Hey all,
Long time lurker in the forums, I've been having some trouble with the Troina campaign in FI so I figured I'd enlist some help.
The mission I'm specifically referring to is the last mission in the campaign where you attack right up to the town's outskirts. Side note, is there a way to pull up campaign scenarios in the scenario editor so I can post pictures of the map?
Anyway, you are attacking uphill against a heavily dug in force of infantry, armor and ATGs. Friendly forces include 2 infantry companies, two tank platoons and some other units as well as a ton of artillery.
Long story short, my guys got cut to ribbons and I suspended the attack after taking only the first objective (of 5 or 6 total) in an hour and a half (of 3 hours available). I ended up with almost 250 casualties, most of which were in my two utterly spent infantry companies.
I used liberal smoke and artillery barrages, set up HMGs and AFVs in overwatch and scouted out enemy positions using two man teams from each squad, all to no avail.
My biggest dilemma was this: I would scout forward to identify fortifications and once I found them I would pull back and wait for the artillery to blast them. During the wait, however, my men were left trapped on the ridgeline unable to move forward because of the enemy positions and unable to move backwards because they would leave the cover of the woods and get cut up by MG fire. While in this middle ground the German mortars often ranged and obliterated my guys. What is a poor commander to do?
I realize there is not a quick and easy way to remove determined enemies from entrenched positions on the high ground, otherwise the Sicily/Italy campaign wouldn't have cost the Allies 140,000-odd casualties. But I was curious what you all did/would have done on that mission in the campaign.
Thanks,
Eric
