RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (Full Version)

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larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/1/2018 4:27:03 PM)

Here's the situation currently. I've got troops to move eventually and
the aircraft at Rome to move. Ian is doing really well.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/CC994F7B35A54D45BDF20C71EAF74A6E.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/1/2018 7:38:31 PM)

Here's the T71 front lines at the end of my turn. Ian is inching northward.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/D1C1A55E335E424DB1A419D5189DD2DE.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/1/2018 8:33:59 PM)

15th March 1944

I have now encircled both the RDHD Division and the 91st Infantry Division surrounded and being reduced by artillery though a communications mix up saw a premature assualt by a medal seeking commander of the 36th Divn Mechanised Recon battalion against the still powerful 91st....28% losses later he has been reassigned to Iowa :-)

There are now 3 fresh Divisions pushing towards Rome on the coast and for now it seems clear until maybe I hit the static Panzer Divn on garrison duty ...

Larry has started railing the Gustav Line troops in the east way up north as the Free French approach.....



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/1/2018 8:39:05 PM)

I just received some moves from Ian and I watched the playback just now and
I saw him pushing north toward Rome and I happened to notice quite by
acccident that the exclusion zone that was around Anzio is gone. Ian can
invade there now at any time.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/D4FE6E08FD004C6CAF7653F4F711C646.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/1/2018 8:52:59 PM)

The HQ unit for the 26th Panzer Division spawned just now
up north and it's missing a lot of it's equipment. I must be hurting more
than I thought. There's whole categories of equipment that I have only a
few of and that means I'm using it up faster than I'm building it. The units
on the front are trying to stay at peek strength by soaking up all the
replacements and that's a good thing but it leaves dregs for the freshly
spawned units. So far there's no way to designate individual units whether
or not to receive replacements. There IS such a way in WITE and
perhaps WITW, I'm not sure.

At any rate I have units that are hurting and the only fix is to hold them
out of combat somehow.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/1CE995ED448B42919166CBF5FF334541.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/1/2018 8:59:17 PM)

Here's the expected reinforcements for the next several turns and as you can
see they are going to need some refit before they will be combat ready. I'll
need to park them somewhere safe and secure. ian doesn't have any paratroopers
any longer, I think, so there's no reason to expect any troops appearing in
the sky at any minute.

In my last game with Ian, I don't remember the weather being a problem for either
of us. So I'm guessing it won't be a problem this time either.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/1EF8124A50744E46A7939EE59FEA1ADB.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/1/2018 11:44:57 PM)

That's interesting that weather is not a factor since in the histories I've read of the Italian campaign rain and mud predominate in the winter time. By the way Ian, perhaps that regimental commander WANTED to be reassigned to Iowa. If you've never read it Catch-22 sums up the Italian campaign nicely. Only crazy people want to be in combat, but, if you apply to transfer out of combat that proves you're not crazy so you can't leave. That's the Catch-22. :)



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/1/2018 11:49:09 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: John B.

That's interesting that weather is not a factor since in the histories I've read of the Italian campaign rain and mud predominate in the winter time.

So according to your report the scenario needs to be changed to reflect the mud season effects...and I agree. That
would be more realistic. Maybe somebody should ask Rick or Steve, whichever one has priority for StBP, for a decision.



John B. -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 12:01:00 AM)

It's not the monsoon of Burma but, for example, here is the modern monthly average rainfall in Rome. Oct-January/February should see some reduction in flight effectiveness and movement supply due to rain snow and cloud cover.

https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-precipitation-Rainfall-inches,Rome,Italy



John B. -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 12:08:54 AM)

Or, here, the fact that there was delays of nearly a month at Monte Cassino in January - March 1944 due to flooding. The Allies were able to attack, there was just a reduction in movement and effectiveness.

https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/war-in-the-mediterranean-sea/timeline-of-battle-of-monte-cassino/



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 12:11:54 AM)

All that works for me John dude.



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 6:26:43 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: John B.

That's interesting that weather is not a factor since in the histories I've read of the Italian campaign rain and mud predominate in the winter time. By the way Ian, perhaps that regimental commander WANTED to be reassigned to Iowa. If you've never read it Catch-22 sums up the Italian campaign nicely. Only crazy people want to be in combat, but, if you apply to transfer out of combat that proves you're not crazy so you can't leave. That's the Catch-22. :)



Hi John

Good point [:)]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 6:35:27 AM)

This is typical of the kinds of attacks that Ian has been doing and the results
reflect the carnage that's going on near Salerno and near north environs. Ian
is carefully mopping up while the rest of the troops move north. There's been
some experimental sea movement that occured without incident but that's a side
show at this point. I'm still deliberating where to send the little detachment
I've gathered together. Someplace in the far north to make the supply situation
the worst for Ian.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/92BDD61A0D914775A59BBA3FB63BF4BF.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 6:36:43 AM)

18th March 1944

The drive on Rome continues though is slowed a bit as I want to reduce and eliminate the pockets of German troops I have surrounded.

To give you an idea I have 3 Regiments plus HQ and Div artillery of the 44th RDHD Division surrounded at Aquina, a Panzer Grenadier regiment plus the remnants of several battalions of the 71st Infantry Regiment north of Gaeta where the initial breakthrough at the Gustav line occurred, and the HQ of the 14th Panzer Korps at Terracina on the west coast on the run up to Anzio. The 91st Infantry Division is now cut off further east along the Gustav Line but again is dug in with 3 full regiments plus artillery.

The recon elements of 34th US Division (the 36th Recon being "unavailable" for reasons the US Army is "unable to comment on") has reached Littoria where it dislodges a battalion HQ from the town. US troops are now 30Km from Anzio and making decent progress towards Rome.

In the East progress is much slower due to supply constraints and the Free French Divisions are only now recovering to anywhere like decent strength after the fighting around Foggia.



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 6:47:12 AM)

Here's the T73 front lines before I have moved anybody. I thought I'd post
the entire thing just oncw to give you an idea of the distance to go yet.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/48519FA5D7FD48229338F3A89F9F5473.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 6:53:38 AM)

I found an HQ unit that just spawned and it's missing all it's trucks.
And the inventory says I don't have any on hand and we're only building
20 per turn and I imagine ALL the units are low on trucks by now. This
isn't the only one.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/E5C2F060D7B945A9BF1093CD15053371.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 10:34:28 AM)

22nd March 1944

The psychological warfare from Larry about possible Axis naval landings notwithstanding [:)] the offensive towards Rome continues and as a port adjacent to Anzio is captured the NZ Airborne Regiment sails in and it joined by the Free Italian Division. Anzio itself is defended by a dug in security unit but should be in Allied hands within the week.

The 71st Infantry Division is destroyed in totality in the pocket north of Gaeta along with a lot of its equipment and further heavy damage is caused to the artillery and HQ segments in the other two pockets to ensure the imminent assaults on the cut off infantry contingents are not impeded.


In the east the Allies have reached the other extremity of the Gustav line and work is underway to extend the repaired rail net in that direction to give the Free French Divisions some decent supply. Unfortunately both the British 56th and 45th Divisions are due to be withdrawn to N.Africa within a turn or so which is a nuisance but otherwise the target of taking Rome by the end of April is hopefully on course.





larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 11:56:35 AM)

Here's the front lines currently and Ian is on the verge of reaching
Rome.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/7F0C4F312B3F4585A2C156079E8ABD3E.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 1:54:06 PM)

26th March 1944

Terracina is taken and the Panzer Korps HQ is destroyed and another attack overwhelms the security troops at Anzio.

Republican Italian troops reach the Rome suburbs 20Km from the centre.

Further progress is made in reducing the size of the large pocket of the 91st Division and an OB West Artillery battalion is overrun and destroyed further west on the Gustav Line.

Contrary to my expectations US Engineers probing up the East coast reach the eastern edge of the Gustav Line to find it strongly manned by a full strength Infantry Division....it seems Larry still intends to hold the line in the East at least as long as he can.

Two fresh Divisions arrive and are immediately unloaded at Anzio to assist the capture of Rome.

No Axis troops now exist in the stretch from Salerno to the Rome outskirts which will free up a lot of the troops that have been mopping up.



larryfulkerson -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 2:34:21 PM)

Here's where the war is being fought right now. There's lots of blown
bridges leading north along both coasts.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/886136C5F352484C8CB6FA034804C7FF.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 3:34:42 PM)

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 -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 4:24:15 PM)

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.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/579FA6DEBB554B9B8A6CB050ED389687.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 6:07:31 PM)

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 -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/2/2018 7:36:03 PM)

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

[image]local://upfiles/16287/841292600A6E4054AE01C026473F2629.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/3/2018 8:36:15 AM)

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 -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/3/2018 10:45:16 AM)

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

[image]local://upfiles/16287/112EF2C651914EB78515365CF3F948D4.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/3/2018 11:53:02 AM)

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 -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/3/2018 3:25:38 PM)

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 -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/3/2018 3:39:32 PM)

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

[image]local://upfiles/16287/98656F3AB4484E368EA1C5A329A1E14A.jpg[/image]



devoncop -> RE: Yet Another Sicily t BP Ian Allies me Axis (6/3/2018 4:32:27 PM)

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.



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