General Staff vs Drakken

[General Staff]

I've promised a turn out playing Allies on Friday after- of course- a stop for tea with scones and crumpet (the Poles will just have to wait). Looking around and with the huge benefit in hindsight of having played the Germans in this the main plan is:

1) To head up the roads (all 4) as fast as possible (speed absolutely critical) giving the Germans as little time as possible to dig in in depth using arty as a sledgehammer in direct support.
2) Main thrust up the coast road with support from naval guns.
3) Also try to surround and kill what I can that stays south of the Foglia, particularly around S. Angelo.
4) Blow the bridge in 8,6 (maybe 11,9 too) to reduce supply by road/railroad. This will hopefully force some of their engineering capacity north to repair as opposed to helping units get into and build defenses in hexes of the Foglia River line near Petsamo to improve its chances of holding out longer.
5) Also blow bridges to aid with surrounds if necessary- you've the engineering to rebuild them very quickly.
6) Take out any and all LW assets with airfield attacks- as many as it takes. Then put it all on interdiction if no bridges to do in. CS a waste in my experience.
7) Casualty differential is crucial- I've got to keep mine down and theirs up so I'll be using armour assets where I can with direct arty.
8) Units (except HQs, Arty, Engineers, maybe armour occasionally) broken down to reduce casualties and allow for rotation.
9) Avoid enemy armour if you can. I've seen hamlets defended for a whole turn by single StGIIIs or even those Italian Semoventes.
10) I'll try and hit his engineers when I can, since they're crucial for his digging/bridging effort. Plus the usual targets of opportunity- red stacks and other sundry objects.
11) Formations together where possible and perhaps a broad front from the Poles with other units in spots as needed, given start positions.

Then lets see how it all goes and progresses and adapt. From where I'm sitting calling this 'Operation Olive' was a total misnomer though it may have been chosen for intel purposes to fool the enemy. It should have been called 'Operation Sledgehammer' or some such.

Righto! Tally ho!

[General Staff]

ROUND 1

I'm using SP Guns to make the Limited Attacks with Direct Arty Support. Those are Sextons and M7 HMC Priests. Attacks really anywhere I can get them starting at 60% remaining movement or more. Airfield Attacks from everyone to destroy the LW with the Spitfires on AS. Also get arty up a little.

Results: 40% of turn remaining.

1) All ME109s are gone, but 2 JU87s remain.
2) Faro and Saltara cleared but not enough MPs to move in.
3) 1 LP inflicted for 0. No SP Guns lost at all that I could see- and I looked at all detailed combat reports and also checked inventory and replacements which shows air losses at 3 Spitfires, 1 P51 and 1 Boston.

ROUND 2

First let's set all arty on TR and planes on CS and see if there any quick win overruns.

1) Yes we cleared 17,18 with Hasting & PE. This lets us occupy Saltara. With the same unit we also AV'd 17,17, giving us a head start up the road. Marvelous! With 2 MPs left let's dig it in. In Saltara with few MPs to do much let's dig in but leave HQ on TR- that way if anything hard hits 17,17 a few Humbers will maybe race to the rescue.
2) We got 5/Hampshire into 13,19. With 5 MPs left let's dig in.
3) Tried an overrun against 20,15 and a couple of other hexes with no results.
4) Pushed Lyl Edmonton Rgt to 20,16 through ZOC but no apparent effect but unfortunately it's now out in the open with 0MPs. A risk but it seriously restricts 3/4 Falls retreat options.
5) Put all air on Interdiction (so it becomes default return value?). Turn weather on to see cloud cover. Great, none over airfield or the 2 bridges I'd like to blow (8,6 and 11,9).
6) Let's hit the airfield with Spitfires and Kittyhawks to try to finish those JU87s. ML setting as I am hoping to get one more round though hedging ground-wise in case I don't.
7) Let's hit the bridge at 8,6 first with Bostons, Baltimores, Wellingtons, Liberators. 61% odds. Leaves Beaufighters, Mosquitos, Mustangs, Typhoons for interdiction at worst if turn ends.
8) All CW Arty on Direct Support since even if turn ends I don't expect much enemy activity in their turn and besides Poles are helping.
9) Hit 22,14 to try to clear out and occupy Faro with that hopeful last turn.
10) Hit 20,15 to press on.
11) Hit 10,19 to weaken.

Results: 30% of turn remaining.

1) JU87s remain. Cannot believe it. Will have to have a crack next turn. The bridge survived too. All air to interdiction- it's moving day for the Germans and I wouldn't miss it for the world.
2) Approaches to Faro cleared and it occupied.
3) Took 20,15 and dug in.

ROUND 3

1) A lot of arty to 18,18 and dig in to get a head start on a road next turn. Put rear Polish armour units on TR in case of raid. Some other arty moves forward and digs in- got to keep up.
2) 22,16 on TR to support arty moved up/dug in in case of raid.
2) Attack 10,19 with a lot of Direct Arty to weaken. IL since it won't go long.
3) Elsewhere dig in including arty, consolidate.
4) Let's hit FJ HQ in 20,13 with some heavy direct arty to let them know we're on the way too.
5) Can't resist- let's give the Spitfires one more crack at the JU87s on IL setting.
6) Adriatic RN to TR.

Results: Turn end. Losses 2-1 in my favour and 4 VP hexes.

1) 1 JU87 gone, 1 remaining.
2) HQ took 8% damage- a few horse teams.
3) 10,19 retreated.

NB: File attached contains saves for rounds 1,2,3 and save of turn end.