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.
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.
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
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.
10-29-2025, 12:48 PM, (This post was last modified: Yesterday, 01:22 PM by Dog Soldier.)
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
Turn 6 12:00 PM 10 July 1943 Day Normal Conditions Visibility 2km
GT06 CR.jpg (Size: 12.32 KB / Downloads: 6)
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.
GT06 V C.jpg (Size: 188.86 KB / Downloads: 6)
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.
GT06 Center.jpg (Size: 113.49 KB / Downloads: 7)
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.
GT06 VP.jpg (Size: 19.72 KB / Downloads: 7)
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 7 – 1400 July 10th 1943
The Italians made short work of the Paras at Ponte Olivo, and the 15th PzGren and their Italian cohorts likewise eliminated a Para detachment blocking the bridge at Vittoria. The HG division, at least the infantry components, seem to be driving south and east of the Acale River hunting Paras, which I consider a win, as if all goes as I’d like it to, I can pull back west of the Acale and let them stay pretty much out of the main fight. The German infantry is by far the most fearsome units he has and the less they have to shoot at the better.
Beach consolidation is going well, the 1st ID is just about completely assembled into full battalions, at least the parts that have landed. Some support arms have also started landing and assuming positions. Two of the late Sherman companies arrived this turn, giving me 3/4s of a battalion, albeit disrupted and without a higher HQ yet. The 45th division is moving west of the Acale River and Engineers heading towards Ponte Drillo to destroy the bridge there. The Coastal Detachments east of Ponte Drillio I would love to capture if it’s easy to do but given their low value I will not put too much effort into chasing them. If they head to Biscari I may have to try and evacuate those few elements of the 82nd via Engineers across the river north of Ponte Drillio. Visibility is bad enough and the objective north of Biscari never captured so that he may not head that way, that I could conceivably manage it. If they stay in place and wait for the 15th PzGren to push down Route 115 it may actually be the worst thing for the 82nd’s survivors, but honestly, I think he’ll use the Coastal Detachments as bait to try and lure me east or assume I want to go that way. Artillery and Air power whittled his PzII detachment down to 2 from 6. Free VPs and maybe it will give his armor some healthy respect for the beach zones. Score stands at 775, but still over 100 VPs I don’t expect to hold, so still a Draw in my mind.
RE: It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
Turn 7 2:00 PM 10 July 1943 Day Normal Conditions Visibility 2km
GT07 CR.jpg (Size: 13.56 KB / Downloads: 4)
Livorno 4th Division reaches the Gela River bridges after a Jabo interdiction attack destroyed 10 of 12 guns in one of the artillery batteries. Bad luck. A coastal defense company trying to escape from Gela is trapped by Allied armor. A company of Stuarts and another of disrupted Shermans. I have been moving the Italian commandos north east to link up with the other Italian units east of the Gela River. I sent a company of Renault tanks to help the commandos escape. I am sure the CD company will take two turns or more to reduce unless he sends other units to help the tanks. That should buy me the time to extract the commandos. If needed, I will use their ability to go on foot and cross the River without a bridge. I would prefer not to though.
The 82 AB unit at Ponte Olivio is captured. The Italians move further south. They encounter the American 1st ID, a 4XX men unit. Other Allied infantry units of 3XX and 5XX size are encountered or spotted by German units feeling out his line. A weak 1XX infantry unit is found by a stack of 39 panzers which joins the Bde Trg Cadre in the village of Priolo blocking the way to pill box at Piano Lupo. I hope Piano Lupo position is still only lightly held. It would not be for long. 2km visibility require cautious advance with a series of "bumping" into the enemy.
GT07.jpg (Size: 412.68 KB / Downloads: 5)
82 AB unit encountered south of Santo Pietro by mounted halftrack PzGr after that village returns to Axis hands. The PzGr position so as to make a move by the paratroops a bit more costly in MP and prevent an easy move to join up with any other paratroops between the river. Paratroops would be easier to take out if visibility was better. Downside, Allied ships and plane, maybe even artillery landed by now would interfere more with my movements.
AB unit holding the bridge at Vittoria is destroyed and PzGr from the Comiso garrison move up to assault the town next turn. Italian tanks take a flanking position in case there are other paratroops thinking of springing a trap. Additional PzGr and the assault guns move south looking for the AB unit hit by Stukas last turn. A CD company coming up from the south discovers a paratroop company of 3X men protecting three guns. It appears they were headed for the bridge to southwest close to the water. Now, they may have to attack the CD Company or withdraw towards the ford two km to the NW. Next turn I will hurry my PGR towards that ford. Cannot be sure if the discovered AB unit is split from the 5X unit or a new one.
GT07 VP.jpg (Size: 19.65 KB / Downloads: 4)
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 8 – 1600 July 10th 1943
Well, the Panzers of the HG Division as well as the Recon Infantry Bn, have started to make their presence known near Hill +41, while the Livorno Division is pushing south from Ponte Olivo, possibly on both sides of the Gela River. An interdiction attack along the secondary road into that area cost the Livorno 10 guns, I’m happy for the VPs, but that division is lavishly equipped so it will not hurt it’s combat firepower much, even if it’s an artillery Bn that got hit.
Mostly a house keeping turn. Tried, and didn’t quite manage, to eliminate the Coastal Detachment trapped against the Gela River. Might seem a waste to some but every VP will count in the end. The 1st ID will hopefully hold up to any pressure from the Livorno and HG Divisions, at least until evening. On the left side facing the Italians I feel comfortable, the center is still a little soft and I’ve consolidated the battalion of Shermans there where 42 of them may make an impression on those Tigers. Elements of the 45th ID are crossing the Acale River in force now and will be able to deploy next turn to help strengthen the center and right of the position. The 45th east of the Acale has 3 additional Beach Defense detachments isolated and can hopefully mop those up before the 15th PzGren and HG Kampfegruppe can drive through to them. The 82nd AB detachments are continuing to back pedal towards safety, some more will undoubtedly be destroyed because when they do get fired upon the effects are quite lethal.
Archived Forums
Help
Calendar
Member List
Search
It's a Long Way to Tipperary Tournament - Round 3 - S43 DIME Beach
){kind=link}