Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis

[devoncop]

10th September 1944

The II Polish Corps reach what I think is the southern most point of the German multiple defence lines around Trento and start to organise.

US and British troops pushing a few units of Flak aside are almost at Torino and it now seems clear Larry has chosen to abandon the north west and all land north of Rome in effect for a defence in depth on the passes of the far north.

Recon troops are now closing in on Trieste and the Germans in the Genova pocket are suffering fearful losses now they are cut off. Another Luftwaffe squadron sheltering in an airfiled far to the north east is eliminated by an airfield attack.

[John B.]

FYI, it's very odd that Genoa is not a port. It must be for game balance because is has been a major port for 100s of years. It was Genoese ships that are charged with bringing the Plague to Europe from a siege in the Crimea. More recently, in 2011 it seems that Genoa handled 51 million tons of cargo. http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/co ... noa_52.php. And, as totally useless trivia, the British shelled Genoa in 1941 and sank 4 merchant ships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Grog

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: John B.

FYI, it's very odd that Genoa is not a port. It must be for game balance because is has been a major port for 100s of years. It was Genoese ships that are charged with bringing the Plague to Europe from a siege in the Crimea. More recently, in 2011 it seems that Genoa handled 51 million tons of cargo. http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/co ... noa_52.php. And, as totally useless trivia, the British shelled Genoa in 1941 and sank 4 merchant ships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Grog

Hey there John: Thanks for the info....I had no idea. I think Genoa should be a port too. It's strange that it's not. Maybe it's not for balancing the scenario or something.

[devoncop]

14th September 1944

The Genova pocket is no more. Over 60 Panzer IV's, Jagdpanzers and StuGs are destroyed and around 80 Infantry squads as the US 85th and Rangers take down the stubborn defenders.

In the North West mechanized units from US 1st Armoured have reached to within 10Km of Torino though infantry regiments blocking blown bridges towards Trieste have slowed the progress by the Republican Italians.

In the centre the three hard working Indian Divisions ( 4th,8th and 12th) are just about back at full strength and are moving North towards Trento.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like now.

[devoncop]

24th September 1944

Savona is taken by the 6th South African Armoured Division west of Genova linking up the drive from Froance with that up the western coast of Italy.I

German troops manning the "outpost" just North of Trento, after unsuccessfully trying to counter attack Polish troops in the newly liberated town are shelled and their strength is reduced.

The slow march on Trieste continues in the North East and the fresh US 92nd Division arrives at the front .

I believe only Trieste offers further VP's for the Allies apart from 65 available at Brenner Pass itself. Given current VP's stand at just under 60 and 80 are needed to move from the current marginal win to a more substantial win then only causing lots of German casualties or taking the Pass will get me to that level.

Just under 8 months to go....

[devoncop]

27th September 1944

The German "outpost" north of Trento which basically comprised a dug in very strong infantry regiment along with lots of Flak and some anti tank units is shelled again before the Polish II Corps assault the position sending the garrison back with over 50% losses. The Poles are tired now and supply is not great as yet so the next Division to their rear needs to take up the slack now.

Another airfield attack in the north east destroys the Luftwaffe presence at the airbase and 6 Divisions are now advancing on the German MLR...

[hingram]

Grenoble is a supply point and I believe the first rail after it is broken. Reinforcements will appear near there including a Japanese unit.

[devoncop]

Thanks hingram.

The tides of war have swept a long way past Grenoble by now so am not sure it's worth diverting a rail repair unit all the way up there.

[larryfulkerson]

I've just signed the contract to play warspite1 in a game of Pacific At War and
that means that I'll have another big scenario game in the works but I think I
have enough slack in my schedule that I can finish this game also. It's at the
exciting part and there's not much yet to go so count me in for the long haul.

[larryfulkerson]

Note to Ian: There's two schools of thought for reducing an enemy strong point ( applies to front lines as well ): (1) first of all they are probably all going to be dug in which means high losses so the first attack should be to disentrench them and I use lots of arty and one-dot attacks for that. Once they are unentrenched it's time for the three-dot attacks to begin. (2) Use three-dot attacks from the beginning so as to maximise enemy losses. I tend to favor the first method. The use of one-dot attacks first is leveraging the air power and arty to do most of the work. The infantry is just there to prevent the enemy unit from getting away more or less. Try that and lemme know how it works out.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines currently. I think I'm ready for his final push.

[devoncop]

5th October 1944

The assault proper gets underway as the 1st US Armoured and artillery and air support overcome front line dug in flak that puts up its usual resistance but the main effort comes in trying to reduce a large amount of heavy artillery dug in behind the German lines with over 150 pieces plus lighter guns. By turn end about 20% of these have been taken out but they remain formidible.

Two more minor roadblocks are removed on blown bridges on the way to Trieste...

Interestingly at the start of the Allies turn VP's stood at 66 with 80 meaning we move into "significant victory" from "marginal". Given a net 10VP's can be won by taking Trieste I need to incur just a few more German casualties to hopefully creep over this next line. The fly in this ointment however is that Allied losses cannot be significant or those gains will be lost.....

[larryfulkerson]

The pushing and shoving has started. This starts the final battle.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a closeup of the MLR and you can see that the Allies are running their units up against my units and he hasn't started shooting yet. I would shoot at his units except for the fact that I would lose my entrenchments.

[devoncop]

8th October 1944

More artillery arrives at the front to break the defensive artillery capability behind the German front line.

Another 20% or so damage is caused but no fire is returned as Larry explained above. Another roadblock to Trieste is destroyed and it should fall within the next couple of weeks to the Cremona Combat Group who are closing on the city. VP's remain at 166. The Americans are slowed in reaching the northern fork of the two above by poor supply.

[devoncop]

11th October 1944

Another 5Km won after heavy fighting as the Grenadier Regiment of 91st Infantry Div which comes to the aid of the Italian Bersaglieri Regiment on the western end of the defence line is destroyed and the Italians themselves forced back onto their Divisional Artillery support by the CCR US Armoured.

The Infantry Division immediately to the east of this fighting is also softened up.

Losses to Germans increase VP's to 167.

[hingram]

Note: The rail line to Trieste is the closest and most secure-able supply line.

[devoncop]

Thanks hingram.

The capture of Trieste is fairly soon but in fact the rail line to the front is almost complete so supply at the front is not bad.

[devoncop]

15th October 1944

More heavy artillery and aerial bombardment punishment on the German front line. As well as the Bersaglieri and the 91st Division are reduced to shells on the western end and the 278th in the centre suffers over 40% losses.

These losses push the VP's up by another point to 68. If I can get to 70 the capture of Trieste should move things to a significant victory !