Playtesters wanted: Fortress Sicily'43 Scenario
New Sicily43 scenario, grab a buddy, try it out and leave feedback if you're up to it. The scenario is untested presently.
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Backdrop:
Axis forces sent to Tunisia were only to permit Rommel to escape with his forces via Tunis back to Sicily. To maintain Italian resolve, Hitler orders Rommel to turn Sicily into a fortress. What can Kesselring/Rommel do with the extra 200,000 force strength that would have otherwise surrendered in Tunisia? The very practical General Roatta remains in command of the Italian 6th Army and General Messe brings his experienced Italian 1st Army with him. The two Italian armies split Sicily in half with the first in the west and sixth in the east. The 5th Panzer Armee, now under Rommel controls all German forces and acts as mobile reserve, putting together three corps that are spread out about the island and off the map in southern Italy.
Monty pushes for an immediate invasion of Sicily to prevent Rommel time to rest and recover. However, delays are felt and allied forces themselves rest and reorganize as they wait to accumulate enough shipping for the invasion.
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May 1st, Operation Husky.Junior, or Fortress Sicily. Invasion time!
The British 1st Army lands near Gela with 2 corps, supporting Monty's 8th Army, also of 2 corps, on the left flank as it pushes North.
U.S. 7th Army lands the II Corps at Palermo and drives south to link up with the III Corps that lands on the southern beaches near Sciacca. The goal is the quickly cut off the western tip of the island and then push eastwards. The U.S. Provisional Corps lands on those western beaches and mops up the isolated units.
The concept of these plans should sound familiar.
Mussolini agrees to give Kesselring overall command in Sicily, but on the condition that Italian forces are first on the front lines. The initial reports of the landings were confusing as it seemed the allies were landing on every beach possible. They were unsure of where the real landings were and waited for additional intelligence. The first day the Italian Divisions have a 25% of activating on and after 10am. The germans were getting incoherent reports from their Italian liasons and won't activate until day 2 at a 50% chance.
The allies must use their strength and position to quickly push inland, securing victory locations and if possible axis supply depots.
The axis must recapture these VP locations and if possible push the allies back into the sea. Unable to do so after a month will result in axis failure. If Allies are stuck at/near the beaches they will withdraw from the Island.
While Germans do have some high quality units, much of their infantry was brought down to B quality. Kampfgruppens were given emphasis in my scenario design so the traditional division feel may seem off, but the command structure remains intact for the most part. The italian OOB saw some love as well, while I didn't want to artificially elevate their combat power, some units were organized a bit more efficiently. With the Italian first army present, there was less need to have smaller units scattered about.
I threw in some easter eggs for flavor, but nothing too crazy.
Some units don't have pictures, i'm trying to get these together. Mostly its the KG leader portraits, but some Italian equipment and HW company units for both sides.
Scenario is 250 Turns
Default rules, plus explicit supply.
Atheory
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