Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis

[devoncop]

29th March 1944

The front line south of Rome now runs from Frascati across to the coast and the Cremona Combat group are in the centre with the new and fresh 10th Indian Division on my left and the British and Americans arriving on the right.

It would be nice to be able to pocket up the fixed Panzer Divn garrisoning Rome area but I doubt I can manage it.

This turn the orders came to wake up the Luftwaffe and two airfield strikes took out a whole squadron of JU88's and another of Gustav fighters... I have to decide whether this should continue but it does no harm to get rid of what Axis planes remain.

Elsewhere on the front the Allies contented themselves with desultory artillery fire to reduce the German strength in the trapped pockets around the Gustav line.

[larryfulkerson]

Ian is getting his units intertwined with mine near Rome and it looks like
he's going to bombard for a while to soften up the defenders. Makes me
almost want to turn on the Luftwaffe again but not quite.

[devoncop]

5th April 1944

Trying to avoid getting involved in a time consuming slogging match with strong Panzer units defending the couple of crossings of the River Tiber that the Germans haven't blown it is decided to try and outflank the defenders to East and West though the major river that is the Tiber does complicate things.

The OIC of the Indian 10th Division Major General Denys Reid volunteered his Division to try and cross the Tiber to the West of Rome whilst the British 1st and US 45th Division tried to outflank the defenders to the East.I

The US heavy bombers destroyed another squadron of Gustav fighters in northern Italy and assaults began on the pocket of troops in the centre of the Gustav Line which was successful given the lack of supplies that the infantry had been coping with.

[larryfulkerson]

There's 114 more turns to go and I think Ian will make it just fine.

[devoncop]

9th April 1944

Rome falls !

Overnight on 8th April Indian 10th Division Engineers moved out from Pratica di Mare near the coast south west of Rome and constructed pontoons over the Tiber. Both the 10th and 4th indian Divisions streamed over the pontoons just before dawn and raced into the city from the west cutting off the entire 3rd Panzer Grenadier Divn and the rest of the Rome defenders dug in facing the Americans and Poles just to the south in the Rome suburbs.....

Elsewhere another 54 Gustav fighters are destroyed at their airbase around Bologna as were another entire squadron of JU88's and there were further reductions in the pockets along the Gustav line.

Looking up the coast there is still a very very long way to go to Brenner Pass however so there is little chance of a rest.....

[larryfulkerson]

Ian used some pontoon bridges to leap the river and get behind my defenses
and now all the Axis forces near Rome are trapped.

[devoncop]

12th April 1944

The capture of Rome moves the VP's to a draw so then next target is to match Larry's minor victory in the reverse fixture.[:)]

The 44th RDHD Division is wiped out finally in the Aquino pocket freeing up the troops of the 45th Division plus Armour of the 36th and 34th US Divisions so just the two Gustav line pockets now remain. The 91st Infantry Division is contained by the Canadians and small British units contain the pocket further west without the strength as yet to destroy it.

In Rome a security Division is forced off a destroyed bridge to the east and the Indian Divisions consolidate their hold on the centre.The surrounded unit of German Panzer Gren Tank destroyers is eliminated in the south of the capitol but a proficiency test then ends the turn...

I am now waiting for the French route to open to hopefully put more pressure on the Germans with a second front...

[devoncop]

16th April 1944

A bloody check for the Polish Division and the US 34th south of Rome as trying to mop up the pocket they suffer 16% losses after hitting an 88mm firestorm supported by HQ artillery from the 16th Panzer Gren Divn as they tried to dislodge a security battalion from a destroyed bridge...note to self....be patient.

The 4th,8th and 10th Indian Divisions push north from Rome and engineers get busy starting to repair those bridges that have been captured.

More airfield strikes on German fighters around Bologna are productive and the Gerbigs Division pocket on the Gustav Line is reduced from 15 to 10Km by the Canadians.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like as I end my turn.

[devoncop]

19th April 1944

The Gerbigs Division is almost destroyed on the Gustav Line and should succumb this week and the eastern suburbs of Rome are now cleared leaving just two small pockets of resistance in the south and south east.

The Indians inch north from Rome hampered by the fact three units of Engineers decide to have a long fascinating discussion about load factors and stress points rather than getting on with repairing the main north south bridge in Rome and thereby hampering the supply and transport net.

I believe the route to southern France should open up shortly but I also need to ensure the Luftwaffe don't stick their nose in so though no airfield strikes were made this turn and the bombers get a break I cant afford to take the pressure off there.

[devoncop]

22nd April 1944

A huge co-ordinated assault on the last significant forces in Rome in the shape of the Panzer Regiment of the 16th Panzer Gren Divn and assorted flotsam and jetsam destroys it with the loss of 6 Jagdpanzers and 34 StuG III's still left after the siege. Rome is effectively now free of all German resistance save for a 5Km area to the south west of the capital.

Likewise the Canadian Division finished off the Gerbigs Division in the centre of the Gustav Line and is now resting and refitting.

More airfield attacks near Bologna took out most of a Stuka squadron which is particularly welcome as well as about half a squadron of Gustav fighters though several bombers were shot down by the Luftwaffe.

The Engineers finally finished their technical debate and decided to actually repair some bridges and rails.

The Free French Division of Algerians, Moroccans and Senegalese reaches the German MLR on the East coast and British troops move to cut off those units from supply by outflanking them to the rear.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like just before I ended my turn.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it loooked like just before I ended my turn, having moved everybody, etc.

[devoncop]

26th April 1944

Rome is cleared of German resistance and the Jager Division is almost wiped out on the Gustav line in the centre.

I hit the Luftwaffe airbases again but took some casualties in the bomber crews so need to give them a rest. A bridge was blown in the north at Modena but the one I really wanted down at Verona survived.

I did notice large troop movements of at least 3 Divisions of German troops towards the French border so bombed them on their trains at Milan but with little effect. This is interesting as it seems Larry is more concerned about the threat from France than up the mainland peninsular itself.

Supply is improving around Rome now and the Divisions involved in the fighting are almost back to full strength.

The Indian Divisions continue to inch north though blown bridges hamper efforts.

[devoncop]

30th April 1944

Roughly a year to go and a long way still to advance.

I just checked and Larry took Rome in July 44 and was about 100 Km short of Brenner Pass when we finished so maybe it is doable but I think Larry has more fresh Divisions up north than I did. My first priority will be Florence and Bologna. These will get useful VP's and I think it is unlikely Larry will be defending them as they are in open country.

This turn France remains locked so I concentrate on rail repair, eliminating the Jager Division which is done by the British and cutting off the fixed 305th Division south of Pescara on the east coast from their supply and this is now done.

The Indian Divisions have now got as far north as Lorenzo and Orivieto in the west without meeting any resistance.

Larry mentioned he was suffering no interdiction in his mass movement of Divisions north and west towards Milan and the south of France. This is because I am not a fan in this scenario of setting Interdiction as it hits random targets....often dug in AA batteries ..which causes unwanted attrition of bombers. It may be mistaken but is just my preference having played this from the other side.

The bombers were all rested this turn to build back up to full strength and Larry has been doing a bit of interdiction of his own so definitely doesn't share my views on it

[MikeJ19]

Ian,

Great stuff. I understand your thoughts on interdiction.

Have a good day,

[devoncop]

ORIGINAL: MikeJ19

Ian,

Great stuff. I understand your thoughts on interdiction.

Have a good day,

I am glad I am not totally on my own on this line of thought Mike [:)]

Given the amount of forces Larry has moved to the Milan and Genova area I now have the dilemma as to how much effort to commit to forcing through the French Alps into NW Italy....

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looked like just before I ended my turn. I've moved a lot of my troops closer to France and I'm debating whether or not to build an MLR somewhere or just wait until Ian is committed to an avenue of approach and then decide.

[devoncop]

3rd May 1944

A quiet turn due to a failed proficiency check after attacking an embedded HQ behind 305th Division on the East coast. In truth I am considering just letting the Free French N.African Division there "mind the shop" whilst the 305th withers from lack of supply and pushing on elsewhere as it avoids pointless casualties.

The Luftwaffe airfields were hit again with losses to both sides and two squadrons of JU88's hit as Larry is doing a bit of interdiction so it will hopefully quieten things on that score.

The intel showed Larry with a big MLR building around Torino.An FJ Division,Panzer Grenadier Division and Infantry Division at least are present as well as assorted security troops I imagine. Quite a roadblock.

[devoncop]

5th May 1944

Two bridges have been dropped behind Larry's probable MLR near Torino. The Luftwaffe was up so the bombers took a few losses but it is worth it to hamper movement once the next phase gets underway.

A strong Motorised Infantry Regiment is encountered by the US 3rd Armoured and 8th Indian Divisions heading north on the west coast so this allows some bombardment by the destroyers and some air attacks by the British bombers who I am using for the anti personnel tasks as they are hopeless at dropping bridges.

The supply position still not being great I think The Divisions I have been resting need to get involved so difficult as it will be the French route is going to have to be opened...