Sicily: Gela counterattack, 0900hrs*
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Date: 10th July 1943*
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Location: Gela, southern Sicily, Italy*
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Type: US delay vs. Italian advance*
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Design: Marcin "SaS TrooP" Kaluza*
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During allied summit at Casablanca in Jaunary 1943, Allies decided that landings in Europe will occur in Sicily, in order to known Italy out of the war.
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Plan was prepared and on 10th of July, 1943, Allied troops landed on Sicilian coast. Landings were divided between British and American sectors. British troops landed to the east, near Syracuse area, while American 7th Army under command of general Patton landed in central Sicily.
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The seaborne landings of the British Eighth Army were uniformly successful. Everywhere the first assault waves achieved tactical surprise and Italian coastal defense units offered only feeble resistance. Some fire from coastal batteries and field artillery positions inland did strike the beaches but it was quickly silenced by supporting naval gunfire and the rapid movement of assault troops inland. 
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Meanwhile, the Italian Mobile Group E under XVI Corps orders had started its movement south from Niscemi. Organized into two columns, one moving along the secondary road leading to Piano Lupo and Highway 115, the other turning west toward Ponte Olivo to pick up Highway 117 for a drive south on Gela the group had no contact with the Hermann Goering Division. But it was aware of a corps order to the Livorno Division to commit a battalion in an attack on Gela from the northwest. Moving by truck, this battalion approached a jump-off point near Gela for an attack in conjunction with the mobile group. 
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The heterogeneous Ranger-engineer force in Gela had observed a column of thirteen ancient Italian FIAT 3000 tanks escorted by infantry moving south along Highway 117 toward the city--the right arm of Mobile Group E's two-pronged attack. Another column, the Livorno Division's battalion of infantry, could also be seen moving toward Gela along the Butera road. While the destroyer Shubrick started firing at the tank-infantry column on Highway 117, the Ranger-manned Italian 77-mm. guns opened up on the Livorno battalion. 
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This scenario is historical with little augmentations for gameplay reasons. Some elements of Force X are cut out as they have taken initial casualties or were sent to handle straglers and remaining isolated points of defense. Wherever it was possible, historical names and units were implemented.
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Historically, Rangers beat the counterattack easily. Italian tanks advanced regardless of naval gunfire and left pinned infantry behind. In Gela, these ancient vehicles were easy prey for infantry. Attack coming from Buscera was halted with support of artillery and not a single Italian soldier reached the town. Entire attack force was routed in disorder.
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Source: http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-Sicily/index.html*