Desopya Campaign

Desopya Campaign
Part of the Divide War
(Clockwise from top left) Cacertian warships prior to the invasion. Syaran riflemen assume defensive positions. A Cacertian airship launching for a recon mission. A Cacertian Type 2 heavy tank during the August 1918 offensive.
Date 8 April 1917 - 22 September 1918 (1 year, 5 months, 2 weeks, 1 day) Location Desopya District, Syara Result Syaran Victory
Belligerents
Cacertian Empire Andria	Republic of Syara
Commanders and leaders
Cianna Davion Lea Davion Demetria Marik Bertino Bassadoar Orsa Calderara Ristoro Ziani	Lysikles Ikaros Perdiccas Aristophon Plexippos Lykurgos Temenos
Strength
42 Infantry Divisions (630,000 Infantry) 12 Shock Troop Battalions (9,600 Shock Infantry) 3 Railway Batteries (6 Railway Guns) 20 Armored Companies (375 Tanks) 4 Airship Squadrons (12 Airships)	138 Divisions (970,000 infantry) Territorial Militia (~700,000 volunteers) 3,000 guns
Casualties and losses
104,567 killed 173,323 wounded	310,000 killed 525,000 wounded

The Desopya Campaign was a campaign of the Divide War that took place on the Desopya peninsula in the Republic of Syara between 8 April 1917 and 22 September 1918. Following the Royal Navy’s inability to force Syara into a decisive naval battle, Cacertian military leaders decided to launch an amphibious landing of Royal Army components on the peninsula. The aim of the campaign was to eventually capture the Syaran capital of Zovahr and force a surrender, but the Royal Army encountered stiffer than anticipated resistance. After fifteen months of fighting and several attempted offensives, the campaign was abandoned and the invasion force withdrawn. The end of the Desopya campaign was a major Syaran victory and led to the eventual withdrawal of all Cacertian military forces from Eracura.

Background

Cacertian Strategy and the Desopya Peninsula

Before the plan for a land operation had been conceived, the Cacertians had hoped to draw the Syaran Navy into a pitched battle where superior Cacertian armor and gunnery would likely end in a decisive victory. The Royal Navy, at the time of the launch of the naval campaign, consisted mostly of dreadnoughts characterized for their slow speed and big-gun configurations. Grand Admiral Cianna Davion ordered a large portion of the Cacertian Northern Fleet into the Sundering Sea under the command of her grand-niece Lea Davion as a show of power. When talks with Syara began to deteriorate, the mission shifted from a show of power to a military campaign and Lea was later ordered to engage and destroy the Syaran Navy.

Lea spent nearly two months on the hunt and managed to engage the Syaran Navy in two battles, both of which were inconclusive. The CRN was unable to pursue the Syarans by virtue of the fact that Syaran ships, despite being less armed and armored, were faster and were capable of outrunning the Royal Navy. Lea's initial requests to High Command to launch a ground campaign were denied until the loss of a handful of dreadnoughts to Syaran guerrilla naval tactics prompted a re-evaluation of the Cacertian strategy. Cianna arrived in the Sanguine Sea in November 1917 and reaffirmed the Royal Navy's inability to catch Syaran naval forces in a major battle. Coastal batteries prevented the Royal Navy from entering bombardment range of most Syaran port cities and the restrictive terrain of the Sanguine Sea and the Sundering Sea made it difficult for the dreadnoughts to maneuver.

The difficulties of the Royal Navy had not been anticipated by strategists in the Cacerta and, even after a land campaign had been approved, it would take another several months before Royal Army forces could mobilize.

Preparations for Invasion

Syaran Defensive Preparations

As early as December 1916 the Syaran High Command and President Zoran Milaković considered the threat of Cacertian invasion and discussed potential defensive plans. Field Marshall Zoran Uzelac, the senior chief of staff of the Syaran Republican Army drew up an initial plan known as Plan F. Plan F was centered around the idea of a raiding campaign by Cacertian marines and focused attention on raising territorial militia to provide local defense against potential incursions. Plan F did not envision a serious ground campaign by the Cacertians, in part because Uzelac believed that the Cacertians would not risk a protracted land operations. By February 1917 foreign naval intelligence had indicated that the Cacertians were indeed planning just that, but most of the Syaran High Command dismissed such reports.

Major General Edward Kralj, commander of the Northern Military District (which included all of Desopya), was among the chief doubters of the Cacertian ground threat and did not respond to such reports with any serious conviction. Along with Major General Cvjetko Dorić, commander of First Army, Kralj dismissed concerns and made little effort to prepare Syaran army units for possible combat. It wasn't until President Milaković openly expressed his concern of a possible ground invasion did Kralj launch a preliminary investigation into possible defensive measures for the Syaran Republican Army. Kralj mostly focused on Field Marshall Uzelac's original plans in December the previous year. After pressure from the Syaran government continued, Kralj and Uzelac authorized the formation of several regiments of territorial militia; local civilians, law enforcement and discharged military veterans were the primary draftees for the regiments. Little effort was made for official training of the militia, and most personnel only received personal training from other members in their unit.

While the quality of the territorial militia was poor, it did provide nearly 200,000 men available for service in the event of an invasion, which initially pleased President Milaković until he personally reviewed the forces and found them wholly inadequate. In a personal meeting with Uzelac he urged the Field Marshal to prepare proper forces for the defense of Zovahr and the Desopya District. Uzelac remained unconvinced of the possibility of a Cacertian invasion but agreed to draw up plans for Syaran response to a serious Cacertian invasion effort. Plan Q drew up hundreds of thousands of reservists into paper formations and cadre divisions that could be activated in the event of an invasion. Plan Q, once implemented, would raise half a million troops into five field armies that would defend Syara's northern and western coast. In addition to the reserve armies, Uzelac promised to prepare an additional 200,000 troops for the territorial militia, recruiting from the urban and rural poor to double the size of the force. Despite the increase in numbers, training for the militia remained poor and equipment was in short supply.

Defensive fortifications remains virtually nonexistent until late March when the Zovahr defense units began digging trenches and constructing pillboxes around the city at the urging of Lt. General Vinko Klanac, commander of the Zovahr Defense District. Unlike his contemporaries Klanac viewed the threat of Cacertian invasion as very real and as early as October of 1916 had drawn up plans on how to defend the capital from possible attack. Klanac conscripted much of the city's population into constructing barriers and trenches around the city, so much so that many businesses and factories reported serious decline in production levels as a result of the defensive efforts. Despite the efforts of the Lt. General, most of Desopya remained undefended, with local militia battalions providing the only real defense against potential invaders, aside from the Syaran First Army.

Land Campaign

Battle of Viserajk

Having pushed the Syarans back towards their secondary defensive lines, the Cacertians poured their main effort into assaulting Viserajk, making the largest implementation of the Type 1 assault tanks and Type 2 heavy tanks. Heavy fighting erupted north and east of Viserajk, where the Cacertian armored assault ruptured the lines of the Syaran 59th Rifle Division, forcing back it's rear elements into the lines of the 63rd Rifle Division. In short order the Cacertians captured the small town, routing the Syaran defenders, who struggled to halt the Cacertian tanks. North of Viserajk the Syarans 61st, 62nd, and 63rd Rifle Divisions attempted to stall the Cacertian advance and turn the flank of the Cacertian drive, but were forced off by the Guards Rifle Divisions covering the main armored thrust. By August 16th, the 63rd Rifle Division had been routed and the Cacertians were in full control of the town, pressuring the 61st and 62nd Rifle Divisions. Under orders by Major General Koprivec, the 60th Rifle Division reinforced the beleaguered lines of the 65th and 66th Rifle Divisions, while the 66th and 67th Cavalry Divisions were to attack and attempt to conduct a pincer on the most forward element of the Cacertian advance guard. These attempts were beaten back with heavy losses for the Syarans, while the Cacertians were free to continue their advance on Rijtek.

Battle of Rijtek

Despite having routed the Syarans at Viserajk, the Cacertians were at this point beginning to grow weary of furthering their advance. While powerful, their Type 1 and 2 heavy tanks were frequently breaking down in the field, and despite inflicting heavy casualties on the Syaran defenders, fresh reserves were constantly being fed into the field, making the Cacertian advance continually more difficult. Despite the mounting difficulties and increased resistance by the Syarans, the Cacertians continued their offensive and on the morning of August 17th initiated their first assaults on Rijtek. Once again the Cacertian armored thrusts inflicted heavy losses on the 65th and 66th Rifle Divisions, but this time the Syarans were able to retreat further into Rijtek's urban environment, where the Cacertian armor struggled to operate. On August 18th the Syarans launched a counter stroke south of the city with the 79th and 80th Rifle Division against the Cacertian Guards Rifle troops, which failed to dislodge the Cacertian salient but allowed the Syarans to maintain control of the roadways leading into Rijtek, assuring a steady stream of supplies and ammunition to the town's defenders. August 20th saw the Cacertians effectively destroy the 65th and 66th Rifle Divisions as a fighting force, but in doing so the bulk of Cacerta's armor was now inoperable or destroyed. Syaran artillery was now taking it's serious toll on the Cacertian forces, and the Empire's salient around Rijtek was growing increasingly strained as time went on. On August 22nd the Syaran 81st Heavy Rifle Division and 82nd Rifle Division struck against the Cacertian forces in and south of Rijtek, driving back the Guards Rifle troops and regaining control of the main rail line running through the city. By August 25th the Cacertian position around Rijtek had become unsustainable due to heavy losses in both manpower and material, and at night the Cacertians began withdrawing from the city back towards Viserajk. The final Cacertian attempt to capture Zovahr had finally ended.

Order of Battle

Cacertian Forces

Initial Invasion Force
The 5th, 6th, and 9th Field Armies formed the main body of the initial Royal Army invasion force that landed on the shores of Syara on 8 April 1917 and suffered the most casualties of all the field armies deployed as a result.

Commander-in-Chief, Cacertian Invasion Forces: DivGen Bertino Bassadoar

5th Field Army (61,600 Infantry): BrigGen Lauretta Grimani

9th Grenadier Battalion

10th Grenadier Battalion

5th Guards Rifle Division

6th Guards Rifle Division

7th Guards Rifle Division

16th Rifle Infantry Division

6th Field Army (33,200 Infantry): BrigGen Agnolo Barbigia

11th Grenadier Battalion

12th Grenadier Battalion

13th Grenadier Battalion

4th Guards Grenadier Battalion

17th Rifle Infantry Division

18th Rifle Infantry Division

9th Field Army (90,000 Infantry): BrigGen Giovanni Foscarini

8th Guards Rifle Division

9th Guards Rifle Division

19th Rifle Infantry Division

20th Rifle Infantry Division

21st Rifle Infantry Division

22nd Rifle Infantry Division

Second Wave
The second wave of Cacertian forces made up the bulk of all Cacertian forces deployed during the Divide War. Large regiments of traditional infantry were deployed from staging grounds in Andria supported by heavy artillery, railway guns, and airships. The counter-attacks staged by Syara during the winter required the Royal Army to balance out its expeditionary force between line infantry and breakthrough infantry. The Cacertian Second Wave, under the command of Division General Orsa Calderara, was deployed in April 1918 after the battlelines solidified in the spring.

Commander-in-Chief, Cacertian Second Wave: DivGen Orsa Calderara

1st Railway Artillery Battery (3 280mm Railway Guns): Col Maffeo Accottato

2nd Railway Artillery Battery (3 360mm Railway Guns): Col Fiora Albergati

The twelve airships deployed in support of the Cacertian Second Wave were commanded by officers of the Cacertian Royal Air Fleet and marked the first major combat deployment of the newly founded military branch. They were led by Aerial Division Admiral Isabella Matelizi from her super-airship Rimini.

Commander-in-Chief, Cacertian Aerial Forces: AerDivAdm Isabella Matelizi

1st Aerial Expeditionary Bomber Squadron (4 G4 Super-Airships): AerDivAdm Isabella Matelizi

HMA Rimini

HMA Ancona

HMA Bergamo

HMA Carrera

1nd Aerial Expeditionary Gunship Squadron (4 G3 Gunships): AerRAdm Alesso Gonzaga

HMA Sanreno

HMA Ercolano

HMA Potenza

HMA Padova

3rd Aerial Expeditionary Recon Squadron (4 G2 Reconnaissance Airships): AerRAdm Stefano Carafa

HMA Lucca

HMA Sorrento

HMA Matera

HMA Prato

Third Wave
The third and final wave of Cacertian troops landed in Syara in August 1918 and consisted primarily of armored companies consisting of Type 1 assault tanks and Type 2 heavy tanks. Accompanied by several Guard Rifle Divisions and under the command of General of Armed Forces Demetria Marik, the third wave made up the bulk of the Cacertian August offensive and the Empire’s final attempt at breaking through Syaran defenses.

Commander-in-Chief, Cacertian Third Wave: ArmGen Demetria Marik

Syaran Forces

1st Army

• 1st Rifle Division
• 2nd Rifle Division
• 3rd Rifle Division
• 4th Cavalry Division
• 5th Rifle Division

2nd Army

• 6th Rifle Division
• 7th Rifle Division
• 9th Rifle Division
• 11th Rifle Division
• 12th Rifle Division
• 14th Rifle Division
• 15th Cavalry Division
• 16th Rifle Division

3rd Army

• 20th Rifle Division
• 22nd Rifle Division
• 24th Rifle Division
• 25th Rifle Division
• 26th Cavalry Division
• 27th Rifle Division
• 28th Rifle Division
• 30th Rifle Division

4th Army

• 8th Rifle Division
• 10th Rifle Division
• 13th Rifle Division
• 17th Rifle Division
• 18th Rifle Division
• 19th Cavalry Division
• 21st Cavalry Division
• 23rd Rifle Division

5th Army

• 31st Rifle Division
• 32nd Rifle Division
• 33rd Rifle Division
• 35th Rifle Division
• 36th Rifle Division
• 37th Heavy Rifle Division
• 38th Cavalry Division
• 39th Rifle Division
• 40th Cavalry Division

6th Army

• 41st Heavy Rifle Division
• 42nd Rifle Division
• 43rd Rifle Division
• 44th Rifle Division
• 45th Cavalry Division
• 46th Rifle Division
• 47th Rifle Division
• 48th Cavalry Division
• 49th Rifle Division

7th Army

• 50th Rifle Division
• 51st Heavy Rifle Division
• 52nd Rifle Division
• 53rd Rifle Division
• 54th Rifle Division
• 55th Rifle Division
• 56th Cavalry Division
• 57th Rifle Division
• 58th Cavalry Division

8th Army

• 59th Rifle Division
• 60th Rifle Division
• 61st Rifle Division
• 62nd Rifle Division
• 63rd Rifle Division
• 64th Rifle Division
• 65th Rifle Division
• 66th Cavalry Division
• 67th Cavalry Division

9th Army

• 68th Rifle Division
• 69th Rifle Division
• 70th Rifle Division
• 71st Rifle Division
• 72nd Rifle Division
• 73rd Cavalry Division
• 74th Rifle Division
• 75th Heavy Rifle Division
• 76th Cavalry Division

10th Army

• 77th Rifle Division
• 78th Rifle Division
• 79th Rifle Division
• 80th Rifle Division
• 81st Heavy Rifle Division
• 82nd Rifle Division
• 83rd Rifle Division
• 84th Cavalry Division
• 85th Cavalry Division