Bordurian - Syldavia War: Battle of the 5 armies

 A bit of Balkan background

For those not familiar with the Western Balkan history of the 1930s, we must point you to those two important historical records, King Ottokar's Sceptre and the Calculus Affair by Herge, recording the involvement of Anglo-Belgian journalist Tintin in the region during this tumultuous time.  

Interestingly, neither book mentions one of the major reasons for much of the Syldavian - Bordurian tension. Trans Syldavia is a small state north of Syldavia and west of Borduria, and had fought free of the Habsburg empire in the 1848 revolution, only to be annexed by Borduria in the Balkan Wars. But Borduria joined the losing side in World War 1, and Syldavia the winning, so Trans Syldavia was transferred to Syldavia. (No one at any time asked what the Trans Syldavians wanted, of course).

Also seldom mentioned is the Austro Hungarian / Burgundian rivalry in this area of the Balkans. 

As you know, at the Treary of Versailles when Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey were split up, the catholic German lands of Austria and Bavaria had joined up to form the Austro-Bavarian twin kingdom and set out to recover the Dalmatian coast lands handed to Italy. Also, if you recall, both Belgiums, Luxembourg, some of the German states. parts of Italy who felt that the 1800's "unifications" weren't working, plus similarly disgruntled parts of France had united to re-form Burgundy. Burgundy also wanted the Dalmatian Italian lands. The result was that Austro-Bavaria sent forces to help Borduria, while Burgundy sent forces to help Syldavia. Still feeling beleagured, Syldavia had also sought the services of the Waggoner Demonstration Group, an "Independant army" made up of British WW1 veterans and clandestinely armed by the British government to try out new-fangled armoured vehicles.

The Scenario - The Navy Day Battle 

Borduria has invaded Trans-Syldavia (see here). A Bordurian column has raced along Northern Trans-Syldavia to meet up with its ally, an Austro Bavarian Expeditionary force coming in from the North. To stop this force, available elements of the Syldavian army, plus the newly arrived  Burgundian and Waggoner Demonstration Group forces have been hastily gathered to stop them. 

11 May is Borduria’s Navy Day  (despite being landlocked, Borduria kept a Navy, for when they took Trans Syldavia back…… ) and the Bordurian Kûrvi-Tasch regime demanded a victory to announce on the Day.

The Bordurian flying column was thus told to attack, immediately. Despite desperate entreaties by the  Flying Column (now Ex) commander that the Austro Hungarians were some way off being able to join them, orders were orders and so they attacked the relatively safe (they thought) rural twin town of Górnej (Upper) and Nisżej (Lower) Nudnymiasto.

However, unknown to the Bordurians, a Syldavian force was fitting out in Nisżej Nudnymiasto. Worse still, both  Burgundian and the Waggoner forces had rendezvoused in the area.

 

 Looking from the north to the south, Górnej (Upper) Nudnymiasto is the closer of the 2 villages. It was to see very heavy action. Force dispositions are described below

Bordurian Advance...

The Bordurian 3rd Motor-Rifle Brigade advanced as per the manual, along the centre road west towards Górnej Nudnymiasto (A on the picture above), sending out probing forces along the top towards the farm near  Hill B (at B above) and bottom  the roads towards the farmhouses at Hill II (a II above). In addition recce troops and the FO were sent up onto the heights (at C) to overlook the terrain. 

The manual also demanded a barrage, but not wanting to upset the locals whose hospitality they  planned to enjoy that evening, the Bordurians fired into the woody Hill IIs and served only to alert the gathering Syldavian forces that there were enemy approaching, and the locals to get out the area by all means possible. 

Bordurian Recce Co. Pz.1 tankettes (fruit of the Musstler regime alliance with Germany) reached Górnej Nudnymiasto, finding it deserted. Their advance guard infantry arrived a little later along the road ("Motorised" does not mean they have trucks, you understand - it's more an aspiration) and occupied Górnej. Bordurian infantry also moved on the road towards the farmhouses at Hill (II) via route D.

The first sign of trouble was on route D, when a Burgundian unit started firing from the woods (bottom centre).

The Waggoners, based around  point I, being highy motorised, decided that attack was the best form of defence and sent their light company Light MkI tanks and mounted infantry in rapid advance to Górnej Nudnymiasto. Similarly. the Syldavians moved to occupy Nisżej Nudnymiasto (III) and advanced mixed armour and infantry towards the top farmhouse near Hill B, firing on the Bordurian unit (who dived into the farm buildings) .

The Bordurians were caught strung out on an east - west (left - right) axis with quite a lot of their forces still close to the left table edge as fighting started. A heavy machine gun unit was moved up on to the heights at C, and Bordurian BA-10 armoured cars (fruit of USSR support) moved to support fire at D, and mortar fire was also ranged on that wood.  Another infantry platoon was diverted to the farm at B. 

The situation was stabilising...

...and then all hell broke loose! 

Then Waggoner armour hit  Górnej (see below), initially supported by Syldavian infantry. The Bordurians held on initially but weight of fire drove them back, and they only held on due to reinforcements arriving. 

Looking West - East from Syldavian side. Waggoner Group tanks at I advance on Górnej Nudnymiasto at (A), while Syldavian units move from Nisżej Nudnymiasto.(III) towards  A and to Hill B (B)

But overall the strung out Bordurians were getting the worst of it, eventually being pushed out of Górnej and the Farmhouse at Hill B as Burgundian armour arrived to support the Syldavian infantry attack.

 Syldavian infantry and Burgundian Independent Tanks advance on the Farmhouse at Hill B, blasting the Bordurian troops the farm buildings  

Despite fierce resistance from the Bordurians, the Syldavians and their Waggoner and Burgundian allies were grinding away at them, forcing FUBARS (Loss points from - well, big losses) on them. Things looked very bad for Borduria, only in the woods at point D were they succeeding. 

The (Austrian) Cavalry arrives to save the day.....

At this point, at about mid-day,  the Austro-Bavarians, who had been delayed (Bad traffic on the A205, they claimed), arrived and not a moment too soon.

The first sign of them were their Chevau-Jagers (Mounted Jagers) galloping down the road on to the woods around point D, sweeping away the Burgundians from the woods, then galloping towards the farms at Hill II.

Shortly after that, Austro-Bavarian Panzer-Grenadiers riding on their Ford tankettes arrived and reinforced Górnej Nudnymiasto, pushing the Waggoners and Syldavians away. Then the Austro Bavarian Panzer force arrived. 

Not only that, the Bordurians counter-attacked the farm at Hill B, using their Naval brigade, backed up with Bordurian BT-5 tanks, and took back the farm.

 

Bordurian BT-5 tanks attack at Hill B, taking on the Burgundian Independent tanks

Syldavia threw in all its reserves to retake the farm, sweeping down from Hill B. But the Bordurians summoned an air attack, a flight of Polikarov Po. 2s bombed the Syldavians, causing many casualties.

Bordurian Po-2 strike on Syldavian forces, as Bordurian Naval infantry hold them off from the farmhouse at Hill B
 

Surely, now Borduria / Austro-Bavaria would prevail? 

 The charge of the Waggoners 

At this point the Waggoners committed all their armour and armoured infantry to a full scale assault on Górnej Nudnymiasto.

The Waggoners attack (I) - Medium Mk II tank companies plus armoured infantry assault  Górnej Nudnymiasto

At the same time, the Waggoner mounted infantry attack went in, and fierce fighting again occurred with the Bordurian and Austro Bavarian units in and around the town . 

 

 The Waggoners attack (II) - armoured infantry assault Górnej Nudnymiasto on their Morris-Martel tankettes

 A major tank battle ensued, with the Austro-Bavarian armour getting the worst of it and fierce fighting in the village pushed the Bordurians and Anglo-Bavarians back.

Austro Bavarian Fiat F2000 mobile pillbox blows up, and their Lt.38s also have a bad time against the Waggoners' tanks. Top left, more Austro-Bavarian Jagers zu Pferd charge into the fight at Górnej Nudnymiasto

And what, I hear you ask, about the cavalry attack on the farms at Hill II? Well unfortunately, that ran into almost the entire Burgundian force, and despite the Austro Bavarian cavalry being reinforced by more Panzer Grenadiers, neither side could gain an avantage.

The Aftermath

Syldavia won, 4 FUBARS to 2, and was able to claim the victory. 

But it had taken enough damage (reduced a 4-4 to 4-2 by contesting Górnej Nudnymiasto and Hill B Farm with big casualties) to not want to follow up the Bordurians and Austro Bavarians, who had advanced to their rear but temained a force in being. 

Thus Borduria succesfully joined up with their Austro German Allies, and also claimed a Glorious Victory on Navy Day. (If you disagree, Colonel Sponsz will be contacting you...)

The Game

15mm 1930's rivet tank extravaganza, using O Group rules. We found O Group needs some tweaking of armour classes to allow for the profusion of badly armoured tanks, so we use 4 low end Armour ratings, not just 2.. Ditto, these are big forces compared to a standard O group 1 battalion game, and it was quite slow as only 10 orders per side. We plan to increase the number of orders per turn in future.

Armies are Imagi-Nations, so all sorts of Orbats are used.....