How to win Sicily campaign as Axis?

[moet]

If someone won this campaign on Axis side, tell me how. [&:]

I see only a not-easy-at-all way to get a draw, by regrouping everybody around Syracuse (while defending as much as possible the supply line from Messina), provided that not too much allied troops land beside Syracuse on the very first turn.

[conger]

Holding Syracuse is a lost cause. You also won't be able to drive the Allies back into the sea, instead focus on holding Messina and inflicting
the largest amount of losses you can (Allied losses add to your victory points).

Some tips:
1) Don't worry about Air Superiority, you will never win that battle (I'd advise this for the other campaigns too). Instead use your Air Forces for ground support. Yes you will loose Air Power over time, so leave your Air Forces on no missions and when you know your about to be attacked- crank your Ground Support up to aid your defenses.
2) Try and hold Catania, it's behind a river and in open terrain (this makes Armored/Mech units more effective then hills, mountain, etc. where they suffer a penalty).
3) The Italian units are not very good, but they are small. This means that they can be stacked on top of larger German units in the more uneven terrain. For example: hills have a 7 limit for stacking, but the German units are all 4 or 5 stack value and as such can't be stacked together, but an Italian unit with a 1 or a 2 stack value can be added on top for additional fire power and to absorb some of the Allies firepower thus saving the more powerful German unit. Try using some of the lowest quality Italian units as
de facto engineers and have them build you lines of fortifications while the more powerful units are engaged with the enemy. As a final note on the Italians, have them serve as road blocks to the Allies forcing them to fight as opposed to driving from one VP to the next, as an added benefit this forces the Allies use more of their valuable Combat Supplies which could be put to better use fighting against the German troops.
4) Make sure you alter your Combat Supply/Fuel Priority bar, you will need the fuel to move your men around early on, but by the time you find yourself stuck in the North East corner of the map- fuel becomes virtually useless.
5) Terrain modifiers are important for both you and the enemy, it affects not only the units attack/defense values but the effects of ground support as well- familiarize yourself with this aspect along with the combat modifiers based on supply (the difference between the black, red, yellow, and green triangle). The level of Combat supply can make all the difference in a battle.

I hope my pointers help you, best of luck!

[moet]

Great tips. Thanks a lot!

[conger]

NP

[SMK-at-work]

Are we talking about vs the AI?

Because I had little trouble getting a minor victory (36 pts) on neutral bias - Held Syracuse/Catania with German units, HG went into the middle of the island, with some Italian "ablative" units to soak up casualties, until it was destroyed.

The AI landed around Gela & a couple of the better quality Italian units held the mountains to Palermo until they were destroyed.

Ended up retiring from Catania to the rougher terrain before Messina without much bother.