Battle of Casa de Priolo : Sicily 1943

Nearly caught up now. Our next couple of battles are a return to Sicily, with the newly painted Italians up for a fight. The battles of the 10th and 11th July saw multiple combatants contesting a range of features, villages and objectives inland from the American landings at Gela. Many of these smaller engagements provide idea ‘inspiration’ for scenarios or battles.

At Priolo we have the Italians attack with Tanks against the Paratroopers who have been scattered from their planned drop zones. The American 16th Infantry division is driving inland supported by Naval guns. Then the Herman Goering Division throws its weight into the fight as well. 

For the scenario, the Americans have the bulk of their 16th Infantry in and around the village. One of the benefits for this battle was Steve as the Americans had no knowledge of the attacking forces, only that Italians and Germans were involved. The Italians advance on the nearest road Turn 1. Germans from the far side/road turn 3. American reserves. Moving up from the beach (to the left of the table) include Sherman’s and artillery support. The Americans also have paratroopers if they can find their way to the battlefield, they will arrive randomly from the NE (this end corner of the table). The Italian/German objective is to break through the village, to get to the Americans landing on the beaches, tough !

Priolo in Sicilian sunshine July 1943

The Italians arrive with all their armour to push through the village, their infantry disembark to avoid being caught out in their transport

The Italians start down the road

The Americans have infantry in the fields and holding the outskirts of the village

More outlying Americans are called back into the village to bolster the defense

The Italian infantry starts to exchange fire with the defenders whilst the lead R35 push forward towards the village

The American defenders bring up some heavy support, but pull back when they start to take fire

As the Italians push to the edge of the village and in the distance, the HG panzers arrive

Leading the way one of the HG Tigers, but even though their deployment was random the Americans are lucky that their Sherman’s arrive on the left of the village

More German armour pushes towards the bridge, whilst Panzergrenadiers cross the river bed on foot

Nooooooooooo as the Tiger crosses the bridge the Americans get off a lucky shot, hitting the Tiger on the flank and it is immobilised ! Blocking the bridge to further panzers, we had already agreed the river bed couldn’t be crossed by vehicles, and worse than that the specific location of the Tiger means it can’t turn its turret to fight with the Sherman’s 😂

The Italians continue their advance towards the village

The lead R35 is knocked out, but the American Greyhound is also knocked out

With the bridge blocked the german armour fires into the village long range and the German infantry disembark form their trucks and run forward

After several failed activations the first of the 505th Paratroopers arrive behind the Italians ! They come under heavy fire and are pinned down, but now the Italians are fighting on two fronts !

More paratroopers arrive from the East

The fight to reach the village continues

The third and final paratrooper unit arrives running down the road

The fighting is now in the village, the crated indicates where the previous defenders were wiped out by artillery fire from the Germans. But now the Italians who have broken into the village face very fierce resistance

Pinned down the only option left is to attack…..sadly it doesn’t pay off

The axis forces are starting to struggle now

But German infantry has moved over the river and is now in the outskirts of the village

Carnage all the Italian tanks have been stopped and are burning but so is the lone American Stuart taken out by the Tiger still stuck on the bridge

That was pretty much it for the Axis. The Italians who led the advance were pretty much wiped out, the Germans have infantry in the village, but with the bridge blocked there is nothing they can do to break through. They must pull back and attack again tomorrow ?

A most enjoyable battle, nice to get the Italians out on the table, the Tiger on the bridge had us laughing for some time such is the way of things.

 I have spent much of the week prepping more Italians, including all their support weapons etc, I now just need to paint them, I e also been working on some more French Napoleonic infantry. But the only thing finished…….

….are some small winter trees which needed basing.

Anyway thanks as always for your support, next post another Sicily battle and then I’m upto date.

Matt♥️