Days after the armistice with Italy was signed, the German 2nd Parachute Division advanced toward Rome from the south. Several Italian formations, including the elite 21st “Grenadiers of Sardinia” Division, set up blocking positions and attempted to halt them. Slowly but inexorably the paratroopers pushed closer and closer to Rome. . .
Attacker: German (Fallschirmjäger Division 2)
Defender: Italian (21º "Granatieri di Sardegna" Division / Lancieri di Montebello / 235º Reggimento di Artiglieria Controcarri e Semoventi / 4º "Genova" Reggimento di Cavalleria)
10.5 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:16.0 D:18.5
AFVs: A:6
StuG IIIG x 4 SdKfz 11 x 2
D:8
Semovente M43 da 105/25 Semovente M42 da 75/18 Semovente L40 da 47/32 AB 41 x 2 Autocarro Leggero x 3
Guns: A:2
4.2cm lePaK 41 x 2
D:4
Cannone da 75/32 Cannone da 47/32 x 2 Cannone-mitr. da 20/65 Mortaio da 45 "Brixia" Fucile-cc S x 2
Misc Rules:
Treat Canal as OG, all bldg inner walls are Rowhouse walls. A: Tr2 w D: Ammo Shortage
Map Board(s):
21
22
23
Overlays:
NONE
Errata (source)
Players wanting to play this game/Request a match:
Germans entered in force unmolested in the east. It was pretty apparent that they were going for a board edge creep but, with so much time left, I didn't feel I could adjust any of my troops just yet. Turn 2 saw more of the same. Halfway onto Board 22 during Turn 3 there were finally some fireworks. Though my HIP traps didn't work too well, I did kill a German officer, while my boys on the front line either died ignobly or routed away. Thankfully I did receive my reinforcements that turn to help shore up my weak east. Next turn saw the Germans continue their cautious approach, while knocking out one of my ACs with a CH. The SSR about the Partisans is quite interesting, reminding me somewhat of Urban Guerillas. Meanwhile my men closed the ranks and were prepared to take a stand around the woods perimeter and in the buildings behind the stone wall. But with 6 turns to only cross the short end of one board I wasn't feeling too optimistic. I fully expect this scenario to only be 9 turns upon (hopefully soon) reissue. The German advance was slowed with heavy winds preventing him from laying any smoke., and his FT was virtually taken out of the game - except to draw attention from my troops (I KIAd one squad toting it). Turn 7 was a bit rough for me, having lost 3 squads, and the next turn saw my AA gun ambush be ruined by a broken Partisan forced to rout to its hex, but not before they took out the StuG that was VBM freezing them. The SSR about the one squad stacking limit per building certainly played a big factor in the game, as did the lack of FLs available to the Italians due to ammo shortage. The rest of the game saw the Germans flex their muscle in their inexorable push to the goal line, while my Italians clung to life "in" their buildings. Going into the last turn the Germans had yet to exit a unit. The managed to avoid two point blank rear ATRs shots to drive two tanks and a squad off, but I managed to lay 8 RFP in the main exit hex, and no other Germans were able to overcome this. In the end this turned out to be great fun, but I do think the Germans have way too much time and power to have to risk anything but a methodical approach.
2020-08-15
(D) Kermit Mullins
vs
Dan Best
Italian win
After 8 hours Dan and I had completed 7 turns. The Germans had exited 18 points, but the remainder were still two turns away and two critical Melees had to be finished to determine if the Germans would have enough. The Italians lost one and then snaked the second. At that point, exhaustion reared its head and Dan conceded. It was a grueling game. My Italians were very lucky to pull out the narrowest of victories.
2020-08-15
(A) Dan Best
vs
Kermit Mullins
Italian win
2019-12-14
(D) John Gorkowski
vs
Bill Stoppel
German win
An eclectic mix of Italian contraptions resisting German paras with assault guns makes this a fight to remember. Highly recommended! Feels a bit like Baron von Munchausen(etti).
I deployed my Italians mid-field on board 22. They established interlocking fields of fire with mutually supporting positions scattered among concealment terrain north of the road that runs 22FF5, BB7, Y6, S7. From there, my line continued diagonally northwest from the Q6 orchard, where I emplaced/hid my 75mm gun, to K3 where one 47mm ATG guarded the road. On my right, an ATR, MMG, and three squads set up in and around buildings at D5 and F6. My Semoventes started BU in cover as follows: SMV 47 in 22FF2, SMV 47 in 22C1, SMV 105 in 22W5, SMV 75 in 21D9. I hid one 47mm ATG in 22S1 facing northwest hoping for a rear shot at passing German armor. One ATR guarded each flank. The armored cars were slightly forward ready to shoot and then scoot to slow down the German advance.
The Germans entered on the Italian left (the right side of board 23’s south edge). He ran forward as fast as possible behind vehicle smoke for two turns against no Italian opposition save a couple of machine gun bursts from an armored car that quickly retreated.
Starting on turn three, we locked horns across the 22FF5-S7 road in a series of intense, running firefights that went on through turn six as the Germans ground forward about one hex per turn. Memorable highlights littered the scene. My hidden Italian 75mm ART in 22Q6 destroyed a German STUG that paused in 23P9. The Italian 9-1 leader with HMG and squad in 22S5 broke up Germans moving into the 22P9 building and deterred further German movement into the 22T6 building until the Italian HMG broke down for lack of ammo. A German STUG killed my fleeing armored car in 22Y4, but then fell victim to an Italian ATR (HIP) shot in the flank from 22BB3. That same ATR gave another STUG a good scare with three consecutive flank hits, but only managed a possible shock before German machine guns mowed it down. Supported by nearby friendly infantry, the Italian SMV 105 in 22W5 significantly slowed the German advance, broke three half squads, and survived a thrown DC as well as a FT (fired from the smoke of a burning wreck) while falling back in reverse through X4, X3, W3, W2 firing along the way over the course of three turns. The same turn it ran out of ammo, a German Panzerschreck took it out. The Italian SMV 75 that started in 21D9 (the other side of the battlefield) raced over to the action, paired with the SMV 105 for a few turns, and also went up in flames to a Panzerschreck shot. The SMV 47 in 22FF2 kept a pair of German squads at bay and dueled with the German 9-2 (directing a MMG) for several turns until a German half squad took it out in close combat. Meanwhile, the Brixia in 21FF10 rained shells down – taking out one German half squad – before running out of ammo.
Italian reinforcements entered on turn five to take up positions on the eastern half of board 21. Italian partisans popped up at 22EE10 to threaten a nearby STUG and 23I9 to fire on an unarmed halftrack. Those gnats did distract two Germans squads, one 40LL ATG, and a flamethrower for a few turns, but ultimately inflicted no harm. Sadly, the Italian sniper had done little more than break or pin a few half squads.
By turn seven the Germans had to cross only one more board against seven or eight Italian squads, but were now scattered and had lost two STUGS and a few squads of their own so the issue was still in doubt.
For the last half of the game, German and Italian infantry rolled north in leapfrogging firefights across the eastern half of board 21. German shots did better than Italian whose ATR missed several deliberate immobilization shots at a stug. During the last Italian movement phase, their 9-1 and a 4-4-7 both fell to a 4+2 shot as they tried to move into a critical blocking hex near 21Y1. After that, the Germans exited 33 VP for victory by a narrow margin.
