Belvedere's Blizzard - The Matrix Games version of West Front

Three mountain peaks, Mte Belvedere, Mte Gorgolesco, and Mte della Torraccia, dominated the tactical situation in the North Apennines in the spring of 1945. As long as the enemy held these peaks he protected all routes of approach to his supply and communication line, Highway 64 (The Pistoia-Bologna Road). They were also the highest terrain features remaining in his hands for his defense of the Po Valley, his most prized possession in Italy. Beyond them the terrain gradually slopes away until the Po Valley is reached forty miles away. Three Allied efforts in the fall and winter of 1944 to capture Mte Belvedere and Mte Gorgolesco had been unsuccessful, but in the attempts, it was learned that the German would do anything within his power to hold, and by now he had had several more months to perfect his defenses. Truly, this mountain-mass looked like an impregnable fortress for the enemy. His observation was perfect for miles in all directions and it was doubtful that a force, large enough in size to assure success, could be assembled in position to attack him without discovery. Such discovery, of course, would permit the enemy to man his carefully prepared positions. From these, because of their perfect observation, and because an attacker would have little cover on the naked slopes, the enemy could practically rest assured that his murderous artillery, mortar, and automatic weapons fire would repel any attack. Fifth Army was well aware of the strength of this enemy position, but at the same time, it realized that some means must be found to capture these peaks, otherwise the Allied advance might be held up indefinitely, or be forced to turn to the west through even more difficult terrain. The arrival of the 10th Mountain Division in Italy provided Fifth Army with the very tool for which it had been waiting these many months. Here was a fresh division, which had been specifically trained for mountain warfare, and if these peaks were ever to be taken, surely the 10th Mountain Division must do it. Without further delay it was, therefore, decided that the 10th Mountain Division, under IV Corps, would attempt this operation during the second week in February.