Allied AAR: Clearing the Niscemi Highway

[Michael Emrys]

My God, poor Bil. I hoped he enjoyed his vacation.

Don't feel sorry for Bil yet. The fat lady still hasn't gotten to her solo.

Michael

[Hister]

Wow, what a turn of events!

[Michael Emrys]

The pendulum has swung many times in this game. It could swing several more before the end.

Michael

[ChrisND]

TURN 44

Another action-packed turn that goes well for me.

As I thought, the Panzers try to loop around the hill. A Panzer IIIM turns the corner of the hill, directly in view of my bazooka team... there is a bazooka gunner and a man with a rifle grenade launcher. The grenade launcher connects with a hit, but the Panzer's armor skirt on the turret defeats the grenade. The bazooka's first shot misses, going high and exploding in the vineyard beyond. The Panzer IIIM, having not detected them yet, continues forward, then stops to shoot its coaxial at some of my reserves who haven't gotten into the building yet. The bazooka reloads, and takes another shot. This shot hits and penetrates the front turret. The Panzer IIIM, still moving, faces the bazooka and backs up into the vineyard. The turn ends as it slews its turret towards the bazooka, who is reloading...

At the Villa itself, what is left of the poor bloody paratroopers are duking it out with Bil's infantry advancing on the Villa. With the Sherman to the west firing on exposed German infantry, I can sense that this fight is clearly in my favor. What I believe is Bil's last Renault R-35 has crept up through the woods at Castelletti hill, and begins firing on the villa at close range. It manages to cause a few casualties before my western Sherman spots it and dispatches it easily with one shot to the flank.

And my immobilized Sherman scores again when another of Bil's Panzer IVs tries to climb the front of the Villa hill. The Panzer IV has it's flank exposed to the Sherman as it crests, and the Sherman KO's the Panzer IV with two shots into the side. The poor crew tries to bail out, but as the hatches open the Sherman pumps another round into the Panzer, creating a large explosion as it hits ammunition. No survivors. There is a quite a bit of German infantry accompanying the panzer, who are more wisely further down the slope. It looks like they are headed for the barns next to the villa, which I've freshly occupied with the reserve infantry platoon. Close range infantry fight is about to ensue.

Nothing of importance happens in the west this turn.

[John Kettler]

Normal Dude,

Quite a run, indeed! Nor do the Germans yet have an equivalent threat to the ranged attack you can mount with your bazooka teams. That immobilized Sherman continues to wreak havoc when, based on the preponderance of period evidence, it should be dead.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Vinnart]

Now that I am playing this map from Dude’s perspective I am relating to this battle much more that I just read through all the turns. I like Bil’s attack route, but having the tanks get ahead of the infantry is definitely costing him. Nice left hook with the probe in the west with the Sherman. Looks like he should have little problems sweeping Bil’s rear to recapture the orchard.

Also, I am learning the hard way about the new terrain. Evidently vineyards are the new hedges, and are not too vehicle friendly. I gave a general quick move up to the villa, and the driver of the halftrack went straight through the vineyard only to become immobilized

Very nice, easy to follow presentation especially with the top view graphics ND.

[ChrisND]

TURN 45

Oh Fortunes of War, you are a fickle lady. As if this battle couldn't have been more up and down...

The Panzer IIIM that rounded the hill and got hit by my bazooka team had a close infantry escort with it, as I find out this turn. And a good thing it did too! As the Panzer turns around confusedly, trying to figure out where it's attackers had come from, some Luftwaffe infantry appear at point blank range, and with grenades and SMGs they quickly kill the bazooka gunner. The Panzer III is saved by its infantry escort. Having spotted this escort at the end of the last turn, I had ordered an infantry to rush to the slope to protect the bazooka. They arrive seconds too late.

The infantry squad gets their revenge immediately, having appeared just above the attackers they shower them with grenades. However, by now the Panzer has spotted them. When its open up with the coaxial, the squad sprints away for safety, but they leave short three men. As the last of the soldiers pull back I can see Luftwaffe infantry streaming into the vineyards east of the Villa.

At the Villa, Bil's cover fire on the building has slackened off considerably after my successes against his armor. I take this as an oppurtunity to re-man the forward portion of the Villa, so that my infantry can more effectively defend it. And it's a good thing I do, too, because as my infantry regain the high floors they spot lots of Luftwaffe infantry making their way up the hill. A brisk firefight ensues. I don't think Bil will be able to dislodge my men though unless he can bring heavier firepower to bear on the defenders.

All of this is fine so far. But at the end of the turn... disaster!

My Sherman to the west, firing on the Villa attackers, hears a "pop", and then is destroyed from a penetration to its flank. A rifle grenade, firing from the woods on its flank, is shot by an unseen attacker at close range. The rifle grenade goes past the treads and suspension, hits the lower hull behind the wheels, and achieves full penetration near the center of the tank. It is KO'd. By a rifle grenade.

But this gets worse. Just before the Sherman crew bails, they spot another, working order, Panzer IV in the woods.

[ChrisND]

Also, I've received two emails now about my magical immobilized Sherman that can spot and kill everything it sees.

I think the people who are concerned about this behavior are not looking at the full picture. Go back and look through this scenario, even the last turn, and you'll see plenty of examples of tanks being blind and dumb. Two of my Shermans were lost without ever firing a shot or doing anything useful. The immobilized Sherman has mostly killed targets directly to its front. The last Panzer IV it killed, it was anticipating because I had ordered a cover armor arc in precisely that direction, since I knew Bil's tank would come from there. For whatever the reason the turret wasn't pointed straight at it, but they definitely had orders to look in that direction. You'll notice that that same Sherman tank is not spotting all the Luftwaffe infantry on the Castelletti Hill objective.

It's easy to notice when things occur beyond the norm, it takes some attention to note when they are working as expected.

[sburke]

Also, I've received two emails now about my magical immobilized Sherman that can spot and kill everything it sees.

It's easy to notice when things occur beyond the norm, it takes some attention to note when they are working as expected.

I think you were better off leaving Bil thinking you had magical Shermans. At least until the end of the battle - oh you were assuming he wasn't reading this? (ssssh Bil, he still thinks you aren't reading this).

[ChrisND]

I almost forgot to mention.

I've got new plans for the West. There's a bazooka being clutched by a dead soldier, lying out in the field in front of the Panzer IV and its hidden infantry complement. I need that bazooka. I have a squad already enroute to retrieve it, but their mission got a whole lot more dangerous. I'm splitting the squad into teams, and running the forward at full speed for the bazooka. Two teams will run interference, if a fight ensues then hopefully they can be a distraction. The third team will go straight for the bazooka. To help them out, I'm directing suppressive fire on the woods from the nearby infantry platoon, and the T30 HMC is going to lay smoke rounds down in front of the woods to cover them. The fate of the entire battle may hinge on getting this bazooka.

At the Villa, the grenadier who accompanied the slain bazookaman (who took a pot shot at the Panzer III) is now attempting to recover the bazooka. The infantry squad got him some breathing space by killing the Panzergrenadiers, but they earned it with three dead. Hopefully he can get the bazooka before Bil can get a spot again.

[Hister]

If this is not the most intense AAR I ever read then I don't know what is! You guys constantly manage making us rope walking.

[John Kettler]

Normal Dude,

Will anyone have fingernails left after this fight? I've heard of the ebb and flow of battle, but this is a pretty extraordinary example. Yours is the first German rifle grenade kill I've seen in CMx2, but I got a U.S. one, smack through a Tiger 1's turret side, in the CMBO Beta Demo.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Heinrich505]

ND,

Hister and John are right. This is cracking good action.

Your screen shots of the short but vicious firefight on the small hillock were especially dramatic. Excellent shots of the battle, especially the one looking up at the US boys trying to come to the aid of the bazooka team.

This struggle has some amazing swings of momentum.

Heinrich505

[ChrisND]

TURN 46

The stricken Sherman crew bails. The driver is cut down as he exits the vehicle, but the rest run like mad down the hill and are saved for this turn at least.

My new big worry is this Panzer IV in the west. He's using the wrecked hulk of his fellow Panzer IV as very effective cover. Hopefully the thing blows up in his face.

The Panzer IV destroys my T30 HMC at the Villa. The halftrack catches fire, and rounds cooking off kill a soldier. I might have to evacuate the building section right next to the halftrack.

Meanwhile, my two brave volunteers have dashed up the wheat field to the fallen bazooka. They are now crawling up to recover it while covering fire from their platoon whizzes overhead in an attempt to the Germans at bay. If the Panzer decides to move forward they have mere seconds to get that bazooka and arm it.

With the T30 dispatched, I only have two armored vehicles left. A M3 halftrack with only a 50 cal, and the immobilized Sherman. I've got the Sherman in a Armor Cover Arc looking at the western Panzer. If the Panzer tries to move out of the woods and I'm lucky, the Sherman may get to spot and kill him.

The Villa is now involved in a pitched firefight. The shooting is non-stop as paras mixed with leg infantry trade fire with Luftwaffe Panzergrenadiers. On the east side of the Villa hill, it is eerily quiet, with no visible enemy movement, a jarring change from the action of last turn. They're moving around behind the small cliff, looking to strike at a weak point where they can get in close... I have a feeling that next turn German soldiers are going to come out of the smoke at point blank range and then it is on.

[InsanePerson42]

I just played this mission in the demo. When the Italians were coming at me I felt invincible, I was slaughtering them. And then I started to lose the moment the Germans arrived. It really gives you a feel for the difference between the German and Italian armies.

[Hister]

Yeah, tried the demo - this mission is just great. Played as the axis.

[ChrisND]

TURN 47

Bil has stepped up the infantry assault on the Villa. My defenders continue to trade shots with invaders coming from the Castelletti Hill objective, while some of the Germans stalking the eastern side of the hill appear at point-blank range by the barn. It does not go well for them, as I am ready for them. Two full squads of infantry, plus some mortar teams now functioning as infantry, have their guns trained at the crest of the slope, and all the Germans who show their heads quickly get them blasted off. As the Germans wisely retreats, my men throw grenades down the slope after them. The first probe from the east has been defeated.

On the minus side, I sent a squad to retrieve the bazooka lying by the barn. Sadly, Bil was apparently waiting for this and had the Panzer III waiting for me. I lose almost the entire squad, slaughtered almost to the man.

Meanwhile, Bil's Panzer IV in the western woods attempts to move forward out of the woods, emboldened by the destruction of the Sherman there. He is spotted and destroyed by my immobilized Sherman, who I had ordered to watch his location with a narrow cover armor arc. This tank is approaching Medal of Honor territory. However, it is still in danger... Just northeast of the villa, a paratrooper platoon leader and his platoon sergeant dash out of the villa to retrieve a bazooka in open ground. The platoon leader is cut down, while the sergeant hugs the ground for dead life. What killed them? A Panzer IV! I didn't know it was there! If it moves forward and crests, it's got an excellent shot on my Sherman, who happens to be looking the other way. I'm giving my Sherman a new Cover Armor arc to look in that direction.

To the west, the situation is excellent. Mr rifle platoon has clear fire superiority over Bil's panzergrenadiers, and are causing casualties. Their cause is helped by Bil's Panzer IVs in the woods cooking off in large explosions, which the German infantry were near to. The bazooka has also been successfully recovered. I need to get that bazooka to the Villa, ASAP. I'm going to run the halftrack over to pick the team up, then convey them to the Villa. I'm also going to send one squad to uphill to peek out at the Orchards objective.

[Michael Emrys]

Two full squads of infantry, plus some mortar teams now functioning as infantry, have their guns trained at the crest of the slope, and all the Germans who show their heads quickly get them blasted off.

Good show!

Meanwhile, Bil's Panzer IV in the western woods attempts to move forward out of the woods, emboldened by the destruction of the Sherman there. He is spotted and destroyed by my immobilized Sherman...

Yea!

Michael

[Hister]

Aww, and yet again the drama continues - you won't give Bil any slack will you ND?

[sburke]

whew, man you just gotta love this game watching this kind of action.. I am beginning to think you guys are sitting behind the scenes figuring out how to deliberately get the action to see-saw. ND and Bil's reality TV combat show, don't worry, it's scripted!!

Kidding, there is no way you could plan this.

[ExurbanKevin]

I get the feeling that this battle will end up with a lone GI and a lone Bersaglieri throwing sticks and stones at each other

[ChrisND]

CEASE FIRE

Bil and I have agreed to a cease fire. Our forces are well beyond what a normal military force would take in punishment before calling it a day. We agree to not try a gamey rush for VP grabs, and let the units sit where they are for the last turn. Then the job of cleaning up the wounded and dead under a truce flag begins, and we take stock of the cost.

Bil had actually emailed me asking for a cease fire a few turns earlier, just before the Sherman was killed by the rifle grenade. I told him to keep going, so I think that worked out well. ; )

The result of the battle is a Draw, 448 points for me, 419 for Bil.

AFTER ACTION REPORT

I received 300 points for holding the Villa objective, and a further 148 for inflicting casualties on the Axis. Bill received 200 for holding the Castelletti Hill objective, and a further 219 for inflicting casualties on me. The Orchards was apparently contested, although I had thought he had it. Granting the Orchard to him, the result is a draw or a minor axis victory, someone else can do the math.

I'll do a proper AAR analysis soon, but for now the follow post details the heroes of this battle.

[ChrisND]

Hall of Heroes

These are the stories of the more interesting units in this battle. I will add more entries to this as I have the time to write them. While the two units below were the most obvious acts of heroism, there are plenty of other units with a story to be told.

Corporal Gillette and his Demolition Team.

Four men, Veteran experience, High morale. C Team, 1st Section, 1/504 PIR Regimental Demolition Platoon.

2 Renaults destroyed

4 enemy casualties

Status: 3 alive and well, 1 badly wounded.

Do you remember at the beginning of the scenario, my para team that single-handedly charged and dispatched Italian tanks with thrown satchel charges? That is this team, led by Corporal Gillette. They began the battle in the western woods, where later Bil's Panzer IVs would wreck havoc. Before all this happened, at the beginning, this team sat in those then quiet woods, over a hundred meters away from any friendly units. They weren't an active part of the defense, more of an observation post set up to make sure that Bil didn't try sneaking any Bersaglieri into the woods to set up a base of fire.

Their lonely vigil was soon interrupted by the approach of two Renault tanks. With Corporal Gillette and his men hidden by the undergrowth, the Renault crews were unaware of their presence and were unbuttoned. Corporal Gillette made them aware of his presence when he took aim with his M1 Garand and killed one of the Renault TCs from a distance of about 75-100 meters, crippling the tank with a single bullet. The second Renault opened fire, hitting and gravely wounding one of Corporal Gillette's men. The team vanished into the woods and waited. The Renaults, obviously thinking that they were safe now that they were buttoned up, pushed forward through a less dense portion of the woods, aiming to flank the Villa defenses. Corporal Gillette, with little regard for his personal safety and no help coming, led a 3-man charge against the Italian tanks as they barreled by his position, one of the tanks missing him by mere inches. A well-placed satchel charge destroyed one of the tanks. The second tank continued on its path, shortly afterwards being hit by one of the pack howitzers. Not to be outdone by artillerymen, Corporal Gillette charged this tank as well, destroying it with another satchel charge.

By this time, the Luftwaffe had shown up and were moving towards the woods, and American leg infantry had begun arriving on the highway from the coast to reinforce the defenses. Aware of their inability to hold off the Luftwaffe infantry, Corporal Gillette led his men down the hill to link up with a newly arriving leg infantry platoon in an orchard. They had moved none too soon, for as they entered the safety of the orchard, German rifle fire from the hill began to snap around them.

For much of the rest of the battle, this team sat it out in the orchard with the infantry platoon. They couldn't move forward after Bils Panzer IVs occupied the woods. Once the Panzer IVs were dispatched very late in the game, Corporal Gillette and his men hopped in an M3 halftrack to man the machineguns in an attempt to stem the flow of Bil's infantry. They spent of the rest of the battle shooting suppressive fire at enemy positions all around them.

The wounded soldier was recovered after the cease fire.

Sergeant Lanford and the 2nd Tank Crew

Five men, Regular experience, high morale. 1st Platoon, B Company, 1/67th Armored Regiment.

3 Pz IVG destroyed

1 Grille destroyed

10 enemy casualties

Status: Deceased.

This is the tank in front of the Villa that single-handedly almost foiled the entire Axis attack against all odds.

Upon arriving with the second wave of reinforcements, this tank took up a reserve position on the south side of the Villa hill, behind the Villa and the vineyards. Upon determining that Bil intended to push down the highway and after the Villa defenders began receiving heavy incoming fire, this tank was dispatched to move forward and relieve the pressure on the Villa by engaging the Grilles. The intent was for it to dash behind the small stand of woods that mark the Castelletti Hill objective and then defend from there.

This plan had an inauspicous start when a Panzer IV immediately spotted the Sherman and hit it, penetrating the lower front hull. A crew member was wounded, and the stricken Sherman began backing up to get out of the line of fire. The Sherman was then pummelled mercilessly, some tank rounds glancing off harmlessly, some not. The radio operator was killed. The AAMG was blown off of the tank by a direct hit from a Grille HEAT round that barely missed the turret itself. The treads were shot away and the tank lurched to a stop, directly in front of the Villa and in plain view of Bil's force. To make matters worse, at this time an intense artillery barrage blanketed the area. The crew was caught in a deathtrap, but if they left the Sherman, the artillery exploding feet away would kill them. Most of us at this point would probably curl up into the fetal position and sob like a baby. Not these guys. They collected themselves, then fought back, blunting Bil's thrusts again and again.

The plucky crew finally met their end when Bil's last Grille expended its last HEAT round. The round peentrated and caused catastrophic destruction. No survivors.

The worst part? That Grill round wasn't even meant for the tank. Bil tells me that the Grille couldn't even see the Sherman, and was just shooting at the building, and hit the tank instead.

[c3k]

ND,

Great write-up! I appreciate the "Mentioned in Dispatches" just above. Thanks.

Ken

[Bil Hardenberger]

ND that Sherman had a charmed life. Two penetrations, I lost track of how many hits bounced, one Grille HEAT round that missed high by millimeters, another Grille HEAT round that hit but only took off the 50 cal. It was ironic that it was taken out by a lucky shot from the last round from the last Grille. Luck, they lived and died by it.

Looking forward to reading your side of the battle.