Campaign Positions

30th June - Sicily

ALLIES ROUTED!

The 1943 allied invasion of Sicily is no doubt goung to go down in history as the greatest military disaster in history for the British and American armies. There is effectively nothing left of the British 8th and the American 7th armies. The operation to withdraw the remaining troops from the Island was thwarted when Italian and German armoured divisions quickly overran the British and American rearguards and cut the remnants of the invasion force off from the beaches. Over 100,000 allied troops were forced to surrender and all of the invasion force's equipment has been lost.

Worse still the British and American naval forces, while attempting to evacuate the troops from Sicily, have been badly mauled. The allies are firmly on the defensive in the Mediterannean now, and British assets in Egypt are once again in danger.
A statement from the allied high command is expected soon...

Allies 3-2-13 Axis

Allies 17%

Axis 72%

30th June - Kursk

RUSSIANS TRAPPED AT KURSK!
The beleagured Russian army has suffered yet another reverse in the recent Axis offensive against the Kursk Salient. Yesterday units of an Italian armoured division broke through Russian defenders at Starry Oskol and completed the encirclement of two Russian armies in the Kursk Kessel when they met up with German forces near Livny.
The Russians must breakout soon or the Kursk salient will fall with the loss of hundreds of thousands of Russian troops!
Russians 1-0-4 Axis

23rd June

KURSK OFFENSIVE GAINS MOMENTUM

Events on the eastern front have once again swung in favour of Nazi Germany after a successful breakthrough by the 3rd and 7th Panzer divisions around the town of Droskovo. The push has further narrowed the Kursk salient and left the Russians in a dangerously exposed position. The Russians now risk encirclement at Kursk if the position is not relieved. (hold the line Craig vs. Rykk - victory to Craig's Germans)

Game score Axis 3-0-1 Russians

23rd June (sicily)

SICILY INVASION TURNS INTO "DISASTER"

The allied invasion of Sicily, after establishing a foothold last week has turned this week into an unmittigated military disaster. In the last few days attacks by German and Italian forces have driven into the allied beachhead and are now within a few miles of Gela. It looks likely that the allied fleet will be dispatched to the Island to rescue the remaining allied troops.

Things started to go wrong for the allies when a combined Anglo-American attack on German positions met fierce resistance. Both sides took heavy casualties near Niscemi, but the German defenses were not breached and the allied forces were made to withdraw. (Duncan's Grenadiers vs. Garth and Matt Austen).

Meanwhile an italian armoured division (JP) broke through the Indian (Bill) defence lines around Vittoria and pushed up to the coast despite taking heavy casualties (many of which were due to German communications being intercepted by the British).

On the west flank of the allied territory things were no better as the 50th British infantry division (Dan A) was badly mauled by german panzer grenadiers and pushed back from Licata to Gela itself.

The allies now face a fighting withdrawl to rescue their remaining troops from the Island and to protect their recently won conquests in Africa!

Game score Allies 3-2-6 Axis

15th June - Russian Front

Russian Front now in map form:

More battles in the Med

ALLIES ESTABLISH BEACHHEAD!

In a frenzy of furious and bloody action the Allies have finally established a beachhead at Gela, Sicily, but not before heavy casualties were inflicted upon them by a very well organised Italian and German force.

The above map shows the main engagements which have occurred over the last few days.

1. An attempted breakout by British armour (Duncan) is stopped dead in its tracks by a well disciplined German paratrooper regiment (Paul L). This anchors the axis left flank and threatens the British landing grounds.

2. Italian mechanised infantry (Dave) attempts to breakthrough and capture the beaches but is badly mauled by the British 5th infantry division (Dan A). This engagement prevents the Italians from linking up with the Germans in the centre of the front.

3. Indian Infantry (Bill) successfully holds onto its hard won gains on the shores of the Med, beating off several ferocious attacks by German armour (Andy), which include the fearsome Tiger tanks!
4. The Americans (Garth) suffer badly at the hands of a well ordered Italian armoured division and suffer heavy casualties as they are cut off in a pocket as they drive inland. Further meeting engagements do not go well for the US forces and the Axis right flank is contained.

So the Allies have a (relatively) safe beachhead and still hold the initiative (they are attacking next game). However the invasion is at present contained.



Axis 3-2-2 Allies

Campaign Tree online!

Campaign Begins!

Sheffield and Rotherham Wargamers Flames Of War campaign begins!

http://www.sr-wargamers.co.uk/

SICILY INVASION "PINNED DOWN"

At dawn this morning combined forces of the USA and the UK attacked the southern beaches of Sicily in an attempt to open a second front on the European continent. While things started well for the allies german reinforcements quickly decimated the British armour on the beach and all but wiped out the British landing forces. Meanwhile, further west, the Americans successfully landed in force - but without their British allies are now bottled up less than a mile from their landing zones. The invasion hangs in the balance.

Allies hold initiative. Game score 0-2-0

KURSK OFFENSIVE STALLS

The long awaited summer offensive by the Third Reich has begun in the east with the Germans forcing the Russians back at Kursk. However a swift counter attack involving Russian armour has blunted the spearhead and leaves the Kursk offensive stalled just a few miles from its start lines with casualties mounting.

Axis holds initiative game score 1-0-1

Map and strategic table diagram to follow...