murphstein
24 Oct 07, 23:23
The Irish lads have a go...
Playing the Axis side against Rickie, I was most concerned early on with having a significant chunk of the 71st ID or the 1st FJ trapped south of the Foglia, by an Allied end-run thru Petriano or direct drive from Saltara to the bridge hex near Montecchio. Early turns the Axis is thinly spread and cannot afford to have units cut off and chopped up. So let's do that...
My strategy will be to drive straight for Rimini up the coast and isolate as much of the enemy in the mountains to the west as possible. I intend to make his reinforcements either commit to a meeting engagement in the open and on the roads, or to abandon the GL and try to establish one or more defensive lines further north.
My first objective is therefore to break my main power, Task Force 1 (TF1), into the open at Tavullia, by smashing the 1st Falls and crossing the river in force at 16,12 and 17,12. TF1 will initially consist of all the British brigades and divisions, plus all mobile Polish units. Any British reinforcements arriving will be sent to TF1; the bulk of my arty support, and all my air and naval support, will also go to TF1 as it proceeds up the coast.
A second group, Task Force 2 (TF2), will smash the 71st ID and cross the Foglia at Montecchio, then turn west behind the GL to cut off the 278th ID near Montecalvo. TF2 will initially consist of the First Canadian Corps (south of Montecchio) and the 4th Indian ID (south of Montecalvo) to hold the 278th ID in place; the 2nd Polish Corps may be transferred to TF2 after the Foglia is crossed.
The general time-table for Operation Olive will be:
Turn 1:
- TF2 to engage forward elements of 71st ID, 1st Falls and capture Saltara
Turn 2:
- TF1 to drive back 1st Falls from Fano and move north toward Pesaro
- TF2 to drive back 71st ID units from Saltara and move north toward San Angelo.
- TF2 to drive back 278th ID units from Urbino and move north toward Montecalvo.
Turn 3:
- TF1 to isolate Pesaro and clear the south bank of the lower Foglia
- TF2 to capture to Montecchio bridge and assault Montecchio
Turn 4:
- TF1 to cross Foglia around (16,12), objective Tavullia
- TF2 to cross Folgia around (14,14), objective Montecchio
Turn 5:
- TF1 to drive N, objectives Cattolica and the Conca River bridge
- TF2 to drive N, objectives Morciano di Romagna and the Conca River
Turn 6:
- TF1 to drive NW, objectives Riccione and the Marano River bridge
- TF2 to drive W, objective Croce and rear of the 71st and 278th IDs
Turn 7:
- TF1 to cross the Marano River and close on Rimini from south
- TF2 to isolate 278th ID and send recon-in-force to San Marino
Turn 8:
- TF1 to cross Ausa River and isolate defenders in Rimini
- TF2, less mopping-up units in south, to close on Marecchia River
Turn 9-10:
- TF1 to capture Rimini and hold off German reinforcements arriving
- TF2 to go over to defensive along the line of the Marecchia River
Playing the Axis side against Rickie, I was most concerned early on with having a significant chunk of the 71st ID or the 1st FJ trapped south of the Foglia, by an Allied end-run thru Petriano or direct drive from Saltara to the bridge hex near Montecchio. Early turns the Axis is thinly spread and cannot afford to have units cut off and chopped up. So let's do that...
My strategy will be to drive straight for Rimini up the coast and isolate as much of the enemy in the mountains to the west as possible. I intend to make his reinforcements either commit to a meeting engagement in the open and on the roads, or to abandon the GL and try to establish one or more defensive lines further north.
My first objective is therefore to break my main power, Task Force 1 (TF1), into the open at Tavullia, by smashing the 1st Falls and crossing the river in force at 16,12 and 17,12. TF1 will initially consist of all the British brigades and divisions, plus all mobile Polish units. Any British reinforcements arriving will be sent to TF1; the bulk of my arty support, and all my air and naval support, will also go to TF1 as it proceeds up the coast.
A second group, Task Force 2 (TF2), will smash the 71st ID and cross the Foglia at Montecchio, then turn west behind the GL to cut off the 278th ID near Montecalvo. TF2 will initially consist of the First Canadian Corps (south of Montecchio) and the 4th Indian ID (south of Montecalvo) to hold the 278th ID in place; the 2nd Polish Corps may be transferred to TF2 after the Foglia is crossed.
The general time-table for Operation Olive will be:
Turn 1:
- TF2 to engage forward elements of 71st ID, 1st Falls and capture Saltara
Turn 2:
- TF1 to drive back 1st Falls from Fano and move north toward Pesaro
- TF2 to drive back 71st ID units from Saltara and move north toward San Angelo.
- TF2 to drive back 278th ID units from Urbino and move north toward Montecalvo.
Turn 3:
- TF1 to isolate Pesaro and clear the south bank of the lower Foglia
- TF2 to capture to Montecchio bridge and assault Montecchio
Turn 4:
- TF1 to cross Foglia around (16,12), objective Tavullia
- TF2 to cross Folgia around (14,14), objective Montecchio
Turn 5:
- TF1 to drive N, objectives Cattolica and the Conca River bridge
- TF2 to drive N, objectives Morciano di Romagna and the Conca River
Turn 6:
- TF1 to drive NW, objectives Riccione and the Marano River bridge
- TF2 to drive W, objective Croce and rear of the 71st and 278th IDs
Turn 7:
- TF1 to cross the Marano River and close on Rimini from south
- TF2 to isolate 278th ID and send recon-in-force to San Marino
Turn 8:
- TF1 to cross Ausa River and isolate defenders in Rimini
- TF2, less mopping-up units in south, to close on Marecchia River
Turn 9-10:
- TF1 to capture Rimini and hold off German reinforcements arriving
- TF2 to go over to defensive along the line of the Marecchia River