Gunnery Sargent Rock (Bruce Stewart) played another game in the Italian Campaign using 2 New Zealand Division. This time it was Perano using my ideas for a scenario. All words are Bruce’s except where noted.
Introduction to Perano
I have been working on fighting Steve’s Perano scenario suggestions for some time and finally set it up and played it last weekend. My friend Steve took command of the German’s, Grant the allies, and I umpired. Steve and Grant have been gaming for 40 years a third friend mile came to observe and offered his commiserations. It was all good fun.
Scenario
Steven’s idea for Perano
Steven’s scenario idea from 2 NZ Division 18 Nov 1943: Perano
Having only two infantry companies in the attack, Perano seems ideal for a Crossfire scenario, although it is a little tank heavy.
The Allies are trying to captured the hill top village of Perano and the Sangro Bridge (off table to the west), although they are content if they only take the village. The Germans are trying to delay the Allies as long as possible. If they can’t delay them any more, then the German objective switches to withdrawing as much equipment over the bridge as possible before demolishing it. Probably the best way to represent this is to award victory points (VP) to the allies as follows:
- -15 VP for the Allies if the Allies never take Perano
- +15 VP for the Allies as soon as they capture Perano (and they can’t lose these VP even if the German recapture Perano)
- If the Allies take Perano, then -1 VP for each German tank, self-propelled gun, and anti-tank gun the Germans exit from the western table edge along the Strada Sangritana. .
If the total is:
- -10 VP or worse = Major German Victory
- -4 to -9 VP = Minor German Victory
- -3 to 3 VP = Draw
- 4 to 9 VP = Minor Allied Victory
- 10 VP or more = Major Allied Victory
Use the Special Rule Moving Clock. the game starts at 1530 hours and ends at 1800 hours (or soon after). The action seemed fast and furious so advance the clock 10 min on 5+ at the end of each German imitative.
The attackers had two companies from 3/8 Punjab Regiment and 14 Kiwi Shermans (all of A Squadron from 19 Armoured Regiment, and No. 9 Troop from C Squadron). The Indians are probably Regular (“workmanlike” troops using “copybook style”).
Given the size of Archi’s defending force (see below), the Germans probably had a company of Panzer Grenadiers (no half-tracks) and a platoon of Combat Engineers; although never mentioned the Engineers are likely given somebody blew the bridge . The Germans had ample machine guns and mortars. They also have at least three self-propelled guns, 10 anti-tank guns (including 8.8 cm guns), and two Pz IVs. Being from 16 Panzer Division they could be either Veteran or Regular – use whatever makes a balanced scenario.
Both sides were supported by artillery, although the Allies also have off table Shermans firing in support.
The battlefield is about 1.8 x 1.2 km, so fits a 6’x4′ table well. Terrain includes contours, hill top village (Perano) and a separate cluster of buildings, out-of-season fields (being ploughed), in-season orchards (olive groves), rough ground, a stream, roads (Strada Sangritana and branch road to Perano), railway line adjacent to the Strada Sangritana, and the Sangro bridge (represented by where the Strada Sangritana leaves the western table edge).
Bogging rules should apply on hill slopes and in the stream.
Given there is a high number of tanks etc you might choose to use a ratio, e.g. 1/2 or 1/3. Using 1/3 would give the Kiwis 5 Shermans and the Germans 3 ATG, 1 Self-propelled gun, and 1 Pz IV. This is within the normal armour proportions for Crossfire. You’d have to change the VP as well; still -1 VP for escaping German equipment, but 5 VP for Perano; 0-1 VP = Draw, 2-3 = minor victory, and 4+ you Major victory. If you do reduce the number of support arms in this way, then make the bogging rules more lenient.
German Order of battle and deployment
Steve took the Germans.
The German forces were as follows
German Order of Battle
- 1 x Battalion HQ
- 1 x Company of Panzer grenadiers, regulars with 2 HMGs, one 81mm mortar (12 fire missions) 8 Panzerfausts.
- 1 x Platoon of engineers with one HMG
- 1 x 105mm artillery (12 fire missions) and two observers
- 2 x pak40 with towing vehicles
- 1 x Panzer 4
- 1 x STUG
Allied Order of battle and deployment
Grant got the allies (Indian and New Zealand).
The allied forces were:
Allied Order of Battle
- 1 x Battalion HQ
- 2 x Rifle Companies of Indians regulars with a 2” mortar (12missions) 3” mortar (12 missions) HMG, Piat.
- 1 x 25 pounder (12 fire missions) one observer.
- 6 x Shermans
Note on Artillery: The real battle had a 25 pounder regiment shell the township of Perano, then the slopes then drop 20 mins of smoke on the slopes to cover the initial advance. Gaming this aspect of the battle does not make gripping television so I down graded the Panzer Grenadiers to regulars and for the First 3 moves simulated the smoke with three 25 pounder missions of smoke.
Armour Rules
We used the Stats and methods off Steve’s revised rules with my following amendments.
1) Main tank guns only fire once per turn
2) We subtract a dice for first shot at a new target
3) Ditching, on a 6 if leaving the road and a 5 or 6 on the slopes.
Table and Deployment
Allied deployment was to move on to the table along any part of the edge.
The German’s were deployed behind the red line on the map defending the hill town of Perano.
One of the observers was permitted to deploy in a shepherd’s hut with in the hillside in the allied deployment area as per the actual battle.
The three machine guns were dug in.
Steve marked his defenders on an aerial map made using my new selfie stick (purposely bought as my table is 8 feet by five).
The battle
The game lasted about 4 hours and we used the moving time clock and the 50% casualty rule. Steve successfully held on to Perano. Grant lost a lot of people cut down in the open but recovered well and gave a great account of himself. Steve seemed to throw nothing less than a 5 most of the time.
It was a very humorous moment when Grant extrapolated where the German observer might be owing to the fact 105mm rounds were dropping down people’s shirt collars. The shepherd hut is a bit of a gag as grant asked if he could shell it i had him on about potentially targeting civilian targets. Telling him it would be lucky if there were even shepherds in there. He didn’t waver and knocked out the op.
I think the Sherman KO was just a lucky die roll.
Observations and conclusions
Steve and Grant played crossfire many years ago without the moving clock or 50% rules and liked aspects of it but, without those two aspects (for me anyway) does not work very well.
Feed back on the Armour Rules: Steve and Grant hated the standard armour rules. During the game as far as the armour was concerned, I offered the option of either firing the main gun once or both MGs as much as a regular HMG. There were some thoughts as to the HE dice for Shermans, they thought it should be more effective 6 dice rather than 5. The ditching although frustrating for Grant mirrored the actual battle.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable game. The guys thought a percentage of the allied forced could have been deployed on table, which I think might help.
References
I used Geoffery Plowmans article on Perano from After the Battle # 185.
Plowman, J. and Rowe, P. (2019). The Battle of Perano. After the Battle, 185, p. 42-50. Battle of Britain International Ltd.
That looks an interesting battle. I always use a ratio for AFVs anyway (generally 1:2 or 1:3) the same as other heavy weapons.
Steve , Grant and Mike hated the original rules , not your most recent rules .
Bruce
Great stuff. I’m always interested in WW2 Italian campaign stuff. In addition to magazine articles, Jeffrey Plowman has written relevant books.
Anyway, here are some dull but practical terrain questions:
Please can you confirm what kind of cloth you are using: Is it felt or fleece?
Also, what are you using for the contours underneath: Is that expanded polystyrene or foam?
Hi
yes 50mm polystyrene, I cut it with a hacksaw blade and take up the cuts to prevent snow. The cloth is a wool overcoating that came in a 5.5 foot width which covers my 5 by 8 foot table.