Adventures in Italy

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the results of the survey....There's three P-40E/N squadrons and they are all
combat worthy and they all fly this turn, but I do need to monitor them to make sure
they are still combat worthy each turn.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's one of the Baltimore squadrons that has filled up sufficiently that it's
now combat worthy, but will require monitoring from turn to turn because it doesn't
have any planes on hand and is in danger of slipping below combat readiness at any
point in the turn. I could just leave it parked at Malta but I'm hurting for planes
that I need this one for CS.

[larryfulkerson]

That Baltimore squadron that's ready...I flew it to the Salerno area, gave it a range
of 7, put it on three dots, and there we go it's ready. It's dedicated to the Salerno
area only because I'm going to watch it. I'm thinking about flying those three P-40E/N
squadrons into this AO also.

[larryfulkerson]

So here's what's parked at the airfield there near Salerno...I ought to give it a
name I guess...How about "Rubber baby buggie bumper" R3B for short. I'm going to
move the Carathian AA unit to the other airfield further to the NW closer to the
front lines. Then I'll have two working airports, just as soon as I scoot the
Germans back a few hexes.

[larryfulkerson]

I've been moving units on the east side and this is what it looks like now. I'm
trying to bypass the minor enemy players for the follow on forces to tke care of
and zoom off with the recon units and repair the broken bridges with the Corps
HQ units until the engineers arrive on the spot.

[larryfulkerson]

I've been having trouble getting my amphibious assaults ashore in the past so I'm
wondering if two amphibious assaults will succeed, especially with the help of the
shore-based hexes adjacent that also have attackers of that hex. Maybe it will let
me ashore this time.

[larryfulkerson]

The amphibious attacks got ashore. Now to sort out who's staying and who's moving
out of the hex. It's cherry red with combat density right now and that's not a good
thing. I need to fix that before the turn ends if possible.

[larryfulkerson]

Note to Ian:
When it begins to not be fun anymore let me know and we
can switch sides or something. I don't want you to have
to play when it's not fun because that will destroy the
delight you have using TOAW IV. Playing when it's
not fun will burn you out and it happened to me so I'm
just saying it's been my experience that playing when
it's not fun anymore is a loss to the player and the
gaming community as a whole. We need to help each
other so the quality of the games gets better.

[devoncop]

Note to Larry.

I am having a blast

I want to see if I can stop you getting to Brenner Pass on time ....of course if you are ready to surrender then I will consider all unconditional requests [:D][:D][:D]

[devoncop]

9th April 1944

Salerno is being abandoned as the 1st FJ regiment is finally overrun and totally destroyed on whilst defending the port hex to the south of Salerno town itself. Larry has shown amazing persistence and determination in taking the port. I hope he will be very happy there

In the East a further rudimentary line with artillery support has been established beyond the blown bridges just south of Foggia. The units are mostly not strong having been engaged further south but the whole strategy is to delay south of the two fortified lines further north, the Gustav and Hitler lines.

From turn 87 I have been promised by OKH some serious heavy units from turn 87 and with powerful armour from turn 93 or so. Hope springs eternal !

In the West I have got similar roadblocks around Naples and the fixed SS Division around Rome....

I flew some suicide missions with what was left of my planes this turn as Foggia will fall within a turn or so an I will lose them then anyway.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the situation and my plans for the west side. I'm bypassing a lot of the
Germans on the East side so that I can branch out and maybe form a front line across
the width of Italy in an effort to catch all the remnants in southern Italy and prevent
more from entering the battlefield.

[700851McCall]

If you can reach Rome within the next two months you will be back on the historical timetable.

[devoncop]

ORIGINAL: 700851McCall

If you can reach Rome within the next two months you will be back on the historical timetable.

Doh !!

Don't tell him that ! ...his morale is quite high enough already [;)]

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: devoncop

ORIGINAL: 700851McCall
If you can reach Rome within the next two months you will be back on the historical timetable.

Doh !!

Don't tell him that ! ...his morale is quite high enough already

Indeed my morale is quite high. I'm having a blast with this scenario.
I only wish it were more accurate ( ships ) but this one is fun. I'm
wondering about the no invasions north of Salerno rule now that I'm
there. Were there no more invasions that took place? I seem to remember
something about Anzio. Are we still observing that rule? Now that I'm
there? And need more target ports to go to?

[devoncop]

Don't tell him that ! ...his morale is quite high enough already
[/quote]
Indeed my morale is quite high. I'm having a blast with this scenario.
I only wish it were more accurate ( ships ) but this one is fun. I'm
wondering about the no invasions north of Salerno rule now that I'm
there. Were there no more invasions that took place? I seem to remember
something about Anzio. Are we still observing that rule? Now that I'm
there? And need more target ports to go to?
[/quote]


Hi Larry

I think you can do Anzio via a Theatre Option cant you ?

[larryfulkerson]

I saw in writing that someone had chosen that TO and had
invaded and it didn't turn out all that well. So I'm
thinking that yes, there IS a TO for Anzio. I just
haven't seen it yet.

[hingram]

Taking Anzio worked out well for the Allies but Elmer is nasty. I'm up to the Gothic line(turn 104) but suddenly, my supply dried up. A certain unnamed player has decided to roam around in my rear, destroying railroads. So now I have a roamed rear. I put some engineers on trains and I'm trying to rebuild the lines

[sPzAbt653]

I'm wondering about the no invasions north of Salerno rule now that I'm there.

Here is the rule again:
To replicate the historical removal of major Allied landing craft for Anvil and Overlord, the Allies are not allowed to land embarked units after May 1, 1944 unless at a friendly port. 'Friendly Port' is defined as a hexside that contains both an anchorage and an Allied Supply point.

Salerno has nothing to do with it, the rule pertains to the removal of landing craft for other operations as of a DATE.

[700851McCall]

So you can invade anywhere you like up until May 1st 1944?

That seems realistic. The Allies chose Salerno as it was the furthest port location they could fly fighter cover to. Otherwise they could have gone in much further north, the sea was not contested so there was nothing stopping them.

Maybe a better rule would be no invasions more than 30 hexes from a friendly airfield, and none at all after May 1st 1944? May might be a bit late though, I suspect all the landing craft left theatre prior to that. A month is not along time to ship them all the way to the UK and prep them for an invasion.

[devoncop]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

I'm wondering about the no invasions north of Salerno rule now that I'm there.

Here is the rule again:
To replicate the historical removal of major Allied landing craft for Anvil and Overlord, the Allies are not allowed to land embarked units after May 1, 1944 unless at a friendly port. 'Friendly Port' is defined as a hexside that contains both an anchorage and an Allied Supply point.

Salerno has nothing to do with it, the rule pertains to the removal of landing craft for other operations as of a DATE.

Thanks for that.

In which case the scenario notes in the stock game that I have just read need amending as they say "to simulate the withdrawl of landing craft"...."the Allies are not allowed to invade any beaches north of the Salerno region" (my bold type)

Cheers

Ian