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

[Steel God]

Situation at the end of Turn 9  – 1800 July 10th 1943

Looks like Brian has sent a HT mounted German Engineer unit to help stiffen the Livorno, spotted them moving down the road from Ponte Olivo.  Made a sad mistake on my ZOC placement at the ford south of Vittoria and as a result 50+ Paratroopers will be lost, not ideal but less than 10VP so I shall have to sacrifice them.  The HQ for the 1st ID showed up, that will help some.  

The temptation to counterattack is high, but if you’re not patient with someone like Brian you’ll get your head handed to you for your troubles. I cleaned up the Beach Detachment pinned on the Gela River, assaulted an Italian armored unit for some losses, and engaged the HG PzIIIs with my Shermans for some more losses, but honestly it was less than I was hoping for with a full battalion of Shermans firing.  The 45th ID started to come online between Piano Lupo and the Acale River, which if I can get some damn Disruption rolls should be able to push back a little in that area.  The Beach Detachments that were isolated on the last turn east of the Acale were reduced by roughly 2/3rds, miraculously some brave Pisano holds out.  I hope that after next turns losses to the 82nd I can salvage the balance other than the isolated companies near map edges that serve no real purpose at this point other than to hang out and force him to garrison an objective.  The Italian Beach Detachment in the vicinity of Scoglitti is a nuisance and because of it I cannot safely evacuate the AB howitzers but will have to escort them out lest I hand Brian another 3 free VPs.  One more turn (for me, 2 for Brian) until nightfall but with the night move disruption percentage at zero I suspect he’ll press on during the night since the longer he gives me to consolidate the Beachhead the better position I will be in.