Sicily: Piano Lupo 1400hrs*
*
*
Date: 10th July 1943*
*
Location: Gela, southern Sicily, Italy*
*
Type: US defence vs. German heavy armoured assault*
*
Design: Marcin "SaS TrooP" Kaluza*
*
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.
*
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.
*
*
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. 
*
*
General Conrath, the Hermann Goering Division commander, had learned of the American landings early that morning, not from the Sixth Army headquarters but from messages relayed to him from Kesselring's headquarters in Italy and from his own reconnaissance patrols, several of which clashed with American paratroopers near Niscemi. Later, word from Colonel Schmalz reporting his commitment of troops against the British landings convinced Conrath that the time had come to carry out the predetermined defense plan. He decided to counterattack at Gela.
*
*
The bulk of the Hermann Goering Division was assembled in and around Caltagirone. Conrath had organized the division forces into two reinforced regiments, assembled as task forces. One, heavy in infantry, consisted of a two-battalion infantry regiment mounted on trucks, an armored artillery battalion, and an attached Tiger tank company of seventeen Mark VI tanks. The other task force, heavy in tanks, had a two-battalion tank regiment (about ninety Mark III and Mark IV tanks), two armored artillery battalions, and the bulk of the armored reconnaissance and engineer battalions, which functioned as infantry.
*
*
General Conrath planned to commit his task forces in a two-pronged attack toward the beaches east of Gela. The troops were to move on three secondary roads to assembly points south of Biscari and Niscemi. With the infantry-heavy force on the Biscari side, both were then to jump off in a concentric attack on the beaches. Conrath hoped to begin his attack before 0900, 10 July, for a later hour would put the sun in his men's eyes and make it easier for the Americans to locate his units. Besides, the earlier he could attack, the better his chances for success. 
*
*
South of Niscemi, the right column of Conrath's two-pronged counterattack the tank-heavy force closed into its assembly area. The infantry-heavy force closed in the Biscari area (which is the subject of next scenario). With all in readiness at 1400, five hours late, Conrath sent his Hermann Goering Division into its attack.
*
*
The tank regiment struck the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, which had prepared defensive positions on ground overlooking the road junction near Piano Lupo and had sent patrols almost to Casa del Priolo.
*
*
Colonel Crawford's 2nd Battalion, along with Colonel Gorham's paratroopers, bore the initial brunt of the German tank thrust, and soon Colonel Denholm's 1st Battalion was drawn into the fight. Calls for naval gunfire soon had shells dropping on the Niscemi road, but the German tanks, accompanied by reconnaissance and engineer troops in an infantry mission, rolled slowly past Casa del Priolo.
*
*
This scenario is historical with little augmentations for gameplay reasons. This is armour heavy scenario, where player will be forced to knowck out serious amount of vehicles with Bazookas and rifle grenades only. At 1400 all of regiments heavy weapons (including battalion weapon companies with AT guns) were still being unloaded. Regimental cannon company (4x 105mm howitzers) arrived in the middle of the battle. These are equipped with additional amount of HEAT rounds, so try to deploy them in AT role. Wherever it was possible, historical names and units were implemented.
*
*
Historically, 16th RCT stood well. Germans initially occupied their positions and routed most of the battalions (3rd Bn positions were never reached by the Germans). Allied made serious use of their formidable naval gunfire, which destroyedd couple of tanks and immobilized others. Meanwhile engineers protecting the tanks in infantry role were picked of by US riflemen, leaving tanks vulnerable. Seeing this, in the evening, after fierce battle, Germans decided to withdraw for the night. 
*
More to the south, US forces came upon infantry-heavy force while advancing towards Biscari. This will be the subject of next scenario.
*
*
Source: http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-Sicily/index.html*