Battle of Matiavik

Battle of Matiavik
Part of Parnello Offensive of the Cassadian Civil War
Date 1st June, 2013 Location Matiavik, Cassadia Result Vionna-Frankenlischian Victory
Belligerents
Vionna-Frankenlisch	Euphemists
Commanders and leaders
Duke of Teutonberg	Kliment Morozov
Units involved
First Expeditionary Corps	11th Field Brigade 9th Field Brigade 8th Field Brigade 30th Artillery Brigade Matiavik Guard
Strength
20,000	14,000
Casualties and losses
562 killed and wounded	2,000 killed and wounded 347 captured

The Battle of Matiavik was a battle of the Cassadian Civil War, taking place during the Imperial Parnello Offensive. The Duke of Teutonberg's Imperial First Expeditionary Corps, marching on the Euphemist city of Parnello, found itself under attack on 1st June 2013 by a significant force of Euphemists under the command of General Kliment Morozov. Hastily-entrenched Imperial forces held off Euphemist forces throughout the day before a counter-attack by Fourth (Duchy of Gestoria) Brigade forced a Euphemist withdrawal late in the day. Despite achieving victory, Imperial forces were unable to capitalise on their success at Matiavik as lack of supplies forced them to halt their advance until 9th June. In this time, Imperial forces sustained their first defeat of the intervention at the (strategically insignificant) Action of Kobirit.

Background

Imperial intervention in the Cassadian Civil War had seen immediate success. After politicking by Relenist and particularly Zeonese diplomats had effectively coaxed Vionna-Frankenlisch into the war, the 20,000 troops of the First Expeditionary Corps had gone on the offensive. Under the command of the Duke of Teutonberg, the corps had crossed the Zeonese-Cassadian frontier near Weira and begun a march on the Euphemist stronghold of Parnello. Located on the Cassean Gulf, Parnello was home to a significant portion of the Euphemist fleet and its capture would be a significant victory.

Victories at Sivarka (20th May) and Mikivik (21st May) had started the campaign well and Teutonberg's forces marched for ten days without facing determined opposition. It was not until the town of Matiavik that any significant Euphemist formations were spotted.

Forces

Imperial

Imperial forces at Matiavik were the 20,000 troops of First Expeditionary Corps. The Corps came under the command of Karl, 9th Duke of Teutonberg and consisted of 4 combat brigades and a support group. A more detailed breakdown is:

• First (Duchy of Teutonberg) Brigade - 4 infantry battalions + 1 cavalry regiment - 4,600 troops - Brigadier General Victor Poltov
• Second (Riverland-Palatinate) Brigade - 4 infantry battalions + 1 cavalry regiment - 4,600 troops - Major General William McKieth
• Third (Middle Frankenlisch) Brigade - 4 infantry battalions + 1 cavalry regiment - 4,600 troops - Brigadier General Frederick Fitz-Hampton
• Fourth (Duchy of Gestoria) Brigade - 4 infantry battalions + 1 cavalry regiment - 4,600 troops - Major General Henry Hornebolt, Marquess of Hornebolt
• Support Group - 4 batteries + support units - 24 guns, 1,600 troops - Brigadier Wilfried Walker

Euphemist

Drawn from the Parnello Military District, the Euphemist army at Matiavik came under the command of General Kliment Morozov of 11th Field Brigade and consisted of four brigades. In total, Euphemist forces numbered 15,000 troops. A more detailed breakdown is:

• 11th Field Brigade - 5 infantry battalions + 2 cavalry squadrons - 5,400 troops - General Kliment Morozov
• 9th Field Brigade - 5 infantry battalions - 4,800 troops - General Fedor Kamazev
• 8th Field Brigade - 4 infantry battalions - 3,000 troops - General Lazar Novik
• 30th Artillery Brigade - 8 batteries - 40 guns, 1,200 troops - Colonel Boris Spatz
• Matiavik Guard - 400 militia under Major Bobrov

Battle

Initial Engagement

On 1st June, the Imperial column was led by the South Gestoria Yeomanry and the King's Own Middle Frankenlisch Rangers. After leaving camp seven miles south of Matiavik at 0830 that morning, First Expeditionary Corps had marched for four hours by the time the town came into view from behind a hill. The corps had not met organised resistance for ten days of marching and its mood was relaxed. In two victorious actions Imperial forces had sustained around 250 casualties and were well on their way to Parnello - where they expected to win another victory. Though several towns on the route had paraded their militias, all had stood down at Imperial summons and the 80 militiamen of Krankev had even joined the column as Relenist volunteers. Expecting a similar situation at Matiavik, the officer of the day Brigadier General Victor Poltov ordered the South Gestoria Yeomanry to head into the town under flag of truce and obtain the surrender of the militia.

With a population of 12,000, Matiavik paraded a guard of 400 troops under a Major named Bobrov. Advanced warning of the Imperial column had reached Matiavik from local scouts and the town guard were emplaced in buildings around the southern edge of town long before First Expeditionary Corps had arrived. On the northern edge of town, General Kliment Morozov's three brigades (11th Field, 9th Field, 30th Artillery) were entering town after marching from Parnello. The previous day, Lazar Novik's 8th Field Brigade had also arrived in town, fleeing one day ahead of the Imperial advance. This left 15,000 Euphemist troops in Matiavik and these forces moved into the town to take up positions alongside Bobrov's militia. As Colonel Avery Rawston's South Gestoria Yeomanry approached Matiavik, unaware of the Euphemist presence, the troopers came under long-range rifle fire before the flag of truce had been raised. Imperial propagandists later spun this story as one of Cassadian aggression - incorrectly portraying the yeomen as already under a white flag. Rawston's troopers took five casualties before withdrawing to the safety of the hill and the Imperial infantry.

Still seeing only militia, Brigadier General Poltov ordered the King's Own Middle Frankenlisch Rangers to advance and clear the Euphemists out of the town before the main force of the army arrived. The Viscount Rachdale, commanding the King's Own Rangers, was getting his regiment in order for the assault when, at 1120, a furious artillery attack began from within the town. Field guns and light howitzers rained shells on the Imperial-held hill and Poltov's units were forced to withdraw behind it. These were the 40 guns of Cassadian 30th Artillery Brigade. Commanded by Colonel Boris Spatz and organised into 8 batteries, 30th Artillery Brigade's pieces were deployed in the streets and central market square of Matiavik. Directed by professional spotters, the brigade was a significant threat to the Imperials who were comparatively poorly-equipped with artillery. Scouts from the South Gestoria Yeomanry braved the bombardment to spot Euphemist positions and reported the marching columns of regular Cassadian infantry in Matiavik's streets. Until this point, Imperial commanders had been unaware of quite how serious the situation was. The Euphemist bombardment was halted at 1140 and the lead elements of Poltov's own First Brigade began to arrive at 1150. Taking full advantage, Poltov retook the hill and began to entrench his battalions around it ready for the arrival of the rest of the Imperial forces. The lull in the bombardment was caused Euphemists' poor supply situation meant that additional shells had to be found from the disorganised supply train of 30th Artillery Brigade. A lack of trained logistics personnel exacerbated the issue and a group of railwaymen from Matiavik's train station were eventually drafted in to assist, their knowledge proving deeply helpful.

Imperial Defence

A second barrage by Spatz' artillery began at 1210 and lasted for five minutes. These short, rapid barrages were a staple of Euphemist doctrine throughout the Civil War as they were found to have a profound morale effect, especially on inexperienced troops. The irregular bombardment of Imperial positions continued throughout the engagement. An issue swiftly arose, however, as the poor elevation on the Cassadian-produced field guns meant they could not fire over the hilly ground of the Imperial front line, meaning that the vulnerable rear of the Imperial force was safe. Under a sporadic hail of artillery fire, Imperial infantry of Poltov's First Brigade began to dig in on the hills to the south of Matiavik. Again, the poor state of the Euphemist supply train bought the Imperial forces time to entrench themselves. General Morozov was furious at the inefficiency of his artillery which, if supplied with sufficient ammunition and handled properly, could have forced the Imperial troops back with little difficulty.

At 1240, after a series of these short artillery barrages, the first Euphemist attack began in earnest. 2 battalions of Kamazev's 9th Field Brigade went forward from Matiavik in staggered lines - one following the other. Imperial artillery had yet to arrive and the Euphemists crossed the open ground harassed only by piquets and sharpshooters. Most of the Imperial troops were still busy entrenching themselves and did not immediately join the firing.