Mission #3 - A Coy/RCR Campaign, Sicily to Ortona, Italy, 1943

[ChappyNS]

My suggestion commander is Option #1. Movement (i.e. assault movement is always a good thing).

Some other options just looking at the map.

I would assault move someone in L2 and see what is in those suspect hexes, then depending on the results of that, I'd assault move from M2. Again depending on all that, I'd next move/assault from O3 and lastly I4.

The idea being trying to draw any fire from L4 and M4 and possibly from M5 before moving O3 and I4 (no SFF).

Good luck...

Thanks for your response!

You are correct, assault move is always a good thing but in this case, if I don't get any smoke grenades, -1 FFMO applies and I will also lose any concealment, and as you know that could be disastrous.

What you don't know (because they are concealed) is that my boys in M2 are my third mortar team, although I could still fulfill your plan by moving a section from L2 to M3 instead. One other thing that could play a major role in the disadvantages in option #1 is residual FP and any MG fire lanes. Another thing to ponder!

Decisions, decisions, but as my NCOs always used to say, "Sir, that is why you make the big bucks!" lol

 

[ChappyNS]

Another option, #3 if you will, is to start with option #1 by assault moving a concealed section into the olive grove at P3, thus activating suspect counters one by one who will fire on the concealed section until that section becomes broken (or not broken). Then I could try and use smoke, but if my smoke grenades fail, I could just wait and enact option #2 in the advance phase. Hmmmmm, that sounds juicy

 

[dlazov]

You know ChappyNS (what is your real name, mine is Don), I like your option #3 the best. That is idea, AM into the Olive Grove, staying ? and also finding out what is in the S? and any FF.

I can't recall or have not got to that section in SASL yet, but in regular ASL you can search. If you have a 1/2 squad (scout) send them out searching... Just a thought.

 

[BigAl737]

I recall those mortars have smoke? Assault move a spotter up the hill and try to smoke ‘em. Then employ option 1. With some luck, ammo shortage will bite them as they attack your swarm. I fear the company will take some losses here. But what other options you have I don’t know (a juicy RE perhaps). You are attacking up hill, in open terrain, against a reverse slope defense. Tough choices.

 

[BigAl737]

Don, meet Mark ?

 

[ChappyNS]

You know ChappyNS (what is your real name, mine is Don), I like your option #3 the best. That is idea, AM into the Olive Grove, staying ? and also finding out what is in the S? and any FF.

I can't recall or have not got to that section in SASL yet, but in regular ASL you can search. If you have a 1/2 squad (scout) send them out searching... Just a thought.

Hi Don, Mark here, although my nickname in the infantry was always Chappy

Yes Don you can use search, but just by moving close to the S? they will be revealed anyway. Is that what you meant?

 

[ChappyNS]

I recall those mortars have smoke? Assault move a spotter up the hill and try to smoke ‘em. Then employ option 1. With some luck, ammo shortage will bite them as they attack your swarm. I fear the company will take some losses here. But what other options you have I don’t know (a juicy RE perhaps). You are attacking up hill, in open terrain, against a reverse slope defense. Tough choices.

A juicy RE would be great!! I do have 10 turns minimum....perhaps patience is required grasshopper! lol

The mortars do have S7 and minimum 2 hex range, so they are part of the smoke plan. As of their location right now, they can target many key hexes on the crest of the hill, but again, no guarantee. However, if smoke fails, I could just wait until I get something on another turn since the ENEMY is in HOLD Attitude. I think I would also postpone an assault to a future turn if I couldn't get 100% command.

I love these tactical discussions Thanks for participating!

 

[ChappyNS]

Don, meet Mark ?

By the way, hi Don and I assume Al!

 

[dlazov]

Yes Don you can use search, but just by moving close to the S? they will be revealed anyway. Is that what you meant?

Yes that is it.

 

[ChappyNS]

I had too many India Pale Ales last night, so this move is postponed lol

 

[dlazov]

No worries take two aspirin and post in the morning.... lol

 

[BigAl737]

Too many? ... no such thing

 

[Jacometti]

I had too many India Pale Ales last night, so this move is postponed lol

Stay safe Mark!

 

[TopT]

Stay safe Mark!

Alcohol does kill the virus!

 

[ChappyNS]

Too many? ... no such thing

Hahaha ummmm sure

 

[ChappyNS]

TURN 3a (CDN)

I am going to do this turn a little differently. I am going to suspend the narrative and go with a detailed step by step description of what happened. This was a crazy turn and there was a lot of thought put into it. We also bashed the problem around in this forum, so there is another reason to give you the "game" detail in lieu of the "narrative" detail for this turn. First, the map:

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First of all, I had to be careful not to activate the S? counters on the other end of the hill, so calculating distance and IFT DRM was crucial. I rolled for my command during the PFPh and all leaders passed except for Liddell (panic). Fortunately, the three 458s in his hex all individually made their rolls. Whew. Next my mortars went to work with S7 smoke. My first mortar had 3 x ROF and all were less than 7!! I placed three smoke counters, one each in hexes O4, N3, and M3. Another mortar rolled a "7" so he fired his last smoke bomb into L3. That was better than I had hoped - 4 smoke hexes to advance into!
Movement: the three 458s who passed their checks all failed to throw smoke grenades...ok so my smoke luck ran out. Instead they all moved left to the brush. My MMG could not assault move to the olive grove in P3 as I had originally planned because it is 2MF (doubled for ascent) so instead they just moved there and lost their concealment. But due to the thick smoke, they could no longer activate anything. I had two sections in Q3 - one moved to join the MMG while the second double-timed to O4 - still no activations. I assault moved one section (with PIAT) from O3 to N3. This activated only the S? in hex M4 because of the thick smoke. There were two S? counters in M4 - I was lucky to roll one "6" to eliminate one of them, but the second produced one HS and one 75mm Inf Gun with crew. They immediately fired at the section in N3 - the inf gun ROF'ed for two shots but the smoke did its trick - no effect. I then started assault moving sections one by one into M3. The HS squad there fired SFF and FPF, and self-broke on the FPF shot, fleeing to L5 (Kessel).
Advance: General advance everywhere but the main two were: the section that was fired upon by the inf gun moved into CC with the gun crew...of course that immediately activated the three remaining S? The two in L4 produced an 8-1 SMC, 2 x 548s, and 1 x 467. Ouch! The S? in L5 produced another 7-0 SMC, 1 x 447 with LMG. Of course this hex was now overstacked by a HS. Yup, lots of Germans! The second major advance was 1 Pl (elite) into the olive grove/smoke in L3 and they grab the first VPO hex!
Close combat: the Canadians easily slew the gun crew, but they now had no smoke cover and were only in a woods hex.


TURN 3b (GER)

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The Germans failed to rally their HS and the Canadians recover the German Inf gun. Sweet! But my happiness was short lived. The 8-1 stack has an automatic fire order (self preservation) because it is adjacent to FRIENDLY troops. Since all three squads are capable of spraying fire, and have two adjacent targets, they have to do so. 1 Pl (concealed) is not affected but the section that just grabbed the inf gun breaks and flees to the woods in the rout phase (see above). The overstacked hex has an automatic random move order for one squad (one of the 468s). The remainder FG into O4, pinning the section there. The 468 that has to move, assault moves to M5.
Def Fire: my two mortars in the olive grove fire - the first successfully fires smoke into the German stack in L5, the second mortar fails to damage the 468 in the open. i don't want to fire my stack in L3 at the adjacent Germans in L4 because: I lose my concealment and I will suffer a +5 penalty DRM (+4 within smoke, +1 woods). Patience...
Advance: the 468 that moved now advances into the inf gun hex attempting to get it back in action next turn. The 8-1 stack has an automatic advance into CC in hex L3 but I do not do that. I doubt anyone would move into CC with a platoon of concealed enemy: they would be at half FP and they have a better chance at being ambushed. So I rule that the Germans stay put.

Do you think that was fair to stop the Germans from advancing into CC? Or should they have gone anyway?

 

[Eagle4ty]

Since the 8-1 et. al. is in a VPO location they do not advance {see EXC S11.2} unless the provisions of S11.1 are applicable (n your situation, I don't think so).

 

[dlazov]

Excellent detailed turn replay! I think it was wise to not advance the Germans into CC. Plus what Eagle4ty said.

I completely forgot about the mortars firing smoke, that was excellent tactic to get you up that crest.

 

[ChappyNS]

Since the 8-1 et. al. is in a VPO location they do not advance {see EXC S11.2} unless the provisions of S11.1 are applicable (n your situation, I don't think so).

Correct! S11.1 is clear on that and none of the many exceptions apply. I'm happy I did the right thing

 

[ChappyNS]

Excellent detailed turn replay! I think it was wise to not advance the Germans into CC. Plus what Eagle4ty said.

I completely forgot about the mortars firing smoke, that was excellent tactic to get you up that crest.

Honestly, I thought the smoke grenades would have had more of an impact but the war gods decided otherwise and I am OK with that