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

Project best read in reverse order

Turn 7

The last remaining team from AP B unpins and, with the 2iC there, is able to pass the morale check. RP E unpins however both RP G and RP F remain pinned. The last remaining team from RPD fails their morale check and are removed from the battle.

The Engineers roll another 6 bringing their bridge score to 7, just two away from potentially being able to bring in some much needed armour reinforcements.

RP E advances further past the old trench line of Green Platoon. AP B with the 2iC rush past HMG 2, deciding that this can be left for the advancing rifle platoons behind them. The 2iC sees the objectives and a largely unprotected mortar team further inland from the river!

RP E fires its bazooka at the Panzer IVs but misses. The pinned RP G fire their rifles at HMG 2 rolling 2 dice and getting 1 hit. The nest fails its save and RP G has to make a 6+ firepower check rolling a 6! But, as this is a nest, the FP needs to be retaken and a 6 is rolled again! So where the flame thrower failed, the pin point accurate rifle fire delivers! Clearly RP G has spent plenty of time on the range practicing.

The mortar team attempts to bombard the tanks in a desperate attempt to support the rifle teams. Despite ranging in first time, they fail to hit the tanks and cause any damage. Finally, the supporting tanks target the Panzer IVs but fail to hit.

The Germans continue to move Red Platoon up and they are rejoined by the German 2iC. The Panzer IVs make a blitz move and start firing on RP E hitting 6 times and killing another team.

Red Platoon are in range of the US mortar teams and open fire, killing 1 team. Black Platoon fail to cause RP G any problems.

The German mortars launch a repeat bombardment and are able to kill another team from RP F.

The Panzer IVs launch an assault against RP E. RP E get a bazooka shot off before the assault hits home and manage to hit and bail one of the Panzer IVs. It’s not enough and the tanks roll over RP E killing another two teams. RP E try to counter attack but, fearful of the tanks, decide to fall back instead while the tanks consolidate their gains.

Turn 8

AP B passes their morale check and stays with the 2iC. Meanwhile, RP F unpins but RP G is not able to. The Engineers fail to add to their bridge this turn.

The 2iC accompanied by the last remaining team from AP B advance to within assault range of the German mortar teams. RP E also advances while RP F takes up position in Green Platoon’s trench.

AP B, 2iC and RP G all shoot at the German Mortar teams. They score 4 hits, not enough to pin them and fail to convert these hits into kills.

The tank support once again fails to hit anything and RP E’s bazooka hits a Panzer IV but fails to break the armour – had it, another bailed or destroyed tank would have left the tanks taking a morale check! Meanwhile, the US mortars repeat their bombardment against the tanks and cause a hit but can’t penetrate the armour.

RP G fire their rifles at Red Platoon, killing one team but Red Platoon is looking likely to close in behind the 36th and close of their retreat.

In defiance of the odds, the 2iC leads the last remaining team from AP B into assault against the German Mortars. The mortar teams fire with their rifles but fail to wound and the assault hits home. Between them, the 2iC and AP B kill two mortar teams. The rest of the mortar teams can’t stomach any more and fall back, leaving the 2iC and AP B to take their trench. Surely there will be commendations for the 2iC and AP B?? More importantly, that scores the US player another Victory Point!

RP F decide to launch an assault against the two operational Panzer IVs. The tanks look to be expecting this as their 8 shots of defensive fire cause 6 hits and kill two of the teams, including the bazooka team. This halts the assault before it even starts and pins RP F in place!

The bailed Panzer IV successfully remounts and the tanks continue their advance on the now almost defenceless 36th. Red Platoon also continues to advance along the road, looping behind the 36th Rifle Platoons. Red Platoon fires upon the US mortar teams and kills another. HMG 1 gets line of sight to RP G and kills another two teams.

Black platoon and one of the Panzer IVs fire on RP G and between them kill three teams. RP E has taken massive casualties this turn! The two remaining Panzer IVs fire at RP F and kill two teams.

At this point, with the score standing at 3-2 in favour of the Germans, the 36th concedes. Apart from the Engineer platoon and RPF, all of the remaining platoons require morale checks to remain on the table. RPF is down to just a few teams and there is no way of countering the German armour. It was a valiant effort and 2iC and AP B should be commended on their heroic actions but, as in the real battle, losses for the 36th became so great that they had to withdraw. Indeed, the losses were so great that the remaining Infantry Regiment of the 36th was not sent over the Garigliano but was sent up river to support the 34th Infantry Division. With the huge number of casualties taken, Congress investigated the US Army after the war concluded on their conduct during this assault.