Italian Tigers Bare Their Fangs - The Matrix Games version of West Front

The U.S. IV Corps also found progress slow but by 1 July had crossed the river Cecina and were within 20 miles (32 km) of Livorno. Meanwhile, the French Corps had been held up on the river Orcia west of Lake Trasimene until the parachutist defenders withdrew on 27 June allowing them to enter Siena on 3 July.

In rough terms, due to the occasional misstep of the advancing armies (viz the inability to quickly take Citta della Pieve), and a well organized fighting retreat, the German forces were able to set up a massively strong defensive line, part of the Albert Line, in the five mile gap between Lake Chiusi and Lake Trasimene. In the middle of June, the 78th Division were asked to lead a strong thrust to unhinge the strongly held defenses between the two lakes, with the South Africans stuck on their western side. The perceived difficulties were such that it was even said that General Keightley had the idea of landing an amphibious landing (by DUKW) behind the German rear !!

After strong resistance had been encountered by the 11th and 36th Brigades, which thwarted the initial assault, the British 38th, Irish Brigade, with their supporting armored support the 11th Canadian Armored Regiment were called forward on the 21st June to seek to outflank and attack the strongly held village of SanFattuchio from the rear.

Sufficed to say, the next few days were desperately difficult with tales of vicious hand to hand fighting, acts of great attacking endeavor, and stubborn defensive actions and counter attack. In one instance, the Lancashire Fusiliers telephoned the Irish Brigade's HQ to praise the way the London Irish Rifles' (LIR) attack had gone in on the morning of the 21st June, a very rare occurrence of such praise being conveyed between battalions in different Brigade units. But, after many days of great difficulties (an understatement), the Albert line was eventually unhinged by the end of June - unfortunately to lead to even more hardship further north.

This scn is a combination of 2 days of war for playability. The fight for Chiusi was one for San Fattuchio several days later. The size of the map is so that it can be used in additional battles beyond the days represented (I might get 2-6 scn’s out of it). By the way, the battle in Chiusi was brutal and the first real battle the south African’s lost. It was so brutal that once they surrendered the Germans found that some of the infantry had literally been blown apart taking point blank 88’mm Tiger main gun damage. I have visited the town of Chiusi and took a bit of liberty with the map gaining altitude on the south side of the city. But it lends to the trouble the allies had getting there.