HOI III (Their Finest Hour) AAR - Going it alone

[undercovergeek]

I must have missed something - I read of your conquest of Bulgaria, but not Romania...

Mussolini sipped his wine and sighed to himself. In the privacy of his chambers he could smile to himself and enjoy a moment of pride - 1938 had been one of victory and conquest, he had laboured hard and his plans for a new Roman Empire were almost complete, only a nation or two stood in his way of that full realisation. Chamberlain was acting like a scared old, lady and Hitler was fulfilling all those prophecies his intelligence team had told him about. Sitting back and closing his eyes he was disturbed by a knock at the door - his aide handed him a piece of paper, bowed respectfully and left the chambers. Retiring to his desk and reading glasses Mussolini was surprised to see the note came from the Japanese ambassador. Mussolini was aware the Japanese had recently formed the 'Pact of Steel' with Germany, he was aware of this every month as Hitler and his foreign aides sent an invitiation to Ciano every month asking Italy to join. He unfolded the note and read the brief request - impressed with the speed and strength of the new Italian army, the General of the Imperial Army, Japan was asking for Mussolini's recollection of the recent victory over Romania - Japanese forces were advancing on mountainous regions of Communist China and were seeking guidance on doctrines and approaches from Il Duce.......................

..........Towards the of 1938 Mussolini was sure there was still time for one more campaign before the end of the year. By December 21st 1938, after a long march from Turkey, Italy had amassed no less than eight corps, each of four divisions, along the long Romanian border. Earlier in the year, King Carol II of Romania had banned political parties and established a royal dictatorship, he appointed Miron Cristea, the Patrician of the Romanian Orthodox Church as a figurehead prime minister, but ostensibly all the real power was still in Carol's authoritarian hands. He was yet another old world Balkan dictator, and the world would be a better, more secure, and more peaceful place without him. On the 20th day of December, Ciano delivered to King Carol II an invitation to his country to join the New Roman Empire. Prime Minister Miron Cristea immediately issued a rejection. Mussolini accused the leaders of Romania of disregarding the interests of their people in favor of their own personal prerogatives. Italy declared war on Romania on December 21st 1938.



King Carol II, Mussolini's opening invasion operations for the whole Romanian front

Of the eight corps on the Romanian border, one corps was in the far north to keep an eye on the Hungarians. Three corps were spread out along the long border between Romania and the former Yugoslavia. The four corps that would bear the principal responsibility of the invasion were deployed along the southern border in the former Bulgaria, closest to the Romanian capital. Messe's mobile forces were arranged on the far left of the line along the Black Sea coast in Varna. Roatta's four mixed Alpini divisions were deployed in Vulchidol. Pintor's four infantry divisions were all concentrated in Ruse and were assigned the task of making the direct assault on Bucharest. Lisi's pure Alpini would start off in Pleven.

Once the order to attack was given General Messe advanced from Varna. In just six days, two of his divisions had attacked Dobrich and two Cavarna, then all four of them advanced to occupy the port of Constanta. In the center, General Pintor started in Ruse and made a direct advance towards Bucharest through Giurgiu. Once Giurgiu was secure, all four of his divisions started the assault on the city. Pintor's advance was supported by interceptors and tactical bombers flying out of the air based in Varna. To Pintor's left Roatta's mixed Alpini started in Vulchidol. Two of his divisions drove into Slatina, and the other two divisions attacked Turnu Macur. From there, one division advanced to Caracal and took up a defensive position, whereas the other division joined the two in Slatina. These three divisions then drove onto Ploesti while the battle of Bucharest still raged to the south. To Roatta's left, Lisi's pure Alpini launched from Pleven. They forded the Danube and attacked Corabia. They continued to Saceni to Titu and finally joined the attack against Ploesti from the other direction.

All this was accomplished in the first eight days of the invasion. Then on December 29th 1938, Bucharest fell to Pintor. The next day, on December 30th Ploesti fell to Roatta and Lisi and on December 31st 1938, King Carol agreed to surrender, if he was provided with a comfortable exile. Mussolini accepted the offer to avoid further bloodshed. In just ten days, Romania was annexed to the New Roman Empire........

Mussolini fondly recounted the victory, the overwhelming feeling of destiny and the pride of Roman ancestors looking on, he sealed the note to the Japanese ambassador and summoned his aide

[Martok]

Ha, nice cover 'geek.  'Twill make a fine addition to Benny's memoirs.  ;) 

[Keunert]

you just got the german army by their oily balls. siege them until they run out of oil and then take revenge on thise barbarian tribesmen.

[JasonPratt]

Nice retrospective segue, Ugeek.

But don't be fooled by the Swiss Vatican guards. They look floofy on purpose, to lull potential opponents. Glaives may not be worth much in the modern day, but they can still kill someone dead with stabs or axe-chops very quickly, and the submachine guns and rifles can do so even more quickly at range.

(Possibly back in the late 30s this was less of an issue.)

[Keunert]

i am currently in Venice for some days, just visited the incredible armory of the Doge's palace. incredible stuff. how about an update? i would love to read some more Duce stiries while drinking a Negroni and eating some antipasti...

[undercovergeek]

im on it this afternoon - more tales to follow

[JasonPratt]

^^ Yay! ^^

[Martok]

Sweet.  :D 

[undercovergeek]

The two rulers of Hungary stand either side of Mussolini's main objectives - The Hungarian Parliament on the banks of the Danube, and the Elisabeth bridge which must be taken intact to take the capital

The Magyars - to Mussolini, another tribe of primitive, asiatic invaders that befouled Europe during the fifth century to assert barbaric pressure on decent western civilization. These savages eventually made a home, settled down and called themselves the Hungarians. They established a grand dynasty that became one of the most powerful forces in central Europe. However, like many others, they too were on the losing side of the first world war. Their loss was compounded by following the advice of Woodrow Wilson and fully disarming their military, just as their neighbours began arming themselves. In 1918, they were attacked by Serbs supported by the French in the south, by Czechs in the north, and by Romanians in the east. The Entente powers began distributing great tracts of Hungary's traditional territory to Romania, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia. Hungary had no choice and was forced to sign the Treaty of Trianon - a treaty that finally settled Hungary's borders, reducing the nation by two thirds of its pre-war size. Ten million ethnic Hungarians were cut-off from their homeland. Its industry was cut off from its source of raw materials. The nation lost 84% of its timber resources, 43% of its arable land, and 83% of its iron ore. Worse yet, 55% of its industrial plants, 100% of its gold, silver, copper, mercury and salt mines, and 67% of its credit and banking institutions had been shared out between its neighbors.

These deprivations led to Communist revolutions and counter revolutions and ultimately resulted in the rise to power of Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya, the authoritarian Regent of Hungary. In 1938, Horthy and his figurehead prime minister Béla Imrédy, made Hungary one of the expansion-minded powers that Chamberlain feared would be enticed to join Hitler's Axis. Imrédy signed a trade agreement with Germany that drew Hungary's economy out of depression but made Hungary dependent upon the German economy for both raw materials and markets. Hitler appealed to Hungarian desires for territorial revisionism, while right wing organizations, like the Arrow Cross party, increasingly embraced extreme Nazi ideology. It was clear that Hungary was drifting towards the Axis and could at any moment join.

Mussolini thought hard - he did not want to antagonise Hitler and would not consider attacking any nation that fell under Germany's influence. However, no such alliance existed as of January 1939. Furthermore, most of Hungary's land claims were to territories that now lay well within the borders of the New Roman Empire. If Hungary were to join the Axis, it would most likely be a belligerent source of tension between Italy and Germany, always agitating for the acquisition of Empire land. Mussolini resolved to absorb this troublesome neutral and remove the possible source of future tension.

On February 14th 1939, Ciano followed the formalities of delivering an ultimatum to Imrédy. The Hungarian people were to be absorbed by the New Roman Empire, the invitation repeated the promise of full citizenship, freedom of travel and trade, and true local government. The invitation also included an offer of a comfortable exile for Hungary's current leadership if the invitation was accepted without war. Despite the diplomatic friendship of the offer, it was rejected, and on February 15th 1939, Italy declared war on Hungary.

[JasonPratt]

"Guys, look, we pretty much already have all the things you lost, and we're willing to restore them to your administration if you'll just join the club! This should be a no-brainer!"

"[BLEEP] ROME!" {loading guns}

[BanzaiCat]

Hitler isn't going to have much Lebenstraum, you keep gobbling up his backyard neighbors...

[Staggerwing]

Have you started researching long range bombers and escort fighters? Sooner or later The Little Mustache is going to flip a brain switch and remember all those stories about Hermann the Cheruscan's little Walk in the Woods back in 9 AD. At that point it will behoove you to start bottlenecking his supply of Panzers and DB 601s as well as that stuff that makes them run.

[undercovergeek]

Have you started researching long range bombers and escort fighters? Sooner or later The Little Mustache is going to flip a brain switch and remember all those stories about Hermann the Cheruscan's little Walk in the Woods back in 9 AD. At that point it will behoove you to start bottlenecking his supply of Panzers and DB 601s as well as that stuff that makes them run.

In the spirit of recreating Rome in all its glory the infantryman has received the majority of Italy's research budget.... I have the best light armour in the world backed up by the most advanced anti-tank equipment and self propelled arty

I have the multi rule airframe and advanced carrier aircraft.... not a dinarri has been spent on bombers....my advancements would be spread too thin

[JasonPratt]

i.e., Walking Up To The Woods himself, swatting back tanks with anti-tanks, and swatting back tactical/strategic bombers with interceptors == taking supplies for Panzers for himself == better than just denying them to the enemy. :)

[undercovergeek]

Mussolini's opening plans for the Hungarian attack

General Arana and his four new marine infantry divisions were deployed on the right of the Italian line and spread out along the north eastern border provinces, General Calvi di Bergolo's four mixed mountaineer divisions were spread out further to the southwest tasked with a spearhead towards Budapest.

General Ambrosio and his four infantry divisions were deployed in the center of the line near Subotica, sandwiched between the rivers of Tisza on the east and the Danube on his west - he was also tasked with a dash without any river crossings to Budapest - the only force not to have to forge a river crossing it was Mussolini's hope that this Corps would be the forlorn hope if the other advances failed. General Gambelli's corps divided the two divisions guarding each of the flanks of Ambrosio's spearhead. Generals Lisi and Zinglales were on the left flank straddling near the Tisza River were ordered to swing west and come around the left flank of Budapest. General Roatta's four divisions were consolidated on the extreme west as reserves.

The battle plan called for the consolidated forces to make rapid deep penetrations into the Hungarian lines. While risking being cut-off, it was hoped that these deep penetrations would result in a collapse of the Hungarian line, the disorganized fall back of their forces, and a rapid siege of the capital. The spearhead of course being Ambrosio and Calvi di Bergolo. By February 20 1939, Ambrosio's corps had raced through Subotica, Morahalom and to Keckemet approaching the outskirts of Budapest. Meanwhile Gambelli had advanced from Belimanastir to Szekszard and on to Dunaujvaros and was also heading towards Budapest, covering the spearheads left flank. The left flank forces were slowly rolling through the border provinces of Hungary under the watchful gaze of Roatta.



After one week

During this time Czechoslovakia was split in two, Hitler annexed the western provinces and the eastern provinces were formed under the new nation of Slovakia and was instantly incorporated into the Axis.

The Hungarians initially tried to take advantage of the gaps in the Italian advance by counter attacking at Szekszard. However, once Ambrosio launched his attack on Budapest all Hungarian divisions started to fall back towards the capital. The Regio Esercito's performance was once again outstanding and it occurred to Mussolini that he had at his disposal a highly trained, combat elite army of veterans, truly noble heirs of the Roman legionaries. General Ambrosio started his assault immediately, but his forces had been stretched out on the march, he arrived piecemeal to the outskirts of the city - it took another ten days for the trailing infantry to close on the capital and for the siege to start in earnest. However, by March 4th 1939, the capital had been invested on three sides and the Battle of Budapest had truly started. Ambrosio's four divisions continued assaulting the city from Dunaujvaros. Gambelli's four artillery-backed infantry division attacked over the Danube from Szekesfehervar, and Arana's marine divisions were assaulting the city from Hatvan.



Budapest's last stand

On March 15th 1939, the city fell and Hungary surrendered. Its people agreed to be absorbed as part of the New Roman Empire.