75th Anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino and Northern Italy (Gaming The Battles)

Our second table top battle takes place to the North of Anzio, on 4th February 1944.

British 1st Division – 1st Battalion Sherwood Forresters vs 4th Fallschirmjager and 26th Panzer of 76th Panzer Corps

Background to the battle:

On January 30th 1944, Lucas launched a two pronged attack from the Anzio beach head. British 1st Division thrust North East toward Campeleone up the Via Anziate and, after several days of fighting, they were unable to progress. Worse, British 1st Division had created an exposed, narrow salient stretching up the road. The German forces had continued to gather and by late on 3rd February launched a counter offensive against the troops dug in just South of Campeleone. 

By midday on 4th February the situation was deteriorating quickly for the British as their organisation and defensive line crumbled. Many units found themselves cut off and surrounded and were fighting desperately. A number of battalions, including the Sherwood Forresters, found themselves isolated and tried to hold their ground. As the day wore on, losses mounted and at 5pm, they were ordered to enact a fighting withdrawal. The 168th Infantry Regiment, supported by the 46th Royal Tank Regiment, punched through the surrounding Germans to support the withdrawal.

In this battle, we focus upon the 1st Battlion Sherwood Forresters who have been cut off toward the tip of the salient and have dug in around a small chapel just off of Via Anziate. Heading down the road from the North are the 4th Fallschirmjager supported by two panzer platoons, with orders to remove the British as quickly as possible.

Game Scenario: This game hinges around the British ability to extract as many troops as possible from the front line. The Germans need to push forward and destroy as many of the British forces as quickly as possible.

The British deploy within 12” of the chapel and start the game dug in, concealed and gone to ground. The lead element of 168th, three universal carriers, are placed on the road at the Southern table edge at the start of the game and can move freely from turn 1

The British must hold their positions until the end of Turn 3. From Turn 4 onwards, the British can begin to with draw to the road on the southern edge of the board. When within 6” of the road and board edge, they are removed and considered successfully extracted.

At the beginning of Turn 4, a platoon of Shermans from 46th RTR arrives at the Southern edge of the board on the road. A second platoon of Shermans arrive at the start of turn 5. The Shermans do not count toward the victory conditions and are not extracted.

The Germans start the game on the Northern edge, deployed within 12” of the road and table edge. This will place the two forces very close together at the start of the game. At the start of Turn 2, a third platoon of Fallschirmjager arrives.

Victory Conditions.

The British receive 1VP for each platoon they successfully extract (not including the Universal Carriers or Sherman Platoons).

The Germans receive 1VP for each British Infantry or Gun platoon they destroy (not including the universal Carriers or Sherman Platoons)

Order of Battle:

British: 1st Battalion Sherwood Forresters (rated Confident/Trained)

            1st and 2nd in Command (1iC, 2iC) Rifle Teams

            3 Rifle Platoons (Cmd team, 2” mortar team, Piat Team, 6 Rifle/MG teams)

            1 MG Platoon (2 teams armed with Vickers Medium MG)

            1 Anti Tank Platoon (2 teams with 6pdr anti tank guns)

            3 Universal Carriers

            2 Tank Platoons (3 identical Sherman Tanks) held in reserve

German: 76th Panzer Division (Fallschirmjager rated Fearless/Veteran. Tanks Rated Confident/Veteran)

            1st and 2nd in Command (1iC, 2iC) SMG teams

            3 Fallschirmjager Platoons (Cmd team, 9 Rifle/MG teams) 1 Platoon in reserve

            1 Fallschirmjager Mortar Platoon (4 teams with 8cm mortar, Spotter team)

            2 Tank Platoons (3 identical Panzer IV H)

Deployment:

The British deploy their MG Platoon (MGP), 1iC and Sherwood Forrester Green Rifle Platoon (SFGP) behind the stone walls surrounding the chapel. 2iC deploys with SF Orange Rifle Platoon (SFOP) along the edge of the woods to the east of the road. SF Red Rifle Platoon (SFRP) and the anti tank gun platoon (ATP) deploy on the hill to the West of the chapel.

The Germans deploy their Fallschirmjager closely together either side of the road with Fallschirmjager Green Platoon (FGP) on the East with 2iC and Fallschirmjager Blue Platoon (FBP) with 1iC deploys to the West of the road. The two tank platoons deploy on the road itself, with Tank Platoon 1 (TP1) in the lead. The Fallschirmjager Mortar Platoon (FMP) deploys at the corner of the board.