Ukrainian-Bavarian War

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.

[ledeper]

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

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.



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.

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.


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.



(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.

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.

[ctwaterman]

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.

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.  "

[Kaiser Kirk]

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.

[ledeper]

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.

[ledeper]

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!

[ledeper]

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.

[Kaiser Kirk]

January 16-21



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.