Silly After Action Report Part 2 - Semovente Au Go-Go

So part two of the after action report and I was ready to rumble.  I had big plans.  Ivan's reinforcements were making their way to the battlefield but I wasn't worried for I had a semovente.  That's right sunshine a semo-fricking-vente.  Twelve and a half tons of cramped, poorly armoured clanking death machine.  With Ivan's forces beginning to thicken in the west near the bridge I decided the time had come for action.  I would roll my semovente down the hill and commit horrible slaughter.  That 75mm which hadn't proved so great against vehicles at long distance would surely have a better result up close against infantry.  The battle was already mine!

With a cruel grin (which Ivan couldn't see because we were playing over the computer but I grinned nonetheless) I started my semovente in preparation for its ride of carnage.  And Ivan promptly put a shot from his recoilless rifle straight through its front and blew it to flaming scrap.  I had forgotten that the smoke I thought would conceal it was down in a valley whereas I was up on a hill.  My personal morale collapsed and so did I.  Eventually Ivan coaxed me out of my foetal position on the floor and persuaded me to keep playing.

With the SMV gone my on board armour was reduced to one little L6 with a broken main armament.  In contrast to the semovente this thing was giving Ivan serious headaches.  I don't think it has actually hurt anyone yet but it is rolling around next to (and occasionally over) his infantry and seems to be impervious to machine gun fire and infantry close combat.  Its very presence is a warning not to wander out into the open.  I brought the L6 down to a cluster of infantry as much to annoy them as anything else and concentrated on bringing up my reinforcements.

The remnants of my onboard force are still holding out while my reinforcements arrive

The next few turns were light on the hideous bloodbath that characterised the early stages in part because most of those involved were already dead.  Ivan spent his time bringing up his reinforcements (including a half squad with a panzerschreck which was already eyeing off my L6) and I did the same.  Ivan was flooding in from the south west and I flooded in from the north east.  There was thus a fair amount of territory between us.  Protecting my reinforcements were the remnants of my onboard force, two squads, a pair of medium machine guns and two leaders sitting in foxholes plus another squad foolishly lurking in the forest next door.

I say foolishly because Ivan, now with some serious firepower at hand, poured about fifty tons of bullets into that small patch of trees and managed to kill them.  With one enemy down he pushed his 'schreck toting halfsquad out into the road only for my defensive fire to send it berserk.  Ignoring all thoughts of little tanks it charged straight at a full squad in a building and locked it up in melee for the next two turns.

My reinforcements taking a hopefully solid hold in the northeast

 My reinforcement rolls now brought me on some more squads another L6 and a pair of trucks mounted with heavy antitank rifles.  The trucks are totally unarmoured so I said a quick prayer and sent them to the front.  So far both have, improbably, survived.  The next reinforcement roll was a good one.  I got a pair of armoured cars, some more squads and, hallelula another semovente.  Yes, this game isn't over yet.  An attempt by Ivan to sneak a squad past in the east was smashed by my 75mm gun (remember it?) and my build up in the northeast gathered pace.  The armoured cars went to the front while the SMV climbed another hill and pointblank refused to gain hull down status despite my pleas.

Ivan reinforced the close combat with another half squad and managed to casualty reduce my defenders, in return I killed his guys out right.  I now have a halfsquad in that hex who is looking forward to acquiring a panzerschreck in the next turn.  My long broken mortar squad heroically self rallied, remanned their mortar, fired once and were promptly broken again.  Meanwhile on the western side of the river I have sent a couple more squads to menace his positively annoying machine gun position there.  So far the only result is that he has managed to break one of the squads.

Building up a strong defensive position while Ivan gathers his forces

There are two turns to go and both Ivan and I have built up powerful forces a safe distance from each other.  Ivan's are congregated near the bridge and can't go forward until my defenders in the foxholes are dealt with.  I have a solid hold on the northeast of the village and am fanning out into the buildings.  I'm hoping Ivan just doesn't have the time to get much further.  Meanwhile my armoured cars (and unarmoured trucks) are looking for opportunities that hopefully don't involve getting smashed by the recoilless rifle out of picture to the right.

Ivan is gradually working his way around my troops in the foxholes now and they're almost completely surrounded.  I'm hoping they can hang on an extra turn or so.  The biggest imponderable left in the game is the special withdrawal rule.  Historically the Germans took advantage of the incoherent Italian command structure and broadcast a fake radio message ordering a withdrawal.  Several of the Italian units did so leaving gaps in the front that couldn't be covered.  In the game this is represented by (at Ivan's choice) all my units take a task check and those that fail can do nothing that turn except move north (left).  If this takes them off the board they are lost to me.  I'm hoping enough remain to stem the tide.

Monday is the day of decision.  We will play the final two turns and see if enough Italians stick around to scrape a win.