Italian Long Campaign

[sigeena]

Turn 16,

Nearer to 3rd Company sector, my foot infantry reports spotting EN infantry in the forest ahead. This is very likely the EN main force. I estimate at least 2 companies moving towards my guys. Since the bulk of their units are still in the forest, I plan my artillery strikes ahead of time.



Turn 20,

My artillery bombardment has fallen squarely into the suspected EN concentration. I will let it fall for another 2 more turns, while maneuvering my infantry closer. I have also double-stacked my infantry so that the likelihood of panic is reduced.

You can also see the destroyed EN tanks.



Turn 22,

The EN infantry is losing cohesion and breaking. Their mortars are too short range and are unable to influence the fight. My artillery has been delivering on time.

The key thing for artillery is to influence where and when it matters. I could have used them earlier on suspected EN mortar sites, but doing so would reduce their ammo and they may have to end their strikes on the EN infantry prematurely. I had to slow-cook the EN infantry in this one, with steady bombardment strikes for around 3 turns before I was confident to advance my infantry closer.

[sigeena]

Battle Report

Once the EN infantry broke, it was pretty much pursuit. Due to the terrain, it took a fair bit of time before all objective flags were taken.

With Timed Objectives, this led to my first marginal victory. Once the EN timed objectives points cross 600, it was kind of expected. I like Timed Objectives because they create an extra layer of suspense.

[sigeena]

New battle was another meeting engagement against GB in East Africa.

Here's the map.

I would say that the main features are of a relatively high ridge running N-S near the centre of the map, but more on the Italian side. Compared to the GB side which is heavily forested, I have more open terrain to traverse, which means my forces should be up at the high ground before the EN reaches.

Again there is a road running E-W along the top of the map, which allows speedy access to the rear of the map.

Looking at the overall closed terrain, I would say that 33 turns is abit short to completely take possession of all objective flags. The farthest objective flag is near the bottom right of the map and would be very challenging to take.

[sigeena]

Again, the broad plan is for 1 Company to move along the road with motor transport and quickly dominate it.

Another 2 companies to secure the ridgeline and dominate the valley below.

Here's the breakdown in the companies.

1st Company attached with
F0- Scout Section
T0- Motorcycle Section
V0- AT Guns with Motor Transport

The AT Guns are riding together with 3 sections from J platoon. The Advance Force comprising of the Scout Section riding on Motorcycles, and the Motor Transport with AT Guns and J Platoon will ride ahead along the road.



By Turn 3, the Advance Force is to dismount and secure the road, as this is the straightest part of the road, it allows us to observe all movement along the road.

Once the rest of the company catches up and if there is no EN movement observed up the road, 1 platoon will then be sent down further the road to the EN rear. Sometimes, this allows us to directly engage the EN artillery park.

The rest of the company will turn south and secure the objective flags.

Also, as a lesson learnt from my previous battles, my AT Guns were very un-used once the EN armor was found to be lurking in a different part of the map. I intend to vary and release my AT Guns to the other companies if EN armour is spotted in their sectors.

[sigeena]

2nd Company attached with

U0- Tank Section (M-13/40)
E0- HMG Section
W0- Mule Section (To trooplift the HMG Section)



3rd Company attached with

D0- HMG Section

I made a small mistake and only bought 1 Mule section.



Blue line is the company boundary.
Yellow is the initial movement and Green is the subsequent movement phase.

My armour is allowed to roam if necessary. As before, it's main task to engage the EN armour.

I also have a Air Recon as usual. The pre-planned spot is near 2nd Company's first objective flag.

[sigeena]

Around Turn 4 or so,

EN artillery started bombarding behind my lines. These turn out to be 25 pounder battery and is located near the bottom right edge of the map. Nasty stuff if it catches my infantry.



Around that time, my Air Recon also reports spotting EN armour in around 2nd and 3rd Company sector.

[sigeena]

Turn 8,

In 1st Company sector, all was quiet. The entire company had concentrated around the road and it was rather obvious that the main fight would not happen along the road. I began to move the rest of the company to its subsequent positions and released the AT guns towards 2nd and 3rd Company sector

As for 2nd and 3rd Company, EN infantry was spotted in the forest and likely up to a company sized force.

There were also a platoon of Matildas in the bottom right corner. Due to the speed disparity between the A13 and Matildas, my armour could engage them piecemeal.

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Turn 12,

It was time to set up positions to fight the A13s (red diamonds).

My HMGs are in the high ground dominating the valley to the east. My tanks (blue diamonds) are lying in wait, the purple lines show the field of fire for 1 of them.

I have a small AT rifle team (4 point star) to observe and act as scout.

The idea is to have the HMGs to keep the EN tanks buttoned, and any infantry suppressed before manuevering my tanks to take on the A13s.

[sigeena]

Turn 18

1st Company sector

The EN was about slightly smaller than a coy sized force. The plan for the counter attack was for artillery to drop on the suspected EN positions.

H platoon will be position on the company's left flank and I platoon on the company's right flank.

F Scout section will observe for EN movement and continue to help spot for targets.



Turn 22

Once the artillery started falling, my infantry moved more agressively. By turn 22, the EN was breaking. And they rout directly into H platoon.

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Turn 18

2nd Company sector

The fight here was pretty one-sided. The EN infantry popped into view intermittently and was met with a hail of fire from the 2nd company on higher ground.

Together with my M-13/40s in the centre, 2nd Company was ordered to move forward into forest. EN 25 Pdrs were beginning to fall on my positions as well, so it was probably safer to move forward, out of the bombardment.



Turn 22,

Pretty much over at this point.