Sicily to Brenner Pass Revised

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the aircraft losses for the Allies so far:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines in T84. I'm still pushing north and running into more Germans. I'm pounding them from the air to make it easy to
roll over them. It's working so far. It's slower than just using the brute strength of the land combat units but I want to save some of the
troops if I can. And I can. I guess there's no hurry anymore.

[sPzAbt653]

The scenario wasn't designed for these three options. [:-]

[larryfulkerson]

Oh. Ok, I'll fix the three options and do a re-start w/ the options corrected. Okay?

[sPzAbt653]

Well, I don't know if its worth a full restart, but that's up to you. I've made two changes since you last started. 1) Made it so the Italian 211.Coastal Division doesn't withdraw when Italy surrenders. This division fought alongside the Germans in defending the Calabria area. 2) Added some German AA units to airfields in northern Italy. I thought they could use a little protection, but they are also in the way of the Partisan units up there, so I'm not sure they will have a lasting effect.

Let me know if you want this version and I'll send it to you pronto.

Thanks!

[larryfulkerson]

Yeah, let's have that new version and I'll do a full restart w/ the options correct this time.

[sPzAbt653]

Okie Dokie, file sent.

[larryfulkerson]

File received, upgrade performed, restart restarting. Here's the options I'm planning on using this time. It's not so much a problem to
do a restart because I'm retired and have nothing but time on my hands. Besides this is a good scenario and it's fun to do the opening
part.

[larryfulkerson]

OK. Here's the starting positions. The initial problem for the Allies is to connect the separate beaches together and capture those hexes
where there's turn 2 expected reinforcements will enter the game. And then to move north and clear the road of Germans and see if
the Americans can't get to Messina before the British.

[larryfulkerson]

The expected reinforcements come into the game in turn 2 in several places and I think I may have depicted them in the image below.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's my round 1 moves. I've captured some airfields and then moved some fighters in for air support and CAP support and I need to
remember to move them out of Gerrman arty range before the turn ends so they don't get pounded by arty like last time. Also, I've
started a good surround on some German units in the SE corner of the map. I hope to be able to dispatch them easily and quickly.
Elements of the British 1st Armoured Div have already started their journey to Messina along the East coast road. Little resistance so
far.

[larryfulkerson]

North of the invasion beaches there's an airdrome w/ several airfields w/ German aircraft based there. I've got enough bombers and
fighters to target about two German airfields per round and I'm going to do some airfield attacks to try to whittle down the number of
German aircraft that might interfere w/ the landings. I'm pretty sure I've gotten a toehold on the island however.

[larryfulkerson]

Evidently I miscalculated and struck three airfields or else a lot of German fighters were shot down in round 1 because in round 2 as
you can see, there's only two squadrons of Germans left to dispatch. So we'll hit those two airfields in round two to get rid of them.

[larryfulkerson]

The bad news is that four of the fighter squadrons went into reorg. So they can't fly. I can't move them to safety. So some of them may
get pounded by German arty. D'oh.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the starting positions at the beginning of T2. The German armour made a hole in my front lines and I need to commit the reserve
to contain the Germans. Also I need to move that German arty back out of range of my airfields.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's my turn 2 moves. Things are looking up. I connected the beaches and the Germans in the SE corner of the
map are going, going, almost gone. I received some reinforcements that I'm thrusting into the front lines already and the toehold looks
like it might be permanent.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the positions at the beginning of turn 3. My counterbattery arty didn't prevent the loss of two squadrons ( 1 was Spitfire V's and
the other was Spitfire IX's ) to German arty. D'oh. Just like last game.........you'd thing I would have learned. Next time through this
scenario I'll wait for a turn or two before I import any planes to the island. And the German armor pushed all the way to the defending arty
in the middle. I have a solution to that problem but it's embarassing nonetheless. Also, on the far left there's a large formation of
Germans that came out of the woodwork and have almost swamped my left flank. They need some help and the British on the far right
are almost unemployed since they finished off that group of Germans they had surrounded. They are almost ready to start heading
north.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's my turn 3 moves. I'm getting around behind the Germans on the far right and I'm blocking the Germans on the far left and it's
looking like there may be a way north somewhere in the middle.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the positions at the beginning of turn 4: I'm finishing up ( on the far right side ) surrounding and destroying a German grouping.
The Axis units in the middle are problematic. I'm not sure I can get much of a surround on those guys. But I'll try.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the beginning of T5. The situation is developing. The British have one more attack to make before they will be done mopping
up on the far right. The far left is still under terrific pressure and there have been savage attacks by the Germans there. The Germans
in the middle are proving to be a hard row to hoe. I'm thinking that the Allies in the middle of the map are going to need a fresh infusion
of boots on the ground before they can make any serious progress.