Date: Mon, 4 Nov 1991 13:09:00 GMT From: Subject: Europa in the Med, 1943 Well, I guess y'all always wanted to hear about this....DIDN'T YOU!! Ok, lets get started. This is an overview of a solitaire play test of the new Europa Module, Second Front which is due out sometime over the next few months. THE SET UP The Allies have successfully thrown the Axis out of North Africa. The Axis have only managed to salvage limited assets from this debacle, while the Allies are approaching the peak of their strength in the MTO (Medtiterranean Theatre of Operations). As you must have guessed by now, Europa is a 16 mile to the hex command level game at batalion/regiment/division scale, with air units shown as 40-50 planes per counter. Allied OB UK 2 RN Fleet counters (generic strengths for AA, Ground support fire of about 15..ie the same (AA) strength as a major city in Germany, or (GS) a panzer division), 1 airborne Div, 3 armoured divs (2 at cadre strength), an assort- ment of arround 12-15 infantry divs (including indian, polish, free french units) plus a significant number of supporting At, AA, infantry, engineer, and tank batalions and regiments. The UK airforces are shown at 2 levels. The RAF is seen to include all Commonwealth air forces. At the TAC AIR level the RAF has a GA of arround 32 (ie up to 32 units may be on the board at any one time, subject to combat losses, attrition, replacements etc....see review of FITE/SE for more on this). Aircraft mainly consist of late model Hurricanes, P40s, and Spit mk5s in the fighter wings (plus a fwe Beaufighter mk6 night fighters), and A20C/A30/A30A, Wellington 2,3,6,10, Blenhim mk4,5, B25C and B26A medium bombers. A few B24D and Spit 8/9 (a match for the Luftwaffes FW190s) appear later. SAC AIR has a GA of 8 and can be used TACTICALLY 8 times per year It consists of mainly Wellington 6,10, Halifax 4s. Also a few C47 transports are available for air drops, against the tactical GA. A comparison of air unit effectivness will be included later on here. USA 1 US fleet counter (12 strength points), 20 landing craft, 2 BIG tank divisions, 10-15 BIG infantry divisions, and a selection of supporting units similar to the UK OB. The USAAF has a TAC AIR GA of 28, which rapidly rises to 40+, main aircraft are Spit 5, P39M,N, P400, P40F,K,L,M, P38F,G,H, P51A; main bombers are B25C, B26B,G, A20C, B24D,G, B17E,F, A36A. Once more a few C47s are included in the start of conditions. Later (ie arround Oct 43) some 12 GA points along with most B24/B17 units are moved to a STRAT AIR section. ALLIED REPLACEMENTS/REINFORCEMENTS Plentiful supply of armour, infantry and GA points maintain the allied ground forces till Nov/Dec 43 when substantial GA/land units moved to UK for up- coming invasion of France. Newer air units, esp late model Spitfire/P40 and P38H, along with A20G/J and some Mosquito NF/FB marks are welcome additions as are farther B26/B25 and P51A/Bs. By late 1943, P47Ds are also on the way. AXIS OB GERMANY Only 3 mobile divisions are available to them, and they are slowly re-forming after the disasters of N Africa. These are 1 HG (Herman Goering panzer div,) 15 Panzergrenaider (ex 15 panzer div), 90 panzergrenadier (ex 90 light), and a small number (like arround 5) of weak/cadre sized infantry divisions. A few AT/AA batalions and regiments, supported by infantry and artillery are available while Yugoslavia's garrison is mainly made up of Italian troops. Some Light infantry is available, as are more support forces, tho they are needed to hold down the rebellious population. 1 panzer div is refitting here before rejoining 4 panzer army in Russia. The Luftwaffe (TAC AIR GA 34) depends upon Me109G, Fw190A,G and JU88A/HE111H , Ju87D plus a few JU52s for its strength. Some ME410A and ME210A are available. ITALY 3 mot rifle, 2 tank (still forming), 3 mountain, and 1 parachute division are the backbone of the weakest force on the board. Numerically strongest, weak equipment and 2 Regiment division TOE mean that this 70 division force is at a SEVERE disadvantage to any one allied power, let alone both. Many Italian divisions are scattered arround the Adriatic, Sicily (10), Greece/Yugoslavia (20), France (10) etc. At least 50% of the divisional totals are static coast defense units. The elite forces in the desert (101, 102 inf, 131-133 tank, 185 para) and Russia (2,3,5 mountain, 3 cav, 9,52 inf) are all destroyed permanently. The Regia Aeronautica is also weak, depending (still) on MC200, MC202, CR42, G50bis, RE2001,C,CN,CB and RO58CN fighters (plus a few ME109F, Dewotine D520); BR24m, C1007b/N and JU87D bombers. A few JU88A are available. Italian supporting units are generally poor, although their artillery is almost up to the standards of the allies. Only 2 tank regiments, and 2 Assault gun units provide any support against the allies mass of tanks. AXIS REINFORCEMENTS/REPLACEMENTS Neither side has a particularly large surge of replacements, but supplies of armour and infantry can, if carefully used, maintain the forces deployed. Italy receives few new units and her airforce never gets time to absorb the newer MC205v, RE2002, C1018 and ME109Gs that arrive later. A few G55 fighters do arrive in time though. Italian GA keeps up with attrition, and a running total of 28 dropping to 24 is expected. Germany races a mass of elite armour (1 LSSAH panzer, 3,18 panzergrenadier, 21, 26, 11, 9 panzer divs) and infantry (44, 71, 5 mountain, 1+4,para, 214, 196, 42+114 light divs) along with some less efficient units. The armour comes mainly from the now cancelled Kursk attack, while the infantry is pulled from any where close at hand. Supporting units including artillery, tiger batalions, AT and AA units are also rapidly sent to bolster the lagging Italians. Luftwaffe units recieve more FW190A/G units and a limited number of JU88A/HE111H units. Some HE177A and JU87Ds are also sent to italy, but GA is ona downwards spiral as a result of losses both here and elsewhere as the Allied air offensive over France, and the Soviet drive on Kharkov take effect. FORCE COMPARISON AIR POWER Quantity and quality in bombers is always with the Allies. The A20/A30s of allied TAC air are long ranged, good quality units, while the Heavies tend to be ill equiped for ground support. UK fighters (bar Spit 8/9) are inferior to FW190s, but generally the equal or superior of any Italian air power. Spit 5s are identical to ME109Gs in Air to Air...but they out number the Germans..... US fighters are inferior to German units (bar good P38, P51) in all but range. Italian units are their equal in quality, but not quantity. The allies can basically, within range of their fighters, do anything they want with impunity from axis air power. A slight edge during April to June 43 grows to utter Superiority by October 43. SEA POWER WHAT AXIS SEA POWER???? GROUND FORCES Italian units SUCK. Most have no cadres, all are 50% the strength of most UK/ US units, but their artillery is world class. Low movement ratings hinder movement severely in hilly terrain. Totally out classed bar a few elite units (which are weaker than their allied counter parts) Italy is basically up the creek without a paddle. Her airforce is stuck with abysmally out dated Fighters but some of her bombers show promise...oh for some good escorts!! Germany is a conundrum...the panzers are as good as or better than the allies, the infantry is a collection of the sublime (eg 44 infantry, parachutes divs, mountain div) and the ridiculous (static and 43 infantry units...good defending, just don't expect to counter attack). Once again the Wermacht infantry's poor movement leaves it lying stranded in the mountains..... THE HISTORY ON THE MAP BOARD APRIL I,1943 Massed allied airstrikes soften up Axis airpower on Sicily...low caualties on the allied side are at variance with the massacre meted out to the Italians in particular. APRIL II,1943 Continued allied airstrikes break axis airpower over Sicily. Axis bombers pulled back to Italian mainland/Sardinia. Allied inavsion forces embark.... MAY I,43 Allied airpower paradrops 1 airborne dive onto invasion hexs , slightly NW of Malta. Air power grounds axis Defensive air support. Successfull sea borne assault washes Italian forces of invasion beaches as 4 divisions inserted by end of turn. MAY II-JUNE II,43 Rapid allied build up, second inavsion of Sicily, total of 12 divisions on the Island, plus 2000 aircraft smash through almost to Messina. Pamlermo falls, as the Italians loose all remaining moblie units on the Island. Herman Goering div, plau supporting units race south from Rome. JULY I and II,43 UK 30corps, US 5corps (5 armoured divs, 1 inf div) take messina, Heavy allied and axis air casualties. US 82 airborne, UK 1 airborne at full strength. AUG I and II Allied airpower strikes at axis airbases arround naples, taranto, and opposite messina. Massive panzer units (LSSAH, 9,11 pz, 3,15 pzg,) and some infantry begin to arrive in Theatre. New allied airpower include P38H and spit8 which can meet the FW190/ME109G on even/superior terms. Axis airpower is over matched. SEPT I Massive allied aiborne drops opposite Messina, and at Naples herald the invasion of Italy. 5 Allied divisions are inserted arround these two bridgeheads, axis counter attacks roll up part of the southern enclave....but axis air support is shattered again. Surprisingly, the German panzer attack roles low and fails.... SEPT II German air units withdrawn....both allied brigeheads are secure and building. Taranto is seized by 51 highland div. Italy surrenders as Allied units break into naples, and 6th panzer, Italian 134/135 armoured divs are reduced to cadre. OCT I and II Allies race north towards Rome, northern bridgehead finally breaks out. German infantry is encircled in mountains just NE of Naples; frantic axis counter attacks rescue the surrounded units. NOV I Lats turn of good waether sees the allies at Cassino in the west, and slightly south or there in the East. Germany has pulled 3 armoured fromations...and replaced them with infantry. The Luftwaffe is down to a GA of 22 and is hard pressed to defend itself, let alone against the allied against a combined force of 70+ allied air units. DEC I and II allies prepare for a set peice assault on Cassino.......but preparations for my 21st Birthday end the play test.....Result...a historical stalemate in the mud as the Allies begin to pull elite formations like 1US infantry, 51 h and 7 armoured for the invasion of France. There need to be a better rule for the surrender of Italy than the house rule I used (loss of any major city hex to allies lead to 1 D6 being rolled...1,2 means the Italians fight on. Next turn, role is modified to a 1 to survive). If anyone has a better idea please e-mail it to me as over Christmas I intend to re-run this game. I hope you enjoyed this quick overview, and go out and buy a Europa module soon, JOHN