A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment/1st Canadian Brigade SASL Campaign 10 Jul - 28 Dec 1943

Ahriman667

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment/1st Canadian Brigade SASL Campaign 10 Jul - 28 Dec

I'll be posting the final three missions tonight when I get home.
 

Ahriman667

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Rest and Refit

Rest and Refit

After Castropignano, the Regiment was moved into the Divisional reserve and remained in the area for several days engaging in security against ‘fifth columnists’. They followed the Division in their advance, eventually arriving at Molise and then Duronia where they quickly set about cleaning up the town and securing billets. The Regiment would remain there until 1 December.
pp 152​
 

Ahriman667

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Mission #9

Mission 9: Moro River, Italy, 8 December 1943

On the 8th of December, the RCR moved from their defensive position near San Vito to the Moro River in order to punch through the tenuous bridgeheads held by the PPCLI (at Villa Rogatti) and the H&Per’s (at the mouth of the river). Launching through the H&Per bridgehead in a ‘right hook’, their objective was San Leonardo some two and a half meandering kilometres inland. Leapfrogging companies would move down the meandering dirt road and secure the town in preparation for the 1st Armoured Brigade assault on the vital Ortona-Orsogna crossroads.

As dusk approached, and preceded by a tremendous artillery barrage, the Regiment advanced down the muddy meandering lane without benefit of armoured or anti-tank support (heavy equipment would not be available until the next day as they were stuck south of the Moro).


Type: Patrol (8)
Mapboard Selection: As per Mission Card.
Weather: EC are Mud with a Mild Breeze from SE at start. Light Rain is in affect at mission start.
FRIENDLY: A Coy/RCR (ELR 4). FBE East.
ENEMY: 90th Panzer-Grenadier Division (ELR 4). EBE West.
Misc:
1. EN forces are from the 90th Panzer-Grenadier Division. Activation rolls that generate SS/Fallschirmjaeger are rerolled.
2. Friendly RE’s that generate AFV’s are rerolled.​

A Coy had barely begun its advance when it was struck by a withering enemy mortar barrage which annihilated an entire section. Despite the murderous fire and ensuing casualties, the company advanced ‘in splendid fashion’, however it took almost two hours to punch their way through, using ground and gaps in the enemies artillery fire to reach their first report line. In the darkness, the other rifle companies were also suffering and when a quick German counterattack appeared the Regiment consolidated on the A Coy positions. The lead elements had barely approached the town when the attack stalled.

Under threat of an imminent tank-led counterattack, with no armoured support or anti-tank guns, the CO called down a protective wall of fire in a semi-circle around his lead positions. This fooled the Germans into thinking the Canadians had retreated further eastward and so they adjusted their own artillery fire which landed far behind the Canadian positions. In the darkness, the Canadians took the time to improve their situation by moving back into a more defensible reverse-slope position to reform into an island defence.

Over the next couple of days the RCR would try to hold their positions, end up retreating back over the Moro and assault forward once more on the 10th. In the three days of fighting, the Regiment had lost 21 KIA and 53 wounded or missing

pp. 156-162​
 

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Mission #10

Mission 10: Ortona-Orsogna Crossroads, Italy, 19 December 1943

The week leading up to the 18th of December saw the Canadians futilely attempt to assault ‘the Gully’ from the front. The Gully was a wide and shallow ravine that was easily defensible by the Germans and held up the Canadian assault. Just to the West of it lay the all important Ortona-Orsogna crossroads, and eventually the Commander of the 1st Canadian Division realized it’s importance and made it the focus of a concerted attack. On the 18th, the 48th Highlanders assaulted their objective under a tremendous and accurate artillery barrage, easily achieving it. At 1145 hours the Royals launched their own assault also under cover of a heavy artillery barrage, however this fire mission was much less accurate and failed to suppress the enemy. C and D Coy’s were almost wiped out in their attack (C Coy was down to 15 men and D Coy 14; both company commanders and all six platoon commanders were either killed or wounded) before the attack was called off. The remnants of the Regiment dug in and reorganized for the night and prepared to relaunch their assault the following day.

Type: Take the Highway (5)
Mapboard Selection: As per Mission Card.
Weather: EC are Mud and Overcast with No Wind at start.
FRIENDLY: A Coy/RCR (ELR 4). FBE West.
ENEMY: 90th Panzer-Grenadier Division (ELR 4). EBE East.
Misc:
1. EN forces are from the 90th Panzer-Grenadier Division. Activation rolls that generate SS are rerolled.​

On the 19th A and B Coy’s began their attack supported by tanks at 1445 hours, but this time the preceding artillery barrage was much more accurate and B Coy achieved its objective with only 3 casualties. A Coy then pushed through their position towards a railway crossing. The Germans retaliated with a heavy artillery shoot and the remnants of the Regiment consolidated on the crossroads. Once they realized that the crossroads wre taken, the German positions covering the Gully became indefensible and they pulled back towards Ortona.

The battle for the crossroads had cost the Regiment 34 killed, 54 wounded and 24 missing.

pp. 164-166​
 

Ahriman667

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Mission #11

Mission 11: Ortona, Italy, 24 December 1943

Ortona became a slow, tedious and deadly campaign for the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade as they fought the German 3rd Fallschirmjaeger. On the 23rd of December, the 1 CIB was thrown back into the mix as the 1st Canadian Division Commander ordered them to conduct a sweeping left hook around Ortona which would threaten the rear of the German paratroopers holding the town. The H&Per and the 48th Highlanders were tasked with securing two high ridges West and North of Ortona. Once secured, the severely under strength RCR would pass through and advance cross-country towards the coast.

Both initial objectives were taken on the night of the 23rd on a very cold, rainy dark night. The next morning however brought an angry response by the Germans who brought both positions under constant assault through shelling, infiltration attempts and concerted counterattacks. By mid-morning on the 24th, the Royals moved through the H&Pers, A Coy leading, and immediately came under a horrific barrage of mortar and artillery fire.

The advance ground to a halt almost immediately. The acting CO decided to wait until nightfall before committing B Coy. That night in an icy drizzle, another attempt was made to move forward, however the mud, thick vineyards and intense machine gun fire from the Germans caused that attack to falter as well. The 1 CIB Commander then dropped his original plan. Instead he ordered his former Battalion to force open a corridor between the H&Pers and the 48th Highlanders.


At first light on Christmas Day, A Coy stepped off…

Type: Cautious Advance (1)
Mapboard Selection: As per Mission Card.
Weather: EC are Mud and Overcast with No Wind at start.
FRIENDLY: A Coy/RCR (ELR 4). FBE West.
ENEMY: 90th Panzer-Grenadier Division (ELR 4). EBE East.
Misc:
1. EN forces are from the 90th Panzer-Grenadier Division. Activation rolls that generate SS are rerolled.
2. At the beginning of every GE PFPh where this is not an EN FFE on the map, make a DR. If a 31 or 32 is rolled, conduct that RE (Table A11). EXC to RE#31 – 33 on table A11, EN OBA is 80+ Mortar. Number of Artillery Strikes is still rolled for as per RE Table.​

…and almost immediately was hammered with a devastating barrage and machine gun fire that added 20 more casualties to the 15 they had suffered the day before. The CO ordered B Coy to flank the machine guns that were interfering with the advance and also ordered C Coy to push through. As a result they were able to push out their perimeter several hundred meters. They now adopted a defensive posture for the night. Finally on the 28th of December, the Germans pulled out of Ortona and the next day saw them break contact along the entire front as they took up positions along the Arielli River.

On 30 December the Regiment moved back to rest positions along the Villa Grande road. Of the approximately 750 all ranks who had landed at Pachino 5-months prior, over 550 of these ‘originals’ had become casualties or prisoners of war.

pp. 166-168​
 

Ahriman667

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Re: Mission #11

Apparently I can't edit my first post in this thread. Have contacted the admins to find out what's up. Once I get in I'll post the PDF and update the links.
 

Ahriman667

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

Since I can't edit the first post (yet) I'll update this one until I can.

Compiled PDF

Introduction

This campaign will follow the 1st Company (Alpha Coy) of the Royal Canadian Regiment – also known as ‘the RCR’ or ‘the Royals’ – (as part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade) in its campaign from Sicily to Ortona, Italy as they push back the German forces on the eastern side of ‘the boot’. It will consist of 14 weekly missions.

Campaign Special Rules
General: Use 17. Campaign rules, EXC 17.21—.24 are NA.
Unit: A Coy/RCR/1 CIB
Composition: [US# 38/26] Leader x3, 4-5-7 x9, 2-4-7, 1-2-7 x3, LMG x4, 51mm MTR x3, PIAT x3
• On OFFENSE add 1-2-7x1, MMGx1 [US# 40/28]
• On DEFENSE add 1-2-7x1, HMGx1 [US# 40/28]​
ELR: 4
Board Edge: Varies. See missions.
Miscellaneous:
• Command structure:
o Company Commander, Capt. R.G. Liddell
o Capt Dillion
o Lt M.C.D. Bowman​

The Missions

Mission 1
Mission 2
Mission 3
Mission 4 or Optional Night Version

Rest and Refit

Mission 5
Mission 6
Mission 7
Mission 8

Rest and Refit

Mission 9
Mission 10
Mission 11

References:

Information for this SASL Campaign was derived from the following sources:

http://novembercoy.tripod.com/BattleHonours.htm
http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/history.htm
http://thercr.ca/main/index.php/regimental-history
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/Italy_e.pdf

The Mission descriptions were quoted from Col. Bernd Horn’s Establishing a Legacy book:
Establishing a Legacy
 
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Ahriman667

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

Apparently I'm an idiot and never noticed chapter S12.8 Night Rules in the Rulebook. I edited and uploaded the applicable missions and added an ed2 PDF for you guys.
 

BigAl737

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

Halfway through mission 1. My Brits have almost cleaned out the pocket of Italian resistance in the SE corner. Albeit, not without some affect. The Italian sniper has been active to the NW killing a leader, double breaking a HS, and keeping a squad under DM. Much fun.

View attachment 49102
 

Ahriman667

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

I always have the worst luck with leaders and snipers. Guaranteed if a sniper lands on a stack with a leader it's the leader that gets it.
 

BigAl737

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

It's amazing how that works. If not the leader, then the entire stack by a yahtzee RS DR. Can never roll those when I play that game but when I play ASL...
 

WSmithJr

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

View attachment 49132

Just started game. End of first Canadian turn. Was feeling challenged with 34 Suspect counters on the board but first RE received #53 which brought on 6 Green squads and 3 Sherman IIs. They're the worst that could be gotten but I'm glad for them.

Any idea where I would find that SASL Retained table? Looked twice but haven't found it.
 
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Ahriman667

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

Are you talking about the one that BigAl has on the bottom of his screengrab? If so I'm also curious.
 

BigAl737

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

That table is a graphic on a blank vasl board. It's easy enough to add other stuff to the board. Let me know if you have any ideas.

You can get it here: bdSASL

Just add the bdSASL file to your vasl boards folder and then add it to your SASL game just like you would a regular numbered board.

Al
 

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

That table is a graphic on a blank vasl board. It's easy enough to add other stuff to the board. Let me know if you have any ideas.

You can get it here: bdSASL

Just add the bdSASL file to your vasl boards folder and then add it to your SASL game just like you would a regular numbered board.

Al
Cool. Thanks.
 

Ahriman667

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Re: A Coy/Royal Canadian Regiment HSASL Campaign – Jul to Dec 1943

That table is a graphic on a blank vasl board. It's easy enough to add other stuff to the board. Let me know if you have any ideas.

You can get it here: bdSASL

Just add the bdSASL file to your vasl boards folder and then add it to your SASL game just like you would a regular numbered board.

Al
Thanks also.
 
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