Italian Long Campaign

[sigeena]

A side by side comparison of our armour units.

Basically, the H-35 poses very little threat to our M-13/40.

[sigeena]

Some situation maps of Turns 17 and 19.

2nd Company has reached the objective and is clearing the EN infantry along with 1st Company on the EN flank. The EN infantry doesn't take long before breaking.



As for reinforced EN infantry, my HMG firebase on dominant ground has excellent field of fire and together with my artillery, quickly suppresses their movement. My tanks charge in to wreak more close-in destruction. I intend to move M platoon from 2nd Company towards the rear of the EN so as to cut off their line of retreat. 1 platoon from 3rd Company has also joined in the firefight south of the EN.

[sigeena]

Turn 25

While my 2nd and 3rd Company pursue the EN to destruction, we shift our attention to 1st Company. Earlier, I had moved J Platoon to the rear, using the road. As they sweep the rear area from N to S, they encounter the EN heavy weapons. We found at least 3 MMG sections and 1 light mortar section. With our MMG on dominant ground, we attack the EN support weapons and overcome them after a brief firefight. Most of our losses were taken in this fight as we had to move over open ground to close with the EN MMGs.

[sigeena]

Battle Report at Turn 31

Most influential unit were my tank section. With the help of my artillery and HMGs, they held off an entire company, and on pursuit, forced many to surrender.

Most useless unit were my ATG with motor transport. No fault of their own, as the EN didn't move any armour along the road. Nonetheless, their motor transport was useful at moving 1st Company quickly to the front



Approx. Company boundaries

My units moved and fought largely according to plan. The EN were found to have wasted too many turns in their start line. Usually, infantry contacts should have occurred by Turn 8-10. In this one, we first spotted them on Turn 13.

As for the EN most influential unit, probably their MMGs at their rear. This killed 1 of my Scout teams, riding their motorcycles. Probably avoidable if I took more care.

The EN most useless unit was probably their 3 tanks. Without a weapon that can kill my tanks, they were destroyed within 2 turns of contact.

[sigeena]

Next battle map coming up.

Another meeter on the alps. Note the presence of the 2 roads running E-W and 1 running N-S on my side.

However, the high ground is on the French side.

Am thinking of moving 2 companies as fighting columns along the 2 E-W roads and 1 company in reserve with motor transport, waiting to reinforce, along the N-S road.

Comments?

[sigeena]

This is my orbat. I tend to leave the units as they are if they only need 1 pt to fix in between battles. So it looks like 1st Company will play reserve, while 2nd and 3rd Companies work their way down the roads.

Support units are as follows
S0- Recon Aircraft
T0- Medium Tank Section
U0- Motorcycle Section (for my F0 scout section)
V0- AT Guns with Motor Transport
W0- Motor Transport Platoon



Having deployed my units on the startline, I estimate that the Black Line is where my units will de-bus from their transports, around Turn 3. There will be a ferry service of sorts for the Motor Transports to bring the rest of the respective Companies up to the black line.

If contacted early, the point platoons are not to stand and fight, but fight delay until at least the Company commander is up with another platoon.

The tank section is intended to primarily find and fight the EN tanks where possible, before returning to the company fight.

1st Company itself is dispersed to capture the flag objectives, and will subsequently assemble along the road as a mobile reserve. The motor transports will be released to them once 2nd and 3rd companies have finished forming up near the Black Line.

There will be recon aircraft flying overhead to provide additional eyes and ears. Likely of more use to 3rd Company due to proximity.

[sigeena]

Situation at Turn 6

EN infantry was spotted probing near both roads. EN tank was spotted near the bottom of the map, moving upwards towards the high ground.

This is at 3rd Company sector. This particular infantry unit type doesn't have section LMGs.

My tanks will veer off the road and head south to intercept the EN tanks. The EN tanks are of low threat to my tanks (main gun having PEN of 3 only) but potentially challenging to my rifle infantry.

[sigeena]

Turn 6

L platoon of 2nd Company isn't fully up, having only loaded 3 sections out of 4 onto the ATG motor transports. The EN infantry is of the Chass Alpins variety and is coming forward very steadily under fire. L platoon will have to slow them down for at least 2 more turns before the 2nd platoon reaches.

The AT Gun section has 3 guns and 3 transports. Their transports have a total lift capacity of 18, of which each AT Gun takes up 6. My infantry units take up 11, so I could fit only 3 infantry sections along with the AT Gun section. The ATGs are of limited use here as well, EN armour has not been spotted nearby and very likely none will come up this road at all.

[sigeena]

Turn 9

The rest of 3rd Company is still moving up towards the fight. I've managed to drop my HMGs but they are unable to find a good field of fire. They have to make do with suppressive Z-fire into the rear of the EN units.

The EN is a mix of both Mountain and regular rifle infantry. I think it's at probably slightly more than a company size.

The Company AT-Rifle Team was riding with the tank section and found a EN platoon trying to infiltrate behind my lines. The tank section had to deal with this nuisance before going back to their primary task, to find and destroy the EN tanks.

[sigeena]

Turn 10 2nd Company

Situation for L platoon has deteriorated. The EN artillery strike (Red Star) found its mark and routed the Platoon commander.

The Company Commander is up but the other platoons are at least 2-5 turns away, it'll be difficult to slow them from the objective flag.

My own artillery is probably dropping too far behind the EN lines. I'll have to shift them quickly.