It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
Pre-game plans and notes
The area enclosed by the red line are my objectives for the game. I believe if I can secure and hold those objectives, I should have what I need to secure the Major Victory. The area enclosed by the green line are diversionary objectives for the 82nd AB troops. The only German troops on the right side of the map are the 15th PzG Rgt and one of the Italian Mobile groups, the German Infantry component of that (almost 800 men) are the teeth, the rest of it is somewhat underwhelming. The 4th Livorno in the west and the HG Panzer in the north Center are much more significant forces, so any of the HG units that want to chase my paras in the green area will be welcome, although I suspect that Brian will concentrate both of those divisions near the Ponte Olivo Airfield and try and drive through to the beaches. Brian is a skilled opponent, and we’ve played often in the past, so I am not setting my sights high. I will hope to grab what I need and then focus on keeping the loss rates equal to secure my victory, but if needs be I will settle for a Minor Victory and call myself happy with the result.
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
It's a Long Way to Tipperary Round 3
0709_08s: Two Crucial Days at DIME Beach (H2H)
Steel God Allies
Dog Soldier Axis
Opening Thoughts
This will be a tough game matched against Steel God. We have played games before and presently. He is one of the best at the blitz club.
A quick look at the Axis forces reveals the German forces are strong and well organized. The Italian forces though do not have a higher HQ for their mobile units. This will be a problem keeping them in command. Even worse, there is little if no way to restructure the command to place formations under the command of the highest on-board HQ. Axis formations are considered Ad-Hoc. Their associated HQ will remain attached to a higher HQ off board. This means command will be somewhat uncoordinated.
I will have to improvise.
I plan to hold a line east to west of Comiso, Vittoria, Biscari while threatening the three VP locations including and between Ponte Drillo and Piano Lupo. Then to the village of Priolo, Hill 41 on to Ponte Olivio. I will bring all Italian forces west of the Gela River across the two bridges NW of the Ponte Olivo airfield, then destroy the bridges if I feel they are threatened. By delaying their destruction, I hope to entice significant Allied units to move towards there from Gela weakening the east side so I can make a drive to the second airfield and maybe even to the beach VP locations. Those locations will most likely be out of reach. I will have to wait and see where Steel God (SG) concentrates his landing forces.
The first priority will be to located and neutralize as many as possible of the 82 AB paratroops to secure my rear areas before they can group into larger units. The seaborne units landing on the beaches will be mostly disrupted and take time to get organized. The Coastal Brigade companies will try to form a retreat which will occupy those Allied units coming in from the sea for several turns preventing any quick movement inland. This will come at a cost. Most of the coastal units can be expected to be surrounded and surrendered. I would not be surprised if they are all eliminated by turn four.
Dog Soldier
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything. - Wyatt Earp
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.- Wyatt Earp
10-22-2025, 07:34 AM, (This post was last modified: 10-22-2025, 07:36 AM by Steel God.)
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
Situation at the end of Turn 1 – 2200 July 9th 1943
The 82nd AB scattered badly as was expected. Probably a tad worse than average as I gave Brian over 110VPs with the drop, and in a few test cases I felt under 100 was the norm. So be it.
Situation at the end of Turn 2 – 0200 July 10th 1943
Initial waves (scattered and mixed of course) hit the beaches, combined what I could and fired into the Italian Defenders, although in hindsight that was probably a mistake as some will likely go low ammo. I moved a Para detachment to Para Lupo and provided they don’t get disrupted and/or the Blackshirts in the Pillbox don’t rally, I should be able to secure that vital high ground. Some Para Detachments on the right moved to block the SOS on the road at hex (49,37). This will not isolate the Axis units on that side of the board, but it will make their trace rather circuitous and if he doesn’t think to check 6 they could isolate them at a later point in conjunction with other paras operating along the Acale River. That would really even up the odds on the right side of the map.
(I posted the first 2 turns together because one I have no screen capture for Turn1 because it's just the Paras, and two, the response from the Axis side is limited by everyone being fixed at start, so the attached picture is the situation at the end of my Turn 2).
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
Turn 1 10:00 PM 9 July 1943 Night Normal Conditions Visibility 1km
Allied AB land. None in sight as it is night with 1hex (one kilometer) visibility. Only one Axis unit is not fixed. HQ XVIII Coastal Brigade located in Vittoria. The HQ packs up in their vehicles and decide to move west where their command range will influence more of the coastal units. With headlights blazing into the darkness, they proceed west along the main road. Suddenly, the lead vehicle stops. There in the road are American paratroops! Both sides stare at each other. Americans are just as confused as the Italians. The Italian lead driver recovers his astonishment first and turns off the vehicle lights while reversing his vehicle. As he turns around the other staff vehicles do the same and the column races back east the way they came. Reaching the VP location north of Vittoria they shut off their vehicles and dismount to await any pursuit. None comes. The American paratroop company was disrupted.
Turn 2 2:00 AM 10 July 1943 Night Normal Conditions Visibility 1km
There must be other American paratroops out there who had a ZOC on the hex to the east and the town of Vittoria. The HQ XVIII Coastal Brigade is frozen and cannot move out of their hex. “Surrounded” mutters the commander.
Along the coast near route 115 American troops begin landing in the dark. This only allows the Italian coastal units which encounter the Allied units landing on the beaches to lose their fixed status and retreat. Only three highlighted coastal units moved this turn. In the posted image, from left to right, the 1st one is both disrupted by Allied unit fire and low ammo form firing back. Paratroops arrived at the pillbox. The Bde Trig Cadre starts the game disrupted in the key pillbox location. It did not rally. Only a very unlucky assault by the paratroops next turn will save the position. The Italian artillery retreats off the position near the beaches towards the pillbox and deploys to hopefully disrupt the paratroops assault next turn with a defensive fire.
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
Situation at the end of Turn 3 – 0600 July 10th 1943
Brain is opting to try and withdraw his beach defense units, presumably because he knows this will come down to a casualty counting battle and he’d rather try and save those weak units knowing they won’t cause much damage on the beaches anyway. I’ve moved to isolate what I could. The 2 units in Gela can be isolated (and were), the ones I can see on the beach cannot be immediately isolated, but I hope to bag some at least. The Paras secured Para Lupo and further inland are moving to take up blocking positions.
(Brian is clearly enjoying crafting this AAR more than I was - he's leaning into the writing while I'm going for the old nuts and bolts approach - my apologies for my Prussian approach).
10-22-2025, 11:52 AM, (This post was last modified: 10-22-2025, 11:58 AM by Dog Soldier.)
The HQ XVIII Coastal Brigade located on the main road Vittoria is now surrounded by the American paratroops.
Meanwhile, more American troops are landing south of Acale River. Coastal Defense Companies engage them but are overwhelmed and retreat in the face of assaults launched from the beaches. The Italians are merely a picket line and not a defense.
The Axis Command report shows the Italian 33rd Infantry Regiment has been released. The regiment consists of three companies scattered northwest of Gela. The troopers mounted on motorcycles heal northeast towards the Gela River bridge and the 11 VP location at the airfield to take up defensive positions. Hopefully they can beat the Americans to that location. Coastal Defense companies not yet surrounded as the ones at Gela continue to retreat trying to slow the American advance. Italian artillery batteries open fire on the Americans in range. The Napoli battery in Comiso attacks disrupted Paratroops in Vittoria. The battery cannot seem to target the good order paratroop engineer company north of the beleaguered HQ bracing for coming assault. Those engineers would be the preferred target. Besides the Coastal Defense companies directly in LOS or contact with the American landing all other Axis units are still FIXED. I am concerned that Axis units need to release from FIXED status quickly before the Allied troops can consolidate themselves.
Axis units in Comiso are FIXED (highlighted) and not reacting.
Coastal Defense units move north to block a bridge and reach the Ponte Drillo. This maybe a forlorn hope as there is an American VP location to the north signifying American paratroops are on the west side of the river only two clicks away or closer to the important bridge.
Gela Coastal Defense companies are surrounded while still in FIXED status by US Rangers. WAKE UP!
GT03 Gela.jpg (Size: 64.73 KB / Downloads: 8)
Positions along and near Route 115. The American paratroops hold the Pillbox VP location. The Italian units might be able to isolate the pillbox. Taking it back would be a great stroke of luck.
Dog Soldier
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.- Wyatt Earp
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
Situation at the end of Turn 4 – 0800 July 10th 1943
So far so good, and this is where it will start to get interesting as I believe the Axis defenders will start to wake up and head towards the beaches. Their forces have mobility over me so can choose the direction they want to come at me. Will he divide his efforts (unlikely in my opinion) or mass the HG PzD and 4th Livorno in a drive for the beach? My money is on the latter. I’ve managed to isolate 4 of the beach detachments plus their HQ and could possibly bag 3 others plus their artillery in the next turn, all in all they would be welcome points and help offset the para losses I suffered on the opening drop. I’m keeping my ships offshore because I don’t want Brian to get a counter battery spot on them and use his Stukas to pick up hefty VP loads sinking ships. If he has recon planes, I suspect he’ll use them to try and spot those to do exactly that, so I’m stacking the DDs with the CLs for some AA cover, because the AA guns on these ships are pathetic (zero on the CLs and only 2/1 on the DDs). Para blocking detachments are not all in place, most are, but none of them will last more than a turn if he doesn’t want them to.
The German force is released. The Italian forces are the three out of command HQs of the six available to them. The fourth HQ out of command is the PzG 104 (detachment at
Comiso. Not unexpected since the paradrops of the American 82AB are scattered all over the map. Naturally the Allied player will attempt to encircle Comiso and deprive them of supply. Therefore, the priority for that Kampfgruppe (KG) will be to open a clear route to the supply point to the east and destroy any AB companies they find. Secondary priority is blocking the heavy bridge across the river between Comiso and Vittoria. Eventually attacking across the bridges to retake Vittoria VP location.
Coastal Defense units try to set up blocking positions as best they can. American infantry units are far larger. The Americans can push the Italian CD units wherever they want and destroy them. The CD need to buy time.
The Italian 33rd Inf Regt encounters an AB company of only 30 men. Being in travel formation on their motorcycle they retreat up the road to meet up with the other companies approaching the bridge there. Next turn they will test the defense of the AB.
German units of KG Rechts move in a generally SW direction. KG Links moves partially to clear AB units nearby on search and destroy mission and to link up with the Comiso garrison. The bulk of the KG moves on the left flank of KG Rechts SW towards the beaches.
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
Situation at the end of Turn 5 – 1000 July 10th 1943
Hmm, okay, well I’m surprised, happily surprised to some extent, but Brian has sent parts of the HG Infantry component to chase the Para Detachments (yay!), but also, he did in fact turn the 15th PzGren units east to clear out the blockers to his source of supply before heading inland. It was a lot to hope he wouldn’t think about doing it.
The Italians near Gela are down to a few broken troops, so that will get secured next turn. One of the Italian detachments in the 1st ID area was eliminated, and the other isolated with its artillery battery. The detachment on the Acala River Rail Bridge was cut down to squad size and will allow me to connect the 45th and 1st ID beaches next turn. I believe I have roadblocks along every possible route to the beach to give me at least one more turn to consolidate before I must contend with anything serious, and that’s only if he rushes some components ahead but I believe he’s (like me) more inclined to bring his forces into action intact and not piecemeal. Score stands at 691 but includes 75VPs I don’t intend to contest, and 100 that will be fought over, so summary says Draw at the moment, but I see Minor Loss still.
Archived Forums
Help
Calendar
Member List
Search
It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
){kind=link}