Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Blackshirt Division #3

Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back	Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh	Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl	South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > BlDi003

Errors? Omissions? Report them!

Panzer Grenadier Headquarters Library - select the previous scenario item

Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - select the next scenario item

By the Book Blackshirt Division #3
(Defender) Italy	vs	United States (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Italy		1ª Divisione Corazzata "Mussolino"
Italy		Gruppo di Corazzata Leonessa
United States		1st "Old Ironsides" Armored Division

	Total
Side 1	1
Draw	0
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 2 votes
5 4 3 2 1 3.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 940

Parent Game	Blackshirt Division
Historicity	Alt-History
Date	1943-03-05
Start Time	06:00
Turn Count	36
Visibility	Day & Night
Counters	128
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	1
Maps	3: 76, 78, 79
Layout Dimensions	84 x 43 cm 33 x 17 in
Play Bounty	196
AAR Bounty	171
Total Plays	2
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Exit the Battle Area
Hill Control
Inflict Enemy Casualties

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Reinforcements

Scenario Requirements & Playability
An Army at Dawn	Maps + Counters
Blackshirt Division	Base Game

Introduction
Thrown into the path of Patton’s offensive, the Blackshirts would be expected to halt the American assault – and with their new 75mm anti-tank guns, a weapon rarely seen so far in the North African campaign, they stood a good chance of doing some damage to an un-coordinated tank-infantry attack.

Conclusion
The Royal Italian Army had gained a great deal of experience in the Western Desert, defending positions against British tank attacks with infantry well-supported by anti-tank guns. The organizational tables for the M Division reflect this, and show some similarities to the Army’s AS42 divisional organization which mixed infantry, automatic weapons and anti-tank guns down to company level though not going nearly as far. The Blackshirt outfit’s success would depend in large part on how much of that institutional knowledge was passed on from the Army to the MVSN. In reality such cooperation did not appear to be at the top of the Royal Army’s to do list but we are not held hostage to the actual history here.

Conclusion

The Royal Italian Army had gained a great deal of experience in the Western Desert, defending positions against British tank attacks with infantry well-supported by anti-tank guns. The organizational tables for the M Division reflect this, and show some similarities to the Army’s AS42 divisional organization which mixed infantry, automatic weapons and anti-tank guns down to company level though not going nearly as far. The Blackshirt outfit’s success would depend in large part on how much of that institutional knowledge was passed on from the Army to the MVSN.

In reality such cooperation did not appear to be at the top of the Royal Army’s to do list but we are not held hostage to the actual history here.

Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0). AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement. AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1). Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2). Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3) Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0). Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3). Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3). AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42). AFV's may Dig In (16.2). Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present. Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC) Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle

Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Italy Order of Battle

Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale
Foot Leader Mechanized Towed

Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Towed

United States Order of Battle

Army
Foot Leader Mechanized

Army

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Display AARs (1)

Patience pays off

Author	TFGA73
Method	Solo
Victor	United States
Play Date	2020-02-28
Language	English
Scenario	BlDi003

Blackshirt Scenario 3: By the book

Background: The Americans, with a decent combined-arms force, need to punch through a large Italian infantry force, take the high ground, and exit the board. The map alignment is such that the Americans don’t have far to go, but there are a lot of blackshirts between them and the finish line.

Setup: The Italians set up on the board first. With almost no armor of their own they are dependent upon their field guns to stop the tanks, so I set them up to cover as much of the map as possible and pile the infantry around them.

The Americans start off-board and all can enter on the first turn.

Summary: The game is 36 turns, so the Americans had plenty of time to soften up the Italians and flow through the weak points. Eventually they focused on the southern half of the map, using off board artillery to knock out the 75s. The blackshirts scored some hits with their 88s, but the Americans had too many tanks, too much artillery, and too much time for them to hold out for very long.

By turn 20 the GIs had pushed the blackshirts out of the way and the armor started to break through. The rest of the game was mostly mopping up, but some Italian positions held on stubbornly until the end.

Ultimately the US controlled all 40m and 60m hills and exited 55 steps—more than enough for a major win.

Analysis: It was fun using the blackshirts in a battle, but this scenario is too long. The US had enough advantages in mobility and firepower that, preventing a major screw-up, they will eventually beat down their opponents and get the win. Around 20 turns would put more pressure and give the Italians a chance to stall them out.

0 Comments

You must be a registered member and logged-in to post a comment.

BlDi002

BlDi004

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > BlDi003

Errors? Omissions? Report them!