Monday 16 June 2014

Italy Campaign by WWPD Mission #5

Two Armored forces collide in this show down outside Frosinone.


The German force consisting of 1250 points from the 26th PzKo.  Supported by Alwin Steinhauser and his fearless FJs.

The Allied force from the 1st Armored supported by Indian rifles and Brit 25pdrs.  (1250)

The mission is Pincer.  The Allies start as much as possible across the river obstacle. 

The Germans wait in the hedges with panzer IVs and FJs dug in the town between both objectives.

Immediately the superior technology of the Allies tanks shows.  Easy 8s with Smooth ride light up the German 2IC.

Indians charge to the hill and attempt to climb.  Most have difficulty getting up the steep slope even as mountainers.

The Alled CO and 2IC  use their Detroits finest to get right into the town and behind the german Co Commander.

German counter fire is pretty much ineffective only bailing one sherman.

The Allies again strike home.  The German CO bites the bullet.

Its then time for some payback.  The 2nd Panzer IV platoon which is in ambush decided to shoot!  Getting some revenge by taking out the Allies CO and 2IC!

Nearby Indians can only watch in horror....

As the Pz IVs decide they will take on them next.  Machine gun fire splatters almost half the platoon.

Meanwhile the fight for the objective on the North side is heating up.  The Allies use their high mobility to get in close and personal. 
Panzer IVs are popping like balloons filled with gas. 

Too late to help, German reserves arrive in the form of Recce 8 Rads.  All they can do is try to get on the objective and score some lucky side shots.  Remarkably they nail a Sherman!

At the same time 2 Flakpanzer 38ts arrive.  With the Same goal.  Get to the objective!

Major Alwin Steinhauser and his FJs charge from the houses.   They are the only hope for the Germans now.


The smoke from the tank battle is filling the sky.  Kills on both side.

Alwin decides its too risky to assault right now and has his men hold in the hedges. 

Artillery fire from the Brits starts to rain in on the FJs.  Several are killed in the open.



German Nebs arrive.  Too late to be of much use.

Alwin watches as the battle goes to hell.  
The 3 Panzer IVs on the south side have chased off the entire Indian platoon.  And now turn to reinforce the massive carnage at the objective.

They arrive and are immediately outgunned by waiting Easy 8s who make short work of them.

Alwin charges with the remnants of the FJs but its a charge too far.  And HQ calls for a retreat.  The Major reluctantly pulls back and concedes the field to the Allies.  (Having dropped below half strength and being unable to roll company morale without a CO or 2IC alive)

This scarp metal heap goes to the Allies!  4-3


Monday 9 June 2014

Italy Campaign by WWPD Mission #4

Highway 7 Outside Cisterna. 
The British 78th Division travels along the road racing to cut off German forces falling back from the Hitler Line.
Mission:  Road Block
Attackers:  78th Div (Road to Rome) 2000 points
Defenders:  HG PzDiv.  (Fortress Italy)  2000 points
Churchills move through a sleepy Italian village.  They pass within feet of a platoon of StuGs hiding in the rubble of a ruined church.
The Rifle platoon in their Defrocked priests are not so lucky!  The StuGs let loose and nearly gut the platoon.  The survivors dismount under fire.

Witness to the devastating ambush a platoon of Crocodiles move in.

The Germans begin shelling the survivors of the Rifle platoon but fail to score any kills.

More Brit Armor shows up!

And they are supported by the RAF.   Rockets hit the German Company Commander and a nearby Pz III M.  But only manage to bail both.

Navy bombardments from the coast scores a hit on a wespe as German Pz III M and N reinforcements watch in horror.

The Luftwaffe is on hand but cannot dent the armor of the Churchills.  StuGs in the background manage to get hits on another Rifle platoon racing to dig in on the Objective.

Which they manage to do.  The survivors finding cover amidst the swirling smoking wreckage of their transports.


Crocs move up steadily pushing the Germans back as shells bounce off their front armor harmlessly.

The RAF continues to hound the Germans.  But this time somehow the AA fire manages to reduce the flight to 1 plane.  And a stroke of luck sees 1 Wespe only bailed.

Panzers are playing cat and mouse with the big heavy Brit tanks. 

Fallschirmjaeger lead by Major Alwin Steinhauser watch on from the safety a wood.  They are never able to find an opening to exploit.

The battle drags on with neither side coming out on top.  Both Commanders decide to pull back and resupply for another day.   Victory points are calculated and due to the Allies losing 1 platoon it is called a 4-3 for the Germans.