Italian Long Campaign

[sigeena]

After we easily advanced, we were given a special battle to delay.

We purchased 1 pair of M-13/40s, a platoon of TL-37 (mounted with 20mm autocannons), a pair of AT guns and a pair of AA guns.

We identified 3 possible lines of resistance. The Black line is the 1st line, and this is characterised by the presence of my HMG sections and ATG section for Long Range fires. Scout section in the centre for maximum field of observation.

Maroon Line is where both 1st and 2nd Companies would have engaged with the majority of their rifle platoons.

Green Line is the reserve line, and is predominantly 3rd Company in the centre.

The M-13/40s will take up reserve slope positions and engage EN armour as they cross the ridgeline.

The TL-37s will engage any light armour, such as armoured cars or Bren carriers.

Ammo carriers were also purchased in anticipation of a long drawn affair. The AA guns covered the approach to our artillery.

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Turn 2

EN lorries are spotted travelling very fast down the road in the North towards 1st Company.

Early EN artillery bombardment is fortunately only driving up sand to obscure the lines of observation.



In 2nd Company sector

EN armour and lorries can be spotted approaching very rapidly. It seems fortunate that our M-13/40s are in this sector to take up position. Our HMGs engage the EN lorries once they are around 1,200 metres away.

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Turn 9

It is quite clear by now that the EN main effort is in the south, in 2nd Company's sector. They have committed almost their entire armour force, approx. 1 company strength.

Their armour advanced swiftly past our screening force. Our tanks are engaging them in the flank and rear as they come.



As for 1st Company, the situation is slightly less serious as the main EN advance was led by lorries which were destroyed by our HMG section. Their Armoured Cars have taken up a position to block off the withdrawal of our HMGs. Their artillery fire is finding its mark on our guys.

We will probably be forced to give up on Black Line soon.

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Turn 15

This was probably the high point of the battle itself as we destroyed the last of the EN armour. Yellow diamonds mark all the destroyed EN tanks. We have also lost 1 tank. Approx. 6 of the EN tanks were lost to my infantry assaults, but at pretty high cost to my infantry as well.

The EN infantry is coming along swiftly now, I will move my remaining tank back nearer to the company HQ.

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Turn 20

This is turning into an infantry slugfest. Our reserve platoon (Platoon N) has come up to reinforce the HQ position. M platoon has been badly mauled after destroying the EN tanks. Another platoon is hidden away in dead ground.

Our artillery is concentrating on their lead elements.



Over in 3rd Company sector, I decided to push them forward to relieve the pressure in 2nd Company. 2 platoons will use the terrain to mask their approach on the EN northern flank. The Company HMG section will provide fire from the high ground.



In 1st Company sector, the EN infantry is running up into my main line. As the EN has already been heavily attrited by my long range HMG fires (they were riding in open top lorries), it doesn't take long for them to start retreating upon significant resistance. My reserve platoon is also moving up to push the line forward again.

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Turn 26

I have re-positioned my remaining tank in the approach of the EN infantry. By this time, they have been taking artillery damage for the past 5-6 turns and their suppression is growing. I sense they are close to crumbling.



The fight in 1st Company sector is nearly over. The EN infantry has been put to flight, and their Bren carriers are moving forward to stem the retreat. I have also recalled my AT carriers to engage the Bren carriers.

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Battle Report at Turn 32

Summary
EN main effort was determined by Turn 3-5. Moved my main AT assets (tanks) to intercept.
Engage light skin vehicles with HMGs from turns 5-9. EN vehicles covered the ground very quickly and my HMG outposts were destroyed by turn 12.
Tanks vs tanks started fighting from turn 8 and lasted till turn 15.
EN infantry started engaging from turn 16 onwards. Firefights lasted till turn 22. Once the EN infantry was sufficiently attrited and unable to push past my line, they were pinned out and began retreating.

[sigeena]

Next battle was a similar Delay engagement somewhere in N. Africa.

The main problem has been that the terrain in N. Africa is very open, and for a infantry heavy force, I need to be able to find dead ground to hide my infantry.

This was my deployment after considering the open ground. As usual, BLACK LINE is a HMG screen. MAROON Line is where I deploy most of my AT assets. Brought along 2x ATG Sections and 1x M-13/40 Section. GREEN Line is the reserve line. Most of my infantry is hidden in dead ground and can only be spotted at 100-150 metres away.



In my last battle, I felt quite letdown by the Italian 47mm ATGs. They tend to have poor accuracy and even at ranges of 500m, they tend to miss 2 times out of 3. At 500m, if we don't destroy the EN target in a hurry, you're likely to be hurt in return fire real quick. As a result, I decided to pick some 25mm ATGs, which traded higher accuracy at the expense of lower PEN.

[sigeena]

Shortly after the Fog of War lifted, we spotted a large mobile force speeding towards 2nd Company in the southern sector. Artillery bombardment was plotted to hit the light skin lorries.



Turn 6,

In 1st Company Sector, a platoon of EN tanks was also probing forward. The HMG section quickly doused the incoming tanks to remove any tank riders. If these tanks are coming without infantry support, my infantry should be able to handle them.

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Turn 10

The main battle is ongoing in 3rd Company sector. L Platoon and the HMG Section are unable to pull back due to the speed of the EN attack. My tanks are engaging the EN as they crest the ridgeline, mainly destroying the Armoured Cars. I was hoping to destroy the lighter stuff and leaving the EN tanks for my ATGs.



Turn 15

Situation is getting abit bleaker. I've lost 1 tank and my remaining tank has suffered critical damage to its main gun. It's only as good as an armoured car now. L Platoon is still in the fight but at the risk of complete overrun. The HMG section has been swept away. 1 of the ATG has also been destroyed.

By turn 15, I decided to concentrate 1st Company towards 3rd Company sector. The HMG section has moved south to position itself just above M Platoon, near my other ATG section. I'm concentrating Long Range HMG fires with my artillery to slow the EN progress. My ATGs are taking long range shots with high accuracy, but not making much of a dent.



Turn 19

2nd Company continues to hide from the EN tanks. EN armour force is very much reduced.