Scenario 41 Swatting at Tigers
Scott B
The Battlefield link and Gela Counterattack link.
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Biazzo Ridge, Italy, July 11, 1943.
Kesselring positioned his units 25 miles inland, outside the range of US naval guns. The Italian ground forces appeared completely unequal to the task of doing more than retarding or delaying the invasion, with their strength and equipment expended in Russia and North Africa. With units spread much too thin along the coastline and little done to improve coastal defenses, there was little hope of defensive success. The battle would be fought at the beachheads by coastal units and mobile reserves. When the main invasion sites were evident but the individual beachheads were not yet merged, the Germans would counter attack and drive the invasion forces into the sea.
The Herman Goring Division was to attack the US beachheads at Gela before they could consolidate. Unfortunately, communications were disrupted by US paratroop activities and bomber raids, and they failed to coordinate with other units, attacking five hours late. Relatively small US forces, naval gunfire and the relatively inexperienced German junior officers blunted and delayed the attacks on 10 July. It retired to regroup. The next morning it again set out for the Gela beachhead, where it met Gavin’s 82nd paratroops at Biazzo Ridge.
On the morning of 11 July 1943, Col Gavin followed the sound of gun-fire to the ridge. It overlooked a critical road to the US landing beaches; its control would protect the landings from any German attempt to throw it back into the sea. The Germans were in possession of the ridge, so the Paratroops assaulted and pushed them off. The sound of enemy tanks approaching was heard shortly after. It was bazookas vs Tiger and 88s sniping individual men. They battled through the day, exchanging fire and artillery until the Germans pulled back, disheartened by the aggressive defense. That night, Gavin counterattacked and mauled the Germans so badly they were incapable of further offensive action the next day and disengaged from the action at Biazzo Ridge.
Scenario E “The Niscemi-Biscari Highway” has the paratroopers disrupting communications and movement on July 10th.
Scenario 1000 “Operation Marston” has both German and British paradrops (over fifteen boards) on July 14-15, 1943
Scenario 92 “Pattons’ End Run” is a race to beat Monty to Messina, August 11, 1943.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
The German player must eliminate twelve squads; the US howitzer is the equivalent of two squads for victory purposes. He cannot lose more than one tank.
ORForce the US to withdraw per SSR 41.6. The US will break off action at the conclusion of any game turn (i.e. the end of any German turn) in which
They have lost twice as many squads or equivalents as the German player
ANDThe German player has more squads on board two than board fifteen.
A mobile Tiger with functioning MA counts as two squads for both of the above.
The Germans cannot lose more than two tanks.
The US wins by avoiding the German victory conditions.
INITIAL PLACEMENT
Both US and German unit placement is designated by the scenario. The players have no choice in unit placement. They start out of LOS and the US may move freely during turn one.
GAME TURN ONE - US MOVEMENT
US Comments
I don’t often draw a complete blank on where to position my troops, especially when the setup indicates exactly in which hex each unit is placed. Still, I stared at the line of fully stacked hexes in open ground and had no idea what to do next. Why couldn’t they let me set up across some specified area of the board like normal. However, this scenario starts when Gavin hears the Tigers and must scatter into position quickly while out of LOS. So the setup area really includes the range that units can reach during their first movement phase. It contributed to the immersion and story-telling, I could feel the Tigers just out of sight and that I was barking orders to deploy quickly before they lumbered into view.
Still, my mind was locked in analysis-paralysis and I kept putting off starting the game for days. To break the mental gimbal lock, I followed Mark C Nixon’s analysis of the scenario nearly exactly. Anyone who has followed the General’s suggestions knows they might not be the best but are usually the only advice you’ll get. So I took it as is and hopefully the game will be a learning experience worth writing about.
So I offer my first turn as an act of plagiarism; an act that got the game moving.
GAME TURN ONE - GERMAN MOVEMENT
German Comments
Get off the Tigers! The infantry are super vulnerable despite the DRM of 0 while in mounted assault. Base US firepower of 6 is too strong- a roll of 7 gets a result on the IFT. So they all disembark, minimizing easy shots by the stay-behind US forces (2xsds) in building 15R8.
As seems common as we play these scenarios, clarifications of victory conditions (VC) and scenario special rules (SSRs) are required-most significantly- regarding SSR 41.6. “The US will break off the action..” How are half-hexes counted? What about an immobilized Tiger with functioning main armament (MA)? Among other questions. And as usual, I do not do a deep-enough analysis of VC and SSRs prior to battle start.
The only pre-battle analysis I do is buttoned-up Tiger vs entrenched 6-6-6 in woods. It is a given my Tigers need to be 6 hexes or closer, and even then the net To Hit (TH) is 4 (Final TH of 8 v Infantry Target Type (ITT) + 3 Case R (+2 Entrenched +1 Woods +1 Buttoned Up) without Target Acquired. Add concealment and the TH v ITT is net of 2 (additional +2 Case K). So the obvious thought is “there is no way the Tigers can eliminate 12 x entrenched in woods US squads in 10 turns”. Therefore German infantry help is needed, but there is not enough cover for the Germans to chase the US squads without exposing themselves to good KIA opportunities. Therefore the Tigers will need to do the dirty work, within 1-2 hexes of the US squads to get the -2/-1 DRM, with aggression and obviously exposing the Tigers to immobilization and close assaults by the numerous US squads. The Germans need luck on their side. The German infantry’s role becomes to protect the Tigers from the US infantry if possible.
It turns out luck is not on the German’s side.
Initially movement for Germans is to remain concentrated (schwerpunkt), seize high ground, and start forcing the way forward.
US Turn Three before Defensive Fire
German Comments
The first Tigers and squads get lucky and break the stay-behinds and they are sent to the graveyard for failure to rout. A strong stack remains in 15R8 to provide fire support in the valley and a bit amongst the hills.
Don’t forget to button-up your CE crews within 6 hexes of US forces! 2xTigers are STUNned because I gaffed the button-ups. The Tiger on the Level 3 hill in 15S5 was STUNned because I miscalculated the MP it would take to go up the double-crest in 15R5. I calculated it as 10MP (2xcost of 5MP to go to next elevation), so I CE’d him to get road movement rate and bring cost down to 9MP (2 x 4.5MP)-a minor change, but needed it at the time. But this calculation was in error. To go up a double-crest on a road, the cost is 6MP (2x 3MP (road to higher elevation is 2MP +COT)). Note- the GIAV QRDC says double crest is 5MP, it seems to me that is if the vehicle is CE. So he was needlessly “exposed” due to my error and subsequently paid the price.
The Tiger in 15Q4 should never have been CE. Simple as that. My bad, coach.
For the STUNned Tigers, now it is a net TH of 3 vs ITT entrenched in woods (additional +1 TH due to prior STUN).
One Tiger moves to 15S3 in an overly-aggressive move to try and KIA some US squads prior to them entrenching and seeking better cover. That Tiger does a commendable job defending itself, but can get the KIAs it needs vs troops moving in the open. Luck was not on his side. He is destroyed by swarming US forces.
US Comments
The 75* Infantry gun and two squads found fate by stunning two Tigers. The loss of German suppressing fire allowed the US to assault the now unprotected third Tiger and the stunned Tiger. Two of the four squads survived defensive fire, advanced into Close Combat and KO a Tiger. Three of the five Tigers are now damaged or knocked out.
However, the Germans still have a capable force and the US good fortune offsets the loss of their northern units and evens up the game a little. A significant change in GIA is that TEMs affect the TO HIT roll, making it harder to hit. However, once a hit is secured the TEMs are not added to the IFT roll and Tiger’s 88 is resolved on the 16 column +0. The Germans don’t need many 88 hits to win the game. (German comment: The Tiger 88s actually got a good amount of lower-probablity hits, it was the IFT and morale check DRs that failed the Tigers- they could get the hit, but to mostly no effect until the decisive point was already lost).
GAME TURN FOUR TO SIX - COMMITMENT TO SCHWERPUNKT
German Comments
It is obvious the Germans can’t go up the middle and must change the schwerpunkt to the left flank, using hills as cover. Fortunately it is not far. The majority of forces shift left, with stay-behind Tiger and infantry (to protect that Tiger) to at least have a “shot” of slowing the US repositioning in response to Germans going north.
German squad smoke has been useful, and it allows hopefully safer movement in open ground to turn the corner of northern hills and head onto board 2 to try and fulfill the SSR 41.6 VC.
Now I really start looking at the VCs and SSRs and it appears my Germans can do it, they can meet VC in 41.6 with a 99% probability assuming the smoke and ranges (MMG >16 hexes, etc) do their jobs.
US Comments
The Germans commit to a northern (right) incursion onto board two, attempting to force the US to break off the action (SSR 41.6). They need more squads on board two than on board 15, and it looks like they will do it. All the US can do is retrograde and attempt to interdict them.
The Germans can move safely behind Hill 783 but the US is exposed to Germans on the hills of board 15. If a few more Tigers were on the hills then their firepower might have prevented the US movement. The US cannot avoid moving in the open to reinforce the right side. I think my opponent may have found a good tactic for this scenario.
GAME TURN SEVEN - FATE, BETRAYER OF AGGRESSIVE ACTION
German Comments
The success of squad smoke opens up the chance to win. Too much open ground for less-risky movement without smoke. If Tigers are needed to place smoke, they can’t move onto board 2 to meet 41.6 VC. The squad smoke is critical.
In an admittedly very gamey move not based in any sort of reality (which I hate to do, but it was time to go for the win), in the center a single Tiger finds the one path to 2M1 that exposes him to minimal bazooka fire or immobilization attempts. This gets him on board 2 counting as 2xquads for 41.6 VC, and ends up in bypass mode in 2M1, staying in MOTION for defensive purposes.
In the north, I have moved enough forces in position to fulfill 41.6 VC (in combination with gamey Tiger in 2M1). The only thing that can stop a German victory is losing a squad via KIA or having 2 x squads break and have to stay on board 15. The odds (99% chance of win) are in my favor with smoke and long range fire for some US units. This is “Check”, but it is not “Checkmate.” Survive a weak defensive fire, and the US is forced to withdraw, game over.
In Defensive Fire, the US gets the 1 or 2 combination dice rolls for 3x dice (2d6 IFT + smoke 1d6) that can thwart the German endeavor. DR of 1,1,2. (-1 for fire into a smoke hex). It is not a shock when the roll happens as I kind of expected it. That is how the dice had been working up to that point. I could survive morale checks, but just not a KIA. And KIA is what the US got.
US Comments
The Germans have an opportunity to win this turn. They need more squads on board two than board fifteen and mobile functioning MA Tigers are worth two. The US has already lost twice as many squads as the Germans, fulfilling the first requirement. Once enough units are on board two, they win; it is sudden death with no US counter-attack possible. They take aggressive action to satisfy the last victory condition. It is so certain that I am thinking about which side to play for the next scenario.
However, Fate had other intentions. A US defensive fire combat through smoke resulted in two German squads KIA and the loss of the first victory condition. Now they must KIA four more US squads or equivalents to win. The movement that should have brought victory has left them out of position to get those KIAs. Once again in Squad Leader, Fate has betrayed aggressive action. I am painfully aware of this too, it had done the same to me in my last game.
AFTERMATH
German Comments
After the impeccably-timed 2nd-to-lowest 3d6 dice roll possible, the Germans just play out the battle for GIAV experience value. Tigers become even more aggressive and another one is immobilized in Def Fire phase. Tigers to finally get some results with their 88s, but it is too little too late. The VC are just too tough to meet at this point.
Generally, the Germans didn’t need a lot of luck, just a favorable 99% DR at the critical time. Poor luck in other circumstances contributed to the loss. Good luck with squad smoke certainly helped, but overall luck was with the US.
My Germans play out the remainder of the battle without really looking at the victory points or conditions. Just would like to exercise some GIAV rules to increase familiarity. After turning the US flank the Tigers do some damage, but not enough to get them back into the game.
Some interesting oddities:
1. Bazookas. The US42b bazookas are hindered enough without help from the dice gods. But the dice gods were particularly cruel to whomever made this batch of bazookas. Everytime the US tried to fire a bazooka, it BX’d! Every.Single.Time. Frustrating to the US!
2. A Tiger with a “+1 To Hit” counter on it was maybe my most effective infantry smoker. For some reason it kept getting low percentage hits vs US infantry targets in buildings or entrenched. The issue was with the IFT resolution of these hits…in particular a HE critical hit against General Gavin and squad in a strong +3 (entrenched in woods) position that held the US right flank. So this was on a THDR of 1,1, an automatic HE CH with a Final TH >=8. To resolve on the IFT, it is 16FP (88mm) -3 (reverse the DRMs). Doesn’t get much better than this! An average DR of 7 will KIA the General. But of course I roll a DR of 10, net 7, for 2MC that the General and squad easily passed.
3. General Gavin broke a few times, but immediately rallied and rallied those with him. A stout guy! Couldn’t get the KIA or wounding I needed. In close combat in the final action of the game, Gavin was in CC with a 6-6-6 against German 4-6-7 and LMG. The Germans needed a 5 to get the KIA, but of course rolled a 6! That guy can survive anything!
4. Building Terrain Type is a dangerous place to be for infantry. The building (and thus occupants) is easily hit. Being in a building with a 88mm HE round impacting is not a fun place to be in. Both the US and Germans got KIAs vs infantry in buildings using BTT. Germans used BTT vs every wooden house that held US soldiers, and got results pretty much every time.
5. For 2 x turns a German 4-6-8 was locked in melee with a US 9-1 Leader. That means it took 4 x dice rolls to get a 9 or lower. Frustrating!
US Comments
The US cannot do much in this scenario because of the 747s short range and the impunity of the Tiger I tanks. They can deploy on turn one but thereafter any Tigers on the heights will limit movement with firepower. The most they can do is entrench and conceal to present the most difficult target and keep casualties low. They can only react to German initiatives.
Fate played a key role in our game. The US infantry gun was able to stun two Tigers with ‘11’s for moral checks. The temporary loss of those stunned overwatching Tigers allowed Close Combat and destruction of a third. However, this was not enough to decisively win the scenario for the US.
Later Fate again intervened to snatch victory from the Germans with a lucky US defensive fire KIA. As the German moved the required squads and equivalents onto board two for victory, the sudden KIA left them without the 2:1 KIA ratio and in an extended position. The US then eliminated a second Tiger and further increased the deficit. At the end of turn seven the Germans losses were two Tigers and three squads totaling seven squad equivalents lost. They would need fourteen US squads equivalents (the IG counting as two) to fulfil that SSR 461.6 victory condition. The US has suffered six squads lost so far.
ADDENDUM - THE TIGER’S FATE
The Tiger’s Fate
The German’s pursuit of the victory conditions left a Tiger over-extended when Fate snatched away victory in a cruel twist. It’s movement should have ended the game with a win, a good move that I would have made under similar circumstances. However, this Tiger is now surrounded by seven angry US squads. This is the story of that Tiger's fate.
He chose his path to avoid the bazookas flanking the road to the right. The US infantry was unable to immobilize him and the Tiger remained in Motion between the building and woods (Motion adds +2 to Close Combats [135.7]). The US forces were unable to KO him in Close Combat because of this modifier, even though Close Combat offered the best odds. It seemed he would simply drive away scared but unscathed.
As the Tiger moved into the road hex, the US 75* attempted deliberate immobilization and rolled the highest number possible to stop him. Still, immobilized is not knocked out, and its 88 and MGs can easily break and kill. This is the interesting part - GIA requires the crew of an immobilized AFV to take a moral check whenever it receives another defensive fire immobilization (144.77). The chances of this are low and woods require a ‘3’ or less; neither do the 747s receive a benefit from their higher fire power. They all attempted and finally a 8-0 rolled ‘1,1’ and the Tiger crew ‘6,6’. The unfortunate crew soon found out firing on an abandoning crew does not require a PAAMC, and they succumb to US fire power.
For all of its talk, I feel the original SQUAD LEADER infantry don’t pose enough threat to armored fighting vehicles. A 4-6-7 has a .0926 probability (9.26%) of immobilizing from woods and the same probability for Close Combat. A stack of three would have .253 probability (25.3%) of immobilizing. The attempt leaves the squad unable to fire later, allowing enemy infantry to run up on them with impunity. This limits the situations for using defensive fire immobilization and many times the player simply does not attempt it for fear of an enemy infantry close assault.
GIA attempts to remedy this and generally makes it easier but more situational. I’ve already mentioned a crew NMC on subsequent immobilization but the probability of abandonment is only .039 (3.9%). Terrain now beneficially modifies the attempt, to a maximum of 2, allowing IM from more types of terrain. A unit behind a wall has the same modifier as one in a stone building, a -2 benefit. Halftracks and armored cars suffer a -1 and units in by-pass suffer a -2. Perhaps the most useful is the -2 for vision hindrances. Now Smoke, Fog and Night benefit the attacker with a -2 modifier. This pairs nicely with a squad’s inherent smoke making capability and can provide a decent chance, up to .24 (24%) if it can place smoke.
It does lose in several areas, wood terrain drops from a ‘4’ to ‘3’ immobilization. Considering the ubiquitous woods hexes on most boards, that's a big loss. A CE crew will cost a +1 modifier and escorting infantry a +2 modifier. At the end of the day, most attempts still require a ‘3’ or ‘4’ just like the original SQUAD LEADER. However, a resourceful player can increase that to ‘6’, with planning and luck.
Where GIA really increases the lethality is Close Combat against vehicles. Once again vision hindrances are a benefit of -1 during Melee (not Close Combat, 158.1). Finally, the vehicle type modifies the attack so a truck is now much easier to KO than a tank. The modifiers for unarmored vehicles, Open-topped AFVs, and CE AFVs are -3, -2 and -1, respectively (158.42). Vehicles can even be attacked without first eliminating the escorting infantry, although at the cost of a +2 modifier. The new rules feel more realistic and can help the infantry in the right situation.
The best way to knock out an armored fighting vehicle is still an 88. If you cannot find one in your TO&E, then the responsibility falls to the infantry. A good GIA Squad Leader (you) now has more tools in his M1923 cartridge belt to tackle enemy armor. It’s up to you to utilize these small opportunities for the best possible result, this is the difference between a 9-2 and a 6+1 player, between life and death. One of the most satisfying moments in the game is immobilizing or destroying an afv with your 200lb Khaki-shirted infantry because it's such a David vs Goliath victory. Good Luck!
REFERENCES
“Swatting at Tigers.” G.I.: ANVIL OF VICTORY. Baltimore, MD: The Avalon Hill Game
Company, 1982. https://storage.googleapis.com/archivesqlt/DAO00041A.pdf
Garland, Albert N. “The Mediterranean Theater of Operations: Sicily and the Surrender of Italy”. Center of Military History, US Army, Washington D.C, 1993. page 169.
Birtle, Andrew J. “Sicily 9 July - 17 August 1943.” Center of Military History, US Army, Washington DC, 2021.
Tribute to an 82nd Airborne Veteran. “The Battle of Biazza Ridge”. May 5, 2011
https://ww2tribute.blogspot.com/2011/05/battle-of-biazza-ridge_05.html
Battle Detective.com. “Battle Study # 18.”
https://www.battledetective.com/battlestudy18.html
The Armchair General. Carlo D’Este. “A Journey to World War II Battlefield Part 5: The Battle for Biazza Ridge.”
Lemay, John C. “Operation Husky: Operational Art in Large Formation Combined Arms Maneuver”. US Army Command and General Staff college. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. February, 2013. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA606279.pdf
Swanson, Jon M. “Operation Husky: The Campaign in Sicily A Case Study”. US Army War College. Carlisle Barracks, PA. April, 1992.
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA251393.pdf
Gavin, James M, General. “The Jump into Sicily”. American Heritage, April/May 1978.
https://www.americanheritage.com/jump-sicily
Zaley, Steven Robert. “They Are Only Gone If They Are Forgotten”. Tense Moment. Asheville, N.C. 2014.
https://archive.org/details/theyareonlygonei0000zale
“German Counterattack at Gela 1943”. War History, December 2015.
https://warhistory.org/@msw/article/german-counterattack-at-gela-1943
Hein, David. “Counterpoint to Combat: The Education of Airborne Commander James M. Gavin”. Army, July 2013.
https://www.ausa.org/sites/default/files/Hein_July2013.pdf
“82nd AB SS/PH Pair For Sicily”. U.S. Militaria Forum.
https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/271446-82nd-ab-ssph-pair-for-sicily/