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"The War of the White Eagle"

Prologue to War

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Jan1.jpg)

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.

OT - I think I should become involved ...

OT- Romania will be getting involved, right?

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.

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.

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

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.

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 ...

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;

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

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Jan3.jpg)


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.

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

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.

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Jan_1920.jpg)

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.

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Jan5.jpg)

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.

Evening January 4

Oppeln
Headquarters, Silesian Front.
Secret..of course

Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold of Bavaria  , Commander Silesian Front.
Bgde. General Emil Sonderegger, Chief of Staff, Silesian Front
Generaloberst Crown Prince Rupprecht, Commander, Army of Saxony, with XII Corps arriving.
Generaloberst Max von Hausen , Commander Army of Silesia, with XI Corps, XXVI Division, and 6th Kommando Brigade present.
General der Kavallerie Prince Alfons, Commander, XXVI Cavalry Division
Generalluetenant von Hutier, Commander,  Kommando Brigade

Note : in an unusual move, King Frederick was replaced as Commander of the Army of Saxony on the outbreak of the war, and Prince Rupprecht and Leopold named to their positions. They arrived Jan 3. XI Corps has been held at Oppeln by the orders of the High Command.  Leopold is Lugwig IIIs uncle and Rupprecht is of course Crown Prince

Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold : So, is Prince Rupprecht's plan understood?

Generaloberst Max von Hausen  : I understand it, but I do not like it. We have XI Corps ready, we can support XXVI Cavalry and not yield any further land. I do not see the merit in letting the Ukrainians overun more of Silesia. We can carry the fight to them, protect our citizens, then if you release XII Corp to me, I can smash the Ukrainian Grenadiers.

Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold : Provided of course that High Command releases us for offensive operations to recover Kattowice, I believe this is a solid plan. Prince Rupprecht ?

Generaloberst Crown Prince Rupprecht : Generaloberst von Hausen, we have been over this. <lecturing>
First, Feeding troops into the battle piecemeal is not as effective. They should be used as a mailed fist.

Second, while reconnaissance indicates only limited troops arriving for the Ukrainians, we should not commit our reserves until we can verify the situation.

Third, by allowing them to advance to here with light resistance from Prince Alfons, we let them put their head in our noose while the XI and XII Corps move into position. We shall bait them with Oppeln and by time they penetrate the Cavalry screens, it will be too late.

Fourth, the longer the Ukrainians fight, the more tired they become, the further they advance, the harder it is to keep their supplies up and the farther from arriving reinforcements they become. If Alfon's staged retreats are done properly and in good order, this will become a matter of Infantry chasing cavalry, and outstripping their support elements and communications.
.
Fourth, by this plan, we choose when to take the initiative, where to concentrate our mass and firepower. Our fresh troops will smash their exhausted troops.

Fifth, if we are not released for the offensive, we stand on good defensive ground, holding solid supply lines, and able to stand off thrusts from Sosnowiec or Czestochowa. Our Fighter scouts from Breslau can command the air, weather permitting, and give us accurate information as to their rear areas.

Generaloberst Max von Hausen: I continue to protest sacrificing any of Silesia, regardless of the intent.

Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold : I believe you are well aware that such retrograde actions have long been part of our war plans in several regions, including this one. Committing large forces to Kattowice would leave our position vulnerable to being overrun in a surprise offensive, or cut off by a thrust from Czestochowa.

Generaloberst Max von Hausen: Yes, but that does not mean I agreed with that strategy. It was merely the one imposed on me. The army defends the Kingdom, not sacrifices some of this.

Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold : If you feel unwilling to fulfill your duties, other arrangements can be made. 

Generaloberst Max von Hausen: I shall do my duties.

Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold :  Excellent. Now, Prince Alfons, do you believe your troopers can do their part of this plan?

General der Kavallerie Prince Alfons : The retrograde displacements are generally going well. The Troopers are well briefed and have done this in exercises, but unit cohesion is suffering, as is morale. Withdrawing underfire has meant some missing in actions. There is also the matter that those who are seriously wounded during a displacement, well there is no time and capacity to treat and evacuate, and that is having an effect.

Overall, casualties are mounting and exceeding the capacity of the field hospitals, plus the repeated displacements are having a serious effect on the efficiency of the medical staff. The cold has been a burden, but we are only a couple days in, and there has been plenty of grain for the horses and extra blankets for the men, still, several hundred frostbite casualties, in addition to some lost that might have otherwise survived.

3 Brigade has already reported only 70% effectives, but that is the worst so far, and many of those are missing, and may be with one of the other brigades.  I don't have the men to take 3 Brigae out of line, but I plan on tasking 3 Brigade with the southern flank, which has less pressure.

Yes, I believe we can manage to conduct a fighting withdrawal to the lines Prince Rupprecht suggests and then hold. I can't promise you the rate, but what you are requesting is a continuous action covering 35 kilometers in roughly 3 days. My troopers will be exhausted. 

I believe what I shall do is take one of the 3 battalions from each Regiment and immediately withdraw it to the defensive line for each day. I will rotate the battalions each day.  That shall both form a rally point and the troopers to rest. We'll set the kitchens and hospitals at those lines and displace those early morning.

Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold :  It is understood that this is asking a great deal from your troopers, but I want to ensure the Ukrainians believe they are driving you in front of them, and with one last push they can take or siege Oppeln. So, weaking your forces by a third should help convince them they have the upper hand.

General der Kavallerie Prince Alfons : Well, at least the Ukrainians are not jamming Radio Oppeln yet. That will help coordinate matters.

Generalluetenant von Hutier : Why should they, they enjoy the music as well. The fact that certain songs played at certain times are a code is something they have no reason to expect. My Kommandos have both prewritten instructions and three codes, two by the radio, the other relying on the Luftkrieg to drop colored smoke bombs at certain locations. That ensures jamming will not stop their mission, and we can hopefully alter them.  Should you be interested, we can lay out some simple codes for your troopers in case the Ukrainians start jamming Radio Oppeln.

General der Kavallerie Prince Alfons : That would be most excellent.

...the meeting rambles on

January 5

Location : Outside Gliwice
Time : 4am

Mykhailo was very tired and quite cold, and very happy to have good thick woolen garments. He was much less happy about having to pull this shift for picket duty. Not that he could sleep much anyhow, the damnable Bavarians had a roving gun that liked to lob a 105mm shell towards his vicinity every 20-40 minutes, and shatter the semi-quiet. Mykhailo was still not sure what they were using as a point of aim, but they had come far to close several times. Seeing Vyacheslav and Ivan draw near, he waved them over and asked for a cigarette. Ivan, old reliable Ivan, of course had married the quartermaster's sister, and had cigarettes. Ivan gave him and Vyacheslav one each, and took one for himself. Ivan produced a match and then lit Mykhailo and Vyacheslav before himself, making himself the 3rd man on the match, a mistake a veteran would never make.  Then, Ivan's throat blossomed with blood as a 7.5mm bullet arrived and ripped its way through. Ivan collapsed gurgling in a pool of his own blood as the report belated rang through the little valley. While Mykhailo and Vyacheslav scrambled for cover,  the Bavarian sniper and his spotter displaced to a new position to wait for other volunteers.

An hour later the Divisional artillery  would open up on the defending Bavarians, trying to catch them before dawn. A rolling barrage tore along the treeline, shells with sensitive bursters detonating on small branches, showering the area below with shrapnel. Ironically, the antiquated lobstertail helms and holtzer breastplates the cavalrymen wear- while not as warm as the caps of the infantry, are much more suited for turning bullets and shrapnel delivered at range.

After a half hour of intense artillery preparation, the Ukrainian Grenadiers surged forward, machine guns pounding out suppressive fire while the artillery barrage rolled into the trees. Catching the Bavarians off guard, there was no return fire..and no Bavarians beyond a couple of pickets quickly fleeing and some unfortunates incapable of doing so and now slowly freezing.  The bulk of the cavalrymen had left in the night, leaving a simple screen, some of which had been caught by the artillery.  A similar scened occurred in most places along the line, the Ukrainian attack "hitting air".

The infantry would find a skirmish line a kilometer further along, but one that broke as the pressure mounted. The Ukrainians swept through into Gliwice, where the Bavarians continued to fight until threated with being cut off.  Outside of Tarnowitz, a similar theater played out, but in both locations when the Cavalrymen fled, Kommandos remained sequestered in hidy holes within the towns, to emerge later and contest the matter.

The Guard grenadiers found the Bavarians had been beat, and pushed forward along the line. The Bavarians retreated in good order, and would continue to make small stands, but their fire was noticeably weaker.  The Grenadiers surged ahead, but the Bavarians continued to maintain good order, falling back steadily.  Between horse handlers and battalions sent to prepare the nightly lines, the Cavalry was outnumbered on the firing lines by nearly 3: 1, allowing the Ukrainians to fall in a natural rhythm of fixing the Cavalrymen with one regiment, and flanking with the others, forcing the withdrawal.

Clear winter skies saw planes from both sides appear in force over the battlefield. The Bavarian bombers from outside Katowice were able to fly north to Breslau, leaving a smoking ruin of a field behind- buildings blown and craters in the frozen airstrips. The Ukrainians from L'vov and Kielce attempted to intervene, but with only 48 planes between them, and the battlefield 150km away, they were opposed by the 150 Bavarian fighter scouts in Breslau, only 140km and shrinking. While the Bavarian planes were slightly older in model(1), the 3:1 ratio told rapidly.  Attempts to scout or strafe the Bavarian rear areas become increasingly difficult the closer to Oppeln one got, and attempts to assist the rapidly changing frontlines were fruitless. .
 
The Kapitains held the Ordinance survey maps which denoted reference points and natural defensive positions.  This allowed a continued staged retreat to good defensive positions and ensured communication with the horse artillery fires could continue as long as the wires remained intact.  As they were outpacing the Ukrainian guns (which were constrained to roads in this hilly & lightly wooded area) and retreating along their own lines of communication, the Horse artillery was able to work freely.  Twice, much to the Ukrainian dismay, they found their artillery in road column, with a pillar of red smoke gushing from aerocraft bomb dropped nearby marking their position for the Bavarian 105mm guns, which then keyed in on the road section nearest the smoke. This terrain, flexibility and mobility were trumping the firepower advantage of the heavier and more numerous Ukrainian pieces.

Indeed, had the manpower situation been more comparable, the Ukrainian infantry may have been bloodily repulsed and localized counter attacks would have been feasible to exploit the gaps between brigades and catch their rear areas in march columns. Indeed, alternate plans envisioned such possibilities, but with the Silesian army still mustering far behind the lines, there was insufficient support and so they were not part of these plans.

The results were a constant erosion of manpower to both side, but with the outnumbered Bavarians able to continuously give good account of themselves while yielding large swaths of ground to the victorious Grenadiers.

3am Jan 6
The early hours of the next morning saw the Ukrainians attempt to vary their patterns. The artillery having caught up during the night, orders were giving for a night assault.  Difficult, but with the clear skies allowing the moon to highlight the snow, the clearings were visible. The Starshells boomed from the guns to illuminate the wooded copses(3), as dense Napoleonic columns dog-trotted forward into the opposing lines. The time was chosen to attempt to catch the Bavarians with their horses picketed and unsaddled, and before they crept away.  The columns were to allow overwhelming superiority in the points of attack, for what promised to be hand to hand combat and bag a large number prisoners while spearing into the Bavarian rear areas.

This time, the Ukrainians out thought themselves.   This was their third night action. The Bavarians no longer manned breastworks at the wooded edge commanding clear firelines.  Nor did they occupy those obvious features which had attracted the Grenadiers heavy artillery.  Instead, they were deep in the woods, or on the backside of ridges, with only pickets and snipers forwards. When the calls of alarm came, and the starshells burst, two men would rush to their guns, and two to the horses. The positions were such that as the Ukrainians entered the woods, or crested the rise, they were backlight by the snows and skies behind them- not to mention their own star shells. The result was a bloody repulse for the Grenadiers. In under 15 minutes the action was over, as the Ukrainian officers divined the traps they had walked into and called their men to retreat.  Good soldiers, well trained, the Grenadiers withdrew in stages, providing covering fire for each other as they extricated themselves.

Re-evaluating after the failed night assault, General Hrekov decides to alter his approach. With a decided manpower advantage, and with a paucity of information on the Bavarian reserves, General Hrekov (2) took to alternating lead regiments, allowing one regiment to sit in reserve and eat a hot meal while the others drove the beleaguered Bavarians in front of them. The weather on Jan 6 set down to heavy clouds and occasional snow flurries, grounding both airforces.

The arrival of a Gendarme Brigade in the area allowed him to task them with finding the bypassed Bavarians which were gnawing at his lines of communications, allowing him to allocate more resources to eliminating the Bavarian rearguards making their presence known in several towns. One blown ammunition depot was more than enough. Much more welcome was the arrival of a motorized artillery Regiment assigned to the 2nd Polish Lancers, as well as their Armored Car brigade.

With his forces in hot pursuit, Hrekov has to slow his grenadiers to keep cohesion, but makes spectacular progress on January 5th and 6th.  Much to his happy surprise the Grenadiers are able to push forward to reach his objective line, and indeed move beyond it somewhat, on the 6th.

Evening found General Hrekov with a conundrum. He had achieved his desired lines, but the Bavarians opposite his troops seemed no longer capable of offering effective resistance and his front lines were less than 20km from Oppeln. With his 107mm guns capable of ranging up to 12.5km, and his Corps 15cm howitzers capable of hitting from 8.5km away, the Grenadiers were tantalizingly close to being able to bring the Bavarian depot and marshaling yards in Oppeln under fire, and lay siege to the city itself.  The Ukrainian High Command, and General Hrekov, were gambling on short term victories enabling them to go to the negotiating table and wrest concessions from the Bavarians before the ESC or Hapsburgs became involved.  As a bargaining chip, shells falling on Oppeln was far better than holding the Polish-speaking County of Katowice

However, that depot and marshaling yard in Oppeln was cause for deep concern. General Hrekov was well aware that the XI Corp was stationed in Breslau, and normally was kept near full strength. Field reconnaissance and prisoner interrogations had failed to indicate any substantial Bavarian infantry formations being added to the lines. Aerial reconnaissance had proved fruitless over Oppeln, as it was only 75km from Breslau. 

So, General Hrekov had to weigh the facts. First was that the XI Corp may well be in Breslau by now, and would be fresh.

Second, the Grenadiers had sustained 6% KIA, 6% Wounded and evacuated, 7% wounded and returned to action, 2% serious Frostbite casualties, 3% prisoner/deserted, and 4% Missing- effectively 21% of his Corp was out of action.  The numbers were worse than they sounded, as the Riflemen made up 65% of the troops, but had taken 90% of the casualties, which meant the Rifle battalions were averaging 70% strength.  Hrekov estimated that the Bavarian cavalry was nearer 50% effectives on the firing line(4).

Third, the war erupted during the depths of winter, during the holidays, and was barely a week old. Had the XI Corps, and he understood that most Bavarian units were locally raised, been dispersed on leave to its' soldiers families across Silesia and Saxony, then it could still be mobilizing. That would fit the known fact that no regular Infantry had been encountered while the southern tip of Silesia was lost. Surely if the Bavarians had mustered a division or more they would have delivered it by rail to Wielkie Strelzce, where he now sat. No, it was reasonable, considering what he could determine, that the Bavarians were still mobilizing and he had several days before they would begin to show in force.

Fourth, Oppeln, either to hold or threaten, would be a substantial boon. All he really had to do was follow the ridges northwest to gain the heights south of town. From there, he would command the town, and would be in a position to disrupt the raillines supporting the town, and any reinforcements coming that way.

Last, how would one explain a halt with such at stake and the Bavarians manifestly unable to stop you? 

It was a gamble, but one with a rich payoff should Hrekov succeed. Had he not been a bold man, he would not have pushed beyond Katowice and enjoyed the success he had.  With the new 2nd Lancers brigade of Armored cars to push down the roads in the vanguard, and pushing the railroad assets down the tracks from Wielkie Strelzce, he would make that last push.

So, late on January 6th, believing his tired Grenadiers opposed by no more than a worn out Cavalry Division, and possibly a fresh Infantry Division not yet even in line, General Hrekov gave the orders for one last push on the 7th, to bring his guns to bear on Oppeln. He knew it would be another three days until the 11th Rifle corps was assembled in Sosnoweic, much less arrived at the lines, with the 9th rifle arriving after that. Hrekov was confident that his men, fighting from good defensive ground in the heights south of Oppeln, could hold off any arriving Bavarian troops for the time needed to bring the 11th and 9th up.

Opposing the elite Ukrainian force was a Cavalry division just as tired, but 1/3 stronger than expected, as had retreated to it's prepared lines and reserve battalions. That division served as a screen for a far stronger force. Two Elite Bavarian Infantry Corps- the XI and XII, the artillery of both the Army of Saxony and the Army of Silesia, a further brigade of Saxon Uhlans, as well as  brigades of Sturmpanzer-kraftwagens and of panzerwagens. This fresh force had gathered at Oppeln and had taken up positions outside town, preparing a counter offensive. Far behind the Ukrainian lines, Kommando forces waited for signals to immobilize the Ukrainian rear.

(1) The changes between say an Albatross D.II and D.V are real, but not overwhelming compared to the numerical differences. Pilot skill will easily bridge that gap, and the Bavarian units are much older and so should have better pilots.

(2) General Hrekov is known to history for his Chortiv offensive, where he advanced 120km in 21 days. I've tried to portray him as a competent and effective general as a result.

(3) copse, not corpse, though corpses were, I am sure, present.

(4) For 4 days of fighting, 20% is moderate, reflecting the early heaving fighting followed by continuous skirmishing. When deducting the missing 3rd Bavarian battalions, the 50% number is about right.

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Jan_6_1920.jpg)

Hello,

A few points to make as to the air war. The aircraft comparison should be Eindekkers to Albatros', not DII to DV. 1914 Airtypes should have single MGs, low speed, low Power, low range, basically low capability. 1916 types were heads above those of the previous few years. So Think 'Bloody April' or whatever... when the albatros was first introduced.

The Ukrainian Air OOB is in the 'new' style, so it is MUCH smaller, before conversion it had 20 Brigades(100 aircraft each)compared to 13 Bavarian. All but one are 1916 type aircraft, as compared to Bavarias 77% 1914 types.

The bulk of the Bavarians were created by 2H/1917, much of the Ukrainians were built in 1H or 2H/1918(at least the ones in Poland in 1919), so the 'experience difference would not be so great(they are not complete rookies).

The Mods have stated that airfields are not needed in the immediate area(assumed to be operating off of grass fields with fuel trucks and tents I suppose) except for long periods of conflict(at least it was stated so in the China War). But there are several in the general area for maintenence .

All in all, I really dont expect aircraft to have much effect on the Polish Conflict due to it being Winter. But if anyone should be controlling the air when the weather cooperates(rare event from what I have heard), it should be the Ukrainians.

$0.02  :)

Good points and thanks for making them.

Words of explanation- doesn't mean I'm right :)

1) Eindekkers to Albatrosses.  Eindekker of the Fokker Scourge was matched by later Allied aircraft and eventually exceeded. The D.II was not much of an advance, roughly similar and both were outclassed by the later Nieuport 11. The Nieuport would be more manueverable, but still only slightly faster and better armed. A clear advance, and other things being equal it should win the majority of the time. However, as outlined below, things are not equal.

2) Agreed, Ukrainian forces are new. Which means they really don't have many planes to commit. Which means that if the sortie rates are equal they are outnumbered 3:1 when they can coordinate the separate fields to arrive at the same time, and 6:1 at other times. 

3) Actually, this is about the 3rd batch of Bavarian planes. I've been replacing them at a higher rate than required. The first fields and squadrons came in I/1912, and the Breslau field and planes have been operating since I/1914.   So Bavarian pilots can easily have 6-8 years of experience- quite a bit in this era, at least 1 year was mobilized and included wargames against another nation. As you observe the Ukrainians were built in 1918, so have ~1-2 years of experience.  I think there is a very big difference in that level of experience. 


4) It's winter. The farmer's fields are frozen, the roads are not open, there are revolutionaries about, the infrastructure is tattered. The ability to support, with machine shops and what not, the 1916 aircraft in fields less than one week after the war started is not there.  As a result, they are flying from the secure bases that can support them- both sides- and that means the Ukrainians are spending 1/3 of the fuel out, 1/3 back, and so don't have a great margin for loiter and combat. The Bavarians, particularly as the fight neared Oppeln, are only 1/6 of their range out, 1/6 back and have 2/3rds of their fuel for loiter and combat.

So I think the Bavarians have numbers, experience, and fuel and- at least in Silesia- win that battle despite somewhat inferior equipment. 

However, overall, I expect the amount of flying days and the impact of aircraft to be minimal.

As per January the 5 the Baltic Approaches will be mined!!!
Any shipping to and from The Baltic will by then only gain access to the Baltic Sea under Esc naval escort.
Any Ukrainian shipping will not repeat not gain any access to the Baltic,mercantile traffic will be subjected to a Prize commission and any naval shipping will be repealed with any necessary forces!!!

Quote from: ledeper on February 26, 2011, 10:32:29 AM
As per January the 5 the Baltic Approaches will be mined!!!
Any shipping to and from The Baltic will by then only gain access to the Baltic Sea under Esc naval escort.
Any Ukrainian shipping will not repeat not gain any access to the Baltic,mercantile traffic will be subjected to a Prize commission and any naval shipping will be repealed with any necessary forces!!!

Wonder what Russia thinks about that? I mean, if it was February then they probably wouldn't mind as much since the Gulfs of Finland and Riga would already be frozen, but early January those ports are still open for another 3-4 weeks.

Interesting news to be tossed in the mix. We will have to see what Blooded says. The ESC has recently been talking to the Russians, but I, frankly, don't know :)

Quote from: Kaiser Kirk on February 26, 2011, 01:51:57 PM
Interesting news to be tossed in the mix. We will have to see what Blooded says. The ESC has recently been talking to the Russians, but I, frankly, don't know :)

What is it with Bavaria and choosing allies that do things without telling them that could drag them into/increase the scope of war? First the Dutch with the whole Dutch-Siam war, then the Dutch with the assault on Maseriah, now the ESC is mining the only access Russia has to the Atlantic Ocean. You really know how to pick your allies Kirk. ;)

OOC : Well, let's look at the picture through the Bavarian view

Well Bavaria's benefactor and protector...and leading world power... signed an alliance with a bunch of other powers- including on my southern border-  without mentioning it to Bavaria, then revoked Nueschwanstien in response to the Arnhem trade treaty, casting a significant short term pall on relations.

Meanwhile my war-happy expansionist larger neighbor to the east was allied to the one nation that manifestly didn't like me.

Then there was the Ukraine was an unstable mess that couldn't be negotiated with, but might become hostile with little notice.

So the fairly friendly northern neighbor looked very palatable as a ally. even if it included a slightly more belligerent ally- who happened to control my sea trade anyhow.
Plus Korpen promised he had no intention of starting a war in the East... but I still crafted Leipzig to set up the separate theaters to shield the ESC and Bavaria should the Dutch do something...which 6 months later they did.

Quote from: Kaiser Kirk on February 26, 2011, 05:34:05 PM
Well Bavaria's benefactor and protector...and leading world power... signed an alliance with a bunch of other powers- including on my southern border-  without mentioning it to Bavaria, then revoked Nueschwanstien in response to the Arnhem trade treaty, casting a significant short term pall on relations.

France I presume.

Quote from: Kaiser Kirk on February 26, 2011, 05:34:05 PM
Meanwhile my war-happy expansionist larger neighbor to the east was allied to the one nation that manifestly didn't like me.

That would be Austria-Hungary and hmm....ME!!(at the time)

OOC: As to the poor DKB-Bavarian Relations in the late 1800s (1870 on really) and early 1900s that had a lot more to do with how things were explained to me as well as the past history as written by Swamphen. Mainly I was under the impression that France won the Franco-Prussian War because either A) Bavaria helped them, or B) Bavaria stayed neutral instead of helping Prussia. I.e, either way it was your fault we lost.

Quote from: Sachmle on February 26, 2011, 05:52:10 PM
OOC: As to the poor DKB-Bavarian Relations in the late 1800s (1870 on really) and early 1900s that had a lot more to do with how things were explained to me as well as the past history as written by Swamphen. Mainly I was under the impression that France won the Franco-Prussian War because either A) Bavaria helped them, or B) Bavaria stayed neutral instead of helping Prussia.

OOC : That was more my original impression as well. I tried to even set up a history with a Bavarian betrayal which would also explain via see-saw battles why the Hessian population didn't seem to be in either the ESC or Bavaria... and then found there was already as story explaining that basically we were just conquered and set up as a puppet state, while the Prussians got completely evicted.  However, those relations are the "facts" we deal with, regardless of how they came to be. I somewhat regret not using the Dutch-Siamese war to fight the Hapsburgs as a nuetral or conquered Bohemia would make my borders much more sane- but it didn't make sense for Lugwig, particularly in the context of a face-to-face with Stephan.

There are open lanes in the mine barrages for neutral and non-belligerent nations,the only problem for them will be a slight delay in arrivaltimes for them as they will need Esc escort through the Great Belt and the Sound,as the Small Belt will be closed,but is hardly an issue since no ships above 50 m can navigate the Small Belt

January 7

The early hours of January 7 were relatively qualm.  General Hrekov had given his orders the evening before, with his 4 flanking brigades spreading out and choosing defensive field positions, while he consolidated his remaining 5 brigades in the center for the decisive push out the two ridges leading to Oppeln. In reality it would be a 2 brigade push, as 2 were designated to hold the flanks of the salient as it formed, and he was keeping the 5th in reserve. This force was augmented by both the Grenadiers Corps artillery and it's long range guns, and the newly arrived heavy howitzers of the 2nd Polish Lancers Corps artillery. Howitzers by nature are lighter and shorter ranged, but these were pulled by motor carriages, which promised additional flexibility behind the advancing front line.

The left of the advance would be along the raillines from Wielke Strzelce to Oppeln and would be augmented by the armored train, the 203mm RR gun and the two 75mm RR guns available. The center of the advance would benefit from a spearhead of the recently arrived Armored Car brigade of the 2nd Polish Lancers.

The rear of General Hrekov's command was more secure than previously, as a Gendarme brigade had arrived and had dispersed along his lines of communications.  This had freed up the rifle companies he had been forced to leave behind previously.

On the Bavarian side, Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold had finally obtained orders from the Kaiserberg and his forces were now allowed to not only reclaim the County of Kattowice, but also push into Ukrainian Poland. When King Lugwig III had directed his slightly younger brother to return from service and take command he had explained the political situation.  The Generalfeldmarschall had the additional advantage of both being senior in grade or outranking both Generalfeldmarschall King Frederick and General von Hausen.  Further, he had won acclaim for his conduct in previous conflicts, and so was a credible commander, even at the last minute (1)


The XI Corp had arrived several days ago and had dug in with assistance from the people of Oppeln. Proper field fortifications had been set up and hidden. Tailings from mines had been brought in to fill sandbags where the digging was too hard.  Forests had been thinned for logs to roof bomb proofs. While hardly complete, it was a much more redoubtable line than any seen previously. 

The newly arrived XII Corps, and the Saxon Uhlan Brigade, had been placed into line.  The Uhlans on the eastern flank, while the XII Corps divisions had taken position at the planned flanks of a Ukrainian salient. These forces were assisted by the brigade Sturmpanzer-kraftwagens on the flatter ground by the tracks, and a brigade of panzerwagens. The Corp artillery of both Corps, as well as the Cavalry division were emplaced. All was set for a counter attack.

Generaloberst Crown Prince Rupprecht's plan had called for the exhausted Cavalrymen of the XXVI to screen this activity.  General der Kavallerie Prince Alfons had modified that initial plan and withdrawn battalions earlier to form the screen line. These refresh  and remounted battalions were now tasked with holding the line on the flanks, but in the center they were to fake a rout, lead the Ukrainians into the pocket and the waiting arms of XI Corps, only to have XII Corps attack the base of the salient.

Radio Oppeln played its role. The wintertime music that crackled through the air did not noticeably change, only the combination of songs changed. At 5pm on January 6, Stille Nacht was followed by Stille, Stille, Stille , a combination which indicated to the listening Kommandos that the next two songs would indicate a time and the number of the plan to implement.


(1) OTL, he retired 1913 and was called out of retirement to replace Von Mackensen. His army group captured Warsaw and then he was placed in command of the Central Eastern Front, eventually becoming succeeding Hindenberg to become supreme commander in the East.

For his bravery against the enemy in his wars he received (credit Wiki)  both the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Classes, the Bavarian Military Merit Order Knight 1st Class, the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph, Bavaria's highest military decoration, and decorations from several other German states. He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph on 5 August 1915, the prestigious Pour le Mérite, Prussia's highest military decoration, on 9 August 1915 and the oak leaves to the Pour le Mérite on 25 July 1917. On 4 March 1918, Leopold received yet another high honor, the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded only five times during World War I. Prince Leopold retired again in 1918 after the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk,  He lived until 1930.

I make this point to underscore  that while it very much is a political appointment, he does bring both  credibility and the capability he brought to the table

Jan 7 elsewhere.

The North Sea:
The cruiser Bogatyr slowly steamed at the entrance the the Channel. The Captain of the Bogatyr was frustrated, as he had been dispatched to hunt Bavarian merchantmen, a species that was nearly non-existent, yet he could be sure that some of the Dutch vessels steaming past carried good either from or to Bavaria. Worse those same Dutch vessels would warn any Bavarians they met. Perhaps he would have more success in the open sea on the approaches to the Channel. The Captain left to give orders to his navigator.

The 4,000 ton Devlet I Giray wallowed in the waves. To the east the island of Kos was visible, the Captain had tried to make a run for Ottoman territory, but the simple compound engines struggled to drive the ship much more than 11 knots, and the Bavarian cruiser had rapidly overhauled his vessel. When he ignored the radio..as his humble vessel lacked one, a single 15cm round had caused a waterspout off his port bow, an unmistakable signal.  

As the captain glowered across at the eagle-prowed light blue painted cruiser with the word Udine boldly painted on the bow, he noted it's sailors were unmistakably at their guns, which were indeed trained on his.  What could only be Bavarian marines, although they seemed to be chattering in Italian, loaded on a longboat to come over.

Once aboard, they would search his vessel, and declare portions of his cargo, especially the sodium nitrate/ caliche, to be contraband, and his vessel forfit as a prize of war.

Liepaja: The Ukrainian Admiral cursed roundly once again as he reread the orders from Kiev.  They were clear and they were adamant.  The campaign in Silesia was going extraordinarily well, and the Hetman planned on offering terms to the Bavarians once Oppeln was taken.  Under no circumstances was the Navy to force passage out of the Baltic.  The Bavarian mercantile assets were not worth provoking the ESC into action.

Sevastopol:  At long last the crews were mobilized.  With the higher education level the engineering and gunnery departments required, Polish revolutionaries were a problem and many substitutions had been made.  A cautionary execution had seemed to motivate the unexecuted.

The fleet* would be led by the battleship Vsevolod and one of the BB-1912 Class to seize control of the Adriatic. Colliers and Oilers would support the fleet as mine laying cruisers ensured the Friuli coastline was sealed off. Coastal towns, even Trieste, would be bombarded.  Estimated arrival on the 14th of January.

The light cruisers of the Gromkiy and Kerch classes would turn their hand to hunting in the Med starting on the 10th.

* ed: consider this the minimum force, discussions ongoing.

Hawaii :  The steamer Mount Haleakal? finished loading. Its holds were filled with an assemblage of suddenly surplus rifles, light artillery and aircraft among other equipment once slated for the New Swiss army and airforce. With an expedited schedule from Port Authority, she should put to sea late that evening. A similar vessel, the Cairns would leave Syndey the day before.  The trip across the Americas and Atlantic was a long one, she did not expect to see Riga until mid February at best. The complication of the ESC actions had not yet reached the Captain and would force him to tack a week onto the journey, passing through the Med to Odessa instead.

The Cairns and the two vessels following that one would fair better. Their journey was the same length, and took them through the Suez to Odessa, again arriving in mid February.  The Ukrainian funds will have long been in the pockets of the New Swiss by time the freighters arrived.

Ups forgot date, ???.
7/1 20

The Esc will hereby declare that it is mobilizing in 4 military districts:
1 Army in Koenigsberg military district.
2 army in Berlin military district.
4 Army in Karlstad military district.
5 Army in Poznan military district.
Along with
2 mine flotilla
CMs16-22
in  Danzig
and
3 mine flotilla
CMs 23-29
in Stettin as escorts through the newly laid minebarrages in The Approaches.

And the Stockholm Sqdrn and the Malmoe sqdrn as a covering force for the Stockholm Sqdrn

Warning- I babble on forever in this one...though things should speed up and be more brief after this


Editorial note : One of the unusual aspects of this conflict has been the presence of all-Elite forces. The Ukrainian Grenadier Guards, the Bavarian XXVI Division of Dragoons, both have been Elite. I have tried to display that in telling of their capabilities. The Dragoons maintain cohesion despite heavy odds and difficult requirements. The Grenadiers conduct night operations, maintain cohesion in rapid advances, don't waste troops and vary their advance. The General Hutier's Kommando Brigade is also Elite.

Now, both Bavarian Infantry Corps are Elite, as are the Tank and Armored Car brigades. The Saxon and Silesian Army Uhlan brigades are regular, as are the 2nd Polish Lancer's Armored Car brigade. Again, competence levels are high.

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Jan_7_1920.jpg)

Under leaden skies, General Hrekov studied the pre-dawn reports of his scouts. The Bavarian Cavalry lightly held breastworks on good defensive terrain on both flanks, to the west they held the river, and to the northeast the ridges.  Breastworks had also been located along the center of the line, but the ridged terrain led right to them. Scouts reported heavy Bavarian pickets, and there had been some noise near midnight- they may have pulled yet another retreat.  However, still no signs of Bavarian infantry, no fire heavier than the Bavarian's 105mm divisional guns had been received. 

With his flanking brigades anchored on good terrain, General Hrekov issued the "go" order. Along the flanks, regimental artillery started the chorus. This was to both fix the Bavarian flanks, and create unsurity in their minds as to where the blow was to fall.  A half hour later, as light dawned,  The Corp artillery of the Grenadier Guards and the 2nd Polish Lancers boomed, heavy shell smashing the breastworks and light entrenchments opposite Wielkie Strzelce. 

Under the cover of the guns, five brigades of Grenadiers moved forward, probing to find the Bavarian positions barring the path to Oppeln.  General Hrekov held a 6th brigade in reserve.  The battered breastworks proved to hold bombproofs- a novelty not previously encountered.  Cavalrymen rallied and emerged to cut down the advancing Ukrainians. The weight of fire was obviously not that of preceding days as the thin lines attempted to beat back the Ukrainian wave.

Bavarian officers could be seen running from squad to squad, cajoling the men to hold their positions amongst the cannonade. In the rear, men could be seen hastily bringing up horses. As bodies on both sides fell, frantic bugle calls issued from the Bavarian line as it started to waver. Here and there men would stand and run, sprinting for their mounts. Rifles were discarded, machine gun teams abandoned their positions. Some were cut down as they ran, but a genuine rout seemed in the offing as the heavily outmanned Bavarians finally broke. Those that gained their horses quickly extracted themselves, but others had to fall back on foot- separated from their mounts, or with the mounts lost. Not all cohesion was lost, as officers managed to insure some stayed their station, and the wounded were still withdrawn with professionalism.

The arrival of the 2nd Polish Lancer's brigade of armored cars was the final straw. Motoring slowly up the ridgetop Wielkie-Strzelce road, the machine gun turrets slowly traversing like automatons. In parallel down the valley below rolled the armored train.  Frantic bugle calls failed to achieve their results as the Bavarians broke, whole sections of line recoiling from the front and retreating.  As each unit broke into the open fields to the rear their pace accelerated as they spurred their tired mounts to safety. Victory was achieve at the cost of but one armored car, which had blundered to close to a stubborn HMG crew and was liberally sprayed with 13.2mm bullets until out of action.

From the Bavarian side, the Cavalrymen hated the feigned rout. They were used to retreats, those were part of their model, but to fake a rout was to imply they were beaten. They had fought for their homeland, for most were drawn from Silesia and many from Kattowice.  Now, with support finally at hand, they were ordered to abandon honor and run like rabbits. Despite their training at retrograde fighting, and despite their success in delaying a superior force, it *seemed * like a defeat. When withdrawn from the rest of the division earlier in the week the men of these Battalion had understood they were preparing lines they could fight from, not run from.  They had lost comrades and homes, abandoned their fellow citizens, and as a reward were being sent to the rear. With fresh horses they made good time, pausing only occasionally to stop and fight. Per orders, the Sergeants made sure rifles and packs were dropped by at least one man in each squad.

The cheers they received as they passed the entrenched infantry of the XI corp did little to spur their spirits.  Retiring behind the infantry, they rejoined the other men of their Brigades, who had suffered even greater losses in the preceding days. Their pride offended, and their numbers cut by a quarter, the men of the XXVI division needed rest and to rearm, but then they needed retribution.

The men of the Grenadiers surged forward, encountering only sporadic resistance as Cavalry squadrons attempted to rally.  The next three hours saw a rapid advance of nearly 8km., The orders went out for the motorized heavy howitzers of the 2nd Polish Lancers to move forward to ensure they could stay in support range.

Over the next hour, slowly, the Brigades came into contact with new lines, well established and manned. Heavy fire was received as the Grenadier brigades ceased their advance and turned to probes. The distinctive cracks of the M1898 Mausers were noticeably different from that of the Cavalry's Schmidt-Rubin 9.3mm carbines. The commanders refused to dash their tired men against these new lines and settled down to skirmishing while sending to high command for orders. Wireless not being a luxury advancing infantry enjoyed and having outrun their wired communications, riders were dispatched to HQ in Wielkie Strzelce.

General Hrekov had been extremely pleased with himself.  The advance had been swift and decisive, driving a massive salient between the wings of the Bavarian Cavalry and bringing Oppeln within range of his Corps 152mm guns.  This was about to change. Hrekov was still staring at the report from the left flank- the tracks had a gap, the armored train had been stopped and the Brigadier on that section of line was now reporting infantry. Worse, he was now hearing artillery, new artillery. Heavy guns had commenced firing several minutes ago to his west, they didn't sound like the Cavalry's division 105mm guns, and they weren't Ukrainian. The chorus to the west was joined by guns elsewhere along his lines, a heavy rumble coming from Oppeln.

All other sections of the advance were going well, when the 2nd rider came, and delivered the message of Infantry found on the right flank of the advance. General Hrekov found himself suddenly gravely concerned. This concern grew as the sound of distant artillery continued to spread. Over the next hour, riders would arrive confirming that his advancing brigades had encountered Bavarian infantry in prepared positions all across his front. 

The Bavarian counter offensive had started. To the north east, the Uhlan Brigade of the Saxon army started on the Szlacheckie-Podleze road, south for Lubliniec, spearheaded by the armored cars brigade. They would drive through the eastern flank of the Ukrainian 1st Brigade. Elsewhere the Elite XII Corps was launching it's offensive. The  division driving south from Dabrodzien faced the rest of the 1st brigade and a portion of the 2nd.  With frontline casualties thinning the Ukrainian ranks, the division was effectively opposed by a single brigade, strung out in line.

To the west, another division, abetted by a tank brigade, driving in from Krapkowice struck the Ukrainian 7th brigade and a portion of the 8th.

The Grenadiers held weakly developed defensive positions, and had been fighting and marching for a week. They had had a night in the snow to weakly develop their defensive positions. They were not prepared to face a massive onslaught from a fresh force. The 1st and 2nd Brigades fared the best, as the river provided a good barrier. But the Bavarian division artillery showered 105mm and 75mm shells on their position as the advancing horde of Bavarian infantry leapfrogged forward, their Bergmann LMGs proving light enough to accompany the advance.  Outnumbered 5:1 the Ukrainian lines collapsed.

In the west, the odds were not so perilous, merely 4:1.  However, there was more support for the Bavarian advance, the 155mm guns of the XII Corps artillery joined the Division guns as armored leviathans crawled across the snowy fields.  Looking like casemented ironclads of a bygone era, the Sturmpanzers , well most of them – mechanical issues claimed two before the line of departure- rumbled forward.  Their cupola machine guns chattered above the occasional barks of the  bow cannon, while infantry followed behind. The Ukrainian line rapidly ruptured, the tired Grenadiers falling back in good order before the onslaught.

The Armored Car brigade of the 2nd Polish Lancers was to suffer particularly harsh losses. As spearhead for the Grenadiers they led the field, traveling in slow column down the ridge road to Oppeln.  After discovering their vulnerability to the 13.2mm HMGs, they proceeded with caution and allowed the infantry to provide supporting  fire when the Cavalry tried to rally.  However, this was one of only three roads to Oppeln, it was here the XI Corps had emplaced their only dedicated anti-tank battery, eight Becker 20mm TUF Kanone M11.  The XII Corps had placed theirs to command the road and railway on the western flank.  The XI Corp artillery spoke first. Already spotted on the road, great gouts of snow and earth erupted along the road, tossing men and armored cars in the air where they were not just blotted out. The tail of the brigade cut off, the vanguard found them selves peppered with 20mm fire.

The Bavarian columns  converged on Wielkie Strzelce unevenly. 2nd Division had been slowed by the river valley and it's lack of cover, while 1st Division had heavy support. Both had punched wide holes in the Ukrainian lines. 

In the rear areas, the Kommandos had received their messages and came out from hiding at 3pm.  The Gendarme brigade was dispersed through the conquered area, and had only six months service. The Kommandos were elite, heavily armed with such weapons as the Bergmann Waffenfabrik MP18/1 and were well informed by the populace. Battalion and company sized forces of Kommandos met the Gendarme companies in the major towns. In war, surprise, initiative, mass, firepower all matter, and the better informed and better trained Kommandos were in a position to leverage all of these attributes to their favor. Short, vicious firefights produced dramatically uneven results. One by one, General Hrekovs lines of communications were severed, intersections seized, railways blocked, telephone wires cut.  General Hrekov's only means of communication to his rear areas now fell to couriers, as the Bavarians commenced jamming from Oppeln.

General Hrekov was not slow to realize what was occurring, though it was difficult to assess the magnitude of the problem.   Obviously a Bavarian Infantry Corps had arrived, probably in the preceding day and was rushed into line. Presumably, they had strung 4 brigades in defensive positions to bar the road to Oppeln, while they committed the remaining 6 against his flanks.
Orders were swiftly drawn to split the reserve brigade and place it to secure the ridge road. Riders were sent to find the assault brigades and order them to extract themselves. As riders went out, others came in, and on the map table it became obvious that his 5 assault brigades were being cut off.  With disaster looming, orders were sent to his flanks to begin a withdrawal to secure the road between Wielkie Strzelce and Pyskowice. These three brigades would then be on hand to rescue the remainder of his force.

The XI Corps finally went over to the offensive in the late afternoon, as it became apparent that the Ukrainian brigades were attempting to retreat. Emerging from their defensive positions, they carefully advanced, keeping contact with the retreating Grenadiers, keeping the pressure on.

The Bavarian divisions of the XII Corp did not seal the pocket until shortly after nightfall, crushing Hrekov's reserve brigade between them. The 3,200 men of the brigade had been chosen for reserve because they had suffered heavy losses in the preceding week.  As night fell and nearly 30,000 (1) Bavarians closed on their positions, they stood their ground under the harsh light of parachute flares and starshells.  As the volume of fire grew, the stolid grenadiers fought grimly, holding the road.  They allowed the retreat of the 2nd Polish Lancer's motorized Corp artillery, as well as the withdrawal of their own artillery and the hospital.  Few infantry reached the lines, and those that did had conspicuous lack of kit. By 6:30pm the road was sealed shut, with half of the Grenadier Guards in the pocket.


(1) As the XII Corp advanced, considerable troops were detailed to hold the flanks.

Late afternoon, January 7.  
Warned by reports from St. Petersburg, the troops of the 1st Division of the 11th Rifles, marching south from Riga, find temperatures plummeting and bivouac, making shelters felling trees for firewood. That evening they will find themselves caught in an blizzard carried on the bitter winds of the Barents sea.  

In Vilnus, the Commander of the Guard Cavalry scowls at his orders. With the announced mobilization of the ESC armies facing the Ukraine, the Guard is to remain here, as the mobile reserve, and will not be dispatched to Silesia once the 1st Division 11th Rifles has replaced it in line.

In Deblin, the arrival of a railroad brigade promised a repair to the railroad junction within several days, weather permitting. Unlike the destroyed railroad bridges elsewhere, the junction at Deblin was on solid, if frozen. Restoring the junction would re-open the southern route to Sosnoweic. Currently all men and material had to distrain and transfer to a waiting train, a procedure that was slowing affairs.

In Warsaw, part of the city flamed as the fight by the Opolchenie Division intensified. Now at full strength, and facing at least a brigade, if not two, of irregulars, a grinding sweep of the million strong city was developing. With the 2nd Division of the Opolchenies now mobilized, but tasked with security in other major towns, little help would come until the 12th Rifle corps arrived as the HQ's reserve force. Dispersed throughout Poland, Lithuania, Bessarbia, Zaporizhia, Belarus, and Ukraine itself the Gendarme brigades were also spread thin.  

In Lubliniec the  Saxon Uhlan Brigade secured the town and placed the armored cars brigade.as reserve. Cavalry squadrons, accompanied by platoons of armored cars, crept through the darkness on reconnaissance missions along the roads West, East and South.

On the frontline in Silesia, the fighting continued in a desultory manner. The Bavarians were content to heavily shell the trapped grenadiers. With the two divisions of the XI Corps holding the pocket, the 2nd Division of XII formed the plug.  The 1st Division of XII Corps took up positions just southeast of Wielkie Strzelce to thwart relief efforts.  

Behind the frontline, engines roared and mechanics sweated and cursed as they tried to return the Sturmpanzers to service. Of the 30 vehicles in the brigade, 2 had failed to pass the line of departure, 4 had been destroyed in a dual with the armored train, 2 had been destroyed by grenades shoved through ports, 1 had fallen victim to a 152mm shell landing on it, and 1 had caught fire. Of of the remaining 16, just 4 were still running twelve hours after the battles started. The dark forest green leviathans were strewn across the the valley, one having broke down just as it passed over the railroad tracks, and the rest were scattered up the hill and ridge. The remaining 4 were being used in teams to tow engineering pallets to the stranded beasts.
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/sturmpanzer.jpg)

In Oppeln, the exhausted troopers of the XXVI Corps were sent to private homes with citizens to be feted and fed.

January 8th

Morning of the 8th saw renewed fighting in the hills south of Silesia as the 3 Bavarian divisions slowly constricted on the 5 trapped Grenadier brigades.  South of Wielkie Strzelce the remaining 3 Brigades of Grenadiers, supported by the Corps Artillery of the 2nd Polish Lancers and a spearhead of a Armored Car platoon,  tenaciously tried to breach the lines of the 1st Division, XII Corps, only to be rebuffed with heavy losses as the XII Corp artillery returned heavy and accurate fire. The armored cars fared better, but being restricted to the ridge road in this terrain made the Bavarian choice of where to position AT assets far easier. This assault spelled the end of the Armored Car brigade as a fighting unit.

Late morning saw the 1st Division go over onto the offensive, driving the remnants of the 3 brigades south east towards Pyskowice, which had been liberated by a Kommando Company.

On the morning of the 7th, at the beginning of the final offensive, each Grenadier had been issued 90 rounds of ammunition. A further 50 rounds a man had been brought up and stored in a dump in Wielkie Strzelce, and stores of  20 and 90 rounds a man (2)could be found in Pyskowice and Bytom. However, the Grenadiers were cut off from all three stockpiles, and after 36 hours of  fighting off and on, ammunition stocks were running low.  As a result, the Grenadier commander ordered a retreat to Pyskowice as well.

This turned into a running fight staggering down the road to Pyskowice. The three worn down Grenadier brigades were outnumbered by over 2:1 and the losses they had sustained in the past week would have broken a regular unit, but these were long service professionals, their Regiments were their families, and they would not break. Grimly determined they battled slowly back towards Pyskowice, by afternoon they had covered half the distance. . The Bavarian commander, Major-General Kurt Wahle, finding visibility declining rapidly as temperatures plummeted and winds picked up, ordered a halt and retreat to defensible positions. Both sides  they settled down for the night with a new foe to fight- mother nature.

In Lubliniec, a battalion of Uhlans and one of Armored cars were left to hold the town, while the remainder of the force moved towards Herby, discovering the burg was held by Elements of a Kommando company, which reported Czestochowa was held by portions of a Polish Lancer brigade. The commander of the two brigades force decided to alert headquarters of the opportunity and push towards Czestochowa with hopes of making a forced march on the next morning and seizing the town on the 9th.  Bgde. General   Gustav Anton von Wietersheim had crept his force to the edge of the woods,  near the last ridge before Czestochowa, only 11km away, when it became apparent the blizzard was in earnest. Howling winds from the northeast drove snow before them, lashing at exposed skin. Withdrawing behind the ridge, some unfortunates left as pickets, the armored cars in a laager, the Uhlans prepared to ride out the storm.

As evening fell in Constantinople, a growing body of citizenry lined the eastern shore, peering out into the roadstead at the mouth of the Bosporus. There a growing mass of Ukrainian ships anchored, as fleet units from Sevastopol, Kerch and Odessa gathered. The bulk of the fleet hailed from Sevastopol and were led by the Ukrainian battleships.  By dark over 50 vessels of various types, and over 30 warcraft, were visible in the gloom. 2 battleships, 7 cruisers, 13 destroyers, 9 small combatants and 21 vessels of the fleet train were present (1) and accounted for.

The Ukrainian ambassador had of course informed his Ottoman hosts of their impending arrival and the intent to transit to the Aegean once light broke on the 9th. The Ottomans restated their neutrality and requested the usual tonnage based passage fees and pilotage fees. This caused some issues as it exceeded the credit capability of the Ukrainian Ambassador. Hasty arrangements corrected this issue.

Ukrainian mercantile interests in the City, and their insurers,  were informed of the intent to dispatch cruisers to hunt the Bavarian cruiser which had recently taken a vessel near Kos. The Bavarian consulate dispatched the news home as well. Orders would be wired that night to re-route 4 of the Railroad guns, and the 3 Infantry brigades towards Friuli.

In Athens, the Ukrainian ambassador informed his hosts of the Fleet Admirals intent to anchor in the Athenian roads on the night of the 9th, and have some officers and men put ashore that evening.

The blizzard on the night of the 8th continued on the 9th, and on the 10th, dropping a foot of snow each day, paralyzing roads and railways across Poland, the East Sea Confederation and Bavaria. In Silesia, soldiers worried about staying warm. The men of the XXVI Cavalry found themselves in the envious position of being inside.  The troops of the XI and XII Corps, fresh to the battlefield and still fully equipped , suffered minorly from the cold and deprivation, with sentries battling frostbite. The men of the Uhlan brigade were assisted by the ridge and the warmth of their horses, while the Kommando Companies in the woods and towns availed themselves of whatever shelter they could find.  The Grenadiers, strength sapped by a week of combat in the snow, excess gear long ago shed, tired and unfed, suffered terribly.

Dawn on the 11th would feature blue skies and bone chilling cold. The landscape buried in fresh snow a couple feet deep. Drifts, driven by the wind, provided greater barriers to travel. Over the landscape of Eastern Europe, people began to dig out. On railroads, steam engines fitted with plows slowly made their way along the tracks. Engineers would follow slowly checked the railbeds and switches to ensure no damage.  

Meanwhile the Ukrainian fleet sailed on, passing the Bosporus on the 9th, anchoring off Athens. Departing on the 10th the fleet found it's way through the Greek islands, and had cleared the southern tip of Greece. The 11th was spent sailing through the Ionian sea, and dawn on the 12th found the flotilla in the  Straits of Ortanto.

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Jan_8_10.jpg)

(1) At least that's how I would expect shore observers to categorize the ships.  Ed : 3/4/1 2 battleships removed as they will go in reserve. Composition of hunter forces altered.

(2) German WWII Volksgrenadiers were issued 90 rounds/man, with 75 in division reserve and 87 in Army reserve. Considering the damage to the Railways and the difficulty of having the supplies keep up with the army, having 90, 50+20, and 90 seems generous.

Revised Train Schedules

12-13 11th Rifle arriving Sosnoweic
14-15  9th Rifle arriving Sosnoweic
15-16 12th Rifle arrives Warsaw.
16-17 4th Cav arriving Czestochowa
18-19  8th Rifle arriving Czestochowa
20-21 13th Rifle arriving Czestochowa

21 Division 3rd Rifle arrives Memel area.



Bavarian Scheduling

I   Arrive Jan 14-15  
XXVIII  Arrive Jan 16-17   
IX   Arrive Jan 13-14   
B1   Arrive Jan 15   

XIX   Arrive Jan 17-18   
XX   Arrive Jan 17-18   
VII   Arrive Jan 22-23   
XVI   Arrive Jan 23-24  
VI   Arrive Jan 24-25  
X   Arrive Jan 25-26  
V   Arrive Jan 26-27   
XXI   Arrive Jan 27-28   
   
RR Guns 1-2 arrive on the 20th

At Fiuli
Brigades 2-4 return on the 13th.
RR Guns 3-6 arrive on the 18th.

January 11th 1920 Rome, Empire of Italia

Meeting between the Ukrainian ambassador to Rome and Sextus Aurelius Cotta- Consul of Foreign Affairs

The Ukrainian Ambassador to Rome Dmytro Antonovych had received a summons to meet with Consul Cotta at the Imperial Ministries office for tea.   The Summons had not been completely unexpected as a large number of Ukrainian Fleet units had transited the Bosporus straits from the Black Sea into the Mediterranean early on the morning of the 9th of January.  In all likelihood the Italia Empire was simply going to request official notification of what those fleet units intended to do, a not unreasonable request.

After the usual diplomatic pleasantry' and the pouring of tea the two men were seated and the discussion began.

Consul Cotta:  Thank you for accepting my Invitation to this meeting Ambassador.  I believe we both know why you are here.  I have a report from a Naval Attaché in our Constantinople Consulate that indicates a very large percentage of you Black Sea fleet transited the Bosporus Straits into the Mediterranean Sea yesterday morning.  The Empire acknowledges that the Regime of Wielka Ksiezna Margita and the Kingdom of Bavaria and Schweiz are at war.  So exactly what sort of operations does your navy intend to perform in the Mediterranean Sea?

Dmytro Antonovych:  Why legitimate military operations, a blockade of Bavarian Ports operations to impact the commerce of Bavaria.  All these actions would be conducted in international waters.   Does the Empire have any other concerns?

Consul Cotta:  The Empire has a great many concerns especially if the Ukrainian fleet intends to conduct operation within the Ionian or Adriatic Sea's and the Straits of Otranto then the Empire would be greatly concerned.  The Empire does not at this time want or desire a conflict that would impact a high percentage of the Empire Merchant Commerce to occur.

Dmytro Antonovych:  As you are aware I am not informed of actual military plans or orders I can merely forward you countries concerns to my Government.  However, my Government feels that it is necessary to punish those who have supported a rebellion within our country and started and unwarranted war of aggression to steal one of my Nations provinces.

Consul Cotta:  That is as may be!  My countries concerns are simple you may conduct your military operations in international waters and my nation will be watching.   The Empire desires the absolutely minimal impact on merchant shipping in either the Ionian or Adriatic.   The use of mines in International waters in these regions particularly the Straits of Otranto would be viewed as an act of aggression.

Dmytro Antonovych:  Would you deny my country the right to protect its interests in international waters the East Sea Confederation has already taken similar actions by mining the approaches to the Baltic. These actions are not the acts of Neutral Nations?

Consul Cotta:  The Empire will not be declaring itself neutral in this conflict and the East Sea Confederation is a treaty ally of Bavaria.  However the Empire at this time does not wish to become involved in another war so shortly after the conclusion of the war with New Switzerland.   I have been reliably informed that your nation is not a signatory to the Vienna Convention on the Conduct of War?

Dmytro Antonovych:  No my nation was not a signatory to that Convention what does that convention have to do with our current discussion?

Consul Cotta:  Having stated the Empires desire to remain uninvolved I must remind yourself and Hetman Skorapadskyi that the Duke of Fruili is my Emperors Cousin!  I have been informed by my Admiralty that none of them wish to explain to the Emperor how they allowed a foreign power to kill large numbers of his Cousins subjects.  The Vienna Convention outlines a few simple rules that civilized nations might wish to obey.  

Dmytro Antonovych:  You would put limitations on what sort of military actions the Ukrainian Navy may undertake you would dictate to my Nation!?

Consul Cotta:  I do not dictate I simply consul you to restraint.   Your Navy will be operating far from home and immediately adjacent to three of the Empire's largest naval bases and airfields.   Restraint is something I believe both our nations should practice.   I thank you for your time and wish you a pleasant afternoon.

OOC : I had hoped to be switching to a 1-week basis here, but too much on the 11th, oh well


Jan 11
Ambassador Dmytro Antonovych  left the meeting deeply distressed. The Italian news was hardly a surprise, he had been waiting for contact from the Embassy's naval attache, now on the Adriatic coast. Once that information was in hand it was to be HE that announced the blockade to the Italians, and the other ambassadors here in Rome. Instead, he needed to wire Kiev and the Naval Attache to pass along the Italian's concerns and veiled threats.  Almost certainly this would prevent his motoring to Trivoli for  picnic and dinner with his wife. Truly a shame, as on a clear day such as this, the views were phenomenal, and he did  so love exploring Hadrian's villa.


So , when at noon a launch from the Ukrainian fleet made it's way back from the Italian shores and brought the news to Admiral Myhaylo Ostrogradskiy.  Admiral Ostrogradskiy did not enjoy its receipt. New orders from Kiev on how to proceed would be needed. If this news was any indication, a distant blockade at the straits was not acceptable politically, incidents with the Italians were inevitable. A return to Greece was out of the question at this early juncture. A close blockade must be countenanced. A return note was written to the Naval Attache, and the launch made it's way to Italy and back.  With 2 Gromski and the 2 CL1914 cruisers already detached, the choice to detach CL Kerch to patrol the straits was rejected.(1)  The fleet then proceeded north, where they would reestablish contact with the Embassy outside Venice.

Afternoon, Kiev:  The Hetman sputtered with incandescent rage. Two days ago he had wired his Ambassador in St. Petersburg to convey generous terms to the Bavarians. An indemnity, loss of only part of the the territory conquered, and the allowance for Ukrainian Gendarmes to arrest subversives in Silesia and Saxony, and he was willing to settle for the first and last. General Hrekovs reports had made clear that Oppeln was in his grasp, and while the storm had severed contact before confirmation, one could presume this had been accomplished. Admiral Ostrogradskiy was to have announced the blockade this morning. The Bavarians should be ready to crumble. Instead, the reply he had received was an impertinent note demanding the surrender of the lands of the "Kingdom of Poland".  This had to be related to that nonsense the Bavarians had announced regarding the King of Saxony. What sort of bargaining position was that??

In the northern Adriatic, the Bavarians were continuing to  hastily lay minefields of tethered contact mines.  These contact mines had a battery embedded in the anchor, which kept a switch in the mine open, when the battery failed, or the tether was broken, the switch would close and the mines would be "safe". Theoretically that is.  For this purpose, the Bavarian maps showed fields out to a 12nm limit, excluding Italian and Hapsburg peacetime territorial waters.

In Rome and Vienna, as well as the consulate in Venice, Embassy staff had provided maps of the proposed fields to the Naval ministries of the Hapsburgs and Italians, and proposed providing maps to the towns and fisherman halls along the northern Adriatic. To the Bavarians, the leakage of such a map to the Ukrainians mattered not, as they likely did not have time to mine all the areas pictured anyhow.

There were two Paseval-luftschiffes on the Zeppelin model in Udine. At 38,800 cu meters, they were 20.1m in diameter and 174m long, capable of being propelled at 50 knots. While capable of a military payload of 9 tonnes, today their mission was to serve as the long range scouts searching for the Ukrainians.


(1) Originally, the 4 Gromisky and the Kerch were to hunt the Bavarian cruisers, as they have 6" guns and matched well. But the Gromiskys turn out to be the only ships in the Ukrainian navy with AA guns, and the Kerch can only manage 25kts- making catching a supposedly 27kt Liepzig difficult. So I paired 2 100mm CL14s with 2 Gromiskys to form a pair of hunter teams, and kept the other 2 Gromiskys with the fleet. With the Kerch that makes 3 CLs present.



In Silesia : The clear blue skies were welcome to the snow trapped me, the bitter chill was not. Each side sent out scouting parties to attempt to reestablish contact and desultory firing recommenced but in many places troops were simply engaged in making paths to important locations. The trapped 5 brigades of Grenadiers came under renewed fire, as Bavarian spotters took to calling fire on smoke from warming fires- a practice that discouraged further use of warming fires. The remaining 3 brigades of Grenadiers attempted to gather themselves for a slow withdrawal, breaking contact with the pursuing  1st Division, XII Corps.

The Bavarians discovered a more valuable use for their Sturmpanzer-Kraftwagens....road clearance. The bellies of the beasts were not that far of the ground, and the treads could gain purchase in the snow. With a dozen now functional, they split into sections of four and clanked along the road system in column, shoving drifts aside. An intrepid mechanic, working on a defunct Sturmpanzer near the tracks, attempted to rivet  some plates of railroad iron to the prow, to make an impromptu plow. However when that one returned to service, the plow was found to bury itself in the road at inopportune moments.

In Oppeln, the XXVI Cavalry began the task of drawing new equipment from the Depot, of obtaining remounts for those horses that had been worn out, and preparing to return to the fight.  Generaloberst Prince Rupprecht and General of Kavalrie Prince Alfons made a tour of the hospitals and hotels pressed into service as hospitals, visiting with the Bavarian, and in some cases, Ukrainian wounded.

Away from the front, locomotives slowly pushed plowsleds along the railways, soldiers trampled the snow down on airfields, citizens shoveled their walks.

Jan 12-14

Silesian Front
Jan 12-14

With fields cleared, air operations resume, taking advantage of the blue skies. Closer to Oppeln, the swarms of Bavarian aircraft still held the upper hand.  Bavarian Fighter/scouts strafe the trapped men of the Grenadier guards and drop smoke to mark the lines of the retreating brigades. Planes from Lodz, 20 strong, flying at top speed over poorly mapped and unfriendly terrain could not afford to loiter to confirm their views, but do note the heavy fighting south of Oppeln and the second action near Psykowice. A Bavarian counter attack deduced, as Hrekov was clearly past Psykowice, but the situation is unclear.  When a squadron of Fighter-scouts attempts a reconnaissance of Czestochowa, the results are not favorable. The Kielce squadron finally gets to fight on nearly equal odds, at a spot close enough they can exploit their maximum power settings, and the Bavarians can not hide in the cloud ceiling. The results are distinctly unfavorable.

The trapped brigades cling grimly on. Had there been a place to run, they may have broken. Having lost their base of supply in  Wielkie Strzelce they have not eaten since the 10th. Their wounded are freezing to death, and they are running low on ammunition. Beyond the sounds of the Bavarian guns, they can not hear the sounds of Ukrainian guns battling to relieve them.  Midmorning, when called on to surrender, General-Chotar  Yuriy Otmarstein, , 1st Division Commander of the Grenadier Guards asked for another day.  The Bavarians grant 4 hours. With the railhead present, and the Oppeln depot fully stocked, the Bavarians unleash to their artillery. Assigning infantry reserves to assist in loading, to maintain the rate of fire, they then commenced heavy artillery fire guided by aerial spotters, pausing for 10 minutes at the start of each hour. At 8 that night, after 6 hours of heavy bombardment, General Otmarstein signals his surrender.

After the surrender, the Corps would reorganize themselves. On the 14th the XI Corp would eventually turn east, towards Czestochowa, while the 2nd Division XII Corp would march south to join its sister division.

To the south, the Sturmpanzers turned snowplows had opened the road from Oppeln to Krapkowice and accompanied by troopers of the Silesian Uhlans, were were now clearing to Wielke Strzelce and Ujazd and Psykowice beyond.

In front of Psykowice the Grenadiers continued their retreat. Hindered by the 2 foot snows, hungry and tired, many items of kit were abandoned. With the 1st Division, XII Corps following their paths in the snow, stragglers rapidly became prisoners. The discovery of Kommandos in Psykowice explained some of the persistent communication problems and were easily pushed aside, but not before the supply dumps had been torched. The loss of food and ammunition this represented was a serious blow to General Hrekov's attempt to keep his Brigades in the fight.

The ragged brigades would retreat towards Bytom..  There they would once again find their divisional stores destroyed. With the appearance of the Silesian Uhlan brigade from the direction of Gliwice, the retreat became a rout, as the troops fled towards Sosnowiec.

Sosnoweic
The arrival of the 11th Rifle Corps on Jan 12-13 infuses life into the rear areas. Marching forth to Kattowice, they contact the remnants of General Hrekov's command and go over on the defensive to wait for the 9th Rifle Corps.

Oppeln
The IX Corps begins arriving from Dresden and the railcars are sent down the double tracks to Gliwice to unload and will be assigned the Army of Saxon with XII Corps.  While the Corp is still in transit, the  I Corps from Erfurt begins to arrive, these trains are sent to Lubliniec where they will join the Army of Silesia's XI Corps.  The vagracies of war being what they are the Army of Silesia's Uhlans now are assigned the Army of Saxony, and vice versa.


Czestochowa
January 12-14

Near Czestochowa, the Saxon Uhlans found their horses breaking path for the armored cars. Strung out down the road, they made their way towards Czestochowa. Crossing the border, a second flag was broken out, the Polish White Eagle overlaid on a Red Cross, emblazoned with the words "W Jmie Boga  Za I Nasza Wasza Wolnosc " or 'For our freedom and yours'.

The flags had had been hastily sewn only a week ago, but there was symbolism in the fact the White Eagle would fly alongside the Bavarian flag as they marched into Ukrainian Polish territorial areas.

The 5th Brigade, 2nd Polish Lancers had been charged with securing the 60km rail line from  Czestochowa to Sosnowiec, and had left a full regiment in the important rail hub of Czestochowa. A fight developed slowly for the town. With Kommandos having disrupted rails and communications further south, the majority of the 5th Brigade was not in position to help.

The fight would last into the morning of the 14th as the two Bavarian brigades (fight between a 0.5/0.15 brigade and 1.85/0.2 brigades) slowly rousted the 5th Brigade from the prepared defenses. Had the terrain, and snow cover, been more favorable to maneuver, the fight would have been over quicker, but the combination constrained the Bavarian's ability to bring the firepower of the armored cars into the fight. The arrival of the XXVI Division would seal the matter.

Jan 13-14
From Oppeln, the remaining troopers of the XXVI Division, their horses less hindered by the snow, marched east to Lubliniec. While nearly a week of rest had recharged the men, their ranks were still depleted by those killed, wounded and frostbitten. Oddly, the passage of 18,000 horses did an admirable job of clearing the snow. The march, which would normally be only a 5 hour passage on horse, still took 8 hours, leaving several hours to prepare an encampment and allow the rear of the column to catch up. The next day would take the Division to Czestochowa.

Jan 12-14
The 5th Brigade, once notified of matters in Czestochowa, began to consolidate in the town of Zarki. Aerial reconnaissance and eastern communication lines allowed this. Warsaw HQ, communications with General Hrekov's Army of Galicia still being severed, ordered a coordinated movement with 4th Brigade, assigned the 100km Czestochowa- Lodz railroad, was arranged. Due to snow, with three days needed for the rear elements of 4th Brigade to arrive, the two brigades would arrive outside Czestochowa in the afternoon of the 14th, just in time to oppose the XXVI Division.

Adriatic :
Jan 12-13
In the Adriatic, Bavarian Parsevel-brand  Zeppelin airships, or Luftschiffes, began shadowing the fleet near Porto Recanti, keeping their distance from any gunfire.  As the fleet moved up the Adriatic, Seaplanes from Grado commenced buzzing the fleet for close looks at the Ukrainian vessels. In Trieste, Conways was open to the Ukrainian fleet pages, and ships were compared against the descriptions. Naval staff had long ago prepared the Ukrainian reactions were noted, and

The Ukrainian fleet arrived off Venice on the 13th.  A destroyer had been sent ahead to send a launches to Venice to consult with the Naval Attache for orders. The orders were clear Kiev wanted dramatic action in the near term, as the Bavarians had not been willing to negotiate. The fleet was to avoid provoking the Hapsburgs or Italians, but to be aggressive.  A legal blockade was the minimal effort acceptable. Shore bombardment, at first as a demonstration, and then against as high a priority target as possible, was to be undertaken to underscore the Bavarian vulnerability.  Losses to the Bavarian navy were not acceptable and aggressiveness should be moderated by that risk. 

The Fleet was still steaming slowly off Venice when the Bavarians took their first action. Seaplanes from Grado swept in from the west.  The 42 twin engine seaplanes carried an operational bombload of 200kg, with 4 x 50kg HE bombs each. Flying at 2500 feet they fly in 5 columns en echelon , commencing dives as they drew within two miles of  the Ukrainian vessels and then leveling off to release at 1,000 feet. 

This is not really the optimal approach, with the planes traveling at roughly 102feet per second, and the bombs taking roughly 12 seconds to fall- more with wind resistance, you need to have the right altitude, and trip the release well in advance of the enemy warship.

With the beam of the 1912 BBs being 92 feet, and that of a Destroyer being only 26 feet, such an attack requires the releases to be tripped at the appropriate time of  the second, and with the ships cruising at 10knots, they move nearly 200 feet by time the bombs arrive.  Practice against islands and towed sleds helps, but is countered by nerves and the muzzle flashes of cannon. The fact these guns were grossly inaccurate and generally harmless had little impact. 41 bombers trigger their releases successfully , 164 bombs were dropped. The fact the targets were four of the nimble destroyers did little to help success and only a pair of bombs struck home, doing little actual damage.  (1)

With the fleet only 13 nautical miles off the Venetian coastline, the 120mm, 100mm and 75mm guns discharging towards the Venetian coastline splashed down no closer than 5 miles from the Italian beaches, alarming some fishermen, but doing no actual harm.

(1) Note that against the anchored and unmanned Ostfriesland the Army Air Corps managed only 25% hits on the first try with 100kg bombs (8/33) and in two waves of 270kg bombs, only 5 hits. The next day, 3/5 and then 0/6- thought the last was purposeful to spring seams.

So far I've mainly just described combat and left casualty numbers out.

Casualties
Basically, I'm guessing, and those guesses are based on my 'feel' which is probably derived from US Civil war casualty rates.

Generally speaking, ½ of WIA will return to the fight. Frostbite casualties have a similar ratio.  

Vehicles and artillery tend to die via shell fire, and have about 1:1 KIA:WIA rates, while baseline for infantry is 1: 1.5-2.  Inability to treat wounded leads to higher KIA or MIA rates. Frostbite is a factor of exposure vs. resources.  POW stats overlap some WIA and Frostbite numbers, as they get overrun in retreats.  

The 7th-9th brigades of the Grenadier guards, having fought for nearly 2 weeks, including a long retreat in front of 3:1 odds, have fared the worst of the still existing units. Roughly half the wounded have been captured as they could not be moved.  These units, if not Elite and commanded by someone inspiring personal loyalty, would have shattered long ago. These units have dropped from 15,000 to roughly 7,000 combat effectives. Now with the Uhlans added to the chase, they are facing roughly 27,000 men and are in serious trouble.  

The Bavarian Dragoons are the only troops with personal armor, 0.15" 1890 Holtzer chrome-steel breastplates and lobstertail helms. While not bullet proof to modern bullets, they turn bullets at range and stop shell splinters, reducing overall casualties and changing the KIA:WIA ratio.  For comparison, the Silesian Uhlans, unarmored, fought for much of the same time span.

There have been roughly 5 'good' days of air operations, 4 of which were significantly closer to Bavarian bases.  

Ukraine
Grenadier Guards
Brigades 1-6  : 14% KIA, 20% WIA, 3% MIA, 6% Frostbite. Surrendered
Brigade 7-9: 13% KIA, 19% WIA, 10% MIA, 5% Frostbite, 30% POW.  
Brigade 10 : -
Corps Artillery : 5% KIA, 5% WIA, 8% Frostbite. Overrun and Surrendered

4/ 2nd Polish Lancers : 4% KIA, 8% WIA
5/ 2nd Polish Lancers : 8% KIA, 13% WIA, 1% POW
Armored Cars :15% KIA, 20% WIA, 20% Frostbite (lesser uniform), % POW,
Corps Art, 2nd Polish : 3% KIA, 3% WIA, 10% MIA,  8% Frostbite, total equipment loss (ran of of gas)

Gendarme Brigade : 20% KIA, 20% WIA, 30% POW
Armored Train – destroyed
203mm RR Art – Tracks blown behind, Overrun.  
75mm RR Art – Tracks blown behind, Overrun.
75mm RR Art – In service

Lodz & Kielce Squadrons : 2 x 24 Aircraft
32 planes lost, 14 Combat, 18 lost to mechanical failure, or  damaged beyond repair.

Bavarian

XI Corps  1% KIA, 2% WIA, 1% Frostbite
Armored Car Brigade : 1% KIA, 1% MIA, 2% Frostbitten

XII Corps  2%KIA, 2%WIA, 1% Frostbite
Armored Brigade : 12% KIA, 12% WIA, 2% frostbitten

Saxon Uhlans 2% KIA, 2 % WIA, 2% Frostbite
Silesian Uhlans 11% KIA, 18% WIA, 4% MIA, 3% Frostbite
XXVI Dragoons  9% KIA, 16% WIA, 5% MIA/POW, 4% Frostbite
Kommando Brigade : 8% KIA, 12% WIA, 5% POW, 3% Frostbite

Kattowice : 25 aircraft
23 planes evacuated to Breslau. 2 total losses.

Breslau : 150 aircraft
35 planes lost, 12 KIA, 23 lost to mechanical failure, or damaged beyond repair.

ooc : ran short on time, will address the naval aspects Sunday
January 15 – 17

Silesian Front
Kattowice

Contact is established with the retreating Grenadiers. The force opposing the Grenadiers is not well known, but believed to be at least the XII Corp, presumably with the XI Corp and XXVI Division supporting. Rather than rushing the 11th Rifle Corp forward and risk a piecemeal engagement, the 11th Rifle Corp moves forward to take up defensive positions around Kattowice. Members of the1st Division,  9th Rifle Corps are diverted to clear farmers fields for an airstrip. The 2nd Division is moved into Reserve. With the railway junctions at Deblin finally repaired, and the Railroad brigade patching elsewhere, supplies were flowing into Sosnowiec at a good clip.

With the nearby Sosnowiec airbase rallowing Ukrainian fighters to exploit their advantages, the Luftkrieg suffers heavy casualties when the odds are anywhere near even.  Aerial Reconnaisance is limited to massive efforts where a hundred or more Bavarian craft flood the theater.  The abatement of the cold but clear weather on the 16th and the return of sullen clouds and snow flurries once again renders aerial issues moot.

The primary reconnaissance has to be undertaken by the Uhlans of the Divisional Cavalry regiment and the Army of Silesia's Brigade (now transferred to the Army of Saxony). These troops confirm the presence of at least one fresh Rifle Corps.

The 1st Division, XII Corps, alerted to the presence of the 11th Rifles by the Uhlans providing reconnaissance, breaks off pursuit of the Grenadiers.  Crown Prince Rupprecht refuses the flanks of the Division and takes up a defensive position, with the Armored brigade in reserve. With the 2nd Division and the IX Corps en route, it is felt the Division can hold a defensive position long enough for them to arrive. Once again the partially finished Bytom Citadel is utilized as a strongpoint.

When the retreating Grenadiers reach the lines of the 11th Rifles, the Infantry is shocked by their haggard appearance of the roughly 7,000 troops streaming through their lines. One Captain challenges a Grenadier "Which Brigade is this?" to which the soldier pithly spits and replies "Brigade? Hell Sir, this IS the Corp, we're all thats left. "  The stunned Captain lets the soldier get away with such language. While technically not correct, as the 10th Brigade in Sosnowiec has not even been engaged,  the Grenadiers appearance dashes any thoughts of launching a counter attack.

General Hrekov and his command group cross the lines into 'friendly' territory around noon, and are conveyed to a waiting train which returns them to Sosnowiec. General Hrekov's "Army of Galacia" has now expanded from the Grenadiers Guard and Elements of the 2nd Polish Lancers to include the 11th and 9th Rifle Corps.  

Front Totals :
Ukraine :
2 Brigades 6/4 Elite Infantry.
2 Corps 5/3 Regular Infantry
1x75mm RR Art.

Bavaria :
1 Corp 6/4 Elite Infantry
1 Corp 5/3 Green Infantry
1 Brigade 2/0 Elite Heavy Armor
1 Brigade 6/2 Reg. Light Cav.
1 Brigade 6/2 Kommandos.

Polish Front
Czestochowa

While a desultory attempt to reclaim Czestochowa was made by the 4th and 5th Brigades,  they had few answers to the armored cars stationed at the outskirts of the town, and broke off the attack once the XXVI Cavalry cleared the last ridge, decidedly changing the odds. With no clear knowledge as to if the rest of the 2nd Polish Lancers were on their way, the XXVI promptly took up defensive positions, sending the Saxon Uhlans on scout.

The seizure of Czestochowa by the Bavarians produced a shock up the Ukrainian chain of command, and disrupted train schedules. This severed the Warsaw- Sosnowiec double track, forcing all supplies to Sosnowiec over the Kielce line.  While only a single track line connected Czestochowa to Oppeln, this still allowed up to 10 trains per day, delivering troops and supplies sufficient to support operations. This was further reduced by sabotage conducted by retreating Cavalry.

On the 16th, the leading elements of the XI Corps begin marching in.  With rail line capacity limited and a competing need to build a stockpile,  much of the I Corps detrains and marches, but a portion of the I Corps takes a more leisurely approach, with the artillery and baggage train remaining on the train from Lubliniec to Czestochowa. .


Front Totals :
Ukraine :
2 Brigades 5/1.5 Regular Cavalry

Bavaria :
1 Corp 6/4 Elite Infantry
1 Corp 5/3 Green Infantry
1 Brigade 1.25/0 Elite Armored Cars
4 Brigades 6/2 Elite Dragoons
1 Brigade 6/2 Reg. Light Cav.

Oppeln
The crush of prisoners is only slowly lessening. High Command has decided that most Ukrainian prisoners will be transferred on empty troop trains to Rastatt, and housed in the old fortress there. Abandoned less than 20 years ago, the fortress can comfortably hold most of the captured. Military Police will be supplemented by Infantry.

Wounded continue to overflow the hospitals and hotels of Oppeln. Trains take those that can be moved to cities further inland. Emergency summons have brought a rush of volunteer doctors, but by time wounded arrived from the front, Shock, cold and septic wounds had claimed the worst cases already, and made the situation of others more perilous.

Odessa, Riga :
Merchant seamen returning from the Ottomans and Russia bring home news of the Bavarian announcements on Jan 6.  Discussions of the war are common, letters home are not censored yet, news of the announced intent of the "Liberation of Poland" starts to spread.

Rome
Reports of the Luftkriegs' difficulties projecting air coverage will eventually result in the Ambassador to Rome discussing matters with his Italian hosts. As it happens, Italy ordered a large number of aircraft for the Rift War, many of which languish in crates.

Kiev
The Report was titled "Silesian Opertions of the Army of Galicia January 1- 16. Hetman Skorapadskyi read the report again in disbelief. Lifting mad eyes to his audience, he stated, in a voice full of venom, quavering with anger

"Traitors and Rats, we are undone by their nibbling ! This is not misfortune or incompetence, a disaster such of this ....this was planned !  Hrekov, he is a Cossack, those traitorous vipers of the Zaporizhian Sich  think they are the equal of the rest of us. We shall show them. I want Hrekov's head, and tell the Commisars I want the names of traitors, or they will swing in their stead."

Chief of Staff, General Volodymyr Sinclair  looked agahst at the Hetman "General Hrekov is no traitor, he is one of our finest co..."

He was interrupted by a furious redfaced Hetman shouting "HE IS A TRAITOR !! Do NOT dare Defend that Cossack Scum to me, I want him shot for treason by tomorrow evening, or I will put you in his place, AM I UNDERSTOOD !!!"NOW !

A white faced General Sinclair nodded his acquiescence and departed. His orders would go out that afternoon, they would result in reports of General Hrekovs arrest and execution. General Hrekov would, hopefully, be sequestered by men loyal to General Sinclair.

Minister of Internal Affairs, Isaak Mazepa, inquired "Hetman, how, um, solid , do you want the evidence to be prior to the Commissars acting."

Hetman Skorapadskyi  looked curiously at him, "Why do we care about evidence?   I am the law. If we find them to be traitors, they are traitors. Each Commissar is responsible for finding one traitor in his district by the end of the week. ".

Prelate of All the Ukraine Khrapovitsky (1) softly said, "The common thread that binds the Poles together is their faith. They will do what their Catholic masters dictate. Even now agents of Rome whisper their lies in the ears of the Catholic Heirarchy. Can it be a coincidence that King Lugwig and King Frederick are known to be devout Catholics? I say not. They seek to derail what we....what you are creating here. If you are searching for vipers at our breast, I say Aleksander Kakowski is the king of vipers. Not content to be Archbishop of Warsaw, did you know he calls himself "Primate of Poland' and that that last year he founded the "Catholic Action" league? He consults with Rome to destroy us. They will send the Inquisition to ferret out our New Truth and denounce it, like that Kurgan heretic tried.  

Of course, one can not forget the Jews, the authors of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion . No war can happen without the Jewish bankers issuing loans for it, can it?  

I have a list I can provide of those that plot against you. Would you like me to give it to the Minister for Interior Affairs?

Hetman Skorapadskyi : "Yes, do that. With the leadership of those organizations removed, the body will wither.  "

The Aegean :
The three Gromkiy class cruisers continued to hunt in the Aegean and eastern Med for the Bavarian cruisers. With the majority of the Ukraine's maritime trade transiting through the Aegean several merchant vessels had already become prizes. The Gromkiy, Gordiy, and Garyiachiy were only a decade old, but their scheduled 1919 refits had been deferred by the Government chaos at home.
Still, they managed their 27knots on a good day, and were heavily armored for their size, and armed with 6" guns. On paper they matched up reasonably with the Ausberg and Breslau classes. From the reports of merchants, the cruisers operating so far had been Breslau class vessels, which Jane's listed as being slightly better armed but lighter armored, with the same speed. However the hunt was proving to be more difficult than expected.

The Adriatic :

Admiral Myhaylo Ostrogradskiy ordered his fleet into the Northern Adriatic. Shadowed by the Luftschiffes, they were aware the Bavarians knew their dispositions.  The Bavarian navy, while small, was comparable to the lighter elements of the Ukrainian fleet, it was only the two Ukrainian battleships which the Bavarians could not hope to counter unless they could deliver torpedoes.  With the Bavarian bases less than 50nm away, and apparently screened by minefields, they could mount a full sally and arrive in under three hours, while his fleets ability to strike at them was constrained by the minefields.

The Admiral knew this meant he needed to keep his fleet together as best possible and make a methodical approach, to ensure he did not risk defeat in detail.


Bringing the fleet up to the Bavarian border also meant approaching the Bavarians 'Treviso'  fortified line along the Italian border, just north of the Venetian Lagoon. Considering the goals of Kiev and the local geography, the course of action was obvious. An initial strike on a military target to ensure the Bavarians knew his fleet meant business, while gaining time for the sweeps to clear ahead.  The flank of the Treviso line was the obvious target. Retiring south in the Adriatic for the night, they could then return to shell the town of Liggano Sabbiadora. Further consultation with the Naval Attache could then occur. Following that, operations against Grado and Trieste directly could be planned.

Two minor forays like this would communicate to the Bavarians their peril, slake the thirst of Kiev, and  gauge the reaction of the Bavarian Navy.

The Ukrainian Minesweepers moved forward to the shoreline between Lido de Jisola and Caole, probing for mines, but only locating a handful.

During this time frame, 36 seaplanes arrived from Grado. Frustrated with their performance the prior day, the Bavarian pilots simplified their approach, flying with the 15mph wind in a large block formation and at a slightly higher altitude of 3,000 feet  to avoid the expected return fire. Their target this time was one of the 1914 Light Cruisers, a vessel expected to be dangerous to their torpedo boats.  At ranges of 2-3 miles, the fleet let loose a barrage of 75mm and 47mm fire, which desisted as the planes closed the range. The shells had hurled their way through the formation with but a single lucky hit which passed through a wing without damage. With the Ukrainian guns silent below them, the Bavarians are able to release their bombs as planned. However, at three times the altitude, the bombs take even longer to drop, this time pushed a bit by the wind. With a basic form, they scatter as they fall.

The cruiser, alert to the incoming threat and with steam pressure already up, increases speed and takes evasive maneuvers, allowing the majority of the 50kg bombs to scatter harmlessly over a fairly wide area which the cruiser almost escapes entirely. A pair of bombs to strike home, detonating harmlessly in the superstructure of the cruiser. A minor fire is rapidly suppressed. (1)

The minesweepers moved on up the coast, allowing six of the Destroyers of the 1914 class to close to within 1.5 miles of the shore, the shallow waters closer in discouraging further efforts. The older V class stands further out to sea as a screen for the fleet. The 100mm guns are turned on the visible concrete structures which are duly shelled. Crew members stand to the railing to observe the effects, only to scatter as several cupolas rotate and peppers the side of the vessel with 13.2mm fire. The destroyer's counterfire lances out, lashing the fortifications, and silencing one the offending machine guns.

The lead destroyer suddenly finds waterspouts erupting beyond it, then moving towards it as on-shore observers talk the howitzer battery on target. A kilometer inland, the old Rimaihlo 155mm howitzers were complex and difficult to maintain, worse they were outranged by more modern pieces. With the Italian border quiet, they had not been replaced, and as static batteries, they were kept in good operational shape. Their most distinctive feature, their rate of fire, was deemed an advantage should the line ever be attacked. Here, it allowed a section of two guns to lob nearly 30 HE rounds a minute nearly 5km out to sea. The destroyers, stalked by shell splashes, hurriedly sought deeper water.  

Vexed, but not wanting to waste his limited 12" HE ammunition on a tertiary target, the Admiral authorizes a 1914 CL to shell the Teviso line. One of the vessels equipped with fire control, she can accurately engage from 10,000 yards, and does so. The firing, less than 20nm from Venice is heard to last for a half hour.  While the 100mm rounds make an impressive bang, they do little real damage to the fortified line.  The arrival of Bavarian torpedo boats  in the East makes breaking off bombardment necessary.  A cat & mouse game commences into the evening as the Bavarians haunt the Ukrainian operations.

Leaving a minefield of their own, the Ukrainians withdraw for the evening. Reports of Bavarian vessels result in general quarters twice in the night.

The next day, events are similar. The Bavarians manage two attempts at airstrikes, with 40 and 32 bombers respectively, their formations noticeably in closer order, and still higher in elevations. Again, the 75mm and 47mm fire greets them at 2-3 miles and ceases as they get over the fleet and the vessels take evasive action.  Attempting to bomb moving targets from a mile up while traveling at 70mph proves difficult and ineffectual. The second strike manage to land several 50kg bombs just along side a 1914 destroyer, and the explosions spring a seam, but the leak rapidly controlled.

With the Bavarians luftschiffes still shadowing, and their torpedo boats still probing the Ukrainian fleet, the vessels proceed northward to Liggano Sabbiadora, cautiously searching for mines.  The irony is the Bavarians were relatively unprepared and so were only able to lay parts of their planned minefields, but with the Ukrainians having possession of the planned fields, and having found some mines, they must proceed as if all are mined.

At Liggano Sabbiadora, the battleships are brought into action, lobbing several 12" shells ashore, as well as several volleys of 120mm from the casement guns.  The minewarefare vessels are also given license to engage shore targets, and the town is rendered ablaze. Satisfied, the Admiral withdraws to a position SW of Umag and dispatched a minelayer to send a launch into Venice to check on orders.
A collier departed for Greece to refuel.

In Trieste, the Oberkommando der Marine Admiral von Mülle poured over the reports.
Beyond the battleships, he had a fighting chance, but a loosing one. The two CL 1914 outclassed the Ausbergs, the 13 Destroyers were a match for his 18 mostly smaller vessels, and their 14 minewarfare vessels were armed and could be used to screen, which stymied his 11 torpedo boats.

A simple straight fight was out of the question.  The Ausbergs were laying mines by night, and half the destroyers were accustomed to night ops.  Admiral von Mülle was inclined to believe that a night attack may be worth the gamble. Something was needed to generate the luck he required.

The other options were the railroad artillery and the Luftkrieg.  Four guns had arrived from Nuremberg, and their tracks were being installed at Grado.  Meant for fortress bombardment, the 254mm guns fired a heavy shell at modest velocity and had since become the main armament of the planned Donar class. The result was some limited AP ammunition was available, but otherwise the anti-concrete shells would have to suffice.

In Udine, Colonel. Otto Kissenberth frowned at the action reports. The efforts at closer formations, flying higher to avoid disruption...simply were not working well. Then there was the curious reports of the Ukrainian AA. They appeared desist firing as the plane drew close. In fact, the Luftschiffes had observed the attacks in detail and provided the curious information that the Ukrainians only fired in the outer half of what should be their engagement envelope. This fact helped explain the extraordinarily  limited damage the guns had done. This could all be explained in part by the maneuvers the ships undertook, but those should not preclude firing. As a result he was starting to give credence to Luftschiffe Capt. Hans Baur contention that the observed mounts did not seem to be able to elevate sufficiently (2).  If that was true...well his planes may change their tactics, and he would be calling on the Luftschiffes to try some things once experimented with.




(1) Given the maintenance & availability rates common in the era, 36/50 seems like a reasonable number.

(2) None of the mounts in the Ukrainian fleet are "AA", simply "QF" and for anti-boat work. AA fire to date has been limited by the max elevation of those mounts vs. the altitude of the aircraft, giving a limited window, but no sights, fire control or fuzing.

5/1 1920

Bendler-Strasse
Berlin.
Esc Army H.Q:
Two unnamed officials

The situation between Bavaria and Ukrainian is escalating fast.

Can we do anything to support our Bavarian friends?

The Bavarians won't invoke the statues of the Leipzig treaty, so formally we just sit by and watch, but on the other side if we mobilize a part of the army it will put enough pressure towards the Ukrainians so they will have a lesser amount of troops to throw against our trusted ally.

What do you have in mind?

I want to mobilize the 1 Army in Koeningsberg along with the 5 Army in Poznan(Posen) and also the 2 Army in Berlin together with the 4.Army in Karlstad as a backup.

Don't the Marines belong to the 4 Army?

They do and this is exactly the point!

You have something up your sleeves again?

Excatly,Unternehemen Herbstnebel!!!

That is rather tricky isn't it?

Agreed but the option of "Copenhagen" the Ukrainian Baltic Fleet is in my opinion worth the risk.

But, how about the political implications?
Do you believe that the Russians will sit idly by?

No the contrary I think they have their own plans.

7/1 20
Karlstad
After an 6 hours debate in the "Fylkesthing" it is decided to mobilize in 4 military districts in: Koenigsberg, Posen/Poznan,Berlin and Karlstad ,and to move 2.Army to Posen and 4.Army to Koenigsberg after the mobilization ,and at the same time to put the Navy under a 24 hours readiness,and at the same time decided to send a field-hospital to Bavaria as soon as possible.
8/1 20
Scapa Flow
A sizeable portion of the Scapa Sqdrn is weighing anchors and leaves Scapa for a destination unknown!

8/1 20

Late evening

Myrwik

Flensborg

(A soft knock on the door).
Vice Adm,Gudjohnsson (Naval Chief of Staff)

Felix Djerzinsky (Chief Of Intelligence).

Come in; Felix.

Thank you Vice admiral, I hope I'm not disturbing.

No- No you're always welcome.

I hear we are ready for mobilization.

Yes, and I have put a substantial part of the Scapa sqdrn on alert with orders to proceed to the Baltic a soon as possible.

Why move them to the Baltic, the northern part will soon be frozen, as will the Bay of Riga?

We will implement operation Winter-storm, as soon as the troops are ready to embark.

That is a very dangerous option this time of year. I have no doubts to whether it will be successful, but how to replenish the troops is a much more serious problem; the sea will be frozen within a few weeks.

The plan is they will be released by an army advance.

Hmm; I feel this is very chancy.

I have to agree to your scepticism, but I feel it is worth the chance.

I still think it's a folly, the only thing you will achieve is the slaughter of the Marine Corps, but this has given me a cunning idea, now listen:
You continue your with winter storm ,but the Scapa force you send to xxxxxxxxxxx,it will take them about 10 days ,but I think the reward will be bigger.

If winter storm is a success this will be a feather in the hat and a devastating blow to the enemy and a substantial help to our ally.

January 16-21

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Jan_16.jpg)

Kattowice

The Ukrainian Army of Galacia was having a morale problem. While it occupied Silesian territory, the experience of the Grenadiers did not reassure the troops of the two Rifle Corps. The Bavarians along their front had grown thicker and more aggressive, probing their lines and searching for weakpoints. While rail supply from Kielce and points east was now flowing normally, the loss of Czestochowa was severely problematic, as that was the direction their reinforcements were to come from.

On Sunday the 18th, rumors flew about the troops that General Hrekov had been arrested by military police for treason. The announcement that evening General Hrekov had been shot for Treason did not go well with the Grenadiers, or to whom they had told their stories. The General had been well regarded, and had personally rallied his men on several occaisions.

In fact, the shooting had been staged. Photos of "before" with General Hrekov and been followed by an "after" with the body of soldier headshot by a sniper put in his uniform. The Army would take care of it's own, and General Hrekov was headed for Odessa for exile until safe to return.

On the Bavarian side, Prince Rupprecht caused great alarm by taking a bullet in the left arm while surveying the front.  Rumors spiraled out of control, forcing the Prince, who had been but minorly wounded, to leave the Hotel/Hospital and let the men view him. The arrival of the XIX and XX Corps changed the dynamic for the Bavarians, and the newly arrived divisions were immediately deployed.

These troops hailed from Schweiz and were regular Gebirgsjager troops. With their equipment designed for packtrains, and organic transport, they were far more mobile crosscountry than the regular infantry.  Further, they had equipment which, thanks to the blizzard the week before, had great utility, skis.

The following days were not good for the Army of Galacia. Demoralized and now outnumbered, they found the mobile ski troops of the XIX and XX Corps rapidly flanking their lines.  

The auxilary field in Sosnowiec had provided the Ukrainian airforce a local base, and they had reinforced the fields at Kielce and Lodz, with the result that Bavarian Aerial reconnaissance, when weather permitted, was no longer effectual, and the losses had decisively tipped in favor of the Ukraine. A change in Bavarian tactics helped this, as an early morning launch by 115 aircraft from Breslau had put 109 aircraft over the Sosnowiec field at dawn, with over 70 tasked to strafe the parked planes, the rest turned to aerial reconnaissance.  While the Sosnowiec field scrambled, the arrival of the Kielce squadron, taking advantage of the break in the weather, led to a snarling dogfight. With a local landing strip, fuel was no longer a concern, and the Ukrainian pilots could exploit their more modern planes advantages. In total, the Ukrainians lost half a squadron on the ground, and another dozen in the air, but only 91 Bavarian aircraft made it back to Breslau.  These losses would result in hurried consultations at a higher level and a decision to accept the Italian offer.  A cable to Rome would result payments for crated aircraft, surplus now with the end of the Rift War, being loaded on trains and rumbling northward.  In the interim, reinforcements from elsewhere in Bavaria would continue to swell the numbers at Breslau, preserving the staggering numerical advantage that allowed such saturation missions.

On the 20th, the arrival of two 10" Railroad guns in Bytom provides justification for the losses. With the position of the Sosnowiec airfield now known, that evening, after night would have grounded the planes, the two guns commence a long range bombardment with HE, walking their fire back and forth over the strip. A repeat foray by the Luftkrieg the next morning finds the strip in shambles and efforts are turned to reconnaissance of the Ukrainian position, which is aborted with the arrival of planes from Kielce.

On the 21st, the lead elements of the XIX and XX Corps began making their presence known on the extreme right wing of the 11th Rifle Corp.  With inconclusive reconnaissance data, they fall to probing the Ukrainian lines while the rest of the Corps come up.  

On the morning of the 21st, the XII and IX Corps increased their pressure on the Ukrainian lines, and the Sturmpanzers made an appearance, working with the Kommandos to eliminate a salient south of Bytom.  With the action on the front, and the shelling of the airstrip proving a bad day for for the Ukrainians, the arrival of ski troops on their extreme flank was a nasty shock. As it became clearer that two full Corps were arriving on the field, General Mykola Yunakiv, the new Commander of the Army of Galicia and former close friend of General Hrekov,  found his position rapidly growing untenable.  As evening fell reports were coming in that Ski troops had been seen as far east as Starvkoro, and Grenadiers were dispatched to reinforce the town and it's critical railine.   The cold snap that followed the blizzard left the snow unmelted, and as the XX Corp swung wide and threatened the rails to Kielce, the Hapsburg border to the south robbed the Army of Galicia of Maneuver room.


Czestochowa

With two Corps and reinforcements in line at Czestochowa, the Ukrainian opposition was not credible but could harrass the Bavarian positions.  

For the Ukrainians, the 4th Cavalry Corps was to have arrived on the 16th from Minsk with the 8th and 13th Rifle Corps following. , but the loss of the switching yards meant the next closest suitable location was the town of Norowadamsk 20 miles to the North, behind the river Warta, or Piotrkow another 30miles further north.

Warsaw HQ saw advantages at forming a new front only 20 miles from the 4th Rifle Corps in Lodz. With the 4th Cavalry, the majority of the 2nd Polish Lancers, and the 4th, 8th and 13th Rifle Corps, a formidible army would be formed.  However, the Hetman's attitude towards 'failure' provided grounds for caution and abandoning 50 miles of rolling hills and farmland belonging to the Ukraine may not be tolerated.  So the assembling Corps were directed to Piotrkow.  

For the Bavarians, possession of Czestochowa was a bridgehead.  While green, the men of the I Corps were fresh and could push through the snow towards Lodz. The XI Corps could follow once the 1st Independent Brigade took up the defense of Czetochowa.  With the I Corps in line along the Warta River and facing an opposed river crossing, 2D/ XI Corps would push towards the Ukrainian flank at Zutno.

Efforts by the two brigades of the 2nd Polish Lancers to work around Czestochowa were met by the Silesian Uhlans with the Armored Cars and Dragoons in support. Two Brigades of Dragoons cleared the track south towards Sosnowiec, making contact with Kommandos along the way.  With the track to Lubliniec only a single, securing the double track from Bytom-Sosnowiec-Czestochowa was important for sustaining a future offensive.

Warsaw, Primate's Palace.  Jan 19

The Oberfeldwebel paced in the small antechamber.  The chamber was ornate, with marble paneling inlaid with gold, heavy ornate and uncomfortable furniture and decorative arms & armor from Yore..or yonder, he always got those two mixed up.  From time to time he would stop and stare at himself in the mirror, the man that stared back was no longer one he knew well. For much of the past ..had it been nearly three years... he had lived in the woods and villages of central Poland, helping organize and train insurgents. He had not been home to the Böhmerwald in ages.  Always a big muscular chap, he had also  had grown lean, and even in midwinter, he had not quite lost his tan. Living in the field, he had adapted peasant garb, and had let his thick black hair had grow long, indeed Oberluetenant von Berlichingen had ordered him to have it cut before coming here, and it had been hacked shorter with a knife, but the resultant black bangs proved a contrast to his blue eyes, and in the back it still came nearly to his shoulders. Still, he missed the beard, it had been warmer in the winter.

Still, he hardly blamed the Archbishop for not rushing to see him, despite the letter of introduction from Prince Czartoryski. Still, he had not expected to first been left waiting in the audience chamber and then hurriedly escorted through a hidden panel to this room, the situation was one which left his mind to speculate madly.

The hidden panel was hardly soundproof, he could hear the muted sounds of conversation in the audience chamber, but did not attempt to make out the words. As such, he was shocked as the vicar general ushered in a new priest in ornate garb, apologizing as he did so 'I am so regretful for this your holiness, but the Secret Police are demanding to speak to Archbishop Kakowski".

The old man ushered in had steel in his frame, and was very well dressed, obviously an important personage who was severely dubious about being shuffled off into this antechamber with this odd looking fellow. While unknown to the Oberfeldwebel, the man was in fact Bishop Nowowiejski of Plonk, an influential and respected man of the cloth.

The Bishop viewed his fellow inmate in this hidden antechamber with some disdain. A rough cut fellow of impressive size and scruffy demeanor. However, he supposed it would be uncalled for to comment on the Archbishops choice to interact directly with the masses.

The pair in the hidden antechamber could hear murmurs of voices from the other room. The a man voice shouting, enraged. Pressing his ear to the door helped the Oberfeldwebel enough, shouts of "You will tell me all old Man ! followed by indistinct words in a lower voice.  A cry of pain and an outraged shout of "No ! You can't" spurred the Oberfeldwebel to step back in alarm, to search for some sort of weapon- having given his up- and seizing an antique broadsword from the wall- much to the alarm of the old man.

Pressing his ear to the hidden door once again, angry voices could be heard, then a pair of shots and the exclamation "Confess and tell us or you too will be shot while escaping !!". 

Tripping the catch, the Oberfeldwebel sprung through the door, scanning the room. A man in a Ukrainian uniform stood over the Archbishop's throne, fist upraised over the old man. Another stood nearby, a Nagant revolver limp at his side while the vicar general gasped out his life in a pool of blood. Silently he charged, the man spun to the sound oat the last minute, swinging his pistol up. The sword lashed out, connecting with the forearm and bloodily snapping the bones there. The man cried out and stepped back in shock.  A swift recovery and the second swing smashed into the mans temple, turning his face into bloody ruin.  The man fell in a heap as his compatriot turned and fumbled for his pistol. 

The Oberfeldwebel ran forward, dashing behind a pillar as a shot rang out, chipping the brickwork. Springing forward in a dive roll learned long ago in school, he found it was different holding a sword, slicing his left forearm, but evading the next round. A roll and he was on his feet, a shot rang out tearing at his jacket, springing forward he brought his blade up from below, slicing the knee of his assailant. The man cried out in pain and fell to his knee, trying to bring the revolver up again. A savage downstroke met the back of his neck, nearly severing his head and he collapsed in a gurgling heap.

The Oberfeldwebel scanned the room and stepped up the Archbishop, with the gore streaked blade in his right hand, he offered his left hand to help him rise.  The Archbishop looked up at the large sinewy man, with his blunt cut black hair and his icy blue eyes, and asked "Who are you?"

The Oberfeldwebel replied "Konan, Konan the Bavarian, Oberfeldwebel in 1st Kommando Brigade. I don't think it's safe here anymore your holiness. If you wish, I can see you to my people, and they can pass you to Sonja's group, you know her as Bloody Sonya, they can see you to safety.

The news of the attack on the Archbishop, in conjunction with the arrests of not only legitmate revolutionaries, but Priests, Nuns and Rabbis, was impossible to keep secret. Over the next several days, the news spread like wildfire, and in days, on on the 24th Poland the spark that was light became a bonfire as rose in General Revolt. Urbanite or peasent, Poles rose and joined the thousands of  revolutionaries already fighting.

Events Described Below Occur January 25th 1920

The man formerly known as Ignatius Curitius sat in his austere office reading correspondence from the crisis in the Ukraine.  The news was severely disturbing and his hands trembled perhaps with age but more likely with a combination of outrage and anger.
 
How dare that trumped up manipulative madman order the arrest, torture, and execution of men and women serving the Church?   How dare the Orthodox Bishop of Kiev order the closing of churches and even further arrests of those serving the Church?  Did they not remember the years or bloody wars, the innocent lives lost to such sectarian squabbles in the past?

His first thoughts were those of a man reared in the nineteenth century and reared on the history of the Church.  Anger filled him as he contemplated what others in his office had done calling forth the armies of man to fight for the salvation of Christ and His Church.   But now was not the thirteenth or even the fifteenth century and such times he hopped were forever in the past.

He looked down still outraged at the actions of this Hetman and Bishop in Kiev and the ring the ring of the fisherman glittered on his finger bringing his thought clarity, serenity, and filled him with purpose.  He was not that young man entering the Seminary in Rome, or Even the former Bishop of Rome.  No Pope Gregory XVII thought I must act but not in anger, he called for his secretary and began dictating the outline of a Papal Bull, latter he would discuss it with a few of the Cardinals before finalizing the draft.

*ominous hum*

Adriatic :  

On the night of Jan 17, the Bavarians made their first effort at a night attack. The "Nachtjagers" had long trained for this, and so as dark fell Baden-baden led the 8 torpedo boat destroyers of the TB-11 class into the night.  Trailing behind were the seven MGBs.  The new moon was only five days away, but the night was cloudless, and the Luftschiffes had little trouble following the coal-fired ships of the Ukrainian fleet, the occasional red glow supplementing the plumes of smoke.   Baden-Baden and her squadron of TB-1 class TBDs and the MTBs were to take take up station in the narrows between Grado and the Hapsburg's Istria peninsula, only 10nm wide.

The plan was fairly simple, the Ukrainians stood nearly 30nm south of Grado, and 13nm west of the Istria shore, SSW of Umag, East of Porec and NW of Rovinj.  

The Nachtjagers would make a long loop through the night, working their way down the western shore of the Adriatic, then crossing to shadow the Hapsburg coastline.  This would hopefully avoid any Ukrainian pickets.  With the Luftschiffe broadcasting occasional updates, their target location would be known. The formation would dress ranks and check schedule off Rovinj, pause to clean the clinker from the boilers and eat, then proceed North of Rovinj, where they would take a heading for the Ukrainian fleet, coming at them from the southeast.  The journey was 130nm, and would take 12 hours, making the attack at 6:15am when the profiles and smoke of the squadron would still be  lost in the predawn blackness of the Iristrian shore.  The squadron would make the attack at 24 knots, then break for the North, leading any pursuit towards Baden-Baden and her compatriots, 25nm north, just in time for the 7:36am sunrise to silhouette any pursuit.  

The Seaplanes at Grado would also make an effort to launch at dawn strike, this time loaded with twin 100kg bombs and committed to a new doctrine of  3-abreast bow-on attacks at 1000 feet to try to increase hit rates and effects.  The hanger in Udine would also work through the night, as Luftschiffes from elsewhere in Bavaria had been brought in and needed arming.

Admiral  Ostrogradskiy was not unaware of the potential for a Bavarian night attack. Each night he withdrew his forces several hours south to a somewhat new location and took up a race track pattern. To stay would invite attack, while withdrawing further would rob his fleet of time on the next day.

The Fleet sailed in five discrete groups.  The core, on the inner track, was the two battleships and the 10 troop transports. While only carrying a brigade, the hope was to commence shore raids once the minefields were sufficiently clear.  Parallel, on the outer track were 9 cargo vessels of the fleet train, two having been dispatched to Greek ports for provisions. Beyond those vessels were the 11 armed minelayers and minesweepers. Leading these three columns was the Vanguard  - a  flock of 9 T1917 DDs and their leader, a CL1914 forming DIV 1-3.  Stationed off the rear quarter was DIV4,  4 Type 4 DDs and their leader, also a CL1914. (1).  The formation was designed to keep the fleet train screened, and the battleships shielded from any approaching vessels, which are presumed to come from the exterior of the formation.

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Adriatic.jpg)

On a clear blue day, the coal-burning Bavarian ships would have been spotted long before their arrival. But on a dark, partly cloudy night, backdropped against the Iristian coastline, this was not the case.  

On a clear blue day, the lookout 100 feet up in the spotting top of the CL1914 could have started seeing the superstructure of the  Baden-Baden about 14miles out, and her waterline at 11 miles, but on a dark night this is not the case (2). The 1917 Destroyers, with their spotting tops only 60 feet off the water, had less ability.

The Luftschiffe though, flying at 6500 feet, and resorting to a skycar when clouds moved in, viewers there could see nearly 95 miles before the horizon interrupted. Despite the dark, the advantage of knowing where to look was an assistance, and the occasional embers from the coals, and the contrast of the wakes served to aid.  Noting the Nachtjagers were approaching, a "routine" message was sent to Udine, mostly garbage, but including reference to return to base at  a future time – 1020 hours , and a joking "remember to put out dinner for 10, heck, double it, we're hungry."  The message gave the Nachtjagers a bearing and distance, correcting, they headed for the Ukrainian fleet.

The Luftschiffe took to slowly rising and shifting to directly over the Ukrainians. The previous days aerial efforts had established that their guns did not seem to engage at much over 5000 feet, or directly above. The Ukrainians had taken the Infantry's MGs and fabricated mountings to give some close in fire, but had grown used to the idea they could do little about their aerial spy.



As the Nachtjagers passed abreast of the forward destroyer squadron, lookouts on the CL1914 failed to notice (3) the ships on their SE horizon until they were nearly past. Frantically beating general quarters,  the Officer of the Deck ordered his captain awakened, and brought the squadron in a hard turn towards the shadowed vessels several miles away. With Iristria as a backdrop and fearing a Hapsburg squadron, the Officer of the Deck ordered his searchlights trained on the nearest vessel while his crews rushed to general quarters and the wireless shack alerted the fleet.

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/naval_paint.jpg)

At  6:35AM, slightly later than planned,  the Bavarians found themselves ahead of the Ukrainian main body, passing abreast of the Vanguard. The Plan had called for a more perpendicular approach, to avoid being engaged by the vanguard at all, and it had been hoped that the opposing force would be sighted further out, but Squadron commander Hipper was simply pleased to have located the Ukrainian fleet. Having days of unopposed aerial reconnaissance data, the Admiralty knew that the Ukrainians had brought a large fleet train. The primary targets were to put torpedoes in the battleships, but it was felt that if sufficient damage could be dealt to the easier targets fleet train, the Ukrainians would find themselves 1,000 miles from a friendly port and without a means of sustaining their presence.

Disclaimer :I have not run a Seekrieg 4 battle in around 20 years..or more. It took a great deal of time to prep for and to figure out how to do it. At one point I missed a range modifier, but it wouldn't have mattered (a hit or two) much.  Overall, things I remember being dissatisfied with from way back when came back.  Light Weapons hitting non-critical areas do to many DP- there needs to be a Floatation DP/ Unprotected DP, Critical damage occurs at far to high a %, and some non-penetrating CDs can be quite devastating. Basically the system rewards putting a lot of light shells on target, regardless of if they can hit anything vital and doesn't adjust the actual CD charts for ship/shell size or penetration. Unless I misunderstood something, it's quite possible for a non-penetrating belt hit by a 3" shell to detonate a battleship's magazines. Some judgement calls were needed. .   Overall the battle worked out great for torpedo tracks- but I needed a calculator to figure out the formula once I got to that point. Even so, I reduced the # of hits because, well the result felt wrong.  

6:35am
Lookouts on the Kiev 1917 Class Destroyer #4, leading the port vanguard, call out a possible contact- the glow of embers from stacks, and the white bow waves of vessels is made out,  and the vanguard commander, on CL1914 is alerted. Some hesitation occurs, as the vessel or vessels  are coming from Iristria, and could be a Hapsburg Squadron.

Lookouts on the Baden-Baden peered ahead, looking for the Ukrainians, binoculars trained on the bearing. Slowly the pillars of coal-fired smoke became visible, and then the hulls. The Nachtjagers were ahead and ESE of the column, shuttered lanterns blinked out codes and speeds came up from 20 knots to 24 knots. On the  Baden-Baden fantail were blinkered lanterns- mounted in widely spaced pairs to allow a distance determination, they allowed the TB-11 boat behind to keep in line and distance.

6:37am
Lookouts on the Kiev 1917 Class Destroyer #4, leading the port vanguard, sonfirm the contact as multiple vessels. Determining the approaching ships are moving at high speed (24kts) directly for the fleet, firing is commenced by the Ukrainians and quickly returned.  General Quarters are called as the radioman alerts the fleet. CL1914 puts searchlights on a ship in the column, illuminating the black superstructure and dark blue hull of a Bavarian Nachtjager torpedo boat (4).  

With the nearly new moon shedding little light on the battlefield, and having little time to aquire targets, both sides miss despite the range closing to only about 4,500 yards.

The i]Baden-Baden/i] , in the lead of the Nachtjagers, can make out the bulk of the Ukrainian fleet, and signals the column to adjust heading

With guns firing below, the crew of the Luftschiffe commence loading and firing the minemwerfers on the lower deck, scattering starshells over the formation below.   Here and there, panicked Ukrainian gunners realize the luftschiffe has now come directly overhead and start firing their MG's upwards into the night sky beyond the starshells. The bullets lack an incendiary component, and so the few that whiz through the luftschiffe's envelope would do no damage, even if they had hit one of the 18 gas cells.

6:39am
The Executive Officer, serving as Night Watch Commander of CL1914 orders the vanguard (1x CL1914 & 9 x DD1917) to 18kts and to turn 45 degrees to port.  On other vessels, the sleepy night watch cursed the news, desperately hoping for a false alarm as they scrambled to guns and hurried to stoke the boilers to bring steam up.

As the vanguard turns, the three destroyers of  port Division, DIV2, mask the rear vessels of the Center DIV1 and much of DIV3.  The vessels of the vanguard, picking out targets at a range dropping to 2,700 yards, engage Baden-Baden with DIV2 and the spotlighted unlucky TB-13 with DIV1. The lead Battleship, BB1912-A, now able to pick out some of the Bavarian vessels, and seeing Baden-Badens spotlight beams, commence firing at Baden-Baden.   The Bavarians concentrate fire on CL1914 and the lead DD1917 of DIV2.
The forest of shell splashes around Baden-Baden manages to confuse the multiple vessels aiming at her and she escapes with 100mm HE hit to her boat deck, but TB-13 takes a 100mm HE round just above waterline, destroying a handling room for the 37mm ammunition and blowing a hole in the sideplating, and limiting her top speed to 24 knots (5).

Baden-Baden and TB-12 manage to hammer CL1914, striking with 105mm shells 5 times, but one is a dud. The Bavarians are using SAP rounds, but a hit on the belt fails to penetrate. A hit on the forward 100mm mount bursts through the 1.5" armor and detonates, the mount is destroyed. Two other rounds strike in the superstructure, one detonating on the signal bridge, eliminating the ability of the ship to communicate temporarily, and the other wipes out the port searchlight.

6:41am
With CL1914 temporarily unable to communicate, the vanguard continues on the same bearing and speed, while the Bavarians continue on the opposite heading and commence a turn to the north for their torpedo run.  The changing orientations lead to DIV2 now screening CL1914 from the Bavarians, and each side is forced to choose new targets. BB1912-A places searchlights on Baden-Baden and BB1912-B puts lights on TB11.

In the rear of the Ukrainian fleet, DIV4 brings speed up to 18 knots and turns to port, to pass behind their fleet and once clear, sail to the sound of the guns. The

Between the identified vessels, and the starshells illuminating the formation, Rear Admiral Wilhelm Souchon can now freely converse with the Luftschiffe, confirm the Ukrainian formation, and decide his attack order. The one he chooses is for TB15-18 to torpedo the battleships, while the other vessels would send 2 torpedoes into each of the merchant vessels following them.

In the even, BB1912-B will land two 120mm HE rounds in TB-11, wrecking her upperworks and fire control, and  penetrating her waist, she rapidly falls out of line, and her captain orders her torpedoes fired at BB1912-A.

BB1912-A shells Baden-Baden and succeeds in scoring 3 hits with 120mm fire. Afterwards a cook would swear he watched a 305mm shell fly in though the open port galley door and out through the open starboard door (6). Two of the hits are on the Baden-Badens belt, but the Ukrainians have loaded HE for anti-DD work, and they fail to penetrate the belt armor even at 2,000 yards.

Six of the Destroyers in DIV1 and DIV2 shell the rear of the Bavarian squadron, to no effect.

The Bavarians split their fire, with the lead vessels engaging BB1912-B, the middle BB1912-A, and the rear the lead DD of DIV2.   The DD is hit twice by SAP 105mm shells, one passing harmlessly through the superstructure, the other burying itself in the hull before exploding.

BB1912-A is struck repeatedly, with 6 SAP 105mm shells striking the main and upper belt 4 times and doing no harm while two duds accomplish nothing.

BB1912-B is Baden-Badens target, along with the lead torpedo boats, and is hit 21 times with SAP 105mm rounds. Two are duds, 5 rounds detonate in the superstructure, destroying the radio room, the fire control director, and a searchlight. A hit on the upperbelt flashes through a casement, igniting the powder bags for the 1905 vintage 120mm guns(7), a blaze which damage control crews quickly quench with firehoses and blankets. A further round impacts the door to the conning tower, jamming it.

6:43am
with the Ukrainians heading south at 10knots, and the Bavarians north at 25knts, ships slide past each other in the night rapidly.  As Bavarian vessels race ahead, they count down the line of Ukrainian ships, picking out their pre-ordained targets.  The Ukrainian battleships main batteries find their efforts to track the rapidly moving vessels in the gloom limited.  Smaller guns hammer at each other as the ships slid past each other. Bavarian torpedo control directors order the "fish" set to max, and they shoot over the side to race at 35kts towards a foe only 2,000 yards away.   As lookouts cry out torpedo launches, the Ukrainians turn to comb the wakes.

BB1912-A continues to lavish attention on Baden-Baden, but only manages a pair of 120mm hits,  one of which detonates outside the conning tower, the other is a dud.

BB1912-B engages the plucky TB-13, which emerges from the forest of splashes unharmed.

Baden-Baden continues to return fire on BB1912-B, joined by TB-15 and TB-16. 105mm SAP shells fall like rain.  Three duds do little damage, as do the three superstructure hits, but three rounds hit command and control features. strike the auxiliary Bridge and strike the mainmast, destroying communications to the spotting top.  The shell that bursts harmlessly on the face of the aft 12" turret manages to impress no one.

TB-17 & TB-18 engage BB1912-A, striking only 7 times, hitting the belt twice. However, a shell that ricochets off the forward turret arms in time to detonate on the bridge. While destroying the walkways beloved of commanders, it does nothing to the armored control tower. A hit eierally similar to the one of BB1912-B strikes the auxiliary bridge, and the one shell takes out the main fire control top.

The ships following the battleships are not the hoped-for fleet train, but transports. Most of the fire directed at them misses, but TT6 has it's steering gear carried away and suffers a boiler explosion, while TT2 is struck four times in the vitals and left a flaming wreck with her engines wrecked.

The torpedoes aimed at the Ukrainians begin arriving, Of the 19 aimed at transports, 8 prove to be duds. All but one of the transports is hit by at least one sound torpedo, two are struck twice and commence sinking.  Of the 20 aimed at battleships, (8) the Ukrainian's action of combing the wakes proves successful, with the early arrival of TB-11's torpedoes striking BB1912-A twice amidships in the TDS, and a later hit in the bow, while BB1912B is also struck twice, both in the TDS.  Both battleships are hit bow-on by duds. The TDS system is a simple triple hull extended to the armor deck, with a twin void compartment and a 50mm holding bulkhead.  Due to the coal bunkers, it is not deep, but the 100kg warheads of the torpedoes are within the design parameters.  The vessels lurch sideways and take on a list as holes in their sides allow water to pour in.

6:45am

As DIV4 clears the rear of the Transports, it's commander realizes he is about to lead his 5 ships into the middle of the 8 Bavarian, and orders a hard turn to the right. This both places DIV4 between the vulnerable transports and the Bavarians, and results in his masking the battleships.

The Bavarians turn their guns on the new DIV 4 as they trim speed to 23knots , leaving the sinking TB-11 behind but allowing TB-13 to keep pace.

This is to be for naught, as TB-13 attracts the Ukrainians attention and is hit at the base of the superstructure, carrying away control cables  leaving the ship out of control. The additional splinters prove lethal to those near by and riddle the nearby section of hull. The ship heads out of column while taking on a port list.

Baden-Baden, as the lead vessel attracts the most attention, but it is ineffectual, with a single round striking her belt armor.

The vessels of DIV4 are hit repeatedly (9) with the lead destroyer hit 3 times, with 1 pass through, but another which penetrates the deck into the forward magazine. The resulting fire does not detonate the magazine, but it does ensure everyone on board is very very awake. The second Destroyer is hit by a dud, two round penetrate the deck, with one exploding and the other passing through the far deck and out the hull damaging nothing, while another waterline hit takes out the forward handling room.  The CL1914 and the 4th Destroyer are untouched, but Destroyer 3 is hit 3 times, all duds.

6:47
At this point the Vanguard is back in control and at speed, but have been out of visual range for some time.  The Main body has been thrown out of formation frantically evading torpedoes, and DIV4 finds itself heading south at 27knots while the Bavarians vanish into the night heading north at 23 knots. Desultory firing continues as long as visibility remains, but with no results. (10)

When the destroyers rally to give chase and head north, Admiral Ostrogradskiy countermands that. They are to form a screen around the fleet while survivors are picked up and ships are saved.

TB-11 and 13 will not make it home, and several Bavarian vessels are also damaged, Baden-Baden chief among them.  The Admiral does not expect their immediate return, but  two of the transports are sinking. The remainder of the transports are severely damaged, the battleships are damaged, and the other warships have sustained a variety of damage. The Naval Attache in Vienna would have to be told of this disaster (11)


(1)The position of the Ukrainian fleet on the racetrack was determined by 30-sided die roll. While the Luftschiffe provides a general location, the general position (ahead, to port) of Bavarian squadron to Ukrainian at time of  sighting was determined by rolls as well.

(2)While LOS to the horizon from the spotting top is simple, figuring out the effects of night proved more difficult. At Savo Island DD Blue was not detected until 5miles out, and despite range dropping to 1 mile, missed the IJN ships entirely. DD Patterson, alerted, made contact at 5km. While other ships were seen back lit at longer distances, I'll go with a 6nm here.

(3)Here I rolled an old D&D staple- surprise dice. I got a 1 on a D6, or surprise. So the advancing Bavarians are picked up at 6nm , heading for the middle of the formation, rather than ahead of the vanguard. Luck of the draw.

(4)The 750-ton TB-13, of the Eight-strong TB-11 Class

(5)The hit did substantial damage points, reducing her top speed from over 30kts to ~24, which is what she was doing.

(6)A 12" hit would be a "01-10" result, I rolled 11 twice.

(7)Just looking at the British 4.7 BL Mk1, which was bag, which "explains" the "Critical Damage" of a magazine fire from a non-penetrating belt hit of a 105mm round on a battleship. QE had something similar happen, so that's the model, though I've ignored the fire result.

(8)With the short range and the full side shot, the actual results were 20 hits, with  6 duds. That left 8 hits on "A" and 6 hits on "B", which while glorious had somebody been moderating this result, just seemed excessively lopsided in my favor. Using SeeKrieg "E' category vs. 12" belt, this might be livable, but hard to explain.

(9)Luck of the dice- they missed, I hit.

(10)Translation : This took to long, and I wasn't willing for a round 7.

(11)While a result I hoped for, I didn't actually expect it. I somewhat feared I'd just get my ships cut up for no result...which is perhaps how it should have been. The sliver of a moon became a HUGE deal, as that had a  16% modifier (18 but there is a sliver), which when stacked on the -14% for new target was -30% and that dropped more for the speed and size of the Bavarians. Meanwhile the Luftschiffe's starshells were a boon in many ways.

General Volodymyr Sinclair looked at the map in despair.  None of the war plans had envisioned a situation like this.  The Russians had been assiduously courted, and technical assistance had flowed in. The Ukrainian army had demobilized  400,000 men and surrendered their equipment  in exchange for  which Russian Corps had taken the burden of occupying, erm, policing the less politically stable areas of the Ukraine.  Their locations ensured that should the Ukraine be invaded by the ESC, Bavaria, or, most likely the Hapsburgs, the Russians would almost certainly come under attack, prompting a Russian intervention on the Ukraines behalf.  General Hrekov had for some reason referred to this notion as "Task Force Schmidt".  

Three months ago, the Russians were so trusted this was the case. Two month ago the Hetman threw the Russians out, throwing all the plans into Chaos. A little under a month ago the Hetman launched the Ukraine on this Bavarian adventure which would be going so much better had those 8 Corps still been present.  Now, now the ESC had mobilized, the Hapsburgs had mobilized, the Bavarians had crossed the borders, destroying on Corps and trapping two more,  Poland was in full revolt, angered Russians held part of Poland and Belarus, and Russia had declared war.

This war was likely unwinnable. The Ukraine simply lacked the troops. The only saving Grace was that Russia was involved in China, and her troops would not be quite so many.

What to do?

The Hetman and his Priest, and the rumors about them, had to go. Their leadership and that of the ludicrous Queen had infected the country with cronyism and corruption, abandoned all pretense of governing for the people, and led to military disaster and revolt.  General Sinclair had sworn to serve his country, like his friend General Hrekov, whom the Hetman ordered murdered.

Simple capitulation was an option, it may rid his homeland of the Hetman, but with the borders still intact, he doubted his fellow officers would acquiesce. Besides, he would prefer his homeland remain as independent as possible.

A coup d'etat was possible with preparation, but he doubted many of his fellow officers yet understood the peril the nation was in.  The Hetman's secret police, the Thugs undoubtedly responsible for angering the Russian troops, they could sniff such plans out.  It was imperative he continued acting as a loyal acolyte of the Hetman until he could put some plans in place.  

Musing he considered the map. Stripping troops from the Hapsburg border to toss in the path of the Russian Juggernaut would slow the Russians down.  Further, the promise of reinforcements would keep the border troops fighting.  Under the guise of managing the war, he could travel freely, make personal contact and make arrangements. A coup d'etat which placed him in charge would allow the best terms from the Russians and Bavarians. Even if the result was a return to Mother Russia, he could hope to shield his countrymen and retain some autonomy.

The Russians would have to be fought, failure to do so would be his head, so they would have to be held off  to buy him the time to achieve his plan.


General Sinclair looked at the current deployments of the Army of the Ukraine.

Army of Lithuania
1D, 3rd Rifle Corps - Riga
2D, 3rd Rifle Corps – Memel.
1D, 6th Rifle Corps – Zarasai, North Russian border
2D, 6th Rifle Corps – North Prussian border
3rd Cavalry Corps – Eastern Prussian border.
Guard Cavalry – Vilnus region
1 x 152mm Armored trains.
4 x 122mm Armored trains
4x 152mm Railway guns

Army of Poland - Piotrkow
8th Rifle Corps
13th Rifle Corps
4th Cavalry Corps
4th Rifle Corps – Lodz
2nd Polish Lancers Corps – Lodz
2 x 75mm Armored train
1x 203mm railway gun

Army of Galicia - Sosnowiec (Sieged)
9th Rifle Corps
11th Rifle Corps
Grenadier Guards (2 Brigades)
1 x 75mm Armored Train
1 x 152mm Armored Train
2x 152mm Railway gun

Warsaw Command
12th Rifle Corps
Opolchenie Corps
3x 152mm Armored Train
2x 203mm Railway gun

Hapsburg Border
2nd Rifle Corps – Kielce – Sosnowiec to Lutsk
15th Rifle Corps - Vinnytsia– Lutsk to Bieltsy

Kiev Command
7th Rifle Corps
Opolchenie Corps
1st Rifle Corps  in Dnepropetrovsk (3rd largest city, on the Dnieper SE of Kiev)
5th Rifle Corps- Kharkov ( Eastern Ukrainian border)
10th Rifle Corps – Crimea
14th Rifle Corps- Odessa (resp. Romanian Border, Bieltsy to Black Sea)
4x 152mm Railway guns

The Army of Lithuania needed to to contain the Russians. The 3rd Cavalry Corps needed to detach troops to harry any advance near Bialystok. The Guard Cavalry would have to hold Russian advances from the north, perhaps borrowing a page from those cursed Bavarian Dragoons, and press the Russian 1st Russo-Poland army in the south, but the rail hub at Vilnus must be held.  The railroad assets could be deployed in support. They could be promised the help of the 7th and 12th Rifle corps, but they would not come.  

The Army of Galicia in Sosnowiec must be told to hold at all costs, help in the form of the 12th and 7th Rifle Corps was on the way. The lie would keep them fighting.  As long as they held they would occupy the Bavarians, and block the heavy raillines at the Bavarian-Hapsburg-Ukrainian border, this would help deny the Bavarians the supplies to take Lodz and block any push towards Kielce.

Warsaw HQ had ordered a stand at Piotrkow. That would have to be rescinded. The troops shall be pulled back to Lodz, where they could link up with the 4th Rifles and 2nd Polish Lancers. With the dual rails both restored to functionality by the railroad brigades, they could muster a formidable defensive position there, and would have a supply advantage. They would be ordered to send the 12th Rifle Corps to Minsk, that was too large a city to sacrifice undefended.   With the addition of the Gendarme brigades the Opolchenie Corps should be able to hold Warsaw from the rebels.

The Hapsburg border was currently held by two Corps, each with one division on the border and one in reserve. There was no time to replace the division on the border, and to do so would invite immediate invasion, the reserve divisions must be stripped and sent to reinforce efforts to contain the Russians near Bialystok and to hold Brest-Litovisk.  The 14th Corps in Odessa along the Romanian border would be treated the same, with a division sent to Gomel, if it didn't fall first.

The 5th Rifle corps would be told the 7th was coming in assistance. In actuality, the 7th, 1st and 10th would join the Opolchenie Corps to form a defensive line along the Dnepr Gomel to Kiev to Dnepropetrovsk to the Crimea and  Kerch and Sevastopol.

General Sinclair scowled.  He did not like countenancing this course of action, of violating his oaths, or surrendering his country. The Hetman would never allow terms, he would lead the nation to bloody ruin, and the Russian boot would grind heavily on the neck of a conquered territory. A new leader, a new leader could negotiate some autonomy, appeal to friends made among the Russian high command, invite a Romanov to rule again, and gain the sweetest end for his countrymen. Was that not the true meaning of his Oaths? To serve his country to his best, this was the course of action necessary.



Kiev

The Hetman stalked the halls of the Cathedral, black cloak swirling like death, clergy and his secret police fluttering in his wake, as if a storm passed through the hallowed halls.

Prelate of All the Ukraine Khrapovitsky looked up from his throne as the baleful image approached.
Waving his acolytes away, he waited their departure before addressing the Hetman.
"Yes my child, how may I be of service to you?"

Hetman Skorapadskyi was red faced and sputtering, screaming !
"You said if I promised myself to him, I could have it all !  And now look ! LOOK! Disaster in the West ! The Russians have declared war, and I just KNOW the Hapsburgs and Confederates will soon!  RUINS !  You have delivered me Ruins ! What good are those !  I wanted an Empire on this earth, men to bow to my will, to break my enemies before me, and now what?  

Prelate of All the Ukraine Khrapovitsky looked at the irate Hetman
"Calm, calm.  All is not lost yet.  I have said repeatedly that mere words do not a promise make. That the true lord requires sacrifices.

The Hetman interjected  "But I have given that ! Have I not arrested Bishops and torn down Nunneries?  How many Rabbi does he want?"

Khrapovitsky "Those are actions that remove sedition from your realm, ultimately, they will serve you well, but they are not sacrifices of something you value, nor have you pledged yourself to the True Path irrevocably with blood. "

The Hetman stood, breathing hard and thinking then asked "What must I do to keep my realm?"

Khrapovitsky "The life and death of an Empire? Surely that requires sacrifice of something important, symbolic even. Perhaps a symbol of the realm, say... the Queen?"

Hetman Skorapadskyi "No ! No, she has no power, she is mine, but not really linked to the realm, I am the realm."

Khrapovitsky "If you are the realm, perhaps you are willing to part with something, you won't even know its gone..."

Hetman Skorapadskyi  "No, I won't do that. Not yet.  Can we not sacrifice his enemies? Would that not please him?

Khrapovitsky "While it is not a sacrifice of something important to you, yes that would please him. What do you have in mind ? <withdrawing a large boxy-bodied knife, he flips one blade up, disclosing several other blades tucked in the body>

Hetman Skorapadskyi "What is that?"

Khrapovitsky "An army knife, see, this symbol is that of the New Swiss Army, now, what did you have in mind?"

Hetman Skorapadskyi "There is an Abbey north of town, perhaps some Brides of Christ?"...

Khrapovitsky "The Eye would look kindly on such an offering"

January 22-26

The placeholder 2 posts above has been filled

Sosnowiec
The morning of January 22 did not bring hope for the beleaguered defenders of the town of Sosnowiec. The Bavarians continued to pour artillery fire in on the defenders. With four Corps in line, and two double tracked raillines, as well as some spur routes, supply was simply not a problem. The railroad guns presence only added to the defenders woes with their capacity to flatten any hardened structure.

The Ukrainians on the other hand, found themselves in a pickle.  The Guards brigade guarding Sosnowiec proper was well dug in, but the ground was only now thawing enough to allow entrenchment. Without cover, the defending riflemen were suffering terribly from the Bavarian Fusillade.

Further, while they had armored trains and railroad guns of their own, the overall supply situation was dire.  During the preceding weeks, the limited line capacity from Kielce had been used to rush troops to the front. Supplies had only intermittently reached the area from Warsaw, and most had been immediately rushed towards the then-front as it approached Oppeln.  Worse, the depot was mostly stocked with ammunition suited to the Grenadier Guards.  While the Grenadier Guards guns were the newest model and could fire both new and old shells, to fire the new shells in the older guns of the Rifle Corps risked damage or rupture of the breeches due to the larger charge and improved powder.

To the Guards, General Hrekov had kept them together, kept them fighting and led them to safety. The story of the retreat was well know to the other troops.  As a result, news of General Hrekov's execution had devastated the morale of the troops, a matter not helped when the rail line to Kielce fell to the Bavarian ski troops. Efforts to reopen it with an armored train had come to naught when the 10.5cm Gebirgskanone M16 battery came into play. Symbolically, that was the last escape route- excepting the Hapsburg border.

General Mykola Yunakiv had spread the news that the 12th and 7th Rifle corps would arrive in a week, and the news had lifted the spirits of the men, help was coming, there would be salvation. They tried to dig in and hug the ground as the guns thudded incessantly.

That hope faded in the coming days.  New troops were evident on the front- new flags, new insignia. By evening on the 24th the Bavarians had delivered nearly 100,000 more men to the battlefield, two whole corps- the VII Infantry from Munich, and more Alpine troops- the XVI from Balzano.  


Sosnowiec from a "wargame" perspective
Ukraine : 2 x 5/3 Inf, not dug in (hard frozen), 1x 0.6/.4 E (x1.2) inf, not dug in, 1x 0.6/.4 E (x1.2) inf dug in (2x). 2 armored trains (1/0),  2 RR guns (0/.5)  Multipliers effect infantry strength, not artillery.
Combat factor : 14.2/7.8,

Bavaria : 1 x 6/4 E inf, 2x 5/3 G (x0.8)inf, 2x 6/2 Mtn, 1x 6/2 G (x0.8) Mtn,  1x E Hvy Arm 2/0, 2x 6/3 Lt Inf , 2 RR guns (0/1)
Combat factor : 35.2 / 16.2

The assault came on the 25th, after days of bombardment. The Sturmpanzers plodded through the thawing snow, following a curtain of fire. Behind, the Elite Garde troops, long acquainted with the planned use, followed. Elsewhere, the pressure built slowly at select points.  The Bavarian troops pushed forward in the south, In the East, the Gebirgsjäger squeezed harder working ever closer.   At first, the Ukrainians held, but cracks started to show under the pressure of three times their number. The Bavarian attack became general and all six Corps of the Army of Saxony advanced. Outmanned, outgunned, cut off and isolated, the Ukrainians fell back grimly. Then a man fled, followed by another, an entire squad in another spot, and the line was collapsing. As units watched their comrades flee and leave their flank exposed, it became necessary to leave themselves. General Yunakiv desperately tried to rally the troops, and brought up the reserves to form a defense line. There the Ukrainians were able to stop the Bavarian advance, at least for the night. The time would give the Bavarians a chance to resight the guns on the new lines.

Desperate men holding a shrunken perimeter around Sosnowiec, there were many hearts that leapt when riders holding white parlay flags appeared.

Piortrkow

The Orders from Kiev had been clear, the Ukrainian force was to withdraw towards Lodz, the 4th Cavalry was to stay behind and screen the Bavarians to keep them from discovering this.

The frontline units at Radomsko would retreat to the Army of Poland's HQ in Piotrkow, which would displace to Lodz. The final Line would rest along the stream from  Tomaszow to Bedkow to Tuszyn and then to Lodz.

The Ukrainian withdrawal caught the Bavarians by surprise.  The Ukrainian Aerial squadrons, reinforced from units to the east, denied the Bavarians the air.  Only large surges of aircraft, with expected losses could get them a peek at the rear.  New planes were headed north from Italy, but had not yet arrived in Breslau, much less been uncrated and mastered.   Instead, they were left to the old ways, with Cavalry.  The Dragoons and Uhlans found themselves overmatched by the Ukrainian 4th Cavalry, which screened the now abandoned Ukrainian positions.

It was deserters from the 2nd Polish Lancers which tipped them off, but only when what was to be an attack towards the Ukrainian eastern flank "hit air" was the situation confirmed.  Even then, fear of ambush kept the rate of advance slow.  As the VI Corp started arriving from Stuttgart, it's brigades were arranged in Fortified outposts along the railline, guarding interim depots to secure the line of communications behind the advancing army.

For four days the Army of Silesia slowly advanced, (1) seizing Piotrkow without opposition, where it held up while the Cavalry tried to push past the 4th Ukrainian Cavalry.  Further deserters from the 2nd Polish Lancers claimed the Army of Poland was just behind the screen.  Knowing the X, V and XXI Corps were just a week from arriving, Generaloberst Max von Hausen proceeded carefully, and took a defensive stance while supplies were brought up, an airstrip prepared, and Piotrkow turned into an acceptable base of operations.

(1) At this juncture I noted that I had mixed up Radomsko and Piotrkow, accidentally moving the front ~25 miles further into the Ukraine. Not wanting to rewrite a bunch, I just modified the description to clarify the HQ was in Piotrkow, and the Front 25 miles away....

Vilnus
As the Guard Cavalry moves out, divisions sweeping North and South to find and fix the Russian armies, the city is restless. The majority of the population is Polish, and with the majority of the Cavalry departed, they see an opportunity to liberate their city.

Igoumenitsa ,Greece

His coal tender docked, the Ukrainian Captain had set about getting supplies for the fleet. There, he ran into...difficulties.

The Ukrainian Captain stared at the Greek Harbor Master in disbelief.
"What do you mean you have no coal for sale, no stores, and no potable water??"

"I am so sorry, but that is what is."

<Pointing at a ship coaling across the harbor >
"That is coal, there is a large pile of it next to the dock, it is for sale, I have gold, I want to buy. Do you understand?"

"Oh, I understand. Your paperwork is insufficient."

"Insufficient? How, show me where there is some space to put another stamp. ALL my papers are in order. What more do I need ?!?"

"Need? You need to try elsewhere. I am reliably told that your papers are insufficient, I am sorry but I do not know why. "

"A Pox on your house. I will sail to Argostoli and recoal there, I bet they will not turn up their nose at a profit."

"You may sail to any port in Greece, I am reliably informed that there will be problems with your papers at every port."

The Ukrainian Captain stood stunned...the Admiral would not like hearing this.

Straits of Otranto

Dawn, Jan 19
The Kerch sprinted her way across the waves, her ancient boilers coaxed into giving their all by that mad wizard of a Cossack who served as Chief Engineer, but even when new that was barely over  25 knots. The new East Sea Confederation cruisers were faster, some of their Battleships were faster. Which wouldn't be a problem for the Kerch except the identification charts were insisting the vessels following it belonged to the ESC.

The strait was only 40nm wide, and the Kerch had been patrolling the middle 20 miles. The ESC ships had become apparent when she was 17nm off the Italian Coast. To slow to run, to weak to fight, she fled westward, pushing her pressure gauges into the red, seeking safety in the Italian port of Otranto. The possibility of internment loomed, but destruction awaited her at sea. In her radio shack, the operator tried to raise the warning. Atmospherics did not play their rare trick, and he could not warn Admiral Ostrogradskiy, the only hope was if they reached the shore, word might be sent to the Naval Attache in Vienna, to warn  Admiral Ostrogradskiy,of the grim battlefleet sweeping into the Adriatic.

Adriatic

Jan 22
Admiral Ostrogradskiy, his fleet crippled in the battle off Iristia (see 2 posts up) nursed his ships south. Fearing the myriad islands of the Hapsburg coast, he had braved taking the crippled transports across the Adriatic, to shadow the Italian coast. Several of the transports threatened to sink as it was, but at least in the shallow waters off Italia, some could run for shore, even if to ground, and save the men on them.

The fleet had stood by for damage control on the morning of the 18th, and as many troops as could be taken off the transports were. The extra men of the infantry, even if untrained, proved a blessing as strong arms helped brace shoring timbers to keep bulkheads from collapsing under the onrush of the flooding waters.  The passage across the Adriatic to off the Po delta  had been undertaken at a painful 6 knots. A flight of Bavarian seaplane bombers had raided the fleet, starting a fire on a collier, which was quickly suppressed with seawater from firehoses.

Now, the fleet steamed, still at a painful 6 knots, south past Ravenna.  A Minesweeper had been dispatched to that port to relay the news. The torpedo damage to the battleships was painful enough, but manageable, and the ships were in no danger. However, Admiral Ostrogradskiy facing the possibility that some, or all, of the torpedoed transports would never be safe in a seaway without putting into a port. Certainly the jury rigged repairs could not be counted on to last the 600nm to the nearest Greek Port, where he might seek repairs. Even now his Chief engineers were personally inspecting the transports, evaluating if some might have to be docked in Italia's ports, even if they might never leave.

Aegean

Evening, Jan 23
The Griemyiashchiy was 10 years old and had made 27knots on trials. Now her stokers worked steadily as her captain tried to gain on the Bavarian.  At 5,400 tons, with a broadside of 6 x 6" guns, she chased one of  the Breslau class. The Griemyiashchiy 's sister, Gordiy struggled to keep pace.  The data in Jane's listed the Breslau class as 6,000tons and 27knots, with 8x6" broadsides and the youngest ship only three years old. All the Captain of the Griemyiashchiy knew was that either his ship was slower than expected, or the Bavarian faster, regardless, the fact was that after weeks of searching he had caught one of the Bavarian Cruisers, and now that it was worked up to speed it was slowly leaving his ships behind.

Ukrainian Flag :
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/800px-Flag_of_Ukrainian_Peoples_Republic_1917svg.png)

Hetman's personal flag :
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/800px-Flag_of_the_Cossack_Hetmanatsvg.png)

High Kingdom of Bavaria's flag :
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/FLAG-1.jpg)

First flag flown alongside the Bavarian, also in use by the rebel Rifle Squads :
"For our Freedom and Yours"
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Freedom.jpg)

Second flag introduced to fly alongside the Bavarian :
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Commonwealth.gif)

Forward :
The following News articles and Map were PM'd to Ledeper, Blooded, Ctwaterman and Guinness for comment on April 5th.  I have only heard back from Ctwaterman, but I have worked with Ledeper on his mobilization schedule and plans.

There are some obvious timeline alignment issues with Blooded's most recent post. Namely that the 200,000 troops of the ESC's I Army are only opposed by the 2/6 Division and 2/3 Division – mainly by the latter. Presuming some opposition limits the 4:1 advance to 6 miles/day, it will be 23 days to Riga, arriving on February 13th.   So the battles described in late February will be difficult to have.

Meanwhile the 3rd Cavalry which from the map I provided and the previous writings I've made is clearly Not along the northern side of the front– now dividing its attention between the Russian Army near Bialystock and the East Prussian Frontier- will  (not covered in the post below) face the IV Army starting about January 25th, and should be destroyed within a Month. .

In short, by time February 20th rolls round, Lithuania/Courland/Latvia will have been conquered for a week and the Ukrainian forces destroyed.

Since I already *tried* to coordinate, and now I'm a bit peeved,  I'll be leaving the discrepancies  to the Mods to resolve.  Oh I suppose I will point out that the OTL 1918 "Council of Lithuania"  wound up asking a fellow by the name of Prince Wilhelm of Urach to be King Mindaugaus II. A nomination which would make sense under current events. 

(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t163/Lithocarpus/Navalism/Ukraine_1920b.jpg)

Adriatic

Jan 2
Admiral Ostrogradskiy, his fleet crippled in the battle off Iristia (see 2 posts up) nursed his ships south. Fearing the myriad islands of the Hapsburg coast, he had braved taking the crippled transports across the Adriatic, to shadow the Italian coast. Several of the transports threatened to sink as it was, but at least in the shallow waters off Italia, some could run for shore, even if to ground, and save the men on them.

The fleet had stood by for damage control on the morning of the 18th, and as many troops as could be taken off the transports were. The extra men of the infantry, even if untrained, proved a blessing as strong arms helped brace shoring timbers to keep bulkheads from collapsing under the onrush of the flooding waters.  The passage across the Adriatic to off the Po delta  had been undertaken at a painful 6 knots. A flight of Bavarian seaplane bombers had raided the fleet, starting a fire on a collier, which was quickly suppressed with seawater from firehoses.

Now, the fleet steamed, still at a painful 6 knots, south past Ravenna.  The torpedo damage to the battleships was painful enough, but manageable, and the ships were in no danger. However, Admiral Ostrogradskiy facing the possibility that some, or all, of the torpedoed transports would never be safe in a seaway without putting into a port. Certainly the jury rigged repairs could not be counted on to last the 600nm to the nearest Greek Port, where he might seek repairs. Even now his Chief engineers were personally inspecting the transports, evaluating if some might have to be docked in Italia's ports, even if they might never leave.

Aegean

Evening, Jan 20
The Griemyiashchiy was 10 years old and had made 27knots on trials. Now her stokers worked steadily as her captain tried to gain on the Bavarian.  At 5,400 tons, with a broadside of 6 x 6" guns, she chased one of  the Breslau class. The Griemyiashchiy 's sister, Gordiy struggled to keep pace.  The data in Jane's listed the Breslau class as 6,000tons and 27knots, with 8x6" broadsides and the youngest ship only three years old. All the Captain of the Griemyiashchiy knew was that either his ship was slower than expected, or the Bavarian faster, regardless, the fact was that after weeks of searching he had caught one of the Bavarian Cruisers, and now that it was worked up to speed it was slowly leaving his ships behind.

Jan 22
Admiral Ostrogradskiy was reviewing the damage reports. The fleet had finally withdrawn far enough down the Adriatic as to be out of the range of those pesky seaplanes, and the repairs on the stricken vessels were proceeding. From the Engineers reports, three would never be seaworthy, and the other five would need time in a dock.  The Battleships had pumped water into their torpedo blisters on the far side of the damage, listing the ships and allowing damage control crews access to the damaged hull sections, but the transports were not capable of such things.

The fleet was, overall, fairly operational. The Bavarian successes had been notable, but not critical. The offensive could be pushed further.  However, the Hetman's orders (See Blooded's posts) were clear.
The return of the collier from Greece reporting the refusal to sell was the final straw. Without a neutral port to resupply, even if he wished to raid the Bavarian seacoast, the ability to maintain a presence was lost.

The Admiral was engaged in planning the abandonment of the transports when a launch approached from the Italian shore.  On it was an urgent message from the Naval Attache.  The Kerch had interned herself at Otranto that morning, and was reporting 3 ESC Battleships, at least 3 cruisers, and a destroyer squadron had sailed into the straits this morning.

The Admiral blanched. 1,000 miles from home, in hostile waters, with no support, the ESC fleet was the cork in the bottle of the Adriatic. His fleet, two battleships, 2 cruisers, and 13 destroyers...was no match fresh, much less damaged as they were.

Try to sneak past?  Not viable, the Adriatic was too narrow, a destroyer screen to hard to sneak past, and at his speed, he'd be caught before making the Bosporus.

Fight?  Suicide. Which three ESC battleships was irrelevant. Presumably Preussen or later, but even the old Ultors would be a problem.. but there were only two Ultors, so the third had to be something bigger. . No, fighting would not lead to glory or honor, not in ships limited in speed by damage, and with partially repaired firecontrol.

Flee? Where, the ESC blocked the Adriatic.  To reach Greece was no longer possible. The Hapsburgs? They would sieze the ships and never return them.  To surrender to the ESC or Bavarians.. the fireing squad when he returned home.  Italia?  They also may not return the ships, but the best odds were there. To preserve his fleet, save his men... he had to make this step. 

Jan 25
Kiev

General Sinclair looked at the maps, despairing. The Russian Declaration of war a week ago had yet to be as catastrophic, he presumed the Russians hadn't foreseen relations falling apart so fast either. The rapid commitment of forces to hem in the Russians in Belarus had worked reasonably.  Unfortunately they drew on other border commitments.

The ESC actions however, obviously they had been laying plans since they mobilized, and with their declaration coming just days after troops had been committed towards the Russians, there were no reserves. 

The ESC attack had burst across the border from Posen.  Kutno had reportedly been siezed by their Cavalry, and they looked to be headed towards Lodz. The concentration of the Army of Poland's 5 Corps  near Lodz looked to be a wise decision. Reports were the ESC's V Army had burst over the border and was now flowing towards Lodz.  With the damnable Bavarians "Army of Silesia" advancing it looked like the Army of Poland would shortly be outnumbered.

Of course that was before one considered the loss of Sosnoweic. He was already getting reports of probes along the railline to Kielce, but at last report the Bavarians had 4 Corps at Sosnowiec, and now he didn't have a clue where they were aimed at.   

Scowling, he realized that the five Corps of the Army of Poland, which just days ago could boast of Superior numbers along a defensive line, may soon be outnumbered Two, or perhaps Three to One.

The situation along the Northern ESC border was, if anything worse. A thrust at Warsaw had been feared, but with the Citadel there and the Opolchene Corps present, it was felt defensible.  But with the Army of Lithuania having turned parts of its attentions to limiting the Russians in Belarus, it appeared the ESC's I Army had pushed north from East Prussia. That portion of the border was weakly held. The 2Div of the 3 Rifles held from the Coast north of Memel (Klaipeda), and East of that was 2D of the 6 Rifles. Worse, there were mixed reports that the ESC had landed at Liepaja, but no confirmation either way yet.

3 Cavalry was holding from the Nemunas River south past Grodno- and had to man the Russian front near Bialystok. While this was the closest force, there was sufficient evidence that the ESC IV Army and II Armys were also active even if they had not yet been reported on the field.

The 12 Rifles had successfully made Minsk and now could defend the core of Belarus, but Polish rebels had seized much of  Vilnus once the Guard Cavalry moved out. The Polish revolt had seen wide swaths of countryside where conditions were not suitable for secure supply lines.  There were also reports that the Lithuanians were also restless.   

The general revolt in Poland, the one stirring in Lithuania had repercussions on the Army.  The situation was becoming dire. Those two provinces supplied a quarter of the manpower in the Military. While standard practice ensured brigades were not stationed at home, the exception was the 2 Polish Lancers, where the desertion rate was alarming.  The policy also meant that large numbers of Poles and Lithuanians served along the Black Sea, and in the fleet, while Riga and the Lithuanian coast were manned by Ukrainians.   The Commander of the 14th Corp had written that he feared mutiny in over half his brigades, the 1, 5 and 10 Rifles were reporting sedition, and the Black Sea fleet was having troubles manning the remaining ships after mass arrests.

General Sinclair muttered to himself, wondering how far he could push his time tables.

Sorry for the pause, we were trying to ensure folks could have input in the storyline, which we now resume in a scattered format..

Czestochowa
January 26
The citizenry of Czestochowa gathered grimly at the town square.  Three men had been publicly tried in the town hall. They had been found to have acted not on a battlefront, but in a secured town, friendly soil. They had been found guilty of conduct unbecoming a Bavarian soldier.  They had been found to have been on leave and guilty of drunkly beating to death a father who had tried to defend his daughters honor, ravishing her and then staggering off. Witnesses had spoken, the jury had delivered a unanimous verdict that this was a simple civil case of cold blooded murder and the Heer ordered to pay damages.  The townsfolk watched in stunned disbelief as the men were executed, Soldiers of the Ukraine would never have found guilty, much less punished such.

Odessa
January 26
The arrival of the Papal representatives is expected, and they are greeted with an Honor Guard formed from the men of the Headquarters Regiment, 14th Corp. The leader of the delegation was Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Iosif Romanovich. General Romanovich had been born one Józef Dowbor-Mu?nicki in Batorowo , but his Ukrainian superiors found the Ruthenized name more comfortable.

General Romanovich and his honor guard stood to attention at the base of the gang plank as the papal delegation disembarked.  The General introduced himself to his honored guests and his men fell in. The city itself was perched on the steppe, and the Odessa harbor district was dominated by the Giant Staircase which linked the two. Crafted from greenish grey sandstone quarried in far away Trieste,  the stairs spanned  12.5 meters wide and 142 meters in length, and optical illusion made it look further, clever design angled it such that the view from the bottom was all stairs, but the view from the top was all landings.  As it would be unseemly to ask the two aged prelates to climb such a distance, the party split into groups to avail itself of the funicular.  A squad ascended first, followed by the Generals party and the delegation.

Arriving at the top of the grand staircase, a sweeping view of the harbor was visible, as were men from Ministery of Internal Affairs, a squad of the Hetman's secret police.

The General stiffened as he recognized the leader of the Hetman's goons, the man waving a sheet of "orders" for which there would never be copies or accountability, the man explaining in ever so reasonable tones how the Secret Police would take care of escorting the Priests to Kiev, given that the army was so ridden with insurrectionists as to be unreliable.  Like a snake charming a rodent the man oily explained the orders and how the General had no choice but to obey, after all the Secret Police were charged with keeping the people of the Kingdom safe and could be trusted.  A concept none would dare disagree with, for to do otherwise was to brand oneself a traitor.  So, reluctantly, the Papal delegation was entrusted to the Hetman's henchmen.

As the Hetman's men escorted the Papists away, one was heard to say "I expect you will be quite happy with your suite in the Katenka Hotel, it's the finest in Kiev".

The General was preoccupied, and the phrase did not register on the at first but a lieutenant stiffened on hearing this and blurted out "Sir ! There is no Katenka Hotel".  General Romanovich's head snapped up, "What did you say Lieutenant?"  "Sir, he said they were taking the priests to the Katenka Hotel in Kiev, there is no such hotel".   Fury lit the General's eyes, for he had been played for a fool. He had been raised Catholic, and had heard the rumors of the High Prelate's pogroms.... "No, Lieutenant, the Katenka is a wing of Lukyanivska prison, for life internment.", striding after the Secret Police the General unsnapped the holster and withdrew his Nagant revolver, shouting for them to halt.
Behind him, his lieutenant motioned the men to place safeties off and stand at the ready.

The shots that were fired in the minutes to come were to redefine Odessa's history.   Lieutenant General Iosif Romanovich became a traitor in the Hetman's eyes, but General Józef Dowbor-Mu?nicki was born a hero in the eyes of his men, many of who were also Catholics and viewed the Secret Police's designs for the Papal delegation with deep suspicion.

The Ukraine chose to post troops away from their homelands so they would not feel one with the locals, so 14th Corp, far from Lithuania and Poland, drew a disproportionate number of  it's recruits from those regions. The skirmish at the top of the stairs became a mutiny throughout the troops in the city, and when news spread, throughout the Corps.  The City of Odessa became a battlefield. 

But Odessa had not always been a Ukrainian City.  Before General-Admiral Osip Mikhailovich Deribas  had decided to build a harbor here, a colony of laborers had built the fortress of Khadjibey and founded the town of Moldavanka. Their numbers had swelled, and while first the Russians had taken the area, and ruined the fortress,  and then people of many nations came to the polyglot town of Odessa, and lastly the Ukrainians claimed ownership. The only people that had been there all along, providing the workers that made the city run, were the descendents of Moldavanka. Not quite in the majority, they outnumbered any other fraction.  Spurned and oppressed by the Ukrainians, they now flocked to the banners of  General Józef Dowbor-Mu?nicki's mutinous troops.

Desperate pleas for help, from both sides, went out.  Along the Romanian border, mutiny swept the ranks, and whole brigades quite the front.  One, at the Romanian-Habsburg Junction, simply marched north, to Poland and home. Another brigade, in Bendery, imprisoned its Ukrainians and marched to the relief of Odessa.  Still others fractured along regimental lines and waged pitched war on each other.

These events did not go unnoticed in Bucharest....


January  26-31

The Baltic Coast

The 1st Frontier Guard Corps of the Russian Army probes the defenses of Riga.  Finding the well-entrenched  the 1st Division of the 3rd Rifle Corps. On the south side of the river mouth, the old fortress of Daugavgri still commands the entrance, unreconstructed and vulnerable to modern artillery, the fortress still serves as a strategic point with commanding views.

The 1st Division has a strong position- a short stretch guarding the mouth of the River Daugada from the beach to Lake Kisezers, then around the northern edge of the city before crossing to the Southern bank. With few bridges across the Daugada, and backed by the guns of the navy's monitors, forcing the 1st Division out of position would be a struggle requiring more than just the Frontier Guards.

Dusultory fighting commences, but the Frontier Guards efforts to find a path further east is halted by flank attacks by Ukrainian Cavalry.  The Russians settle in to wait for further reinforcements.

South, near the Ukrainian Fleet base at Leipaja the approach of the ESC troops throws the Naval ministry in a panic.  The ESC I Army,  with four modern corps (24/16), was opposed by only the recently arrived  2nd Divisions of the 3rd & 6th Rifle Corps (strength 5/2) which shattered under the weight of the first days battle. Shell shocked troops try to pick stands as regimental commanders try to rally their troops, but they only succeed- in combination with the snow-  in slowing the advance to 10 miles a day.  Two Brigades of the 3rd Rifles make it to the city, where a Gendarme brigade is keeping order.  The hard charging ESC troops arrive on the 27th, and invest the city, sealing it off with a Corp.  With the ESC squadron penning the Ukrainian fleet in Leipaja, there is no escape.

Elsewhere, the ESC advance is hindered by the remnants of the 2nd Division of the 6th Rifle Corps, and by the sheer size of the area they are liberating, for that is how the native resistance leaders greet them. By months end, the ESC advance covers an area from Leipaja to Siauliai and south to Kaunas.


Belarus

The 6 corps of the Russian Army of Poland had been entrained for home when the war broke out. Difficulties with Ukrainians had led to the war, and the Commander had ordered his men to take defensive alignments across a large swath of Belarus from Bialystock in the west to near Minsk in the east.   Unfortunately, the trains had not been loaded for an expeditionary force, but for transit, and men and gear were widely separated, food and ammunition stocks low. So, when General Sinclair ordered the 3rd Cavalry to detach from the ESC border and retake Bialystock and  push the Army of Poland away from Grodno, and reopen the railroad line from Poland to Lithuania, this was a task well within reason. With the tasking of other Corps to bring pressure on the Army of Poland, it was ensured that reinforcements could not flow to the west, and Bialystock would be retaken on the 24th.

The advent on the 23rd of  Feltmarshall Heinric Hertzog zum Mecklenburg's IV Army pushing East from the ESC was an event the 3rd Cavalry no longer had the resources to meet. Falling back in good order, relying on their mobility to harry the ESC advance, the Ukrainian Cavalrymen were able to give a good account of themselves, but only slow the ESC advance.  Caught between the IV Army and the Russian Army of Poland, the 3rd Cavalry flees to the north and south. By Month's end, the ESC troops have wrested Bialystock from the 3rd Cavalry, control Grodno and hold the Nieman river line. Contact is made with the Army of Poland and supply arrangements made for the Russians.

Lodz
The Army of Poland was well entrenched outside Lodz.  The decision by High Command in Warsaw to retreat towards the city had bought time and allowed the forces to pick good defensive terrain. The peacetime defensive bastions of the 4th Corp had been turned into a horseshoe of works built over the past month.  With the retreat of forces from Czestochowa to Piotrkow it had become imperative to extend these works eastward to protect the railroad line to Warsaw and the switching yards in Piotrkow.  Fortunately for the Ukrainian commander, a stream made a nice line on the map to anchor his forces behind.  This left only the hinge where the stream turned North prior to meeting the horseshoe.

This defensive line was manned by the 4th, 8th and 13th Rifle Corps, with the 4th Cavalry providing flank security and the 2nd Polish Lancers in reserve.  The 2nd Polish had proven to have a rather distressing rate of desertion when on patrol, as many troopers chose to join the revolt. By placing it in reserve, the political commissars could be placed with the Corp and try to cut out the rotten apples.

Arrayed in opposition was the Army of Silesia, with the Army of Saxony arriving by the day.
Even with two Mountain Corps moving towards Kielce, and the XVI Corps assigned rear area security, the Bavarian force was already five Corps strong, with the Dragoon division and two Independent brigade were attached and three more Corps arriving at the front.

An early assault by General  Max von Hausen, seeking to break the Ukrainians before the Army of Saxony arrived from Sosnowiec to claim the glory, had failed miserably.  The en echelon attack against Piotrkow had attempted to fix the front with the attack by the recently mobilized infantry, while the Garde advanced on an oblique toward the flank and the Dragoons tried to ward off the 4th Cavalry.

The elite Dragoons and Garde faired reasonably well. However, the carpenters, butchers, accountants and other civilians who had half a month earlier been recalled to service found themselves charging across a field, blanketed in snow towards a low rise. Corps artillery pummeled the opposing ground, sending plumes of dark soil mixed with snow soaring skyward. However these were not great masses of guns, but mere regiments, and could not force the Ukrainians to cover.

The opposing Ukrainians, peering over the rims of their gun pits and trenches, could see the clear lines of advancing infantry. Not as lavishly equipped as the opposing Bavarians, they were not without supporting arms. Having a week to sight in, they were able to accurately call their own artillery fires, while their Machine gun companies had a field day on the snowy plain.

In less than a half hour, the recent civilians came stumbling back, leaving nearly 6,000 of their fellows strewn across the bloody snow. The repulse there meant that the attempts of the Garde and Dragoons were for naught, and they worked their way back to the original positions.

So the Armies glared at each other, and reinforced.  The Bavarians felt that once they had eight Corps in line, they could outflank the Ukrainian position to the east, particularly if fresh snow allowed the XXI Corps to utilize it's skis.  The Ukrainians, well they had little choice in the matter. Then the reports began to come clear.  II Army under Col. General Kodos was coming from the North, and V Army from the West. While distant, the 10 ESC Corps would be quite overwhelming. The simple arrival of ESC aircraft, wresting control of the air, was distressing enough.  The Commander of the Army of Poland began to frantically request High Command in Warsaw to either send reinforcements, or allow  him to retreat. Rumors began to drag on the morale of the troops.

It wasn't the news from Kiev that precipitated the crisis, rather events just behind the front. On the 28th, after Kiev, the citizens of Lodz rioted, seizing control of the City Hall, Jail and Courthouse. The Gendarme brigade was overwhelmed, and the Commander of the Army of Poland was forced to divert troops. Not trusting the 4th Corps, as it's men had lived here for some time, troops from the reserves of the 8th and 13th Corp were thrown in. The mass of Poles in town square refused to disperse, instead advancing on the troops.

The Poles freely admit that members of the Polish Rifle Squads were shooting at the Ukrainian troops, and that cobbles pried from the streets had been thrown, but the volleys fired into the crowds were shocking. Men, women and children were gunned down in the square. Chaos reigned.  At the edge of town, the news of the massacre quickly spread, and this was the spark that pushed the men of the 2nd Polish Lancers into mutiny.  Commissars and military police were seized and beaten, armories broken into and tens of thousands of Polish soldiers hurried to the aid of the Polish civilians.

It was this disaster that caused the Army of Poland to strip its reserves, to fling into the charnel house that Lodz was becoming. Flames licking skyward and word of the struggle caused Generalfeldmarschall Prince Leopold of Bavaria to advance his schedule and implement a contingency by ordering an attack on the hinge between the horseshoe and stream. There was no time for preparatory fires. This time the armored leviathans rumbled forward in conjunction with the armored cars, all three brigades in the field.  Combined Corps artillery blanketed the areas around the objective, while field guns were hurriedly brought forward to take the objective under direct fire. The recently arrived 1/XXI  (2/XXI was still detraining) was tasked to lead the attack, as the mountaineer's baggage train included snowshoes as well. Told to use the armored vehicles as shields, and to get away from them if they stalled, they were able to keep pace with the vehicles through the snow.  The men of the Garde Corps were tasked with the second wave, while pressure was brought to bear elsewhere.

Unlike the horseshoe, the hinge had not been developed over a month, and unlike the line east, it had no stream.  Normally, the central position meant reserves could easily be sent in.  However, Caught by surprise, with overwhelming forces coming, flames in their rear, and with their reserves stripped, the men of the 8th Rifle Corp did not respond well. They routed. The center of the Ukrainian line collapsed and the 1/XXI, I, and III Corps poured through.

The Battle for Lodz, or the Liberation of Lodz, would take several more days, but it was lost on that day.

As Navalism 3 seems to have stalled and died with the talks regarding Navalism 4,
finishing this tale has fallen off my priority list.

However, not wishing to leave it completely unfinished, here's an outline.


January 27th,  Kiev
The day of the historic Kiev Armory revolt.  Here, the rebellion is the beginnings of a Civil War, pitting General Sinclair against the Hetman.  General Sinclair, leading some nobles, declares the Government of the Hetman a sham, and declares it overthrown.  The soldiers of the 12th Corp, opposed by the Oppolchine corps- the HQ Corps for the Secret Police, don't quit manage to capture the Hetman. The Two Corps battle is out in Kiev.  General Sinclair's new Government officially petitions the Russians for recognition, peace, and invites them to send a Romanov to take the crown.

January 28th, Sevastopol.
When preparing for the Adriatic Sojurn, the fleet had removed potential troublemakers from the departing ships. The result is that these individuals are more numerous among the vessels that are left.  With officers disputing if they should follow the Hetman or General Sinclair, and the Admiral rumored to be planning a surprise attack on the Russian Fleet, these troublemakers revolt. Seizing first an armory, and then a battleship, they cast off and sail for Odessa, to join their countrymen in revolt there.

This was to get Romania a free battleship of the Vlodymr class.

January 29th Bucharest
Having the news from Kiev, and the news from Odessa, the Romanians decide to attempt to seize what they can.  Declaring that their countrymen are suffering the depredations of the "Green Army" of bandits, or at the hands of the Ukrainians- the story will vary- the Romanians cross the border.  With the 14th Corp having primarily abandoned its post, the crossing is virtually unopposed. Marching swiftly, the Romanians seize Moldavia and continue towards Odessa, eventually establishing a salient extending north of the river around the city.

This was to expand Romania, add a major port, and make it more viable/fun as a player nation.

Prologue


After some time, Sinclair would capture the Hetman, probably in the midst of a desperate sacrifice, probably of the Queen. The Hetman and Prelate's association with the Eye would be laid bare.

The Russians would agree to Sinclair's proposal, and cease their advance in the Ukraine.
ESC forces would halt in what is now Lithuania, while the Bavarian advance guard would be arriving at the Gates of Warsaw.
In Latvia, the forces would continue to be loyal to the Hetman, and the Russian campaign would occur as Blooded outlined.

A peace conference, perhaps in Vienna, perhaps in Brest-Litovisk, would establish the post-war order.

Romania would get to keep it's winnings- most of the folks in those regions are Romanian anyhow.

A new Kingdom of Poland and a new Grand Duchy of Lithuania would arise. The Polish borders would be akin to "Congress Poland".  A Grand Sejm would be held in each, and there would be a vote of the members in Poland to keep the Wettins as Kings, and join the High Kingdom of Bavaria (which is structured much like a Monarchy-based confederation) as the minimal infringements on sovereignty are balanced by the economic and military backing allowing continuation of those liberties- plus they just watched Russia go from the Ukraine's trusted friend to war in a month, and they border the Hapsburgs.  

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania would probably choose Prince Urach as the new Grand Duke over the Wettin, and also join the High Kingdom of Bavaria, unless the ESC wanted it. There had been some talk of a Baltic state, but somebody decided to write a different tale.

Russia, before Blooded left, was to get everything else- Ukraine, Latvia, Belarus, the Fleet, etc. Now, Ukraine would probably stay semi-independent, as it's large "enough" for a player. Queen Margita, if alive, would be exiled, probably to the Hapsburgs.  The Russians would get Latvia + Baltic Fleet, Belarus, and the Kerch peninsula. At one point Russia was to get the Black Sea fleet as well, but that probably would not occur.  I am not sure who would get the interned ships in Italia- probably repatriated to the Ukraine.

You Did excellent work here both in story form and in describing the fighting.   I wish we could have seen it through to completion.

Charles

Quote from: ctwaterman on June 06, 2011, 02:21:56 PM
You Did excellent work here both in story form and in describing the fighting.   I wish we could have seen it through to completion.

Charles

Agreed. Nicely done Kirk.

Thank you.

One nitpick; the Romanian queen is being exiled?

Quote from: TexanCowboy on June 14, 2011, 02:41:00 PM
One nitpick; the Romanian queen is being exiled?

It's always fun to read something like that and think "Huh, now where would he get that idea"....and realize that one's own self may have a hand in the matter.

I meant Queen Margita.  There was avid pro-Ukrainian Hapsburg who could take her in. Borys had suggested the chap for King of Poland, but I think he would have been useful in the role of Margita's protector, plus given storyline fodder for enduring Hapsburg interest in the Ukraine.  Fixed the reference.