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

[Dog Soldier]

Turn 13 6:00 AM 11 July 1943 Day Normal Conditions Visibility 4km

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Visibility jumped up to 4km allowing the Allied player to call in air, naval and artillery strikes on units that were well behind the front lines. The biggest victim was KG Links AT guns. The entire unit (16 guns) was in travel mode and eliminated. I was able to savage a Regimental HQ of the 45th ID with artillery and destroy two more Sherman tanks with an air strike of my own. Focused my fire on disrupted enemy units in the east and continued the slugging match with the American stack 2km NE of the second airfield. Made minor changes and advances of my skirmish line between Ponte Drillo and Vittoria. The vineyards make it difficult for me to know how many Allied units are lurking out there. I do not want one of PzGr units to become surrounded at the end of the line by smaller enemy units if I advance to quickly.

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Disrupted units are highlighted in the battlefield image uploaded.

  GT13 AB Pest.jpg (Size: 17.49 KB / Downloads: 4)
Engineers in the north resumed contact with the 82 AB units which jumped on the supply point northwest Caltagirone. That second western supply point has a more direct route on a major highway to supply my forces in the west. I have a second supply point further west along the north edge of the map which actually delivers supply to my units west of the Acale River where the main fighting is occurring.

I blew the second bridge over the Gela River. It appears Steel God is not biting to move any significant force west of the river. I have better uses for the engineers than babysitting a bridge. I will send out some units on patrol to make sure some Allied ranger unit from Gela is not crossing the river. They have that capability with the aid of Engineers to ferry them.

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I have taken all the VP locations that are within the Axis reach. Meaning easy. I am surprised the VP east of the Acale were not fought for by the Allies. Seems the 82 AB was not capable of defending them. Or Steel God is planning to take one or two back at the last turn. I will use the Italians to secure by garrison those VP locations. Some Italian units will patrol by moving around the board to sniff out any 82 AB units in hiding that could threaten those VP locations. The garrison will mostly be light delaying units with help close by if needed.  As the clock of turns runs out, I will be able to feel more secure that Steel God may have ceded the area east of the Acale River to concentrate his defense of the Gela bridgehead or to attack my forces between the Gela and Acale Rivers pushing towards one VP location.

A lot of action as losses mount on both sides. However, this turn yielded only 11 VP in favor of Steel God. I am still meeting my goal to make the most of the 82 AB drop losses VP I gained in the first turns. Casualty net VP is still a (negative) <105> VP. I want to maintain at least 100 VP in casualties to my favor the end of the scenario.  That above all else will ensure a draw result. If I can take another VP location, I will have a minor win.  I expect though Steel God will not allow that to happen.
Dog Soldier