Sicily 43 - Race for Messina (Strategy)

[Kool Kat]

Gents:

Sharing strategy and tactics from a recently completed PBeM game.

Overview:

Allied player must race (pun intended ) along the coastal and interior routes to Messina in 38 short turns. Allies are hampered by Axis defenses and the rugged Sicily terrain. If soft ground conditions develop, the Allies will be hard pressed to make it to Messina by scenario end. Allied advantages include air superiority, large numbers of artillery units (including self-propelled M7s)and armored battalions. Axis are hampered by depleted unit strengths (many units start at under 40% strength), a lack of units, no Luftwaffe, and automatic withdrawals of key German motorized units. Allies must thrust rapidly and push forward at all opportunities. Casualties take a back seat to gaining real estate. Axis must block, delay, and fall back to the next stronghold while preserving the balance of his forces. A tense and nail biting end game will find the Allies advancing to the final approaches (foothills surrounding Messina) with a handful of defending Axis forces blocking the way. Recommended scenario!

Axis Strategy:

(1.) ​Organize your defenses on the several strongholds (defense lines) that Axis forces hold at the start of the game. These are natural terrain chokepoints and the Axis forces are Morale A German units that do NOT withdraw.

(2.) As Axis units reach max. fatigue, retreat these units to the next stronghold positions. Allow them to regain unit cohesiveness and recover from fatigue before the Allies advance next to them again.

(3.) Entrench units in villages for max. defensive bonuses.

(4.) Use artillery units to dig in - again at villages. Once trenches are created, even HQ units (some have close to 100 men) can be used as front line defense (last ditch efforts) in the trench positions created by artillery units.

(5.) Use night turns to break contact with Allied units and retreat to more defensible positions.

(6.) Break down regiments into battalions, allowing more units to maneuver and defend.

(7.) Trade space for time. Keep a mobile defense. Force the Allies to constantly have to move and setup their artillery.

(8.) Never allow your units to be surrounded - unless you intend to sacrifice them.

(9.) Attack Allied units that are in travel mode at all opportunities.

(10.) Reminder - Majority of Axis units are expendable (at the right moments) as the key to an Allied victory is the capture of all objectives on the map.

Allied Strategy:

(1.) Concentrate your Allied offensive advances along 3 routes (Two coastal roads; Route 113 - Americans (Patton) and Route 114 - British (Montgomery). Americans should slog along the interior road - Route 120)

(2.) Use your initial artillery and air strikes to shatter the Axis defending units and blast open holes in the enemy's lines. You want to quickly max. fatigue and break as many Axis units as possible.

(3.) Use Allied armor battalions to aggressively push forward and attempt to turn the Axis flanks, surround units and / or get into his backfield.

(4.) Push! Push! Push! Keep the Axis units engaged and tied up. Don't give Axis units time to retreat and setup secondary defensive strongholds.

(5.) Get aggressive with Allied units (especially infantry) and take calculated risks with maximizing movement while in travel mode. You may lose some troops, but you have to keep up with the motorized elements and get to Messina.

(6.) Don't forget about your bridge engineers. Be sure to throw up engineer bridges as needed for Allied troops to bypass Axis defenses and terrain chokepoints.

These lessons were well learned in my recent PBeM game!