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

I forgot to define my naming conventions at the start of the last report. BRP stands for British Red Platoon, as indicated on the tactical maps. BGP would be British Green Platoon. FRP = Fallschirmjager Red Platoon and so on.

Turn 2:

As per the special rules, the British platoons need to unpin to move.Only MG2 and BBP are able to unpin and continue to crawl forward toward the enemy. The British fail to spot any German troops this turn.

For the Germans, just MG2 is able to spot their opposing number and open up on the British MG2 platoon. 6 shots cause a couple of hits but these are saved and no damage is caused.

It’s a cagey start to the battle with Turn two ending with no casualties so far and only a couple of British Platoons able to move in both turns.

Turn 3:

BPP, MG1 and BGP unpin and advance 8” toward the German lines. MG1 is able to spot the German MG1 but again, the dug in position protects the Germans from any damage. BGP is close enough to now spot FBP but the two shots that do hit fail to wound thanks to the trench works. Finally, 1iC who is advancing just behind BGP is able to spot for the mortars who range in on a point covering the German 1iC, German MG1 and FBP. The mortars aren’t particularly effective, only causing the 1iC to duck for cover and become pinned.

Turn 4

This turn MG2, BOP, BRP and BGP all manage to get going and advance. BRP finds the first minefield but fortunately, none of the teams that entered it take any damage. They do however find themselves stuck in the middle of the minefield, not an ideal place to be when faced with German MG’s! BOP and BGP are able to spot and fire upon some German targets but again fail to cause any damage. The British 1iC can only spot 14” this turn and so can only call in a mortar bombardment on the FBP which hits, pinning them in place but causes no further damage.

BGP are close enough now to launch an assault against FBP. Shouting the order, the platoon command tries to drive his platoon forward. FBP and HMG Nest 1 both open up with defensive fire and get 6 hits, killing two stands. This is enough to pin the British in place and cause the assault to fail.

At the start of the German turn, FBP unpin and immediately begin firing into BGP. Despite a lot of hits, they fail to cause any further damage although HMG Nest 1 is able to pick off another stand.

THe British MG2 is removed by its opposing number and HMG Nest 2 takes out 2 stands from BOP. FRP also removes 2 stands from BOP, effectively reducing BOP’s fighting strength by half in a very short space of time.