It's Raining Men (and Guns) Over Corinth

[Xiphos]

Parachutes over Corinth
3d, 22h
Allies - Realistic Orders Delay



The major objectives of this scenario are to: (1) Hold or retake the bridge over the canal, (2) Evacuate a force to the south. To accomplish the first major objective, it will also be necessary to hold or retake Loutrakiou, the small town north of the bridge. Holding the city of Korinthos and the town of Examillia will keep the door open for the exiting troops.

The point distribution is:

Exit to Evacuation Beach:..83 for 100 AperFP
Destroy the enemy:...........42 for 79%
Korinth Canal Bridge:.........33, 16.7 for occupation beginning to end, 16.7 for completion
Loutrakiou:.........................8, 4.2 for occupation beginning to end, 4.2 for completion
Korinthos:...........................8, 4.2 for occupation D2 0800 to end, 4.2 for completion
Examillia:............................5, 2.5 for occupation D2 0800 to end, 2.5 for completion

This scenario is one of reaction instead of planning, since the paratrooper attack is a surprise (even with limited warning). I don’t know where the first attack will come from (other than “the sky”), so we will have to plan our reactions in order to “act, rather than be acted upon.”

After reviewing the map and objectives, I set my priorities. Of the “occupy” objectives, the bridge and Loutrakiou are the most lucrative right off the bat, but half of their points are for completion. Can we hold those points and evacuate enough men to achieve the Evacuation objective? We will begin with the bridge defense, and use reinforcements to drive the enemy away long enough for the necessary units to make a break for the evacuation. I want to hold the bridge until the last moment, even if we have to blow it and fire from the south side. Korinthos and Examillia should be simple – the bulk of the enemy’s force will be coming from the north, and I have the 26th battalion coming as reinforcements from the south during the evening of the first day. They should be able to take up positions at both objectives and almost guarantee us those points.

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The scenario begins with the Isthmus Force HQ, A and B companies of the 2/6th Australian Infantry Battalion, the Wellington West Coast company of the 19th New Zealand Inf Bat, the 6th Field company of the New Zealand Engineers, and the 1st Section of the 122nd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, 13th LAA Regiment, Royal Artillery in position around the objective, and one German paratrooper company on the ground.

Not knowing where the enemy will come from – but assuming north – I order the Isthmus Force to take defensive positions in Loutrakiou, the 6th Fd coy engineers to begin priming the bridge, and the LAA section to take position northeast of the town, facing northwest on the slope covering the northern approach. From there, they should be able to provide cover fire for the defense of the town and bridge.

Before the units are able to reach their positions, the fun begins . . .


EDIT: This is going to have to wait until I resize all my screenshots. I'll get them up as soon as I can!

[Xiphos]

Paratroopers begin dropping from the sky (as paratroopers always do), and the entire force suddenly has control of the objective. My units are overwhelmed, and retreat in various directions. Very bad – a scattered battalion-sized force can do nothing against a cohesive defense, especially one of this size. We’ll have to make do with a three-faced defense until reinforcements arrive later this evening.

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I detach the West Coast and B companies, and order them to take defensive positions on the rise northeast of the objective. Isthmus Force HQ, A company, and 6th engineers are ordered to seal off the south, and the LAA section is ordered to set up fire from the north face of Hill 85.

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The paratroopers have crossed the bridge to the north and are moving through Loutrakiou. Maybe the Isthmus Force HQ can press forward to the bridge and hold the enemy to the north side. Reinforcements will come from the east (except for the 26th battalion), and they should be able to sweep the Germans out of the town. The clock is already ticking on the bridge and town occupation points . . . if we can hold the bridge, we can start claiming some of those points.

It’d be nice if the LAA section would grow a spine and get on that hill and give our boys some cover fire . . .

[Xiphos]

A battalion-sized force of paratroopers presses on towards our two cut-off companies, who continue retreating up the hill and into the trees. We need the Isthmus HQ to get to the bridge and provide a distraction and get those jerries off their backs so they can regroup.

LAA, still running for the “other” hills . . .

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Finally! At 1700, the 4th Brigade HQ comes with the 2nd Machine Gun Company of the 27th New Zealand Inf, the 31st Motorized Anti-Tank Battery of the 7th AT Regiment, the 5th Field Park Company, New Zealand Engineers, and the Bridging Troop, 5th Fd Park Company. They’re not really assault units, but I order them to set up and do their best to push through from the southeast – we’re expecting the 18th Inf Bat any minute now, and they’ll complete the push. Minutes later, they do appear.

It appears that our distraction is working, as the German battalion has turned from its push and is moving back towards the bridge. I change the defend objective for the two companies so they set up farther up the hill.

LAA has found the right hill, finally. Now if they can find the right side . . .

[Xiphos]

The paratroopers have pulled back to the canal to regroup. It’s time to turn the tide. We’ll push the Germans into a corner and finish them. I order the 18th battalion to follow the 4th Bde HQ and push through to the other side. I’m hoping that as they move they’ll push the enemy from the town and bridge and towards the corner. From there, they will be able to cut off any reinforcements or supplies from the north and provide fire during the coming assault. They will also be able to act as a quasi-reserve and can tighten the noose if the next battalion can’t seem to do it. They’re my jack-of-all-trades, ace in plain sight, if you will.

The Isthmus force has retreated from the bridge, as the Germans are firing on them from the other side of the canal. I order them to join the push from the south, adding more encouragement for the enemy to move to where I want them.

LAA taking their sweet time to find the right side of the hill . . .

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At 2030, the 26th battalion arrives from the south. D company is sent to Examillia, while HQ and A company move to take up position southeast of Korinthos. They’ll start earning points tomorrow morning at 0800.

The 18th battalion has met the force led by the 4th Bde HQ, and are beginning their push through the enemy. Isthmus Force is having a hard time assembling under fire. LAA is playing hide-and-seek on the hill.

[Xiphos]

The 19th battalion shows up late in the evening – too late to mount an effective push. They are ordered to rest south of the trees and prepare for a dawn offensive. The dark begins to limit line-of-sight, which will allow the 18th to slip past the unmoving Germans and take flanking/defensive/cover positions to the north. The 4th Bde HQ force is securing their objective very close to the enemy – they’ll be a surprise when the sun comes up. I decide to let the Isthmus force continue their assembly and assault to keep the Germans up and harassed, I’ll make sure they get enough rest tomorrow (sure).

LAA still frolicking on the hill . . . some support would be nice.

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During the morning, the 20th battalion arrives and is given the command to assist in the push. The 19th is given the order to attack at dawn. The Isthmus force makes it across the bridge and is reunited with the two cut-off companies, who are reattached. The 4th Bde HQ and buddies greet the morning with machine gun barrages, and the Germans begin pulling back. The 18th take up position at the crossroads to the north of the enemy, channeling the retreat into the corner. The LAA commander finally turns his map rightside-up, and finds the correct side of Hill 85. I send him a doggy-biscuit.

[Xiphos]

The 19th and 20th battalions have cleared the town and bridge of Germans, and are continuing to the “Operation Noose” staging point. The 4th Bde HQ keeps up steady cover fire for the advance. I ordered the Isthmus force to assault from the east, but think better of running these poor guys into the ground – I give the order to move into position to deny crossing at the bridge. After all, I did promise them a rest.

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So now I’m getting really nervous about German reinforcements. I order the machine guns and the anti-tank battery under the command of 4th Bde HQ to defensive positions in the north – the machine guns on the eastern rise below the trees, and the AT battery east of the 18th battalion on its own slope. The 5th engineers company is detached from the 4th HQ and told to begin priming the bridge. We’ll have this thing ready to blow soon, and then we’ll be able to laugh at the Germans from the other side of the wet stuff. The HQ and bridging unit are ordered between the AT battery and machine guns. That should cover two of the three north-south roads to the bridge – the other should be covered by the 19th and 20th battalions eventually, I hope. The spacing is designed for time . . . if we see the Germans coming, I’ll order a delay tactic until the bridge is ready.

[Xiphos]

Temptation. Sweet, cruel temptation. Intelligence reports that the fat, juicy target sitting up north has well over 500 men – probably much more. Those 42 points for “Destroy the Enemy” are looking at me with pleading in their eyes. I have a fully rested battalion sitting on a road that runs right up to their fat, lightly-armed butts. Do I jump ‘em? Hell no. Like the thrice stung dog, I’m going to sit here and lick my chops. I’ve been here before (well, not here in Corinth), and I’ve lost many a company to ill-fated, glory-seeking rushes for the fat target. I know darn well there are five or six regiments of German soldiers just waiting to pop out of the ground as soon as my battalion fires their first shot. No, thank you, sir – we’ll stay right here and cut their supply lines.

Speaking of which, the enemy can’t hope of holding for long . . . the two battalions are setting up for the final. Those guys are slippery, though, and they’re starting to move north. It’s a good thing the 18th is holding station where they are – one of their line companies and their mortar platoon are pouring steady fire into enemy lines.

Oh dang, how did I lose Loutrakiou? The 6th engineers are detached and sent to hold in the town.


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Isthmus Force, I am a man of my word – and it’s not midnight yet. Time for you to re . . . what the . . .? Where did those Germans come from? Suddenly I’ve got blue behind my lines, and the bulk of my force on the other side of the canal. Not cool, Mr. Germany. Still, there’s not much I can do about it at night with the exhausted Isthmus Force. We’ll just have to rest and hope they do the same. I also order the 19th to rest before the big push against the trapped enemy. The 20th hems them in a little more as they set up defensive positions to the southeast. The 6th engineers also bed down for the night.

[Xiphos]

So I changed my mind. Sue me. I’ve thought about it, and my briefing doesn’t say where the German reinforcements are going to be coming from. I know we’re supposed to exit south, but that doesn’t mean that there can’t be more than a battalion-sized force in the way. I don’t like the idea of my forces split how they are and facing the enemy on two sides, so it’s time to finish and consolidate. The AT battery and machine guns are reattached to the 4th HQ, who decides they’d all be warmer if they huddled up. Very funny, I say as I tell them to get their butts down south and make up the northern part of a defensive line next to the bridge. I order the 18th to attack the trapped Germans from the north while the 20th pins them down. The 19th is ordered across the bridge to aid Isthmus Force in creating a defensive line between the new arrivals and the bridge. Sorry guys, not much shut-eye tonight. The LAA section is ordered to the west side of the hill and, surprisingly, they know right where to go. Someone give this guy a merit badge.

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Morning comes, and the new Germans are revealed north of where they were last night. Hmmmm. The 20th holds, though the south end of their line falls back repeatedly. These guys are feisty – they don’t want to hold still for me.

[Xiphos]

In anticipation of the new arrivals reaching the south beach and providing cover for their trapped comrades, I order the 19th to abandon their defensive plans and assault where I think they will arrive. Best case, we trap these guys in the corner as well – then Isthmus Force can jog over to the crossroads northeast of Korinthos and tighten the noose. Come on, whiners, this’ll be fun!

The 20th’s left flank has folded, and the cornered enemy is doing his best to exploit. The 18th is meandering to their assembly point, and I’m about ready to go after them with a cattle-prod. MOVE!!

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Getting tired of waiting on the 18th and worried about the enemy breaking out, I order the 20th to assault the beach. Amazing how quickly these guys are able to pick up and go. In no time, the Germans are thrown back and begin surrendering.

The 19th are almost in position to assault, and the enemy has moved out of the kill zone. Go figure.

[Xiphos]

The party’s over. The 18th spots mechanized units to the north – the enemy reinforcements are here. Time to get out of dodge and blow the bridge. I order the 18th to form a defensive line behind the bridge, and the 20th to help form the pocket around the now retreating German units in the south. I order the 4th Bde Base to get across the bridge, supplies will come from the south for the rest of the scenario.

One of the trapped enemy units decides they don’t want to be trapped anymore, and my battalions obligingly let them pass. How 106 men can saunter pass two companies, I’ll never know. All I’m worried about now is getting across that bridge.

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The escaping unit retreats all of the way along the canal . . . retreating right into my plunger-happy engineer unit. Sigh. Aw, crap. Suddenly I have two battalions trapped between a busted bridge and a really unhappy mechanized force. Did I mention these guys are mechanized? They’re screaming down the roads around the backs of my men, and right towards Loutrakiou and the single engineer unit standing therein. I can just picture the faces on these guys as they glance from the enemy to their buddies across the canal in unbelief. Oh yeah, I’d be mad.

So, now to reassess and get this situation back under control. First, find a bridge. Who brought the bridge? We don’t have a bridge – nobody has a bridge. The bridging unit, the guys to build bridges – they don’t have a bridge. Either we forgot to pack a bridge before we left (where was my wife when we needed her?) or it somehow got destroyed in the fighting (where was my wife when . . . wait). Here, my ignorance rears its painfully ugly head. Can the bridges be destroyed during the fighting, or did someone really forget to pack a bridge?

And the ignorance continues. Those crossing points, they can’t be crossed, can they? Not without a bridge? I order the 20th to cross the northern one, to test it. After about half an hour, nobody had crossed it – so I assume it is not crossable without a bridge.

[Xiphos]

Well, this doesn’t have to be a total failure. We need position, and we might as well maintain our objectives while we gain it. I order the 18th and 20th battalions to defend Loutrakiou. If they consolidate and hold position with the engineers, they should last for a while.

Meanwhile the Germans are drawn off of the scent of engineer flesh by the sight of 18th battalion’s mortar platoon, which is quickly cut off and killed. Like a pack of wolves and a herd of caribou. If only they hadn’t retreated toward the enemy . . .

Somehow, B company of the 20th is on the south side of the bridge. Odd, since they were attacking from the north. I don’t know if I’m happy about that . . . an extra company could save lives on the north side of the bridge. But then again, exiting that unit could help with victory.

The 19th battalion cheerfully finishes their assault without a loss, or a kill. I order them to take a breather.

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Both trapped battalions miraculously make it back to the bridge as welcome nightfall hides them from the regrouping Germans. It’s now the middle of the night between the third and fourth days, and we’ve got to get troops to the evacuation points before 2200 on Day 4. We still have Germans between us and our most important objective. Time to clear the way. I order the 19th to attack from the northeast and the Isthmus Force (walking zombies by now, but time is running out) to attack from the southeast. B company from the 20th joins Isthmus Force in their assault. Two units from the 26th are holding near Korinthos and will keep the enemy from backing into the city, I hope.

[Xiphos]

Despite their lack of sleep, Isthmus Force whips around to the south before 19th battalion even begins moving (needed to brew their coffee first), and the Germans begin falling back toward the beach.

I suddenly remember that I have two great support units under the 4th Bde HQ, and my friend the LAA section on the hill. There’s a rise on the south bank of the canal that commands a very nice view of the opposing side – both the AT battery and machine gun company went there. Heroes. I ordered the LAA section to the other side of their favorite hill. I ordered 4th Bde HQ and the extremely useful bridging unit to a crossroad south of Isthmus Force in preparation for departure.

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The two supporting units take their places and begin chucking fire over the heads of the 18th and 20th and into the enemy ranks. Heroes. Isthmus Force finish their push and pin the Germans against the beach. The 19th happily continues it’s assault, again missing the enemy. I order them to exploit through Isthmus Force and finish the Germans. This has to end now. Time is quickly running out. Their mortar platoon stops obeying orders and begins throwing metal at the Germans across the canal. Heroes.

The 4th Bde HQ makes it to the exit, and they and the bridging unit leave after saying something about fetching a bridge. I order the base unit to a crossroad between Examillia and the exit.

[Xiphos]

The 19th battalion pushes the Germans against the beach, and a few surrender. Their mortar platoon forgets all about the southern force and keeps flinging fire into the northern Germans’ right flank as the two support units next to the canal continue pouring their fire into the Germans’ center. Heroes. The LAA section on the hill finds the triggers to their weapons and start pulling them, protecting our right flank as it starts to crumble. Whad’ya know, heroes.

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The northern German assault cuts off two companies, and pushes the LAA section off of their hill (the Force?). Our right flank is in serious trouble.

Down south, the 19th continues to chase the enemy along the beach. Another couple surrender or are killed. The mortar platoon decides to follow orders, and begin suppressing the trapped Germans.

I order Isthmus Force to exit south. Next best thing to a rest, I figure. I don’t notice it right away, but B Company of the 20th doesn’t follow. For some reason, neither does A Company from the 2/6th, originally with Isthmus Force. I also order A Company, 26th to exit as well. The 19th is mopping the field with the Germans – we shouldn’t need two units to hold Korinthos.

[Xiphos]

A Company of the 2/6th finally goes, but Captain “Impetuous” of B Company, 20th gives me a sharp “no.” I repeatedly order him to exit, but he refuses. Odd. I still don’t have enough troops that have exited. There are 2 ½ hours until the scenario ends. We desperately need to hold Loutrakiou and the bridge now.

B Company, 18th – one of the cut-off companies in the north – subdues a German engineer unit and returns to the line. Freakin’ heroes. The grey cross at the tree-line belongs to their would-be attackers. They were part of the trapped paratroopers who escaped, but still. D Company, 20th – the other cut-off unit – is struggling unsuccessfully to break through the five units between them and the rest of their battalion. Support fire continues from across the canal.

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I order the 20th to move and defend the southeast side of Loutrakiou, reinforcing our right flank. That move, accompanied by supporting fire, pushes the enemy away from that side. D Company is still cut off. Both battalions are running low on supplies. They’ve been cut off for over 24 hours.

[Xiphos]

Situation at scenario end:
The 18th and 20th battalions are cut off from the evac beaches and under heavy assault from German SS units. Support fire continues from the southern bank of the canal. The 19th battalion has the last of the paratroopers on the run, pressing them south and against the beach. The 26th battalion has control of both Korinthos and Examillia, and A Company has been evacuated. Isthmus Force has also been completely evacuated. The 4th Bde HQ and bridging unit have been evacuated, and were heard to be calling for a bridge.

It’s interesting that it ended up almost like the historical scenario – I hadn’t thought of that until now. We’ll have to go with the costly evac by ship, unless 4th Bde HQ comes across a bridge somewhere.

Oh, and how did it all go down?

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So I’m not fired – yet. The mission was, in some respects, a failure – though I suppose the kills and objective control has weakened the enemy to the point where it’s still a possible victory. I’m a little disappointed that there wasn’t a bridge to build, but it certainly made it feel much more “real.” I had a disaster on my hands that could have turned out much worse. Funny how the possible loss of two simulated battalions can somber up your day. If only I could find a bridge and get back to my men!

This has been one of the most fun scenarios I have played!

[Deathtreader]

Xiphos,

Thanks for an extremely well written AAR. A great read!! [:)]

Rob.

[Arjuna]

Yes great stuff. You will be pleased to know that I have added the bridge to the Allied bridging unit. Si you'll have to replay this one after the patch is out.

[Xiphos]

[:D] That's awesome! Actually, I thought it was great without the bridge, too. It felt very real. Too bad there's not some way to have them randomly "forget" the bridge. Either way, it'll be great to be able to bring my boys across!

Thanks for the comments!

[Arjuna]

ORIGINAL: Xiphos

[:D] That's awesome! Actually, I thought it was great without the bridge, too. It felt very real. Too bad there's not some way to have them randomly "forget" the bridge. Either way, it'll be great to be able to bring my boys across!

Thanks for the comments!

Actually you could duplicate the reinforcement schedule, substituting in one an engineer without the bridge. But I reckon that would be best in a schedule that favoured the Axis, rather than a standard one.

[Xiphos]

That would certainly make it more interesting - burning your bridges before you start. I really like the challenge. What made it great this time is that it felt like a real, human soldier slipped up instead of something that was supposed to happen. There were all sorts of surprising challenges - being jumped by far more paratroopers than I expected, the enemy reinforcements behind my lines, the bridge being blown just as the mechanized reinforcements arrived, and not being able to build a bridge to finish evacuating my men. It brings all the more satisfaction when, somehow, you're able to pull something off. It was a very well planned scenario, very realistic!