Burt's AAR - Italy '44

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BurtWolf
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Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 11:48 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Burt's AAR - Italy '44

Post by BurtWolf »

Here is another AAR using Blitzkrieg Commander, this time another fictional, partially based in history, scenario… Hope you enjoy!

Background: Late May 1944, Italy … Operation Chesterfield undertaken by the 1st Canadian Division has penetrated the Senger Line just south of Rome and the breakthrough is now being ‘exploited’. They are chasing the remains of the 1st FallschirmJager Division which had faced them in grim battle over several days. Elements of the 2nd Canadian Brigade, supported by the remains of B Squadron, North Irish Horse, send a Recce column across the small tributary of the Pescara River, while another column has made contact with fleeing elements of the FJ Regiment’s HQ. Air strikes on the FJ HQ compound their problems. The FJ HQ forms an ad hoc defense and awaits a flying column from the 26th Panzer Division. Their goal is to get out of the town of Monte Radicino across the tributary via the intact rail bridge. The Allies smell blood, they want to wipe out the FJ HQ.

Goals: The overall goal for the Germans is to get as many of the 20 FJ HQ softskins across the bridge and off the northern edge of the board, while the Allied goal is to destroy as many of them as possible. Whoever holds Hill 207 just above the town and the rail bridge will likely dominate the game.

Forces – Allied – 10x Churchill 6 pounders; 5x Humber armored cars; 4x Otter armored cars; 2x 6 pounder ATG; 12 Infantry squads; 12 M3 halftracks; 2x 3.7” artillery;
Forces – German – 1x 88mm Flak 36; 1x 75mm PAK 40; 2x 20mm Flak (towed); 1x Sdkfz 250/9 75mm; 4x Pzkw IV’s; 2x StuG III’s; 2x MG34; 5x FJ Infantry squads

Special Rules: The FJ HQ is hunkered down in Monte Radicino, and cannot move until the panzers arrive in town. The small softskin column halfway to the rail bridge can proceed even though it has already been shot up by the Humbers.

The Set Up: The Allies have decided to split their attack (good decision??) – one column straight west against the town, while a second column loops across the tributary and comes down from the north to the rail bridge. The Germans hold a makeshift perimeter (some infantry in foxholes) hoping that the panzers will blast a path for the HQ to drive north to safety. The two ATG’s invest ruins on the outskirts while infantry and machine guns predominantly focus on the west perimeter in hastily prepared improved positions.

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Since BKC is predicated on command rolls, this drove the tempo of the game with interesting results. Many failed command rolls slowed up advances, etc. Probably realistic as one Allied column shows aggressiveness while the other shows timidity. Initially the Allies column attacking straight west towards the town makes good progress, assaulting the lines quickly and effectively. The Germans are driven out. However, the British column looping to the North has decided to take their time, almost foreshadowing the slow crawl of Arnhem. It is a maddening slow pace, but fortunately for the Allies it is offset by a nearly similar slow pace by the Panzer rescue column.

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The Allied western column forms up in the newly occupied German lines, and what follows is just a slug fest between Churchill tanks, 6 pounders, and the German ATG’s. Unbelievably, the Germans keep suppressing the Churchills, but only ever manage to knock out a single one. But they have checked the British advance. This goes on for a handful of turns.

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Finally the flying Panzer column reaches the town and the HQ softskins stampede North! The second British Column is still dawdling on its route and the Panzers turn just south of the bridge to repeatedly engage the Churchills of the western column. This is a major miscalculation, as several Panzers should have raced further North to secure the passage of the softskins. A single Pzkw IV and the Sdkfz 251/9, with some infantry, ‘hold’ north of the railroad bridge. Their initial success against the light Allied Recce units in the area breeds overconfidence and a sense that time is on the German’s side. Where the hell is the rest of that Allied northern column??!!

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A pre-scheduled smoke barrage by the Allies lands by the bridge. It was anticipated that the Allies would be closer to the bridge and that this smoke would help bring up reinforcements. Alas, it only serves to conceal German movement. This lucky moment for the Germans will not last too long…

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Bottleneck at the bridge and some softskins presenting their posteriors are shot up! The tanks slug it out just south of the bridge, and the German lose 2 Pzkw IV’s in quick succession. The Churchills weather the hits and keep up their fire. The 6 pounders add their fire power but are eventually targeted and wiped out by the StuG’s. It takes guts (or inebriation) by the Allied crews to sit out in the open in front of an 88mm and a handful of Panzers!

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Just as the German softskins are starting to cross, Canadian infantry charge the bridge from the south and are quickly decimated by FJ infantry. At the same time the Allied northern column finds it pluck and races ahead to capture Hill 207 and cut off the retreating Germans. They have lost a lot of Recce vehicles here (that Sdkfz 251/9 should have some Iron Cross winners for all the damage it sowed) but once the Churchill tanks and infantry show up it gets bloody and one-sided. As Canadian infantry storm the hill with a 5-1 advantage, FJ softskins are shot to pieces by the rail tracks by remaining Recce vehicles, Churchills, and even M3 halftracks. The Opel Blitz with all the pilfered wine and a measly Feldpost truck get through. The Panzers and ATG’s look on shamefully from the southern bank - they very simply became distracted and chased the wrong rabbit. They thought they had had time to engage both columns and did not break free of the first one in time. Trying to cross now against so many Churchill’s would be suicide. Some of these guys are getting reassigned.

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With the Allies destroying most of the softskins (17), 3x Pzkw IV’s, 1x Sdkfz 251/9, and 2x FJ infantry squads and possessing Hill 207, it is a decisive Allied victory. The Panzers and surviving infantry (sans Command Staff) will have to find another path home… And the only FJ heroes from the day buried in next to the burnt remains of that Sdkfz 251/9. The Allied cost was 4x Otters, 4x Humbers, 2x 6 pounder ATG’s, 1x Churchill, 1x M3 and 4x infantry squads.

Finally, did anyone notice a sneaky little Italian mini in there? There’s a P40 tank without a barrel that I finally found a use for – a prop behind the factory…

Beagle
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Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:45 am

Re: Burt's AAR - Italy '44

Post by Beagle »

Excellent terrain, excellent minis, excellent AAR, thanks for sharing.

redleg
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Re: Burt's AAR - Italy '44

Post by redleg »

That's a great AAR Burt! Looks like it was a hell of a lot of fun to play! But dude - your terrain is fantastic! I love it!
Redleg's Website: micropope.webstarts.com

BurtWolf
E5
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Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 11:48 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Re: Burt's AAR - Italy '44

Post by BurtWolf »

Thanks gents!! I am a solo wargamer so my one regret is that I really can’t do much with “fog if war” and hidden units…

pmskaar
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Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2005 5:45 am

Re: Burt's AAR - Italy '44

Post by pmskaar »

Burt, that is great looking terrain, a well thought out scenario, and a great AAR depicting the action with the pictures. Excellent!

Pete

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