Late October, 1943, and the 78th Infantry Division is pushing up the Adriatic coast of Italy and has just crossed the Trigno river. Facing elements of 16th Panzer Division, the 78th launched an attack to take the ridge and village of San Salvo. Close to the coast, at the end of the ridge, sat San Salvo railway station, where the day's advance met strong resistance from panzers and StuGs. This game is a follow-up to our earlier San Salvo game, part of the same day's attack, which we played back in May, '24, that AAR can be found back then.
With the Germans all dug-in on the ridge or down around the station, the Brits began their day’s advance from the woods (Bosco di Moltice), led by the East Kent infantry (the tanks would come later). The objectives were the station (obviously), one on the ridge high ground and one down at the ‘big’ farm. The Germans went onto ambush fire, waiting for the Brits to get into range, and the single forward StuG (a sort of delaying tactic) opened fire with HE, from behind the irrigation ditch. It caused some pinning, but took a return PIAT hit to the front (which failed to penetrate) before reversing into the orchard to re-arm, as the supply panzer dashed forwards to meet it. Mortar fire (as always) was exchanged, but so far, no major losses – until a 25 pdr barrage scored a direct hit on a MG team’s foxhole and wiped them out… messy.
The Brits continued to roll on, their first platoon leading, a second back lurking in the woods, then the tanks, Shermans of 46th RTR. These would become engaged in a long range firefight with the StuGs, with much missing, and any shots that hit glanced off, and no damage was done. Ammo was largely wasted, and the little supply panzer was going to be busy. Well, it was going to be, until a 25 pdr round, deviating on San Salvo ridge, hit it and flipped it over… drat! The StuGs had to be ultra careful now and preserve what shots they had left, for good ones. Meanwhile, the British infantry advance had reached the big farm and taken in, under some incoming rifle fire and MG fire. MG’s suppressing fire, from high on ridge and the station, keep heads down, and the East Kent’s supporting pioneer section rushed up and cleared the German minefield blocking the road… nice work!
The British push was on, the Shermans closing up and banging away, one forward German rifle section being wiped out before it could withdraw. Overhead, the Luftwaffe put in a rare showing, a FW-190 timed strike pickling the area around the small farm with bombs and causing a lot of pinning, and a Sherman survived a direct hit, but was immobilised - their lucky day! German 120mm mortar fire raked the front too, around the big farm, and the Brits were doing a lot of unpinning. On counters, it was close, small edge to the Germans perhaps.
The German reserves arrived, 3 x Panzer IVs and 2 x full panzer grenadier squads in their 251s, tooled up with max MGs… they waited on reserve move for the right moment to commit, as the Panzer IVs took over from the mostly empty StuGs (by now one had been KO’d in a 4.5” Corps artillery stonk request), but it was empty anyway (still, its a chit). The Shermans now had new targets, and the Panzer IVs proved equally wild in their shooting.
When mortar fire had the Brits at the big farm well-pinned down, the panzer grenadiers raced up (reserve move), then in the German turn, de-buss, and the pintle MGs opened fire, aimed fire this time, and began killing Brits, quickly. The infantry and their (many) MGs joined in, a first British rifle section in the orchard was wiped out, then the pioneers too, in all the Brits took 5 counters in 1 turn… ouch, and suddenly their day’s attack was in trouble, from the local counter attack. The big farm was running out of men (and what they had was pinned). The Brits reacted by urgently sending reinforcements, second platoon at the run, from lurking in safety behind, but would they be in time? The German panzer grenadiers and panzer counter was hammering them up front. Their FHQ called up the artillery and another 4.5” stonk screamed in. This time, accurately slamming in the midst of the Germans, direct hits destroyed a Panzer IV and then dismounted MG team. The counters were high, a 4 and a 5, and those 9 points pushed the Germans over their BR rating of 44 (to 45). Unlucky! The Brits were at 61 from 65… so really close as well. My counter-attacked needed 1 more turn (perhaps I waited a turn too long), but the accurate British artillery (and mortar) fire gave them pause, and they pulled back instead, bloody nose issued.
An interesting fight, where ammunition played a huge roll, the empty StuGs and Shermans (all out of AP) and supply vehicles struggling (or dead)… in the end, no Shermans were lost, one was immobilised (REME will have that sorted in a jiffy). So, it pretty much went as it did on the day, a long grind that saw the East Kents and 46th RTR take the station and claim 12 StuGs and Panzer IVs KO’d in the day. Game 2 at San Salvo was another narrow British win. We have plans for one more scenario at San Salvo, when 16th Panzer Division counter-attacked against the village.
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San Salvo ridge in the foreground, with the fields between it and the forest, through which the British advanced.
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Forward StuG awaits in ambush at the irrigation ditch
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The station house, and reserve StuG and tank rider infantry.
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British section strike out for the 'big' farm house. This would the hot-spot later on.
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Pz II armour supply vehicle helps out the forward StuG after it wasted its HE ammo...
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First 46th RTR Sherman noses through the trees and engages the first StuG.
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StuGs move up and engage, to little effect, and ammo is at a premium.
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4.5" stonk wrecks a panzer, and a StuG.
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Luftwaffe timed strike from FW-190 bombs...
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Disaster, the vital supply panzer is KO'd in a 25 pdr barrage. The HMG in the tobruk pit has just run out of ammo too... dangers of an MG-42.
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The panzer grenadier's counter-attack gets under way, hitting hard and fast to retake the big farm (beyond that orchard).
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Reserve StuG comes forward (only one with ammo), with infantry support, but again, soon runs out of ammo and withdraws. All StuGs empty by the end of the game.
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