Case Black - Battle on Sutjeska

DATE: 15/01/2023

TIME (GMT): 19:00

ERA: WW2

MAP(S): Altis

TYPE: COOP

GAME: Arma 3

EVENT: Official

AUTHOR(S): JaneSRBRUS for Brothers in Arms

SLOTS: 88 / 94

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RATING: (33)

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On May 15, 1943, the Battle of Sutjeska began against the Main Operational Group of the NOVJ Supreme Staff. The first sharp clashes took place in the north, between Chajnich and Focha, with parts of the 369th Legionary Division, and in the east, near Brodarevo and Mojkovac, with the 1st Mountain Division.

Faced with the appearance of large German forces from the east, the NOVJ Supreme Headquarters decided to prevent the closure of the ring by occupying Foča and ensure communication towards eastern Bosnia.  The attack was carried out from May 21 to 25 by the strengthened First Proletarian Division against the bulk of the German 118th Fighter Division.  Despite certain tactical successes (the defeat of the 7th Mountain Regiment on May 21 and the 13th Mountain Regiment on May 24), after the flank attack of parts of the 369th Division near Gradac on May 25, this attack proved to be hopeless. Therefore, on May 27, the Supreme Headquarters ordered the transfer of all forces to the left bank of Tara.

The 118th fighter division had the task of breaking out on Piva from the west and blocking it. On May 22, its 738th regiment, without contact with NOVJ units, broke out on Vučevo, a plateau west of Piva. However, they could not organize connections and supplies in this wide and impassable area, so the regimental commander, Lieutenant Colonel Anaker, sent one battalion to the south, to establish a connection with the 7th SS Division, and one to the west, to connect with the headquarters of his division. The remaining, 2nd battalion, in a dramatic battle on May 29, overthrew two battalions of the Second Proletarians from their dominant positions.
The intervention of parts of the division from the north, across the Drina, was suppressed by the forces of the First Proletarian Division, which moved across Tara. With this, the NOVJ forces firmly occupied Vučevo and prevented the Germans from closing the ring on Piva. The next natural obstacle where the 118th division could do this was the Sutjeska valley.

From May 18, the 7th SS Division and the Italian Ferrara Division began to appear from the south towards Šavnik, Žabljak and Mratinje. The successful defense of the 1st Dalmatian and 5th Montenegrin forces, which suppressed the advance of the right wing of the 7th SS Division and the Italians, made it possible to organize an attack on the left wing of the 7th SS Division. Starting from May 31, until June 5, the 4th Montenegrin, 7th Krajina and 10th Herzegovinian divisions fought fierce and exhausting battles with the Germans on the rugged sides of the Bioč mountain and in the upper reaches of the Piva. The successes achieved were insufficient, considering the reserves that the Germans had at their disposal.
Having established that this direction, through the source part of Sutjeska and Gatački polje, is densely occupied in depth, the Supreme Staff organized a consultation on June 3 in Mratinje. It was concluded that the situation was critical, and the forces were divided into two parts.  The first group consisted of the First and Second Divisions with the Supreme Headquarters, and the second group consisted of the Third (with a somewhat modified composition) and the Seventh Division, with the Central Hospital and part of the AVNOJ council.  The second group was led by Milovan Đilas, as a delegate of the Supreme Staff, and Sava Kovačević, who was appointed commander of the Third Division.

The two groups were supposed to break through in divergent directions to stretch the German forces. The first group was supposed to break through Sutjeska, while the second group was given the task of returning to the right bank of the Tara, in the Raška region.

SITUATION:
Operation Black Case or Battle on Sutjeska is the name for the troop operation in the summer of 1943. The aim of this operation was to break up the resistance group, both current and potential, and firmly take possession of the Adriatic hinterland, which gained in importance from the Allies presence in the Mediterranean.

German forces manage to surround Yugoslav Partizans and they start attacking them from all sides. Immediately Tito and HQ give an order for all forces to start counter attack on all sides so they can free themselves and use the gap for transport all troops, hq and injured and infected people.

Before the start of the main battle, it was ordered to bury all the heavy weapons, burn the archives and slaughter all the horses for the food of the fighters.