Produktbeschreibung
Developing a battlebook on the campaign in Italy provides the opportunity to bring this maligned theatre to the forefront on your tabletop. Italy was certainly an area that received a lot of bad press both during and after the war. So where to start was an important choice. In researching the entire campaign, it became evident that Italy was a training ground for both the Allies and Germany. What was tried, tested, discarded or integrated into both armies has some roots in the Italian campaign.
The real defining moment in the Italian campaign for the Allies was Operation Diadem. After beating their head against the Gustav Line culminating in the futility of Cassino, General Alexander decided to clean the slate and start from scratch. To break open Kesselring’s defence he need a joint effort. That effort started with the Anzio landing in January 1944 and ended with the Anzio breakout in May 1944. Between those times the Allied armies had been reorganized, refitted, and reinforced.
By Operation Diadem in May 1944, they had lost their North African and Sicilian mantel and had incorporated many lessons learned into their battle plans. The breakout at Anzio and Operation Diadem demonstrated many of these new concepts.
The Germans also learned many new lessons in successfully halting the Allies and these concepts as well, were honed in the defensive terrain of Italy. I have tried to bring many of these new techniques to Dogs and Devils within the context of the battle for Rome.
Selecting the Hermann Göring Fallschirmpanzerdivision was a no brainer. I had wanted to include it in River of Heroes but space limitations precluded that and I wanted to give it its due (plus we had a whole line of HG figures). Their participation in the Italy campaign also allowed me to demonstrate the transition from the offensive panzer divisions of North Africa to the developing concepts of Fire Brigades that would become the centre of German defensive tactics in late war.
There are three HG lists included in the book, an HG Panzerkompanie, an HG Panzergrenadierkompanie, and the heavy Aufklarüngs (recon). They give a good feel for the move from Panzer IIIs and IVs to heavy tanks, the need for building a hasty defence to plug a hole in the front lines and a unique attempt to build a kampfgruppe around a heavy weapons battalion.
The schwere Aufklarüngs Kompanie is based upon a German tactical anomaly. Their commander, through attrition and experience, became the head of any Aufklarüngs kampgruppe that the HG division formed. He naturally used his company, the schwere Aufklarüngs, as the core unit in his kampfgruppe with support coming from the other units in the Aufklarüngs. This allowed us to totally flip the list, giving some very unique and interesting options for a unit like Wespes as a combat platoon.
The HG special rules are also designed to give you a flavour of how the Germans were now fighting. The division itself was surrounded by a bit on controversy. Their reputation as an elite division that fought hard against nearly impossible odds is justified but their expertise was suspect. Nonetheless, they were constantly thrust into the maelstrom of combat expecting to turn the tide for Germany regardless of the mission. Their continued use by the two German armies in building a hasty defence is incorporated into the Motorised Movement and Stacheldraht rules. They allow you to bring a motorised and armoured force together and quickly build a defence line against an advancing enemy.
Enticed by the odd mix of infantry, heavy armour, and diverse artillery that was raced to support the German defence at Anzio, I selected the 362nd and 715th Infantry divisions to represent the vestiges of the stalwart German unit. Since they were the ones supported by the heavy weapons of the 69. Panzerregiment, they were a natural selection.
Though argumentatively not true Stalingrad divisions, the 362nd having been made up of the remnants of the 305th, a true Stalingrad division, and the 715th only sharing a replacement centre with destroyed Stalingrad divisions, it was important to highlight the Stalingrad connection in the German armies that fought in Italy. Both divisions however were beefed-up with an extra panzergrenadier regiment and the 715th was equipped with enough mobility to be listed as a motorised division in the German daily reports. Plus, with the heavy support both received at Anzio, they typified the tough defenders faced by the allies.
The LXXVI Panzerkorps (76th Panzer Corps) with the unique 69. Panzerregiment (containing Tigers, Panthers, Elefants, StuGs with Borgwards, and Brümbars) was the beginning of the German concept of Panzerkorps Fire Brigades. Shifting heavy assets to support either offensive or defensive actions became its mission.
The final note on the German armies was the gathering of the artillery into a Corps level asset. The Germans dug-in the artillery to protect them against Allied air or artillery and I needed a way to reflect this. In researching their commanders, I stumbled upon Oberst Gosewich, who incorporated Hitler’s order to give first priority for artillery support to the infantry into his concept of sending additional observers to the front line and using the knowledge he learned on the Eastern Front, to keep his artillery available to the soldier on the line. His special rules reflect his tenacity and ability to deliver support.
Now, on to the Americans!
I knew I wanted to do an American Infantry Division and once the veteran divisions were identified, the 3rd, 34th, 36th, and 45th, I had to pick one. Two things pointed me towards the 3rd. This first was their Medal of Honor total (36 for World War II with the Big Red One being second at 16) and the second was their war banners (Tunisia, Sicily, Salerno, Cassino, Anzio, and France). With four amphibious landings under their belt before D-day they got the nod over the 34th, 36th, and 45th. Their tangling with the Hermann Göring Division on numerous occasions also solidified their selection.
The 3rd Infantry was basically America’s amphibious assault division. Their experience and training along with the new concepts developed at Anzio gave them a nasty assault capability. The large platoons are based on the 25% more manpower they received and the pre-assault deployment of replacements to Anzio. The Medal of Honor and Sharpshooter rules are designed to get them over the top when other assaults flounder.
Selecting the second US list gave us the choice of either the 1st Armoured or the First Special Service Force. The First Armoured would be similar to Cobra lists and the FSSF already had a PDF list, so I started to look for uniqueness. The FSSF stood out on a number of levels. First is was an offensive assault unit trained in demolitions (dear to my heart), second it was a ranger unit, third it was half Canadian, fourth the PDF was written as a raiding force but the FSSF at Anzio was used as a division. Finally, with all the new models available at Anzio (90mm Anti-aircraft guns, the Fire Direction Center, indirect fire from M10s and 3in AT guns, plus the assault infantry training they received), they won. Adding to the fact they fought both the HG and the 362nd, all was falling into place.
Everyone has felt the wrath of American artillery. Well I’ve added a Strategic Bombardment, followed by Coordinated Artillery fire, the likes you’ve never seen before. Italy was one of the few times that strategic bombardments were used to launch major assaults. Operation Buffalo was one of those moments. Though expensive, this capability gives an assaulting infantry force the first turn advantage in keeping the enemy pinned while protecting your exposed infantry with smoke before they go in for the kill. It won’t kill a lot but it will give you a good push towards success.
The Fire Direction Center allows you to integrate almost every big gun and mortar on the beach. I read one anecdote about the artillery at Anzio. Seems over 450 guns were integrated through their FDC and when a target was nominated each tube would fire one shot with all 450 shells landing as one TOT. You probably can’t get 450 tubes in one FoW force but firing all your guns on one target can’t be all bad. It also allows you to range in on a single artillery gun on one turn. Then bring a double-wide artillery back on that spot the next turn, hopefully catching two more guns under your template with effective counter-battery fire.
Now with all this I need to give you a warning on facing the Devil’s Brigade. You better work hard on getting to these guys before they close with you because if they get close, you're toast. They’ve been eating Elefants and Brumbars during play testing. And just to make them fun we’ve added a ranger gun platoon leftover from Darby’s Rangers and a Fearless Veteran 105mm Parachute Artillery battery for support.
A note on the parachute battery. All the 75mm pack howitzers were pulled out of Anzio for the D-Day drops. The 45th Infantry division supplied the 463rd with guns while they were at Anzio. That to me meant 105mm howitzers. While I couldn’t actually verify that, to me, it was obviously 105s and they would be much more interesting and fun. |
