Sicilian Butcher's Bill...British Red Devils Pay the Price

I love the quick battles editor in Combat Mission Fortress Italy and Gustav Line.  There are so many maps and units to choose from.  This morning I played a quick battle pitting a German Parachute company from the 1st Parachute Division vs. two reinforced platoons of Red Devils from British 1st Airborne.  The Brits, played by me, held the high ground around a hilltop objective.  I set a thirty minute time limit and watched world war 2 play out once again before me.

Having time to prepare foxholes around the objective the Brits dug in with one platoon on the hilltop.  The deployment zone was huge though and I was worried about the rough terrain hiding movement, so I deployed a platoon on the valley floor in case the Germans tried a flanking maneuver.  That was mistake #1.  No one from this platoon made it back up the hill...

The battle begins.  The "Lost Platoon" can be clearly seen in the valley with the remainder of my infantry dug in on both sides of the objective.  The 2nd tactical blunder is also clear in this image.  The left hand unit cannot see the fighting on the right side of the ridge.


Section Leader thought bubble:  "Better them than me..."



The Germans attack as an artillery barrage pins down the platoon clustered around the objective.  The platoon in the lower valley engages the full weight of the attacking company.

The Lost Platoon fighting for their lives.  At this point Germans were running past them to attack the ridge above them.

Wrong side of the ridge.  This squad ended up fighting their way out after the objective fell into German hands.
The final German attack begins.
German Green Devils are swarming the objective.
The grim butcher's bill...

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