Balkan Front: July 10th 1942 - August 26th 1942
With the crushing and perhaps decisive victory over the Axis forces at Stip, the Roman Empire now has a great advantage on the Balkan Front. The loss of over 40 divisions to the Roman Empire has removed Germany's ability to wage a successful offensive war in the Balkans, if only temporality. It has also given the Roman Empire the chance it needs to throw out the German opressors out of it's homeland and push them back.
With Stip safe and secure again, Field Marshal Demestichas returns to Sofia and is celebrated as a Hero of the Roman Empire. He also receives several rewards and medals from the Roman Government for his leadership during the Battle of Stip. After the small reward ceremonies, Demestichas, along with General Gazes, Field Marshal Tsolakoglou, General Brahnos and Field Marshal Papagos begins to draw up plans for a Roman offensive in the Balkans.
On July 20th, Roman units march into Kosovo only ten days after the victory at Stip. The German forces quickly launches a counter-attack from both Nis and Montenegro to stop the Imperial Army from securing Kosovo and it's capital Pristina. While the Roman Army fights to hold Kosovo, Field Marshal Demestichas and Field Marshal Tsolakoglou suprise the German Army by launching it's own attacks against both Montenegro and Nis. Now managing not only an attack at Kosovo but also defending itself from one, the German force at Nis collapses and Demestichas once again moves his Army onto Serbian soil. The same victory happens to Field Marshal Tsolakoglou at Montenegro soon thereafter.
With the defenders of Nis and Montenegro routed, Kosovo is save and secured.
Since the end of the Battle of Stip, the Imperial Roman Air Force has conducted several bombing raids against German forces in the Balkans, mostly in Serbia. Field Marshal von Rundstedt's own HQ had suffered around over half of it's officer corps in casualties from the bombs of the Roman Air Force. Their own Luftwaffe haven't any planes to spare as they are currently fighting the swarm of Allied bomber planes sweeping above Germany. Because of this, the German force in Nov Pazar didn't have the strength to repel the Roman attack on July 21st, forcing the entire German front line to flee in terror.
The Roman Army returns to Serbia
With the German Army on the retreat, the Roman Air Force launches a series of devastating bombing campaign against the retreaters. Over the time of the Roman march into Serbia and Montenegro, the German Army losses more men than ever before. Entire divisions ceases to exist as the casualties grows to big and is many are disbanded. Some are simply wiped out. Reports states that perhaps four or five German divisions was destroyed over a time of five days, making the Roman Air Force one of the deadliest of the Allied Air Fleets.
On July 27th, the Roman 1st Motorised Division arrives in Nis and soon secures the area, but later falls under a German counter-attack and is forced to withdraw. Demestichas soon arrives and fortifies the area, stopping the Germans from reclaiming the province. The feeling of forcing your enemies into the same defensive warfare that you previously fought is felt through the whole Army, spurring it further.
On July 28th, Nov Pazar falls to General Gazes and his troops. The German Army still has to endure the tons of bombs that falls over them as they retreats. Even though a valiant force of Italian Interceptors were sent to the Balkan theater, they prove to be of only nuisance to the Interceptors of the
Romaion Aftokratorikos Aeroporía. During the same day, a new doctrine is introduced into the Imperial Army. The Infiltration in Depth, as it is called, is quickly being introduced to the soldiers of the Roman Army.
With the collapse of the fronts at Nov Pazar and Nis, the German Army sees the possibility of a Roman capture of Serbia. Thus an offensive is launched against Nis to prevent the Roman Army from securing a strong foothold. Demestichas valiantly holds the front even though he is outnumbered and attacked from two sides. Seeing this as an opportunity to liberate Belgrade, General Gazes moves his troops towards Belgrade at the same time as General Brahnos attacks Craiova to aid Demestichas in defending Nis. Both attacks are successful and Nis remains in the hands of the Romans.
Launching an attack against both Belgrade and Craiova, Nis is defended
Even though Nis is saved, General Gazes decides to push on towards Belgrade. His soldiers fights with greater valour than before, especially the former soldiers of the Yugoslavian Army, and soon the German Army flees the city.
The Victory at Belgrade
On August 1st, Montenegro is once again free as Podgorica is liberated from German troops. The citizens of Podgorica rain flowers down upon the soldiers of the Roman Army as they march through the city towards the border facing Italian-occupied Dalmatia.
Montenegro is back in the hands of the Roman Empire
Seven days later, Belgrade is liberated as Roman troops enter the capital of Yugoslavia. The spirit is high amongst the soldiers of both the former Jugoslavian Army and the Roman Army as they march downwards Terazije Square. True, the war is far from over but happiness still shines in the faces of the citizens of Belgrade.
Belgrade is liberated!
The loss of Belgrade causes an explosion of rage in Berlin as Hitler accuses his generals of incompetence and cowardice. Any arguments for lack of sufficient troops after the disasterous loss at Stip is quelled by the furious Hitler as he orders the Army to re-claim Belgrade at all cost. On the night of August 8th, the German Army attacks Belgrade in hopes of driving of the Roman forces defending it, but in the end it works quite the opposite.
Hearing of the attack on Belgrade, Demestichas ( stationed in Nis) and Tsolakoglou ( stationed in Nov Pazar) simultaneously attacks the orgin of the attack. Tsolakoglou attacks Field Marshal Böhm-Ermolli in Uzice while Demestichas attacks Field Marshal Erich von Manstein in Zrenjanin. With Roman superiority in numbers and their ability to fight well in the darkest of nights, the battles falls in Roman favour.
Belgrade is saved as Demestichas and Tsolakoglou counter-attacks the German troops attacking Belgrade
Even though Demestichas was victorious at Zrenjanin, he decides not to venture to deep into north Serbia as it would leave Nis open to an Axis attack from Romania. Tsolakoglou on the other hands marches victoriously into Uzice.
With Belgrade, Uzice, Nis, Nov Pazar and Montenegro under the control of the Roman Empire, the front lines has been restored to as they were in September 1941, almost a year ago. However, this time it is the Romans who has the advantage and their successful bombing campaigns prove it. During the following two weeks, over 8-9 divisons of the Axis forces ceases to exist due to the relentlessly bombings by the Roman Air Force. It is only at August the 26th that the Axis gets some breating space as the Roman Air Force takes time to conduct repairs and re-supply, but that time is only temporary...
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Current tech development so far:
Infiltration in Depth: Describe above. Developed by Spartan Officer Collegue.
Hunt & Destroy Groups Doctrine: Developed by Charalambos Katsimitros before the attacks at Nis and Montenegro, it was the doctrine that made the Roman Air Force so successul during the offensive. Focusing on coordinated offensive bombing and specialization of area bombardments it's both deadly and efficient as the Axis surely know.
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P.S The Roman Empire now commands it's first Tank Corps, stationed at Uzice, consisting of three Tank divisions.
keep it up.
