Sicily to Brenner Pass - Mike1984 v. Desert

[desert]

Turn 44 - August 22, 1943
 
Today the 16 SS Reichsfuhrer Panzergrenadier Division arrived in Messina. The offensive will begin once it is in position.

The same hex was attacked by the British. I'm losing dozens of tanks every day.

Airfield bombardment - 14%

[desert]

Turn 45 - August 23, 1943
 
The enemy broke through at that hex. I'm launching a coastal offensive - the British troops are exhausted. I've called in most of my Italian reserves and loaned a battalion from the 16 SS to the officer in charge of the coast.

Their losses (%)/My losses (%)

Attack on Canadians S of Adrano - 21%/7% (6 tanks, 9 bombers for a battalion)

Attack on Br 15 Bgd Next To Canadians - I lost a company but annihilated the whole brigade

Attack on 4 Amd Bgd to Regain Hex - 16%/7% (I lost 2-3 companies, 15 bombers, but drove the tanks back)

All in all, a great success. He will think twice before attacking me again.

Unfortunately I forgot to entrench several units.

Bombardment for good measure - 21% (including 3 Shermans)

Now the US screen is made up of regiments - there's two or three division's worth there.

[mike1984]

Turn 46

A few days later, there are no major actions along the front. I've been pounding away with artillery, and sent a few probe attacks towards his line, just to keep hounding his air units. Otherwise, I'm hunkering down for a bit. I've tried everything I can.

[desert]

Turn 46 - August 24, 1943
 
Two Italian regiments reconstituted.
 
There was an attack E of San Fratello by just two regiments. The Allies are beginning to grow self-conscious of their losses.
 
With my SS division stationed outside Adrano, I'm ready to take the initiative in earnest.
 
Attack on the British scouts S of Adrano - 3 tanks and 51 planes for 1 one of theirs, and minimal losses besides
 
I guess I'll just wait a while longer.
 
Airfield Bombardment - 10%

[mike1984]

Turn 47

Looks like he's made a move near Adrano. The GR 16SS was brought onto the island a few turns ago, and it seems that he's going to use them for an offensive here. This could be very serious if the British can't hold for at least a few turns while I make my plan for a counterattack.

[desert]

Turn 47 - August 25, 1943
 
An attack in the US sector on the same hex and some bombardment near Catania.

I have moved down from the mountain, west and south from Adrano. I have spotted the positions of the Canadian division. My intent is to hammer the British left flank along the river and then introduce my SS division in the breach and force them into a pocket against the coast while reserves keep Canadian and possibly American reinforcements at bay.

Holy Jesus I have 250 planes operational.

Attack on British scouts along Simeto River - 7% (an Allied air raid forced the Germans to cease operations, though the artillery did not realize the attack was off

Another Attempt with massive artillery support - 13 planes, 4 tanks (15%) for a company (5%)

Attack on Br 151 Bgd S of Adrano - a company, 10 tanks, and 18 planes (24%) for half the brigade (19%)

Hehe, my Paint scrawlings are a bit embarrassing when compared to the artsy arrows and explosions everyone else uses.

[Panama]

The object of communication is to be understood. Anything more is politics. [:D]

[mike1984]

I think this is the only other turn that I didn't hold onto the log entry. So I'll just make one up right now. I really started to worry at this point. My reinforcements weren't set to arrive for a few more days, and I didn't really have enough strength to mount a serious defense. I could only hope that my British troops could hold long enough to flood the area with troops from the US sectors.

[desert]

Turn 48 - August 26, 1943
 
Some bombardments and one moderate attack on forward elements of the other SS formation.

Attacks all along the British line.

Two recon battalions on R. Sideto - [succeeded] 7 tanks and 5 bombers (8%) for a company (5%)

50 ID Infantry and HQ - [failed] both sides lost a battalion - 26% me, 22% him; the deciding factor was his massive air support

Tanks and Infantry NW of Catania - [succeeded] 4 tanks and a battalion (7%) for 15 tanks and most of the rest (47%)

Paratroopers + Engineers in Catania - [succeeded] 2 companies and 14 planes (13%) for a regiment (the Engineer Btn evapped) and 24 planes (26%); finally, an all-fighter force that could actually stand up to the enemy flyers appeared!

I decided to cease operations near the river because the enemy is a bit to heavily entrenched.

Bombardment of Tanks and Infantry W of Catania - 3%

Also, I've nearly enveloped a large British stack with fresh tanks and engineers, as well as routers from the previous battle.

Epic Battle NW of Catania - [succeeded] a battalion, 2 tanks, and 7 bombers (7%) for loads of Brits (one of their infantry brigades evapped) and 5 tanks (33%)

All in all, this was a pretty successful turn. I blew their lines wide open. I would have preferred that success farther west, so it would have been easier to surrounded the whole Br 8th Army.

[mike1984]

Turn 49, part 1

He broke through along the river, marching right past the Canadians. This looks like a serious mistake by my opponent. There is no reason for him to attack me, as all he has to do is sit in his trenches and wait me out. This could be the break I needed.

[mike1984]

Turn 49, part 2

I've moved the US 1 ID and US 2 AD into better positions for a possible counterblow. The British are holding fine up front, while they move their armor and infantry behind Gerbini for a better defensive position. I want him to attack as far south as possible.

[desert]

This looks like a serious mistake by my opponent. There is no reason for him to attack me, as all he has to do is sit in his trenches and wait me out. This could be the break I needed.

I really started to worry at this point. My reinforcements weren't set to arrive for a few more days, and I didn't really have enough strength to mount a serious defense. I could only hope that my British troops could hold long enough to flood the area with troops from the US sectors.

*coughs*

Turn 49 - August 27, 1943
 
Minor skirmishes around San Fratello.

The British have pulled back many of their troops to Gerbini, leaving all their recon assets and the 13 Inf Bgd as a delaying force. The Americans are bringing armored forces and a good deal of artillery Southeast, towards Adrano and the Catania Plain. This might be a good opportunity to push forward from Santo Stefano.

A side note - I've lost 380 German tanks - 200 in 15 turns! Also, I've forced the abandonment of the Gerbini air bases by the Allies. Many British bombers have been moved to Malta.

[Round 1] Attack on:

Scouts SW of Catania - [Succeeded] 2 tanks, 9 planes (4%) for 3 armored cars, 11 planes (4%)

Scouts W of Catania - [Succeeded] 3% me, 11% them

Infantry N of Gerbini - [Succeeded] 2% me, 28% them

Scouts on R. Sideto - [Draw] 2 tanks, 4 fighters (2%) for 4 armored cars, 2 fighters (2%)

Bombardment of Canadian Center SW of Adrano - 7%

I dislike fighting armored vehicles, they're good at hurting you and then running away.

Many units are facing Allied interdiction. Some Italians lost 10 of their guns in a few minutes.

[Round 2] Attack on:

Infantry NE of Gerbini - [Succeeded] 2% me, 24% them

Scouts SSW of Catania - [Draw] Negligible losses

Scouts S of Catania - [Succeeded, really a defeat though] 1% me, 8% them, but my losses are actually meaningful

I had these last two trapped against the coast. The first attack was to surround them, the second to eliminate them once and for all. Unfortunately, there was a small gap in the line (read - my men didn't occupy the hex) that they absconded through it.

[SMK-at-work]

clearly this scenario fails as a historical simulation

[Panama]

Just needs a little tweaking here and there.

[Andriko]

ORIGINAL: SMK-at-work

clearly this scenario fails as a historical simulation

I wouldn't say that. Neither player is Patton,Monty or whoever, so they have done things their own way.

Personally, this is one of the most fascinating TOAW 3 AARs I have read.

[mike1984]

Sorry to disappoint you all, but Desert and I have agreed to end this scenario. He calls it a draw, but I said he could go down in history as the victor.

We will continue this AAR until we reach the end point: Turn 64.

At that point, I will give my opinion of Sicily to Brenner Pass, which at this point is quite critical.

Just to preview, I think this scenario's single biggest flaw is that the Allies have no ability to get off Sicily, except for Messina.

Desert mentioned that he felt the replacements were way too high. I could agree with that.

But for now, enjoy the last 14 turns...
------------
Turn 50

My opponent continues to take my bait. He is smashing through the Catania sector, but doesn't seem to realize that I want him to stretch out his line, and attack from the river hexes. We'll see if he continues to go south.

[desert]

Turn 50 - August 28, 1943
 
The Gr 157 Reserve ID arrived in Northern Italy. While traveling through Tuscany it was intercepted several times by Allied air raids. Even if they had very little effect (the equivalent of a couple cars shot up, I guess), it's very worrying to see that my airforce is little more than an annoyance to the American and British flyers. I have less than 200 planes operational in the Sicily theater. My last reserve, a wing of the best fighters Italy has to offer, was transferred from Sardinia to Messina. Within hours, that wing was down to half-strength.

There was an attack by Canadians and American paratroopers on the fortress SW of Adrano.

I have another chance to trap some British scouts along the coast. Also, I've occupied most of the legnth of the R. Sideto - the British line is visible on the other side, bolstered by the AA brigades that had previously secured the planes around Gerbini from aerial assault.

[Round 1] Attack on:

Scouts along the coast - [Failed] 4% for 4%, but I lost a company and the enemy fell back South instead of being trapped

Infantry SE of Gerbini - [Succeeded] 1 tank and 8 planes (2%) for 1 plane (27%)

For all my effort, I've surrounded 1 measly recon company.

[Round 2] Attack on:

Scouts - [Failed] 2 platoons (3%) for 4 armored vehicles (21%)

Infantry and Scouts SE of Adrano - [Succeeded] 1 company and 10 planes (6%) for a platoon and 4 planes (2%)

[mike1984]

Turn 51

Things have slowed down a bit. His offensive has not broken through my Gerbini line the way I thought it would. Of course, I'm not complaining, but I do wonder if he senses what I'm trying to do. The US 1 ID and US 2 AD continue to creep south. I launched a diversionary attack west of Adrano, trying to keep him on his toes, and think that I'm still trying to thwart his efforts.

I'm missing the next turn's slide and report. FYI

[desert]

Turn 51 - August 29, 1943
 
Attacks SW of Adrano, and quite a few around Santo Stefano. There was also some activity E of Gerbini. The Operation Avalanche invasion force will arrive in 1 week, but since the Allies have not taken Messina yet it will be used against my Etna Line.

[Round 1] Attack on:

Those Pesky Scouts - [Draw] Well, I took them out but got flattened by the Allied air force; 18 squads and 11 planes (9%) for 1 plane and the unit (3%)

[Round 2] Attack on:

Scouts in the Mouth of R. Sideto - [Failed] Huh, they stopped me? Negligible losses

Artillery Barrage on Northern Extent of British Line - 5%

[mike1984]

I got nothin' this turn...