▁serious ▁doubt ▁about ▁the ▁final ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁operation ▁among ▁the ▁Italian ▁and ▁French ▁command ers . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁strength en ▁the ▁Al lies ▁Sar ra il ▁also ▁attached ▁a ▁Russian ▁inf antry ▁brig ade ▁to ▁the ▁Cr na ▁sector ▁forces ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁attack . ▁ ▁Central ▁Pow ers ▁plan ▁ ▁The ▁Bulg ari ans ▁and ▁Germ ans ▁were ▁well ▁aware ▁of ▁the ▁imp ending ▁Al lied ▁off ensive ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁rely ▁on ▁the ▁strength ▁of ▁their ▁well ▁prepared ▁fort ifications , ▁strong ▁art illery ▁and ▁machine ▁gun ▁fire ▁while ▁also ▁placing ▁as ▁many ▁troops ▁as ▁possible ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁lines ▁and ▁prepar ing ▁sufficient ▁res erves ▁in ▁case ▁the ▁Al lies ▁achieved ▁a ▁break through ▁and ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁strong ▁counter - att acks ▁arose . ▁The ▁task ▁of ▁the ▁def enders ▁was ▁to ▁preserve ▁their ▁positions ▁at ▁all ▁costs ▁and ▁protect ▁the ▁important ▁lines ▁of ▁communication ▁running ▁along ▁the ▁Grad sko - P rile p ▁road . ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 2 , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁had ▁already ▁launched ▁a ▁successful ▁attack ▁on ▁Italian ▁forces ▁west ▁of ▁Hill ▁ 1 0 5 0 ▁using ▁fl am eth row ers . ▁Italian ▁counter att acks ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁and ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 7 , ▁were ▁only ▁partly ▁successful . ▁ ▁O pp osing ▁forces ▁ ▁Central ▁Pow ers ▁ ▁The ▁Cr na ▁B end ▁was ▁considered ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁se ctors ▁on ▁the ▁Mac ed onian ▁Front ▁and ▁was ▁always ▁guard ed ▁by ▁strong