On Saturday, the Rochester Historical Miniatures group debuted Eric’s new game table and broke a very long gaming drought in the process. Nice to get together with the crew and now that Eric has a dedicated game space, it adds another year round option for a table.
A bummer for me tho as always a tough choice when you have two gaming groups planning something for the same time on the same day! It’s a good problem but sorta feel bad for having to make a choice.
For the game Eric provided all the toys and decided to put together a WWII action in Sicily using Command Decision III. Prior to our long draught we’d been playing quite a bit of CDIV as part of a Barbarossa campaign. We’re playing the middle/southern part of the action having played the north part in a campaign a few years back.
So in this game the Germans were deftly trying to give ground as the Americans were trying to race the Brits to Messina. This action had Chuck and I running the Americans with a regiment with 2 battalions of American Infantry and an Armored Regiment with 105s and 150s in support. Eric and his son Aaron ran the Germans.
This is the view from our end of the table and the identified route of our offensive. Chuck and I figured we’d pick one side of the road and push away. We liked the shorter distances between the two woods on this right side and as Chuck put it, “looks to be more tank friendly.”
So Chuck ran the armor and I the infantry. We went ahead and entered on turn 1. I came in on the left flank and Chuck down the middle.
So on Turn 2, I went ahead and sent Easy company forward towards the woods. CDIII doesn’t have deterministic spotting, so it’s a roll to see what you see. I only saw the vehicles and the infantry I missed but that was enough that we figured smoke would be our next move. Unfortunately before we could call it down, the infantry and StuGs opened up and put enough into the forward company that they up and failed their morale by 8 and thus were a complete pick up.
Chuck threw some of his light takes onto the hill in the middle but losing one in the process. Thankfully we did get the smoke down and 6 Shermans pointed that way. Turn 4 looked to offer much in the way of drama!
Smoke up and luck was with us. We put enough into the Germans that they quickly started to lose the position. First set of woods down with many straight legs on the run trying to keep up and keep the offensive moving.
Eric and Aaron would drop plenty of artillery on me and as a result, two of the companies would pin but thankfully enough was rolling forward it didn’t slow us up too bad.
View from the opposite side. On the left Eric had a whole line of StuGs that were trying to snip us from the flank at long range. Thankfully they were vets and were bowling for 1s, still with limited ammo they couldn’t be to aggressive.
Our offensive continued and we made it to the woods line of the second forest on the left. Chuck’s Shermans were really doing all the work. My infantry was just trying to best to keep up!
This is actually an earlier picture of the left flank just before the picture above. Our lightning bolt all ready to go yet again into the woods and Chuck even had a company of Shermans well beyond near the back of these woods already and unsupported at that!
At this point Eric and Aaron were starting to pull their forces. Historically exactly what the Germans were doing. They wanted to get back into mainland Italy. The conclusion was obvious, it was more a matter of blunting the attack and getting forces off the island quickly as possible.
Last picture and very much close to the conclusion of the game. The StuGs on the left flank, not wanting to get encircled have pulled back. The Shermans and Infantry well into the woodline on the left flank. Our attack successful and the battle plan actually survived contact! Rare day where that happens!
Fun game, good to see the crew again