lines. With the Ukrainian railways damaged, time was certainly on the Bavarian's side, but right now he had the mass and could seize the initiative.

Orders were simple. The 1 & 2  Brigades were to hold firm in Czestochowa and scout west. 3 Brigade was to march north and flush the Bavarians towards home. Once that was confirmed, all three would strike west.

The 2nd Polish Lancers would have to be asked to send troops from Warsaw, both to guard the rail lines and to take the role of the vanished 1st Lancers in a thrust towards Oppeln. By rail, the 100km trip would only be a day, but a march could take three days in this light snow. Presuming they stayed loyal, but it would take time for the Minsk 4th Cavalry to arrive. With a day or more lost to rail damage, nearly two weeks to move that Corps it seemed.

Brigades 10, 9 and 8 would have to be called in, at least the rails to Kielce were intact. 7 Brigade would have to be the reserve and guard Sosnowiec against the Hapsburgs.

2nd Rifle Corps in Lublin would have to be asked to send Regiments to garrison Kielce-Sosnowiec. With the junction outside Deblin destroyed, a simple 1-2 day move would take three as the troops transferred trains. .

This meant that follow on forces wouldn't be in fully in place until the 4th  but most would be on hand by the 3rd. When reinforcements from East of Warsaw would arrive would be anyone's guess.

General Hrekov sighed and called for his staff.  Plans were updated and orders sent. Skirmishers went out and engaged the Bavarian Cavalry pickets.

[ledeper]

I sit and watch as time goes by,but is quite alert. ;) ;) ;D

[Kaiser Kirk]

January 2nd
The 3 Brigade of the Ukrainian Grenadier Guards marches north from Zawiercie towards the Bavarian regiment 15km up the tracks. An armored train with its 75mm guns provides support. Regiments of 10 Brigade replace Brigades 9 and 8, allowing them to move to Sosnowiec.

Skirmishing grows heavier along the border, and the Bavarian pickets are driven back. Pathfinders blaze routes towards the border and through the woods behind the lines, designating assembly points. Cable is strung towards battery positions, its length helping pinpoint the map locations.

Adverse weather keeps the Bavarian Luftkriege grounded on it's strip outside Kattowice, but the Bavarian Kavalrie can penetrate the border, establishing that, as of yet, there is more fuss than fury.

In Sosnowiec, artillery is fitted with additional boards on the wheels, to lower the pressure going through the light snow. Men are inspected and remonstrated to wear their cold weather gear, and to  fasten loose binders.  Storm lanterns are tested, their slits showing mere glimmers of light.
That afternoon, painfully move and hidden behind a light screen of troops, the artillery is prepositioned.

The infantry  are sent to bed early with a extra ration of vodka.  Woken in the dark, they are fed and led out into the snow, guided by lanterns and pathfinders. Like a well oiled machine the Elite Grenadiers conduct the night march.

[Borys]

Official Stance of Vienna:
- We will pray for peace among Christian Nations

Unofficial Stance of Vienna:
- all results of this war, with or without Habsburg participation, are shit ...

[Borys]

On posters plastered all over the Monarchy on January the 3rd:
All Reservists of the Land Forces of the Monarchy are to report to their units
on the First Day after Epiphany.
All Reservists of the KKK are to report to the nearest naval base
on the 2nd Day after Epiphany.

In fine print - the KK Paranischer Heimwehr is exempt.

NOTE:
Under the triple-tier structure of the forces:
Reischswehr&KKK - these are regulars, permanently at wartime strenght;
Landswehr - core of regulars, 95% of men had 6+ months service with the colours, and are in reserve + annual refresher training;
Heimwehr - militia, weekend service + 2 weeks of annual manouvers;

[Kaiser Kirk]

Home Computer's ISP went down, and after it came up I had connection issues. So both war news and 1920 Bavarian news held up until that resolved

[Kaiser Kirk]

January 3rd
Their arrival is not a shock to the Bavarian Kavalrie, nor is it welcome. The sudden appearance of artillery bursts and starshells is a most unhappy event. The solid lines of Ukrainian infantry charging from relatively close quarters is something to disconcert even the best troops. However, Cavalry troops not only have to rally the men, but provide for the horses. While the men seized their arms and manned the breastworks, the horses remained unsaddled tethered. Precious rifles have to be taken out of line to prep the horses.

The worst of course is that the Bavarians are lightly deployed in two regiments along much of the immediate border, while the Ukrainians arrive as brigades, smashing at the lines. The Cavalry is well trained and equipped, fighting from defensive positions prepared over the last two days. Prepared lanes of fire and machine gun positions take a heavy toll, but the Ukrainian forces are also well trained and equipped, and have the numbers. Their withering counterfire takes a toll, and while the cables allow them to call their medium guns with growing accuracy, it is the arrival of their lighter artillery that has the biggest impact. Flat firing little 75mm regimental guns accurately range on the breastworks, scattering the small logs with their shells. The Cavalry's 65mm guns, hitherto quite effective, are outranged and attract the attention of the Ukrainian medium artillery, forcing them to displace.  

As dawn breaks, all along the line the Bavarians are in slow retreat, leapfrogging backwards.  As the day draws on, the horseman's mobility is starting to pay, as the Ukrainians find they are outdistancing their own support weapons, while the Cavalry's horse batteries simply displace to a new positions.

By late morning, the fighting has moved into Kattowice proper. Civilians choke the roads outside, fleeing the combat.  The two Cavalry Brigades stationed south of Kattowice start arriving to bolster the fight, and nasty street fighting develops. There the carbines of the cavalry actually have some benefits vs. the long rifles of the infantry, being more handy in close confines.

As resistance stiffens, General Hrekov calls for a withdrawal of the leading elements in Kattowice, consolidating his troops on the periphery. While flanking troops extend the Ukrainian reach around the edges of town,  Troops are rotated out for rest, and railcars with kitchens and medical facilities are brought up. Bavarian bomber aircraft, finally finding a break in the weather, fly in from the southwest, making an attack at a switching yard. The bombs fly wide, flattening a great number of bushes and a newsstand.

By early afternoon, the Ukrainians have encircled Kattowice on three sides and brought up an armored train sporting a 152mm gun.  This chugs sedately into the Kattowice terminal flying a Ukrainian flag and a white flag. A demand to surrender the city in two hours is delivered. A second bomber sortie arrives to attack railcars. Flying high against the cool grey clouds, they attract the fire of the Ukrainian HA QF guns, but neither side manages to hit anything of import.

North of town, Hrekovs 4 brigade slams into the Cavalry Brigade outside of Bytom (Beuthum), and while initially successful, come to a grinding halt. The guns at the Bytom citadel may not be complete, but the concrete revetments offer superb fighting positions.  Hrekov's commanders are not the sort to waste men on fortifications, so a screening regiment is left opposite the fortifications, while regiments work south to link up near Kattowice, and a call goes out to bring up the 203mm railway gun.

By late afternoon, the cavalry in Kattowice has evacuated and the town surrendered. The Ukrainians prepare press forward through town, but by time they sweep the town, the winter sun is setting.

Nightfall finds three Brigades of the Elite Grenadier Guard on a 10km frontage from Kattowice to Bytom. In immediate reserve are 2 brigades arrived from the Sosnowiec-Kielce portion of the line. Holding Sosnowiec against Hapsburg adventurers is a dug in brigade. The Ukrainian artillery works its way through the snow to positions for the morning.  

Near Czestochowa, 3 Brigade arrives in the evening, having flushed the Bavarians over the border. The advance Brigade of the 2nd Polish Lancers have arrived, only minimally disturbed on its way. Other elements of the Corp were sweeping the raillines around Warsaw.

1 & 2 Brigades advance on Lubliniec, held by a Bavarian cavalry Brigade.

From the Bavarian point of view, 3 Brigade hold outside Kattowice to Bytom. Another regiment, which bore the brunt of the attack, is reforming in the rear. 1 Brigade holds Lubliniec while another has returned to Tarnowitz.  From the north, a trickle of Kommando companies are arriving, not to bolster the line so much as to set up fighting positions in woods and villages, or probing for holes in the lines, for their task is to bedevil the rear of the Ukrainians, to add 'friction' to the logistics and to bolster native Polish support.

Elsewhere:
That afternoon, in Liepzig, II Garde begins entraining. The effort will take well into the night. . The nearly 400km trip to Oppeln will take two days by rail, but by using parallel dual track lines the entire Corp can be moved at once, rather than half at once.  Preceeding them to Oppeln will be I Garde Corps from Breslau, which entrain that evening and will be arriving in Oppeln by various tracks throughout Jan 4.  

The first division of the Ukrainian 4 Cavalry from Minsk finds the trestles still blown over the river Limi east of Kaluszyn, east of Warsaw. A laborious effort to unload the Corps equipment in the snow, find a ford and transfer across the river takes all day. The effort ties up the tracks in both directions.

Near Deblin between Warsaw and Lublin, engineers for the 11 Rifle Corps gaze at the ruins of what was a major railroad junction. Rails have been tied in knots, railbeds sown with explosives and blown, the switches mangled, the engine shops destroyed and the local Polish equipment operators not to be found- likely gone to the rebels.  Worse, the rebels which did the work are still making their presence known with occasional rifle shots. The situation may not be nearly as bad as Warsaw and the other major cities, but is not conducive to rapid repair. Once the 11 Rifle Corps starts shipping, it will face much the same issues as 4 Cavalry and other Corps trying to use the shattered Polish rail net.

In Liepaja the cruiser Bogatyr, it's crew rounded out by men from other ships, puts to sea. It's target- the Channel, to search for one of the handful of Bavarian merchants plying that area.  As the Ukrainian navy mobilizes, more will follow.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Train schedules are fun....not really.

The Ukraine has an advantage in having activated their troops in 1919, they only need a week to mobilize. Halving the Russian frontier forces, and reducing the forces on the Hapsburg border the same, they can leave the ESC border as is and move the troops freed up to the Bavarian frontier. Delays due to the revolutionaries are built into the schedule.

3-4 2nd Polish lancers send 1 brigade Czestochowa, 5 brigades screen ESC, 4 brigades guard railways.
8-9 6th Rifle arrives Vilnus border, relieving Guard Cav.

9-10 11th Rifle arriving Sosnoweic
11-12  9th Rifle arriving Sosnoweic
12-13 12th Rifle arrives Warsaw.
13-14 4th Cav arriving Czestochowa
15-16  8th Rifle arriving Czestochowa
17-18 13th Rifle arriving Czestochowa

18 Division 3rd Rifle arrives Memel area.

22-23 Guard Cavalry arrives Czestochowa

Bavaria leaves the Hapsburg, French and Italian borders fairly well garrisoned, drawing from the forces in reserve behind those borders. Unlike the Ukraine, the Bavarians were not active, so  their reserves must take a week to become active, then a second week to become mobilized. This substantially slows their arrival.

Bavarian Scheduling
XI   Arrive Jan 4-5         
XII   Arrive Jan 5-6      
I   Arrive Jan 11-12   
XXVIII  Arrive Jan 13-14    
IX   Arrive Jan 13-14   
B1   Arrive Jan 12   
B2   Arrive Jan 12   
B3   Arrive Jan 12   
B4   Arrive Jan 12
XIX   Arrive Jan 14-15   
XX   Arrive Jan 14-15   
VII   Arrive Jan 19-20   
XVI   Arrive Jan 20-21   
VI   Arrive Jan 21-22   
X   Arrive Jan 22-23   
V   Arrive Jan 23-24   
XXI   Arrive Jan 24-25   
   

DXXVI   Kavalrie – Front Jan 2
B5   Oppeln – Front Jan 3

[Kaiser Kirk]

Bavarian deployments pre-war are here, with a map in the 2nd Frame : http://www.navalism.org/index.php?topic=2913.msg42247#msg42247

Ukrainian deployments (by Blooded) for 1920 should be in that SIM, and here is a rough map of the western Ukraine and the areas of responsibility.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Jan 4

The morning opens with a barrage of gunfire commencing just before dawn, as the Ukrainian Corps artillery lets itself be heard. The heavier weight of the Infantry Corps artillery makes itself known in this set-piece attack on the Bavarian lines. When the Cavalry's medium guns, the 10.5cm Gebirgskanone M16 attempt to reply, counter battery fire is noticeably well directed.

As the day progresses, the reserves are brought up and the situation worsens for the Bavarians.   Now with 9 infantry brigades in line against 6 Cavalry brigades(1). The odds are worse in detail, as 3 brigades face 1 near Lubliniec, the Brigade in Tarnowitz faces little opposition, but the 4 near Bytom face 6 Ukrainian brigades. 

The incomplete citadel at Bytom provides a strongpoint which the Ukrainian 203mm railgun proves underwhelming against.  Twenty years ago, 9.2" guns were the largest that could reasonably be brought into combat, and older fortresses are designed to defeat that. This however, was a new fortress, designed to withstand modern railroad artillery. So while the 203mm may have been effective against forts from the 1890s, here it was not able to penetrate.  However, as the Bytom Citadel lacks its guns, and final fittings- such as blast doors and copulas, the concussive effects are still quite noticeable, and when the Corps Heavy Artillery proceeds to systematically work the citadel over, the effects on the defenders are substantive.

Finally, near noon, General der Kavallerie Prince Alfons orders the commencement of a retrograde action.  All along the line the troopers proceed to leapfrog backwards in a prepared plan.  Working from the excellent 1918 Ordinance Survey maps(2) they fall back to preselected positions, and wait for the Ukrainians. Here the trooper's mobility, and that of the horse artillery pays off. Breaking contact, the first set of positions are several thousand meters away. By time the Ukrainian Guard advances, they walk into the fields of fire for the light 6.5cm horse artillery, while at the same time outpacing their own light field guns and loosing coordination with the Corps artillery.

The arrival of the Tarnowitz brigade allows the exhausted 3 Brigade, which had taken the impact at Kattowice,  to be pulled from the line. Twice during the afternoon, the Cavalry falls back to new lines, allowing the Ukrainians to outpace their own support system, and then brutally welcomes then. The tactic sacrifices ground, but is successful in partially neutralizing the Ukrainian artillery advantage.

At Lubliniec, the Cavalry Brigade (attached from the Army of Silesia), and it has orders to stand and fight. Having had some time to entrench, it stands off the Ukrainian 1 Brigade, and 2 Brigade finds difficulty with working around the flank.  Despite having only 4 of it's 6 battalions at full strength,  the trenches and Brigade artillery allow it to stand off the Ukrainians- who are cautions. The reason for the Ukrainian caution becomes clear when  the Ukrainian 3 Brigade enters the fight in early afternoon and rapidly collapses the southern flank.  Lines collapsing, the troopers bug out.

In the gap between Lubliniec and Bytom, several Battalions of Kommandos head over the border, while platoons remain behind while the Cavalry falls back. Holing up, they emerge at night to make reconnaissance runs, preparing for future raids. Those Ukrainians encountered, either in the light forests near Tarnowitz or in the towns, fall to the Bergmann Waffenfabrik MP18/I's harsh staccato.

(1) Note – technically the XXVI Cavalry Division has 5 brigades for nearly 29,000men, but the Cavalry Brigade customarily attached at Army level is seconded to the Division, giving 6. However as not all Corps are mobilized, the Army Brigade is at partial strength. The Division is both Elite and very mobile, and so was assigned to this Habsburg/Ukraine border area to buy time.

(2) In 1917 Bavaria mobilized the Luftkrieg in an effort to make aerial photos of the Kingdom. These were the basis for the 1918 maps.

[Kaiser Kirk]

OOC : Next installment might be Thursday. Much of the following is in response to some feedback, which led me to believe I should expound on some points, so thanks.  

Evening, Jan  4
Army of Galacia Headquarters,  Sosnowiec

General Hrekov looked up sharply from his maps at his adjutant's, Staff Captain Petro Dyachenko, outburst.

Hrekov : "Now now, General Sinclair does not deserve such words, it is not Volodymyrs fault"

Dyachenko : "We are at war, and Sinclair is not sending either the 4th or 2nd Rifle Corps to our aid, instead he pulls the 13th Rifle corps from Donetsk, which is hundreds of kilometers further away. Sinclair is chief of staff, who else would I find fault with?"

Hrekov : "You did not foresee this?"

Dyachenko : "How should I foresee this ? Why would he not send the closest troops first, rather than bring them from the other side of the Ukraine?"

Hrekov : Think, think Petro. If you are General Sinclair, where do you take the troops from? You said the 4th Rifle Corps.  Not only are your countrymen in Lvov busy revolting, but the 4th holds the Posen border with the East Sea Confederation. While the ESC is yet not involved, they are allied to the Bavarians, how long can we gamble that will hold. No, the 4th knows the terrain, and can fight better there than the 13th.  The same holds for the 2nd. They have already spread then covering our section of the Galacian frontier, but with the Hapsburgs mobilizing, General Sinclair can not afford to call them from their works to take a train, only to transfer in a new corps that does not know the terrain, much less the artillery planned fire coordinates.



Dyanchenko : But we are only at war with the Bavarians, well I see the point on the ESC.

Hrekov :  How much of a gamble do you wish General Sinclair to make?  The Hapsburgs have mobilized, they have not been shy to use the sword to achieve their goals. Should they attack, who would gainsay them? Their Romanian lapdogs? The Greeks?  Perhaps the Ottomans who are still recovering from the last war..not to mention they are unsettled just now.  No, the Hapsburgs have a free hand. Look at this schedule, General Sinclair is only bringing 1/3 of the troops on the Hapsburg frontier. No, we weaken the Hapsburg front only slightly, but Sinclairs plan halves the troops facing Russia. They were friendly before we expelled their troops, but now? No, General Sinclair will not send an engraved invitation to the Russians by abandoning their border.

Dyanchenko : Well, at least the Hapsburg mobilization will place the Bavarians in a bind, they have an even longer border with them than we do.

Hrekov : We do not know which troops the Bavarians will bring. Obviously they can bring those along the ESC border.  Their Italian border is held with forts and the Alps, and while this has been a mild winter, the Alps are safe. The French border, in the south is the Rhine, mountains and forests, only in the north are they vulnerable.  Their border with the Hapsburgs is mostly mountains too, very hard to crack with the snows. They will bring their reserves, and perhaps weaken some of the border lines (1).

Dyanchenko : Did not the Hapsburgs loose territory in 1906?  Do not their Prussian allies have an axe to grind with the Bavarians?  Why should we not look to them for help?

Hrekov : The Hapsburgs seem to have come to terms with the results of 1906, and have deep ties to the Bavarians. Indeed, those familial ties are why there were territorial exchanges. Look to the Dutch Siamese War, ask why the Bavarians and ESC did not use an excuse to grab Hapsburg lands. Relations there appear to be different than they were 15 years ago. No, we have to conclude that our Galacian border with its rolling hills, is far more enticing than the Ore Mountains in winter, especially as to attack Bavaria may drag in the ESC and Holland.

Dyanchenko : I suppose that makes sense Sir.

Hrekov : So, we follow the war plan. We attack, we grab as much Silesian territory as possible while we can, we hope the storms hold off for a bit. If we can reach the Odra river, we can make that our western flank, while we push towards Oppeln. Achieve those lines, and we have a bargaining position we can defend, or if we still have the advantage, push further from.

Dyanchenko : First we must take Gliwice and Tarnowitz.

Hrekov : Tarnowitz is more important, we need to link the wings of the Corps now. The mild weather has been perfect- the ground is frozen sufficiently to hold the artillery, but the men are not having to push 150mm guns through snow drifts. Even our casualties from weather have been light.

Dyanchenko :  That is a blessing so far, of course, I have not seen many discarded coats either.

Hrekov : <Laughs>. Soldiers always rid themselves of excess weight. With the frozen ground, entrenching is hard, how many shovels have you seen lying by the roadside?

Dyanchenko : Far to many sir. I have a question- why do the Quartermasters issue to much that is discarded ?

Hrekov : A man in an office in Kiev thinks a frypan per squad is useful, so it gets added. The man carrying it through hills and snow in bitter cold may not agree the extra weight is worth the effort.

Dyanchenko : Perhaps they should check the rucksacks of troops after the war, and list that as desired equipment.

Hrekov : Perhaps. But to business. What are the latest reconnaissance reports from Tarnowitz?

Dyanchenko : The Bavarians have retreated to its outskirts and hold it with Cavalry. There are reports of infantry in the town as well. The reconnaissance troop lost their captain and lieutenant to their snipers. The flyboys in Lodz and Kielce continue to be useless for aerial reconnaissance, the clouds are too low, and they are having difficulties with the weather. Not to mention the Bavarians are trying the same. Still, it means we do not know their reserves.

Hrekov : Yes, but the Bavarian bombers have not been a factor, and we shall take that field tomorrow. Their fighter scouts from Breslau suffer the same handicaps as our men in Lodz and Kielce.

Still, commit 3 Brigade from Truvorog to march south, while 4 Brigade fixes the foe in Tarnowitz. 5 Brigade can slide northeast and close that trap, though their damnable Cavalry has been evading such things, we can exploit their desire not to be pinned and hopefully take the town with little fight.
7 Brigade can come up from reserve and replace 5 brigade in line. We hold the center, outside Pysokowiec stable.

Then, I want the armored train and the railroad guns to pressure Gliwice in support of 8 Brigade, while 9 brigade flanks the town and comes from here, the southwest.

Dyanchenko : What of 1 and 2 Brigades? Or that brigade of Cavalry from 2 Polish Lancers?

Hrekov : The infantry is to push on to St. Worowska and Zarvadzkie, then go on the defenses. We will command the hills on the east side of the river and they can dig in. We shall have them extend their flank to Dubrodzien as well. Then after Gliwice and Tarnowitz fall, we shall straighten our lines here- from Ujadz to Wielkie to Zarvadzkie.  The 2nd Polish brigade should break into it's 4 battalions. We shall have 1 battalion screen each wing, a battalion sweep the Czechtochowa-Sosniewiec line, and commit the last to rear-area security.

Dyanchenko : I will start the paper work sir.


(1) Actually the Bavarians have left the French and Hapsburg borders fully manned and mobilized, while taking the troops slated as reserves for those borders.

(2) Light Infantry/Sniper units armed with the accurate Schmidt-Rubin 1911 rifle rather than the M1898 Mauser the normal infantry uses, both in 7.5mm G11 Swiss. The Cavalry carbines are Schmidt-Rubins as well but firing 9.3mm Mauser in an attempt to make up with a larger firing chamber and mass the loss of velocity of the shorter barrel. Also, the additional ammo weight is not as much a concern for Cav.