Reich Marshal of the Belkan Reich

RM Vol 4: War – Chapter 6: Case Yellow (Day 1 – Sedan)

Sedan is a quaint commune East of the Meuse River. Acting as the last "fortified" position on the Meuse, and the last before the open country of Ustio, Sedan should be heavily defended and fortified... Right?

Ironically enough, it isn't. Borrowing the words of one of the few competent Generals in the Ustian Loyalist Army, Andre-Gaston Pretelat, the defenses at Sedan are entirely inadequate. According to ONI's reports, this Loyalist General conducted a scenario in 1938 to identify a weak point in Maginot's defense. Pretelat had correctly identified the landscape of Sedan as a relatively easy terrain for armor to cross. General Preletat easily defeated Maginot with seven Divisions, most of which were motorized infantries.

"The result was a defeat of so comprehensive a nature that the wisdom of publishing it was questioned lest morale be damaged." Excerpted from Pretelat's report.

Pretelat concluded that if he could defeat Maginot with minimal armor support and in the Months of Demons no less, the Belkans would do it in 48 hours, much faster than his half a month. He attributed his success to Sedan's weakened and neglected defenses. The Ustian Loyalists had long believed that the German Army would not attack through the Sedan sector as part of their concentrated effort, and only Brigadier General Henri Lafontaine's Loyalist 55th Infantry Division, a second tier Division which consists of troops with minimal experience, was allocated to this sector.

The Loyalists happily relied on concrete to protect their front, building many fortifications as part of the Maginot Line, yet paying very little attention to the Sedan sector. Very few among the Loyalists and Allied forces believed the Belkans would advance through the Ardennes, so Sedan was protected by two layers of Maginot defenses instead of the more common three. By the end of 1938, the 2nd Army that the 55th Division belonged to, built 52000 cubic meters of concrete fortifications along its front, but very little in the Sedan sector. The protection of the Sedan bridgeheads amounted to a meager 42 bunkers in total, not nearly enough to stop any half-hearted advance, much less a full-blown attack.

To make matters worse, Sedan's defenses lack any mines. The Loyalist 2nd Army was guarding a front of 70 kilometers and was given only 16000 mines. Of that number, 7000 were given to the cavalry divisions that were intended to delay a Belkan advance through Southern Maginot, as well as to blockhouse points along the Ustian-Darscen border. That left 2000 for the defense of the river Meuse. Of those, the 55th Infantry Division got 422. Not all of these were laid, and some barriers were moved during the bunker construction in the Sedan sector at the start of 1939. Ultimately, minefields are pretty much no factor by 1939.

Due to Pretelat's unfortunately successful maneuvers, an additional 61 bunkers were constructed. Yet, the overall lack of awareness of the Belkans' true capability delayed the construction of these additional bunkers as the Allied forces wanted to reinforce Northern and Southern Maginot instead. Demonic harassment also hindered the construction teams even when materials finally arrived. Loyalist General Charles Huntziger of the 2nd Army asked for another four Divisions to work on the defenses but was refused. Ultimately, right before Case Yellow, most of the bunkers were incomplete, lacking gun port shutters for the artillery casemates. Some of the bunkers lacked rear doors, making them vulnerable to infiltration by infantry.

To the north of Sedan, on the northern bend of the Meuse, the town of Glaire overlooked the crossing points on the river. There was a gap of 2 kilometers between Bunker 305 at Glaire and Bunker 211 next to the Pont Neuf bridge. This allowed an attacker coming from the North to use the good road routes through the Fleigneux–Saint-Menges–Glaire axis to enter Sedan from the North.

Unprotected by mines and bunkers with only some token trenches and checkpoints, and with the Maginot Line decimated by the opening salvos on Day 1, this critical opening is utilized by the Reich's Iron Fist to the fullest. Under the command of the Reich Marshal, three Panzer Divisions, the 1st, 2nd, and 10th Divisions, are deployed alongside an Elite Armored Brigade Combat Team from the 404th acting as the spearhead.

In total, the Marshal can muster 80000 men and women dispersed in 25 Armored Brigade Combat Teams. These ABCTs are furnished with 2175 Leopard Main Battle Tanks and Class-C Pumas, 3800 Class-B Pumas, 450 Hummel self-propelled howitzers, and 45 Boxer APCs. Adding to the absurd numbers, there are thousands of other assorted vehicles ranging from Gepard Anti-air tanks to utility and support like Humvees. If you think this is overkill, then you clearly aren't familiar with the Belkan doctrine.

"There's no such thing as overkill. Only enough or not enough."

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Currently, I am situated inside the back of a command variant of a Class-B Puma. Exchanging its 30mm turret for a self-defense 14.5mm HMG and a suite of command equipment, the Command Puma is part of the Brigade Headquarters of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 404th Division. I have opted to move to the frontline myself to keep up with the spearhead's advance. This is partly for me to better command and inspire the troops, and partly because I dislike sitting in the rearline while the troops fight on in my stead. If the King doesn't lead, then who will follow? This has been my mindset from the get-go.

Now that they're done mentoring the Reformists and testing out new equipment and weapons, members of the 404th are itching for a good fight. These veterans seek to bring back not just glory but also victory for the Motherland under my leadership. They will not stop until the banner of the Ironblood Division and the flag of Belka are marching beneath the Arc de Triomphe. Taking the Sedan sector will be the first step in accomplishing that ambition.

The attack on Sudan will be conducted at dusk. As part of Army Group A, the 1st, 2nd, and 10th Panzer Divisions will commit a three-pronged attack on Sudan. I have formulated a straightforward, yet elegant and effective plan. The 2nd Panzer Division in the North is to form the right flank of the assaulting force when it reaches the Meuse near Donchery. The 1st Panzer Division, reinforced by my 2nd ABCT, is to make the main attack by crossing the Meuse just North of Sedan and seizing the Heights of la Marfee overlooking the city. The 10th Panzer Division is to cross the Meuse South of Sedan and protect the Southern flank of the Corps. Aiding our assault, Belkan Air Force will fly strike missions on enemy installations. Throughout the day, large masses of troops and equipment are assembled North of the Meuse in preparation for the river crossing. To prevent enemy disruption, the rest of my Army Group A is securing our rear.

On the enemy side, Sedan is held by units of the Loyalist 2nd Army, namely the 55th Infantry Division with the 71st Infantry Division on the reserve. The latter has been alerted by our morning attack, however, and is moving to reinforce Sedan, slated to arrive by Day 2 of Case Yellow. That said, these Loyalist Divisions are undertrained and underfunded. The only thing that may level the playfield for them is the series of backup installations beyond the Meuse, one of which is the Bellevue artillery fortress overlooking Donchery. Armed with turrets using 194mm guns, and numerous 155mm casemate guns overlooking the Meuse, Bellevue will be a death trap for any Army trying to cross that section of the river, modern or otherwise. This fortress is a rare oddity in Central Maginot and is arguably the single most defended place in the entire sector whereas others are hopelessly weak. Perhaps it's also the reason why the Loyalists ignore reinforcing Sedan for the most part. Even if Sedan is lost, as long as Bellevue still stands, they can use it as a foothold for a counterattack. The fortress is in a prime position as troop movements along the Donchery axis will be subjected to 3 km of open terrain before reaching the bridgehead. This stretch of terrain is under artillery overwatch from not just the bulk of 200 heavy guns at Sedan and Bellevue but also the Loyalist 102nd Infantry Division's batteries from the North West, at Charleville.

Under normal circumstances, the 2nd Panzer Division will advance into a death trap. This is where our Hummels and air supports come in. For each shell, the enemy fires will be paid tenfold by ours, if they haven't been destroyed by preemptive barraging already. To tackle the heavily armored Bellevue Fortress, which is no different than a battleship being buried into the ground in my opinion, I have prepared a special strike package for them. By chance, if the enemy still has some air assets left, well, Lieutenant General Weber may be able to redeem herself.

In short, we have counters to whatever the Ustian Loyalists may have. When everything is ready, I give the order for the Divisions and the 2nd ABCT to attack. The objective will be to form a new frontline along the Meuse. The bonus objective will be to the river in 24 hours.

Right on my command, batteries of 150mm Hummel SPGs start firing on installations on the paths of the three-pronged assault. Thanks to modern technologies, the effectiveness of our 150mm guns outmatched that of the Loyalist 194mm fortress gun. More often than not, accuracy and rate of fire trumped that of caliber and explosive mass. Under the covering fire of our divisional artillery, the three prongs begin their combat march. Sitting aboard my Command Puma, I accompany the 2nd ABCT and observe the attack on Sudan from the front.

Utilizing fast and overwhelming firepower, the 2nd ABCT outmaneuver and flank the static defensive units to hit directly at the city of Sedan. I watch from a vantage point as the Leopards punch a hole through a line of Loyalist pillboxes. The newly created opening is then promptly utilized by the Panzergrenadiers riding their Pumas. The armored fighting vehicles carrying the elites of the Reich bypass the static line and directly attack the city of Sedan. My Command Puma accompanies them as the enemy can only helplessly look on and is unable to give chase. Right behind the 2nd ABCT is the 1st Panzer Division that swiftly mop up the rest of Sedan's frontal guards.

When the vanguard that is the 2nd ABCT arrives to knock down the gate of Sedan, most of the garrison there immediately surrender with only a few of them daring to resist. In anticipation of urban combat, the Panzergreadiers dismount and start rooting out enemy resistance under the stunned gaze of the Ustian civilians. Having expected this, I task the friendlier members of the 2nd ABCT to gather up the civies peacefully for their safety. Of course, those who do not comply are left to their own device. If they die of a stray bullet, it's on them. Fortunately for us, our reputation as being knightly spares us the trouble of stubborn civilian resistance. When the 1st Panzer Division arrived to establish a temporary front, most of the populace had established a shaky trust with us Belkans.

Meanwhile, the 10th Panzer Division assaults the area of Wadelincourt, South of Sedan. Under the cover of precision airstrikes and artillery barrages, the Division swiftly clears the town of Bazeilles of hostile occupants. As a small town, the civilians there willingly step to the sidelines, not wanting to offend the new occupiers. Using Bazeilles as a stepping stone, the 10th Division used their Puma IFVs to negotiate the Meuse. The Class-B and Class-C Pumas swiftly eliminate the remaining Loyalist bunkers on the other bank. Taking a position on the other side, these Pumas and Panzergrenadiers claim the Loyalist positions while waiting for the 10th's bridge layers to deploy a new set of bridges for the rest of the Panzer Division to cross.

Being given the most difficult front, the 2nd Panzer Division advances through the Donchery axis, stopping just shy of the 3 kilometers of open terrain. Using their divisional artillery, the Division conducts artillery duels with the Loyalist batteries. Thanks to spotting from UAVs, the outcome of the duels always ended in the 2nd's favor. However, only the Loyalist positions at Donchery and Charleville are suppressed, the Bellevue Fortress is still very active, owing to its robust construction. Born from the WW1 mindset, the fortress lives up to its name.

The fortress is a deadly issue, as its vantage point allows its 194mm guns to provide counter-barrages. If not for the mobile nature of the 150mm Hummels and the rest of the 2nd Panzer Division, casualties would have been immense. Each salvo from Bellevue equals that of a heavy cruiser bombardment, after all. Fortunately, I have called in the big guns of the Belkan Air Force.

Launching from K-Town, a B-40 Polar Bear flies higher than what the normal eye can clearly see before dropping two guided T-12 Cloudmakers. Breaking the sonic barrier, the pair of 20-ton Cloudmaker bombs easily punch a bullseye through the thick protective roofing of the Bellevue Fortress. Penetrating through the many levels of the fortress, the bombs land themselves in the munition chambers of the 194mm guns before exploding at nearly the same time. Suffice to say, the collective blast of Cloudmakers and artillery munitions proves to be earth-shattering. The explosion is visible from kilometers away and the shockwave even ruffles the Leopard MBTs of the Panzer Divisions. Even in my Command Puma, I can feel the vehicle shake as the windows in Sedan crack all at once. Some shoddy buildings even outright collapse due to the miniature earthquake. This has been why I gather the civilians into safe clearings.

Yeah, the map will have to be changed once more as the hill that Bellevue Fortress was built on is no more. At this point, it's not a Belkan operation when something is not wiped off the map, literally.

Now that the major thorn for the 2nd Panzer Division is gone, they can advance in earnest to Donchery. However, they risk being flanked by a Loyalist encampment near Donchery, Gaulier. While not powerful enough to stop the 2nd, Hill 247, the high ground dominating Gaulier, can hamper the effort of the 2nd to cross the river efficiently. As such, I command the 2nd ABCT to assault and claim that area. If we can conveniently relieve pressure on one side for the 2nd Panzer, then let's do it to save time and effort.

The attack on the hill started with the Air Force dropping bombs on the many levels of trenches surrounding the hill, leaving only a clear path for vehicles to travel up and down the area. Then, one by one, the AMP shells from the Leopards and Class-C Pumas take out the remaining enemy bunkers on Hill 247. Cleaning out the survivors in the trenches are the Panzergrenadiers using overwhelming firepower and some magic. Finally, the command station of the bunker is surrounded by a mechanized detachment, the Loyalist command staff swiftly surrenders soon after. When the Belkan flag flies above Hill 247, it's 20:00 hours.

Around the same time, elements of the 2nd Panzer Division also eliminated Loyalist fortifications opposite Donchery. This sudden advancement is thanks to the swift thinking of the Lieutenant General of the 2nd. Since Bellevue Fortress was gone and Hill 247 was being handled by the 2nd ABCT, the 2nd Panzer Division infiltrated a mechanized unit to flush out the enemy on the opposite bank.

Ultimately, by 22:00 hours, our forces consolidate along the Meuse. The ability to deploy pontoon bridges at speed has been crucial in getting our units and material across to fortify a new frontline beyond the river. From here, we will complete the last step before cutting North to the Erusean Channel.

Soon, we will cut the head off the Central Maginot Command.