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Land: The 5th BR Corps (5th US Army) captures Cagliari on Sardinia. The II CA Corps lands

on Sardinia and heads to the north of Oristano. Corsica sees the VI US Corps start to

expand the beach head preparing the way for reinforcements. The X BR Corps launches the

invasion of mainland Italy to the southeast of Reggio Clabria with a single brigade

landing against an Italian infantry unit. I launch the 1st BR Airborne Division to land

to the north of Reggio Clabria where it fatally scatters and is destroyed. The 509th US

Parachute Regiment also scatters, but it is not fatal and it captures Locri.

Sicly has the Provisional US Corps continuing to attack along the northern Sicilian coast

in support of the 8th BR Army drive on Messina, advancing 20 miles and capturing the

airfield at Barcellona. The XXX and XIII BR Corps drive closer to Messina - the front

lines are only 10 miles out now.

1st BR Airborne Division has already re-appeared in Northern Ireland. I switch it to the

command of the UK Home Forces and put it on refit.

Carl what are your typhoons doing at the moment?

I don't know. My opponent is on vacation at the moment, so I don't have turn 20 back to be able to look it up and tell you.

I am wondering how much damage you can do from the air if there is a big cluster of defenders across the strait from messina.

Subscribed.

Mat

Turn 8: (Aug 21, 1943?)

The Italians have surrendered. Sardinia is fully Allied controlled. Corsica is about half

Allied controlled with two ports in Allied hands now. Messina and Reggio Calabria look

abandoned. The Axis naval interdiction between Sardinia and Naples is now gone and the

Allies have great command of the sea lanes in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea.

Air: Tactical AF will concentrate on Recon missions in the Naples to Tarranto area to

find the new Axis defensive line. Strategic AF will stop the Naval Patrols and go for the

Axis held ports on Corsica and to hit ports and rail yards in southern Italy. The ETO AFs

will remain pretty close to the same.

Land: VI US Corps captures Corte and Bastia leaving only Porto Vecchio left to capture on

Corsica. Sardinia is captured so the Canadians return to the beach head to return to

North Africa and prepare for a different target. The 5th US Army will pull out after the

Canadians clear. The Free French will stay and stage as reinforcements for the next

invasion of the Italian mainland. All Canadian and US troops en route to the islands

return to North Africa.

The 8th BR Army takes Messina. The 7th US Army lands on the Italian mainland and begins

to head north. The invasion forces are able to capture Reggio Calabria and secure the

eastern side of the straits. Air recon has found no sign of Axis units in southern Italy

so it will be advancing as quickly as possible for the US and BR forces. Two armored

divisions are landed and ready to explode forward next turn - one BR and one US.

The 1st BR Airborne Division is now at 98% TOE and Morale of 49.

Turn 9: (Aug 28, 1943?)

The Axis appear to be using Naval Patrol along southern France and Northern

Italy/Corsica. I will have to start projecting my Naval Patrols in northern Sardinia and

Corsica in order to keep the sea lanes to Corsica in my favor. Italian guerillas have

liberated Taranto and sections of the Italian heel. I still have no indication on the

location of the latest Axis defensive line so I probably have two or three turns before

the 7th US and 8th BR Armies will start to come into contact with it.

Air: I shift some Coastal AF squadrons to airfields on both Sardinia and Corsica so they

will be ready next turn for naval patrols. I shift the Tactical AF recon further north

searching for the new Axis defensive line. Strategic AF targets the ports and railyards

in central Italy. 8th USAAF expands its target list to include low priorities for AFV,

A/C, Vehicles, and HI. The 9th USAAF and 2nd RAF Tactical AFs are targeting Axis

airfields in northern Germany and the Ruhr Valley to attrit the Axis fighters defending

against the 8th USAAF and RAF Bomber Command.

Some good damage inflicted by the 8th USAAF and Strategic AF. The Tactical AF recon

finally found the Axis defensive line in Italy north of Naples. This should allow me easy

access to all of southern Italy and includes the Foggia airbases.

Land: The Naval Amphib units from the Sicilian beaches are pulled out to start working

with the 1st CA Army for an invasion northwest of Rome. The 7th US and 8th BR Armies

start racing up the Italian toe as quickly as the terrain permits. Taranto has no sea

ability in the port so I hope it holds out on its own until I get there. The US are to

advance up the western edge of Italy while the British take the eastern edge. Crotone

falls to the 7th BR Armoured Division while the 2nd US Armored Division is just south of

Cosenza.

The 1st BR Airborne Division is still located in Northern Ireland on refit. It has

reached 99% TOE and a morale of 50.

Turn 10: (Sep 4, 1943)

Extremely heavy Axis naval interdiction to the north of Corsica. Another big boost of VPs

from Partisan/Garrison VPs. Large portions of southern Italy have flipped over to the

Allies through partisan activity. This should help my advance speed up to get to the new

Axis defense line.

Air: The air directives remain pretty much the same.

The air attacks did well against Axis planes on the ground in the ETO. The MTO saw

increased recon success on the new defensive line and good bombing and damaging of the

rail yards and ports in central and northern Italy.

Land: The 7th US Army advances and liberates Lauria along the western coast while the 8th

BR Army is advancing on Taranto to seize the Axis ports along the eastern coast. The 5th

US Army continues to pull back out of Corsica and Sardinia to join the 1st CA Army in

preparing for new landings on the western Italian coast north of Rome.

I am also working on the airfields in Britain - increasing the airfield capacities on all

airfields based on railroads. I will need the increased capacity as the Allied strategic

and tactical AFs increase in size dramatically over the next six to eight months.

Turn 11: (Sep 11, 1943)

Italian partisans liberate even more of southern Italy. The 8th BR Army should be able to

breeze up to Foggia this turn. The Axis naval interdiction to the north of Corsica seems

to be lighter. I have clear sea lanes for supplies to Corsica.

Air: I start to fill up the supplied airbases on Corsica and Sardinia with the Coastal

AF. Tactical and Strategic AFs are starting to hit airbases in central Italy. The

Strategic war continues as usual.

Land: 8th BR Army liberates Foggia, San Severo, and Lesina. The 7th US Army liberates

Salerno. The infantry from both armies is just beginning to reach the Lauria area. It

will probably be two or three more turns before I begin to probe the new Axis defensive

line.

The 1st CA and 5th US Armies are now in full invasion prep mode for northeast of Rome. It

will take another nine or so turns before that is ready to go. The current estimated date

is close to mid-November. I am behind my time table for taking Rome by the end of

October, but it may still be possible and that was a VERY aggressive goal.

Turn 12: (Sep 18, 1943)

I have updated to the new version 1.00.07. Continued Axis naval interdiction north of

Corsica. The Allies will reach the Naples area this turn along with the main Axis

defensive line along the Biferno River. A large jump in Bombing and City VPs in this

version - 17 Bombing VPs for a total of 37 and 21 City VPs for a total of 49. Pretty good

VP jump this turn.

Air: I don't change any of the Air Directives. Things are going well and after this Air

Phase I will see the effects of moving the Coastal AF up to Corsica and Sardinia. It is

important to remember that the turn you move air groups they will not be able to perform

many air missions. So moving up air groups this turn will not show the new coverage until

after my next air phase. Patience is necessary here. That is why my naval interdiction

zones are so slim at the start of this turn.

The air results from my bombing in central Italy show a string of units along the entire

Italian western coast. From Rome and south they have level 2 forts - a Med Wall much like

the Atlantic wall is beginning to form. I will have to take a close look at this before

launching my invasion. I may even have to change the invasion area, but I will want to

decide this quickly.