Difference between revisions of "Battle of Bloody Gulch"
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
| caption = A machine gun crew of the [[Verteidigungsstaffel]] fires their MG-12 at entrenched Porantan soldiers during the battle | | caption = A machine gun crew of the [[Verteidigungsstaffel]] fires their MG-12 at entrenched Porantan soldiers during the battle | ||
| date = 20 January 1913 | | date = 20 January 1913 | ||
| − | | place = Auerbach, | + | | place = Auerbach, Hundermenschen |
| coordinates = | | coordinates = | ||
| map_type = | | map_type = | ||
| Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
| − | This battle was the first in a series of engagements between the militaries of Rotgeheim and Porant. Rotgeheim arrived in Hundermenschen with the 1st VS-Panzer Army of the [[Verteidigungsstaffel]] (which was not the formal military, rather, it was a paramilitary quick-reaction force) in response to the Poratan invasion of the country. Rotgeheim sent roughly 300,000 troops of the Verteidigungsstaffel to counter the threat that Porant posed. The II VS-Panzerkorps - comprised of the 1st VS-Panzer Division ''Kaiser Florian von Horn'', 5th VS-Panzer Division ''Wiking'', 11th VS-Panzergrenadier Division ''Selbstständigkeit'', and 16th VS-Panzer Division ''Sturm'' - was the first Rotgeheiman formation to land and head off toward its ultimate goal of eliminating the Porantan invaders. It was expected that the Porantan military would have a defensive perimeter about | + | This battle was the first in a series of engagements between the militaries of Rotgeheim and Porant. Rotgeheim arrived in Hundermenschen with the 1st VS-Panzer Army of the [[Verteidigungsstaffel]] (which was not the formal military, rather, it was a paramilitary quick-reaction force) in response to the Poratan invasion of the country. Rotgeheim sent roughly 300,000 troops of the Verteidigungsstaffel to counter the threat that Porant posed. The II VS-Panzerkorps - comprised of the 1st VS-Panzer Division ''Kaiser Florian von Horn'', 5th VS-Panzer Division ''Wiking'', 11th VS-Panzergrenadier Division ''Selbstständigkeit'', and 16th VS-Panzer Division ''Sturm'' - was the first Rotgeheiman formation to land and head off toward its ultimate goal of eliminating the Porantan invaders. It was expected that the Porantan military would have a defensive perimeter about 30 km around the beachhead, but in reality the perimeter stretched 50 km around. Auerbach was just inside this 50 km-long defensive line. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Opening Engagement== | ||
| + | ===First Encounter=== | ||
| + | [[File:RotRecon.jpg|260px|thumbnail|left|An armored car reconnaissance variant like those used by the 5th Reconnaissance Battalion of the 5th VS-Panzer Division ''Wiking''.]] | ||
| + | Early in the morning on 20 January the 5th Reconnaissance Battalion of the 5th VS-Panzer Division ''Wiking'' was ordered to begin scouting the area around Auerbach. This reconnaissance trip would precede the main advance of the whole of ''Wiking'', as well as elements of the 1st VS-Panzer Division ''Kaiser Florian von Horn'' once it caught up. A patrol of armored cars was dispatched and began probing the area around Auerbach before they began to receive small arms fire from hidden emplacements and trenches in the outskirts of the town. A few casualties were sustained and at least one armored car was lost while attempting to contact help. At 6:14 a.m. the lead armored car radioed battalion headquarters for assistance, which subsequently relayed the message to all available units in the area. | ||
| + | ===Reinforcements Arrive=== | ||
| + | The first available units to come to the scouting column's aid were the lead tanks of the 3rd Panzer Battalion of ''Wiking''. These units were equipped with the main battle tank in service with the Verteidigungsstaffel, the PzKmpf XI ''Panthera''. The high-velocity guns and thick armor were able to withstand all hits sustained while relieving the beleaguered scouting column. The tanks encircled the reconnaissance units in an iron sphere of safety to allow for the evacuation of the wounded and dead. In the next hour the rest of the 3rd Panzer was able to link up with its vanguard and draw a definitive line between the two opposing factions. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Later in the morning, as the fighting continued between the 3rd Panzer Battalion the entrenched Porantan troops, the first armored units of the 1st VS-Panzer Division ''Florian von Horn'' and 5th VS-Panzer Division ''Wiking'' began to trickle into the battle area. By 11:00 a.m. half of the armored strength of both ''Florian von Horn'' and ''Wiking'' were present, numbering roughly one hundred tanks. Accompanying infantry arrived at 11:30 and began to prepare for the assault on the town. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Main Engagement== | ||
| + | ===Assault on the Town=== | ||
| + | At roughly 12:20 p.m. the tanks of ''Florian von Horn'' and ''Wiking'' revved up and began to move out. The 1st VS-Panzer Division was tasked with circling around the left flank of Auerbach and assaulting once they arrived on the western-most edge of the town, while the 5th VS-Panzer Division was responsible for attacking head-on with the brunt of the armored strength of the two divisions. ''Florian von Horn'' met weak resistance on the left flank and overran the western trenches with the Panzergrenadiers that joined the fight. Once they reached their stopping point, the division hooked east and plowed straight into the weak defenses on the west of the town. ''Wiking'' was met with stiffer resistance, but did not suffer any casualties. Rotgeheiman infantry flooded the trenches and pushed back all Porantan defenders present. | ||
Revision as of 23:36, 20 July 2014
| Battle of Bloody Gulch | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of 10 Days War | |||||||
 A machine gun crew of the Verteidigungsstaffel fires their MG-12 at entrenched Porantan soldiers during the battle |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Porant | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Unknown | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 38,181 soldiers 200 tanks | 2,500 soldiers
20 tanks |
||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Dead: 23 | Dead: Over 900 |
||||||
The Battle of Bloody Gulch was an engagement between military forces of Porant and Rotgeheim that took place on 20 January, 1913, in the small town of Auerbach, Hundermenschen. This engagement was the first contact between Porant and Rotgeheim in the 10 Days War and resulted out of a surprise confrontation between the opposing forces. It lasted from 8:14 a.m. to roughly 4:00 p.m., when the 5th VS-Panzer Division under the command of Lieutenant General-VS Walter Karl Ulrich took control of the town.
Contents
Background
This battle was the first in a series of engagements between the militaries of Rotgeheim and Porant. Rotgeheim arrived in Hundermenschen with the 1st VS-Panzer Army of the Verteidigungsstaffel (which was not the formal military, rather, it was a paramilitary quick-reaction force) in response to the Poratan invasion of the country. Rotgeheim sent roughly 300,000 troops of the Verteidigungsstaffel to counter the threat that Porant posed. The II VS-Panzerkorps - comprised of the 1st VS-Panzer Division Kaiser Florian von Horn, 5th VS-Panzer Division Wiking, 11th VS-Panzergrenadier Division Selbstständigkeit, and 16th VS-Panzer Division Sturm - was the first Rotgeheiman formation to land and head off toward its ultimate goal of eliminating the Porantan invaders. It was expected that the Porantan military would have a defensive perimeter about 30 km around the beachhead, but in reality the perimeter stretched 50 km around. Auerbach was just inside this 50 km-long defensive line.
Opening Engagement
First Encounter
Early in the morning on 20 January the 5th Reconnaissance Battalion of the 5th VS-Panzer Division Wiking was ordered to begin scouting the area around Auerbach. This reconnaissance trip would precede the main advance of the whole of Wiking, as well as elements of the 1st VS-Panzer Division Kaiser Florian von Horn once it caught up. A patrol of armored cars was dispatched and began probing the area around Auerbach before they began to receive small arms fire from hidden emplacements and trenches in the outskirts of the town. A few casualties were sustained and at least one armored car was lost while attempting to contact help. At 6:14 a.m. the lead armored car radioed battalion headquarters for assistance, which subsequently relayed the message to all available units in the area.
Reinforcements Arrive
The first available units to come to the scouting column's aid were the lead tanks of the 3rd Panzer Battalion of Wiking. These units were equipped with the main battle tank in service with the Verteidigungsstaffel, the PzKmpf XI Panthera. The high-velocity guns and thick armor were able to withstand all hits sustained while relieving the beleaguered scouting column. The tanks encircled the reconnaissance units in an iron sphere of safety to allow for the evacuation of the wounded and dead. In the next hour the rest of the 3rd Panzer was able to link up with its vanguard and draw a definitive line between the two opposing factions.
Later in the morning, as the fighting continued between the 3rd Panzer Battalion the entrenched Porantan troops, the first armored units of the 1st VS-Panzer Division Florian von Horn and 5th VS-Panzer Division Wiking began to trickle into the battle area. By 11:00 a.m. half of the armored strength of both Florian von Horn and Wiking were present, numbering roughly one hundred tanks. Accompanying infantry arrived at 11:30 and began to prepare for the assault on the town.
Main Engagement
Assault on the Town
At roughly 12:20 p.m. the tanks of Florian von Horn and Wiking revved up and began to move out. The 1st VS-Panzer Division was tasked with circling around the left flank of Auerbach and assaulting once they arrived on the western-most edge of the town, while the 5th VS-Panzer Division was responsible for attacking head-on with the brunt of the armored strength of the two divisions. Florian von Horn met weak resistance on the left flank and overran the western trenches with the Panzergrenadiers that joined the fight. Once they reached their stopping point, the division hooked east and plowed straight into the weak defenses on the west of the town. Wiking was met with stiffer resistance, but did not suffer any casualties. Rotgeheiman infantry flooded the trenches and pushed back all Porantan defenders present.
