[Sicily] Fosso Buttaceto - July 18, 1943

Operation Husky - "Die Panzergraben"
Mediterranean Theater By: jdrommel - Last update: 11/11/2012
Axis Player: Allied Player:
x5 x6 x6 x6
    first You play first


Historical Background:
On the 17th of July 1943, after the abandon of the Primosole bridge, troops of 4. Fallschirm Regiment withdrew on a new defense line in the suburbs south of Catane : il Fosso Buttaceto. With elements of 213th Italian coastal Division, one battalion of Arditi (Italian elite troops) and remnants of Kampfgruppe Schmalz, the German paratroopers of 4.FS Rgt repelled the day after a British attack by the 168th Infantry Brigade on this defensive position known as the "Panzergraben" : the tanks cemetery. At that time, the 8th British Army was unable to advance one meter more to Catane till the beginning of August.
The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.

Briefing:
Allied player [United-Kingdom] : 6 command cards, you move first.
Axis player [Germany/Italy] : 5 command cards.

Conditions of Victory:
6 medals.

Special Rules:
- Use "BCF Command" rules (Nations 5) to all Allied units.
- Use "Italian Royal Army" rules (Nations 6) to Axis units with Italian badges.
- Use "Specialized Units" rules (Troops 2) to all German units and the Arditi unit. Badges are not required for the German units.
- Use "Heavy Anti-Tank Guns" rules (Troops 23) to the two Axis artillery battery with 88 badge.
- The Allied player may built up to two pontoon bridges. Use "Pontoon Bridge" rules (Terrains 33).
- Fosso Buttaceto is fordable only for infantry. Use "Fords and Fordable rivers" rules (Terrains 41).
- Use "Night Combat" rules (Action 19).

Scenario Bibliography:
- Militaria Magazine hors-série n°36 - Objectif Messine.
- Decima Flottiglia Mas - Storie e battaglie delle FFAA italiane.

Remember, see the Commonweath war graves in Catane.
Official scenario of the FFM44, played in the Memoir'44 tournament in Paris on the 13th of October 2012.

Warning:
Please note that this scenario was not approved by Richard Borg or Days of Wonder, so you have to check yourself about playability, potential gaming issues, etc.

Set-up Order
9
3
12
12
2
8