Battle of Oliv

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Battle of Oliv
Part of Prodavan War
The Relief of Ladysmith by John Henry Frederick Bacon.jpg
Lord Rachdale leading 3rd Corps meets Brigadier McManaman on the outskirts of Oliv.
Date3rd - 6th April 1991
Location
Oliv, Earldom of Agrea
Result Imperial Victory
Belligerents

Flag of Castile-La Mancha.svg Vionna-Frankenlisch

Grand Ceasian Flag.png Imperial Ceasia		 New Prodavan Flag.png Prodava
Commanders and leaders

Major General Lord Rachdale

Brigadier Colum McManaman

General Rasseed Salahe

General Idrees el-Akram
Units involved
Third Corps 2 Corps (Operation-Group Oliv)
Strength
31,000 19,000
Casualties and losses

1,671 killed, 3,512 wounded

approx. 400 captured

4,910 killed and wounded

3,000 captured

Between 1,000 and 2,500 civilians killed

Heavy damage to the eastern half of Oliv

The Battle of Oliv was an engagement of the Prodavan War occurring 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 beginning 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.

Background

Opening of the War

The Prodavan War was declared on 14th March 1991. Following the death of Sultan Abu Taiseer al-Shahid, Prodava had fallen into a period of civil anarchy known as Black February which was marked by open fighting between the two paramilitary units that served the Prodavan government: the monarchist Mameluk Guard and the nationalist Bedouin Guard. The Pomeron Revolution and the Greenshirt Coup saw Prodava transition violently into a republic led by Aisha Bardour. After a short build-up of tensions, Vionna-Frankenlisch declared war on Prodava with the stated aims of retaking territory formerly belonging to Imperial Ceasisa and restoring the Prodavan monarchy.

Operation Towton saw the first major action of the war when the city of Loukussa in northern Prodava fell to an Imperial offensive. A second offensive, Operation Teuton, failed to breakthrough the heavily-defended Ramulani Line. Despite this failure, the capture of Loukussa was a significant victory and swung the tide of war decisively in favour of Vionna-Frankenlisch.

Oliv Offensive

In response to these early movements, the Prodavan General Staff planned to launch a counter-offensive in the west against the southermost part of Vionna-Frankenlisch - the county of Agrea. Forty-thousand men were organised into the 2nd Corps and placed under the command of General Rasseed Salahe. The offensive began on 27th March and quickly achieved one of its objectives by completing the encirclement of Hill 451, an important Imperial position, at the Battle of Elerio. An Imperial counterattack at the Second Battle of Elerio was beaten back and 19,000 Imperial troops had become trapped in the Hill 451 pocket. The encirclement prevented the arrival of supplies and reinforcements and communication was possible only by a semaphore at the peak of the hill which was put out of action by artillery fire early in the battle. From the airfield at Kavarres, IAS pilots flew mission to drop supplies via parachute.

Salahe continued his victorious campaign on 1st April by attacking Kavarres. The town held out until night, allowing the aircraft to escape and the garrison to slip away in the darkness. Two regiments of cavalry and the IAS ground personnel at Kavarres escaped to Oliv and news of the approaching Prodavans - 19,000 strong under Salahe; was passed on to the Duke of Cunaris at Octan, the capital of Agrea. After taking the abandoned Kavarres on the morning of 2nd April, Salahe moved against Oliv. Operation-Group Oliv arrived on the east bank of the River Achola on the morning of 3rd April.

Opposing Forces

Imperial

Garrison
The Imperial garrison of Oliv was not strong. Under the command of Brigadier Colum McManaman, 4,000 Imperial troops were in the city when the Prodavans arrived on 3rd April. Much of this force was cavalry or rear-echelon troops, along with several hundred combat troops which had become separated from their units over the course of the campaign. Brigadier McManaman was a cavalry officer of some experience who had been in the city on administrative duties and took command of the garrison on 2nd April when a more senior officer could not be found. His forces consisted of:

around 600 troops from various units - organised into 3 companies of roughly 200

Third Corps
Imperial Third Corps was a hastily-arranged formation which numbered 27,000 men and came under command of Major General the Viscount Rachdale. Third Corps was formed on 2nd April and marched east from Octan that day. Forces of Third Corps did not arrive in Oliv until the afternoon of 5th April but were able to intervene in time to turn the tide of battle and save the city. Third Corps consisted of:

Two siege batteries (the 101st and 98th) of the Royal Artillery were also part of the corps and were equipped with heavy mortars. During the battle, the Margrave of Grunicza led an ad-hoc brigade of grenadiers numbering 2,000.

Prodavan

General Rasseed Salahe's Operation-Group Oliv was a force of 19,000 troops drawn from Prodavan 2 Corps. The group was focused around three infantry brigades of the Republican Army but included other supporting units. A more detailed breakdown is:

  • 20th Brigade - 6,000 men in 4 battalions - Brigadier Hajid Askoy
  • 23rd Brigade - 6,000 men in 4 battalions - Brigadier Binay el-Sattar
  • 25th Brigade - 6,000 men in 4 battalions - Brigadier Abdul Cevik
  • 1st Armoured Car Detachment - 1,000 men in 4 companies - Colonel Alexander MacEllem
  • 16th Artillery Regiment - 12 guns, 500 men in 3 batteries
  • 17th Artillery Regiment - 12 guns, 500 men in 3 batteries

1st Cavalry Brigade arrived late (1,800 men in 4 regiments)

The twelve infantry battalions of 20th Brigade, 23rd Brigade, and 25th Brigade made up the bulk of Operation-Group Oliv. Support came in the form of Colonel MacEllem's 1st Armoured Car Detachment and the 16th and 17th Artillery regiments, each with three batteries of howitzers.

Air support was provided by the Prodavan Air Force in its first wartime deployment. Attack planes of I. Squadron and II. Squadron made bombing runs on Imperial positions and escort was provided by fighters of IV. Squadron. Most Prodavan aircraft were of Imperial manufacture and had been acquired during the reign of Abu Taiseer al-Shahid on the advice of Lord Bentley, an Imperial advisor at the Prodavan court.

Battle: 3rd-4th April

Imperial Defensive Preparations

With only 4,000 defenders, including only a single battalion of front-line infantry, Brigadier McManaman's preparations were centered around getting the best out of his limited forces. He established his headquarters at St Ademois Church on the Plaza of the Faiths, the central square of Oliv. The other two places of worship were taken over for the use of the defenders: the Central Mosque of Oliv became a munitions dump and the Christian Church of Oliv became a casualty clearing station. The Mosque, in particular, was chosen as McManaman did not believe the (mostly) Islamic Prodavans would shell it. The Plaza was fortified with sandbag barriers and makeshift barricades and the 1st Battalion, Royal Agrea Rifles were placed there. This battalion was McManaman's only unit of steady infantry and he kept it close at hand, planning to employ its five companies as flying columns to reinforce positions which were under pressure.

Aware that the Prodavans' only way into the city was by crossing the River Achola, McManaman had his engineers, the 6th Field Regiment, mine many of the major bridges into the city. Several were blown up outright and several others were rigged to explode and observed. The only one left untouched was the main bridge into the city, the Vinicius Severus Memorial Bridge which connected the main highway from the east to Maria Perchowska Square. The Vinicius Severus Bridge was heavily fortified with barricades, barbed wire and machinegun nests by the 6th Field Regiment, Royal Engineers. The engineers assigned two companies to defend the bridge and the 600 men of the Agrea Yeomanry took up positions in the buildings around the bridge and Maria Perchowska Square.

Several minor bridges remained, these were mostly footbridges and single-lane road or tramways. These were mostly on the south-west of the city and McManaman left their defence to dismounted troopers of the King's Agrean Lancers and Royal Eglantine Dragoons. With 1200 troopers together, these regiments garrisoned the buildings along the bank of the Achola. There were nine bridges to be defended, most of them very small. Colonel Douglas of the Eglantine Dragoons commanded the defense in this sector and lamented the lack of machineguns: "A single machinegun would have been enough."he stated, "As chokepoints, the bridges were invaluable, but carbines and revolvers could not keep up the rate-of-fire we needed. A single Lancaster gun could have held up the Mohammedists for a week."

Prodavan Arrival and Initial Fighting

Following a full day's march from Kavarres, Rasseed Salahe's Operation-Group Oliv of 19,000 troops arrived on the Plain of St Ademios (the open plain directly east of Oliv across the River Achola) on the morning of 3rd April. A short skirmish developed between Imperial cavalry scouts on the plain and the arriving vanguard of Salahe's force. No casualties were reported by either side and the scouts were driven back into the city and one trooper of the Agrea Yeomanry was taken prisoner. The first Prodavan forces to arrive were the brigade cavalry of the 20th, 23rd, and 25th Brigades. These were followed by Colonel MacEllem's 1st Armoured Car Detachment. While the rest of the Prodavan army filed onto the plain and began to set up camp, Salahe gave the order for 1st Armoured Car Detachment to launch an assault on the Vinicius Severus Bridge. MacEllem initially counselled against the order but Salahe, anxious to prevent the defenders from blowing up the last main bridge into the city, insisted.

Colonel MacEllem arrayed the 96 armoured cars of his unit on the plain before the bridge. 1st Armoured Car Detachment was split into 4 combat companies and a detachment for maintenance, supply, and non-combat services. The 4 combat companies consisted of 200 men each with 24 cars, 72 crewmen, 18 reserve crewmen and 110 light infantrymen to support the armoured vehicles. Captain Kasin al-Hanif volunteered to lead the assault with Ceyhan (c) Company and MacEllem accepted, as that company had taken the least losses during the campaign. In a staggered formation, Ceyhan Company advanced on the bridge without coming under fire. In buildings and behind barricades, the Imperial defenders around the bridge remained unseen until a tremendous fire opened up when Ceyhan Company was most of the way across the Vinicius Severus Bridge. Though the defenders lacked heavy ordnance, the Lancaster machineguns they possessed were capable of penetrating the armoured cars' plates at certain angles. Rifle and machinegun fire 'buttoned' the Prodavan vehicles, disorienting their crews and damaging wheels, guns, and vision slits. Three vehicles were knocked out outright and five more became bogged down under heavy gunfire. Under the withering fusillade the Prodavan infantry was unable to advance with the armoured cars and Captain al-Hanif, wounded badly in the arm and shoulder, ordered the retreat.

Salahe decided against a second attack. 1st Armoured Car Detachment was now at 60% strength from vehicle breakdowns and battle losses during the campaign. Instead, Salahe declared 4th April to be a day of rest, prayer, and preparation. 16th and 17th Artillery Regiments were dug in to firing positions around noon and their six batteries, 24 howitzers in total, began their bombardment of the Imperial positions defending the Vinicius Severus Bridge at 3pm on the 3rd. The Prodavan Air Force saw its first wartime deployment on the 4th. Over the previous decade, the twelve squadrons of the PAF had seen service against banditry and piracy but had yet to see action in wartime. Two attack squadrons escorted by a fighter squadron (30 aircraft in total) launched an attack on Imperial positions on Maria Perchowska Square. The bombardment from aircraft and artillery inflicted heavy damage on the Imperial defenses and, though counselled by his staff to launch a fresh assault on the city, Salahe refused to change his plans - there would be no attacks on the 4th.

4th April passed uneventfully. Prodavan artillery and air attacks lasted until mid-afternoon and the rest of the day was given to rest and prayer. The bombardment had caused heavy damage to Imperial positions and work began on repairing and consolidating immediately after its cessation. Brigadier McManaman inspected defenses on Maria Perchwoska Square and around the Vinicius Severus Bridge and moved C Company of the 6th Field Regiment, RE to help with the defensive work. This continued overnight and, by morning, much of the damage had been repaired. The positions in this sector were occupied by 600 men of the Agrea Yeomanry, 300 men of 6th Field Regiment, RE, and a field gun of 94th (Reserve) Battery, Royal Artillery.

Battle: 5th April

Attack on the bridges

Imperial troops of Third Corps march out of Octan.

Though Salahe stood by his decision not to attack on the 4th, the lack of a follow-up assault worried his staff. They persuaded him to begin the assault on the city at dawn. The impatience of Salahe's staff was exacerbated by a flurry of reports which had arrived at 2 Corps headquarters. Coming from a multitude of sources: local scouts, PAF pilots, and a spy in Octan; the reports suggested that a large force of Imperial reinforcements was on the march for Oliv. These reports varies in their details, however, and Salahe could not be sure how many troops made up the force, what equipment it possessed, or even which day it had left Octan. In truth, Lord Rachdale's Third Corps had marched out from Octan on the 2nd, the same day it had been formed, but the dates suggested to Salahe's staff ranged from 30th March right up until the morning of the 5th. Inter-service rivalry between the Republican Army and the PAF was strong at the time and aerial reconnaissance was in its early days so the intelligence reported by the PAF was disregarded erroneously - the PAF reports were the most accurate of those which survive. The Prodavans also did not fully trust their local scouts, most of them Agrean Muslims, and their advice was often not sought. When Salahe ordered the first attacks to begin at 0600 on 5th April, he and his staff were under the inaccurate belief that Lord Rachdale's force had left Octan the previous day and consisted of an infantry division and a cavalry brigade (the total was estimated at 14,000 troops). The source of this information is still unknown, though a common (unconfirmed) suggestion is that a Prodavan spy in Octan was deceived or bribed into reporting it.

Although under the misguided belief that he had several days to take the city, Salahe wanted to secure the bridges across the Achola early. With several already destroyed, there remained twelve bridges into Oliv. Three of these were road bridges, two were railway bridges, and the remaining seven were single-lane or footbridges. 1st Armoured Car Detachment, along with 20th Brigade, were assigned to take the Vinicius Severus Bridge. Binay el-Sattar's 23rd Brigade was provided with motor vehicles and ordered to seize as many of the other bridges as possible. 4th, 5th, and 7th Brigade Cavalry Squadrons rode hard to be in position to the south of the city. 80th, 84th, 89th, and 95th Infantry Battalions made up 23rd Brigade and, divided into companies, they began the battle at 0615 by attacking several bridges on the south-western side of the city. The infantry battalions drove up in motor vehicles (mostly Kiurcu trucks and motorcycles) and stormed the bridges. The two road bridges in the area were successfully detonated by the defenders before fighting could begin but four footbridges and a tram bridge in the sector of the Royal Eglantine Dragoons were taken in swift attacks. Stretched thin, the Imperial defenders could not effectively defend the whole area. The Royal Eglantine Dragoons took 100 casualties but inflicted 300 casualties on the Prodavans and successfully held the Sir Hubert Blackstone Railway Bridge. Colonel Douglas' dragoons withdrew further into the city around 7am, leaving the captured bridges in the hands of the Prodavans. Defensive positions around the Sir Hubert Blackstone bridge were reinforced by a company of 200 mixed troops. The fighting was not heavy and, in several places, Imperial troopers withdrew without a fight. Lieutenant F. Bolken of B Squadron was court-martialled and shot following the battle (on charges of cowardice, and of inciting his men to mutiny) for leading his troop away from their positions despite their willingness to stand and fight. 23rd Brigade's infantry lost 58 men killed and 39 wounded in this area, the Royal Eglantine Dragoons sustained 102 casualties including 31 captured.

A crude sketch of the area found in the diary of Captain G.H. Walcott.

23rd Brigade's cavalry contingent (300 troopers in total) moved against the south of Oliv, where the River Achola bulges southwards. This was the sector of the King's Agrean Lancers under Colonel C.V. Palmer and his 600 troopers had taken up positions in the buildings on the north bank of the river. These included a branch of Lowrey's Bank and the vaunted Guthrie's Hotel. The Prodavans' objectives in this sector were two footbridges connecting two sides of a set of gardens, a single-lane road bridge known as the 'Mailway' for its use by postal vans, and a small rail bridge used by coal and mail trains. The high frontages and sturdy construction of the buildings in this area made them firm defensive positions. Palmer's lancers positioned themselves at windows, behind pillars and behind solid barricades constructed from paving stones and heavy furniture. The Prodavan attack was led by Major Wilhelm Woutsch (a Wolfswooder mercenary of some renown). Woutsch ordered 4th Squadron to take the gardens and 5th Squadron to take the railway bridge, while he himself led 7th Squadron to take the Mailway. The cavalry attack began at 0650.

Colonel Palmer's lancers were poorly-prepared to fight as infantry. Each trooper had a carbine but they were inaccurate at long distances and they had not been issued with bayonets for close fighting. Palmer's request for a machine-gun had been refused by McManaman and his only piece of significant ordnance was a mountain gun of 109th (Reserve) Battery, Royal Artillery. The Prodavan cavalry were spotted advancing at 0700 and the first firing began five minutes later. A short bombardment by light artillery was followed up by a charge by 4th Brigade Cavalry Squadron which swept about twenty defenders from the gardens on the south bank of the river: ten Imperial troopers were captured for the cost of three Prodavans killed. In these gardens, 4th Squadron dismounted as the horses could not cross the footbridges at speed. 23rd Brigade's light guns were brought up and the attack carried on across the two footbridges. Light artillery mostly blasted the Imperial defenders out of their positions in the north bank gardens but the Prodavans still took heavy casualties filing across the narrow footbridges. The position fell at 0715 and the remaining defenders fell back to the nearby buildings. In the fighting for the gardens, Imperial casualties were 38 and Prodavan casualties were around 55.

Imperial troops fighting amongst the hedges of the Oliv River Gardens.

Major Woutsch led 7th Squadron over the Mailway at 0655 under heavy fire from Lowrey's Bank. The accuracy of Imperial musketry was poor, many troopers had not fired their carbines since their basic training. Lieutenant J. Edkins' troop was behind cover on either side of the bridge and caused several casualties, taking the Prodavans in enfilade from both sides. Woutsch rallied his squadron and they engaged Edkins' troopers from horseback, firing pistols and cutting with sabers. Edkins was badly wounded and the whole troop became casualties. In resisting from the ground, however, Edkins' troop blocked the Prodavans' path and caused heavy casualties in return. Three attempts to storm Lowrey's Bank were repulsed and Woutsch retreated with his men. 7th Squadron, having lost half of their men (mostly wounded), rode across to join 5th Squadron in its attack on the railway bridge.

5th Squadron's attack began slightly later at 0705 under the direction of Captain Ekami. The squadron was forced to dismount as the horses had trouble walking on the railway tracks at speed. Enduring fire from the frontage of Guthrie's Hotel, 5th Squadron divided into sections and advanced along the cover of the bridge parapet. The exchange of fire was furious and, again, Imperial musketry was inaccurate. The Prodavans, armed with rifles and better trained in their use, had the advantage and the arrival of Woutsch with 50 reinforcements at 0735 swung the balance decisively in their favour. Captain Lord P. Patterson-Davis, commanding the Imperial troops in Guthrie's Hotel, held the position for another thirty minutes but reinforcements were unable to reach him. The hotel was abandoned at 0810, leaving the Prodavans in control of the railway bridge. Though brief exchanges of fire carried on for a while, the main fighting in this sector had fallen into a lull by 0830. Out of twelve bridges, the Prodavans had taken eight, two had been destroyed, and two had been held by the Imperial defenders.

Crossing the Vinicius Severus Bridge

While the Imperial defenders were still reeling from the south-western battle, Salahe unleashed his main assault in the direction of Maria Perchwoska Square. A force was assembled, again led by 1st Armoured Car Detachment, which numbered about 6,000 troops. Five battalions of infantry accompanied the armoured vehicles, tasked with crossing the Vinicius Severus Bridge, routing its defenders, and capturing Maria Perchowska Square. Once the units were in order, Colonel MacEllem and Brigadier Abdul Cevik of the 25th Brigade began the attack.

The spearhead of the attack was Bolu (b) Company of 1st Armoured Car Detachment. Two companies of 110th Infantry Battalion followed up in support as the armoured vehicles began their drive across the bridge. Two unmanned barricades were destroyed before the Prodavans ran into resistance. Imperial snipers caused casualties from afar and had to be suppressed by machinegun fire. At 0845, a heavy fire began from the defenders which targeted the lead vehicles of the column. The Imperial tactic of 'buttoning' armoured vehicles was first used significantly in the Imperial Civil War and was used during this engagement: concentrated machinegun and rifle fire aimed at tires/tracks, vision slits, and hatches. This was supposed to disorient the vehicle crews and, though it would rarely penetrate the armour, keep the vehicle from responding. Though ineffective against more heavily armoured vehicles, against the Prodavan armoured cars (most of Imperial design) the 'buttoning' tactic was highly successful. Bolu Company lost three cars to direct hits from an Imperial field gun and two more were rendered immobile. The armoured attack stalled and was overtaken by the infantry who met the full brunt of the defenders' fire. 110th Infantry Battalion took heavy casualties and Colonel MacEllem rode up on horseback to stabilise the situation and organise the retreat. The attack cost 80 men and five armoured cars.

In spite of the failure of the first attack, it did not take long to reform the assault group. 17th Artillery Regiment turned its guns to support a second attack and Colonel MacEllem led it personally in his armoured car. The bombardment was short but intense and Imperial positions around the bridge were pounded by shrapnel and high explosive shells. After this preliminary shelling, the second attack stepped off at 0940. Again, Imperial snipers took their toll but the defensive fire was not so heavy - many men had become casualties in the bombardment and several positions had been destroyed by shellfire. Two armoured cars were lost before the Imperial field gun was taken out by concentrated gunfire. Once the first Prodavan forces had reached the far side of the bridge, they sought cover and used signal flags to announce their arrival to the troops behind them. Casualties in the second crossing were around 90 men killed and wounded but a foothold on the far bank had been won and the rest of 110th Infantry Battalion and the full force of 98th Infantry Battalion crossed the bridge to join the assault on Maria Perchwoska Square. For the Imperial defenders of the square, mostly engineers of 6th Field Regiment and dismounted cavalrymen of the Agrea Yeomanry, the Prodavan forces were insurmountable. Colonel J.E. Chalois of the Agrea Yeomanry, commanding the defenders in this sector, knew his forces could not hold the Prodavans off for long and pursued a strategy of steady retreat - inflicting as much damage on the Prodavans as possible.

Brigadier Cevik and his staff crossed the bridge at 1020 to oversee the clearing of the square. 110th and 98th Infantry Battalions split into companies to clear the Imperial positions one-by-one. Imperial forces abandoned their positions at the center of the square to spare the monuments there from destruction. Chalois' 1,100 troops occupied a horseshoe-shaped line around the square and this prevented the Prodavans from moving into the open area. Prodavan forces were forced to roll up the line position-by-position with grenades, bayonets, and pistols, in close quarter fighting. This would be a lengthy process in which their only advantage was numbers. Chalois sent to McManaman for reinforcements and began his policy of a fighting retreat. Imperial forces, especially the engineers, were better suited for fighting in close quarters and the Prodavans took heavy casualties clearing Drummond's Corner (a set of commercial buildings at the south-eastern corner of the square). Positions were abandoned steadily when the pressure became to heavily and many Imperial troops left booby-traps in the positions they had been forced from. Rigged explosives and other traps forced the Prodavans to be wary. Major al-Ikkara of the 110th Battalion was killed when a suspended concrete block was dropped on his head by a trap - the angered Prodavans shot five prisoners in retaliation.

Though reinforcements had been promised by McManaman, Chalois saw that the situation was hopeless. Imperial forces were putting up a valiant effort and inflicting heavy casualties, but Chalois had no reserves and each position lost diminished his command. Chalois evacuated his wounded and requested McManaman's position to withdraw deeper into the city. By the time Brigadier McManaman gave his consent (around 1100), Imperial forces around Maria Perchwoska Square had taken 350 casualties (included 150 taken prisoner) and had inflicted 450 Prodavan losses. Chalois' forces withdrew in good order, moving to positions deeper into the city. The Prodavans, exhausted by the efforts to take the square and concerned with their own wounded, allowed the Imperials to escape unhindered. General Idrees el-Akram, Salahe's second-in-command, crossed the bridge with five battalions of infantry to relieve Cevik's tired troops and consolidate the square - ready for the assault on the rest of Oliv.

Moving into the city

After clearing up the last of the booby-traps and moving the wounded and prisoners to the rear, General el-Akram set about moving into the city and driving out the last of the defenders. Prodavan intelligence regarding Imperial strength was poor and the defenders they had captured revealed conflicting information. The Prodavan Air Force flew a reconnaissance flight but the dense streets of the city made spotting tricky. The PAF report was therefore mostly speculation. The main portion of 20th and 25th Brigades were now in Oliv and the Prodavans had a significant foothold. El-Akram, as Cevik had done, divided his forces into companies and directed them out into the city. Where Imperial strong-points were discovered, 17th Artillery Regiment pounded them with explosive shells before infantry cleared them with bayonets and grenades. Casualties were significant in this street fighting and over a thousand civilians were killed by the bombardment, though Prodavan troops generally treated the locals well. Brigadier Cevik had four of his men shot for looting and a Corporal was demoted for desecrating a shrine. Thirty yeomen were captured in the Royal Sheikh Theater when Prodavan troopers of 11th Brigade Cavalry Squadron threatened the burn the building down around them.

Troops of the Royal Agrea Rifles moving within the city.

By these tactics of bombardment and storming buildings, the Prodavan forces made steady progress into the city and by 1200 a quarter of the city had fallen into Prodavan control. The push out from Maria Perchwoska Square was coordinated with a drive north by 23rd Brigade from the south. Imperial forces in Oliv had taken around 15% casualties by this point and Brigadier McManaman had heard nothing from Octan or 3rd Corps. With significant pressure on the defenders, McManaman drew a line of defence across the city and ordered Imperial forces to retreat towards that line. The defence was centered around the Plaza of the Faiths where McManaman made his headquarters. McManaman hoped that the Prodavans would spare the plaza from bombardment, for fear of hitting the mosque. At 1230, the order was circulated and Imperial troops fell back in the direction of the Plaza and the Royal Agrea Rifles entrenched themselves in that sector of the city.

Unimpeded, except by a few rearguard actions, the Prodavan forces swept through the south-east of Oliv. At a crossroad on Ademios Road and St Barnaby's Street, 80 troopers of the Agrea Yeomanry erected a barricade and held the Prodavan 99th Infantry Battalion for half an hour to allow supplies and wounded to be evacuated north-west. By 1330, the full force of Prodavan 20th Brigade had joined the battle and a line extended from Guthrie's Hotel (to the direct south of the Plaza of the Faiths) to Maria Perchwoska Square (to the direct east of the Plaza). 23rd Brigade occupied the left of the line, 20th Brigade moved into the center, and 25th Brigade held the right. General Salahe remained in the Prodavan camp on the Plain of St Ademios and General el-Akram took command of the Prodavan forces in the city. El-Akram ordered the advance paused until 1400 so the line could be stabilised and fresh ammunition brought up.

At 1345, morale for the Prodavans reached a new high as 1st Cavalry Brigade arrived in the Prodavan camp. Though they did not represent a significant reinforcement, numbering 1,800 troopers, the arrival of fresh troops was welcomed and Brigadier Hasan Yavas, commanding the brigade, was a popular figure in the army. Salahe retained the brigade on his side of the river, despite requests from el-Ekram for it to be sent into the city. As Brigadier McManaman had hoped, Salahe forbid his artillery from firing on the Plaza of the Faiths as he did not wish to risk damaging the mosque, and damaging the churches could anger the Christians amongst his army.

The advance into Oliv continued at 1400 and Brigadier Askoy's 20th Brigade, fresher than the other brigades, was tasked with taking the Plaza of the Faiths. Spared from bombardment, McManaman's positions on the Plaza were strong and held mainly by the 1st Battalion, Royal Agrea Rifles. Machineguns and field guns were placed in positions where they could cover the whole plaza. Colonel Ozgen, leading 82nd Infantry Battalion, was killed at the head of his men and the battalion took 20% casualties in only 15 minutes. The energetic command of Colonel Lawrence Turner was a source of inspiration for the men of the Royal Agrea Rifles and he was awarded the Military Cross after the battle. Without the support of their artillery, the Prodavans were kept pinned by accurate Imperial rifle fire and disjointed attempts by groups of men to rush forward were met with rifles and machineguns. One company of the 78th Infantry Battalion did manage to close with the Imperial positions but were pushed back in brutal close combat, losing 80 men and their commander.

Arrival of 3rd Corps

Imperial positions around the Plaza of the Faiths fought off several more half-hearted attempts to break through but, by 1430, ammunition was running short. Stocks were replenished by taking bullets from dead and wounded men and Lieutenant F.I. Gambon of the Lancers made a sortie to bring back Prodavan rifles and ammunition. This relieved the situation somewhat but Colonel Turner still did not expect his ammunition to last longer than an hour. McManaman took his ADC and Colonel Chalois of the Yeomanry and galloped west to the outskirts of the city, hoping to find a working telegraph station with connection to Octan. The officers were distracted in their search by the cheering of civilians and rode to investigate. They were delighted to find Imperial cavalry in column approaching rapidly from the west and McManaman sent for the rest of his staff to join him.

The cavalry was from the advanced guard of Lord Rachdale's 3rd Corps. Three regiments of cavalry were at the head of Rachdale's column: the Julianopolis Mounted Rifles, the Royal Prodavan Borderers, and the Agrea Volunteer Horse. Rachdale and his staff rode up to the head of the column and, eschewing a more disciplined greeting, McManaman embraced him rapturously. Lord Rachdale forgave the gesture. Whilst McManaman and Rachdale discussed the situation in Oliv, the first Imperial reinforcements entered the city. The Margrave of Grunicza led an ad-hoc brigade of 2,000 grenadiers split from their parent battalions. McManaman directed the Margrave towards the Plaza of the Faiths and Rachdale gave him the order: "Take your sword to the Prodavan enemy. It does not return to the sheath until they are on the far side of the Achola - or in it." Grunicza, officially Colonel of the King's Breemian Grenadiers (then reserve-listed), led his brigade from the front into the city and was met at the Plaza by Colonel Turner. The arrival of reinforcements turned back an attack by Prodavan 81st Battalion and a swift counter-attack had driven the entirety of Prodavan 20th Brigade back from the Plaza of the Faiths by 1500.

A fourth regiment of Imperial cavalry, the King's Own Julianopolis Hussars, arrived at Oliv at 1510. Lord Rachdale placed Colonel Lord W. Argyros of the Hussars in commanded of the 4 regiments which were brigaded together temporarily. This force of 2,400 troopers was ordered into the city to the right of the Imperial line to hold McManaman's flank and to prepare for a counter-attack. Argyros' brigade was followed at 1540 by the arrival of I and II Legions of the Imperial and Royal Ceasian Army, led by Lavrentios Sylivian and Marcus Manides respectively. The two legions were ordered forward into the city. I Legion would hold the Plaza of the Faiths, and II Legion would form up on the left of the Imperial line. By 1620, Imperial forces within Oliv outnumbered the Prodavans: 17,200 Imperial troops (9,600 of them Ceasian) faced roughly 11,900 Prodavans.

At 1630, Lord Grunicza's brigade continued its drive west and Prodavan 20th Brigade was sent tumbling back in confusion. It took some time for news of the Imperial reinforcements to spread. Brigadier Hajid Askoy, whose own 20th Brigade was being forced back by them, was unaware of the Imperial reinforcements until a messenger reached him at 1640. Grunicza continued his advance and the Royal Sheik Theater was retaken at 1655. Wounded Prodavans being evacuated across the Vincius Severus Bridge gave General el-Akram the news at 1700 that two battalions of Imperial infantry had arrived. Captain Mokkara of 79th Infantry Battalion clarified that the Imperial reinforcements were the 2nd Battalion, Royal Agrean Rifles, and the 1st Battalion, Royal Kingsbridge Rifles. These battalions were not even in 3rd Corps and Captain Mokkara was transferred to command a military prison after the battle. General Salahe was not aware of 3rd Corps' arrival until at least 1720 and, by this point, Grunicza had Maria Perchowska Square well in sight.

Drive into the city

With 2,000 grenadiers, the Margrave of Grunicza led from the front and drove Prodavan 20th Brigade back building-by-building. The grenadiers, armed with submachineguns, grenades, and hand-axes, were fearsome opponents in close-combat and the Prodavans took heavy casualties as they were pushed back towards Maria Perchowska square. Artillery support was ineffective, Grunicza's brigade pressed close against the Prodavan line and artillery fire could not be coordinated with the infantry and fears were raised over friendly-fire. The Tatteray Hotel, Chalois' former headquarters, was recaptured at 1740 and 40 prisoners were rescued from the basement. Colonel Nubrak of the 81st Battalion was captured by troops of the Royal Darlington Regiment as he covered the retreat of his wounded.

Grenadiers of the Royal Fredericksburgh Regiment recaptured the center of Maria Perchowska Square at 1800 and draped Vionna-Frankenlischian flags over the statues and structures there. A Prodavan officer who attempted to burn one of these flags was shot. Grunicza's grenadiers split into companies and set about clearing the buildings around the square. This task did not take long. The Prodavans were cut-off from support and could not rely on their artillery. Despite the heavy pressure they were under, the Prodavan forces in that sector held strong against repeated and devastating assaults. News reached Lord Rachdale at 1900 that Maria Perchowska Square was not yet fully retaken and, against Grunicza's wishes, Rachdale ordered the fighting in that area to be halted until reinforcements from Theocaris Cita's III Legion arrived. Grunicza's grenadiers entrenched themselves in the square and waited. Imperial troops continued to enter the city until midnight but Rachdale cautiously ordered his troops to hold their positions, he did not wish the battle to continue until the following morning.

Battle: 6th April

Recapture of Maria Perchowska Square

At 0700 on 6th April, after a night of uncomfortable rest, Lord Rachdale ordered his forces to continue their drive to retake Oliv. The Margrave of Grunicza roused his grenadiers and led an immediate shock attack with his full force. In half an hour of brutal close-quarters combat, the eastern side of Maria Perchowska Square was captured. 300 Prodavans were captured during this action and the arrival of III Legion sealed the battle for the square. Imperial Ceasian troops moved into the captured buildings and the defensive positions in the center of the square. Ceasian auxiliaries with rocket-guns were bought up to fire on Prodavan positions on the western side of the square. Though Theocaris Cita wanted to wait, the Margrave of Grunicza insisted on launching an assault before 8am and his grenadiers stormed the buildings at 0750.

Brigadier Askoy, commanding Prodavan 20th Brigade, had made his headquarters at a branch of Simerstein and Sons bank on the western side of Maria Perchowska Square. This position was defended by 20th Brigade's cavalry contingent and, fighting with carbines and sabers, these troops held out until 0830 while the rest of the sector collapsed immediately. 200 prisoners were taken by Grunicza's troops but the bank held strong, fending off three succesive attacks. Theocaris Cita moved up with his rocket-guns and, under heavy fire from the defenders, blasted holes in the walls of the bank. The Legate-General supervised this personally and narrowly avoided death when his helmet deflected a carbine bullet. Eager to take the bank before Grunicza and his grenadiers, Cita rallied his auxiliaries to his side and, sword in hand, stormed the bank at the head of his troops. Grunicza followed in with his grenadiers but was infuriated to discover Cita accepting the surrender of Brigadier Askoy in the bank's vault. Following the battle, the Margrave 'made a tremendous fuss' about the capture of the bank and was soon transferred out of the area to avoid upsetting the Ceasian commanders. Eventually, the King's Breemian Grenadiers were mobilised off of the Reserve List and Grunicza returned to regimental command.

With the fall of the bank and the capture of Brigadier Askoy, the push to retake Maria Perchowska Square was essentially complete. The remaining Prodavan troops of 20th Brigade either withdrew further into the city or fled across the Vinicius Severus Bridge. 1st Armoured Car Detachment covered the retreat of 1,800 Prodavan infantry before withdrawing across the bridge itself. 600 prisoners had been taken along with an armoured car and 800 small arms. The Prodavan withdrawal from the square was over by 0900 and Theocaris Cita's legionaries consolidated themselves in the sector.

Retaking the bridges

The next priority for Lord Rachdale was to retake the bridges over the Achola. As long as these crossings remained in Prodavan hands, Salahe could consolidate the positions he retained within Oliv and Prodavan supplies and reinforcements could continue to move into the city. As the far-right of the Imperial line, this task was given to Lord Argyros' four regiments of cavalry. Imperial commanders planned to pin Prodavan 23rd Brigade in place by attacking from the front with infantry whilst Argyros' cavalry rode along the riverside to recapture the bridges.

Brigadier Sir Roland-Santos' 12th Brigade was selected from 6th Infantry Division to launch the attack against Prodavan 23rd Brigade's line. Roland-Santos' five battalions took forty minutes to move into position and, at 0950, the 1st Battalions of the Royal Fredericksland Fusiliers and the Julianopolis Rifles began the attack. 80th, 84th, and 89th Infantry Regiments of 23rd Brigade resisted the Imperial attack resolutely, whilst 95th Regiment remained by the riverbank to hold the captured bridges. Heavy rifle fire from buildings along Eglantine Row kept the Imperial troops at bay and Sir Roland-Santos' troops became pinned behind cover in the streets around the Prodavan positions. On the corner of Eglantine Row and St Henry's Street, a captured Imperial machine-gun was used to hold up the advance of the Julianopolis Rifles for forty minutes. Brigadier Binay el-Sattar's troops worked tirelessly to consolidate their positions while under constant pressure from Imperial forces.

95th Infantry Regiment did not distinguish itself as its brother regiments did. Lord Argyros' cavalry brigade stepped off at 1000 hours and charged along the riverside. Led by the King's Own Julianopolis Hussars, Argyros' brigade came under rifle fire from 95th Regiment's troops and artillery fire from light guns across the river. Firing revolvers from the saddle and cutting with sabers, the Imperial cavalry cleared Prodavan resistance from the ground and turned on the buildings where the majority of the Prodavan infantry were sheltered. The Julianopolis Mounted Rifles took up positions in cover and put down an accurate fire with rifles whilst the other regiments dismounted and began to clear out the buildings with sword and pistol. In several places, the Prodavan infantry surrendered and a significant portion of 95th Infantry Regiment, led by its colonel, withdrew across the Achola and left the bridges to the Imperial troopers. This left three regiments of Prodavan infantry trapped within the city. In the immediate aftermath of the battle, the colonel of 95th Regiment was shot for cowardice.

Lord Argyros' brigade, having taken the bridges, consolidated its positions along the riverbank. The troopers were forced to entrench themselves facing both north and south to keep Brigadier el-Sattar's forces trapped within the city and to prevent a counter-attack from retaking the bridges. Imperial infantry skirmished with the Prodavans trapped within the city for several hours. 23rd Brigade's positions were too strong to be assaulted from the front without heavy casualties and, with the majority of Oliv back in Imperial hands, the Vionna-Frankenlischian forces could afford to be patient. An attempt was made to negotiate a surrender but the Prodavan commanders were unwilling to accept the Imperial terms.

Final Actions

Negotiations broke down at roughly 1120. Barricaded in strong positions with plenty of ammunition, the Prodavan battalions would accept no less than full freedom to evacuate the city with their standards and arms intact. Brigadier Sir Roland-Santos obtained Lord Rachdale's permission to allow the trapped Prodavans to leave after surrendering their arms but this was not agreed to. The positions were placed in a state of siege and the Imperial assaults were halted to allow heavy mortars to be brought up from 3rd Corps. The mayor of Oliv, Sir Alexios de Palmer begged Lord Rachdale not to deploy the weapons, as the southern part of the city had already sustained significant damage, but his protestations were ignored. 98th and 101st (Siege) Batteries of the Royal Artillery were brought up and emplaced by noon. Lack of ammunition prevented the mortars from firing for a further half hour but eventually trucks arrived carrying the correct bombs. Five heavy mortars were used to pound the Prodavan positions, collapsing roofs and killing defenders.

Continued skirmishing produced few results and Imperial infantry was pulled back further when a shell fired by 98th (Siege) battery killed an officer and eight men of the Julianopolis Rifles. The Prodavan positions finally became entirely untenable at 1310 when a shell hit an ammunition dump on Charrod Street, causing a tremendous explosion which killed 120 troops and tore a hole in the Prodavan line. Imperial infantry attacked immediately and flooded the gap, engaging in furious close combat with the Prodavan infantry. Finally, at 1400, Brigadier el-Sattar's headquarters was reached and he agreed to surrender his forces. By 1500, the entirety of southern Oliv was back in Imperial hands.

Aftermath

Casualties

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