Italian Long Campaign

[sigeena]

This is my orbat. I tend to leave the units as they are if they only need 1 pt to fix in between battles. So it looks like 1st Company will play reserve, while 2nd and 3rd Companies work their way down the roads.

Support units are as follows
S0- Recon Aircraft
T0- Medium Tank Section
U0- Motorcycle Section (for my F0 scout section)
V0- AT Guns with Motor Transport
W0- Motor Transport Platoon



Having deployed my units on the startline, I estimate that the Black Line is where my units will de-bus from their transports, around Turn 3. There will be a ferry service of sorts for the Motor Transports to bring the rest of the respective Companies up to the black line.

If contacted early, the point platoons are not to stand and fight, but fight delay until at least the Company commander is up with another platoon.

The tank section is intended to primarily find and fight the EN tanks where possible, before returning to the company fight.

1st Company itself is dispersed to capture the flag objectives, and will subsequently assemble along the road as a mobile reserve. The motor transports will be released to them once 2nd and 3rd companies have finished forming up near the Black Line.

There will be recon aircraft flying overhead to provide additional eyes and ears. Likely of more use to 3rd Company due to proximity.

[sigeena]

Situation at Turn 6

EN infantry was spotted probing near both roads. EN tank was spotted near the bottom of the map, moving upwards towards the high ground.

This is at 3rd Company sector. This particular infantry unit type doesn't have section LMGs.

My tanks will veer off the road and head south to intercept the EN tanks. The EN tanks are of low threat to my tanks (main gun having PEN of 3 only) but potentially challenging to my rifle infantry.

[sigeena]

Turn 6

L platoon of 2nd Company isn't fully up, having only loaded 3 sections out of 4 onto the ATG motor transports. The EN infantry is of the Chass Alpins variety and is coming forward very steadily under fire. L platoon will have to slow them down for at least 2 more turns before the 2nd platoon reaches.

The AT Gun section has 3 guns and 3 transports. Their transports have a total lift capacity of 18, of which each AT Gun takes up 6. My infantry units take up 11, so I could fit only 3 infantry sections along with the AT Gun section. The ATGs are of limited use here as well, EN armour has not been spotted nearby and very likely none will come up this road at all.

[sigeena]

Turn 9

The rest of 3rd Company is still moving up towards the fight. I've managed to drop my HMGs but they are unable to find a good field of fire. They have to make do with suppressive Z-fire into the rear of the EN units.

The EN is a mix of both Mountain and regular rifle infantry. I think it's at probably slightly more than a company size.

The Company AT-Rifle Team was riding with the tank section and found a EN platoon trying to infiltrate behind my lines. The tank section had to deal with this nuisance before going back to their primary task, to find and destroy the EN tanks.

[sigeena]

Turn 10 2nd Company

Situation for L platoon has deteriorated. The EN artillery strike (Red Star) found its mark and routed the Platoon commander.

The Company Commander is up but the other platoons are at least 2-5 turns away, it'll be difficult to slow them from the objective flag.

My own artillery is probably dropping too far behind the EN lines. I'll have to shift them quickly.

[sigeena]

Turn 13

3rd Company Sector.
The front has somewhat stabilised. That can only mean that EN bombardment will fall in the next few turns. The quick attack plan is to move R platoon down the road quickly, and then come up north into the EN flank.



Elsewhere, our tanks have finally faced off against the EN tanks.

You will always want to point your front into the EN side or rear.



2nd Company Sector

My artillery is finally finding its mark and I'm planning to envelop the EN with my fresh platoons.

[Steves308]

Thanks for this AAR, and good luck, probably no one harder to fight a long campaign with than the Italians

Steves308

[sigeena]

Thanks Steves308.

I've already taken some liberties with regards to my orbat. Historically, the weapons company in the regular infantry battalion had some tiny 45mm assault mortars, which could only be used in direct fire. I decided to disperse them in the rifle companies and buy some 65mm howitzers and 81mm mortars instead, somewhat simulating permanent higher HQ attachments.

Overaching plan subsequently is to fight in N. Africa till the Eastern Front opens up and play up against the Russians. I think I'll probably dump my LC at some point after frustration with the Russians. Imagine the lack of AT weapons against KV mammoths.

[sigeena]

Getting back to the battle, it is quite clear by now that the stalemate in 2nd Company sector is due to the parity in relative combat power (a company apiece slugging it out). I will thus mobilise my reserve 1st Company to support them and push RCP in my favour. On motor transports, 1st Company will move 2 platoons and should reach 2nd Company in 3 turns.

At the same time, my tanks, having destroyed the EN armour, will make its way up to lead the charge into 3rd Company's sector. This will again tilt the RCP in my favour.

[sigeena]

Turn 16, about 3 turns after executing my quick attack

2nd Company sector, EN arty began falling south of the road, hitting my D1 HMG. My own arty was falling in and around the EN concentration, pinning them down as my units closed in. Some of my arty dropped slightly shorter, but it was a small risk to take. I generally like to keep around 200M (4 hexes) for safety distance, but when I start to close in, I'll reduce it to 150M or so.

1st Company has also began arriving along the road. I made a gamble and guessed that there isn't much of an EN presence along the road, otherwise that platoon on trucks will melt away very fast. The lone EN infantry section managed to destroy the truck but was quickly routed by the dismounting infantry.

EN infantry began to rout in the general direction of the yellow arrow, which began taking them closer to my 1st Company positions.



By Turn 19

Most EN units have been sweeped up by 1st Company along the flank and 2nd Company pressing from the centre.