Adventures in Italy

[devoncop]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Original: devoncop
I see you have put our reverse fixture up so thanks for the opportunity to play the good guys !

If you don't mind I will pick it up once this one is finishing....I don't want to have to rush it as the scenario is like a fine wine...it needs savouring

I agree. After this one is done is fine. I'll need to start a new AAR for it. What would you like the title to be? I propose: "More Adventures In Italy With Ian". What do you think?

That sounds good to me !

[devoncop]

It may be interesting to readers to know what the Germans still have in their locker so next turn I will give you all details of the formations I am using to try and hold on to Brenner and the three defence lines.

Both Larry and I have been pretty open throughout so I am not spoiling anything and it will give an idea whether I have any chance at all of holding it... (Place your bets [:)])

[larryfulkerson]

I started to depict the location of the HQ's but it started to look busy so I gave
up on that. Here's the section of the front lines where the action is happening.
I'm trying to force entry into the Axis backfield. I thought the broken bridges
would hold me up more than they seem to be doing. I've got lots of HQ's with an
engineering cap. and that has repaired many a bridge so far. The rails aren't
keeping up with the front lines so I'm going to use the HQ's for repairing the
bridges and send all the engineers to the railhead to help fix the rail. Quite
a few Allied aircraft are in reorg this turn and I'm thinking it's from all those
aerial strikes last turn. I guess I'll begin to temper my strikes. Slow down
the operational tempo for the aircraft, let 'em rest until they are dark green
again.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looked like just before I ended my turn. I'm getting closer.

[devoncop]

3rd January 1945

Happy New Year !

Battle is well and truly joined.

First things first :

My first defence line comprises multiple elements of 16 Divisions but this does not tell the whole story. Some are barely more than regimental strength like the 42nd Jager Division that was badly mauled near Rome in the previous year all the way up to full 4 or 5 regiment strong Infantry Divisions like the 278th . As a better guide, the line comprises in total around 78 battalion strength units. All are fully dug in with some element of artillery support but no air cover at all. The line is to the south of Trento.



The turn begins with very heavy air bombardment again and my artillery...having been given stome intensive training and some serious dressings down finally get their act together. The 2nd British Infantry Brigade of 1st Division which had joined its advance guard of the AT battalion was subjected to concentrated artillery bombardment and suffered over 40% losses. A further 10% losses were inflicted on the Independent Indian Brigade slightly to the East.

Throughout this aerial interdiction was hellish but over 130 Allied aircraft were reportedly shot down.

On the Western fork ahead of the 1st Defence line two Recon battalions of 26th Panzer continue to harass and delay troops from the traitorous Cremona Combat group.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like on the front lines. I've run into some serious resistance
and it's not just infantry, oh no, it's mechanized and tanks and AT guns and all the
serious stuff you put in a front line. I'm going to have to pound it from the air
to soften it up a lot before I start attacking seriously. I'm still looking for a
way around his troops.

[devoncop]

7th January 1944

The outlying pickets perform above expectations as the resistance of the surrounded security battalion on Verona burns up almost larry's entire combat rounds which is helpful and 26th Panzers recon battalion though now pushed aside have delayed contact with the eastern fork of the first resistance line.

An Independent Indian Brigade and the Jewish brigade of the 8th Army reached the Western fork resistance line and were subjected to artillery fire causing 10% losses to the Independent Brigade and a more substantial 24% to the Jewish Brigade.

Air attacks continued and in excess of 75 planes were shot down.

To finish my detailing of the German defence lines :

The second line is established where the two forks narrow into a single Pass south of Bolzano. This is much narrower and the line comprises the equivalent of 28 battalions including much of the remaining Panzer reserve.

The final formal line is south of Bressanone and comprises a further 32 battalions in strength, again, like the first and second lines with artillery support.

Brenner Pass itself has a small garrision to be bolstered by the arrival of the last complete Infantry Division shortly.

It is obviously my hope that as a line gives way a reasonable proportion of its troops can withdraw to bolster the line behind.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like on the front lines. I did some mopping up and I moved
some units further east and repaired two bridges and progress is being made. Since
I've added some engineers to the rail repair crews the rail is keeping up with the
front lines so far. If I can get all the bridges fixed that need to be fixed for
a road to Brenner's Pass I think I'll see how many of the broken bridges in the SE
that I can fix.

[larryfulkerson]

It looks like Ian and I have been doing about 5 turns per day lately. He must really
want to get that next game started.

[devoncop]

10th January 1945

News arrives that the Bulge offensive has failed just as British, Indian, US and Canadian troops hit the first defence line. Not great for morale.

The reports from the overwhelmed 26th Panzer Recon battalions on the western fork speak of British troops advancing in force supported by US armour and 1st US Armoured Division is spotted supporting attacks on the Eastern portion of the line.

Heavy air attacks continue with another 80 or so Allied planes reportedly downed but there is no sign of these losses lessening the air campaign....

[devoncop]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

It looks like Ian and I have been doing about 5 turns per day lately. He must really
want to get that next game started.

Larry is just as keen to be in charge of a lot of Italian coastal divisions who spend most of the war in reorganisation [:D]

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines after I've finally moved everybody except the aircraft, which
I still need to go through them and set missions, trim their range prn. and rest the
tired ones. There's quite a few of them in reorg and they are missing planes. But
the bombardment must continue. Thirty three ( 33 ) turns left in the game. Is it
enough time to get to Brenner's Pass?

[MikeJ19]

Great stuff, it is going to be a close call.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like just before I end the turn. Some light bombardment and
one attack which was successfull....mop up complete.

[devoncop]

14th January 1944

More bombardments of the Indian, Jewish and British Brigades pressed against the Allied lines in the central and western parts of the line causing about 15% damage on average. There appears to be a move underway to transfer troops out in a wide right hook by Larry to try and outflank my first defence line. Mu old friends from the French mountains...the Brazilian Expeditionary Force have been spotted making an unwelcome reappearance and heading on the Trieste road which would with the rest of the redistribution by Larry.

The line does extend east which he has yet to meet but as extra insurance some forces are moved from the second line towards the Eastern edge of the first.

Another 80 or so planes downed this time but Larry is as good as his word and there has been no reduction in air activity.

[larryfulkerson]

I need two more victory points for a marginal victory. I'll have to capture a city
or something.

[devoncop]

17th January 1944

The fronts remain stable as Artillery continues to hit forward infantry and engineering units of the Allies but there is a disturbing lack of visibility of the powerful Armoured formations as yet.
The US 135th Regiment and Polish 7th AT Regiment got hit with 30% losses and a British Engineering Brigade further East about 20%.

Larry only got a single combat round in again so that helped me, as did a much lesser issue with interdiction. Maybe the air losses are finally having some effect. I suspect however he is merely resting them a bit to co-ordinate with a big armoured breakthrough.

Larry will definitely get his minor victory so I am now looking to try and restrict him to that...Whatever happens outside the Brenner Lines I need to protect what is left of the Reich by holding Brenner.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what I see when I open the turn after I've watched the combat replay. He's
been bombarding my forward positions and I keep bombing his arty. It's a living.
There's about 32 turns left in the game and I captured a 5 victory point city so
now it's officially a marginal victory, hurrah. I still don't think there's enough
time left to get Brenner's Pass.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like on the ground. Attacks are scheduled, one-dot probes to
get the Axis artillery to show itself so that it can be bombarded by my planes. The
idea is to disentrench and damage his arty so that the bombardments won't be so
damaging. The Axis answer to the front lines is to bombard my front line units
because attacking me would be counterproductive in the face of the US air power.
I was looking for a way around when I opened another front it seems, on the right
flank. I'm sending people that way to see what is possible up there. The rail
lines have reached a fork and I'm undecided as to which rail to repair, the one
going north or the one continuing to the east. I'm inclined to repair the rail
heading north. If I'm going to win this thing I'm going to need to move north
at some point. INT is so important that I've got a lot of the fighter planes
flying INT missions because the bombers are getting tired of all the action lately.
But they need to keep flying because a lot is depending on them.

[larryfulkerson]

Thirty one turns left and this is what it looks like just before I ended my turn.
If I can repair the bridges quickly and find some way past the roadblocks I might
be able to get half-way there before the game ends.