Mission #9 - A Coy/RCR Campaign, Sicily to Ortona, Italy, 1943

[tommyl]

Major Liddell needs to request better anti-tank support given the number of AFVs A company runs into each misson!

 

[ChappyNS]

Major Liddell needs to request better anti-tank support given the number of AFVs A company runs into each misson!

Agreed!!!! It's bizarre, but missions 1-7 had zero vehicles, then suddenly mission 8 had four AFVs! And now early on we have another. I am hoping that the mud will come into play and immobilize that beast!

 

[dlazov]

Secretly hoping for a platoon of Panthers with 5-4-8 riders and Maj. Hoch (9-2) come the rescuer...I mean aid... ?

 

[ChappyNS]

Secretly hoping for a platoon of Panthers with 5-4-8 riders and Maj. Hoch (9-2) come the rescuer...I mean aid... ?

Don!!!! Stop hoping for the Germans! lol

 

[ChappyNS]

Well everyone, A Coy will be frozen in stasis as I am off on my Harley for almost two weeks. Back on 26 July. Be healthy and stay safe!

 

[hayman]

Enjoy the ride.

 

[Steed]

Have a great time and stay safe yourself. Look forward to more AARs.

 

[ChappyNS]

I am back from a fantastic 10 day motorcycle ride with friends...I have to detox now from the massive consumption of liquid bread

TURN 3 (GER)

The Germans commence with a "12" for weather, resulting in two things: wind gusts, and more importantly, heavy rain which now causes +1 hindrance from 1-6 hexes, +2 hindrance from 7-12 hexes, etc





Maj Zoll was watching his company move to the southeast, following his latest orders, when the weather gods decided to drench them. Heavy gusts of wind combined with a sudden downpour made life miserable for the attackers, but it also had the blessing of making them more difficult to shoot at. Zoll noticed the elite squad rallied themselves and then dashed across the main road and into the wooden building. They drew fire from a Canadian MMG behind a stone wall, but the rounds impacted behind them. Simultaneously, the SPG was moving slowly down the road, mud clinging to its tracks and impeding its movement. Zoll looked behind him and noticed the tail end of his company arrive on the scene, and they too were moving southeast behind the cover provided them. His men were cold and very wet, and they were slip sliding in the mud, but they were free of Canadian bullets, at least for now.


TURN 3 (CDN)





Sgt Metz was having a difficult time trying to rally his half squad. Once again he tried, but the soldiers threw down their weapons and fled the battlefield. He was hopeless to stop them as they disappeared into the heavy rain ("12" cas reduction)

Maj Liddell and A Coy were soaked to the bone. The chilling deluge had hit them suddenly and their lines of sight had deteriorated even more. He knew the Germans were trying to outflank him to the south and so he continued to push A Coy through the sparse woods to the south. It was going to be a race to see which side would gain the advantage in the hellhole mess of an Italian December day...

 

[ChappyNS]

TURN 4 (GER)




The heavy rains and mist continued, and so did the Panzergrenadier company as they continued moving to outflank the Canadians; some soldiers were sliding, some fell, and others jumped over deep puddles. Maj Zoll was pleased with the advance so far - his men were cold and wet, but they were still alive and they had a river crossing to get to.


TURN 4 (CDN)





With the slow approach of the SPG on the muddy road, Maj Liddell realized that he had to do something before the large gun of the vehicle was brought to bear on his company. Over the company radio net, Liddell ordered the platoons to detach their PIATs and deploy them where they could threaten the advance of the SPG. While this was done, A Coy continued to move slowly to the south.

Maj Zoll witnessed the Canadian PIATs move separately from their platoons and warned the SPG crew commander over the radio. Additionally, he directed the MG42 to fire at one of the anti-tank crews that was advancing towards the orchard, but the rounds impacted harmlessly behind them. Zoll cursed as he shivered uncontrollably in this most foul weather.

 

[Eagle4ty]

Love it. Infantry weather! The worse, the better!

 

[ChappyNS]

Love it. Infantry weather! The worse, the better!

Yup! Been there!

 

[ChappyNS]

TURN 5 (GER)




The SPG advanced along the barely recognizable road, mud flying off the back end of it's tracks, when the crew noticed some Canadians nearby. The vehicle slid to a halt and the large gun was trained on the Canadians in the woods.

The panzer grenadier company continued it's slog southeast. Maj Zoll was running with the MG42 crew when .30 cal rounds began impacting all around them. Zoll was totally unnerved by this fire and ducked back into the trees while the MG42 crew went to ground. This was their only setback; the Germans kept up their unrelenting covered advance.


TURN 5 (CDN)




CSM Sterlin watched as the MMG rounds narrowly missed the running MG42 crew. The enemy crew occupied the tiny copse of woods - Sterlin ordered the gun team to continue firing at them but the fire was ineffective.

Liddell and 1 Pl moved south into a small patch of trees. Suddenly he heard a loud blast as the SPG fired its main armament - a 150mm gun. The hair on his neck went up as the massive high explosive round sailed past him and exploded 100 meters away in a field. Whew, that was damned close! Liddell and his men occupied the wooden buildings, hoping that the SPG would lose sight of them. Note: the SPG rolled a "9" to hit, it's B#, and so it now suffers from low ammo

The crew that was being targeted by Sterlin had now set up their MG42 in the small treed area. They noticed some Canadians moving southward in the open and proceeded to engage them. Capt Bowman and his men were the recipient of this fire as they clung to the muddy, wet ground. Bowman was able to advance with one section, but his other section was pinned from the fire.

Liddell needed that SPG to be taken out ASAP, but one of his PIAT teams had failed to move and another was too far away. Fortunately, the third one was in the orchard, some 80 meters away from the vehicle, and they were closing in on it from the flank...

 

[ChappyNS]

I have been out of service recently....local vacation travel, NHL playoffs, and personal things requiring immediate attention. A Coy is back now!

TURN 6 (GER)



Maj Zoll was embarrassed beyond measure as he got a grip on himself and began to command his company again. Did anyone notice his temporary cowardice? He had hoped not. His thoughts were erased as he heard the blast from the 150mm SPG. He quickly turned his head, looking through the heavy rains, and watched the shell impact behind the Canadian troops. Damn, they missed again! But the crew was homing in on the Canadians in the wooden building and soon they would feel the wrath. Additionally, an MG42 team fired a burst at a Canadian PIAT team but missed.

The Germans continued to rush forward in small groups, dashing through the mist, and they provided poor targets at longer ranges. Sterlin had the MMG target an MG42 group, but as his soldiers pulled the trigger on the gun, they heard a crunch and a silence, which indicated a jam. The gun crew scrambled to clear the gun to no avail. This was not good timing!

Capt Chapman directed all three mortars against an MG42 team, but the bombs landed harmlessly all around the Germans.

Zoll was pleased - his men were getting closer to outflanking the Canadians and heading to the river.


TURN 6 (CDN)




Capt Chapman continued to direct the fire of the mortars at the MG42, but with the same results. The winds and rain were hampering the usual effectiveness of the mortars and this was not good at all.

Both PIAT teams in the orchard rushed forward, finding themselves to be a mere 40 meters from the SPG. The men felt a chill run down their spines as the SPG noticed this new threat and pivoted the chassis towards them. In seconds, the large gun was pointing directly at them and they awaited the belching of fire that was soon to follow. More seconds passed. Nothing. The Canadians heard the yelling of the German crew...something was amiss (the SPG rolled a "10" and so the MA is now disabled and the SPG is recalled). The 1 Pl PIAT team was not waiting to see what happened next - they aimed the PIAT launcher at the SPG and fired. The spring of the launcher propelled the bomb towards its target. The bomb penetrated the hull of the vehicle and exploded, rocking the SPG on its shocks. The screams of the dying crew were horrible, but the Canadians could only feel relief that they were not the recipient of a large high explosive round.

Maj Liddell sighed in relief - the SPG was destroyed and now he could direct A Coy to repel the advance of the German infantry...

 

[ChappyNS]

TURN 7 (GER)




Maj Zoll's company had mostly moved to the south of the Canadians, and were moving along the wood line in the rain. The men appreciated the cover from the elements as they moved from tree to tree. They knew the Canadians were somewhere beyond the woods.

Maj Liddell had all three platoons in the path of the oncoming Germans. Each platoon was understrength as they were missing their PIAT section. They could see the Germans funnelling into the wood line and it was just a matter of time before they emerged near A Coy. Liddell waited, waited, and then he saw the lead German squad pause at the edge of the woods. Cautiously, the Germans advanced alone across the mud in the driving rain. Liddell's soldiers were anxious to engage them, but he withheld his fire order. Closer they came, and at a distance of 100 meters, Liddell gave the order to fire. The platoons engaged the German squad, dropping one or two of them, and forcing the remainder to run back into the cover of the trees.

Capt Chapman saw other shadowy figures advancing through the trees. He directed the fire of the three company mortars at them and watched several mortar bombs explode amongst the soaked figures. Sgt Schwartz and his men were surprised by the sudden, vicious mortar attack that rained down upon them. They broke and ran back into cover.

The German company continued their covered advance to the east. They outnumbered the Canadians both in numbers and firepower and they were about to bring their full power to bear on them...


TURN 7 (CDN)




The company MMG was still broken. CSM Sterlin cursed as he continued to watch his soldiers try and repair the gun that was becoming more essential with each passing minute.

Maj Zoll found himself amongst his soldiers who had broken as a result of the Canadian mortar fire. He ordered them to stop, get a grip on themselves, and deal death to the enemy to their front. The German squad was greatly invigorated by his words as they began to yell and ramp up their emotions. "Charge!" they yelled, and Zoll knew that these soldiers were driven with frenzy and would rush the enemy without regard to themselves. (berserk!)

Capt Chapman was now presented with several juicy targets. He saw more Germans move in to replace those who had just run away, so he trained one mortar at them. Several bombs exploded amongst them as well, breaking Sgt Anselm and killing six of his soldiers. The MG42 crew was hugging the mud, being pinned by the suppressive fire.

Meanwhile, Chapman trained the tubes of the other two mortars against suspected Germans at the leading edge of the wood line. Bombs dropped but with no noticeable effect.

Leutnant Stransky had snuck his platoon into a forward position of the woods. His platoon was the target of some small mortars, but none were very accurate. He saw about 20 Canadians occupying a treed area a mere 100 meters away, so he ordered the MG42 and the squads to engage them. The firepower was withering, causing Capt Bowman and his soldiers to stop what they were doing and take cover behind any tree cover that they could.

Meanwhile, Zoll saw a Canadian PIAT section who had become trapped in the open and were apparently fearful to move. Zoll had the MG42 crew fire several bursts at them, causing them to jump up and run away into the woods.

The battle was becoming fully developed, and Zoll knew that he had to bust through the Canadians if he was to achieve his mission at the Moro River...

 

[dlazov]

Maybe a platoon of PzIVs will arrive and revenge, I mean reinforce the poor dead SPG...?

 

[ChappyNS]

TURN 8 (GER)

A bloody turn for everyone.......





Liddell noted several MG42s with the advancing forces; one of them, the closest, had just opened up on him and 1 Pl and so they adjusted their position quickly - but that was when disaster struck...

Maj Zoll watched the tracer rounds from the MG42 that was some 100 meters ahead of him. He was commanding another MG42 - and he had his hand on the gunner's shoulder, instructing to him to wait. Zoll saw the Canadians adjust their position and yelled, "Fire!" Zoll didn't realize that the opposing company commander was now his target, but even so he watched as the MG rounds impacted into the Canadians, killing half a section for sure. The enemy scrambled in the mud seeking cover that just wasn't there.

If one had very good hearing, especially in these rains, they could have heard two almost simultaneous "cracks" as snipers from both sides engaged their opponents. The Canadian sniper caused a small group of Germans to break and dive for cover - they were so far away as to be rendered useless for the remainder of the battle. The German sniper engaged 2 Platoon's PIAT team, causing them to break formation and scramble for cover.

Meanwhile, Lt Stransky's soldiers - who were being mortared - targeted the mortar crews themselves. Capt Chapman winced as one of the mortar crews started crying out with fear and left their mortar unattended.

It was then that the berserk Germans with the MG34 leapt from the underbrush and charged, screaming like demons, towards the broken PIAT team in the nearby small copse of woods. They ran madly through the mud, ignoring the small arms fire directed towards them. But suddenly, Capt Bowman's men tracked them as they progressed slower than usual through the mud, and Bowman's men gunned them down to a man, the MG34 falling into a large puddle.

The Germans who were not engaging targets were moving as fast as they could through the woods on the south side of the battlefield and into the open, screened by some trees and the heavy bouts of rain. Sgt Metz was leading a platoon of soldiers when he was suddenly shot through the arm and collapsed in pain. He watched helplessly as about twenty of his men, who were accurately engaged by Capt Dillon's boys, dropped what they were holding and ran back into the woods.

Meanwhile, Capt Chapman decided that the MG42 that had fired at the mortar crews was too dangerous to ignore. He instructed the other two mortar crews to engage the MG in the woods. Mortar bombs rained down on Lt Stransky and his Germans, causing the crew to grab the gun and run back into the protection of the woods.

The shorter ranges had increased the death toll, and more was surely to come....


TURN 8 (CDN)





Canadians roll RE#54 - medium mortar section arrives! 2 x 76mm mortars, dismantled

"Sergeant Major! The gun is f#cked!" CSM Sterlin growled angrily - the company MG was down for the next 24 hours at least, and certainly useless for this battle. Just bloody perfect

Capt Chapman got a grip on his one mortar crew who were scared senseless and he looked through the rain for targets.

Maj Zoll finally rallied his two NCOs - Anselm and Schwartz - and the small group of German soldiers with them. The MG42 he had been directly commanding had moved ahead through the trees to get a better line of fire.

Meanwhile, Capt Dillon and his men continued to lay down effective fire on the Germans, killing five more men and pinning others. Fire from Bowman's platoon caused Sgt Metz to break and follow his soldiers back into the woods, while Chapman's mortars continued to bring hellfire down upon Stransky. The recently rallied mortar crew was told to fire at that deadly MG42 that had torn into 1 Platoon moments earlier. The two bombs that dropped killed five Germans, and causing the remainder to flee with the gun. Both Liddell and Chapman glanced sideways and noted the arrival of the two large 76mm mortars and their tired crews who were looking for a good location to set up their mortars. Things were looking up for the Canadians, when suddenly several German squads opened up and routed Capt Dillon and one of his sections, leaving that side even weaker. Liddell noted the danger and so he shifted the remnants of 1 Platoon to the remnants of 2 Platoon - and that is where they would make their stand...

Turn #8 comes to an end, meaning the dr is made that will automatically end the battle (on a "1" this turn) ...... dr = "6" so the show must go on!

 

[ChappyNS]

TURN 9 (GER)





Major Zoll was concerned about the sudden arrival of the Canadian reinforcements - those large mortars could pack a heavy punch and he needed them gone. Hastily he rallied his MG42 crew, and hastily they engaged one of the new mortars. But the rounds were wild and over the heads of the Canadians.

Hoth and his section advanced east - they were so close to bypassing the Canadians when suddenly rounds began to impact around him and his soldiers. Capt Bowman and his men were engaging Hoth's men, and like so many other Germans lately, Bowman watched them flee back to the woods for protection. Bowman's bren gunner kept up the fire lane, hoping to catch other Germans moving through the heavy rains.

One of the elite German squads was moving independently because they had been in these situations before. They moved quickly through the enemy MG bursts but just at the "finish" line, they were engaged by an entire Canadian section who broke them, and they joined Hoth's men in flight.

CSM Sterlin was successful in restoring courage to 20 or so men who were intent on leaving this battlefield as soon as possible. At the same time, he noticed the 76mm mortars being assembled by the reinforcing crews. They were located in open ground, but they had a dominate view of the terrain that the Germans must advance over.

Zoll looked through his binoculars and he noticed twenty of his German "ghosts" in the rain, and he noticed that they had moved past the Canadians with nothing but the Moro River ahead of them (the first two German squads have exited...)


TURN 9 (CDN)





Capt Dillon finally calmed himself and his section who recently fled their positions. He was both embarrassed and guilty at his performance, but at the time retreat was the only recourse.

Both Sgts Metz and Anselm had to deal with over a platoon worth of panicked Germans who had just run from the Canadian firefights. Anselm did his best, but some of his men deserted while others remained frightened. Sgt Metz was a little more successful but there was still work to be done.

Maj Liddell, who was still personally commanding a hodge podge of soldiers from 1 and 2 platoons, fired a series of extremely damaging bursts that killed several Germans near the woods, causing another MG42 crew to bolt and run with their deadly weapon.

Capt Bowman and his men kept up their intense fire at a group of Germans on the edge of the wood line. Sgt Metz was wounded a second time, and several Germans around him dropped dead. Hoth, who was still broken from a minute ago, lost his mind. He went insane right in front of the soldiers. Yelling and screaming and hurling curses at the Canadians, he jumped to his feet, preparing to charge the enemy to his front (berserk!!).

The Canadians were pouring everything they had at the Germans wherever they could. One of the large mortars had to shift its arc, the process causing a hurried bomb launch to miss its target. The second mortar fired without such an adjustment, and the first bomb was extremely well placed, landing with deadly force on top of Lt Stransky and his soldiers (critical hit!). Several Germans died, others broke under the bomb's impact, while everyone else was pinned. It was an amazing display of firepower at work.

Capt Chapman added his smaller mortars to the fray. He ordered two mortars to fire at Stransky's troops who had just been pummelled by the 76mm, while the third was directed at Sgt Metz's men. The additional bombs landed on Stransky and his men, killing five more Germans. But strangely enough, this last bombardment had caused to of his smaller groups of men to rally under adversity, becoming stronger than they had been. (incredibly, two HoB rolls in a row to battle harden two HS) The bomb landing on Sgt Metz also killed five or so soldiers, and panicking the remainder of his troops.

CSM Sterlin looked to the north and noticed both PIAT sections running as fast as they could through the mud to join the battle as soon as they could. They knew they were needed, and needed now.

Hoth, now foaming at the mouth, ordered his men to fire at Bowman's soldiers. Bowman and ten of his men finally broke from the withering fire, and they fled back to the woods where Capt Chapman and his mortars were located. It was a glimpse of brightness for the Germans, as they last two minutes were not kind to them. But would it be enough?

Game end dr = "4" - 1 = 3 Nope! The battle continues.....

 

[ChappyNS]

TURN 10 (GER)






Major Zoll got Sgt Metz calmed down and ordered him forward with his remaining men. At the same time, Capt Bowman and his men got a grip on themselves and were ready for new developments.

Sgt Schwartz grabbed his ten men and together they sprinted through the mud in the pouring rain. They were almost at their objective when they were engaged by Canadian small arms fire. But the bullets went wild and Schwartz led his men further...almost there...

A Company Commander, Maj Liddell, saw the outlines of Germans running towards him. "Wait....wait....fire!!" Liddell had two sections of men engage with their inherent small arms as well as two Bren guns. The rounds were deadly accurate at this range. German soldiers dropped to the ground all around, dead and almost dead. Their leader, Sgt Schwartz, was shot through the head and died instantly.

In the tree line, Hoth literally lost his mind and began charging, alone, at the enemy nearest him. His target happened to be the third section of 3 Pl and their trusty Bren gun. Hoth ignored their return fire, bullets dancing all around him, and when he was close he rolled into their midst, butt striking one Canadian soldier. But Hoth was gravely outnumbered, and he was quickly bayonetted to death, his blood washing away through the soaked earth.

The German force advanced through the rain and mud, slipping and sliding, and all the while were the deadly Canadian mortars to harass them. Many Germans broke and fled back to whence they came. How many had done this very same thing so far in this battle?

The recently recovered Sgt Metz, on Zoll's orders, led a group of ten soldiers forward when the mortar bombs began to impact all around. His men leapt for cover, crashing into the cold mud with shocking impact. Sgt Metz stood his ground, imploring his men to carry on, when suddenly a mortar bomb impacted nearly on top of him and blew him to pieces.

Meanwhile, Anselm charged forward with three small groups of men. More Canadian small arms fire forced his men to stop advancing and seek cover. Fortunately, one group of five men continued to charge forward, and they broke clear towards the river.

Major Zoll cursed. In one minute he had lost three of his leaders - one to bullets, one to mortars, and one to the bayonet. Time was now of the immediate essence, and he had to get the remainder of the company going as soon as he could...


TURN 10 (CDN)





While Major Zoll continued to rally another twenty of his men, the Canadian mortars continued to search out and find their foes. An elite squad with a panzerschreck was plastered with bombs - they eventually had enough and ran back into the trees.

One of the large 76mm mortars saw Anselm and his men. One well placed bomb shattered the body of Anselm, leaving him and five of his soldiers dead.

3 Sect, 3 Pl, who so recently gutted a German leader in hand to hand fighting, engaged and broke an MG42 crew at the wood line. Capt Dillon and his men continued the merciless assault of firepower and broke all of Lt Stransky's men, again causing them to flee.

Zoll knew his men were paying the price and he needed to take action to relive them. He ordered the MG42 crew with him to engage the nearest Canadians. The gun sounded like a zipper as it spat deadly rounds out of its mouth. On the receiving end, CSM Sterlin could take no more. Sterlin and most of his men ran back through the deluge and into some small wooden outbuildings, taking cover from the MG that had almost ended their lives.


Game end dr = "6" - 2 = 4 Nope! The battle continues.....

 

[ChappyNS]

TURN 11 (GER)





Zoll thought about the deaths of the four leaders he had just witnessed in the last few minutes. It was shocking - so many so quickly - and the men were feeling it. Their morale was sinking and he had the eerie feeling that his company had shot its load for today.

Zoll snapped out of his numbness and ordered the MG42 to engage the closest Canadians. The rounds impacted all around one section, causing them to flee in the driving rain.

"Let's go men!" yelled the MG42 team leader as they sprinted with the gun through the mud. Zoll watched them go by him and then, in horror, watched as they were all gunned down by Canadian small arms fire. More tragedy for the Fatherland. But it wasn't over yet. Zoll watched as the platoon with the Canadian company commander riddle one of his elite squads with bullets, causing them to panic; and just when they were about to flee, bombs from one of the larger enemy mortars exploded in their midst, killing all of them. The Canadian mortars were killing them. The other large mortar fired and scored such an accurate hit (critical!) that ten more of Stransky's soldiers died in the woods.

Zoll was surveying the situation when he heard the sound of a smaller mortar bomb being launched...and impacted a mere three meters from him with devastating effect. Zoll and the twenty men with him were terrified as the bomb had exploded out of nowhere and so near them. They grabbed their weapons and ran back into the woods to escape more mortar bombs from the Canadians...


TURN 11 (CDN)





CSM Sterlin composed himself and rallied fifteen of his men. They were desperately needed at this crucial moment in the battle.

The "D" large mortar team had an ominous target in their sites. They dropped the 76mm bomb down the tube, then looked away and covered their ears. Nothing. Seconds passed and the crew realized that they had a dud and had to extricate it before they could use the weapon again. It was horrible timing for sure.

Meanwhile the "E" large mortar team, being directed by Capt Bowman, focussed their attack on the German MG teams in the far wood. The first bomb was accurate, killing the remains five Germans there, and they witnessed the remaining leader (Stransky) flee in terror.

Liddell observed the battlefield through the heavy rain - there were a lot of dead and dying Germans out there. And just like that, the mauled German company, what was left of it, withdrew from whence they came.

Game end dr = "2" - 3 = Game over!

Once again Zoll had survived, but his company was decimated...

It is a Canadian victory, results to be explained soon....

 

[BigAl737]

Pleased to see a new write up today a Chappy, thanks for the read.