The Battle for Salerno is over. The Wehrmacht is withdrawing to the Gustav line, but is determined to make the allies pay for every inch of ground. Every ridge line and river is defended. To cross the River Biferno line, Montgomery has decided to use his few landing craft to turn its seaward flank. This was successfully accomplished on 3 October.
However, it began to rain, the temporary bridge was washed away and the 8th Army has been checked by "General Mud". The Germans reacted with their usual vigour and reinforcements arrived at the bridgehead on the afternoon of the 4 October, where they probed the British lines. Sufficient forces from the 16th Panzer division are in position to counterattack the isolated bridgehead at dawn on 5 October. Field Marshall Kesselring has decreed that at all cost the British must not be allowed to exploit their bridgehead.
Game Length: 2 Days (October 5, 6) with 9 turns per day.
The map for Termoli is a composite from several sources (listed in the references at the end). The general layout for the battle is accurate, but the exact position and number of contour lines is conjectural. Narratives from this battle describe the Commandos waiting in Olive groves near the brickworks, but their exact location and extent are also conjecture. It is likely that most of the slopes of the hills should be covered with Olive groves. 12" grid squares are marked on the map. A picture on the Molise region homepage shows that the Biferno runs through a thickly wooded ravine for some distance, though probably not near the coast. The river banks should be more of an obstacle than the scenario provides.
Link for the Battle of Termoli Map. The map can be downloaded by clicking on the link and saved using the right mouse button.
Supply: Poor
Friendly Edge: South and West
Activations: 6
Artillery: Experienced, 4 templates, 6 rounds, 2
replacement per day
Morale: Veteran
Air Support: None
C Ops and FUP
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Kampfgruppe von Doering 79 Panzer Grenadier Regiment 1 HQ Stand 2 Abteilung, each with 3 Rifle Stands 2 Panzer Regiment, 2nd Abteilung 2 Pz IV F2 (Heavy Gun) 16 Reconnaissance Abteilung 1 1/2 track A/C (Sdkfz 250/9) |
Kampfgruppe Stempel 64 Panzer Grenadier Regiment 1 HQ Stand 2 Abteilung, each with 3 Rifle Stands 2 Panzer Regiment, 3rd Abteilung 1 Stug III G (Heavy Gun) |
Link to view the German Order of Battle in diagram form.
The German C Ops and FUP deploys anywhere along the track that runs South of the British Forward Defensive Line (FDL). The 16th Panzer Division's troops deploy from their FUP or table edge west of the Biferno anywhere outside the British FDL. The Germans deploy second and move first.
The Germans have no reinforcements in this scenario.
Supply: Average
Friendly Edge: East
Activations: 6
Artillery: Experienced, 8 templates, 12 rounds, 6
replacements per day
Morale: Commando's are Veteran, others are Average
Air Support: 1 Fighter template (Spitfires) per day
C Ops and FUP
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11 Infantry Brigade (2nd Lanc. Fusilier's, 1st Surrey's, 5th Northamptonshire's) 1 HQ Stand 3 Battalions, each with 4 Rifle Stands 36 Infantry Brigade (6th Royal West Kent's, 8th Argyl and Sutherland Highlander's, 5th East Kent's) as per 11 brigade MG Battalion (1st Kensingtons) 3 Hvy Wpns Stands 56th Reconnaissance Battalion 1 A/C Stand (Light gun) 64th Anti Tank Gun Battalion 3 6 pdr (Medium Gun) |
Commando Brigade: (3, 40 Commando) 1 HQ Stand 2 Battalions, each with 3 SMG Stands 3 County of London Yeomanry Battalion 3 Sherman Tank Stands (Medium gun) 12th (Three Rivers) Canadian Armoured Regiment 3 Sherman Tank Stands (Medium gun) |
Link to view the British Order of Battle in diagram form.
The British C Ops and FUP deploys in Campomarino. The Commando Brigade deploys within 6" of Termoli. The 36th Brigade and 56th recon. regt. deploys anywhere inside the British FDL. The town of Termoli is used as a substitute for the FUP by all British troops on the west side of the Biferno, until the FUP crosses to the west side of the Biferno. One stand of the ATG Battalion and 1 stand of the 3 CLY are attached to the Battalions of 36 Brigade. Stands from the MG battalion may be attached as desired, but are permanently assigned to a brigade. Only one stand may be assigned to 36 Brigade. The British deploy first and move second.
The remaining British troops can be deployed from the FUP on day two.
The German player must hold the town of Termoli at the end of either day to obtain a victory. The British player must exit the C Ops from the west or south table edge (west of the Biferno) to obtain a victory. Any other result is a draw.
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1 - 3 |
4 - 6 |
7 - 10 |
11 |
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or less |
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or more |
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clear |
overcast |
drizzle |
Fog or Storm |
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air support |
yes |
no |
no |
no |
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go to ground |
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+10 % |
+20 % |
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visibility |
12" |
12" |
6" |
3" |
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Modify next weather roll |
-1 |
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+1 |
+1 |
The first day (5 Oct) is automatically clear.
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1 |
The River Biferno is uncrossable except for troops in column moving across a bridge. |
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2 |
The River Sigorno can be forded only by infantry. This is a special action and requires an action point. Other troops may only cross at a bridge in column formation. |
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3 |
Due to bad weather, the entire table is bad going (mud). Roads do not provide their usual movement bonus and only negate bad going for stands on the road, in any formation. Towed guns may only move along roads. They move at infantry speeds. |
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4 |
The railway embankment may be used as a road. Otherwise it is treated as a crest line for troops immediately behind it. |
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5 |
The bridges across the River Biferno begin the game destroyed. A Bailey bridge will be completed within 6" of the road bridge site that can be used on the dawn turn of 6 October. The location of the bridge does not have to be specified before being placed. |
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6 |
Troops required to retreat into the sea cannot do so. An unsuppressed stand does not retreat but becomes suppressed instead. This will force a morale check in the next player turn. An already suppressed stand is eliminated. |
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7 |
For the purposes of activation, a German Kampfgruppe is counted as a Battlegroup in this scenario, instead of the usual Regiment. |
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8 |
German reconnaissance units by this stage of the war were frequently used as mobile infantry. Therefore, at any time, an infantry SMG stand can be substituted for the Armoured Car stand. Once substituted, the A/C stand is removed and cannot be replaced. |
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9 |
The 16th Panzer Division had been in the thick of the Salerno fighting. While it had been taken out of the line to recover, it was likely still under strength at Termoli. As an optional rule, field all the panzer grenadier battalions with one stand missing. They can be replaced as usual. |
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10 |
The German artillery may be fielded as direct fire weapons if desired. By removing two templates from the stockpile, the German player may deploy one Wespe. Each shot removes one round of ammunition from the German supplies. |
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11 |
The battalions of the British Commando brigade may not move until at least one German stand has been observed. |
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