Sicily 43 DAR (No peeking Herr Antoni)

[cillmhor]

Turn 2 & 3 11th, 12th July:

The landings are now fanning out into the Sicilian countryside as the Allied superiority in numbers and quality turns the screw on the Axis defenders. It's patently obvious many Italian units have no stomach for the fight as they tamely surrender after being surrounded.



In the far west US troops move to attack the Livorno Division, one of the better Italian formations. Coastal units continue to be surrounded and eliminated and by end of turn 3 I have moved elements of the 3rd Infantry Division over the river to the west of Licata. I don't want to advance too far to the west yet, as my main thrust to the west will go north through the mountains first to try and capture Palermo ASAP. Also further west is a German formation (one of the Panzer Grenadier Divisions no doubt), and so I don't want to tangle with them until I can meet and destroy the Italians.



In the central landings US troops have met and destroyed some key elemnts of HG, panzer grenadiers, engineers, and I by the end of turn 3 have one armoured formation surrounded. I am also moving to surround the remaining elements. If I can remove the Herman Goering Division from the Antoni's defense, he should struggle, if the scenario follows the historical importance of that particular formation.

As you can see US and Canadian troops are also about to link the two landings. By turn three all Italian units between the two landing forces have been eliminated.



The 8th Army continues its impressive push north towards Catania. Syracuse's coastal guns finally fall silent in turn 3 and Italian SP guns are captured at Augusta. The rapid advance allows British troops to rush across the key Primasole bridge and onto the plains south of Catania. There they meet elite units from Brigade Schmaltz, which historically were elite FJs and thrown together with some engineers and other ad hoc formations. They now block the way to Catania in turn 3.

Pushing west are the 51st Highland and 1st Canadian Divisions which are pushing back the Napoli Division. Some units were surrounded and eliminated in round 3, and the German heavy armour and flak guns from HG Division north of Vizzini are now almost surrounded by Canadians and elements of 45th US Division which have pushed up from the south.

By the end of turn 3 I feel quite happy. Antoni is employing a very passive strategy in defending, and so I am able to push advance units on to surround and cut off, as I know that if I can break out quickly the battle can be won. The big thing which historically hamstrung the Allies was delays, and so I continue the push. Some British Armoured Brigades have now arrived to help add some steel to the Commonwealth push. I also had some planes shot up by Naval friendly fire on turn 3! Spot on as far as history is concerned, as there was a very unfortunate incident where Allied planes with airborne troops were shot down at night by Allied ships as they thought they were enemy planes. D'Este explains well the finger pointing that went on between the Air Force, Navy and Army after that disaster.

Anyway, I'll post another pic to show the situation for turn 4.