Battle of Oliv
Battle of Oliv | |||||||
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Part of Prodavan War | |||||||
Lord Rachdale leading 3rd Corps meets Brigadier McManaman on the outskirts of Oliv. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Vionna-Frankenlisch | Prodava | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
General Lord Rachdale |
General Rasseed Salahe | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Third Corps | 2 Corps | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
28,000 | 19,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1,671 killed, 3,512 wounded |
4,910 killed and wounded | ||||||
Between 1,000 and 2,500 civilians killed |
The Battle of Oliv was an engagement of the Prodavan War occuring during the Prodavan Oliv Offensive. It took place within the city of Oliv in Agrea, Vionna-Frankenlisch, and around the River Achola. The battle was fought over three days from 3rd to 6th April 1991 between Imperial forces under the Viscount Rachdale and Brigadier Colum McManaman and 19,000 Prodavans under the command of General Rasseed Salahe. The Prodavans were in the midst of a counter-offensive in the region of Agrea, intended to seize the city of Oliv and destroy a significant portion of the Imperial Army in southeastern Vionna. Operation-Group Oliv was made up of forces from Prodavan 2nd Corps and, at the begining of the battle, vastly outnumbered the 4,000 defenders of the city.
Operation-Group Oliv, after taking the Imperial airbase at Kavarres, spent 3rd and 4th April in rest and prayer while their artillery shelled Imperial positions across the River Achola. The Prodavan assault on the city began on the 5th and the delay gave time for Lord Rachdale's hastily formed Third Corps to march east from Octan. After making considerable gains in Oliv and causing heavy casualties to Brigadier McManaman's defenders, Prodavan forces were surprised and forced back by the sudden arrival of Rachdale's corps. Fierce fighting regained the city for the Imperial forces and General Salahe withdrew his remaining forces on 6th April.
Defeat at Oliv was a critical failure for the Prodavans who, until that point, had looked ready to inflict a decisive blow against Vionna-Frankenlisch. By failing to take the city, and then withdrawing, Salahe handed the initiative back to the Imperials who he had kept on the back-foot. A counter-attack by Rachdale's Third Corps inflicted a further defeat on Salahe's retreating forces, retaking Kavarres on 9th April. A breakout effort by the encircled Imperial Second Corps on 6th April succeeded, bringing an end to the Battle of Hill 451. A further victorious action was fought at Elerio on the 11th by Second Corps and they were united with Imperial Third Corps on the 12th.