(05-14-2020, 11:42 AM)plloyd1010 Wrote: Mike,
I was thinking more of the Italian invasion of France. You know, "The hand that held the dagger.." Operation Anvil would be another worthy project. Probably fairly quick too.
Peter,
I know very little about the Italian Invasion of in June of 1940. That should sounds like to type of really good obscure topic I love. Other good ones would be the Vichy vs Free French in Syria, the Invasion of Madagascar, and the Campaign in Norway are other potentially good topics as well. A what if on the fight between Germany and Czechoslovakia would also be a potentially good topic.
As for Operation Anvil/Dragoon - There are a number of great things about this campaign.... Just saying.
1) Troop list is varied -
a) Germans - Some of really good (11th Panzer) and really bad formations (a number of ost battalionen)
b) US Army - VI Corps (3rd ID, 36th ID, 45th ID)
c) French Army - 1st Army - 11 total divisions including three armored divisions organized and equipped along U.S. Army lines.
d) Unusual units
1) 1st Special Service Force (Devils Brigade) a combined U.S. Canadian Force
2) French Commandos
3) French Maquis
4) Jedburgh Commando's (OSS)
5) ADHOC 1st Airborne Task Force - combined British/American Airborne Division which included a small Nisei Detachment.
6) ADHOC Combat Command - U.S. Task Force Butler based on the 117th Mechanized Cavalry Squadron - a reconnaissance unit.
2) Types of Missions
a) Amphibious Landings
b) Airborne Drops
c) Exploitation/Pursuit (at the operational level)
d) Seizure of Towns
e) Escape (maintaining avenue of retreat) along one major route
d) several pitched battles (Marseille, Toulon, and Montelimar)
3) There are a number of good works that can be used to provide background on the campaign -- I own several of primary sources and unit histories in English (almost all American POV).
4) A book size treatment might be good with the inclusion of some counters, but a specialty map or two might be good. For some of the smaller fights I think several of the maps in the inventory would work. The high ground and the rivers around Montelmar might require a special map. I haven't really read up to much on the battles of Toulon or Marseille. That seems like it would be an interesting research project.
Mike
