Mud everywhere, Rough in the Atlantic, calm in the Med and Baltic

Axis Player Turn

Spain – Enraged at the Portuguese “stab in the back”, the handful of Spanish units in the west shuffle about in the mud and swear to fight to the death against their invaders while along the Pyrenees the Germans shuffle about trying to protect Barcelona and Franco’s new government. The 250th Spanish Blue XX mans the barricades with newly mobilised Artillery regiments providing support to cavalry and civil guard units. Viva la meurte! The sudden withdrawal of the 16th Pz XX to Russia from Tortosa leaves a single Spanish Mtn XX holding the line from the approaching English and French North African units.

Italy – Confident that the mud has closed down the front, the Army Group Italy CinC pops the cork on a couple of bottles of vino rosso in celebration. The policy of holding the US forces as far forward as possible seems to have paid dividends. Naples and Salerno remain in German hands, and, despite the drubbing received at Andria and the loss of an undamaged Foggia, the Peninsula looks secure. Along the coast several ants scurry to take up coast watch duties while the frontline rests under the driving rain while LW and RSI fighter aircraft rebase to Naples.

Allies Player Turn

Spain – A joint Canadian, British and Portuguese attack on Salamanca fails to dislodge the stubborn Spanish and the Allies are forced to flee from battle. At Tortosa, the single Spanish XX is crushed by British and French units who get a DR/ZoC result. Units exploit through to link up with the Tarragona beachhead and march onwards to Barcelona. At San Sebastian, an attack by Canadians and British fail to dislodge the defenders and break out into France.

Italy – The Indian 4th Mtn XX the NZ Mech 2nd and an armoured X arrive in Italy to team up with the 4 division strong British corp operating in the area. These units, using the roads to cross the peninsula, position themselves behind an American attack on the Panzer XX in Benevento. US units are stripped from the Adriatic coast to slam into the Pz XX defences while infantry and engineering troops slip through the mountains past the HG XX in Salerno. Fighters from Naples scramble to intercept the Allied air offensive in support of the US attack in the muddy conditions but are largely ineffective against such overwhelming odds. An EX results to the stunned disbelief of the Axis commander who spills vino rosso all over his uniform on hearing the news. The unhinged line is further broken into by the NZ 2nd XX and again the HG XX looks like being trapped unless it retreats to behind the Garigliano.