Sicily to Brenner Pass - Mike1984 v. Desert

[mike1984]

This was probably the most active turn in a while, with several major engagements going on in all sectors. The Axis offensive east of Troina is making progress, and could pose some serious problems to my centre. The northern coastal units (3 ID) just can't seem to break into Santo Stefano. I NEED that town taken soon for Operation Passaic to continue as planned.

[mike1984]

A relatively quiet day along the front...

[desert]

Turn 21 - July 30, 1943
 
I'm taking huge casualties.

Panthers are starting to trickle in. I got a couple this turn.

He broke through my line east of San Fratello again.

Attack to drive them back - a platoon and 3 planes for 9 Shermans, 5 Stuarts, and 3 planes

He would have taken Santo Stefano if it wasn't for a desperate stand by the 137 Coastal Reg. The German infantry regiment lost almost half of its men and fled in disarray.

He pushed a British recon battalion all the way through my nonexistent flank around Adrano. I tried an envelopment.

Attack - 1 company and 22 fighters for a platoon, 9 light vehicles, and 18 fighters; it fled to Mt. Etna

I attacked again with just the It 6th Army HQ (it has lots of tanks) and some Italian artillery eager for revenge over the loss of 6 guns to the British scouts

Attack part 2 - the jerks didn't go through with the attack (read: I forgot to order it) and just shelled their position, which took out a couple of squads

The tanks NW of Catania were attacked and held well enough, I suppose.

Attack to straighten out the line N of Troina - I wrecked his infantry regiment, losing a platoon and 4 bombers for his company + 1/3 the equipment and 4 fighters

I've got big problems - that sea transport needs to come FAST. Once it does, within 4 turns I'll be pushing him back!

I was glad to see more even results in terms of air losses this turn.

[desert]

Turn 22 - July 31, 1943
 
The last day of the month was one of the quietest in a week. A couple of attacks (I see now they were bombardments), one on Santo Stefano (either very minor or brutally repelled), one north of Troina.
 
Last one was against the usual tanks in the Catania Sector. I swapped out the 146 Coastal Reg with the 4 Piemonte Reg - the 146 was getting pretty beaten up bearing the brunt of the British tanks. It actually has more men and equipment than the unit replacing it, but its readiness is much lower.
 
That British recon battalion, the 50th, is digging in on the slope of Mt. Etna. For now, I'm content to just hem it in with extra units, like the It 6th Army HQ and the 121 Coastal Reg (which had recently been
reconstituted and railed into the area).      
 
The Canadians are hiding out there, somewhere.
 
The last few days cost me a relatively large amount of tanks. 21 Semoventes and 53 German tanks destroyed is where it stands. Less than a week ago, that number was 9 Semoventes and 20 German tanks. I've also lost 580 planes so far, and have a little more than 500. In less than a week, I lost 180 planes destroyed, and have 100 fewer operational planes.

[mike1984]

Action picks up again... more of the same...

[desert]

Turn 23 - August 1, 1943

July has ended. Historically, the Axis began to evacuate within a week and pulled off a fighting retreat to Messina, completely withdrawing from Sicily in a little more than two weeks.

There were two notable attacks this turn:

Tanks NW of Catania - the tanks did well enough, but the It 4 Piemonte Reg is exhausted, so I replaced it with the 146 Coastal Reg (haha).

East of San Fratello - the pioneers and AT guns took a beating and fled SE; I moved up two Italian regiments from that hex, but it seems likely that they will drive me out of the position next turn

[mike1984]

As many of you can tell, we could be here for a while...

[desert]

Turn 24 - August 2, 1943
 
There were 3 major attacks:

SE of Santo Stefano - the US 1 Eng Btn was destroyed, but I lost the 171 CCNN Legion; they attacked again and took the hex, but sustained massive casualties

Tanks NW of Catania - very heavy losses, my worst yet - at least 2 dozen tanks out of action; I moved in the Flak Btn of the 1 Fallsch Div to reinforce

NW of Troina - heavy losses to the It 133 Coastal Reg, 6 Pz 4H out

Total number tanks destroyed is about 2 dozen, mostly Pz 4H.

To retake the lost hex SE of Santo Stefano, I attacked with the Semoventes of the Mobile Group B and the retreated Italians and Tigers.

Attack - 1 platoon, 2 Semoventes, and 29 planes for 12 planes and 37 of 78 tanks

Only the Semoventes moved into the hex, but hopefully they will be able to hold back the exhausted Americans in the area for one day.

Finally, I had the It 6th Army HQ make a minor probe into the British positions on Mt. Etna.

Probe - I lost a platoon, a tank, and 17 bombers for an armored vehicle and a 6 pounder AT gun.

[mike1984]

Back and forth we go... not really going anywhere. This scenario gets bogged down here quite easily. I might try to mod this scenario... i.e. finish it.

[desert]

Turn 25 - August 3, 1943
 
I received a squadron of Italian Freccia fighters (reconstituted 13 Gruppo).

In the Catania Sector, the British have moved all their tanks into the vicinity of Catania. The garrison has been ordered to hold the town at all costs.

The Canadian division has moved up into Troina, while the Br 50 ID is nowhere to be found.

As expected, the Allied attack broke up Mobile Group B. which lost a lot of Semoventes. Some sort of American Commando regiment or brigade advanced. I attacked with all my Tigers, the remnants of Mobile Group B, and three Italian infantry regiments.

Attack - the entire commando unit was brutally overrun and forced to surrender; I lost a company, 4 Semoventes, a Carro Veloce, 3 Tigers, and 33 planes for 35 fighters, 59 Assault Squads, 12 AT teams, 11 engineer squads, 35 MGs, 36 mortars, 11 Jeeps, 9 Trucks, and 46 wheeled amphibious transports, the whole thing

Most of the Mobile Group A and a Tiger company advanced. It definitely won't be able to hold the hex - I just hope they don't collapse like the American commandos did.

[mike1984]

Success in the south...

[desert]

Turn 26 - August 4, 1943
 
Terrible stuff. He's achieved a major breakthrough at Catania, of all places. Both Catania and the adjacent hex were taken. The defenders fought well. They tried to stand their ground, but were overwhelmed.
And they were OBLITERATED. All units escaped intact, but most are mere shells. 20 StuGs, 10 Pz3 L, and 15 Pz4 H (approximately) are out of action. The 1 HG PzJaeger Reg has almost NOTHING left. I'm going to have the pull back the remainingunits of the Catania Sector northeast to shorten the line - as it is, there's little standing between him and Messina along the coastal road. The It 54 Eng Btn and the Gr 129 Pz Btn (from which most of the StuGs were lost) had to be left behind, as they are in no condition to move. Hopefully they will get it together in the next few hours.

I need that sea transport SO BADLY right now. I also lost 20 of 60 100mm guns from the 213 Coastal ID divisional artillery.

[mike1984]

I got the date mixed up in the last few slides. My apologies.

[mike1984]

...and now the turn.

[Silvanski]

Good AAR guys. Monty's lads are delivering the goods

[mike1984]

Another breakthrough by the Americans... can they finally exploit this one?

[desert]

Turn 27 - August 5, 1943
 
I was attacked in two places in the Santo Stefano sector.

NE of San Fratello - a huge force, mostly comprising of the US 1 ID and 2 AD came within an inch of taking the hex, but a heroic stand by the It 121 Coastal Reg stopped them with only a platoon remaining; I reinforced the hex with the 36 PaKs, both Mobile Groups, and the 142 Coastal Reg

South End of SanStef Sector - a company or a little more lost, several armored vehicles out of commission; reinforced with 1 Fallschirm Reg

I got another reformed unit of 20 Italian Me-109s. The air war also seems to be turning in my favor - this is the second consecutive turn in which the Allies have lost more planes then I have.

Now for some excellent news. I have my sea transport and massive reinforcements are en route to or have already arrived in Messina. Now I can solidify my line and even look to pushing him out of Sicily. If I can defeat him before the end of the month, I'll have it made.

[desert]

Turn 28 - August 6, 1943
 
I was attacked NE of San Fratello and sustained extremely heavy losses to my infantry and anti-tank guns. An American recon company advanced after my retreating forces.

Allied bombardments all along the line disabled some 88mm AA guns.

The newly arrived German Sardinien Division was railed out of Messina to bolster the defenses on the coast and to occupy a staging ground NE of Adrano for an offensive. The It 31 Calabria Div and the Sturmbrigade Reichsfuhrer SS have just landed in Messina.

After sustaining some losses, the Allied air force ceased all aggresive activity around midday.

The British have brought up a fresh, powerful unit - the 24 Grds Bgd.

Attack NE of San Fratello to Regain Hex - a Semovente and a Ju-87 forced to return to respective bases after experiencing serious engine trouble for two Jeeps and two armored cars (scouts were already gone, small rearguard was quickly overwhelmed)

Mt Etna - late in the day, It 6th Army HQ decided to make an attempt to root out the British troops hiding on the mountain; they surrendered after gas for the armored cars ran out - but not before disabling 3 light tanks and an armored vehicle and tearing apart an Italian company - and two dozen cars were captured, 10 others listed as destroyed

The two 20mm AAs they had wreaked havoc on the dive bombers, bringing down one and damaging four others before disintegrating under a wave of 1000lb bombs.

[mike1984]

...

[desert]

Turn 29 - August 7, 1943
 
Not much going on this turn. Allies once again have air superiority. I moved some reinforcements around.
 
I was attacked in the hills between Troina and San Fratello and suffered huge losses. Powerful reinforcements are nearby, but they will probably have to retake that hex, given the state of its defenders.