Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 21 to 24 of 24

Thread: March 2018 Challenge: Belgrade, February 2140

  1. #21

    Default

    Looks good indeed. Agree with Ilanthar about the NW corner. Also, looks like the Danube cut across the elavation at F 1/2...

  2. #22

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ilanthar View Post
    It has the flair of the good old wargame maps . Well done. My only nitpick would be about the top left corner, a bit too distracting. Maybe place something here?
    Thank you, Ilanthar. I based it primarily on World War II situation/operations maps. I'm pleased to hear it gives off that feeling.

    Quote Originally Posted by Daistallia View Post
    Looks good indeed. Agree with Ilanthar about the NW corner. Also, looks like the Danube cut across the elavation at F 1/2...
    Thanks, Daistallia. I appreciate that. Fixed the elevation issue you referred to. And thank you guys for your feedback on the corner. I placed a second key there. Would you be able to tell me whether you feel that helps or not?

    ### Latest WIP ###

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Belgrade_WIP_6.jpg 
Views:	92 
Size:	1.45 MB 
ID:	105863

  3. #23
    Guild Expert Guild Supporter aeshnidae's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Posts
    1,011

    Default

    I like the second key in the upper left corner - definitely helpful!

  4. #24

    Default

    Thank you, aeshnidae! I think it works well too.

    I've been thinking on it all week and I don't think there's any other changes I would like to make so I think this map is complete. I have however been working on more background for it and wanted to provide it below. Included is a timeline of events and updated Order of Battle. Thank you everyone for your feedback and kind words. It has been extremely rewarding taking part in this challenge.

    ORDER OF BATTLE
    European Union
    IX Armored Corps (Lt. Gen. Emil Nikoli)
    - 44th Armored Division (Maj. Gen. Heinreich Ferber)
    ---- 59th Armor Brigade
    ---- 3rd Armor Brigade
    ---- 156th Motorized Infantry Brigade
    - 79th Armored Division (Maj. Gen. Tamás Kontz)
    ---- 9th Armor Brigade
    ---- 35th Armor Brigade
    ---- 110th Motorized Infantry Brigade
    - 8th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Jean Aulard)
    ---- 63rd Motorized Infantry Brigade
    ---- 102nd Infantry Brigade
    ---- 408th Infantry Brigade

    Pan-Asian Coalition
    Task Group Petrov (Maj. Gen. Arkadi Petrov)
    - II Command Armored Division (Maj. Gen. Arkadi Petrov)
    ---- 90th Command Armor Brigade
    ---- 85th Command Armor Brigade
    ---- 232nd Command Motorized Infantry Brigade
    ---- 306th Command Motorized Infantry Brigade
    - X Command Mechanized Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Mikhail Shkuro)
    ---- 103rd Command Mechanized Infantry Brigade
    ---- 152nd Command Mechanized Infantry Brigade
    ---- 401st Command Motorized Infantry Brigade

    Northern Command Group (Field Marshall Vadim Annikov)
    - First Command Army
    -- VIII Command Corps
    ---- II Command Armored Division (detached)
    ---- IX Command Armored Division
    ---- X Command Mechanized Infantry Division (detached)
    -- III Command Corps
    ---- XXI Command Armor Division
    ---- IXX Command Armor Division
    ---- XVI Command Motorized Infantry Division
    - Second Command Army
    -- XX Command Corps
    ---- LXX Command Armored Division
    ---- VIII Command Armored Division
    ---- VII Command Mechanized Infantry Division
    -- XVIII Command Corps
    ---- III Command Armored Division
    ---- XV Command Armored Division
    ---- II Command Motorized Infantry Division
    - Fifth Army
    -- V Corps
    ---- IXX Armored Division
    ---- XL Infantry Division
    ---- XXXI Infantry Division
    ---- XVI Infantry Division
    - IX Corps
    ---- XXII Armored Division
    ---- LXXXII Infantry Division
    ---- XLI Infantry Division
    ---- LXV Infantry Division

    Timeline
    2139
    October 4th
    The PAC begins a massive offensive along a line from the Baltic Sea to the Persian Gulf. Minsk, the EU headquarters in Eastern Europe, is attacked.

    2140
    February 11th
    After more than four months of heavy fighting, the EU is forced to withdraw from Minsk. A rapid retreat westward across the entire front begins.

    February 14th
    IX Armored Corps, retreating southward from advancing PAC forces following the EU defeat at Minsk, arrives in Belgrade.

    Low on fuel and munitions, the EU commander, Lieutenant General Emil Nikoli, decides to take advantage of the stockpile in Belgrade to resupply and rest his exhausted troops. Knowing he had been pursued and anticipating the arrival of PAC forces within the next few days, he secures the north-east approach to Belgrade with two brigades from the 79th Armored Division, which entrench themselves in and around the city of Pancevo. They are supported by by one armor brigade held in reserve. The two infantry brigades of the 8th Infantry Division he places along the Danube to fortify that natural line of defense. To keep the line of retreat open with the western roads blocked by ice, Nikoli sends the 63rd Motorized Brigade to the town of Obrenovac, on the Sava. The heaviest hit of the divisions, the 44th Armored under Heinrich Ferber, is ordered to take up loose defensive positions south of Belgrade to recuperate and reorganize.

    February 15th
    Shortly after midnight on February 15th, the crack PAC II and X Command divisions under the recently promoted hero of Minsk, Major General Arkadi Petrov, arrived in the area outside of Belgrade. Petrov, upon seeing Pancevo occupied but not yet fully fortified, intuited the situation and issued his orders. Two brigades from the X Command Division under Major General Mikhail Shkuro would attack the EU positions immediately to assess their strength and disposition. Once having done so, they would withdraw and dig in, aiming to prevent a breakout northward or to the east. Simultaneously, Petrov would take his own division and one other mechanized brigade and swing eastward of Pancevo, following a wide arc to the south to cross the Danube at Smederevo and continuing westward to the heights south of Belgrade. His hope was that the EU commander, having just arrived and short on fuel, would not yet have seized the heights for himself, and would have difficulty mounting an attack upon them with his troops dispersed.

    Pancevo came under attack shortly after 0130. The assault was sudden and ferocious, but the seasoned 79th held their ground and repulsed the initial PAC wave. However, the attack achieved its aim. Nikoli interpreted its swiftness to herald the arrival of the leading elements of the Central Command Group, and reinforced the Pancevo line with the remaining brigades of the 8th Infantry.

    The 152nd attached to Petrov’s main group breaks off and turns westward and then to the north to secure the bridge over the Sava outside Obrenovac, the only remaining road running south-west not covered in ice.

    February 16th
    Petrov reaches the outskirts of Belgrade having encountered no resistance and orders his brigades to take up positions on the unoccupied high ground overlooking the city.

    The 152nd arrives to the south of Obrenovac to find it occupied by the 63rd Motorized. The brigade digs in to prevent a westward escape.

    February 17th
    Nikoli recognizes immediately the seriousness of the situation to the south. To prevent a complete encirclement of the city and his forces, Nikoli throws the operational elements of the 44th Armored against the PAC line.

    February 18th
    While the battle for the heights rages, Petrov feels the moment is ripe to take the Obrenovac bridge. The 152nd mounts a night attack to enter the city and takes the defenders by surprise.

    February 21st
    The battle for the heights is fierce but despite a local inferiority in armor and fuel, the 44th manages to push the PAC line back. After three days of heavy fighting, the EU advance comes to a halt when fuel reserves run dangerously low. The EU and PAC lines now mirror each other.

    February 22nd
    Despite the initial element of surprise, the PAC progress is hindered by the steadfast EU defenders within Obrenovac. Eventually, after four days of intense street fighting, the 63rd is pushed out and retreats across the bridge. Exhausted, the 152nd cannot advance further and takes up residence in Obrenovac.

    February 25th
    Nikoli pulls reserves from the Pancevo line to reinforce the 44th south of Belgrade. Slowly, he builds up a massive concentration of armor and men to the westernmost tail of the EU line. Despite Nikoli’s best efforts to conceal these movements, Petrov observes them and responds in kind, deepening his left flank. Shortly before dawn, EU tanks surge forward and hit with full force the PAC flank. The attack involves the greatest amount of strength on both sides so far in the battle for Belgrade.

    February 26th
    The EU offensive inflicts a terrible amount of loss in both men and equipment but ultimately fails to break through. Nikoli, faced with rapidly diminishing fuel depots, pulls his forces back and reoccupies the line, and begins to plan for a total defense of the city.

    February 27th-March 2nd
    Minor skirmishing breaks out across the three fronts but neither side commits to any significant action.

    March 3rd
    The PAC First Command Army under the Northern Command Group arrives to the east of Belgrade, having raced through recently annexed Bulgaria to link up with the current front.

    March 4th
    The PAC Second Command Army arrives south of Belgrade. The Second Army occupies the positions previously held by Petrov. Petrov receives orders to break across the river at Obrenovac and sweep across the area west of Belgrade, securing it, before attacking from the west.

    March 6th
    The PAC attacks EU positions from all three sides: the First Army from the east, the Second Army from the south, and II Command Division from the south-west.

    March 7th
    Petrov, utilizing a night attack, crosses the river and shatters the EU line, completely breaking through. His brigades race across the terrain toward the Danube and begin to turn eastward.

    March 8th
    The leading corps elements of the Second Command Army pushes the 44th Armored Division and elements of the 8th Infantry backward to the edge of the city before beginning preparations for its assault on the city.

    March 10th
    The 79th proves obstinate in resisting the advance of elements of the First Command Army but is eventually forced to retreat away and back across the Danube, swiftly pursued. Many EU units are overrun and forced to surrender.

    March 12th
    The First Army attacks from the east and the Second Army from the South. The EU lines are pushed inward toward the city center.

    March 15th
    Nikoli falls back on the defenses he has carefully prepared since late February. Their strength and position is so great that the PAC blitzkrieg is near instantly halted. The EU defenders mount an extraordinarily tenacious resistance, successfully achieving a stalemate for the next ten days.

    March 24th
    The commander of the Northern Command Group, Field Marshall Vadim Annikov, arrives and takes personal command of the situation. Utilizing the recently arrived elite 33rd Armored Regiment and its formation of T-39 Bogatyr battle walkers, Annikov puts a renewed PAC offensive into motion.

    March 26th
    The 33rd Armored Regiment supported by elements of the Second Army breaks through the eastern EU flank. The EU defense collapses.

    March 27th
    Meeting on the steps of the bomb-marked central government building, General Emil Nikoli formally surrenders to Field Marshall Vadim Annikov. Annikov praises Nikoli’s fierce defense and allows him to keep his pistol. After nearly a month and a half of heavy fighting, the battle of Belgrade comes to a close with the complete defeat of the IX Armored Corps. The city is in the hands of the PAC. The road to Berlin is now open.


    ### Latest WIP ###

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	belgrade_final.jpg 
Views:	75 
Size:	2.56 MB 
ID:	106013

Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •