Escape From Anzio - The Matrix Games version of West Front

La Villa, 20km NE of Anzio, Italy: [Best played as Allied] As the Germans waited for the next Allied blow to fall on the Gustav Line, plans were in the works to breakout from the Anzio beachhead. Operation Buffalo called for a thrust through the Cisterna area by the US 1st Armored and 3rd Infantry Divisions, deep into the rear of Kesselring's Southwest Army. Combat Commands A and B of the 1st Armored would smash through the German 954th and 956th Infantry Regiments west of Cisterna and seize the rail line to Rome, before continuing towards Giulianello and Velletri to cut off any response by the 76th Panzer Korps. Following a diversionary attack by the British on the far left flank, the US tankers and armored infantry "jumped off" on the 23rd, struggling through dense minefields and artillery fire. The German infantry were not new to combat and quickly fell back into strongpoints covered by anti-tank guns and tank destroyers, insuring the Americans would pay a high price to escape from Anzio.