Operation Pullman

Operational Pullman
Part of the Quetzenkel front
Operational movements and unit positions before H-Day.
Date XYZ Location Varshan Crona Result Coalition Victory
Belligerents
Varshan	League of Nations Arcerion Urcea
Commanders and leaders
Placeholder	LGen Peter Lewis Lec. Pri. Aedan Frantone
Units involved
Varshani Military	Arcer I Corps 2nd Army of St. Thomas XII Corps 1st, 2nd, 3rd Veltorine Volunteer Divisions 3rd Army of St. Thomas 4th Army of St. Thomas
Strength
Est. 5 Corps, mostly understrength infantry and armour	9 Corps-strength formations
Casualties and losses
	Arcerion 2,900

Background

Run up to Summer conference of 2023

Arcerion Enters the War

Arcerion's stance prior to the summer of 2023 was for involvement with the League of Nations in Varshan, however Arcerion was busy dealing with a heavy influx of Varshani refugees across the border and required the military to support border security operations. However, after XYZ

Varshani Positioning in the Heartlands

Assessed positions of Varshani forces of the 4th Army prior to H-Day. This encompassed multiple Corps-strength formations, however most were in disarray and reconstituting prior to a defensive of the Varshani heartland.

After the successes of the Highland campaigns for the League of Nations, Varshani forces withdrew into the Heartlands for what they saw as a final defensive battle. Initial assessments by Varshani staff in Anzio made it very clear, that no later than the Spring of 2024 could they expect the drive from the Northern areas of the Heartlands towards Anzio. Based on radio intelligence intercepts, as well as aerial reconnaissance from satellites and phot-reconnaissance aircraft, League commanders were able to ascertain that the Varshani 4th Army would be ready for a defensive by the Summer of 2024. As well, it would begin digging in no later than late October of 2023, with several construction and engineer battalions being pulled away from the still-raging front in the Highlands.

With defensive preparations underway, the Varshani also began their strategic assesment of the main focal points and avenues that they believed the League would attack from. Incorrectly, they believed the main attack would come against the flanks of the 114th Infantry and 31st Guards Infantry Corps from the Highlands, along the Eastern flank, aiming to cut off the 59th Infantry and 22nd Mechanized Corps and isolate them for further destruction. As such, significant defensive preparations began along the Northern bank of the River Waative. Concurrent to this, whatever elements of Varshan's 19th Army could be salvaged from the Highlands were ordered to begin their withdrawal towards Anzio to form part of a new Army there, aimed at defending the city limits. With a paper strength of 6 Corps, the 4th Army alone was a formidable force, even in its disorganized and catastrophically degraded state. League air strikes and over a year of bitter fighting had left most of the Varshani military damaged and ill prepared for a protracted defensive war on their own soil. Varhsani High Command believed that by pulling the 19th Army back towards Anzio, they would be successful in causing enough casualties that the League of Nations would be forced to come to the bargaining table and cease operations in favour of a truce or cease fire, giving them precious time required for re-organization along a new, more stable front.

Fall 2023 H-Day Set

On August 31st, with Arcer commitment confirmed, Urcean Generals flew to the I Corps HQ on the outskirts of Tawun, the small village along the Waative River that Lieutenant-General Peter Lewis had set his command post up at in the destroyed ruins of a hotel. With the scattered sounds of light artillery and small arms fire in the distance, Urcean Generals, with Aeden Frantone sat for the initial Arcer briefings and assesments, and the operational plans for the Heartlands Campaign were finalized. Arcerion, as the main stakeholder for the Waative River, would conduct its advance directly South-West along both sides of the river, and Urcean forces would drive the pocketed Varshanis towards the banks, giving them Arcers to the West, the river to their South and Urceans to the North. The hope was that by keeping Varshan retreating and reforming they could not gain critical mass. Once they reached the river junction where the Waative split into the Waative Minor, named Phase Line Impala, Urcean forces would remain on the West side of the Waative, also serving as a blocking force against any attempts by the 19th Army to engage and stall the advance. Arcers would advance in their majority down the Eastern bank of the Waative, however they would still keep one third of their forces on the Western bank for the drive to Anzio.

Frantone and Lewis both agreed that September 14th would be H-Hour, with prepatory fires beginning at 0000HRS on the 14th, and the first Urcean and Arco vehicles crossing the line of departure at 0300, making use of their better night fighting equipment and capabilities, as well as better C2 capabilities to keep the Varshan forces disorganized and confused as they attacked. Frantone, characteristically bold, left by the end of the day with one of only three copies of the operational plan, read to beginning planning and briefs to the Urcean 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Armies of St. Thomas.

Order of Battle

Arcerion

Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) of Arcerion's 3 Brigade maneuver towards Phase Line Springbok ahead of operations in the Varshani Heartland, Fall 2023.

(XXX) Arcerion I Corps | Lieutenant-General Peter Lewis

• 1st Division (Northlea) | Major-General Isaac Stillworth
  • 1 Brigade | Brigadier-General Clark Eddis
  • 3 Brigade
  • 4 Brigade
  • 5 Brigade
• 2nd Division (Moorden) | Major-General Arthur Hamilton
  • 2 Brigade
  • 6 Brigade
  • 7 Brigade (Easthampton)
  • 12 Brigade (Reserve)
• 4th Division (Norham) | Major-General Lawrence Edwards
  • 8 Brigade (Reserve)
  • 9 Brigade (Reserve)
  • 10 Brigade (Reserve)
  • 11 Parachute Brigade

Urcea

(XXXX) Special Operations Group Echo | Lecáti Princeps Aedan Frantone

• (XXX) VII Legion New Harren | Lecáti Junior Laurentius Pimlott
  • 4th Confederate Mountain Division
  • 20th Confederate Infantry Division
  • 21st Confederate Infantry Division
  • 5th Confederate Cavalry Division
  • 6th Confederate Cavalry Division
• (XXX) II Airborne Legion New Harren | Lecáti Junior Padraig Dynan
  • 2nd Nysdran Air Fusiliers
  • 2nd Confederate Airborne Division
• (XXX) IX Legion New Harren | Lecáti Junior Lucás Merphius Carmes
  • 23rd Confederate Infantry Division
  • 24th Confederate Infantry Division
  • 7th Confederate Mountain Division
• (XXX) II Armored Legion Nysdra-at-Large | Lecáti Junior Peter Cathanni
  • 1st Ionian Armored Division
  • 2nd Ionian Armored Division
  • 1st Caroline Armored Division
  • 2nd Armored Division
  • 2nd Royal Hussars
• (XXX) III Armored Legion Cetsencalia | Lecáti Junior Riordan Kazemi
  • 4th Principality Armored Division
  • 5th Principality Armored Division
  • 2nd Veltorine Armored Division
• (XXX) III Legion Ventotene | Lecáti Junior Michael Justino
  • 4th Brenedine Infantry Division
  • 5th Brenedine Infantry Division
  • 2nd Brenedine Cavalry Division
• (XXX) IV Legion Archducal | Lecáti Junior Calvio Scipius Dionn
  • 7th Infantry Division
  • 8th Infantry Division
  • 9th Infantry Division
  • 10th Infantry Division
  • 1st Royal Hussars
• (XX) 1st Veltorine Volunteer Division | Bvt. Prafáti Princeps Markos Endanilo
• (XX) 2nd Veltorine Volunteer Division | Bvt. Prafáti Princeps Julios Veras
• (XX) 3rd Veltorine Volunteer Division | Bvt. Prafáti Princeps Fredos Lalios

Varshan

Elements of the Varshani 22nd Mechanized Corps' 144th Motor Rifle Battalion withdraw to hasty defensive positions across from Phase Line Impala after being engaged and routed by Arcerion's 2 Brigade.

(XXXX) Varshani 4th Army | Major-General Soanso

• 31st Guards Infantry Corps
• 22nd Mechanized Corps
• 23rd Mechanized Corps
• 114th Infantry Corps
• 41st Infantry Corps
• 59th Infantry Corps (Elements)

(XXXX) Varshani 19th Army | Major-General Gyvtup

• 13th Infantry Corps
• 14th Infantry Corps (Elements)
• 40th Mechanized Corps (Elements)
• 50th Guards Mechanized Corps (Elements)

Battle

Fall 2023

Phase Line Springbok

At 0000HRS on September 14th, the prepatory fires began with a series of coordinated attacks against the Varshani 4th Army. The 59th Corps and 22nd Mechanized Corps were engaged by a series of MLRS, howitzer, and aerial strikes, all focusing on the command and control nodes for the Varshani units. In concert, Arcer forces which had already been staged in their assembly areas began the drive Southwest along the river, with 2 Brigade on the North Bank and 3 Brigade on the South.

Summer 2024

Phase Line Caracal

Cleared NLT Mid-April 2024

Battle for Anzo Outskirts

Arrival of the 19th Army