Early hours. Used the last of the unmentionable MRE coffee. Kapitan wants me to take lead at the meeting. The Headsman, Rataj, my General, my Kapitan, and our staffs. Funny that. He with his commissar and one of the LTs. Her with Eddie and me. We make small talk while Ed puts his frustrated artist skills to work sketching out Warsaw in colored chalk.
The Headsman has news from his 'spies'. We've been hearing gunfire, off and on, for the last two days. Some of the Baron's followers have decided that they're not going to win. They take what they can and try to leave. The Baron's men disagree. Once one group did it, it put the idea into others. They're flaking away. We need to put the last nails in their coffin."
They take their seats. I stand by the blackboard.
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| Ed really needs art lessons or 'This is a place holder' |
"Comrade General, honored Headsman, my fellow soldiers. Kapitan Paterson has asked me to present our plans for continued operations in the Warsaw area. Our targets are the communities of Praga and New/Old Town. Both sit astride the only cleared road route to the north. Both areas also possess large cultivated fields, captive civilian populations, and American troops."
"Headsman, I quite understand your feelings regarding their presence. In your place, I would want them dead as well. However, they are our comrades and one of the many reasons we're in Warsaw."
Filip growls, "Yes, but what are you going to do."
"We're going to free them."
Silence. Stunned?
"We are in contact with the commander of the Praga detachment. While they are armed, largely with shotguns and hunting rifles, they are overseen by a squad of Czarny's own house troops and the remains of the pirate forces. They are glorified trustees, freeing more of Czarny's solid troops for combat operations."
"Again," Filip complains, "What will you do."
"We're going to take both Praga and New/Old. Nothing less will free our comrades. Nothing less will break the marauder's hold on Warsaw."
Yes, stunned silence this time followed by nervous laughter.
General Koronov breaks the laughter with his basso rumble. "My friends, you've worked a miracle, no two miracles. But I do not see this. We are still outnumbered 2 or so to 1. I tell you, if you can do this, I will nominate you for sainthood."
"Orthodox, please. As you said, they have us 2 to 1. They do not have the men or material edge to take Sielce by assault. Moreover, they know they are in a worse position than they are. The man we recovered yesterday has well seeded their doubts. It seems Rataj spent lavishly to equip your militia. They believe you have a dozen light mortars, additional PKs, many assault rifles, and AT and fragmentation grenades. You liquidated your fortune to buy those and hire close to two hundred American and Polish mercenaries. You are too strong to take this autumn. You're safe."
"So, it is time for us to go. We'll make a big production out of it. The Americans are taking the boat downriver to link up with allied lines. We'll 'stock' the boat over the course of a day. Have a tearful bon voyage party. Speaches and so forth about our eternal friendship. Then, late afternoon, we sail downriver."
I want to laugh. Headsman Filip and his men look as if I've lost my mind. Koronov nods and mouths, "Maskirovka."
"This is, of course, misdirection, a deception. We'll clear Warsaw by nightfall and be some kilometers downstream. Disembark onto the north shore and make our way back on foot. We'll meet with the American troops they have on night patrol and use them to guide us in. An assault team will take the HQ in Praga. Once that fight starts, other troops will attack the western end of the Praga wall and sweep its length. Our American comrades are quartered between the river and the wall. They'll be free to fight with us once the pirates are gone."
"New/Old is a riskier proposition. We don't have the manpower to stage a second assault simultaneously with the first. Our troops will intermingle with the freed Americans. We'll stage a 'fighting withdraw' over the bridge. Once we're in friendly lines, we turn on the marauders and seize the community."
The General steeples his hands, "This is a high risk operation. You'll need more than your fifty to carry it off."
"Yes, sir, we will. We're counting on your support and that yours Headman. Holding just Praga cuts their lines of communication. By your information, they have few forces, other than garrisons, to the north. It will be very hard for them to cross the Wistula under fire. If we hold New/Old as well their position is completely untenable. We hold most of the fields, food storage, and the all important roads. They can try to deal with us, or, they can collapse. We'll take either outcome."
"What of armor attack?"
"Armor can only proceed with speed up the road from the Fortress to New/Old. The wall has onlt a small gap for trucks. We have RPG-16s and a few RPG-18s. It will only take one tank to block the route. Otherwise, they will have a long treacherous slog through the ruins. We'll be in position before them."
"And infantry?"
The New/Old wall is again our friend. We'll have combined some 200 American troops, plus any commitment from yourself. We can evacuate civilians and food to Praga. Fight from the wall until it can't be held. Then conduct a real fighting withdraw across the bridge. We bleed them every step of the way. Together we can hold the Vistula crossing indefinitely. They'll have to move south around the city to find a bridge to the west. With the battery on the barge we can interdict that crossing as well."
My friend the General has a gleam in his eye. He's on board. "I have fifty men on hand with another forty due to infiltrate over the next few days. I can pledge those fifty. The new arrivals will take their place."
Kapitan Paterson nods her thanks. Turns to Filip. He and Rataj put their heads together. Grudgingly, "I can provide an additional 60 men." He has to beat the Russian contribution. Save face.
The Kapitan stands, "Thank you both. I will be in overall command of the expedition." She points to the map. "Our troops will still be taking the wall. It would be best to have Americans close to Americans to reduce any chances of friendly fire. General, your men will be sweeping to our left, clearing any pirate holdouts and seizing their small mortar battery. Headsman, your men will be to the Russian left. Their task will be to block any retreating pirates from getting to the civilians and food stocks. I know there's many details to work out. We've got the day to do it. We should break so you can assemble small unit leaders and we can work details out over lunch."
"Agreed."
"Da."
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