THRACE AND MACEDONIA 1912-13

BULGARIA 1885 (135AP-200AP)

(Battles of Slivnitza, Dragoman, Zaribrod Pass, Pirot).

BULGARIAN

1 x CP (Gutscheff or Prince Alexander) @ 15AP, 0-1 x subordinate CP (Bendereff) @ 15AP, 4-21 x Bayonets @ 5AP, 1 x Inferior Bayonets (Robbers Brigade) @ 3AP, 0-4 x Inferior Bayonets (Macedonian Volunteers) @ 3AP, 1 x Inferior Light Horse (Mounted Irregulars) @ 1AP, 0-2 x Light Cavalry @ 5AP, 2-4 x Rifled Field Artillery @ 12AP, 0-4 x Entrenchments @ 15AP, 0-3 x Redoubts @ 5AP, 0-1 x Supply Base @ 8AP.

SERBIAN

1 x HQ (King Milan & Taplovitch, or Leshjannin) @ 20AP, 9-19 x BL @ 6AP, 0-1 x Rifled Horse Artillery (Brass) @ 24AP, 1-2 x Light Cavalry @ 5AP, 2-4 x Rifled Field Artillery (Brass) @ 12AP, 0-1 x Rifled Heavy Artillery (Brass) @ 18AP, 0-1 x Pontooneers @ 2AP, 0-1 x Supply Base @ 8AP.

Russia instigated a revolt in Turkish East Roumelia, but was incensed when the inhabitants chose to join Bulgaria instead of Russia. They regarded the Bulgarians’ acquiescence as ingratitude for their own liberation from the Turks by Russia, so withdrew the seconded Russian officers providing the Bulgarian army’s regimental commanders and instigated a Serbian invasion of Bulgaria to bring them to heel, described by a British contemporary as “hopefully the third and last of Serbia’s wicked wars of aggression”. The Bulgarians were caught by surprise with most of their army facing Turkey. A well dug-in scratch force at Slivnitza initially under a Major Gutscheff, reinforced by a dribble of arrivals during a 3 day battle, defeated the larger (western) of two Serbian thrusts (the second bogged down before the northern fortress of Widdin whose small garrison defeated 3 fruitless assaults) and went over to the offensive even before most of the army arrived, while a detachment under Captain Bendereff took the heights of Dragoman to the Serbian rear in a series of desperate assaults with bands playing. The Serbs retreated precipitately back across the border. The pursuing Bulgarians, now joined by their main army, forced the Zaribrod Pass and won a final battle at Pirot in Serbia, but were then forced to withdraw by threats from Austria. The Serbians had 2^nd-hand obsolete Russian artillery, the Bulgarians was modern German. The Bulgarians were extremely fond of the bayonet. The “Robber Brigade” was a quite well behaved unattached brigade of volunteers and adventurers under a Major Panitza.