A Bridge too far ? Sicily 1943 WW2 Action

A bit like buses games are coming fairly frequently at the moment. The dungeon saw another all day wargame this weekend. With Martin house move transit I would be providing both forces and this gave me a chance to get my Sicily collection out for a big game. Quite a lot of new figures which have been painted earlier this year would be taking place in the battle. US paratroopers, additional US armour and German Fallschirmjager. This was not a historical battle but certainly represents many actions which took place on Sicily.

The Americans will be attacking from this end and looking to capture the 2 bridges (these are recently completed new terrain) and the cross roads to the East. They have three units of paratroopers to be dropped at the start although there is of course some randomness as to their location. The German force made up the 1st Fallschirmjager have already deployed an advance force to each objective. Vehicles can only cross the river at the bridges but infantry can wade across. The Americans have some off table artillery support controlled by an on table observer. First edition Bolt Action for the rules 🙂

A machine gun dug in at the nearest bridge, as the Americans advanced these lead units were actually hidden

A unit of infantry at the second bridge

The third unit is in the church 

German reserves of infantry advance from the West, supported by some attached armour

Bum…..the American paratroopers land right behind the second bridge !

More infantry and support weapons head through the fields behind the village.

US infantry push North towards the first objective with a Sherman leading the way and a 57mm AT gun

The Americans deploy a number of support weapons and the Artillery observer onto the rocky hill in their centre 

The main American infantry force advances towards the village

Germans deploy defensively in the village, but quickly have to redeploy their 75mm when it is attacked by American tanks coming down the road

The paratroopers behind their lines cause the Germans all sorts of problems and become a real distraction, they assault the German Stug although fail just to knock it out

PzIV risks the 57mm AT gun to advance towards the bridge, in the distance more paratroopers arrive but luckily they are dropped short of the objectives

Boom a ‘ lucky’ early shot from the Panzer (rolling a 6 followed by a 5 followed by a 6) brews up the Sherman this severely dents the American move towards the first bridge

The American paratroopers deploy on foot and the AT gun takes repeated shots at the Pz on the road

Having occupied the smaller building by the cross roads as well as the church the unit is forced out when the building is hit hard by Mortar fire

Still holding the second bridge 

Weight of fire from the attackers starts to drive the defenders by the first bridge back

And the Panzer IV is forced to pull back as artillery fire is called in from off table

Mortar fire also nearly wipes out the defenders by the second bridge 

Still not eliminated the paratroopers are at least less effective and pinned down, but they are still drawing forces away from protecting the first bridge

The bridge is starting to be outflanked by more infantry

Heavy German mortar fire has limited the US firepower from the rocky hill

The 57mm is taking fire now and the crew pinned down

Two American tanks have been stalked by Fallschirmjager with a Panzerschrek and now the AT gun has been moved forward as well, the Germans take the opportunity to assault American infantry in the far building and they are pushed out of the village

Boom again but this time the Panzer is caught in the flank by the Sherman 

Artillery was a key feature in US doctrine in Sicily but is wasn’t expecting the off table artillery to be so effective an entire German unit heading for the first bridge is knocked out in one strike (a double 6 !)

But now it is clear the village has been secured by the Germans and the tanks driven away

Finally the paratroopers have been killed or captured by the second bridge

But the Americans have taken the first bridge and are moving forward past the burning PzIV

Phew….a really fun day gaming swinging both ways and lots of moments of fun (and despair) for both sides. The Germans held in the end and can claim a victory but are now pretty thin on the ground and with almost limitless reserves the Americans will be able to push through eventually. Really great to get the Fallschirmjager out in force and the entire American force into one battle which was fairly well balanced.

More stuff for Sicily in the future with some additional forces ? Think the Americans need an M7 

Thanks as always for checking in, hopefully next back to CoC with George and then a return to the AWI

Matt 🙂