Siege of Karlsbode (Pacifica)
| Siege of Karlsbode | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of War of 1919 | |||||||||
 Downtown Karlsbode during the siege | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Weisserstein |
 Union State | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Wilhelm von Jägerndorf |
Ernst Raabe | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
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Ragged Guards | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 135,400 | 211,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 38,200 | 84,000 | ||||||||
The siege of Karlsbode took place between 22 December 1921 and 14 January 1922 and was fought between the AVS' Karlsbode Army, supported by the remnants of the 2nd Army, and the Reichswehr's 7th and 8th Army.
Prelude
Unternehmen Klein Schbeck
As part of the wider Operation Klein Schbeck, the Imperial Weissersteiner Army sought to secure the territories of Greater Clarvia, namely the Union State capital of Karlsbode. Access to Karlsbode would both allow Weisserstein and their royalist allies to secure the old capital of the Kingdom of Clashonia and force the Union State into a peace treaty, possibly forcing the Union State to also recognize the restoration of the kingdom.
With the AVS' soundly defeated during the Battle of the Rahde Redoubt, which not only cut off the Kleinhart Jura Army of the AVS but also secured one of the main roads towards Karlsbode via the town of Wisstock, the Imperial Weissersteiner Army began making maneuvers to encircle the city and advance towards the city center from all sides.
Weissersteiner offensive plan
The bulk of the initial assault would be conducted by the Reichsheer's 8th Army, consisting of the IV., X., and XIII. Corps, as well as containing the majority of Weisserstein's armored capabilities. The IV. and X. Corps would began their operations from the town of Wisstock and move south along the main road connecting Karlsbode to the north, with the main objective being the main road for further operational logistics as well as the city's industrial districts. The XII. Corps, equipped with a handful of armored cars, would move from the northwest, securing the city districts around the White Clarve river.
Meanwhile, the 7th Army's primary role is to cut off the city from the east. The Royal Clashonian Army-in-exile's 2nd Corps would take on the northeastern districts and capture the bridge connecting northwestern and eastern Karlsbode, linking up later with the IV. and X. Corps. The XVIII. Corps would focus largely in the eastern districts, and the XXIII. Corps would focus on securing the bridge connecting eastern and southwestern Karlsbode and link up with the XII. Corps, effectively cutting off the city from the rest of the Union State. Unlike the 8th Army, the 7th Army is not equipped with large quantities of armored vehicles.
Union State's defensive plan
The Union State's defenses around the city were manned by the Karlsbode Army. The army was commanded by General Ernst Raabe and numbered about 104,800 active soldiers spread across 8 infantry divisions: the 31st, 37th, 95th, 104th, 214th, 236th, 261st, and 502nd. These divisions had been bolstered by volunteer forces, such as the 502nd’s 75th Infantry Regiment. An additional 66,700 soldiers joined the defense of Karlsbode following the disastrous Battle of the Rahde Redoubt, which devastated the 1st and 2nd Army. The 1st Army was sent to support the front in White Clarvia while the 2nd Army, with the remains of the Luxemburg Army, was sent to bolster the defense of Karlsbode. Many locals also volunteered as fighters. These volunteers were known as the Ragged Guards by the AVS and became an integral part in the city's defense. At its peak, around 211,000 soldiers fought for the defense of the city. Frederika Palace, the official residence of the President, was turned into a makeshift headquarters for the Karlsbode Army, while the parliament building was turned into a temporary munitions storage and stronghold.
Festing Karlsbode
Since the beginning of the offensive, the Union State government began constructing several lines of fortifications and defenses around Karlsbode's perimeter to repel hostile forces approaching from north. Defenses were also constructed around the rest of the city, namely in the eastern districts of Weeden and Illiner, as well as the Zentral district. These fortifications and defenses formed a ring around the city of Karlsbode, protecting it from nearly all sides. Both the Frederika Palace and the parliament building, located in the Zentral district, were also heavily fortified in anticipation of the conflict.
Various armored vehicles were also salvaged or repurposed as static defenses in preparation for the siege, assigned largely to support infantry units or fend off Weissersteiner forces, especially tanks.
The lines of defenses were divided into five rings, designated A to E. Each line has various sub-designations, such as A1 and A2.
Orders of battle
Weissersteiner
| 8th Army | Corps | Division | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| IV. Corps | 12th Guards Cuirassiers Division
6th Lancers Division 14th Guards Hussars |
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| X. Corps | 8th Cuirassiers Division
15th Guards Cavalry Division |
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| XIII. Corps | 7th Infantry Division
31st Infantry Division |
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| 7th Army | 2nd Corps | 2nd Cavalry Division | |
| XVIII. Corps | 19th Infantry Division
57th Infantry Division |
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| XXIII. Corps | 18th Infantry Division
72nd Infantry Division 100th Infantry Division |
Union State
| Karlsbode Army | Divisions | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 31st Infantry Division | ||
| 37th Infantry Division | ||
| 95th Infantry Division | ||
| 104th Infantry Division | ||
| 214th Infantry Division | ||
| 236th Infantry Division | ||
| 261st Infantry Division | ||
| 502nd Infantry Division | ||
| 2nd Army | 21st Infantry Division | |
| 22nd Infantry Division | ||
| 24nd Infantry Division | ||
| 46th Infantry Division | ||
| 2nd Mixed Division | ||
| 4th Mixed Division | ||
| 81st Infantry Division |
Bombardment campaign
