A Close Run Thing

[Jim von Krieg]

Team game set up

Wanting to play a team game, I advertised on the message board. It took some time and a couple of votes, but we agreed on the Scenario, the Optional Rules, and the Teams. For the team set up we voted to use the results of the random draw by Antoni.

Scenario: A Close Run Thing (Salerno)

German Team: Earl (von Earlman)[Commander], Jesse (Kernel T), and Gary (Tide1)
vs.
Allied Team: SOF Sector: Larry Reese [Commander], X Corps (UK): Scott (Cole), and VI Corps (US): Jim (von Krieg)

Optional Rules: Indirect Fire by Map, Armor Facing, Extreme Fog of War, Command Control, and Extreme Assault

Planning

As part of the planning process, I develop a map to coordinate and discuss our plan.

Larry lays out his concept of the the operations: Phase One - Once forces are ashore, we move to take initial primary objectives, labeled "1A." Initial objectives of secondary importance are labeled "1b" and take a backseat to "1A"s in commitment of forces. In brief, the primary moves are to link up at the bridges/fords that separate the two main landing forces, while the SOF try to cause as as much trouble as possible in Salerno (drawing off at least some of the German effort). British forces are to provide secondary efforts / demonstrations towards Salerno and the airfield during phase one.

Phase Two - Once the link up has been achieved, US and UK forces push hard on the airfield and the primary phase two objectives. Secondary attacks will be made as the situation allows towards the 2b secondary objectives. In Phase Two, Salerno now becomes a primary objective for the UK forces (and US forces passed to UK command if necessary).

As an experienced player in this scenario, Scott follows with commentary: Here are my quick thoughts. Let's get started and the Germans will be coming at us very quickly with highly powerful and mobile armor.
I'm beginning the think the hope to win rests with the Americans on the eastern beaches. They will have most of the armor and they definitely need to break out. In our current game it's turn 27 and the Americans are still battling for the river crossing while Salerno will be overrun soon and the Brits are faced with a strong element in the center Battaglia.

I would forget 1B and 2B and concentrate on the hill hex closer to Salerno only. Only move towards 1B to provide defensive buffer room from the very strong element of German paratroopers that will otherwise overwhelm any American battalion trying to take it.

Just concentrate on the hill overlooking Salerno but prepare for a hard fight to take Salerno and then a hard fight to keep it when the Germans roll in with lots of recon and tanks. If the Brits can send over tanks and AT guns that would be good but that whole road is under German observation.

In the center the Brit's 1A is about the only place on the map that is not under observation in those fields ready for harvesting. Should be easy to link up but please keep in mind that the road just to the north of the field is under observation from the hill at Battaglia (town just to the NE of the airfield or 2 on the map). Right now I have a ton of Germans holed up in that town and the only reason I can still advance on it is my artillery. Artillery and smoke are the Brit's only friends.

The Brit commander will need to decide early if he is to try and send his few tanks to help in Salerno or go help join with the Americans. Maybe 50/50.

I do think a demonstration should be made towards the airfield and #2 to keep some Germans pinned there but they will suffer casualties unless the British player advances behind a well placed smoke screen.

Be aware once the Germans send spotters up the mountains they have really good LOS.

All that to say I agree with the Basic plan but don't bother about the Rangers and Commando's 1b objective, they'll get wiped out.

Brits might want to think about providing a little more than just a demonstration to their 1b objectives. I think with maybe 50% of their forces going to link up with the Americans it should be a problem to link up and take the 1A objectives. Salerno will need help and the airfield and #2 will have to be taken eventually to win.

Paestum (VI Corps Sector)

Historically, the US attempt to “surprise” the enemy by foregoing naval gunfire in support of the landing beaches proved to be a dubious decision at best and a criminally incompetent one at worst. As the green Texas Soldiers’ landing craft approached the beaches, German loudspeakers called out to them in English, "Come on in and give up. We have you covered.” An invitation the boys from Texas ignored as they stormed ashore to crack what Winston Churchill had dubbed the soft underbelly of Europe. Unfortunately for many of them, it was just a little harder than they were expecting with the rampant talk of the Italian Surrender. True, Italy was out of the war, but the Germans were now in charge and preparing a less than friendly reception on the Salerno Beaches. Instead of being surprised, the Germans were waiting.

Mission:

141st Inf Regt – Once on the beaches, push towards OBJ Anvil to block Rte 18 North of Paestum and clear enemy positions overlooking the landing beaches. In support is a British Light Cruiser operating nearby in the Gulf of Salerno. Additionally, the cruiser will engage enemy coastal artillery positions to the North of your landing beaches. For the moment, US forces are dependent on the Royal Navy so be prepared to lose this support if the British forces run into trouble on their beaches.

142nd Inf Regt – Once on the beaches, push toward OBJ Hammer to block Rte 18 South of Paestum, additionally send a Co (-) to clear coastal artillery positions South of the 142nd landing beaches. No additional support is available as the southern beaches are currently out of naval gunfire support range. NOTE: To Earl, the landing location for the 141st and 142nd are flip flopped. Also, the battalion sequence is not accurate. Source: SALERNO, American Operations From the Beaches to the Volturno, 9 September - 6 October 1943.

Commentary:

Once OBJ Anvil and Hammer are taken, 142nd will commence clearing operations of Paestum. While 142nd is clearing Paestum, one battalion of the 141st will maintain a blocking position in the vicinity of (IVO) Anvil and the other two battalions will advance to the North on Rte 18 towards the crossing of the Sele River IVO Ponte Alla Scafa to support 5th Army Commander’s Order to link up with 10th Corps (Br) at that location.

I do not expect the enemy to put up much of a fight for Paestum. I will watch for indications that he’s pulling out to preserve his engineers until he can get additional firepower forward. However, I can’t see my opponent leaving much more than a token force to defend the town to slow me down. Depending what I see once I’m on the two objections I may go straight into the town, or I may loop in behind Paestum and crush it with all my force. If he actually fights for it with his Engineers, then I’ll use most of the 36th Inf Div to overwhelm his defenders.


D-Day, H-Hour

As 1/141 Inf Rgt moves off the beaches towards OBJ Anvil, it comes under coastal artillery and small arms fire from nearby coastal batteries and improved positions over watching the beaches. Forward Observers call for naval gunfire from the British warships offshore to suppress the enemy firing on the advancing troops.

Down the beach on the southern side of the landings, the 1/142 Inf Rgt moves off the beaches with little opposition. As most of the battalion moves towards OBJ Hammer, an under-strength company moves towards the coastal artillery battery flanking the US landing beaches.

Both battalions have limited mobility moving up from the beaches. I disperse and won’t bunch up to prevent heavy casualties from enemy artillery.