DAR: Sicily

[RERomine]

Germany vs US Army

Mission: Assault, Sicily, 9/1943 - grouped objectives.

Enemy: Reinforced Battalion - 1-2 Armor Co., 2-3 Infantry Co., 4-6 Artillery Btry, plus ATG, AAA, air support, field fortifications and obstacles. Average force experience, ~65.

Terrain: Map = 100x100; hilly, wooded terrain with elevations ranging form zero to 50. The largest hills are in the enemy deployment area. The objectives are located around one central hill, with one to the North, one to the South and one to the East(behind the hill). There are also two large flat areas as well. One is located in the Southern region of the enemy deployment area, while the other starts in the Northern end of the friendly deployment area and extends West across the LD. Limited rough. visibility = 83. There are two roads, one running generally North-South between both deployment areas. The other road starts from the East side angling generally Northwest before turning West in the North central part of the map.

Troops: 1 Armor Co. (PzKw IVh), 2 Infantry Co. (SS w/tracks), 14 Artillery Btry (On board, 8 tubes SPA, 24 tubes towed w/o transport, 6 81mm mortars, 18 Off board tubes), 2 Heavy Tank Pltn (PzKw VIe), 2 ATG btry. (75mm PAK 40 w/tracks)), 2 MG Pltn (MG42(2) w/tracks), 2 Eng. Cos (w/o tracks). 2 SS PzGren cos. (w/tracks), plus recon, AAA and ammo supply. Average force experience, ~90.

Time: 41 Turns

Analysis

This is the first time in this campaign against the Americans. A review of their capabilities isn't very impressive. The AT guns available to the enemy are 37mm and 57mm, with the 57mm guns not having HE or SABOT ammo. Their best towed tank killer is the 105mm howitzer firing HEAT rounds. Field fortifications don't have any better tank killing capability than those with 57mm guns. They are suitable for infantry defense, however. Their tanks aren't able to deal with my Tigers except for at point blank range and then it's only a maybe. The Americans have only four things to be concerned about:

--M10 Tank Destroyers
--Bazookas
--Air Strikes (everyone's air planes are dangerous)
--Artillery (everyone's artillery is dangerous)

I figure the enemy to employ standard defensive protocols. There should be a minefield belt, scattered mines behind the main line, possible wire and field fortifications. Large numbers of infantry positions are expected, but if they do happen to go with a larger number of armored units than typical for the defense, it will be to their disadvantage. Visibility is high and positioning my tigers on key heights should easily dispatch them.

Defensive strategies of the enemy are to generally hold positions, with an occasional spoiling attack by armor in platoon strength. Well placed spoiling attacks can disrupt the timing of assault operations and plans need to be in place to deal with them.

Time is a factor in this assault. Quite simply, the less time you have, the more casualties that will be sustained. Typically, I like to take the select the most covered and concealed point to breach the enemy line. Those lines of approach usually take time because it they are less direct and can be through wooded areas. I like to do this so I can keep the battle "small". That basically means limiting the number of enemy units that can see and engage my forces. It can be done artificially by means of smoke or naturally using woods, building and hills as screens. It also means not trying to tackle hills unless absolutely necessary. Smoking and suppressing enemy on hills is usually the best option.

As a rule of thumb, I like to have 20 turns available after I breach the main enemy defenses. In this case, that leaves me 21 turns from the point I cross the LD available for the breach. Now, since the 20 hexes separate the LD and the FEBA and terrain has rough, hills and woods, it could take a walking unit up to 10 turns to cover that distance. Add 2-4 turns to breach the minefield once I find it. That leaves only 7-9 turns to fight through the heart of the enemy defenses at the line. That's not a lot. I have to find a way to make more efficient use of my time.

Since all of the objective groups are around one large central hill, designated as hill 2, that seems to be the key to the enemy position. Taking that hill and placing support units on it should allow my troops to advance down the slopes to the objectives. I'm sure it sounds easier than it will be. East of hill 2 are two smaller hills designated at 4 and 5. Those hills can be used as over-watch positions in taking hill 2.

Plan

Time doesn't permit me to risk an exotic flanking maneuver so I will take a more direct approach.

Since my support engineers have to get to the FEBA quickly, they will use the half-tracks from my two core infantry companies. Their initial objectives will be to clear hill 4 and the region approximately 500m South of the peak of obstacles. Smoke will be used to screen the move by the tracks up and dropping them off. Once the drop is complete, the tracks will return to their respective core companies and pick up their own troops. Two Tiger platoons and two SS panzer grenadier companies will provide fire support for the engineers.

Once hill 4 and the region South is cleared, the engineers and grenadiers will push West toward hill 2. The Tigers will remain on hill 4 as over-watch for this push. Joining them on the hill will be my two MG-42 platoons. This should provide good over-watch for enemy tanks and infantry. Four companies of leg units (two engineers and two panzer grenadiers) will clear hill 2. Once it is clear, they will split into two groups consisting of one engineer and one panzer grenadier company. One group will push North from hill 2 and seize the Northern objective group, designated as G1. The other group will push West and seize the Western most objective group, designated as G2.

In the region South of hill 4 cleared by the engineers, my two core SS infantry companies advance through toward the Southern victory hex group, designated as G3. They will be supported by my core armor company. It may be necessary to smoke the Southern most hill in the enemy defensive area, designated as hill 3. That hill will have a good view of my approach around hill 4, but I'm hoping it will be too far back to have many defensive positions present. This force will push into the woods East of objective G3 where the infantry will unload and capture the objective on foot. Once the objective is captured, two platoons of tanks and the headquarters section will move North to support activity on and around hill 2. One tank platoon will ream in the vicinity of objective group G3 as support against counter attacks. This group is likely to be the first captured and will be the object of the earliest enemy counter strikes.

My mobile AAA units will take up positions around my Tiger tanks as they will be most visible to the enemy and likely the object of any air strikes. As for my ATG units, they aren't much use in an assault so I'll post one battery on each flank to guard against spoiling attacks. I'm pretty sure my Tigers can handle the middle just fine.

I've attached a map with my basic plan outlined on it in gray. If I had the time to assault the way I would like to, I would advance along the South edge and swing around the bottom side of hill 3 and take objectives G2 and G3 from the Southwest. From there, they would push on to objective G1. This approach is on the map in red.

[RERomine]

Turn 0 (Prep Fire)

I don't normally enter anything for the prep fire phase, but it was eventful. It didn't take long to find out if the enemy had aircraft. I was hit by two P-38s, one jug(P-47) and one P-39. They scored well, but none will be back. They hit my core tank company with no effect, one of my SPA batteries with considerable effect and one of my panzer grenadier companies. The SPAs in the battery were all damaged, with one destroyed. The grenadiers' headquarters section was hit destroying two support tracks and immobilizing two transport tracks. At least I have a couple of empty tracks that I can pick those squads up in. Of the four enemy planes that attacked, two were shot down and the other two damaged. They will likely have one P-47 and one P-39 left and possibly more sections uncommitted as of yet. The enemy artillery was ineffective while mine laid smoke. My smoke screen will be short since one battery involve was pretty much knocked out.

Casualties

Friendly: Two SdKfz 251/9 tracks destroyed, one PzH 18m Hummel destroyed.

Enemy: One P-47 and one P-39 destroyed.

I've attached my save before starting if anyone is interested. There really isn't any good way to set up, other than to avoid roads. The AI really likes to pound them and this time wasn't any different. I usually keep my units grouped together, with multiple units in a hex, for organizational purposes. If they hit the hex with artillery, they will do a lot of damage, but with them clustered together, it leaves more empty hexes for the enemy to drop artillery in that doesn't do any damage at all. Against aircraft, being more dispersed does help. I could have minimized my damage against them by spreading out, but the AI doesn't always use aircraft, but they will ALWAYS have artillery. Out of 37 campaign battles, this is the first time the AI has hit me with aircraft during the prep fire phase.

[RERomine]

Turn 1

The less than delicate approach is starting rough. One of my recon tracks with a scout loaded was engaged and destroyed by a 57mm ATG somewhere on hill 4. It's location hasn't been identified yet. I'm going to start dropping mortar fire on the hill to suppress units there.

Casualties

Friendly: One SdKfz 250/10 destroyed and 4 casualties.

Enemy: zero

[RERomine]

Turn 2

That 57mm ATG got another recon track, but I've spotted it now. Artillery is plotted to come in on it and the Tigers have a clear shot. One engaged already and the other are moving into position. Scouts are trying to advance on foot now and the engineers in tracks are moving forward where possible without risking casualties.

Casualties

Friendly: One SdKfz 250/10 destroyed and 2 casualties.

Enemy: zero

[RERomine]

Turn 3

The enemy ATG has been destroyed by my Tigers. Scouts are continuing to advance on foot in the center as well as on the flanks. I've got some heading for hill 5 to see if they can establish an OP from that location. If that is successful, I will try to push some to hill 1 since that hill overlooks my approach to hill 2. Some will also try to push to hill 3 for the same purpose.

The engineer tracks advanced without opposition this turn.

Casualties

Friendly: zero

Enemy: One 57mm ATG destroyed and estimated 4 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 4

One company of engineers has unloaded about just across the enemy deployment line behind some trees. This is in the area just South of hill 4. I was a bit careless because I crossed their deployment line without reconning it first, but I got away with it. No mines were found the hard way. The South end of this group was engaged by an enemy bunker with no effect. I popped smoke to block their line of sight. Arty will drop some smoke in front of the bunker and I'll just bypass it.

The second company of engineers are starting to unload in the woods just East of hill 4. Scouts are starting to move up the slopes of the hill. My Tigers have split up so one platoon can support each company as they look for mines.

Both companies of SS panzer grenadiers are starting to move forward. The two squads with immobilized tracks have been picked up by my two spares.

Incoming enemy mortar fire destroyed one track loaded with two MG-42 sections. I'm going to have to find and neutralize them. One mortar was a 60mm, so it has to be close.

Initial impressions of the enemy position are they have heavier defenses more forward than usual. Normally, they don't have ATGs and bunkers close to their deployment line.

Casualties

Friendly: SdKfz 250/1 and estimated 12 casualties.

Enemy: zero

[RERomine]

Turn 5

Well, it seems like the whole dang American air force is here!!! Two P-51s, two P-38s, one P-47 and P-39 made passes, effectively saturating my defensive AAA fire. One P-38 was shot down and the jug was damaged. They destroyed three more tracks and immobilized five others, one being an ammo transport. This is getting rough, but I'm hoping this means the enemy artillery or ground defenses will be thinner than what I usually encounter.

The engineers South of hill 4 are encountering platoon strength resistance right now. The enemy is deployed in front of and behind a minefield. This could be the main belt and it's located 250m behind the enemy deployment line. The tracks provided a little suppressive fire before turning back to pick up their SS infantry company. One platoon of Tigers are moving to provide support and artillery has been called in.

On hill 4, another enemy 57mm ATG was found. Tigers engaged and destroyed it. The rest of my engineer company unloaded and tracks started returning to pick up my SS infantry. Scouts are continuing to move up the hill. No infantry has been seen, but mines are on the forward edge of the peak.

Casualties

Friendly: Two SdKfz 251/9 tracks and one SdKfz 251/2 GrW track destroyed and estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: One 57mm ATG destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 6

No air strikes this turn. The American air force must be circling around for another pass. The enemy artillery hit with something heavier than mortars this time. There was incoming 105mm mail and it destroyed one of my empty, immobilized tracks.

Engineers are starting to clear the mines South of hill 4 while my artillery kept the enemy infantry busy. Small arms were also used to dispatch one enemy squad forward of the mines.

One more 57mm ATG was found by my scouts the hard way on hill 4. Tigers engaged and destroyed it. Engineers are working their way up to the mine field.

Counter battery has been plotted on the enemy 60mm mortar and the possible site of an 81mm mortar. It's close to where I dropped smoke, so I can't be sure if there is a target there or not. I'm going to hit it, just in case.

Casualties

Friendly: One SdKfz 251/1 track.

Enemy: One 57mm ATG destroyed and estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 7

This time, the enemy artillery found my tank park full of PzKw IVhs. Bigger stuff was included in this barrage. None were destroyed or immobilized, but three lost their main guns and coax machine guns and two of those suffered crew casualties. I'm just going to hide them in remote wooded locations and hope the enemy planes don't find them.

My engineers have cleared a 300m breach in the minefield South of hill 4. Before doing this, they engaged and destroyed an enemy squad suppressed by my artillery. The core units will start moving towards that gap once the tracks pick up the infantry. The tanks have already started moving, if for no other reason than to clear out of the enemy artillery impact zone. The engineers will start sweeping around the Southern edge of the hill clearing any additional mines and engaging enemy infantry found.

Engineers on hill 4 have started clearing mines. More have been found across the middle of the peak. Progress is moving slowly in this area because the initial advance was slowed by the now destroyed enemy ATGs.

My counter battery hit around the enemy 60mm mortar, but not really on target. Adjustment will solve that problem. The same applies to the possible location of an enemy 81mm mortar.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 5 casualties

Enemy: Estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 8

Enemy artillery came in again, but this time no one was home. There was some new track mounted 81mm mortars, but I don't know where they are. Another 60mm mortar popped up as well. I'll go after it with counter battery. The other 60mm mortar is retreating. I'll try hitting it again and maybe I can get it out of it's revetment.

No direct contact around hill 4 at this time. One scout found another section of the mine field the hard way. Engineers are clearing mines still, while other units are advancing to support. My core infantry is still linking up with their tracks.

Scouts are on hill 5 at this point. Several will set up as an OP, while others try pushing through to hills 1 and 2.

Casualties

Friendly: One casualty

Enemy: Zero