Mission #7 - A Coy/RCR Campaign, Sicily to Ortona, Italy, 1943

ChappyNS

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Welcome to Mission #7 of my SASL Campaign! Missions #1-6 were all successful for the Canadians. They began by eliminating the shocked Italians from the Pachino airfield in southern Sicily, then cleared the road of Germans for the attack on Valguernera, secured the hill feature on the way to Nissoria, then captured the high feature dominating the town of Regalbuto, cleared the town of Motta in a night operation, and most recently cleared the hills of Fallschirmjaeger around San Marco. This next mission will be against panzer grenadiers.

This campaign follows the historical path of A Coy, Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) from its landing at Pachino, Sicily, to the bloody streets of “Little Stalingrad” at Ortona, Italy in 1943.

At this point I would like to again thank and give credit to Ahriman667 who put a lot of effort into the research, design and play-testing of this campaign. It is solely his campaign - I have just “borrowed” it. Thanks Ahriman667!

The overall campaign structure for the Canadians are as follows:

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 (note that all of the 4-5-7 are now elite)

• On OFFENCE add 1-2-7x1, MMGx1 [US# 40/28]
• On DEFENCE add 1-2-7x1, HMGx1 [US# 40/28]

ELR: 4

Command structure:

Maj R.G. Liddell (A Coy Cmd, 9-1)

Capt Dillon (A Coy 2IC, 8-1)

Capt M.C.D. Bowman (3 Pl Cmd, 8-1)

** Lt Chapman (OC Firebase, 8-1)

**Note: I am additionally using the “Personal Leader Optional Rules” (I think originally found in basic Squad Leader) and so I have added my own personal 7-0 leader to the fray. He gets promoted by securing more elan points (positive actions) than cowardice points (negative actions). After mission #3 he was promoted to sergeant, 8-0 and after mission #6 he was promoted to Lieutenant and was awarded Mentioned in Dispatches for his influence on the battle at San Marco.

On a personal note, I used to be an officer with the RCR so this campaign holds high interest for me. Additionally, as a student and teacher of military history, I have also visited Sicily and Ortona, in part to help get a better grasp of what our guys went through. Previously in my career, I actually met Captain Dillon (see above), who at the time was serving as our honorary Colonel of the Regiment, and who would be one of the few original regimental officers to survive the war.

If you wish to read more about the Canadians in Sicily/Italy, I highly recommend Mark Zuehlke’s four books.

I hope you enjoy my ramblings!

13165
 

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Mission #7 - Busso Farm Busting

Where: Busso, Italy

When: 19 October, 1943

Mission Type: Search and Destroy (one of four new missions)

Enemy: Germans; specifically elements of 29Th Panzer-Grenadier Division

Historical Narrative: The bloodless occupation of Campobasso by the RCR on the 12th of October was marred in the subsequent days by sporadic yet constant enemy artillery harassing fire. While the RCR settled into the town for a rest period, they conducted aggressive patrolling to clear out enemy pockets and push the enemy artillery out of range. One such sub-unit action was the attack on Busso which held a small German outpost. At 0800 on the morning of the 19th, a rifle company advanced forward to their line of departure and commenced their attack.

SETUP AND CONSIDERATION

The special setup instructions for this mission is to roll on the village and random column (which resulted in farmland). I randomly rolled boards 57 (village) and 4 (farmland). Here is what the terrain looks like:

13167

North is to the left. FBE is east for this battle (at top) and EBE is west. The weather conditions are moist (EC -1) and there is no wind. This is classic tank country. I wish I had them! It is October and therefore there is no wheat/grain, but orchards are still in effect. There is one major farm on the eastern board, while the village is towards the far west side of the western board. The buildings are mostly wooden with the exception of three stone buildings. All buildings are ground level with the exception of the farm on board #4 which has a first level. There is a lot of open space here, especially since the wheat fields are non-existent in October. There is a belt of scattered woods in the centre, running north-south and orchards are sprinkled about. The ground is flat - no hills at all.

There are no VPOs. Instead, there are 40 x S? counters with little concentration other than the farm and the village as shown below:

13169

Because there are 40 x S? counters, the battle duration will most likely be 14 turns. Note that the mission ends immediately if no S? or unbroken enemy are on board. The German activation number is low at "2". The enemy has the same RE, yet their SAN is higher (4 for Ger, 2 for Cda) and the Germans have boobytraps, level C, meaning task checks can be dangerous. For this "Search and Destroy" mission, both sides get Casualty VPs. Additionally, the Canadians get .5 VP for every S? counter removed that doesn't activate, while the Germans get 1 VP for every S? counter on board at game end. The Germans also get VP for good order units on board at game end.

The Canadian setup looks like this:

13170

The initial plan looks like this:

13171

I have identified four objectives: Farm, Woods, XRoads and Village. The mortars are very effective against units in woods, so I have placed the initial firebase to the northeast where they can use their range and attack several suspected locations in the woods. 2 Pl on the left (as we look at the map) will maneuver forward and then swing towards the centre of Obj Woods. Once cleared, they will move due west and clear Obj XRoads. 1 Pl, in the centre, will take Obj Farm and then the centre of Obj Woods. Based on the progress of either 2 or 3 Pl, 1 Pl may act as a firebase for the attack on Obj Village, or it may assault it. Finally, 3 Pl will invest the southern end of the village by sweeping to the far right. 3 Pl has the least amount of potential resistance, so it will use a fast approach, flanking the enemy in Obj Village.

Turn #1 tomorrow...
 

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TURN 1

13189

The three platoons of A Coy knew what they had to do and at H-Hour they began to move out. It was a nice day as far as the weather went, and if things were different, this could be a nice family outing, a picnic perhaps.

Capt Bowman had his eyes on the near woods when he ordered 3 section forward into the house to hopefully draw enemy fire. But as 3 section occupied the house, there was silence from the woods. (2 dummies). Bowman moved the platoon forward and occupied the woods without opposition.

Capt Liddell could see the upper floor of Obj FARM, but the stone wall screened the ground level. He too needed his soldiers to draw enemy fire, or not. 2 Section grabbed it's PIAT and moved through the woods to the southeast of the farm, for sure to draw fire from the upper level...but nothing happened. (2 x dummy) Liddell had the other sections move forward and into the lone wooden house opposite the farm. Again, there was no enemy response. Could Obj FARM be unoccupied? Liddell and some of his soldiers crashed through the front door of the farmhouse, and using their room clearing drills, they found that the building was indeed vacant. "Sunray, this 19, Obj FARM secure. No enemy."

Capt Dillon and Lt Chapman heard the company commander. Good news so far. The scouts moved forward to observe the house where enemy was thought to be. But the wooden house was clear (dummy). 2 Pl and the firebase moved forward to the hedge. 2 Pl occupied the wooden house while the mortars and MMG under Lt Chapman set up behind the hedge and trained their weapons on the woods 300 meters away.

No panzer-grenadiers yet, but the day was young...

There were a total of 8 dummies this turn, which is 4 VPs for the Canadians. So far "search and destroy" is "walk and smoke", but Obj WOODS is ahead...
 

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TURN 2 (CDN)

13202

Lt Chapman ordered the firebase to maintain fire on the section of woods when the .30 cal MMG jammed. As the MG team scrambled to clear the unfortunate mishap, the mortars went to work, but Chapman concluded there was nobody there (dummy in 4V2)

The scouts moved down the road lined by a hedgerow on both sides of the road. As they neared the intersection they noticed a squad of Germans in some brush (447 in 57EE8) but the scouts were ignored. They carried on with caution when fire from the lone stone building erupted amongst them (447, 8-1,PSK in 4X1), causing them to flee back where they came.

Sgt Dietz noticed the obvious Canadian scouts coming down the road. If he engaged them his position would be revealed, but if he ignored them they could infiltrate the position. He quickly decided to be rid of them and ordered his squad to fire, watching the Canadians flee from whence they came.

Capt Dillon heard the shots and saw the scouts turn tail and run back towards him. But the woods to his front blocked his line of observation. "3 section forward!" His men exited the wooden building and moved across the open ground. They didn't get far when they were targeted by small arms fire from a wooden building near the centre of Obj WOODS. (467, ATR, Sgt Schultz 8-1). 3 section dropped to the ground and threw smoke grenades to their front. Dillon saw the smoke and decided to move the platoon immediately. They ran from the house, moved through 3 section and into the smoke, which allowed them to safely pass into the treeline. They noticed the German squad in the brush and engaged them, causing the panzer-grenadiers to break and flee.

Meanwhile, Maj Liddell and 1 Pl completely occupied the farmstead and saw the Germans who had just fired at Dillon's platoon. They fired at them with no noticeable effect.

Capt Bowman fell hard into a small depression, twisting his ankle. "Keep going!" he yelled as he addressed the pain in his foot. 1 section moved into the woods and determined that there were no Germans in the opposite woods (dummy in 4H2). Concurrently, 2 section moved around the woods into the open (dummy in 4L0) when they noticed a group of Germans in a wooden house, although they were too far away to be engaged by them (548, Lt Schwarzmeier 8-1). The remainder of 3 Pl to the rear decided they were going to sit and wait for orders (panic).

And just like that, the woods were crawling with the enemy...


TURN 2 (GER)

13203

The jammed MMG could not be cleared, and that is when Lt Chapman noticed the enemy in the wooden house switch targets to the company commander in the farmstead. Sgt Schultz and his men fired at the farmstead, but the Canadians sought cover quickly. In retaliation, Maj Liddell brought the full firepower of 1 Pl upon the wooden house...the brens kept firing accurately (rate twice) and they saw the German squad and their NCO flee the house into the woods where they couldn't be seen.

Lt Schwarzmeier and his men couldn't see any Canadians, but they knew this was a major assault in progress. It was time to take up a better firing position more forward. The squad moved from the house and were immediately fired upon by long range fire from a Canadian section well to the rear. Schwarzmeier shrugged off the sporadic fire and had his men occupy the woods. Now they were in position to intercept advancing enemy.

Lt Chapman ordered the mortars to switch targets to some woods further in depth. Through his binoculars he noticed a platoon minus of enemy in the wood line (467, 447, Hauptmann Zoll 9-1). That officer looks familiar.

Hauptmann Zoll had fought the Canadians previously in Sicily, at Valguernera, and the Canadians had since been given the nickname: "Red Patch Devils" due to the red patch of the 1st Canadian Division on their upper arm and their unrelenting advance under fire from his countrymen. He was a Leutnant then, and he had barely escaped with his life. Now he was a company commander and a Hauptmann, and he was determined to keep Busso from the hands of the Canadians. This time around he had some very able leaders, and his panzer-grenadiers were sure to put up a tough fight. All he had to do was delay the Canadians long enough for reinforcements to arrive...
 

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TURN 3 (CDN)

The Canadians started the turn with an RE: #26 - SPG section arrives - 2 x Crusader MkII CS and they randomly enter anywhere on the north edge. This marks the first time this campaign that vehicles have arrived ...the pic below is the Canadian mid-turn, followed by the end turn pic

13212


Maj Liddell's signaller ran up to him and said, "Sir, a messenger from RCR HQ just arrived...in support we are getting two Crusaders from 142nd Royal Devon Yeomanry! They should be here any moment!" Liddell showed his surprise openly - this could be a battle changer. The old Crusaders couldn't stand up to the modern German tanks, so they turned them into close support assets for the infantry. Liddell passed on the good news to A Coy.

Lt Chapman heard the good news - even better was the fact that the MMG was finally repaired and ready for action again. Unfortunately the firebase engaged several targets to no effect. The sudden shock of sniper fire was evident on mortar crew A's faces as they hugged the ground (this mortar team was engaged three times by a sniper this turn, all three were pin results)

Sgt Schultz managed to get himself together but his squad wasn't interested. Looking to the south, he saw Leutnant Schwarzmeir and his squad engage the Canadians who had just moved forward from the farmhouse to the trees. Schultz next noticed the Canadians responding in kind, causing the Leutnant's squad to flee and run back to their original position in the wooden house (4P1)

Capt Bowman's 2 section (3 Pl) advanced slowly through the woods but found no Germans there (dummy in 4H10). Bowman and his other section ran as fast as they could, across the road and down the side of the wood line. They were now on the extreme flank of Obj WOODS and the path to Busso was clear...

"Driver, FORWARD!" Sgt Jenkins was commanding the lead Crusader, while his buddy Sgt Worthington commanded the second of these almost obsolete vehicles. The Crusader had earned it's bad reputation in North Africa where in one battle there were more broken down Crusaders than destroyed ones. Tank evolution had also passed the Crusader by, and here in late 1943 they were placed in Royal Artillery regiments as close support vehicles for the infantry. Today they would be helping their "bloody colonial" friends - the Canucks. Apparently the Germans in Busso were putting up a fight. Jenkin's SPG moved down the dusty road, heading southwest. He saw the large stone building to his front and immediately ordered the driver to move left and come around a copse of woods. As they did so they spotted some Germans who looked to be out of order; with a burst from the coaxial MG he sent them fleeing west and out of sight.

Sgt Worthington saw his buddy veer off the road and move to the left. On the radio net he was asked to provide smoke in front of the stone building ahead to aid the infantry assault. As the Crusader moved down the road, he thought he saw enemy movement but it was just a small deer (dummy in 4Z0). He continued to move down the road, aiming the smoke mortar on the Crusader...

Sgt Dietz, with his squad in the stone building (4X1), saw the SPG moving down the road towards them, a thick dust cloud cropping up being the vehicle. They were at long range for the panzerschreck, but Dietz ordered its use anyway. As his men loaded the ominous anti-tank weapon, they suddenly froze in fear (panic) and dropped the p-schreck. Damn these second liners! Dietz heard the "thump!" as a large smoke bomb was fired from the AFV and landed just in front of the building, spewing smoke rapidly into a dense fog. Of course Dietz knew what was going to happen next, but he was unable to get his soldiers to defend themselves properly. He gripped his own MP40 and waited for the Red Patch Devils to show themselves...

After the launch of the smoke bomb, Sgt Worthington ordered the driver to move right and take up a hull down position behind the stone wall (4Z1) and stopped, noting no other German presence nearby (dummy in 57X9).

As Capt Dillon saw the successful placement of the smoke bomb, he ordered 3 section to charge through the smoke. His soldiers ran past him down the road and into the smoke (dummy in 57Y8). They were immediately engaged by sporadic fire from within the stone house, and that is when Dillon decided to charge as well. Leading the remainder of 2 Pl, they followed the path of 3 section into the fog. Dillon was pinned by a German NCO, the rounds from the MP40 smacking dirt all around him. Dillon's men were more interested in closing with the enemy; they fixed bayonets and readied grenades. Two of his sections threw grenades and then assaulted the house, using every door and window to their advantage.

A grenade went off near Sgt Dietz's head, stunning him, and the last thing he saw through the smoke was a bayonet penetrate his abdomen and he quickly drifted off into death. Half of the Germans were killed in the first assault, but the remainder decided to put up a fight. Rifle butts were swung, some missed, some made contact. The close combat was deadly, confusing and exhausting and it wasn't over yet...

End of Canadian turn #3 below:

13213

TURN 3 (GER)

13214

The Germans were becoming outflanked and they needed a good effort from the troops. Hauptmann Zoll noticed with satisfaction that the company men were rallied for the coming effort (the Germans rallied all three squads: 57FF6, Schwarzmeier's squad (4P1) and Schultz's squad in 4T1 battle hardens to 468)

Zoll ordered the company to dig in to their new positions and make a stand - one of the squads in his location dug a position quickly, but others were not as successful.

Lt Schwarzmeier and his men were back at their quarters in the house. They could see the Canadians in the woods and decided to fire...to no effect. The Canadians fired back, but their fire was highly inaccurate (and both bren guns broken on a "12")

Back in the stone house, the melee was still going on. But the Germans were outnumbered four to one and their leader was slain. One by one the Germans fell to bayonets from front, side and behind. The Canadians gave no quarter in this fight, and soon the stone house was theirs, including a new German anti-tank weapon known as a panzerschreck...
 

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TURN 4 (CDN)

13226


Maj Liddell watched with some astonishment as both brens were unjammed at the same time. (yup, 2 x dr "1" on repair..imagine!) He also noted the scouts had recovered in the house and that Bowman was consolidating 3 Pl on the flank. His own troops were exchanging fire with the pesky Germans in the building to their front but to no noticeable effect. And everywhere the mortars and MMG were dismantled so that fire support could be brought forward quickly; as of now they had no targets to engage.

Capt Dillon observed that one of his sections grabbed the German PSK, looking at it quizzically. It was a new weapon in the arsenal of the enemy, providing their infantry with some anti tank punch. He directed his platoon to fire at the Germans who were recently trying to dig entrenchments. The fire kept their heads down but little else.

Sgt Jenkins ordered his driver to move the Crusader near the farmstead where they could observe the enemy positions in Obj WOODS. As they moved into position and stopped, there was a loud clang against the turret. "What the hell was that?" "I think it was an ATR round, sergeant," answered the gunner. "Then give him some coax!" shouted Jenkins. The gunner responded but the rounds impacted trees all around the grenadiers. Jenkins then noted that Worthington had crashed through a wall and then set up behind a hedge with good line of sight at the Germans defenders. Similarly, Worthington's MG fire was ineffective.

Sgt Schultz watched his soldier fire the ATR with success at the Crusader...success in that he hit the beast, but unfortunately failed to damage it. Schultz and his men were taking fire from the stone building recently won by the Canadians, as well as MG fire from both Crusaders. It's getting hot in here. Schultz decided to fire at the stone house, and when his soldiers did so, they all heard an explosion from within the building, followed by screams of pain and shouts.

One of Capt Dillon's soldiers was having problems comfortably firing out one of the windows. A desk was in the way so he grabbed it and moved it away from the window. That is when the explosion occurred, instantly killing five soldiers in 2 section, the PIAT section. Smoke and dust filled the building as someone yelled, "Booby-trap!" Instantly 2 platoon was collectively anxious, wondering if there were more of those insidious devices scattered amongst them...


TURN 4 (GER)

13227

The Germans rolled RE# 45: the S? closest to the FRIENDLY unit that was closest to the EBE becomes an elite squad with HMG and leader. This happened in the house at 57H3

Hauptmann Zoll was informed that the squad in the woods on the left flank had dug in and was awaiting orders. Suddenly he heard the zipper-like noise of the MG42 on the south side of Busso. "Cpl Schnurrbart sees something! So the Canadians have moved past us on the right flank. Not good!" He didn't know it, but Schnurrbart had frozen the lead Canadians in place (pin) with three bursts from the menacing gun. Zoll had sited that gun personally for the company defence of the town - apparently a good choice. But Zoll had immediate problems to his front. The two Crusaders and two whole platoons of enemy were engaging his smaller forces. He was outgunned and in sight of his enemy. It was time to make some adjustments. He signalled Schultz and Schwarzmeier to pull back out of sight while ordering one of the squads in his own location to move to the left - still in the woods but out of sight to the enemy. He was happy with the adjustment as the enemy had almost nothing left to fire at - the Canadians would have to move and hopefully expose themselves to more grenadier fire. He had to delay the Canadians a little longer as he looked at his watch...
 

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TURN 5 (CDN)

13239

Maj Liddell admired the Germans for their cat and mouse efforts - it had become difficult for A Coy to engage the panzer-grenadiers anywhere. That meant one thing: move, move, move. The scouts raced to the wood line, somewhat embarrassed by their efforts so far this battle; they wanted to play their part for their buddies and so speed was of the essence (dummy in 57Z8). Lt Chapman moved the firebase, on the run, next to the scouts in the woods - they were itching to get some firepower employed.

Liddell ordered 2 section to move forward into the small copse of trees (4O3) near the re-located Germans. Those Germans fired at 2 section, but what unnerved the Canadians more was the discovery of a 37mm ATG with crew, and an additional five Germans with the German officer. The section commander quickly signalled "ATG" back to Maj Liddell who promptly informed the Crusader crews by radio of the new revealed danger. Since the Germans to his front were busy with 2 section, Liddell took the opportunity to move sideways to the right to try and engage the threat. He also waved the platoon mortar team forward and they moved at the run in behind 1 Pl. Suddenly there was a "crack!" as the ATG belched out an HE round that sailed overhead through the trees, impacting far to the rear of Liddell and his men. "1 Pl, engage that gun!!" The platoon followed suit but the gun and the soldiers in the trees around it were impervious to the Canadian fire.

Capt Bowman ordered 2 section to move forward and outflank the MG42. They ran forward, using the orchards and woods as cover, and so there was no return fire (dummy in 57P2). Meanwhile 3 section moved forward and joined him and they crept forward to the edge of the tree line, in view of the house where the MG42 lurked. (What Bowman didn't realize was that he was also in view of the ATG...which would unfortunately engage him in the German turn).

The damaged 2 section was ordered forward through the woods. Capt Dillon needed to get the section on the go and thinking about other things rather than their dead friends behind them in the house. As they advanced slowly forward (57X10) the German squad nearest them fired wildly. Dillon next ordered the remainder of 2 Pl to join 2 section as bullets whizzed by around their heads. 2 Pl fired back but made little impression on the squad.

Worthington's Crusader moved down the road towards the town. As they moved through some orchards and were about to execute a turn to the left, another ATR round clanged against the side of the tank, partially penetrating the armour. That was close...really. The tank maintained it's turn and then came to a stop outside of hand held anti-tank range, firing the coax into the woods where a platoon of Germans was hiding.

Sgt Jenkins heard the warning about the ATG and immediately canceled what he was about to do. Instead, the Crusader turned and moved back behind the farmstead, coming out the other side, just short of the line of sight of the deadly weapon. It would have to be dealt with and he needed A Coy's help...


TURN 5 (GER)

The Germans rolled RE#63 - enemy reinforcements! 9 x S? Note the initial deployment below:

13240


The squad of Germans nearest 2 Pl again fired at them, causing the remaining soldiers of 2 section to hug the ground in fear. Schultz and his squad continued digging frantically, as they noticed the Crusader stop and traverse the main gun towards them...

Lt Schwarzmeier noticed the new threat on his flank. Another platoon of Canadians had moved into the woods on their right flank. He ordered the ATG crew to fire at them, his squad also firing at long range into the woods. The ATG crew maneuvered the small gun to face the right flank, which was more difficult in the woods as alders got in their way. For this reason, when they did fire, they were rushed and the HE round exploded 25 meters in front of the Canadians. The MG42 also engaged Bowman, and once again he and his men were lucky to escape damage. Schwarzmeier ordered the five other soldiers to move towards Busso, through the orchards, as an interim measure to protect from the Canadian flanking.

All of the S? moved westward, and due to a combination of Lt Chapman and the Crusader, 7 of them had to make activation rolls - all dummies....I think I rolled dr "3" four times. There are 2 x S? remaining.

Lt Chapman ordered the assembly of both mortars and the MMG - it was time to get back in the battle. He thought he saw figures advancing towards him but it turned out to be a farmer and his family (S? dummies).

Capt Bowman knew he was in a precarious position. He was taking fire from the ATG from the front, and the MG42 from the side. He would have to move...but first 3 Pl engaged the ATG in some long range fire, missing entirely.

Sgt Worthington's gunner trained the 76mm on the Germans who were digging rapidly. The Crusader had very limited HE ammunition, so it's use was prioritized...and this was a priority target. The gunner looked through the scope...and fired the gun...

Sgt Schultz and his men raced against time. Their foxholes were mere shell scrapes at this point, but that at least provided some cover. "Panzer!!!" No sooner had that warning been issued when the Germans were engulfed in a concussion of air and dust, the deafening noise in their ears. Both Sgt Schultz and his men were done. They grabbed the ATR and made as if to run when the MG rounds from the tank scythed through the trees, a small burst penetrating the chest of Sgt Schultz as he dropped dead. His men were horrified and they ran away into the woods in behind. (and a dummy in that hex as well)

Hauptmann Zoll was concerned. In the last several minutes he had lost two of the company's most able NCOs, men who had been with him for months. When would it be his turn?


The end of the turn map below:

13241
 

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TURN 6 (CDN)

13258

Maj Liddell was having radio issues (panic) but he was able to signal to 3 Pl mortar team C beside him to fire smoke onto the ATG. "We only have one smoke bomb left sir! Hope this works!" The team inserted the bomb into the tube and then looked away and covered their ears. Whoommp!! You could see the bomb arc into the sky if you focused just right. Suddenly, a plume of smoke engulfed the 37L AT gun. It was a perfect placement. Time to move!

Capt Dillon and 2 Pl again engaged the same German squad that was hiding under cover near them. Unfortunately, the bren gun jammed, and the platoon's fire was completely ineffective. Seeing their plight, Sgt Worthington ordered the gun traversed towards this pesky squad, and when it was locked on, he ordered the gunner to fire. The round fired but missed it's target, and the MG bursts that followed from the coax was equally useless. That is one tough squad of Germans...

Lt Chapman ordered the scouts and the firebase forward. The scouts moved through the neck of woods towards Busso while the firebase crept forward and occupied a very small copse of fir trees. Lt Chapman and his firebase had a long view of the battlefield behind Obj WOODS.

2 section, 1 Pl, lugging their PIAT, saw the smoke engulf the enemy. They raced towards the north, jumping over a hedge, crossing the main north-south road, and then occupying a wooden house (4S2). Immediately to their right flank was a group of Germans who had seen enough, and when they noticed the Canadians they ran with fear into the area with the foxholes and the German company commander. Meanwhile, 3 section, 1 Pl also took advantage of the smoke and moved forward into the wooden house where the Germans had occupied previously.

On the other flank, Capt Bowman, realizing his position was precarious at best, grabbed both sections in his location and they ran, using the orchards and woods for cover, basically following the same path that his lead section had taken moments earlier. Bowman moved 3 Pl into the wooden shop...they couldn't see the gun but the MG42 was close by, for they could hear it's zipper like retort with every burst.

Sgt Jenkins took the opportunity of the situation and raced the Crusader down the road to the intersection and then left into the orchards and trees (57F8). Just before moving off the road he could hear the bang noise of the ATG firing, but fortunately the smoke hindered their aim, and the round went wide...

TURN 6 (GER)

13259

Capt Dillon's jammed bren gun was done as far as this battle was concerned. The weapon techs will have to repair that one!

With smoke engulfing them, and knowing that there were Canadians moving all around, the ATG crew panicked and hid amongst the trees. Lt Schwarzmeier was disgusted with their cowardice. Since they couldn't see much right now, he decided to order the squad that accompanied him, to dig. This was a good place to hold on to defensively, and he didn't want to let it go just yet.

Almost 700 meters away, at the very limit of the MG42's normal engagement range, Cpl Schnurrbart saw the Canadians move into some woods (57X9). "Long bursts at those Canadians! Fire!!" The gun erupted and after several such bursts, the MG42 team was able to bring fire more accurately onto the enemy.

Lt Chapman and the firebase were not aware of anything unusual until rounds starting impacting almost magically among his weapon teams. Bullets were slapping into the foliage and his men took cover immediately, heads down (pinned) and temporarily forgetting their mission. Chapman noted that the MG42 was too far away for his mortars to do anything, and the .30 cal would be at long range. This was a new problem.

Meanwhile, the pesky squad that was giving Dillon and his platoon all sorts of problems, decided that it was time to escape while they could. They jumped up and ran across the street, only to dive to the ground (pinned) by fire from near the farmstead where Maj Liddell was positioned.

The scouts were in the woods observing to their front, when they saw a German squad with a MG34 and an obviously pissed off NCO moving towards them through an orchard (57AA6). The Germans saw them at the same time, and they went to ground, taking up firing positions.

Nearby, a similar group of panzer-grenadiers with a light mortar was moving down the street. Sgt Worthington noticed them coming up behind his Crusader. He quickly traversed the turret, firing the coax wildly to no effect. Boom! One shell from the gun was fired, managing to pin the squad in the street. Worthington's loader was quick and managed to insert another shell into the breech. Boom! The second shell was more accurate, and the junior NCO accompanying the squad fled into a building while his squad pressed their faces into the dirt of the road...

The last two S? counter reinforcements turned out to be real reinforcements - the battle for Busso is heating up.
 

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TURN 7 (CDN)

13275

Hauptmann Zoll sorted out his men with the ATR and then watched as the Crusader tank fired another HE shell at the German reinforcements with the mortar. One soldier was blown to pieces and the others fled to a house, leaving their mortar in the street. Zoll also heard multiple enemy mortar bombs being fired, thankfully not towards him. MGs chattered and small arms fire raged all around him, but his countrymen held firm yet again. How long could they last? Once more, he watched his ATR team engage the monster successfully to their front, but with only a loud clang as the result.

The pesky squad that Dillon and 2 Pl had been engaging for several minutes had suddenly departed from the woods to the other side. "2 Pl, move to the stone house!" No one was happy to return to the booby-trapped house but he wanted to catch that squad by surprise. Upon occupying the house, they saw the German squad pinned down by 1 Pl earlier. The Canadians trained their weapons and let them have it at close range. Without cover, the Germans panicked and fled back into the woods near the German foxholes.

! Pl was still taking advantage of the smoke screen and as they crept closer to the ATG a previously hidden smaller group of Germans to the west saw them and fired at them, missing the Canadians. Maj Liddell and 1 section raced forward through the trees next to the smoked out Germans. Small arms fire was still coming from the smoke but it was completely ineffectual. 1 Pl fired into the smoke, but the targets were sketchy, and it would be lucky if the Canadians hit anything.

Sgt Jenkins commanded the driver to move down by the MG42, and as they twisted and turned to get there, they could hear the whoosh as another 37mm round missed them. As they rounded the hedge, Jenkins could see the building where the MG42 was. He loaded the smoke mortar and lobbed the bomb at the base of the building. Smoke started spraying out of the bomb, obscuring the windows and doors. Meanwhile, after Capt Bowman saw the smoke, he ordered the platoon to run and occupy the wooden house (57F4), wary of some noise to his left, but it was nothing. (dummy in 57H1) Bowman was fired at by the MG42, but the smoke had achieved its goal and the fire was not effective.

TURN 7 (GER)

13276

Whatever the Germans could fire at they did so, but they were hampered by two smoke clouds and all of their attempts to achieve anything were failures.

Capt Dillon and 2 Pl tracked the broken squad through the trees and engaged them with everything, willing them to die. Perhaps that paid off as they riddled five of them with bullets, never to move again. The remainder of the pesky squad had nowhere to safely go and as they rose to try and escape they too were gunned down mercilessly. (K/2...cas reduce and failed MC as well) But everywhere else the Canadian fire was equally as ineffective as the German...stalemate?

Lt Schwarzmeier was choking on the smoke, and some Canadian rounds struck nearby, pelting him with earth, and he pressed his body close to the ground. The section commander yelled to him, "Sir, we are getting out of here! We are going to tear those Canadians apart with our own hands!!" And with that he abruptly grabbed members of his squad and got them to move, charging left into the tree where the Canadians were, a mere 25 meters away. This move so surprised the Canadians (ambush!) that they were disadvantaged by the hand to hand combat that ensued. But after a moment, they regained their composure, and physical blows were struck and received with no side inflicting the killing blow...
 

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TURN 8 (CDN)

This turn took a long time to play out, and it was easily the bloodiest turn in the entire campaign so far...enjoy!

13326

As the smoke finally cleared from both locations, the firebase engaged the ATG location, which caused Lt Schwarzmeier to press himself to the ground, pinning him there. 1 Pl had swarmed the ATG and the crew. The close combat was still being fought a mere 25 meters away, but more pressingly for the gun crew were the Canadians on the other side, to the front of the gun. That was where Maj Liddell was with 1 section. The section poured fire at point blank range and two grenades were thrown, pinning the gun crew and causing Lt Schwarzmeier to panic. The pinned gun crew fired an HE shell but their fear caused the shell to be inaccurate, exploding harmlessly to the side. Suddenly, Liddell observed the German officer in the gun's location drop his MP40 and raise his arms. The German officer ran towards Liddell and surrendered. Lt Schwarzmeier was out of the war. In the meantime Liddell ordered, "Charge that gun!!" 1 section leapt up and charged the short distance, first lobbing a grenade and arriving just after it exploded. The hand to hand combat was brief, as the lightly armed ATG crew succumbed to the bristling bayonets of the Canadians. The gun itself had been destroyed, probably from the last grenade toss, and the tankers need not fear it anymore. Liddell noted 1 section's success but he was also worried about the ongoing close combat. He saw 2 section joined 3 section, now outnumbering the elite German squad. The Germans had met their match and they were slain to the man. One man had emerged from this combat with an insane look in his eyes...it was Sgt Sterlin. Sterlin had personally killed several Germans and was personally responsible for inspiring his men to fight and claw their way to victory in that woods. (Note: Canadians rolled a "2" and the 8-1 leader was created)

Sgt Worthington finally saw the fresh disturbances of earth amongst the trees - that is where the Germans were located. He gave instructions to his gunner who fired...and missed. "That was close! Slightly left, about 10 meters, and repeat!" The gunner fired and this time the shell struck true...

Hauptmann Zoll ducked instinctively as the first tank shell exploded to his left. But the second shell followed quickly; he and his men in the foxholes were safe, but the ATR squad had suffered some casualties and were in panic. But then came the third and final shell - it was so well placed that Zoll and his men in the ground were shaken so badly that they had to get the hell out of there now. Looking up out of his hole, Zoll noticed that only half of the ATR squad remained, the other half were blown to pieces. Just as he was about to flee the hole with his men, a new group of Canadians had arrived behind them...

Capt Dillon was about to move 2 Pl from the stone building when accurate sniper fire panicked the men. He had to leave 1 and 2 sections behind - they just wouldn't move. Dillon grabbed 3 section and together they ran down the road and into the location where they had just finished engaging the German squad in the road. As they were running they saw the explosions ripping into the tree line where a German officer was located. Three rounds were fired in rapid succession from the Crusader, providing suppression so that his men could charge down the road. Suddenly, the foxholes were directly in front of them and they poured fire point blank into them along with some grenades. Dillon noted that five Germans who had an ATR were gunned down to a man. Through the smoke and debris he saw the German officer and a squad of his men vacate the foxholes quickly and move farther back out of sight into the woods. Dillon and his section occupied the bloodied earthen entrenchments, and they grabbed onto the ATR as well. They scanned the trees for the remaining enemy....

Capt Bowman and 3 Pl fired into the house with the MG42 with no noticeable effect. He looked to his left and saw Sgt Jenkins manoeuvre the Crusader a mere 75 meters from the house and stop.

"Out of HE sergeant!" yelled the loader. Great. Jenkins noted that now they were just an expensive and armoured MG platform. They fired at the MG42 but the rounds didn't find their mark.

Capt Bowman would forever remember the next minute of his life and would absolutely respect the power of the MG42 until the day he died. The first long burst issued forth from the gun, causing his men to take more cover in the building. Boom!! One of the men in 2 section triggered a booby trap and half of the section lay dead, the other half stunned from the blast. The second burst pinned 3 sect, making them virtually ineffective. The third burst was so close to Bowman that he had had enough and fled from the building. Unfortunately, that same burst also did in 2 and 3 sects who followed him in terror. The fourth burst also convinced 1 section to flee as well, and five men from 3 sect were gunned down trying to escape the building. Just like that - Capt Bowman had ten of his soldiers killed and the remainder of the platoon were mentally destroyed and cowering in a building, out of sight of that horrible gun. Bowman silently vowed to enact revenge on the crew of the gun...


TURN 8 (GER)

13327

Cpl Muller and his squad recovered from the tank blast 2 minutes ago. They needed to get their mortar back and help out the company commander - Zoll would skin them alive if he knew they were cowering in the village. They crept forward into another house and noted that the mortar lay about 20 meters from them, in the street where they had left it. Muller instructed the squad to retrieve the mortar as stealthily as they could...his men crawled out into the street...

Capt Dillon's men had recovered the German ATR, and they signalled to Worthington that they were friendly troops. "Sir! There!" Dillon followed the pointing arm of his section commander and saw where the German officer and his men had fled. The Canadians fired into the trees, killing five enemy soldiers. Once again, Dillon heard his men back in the stone house yell, "Sniper!". That German sniper had been effective from the start of the day.

Lt Chapman could see a small group of Germans directly to his front, about 300 meters away. They were giving 1 Pl some problems and needed to be eliminated. The mortars engaged them to no effect, but the long burst from the MMG caused them to try and flee. The crew kept up the fire, changing belts quickly, and mowed the Germans down. Done. But the gun crew took advantage of their speed and trained the weapon on the woods where Dillon had just shot some enemy down. The gun chattered again, and more Germans were ripped to pieces by it's fire. When the smoke from the weapon cleared, they could see how lethal they had been.

Zoll, was the last one alive. Miraculously he had escaped the Canadian fire with just some minor wounds. He entire command in this location had been eliminated. All he could hope for was to escape back to the town. He saw the Crusader to the right and so he was forced to crawl along the ground in an attempt to escape with his life...

Capt Bowman, still shaken from what had happened to his command, managed to get himself to his feet and yell, "Let's get those bastards who did this to us!!!" He managed to get the remainder of 3 section back on its feet, while the men in 1 section were frothing at the mouth, intent on going back to destroy that MG42 gun crew (1 section had HoB to fanatic!) As they prepared for what they were to do next, the Canadians heard the MG42 firing again, although not at them this time. Apparently 1 Pl was their new target...

Wow what a turn. Close combat, tank fire, MGs from both sides with 3+ ROF chances, surrenders, snipers, booby traps, mass breaking, fanatics, new leaders emerging in combat, destroyed ordnance, etc - that was one crazy turn!
 

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Well done AAR. I noticed your attached tanks were Crusader II CS in Oct 43. You might consider changing the results of the REs to include historically available vehicle/guns for both sides. In my British campaign in Norway, for example, the Germans can only receive the Pz IB, Pz IIA and Pz IIF as those were all that were available to them. Likewise, the 146th Bde that my company is attached to can only receive the Mk VIB (after 4 are killed that's it), the Carrier A or allied H35s.

It's no big deal but a Sherman or Churchill, both available to the Canadians, might have a more historical feel.

Cheers.
 
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ChappyNS

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Well done AAR. I noticed your attached tanks were Crusader II CS in Oct 43. You might consider changing the results of the REs to include historically available vehicle/guns for both sides. In my British campaign in Norway, for example, the Germans can only receive the Pz IB, Pz IIA and Pz IIF as those were all that were available to them. Likewise, the 146th Bde that my company is attached to can only receive the Mk VIB (after 4 are killed that's it), the Carrier A or allied H35s.

It's no big deal but a Sherman or Churchill, bothavailable to the Canadians, might have a more historical feel.

Cheers.

Thanks for your comments and advice, Purist! What actually worked in my favour for this particular random vehicular selection was that at this time historically, the SP guns of the 142nd Royal Devon Yeomanry were actually assisting the Canadian artillery regiments (and thus 1st Canadian Infantry Div). The Canadians had their own arty, but they were lacking the SPG's that could direct assist them (that would be rectified later). So I just went with it. I know A Coy would have preferred a Sherman or Churchill but they don't mind any extra help!

Are you doing AARs as well? I would enjoy reading some. Is that a SASL Norwegian campaign?
 

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Well done AAR. I noticed your attached tanks were Crusader II CS in Oct 43. You might consider changing the results of the REs to include historically available vehicle/guns for both sides. In my British campaign in Norway, for example, the Germans can only receive the Pz IB, Pz IIA and Pz IIF as those were all that were available to them. Likewise, the 146th Bde that my company is attached to can only receive the Mk VIB (after 4 are killed that's it), the Carrier A or allied H35s.

It's no big deal but a Sherman or Churchill, both available to the Canadians, might have a more historical feel.

Cheers.

By the way, I see you are from Calgary. My brother lives there, and every year when I visit I schedule at least a 3 hour visit to the Sentry Box. Wow, that is an amazing store. I wish we had something like that here in Halifax!
 

The Purist

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I need to change that to Trochu,... about 150 km north east.

The Sentry Box is amazing - covers every genre you could think of.

My company is just a regular British company. I insert it into the actual history knowing one company won't change the outcome but adding some historical flavour beyond "such and such a date on such and such a front". It may redeploy to France or finish out the Norwegian campaign as part of "Scissor Force" blocking the route from Bodo to Narvik before heading to the Med of Africa. I'll have to figure out some sort of random decision making process for the high command to take decision away from this lowly company commander..

Need to catch up to my old US company marking time in Tunisia in late 42. :)
 
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ChappyNS

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I need to change that to Trochu,... about 150 km north east.

The Sentry Box is amazing - covers every genre you could think of.

My company is just a regular British company. I insert it into the actual history knowing one company won't change the outcome but adding some historical flavour beyond "such and such a date on such and such a front". It may redeploy to France or finish out the Norwegian campaign as part of "Scissor Force" blocking the route from Bodo to Narvik before heading to the Med of Africa. I'll have figure out some sort of random decision making process for the high command to take decision away from this lowly company commander..

Need to catch up to my old US company marking time in Tunisia in late 42. :)

Excellent. Did you develop these campaigns yourself? I am currently using one of Ahriman667's campaigns. He has created several. Diazov is doing another one of his.
 

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If you consisder reading a bit of the history and figuring out who was where and when, then, yes, I suppose so. That said, all I am really doing is confirming which units were present, what they had for kit to limit availability (no StuG IIIG in Africa) and how the campaign should flow.

For example, in Greece I wouldn't let my company's win, no matter how many there were, change the flow of the actual campaign. I won't be liberating Belgrad in July 41. ;)
 

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Ahh! Now I get it Chappy!

The 1st Army Tank Brigade, first of the Canadian armoured formations to move overseas, had arrived during the summer of 1941 under the command of Brigadier F. F. Worthington, a pioneer of armoured warfare in Canada.
 

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Ahh! Now I get it Chappy!

The 1st Army Tank Brigade, first of the Canadian armoured formations to move overseas, had arrived during the summer of 1941 under the command of Brigadier F. F. Worthington, a pioneer of armoured warfare in Canada.

Look at you doing historical research :)
 

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:D Someone showed me some good Canadian online resources...and I just happened to run across that.
 

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TURN 9 (CDN)

13363


"Obj WOODS secure!" Maj Liddell informed higher that the operation was moving along. A Coy had suffered the most casualties at Busso than anywhere else since they landed in Sicily. And the battle wasn't over yet.

Sgt Jenkins fired the smoke mortar, and again another smoke cloud enveloped the house containing the MG42. This was Bowman's second opportunity to deal with the gun. Getting the last section on its feet, the entire platoon moved across the road and into the same wooden house where tragedy had struck just a few minutes ago. The MG42 spat it's fire again, but the accuracy was poor, and 3 Pl successfully took up fire positions within the house.

In the centre, Maj Liddell was busy sending the situation report and lost control of the platoon (panic....Liddell only needs a "10" or lower for command, but he has failed 3 times over the last 4 turns!). Sgt Sterlin was busy looking for intelligence amongst the dead Germans, and he too lost sight of the mission, currently. Fortunately, 1 Pl was the original elite platoon, and they had some tremendous section commanders who proceeded to take the initiative. #2 section, the PIAT section, raced towards the orchard (dummy exposed in 57Q2) and charged into the centre of it, approaching the small German outpost in their foxholes. This charge panicked the Germans, allowing the Canadians to race right up to their entrenchments. The Germans, now panicked, fired wildly and broke (FPF), crawling out of their holes and out into the open, anything to escape the Canadians. The remainder of 1 Pl saw what had happened and they too charged forward through the orchard; 3 section occupied the German foxholes, while 1 and 2 sections used the cover of the trees in the orchard.

On the left, the concealed scouts crept forward, panicking the German squad in the orchard to their west (also revealing dummies in 57Z5 and Y6). The Germans who had just recovered their mortar, fired said mortar at the scouts but the bomb landed harmlessly behind them. The scouts continued to advance and revealed another German squad far to the north in same location as those in their foxholes. (57FF6)
While this was going on, Lt Chapman moved the firebase across the road and into the same woods as the scouts. Capt Dillon saw the firebase moving to the woods and decided to advance on Obj XROADS with 2 Pl through the same cover.

Sgt Worthington spun the Crusader 180 degrees, now facing the crossroads and the mortar team. The coax MG fired but the Germans maintained their cool.

Meanwhile, Hauptmann Zoll regained his composure, watching the advancing Canadians. He had to get back to the town to muster and lead the defences, but there was an entire enemy rifle company in his way...


TURN 9 (GER)

The Germans roll RE# 26 and Hauptmann Zoll becomes a 9-2 battle hardened leader - his legendary status grows!

13364


The two German squads on the extreme left flank saw the Canadian scouts advance into the orchard. They engaged them with small arms fire, but the Canadians had too much cover. Once again, the Germans in the orchard panicked, ignoring the danger surrounding them. Lt Chapman had both mortars and the MMG fire at the panicked Germans, but there was no effect. Capt Dillon also noticed those same Germans and had both sections fire together, causing the German leader and squad to succumb to their fear and crawl into the road to escape the Canadians.

The German mortar crew saw the Crusader spin and fire at them. They knew they wouldn't get lucky again, so they picked up the mortar and moved out of sight, in an orchard behind a farmhouse.

The MG42 squad, still engulfed in smoke, failed to impact 3 Pl as their bursts went wide. 3 Pl fired back to no effect.

Hauptmann Zoll crawled into a wooden house and watched with despair as the five German soldiers in the centre of the battlefield surrendered to the Canadians in the orchard. Things looked bad for the Germans in Busso...
 
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