AAR - Primosole Bridge CG I cont.

July 14PM cont.: Doug loads up for the attack. Near as I can tell he has purchased four coys (2 IT and 2 Ger), an Italian MG pltn and an Italian mtr pltn plus the FB42 and a Stug pltn (2 stugs). He must have bought 2 coys for 14AM and then 2 more for 14PM because of the restrictions on how much he can replenish. I end up with just being able to by increased SAN twice, FB42, two Para Pltns and one ArBn Coy Cmd. Not much, but since I didn’t lose much on the initial landing and still have 2 AT guns and a captured Italian MMG along with the village I’m feeling pretty good. It is a lot of Axis squads though….

Doug has to enter everyone from off-board. His Italian blackshirt coy and 2 stugs enter from the north and drive towards the town across the open fields. It’s a pretty safe crossing given the hindrance from the olive groves and vineyards. The regular Italian coy and two more German companies cross from the NNW corner and attack the west side of the town. Since we both have FB’s I’m wondering about tying the Axis FB (we both only got 1 plane) up in a dogfight – but alas, his FB enters first (even though I had purchased the -2 drm option) and my first sighting check boxes recalling the useless FB. Doug’s FB then runs a strafing run on my 9-2 and three squads that I thought were in good shape behind the stone wall – course that was only in good shape from his infantry. A snake eyes later and tied r.s. sees two of my para squads KIA’s and a broken 9-2 and 648. Not looking good – but later that turns out to be my only casualties so in hindsight that didn’t matter as all the para’s withdraw after the night anyway.

After the FB attack on my stack and another broken squad on the north end of the village Doug’s Italian attack is looking pretty viable until he hits the barb wire fence. Then he breaks both mortars and 1 of the hmg’s. He pulls a Stug up outside of the wire and then discovers that one of my AT guns is three hexes away. A turn later the first stug is gone and the turn after that the second stug is down. Meanwhile, the western attack hits the range of the 648’s and the firepower is too much for the Germans and Italians. The attack bogs down at the wire. I get lucky and roll a 1 at the end of Brit turn 5 and the scenario ends. The paras have held the town with the loss of 2 squads and the recalled FB. The Axis lose the two stugs and 6 ½ squads (mostly Italian). Doug does manage to get to all 4 objective hexes and also dig a few foxholes so he now has a much expanded set-up area around B5 and a second set-up area on the East side of the map.

July14N: No reason for me to attack so I go Idle. He still has a lot of MMC’s and there is no reason to take the East entry hexes as he can still enter on them at this time. If he wants to attack my paras at night, go ahead. I like stealthy at night and there is a large uncontrolled territory between the allied and axis set-up areas that he will have to cross at night that will eat up lots of turns of movement. Realizing that the British paras withdraw after the night anyway, Doug also goes Idle so no scenario is played. The Brit paras withdraw, but since the British control the village north of the river, a portion of the Germans that withdraw (9 squads, 3 leaders and a SW) will get to come back July 15AM. So, Doug will have two set-up areas with the remnants of two coys of Italians setting up in them and about a company of Germans to enter with in addition to his normal CPP purchases. We pause here and will pick up July 15AM next….