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

[Dog Soldier]

Turn 11 10:00 PM 10 July 1943 Night Normal Conditions Visibility 1km

  GT11 CR.jpg (Size: 17.78 KB / Downloads: 2)
The Coastal Defense Units surrounded east of the Acale River were taken prisoner in the Allied turn.
Another Coastal Defense unit trying to link up with the PzGr southwest of Vittoria is surrounded by two 82 AB units.Though they did not know it, help was on the way.

The paratroopers guarding their comrades which caught another Italian unit in the vineyards west of the ford, eyed the orchard below their ridge line. All seemed quiet though they know there were Germans across the ford at the far end of that orchard.  Night had come. Suddenly there appeared on their slope the enemy coming out of the orchard. The shadows are moving right toward their position. "Hold your fire and pick your targets" ordered the NCO in charge of this small band of troopers. Then he gave the command and the troopers let loose a volley. A flare is fired into the night sky. The Germans come at them screaming, firing and hurling grenades as they charged up the slope and into the position. It was all over quickly. The Germans overwhelmed the troopers. They took the position. The flare went out. Darkness returned.

The two groups of paratroopers surrounding the Italians they encountered just hours ago in the nearby vineyards hear the sounds of the sharp fight. They peer into the darkness seeing shadows at the edge of their vision in the dark. There are no identifiable targets. They hold their fire and tense up. It becomes clear to them. The hunters were now the hunted.

  GT10.jpg (Size: 386.08 KB / Downloads: 2)
Disrupted units highlighted. The Italian stack in contact between the airfields along the Gela River is taking a beating.  Entrenching continues at the northern airfield I control.  I think the Allied force will be making a strike in that direction.
A PzGr unit in the vineyards west of Piano Lupo assault the American 45th ID unit which was disrupted in the Allied turn by Axis defensive fire. The German unit ends being disrupted in turn.  However the assault result was lopsided in favor of my unit.  Negligible loss to me.  40 men to the Allied unit. However, the Italian unit on the PzGr left discover a disrupted 5XX infantry unit of the 45th ID. I will probably have to back off on the west bank of the Acale River if these two units are the lead for a whole division coming from the beaches.
Santo Pietro and Biscari VP locations are recaptured. This brings me 75 VP.
A small (17men) 82 AB units south of Biscari is destroyed by direct fire. The PzGr mounted in their half tracks pursue another paratroop group they find in the vineyards further southwest. "How many of these groups of paratroopers are there in these vineyards?" wonders Oberleutnant Snyder.  He orders over his radio link to the other vehicles to watch their flanks and keep moving. It will be a long night of a deadly game of tag.

  GT11 VP.jpg (Size: 21.09 KB / Downloads: 1)
I gained 86 VP this turn. Only eleven in net casualties. Not much. Better than it has been and moved in my favor this first night turn. I have my draw result. Now can I keep it? Will Steel God run out of supply? Will the Allied units run low ammo and/or fuel crippling his units? Can I capitalize on that if it happens? Stay tuned. It is going to be a messy night. At least the sky is quiet. Daylight will bring Allied aircraft. That will not be pleasant for me as in this older version of PZC scenarios, there are no individual flak units I can use to protect my tanks. AA is inherent in each unit with a value for Germans of 2/0. Italian units are half that, 1/0. Feels like more smoke than bite.
Dog Soldier