It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach

[Dog Soldier]

Turn 5 10:00 AM 10 July 1943 Day Normal Conditions Visibility 2km


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Italian Mobile Groups E&H and the 4th Livorno Division were released this tun.  Mobile Group E moves immediately to the Airfield VP location SW of their starting position. With a company of the Italian 33rd Infantry Regiment an American 82 AB company is surrounded in an IP in the nearby village.  Unless there are additional AB units nearby, I should be able to eliminate this enemy unit next turn.  Then I will continue to fortify the village and surrounding area.

4th Livorno Division takes advantage of the cloud cover to move fast down the road to the bridges on the Gela River near that northern airfield.

Panzers of the two KG proceeded south PzII units leading as scouts.  Armored cars moving south on the left flank of the KG to sniff out any additional American paratroops.
The PzG 104 (detachment at Comiso moved out to pursue the AB units restricting their supply point to the east. They destroyed the AB unit that moved north.  The Italian Blackshirt battalion is keeping contact with the AB unit that moved south.
Italian armor engaged the AB engineers across the river blocking the bridge. PzGr infantry drove up the main road to engage the AB engineers if they stay next turn.
Another AB unit was detected by a German engineer unit as it moved south. With artillery barrages the engineers finished off the 3X men unit.
Italian Coastal Defense Units are no match for the American infantry moving up from the beaches. They continue to delay where they can. They will not last the day. Many will be prisoners by nightfall.

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Victory Results stands at a Draw at 579 VP. I intend to change that soon with 175 VP in objectives alone I can take. Maybe that will put a little pressure on Steel God who is usually very methodical. Maybe... it is still early and this visibility is making a game of blind man's bluff.

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Dog Soldier

[Steel God]

Situation at the end of Turn 6 – 1200 July 10th 1943

Brian made short work of several of the Para Detachments, which cleared his way towards the beaches.  Another isolated at Ponte Olivo Airfield will get eliminated next turn but will at least slow him a little on his drive south.  

The beach is secured and consolidated, and the 45th and 1st IDs have linked up, the Para Detachments are falling back towards the Beaches, fulfilling their primary function of roadblocks if necessary but hopefully some will survive to be consolidated into a decent sized unit, as their assault values will be appreciated later.  The most vulnerable position right now is along the west bank of the Acale River, where the gap between the two infantry divisions is only lightly screened.  I have 4 units overdue for landing, and of course they’re all critically important, 3 armored units from 2nd AD, and the Mortar Battalion for 1st ID.  We finished off 3 isolated Italian Beach Detachments, and their Artillery unit, aside from the guns they weren’t worth much VP wise, but the score stands at 763, a Minor Victory technically, but includes 100VPs I don’t believe I’ll be able to hold till end game (the ones East of the Acale River), so in my mind we’re standing at a Draw.

[Dog Soldier]

Turn 6 12:00 AM 10 July 1943 Day Normal Conditions Visibility 2km

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Having only eight HQ makes having even two out of command will cause difficulties when I anticipate both forces are fully engaged in the late afternoon.  Back on turn four four of nine were out of command.  AS I proceed south, supply will fall to the mid to low 60's.  Combine that with an out of command HQ and the quality of the Axis force will be diminished, at least temporarily.  The Axis forces do not have the numbers.  They do have a quality edge that I will try to maintain.

Eliminated the AB Eng at Vittoria bridge and AB inf at Ponte Olivo.  Air strike takes out 29 AB inf reducing it from 8X to 5X as it approaches Comiso. Next turn we will see if those paratroops want to press on.

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Setting ambush for American 82 AB company pursuing the defenseless Italian Trg Cadre Bdg.  Will they take the bait? I think they are scouting for the larger inf coming from the beaches.
Maybe there will be an opportunity to retake the Pillbox position. It would be worth more than the 150 VP.  Those two hilltop positions could give a good view to any force approaching to take it back.  That is also a detriment to my attempt.  Just hoping the American player is not there in strength yet. The panzers and PzGr will need the Livorno or 3rd Inf Regt to protect their right flank for such an attack.

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The Allies have a minor victory at this point. I think I can sweep the east side of the map and force the 45th ID units back towards a small bridgehead between the beach VP location and the Ponte Drillo. Pinning the 45th ID like that will be a victory of sorts weakening the west side of the map. Time, distance, and low visibility means I will have to advance aggressively yet with as much caution to not have paratroops sneak in behind my east wing advance. No easy task with an opponent like Steel God.

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Dog Soldier